USA > New York > Delaware County > Delaware County, New York, history of the century, 1797-1897, centennial celebration, June 9 and 10, 1897 > Part 5
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1,691
1,884
1,976
1,708
1,613
1,466
3,283 2,907 2,897
Hamden
1,230
1,469
1,919
2,853
2,544
2,188 2,344 2,272
Sidney
1,388
3,234 3.013
77
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
the county to the present, with the time of their election to office.
I. Couxry JUDGES.
Joshua H. Brett
1797 Jesse Palmer 1855
Ebenezer Foote
1810
William Gleason 1859
Isaac Ogden 1816 William Murray . 1863
Ebenezer Foote. 1828 Edwin D. Wagner 1867
Jabez Bostwick 1830 Isaac H. Maynard 1877
Charles Hathaway
1810
Daniel T. Arbuckle 1883
Nelson K. Wheeler
1815 James R. Banmes
1889
Edwin More.
1847 Albert H. Sewell
1889
William Gleason
1851 AAlbert H. Sowell.
1895
11. SURROGATES.
Anthony Marvine
1797
Amasa J. Parker
1832
John R. Gregory .
1811
Charles Hathaway
1841
Amos Donglass
1813
Nelson K. Wheeler
18444
Robert North
1815
Siner 1847 the duties of the Surrogate have been performed by the County Judge.
HI. DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
William H. Elting
1818 John Grant . 1856
John B. Spencer
1821
George W. Clark. 1859
Selah R. Hobbie.
1823 Renben H. Root 1862
Noadiah Johnson
1827 Ferris Jacobs, jr
1865
Amasa J. Parker
1833
Harvey F. Davidson .
1868
Samuel Gordon.
1836
Ferris Jacobs, jr
1871
Nelson K. Wheeler
1839
Daniel T. Arbuckle.
1871
Jonas A. Hughston
1842
Abram C. Crosby
1877
Truman H. Wheeler.
1845
Jonas M. Preston
1880
Amasa J. Ton Broeck
1847
Sammel H. Fancher.
1883
William Murray
1850
John P. Grant
1889
Robert Parker
1853
William F. White
1892
78
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
IV. COUNTY CLRKS.
Ebenezer Foote.
1797
Crawford B. Sheldon 1828
Philip Gebhard
1801
William Me Laughry . 1845
John Doll
1803
Benjamin Cannon
1852
Homer R. Phelps
1809
Robert S. Hughston.
1858
Asahel E. Paine
1810
William Ward Grant
1864
Homer R. Phelps
1811
Smith H. White.
1870
Ambrose Bryan. .
1813
Ransom A. Grant
1876
Asahel E. Paine.
1815
George T. Warner. .
1882
Homer R. Phelps. . . .
1821
George W. Crawford
1888
Homer R. Phelps
1822
Joshua K. Hood
1894
John Burhans
1825
V. SHERIFFS.
Elias Butler
1797
De Witt C. Thomas. 1846
James I. White.
1799
David Rowland 1848
Clark Lawrence.
1301
Duncan McDonald
1852
Roswell Hotelkiss
1805 Alexander H. Burhans
1855
Nathan Edgerton, jr
1809
Baldwin Griffin
1858
Jabez Bostwick.
1811
Gabriel S. Mead.
1861
Robert Leal
1813
John Calhoun
1864
Jabez Bostwick
1815
Hamilton S. Preston.
1867
Martin Keeler
1819
Edward A. Griffith
1870
Isaac Burr
1820
Darins S. Jackson.
1873
Martin Keeler
1821
William J. Clark
1876
Roger Case
1822
John Crawford
1879
Martin Keeler
1825
William H. Douglass
1882
Gurdon H. Edgerton
1828
Daniel Franklin.
1885
John H. Gregory.
1831
John J. McArthur
1888
Duncan J. Grant
1834
Thomas E. Elliott. . 1891
John M. Betts
1837
William C. Porter. 1894
John Edgerton
1840
James D. Lawrence
1897
Green Moore
1843
79
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
VI. COUNTY TREASURERS.
Previous to 1846 the treasurers of the counties were appointed by the boards of supervisors and held office during their pleasure.
James Elwood 1818
I. Savan Page 1875
Horatio N. Buckley
1851
Minor Stilson . 1881
Charles A. Foote.
1860
J. R. Honeywell. 1887
Theophilus F. McIntosh
1869
C. S. Woodruff. 1893
VII. MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
Erastus Root
1803-05
Samuel Gordon
1811-13
Erastus Root
1809 11
Samuel Gordon
1815 47
Samuel Sherwood
1813 15 Herman D. Gould 1849-51
Erastus Root
1815 17
Jonas A. Hughson 1855-57
Robert Clark
1819-21
James H. Graham
1859 61
Charles A. Foote
1823-25
Samuel F. Miller 1863-65
Selah R. Hobbie
1827 29
Charles Knapp
1869-71
Erastus Root
1831 33
Sammel F. Miller
1875-77
Noadiah Johnson
1833 35
Ferris Jacobs, jr 1881-83
Amasa J. Parker
1837 39
Charles J. Knapp
1889-91
VIII. STATE SENATORS.
Ebenezer Foote 1799. 1800 02
Henry E. Bartlett
1852 53
Joshua H. Brett
1804 122
Edward 1. Burhans
1858 59
Erastus Root
1812 16 Orson M AHaben 1861 65
Isaac Ogden
1816 20
James H. Graham . 1872 73
John T. More
1820-23
Curtis Marvin
1878 79
Isaac Ogden
1823 27
Matthew W. Marvin
1886 87
Noadiah Johnson.
1837 39
William Lewis
1888 89
Erastes Root
James Ballantine
1895 96
Stephen C. Johnson
1811 48
John Grant
1896
John M. Betts
1818 49
.80
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. .
IX. MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY.
1797. William Horton, Nathaniel Wattles.
1798. . Elias Butler, Erastus Root.
1799 Patrick Lamb, Sluman Wattles.
1800
Gabriel North, Erastus Root.
1801. Gabriel North, Erastus Root.
1802 Jolin Lamb, Elias Osborne.
1803.
Gabriel North, Elias Osborne.
1804 Adam I. Doll, Anthony Marvine.
1805
Anthony Marvine, Gabriel North.
1806. Jolin T. More, Joshua Pine.
1807 Jolin T. More, Gabriel North.
1808 Daniel Fuller, David St. John.
1809. John T. More, Elias Osborne.
1810.
Daniel Fuller, David St. Jolin.
1811.
Danel H. Burr, Isaac Ogden.
1812 Robert Clark, Andrew Craig, jr.
1813 John T. More, Isaac Ogden.
Robert Clark, Asaliel E. Paine.
1815
1814. William Dewey, Henry Leavenworth.
1816
Martin Keeler, Asahel E. Paine.
1817
William Beach, Erastus Root.
1818
James Eells, Erastus Root.
1819.
Peter Pine, Erastus Root.
1820 John H. Gregory, Erastus Root.
1821 Benjamin Benedict, Asa Grant.
1822
Asa Grant, Samuel Rexford.
1823
James Ells, Peter Pine.
1824
Jabez Bostwick, Harman I. Quackenboss.
1825 Erastus Root, William Townsend.
1826 Erastus Root, John Thompson.
1827 Edward Doyle, Erastus Root.
1828
William S. McRea, James G. Redfield.
81
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
1829
Matthew Haleott, Erastus Root.
1830 David P. Mapes, Peter Pine.
1831 James Coulter, James Hughston.
1832. John Edgerton, Stoddard Stevens.
1833 Samuel Gordon, Amasa J. Parker.
1834 Dubois Burhans, William B. Ogden.
1835 . Jolin Griffin, James W. Knapp.
1836 Jesse Booth, Thomas J. Hubbell.
1837. . Cornelius Bassett, Darius Maples.
1838 .. Ichabod Bartlett, Jonas More.
1839 Orson M. Allaben, Nathan Bristol.
1840
Stephen H. Keeler, Charles Knapp.
1841 Samuel Eells, Orrin Griffin.
1842 Milton Bostwick, Nelson K. Wheeler.
1843 Edward I. Burhans, Jesse Palmer.
1844 John McDonald, Linus Porter.
1845 Orrin Foote, Reuben Lewis.
1846 Jolin C. Allaben, Donald Shaw.
1847 Platt Townsend, John Calhoun.
1848 James E. Thompson, Luther Butts.
1849. George H. Winsor, Richard Morse.
1850 Samuel Doyle, William Gleason, jr.
1851 . Hezekiah Elwood, Lewis Mills.
1852 Charles S. Rogers, Daniel Stewart.
1853 Samnel F. Miller, David Rowland.
1854 William B. Smith, Ezekiel Miller.
1855 John Mead, John Haxtun.
1856 Barna R. Johnson, Warren Dimmick.
1857 Fletcher Palmer, Samuel A. Law.
1858 Barna R. Johnson, Samuel A. Law.
1859 .Donald D. Shaw, died.
Barna R. Johnson, Samuel A. Law. 1860 .Seymour E. Smith, Daniel Waterbury.
1861 . Nelson K. Wheeler, Daniel Waterbury.
82
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
1862
Robert W. Courtney, Francis R. Gilbert.
1863 Jerome S. Landfield, Francis R. Gilbert.
1864 Ira E. Sherman, James Oliver.
1865 Ira E. Sherman, John Ferris.
1866 Joshua Smith, George C. Gibbs.
1867 Albert E. Sullard, Edward I. Burhans.
1868 Benjamin J. Bassett, John Ferris.
1869 Alpheus Bolt, Orson M. Allaben.
1870. Alphens Bolt, James H. Graham.
1871 William Lewis, jr., Matthew Griffin.
1872. William Lewis, jr., Matthew Griffin.
1873. Benjamin J. Bassett, Matthew Griffin.
1874. . Warren G. Willis, George G. Decker.
1875. George D. Wheeler, Isaac H. Maynard.
1876 William J. Welsh, Isaac H. Maynard.
1877 Albert H. Sewell, Robert P. Cormack.
1878 Albert E. Sullard, John S. MeNaught.
1879 Robert Beates.
1880 William Lewis.
1881
Chester H. Treadwell.
1882. Timothy Sanderson.
1883
Silas S. Cartwright.
1884. Silas S. Cartwright.
1885 Charles J. Knapp.
1886. David L. Thomson.
1887
Charles J. Knapp.
1888. George O. Mead.
1889 James Ballantine.
1890 Henry Davie.
1891. James R. Cowan.
1892
De Witt Griffin.
1893 Wesley Gould.
1894 Robert Cartwright.
1895 Delos H. Mackey.
1896 Delos H. Mackey.
1897
Delos Axtell.
Hon. Amasa J. Parker.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. 85
SUPREME COURT JJUSTICES.
1844 ... Amasa JJ. Parker.
1867 87 William Murray, appointed in place of Justice Mason.
1887.
Francis R. Gilbert, appointed in place of Justice Murray.
CONSTITUTIONAL DELEGATES.
1801. . Roswell Hotchkiss, Elias Osborn.
1821 Erastus Root, Robert Clark.
1846. Isaac Burr, David S. Waterbury.
1867 John Grant, Samuel F. Miller.
1873. Jonas MI. Preston (commissioner).
1894 Abram C. Crosby.
STATE OFFICERS.
1823-24 Erastus Root was Lieutenant-Governor.
1824. .. Erastus Root was appointed a member of a commis- sion to revise the laws.
1835. .. Amasa J. Parker was chosen by the Legislature a Regent of the University.
1854. . Norwood Bowne was elected State Prison Inspector. 1855. .Joel T. Headley, who was born in Walton, but at the time of his election was not a resident of the county, was elected Secretary of State.
5
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VII. Military Concerns.
W E have already referred to the military movements which pertained to the Revolutionary period. These were not many nor important, because the county was then only sparsely inhabited. The troubles that came upon Harpersfield, and Sidney and the settlements upon the East Branch all arose from the Indians under Brant. Tories sometimes accompanied these expedi- tions, and the sufferings entailed were painful and exasperating. But the retributory expedition, which was undertaken under Gen- eral Sullivan in 1779, put an end to these annoyances and the whole eastern and southern sections of the State were permanently re- lieved from further raids.
By the time the war of 1812 broke out the county was compara- tively filled up. All the more important settlements were well advanced, and had begun to take on the appearance which they now display. In common with other counties in the State, Delaware furnished troops for guarding the Canadian frontier. But these contributions of troops were only little employed, and the real services of Delaware county troops in this war were not important. The chief effect produced by the excitement and achievements of the war was the revival of the military spirit. For many years thereafter the organization of the militia throughout the different counties of the State was kept up with an enthusiasm and au effectiveness which have never been equalled.
The law of the State made all able bodied citizens (with a few exceptions) between eighteen and forty-five years of age liable to military duty, and required them to attend once each year at a general muster at some central point in the county. Besides this
MILITARY CONCERNS.
general muster, there were in many towns volunteer militia com- panies, which received much more frequent training and whose officers and men were dressed in muiform. These volunteer com- panies were assembled for the general training at the same time as the un-uniformed troops; and on these occasions counted them- selves, as well as were counted by the enthusiastic spectators, as infinitely more important and more to be depended on in any case of real war.
The general training above referred to was held in the month of September, generally at or near the village of Delhi. There was a clear, open intervale below the village, ealled Cavin's flats, where the troops were usually assembled and put through their evolu- tions. Three days were occupied in the function; the first being partly used in assembling, and the last partly in going home. The middle day was the great day. Thousands of men and women, boys and girls, came from every part of the county to see the great sight. Every where about the entrance to the field booths were established for the sale of lemonade and ginger-bread, and other drinks and cakes. I think there was a special drink often in evidence on these occasions, called mead, made from honey which had been allowed to ferment. This was a great favorite. But most of the children conflued themselves to ginger-bread and lemonade.
The evolutions, especially when the general officers came upon the field ou horseback, were watched with thrilling interest. Be- sides the Colonel (as I recall him, Colonel Robert Parker) and other officers of the regiment, there was also present the still more gorgeous Brigadier General (I think General Farrington) and his staff, who had come from a distance to be present on this occasion and to inspect the troops. As they galloped from place to place on the field, and sat solemnly and majestically on their horses watching the movements of the regiment, they seemed like heroes and demi- gods. To witness these military displays of swords and muskets, of white trousers and brass buttons and shoulder straps, of manual drill and marebing and evolution, of the music with drum and tife,
88
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
was to boys of that day a most effective stimulus and education. It was thus that the military spirit was aroused among our people. and when at last war came there was in every township scores of young men ready to volunteer for its perilous service.
Mr. J. A. Parshall, the veteran antiquarian of Delhi has given me his recollection of one of these general trainings, which came near having a serious termination. On this occasion the gathering was upon the Hats of the Webster farm about four miles above Delhi. Hundreds of country wagons were arranged both along the road and inside the entrance gate. The usual booths were also placed near this entrance. Honey was one of the delicacies which was sold from them. The horses had been taken from the poles. tied to the wagons and stood eating the hay which had been provided for them.
In the midst of the evolutions the bees from a neighboring farm had scented out the honey and had come to carry away the precious store. They concluded that the horses had no business so near to these hoards, which they assumed were designed for themselves. So they grew very angry over the matter and attacked the horses and even the spectators who stood about. It does not take much of a bee to frighten a horse. In a few minutes the poor animals were kicking and plunging at every wagon. Then they broke loose from their fastenings and went galloping up and down the road and over the parade ground. Nothing more confusing can be imagined. The frightened horses respected neither men nor women, neither brigadier-generals nor colonels. They went galloping recklessly, with harness trailing and farmers chasing and boys hallooing, down among the marching troops, where they enforced unforeseen move- ments and quick transformations not put down in the regular programme. It took several hours to capture the runaway horses and to restore peace and order. And although nobody was hurt. and no harm had been done, beyond the breaking of some halters and the explosion of some bad words, the training of that day was much demoralized and had to be prematurely closed.
VIII. Anti-Rent Troubles.
A T a preceding page* will be found a list of tracts of land which had been obtained in Delaware county either by grant or purchase. The owners of these tracts endeavored to induce settlers to take up farms upon them. Perhaps both the patentees and the settlers were often deceived or mistaken concerning the character of the land which was thus transferred. Much of it was rough, rocky and difficult of cultivation. The farms which were cleared often proved unproductive, and the settlers found they had a very serious task to provide for their families and make the pay- ments on their land.
Some of the patentees had from the beginning adopted the plan of selling their lands to the farmers, and making the terms of pay- ment such that they could be met. Others deemed it better policy to give the farmers leases of their farms, -granting for the first tive years the use of the land without rent, for the second five years requiring half the permanent rent, and then after this requiring a full rent of a certain number of bushels of wheat for each one hundred acres; or sometimes a certain sum of money for one hundred acres. The greater part of the county was originally in the Hardenbergh patent. Some of this great patent, which is said to have contained more than two millions of aeres, was sold in tracts to intermediate purchasers, but most of the remainder had continued to be owned by the heirs of the Hardenbergh associates.
In the report made in the Assembly in 1846 by the committee of which Mr. Sammel J. Tilden was chairman, there is contained au * Ser p. 17.
90
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
account of the leasehold tracts. These may be summarized as fol- lows: 1st, the Kortright tract of which about 20,000 acres were under lease at six pence an acre; 2d, the Desbrosses tract of 60,000 aeres which originally belonged to the Hardenbergh patent, the land had been leased for seven years rent-free and subsequently at an annual rent of one shilling an acre; 3d, the Morgan Lewis tract of 20,000 acres of which 15,000 acres were under perpetual lease, the first five years being rent-free, the second five years on a rent of ten bushels of wheat for each one hundred acres, the third five years for fifteen bushels of wheat, and afterwards for twenty bush- els of wheat; 4th, the G. and S. Verplanck tract of 20,000 acres under lease; 5th, the R. R. Livingston and Mrs. Montgomery tract of 20,000 acres under lease for twenty bushels of wheat for each one hundred acres; 6th, the General Armstrong tract of 8,000 acres, under three-life leases for twenty bushels of wheat for one hundred acres; 7th, the Hunter and Overing tracts under leases for twelve and a half, fifteen and eighteen cents an acre.
In the History of Delaware County, New York, 1880, (p. 65), will be found a lease for a farm on the Coulter brook given by Janet Montgomery to James Thompson, jr., in 1827. This farm was a part of the Hardenbergh patent, and had been inherited by Mrs. Montgomery who was a sister of Robert R. and Edward Livingston. We give a few lines from this lease, which may serve as a sample of the ordinary leases under which the lands of Delaware county were held: "Together with all and singular the trees, woods and under- woods to be made use of on the premises and nowhere else; saving and reserving to the party of the first part, her heirs and assigns, all water courses suitable for the erection of mills, with a right to erect mills or other works thereon with three acres of land adjacent thereto; and also saving and reserving a right to erect dams and «ut ditches for the use of such water-works; and also saving all mines or minerals found on the devised premises with the sole right to dig for and work the same, the said party of the first part com- pensating for any damage sustained thereby." " Yielding
91
ANTI-RENT TROUBLES.
and paying therefor during the continuance of this present lease, yearly and every year the yearly rent of two fat hens and one day's labor, with a wagon, sled or plough with a yoke of oxen or pair of horses and a driver, at such time and place within ten miles as the party of the first part, her heirs and assigns shall require. * * * * And also it is further covenanted and agreed that upon every sale or assignment of the said premises * * the party of the second part shall pay to the party of the first part one tenth part of the consideration money."
It will be inferred from the statement above that at the time of the breaking out of the Anti-rent troubles in 1844 a very large part of the county was held under lease. No doubt the evils of the leasehold system bore heavily upon the farmers in these rough and unproductive regions. To spare from their little wheat erops enough to pay the landlord his rent was a pinching process, which compelled the families to live upon rye and buckwheat. Or if the rent was payable in money, much of the returns from their little dairies was swallowed up for this insatiable purpose. It followed therefore that when the farmers heard of movements in Albany and Rensselaer counties, in Columbia county, and even nearer at hand in Ulster and Schoharie counties, which promised to abate the evils under which they labored, they eagerly lent an ear to the sugges- tions of relief. Ambitions agents came amongst the simple-minded farmers, suggesting a combination not for the purpose of electing to the legislature members who would seeure for them changes in the laws, which would have been legitimate, but encouraging and planning to resist forcibly the processes of law.
The least excusable movement was the organization, in imitation of their friends in Albany, in Rensselaer, in Columbia and other counties of disguised and armed bands of so-called Indians. The avowed object of these bands was to prevent the service of legal papers pertaining to the collection of rent, and to interfere in case sales of property for payment of rent were undertaken by the officers of the law. Most of the persons engaged in these Indian
92
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
bands were young and inexperienced, and were led into unlawful proceedings without due consideration. It was in this spirit that the outrages upon the Sheriff's officers in Roxbury were committed in 1844.
The legislature in 1845 passed a law making it unlawful for any person to appear in disguise, and if armed as well as disguised the person could be punished with imprisonment and fine. Several of those persons thus disguised and armed were captured and pun- ished.
The fatal termination of these proceedings came in the summer of 1845. A farmer by the name of Moses Earl lived upon a farm in Andes about three miles from the village. It was a lease-farm be- longing to the Verplanck tract, and carried a rent of $32 a year. The rent had not been paid for two years, and the agent deter- mined to collect it by Sheriff's sale. After one postponement the sale was fixed for August 7th, 1845. The Sheriff with a counsel, and with Under-sheriff O. N. Steele and Constable E. S. Edgerton, appeared to conduct the sale. A large body of disguised Indians- at least 200-were present and ranged themselves around the cattle which were to be sold. An order was heard given by one of the disguised chiefs: "Shoot the horses, shoot the horses." A volley followed which wounded the horses on which Steele and Edgerton rode. Instantly another order was given: "Shoot him, shoot him." Another volley followed and three balls struck Steele. One of these wounds was fatal, and he died after five or six hours.
Following this tragedy was an intense excitement. Meetings were held everywhere throughout the county to deplore and denounce the crime. Rewards were offered for the capture of persons supposed to have been concerned in it. The Governor declared the county in a state of insurrection, and troops were ordered to Delhi to maintain peace and guard the captured pris- oners. A court was convened August 22, 1845, for the trial of those who were brought before it. Amasa J. Parker, who only a few years before had left the county to become a Judge, presided.
Strader s Lake, Davenport,
Spring Lake, Meredith
Wawaka Like, Halcuttville
95
ANTI-RENT TROUBLES.
In all eighty-four persons were either convicted or confessed their guilt, and were sentenced. Two of the number,-Van Steenburg and O'Connor,-were found guilty of murder and sentenced to be hung. In neither case was it proved, however, that the prisoner had fired any of the shots. Under the circumstances Governor Wright commuted their sentences to imprisonment for life. All the prisoners were transported to the State prison, where they remained in confinement until the winter of 1847, when they were pardoned by Governor Young. There was much criticism of this act of clemency; but the lesson of obedience to law had been thor- oughly learned, and not a breath of unlawful excitement has over been uttered since then.
The Anti-rent question was still agitated, however; but the ammunition used was not bullets, and tar-and-feathers, but free dis- cussion and votes. The Constitutional Convention of 1846 placed in the new instrument several provisions which served to cure some of the evils under which the leascholl system had labored. New laws were enacted by the Legislature which distributed the burdens of taxation more evenly. The clause in many leases which required a part of the price, in case of a sale by one tenant to another, to be paid to the landlord, was declared illegal and void. The question as to the validity of the titles by which the landlords held their lands were by direction of the Legislature taken into the courts by the Attorney-General. In two cases the matter was carried to the Court of Appeals and by it decided in favor of the validity of the landlords' titles. Thus the legal questions which had furnished legitimate grounds for the excitement were disposed of, and the county gradually subsided to its usual condition of quiet and good order.
The circumstance, however, which led to this peaceful solution of an angry question, was the almost universal sale of the for- simple of the leased lands to the farmers. The experience of the landlords had been so unfortunate for a long time. that they were ready to put a very moderate price on the land, and to make very
96
. HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
easy terms of payment. On the other hand the tenants had had so severe and memorable a lesson upon the subject of rent-paying, that they were ready to meet the landlord at a point more than half way, and become the possessors of their farms. Vast tracts in the county in this way, which before were almost universally under leases, have since then become fee-simple farms. Such an agita- tion as prevailed in 1845 and 1846 would be impossible now.
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