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Israel Tyler was born in damascus township. Feb. 26, 1883. Upon reaching manhood he gave has attnotion to lumbering, At one time there were great activities at the foot of the slope upon which Tyler Hill is built. INDUSTRIES
Located along a small stream there were seven mills and factories, and all with- in a mile space. The Tylers had saw mills, a gresst mill, and a saddletree and a bağnister mill. A stean power stick factory was operated by Many F. Varkirk. Then the work was abandoned and the mill dismantled, the big twin steam engines were taken to do duty hauling cars on the plane on the D.& B. Gravity coal road from Honesdale to Carbondale. An oar factory was operated by a man named Page(or Paige). The factory stood agains the bank of the north side of what was then the Cochectou and Grand Bend pike between the bones now of M. D. Mitchell and Mrs. Rose Monington. When the business was ababdosed here it was carried to Chio where the work is still in progress. John Filsey assisted Mr. Page in the work here, or maybe waw associated with him, and went west with the business, In 1854, Israel Tyler built a four-story grist mill, with basement, on a 40x60 base. The construction work was under the supervision of Tobias Van Gaflder John and Richard Olver, young mechanics, who came over fron Cherry Ridge, worked on the building and made Tyler Bill their residence. from that time. It is said that when the frame work of the mill was up foady for the rafters Evan a young son of John Y. Tyler walked one of the plates. For many years this mill did a big business. Fheat and corn was brought in from the westbesides custom work. The first miller was Adney C. Clark. The mill has been dismantled and razed. The three sets of stones lie in the old basemeta corroding. Dow, one of the sons took an interest in milling learned the trade and managed the mill while his brother Woses managed the store which was on the pinnicle of the hill. Later the brothers built a modern store, that stands today as the general store of C.M. Pethick. The post office is in this store. Israel Tyler died in 1874. Moses died in 1592 and Lorenzo Dow in 1908.
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THE FORTHAN FAMILY
Thomas Fartnam and son David located in Tyler Hill in 1847. Mr. Fortnam opened a small store in 1848. Two years later he sold the store to William Warron Tyler and John Mills. He then started another store farther up the hill. Both of these concers consequently were purchased by Israel Tyler. David Fortnan married Emeline Tyler-Smith, daughter of William Tyler and sister to Israel, and to then were born om son (Thomas L. ) and three daughters, one of khoa Lavina, became the wife of C.M. Pathick, but is deceased. Soon after the Fort- naas came from the Susquehanna Valley to Tyler Hill, Thomas Sr. decided to go back to England on a visit, le engaged John Bradley, father of the writer and a tailor by trade, to make him a suit of clothes, The suit consisted of # coat and trousers of the finest broadcloth and a vest of white satin. The "stove pipe" hat was the regulartion beaver of those times. Prior to the time of establishing a postoffice at Tyler Billin 1878 with David Fortnam as postmaster, Mr. Fortnam and his stepson , William A. Smith had started a storo and did a large business. The postoffice was located in this store. The store building was moved bodily down the hill and converted into a dwelling house by Thomas Griffith and is now the home of his son Dwight. The other step-son, Tobias A.Smith, was a miller by trade and also conducted a hotel at Harrovaburg. N.Y. He is now resideing in Middletown, new York, in his 83rd year. Thomas L. Fortnam married Helen Maud Bushnell of Bethany and one son Clarence David Fort nam survives. Eo succeeded to the Fortnam estate and is now associated with Guy F. Reilly in the Cochecton Mills.
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HAD LIKINGS FOR "WILLIAN"
The Tyler families in the Delaware Valley all seoz to have a liking for the name William and we think a majority of the family named a son William. This may have been caused by the love they mayhave borne for their king, Villian of England as the forerunners were of English descent. In one instance one William was called Rock R.n Bill. His father was Nathaniel Tyler, a drummer in the Revolution and his mother was a daughter of Joseph Boss, the first white settle in what is now Callicoon, Rock Rua Bill was born Sept. 8,1788, and died Nov. 27, 1876. On his marble headstone in what is now Hillside Cemetery, is dascribed that he was a member of St. Tammany Lodge Np.83, Free Masons. Like the pioneer stock along the tortuous Delamare, bo vas a stearsman following it intil old ago took him.
Many people living today have heard the name Rock Run but do not know what it is or how the name originated. A short distance west of Callicoon a little rivulet starting far ou the hill above comes racing down the hillside bubbling and sparkling over the rocky bed as though eager to join or mingle with the brosd waters of the Delaware. The dancing rivulet was named Rock Bun. Joseph Ross, the pioneer, his wife and some members of his family including his son-in-law, Nathaniel Tyler and wife are buried in the Ross private burying plot at the head of the binnekill above Callicoon.
CHAPTER VIII
June 10,1927
In the days of which we write Big Eddy was the name of what ts now Harrowsburg. When the Erie built its lines thru the Delaware valley the company naned the station there Marrowsburg although a postoffice had been established in 1837 with John C. Pintler an postmaster, Both names ware applicable to the place. The postoffice stuck to the name "ig Eddy until 1851 when it was changed to Marrowaburg. In 1840 the Marrowaburg Botel was built at the terminal of the Mast Rope-Lumberland turnpike. This thoroughfare was chartered in 1812 but vas not opened through for traffic until some mix or seven years later. May 3,1850 the Bonesdale and Marrowsburg turnpike was chartered with Commodore C. Murray as president of the company. This was a plank road and the opening took place on Friday, September 19,1851/ For several years thereafter Karrovsburg was a ro- cognized business center. There was a four-horse Tally-lo plying between the tro terminals and all the flotsam and jetsan frequent highways. This was also the main artery for supplies to be hauled through to supply the needs of Bonsedale and continued as such until after the branch railroad was laid up the Lackawazen valley. .BATTING DAYS
Karroseburg was a great steppingplace for raftamen.
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DELAWARE VALLEY
RAFTING DAYS
HARROWSBURG was a great stopping place for raftamen. If they came along whan wind and water were unfavorable they were drawn into the eddy and held there sometimes a half day or longer. A trick tesorted to was then a raft got free from the whirl of the eddy and started with the current it drew another out by hitching ropes to it. In this way they were "out of the trap", But it took a long time.
It is said that in a big freshet in 1676 when lombermen had waited a long
. time for it ald all pulled out almost at once the river soon became almost a continuous streak of rafts.bight rafts were soon run down by the heavy onss and crowded shore, upon islands and torn to picoen. Big Eddy was litterly jam- med full of rafts. Some were sucked under by whirls , many were reduced to debris. Financial ruin mo the part of some lumbermen. On such occasions it wa nothing for a thousand raftanon to seek lodging in a night.
GAS AT MARROWSBURG
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In 1856 Marrowaburg received a sensation by the discovering of natural gas. The discovery was made by Dr. L.A. Winslow who was spending the summer at the Murray House in tht village. One day the doctor was out rowing in the eddy. After lighting his pipe he threw the still blazing match upon the suaface of the water, instantly a blaze started up on the water where the burning match had dropped. The flame was of bluish tint and soon went out. Then for the first time Dr. Winslow noticed that many bubbles were floating on the water and that they appeared to come up frequently and quickly from beneath the sur- face. He being something of a geologist knew at once that the bubbles were made by a gas that came from the ground or rock at the bottom of the river. and that the gas was of an inflamable nature, He touched a match to several bubbles and all responded to an instant blaze. At nite he illuminated the whole eddy with these miniature bonfires. Dr. Winslow sounded the eddy and found that in places the water was ninety feet deep with a rocky bottom abd at some placas he could find no bottom at all. His theory was that the rocky bottom was full of crovices, of unknown depth and from the gas insued and found its way to the surface, forming the bubbles that constantly appeared and then spread upon the serface of the water. In the mud on shore and on the island this gas was found. The doctor inverted a barrel open side dora, over a spot on the New York shore where gas came from the ground. Be placed a small iron pipe in the upper end of the barrel and let it romain. After a time he touched a match to the orifice of the pipe. The gas ignited at onceand burned steadily day and night. Nothing was ever done tothe matterand the affair moon became one ofthe seven day vonders. With the Tally-lo discontinued and the hauling of goods and other nedded matter stopped, the village sesand to fall into a lethargy from which it is just awakening.
CARDING MILL STARTRD
Prior to 1850 Thompson Parsons built a wood-working and wool-carding mill along Cashes Creek on the west road from where the Damascus Hi soz stands. He turned pieces of furniture that was used in the cabinet and undertaking shop of his brother Joseph, Thomas Egerton, who resided near where the Milanville creamery now is bought the Persons property and carded wool only. The parents' consisted of the parents of the three children, Erastus D. and the Misses Mollie and Mamie, The familymigrated west where the son studied law and was admitted to the bar. On Feb.8,1903, Erastus, or Douglas as he was called, didd at the None of his mother who was then residing at 319 Stuyvesant Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. The old dwelling bouse was recently bought and rated by the Bischoff Bros. All parts of the frame were framed into the other parts; all studding was framed in even the cross joints around the windows and doors. From its appearance ono would think that a cyclone would have had its match had it tackled it. T.V.TYLER
Our pen would fail in its mission did no not give W.Y.Tyler a nore descortint native than the one given in a preceding chapter. William Warren Tyler was born at Callicoon, N.Y. May 9,1819 and died at the home of his daughter Louisa V. (Mrs. Theron Brittain, 15 Woodlawaa Avp. Middletown, N.Y.) When our subject was yet young his parents migrated to Damascus.Here he spent the greater part of ; his fide. His parentswere Basaleel Tyler and Elizabeth Appleman and he was the last to anamar the de 1. 4₺ nómina m. Max. 50.1004 -- -- -***
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Be came of Revolutionary stock. His grandfather, Silas Tyler, was at the sieg at Yorktowa and was a brother of the Capt. Bakalsel Tylor who was killed in I battle of the Minisink, July 22,1779. In early life he engaged in lumbering later changing to the mercantile business. This was before the completion of the Erie Railroad and all his goods cane by boat to Newburgh and were then hauled over the turnpike, a distanos of eighty miles from Cosbecton. In 1850 he formed & partnership at Tyler Mill with John Miller, of Berkshire, N.Y. Flv yoasr later he bought th maner property at Damascus succeeding Bon, Nathaniel W. Vail and associated with Charles Irvine, Que year later Ir. Irvine re- tired and James S. Vail of Chostor, N.Y. took his place with Mr. Tyler. Prior to the Civil War he built the store building now owned by the Derwody Bros. and also nuilt a sawmill across the road from it. In 1866 he disposed of this property and opened a store in his dwelling house where he continued in business until 1807 when the feebleness of old age caused him to retire from all business and go to reside with the daughter mentioned who was the only child of him and his wife Eather Lassley, who were married in 1845. The wife died December 7, 1885. In 1854 Mr. Tyler was appointed pontmaster in the Damascus office in 1859 and with the exception of three years 1869-1872 he served as postmaster until 1897, a period of forty years. Politically he was a Democrat of the old school. He never aspired to civic position but w was frequently elected to positions of truat. For a long time he was township treasurers no other candidate opposing hin, During the Civil War he was treas ucre of the bounty fund for Damascus towaship. He was a man of charitable deeds and charitable in speech, He was a member of Delaware Lodge, 561, F.and A.M, His daughter did not long parvive hin.
CHAPTER IX.
July 8,1927
In a previous article we introduced to you Joseph Greswald, the great land- holder on the east side of the Delaware, and hin strong attempt to got his vast territory colonized. He died in 1797, without harding accomplished mich/ His son Edward, a prominent lawyer of New York with a large estate on Long Island succeeded to the Grosvald patent. Edward died in 1836. A daughter of Edward succeeded to the title of Big 'sland and a territory reaching back some four or five miles in the New York state, her anne being Kadame Bertheny she baving married a French general.
Prior to the disastrous ice gorge of 1867 the Callicoon Creek curved to the north and mingled withthe Delaware near where the Bridge now stands. The piece of band between the river and creek was a beautiful flat covered with largo pine and butternut trees. This flat of park was a recreation resort to t the people f the village of Callicoon. But that disastrous ioe gorge spoiled t the makeup of the flat by destroying the grove and leaving only a dreary beach also changing the course of the creek to nearly the moubbend of the flat.
At the death of Edvard Grewald James C.Curtis, a nephew, was made one of the executors of the estate and he continued an sales agent until 1858.
Madame Bertheny made her first visit to Cochecton in 1849 and remained sev- eral months. She came again in 1857 and stayed nearly a year, boarding in the Cochecton House then managed by Ed, K.Calkin, She died in 1866. It took un- til 1871 to find a purchaser for that vast estate of Joseph Gresvald that be received from the crown in 1750.
On one of Edward Greswald's visits to France he made the acquaintance of Johr Brosteret, a collector of taxes. In the course of time he became a defaulter in a large sum. Napoleon bad neither sympathy nor mercy for defaulting offi- cera and Breateret had the alternative of being shot of running away, Of course he chose the latter, Gresvald wold him lot #61, which took in Big Is- land in the year 1804. Immediately Bresteret and his maid came to his new pousession. On the bank was a small log house on the island built by David Young, the pioneer emigrant. Brosteret occupied this and added more to it, a c pee and a half stery addition. This latter stool for nearly a century an à monument of early days. This frenchman, a bit peculiar in both tastes and habits, in fact they were so very much different from the people pour that they drew forth much of it unfavorable. One of his eustons was to mat but one
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DELAWARE VALLEY 16 meal a day, and that about 1 o'clock, P.M. and Formandise at that meal. The cooking was according to French methods. One of his faborite dishes was a pie made from birds of different species. The entrails wore left in and the umplucl od heads were left hanging over the edge of the dish in which the pie was baked, He did the carving and to those he was about to help he would point to the heads of the birds and ask if they would wish a swallow, a bank. a woodpecker, blackbird, etc. Few ever ate at his tablo the second time. Be paid his hired help good wases and if one was found shirking he was promptly discharged. No kept a small store. He was economical and would refuse to sell a laboring man a full pound of tea at once telling him it was extravagant. Is frequently attasded religious services en ble church built by Thomas Shield! and made the fouraile trip on horseback. Being of a friendly disposition on th these church going trips he would stop at hohes as he passed and exchange friendly greetings,
BIG ISLEND EXCHANGES OWNERS
At the time Brosteret owned Big Island it contained some sixty acres of rich land under cultivation on which he raised large crops of wheat, corn,etc. Ho remained only two years on the Jaland, Matters were smoothed over and the trou bles threatezedg him in France and he soon returned. He left the mortgage uncancelled on his Big Ialand purchase and in 1816 Mr.Gresvald foreclosed and the proerty reverted to him again.
Prior to the coming of the whites to the island and Indian village was there a and ani ndian heminga place of burial was also there. There the Indiaas held their green corn dance and the games indulged in by the young braves. Before the start of the Revolution, William Conklin, the pioneer saw the Indians more than a half hundred at a time engage in their incantations and customs. Twice during the war Conklin was driven fromhis home by maurading Indians, As late as 1850 many Indiand rollca wore plowed up on Big Island, stone hatchets, arrow heads, pistols, mortars, etc. The Delaware Indians alsohad a village at Silver Lake, where the Country Club is located. As late as when the proerty wan owned 1 by the Jacksons arrow heads of flint, pipes, pistols, ortars,etc. were uncover- d by the plow. The village in all probability was located between the lakos. Silver and Laurel, which are only a short distance apart. Indian curios have been picked up all through the valley and adjoining bills.
In the Delaware break-up in Feb. 1857, the thick growth of huge pines growing at the bead of Big island caught and held in check the huge cakes of ice. As there was not volume enough of water behind them to push thoa forward the ic kept jamming until it filled the river from bank to bank as far up as Callicool. The Barton bridge at that point was carried away bodily and the water reached to the floor of the second story of many of the dwellings. That was the first time that any resident of the Cochecton valleyhad ever seen the Delaware over- flow its nanks with destructive force. All the lower part of the village of Callicoon gan also Inundated, too, But it was by back-vater with no current. The Delaware has cut many capers since.
In 1858 John Baird of Brooklyn. N. Y. and Philip and Thomas O'leilly of Cochector Calley associated and purchased what remained of Lot 61. This included Bis Island and adjacent timber land in New York state amounting to 1700 acres. The cutting of the big pines soon followed.
SOUCE BIG PINE TREES
Succeeding this Judge Moses Tyler and mon Calvin bought the standing pine on Pine Island, So large vore theme rare trees that an order was sent to the sav factory of Wheeler Kadden and Clemson of Middletown, N.Y. to make them a cross cut to order in length. The O'Reillys cut pine for years off the tract of the Bast Delaware, Que raft of yellow pine was complmed of yellow pine sticks 70 feet in length These were taken across the canal thru New Jersey to Now Tork. The denuding of Big laland and Pine Island vhanged very materially the aspoet of St. Tammany Flats . Bit the removal of St.Tammany LodgeNo.83, the death of Daniel Skinner and his two sons, and the failure of the turapike to come thru tht section df laid St. Tammany village desolute. At oncetime beside the French- man there wese wht Admiraland his two somn. Reuben was a Justice of the Fence Jahn Simmons, John Conklin who married a Skinner, James Seeley. There were a blacksmith and carpenter shop and a store was opened after the departure of Brosterat.The little billage had begun to put on airs but also pride sotth before a fall, 14 tral Skinner died in 1813. and hat tow sons
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his two sons followed in a year or two. The Admiral was buried in a spot of his own selection on the farm upon which he had experience joya and sorrows of a pion For life. A simple sandstone split from a nearby rock, inscribed upon which were the name date of birth and death, was set to mark the resting place of this fa- nous pioneerwbo came with his parents at th age of #2 and toiled there three score years. The remains of Reuben Skinner were buried in the Shields cemetery Damascus but was lateer exhumed and re-interred in the new Baptist cemetery.T ho remains of another son, in 1790, and of his wife in 1808, were laid in the family ploton St.Tammany Flats. The last direct information the writer has had in regard to this family plot and the headstone of the Admiral was tet the stone was broken off and no longer marks the spot of burial but was set against the body of an ap- ple tree at some distance away by some thoughtful visitor who may have thought it a sacrilege to tread there, This left the flats occupied only by George Bush, who married Annie, daughter of Reuben Skinner, and Judge Moses Tyler, the only oc- cupants of the historic Flats.
CHAPTER X
July 25,1928
In daya long, long ago, there was a certain gathering where wine was used and the good wins wes served last, so we read in the Book of Books, While we are not offering wine and are in no way connected with it it occurred to us to hold matters connceted with the Cochecton Chirch for later writing and think the time in nov.
THE COCHECTON CHURCH
The Cochecton Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev. Charles Cummings, D.D. in 1812, with only fifteen members, one of the fifteen being Miss Prudence Irvine, and she remained A consistent member as long as she lived. The church had no reg. ular pastor until 1845 assumed the role of pastor. Where church services were held prior to 1840 the writer is unable to say but in that year a church edifice with a seating capacity of three hundre people, was built at a cost of $1,800. Preceding the erection of a house of worship, Rey. George McEren preached to the flock. Since its organization to the present time sono three buddred nanos have been enrolled upon its classbook. We are unable to give a complete list of ninie1 ters who have served the flock as for a long time the pulpit was only supplied. Bev.George M.MeEwan 1840-41, Eav. William Riddle 1842-S, Rev. John Mole, 1645-7; Roy. William Hunting 1851; Rev. George K.Mariner 1852-3; Rev. Thomas Kock, 1853-9; Rov Erastus Seymour 1860-63; Rev. Samuel Murdock 1863-4; Rev. Theron Brittain, 1884-80. Bev. George Northrup was a settled paster for a number of years. Ber. Murdock cam back the second time. Bey. Otto R. W. Klose filled the pulpit for several years. Nov. A. G. Musselman was pastor for a time also. Preceding this chapter we recounted the fate of this edifico and the erection of another building, At this point por- mit us to digress, as the preachers say, to give a brief chapter on the inner life of Rev. John Mole or Dominie Mole as he waw familiarly known through this section. Be with his family resided in the hollow south of Tyler Hill now owned by Bischoff Bros. So far as we can learn he built the dwelling house and it was a fancy one for those primitive times. Domiale Mole was a sort of a circuit rider, preaching in homes or wherever he could find a covering, and of course was given free board and horse feed, for he rode horseback. 'ne of his itinerant trips took him thru the section now called Atco, where lived William D. Quinnip now of Honesdalo. Nr Quinnip had a pair of horses a little better than ordinary[ne of then especially. This good one took the Dominie's fancy and be told Mr. Quinnip he would like to own the animal. When not ti' the barness and the weather was varm the horses were turned out in the pasture near the barn. When the aites grev cool the horses were stabled. Different times when bbcut toharness the animals in the morning ho would find certain straps misplaced and was always at a loss to account for the phenomenon, or mystery. This contimied for some time. One morning the hired nas went tothe bars early to feed the horses as usual It must have been dark of the tallow candle did not shed much light- he threw their messes of feed intothe feed a sua breakfast. Then be returned tothe bal" box, and went into the sound komme testers no horsus to harness and the mess of feed showed that there were none there when he threw the food into the mangers. 20 EiFfled the tidings to Mr. Quinnip who hastened to the barn. An examination of
DELAWARE VALLEY 18
tracke showed that they went behind the barn. Ong one shoe of one horse there was a peculiarly shaped calk. The track was followed into an unused brush road. Both horses had been spirited away in the darkness. Procuring a borne from a neighbor Er. Quinnip started in pursuit. It had dawned upon him who had taken the horses . It was easy tracking until he got upon the Newbury turnpike but he continued westward. Goorge B.Mitchell, then a boy of twelve had seen a man whoa he recognized passing the house of his parents where James Smith now lives. The man averted his face but the boy was positive of his identity. (It was this boy then a feeble old aan past eightywho first told us of this story and leter we got a correct version in a letter from cx- Hon, W.B. Quinnip who said he was very young at the time but had heard hig father tell it so often that it soon became familiar to hin, Mr. "uimip followed the lead to Montrose, Suegunhanns County and stopping at a hotel he inquired whether a mas with a horse had stopped there early that moraing. Deing answered in the affirmative be asked to see the horse. This request
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