USA > New York > Washington County > Gazetteer and business directory of Washington County, N.Y. for 1871 > Part 14
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Bald Mountain, (p. v.) three and a half miles north of Union Village, is a thriving little village containing about 94 houses and 600 inhabitants, many of whom are employed in the manufacture of lime, so widely and favorably known as the Bald Mountain lime. The Bald Mountain Lime Works, established in 1852 by the present proprietor, Robert W. Low- ber, has eleven kilns built and in process of erection. The eight now in operation produce 800 barrels of lime daily, and give employment to 160 persons. The kilns are constructed on the principle embraced in Page's patent, for burning coal, in some of which anthracite coal, and in others bituminous coal
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is used. The lime is packed in barrels and shipped principally to New York by the Champlain Canal and Hudson River from Fort Miller Bridge, which is distant from the works three miles and to which it is carted over a macadamized road. The business employs a capital of $250,000, and its monthly pay rolls aggregate over $5,000. The prosperity of the village is mainly due to the enterprise of Mr. Lowber.
East Greenwich, (p. v.) situated on the Batten Kil, eight miles north-east of Union Village and four and a half miles south-west of Salem, contains one church, (United Presbyter- ian,) one woolen mill, one saw mill, one grist mill, one hotel, one blacksmith shop, a wagon shop, two planing mills, three stores and one school. The East Greenwich Custom Mill, now owned by W. H. Larkin, was first erected in 1818 by James Shaw. It has four runs of stones and will grind 700 bushels of grain in a day of twenty-four hours. This is the oldest settled place in the town ; it was first settled by Archibald Livingston, Wm. Black, Alexander Shaw, Roger Reid and James Cherry.
Center Falls is a small settlement on the Batten Kil, about two miles above Union Village. The stream falls about thirty feet at this place, affording excellent manufacturing facilities.
North Greenwich (p. v.) is a small settlement, five miles dis- tant from Union Village. The place was generally known as Reid's Corners, deriving this name from the principal proprietor, Wm. Reid. It contains one church, (M. E.,) one store, two blacksmith shops, a cooper shop, a school house and about 20 houses.
Galesville, (p. v.) formerly known as " Arkansaw, " derived its name from John Gale, the former proprietor of the princi- pal part of the village site. It is situated on both sides of the Batten Kil, one and three-fourths miles west of Union Village. The fall of the Kil at this point is forty feet high. It affords one of the best water powers in this section, which is partially occupied. The village contains one hotel, one church, (Baptist,) two grist and flouring mills, one woolen mill, three stores, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, one school, the Galesville Driving Park and about 300 inhabitants. About one half mile below Galesville the Batten Kil pours its volume of water through a narrow rocky ravine and precipitates it over the Dionondehowa * Falls, the water making in the course of some 300 feet a desent of 45 feet. The first third of this distance cov- ers four successive terraces, each narrower and higher than the one preceding. The stream then rushes onward to a narrow, deep chasm which has been named the " Devil's Caldron," and
*This is the Indian name for Batten Kil.
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leaping over its ragged verge, plunges forty feet into the abyss below, where its smoking and foaming waters tossed about as if roaring with a madman's rage, jump and dash against the black walls within which they are pent and down whose steep sides trickle from every crevice milk-like rills which, ever fed by sheets of upthrown spray, suddenly grow to torrents. Thus frightfully whirled and thrown from side to side in this terrific gulf whose gloomy depths are seldom reached by the sun's cheering rays, they at length find vent, and rushing hither and thither, pour out of the aperture in rounded heaps, like. the smoke from a furnace chimney, and resignedly drop into the quiet basin below. "Could man produce such an exhibition as this," says our informant, "our whole country would flock to see it, nor demur at a high fee charged therefor ; yet thousands have grown to the meridian of life within a few miles of this spot, who have never beheld this sublime spectacle which na- ture here offers to their view without money and without price." Near the Falls, after a desent of eight or ten feet, is a level space well shaded by pines and carpeted with a growth of short fine grass in the formation of which nature seems to have consulted the convenience of man, for many gay and happy picnic groups are here refreshed from " basket and bottle " during the summer and autumn months; and now that the people of Greenwich have built a railroad which connects them with New York, Albany, Troy and intermediate points, it is fair to presume this specimen of nature's grandeur will re- ceive that attention from tourists and pleasure seekers that it merits, and when the Saratoga Railroad, connecting that place with Boston via the Hoosic Tunnel, is completed, will attract that genius and enterprise which will use and improve its water power. The rapids above the Falls afford an excellent water privilege, which is, at present, wholly unoccupied.
The Galesville Custom and Flouring Mill, located on the north side of the Kil, was erected in 1863. It is a wooden structure, 40 by 48 feet, and two and a half stories high ; and has a capaci- ty to grind 600 bushels daily.
The Washington Custom and Flouring Mill, established in 1'862-3, is built of brick, 48 by 50 feet, two and a half stories high ; and its five runs of stones give it a grinding capacity of 1000 bushels of grain in twenty-four hours.
The Galesville Woolen Mill, located on the south side of the Kil, and established in 1847, manufactures all kinds of woolen goods for farmers' wear. The building is 40 by 60 feet, four stories high and contains two sets of machinery, one for card- ing and one for the manufacture of cloth.
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Battenville, (p. v.) in the south-east corner, on the Batten Kil, four miles above Union Village, contains one church, one school, one store, one grist mill, saw mill, wagon and blacksmith shops, and about 40 houses.
Lakeville, (Lake p. o.) in the north-east part of the town, at the foot of the Cossayuna Lake, in the midst of a rich farming country, contains one church, (Baptist,) one grist mill, one starch mill, a flax mill, tannery, saw mill, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, one store and about 170 inhabitants.
Clark's Mills, a hamlet in the south-west corner of the town, at the junction of the Batten Kil and Hudson River, contains a planing mill, grist mill, saw mill, plaster mill and store.
The first settlement is supposed to have been made by the Dutch, previous to the French War, a few families remaining at the time of the Revolution. Among the first settlers at Lakeville were Alexander Reid, John McEachron and Robert McNaughton ; Archibald Livingston settled at East Green- wich ; Asa Carter at Carter's Pond; Abraham Lansing and men named Gale, White and Tefft, settled near Galesville, and Thomas McLean, James Conoly, Nathan Rogers and Smith Barber at Center Falls.
About 1733 a large number of Scotch immigrants came over under the promise of grants of land from the Government, but were disappointed in the fulfillment of the promise. January 5, 1763, three of these immigrants, Duncan, (or Donald, prob- ably the latter,) George and James Campbell, sons of Laughlin Campbell, petitioned for 100,000 acres, and on the 11th of November following, a patent of 10,000 acres was issued to the three brothers, their three sisters, Rose Graham, Margaret Eustace and Lily Murray, and four other persons. This grant embraced about one-third of the town of Greenwich.
In 1:80, when the town was very sparsely settled, Job Whipple, from. Cumberland Hill, Rhode Island, came to Albany on horseback in search of land to locate himself and family. Here he found a Mr. Carbine, who had purchased many acres of land on both sides of the Batten Kil, had erected a house, dam and saw mill, and opened a store in one part of his dwelling, but on account of his business not having prospered as he anticipated he became disheartened and moved back to Albany. Mr. Whipple was induced by Carbine to visit Green- wich, where he moved the next year with his wife and family and commenced the struggles and hardships incident to pioneer life. There was then but one dwelling besides his own in this locality. Having been reared in the Friends' faith he practiced their principles in his new settlement, which, as before stated,
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was for many years known as Whipple City; and by his energy and enterprise soon drew others around him. He built an- other dam across the Batten Kil and erected a saw mill, grist mill and wool carding mill, in which his sons David, William, Daniel and Otis rendered valuable assistance, as well as in his other business operations. Being a man of great integrity many differences among his neighbors were referred to him for settlement. He was for many years Justice of the Peace, holding his courts in his own house. He established the first public library. After erecting his mills and finding a surplus of water power he returned to Rhode Island and induced William Mowry, who was employed in the establishment of Samuel Slater, Pawtucket, R. I., to accompany him home. Mr. Mowry was just ready to establish himself as a manufacturer of cotton, and being pleased with the location and assisted by the advice and capital of Mr. Whipple, he erected and started here in 1804 the first cotton factory in the State of New York and the first in the country outside of Rhode Island. The manufacture of cotton at that time was considered a hazardous experiment, but it proved a success in this case, and from this germ has grown the largest and most prosperous villages in the southern part of the County.
Mr. Mowry was born in North Kingston, R. I., in the year 178. In his early childhood his parents moved to Woodstock, Conn., where he continued to reside until his visit to Greenwich with Mr. Whipple. He commenced business on a small scale to carefully test its practicability, and on its proving a success an association was formed in 1812 under the firm name of William Mowry & Co., the Co. consisting of Townsend and Samuel Mc- Coun, of Troy, and John Gale of Greenwich. In 1816, the Company sent Mr. Mowry to England to visit the cotton mills there and bring home all the improvements he could find. The English manufacturers becoming alarmed at the rapid spread of this industry in America, had that year resolved to close their doors against all machinists from this country ; hence Mr. Mow- ry was obliged to conceal his true mission to get access to the mills by appearing to make an indifferent inspection, but his eagerness to discover some valuable improvement in machinery several times betrayed him and he was expelled as a Yankee spy. But in spite of this system of vigilant espionage the im- provements matured in that country soon found their way into the mills of our own. Mr. Mowry continued the business until failing health compelled him to resign, when he was succeeded by his son-in-law, Henry Holmes.
Mr. Holmes was born in Granville, in this County, and came to Greenwich in 1820, where he was employed in the capacity
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of clerk in the store of Wm. Mowry & Co. His industry, in- tegrity and executive ability won the confidence of his employ- ers, who willingly received him as partner and agent on the re- tirement of Mr. Mowry. Soon after the death of Messrs. Mc- Coun and Mowry, the property was sold to different individuals and the manufacture of cotton cloth ceased. This was a serious loss, as many of the employes sought employment in other towns, thus reducing the number of inhabitants, and caused a gloomy depression to settle upon those who remained. Mr. Holmes, after his connection with the woolen mill ceased, re- tired to a farm adjacent to the village, purchased by him in 1834, and devoted his time almost wholly to agriculture and the improvement of stock, at the same time taking an active part in the local interests of the community in which he lived. When the Washington County Bank was chartered he became its president and did much to promote its prosperity.
There is a conflict of authority as to what date the first church was organized and who was the first pastor, though all agree that it was the Bottskill Baptist Church. French's State Gazetteer states that the first organization was in 1774, and the first pas- tor Leonard Bowers. Corey, in his Gazetteer of Washington Co., while he agrees with French as to the date of organization, dif- fers in the name of the first pastor, who he says was Lemuel Powers. Another authority, Rev. James O. Mason, the present pastor, while admitting that the Church records for the first fifteen years were destroyed by fire, states that the date of the organization is 1767 ; that the Church was without a pastor for the first fifteen years, when, in 1782, Nathan Tanner, a member, was ordained as such. But he nowhere mentions either of the former names in connection with the pastors of the Church. The first house of worship was, says the last quoted author, built of logs in 1783, about two miles south of the present vil- lage of Greenwich, on a lot donated by Gen. Philip Schuyler, of Revolutionary fame. In 1795 a larger building was erected on the site occupied by the present church. In 1865-6 this was replaced by the present edifice, which is built of brick and whose dimensions are 76 by 56 feet. It cost 825,000 and will seat 700 persons. In 1834 the Church sent out a colony which organ- ized as the Lakeville Baptist Church ; and in 1837 another col- ony was detached, which became the Galesville Baptist Church. The membership of the Church, as reported by the Washington Union Baptist Association in June 1870, was 699.
The Lakeville Baptist Church was organized in Sept. 1834, with a membership of 45. The first pastor was A. Kenyon. The first and present house of worship was erected in 1838, and will
usical Goods of all kinds, Wholesale and Retail, at R. II. MID- NI LEY'S, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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comfortably seat 175 persons. The present number of mem- bers is 92, and the present pastor is A. E. Clark.
The Orthodox Congregational Church of Greenwich was organ- ized March 15, 1837, with a membership of thirteen. Royal A. Avery was its first pastor. The first and present house of wor- ship, which will comfortably seat 500 persons, was erected in 1837. at an expense of $15,000. No pastor is at present connect- ed with the Church.
The Reformed Church of Union Village was organized Nov. 16, 1812, with a membership of sixteen. James Chrystie was the first, and Alex S. Hoyt is the present pastor. The present mem- bership is 90; and the church edifice will comfortably seat 300 persons.
The population of the town in 1870 was 4,033, and the area 26,421 acres.
HAMPTON was formed March 3, 1786. It lies upon the east border of the County, north of the center. A range of hills whose summits are about 500 feet above the valleys and for the most part covered with forests, extends through the central and eastern parts of the town. The principal stream is Poultney River, which forms the boundary between this town and Vermont. A fine fertile alluvial flat borders the river. The soil is a gravelly loam interspersed with clay. The stream is subject to overflows, alternately fertilizing and deso- lating the valley.
" A remarkable change took place in this stream in 1783. A little above its junction with East Bay, a ridge of land crosses in a northerly direction. The river run- ning a north-westerly course, on meeting the ridge turned sud- denly towards the north-east, and after keeping that course for half a mile, turned westerly, rushing down a steep ledge of rocks and forming a number of fine mill privileges. The river had for some years been observed to be making encroachments upon the ridge at the place where it turned to the north-east, and in May 1783, during a violent freshet, the river broke through the ridge and meeting with no rocks it cut a channel 100 feet deep, lowering the bed of the river for some distance above and carrying immense quantities of earth into East Bay. The bay, which was was before navigable for vessels of 40 tons burden, was so completely filled for several miles that a canoe could with difficulty pass at low water, and the navigation was much obstructed at (Fiddlers' Elbow, a narrow place in the lake near South Bay) ? The obstructions have been mostly re- moved by the force of the current." -- Thompson's Vermont.
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Hampton Corners, (Hampton p. o.) located on the Poultney River, ten miles from Granville village and about six miles south of Fair Haven, Vt., contains one blacksmith shop, a cheese factory and one church (M. E.) Its inhabitants are principally engaged in agricultural pursuits. There are a few artisans in slate.
Low Hampton, (p. o.) situated on the Poultney River, about two miles from Fair Haven, Vt., is a small settlement contain- ing a woolen mill.
The greater part of this town was included in patents grant- ed to Provincial officers. The north part includes about 2,000 acres of Skenes Little Patent. This patent of 9,000 acres was granted July 6, 1771. The first settlement was made previous to the Revolution, by Captain Brooks, Col. Gideon Warren and a man named Webster. Other early settlers were Samnel Beman, Peter B. French, Hyde, Benjamin Rice, Rufus Hotchkiss and Jason Kellogg. French & Beman kept the first store, and French the first inn.
Rev. Wm. Miller, the first who preached that the end of the world would take place in 1843, resided in this town.
The first religious society formed in this town was Methodist, the first church edifice erected was Episcopal, at a very early day. Rev. Stephen Jewett from New Jersey was the first preacher.
The Second Advent Church was organized Sept. 11, 1850, with a membership of 30. The first house of worship was erected in 1848 and repaired in 1870; it will seat 175 persons. Elder Leonard Kimball was the first pastor ; at present it has none.
The population in 1870 was 945, and the area 13,623 acres.
HARTFORD was formed from "Westfield," (now Fort Ann,) March 12, 1793. It lies near the center of the County. The south-east portion is broken and hilly, and the center and north-west are level or gently undulating. The summits of the highest hills are from 500 to 700 feet above the level of the Champlain Canal. The principal streams are East Creek and its branches. Slate and limestone of an excellent quality are found among the hills. The soil in the south-east is a rich slaty loam, and that in the north-west a heavy clay. There are several chalybeate springs in the town, the principal of which is near the center. There are several small caves among the limestone ridges in the north part. There is no consider- able water power in the town which offers sufficient induce- ment to capitalists to engage in manufacturing enterprises ; con- sequently the inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agricultural
The acknowledged nnequaled Steck Plano Fortes, to be found at H. 11. Mildley's, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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pursuits, and while there are no large villages in the town it is more uniformly settled than many others in the County. Dairying is carried on quite extensively.
North Hartford (Hartford p. o.) is pleasantly situated in a rich farming community about eight miles north of Argyle vil- lage. Gov. Dewitt Clinton formerly owned large tracts of land in this town, including a portion of that on which the village now stands. It contains several stores, one hotel, a cheese fac- tory, besides the various mechanic shops incident to a place of its size.
South, Hartford, (p. v.) located one mile south of North Hart- ford, contains one church, (Congregational,) an academy, one hotel, three stores, a blacksmith shop, harness shop, carriage factory, a custom flouring mill, a feed and saw mill and a mill for carding and manufacture of domestic woolen goods.
East Hartford, two and a half miles south-east of North Hart- ford, was formerly known as "Log Village," which name it ac- quired by reason of its houses being at an early day almost en- tirely-built of logs. They have now, however, given place to more comely structures; and the place takes its name from the fact of its being located in the eastern part of the town. It con- tains a grist mill, saw mill, shoe shop and school house.
Adamsville. (p. o.) near the south-west corner of the town, on the line of Kingsbury, is an old settlement, and was formerly a place of considerable importance and trade. It contains a groc- ery, tannery and blacksmith shop.
This town embraces the Provincial Patent, granted May 2, 1764, to 26 commissioned officers of the New York Infantry, and embraced 26,000 acres, each officer receiving 1,000 acres. The settlement was not commenced until after the Revolution. Among the first settlers were Col. John Buck, Manning Bull, Stephen and Asa Bump, John and Edward Ingalls, and Nathan and Samuel Taylor. Aaron and Eber Ingoldsbee, from Boyls- ton, Mass., caine in 1782, and Timothy Stocking, Ebenezer Smith and John Paine in 1784. A school was taught in 1790 at North Hartford, by Thomas Paine, from Connecticut. The first grist mill was built of logs at a very early day. The first church (Bap.) was built in 1789.
The Hartford M. E. Church was organized Oct. 9, 1844, by Ensign Stover, the first pastor, with sixteen members. The church edifice was formerly owned by a branch of the Baptist society who sold it at auction. It was subsequently purchased for 8800, and deeded to this society, and incorporated Oct. 16, 1844. It was repaired in 1857 and a parsonage purchased in
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1868, so that the present estimated value of church property, including parsonage, is $5,700, the church being valued at $4,- 500. The house will comfortably seat 300 persons. The Church, which has a membership of 125,is at present without a regular pastor, the pulpit being temporarily supplied by Rev. Joseph E. King, D. D., of Fort Edward.
The population of the town in 1870 was 1,989, and its area 27,672 acres.
HEBRON was formed March 23, 1786, and named from Hebron, Conn. It lies near the center of the east border of the County. A broad mountain range extends through the center, occupying nearly one-half of its entire surface, and a series of high hills extends through the east and west parts. The sum- mits of the highlands are from 300 to 500 feet above the valleys, and their tops are mostly covered with forests. The ranges of hills are separated by the valleys of Black Creek and its princi- pal west branch. The soil is a sandy and slaty loam of a light porous nature, easy of cultivation and well calculated to resist the extremes of wet and drouth. There is considerable rocky waste land in the hilly regions. In the north and east are quarries of slate which are extensive and valuable.
North Hebron, (p. v.) (locally known as " Monroe's Meadows," which name it derived from an early settler by the name of Monroe, who owned large adjoining tracts of land,) is situated about four miles south of South Granville and contains the North Hebron Institute, two churches, (Baptist and United Presbyterian,) one store, a cheese factory, one wagon shop and three blacksmith shops.
East Hebron, (Hebron p. o.) or " The Hollow," is located seven miles north of Salem and is the oldest settlement in the town. It contains one church, (M. E.,) two stores, a cheese factory, a carriage factory, wagon shop, blacksmith shop, a flax and saw mill and a grist and saw mill.
West Hebron, (p. v.) locally known as "Bedlam Corners," is six miles north of Salem and contains one hotel, one church, (United Presbyterian) several stores and blacksmith shops, two saw mills, wagon and harness shops, and a grist and cider mill. The first settlement in the village was made by Robert. Qua, who owned the village site and kept the first tavern.
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