USA > New York > Washington County > Gazetteer of the county of Washington, N. Y. : comprising a correct statistical and miscellaneous history of the county and several towns from their organization to the present time > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
125
TOWN OF SALEN.
the King as the head of the Church and engaging to assist in de- throning him if he should become a Presbyterian. Ife also refused to swear by kissing the book, which he considered a popish supersti- tion. On the 10th of May, 1764, he left Ireland, and landod in New York July 28th, accompanied by about 300 of his people. Part of them separated and went to South Carolina ; but the main body came with him up the Hudson and halted at Stillwater. In the Spring of 1765, in search of a place of settlement he visited this town, then a wilderness, and in the cabin of James Turner preached the first sermon ever delivered in these parts. In the previous year (1764) Alexander Turner, James, his son, and 22 others in Massa. chusetts had obtained a patent of 25,000 acres of land, embracing the principal part of this town, and immediately after conveyed 12,000 acres to Oliver Delaney and Peter Dubois of New York. The same year the patent was surveyed and divided into 88 acre lots A division was then made by ballot-Delancy and Dubois drawing lots to the amount of their 12,000 acres. Three lots drawn by the gentlemen and three belonging to the patentees were reserved for religious purposes. Thus matters stood when Dr. Clark arrived and obtained of Delancy and Dubois a grant of all the lands belonging to them in the town, 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 speci- fied. As they had risen up in Ballibay and sat down together here, there was no organization of a Church or installation of the pastor in this country. There was no other Burger minister in this country at that time. In 1765 Dr. Clark applied to the Antiburger Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania, and was received to its mem- bership. In 1776 the members of that Presbytery agreed to form two-the Presbytery of Pennsylvania and the Presbytery of New York. In the latter of these Dr. Clark was placed, with Rev. Messrs. John Mason, D. D., of New York, and Robert Annan, of Wallkill. About 1780 Dr. Clark resigned his charge here, anl removed to South Carolina and took charge of those of his people who had gone there. He died of apoplexy on the 25th of December, 1798.
The second pastor was Rev. James Proudfit. He came to this country in 1751. the second missionary of the Associate Antiburger
126
TOWN OF SALEM.
Synod of Scotland, and after laboring several years in that capacity he was installed over a congregation in Pequa, Pa. He was mode- rator of Presbytery when (June 13th, 1782.) the union took place between the Associate Antiburger and the Reformed Presbyteries, constituting the Associate Reformed Synod. That Summer John Rowan. Esq., one of the elders of this Church, rode on horseback to Pequa, and invited him to visit this place. He was installed here in October, 1783, and continued until his death, October 22, 1802, aged 70 years.
The third pastor was Rev. Alexander Proudfit, D. D. He was li- eensed and commenced preaching in October, 1794, and was in- stalled as a colleague to his father on the 13th of May, 1795. He was their minister more than forty years. In June, 1835,he accepted the appointment of Corresponding Secretary of the New York Colo- nization Society, and resigned his charge here. He died on the 17th of April. 1843, at the house of his son, Professor Proudfit, in New Brunswick, N. J., aged 74 years. His remains were brought here and buried beside those of his father.
The fourth pastor was Rev. James Lillie. He was installed on the 19th of February 1836, and resigned in June, 1887, when he was installed in the Reformed Dutch Church at Rhinebeck.
The fifth pastor was Rev. Ebenezer Halley. He was installed on the 3d of September, 1838, and resigned in May, 1848. when he was installed over a Presbyterian Church in Troy. Since that time the pulpit has been vacant.
It is not known who were elders when the congregation came to this country. In 1795 there were eight, who died in the follow ing order-1st, Richard Hoy, 1796, aged 67 years ; 2d, James Steven- son. 1799, aged 60; 3d, David Tomb, 1805, aged 88 ; 4th, John Rowan. 1809, aged 77 ; 5th, William Thompson, 1813, aged over 70; 6th, Robert McMurray, 1814, agel 70; 7th, Wm. Mathews, IS16, aged 79 ; 8th, Wm. McFarland, 1819, aged over 70. In or about the year 1797 the following named elders were ordained-Mathew Mc- Whorter, died 1812, aged 45 years ; John Steel, 1838, aged 80 ; Thomas Collins, 1840, aged 92. Walter Stewart was received as an elder from another Church, and died several years ago. 1809- Abraham Savage died 1829, aged 53 years ; Richard Hoy removed to Ohio, where he died ; George Arnot joined another Church ;
127
TOWN OF SAL' M.
Isaac Getty and Thomas Stevenson. 1819-Andrew Martin joined another Church ; John McMurray and John Beatty. 1831-George McWhorter, removed to Wisconsin ; James B. Stevenson and David B. Thompson. 1840-Ira Carswell died 1847, aged 54; Joseph Clark died 1848, aged 64. Present Elders-Isaac Getty, John Mc- Murray, Thomas Stevenson, John Beatty, John McMillan, Hugh Thompson, James B. Stevenson and David B. Thompson. Present number of members-190. In eight years 94 have removed and 44
died. The first election of Trustees after the passage of the Act of Incorporation was held Jan. 20th, 1785. Trustees elected-1st class, Mathew Mc Whorter and John Beatty ; 2d class, Nathaniel Carswell and Thomas Collins ; 3d class, John Armstrong and James McFarland. Present Trustees-Isaac Getty, Thomas S. Stevenson. John McNaughton, Wm. C. Safford, Alexander Robertson and Ebenezer McMurray.
The first House of Worship was made of logs soon after the arri- val of the colony. The second was a frame put up and covered bo. fore the war, but not finished until after. The present house was built in 1797, furnished with a bell in 1812, and altered and repaired in 1841. The property of the congregation consists of the Church edifice and lot, and a parsonage with thirty acres of land. The buildings and fences were. repaired last year. All of the land is reserved for religious purposes ; and there is a permanent fund, arising from the disposition made of the residue of the three lots which was the share of this congregation. The whole is valued at $14,000.
The Church has a library of over 400 volumes, and also a Sab- bath School library. The session house, for which the congregation was indebted to the liberality of the Mrs. Proudfit, was destroyed by fire in 1840.
This congregation is believed to be the oldest in the County. It was first organized-built the first Church-its minister preached the first sermon ; and probably no other Church has sent out a lar- ger number of ministers and members to assist in building up Churches in other places,
128
TOWN OF SALEM.
FIRST INCORPORATED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
This Church was organized in 1769, and consisted at that time of fifty-two members. They erected a House of Worship in 1774, but were unable for a long time to secure the statcd ministrations of the Gospel. In 1787 the Rev. John Warford, of New Jersey, visited the Northern part of the State of New York, as a Home Missionary sent by the synod of New York and Philadelphia to visit the destitute places in this part of the State. The mission of Mr. Warford brought him to this place, and prepared the way for a call to him to settle with this people. This call, dated Sept. 24, 1787, he accepted.
The following year Mr. Warford removed to this place, and in 1789 he was installed as the first pastor of this Church. Mr. War- ford continued his labors here until his death, which occurred May 19, 1802, in the 57th year of his age.
The pastoral office was vacant after the death of Mr. Warford until January, 1806, when Rev. Samuel Tomb, of Newbury, Mass., commenced his labors here. Mr. Tomb served this Church twenty- six years, and died March 22, 1832, in the 67th year of his age. For a short time previous to his death Mr. Tomb was unable to la - bor, by reason of infirmities, and resigned his call February 3, 1832.
Rev. John Whiton, of Middle Granville, N. Y., was installed Pas- tor March 21, 1832, and was dismissed, at his own request, August 22, 1837.
Mr. Amos Boardman Lambert, a licentiate of the third Presbyte- ry of New York, was ordained and installed Pastor of this Church Nov. 2, 1837, and is still Pastor.
The whole number of members connected with this Church from the beginning, is more than 700. The number reported as now in connectien (Sept., 1849,) is 305.
ELDERS.
The following persons have served the Church as Elders :
1 Edward Savage, probably from the organization to Oct., 1833.
2 Daniel McCleary, “ July, 1797.
3 Alexander Turner, “ April, 1802.
4 Daniel McNitt, previous to Oct., 1804, to Nov., 1829.
5 William Harkness, previous to Jan., 1798, to June, 1801.
TOWN OF SALEM. 129
6 Job Cleveland, previous to Jan., 1801, to April 1826.
7 Seth Brown, M. D., previous to Jan., 1809, to May, 1840.
8 Thomas McLaughry, previous to Jan., 1811, to Sept., 1842.
9 James Bell, unknown, to Feb., 1813.
10 James Stevenson, from June, 1815, to Sept., 1818.
11 James Harkness, from June, 1815, to May, 1834.
12 Asa Fitch, M. D., from Feb., 1819, to Aug., 1843.
13 Daniel Harkness, from Feb., 1919, now.
14 James H. Seymore, from Feb., 1819, to July, 1842.
15 Marvin Freeman, from Feb., 1834, now.
16 David Cleveland, from Feb., 1834, now.
17 Lyman Sanderson, from Sept., 1841, to May, 1845,
18 Joseph Hawley, from Sept., 1841, now.
19 David Gray, from Jan., 1848, now.
20 Benjamin Cleveland, from Jan., 1848, now.
21 Levi H. Cleveland, from Jan., 1848, now.
DEACONS.
Previous to 1825 the Elders served as Deacons; but since that period the office has been filled by persons set apart for that pur- pose, according to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church. The following persons have served the Church in this capacity :
Charles McCollister, from Jan., 1825, to April, 1833 Elijah Clark, 1839
Joel Bassett, 66
Feb., 1834, 1840
Joseph Hawley, Sept., 1839, now officiating, €6 Alvin Crowl, 1841, now officiating.
The above are all the statistics we have been able to obtain. The records were destroyed when the Church was burnt, in 1838.
FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in the Village of Salem was le- gally organized in the month of September, 1845. For several years previous to this date there had been occasional preaching by the ministers of that Order, and a few individuals who were Metho- dists resided in the town, but held their Church relations elsewhere.
In 1844, the year preceding the organization of the Church, a
.
C
130
TOWN OF SALEM.
minister was stationed among them, and their meetings were held in the white School house in the south part of the Village.
The following year, through the energetic and persevering efforts of the Rev. L'. Noble, and others, they succeeded in erecting a neat and convenient Church. Its location is directly opposite the Acad- emy-one of the most eligible sites in the Village.
The first Trustees were Timothy B. Wilds, Thomas Milliman, Sylvanus Dickinson, Warren Norton, and Hugh Moncrief. During the present year (1S50) the Society was re-organized, and the Board of Trustees enlarged. The present Trustees are Sylvanus Dickinson, J. H. Guild, David Lytle, Thomas Coon, James Blash- field, George Montgomery and Lorin Eaton.
The Church property is valued at $2000.
The names of the ministers who have officiated as preachers in charge, are, Rev. E. Noble, Rev. J. Harris, and Rev. P. M Hitch- cock:
The Rev. Mr. Hitchcock is the present Pastor, who preaches twice every Sabbath, morning and evening, in the Village, and once in two weeks, on Sabbath afternoon, at the Village of East Greenwich. The Society commenced with a small congregation, and very few members. They have now over one hundred mem- bers, and a large and interesting congregation. They have no Church debt, and are in a healthy and prosperous condition.
CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN, OR MORAVIANS, IN CAMDEN VALLEY.
The first regularly appointed minister of this Church began to preach in this secluded Valley towards the close of the year 1832. For about two years he occupied different School houses in East Salem, and also in Sandgate, Vt., for want of a Church edifice. During 1834 measures were taken to erect a place of worship, and on the 29th September of that year the newly erected Church was consecrated to the worship of the Triune God. It is a plain, unas- suming building, capable of accommodating about four hundred per- sons, and is situated on the road leading through the Valley, about one mile distant from Vermont line, and five miles east of Salem Village. The number of communicant members has always been
131
TOWN OF SALEM.
small. During a revival in 1843 there was a large accession, and as many as fifty united with the Church.
The five following ministers have been stationed here, through ap- pointments received from the Church Conference, which is located at Bethlehem, Northumberland County, Pa. :
Rev. Charles E. Bleck, from Nov., 1822 till Oct., 1838. (He died Jan'y 17th, 1850, at Gnadenhutten, Tuscarora co., Ohio.
" Emanuel Rondthaler, from June, 1839, till Nov'r. 1844. (Ile
died Nov'r 30th, 1848, in Philadelphia, Pa.)
Ambrose Rondthaler, from Nov'r, 1844, till Sept'r, 1846.
" C. L. Thaeler, from Oct'r, 1846, till Nov'r, 1848.
" Edward H. Reuhel, from April, 1819. (Present incumbent.)
The four persons composing the present Committee, are: Azel Graves, Levi Gray, Hiram Horton and Abram Brownell.
The six Trustees are : Nathaniel Gray, William Gray, Isaac Bin- inger, Lansing Hurd, Norman Smith, and David S. Gray.
THE ASSOCIATE CONGREGATION OF SALEM.
This Congregation was organized in the year 1820. It was com- posed of a few families who belonged to the Associate Congregation of Cambridge, and at that time they had no house for public worship. In 1822 they erected their meeting house, located in the South part of the town of Salem, about half a mile north of Eagleville, since which time (in 1848). it has been thoroughly repaired and neatly furnished. This Society was first incorporated under the Statutes of the State, on the 3d of December, 1838, under the name of the " First Associate Congregation of Salem." The first Elders were Thomas Law and James Robertson. The first minister was the Rev. James Whyte, from Scotland, who was ordained and installed Pastor on the 6th of July, 1825, and officiated as such until he died on 12th December, 1827. During his ministry, William Dobbin and Andrew Martin were added to the number of Elders. In May, 1832, the Rev. David Gordon was ordained and installed the 2d Pastor. The same year John T. Law and Robert I. Law were elected El- ders. In June, 1843, Rev. D. Gordon was released from his pastoral charge, by the Presbytery of Cambridge, and sent as a missionary to the Island of Trinidad, where he died the following year. John Dobbin, who had been an Elder in the Associate Congregation of
V
132
TOWN OF SALEM.
Cambridge, was called to that office in this Congregation in Octo- ber, 1845. In July, 1847, the Rev. David W. French was ordained and installed the 3d Pastor, and is now officiating. The Trustees named in the Act of Incorporation, were Robert I. Law, John Dob- bin and James Thompson. The present Trustees are Robert T. Law, John McArthur and James Thompson. The present Elders are William Dobbin, Andrew Martin, John Dobbin, Robert T. Law, and John T. Law. The number of members in full communion is about SO. The property of the Congregation, consists of their House of Worship, Parsonage, and Lot, valued at $4000.
THE SHUSHAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
This Church was legally organized under the Statute of the State of New York, in the Village of Shushan, on the 19th of April, 1847.
A Class, however, was formed there August 26, 1846, and stated preaching was established from that time. Eddy Bowen has been, and still continues to be the Leader.
The first Trustees were Eddy Bowen, Gideon S. Potter, who died Oct'r 9th, 1848, and David Hanson, who died Feb'y 27th, 1848.
The present Trustees are Eddy Bowen, Dennis Briggs, Hiram H. Potter, Edwin R. Bailey and Seth T. Hanson.
The Stewards are Eddy Bowen and Peter Brewer.
The following are the Preachers who have filled the pulpit since the organization : Rufus Pratt, jr., Joseph Harris, Robert McElroy and A. Campbell. During their ministry to Feb'y 10, 1850, 62 have been received into the communion and fellowship of the Church, of whom 46 are now resident members.
The present Preachers are A. Campbell and R. McElroy.
The Church building cost $700 ; and the whole Church property is valued at $1000.
A place known as "CLAPP'S MILLS," three miles South of Salem Village, on the Batten Kill, formerly manifested considerable milling enterprise. A Woolen Factory, Grist Mill and Saw Mill are located here ; but they are now doing but little, if any business.
The promised statistics of the Academy in Salem Village, and the Baptist Church in Shushan, have not come to hand ; and we are therefore compelled to defer their publication. If we receive them in season they shall appear in our next No.
WHITE CREEK. [ Concluded from page 112.]
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
In the southeastern part of this town is a small Society of Friends whose records date back to 7th of 10th month, 1783. This is the oldest record to be found. The meeting, however, must have been established at an earlier date ; and was held at the dwelling house of Isaac Wood, and John Wood was clerk, By the records it ap- pears that at a meeting held the 10th of 11th month, 1783, he was appointed clerk for one year. From 1784 until 1792 there was no clerk for the year ; the appointments were made mostly for the day, After that time they appear to have been made yearly ; and at a meeting dated 9th of 5th month, 1792, Allen Mosher became the regular clerk, and continued to officiate in that capacity till the year 1794, when he was succeeded by Elisha Southwick who served until 1796; after which George Bowen became the clerk, and continued to fill that station by annual appointments for fourteen years. In 1810 Thomas Hart succeeded him, and filled the office up to the time of his death in 1813. He fell a victim to the fatal ravages of the epidemic of that year. By this calamity the Society lost one of its brightest ornaments. On the 28th of 7th mo. 1813, Slocum Barker, a worthy member of Society who died in the Spring of 1839, was chosen Clerk, and continued as such by yearly appoint- ments for nine years, or until 1822, at which time Jonathan Wait, jr,, became the regular Clerk, and continued in that service up to 1832, when Slocum Barker was again appointod to that office for one year, and served until the 27th of 11th mo. 1833, the time when
134
TOWN OF WHITE CREEK.
Stephen Taber, the present Clerk was chosen, who has received the annual appointment ever since.
This meeting has always borne the name of " White Creek Pre- parative Meeting." Inits earliest history it constituted a part of Saratoga Monthly Meeting. Afterwards it became a branch of Easton Monthly Meeting. In the year 1813, at a Quarterly Meeting held the 12th of 9th mo. it was resolved that White Creek, Pitts- town and Troy Preparative Meetings, then belonging to Easton Monthly Meeting, should constitute a separate Meeting, bearing the name of Troy Monthly Meeting, to be held alternately at each place. In 1836, at a Quarterly Meeting held 11th of 5th mo., this Meeting was again annexed to Easton Monthly Meeting, where it now belongs.
Each Preparative Meeting is entitled to an Eider, two Over- seers of the Meeting, and two Overseers of the Poor, all of which are appointed by the Monthly Meeting. The Clerk is appointed by the Meeting where he belongs. There is also a Standing Com- mittee to have the oversight of Burials.
In the year 1735 members of this Meeting then living in Pitts- town made application to have a Meeting established in that town, which resulted in granting their request. Among the members who held various stations in this Society, are found from its earliest records the names of Isaac Wood, Jonathan Hoag, Stephen Hoag, Stephen Hoag, jr., John Allen, Philip Allen, Jonathan Russey, Sam- uel Mosher, Joseph Mosher, Allen Mosher, James Carpenter, Ben- jamin Nichols, Micajah Covel, John Soule, Micajah Hunt, John Wing, Nathan Nichols, James Hunt, j. , Amos Hoag, Abraham Ho- ag, Cornelius Duel, David Norton, and so on, with a large number of other names of later date, among which may be found the names of Barker, Hart, Smith, Chase, Staples, Taber, Cornell, Kentch, Potter, &c. John Allen and Joseph Smith are the oldest members remaining, and now stand at the head of the Society.
In 1784 and 1755 it appears that measures were taken to finish their first Meeting House, which was located about half a mile from the Village of Little White Creek, in a westerly direction. on
135
TOWN OF WHITE CREEK.
a lot granted to the Society by Edward Aikens for Church purposes, by a lease, the rent of which is one pepper corn a year. The Soci- ety increasing somewhat rapidly in numbers, the Meeting House was found too small to accommodate so large a Meeting ; and at a Preparative Meeting held 7th of 9th mo., 1803, the subject of build- ing a new Meeting House was introduced, which was afterwards granted by the Superior Meetings, in 1804. The new Meeting House was erected on the site where the old one stood, and is 28 by 25 feet in size, two stories high, and so constructed as to afford ample accommodations for a large assemblage of poople. This house was built according to the peculiar and characteristic no- tions of the Society, in a plain and simple style, and cost $1000. About this period, or shortly after, this Meeting may be considered as having arrived at the height of its prosperity, in point of num- bers, embracing at that time about thirty families, and between one and two hundred members. The unhappy divisions which occurred a few years since, in the several Yearly Meetings of the Society of Friends on the continent of America, affected this Meeting less than many others-only one family joining with the orthodox party. The condition of this Society for a few years past has not been very flattering. Of late their Meetings have been more promising by au ir creased attendance of those who do not belong to the Society. One circumstance attends the annals of this Society, affording an almost unparalleled case in the history of religious bodies. For up- wards of fifty years since its organization it has had no regular ministry. Its meetings have been mostly silent.
136
TOWN OF WHITE CREEK.
OMISSIONS.
We neglected to state in the proper place that there is a Bakery carried on by Milton S. Reynolds, one mile south of the Checkered House, a short distance east of the Turnpike gate, in White Creek, and is almost the only establishment of the kind in the southern part of the county. The Villages of North White Creek, Cambridge, Stevenson's Corners and Shushan are supplied by this establish- ment.
We also neglected to state, while giving the Business Directory of Jackson, that one mile south of Eagleville, and a short distance north of the Anaquascook Post Office, there are a Tannery and Shoe Shop, kept by William Holden, a Tailor's Shop, by Edward Nor- ton, and a Blacksmith Shop, by J. J. Robson.
Dam
Hudson
Et Edward Centre
River
Canal
Et MiNer
Old Fort
MAP OF FORT EDWARD.
FORT EDWARD.
THE town of Fort Edward, which originally formed a part of Argyle, was set apart in 1818. It is bounded on the North by Kingsbury, East by Argyle, South by Greenwich, and West by Hud- son River. It was settled at a very early period in the history of the County, and Courts of Justice were established there long before the Revolutionary War. The land is mostly elevated on a level with a ridge running North and South, and rising to an average distance of nearly half a mile from the river. The soil is princi- pally clay, though small portions of it are composed of sand and muck. For grain growing purposes it is inferior to the soil of the other towns we have described, but is considered preferable for grass and hay.
If public thoroughfares are advantageous to an inland town, Fort Edward should in thrift and enterprize surpass any other town in the County, Whitehall, perhaps, excepted. The Champlain Canal passes through the town, and a Plank Road is about to be construc- ted; both of which will run parallel with the Hudson. The Sara- toga and Washington Rail Road crosses the North end of the town ; and in addition to these business and travelling facilities, the river affords extensive and highly prized water privileges, which have been partially improved.
According to the last Census the population of this town num- bered 1711. Males, 902; Females, 809.
There are 11,976 acres of improved land. The quantity of grain raised in one year is as follows :- Barley, 19 bushels ; Peas, 1574 ; Beans, 280 ; Buckwheat, 2262; Turnips, 110; Potatoes, 23,704 ;
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.