USA > New York > Washington County > Gazetteer and business directory of Washington County, N.Y. for 1871 > Part 15
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Belcher, (p. v.) in the west part of the town, was first settled by emigrants from Belcher, Mass., from which it derives its name. It contains an M. E. church, a hotel, two stores, and two wagon and blacksmith shops.
TTusical Goods of all kinds, Wholesale and Retail, at B. H. HID- LEY'S, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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Slateville is a small settlement in the north-east part of the town.
This town was embraced in patents granted to officers and privates who had served in the French War, mostly to Scotch Highlanders belonging to the 77th Regiment of Foot. Those grants were made so long after the war that those who were en- titled to them never appeared to claim them. The first settle- ments appear to have been made before the Revolution. The first church was the Associate Reformed Presbyterian, organ- ized in 1780. Rev. Dr. Gray was the first pastor.
The M. E. Church was organized in 1859 by S. P. Williams, with ten members. The first pastor was John J. Webster, and the present one is Arunah Lyon. The first and present house of worship, which will seat 250 persons, was erected in 1859, at an expense of $2,500. The present membership of the Church is fifty.
The M. E. Church of East Hebron was organized in 1847 with twenty members. Franklin Bennington was its first pastor; at present it is without one. It has fifty members. The cost of the church edifice, which will seat 400 persons, was $1,200.
The population in 1870 was 2,399, and the area 34,498 acres.
JACKSON was formed from Cambridge, April 17, 1815. It lies on the east border of the County, south of the center. The east part of the town is occupied by the Taghkanick Range of Mountains, and several parallel ranges extend through the central and west parts, rendering the entire sur- face very hilly. The summits of the hills are from 300 to 800 feet above the valleys and are generally covered with forests. The declivities are often steep and rocky. The principal streams are Batten Kil and a branch of Owl Creek. In the valley between the hills that border immediately upon Batten Kil and those farther west are several small lakes, known as Long, Big, Dead and Little Ponds. These lakes are beautiful sheets of water, surrounded by hills, forests and fine cultivated farms. The soil is a slaty loam and very productive. The in- habitants are almost entirely engaged in agricultural pursuits, and their labors have been suitably rewarded in the accumula- tion of considerable wealth. A mutual fire insurance company, which confines its transactions to the limits of the town, has been formed by the residents. In case of a loss an assessment is made on each person insured to reimburse the one by whom the loss is sustained. During the past year (1870) but one loss has been sustained, involving an amount of $1,100. The plan R
Id Instrumente ofall kinds taken In exchange for New, at B. H. Hid- ley's Music Store, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy. N. I.
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seems to combine the two most desirable features in insurance, viz : the maximum benefit secured at a minimum cost, and re- flects credit on their business sagacity. There is but one post office, one church and one hotel in the town. The church is not occupied, as there is no church organization. There is neither lawyer nor minister living within its precincts. The town contains two sash and blind manufactories, two tanneries, two woolen mills, a saw mill and two flax mills.
Jackson Center is, as its name implies, near the center of the town. It is distant eight miles from Salem and four miles from Cambridge.
Coila, (p. v.) on the line of Cambridge, is pleasantly situated one mile north-west of Cambridge village. It was formerly the business center for several miles around, but since the railroad was opened through Cambridge the business has been drawn to that village. It contains a post office, the only one in the town, one store, one church, (United Presbyterian,) a tannery, blacksmith shop, wagon shop and about 35 dwellings.
Anaquassacook, formerly a post village, is situated in the east part of the town and contains a tannery, shoe shop and about 20 dwellings.
Portions of this town and White Creek were embraced in the Anaquassacook Patent of 10,000 acres, granted May 11, 1762. This patent was granted to Ryer, Jacob, Freeman and W. M. Schermerhorn, Johannes, Nicholas and Peter Quackenboss, Thomas and John Smith, and Joseph Jansen, all of Schenecta- dy. The first settlers were James Irvine, Peter Magill and John Miller, all of whom located in the south part of the town. Among the settlers of the Anaquassacook Patent were Hugh Thompson and Ebenezer Billings; John McLean and Jonathan Conger settled near the ponds. A school house was built in 1780, and an inn was kept by Isaac Murray about 1790. John Magill built a store of logs in 1781. The only church in town was organized December 31, 1833, by the Reformed Dutch; Rev. James W. Stewart was the first pastor. George Law, known as one of the projectors and proprietors of the California line of steamships, was a native of this town.
The population in 1870 was 1,662, and the area 23,069 acres.
KINGSBURY was incorporated by patent May 11, 1562, and recognized as a town by the State Government March 23, 1786. It lies upon the west border of the County, north of the center. The surface is level or gently undulating. A range of hills rising about 150 feet above the valleys occupies the eastern edge of the town. The principal streams are Hudson River
he acknowledged unequaled Steck Piano Fortes, to be found at B. H. Hidley's, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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in the south-west corner, Wood Creek upon the east border ; Halfway Brook in the north-west corner, and Moss Brook. At Baker's falls, upon the Hudson, the river shoots down a steep descent of ledges 76 feet in a distance of 60 rods, forming a scene of great beauty and affording a valuable water power which is extensively improved. The soil along the valley of Wood Creek is a hard stiff clay; in the other parts of the town it is a sandy or gravelly loam. There are extensive quarries of limestone in the town, furnishing an excellent quality of build- ing stone. The stone for the locks on the Champlain & Hud- son Canal was obtained at these quarries. Manufacturing is carried on to considerable extent in this town. .
Sandy Hill, (p. v.) in the south-west corner of the town, on the Hudson, was incorporated in 1810. It contains six churches, three hotels, a court-house, a newspaper printing office, a bank, a large number of manufactories and 2,350 inhabitants. The principal part of the village is upon a high bluff which over- looks the river. One of the finest school houses to be found in this part of the State has recently been erected here. It is lo- cated away from the noise and dust of the street and has ample playgrounds for the pupils. A dam across the Hudson, 1,200 feet long and ten feet high, furnishes the power for several mills, the largest of which is the Saw Mill of O. Richards & Son, con- taining about 250 saws and cutting about one and a half mil- lion feet of lumber annually.
The Steam Saw Mills of Richards & Green and Richards & Monty, in Warren County, are owned by parties here and cut about 800,000 feet each annually.
There are several other saw mills, machine shops, sash and blind factories &c., in the village.
At Baker's Falls there is also a dam across the river, fur- nishing power for four paper mills, two waterwheel manufac- tories and machine shops, and several small establishments.
The Paper Mill of N. W. Wait & Son gives employment to about 30 hands and makes about 550 tons of wall and curtain paper annually.
Howland & Miller make manilla paper and paper bags, giving employment to about 25 hands.
H. Tefft & Co. make printing paper, employ 35 hands and make $125,000 worth annually.
Allen Brothers manufacture wall paper.
Washington Mowing Machine Co. manufacture circular saw mills, and machinery of various kinds. J. K. Sanborn is the agent.
Before purchasing a Plano, Organ or other Musical Instrument, call pu B. If, Hiidiey, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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There are few villages of the size that contain as much man- ufacturing of various kinds as Sandy Hill. Logs are floated down the Hudson in large numbers and converted into boards. The first trees felled on its site were cut by Albert Baker and Michael Huffinagle, who came into the wilderness from the city of New York in 1768.
Kingsbury, (p. v.) located four miles north-east of Sandy Hill, was formerly of more importance than it now is, in a business point of view. It contains two stores and a few mechanic shops.
Patten's Mills, (p. v.) located about five miles north of Sandy Hill, in the north-west corner of the town, contains two stores, a carriage factory, cheese factory, blacksmith shop and flouring mill.
Adamsville (p. o.) is a small settlement about five miles east of Sandy Hill, in the east part of the town, on the line of Hart- ford.
Langdon's Corners is a settlement about four miles north of. Sandy Hill.
Moss Street is about half a mile outside the corporation of Sandy Hill, on the line of Main Street.
Dunham's Basin is located two miles east of Sandy Hill, on the Champlain Canal and Saratoga & Whitehall R. R.
Vaughn's Corners is a hamlet in the north part of the town, about four and a half miles from Sandy Hill.
Smith's Basin, (p. o.) located on the Champlain Canal and Saratoga & Whitehall R. R., about four miles north-east of Sandy Hill, contains three stores, a hotel and a blacksmith shop.
Kingsbury Patent, containing 26,000 acres, was granted to James Bradshaw and twenty-two others from Connecticut, May 11, 1762. The first settlers were James Bradshaw, Albert Baker and his sons Albert and Charles, from New York City. Michael Hoffnagle, Solomon King, Oliver Colvin and Ne- hemiah Seely were among the other early settlers. A saw mill was built at Baker's Falls before the Revolution, and a grist mill was erected in 1807.
The town was the scene of many adventures during the French War, and during the Revolution the settlement was en- tirely broken up. At one time seventeen soldiers were taken prisoners by the Indians and carried to the present site of Sandy Hill village. They were seated on a log in a row when their captors deliberately began to tomahawk them, taking
Ualcal Goody of all kinds, Wholesale and Retail, at B. H. MID- LEY'S, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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them in order from one end of the log. When all were killed but one, John Quackenboss, of Albany, a squaw claimed him and his life was spared. He returned after a few years of cap- tivity and resided in Cambridge.
Traces of a road cut by Burgoyne are still visible near Kingsbury. Several distinguished men have been residents of this town. Gov. Silas Wright studied law in the office of H. C. Martindale, of Sandy Hill, teaching school during the winter in the meantime, to aid in defraying his expenses. Lieutenant-Governor Pitcher, who acted as Governor for some time, was a citizen of this town. Hon. William P. Lee, late Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Sandwich Islands, was a native of Sandy Hill.
The first minister in the town was Francis Baylor, a Mora- vian, about 1776. Meetings were held by the Episcopalians and Baptists as early as 1795.
Zion Episcopal Church of Sandy Hill was organized about 1810; Rev. John A. Spooner was the first settled rector. Their house of worship was erected in 1853 ; it will seat about 300, and including the lot, organ, communion service, &c., is valued at $10,000. The present membership is 96 and the present pastor is Rev. Samuel B. Bostwick.
The Baptist Church, of Sandy Hill was organized in 1840 with 40 members. The first house of worship was erected in 1845 ; it will seat about 350 and is valued at $5,000. The present membership is 268, and the present pastor is Rev. E. R. Sawyer. The society contemplate the erection of a new church soon.
. Advent Christian Church of Sandy Hill was organized in 1859, and a house of worship was erected the next year. It will seat 400 and is valued at $2,400. The present member- ship is SO. Rev. Richard Mosher is the present pastor.
The population of the town in 1870 was 4,278, and its area 23,657 acres.
PUTNAM. named in honor of General Israel Putnam, was formed from " Westfield," (now Fort Ann,) February 28, 1806. Dresden was taken of in 1822. This town lies in the extreme north end of the County, upon the mountainous peninsula ho- tween Lakes Champlain and George. The mountains are divid- ed into two separate ranges, by the valleys of Mill and Charter Brooks. The western range rises abruptly from the shore of Lake George, and in the south part of the town attains an ele- ration of 900 to 1,000 feet above the surface of the lake. The
Id Fastruments of all kinds taken in exchange for New, at B. H. Did- ley's Music Store, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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greater part of the surface is rocky, broken and unfit for culti- vation, but the valleys of the small streams afford some arable land, and a narrow strip borders on Lake Champlain. The soil generally is a hard gravelly loam. Graphite of a fine quali- ty is found in abundance. A small pond is situated among the mountains on the west side of the town, 300 feet above Lake George.
Putnam's Corners, (Putnam p. o.) located about seventeen miles from Whitehall and two and a half miles west of Lake Champlain, is the principal business place in the town. A pri- vate academy was established here in 1854 and is still contin- ued. Miss Mary A. Mclaughlin is the principal. Besides the academy it contains two churches, (United Presbyterian and Free Will Baptist,) one hotel, three stores, several blacksmith shops, a carriage shop and flouring mill.
The tillable lands were mostly granted to privates of the N. Y. Provincial regiments, and feeble settlements had probably commenced before the Revolution.
The first saw mill was erected by Robert Cummings in 1802, on Mill Creek, one mile from Lake Champlain. The first child born was James Jennings, in 1803, and the first death that of Anne Thompson in 1804. Robert Patterson kept the first school, in 1804.
Many of the first settlers were Scotch, among whom were Obadiah Blake, Robert Cummings, John Blair, William Hut- ton, George Easton, Pelatiah Bugbee, John Butterfield and Josiah Clark.
There is a tradition (though how well founded it is difficult now to determine,) that Black Point, which projects into Lake George in the extreme north-west corner of the town, derives its name from the alleged fact that it was settled at a very early day by black people, and that Black Prince was its owner.
William Hutton settled previous to 1801 on a tract of land purchased by him from a British officer, to whom it was granted. Subsequently two men named Cockburn (?) and Dickinson claimed the land and it was agreed to divide it equally between the three. One being a lawyer made the con- Teyance, the other being a surveyor laid it out in lots.
Nathaniel King, who enlisted in the 44th Regiment N. Y. Vols., Ellsworth's Zouaves, during the Rebellion, lost his right arm and was the only man from this town who was permanent- ly disabled in that war.
The First Church, Associate Presbyterian, was built in 1801 ; Rev. James Miller, from Scotland, was the first pastor.
The acknowledged unequaled Steck Plano Fortes, to be found at H. Il. Hidley's, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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The Free Will Baptist Church of Putnam was organized April S, 1823, by Elders Sylvester Robinson and John S. Car- ter, and Deacon Gideon Carter, with a membership of 23, which increased the following August to 40. John S. Carter was the first pastor. The first and present house of worship was erected in 1841 and dedicated in October of that year; it cost $650 and will seat 180 persons. F. H. Partridge is the present pastor ; the present membership is 67, 43 resident and 24 non-resident.
The United Presbyterian Congregation of Putnam was organ- ized in 1803 by Rev. A. White, with a membership of 17; the first house of worship was erected in 1801, and the present one in 1857, at a cost of $4,600; it will comfortably seat 400 per- sons. The first pastor was James Miller; the present one is Samuel Bigger, and the present membership is 110.
The population of the town in 1870 was 603, and the area 19,279 acres.
SALEM was formed by patent August 7, 1764, and was re- cognized by statute as a town, March 23, 1786. It lies on the east border of the County, south of the center. The surface consists of moderately elevated ridges, separated by narrow valleys, all extending in a north-east and south-west direction. The hills are usually bordered by gradual slopes and their sum- mits are covered with forests. Most of the land is susceptible of cultivation." The principal streams are Batten Kil, Black, White and Trout Brooks. The Batten Kil forms the southern and about half of the western boundary. Lyttle's Pond is a beautiful sheet of water in the north part of the town, lying in a basin and surrounded by forests. The soil is a rich gravel- ly or slaty loam.
Salem, (p. v.) incorporated April 4, 1803, is situated on the Rutland and Washington R. R. and contains a court house, jail, five churches, an academy, several stores, three hotels, the locomotive and machine shops of the Rutland & Washington R. R. and 1,260 inhabitants. A new court house, a brick struc- ture, was finished in the fall of 1869. The County fairs have usually been held here, but the fact that it is not centrally locat- ed has created some dissatisfaction and led to the contemplation of a change to some more eligible point.
Shushan, (p. v.) situated on the Batten Kil, six miles south of Salem village, is a station on the Rutland & Washington R. R. and contains three churches, (United Presbyterian, M. E. and Baptist.) a hotel, two woolen factories, a grist mill, harness
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Before purchasing a Piano, Organ or other Musical Instrument, call on M. M. Midley, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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shop, four stores, two blacksmith shops, three wagon shops, H. Campbell's cooper shop and an ax-helve manufactory.
Eagleville, (East Salem p. o.) located on the Batten Kil, in the south part, two miles east of Shushan, is a thriving little village.
Baxter Mills, formerly called "Clapp's Mills," and Fitches Point are small settlements ; the former is located on the Bat- ten Kil, and Rutland & Washington R. R., three miles south of Salem village, and the latter in the west part of the town, near the junction of the Batten Kil and Black Creek.
The Excelsior Slate Co.'s Quarry is located in this town and gives employment to fifty persons ; it produces purple, green and variegated roofing slate to the amount of, $50,000 annually.
The Salem Washington Academy was incorporated February 15, 1791, and for many years was one of the most noted in the eastern part of the State. Among the distinguished men who received a part of their education at this institution were Hon. Samuel Nelson of U. S. Supreme Court, Hon. John Savage, formerly Chief Justice of New York, and Rev. Dr. Bethune of Brooklyn.
Jared Sparks, the historian and president of Harvard Col- lege, was, in his early days, a resident of Camden Valley. He took charge of a grist mill for his uncle Ebenezer Eldridge, who adopted him, and attended the district school at the same time. Subsequently, during the summer time, he worked at carpentering to enable him to support himself at school in the winter, and thus laid the foundation of an education which he afterwards elaborated.
This town was first settled in 1761 by James Turner and Joshua Conkey, from Pelham, Mass. The next year Hamilton McAllister joined them. William McAllister, son of Hamil- ton, is now living in the house in which he was born 79 years ago, and which was built by his father six years previous to his (William's) birth.
In 1964 a patent of 25,000 acres was obtained, one half of which was owned by a company of New England settlers, and the other by Oliver De Lancey and Peter Du Bois, two Gov- ernment officials. This patent was surveyed into 308 lots, and a large lot covered with pines was reserved for the common benefit and cut up into small lots for division. Three lots near the center of the town were set apart for the support of the minister and schoolmaster. De Lancey and Du Bois sold their share to Rev. Thomas Clark and his company of Irish' and Scotch immigrants, at a perpetual rent of one shilling an acre.
Tfustal Goods of all kinds, Wholesale and Retail, at 22. H. MID- LEY'S, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. S.
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The New England and Scotch settlers were mixed together in their settlements, sometimes on alternate farms, and in con- sequence of the rivalry between the two parties of proprietors the town was speedily settled. There was considerable dis- agreement as to the name which the town should bear, the New Englanders wishing to have it called White Creek, while the Scotch contended just as earnestly for New Perth.
The Camden Tract, in the east part of the town, was granted to captains and lieutenants in the Provincial army.
The St. Paul's (Protestant Episcopal) Church was organized in May 1860 by Rev. Henry C. Potter, D. D., with only three communicants; their present house of worship, seating about 180 persons, was erected in the summer of the same year, and occupied for the first time Dec. 25, 1860; its original cost was $6,000, and its present estimated value is $7,000. Rev. Charles Puwdance was the first pastor ; the present one is Rev. Henry M. Davis. The Church has 43 communicants. Since its organi- zation 147 persons have been baptised, 51 confirmed, 84 added to the Communion, 38 married and 41 buried.
The United Presbyterian Church of Salem was organized as "The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church" with over 100 members, by Rev. Thomas Clark, M. D., its first pastor, who, with about 300 of his people, emigrated from Ballibay, Ireland, May, 10, 1764, arriving at New York July 28th, following. At New York they separated and a part of them went to South Carolina ; but the main body came with him up the Hudson and halted at Stillwater. Clark was a native of Scotland and graduated in the University of Glasgow, where he took the degree of Docter of Medicine. He studied Divinity under Rev. Ebenezer Erskine. He served in the army against the "Pretender" during the civil war of 1745-6, and at its close re- sumed his theological studies. In April 1748 he was licensed to preach by the Associate Burger Presbytery of Glasgow, and on the 23d of April, 1751, he was installed by a committee of that Presbytery over the congregation at Ballibay, where he la- bored thirteen years, suffering persecution and imprisonment for conscience sake. It was this system of invidious persecution and exquisite mental and physical torture to which the "dis- senters." were subjected at the hands of religious bigots whose conservatism rendered them fanatical in their rigid adherence to the unition of Church and State, that impelled him and his companions to seek refuge in the distant wilds where tolerance at least was exercised. In the spring of 1765, while in search of a place of settlement, he visited this town, and in the cabin of James Turner preached the first sermon ever delivered in
Id Instruments ofall kinds taken In exchange for New, at B. I. Hid- ley's Muste Store, 12 Mansion House Block, Broadway, Troy, N. Y.
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these parts. From Oliver De Lancey and Peter Du Bois, of New York, he obtained a grant of all the lands belonging to them in the town, included in 528 acres set apart for religious purposes, three lots of 88 acres each by them, (and an equal amount by the patentees, Alexander Turner, James, his son, and twenty- two others from Mass., who obtained a patent of 25,000 acres in 1764, embracing the principal part of this town, and imme- diately after conveyed 12,000 acres to Delancey and Dubois,) they reserving a yearly rent of one shilling per acre when settled. The colony then removed from Stillwater and every person who desired it received from Dr. Clark a farm at the annual rent specified. Thus the Church was transferred to this country without reorganization. About 1780 Dr. Clark resigned his charge here and removed to South Carolina and took charge of those of his people who had gone there. The first house of worship, built of logs, was erected in 1767; the second was a frame put up and covered before the war, but not finished un- til after. The present one was built in 1797, furnished with a bell in 1812, and altered and repaired in 1841; it will comfort- ably seat 650 persons and its estimated value is $15,000. The pres- ent number of members is 250, but there is no pastor connect- ed with it. This congregation is believed to be the oldest in the County; it was the first organized, built the first church and its pastor preached the first sermon.
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