USA > New York > Delaware County > Delaware County, New York, history of the century, 1797-1897, centennial celebration, June 9 and 10, 1897 > Part 29
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436
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
In the northwestern part of the town, on what is still known as Quaker Hill, there settled from Dutchess county a colony of Quakers, or Friends, as they styled themselves, of about twenty families who built a log church with a log partition through the middle to separate the men from the women. If a couple wished to marry, the young man stated their intention to the meeting and took his seat with his intended on the women's side. Preaching was only as the spirit moved; often nothing was said; just shook hands and separated.
Harpersfield, the only original town in Delaware county, was first organized April 27, 1787, and covered about the same territory as the 250,000 acre tract purchased from the Indians June 14, 1768. For some reason this act was inoperative; and March 7th, 1788, the town was again organized as follows: Harpersfield, and all that part of the said county of Montgomery between the Cookquago branch of the Delaware river and the branch of the Susquehanna river called Adiquitange, beginning at a rock maple tree marked on four sides with a blaze and three notches, and with the letters and figures A. C., 1768, standing on a high point of land at the south side of a small lake called by the Indians Utsayantha, from whence the said branch of the Delaware called by the Indians Cookquago issues, and running from thence North thirty degrees West to the said Adiquitange, and thence down the same and the Susquehanna to the bounds of Pennsylvania, and East along the same to the river Delaware, and then up the same river to the place of begin- ning, shall be and is hereby erected into a town by the name of Harpersfield.
The territory embraced averaged about fourteen miles wide by about sixty miles long; and from it nineteen towns and parts of towns have been formed in the counties of Broome, Chenango,. Delaware and Otsego. The names of the towns are: Afton, Bain- bridge, Colesville, Davenport, Delhi, Deposit, Franklin, Hamden .. Harpersfield, Kortright, Masonville, Meredith, Oneonta, Sanford, Sidney, Stamford, Tompkins, Walton, and Windsor.
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TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
Although parting with so much territory has made the old town the smallest in the county, reducing her from more than eight hundred to bnt little more than forty square miles, she is the best looking town of the lot, as the map will show.
The first town meeting of which any record exists was hekl April 1, 1787, as follows:
Chosen unanimously, Win. Cure, moderator; John Harper, treasurer; Samuel Wilcox, John Deniston, assessors; Isaac Patchin. Sen., collector; Ezra Thorp, Theluis Hotchkiss, constables.
June 12, 1787, This day appointed Wm. MeFarland Town Clerk in place of Walter Sabin, former Clerk, absent, and Isaac Patchin. Sen., Assessor, in place of Benjamin Bartholomew, absent.
At a town meeting of the Inhabitants of the District of Har- perstield, voted at the house of Alexander Harper, Esq., on Tuesday the first day of April, A. D. 1788:
Ist, voted: Win. McFarland, Town Clerk.
2d, voted: Edward Paine, Esq., Supervisor.
3d, voted: Ezra Thorp, Constable.
4th, voted: Levi Gaylord, Sanmel Wilcox, Gabriel North, Shu- man Wattles, and David Parsons, Assessors.
5th, voted: Stephen Judd, Moses Clark, and Simeon Hyde, collectors.
6th, voted: Alexander Harper, Esq., Treasurer.
7th, voted: William Hendry, John Brown, Nathaniel Skinner, Richard Bristol. Ezra Paine, John Gardner, Path Masters: Eli Reynolds, Jr., Gideon Frisbee, Benajah McCall, Samuel Johnson, and Hugh Thompson, Path Masters for P. D. (supposed Paines- dale.)
Sth, voted: Capt. David Parsons, Bonj. Morse, Poor Masters. 9th, voted: Levi Gaylord, Samuel Wilcox, Ezra Paine, Sam- nel Johnson, Fence Viewers.
10th, voted: Daniel Mack, James Douglass, Francis Clark. Benaj'h McCall. Prisers damages.
The second town meeting hell April 7th. 1789, at the same
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
place, elected besides persons within the present limits of the town, Moses Clark of Hampden, and Robert Freeman, Walton, Constables; AAlex. Smith, Johorakim Burgett, and Gabriel North, Assessors: Robert Freeman, Sibbles Bennett, Collectors; Jacob Houghtail, Henry Burgett, Dan'l Parker, Nathaniel Wattles, John Ogden. Witter Johnson, Michael Goodrich, Joshua Pine, David Harrow, Path Masters. May 26th of the same year was the first election of commissioners of highways; previously they had either been appointed by courts of Special Sessions or commissioned by the Governor. Such a commission issued to Hon. Roswell Hotel- kiss is still in existence. The commissioners elected were Samuel Wilcox, Jared Goodrich and Nathaniel Wattles. Also at the same time, Abel Kidder of Franklin, Kenoth Chishohn of Painesdale, Andrew Kiff of Goalsborough, and George Wiseamore of Whites- borough, were elected Pathmasters.
The following resolutions would indicate that these town meet- ings had considerable authority over the other districts, or that they were rather free with criticism:
April 6th, 1790, voted: That the proceedings of Kortright, Hampden, Walton, and Clinton are appproved of and ratified by this meeting.
April 5th, 1791, voted: That the proceedings of Kortright. Hampden, Walton, Franklin, and Charlotte river, he ratified and approved of by this meeting.
April 31, 1792, voted: That the proceedings of the town of Kortright shall not be ratified by this meeting.
April 2, 1793. The proceedings of Kortright, viz: (Approved. of course)
Grover Smith, commissioner of roads; Thomas MeClanghry. James Stewart, assessors; Thomas MeClaughry, Caleb D. Ferris, overseers poor; Ephraim Barrit, Grover Smith, Warner Lake, David Mellvaine, Daniel Harris, Aaron Stewart, Caleb D. Ferris, Hugh Sloan, John French, James Stewart, Richard MeClanghry, Thomas McClaughry, pathmasters.
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TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
A later resolution reads: Any hog found on the commons with- ont being well ringed and yoked, shall pay a fine of fifty cents.
Another time it was voted: That hogs on the common shall be "ringed in the nose on penalty of twenty-five cents.
The following seems to show that the town came quite near uniting church and state:
AApril 26, 1796, Resolved: that all the money that has arose from the excise in this town shall be collected and loaned to the proprie- tors of the Presbyterian meeting house, at the usual interest on demand, for the purpose of carrying on the building.
April 2. 1799. Resolved: that the excise money now in the hands of the overseers of the poor, shall be appropriated to the special use of the several religious societies and dissenters, to be for their use forever. within the town of Harperstield, for the purpose of erecting or repairing houses of publie worship or other purposes, and that the assessors of said town for the last year shall be empowered to ascertain what proportion of said money belongs to each religious society and dissenters, in proportion to last year's tax list, cach society producing a list of the members of their own society under the hands of their particular members, within six months after this second day of April, 1799, and the moneys to be paid over to the societies or persons entitled thereto, within one year from this date.
March 2, 1802, Resolved: that the money now due the town, in the hands of the Committee of the Presbyterian meeting house, shall be laid out towards repairing and finishing the said honse for the benefit of said town to hold Publie Town Meetings, and when necessary, and when the whole of said sum, which is $162 and cents, with the interest till paid, shall be laid out in manner aforesaid, which shall be done by the first of November next. then the notes given by said Committee of said house shall be given up and discharged. But if not laid out in manner as above. then the privilege hereby meant to be granted by said town to be forfeited.
By resolution passed March 6, Isot, one hundred dollars of
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
excise money was given to the Baptist society to aid in building the church near Stevens', the town to have the use of the church for public meetings if the society do not need it at the same time; but in 1812 when application was made to the town meeting for help to build a school house out of the excise money, it was
Resolved, thereon: that the town cannot appropriate any of said money for erecting common school houses.
The following is a list of officers from the first recorded:
Supervisors: 1788, Edward Paine; 1789-93, William McFarland; 1794, Samuel Wilcox; 1795-97, 1812-13, Roswell Hotchkiss; 1798, Aaron Wheeler; 1799, Sahou W. Beardsley; 1800-04, Levi Gay- lord; 1805-06, 1814-46, 1818-20, 1824-25, Cyrenus Gibbs; 1807, Giles Humiston; 1808-10, Elisha Sheldon: 1817, 1821-23, 1826, 1829, James Ells: 1827, Samuel Stevens, Jr .; 1828, 1830, Baruch Taylor; 1831, Frederic A. Fenu; 1832, 1836-37, Stoddard Stevens; 1833-34, Nathan Bristol: 1835, 1843-44, William Buckingham; 1838-40, Lyman Hakes; 1841-42, Phineas L. Bennett; 1845-46, John Harper; 1847, Asabel Cowley; 1848-49, Johnson B. Bragg; 1850-51, Ira S. Birdsall: 1852-53, Elias B. Penfield; 1854, 1860, Michael Dayton: 1855, Jeffrey H. Champlin; 1856, Sheldon A. Giveus; 1857, James S. Peters; 1858-59, 1866-69, Norman P. Dayton; 1861-63, Richard E. Davis; 1864, Henry TenEyck, Jr .; 1865, Truman B. Seley; 1870, John L. Beardsley; 1871-72, 1878-83, Allen S. Gibbs; 1873-75, , Richtmyer Hubbell: 1876-77, Hamilton S. Preston; 1884, Calvin Hull; 1885-87, Amos Barnum; 1888-91, Levi B. VanDusen: 1892-95, John J. MeArthur; 1896-97, William M. Beckley; 1898, John W. Dayton.
Town Clerks: 1787, Walter Sabin; 1788-89, William McFar- land: 1790-94, 1800-01, Roswell Hotelkiss; 1795, Aaron Wheeler; 1796 99, Levi Gaylord; 1802-03, Salmon W. Beardsley: 1804, Enos Boll; 1805, James Smith, Jr .; 1806, Eliab Wilcox; 1807-10, Peter Penfield; 1811, John Davenport; 1812-14, Joshua H. Brett; 1815, James Ells: 1816-17, Ebenezer Penfield; 1818, Cornell Smith, Jr .; 1819-21, Johu Lake: 1822-23, Joseph Hotchkiss; 1824, 1826, Aaron
Village of Arkville in Distance.
Village of New Kingston.
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TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
Wilcox; 1825, Anson Penfield; 1827-30, Frederick A. Fenn; 1831-32, Nathan Bristol: 1833-34, Joseph W. Babcock; 1835-37, 1843, John- son B. Bragg; 1838, Smith Penfield; 1839-40, Myron Tremain: 1841-42. James MeMin; 1844-45, Henry R. Hamilton; 1846, 1858, Alexander Dales; 1847-48, James France; 1849-50, Horace Lock- wood: 1851, 1860-63, Elias B. Penfield; 1852, William C. Lamont ; 1853, E. L. H. Moeller: 1854, Benj. F. Gibbs, Jr. ; 1855, Allen S. Gibbs: 1856, Russel D. Baird; 1857, 1859, William Elsbree; 1864, Calvin H. Peters; 1865, Lewis C. Silvernail; 1866, John Bell; 1867- 68, Riehtmyer Hubbell; 1869, Seth W. Hubbard; 1870-73, 1887-89, Samuel D. Hubbard; 1874-75, Peter 1. Merriam; 1876, 1879, Charles L. Foote: 1877, Thomas M. Douglass; 1878, Alvin F. Lain; 1880, Samuel H. Van Dusen: 1881-83, Hiram P. Hubbell; 1884, Charles W. Phincle; 1885-86, Jay M. Dyer: 1890, 1893-98, George B. Dav- enport; 1891, Gideon E. Wickham; 1892, William S. Dart.
Justices of the Peace: 1786, Alexander Harper; 1791, Joshua H. Brett; 1803, Elisha Sheldon, Samuel Wilcox; 1804, Roswell Hotch- kiss: 1806, Salmon W. Beardsley; 1809, Cyrenus Gibbs; 1812, Eden Hamilton; 1814, Peter Penfield, Cornell Smith: 1821, Calvin How- ard; 1823, Stephen Lockwood, Baruch Taylor, Sammel Stevens. Raymond Starr: 1827. Joseph Copley; 1828, Frederick A. Fenn; 1830, James Spencer (elected); 1831-35, John Wool; 1832-34, James Bristol; 1832, Ira S. Birdsall; 1836, William Buckingham, Nathan Bristol: 1837-40, Alonzo B. Wilcox; 1837, Michael Dayton: 1841. Joseph Ells; 1841-45, Nelson L. Thorp; 1844-48-51, Levi Seley; 1843-16-50, Benjamin F. Gibbs; 1843, Hiram Graves; 1844-18. James Strain, Jr .; 1844-47, Apollos B. Wilcox; 1849-53, Jeffrey H. Champlin; 1850-52, John Flansburgh; 1854-59, Johnson B. Bragg; 1855-69, Wiley Beard; 1857-60, Ezra J. Nichols; 1858, Almus MI Babcock; 1859, Fredus Baldwin; 1862-66, Allen S. Gibbs; 1862-69- 74-77, Michael Odell: 1864-67-71, Thomas H. Smith: 1865, James Loughran; 1867, John S. Ballwin; 1871-74-83-86-90-94-98, Stephen Van Dusen: 1872, Colonel D. Wiltsie: 1875, James D. Seley, Morell Wager: 1876-80-81-88, John JJ. McArthur; 1878, James Beilby; 23
444
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1879-83-87-91, Richard Magee; 1881-82, Samuel D. Hubbard; 1885. Cheeney A. Crowell; 1889, Daniel W. Peters; 1889-92-96, Edgar B. Dayton; 1893, Charles A. McMurdy; 1894-97, George C. Gibbs; 1895, Rolla G. Nichols.
The first religious society in Harpersfield was organized June 7, 1787, at a meeting held for that purpose at the house of Col. John Harper, when Col. John Harper, David Hendry, Benjamin Bartholomew, Joseph Hotchkis, and Daniel Mack were chosen trustees, and it was unanimously agreed that the trustees and congregation should be called " Presbyterian Congregation of Har- persfield." The election was held pursuant to an act passed by the Legislature. April 6, 1784; Deacons, Levi Gaylord and William MeFarland. The proceedings were certified by John Deniston and Levi Gaylord, the officers of the election; witnessed by Alex- ander Harper and Roswell Hotchkis, and acknowledged before William Harper, one of the Judges of Montgomery county. Five days after their election the trustees agreed to make proposals to Rev. John Lindsley, which included the offer of $90 as an annual salary and €100 as a settlement. Mr. Lindsley accepted the offer with the understanding that he was to be paid in labor, cattle or notes. He commenced his labors in the fall of 1787, and continued them till 1791. He is also supposed to have taught the first school in town. Between 1791 and 1793 Rov. David Huntington and Rev. William Stone preached for the society occasionally.
In 1793, Rev. Stephen Fenn became the minister, and was to receive seventy acres from Lot No. 108, the whole of Lot No. 65, (one hundred acres,) and £10 in building material; the whole valued at $200, to be considered as his settlement. He was also to receive €70 annually for four years, after which his salary was to be increased £5.15s per year till it amounted to 593, which was to be the annual salary thereafter, but if he left before the end of twenty years he was to forfeit £10 per year for each year he fell short of twenty, unless he left through the fault of the
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4.15
TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
society. Mr. Fenn reorganized the society in 1798, and Caleb Gibbs and Joshua H. Brett were elected Deacons. Mr. Fem con- tinued bis labors with the church over thirty-five years, and was finally dismissed in consequence of the anti-Masonic excitement caused by the abduction of Morgan, he being a Mason, and ro- fusing to sever his connection with that order. (Rev. H. Boies hist.) It is believed that a church was built-probably of logs - soon after the formation of the society. It is first referred to in the records Nov. 3, 1789, as follows: " Resolved, that it shall be the duty of the Clerk for the time being to notify each aunnal meeting, sixteen days previous to the first Tuesday of November annaally, at the place of public worship and likewise at Col. Harper's grist mill." Also Nov. 15, 1791, a resolution specifying the circumstances under which the Trustees shall open the church. The first church, however, of which anything is otherwise known was erected about 1794. and was erected by subscriptions payable in labor, material, etc. This church was used till 1837, when a new one was built under contract for 82,525 and the oldl meeting house. At one time the society numbered over two hundred members; but the establishment of other churches, and internal dissentions have reduced it to a very small membership.
The following shows the methods of the society one hundred and six years ago:
At a meeting of the session of the Presbyterian chh. in Harpers- field, regularly warned and held at the house of Mr. Stephen Judd, on Thursday, July the 19th, Ann. Dom. 1792.
Present, Rev'd William Stone, M. A., New Paltz, Mod. pro tem.
Messrs. CALEB GIBBS, 1 Elders of said Chh.
LEVI GAYLORD. (
The following persons presented themselves to take the Cov- enant of God upon themselves, and to be adantted to solemn ordinance of baptism. viz: Messrs. Joseph Harper, David Hendry, William Hendry, Thomas Montgomery, Nathaniel Skinner, Robert
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Montgomery, Joel Gaylord (by application of his wife, he being absent ), Mrs. Merey Gaylord, wife Mr. Jedediah Gaylord.
All these were examined and approved and recommended by the Elders (excepting Mr. Joel Gaylord, who being in family con- nection with the Elders-son of one and son-in-law of the other) was recommended by Messrs. Joseph Hotchkiss and Nathaniel Bristol. And likewise Messrs. James Cooley and Jacob Bright- man presented themselves to receive the ordinance of baptism for their children, and after a full and candid examination were approved and recommended, provided that Mr. Cooley shall, pre- vious to his taking the Covenant the next Lords-day, subscribe to, and publicly acknowledge a written confession of the ruinous sin of drunkenness; and Mr. Brightman subscribe to, and make a public confession of the detestable sin of fornication at the same time and place.
True copy of record.
Attest W3. STONE, Mod. P. T.
It is said that a "bee" was made to get out timber for the old church, and Elder Warner Lake, a Baptist preacher, was present to help, and it was suggested that he be asked to pray; Deacon MeFarland was also present, and said this was a "Presby- terian bee," and he made the prayer himself. Another time he rather discouraged the choir leader, who started to use a pipe to pitch his tunes, by commanding him to "Git oot o' the hoose i' the Laird wi' that whussle."
The second religious society in Harpersfield was Baptist, and organized about 1792. They held meetings for some time in a building near the present school house in district number three. Elder Lake, before mentioned, who lived in Kortright on what is still known as Lake hill, where John Porter now resides, was the first and for many years the minister. Elder Mack was the second, and was succeeded by Dingee Adams, who served as pastor many years till very serious charges against him divided and greatly
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TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
weakened the society. They built a church in 1805 about half way between the Centre and Stamford, aided by the town with a site and one hundred dollars. This was removed and rebuilt at Stam- ford in 1865.
The Quaker society was formed about 1810, and for some time meetings were held at the house of John Wickham, an early settler. who was the first and only preacher. This society is extinct.
A Methodist class was formed in the north part of the town with Silas Washburn as leader and about thirty members, among whom were the Seleys, Darts, Butts and others.
As related by a neighbor who was with him, Washburn once proved himself quite an evangelist. As was customary with farm- ers of that time they went to New York with their butter in the fall, and as they were going off the boat the horse of a carman backed off the dock and was drowned. The carman was greatly distressed at losing the only means of support for himself and family, and the people present, though very sorry for him, began to separate. Unele Sile, as he was called, got upon a box and began to shout and a crowd gathered again. " You all say you are sorry for this man," said Washburn: " now how much are you sorry? I am sorry five dollars," and placing a bill in his hat passed it around and soon secured money enough to buy the poor fellow a good horse, for which of course he was very thankful. The next year as Washburn was leaving the boat a man aecosted him with, "Ain't you the man that was so G- d- sorry for me last year when my horse was drowned?" Uncle Sile knew him at once, and replied: " Yes. I was sorry for you; but I'm a great deal sorrier now !" "Why?" asked the carman. " Because," said Unele Sile, " if you don't stop swearing and be a better man you'll go straight to hell !" He soon had the man crying, made him kneel down, and prayed with him, and made him promise to stop swearing and lead a better life.
The Methodists organized a society Jan. 2, 1823, to be known as the Methodist Union Society of the town of Harpersfield. They
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
soon after purchased an old store which they changed into a church and used till about 1850, when it was abandoned, and it was used as part of a dwelling, and is still so used. This church stood near Rural cemetery, where the wagon house of Lewis Hager now stands. For the next eight years meetings were held at the houses of members and in school houses, till in 1858 the society purchased a building at the Centre, formerly an academy, using it as a church till 1871 when a new church was built at a cost of $3,500. This has been recently repaired and improved into quite a fine church. The society is now in a flourishing condition.
1857 a Methodist church was built at North Harpersfield by the successors of the Class before named, and services are well attended.
In the same year what was called a "Free Church" was built near the last named Methodist church, but has not been well kept np.
Some years ago the Catholics built a fine church in the Stam- ford end of the town which is said to be well attended.
The first burying ground in Harpersfield was located on the west end of the church lot (81) given by Col. Harper to the Presbyterian church, and most of the first burials were made there.
Colonel Harper died Nov. 20, 1811, and was buried there, and also his second wife, but about 1853 his descendants re- moved the remains of both to the cemetery below the Centre, where a monument was placed over them. The latter cemetery was opened about 1812, on account of the old ground being wet and unsuitable. The ground below the Centre is quite well kept and has some good monuments.
Harpersfield Rural cemetery, on the cast side of Lot No. 63, is really the best ground in in town for the purpose, and was opened previous to 1795.
The burial in this ground of the murdered and captured sugar
44:
TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD.
makers and other Revolutionary heroes, of Hon. Joshua H. Brett, and other notable men of the carly times, renders it quite worthy of notice in this history.
Five other grounds have been used in town, three in the north and two in the south part, of which the one on the Middlebrook is the best kept. A stone set to the grave of a child of Eden Hamilton, buried in 1795, mentions that as the first burial in that ground.
A lodge of Masons, known as Charity Lodge No. 224, F. & A. M., was organized Sept. 27th, 1813, but there seems to be no list of members. A certificate of membership issued to Michael Day- ton in 1815 shows the following officers: Elijah Andrews, W. M .: Thomas Maxon, S. W .: Thomas Hendry, 3. W .; and Samuel Stevens, Sec's. The lodge continued its communications until the Morgan excitement was at its height when the members met in an upper room in the house of David S. Patchin and formally surrendered their charter to the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. Such property as belonged to the lodge was divided among the mem- bers. Michael Dayton was the last Master.
The grist and saw mills of Col. Harper and St. Leger Cowley have been mentioned; but as stated by his daughter. Mrs. Betsey Hamilton, now 95 years old, Mr. Campbell built a grist mill in 1818 in the lower part of Middlebrook, and two years later he built a saw mill nearer his residence. These were to replace mills built by him on the united Harpersfield and Middlebrook streams, built about 1792 below North Kortright, and which had been carried away by a heavy flood. Mr. Campbell fearing the mill would go went in on Sunday and removed the grain belonging to his customers, but would not break the Sabbath enough to save his own of which he had a large quantity.
Abont 1820 or 1825 Abijah Baird and his son William built grist and saw mills at No. Harpersfield, which were run till about 1849, when they were burned by an incendiary; but were soon rebuilt and are still running.
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
In 1804 Judge Hotchkiss built a grist mill and a null for mak- ing linseed oil. Both are now out of use. There are now six grist mills and four saw mills running in town.
There was formerly four clothieries in Harpersfield, all doing a good business; but the spinning jenny and the power loom have driven them out of business, and they have been torn down or adapted to other uses, notable among the latter being the works of Newell & Co., which are now run by W. A. Cowley & Son as a machine shop and grist mill, a foundry being used in connection. In place of another cloth works a foundry was started at North Harpersfield, which has always done a good business.
Of blacksmiths, Peter Penfield is said to have been the first to do job work, Mr. Baird keeping shop more for his own use.
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