USA > New York > Dutchess County > General history of Duchess County from 1609 to 1876, inclusive > Part 32
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 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
407
408
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
business. His goods consisted of a stock of tin ware, which he carried about the country in a rickety cart, drawn by a superannuated horse. This vicinity was at that time noted for its roystering lads, whose mad-cap pranks kept the com- munity in a continual uproar. Our pedlar unfortunately fell into their hands. After tantalizing him to their hearts' content they ended by knocking the poor old horse in the head, leaving the animal dead in the road. The pedlar was now in a dilemma. His horse was dead; he was far from home, with no means to buy another. He contemplated the fallen beast a moment, and then broke out in a Yankee phrase "That bangs all !" From that expression the place is named. We may add that the mischievous fellows who killed his faithful animal, and who were connected with the best families of the vicinity, made amends to the poor pedlar by presenting him with another horse, and a much better one than he had before.
Bare Market-incorrectly spelled Bear Market on some of the maps, is a cluster of houses located near the west borders of the town. The name was given it from the following circumstance : An old gentleman formerly kept a grocery here, and also disposed of considerable liquor. One night a company assembled at his place of business, drinking and carousing, and prolonged their stay until a very late hour. They imbibed so freely that they drank up all the liquor the old man had; but not yet satisfied, they besought him to go off and get some more. This he told them he could not do, as he was very lame, and unable to travel. This was to them a sore disappointment, thus to have their joy nipped off without warning. They therefore named the place "Bare Market," the place was "bare" of liquor-a cognomen which it has retained to this day. As the history of the First Baptist church of this town dates back to a very early period, we may as well give it a notice here.
In 1755, a few Baptist brethren, who were settled in this wilderness, thought it needful to meet together. Others joined them ; and in October, 1759, a church was constituted by
409
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Elder Jabez Wood and Robert Wheaton, of " Swansea, County of Bristol, Massachusetts Bay." Ephraim and Comer Bullock were chosen to administer the ordinances of the Gospel to them, and Richard Bullock, Jr., was elected deacon. There is no further record of them until 1770-2, when we read on the church. minutes : " Just at this time we were informed that our mother church sang by rule, and used Watts' Hymns, and we labored with them some time to forbear ; but they continued, and we withdrew ourselves from them. Then sometime after that some of us grew uneasy, because we had broken union with them about singing, viz : Richard and Ellis Bullock ; and some time after, Elder Comer Bullock grew so much uneasy, that we thought it our duty to make our recantation to that church for what we had done, believing that the psalm, or tune, was not a sufficient thing to break union upon. Some of the brethren made a request that they might sing Watts' Psalms, and were denied altogether." Twenty-four of the brethren dissented from the church and did not meet with them for some time. In 1778, another organization was effected of those "willing to walk together in the order of the Gospel, with singing of psalms and hymns as a part of Divine worship," with Comer Bullock as pastor. He continued to preach for them until his health failed, and is said to have baptized over one thousand persons during his ministry. Elder Luman Burtch became pastor in 1806, continuing with them about fifteen years ; then, after an absence of about four years, returned, and again preached to them.
April Ist, 1780, the church being together at the house of Comer Bullock, were called upon to confer in respect to things special, when two of the brethren said they had made a new discovery, viz : " That there should be an equality in the church in the payment of taxes."
The following is from the records: "April 28th, the church being assembled at the house of the pastor, one of the breth- ren gave his new discovery of duty, which he proposed to carry out the more easily by the following method : "To plow,
410
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
plant, and hoe the Elder's corn, mow and secure his hay ; plow and prepare the fallow ground for sowing wheat for him, judg- ing it most convenient for us, in our low circumstances, to redeem what time we can in order that the Elder might dedi- cate to the Lord all such redeemed time in work pertaining to his ministerial functions."
" At the request of brethren at Dover, and places adjacent, Elder Bullock and the messengers of the church visited those quarters, and preached the Gospel there, baptizing both men and women." September 29th, 1787, there was an invitation sent to the church from the neighborhood of Mabbettsville, for the Elder to come and administer the ordinance of baptism. He went and baptized nearly forty, and the following year they were constituted a branch of his church A branch at Kinder- hook, another at Noble Town, and still another " near Jacob Lawrence's," are spoken of in the records. "Deacon Canfield expressed a dissatisfaction that the church consisted of so many branches that the mother church was destitute of preach- ing the greater part of the time." In June, 1790, the people at Hudson sent a messenger to the church, asking them to send their Elder to administer the ordinance of baptism.
Notwithstanding the great amount of pastoral and ministe- rial work performed by Elder Bullock in those primitive days, no record can be found of his ever having received even so much as a penny by way of salary. He did, on one occasion, receive a contribution, and for so doing he was called an hireling ; whereupon the church very promptly voted that he had a perfect right to receive any gift the people were disposed to make him.
On the 28th of Ang'ist, 1790, the church voted that the Elder and a licentiate should attend meeting at Oswego at the house of Bro. Fowler, once every month for twelve months. Soon afterward, the church voted that the Elder should preach for them three Sabbaths in each month for one year ; the fourth Sabbath at the village and at the branch east of Mabbettsville ; and when there were five Sabbaths, he might go
4II
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
wherever he thought best. In 1798, a messenger presented a request from some candidates in Rhinebeck, wishing baptism, and asking the church to send an administrator. Accordingly, May 19th, Elders Bullock and Hopkins, and Deacon Canfield, met at the house of Robert Scott, at Rhinebeck Flats, and heard the experience of four candidates. On the following Sunday Elder Hopkins preached and afterwards baptized them.
In 1799, a proposition was made to have a stove in the meeting house, which was voted down. It appears from the records that nearly all the meetings were held at the pastor's house, especially in cold weather. The dwelling house then owned by the Elder, and for many years the rallying point of the Baptists in this section of the country, is still standing we believe, having at a recent period been rebuilt, and is located about three miles north of the present church edifice.
The last record of Elder Bullock is that he presided at a church meeting held in his own house, Feb, 29th, 1804. Two years previous, the church had called Elder Hopkins to pre ich for them one half of the time for three months, and voted to give him twenty shillings a Sabbath. Elders Petit and Arnold are spoken of as supplies. Such is the history, for the first fifty years, of the early gathering of the Baptists in this town, while it was yet a wilderness. Up to this time they hid established branches at eight different places, viz : Kinder- hook, Oswego, Noble Town, Dover, the branch east of Mabbettsville, known as Daniel Jones's, West Branch, South- west Branch, and Rhinebeck.
June 14th, 1806, a Baptist Council was convened, consist- ing of Elders Leland, Wood, and Johnson. The day follow- ing they ordained Brother Luman Buitch. Among the first that the latter baptized were Samuel Sackett and Asa Thomp- A new house was raised in July, 1814; in August the
son. following year, the church first met in this house, which is locate l about one fourth mile south of the first. The following Elders are mentioned as having been pastors over this church : Doty, Divid Fradeabargh, Elijah Lucas, J. Holman, and E. C. Ambler.
412
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
The second house of worship was occupied about fifty years. In this house the first session of the Duchess Baptist Association was held in 1835, October 14 and 15, Rev. T. Winter, Moderator. In the fall of 1867, a survey was made for the Duchess & Columbia Railroad, which passed through the pulpit, so that the house, had to be removed a little more than the width of it to give way for work on the road. In December, the agents offered $1650 for the church building, which was accepted, and the present house built.
A Quaker Church was built at Stanfordville about the year 1850. It was sold a few years since, and is now occupied as a public hall, with apartments for families below. As the church was erected before the separation of that sect, both the Hicksite and Orthodox divisions received their proportionate.
Paul Upton's House.
share of the purchase money, and both gave their deed for the property.
On what is locully known as Bingall Lane, between Bingall and Stanfordville, a large Biblical School has been established, under the auspices of the Christian denomination .. David Clark, of Conn., was one of the principal movers in its. establishment, and contributed $35,000 to found it.
One of the earliest settlers in this vicinity was Paul Upton, an emigrant from Lynn, Mass. He located in the beautiful valley on the borders of the romantic lake which bears his name. The annexed is a representation of his residence, which is still standing. A large addition has been since built, but that is not shown The house had originally a large chim-
413
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
ney, with three fire-places below, and one on the second floor. Paul Upton was a Quaker ; as he lived near the meeting house, his house was usually thronged at the time of the Quarterly Meetings ; as many as forty people have been entertained at one time over night in this little dwelling.
Paul Upton and his wife once attended a yearly meeting on Long Island. This was in the time of the Revolution, when the British had possession of that part of the country. They rode the whole distance on horseback, much of the way through an almost unbroken wilderness. Arriving at their des- tination, they put up at the house of a friend. One morning, after the close of the meeting, their horses were brought up to the door, and while they were engaged in leave-taking, a Brit- ish officer stepped up, took the horses by the bridle, saying, as he did so, that he had use for them. The honest old Quaker eyed the officer for a moment, and then addressed him in measured terms : "Friend, would thee consider what thee is doing ? We are far from home ; my wife is unable to walk that distance ; neither can I in my enfeebled state ; if thee takes our horses, we shall have no means to get back." And thus the old gentleman plead with him, until the heart of the officer relented. Letting go the bridles, he bade the honest Quaker and his wife depart in peace, and went on his way, followed by their benedictions.
Paul had a son born to him about the time the British ship "Asia" left New York and anchored in the lower Hudson. This vessel was regarded with dread by the inhabitants of the river country, and was the object of a bitter hatred. Paul christened the child Asa ; which sounded so much like the name of the hated vessel, that many Whigs living in the vicinity, who were generally unlettered, but who were excessively jeal- ous of any semblance of loyalty to the King, thought the boy was named in honor of the vessel. This smacked too much of Toryism ; and a committee was forthwith appointed to enquire into the matter. The good old Quaker had little diffi- culty in explaining to them that "Asa" and " Asia" were two
414
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
distinct appellatives, and they departed evidently satisfied.
Paul was by trade a tanner. The farmers used to carry hides to him to be made into leather. On one of his tours to Long Island, he was taken prisoner by the enemy. He stated his case to the officers in charge, depicting the loss that would be incurred were he to be retained. Said he " I am a tanner by trade. I now have in my vats thousands of dollars' worth of hides. If I am not allowed to care for them, they will all be damaged. Many of my customers are friends to the King ; they will suffer if I am kept here." The officer inquired about the length of time that would be necessary to secure the hides. ' About three months," was the answer. The officer thought a moment, and then said : " We will let you return home on con- dition that you will give us your word of honor that in three- months from this day and date you will report yourself at Kingston." The Quaker gave his word, and was suffered to depart. The time expired just after the British had left Kings- ton, after the capture of Burgoyne at Saratoga. True to his word, Upton presented himself at Kingston on the day appointed, but as there was no British officer to take charge of him, he returned home.
Near where is now located Willow Brook Station, on the Poughkeepsie and Eastern Railroad, there stood in Revolu- tionary times, a tavern. A number of noisy fellows had gathered there one day, who were carousing finely. At last it was arranged that each one should in turn sing a song. One of the revelers was named Marvin. When it came his turn to sing, he gave them a Tory song. This put a sudden stop to the proceedings ; and so full were the rest of bad continen- tal rum, that they did not stop to consider the consequences, but all fell upon the poor fellow, and killed him. After he was dead, one of the 'men by the name of Obey Smith took the body upon his shoulder, put it into Marvin's sleigh, and started the horses for home, with no one in it but their dead driver, where they arrived soon after. Obey Smith used to. go about with his head drawn to one side. It was currently
415
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
reported that the deformity was caused by his carrying the dead body of Marvin upon his shoulder ..
A man once lived in this town-name withheld-who made a wager with a colored man living with him, betting a bay mare against the negro's wages. The negro won, and mounting his property, rode gaily away. His employer was greatly chagrined at being thus fairly beaten, and out of revenge had the darkey arrested for theft. As the latter could furnish no proof, except his own word, of the manner in which he came in possession of the mare, he was adjudged guilty of the crime of which he was accused, sentenced to be hung, and was afterwards executed. His employer was present at the execution. Just before the noose was placed about his neck, the negro made some remarks, a part of which were addressed to his accuser. "You know, very well," said he, "that the mare was mine, and that I came honestly by her, and you will stand there and see me hung, innocent of what I am accused. May God forgive you, as I do, of the crime of willful murder which will rest upon your soul.
Esq. Sam. Arnold was anciently a noted magistrate. During his term of office a law was passed making it a finable offence to allow a dog to run loose without a ring about his neck bearing the name of his owner. As one half of the fine went to the informer, a man named Quick thought this would be a favorable opportunity to make a little money. He lived near one John Bailey, for whom he worked ; and taking the names of all those who had not complied with the law, he appeared before the magistrate with a goodly list. That functionary promptly commanded the delinquents to appear before him on a certain day and answer to the charge. In the meantime the accused had made common cause against their informer, and had arranged to retaliate upon him for meddling with their affairs. They caused a heavy iron collar to be forged, which was to be secured by a rivet, on which were the words : " I am John Bailey's dog, whose dog are you?" This they designed placing around the neck of Quick.
416
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
One night they surrounded Quick's house, and were about effecting an entrance, when one of them looking through the key hole caught sight of him just as he was going up stairs. He called out " Here he is," and everybody rushed for the front door. This afforded a chance of escape for poor Quick, who jumped from a rear chamber window, and was lost to view in the gloom of the adjacent wood. He fled the country, and never afterward showed himself in the neighborhood. The collar is yet in existence, having done duty different from that for which it was made.
Once a band of Tories had secreted themselves in a dense swamp, in this vicinity, where they were supplied with provi- sions by their wives and sweethearts, who went there for that purpose at night. A report having spread that the British had recently met with a brilliant victory, and were penetrating the county in the neighborhood of Fishkill, the Tory band boldly sallied forth to meet them. When near Salt Point, they were informed that the report was false ; whereupon they made all haste for the swamp, before they could be intercepted.
The writer was informed that when the Stone Church at Clinton Corners was being built, about forty men were engaged upon it. During an alarm, these men were called upon to assist in repelling the invaders, but they all fled to the neigh- boring woods except an old man, who boldly kept at work, and who was pressed into the service. Tradition says that a num- ber of muskets were thrown into the body of water known as the Pond Gut in the Revolution, by some Tories who were endeavoring to escape pursuit ; in proof of the truth of this it is asserted that but a few years since one or two muskets, of ancient pattern, were found in it.
UNION VALE.
POPULATION, 1,434 .- SQUARE ACRES, 14,876,
ONION VALE was formed from Beekman and " Frce- dom," (now LaGrange) March Ist, 1827. Its surface is a hilly and broken upland, divided into two parts by a broad valley, which extends north and south through the centre. The Clove Kil, a tributary of the Fishkill, flows southwest through the town. Slate crops out upon the sum- mits and declivities of the hills. The soil is a gravelly and slaty loam. An extensive iron mine near the Clove post-office supplies the Beekman Furnace, two miles farther south. Hen- ricus Beekman, the patentee, conveyed 1,000 acres in this vicinity to his son Henry, in 1716, and settlement is supposed to have commenced soon after. Verbank, Oswego Village, Clove, Crouse Store, Mansfield, and Pleasant Ridge, are ham- lets.
Families by the name of Potter, Livingston, Hall, Emigh, Wilkinson, Cline, Able, Reed, Morey, and Uhl, settled in Union Vale at an early period. James Skidmore, Adam and Daniel Crouse, and John Mosher moved in at an early date. Half a century ago, a union meeting house stood on the road
417-a2
418
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
leading from Union Vale to Beekmanville, near the location of the old union burying ground, which was probably the first church built in this immediate vicinity. It was a plain, old- fashioned structure, of medium size, with no gallery.
The Christian denomination is quite numerous and influen- tial in this town. A neat and commodious house of worship has been recently built. They formerly worshiped in an old church under the mountain, which was torn down when the present one was erected. Albert Hall and Joseph M. Cutler contributed largely towards its erection. Near this church is a beautiful rural cemetery. There are several fine monu- ments, and a family vault upon the grounds. It is elegantly laid out ; a miniature artificial lake is enclosed within its limits ; all of which adds to the natural beauties of the loca- tion. The monument of Albert Hall is a piece of fine mechan- ism, the design of which is one of his own selection. Another monument will be erected to the memory of Joseph M. Cutler at a cost of $2600. Cutler was largely interested in the min- ing interests of the town, in which he acquired great wealth.
James Skidmore was an early settler, who built the mill and old house near Crouse Store. He owned a large tract of land in the vicinity. The mill is one of the oldest in the town.
On Pleasant Ridge is an old dwelling with its siding composed of shingles, built by Nicholas Old Skidmore Mill. Baker. It is somewhat remarka- ble from the fact that all the nails used in its construction were made by himself, on the anvil. He was a blacksmith, and made the nails during the evenings, after the regular work of the day was over. He was also a merchant ; the building he used for a store is still standing we believe. It was his custom, when about to take a trip to New York for goods-which he only undertook once or twice a year-to prepare his bed, and a stock of provisions to last several days, which he had to take with him, as the sloop did not board passengers in those days. After
419
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
a deal of preparation, he would be conveyed to Poughkeepsie, take his bed and provisions on board the sloop, and then was often forced to submit to a long and tedious passage. Several days would elapse before he would again set foot in Pough- keepsie, and then all the goods were conveyed in wagons over the rough roads to the top of Simpson Hill.
Another character who flourished in these parts was Caleb Simpson, after whom the hill is named. He came in here, and, much to the regret of the people, started a low groggery. Some of the leading men of the neighborhood went to him and besought him not to sell any liquor, but to no avail. To Nicholas Baker, who was more earnest in his appeals than the rest, he said, " I shall yet live to sell liquor in your house." Years passed away. Simpson was finally reduced to poverty, and went away, and a few years afterward died a pauper. He was brought back and buried in a little graveyard, which may still be seen, on Simpson Hill. The funeral procession passed the house of Baker, who, happening to be looking out of the window at the moment, inquired who was dead. On being told it was his old neighbor, Caleb Simpson, he recalled the remark made by the latter years before, and said " he guessed Old Simpson would not be able to fulfill his threat to sell liquor in his house quite yet."
Years ago, some parties from Connecticut were in this vicinity searching after tidings of a pedlar. He had not returned home at the usual time, after making a trip, and his friends, becoming alarmed, started to look for him. They, by diligent inquiry along the road, tracked him all the way to Simpson's, and there they lost all trace of him. He was seen to go there, but was never seen to go away. Some time after- wards, his wagon was found in the woods, about a mile from Simpson's, and which was completely rifled of its contents. Sufficient proof could not be obtained to convict any one of the crime, though certain parties were strongly suspicioned.
Some years since, a man by the name of Lee, we believe, was suddenly missing from this vicinity. Some supposed he
420
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
had gone into other parts without mentioning the matter to any one; but others thought his sudden disappearance very strange. Some time afterwards, as one Henry Harrington was upon his death bed, and almost with his last breath, under- took to make a confession of a murder. He expired before all the details had been disclosed; but sufficient information was gathered to establish the fact that about the time of the disappearance of Lee, Harrington, in company with another man, were each driving a mule team between Beekman Furnace and Poughkeepsie ; that they were returning from one of their trips by the upper road, passing by Crouse Store ; that on their way the said Lee got in to ride with them, and they, being full of liquor, killed him for his money. They procured a shoe-box at the store, put the dead man into it, and hid it away in what is still known as the Factory Woods, just in the edge of Union Vale, above the furnace pond. Harrington's companion soon fled the country. and he kept the secret to himself until he was induced, at the very thresh- hold of eternity, to divulge the crime. About the time of the disappearance of Lee, two young girls were rambling in these woods, when they suddenly came upon a man who was sitting by a pile of fresh earth. He was one of the mule drivers above mentioned. The girls wondered what the fresh dirt meant, but never thought of the matter again until years afterwards, when the confession of Harrington brought it to remembrance.
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.