USA > New York > Ulster County > Gazetteer and business directory of Ulster County, N.Y. for 1871-2 > Part 15
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The present membership is 414. The society propose to en. large and improve their house of worship during the year, 6. that it will seat about 1,000.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1839 by Richard! Mondon, Simon Rose and Benjamin Vanwagenen, and consiste: of about a dozen members. Their house of worship was erecto ! the same year, and was rebuilt and improved in 1870. It will seat about 500 and its value is estimated at $4,000. Rev. In Ferris was the first pastor ; Rev. Nelson Brusie is the present pastor.
The Methodist Church of Cold Spring Corner was organized in 1851 by Rev. Jeremiah Millard, the first pastor, and con- sisted of about 40 members. Their house of worship was erected in 1861; it will seat 200 and its estimated value is $2,500 The present membership is 60, and the present pas- tor is Rev. N. Brusie.
From the Records in the Town Clerk's office we have made some extracts, giving the names of town officers one hundred years ago.
" At the annual meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Town of New Paltz and the neighborhoods thereto annexed, on the first Tuesday in April 1771, (being their annual Election Day) were the following Per- sons Elected and Chosen by a majority of Voices to serve the said Town and the Neighborhoods annexed thereto for the ensuing year, in the several and respective offices they were chosen to fill viz."
Oliver Gray and Abraham Doiau Jr. were the Constables; Jacob Hasbrouck Jr., Supervisor ; Jacob Hasbrouck and Jou- athan Terwiliger, Assessors ; Jacob Dubois and Gerritt Freer. Jr., Overseers of Highways on the west side of New Paltz ; An- dres Lefevre, Overseer of the "Highway that leads from the New Paltz to Kettelburgh." Overseers of other highways were Jacob Hasbrouck Jr., Roelof Osburn, Ebenezer Perkins, Josaphat Hasbrouck. The town voted to raise "33 pounds current money of New York for the purposes hereinafter mentioned." which were thirty pounds for the support of the poor, and three pounds for the Town Clerk. In accordance with the provisions of a statute quoted, " Persons within the said District who have no visible way of getting an honest livelihood, shall by the overseers of the poor for the time being, be compelled to work at the rate of two shillings per day for an able bodied man and a shilling per day for a man of less ability of body." Girls were to be bound out until eighteen, and boys until twenty-one years of age. In 1772 Ebenezer Perkins and Johannes Freer were chosen Overseers of the Poor. In the margin of the Re- cords stands this entry :
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" But the said Johannes Freer refusing to serve the Freeholders and In- habitants of said District, by the appointment of Noah Eltinge, Benjamin Smedes Jr. and Johannes Jansen Jun. Esqrs. thereof, his Majesty's Jus- tices of the Peace for said County, met together on Thursday the 30th inst, and by a majority of voices elected Abraham Vander Warker for overseer of the poor to supply the vacancy."
In 1773 the Freeholders ordered that
"All persons as well women as men who have no visible way of get- ting an honest livelihood, shall by the overseers of the poor be compelled to work at such rates and wages as the overseer of the poor shall be able to get for them."
The Records for several years were kept by Joseph Codding- ton, Town Clerk. The writing is very plain and uniform, and can be read as easily as print. The following is a specimen of a multitude of Ear Marks described in the Records: " Abra- ham Doiau, his mark on his Neat Cattle, Sheep and Hogs is two slits cut in the right ear of each of them viz, one slit on each side of the extremity or upper end of the said ear, down- wards from the top of the ear towards the middle thereof." Anthony Yelverton's mark was "two half pennies viz. one half penny cut out of the underside of each ear." Abraham Eltinge's mark was "a piece cut out of the right ear of each of them circularwise like an Halfmoon."
The citizens of New Paltz rallied at their country's call when the life of the Nation was threatened ; and when peace was restored, the survivors erected a monument to the memory of those who fell in their country's cause. The following are the names upon the monument : Lieut. George P. Lord, U. S. N., Capt. Johannes LeFevre, Serg't. David H. Fay, Richard Ellsworth, Thomas Close, Abraham Hunt, John Harp, Silas Booth, Charles Booth, Joseph R. Wood, Simon Freer, Luther Freer, Henry Osterhoudt, George Brundage, Ananias Johnston, Benjamin Smith, Andrew Yaple, William Ackert, Charles Ketcham, Richard Oliver, Ezekiel Freer, John S. Humstone, James L. Hess, John Van Tekel, John Anson, John Beck, Conrad Bowriece, William Eckert.
The population of the town in 1870 was 2,040; its area, 20,074 acres, with an assessed value of $428,598.
There are six school districts, employing the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age is 622; the number attending school, 440; the average attendance, 157, and the value of school houses and sites, $3,800.
OLIVE was formed from Shandaken, Marbletown and Hurley, April 15, 1823. A part was annexed to Woodstock and a part of Woodstock was annexed in 1853. It is an in-
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terior town, lying a little north-west of the center of the County. The surface is mountainous in the north and west. and hilly in the south and east. The towns of Olive, Roches- ter and Denning corner on a hill which is about 2,700 feet above tide. Shokan Point is about 3,100 feet high, and the average elevation of the low lands is about 800 feet above tide. A con- siderable portion of the mountainous region is too rough for profitable cultivation. Esopus Creek flows south-east through the town, a little north of the center. The soil is a sandy, gravelly and clayey loam. Lumbering and tanning are carried on to some extent, but less than formerly. The Rondout & Oswego Railroad extends through the north part of the town.
Shokan, (p. v.) on Esopus Creek, a little north of the center of the town, contains two churches, a tannery and about thirty houses. It is a station on the Rondout & Oswego Railroad.
Samsonville, (p. v.) on the south border, was named from Gen. Henry A. Samson, and contains a church, a tannery and : about thirty dwellings.
Olive, (p. v.) in the north-east part, contains a church and .. about thirty houses.
Olive City (Olive Bridge p. o.) is near the center, on the ·creek.
The first settlements were made in the Esopus Valley in 1.740. Among the early settlers were George Middagh, who settled in 1740, Samuel Cox in 1742, and William Nottingham, in 1745, at Olive Bridge. John Crispell settled in 1747, a little east of Shokan, and Hendrick Crispell, at Shokan, in 1760. John Coons and Thomas Bush settled at Olive City, the former in 1775 and the latter in 1755. The first inn was kept at Olive Bridge, by Conrad DuBois, and the first store by .Lemuel Winchell, at Winchell's Falls, where the first saw mill .and grist mill were erected by Mr. Winchell. Two sons of Frederick Bush were carried off by the Indians in 1781.
The Reformed Church, the first in the town, was organized at Shokan in 1800.
The population in 1870 was 3,099, and its area 37,603 acres, with an assessed value of 8199,240.
There are fifteen school districts, employing sixteen teachers. The number of children of school age is 1,488; the number attending school, 987; the average attendance, 385, and the value of school houses and sites, 85,935.
PLATTEKILL was formed from Marlborough, March 21, 1800. A part of Shawangunk was annexed April 3, 1846,
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but was restored March 28, 1848. It lies upon the south bor- der of the County. The surface is broken by a series of ridges of an average elevation of 300 feet above the valleys. Its streams are small brooks and creeks. The soil is a fine quality of sandy and gravelly loam. 1
Plattekill, (p. v.) in the south part of the town, contains two churches, viz., Methodist and Friends, the Presbyterian church not being occupied at present ; a store, a blacksmith shop, a butcher shop and about thirty dwellings.
Clintondale, (p. v.) on the north border, contains a church, two stores, a blacksmith shop, a wagon shop, an undertaker and about twenty dwellings.
Modena, (p. v.) in the north-west part, contains a Methodist church, a hotel, a store, a meat market, a blacksmith and wagon shop, and about a dozen dwellings.
Fruit is largely cultivated in this town, especially grapes. Mr. Alexander Palmer, residing about a mile and a half east of Modena, is cultivating the Concord grape quite extensively, and has a factory for preserving fruit, vegetables and meat by evapor- ation. The building is 30 by 60 feet, with steam engine and other machinery capable of preserving a large amount of fruit during the season. Preserved by this process, the fruit retains all its original flavor and color, and is superior in many respects to canned fruit. By this process fresh fruit can be had at all seasons of the year.
The Modena Rural Cemetery is located about one-fourth of a mile north of the village; it is beautifully laid out and contains eight and a half acres. It is managed by an association of which Thaddeus Hait is president; Ira H. Eltinge, secretary ; Oscar Hasbrouck, treasurer. It was dedicated in July 1870, and its cost is about $3,300.
The settlement of this town was comenced about the begin- ning of the last century. " Spafford's Gazetteer," 1813, says : " It is a good township of farming land and has little to invite minute detail. The inhabitants are principally farmers of plain economical habits, and much of their clothing is the product of the household wheel and loom. There are 109 looms in families which annually make about 25,000 yards of cloth for common clothing. Its agriculture is rapidly improving though still in- ferior to that of the farming towns of Dutchess County, on the opposite side of the river."
The Reformed Church of New Hurley was organized in 1770 by Rev. D. Romeyn. The original records were kept in Dutch. The first pastor was Rev. Stephen Goetchius. The first house
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of worship was erected in 1774; the present house in 1835, at a cost of $4,500. It has since been remodeled and will now seat 600, and is valued at $7,000. The membership is 161.
The population of the town in 1870 was 2,031, and its area 21,140 acres, with an assessed value of $377,258.
There are nine school districts, employing the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age is 699; the number attending school, 528; the average attendance, 199 ; the value of school houses and sites, 85,870.
ROCHESTER, named in honor of the Earl of Roches- ter, was incorporated by patent, June 25, 1703, and organized as a town, March 7, 1788. A part of Middletown (Delaware Co.) was taken off in 1789, Neversink (Sullivan Co.) in 1798, Wawarsing in 1806, and a part of Gardiner in 1853. A part of Wawarsing was annexed March 21, 1823. It is an interior town, lying a little south-west of the center of the County. The east and west borders are traversed by ranges of mountains, and the central portion is a rolling upland. Rondout Creek flows north-east through the south part, and receives as tribu- taries Sanderkill, Peterskill and several other streams. Ver- nooy Creek flows south through the west part. The soil upon the uplands is a gravelly loam ; and in the valleys a sandy loam, mixed with clay. The Delaware and Hudson Canal ex- tends along the valley of Rondout Creek. Esopus millstones are manufactured to some extent in this town. Near Kyserike is a cave which has been explored for a considerable distance.
Alligerville and Port Jackson are small villages on the canal. Accord and Kyserike are post offices in the east part of the town. (See Errata.)
The first settlement was made by the Dutch about 1700. The patent of the town was granted in 1704, and the first trustees under this patent were Col. Henry Beekman, Joachim Schoonmaker and Moses DePuy. The lands covered by the patent embraced Rochester and Wawarsing and part of Sulli- van Co. In 1703 the following persons were residents of the town, viz., Jan Gerritse Decker, Lodewyck Hornbeck, Leendert Kool, Sen., Anthony Hornbeck, Wm. De La Montaigne, Teunis Osterhoudt, Jan Cartwright, Gysbert Van Garde, Andries Davies and David DuBois. The first deed recorded was Sept. 22, 1703, and was given to Jan Gerritse Decker for two hun- dred acres of land, bounded on the south by Rondout Creek and on the west by the Mombaccus Creek, on which Moses J. Schoonmaker now resides. To Teunis Osterhoudt was granted " the just half of a streame of the Mombaccus Kill, being the
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north side of said Kill where his corne mill stands," and where the mills of Schoonmaker and Davis now stand. To Anthony and Joost Hornbeck was granted "all that fall and streame of the Mombaccus Kill known by the name of the greate or high fall on said Kill, with free liberty and license to build mills." The place is now occupied by Samuel Wilkinson's mills. To Andries Davis, of Kingston, was granted "all that certain tract of land beginning by a great fall called Hoenck, from thence up the Creek northerly to the high mountains, in- cluding several small parcells of land called by the Indian names Wasschawaninck, Eghhoneck, Mattegonighonck, Tam- mamanoghinck, Ragawack; also all the land from the bounds of Kahangsinck to the high mountains." To John Beatty was granted " all that tract lying on the north-west side of the great mountains near to the high point called Magonick, which is the parting bounds betwixt Capt. John Evans and the New Paltz."" In 1757 the trustees conveyed to Benjamin Schoonmaker, Benjamin Van Wagnen, Capt. Jacob Hornbeck and Lieut. Jacobus DePuy and their successors, Elders of the Reformed Dutch Church, one hundred and fifty acres of land. The tract was located in what is now known as the Osterhoudt neighborhood.
The town officers for 1709 were William Nottingham, Town Clerk ; Capt. Joachim Schoonmaker, Supervisor; Moses De Puy, Lodewyck Hornbeck, Assessors; Jan Cartrecht, Con- stable and Collector. In 1730 the officers were J. Bruyn, Jr., Town Clerk; Lodewyck Hornbeck, Supervisor; Capt. Johan- nes Vernoay, Jacob Dewitt, Assessors; Mathews Van Terwilli- ger, Lawrence Cortreght, Constables ; Matthis Snow, Capt. Al- bert Pawling, Surveyors of High ways.
In 1778 the inhabitants of Rochester petitioned Governor Clinton for protection against the Indians. The following is a copy of the petition, signed by fifty men :
"To his Excellency George Clinton Esq., Governor of the State of New York.
" The Petition of the Inhabitants of Rochester, in Ulster County, Hum- bly Sheweth-
"That your petitioners have for a long time labored under the dreadful apprehensions of an Attack from an unseen Enemy; Your Excellency is not unacquainted with the fate of the German Flatts, the late conflag- ration of Pienpack, that flourishing part of Your Excellencies Frontiers ; we dread to share their fate. Your Excellency being acquainted with the situation of this place, will not be surprised when we thus beg your Ex- cellencies protection-not only the Lives of your Petitioners are Exposed, but the Enemy seem determined to destroy the Grain and Cattle, this must (your Excellency well knows,) soon reduce the publick as well as individu- als to Scarcity-therefore your Humble petitioners do Beg your Excellen- cy to protect us with a larger number of Men, the Supplies already sent
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by your Excellency (if double) and properly Stationed may under God pre- vent impending danger-and your petitioners will ever pray."
Among the signers were Capt. Benjamin Kortright, Capt. Jochem Schoonmaker, Lieut. Dirick Wesbrook, Lieut. Frederic Wesbrook, Lieut. Jacobus Bruyn, Jr., Ensign Jacob Hoornbeck, Jacobus Wynkook, Moses Depuy, John Sleght and others.
Spafford's "State Gazetteer" says that in 1810 the population was 1,882, that "there were 128 looms in families which made that year 26,624 yards of cloth for common clothing. There is an old stone church of the Dutch Reformed order, out of repair and a vacant ministry. The Navisink turnpike from Kings- ton to Sullivan Co. leads through this Town. Here as in many other of the old Dutch settlements, are patented lands, held in trust for the inhabitants, but the titles to farms are commonly in fee simple."
The first church was formed soon after the settlement.
The population of the town in 1870 was 4,088, and its area 47,859 acres, with an assessed value of $658,680.
There are 15 school districts, employing 16 teachers. The number of children of school age is 1,488 ; the number attend- ing school, 958 ; the average attendance, 398, and the value of school houses and sites, $6,295.
ROSENDALE was formed from Marbletown, New Paltz and Hurley, April 26, 1844. It is an interior town, lying east of the center of the County. The surface is a rolling and broken upland, the highest summits being from 200 to 500 feet above the valleys. Rondout Creek flows north-east through the town near the center, receiving Coxingkill from the south, and Cottlekill from the north. The Delaware and Hudson Canal ex- tends along the Rondout Creek. The soil is chiefly a sandy loam. In the north-west part of the town are several small lakes, called the Binnewaters. Cement is extensively manufac- tured throughout the town. The Wallkill Valley R. R. extends through the whole length of the town. In the south-west part are three caves, in a ledge of rocks of the Shawangunk Moun- tains, where ice is found at all times of the year.
Rosendale, (p. v.) situated on the creek and canal, near the center of the town, contains three churches, viz., Reformed, Baptist and Roman Catholic; two hotels, two stores, a school, two blacksmith shops, three wagon shops, an undertaker, coal yard, a harness shop, a shoe shop, two milliners, a meat market, a cement kiln and about 550 inhabitants. The W. V. R. R. crosses the creek at this place on a bridge 900 feet long and 140 feet above the water. -
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Lawrenceville, named in honor of Mr. Watson E. Lawrence, is situated on the creek, about a mile above Rosendale, and con- tains two cement manufactories and about 400 inhabitants.
The Rosendale Cement Company's Mills at this place, have a capacity for manufacturing about 350 barrels daily, and give employment to about 60 men. This is the pioneer company in the manufacture of cement, and was established by Mr. Watson E. Lawrence, who now resides in New York.
Lawrenceville Cement Co. have a capacity for manufacturing about 125,000 barrels each season, giving employment to about 130 men. The mills are on the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
Bruceville, in the west part of the town, on Rondout Creek, about two and a half miles from Rosendale, contains a store, 8 cement mill and fifteen dwellings.
The Bruceville Cement Manufactory makes about 30,000 bar- rels each season, and gives employment to about 35 hands. The mills have a capacity for about 300 barrels per day. James H. Van Demark is the proprietor.
A mineral spring at this place receives some patronage.
Rosendale Plains is a hamlet about one and a fourth miles south of Rosendale, and contains a hotel, a blacksmith shop, & trotting course and ten dwellings.
Le Fevre Falls, (p. v.) formerly known as Rook Lock, is situ- ated about a mile below Rosendale, and contains a store, three hotels, two cement manufactories and about thirty dwellings.
The New York Cement Company, at this place, manufacture about 500 barrels of cement per day and about 100,000 barrels during the season.
Martin & Clearwater's Cement Works have a capacity for mak- ing 80,000 barrels per season, and give employment to about one hundred men.
Whiteport, in the north-east part of the town, is about four miles north from Rosendale, and about the same distance south- west of Rondout. It contains the Newark & Rosendale Lime and Cement Works and a population of about 1,500, including what is known as Hickory Bush. The village has been built up almost wholly by the Cement Works. They manufacture about 800 barrels per day, and have a capacity for 1,000 barrels. The barrels are all made here and their cement is transported to tide water over a horse railroad. They employ about 180 men. The quarries are entered by tunnels, two of which are 200 feet in length each, and one seventy feet. They have a per- pendicular depth of about 120 to 140 feet. They have seven-
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teen kilns, fifteen of which are in constant use. It is ground in a mill containing twelve runs of three feet stones, the power being a fifty horse-power water wheel and two 100 horse-power engines.
The Lawrence Cement Company wasestablished in 1848. Their works are about a mile south of Whiteport. They manufacture about 550 barrels per day, and give employment to about 100 men. Their cement is quarried and burned here, and trans- ported over a horse railroad to Eddyville, where it is ground and shipped.
Creek Locks, (p. v.) in the east part of the town, where the canal locks into the creek, contains two stores, a grocery, a school and about 25 dwellings.
The Hudson River Cement Works, located on the Hudson River, a few miles above Rondout, have an extensive quarry near Creek Locks, where they give employment to about fifty men. The stone is conveyed from the quarry about three-eighths of a mile on an inclined plain railway, the descending cars drawing up the ascending ones.
The Warner Lime and Cement Co. of Troy, have a quarry and kilns in this town, where they give employment to fifteen men.
The first settlement of this town was made about 1700. It received its name from the old " Rosendale Farm," where an inn was kept in 1711. The place is now owned by Mrs. M. C. Cor- nell. It was the residence of Col. Rutzer, one of the patentees. The house is of stone and was for a long time the office of the Loan Commissioner of the County. General Washington visited the County in June 1783, when Mrs. Washington and Governor and Mrs. Clinton were entertained in this house by Col. Hardenburgh. As this town had no separate organization until 1844, its early history is blended with that of adjacent towns from which it was taken.
" Gordon's Gazetteer," published in 1836, says the village of Rosendale contains ten or twelve dwellings and a hydraulic cement factory, owned by W. E. Lawrence, and giving employ- ment to from 100 to 200 hands, and producing 500 casks daily.
The Reformed Church was the first organized in the town. Rev. J. McFarland was the first pastor. Their house of wor- ship was erected in 1843 ; it will seat 300 and cost $2,500. The present membership is 82. Rev. M. F. Libeneau is the pastor.
The New School Baptist Church was organized by Lewis Ray- mond with 26 members. The first pastor was David Mores. Their house of worship was erected in 1841; it will seat 350 and cost $1,600. Its present value is 83,500. The present
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membership is 70, and the pastor is Rev. D. Van Fredenburgh.
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church was organized in 1851 by Father Martin, with about 50 members. The first services were held under a tree on the present site of the church. Their house of worship was erected in 1852 ; it seats 350. The first pastor was Rev. Edward Lynch ; the present pastor is Rev. Patrick Brady. The membership is 1,500 and the value of the church property is about $10,000.
The population in 1870 was 3,625, and its area 11,299 acres, with an assessed value of $442,920.
There are seven school districts, employing nine teachers. The number of children of school age is 1,256; the number attending school, 775; the average attendance, 347, and the value of school houses and sites, $7,850.
SAUGERTIES was formed from Kingston, April 5, 1811. An error in the boundary was corrected June 8, 1812, and a part of Kingston was annexed April 2, 1832. It lies upon the Hudson in the north-east corner of the County. The surface is rolling in the east, and hilly in the center and west. The hills upon the river and extending back for two miles are underlaid by limestone, from which quicklime and cement are manufactured. Further west are fine quarries of flagging stone. Plattekill flows through the town in a tortuous course, and empties into the Esopus near the south border of the town. Kaaterskill flows along the north border. The soil along the river is a clayey loam, and upon the uplands a sandy and gravelly loam. Stone quarrying is extensively carried on, and powder, brick, white lead, &c., are manufactured to con- siderable extent.
Saugerties, (p. v.) on the Hudson, at the mouth of Esopus Creek, was incorporated April 26, 1831, as "Ulster." Its name was changed April 10, 1855. It contains seven churches, three banks, a newspaper office, several large manufactories and about 4.000 inhabitants. A line of steamers ply between this place, New York and Albany, and a steam ferry connects with the Hudson River Railroad at Tivoli. The village is provided with hotels and stores of various kinds.
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