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 5
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valuation of farm lands below that of the assessors', re- duced the tax upon personal property in Stockport three- tenths of a mill below that of many other of the towns in the county. That policy has been pursued ever since, a little modified at the present session of the Board. While the net income of the real estate in Stockport has been seven-fold greater than that of Hillsdale, Hillsdale has at all times been taxed twice as high as Stockport, including the enormous expense of the civil war. That great wrong might have been averted had the Supervisor from Hillsdale appealed from the equalization of the Board in 1841. His excuse for not doing so for that and the two succeeding years that he was in the Board was the limit- ed amount of county tax imposed upon the people; that upon Hillsdale for those years but a little exceeded $1,000 annually, being probably less than the woodchuck bounty of the present year. And the whole county tax upon the town was less than half the annual grievance of succeed- ing years. With all its modifications a late State Assess- ors' report will show that at least $10.000,000 worth of real estate, not agricultural, has escaped taxation in the equalization of the present Board of Supervisors. Laws should immediately be passed simplifying and preventing the great expense in procuring redress for these great wrongs. Such expenses and technical provisions of law are used by designing men to prevent redress from being sought for these great wrongs. 8
CHAPTER XVII
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR-JUS- TICES ELECTED-THADDEUS REED-PHILIP BECKER.
The Justices of the Peace given in order as appointed by the Governor from 1786 to 1827-Justices elected by the people since 1827-Thad- deus Reed-Catharine Garner-James W. White-Philip Becker-John P. Becker -East Hillsdale Furnace.
The justices of the peace in the town of Hillsdale, from 1786 to 1827, were appointed by the Governor of the State, and were in order as follows: Jacob Ford, James Bryan, Benjamin Birdsall, D. Pratt, Charles Mckinstry, Ebenezer Soule, Edward Bagley, Judah Lawrence, Bar- tholomew Williams, Joseph Morehouse, Aaron Reed, S. Richmond, Oliver Teal, Sanford Tracy, Cyrus Alger, Jesse Ford, Maurice Birdsall, John Pixley, Joel Pierce, Isaac Ford, Story Gott, William Niles, Henry Loop, Jared Winslow, David Leonard, Timothy Reed, Joseph Rodman, Jonathan Olmsted, George Squires, Erastus Pratt, Salmon Way, Richard Gaul, Stephen Hadley, Cor- nelius Van Kuren, James McKown.
Stephen Hadley was the brother-in-law of Chester Goodale, of South Egremont, and the uncle by affinity of the distinguished youthful writers of poetry, Dora and Elaine Goodale, and the father of Sterling Hadley, who for years was one of the State Assessors in New York, and once a representative in the State Legislature.
The justices of the peace elected by the people are as
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follows: Josiah Knapp, Jr., for three terms ; Thaddeus Reed for five terms: Jared Winslow, John Richmond, Richard Gaul, for three terms each; Frederick Pultz for three terms; Samuel Judson for three terms; John H. Overhiser for two terms: Rodney Hill, Nicholas C. Tyler, Andrew Higgins, for three terms each ; Quincy Johnson, Lewis B. Adsit for five terms; Eli Richmond for two terms; Philip Becker for two terms; Ira Palmer, William Coon for three terms; Willis Disbrow for three terms; Charles Crow for four terms ; Jolm Q. Johnson for three terms; Hiram Winslow for three terms ; Wm. T. Holsapple, Henry J. Rowe and Wm. H. Gardner.
Thaddeus Reed for many years kept the tavern at what is now called the Hillsdale House, in Hillsdale village. He was the brother of Rufus Reed, of Hudson, and of Dr. Ebenezer Reed, of Austerlitz, and the uncle by affin- ity of Addison Alger, of Western Hillsdale. His adopted daughter, Catharine Garner, married James W. White, a merchant in Hillsdale village, and now resides at Tarry- town, in the State of New York.
Philip Becker was the son of John P. Becker, of Har- lemville, and the brother of Stephen C. and David L. Becker, and of Margaret Caroline Becker, who married Orrin M. Sawyer, of Austerlitz, and of Lovina Becker, who married Orville McAlpin, of Hillsdale Centre, and of Elizabeth Becker, who married Sylvanus Smith, of Pen Yan, and of Julianne Becker, who married Samuel Voak, of Waukegan, Illinois, and Catharine Becker, who mar- ried Peter J. Becker, of Hillsdale village, and Polly Becker, who married Gaius Truesdell, of Benton, Yates county, N. Y., and Almira Becker, who married Isaac Coon, of Harlemville. Philip Becker was born June 22d, 1805. He married Elizabeth DeGroff July 22d, 1827. His son Henry L. was born July 15th, 1828; James M. was born June 29th, 1831 ; Luman F. was born December 20th, 1833; Jane was born April 16th, 1836; Julia was
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born October 12th, 1837; Emma H. was born September 28th, 1840 ; Philip was born December 10th, 1843; Char- lie was born April 28th, 1846; Hiram H. was born May 10th, 1848 ; Mary was born December 20th, 1850. Philip Becker was ever distinguished for intelligence and integ- rity. He was long a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he held an official position. He was for a time the Master in a Masonic Lodge. As a carpen- ter and joiner he had many apprentices, who all have made good workmen and respectable men. He estab- lished the furnace in Eastern Hillsdale, and cultivated a farm, and employed in his business a sawing and planing mill. In the discharge of his duties as a magistrate he gave universal satisfaction.
CHAPTER XVIII.
SETTLERS FROM MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT-WAR OF 1812-CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE.
Purchasers of Manor titles-George Bushnell-Jeremiah Hoffman -Dr. Jones-Elisha W. Bushnell-Parla Foster-His children-Capt. John Collin-Robert Orr-His children -Elijah Cleveland-His children- His ancestor Guy de Cleveland, of England-Moses Cleveland-Ann Winn-Intelligence and integrity of supervisors and magistrates- Early conflicts-Aid in the war of 1812-Thousands of dollars for com- mutation in the late civil war, and $74,000 war taxes paid-Liberality to sufferers in America and Ireland-Contributions to the Five Points Mission, and Children's Aid Society.
When Massachusetts had yielded to New York her claim to sovereignty and jurisdiction over Hillsdale, Robert Noble and others holding titles under Massachu- setts returned to New England. But some remained and purchased manor titles to the lands they occupied. Among them was George Bushnell, who was born in Say- brook, Conn. His son John married Loxey Lay, of Say- brook. One daughter married Jeremiah Hoffman, of Claverack, and one daughter married Dr. Jones, of Hills- dale. His grandson, Elisha W. Bushnell, still occupies the old homestead. Parlia Foster, born in Connecticut, remained in Hillsdale and purchased the manor title. He married Phebe Wills, of Connecticut, and their children were : Anna, who married Dr. John Esmond, and after him in succession Mr. Northrop and Benjamin Snyder ; Moses married Esther Sherwood; Isaac married Lucy
8*
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Sherwood, and after her in succession Polly Pixley and Nancy Johnson Gerry and Eveline Johnson ; Simeon married Emily Nichols ; Ely married Polly Bushnell ; Seymour married Sarah Madeline Truesdell; Judson mar- ried Sabrina Messenger ; Deidamie married Dr. John Stevens ; Sally married Richard Latting ; Katy married Stephen Bosworth and Phebe married George Wooden. Capt. John Collin, born in Milford, Conn., remained in Hillsdale and purchased the manor title. He married Sarah Arnold, and after her demise he married Deidamie Morse Davidson. His children were : Anthony, who died a soldier in the war of the revolution ; John, who married Ruth Holman Johnson ; Hannah, who married Thomas Truesdell. Robert Orr, born in Bridgewater, Mass., re- mained in Hillsdale and purchased the manor title. He married Hannah Kingman. Their children were Susanna, Jane, Hector, Robert B., Montgomery, and Noble. Elijah Cleveland, born in Centerbury, Conn., remained in Hills- dale. He married Alice Lawrence, of Centerbury. He died Sept. 28th, 1794, in the 74th year of his age, and she died June 12th, 1799, in the 69th year of her age. They were buried near the site of the old Baptist church on the land of Robert Orr, subsequently the land of Solomon B. Collin, in a graveyard now obliterated. Chas. Crow, Esq., is his kindred by affinity. His mother, Lucy Serign Crow, being a sister to Elizabeth Serign, who was a sister- in-law of Elijalı Cleveland. The children of Elijah and Alice Cleveland were as follows: Joseph, who married Elizabeth Fenton ; Lucinda, who married Henry Dibble ; Asa who married Mary Dibble ; John, who married Eliz- abeth Serign; Abigail, who married Thomas Bathrick. and after him she married Peter Smith ; Daniel, who mar- ried Amy Dibble ; Sarah, who married Andrew Reynolds; Waitstell, who married Martha Tabor; Anna, who mar- ried Henry Salisbury. All born in Hillsdale except Jos- eph, who was born in Middletown, Conn., and died in
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1802. The Clevelands were the descendants of Guy de Cleveland, of York county, in England. He was present at the siege of Bologne in France, and commanded the spearmen in the battle of Poictiers. His descendant, Moses Cleveland, came to America about 1635 and set- tled at Woburn, Mass., and married Ann Winn, Jan. 26th, 1648, and died Jan. 9th, 1701. Their children were Moses, Hannah, Aaron, Samuel, Miriam, Joanna, Edward, Josiah, Isaac and Enoch. A much more extended and minute history of the Cleveland kindred may be given when this publication shall be in book form.
'Tis education forms the common mind, Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined.
The children in the families here noticed, without a single exception, have all filled respectable positions in society, which has been the fruit of the teachings by their noble mothers. The efforts of those mothers, too, have been most conspicuous in the establishment of the relig- ious churches in the town, which has done so much to improve the moral and religious characteristics of the people. History will show that the residue of the popu- lation of Hillsdale, though composed of a conglomeration of all the existing nationalities, compare favorably with those from New England. The thirty-five supervisors that have represented the town, and the fifty magistrates, have all been characterized for intelligence and integrity. For three-fourths of a century the people of Hillsdale were convulsed by the conflicts between Massachusetts and New York, and the occupants under Massachusetts and the manor titles. The settlement of those controver- sies found the people to be such as I have described. In the war of 1812 they individually and collectively gave aid to their country, while others gave aid and comfort to the enemy. In pursuance of law, in the late civil war they quietly gave thousands of dollars by way of commutations,
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and paid over $77,000 in war taxes,although they doubted the necessity and expediency of the war, and with Horace Greeley they believed that a Union was not worth sus- taining that had to be pinned together with bayonets, and with the makers of the federal constitution they believed that our Union should be one of mutual affection and ben- efits, and not of force. By their liberality they have ever manifested a kindly regard for those who have suffered by fire or flood or famine, such as has occurred in Chicago, or in the Mississippi valley, or in Ireland. They have long contributed annually to the Five Points Mission in New York city, and one of its citizens has recently made a liberal bequest to the Children's Aid Society, one of the noblest charities of the world. As its merits become developed it will receive further aid from the citizens of Hillsdale. It has 60,000 orphans under its care. It has 32 schools with 86 teachers, in New York city for the ed- ucation of orphans. It has agents all over the country to see that the thousands for whom they have found homes are properly cared for. Already some of the most active business men of our country are among those whom the society have befriended, and whose numerously published letters are filled with thanks for those benefits. The char- itable contributions to that society during the past year have amounted to $234,892, and have been annually in- creasing during the past thirty years.
CHAPTER XIX.
ROAD AND BRIDGE EXPENSES ONLY $9,000 FOR FIFTY YEARS --- IN SEVEN RECENT YEARS $4,500.
Fifty years road, bridge and Commissioner's expenses, only $9,000- Seven years expenses $4,500-Commissioners and Auditors should comply with strict letter of the law-What a commissioner's account should specify-Should report reasons for assessing over 990 days- Law defining amount of extra moneys, and purposes-Acts of 1875 and 1874-First Monday in October.
There are fifty years in the history of Hillsdale in which the expenses for roads and bridges, including the compen- sation of the Road Commissioners, have not exceeded $9,000. There are seven recent years in which these ex- penses have exceeded $4,500. To guard against such ex- penses in the future, and avoid suspicion in respect to the integrity of the Commissioners, or the discretion of the Board of Town Auditors, the strict letter of the law should be complied with in the discharge of the duties of both Commissioners and Auditors. The account of the Commissioners should always specify the object for which the services were rendered. It should specify the days in filling road warrants and their distribution, and in meet- ing with Auditors, &c. He should specify particularly the money he had received from his predecessor or the Sup- ervisor by way of fines or commutations, and particularly where and for what it had been expended. If he should assess over 990 days labor upon the roads in the town of
9
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Hillsdale, he should report his reasons for doing so, as that provided 25 days to the mile, to which the Overseers were empowered to add one-third. Upon his own voli- tion he should not be allowed over $250 in any one year for roads and bridges, as the law expressly forbids it, and $100 of that sum would supply ten weak road districts with ten days each of labor on the road, and $150 would supply plank, string pieces and spikes for a half dozen of the average bridges in the town. He should not be allowed for any labor of men and teams that could be rendered by those assessed upon the roads. The officers of the town are not authorized to allow money to be ex- pended upon roads and bridges in the town, except for a single bridge, under an act of 1875, and also an act of 1874, in which they are authorized to expend one half of one-per cent of the assessed value of the town for specific roads and bridges. But no action upon that subject can be taken after the first Monday in October in each year, so as to give time for an appeal to the Board of Super- visors by any one aggrieved by their action. Had all the foregoing laws been complied with, it would have saved thousands of dollars to the people of Hillsdale in the past, and might save thousands of dollars to them in the future.
CHAPTER XX.
AN EARLY ACCOUNT OF HILLSDALE, FROM A GAZETTEER OF NEW YORK-CHURCHES AND PASTORS.
Hillsdale Village -Harlemville -Green River-North Hillsdale Baptist Church-First M. E. Church, Hillsdale Village -First Presbyterian Church -West Hillsdale M. E. Church -- North Hillsdale M. E. Church -Harlemville M. E. Church-Christian Church at Green River.
HILLSDALE was formed from Claverack, as a district, March 26, 1782, recognized as a town, March 7, 1788, and a part of Austerlitz was taken off in 1818. The surface is broken by ranges of hills which extend in a north and south direction, and are separated by narrow valleys. Its waters are small, but they afford a good supply of mill sites ; they consist of Green River, which crosses the northeast corner, and several small streams which form the headwaters of Roeliff Jansen's and Claverack creeks. The soil consists of a gravelly loam and clay. The popu- lation of the town in 1880 was 1,939.
HILLSDALE VILLAGE on the south line, near the east cor- ner, is a station on the Harlem R. R. It is a smart little village of about 500 inhabitants and contains three hotels, two churches (Methodist and Presbyterian), about half a dozen stores of various kinds, several wagon shops and blacksmith shops, a grist mill, saw mill, two tin shops, harness shop, foundry of plows, where large numbers of Hillsdale iron beam plows are annually manufactured
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
and shipped to various parts of the country. This sta- tion is the most important one on the Harlem Railroad, in the county south of Chatham.
HARLEMVILLE, in the northwest corner, contains one hotel, three stores, a shoe shop, two wagon shops, three or four blacksmith shops, and one church (Methodist).
GREEN RIVER, in the northeast corner derives its name from the river of the same name, on which it is located, and which rises in the town of Austerlitz, flows southeast and empties into the Housatonic River, in Connecticut. The stream, when the water is high, has a greenish ap- pearance, and from this fact and the green trees along its banks its name is derived. The stream is noted for the abundance of trout it contains. The village contains one hotel, one church (Christian), a shoe shop, blacksmith shop and saw mill.
The town was settled at a very early day, the south part by immigrants from Massachusetts, and the north by Dutch settlers. Among the latter were fam- ilies by the name of Showerman, Blackman, Kinyon, Fregers, Evarts and Sharts. A Mr. Foster was one of the first settlers near Hillsdale village ; and Cols. Wm. Tanner and Jared Winslow near Green River. The state surrendered its claims to the lands actually occupied, March 12, 1793. Unhappy disputes relative to titles to land in this town, long agitated the inhabitants, and sev- eral lives were lost in the controversy before it was final- ly settled by arbitration.
THE NORTH HILLSDALE BAPTIST CHURCH was organized with 14 members, May 28, 1787, and with Rev. Stephen Gano, D. D., as its first pastor. The first house of wor- ship was erected in 1787 ; and the present one, which will seat 250 persons, in 1839, at a cost of about $6,000. The present number of members is 22. The last pastor was Rev. Mr. Bennett, of England, who served this church jointly with the Baptist church at North Egremont, but
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
discontinued service here in 1881. This is the oldest church in the town, and the following are the names of the 14 constituent members at the date of its organiza- tion : James Martin, Caleb Woodward, Jr., Wmn. West, Jr., Ambrose Latting, Griffin Wilde, Joanna Latting, Ruth Jordan, Phebe Martin, Esther Terry, Rosannah West, Lucy Loop, Anna Woodward, Sarah Martin and Anna Wilde.
THE FIRST M. E. CHURCH, of Hillsdale, was organized in 1808, with 30 members, by Rev. Wm. Swayze, and its first pastor was Rev. D. Ostrander. The first house of wor- ship was erected 1811, and the present one which will seat 400 persons, in 1874, which with an elegant parson- age cost $9,000. The present pastor is Rev. F. J. Belcher, and the membership one hundred and twenty.
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, located at Hillsdale village was organized August 16, 1831, by Rev. L. B. Van Dyck, who was its first pastor with 14 members. The first edifice was "accepted" by the Society, July 4, 1833 ; it was repaired in 1851, and will seat 250 persons. Its value with parsonage is $6,000. The present membership is 22, and Rev. L. M. Berger is its pastor. During the pastorate of Rev. L. B. Van Dyck, from its organization to July 25, 1834, 100 persons joined the church.
THE WEST HILLSDALE M. E. CHURCH was organized some 50 years since. The first and present edifice, which will seat 300 persons, was erected in 1853, at a cost of $2,500. The first pastor was Rev. Elbert Osburn ; the present one is Rev. N. H. Bangs. Its present member- ship is twenty-eight.
THE NORTH HILLSDALE M. E. CHURCH erected their pres- ent house of worship, which will seat 225 persons, in 1837, at a cost of $5,000. Its present pastor is Rev. N. H. Bangs.
THE HARLEMVILLE M. E. CHURCH erected their first house in 1820; and the present one, which will seat 250 9*
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persons, and the value of which is estimated at $3,000, in 1854. The present pastor is Rev. Adee Vail.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, located at Green River, was or- ganized in 1851, with 30 members, and Rev. Allen Hay- ward, as its first pastor. The house of worship was erec- ted the following year. It will seat 400 persons, and its estimated value is $2,000. The present pastor is Rev. Joel Gallup, and the membership about 20.
CHAPTER XXI.
HILLSDALE HISTORY AS PUBLISHED IN THE HISTORY OF COLUM- BIA COUNTY, 1878.
Area of Hillsdale-Its Population-Surface-Principal Streams-Soil- Early Settlers-Town Officers-Hillsdale Village-Harlemville -- Green River -Murray's Corner -- North Hillsdale-Cemeteries -- Churches and Pastors-Masonic Lodge-Biographical Sketches.
This town, which is the sixth in size and the tenth in population, lies on the eastern border of the county ad- joining the State of Massachusetts, and is the central town of the east line. Its southern line is also the northern line of the old Livingston manor, as it was finally agreed upon between the patroons, Livingston and Van Rensselaer. Its area is 26,699 acres, of which 21,058 acres are returned as improved. Its pupulation in 1860 was 2552; in 1865, 2142; in 1870, 2083, and in 1875, 1879. Its greatest length is, from east to west, about seven and three-quar- ter miles and its width, from north to south, is six and one-third miles. It is centrally distant east from Hudson about twelve and one-half miles.
The surface is generally hilly in its character. Along the eastern border of the town lies the Taghkanic range of mountains, its projecting spurs on the east extending to and beyond the Massachusetts line. At the foot of this range, a fertile valley, some two miles in width, runs nearly across the town. The northern part is made up of broken, irregular hills and narrow valleys. In the west a
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
pleasant little valley extends nearly half-way across the town, and along the southern line a vale of vary- ing width runs till it joins the larger valley at Hillsdale village. The hills are generally rounded in form, and arable to their summits, though a few of them are rocky and of a precipitous character. The highest points of these hills afford many fine and some extensive views.
The principal streams of the town are : Green river (a small stream that flows across the northeast corner of the town, derives its name from the peculiar transparent green tinge of its waters, and is noted for the number of trout that frequent it) ; the small brooks that flow across the east part of the town, and unite to form Roeloff Jansen's Kill ; the head-waters of Copake creek, flowing south in the western part of the town, and the rills that form the head-waters of Claverack creek that rise in the northwest part of the town. There are no natural lakes or ponds. The reservoir of the Mellenville manufactories, near the line of Claverack, covers several acres of ground, with a depth of some twenty feet of water.
The town was originally a part of the Van Rensselaer patent, except the eastern part, which formed a portion of the lands claimed by both Massachusetts and New York. March 12, 1793, the State surrendered its claim to all lands actually occupied by settlers. This enabled some of the inhabitants to obtain titles to their farms, but others less fortunate were obliged to take leased lands, with all the odious features of ancient feudalism attached.
The soil is composed of a variety of combinations of slate, gravel, clay, limestone, and loam, and is generally quite productive. The prevailing rocks are slate, shale, and quartz. Iron ore of excellent quality is found in the eastern part of the town, and in some parts the quartz- rock is found to contain gold, silver, and lead. A mineral paint of excellent quality is also found in the vicinity of one of the ore-beds.
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HILLSDALE HISTORY.
This town was settled at a very early day, probably before 1750; the south by immigrants from Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the northern part by Dutch settlers. Among them were families named Showerman, Blackman, Kinyon, Fregers, Everts, and Sharts. Prominent among the early inhabitants we also mention Martin Krum, Elisha Hatch, James Shepard, Jeremiah Shaw, William Orr, Isaac Spalding, Joshua Whitney, Archibald and Robert Lamont, William White, Joseph Morehouse, Jared Winslow, Isaac Hatch, William Tanner, Nathaniel House, M. D., James Bryan, Gaius Stebbins, Abel Brown, John Pixley, John and David Collin, Parla Foster, Refine Lat- ting, Quincy Johnson, Caleb Benton, M. D., Azariah Jud- son, John Higgins, William Higgins, Benjamin Birdsall, Ambrose L. Jordan, Abraham Overhiser, Henry Loop, Augustus Tremain, Isaac and Silas Downing, John P. Becker, Christopher W. Miller, Harry Truesdell, Samuel Mallory, Oliver Teall, John Tremaine, Elisha Hatch, John Tyler, Charles Mckinstry, John Wager, and families named Hill and Bartlett.
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