USA > New York > Orange County > Monroe > Chronicles of Monroe in the olden time : town and village, Orange County, New York > Part 14
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In 1846 he married Mary, eldest daughter of the late Rev. John Jay Thompson, and his children were five-namely, Charles T., his successor in flour and feed at Monroe; Fred. J., civil engineer ; Henry B., merchant at Goshen; Caroline T., wife of Rev. O. Elmer, of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Mary T., wife of George R. Conklin, head of several branches of busi- ness centering at Monroe.
Mr. Knight was a man of integrity, honest in busi- ness, a kind father, a friend of the wage-earner, a patriot, and a man of affairs, to whom many looked for counsel in different walks of life. He was a man of public spirit, to whom the village of Monroe was largely indebted for many improvements. He at- tached his friends very strongly to him, having that rare quality of bonhomie that makes one a welcome 27
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companion in business or recreation. He was fond of the manly sports of field and stream; and those who shared these recreations with him will never forget his untiring patience and his genial conversa- tion at the camp-fire or on the trail.
He died July 24, 1880, much lamented by friends and business men, who came from distant parts of the county to testify their regard for him. His memory is tenderly cherished by those - of whom the writer is one - who have been indebted to him and his goodwife, who was his inspiration in every good work, for hospitality shown and shelter given when the whirligig of time had made them waifs on its stream.
His home was often called the Home of the Friendless, so often it offered shelter to relative and neighbor. It was one of those Monroe homes whose latch-string always hung out.
To this symposium of worthy sons we might invite many other spirits. Some still in the flesh are hardly less memorable. But there would be a manifest want of symmetry, and even justice, if we passed without notice the fairer portion of Monroe, namely, her daugh- ters. They have contributed to its reputation and helped shape its destiny in a quiet way not less than its sons. They have not filled professors' chairs, nor been appointed to the Coast Survey, been made super- visors or sent to the legislature, but they have in- structed those who have filled all these positions. They have not yet been made electors to State or Federal offices, but we have seen them at the polls, with refreshments, to induce an honest, temperate vote. They have not been called to bear arms, but they have been called to give up their sons to their
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country, and provide comfort and aid for the wounded and dying. In humblest homes we have seen the un- folding of beautiful and heroic character silently and fragrantly as some night-blooming cereus. We have noted in humblest sphere some "nameless in worthy deeds who awoke to find them fame." But Monroe has had some ladies of remarkable individuality of character and talent, who, if their environment had been more incisive, would have written their names on the scrolls of fame. They were, like some of the flowers of everglade and canon, hid from the mad- ding crowd, but worthy of a place in princely conser- vatory. And yet, perhaps, the humility of their sur- roundings gave them their mission and enabled them to play their very part in the great economy of life. We have known mothers who had jewels of which they were as proud as Cornelia; one busy with needle and distaff, yet teaching her children at her side ; a skilled housekeeper in touch with the literature and journalism of the day ; one that could wield the brush, another the pen, another that could minister to the mind diseased, another whose very smile brought sunshine to the sick-room. One is the mistress of a Presbyterian manse far out toward sunset, another of a Baptist parsonage in the blue-grass region, an- other a city physician, another a musical professor and teacher. Lawyers, editors, physicians, teachers, as well as ministers, have come to our old town to find their wives ; and all, we fancy, for the reason that they knew a good thing when they found it. Now, as reference has been made elsewhere to a number of these worthy dames, it remains for us but to sketch one or two.
One, in particular, comes to our notice because re-
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cently deceased, and so prominently known, namely, Mrs. Rev. Charles B. Newton. She was the youngest daughter of the Rev. John Jay Thompson, pastor of the Presbyterian church of Monroe. She was born in this town, and was named after Mrs. Margaret Boyd, wife of Rev. John Boyd, and a lady of most estimable character. Maggie's early education began in Monroe, and was continued in Bloomingburg, New York, whither her parents removed after her father's resignation of the Monroe church. The death of her father in 1849 broke up their home, and sent mother and children to find homes with relatives. Strong char- acters, like steel, are tempered by furnace fire. Mrs. Thompson and Maggie found it so. For a while they leaned on the arm of the oldest son, J. Howard Thompson, but he was removed by death, at Port Byron, New York. Then the younger son, Benjamin, was their dependence while their residence was at Monroe, where they made their home with the oldest daughter, Mrs. Chauncey B. Knight. Now she enters upon the profession of teaching. Her first charge in this town is the Long Pond school. Here she en- deared herself greatly to pupils and patrons.
Her younger brother, Benjamin, having enlisted in the service of his country during the Civil War, and returned with honors as Colonel Thompson, Maggie went to reside with him at Williamsport, Pennsyl- vania.
While residing here, the zenana work in India was attracting the attention of Christian women through- out the world, and Maggie gave it her warmest sym- pathy. She felt she had a call to this special work.
The Ladies' Union Missionary Society, hearing of her interest, offered her an appointment, but she pre-
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ferred to go out under the auspices of her own church, and accordingly received an appointment to the field of northern India by the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. She embarked in Octo- ber, 1869, and had as her companions Miss Sarah Morrison and Messrs. Tracy and Kelso. She spent her time on shipboard studying the language, and after a tedious voyage she reached her destination. Dehra Doon was her first field, where she had charge of a girls' school. Here she became acquainted with the Rev. Charles B. Newton, of Lodiana Presbytery, to whom she was married. Still she continued her missionary labors, and was a true helpmeet to her husband in his work of teaching and itinerating. Her letters at this time to friends and schools at home reveal her deep love for the work to which she had devoted herself. Dehra Doon and Woodstock were household words with the children at Monroe.
At her instance, Muriam Gurdyal, a Hindu child, was taken under the care of the Monroe Presbyterian Sabbath-school, and she afterwards attained distinc- tion as a trained nurse.
Mrs. Newton was the joyful mother of six boys and one girl. Several of these accompanied their mother to this country and received part of their education in Monroe. It is with pleasure we recount their inten- tion to devote themselves to the same blessed work in India, while they have left behind pleasant memories of their noble character and bearing. Mrs. Newton's health broke down under the enervating climate and work, and after trying the hill country she was com- pelled a second time to return to this country. While here she was untiring in efforts to awaken a deeper interest in the cause of missions, so that she gained
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strength slowly. At length she felt she must return to her husband and little girl left behind in that far- off land. She obtained consent of her physician at last, and returned in the spring of 1897. She lived but a few weeks after her arrival, falling asleep peace- fully after twenty-eight years of missionary service, at Landour, Northern. India, June 20, 1897. She met death with all that sweet cheerfulness for which she. was preëminent, and breathing out her life in prayer and song, she lay down to rest, "and her works do follow her." Mrs. Newton's sister, Miss Julia Caro- line Thompson, was also devoted to foreign missions, and although not called to go to the field, did most efficient work in editing the missionary journal termed " Woman's Work for Women." Previous to that she had been an efficient teacher in Monroe, and accompanied her brother, as we have stated elsewhere, to Florida, and taught there, and shared in his remark- able trials and escape from the South at the breaking out of the Civil War. Her health broke down under her literary labors, and quite early she was called to her reward.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
EARLY ROADS.
T THE earliest roads about Monroe were mere Indian trails. These were the most natural and easy routes from one trading post or village to another. They did not, like the modern traveler, seek the most level and easy way, but usually the most direct, even though it carried them over rugged hills or through dense forests. They had little to transport, and that mostly on foot, so that they did not need wide road- beds or even very solid ground. They could find their way by the faintest footprints, broken twigs or leaves, such as a white man would not notice. Clin- ton mentions such dim paths several times in his Field Book. While surveying on the Isaac Thomp- son farm at Turners, he crossed the Indian path to Ramapo.
Another such path extended from Sugarloaf and Belvale, where was an Indian settlement, to the Clove, where he mentions another on the Dr. Roe place. Another crossed the East Mountain to Haverstraw.
But when the white man came he required more substantial roads and traversable routes. He could not find his way by such obscure indications as these children of nature; hence blazed the way through the forest. Then he began to remove obstructions
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that wheeled conveyances might take the place of travel on foot and horseback ; hence he sought more level routes. We have stated that other parts of the county had begun to be settled before the time of Clinton's survey. These people must find their way to the river and great city, hence a road was early made from Goshen to the valley of the Ramapo, over the East Mountain to the river and through New
Jersey to the city. Clinton crossed the Goshen road to Stirling, near the Indian settlement at Sugarloaf, where he spent a night in a wigwam. He refers to another road which crossed Schunemunk and, from his allusions, can be traced over Bloom Hill to Dick- erman, thence over East Mountain to the river at Haverstraw. As lots were taken up and white settle- ments established, roads would soon be in demand, and when the demands of peace were slow the exi- gencies of war forced new routes and new construc- tions. Thus there was a military road constructed further inland and more hidden than the road down the valley of the Ramapo, which was infested with cowboys and watched by English cavalry. This old Revolutionary road passed west of Tuxedo up among the defiles of the mountains stretching from New Jersey to Monroe, and military trains with ordnance and ammunition were transported during these stormy days continually by this route from one part of the field to another.
These early roads were rude in construction. There was little attempt at engineering. They were simply cut through forest, over hills, a few of the worst ob- structions removed, ditches and water turns never thought of. Hence travel in those days was travail. Vehicles and teams would be mired and pries were
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needed to lift the struggling stage-coach out of the terrible ruts and sloughs. A facetious stage-driver said sometimes the only way he could see to drive his team was by the ears of his horses sticking out of the mud.
This condition of roads led to the construction of turnpikes along the great mail and passenger routes. The first turnpike of which we read in Orange County was one from the house of Moses Cunning- ham, which was near Knight's mill at Monroe, to the intersection of the Stirling road near the house of Stephen Sloat. It was charted in 1800. This was extended to Suffern and to Hoboken. It also was stretched northwardly to Goshen and called the Goshen turnpike. Its gates were standing fifty years ago at James Ball's and near Southfield. At Chester it intersected the turnpike from Warwick. At Goshen it merged into the Newburg turnpike, and there, de- flecting northward, it became the grand highway on that side of the river to Albany. First the upper, then the lower, Clove, lay thus in this route, and through these favored sections was most of the land revealed between the whole of the State west of the river to New York. The section through the village was more crooked than now. It was shaped like a letter S, curving back of G. R. Conklin's and coming out at Alfred Carpenter's. Not far from here the coach was once robbed by footpads. At the mill it passed up over Forshee hill to Southfield. The road to Seamanville kept well up on Howell's hill to the church. It passed over the dam to Barton's hill to Turners. The lane was a private road, used as a race-course sixty years ago.
There has been great progress in road-building in 28
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the last few years. The introduction of improved conveyances, the demands of milk transportation, and now the coming of the bicycle have all contributed to make road commissioner and pathmaster mend their ways and encourage the construction of better highways.
CHAPTER XXXII.
ERIE RAILWAY.
T HIS railway has been so closely identified with the interests of this town that it may not be amiss to give a short sketch of its history. Some parts of it read like a romance.
The first idea out of which it was evolved was the need to connect the inland lakes with the seaboard. Such communication was necessary both for com- mercial and military reasons. Governor De Witt Clinton was the first to suggest the building of a canal. The Erie Canal was built and finished in 1825, and the grandson of the surveyor of the Cheesecock Patent has the credit of it.
But the application of steam to land carriage hav- ing soon been demonstrated a success, some ingenious mind conceived the idea of binding eastern and west- ern New York by a railroad. The first experiment in this State was a short line from Albany to Schenec- tady. The late John B. Goff described a trip on the road, in which the conductor had to get out and sweep off the track with brooms, a light snow having obstructed the train. The late W. D. Snodgrass, D.D., also, in his jubilee address stated that he was going to Presbytery at Schenectady. Some of the brethren chose to go by steam. He took the stage- coach, and arrived there first. Out of this small be-
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ginning developed the great New York Central and Hudson River Railroad.
But long before this was constructed, for it grew in sections, and was consolidated from them, Erie was conceived as a unit - one grand, comprehensive, broad-gauge railway along the southern tier of coun- ties from the Hudson to Dunkirk on Lake Erie.
The first charter was granted in 1832 by the State of New York. Its first president was Eliezer Lord ; its chief engineer, Henry Seymour.
The estimated cost of this enterprise was three millions of dollars, a large sum for that day.
The projected route was starting from New York to cross by ferry to Hoboken, then laying a track through New Jersey to strike New York at Suffern, and then take the westward route to the lake. But their project met with an obstacle at the very outset. The State of New Jersey was unwilling to grant such a franchise to a foreign company without the pay- ment of heavy royalty. This was declined ; hence the route had to be changed and steamboat transporta- tion adopted as far as Piermont. This involved un- expected cost, especially the construction of a long pier to accommodate the boats bringing freight and passengers up the river.
The first report showed an expenditure of six mil- lions. Means and credit were now exhausted. Sub- scription books were opened, but means were not forthcoming. The company was forced to suspend. In the settlement proposed the State was willing to release its loan of three millions if the stockholders would give up half their stock. This gave great dis- satisfaction to farmers of Orange County, who were large shareholders. But there was no alternative.
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The company is reorganized under the name of the New York and Erie, and takes a new start. It has comparatively an easy task through Rockland County, but when it strikes Monroe, Orange County, its toils begin. It strikes a rugged mountain region, through which a stream pursues its sinuous way, now on one side of the rock road-bed, again on the other.
The engineers took advantage of the water-level, but found they had many bridges to be provided for. Two of Monroe's sons took their first lessons here, namely, Phineas H. Thompson, who was track- master, and T. B. Brooks, who was employed with the engineer corps.
The first train reached Monroe in 1841. It was a construction train. It created a great sensation, some meeting it at Seamanville, the young girls leav- ing the milking-yards in sunbonnets and aprons. They climbed on the sides of the engine when it stopped. "We were permitted to ride to the village," said our lady informant, "and we got our clothes greased, but it was one of the great events of our lives." After it reached the village of Monroe the hands ran the engine on the switch and reversed it. They then repaired to the hotel of Mr. John Goff for a meal. The boys then, true to instinct, climbed on board and commenced monkeying with the brakes and lever. They soon found out how to open the throttle, which they did. But they did not learn how to use the lever. The engine soon began to move off slowly down the track. They tried to stop it, but failed to reverse the engine. They tried their best to overcome the mischief by throwing wood and rails before the monster, but on it kept till near Sea- manville, when the engine hands, seenting trouble,
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ran down the track, put on the brakes and stopped the runaway; but not a boy was in sight, or there would have been more pungent memories of the escapade.
In 1847 the road-bed had reached Middletown, and by 1848 it had crossed the mountain to Port Jervis.
Beyond Port Jervis the work becomes far more difficult. The cutting of rock ledges along the Dela- ware, the spanning of gorges by bridges, the crossing of lowlands by viaducts, demanded the highest efforts of science, yet in 1851 the track was completed to Dunkirk, and the last spike of the single wide-gauge track of the New York and Erie Railway was driven.
All this while the steamboats conveyed the pas- sengers to Piermont, where they were transferred to the trains of the road. We remember at this time an incident of Conductor Ayres, who, hearing the com- plaint of an old lady that she had left her umbrella on the boat,-"Never mind," said he, "I will tele- graph for it." He touched the bell-rope overhead, went forward and soon returned with the lost article. "La ! what can't the telegraph do!" was her exclama- tion. Concessions having been obtained from the State of New Jersey, the track was laid through that State to Suffern. The steamboats to Piermont were taken off in 1852. The road, with its single track, covered 470 miles. In 1860, when its double track had been laid, it covered 773 miles; and now, with its numerous branches, 2087, a most wonderful network covering many States, gathering the wealth of the richest regions of our fair land, and illustrating not merely the engineering skill of the country, but giv- ing employment to the largest capital and the high- est talent of any single enterprise of the kind. It
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Erie Railway.
gathers and brings the wealth of the continent and pours it into the lap of the metropolitan city of the country. When it taps Orange County it becomes a "milky way," millions of gallons of milk, with other dairy products, being transported over its track to swell the wealth and supply the wants of Greater New York. What began in a milk-train of two or three cars conducted by Joseph Northrup, has become one of the longest and most profitable trains on the road.
In the earlier period of the history of Erie, its affairs were honestly managed, and prosperity dawned on the road. But after the opening of the Civil War, when speculation created a sort of fever, the road fell into bad hands. James Fisk, Jr., and Jay Gould managed to get control ; the one becoming president, the other controller. They held one fourth of the 30,000 shares, a large proportion of which were fraudulent. They now began to manipulate the market after the fashion of Wall street. To further their schemes, they put on excursion trains, promised new depots, and gave the appearance of unlimited credit. Then were built the Grand Opera House on Twenty-third street and the Orange Hotel at Turners. Fisk managed to secure control of the Fall River line of steamboats. These he fitted up with palatial splen- dor, and on them entertained his friends with great excursions. He dressed in the splendid garb of an offi- cer, and would stand at the gang-plank and receive his guests with the magnificence of an admiral. He had the ambition and avarice of a Nero and all his unscrupulousness. He soon reached out and, with the aid of a party of roughs, seized the Albany and Sus- quehanna road. About this time an Orange County farmer went to hear Christy's minstrels, and Christy,
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satirizing Fisk, said, " When I want a partner I shall choose one who can steal a railroad." A new rival- Cornelius Vanderbilt-appears in the field. The old financier, however, finds the new King of Erie too much for him. As fast as he buys stock, Fisk and Gould manufacture it. At last the victim is gorged, an interview follows between him and his rivals, the old man swoons, his tormenters are alarmed, and the matter is compromised and hushed up.
The career of Fisk culminated in the affair of Black Friday, September 24, 1869. A plot had been formed to make a corner in gold. He got control of six mil- lions. There were but twenty millions afloat outside of the United States Treasury. Fisk on that morning went into the gold-room in his shirt-sleeves, and pro- claimed himself the Napoleon of the street, offering to bet 50,000 dollars in gold that gold would go up to two hundred before night. No one viewing the scene can forget the consternation created, nor the fierce conflict of bulls and bears that ensued. Fisk himself had to flee for refuge to the Erie rooms at the Opera House, where he rallied his roughs, who defended him with shot-guns. Terrible was the upheaval. Credit was shaken from cope to base. Adjustments were called for. Even the conspirators called a halt. In the settlement it is a curious fact that, according to Professor Andrews, $4,500,000 of debt was un- loaded upon Erie, merely by the change of two letters -Tr. (treasurer) for J. G. (J. Gould).
But these high-handed proceedings at last came to an end. The highest legal talent was employed- no less than David Dudley Field, Esq., and Charles Francis Adams, Esq. Tweed, Fisk, and others were indicted for malversation of funds. Tweed fled at
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night and embarked on an outgoing vessel, but was overtaken, brought back and died in prison. Fisk stood his trial, but when asked, " What became of the funds," he insolently replied, "They have gone up the spout, where the woodbine twineth." Before punish- ment could be meted legally he was shot by a rival, Edward S. Stokes, at the entrance of the Hoffman House. Thus ended one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of " wicked and unreasonable men," from whom the great apostle prays we may be delivered.
It goes without saying that these transactions de- pressed the credit of the road and brought Erie to bottom prices. Said the Rev. James Wood about this time, while preaching over Oxford Depot, and being disturbed by Sunday trains, " This is the great New York and Erie Road, stock seven cents on the dollar."
The impossibility of overtaking the debt sent the road, in 1875, a second time into the hands of a re- ceiver. Out of this dilemma it emerges on April 27, 1878, reorganized with the new name New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad. But this name, like some that aristocracy give to children, tired them to write, so the company, after another reorganization in 1893, came out with the more simple and sensible sobriquet of the Erie Railway. With that may it go down to history, and its prestige never grow less!
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