USA > New York > Columbia County > Gazetteer and business directory of Columbia County, N.Y. for 1871-2 > Part 18
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The anti-rent difficulties to which we have alluded in a general way in the history of the County on page 88, created much ex- citement and necessitated the presence of a large force of troops in Hudson for a month. The circumstance which led to this
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military display was the failure of Sheriff Henry C. Miller to arve process and make sale of property belonging to disaffected persons in Copake, (which is noticed in the history of that : wn.) which so incensed the citizens of Hudson that the Sheriff and Joseph D. Monell, who volunteered to accompany him, determined to attempt the arrest of " Big Thunder," who was advertised to address a meeting of the tenants of the lands un- der the Van Ransselaer title, at Smokey Hollow, now known as Hollowville, on the 18th of December, 1844. It was at this meeting that young Rifenburgh was shot, but whether his death resulted from accident or design could not be determined. The Sheriff and Mr. Monell arrived at Hollowville after the meeting had been dispersed and most of the psendo "Indians" had laid aside their disguises. They found " Big Thunder" in the back room of a tavern, in conversation with several individuals. He made no resistance until they reached the front door, when he drew his pistol and attempted to escape, and, says Miller, "would have succeeded but for the intrepidity of John S. Anable and Deputy Sheriff Thomas Sedgwick, who were present at the time." A severe struggle ensued, but he was overpowered and both he and "Little Thunder" were brought to Hudson and con- fined in jail. Their arrest produced intense excitement in the country, and public and private meetings were held, and threats of an attempt to rescue them were freely indulged. The citi- zens became alarmed and immediate steps were taken to frastrate such an attempt should it be made. Public meetings were held and addressed by prominent citizens, urging upon the people "the importance of taking a bold stand in favor of law and order ;" a committee was appointed to devise means to protect the City at night from apprehended arson, who establish- ed a patrol of 20 citizens in each ward, "and the Hudson Light Guard, Capt. Cowles, were ordered to rendezvous with loaded muskets and twenty rounds of ball cartridge, at the Court House instanter, in case of an alarm, of which notice would be given by the ringing of the bell of the Presbyterian church ;" one hundred men were enrolled at the suggestion of Attorney General Barker, and, with four pieces of artillery, were placed guder command of Capt. Henry Whiting, and were subject to the Sheriff's order, and under the pay of the State ; aid was so- licited and obtained from Athens and Catskill ; a volunteer company of 500 men, called the "Law and Order Association," under the command of Col. Chas. Darling, held themselves sub- ject at all times to the call of the Sheriff, and a committee of safety appointed and authorized to call upon the State author- ities for 500 stand of arms for their use, and which were fur- nished by Gov. Buck ; the Albany Burgesses Corps, at the re-
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quest of the Common Council, came down to remain until the excitement should subside ; a proclamation setting forth the cause of the commotion and appealing to the citizens to iden- tify themselves with measures looking to the preservation of order and maintenance of justice, was issued by Mayor Cyrus Curtiss ; and "an address signed by a large number of the leading citizens of Hudson was sent to the tenants, warning them of the penalties they were bringing upon themselves, and appealing to them to cease their attempts to obstruct the ad- ministration of justice, but without any good effect." "Bands of disguised men continued to fire upon and arrest officers, taking from them their papers, and it was found necessary for the Governor to send here an additional military force, consist- ing of the Emmet Guards, the Van Rensselaer Guards, Albany Republican Artillery, Washington Riflemen, and a German Company of Cavalry from New York, under the command of Capt. Krack. These were quartered at the various public houses and upon the boats then wintering at the wharves. Hudson presented the appearance of a military encampment. Cannon were planted in front of the Court House, the streets resounded with martial music and the tramp of soldiery. Ar- rests were made in rapid succession, and in a very short time comparative quiet was restored and the military force gradual- ly withdrawn." The nearest approach to a casualty resulting from the presence of the military and the threatened serions disturbances they were designed to suppress, seems to have been a shot fired "upon a very dark night, about the midnight hour, by a 'solitary man on horseback,'" at a sentry of the Emmet Guards, stationed at the Worth House. The ball entered a col- umn upon the stoop, and the sentry escaped without injury.
"Big and Little Thunder were both indicted and the former brought to trial in the month of March, before Judge Amasa J. Parker. Great interest was manifested throughout the trial and the court room was densely thronged." The prosecution was conducted by John Van Buren, then Attorney General of the State, and Theodore Miller; and the prisoners were de- fended by Ambrose L. Jordan and James Storm. The trial oc- cupied nearly two weeks and resulted in the disagreement of the jury. The second trial before Judge Edmonds, in Septem- ber, developed the same interest, but resulted in his conviction and confinement in Clinton State Prison, where he remained until discharged shortly after by Gov. Young. During this trial a personal encounter occurred between the opposing attor- neys, who indiscreetly exhibited the warmth engendered by debate by a resort to blows in open Court. Judge, Edmonde, with characteristic fearlessness and independence, rebuked
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the Counsel by promptly committing them both to prison and aljourning the Court. It is gratifying to state, however, that the friendly feelings hitherto existing between the parties engaged in this transaction were not in the least disturbed thereby. "Little Thunder" was not tried, but after a year's confinement in the County jail was discharged.
The very early settlers in this locality, before it was known by its present name, were accustomed to worship in the Luther- an church at Loonenburg, of which some of them were officers. Many of the "proprietors" were Quakers and brought with them their peculiar religious views. Sept. 8, 1784, they re- quested that a piece of ground might be set apart on which to erect a meeting-house and school-house ; it was granted with the provision that it should be built upon before any other society should make application. They erected a small frame building, which, in consequence of their rapidly increasing numbers, was superseded in 1794 by a two-story brick building, fifty-two by thirty-eight feet, capable of accommodating 600 People, devoid of exterior ornament, in strict conformity with the simplicity which characterized the sect at that day. It did not for many years even boast of a coat of paint, and had so little to designate its use that a stranger would scarcely suppose it to be a house of worship. Its interior arrangement displayed the same simple taste. A protracted sitting upon its plain, hard, high-backed benches, must have put the physical endurance of those who took little interest in the devotional ex- vreises to a severe test ; but the omnipresent Quaker cane sufficed to suppress any exhibition of it, especially among the younger attendants, by facial expression or bodily. contortion, or any in- clination to levity, to nap, or other breach of decorum. The watchful eyes of the demure elders, who, seated on elevated benches in convenient proximity, were not slow to detect any delinquency and administer reproof with such severity as the circumstances seemed to warrant. A movable partition was used on particular occasions to divide the building and entire- ly separate the sexes. The men on all occasions occupied the left side of the house, the women, the right. Their devotions were usually silent, but some traveling preacher occasionally broke in upon the stillness of the hour with words of instruction and counsel. "There were preachers among them," says Miller, "who did occasionally discourse to them," and particular men- tion is made of Thomas Comstock and Hannah Barnard. The intter was so important a personage with the sect that we deem a brief notice of her warrantable. She was, says Miller, “an extraordinary woman, one of the most gifted of her day, and probably the most intelligent female Friend in the country.
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She was of medium size and spare, with a keen black eye, and pleasing expression of countenance. She possessed great power of language, a remarkably inquisitive turn of mind, was a wo- man of much thought and extensive reading and had travle considerably in Europe ; but all her good qualities could not save her from falling under the censure of the Society and I .. ing 'read out of meeting.'" The interior of the house was never painted and it would be difficult to imagine a room more unattractive ; yet they occupied it until 1853. The number of members was diminished by the decline of business in Hudson, as many of them emigrated to other sections of the country. An unbappy division which occurred in the Society in Isz -. also contributed to this end. Hopes are entertained that. now the heat engendered by the disputation has died out, and the aims of the two branches are identical, an union will be ef- fected. The present membership is twenty, and its minister. Aaron C. Macy. The present house of worship, which will seat 200 persons, was erected in 1865, at a cost of $3,000.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized February 23. 1790, and incorporated three days afterwards. Up to this ti !!... the Church of the Quaker Society was the only one in Hudson. Rev. John Thompson was its first pastor, the present one is Rev. David R. Frazer. The first house of worship, a substan- tial brick building, capable of seating 500 persons, was com- menced in 1790 and completed in 1792 ; the present one, which. will seat 900 persons, was erected in 1836, at a cost of 821,500, and was dedicated May 24, 1837. The improvements made since then make its present estimated value 875,000. The present number of members is-377.
The Methodist Church was the third one organized in the City. They erected their first house of worship on a lot donated by the "proprietors" in 1790, which they occupied until 1825, at which time they erected the building subsequently occupied by the Society of Friends. The present building was ereckd in 1853. The precise date of the organization of this Church is not known, but it is admitted that it existed for some time prior to the erection of their first house. We are unable to give further particulars.
The Episcopal Church commenced the erection of their church edifice on a lot donated by the " proprietors." in 1795, but ow- ing to pecuniary embarrassment, resulting from the defalcati of their first minister, named Gardner, who decamped with vi three to four thousand dollars belonging to the building fund. it progressed slowly and was not wholly completed until 1:23. at which time a steeple was added. Its occupancy, however, Was
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begrun in 1802, at which time they adopted the title of Christ Church, and it was dedicated by Bishop Moore in 1803. The dred conveying the lot on which the church was erected, stipu- lated that the building should be erected within five years or the !and should revert to the " proprietors," but although they failed in doing this, no advantage was taken of it. The society was or- vanized prior to 1795, as they were accustomed to worship in a school house, but the date is not known. A charity school was established in connection with the Church in 1803. "It is said," says Miller, " that the first Sabbath-school in the State of New York (probably outside of the city of New York,) was established by Christ Church." Their first organ was erected in 1811, at a cost of $450. Their new edifice was consecrated by Bishop Potter, in October, 1857.
The First Baptist Church was organized by Elder Daniel Steers, a Missionary from New York, August 28, 1810, with twelve mem- hers, and Rev. Harvey Jenks as its first pastor. Until 1818 they worshiped in a private residence, for which they paid a rental of fifty cents per week, and later, when their number increased beyond its limits for accommodation, in the Court House. June 7, 1818, they entered and dedicated the first house erected by the society, which cost $1,500. The present church edifice was dedicated in October, 1861.
The First Universalist Church was organized in 1817, with Rev. Joshua Flagg as its first pastor, and its first house of wor- ship was erected the same year. The present house, which will seat 350 (?)* persons, was erected in 1867 at a cost of $40.000. Its present membership is seventy, and its present pastor, Rev. Charles W. Tomlinson. The organization of the Church is largely due to the energy and liberality of Capt. John Hatha- way, who requested Abner Kneeland to visit Hudson and preach, made the necessary arrangements for the meeting and bore all the expenses attending it. This meeting resulted in its imme- diate organization, and steps being taken to erect a church edi- fice, the lot for which was given by Capt. Hathaway, who also contributed liberally toward the erection of a building. The Church has always manifested vitality and energy, and since its organization has numbered among its members and society men of sterling integrity and public influence. The church edifice is free from debt, and the society has an endowment fund of 820,000, bequeathed by the late Hon. Robert Mc- Kinstry.
*The statistice from which this information is obtained state that the seating capacity of the church is 330, but this is evidently a mistake and should read from two to three times that number.
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The First Reformed Church was organized Sept. 20, 1833, b: the Classis of Rensselaer, with seven members, and Rev. George H. Fisher, D. D., as its first pastor. The first house of worship was erected in 1836 and was dedicated Dec. 18, of that year. was enlarged and rebuilt in 1867. It will seat comfortably Go persons and its present estimated value is $50,000. Its pros- ent pastor is Rev. John McClellan Holmes, D. D., and its mem- bership, 405. The Lord's Supper was administered for the first time on the last Sunday in January, 1836, at which time there were seventeen communicants.
The St. Mary's Church, (Catholic,) the first Catholic Church in the County, was organized in 1847 by Rev. Wm. Howard, who was its first pastor. The first and present house of worship, which will seat 600 persons, was erected in 1848. Improve- ments have been made on the church and church property at various times, under the supervision of the present pastor, Rev. James S. O'Sullivan. Its present estimated value, including the pastorate, convent and schoolhouse, is $30,000. The present membership is 1,500. There are six Sisters connected with the convent, and about 400 children, with the free day school. . 1 Temperance Society, also connected with the Church, was organized in Feb. 1871, with nearly 400 members. Previous to the year 1847, meetings were held in public and other halls.
The African M. E. Zion Church was organized March 12, 1855, by Rev. Wesley Marshall, who was its first pastor, with 25 members. The following year the society bought a small building which they converted into a place of worship. April 10, 1860, they bought and improved the church formerly occu- pied by the Episcopalians, paying therefor 81,800. It will seat 800 persons, and the improvements made at various times, make its present estimated value 88,000. Rev. Joseph P'. Thompson has filled the pulpit since June 1, 1870. The present number of members is 43, and probationers, 67. Its growth has been retarded by dissensions originating from certain members of the Wesleyan Society, from whom the church edifice was pur- chased and who became members of the new organization, but it is now in a prosperous condition.
The St. John's Evangelical Church was organized Nov. 12, 1866, by Rev. Win. Hull, its first and present pastor, with 39 members. Their house of worship, which will seat comfortably 000 persons, was erected in 1869, at a cost of 830,000. The present number of members is 96.
The Evangelical Lutheran St. Matthias Congregation was or- ganized March 1, 1869, by Rev. A. Freih, its first pastor, with forty members, the present number connected with the society.
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Its present pastor is Rev. R. Rentz. The society expect to build a church edifice in the fall of 1871, on a lot which it now owns, to cost about $7,000, and be capable of seating 250 per- sons.
The citizens of Hudson may point with just pride to its many fine massive church edifices which stand, like colossal monuments, to indicate the spiritual wealth and vitality of the worshipers at their shrines.
KINDERHOOK, a Dutch name, signifying "Chil- dren's Point," was formed as a district, March 22, 1772, and organized as a town, March 7, 1788. A part of Chatham was taken off in 1795, a part of Ghent in 1818, and Stuyvesant in 1823. There are several versions of the origin of this name : one is, that it was given by Hudson from the number of In- dian children congregated to see his vessel at a point above Stuyvesant Landing; and another, that it was derived from the number of children belonging to a family residing at the forks of an Indian trail, where the village of Kinderhook now is. The town lies on the north border of the County, west of the center. The surface is a beautiful champaign, varied by gentle undulations. The soil is exceedingly various. In some parts it is sandy and extremely dry, the sand being in some places red and in others white ; while in other parts is found a black loamy soil, and in others clay. It is generally sus- ceptible of a high state of cultivation. The principal streams are Kinderhook Creek and the outlet of Kinderhook Lake. In the north part of the town are three beautiful sheets of water. Kinderhook Lake is located on the east line, about one-half mile east from Niverville, a station on the Boston and Albany Railroad, making it very accessible by rail from New York or Albany. It is very irregular in shape, and is about four miles in circumference and one and one-half miles at its greatest length. It contains three islands, two of which are quite small. The largest one contains an area of about four acres. The two small islands have but a sparse growth of underbrush, while the larger one and the shores, in several places, are covered with a handsome growth of timber. The surrounding scenery possesses a quiet beauty which is enhanced by its diversity. In places the shores recede in gentle slopes, while in others they rise with some degree of abruptness. A hotel, of which E. H. Palmer is proprietor, has been erected on a promontory which projects into the lake for more than half its length and terminates somewhat abruptly. This projection is, for some distance from its water terminus, covered with a fine growth of timber which affords ample shade to the pleasure
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seeker, from the summer sun, and forms a delightful retreat in which one can indulge his reflections and enjoy the charming scenery which nature has here so lavishly spread out. The abundance of fish (pickerel, perch, sun-fish, suckers, cat-fish and a very few golden-fish,) which the lake contains, gives it great attractiveness to those who enjoy piscatorial sports, while its placid waters and surrounding scenery, endow it with a charm for those who solace themselves with a sail on its boson or a stroll on its banks. Its depth varies from three to forty- five feet, and it is supplied with water by Valatie Creek and the various springs which are known to exist in it. There are fifteen acres of land connected with the premises.
The population of the town in 1870 was 4,055. Of this number, 3,498 were natives, and 557, foreigners; 3,842, white. and 213, colored. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1870, there were nine school districts, in which thirteen teachers were em- ployed. The number of children of school age was 1,336; the average attendance, 364.825; and the amount expended for school purposes, $5,947.18.
Kinderhook, (p. v.) a beautiful village of 1,500 inhabitants, situated on the creek of the same name, was incorporated April 18, 1838. It contains four churches, (Reformed, Episco- pal, M. E. and African M. E.,) two district, and two select schools, two banks, a printing office, ( Columbia County Adver- tiser,) two hotels, several stores, the Kinderhook Steam Cotton Mill, G. D. Earl, proprietor, which was established in 1846 by Hoes & Chrysler, employs eighty persons in the manufacture of cotton goods, and produces, 27,600 yards per week ; and the Kinderhook Hoop Skirt Works, E. L. Hover, proprietor, which were established in 1860, employ four males and forty females in the manufacture of hoop skirts, scarfs, neck-ties and bows. and produce about $90,000 worth of hoop skirts and $40,000 worth of neck-ties per year.
Valutie, (vola-che, p. v.,) a Dutch name, which signifies Little Falls, and which it derives from a fall here of 15 feet, is situated at the junction of Kinderhook and Valatie Creeks, and was in- corporated June 30, 1556. It displays more business enterprise, but is a less handsome village than Kinderhook, though some disposition is manifested to improve and beautify the grounds surrounding its residences, and not a few have succeeded admir. ably in this respect. It contains about 1,900 inhabitants. four churches, ( Lutheran, M. E. Presbyterian and Roman Catholic. ) two schools, two hotels, and another is being built to replace the one destroyed by fire in the winter of 1870-1. There is an island with an area of about two acres in Kinderhook Creek. within the village. The people of Valatie are largely engayri
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in manufacturing, the various mills giving employment to 550 persons. The Canoe Mills came under the control of Jeremiah t'arpenter, the present proprietor, in 1851, and were enlarged by him to their present dimensions in 1858. They give employ- ment to 160 operatives in the manufacture of cotton cloth, and are capacitated to produce 9,600 yards of cloth per day. They operate 224 looms and 6,000 mule, and 3,432 Danforth spindles. The motive power is furnished by water and steam. The fall of water is 23 feet, and the engine 150 horse power. N. Wild's Sons' Mills employ 200 operatives in the manufacture of cotton cloth, of which 10,000 yards are produced daily. They operate 242 looms and 12,500 spindles. The motive power is furnished by water and steam; the former being supplied by the outlet of Kinderhook Lake, or Valatie Creek, which empties into Kinderhook Creek near these mills, a fall being obtained by two dams which are respectively 15 and 20 feet in height, as there are two separate mills, though the one is supple- mental to the other ; the latter gives motion to an engine of 150 horse power. Nathan Wild established the mill at the upper dam in 1828, and that at the lower one in 1846. The Crystal Spring Mill, Henderson & Hoffman, proprietors, employs 40 operatives in the manufacture of knit goods, shirts, drawers and hosiery, of which 40 dozen, or 720 yards per day are produced. The motive power is furnished by a 25 horse power engine. The Company have recently enlarged their facilities, and when in full operation will be enabled to increase their product to 50 dozen per day. The Northern Star Wadding Mills, Wm P. Rath- bone, proprietor, employ 10 hands in the manufacture of cotton wadding, of which 3,000 pounds per week are produced. The motive power is furnished by an engine of 18 horse power. They were established by Mr. Rathbone in 1866. A. Abbott's Paper Mill employs ten hands in the manufacture of straw wrapping paper, of which 6,000 reams per month are produced. The motive power is supplied by a ten feet fall of water from the Kinder- hook Creek. The cotton mill, also belonging to Mr. A. Abbott, and whose motive power is derived from the same source as the paper mill, employs 40 operatives in the manufacture of cotton cloth, of which 12,000 yards per week are produced. It runs 57 looms and 1,100 each of mule and frame spindles. The Holden Mills, Abbott & Co., proprietors, give employment to 90 operatives who are engaged in the manufacture of black, blue and white warps and Hohlen sheetings, of which 28,000 yards of the former and 10,000 yards of the latter are produced each week. The motive power is furnished by a twenty feet fall of water and an engine of 60 horse power. They employ 52 looms and 3,580 ring and throstle, and 11,000 mule spindles.
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