USA > New York > Dutchess County > General history of Duchess County from 1609 to 1876, inclusive > Part 25
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thereby concealing the manner of their construction. The larger of the two, known as the Lasher House, stands a short distance west of the village. The house and farm on which it stands are leasehold property. It is quite a large building, quaint in its style, and was doubtless reckoned an elegant man- sion when first built.
During the Summer of 1876, a centennial tea-party was held in this dwelling. Antique furniture was brought in for the occasion, the dishes were of the pattern in use one hun- dred years ago ; the viands were of the primitive kind partaken of by our "rude forefathers"; and the dresses of the guests were in keeping with the occasion.
This ancient edifice has its traditionary story. At the time
The Lasher House.
of the Revolution, it was occupied by a Tory named Lewis. His movements were closely watched by his Whig neighbors, who were suspicious that he was secretly intriguing with the enemies of his country. At length they became so well satis- fied of the fact, that they deputized some of their number to wait upon him, acquaint him of their suspicions, and inform him that he must either renounce forever his Tory sentiments, or leave the country-giving him until the following morning to make a final decision. Upon going to the house the next morning, they found the old Tory had hung himself in the garrett during the night, and was stone dead. This circum- stance has caused the house to be regarded by many with a
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superstitious dread ; which has given rise to other tales of strange doings in it. It is said that, a few years ago, blood- stains were visible on the floor of an upper chamber, which were attributed to some dark deed yet hidden from the eyes of the world.
One venerable pine, a specimen of the primitive forest trees that once covered this plain, yet stands within the limits of the village of Pine Plains. It is preserved and cherished by the people as a memento of the past ; and will doubtless be suf- fered to remain until the process of decay and the rude storm blasts shall lay it prostrate.
In a field near this tree is an old burying ground, in which were interred, in early times, the colored slaves of the settlers.
North of the village is a beautiful rural cemetery, in which are deposited the village dead. The grounds are tastefully laid out, and ornamented with evergreens and shrubbery. The numerous marble shafts rising on every hand, and the less imposing slabs embowered in trail- ing vines and enclosed with little beds of exqui- site' flowers, testify to the passing traveler that departed friends are held in tender remem- brance.
About half a mile east of Pine Plains village is the quiet little settlement of Hammertown. Here was an extensive tannery, recently discontinued. Here the ruins of the Harris Scythe Factory are also located; in which, years ago, the sound of a score or more of trip-hammers was heard, and which suggested the name of the place. The original factory was established in 1776, the year of American Independence. Its location was to the east of the Shekomeko creek ; but was afterward removed to the present site, where it was destroyed by fire. The present buildings were then erected. Work in them has some time been discontinued, and the buildings have been suffered to go to decay. The roof of one of these has fallen in, and the walls are crumbling from neglect. This was at an early period a thriving business place ; but has been out-
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stripped in the race by its sister villages, whose location proved to be more eligible.
At the beginning of the present century, though stated meetings were held in the town, but little was said about sects and doctrines. Meetings were held in schoolhouses and private dwellings, mostly by Presbyterians and Methodists. Rev. John Clark of Pleasant Valley, and a Mr. Price, an itinerant M. E. preacher, used to hold meetings in the vicinity. About the year 1818, Elders John Buttolph and Luman Burtch came here and preached a part of the time.
Previous to this, however, a number of enterprising indi- viduals had set on foot a project to build a meeting house. A committee had been appointed to inquire into its feasibility,
Ruins of the Harris Scythe Factory.
and to perfect a plan of operations. This committee advised them to purchase a lot, and build a house 34x50 feet. As a means of raising the necessary funds, it was determined to issue stock, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each ; this was readily taken up by resident capitalists, and the work was commenced with vigor. The understanding was, that at the completion of the house, the seats were to be sold to the highest bidder, the purchaser to receive a title by deed; those who owned stock were to take their pay in seats, unless they chose to let them go to the highest bidder. In nine months the edifice was completed, and was called the Union House, because all joined in its construction, irrespective of creed.
Public notice was given of the sale of the seats; a large assembly was on hand at the appointed hour ; a crier was
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selected, and the sale went on with spirit. At the close of the sale it was found the proceeds exceeded the expense of building by several hundreds of dollars. Before the people separated, they were called to order by the moderator, who proposed that the desk be occupied by certain denominations to the exclusion of all others, and that six trustees be appointed to carry the resolution into effect which proposition was adopted by vote of the assembly.
The community being largely Presbyterian, Rev. Mr. Blair was hired to preach one-half the time for a year ; he was succeeded by Rev. Robert G. Armstrong, of Orange County. During this time Elder John Buttolph, a Baptist, occupied the pulpit every fourth Sabbath, and ministered to the people for about two years ; Elder Luman Burtch assisted a part of the time. This church edifice is still standing in the village of Pine Plains, and is occupied exclusively by the Presbyterians. Rev. Wm. N. Sayre is their present pastor, who has been over this charge for a period of forty-three years. This is the first and only pastorate over which he has been placed, in which he has so long and so acceptably labored.
In 1834 or '35, a series of meetings was held, resulting in many conversions. All denominations participated in the exercises ; and when the new converts began to declare in favor of this and the other sect, an unfortunate division of feeling occurred among the members of the different churches. Finally, the Baptists resolved to build a separate house of worship. They purchased a lot, laid the foundation, and raised the frame. When nearly completed, on the 3d of June, 1837, a sweeping tornado passed through a part of the town and village, carrying destruction in its way. The new house of worship was laid in ruins .*
This was a crushing blow to all their projects. lIowever, they resolved on another effort. The public, and the sister churches in the county liberally assisted them. In eleven months another house, very neat andl commodious, was crected.
* This Blend At so territo na, the tornado that the board used by the builders, on which was drawn the unit of la botte, was carried mto Connecticut.
11
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May 7, 1838, the house was dedicated, Elder John Leland* preaching the dedicatory sermon, from Matt., xvi : 18.
There are seven church edifices within the town of Pine Plains, viz : A Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Christian and two Union Churches. The first four are situated within the village of Pine Plains ; one Union house is at Pul- ver's Corners, and the other at Bethel ; the Christian Church is a neat little edifice standing near the west line of the town.
In the year 1800, the village of Pine Plains contained only a hotel, and four or five isolated dwellings. A tract of about fourteen hundred acres near the village is still owned by the heirs of the original proprietors. In 1808 some enterprising men commenced improving the village. A large and com- modious dwelling of brick, a store, and a hotel were erected by a Mr. Dibble, who carried on the mercantile business for many years, doing a large trade in barter. He purchased most of the grain produced by the surrounding country. In 1853 the village contained twenty-four dwellings, together with several stores and shops ; and as late as 1860, could boast of only 382 inhabitants. It now (1876) contains four churches, a union free school, two hotels, a National Bank and about 800 inhabitants.
The scenery in this vicinity is unsurpassed. The numerous lovely lakes in the quiet valley ; the rugged mountains bound- ing the vision on either hand; the gently undulating plain stretching away before the beholder; all contribute to its at- tractiveness. People from the city in large numbers are drawn hither during the sultry Summer months.
The rugged back of Stissing Mountain abruptly rears itself above the plain about one mile west of the village. From its summit an extensive view is obtained of the surrounding country. It is yearly visited by numbers of tourists and pic- nic parties. A writer; thus says of it :
* Leland was an energetic preacher of the Gospel, and was said to have traveled, in the performance of his ministerial functions, a distance sufficient to girdle the world three times. He journeyed on horseback, through the primitive wilderness, beset with dangers, and totally unacquainted with luxury. He preached the ordination serinon of Luman Burtch, at Ancram, June 17, 1806 from Isaiah vi : 6, 7.
+ Bailey.
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"An hour's drive brought us to the foot of the mountain, at which point the way became so precipitous that we had to perform the rest of the journey on foot. After considerable effort we reached the summit ; from whence the mountain. appears like a huge boulder transported there by some freak of nature, rising solitary and alone from the midst of a beauti- ful valley. Westward lay an undulating country, extending to the noble Hudson, a distance of eighteen miles. The glories of a September sun painted its dark blue waters with a still deeper hue. Beyond lay the Catskill Mountains, whose blue summits rise one above the other, stretching beyond the vision's utmost limit. The far-famed Mountain House was in full view, perched on its airy cliff. Eastward the view extend- ed to the Taghkanick range. The village of Pine Plains, with its church spires glittering in the autumnal sun ; the adjacent valleys, dotted over with white farm houses, and rich with ripening harvests ; the numerous romantic lakes, bordered with dark evergreens, and rich in Indian legends ; all combined to form a most charming prospect."
Halcyon Lake is a remarkably picturesque body of water. Its location is near the site of the ancient Indian village of Shekomeko. . Before the advent of the white people the dark pine forest came down to the brink, and cast a melan- choly shadow over the waters. The red man sought its banks, at the time of the deepening twilight ; he heard, in the moan- ing of the evening wind among the branches, the voice of the Great Spirit, speaking in mysterious tones of the "land of the hereafter"; and he saw upon the bosom of the lake-
" Lighted by the shimmering moonlight, And by will-o-the wisps illumined, Fires by ghosts of dead men kindled, In their weary night encampments."
PLEASANT VALLEY.
POPULATION, I, 826 .- SQUARE ACRES, 20,049.
LEASANT VALLEY was formed from Clinton, January 26th, 1821. Its surface is a rolling and hilly upland. Barnes and Dennis Hills, in the northwest, are the highest points. Wappingers Creek flows southwest through near the centre. Sprout Creek takes its rise in a pond near the southwest part. Slate crops out along the hills, and a vein of marble has lately been discovered. The largest body of water is Pond Gut, in the southeast part of the town. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam.
The village of Pleasant Valley was incorporated April 15th, 1814. It is located in a pleasant vale on the borders of Wappingers Creek, from which the town derives its name. But little attention has been paid, however, to the election of officers under the charter, which was packed away among other papers and almost forgotten. Some four or five years ago, an act of the Legislature so modified the excise laws that a town board of excise could not legally grant a license to a resident of an incorporated village ; but provided that the question should rest with the board of trustees. This called
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up the question of the village charter. After a diligent search the instrument was found, and it was ascertained that all except one of the board of trustees were dead. This solitary member at once organized a meeting of the board, filled up the vacancies by appointments, elected J. B. Duncan, Presi- dent, proceeded to grant the required licenses, and adjourned. The board has never since met. The Pleasant Valley Insti- tute is located here.
Among the oldest settlers of Pleasant Valley are the names of Newcomb, Peters, Forman, Hicks, Devine, Humphrey, Dubois, Thurston, Everson, Dean, Holmes, Sharpstein, Ham, &c.
William Holmes settled in the southeast part of the town. He came from Long Island; a large number of his descend- ants still reside in this and neighboring towns. Benjamin Lattin, also from Long Island, located in the neighborhood of the village of Pleasant Valley. One Major Vanderburgh is mentioned as having lived at an early date, to the west of Salt Point. The Blooms built a mill and mansion a short distance north of Washington Hollow.
A large cotton factory is located at the village of Pleasant Valley, owned by Garner* & Co. The cloth is manufactur- Cotton Factory of Garner & Co. ed here and conveyed to the print works at Wappingers Falls to be printed. East of
* The gentleman who so unfortunately met his death in the summer of 1876. The circumstances are thus related : - In the afternoon of July 2 th Wm T. Garner went on board nis vac'it at Staten Islan i, are apanied by his wife and five invited gn sts. At this time the sky to the westward was cloudy, and a sharp squall was evidently at hard. llis yacht. the Mohawk, had all her sails spread. while the other yachts did not show a stitch of canvass. This irregularity of the Mohawk was observed, and a warning sent to potity those on board of their dinger. Before the boat reached her she capsized Mr. Garner, who at the time of the ca astrophe was standing on the quarter-deck, rushed to the batch- way to save his wife. He reached her and was returning, when he was met by alege vol- ume of water pouring down the hate'way, fooding the cabin, and drowning the brave commander and his wife before they could reach the door. It is said of Will am ] Garner that he pa'd good salaries, and gave proper vacations to his clerks; and when an of them fell sick in Ins employment, he sent the check regularly when pay-day came round.
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the village are the Pine Grove Woolen Mills, owned and managed by the Bowers family.
Before the division of the town of Clinton, town meetings were sometimes held at the house of one Wood, still standing, a short distance west of the residence of Bradford Holmes, Esq., in Pleasant Valley.
The old Presbyterian Meeting House, built about a century and a quarter ago, stood not far from Wheeler's Hotel, at the Hollow. It was a plain square building, quite large, two stories in hight, and was furnished with a gallery on three sides. The land on which it was built was deeded for the purpose by Isaac German, a large landholder. The cemetery ground here was originally connected with this church. During the Revolution this edifice was used as a prison. The country here was mostly settled by the Germans, who thought it very wrong to turn against the King ; Toryism was therefore rampant in this vici- nity, and it required the strong arm of the military to keep it in check. Says Lossing : "During the year that Burgoyne was making his victorious march toward the Valley of the Hudson, the Tories of DUCHESS became bold, and defied the militia guard that had been established. About four hundred of them, well armed, assembled at "Carpenter's," now Washington Hollow, and threatened destruction to all the Whigs in the neighborhood. An expedition was immediately set on foot in Sharon, Connecticut, to break up the gang. A strong party of armed volunteers gathered at Blooms Mills, north of the Hol- low, and early in the morning marched for the latter place, where they found the Tories paraded in a meadow. Marching up with spirit, the volunteers fired on the insurgents, who broke and fled. Thirty or forty of them were captured and taken first to Connecticut, and afterwards to New Hampshire, where they were confined about two years."*
The building now known as Wheeler's Hotel was built about the year 1800, by William German. Early in the year 1813 a large number of cannon and troops were being trans-
* See page 55.
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ported from New York to Sackett's Harbor. A portion of them passed by different routes through our county. The cannon were heavy, the roads were bad, and the passage therefore ex- tremely difficult. A detachment stopped for a night at the Hollow ; the officers taking up their quarters at the hotel, and the soldiers seeking the protection of the old Presbyterian Church.
A large landholder west of Washington Hollow was named Newcomb. He left, at his death, three hundred acres of land to each of his three sons. This side of him is a rough streak of country. A man named Hall was looking for a place to locate. He came from Pleasant Valley on foot, through the then almost unbroken wilderness He was a feeble man, and his strength gave out just as he reached the rough section re- ferred to. He concluded therefore to go no further, and set- tled down there among the rocks. A few minutes' walk would have brought him to the productive lands in the neighborhood of the Hollow, where he might have located had he chosen to do so.
The Newcomb house was occupied at the time of the Rev- olution by a Tory of a very decided character. His wife was a staunch Whig ; and it may be surmised the domestic felicities of the family were nothing to boast of. The woman was too many for him, however, in the wordy encounters that occurred ; but she could not succeed in converting her renegade husband.
The DUCHESS Turnpike runs diagonally through this town, meeting the Amenia and Dover Turnpikes a short distance east of the Hollow. It was built about the beginning of the present century.
A gentleman living in this vicinity mentions some circum- stances connected with the Erie Canal project. The two political parties which were divided on this question, were here sharply defined. One side claimed a canal would be ruinous to the grain producing interests of the river counties, and objected to being taxed for that purpose equal to the farmers in the western part of the State, who were to reap the whole
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benefit of the work. When the State Canal was finished, their predictions were realized; the price of wheat fell from $2.75 to $1.00 per bushel.
A great celebration was held in New York City in honor of the completion of the canal,* and our informant, in company with others, went to see it. An immense procession was formed, comprising representations of the varied interests of the commonwealth, with cars and banners. Not the least interesting part of the exercises was the aquatic procession which sailed down the bay to Sandy Hook, carrying with them a barrel of Lake Erie water, which was poured into the ocean at this point with very imposing ceremonies. One may judge of the splendor of the celebration when it is stated that upwards of two hundred banners and standards were displayed among the different societies, many of them really elegant. So crowded was the city that many of the visitors could not find lodgings.
The Presbyterian church at Pleasant Valley was organized by the Presbytery of Duchess County, in the year 1765. The society was legally incorporated January 26th, 1785, agreeably to an act of the Legislature, passed April 6th, 1784. Cornelius Humphrey and Eliphalet Platt were chosen Inspectors, and. John Everson, Clerk. The following persons were chosen Trustees : Cornelius Humphrey, Eliphalet Platt, Lemuel Conklin, John M. Thurston, John Everson, and Joshua Ward. " Voted, that this congregation be known by the name of the Presbyterian Congregation, of Pleasant Valley .- Charlotte Precinct, Jan. 26th, 1785."
Rev. Wheeler Case was ordained and installed the first pastor, Nov. 12th, 1765, his pastorate continuing twenty-six years. Rev. Methuselah Baldwin succeeded him, and
* On Wednesday, at 10 a. M., the waters of Lake Erie were admitted into the canal at Buffalo, and the first boat commenced its voyage to New York. This auspicions event was announced to the citizens of the State by the roar of cannon, planted at intervals of abom eight miles along the banks of the canal and the Hudson, the line extending from Buffalo to Sandy Hook, a distance of 544 miles The cannon were fired in succession com -. mending at the moment of the entrance of the boat into the canal, and the intelligence thus communicated reached New York at precisely twenty minutes past eleven o'clock. when a. national salute was fired from the Battery. The intelligence that this was received was. then returned by the same line of camion to Buffalo.
ยท
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continued over the church a period of five years. Rev. John Clark became pastor in 1800; resigned in 1806; was recalled in October, 1808, and remained pastor for a period of thirty- seven years. Rev. Henry J. Acker was installed pastor in April, 1869.
August 19th, 1826, the Session received and granted a petition of sixteen members of this church, to be dismissed to form a Presbyterian church in Poughkeepsie.
August 4th, 1828, a similar request of sixteen members was granted to organize the Presbyterian Church at Freedom Plains town of LaGrange.
March 28th, 1837, twelve members were dismissed to organize the Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Plains, town of Clinton.
December 15th, 1860, seventeen members were dismissed to form the Westminister Presbyterian Church at Salt Point.
The first house of worship* was a wooden structure, erected in 1770 on the main street in the village of Pleasant Valley, a few rods west of the present building. In 1812 it was repaired and considerably enlarged, at a cost of $2,500. The present brick edifice was built in 1848.
" At a meeting of the trustees, held March 11th 1794, for taking into consideration the subject of a parsonage, it was agreed, after some debate, to drop the idea of building, and to g ve Mr. Baldwin a settlement of froo in lieu of a parsonage. The money was subscribed, and Mr. Baldwin accepted it." In ISor, the congregation secured a parsonage, with about twenty acres of land attached, one mile east of the village. In 1869 this farm was sold, and the present parsonage near the church erected, at a cost of $4,500.
The old burying ground attached to the church contains the remains of Revs. Case and Clark, and of many of the oldest members of the congregation. These ancient burial plots are justly regarded with great veneration. By recent
* A Presbyterian meeting-house stood at Washington Hollow, built about the year 1745 or '46.
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purchases, the grounds of the cemetery have been greatly enlarged. They are under control of the Board of Trustees.
In April, 1770, Jacob and Margaret Everson gave the con- gregation the deed for the land on which the church was built. Mrs. Susanna Ward, in 1845, left by will $600 for furnishing the Sunday School room. In 1869, Dr. Edward L., and Ade- line Beadle gave the congregation a valuable piece of land where the present parsonage stands.
Elder John Lawrence, a pioneer Baptist, preached in this town at an early period of its history. He held services in barns, schoolrooms and private houses, and not unfrequently in the woods. In 1770 he organized a small church at Zac- cheus Newcomb's house. Christian Newcomb preached occa- sionally. Joseph Harris was the first deacon. The Society
lingered awhile, and was subsequently left to dwindle away. Sometime afterward, Elder Bullock, of Stanford, preached near Salt Point. His labors were rewarded with a revival, and some forty or fifty were baptized. These became a branch of his church. In 1790, John Van Voorhis gave them a deed for half an acre of land, and they determined to build upon it. Their first records were made in 1792. Elder John Dodge became their first pastor in 1795, continuing till 1813, when he resigned. The church did little for his support, except to provide him with fire wood. The records speak of Elders Hoadly, Stevens, Warren and Burtch, as having preached for them occasionally.
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