USA > New York > Sullivan County > Gazetteer and business directory of Sullivan county, N. Y., for 1872-3 > Part 26
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Two such disastrous fires, occurring at such short intervals, should be a sufficient incentive to move the citizens of Mou- ticello to organize an efficient fire department.
* The Mansion Hosse was fret erected at the south-east corner of the Public Square, in 199. by David Hammoud. by whom it was kept for many years. It had Several additions bafit ou, and w#«always the largest hotel in the village.
From The Lularty Register of April 19, 15;2, we learn that " preparations are belas made to build a setsi on the old Mansion House site."
+A somewhat remarkable spirit of generosity and fraternity was exhibited by Mr. George M. Brete, proprietor of the Republican Watchman, which is also published tu this village and alvik'A's political principles the opposite of those enunciated ly the Mr. Beebe not only tendered Mr. Waller, the publisher When. the use of his presses and materist, but also used r paper to destroy their receipts therefor and pay a: : », voi fibers who feit that they could take but oue paper, to take that in preference to ls van. The Liberty Register very maguanimously seconded the efforts of the Megleren Watchmen, by calling upon every village in the County to get up a club for Mr. Walter's paper, and offering as an inducement to every person wan would subscribe for that paper at its office, to give six months subscription to i'As Register.
Diamonda, BIngs, Brooches, Ear Rings or Studs, procured from i:x* porters of approval, for Inspection and at the option of purchase, at Benedict's.
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On the farm of Joseph H. McLaury, located about two and one-half miles west of Monticello, on the Newburgh & Cochec- ton Turnpike, is a huge bowlder, weighing from twenty to twenty-five tons, which is so nicely poised as to be easily set in motion. It is composed of Shawangunk conglomerate, and is doubtless a deposition of the drift period, an epoch in the history of geology, having lain in its present position during the vast interval of time, to excite the wonder and admiration of the curious beholder. It is a period in the world's history written by nature, and a monument revealing the mighty forces which have been at work to fit the earth for the oc- cupancy of man. . It is known as the " rocking stone."
THOMPSONVILLE,* (p. v.) situated in the north-east part, on Sheldrake Creek, three and one-half miles north-east of Mon- ticello, contains one church, (Episcopal) one school, two hotels, two stores, two saw mills, one flouring and custom mill, one feed mill, a cheese-box factory and turning shop, a woolen mill, a blacksmith shop, a cheese factory, a shoe store and shop, a watch factory and one hundred and forty inhabitants.
The Thompsonville Custom Mill was first built by Judge Wm. A. Thompson. It contains three runs of stones with a capacity for grinding two hundred bushels of grain per day.
The County Poor House is located about one-half mile south- east of the village, on a farm of one hundred acres. It was first opened Dec. 1, 1830, on a farm of one hundred acres, one- half mile west of Bridgeville, and was changed to its present location in 1860.f
BRIDGEVILLE, (p. o.) located on the Neversink and New- burgh & Cochecton Turnpike, four and one-fourth miles east of Monticello, contains one church, (M. E.) one school, three stores, one hotel, one wagon shop, three blacksmith shops, a shoe shop and about sixty inhabitants. The old bridge over the Neversink at this place, erected in 1807, is still standing.
GLEN WILD, (p. o.) located near the line of Fallsburgh, a little more than one mile east of the Neversink, contains one store, one school, two saw mills, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop and eight houses.
*Named in honor of the first settler at this place, Judge Wm. A. Thompson, who built the first till and factory here.
thee pazo 67. The pauper whose name was Erst entered on the books of the poor house register was Lydia Hector, who is still an inmate of the house. When she came she was accompanied by ber four children ; and since then she has had grand-children And great-grand-children who have been numbered among ite inmates.
There are twenty-six persons in the Insane Department connected with this institu- tion
Gold and silver Thimbles, Heavy Gold Wedding Ring, Gente' Seul Kinga, Pearl and Garnot lings, Guard Hluge, at BENEDICT'S.
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GALES is located on the Newburgh & Cochecton Turnpike, on the line of Mamakating. There was formerly a post office here, but it was recently discontinued.
The settlement of the town was commenced in 1495 !:: Hon. Wm. A. Thompson, who located at Thompsonville. to which place, as well as the town, he gave his name. Mr. Thompson graduated at Yale College in 1782, and after study. ing law with Gov. Griswold of Conn., he commenced its practice at Greenwich, in that State, where he did a lucrative business. In July. 1785, he married Frances Knapp, who died June 11, 1788. Sept. 17, 1791, he married his wife's sister, Amy, and as such connections were prohibited by the laws of Connecticut, he moved to New York for the purpose of con- summating the union, and practiced his profession in New York City. Land speculation was much in vogue at that time and Mr Thompson engaged in it with spirit and success. Hu purchased between twenty and thirty thousand acres in this County, and in the spring of 1795 he commenced their settle= ment, with a view partially of improving his health which had become somewhat impaired. He brought with him mill- wrights and commenced the erection of a saw mill, which he completed in about four months. He next erected a grist mil! which was completed the following year. He returned to New York in the fall, leaving John Knapp and wife to superintend affairs during his absence. Knapp was one of the workmen engaged in the erection of the mills, and grand- father of the Knapps now residing in Thompsonville and Falls burgh. Mr. Thompson came back in the spring with his family, and spent the summer on his new possessions. He continued to spend his summers here, and his winters in New York, until 1501, in which year he made this his permanent residence and occupied a house on the hill near the present " family mansion." He was appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Ulster Co., and April 2, 1805, he was appointed First Judge of Ulster Co., which office he filled until after the erection of Sullivan County, in 1809, ou the 1st of June of which year he was appointed First Judge of the latter County, and held the office until old age incapacitatedl him for performing its duties. His wife, Amy, who bore him six daughters and one son, died Aug. 3, 1807. He subsequent- ly married Charity Reed, widow of Sheldrick Reed, who bore him five daughters and two sons. He died Dec. 9, 1847 .*
*About 1445 Mr. Thompson Interested himself in the study of geology, on w subject he contributed wane valuable papers to the Journal of Science, some of His were oppneed to the theories of Prof. Buckley and attracted the attention of " scientlate of Europe and won for him an honorary membership in the " Geologi s. Society and the Royal Institute of France"-an honor which but two others it 1.9 United States theu rujoyed.
Ladies' Brooches, Far Kligs, Meere Buttons, &c., in fine variety tout Necklaces, And Gud Lakes, Partants, Charms, at Benedict's, Monticello.
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Among the millwrights who came with Thompson was James Brown, who came as an apprentice and settled at Thompsonville. Ananias Sacket, from Fishkill, (Dutchess Co.) settled about one mile south-west of Monticello shortly after the Sacket road was made by Nathaniel Sacket, father of Ananias, in 1795. Reuben Allen and - Brooks located near this time, the former about one-half mile south of Bridgeville, and the latter about one mile north of that village. Allen was a Revolutionary soldier. Abraham Warring was among the early settlers at Thompsonville, and was employed by Wm. A. Thompson in the construction of the mills erected by him at that place. He kept the first inn in the town. Daniel Litts, Evert Terwilliger, from Mamakating, and David and Nathan Kinne, from Connecticut, came in about 1798, and settled on Sacket Pond.
Timothy Childs, from Woodstock, Conn., located at Thomp- sonville in 1799, and engaged in farming and masonry. His sons were Richard D., Obediah, James B. and John G. Rich- ard D. Childs was born in 1792. He was constable, deputy sheriff and collector of Thompson in 1814. In 1816 he moved to Neversink, and is now living at Grahamsville in that town, having, by a life of industry, amassed considerable wealth. About 1809, he was employed by David Reed, then a merchant of Thompsonville, to go to South East, (Putnam Co.) for a load of young apple trees. These were planted at Thompson- ville and formed the first orchard there. Obediah Childs moved to Neversink and subsequently to Ulster County, where he died a few years ago. James B. Childs became a tanner, in which business he was successful. He now resides at Ellenville, (Ulster Co.) and is nearly seventy-two years of age. John G. Childs became a lawyer and followed his vocation for some time at Monticello. He was deputy sheriff and subsequently sheriff of the County. He moved to Grahamsville, and recently to Napanoch, Ulster County.
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Judge Johannes Miller, settled about 1800, at Glen Wild, which was formerly known as the Miller Settlement.
Among the early settlers were Jabez Wakeman, from Conn., who settled about a mile north of Bridgeville about 1801-2; Samuel Pelton, who in 1802 purchased a farm about three miles south-west of Monticello, on the north end of which he built a log house, about half a mile north of where his son Luther now resides, and the following year moved his family into it; (an old orchard* planted a year or two later is still standing, though
*About 1:19. a party of young men and boys from Monticello, visited this orchard one Right to quietly gather some apples. They filled their bags and started for home. One of the party stopped on the roadside, without the knowledge of the rest, who supposed he was ahead, and in endeavoring to overtake them by running he startled his com-
Gold sliver Spoons, Forks, Butter Hinises, Napkin Binga, Ke,, quality warranted-Cola Silver. Old Bliver bought at market value, at Benedict's.
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it bears but little fruit;) Moses and Nathaniel Goldsmith from Orange Co., and ------ Jones, - Wells and Prentiss Allen from Putnam Co., who came in 1803; John Avery, who moved from Westchester Co., and located at Thompsonville, about 1802-4; Platt Pelton, from South East, (Putnam Co.) a tanner and cur. rier by trade, who, in 1804, located at Monticello, and the fol- lowing year erected on a one acre lot, given him by the Joneser, (who, as previously stated, first settled at Monticello,) for that purpose and as an inducement to settle here, a small tannery, (in which he ground his bark by horse-power) and a hou ... (which was, as before stated, the second one erected here :* } Major Abraham Brownson, who, the same year (1804) came from Roxbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., purchased Jand just cast of Monticello, on which the following year he built a log house, and in 1806 moved his family and made this his permanent residence; Nehemiah Smith, who came from South East, (Put- nam Co.) and settled near Pleasant Lake, in 1804, and James Bailey, who settled at the same place, about the same time ; Jonathan Hovt, who in the spring of 1801, came from Norwalk. Fairfield Co., Conn., and settled on the Neversink, one-half mile south of Bridgeville, where he bought two hundred acres of land, on which he lived till his death in 1833; Uzial Royce. from Hartford Co., Conn., who, with nine children, settled about two and one-half miles west of Monticello, in 1805, and whose youngest son, Oran, who was then nine years old, is now Jiving one-half mile west of that village ; John Lord, from Fair- field Co., Conn., who settled on the Neversink, in the south part of the town of Fallsburgh in 1803, and moved to this town and located at Lords Pond in 1805; Daniel, Lewis and Daniel Ketcham Jr., who came from Putnam. County, and located at Bridgeville in 1806;+ Joshua Foster, who came
panions, who, wapposine they were pursued, dropped their bags and ran for home. The next morning Mr. P-Ron, who was a Presbyterian clergyman, gathered up the bars of applee. Some of the bas were marked with the owners' names, which gave him a clue to at least a portion of the calprits.
e some years later ho erected & larger tannery on the creek south of the village, which, with adlitione, Is now occupied by Starr & Burnham. Eli S. Pelton, son of Platt Pel. ton, sad the only surviving member of the family residing in Monticello, now lives oa the lot received by his father from the Joneses.
+ The following statement of votes cast at the annual election held this year will serve. in s mensure, to ind.rate the numerical growth of the town up to that period. when it formed a fort of L'ister County. It is copied from the town records :
" Her Cochly on M'Atement of votes taken at the anniversary election for Sera- tors and Representa HIER Ist Congress, which commenced on the last Tuesday in April one thousand r:ant nadred and six.
thirty-seven votes. thirty-two votes. -For Senators.
..
five votes. sixty-nine votos for Representative.
" We certify ine afaire to be a true statement and estimate of votes taken in the town of Thompson at afurcsald election.
" Samuel F. Jones "Trial Wakeman "Enoch Comstock " Francis Andrewe
Inspectors."
Splendid silver Plated Tra Kets, Calle Basketn. Castore, Spoony, Ford& At. opera & Btrop's fluo Plated ware, warranted, at ticaedicits store.
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from Connecticut about the latter date and settled about four miles north of Monticello ; Nathan Burnham, who came from. Connecticut two years later and settled in the same locality ; Malachi Foot, M. D., who moved here from New York in 1809, and Cyrus A. Cady, M. D., grandfather of Wm. H. Cady, who came about the same time; Nathan S. Starr, who came from Danbury, Conn., in 1811, and located at Monticello, where he was an early school teacher, who moved to Fallsburgh and engaged in farming, and where he was for many years justice of the peace and superintendent of schools, and who subse- quently returned to Monticello, where he died in 186-, at the age of sixty-four; Adina Strong, who, with his three sons, (Nehemiah, Truman and Sheldon, the latter of whom is now living at Monticello and is the only survivor,) came from Connecticut in 1812 and located near the line of Liberty, at what has since been known as Strong Settlement ; and Charles Thompson, who commenced the practice ,of law with Gov. Van Ness, at Spencertown, Columbia Co., and in 1806 moved to Westchester Co., where he remained ten years in profitable business, at the expiration of which time he removed to Mon- ticello and bought the residence of Samuel F. Jones, together with a large tract of land, where in Dec. 1817, he died. His residence is now owned by Gen. A. C. Niven, of Monticello.
George Brush, now sixty-one years of age, and residing at Monticello, came here with his father from New York in 1821, at which time there was not a painted house nor a church in the village. Up to the time the first church was erected public worship was held in the school house and the court house.
The first school was taught by Asa Hall, at Bridgeville; the first mills erected in the town were those built by Judge Thompson at Thompsonville.
This town in common with others of the County and the country adjacent to it was, until a comparatively recent date, infested with wild beasts. These uncongenial and savage neighbors rendered necessary in the early settlers of this region a familiarity with the use of fire arms and similar weapons, both as a means of protection from their attack and to procure game for the larder, (for stock raising was not a profitable business so long as these animals existed in such abundance,) and developed qualities which would illy grace the cultured descendants of these hardy pioncers. But long after this mode of living ceased to be a necessity and the number of wild beasts was so much reduced as to make them for less, if at all troublesome, in certain localities, there were those who had acquired so great a passion for the exciting pleasures of the chase that they only needed an opportunity to indulge it.
FIER GLASSES and SPECTACLES. A large assortment of Perizempic, Double Conver and Comesee Glasses, for Near and Defective Sight, at Wonedick's.
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Many thrilling stories of daring adventures with bears ..: : other animals have been narrated to us, and doubtless Inis. .. much of interest for many of our readers, could we devote t.c space necessary for their reproduction .*
The Presbyterian Church at Monticello was organized with twelve members Sept. 5, 1810, by Rev. Daniel C. Hopkins 3 missionary sent out by the General Assembly of the Pre -: .. terian Church. Rev. John Boyd became its first pastor Their house of worship was erected in 1844, at a cost of $1.1. .. It will seat five hundred persons. Rev. T. M. Dawson is the
*The following story, whose substance we give, was related to us by the hero of At occasion, who has recently retired from active business life in Monticello. Que winter's day. about the year 1819. "Uncle Billy," who was then a youn; and lived in that part of Poreetburgh which was formerly included in this town engaged at shingle making in the woods. In the evening, while on his way home tx discovered in the snow which had fallen during the day the fresh tracks of a large A haut was planned, and early the next morning. in company with two other y .: men of the neighborhood. be sallied out in search of the bear. The trail was soon f and easily followed westward, in & tortuous course, toward the Monganp. Billy" carried his tide, while one of his companions carried an ax as an offensive u" fensive weapon, As circumstances might determine; the other was unarmed. 3. noon they came near the Monganp, where the snow was considerably troddes . * several rods about, and where it was concluded the bear's den must be. The ret ta Was bugun and soon " Uucle Billy" discovered a large. flat rock, under which = 1. @ Jurre. dark and deep hole. He peered into and placed bis eor near the aperture, 1 :! could detect no sound from within. He cnt a pole, abont sixteen feet long, which ; . Inserted in the opening and pushed forward as far as possible. The pole came itt : tact with a subsinter which was soft and yielding, but provoked neither sound ros movement indicating the presence of any living thing within. The pole, on being no: drawn, revealed no trace of dirt, nor anything which enabled him to determine nature of the object it touched. laving split the pole at the end, he again iserte .. ". and after vigorously thrusting and twisting it round several times, without, however. eliciting any sound of movement from within, he again withdrew it, and this time :. presence of hair In the split revealed the fact that it had come in contact with a. animal. which. "Cocho Dily" was sa-nred was the bear in question. He called to 's companions for assistance, One of them came promptly, but the other, in wool los suspense had suakened a vivid apprehension of danger, conpeeled a return home. " Unele Buly" however, who had become more interested in his work as :> evidouves of Li: presence of the bear accumulated, was not to be deterred frer. s further prosecution of the search, and was determined not to forego the antici; at phasure which the a 'ght of und capture of the bear would Awaken, through the tis .. . '? of his companion. He now sharpened the pole, at the end, to a point, and 3.2 punched away with all his might. This treatment produced the desired effect. ">: deniy " Cuche Boly" war thade aware that the bear was aroused, for it seized the - of the pair and approached the entrance to its cave, pushing both pole and " ("> Billy " before it. traspor his rile, "Uncle Billy" welcomed the bear when tterdel fos sil with s shot. which caused it to fall back several feet into the case. where it lay perfectis >ti. It was faintly discernible, but not sufficiently so tu .. . them to detisAbe whether it was dead or not. The timid young man now der safe to me to the sentance of his companions, but having waited some time and ..... no moremed from the war, his fears again assailed him and he again arged hi- c- parlons to go hoffe. He was again overruled.
After envarre ** fel a trapts to pull the bear out with crotched poles, " Uncle DE decided tog . Cowa fremd Er-t into the den and thus secure him. His companions wra Instructed to take bond of the feet and be in readiness to pull him out quick y !! sarv. The plan wxs successful. The bear was quite dead, and in a few mingt. : It and its captor were painted to the corface. After the lapse of some two minuter aftertjen Was affree ted by a noise in the den, and a smaller, female, bear showt. A shot from the rifle soon placed her hors de combat and
head at the afrl .t, !" & de, from which sho too wa- enon dragged. they were occupied with the question as to how to get ti hotne. To ME Must bear were tied together and it slung across the .. The largo beat was suspended from a pole and carried by :". tto. In this way they reached the road, a mile distant, just at dark, when they 'nt & team with an empty ried, on which they were permitted to deposit their game. War with the welver, was exit conveyed home. Tired and hungry as they were let would not est onthis sheak was cut from one of the bears and prepared for supper
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present pastor. There are 149 members. The Church prop- ertv is valued at 810,000. This Church was the first one organized in the town. It now pays a salary of $2,000, and during the past year (1871) has received funds to the amount of $5,000, with which to build a " memorial parsonage."
The St. John's Church (Episcopal) at Monticello was incor. porated Nov. 11, 1816, and the certificate of incorporation is signed by Rev. James Thompson, Wm. W. Sacket and Cyrus A. Cady. The parish includes all Sullivan County. At the time of incorporation Rev. James Thompson officiated for two or three Sundays, and from that time until 1826, Rev. John Brown D. D. of Newburgh held services in the Court House once in about three months. Rev. E. K. Fowler* took charge of the parish Dec. 22, 1826. His rectorship covered an interval of nearly forty-three years. He resigned July 6, 1868. The building of the present church edifice was begun in 1834, Trinity Church of New York giving $1,500 toward its erection. It cost about 84,000; and was consecrated Nov. 20, 1835, by Rt. Rev. Benj. T. Underdonk D. D. The building is much dilapitated and the Congregation are about to build a new one or make extensive repairs. The present rector is Rev. George D. Silliman ; and the number of communicants is 140. A chapel of the parish, the Church of St. Mary, is being built at Thompsonville.t
The Monticello M. E. Church was organized in 1843, with thirty members and Rev. S. M. Knapp as its first pastor. The church edifice, which will seat 550 persons, was erected the same year, at a cost of 82,600, and was remodeled in 1861 and 1870. The Church property is valued at 85,000. The present pastor is Rev. I. B. Heroy ; the membership, 155.
The M. E. Church at Bridgeville was organized with fifty- nine members, in 1849, by Rev. Adee Vail, its first pastor. The first church edifice was erected as a Union Church, (being occupied by the Baptists, Episcopalians and Methodists,) about 1816. The present one, which will seat 200 persons, was erected in 1869, at a cost of 82,600, which is the present value of Church property. There are sixty members, and Rev. C. H. Reynolds is the pastor.
The Methodist Church at Mongaup Center was organized with sixty members in 1800, in which year their house of worship,
* When Mr. Fowler took charge there were fourteen communicants. During his . rectorship 3:5 were admitted. He baptized in the parish abont 350 persons, and mar- ried 409 couples.
+ We are requested by the present pastor to state that he destres communicants within the County, whom he has not seen. to advise him of their address, that he may thereby be enabled to extend the sphere of his usefulness.
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which will seat three hundred persons, was erected, at & cunt $100. Rev. Edmund Lewis was the first pastor ; Rev. Jauna N. Bryers is the present one. There are about fifty mem'. The value of the Church property is $1,500.
The St. Peter's Church (Catholic) at Monticello, was orgin ized with four hundred members, by Rt. Rev. Daniel Muy. its first and present pastor, in 1864, and its house of worst !;. which will seat 550 persons, was erected the same year, at a ( .. of $5,000. There are now 500 members. The Church propre is valued at from 87,000 to $8,000.
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