USA > New York > Columbia County > Hillsdale > A history of Hillsdale, Columbia County, New York : a memorabilia of persons and things of interest, passed and passing > Part 4
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
Albert Winslow, a son of Jared Winslow. One of his daughters married a Mr. Garfield, of Monterey, Mass., a relative of the late President Garfield. One of his daugh- ters married James Collin, a son of John and Ruth Hol- man Collin. One daughter married Collins Hunt, of Lenox, Mass. One daughter married Henry Williams, of Alford, Mass. Jonathan Hill married Chastine E. Wil- cox, an aunt of the distinguished poets, Samuel B. and Charles A. Sumner, the one having done efficient service as an officer in the late civil war, and the other having just been elected as Congressman-at-large in California. Lewis B. Adsit was for many years a respectable magis- trate in Green River, as was also Henry J. Rowe and Hiram Winslow.
Isaac Hatch was an early settler of the town and for many years kept a tavern-house one mile south of that of William Tanner. Albert Shepard has held many im- portant offices in the town and his father was one of its early settlers. The father of James M. McDonald was an early settler of the town and lived at the present resi- dence of his son. The father of Timothy, George and David G. Woodin was an early settler of the town, and his son David G. was long a county school commissioner. Joel Curtis for years lived on the hill separating Green River and Hillsdale Centre, and his son has been, and his grandson now is, a representative of the town in
the county Board of Supervisors. Harlemville con- tains something more than one-tenth of the population of the town. As a generality the people of Hillsdale have not been importunate for official patronage, and Harlemville, particularly, has not convulsed the town with such importunities, and yet that section of the town has supplied some of its most efficient officers, particu- larly distinguished for intelligence, integrity and pru- dence. Their magistrates, commencing with Mr. Gaul and Mr. McKown, have been Frederick Pultz, John H. ti
12
HILLSDALE HISTORY.
Overhiser, Willis Disbrow and W. H. Gardner. Their Supervisors have been Andrew A. Spickerman, John H. Overhiser, Ralph Judson, Chas. H. Downing, Alfred Cur- tis and Joel G. Curtis. John H. Overhiser once repre- sented the county in the State Legislature, and was dur- ing a term the High Sheriff of the county. Forty odd years ago he was instrumental in dividing the town of Hillsdale into election districts, which has ever since met the approbation of the whole people. His action in the Legislature met the approbation of all of his con- stituents. As a Supervisor he exerted a salutary influ- ence in the Board. Under his influence as Sheriff the affairs of the jail were conducted with a degree of system and efficiency not exceeded at any other time in this county or elsewhere. And in the painful necessity of exe- cuting a criminal, it was done in a way to deprive it of much of its horrid characteristics, and excited expressions of admiration universally. The early settlers of that section of the town were largely composed of Downings and Beckers, a large portion of whom have held different official positions, in which they have exercised the strict- est integrity and economy. As an example of that integ- rity and economy, I will cite one of several cases which occurred under my observation : An officer presented to the Board of Town Auditors an account including one day's services, for which, under some peculiar circum- stances, he had not been able to be in attendance, and though a personal and political friend of John P. Becker, upon his motion the charge was stricken out, as was all others of a like character. As further illustrating the characteristics of the officers from that section of the town, I will cite an occurrence when Ralph Judson was a Supervisor : A bill was presented to the Board of Su- pervisors requiring an appropriation of a thousand dol- lars for the benefit of the Hudson Orphan Asylum, and Mr. Judson moved that before its allowance the managers
43
HILLSDALE HISTORY.
of the Asylum be required to make the same report through the County Superintendents that was required for the inmates of the County Poor House. For this motion of Mr. Judson, a very bitter attack was made upon him by one of the paid editors of the Board. In explana- tion, Mr. Judson stated that however well the Asylum was now conducted, it might degenerate into other hands who might make it a nursery of vice. A majority of its inmates were from other counties, and in other hands the inmates might not be paupers, and corrupt men might use it to conceal their debaucheries. At any rate, with- out some better knowledge of its operations than was then possessed by the Board, it was a bad precedent. To this the editor replied in rude language that the associa- tions at the county house were corrupting and contami- nating, and the reputation of having been its inmate would be disgraceful to the individual during life, and the editor denied that he was the author of what ap- peared editorially in his paper, but was written or dictated by the lady managers of the institution. To the repre- sentation of the editor the following was a closing reply. "I must be pardoned if I do not recognize as the produc- tion of ladies all that may be represented as such in the columns of that paper, or all that may be puffed as such by the editor of it. It is not characteristic of ladies to seek to effect their purposes by the joint influence of blackguardism and flattery, nor seek to associate with such as do. It is not characteristic of ladies to puff as noble hearted, men who with pockets closed themselves are finsh in giving away the money of others. It is not characteristic of ladies to boast their own qualities of head and heart, while denying that of others. It is not characteristic of ladies to boast immunity of that law which allows taxpayers to know the objects for which they are taxed, and allows the world to know the causes which has produced destitution. It is not characteristic
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
of ladies to affect to weep over the poverty of infants, and . yet to impute such poverty as crime to persons in second childhood. It is not characteristic of ladies to confound misfortune with vice, and poverty with crime. The law sends the vicious and criminal to the county jail, and the poor and unfortunate to the county poor house. It is not characteristic of ladies to charge the thousands annually discharged from our poor houses with having been nur- tured amidst crime and vice, merely because they had spent their infantile years amidst the poor and unfortunate. No, no! Such are not the characteristics of lovely and intelligent ladies. They are more properly the character- istics of an impudent and silly editor, who, after having indulged in blackguardisms, cowardly sneaks behind the crinoline to escape from the consequences." That insti- tution has adopted much of the policy suggested by the resolution of Mr. Judson, and has no doubt grown to be a noble institution, and certainly a portion of the credit of it is due to Mr. Judson and that section of the town he represented. As the inmates of that asylum are from other counties, it may be questionable with its merits whether it should not become a State institution. And there is no doubt that the mandatory provision of the law in respect to it should be changed so as to allow the Board of Supervisors to act upon their discretion. Some of the most ridiculous and extravagant expenses of the county of Columbia have grown out of the mandatory laws of the State, and the attention of the New York Leg- islature was called to the impropriety of such laws forty- eight years ago by a representative from Columbia county, and the evil consequence of not regarding that sugges- tion has been a subject of complaint ever since.
CHAPTER XIV.
A HISTORICAL FOUNDATION - BIRDSALL FAMILY - HILLSDALE CENTRE.
Benjamin Birdsall-James Bryan 2d-Pelatiah Hunt-John Wager- Barnet Burtis-Judge Loop-Stephen Hoyt -- Ethan Boyes-Dr. Rich- ard Bartlett --- Nathaniel Husen-Abraham Overhiser - William White- Barnet Wager-Gustavus A. Dibble-Stephen Hedges-Joseph Ross- man - George Knox and David West-Gilbert Sherwood-Walter Mc Alpine -- Samuel Truesdell-David Collin - Silas Reed-Lewis Adsit- Mr. Evans -Peter B. Hollenbeck-President Tyler-Austin Morey- Lorenzo Gilbert-Nicholas C. Tyler-Captain Henry P. Mesick-Rev. Abel Brown-Thos. Benedict-Nicholas Sharts -- Daniel Darien-Dea- con John Tyler.
The brief outlines of the History of Hillsdale will not be left to the ephemeral existence of the newspaper, but is intended to be corrected and enlarged and published in book form, and it is a matter of congratulation that so many are manifesting their affection for their deceased kindred and their regard for the past history of their town, by supplying kindred records. However humble this history may be, it will lay the foundation for immi- nent historians to perpetuate the history of the town for all future time. The records received enables me to make some important corrections.
In respect to the Birdsall family, of which I have given a brief history, records since received enable me to make corrections. Benjamin Birdsall married a Miss Acker. Their children were : Morris, George, Lewis, Benjamin,
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
James, Sarah, Lizzie and Judith. Sarah married George Amigh; Judith married Joseph Hageman ; Lizzie married Joseph Pixley, the brother of John and son of Ephraim Pixley, and Morris married Anna Pixley, the sister of John and Joseph Pixley. James Bryan second, married Nellie Pixley, the sister of John and Joseph Pixley. James Bryan had three sons and one daughter (Eveline), a girl distinguished for intelligence, vivacity and beauty. A monument is erected to her memory near the graves of the Pixleys in the grounds of the Hillsdale Rural Ceme- tery Association.
In respect to Hillsdale Centre, I have already given a brief history of Colonel Charles Mckinstry, one of the earliest and most respectable citizens of the town. Also of his son-in-law, Judge Augustus Tremain, whose son Porter married Amanda Collin, daughter of David and Lucy Bingham Collin, and after her decease he married Lucy B. Collin, daughter of David and Anne Smith Collin.
I have also briefly noticed Judge Henry Loop, who married a daughter of Colonel Charles Mckinstry. Al- mira, the daughter of Judge Henry Loop, married Lee Collin, the son of David and Lucy Bingham Collin.
Pelatialı Hunt lived about a mile distant from the resi- dence of Colonel Charles Mckinstry. He was a wealthy farmer, and one of his descendants by blood and another by affinity have been members of the County Board of Supervisors. John Wager lived about a mile from the residence of Colonel Mckinstry. His wife was the daughter of David Arnold, who was the brother of the first wife of Captain John Collin. John Wager was one of the early residents of the town. His kindred have all acquired wealth by their industry and economy. His son was an officer in the company that marched to the de- fence of Plattsburgh in the war of 1812, and his grandson has been the chairman to the judicial committee in the
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
State Legislature. My first meeting with the Democracy of the town was in March, 1824, when I first made the acquaintance of Isaac and Silas Downing, Gilbert Palmer and Justices Gaul and Mckown, and other sterling Dem- ocrats from the Harlemville section of the town. At that meeting John Wager presided, and in it his well spoken advice had a controlling influence. Then, having been ab- sent from the town some years, my next meeting with the Democracy, was in March, 1830, at which John Wager again presided, and where I first made the acquaintance of Colonel Ambrose Lockwood, Colonel Andrew Higgins, Colonel Anson Dakin, Deacon John Tyler and Barnet and Thomas Burtis, Colonel Jared Winslow and many other long-life Democrats. Barnet Burtis then owned and occupied the farm now owned by Peter B. Hollen- beck ; Judge Loop owned the farm now owned by Allen B. Downing; Stephen Hoyt owned the farm adjoining the State line, subsequently owned by Thomas Burtis, and now owned by a Mr. Johnson. Ethan Boyes owned the farm now owned by John White. Dr. Richard Bart- lett owned the farm now owned by his son Richard. Nathaniel Husen owned the farm now owned by David A. Nichols. Abraham Overhiser owned the farm which has been bequeathed by Alanson Morehouse to his wife. William White owned the farm now owned by Randoll Dean. John Wager's farm is now owned by Benson A. Hunt. Barnet Wager owned the farm now owned by George Gilbert. Gustavus A. Dibble owned the farm now owned by Austin Morey. Stephen Hedges owned the farm now owned by Datus Hanor. Joseph Rossman owned the farm now owned by the widow and heirs of Nicholas C. Tyler. George Knox and David West owned the farms now owned by Rodney Gilbert. Gilbert Sher- wood owned the farm of Norman Crandall. Walter Mc- Alpine owned the farm of William Ward. Samuel Trues- dell owned the farm of Le Roy Hunt. David Collin owned
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
the farm of Rutsen Hunt. Silas Reed owned the farm of Edward B. Hunt. Lewis Adsit owned the farm of Jack- son Bartlett. Mr. Evans owned the farm of Elisha Os- born. The farm formerly owned by Barnet Burtis is now owned and occupied by Peter B. Hollenbeck. For two years he has represented the town in the Board of Super- visors, and has been a trustee in the Hillsdale Rural Cemetery Association during its whole history. His wife was a daughter of Jacob I. Van Deusen, one of the most prominent farmers of Copake. The few other changes will be noticed upon further information, and interesting histories will be given of some of the occupants.
The wife of Stephen Hedges was a Miss Gardanier, aunt of the wife of President Tyler. William White was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and was in the reserve during the last battle with the army of General Burgoyne. Austin Morey was born January 20th, 1819, and married Catharine Smith March 29th, 1845. She was born April 5th, 1822. Their children are : Smith, born June 29th, 1846; Eugene A., born June 29th, 1848; Delia E., born February 13th, 1856. Eugene A. married Mary Gorsline November 17th, 1869, and Delia E. mar- ried J. T. Mckown October 28th, 1880. In 1863 and 1864 Mr. Morey represented the town of Hillsdale in the Board of Supervisors.
Lorenzo Gilbert owns the farm adjoining that of his brother Rodney. His wife was a daughter of Esquire James Reynolds, of Copake, and for two years he has represented the town in the Board of Supervisors. Nicho- las C. Tyler was for some years a Justice of the Peace, and his wife was the daughter of Esquire Joel Pierce, whose farm adjoined that of Austin Morey and was very near the farm of Colonel Mckinstry.
Captain Henry P. Mesick once owned one of the farms now owned by John McAlpine, and the Rev. Abel Brown owned the other farm belonging to McAlpine. The Rev.
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
Abel Brown was a worthy member of the Baptist Church, and his wife was the sister of Judge John Martin, of Claverack. Thomas Benedict owned the farm adjoining the land of John McAlpine on the north, which now be- longs to John Q. Johnson, and Nicholas Sharts was the original owner of the land adjoining that of John Mc- Alpine on the south, which now also belongs to John Johnson.
Daniel Darien was the original owner of the farm of Lorenzo Gilbert, and Deacon John Tyler owned the farm adjoining on the north of Lorenzo Gilbert, who for two years represented the town in the Board of Supervisors. 7
CHAPTER XV.
A FAMILY HISTORY DESIRABLE-HILLSDALE ROADS-COMMIS- SIONERS FROM 1852 TO 1883.
Family Histories interesting-An Appeal to the Community for such- Charles Crow-William Coon-Crooked Roads -- Columbia Turnpike -- Soil for Roads -- Road Laws-Assessments-Snms Expended on Roads since 1849 -Reform.
A family history of the people of Hillsdale who lived a half century ago would now be considered a treasure. A family history of the present population would be con- sidered a treasure to the people of Hillsdale in the half- century to come. These are facts that our people should appreciate, and each and all should give their family his- tory. To publish a part who have generously supplied those family histories, while the large portion of our peo- ple were omitted, would be very uninteresting. A brief history upon the subject from memory would be subject to errors, and might be considered by some impertinent. I have therefore suspended that brief history in the hope that the people generally would take the subject into seri- ous consideration and give assistance in its accomplish- ment. Should they fail to do so, I may think best to adopt the History of Hillsdale as it appears in our lately published county history, with such additions as my memory and other authorities will enable me to supply.
In attending to the officers of the town I should not omit the names of Charles Crow and William Coon, who have long been useful magistrates in Hillsdale village.
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
Mr. Crow's father was long a worthy farmer in Western Hillsdale, and his wife's father was a merchant and farm- er in Eastern Hillsdale.
A history of the roads in Hillsdale is a subject worthy of attention. The hills and valleys made crooked roads a necessity, and the confusion among the earlier settlers made them much more so. But the establishment of the Columbia Turnpike some eighty-odd years ago made a fine road through the southern section of the town. And some fifty-odd years ago an association of citizens made an improved road through the centre of the town. The soil is of a character to make the best of roads, and be- ing near the fountain head of the streams the bridges were cheap, consisting chiefly of single spans. Under these circumstances and our efficient laws, the making and keeping our roads in repair has comparatively been attended with but small expense to the people. Those laws, however, required the people to be assessed not less than about one thousand days' work annually upon the roads, or about twenty-five days to the mile, to which the overseers of highways had authority to add one-third, if necessary. In addition to this, the Commissioners of Highways, in order to aid weak districts, were authorized to assess upon the property of the town two hundred and fifty dollars annually, and with the consent of the people of the town through their suffrages, they could be author- ized to assess upon the property of the town the addi- tional sum of seven hundred and fifty dollars. But each of those sums had to be accompanied with a particular specification of their objects, and the commissioners are required to report to the Town Auditors that the money had been expended in pursuance of those objects, which report was required to be entered upon the town records. If expended for bridges, the report should so state. If expended for road districts, the report should state the districts. To aid towns having expensive bridges, a law
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
exists authorizing the Town Clerk, Justices and Commis- sioner of Highways on any day previous to the first Tues- day in October in any year, to authorize the making of a loan of one-half of one per cent. upon the assessed property of the town for the purpose of some particular specified object in relation to roads and bridges. Under the provisions of these judicious laws, the people of Hillsdale, previous to 1850, never required much expense upon the roads beyond the per diem specified by law. To repair some bridges or to aid some weak road district there was sometimes expended during a year from one to two hundred dollars. Since 1850 the following are some of the sums expended over and above the per diem as- sessments :
YEAB.
AMOUNT.
COMMISSIONERS.
1852
- $ 50
- James Gorsline,
1855
100
Daniel D. Goodsall,
1856
100
David Bushnell,
1857
250
David Bushnell,
1858
200
- Alfred Curtis,
1860
150
Robert McAlpine,
1861
175
- Robert McAlpine,
1862
430
George M. Bullock,
1863
700
George M. Bullock,
1864
200
Philip C. Shaver,
1865
200
1866
150
Peter B. Hollenbeck, Peter B. Hollenbeck,
1868
200
- Isaac Coon,
1870
250
Martin J. Sweet,
1871
350
Adam D. Van DeBoe,
1873
Adam D. Van DeBoe,
1874
500
Rodney Gilbert,
1875
800
Rodney Gilbert,
1876
500
Rodney Gilbert, Judson Wiley,
1878
1355
1880
500
Rodney Gilbert.
1881
500
William D. Washburn,
1882
500
- Ambrose L. Overluser.
In addition to the extraordinary and apparently illegal road tax upon the people of the town, there has been an-
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
nually paid for the use of the roads from eighty to one hundred dollars commutation money, and during the last year the per diem road tax has been doubled.
After the next auditing day I shall be curious to look and see if the town books will show that the money has all been expended according to law. I trust that it will not turn out that we have had "star route" performers among us. On the contrary, I trust that the examination will disclose extraordinary merit on the part of our road commissioners. Civil service reform is the order of the day. I trust that we shall never need such reform in old Hillsdale. 7*
CHAPTER XVI.
CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY-ROELIFF JANSEN VALLEY-BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 1824-EQUALIZATION.
Children's Aid Society-Astors-Vanderbilts-Sixty Thousand Orphans -Officers-A Residuary Bequest-William T. Palmer-George N. Loop-Isaac White-George Mitchel-Andrew and John Brusie-Roe- liff Jansen Valley Farms-Titles of 1790-Heirs of Nicholas Hollenbeck -Hillsdale Lands worth $18 per Acre-Board of Supervisors of 1824- William Murray's Equalization-Board of 1840 -- Hillsdale's Supervisor Objects to Prerogatives of the District Attorney -Stockport's Manufac- turing Interests and Valuation-State Assessor's Report.
There are associations with the Children's Aid Society of the city of New York that give that society a title to a notice in the History of Hillsdale. That society is one of the worthiest charities of the world. It was incorpor- ated about thirty years ago, and has about sixty thou- sand orphans under its care. It has about fifteen hun- dred regular contributors, who give from one dollar to three thousand dollars annually for its support. Among those contributors are the Astors and the Vanderbilts. Rich bequests are made for its benefit. Mrs. Mary E. Flagg has recently bequeathed $9,000 for its benefit. William A. Booth is the President of that society; Geo. S. Coe is Treasurer ; Charles L. Brace is Secretary, and J. W. Skinner is the Superintendent of its schools. It has fifteen trustees, the terms of five of whom expire annually. To that society a citizen of Hillsdale, after rich bequests to all of his kindred, made a residuary be-
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
quest which at his death contained over $8,000 in cash and about $6,000 of investments. A further history of that Society and that bequest will be given in the future.
Among the early residents of Eastern Hillsdale. Wm. T. Palmer formerly owned the farm of Sylvester Wolcott; George H. Loop formerly owned the farm of George Douglass; Isaac White was an original owner of the farm of Michael Ward; George Mitchel, owned the farm of Samuel Mitchel; John Moon formerly owned the farm of Martin Haywood, and Andrew and John Brusie were the original owners of the farm of George Brusie. Isaac White was aided by Caleb Benton and John Pixley in procuring his title to the Ward farm.
The best lands in Hillsdale are in the Roeliff Jansen valley. The Manor titles to the best of those lands were obtained in 1790 at ten dollars per acre. Two of the very best of these farms were appraised in 1833 in the distribution of personal and real estate at twenty-five dollars per acre. The very best farm in that valley was sold at negotiated sale by the heirs of Nicholas Hollen- beck, in 1850, at thirty-five dollars per acre. The annual agricultural productions of the town by the census have never much exceeded $175,000, and at times not much more than $150,000, so that taking into account that much of the town consists of rugged hills and some waste land, eighteen dollars per acre is the highest legal value of the whole town.
A more talented Board of Supervisors never assembled in Columbia county than that of 1824. To that Board, William Murray, the Supervisor from Copake, submitted an equalization table of the agricultural lands in the county, which was adopted by the Board. That valua- tion put the lands in Hillsdale at thirteen dollars per acre, and those of Stockport at twenty-nine dollars per acre. For eleven successive years Mr. Murray continued to represent that town. In 1837 Greenport having been
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
admitted as a town, there was a revision of the equaliza- tion table, and that of Mr. Murray was adopted. Up to 1839 the county had been taxed for the support of ex- pensive bridges in certain towns. In that year the Su- pervisor from Hillsdale raised an objection to that coun- ty tax, as the bottom lands along the streams greatly enhanced the value of the lands in those towns, and the mill sites were of still greater value, and the bridges were principally valuable to the people of those towns. The objection was sustained, and the county was no longer taxed for that purpose. In 1840 the Board of Su- pervisors was convulsed about a disputed seat, which on the second week was satisfactorily settled by a committee composed of the Supervisors of Livingston and Hillsdale. The Supervisor from Hillsdale raised objections to pre- rogatives exercised by the District Attorney and jailer, which were ultimately sustained. The Supervisor from Stockport moved that the people of Austerlitz should be taxed for the support of an expensive bridge in Stock- port, as the people of Austerlitz used it on their way to the Hudson market. The Supervisor of Hillsdale op- posed the motion and was sustained. In 1841 it was discovered by the census that in addition to the agricul- tural lands there was $814,000 of manufacturing real es- tate in the town of Stockport, and the Supervisor from Hillsdale moved that in the equalization that manufac- turing real estate should be added to the agricultural in that town. After an exciting debate the motion of the Supervisor from Hillsdale was voted down. By the as- sessor's valuation, the Agricultural lands in Stockport were valued at $367,000, to which, if the manufacturing real estate had been added, it would have amounted to $1,181,000. But the Supervisors in their valuation re- duced Stockport to $199,433. The effect of this was not only to leave the large amount of the real estate of the manufacturers untaxed, but by reducing the Supervisors'
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