USA > New York > Warren County > Queensbury > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 14
USA > New York > Washington County > History and biography of Washington county and the town of Queensbury, New York > Part 14
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The village of Argyle was incorporated un- der a special act of legislature March 27, 1838, providing for the annual election of five trus- tees, from whom a president was to be chosen. At the first election, held June 5, 1838, the fol- lowing trustees were elected : Ransom Stiles, George Gillis, John M. Stewart, James Caul, and James Savage. At the same election, William H. King was elected clerk; Benjamin Caswell and George W. Harsha, assessors ; Mason Martin, collector ; and James Stewart, constable. The incorporation of the village has added much to its appearance and con- siderable to its progress.
The earliest settlement at Argyle was made
by George Kilmer, who, although not a paten- tee, yet became a large land purchaser, and owned the site of the village in an early day. Kilmer is said to have come about 1768. There is no account of when he built the first house of the village. That the early growth of Ar- gyle was slow is attested by the recollections of John Ross, who stated that there were only half a dozen houses in the place in 1817. Of these buildings one must have been the county clerk's office that was established there in 1806, and another was the storehouse of Stiles Ran- som. A third building was the Peleg Bragg tavern, that came in charge of Joseph Rouse in 1800, and the postoffice established in 1807 was kept by Rouse, who was the first post- master, and held that position for thirty-four years. Within some of these six houses must have resided at different times, Drs. Andrew Proudfit, Robert Cook, Robert Clark, Zebulon Rood and James Green, who were there at dif- ferent times between 1790 and 1816.
Of the early merchants were Alexander Backup, Stiles Ransom, Carl & Dodd, and John Ross ; and in the number of hotel keep- ers before 1830 were Peleg Bragg, Joseph Rouse, John Ransom, Daniel Buck, and James Carroll. From 1817 up to the present time, stores and hotels have continued and increased in numbers, and carriage factories and other industries have been established.
The religious history of the village goes back to about 1770, when those who lived at Argyle were afforded the opportunity of at- tending meetings held there or at houses in the neighborhood, at which Dr. Clark, of Salem, preached. Dr. Clark left in 1780, and Rev. James Proudfit, after 1783, also preached occasionally. These occasional services by Dr. Clark and Rev. Proudfit culminated in the organization of the United Presbyterian church of Argyle in November, 1792. One year later Rev. George Mairs, of Coothill, Ireland, became pastor of the church, which erected a log meeting house one mile south of their present church edifice at Argyle. In
106
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
1800 the church had increased so in numbers that a larger meeting house was required, and which was built at Argyle, where it stood until 1844. A second church then erected was burned, and a third church was built in 1845, whose successor, the present handsome Gothic structure, was consecrated July 18 of the centennial year. Rev. George Mairs served as pastor until 1823, when he was suc- ceeded by his son, Rev. George Mairs, jr., whose ministry extended till 1850.
In 1814 the Reformed Protestant Dutch Union church built a meeting house at Argyle that afterward became the property of the Methodist church. Rev. Isaiah Johnson and others were pastors of the Reformed church until it went down some years later.
Another church whose career was run at Argyle was the Reformed Presbyterian church, whose legal organization was effected on April 14, 1828, with Rev. James Stewart as minister. This church was generally known as the Cam- eronian church, and in a short time after its formation went down. The meeting house was removed and changed into a furniture shop by John Ross.
Succeeding the Cameronian in order of for- mal organization came the First Methodist Episcopal church of Argyle, whose incorpor- ate existence commenced on November 20, 1850. The record of Methodism in the village, however, goes back to January 16, 1815, when a meeting was held at the house of Ichabod Davis, to form a legal society. No records of this or any succeeding class up to 1835 are to be found. Then Rev. Daniel Brayton came on the circuit and urged a church organiza- tion, that was effected fifteen years later. The first meeting house, a frame, was replaced in 1876, with their present fine brick structure, principally through the efforts of the Rev. J. W. Shank.
After the Methodists came the Presbyter- ians in the history of this village, the First Presbyterian church of Argyle being formed June 29, 1873, with thirty-eight members.
Rev. George Ainslie became the first pastor in 1874, in which year their present nine thous- and dollar frame church structure was com- menced. The church edifice was finished in 1875.
In addition to the churches and the Sunday schools in connection with them, Argyle has supported the Argyle Bible and Tract society, which was formed February 6, 1837, as the Young People's Bible society.
Argyle village made its first provision against fire in 1845, when Argyle Fire Company, No. I, was formed. That company was succeeded by a new company in 1866, that also had charge of a new engine costing nine hundred dollars, and a good engine house, but which in a few years disbanded.
In addition to the public schools the village has an academy and had two organized library companies before periodical literature was very common.
Argyle academy was incorporated May 4, 1841, although the building had been erected in the southern part of the village in 1840, and in that year the school had been opened under Prof. Earl Larkins.
The early libraries were the Argyle library, formed at the house of Peleg Bragg, May 1, 1805, and the Argyle Social library, formed at the house of Joseph Rowe, March 26, 1823. Both of these libraries went down a good many years ago.
TOWN OF ARGYLE.
Bounded on the north by Kingsbury and Hartford, on the east by Salem and Hebron, on the south by Greenwich, and on the west by Fort Edward, is the town of Argyle, which lies in the central part of Washington county, and was named for the Duke of Argyle of Scotland. Its present area is nearly thirty- five thousand acres, and it formerly included the territory of Greenwich and Fort Edward, which towns were taken from it respectively in 1803 and 1818.
The surface is broken, being hilly in the west and mountainous in the east, while pleas-
107
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
ant valleys are along the streams in the south, and a cedar swamp of some size lies in the north. The soil is a clay loam intermixed in some places with gravel or slate. It is pro- ductive and grain and grass yield well.
The principal stream is Moses Kill (likely a corruption of Moss' Kill, after Captain Moss, an early settler on the stream), which has several tributaries and drains to the westward, the northern and central parts of the town. In the southeast are two beautiful lakes, Ar- gyle and Cossayuna. Lake Argyle has bright waters and charming scenery, that has made it popular as a pleasure resort. It is tributary to Cossayuna lake, whose length is three and one-half miles, with a breadth of one-half mile. Lake Cossayuna has deep, clear waters stocked with fish, and is surrounded by pine- covered hills. A beautiful island is in the northern part of Cossayuna, whose southern extremity is in Greenwich. If the Indian name of Lake Argyle could have been pre- served, it would have been probably as soft and beautiful as that of Cossayuna. Care and taste could make these two lakes-so near together, the one sleeping on a highland and the other in a forest-embowered vale-an at- tractive summer resort, whose popularity would divide honors and patronage with other and more famous lake resorts, where fashion, wealth and beauty gather yearly.
On March 2, 1764, Alexander McNaughton and one hundred and six others of the origi- nal Campbell colony and their decendants, petitioned for one thousand acres of land each, all to be in a single tract between South bay and Kingsbury. On May 21st, the council recommended that forty-seven thousand seven hundred acres be granted, and the grant was made for that amount and covered largely the present towns of Fort Edward, Greenwich, and all of Argyle. The grant or patent gave the name of Argyle to the township, but the first record of a town meeting bears date of April 2, 1771. The town was officially organ- ized by the State council March 23, 1786, and
the first officers elected under this organiza- tion were: Duncan Campbell, supervisor ; Archibald Brown, town clerk; Roger Reid, collector ; Archibald Campbell and Neal Shaw, assessors ; John Offrey and John McNeil, con- stables ; and a number of others as roadmas- ters, fence viewers, and poor masters.
The granting of a tract to Capt. Laughlin Campbell's children in Greenwich, led to the application for the Argyle grant by the one hundred and seven others mentioned of Cap- tain Campbell's immigrants.
The Argyle patent specified the number of acres to each applicant, and those lots in the present town of Argyle, on the south side of a street that was to run through the center from the Hudson to the Salem patent were as follows :
Lots. Names. Acres.
I Catherine Campbell 250
2 Elizabeth Cargill . 250
3 Allan McDonald. . 300
4 Neil Gillaspie. 450
5 . . Mary Campbell . 3.50
6. Duncan McKerwin. 250
7 . Ann McAnthony 300
8. Mary McGowne 300
Catherine McLean 300
9.
Mary Anderson . . 300
II Archibald McNeil. .300
12. Dougall McAlpine 300
13 David Lindsey . . 250
14. Elizabeth Campbell 300
15 ..
Ann McDuffie. .350
16. Donald McDougall. . 300
Archibald McGowne . 300
17
18. Eleanor Thompson . 300
19. Duncan McDuffie .350
20. Duncan Reid 600
21
John McDuffie. 250
22. Dugall McKallor . 550
23 Daniel Johnson. . 350
2.4 Archibald Campbell 250
25 . William Hunter . 300
26. Duncan Campbell. · 300
27
Elizabethı Frazer. . 200
IO.
.
108
.
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
Lots.
Names.
Aeres.
Lots.
Names. Acres.
28.
Alexander Campbell. .350
90
Elizabeth Ray
. 200
Glebe lot.
500
91.
James Nutt. . 300
29
Daniel Clark
350
92.
Donald Mc Duffie. 350
George Campbell .300
44
. Duncan McArthur 450
94
Jane Widrow. . 300
45.
John Torrey.
300
95
John McDougall. 400
46.
Malcom Campbell 300
Florence Mckenzie. 200
97
Charles Mc Allister . 300
48.
. John McKenzie. .300
49
Jane Cargill. .250
99.
Hugh McDougall
. 300
100
James Campbell
.300
IOI . George Mckenzie. . 400
102.
John McCarter . 400
61 . James McDonald . 400 103. Morgan McNeil 250
62
Mary Belton . 300
72
Rachel Nevin
. 300
73 . James Cargill. 400
This stately street, twenty-four rods wide, on which each grantee was to have a town lot, · and the remainder of his land was to be sur- veyed back of it for a farm, was found to do better on paper than on land where hills too rough to grade and uninhabitable land was in its pathway. Archibald Campbell and Chris- topher Yates were the surveyors, and com- menced their labors June 19, 1 764.
On the north side the lots, owners, and acres were as follows :
Lots.
Names. Aeres.
74. John Cargill. 300
75. Duncan McDougall: 300 76 Alexander Christie. . 350
77
Alexander Montgomery
600
78
Marian Campbell
.250
123.
Elizabeth Caldwell
250
79 John Gilchrist. 300
80
Angus McDougall. 300 81.
Duncan McGuire
. 500
82.
Edward McKallor.
. 500
83.
Alexander Gilchrist .
30
84.
Archibald McCollum
350
85
Archibald McCore 300 86. John McCarter 350
87 Neil Shaw 600 88 Duncan Campbell. 300
89. Roger McNeil 300
104.
Malcom McDuffie.
. 550
105 Florence McVarick 300
106 Archibald McEwen . 300
Neil McDonald.
.500
107.
108 James Gillis . . 500
109
Archibald McDougall
450
IIO.
Marian McEwen
200
III.
Patrick McArthur
. 350
John McGowne, jr
250
113. John Shaw, sr .300
114
Angus Graham
.300
115.
Edward McCoy.
.300
116.
Duncan Campbell, jr.
.300
II7.
Jenette Ferguson
. 250
118.
Hugh McElroy.
. 200
119 ..
Dougall Thompson.
. 400
120.
Mary Graham
. 300
121.
Robert McAlpine
.300
122.
Duncan Taylor
.60
124
William Clark .
35
125.
Barbara McAllister
.300
126.
Mary Anderson .
.300
127
Donald McMullen
.450
A number of the grantees came on their lots and settled. Others never claimed their lands, which passed into the hands of other settlers, or were occupied by squatters. Duncan McAr- thur, who drew lot No. 44, James Gillis, grantee of lot No. 108, and Duncan Taylor, allottee of lot No. 122, came in 1765, and settled on their
50
. John McGowan. . 300
59
. John McEwen . 500
60 . John McDonald . 300
93
43.
Elizabeth Campbell 300
96. Archibald McCarter . 300
47
98 William Graham. . 300
II2.
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
land. Other settlers came in, and after the Revolution a considerable number settled in different parts of the town and became owners of land by purchase of the grantees or by years of peaceable possession. In 1790 Dr. Andrew Proudfit and Judge Ebenezer Clark, sons of Rev. James Proudfit and Doctor Clark, of Sa- lem, settled near Argyle and became promi- nent citizens of the town. By 1815 the jury list showed the residence in the town of thirty- seven yeomen, one hundred and forty-five farmers, three joiners, five blacksmiths, two saddlers, three shoemakers, one surveyor, one inn-keeper, one doctor, two lawyers, and ten merchants. Thirty years later the population was one thousand six hundred and forty-one, and in 1880 numbered two thousand seven hundred and seventy-five.
Limited water power has made agriculture the main pursuit of the people, yet the town has had a few mills and factories on the. Moses Kill and Lake Argyle. The earliest mill was that of George Kilmer, on the site of the present Argyle mill, on the Moses Kill. Sev- eral miles below Argyle Thomas N. Clark put up saw and grist mills about 1807. A woolen factory and a fulling mill were erected near Argyle and run for many years. Several saw mills were erected at the outlet of Lake Argyle and operated long enough to cut up the pine about the lake. At the head of the lake Mrs. E. Gifford, a woman of energy and business ability, built a cotton factory and dug a tun- nel from the lake through which she brought a sufficient stream of water to operate her machinery. This draft of water on the lake alarmed the saw mill owners for their supply. They procured an injunction preventing her from thus turning the course of the lake, and her efforts deserving success became unavail- ing. Saw and feed mills are at North Argyle, where formerly there were a plaster mill and a fulling mill.
Of late years dairying has been successfully carried on in the town, and several cheese fac- tories have been built.
Of the early schools of the town there is no record to be found, and to those established under State provision in 1815, not much atten- tion was paid for a few years. After that a proper interest was awakened in education, and has been maintained ever since.
In addition to several small private bury- ing grounds, the town contains three well laid out cemeteries. The Prospect Hill cemetery was opened at Argyle in 1855, the North Ar- gyle cemetery was laid out in 1873, and the Cossayuna Lake cemetery was opened in 1877.
Good roads are to be found in every part of Argyle, and in 1850 the Argyle and Fort Ed- ward plank road was built, and became a prin- cipal thoroughfare.
There are two unincorporated villages and one hamlet in the town of Argyle.
The Hook, formerly called Coot's Hill, is a hamlet two miles northeast of North Argyle, where a store and a tavern were kept many years ago. A postoffice was established in 1829, but removed the next year to North Ar- gyle. The Hook now contains some mechanic shops and several houses, and in 1880 had a population of forty-one.
North Argyle, two and one-half miles from Argyle, was first called Stevenson's Corners, after Daniel Stevenson, who was the first post- master in 1830. Shops, mills and stores have been continued at the place ever since Steven- son commenced business there. The popula- tion in 1880 was ninety-five. The United Pres- byterian church of North Argyle was organized in 1830 with the following members : Daniel Stevenson, sr., Robert Robertson, William Shepherd, Duncan Shepherd, John Stevenson, John Tilford, Alex. McGeoch, William Swale, Nicholas Robertson, Robert G. Hale, Alex. Bachop and Nathaniel Reynolds and their wives, and Ann and Mary Robertson, Andrew Haggard, Phebe Coulter, Sarah Coulter, Mrs. Archibald Gillis and John Robertson. This church was organized to accommodate mem- bers living in the north and west parts of the town. Rev. Duncan Stalker became the first
110
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
pastor in 1831, and the present church edifice was built in 1866, to take the place of the first church erected in 1831. The North Argyle Dairy association in 1875 erected a two story cheese factory just east of the village, which produced forty-three thousand pounds of cheese in 1876.
South Argyle was founded in 1824, when John Mitchel opened a store. A carriage fac- tory was started by William Congdon in 1827, and three years later the postoffice was estab- lished, with Rev. J. P. Miller as postmaster. Since then shops and stores have been con- tinued, and in 1874 the South Argyle Dairy as- sociation erected a four thousand dollar cheese factory, that the first year of its operation pro- duced forty thousand pounds of cheese. It is the pioneer cheese factory of the county. The population of South Argyle numbered fifty in 1880. The South Agyle church was organized about 1785, by Rev. Thomas Beveridge, under the shade of a tree and by the name of the Argyle congregation. Three churches have been built, the present fine one being erected in 1852. The church assumed its present name in 1858. It is the mother church of two other prosperous churches and has given many able ministers to the country.
The territory of Argyle was not in the line of march or the path of foray during the In- dian and inter-colonial wars of the frontier, and while not a camping ground or battle-field in the Revolution, yet it was the theatre dur- ing that great struggle of the massacre of the Allen family by the same band of ferocious savages who, two days later, murdered Jane McCrea.
In July, 1777, Le Loup, an Iroquois chief, with a small party of warriors, left the vicinity of Salem to rejoin Burgoyne at Fort Edward.
The Indians had one prisoner and resolved to murder the first family that they came across in their march. They were frightened away from Duncan McArthur's house by the appearance of too many men being about the premises, and on July 25th, came to John Al-
len's residence, which they attacked when the family and three slaves were at dinner. The attack, sudden and swift, was only too success- ful, and in a few minutes nine scalped, bleed- ing and mutilated forms lay cold in death. Mr. Allen, his wife and three children, and his wife's sister, and three slaves-two men and a woman-were-the victims of the attack. Al- len's wife was the daughter of George Kilmore, who then lived at Argyle, and the slaves be- longed to Mr. Kilmore, who had sent them to help Allen with his wheat harvest. The bodies lay till Sunday before they were discovered and buried.
The massacre of the Allen family sent a thrill of dread and fear all through the town. Many left, others sought protection in the rear of Burgoyne's army, and some families resid- ing on Lake Cossayuna sought safety by se- creting themselves on the island that is in the northern part of that sheet of water and which then was heavily wooded.
CHAPTER VII.
TOWNS OF JACKSON AND WHITE CREEK.
TOWN OF JACKSON.
Irregular in shape and named for the hero of New Orleans, is the town of Jackson, in the southern part of the county, and which was formerly a part of Cambridge.
Jackson is bounded on the north by Green- wich and Salem ; on the east by the State of Vermont; on the south by White Creek and Cambridge; and on the west by Easton and Greenwich.
The area of the town is twenty-two thousand eight hundred and sixty-one acres, of which nineteen thousand three hundred and seven- teen acres were improved in 1875, and the principal productions are corn, oats, rye, po- tatoes, and hay.
The soil is a slaty loam and productive.
.^
111
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
The surface is broken and hilly, several par- allel ranges of the Taghanic mountains pass- ing through the town, with hills from three to eight hundred feet above the intervening val- leys.
The drainage of the town is by the waters of the Batten Kill to the northward, and of those of the Owl Kill to the southward. The Batten Kill receives eight rivulets from the northern and central parts, while the Owl Kill does not receive any number of tributaries in the southern part. There are four ponds in the town. Big pond is drained by a tributary of the Batten Kill, and the waters of Dead, McLean and Long ponds, on the slight water slied, south of the center, find their way by the Owl Kill to the Hoosic river.
Jackson, from its situation and lack of water power, is necessarily an agricultural township, where profitable returns reward the labors of the industrious and thrifty husbandman.
The town of Jackson was organized by act of legislature in 1815, being taken from the territory of Cambridge and named for Gen. Andrew Jackson, the victor of New Orleans, and then the hero of the nation. Of the move- ment for this new town we have no account, and whether it was originated to gratify local political ambition, to secure the enjoyment of some invaded civil right by the parent town, or on territorial considerations, its early his- torians are silent.
On the first Tuesday in April, 1816, the first town meeting was held, and the following offi- cers were elected : James Irvin, supervisor ; Kirtland Warner, town clerk ; William Adams, James Richardson and Edward Cook, asses- sors ; Robert Simpson and John McDonal, collectors ; and quite a number of others as school commissioners, school inspectors, com- missioners of highways, overseers of highways and fence viewers and appraisers. Benjamin Scott was elected to act with the two collec- tors as constables.
Well provided in number with town offi- cials, Jackson entered upon the threshold of
its civil history, which has been one of substantial progress. The railway running through the eastern part affords means of exit and egress, and furnishes shipping facilities for farm and market garden products.
In the by-gone ages of Indian occupation and supremacy in the Upper Hudson valley, the territory of Jackson seems to have been used as a hunting ground, and sometime to- ward its close, and probably during the earlier of the inter-colonial wars, a deadly battle was fought by hostile Indian tribes at the water- shed or highland ponds for the control of the pass below them. The tradition of this forest struggle is silent alike as to its result or the nationality of the contending tribes. From this time on peace reigned in its valleys and on its hills until August 23, 1746, when Van Dreuil with nine hundred French and Indians camped by these highland ponds and near tradition's Indian battle-field. Three days be- fore Van Dreuil had stormed and captured Fort Massachusetts, in the town of Hoosic, and had brought with him as captives, those of the inhabitants who were spared from the knife and tomahawk. A sorrowful night it must have been for those captives whose march the next day was to be resumed for Canada, where, if escaping the torture stake, the miseries of a long if not a hopeless capti- vity awaited them.
Thirty-one years later, and in the month of August, the last armed force that has entered the territory of Jackson made its appearance in the troops of Baum, whose axmen cut out his way along the southwestern boundary line of the town. The common alarm prevailing throughout the county during Burgoyne's in- vasion was felt by the citizens of the town.
The largest portion of Jackson is on the Cambridge patent of July 21, 1761, while in the east is the lands of the Schermerhorn pat- ent of ten thousand acres, granted to Ray Schermerhorn and others, May 11, 1762. This last patent was often called the Anaquassa- cook patent, and was laid out in 1763 into
112
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
twenty-five lots, commencing at the north end. The owners of these lots were Thomas Smith, William Smith, Johannes Quackenboss, and Ryer Schermerhorn, who each owned five lots, and Jacob and Barnardus Vrooman Scher- merhorn, who owned the other five lots.
The pioneer settlers came from 1761 to 1765, and were from New England, Scotland, and Ireland. Many of them held offices in Cam- den, where their names appear in the early records.
Among the settlers coming between 1770 and 1790 were John R. Law, whose grandson, George Law, of New York city, was at one time named prominently as a candidate for the presidency ; Andrew Thompson, Ebenezer Billings, Obadiah Culver, Isaac Watters, Seth, Eleazer, Nathaniel and John Crocker, James and John Telford, Alex. Lourie, John and Walter Maxwell, Thomas and James Green, Joseph Archer and John Ferguson.
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