USA > New York > Sullivan County > Gazetteer and business directory of Sullivan county, N. Y., for 1872-3 > Part 10
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
cheap avenue to market, and brought them in direct communication with the Hudson at Rondout and the coal mines at Carbondale, Penn.
The N. Y. & E. R. R., built along the valley of the Delaware, enters the County near the center of the west border of the town of Tusten, crossing the Delaware River from Pennsylvania. The act authorizing the road, was passed April 24, 1832, and the Company organized in July 1833. The first preliminary survey was made in 1832, by DeWitt Clinton Jr., by order of the Government. In 1834 the Governor appointed Benj. Wright to survey the route; who, assisted by James Sevinour and Chas. Ellett, began the survey, May 23d, and fin- ished it the same year. In 1835 the Company was re-organized, and 40 miles were put under contract. Various financial embarrassments, necessitating State aid and increased private subscriptions, and involving the relinquishment by the original stockholders of one-half the amount of stock held by them, confronted this gigantic enterprise and retarded its accomplish- ment, so that its final completion to Dunkirk was not effected until 1851. The road was opened to Dunkirk, May 14th of that year. Finding it difficult to construct the road on the New York side of the river, the Company solicited the right of way for a short distance from Pennsylvania, and for this privilege, and the substantial benefit which the road conferred upon that State, the Company was subjected to an annual tax of $10,000. This road opens a dircet and speedy communication with New York city, and has been of great value to the County in etimu- lating its settlement and developing its resources.
The Monticello & Port Jervis R. R. enters the County near Oakland Valley, in the town of Forestburgh, and extends along the Valley of the Bushkill Creek, through the rich stone quarries of Forestburgh, (for the product of which it opens a ready market by its connection with the N. Y. & E. R. R., at its southern terminus,) to Monticello. The Company was organized under the general railroad act of the State, Sept. 2, 1868; work was commenced in April, 1869 ; and the track was laid to Monticello, and the cars first entered that village about the first of Jan., 1871. An act was passed May 4th, 1868, author- izing the towns of Forestburgh and Thompson to bond in itsaid, and the former town was bonded for 823,000, and the latter for 8148.000. The road is substantially built; the embankments are fourteen feet wide; the cuts eighteen feet, well sloped and prepared for a double track, which is broad gauge. There is no trestle work and but little bridging on the whole road. As opening an avenue for the transportation of the products of
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
the mannfactories along its route, and rendering the County Seat easily accessible by rail, it cannot fail to prove an im- portant auxiliary in the development of the resources of the County. The road is leased and operated by the N. Y. & E. R. R. Co.
The N. Y. & O. Midland R. R. is in process of construction through the County, which it enters near the south-east corner of Mamakating, and, passing through that town and the towns of Fallsburgh, Liberty and Rockland, leaves it near the north- east corner of the latter town. Regular trains are now running east from Liberty Falls. The road is being pushed to completion with a rapidity unparalleled in the history of the State.
A railroad to connect Monticello with the N. Y. & O. Mid- land R. R., at some point not yet decided upon, is projected. The route is surveyed, and the village of Monticello has bonded itself for $30,000 in its aid.
Several plank roads were constructed as auxiliaries to the great thoroughfare, the N. Y. & E. R. R., and greatly benefited the sections of the County through which they pass; but these have been abandoned, the plank having been torn up and other materials substituted. There are now about ten toll roads in the County. The Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike, built in 1801-8, enters the County at Bloomingburgh and runs in a westerly, and nearly straight course, across hills and valleys, to Cochecton.
This and Orange County form the Eleventh Congressional District and the Tenth Senatorial District; it is in the Third Judicial District ; and it forms one Assembly District .*
There are four papers published in the County, all weeklies.
The Sullivan County Whig, the first paper published in the County, was started at Bloomingburgh in 1821, by John J. Tappan. It was removed to Monticello in 1825, and its name changed in May 1828, to
*We give below a table showing the population of Sullivan County from 1790 to 1870. We are indebted for the exhibit from 1700 to 1835, inclusive, to Mr. J. V. Morrison, by whom it has been carefully collated.
Population of Sullivan County in 1700.
1.763
1 40
..
1810.
6,103
..
1814
..
1890
8,900
61
14
66
1825.
10,371
..
..
1530
12,862
٠١
13,755
4 6 1:40.
15.629.
4€
1-45
. 15.727
46 1850.
25.08
1855
23.487
1960.
.$2,385
44
1865 ..
.82,741
..
1870.
34,546
66
..
3,222
6.223
.
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
THE REPUBLICAN WATCHMAN. Three months there- after he sold it to Frederick A. Devoe, who continued it until July, 1838, when be sold it to James E. Quinlan. In February, 1847, F. A. Devoe became a partner with Mr. Quinlan. They continued its publication under the firm name of Devoe & Quinlan until May, 1848, when Mr. Quinlan sold his interest to Mr. Devoe, who published it alone until April, 1850, when Mr. Quinlan again purchased a half interest, and the old firm of Devoe & Quinlan was renewed. In 1853 the firm was again dissolved, by the retirement of Mr. Devoe, Mr. Quinlan contin- uing the business until October, 1866, when the paper was pur- chased by Geo. M. Beebe, who still publishes it.
The Chronicle was the first paper published in Monticello, and was commenced in October, 1824, by Thomas Smith, who con- tinued it one year.
The Sullivan County Herald was commenced at Monticello, September 19, 1833, by Charles B. Smith. In February, 1834, Gad Wales became the publisher. It soon afterwards passed into the hands of Levi Darbe, who continued it until about 183 ;.
The Sullivan County Register was commenced in December, 1837, by Stephen Hamilton. It was published at the Mansion House, Monticello, six months.
The Temperance Pioneer was started at Bloomingburgh, January 17, 1853, by Sampson Francis Jorey, and was published eleven weeks.
The Union Democrat was started at Monticello, December 12, 1853, by Frederick A. Devoe, who published it until March, 1856, when he was succeeded by Horton Tidd. In November, 1856, it was united with the Sullivan County Republican.
The American Journal was commenced at Monticello, June 26, 1855, by Daniel W. Whiston. George S. Earl subsequently became its editor, and continued it until July, 1850.
The Jeffersonian Democrat was commenced at Monticello, in July, 1859, by Benj. Reynolds and Francis Mathews. In Feb., 1861, it passed into the hands of James E. Quinlan, and was merged in the Republican Watchman, under the name of Repub- lican Watchman and Jeffersonian Democrat. In March, 1864, the old name of Republican Watchman was resumed.
The Academy Echoes was published occasionally by the students of the Monticello Academy, during the year 1856.
The Gong, a rival sheet of the Academy Echoes, was also pub- lished by the Academy students the same year.
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
The Douglass Journal was commenced at Douglass, Nov. 1, 1869, by S. C. Clizbee. March 1, 1870, Mr. Clizbee removed to Han- cock, (Delaware Co.,) where he commenced the publication of the Hancock Times in connection with The Douglass Journal, which was supplied to his subscribers from the latter place until late in the spring of 1870, when it was discontinued. It was published weekly.
The Douglass Gazette (weekly) was started at Douglass, March 17, 1870, by Frank Quick, who continued it until Sept. 1, 1870, when it came into the hands of E. W. Hempstead. Feb. 1, 1871, it was published by Quick & Hempstead, and on the 1st of the following May it again passed into the hands of E. W. Hempstead, who published it until Aug. 16, 1871, when it was discontinued.
The Liberty Independent was started at Liberty in 1869, by Frank Quick & Co., and discontinued after the first number. The paper was printed at Douglass.
THE LIBERTY REGISTER. (weekly) was started at Liberty, July 29, 1870, by Wm. T. Morgans .* It is now pub- lished by Morgans & Hill.
The Sullivan Whig was commenced at Bloomingburgh by J. S. Brown, the first paper being issued Jan. 23, 1844. In May 1846, he transferred his interest to John W. Hasbrouck and Alex. W. Ellis, who continued its publication until March, 1847, when Ellis died, and his father, Joseph Ellis, took his interest, and the firm remained as before, Ellis & Hasbrouck, until May, 1848, Ellis retired, and Gad Wales became a part- ner, when the firm name became John W. Hasbrouck & Co. The name of the paper was changed to
The Sullivan County Whig. Mr. Wales retired from the firm July 8, 1850, and Mr. Hasbrouck continued the publication of the paper until Nov. of that year, when John Waller Jr.
*Win. T. Morgans is the inventor of " Morgans' Hercules Job and Card Prees." which was pateuted in 18:0, and is manufactured at Poughkeepsie. N. Y., by C. II. Sedgwick & Sons. We copy from the descriptive circular the following facts in regard to it :-
" This Press le one of the strongest and best built pressee in the market : and, owing to its simplicity, cheapness, ease in running, convenience in changing impression and ' making ready ; ' and its thorough distribution, is the most economical press now in use." The following are some of its advantages:
"1. Double gear and extra strength of bed and platen. Heavy where greatest strength is required.
"2. The facility with which the impression can be changed ; the impression screwa being arranged apon an entirely new principlo.
"3. Extra distribution, and an arrangement for getting up color without inking the form or running the press.
"4. The improved gripper motion-giving longer time to feed.
"5. The great saving of Ink on small jobs.
"€. No wrench is required, as the Impression is regulated by set screws, conveniently arranged and adjustable by hand.
"7. Simplicity of construction and price of machine."
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
became its editor and proprietor. In May, 1856, he moved his office to Monticello and issued his first paper there on the 16th of that month. On the 30th of the same month the name was changed to the
Sullivan County Republican, and in the following Nov. the Union Democrat was united with it, and the name changed to
The Union Democrat and Sullivan County Republican, the first paper under that name being issued Nov. 21st. Jan. 2, 1857, Mr. Waller again changed the name to
Sullivan County Democratic Republican. In Jan., 1860, its name was again changed to
THE SULLIVAN COUNTY REPUBLICAN, under which name it is still published by Mr. Waller, at Monticello .*
The Sullivan Volksblatt (German) was started at Jeffer- sonville, Sept. 6, 1870, by Childs & Boyce, with Charles Schwarz as editor. It was published semi-monthly, and was discontinued after thirteen numbers were issued.
The Callicoon Local Record (weekly) was started at Youngs- ville, May 15, 1868, by W. T. Morgans. A. P. Childs become partner, July 20th of the same year, when the business was conducted under the firm name of Morgans & Childs. The paper was enlarged and its name changed to Local Record, August 13. It was again enlarged, and removed to Jefferson- ville, and its name again changed to
THE LOCAL RECORD, April 8, 1870; and on the 18th of the same mouth and year, D. J. Boyce purchased Mr. Morgans' interest; and on the 2d of October following, he also purchased Mr. Childs' interest and became the sole proprietor. July 8, 1871, the paper again came into the hands of Mr. Childs, as its sole proprietor, and is at present published by him.
The Bloomingburgh Journal was published at Bloomingburgh, in the summer of 1870, by Leander Scott, for seven months. It next appeared in Newburgh, bearing the title, " Whatever is, is Right." It was shortly afterward published in Boston as " The Golden Rule." It is since reported as having died & natural death.
The Monticello Semi-Weekly Advertiser was started in 1871, by A. Yates & Co., and closed its career, October 31, 18+1, with its thirty-sixth number.
"The office in which this paper was published was burned, with all its contents. February 23, 1873; but owing to the kindness of Mr. George M. Beebe, the publisher of the Republican Watchman, who gave Mir. Waller the use of his presses and material until he could rent snother office, no hiatus in the publication of the paper occurred.
73
SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Little is known of the early history of the County. Many traces of its occupation long anterior to that by the present race of settlers, exist. Upon the first advent of the present settlers, a road was found to extend south-west from Esopus, on the Hudson, along the valley north of the Shawangunk Mountain. It was known as the " Mine Road," and according to traditional account, was built by a company of miners from Holland, before the English conquest of 1664.
The following extract from Eager's History of .Orange County, p. 49-51, and copied from Hazard's Register, must prove of interest to the descendants of the early settlers of Sullivan County, from its description, at a very early day in the history of this country, of a section so adjacent to this County, and whose history is so intimately connected with it:
"Copy of letters from Samuel Preston, Esq., dated Stockport, June 6 and 14, 1828.
"Minisink, Mineholes, &c.
"In 1787 the writer went on his first surveying tour into Northampton county ; he was deputed under John Lukens, Surveyor General, and received from him, by way of instructions, the following narrative respecting the settlement of Minisink on the Delaware, above the Kittanny and Blue Mountain :
"That the settlement was formed for a long time before it was known to the Government in Philadelphia. That when the Government was informed of the settlement, they passed a law in 1729 that any such purchase of the Indians should be void ; and the purchasers indicted for forcible entry and detuiner, according to the law of England. That in 1780 they appointed an agent to go and investigate the facts; that the agent so appointed was the famous Surveyor, Nicholas Scull; that he, James Lukens, was N. Scull's apprentice to carry chain and learn surveying. That as they both understood and could talk Indian, they hired Indian guides, and had a fatiguing journey, there being no white inhabitants in the upper part of Bucks or Northampton county. That they had very great difficulty to lead their horses through the water gap to Minisink flats, which were all settled with Hollanders; with several they could only be understood in Indian. At the venerable Depuis's they found great hospitality and plenty of the necessaries of life. J. Lukens said that the first thing which struck his attention was a grove of apple trees of size far beyond any near Philadelphia. That as N. Scull and himself examined the banks, they were fully of opinion that all those flats had at some very former age been a deep lake before the river broke through the mountain, and that the best interpretation they could make of Minisink Was, the water is gone. That S. Dupuis told them when the rivers were frozen he had a good road to Esopus, near Kingston, from the Mineholes, on the Mine road, some hundred miles. That he took his wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries, and did not appear to have any knowledge or idea where the river ran -- Philadelphia market-or being in the Government of Pennsylvania.
" They were of opinion that the first settlement of Hollanders in Mini- sink was many years older than Wm. Penn's charter, and that S. Dupuis had treated them so well they concluded to make a survey of his claim, in order to befriend him if necessary. When they began to survey, the
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Indians gathered around; an old Indian laid his hand on N. Scull's shoulder and said: 'Put up iron string, go home.' They then quit and returned.
"I bad it in charge from John Lukens to learn more particulars respect- ing the Mine road to Esopus, &c. I found Nicholas Dupuis, Esq., son of Samuel, living in a spacious stone house in great plenty and affluence. The old Mincholes were a few miles above, on the Jersey side of the river by the lower point of Paaquarry Flat; that the Minisink settlement extended forty miles or more on both sides of the river. That he had well known the Mine road to Esopus, and used, before he opened the boat channel through Foul Rift, to drive on it several times every winter with loads of wheat and cider, as also did his neighbors, to purchase their salt and necessaries in Esopus, having then no other market or knowledge where the river ran to. That after a navigable channel was opened through Foul Rift they generally took to boating, and most of the settle- ment turned their trade down stream, the Mine road became less and less traveled.
"This interview with the amiable Nicholas Dupuis, Esq., was in June, 1787. He then appeared about sixty years of age. I interrogated as to the particulars of what he knew, as to when and by whom the Mine road was made, what was the ore they dug and hauled on it, what was the date, and from whence, or how, came the first settlers of Minisink in such great numbers as to take up all the flats on both sides of the river for forty miles. He could only give traditionary accounts of what he had heard from older people, without date, in substance as follows:
"That in some former age there came a company of miners from Holland, supposed, from the great labor expended in making that road, about one hundred miles long, that they were very rich or great people, in working the two mines, -one on the Delaware where the mountain nearly approaches the lower point of Paaquarry Flat, the other at the north foot of the same mountain, near half way from the Delaware and Esopus. He ever understood that abudance of ore had been hauled on that road, but never could learn whether lead or silver. That the first settlers came from Holland to seek a place of quiet, being persecuted for their religion. I believe they were Armenians. They followed the Mine road to the large tlats on the Delaware. That smooth cleared land suited their views. That they bona fide bought the improvements of the native Indians, most of whom then moved to the Susquehanna, that with such as remained there was peace till 1755.
" I then went to view the Paaquarry Mine holes. There appeared to have been a great abundance of labor done there at some former time, but the mouths of these holes were caved full, and overgrown with bushes. I concluded to myself if there ever had been a rich mine under that mountain it must be there yet in close confinement. The other old men I conversed with gave their traditions similar to N. Depuis, and they all appeared to be grandsons of the first settlers, and very ignorant as to the dates and things relating to chronology. In the summer of 1789 I began to build on this place; then came two venerable gentlemen on a surveying expedition .- They were the late Gen. James Clinton, the father of the late De Witt Clinton, and Christopher Tappen, Esg., Clerk and Recorder of Ulster county. For many years before they had both been surveyors under Geb. Clinton's father, when he was surveyor general. In order to learn some history of gentlemen of their general knowledge, I accom- panied them in the woods. They both well knew the Mine holes, Mine road, &c., and as there were no kind of documents or records thereof, united in the opinion that it was a work transacted while the state of New
,
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
York belonged to the government of Holland ; that it fell to the English in 1664 ; and that the change in government stopped the mining busi- ness, and that the road must have been made many years before such dig- ging could have been done. That it undoubtedly must have been the first good road of that extent made in any part of the United States."
If the authenticity of the foregoing letters is to be relied upon, it would seem that the first settlements in the locality desig- uated must have been made at a very remote period-so remote and apparently so far removed from other settlements that they became in a great measure isolated from the rest of the world. But James E. Quinlan, the well-known historian of Sullivan County, who has given the matter much careful study, dissents from the implication in the above letters as to the origin of the " Mine Road," and inclines to the opinion that it was simply an Indian trail, made doubtless at a very early day, When the present settlements were begun, there was a road from the east, near the central part of the County, called " Porter Road;" and in the north part was another called the " Hunter's Road"
With the exception of the vague traditions of early settlement by the Dutch along the Delaware, the first permanent location of a white inhabitant is said to have been made about 1730, by Manuel Gun Sallus," a Spaniard, who, having married into a Dutch family in Rochester, (Ulster Co.,) removed to Mamaka- ting Hollow, where he erected a house and raised grain. He opened a trade with the neighboring Indians, who were then friendly; and other settlers were induced to follow. Mama- kating Precinct was formed in 1743, and until after the Revo- lution, it embraced nearly all the present County of Sullivan. About 1750 a number of German families settled upon the west frontiers of Ulster County. They suffered greatly from Indian hostilities. The first Indian incursion took place in 1777, when
# Mannel Gon Sallus, and his sor Manuel Jr., were enrolled in the militia for the town of Rochester. (Ulster Co.,) in ITS3. As there is a conflict of authority respecting the correct authography of this name, we have thought best, for the sake of uniformity. to adhere to the form of signature of members of the family, attached to public documents, except where we have made literal quotations, in which case we have adopted tho idiom of the author quoted. The following is the inscription on his tomb-stone, which is on the farm now owned by Samuel Norris, about two miles north of Wartaboro :
"MANUEL GONSALUS IS GESTORVEN DE IS APRIL ANNO 175?" .
This Inscription remained aninterpreted antil the advent into the town of Prof, Otto Barstenbinder, of whom further meution is made in a foot note to the history of Wurte- boro, in the town of Maiskating. He took a copy of the inscription to New York and consulted with a native of that part of Holland in which the dialect corresponding with the inscription is spoken, who interpreted it to mean, " Manuel Gonsalus is dead." [J. V. Morrison.
-/top-f ...
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
the family of Mr. Sprague, in Mamakating, was attacked. The next year the family of Mr. Brooks was attacked ; some members were killed, and others taken prisoners.
On the 13th of Oct., 1778, a party of nearly a hundred Tories and Indians, under Brant, invaded the settlements on the east border, first falling upon the family of Mr. Westfall and killing one man. They next attacked the house of Mr. Swartwout, who was at home with his sons, (the women having been previously removed to a fort,) and killed all but one, who escaped. The firing alarmed others, who fied to the forts at Gumaer's and DeWitt's, where, by a skillful display of force by Capt. Abraham Cuddeback, who commanded at the former, the enemy were deterred from making an attack .* After firing most of the houses and barns of the settlement, the marauders retired, leaving behind them a melancholy scene of havoc and desolation, at the verge of an inclement winter. The distress thus occasioned was very great. Major Phillips arrived soon after the incursion, with a company of militia; but the enemy had fled beyond reach.
In 1778, Capt. Benj. Kortrite, with his company of militia, went in pursuit of some Indians who had been committing depredations upon the settlements of Pine Bush. The houses of three families named Shurker, Miller and Baker, had been burned, and the dead bodies of Shurker and Miller were found near theruins. Baker was never afterwards seen by his friends. The women and children of the three families were spared. The Indians had fled when Kortrite arrived; he pursued them until his provisions gave out, when he returned. When it was learned at the Fort on Honk Hill, where were stationed some three hundred troops, that Kortrite had returned without having accomplished anything, Lieut. John Græme, an officer noted for reckless daring, volunteered to pursue aud waylay the enemy with only eighteen men. He was offered a greater force, but refused to accept it. His men were raw recruits, who knew nothing about Indian warfare, and the result proved that
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