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 TIk' fresliiu'ss was ijoiu' fidiii the grass and the trees, 
 How (lusty tlie mails and how sultry the breeze! 
 Yet despite every hindrance, the Juniors were seen 
 In numbers assembled upon the Church green; 
 For hours and weeks they had labored before. 
 They had practiced and sung, boys and girls full a 
 
 score; 
 Mrs. Young to instruct, and Miss Maggie to play. 
 They met and rehearsed, and that day by day. 
 Then forth to the fields one evening some went. 
 And with arms full of lilies returned in content: 
 Fourteen vases of flowers they placed in the room. 
 Until it appeared like a bower of bloom. 
 On Thursday, at four, second day of July, 
 The Church-bell is ringing — just see how they hie! 
 The small gnls in white, the boys in their best. 
 To honor the hour— each fittingly drest. 
 And oh! all the babies, — do look at the crowd. 
 With mothers who bring them, so fond and .so 
 
 proud ; 
 The "Reserve Corps" we call them, and count 42; 
 They each give a barrel and take one anew, 
 'I'o fill the nest quarter with pennies and dimes, 
 Teii dollars' worth may-be, in spite of hard times, 
 For this was the sum of the offering made 
 That bright afternoon — and on the Desk laid. 
 Thirtrj-one the amount of the quarter now past. 
 From the first day of .\pril to June 30 and last. 
 Twenty dollars and five went to Egypfs dark land. 
 Where Miss L. McDowell has tsiken l;er stand 
 To teach heathen children the way into heaven — 
 Think you not that the money was worthily given!' 
 But, lest some should quote of "Home Charity's" 
 
 need. 
 We, to send to the Freedmen, six dollars agreed. 
 
 From this lengthy digression we return now to tell 
 Of the "Quarterlj' service," when all did so well; 
 There were prayers and responses, recital and song. 
 Then "News from the Nations," interesting though 
 
 long, 
 Mr. Aiken's address next suggested to each 
 Of the children and adults to "go and to teach." 
 Friends from Coila were present, ne'er seen here 
 
 before, 
 Besides Salem's fair daughters, returned home once 
 
 more. 
 Who is that now appearing, very near at the end!' 
 It is Mr. Mackenzie, our Pastor and friend. 
 As old "Coronation" rang out on the air 
 The "Reserves'' and the "Actives" make a start for 
 
 the stair. 
 The Doxology singing, they march, barrels in hand. 
 Through the room and the vestibule — gay, happy 
 
 band ! 
 The boys' deeper voices have joined in the song, 
 Energetic these boys, and useful and strong. 
 To carry down chairs they now "form a line" — 
 A "Society" pla^fen ^'improremenV^ quite fine. 
 The same "Church Improvements" are now serving 
 
 the tea. 
 Ice cream, lemonade, cake and sandwiches, free; 
 Disregarding fatigue, saying naught of the heat. 
 They passed the refreshments abundant and sweet. 
 The Young Helpers jilayed games after that on the 
 
 lawn 
 Till whistles and bells proclaimed the time gone. 
 It was with reluctance that all said good-bye. 
 But they hope the next summer the same plan to 
 
 try. CoK. Sec. 
 
 July, 1896. 
 
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Cbe Salem Book 
 
""^ fy Samuel SarlOJ'" ' ' 
 
 5^/^^ii^^^'^^^ 
 
IM $akm Book 
 
 Records of tbe Past 
 and Glimpses of tbe 
 Present ^^ t^ ^^ ^^ 
 
 PrcDarcd for Publication by a 6roup of Salem's 
 Sons and Daughters 
 
 Salem, n. V. 
 the Sakm Review-Press 
 
 MDCCCXCVI 
 
 urifvw =^ 
 
Copyright, 1896 
 
 Harriet M. William? 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
 
 
 Illustrations by T. A. Wright, New York 
 
DCDTCJlCTOn 
 
 « 
 Co him of airy form, yet ccnerabk mien 
 UJho, as the "man in gray," time and again was seen. 
 Chough curious strangers for him oainly look — 
 Che Ristory Committee dedicate this book. 
 
HISTORICAL COMMITTEE 
 
 Miss Maria R. Audubon 
 Mr. Cliarles D. Broughton 
 Miss Mary L. Beaty 
 Miss Annie T. Blanchard 
 Miss Mary Beattie 
 Miss Mary E. Baker 
 Miss Lizzie M. Baker 
 Mr. William L. Campbell 
 Mr. Robert Cruikshank 
 Mr. Irving M. Clark 
 Miss Jennie M. Connor 
 Rev. John F. Donahoe 
 Mrs. W. James Doig 
 Miss Grace Dunn 
 Dr. Asa Fitch 
 Hon. Frederick Fraser 
 Hon. James Gibson 
 Mr. James Gibson, Jr. 
 Miss Mabel Gibson 
 Mr. Allan J. Holley 
 Mrs. Lydia J. Hawley 
 Mr. Moses Johnson 
 Miss Mamie Johnson 
 Mr. John King 
 Mr. Bernard C. Kinney 
 
 Miss Fannie King 
 
 Dr. John Lambert 
 
 Mrs. William C. Larmon 
 
 Miss Fannie Leighton 
 
 Miss Helen Lambert 
 
 Dr. Robert McMurray 
 
 Rev. William A. Mackenzie 
 
 Rev. Thomas H. Mackenzie 
 
 Mr. William A. Mackenzie, Jr. 
 
 Mrs. John W. McFarland 
 
 Miss Margaret McFarland 
 
 Mrs. Agnes D. Priest 
 
 Mrs. Abner Robertson 
 
 Rev. James G. Robertson 
 
 Miss Rosena Russell 
 
 Rev. Horace Singleton, D.D. 
 
 Hon. Thomas M. Stevenson 
 
 Rev. Edward P. Sprague, D.D. 
 
 Miss Mary W. Shepard 
 
 Miss Ella Young 
 
 Mr. Charles Whitcomb 
 
 Mr. Tobias A. Wright 
 
 Miss Harriet M. Williams 
 
 Miss F'anny H. Williams 
 
 Mrs. Charles H. Wilson 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Portrait of Gen. Williams Frontispiece 
 
 Salem, 1895 OpP- page 28 
 
 The Williams Home " 191 
 
 Salem in 1795 " 219 
 
 The Old White Church " 231 
 
 Evergreen Cemetery " 247 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction 7 
 
 The Scotch-Irish Colony 11 
 
 The New England Colony 22 
 
 Interesting Genealogies 28 
 
 Old Families 55 
 
 Salem's Distinguished Sons 6g 
 
 The Old White Church 80 
 
 The Brick Church 94 
 
 The Methodist Episcopal Church 105 
 
 A Panorama of St. Paul's 107 
 
 The Catholic Church 109 
 
 The Schools iii 
 
 The Press 117 
 
 Literature 122 
 
 The Poetry of Salem 129 
 
 Music 133 
 
 Industries 135 
 
 Banking 141 
 
 The Physicians 144 
 
 Bench and Bar 154 
 
 Societies . . 159 
 
 The Fire Department 162 
 
 Salem in the Revolution 165 
 
 Soldiers of the War for the Union 172 
 
 Characteristics 1 79 
 
 Distinguished Visitors 182 
 
 Decorations 185 
 
 Noted Buildings 188 
 
 Old Homesteads 191 
 
 Antique Furniture 195 
 
CONTENTS— Continued 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Early Traffic and Travel 198 
 
 ( )l(l Time Customs 205 
 
 Farm Life 20S 
 
 Fishing 212 
 
 Holidays 219 
 
 Ghosts 222 
 
 Romances 225 
 
 Brightest and Darkest Days 227 
 
 Vignettes of Salem Life 231 
 
 Picturesqvte Salem 240 
 
 Historic Trees 244 
 
 Resting Places 247 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 USING in the twilight, while the lengthening 
 shadows of the grand old elms slowly faded from 
 the lawn and the twinkling stars gleamed down 
 upon the scene of a century's action, the wish 
 grew strong in our heart that a story might be 
 written of the lives of those who have come and gone 
 since Salem was first a home — a story full of romance, truth 
 and interest, the reading of which would keep alive in the rising 
 generation that nameless feeling of more than pride and affection 
 which has ever burned in the hearts of her children. Unlike some 
 wishes, this one has become a reality and the pleasing task is already 
 engaging the attention of many willing minds and hands. 
 
 The thought is appalling to some that the history of a hundred 
 years should be undertaken, but, as the forty members of this com- 
 mittee have each to consider but one point, we feel the 
 force of the saying, "Many hands make light work" and, with the 
 brightest anticipations, are looking forward to grand results from 
 these combined efforts. Facts relative to the Scotch and New Eng- 
 land colonies will be a suitable opening for our little volume, as 
 these left indeed a rich legacy to the "sons" and "daughters" of 
 whom mention will be made. "Interesting genealogies" and "old 
 families" will naturally ensue. "Churches" and "Schools" must 
 claim the next division, for without them "Salem's characteristics" 
 can not be clearly shown. "Old-time customs" will astonish the 
 
8 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 young, while "anecdotes," grave and comic, will be interesting to all. 
 "Literature", "music", "poetry" and "art" will find at last their right- 
 ful place in Salem's history. "Ghosts," ancient and modern, will 
 show their airy forms and the early "romances" will favorably com- 
 pare with those of high-toned fiction. "Ancient homesteads", "an- 
 tique furniture" and "public buildings" will arrest the attention of 
 some, while others will look for the "excitements" in those days of 
 long ago, when there blazed the "fires" that have influenced our his- 
 tory so greatly and when the valor of our firemen was so dauntlessly 
 displayed. 
 
 One will paint the "brightest and darkest days" and in this con- 
 nection we will remember the "heroes of the Revolution" and those 
 of later times. "Physicians" and "clergy'' will follow this story 
 through, for health of body and soul has always through them been 
 sought. "Distinguished visitors" will also be recalled and the "dec- 
 orations" on public occasions will bring up the name of many an 
 old friend. The "industries" of by-gone times will greatly surprise 
 us now and the present financial excitement will recall the former 
 "exchange". "Country traffic" too will hold its important place and 
 "modes of travel" will come down from the hardships of the pillion 
 to the fascinations of the bicycle. The "press'' and "libraries" will 
 go hand in hand and the different "societies" will show their varied 
 work. "Picturesque scenery" comes from the pen of an ardent ad- 
 mirer and some "historic trees" will claim our veneration. Unlike 
 those noble monarchs, our forms will soon be hidden in one of the 
 quiet "resting places," but our lives will show whether we, like them, 
 have made the most of our favored positions and acquired a person- 
 ality that will long be recognized. Each of the foregoing subjects 
 has been entrusted to a different writer, and surely at the hands of 
 her friends Salem will receive most kindly treatment. 
 
 August, 1893, 
 
INTRODUCTION 9 
 
 Such, with a few alterations, is the prospectus of the httle history, 
 which, two years ago, was eagerly commenced and has only now at- 
 tained completion. Enthusiasm in this scheme did not wane, nor 
 the purpose falter, but the writers required the force of the press to 
 move their unready pens. The Historical Committee is still in ex- 
 istence and has itself acquired a history. Pleasant indeed has been 
 the intercourse of these friends and the "Salem Book" will long re- 
 mind them of sun-lit hours in the Public Library. The waiter of 
 "Ghosts" was the first to produce her chapter, moved, doubtless, by 
 the mesmeric influence of the "Gray Man" whose powers have been 
 felt in Salem throughout its existence of more than a century. 
 
 Truly thankful are these amateur writers for all the courtesy and 
 assistance received at the hands of Salem's Historian. The Wash- 
 ington County Histor}^ has also lent valuable help. To each and 
 all who have sped forward our little book with friendly sympathy 
 and kindly aid, the Salem Historical Committee would express their 
 warmest gratitude. 
 
 November, 1895. 
 
AiT 
 
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12 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 its existence. Such extracts from the narrative of Dr. Fitch as the 
 Hmitations of this work permit, form the remainder of the present 
 chapter. 
 
 It is quite safe to say that there are few rehgious societies in our 
 country which present a history so interesting and abounding with 
 such varied incidents as does the "First Presbyterian Church in Sa- 
 lem, formerly New Perth", this being its corporate name. This 
 church was bom and passed the period of its infancy in another hemi- 
 sphere, upon the other side of the broad ocean. It owes its origin 
 to the "New Light heresies'' as they were called, which were enter- 
 tained by the ministers of several of the Presbyterian churches of 
 Scotland and Ireland toward the middle of the last century, which 
 caused the Associate Church to separate itself from the Established 
 Church of those countries. The germ from which the church in Sa- 
 lem started we find in the following extract from the minutes of the 
 Associate Presbytery of Glasgow. "Near two hundred families of 
 Presbyterians in and about Monaghan and Ballibay did about the 
 year 1748 leave their former teachers, because they could not find 
 themselves edified by them, nor believe some things they taught. 
 These families forwarded a petition to the Associate Burgher Pres- 
 bytery of Glasgow in Scotland, earnestly soliciting a supply of 
 preaching." This and similar petitions came before the Presbytery 
 at its meeting in Stirling June 27th, 1749, whereupon the Presby- 
 tery appointed Thomas Clark, a probationer who had lately been 
 licensed by them, to go as a missionary to Ireland and preach to the 
 several congregations which had thus applied to Presbyter}'. 
 
 Mr. Clark thus became the instrument by which the Salem church 
 was first gathered and organized, and subsequently transplanted from 
 its original soil; and it was nourished and watered by his ministra- 
 tions during the first thirty-three years of its existence, and until it 
 had become thrifty, vigorous and self-sustaining. Seldom has a 
 church had a founder, a father, so able, so devoted to its service and 
 who has done such things for it. 
 
 Dr. Clark immediately upon his appointment retired to Ireland 
 and preached his first discourse at Ballibay (the original seat of the 
 Salem congregation) on the 3d day of July, 1749, but six days after 
 his appointment to that field. He found here a wide sphere of 
 usefulness. Some of the ministers of the Synod of Ulster were 
 following " New Light " errors, whereby several congregations 
 were becoming dissatisfied and solicited Dr. Clark to hold meet- 
 
THE SCOTCH-IRISH COLONY 13 
 
 ings in their neighborhoods. His preaching was acceptable and 
 popular. Large audiences were gathered wherever he made ap- 
 pointments. Lender his labors, the societies which had been 
 formed at Ballibay and Clanerrees each grew to be so strong that 
 at a subsequent meeting of the Burgher synod unanimous calls for 
 his permanent settlement were presented from both these places, a 
 third call being at the same time presented to him from a congrega- 
 tion near Perth in Scotland. Dr. Clark decided to accept the call 
 from Ballibay. He accordingly was ordained and installed over that 
 church by a committee of the Glasgow Presbytery on July 23d, 
 1 75 1. Although Dr. Clark was now settled over a particular church, 
 his labors w^ere by no means limited to its bounds. Indeed through- 
 out his life, wherever he was located, he felt a deep interest in the 
 spiritual welfare of the whole country around him, going to differ- 
 ent and often distant neighborhoods to preach, wherever a group of 
 hearers could be assembled. Because of Dr. Clark's zeal, piety and 
 soundness in the faith, the number greatly increased of those who left 
 their former teachers and resorted to him, whereby the enmity of his 
 opponents became excited to the highest pitch, and they deteiTnined 
 to leave no stone unturned to break him down and expel him from 
 the country. It became known to them that Dr. Clark entertained 
 scruples with regard to taking the abjuration oath in the manner 
 prescribed by law, namely by kissing the Bible. Therefore by obtam- 
 irtg a warrant against him as a person disafifected to the government, 
 they could have him committed to prison until he should purge him- 
 self of disloyalty by taking this oath. It was from the rival Presby- 
 terian church in Ballibay that the persecution against Dr. Clark pro- 
 ceeded. The plot was kept a profound secret until they obtained an 
 opportunity to serve the warrant when Dr. Clark should be at a dis- 
 tance from Ballibay — they evidently being fearful that if the attempt 
 was made to arrest him there, in the midst of his friends, it would 
 cause such excitement, such exasperation and perhaps rioting, that 
 the most deplorable consequences might result. It became known 
 that Dr. Clark was to preach and moderate a call for a pastor at New- 
 bliss, January 23d, 1754, and it -was resolved to execute the warrant 
 at that time. George Kerr, a member of Mr. Jackson's church, took 
 the lead in the proceedings and was accompanied by several others 
 of the elders and members. They reached Newbliss when the ser- 
 vices were in progress and arrested Dr. Clark just as he had closed 
 his sermon. The audience, on learning what was being done, would 
 
14 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 immediately have rescued him, but he mildly bade them be calm and 
 do no harm or violence to any one. All that night he was kept un- 
 der guard in a tavern. The next day under a strong guard of horse 
 and foot, which Kerr had raised, being fearful of a rescue, he was 
 taken, amidst the tears of multitudes along the route, fourteen miles 
 to Monaghan jail there to await trial. April 8th, 1754, was the day 
 of trial. When the judges examined the warrant upon which he 
 was committed they found it defective and ordered his immediate re- 
 lease. A new writ was obtained against him April 24th, on which 
 he was arrested and again imprisoned. During that summer his 
 congregation, residing from eight to eleven miles from the jail, were 
 able to repair thither for Divine services upon the Sabbath. E^ch 
 week as many as the space would contain gathered inside the mass- 
 ive walls in a dense cluster around the preacher, aged matrons and 
 youthful maidens being mingled among the worshippers regardless 
 of the dolefulness of the place. Parents brought their infants to 
 him in the jail for baptism. Thither also came the betrothed young 
 men and maidens to have the marriage ceremony performed. Dur- 
 ing Dr. Clark's imprisonment many aged and pious men went down 
 to their graves, bewailing their sad case in thus being deprived of 
 their beloved pastor's counsels and prayers in their dying hours. 
 Among this number was a venerable elder of his church, Elias, 
 nephew of Samuel Rutherford, one of the Westminster Assembly of 
 Divines. Such a degree of affection as existed between Dr. Clark 
 and his flock has few parallels. Scarcely a day passed but he was 
 visited by some of his church members, every one taking evident 
 pleasure in rendering him any service in his power. We do not find 
 any indication of the number of months he remained in prison at 
 this time or the manner in which he obtained his release. His mili- 
 tary service in which he jeopardized his life in defence of the king, 
 and in opposition to the pretender, was an evidence of Dr. Clark's 
 loyalty, so much stronger than anything his enemies could adduce 
 in proof of theirs, that on coming to know the facts the public would 
 naturally be indignant against those who had resorted to such high- 
 handed measures; for, after his second release from prison, no fur- 
 ther attempts appear to have been made to harass him in the courts 
 of law, or otherwise interrupt him in the discharge of his ministerial 
 duties. 
 
 The several months' imprisonment to which the arbitrary laws of 
 the country had subjected him, because he could not violate the die- 
 
THE SCOTCH-IRISH COLONY 15 
 
 tates of his conscience, was so vexatious and unjust that it served 
 to wean him and a large portion of his flock from their attachment to 
 the land of their birth, and to induce them to seek a new home in the 
 wilds of America, where they could cherish their religious convic- 
 tions, free from the strong arm of civil authority, by which they were 
 so stringently restrained in their native land. Preliminary to this 
 important step, Dr. Clark had been in correspondence with Hon. 
 Robert Harper of Columbia College in the city of New York, and 
 had furnished him with the names of one hundred families in the 
 North of Ireland who were desirous of coming to America. Mr. 
 Harper obtained a warrant from the governor, to survey and lay off 
 a tract of forty thousand acres, from the ungranted lands north of 
 Kingsbury and Queensbury and around the head of Lake George, 
 on which to locate these families. About the same time Dr. Clark 
 received letters from two places in America which were desirous of 
 obtaining a minister, mviting him to come and settle with them. 
 L^pon his laying these letters before Presbytery and stating that he 
 thought his labors would be more effective in some other place than 
 Ballibay, the Presbyter}-- acceded to his wish and appointed him to 
 labor one year in America, without dissolving his pastoral relations 
 to the Ballibay church. Thereupon he and those who had decided 
 to accompany him, made the final arrangements for their departure. 
 His last discourse in Ballibay was preached from I Cor. 2:3. "I was 
 with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling" — a passage 
 which he says, in a letter to them long afterwards, "contains the his- 
 tory of my six years sojourning with you. In the following devout 
 terms Dr. Clark briefly relates the voyage across the ocean, of the 
 "Pilgrim Fathers of Salem." "May 10, 1764, we sailed from Newry. 
 The all-gracious God carried three hundred of us, safe over the de- 
 vouring deep in the arms of his mercy. Praised be his Name ! We 
 arrived safe at New York July 28th." 
 
 Upon their arrival in New York,on conferring with Mr.Harper,they 
 learned that their title to the tract at Lake George,thougli not yet fully 
 perfected, was so certain that they might consider the land to be theirs. 
 They could not however build their cabins until the tract was surveyed 
 and marked off into lots, and divided among them so that each man 
 would know which portion of the land was his. The company must 
 therefore make a tarry somewhere until the tract could be prepared 
 for their occupancy. As most of them possessed but limited means 
 it became necessary for them to seek employment among the in- 
 
i6 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 habitants of the settlement nearest their lands, so that they might 
 conveniently go to them and make the small improvements required 
 before moving their families upon them. While the colony remained 
 in New York it would seem that some of them were tampered with 
 by some land agent for a tract in Carolina and upon account of his 
 representations several families separated from the colony and went 
 to the Abbeville District, S. C, where they became settled at Cedar 
 Spring and its vicinity. The main body continued together under 
 Dr. Clark's guidance and came up the Hudson river with him to 
 Stillwater. The arrival of such a number of families in this town, of 
 a character so unlike that of other settlers who were locating in the 
 country round about, such strict observers of the Sabbath, so ex- 
 emplary in deportment, such great readers and so well supplied with 
 books, was so extraordinary that it caused quite a sensation. One 
 after another of the company found employment among the New 
 England settlers in that town and the Dutch on the opposite side of 
 the river in Schaghticoke, so before wdnter came the most of the 
 colonists found places of labor. Some of the company, however, 
 passed the first winter after their arrival upon or in the neighborhood 
 of the tract at Lake George. They were probably employed in one of 
 the parties of lumbermen who were accustomed to pass the winters 
 upon the upper parts of the Hudson, obtaining logs for the Still- 
 water saw mills. The winter was one of unusual severity; and they 
 brought back such a dismal report of the bleak, dreary aspect of that 
 rugged, inhospitable region, its vast forests of gloomy hemlocks, the 
 deep snows aiad the intense cold they there encountered, that the 
 colony became disheartened and averse to settling there. Dr. Clark 
 moreover learned from persons in whose intelligence and judgment 
 he confided that the locality was an undesirable one. Therefore al" 
 though Mr. Harper on May 15, 1765, obtained a grant of four hun- 
 dred acres for each family, they preferred abandoning the tract en- 
 tirely. Dr. Clark accordingly examined the lands through all this 
 part of the state. In his exploration of the region he visited and 
 preached in the spring of 1765 the first sermon ever delivered in the 
 town of Salem. James Turner's house was the only one then erected 
 in the beautiful valley where the village of Salem now stands. In 
 this cabin, upon a Sabbath day Dr. Clark preached to a few indi- 
 viduals gathered from the isolated dwellings in this section of the 
 country. One of his hearers, the mother of Chief Justice Savage, 
 then a girl, in order to be present, had that morning walked seven 
 
THE SCOTCH-IRISH COLONY 17 
 
 miles, on her way passing but one house with small clearing around it. 
 Having spent the summer in traveling to and fro examining the 
 numerous tracts of unsettled lands in this section of the state and 
 learning the posture in which their titles stood, Dr. Clark's mind be- 
 came fixed upon Salem as being the most desirable location for his 
 people anywhere to be met with. He learned there was here a tract 
 of twenty-five thousand acres which had been granted the year be- 
 fore (Aug. 7, 1764) to Alexander Turner and twenty- four others re- 
 siding in Pelham, Mass., who had conveyed twelve thousand acres 
 of this tract to Oliver Delancy and Peter Dubois, two gentlemen of 
 New York City. They had caused the tract to be surveyed and 
 marked off into small lots of eighty-eight acres each. Everything 
 was thus in readiness for settlers. Dr. Clark desired to make arrange- 
 ments with these two gentlemen in New York whereby his com- 
 pany of emigrants could immediately come and locate upon these 
 lands. On conferring with Delancy and Dubois he appears to have 
 experienced some difficulty in persuading them to make over their 
 lands upon such terms as he desired, for though he reached New 
 York before the first of September it was not until the thirtieth of 
 that month that his business was brought to a close. In the end he 
 was highly successful. They conveyed him their twelve thousand 
 acres free of any charge for five years, after which time a yearly rent 
 of one shilling per acre was to be paid. Before leaving New York 
 Dr. Clark had blank deeds printed that he might, in a convenient 
 and business Hke manner, convey his lands to settlers. In these deeds 
 the name of New Perth was first bestowed upon the place. It was no 
 doubt to attract hither emigrants from Scotland that he selected this 
 name, the lands in the vicinity of Perth being unexcelled in fertility 
 by any others on the island of Great Britain and the renown of the 
 historical incidents associated with this ancient capital of the king- 
 dom strongly endearing its name to every Scotchman. The New Eng- 
 land settlers who, a few years later, so briskly competed with the 
 Scotch and Irish settlers for the ascendancy in the town, ignored this 
 name and in their deeds and other documents, the place is called 
 White Creek. But having grown to be the most populous place in 
 the county the legislature, March 2, 1774, erected it into a township 
 named New Perth, thus establishing this as its legal name. This re- 
 mained its name until the close of the Revolutionary war when, on 
 March 7, 1788, an act was passed dividing the whole state into coun- 
 ties and towns, when the name was changed to Salem. 
 
18 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Great was the joy of the colony when Dr. Clark returned from 
 New York with the tidings that he had obtained the grant of the land 
 upon such terms that all might repair thither at once, unhampered 
 by the lack of funds and commence the work of cleai"tng and im- 
 proving. It was arranged that they should leave their fami- 
 lies in Stillwater through the following summer, and that 
 the men should come to Salem (thirty miles through 
 the forest) as early as possible in the spring, select 
 their farms, clear and bum over as much land as possible, in season 
 to put in a crop of corn. They would return to Stillwater in mid- 
 summer, assist the people there in haying and harvest, and then re- 
 turn to Salem, in the autumn, harvest their corn, put in a crop of 
 wheat, and build each family a log cabin, into which they might move 
 in the spring of the following year. Accordingly, early in the spring 
 of 1766, Dr. Clark and a number of the men of the colony came into 
 the town. Their first business upon entering the town was to erect a 
 log house where they might deposit their provisions and baggage and 
 where also they might stay at night, without danger from the wild 
 beasts of the forest. This house was also to serve as the future resi- 
 dence of Dr. Clark. It was at this time therefore that the first parson" 
 age in the town was built. This was the fourth building of any kind 
 within the limits of the town. It stood directly opposite the Old 
 Burying Ground, the fine spring of water near by causing this site 
 to be. preferred. It was in this year also, 1766, that the first meeting 
 house was built, the first structure of this kind in the county, and, in- 
 deed, in all the region north from Albany to the Canada line. While 
 the men were employed in building cabins for their future homes and 
 in clearing the ground immediately around these cabins, they upon 
 specified days left their cabins and came together to engage in put- 
 ting up this house of worship. The site of this first church was a few 
 rods south of the "Old Meeting House" which still stands in the 
 southern part of the village. The dwelling of Joseph Kelly now oc- 
 cupies the spot on which this first meeting house stood. It was 
 built of logs and was said to have been the largest log house in all 
 the country round about. The road then ran at the foot of the hill 
 on the opposite side of the meeting house from where it now passes 
 and across this road, opposite to the church, the school house was 
 built. The next year, 1767, is the era of the general settlement of 
 Salem, the families moving up from Stillwater and oc- 
 cupying the cabins that had been prepared for them, so 
 
THE SCOTCH-IRISH COLONY I9 
 
 that every district and section of the town became that 
 season more or less inhabited. A few famihes of the 
 colony, however, remained in Stillwater and their descend- 
 ants are among the most prominent ijiliabitants of that town unto 
 this day. The first family of the company which reached Salem was 
 that of John Lytle who arrived May 7th, there being only three fami- 
 lies then settled in the town, viz. : James Turner, already mentioned, 
 who lived upon the present site of the Ondawa House, Joshua Con- 
 key who lived at the distance of about a mile from Mr. Turner up 
 White Creek, and David Webb, who lived south of the village. Ham- 
 ilton McCollister was also here, at that time a single man, clearing a 
 farm for his future residence. 
 
 Before the end of May such a number of families had arrived that 
 divine worship in the meeting house was commenced. There were 
 none of the formalities of organizing a church. No admission of mem- 
 bers or election of trustees. The company was already a perfectly or- 
 ganized religious society with its pastor, its elders, its members, all 
 regularly constituted. Dr. Clark had never resigned, nor had the Pres- 
 bytery released him from his pastoral charge over these people. Their 
 church membership had never been interrupted. They took no let- 
 ters of dismission to join another church. He was their pastor; they 
 were his flock. The same relations existed between them in iVnier- 
 ica as in Ireland. We doubt if any other religious society has been 
 transferred from the Old to the New World in a manner so regu- 
 larly and orderly, and with so little to vitiate its title to a continuous 
 identity. When the Pilgrim Fathers of New England crossed the 
 ocean their pastor remained behind, and the only one with them who 
 had any official authority to act as their spiritual leader was an elder. 
 The regular ordinances of worship were thereby of necessity inter- 
 mitted for several years. Under different circumstances from these 
 Dr. Clark's colony came across the ocean and arrived in Salem. 
 The preaching of the Word on the Sabbath, and the administration 
 of the Sacraments were regularly continued during the three years 
 of their pilgrimage with only such occasional interruptions as were 
 at times unavoidable. Thus they came into this town a fully and 
 perfectly organized church, with its pastor, its elders to the number 
 of five or more, and more than two hundred members, of whom 
 probably one-fourth were baptized children. 
 
 As the five years that the colony were to have the lands 
 free of any charge would terminate in 1770, after which the 
 
20 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 yearly rent of a shilling per acre would begin, it was import- 
 ant that they should have the lands fully settled before that time, 
 since every lot which then remained vacant would become a 
 charge upon them of eleven dollars. To procure settlers, Dr. 
 Clark corresponded with his friends in Scotland and Ireland, and 
 one of the congregation revisited his native land to inform his 
 acquaintances more fully of the advantages which were here pre- 
 sented to settlers. Hereby the population of the town rapidly in- 
 creased and the church received large accessions to its membership. 
 The log church was so inconvenient, and it was so fatiguing to the 
 congregation to be cooped up within its rough, hard benches during 
 the two long sermons, such as were customar}^ at that period, that 
 it appears to have been occupied only during the winters and upon 
 stormy Sabbaths in the summers. 
 
 It was so much more comfortable and pleasant for the worship- 
 pers to be out in the open air, that upon fair days the meetings were 
 commonly held at the spring on the opposite side of the road from 
 the parsonage, where there was an attractive open grove, most of the 
 original trees having been cut away in obtaining materials for build- 
 ing the parsonage. Here the preacher stood beneath a small tent, 
 open upon one side and sliading him from the sun, with the Bible 
 and Psalm Book placed upon a stand covered with white cloth, and 
 with the audience clustered upon the rising ground in front of him, 
 sitting upon the shelving ledges of the rocks and the stumps of the 
 recently cut trees. The church being so inadequate for accommo" 
 dating the congregation, the society within a few years erected by 
 the side of it a large, comfoilable and commodious building namely, 
 "The Old Meeting House" which is still standing though it has long 
 since become private property and its interior has been divided by 
 partitions to adapt it for family residences. This framed church was 
 erected and occupied before the Revolutionary war. It was the first 
 framed building in this section of the country, two large houses 
 which had been put up as barracks and storehouse at Fort Edward, 
 being the only framed structures in the county previous to it. When 
 first erected it was so large and so well built, that it was looked upon 
 as being quite a magnificent edifice, and over all the country for 
 thirty miles around or more, the New Perth meeting house was a cur- 
 rent subject of conversation. The sessions of court after the break- 
 ing out of the war of Independence were held in this building until 
 the erection of a permanent court house. 
 
THE SCOTCH-IRISH COLONY 21 
 
 The latter history of the colony is so interwoven with the history 
 of Salem, that it properly falls into the latter chapters of this book. 
 Enough has been already related to illustrate the steadfast fidelity, 
 unswerving faith, and indomitable energy that animated these early 
 pioneers and to demonstrate that their labors were not in vain. 
 
THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE NEW ENGLAND COLONY 
 
 The first settlement of what is now known as the town of Salem 
 links itself with central and western Massachusetts, and the New 
 England life and thrift thus transplanted hither has never ceased to 
 be a present and potent factor in all the character and progress of 
 the place. While another element, a colony larger in numbers and 
 more complete in organization, followed very close upon the Massa- 
 chusetts people, the New Englanders were the first in occupancy. 
 They were the original settlers of the town, and theirs was the first 
 continuous settlement in the entire comity. 
 
 Early in the year 1761, James Turner and Joshua Conkey, who 
 had perhaps traversed the region before, visited this county and de- 
 cided on this as the place of their future residence. They returned 
 to their old home in Pelham, Mass., for the winter, and then came 
 here again the following spring, bringing with them Hamilton Mc- 
 Collister; eyid erected their first house, cabin rather, on the ground 
 where the On-da-wa House now stands. After two years, the sum- 
 mers of which were spent here and the winters in Pelham, these 
 three men removed their families hither in the spring of 1764, and 
 made this place thereafter their permanent home. These three fami- 
 lies, Turner, Conkey and McCollister, were thus the original settlers, 
 and this date, the spring of 1764, the time of the original settle- 
 ment of this place. 
 
 During the succeeding years some twenty, or more, families fol- 
 lowed these pioneers, families like them in character and blood, and 
 from the Massachusetts towns of Pelham, Colerain, Sturbridge and 
 vicinity. These with still later additions, largely from mucli the 
 same region, constituted what became distinctively known as the 
 "New England Colony", and were the founders of the present First 
 Incorporated Presbyterian Church of Salem. This church origi- 
 nated here, was the first of its ecclesiastical order in this region, and 
 was the first church of any kind actually and originally organized 
 within this county. The first sermon ever preached in Salem was 
 delivered by Dr. Clark, while visiting here, in the cabin of James 
 Turner; the first child of white parents bom in this place was Alex. 
 J. .Turner, and the second, John Conkey. 
 
THE NEW ENGLAND COLONY 23 
 
 The grant from the government, under which the New England 
 colony held their land, was given August 7th, 1764, in answer to a 
 petition presented in January of the year previous, and conveyed to 
 Alexander and James Turner, and twenty-five citizens of Pelham, 
 Mass., 25,000 acres, under probably the usual terms of an annual 
 quit rent of two shillings for each one hundred acres, reserving all 
 mines and large pine trees to the Crown. The patentees, however, 
 found it wise, or necessaiy in procuring this grant to convey by deed 
 an undivided half to Oliver De Lancey and others connected with 
 the colonial government. This half, which by some unconscious 
 satire was called "the gentlemen's tract", was the portion which was 
 bought a year later by Dr. Clark and his colony. The whole tract 
 conveyed by the grant was divided into 304 lots, of eighty-eight 
 acres each, and as Dr. Clark's colony had purchased an undivided 
 half, these lots were distributed by lot between the settlers from New 
 England and from Scotland, each party having first given three lots 
 for religious and educational purposes. 
 
 While the two colonies were thus intermixed in settlement, and 
 while the most friendly and neighborly relations existed between 
 them from the first, as in fact, ever since, still something of 
 healthy rivalry existed also, and there was a wider separa- 
 tion in matters of religion, resulting eventually and naturally in the 
 two churches, distinguished for a generation as the "New England" 
 and the "Scotch congregation". The very name of the place was 
 for a long time in dispute between them, the New England people 
 calling it "White Creek" and the Scotch "New Perth". So decided 
 was the pertinacity with which each side clung to its chosen name 
 that, as Dr. Asa Fitch relates, when one of the proprietor's agents 
 conveyed a piece of land, and used in the deed the name "White 
 Creek", the Scotch purchaser refused to recognize the name, and 
 as a compromise the name "Turner's Patent" had to be substituted. 
 
 The New England people worshipped at first very generally with 
 the Scotch congregation, and probably united with them in the con- 
 struction of their first church building, yet they never abandoned 
 their purpose of a distinct religious organization. The first step 
 toward this was the pledging the three town lots, from their half, 
 "for the maintenance of a regular gospel minister". Two years 
 later, in 1769, their church was organized with fifty-two members, 
 Alexander Turner, Edward Savage and Daniel McCleary being 
 elected elders. Following this organization of a distinct church and 
 
24 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 after an unsuccessful attempt to have Dr. Clark installed as 
 pastor over both congregations, the Massachusetts people proceeded 
 to erect for themselves, in 1774, their first house of worship. 
 
 This church building, which was never completed, stood on the 
 same lot that the present "Brick Church" now occupies, a part prob- 
 ably of Hamilton McCollister's original tract, which was afterw'ards 
 purchased by Gen. John WilHams, who on October 25, 1797, exe- 
 cuted a deed of confirmation conveying the title for this lot for the 
 sum of one dollar to the trustees of the church. The construction 
 of this, their earliest church, was a serious undertaking for the people, 
 who had little money to give, but contributed materials as they were 
 able, and freely added their own labor. The late William McCollis- 
 ter, son of the original settler of that name, has frequently related to 
 the writer his father's labor in transportmg materials for this, or 
 more probably for the subsequent frame building from Albany. 
 These supplies were brought in wagons, and the crossing of the Hud- 
 son river was made at Schuylerville. The driver would stand above 
 the wagon with one foot on each sideboard, driving the horses into 
 the water. The horses would wade as far as possible, then swim the 
 rest of the way across, drawing the floating wagon behind them, 
 the driver from his position directing their course. 
 
 This early church building, although never completed, was used 
 by the people for worship once, at least, when only the roof was on, 
 and repeatedly while there was no floor, and of course no perma- 
 nent benches. It then served its noble use in defence of the people, 
 and was destroyed on account thereof. 
 
 In 1777, at the time of Gen. Burgoyne's invasion, the people of 
 this place felt the need of some safe stronghold for defence and 
 refuge, and it was decided to use the incomplete New England 
 church for this purpose. The people assembled and took the tim- 
 bers of the old Scotch log church, cut them into lengths of about 
 twelve feet, and carrying them on their shoulders (for there was no 
 wagon in the village till some ten years later), planted them in a 
 trench around the New England church, at a distance of about sixty 
 feet from its wall, thus forming a stockade about nine feet high. 
 They also built ovens for provisioning the troops. This stockade 
 fort, which was completed July 26, 1777, was first called the Salem 
 Fort, and then afterwards Fort Williams, in honor of Gen. Williams, 
 then a prominent member of the New England congregation, whose 
 influence and activities effected so much for this place. This prim- 
 
THE NEW ENGLAND COLONY 25 
 
 itive fort served its purpose for only a brief time. It was burned 
 early in the autumn following, probably during the last days of Au- 
 gust, 1777, presumably by some of the tories, and not by any sol- 
 dier, the old records of the church, since destroyed, describing it as 
 done "by some domestic rather than foreign enemy". 
 
 It is related of Col. Joseph McCracken, a prominent member of 
 the New England congregation, who was the commander of the 
 troops stationed for a time in this fort, as illustrating his enthusi- 
 astic devotion to his commander-in-chief, that at one time his pas- 
 tor, the Rev. Samuel Tomb, in conversation with him spoke of King 
 David as one of the greatest warriors, when the old veteran broke 
 out in reply, "Yes, Samuel, David was a great warrior; but he was 
 not any greater than George Washington." 
 
 During the next few years the people were too poor, in 
 consequence of all they had lost and suffered in the war, 
 to make any strong effort towards rebuilding their house 
 of worship. Their second church was probably not erected 
 before 1783 or 1784. In the year 1779, however, they 
 made two ineffectual attempts to secure help towards such 
 a work, drawing up t^vo petitions, to the legislature of 
 New York ; in the first of which they asked that certain moneys, aris- 
 ing from the sale of cattle and carriages confiscated from the Tories, 
 and amounting to two hundred and ninety-three pounds seven 
 shillings, be appropriated for the rebuilding their meeting house; 
 while in the second, after recounting how their house of worship 
 had been used "as a barrack for our troops", "stockaded in for that 
 purpose," "burned by the enemy", "and our congregation having 
 suffered greatly by the ravages of the enemy, being universally and 
 exceedingly attached to the cause of their country," etc. They asked 
 for "leave to erect a lottery for the raising a sum sufficient to build 
 a new church and a parsonage house." 
 
 A number of attempts appear to have been made between the 
 years 1778 and 1783 to unite the two colonies here in one religious 
 organization, but nothing resulted from these efforts; and in Au- 
 gust, 1785, the New England congregation called the Rev. Justus 
 Mitchell as pastor. This effort failing, on September 27, 1787, 
 they voted to call the Rev. John Warford of Amwell, N. J., who began 
 his labors here in 1788, and thus was the first installed pastor of the 
 First Presbyterian, or as it was commonly called the "New Eng- 
 land" congregation. The call for Mr. Warford, which is still extant, 
 3 
 
26 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 promises to pay him the annual salary of one hundred and twenty 
 pounds New York currency, to build him a convenient parsonage, 
 give him the use of 176 acres of the glebe lands, and to pay into the 
 Widows' Fund 116 pounds, 13s. and 4d. Proclamation money. 
 
 Any further history' of the New England colony, fifty years after 
 their first settlement here, would be largely a history of the First 
 Presbyterian church, and so out of place in this present chapter. 
 The descendants of the first settlers continued the traits, and per- 
 petuated the traditions of their ancestors. vStill other families came 
 hither from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the New England 
 element has always been prominent in this village; but while the 
 two churches have always remained distinct, the two colonies became 
 more and more merged into one socially, and in all civil relations 
 until there can be no separate account given of each, but simply that 
 which includes, and does honor to both alike, the history of the 
 pleasant and prosperous village of Salem. 
 
 Two items, however, which are connected with the church may 
 be of interest, one as showing the early attitude of the New England 
 people on the temperance question, and the other as connecting the 
 present with the long past. 
 
 When the new church, which in turn was burned four years later, 
 was to be built in 1836, the articles of agreement with the contrac- 
 tor specified, "that no ardent spirits or strong drink shall be brought 
 upon the premises by any person in employment on the job, and 
 that he shall in all reasonable ways discountenance his workmen 
 from the use of intoxicating drinks". The trustees' records also 
 show the following in the handwriting of Mr. Joseph Hawley: "It 
 may be proper to record that the roof of the church was raised the 
 22d of September, 1836, without accident or injury to anyone, and 
 without using any ardent spirits''. The other item refers to the 
 present bell in the Brick church. The metal of the original bell, 
 which hung in the steeple of the old frame church, has passed 
 through two fires, and now, with certain needful additions to its 
 amount, still rings out each Sunday to call the people to divine wor- 
 ship. 
 
 A full list of the early members of the New England colony can- 
 not here be given, but a few names deserve mention as a fitting close 
 for this chapter. First of all Alexander Turner, Joshua Conkey 
 and Hamilton McCollister, the three original pioneers; then Dr. 
 (more commonly known as Gen.) John Williams, so prominent in 
 
THE NEW ENGLAND COLONY 27 
 
 all the early history of this region : John Savage with his sons Ed- 
 ward and James, Robert Stewart, Moses Martin, Gideon Safford, 
 William Brown, Joseph McCracken, who lost an arm in the battle 
 of Monmouth, John Gray, Ebenezer Russell, Dr. Peletiah Fitch, 
 father of the well-known Dr. Fitch and grandfather of the equally 
 well-known Dr. Asa Fitch, Jr., Benjamin and Job Cleveland who 
 came from Rhode Island, and Major Stephen Clapp from Connecti- 
 cut before or during the Revolutionary war, Zaccheus Atwood, 
 Hugh and James Moor, brothers, who are said to have been one a 
 loyalist and the other a federalist, and John Honeywood, poet, 
 painter and clerk. Of many of these the descendants are still living 
 in Salem, repeating, we trust, their virtues as well as perpetuating 
 their names. 
 
28 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 
 
 "Antiquity, thou wondrous charm, what art thou, that being noth- 
 ing art everything? When thou wert, thou wert not antiquity, then 
 thou wert nothing." — Charles Lamb. 
 
 To the thoughtful mind anything which bears the mark of age is 
 sure to possess a peculiar interest. Particularly among people of 
 education and culture there exists a taste for all things connected 
 with the past. The increased attention paid to genealogies in our 
 own country bears witness to a marked change in the popular mind 
 regarding this long-neglected subject. 
 
 Under the head of interesting genealogies it is proposed to give 
 a brief account of the ancestry of some of the earliest families of 
 Salem. So far from being complete, however, the limits of the work 
 efifectually preclude any comprehensive discussion of the subject. 
 
 THE WILLIAMS FAMILY 
 
 I. General John Williams, bom in Barnstaple, Devonshire, Eng- 
 land, in 1752. He became a surgeon and in 1773 settled in Salem, 
 where he practiced his profession. In the Revolution he served as 
 brigadier-general and after the war was member of the legislature 
 of New York, judge of the County Court for twenty-five years and 
 member of congess from 1792 to 1796. 
 
 He married, first, Mrs. Susannah Thomas Turner, widow of 
 James Turner. 
 
 His second wife was Mrs. Mary Townley of New York City. 
 His children, all by his first wife, were: 
 John. 
 
 Susan, Married Rev. Alexander Proudfit. D. D. 
 Elizabeth, married Ebenezer Proudfit. 
 Maria, married Hon. Anthony I. Blanchard. 
 
 II. Colonel John Williams, born in Salem. He commanded 
 the Washington county regiment of cavalry. 
 
 He married Ann, daughter of Colonel George Wray, of Fort 
 Afine. 
 
V 
 
 siEAL 
 
 'at art f'- 
 
 ich bears the m:- 
 
 ■J to gi 'Vir 
 
 Age jn tlic. j>opulat" ii^i id 
 
 to give 
 ilies of 
 
 \ 
 
 T!vvr.as Turner, ^*^!ow of \ 
 
^ 
 
 ^ 
 § 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 29 
 
 Their children were: 
 John. 
 Mary, married Rev. George W. Bethune, D. D. 
 
 III. John WilHams, bom in Salem, N. Y. He married Harriet 
 Byron Martin. 
 
 (First Generation. William Seaborn Martin, born in 1650, died 
 in 1715. He married in 1685, Abigail Curtiss, who was bom in 
 1 67 1, and died in 1735. 
 
 Second Generation. Samuel Martin, born in 1693. He married 
 Annis Hinman. 
 
 Third Generation. Nathan Martin, bom in 1735, died in 1794. 
 He married Ellen Bradley. 
 
 Fourth Generation. Thaddeus Martin, born in 1779, died in 1826. 
 He married Mehitable Throop, daughter of George Bliss, who was 
 adopted by his uncle Benjamin Throop, and took the name Throop. 
 
 First Generation. Jonathan Bliss of Belstone Parish, Devon- 
 shire, England. He was a Puritan and persecuted for his religion 
 under Archbishop Laud and was finally compelled to sell the estate 
 which had belonged to his family for two centuries and spent the 
 remainder of his life with his daughter. Lady Calcliffe, who was an 
 Episcopalian and so able to afiford him protection. His children 
 were : 
 
 Jonathan, died in 1635. 
 
 Thomas, bom about 1580, died in 1640. 
 
 Elizabeth, married Sir John Calcliffe of Belstone. 
 
 George, born in 1591, died August 31st, 1667. 
 
 Mary. 
 
 Second Generation. Thomas Bliss, of Braintree, Mass., and af- 
 terwards of Hartford, Ct, bom 1580, died 1640. He married while 
 in England Margaret Lawrence. 
 
 Third Generation. John Bliss, born at Hartford in 1640, died 
 September loth, 1702. He married Patience, daughter of Henry 
 and Alslia Burt, of Springfield. Henry Burt settled in Springfield 
 in 1638, and became clerk of the writs. 
 
 Fourth Generation. John Bliss, of Enfield, Ct., and one of the 
 first settlers of Lebanon, Ct, born September 7th, 1669, died in 1747. 
 He married January nth, 1793, Anna Terry. 
 
 Fifth Generation. John Bliss, of Lebanon, Ct, born December 
 25th, 1695, married Hannah Ticknor. 
 
30 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Sixth Generation. John Bliss, bom at Lebanon, Ct, ^May 26th, 
 1726. 
 
 Seventh Generation. George BHss Throop, born about 1760. 
 He was adopted by his uncle, the Rev. Benjamin Throop, of Boy- 
 rah, Ct. He married Abiah Thompson. 
 
 First Generation. Anthony Thompson. He came to America 
 with his wife and t^vo children from Coventry, England, in 1637. In 
 1638 he settled at New Haven, where he died 'March 23d, 1647. 
 
 Second Generation. Captain John Thompson, a sea captain, died 
 June 21st, 1707. 
 
 Third Generation. Samuel Thompson, bom ^lay 12th, 1669. 
 He married Rebecca, youngest daughter of James Bishop. Hon. 
 James Bishop was Secretary of the colony in 1651. Representative 
 in 1666, Assistant in 1668, Deputy Governor from 1683 till his 
 death, June 22d, 1691. 
 
 Fourth Generation. Enos Thompson, the youngest son of Sam- 
 uel and Rebecca Bishop Thompson, was bom August 8th, 1717. 
 He removed from New Haven to Stamford, Dutchess Co., N. Y., 
 where he and his brother were members of the Vigilance Committee 
 during the Revolution. 
 
 Fifth Generation. Abiah Thompson, married George Bliss 
 Throop in 1783. She died in 1846. Their daughter, Mehitable 
 Throop, married Thaddeus Alartin. 
 
 Fifth Generation. Harriet Byron ]\Iartin, bom in 1814. She 
 married John Wilhams, Jr., a man whose memor}^ will be cherished • 
 as long as any of those who are old enough to have known him are 
 left in life. Besides his wealth, family connection and social posi- 
 tion which brought him into special prominence, he was endowed 
 with many other, and more important characteristics which make 
 his memor}^ peculiarly interesting and fragrant. Amidst all the al- 
 lurements and temptations incident to his station in life, he was 
 noted for his outspoken and consistent religious character. His 
 chosen associates were the people of God. His benevolence was 
 everyAvhere recognized. Without attempting an extended analysis 
 af ]\Ir. Williams' character, it is sufficient to say that in the fullest 
 meaning of the term his life was a "living epistle kno\\Ti and read of 
 all men.'' His influence and example were a daily benediction to 
 all \rith whom he came in contact. "The righteous shall be in ever- 
 lasting remembrance". His children were: 
 John Martin Williams. 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 31 
 
 Harriet M. Willams. 
 Fanny H. Williams. 
 
 IV. John Martin Williams, born in Salem, educated at Williams 
 College and New York University. He married Frances A. 
 Schriver. Their children were: 
 
 John Francis. 
 Harriette Louise. 
 Marion. 
 
 V. John Francis Williams, bom Salem. He was a pupil at 
 St. Paul's School, Concord, N. H., from 1874 to 1880, when he en- 
 tered the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N. Y., from which 
 he graduated in 1883 with the degree of Civil Engineer. In 1885 he 
 received the degree of B. S. In 1884 he entered Georgia Augusta 
 University, Gottingen, and from there graduated three years later 
 with the degree of Ph. D. 
 
 On his return to America he was made honorary fellow of Clark 
 University, and soon afterward was appointed to a position in Cor- 
 nell University. In 1890 there was published, in the Report of the 
 United States Geological Sur\^ey, a very scholarly work of his on the 
 Igneous Rocks of Arkansas. In making the survey, from which he 
 gathered materials for this treatise, he contracted the fatal disease 
 of malaria, which ultimately brought about his untimely death. 
 
 THE FITCH FAMILY 
 
 I. Rev. James Fitch emigrated from Braintree, Eng., in 1638, in 
 company with his four brothers and their widowed mother. He 
 was pastor of the church in Saybrook, but removed from there with 
 the greater part of his congregation and founded the city of Nonvich 
 where he was minister for thirty years. He married first, Abigail, 
 daughter of Rev. Henry Whitfield, and had by her six children. He 
 married, second, Priscilla, daughter of Maj. Gen. John Mason. (For 
 account of General Alason see Gibson Genealogy.) 
 
 II. Samuel Fitch, son of James and Abigail Whitfield Fitch. 
 He married Mary Brewster. 
 
 (First Generation. William Brewster, born at Scrooby Manor, 
 Nottinghamshire, Eng., in 1560. He was educated at Cambridge 
 University, spon after leaving which he became attached to the Court 
 in the capacity of page to William Davison, secretary of state to 
 Queen Elizabeth. For several years Brewster's life was spent mainly 
 abroad, as his patron was frequently engaged in foreign missions. 
 
32 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 He enjoyed the confidence of his master to an unusual degree, and 
 remained with him till he lost his sovereign's favor. After Davison's 
 fall he retired to Scrooby Manor, where he resided during the next 
 twenty years. Here was formed the nucleus of the famous Band of 
 Pilgrim Fathers, who later were to seek a home in the New World. 
 Under the leadership of Brewster the congregation of dissenters at 
 Scrooby withdrew to Holland to escape persecution, and finally de- 
 parted for New England, where they arrived in 1620. Elder Brew- 
 ster died in 1644. 
 
 Second Generation. "Jonathan Brewster gentleman", as he is 
 styled in the colonial records, came with his father in the "May- 
 flower" and became an influential member of the colony. 
 
 Third Generation. Benjamin Brewster, of New London in 1654. 
 
 Fourth Generation. Mary Brewster, married Samuel Fitch.) 
 
 HL Jabez Fitch. 
 
 IV. Hon. Peletiah Fitch came to Salem with his family in 1779. 
 He had previously lived in Groton, Ct., and had been prominent as 
 a physician and surveyor, also holding the office of justice of the 
 peace. Before coming to Salem Dr. Fitch moved first to Hali- 
 fax, and had been appointed by Gov. George Clinton, judge of the 
 Cumberland County Court. In Salem he was appointed, along 
 with General Williams, one of a "commission for detecting conspir- 
 acies against the liberties of America", and was one of the foremost 
 patriots of the town during the Revolution. He died April i6th, 
 1803, at the age of eighty-one. 
 
 V. Hon. Asa Fitch, M. D., bom in Groton, Ct, November loth, 
 1763, died August 24th, 1843. He served in the War of the Revo- 
 lution and after its conclusion studied medicine under his father. 
 About 1795, he purchased in this town the property, which has since 
 been known as Fitch's Point, and acquired a large practice. In 
 1799, Dr. Fitch was appointed Justice of the Peace, and, after serv- 
 ing in that position eleven years, he was elected Member of Con- 
 gress, continuing in office from 181 1 to 1813. At the expiration of 
 his time in congress, Dr. Fitch was appointed a county judge, and 
 served in this capacity for the succeeding fifteen years. In the lat- 
 ter part of his life the honorary degree of M. D. was conferred on 
 him by the Regents of the University of the state of New York. 
 
 VI. Asa Fitch, M. D., born in Salem February 24th, 1809. He 
 was educated at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Vermont 
 Academy of Medicine, and the Rutgers Medical College of New 
 York City, from which last named institution he graduated in 1829. 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 33 
 
 Dr. Fitch became one of the most distinguished entomologists of 
 his time, and was the author of many scientific treatises. He was a 
 member of the entomological societies of France and Russia, and 
 was gold medallist of the Imperial Central Agricultural Society of 
 France. 
 
 THE GIBSON FAMILY 
 
 I. James Gibson, of Argyleshire, Scotland and Londonderry, 
 Ireland, married Agnes Campbell. 
 
 (First Generation. Robert Campbell, born 1673, settled at New 
 London in 1719. 
 
 Second Generation. Dr. John Campbell, born in Ulster County, 
 Ireland, about 1698. 
 
 Third Generation. Agnes Campbell, married James Gibson.) 
 
 II. James Gibson, of Coventry, a freeman, in 1745 married 
 Martha Campbell, a granddaughter of Robert Campbell of New 
 London. 
 
 III. John Gibson, born 1747, died 1848, married Ruth Brown. 
 (First Generation. John Brown, came from England in 1636. He 
 
 married Dorothy Beauchamp. 
 
 Second Generation. John Brown, of Rehoboth, came with his 
 father from England and married Lydia, daughter of William Buck- 
 land of Hingham. He died in 1662. 
 
 Third Generation. Capt. John Brown, of Swansea, born August, 
 1646, married in November, 1672, Anne Mason, daughter of John 
 Mason. 
 
 Major-General John Mason came from England to Dorchester, 
 Mass., in 1632. He had served in the Netherlands under Sir 
 Thomas Fairfax, and in 1637 was commissioned to command an ex- 
 pedition against the Pequots, whom, in a series of campaigns, he 
 entirely destroyed. He was captain in 1635, then deputy governor, 
 and major-general and commissioner for the New England col- 
 onies from 1647 to 1661. General Mason died at Norwich, Ct, 
 January 30th, 1672, at the age of seventy-two. His wife was Anne 
 Peck, daughter of Rev. Robert Peck. 
 
 Rev. Robert Peck, born at Beecles, County of Suffolk, England, 
 graduated at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1599. He was minis- 
 ter at Hingham, County of Norfolk, England, and came to New 
 England with his wife and children, Robert and Anne, settling at 
 Hingham, Mass. On the dissolution of the "Long Parliament" he 
 embarked for England, October 27th, 1641, with his wife, and went 
 
34 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 back to his old rectorship in Hingham, England, where he died in 
 1656. 
 
 Fourth Generation. Captain John Brown, born April 28th, 1675, 
 died April 27th, 1752. He married July 2d, 1696, Abigail Cole. 
 
 First Generation. Samuel Cole, of Boston. 
 
 Second Generation. John Cole, m.arried, December 30th, 1657^ 
 Susanna, daughter of William Hutchinson. 
 
 Hon. William Hutchinson, came from Sandwich, County of Kent, 
 England, in 1634. He was the first governor of Rhode Island and 
 died in 1642. 
 
 Third Generation. Elisha Cole, married in 171 3, Elizabeth Dex- 
 ter. He died in 1729. 
 
 Fourth Generation. Abigail Cole, married Captain John Brown. 
 
 Fifth Generation. James Brown, born July 2d, 1706, died in 
 1777. He married Mary Anthony. 
 
 First Generation. John Anthonie, born 1607, died 1675. Lived 
 in Hampstead, England. He was a descendant of William Antho- 
 nie, who was bom at Colen, in Germany, and of his son Derrick An- 
 thonie, bom at St. Katharines in ye Tower, who was chief graver 
 of the mint and scales to Edward VI, Queen Mary and Queen 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 Second Generation. John Anthonie, came from England in 1634, 
 and settled at Portsmouth, R. I. He married Frances Waddell. 
 
 Third Generation. Abraham Anthony. 
 
 Fourth Generation. William Anthony, married Mary Cogge- 
 shall. 
 
 Fifth Generation. James Anthony, born November 19th, 1712, 
 married Alice Chase. 
 
 Sixth Generation. Mary Anthony, born December 27th, 1737, 
 died February 24th, 1810, married James Brown. 
 
 Sixth Generation. Ruth Brown, born January 22d, 1763, mar- 
 ried John Gibson. 
 
 IV. James Brown Gibson, born October 27th, 1782, died May 
 loth, 1827. He was educated at Plainfield Academy, Ct., and at 
 Middlebury College. In 1806 he was admitted to the bar, and di- 
 rectly afterward settled in Salem, where he became a distinguished 
 lawyer. He married Margaret, only daughter of Benjamin Town" 
 send of Hebron, who was descended from John Townsend, War- 
 wick, R. I., and afterward of Oyster Bay, L. I. They had the fol- 
 lowing children: 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 35 
 
 1. Francis Aim, married Ted P. Clark. 
 
 2. Horatio, died at Aurora, 111., in 1836. 
 
 3. Esther Maria, married Cyrus Stevens, died in 1836. 
 
 4. James. 
 
 5. Henr}^, a lawyer in Whitehall, died in 1875. 
 
 6. William T., resided in Indianapolis. 
 
 7. Allen. 
 
 8. Sarah, married Forman Hoxie, and resided in Illinois. 
 
 V. James Gibson, bom in Salem, September 5th, 1816. He was 
 educated at Washington Academy, and admitted to the bar in 1839. 
 He began the practice of law in Salem and became one of the promi- 
 nent lawyers of Northern New York. Judge Gibson has held many 
 important offices, having been at different times county judge, 
 state senator, and brigadier-general of the National Guard. 
 
 He married October 17th, 1844, Jane, daughter of Ira Woodworth 
 and Wealthy Ann Gilbert, and they had the following children: 
 
 1. Mary, married T. A. Wright, of New York. 
 
 2. James, married Jennie Cowan. 
 
 3. Jennie, married Edward Townsend. 
 
 VI. James Gibson, born in Salem, N. Y., educated at Washing- 
 ton Academy and Norwich Military Academy. He became a law- 
 yer and practiced his profession in Salem until his death in 1881. 
 
 He married Jennie, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Bruce 
 Cowan, and they had the following children : 
 
 1. James, graduated from Princeton in 1894. 
 
 2. Mabel. 
 
 THE BLANCHARD FAMILY 
 
 I. Francis Blanchard, a large wine dealer in Rochelle, France, 
 in company with his two sons, John Francis and James, and three 
 daughters, escaped from the persecution of the Huguenots in two 
 small vessels, taking with him such effects as he could speedily se- 
 cure, having sacrificed the greater part of his property. He pro- 
 ceeded first to Holland ; from thence he shaped his way to New York, 
 where he arrived some time between 1730 and 1734. Here he dis- 
 posed of his vessels and entered into the lumber business, having 
 purchased a large tract of forest land in New Jersey. 
 
 II. John Blanchard, resided in New York City where, with his 
 brother-in-law, Francis Dominick, he conducted an extensive lum- 
 ber business, their yard extending from the head of Cherry street 
 
36 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 and Franklin square down to the East River. John Blanchard died 
 in the thirty-ninth year of his age and is buried in St. Paul's Church- 
 yard in New York City. 
 
 He married Mary Anderson, who was born three months after 
 the emigration of her parents from Scotland. Their children were: 
 
 James Francis, died in infancy. 
 
 Anthony James. 
 
 Anna, married Captain Benjamin Wyman, of the merchant 
 service. 
 
 HI. Hon. Anthony James Blanchard, born August 21st, 1768, 
 died June 14th, 1853. The following curious record of his baptism 
 has been preserved in the old Huguenot church of New York City, 
 of which his father and grandfather were prominent members. 
 "Anthonie Jacques, fils de Jean Blanchard et Marie Blanchard, pre- 
 sente par Pere et Mere. L'enfant est nee le 21 Aout. 1768." 
 
 He studied law under Cornelius I. Bogert, of New York City 
 from 1784 to 1787. In 1789 he was admitted to practice in the Su- 
 preme Court, and about this tune settled in Salem, where he passed a 
 long life of usefulness and honor. Among the many curious and 
 valuable documents, still carefully preserved in the family mansion, 
 is one bearing date 1796, and containing his appointment, signed by 
 John Jay, as assistant attorney-general of the district containing 
 the counties of Washington and Clinton. In 1810 he was appointed 
 first judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Washington county. 
 
 In military matters Judge Blanchard took an active interest 
 throughout his life. In 1789 he received a commission, signed by 
 Governor George Clinton, as ensign of militia. Later he was ap- 
 pointed captain of artillery in the brigade commanded by General 
 Williams; then he was promoted to the rank of major, and in 1793 
 was commissioned brigade inspector. 
 
 Anthony J. Blanchard married Maria, daughter of General John 
 Williams (q. v.) and they had the following children: 
 
 Maria, 1796-1827, married John McLean, Jr., a lawyer in Salem. 
 
 John, 1 798- 1 837. 
 
 Anthony, 1799- 1800. 
 
 Anthony, 1801-1861, married Jane Ann Martin. 
 
 Susannah, born 1803, married Henry H. Ross, a lawyer in 
 Essex, N. Y. 
 
 Hamilton, 1804-1832. 
 
 Williams, 1806- 1836. 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 37 
 
 Ann Eliza, married Frederick L. C. Sailly, a merchant in Platts- 
 burgh. 
 
 Ellen Jane, born 1810, married William Porter, Jr., a lawyer in 
 Jordan, N. Y. 
 
 James T., 1813-1835. 
 IV. Anthony Blanchard, bom May 27th, 1801, died May ist, 
 1861. He was educated at Union College, from which he gradu- 
 ated in 1818, being of the same class as Lamon G. Harkness and J. 
 M. Proudfit. In 1821 he was admitted to the bar; he was success- 
 ful in his profession, and became surrogate of Albany county. 
 
 Anthony Blanchard, married Elizabeth M. Gill, and they had the 
 following children: 
 
 Robert, a lawyer in Salem. 
 
 Mary. 
 
 Anthony. 
 
 Hamilton. 
 He married, second, Jane Ann, daughter of Bradley Martin and 
 granddaughter of Thaddeus Martin (vide Williams Genealogy^. 
 It \vill be noticed that John Williams and Anthony Blanchard, who 
 were first cousins, married respectively, Harriet D. Martin and Jane 
 Ann Martin, who were also first cousins. 
 
 The children of Anthony Blanchard and Jane Ann INIartin were: 
 
 Harriet, m. Charles L. Mowry, a manufacturer in Greenwich. 
 
 Grace, m. Frederick W. Sherman, a lawyer in Rye, N. Y. 
 
 Henry, residing in Chicago. 
 
 Francis, residing in New York. 
 
 Annie Townsend, residing in Salem. 
 
 Jeannie, married William C. Trull, a law>^er resding in New 
 York City. 
 
 THE LANSING FAMILY 
 
 Though there are none of this name now residing in Salem, yet 
 many descendants of Abraham Lansing, the elder, through his 
 daughters and granddaughters, are still living in this town, and so 
 it is quite fitting that some account of this historic family be pre- 
 sented in our history. 
 
 I. Abraham Jacob Lansing, bom in Holland, emigrated to Amer- 
 ica, and settled at Fort Orange, now Albany. He obtained a grant 
 of land from the Dutch Company, and became patroon of Lansing- 
 burgh, Schaghticoke, and parts of Brunswick and Pittsto\vn. He 
 
38 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 erected a colonial Dutch brick house on the east bank of the Hud- 
 son, and there resided the greater part of his life. 
 
 n. Cornelius Lansing, bom 1752, died 1842. The patroon di- 
 vided his estate among his three sons, Cornelius, Levinus and Jacob. 
 
 His wife was Elizabeth Vanderheyden, one of the daughters of 
 the Troy patroon. 
 
 Among their children were: 
 
 Abram C. Lansing, who married L. Sophia Gorham of Lansing- 
 burgh. Their daughter, Charlotte, married Hon. Bernard Blair of 
 Salem. 
 
 Elizabeth Lansing, who married Hon. David Allen, and was the 
 mother of Judge C. L. Allen of Salem. 
 
 Alida Lansing, married Hon. David Russell. Their children 
 
 were: 
 
 1. Sarah Russell, married Judge C. L. Allen, her cousin. 
 
 2. Cornelius Lansing Russell, married Lucy A. Winslow, and 
 resided in Cleveland, O. 
 
 3. Mar}^ Russell. 
 
 4. William Russell. 
 
 5. Elizabeth Russell. 
 
 6. Alaj.-Gen. David A. Russell, a distinguished soldier, who 
 lost his life in the Civil War. 
 
 7. Helen, married Rev. Amos B. Lambert, D. D., and resides 
 in Salem. 
 
 8. Derrick. 
 
 The present representative of the Russell family in Salem is Col. 
 S. W. Russell, a nephew of the Hon. David Russell, and a grand- 
 son of Abel Russell. He married Miss Nannie Dixon, daughter of 
 Major Dixon, of Warrentown, Virginia, and a descendant, through 
 her mother, of the distinguished Ashton family of Virginia. 
 
 THE ALLEN FAMILY. 
 
 I. David Allen, of Fairfield, Ct, bom 1743, married Sarah Hull, 
 November loth, 1768. He was a descendant of Gideon Allen, a 
 lieutenant in the British army in the reign of Queen Anne. 
 
 n. Hon. David Allen, bom in Fairfield, Ct, September 22d, 
 1773. He was admitted to the bar of the state of Connecticut; re- 
 moved to Lansngburgh, N. Y., in 1803; was member of the assem- 
 bly for three terms and of the state senate for one term of four years, 
 and was surrogate of Rensselaer county for one term. He died 
 May nth, 1820. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Cornelius 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 39 
 
 and Hester Vanherheyden Lansing (q. v. apud. Lansing Genea- 
 logy.) 
 
 III. Hon. Cornelius Lansing Allen, born in Lansingburgh, 
 July 17th, 1800. He graduated from Princeton College, September 
 30th, 181 8, taking high rank in his class. The same year he entered 
 the office of Hon. David Russell, as a student at law, and was ad- 
 mitted to the bar in 1821. From 1821 to 1830 he was district at- 
 torney; during this time he was also master and examiner in Chan- 
 cery; this office he held for five years, and for four years was brigade- 
 inspector of the sixteenth brigade, New York state militia. 
 In 185 1 he was elected justice of the Supreme Court for the Fourtb 
 Judicial District of New York state, which office he held for eight 
 years. He was many years president of the First National Bank 
 of Salem, and for more than half a century a trustee of Washing- 
 ton Academy. 
 
 He married Sarah, daughter of Hon. David and Alida Lansing 
 Russell. ' 
 
 (First Generation. Captain Abel Russell. 
 
 Second Generation. Hon. David Russell, graduated at Williams 
 College, and settling in Salem, became a distinguished lawyer, and 
 was member of congress for three terms, from March 4th, 1835, ^ 
 March 3d, 1841. 
 
 Third Generation. Alida Russell, married Hon. C. L. Allen.) 
 The children of Cornelius L. and Alida Russell Allen were: 
 C. L. Allen, Jr. 
 
 Elizabeth, married I. T. Hyde. 
 Alida. 
 Sarah. 
 Kate. 
 
 IV. Hon. C. L. Allen, bom in Salem. Educated at Norwich 
 Military Academy and Yale College, from which he graduated in 
 1867. In 1869 he was admitted to the bar of New York state, and 
 is now a lawyer in Salem. He has held the office of special county 
 judge. He married Ada, daughter of William Russell, a lawyer in 
 this town, and granddaughter of Captain Abel Russell. 
 
 Their children were: 
 Christina L., died 1890. 
 Kate. 
 
 Cornelius L. 
 Russell. 
 Constance. 
 
40 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE ALLEN FAMILY 
 
 L James Allen, emigrated probably from Wrentham, County 
 Suffolk, England, and settled, in 1639, '^^^ Dedham, Mass., where his 
 cousin, Rev. John Allen, was pastor. 
 
 IL Joseph Allen, youngest son of James and Anna Allen, was 
 born June 24th, 1652. He married Hannah Sabine and lived in 
 Rehoboth. 
 
 HL Nehemiah Allen, baptized May 2Ist, 1699. 
 
 IV. Jacob Allen, bom February 4th, 1734. 
 
 V. Ephraim Allen, M. D., born March loth, 1766, and ]\lay 
 26th, 1793, married Miriam, daughter of General Timothy Newell, 
 of Sturbridge, Mass. Their children were: 
 
 Timothy Newell, born March 31st, 1794, married Catherine 
 Finn of Fort Edward, N. Y., and died in 1826, the first year of his 
 law practice. 
 
 Henry, born November 29th, 1795, married Christiana Robin- 
 son, and died in Whitehall, 1849, leaving two sons, Henry and 
 Charles. 
 
 Charles, born September 27th, 1797, died in Whitehall in March 
 1852, leaving a daughter, since deceased. 
 
 Jacob, born October 3d, 1802, and removed to Buffalo, where 
 descendants of his still reside. 
 
 George resided in Salem. 
 
 William Pitt, born February 14th, 1808, married Hermion 
 Smith at Hartford. N. Y., died in 1854, lpav\dng two children, Will- 
 iam Pitt and Caroline. 
 
 Caroline Allen, bom March nth, 1799, married Dr. Archibald 
 McAllister of Salem, and had seven children, of whom there survive 
 Miriam McAllister of Salem, and Sarah McAllister Osborne of New 
 York City. 
 
 VI. George Allen, M. D., bcrn in Salem, educated at Washing- 
 ton Academy and the Medical LTniversity, Castleton, Vt., graduat- 
 ing from the latter December 19th, 1827. He became a member 
 of the Washington County Medical Society, and from this time till 
 his death, wliich occurred August i6th, 1866, practiced his profession 
 in Salem. Dr. Allen was of more than ordinary ability as a surgeon, 
 and as a physician had no superior in the country. He married 
 Caroline S., daughter of Major James Harvey of Salem, and they 
 had the following children: 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 41 
 
 Charles H. Allen, M. D., for many years a prominent physician 
 in this town. 
 
 George Allen, resided in Salem. 
 
 James H. Allen, a resident of Cameron, N. Y. 
 
 Caroline, married Hon. George B. MacCartee, of Washington, 
 D. C, afterwards of Salem. Their children are: 
 
 Louise. 
 
 Caroline H. 
 
 George B. Allen. 
 
 Douglas. 
 (George B. MacCartee was the son of the Rev. John MacCartee, 
 D. D., a Presbyterian minister of New York City, who married 
 Jessie Bethune, daughter of Divine Bethune, a merchant of New 
 York, and his wife, who was the daughter of Isabella Graham, widely 
 known as a philanthropist in the last century.) 
 
 THE CLARK FAMILY 
 I. John Clark, born in 1745, died in Salem, November ist, 1828. 
 He came to Salem about 1777 and was by occupation a farmer. 
 
 He married Jane Montgomery, who died in Salem in 1833 ^^ the 
 age of seventy-seven. 
 
 First Generation. John Montgomery, of County Annagh, Ire- 
 land, born 1728, died 1802. He came to America in 1749 and set- 
 tled in Londonderry, N. H., where he married Mary Knox. 
 
 (First Generation. George Knox, a colonel in the English army, 
 stationed (at this time) in Halifax. He married Mary, daughter of 
 Hugh Montgomery and Mary MacGregor of Londonderry. 
 
 Second Generation. Mary Knox married John Montgomery. 
 The children of John and Mary Knox Montgomery were: 
 
 John, of Haverhill, N. H., who was brigadier-general in the 
 war of 1812. 
 
 James, who was also an officer in the war of 1812. 
 Thomas. 
 Jane.) 
 Third Generation. Jane Montgomery, born in 1756, died in 
 1833. She married John Clark. Their children were: 
 
 1. Isaac, remained in Salem. 
 
 2. John, removed to Hamburg, Erie county, N. Y. 
 
 3. Joseph, a farmer in Salem. 
 
 4 
 
42 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 4. Thomas, a hotel keeper in Kingston, N. Y. 
 
 5. James, a farmer in Salem. 
 
 6. Elizabeth, married Seth Brown, M. D., of Salem. 
 
 II. James Clark, bom April 14th, 1800, died March 17th, 1885. 
 He married Ruth Murdock, of Salem, N. Y. 
 
 First Generation. Samuel Murdock born in Edinburgh, Scot- 
 land in 1744, removed to America and died in Salem, March 13th, 
 1813. 
 
 Second Generation. Samuel Murdock, born in Massachusetts in 
 1777, died in Salem in 1842. He married Huldah BHss. Their 
 children were: 
 
 1. Ruth, married James Clark. 
 
 2. Stephen, married Catharine Sherman and removed to Mil- 
 waukee, Wis. 
 
 3. Solomon. 
 
 4. Xenophon. 
 
 5. Samuel. 
 
 6. Calvin. 
 
 Huldah Bliss was the daughter of Calvin Bliss of Shoreham, Vt, 
 and his wife Ruth James. 
 
 (Calvin Bliss was an officer in the Revolution and was descended 
 on the side of his father Hai-vey Bliss, in the sixth generation, from 
 Thomas Bliss, of Belstone Parish, Devonshire, Eng., whose son 
 emigrated to New England, where he died in 1640. On the side of 
 his mother, Ruble Brewster, he was a descendant, in the seventh 
 generation, of William Brewster, the leader of the Pilgrim Fathers, 
 and also in the seventh generation from William Collier, for twenty- 
 eight years assistant governor of the Plymouth colony.) 
 
 THE McMURRAY FAMILY 
 
 Robert McMuiTay was born in Tyrone, Ireland, in the year 1744, 
 and married Susanna Cowan at the house of her father on the 20th 
 day of June, 1769. Having been members of the congregation who 
 came to America with Dr. Clark in 1766, they came over in the year 
 1774, bringing with them two infant daughters, Jane and Mar- 
 garet. He settled in Salem where he died on the 23d day of Jan- 
 uary, 1814. Mr. McMurray is remembered as a worthy citizen, a 
 kind and faithful father, and an exemplary and consistent Christian. 
 He, in company with James Stevenson and William McFarland, 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 43 
 
 were the first who were ordained ruling elders in the Associate Re- 
 formed Church after their arrival in this country. Although so re- 
 cent an immigrant Mr. McMurray espoused the Patriot side in the 
 war with the mother country, and although he was never regularly 
 enlisted in the army he was a member of the militia and was on duty 
 on the day of the battle of Saratoga, and in every way in his power 
 gave support to the Patriot cause. Mrs. McMurray died on the 
 26th day of May, 18 16. Their family consisted of nine children as 
 follows: 
 
 Jane, born on the i8th of May, 1770, married John McCoy in Sa- 
 lem On the 3d of April, 1793, removed to Argyde and died on the 
 loth of October, 1804. 
 
 Margaret, born on the 13th day of August, 1772, married Peter 
 Cruikshank on the 19th day of November, 1795, and died on the 
 6th day of June, 1843. 
 
 John, bom on the 20th day of March, 1776, and died on the 12th 
 day of January, 1863, in the 87th year of his age. Having spent 
 a long life in this town he became very closely identified with it in 
 its various interests. He was elected its supervisor for fourteen 
 consecutive years and filled other positions of trust among his fel- 
 low-citizens. Early in life he was chosen an elder in the Associate 
 Refomied Church, a place which he held during life. He was an 
 especial friend and counselor of his pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Alex- 
 ander Proudfit, and was a member of that old session that the late 
 Dr. Halley afterwards called his body guard. iVlthough he had en- 
 joyed but limited opportunities for acquiring an education yet his 
 insatiable fondness for reading and his wonderfully retentive mem- 
 ory gave him an immense fund of information and made him an 
 authority in many lines of inquiry. The character he left after him 
 might well be the envy of many whose advantages were much greater 
 than his. He w^as a man who esteemed a good name more highly 
 than great riches, and a conscience void of ofifense toward God and 
 man better than the applause of the world. He married Margaret, 
 daughter of James Savage of Salem, at the house of her stepfather, 
 the Hon. Ebenezer Clark, in Argyle, on the i6th day of October, 
 1800. She died on the 27th day of October, 1846. Their family 
 consisted of seven children, namely: 
 
 Mary Ann, born on the 7th of October, 1801, and died on the 
 7th of January, 1825. 
 
44 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Nancy, born on the 23d day of December, 1803, married John 
 McFarland on the nth day of April, 1825, and died on the 21st 
 day of March, 1878. 
 
 James, bom on the i6th day of January, 1806, and died on the 
 6th day of April, 1827. 
 
 Ebenezer was born on the 6th day of March, 1808, married 
 Mary McNaughton. They had one son, WilHam, who was born on 
 the 5th day of February, 1837, and died on the 5th of November, 
 1 86 1. He afterwards married Mary Grace McFarland, who died 
 on the 27th day of December, 1873, leaving no children. He died 
 on the 17th day of August, 1893. Ebenezer McAIurray was a well- 
 known and prominent citizen; he was possessed of great natural 
 intelligence and a fair education and became a man whose advice 
 was often sought by his fellow citizens, and whose opinions in things 
 civil or ecclesiastical were received with respect. He represented 
 his district in the legislature in the winter of 1854. 
 
 Jane was born on the i6th day of January, 181 2, married Joshua 
 Steele, Jr., and died on the 15th day of February, 1844, leaving three 
 children, William James, jMary Ann and Enuiia Jane. 
 
 Margaret, born on the 20th day of June, 1814, died January, 
 6th, 1833. 
 
 Robert (son of John) was born on the 17th day of January, 1817, 
 was educated at the Salem Washington Academy, studied medicine 
 with Drs. Allen and Stevenson, was graduated from the Western 
 College of Physicians and Surgeons at Fairfield, in January, 1840, 
 removed to the city of New York in 1844, where he followed the 
 practice of medicine till the ist of May, 1894, when he returned to 
 Salem, where he now lives. He married Gloriana Susan Savage in 
 Argyle, on the 31st day of August, 1847. They had one daughter, 
 Ida Margaret, who died in childhood. 
 
 Robert McMurray, Jr., was bom on the 30th day of April, 1778, 
 he was a harness maker by trade, and Fived opposite the Ondawa 
 Hotel. He married Elizabeth Barber, who died very soon after, 
 and he married Ann, daughter of John Whiteside, of Cambridge, on 
 the 3d of July, 1810, and died on the 19th of March, 181 5, leaving 
 two children, Margaret (Mrs. Ingraham) and Robert, who are both 
 living in Centre Cambridge. 
 
 Nancy was born on the 13th of April, 1780, married Thomas 
 Stevenson on the 19th day of March, 1801, and died on the 15th 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 45 
 
 day of January, 1802, leaving two sons, twins, James Brown and 
 Robert McMurray. 
 
 James was born on the 17th day of March, 1782, and died on the 
 19th day of January, 1814. He never married. 
 
 William was born on the 3d day of July, 1784. He was educated 
 at the Salem Washington Academy, was graduated from Union Col- 
 lege in 1804, and in the same year commenced the study of theology 
 under the Rev. Dr. John Mason of New York. He was ordained 
 and installed over the Associate Reformed Church in Lansingburgh 
 in 1808, where he remained till the year 181 1, when he was called to 
 ihe Reformed Dutch Church at Rhinebeck, and in August, 1820, he 
 became the pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in Market street. 
 New York City, which charge he retained till his death, which oc- 
 curred on the 25th day of September, 1835. In early life he received 
 the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Union College. He married 
 Esther Kissam in New York in 181 1. They had a numerous family, 
 most of whom died in early life. Of those who reached adult life, 
 we would mention Cornelia, who married Philip Burrows and lived 
 and died in Pau, France; William, Jr., who represented his district 
 in the assembly and also in the senate of the state, and died in June, 
 1868; John, who served in the war of the Rebellion and was breveted 
 colonel for meritorious service at the seige of Knoxville, Tenn. 
 He died in France. There are but two of his children living, Esther 
 and Henry R. 
 
 Elizabeth, born on the 3d day of August, 1786, married Abner 
 Austin, and died on the 22d day of June, 1822, leaving seven chil- 
 dren, all of whom have passed away. 
 
 Susan, born on the 9th of April, married Abner Austin in 1824, 
 and died on the 17th day of September, 1871. She had four chil- 
 dren; Orrin, Elizabeth, David and Jane Agnes. Jane Agnes, now in 
 New York, is the only survivor of both families. 
 
 THE STEVENSON FAMILY 
 
 First Generation. James Stevenson, the founder of this family 
 in America, was born about the year 1747, on the bank of the Bonnie 
 Doon, in Ayrshire, Scotland. When a young man he moved to 
 Paisley where he learned the trade of a silk and linen weaver. He 
 was there a member of the church of which the distinguished John 
 Witherspoon was pastor. 
 
46 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 While in Paisley he married Margaret Brown, a daughter of 
 David Brown of Stewarton, Scotland. With his wife and children, 
 James, Jane and John, he emigrated to America. He embarked at 
 Greenock, April 20th, 1774, in the brig Commerce. In the same 
 ship with him were others coming to this section of the country. 
 He came to Salem and settled on a farm two miles east of Salem 
 village on which the remainder of his life was spent and which is 
 now owned by his two great grandsons, Thomas and Robert M. 
 During all the intervening time it has never passed from the pos- 
 session of the family. 
 
 James Stevenson voted at the first election held at New Perth, 
 now the town of Salem, on September 8th, 1787. Soon after the be- 
 ginning of the Revolution he volunteered in the company formed 
 under the conmiand of Capt. Alexander McNitt. While attentive 
 to tlie welfare of his adopted country he did not neglect the church 
 of his nativity. He became a member of the church over which 
 Dr. Clark ministered and afterward one of its ruling elders. When 
 Dr. Clark severed his relations with the congregation at Salem and 
 they failed in securing a new pastor, ivlr. Stevenson performed a 
 journey on horseback from Salem to Pequea, Penn., near Phila- 
 delphia, through an almost unbroken wilderness to confer with the 
 Rev. James Proudfit, and by his efforts the services of Mr. Proudfit 
 were pre cured for Salem. 
 
 Not only was Mr. Stevenson active in matters pertaining to church 
 and state, but he also took great interest in the cause of education. 
 He was a member of the first board of trustees of Washington 
 Academy, and was always active in its interest. He died April 19th, 
 1790. aged 52 years. PTis wife died the following year. 
 
 Second Generation. The children of James and Margaret Steven- 
 son were James, Jane, David, John and Thomas. James married 
 Hannah Johnson and died at Stryphursville, Wyoming county, in 
 1843. jane married George Telford, and settled in Argyle; David 
 died unmarried in Salem; John married Katharine McLeod, settled 
 in Howard, Steuben county, N. Y., where he died in 1863; Thomas 
 married Agnes, daughter of John McMurray, and afterwards Mary, 
 daughter of Joshua Steele. He was a man of God, serving as an 
 elder in the Scotch church for nearly half a century and died in Sa- 
 lem in 1854, aged 75. The children of Thomas were, Thomas S., 
 Robert M. and James B. 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 47 
 
 Third Generation. Thomas S., married Sarah R. Stevenson, lived 
 on the old homestead and died there aged 78. His wife died on the 
 same place aged 80. Robert M. married Ellen J. Shaw, practiced 
 medicine in Salem and died while still young. His wife afterwards 
 married James Small of Coila; James B. married Martha, daughter 
 of Capt. James McFarland, who died August 20th, 1865, aged 49 
 years. James B. died March 28th, 1886, aged 84, and as his father 
 before, served as an elder in the Scotch church for nearly fifty years. 
 Some of the descendants of the old pioneer family became quite 
 prominent. His oldest son, James, graduated from Rutgers College 
 in 1799. He was principal of the academies at Morristown and 
 Elizabeth, N. J., and afterwards of Washington Academy. Many 
 of his students became very distinguished men. Among them may 
 be named, Theodore Frelinghuysen, Samuel L. Southard, C. R. In- 
 galls. Prof. Tayler Lewis, Rev. George W. Bethune and Hon. An- 
 thony J. Blanchard. He was long and extensively known as one of 
 the best classical teachers in the country. 
 
 Paul Eugene, son of James, was a graduate of Union College, and 
 Princeton Theological Seminary. He was a classical teacher and a 
 clergyman. He was settled over Presbyterian churches at Staunton, 
 Va., Wyoming, Pa., and Brooklyn, N. Y. He died at Paterson, 
 N. J., February loth, 1870, aged 61. 
 
 James Stevenson, son of John, educated at Rutgers College and 
 Seminary, preached twenty-five years at Minaville, N. Y, and ten 
 years in Wynantskill, N. Y., where he died. 
 
 James M. Stevenson, a son of James B., bom at Salem, a gradu- 
 ate of Union College and Princeton Seminary, was pastor of the 
 Second Presbyterian Church of Jersey City for six years. He died 
 in Salem, October i8th, 1871, in the 31st year of his age. Richard 
 W., son of James, lived and practiced medicine at Morristown, N. J., 
 where he died. Robert M., son of Thomas, was a physician, gradu- 
 ate of the Medical College in Castleton, Vt., lived and practiced 
 medicine in Salem where he died. The following descendants of 
 the family are now living; James D. resides at San Antonio, Texas, 
 and is a lawyer; Richard W. in New York city, a lawyer; Louisa and 
 Kate in Morristown, N. J.; Mary, wife of Prof. John B. McMaster, 
 in Philadelphia; these are children of Richard W. Stevenson and 
 his wife, Ellen Duryee. Preston, a lawyer, in New York City; Eu- 
 gene, a lawyer in Paterson, N. J.; Edward L, a journalist in New 
 
48 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 York City, and Mary M., in New York City; these are children of 
 Rev. Paul Eugene Stevenson and his wife Cornelia Prime. Henry 
 M., a lawyer residing in New York City, and James R., a farmer in 
 Hobart, N. Y.; these are children of Rev. James M. Stevenson and 
 his wife Isabella Rich. 
 
 Thomas Stevenson, a farmer, married in 1857, Alida, eldest daugh- 
 ter of William A. Russell. He has represented his town in the 
 board of supervisors and his assembly district for two terms in the 
 state legislature. He was appointed by President Hayes United 
 States collector of internal revenues for the 15th district of New 
 York, and held the position for nearly live years. He lives in Sa- 
 lem. Robert M., is cashier of the People's National Bank of Salem 
 and resides in Salem; these are sons of James B. Stevenson and 
 his wife Martha McFarland. 
 
 THE CRUHvSHANK FAMILY 
 First Generation. — William Cruikshank came to America in 1762. 
 He had been married at Aberdeen, Scotland, to Mary Grierson, the 
 widow of Surgeon Clark of the British navy, who was drowned at 
 sea. Surgeon Clark was brother to Rev. Thomas Clark, and the 
 latter was associated intimately with the family of William Cruik- 
 shank. 
 
 Their friendship began in Scotland and was an advantage to both 
 families in America. William Cruikshank had an uncle, George 
 Cruikshank, who was a graduate of the University of Aberdeen. A 
 classmate of the latter emigrated to America and settled at Albany, 
 N. Y. Through his solicitations George Cruikshank, the uncle, 
 William Cruikshank, his wife Mary, and her two sons John and 
 James Clark, children of her first husband. Surgeon Clark, left Aber- 
 deen, Scotland, in 1762, came to New York and made their way up 
 the Hudson to Albany. They were living there when Dr. Thomas 
 Clark with his emigrating church landed in New York July 28th, 
 1764. 
 
 William Cruikshank followed Dr. Clark to New Perth (now Sa- 
 lem) in 1768. He bought two lots in the northern part of the town, 
 numbers 106 and 114, each lot containing 88 acres and also three 
 acres of pine land in the southern part, lot No. 59, in all 179 acres, 
 for which he paid eighty pounds, current money of New York, on 
 receipt of deed July 17th, 1770, signed by EMward and Mary Sav- 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 49 
 
 age and witnessed by Thomas Clark, Archibald Brown and James 
 Savage. This deed is still extant and in possession of the Cruik- 
 shank family. William Cruikshank, after eight years prospecting, 
 made his home in New Perth, and his descendants still own and live 
 on the tract of land bought in 1770. 
 
 William Cruikshank was a confirmed and courageous whig, but 
 was unable to enter the military service on account of a physical 
 disability. He had tory neighbors. A tory by the name of Baker 
 stole his colored man Dolph, took him to Burgoyne's camp and sold 
 him to a British officer. William Cruikshank went openly to 
 Baker's farm and seized his live stock and drove it to his own home 
 as pay for the negro Dolph, then dared Baker to retake. Eleven 
 years after, Baker took the oath of allegiance to the United States 
 and tlie robbery on both sides was settled in court at Salem. The two 
 Clarks, children of Surgeon Clark and Mary Grierson by her first 
 marriage, nephevv'S of Dr. Clark, married and settled in Middle He- 
 bron. 
 
 Second Generation. — James had no children, and those of his 
 brother John went to Lisbon, St. Lawrence county, N. Y. There re- 
 mained in the Cruikshank family, Mrs. Mary, a widow, and her three 
 sons, William, George and Peter. William, the elder son, named for 
 his father, became a merchant and his store was located on the east 
 side of Main street, Salem village, on the lot on which the Bancroft 
 house now stands. He died a single man. His property was divided 
 between his brothers, George and Peter. George received on divis- 
 ion of his father's property the north lot. George sold his farm to 
 Job Cleveland and went to Delaware, O. He had four children, 
 David, Alary, William, and George. David and Mary are dead, 
 William and George are now living in Delaware, O. 
 
 In 1795 Peter Cruikshank was the single representative of the 
 family in the town of Salem. He married Margaret, the daughter 
 of Robert McMurray. They were married November 19th, 1795, by 
 the Rev. Alexander Proudfit. On the 20th, a bridal party of fifteen 
 couples mounted on horseback, escorted the bride and groom from 
 the residence of the bride's father, Mr. Robert McMurray, in the 
 south part of the town to the groom's house where they were received 
 by the mother, Mrs. Mary Cruikshank. Peter Cruikshank was 
 active in the religious and military life of the day. He assisted in the 
 building of the church in 1796 and 1797, and when it was finished 
 
50 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 and dedicated selected a pew which he occupied during his Hfe; after 
 his death it was occupied by one of his sons, and now by a grandson. 
 Five generations of the family have listened to the divine word from 
 this pew. 
 
 At the age of eighteen, Peter, Sr., joined a large troop of cavalry 
 drawn from Salem, Hebron, Greenwich and Jackson. He served 
 in all the subaltern offices of the company and finally as captain. 
 His commission as cornetist was signed by Gov. Morgan Lewis, 
 dated June loth, 1807. As second lieutenant, signed by Gov. 
 Daniel D. Tompkins, dated July 6th, 1809. As first lieutenant, by 
 the same, dated April 22d, 181 3, and the fourth commission as cap- 
 tain of troop of cavalry in the 7th Regiment, second squadron, com- 
 manded by Col. John AL WilHams, is dated May, 1815, and signed 
 by Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins. Peter Cruikshank, Sr., died June 
 1 6th, 1856, aged 83 years, 3 months and 9 days. His wife, Mar- 
 garet McMurray Cruikshank, a goodly woman, died June 6th, 1848, 
 in the 76th year of her age. She v/as a crown to her husband and a 
 blessing to her children. 
 
 Third Generation. To them were born eight children. Susannah, 
 who married Abram Rowan, died August 22d, 1868, aged ']2 years; 
 the Rev. William Cruikshank, who married Jane B. Delaplain. He 
 v.'as a graduate of Union College, Schenectady, and of the Theo- 
 logical Seminary, New Brunswick; was pastor of the Reformed 
 Church, Flatlands, L. L, and organized and was pastor of the Re- 
 formed Church at Newburgh, N. Y. He died February 20th, 1884, in 
 his 57th year; Robert Cruikshank, who married Emily Thompson, 
 and was an elder in the U. P. Church, Troy; he died June loth, 1892, 
 at the age of 93 years. Mary, who married John Parrish, died May 
 29th, 1886, aged 84 years. Agnes, who married Cordon McClelland, 
 died March 5th, 1854, aged 49 years. Peter, who married Elizabeth 
 McKnight, inherited and resided upon the home farm. He died 
 August, 1884, at the age of 81 years, leaving four sons and two 
 daughters residing in Salem or its vicinity. Two of the sons, Rob- 
 ert and William, served in the late war, and Peter Cruikshank, the 
 youngest member of his family, now owns and occupies the home- 
 stead. James M. Cruikshank, who married Ann Eliza Bassett, died 
 October 14th, 1873, aged 64 years. 
 
 Rev. John C. Cruikshank, Sc. D., the youngest and only surviv- 
 ing member of the Peter Cruikshank, Sr., family, graduated from 
 
INTERESTING" GENEALOGIES 51 
 
 Union College, Schenectady, 1834, from the Theological Seminary 
 at New Brunswick, in 1837, was pastor of the church at Hyde 
 Park and Hurley, N. Y., and Little Falls, N. J. The latter pastorate 
 he held over twenty years and for twenty-five years was superin- 
 tendent of public instruction for Passaic county. Li 1891, Rutgers 
 College conferred upon him the title of " Doctor of Science." He 
 now resides at Little Falls, N. J. 
 
 THE HOPKINS FAMILY 
 
 The present local interest which attaches to this name, centers 
 in and around the fact that it was among the first to appear on our 
 town records and is now one of the very few left of those who are 
 still holding by hereditary descent the original property upon which 
 a " first settler " settled. 
 
 Unquestionably, in this instance, he came to stay, for after a lapse 
 of one hundred and twenty years, he is still here in the fourth and 
 fifth generations, and bravely contesting his right to remain. 
 
 Not having any "de" to illuminate his name, he could not be 
 French, nor any "Mc," he was plainly not Scotch; and his ancestral 
 butterfly was so utterly torpid and securely folded away in its earth- 
 colored chrysalis that it could not move a leg or wave a wing in pro- 
 test against the verdict — "Let him alone, he's Irish." An interested 
 student might follow his genealogical line on stepping stones of es- 
 tablished fact and traditional histor)', across the Irish Sea into Wales 
 and over the moors of England. If he chanced upon Wilton Tower, 
 Darlington, England, and modestly requested a comparison of their 
 English coat of arms with that of the American branch — William 
 Innes Hopkins might possibly clap his monocle to his eye and, 
 recognizing the similarity, curtly challenge a reply to 'T say, how 
 did you come by it?" 
 
 The purpose of this article, however, is best served by letting him 
 remain Irish, and although some inaccuracies respecting dates may 
 occur, the general knowledge contained is considered correct. 
 
 James Hopkins and his wife, Jean Thompson, were born in 
 county Antrim, Ireland, in 1688 and 1689. The date of their mar- 
 riage in Ireland is not known. 
 
 They emigrated to America in 1722. In September of 1723, 
 James Hopkins bought of Caleb Bushnell in New London, Ct., a 
 
52 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 hundred-acre grant of land for the sum of "twenty pounds, current 
 money" and thus became associated with that colonial district. 
 
 Among their several children were David and Robert Hopkins. 
 David married Sarah Polk, and Robert married Jenny Polk (sisters), 
 who were also emigrants from County Antrim, Ireland. 
 
 Since the " Ancestral Butterfly," before alluded to, has been strug- 
 gling to get free, it has been known to face exultantly towards the 
 White House and nod familiarly to the memory of James K. Polk. 
 
 In April, 1749, James and Jean Hopkins, "in consideration of their 
 parental good will and affection," deeded to their " dutiful son David '' 
 a certain tract of land, lying in West Greenwich, R. I., where the 
 family had become settled. Of their varied fortunes we have no 
 further account until we learn that Stephen Hopkins, "governor, 
 captain, general and commander-in-chief of, and over the English 
 colony of Rhode Island and Providence plantations in New Eng- 
 land and America" — commissioned David Hopkins to the office of 
 justice of the peace; an office which he held from 1763 to 1769, giv- 
 ing him in those days full power to do all things by law in both civil 
 and criminal cases. 
 
 James and Jean Hopkins are buried in West Greenwich, R. I., 
 aged 85 and 86 years. 
 
 In 1775, David Hopkins sold his Rhode Island property with the 
 intention of again becoming a pioneer. In this new enterprise he 
 was joined by his brother, Robert and family. 
 
 Quoting from his pastor's letter of recommendation, we read: 
 "David Hopkins, Escjuire, has Lived in This Congregation almost 
 fifty years. Having Religious Parents, making a good profession 
 himself and Early Privileged With Special ordinances of the Gospel, 
 or Which Commonly Expressed here, full Communion, has Lived 
 Soberly and Christianly, and now moving from these parts we Rec- 
 ommend him as a person Worthy the Care and Watch of any 
 Christian Congregation in Which God and his Providence may cast 
 his lot." 
 
 Thus — uprooted from the soil of its first transplanting, to which 
 it had become native through time and circumstances — this old tree 
 was replanted, on one of the farms in the eastern part of the town of 
 Salem, which was included in the Turner patent. 
 
 How this patriai'chal company made the journey, is a matter for 
 conjecture. Steam and trolley transit were as far from taking 
 
INTERESTING GENEALOGIES 53 
 
 definite shape in the imaginations of that generation, as the fanciful 
 airship is, in the minds of to-day, and no doubt if those travelers had 
 been brought face to face with our modern locomotive forces, they 
 would have felt themselves called to battle with Apollyon, himself. 
 
 A well-remembered pair of time-worn, leather saddle bags are 
 mutely suggestive that David and Sarah Hopkins rode in their com- 
 pany from Rhode Island to " New Perth," and a little reflection on 
 the customs of that day makes it safe to suppose that when David 
 arrived, Sarah was not far behind. Their first place of residence in 
 their newly adopted home was quite "up with the times" — hand- 
 made and hand-carved. Nature's own hand having molded, 
 rounded and seasoned for hundreds of years, the symmetrical ma- 
 terial for the outside and inside finish, while every member of the 
 family had a "suite" of rooms on the first floor. 
 
 Their seven children were, Samuel, David, Isaac, Margaret, 
 Martha, James and George, and ere long the neighboring famiUes 
 began to present irresistible attractions for these sons and daughters 
 of Rhode Island. 
 
 Samuel, the eldest, married the widow Elizabeth Campbell, of 
 Hebron, N. Y. He served in the Revolutionary' war under Captain 
 Hutchins. His great great granddaughter, Mrs. H. H. Hamilton, 
 now resides at 338 Center street, Chicago, 111. Isaac, married his 
 cousin, Hannah Hopkins. Mrs. M. A. Alden, Coldwater, Mich., 
 and Dr. A. W. Hopkins, Ashtabula, O., are of this branch. Mar- 
 garet became the wife of Benjamin Cleveland. We regret that no 
 facts are at hand concerning the marriage and settlement of David 
 and Martha. 
 
 George and James remained upon the home farm until, both 
 taking wives, it became expedient to dissolve partnership. James 
 married a Miss Hamilton and moved to Granville, New York, some 
 of their family afterward to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 
 
 George married Patience Osgood, a descendant of John Osgood, 
 who was born in England in 1595. The children of George and 
 Patience Hopkins were Warner, Hannah, Aaron, Martha, George, 
 Patience, Ann and David. Of these, Aaron, Ann and David died 
 unmarried. Hannah and Martha married Daniel and Palmer Cleve- 
 land, of Hebron, New York; Patience became the second wife of Dr. 
 Henry Sheldon, of Rupert, Vermont; Warner chose Elizabeth 
 Flower, of West Rupert, A^ermont, and his son Frank W. Hopkins, 
 
-4 . THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 and family, now own and reside on the farm adjoining the old 
 homestead. George broke his resolution of remaining a bachelor 
 and married Eliza J. McAllister, of Salem, New York. 
 
 The last named remained on the homestead and of their ten chil- 
 dren the youngest retains it, and bears the ancestral name of David. 
 
 'Descendants from each of these families are still living in Salem, 
 and adjacent towns, while many others have mounted the tidal wave 
 of emigration in its westward flov/ and may be found in almost every 
 state in the Union. 
 
 A Hopkins, of the sixth or seventh generation from James and 
 Jean, who seeks to follow the intricacies and windings of his family 
 relationship must first gird himself for a run with "Tennyson's 
 Brook." In closing it may be said that David Hopkins and his wife 
 Sarah Polk; George Hopkins and his wife Patience Osgood, with 
 others closely related, are buried in the "old burying ground" at 
 Salem village. 
 
 George Hopkins and his wife Eliza J. McAllister, with many of 
 their own and other branches of the Hopkins family are buried in 
 Salem Evergreen Cemetery and in Rupert, Vermont. 
 
 Very interesting "Hopkins Reunions" have been held in Ohio and 
 Michigan and there may be much, that if known to us, would add 
 greatly to the interest of this sketch. 
 
OLD FAMILIES 
 
 55 
 
 OLD FAMILIES 
 
 To give any complete account of the families which have been 
 long and honorably associated with the history of Salem would be a 
 task for volumes and is altogether beyond the compass of one little 
 book like the present. In the preparation of this work, however its 
 compilers have come across many facts connected with the origin and 
 history of families, either now or formerly resident in the town of 
 Salem, which seemed worthy of preservation. Accordingly they 
 have been incorpora'ted in the present chapter. 
 
 This record, of course, makes no pretense to completeness, 
 either in the number of families described or in the facts recorded 
 of them. It is to be judged simply as a collection of interesting facts, 
 a collection that might have been increased ten-fold, but which 
 couid not, it was felt, be diminished without serious loss. 
 
 ATWOOD 
 
 Zacheus Atwood came to Salem in 1804 and settled on the farm 
 lately occupied by Samuel S. Billings. His children were Elijah G., 
 Charles. Abiathar, Cyrus, Anson, Samuel, Mrs. Pliny Hill, Mrs. 
 Benjamin Cleveland, Mrs. Turner and Mrs. T. R. Weston. Charles 
 and Anson became prominent as ministers. 
 
 Of the descendants now living, Mrs. T. R. Weston, a daughter, 
 and Mrs. Eliza Freeman, a granddaughter, reside in Salem. 
 
 BANCROFT 
 
 Benjamin F. Bancroft was born at Granville, Mass., in 1816. His 
 grandfather, Samuel Bancroft, Jr., was an officer in the Revolu- 
 tionary war. B. F. Bancroft was the only son of Jonathan B. 
 Bancroft and Betsy Clark. In 1838 he came to Granville, N. Y., 
 and entered the mercantile business which he carried on success- 
 fully for fifteen years. In 1853 he came to Salem and assisted in or- 
 ganizing the First National Bank of Salem, becoming one of its di- 
 rectors and its cashier, which position he held until April, 1878, 
 when he was elected president. The financial standing of this bank 
 
56 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 attests his careful and judicious manag-ement. In politics he was 
 republican and the nominee of his party as one of the presidential 
 electors in 1876. He took a leading part in raising money and men 
 in his town and county for the suppression of the rebellion. In 1844 
 he married Mary J., daughter of Gen. Edward Bulkley, of Granville, 
 New York. He died in Salem, November 23d, 1886. Mrs. Ban- 
 croft died March 23d, 1881. 
 
 BLAIR 
 Bernard Blair was born in Williamstown, Mass., in 1801; came 
 to Salem in 1825 and entered the law office of Russell & Allen. In 
 1828 he formed a partnership with Judge Allen, lasting twelve 
 years. In 1833 he married Charlotte, daughter of Brommie C. 
 Lansing, of Lansingburgh. He was trustee for many years of 
 Washington Academy and of the First Presbyterian Church. In 
 1839 he was elected to congress. The degree of Master of Arts 
 was conferred on him both by Middlebury College and Williams 
 College. He died in Salem in 1880. 
 
 BINNINGER. 
 
 Gen. Isaac Binninger was born in Salem in 1797. His great 
 grandfather was a native of Switzerland and a Moravian minister. 
 While on his way to America both he and his wife died, leaving two 
 sons, Abraham and Christopher. The brothers came to Bethlehem, 
 Pa., where Abraham was educated for the ministry. At the close 
 of his studies he went as a missionary to the West Indies where he 
 had first to permit himself to be sold as a slave before he was al- 
 lowed to preach the gospel. He made a second missionary journey 
 under the direction of William Penn. In 1764 he came to Camden 
 Valley, in Salem, where he died March 8th, 181 1, aged 91. He left 
 four sons, John, Isaac, Joseph and Abraham. Isaac was the father 
 of the general. He was drafted as a soldier in the Revolutionary 
 war and taken prisoner by the Indians, but was released through the 
 efforts of his brother John who was a tory and held office in Canada 
 under the king. He died July 30th, 1827, aged 67 years, leaving 
 eleven children, of whom the general was the oldest. 
 
 Gen. Binninger spent his boyhood on the home farm. When 
 he was 17 he engaged as a clerk in the store of E. E. Law in 
 Shushan. This store he afterward purchased of Mr. Law. After 
 
 a successful mercantile career, he bought the farm in Salem now 
 
 owned by his sons Albert and Abraham. He was a member of the 
 
OLD FAMILIES 57 
 
 view York militia and was proomted through regular gradation 
 o the rank of brigadier-general. His commission dates September 
 ;th, 1834. While a merchant in Shushan he was postmaster for 
 ifteen years. He was a democrat, and took a leading part in politi- 
 :al matters until 1825. He married Miss May McCullar, daughter 
 )f the Rev. William McCullar, of Shushan. She died February 
 9th, 1829. His second wife was Gloryana, daughter of the Hon. 
 simon Stevens, of Greenwich, N. Y. He died January 5th, 1885, 
 Lged 88 years. 
 
 BOYD 
 
 The pioneers of the Boyd family were three brothers, James, 
 R.obert and John, and were members of the original "Scotch-Irish 
 Zolony." James settled northeast of the village on what is now 
 known as the Robert Boyd farm; of his children Robert and 
 ^Villiam settled in Salem. The pioneer Robert settled on land ad- 
 oining that of James and had two daughters, Catharine and Mar- 
 garet. John, the third brother of the pioneers, settled on the farm 
 ately occupied by James More. There are two descendants of the 
 amily now living in Salem, William R. and William. 
 
 BEATY 
 
 The Beaty family traces descent from Thomas Beaty who emi- 
 grated from Ireland in 1762 with his wife and five children, David, 
 fean, Thomas, Samuel and William. The family were of Scotch 
 lescent and emigrated to Ireland on account of religious per- 
 secutions in Scotland. Thomas Beaty erected his log cabin in the 
 vildeniess, living there until his death at the age of 83. John, his 
 >on, with his wife and daughter, Jane, emigrated in the same year. 
 He first settled in Pennsylvania, but afterward moved to Salem, 
 md built his cabin in 1772 on the farm on which William J. Beaty 
 low resides. 
 
 Among the Beatys who have become prominent men there may be 
 mentioned David, a son of William, at one time district attorney of 
 Schenectady county and afterwards county judge. John, a son of 
 Samuel, a clergyman, settled in Brooklyn, and afterward in Lock- 
 port, N. Y. The Beatys are an extremely large connection. It is 
 stated that at one time there were more than one hundred of that 
 name living in Salem; at the present time there are at least fifty 
 descendants of this family living in the town. 
 
58 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 CLAPP 
 
 Major Stephen Clapp came from Connecticut before or during 
 the Revolutionary war. He was a soldier and won his title by 
 active service. He lived in the hamlet now known as Rexleigh and 
 for many years it was called, for him, Clapp's Mills. Of his chil- 
 dren, Constant, settled on the other side of the Kill in Jackson; 
 Stephen, Jr., in Jackson; Wheeler, better knovk'n as Col. Ephraim 
 W. Clapp, of the war of 1812, finally removed to Annaquassicoke ; 
 Otis settled in Essex county; Leonard H. removed to Pittsfield; 
 Samuel settled in Hebron and finally moved to Adrian, Mich.; Miss 
 Helen Green, a granddaughter of Stephen, Jr., is the only descend- 
 ant of the family now in Salem. 
 
 CONKEY 
 
 Joshua Conkey came to Salem in 1761 from Pelham, Mass. He 
 located up White Creek on the Chester Billings' farm. His chil- 
 dren were Richard, who settled in Roxbury, Delaware county, N.Y.; 
 John, who settled in Martinsburg, Lewis county, N. Y.; Elizabeth, 
 who married Amos SafTord, of Salem, and after his death married 
 Daniel Pratt, of Cossayuna; Margaret, who married William Miller 
 and moved to Maitinsburg; Mary, who married Nathaniel Stems; 
 Emma, who married Samuel Safiford and settled at Camillus, N. Y. 
 
 Richard's children were, Joshua, Joel, Mrs. Cord and Mrs. William 
 Montgomery ; the children of Joshua, the son of Richard, were Mrs. 
 Jason Williams, of Cambridge; Mrs. Hiram Lewis, of Troy; Rev. 
 Charles Conkey, of Salem; Thomas, of Hebron; Nathaniel, of Sand- 
 gate, Vt., and Daniel, who died in Salem. Silas, a brother of the 
 pioneer, came from Pelham, Mass., and settled at Fitch's Point, 
 and built a factory there. Of his descendants Mrs. William Fitch 
 Hves in Salem. 
 
 CLEVELAND 
 
 Benjamin Cleveland came from Rhode Island and settled on 
 Wliite Creek. His sons, David and Palmer, settled in Pawlet, Vt.; 
 Moses, Aaron and Daniel in Salem; Job, a brother of Benjamin, 
 came to Salem six years later than he and settled on the farm still in 
 possession of the Cleveland family. Of his children, Daniel C. went 
 to Hebron; Job to Wyoming; Ira to Ohio; Levi H. and Benjamin 
 remained in Salem and died there ; Mrs. Faniham to Hebron ; Mrs. 
 Lewis to Rupert, Vt.; Mrs. Alexander Gray, Mrs. Elizabeth Gray 
 
OLD FAMILIES 59 
 
 and Mrs. Anson Gray to Dorset, Vt. Benjamin Cleveland, maternal 
 grandfather, was killed in the battle of Saratoga. The only de- 
 scendants of this family now living in Salem are Margaret, the wife 
 of D. J. Abbott and John Cleveland, who lives on the old home- 
 stead. 
 
 CHURCH 
 Bethuel Church came to Salem before the Revolution and had 
 two sons, Bethuel, Jr., who lived at the homestead and finally re- 
 moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., and Leonard Church, a lawyer, who 
 lived and died in Salem. Of the children of Leonard, A. M. Church 
 is a merchant and lives in Troy, and Mrs. Piser resides in Shushan. 
 
 FAIRLEY 
 
 Hugh Fairley and Sarah his wife came from Ireland with two 
 children and settled in Salem, where they spent their lives. The 
 children born in this country were Hugh, John, Sarah and Jane. 
 Hugh married Catharine McNaughton, daughter of Alexander Mc- 
 Naughton, in 1819. They had four children, John B., James A., 
 Mary Jane and William B. Of the descendants of this family now 
 living, Mary Jane, the wife of Captain J. M. Thompson, lives in 
 Salem. 
 
 GILLIS 
 
 Archibald Gillis settled in Argyle about the time Dr. Clark's 
 colony settled in Salem. His sons were James, Joseph and John, and 
 one daughter, Mrs. Leigh. Of his descendants, James, Williarh and 
 John reside in Salem. 
 
 HANNA 
 
 David Hanna was one of the elders in Dr. Clark's church, being- 
 ordained in Ballibay. He settled on the Michael Collins farm. His 
 sons were John, Robert and David; his daughters Mrs. William Lytle 
 and Mrs. Sproules. John went to St. Lawrence county, David to 
 Hebron, and Robert remained at the homestead. Of the descendants 
 David James lives in Salem. 
 
 HAWLEY 
 
 Joseph Hawley, with Sally Gray, his wife, came to this town from 
 Bridgeport, Conn., while still a young man. He spent his life as a 
 merchant in this place, and died here in 1858, aged 83. His son 
 David was bom in Salem, March 9th, 1809. He was educated at 
 
6o THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Washington Academy and became a merchant and dealer in country- 
 produce. He married, in 1830, Matilda, daughter of the late James 
 Harvey. She died at the age of 23, leaving one daughter, Sarah M., 
 wife of Rev. John McLean, of Oakland, Cal. In 1848 he married 
 Lydia J., daughter of the late Col. Bethuel Mather, of Schaghticoke, 
 N. Y. They had two sons, Joseph Mather and Charles D., who, 
 with Mrs. McLean, are the surviving members of the family. 
 
 HARRIS 
 Ebenezer Harris came from Connecticut to Camden Valley in 
 1788. He traveled on foot and his wife on horseback, carrying an 
 infant six months old. He taught a pioneer schol in the valley for 
 fourteen years, and was the first teacher of Jared Sparks, the his- 
 torian. He was licensed to preach by Bishop Asbury. Of his de- 
 scendants. Royal Harris resides in the valley. 
 
 LAW 
 
 John Law was born in 1743. He emigrated from Ireland in 1723. 
 His family consisted of his wife and two children. After living a ' 
 year in Albany they moved to Salem and settled on a farm near the 
 village of Shushan. Of the children of John Law, Thomas settled 
 on a farm east of Shushan; Isabella became Mrs. James McMorris, 
 of Jackson. John settled in New York City. Returning to Salem 
 in 1800 he opened a store in the east part of the town and passed the 
 rest of his life in Salem. In his latter years he lived on the farm 
 where J. S. Sherman now resides. Robert B. settled on the turnpike 
 near Rexleigh, and was a merchant, succeeding John Law in his 
 store. He died on the present place of Andrew Law. Agnes became 
 Airs. John Irving and afterward Mrs. William Moncrief. The sons 
 of Thomas were Robert, John T., Thomas and Alexander B. Wil- 
 liam L. was a son of John, and Thomas, Isaac and Edward were 
 sons of Robert K. Of this family, William L. was for many years 
 president of the Evergreen Cemetery; Alexander was justice of the 
 peace for many years; supervisor and chairman of the board, and 
 represented his district in the legislature two terms. Of the descend- 
 ants of the family now living, James and his sister Ellen live in the 
 town. 
 
 LYTLE 
 
 John Lytic came to Salem with Dr. Clark's colony and located 
 south of the village on the Shushan road. His children were Eliza- 
 
OLD FAMILIES 6i 
 
 beth, wife of James Rowan; Isaac, of Hebron; Rebecca became Mrs 
 James Mills, of Argyle; William, Esther, Susan and Jane. Andrew 
 Lytle, a brother of John, was also a member of the original colony 
 He lived on the place recently occupied by Hon. David Russell 
 His children were James, Hannah, William, Mary, Andrew and 
 Margaret. Of the descendants of this family, John S. Lytle lives in 
 Salem, George in Cambridge, William in Green Island, Charles and 
 Kockwell in California. 
 
 AIATTHEWS 
 William and David Matthews were pioneers from Ireland. They 
 settled on the Shushan road about midway between the two villages 
 David was the father of the Rev. James M. Matthews, at one time 
 chancellor of the New York University. The descendants of this 
 family now live in New Jersey and New York City. 
 
 ; MARTIN 
 
 Walter Martin was the son of Captain Adam Martin and his wife 
 Abigail Cheney. He was born in Sturbndge, Mass., in 1764, and 
 moved to Salem in 1786. He married first Sally, daughter of James 
 Turner and step-daughter of General Williams. She died in 1815 
 andhe married a second time, Sarah Granger. He was appointed 
 justice of peace for the county of Washington in 1798 and held 
 tnat office as long as he remained in the county. He owned and 
 operated a gristmill at Fitch's Point. His f^rst home in Salem was 
 m the house, still standing, recently occupied by Alvin Goodrich. 
 From there he moved to the house afterwards occupied by Major 
 George Reab and now included under the roof of Whitlock Hall 
 In 1802 he removed to Martinsburg, Lewis county, as the leader of 
 a colony of young men. From him that place takes its name He 
 served in the war of 1812 as brigadier-general. He was in the 
 New York senate from 1808 to 1812, and was postmaster of Martins- 
 burg for thirty years. He died December 10, 1834. His children 
 were Walter, who went to Marshall, Mich.; Adam, who died 1826, 
 aged 30; John W. entered public life and removed to New York 
 City; Charles L., cashier of Lewis County Bank, afterwards 
 removed to New York; Margaret went to Green Bay; David L 
 who remained in Lewis county; Jane married Stephen Leonard- 
 Abigail married Philo Rockwell, and Susanna, who married John 
 Savage, M. D., a distinguished physician and surgeon. 
 
62 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 McCOLLISTER 
 Hamilton McCoUister came from New England in 1762, located 
 on a farm, two miles south of the village, on the turnpike, still known 
 as " the McCollister fann." He married a sister of the wife of 
 Joshua Conkey. Their children were Archibald, who settled in 
 Salem; Elizabeth, wife of Stephen Rowan, of Salem; Martha, wife 
 of Elijah Mack, of Salem; John settled in Martinsburg, N. Y.; 
 Mary Ann, wife of Jesse Mack, of Argyle; Hamilton, Jr., moved to 
 Ohio; Charles settled in White Pigeon, Mich.; William remained 
 on the homestead and died there. Judge IMcColHster, of Chicago, 
 was a grandson of the pioneer. 
 
 McCLEARY 
 William, John and Daniel McCleary, three brothers, came to this 
 town with Dr. Clark's colony. William settled jvist over the line in 
 Rupert, Vt., on the farm now owned by the family of the late Luther 
 Sheldon; John settled in Hebron on the farm known as the "Squire 
 Wilson place " ; Daniel settled on the farm now occupied by William 
 McCleary. William had one son, William, Jr., who married a sister 
 of the Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith. John had one son, Daniel. 
 The other pioneer, Daniel, had two sons, one who died in youth, 
 and John, who passed his life in Salem. Of the descendants now 
 living, D. D. McCleary and William, sons of Col. John McCleary, 
 and grandsons of Daniel, reside in Salem. 
 
 McNISH 
 Alexander McNish was one of the early settlers of Salem. His 
 father accompanied him to Salem being at that time 104 years old. 
 He is recorded as voting at the town meeting preceding his death. 
 Alexander settled on the farm now occupied by his grandson Alex- 
 ander. His children were William, who settled in Salem; Alexander, 
 Jr., who went west; Sally, married Thomas Steele; Betsy, married 
 Alexander Steele. Alexander, Sr., was a soldier of the Revolution, 
 was wounded at the batttle of Schuylerville. It is said that he was 
 carried from the field by John Rowan. 
 
 McCLAUGHRY 
 James McClaughry and his wife, Margaret Swift, came to this 
 town in 1768. They settled near Fitch's Point, and had seven chil- 
 
OLD FAMILIES 63 
 
 dren — Matthew, Richard, Andrew, Thomas, Mary Ann, Agnes and 
 Margaret. Mary Ann married Edward Riggs; Agnes, John Wat- 
 son; Margaret, James Savage; Richard married Anna Burgess; 
 Matthew, Ann Morrison; Andrew, EHzabeth Harsha; and Thomas, 
 Agnes Harsha. Of the descendants now hving, James S. 
 McClaughry was for many years a practising physician in Delaware 
 county, N. Y. He now Hves in New York City. WilHam M. 
 McClsLMghry, M. D., and WilHam B. McClaughry, M. D., live in 
 New York City. James lives at the old homestead in Salem with 
 his three sons, Morrison Joseph, James Jr., and William Ezra. 
 Charles, another son, and Mrs. Lant, a daughter, live in East Green- 
 wich. There are many others of this family in the western states. 
 
 McFARLAND 
 
 James McFarland came to this country from Ballibay in 1774. 
 With him came his bachelor uncle, James McFarland, William Mc- 
 Farland and his sister, Mary Matthews, all of whom were members 
 of Dr. Clark's church. About 1797 James returned to Ireland and 
 brought back with him to this country his father, Daniel, Jr., his 
 brothers, William and Robert, and his sister, Mrs. James Alexander. 
 William, a son of Daniel, was sheriff of Washington county. His 
 son, John H., was a lawyer. Of the descendants now living, i\Iar- 
 garet has been a teacher in the public schools of Salem for fifty years ; 
 William McFarland, a retired merchant, has represented his town 
 on the board of supervisors and as a diretcor of the First National 
 Bank of Salem; John W. is a merchant; these two are sons of 
 James A. McFarland and his wife, Mary Proudfit. Mrs. Henry 
 Culver and Mitchell McFarland live in Cambridge; ]\Irs. Nathan 
 Skinner and Mrs. James McFarland, in Denver, Col.; these are 
 children of Col. John McFarland and his wiie, Nancy jMc]\Iurray; 
 Mrs. Hiram Viele, a daughter of William McFarland and his wife, 
 Mary Fitch, in Akron, Ohio. 
 
 QUA 
 
 John Qua came from Ireland with his wife, Jane McGilry, in 1774, 
 and settled in Hebron, and had four children, Robert, David, Andrew 
 and Martha. David spent his life at the old homestead, and had 
 two children, Andrew and David, who, after his death, came to 
 Shushan, in 1836. Andrew and David were educated in Cambridge 
 Academy and became prominent in the community as teachers of 
 common schools. David graduated in Cambridge and began teach- 
 
64 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 ing at the age of 17. His proficiency as a teacher and his ability in 
 educational matters is attested by his election as school commissioner 
 of the first district of Washington county. This office he held for 
 six years. His services in this position did much to elevate the 
 moral and intellectual interests of the schools. In 1843 he connected 
 with the Baptist church of Shushan. He has served as a deacon 
 therein for twenty-two years, as church clerk thirty-six years, and as 
 trustee for twenty-seven years. He has been clerk of the Baptist 
 Association of Washington county for ten years, and corresponding 
 secretary for six years. He is a justice of the peace of this town, and 
 has held this position for ten years. He has been a notary public 
 for the past twenty-five years. He is a self-made man; he looks 
 back with pride to the instructions of a devoted mother. In 1854 
 he married Rhody, a daughter of Samuel Van Pelt and Lucretia 
 Owen. To them have been bom two children, Ida, who died in 
 infancy, and Hermie D. Mr. Qua and his brother Andrew still 
 live in Shushan. 
 
 ROWAN 
 John Rowan was a member of Dr. Clark's colony. He settled 
 south of the village on the farm known as the Brown farm. One 
 son, Stephen, settled in Salem. He kept a hotel on the site of the 
 present depot. He married a daughter of Hamilton McCollister. 
 The late Archibald Rowan, of Argyle, .vas his son. John Rowan, 
 second, another pioneer, was here before the Revolution. He was 
 at the batle of Bennington. His home was on Rowan hill, now 
 known as Austin's hill. His children were William, Abram, Mrs. 
 David Lytle and Mrs. Samuel Lytle. The two pioneers were 
 cousins. James Rowan, brother of John, second, was a third 
 pioneer. His sons were Stephen, James, Jr., and Abram, known as 
 Big Abram. Stephen became a distinguished clergyman in New 
 York City. 
 
 SAFFORD 
 
 Gideon Safiford was one of the New England colony. He settled 
 on the Gillis farm. His children were Chester, Gideon, Adin, 
 Nathan and Thomas, Mrs. John Mclntyre, Mrs. Carswell, Mrs. 
 James Turner, Mrs. James Gillis, Mrs. John Turner, Mrs. David 
 Stewart and Mrs. Elias Rhodes. Of his descendants, David H. and 
 Myron C. reside in Salem. 
 
OLD FAMILIES 65 
 
 SAVAGE 
 
 The Savage family is of French origin. They were driven from 
 France by the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. They set- 
 tled for a time in the north of Ireland. Members of the family in- 
 termarried with persons of Scottish descent. A portion of the 
 family came to America in 1717 and settled in Massachusetts. John 
 Savage was appointed captain of a c -mpany of volunteers in 1758 
 and served under General Bradstreet in his expedition against Fort 
 Frontenac and under General Abercrombie in the assault of Fort 
 Ticonderoga. He removed to Salem in 1767 and died there in 
 1792, aged 85; Edward Savage, a son of John, was born in Rutland, 
 Mass., in 1745. He came to Salem with the family in 1767. He 
 married Mary McNaughton. He was the first sheriff of the county 
 after the Revolutionary war; he was also surrogate. He was a mem- 
 ber of the state legislature for twenty-one years and was three times 
 elected a member of the council of appointment. He took part in 
 the battle of Plattsburg in 1814, and died in 1833, aged 87. His son, 
 John Savage, was born in Salem, February 22d, 1779. He was 
 educated at Salem Academy and Union College. He studied law in 
 the office of Judge Woodworth, in Troy. He opened a law office in 
 Salem in 1803. He served two terms in congress, in 1814 and 1816. 
 In 181 6 he married Ruth Wheeler, of Lanesboro, Mass. He moved 
 to Albany in 1821, where he lived until 1837, when he moved to 
 Utica. In 1840 he returned to Salem and remained eleven years, 
 when he again returned to Utica, where he died October 19th, 1863, 
 aged 84. He held many places of trust and honor and from 1822 to 
 1836 was chief justice of the Supreme Court of the state of New 
 York. 
 
 John A. Savage is the son of Abram Savage and Mary Thomas. 
 He was educated in Salem Academy and Union College. He studied 
 theology and was pastor of the Presbyterian church at French 
 Mills, received the degree of D. D. from Union College, was chosen 
 president of Carroll College, Wisconsin, and during his services 
 there died. Edward Savage, another son of Abram, also a graduate 
 of Union College, married a daughter of the Rev. Dr. Van Vechten, 
 of Schenectady. He was professor of Greek and Latin in Union Col- 
 lege at the time of his death. He left one son, Edward. Of the de- 
 scendants of the family now living, there are Mrs. Mary Rogers, Mrs. 
 John Allen, daughters of Abram and his second wife, Hannah Haw- 
 
66 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 ley, and Laura, a daughter of the late Chief Justice Savage, who lives 
 in Utica. 
 
 STEELE 
 
 James Steele with his wife and one son, John, emigrated from Ire- 
 land prior to the war for independence and settled in the south part 
 of the town of Salem. Of the Steeles who became prominent, John 
 D. was a clergyman in the Dutch Reformed church; also his son 
 Richard. Of the descendants in this vicinity, Thomas S. Steele re- 
 sides on the old homestead with his son Frank ; Thomas, Henry and 
 Tompkins live in Marshalltown, Iowa; Rev. Richard Steele, in De- 
 troit, Mich.; and Daniel T., in Salem. 
 
 THOMPSON 
 William Thompson with his wife Sarah Rowan came from Ireland 
 with the original Scotch-Irish colony. He was a capenter and joiner 
 by trade, but spent his life in Salem as a farmer. He settled on the 
 farm east of the village, now occupied by his grandson, Captain J. 
 M. Thompson. He was one of the original elders in Dr. Clark's 
 church, and had five children, John, William, Mary, Sarah and 
 David. David was the youngest son. He spent his life as a farmer 
 on the old homestead, and married Grisella, daughter of John Beaty, 
 of Salem. They had ten children, William, John, David B., Phoebe, 
 Thomas, Robert, Grace, Mary Jane and James M. All of these are 
 deceased save James M. David, Sr., died in 1827, aged 48. Of the 
 more prominent members of this family, James M., at the age of 
 eighteen, joined the militia, became first lieutenant, and in 1844 was 
 commissioned as captain of the Light Infantry company of the regi- 
 ment and iserved as president of the board of court martial. He 
 represented his town in the board of supervisors, and in 1874 he 
 served as chairman; Charles, son of John, graduated at Monmouth 
 College, and was a clergyman; James, a son of the captain, graduated 
 at Ann Arbor University and practiced medicine at Valley Falls, N. 
 Y. Of the descendants now living, Sarah, daughter of David B. 
 and wife of Dr. Hill, resides in Cleveland, Ohio ; Nancy, daughter of 
 David B. and wife of Edgar Ladd, resides in Salem; Hattie, wife of 
 Robert Thompson, son of John Thompson, lives in Salem, and 
 Captain James M. lives on the homestead purchased through Dr. 
 Clark, which has never passed from the possession of the family. 
 
OLD FAMILIES 67 
 
 TURNER 
 
 Alexander Turner, a holder under the original Turner's patent, 
 settled in Salem in 1765. He remained here until 1801, when he 
 moved to Homer, N. Y., where he died in 1885. Twelve children 
 were boni to him in Salem; William, Archibald, Mary, Sarah, 
 James, Esther, Alexander, Isaac, Jane and Andrew. James Turner, 
 also a holder under the original patent, settled in Salem in 1764. He 
 married Susan Thomas, by whom was born Alexander J., the first 
 male child born in Salem; Jennette, who married General David 
 Thomas, of Salem. Their only child, Jane, married George Vail, of 
 Troy; Sarah married General Walter Martin, the founder of Mar- 
 tinsburg, Lewis county; James married Eleanor Humsdon. Their 
 children were William, who settled at Fort Covington, N. Y. ; James, 
 who was long a blacksmith in Salem; Susanna, who married John 
 S. Hunsdon and settled in Shoreham, Vt.; Eliza, who married the 
 Rev. John A. Savage, and Jane, who married Wesley Pratt. 
 
 TOMB 
 
 David Tomb, the pioneer, was one of the elders of Dr. Clark's 
 church. He settled on what is known as the "Smith Barnett place." 
 His sons were James, who settled on the farm adjoining his father; 
 John, who inherited the homestead, but removed later from there to 
 the vicinity of Syracuse; Rev. Samuel, at one time pastor of the 
 First Presbyterian church of Salem, and Dr. Joseph, of Argyle. 
 
 WILSON 
 The Wilsons are supposed to be of Scotch descent, and during 
 the persecutions in Scotland were driven out of that country and 
 settled in the north of Ireland, whence they emigrated to this coun- 
 try. James Wilson enlisted as a soldier in the Revolution and was a 
 captain in the army of Gen. Gates. Robert Wilson died at the home- 
 stead in Salem in 1867, aged 81. David was a Congregational min- 
 ister, preaching at Rupert, Vt., and at Port Byron, N. Y. ; he died in 
 Hebron. Fayette, son of Robert, married Juliette Beebe, of Rupert. 
 They had four children, Robert, Clinton, Helen and Fannie. Fannie 
 and Clinton survive. Clinton lives on the. old homestead in Salem, 
 Fannie resides at Johnsonville, N. Y. 
 
68 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 WILSON 
 Nathan Wilson came from Greenwich, Mass., and married Sarah, 
 daughter of Col. Joseph McCracken, and settled in this town. He 
 was sheriff of Washington county. His two sons, Nathan W. and 
 Job lived and died on the farm. Of their descendants, Charles lives 
 in Glens Falls and Mrs. John S. Sherman in Salem. 
 
 WALKER 
 Hiram Walker and his wife Mary came to this town from Ver- 
 mont in 1836. He settled at Clapp's Aiills, now Rexleigh, and was 
 a manufacturer. After five years, he purchased from Col. 
 McCracken his farm on the Rupert road. Here he spent the 
 remainder of his life, dying in 1870. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Walker were 
 bom seven children, George G., Lydia, Sarah, Willis H., Thaddeus 
 H., Mary and John. Of those now living, George G. resides in 
 Brooklyn, Thaddeus in Glens Falls, Lydia, Mary and John, on the 
 homestead in Salem. 
 
 There are many names, doubtless, that will be looked for in this 
 record in vain. ]\Iany families which, in merit and abilitv, rank worth- 
 ily with those recorded. Such omissions could not fail to occur and 
 their necessity is regretted by none more heartily than by the authors 
 of this book. May that which has been written here stimulate our 
 present age to a more zealous cultivation of that family life which 
 fills so large a part in the secret of Salem's happiness. 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 69 
 
 SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 
 
 " Ah! who can tell how hard it is to chmb 
 The steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar! " 
 
 There are always some names in an old town which become house- 
 hold words. They are looked upon \vith the respect and the admira- 
 tion which the Romans had for their household gods. The grand- 
 mother never tires of singing the praises of the great men she knew 
 in her youth. Whether it is that the men of her times were greater 
 intellectually, or the general advance in learning has left a smaller 
 chance for the man of the present to stand so far above his fellows, 
 is an unanswered question. Certain it is that Salem has had many 
 sons who have risen to high places in the esteem of the people of the 
 state and nation. In this hurrying, hastening age, the past is so often 
 forgotten in the tremendous strife for sun'ival, that this chapter has 
 a place recalHng the noble past of the great men of the town, that 
 they be not forgotten, and that the youth of to-day may be inspired 
 to emulate their example in bringing honor to Salem. 
 
 ST. JOHN HOXEYWOOD.— There came to Salem at the time 
 of the founding of the classical school a young lawyer who 
 assisted in sustaining that institution. Bom in 1763, at an early age 
 he was left an orphan, penniless, dependent upon the kindness of 
 friends. By persistent effort he attained a preparatory education and 
 entered Yale College, where, by his genius and accomplishments, he 
 won the warm-hearted friendship of its president, Dr. Stiles, who 
 took him into his own family and treated him almost as a son until 
 he was graduated in 1872. After coming to Salem he commenced 
 the publication of the "Washington Patrol'', on 'May 27th, 1796. 
 
 Orator, poet, artist and painter; lawyer, editor and civilian; dram- 
 atist, satirist and caricaturist — what shall we characterize him? His 
 hand was that of a magician ; his tongue had the sweetness and silver 
 tone of Chr}-sostom, with the power and eloquence of Hamilton. 
 His pen was that of a ready writer, and like the violin in the hand 
 
70 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 of Paganini, would obey his slightest w-ish. As an educator he was 
 as successful as in everything else he undertook, and his friends 
 never ceased to wonder at his ability and versatility. 
 
 HON. EDWARD SAVAGE.— Judge Savage comes of a family 
 noted alike for intellect and courage. Ele was of French Huguenot 
 descent, his grandfather having been driven from France by the re- 
 vocation of the Edict of Nantes. Edward Savage, from the time he 
 came to Salem, always resided on the farm since known as the "old 
 Savage farm", south of the village. He was a member of the first 
 company of militia raised in the town of Salem on the breaking out 
 of the Revolutionary war, and was commissioned a lieutenant. In 
 civil life he attained high rank. On the organization of the state of 
 New York, he was appointed the first sheriff of the county of Char- 
 lotte, holding that office until 1781. In 1783 he was appointed sur- 
 rogate, and, on the name of the county being changed to Washing- 
 ton, he was continued as surrogate with some short intermissions 
 until 1816. In 1784 he was elected a member of the assembly, and 
 in 1788 state senator, serving in one capacity or the other until 1807. 
 
 In 1793 he was chosen one of the presidential electors, and at their 
 convention voted for George Washington for president. 
 
 In 1825 he was again an elector, and voted for General Andrew 
 Jackson. On this occasion there was no choice by the electors, and 
 the election w^as thrown into the House of Representatives, and John 
 Adams was elected. 
 
 He was elected a delegate from Washington county to the Consti- 
 tutional Convention in 1801. In June, 1808, he was appointed one 
 of the judges of the County Courts of Washington county. 
 
 The political course of Judge Savage was active and energetic. 
 He was a strong anti-federalist, and, there being no paper in the 
 county advocating democratic principles, he, with Nathan Wilson, 
 founded the "Register," which was successfully published for twenty- 
 five years. 
 
 He was an elder in the First Incorporated Presbyterian church for 
 sixty-four years, during which time he wore his honors in church 
 and state worthily, as became a Christian gentleman. He was laid 
 to rest by the people whom he had served faithfully, and " no one 
 could assert aught against his character." 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 71 
 
 HON. JOHN SAVAGE, LL.D.— John Savage was born in Sa- 
 lem February 22d, 1779, and was a «on of the noted Judge Edward 
 Savage. He was a student at Washington Academy, and was gi-ad- 
 uated from Union College in 1799, receiving first honors in his 
 class. He was admitted to the bar and began to practice in Salem. 
 In his class, on both of his examinations, was Martin Van Buren. 
 In 1804 he was the messenger to cai^ry the vote of the legislature for 
 Thomas Jefferson to Washington. He was appointed district at- 
 torney for the northern district of New York state in 1806, but in 
 1810 ill-health compelled him to resign this position, and he went 
 abroad, but the prospect of war became so threatening that he 
 hastened home. In 1813 he was elected to the legislature, and re- 
 garding the war as necessary and just he sustained the policy of 
 President Madison with great vigor. His party was in the minority, 
 but the evidence of the esteem in which Mr. Savage was held is 
 shown by his being appointed to draw up the minority report, vindi- 
 cating their principles and conduct. He was elected to congress 
 in 1814 and 1816, but in 1818 declined the nomination, and was ap- 
 pointed district attorney of Washington county. 
 
 As he was sitting in his office one day in February, 1821, Sherifif 
 Gibbs called on his way home from Albany. The judge inquired 
 if there was any news from Albany. "The main item of news,'' said 
 Gibbs, " is that John Savage, of Salem, has been appointed comp- 
 troller of the state of New York." He was thunderstruck, and could 
 scarcely credit the news, but, on going to Albany, he learned its truth 
 and, accepting the office, he applied himself assiduously to the study 
 of it, and soon became its master. With him originated the system 
 of taxing corporations instead of the individual stockholders. 
 
 By the new constitution, established in 1822, a reorganization of 
 the judiciary of the state was necessary. Judge Savage was ap- 
 pointed chief justice of the Supreme Court, which office he held 
 until 1830, when he was induced to resign in consequence of the ill- 
 ness of his wife. In 1837 h^ removed from Albany to Utica, but in 
 1840 he returned to Salem and took up his residence on the old 
 homestead. In 1853 his advancing age, and the infirmities consequent 
 to it, made him give up country life for the better conveniences and 
 comforts of the city, and he returned to Utica, where he passed the 
 remaining years of his life in tranquillity, and died in 1863, at the 
 ripe old age of 84 years. 
 
 Judge Savage had some marked peculiarities of character. He 
 
72 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 was reserved and diffident to an unusual degree, and to a common 
 aquaintance his manner would be considered cold, but among inti- 
 mate friends no man was more genial or interesting, and under a 
 somewhat dry exterior he possessed great warmth of heart. His 
 greatest characteristics were his strong tenacity of purpose where 
 questions of principle were involved, and his wonderful power of judi- 
 cial reasoning. 
 
 GENERAL DAVID THOMAS.— General Thomas was born in 
 Lancaster, Mass., in 1762. He fought through the Revolutionary 
 war, and came to Salem in 1784. He first came prominently before 
 the people in 1794, when, as member of assembly, from Wash- 
 ington county, he made a motion in the House that the state be di- 
 vided into as many districts as there were members of Assembly 
 and that each of such districts elect one member. He was 
 fifty years ahead of the age in which he lived, in expressing the sen- 
 timent that representation in the assembly should be as directly from 
 the constituent as possible, and should be by single districts. He 
 was re-elected to the assembly in 1798 and 1799. I'n 1806 he was 
 elected member of congress, and served for eight years. In 1808 he 
 was appointed by the legislature treasurer of the state of New York, 
 and held that position until 1813. He was commissioned major- 
 general, and placed in command of the northern division of the mili- 
 tia of this state in 1805. During his public life, there were numer- 
 ous enemies continually trying to destroy him. He was indicted on 
 the oath of a worthless criminal for an infamous crime, and on his 
 trial was triumphantly acquitted. This did not, however, stop the 
 clamor of tongues against him, and he was finally compelled to meet 
 an indictment found against him in the county of Chemung for an al- 
 leged attempt to bribe a senator while he was state treasurer, to vote 
 in favor of the incorporation of the Bank of America. The famous 
 trial came on at the Oyer and Terminer held in Chemung county in 
 1812. It excited most intense interest, and excitement ran high. 
 The prosecution was conducted by the distinguished Thomas Addis 
 Emmet, attorney-general of the state, and the defense was in 
 charge of the able and eloquent Elisha Williams, assisted by the cool 
 and subtle Ebenezer Foot. Again was General Thomas acquitted by 
 the jury. But the continued efforts of his enemies to destroy him had 
 its effect and, no doubt, defeated him for re-election to the office of 
 treasurer. He finally removed to Providence, and there died at the 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 73 
 
 good old age of 70 years. His remains were brought to Salem and 
 interred in the old graveyard, and aftenvards removed to Evergreen 
 Cemetery. 
 
 General Thomas is described by Hammond, in his "Political His- 
 tory of New York", as being "A silent, cautious man; artful, saga- 
 cious and possessed of a deep knowledge of men". 
 
 COLONEL JOSEPH McCRACKEN.— Colonel McCrackenwas 
 born in 1736, and came to Salem in 1767, buying the far-m now oc- 
 cupied by the Walker family, and building the brick house which is 
 still standing. He is noted for his active and successful efforts in 
 opposing the raiders on the "Hampshire grants", in their efforts to 
 drive Salem into a union with Vermont. He was one of the party 
 that went from Salem and participated in the capture of Skenesbo- 
 rough and Fort Ticonderoga. He was commissioned captain in 
 1775, and major in 1779. In the battle of Monmouth he had the 
 misfortune to have one of his arms shot ofif. He was carried from 
 the field and brought home by his friend Dr. John Williams, to 
 whose unremitting care as a surgeon he owed his life. He was 
 elected to the assembly in 1786 and 1788. In life he sustained the 
 character of a hero, patriot and Christian ; ardent in the cause of lib- 
 erty, and unwavering on the field of danger. 
 
 COLONEL JOHN McCREA.— John McCrea was graduated 
 from Princeton College in 1762, and was admitted to the bar in 
 1766, and entered upon the practice of his profession in Albany. 
 When the Revolution broke out, he was, as colonel of the 13th regi- 
 ment of infantry, stationed in what was known as the Saratoga dis- 
 trict of Albany county. The approach of General Burgoyne ren- 
 dered a further stay exceedingly dangerous and he removed to Al- 
 bany, and it was while he was making these arrangements for re- 
 moval that his sister, Jane McCrea, made her visit to Mrs. McNeill, 
 of Fort Edward. While at the home of Mrs. McNeill the house w^as 
 attacked by a band of Indians. Jane and Mrs. McNeill were vio- 
 lently seized and carried ofif, Jane being placed upon a horse and 
 I\Irs. McNeill being dragged along on foot. The Indians were hotly 
 pursued by a band of Americans from the fort, who occasionally 
 discharged their rifles at the flying fugitives. Jane was shot through 
 the body by one of these stray bullets, and, falling from her horse, 
 she was scalped by one of her captors and left dead upon the ground. 
 6 
 
74 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Colonel McCrea was in Albany at the time of the "great burning" 
 by the Indians in 1781, and had left his youngest child, Eva, in the 
 care of a colored nurse, Dinah, who, hearing the raiders approach- 
 ing, hastily harnessed some colts from the stable and, throwing a bed 
 mattress into the cart, placed Eva upon it and escaped. The burning 
 buildings on the river bank above, made it so light she could clearly 
 see her way. 
 
 Colonel McCrea subsequently came to Salem and, in 1784, he and 
 General Williams were appointed regents of the University of the 
 State of New York. In 1785, he was appointed clerk of the county 
 of Washington, holding that office for nearly twelve years, and it 
 was by his efforts that the records, which were carried off at the 
 breaking out of the war by the then clerk, Patrick Smith, a loyalist, 
 were obtained and restored to the office. 
 
 REV. WILLIAM McMURRAY, D. D.— Dr. McMurray was 
 born in Salem July 6th, 1784, and was a son of Elder Robert Mc- 
 Murray, of the congregation of Rev. Thomas Clark. He prepared 
 for college at Washington Academy, and was graduated from Union 
 in 1804, and that same year was appointed principal of Washington 
 Academy. This placed him in a very trying position — a new teacher 
 among old acquaintances— but he was extremely successful during 
 his short career in that position. After the second term he con- 
 cluded to commence the study of divinity. He was licensed to 
 preach, and was ordained as pastor of the Associate Reformed Church 
 of Lansingburgh on January loth, 1810. A few years later he ac- 
 cepted a call from the Reformed Dutch Church at Rhinebeck, where 
 he remained eight years, leaving there to go to a Reformed Dutch 
 Church in New York City. Here he remained, building up a large 
 and powerful church. He died September 24th, 1835, "^ the fifty- 
 second year of his age. He received the honorary degree of Doctor 
 of Divinity from Union College in 1823. 
 
 His spirit, in its natural mould, was one of great kindness and 
 gentleness, and his manners were distinguished by amenity and cour- 
 tesy. There was blended with this the frankness which always for- 
 bade the remotest suspicion of disguise; a clear, well-balanced judg- 
 ment; sound, practical sense, and great fidelity to his own convictions 
 of right; a most unaffected humility, and a delicate and scrupulous 
 regard for the feelings of others. 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 75 
 
 REV. JAMES M. MATTHEWS.— Mr. Matthews was a native of 
 Salem, being born here March i8th, 1785; a son of David Matthews 
 and his wife, Mary McFarland. He was the last child baptized by 
 Rev. Thomas Clark, D. D., in Salem. His early education was re- 
 ceived at Washington Academy, and he was graduated from Union 
 College in 1803. He studied for the ministry under Rev. James 
 Proudfit, and concluded his studies under Dr. Mason. He was 
 licensed to preach by the New York Presbytery in 1807, and after- 
 wards ordained by the same. In 181 1 and 1812 he supplied the pul- 
 pit of the South Reformed Church, New York City, and in 181 3, re- 
 ceived a call from that church. He was the assistant of Dr. Mason 
 in the Theological Seminary from 1809 to 18 18 and was chancellor 
 of the University of New York from 183 1 to 1839. He died in New 
 York City January 28th, 1870. 
 
 During his lifetime he was a frequent visitor to Salem, often 
 preaching in the United Presbyterian Church, and he attended and 
 delivered an address at the Centennial of that church in 1867. 
 
 HON. JAMES GIBSON.— James Gibson was born in Salem, 
 September 5th, 1816. When he was eleven years old his father died, 
 leaving him and his brothers and sisters with nothing to depend upon 
 for their support but their own exertions. With a determination 
 and energy that have since characterized his life, be began the strug- 
 gle that has placed him in the foremost ranks of the legal profes- 
 sion. He was educated at Washington Academy, and, in 1836, at the 
 age of 20 years, was admitted to practice, having a deep knowledge 
 of the fundamental principles of the law. During his fifty years of 
 professional life, many important causes have been intrusted to him, 
 and by his deep research into the principles and logic of law, and the 
 science of jurisprudence, he has been the instrument for determining 
 the law in our courts on many novel questions. From 1853 until his 
 retiring from active practice, Mr. Gibson was largely engaged in 
 railroad suits, and was the attorney for the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel 
 and Western Railway Company in many of the greatest railroad 
 legal battles in the history of the law. 
 
 He assumed the editorial chair of "The Washington County Post" 
 in 1838, in the interest of the whig party, and edited it through the 
 presidential campaign of 1840. In 1848 he was their candidate for 
 justice of the Supreme Court and was defeated, although running over 
 one thousand votes ahead of his ticket in this countv. His defeat 
 
76 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 was due to his connection with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
 lows, as at that time the feehng against secret societies was very 
 strong. 
 
 In 1850, Mr. Gibson was elected county judge of Washington 
 count}', and in 1866 he was elected to the senate. There his reputation 
 had so far preceded him that he was made chairman of the committee 
 on claims, and a member of the judiciary committee. In 1840 Judge 
 Gibson raised a company of light infantr)^ which was attached to 
 the 50th regiment of the state militia. He was promoted to the lieu- 
 tenant-colonelcy of that regiment, and, on its being disbanded, he 
 was attached to the 13th regiment of the national guard, and subse- 
 cjuently was promoted to the colonelcy of that regiment. In 1867, 
 he became brigadier-general of the 12th brigade, which was dis- 
 banded in 1874. 
 
 Mr. Gibson has always taken a great interest in Odd Fellowship 
 and Free Masonry. He became an Odd Fellow in 1845, ^^^^ rose 
 to the highest of^ce in the lodge, and in 1859 was elected grand mas- 
 ter of the grand lodge of the state of New York. 
 
 In i860, he was elected worshipful master of Salem Lodge No. 
 391, Free and Accepted Masons, and, rising in this order, he became 
 grand master of the grand lodge of the state of New York in 1868, 
 and was re-elected in 1869. On June 8th, 1870, he, assisted by the 
 grand lodge and twelve thousand of the craft, laid the corner-stone 
 of the Masonic Temple in New York City. He has been grand 
 master of both of these great fraternities, an eminence to which no 
 other person in New York state has ever attained. 
 
 In 1867, it was found necessary to repair the court house, and then 
 a discussion arose as to the advisability of building a new one. Mr. 
 Gibson was in favor of a new court house, and in 1868 was elected 
 supervisor with that purpose in view, and although other towns 
 wanted the court house and made a strong effort to get it away from 
 Salem, yet it was resolved to build in Salem, and Mr. Gibson was ap- 
 pointed chairman of the building committee. 
 
 Judge Gib.son has been a member of the board of trustees of 
 Washington Academy over fifty years, and has served on the 
 board of education forty-four years. He has devoted a great 
 deal of his time during the past few years to the collection of his- 
 torical data, and on the formation of the Washington County Histor- 
 ical Society in 1876, was elected its president. His personal ap- 
 pearance, as given in the "Life Sketches of Members of the Legis- 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 77 
 
 lature", is as follows : "Senator Gibson is a gentleman of quiet dig- 
 nity. His long, flowing hair and whiskers, tinged with gray, his 
 ■ mild eye, which seems to be overflowing with kindly feelings, his 
 low persuasive voice, which is seldom brought up to a high pitch, 
 unite in throwing around him a personal atmosphere which renders 
 his presence both pleasant and powerful", and another writer adds: 
 "Judge Gibson has passed the meridian of life, but his mind is as 
 powerful, his blue eyes as bright, his step as active and he toils as 
 in by-gone years. Cautious and firm as a legislator, righteous as a 
 judge, of highest honor as a man, of signal ability in his profession, 
 rich in experience, large-hearted, of great energy, faithful in all his 
 relations, above fear and beyond reproach — such are the qualities 
 which this gentleman possesses." 
 
 GENERAL JOHN WILLIAMS.— John Williams was bom at 
 Barnstaple, England, in 1752, and, obtaining a liberal education, 
 made medicine and surgery his profession. He came to Salem m 
 1773, and there continued the practice of his profession with marked 
 success, so winning the confidence of the community that at the 
 breaking out of the Revolution he was chosen as one of its repre- 
 sentatives to the provincial congress. He was thrice re-elected to 
 this body, and served during its entire existence, acting on many of 
 the most important committees where his great mental ability, tact 
 and diplomacy made him a valuable member. He was appointed a 
 surgeon and assigned to duty in one of the regular regiments, and 
 in 1776, on the unanimous request of the committee of safety of 
 Charlotte county, he was commissioned colonel of the regiment 
 then being raised and remained its commanding officer, except for a 
 brief period, during the war till his subseciuent promotion in 
 1786 to be brigadier-general of the brigade. 
 
 In times of peace his great ability still kept him in the service of 
 the people and the state. He was a member of the convention by 
 which the state of New York adopted the constitution of the United 
 States. He served in the legislature as assemblyman and senator 
 from 1777 to 1795, and represented this district in congress from 
 1792 to 1796, and from the organization of this state to the time of 
 his death, nearly twenty-five years, he held the office of judge of the 
 county courts. Much of this time he also held the office of super- 
 visor of the town of Salem. 
 
 General Williams was the largest landholder the countv' ever knew. 
 
78 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 At one time he owned all the lands of Hampton, except about three 
 thousand acres; more than half of Putnam, nearly half of Whitehall, 
 half of Hebron, a large portion of Granville and more than half of 
 Salem, besides separate parcels in various parts of the state. He died 
 in 1806 at the age of 53 years. 
 
 Mr. Williams lived in war time, when partisanship and bitter feel- 
 ing ran high. His station in public life made him the constant mark 
 for the poisoned arrows of enemies. He secured the passage of an 
 act taking Cambridge and Easton from Albany county and adding 
 them to Washington. This was a great help to this county, render- 
 ing it more powerful in wealth and population and increasing its 
 influence in the state. It also served to place Salem nearer the cen- 
 ter of the county, and thus went a long way towards settling the ques- 
 tion of where the court house should be located. 
 
 Dr. Williams was highly distinguished as a surgeon; among his 
 associates there was no one who surpassed him as a scholar and a 
 linguist. He was a hard and close student, and ranked among the 
 learned men of his time. 
 
 One proof of his ability and exertions while in the legislature is 
 shown by the passage of a resolution in both houses to appoint a 
 joint committee to consider the subject of opening the Hudson river 
 west to the great lakes and north to Lake Champlain. Of this com- 
 mittee he was made chairman. On February 7th, 1792, he brought 
 in a bill authorizing the construction of the proposed works, and it 
 became a law March 30th of that year. 
 
 To General Williams and his descendants is the town of Salem 
 largely indebted for her prosperity and growth in the past. His 
 great skill as a lawgiver, his strong and learned mind, his courage 
 on the field of battle, his ability as shown in times of peace, all tend 
 to make him one of the most remarkable and prominent men of the 
 Revolutionary epoch. 
 
 JOHN FRANCIS WILLIAMS, Ph. D.— On November 9th, 
 1 89 1, there died in Ithaca a young man whose life had been full of 
 study, followed by the success which is sure to follow earnest effort. 
 Admired for his learning by students of science the world over, 
 respected and honored by everyone who knew him, dearly beloved 
 by his friends, it was of him that Bishop Doane was moved to say: 
 "It seems incredible to those who knew him that he could have done 
 so much and died so young, and the record, I think, is worth making 
 
SALEM'S DISTINGUISHED SONS 79 
 
 as a lesson to us all, young men and old, of the duty of redeeming the 
 time, be it long or short, of every life. The story of this short life 
 is consistent and continuous from the beginning, and its character- 
 istic is manliness." 
 
 John Francis Williams was the only son of John Martin Williams, 
 and a great-great grandson of General John Williams. He was 
 born October 25th, 1862, and spent his boyhood in Salem. He en- 
 tered St. Paul's school, Concord, and, on leaving there, became a 
 student in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, from which, in 1883, 
 he was graduated with distinguished honor. On finishing his course 
 of study at that institution he matriculated at the Georgia Augusta 
 University, Gottingen, Germany, where he remained until 1887, and, 
 from that reno^\^led institution he received the degree 
 of Doctor of Philosophy. The thesis prepared by him was an ex- 
 haustive investigation of the geological and mineral formations of 
 Mount Amiata, and is written in German. 
 
 On returning to America he was made director of the Technical 
 Museum of the Pratt Institute at Brooklyn, where he remained until 
 1889, when he was chosen an honorary fellow of Clark University, 
 of Worcester, Mass. In October of that year he went to Arkansas 
 for the purpose of working up the crystalline rocks of Arkansas 
 for the state geological survey, and in this work his strong constitu- 
 tion was greatly undermined. He had just entered upon his duties 
 as assistant professor of geology in Cornell University when he was 
 stricken with paralysis. 
 
 Dr. Williams was a member of the American Association for the 
 Advancement of Science; of the American Institute of Mining En- 
 gineers; of the Norske Turistforenings, Christiania, Norway; of the 
 German Chemical Society of Berlin, and of other scientific bodies. 
 
 And thus he died. In the glory of his manhood, and with ambi- 
 tion fully to develop his natural gifts, and to make his life one of 
 usefulness to his fellow men, he fell in the midst of the strife, with his 
 armor on. He has left a noble record, and his twenty-nine years, if 
 multiplied by the number of his achievements, would constitute a 
 full and finished life. 
 
8o THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 
 
 1 he first minister in all the region between Albany and the Canada 
 line was Rev. Thomas Clark, M. U. This apostolic man was born 
 in Galloway, Scotland, about 1722. We may safely conjecture that 
 he v/as trained in one of Scotland's pious homes. He secured the 
 best education his country and his time could afford. He graduated 
 at the University of Glasgow, where he also pursued a thorough 
 course of medical study and received the degree of Doctor of Med- 
 icine. In 1745 and '46 we find him in the ranks of the king's army, 
 lighting against the pretender, Ciiarles Edward, whose cause per- 
 ished in the battle of Culloden Moor. In 1747 Dr. Clark became 
 identified with the Associate Burgher Presbytery of Glasgow and 
 studied theology under the direction of Rev. Ebenezer Erskine. He 
 was licensed to preach in April, 1748. About this time petitions 
 came before the Burgher Synod from the destitute congregations ot 
 Killemy, Ballemoney and Ballibay, in Ireland, and Dr. Clark was 
 appointed to visit them. The Presbyterians in the north of 
 Ireland were descendants of the Scotch Covenanters, who went 
 thither to escape persecution for having disowned the unprincipled 
 Charles II, as their lawful sovereign; also for denying the right of 
 James, Duke of York, to the succession. 
 
 In 1690 the persecution ceased because of the accession of William 
 and Mary to the throne, and Presbyterianism was established in 
 Scotland ; but to avoid stirring up trouble several hundred Church of 
 England incumbents were allowed to retain their charges. "These 
 men," said Bishop Burnet, "were the poorest preachers I ever heard." 
 They were very ignorant, and many of them were morally deficient. 
 A rapid growth of error in life and doctrine was the natural result. 
 Prof. Simpson, in the chair of divinity at Glasgow, was permitted 
 unrebuked to teach some of the worst errors of heathenism. The 
 church, having been established by law, was supplied \vith ministers, 
 not by the choice of the people, but by the presentation of a patron. 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 8i 
 
 Congregations were compelled to do one of two things: either to 
 listen to the preaching thus provided, no matter how unscriptural it 
 might be, or to withdraw from the established church and worship 
 by themselves. This latter course was followed in many instances, 
 and it was over one of these seceding congregations in Ireland, that 
 of Ballibay, Monaghan county, that Dr. Clark was finally settled as 
 pastor. He was installed July 23d, 1751, having been previously 
 ordained to the ministry by three ministers from the Presbytery of 
 Glasgow, who were appointed to fix the pastoral relation. 
 
 Dr. Clark was a man of great independence of character, as is 
 shown by his refusal to fall in with the superstitious custom of swear- 
 ing in court by kissing the Gospels. He also refused to take the oath 
 of abjuration, by which the swearer bound himself to own the king 
 as head of the church, and to help the bishops dethrone the king, if 
 ever he should become a Presbyterian. This caused Dr. Clark to 
 be an object of reproach and persecution. The members of Mr. 
 Jackson's congregation in Ballibay, from which Dr. Clark's church 
 seceded, waited for an opportunity to arrest the intrepid young pastor 
 on the charges of disloyalty. Shortly after this, when Dr. Clark was 
 acting as moderator to a call in New Bliss, he was arrested and taken 
 by a strong guard to a tavern, where he was kept until the following 
 day, when he was escorted to the Monaghan jail. The day of trial 
 came three months later, and Dr. Clark was discharged on the 
 ground that the commitment was en^oneous. He was then advised by 
 his friends to prosecute those who had inflicted this injustice upon 
 him, but he preferred to follow the teaching of Gospel and to reward 
 evil with good. It seems that he was confined in jail a second time, 
 but it is not known for how long. 
 
 Dr. Clark wrote several affectionate letters to his congregation 
 while he was in prison, and these were read at the close of worship 
 on the Sabbath. These letters were afterward published in book 
 form. A copy of the volume containing them is to be found in the 
 Salem public library. He also preached to the people who came on 
 the Sabbath to hear the counsels of their beloved pastor. While he 
 was thus "an ambassador in bonds" he baptized thirteen of their chil- 
 dren and married one couple, who were afterwards under his pastoral 
 care in South Carolina. 
 
 This rough usage did not serve to make the subject of our sketch 
 especially grateful to his native land. His attention was naturally 
 
82 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 directed to America as a field of labor where he might be unham- 
 pered by restrictions violating his conscience. One circumstance 
 that may have confirmed this desire was the death of his beloved 
 wife, which occurred on the i8th day of December, 1762. The fact 
 that she was a godly woman, who shared with her husband the bur- 
 den of caring for the spiritual interests of his people, made this a 
 trial to the congregation, as well as a sad blow to their pastor. 
 
 Two needy churches in America, one in Rhode Island and one 
 near Albany, N. Y., rec[uested that Dr. Clark might be appointed to 
 preach to them the word of life, but Providence had so ordered that 
 the church in Ballibay should become the "church in the wilderness" 
 with a mission to send out her children to break the bread of life 
 to hungry souls. Accordingly, Dr. Clark and three hundred of his 
 people set sail from Newry, Ireland, May i6th, 1764. They reached 
 New York on the 28th of July, after an uneventful voyage. Here 
 the party divided, one part going to South Carolina and the other to 
 Stillwater. \ 
 
 In the spring of 1765 Dr. Clark visited what is now called Salem 
 and held divine service in the cabin of James Turner. Through the 
 agency of Dr. Clark 12,000 acres in the town of Salem were procured 
 on favorable terms, and this opened the way for the general settle- 
 ment of the place, which occurred in 1767. As there were no 
 " Burgher '' churches in this country with which Dr. Clai^k might 
 become affiliated, he applied for admission to the Anti-Burgher 
 Associate Presbyteiy of Pennsylvania, and was admitted into their 
 fellowship on the 2d of September, 1765. 
 
 Someone who is familiar with the history of Salem has said that "a 
 book of one hundred pages might easily be written about Dr. Clark, 
 leaving out the anecdotes." The universal testimony concerning him 
 is that he was earnestly devoted to his congregation. He was min- 
 ister, physician, and real estate manager all in one. Every year he 
 collected $1,500 in rents and carried the same on horseback 200 
 miles to New York for the agents from whom the land was pur- 
 chased. We shall never know how much he did, under the direction 
 of Providence, to lay the foundations of this community. One thing 
 is true of the church which he brought with him and so faithfully 
 served which cannot be said of many other churches in our land, if, 
 indeed, it can be said of one — over fifty young men under her foster- 
 ing care have entered the ministry of Jesus Christ With all 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 83 
 
 the worldly burdens that rested upon the shoulders of the untiring 
 pastor, his fervor was not lessened for the spiritual interests of his 
 f^ock. It is said that whenever he chanced to pass along a shady 
 road it was his custom to dismount and under some tree of the 
 forest intercede with God in prayer for the people whom he loved. 
 
 In 1782 Dr. Clark, having resigned his charge in Salem, visited 
 that portion of the former congregation which went to Long Cane 
 and Cedar Spring in South Carolina. He accepted a call to be their 
 pastor, and labored among them with remarkable success until his 
 death, which occurred Dec. 26th, 1792. He visited Salem a number 
 of times while he was pastor in the south, and baptized several 
 children. 
 
 Dr. Clark died from apoplexy, while sitting in his chair. Before 
 him on the table lay an epistle to his former congregation in Ballibay, 
 dated March 25th, 1791. It seems that he had just finished the 
 letter when the hand of death was laid upon him. The closing words 
 were: "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know 
 hereafter." 
 
 The second pastor of the United Presbyterian congregation was 
 the Rev. James Proudfit. He was bom near Perth, Scotland, in the 
 year 1732. Great care was bestowed by his parents on his religious 
 education, and at an early age he was inclined towards the ministry 
 of the Gospel. He graduated at one of the universities and studied 
 theology under the direction of Rev. Alexander Moncrieff. He was 
 licensed to preach in 1753, and in July, 1754, was ordained with a 
 view to sending him as a missionary to America. He landed in 
 Boston September, 1754, and went at once to join a ministerial 
 brother previously sent out, who was laboring in Eastern Pennsylva- 
 nia. He performed itinerant missionary work four years, and was 
 then called to be pastor of the church in Pequea, Lancaster county, 
 Pa. It was while Mr. Proudfit was pastor of this church that he 
 became prominent by reason of his casting vote as moderator, which 
 sealed the union between the Associate and Reformed churches in 
 the United States. This occurred in 1782; and at this time the 
 pulpit of the church in Salem had been vacant for a number of 
 months. It happened, also, at this juncture that the church in Pequea 
 was greatly diminished in numbers on account of the Revolutionary 
 war, and Mr. Proudfit was the more ready to listen to the call that 
 was brought to him on horseback through the unbroken forest by 
 
84 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 one of the elders of the church in Salem. Ministers were not plen- 
 tiful in those days, as may be inferred from the fact that Mr. Proudfit 
 was the only settled pastor of his own denomination within a dis- 
 tance of one hundred and fifty miles, and there was "scarcely a min- 
 ister/' says one writer, "of any denomination north or west of Albany 
 in the state.'' Mr. Proudfit accordingly followed the method of his 
 predecessor, and preached occasionally in Cambridge and Argyle, 
 and even went at times to fill appointments in Saratoga county and 
 in Montgomery county. 
 
 After eleven years of arduous service Mr. Proudfit's health began 
 to fail. In 1/95, as he was conducting a Sabbath mornmg service, 
 he sank dovvm under a stroke of paralysis, and was carried home in 
 an unconscious condition. Although he survived this shock, both 
 mind and body were greatly impaired by it. He did not preach 
 again, but was able to read the psalm and give the exposition of it as 
 was customary in those days. The remainder of the service was 
 conducted by his son and colleague, Rev. Alexander Proudfit, who 
 was settled May 13th, 1795. At the sacrament of the Lord's Supper 
 Mr. Proudfit usually made a brief address at one of the tables. The 
 last time he attempted this service he could only utter in faltering 
 tones, yet with great tenderness the words: "Remember the word 
 unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope — this is 
 my comfort in mine affliction." 
 
 At the close of Mr. Proudfit's ministry the church numbered 300 
 in membership. There were only two churches in the Associate Re- 
 formed body at that time which surpassed this church in the number 
 of its members. 
 
 On the 22d of October, 1892, Mr. Proudfit entered into rest. His 
 ministry was successful in the truest sense. The Rev. Mr. Macken- 
 zie in his "Historical Sermon" has quoted the words of Dr. Alexander 
 Proudfit, who says of his father's ministry: "It was as the gentle 
 rain and dews which softly fall, refreshing and fertilizing the earth, 
 rather than those storms which agitate the elements and disturb 
 the order of nature.'' His preaching was biblical to a marked degree. 
 He was so familiar with the Scriptures that long after his mental 
 powers began to fail he could repeat passage after passage of comfort- 
 ing words and could give the number of chapter and verse of almost 
 any portion of Scripture read or recited to him. To him the words 
 of the Spirit were "more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 85 
 
 gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." A large con- 
 course of people from far and near gathered at his funeral. The 
 sermon was preached ])y Rev. Dr. Gray, of Hebron, on the text: 
 "The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." The tomb- 
 stone of this devoted pastor bears the following inscription : "Here 
 lie the earthly remains of Rev. James Proudfit, Pastor of the Ass. 
 Ref. Congregation in Salem; who, after manifesting the most ardent 
 zeal and disinterested faithfulness in the Gospel of his Master during 
 a period of nearly fifty years, fell asleep in Jesus, October 22d, 1802. 
 'Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of 
 thy Lord.' ' They who turn many to righteousness shall shine as 
 the stars forever and ever.' ' Be thou faithful unto death, and I 
 will give thee a crown of life.' " 
 
 It has already been noted that Alexander, the son of Rev. James 
 Proudfit, became the colleague of his father in 1795. After the 
 death of the father, in 1802, the son became the sole pastor of the 
 church. Alexander Proudfit was born at Pequea, Pa., in November, 
 1770. He was in his thirteenth year when the family moved to 
 Salem. He prepared for college under Mr. Thomas Watson, of 
 Salem and Rev. Peter Wilson, of Hackensack, N. J. He entered 
 Columbia College at the beginning of the sophomore year and 
 graduated in 1792 with the highest honors of his class. He studied 
 theology under the direction of his father, and also attended the 
 theological lectures of Rev. John H^. Livingston, then professor of 
 divinitv' in the seminar}'" of the Reformed Dutch Church in New 
 York. 
 
 On the 2d of October, 1796, Alexander Proudfit was married to 
 Susan, daughter of Gen. John Williams, a lady of beautiful character 
 and fine intellectual powers. A glimpse of their home life is afforded 
 us by the following extract from a letter, written in 1868, by Rev. 
 J. D. Wells, of Williamsburg, L. L: "In early childhood I spent a 
 year or two about four miles from Salem, and with my mother and 
 uncle rode on Sabbath over your beautiful hills to the White Church, 
 and was often at the parsonage; and I am obliged to confess that, 
 young as I was, the kindness and refinement in the parsonage im- 
 pressed me more than the worship and instruction of the sanctuary. 
 This I say, only because I so vividly recall the one, and so perfectly 
 forget the other. There, for the first time in my life, I heard a piano- 
 forte and wondered at the skill which made it ' discourse sweet 
 
S6 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 music' There I ate the good things which the pastor's wife knew 
 so well how to make and to give freely to her welcome guests, great 
 and small. There I often sat on the pastor's knee and told him 
 everything that I knew, and received instruction from his lips. The 
 air of love and refinement that I breathed in his hortse made the 
 place an earthly pai^adise to me. It would be a great joy to me to 
 believe that the little folks of my church will remember the manse that 
 I have occupied, as many years as I remember that." 
 
 As may be inferred from the testimony just recorded, Dr. Proudfit 
 was an afifectionate and wise friend of the children and youth of his 
 congregation. He knew all these by name, and he loved to plant in 
 their young hearts the seeds of spiritual truth. He encouraged them 
 to learn the Shorter Catechism and to become familiar with tlie Bible. 
 He was deeply interested in the schools; it was his custom to visit 
 them often, and to call upon some scholar to find and read a passage 
 of Scripture which w^ould be the prelude to a tender and pointed 
 word of counsel. It was a pleasure to the writer of this sketch to 
 hear Dr. Robert McMurray speak of this shepherd of his youthful 
 days. At that time there were fewer churches in Salem tlian at pres- 
 ent, and, consequently, Dr. Proudfit's congregation was widely scat- 
 tered over a large tract of country. Dr. McMurray spoke of meet- 
 ings that were held in houses as far off as the edge of Jackson, and 
 other places equally distant. He said Dr. Proudfit would on a 
 Sabath morning make an announcement to this effect: "There will 
 be a catechizing at the house of Widow Telfair on Tuesday afternoon 
 at three o'clock." All the people of that neighborhood were expected 
 to be present and to answer questions put to them from the Assem- 
 bly's Shorter Catechism. These cottage and schoolhouse meetings, 
 with the earnest prayers and affectionate exhortations that would ac- 
 company the more formal exercises, must have been of great spiritual 
 profit to the community. But Dr. Proudfit was not confined to 
 these means alone in scattering the seeds of the kingdom. He wrote 
 a number of tracts for free distribution, and had them published at 
 his own expense, besides publishing larger works, of which mention 
 will be made by another in this volume. 
 
 Dr. Proudfit was profoundly interested in the work of home and 
 foreign missions. He took an active part in the affairs of the 
 American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. He was 
 not only interested in the work of the board, but was prominent in it. 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 87 
 
 He had a gift for leading men to contribute generously towards the 
 support of benevolent causes. His own example, in giving freely of 
 himself, as well as his substance, doubtless influenced others to 
 " abound in this grace also." 
 
 In 1812 Mr. Proudfit received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
 from two colleges, Middlebury and Williams. In 1819 he was elected 
 associate professor, with Dr. Mason in the Theological Seminary 
 of the Associate Reformed Church, and he performed duties of that 
 position during one session, but discontinued this extra care, owing 
 to the great pressure of his church work. He retained his interest, 
 however, in the seminary, and was of great service to it in its later 
 history. 
 
 The year 1824 is memorable for the revival that occurred in the 
 town of Salem, when one hundred and twenty-five persons were 
 added to Dr. Proudfit's church; and one hundred and seventy-five 
 were added to the Brick Church, of which Rev. Samuel Tomb was 
 the pastor. These two pastors worked together as brothers in the 
 Lord, and both had the pleasure of seeing their work prosper under 
 the blessing of Him who "giveth the increase". 
 
 In the year 1833, Dr. Proudfit assisted the Young Men's Bible 
 Society in raising a considerable sum of money to aid in the circula- 
 tion of the Scriptures in foreign lands. His services were again 
 solicited in 1835, by the New York Colonization Society, to become 
 their secretary. This office demanded all his time and strength, so, 
 to the great sorrow of his people in Salem, his pastorate among them 
 closed in that year. Resolutions, expressing regret because of Dr. 
 Proudfit's departure, and the warmest personal regard for him, were 
 passed by a meeting of the citizens, held in the Brick Church. 
 
 Dr. Proudfit visited Salem each summer during the remainder of 
 his life, and had the pleasure of speaking a few more times to those 
 whom he had carried in his heart so many years. He would remind 
 the congregation on each such occasion, at the close of his sermon, 
 that this might be the last time they would ever meet on earth, and 
 he would faithfully warn them to be ready to meet their Judge, so 
 that his preaching might not be a testimony against them. Dr. Hal- 
 ley has said that this solemn farewell, which almost choked the 
 preacher's utterance, found its response in the sobs and tears of the 
 crowded assembly. 
 
 Dr. Proudfit died on the 17th of April, 1843, ^-t the residence of his 
 
88 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 son, in New Brunswick, N. J., rejoicing in the hope of a glorious 
 immortaHty. "He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and 
 of faith ; and much people was added unto the Lord." 
 
 On the 19th of Februai-y, 1836, the Rev. James Lillie, D. D., was 
 installed the fourth pastor of the congregation. Dr. Lillie was a 
 native of Kelso, Scotland, and a graduate of the University of Edin- 
 burg. 
 
 He began his course of theological study in the Burgher 
 (Secession) Seminary, under Dr. George Lawson, in the year 1819, 
 and completed it in the United Secession Seminary, at Glasgow, 
 under Dr. John Dick, in the year 1824. He was ordained and in- 
 stalled pastor of the John Street United Secession Congregation, of 
 Montrose, in the year 1829. In 1833, he resigned his charge, and 
 came to the United States. Soon after his arrival in New York he 
 was called to the pastorate of the newly-founded Associate Re- 
 formed Church, in Franklin street, in that city; and, on the 22d of 
 August, 1S35, was installed its first pastor. In December of the 
 same year he was called to Salem, which call he accepted, and was 
 installed, as above stated, in February, 1836. Dr. Lillie remained in 
 this place only a little more than one year. In June, 1837, he 
 resigned his charge, accepted a call from, and was installed pastor of 
 a congregation in Rhinebeck, N. Y., in connection with the 
 Reformed Dutch Church. Subsequently he became pastor of the 
 Reformed Dutch Church at Hurley, and afterwards of the Second 
 Presbyterian Church at Carlisle. 
 
 It is thought that he was pastor of a Presbyterian Cliurch in or 
 near Newton, N. J., at the time of his adopting Baptist views. For 
 some years after this he was professor in a college in Wisconsin; and 
 also in a theological seminary in Toronto. 
 
 The last ten or fifteen years of his life were spent in London, 
 though he occasionally visited this countr\^ During the latter 
 part of his life he had studied and given himself to the practice of 
 medicine. He died in Kansas, in the year 1875, whiie on a visit to 
 his relatives settled in that state. Dr. Lillie was capable of mag- 
 nificent efforts in the pulpit, and he was a strong advocate of tem- 
 perance. It is much to be regretted that he did not remain longer 
 in a place, and thus leave a more abiding influence. It was doubt- 
 less owing to his brief pastorate in Salem that the results of his min- 
 istry were not larger and more apparent. 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 89 
 
 The fifth pastor of the church was Rev. Ebenezer Halley, D. D., 
 who was installed the 3d of September, 1838, the pulpit having 
 been vacant, after Dr. Lillie's departure, a little over two years. 
 
 Dr. Halley was born in Scotland, in the year 1801. He entered the 
 University of Edinburgh in 18 16, and graduated four years later. He 
 studied theology in Glasgow five years, under Dr. John Dick, and was 
 licensed to preach in the year 1825, by the United Associate Presby- 
 tery, of Dunfermline. He preached thirteen years in Scotland before 
 coming to this countr}\ The circumstances of his settlement in Salem 
 are best told in his own words, taken from the address which he 
 delivered in the White Church, as a part of the centennial exercises, 
 in 1867. Among the letters which he brought with him from Scot- 
 land, was one addressed to Dr. Brownlee, of New York, who told 
 him of a beautiful river called the Hudson, and that if he traveled up 
 to Salem, where there was a vacancy, he might spend a fortnight 
 usefully, besides having an opportunity to view the country. Dr. 
 Brownlee gave him letters to Dr. Forsythe, of Newburgh, and Dr. 
 Robert Proudfit, of Schenectady, who both indorsed him to the 
 congregation in Salem as an accredited minister of religion. Mr. 
 Halley said, on the occasion referred to: "I arrived in this peaceful 
 valley on a Friday evening, and preached the two following Sab- 
 baths. I had not been long among you ere I ascertained that the 
 church was anxious to enjoy the services of a settled pastor; and, to 
 my surprise, on the second Sabbath I read an announcement from 
 the pulpit that the members of the church should meet on one of 
 the days of that week to make out a call for a pastor. The meeting 
 resulted in a unanimous invitation being extended to me. I could 
 not give an immediate answer (though there was much in the beau- 
 tiful scenery and the character of the church to lead me to think 
 favorably of it), for I had one linked to me by the dearest earthly 
 ties whom I deemed it incumbent to consult on such an important 
 measure. She, however, like a good wife, merged her will in that 
 of her husband's, and thus, in the mysterious arrangements of Prov- 
 idence, I had to cross the Atlantic to become your pastor, and you 
 had to elect one as your spiritual guide of whose existence a few 
 days before you had never heard, and who planted his foot as an en- 
 tire stranger on this western world." Within six weeks after Dr. 
 Halley arrived in this country, he was installed over the congrega- 
 tion that listened to the first sermon he preached on American soil, 
 
 7 
 
90 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 and with whom he sojourned during a happy pastorate of ten years. 
 
 In 1848 Dr. Halley accepted a call to the Second Presbyterian 
 Church, of Troy, where he remained seven years. He then was 
 called to the Third Presbyterian Church of Albany. He remained 
 twenty years in this pastorate, and then retired from active service. 
 After half a century of useful toil in the ministry, he was entitled to 
 the name of veteran. As a preacher. Dr. Halley was above the av- 
 erage, in the impressiveness of his discourse. He possessed a re- 
 markably good command of language, and the Scotch accent, which 
 was noticeable in his silver speech, was agreeable, rather than other- 
 wise. In 1873 Dr. Halley was elected to fill the office of chaplain of 
 the senate of this state, and was re-elected to that position every 
 year during the remainder of his life. His death occurred on the 
 31st of October, 1881. 
 
 Dr. Halley was succeeded, after a space of two years, by the Rev. 
 Thomas B. Farrington, who was installed in May, 1849. In early life 
 he went to sea, and served on board a whaling vessel for several years. 
 He studied theology at the Associate Reformed Theological Sem- 
 inary, at Newburgh, N. Y., and was licensed to preach by the Asso- 
 ciate Reformed Presbytery of New York, in May, 1845. He became 
 pastor of the Associate Reformed Congregation, of Geneva, N. Y., 
 August nth, 1846. He remained there till he came to Salem. In 
 August, 1857, after a pastorate of more than eight years, he re- 
 signed and went to Oxbow. He was one of the ministers of the As- 
 sociate Reformed Church who did not go into the union of 1858. 
 His last pastorate was in Newburgh, in a dissenting church, that 
 still claimed to be the Associate Reformed body. His death took 
 place there on June 5th, 1875. 
 
 Mr. Farrington was a man of strong convictions, fearless in ex- 
 pression of what he deemed right, systematic in his methods of 
 work, and prompt in the discharge of his duties. 
 
 In June, 1858, the Rev. J. C. Forsythe was installed by the Asso- 
 ciate Reformed Presbytery of Washington. Mr. Forsythe was a 
 graduate of Washington College, Pennsylvania, and studied theol- 
 ogy in the Associate Reformed Seminar}^ at Allegheny City. He was 
 licensed to preach by the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Blairs- 
 ville, in the spring of 1851. 
 
 After a pastorate of six years in Cadiz, Ohio, dating from October, 
 1852, he resigned his charge there, and became the seventh pastor 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 91 
 
 of this church. During his pastorate, there were added to the church 
 one hundred and ninety-two members; one hundred and sixty-four 
 by profession, and twenty-eight by letter, — forty-two of those re- 
 ceived on profession of their faith being baptized In January, 1868, 
 a revival took place, the religious interest continuing through the 
 following two months, and there were a goodly number of conver- 
 sions. 
 
 Mr. Forsythe came at a time when the congregation was greatly 
 agitated on the subject of the union between the Associate and Asso- 
 ciate Reformed churches of this country, which had taken place in the 
 city of Pittsburg, Pa., in the preceding May. The congregation 
 had opposed joining this union, and there was much feeling on the 
 subject. Mr. Forsythe's coming was timely, as through his wisdom 
 and careful management, peace and harmony were restored. The 
 congregation became identified with the United Presbyterian Church, 
 which is now acknowledged to have been the wisest course. 
 
 He resigned his charge in May, 1870, and afterwards served for a 
 time in a Reformed Dutch congregation at Farmersville, N. Y., 
 and, later, in a Presbyterian congregation in Montgomery, N. Y., 
 his present field of labor (1895). 
 
 Rev. W. A. Mackenzie, the present pastor of the United Presby- 
 terian Church, is a graduate of Franklin College, and of the Theo- 
 logical Seminary of Allegheny City, Pa. He preached three Sab- 
 baths in Salem, in July, 187 1. The result was a call to become 
 pastor of the church, which was accepted, and the installation exer- 
 cises took place on the 4th of November, in that year. Before com- 
 ing to Salem, Mr. Mackenzie had been for six years pastor of the 
 United Presbyterian congregation in Sewickly, Pa. 
 
 His pastorate has been blessed with numerous seasons of refresh- 
 ing, one of the most notable of which occurred in 1874. A series 
 of protracted meetings was held, in which the two pastors of the 
 Presbyterian churches co-operated, and the quickening of spiritual 
 life was manifest in both congregations. The meetings were well 
 attended, and there were numerous conversions. Mr. Mackenzie 
 said, in 1876, with regard to this revival: "Although this season 
 followed the sorest sorrow of my life, yet those two months have 
 been the most joyful of my ministry." 
 
 During the past twenty-four years the church has given liberally 
 foj* benevolent purposes, and, notwithstanding the many removals, 
 
92 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 especially in the case of the younger portion of the community, to 
 the cities and the far west, the church has held its own in regard to 
 membership. When the present pastor entered upon his work in 
 Salem, the actual membership of the church was in the vicinity of 
 two hundred, although the number given in the records was two 
 hundred and fifty. Some had fallen asleep in death, others had re- 
 moved from town without taking letters of dismission, and still 
 others had forsaken Zion, "having loved this present world". In 
 five years the number of members increased to two hundred and 
 seventy-five, and a somewhat higher average has been maintained 
 ever since. Thus has the divine promise embodied in the I32d 
 Psalm, and associated in the minds of so many with the communion 
 season, been fulfilled: 
 
 " If thy sons will keep my cov'nant, 
 
 And observe what I command, 
 On thy throne forever sitting, 
 
 Shall their children rule the land. 
 
 Richly blessing her provision, 
 
 I will fill her poor with bread ; 
 Clothe her priests with my salvation, 
 
 Make her saints exceeding glad." 
 
 It is a cause of humble gratitude that there has not been lacking 
 in this historic congregation, once persecuted for their faith, but 
 now dwelling at peace in a goodly land, a generation of kings and 
 priests to stand before the Lord, 
 
 Especial mention should be made here of the excellent "Historical 
 Sermon," by Mr. Mackenzie, which was published in 1876; a sermon 
 which has furnished much of the material for what has here been 
 written, and even the exact language in numerous instances. The 
 present writer would hereby acknowledge with gratitude his debt to 
 that publication. 
 
 In 1874 a young men's prayer meeting was organized, which soon 
 developed into a young people's meeting, and which has been a 
 source of power in the Hfe of the church. Many of the young people 
 thus trained are active workers in the churches where they now wor- 
 ship, and carry with them wherever they go the memory of blessings 
 received in that "upper room". In late years, a more complete or- 
 ganization, called the Young People's Christian Union has been 
 
THE OLD WHITE CHURCH 93 
 
 formed, which is continuing the good influences of the movement 
 originated twenty-one years ago. 
 
 Looking back over the one hundred and twenty-eight years that 
 have elapsed since the days when the fathers of this congregation 
 built the log church in which they first worshipped, we may say that 
 the people who assemble in the White Church from Sabbath to Sab- 
 bath may well be pardoned if they feel a tinge of honest pride in the 
 men who, by divine appointment and by their invitation, have stood 
 in that pulpit to break unto them the bread of life. Yet it deserves 
 to be said that the ministers had good material to work upon — the 
 descendants of the Covenanters, who, in the hour of peril, signed 
 their names with blood taken from their own veins to the document 
 that bound them "to resist religious oppression, and to hold to the 
 faith of their fathers all the days of their life". Such characters are 
 like the Scotch granite which, indeed, is susceptible of a high polish, 
 and will not melt under the heat of the sun, nor dissolve in the rain. 
 The pastor who has such men around him to hold up his hands, can 
 hardly fail of success. The church, whose members make religion 
 the main pursuit .of life, becomes a channel through which grace 
 from on high descends, transforming what otherwise would be a 
 moral wilderness into the garden of the Lord. The influence of 
 such a church is felt more widely, perhaps, than most people im- 
 agine. To use an expression which a new science has made neces- 
 sary, every praying and working church is a "power-house", from 
 which a mysterious agency, silent and unseen, goes forth, breaking 
 out here and there into a clear, far-shining light, dispelling the dark- 
 ness, and revealing to the wayfaring man the way in which he should 
 go. Long may the White Church continue to fulfill such a mission. 
 May her efforts to redeem society be so honored by the great Head 
 of the church that, men, speaking of her, will say: "There was the 
 hiding of His power." 
 
94 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE BRICK CHURCH 
 
 It should be said at the outset of these brief records that Rev. Dr. 
 E. P. Sprague, who has so ably told the story of the Presbyterian 
 Church in his "Historical Sketch," published in 1876, kindly gave the 
 present narrator permission to use the results of his researches as far 
 as might be necessary. The privilege is accepted with many thanks. 
 Where a field has been so carefully gleaned, as this one has, there 
 are not many straws of new information for a subsequent writer to 
 pick up, especially one living at a distance from whatever sources, 
 aside from the document mentioned, might be available. The reader 
 is therefore cautioned not to expect very much in addition to what 
 has already been recorded by Dr. Sprague. 
 
 This church was organized by members of the New England col- 
 ony, in 1769. Attempts were made to unite the two churches into 
 one, but, owing, perhaps, to early training and tradition, this could 
 not be effected, although both churches worshipped together under 
 Dr. Clark until 1787, when the New England church became strong 
 enough to support a minister, and one was duly settled over them. 
 
 Before this time the Rev. David McGregore preached for them on 
 two or three occasions, and there is a letter extant, supposed to have 
 been written in 1767, entreating his presence and assistance that 
 he might open tlie way for the "resettlement of the Gospel" among 
 them. Rev. David McGregore was a pastor of the Presbyterian 
 Churcli in Londonderry, N. H., and was a man of considerable note 
 in New England. He was one of the pioneer preachers in New 
 Hampshire. Many of his printed sermons are to be found in the 
 library of Brown University. It is recorded also that a Rev. Mr. 
 Miltimorc was requested by the church committee to preach on 
 ']"hanksgiving Day, in 1782. It is probable that the reference here 
 IS to the Rev. David Miltimore, who preached about this time in 
 Newbury, ISIass. 
 
 The first settled pastor of the church was Rev. John Warford, 
 of Amwell, N. J. He had been laboring as a missionary in the north- 
 
THE BRICK CHURCH 95 
 
 em part of this state, under the direction of the synod of New York 
 and Philadelphia, and it was while he was engaged in this work that 
 the New England congregation had the opportunity to hear him 
 preach. He visited this place in the summer of 1787, and that he 
 made a favorable impression is shown by the call which was made 
 out for him in September of that year. Mr. Warford was bom in 
 1745. It is conjectured that his birthplace and early home was some- 
 where on Martha's Vineyard. He graduated from Princeton Col- 
 lege in 1774. He was licensed to preach the year following, by the 
 Presbytery of New Brunswick, and was by them ordained and in- 
 stalled pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Amwell, July 31st, 1776. 
 The call to the New England church here was signed by ninety-one 
 persons, the name of John Williams standing at the head of the list. 
 The salary promised was £120, New York currency. It was pro- 
 posed also to build him a convenient parsonage; to give him the use 
 of 176 acres of the glebe lands, and to pay into the Widows' Fund 
 £116, 13s. 4d., Proclamation money. 
 
 The church at Amwell regretted deeply the necessity of parting 
 with Mr. Warford, and would not have consented to let him go, 
 could they have provided suitably for his support. The church at 
 Salem, as this place began to be called in 1786, offered rather a lib- 
 eral salary for those days, if we take into consideration that the pas- 
 tor had the use of a large farm, aside from the cash payments. Tra- 
 dition has it that Mr. Warford lived on what came to be known as 
 the Hawley place, a little southeast of the village. 
 
 Mr. Warford began his work in Salem in 1788, but was not in- 
 stalled until the following year. His pastorate continued during the 
 remainder of his earthly life. The records of this period are very 
 scant. The loss of two volumes of church records by fire, about 
 1840, has deprived us of interesting facts concerning these early days, 
 and is the more to be regretted for the reason that in the first of 
 these volumes was a history of the church in Mr. Warford's hand- 
 writing. This first pastor is known to have been an able man, and 
 earnestly devoted to his parish. He was deeply interested in the 
 founding of Washington Academy, and was one of the original 
 twenty-five trustees. The church grew and prospered during his 
 ministry, but the financial burdens which they undertook to carry 
 proved heavier than they anticipated. A debt of £809, 12s., id. at 
 the time of Mr. Warford's decease rested on the church. A settle- 
 
96 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 merit was made, however, with his widow, to whom this money was 
 due, four years later. 
 
 Two pastors in the village of Salem finished their course in the 
 year 1802. They had labored side by side for years, and both had 
 done a lasting work in shaping the course of the infant community, 
 by holding up before the eyes of the people the lofty ideals of the 
 Christian faith. These men were Rev. James Proudfit and Rev. 
 John Warford. The date of Mr. Warford's death is May 19th of that 
 year. The inscription on his tombstone is perhaps the only writ- 
 ten testimonial of his character that remains to us from that genera- 
 tion: "He was an affectionate Pastor, Husband, Parent and Friend; 
 An Evangelical Preacher, Meek in his disposition. And grave in his 
 address." 
 
 After the death of Mr. Warford, the pulpit of the Presbyterian 
 Church was vacant four years. There seems to have been two can- 
 didates before the church, Rev. Walter FuUerton and Rev. Samuel 
 Tomb. A part of the congregation preferred Mr. P\illerton for 
 their pastor, and the other part preferred Mr. Tomb. At one time a 
 compromise was resorted to, and a call was extended to Rev. Will- 
 iam Morrison, pastor of the First Church in Derry, N. H. This 
 call was not accepted. The majority of the congregation seemed to 
 favor Mr. Tomb, and he finally received a call to become pastor of 
 the church on a salary of $600. The expenses incidental to moving 
 the pastor's effects from Newbury, Mass., were met by subscription, 
 and the use of five sleighs was pledged for the purposes of trans- 
 portation. 
 
 Rev. Samuel Tomb was born in the town of Wallkill, N. Y., Jan- 
 uary 1st, 1766, two years before his parents took up their abode 
 in Salem. Mr. David Tomb, Samuel's father, vv'as -an elder in Dr. 
 Clark's congregation, and we may well believe that whatever inclina- 
 tions Sanuiel may have felt towards the ministry, were wisely encour- 
 aged. Mr. Tomb prepared for college partly in Salem and partly 
 Hackensack, N. J., under the two noted teachers, Mr. Thomas Wat- 
 son and Rev. Peter Wilson. He was a student in Columbia College, 
 and afterwards studied theology under the direction of Rev. James 
 Proudfit, his pastor, and Dr. John Mason, of New York. He was 
 licensed to preach by the Associate Reformed Synod of New York 
 and Philadelphia, in 1789. He became pastor of the church in New- 
 market, N. H., in July, 1793, after decHning two calls to Antrim, in 
 
THE BRICK CHURCH 97 
 
 the same state. He removed to Newbury, Mass., in 1797. The writer 
 had the pleasure of reading Mr. Tomb's " Introductory Sennon '' 
 which was preached the first Sabbath after his installation at Newbury. 
 This sermon was preached September 2d, 1798, from the text: "We, 
 then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive 
 not the grace of God in vain." II Cor. vi: i. The sermon is in two 
 parts, the first setting forth in an interesting way the duties of a 
 minister; and, the second part, which was doubtless preached in the 
 afternoon of that day, had to do with the responsibilities of the peo- 
 ple. Other sermons which Mr. Tomb preached during his pastorate 
 in Newbury ought to be noted here. One is a fast day sermon, 
 preached March 31st, 1803, to "a congregation that was seeking a 
 pastor." (Could it have been the Presbyterian Church in Salem, N. 
 Y.?) The text was Acts i: 24: "And they prayed, and said. Thou, 
 Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these 
 two thou hast chosen." The first head of the sermon was: "It is 
 the duty of a people to apply to God by prayer for direction in the 
 choice of a Gospel minister." The second : " Those only are quali- 
 fied for the office and work of the ministry whom God hath chosen 
 for that purpose." The third and last head was: "There are ways 
 and means by which God shows a praying people the man of his 
 choice." 
 
 An ordination sermon by Mr. Tomb still exists in print; also a 
 discourse on Washington. After the close of the Revolutionary 
 war there was much vituperation and abuse passing from mouth to 
 mouth and we may believe that those in high places received their 
 full share of it; an evil which, even in these more enlightened days, 
 has not altogether vanished from the earth. The sermon on Wash- 
 ington is an eloquent and emphatic setting forth of the precept: 
 "Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." All these 
 discourses are to be found in the collection of pamphlet sermons in 
 the library of Brown University, and they are of value, not only for 
 the historical interest that gathers around them, but for the spiritual 
 truth they contain. 
 
 Mr. Tomb was installed pastor of the church in Salem by the 
 Presbytery of Columbia, on February 19th, 1806. One pleasing 
 feature of the installation services was that the Rev. Walter Fuller- 
 ton, who was the choice of one portion of the church when Mr. Tomb 
 was also a candidate for the same pulpit, gave the charge to the peo- 
 
98 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 pie. Mr. Fullerton had for four years been pastor of the church in 
 Antrim, N. H., where Mr. Tomb, in 1792, had decHned to settle. 
 
 Mention has been made earlier in this chapter of the revival of 
 1824. Mr. Tomb had been sowing the seed for many years with 
 no very marked results, and, as a consequence, both pastor and ses- 
 sion became discouraged. Mr. Tomb remarked in the preparatory 
 lecture just previous to this quickening of religious life, that "none 
 were uniting with the church to take the places made vacant by death, 
 and he felt as if the church was almost ready to die out." 
 
 The starting point of this revival was the sermon of an unknown 
 minister who, one Saturday night, came out of his way to visit this 
 place, because there were to be no religious services in the place 
 whither he had intended to go. It was so ordered by Providence 
 that this stranger was invited to preach in the Presbyterian church 
 the following day. He accepted the invitation, and preached a strik- 
 ing sermon from Job i: 3, where the account is given of Job's sub- 
 stance. The morning service excited much interest, and a large 
 company of persons gathered for the social meeting in the evening, 
 at the close of which the elders of the church were requested to re- 
 main. He then asked each one in turn how long he had been a 
 church member, how long an elder, what his own religious state was, 
 what work he was doing for the Master, what the condition was of 
 religion in his neighborhood, what prayer meetings were held, and 
 what Christian work performed. He addressed similar incjuiries 
 to several ladies, who had not yet left the church, and exacted from 
 each and all a promise to visit their neighbors immediately and con- 
 verse with them on the subject of personal religion. The revival 
 continued two months in full vigor, and extended, as has been said, 
 to the Associate Reformed Church, the two pastors working har- 
 moniously together. Both churches seemed to take a new lease of 
 life from this gracious event, which resulted in three hundred addi- 
 tions to the churches, one lumdred and seventy-five of this num- 
 ber, uniting with Mr. Tomb's congregation. The stranger, whose 
 visit was fruitful of so much good to the community, passed on his 
 way the next morning. Nothing further is known of him than what 
 is recorded concerning his services on that memorable Sabbath. 
 Even his name has been forgotten. 
 
 Another revival occurred in 1831, the closing year of Mr. Tomb's 
 
THE BRICK CHURCH 99 
 
 pastorate, and one hundred and fifty-four persons united with the 
 church. 
 
 Mr. Tomb died March 28th, 1832, in the 67th year of his age, 
 at the close of a pastorate lasting twenty-six years. His closing days 
 were marked by the calm assurance that belongs to those whose 
 hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord. Those who recall his tall fig- 
 ure, his long hair and flashing eye, bear witness also to his power as 
 a preacher of the Word. It is a cause for gratitude that he lived 
 to see the large results of his ministry, which afforded him visible 
 proof that his labor in the Lord had not been in vain. 
 
 The relations existing between Mr. Tomb and his brother minister 
 of the Associate Reformed Church, Dr. Alexander Proudfit, were 
 remarkably pleasant, and we may well believe that their power was 
 multiplied many fold because they were united in their efforts to build 
 up the kingdom of God. This friendly spirit has continued to be the 
 characteristic of the two churches even down to the present time. 
 Very beautiful are the words of Dr. Halley addressed to the people 
 of the White Church in 1867: "Shortly after your church was 
 planted in this valley, another vine, in the good providence of God, 
 w^as afterwards transplanted from New England to this place, and 
 thus the descendants of the Puritans and Covenanters have both 
 erected their places of worship, and long may they flourish, striving to 
 outvie each other in love to the Saviour and zeal for the ordinances 
 of his grace." This, it is safe to affirm, is the devout wish of many 
 hearts. 
 
 Three weeks after Mr. Toml) retired from active service, a call was 
 extended to Rev. John Whiton, of Middle Granville. The congrega- 
 tion had become acquainted with him through the assistance he had 
 rendered during the revival which was then in progress. Besides, 
 he was Mr. Tomb's choice for his successor. The call was accepted, 
 and Mr. Whiton was installed by the Presbytery of Troy, March 21st, 
 1832. Mr. Tomb presided over the service. Rev. Dr. Beman, of 
 Troy, preached the sermon and gave the charge to the people. Rev. 
 Alvah Day gave the charge to the pastor. 
 
 Rev. John Whiton was a native of Stockbridge, Mass. He grad- 
 uated at Williams College in 1818, studied theology in Andover Sem- 
 inary, and was ordained November 27th, 1822. He had been pastor 
 in Middle Granville eight years, before coming to Salem. 
 
 Although Mr. Whiton was an interesting preacher and was much 
 
loo THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 endeared to his people, his pastorate here was comparatively brief, 
 owing to financial difficulties into which, says Dr. Sprague, "his very 
 kindness of heart was largely the means of betraying him". He re- 
 signed in June, 1837. 
 
 The membership of the church during this period was larger than 
 it had been before, or has been since, viz.: 426. The offerings for 
 benevolent objects were liberal, and it would seem that Mr. Whiton 
 led the way in the matter of giving. Dr. Sprague relates the instance 
 of how one winter morning he gave away his overcoat to an old man 
 who had been traveling in the stage, and whose scanty raiment was 
 a poor protection from tl^e cold 
 
 "Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, 
 And e'en his failings leaned to virtue's side." 
 
 It was during this pastorate that the church suffered a great trial 
 in the loss of their house of worship by fire, shortly after they had 
 expended $3,000 for repairs. Their courage, however, was equal to 
 the emergency, and the brick walls we see to-day, although they sub- 
 sequently passed through another fire, are the same that inclosed 
 their new place of worship. 
 
 Mr, Whiton was pastor in Enfield, Mass., after leaving Salem. In 
 1841 he went to West Stockbridge, Mass., his latest charge, where 
 he remained until 1849. During the latter days of his life he was 
 one of the trustees of Williams College. He died on Thanksgiving 
 Day, 1868, in his 73d year, at the residence of his step-son in Wol- 
 cott, N. Y. 
 
 On the 7th of November, 1837, Mr. Whiton's successor. Rev. A. B. 
 Lambert, was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Troy. 
 This was the beginning of a pastorate lasting twenty-eight years, the 
 longest in the history of the church. Dr. Lambert was then a young 
 man, and a recent graduate of Union Theological Seminary. He 
 was born at South Reading, Mass. He was trained in a pious home, 
 and early became a member of the Congregational Church in that 
 place. He graduated at the University of the State of New York, 
 from which institution he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
 in 1854. 
 
 A debt of $7,000 rested upon the church when Dr. Lambert entered 
 upon his duties as pastor, but by the use of wise measures and care- 
 ful management the debt did not prove to be a hindrance to the 
 
THE BRICK CHURCH loi 
 
 spiritual interests of the congregation. This debt was increased to 
 $10,000 tAvo and a half years later, when another fire left only the bare 
 walls of the church standing. Then the burden was heavy indeed, 
 but the people, as though they were becoming accustomed to these 
 "trials by fire", went to work in a matter-of-fact way, and rebuilt their 
 church. In 1853 the last dollar of this heavy debt was paid, to the 
 great relief of both pastor and people. The impulse afforded by 
 these efforts to throw off the burden of debt, and the sense of free- 
 dom which was experienced when these efforts were crowned with 
 success, caused them to make various improvements in the interior 
 of the church, until it was both comfortably and beautifully fur- 
 nished. 
 
 In the division that occurred in the ranks of the Presbyterian 
 body at the time of the old and new school controversy, it would be 
 natural to expect that this church would side with the new school; 
 but skill was needed to prevent strife and hard-feelings on the part 
 of those cherishing different opinions. In this crisis the pastor 
 showed himself to be wise and judicious. In taking its place where 
 it naturally belonged, the church maintained "the unity of the Spirit 
 in the bond of peace." 
 
 From time to time during these twenty-eight years the church was 
 blessed by seasons of special religious interest, particularly in the 
 years 1838, 1840, 1843, 1849 ^.nd 1857. Two hundred and fifty-five 
 persons united with the church during Dr. Lambert's pastorate. In 
 1847 ^s he was considering a call to another charge, the congregation 
 held a meeting, and showed their desire to retain him by voting 
 that it was their "wish and desire" that he should remain with them; 
 when he resigned in 1855, they raised his salary to $900, and re- 
 quested that his resignation should be withdrawn. He remained ten 
 years longer as pastor of the church. 
 
 During his first twenty-five years in the ministry. Dr. Lambert 
 was absent but once from his pulpit on account of sickness. He had 
 preached to his own congregation one thousand nine hundred and 
 eighteen times, besides two or three times as many sermons and serv- 
 ices conducted elsewhere. 
 
 Dr. Lambert was a warm friend of the youth of the community, 
 and was ready with a word in season, either of warning or friendly 
 counsel. He loved to speak of his former instructors, such as Dr. 
 Charles Hodge, of Princeton, and Prof. Prentiss, of Union Seminary. 
 
I02 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 This latter institution was just beginning its useful career when Dr. 
 Lambert was a student, and he was the only living member of the 
 first class that graduated there, at the time of his death. 
 
 In 1887 the Presbytery of Troy, of which Dr. Lambert was a 
 prominent member, passed resolutions of affection and esteem for 
 this servant of God, who had been fifty years in the ministry. The 
 second resolution is especially touching, in view of the affliction 
 which had come to Dr. Lambert in the loss of his eyesight. It reads 
 as follows: " Resolved, 2. That we ofifer him our warmest congratu- 
 lations on his long and useful life, his general good health, and his 
 intellectual activity; and our congratulations that, while his earthly 
 vision be obscured, his eyes do see the King in His beauty, and be- 
 hold the land that is very far ofT." 
 
 Dr. Lambert gave the best part of his days to Salem, and his re- 
 turn to this quiet valley, after ministering in other places, to pass the 
 evening of his life was pleasant for himself and his former friends. 
 The beautiful home-life which he enjoyed was not the least of the 
 rewards which his Master bestowed upon him. Surrounded by the 
 loved ones who had ministered to him during these waning years, he 
 fell asleep, November 29th, 1893. 
 
 From December, 1865, to November, 1867, Rev. John Henry 
 Brodt served in this church as a stated supply, at the salary of $1200. 
 Mr. Brodt was born in Troy, N. Y., June 2d, 1827. He was a some- 
 time member of the class of 1852 in Williams College, and a graduate 
 of Union Seminary in New York. He went to California in 1854, 
 and labored twelve years as "preacher, teacher, editor and active cit- 
 izen". In 1867 he accepted a call to the Park Presbyterian Church, 
 New York, and afterwards became pastor of the New England Con- 
 gregational Church, Brooklyn. He removed to Dansville, N. Y., 
 in 1872, on account of failing health, and there his decease took 
 place September 8th, 1875. 
 
 When Mr. Brodt came to Salem, a debt of $2,000 rested upon the 
 congregation, but this was soon paid, and the church prospered in 
 many ways under the energetic leadership of this gifted man. Res- 
 olutions of respect to his memory were adopted by the session of 
 this church, which testify to his power as a preacher, to the earnest- 
 ness and efiliciency of his work in every good cause, and to his worth 
 as a man. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Brodt was succeeded by Rev. Edward P. Sprague, D . D., 
 
THE BRICK CHURCH 103 
 
 who was installed April 29th, 1868. Rev. A. D. Eddy, D. D., of Lan- 
 singburgh, preached. The charge to the pastor was delivered by his 
 father, Rev. Daniel G. Sprague, of South Orange, N. J., and the 
 charge to the people by Rev. John Henry Brodt. 
 
 Dr. Sprague is a descendant in the sixth generation of Ralph 
 Sprague, who landed at Salem, Mass., 1628, and who, before coming 
 to America, resided in Upway, Dorset county, England. The family 
 have lived in New England ever since. 
 
 Edward Payson Sprague entered the University of New York in 
 i860, and graduated in 1864 at the head of his class, taking also the 
 first Greek prize. He was ready to join the army, and would have 
 done so, had not the quota from his state already been filled. He 
 graduated from Andover Seminary in 1867. 
 
 On June loth, 1868, Dr. Sprague was married to Sarah Frances 
 Dering, of Setauket, L. I. Her ancestry has been traced back to the 
 days of the Norman conquest. The head of the family was killed in 
 the battle of Hastings, fighting in the defense of Harold. 
 
 After thirteen years of faithful and successful work in Salem, Dr. 
 Sprague was called to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church, 
 Meadville, Pa. His labors in Salem were brought to a close Octo- 
 ber 23d, 1 88 1, and he was installed over his new charge in November 
 of the same year. Six years later he was installed pastor of the 
 Second Presbyterian Church, Auburn, N. Y. He obtained the de- 
 gree of Ph. D., by passing the required examinations at Allegheny 
 College, in Meadville, and the honorary degree of D . D. was con- 
 ferred upon him by his Alma Mater in 1884. A further word re- 
 mains to be spoken concerning Dr. Sprague, since he is again pastor 
 of this church by his acceptance of a call extended to him in March, 
 1895, t>ut before this can be done a brief record must be made of the 
 three intervening pastorates. 
 
 In January, 1882, Rev. David M. Hunter took up the work where 
 Dr. Sprague laid it down, and carried it on faithfully for six years, 
 when, owing to Mrs. Hunter's delicate health, he was obliged to give 
 up his work in Salem, and go to Colorado. The beautiful new chapel 
 that stands beside the church edifice was built during this pastorate, 
 with money left by a citizen of Salem for that purpose. Mr. Hun- 
 ter was a Scriptural preacher, quiet in his delivery, and always care- 
 ful to urge home the claims of the Master upon each individual in 
 the audience. During these years he sowed good seed, and the 
 
104 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 healthful influence of his ministr}^ is felt in the community to-day. 
 He left Salem in April, 1888. 
 
 The next pastor was Rev. William Frazer, who, like his predeces- 
 sor, was a young man. He came to Salem in October, 1888, and 
 remained until February, 1893. A season of special interest took 
 place shortly after his coming, and a number of persons united with 
 the church. Extensive repairs were made in the interior of the 
 church building, and the organ was moved from the gallery to the 
 left of the pulpit as one enters the church. 
 
 During the interim between the departure of Air. Frazer and the 
 coming again of Dr. Sprague, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Daniel 
 I. Morrison. The writer of these memorials regrets that he is not 
 able to give more definite information concerning these more recent 
 pastors. He would be glad, at least, to state in what institutions of 
 learning they were equipped for their life's work, but the data are 
 not at hand. 
 
 A former pastor, as has been said, is now at work in this field, 
 and the church is looking hopefully into the future. Notice was 
 given in the " Review-Press," of November ist, 1895, that Rev. Dr. 
 Sprague would be installed as pastor at Salem on the evening of 
 November 8th, Rev. T. P. Swain to deliver the sermon; the charge 
 to the pastor to be given by Rev. W. M. Johnson, D. D., and the 
 charge to the people by Rev. Hector Hall, D.D. 
 
 The trials and triumphs of this church throughout all its history 
 have been very great. Three times they have suffered loss by fire, 
 and three times the place made desolate has blossomed into order 
 and beauty. The faith thus tried knows how to value the promise: 
 " Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruc- 
 tion within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and 
 thy gates praise." May the faith and courage of the fathers be emu- 
 lated by tlieir children, and may this branch of the great church mili- 
 tant continue the work of winning souls, building them up in the 
 knowledge of Christ, until His kingdom shall come and His will be 
 done on earth, as it is in heaven. 
 
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH T05 
 
 THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
 
 Methodist meetiiif^s were held in Salem as early as 1821, at the 
 residence of Thomas Milliman, in the west part of the town. In 
 1825 an organization was formed, and preaching was maintained in 
 the court house by regular circuit appointment until 1839, when the 
 society, owing to losses by death and removals, became extinct. 
 
 In 1841 three young men, who had lived in Salem, came from Troy 
 to visit their friends in this place, and held some religious meetings 
 in William McCollister's neighborhood with encouraging results. 
 One of the Presbyterian ministers spoke at the last meeting, at the 
 close of which several persons came to Charles Conkey, then an ex- 
 horter in the Methodist church, and urged him to continue the 
 work. In response to this request Mr. Conkey held services during 
 six weeks. There were one hundred conversions in these meetings, 
 and sixty-one persons joined the newly-established Methodist 
 church. Mr. Conkey's home was in East Salem, where he lived to 
 a good old age, and was much respected by those who knew him. 
 
 The church formed during this season of interest became the 
 nucleus of the present organization. In 1844 meetings were held in 
 the white school house, on the road to South Salem, by Rev. John 
 Fassett, the minister appointed to the Salem mission. The school 
 house has since been changed into a dwelling, and is occupied by 
 Mr. Ira Nicholson. 
 
 In 1845, 1-inder the leadership of Rev. Mr. Noble, a meeting was 
 held in the school house referred to, and Thomas Milliman, Sylvanus 
 Dickinson, Warren Martin, Hugh Moncrief and Timothy B. Wilds 
 were elected trustees of the Methodist church. A lot was then pur- 
 chased, and their first house of worship was built. This was taken 
 down in 1876, and replaced by the commodious structure that was 
 burned only a few years since, but which was sufficiently insured to 
 provide for the erection of the attractive building that now adorns 
 the site of the first church. 
 
 Through the kindness of Rev. Mr. Rulison, the present pastor, we 
 
io6 
 
 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 are able to give the names of all the ministers who have served in 
 this church, and the length of their several pastorates. 
 
 1844 
 
 1845 
 1847 
 1849 
 1850 
 1852 
 1853 
 1855 
 1857 
 1859 
 i860 
 1862 
 1863 
 1866 
 1869 
 1872 
 1875 
 1877 
 1880, 
 1881 
 1884 
 1887 
 1889 
 
 1890. 
 1892. 
 
 Rev. 
 
 John Fassett one year. 
 
 Edward Noble two years. 
 
 Joseph Harris two years. 
 
 P. M. Hitchcock one year. 
 
 A. Campbell two years. 
 
 J. Phillips one year. 
 
 G. Saxe two years. 
 
 J. L. Cook two years. 
 
 T. W. Harwood two years. 
 
 C. Edgerton one year. 
 
 S. Stillman two years. 
 
 C. Bedell one year. 
 
 T. W. Harwood three years. 
 
 J. J. Noe three years. 
 
 C. R. Hawley three years. 
 
 J. P. Phillips three years. 
 
 J. W. Thompson two years. 
 
 T .W. Harwood three years. 
 
 W. D. Hitchcock one year. 
 
 Harry Van De Car three years. 
 
 Geo. E. Stockwell three years. 
 
 Junius G. Fallon two years. 
 
 H. L. Grant (appointed chaplain at 
 Dannemora State Prison during 
 the year; vacancy filled by Rev. 
 Lorenzo Marshall). 
 
 Walter S. Eaton two years. 
 
 William P. Rulison 
 
 This completes the record up to November, 1895. Mr. Rulison 
 is now serving in his fourth year, in accordance with the recent 
 enactment by the conference, extending the possible limit of the 
 pastorate from three to five years; and in accordance, we may add, 
 with the good pleasure of his people to keep him here. 
 
 This church has proved a w^orthy fellow-laborer with her sisters, 
 in the proclamation of the glorious gospel of Christ. 
 
A PANORAMA OF ST. PAUL'S 107 
 
 A PANORAMA OF ST. PAUL'S 
 
 Slowly moving across the memoi"}'', there is seen by the mind's eye 
 a series of pictures which we will try to reproduce. 
 
 The first, is that of a couple in a sleigh, shivering, benumbed with 
 cold, well mufiled though they are. They press on, while the mer- 
 cury sinks deeper and deeper below zero; with Scotch insistence 
 they carry out their plan, and amve, well-nigh frozen, at their desti- 
 nation, a small stone church in Arlington, Vt. The service over — 
 that of the Episcopal ritual — they start homeward, traverse the four- 
 teen miles, reaching Salem almost perished. 
 
 The next picture shows the same couple, one a native of Edinboro', 
 the other the son of a Scotch Presbyterian minister, kneeling de- 
 voutly in a court room, borrowed for the occasion, and following in 
 their prayer books the service as read by a black-robed clergyman. 
 There is a baptism that day; when the words are spoken, "Name 
 this infant,'' the sponsor replies, "Henry C. Potter"; he, the first child 
 christened in what is to be the Episcopal congregation, so becomes 
 the namesake of the one who has traveled from a distance to ofB- 
 ciate; the Salemites playfully called that one, "the bishop of St. 
 Paul's; " he now owns in reality the title of "bishop of New York." 
 
 The third picture is that of the Scotch lady plying sewing and 
 knitting needles, "her candle going not out by night" ; giving music 
 lessons by day, and all to earn money for the church, the darling 
 object of her heart. Not in vain; for, when we look once more, we 
 perceive a dark-browed gentleman, and listen to an odd sermon 
 from Rev. Mr. Pur\aance, in which the natural disorders of the 
 earth, its tempests, earthquakes, whirlwinds, are ascribed to demons, 
 allowed to use their disastrous power. 
 
 He moves, another takes his place; a young man of fine though 
 heavy build; the Rev. Francis IMansfield looks every inch a priest, 
 though the surroundings are still the rude and dingy furnishings 
 of the old court house. 
 
io8 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 One short year, and a plain brick building has been erected. Be- 
 hind the reading desk is standing a tall, fair-haired clergyman with 
 face like a seraph, as he joins with youthful energy in the chorus: 
 
 " Shout the glad tidings, 
 Exultingly sing ! " 
 
 Only a few months did Rev. F. C. Wainwright occupy the posi- 
 tion; the panorama has moved; and we gaze on a gray-haired rec- 
 tor, with broad, noble brow, and strong cast of features — Rev. 
 Henry M. Davis. He has gone — gone swiftly from earth, leaving 
 behind him the results of twelve years' earnest, patient toil. 
 
 Another picture is before us. Is this the same building? Yes, 
 there are the narrow, Gothic windows, but now the roof is groined, 
 the walls decorated, candles burn on the altar, brass vases and orna- 
 ments adorn it; flowers perfume the air. Crowds gather to listen 
 to the rapid, impassioned utterances of Rev. J. H. Houghton; chil- 
 dren flock to hear his Christmas tales — till the edifice, even with its 
 added transept, proves too small, and a parish building arises. 
 Epiphany parties and harvest-home festivals glide in gay parade be- 
 fore us; then another scene appears within our range of vision, not 
 "still life" — it is a boys' school, with the rector transformed into the 
 head. 
 
 The school slides out of sight; there comes to view the church 
 again, as it stands in 1895. The light glances through memorial 
 windows, whose flashes of ruby red and emerald green, and amethyst 
 purple suggest the precious stones in the foundation walls of the 
 New Jerusalem; from the pipe-organ issue rich full tones, drawn 
 forth by her who well knows how to "play skillfully with a loud 
 noise ; " there is a band of singers, among them more than one who 
 has praised the Lord, with his voice, morning and evening, for many 
 a day. The rector is present. Rev. H. C. Rush; for nearly six years 
 he has held his post; but someone else is reading the lessons at this 
 service; there is something familiar in the boy's features; we trace 
 a dim resemblance, as he stands clothed in his cotta, to the aged Mr. 
 Davis, before mentioned, by good rights, for this is his grandson, 
 and he is preparing to take holy orders. 
 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 109 
 
 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 
 
 The Catholic church in Salem is located on North Main street. 
 Both the church and the parsonage, which adjoins, are plain brick 
 structures, devoid of ornament, or pretence to architectural style; 
 yet, standing as they do on a small, but well-kept lawn, their severe 
 simplicity rather adds to their general attractiveness. The present 
 church was completed in 1889, and takes the place of a simple frame 
 building which had served the congregation for nearly thirty years. 
 
 The old church was in itself a bit of history. Its plain design, and 
 rough materials, its coarse but substantial workmanship, all told, 
 as in so many words, of the struggles and privations of the early 
 Catholics in Salem. It was taken down in 1889 to make room for 
 the new parsonage, which stands exactly on the site of the old 
 church. 
 
 The first Catholic church in Salem was erected in the summer of 
 1859, under the supervision of Rev. John McDermott, who then re- 
 sided in Cambridge. For some years previous to that time, services 
 were held at regular intervals, monthly or semi-monthly, in the old 
 court house. Between the years 1842 and 1854, services were held 
 here and there, in private houses and at very irregular intervals, de- 
 pending almost entirely on the chance or accident that might send 
 some Catholic priest into the vicinity. These "stations'', as they 
 were called, were attended by Catholics within a radius of twenty- 
 live miles, there being no resident priest nearer than Troy or Rut- 
 land. Now, it often amuses and even taxes the credulity of some of 
 the younger members, to hear some old Catholic pioneer tell of the 
 long journeys and privations undergone in order to assist at divine 
 service in some humble dwelling. 
 
 After the erection of the church in 1859, it was attended by Rev. 
 Father McDermott till 1863, when he relinquished his pastoral 
 charge, and the care of the congregation at Salem passed to the 
 priests of the Order of St. Augustine, and remained with them about 
 ten years. In November, 1861, the church was dedicated by the 
 
no THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 late Cardinal McClosky, then bishop of Albany, and in September, 
 1869, the cemetery belonging to the church was consecrated by the 
 Rt. Rev. Dr. Lynch, then bishop of Charleston. On both these oc- 
 casions a large number were confirmed. 
 
 During the ten years that the congregation was in charge of the 
 Augustinian fathers, it was an "out-mission" attended by the priests 
 who lived in Cambridge, in the following order: From April, 1863, 
 till April, 1865, Rev. James A. Darrah had charge. He was sue 
 ceeded by the Rev. Edward A. Daly, who had charge till September, 
 1866. Then came the Rev. Edward C. Donnelly, ^vho ministered 
 to the wants of the congregation till November, 1869. From No- 
 vember, 1869, till 1873, the Rev. J. J. Fedigan had charge, when the 
 care of the congregation at Salem was transferred by the Augustinian 
 fathers to the Catholic bishop of Albany, who appointed the late 
 Rev. James S. O'Sullivan as the first resident pastor at Salem. 
 Father O'Sullivan remained in charge about fourteen years, or until 
 his death, which occurred July 3d, 1887. He was succeeded by the 
 Rev. David Sheehan, who was assistant to Rev. Father O'Sullivan 
 for some months, and he remained in charge till the following Sep- 
 tember, when the Rev. P. H. Delehanty was appointed regular pas- 
 tor. The pastorate of this brilliant priest was short, and hampered 
 by continual ill-health. He died in Salem, May 6th, 1888. Then 
 followed the appointment of Rev. John F. Donahoe, the present pas- 
 tor, who assumed charge May 23d, 1888. 
 
 The congregation is in a very prosperous condition. It is com- 
 posed mostly of working people and farmers. There is no wealth or 
 social prominence among them. All are plain, simple, honest peo- 
 ple, whose chief aim is to be good Christians and good citizens — to 
 serve God and their fellow-man. In all things pertaining to the wel- 
 fare of the congregation, its members are a unit, and it is this unity 
 that has been the chief element of success in the great work accom- 
 plished during the past few years. Not only has the material edifice 
 been built up, but the spiritual edifice as well, for the actual attend- 
 ance has increased more than one-third. The congregation now 
 numbers about 600 souls. 
 
THE SCHOOLS 
 
 THE SCHOOLS 
 
 " 'Tis education forms the common mind ; 
 
 Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined." — Alex. Pope. 
 
 Truer words than these, the poet could not have uttered. We 
 stand before the rude block of marble and, under the skillful hand of 
 the artisan, see the chisel clear the form designed. The trunk, the 
 limbs, the speaking face develop, till the statue, before hidden and 
 wrapped in the stone's embrace, lies defined. 
 
 So education, e duco, as its etymology signifies, draws out the 
 intellectual form, in which it lies inshrined " 'Mid nature's rude mate- 
 rials", to form the future man. How much depends on the words, 
 "to form the future man"! How great the responsibility of those 
 to whom the human blocks of marble have been intrusted to unfail- 
 ingly carry out the idea expressed in these few lines: 
 
 ' ' the care be theirs 
 No shape unworthy from the marble start, 
 Reptile or monster, but with just design 
 Copy the heavenly model, and impart, 
 As best they can, similitude divine." 
 
 Salem's sons and daughters have God and their fathers to thank 
 that a high standard of education has ever been set in this "town of 
 peace". That these advantages have been well made use of, the 
 past and present history of our town well proves. Many sons and 
 daughters, invested with strength of mind and purpose while under 
 the shadow of our venerable academy, have left its doors to make 
 their marks on our state's and country's history. It is not to be 
 wondered at, if we give it careful thought. Very few towns have 
 had greater advantages in the pursuit of education. The first church 
 was no sooner built by the early settler here than, a short distance 
 from its site, arose the first log school house, and the two have ever 
 been the living factors in our town. With church and school side by 
 side, no wonder success has been ours. Then, too, men of the first 
 
112 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 character have been the principals of our schools — men who have 
 thoroughly realized the importance of their vocation to the commu- 
 nity at large. 
 
 Our schools were early established. In 1766, we read of the pio- 
 neer log building, standing near Dr. Clark's meeting house, Salem's 
 first school house. Ten years later, in the midst of the turmoil of 
 war, a school was established in the south part of the town, in the John 
 T. Law neighborhood, and there a large number of the children 
 of the first settlers were taught. The town seems to have been in 
 no hurry to accept the offers of the state under the laws of 1812 and 
 181 3; for, at the annual town meeting, April 6th, 181 3, a resolution 
 was passed rejecting the raising of money for the school fund; and 
 again, April 5th, 1814, a similar one. Under the amended act of 
 April 15th, 1814, a special town meeting was held December 3d, 
 1814, and there were then chosen three school commissioners, Isaac 
 Getty, John Law and Thomas Baker; and three inspectors, Alex. 
 Proudfit, Samuel Tomb and David Woods. This system, with 
 inspectors and commissioners, chosen for one or more years, was 
 followed till 1843. Supervision by town superintendents succeeded, 
 and that, in turn, was abolished in 1856, and, in June of that year, 
 the schoc^ls passed from the control and supervision of the town, 
 after an honorable record of ninety years of town supervision. 
 
 Elsewhere, we read as follows: "The first annual report of Dr. 
 Asa Fitch, town superintendent, is a finely-engrossed document, giv- 
 ing a clear view of the condition of the schools for the school years 
 1843 ^"d 1844. From that it appears that there were then in town 
 618 children between the ages of five and sixteen; that the districts 
 received public money for teachers' wages to the amount of $536.60, 
 and there were raised by the districts the sum of $680. 1 1 . 
 
 There were 1714 volumes in the district hbraries. Dr. Fitch, as 
 superintendent, carefully defined the boundaries of the districts, re- 
 numbered them, and, in addition, ofificially recognized the special 
 names, by which they are no doubt better know4i than by their num- 
 bers. This feature is seldom found in any town so complete." 
 
 " Under the wise management of the noble men of old, followed by 
 the vigorous work of their children, the schools of Salem have made 
 a long and honorable record. From these hills and valleys have 
 gone forth men of education and culture, to wield a powerful in- 
 fluence in every sphere of human activity." 
 
THE SCHOOLS 113 
 
 Let us turn now to the schools themselves, and, especially to that 
 one within whose walls the common schools of our town were con- 
 solidated and sheltered. That venerable institution was com- 
 menced as a classical school in the year 1780. Its work bore fruit 
 at once, for, as early as 1780, we read of four young men, James 
 Proudfit, James Stevenson, John Law and George Webster, leaving 
 her doors, prepared to enter college; and, when cast into the strug- 
 gles and trials of active life, each became distinguished in a public 
 career. 
 
 Through the influence and energy of General John Williams, then 
 a senator from the east district, a charter was obtained from the re- 
 gents of the university of the state; and, on the i8th day of Febru- 
 ary, 1 791, the school was incorporated under the name of the "Sa- 
 lem Washington Academy", the fourth incoi"porated academy in the 
 state. Among the board of its trustees were some of the most em- 
 inent men in this country at that time, such men as the Rev. James 
 Proudfit, General John Williams, Rev. Cornelius Jones, Rev. John 
 Warford, Colonel George Wray, of Fort Ann; Colonel John Thur- 
 man, of the town of Queensbury (afterwards the town of Thurman) ; 
 Peter B. Schuyler, of Saratoga; Hon. Zina Hitchcock, of Sandy Hill; 
 Peter B. Tearse, the sheriff of the county. The academy was organ- 
 ized and taught a number of years by the Rev. Thomas Watson, and, 
 when incorporated as an academy, was under the charge of St. John 
 Honeywood. The first principal of the institution after its incorpo- 
 ration was Charles Ingalls, a graduate of Dartmouth College, and he 
 remained its principal for ten years. Among the distinguished prin- 
 cipals of the academy may be noticed, James Stevenson, who took 
 charge in 181 1, Rev. Sydney Weller, William WilHams, Esq., Rev. 
 James W. Stew^art and Henry Boras. In 1852, Hon. James Gibson 
 drew the agreement between the board of trustees of the academy 
 and the board of education of the village, whereby the common 
 schools were consolidated and sheltered within the walls of the acad- 
 emy. This led to the adoption of the union or graded system of edu- 
 cation, which has proved so beneficial to the youth of Salem. 
 
 At this time the academy was made a free academy to the children 
 of all residents of the village of Salem, the first free academy in the 
 state, outside of the city of New York, and has remained such ever 
 since; of this fact, Salem is justly proud. 
 
 In 1859, John A. McFarland was appointed principal. Professor 
 
114 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 McFarland was a good example of a self-made man. By the "sweat 
 of his brow"' he secured a sufiicient competence to prepare himself 
 for Union College, where he graduated in 1848. He entered life as 
 an instructor, and by his natural abilit}' gained rank among the most 
 successful teachers of the state, and gained for himself a reputation 
 which, emulated by the youth under his charge, enabled him to see 
 them after graduation, ranking among the first as attorneys, physi- 
 cians, clergymen and business men. Professor AIcFarland remained 
 faithful to his charge as principal, until compelled by infirmity of 
 health to retire about two years before his death, which occurred 
 IMarch 8th, 1888. 
 
 For a large number of years, this institution of learning was one of 
 the most noted in the state, and many are the distinguished persons 
 who have attended and graduated therefrom who, though dead them- 
 selves, have left honored names in the annals of the state and nation, 
 for political sagacit\' and scholastic attainments, that will redound 
 to their honor for generations yet to come. Some names to be re- 
 membered are Hon. John Savage, St. John Honeywood, Hon. James 
 Gibson, Colonel John Williams, Jr., Hon. Samuel Nelson, Hon. Hi- 
 ram Grey, Professor Tayler Lewis, L. G. Harkness, ^1. D., Rev. Dr. 
 Bethune, Hon. John AIcLean, Rev. Dr. W. R. DeWitt, and many 
 others. Well may we say of it: 
 
 " O noble edifice to truth and thought 
 
 A mighty monument thou hast been reared ! 
 
 Commemorating by thy walls revered 
 
 That triune harmony which in thee, sought 
 
 Shall in thy sons find fulfillment wrought ; 
 
 Those three-fold powers, the body, mind and soul 
 
 Perfected, shall by lofty deeds extol 
 
 Thy name which is with greatness richly fraught." 
 
 Washington Academy has not stood alone in the care of our Sa- 
 lem youth during the last years of our history. In September, 1882, 
 a band of pilgrims went forth from her halls and became the nucleus 
 of St. Paul's Parish School, which was opened under the charge 
 of the rector. Rev. J. H. Houghton. Thirty-two students were class- 
 ified and began their work. ]\Ir. C. E. Ball, of Trinity College, was 
 made head master, and remained in charge until Mr. J. A. Hager re- 
 lieved him, with Mr. Eugene P. King as assistant. The first year of 
 the school was a very successful one, and urged the rector on to re- 
 
THE SCHOOLS 115 
 
 newed and greater efforts for the following year. Success was mani- 
 fest in the fact that for the school year, 1883-84, about eighty students 
 were in attendance. When the school started, the idea of a board- 
 ing school was not thought of by its founder, but, in the fall of 1883, 
 three boys were taken into the rectory, at the request of a friend, 
 and thus St. Paul's Hall came into existence. Other friends of the 
 rector asked the same privilege, and, in the summer of 1884, the 
 rectory was enlarged to accommodate tAvelve boys in the fall; and. 
 again in 1885, for the accommodation of t^venty-one. 
 
 Mr. Hager remained in charge till Easter, 1885, 'Sir. G. 
 B. Towle taking his place, and Mr. F. C. Hardon, of 
 Amherst College, ]\lr. King's, as assistant. In the fall of 
 1 866, the parish school was discontinued, and St. Paul's 
 Hall began its career. No doubt the rector realized the 
 need of such a school here in Northern New York. The parish 
 school had had but a short existence, still it had done its work, and 
 when the Hall was established it gave the school many friends in 
 town and countr}' around tlie village. The four years of its life were 
 indeed happy ones, and few or none of its students ^^^ill forget the 
 pleasant hours there. "Aunt Jemima Grinder's Select School'' of 
 1S84, "The Heroes of '76'', and the "Woody Hill Toboggan Club'' 
 will always be sunny spots in their memories. But to return to 
 the Hall. The rector}-, during the summer of 1886, had been con- 
 verted into the Hall, and. in November, work began with thirty-three 
 students. In 18S7. Rev. L. AI. Hardy took temporar}^ charge as 
 head master, \\-ith five gentlemen as assistants. The school year 
 1887-88 was a very prosperous one, and the attendance larger than 
 any of the Hall's existence. In 1888, Rev. C. W. Boyd, of Wesleyan 
 University, relieved 'Sir. Hardy. In 1889, it became evident that 
 larger quarters must be sought for the school if it kept on increasing 
 as before. In 1890. a property- of three hundred acres, about three 
 miles south of Salem, was purchased, and named Rexleigh. The 
 hope was that this splendid site might soon be crowned with a school 
 worthy of the "King's ]\Ieadow". With this in view, St. Paul's Hall 
 still continued in Salem. Rev. Air. Parsons ^^^s called to tal<e Rev. 
 Mr. Bovd's place for 1891-2. It was now clear that the school could 
 not continue in Salem with success, so, after the school year 1892-3, 
 under the charge of Mr. A. C. Arnold, the school ^vas closed until the 
 monev should be forthcoming to build at Rexleigh, on a more ex- 
 
ii6 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 tensive and more lasting plan. May that day be near at hand! 
 "Beside the still waters of the Battenkill, upon the bluff that rises from 
 the stream, is one of the noblest sites for a school imaginable.'' Some 
 day may yet see Rexleigh crowned with buildings, and there "another 
 spring of learning" from which our land may draw her increase. 
 
 So much for our schools. 
 
 The well-educated man is greatly needed in every department of 
 life. If the politics of to-day and other branches of public trust are, 
 in a great measure, corrupt, it is due to the fact that well-educated 
 men are too few to perform these offices. Then, too, in business — 
 "The man of business, well educated, is justly valuable in every rela- 
 tive situation of life, and so eminently contributes to the strength 
 and well-being of society, that it is impossible not to contemplate 
 his character with an enthusiastic veneration. The man of business, 
 well educated, is not only the ornament, but the firm support of so- 
 ciety, and by preserving order, regularity and consistency, as far 
 as the sphere of his action can be enlarged, becomes one of the most 
 useful benefactors to his fellow-creatures." 
 
 Salem sons, let us strive to be worthy of the high privileges af- 
 forded us, and as those to whom we owe so much see our struggle 
 up the way of learning to become this useful and well-educated man, 
 let us give them the satisfaction of thinking: 
 
 "How sweet it is, the growth to trace, 
 
 Of worth, of intellect, of grace, 
 
 In bosoms where our labors first 
 
 Bid the young seed of springtime burst, 
 
 And lead it on from hour to hour. 
 
 To ripen into perfect flower." 
 
THE PRESS 117 
 
 THE PRESS 
 
 The first newspaper published hi Salem was issued to the public 
 on June i8th, 1794. It was a three-column folio, sixteen inches in 
 length. The title, heading and editorial salutatory are here repro- 
 duced from a copy of the first issue : 
 
 Vol I. No. I. 
 
 THE TIMES; OR NATIONAL COURIER. 
 
 SALEM (State of New York). 
 
 Printed by George Gerrish — three doors south of Court House. 
 
 Wednesday, i8th June, 1794. 
 
 "May we never seek applause from party principles, but always de- 
 serve it from public spirit." 
 
 TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 The first number of the Courier is now submitted to the perusal 
 of its generous Patrons, with the pleasing hope that it will merit 
 their approbation and support. 
 
 Comment would be presumption in the Editor, as to the Utility 
 of a Newspaper in this infant part of the Countr}^; the peculiar ad- 
 vantages arising therefrom, must be strikingly evident, especially to 
 those who feel themselves the least concerned in the present political 
 affairs of this country, and have a wish to maintain the "Rights of 
 Man," and espouse a cause so truly Patriotic, and spurn at every 
 idea that tends to deviate from those Republican principles, which 
 every freeman of America ever wish to attain. 
 
 The extraordinary marks of applause with which the inhabitants 
 of this, and the adjacent towns received the proposals for this pub- 
 lication claims my warmest acknowledgments; but the best return 
 
ii8 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 that can at present be made, is, I presume, to render the Courier suffi- 
 ciently entertaining and instructive, of presenting- the Public with the 
 latest and most important Foreign and Domestic Occurrences. 
 
 This paper is intended to be comprised of original and extracted 
 Essays, moral, political, historical, commercial and agricultural — 
 Poetry, Anecdotes and abstracts of the most interesting Intelligence, 
 which may serve to give the public a just idea of the prosperity and 
 political situation of our own, and other countries. To this end the 
 Editor solicits the assistance of the learned, who wish the prosperity 
 of a fellow citizen. 
 
 He therefore returns his sincere thanks for past favors, and hopes 
 from his experience in, and utiremitting attention to business, to 
 merit their future patronage. And with esteem, remain the pub- 
 lic's humble sei'vant, GEO. GERRISH. _ 
 
 "The Times; or National Courier"' was the first newspaper pub- 
 lished in Washington county; its existence terminated in January, 
 1795. A second effort was made to establish a newspaper in Salem 
 by St. John Honey wood, as editor, and William W. Wands, as pvib- 
 lisher. They commenced the publication of "The Washington Pa- 
 trol" on May 27th, 1796; after a few weeks, however, "The Patrol" 
 was discontinued. 
 
 A third effort to establish a newspaper was made by Henry Dodd. 
 Its title was the "Northern Sentinel", first published on January ist, 
 1798. Since that time, Salem has not been without a weekly news- 
 paper published within its limits, except a few weeks in 1848. 
 The "Northern Sentinel" was continued by Mr. Dodd until May, 
 1803, when its publication ceased, but it was immediately succeeded 
 by the "Northern Post", published under the firm name of Dodd & 
 Rumsey, composed of Henry Dodd and David Rumsey. They con- 
 tinued its publication until June 6th, 1814, when James Stevenson 
 joined the firm, and the firm name became Dodd, Rumsey & Steven- 
 son. On December 21st of the same year, the new firm was dissolved, 
 Mr. Rumsey retiring, and Messrs. Dodd & Stevenson continued the 
 publication. At this time the name of the paper was changed to 
 the "Washington County Post". In March, 1831, Edward and 
 Henry W. Dodd, sons of Henry Dodd, purchased the printing mate- 
 rial of the "Post" and continued its issue until the death of Henry 
 W. Dodd, which occurred on November 6th, 1834, after which the 
 
THE PRESS 119 
 
 "Post" was published by Edward Dodd until the close of the year. 
 At that time, Edward Dodd was elected county clerk, and sold the 
 printing office to William A. Welles, publisher of the "Northern 
 Star", of Whitehall. He consolidated the two offices in January, 
 1835, and issued the paper from Salem as the "County Post and 
 Northern Star'. Mr. Welles continued its publication until May, 
 1837, when it was purchased by Thomas G. Wait, who returned to 
 the old name, " Washington County Post," and published his first 
 issue on May 17th, 1837. He continued the publication until No- 
 vember, 1838, when he sold the paper to James Gibson, who pub- 
 lished it through the presidential canvass of 1840. Mr. Gibson 
 edited and published the paper over two years, then selling it to 
 William B. Harkness, who issued his first paper the first week in 
 January, 1841, and continued the publication until the last week in 
 December, 1845, when he sold the office to F. B. Graham, who as- 
 sumed editorial control with the first issue of January, 1846. Clark 
 V. B. Martin soon joined him in his venture, and together they pub- 
 lished the "Washington County Post" until 1848, when the firm be- 
 came embarrassed and the paper was discontinued. The press and 
 type were afterwards sold to Robert G. Young, who moved them to 
 the village of Cambridge and commenced there the publication of 
 the paper, under the old name of the "Washington County Post". 
 For a short time Salem was without a paper. 
 
 Returning to May, 1803, when the "Northern Post" was published 
 by the firm of Dodd & Rumsey, we find that the journal was strongly 
 federal in its politics. The leading democrats of the county took 
 action towards the establishing in the village of Salem a journal to 
 advocate the principles of their party. A publication in this in- 
 terest, named the "Washington Register", was first issued in October, 
 1803, by John M. Looker, as editor and publisher. This journal 
 was regularly issued, and supported the principles of the democratic 
 party for over twenty-five years. The "Register" continued under 
 the control of Mr. Looker for two years, afteV which time it was pur- 
 chased by John P. Reynolds, who transferred it to Timothy Hoskin 
 in December, 181 5. He was its editor and publisher until December 
 24th, 1818, when it was sold to James B. Gibson. Mr. Gibson be- 
 came the editor and proprietor the first week in Januar}% 1819. He 
 was succeeded by Beriah Stiles, as editor and publisher, in 1822. The 
 paper continued in his charge until it was purchased by the firm of 
 
I20 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Reynolds & Warren, consisting of Linus J. Reynolds and Ansel 
 Warren, in July, 1825. Mr. Warren's interest was purchased by Mr. 
 Reynolds on March 27th, 1826, Mr. Reynolds assuming the. sole 
 charge. In the spring of 1827 Mr. Reynolds left Salem, and the 
 pubhcation was continued with Alex. Robinson as editor, until 1830, 
 when the paper ceased to be published. The type and press were 
 removed to Greenwich and were used by L. Dewey, in the publication 
 of the "Anti-Mason Champion." 
 
 June, 1842, a new publication was established in Salem, under the 
 title of the "Wasliingtonian"; issued semi-monthly by William B. 
 Harkness and John W. Curtis. It was devoted to the support of the 
 Washingtonian movement in the interest of temperance. This paper 
 lived only a few months. Mr. Harkness made another effort to es- 
 tablish a newspaper in Salem; in this he was more successful, 
 and on the 21st of May, 1850, issued a weekly newspaper, which he 
 styled the "Salem Press''. Mr. Harkness continued the "Press" until 
 October 30th, 1855, when he sold it to Daniel B. and B. F. Cole. 
 The Messrs. Cole were in partnership until the 25th of October, 1859, 
 when B. F. Cole retired from the firm. Upon the loth of March, 
 1869, Mr. Cole transferred the establishment to Colonel Solomon 
 W. Russell, who, in turn, sold the " Press " upon the 25th of Decem- 
 ber, 1871, to James Gibson, Jr., and Abner Robertson. Messrs. Gib- 
 son & Robertson conducted the ofifiice until the following year, when 
 Mr. Robertson retired. 
 
 During the editorship of the Messrs. Cole, and Colonel Russell, 
 the "Press" had been devoted to democratic principles, but when 
 Messrs. Gibson and Robertson assumed control, the first week in 
 January, 1872, the "Press" announced republican principles. At the 
 time of Mr. Robertson's retirement, Mr. Gibson had recently united 
 with the democratic party, and therefore conducted the " Press " as 
 a democratic newspaper until July i6th, 1875, when it was purchased 
 by Henry D. Morris, who issued it as a republican organ. Mr. Mor- 
 ris was editor and proprietor for six years, when it was purchased by 
 Elisha D. Thurston. Mr. Thurston took charge April ist, 1881, 
 and continued the publication until the establishment was purchased 
 by the Messrs. Cole, July, ist, 1885. 
 
 During Mr. Thurston's editorial control, the paper remained re- 
 publican. On December 8th, 1877, Daniel B. Cole, a former editor 
 of the "Salem Press", began the publication of the "Salem Weekly 
 
THE PRESS 121 
 
 Review", advocating the principles of the democratic party. Subse- 
 quently Mr. Cole took his son, Beverly F. Cole, into the business 
 with him, the publishers thereafter being Daniel B. Cole & Son, until 
 the death of Daniel B. Cole, which occurred on November 8th, 1884. 
 After the death of Mr. Cole, Harry E. Cole entered into partnership 
 with his brother, Beverly F. Cole, and the " Review " was published 
 by Daniel B. Cole's Sons. Upon July ist, 1885, the " Press " and the 
 "Review" were consolidated, under their management, retaining the 
 names of both papers, the title being the " Salem Review-Press." 
 The Messrs. Cole pubhshed the " Review- Press " fifteen months, to 
 December 6th, 1886, when they transferred their interests to the 
 Senior James Gibson, who became the editor and proprietor, and 
 is its pubHsher at this date — November, 1895. Mr. Gibson is 
 assisted by his grandson, James Gibson, the fourth of his name 
 engaged in newspaper work in Salem. 
 
 With the consolidation of the "Review-Press," the repubhcan party 
 was left without an exponent of their principles. Accordingly, the 
 I St of December, 1885, Robert Cruikshank established a printing 
 office and, on December nth, 1885, issued the initial number of the 
 " Salem Axiom," a weekly republican journal, an eight-column folio 
 26x40 inches in size. Mr. Cruikshank was successful in his enter- 
 prise. On January ist, 1895, he retired, his son, Robert A. Cruik- 
 shank, taking his place as editor and publisher. 
 
 The newspapers of Salem have always aimed at a high type of 
 journalism, and have never stooped to the discreditable methods 
 which so often sully its fame. 
 
THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 LITERATURE 
 
 " For out of the fieldes as men saithe, 
 Cometh al this new corne fro yere to yere, 
 And out of old bookes in good faithe, 
 Cometh al this new science that men lere." — Cha^icer. 
 
 Expectation of the existence of a library or books during the first 
 epoch in Salem's history is hardly reasonable. It was the first set- 
 tlement between Canada and Albany, in an almost untrodden wil- 
 derness. The ordinary pioneers in a country inhabited only by sav- 
 ages, do not encumber themselves with books, but the settlers of 
 Salem were not ordinary pioneers. The two colonies that located 
 here, the one from Massachusetts, the other from North Ireland, 
 were of that racial and religious stock which regarded the culture of 
 the mind and heart above the culture of the soil. They were Presby- 
 terians, and were sure to have with them the Bible and Shorter Cate- 
 chism, besides, most probably, sermons and tracts of Scotch divines. 
 The arrival of Dr. Thomas Clark with his congregation insured the 
 possession of many books on religious themes and expositions of 
 the Scriptures, some also upon philosophical subjects. Salem's ear- 
 hest history is so interwoven with the career of Dr. Clark that the 
 little volume of his "Works'' now in the Gibson alcove of the public 
 library may well be considered her oldest book. It treats of the life 
 and letters of this remarkable man as early as 1751, even before per- 
 secution had induced him to seek a peaceful home in the wilds of 
 America. While imprisoned for his religious belief in Monaghan 
 jail, near Ballibay, Ireland, this devoted pastor still thought of his 
 flock and endeavored with his pen to hold them true to his former 
 teaching. It is from these letters, which were afterwards published, 
 that we form an idea of the books, libraries and literature of that 
 early period. In one of them he says: "Read the Scriptures and our 
 standards; read ' Bunyan's Conversion,' his 'Pilgrim's Progress,' 
 his 'Come and Welcome to Christ;' read 'Boston's Works,' ' Ers- 
 
LITERATURE 123 
 
 kine's Sermons,' the 'Synod's Catechism;' read 'Alleine's Alarm to 
 the Unconverted/ ' Bishop Usher's Works,' and 'Rutherford's Let- 
 ters.' These have been blest to others, and may be blest to you." 
 In a letter addressed to Rev. Mr. Orr, who seems to have held differ- 
 ent opinions from Dr. Clark, we learn the latter's estimate of the 
 value of books. "Permit me humbly to beg a loan of at least some 
 of thy leisure hours, to retire for improvement of thy mind and con- 
 verse by print, either with the distant living or the speaking dead. 
 Certainly by reading thou mayest acquire a great deal of knowledge 
 anent truth and duty; and, as thou professeth to be a Christian 
 reader, carefully compare what thou readest with the Bible, whether 
 this, or any other writing on either side of these debated points of 
 the Christian religion.'' Dr. Clark, as graduate in medicine and sur- 
 gery of the University of Glasgow, had books on the study of these 
 departments, in addition to those on theology and religion. He was 
 a scholar in general literature besides, and, having been prepared for 
 the ministry by the celebrated Ebenezer Erskine, he doubtless was 
 supplied with volumes on ancient and modern subjects. He was an 
 author himself. In 1751 he published a pamphlet of 100 pages in 
 reply to attacks made upon him, viz. : " A Brief Survey of Some Prin- 
 ciples of the Synod of Ulster". This was followed by a number of 
 others, notably one in 1755, entitled "A Reply to the Survey Exam- 
 ined". 
 
 In searching for the oldest books of this historic town, we find a 
 large number of family Bibles; these shared with their owners the 
 perils of the sea, and with faded dress and wrinkled face are still 
 telling of time and eternity. Psalm books, too, the Bible's close 
 companions — whose quaint lines now bring smiles to the lips of 
 those whose ancestors sang them with the spirit and understanding 
 which needed not the revision to carry their thoughts to heaven — 
 these same Psalm books form one of the distinctive features of Sa- 
 lem's peculiar history. In this age of change and progress it is 
 remarkable that the descendants to the sixth generation are found 
 in the same place singing: 
 
 " From His sanctuary high, 
 God hath looked with pitying eye, 
 Earth He viewed from heaven His throne, 
 Listening to the prisoner's gi'oan. 
 
124 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 From the bonds in which they he. 
 Freeing those condemned to die, 
 This in Zion thej'-'U proclaim, 
 And in Salem^praise His name." 
 
 There is something soul-stirring to those who come back to these 
 scenes of their childhood, after long years of absence, and hear these 
 words of old — 
 
 ' ' Because the Lord our God is good 
 His mercy faileth never. 
 And to all generations 
 His truth endureth ever." 
 
 Since "books are among the most important tools with which men's 
 lives are carved," and many shining characters have here been 
 wrought, it would be interesting to find the companions, teachers, 
 leaders, inspirers and regulators of these by-gone thinkers; but, alas! 
 only a few have escaped the crushing wheels of time; most of them 
 have vanished and can never be found. 
 
 Not time alone has passed over these quiet roads; from the day 
 that those first few books were brought in the saddlebag and chest, 
 to the period when the latest invoice was received at the public li- 
 brary, there has been a constant shifting of books and libraries. 
 Could we recall those which have appeared and disappeared with the 
 clergy, teachers, doctors and lawyers, we would realize why Salem 
 has always stood high on the record. 
 
 Though far from the world of greater advantages, some of Salem's 
 sons have left lines of marked literary merit. After the lapse of 
 more than a hundred years, what have we of the past more telling 
 than the words in which its history is recorded? Our pleasant task 
 is to gather and put in permanent form the precious relics of long 
 ago. Perhaps the largest collection of historical works is found in 
 the "Williams Papers;'' these dry leaves of the past, record events 
 from 1768 to 1824, and are regarded as Salem's original manuscript; 
 they comprise six large quarto volumes, aggi'egating twelve hundred 
 pages, and have furnished many writers with important facts and 
 incidents. The first paper in volume ist refers to some trouble in 
 Pelham, Mass.; and, as the second tells of a conveyance of land in 
 what the New Englanders were pleased to call "White Creek", it 
 would seem that they, too, sought "a better country" in coming 
 here. History unrolls itself rapidly as we turn these pages and the 
 
LITERATURE 125 
 
 names of the first settlers, James Turner, Joshua Conkey and Hamil- 
 ton McCollister soon give way to long lists of those on subscription 
 papers for church and school, county-committee reports and army 
 pay-rolls. These are followed by letters and orders from Generals 
 Schuyler and St. Clair, Gates and Heath, Colonels Seth Warner and 
 Robinson, George Clinton, Aaron Burr and Ethan Allen. 
 
 In a smaller volume are thirty-five letters on education written 
 by General Williams to his son at school and college. The first is 
 dated January 4th, 1796; and, as the boy was then but twelve years 
 old, the style of addressing him seems very remarkable: 
 
 "Dear Son: — You are pursuing your education, which I hope will 
 be best adapted to the present state of things and to the situation 
 you are destined to occupy. For the education of the youth can 
 only be preparatory to the pursuits of the man, and he, who is best 
 enabled from a comprehensive view of the objects before him to 
 possess himself of those which are most worthy of his choice, is best 
 educated." 
 
 Two years later, the son objected to the study of Latin, and his 
 father writes as follows: 
 
 "You are now sufficiently able to discern and know that learning 
 makes the man — are you so divested of ambition and spirits thus to 
 be degraded? I do hope not — if so — my son, I shall lament the case 
 as well as you. I have not taken my usual rest since 1 received 
 your letter, and I am grieved to the heart to think that I have but 
 one son and he not to be a scholar. O my son, my son, not to learn 
 Latin! I could not have thought it, nothing to trouble yourself 
 about — everything at your hand, and yet to deprive yourself of 
 that inestimable privilege, learning! Only reflect and be persuaded 
 by a fond father to rouse your spirits and be ambitious. My dear 
 son, ask all my estate, and it shall be given yovi, but not the least 
 deviation from any part of literature." 
 
 However these words may have affected the son, they touched a 
 responsive chord in the heart of one, who in the fifth generation 
 truly honored his name and whose brilliant career proved the saying 
 that "learning makes the man". 
 
 Having given so much space to these manuscript books, there is 
 little remaining for others in the Williams homestead. When the 
 general's three daughters married, many volumes of the home li- 
 
126 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 brar>' were divided among them, and many years afterward the grati- 
 fied wish of the only daughter of Colonel John Williams, Mrs. Beth- 
 une, reduced it even more. Still, enough remain to prove that 
 books were freely used in the hundred and twenty-two years of this 
 family's life in Salem. Of the latest days, there is one collection 
 whose closed pages speak of a mind which has soared far higher 
 than even their literature, but whose impress is left on many a 
 heart. Among these books there is one, around which cluster the 
 strongest emotions of love, pride and sorrow; it is entitled: 
 
 " Igneous Rocks of Arkansas " 
 
 by 
 
 J. Francis Williams, Ph. D. 
 
 Probably no Salemite has ever exerted more personal influence for 
 the promotion of literature than Dr. Alex. Proudfit. Coming here 
 in 1783, we find him from that time either seeking or imparting 
 knowledge, until, during the last years of his life, this zeal carried him 
 to a larger field. Throughout the forty years of a useful ministry, 
 his pen and purse were ever ready to increase the number of Salem's 
 books; he published many pamphlets and sermons to supply the 
 need of the numerous frontier settlements, which were rarely visited 
 by Christian ministers. Plis biographer remarks that "his volumes 
 bear the stamp of a refined and cultivated mind, an acquaintance 
 with classical literature, and especially with the writings of those 
 great lights of the i6th and 17th centuries, whose works will do more 
 to furnish the mind of the Christian pastor than the writings of all the 
 Greek and Latin fathers put together". One volume of Dr. Proud- 
 fit's sermons was so well received that in less than ten years it went 
 through three editions. He gave to each district school in the town 
 "The Evangelical Library", consisting of fifteen volumes, and a copy 
 of the work entitled, "The Power of Religion". He also founded the 
 first tract society in this country. This earnest worker for the good 
 of others has long since gone to his reward, but his "footprints on 
 the sands of time " are still pointing the way to the better land. 
 
 Dr. Asa Fitch is a name highly honored in Europe and America, 
 yet associated very closely with Salem. Here, with inquiring mind 
 and patient toil, he learned the facts, the revealing of which has made 
 him famous. This distinguished entomologist was interested as well 
 in his native town, and it is owing to his unwearied eflforts that so 
 
LITERATURE 127 
 
 much of its early history has been preserved. The works through 
 which the world has known this eager student of nature's ways, are 
 the following: 
 
 "The Hessian Fly." 1847. 
 
 "Insects and Curculio." 
 
 "Noxious and Other Insects Detrimental to Agriculture.'' 
 
 "Injurious Insects of the United States." 
 
 "Winter Insects of Eastern New York." 
 
 "Noxious, Beneficial and Other Insects." 
 
 Eleven Annual Reports, from 1855 to 1861. 
 
 For the first and second of these he was elected a member of the 
 Imperial Agricultural Society of France, and awarded a gold medal. 
 He was called to deliver six lectures at Yale College, and his port- 
 folios of foreign correspondence show in what repute his name was 
 held. Thus we find that from the deeply-shaded ofifice near his 
 rural home there went forth a power which has been widely felt, the 
 power of thought and investigation. Unlike some learned men, 
 his soul was left undimmed by public applause, and in his quiet, hum- 
 ble way he faithfully served his father's God unto his life's end. 
 
 Reviewing the long succession of years in search of Salem's writers 
 we note the names of Honeywood, Stevenson, Steele and Matthews. 
 These, with others, were the authors of books, but space would fail 
 to include all those whose minds and pens have helped the world. 
 Some there were "whose noble years were so full of living that they 
 had no time or thought for writing," but they were " known and 
 read' as only lives can be, and we do well to remember that "such 
 as these have lived and died". 
 
 The first town book was bought by James Tomb in 1788, for which 
 he paid one pound and twelve shilHngs. Think of the ledgers and 
 day-books which have been purchased since — one hundred and seven 
 years of calculation! What is the amount? 
 
 Preparation for this " Salem Book " has called forth numerous 
 ghosts of the past; valued books, which have not seen the light for 
 many a year; the oldest and most prized collection is carefully pre- 
 served in the library of Hon. James Gibson, our present historian, 
 whose store of knowledge is ever at our service. Stray relics found 
 here and there have excited surprise that paper and ink should so 
 long outlive the printers. One is a History of the House of Beth- 
 
128 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 une," dated 1639. Another book, with missing title page, but 
 earnest purpose, shows the date of 1704. A large Dutch Bible, with 
 heavy brass clasps, tells of 1761, and the "Memoirs of Rev. William 
 Tennet " were published here in 1814. That same year we find the 
 "Salem book store" advertised as having "the largest stock of books 
 and stationery, drugs and medicines, ever ofifered for sale in this 
 country. History, Biography, Travels and Voyages, Poetry, The- 
 ology, Law, Arts and Sciences, Classical and School-books, in En- 
 glish, French, Latin and Greek.'' 
 
 A library society was here incorporated April 19th, 181 1, with the 
 following trustees: Abner Austin, John P. Reynolds and David D. 
 Gray. The first circulating library seems to have been opened in 
 181 8. Two academy libraries were consumed by fire, but the third is 
 still in existence; an alcove in the Bancroft Public Library has been 
 furnished from this, and two hundred and fifty reference works still 
 remain. 
 
 Generations of books have filled the Sunday-school libraries of all 
 the churches, and, when their mission was accomplished, the remains 
 have been sent to less favored schools, and their places filled with 
 others. 
 
 The fires in our village have destroyed several precious collections 
 of books, and, on one occasion, the intellectual work of fifteen years 
 was consumed in an hour. There are two private libraries of which 
 Salem is justly proud, and the public library claims the warmest re- 
 gard of all. Here we may live in the past with the oldest of writers 
 and friends, or call with our card for the latest new book from the 
 press. This should be the center for the extension of our learning, 
 as it is the latest development from the seed sown in 1786, when "a 
 committee of thirteen was appointed to promote literature through- 
 out the state," and one of our townsmen was of that number. 
 
 In our beautiful valley, where nature itself is an inspiration, the 
 eagerly sought literature has been cherished through all the years. 
 From our noted school many have passed out upon the higher walks 
 of life, while from the church, where jewels of truth have sparkled for 
 ages, others have gone to heaven. And now, with surroundings 
 even more helpful shall not we pass 
 
 ' ' Forward to the starry track 
 Glimmering up the heights beyond us, 
 On, and always on." 
 
THE POETRY OF SALEM 129 
 
 THE POETRY OF SALEM 
 
 The poetry of Salem, though Hmited as to vokimes, holds an im- 
 portant place in the town's history. Therefore, to write a history of 
 the town without mentioning its poetry, would be like making a 
 rose and leaving out its fragrance. As Coleridge has said, " Poetry 
 is the blossom and fragrance of all human thought." 
 
 The early settlers had little time to court this Muse; tlie daily strug- 
 gle for bread prevented literary activity. But we are not to suppose 
 from this that the aesthetic taste of our Salem forefathers was en- 
 tirely dormant. We cannot think that the woodman starting out 
 with his well-sharpened axe glistening in the morning sunshine had 
 not in his nature, though unconscious of it, the rude elements of 
 poetry. He could not behold the grandeur of the forest, the scene 
 of his day's labor, without in some measure feeling the poetry in 
 nature. 
 
 One of the first poets of the town was St. John Honeywood, born 
 in Leicester, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. At the age of 
 twelve he went to a Latin school in Lebanon, Conn., where he pre- 
 pared for Yale College. At Yale he became the distinguished fa- 
 vorite of the president, Dr. Stiles; completing his college course, and 
 graduating with great honor, he left New England and went to re- 
 side in Schenectady, where for two years he was preceptor of an 
 academy. He then removed to Albany, where he studied law under 
 Peter W. Yates; was admitted to the bar. He then went to Salem, 
 where he practiced his profession for ten years with unblemished rep- 
 utation. He was made a master in chancery, which office he re- 
 signed on being appointed by the governor and council, clerk of the 
 county. He was chosen one of the electors of the president of the 
 United States, when Mr. Adams became the successor of Washing- 
 ton, and at that time he composed verses on the retirement of Wash- 
 ington. In 1801 the first and only volume of Mr. Honeywood's 
 poems were published. A number of them were of local interest, 
 some historical, others, poems of fancy. He had a keen sense of 
 
I30 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 humor. We find a good specimen of it in a short poem which bears 
 the title, " Impromptu," written at a small country inn, which had 
 once been the residence of a lady of his acquaintance. 
 
 "In this low mansion where the unpainted sign 
 
 Invites the weary traveler to rest; 
 Where village hinds in noisy chorus join, 
 
 Drone the long tale, and break the threadbare jest; 
 
 Some years ago a pair, whom heaven designed 
 
 For brighter prospects and a milder fate, 
 Dead to the world, in mute despondence pined 
 
 In the rough arms of an unfeeling mate. 
 
 She was the floweret drooping o'er the rill, 
 Whose trembling lips imbibe the morning dew; 
 
 He was the hemlock bristling on the hill 
 
 Rough at the first, and roughening as he grew. 
 
 As well she knew 'twas fruitless to bewail 
 
 Her vanished joys and destiny severe; 
 She told to none her sympathetic tale, 
 
 And checked with proud reserve the rising tear. 
 
 If led by instinct to her husband's ear. 
 
 In some soft horn she ventured to complain, 
 
 He whistled, yawn'd, and raised the unmeaning stare 
 Then turned and dozed the livelong night again. 
 
 Yet this dull mansion's cloistered gloom to cheer, 
 Her happier friends oft held the social round. 
 
 The sprightly Beatrice shed a radiance here. 
 
 And Fredwell chang'd the spot to classic ground. 
 
 Here oft the village Bard, and one full droll. 
 We had, a mixture strange of law and rhyme, 
 
 With his fair shepherdess was wont to stroll, 
 And kill in harmless chat the tedious time." 
 
THE POETRY OF SALEM 131 
 
 I quote a few lines from another poem, addressed to a friend, and 
 written from Schenectady, showing the author's best powers in de- 
 scribing pastoral scenes: 
 
 "Come see what beauties o'er our fields are spread, 
 What sturdy herds our verdant pastures tread; 
 O'er our wide plains what stately cedars rise 
 Whose cloud-topp'd heads support the bending skies; 
 Here every grove with vocal music rings, 
 Here every breeze wafts health upon its wings." 
 
 Though written from Schenectady, to one who has beheld the 
 beautiful scenery of our own town, it seems clear that the poet must 
 have drawn his inspiration from the " wide plains " of Salem, and her 
 groves ringing with vocal music. 
 
 The Rev. John B. Steele, known as the sacred poet of the "Re- 
 formed Church," was born in Salem in 1796, his ancestors for two 
 generations having had their homes in the town. He made his prepa- 
 rations for college in the Salem Academy, under the instruction of 
 "Master Stevenson". In 1810 he graduated from Middlebury Col- 
 lege, then pursued his theological studies in New York, under the 
 celebrated Dr. John Mason. Mr. Steele was not only a sound theo- 
 logian and gifted preacher, but was rarely gifted as a poet. This 
 talent he exhibited at a veiy early age. On the day of his gradua- 
 tion at Middlebury he delivered a poem which was received with 
 marked favor. Several of his poetical productions he contributed to 
 the secular and religious press. He published at different times in 
 " The New York Obsei-ver " and " Christian Intelligencer " metrical 
 versions of many of the Psalms, all of which are marked by 
 the happy talent of versification, while they retain the spirit of 
 the original. He paraphrased large portions of the sacred Scrip- 
 tures; the entire books of Ruth, Esther, Jonah. He also ren- 
 dered into verse the history of Jacob, of Elijah, of Hannah, of Isaac 
 and Rebecca, of David and Goliath. He was frequently called upon 
 to read in public his poems, and he delivered to large audiences, in 
 city and country, his "Ruth" and "Esther" more than a hundred 
 times. 
 
 These paraphrases were very happily expressed, and delivered in 
 a very pleasing manner, and were both instructing and entertaining. 
 
132 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 On anniversary* occasions of churches and schools he often contrib- 
 uted, on soHcitation, hymns to be used as a part of the exercise. In 
 this department he seemed to excel. On the occasion of the one 
 hundredth anniversary of the \\'hite Church, in Salem, ]\Ir. Steele 
 read a poem, historical and descriptive, of the former pastors and the 
 olden times. He was solicited to collect and pubhsh a selection from 
 his poems; and, according to the desire of his friends, a volume was 
 issued from the press under the title of "Sacred and Poetical Para- 
 phrases-', of about four hundred pages, containing in addition to the 
 poems already named, thirt}- of the Psalms; fifty- of a miscellaneous 
 character, with several, which he has entitled songs, of a lighter char- 
 acter. 
 
 He wrote for his own recreation many poems which have never 
 been printed. These remain in manuscript, a large number of which 
 are regarded as equal in merit to any found in the volume given to 
 the press. 
 
MUSIC 
 
 MUSIC 
 
 " Wild warbling nature all, above the reach of art ! " 
 
 This was Salem's earliest music, and as we listen to catch the 
 strains of that past hamiony, they sweep down the ages, through the 
 alternating seasons of joy and sadneSs, like the chords of an aeolian 
 harp. 
 
 " Music, where soft voices die, 
 Vibrates in the memory. " 
 
 "' There's music in the sighing of a reed, 
 There's music in the gushing of a rill. 
 There's music in all things, if men had ears, 
 Their earth is but an echo of the spheres." 
 
 " Thou, God, art the Father of ail music, 
 
 Sweet sounds are a message from Thee, 
 Thou hast made Thy creation all anthems 
 
 And it singeth them silently." 
 
 Silent, too, has been much of our human melody; no past achieve- 
 ment has left high record here; yet the waves of time have washed 
 some relics upon the shore, and these would tell of bygone sym- 
 phonies. 
 
 Here is a spinet! long has it outlived the fair owner, 
 whose companion it was when her days were a dream 
 of love; life's sweetest music it might disclose were our 
 ears attuned to its old-time notes. Now it stands, like 
 the dementi piano — a time-mark in musical history, de- 
 menti first gave the piano forte its own character, and raised it 
 from a mere variets' of the harpischord; his manufactor}- was estab- 
 lished in London, 1799; only a few years later, a piano of his ap- 
 peared in Salem. This indicates musical enterprise, if nothing more. 
 Other silent instruments are hiding here and there, as though un- 
 willing to reveal the past; from these we turn to look for the ancient 
 bass-viol, or violoncello, which for many years added its notes to 
 
134 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 the voice of praise in one of our churches. In those days, to a 
 childish mind, there was a grave myster}' hanging over that music, 
 something "bass", but very sweet; something to be heard, but never 
 seen, else why was that red curtain so hurriedly drawn ere any tones 
 were sounded? It was with some disappointment that, in later years, 
 this solemn thing was found to have been "only a fiddle". Is the 
 story true, that a small violin introduced into another of the choirs, 
 caused such excitement, that one from the congregation greeted 
 the pastor on Alonday morning with angry words, assuring him that 
 "The like would not be seen in heaven." "My dear man," was the 
 Scotch dominie's reply, "if ye continue in such a frame of mind, ye'll 
 ne'er be there to know." 
 
 The "old-fashioned singing schule!" who has not seen the knitting 
 dropped and the glasses rubbed at the very mention of those times? 
 In what was the charm? The music? Those cjuaint old singing 
 books seem dull enough now, but then, between the lines, there was 
 romance and love galore. 
 
 This little corner of the earth has not been too remote to echo 
 the harmonies of the world's great masters; its marriage peals and 
 funeral dirges have long been set to their high-toned music, and in 
 the library there are well-worn pages from the composition of Han- 
 del, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Gounod, which are 
 now the memorial of one who loved them. 
 
 There is an unuttered melody which thrills the hearts of those 
 whose early days were spent in this beautiful valley; each summer 
 brings back some world-wanderer whose spirit responds to the 
 "Home, Sweet Home", and a deeper sweetness steals through the 
 soul, if touched with the blessing of " peace " from above. 
 
 " Thither we hasten through these regions dim, 
 But, lo! the wnde wings of the seraphim 
 Shine in the sunset! On that joyous shore 
 Our lightened heart shall know 
 The life of long ago : 
 The sorrow-burdened past shall fade for evermore." 
 
INDUSTRIES 135 
 
 INDUSTRIES 
 
 The industries of the town of Salem since the date of its settlemeni, 
 although not in any case of great magnitude, have been many and 
 varied, and prove beyond reasonable doubt that the inhabitants have 
 ever been even above the average, energetic and enterprising. It 
 would take too long a chapter to speak of all the industries which 
 have been inaugurated here, and but a few of the more important 
 and interesting will be mentioned. 
 
 It will possibly be matter of news to many of the present genera- 
 tion, in this day of pronounced temperance proclivities, to be in- 
 formed that many years ago, and not far from the beginning of this 
 century, there were two distilleries in active and prosperous opera- 
 tion in this town, one near the late residence of Captain Joseph H. 
 Hays, deceased, and the other in what was in those days known as 
 "Clapp's Mill" and now as Rexleigh. It is said that a tin dipper 
 hung near the tub which received the liquor, and any one who so 
 desired could drink his fill without as much as saying, " thank you,'' 
 to the proprietor. It is good proof of the advance and improve- 
 ment in temperance sentiment to learn that the manufacturing of 
 ardent spirits was discontinued in this town many years ago, and 
 would probably not be tolerated at the present day. 
 
 The old gristmill, which still stands on South Main street in this 
 village, is a monument to the enterprise and philanthropy of one of 
 the early settlers of this town. It appears humble and unimportant 
 enough at the present time, but, in reference to the date of its erection, 
 the difficulties attending its construction and the benefits derived 
 from it by the inhabitants of this region, was undoubtedly 
 the most important industry ever established in this town. 
 It was built by General John Williams several years 
 before the end of the last century, to supply an urgent 
 and ever-growing necessity, as it was the only mill for 
 many miles around. The building of the dam on " White 
 Creek", a quarter of a mile above the mill, which distance was nee- 
 
136 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 essary in order to obtain the requisite '"head" or fall of water, and 
 the construction of the ditch or canal to carry the water to the wheel, 
 was so difficult and the work of such magnitude that only a man of 
 undaunted resolution and of almost unhmited command of funds 
 could have been successful in the undertaking. The old General did 
 succeed, however, as he did in everything he undertook. To illus- 
 trate the difficulties he was obliged to encounter in the construction 
 of the canal, one only may be mentioned: It was found after the 
 work was commenced that for a considerable distance the canal must 
 be dug through a bed of sand, which would not hold water; to over- 
 come this obstacle, which was generally considered insurmountable, 
 so much so that the name of "Williams' folly" was given to the work. 
 General Williams conceived the plan of "puddling" or covering the 
 bottom and sides of the ditch with clay, which made them perfectly 
 impervious to water. " Williams' folly " has done good service for 
 over one hundred years, and is still seiwiceable ; and the plan adopted 
 by General Williams to make his canal water-tight was afterward 
 used in the construction of the great Erie canal. The old gristmill 
 still stands as it has stood for over a century, and is still a benefit to 
 the community around it. The old overshot wheel, twenty-four 
 feet in diameter, which it was the delight of the writer to watch in his 
 boyhood days, as it made its slow and dignified revolutions, has been 
 taken out, however, and the more modem and serviceable " turbine '' 
 substituted. The granite or marble shaft, reaching many feet to- 
 ward the heavens, is often erected in memory of the man who has 
 benefited his fellows or has done some deed for which his memory is 
 held in esteem, but no man could desire a better monument than is 
 the old gristmill to the pluck, enterprise and philanthropy of General 
 John Williams. 
 
 During the early part of this century, a large and very prosperous 
 business was carried on in the old brick shop, which is still stand- 
 ing in the rear of the fire engine house in this village^ in the manu- 
 facture of hand fire engines. Many engines of the most approved 
 style of those days were built and shipped to different parts of this 
 country, and even across the ocean; and many hardy firemen in 
 America, as well as in European cities and villages, have success- 
 fully combatted the destructive element with appai'atus manufactured, 
 as a brass plate on the front of each engine stated, in Salem, N. Y. 
 General Williams was one of the proprietors of this enterprise. 
 
INDUSTRIES 137 
 
 An iron foundry was operated in the boyhood days of the writer 
 by a Mr. Russell, on Nicholas street, near the residence of Mr. 
 Hugh Smart, and he now remembers, as one of the most fascinating 
 sights of his childhood days, how he used to watch the molten iron 
 pouring like a river of fire into the forms prepared to receive it. 
 Another foundry was also operated, many years prior to the one 
 first mentioned, on Main street, near the residence of Justice James 
 H. Houghton. Barnard and Proudfit were the proprietors. 
 
 A knitting factory was in successful operation for several years, 
 along in the fifties, in the building on West Broadway, now owned 
 and in part occupied by Mr. Frank Shields. Marvin Freeman, Ira 
 Broughton and David Bowen were some of the owners. Steam was 
 used as a motive power, and Albert K. Broughton, the veteran 
 locomotive engineer, performed his initial service in that line by 
 running the engine which furnished the power. 
 
 Another factory, operated by water, was situated, in the young 
 days of the century, on the " White Creek," near the late residence 
 of Samuel S. Billings, deceased. Zacheus Atwood was the owner. 
 A long and expensive litigation was provoked by the overflowing 
 of land, caused by the raising of the dam at this factory, and it was 
 during the trial of this action that the principle of the "piling" or 
 backing up of water on itself was first sworn to and proved in a 
 court of law. This litigation and the gradual lowering of the water 
 in " White Creek," by reason of the demolition of the forests, made 
 the running of the factory difficult, uncertain and unremunerative, 
 and it was abandoned to fall into ruin, and, finally, long before the 
 present generation materialized, to disappear from the face of the 
 earth. 
 
 It is known to but few of the present day, that long ago, while 
 the century was still young, the manufacture of brass eight-day 
 clocks was extensively carried on in this village. There is no record 
 extant, so far as the writer knows, of who the proprietor was or 
 where the works were located, but undoubtedly some of the clocks 
 are still in existence and are unweariedly marking the course of time 
 long years after their makers, and even the records of who they 
 were, have been buried from the sight of man by the dust of ages. 
 
 One of the most important, and to the people of this village, the 
 most beneficial, industries of later years, was the shops erected by 
 the Rutland and Washington railroad about the year 1852, when 
 the road was built through this town; and afterward continued in 
 
138 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 operation for several years by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Co. 
 after that corporation had purchased the road. They consisted of 
 machine, blacksmith, carpenter and paint shops, and in all 
 departments over one hundred men were given employment. In a 
 few years after the last named company came into possession, a 
 large car-building plant was added to the other departments. The 
 building in which the latter industry was carried on was, unfortu- 
 nately, destroyed by fire during the year 1878, and the work of car 
 building was discontinued by the company on the ground that it 
 was cheaper to buy their cars than to build them. The convenience 
 and necessities of the company required the work in the other 
 departments to be done at other places and the workmen were 
 gradually withdrawn from the shops at this village, until the busy 
 sounds of honest toil have almost entirely ceased to be heard. The 
 great round house and machine shops remain, however, and it is 
 hoped may again, in the near future, become vocal with the 
 throbbing of their mighty machinery and the blows of the implements 
 wielded by scores of brawny workmen. 
 
 The making of roofing slate is an industry which has made the 
 name of Salem as familiar as a household word in many of the 
 cities and villages of this and foreign lands. The old " Excelsior " 
 quarries, situated about three miles east of this village, were exten- 
 sively operated for many years by a company of New York and 
 Brooklyn capitalists, under the superintendency of Mr. John 
 Edwards, who still resides here. A vast amount of roofing slate 
 has been shipped to all points of the compass from these quarries, 
 and no better slate was ever manufactured. The quarries were 
 abandoned a few years ago on account of financial stringency, and 
 because the expense of working, on account of their great depth, 
 and of marketing the slate, on account of their distance from 
 the railroad, was \ery great. A number of smaller quarries have 
 also been operated in this section. It is possible that in the near 
 future the slate industry may again be successfully prosecuted in 
 Salem; the hills of the town are filled with the finest quality of this 
 valuable stone, and there it lies, only waiting for the man to arrive 
 with enterprise enough to take it out and convey it to the markets 
 of the world. A sure fortune awaits such a man. 
 
 In the year 1875, ^ number of enterprising farmers organized a 
 stock company for the purpose of manufacturing cheese, and a 
 large factor}^ was erected during the same year, near the bridge 
 
INDUSTRIES 139 
 
 over " White creek," a few rods south of East Broadway. The 
 factory has proven generally to be successful and remunerative, 
 and has been operated every season since it was built. This indus- 
 try, though humble, is a source of profit to our farmers and is 
 especially a blessing to their hard-working wives, as it saves them 
 the arduous labor of caring for the milk and making into butter. 
 On this account, if for no other reason, it is hoped the industry 
 may be permanent, and the present indications are that it will be. 
 Captain James M. Thompson is president, Horace Townsend is 
 secretary and salesman, and Mr. Morhouse is cheesemaker at the 
 present time. 
 
 During the year 1886 the enterprise of a few citizens resulted 
 in the establishment of a factory for making shirts in this village. 
 It was first conducted by Mr. B. H. Griffin and later by Mr. Henry 
 Spallholz, on the corner of Williams and Railroad streets, but in 
 the fall of 1892 was moved to the steam mill on Park place, and 
 during the succeeding year the plant was purchased by a stock 
 company. It was known as "The Salem Shirt and Sewing Com- 
 pany," and was run by them until the month of July, 1895, when 
 the stock of the company was purchased by the firm of Levi 
 Wechsler & Company, of Paterson, N. J., who are still the owners. 
 The industry is remunerative and growing under the superintend- 
 ency of Mr. Henry Spallholtz and is carried on in a large building 
 especially constructed for it on Park place. It has become one 
 of the permanent institutions of our village. 
 
 The stock company organized a year or more ago, under the 
 name of "The Salem Manufacturing and Power Company," 
 engaged extensively in the manufacturing of novelties of wood; 
 many beautiful and useful articles are made at their factory, which 
 is in the steam mill, on Park place. Quite a large number of hands 
 are employed and the business is increasing daily. John J. 
 Beattie, Mark L. Sheldon and Jesse S. Sherman are members of 
 this company and Cole Stickles is superintendent. 
 
 Another industry of the same nature as the one last mentioned 
 was started in January last by ex-Sherifif George N. Finch and the 
 Le May brothers, in the Gibson building, on Williams street. The 
 enterprise bid fair to be in the highest degree successful, but, 
 unfortunately, in August last, the building occupied by them burned 
 to the ground and work was necessarily discontinued until another 
 building could be erected. The contract for the new building has 
 
I40 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 been let, and as soon as it is completed the business will be resumed 
 by the Messrs. Le May. 
 
 Mention should also be made of the extensive knitting factory 
 now in process of construction at Rexleigh, by Mr. George E. 
 Brockway, of Cohoes, N. Y. The factory will be built entirely of 
 marble and will furnish employment to many artisans, male and 
 female. The benefit to the town and village of Salem derived from 
 this last-mentioned industry will be incalculable. A brighter day 
 is dawning upon Salem. We shall soon have electric lights, and 
 as the darkness and gloom of physical night is driven away, so 
 the electric light of material prosperity will shine abroad until 
 every home within the borders of the town shall be cheered and 
 illumined, and all darkness and gloom shall be driven away from 
 among its happy and prosperous people. 
 
BANKING 141 
 
 BANKING 
 
 Salem has never been so unfortunate as to be subjected to that 
 rash inflation of fictitious values and reckless trifling with commer- 
 cial integrity which has proved the shipwreck of the prosperity of 
 so many towns. Whilst those who have directed ^its financial 
 interests have ever been enterprising and progressive, yet their zeal 
 has been tempered with a wise conservatism which has restrained 
 them from jeopardizing the trusts committed to their care. In the 
 strife which w^aged around the relationships of the Bank of the 
 United States and the incorporated banks of the different states in 
 the early thirties, the policy of property holders in this place was 
 one of moderation. 
 
 There appears in an issue of the Washington County Post for 
 1834 a call for a meeting of citizens interested in the organization 
 of a bank under the existing state law, but the response to this 
 call was not such as to give encouragement to the project. It was 
 not until the great controversy terminated in the overthrow of the 
 Federal Bank that steps were successfully taken towards the estab- 
 lishing of a bank in Salem. The necessities of exchange in this 
 part of the country making it manifest that a bank was required 
 to meet the demands of trade, and the promotion of commercial 
 supremacy then held by Salem, pointing to it as the proper place 
 for the establishment of such bank in 1853, efforts towards such an 
 organization were revived. For a while, however, the movement 
 languished, and it is probable might have failed altogether had 
 there not at this time appeared in Salem the man for the occasion, 
 the Hon. Benjamin F. Bancroft. 
 
 Mr. Bancroft's ability as an organizer, and the zeal, energy and 
 business sagacity with which he prosecuted the work, triumphed 
 over all obstacles, and led to the incorporation of the Bank of 
 Salem, under the state law, in January, 1853, with a capital of 
 $110,000. The first meeting of the stockholders of the corporation 
 was held on January nth, 1853. At that time Bernard Blair was 
 elected president and B. F. Bancroft, cashier. The management of 
 
142 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 the bank's affairs was largely in Mr. Bancroft's hands from the 
 first. By him its policy was outlined and the method of its opera- 
 tion devised. Although the business done by the bank was safe 
 and conservative from the first, yet the financial skill of its man- 
 agement was such that from the beginning its profits were large 
 and its dividends regular and satisfactory. In 1858 Mr. Blair was 
 succeeded in the presidency by John Williams. 
 
 Whilst this bank recognized and well discharged the duty which it 
 owed its stockholders, it was not regardless of the claims of patriot- 
 ism. When it became evident, in 1861, that treason threatened the 
 very existence of the republic, and when it became manifest that the 
 ability of the country to maintain its integrity was dependent upon 
 the confidence with which its people would intrust to the govern- 
 ment the means necessary for subjugation, the Bank of Salem was 
 not found wanting. Scarcely had the call for the first loan been 
 issued when, upon April 23d, 1861, at a meeting of the board of 
 directors, the following resolution was passed without a dissenting 
 vote : 
 
 " Resolved, That the Bank of Salem tender to the state of New York their 
 share of the $3,500,000 loan, for arming and equipping the military forces of 
 the state, which is subject to the order of the state when required." 
 
 When town and county also sought for funds to equip and main- 
 tain their proportions of volunteers, the bank also gave them timely 
 and substantial aid. The management of this bank believed in our 
 country and the principles for which it stood, and they were not 
 afraid to put their money into it. 
 
 When the National Banking Act of 1865 was passed, this bank 
 promptly took advantage of its provisions, and in July, 1865, was 
 organized as the First National Bank of Salem. Hon. C. L. Allen 
 was chosen as president of the new National bank, while Mr. Ban- 
 croft was continued as cashier. Upon the death of Judge Allen 
 Mr. Bancroft was elected president and Mark L. Sheldon became 
 cashier. The prosperit}' of the new National bank has even 
 exceeded that of its predecessor, and it is doubtful whether there is 
 another country bank in the bounds of the state of New York that 
 could show a more enviable record. Mr. Bancroft's death was a 
 blow keenly felt by all associated with the bank. He was a man 
 of unquestioned probity and of marvellous financial acumen. He 
 has found, however, a worthy successor in Mr. Sheldon, who, since 
 
BANKING i43 
 
 his death, has served as president. Mr. Sheldon's reputation as a 
 financier is widely extended, and under his careful and sagacious 
 management the bank has suffered no diminution of its past 
 prosperity. 
 
 During the years of the civil war the scarcity of small change led 
 this village, as others, to issue five and ten cent scrip, signed by 
 village ofificials and declared to be redeemable, when presented in 
 amounts aggregating five dollars. We have not been able to learn 
 that any of it was ever presented for redemption, and it is probable 
 that it did not circulate widely. It was not any easier to make some- 
 thing out of nothing thirty years ago than it is to-day. Financial 
 heresies have never flourished in the town of Salem. 
 
 The People's National Bank of Salem was organized in 1884. 
 Its successive presidents have been, Lonson Fraser, Chas. Lyon, 
 Wm. C. Larmon and Warren Kenyon. Robert M. Stevenson has 
 been cashier from the beginning. Under his wise and judicious 
 management its history has been one of honest dealing and steady 
 prosperity. 
 
144 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE PHYSICIANS 
 
 Rev. Thomas Clark, M. D., took his medical degree at the Uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, Scotland, about 1751. 
 
 He came to Salem in 1765 as pastor of what is now the United 
 Presbyterian Congregation, who emigrated as a colony, and he was 
 the first and only physician in town until the arrival of Dr. John 
 Williams, in the fall of 1773. 
 
 Dr. Clark evidently possessed abilities as a physician of the times, 
 and he was often called upon by his parishioners and others to 
 administer to the wants of the sick bodies as well as souls of men. 
 Not unfrequently was he called from the pulpit to the bedside in the 
 capacity of a physician. 
 
 General John Williams, M. D., was born at Barnstable, County of 
 Devonshire, England, in September, 1752, and died at Salem, July 
 22d, 1800. Of his early life little is known, though he unquestion- 
 ably had good educational advantages, and improved them well, as 
 evidenced by his numerous papers now extant. He studied medi- 
 cine in his youth, and according to a diploma still preserved, he 
 " walked St. Thomas' Plospital,'' London, one year, and was first 
 surgeon mate on board an English man-of-war. May 6, 1773, he 
 was licensed at Edinburgh to practice medicine, and the same year 
 came to America and settled in Salem. 
 
 His professional services were immediately brought into requisi- 
 tion, and his practice soon became extensive and lucrative, often 
 requiring him to make long and tedious journeys through the 
 almost trackless forest. Many are the traditions of his success as 
 a physician, of his skill as a surgeon, and of his kindness to the poor. 
 
 His professional as well as patriotic services were promptly and 
 loyally given to the country of his adoption in the Revolutionary 
 struggle. He was engaged in the battles of Bennington, Bemis 
 Heights, Stillwater and Monmouth, where he proved himself not 
 only an intrepid soldier, but a skillful surgeon as well. 
 
 Walking over the field of Monmouth at night, after the battle, 
 he found his friend, Colonel McCracken, among the wounded, his 
 
THE PHYSICIANS 145 
 
 left arm having been shattered by a cannon ball. Taking him m 
 his arms, he bore him, unassisted, to a place of safety and success- 
 fully amputated the arm near the shoulder joint. 
 
 Dr. Williams became increasingly engaged in public affairs as 
 an important factor, and necessarily relinquished the active func- 
 tions of the profession which he had so signally honored. 
 
 Dr. Joseph Tomb was a native of Salem; studied medicine with 
 Dr. Williams, and was associated with him for a short time in prac- 
 tice. He continued his professional work in Salem until his death, 
 at the age of thirty-seven years, January i, 1796. 
 
 Colonel James Green, M. D., was born in Cambridge, N. Y., 
 and studied medicine v/ith Dr. Williams. He practiced medicine 
 in Salem from about March 12, 1798, until the first of the century. 
 He was colonel of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment of 
 state militia in the War of 1812. He was a man of superior educa- 
 tion and held in high estimation as a physician. He removed to the 
 western part of the state in 181 5. 
 
 Peletiah Fitch, M. D., was born in Norwich, Conn., May 6, 1722. 
 He received a thorough literary and professional education. After 
 years of practice in Connecticut and Vermont, he came to Salem, 
 about 1780. He did not enter largely upon general practice, but 
 was frequently called in consultation. He was an active compa- 
 triot A\nth General Williams, Judge Webster and other distin- 
 guished men of that heroic era. He died April 16, 1803. 
 
 Hon. Asa Fitch, M. D., son of Dr. Peletiali Fitch, was born at 
 Noank, Conn., November 10, 1765, and after several years' practice 
 at Duanesburgh, N. Y., returned to Salem and soon engaged m a 
 large practice, his ride extending over the same territory now occu- 
 pied by five or six physicians. Many physicians were educated by 
 Dr. Fitch, there being almost always from two to six students in 
 his office. As a justice of the county court, as member of congress 
 at a critical period of our national history, as a prominent Free 
 Mason, as a leading elder in the First Incorporated Presbyterian 
 Church, and as an active and eminently useful citizen. Dr. Fitch 
 was a distinguished man; but in nothing was he more devoted and 
 deserving than in the arduous duties of his professional life. On 
 the 26th of February, 1834, the Regents of the University of New 
 York conferred upon him an honorary degree of M. D., he having 
 practiced medicine during his professional career under a licensure 
 granted by the county court in 1797. He died August 24, 1843. 
 
146 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Abram Allen, M. D., was bom in Sturbridge, Mass., and came 
 to Salem about 1795. Being a man of good education and great 
 energy of character, he soon established himself in a prosperous 
 professional business. He became one of the leading surgeons in 
 the county, and was often called upon in cases requiring skill and 
 firmness. He continued active and influential almost to the time of 
 his death, March 20, 1845. 
 
 Ephraim Allen, M. D., was born in Sturbridge in 1766, and was 
 a graduate of Yale. He joined his brother, Abram Allen, at Salem 
 in 1796, and died in 1815. 
 
 Seth Brown, M. D., was born in Salem, 1772; was a student at 
 Washington Academy, studied medicine in Salem, and was licensed 
 to practice by a certificate from Judge Livingston, of Hebron, dated 
 September 22, 1797. He practiced medicine in Salem until his 
 death, May 26, 1840. 
 
 James McNish, A. M., M. D., was born in Salem, August 26, 1780. 
 He was a student at Washington Academy and a graduate of Union 
 College, class of 1800. He studied medicine with Dr. Archibald 
 H. Adams, of Schenectady, and was admitted to practice by the 
 Supreme Court, March 9, 1803. He practiced medicine in Salem 
 several years and removed finally to Newbury, Ohio, where he died. 
 
 Archibald AlcAllister, M. D., was bom in Salem, December 15, 
 1785, and died February ii, 1855. He was a student at Washing- 
 ton Academy; studied medicine in Salem, and unquestionably 
 attended medical lectures (college not known), and was admitted 
 to practice on a certificate from the chief justice of the Supreme 
 Court of New Jersey, dated March 3, 1808. He settled in Salem 
 and soon became a partner with Dr. Abram Allen. Dr. McAllister 
 was a good physician and citizen and an estimable Christian 
 gentleman. 
 
 Robert McMurray Stevenson, M. D., was born in Salem Decem- 
 ber 28, 1801. He was educated at Washington Academy; studied 
 medicine with Drs. Allen and McAllister; graduated at Castleton 
 Medical College and took a course of clinical instruction at the New 
 York Hospital. He practiced in Salem. Dr. Stevenson was a man 
 of unquestioned ability and high-toned characteristics in his pro- 
 fessional career; a successful physician and did some good surgical 
 work. He died September 28, 1838. 
 
 Worthy Waters, M. D., was born in Cambridge, N. Y., 1798. He 
 studied medicine with Jonathan Dorr, Sr., and practiced medicine 
 
THE PHYSICIANS 147 
 
 in Salem from about 1822 to 1824. He died at Argyle, May 29, 
 1828. 
 
 Asa Fitch, Jr., M. D., was bom in Salem (Fitch's Point), February 
 4, 1809, and died in the same house where he was born, April 8, 
 1879. A student at Washington Academy, he graduated at the 
 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, class of 1827. He studied medi- 
 cine with his father and graduated at the Castleton, Vt., Medical 
 College, in 1829. He subsequently attended medical lectures at 
 Rutgers College and completed his medical studies in the office of 
 the eminent surgeon, Dr. Allen March, at Albany, N. Y. During 
 his course of study he gave special attention to the sciences, natural 
 history and entomology in particular. 
 
 As assistant professor of natural history at the Rensselaer Insti- 
 tute, he accompanied a class in an expedition to Lake Erie. At 
 this time young Fitch was regarded as the best entomologist in the 
 country. In 1831 he commenced the practice of medicine at Ft. 
 Miller, N. Y. In 1833 he removed to Stillwater, where he con- 
 tinued until 1838, when he returned to Salem, and the more con- 
 genial study of his chosen specialty, entomology. In 1854 he was 
 appointed New York State Entomologist, which position he 
 retained seventeen years. During the latter part of this term he 
 delivered a course of lectures on entomology at Yale College, which 
 was published in the New York Tribune. He was also employed 
 by the state on a geological survey ,the results of which greatly 
 advanced the lime and slate interests in this section of the state. 
 He published numerous works on his specialty, in addition to his 
 annual reports, and these attracted wide attention at home and 
 abroad. His unpublished works, left in almost perfect preparation 
 for the press, consisted of 100 note books filled with valuable 
 materials. He had a wide and distinguished correspondence, and 
 he was made honorary member of various scientific societies in 
 America and Europe. 
 
 Dr. Fitch had and developed the power of accurate observation 
 and deduction, and he appHed himself with persistent assiduity. 
 He was a devout Christian scholar. In the words of another, " His 
 life was full of strong, pure manhood, full of gentleness, kindliness 
 and peace, which come of well living, and full of the honors which 
 his labors had earned." 
 
 George Allen, M. D., an eminent representative of the family 
 medical name, was bom in Salem, January 12, 1806. Educated at 
 
148 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Washington Academy, he studied medicine with Drs. Allen and 
 McAlHster and graduated at Castleton Medical College, December 
 19, 1827. His entire professional career was spent in Salem, where 
 he died, August 16, 1866. Dr. Allen possessed a brilliant mind and 
 keen intuitive faculties, and he was ardently devoted to his profes- 
 sion and its duties, the rich and poor sharing alike in his devotion 
 to their needs, and in his neglect to present his bills. He was a 
 disciple of the gifted and eminent Dr. Tully, and ardently adopted 
 his medical theories, some of which, modified by science and expe- 
 rience, have come to be almost universally recognized and adopted. 
 He was genial and hopeful to the last in the sick room, and a phy- 
 sician greatly esteemed by his patients. Had he chosen to have 
 mingled in the wider relations of his profession, he doubtless might 
 have gained an enviable reputation. 
 
 Robert McMurray, M. D., was born in Salem, January, 181 7. 
 He was educated at Washington Academy; entered the office of 
 Allen & Stevenson in 1835; attended lectures at Castleton in 1836; 
 was licensed to practice by the Washington County Medical Society, 
 June, 1838, and graduated at the College of Physicians and Sur- 
 geons, January, 1840. 
 
 He practiced in Salem until 1844, when he removed to New York 
 City and entered into partnership with Dr. Alfred Freeman, and 
 identified himself with the Homeopathic School of Medicine. He 
 received an honorary degree of M. D. from the Homeopathic Col- 
 lege of New York City; was a number of years clinical professor 
 of medicine in the New York Hospital and College for Women, 
 and was for many years on the board of censors for that institution 
 and the Homeopathic Medical College. 
 
 After more than fifty years of active and eminently successful 
 professional life in New York Cit\^ and owing to failing health, Dr. 
 McMurray retired to Salem, his native place, in 1894, where he now 
 resides, highly esteemed in the community for his professional 
 record, his culture and refined Christian virtues. 
 
 Orville Pool Oilman, M. D., was born in Jafifrey, N. H., Septem- 
 ber 15, 1805; died at Salem, May 16, 1863. He graduated at Dart- 
 mouth Medical College in 1836. He came to Salem about 1840. Dr. 
 Gilman was a man of fine physique, with a large overhanging brow, 
 and he possessed a mind by nature strong and masterful. As a 
 physician he became widely and favorably known, and his practice 
 was often extended to long professional tours, requiring several 
 
THE PHYSICIANS i49 
 
 days at a time. He held advanced views of practice and frequently 
 defended them by forcible and original arguments. He died sud- 
 denly from heart disease. 
 
 Oliver Perry Yates, M. D., was bom in Schaghticoke, N. Y., 
 March i8, 1822. He received a common school education; studied 
 medicine with Dr. Shefifer of Cohoes; attended medical lectures at 
 the Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., in 1852, and gradu- 
 ated at the University Medical College of New York City in 1853. 
 He came to Salem the same year and remained until the fall of 
 1855, when he removed to Geneseo, 111., where he died, after a brief 
 sickness, January 3, 1855. Dr. Yates was esteemed as a genial, 
 capable. Christian physician. 
 
 John Lambert, A. M., M. D., was born at Alfred, York county, 
 Maine, September 7, 1828. He fitted for college at Alfred and 
 North Yarmouh Academies; studied medicine with the then eminent 
 surgeon, Dr. Edwin Hall, at Saco, Maine, and graduated at Bow- 
 doin Medical College, class of 1852. He entered upon practice at 
 Saco the same year as partner with Dr. Hall. Unable to endure 
 the coast climate of New England he removed to St. Paul, Minn., 
 in 1854. In the spring of 1856 he came to Salem, where he found 
 a field strongly occupied by Drs. Geo. Allen and O. P. Gilman. 
 As the pioneer gynecologist in the county, his services were required 
 at an early date, and for twenty-five years he was constantly called 
 far and near in the practice of this specialty, many patients coming 
 to Salem to place themselves under his immediate care. Midwifery 
 and consultations also claimed much of his time during his active 
 career. He has often been called to court, as an expert medical 
 witness, in cases of importance. The O'Shea murder trial was con- 
 ducted at court successfully against a powerful opposition of experts, 
 on his theory, advanced before the coroner, regarding certain blood 
 spots which he noticed in the room where Mrs. O'Shea's body was 
 found. He has published various medical papers, and continues to 
 contribute religious and literary articles to the journalism of the day. 
 In 1889, Bowdoin College conferred upon him an honorary degree 
 of A. M. He is an active and honorary member of county, state 
 and national medical gynecological and medico-legal societies; is 
 the historian of the Washington County Medical Society. 
 
 As health ofificer of the town and village of Salem for a series of 
 years, he was instrumental in establishing important sanitary 
 reforms. Thirty years an elder in the incorporated Presbyterian 
 
I50 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 church, he has three times represented the Presbytery of Troy at 
 general assembly. 
 
 Wm. B. Maynard, M. D., was born at Jamaica, Vt, November 
 21, 1824. He graduated at Castleton Medical College in 1846. 
 He first located in Hebron (Tipladies), then at West Rupert, Vt., 
 where he had an extensive and lucrative practice. He came to 
 Salem in the spring of 1872, where he was already favorably known, 
 and he soon became one of the busiest practitioners in the county. 
 Possessed of robust health, he was enabled to endure with zest the 
 fatigues of his incessant work, until a year previous to his death, 
 from angina pectoris, February 21, 1893. He only relinquished his 
 activities some two months prior to his decease. 
 
 Charles Harvey Allen, M. D., son of Dr. George Allen, was born 
 at Salem, March 17, 1832; educated at Washington Academy; 
 studied medicine with his father; graduated at the Albany Medical 
 College in 1861, and the same year went to Paris to prosecute his 
 studies, where he remained two years under the instruction of the 
 more eminent teachers, and enjoying the advantages of the 
 immense hospitals of that metropolis, and where he graduated in 
 medicine and surgery, June, 1863. He spent several months in the 
 hospitals of London and Edinburgh and returned to Salem the 
 same year, where he continued in practice until his death, March i, 
 1875. f^^ discovered those qualities of mind, natviral and acquired, 
 and that executive capacity which well fitted him for the discharge 
 of the varied duties of his professon. As a surgeon he was intrepid 
 and successful, his operations being diverse and embracing many of 
 the major operations. 
 
 The last of a family for many years distinguished for their ability 
 and skill in the profession, he successfully maintained and added 
 lustre to the ancestral reputation. 
 
 Unmarried and free from family cares, yet life was too short for 
 the work in hand, and he paused to die midway in his ambitious 
 endeavors. 
 
 " O, vita, stulto longa, sapienti brevis." 
 
 Charles O. T. Oilman, M. D., was bom at Wardsboro, Vt., Sep- 
 tember 13, 1840. He w^as educated at Washington Academy; 
 studied medicine with his father, Dr. O. P. Oilman, and graduated 
 at the University Medical College, New York, in 1863. He suc- 
 ceeded to his father's practice, and died suddenly of heart disease 
 February 21st, 1875. As a student he possessed more than ordi- 
 
THE PHYSICIANS 151 
 
 nary intelligence, was quick of apprehension and had a retentive 
 memory. His careful training under his father and his advantages 
 in New York, well qualified him for a siiccessful professional career. 
 He at once became popular, and rapidly secured a large and respon- 
 sible practice. 
 
 Predisposed to pulmonary consumption, and suffering from 
 rheumatism and heart disease, he often found the arduous duties of 
 professional life too onerous for his endurance, and it was only 
 through much sufTering and a hard brave struggle that he was able 
 to prosecute his profession to its too early and much regretted 
 termination. 
 
 Dr. Charles Mansfield McLauric was bom in Argyle, N. Y., April 
 25, 1840. He obtained his education at the Argyle Academy, studied 
 medicine with Dr. Robert McMurry and Valentine Mott, Sr., New 
 York City, and graduated at the University Medical College March 
 6, 1862. He came to Salem in 1869, and continued practice here 
 until about 1885. He died at Troutbrook, Col., Feb. 12, 1892. Dr. 
 McLaurie was a man of fine physique, had a brilliant mind, and was 
 intensely active and untiring in his professional career. 
 
 Alfred M. Young, M. D., was born in Greenwich, N. Y., Decem- 
 ber 25th, 1839. -^^ was educated at Greenwich Academy; studied 
 medicine with Dr. Morgan Cole, of Greenwich, and graduated at 
 the Albany Medical College in 1863. He located in practice the 
 same year at East Greenwich. He attended a course of lectures 
 at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, in 1866. In the 
 spring of 1875, immediately after the death of Dr. Charles H. Allen 
 and Charles O. T. Gilman, Dr. Y^oung removed to Salem. He at 
 once secured a large clientelage, and his professional career has 
 proved eminently successful and prosperous. He has been coroner 
 one term, and he has taken a prominent interest in the public wel- 
 fare of the town. 
 
 It is in no small measure due to his exertions and influence that 
 the Bancroft Public Library was established, and the public build- 
 ing erected. 
 
 Edwin Wilkinson Hill, M. D., was born in Rockdale, England, 
 and came to this country when seven years of age. After fitting 
 for college, he studied medicine with Dr. Thomas E. Wakefield, 
 of Fair Haven, Vt., and graduated at the University Medical Col- 
 lege, New York, in 1874. He served on the medical and surgical 
 stafif of Charity Hospital, New York, one year, and came to Salcni 
 
152 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 in 1875. In 1876 he removed to Glens Falls, N. Y., where he was 
 partner with Dr. James Furgerson until 1885, when he went to 
 Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Hill was a man of parts and recognized 
 abilities. 
 
 Frederic Jonas Hinds, M. D., was bom in Argyle, in 1855. He 
 was educated at Washington Academy and Albany State Normal 
 School; studied medicine in New York City, and graduated at Belle- 
 vue Hospital Medical College in 1875. He immediately came to 
 Salem, where, in a healthy location and in a field fully occupied by 
 older physicians, he succeeded in establishing himself, by wise and 
 close attention to business. Dr. Hinds was a young man of more 
 than ordinary abilities, and he studiously cultivated every oppor- 
 tunity for improvement. Had he lived, he might easily have come 
 to the front rank in his profession. He died, after a brief sickness 
 from inflammation of the liver, April 26th, 1887. 
 
 James H. Maguire, M. D., was born in New York City, Novem- 
 ber 29th, 1857. ^^ "^v^s educated at Washington Academy, Claver- 
 ack College, Hudson River Institute, and two years at Cornell Uni- 
 versit>^ He was three years principal of Franklinsville Academy, 
 Long Island. He studied medicine in New York, and graduated 
 at the University Medical College, class of 1886. He commenced 
 practice at Southold, L. I., remaining there one year, and came 
 to Salem in May, 1887, as successor to Dr. Hinds. Dr. Maguire 
 has already taken rank as a physician, and one of the most promi- 
 nent surgeons in the country. 
 
 Joseph Gardner Russell, M. D., was born at Baldwinsville, N. Y., 
 in 1858. He graduated at Baldwinsville Academy in 1875, and the 
 same year entered Williams College. He matriculated at the New 
 York Homoeopathic Medical College in 1877, spending two years 
 at this institution, and he then entered the Hahnemann Medical 
 College, Chicago, from which he graduated in 1880. He was 
 elected professor of nervous diseases for one year in the Hahnemann 
 Institute, Chicago. He practiced medicine in Chicago until 1886. 
 He came to Salem in 1887, and soon meritoriously established him- 
 self as the first permanently successful Homeopathic physician in 
 town. In 1894 he was elected coroner. Dr. Russell is an active, 
 public-spirited citizen. 
 
 Charles E. Lambert, M. D., was born at Salem, August 24th, 
 1866. He fitted for college at Washington Academy and St. Paul's 
 Hall, and studied medicine with his father, Dr. John Lambert. He 
 
THE PHYSICIANS 153 
 
 pursued an extended course of medical instruction and hospital ser- 
 vice at College of Physicians and Surgeons and Bellevue Hospital 
 Medical College, New York, making surgery, midwifery and gyne- 
 cology specialties, and graduated at the latter institution March, 
 1893. The same year he entered upon his professional career at 
 Salem, where he is rapidly and successfully establishing himself. 
 
 It may be noted that, of the twenty-eight physicians who have 
 practiced in Salem, twelve of them were students at Washington 
 Academy; and that, with few exceptions, they have been men above 
 the average capacity and education. 
 
154 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 BENCH AND BAR 
 
 The history of the law of a land is the history of its civiUzation 
 and its religion. 
 
 All human law that is in any wise obligatory on society is derived, 
 either mediately or immediately, from the revealed law; and the 
 consideration of the eternal principles of right and justice, and the 
 effort to apply these principles to the daily intercourse of mankind, 
 cannot but tend toward the moral elevation of the individual thus 
 employed. And, however the ignorant and the thoughtless may 
 cavil, the fact indisputably remains that those who attain eminence 
 in the legal profession are men of keen moral sense and high per- 
 sonal honor; and in no other profession is insincerity, hypocrisy or 
 moral turpitude more sure of detection and condemnation. 
 
 The early settlers of Salem, and their immediate successors, were 
 imbued with stern morality and exalted religious sentiment, were 
 possessed of strong common sense and much executive force, and 
 it is not surprising that from such a community should have sprung 
 some of the brightest legal lights of the state and country. The 
 earlier volumes of the law reports of New York are full of the 
 brilliant reasoning and legal erudition of Chief Ji-istice Savage. The 
 opinions of Judge Savage, given in rendering decisions on legal 
 questions arising before the court of which he was chief, are quoted 
 in the law reports of every state in the Union: they have stood the 
 test of nearly a century, and are to-day cited in the current volumes 
 of the reports of the various states, to sustain the justice and cor- 
 rectness of the conclusions reached. 
 
 David Woods, the law partner of Judge Savage before the lat- 
 ter's elevation to the bench, w^as a man of much learning and ability 
 in his profession. He removed to Salem on his appointment as 
 sheriff of Washington county in 1806, and after the expiration 
 of his term as sheriff formed a partnership with Judge Savage, 
 which continued several years. While a resident of Salem he was 
 twice elected member of assembly, serving in that body in 181 1 
 and 1816, and during the latter year discharging with marked 
 
BENCH AND BAR 155 
 
 ability the onerous duties of speaker of the assembly, a distinction 
 which has never before or since been conferred on a member from 
 Washington county. Judge Woods was appointed judge of the 
 County Courts in 181 2, and held the position for several years. 
 
 Anthony I. Blanchard, who lived and died in Salem, was widely 
 known as a lawyer of ability. Judge Blanchard, for many years 
 judge of the Court of " Common Pleas, enjoyed a reputation for 
 strict integrity and wise discrimination in the discharge of his 
 judicial duties. • I j 1 1 . I ■- ii);^'! 
 
 In the very front rank of the bar of New York state in the early 
 part of the present century stood the commanding form and mag- 
 netic presence of David Russell, whose skill and forensic ability 
 were equalled by few of his contemporaries. He was pre-eminently 
 an advocate, and displayed, in the many fierce legal conflicts which 
 he fought to a successful issue, wonderful adroitness and marvel- 
 lous resource in cross-examination; his ability to draw the truth, 
 and the whole of it, from an unwilling witness, became proverbial. 
 All lawyers are aware that the most difificult and vexing problem, 
 and that requiring the very highest order of talent in the prosecu- 
 tion or defense of a cause, is the handling of the adversaries' wit- 
 nesses, and in this branch of the profession David Russell stood 
 first. That this famous advocate was not lacking in public spirit 
 and statesmanlike qualities is evinced by the fact that for a series 
 of years he represented the congressional district which embraced 
 Salem, in the halls of national legislation. 
 
 Judge John McLean, who resided in Salem for many years, was 
 a courtly gentleman of the old school, whose long service on the 
 bench as county judge was marked by great dignity and impar- 
 tiality; and in the declining years of life his benign presence and 
 the Christian sympathy in which he abounded, were a benediction 
 to the community. 
 
 Perhaps the most successful of the many law students who 
 imbibed the rudiments of their legal knowledge at the feet of David 
 Russell was Judge Cornelius L. Allen, who attained to the bench 
 of the Supreme Court. Among the wildest dreams of unbridled 
 fancy indulged in by the young attorney, after having hung out his 
 shingle, and while waiting for clients, is the thought that some time 
 he may reach the exalted position of Supreme Court Justice. So 
 great is the honor and distinction of this position in the eyes of all 
 members of the legal fraternity, that there is witnessed, almost 
 
156 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 every year, in some part of the state, the casting aside of a lucrative 
 practice by some brilhant lawyer, that he may assume the functions 
 of this high place in the honors of the profession. Judge Allen, in 
 practice, ranked high as a trial lawyer, while his knowledge of the 
 law was exhaustive and precise. Unusually ready in debate, and 
 forcible in argument, he was uniformly successful. Possessed of a 
 genial kindly nature and unassuming in manner, he was a universal 
 favorite of his brethren at the bar. Judge Allen was district attor- 
 ney of the county for three terms, also master and examiner in chan- 
 cery for a time, and a member of the New York State Constitutional 
 Convention of 1867. 
 
 Bernard Blair, a lawyer of Salem, was associated for twelve years 
 with Judge Allen, under the firm name of Allen & Blair. Mr. Blair 
 was a man of scholarly attainments, thoroughly versed in legal lore, 
 of much public spirit, and active in the advancement of Salem's 
 interests. He represented his district in congress with ability and 
 fidelity. 
 
 Marinus Fairchild, for many years a practicing attorney in Salem, 
 was possessed of an unusually clear and logical mind; his compre- 
 hension of a complex legal proposition was thorough, and his eluci- 
 dation of the principles involved was sure to sweep away all sophis- 
 try and lay bare the shining grains of truth. A young attorney, 
 puzzled and distracted over a knotty problem of law or practice, 
 found in him a considerate and patient friend and counselor, one 
 ever capable of clearing up the doubt and giving a reason for the 
 faith he possessed. Unusually sensitive, retiring and modest in 
 disposition, it is doubtful if Mr. Fairchild ever experienced much 
 of the exhilaration of spirit over his numerous legal successes which 
 renders his vocation fascinating to most successful practitioners. 
 He once remarked that when defeated he was much depressed, and 
 when successful he felt he had accomplished no more than was to be 
 expected. Mr. Fairchild seiwed the county with fidelity for four 
 years as surrogate, and three years as district attorney. 
 
 This resume of some of the leading lawyers of Salem would be 
 incomplete without mention of the name of John H. McFarland. 
 Mr. McFarland was what is known in legal parlance as "an office 
 lawyer," which, being interpreted, is the lauwer w^io prepares the 
 papers, examines the law of the case, formulates the line of attack 
 or defense, interviews the witnesses and arranges the evidence. 
 From all which it will be seen that the office lawver bears about the 
 
BENCH AND BAR 157 
 
 same relation to the office that the main spring does to the watch. 
 For many years John H, McFarland was a faithful co-laborer of 
 Judge Allen, and, no doubt, much of the judge's success at the 
 bar was due to Mr. McFarland's careful, painstaking and studious 
 supervision of the details of the business. 
 
 A deviation from the original intention of mentioning only those 
 attorneys who have passed away must be permitted as to Judge 
 James Gibson, a native and Hfe-long resident of Salem, who will 
 always occupy a prominent place in the history of the town. His 
 long legal career has been one of wide celebrity and varied honors. 
 Judge Gibson, in his later practice, has been connected with many 
 of the most important railroad litigations in the state, and has 
 been uniformly successful in this class of cases. It is well known 
 that the capital of railroad corporations commands the highest class 
 of legal talent, and the fact that the judge has been connected with 
 this branch of the profession fixes his place among the foremost 
 lawyers of the state. Of great energy, untiring industry, decided 
 literary tastes, and disposed to historical research, the life of Judge 
 Gibson has indeed been a busy one. Notwithstanding his exten- 
 sive practice as a lawyer, and his laborious work as a jurist and a 
 legislator, his intensely active intellect has constantly overrun the 
 limits of his profession, and as a historian and writer upon current 
 topics he stands in the front rank. When only thirty years of age 
 the judge was nominated by the Whigs for justice of the Supreme 
 Court, but his prominence as a Mason, which order was at that 
 time looked upon with suspicion by the public, resulted in his 
 defeat. When thirty-four years of age Judge Gibson became 
 county judge, being the youngest man ever elevated to this posi- 
 tion in Washington county. He represented his district in the 
 state senate from 1862 to 1865, taking a very prominent and influ- 
 ential part in the deliberations of this body during these years; he 
 has also been Grand Master of both the Free Masons and Odd Fel- 
 lows. In 185 1 Judge Gibson drew the charter of the village of 
 Salem, which was so far-reaching in its provisions that it remains 
 practically unaltered to this day. 
 
 The limits of this article forbid more than the mention of St. John 
 Honeywood, the brilliant lawyer, artist and poet, long a resident of 
 Salem, whose life and writings can be found in the Public Library 
 of Salem. 
 
 The names of John McCrea, James B. Gibson, Samuel Stevens, 
 
158 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Cyrus Stevens, John Crary, Jesse L. Billings, John Willard, Samuel 
 Nelson, John Russell, Philo Curtis, Moses S. Curtis, John W. 
 Proudfit, Roger Crary, Charles Crary, Timothy T. Cronin, Eugene 
 Cronin, Thaddeus H. Walker, Allan G. Conant, and the kindly and 
 talented James Gibson, Jr., might well be mentioned as lawyers who 
 at some period in their lives practiced their profession in Salem, and 
 who, having faithfully served their generation, fell on sleep. 
 
SOCIETIES 159 
 
 SOCIETIES 
 
 The social characteristics of the people of the town of Salem, 
 even in the olden days, were very marked; they have never exhib- 
 ited selfish or exclusive traits; they have ever mingled with each 
 other, and have worked together in a friendly and helping way that 
 has been very noticeable, and cannot be too highly commended. 
 As a result of this friendly and helpful feeling, many societies, some 
 purely social, others of an intellectual and moral nature, and still 
 others for the purpoise of self protection, have been organized. 
 Some of these societies will be very briefly mentioned, but only 
 those which, by reason of their antiquity or peculiar object, make 
 them of greater interest to the people of the present day; and it 
 will be remembered that many others whose history would now be 
 interesting, have existed for a longer or shorter period, which can- 
 not, for want of the necessary ispace, be even cursorily adverted to 
 in this article. 
 
 Among the oldest societies organized in this town is the one 
 known as the Tract Society, which was established in the year 1800 
 by a few good and philanthropic men and women, for the purpose 
 of disseminating literature of a religious nature, calculated to lead 
 men to a higher, purer and more helpful life. This was the pioneer 
 tract society of America. In it Dr. Proudfit, its originator, laid 
 the foundations upon which the American Tract Society has risen 
 and become one of tlie most powerful factors in our national reHg- 
 ious life. , I 
 
 Another society which was organized very early in the century 
 was called the Moral Society. It was formed in the year 1818, by 
 the young men and women of the town, for the very commendable 
 purpose of improving the moral and intellectual nature of them- 
 selves and of those with whom they came in contact. The facts in 
 regard to this organization are very meager, and it is not known 
 how long it continued, but, undoubtedly, its effects are still to be 
 seen in the high-toned, moral natures of the descendants in this 
 town, of those Vv'ho formed the society, so many long years ago. 
 
i6o THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 A Praying Society was organized sometime, probably in the 
 first years of the century. Among its founders were James McFar- 
 land, Robert McMurray, WilHam JMcFarland, John Rowan and 
 Thomas Steele, all well known and leading citizens in the eaidy days 
 of the town. The name of the society explains its object, and tliat 
 object was as laudable and noble as any that ever moved the minds 
 and energies of men to work in unison. How long these noble 
 and unselfish men labored on together for the salvation of their 
 fellow beings the writer has been unable to learn, but a perfect 
 record has been kept of the work done, by One who never fails to 
 reward His servants, and it is enough for us to know that their 
 reward is with Him. 
 
 The " Academical Society " was organized in 1839, by the stu- 
 dents of Washington Academy, for the intellectual improvement of 
 its members; they met weekly, holding spirited debates and listen- 
 ing to essays composed and read by the members in turn. This 
 society was kept in existence for a considerable period, before it 
 finally died out. A society of the same nature and object was, how- 
 ever, organized in 1865, by the Academy students and the young 
 men and women of the village. The weekly debates were largely 
 attended by the people of the village, and many spirited and able 
 arguments on the questions of the day were held. It is much to be 
 regretted that no (such society is at present in existence. 
 
 The " Young Men's Society " was formed, as its name implies, 
 by the young men of this village and town, on the ist day of Feb- 
 ruar}% 1837. It was of the nature of a club; the members had a 
 room, furnished plainly, and provided with the leading newspapers 
 and magazines of the day, to which they came whenever their leisure 
 permitted, to read, converse, or for purposes of amusement. This 
 society was in existence for several years before it was finally dis- 
 banded. In 1866, a similar society was organized by the young 
 men of this village, who met in the room over Dahmen's store on 
 Main street; and more recently still, in 1893, a society calling itself 
 "The Business Men's Club,'' with the same object and purposes 
 as the two last named, was organized, and is still existing in a 
 healthy condition, having its rooms for meeting in the third story 
 of the Bancroft Memorial Building. 
 
 Many temperance societies have flourished in this town, run 
 their course and disappeared, some of them formed before the 
 beginning of the present century; in fact, there has scarcely been a 
 
SOCIETIES i6i 
 
 time during the past five or six decades when one or more tem- 
 perance societies have not been in existence and doing a good 
 work. One of the most prominent, and whose work was, perhaps, 
 among the most beneficial, was the Sons of Temperance, which met 
 for many years in the Gibson building, recently destroyed by fire. 
 The influence of this society was felt, not only in elections, but in 
 many homes where some well-loved member was living a life of 
 temperance and sobriety as a result of the reclaiming and restrain- 
 ing influence of this organization. 
 
 The Washington County Historical Society was organized in 
 1876, with the object of enlightening its members as to matters of 
 history. 
 
 During the Civil War there was maintained in this town a branch 
 of the Union League Club. 
 
 The Masonic Lodge in this place, Federal Chapter No. 10, is one 
 of the oldest in the state. It was organized in the earlier part of 
 the century, and although for some years it was not in active oper- 
 ation, yet claims a continuous existence. It has held a very promi- 
 nent position among the lodges of the states, and its members have 
 frequently held places of official honor. Asa Fitch, Sr., was at one 
 time Grand High Priest for the state of New York, and Judge 
 James Gibson holds the probably unique distinction of having been 
 Grand Master for the state, both of the Free Masons and the Odd 
 Fellows. 
 
 There has also been for many years in Salem a well-sustained 
 Chapter of the Order of Odd Fellows. 
 
 It would be interesting, did space permit, to have the history of 
 many other societies which, like the people who belonged to them, 
 have been born, flourished for a time, and died. Each church has 
 had, and still has, many for the purpose of aiding and benefitting 
 their members and the community at large. There have been also 
 many of a social and intellectual nature. Many facts in regard to 
 them would be in the highest degree interesting at the present 
 time, and their histories may some day be written in full. 
 
i62 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 
 
 Among many notable things about old Salem of Washington, 
 may be mentioned its Fire Department. 
 
 Organized almost at the beginning of the corporate existence of 
 the village in 1803, it has ever held an enviable and important 
 position. 
 
 Always a volunteer organization, serving without pay, its roster 
 shows the best and bluest blood of its time among the men sturdily 
 marching under its banner. 
 
 Inspection and parades were early the order of the day, and gave 
 almost as much excitement and pleasure to the inhabitants as did 
 " general training." 
 
 In 1803 the village fathers ordered $200 to be raised for procur- 
 ing fire implements. In 1804, $12 was appropriated for fire ladders. 
 Later on in the same year fire buckets were ordered, and places 
 designated where they should be kept. 
 
 In 1810 the trustees, desirous of increasing the number of fire- 
 men, ordered the foreman to present additional names, and in 
 accordance with such order twenty names were sent in. (Ah, and 
 such names; it does one's heart good to read them over. The writer 
 is more than sorry that in tliis short chapter there is no room for 
 the honorable list.) 
 
 In this same year a fire engine was purchased and shelter ordered 
 on the lot next north of the Old Court House. Thus, things, in a 
 quiet way, went along for many years. 
 
 In 1835 committees were formed to find suitable ground, and 
 estimate cost of building an engine house. 
 
 In 1837 a new engine was ordered and made in this village. 
 
 In 1840 contracts were let for two fire wells. In 1849 ^ "^^ 
 engine and hose was ordered, the engine, like the second, manu- 
 factured here. 
 
 The company had in its early days an officer called the " horn 
 blower," whose duties were to blow his horn ten minutes before the 
 
' THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 163 
 
 time for each regular meeting, and immediately on the alarm of fire. 
 That the duties were well performed, old history declares. 
 
 In 1861 the board of trustees decided to purchase Cataract 
 Engine No. 8, of Troy, and four hundred feet of hose. At this 
 time special legislation was obtained allowing sixty members to man 
 the brakes — the old number proving insufficient. 
 
 This was the beginning of old Union No. i, though, as it is the 
 lineal descendant of all the old companies, it can and should in- 
 scribe upon its badges: "Founded 1803." 
 
 In 1866 the first fire bell was placed over old Union quarters, and 
 since then its fierce clang has aroused the town for many and many 
 a midnight hurly burly. 
 
 In 1874 the frequency of fires so alarmed the citizens that action 
 was taken, a committee appointed, with power to purchase a steam 
 fire engine, and the same arrived here in February, 1875, and with it 
 one thousand feet of rubber hose. 
 
 In January, 1875, the trustees, upon application, christened it 
 Osoma Steamer, and under the leadership of the foreman a com- 
 pany was formed and their names formally ratified by the board. 
 They called themselves the Osoma Steamer Company, and shortly 
 after a hose company, whose duty was to attend the steamer, was 
 formed, and inscribed upon its banner " Marion Hose." The Dela- 
 ware and Hudson Railroad Company fitted up a room in the round 
 house, free of charge, where, for many years, the steamer and hose 
 trappings were housed. Later on the steamer and hose, in 1892, 
 were removed to rooms specially prepared for them in the Bancroft 
 Library and Proudfit Hall Building, where they now, at this writ- 
 ing, reside in the full flower of an useful existence. 
 
 In 1875 the C. M. Welles Hook and Ladder Company was organ- 
 ized by the trustees, and its founder presented fifteen names for 
 ratification, which were accepted. Truck, ladders, buckets, etc., were 
 purchased of Trojan Hook and Ladder Company No. 3, of Troy, 
 in 1875, and the company immediately began its career. 
 
 A number of gentlemen in the same year formed an association 
 and advanced money to erect a special house for them, where they 
 were housed for many years, until they, too, were ordered to the 
 Public Building, in which rooms had been prepared for them. 
 
 Over seven hundred people have been identified with the depart- 
 ment in these ninety-two years of its life, representing in their time 
 the best of everything in blood, talent, business and capacity. 
 
i64 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 The writer is loth to stop, for there are names of worth running 
 through four, three and two generations, and material enough to 
 make a book of an hundred pages, with incidents of more exciting 
 interest than commonly fall to the lot of even the writer of fiction. 
 
SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION 165 
 
 SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION 
 
 It is a matter of regret that a more satisfactory record has not 
 been kept of the citizens of the town of Salem who served as soldiers 
 in the struggle for American independence. In so far as the record 
 goes, we can obtain little more than the names of some of them. 
 However, it appears, from sources that seem to be reliable, that 
 there were very many in the town who were true to the American 
 cause, and went forth to do battle for it. At the beginning of the 
 Revolutionary period there were not a few who sympathized with 
 and were loyal to the crown, but, as the war progressed, their num- 
 ber gradually diminished, until at its close ver}^ few could be found. 
 It is very probable that some of these changed their attitude from 
 motives of policy — they may have been like the man who sat on 
 the fence until he saw which side looked the best, and then got 
 down on that, but at this distance, we cannot speak definitely as to 
 this. And yet, we must be charitable toward those who were, at 
 least for a time, loyal to Great Britain. Many of them had but 
 recently come from the mother country, and it could scarcely be 
 expected that the children would be ready, at once, to take up 
 arms against their mother, even though that mother was most 
 unmotherly in her conduct. It is said of Rev. Thomas Clark, the 
 founder and first pastor of the United Presbyterian Church, that his 
 sympathies at the beginning of the war were not clearly with the 
 American cause. He afterwards, however, espoused the cause of 
 his adopted country, and was most pronounced in his public utter- 
 ances in favor of independence. So radical a patriot did he become, 
 that at the close of the war, when he was asked by a man who had 
 been a Tory to baptize his child, he refused to administer the ordi- 
 nance until the man should repent of his sin. From this it may be 
 inferred that he had truly repented of his own. As in his case, so 
 in the case of many others, there w^as repentance and the bringing 
 forth fruits meet for repentance. 
 
 Of those who stood out prominently among the patriots, John 
 Williams, M. D., might be mentioned. He took an active part in 
 
i66 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 all that tended to strengthen and make successful the American 
 cause. In the early part of 1776, he was commissioned colonel of 
 a regiment which was raised mainly by his own efforts in the county 
 of Charlotte, and remained its commander, except for a brief period, 
 through the war. He also served as surgeon in one of the New 
 York regiments, in which capacity he rendered most valuable ser- 
 vice. He was at the battle of Monmouth, under Washington, sup- 
 posably doing the double duty of regimental commander and army 
 surgeon. It is n:r ;-om;:. !•'• • ,. : . .:, i.'. ■.:•-:■ :):.i']e 01 
 
 Bennington, Bemis Heights, and also with Gates, with whom he 
 seems to have been on intimate terms of friendship, at Schuyler- 
 ville, as also at the surrender of Evirgoyne. After the close of the 
 war Colonel Williams continued the commander of his regiment 
 until the next year, when he became brigadier-general. He was a 
 man of far-reaching influence, and during that trying period, it was 
 all exerted on the side of the cause that lay so near his heart. At 
 this distance, it is impossible to estimate the value of his services; 
 perhaps even in that day they were not fully appreciated. 
 
 Another of the prominent patriots of the town during this period 
 was Colonel Joseph jMcCrackcn. It is said of him that he was a 
 most enthusiastic patriot. He was commander of the American 
 troops for a time stationed here. He was in many of the battles 
 of the war, and at the battle of Monmouth was so badly wounded 
 in the arm as to render amputation necessary. The operation was 
 performed by his friend. Dr. Williams. 
 
 Mention might also be made of Captain McNitt, who was in com- 
 mand of what was known as " The Black Creek Mihtia." Being on 
 one occasion attacked by a company of Tories, he and his men took 
 refuge in a building on what is now known as the Captain Hays 
 farm, and after a sharp fight repulsed the attacking party. There 
 are those still living who have seen the marks of conflict on the old 
 building. 
 
 A man living but a short distance north of the village, by the 
 name of Moore, is said to have been so violent in his demonstra- 
 tions against the Tories, that he was called "Mad Moore." 
 
 There were, doubtless, many others of whom honorable mention 
 might be made if the facts were only known. It is known that this 
 town had its representatives at Bennington, Bemis Heights, Schuy- 
 lerville and Monmouth, and no doubt many of them distinguished 
 themselves by their bravery and deeds of valor. 
 
SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION 167 
 
 The following is a list of the names, so far as they can be ascer- 
 tained, of those who did military service during- some part of the 
 Revolutionary war. There are doubtless other names which should 
 be added to this list, but because of the neglect of some person they 
 must remain among the " unknown heroes." 
 
 AFFLECK James, ABBEE Eleazer, ALDRIDGE David, 
 ALEXANDER James, ALLEN Henry, ANDERSON John, 
 ANNES Joseph, ARMSTRONG James, John, Robert and Thomas. 
 
 BAKER Solomon and Ttinothy, BARBER Jonathan, BARKER 
 Nathaniel, BARNS James, John'and John, Jr., BARTLETT Bar- 
 tharmew, BEATY John and Thomas, BELL Robert and William, 
 BELLOWS Thomas, BESSEY Elias, BENNINGER Isaac, 
 BIGELOW Samuel, BLACK James, BLAKELY David, George, 
 James and John, BLAKENEY Nicholas, BOTHWELL James, 
 BOYD John, Robert and Thomas, BRISTOL Silas, BROWN 
 James and Zeremiah. 
 
 CALDWELL Robert, CAMPBELL WiUiam, CULVER, Sam- 
 uel, CARSWELL Abner, David, Nathaniel and Samuel, CHAM- 
 BERS John, CLARK Ebenezer, James, John and Thomas, 
 CLEVELAND Benjamin, COLLINS Thomas and John, CON- 
 KEY John, Joshua, Joseph, Richard and Silas, COVEL Jacob, 
 CRAIG James, CREIGHTON Robert, CROCKER Ephraim and 
 Levi, CROSSETT John and Samuel, CROUCH Richard, CRUIK- 
 SHANK George and William. 
 
 DIBBLE Wilham, DOTY Theodoras and John, DICH John, 
 DUBOIS Abram, DUNCAN John, DUNLAP John, DUNN 
 Alexander E. 
 
 FASTEN George, EDGAR David, EDIE Joshua, ELLIS Ben- 
 jamin, EMBURY David, EVANS John. 
 
 FARNSWORTH Solomon, FISHER David and John, FITCH 
 Asa, Elisha, Peletiah and Peletiah, Jr., FOSTER Abraham, John 
 and Richard, FOWLER George,' FRYGH John, FULLER 
 Nathaniel. 
 
 GAMBEL James and Samuel, GARRA Alexander and Sidney, 
 GATES Joshua, GAULT Alexander and John, GAYNOR Edward, 
 GETTY "Adam, David, John, Robert and Robert, Jr., GIBSON 
 John and Thomas, GILCHRIST James and John, GILLIS Alex- 
 ander and Archibald, GILMORE' Robert, GOULD Jabez, GRA- 
 HAM John, William and Winthrop, GRAY David, Edward, Isaac, 
 John, John, Jr., Nathaniel, Samuel, Silas and William, GRIMES 
 
i68 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 John and William, GRO\'E Benjamin. GUTHRIE George, John 
 and Samuel. 
 
 HALL Alichael, HA^HLTOX James, John and Joseph, 
 HANXA John, HARRINGTON James and Peter, HARR.\ Jos- 
 eph and Samuel HARSHA John, HARVEY Benjamin and James, 
 HASCALL Bradshaw, HENDERSON, Alexander, David, John 
 and William, HENRY Hugh and John, HIGGINS Robert, HOP- 
 KINS David and David, Jr., George, Isaac, James and James, Jr., 
 John, Nathan, Samuel and Samuel, Jr., HOY Richard, William, 
 WilHam Jr., HL'GGINS Robert and William, HUNSDON Alan. 
 Alexander and John, and John, Jr., HUTCHAN Charles, HAR- 
 MON Alpheus, Alpheus, Jr., ^lartin and Selah. 
 
 JACKSON Nathan. 
 
 LAMOND Francis and John, LAW John, LIVINGSTON Dan- 
 iel or Donald and John, LYON Samuel and Thomas, LYTLE An- 
 drew, Isaac, lames, John, Robert and William, LONG Edward, 
 LOOMIS wilHam, LOUDON John. 
 
 McAllister Hamilton and John, McARTHUR John, Robert 
 and Samuel, McCARTER John and John, Jr., and Robert, Mc- 
 CARTY Hugh, AIcCLAUGHRY Andrew and Mathew, Mc- 
 CLEARY Daniel, Da\id and John, McCLUER John, McCOY 
 John and William, ^IcCRACKEN David, Joseph and Josiah, 
 McDonald Alexander and John, McFARLAND James and 
 James, Jr., John and William, McGARRA Alexander, Sidney, 
 McGINNESS Peter, McKILLOP Thomas and John, McKNIGHT 
 David and George, McLEOD Daniel or Donald, McMICKLE 
 John and Robert, McAHLLAN John. McMURRAY Robert, Mc- 
 NISH Alexander, Andrew, James and Joseph, McNITT Alexander 
 and Alexander, Jr., Andrew, Daniel, David and John, McOLTEEN 
 Peter, McQUIVEY Asa, McWEAR William, McWETHY David 
 and Silas, McWHORTER John, James and Mathew, IMAINS James, 
 MARTIN Hugh, John, Joseph and Moses, MATHEWS Robert 
 and William, MATHIAS William, IMATHISON Daniel or Donald, 
 MILLER Ezekiel, George, James, John, William and William, Jr., 
 MILLS Tames, MITCHELL Robert, MOFFAT WilHam, MON"- 
 CRIEF Hugh and William, MORGAN Nathan, MORRISON 
 Ephraim, Hugh. James, John, Samuel and Thomas, MOOR, Hugh, 
 James and James, Jr., and John, MUNSON John and Nathaniel, 
 MURDOCH Hezekiah. 
 
 NESBITT John, NEVIUS John, Nilson, Joseph. 
 
SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION 169 
 
 ORR Thomas, OSWALD Thomas. 
 
 PAGE Christopher and WilHam, PARISH John and Josiah, 
 PENNELL Isaac, John, Moses and Robert, PARKER Michael, 
 PATTENGILL OHver, PATTERSON David, Ezra, Jacob, Joseph 
 and Levi, PECK John, PITCHER Reuben, POLLOCK William. 
 
 QUA Robert. 
 
 RAMAGE James and John, RANALDS Hugh and John, RICE 
 David, RISING Abram, ROBINSON George, ROGES Hugh, 
 James and William, ROWAN James, John and John, Jr., RUS- 
 SELL Ebenezer. 
 
 SAVAGE Edward and James, SCOTT Elijah, SHAPLEIGH 
 Richard, SHEPHERD Henry and John, SIMPSON Alexander, 
 Andrew and John, SKINNER David, SLARRA Joseph and Sam- 
 uel, SLOAN James and William, SMITH Aaron, Gilbert and Wil- 
 liam, SPENCER Ezekiel, STEEL John and Thomas, STEVEN- 
 SON James, STEWART Alexander and Alexander, Jr., Archi- 
 bald, David, James, Robert, Solomon and William, STONE Aaron. 
 
 TEAKLE James, TELLER Ahashuerus, John and William, 
 TERILL Amos, Samuel and William, THOMAS Ephraim and 
 Joel, THOMPSON Jacob, James and James, Jr., John, William 
 and William, Jr., TITUS Timothy, TOMB David, James, Joseph 
 and Thomas, TRACY Solomon, TUCKER Joseph, TURNER 
 Alexander, Reuben and James. 
 
 WADE Solomon, WALLACE John, WALKER James, John 
 and Stephen, WARREN Mordecai, WEBB David and John, 
 WEBSTER Alexander, WELCH Daniel, WHEDON David, 
 Dennison, Edmond and Edmond, Jr., WHITE John, WHITMORE 
 Benjamin, WILCOX Jered, WILLIAMS David, John, Lemuel, 
 Lewis, Samuel and Thomas, WILSON David, James and James, Jr., 
 Joseph, John, Nathan, Peter and Robert, WRIGHT Jonathan and 
 Samuel, WOOD Reuben. 
 
 In the town of Salem there were no extensive military operations 
 in way of battles, no great conflict took place here. The town, 
 however, was threatened, and preparations were made for defense 
 against any attacking party. The New England congregation, as it 
 was then called, were engaged in the erection of a church building — 
 the incomplete church was converted into a fort by the patriot 
 forces, the church was put into better shape as a place of defense, 
 and facilities for feeding the soldiers were arranged within. A 
 stockade was built around with logs taken from the first church 
 
I70 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 built b)- Dr. Clark's colony, tlien kno^\^l as the "Scotch Church." 
 This fort was built in 1777. Witli the remainder of the logs of the 
 old church, a blockhouse was built the next year on what is now 
 kno\\Ti as " ^Nlill hill," as an outpost of the fort This fort was 
 attacked b}- a party from Burgo}-ne-s army, but they were repulsed 
 by the patriots under the command of Colonel ^IcCracken. IMili- 
 tary stores were kept in this fort and sent out as they were needed. 
 This fort stood only a short time. In the early autumn of the next 
 year after the stockade was completed, the inhabitants of the towTi 
 were compelled to flee by the approach of Burgo^Tie's army, and in 
 their absence the fort was burned by the Tories. But while the 
 town seemed to be deserted by the patriots, it was not entirely so. 
 Some sought hiding places among the hills, where they kept an 
 eye on what was transpiring until the danger was past and then 
 returned, and it is said that tliese men were able to make such reve- 
 lations in reference to the attitude of certain parties, that on the 
 return of the patriots who had fled, it became so uncomfortable for 
 the Tories that they deemed it advisable to leave the town perma- 
 nently, and this they did. Taking all things into consideration, no 
 doubt the}' did •\\'isely. 
 
 There were other heroes in those days than those who bore arms 
 and contended on tlie field of battle. . The times were perilous 
 times, but the ^^•ives and mothers were equal to what was demanded 
 of them. What was demanded of them! Who can appreciate what 
 that was? Husbands and fathers and brothers were doing mili- 
 tary- dut}-, and bands of Indians were hable to fall upon them at 
 any time, the care of the house and home interests was largely 
 theirs, and yet they bravely accepted the situation with no sem- 
 blance of faltering. The courage in the home was certainly not 
 far behind that of the battle field. While, therefore, we honor the 
 Tiiemorv' of the Revolutionan,- fathers, let us not forget, at the same 
 time, to pay due honor to the memory of the Revolutionar}^ mothers 
 whose devotion and sacrifice contributed in no small degree toward 
 the triumph of the cause of American independence. 
 
 This brief and fragmentan.- article is not at all what it ought to 
 be. but it is the best that could be prepared in the circumstances. 
 It may, however, be sufficient to remind the citizens of Salem in 
 the time to come, that in the Revolutionary' days, the town claimed 
 many sons and daughters, who did their part toward making the 
 struggle of the colonies for independence triumphant. It may also 
 
SALEM IN THE REVOLUTION 171 
 
 serve to impress upon the present generation the truth which 
 needs to be felt and acknowledged more than it yet has been, that 
 others have labored and we have entered into their labors, that we 
 are not procurers, but inheritors, and should transmit the inherit- 
 ance not merely unimpaired, but with great accession, to the gen- 
 eration following. 
 
172 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 SOLDIERS OF THE WAR FOR THE UNION 
 
 The warm and exciting political contest of i860 resulted in the 
 election of Abraham Lincoln to the office of President of the United 
 States. The hotheads of the south had proclaimed their intention, 
 if such -should be the result, to dissolve, what they deemed the 
 copartnership of the states, and set up for themselves a confederacy, 
 where the " divine " right to hold their fellow beings, who were 
 blacker in the color of their skin than they, in the bonds of slavery, 
 as human chattels, should be recognized as one of the corner 
 stones. So, when the official result of that election was declared, 
 measures were taken to carry out their threats. South Carolina, 
 always fiery and fond of secession, found no Andrew Jackson in the 
 presidential chair to declare in his vehement style, " The union must 
 and shall be preserved," and so led the way, weak James Buchanan 
 looking on " in listless despair." Other states, south of Mason and 
 Dixon's line, swung from their moorings and joined the Palmetto 
 state. 
 
 Lincoln was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1861. A republi- 
 can administration was at the helm, but southern men and southern 
 states kept on with their scheming to destroy the union and degrade 
 the " Old Flag," ignoring entirely the patriotic and noble declara- 
 tions of his inaugural address. On the 12th of April the sound of 
 rebel guns firing upon Sumter reverberated through the north and 
 fired every patriotic heart. Treason was rampant, but from thou- 
 sands of throats rang out with vigor, "Old Hickory's" declaration: 
 "The union must and shall be preserved." Troops were called for 
 and in every city, town and hamlet there sprang up gallant men, 
 ready to do service, and if need be, die for the preservation of the 
 Union, handed down to them by brave and noble fathers. 
 
 In common with other towns, Salem was not destitute of patri- 
 otic citizens, who were willing to leave the peaceful pursuits of life, 
 forego the comforts of home and the pleasant associations of their 
 social life, for the trying experiences of the camp, the field and 
 battle. It is unfortunate that we have not access to any publication 
 
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR FOR THE UNION 173 
 
 that gives us a full history of those days in our ovvn town ; that tells us 
 who was first to put his name down as a volunteer. There were no 
 full companies raised in Salem, in '61, we think, but many 
 of our townspeople went into companies started in other towns, and 
 were connected with regiments made up of companies from different 
 counties. So we know that some of our townsmen were mustered 
 into the Twenty-second New York Infantry, a regiment which saw 
 much active service and lost many men. One of the officers of the 
 line in this regiment was Thomas B. Fisk, of Shushan, and another 
 who enlisted as a private, but won his bars, was William T. Beattie, 
 of the village, who was killed, if we mistake not, at the second 
 Bull Run battle. There were others also from our town, but we 
 have not their names. In the Ninety-third New York Infantry, 
 there were quite a number from Salem, one of our citizens, James 
 M. Crawford, having a commission in one of the companies when 
 the regiment went to the front. 
 
 The Second Cavalry, as it was first called, had one company 
 recruited in Salem, by Col. S. W. Russell, though many of its mem- 
 bers were from other towns in the county. This company, mustered 
 in September 7, 1861, was mustered out of the service in the spring 
 of 1862, with the regiment, there being, as was then thought, too 
 many of the cavalry in the service. Many of the members of this 
 company re-enlisted in other regiments, Captain Russell being 
 detached for staff duty with General David Russell. In the summer 
 of 1862 there was a call for " 300,000 more." The campaign of 
 McClellan before Richmond had resulted disastrously, and it was 
 apparent that men in much larger numbers would be needed. This 
 call, while it showed very plainly the serious character of the struggle 
 in which we were engaged, also aroused in loyal men a spirit of 
 determination that the country should be kept intact and that every 
 sacrifice must be made to secure that result. In the arrangement 
 for this state's apportionment to fill that call, one regiment of 
 infantry was asked for from Rensselaer and Washington counties, 
 but each county resolved to raise a regiment. A meeting was called 
 at Argyle, which was largely attended, on the 22d of July, 1862, and 
 at that meeting, presided over by Judge Allen of Salem, stirring 
 addresses were made and the patriotism of the people greatly 
 aroused. It was heartily resolved to raise a regiment in our county, 
 and that A. L. McDougall, Esq., of Salem, be named as its colonel. 
 The different towns were divided into company districts, and com- 
 
174 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 mittees appointed to aid in enlisting volunteers. At a subsequent 
 meeting of the war committee, John King of Salem was appointed 
 quartermaster of the regiment. On the twenty-ninth of July, George 
 H. Wallance, who was designated as the adjutant of the regiment, 
 and John King, the quartermaster, enlisted at Albany, were com- 
 missioned and mustered into the United States service, being the 
 first officers of the new regiment mustered in; the other field and 
 line officers being mustered at "Camp Washington,'' located on the 
 then fair grounds at Salem, on September 4, 1862. The colonel of 
 the regiment, being from Salem, we cannot refrain from expressing 
 regret, that the Salem company was not promptly raised, so that it 
 could have held the right of the regiment as Company "A," but 
 that honor was secured by the Greenwich company, the first, with 
 beating drums and waving " Old Glory," to march into camp. The 
 Salem company was letter " H." 
 
 The regiment broke camp the evening of September fifth. Who 
 that was in Salem that night or that was in the cars starting for 
 the front, will ever forget that evening? The night was warm, the 
 moon shining as brightly as it could through the hazy atmosphere. 
 Crowds of people had gathered in Salem. Fathers, mothers, sisters, 
 brothers, sweethearts and friends were there to speak words of fare- 
 well and utter wishes for protection and safe return. There were 
 pressures of the hands and words of parting spoken that were never 
 to be felt or spoken again to and by many on that train. Amid the 
 shouts and cheers of the gathered throng the cars moved away. 
 The shouts grew less in sound, and there were many eyes peering 
 earnestly from car window and platform to catch a last look at the 
 dear old valley. At Shushan and at Cambridge other crowds 
 were gathered, other cheers given and other good-byes said and 
 we were ofif. We reached New York on Saturday and, formed in 
 line, marched to the barracks, located where now stands the post- 
 office. Sabbath afternoon we were again in line; marched to the 
 steamboat that took us to Perth Amboy, where we disembarked 
 and entered the cars for a night ride. Monday morning found the 
 regiment in Philadelphia, to breakfast at the Cooper refreshment 
 room, that noble institution, which provided so much of comfort 
 for regiments passing through the city. Here the messenger of 
 death came to one of the Salem company, Evander Burtis, the first 
 one of the regiment who gave his life for his country. It is need- 
 less here to give the itinerary of the regiment, but it can properly 
 
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR FOR THE UNION 175 
 
 be said that it was a good regiment, having good officers in the 
 main, and that its record during the war, in the Army of the Poto- 
 mac and with Sherman, in his march to the sea, was one of which 
 every resident of our county may be justly proud. 
 
 There were other soldiers, in other regiments, before and subse- 
 quent to the going out of the One Hundred and Twenty-third, 
 and of our town it is written, " The town was in advance of all 
 demands of the government and more than met them, having men 
 standing to its credit in excess of quotas at the close of the war." 
 We trust we shall never have another war, either among ourselves 
 or with another nation, but if such an event occur, may old Salem be 
 equally patriotic. 
 
 It will be allowable, perhaps, to individuaUze some who, in the 
 great strife for the preservation and integrity of the Union, gave 
 themselves even to the death. Most noted, because of his position, 
 was Gen. David A. Russell. Much, however, was to be expected 
 of him. He was the nation's ward, having enjoyed its fostering 
 care and educational advantages at West Point, and the nation had 
 great claims upon him. As a captain in the regular army, with 
 little Phil Sheridan as his lieutenant, he was with his company in 
 Washington territory at the breaking out of hostilities. He came 
 east, we think in the spring of 1862, and went into active service, 
 and it was not long before Russell and Sheridan were heard from. 
 General Russell fell in the service at Winchester, Va. No doubt, 
 if spared, he would have made a conspicuous record, for he was an 
 intelligent and brave officer. Of Col. A. L. McDougall we may 
 say, that going to the war was to him a great personal sacrifice. 
 The colonel had a growing and interesting family, and a good pro- 
 fessional business. It would seem that he could present reasons 
 for not entering the service far more forcible than were presented 
 by many, but his heart was full of patriotism, and so he went to 
 the front. Colonel McDougall made a good soldier and officer; 
 he was liked and esteemed by his associate officers and by his men. 
 It was while with Sherman, on the march to the sea, and about the 
 25th of May, 1864, that the battle of Dallas or New Hope Church 
 was fought, and it was in one of the charges, while bravely urging 
 his men on, that the fatal bullet entered one of his knees, shattering 
 it frightfully and requiring its amputation. From that wound the 
 Colonel did not recover, but died at Chattanooga, on the twenty- 
 third of June, another life given to quell the treason of the south. 
 
176 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Colonel McDougall's remains were brought to Salem and deposited 
 in our beautiful Evergreen cemetery, where also lie the remains of 
 General Russell and other heroes who reached an honored end in 
 their country's service. It is to be written tliat no monument 
 marks the grave where the body of Colonel McDougall lies, and 
 thus Salem has honored the memory of one who manifested his 
 patriotism by giving his life for his country. 
 
 With the Salem company we have particulai'ly to do. This com- 
 pany was officered by John S. Crary, as captain; Benjamin Elliot, 
 as first lieutenant, and Josiah H. Culver, as second lieutenant. The 
 two former officers resigned their commissions and retired from the 
 army in less than a year from their enlistment, while the second lieu- 
 tenant remained in the service to the close of the war and was mus- 
 tered out as the captain of the company. Among the privates of 
 this company were some of our noble young men. From the ranks, 
 at least three, Robert Cruikshank, Robert Beattie and Laurence M. 
 Roy were promoted and became commissioned officers, while many 
 others were brave soldiers and doubtless worthy of promotion. 
 There were seventy-eight men in the Salem company enlisted in 
 the town, and as some other companies exceeded their quotas some 
 of their number were transferred to this company. The record of 
 the company we take from Sergeant ilorehouse's Reminiscences 
 of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment. This roll shows 
 the company number, including officers, as being eighty-seven. Of 
 this number we find that two commissioned officers resigned. Of 
 the privates that were discharged for disability, four; from wounds, 
 one; from hospitals at different places and times, nine; that were left 
 sick at Salem, who did not report for duty, two; that were trans- 
 ferred to invalid corps, two ; that deserted, three ; that were missed on 
 marches, two ; that there were five of the manner of whose discharge 
 there is no statement; that there was one suicide; that there died 
 from disease, twelve; died from wounds, four; killed on picket or 
 in battle, four; taken prisoners and not heard from, two; returned 
 with the regiment and were mustered out, thirty-four. Of the latter, 
 nine had received wounds and two had been prisoners of war. 
 
 Those who were killed were: James L. Beattie, while on picket 
 dut)'; John A. Mairs and Wm. L. Rich, at Chancellorsville, and 
 Peter McNassar, at Culps Farm. Those who died from wounds 
 received were: Archibald Johnston, at Chancellorsville; Henry Dan- 
 forth, at Peach Tree Creek; Joseph Kearsing, at Culps Farm, in 
 
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR FOR THE UNION 177 
 
 confederate hospital at his deatli, aiid Corporal VVm. ii. Stewart, at 
 Chancellorsville. 
 
 It will be seen that only eight were killed or died from wounds 
 received, while twelve were carried off by disease, thus showing that 
 the exposures of camp life, the imperfect dietetic arrangements, and 
 want of care when sick, were more fatal to the boys than the bullets 
 or sabers of the enemy. When we remember these experiences we 
 wonder that so many came back, and are not surprised when we see 
 that the experiences of that trying ordeal has made many prema- 
 turely old, and shortened, to human observation, the lives of many 
 others. 
 
 The war of 1861-1865 closed with the surrender of Lee, at Appo- 
 matox, virtually, and then was witnessed the sublime spectacle of 
 the disbanding of the great host of soldiers, who had been mus- 
 tered in for the defense of the union, and their return to their homes. 
 Years of service in camp and in the field, some feared would have a 
 deteriorating efifect upon the men, and that, released from the 
 restraints of army discipline, they would become a terror and 
 scourge to the community. But such fears were groundless. 
 American soldiers were American citizens, and the terrible and 
 trying scenes through which they had passed did not lessen their 
 respect for law and their conscious obligation to serve their country 
 as well in peace as in war. So they, who had borne the brunt of the 
 fight, the inertia of camp life, the want of good food and the depri- 
 vation of social life, were glad to get back to their homes and friends, 
 to participate in the blessings of domestic and neighborhood life 
 and rejoice that this " cruel war was over." 
 
 As we write we hear the echoes of that grand encampment of the 
 G. A. R., at Louisville, Ky., where the blue and the gray meet 
 again — not as foes, facing each other in deadly strife, 
 but as friends, to clasp hands and vie with each other, as they enthu- 
 siastically salute " Old Glory," the one flag of the united nation, 
 which, may the God of nations never sever. We close with the 
 words of Watterson, in his speech: "Blessed, thrice blessed, we 
 who have lived to see fulfilled the psalmist's prophecy of peace: 
 
 Peace in the quiet dales, 
 Made rankly fertile by the blood of men : 
 Peace in the woodland and the lowly glen, 
 
 Peace in the peopled vales. 
 
lyS THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Peace in the crowded town : 
 Peace in a thousand fields of waving grain : 
 Peace in the highway and tlie flow'ry lane, 
 
 Peace o'er the wind swept down. 
 
 Peace on the whirring masts, 
 Peace where the scholar thinks, the hunter roams, 
 Peace, God of peace, peace, peace in all our homes 
 
 And all our hearts." 
 
CHARACTERISTICS 179 
 
 CHARACTERISTICS 
 
 One who essays to trace the ancestral footprints, and determine 
 therefrom the characteristics of a people, should possess " the pen 
 of a ready writer," like unto the David of old; should possess an 
 exceptionally clear insight into the hearts and minds of men, like 
 Dickens; should, to be a faithful writer, have grown up with the 
 times; be, in fact, a very Methuselah. Inadequacy of qualification 
 confronts the writer at this point, who fain would steal away until 
 " Old Father Time," in oft recurring cycling, shall have hewn 
 down with his scythe all obstacles to his aspirations as a writer. 
 
 The characteristics of any little burgh, from its birth through its 
 first generation, make such marks upon its history as time can 
 hardly efface. 
 
 ' ' By trifles in our common ways, 
 Our characters are slowly piled, 
 We lose not all our yesterdays ; 
 The man has something of the child. 
 Part of the past to all the present cleaves, 
 As the rose-odors linger in the fading leaves." 
 
 Time, swift of foot and unchangeable, goes steadily on; mean- 
 while, "the times," chameleon-like, are ever changing, and, replete 
 with new books and new schemes emanating from the minds of 
 new men, tend to bring about new circumstances and to develop 
 new phases of long-remembered characteristics. It might be pos- 
 sible to draw from the pages of by-gone days, recognizable indi- 
 vidualities, for we can almost single out on the face of the old-time 
 picture of Training Day, the " Micawber," the " Miss Lillerton," 
 and the " Scrooge " of Salem town. But we must generalize. 
 
 ■' All good things are in trinities." We select, then, and note 
 briefly, from the many attributes inherent in these people, three 
 distinct traits, which will furnish an adequate and fair insight into 
 their lives. 
 
i8o THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Hospitality, open-handed, large-hearted hospitality, an attribute 
 of no mean ministry, as l<:nown among the Salemites of early years, 
 stands prominently forth. The stranger within its gates never 
 knew his lack. They hardly recognized the fact that they were 
 strangers, so kindly were they received; indeed, they were almost in 
 the condition of the man who had chosen for a pet a " king of 
 beasts," whose anxiety to befriend his master, and keep the flies 
 from his face while he slept, resulted in his death. He was literally 
 killed with kindness. The testimony of all who visit Salem to the 
 present time, wliether singly or in crowds, bears out the fact that 
 " part of the past to the present cleaves." It seems not out of place 
 to mention in this connection the fact of a provision in our beau- 
 tiful cemetery for the reception of the strangers when they shall 
 have slept their last sleep. A spot so beautiful that we might 
 almost wish ourselves strangers; a spot where creation's anthems 
 are ever attuned to God's praise, where nature's offerings are ever 
 proffered. Its robe of living green; its sober-hued but beautiful 
 wrappings of autumn, and its tenderly deposited slumber-robe of 
 purity, all according to season. 
 
 We turn the page and are thrilled as we read of the patriotism 
 and valor which entered so largely into the lives of the early settlers, 
 and without which no colony could stand. Proof enough we have 
 in the fact of their ultimate successes. 
 
 Once more we turn a leaf. They were good; so good. Indeed, 
 those good old times, to which our faith is pinned and of which 
 we have heard so much, smacked so of goodness, that we are prone 
 to congratulate ourselves that we are of the present. Perhaps we 
 are the fiction of human literature, while they represent the history. 
 We do not feel with Mark Twain, however, that " we don't want to 
 be like any of their good people, we prefer a little healthy wicked- 
 ness." We are far from speaking disparagingly of their goodness, 
 for to the existence of this attribute of strength we owe much. 
 Coming as they did to a new country for the sake of religious lib- 
 erty, battling with their might for the means of subsistence, striving 
 against all manner of discouragements, required a strength of pur- 
 pose and a faith, deep and abiding. Devotion to their God under 
 whatever circumstances seemed to have been the purpose of their 
 lives. There are unrecorded volumes, lost poems and unsung 
 anthems in the lives of those forerunners of our times. 
 
CHARACTERISTICS i8i 
 
 " I like the man who faces what he must 
 With step triumphant and a heart of cheer ; 
 Who fights the daily battle without fear ; 
 Sees his hopes fail, yet keeps unfaltering trust 
 That God is God. " 
 
 Only three links from a great chain forged in the heat of life's 
 battle, each one fitly joined to the other, bearing a weight of mean- 
 ing, suggestive of strength, durability and usefulness. 
 
THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 DISriNGUlSHKD VISITORS 
 
 Salem has been and is a Mecca to which illustrious individuals 
 from early history to the present time have been wont to resort. 
 It would be interesting to know the " times and the seasons '' of the 
 coming of these great men to the little village, tucked in among 
 the hills, away from the distracting elements of the busy world, 
 but history is silent to the whys and the wherefores. We can only 
 conjecture that, like Canaan of old, it was "pleasant to the eye 
 and a land to be desired." 
 
 In the early history of our country calamitous war was abroad in 
 the vicinity, and we read of the marching of troops and military 
 maneuvers; it is reasonable to suppose matters connected with the 
 army brought thither men prominent in the Revolutionary struggle. 
 
 We know of Ethan Allen being often in Salem, and we are sure 
 the presence of the grand old defender of our liberty must have 
 served to strengthen the hearts of the patriots, and fill them with 
 courage and enthusiasm. Later, Aaron Burr visited Salem, pre- 
 sumably the guest of General Williams, for he is remembered as 
 attending service in the White Church and occupying the General's 
 pew. 
 
 Another great and good man was Jared Sparks, who, in his boy- 
 hood, lived some years in Washington county. His biography 
 tells us "while obtaining the rudiments of an education, he worked 
 on a farm:" it may be the healthful soil and invigorating atmos- 
 phere developed in the ambitious youth the seeds of future useful- 
 ness, for afterward we hear of him as teacher, preacher, professor 
 and prominent journalist. He must have had tender associations 
 connected with his early home, and revisited it often, for a monu- 
 ment erected by him to a faithful nurse is to be seen in Evergreen 
 Cemetery. 
 
 DeWitt Clinton, mayor of New York city, state senator, and 
 twice governor, was a frequent visitor in Salem. He must have 
 thought well of the intellectual atmosphere, for he placed a son in 
 Washington Academy: the young man lived in the familv of Dr. 
 
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 183 
 
 Prondfit. Many clergymen of all denominations have tarried a 
 little in Salem. We know of Rev. Nicholas Murray, known by his 
 nom de plume of " Kirwan," being often here. He is doubtless 
 familiar to many through his correspondence with Rt. Rev. Bishop 
 Hughes of the Roman Catholic Church. Many were the visits of 
 Rev. George Bethune, a prominent Presbyterian divine and author. 
 
 Samuel Irenaeus Prime, also clergyman, and editor of the New 
 York Observer; Dr. Nathan S. Beman, another distinguished min- 
 ister, are also to be named among Salem's visitors. 
 
 Many Episcopal bishops have been Salem's honored guests. Dr. 
 Henry C. Potter, P. E., bishop of New York; his uncle, Horatio 
 Potter, also bishop of the same state; Rt. Rev. John Scarborough, 
 bishop of New Jersey; Rt. Rev. Leighton Coleman, bishop of Dela- 
 ware, and Bishop William C. Doane, of Albany. The Roman 
 Catholic Church has been represented by Archbishop McCloskey, 
 recently created Cardinal by Pope Leo XHI. 
 
 Many distinguished men of science and dignitaries of the law 
 have visited Salem. Judges of the supreme court — among these, 
 Charles O. Tappen, Martin S. Stover, D. Cady Herrick, and others. 
 Of prominent lawyers, ex-Judge Thomas Moran, and Salem's own 
 son, the late Judge King McAllister, both of Chicago. 
 
 M^any physicians and surgeons of wide reputation have been with 
 us, either for recreation, or in the cause of suffering humanity. We 
 hear of Dr. Allen McLean Hamilton, nephew of Alexander Hamil- 
 ton, one of the most distinguished physicians of New York, and 
 authority in special cases ; Dr. Allen March and Dr. LeRoy McLean. 
 
 Philanthropy has had its representative in the late William E. 
 Dodge. 
 
 Generals in the late civil war, wearing both the blue and the 
 gray, have visited Salem. Brig.-Gen. Wool, a veteran of the Mexi- 
 can war, also prominent in the War of the Rebellion; Gen. Philip 
 Sheridan, whose brilHant achievements will grow more lustrous as 
 the years go by; Adj. Gen. Sprague; Gen. Edmund Schriver and 
 Gen. Frederick Townsend, United States army; Major-Gen. Zolli- 
 cofifer, of the Confederate army, and others. 
 
 From the lecture platform, Bayard Taylor, Horace Greeley and 
 Robert Bruce, with many others, have addressed the people of 
 Salem. 
 
 Distinguished artists have sought inspiration from the charming 
 contour of mountain, hill and winding stream. Among them must 
 
iS4 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 be named James Heart, and Jan-is. an English artist of distinction, 
 \^-ho was an early \'isitor. 
 
 Salem has entertained great and honorable women not a few. 
 Susan B. -\nthony. the first in the field of reform: ]\Irs. Julia Ward 
 Howe, another espoiiser of woman's suftrage. Both of these rep- 
 resentative women have done battle for their sisters in the upward 
 march to higher education, and enlargement of ideas. 
 
DECORATIONS 185 
 
 DECORATIONS 
 
 Perceptive powers differ in different individuals. All m:.'n are 
 not alike endowed. That which yields to some pleasure creates in 
 others loathing and aversion. The beautiful does not display itself 
 alike to ever}- member of the human race. The harmony of color- 
 ing which is considered beautiful by one person appears the reverse 
 to otliers. But there is a hannonious blending of colors and sym- 
 metrical proportion of parts so beautiful, that, when placed before 
 us, it is instantly and instinctively perceived and cannot fail to give 
 pleasure to the beholder. 
 
 " The volume of the world is legible alone to those who use the 
 interlinear version of the light, which is the spirit, and given within 
 ourselves.*' 
 
 The first record of a public decoration that we have been able to 
 find occurred in 1814. when Commodore McDonough, the hero of 
 Plattsburgh. passed through our village. Even in that early time 
 the hearts of our people were stirred. Triumphal arches were 
 erected and the National colors were seen on all sides. 
 
 July 4, i860, was a memorable day in the annals of Salem. This, 
 the eight}--fourth Independence Day, was celebrated in a manner 
 that was worthy in ever\- respect of imitation by true and loyal 
 citizens. The most marked and exciting event of that day was the 
 visit of the Japanese Ambassage, who had just completed the nego- 
 tiation of their treat}' witli the United States. The visitors ^'iewed 
 the demonstration with wonderment and left the village much 
 impressed by the good people of Salem. The stars and stripes 
 were, of course, the chief feature in the decorations of this day, 
 still yards of green, innumerable bunches of flowers, and colored 
 lights in the evening added their beaut}' to the enchanting scene. 
 
 October thirtieth, this same year, Salem again proved that she 
 ranked among the foremost in her enthusiasm for decoration. The 
 \411age vra.s %'isited on that day by Hon. F. K. Zollincoffer. who, in 
 the evening, addressed a mass meeting. The village was literallv 
 
i86 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 a bower of green and a most beautiful sight it presented. A paper, 
 in speaking of the event, said: "The whole demonstration was a 
 powerful and impressing one." 
 
 The lack of space prevents a detailed chronicling of the celebra- 
 tions over the election of Lincoln and Grant to the presidency and 
 of the departure of Colonel McDougall for the war. At these 
 times the whole town turned out en masse and had enthusiastic 
 demonstrations and brilliant decorations. 
 
 It was the sad duty of Salemites, on September 20, 1863, to have 
 a demonstration of sorrow and mourning. Reference is made to 
 the death of Major Russell, one of the town's foremost and most 
 honored citizens. Expressions of mourning and grief were seen 
 on all sides. The village was heavily draped in the insignia of 
 mourning. 
 
 The next general decoration of the village was in 1865, when the 
 One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment returned from the 
 rebellion. The heroes were given a royal welcome. The flag they 
 had most gallantly fought for was the impressive feature of the 
 decoration. Arches were erected across the streets, flowers and 
 greens were artistically arranged, and a large number of mottoes 
 were placed about the village, and altogether it was a most stirring 
 and impressive sight. 
 
 The one hundredth anniversary of our much beloved and hon- 
 ored academy, in 1880, brings to mind another time of decoration. 
 The harvest home festivals and the decoration that always attended 
 them are worthy of mention in the history of Salem's decorations. 
 While they were all attended by elaborate decoration, in 1883 the 
 finest display was made. The beauty of the church's interior and 
 the parish grounds are still fresh in the minds of us all and need 
 not be dwelt upon here. These beautiful and appropriate festivals 
 were inaugurated by the Rev. J. H. Houghton, for many y^ars the 
 beloved rector of St. Paul's church ; and it was largely owing to his 
 untiring energy and enthusiasm that they grew to be one of the 
 " events " of the year. 
 
 It waa in June, 1890, that again we call to mind elaborate decora- 
 tions, the event being the laying of the corner stone of our much- 
 enjoyed public library. This was one of the important days in the 
 history of the village. The decorations were in perfect accord and 
 harmony with the occasion. 
 
DECORATIONS 187 
 
 A fitting close to this brief record is a mention of the decoration 
 in the United Presbyterian Church on Thanksgiving Day of 1893. 
 The decorations were of grain and fruit, tastefully arranged by the 
 willing workers in that sanctuary, and bearing an impressive mes- 
 sage of gratitude to the giver of all good, through whose loving 
 bounty our village has been so abundantly blessed. 
 
i88 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 NOTED BUILDINGS 
 
 A community of such antiquity as Salem is an organism. In it 
 there are to be found controlHng centers wdth a manifest influence 
 upon the entire community. These centers are of two classes, per- 
 sonal and local. The influence of the personal centers is transient; 
 that of the local is abiding. 
 
 It falls to the province of the present chapter to mention some 
 of the sites and buildings which have exercised a marked influence 
 upon Salem's histor^^ The churches and their influence upon the 
 village life has elsewhere been described. No mention, therefore, 
 will here be made of them. The schools, also, and their part in 
 the development of community life have been elsewhere recorded. 
 
 It would not be possible, however, to make a catalogue of Salem's 
 noted buildings that would prove at all satisfactory without at least 
 mentioning Washington Academy. The first school in the town 
 adjoined the Scotch church, but in 1776 the scene of education w^as 
 shifted to the ground where the residence of John King now stands. 
 In 1809, the present site, upon West Broadway, was selected, and 
 although the early building and its immediate successor have passed 
 away, yet still in the same spot is to be found the fountain of learn- 
 ing from which streams of intellectual enlightenment proceed. 
 
 The present building is impressive in appearance, and convenient 
 in appointments. The student of human nature, as he looks upon 
 it, will not fail to draw the inference that the citizens of Salem place 
 a high estimate on the value of education in a well-developed life. 
 
 Perhaps no single spot exercises a stronger influence upon vil- 
 lage social life than the old time hostelry. The first building in 
 the town of Salem, the cabin of James Turner, stood upon the site 
 of the On-da-wa. From it's first building to the present day it has 
 ministered to the needs of the wayfarer. Although the pioneer log 
 hut, with the smooth stump of a tree in the center for a table soon 
 gave place to a building partly brick and partly wood, and this 
 building was, in 1840, burned to the ground, yet no long time 
 
NOTED BUILDINGS 189 
 
 elapsed until it was replaced by the commodious and beautiful build- 
 ing which still affords the wearied traveler a pleasant place of 
 tarrying. 
 
 In 1776, another inn, "The Salem House," occupied one of the 
 principal corners of the village. A singular fate of ill-fortune seems 
 to have followed it. Three times it was leveled to the ground by 
 fire. Then its owners, undaunted by past reverses, erected a busi- 
 ness block upon the site, for ninety-five years employed for hotel 
 purposes. Only a short time, however, passed until "The Fair- 
 child Building" also was consumed to ashes. For several years 
 after this time the site remained idle bearing the marks of ruin and 
 desolation. It was then purchased by the village of Salem, and 
 upon it erected " The Bancroft Librar}' and Proudfit Hall," of which 
 Salem villagers are so deservedly proud. 
 
 By the noble use to which it is now devoted, let us hope that the 
 baleful fortune which has seemed to attend it has been forever 
 averted, and that from henceforth its history shall be one of unin- 
 terrupted good fortune and usefulness. 
 
 Salem's position as county seat or shire town has no doubt con- 
 tributed to its pre-eminence; the court house, therefore, must be 
 included in our survey of noted buildings. 
 
 Before the Revolution, courts were held in the Old Scotch Meet- 
 ing House, then the largest building but one in the entire county. 
 During the war the few sessions of the courts that were convened 
 seem to have been held in the same place. Soon after the close of 
 the war the first court house was built a little back of the present 
 position of the People's Bank. In 1866, the administration of jus- 
 tice was transferred to the present site and building. The position 
 and character of the present structure are most impressive. Stand- 
 ing as it does at the head of the street, its strong, simple lines seem 
 to fittingly symbolize the dominance of the principles of eternal jus- 
 tice that is essential to the happiness of a right thinking community. 
 
 Other buildings might well be named. We might speak of the 
 banking buildings, and the old trading stands where, for more than 
 a century, the traffic of the country side has been carried on, but 
 limits of space forbid their separate description. 
 
 In conclusion, however, it seems proper, to draw attention to the 
 spirit of conservatism manifested in the tenacity with which our vil- 
 lage holds to the old sites of influence. Ours is not a reckless 
 shifting community seeking for nothing else but " to hear or to tell 
 
ipo THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 some new thing." We prove all things: We hold fast that which 
 is good. 
 
 We feel no shame in walking the paths where our fathers walked 
 nor in living in their homes. The buildings and the sites of the 
 past are dear to us in the present. We love their very stones and 
 dust. Long may it be ere the ruthless hand of the destroyer shall 
 be laid upon them. 
 

 v'^ 
 
 ^ 
 
iiOMiiSl EAUb 
 
 -llings ' 
 marks :" 
 
 first 
 
 MESTEADS 
 
 ctm our fathers were 
 
 •id convenience 
 
 at a letter of 
 
 tilt _^ _ 
 
 enjoy our iy everything 
 
 we can desire to ir^aivc hic ■•. 
 
 of the discomforts, perils an , 
 
 wilderness and adapted this place for the abode of a civilized p. 
 As our fathers, however, increased in prosperity they 
 
 nn*-} '>',c^ t■h,-i^ f':\e-v r-.i;iii '.■>TOcv,r>-- fo r'M ic> thi: comfort and !_ 
 
 ling in otir villag:c 
 taiic an^ 
 
 ^ensiblf 
 
 to 
 
 Saic:.. 
 
 homest 
 
 sought ^- • 
 
 attained 
 
 these oj 
 
 are tj-pical • 
 
 us impress 
 
 when a mav 
 
 highly prized txpe 
 
 r position. They 
 nd tlie-s 
 
 le tiiOsC vjl ili-UOOFiS. li Vva,i lilc iigi.- 
 
OLD HOMESTEADS ^ 
 
 OLD HOMESTEADS 
 
 From the first settlement of Salem our fathers were wont to 
 regard with peculiar affection and make the object of especial care, 
 the home. Built as they were in the wilderness, those first rude 
 dwelhngs had little indeed of the comfort and convenience which 
 marks those of later years, yet they were not upon this account the 
 less dear to those who called them home. The fifth house in the town 
 was that of John Lytle, and there is extant a letter of his wife, Mrs. 
 Lytle, in which she says that when first she entered it with her 
 mfant in her arms she danced all around, so great was her joy in 
 setting foot in a home which she could call her own. This cabin 
 was probably a fair specimen of the homes of that day. It was 
 built of small logs, with wide, open cracks between them to be filled 
 up with clay on the approach of cold weather. It had no floor or 
 chminey, and for a fireplace had a large, flat stone leaning against 
 the legs on one dde of the inclosure. How little do we who now 
 enjoy our comfortable homes, surrounded with nearly everything 
 we can desire to make life comfortable to us, how little do we think 
 of the discomforts, perils and harships of those who subdued the 
 wilderness and adapted this place for the abode of a civilized people. 
 As our fathers, however, increased in prosperity they neglected 
 nothing that they could procure to add to the comfort and attractive- 
 ness of their homes, and there are standing in our village 
 to-day many monuments to their taste and thoughtfulness. 
 Salem, as a village of the olden time, is rich in old 
 homesteads built in the sensible style of long ago, that 
 sought comfort first of all, and yet on that very account 
 attained the truest beauty. There is an air of dignity about 
 these old homesteads as if they were sensible of their position. They 
 are typical of the time in which they were built, and they speak to 
 us impressively of all that was best in it. Those were the days 
 when a man's house was his castle, and when his dearest and most 
 highly prized experiences were those of in-doors. It was the age 
 
192 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 of home life, and much of the sterling character of our country's 
 manhood is due to the molding influence of the homes of old 
 Salem and such as they. In describing a few of the old homesteads 
 of Salem we shall try to choose some of the oldest and most typical. 
 
 The Williams mansion was erected during the Revolutionary war. 
 It was of very unusual size for the period in which it was built. It 
 was designed by one of the most noted architects of the time. The 
 General Newell mansion of Sturbridge, Mass., is another product of 
 his skill. The design of the Williams home plainly declares the 
 influence of the idea of the French chateau upon the architect's 
 mind. The house is set back some distance from the street and is 
 surrounded by grandly arching elms upon a velvety lawn. There 
 is a high piazza in the front from which you enter a broad hall 
 that runs through the house and opens upon a second veranda in 
 the rear. A broad staircase runs from the lower hall to the second 
 story, where there is also a hall of spacious dimensions. This stair- 
 case has been altered three times to suit the needs of the different 
 generations. The house remains unchanged except that a slop- 
 ing roof has taken the place of the old time gambrel, and the por- 
 ter's lodges have disappeared from the gates. One of the most 
 attractive features of the house is the large open fireplace, in many 
 of the open rooms, still preserved for use. The antique furniture 
 has been brought to light and restored to its former position of 
 honor. Here also can be found the old hobby horse which has 
 proved the delight of the children of five generations. The house is 
 wrapped in historical associations, and in it there may be found many 
 relics of an honorable past. 
 
 The Warford house was built about a century ago by Rev. John 
 Warford, first pastor of the Presbyterian church. It is a large 
 house built in Colonial style and set in the midst of hills. 
 
 A great deal of interest attaches to the Cooney house, as it is one 
 of the oldest houses standing in the town. It has a secret chamber, 
 which was probably built to meet the needs of smugglers. It is a 
 compartment in the cellar reached only by a passage-way from 
 the second story. Its existence was forgotten, and it was rediscov- 
 ered by accident when the house was being repaired some sixty 
 years ago. 
 
 The W^alker house was built by Colonel McCracken about one 
 hundred years ago. The bricks of which it is constructed were 
 made upon the farm. The house is large and shaded by many 
 
OLD HOMESTEADS 193 
 
 beautiful trees. Hiram Walker bought the place in 1841, and it 
 has since remained in the Walker family. 
 
 The Blanchard house was built in true Colonial style by General 
 Williams for his daughter Maria. The broad hall runs through the 
 house, and as in the Williams mansion, opens on a large veranda 
 in the rear. The trimmings of the house without and within are 
 carved by hand. The wood work in the parlor is beautifvilly carved, 
 especially an arch in the back of the room. Beneath this arch all 
 the marriages of the family for four generations have taken place. 
 A stone seat is to be found in the cellar, upon which unruly slaves 
 used to be chained for punishment. When General Montgomery's 
 body was taken from Alontreal to New York, it lay over night in 
 the broad hall of this house. 
 
 The McNish house was built by Alexander McNish in 1794, and 
 has always remained in his family. In the basement of this house 
 there is an immense fireplace in which the ancient crane still hangs. 
 
 Other homesteads worthy of mention are the Freeman house, 
 built in 1798 by Captain Archibald, who had a tannery on the little 
 creek in the rear of the house ; and the Savage house, built by Judge 
 Savage. It is a fine old brick house situated upon the Turnpike. 
 
 The Bruce house originally stood upon the present site of the 
 home of Mrs. Hyde, and was moved from there to its present posi- 
 tion on the corner opposite the Roman Catholic church. This 
 house was built in 1793, and was used as a tavern. 
 
 The McAllister homestead on the Turnpike was built by Hamil- 
 ton McAlHster, and is one of the oldest houses in town. 
 
 One part of the Stevenson house is a log cabin built probably 
 by David Matthews in 1774. This part, which stands in the rear, 
 has been clap-boarded and a modem front added to it. 
 
 Another old home is the Proudfit house, built in 1800 by General 
 Williams. 
 
 There is one other homestead of which we would speak. It is a 
 house gray with age. The paint once white has been nearly effaced 
 by the storms. It is surrounded by a dense growth of trees through 
 which the sun penetrates only to cast deeper shadows upon its walls. 
 The fence before the house has long since succumbed to old age. 
 The wind as it sighs through the pines seems to take with each 
 sigh a drop of the heart's blood of this old home, and leave it still 
 sadder and older to look upon. This old Fitch homestead is sit- 
 uated abut two miles and a half out of the village of Salem, and is 
 
194 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 more than a century old. It is the exact counterpart of a residence 
 still standing in Leicester, Mass., built more than two hundred years 
 ago. Its style of architecture is entirely different from that of any 
 other dwelling in this vicinity. The paper upon the walls is the 
 same that was put there more than a hundred years ago, and 
 resembles the paper used on some of the rooms in the Manor House 
 in Albany. The windows are large, but have many panes of small 
 glass. The roof is high and slopes in four directions, each side 
 having two dormer windows set in. These also have many small 
 panes of glass. The dignity and pride of this old building are not 
 lost, but are touched by the deeper beauty of pathos through the 
 desolation which in these latter days has come upon it. 
 
 During the latter years of the last centur}^ and the first years of the 
 present, many other houses were built in Salem, but space forbids 
 our making mention of them. Enough has been already said to 
 show that Salem has a right 'to be proud of her ancient foundations, 
 and to reverence the age which could and did build homesteads, in 
 all that the name implies. 
 
ANTIQUE FURNITURE 195 
 
 ANTIQUE FURNITURE 
 
 Relics of the past come trooping through the mind at the mention 
 of these words; richly carved sofas, chippendale tables, straight- 
 backed chairs, handsome pier-tables and gilded mirrors of the old- 
 time parlor, or, to go a story higher, maliogany post bedsteads, with 
 dimity valances, and tall chests of drawers, with handles of brass, 
 wherein were little samplers and silken pictures which told of wom- 
 anly fingers long since at rest. But let us mount another flight 
 and search for hidden treasures in the old homestead garret. A 
 stream of sunlight from the oval window falls upon a hair-covered 
 chest studded with brass nails; one almost fears to lift the lid, so 
 sacred seem the contents; satin and lace catch the eye when it is 
 open, tiny slippers and gloves lie at one side, while a white satin 
 vest and stock speak of the love which left these thus together. 
 
 Around this dimly lighted room are various articles which have 
 fallen behind the times, book-cases and tables, foot-stoves and fen- 
 ders, andirons and bellows ; other antiquities had furnished the gar- 
 ret until a fashion-craze suddenly called them down; the old brass 
 bed-warmer, with its long black handle, which had hung for years 
 in obscurity, now polished and tied with ribbon, adorns the crooked 
 stairway; the ancestral desk was taken from its dusty corner to 
 become the pride of the wide old hall; a sideboard stands near the 
 garret stairs only waiting the day which shall call it back to service; 
 with pride and pleasure it must have entered the home, for the 
 straight legs and inlaid satin wood prove it to have been the latest 
 style a century ago. 
 
 The loft also contains some relics of interest; spinning-wheels, 
 quilting-frames and rods for candle-dipping; cradles, too, are stand- 
 ing there, but all of these are out of use forever. 
 
 The old-time kitchen furniture excites much wonder in these 
 modern days ; there still is the huge fire-place with its swinging crane, 
 on which hung the singing kettle of coal black iron, beside it the 
 deep, dark oven, from which, with the aid of that long handled 
 
196 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 shovel, issued bread, pies and cake without hmit. We recall, too, 
 the " tin-kitchen," in which revolved the big turkey or little pig, till 
 they were roasted to a turn. That tail gray churn with heavy 
 dasher tells of many a sigh, but the broad, high table — who can 
 dream of half its story? History is silent concerning the slaves, 
 but some, we know, have folded their lazy arms and rested their 
 woolly heads upon its edge ; here, too, has burned many a tallow dip, 
 while the old story of love made life below stairs so blissful; one 
 generation has followed another, but the great wooden table stands 
 there still with only the scars of time. Shall we venture into the 
 cellar? In former times there was much of terror there, for, 
 stretched on the low meat bench in the dark hallway a ghastly 
 porker was always seen when " killing-time " had come ; beside it 
 stood the various implements which waited for the morrow. Pass- 
 ing on, are dimly seen the large wooden bins, built high around the 
 walls, and these were rarely empty in those days of long ago. The 
 vinegar hogshead has always been a wonderment, with its dark and 
 dusky " mother." Steel-yards and lanterns of all sizes and kinds 
 hang uselessly in this corner, but the cold, stone floor so warns of a 
 coming chill that the safer pantry is quickly sought. 
 
 There lies the old wafBe-iron which savors of good cheer, mortar 
 and pestle which long pounded the spice, a jiggering-iron whose 
 wheel still scallops the pies, and great black skewers which now are 
 never used. See the large wooden bread bowl carved from a single 
 knot, whose faithful service deserves a kindly thought. These all 
 held no ignoble place in those happy days of yore, for what would 
 this ancient home have been without its hospitality? 
 
 In a letter from Rev. J. D. Wells, of Brooklyn, giving reminisc- 
 ences of his early days in Salem, he writes: "There, for the first 
 time in my life I heard a piano-forte, and wondered at the skill 
 which made it discourse such sweet music." How great the change 
 in time and mind; now, it stands silent and forgotten, or, if its keys 
 are touched, they call forth only the mockery of music. 
 
 Some signs of art there are in this modest little town to which 
 time has only added higher value; portraits by Ja'rvis, " an artist of 
 astonishing powers," who ranked among the first of his time. May 
 we not claim an interest in his works, since they have hung on Salem 
 walls for fully ninety years? His miniatures also are gems of art 
 which vie with the skill of the present day. The powers of this 
 
ANTIQUE FURNITURE X97 
 
 artist are clearly shown in another homestead, where he portrayed 
 the face of the " Gray Man,'' whose restlessness few could subdue. 
 Standing under the ghostly painting is a quaint writing-desk with 
 its secret drawer, which has interested many generations of children. 
 We will sit in DeWitt Clinton's arm-chair, and examine the work- 
 manship of another, made by hand, before the Revolution; its claw 
 feet and carved back speak well for the diligence of those times. 
 The eye is then attracted by a handsome harmonium, invented in 
 1762; practice only is lacking with which to bring out the sweetness 
 of the past. We are also shown an almost forgotten invention of 
 1791, which represented the revolutions of the heavenly bodies, but 
 now only serves to keep extant the name of Dr. Rittenhouse. 
 
 Before bidding adieu to these time-worn mementoes, let us glance 
 at the picture of New York city in 1793, and compare the " old rope 
 walk" with the Fifth avenue of to-day; not many who there prome- 
 nade, have leisure to think of Salem's antique furniture. 
 
THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 EARLY TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL 
 
 The experiences through which the pioneer settlers of any coun- 
 try have to pass are far from pleasant or desirable. Ours is a com- 
 paratively new land, but such rapid strides have been made in facili- 
 ties for communicating with commercial centers, and for annihilat- 
 ing distances by our modes of travel and transportation, that we feel 
 comparatively old. Even to go back the one hundred and thirty 
 years of our town's history, we are unable to picture fully to our- 
 selves the great discomforts those early settlers must have passed 
 through, if there was not in many cases real suffering. When we 
 think that there were no roads to travel, and that for some time 
 the actual necessities of life had to be transported on the backs of 
 horses, and those animals very few in number; that the nearest base 
 of supplies seems to have been at Stillwater, on the Hudson, and 
 that going and coming would, of necessity, be attended with expos- 
 ure to the elements, to the wild beasts of the forest or to the prowl- 
 ing Indian, we can have some idea of the times that must have 
 tried the souls of these early pioneers. We have no account that 
 we can refer to that tells us how the common necessities of life 
 were supplied to the families who located in the valley and on these 
 hills of Salem in 1765-66, for the first seven or eight years after 
 their coming, and so we seem shut up to the conclusion that they 
 were obtained by trips to Stillwater as aforesaid. Imagination may 
 conclude that there were irrepressible Yankees ready to add to their 
 frugal store, who, learning of the Turners, the Conkeys, the McCol- 
 listers and other Pelham families who had gone to the new settle- 
 ment, would gather up such needed notions and articles of traffic 
 as they thought the distant settlers would require, and follow on in 
 their wake; or that the thrifty, money-making Dutch settlers of 
 Albany would send out from their midst those intent upon gain, 
 for trade and traffic with the inhabitants of New Perth or White 
 Creek. So the "peddler," whose visit nowadays is often a source 
 of annoyance, would be a veritable godsend to these early settlers, 
 
EARLY TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL 199 
 
 with his desirable wares and his budget of news from the busier 
 portions of the world. How dreadfully inconvenient it must have 
 been to have got along in those days. The query involuntary arises, 
 where did they get their stock, their poultry, their cats and dogs? 
 How were all these things brought here? What contracted quar- 
 ters they must have had ! What a slow process of cutting the tim- 
 ber, getting it to the location chosen for the home, placing in posi- 
 tion, covering with bark and " chinking " up with mud, but when 
 done, what a comfortable thought that they could have a home of 
 their own, and that they could worship the God of their fathers with 
 none to molest or forbid. It must have been, when they wished 
 to strike a fire, that their old flint locks were called into use, and at 
 night the coals were carefully raked together and covered with 
 ashes, that the glowing bed in the morning might soon set into a 
 blaze the fuel supplied. If the unlucky family, however, found the 
 fire all gone in the morning, then John or Tom or Mary or Jane 
 must take the shovel and go to the nearest neighbors and " borrow " 
 some coals. Those little matches, found now in every home, were 
 not then in existence, and indeed the same condition of things 
 existed down to the '20's or '30's of the present century. 
 
 It was some seven or eight years after the first settlers came here 
 that the first store was erected and business commenced in it. A 
 store was built where the farm house of Mr. James S. McDonald 
 now stands, or near to it, and near by were potash works, an 
 industry of some considerable extent in the early history of the 
 town. The first store, probably, was built by James Turner, one of 
 the three original settlers of the town, in the year 1773, or about 
 that time, this store antedating the Revolution. It is, of course, 
 unknown where purchases of goods were made by those conduct- 
 ing these stores, but very likely Albany may have been their first 
 place for purchase and for sale of potash and produce of the farms. 
 Roads by this period must have been constructed and goods trans- 
 ported by horse power to the village. Other stores followed, but 
 how soon after this one it is difficult to say. There are those still 
 living in Salem who recall the old yellow store on the turnpike, 
 just below the McAllister, now the Dunn farm house, which must 
 have been one of the early stores. They remember, too, Major 
 James Harvey, whose tall form had a habit of bending backwards, 
 and whose defective eyes excited some disrespectful remarks from 
 
200 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 some of the rude boys of the day. The Major, it appears, succeeded 
 to the Turner store in 1794, but subsequently he sold out, going to 
 Pelham, N. Y., from which place he returned to Salem in 1819 and 
 resumed business " at the old stand." In 1822 he entered his new 
 store, for many years known as the Harvey store, afterwards as the 
 Freeman store, it having been for more than forty years the busi- 
 ness home of the late Marvin Freeman and his different associates 
 in business. We remember, too, the store known as the 
 " Matthews " store, but which is said to have been built before the 
 beginning of the present century by " Priest Nichols," as he was 
 called, for his nephew, James Nichols. We have heard it said of 
 James Nichols that he was a very intelligent man, and for some 
 time the only man in the village who took a daily paper; and at his 
 store the citizens were accustomed to gather in the evenings to hear 
 the daily news read. 
 
 We all know the pretty store of Johnson & Dundon, once famil- 
 iarly known as the Hawley store. It was one of the ancients. Here 
 Mr. James Hawley did business, and here, probably, at the com- 
 mencement of the present century, the post-office was kept, as he 
 was postmaster, so the Northern Sentinel says, in 1802. It is inter- 
 esting to note among the letters advertised as remaining in the post- 
 office on July 1st of that year, there are those addressed to residents 
 of Argyle, Easton, Hebron, Sandgate, Rewport, Camden, Arlington, 
 and others to Washington county, indicating that, possibly, post- 
 office facilities were not enjoyed in these towns. Joseph Hawley 
 succeeded James in the mercantile business. As was quite the gen- 
 eral custom in those days, a common and necessary part of the stock 
 in trade was spirituous liquors. Coming up the west road could 
 be seen nearly every day the stalwart, noble form of old Squire G., 
 who, it was said, would proceed to Hawley's store, purchase his 
 quart of " Santa Cruz," and spend his forenoon in imbibing and con- 
 versation ; leaving his bottle and going to his home, he would return 
 after the noonday meal and finish the quart before leaving for the 
 night. He was a large man and of great capacity. 
 
 We remember, too, the old book store building which occupied 
 the site where stands the First National Bank building, and the 
 yard extending to the Cooney building. In this was located the 
 book store of Dodd & Stevenson, and the publishing office of the 
 Northern Sentinel and the County Post. There were also stores. 
 
EARLY TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL 201 
 
 in one of which at one time there did business Major Wm. McFar- 
 land, frequently called the " Five Majors," perhaps to distinguish 
 him from another Wm. McFarland, who did business across the 
 road in the Turner store, and who was familiarly called " Store 
 Billy.'' In the north room also our late fellow citizen Deacon Ben- 
 jamin Clevland commenced his mercantile career, which was so suc- 
 cessful, in a small way, selling cakes, candy, oysters and small beer. 
 
 We all know the " Old Corner " store, originally built by Ebenezer 
 Proudfit, perhaps about 1802 or 1803. It has changed in appear- 
 ance somewhat from the early days of its histor)^ Mr. Proudfit 
 has had many successors, but it is one of the old stores of which, we 
 believe, it can be said, no failures in business have ever occurred 
 within its walls. 
 
 We also remember the little grocery in the building that stood 
 where Mr. Abrams now lives, with its genial proprietor, a " culled 
 pusson " by the name of Qualk and the other one " so dear to the 
 heart from childhood," the little red building that stood where Wil- 
 liam McFarland's house now stands, kept by one known far and 
 near as ''Dumb George," Mr. G. W. Gantz, over whose counter 
 and into w^hose till went many a copper coin in exchange for candy 
 or nuts. But that old place gave way to a very nice two-story frame 
 building, subsequently built and occupied as dwelling and store by 
 the late Alonzo Gray, who had for his partner in business his 
 brother Lyman, and it was destroyed in the last fire of 1840. 
 
 The early merchants had a lengthy trip when they went to New 
 York to purchase their goods. The great Northern Turnpike was 
 opened, we know not the year, between Lansingburgh and Rutland, 
 in Vermont, and it was one of the sights of the day to witness the 
 stage coach come rolling into town, its advent announced by the 
 driver's horn, and its four and sometimes six steeds driven with 
 matchless skill by the driver, to the front entrance of the hotel. 
 Until the stage coach came, it must have been by private vehicles 
 that the road to Troy was passed over. From Troy there were no 
 steamboats, as that mode of travel was yet in the future, but sloops, 
 that carried passengers, subject to all delays by wind, weather and 
 tides. It is said the time consumed was often from four to six weeks, 
 and careful, prudent men adjusted their earthly afifairs, made their 
 wills, etc., before commencing the journey. What delays there 
 must have been in getting home these goods. We do not know 
 14 
 
202 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 how the ladies secured the newest styles of bonnets. It would not 
 answer to have such delays now, for the fashion would change 
 before the goods reached their destination. 
 
 There must have been very little money in circulation in those 
 days, and very much of the trade was by barter, the exchange of 
 produce or articles of home manufacture for the imported goods. 
 This was true even down to the fifties, the opening of the railroad 
 in 1852 working a great change in the character of business. In 
 those early days there was grown flax to considerable extent, which 
 was prepared at home, and formed the material for many articles 
 of household use, for domestic clothing, and for traffic at the stores 
 in exchange for other commodities. This manufactured material 
 was in the form of tow cloth, toweling, bags, linen, threads, twine, 
 etc. The wrapping twine used in our stores, perhaps until about 
 1800, was largely spun on the little wheels in our own town. This 
 was succeeded by a twine made from paper, we think, and this in 
 turn by cotton twine,- now so much improved and commonly used. 
 The sheep furnished the wool from which our mothers made the 
 coverlids and blankets needed for bedding, the pressed flannels and 
 kerseys for dresses, and flannels for underwear, stockings, etc. The 
 hides of the animals were tanned at near-by tanneries, perhaps Cap- 
 tain Bob Archibald's, which we think was in the rear of the Freeman 
 store, or, perhaps, at Harkness' tannery, which was where Dillon 
 resides near Beaverbrook, and then the peripatetic cobbler would 
 go to the house and make up the shoes for all the household. The 
 story is told of one of our former citizens, that when a boy he was 
 the proud possessor of a new pair of boots, just at the time that 
 good Dr. Proudfit was visiting the paternal home on a catechising 
 tour. Turning to the youngster he propounded the question: 
 "Josiah, who made you?" Looking with pride upon his valuable 
 possessions, he surprised the good doctor by replying: " Father 
 found the leather and Mr. Danon made them." 
 
 The surplus produce, previous to the advent of the railroad, was 
 mainly carted by the farmers to Lansingburgh or Troy. This, of 
 course, made a busy time for the farmers at certain seasons of the 
 year, and as the people thought goods could be purchased cheaper 
 there than at home, it was no uncommon thing to see a farm wagon 
 loaded with grain, carrying with the driver a female member of his 
 household, frequently calling forth the remark, " that load of grain 
 
EARLY TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL 203 
 
 is mortgaged." Pork was formerly raised in large quantities in this 
 vicinity, and was bought and packed to a great extent. It is said 
 one of our old townsmen, with his enterprising son, came into the 
 " Old Corner " store to sell his pork, but there was some difference 
 in views about the price; so the son, in the pride of his learning, 
 exclaimed : " Well, father, let's take it to Troy, we'll get twenty-five 
 cents more a hundred, and they will take it at Troy weight, twelve 
 ounces to the pound." That boy sui-vived his father, and made a 
 very good and successful citizen, after all. 
 
 The vehicles of the olden times were not such as present day 
 Johns are using. It would be of interest to know what the first 
 vehicle was and when introduced. We are told that in the earliest 
 days of Dr. Clark's colony there was but one horse owned, and that 
 one by Elder David Tomb. This important animal carried the 
 grain to the mill at Stillwater, bearing as much as prudent to load 
 him with, his human friend traveling on foot and guiding him, 
 directed doubtless by the blazed trees through the forests guiltless 
 of roads. Wagons, however, came. Largely, they must have been 
 strong, heavy lumber wagons, and for seats, boards across the 
 boxes, or chairs, with quilts and coverlids taking the place of the 
 robes and bright lap coverings of the present day. But it was a 
 goodly sight to see those v/agons driving into the " gathering of the 
 congregation " on the Lord's day or on fast days, filled with the 
 aged and the young, ready to praise the Lord for his mercy to them. 
 The sleighs used in the winter were many of them doubtless very 
 rude and funny in their appearance. The " one boss " shay had its 
 dav, but it was after many years that the buggy made its appear- 
 ance. It was said to be a source of grief to good Dr. Proudfit 
 when they were introduced into the town, as he thought it would 
 decrease the attendance of families upon church ordinances. Does 
 not our observation confirm the correctness of his views. 
 
 What changes have been wrought in the one hundred and thirty 
 years which have passed since the valley was first occupied by white 
 men. The forests on hill and valley have given place to cultivated 
 fields and grassy meads; the log house and barn has given place 
 to commodious dwellings and capacious barns; the trail and blazed 
 track is succeeded by the broad and well cared-for pike ; transporta- 
 tion by team, and passenger travel by coach and four, have given 
 place to the iron steed with his train of cars, conveying the increased 
 
204 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 production of the farms, and furnishing luxurious and comfortable 
 facilities for travel, distance being annihilated, as it were, and far 
 away places brought into close proximity. No slow and tedious 
 waiting for friendly communications, but fast mail facilities bring us 
 into rapid intercourse with friends, while telegraph and telephone 
 unfold occurring sounds, and speak to us in familiar voices through 
 miles of intervening distance. "Great things the Lord hath done 
 for us." 
 
OLD TIME CUSTOMS 205 
 
 OLD TIME CUSTOMS 
 
 Probably Salem in its old-time customs was not unlike any other 
 town of its ag-e in this part of America. The difficulties of making 
 a home in a strange land made work the chief part of each man 
 and woman's life. So it was natural that in the earHest forms of 
 amusement and social life, we find an attempt to turn work into 
 play. A building to be raised, a quilt to be quilted, or a barn full 
 of corn to be husked, was made the welcome excuse for a " bee." 
 A picture full of warmth and brightness is called up by the thought 
 of the old-time " apple paring." Many busy hands soon had the 
 apples freed from skin and core, ready for the strings with which 
 the kitchen was to be festooned. When the work was done, with 
 many a joke, the floor was cleared and the merry violin brought in. 
 " Virginia Reel " or " Money Musk " or the old quadrille, now kept 
 feet and thoughts alert, while romping games were often introduced 
 to vary the amusements. 
 
 But work was not the sole excuse for merriment. There was 
 the old-time dance, with its quaint costume and formal grace, the 
 gay coasting parties, the sleighing parties and the straw rides. The 
 old school houses were the scenes of many an exciting " spelling 
 down," and there the young men and maidens gathered for the 
 singing school. 
 
 Men of the olden time are said to have been very free in their 
 drinking habits. It was not such a disgrace then, as now, for a man 
 to be intoxicated, and history states that Salem had at one time 
 from ten to fifteen prosperous taverns. There is an old-time record 
 which chronicles an agreement of several well-known men of Salem 
 thus: 
 
 " We, the subscribers, do bind ourselves together in sincerity and honor not 
 to furnish any laborer in hay time or harvest more than one-half pint of rum 
 per daj', as that quantity is judged sufficient to fit a man for labor, and a 
 greater quantity as leading to unfitness and intemperance. 
 
 " And as a penalty, necessary to enforce this resolve, we do further mentally 
 agree to refuse our vote or influence to advance the man to any office who 
 
2o6 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 shall, iu the judgment of the majority <>£ the subscribers, have departed from 
 the aforesaid resolution." 
 
 Any evening devoted to pleasure wotild have been deemed incom- 
 plete without its pitcher of cider, and tradition says that too great 
 freshness was not required of it. 
 
 The " training days " were days of the greatest importance dur- 
 ing their continuance. There were three of these. The Officers' 
 Training Day, when the officers of the regiment of the southern 
 part of the county met, usually in Salem, for drill. The Company 
 'i'ra'ning Day, V'.'ncri t'ne infajitry, artillery and cavalry were all 
 assembled. The infantry had guns but no uniform, while the artil- 
 lery and cavalry were fully equipped. The General Training Day 
 was in September. The field used was the north side of West 
 Broadway, extending down to the present Academy, and back 
 beyond the railroad. It was a veritable gala day, and men, women 
 and children gathered from far and near. Wagons containing 
 fruit and cider, ginger-bread and fancy cakes, and other allurements 
 of like character, were stationed on both sides of the street as far 
 down as the White Church grounds. The training days were kept 
 up until about 1850. In very old times passengers and mail were 
 brought by the lumbering old stages drawn by four or six horses. 
 Loads of produce were taken to Lansingburgh for sale, and there 
 much of the shopping was done. The old merchants made their 
 regular trips to New York to purchase goods. 
 
 The papers printed in the county were not sent by the stage, 
 but special men or post riders were employed to take the papers 
 as soon as printed, and deliver them to the subscribers in the var- 
 ious towns, sounding their horns to announce their coming. 
 
 The punishments inflicted in the very early times were those 
 wliich the New England settlers had brought to this land with 
 them. The pillory, the whipping post, and the branding iron were 
 the instruments. Sometimes the penalties seemed disproportion- 
 ate to the olTense. There is a record of one man being punished 
 for perjury by one hotir in the pillory, and a long term of years in 
 the state prison, while a housebreaker was fined only ten pounds. 
 
 In the old church, possibly the most curious customs are found. 
 Around the walls of the church were the old-fashioned square pews. 
 In the old meeting-hotise there was no heating apparatus, but the 
 people tried to keep warm by the aid of foot-stoves and fire-boxes. 
 
OLD TIME .CUSTOMS 267 
 
 As the other churches were built, large stoves were put in with 
 long pipes running the length of the church. This kept the air 
 about the heads warm, but extra provision had to be made for the 
 feet. Hot bricks, hot stoves and the old fire-boxes were used for 
 this purpose. During slave time, and even after New York had 
 prohibited slavery, seats for the negroes were set apart in the gal- 
 ler\-. The services were long. After the morning service the peo- 
 ple ate their lunch and were ready for the afternoon service, which, 
 in winter time, often lasted until after sunset. In the old White 
 Church, for many years, the custom prevailed of having the 
 psalms lined out. The precentor would read one line and the con- 
 gregation, having sung that, were ready for the next. After a while 
 some seeker after new things introduced the plan of having two 
 lines read and then sung. This innovation caused not a little 
 strong opposition, some going so far as to threaten to leave the 
 church. 
 
 At the funerals it was customary to provide liquors for the 
 guests. A pitcher of rum or cider, with glasses, was put on a little 
 table in a convenient place for any one who wished that form of 
 refreshment. One old gentleman was so fearful that this matter 
 of etiquette would be omitted, that he left directions in his will that 
 two gallons of rum be purchased for his funeral services. 
 
 Of course, in the olden time there were no hearses and the body 
 of the dead was carried in a common wagon to the entrance of the 
 cemetery where it was removed to a bier and thus carried to the 
 grave. 
 
 Many of the customs seem to us very quaint, but they were the 
 simple outgrowth of the needs and meagre advantages of the people. 
 Nothing seems to have been done for efifect, but all because their 
 ways were the best that had been suggested to them. Though they 
 are queer, they are very charming, and we can but hope that those 
 of the years to come, may find, in looking back upon our times, 
 as much of interest and of pleasure as we find in thinking of the 
 people of long ago. 
 
2o8 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 FARM LIFE 
 
 The fruit of the ground is essential to the existence of all creat- 
 ures who walk the earth, or fly in the air, and this necessity has led 
 to the cultivation of the soil for the purpose of comfort, profit and 
 pleasure. But as the common, indispensable things, though being 
 the great blessings of our lives, are often looked down upon, as 
 mean in comparison with the luxuries, that denote ease and 
 opulence, so, in these days, the life of the cultivator of the farm 
 is often thought of as menial, when contrasted with the supposed 
 leisurely indolence of the professional and mercantile man. But 
 in the early days, he who was mighty to fell big trees and to culti- 
 vate large helds had no ignoble calling, and our forefathers had 
 only words of commendation for the successful farmer. 
 
 We will make a little note of one such man, and his descendants 
 (together with facts or incidents, that came under their observa- 
 tion), who left home and country in the time of persecution, and 
 making slow progress, floated hither and thither on an unknown 
 sea, for seventeen weeks before reaching America. Food and 
 water had been so long doled out with economical liand that the 
 first cracker or sea biscuit eaten in the new land flew from their 
 lips like flour before the wind. 
 
 Money, they had none, but strong muscles and willing hands 
 earned suf^cient in two years to warrant the removal of the family 
 from their first stopping place in Pennsylvania to our present town 
 of Salem. Trials on the journey were numerous. They came up 
 the Hudson in a sloop, and all on board were in a suffering condi- 
 tion when they reached Albany. There they were received by stran- 
 gers, who entertained them hospitably and sent them on their way 
 rejoicing, a kindness which they ever gratefully remembered. The 
 city of Troy could boast of but five houses then, though Lansing- 
 burg contained many more. Our travelers pushed on through the 
 wilderness on horseback, not finding any land that was satisfactory 
 until this town was reached. Then the rude hut, in the form of a 
 
FARM LIFE 209 
 
 dugout, was constructed. The boards used for the purpose were 
 carried on the back of the owner nearly a mile. After three years 
 the hut was replaced by a fine log cabin that withstood the ravages 
 of time and tempest until a very recent date. The work of clearing 
 the wilderness had commenced and it was gradually transformed 
 into fruitful field, meadow and garden. The life of the family dur- 
 ing these years was attended with many" hardships, as well as a 
 mingling of fun with adventures. A few of these incidents have 
 been caught in the web of memory and have floated down to us 
 through two generations. We wish the web had been larger and 
 stronger and a greater number of facts had been secured, then we 
 could more clearly go back and become dwellers in the long ago. 
 Children came to gladden the hearts of this couple and to make 
 the hills resound with their gleeful voices. In winter they walked 
 two or three miles to school to learn all the schoolmaster could 
 teach of the sciences embraced in the three R's. In summer the 
 farm gave ample employment to both girls and boys. The girls 
 milked the cows, helped make the butter and cheese, assisted in put- 
 ting the seed into the ground in the spring and in securing the 
 crops in the harvest time, as well as helping in the daily prepara- 
 tions for the frugal meals. And as soon as they were old enough 
 the daughter trotted back and forth at the big wheel, converting the 
 long wool rolls into smooth yarn, ready for weaving into cloth or 
 for knitting stockings. When older and more skillful grown, she 
 sat at the Httle wheel, literally fulfilling the description of the Wise 
 man, " She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the 
 distafif." The mother made ready the wool for spinning and hatch- 
 eled the flax and hemp and kept the shuttle flying to weave the 
 cloth for clothing for the family and an abundant store of bedding 
 and table linen. She was ever the teacher of her daughters in the 
 several departments of housekeeping, and early in their childhood — 
 somewhere between the ages of five and eight years — they were 
 appointed daily tasks at knitting and sewing. 
 
 While these homely duties of the household were going on, the 
 father and sons were busy in forest and field, performing the 
 heavier duties of the farm. During the long winter evenings, when 
 the family gathered around the kitchen fire and watched the flames 
 that rose from the huge, piled-up, hissing logs, that brightened all 
 the room, they recounted the weird, old stories that have come 
 
2IO THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 down to us of g^hosts and headless riders that scoured the country 
 round, to alarm the belated traveler or venturesome swain, who 
 roved abroad at midnight. On Sabbath evenings the Shorter 
 Catechism replaced the goblin tales. From the father's lips, round 
 and round the questions went, while the ready answers came. One 
 son, I well remember, could l^egin with '' what is the chief end of 
 man?" and giving questions and answers in correct order, with- 
 out the book, would only stop with the answer to the final question. 
 Hilarity as well as solemnity entered into their lives. Parties for 
 husking, quilting and apple paring brought the young people 
 together. Often there was more dancing than working, and the 
 lover, dressed in homespun, found an opportunity to whisper the 
 sweet story into the listening maiden's ear, and in many a case with the 
 desired effect, as was proven by the marriage of the elder Joshua 
 Steele in the clean, new barn that v\'as sufficiently large to accom- 
 modate the young people who gathered from all the country 
 around to witness the ceremony. 
 
 It was a great event when the Doctor, good pastor of the parish 
 came. The decanter and the foot-glass were brought out as an 
 expression of hospitality after the urchins and parents as well had 
 been ranged in a row and catechised. If the frightened youngsters 
 had lost memory as well as wits the Doctor would sometimes say: 
 " My John can answer all these little questions." One day John was 
 brought with his father to show how well he could speak up before 
 his elders, but, poor John standing at the head of his class to show 
 his proficiency, was as frightened as the others and could say 
 nothing. After being asked several questions without a satisfac- 
 tory result, the doctor said: "John, do you know anything?" "No, 
 sir.'' " Then sit down." That was a great triumph for the children 
 of the family, and remained green in their memoiy to be related to 
 the next generation. 
 
 It might not be amiss to relate a little incident to show how 
 integrity of character was taught in this home. A man, employed 
 as helper on the farm, having completed his time of service, left 
 for his home, which was many miles away. Soon after his depart- 
 ure, a bill representing quite an amount was missing, but no one 
 suspected it had been other than lost — probably dropped 
 unobserved on the hearth, and swept into the fire. After being gone 
 a year or more the man returned and sought audience with the head 
 
FARM LIFE 211 
 
 of the house to whom he related this story: By accident the bih 
 had been dropped in his presence, and, unobserved, he had taken it, 
 but he had never been able to put it to use and had come to restore 
 it to its owner. After that no kindness was too great to show him — 
 no amount of attention too much to bestow upon him, much to 
 the amazement of the family. When he departed he was entreated 
 to come again at no distant day. Later the story was rehearsed and 
 great commendation given to one who, having repented of his fault, 
 had humbly made restitution. Henceforth that man was an hon- 
 ored, annual visitor. One other event might be mentioned, going 
 to show that crime was abroad even then. The parents had met 
 losses by having money, loaned by them, returned in worthless 
 Continental bills. Ever after they would have nothing to do with 
 paper money, but hoarded all unneeded gold and silver. A woman's 
 stocking, filled to the ankle with gold pieces and silver coin, had 
 been dropped in a box, until there was in weight as much as a per- 
 son could lift. These were kept in a locked chest that stood by the 
 head of the owner's bed. One night, in the year 1814, when all the 
 men of the house were away, save one, who worked on the farm 
 and slept in the loft, the house was entered and the treasure stolen. 
 No noise disturbed the household, but when the younger members 
 rose in the morning they saw what had been done and that the occu- 
 pant of the bed-room, now a grandmother, was lying very still, 
 with her head covered and two heavy clubs placed near. They 
 dared not touch the bedding, but called for Joe to uncover the 
 head, while they stood around with white faces. The moment the 
 clothes were removed, the sleeper woke, and observing the state 
 of things jumped from her bed and ran out doors screaming: 
 " We're robbed, we're robbed." No definite clue could be obtained 
 to identify the thief and the property was never recovered nor could 
 its w^hereabouts ever be ascertained, though fortune tellers pointed 
 out several different spots where it was supposed to have been 
 buried and parties came from a distance, at various times, and 
 labored with hoe and spade to unearth the shining gold. Whether 
 it was wasted by the robber in riotous living, in other parts, or 
 for fear of detection emboweled in the earth, has always remained 
 a mystery. 
 
 I have often seen a little wheel, used for spinning flax, that was 
 given to the wife of a member of a younger generation of this 
 
212 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 family, but as the good mother was careful that bureau and closet 
 should be well filled for her daughter, there was no immediate use 
 for the wheel. It was borrowed by an aunt, who had several daugh- 
 ters and who continued in the manufacture of cloth long after her 
 neighbors resorted to that new innovation — the factory. The wheel 
 was kept purring for many years, but was finally doomed to a dark 
 corner of the garret, as daughter after daughter had passed away, 
 and the hand of the borrower, feeble with age, had lost its strength 
 and cunning. For years the wheel gathered dust and cobwebs, 
 until, being in the way, it was restored to the family of the owner, 
 after forty-six years. She who owned it had paid the penalty 
 of nature many years before. 
 
 These tales I tell of plain, counlr}' folk. Their ways and occupa- 
 tions may seem unworthy to be recorded by one gifted in the lore 
 of modem days, but the simple, out-door life gave strong, healthy 
 bodies, and the hardships they endured in wresting a livelihood 
 from mother earth, under untoward circumstances, gave them 
 decision of character, that we, their descendants, delight to honor. 
 
 " So the multitude goes, like the flowers or the weed 
 That withers away to let others succeed ; 
 So the multitude comes, even those we behold, 
 To repeat every tale that has often been told. 
 
 For we are the same our fathers have been ; 
 We see the same sights our fathers have seen — 
 We drink the same stream and view the same sun. 
 And run the same course our fathers have run. 
 
 The thoughts we are thinking our fathers would think, 
 From the death we are shrinking our fathers would shrink, 
 To the life we are clinging they also would cling ; 
 But it speeds for us all like a bird on the wing. 
 
 They loved, but the story we cannot unfold ; 
 They scorned, but the heart of the haughty is cold ; 
 They grieved, but no wail from their slumbers will come ; 
 They joyed, but the tongue of their gladness is dumb. 
 
 They died, aye ; they died ; and we things that are now. 
 That walk in the turf that lies over their brow. 
 Who make in their dwellings a transient abode, 
 Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road. 
 
FARM LIFE 213 
 
 Yea ! hope and despondency, pleasure and pain, 
 We mingle together in sunshine and rain ; 
 And the smiles and the tears, the song and the dirge. 
 Still follow each other, like surge upon surge. 
 
 'Tis the wink of an eye, 'tis the draught of a breath ; 
 From the blossom of health to the paleness of death, 
 From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud — 
 Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud " 
 
214 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 FISHING 
 
 First, let us speak of White creek, which, we all know and love, 
 with its clear sparkling water and shaded banks — how it flows 
 smoothly and quietly on, day after day — '' a thing of beauty and a 
 joy forever." 
 
 We wonder where it came from and should we follow up the 
 stream, we would find ourselves in tlie State of Vermont at the foot 
 of the Green mountains. 
 
 The mountain streams overflow each year and kind Dame 
 Nature always responds to a call from one of her subjects, so the 
 bed of the creek was formed, ages ago no one can tell how, making 
 an outlet for the clear, sweet water coming fresh from the numerous 
 springs in the mountains. 
 
 White creek is born, and, following the outlet, it flows on and 
 on, through fields and by roadsides, nature making the banks 
 attractive with beautiful willow trees with their graceful branches 
 of lovely green, and other shrubs and flowers overhanging. 
 
 We might follow^ the stream winding in and out through fragrant 
 meadows and shaded roadsides and find that it joins another, called 
 by contrast, Black creek, as the darker water indicates, and with 
 united force they flow on to Battenkill, widening all the way, but 
 still in our beautiful valley. 
 
 We think that in our village, White creek is more attractive than 
 in any other part of the valley, and here the Indians found it many 
 years ago on the way to their hunting grounds in the north, passing 
 through this part of the countr}^ They found the water so clear 
 and pure they called it the " Osoma " or " Sparkling Water,'' and 
 in it they were the first to discover the beautiful fish shining so 
 white in the water and glistening in the sun as they glide in and out 
 among the white stones. It is no wonder that the trout selected this 
 beautiful stream for their home, and since they had been for years 
 undisturbed, no doubt they were grown to a large size. 
 
FISHING 215 
 
 What a feast for the Indians! No wonder they Hngered here. 
 We can imagine our village, with its surrounding natural beauty, 
 the distant mountains, the nearer hills — quiet and peaceful, save the 
 murmur of White creek flowing on and on, the Indians camping on 
 its banks. How picturesque it must have been with the wigwams 
 and the men and women scattered about in their bright colored 
 dress. 
 
 Imagine also the disturbance among the trout in the stream as 
 they were cruelly taken out of the water by these great beings, by 
 them never seen before. That was their first introduction to the 
 hook or line or other contrivance that the Indians used. 
 
 We may be sure these dainty little fish were as toothsome to the 
 Red Men as we have found them to be later, and that they spent 
 some time in our valley, always being sure of a good meal for they 
 could find the fish the whole length of the stream. Later on many 
 farmers who were among the colony, who came from the north of 
 Ireland to our valley, selected homes near the stream as they found 
 the soil exceedingly rich and that the hills also could be 
 cultivated. 
 
 Again our trout were disturbed by these farmers who found 
 them and took them from the stream. They were not easy to catch 
 and sometimes they would refuse the tempting worm fastened to 
 a pin by the small boy on earth at that time. What would he think 
 now should he see the paraphernalia in use by the lovers of the 
 sport. The numerous rods and reels, the book of flies and the fancy 
 fishing tackle, every and anything to tempt the gamey little trout. 
 
 However do the fine looking fish baskets substituted for the old 
 tin pails come home from the trip any better filled as the result of the 
 day's fishing, than when in the years long ago the farmer's lad took 
 the line and the one hook, the joint property of the whole family, 
 and went out for the day's fishing. A long string of the spotted 
 beauties were his reward, carried proudly in sight, while the fisher- 
 man of to-day carefully guards his closed basket leaving imagina- 
 tion to do the rest, when one asks of the result. 
 
 Yes, the beautiful trout have always lived in White creek and 
 here they still live. We find, on looking over old records on file 
 in the first newspaper printed here, that it became necessary to pre- 
 sei^ve the trout and a prompt action saved them for the sportsman 
 of to-day. 
 
2i6 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Mr. Nelson Cheney, the State Fish CultUx'-ist, has been consulted 
 and he kindly submits the following facts found in the State library: 
 
 " An act for the preservation of trout : in certain waters in the County of 
 Washington in the State of New York, was passed in the year eighteen 
 hundred and nineteen, March 26th, reading as follows : 
 
 Section first : Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, repre- 
 sented in the Senate and Assembly, that from and after the passing of the act, 
 it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to take or catch any trout in 
 the Battenkill or any of its tributary streams in the said county of Washington 
 by any other means than hook or line. 
 
 Section second : That any person or persons shall take any trout in any of 
 said waters contrary to the provisions of the preceding section of the act, he 
 or they shall for each and every offense forfeit the sum of Twenty-five Dollars, 
 to be sued for and recovered by any person who will prosecute for the same in 
 action of debt in his own name with costs of such in any court having cog- 
 nizance thereof, one half when recovered to be paid to the overseer of the 
 town in which forfeiture shall be recovered, and the other half to be for the 
 use and benefit of the person who shall prosecute for and recover the same." 
 
 The waters named in Washington county are the first for which 
 a special act for protection was passed in New York State to save 
 trout from netting, and it is an honor to Washington county. The 
 State had had protection of some sort or other since the Colonial 
 laws of 1 77 1. 
 
 In 1819, when the act was passed, Salem was recognized as hav- 
 ing streams filled with trout and many enjoyed the sport. The 
 renowned Doctor Bethune, who was a son-in-law of Col. Williams, 
 was very fond of fishing as we find in the " Memoirs of George W. 
 Bethune." Doctor Prime, of the "Observer," writes: "1 asked 
 Dr. Bethune where he, city born and bred, acquired his taste and 
 skill for fishing. He said when a boy at the academy in Salem, 
 Washington county, New York, he fell in with a man called " Fisher 
 Billy," who gave him lessons and showed him how. " Fisher Billy" 
 was often in debt and obliged to go to Salem on the limits and the 
 limits included a fine trout stream. 
 
 The preservation of trout is largely due to an act passed later 
 prohibiting fishing at certain times of the year, also to the frequent 
 stocking of White creek with young trout by public-spirited fisher- 
 men. In another old newspaper on file in the library we find " that 
 young trout were put in White creek in the year 1876," and we learn 
 that each year following to the present time the stream has been 
 stocked increasing the number put in. 
 
FISHING 217 
 
 We know that Salem had at one time a large and flourishing 
 fishing club, known as the " Izaak Walton Club," of which 
 Mr. Charles Wliitcomb was the president. We had hoped to glean 
 interesting facts from the old records, but find that they have been 
 destroyed. However, if not a " Walton Club " at present, there is 
 one called " Company W," which is very near it. Of this club we 
 know that it is not large, but flourishing; that it has four members, 
 all four "Ws," and that they fish, yes, that they enjoy it. Their 
 record cannot be beaten, as many friends can testify who have 
 enjoyed the fish that they have captured. 
 
 This club also owns a staunch, little steamer, called " Company 
 W," which is launched on Lake Cossayuna, about twelve miles 
 from Salem, where they enjoy fine bass fishing later in the season. 
 We imagine that if Walton could visit the " shop " and sundry 
 places where this select club meet from time to time and have a look 
 at the fishing tackle and hear the learned discussions, he would 
 exclaim : " These are W's after my own heart." Another club in 
 Salem is known as the "Paradise Hall Club." When we approached 
 the supposed president for an interview in regard to this club, 
 Air. Moses Johnson, he remarked that he guessed "Albert" was 
 the president, meaning Mr. Albert Broughton, and upon appealing 
 to Mr. Broughton, he said: " Oh, Mose is, I guess." 
 
 However, we did learn that this club would testify that for solid 
 good fishing times they were ahead. Over at Cossayuna Lake 
 they have a cottage known as Paradise Hall, furnished with every 
 luxury. Here they stay two weeks or more every summer. Doctor 
 Cotton and Mr. Wm. L. Campbell are also members of this club 
 and Mr. W. D. Watt, formerly of Salem. We could not find the 
 records of the number of fish caught or the general weight thereof; 
 however, the people who have tried to fish after this club have been 
 over the lake feel sure there were none left to be caught. 
 
 There is one lover of sport who has a record in fishing and who 
 is always the first one to go up White creek as early as the law 
 allows. 
 
 " No one ever knows 
 Where Austin Baker goes." 
 
 He is very quiet on the subject, but no one has a better filled 
 basket than his when he returns. He may not have as many gor- 
 geous flies made in this country and upon the other side of the 
 
2i8 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 ocean as the " W's " have, but he knows how to catch the speckled 
 beauties and where to find them, but this he keeps to himself. 
 Good sportsmen are often very quiet on this subject. 
 
 We are proud of our village and its beautiful surroundings, but 
 how much would we miss the wonderful white stream that flows 
 through at its own will. No one can cross the bridge without being- 
 impressed by the beauty of its clear, silver water and the white peb- 
 bles glistening in the sunlight like jewels. The beautiful shaded 
 banks with drooping \\illows and low shrubs casting shadows in 
 quiet spots, where every fisherman watches for the trout which can 
 often be seen, so clear is the water. 
 
 Later in the season the stream is visited by many trout who come 
 here to spawn and very large ones have been seen at that time. 
 
 A day spent wandering the length of our beautiful White creek, 
 with a lovely view on all sides, the sound of the gentle flow of the 
 water, the song of the bird, the gleam of the sunshine, the shadows 
 of overhanging branches, the beautiful reflection; all these appeal 
 to the fisherman with the love of nature born with the love of the 
 sport. The wonderful quietness as he is waiting for the poor little 
 fish to bite gives time for thought, and with nature before him the 
 thought can only be beautiful. 
 
 As long as Salem has been known, so long have the trout been 
 known to live in White creek, and it is worthy of notice that the 
 first reference to Salem in the records of New York is as " a little 
 village through which there flows a wonderful stream abounding 
 with beautiful trout." 
 
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 ff 
 
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 ^\ 
 
 
 V 
 
 
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 M 
 
 Vi 
 
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HOLIDAYS 219 
 
 HOLIDAYS 
 
 The people of Salem indulged in very few holidays. Being mostly 
 Presbyterians of ratlier an ultra type, they had no saint's days to 
 observe. Christmas was seldom mentioned and New Year's day 
 was so slightly esteemed that it was quite an event for children to 
 be invited to spend the day at the house of some friend or to have 
 them at their own home. 
 
 Election days, both general and local, were never neglected. 
 Political antagonism ran quite as high in former years as it does 
 now. Families were divided, father against son and brother against 
 brother, so that on the day when the result of their strenuous efforts 
 was to be decided, few of our sturdy farmers found anything sufh- 
 ciently important at home to prevent them from spending the day 
 near the place where the voting was being done. 
 
 There were one or two other days in the year which, by common 
 consent, v/ere always observed as public holidays. The Fourth 
 of July, as now, was never forgotten. Great preparation was made 
 to celebrate the day with striking display. There was one feature 
 in the procession in former times which seems to have been omitted 
 in later years. A part of the procession consisted of a company of 
 young ladies, representing the different States of the Union, 
 dressed with special reference to the occasion, and, certainly worthy 
 to become the observed of all observers. It should not be forgot- 
 ten that the success of this part of the display was in a great meas- 
 ure due to the public spirt and exquisite taste of the late Mrs. Har- 
 vey, who, even in her old age, took charge of the dressing and 
 decoration of these lovely republican representatives, and it was 
 often remarked that " when Mrs. Harvey was gone there could be no 
 more such celebrations." This great memorial of the birth of our 
 nation is still observed as the peculiar hohday of our country; and 
 may the day never come when it shall cease to be observed by the 
 successors of our patriot fathers. 
 
220 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Formerly every able-bodied man, between the ages of eighteen 
 and forty-five, was obliged to be enrolled in some military organiza- 
 tion, unless he was for some score legally exempted. In every 
 town, therefore, there was at least one organized military com- 
 pany. A certain number of companies were united in a regiment 
 and a given number of regiments formed a brigade. All these 
 bodies of men had their stated times for coming together and dis- 
 playing their proficiency in military matters and winning the 
 approbation of their fellow-citizens. This gave rise to another 
 holiday which no boy of those days can ever forget. The village of 
 Salem was provided with about the most convenient ground for 
 such a parade to be found in any place in this vicinity, and so the 
 youngsters of the place were usually favored with the opportunity 
 to witness these eagerly anticipated displays. The space of ground 
 extending from the house now occupied by Mr. W. C. Larmon to 
 the Academy and an indefinite distance north, although it is now 
 covered with streets, houses and railroad tracks, was at that time 
 one broad, level meadow, and in the fall after the hay had been 
 taken ofif, afforded an ideal spot for the assembling of bodies of men 
 for any purpose. To this favored field, on the appointed day, after 
 a sufficient amount of marching and counter-marching, to prop- 
 erly form the line, the whole body of citizen soldiers were led for 
 the purpose of inspection and instruction in the art and mastery of 
 military tactics, and there also we boys hastened in order to feast 
 our eyes upon the display of gold lace, glittering arms and nod- 
 ding plumes and to witness, with wonder and admiration, the series 
 of impossible evolutions attempted at the word of the commanding 
 officer. But we were not confined to the fields for our source of 
 enjoyment; the streets also furnished us with many objects of inter- 
 est; there we found traveling merchants who displayed their stores 
 of brass rings, gilt jewelry and other articles that tempt the childish 
 fancy, as well as various eatables and drinkables, such as we seldom 
 found at home. But the children were not left alone to monopo- 
 lize the pleasures of the occasion. Men of all classes took advantage 
 of this day to meet their friends, and while wdtnessing the military 
 display, discuss various matters of public and private interest. At 
 these gatherings the consumption of considerable quantities of stim- 
 ulants was the usual order of the day, so that the warlike spirit was 
 often more obviously exhibited in the hotels and on the streets than 
 
HOLIDAYS 221 
 
 upon the parade ground. It was but seldom any serious results 
 followed these indulgences. One and only one such sad occurrence 
 is now brought to mind. In the evening of one of these gala days, 
 somewhere in the early twenties, two young men got into a quarrel 
 in one of the hotels, and one of them received a wound which 
 resulted in his death and in sending the other to states prison for a 
 sufficient number of years to blot out the best part of his life. But 
 despite these darker shadows the memory of General Training Day 
 is a bright and happy one. But why make a record of things appar- 
 ently so unimportatnt? Simply because they are things of the past. 
 The children of the present time have not the privilege of witnes- 
 sing such military shows, following in the wake of the procession 
 and proudly keeping step to the beat of the drum, spending nickels 
 or dimes for cakes and root beer and then going home to play the 
 mimic soldier and dream of the delights of next General Training 
 Day. 
 
 When we try to sum up the benefits resulting from the scenes, 
 we have tried to describe, we might reasonably conclude they but 
 porly repaid the amount of time and money expended on them, 
 and we must admit that the instruction there imparted would bear 
 no comparison to that which is found at West Point, but it may 
 be well to remember that many a brave officer who laid down his 
 life gallantly leading his fellow soldier in defense of his country and 
 its institutions, received his first rudiments of military discipHne 
 and duty in just such an uncouth and uncompromising school as 
 this. 
 
THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 GHOSTS 
 
 " The spirit-world around this world of sense, 
 Floats like an atmosphere," 
 
 Writes Longfellow. Not only he but other poets have written of 
 the " spirit-worid." For instance, Thomas Hood, in "Apparition," 
 speaks of a " spirit " visiting a man at the dead of night. Again, 
 in one of his other poems, he tells of a ghost appearing to a woman 
 by the name of Phoebe " at twelve o'clock at noon 
 
 Because he was a Blackamoor 
 And wouldn't show at night." 
 
 In every town there is at least one house which has the reputation 
 of being haunted. One of the poets said: 
 
 " All houses wherein men have lived and died 
 Are haunted houses." 
 
 The second farm house on the west of the turnpike, as it lies 
 north of Salem, boasts of a ghost. The farm was once owned by 
 a family named Stevenson. This family consisted of a brother and 
 sister. The sister, a single woman, was not well-treated by the 
 brother or the rest of the household. Although she owned one- 
 half of the land she was not allowed food enough to meet her needs. 
 At last she died from over work and want of food. But she was 
 not done with earth, for, at night, she would return from her grave 
 and walk about her brother's rooms, a loaf of bread clasped tightly 
 in her hands and held closely to her breast. None but her brother 
 ever beheld this visitor, but many have told of hearing the ceaseless 
 treading of her footsteps and her moans as she paced up and doWn 
 the wide rooms. But time and modern improvements must have 
 caused her flight for the present occupants of the house have neither 
 seen nor heard sighs of the ghostly visitant. 
 
 On the road leading to Evergreen cemetery, in the open field 
 just before reaching the residence of the late Samuel Billings, 
 
GHOSTS 223 
 
 stood an old weather-beaten house, in which a family named Miner 
 lived. This family were of a wild and dissolute character. After 
 they left the house weird noises were heard and bright lights were 
 easily discerned by passers-by. The house, then, was partially sur- 
 rounded by woods, but within the last few years it has been torn 
 down, the woods cut away and nothing left but a few of the founda- 
 tion stones. 
 
 Along the same road, just about dusk, an old woman riding on 
 a tall, thin, white horse, was often seen coming to the village to 
 do her marketing. She was called a witch, but as she never did any 
 harm, she was unmolested except by her brother who either mur- 
 dered her, as some say, or took her away to foreign parts. Not a great 
 distance from the Miner house, in a white one-storied cottage, 
 lived the Blossoms. Mrs. Blossom or "Auntie" Blossom as she was 
 called, was tall and slender with small bead-like eyes that almost 
 pierced one through with their brightness. She collected herbs 
 and steeped them into numerous concoctions to be used as reme- 
 dies for all known diseases. If there was sickness in any family she 
 was always on hand with her medicines. This harmelss old woman 
 was supposed to be a witch and children, when they saw her, would 
 flee as from some pestilence for fear of being seized by her and 
 some terrible charm worked upon them. 
 
 On Main street, a short distance from the depot, stood the old 
 Dodd house which was haunted. It was a large old-fashioned wood 
 colored house, its broad front dotted at regular intervals with many 
 windows and its one large door facing the street. The ghosts of 
 the departed walked through the rooms at the still hour of mid- 
 night, and dim lights were seen in the building which vanished as 
 the sun rose over the eastern hills. There are two other houses 
 on the same street where 
 
 ' ' Through the open doors 
 
 The harmless phantoms on their errands glide, 
 
 With feet that make no sound upon the floor." 
 
 Between the residence of the late John Cleveland and Clinton 
 Wilson, on the left-hand side of the road leading to Rupert, is a 
 hill called " No Head Hill," from the fact that a peddler was mur- 
 dered there. His head was severed from his body and after that 
 for years persons traveling that road by night frequently saw a head- 
 
224 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 less ghost. Mrs. H , a woman living near there, says that a 
 
 man came to her house late one night and said that a headless man 
 had walked beside his horse and finally ran in front of him and dis- 
 appeared in the bushes. Mr. H took a lantern and went over 
 
 the ground, but could find nothing and so concluded that it must 
 be the ghost of the murdered man. 
 
 Salem cannot boast of a "Province House," where the ghosts of the 
 royal governors assembled nightly for their mid-night revels or of 
 the ghosts of beautiful ladies who glided down the broad stair- 
 case of that mansion to join the royal personages at the festive 
 board. The ghosts described in this chapter are the ghosts of those 
 persons who toiled and labored and after they had departed this 
 life their restless spirits again visited, in the hush of mid-night, the 
 familiar scenes of their suffering. 
 
 This superstition, in regard to ghosts, is as ancient as the world 
 and will continue as long as human nature remains the same. Great 
 poets have woven ghostly legends into beautiful plays and noted 
 writers have made them the subject of thrilling stories; and why 
 should not our beautiful " City of Peace " have its record of ghostly 
 visitants? " Imagination is the air of mind " and without it the 
 charms and virtues which we dare conceive in youth and " pursue 
 as men " would be an " unreached Paradise." 
 
ROMANCES 225 
 
 ROMANCES 
 
 And shall the " Salem Book " be completed and sent upon its 
 mission? Shall we see in our imagination the eager reader at last 
 lay down the book with a sigh of satisfaction, but hear them after- 
 wards exclaim — " Courage, patriotism, religion — all are good ! 
 But did no romance enter into their lives?" 
 
 Romance did you say? In an instant every faculty is keenly alert; 
 the imagination immediately conjures up all sorts of pictures and all 
 are on tiptoe with interest and expectation; the very soul is stirred; 
 the heart leaps at the mere mention of the word; bright living 
 pictures greet us and invite our inspection; the eye brightens, then 
 glistens with the sympathetic tear; the smile comes readily to the 
 lip and laughter ripples on the air. Everything gives one great 
 harmonic throb of sympathy. Sunsets are more brilliant, birds sing 
 sweeter, " nature's children " seem to send out a more subtle frag- 
 rance; the leaves are in a flutter of excitement, and even the great 
 trunks give a friendly creak. Oh, yes! nature in one great, grand 
 symphony expresses her approval of the child romance. 
 
 Were we to enumerate them, give them individual time and space, 
 a volume would not contain them and time itself would rebel against 
 its use; and, after all, they would be but romantic history repeating 
 itself. We cite but one — an exception. Probably no other town in 
 the great " Empire State," and possibly none in the United States, 
 can boast of any thing so romantic as the celebration of an " old 
 maid's " wedding anniversary, with a groom provided for the occa- 
 sion and gifts suitable and generous in number. Merrier time was 
 never enjoyed; hearts were light, young and old alike entered into 
 the spirit of the festivities, and the so-called bride and borrowed 
 bridegroom were the observed of all observers. 
 
 There was poetry galore, written by one of Salem's sons. 
 
226 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 Ring, bells ! 
 A merry jingle, 
 The season's here 
 Of dear Kriss Kringle. 
 Ring, bells ! 
 Wedding bells ! 
 Miriam's story tell. 
 
 " Some years ago, no matter when, 
 
 Our envied heroine was born. 
 She grew and waxed in strength 
 
 And lovely in her mold and form. 
 She lived — and loved — who does not love 
 
 One's friends and the good things of life ? 
 But, strange, she would not wed. 
 The reason is, she loved not strife. 
 
 " To herself she said : 'To wed or not to wed ! ' 
 
 That is a serious matter, 
 Whether 'tis better to live in quiet, 
 
 Or always in perpetual clatter. 
 She looked at the subject in various ways 
 
 And finally concluded she wouldn't. 
 And ever since then of her its been said 
 
 She is certainly remarkably prudent." 
 
 All honor and glory to all the old maids 
 
 Who " go it alone " o'er life's thorny way, 
 
 They can look at The Book and then sweetly say. 
 
 We are safe from you men — we're not bound to obey. 
 
BRIGHTEST AND DARKEST DAYS 227 
 
 BRIGHTEST AND DARKEST DAYS 
 
 " I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought 
 nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together." — MONTAIGNE 
 
 In nature's history it is not the days of cloudless sunlight nor 
 the altogether cloudy days of which we may count the greatest 
 number. Nor does nature's greatest beauty lie in these; but, rather 
 in her days of mingled sunshine and shade. So in searching for 
 Salem's darkest and brightest days, we have found that the greater 
 number have been bright, with enough of clouds to temper the 
 light and to make her sunsets beautiful. 
 
 It must be left to conjecture, whether the two men, who wended 
 a weary way hither from Massachusetts, in 1761, would call those 
 days bright or dark; but we of to-day, who are proud of Salem's 
 being the oldest settlement in the county, call them brightest. Cer- 
 tainly they must have numbered the days of 1764, when they brought 
 hither their families, and the days of 1765, when they were joined 
 by the Scotch settlers, among the bright days. There followed 
 prosperous days and prosperous years. The people grew attached 
 to this little valley, when it became necessary to fight for the houses 
 which they held deal and the liberty which they held dearer. 
 
 The place of worship became the barracks of the patriot forces 
 and a fort for defense against Indian and Enghsh foemen. During 
 these Revolutionary years Salem was much exposed, owing to its 
 frontier position, and in the fall of 1777 the people were obliged 
 to abandon their homes and their fields, then white for the harvest, 
 and seek safety in Massachusetts, for Burgoyne was in Whitehall 
 and it was expected that the route of the detachments which were 
 to join him would be through this town. But, "behind the cloud 
 the sun was still shining," and after Burgoyne's surrender the peo- 
 ple returned and " found their tabernacles in peace, having sustained 
 no other loss than crops and cattle." No lives were lost in the 
 Revolution of those who went from here, though many were in the 
 battle of Saratoga and some were long confined in Canadian prisons. 
 
228 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 So, with a glimmer of sunlight, the first of Salem's darkest days was 
 ended. 
 
 In 1812 the shadow settled again over the little " City of Peace " 
 and all who were able, answered their country's call, "To Arms!" 
 The Rev. Doctor Johnson, to whom the writer is much indebted 
 for facts and dates, remembers hearing his mother tell of how his 
 grandfather brought his family to church one Sunday and on the 
 way met a United States of^xer riding. He asked him anxiously 
 "what news?" and received for a reply, "the very worst." In the 
 church he found the mothers, wives and children assembled, weep- 
 ing over the troublous news. He was the only man present that 
 dark day. The pastor was so overcome as to be unable to finish 
 his sermon and stopped saying: " I cannot go on. I am thinking so 
 constantly of the ones that have left us." 
 
 We cannot say of this war as we did of the Revolution, that not 
 a life was lost. But, though Salem lost some of her noble sons, 
 she had her martyrs dead, and with a ray of light at sunset another 
 of Salem's darkest days was ended. 
 
 The Northern Post, of February, 1819, chronicles the burning of 
 Washington Academy, the founding and opening of which had 
 marked a brightest day in Salem's calendar. This fire robbed them 
 also of the Adelphic Library, consisting of three hundred choice 
 volumes and of many maps. A loss that we, in this day when " of 
 making many books there is no end," cannot measure or appreciate. 
 The same paper, in an issue of June of the same year, tells of a 
 rift in this dark cloud in the following words : 
 
 " Legislature having granted a sum to relieve them from the loss, 
 and a considerable sum having been raised by subscription, the trus- 
 tees manifest a determination to prove themselves worthy of this con- 
 fidence and liberality and lay the foundation of a more spacious, more 
 durable and more elegant building of brick." 
 
 The new building was ready for occupancy in January of the fol- 
 lowing year, and this dark day in Salem's calendar had ended in a 
 beautiful glow of sunlight. 
 
 It would not be a faithful record of Salem's brightest days that 
 would omit to record the flood of spiritual sunlight which shone in 
 1824. A stranger passing the Sabbath in town expressed a desire 
 to occupy the pulpit of the " Brick Church." So wonderful a ser- 
 mon did he preach that at its close the pastor asked him to tell the 
 
BRIGHTEST AND DARKEST DAYS 229 
 
 people he would preach again in the evening. The people assem- 
 bled in large niunbers to listen. jMonday morning the stranger 
 went his way. No one knew from whence he came or whither he 
 went, not even his name is known, but the good he did, who shall 
 measure it? As a result of this strange event there united with the 
 " Brick Church " one hundred and seventy-five persons, and with the 
 " White Church " one hundred and twenty-five. All came together 
 on July Sabbath. A day worthy, indeed, to be called brightest. 
 
 Not again until 1840 did a cloud dense enough to render any day 
 very dark gather over the peaceful vale. In September and Octo- 
 ber of that year two great fires laid almost the entire village in ashes 
 and the people were homeless and suffering. So tew were there 
 who had escaped without loss that for the first and only time in 
 Salem's history contributions had to be asked from surrounding 
 villages and towns for a relief fund. So dark and dreary a day was 
 this, that the people needed oft to rest upon the promise " that at 
 evening time it shall be light." 
 
 A paper printed in Februar}-, 1852, contains a notice reading, in 
 part, as follows: 
 
 "All aboard that's going. On Wednesday, the twenty-fifth, an 
 excursion will be run over this road, and on the twenty-seventh the 
 trains will begin to run regularly." This notice marked the reali- 
 zation of a great dream, an event hoped for and longed for through 
 months past. When the eventful day came — it had been postponed 
 until March third — it was a gala day. All Salem was in a state of 
 excitement. Those who were not going, as well as those who were, 
 gathered in eager, excited, joyous groups at the station, many to 
 see a railway train for the first time. Can you imagine the almost 
 breathless surprise and interest as that train stopped, received the 
 passengers, then glided away on its journey? you, who are so accus- 
 tomed to the daily comings and goings that you do not even hear 
 the shrieking whistles and ringing bells that mark the same. That 
 day meant much to Salem as she looked forward to the future and 
 holds a place among the brightest in her calendar. 
 
 Those familiar with the history of the United States need not to 
 be told of the gathering clouds of '60 and '61. Late in the summer 
 of '62 the husbands, fathers and sons from this and other towns 
 were encamped here, ready to start for the fields of duty. The 
 people came from all the country round to do them honor and wsh 
 
230 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 them God speed. Not with sighing and weeping, but with feasting 
 and cheering did they bid the " boys in blue " farewell. Tears — but 
 the smiles shone brightly through them. Breaking hearts — but the 
 hearty — " Go 'tis your country calls " — hid them. Salem's bright- 
 est dark day was o'er and the waiting days begun. 
 
 In 1865 the people rejoiced. The war was over; the soldiers were 
 coming home. They came not as they went, but with empty sleeve 
 and broken health, worn with the weary marching and fighting, and 
 some — came not at all. Salem received them tenderly, lovingly, 
 rejoicing in her soldiers brave, and her darkest bright day was 
 ended. 
 
 Since then no day has been very dark nor has any day been of 
 dazzling brightness. All Easters are bright days, even though the 
 clouds be weeping. Within the churches the flowers are blooming, 
 the songs of praise are rising and the clouds without, may be easily 
 forgotten. 
 
 The Harvest Home Festivals, held in the month of September 
 for several years, were seasons of rejoicing never to be forgotten by 
 those who were privileged to participate in them. 
 
 Like wisdom's, her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her 
 paths are peace. 
 
M I 1 I i; I 
 
 me m/ 7^/:ch ^/^uici /sd/. 
 
VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 231 
 
 VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 
 
 I 
 
 THE GRAY MAN— A FRAGMENT 
 Scene I 
 
 Place — A large old-fashioned hall, lighted dimly by a lamp with 
 a bell-glass shade hanging from the ceiling. 
 
 Persons — A company of young people seated, some in the hall, 
 some in an adjoining parlor, where flickers an open wood fire 
 almost burned out. 
 
 Time — Late in the fall of i860. 
 
 H. (excitedly, with a suppressed scream) — " Who was that? 
 There is a strange man in the house! He must be a burglar! " 
 
 R.— ' What did he look like? " 
 
 H. — "A tall man, all gray, face, clothes, everything. But where 
 has he gone? He stood in that door and then disappeared." 
 
 R. — " Let us go after him; he cannot have gone out of the house; 
 he must be up-stairs." 
 
 All — " We will go together and hunt him." 
 
 They arm themselves vj'ith. various weapons — shovel, tongs, etc., 
 but no pistols, and search the house, through the hall, up in the 
 garret, looking behind doors, into closets, but find nothing and 
 nobody. 
 
 Scene II 
 
 Several years later. 
 
 Place — The attic, by a low window, a handsome elderly man and 
 a lady, eagerly bending over a hair-trunk studded with brass nails. 
 
 Mr. H. — "These are of inestimable value and should be most care- 
 fully preserved. Look at this autograph — Ethan Allen's! See this, 
 of Gov. Clinton! Listen to this by Aaron Burr! And here are 
 letters from Gen. Williams to his son. Hark! this one is equal to 
 any of Chesterfield's." 
 
232 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 H. (starting to her feet) — " Hush, who was that? Look around 
 that corner- — 4:hat man — all in gray! He winked at me! " (She gazes 
 wildly about and rushes down stairs, dropping letters all the way.) 
 
 Mr. H. — " I will investigate." (He rises carefully, examines every 
 nook and comer, then returns calmly to the papers, fully assured 
 that no human being was there, save those two.) 
 
 Scene IH 
 
 A company of people around a supper table; one guest, the 
 family physician. 
 
 Dr. A. — "Why are you looking so pale, Aliss H?" 
 
 H. (with a sigh) — "I just had a glimpse of the gray man! He 
 peeped in at the door, now he has gone ! '' 
 
 Dr. A. (rising) — " That is odd ; I thought I had a glimpse of some 
 one, but not substantial enough to be a real person." (He goes into 
 the hall, searches the parlor, returns saying): "There is no one 
 visible." 
 
 Scene IV 
 
 Place — A dinner table. H. at one end, occupying the seat of the 
 absent head of the house. Others present, to the number of four 
 or five. 
 
 H. (with a frightened expression, pressing her hand to her head) — 
 "Oh!" 
 
 Chorus from all — " What is the matter? "' 
 
 H. — " He struck me — • right on the head ! " 
 
 All—" Who ? " " What do you mean ? " 
 
 H. — " The gray man ! He came in, walked up to me, hit me on 
 the side of the head — like that — • and vanished!" 
 
 Scene V 
 
 Place — The same hall described in first scene, but differently 
 arranged; the "soap bubble" lamp gone from the ceiling; a tall 
 clock now ticking in a corner; the portrait of a gentleman on the 
 wall facing that of a baby sitting on the grass, with chubby forefin- 
 ger pointing to a bird in her other hand. 
 
 Time — The summer of 1895; broad daylight. 
 
 H. (enters, flings herself on the sofa with an old book. Her sister, 
 sitting not far away, sees her start up with a startled look on her 
 countenance). 
 
VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 233 
 
 F. — "What is the matter? How strange you look?" 
 
 H. — "There's the gray man! I saw him! It is a long, long 
 while since he has appeared, and I never knew him to go into that 
 room before." 
 
 F.— " What does he look like, really? " 
 
 H. — " His face is exactly like that portrait of our great grand- 
 father." 
 
 n 
 
 COMMENCEMENT 
 
 One March day about fifteen years ago, seven little maidens 
 appeared on the stage in old Washington Academy Hall to bid a 
 public farewell to Salem school life. They were the first ones who 
 had graduated since long ago, and many were the comments made. 
 Nearly every one was interested, and all were there to cheer and 
 encourage these girls by their presence. 
 
 Then, as now, the boys were conspicuous by their absence from 
 the stage on Commencement Day. This is probably not due to 
 their inferior intelligence, although it has never been accounted for 
 in any other way. 
 
 The exercises gave so much pleasure that, instead of giving them 
 up, they concluded to try again, and so they have been continued 
 until the present time, though the date has been several times 
 changed. 
 
 In 1882 the class graduated on the first day of April. They were 
 called "The April Fools," but they proved to every one that they 
 were not fools. They were not satisfied with going on the stage 
 and reading their essays; they must have a reception for their 
 friends in the evening. They had some trouble to induce their pro- 
 fessor to allow them to have it, for he considered it a waste of time, 
 but all the wiles of coaxing were brought to bear on the subject, 
 and he finally consented. Perhaps it differed somewhat from the 
 reception of '95, but there is no doubt it was just as heartily enjoyed. 
 
 A few years later the time was changed to June, and now on a 
 warm afternoon in the month of roses the class graduate in Proud- 
 fit Hall — Academy Hall not being large enough to hold all who 
 crowd to hear them. 
 
 Of late years the class, with a few chosen friends, spend a day at 
 one of the lakes in the vicinity. This is a day of enjoyment for 
 16 
 
234 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 every one fortunate enough to he included in the number, and 
 " Class Day " is always a pleasant memory to the graduates from 
 the academy. 
 
 So the years go by, each bringing some changes with it, but the 
 Commencement exercises at old S. W. A., with its accompanying 
 festivities, have become an established custom, and it is to be 
 hoped will long be numbered among the pleasing social events 
 which the people of Salem enjoy. 
 
 Ill 
 
 A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT 
 
 With memory's eye we are looking into the interior of the Episco- 
 pal church, brilliant with light, decorated with flowers, among which 
 fairy Michaelmas daisies are prominent. It is a holy day, and the 
 church presents a festive appearance. Before the chancel rail the 
 candidates for confirmation are standing, the bishop advancing 
 towards them in his stately robes; but why is there no rector to 
 present them? The tone of the bishop is solemn and tender, as he 
 informs them; and there is an added impressiveness in his full rich 
 voice, as he prays for each " that he may increase in Thy Holy Spirit 
 more and more until he come into Thy everlasting kingdom." 
 
 Now, turn with us to another scene, that same evening, a room 
 in a private dwelling, where an old man lies dying; his breath 
 comes in gasps, his face is drawn with agonizing pain, but in spite 
 of acute physical distress, there is on that face a look of peace. The 
 bishop is there, physicians and friends, but the last hour draws 
 near. As midnight approaches, all kneel, for the Communion is to 
 be administered. Some leave the room, shut out by their own Avill 
 from that " most comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood 
 of the Lord." There remains one — a Presbyterian elder, besides 
 the family of the departing saint. What depth of meaning in the 
 words which tremble on the air ! " We beseech Thee that whenso- 
 ever his soul shall depart from his body, it may be without spot 
 presented to Thee." They are scarcely uttered before the spirit 
 takes its flight, and the features settle into majestic repose, grand 
 in death, recalling even more than when in life, those of the ven- 
 erable father of his country. 
 
 How sudden the event! but a few hours ago the rector was mak- 
 
VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 235 
 
 ing arrangements to receive his bishop, and was giving the final 
 instructions to his confirmation class. Yet, was it not Providential 
 that he should have been summoned to heaven at that very time, 
 when there was within reach one who could thus administer to him 
 the rites of the church? 
 
 " Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord * * * that they 
 may rest from their labors." 
 
 " Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh 
 shall find watching." 
 
 IV 
 
 WHY? 
 
 A clear cold morning the first of March ; the sky a glorious, cloud- 
 less blue, the mercur}^ at zero. In all the congregations of the vil- 
 lage the Lord's Supper was to be observed. Preparatory services 
 had been held, more than usual interest had been evinced, and many 
 were looking forward to taking their places for the first time at the 
 holy feast. The bells for ten o'clock sounded but did not cease; 
 one, a deeper tone than all the rest, tolled on and on, till wonder, 
 then alarm, was roused. A column of smoke was seen ascending 
 into the wintry sky, a glare of flame burst forth. Instead of gather- 
 ing in their places of worship, the mulitudes hastened to the scene 
 of disaster — the Methodist church. Instead of officiating each in 
 his pulpit, the ministers rushed to the rescue of the doomed edifice, 
 but too late; the fire curled around the organ, rushed up the tall 
 spire, the bell came crashing down. The awe-stricken crowd, with 
 prayers in their hearts which they could not kneel to say in their 
 accustomed places, went sorrowfully home. Why was it? That is 
 one of those unanswerable questions which will ever come echoing 
 back— "Why?" 
 
 V 
 
 " MY WAYS NOT THY WAYS " 
 
 Prayer meeting evening in the month of February; a little com- 
 pany assembled in the " upper room; " lights burning brightly there, 
 but from a door in the gallery can be seen the church, dark, empty, 
 silent. Then low tones and muffied tread are heard, as through the 
 portal of the sanctuary is borne a coffined form, followed by a train 
 of mourners, along the aisle, to the study behind the pulpit. A 
 
236 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 moment's waiting in the prayer meeting, till the pastor, coming from 
 the study, announces the twenty-third Psalm; with faltering voices 
 and falling tears are sung the words: 
 
 "Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale 
 Yet will I fear no ill." 
 
 The musician's fingers tremble as she touches the keys of the 
 organ, remembering how the white hands, now quietly clasped in 
 the room below, had often awaked that melody. Prayer is offered 
 for the bereaved, thanks for the one " departed in the faith and fear 
 of the Lord," and the congregation pass reverently out. 
 
 Through the hours of midnight and early dawn the child of the 
 church rested among the flowers — safe, so safe; no more pain, no 
 more anxiety for her; a bower of pink it looked where she lay 
 "asleep in Jesus." 
 
 In the morning they lifted her tenderly into the church where 
 her fathers had worshipped, where she had confessed her Saviour, 
 and received the seal of God on her forehead; where she had led in 
 prai&e with her glorious voice. Her young companions stole to 
 gaze on the statue-like face; the schoolmates who had accompanied 
 her on the last journey to her old home, stood by, too awed to 
 weep. Upon the casket reposed a pathetic token from a far dis- 
 tance — a cluster of lillies as fair as the calm, dead countenance. 
 " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 
 
 \ , VI 
 
 " GATHER UP THE FRAGMENTS " 
 
 The photograph on the preceding page is in some sort like a har- 
 vest field after the grain has been garnered; it affords a chance for 
 gleaners to secure here and there enough to form one more sheaf. 
 
 It was taken 28th of August, 1867, the morning after the centen- 
 nial celebration of the " White Church," and though many who had 
 participated in the three services had left town, a sufficient number 
 of persons — Salemites or strangers — are standing there to serve 
 as hints recalHng the speakers who roused our souls on that stirring 
 occasion. 
 
 For instance, he vidth patriarchial beard, conversing with the 
 people in the carriage, was, the day before, the President for the 
 time. With courtly grace, which never deserted him to the very 
 
VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 237 
 
 end of his life, eighty-six years long, he is lifting his hat to the 
 pastor's wife, Mrs. Forsythe. The gentleman driving is Rev. 
 James Stevenson, the youngest of the "fifty sons of the church," 
 who were mentioned in one of the addresses as having given them- 
 selves to the Gospel ministry during the hundred years. Young 
 though he was, he has passed from earth, as has also the oldest of 
 " the sons " — Rev. Dr. J. M. Matthews, whose discourse had thrilled 
 us on the centennial day. 
 
 There had been present many descendants of " our " Dr. Proud- 
 fit, five of them preachers; three are in the picture, near the east 
 door of the church; the one most easily distinguished is Rev. Wm. 
 Irvin, D. D. 
 
 Among the throng we imagine that we catch a glimpse of Rev. 
 James B. Cruikshank; we are sure we saw him yesterday within 
 the church; he was so entranced with the fervid eloquence of Dr. 
 Halley, that he forgot his surroundings, and moved dangerously 
 near the edge of the improvised platform; or was it during the 
 address of Robert Doig, Esq., that the neighbor who leaned forward 
 to arrest his chair from a fall, was met by the surprised inquiry: 
 " Did you apprehend a catastrophe, sir? " 
 
 Hark! to the choir singing, without the aid of any instrument, 
 an ode by Rev. P. Eugene Stevenson; how well the tones blend! 
 how the harmonies of the " human voice divine " swell through the 
 crowded edifice! 
 
 " Peal, grateful songs, ten thousand tongues 
 
 Of sons and sires thrice blest ; 
 Then, through with strife, the battle of life, 
 
 To their eternal rest ! " 
 
 In the hush that followed, the eye rests on the text along the 
 gallery : , 
 
 "IN SALEM ALSO IS HIS TABERNACLE." 
 
 The green letters, so evenly cut, were the work of the Episcopal 
 clergyman, who kindly donated his time and labor. The people on 
 the other side of the building can read: 
 
 "INSTEAD OF THY FATHERS SHALL BE THY CHILDREN." 
 
 And across the front: 
 
 "THE LORD OUR GOD BE WITH US, AS HE WAS WITH OUR 
 
 FATHERS." 
 
238 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 As the small boy in one of the side " slips " is relieving his 
 drowsiness by spelling out the motto, the choir is again singing; 
 this time poetry by Rev. Dr. John B. Steele: 
 
 "O may. our altar's fire still guide 
 
 The Pilgrims on their way ; 
 Till Salem's sons shall dwell in light 
 
 In heaven's eternal day." 
 
 It cannot be that all is ended and it is after nine o'clock at night. 
 Dr. Fitch's history. Dr. John Proudfit's address and that of his son, 
 Rev. Alexander Proudfit, Dr. Halley's prayer, the letters from Rev. 
 J. D. Wells, Prof. Taylor Lewis, Dr. Forsyth of Newbin-gh, Dr. 
 Robert McMurray, physician, all perused? Yes; Rev. Richard 
 Steele is saying: "I bid you and those whom you represent, an 
 affectionate farewell." Rev. James C. Forsythe is grasping him by 
 the hand, while uttering these words: "As we welcomed our com- 
 ing guests, we speed you in parting. * * * May God multiply 
 your labors an hundred-fold, and at length receive you all to His 
 heavenly home where Farewell is never spoken." 
 
 The audience of twelve hundred flock out of the pews with their 
 clanging doors; down the narrow aisles they go; never again will 
 every one of them meet in the same place. The glass prisms of the 
 chandelier no longer sparkle vdth rainbow colors in the light. The 
 centennial is over, but its influence remains an inspiration ever since, 
 and will continue on and on till time shall be no more. 
 
 VII ; 
 
 ONE LONE STAR 
 
 From this, the end of the nineteenth century, these days of 
 women's editions of newspapers, of women's conventions, of 
 attempted woman suffrage — we turn back to search the records 
 of a hundred years, wondering that, while Salem's sons are so 
 prominent in their annals, Salem's daughters find little or no place. 
 Is not the solution in the fact of the peculiar, repressive spirit of the 
 early settlers? The Scotchman, though he affectionately reverenced 
 his mother and cherished his wife, did not care to have her appear 
 in public positions; neither did the Scotch lady, young or old, wish 
 to figure in such scenes. 
 
VIGNETTES OF SALEM LIFE 239 
 
 But was her influence less then than now? Witness the tributes 
 paid at the centennial of the Washington Academy, to the faithful 
 labor of women preceptresses and teachers; note the powerful 
 results that their instruction had on the thousands of male pupils 
 under their care, who became better ministers, lawyers and business 
 men because of the touch of the feminine training on brain and 
 heart. As a young girl remarks: " I am at a loss to conceive what 
 that mighty influence will be one hundred years to come." 
 
 There is one exception to what has been before stated; one 
 woman, not unknown to fame, was born near Lake Cossayuna, 
 the daughter of Peter Dunlap; married in early youth to a mission- 
 ary, sailed away to China, and there, for years, she toiled in mission 
 work, bringing many souls to Christ. When her husband died, 
 Mrs. Culbertson returned to America, and by her unwearied care 
 of the sick and poor, earned for herself the name of the " Florence 
 Nightingale of Brooklyn." 
 
 She rests from her labors. Peacefully her dust sleeps in the quiet 
 home cemeter)', while the ashes of her husband repose in distant 
 Shanghai. " Their works do follow them." 
 
 Who of Salem's daughters will be the next to take up a like cross 
 and win an unfading laurel wreath such as hers? 
 
240 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 PICTURESQUE SALEM 
 
 Everyone who approaches Salem from the south is, 1 think, 
 impresssed by the great beauty of the country alter leaving Eagle 
 Bridge. The valley is more narrow, the hills higher and more 
 raised in shape, the streams swifter, and the scenery wilder, and 
 when a sudden turn plunges the traveler into Salem, nestled among 
 trees of unusual size and beauty, and surrounded by the verdure- 
 crowned hills, one is prepared for the pretty village street which 
 unfolds its shaded length running north and south, intersected at 
 xight angles by other roads — I will not call them streets — bor- 
 dered with equally noble trees and pleasant homes. 
 
 With its natural advantages Salem could hardly tail to be attrac- 
 tive; not only does it possess the rolling country which gives oppor- 
 tunity for many distant views from the neighboring hill tops, while 
 the trees are of exceptional age and size, but the mountain streams — • 
 creeks they are called — have a charm all their own. White Creek 
 runs directly through the village almost from east to west, its banks 
 bordered by nature's growth, or placid meadows, as the valley 
 widens or narrows. Black Creek runs almost south, and both help 
 to swell the larger Battenkill, which enters the Hudson, and so on 
 to the sea. 
 
 In the summer when one surveys the valley from a neighboring 
 hill the village seems only a mass of waving plumy tree tops, with 
 here and there a roof or spire to indicate the dimensions, but in 
 winter, clad in snowy robes, it can be more plainly seen, stretching 
 its arms toward the lonely farm houses which are scattered through 
 the country. 
 
 The drives about Salem are not only remarkably beautiful, but 
 unusually numerous; there is not one w^hich does not afford some 
 vantage ground for a view of lake or mountain; and it would take 
 too long to enter into full details here, but there are several which 
 lead to points of special interest — three to the respective lakes of 
 
PICTURESQUE SALEM 241 
 
 Lauderdale, Cossayuna and Summit or Gifford's, one to the Notch, 
 and one, the most attractive of all, to Arlington, along the banks of 
 the Battenkill, with the solemn mountains coming ever nearer and 
 nearer. 
 
 The road to Lauderdale is, perhaps, the least picturesque of these, 
 but it gives you a perfect farming country as you drive south from 
 Salem; fields which reach to the hill tops, tell of prosperity and 
 industry; Hedges' ponds, all thickly wooded to their shores, are 
 passed on the right, and hidden by trees till you are close to it is 
 Lauderdale, about two miles long and from a quarter to a half mile 
 wide. The hills about it are rolling, and many are cultivated; it is 
 very irregular along its shores, and, as one drifts close in to the 
 banks, the sudden splash of a water fowl, or leap of a fish, is all 
 that disturbs the silence among the bushes and water reeds mirrored 
 in its surface. 
 
 Cossayuna lies to the west, the drive is a more hilly one, and the 
 views are consequently more extended and lovely, toward every 
 point of the compass. The lake itself has the great charm of a high, 
 wooded island, and the shores on one side are as wild and unbroken 
 as they were years ago. The lake, wdth its pretty Indian name, 
 stretches north and south, as does Lauderdale, for a length of about 
 three miles, and Gifford's lake lies still farther west. 
 
 The drive to Arlington, through Camden valley, is one which 
 always calls forth, as it deserves, great admiration; following, as it 
 does, nearly the whole distance, the mountain stream, through a 
 narrow but fertile valley, very winding and full of interest to the 
 lover of nature, the aspects of the mountains continually changing, 
 it is hard to imagine a more delightful drive. Take it in summer 
 when the trees are green, the birds everywhere, and flowers numer- 
 ous — or in winter when the snow brings out everything in such 
 sharp outline, and the brilliancy of the atmosphere is almost unreal, 
 it is, at either season, a scene not often rivaled, even by the drive 
 to the Notch, romantic and wild as that is much of the way. But 
 we do not need these long drives to show us the picturesqueness of 
 Salem; within walking distance of a few minutes, hill tops may be 
 reached from wlicnce a, lovely outlook may be obtained; from 
 Woody Hill, looking north, south or west; from the Quarry Hill, 
 looking either north-east or south-east, are views of really notice- 
 able worth, while one who better loves the valley, may find exquisite 
 
242 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 nooks all along the banks of the creeks, or in the meadows, while 
 added interest is given by the unexpected flight of a mud-hen, the 
 swift patter of a sand-piper, the sharp clatter of a squirrel, the 
 clumsy, yet rapid scuttling of a woodchuck to its hole, or the soft 
 murmur of a wood pigeon. 
 
 It may be that the wild flowers of Salem do not belong to the 
 " picturesque," correctly speaking, and yet we can hardly think of 
 our hills and roadsides, our woods and streams, without them. 
 They are abundant and of great rarity; from the earliest hepaticas, 
 with their fairy cups and delicate tints of mauve, blue and pink, to 
 the last brave plume of golden rod, there is no time unbrightened 
 by wild flowers. Arbutus grows in many places most abundantly, 
 and blood root lies along our roadsides and our fences like 
 belated snowdrifts, to be followed in quick succession by dog tooth 
 violets or adders' tongues, anemones, columbines, violets, white, 
 blue and yellow, of many varieties, and Dutchman's breeches. 
 Meadows are golden with marsh marygolds, and in the crannies of 
 the rocks are strong and sturdy clumps of sasifrage, while as to the 
 white trilliums, the Trinity flowers, they are so white, so large, so 
 beautiful about Salem, as to almost demand a chapter to themselves ; 
 the dark sister, too, the wake-robin, is not wanting, nor Jack-in- 
 the-pulpit, Solomon's seal, bell-weed and foam flower, wild iris and 
 polygala or flowering wintergreen, the much-loved daisies and but- 
 tercups, and many others. As summer advances, and the woods are 
 warmer, we find the Moccasin flower, both pink and yellow, and in 
 the swamp, the white; masses of rose azalea, and later, the dull pink 
 balls of the common milk-weed honey sweet, the orange lillies rear- 
 ing their graceful bells in the low meadows rich with their tall 
 grasses, the feathery meadow rue, and the stylish but rather course, 
 elecampane borders the roadsides, and we look for the four orchids, 
 all found within a short distance, Calopogon, Ladies' Kisses, Habe- 
 naria and Pogonia. Still later come the jewel-reed, the rich purple 
 of the iron-reed, the masses of white clematis clambering every- 
 where, and the innumerable varieties of golden rod, while the cardi- 
 nal flower flashes in brilliant spikes from many a brook-side, and 
 the asters are everywhere. The water lillies are over and the pick- 
 erel reed is withered, but the arrow-head still raises its delicate white 
 flowers from the ponds and shallow streams. I have not attempted 
 to enumerate the flowers which beautify our paths — and lives — 
 
PICTURESQUE SALEM 243 
 
 only to touch upon them, but one need not return empty-handed 
 from any walk or drive, till the frost rests on the orange husk of 
 the bitter-sweet berry, and the mountains lie colored in the even- 
 ing light under their glistening winter garments of snow and ice, 
 and one feels that while Salem scenery in summer is most winning, 
 in winter it is most grand. 
 
244 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 HISTORIC TREES 
 
 Majestic was the tree which embelHshed the first page of Salem's 
 history; a century's quiet days and nights had so rounded the noble 
 form that it, of all the others, was chosen for the center of a home. 
 Cruel indeed was the sacrifice, but nature has always yielded to 
 man's necessities, and so this monarch of the forest fell at his com- 
 mand. It was a table for his cabin which James Turner so greatly 
 needed, and around this smoothly sawn trunk the first dwelling: 
 was raised; there gathered the children where hitherto birds and 
 squirrels alone had sought refreshment. Under this New England 
 roof, and close beside the Salem tree, stood the grand old Scotch- 
 Irishman with his first gospel message to his people here. Among 
 them came a briglit 3'oung girl, whose fearless zeal had drawn her 
 seven miles from her father's home, and her only guide had been 
 the blazed trees through the pathless woods. Which of Salem's 
 daughters would now think of taking such a long and lonely walk 
 to attend a service? 
 
 The second memorable tree was a very large willow which stood 
 in the midst of this hamlet, and their histories were woven together; 
 the oldest inhabitant remembered it well, for its years numbered 
 more than a hundred. Even a tree so long associated with village 
 life becomes an object of attachment, so this time-mark stood in 
 its glory year after year, carefully guarded from every harm till a 
 lightning flash pierced its heart, and the story of life was ended. 
 
 In almost a triangle from the two trees mentioned, stands a sur- 
 vivor of much note; through fire and water it indeed has passsed, 
 and still is the pride of the village. Tradition states that one sum- 
 mer day a cloud burst among the mountains, and torrents of water 
 poured into our valley until everything was afloat; so great was 
 the excitement and confusion no one noticed, for some time, that 
 a stranger had come to town; when the water subsided, a beautiful 
 elm was resting on a knoll, waiting for an invitation to abide; whence 
 
HISTORIC TREES 245 
 
 and how it came no one has ever known, but an admirer of trees, 
 the Hon. John McLean, soon took measures for its establishment, 
 and there it grew in strength and beauty until one direful night, 
 when Salem's enemy, fire, laid almost everything around it in ashes. 
 Trees were, of course, a secondary consideration, for many a home 
 was destroyed, but after a season it was thought this hardy elm 
 might grow, if it survived the necessary amputation; with careful 
 hand the limbs were trimmed, and time was left to show the amount 
 of its vitality; years have elapsed since then, and the stately elm 
 remains a monument to enterprise and determination. 
 
 The hills and dells of this rural town have long been noted for 
 their beautiful trees; strangers are always attracted by the variety 
 of form and richness of foliage ; grand specimens of " nature's art " 
 stand here and there, each one having a history. Kindly deeds have 
 also been shown by these helpful friends to man; in time of war, 
 on one occasion, when the family clock of the Stevenson home was 
 thought to have been in danger, a tall oak which grew near by, 
 sheltered it next its heart, and no one feared that the dreaded foe 
 would ever learn the secret. 
 
 "A brotherhood of venerable trees" have also lent their aid in 
 adorning an ancestral home; for more than a century their pleasing 
 beauty has added a charm to that much-loved place, but their stories 
 none may narrate. The love-life amid their branches, and the tales 
 of joy in their shadow. Ah! these are far too sacred for even the 
 Salem friends. 
 
 Passing beyond this ancient homestead the eye is pleased with 
 the cluster of maples which partly conceal the hall of justice; even 
 these have a song to sing, for the widespread havoc which came 
 with the axe has more than once threatened their doom, and nothing 
 but love of beauty ever preserved their lives. 
 
 Who has forgotten those grave old poplars standing in solemn 
 row? It almost seems that they marched away, so silent and sudden 
 was their departure. They, too, had a chronicle which vanished 
 with them, and we may never learn aught of their trip from Lom- 
 bardy. Their places are filled with elms and maples, but belles and 
 beaux now claim their shade, and since this is the case, we will pass 
 down and enter the grounds of St. Paul's, where numerous speci- 
 mens of native and foreign v/oods are the lasting reminders of 
 unbounded courage and ambition. 
 
246 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 The memory of an honored townsman is perpetuated by parallel 
 lines of maples leading down to the old White Church; there, too, 
 we find historic trees which fain would claim attention, but we must 
 hasten on. We glance towards the old academy, but there we see 
 them no more; bitter indeed would be their lament could they tell 
 us the cause of this desolation. 
 
 The beautiful walk to our sweet Resting-place, was considerately 
 planted by one fond of shade; tall and graceful are these drooping 
 elms, which seem to weep as the lonely ones sorrowfully pass, but a 
 noble group of lofty pines stand on the brow of the hill, clad in 
 undying green, and pointing hopefully heavenward. 
 
K 
 
 
 s: 
 
 
 
RESTING PLACES 247 
 
 RESTING PLACES 
 
 Nothing more manifests the degree of a people's cultivation and 
 the height of their spiritual attainment, than the respect and rever- 
 ence with which they care for their dead. He who looks upon man 
 but as the beast of the field that perishes with death, cannot reason- 
 ably be expected to care so tenderly for the cold clay, as does the 
 man who regards the grave as but a temporary resting place in the 
 accomplishment of an eternal journey. 
 
 The care for the dead and the sanctity with which the people of 
 Salem have regarded the grave has not failed to impress the obser- 
 ver. Dr. Charles A. Robertson, of Albany, some years ago, in 
 writing of Evergreen cemetery, said: "I was not prepared for the 
 exhibition of sentiment, taste and public spirit that I observed, but 
 I was consequently readily disposed to conceive an admiration for 
 the citizens of the town who had thus marked the graves of those 
 who had once been of them, and like them, with tasteful tributes 
 of love and esteem. In honoring the dead, they had honored them- 
 selves in the eyes of all who should recognize their capability of 
 appreciating and of giving expression of their appreciation." 
 
 When the Scotch colony entered the town of Salem, one of the 
 first things they did was to set apart a spacious and convenient plot 
 of ground as God's acre. The first Christian funeral rites in the 
 town of Salem were performed by Dr. Clark over the body of a 
 wandering Indian who died in the colonist's camp. It seems sadly 
 symbolic of all Indian experience, that the first Christian ceremony 
 with which the Indians was confronted was that of burial, for the 
 hospitality of the Pale Face seems ever to have led the savage to an 
 open grave. 
 
 The first white man to die, and the first buried in the old bury- 
 ing ground, was Solomon Barr, the gradfather of Matthew 
 McWhorter, with whose family he had his home at the time of his 
 death. 
 
248 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 It was a long journey that he made from his Irish home, but it 
 was scarce finished ere he was called upon to make a longer one. 
 Weary with the toil and strife of a long life, he found a resting place 
 in the heart of the American wilderness. 
 
 The title to this old burying ground seems to have been held by 
 the Scotch church, but when death came into that primitive com- 
 munity there was no thought of creed. The ground was freely open 
 to all. Each alTflicted one might there find a place to " bury his 
 dead out of his sight." In a century's time five generations passed 
 away, and the limits of the old ground were almost reached. It 
 became evident, therefore, that despite the many tender associations 
 of sentiment that bound them to that hallowed spot, the people of 
 Salem must seek a new place of burial. After one or more futile 
 efforts, through the energy and keen artistic perceptions of the 
 lamented William McKie and Dr. Asa Fitch, the beautiful site of 
 the Evergreen cemetery was secured. 
 
 Before proceeding to a survey of this cemeter}', we may well 
 make mention of some of the other resting-places in which the 
 mortal remains of Salem's sons and daughters repose. The town 
 is to be congratulated that there are in it only two family burying 
 grounds. Though they may be carefully tended for a term of yearfe, 
 yet it is usually only a question of time till they come to a state of 
 confusion and neglect. In addition to these, mention should be 
 made of the old Moravian grave yard near Camden, where lies the 
 mortal part of that doughty old hero, Abraham Binninger, and 
 where formerly there rested the remains of Philip Embury, the 
 founder of American Methodism. There is also the East Salem 
 burying ground and the Roman Catholic cemetery. This last was 
 consecrated with impressive ceremonies by Bishop Lynch, of 
 Charlestown, in 1869. 
 
 Returning now to Evergreen cemetery. Througli the efforts of 
 Mr. McKie, Dr. Fitch, Judge Allen, Bernard Blair, John M. Wil- 
 liams and others, an association for its control was formed March 
 5th, 1859. By the association the work of laying out and beautify- 
 ing the grounds was intrusted to a committee consisting of Wil- 
 liam McKie, Charles Crary, Timothy Cronin and James Gibson. 
 This committee was fortunate in securing the services of J. C. Sid- 
 ney, of Philadelphia, one of the most talented landscape gardeners 
 in the country, and under his supervision the cemetery was laid out 
 
RESTING PLACES 249 
 
 in that beautiful form which has made it deservedly the pride of the 
 entire community. 
 
 The poverty of language is deeply felt in any attempt to describe 
 it, or even hint at the beauty of Evergreen cemetery. Its broad, 
 evenly kept roads, the velvety green sward, the gently widening 
 paths, the stately trees, the luxuriant shrubbery, and the sense of 
 languorous stillness which seems to rest heavily upon the whole, 
 all combine to afiford a vision of unspeakable loveliness. Through 
 them Mother Nature speaks the truest and tenderest words of com- 
 fort, to hearts lacerated by deepest grief, pointing them to the essen- 
 tial beauty that is manifested even in the darkest and most mys- 
 terious works of God. 
 
 To particularize where there is so much to charm the eye and 
 enchain the fancy is difficult, yet there are features which we cannot 
 pass unnoticed. 
 
 First of all, as we enter the gateway, out attention is attracted 
 by the inscription graven upon a marble slab, placed where it now 
 stands by a former president. We are acquainted with no truer 
 poetic picture of the city of the dead: 
 
 " Lo, what a motley and incongruous throng, 
 In undistinguished fellowship are here. 
 Fame, beauty, learning, strength Herculean, 
 Rank, honors, fortune, valor or renown, 
 What trace is left of ye ? The direst foes 
 Here meet in peace — their feuds forever past : 
 No burnings of the heart, no envious sneers , 
 
 No covert malice here, or open brawls 
 Annoy. All strife is o'er. The creditor 
 His debtor no more sues ; for here all debts 
 Are paid, — save that great debt incurred by sin 
 Which, when the final day of reck'ning shall 
 Arrive, cancel'd will be, or paid in full." 
 
 Our country's heroes also sleep here; a goodly company of brave 
 and noble men, who " held not their own lives dear, " but answered 
 right manfully to duty's call. "They sleep well after life's fitful 
 fever," aye, and shall sleep on until the trumpet of God shall summon 
 them to rise once more and join the Grand Army of the Redeemed. 
 
 Beautiful and tasteful monuments are to be seen, tributes of love 
 and affection, by which the survivors would perpetuate the mem- 
 17 
 
250 THE SALEM BOOK 
 
 ory and the virtues of those who have passed away. The Bancroft 
 monument, the Clement mausoleum, the Croft catacombs, and the 
 massive block of granite which marks the resi]ing-place of General 
 Russell, are but a few of the many striking and impressive witnesses. 
 
 Nor must we forget to speak of " The Stranger's Lot." Cer- 
 tainly it was a poet, and one who well knew the human heart, who 
 placed it where it is. In an out of the way nook, so hidden, that 
 any but the keenest observer would pass it by unnoticed, surrounded 
 by the tall silent sentinels of the primeval forest, there is to be found 
 a level grassy plot of groimd where rests the strangers' bones. 
 Although of all those they had loved and known, there was not one 
 to cheer the dying hour, yet still they were not forsaken. Tender, 
 compassionate hands ministered to them, and performed with rever- 
 ence, the rites of sepulcher. Surely in this silent spot, we feel the 
 pressure of the bond of our one common humanity by which all 
 mankind is held. 
 
 Shall we take our leave of Evergreen cemetery from its furthest 
 western height? At our feet, below the ragged cliffs, there is the 
 dark mass of the pine trees' sombre green; beyond are the fields of 
 pasture land and meadow gleaming in emerald; still on, and the eye 
 rests upon the dark mountain blue which seems to touch the sky. 
 We stand and watch the sun as he slowly sinks beneath the distant 
 hills in a bank of ruddy glory, and our soul is filled with an unutter- 
 able peace. Have we not here a pictured promise that may bring 
 us sweet comfort in our hour of deepest sadness. Although the 
 gloom be near, and the mountains far away, yet still 'tis true 
 
 "At even time it shall be light." 
 
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