USA > New York > Columbia County > History of Columbia County, New York. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 102
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There are several small lakes or ponds in the northern
part of the town, the largest of which are called " Wood- worth," or " Lower Rhoda," " Porter," or " Miller's," and " Long" ponds. The two first named lie partly in Copake. Fish of all kinds, including bass and pickerel, are found in them. The principal streams are Roeloff Jansen's Kill and Punch brook. The former enters the town near the mid- dle of its north boundary, and flows in a generally southwest course aeross the town into Gallatin. Punch brook rises in the south part, and flows north till it empties into the kill, about a mile and a half from the town line. These streams have numerous small tributaries. The waters of the ponds in this town and the south part of Copake empty into the kill. A small brook rises in the Taghkanic moun- tains, near Boston Corners, and flows north into Copake.
The soil of this town is generally a gravelly loam, inter- mixed with clay. In the southeast and east there is, how- ever, considerable limestone soil, and in the interval border- ing the kill considerable quantities of alluvial deposits. It is a productive, fertile soil, and generally easily tilled. The crops are similar to those of other towns, rye, corn, potatoes, oats and buckwheat being the principal crops. Some of the land is particularly adapted to grazing pur- poses, and dairying is carried on to some extent. Iron ore has been obtained at different points in the hills along the east border, and near the Taghkanic, in the north part of the town. Lead ore has also been mined at Hot Ground, near the centre.
This town is well supplied with railroads. The New York and Harlem railroad was built through this town in 1852, and entering at Boston Corners (its only station in Ancram), runs one and three-fourths miles north into Copake. The track of this road is elevated on an embank- ment some twenty-five feet high for a considerable dis- tance north from this station, and on a slight curve, about half a mile north, the wind has twice blown trains from the track. These accidents occurred within a few rods of the same spot ; the first some eighteen or twenty years since, and the last about ten years ago. Both trains con- sisted of one baggage-car and two coaches each, and were running south. The engine in each case remained on the track, but the cars were lifted bodily from the rails, and rolled over and over down the bank. Some lives were lost each time and many people injured. Trains now often wait at the station for hours when one of these fierce easterly winds is blowing, till it abates sufficiently to allow them to proceed with safety. The Poughkeepsie, Hartford and Boston railroad enters the town from Pine Plains, about a mile cast of the Gallatin line, and crosses it in a northeasterly direction, making a wide detour to the north to get around the end of Chestnut Ridge, and leaves the
403
1
404
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
town at Boston Corners. Its length in Ancram is 8.07867 miles, and there are four stations,-Ancram Lead Mines, Halstead, Tanner's, and Boston Corners. The two inter- mediate stations are flag stations. Near Halstead are two wooden trestles spanning the valleys of two small streams. The smaller of these is about half a mile south, and is five hundred and twenty-five feet long and twenty-five feet high. The larger one is a few rods north, and is over one thousand three hundred feet long and sixty-five feet high in its most elevated part. Work was begun on this road in 1868 (it was then called the Poughkeepsie and Eastern railroad), but trains did not begin running until Aug. 1, 1872, when the first regular train ran over the whole length of the road. The first shipment of freight from Ancram Lead Mines was eleven eans of milk sent to New York by Jacob Miller. After the usual preliminaries the town was bonded in aid of this railroad to the amount of $30,000, receiving in return three hundred shares of the capital stock. The commissioners of the town in the work of bonding were Peter P. Rossman, John M. Smith, and Backus McIntyre. The bonds were to run thirty years, bearing seven per cent. interest. Subsequently the road was mortgaged, the mortgage became due, and was foreclosed, and the road was sold, so that now the town has no interest in the road, they having sold their stock at a merely nominal price, save the interest on the $30,000 in bonds.
The Rhinebeck and Connecticut railroad follows the course of the Roeloff Jansen's Kill through the town, and passing through Copake in a semicirele, re-enters Aneram at the Weed ore-bed, and runs parallel with the N. Y. & H. R. R., to Boston Corners, where it joins the P. H. & B. R. R., and both use the same track from that place to Millerton. This road has 7.44 miles of track in this town, and two stations,-Ancram and Boston Corners. It was built to Ancram ( the most important station between the termini of the road) during the summer of 1874, and trains ran regularly to that point. Work was also carried on on the rest of the road during the fall and winter of 1874-75, with the expectation of opening the road its entire length early in the spring. A heavy freshet, how- ever, carried off several bridges, and the road was not finally opened till about the 1st of May, 1875.
Aneram was formerly a part of the Livingston manor, though for many years considerable trouble existed between the authorities of Massachusetts and New York regarding the lands, they not being able to agree upon the boundary line between the two colonies. Owing to this state of affairs those who lived on the lands were often put to much trouble and inconvenience, and even sometimes placed in peril by the efforts of the rival governments to ejeet and dispossess them. At one time the New England Company, acting under the authority of the lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts, came with a large force and carried off a large number of captives. The following letter, found in the " Documentary History of New York," vol. iii. page 473, addressed to Robert Livingston, Jr., explains this, and shows what a marked contrast there is between the present penceable possession and the turbulence and disorder that then existed :
" MANOR LIVINGSTON, May 6, 1755.
" HONLE. SR. :
"On Monday Mr. Connor went to Warn the People to Assist on Theusday Morniog at Taghkaniek, and as he Arrived to Anchoram about Sun Down, he Was Informed that there Was a proclamation from ye Lieutenant-Governour of Boston Nailed upen Direk Spoor Dour, and Mr. Conner being Uncasie to know what Was Meant by the proclamation being put up there, he Went to Dirck Spoor's, and When they seen bim Coming towards the house they took it of and Locked it np in one of their Chest. But Mr. Conner Insisted Upon Seeing the paper that was Nailed to the Door, and After Some Dis- pitte Got it out of the Chest, Which is Now Inclosed and sent to You for Your Better Information, and as Mr. Conner was in Comeing Whome he Came by Anchoram, Where he Stayed till Ten O'clock at Night; he Likewise ordered the people of Anehoram to keep together in one house, and to be Sure to Make Deffenec, But in Steed of Def- fending Themselves the fled after a Base Manner, and Made No Re- sistance at all.
" Inelosed you have the Number of Men Which Were taken this Morning out of Anehoram By the New England Company, and your Servt., Jacob Knight, Who Was among them, and call'd out to the New England People to ty the Anchoram, and as Mr. Connor In- formed me that the New England Sheriff Come up to Mr. Deeker and Shook hands With him, and said he Would not take him, and Mr. Deeker never offered to make any Ressistance and all against him, and its said they are to Come and take Mr. Conner and the Rest of the Anchoram People, and We are Going there Now With a Company of men to Assist him as far as We Can.
" I am, hond. Sr., your most " Obedient & faithfull Servt., " DIRCK SWART."
" THE NUMBER TAKEN FROM ANCHORAM."
" James Elliott, the Clarke; Neil MacArthur, Founder ; Hugh MacCny, Filler; Jacob Showers, Founder; Samuel Herris, Do .; Charles MacCarthur, Morris When, Angus MacDuffey.
" The number took there were
" Robert Noble, Thomas Whitney, Jacob Spoer, Cornelius Spoor, Andries Reese, Jonathan Derby, Francis Balviel, a Soldr belonging te Albany Garrison, Ebenezer Pain, John Van Gelden, an Indian, Joseph Van Gelden, an Do., Jacob Kneght, Mr. Livingston's Servant, 103 ye Whole Number."
It is said in some works heretofore published that the town was first settled by the Dutch in the vicinity of An- cram village. This may be true; there were, no doubt, some settlers of that nationality among the earliest inhabit- ants, but no general settlement was made till the Seotch people settled in the central part of the town, and gave it a name by which it is known to this day, i.c., " Scotchtown." Some settlers also came in from the eastern States, and oc- enpied the valley between the Taghkanic mountains and Chestnut ridge and other lands in the eastern part of the town. We are unable to give anything like a full history of these hardy pioneers who ventured into the wilderness to create homes for their families. There were still some Indians in this section when the white settlers came, and they always maintained friendly relations with them. The last of them was the family of " Old Indian Joe." He died before 1790, but some members of his family survived him and remained in the vicinity for several years.
John Strever came from Germany and settled on a farm near Aneram Lead Mines, the present residence of Jacob Miller. IIe had four sons and two daughters, all of whom married and settled in this and Dutchess counties. Jacob, the second son, married Maria Hoysradt, a daughter of an- other early settler, and leased a farm near Ancram. One of his children-Mrs. Maria Knickerbocker-is now living
405
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
in the western part of Copake at the advanced age of ninety-one years.
Zaccheus Owen came to Aneram from New England, and settled on a place a little cast of Boston Corners. The date of his settlement was probably about 1760. He was succeeded on the place by his son Charles, and he by his son Hermon. The place is now divided into two farms, occupied by John Silvernail and Archibald McIntyre. The latter occupies the homestead, and his house stands nearly on the site of the first one. Peter Owen, a great- grandson of Zaccheus, is living in Ancram, aged seventy- nine years.
William Lott first settled the place occupied by Harmon Johnson, and known as " the Eggleston farm." He sold to Mark Kryne.
Next north of Lott, David Eggleston settled. The place is now occupied by Charles Roberts.
Hans Adam Miller was a German emigrant who settled, about 1760-65, on a farm on the west side of Chestnut ridge, about a mile from Boston Corners. The place is now owned by Anson and Homer Vosburgh. His family, consisting of three sons and six daughters, were all born on that place. Their descendants, by the names of Miller, McArthur, and Wilkinson, are still among the residents of this county. One son-named John-married, and took a lease of the farm now occupied by his son, Benjamin I. Miller, about 1800. By some error of the clerk who trans- cribed the lease it was made for the unusually long term of nine hundred and ninety nine years. The proprictor of the manor was very anxious to rectify the error when he found out what it was, but as he had refused " to correct mis- takes" before he knew what the mistake was, Miller kept the lease, saying, that if it was good enough for Livingston, it was good enough for him. Benjamin I. Miller still has this remarkable lease in his possession, though the land has since been purchased and conveyed by deed.
Hans Adam Miller had two brothers, Benjamin and Matthias, who came to America with him, and settled in Ancram and Copake; Benjamin on the place now occupied by Mrs. Miller, near Miller's pond, and Matthias on the place now occupied by Mrs. Lampman, half a mile south- west of the Weed ore-bed. Benjamin B. Miller, living near Copake Flats, is a grandson of Benjamin Miller. John McArthur was a son of Neil McArthur, one of the first settlers. He had seven children. One of them, Mrs. Betsey Barlow, is living in Rochester. Peter McArthur, a great-grandson of Neil, and son of Charles, is now living in Copake, two miles south of Copake Flats.
Henry and David Wentworth, and a family named Steward, were carly settlers near Aneram village, and Isaac Williams was for a long time agent of Livingston, in charge of the iron-works there.
Jacob Kiefer, on the W. H. Tripp place ; John Tweedy, on the John M. Williams place; Reuben McArthur, on the Elias Austin place; Arthur MeArthur, on the Sally McArthur place; two Burches, on the Jesse and Elias Reynolds place ; John W. Pulver, on the William W. Tanner place; Martin Miller, on the John M. Smith place ; and John Woodward, near the Woodward pond, were among the first settlers in their respective localities.
Among the other carlier settlers were Isaac Rogers, Duncan MeArthur, Archibald and Duncan MeIntyre, and families named Thompson, Fritts, Tanner, McDonald, Belcher, and Brandt.
This town was formed from Livingston, March 19, 1803, as Gallatin, and its name was changed to Ancram, March 25, 1814. Gallatin was taken off in 1830, and Boston Corners annexed April 13, 1857. Its first name was given it in honor of Ilon. Albert Gallatin, and the present one after Ancram in Scotland, which was the native place of the Livingston family.
The following is a copy of the record of the first town- meeting :
"Town of Gallatin, April 5, 1803, Made chnice ef Ebenezer King- man, clerk ; Nicholas Klyne, supervisor; Henry llufman, Esq., Jacob I. Strivel, Thomas Lumas, assessors ; Rubin MeCarter, Henry A. Hoisrod, Silas Davis, commissioners ; Allen Sheldon, collector ; Christephor Shults, Henry Huffman, everseers ef the poor ; Peter Marks, Aaron Sheldon, Daniel Palmer, constables; George Row, Hans Peter Sheemaker, John Bates, fenee-viewers; Isane Williams, poundmaster.
" $150 for the use of the peer, to be Raised by Vote of the Town. " Fences, 44 feet lligh.
"No Ram to Roa at large from the first of September until the first of November, Uoder the forfeiture of such Ram."
The first commissioners and inspectors of common schools were elected at a special town-meeting held May 29, 1813. They were Allen Sheldon, Henry P. Mink, and Rowland Sweet, commissioners ; John I. Holley, Elisha Wilcox, and Hermon Vedder, inspectors.
The following persons have served in the most important town offices, as designated in the list :
TOWN OFFICERS FROM 1803 To 1878.
Supervisors.
Town Clerks. Collectors.
1803. Nicholas Kline.
Eben'r Kingman. Allen Sheldon.
1804. ..
1805. Isaac Williams.
=
Joho I. Blass.
1806. Allen Sheldon.
46
46 Benjamin Miller, Jr.
1808. Josiah Holley.
Thomas T. Loomis.
1809. Allen Sheldon.
Thomas T. Loemis. Christian C. Shultz.
1811.
1812.
Isaac B. Williams.
Benjamio Miller, Jr.
1813. Ilenry P. Mink.
1814. Isaac B. Smith.
Benjamin Miller, Jr.
1815. Josiah Holley.
John P. Feller.
1816. Isaac B. Smith.
Benjamin Miller, Jr.
1817.
John Coons.
1818. Isaac B. Williams.
James Finch.
John P. Feller.
1819. Isaac B. Smith.
John Coons.
James Finch.
Arch. T. Melatyre.
1821. Walter Patterson.
Jacob Coons
1822. Elias Reynolds.
John S. Ilarris.
John Coons.
Joshua D. Covey.
1823. Walter Patterson.
Heory Delamater.
Joseph Reeves.
1824. Fred'k I. Curtiss. 1825. Isaac B. Williams. 1826.
Jacob Coons.
Henry Strever.
Philip N. Feller.
1827. John Coons.
Abraham F. Miller. John P. White.
Benj. I. Strever. Joseph Reeves.
1829. Augustus Tremain. William H. Smith.
=
1830. William II. Smith. Duncan Keefer. Geo. Kisselbrack.
1831.
1832. Joseph Halstead.
George W. Barton. Dunean Kecfer. =
46
1833. « .. Philip Johnson. Tunis Brasic.
Charles C'aul.
1831. James K. Van Ness. Henry I. Strever. 1835. Duncan Keeler. Stephen Decker. =
=
1807. Isaac B. Smith.
1810.
John Moore, Jr.
Christian C. Shultz.
1820. Isaac B. Williams. = Thos. Delamater.
John B. Strever.
1828.
406
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Supervisors.
1836. Duncan Kefer.
Towo Clerks. Collectors. David K. Tripp. llenry I. Silvernail. John Silvernail, Jr. John Moore.
1837. David K. Tripp. 1838. Joseph Halstead. 1839.
1840.
Alex. Smith, Jr.
1841. 1842. J. A. Rockefeller.
46
66
John Woodward. Ephraim Teator. Philip A. Coons. John Woodward. John W. Pulver.
1838. Ilenry S. Hoysradt. John B. Owen. 1839. John Kisselbrack. John B. Owen. 1840. John Monroo. John B. Owen. William H. Smith.
1857. William W. Huysradt. Asa Hong. 1858. Enoch N. Snyder. 1859. Simeon M. Collier. 1860. James Butts. 1861. Gilbert R. George. 1862. William W. Hoysradt. 1863. Smith Voshurgh.
1864. Alvin Wilbur. Simeon M. Collier.
1846. 1847.
1848. Seleck Osborn.
Josiah Reynolds. Juho Lyke.
1844. Henry S. Hoysradt. Christian C. Roraback.
1850. Selcek Osborn.
Archelaus Brandt.
1845. John Woodward.
1851. Conrad Niver.
Ambrose Dennis.
John A. Simmons.
George Wilsey.
1846. Abraham A. Vosburgh. Frederick I. Curtiss.
1853. 1I. H. Hoysradt.
Eli Loomis.
Daniel Johnson.
Jacob Decker.
1847. Andris Brant. John B. Owen. Philip H. Bonesteel.
1869. Enoch N. Snyder. 1870. Eaton H. Card.
1856. Ilarmon MeIntyre.
1857.
1858. Peter P. Rossman.
1859. Asa lloag.
John W. Keefer. Smith Vosburgh.
Henry II. Hoysradt.
1860. 4
John A. Simmons.
Teal Dennis.
1861. Arthur MeArthur.
Robert Bachman.
John Blass.
1850. Henry Poncher.
1862.
1863. Willis Hoag.
Gros. B. Rossman. Jacob J. Shook.
Josiah L. Barton. William Lowo. Enoch N. Snyder. Josiah L. Barton.
1865. John M. Smith.
Fred. C. Barton.
James McArthur.
1855. Simeon M. Collier.
1877. Richard S. Butts. 1878. Smith Vosburgh.
This town favors the licensing of the sale of intoxicating liquors. The commissioners of excise elected by the people under the existing law have been as follows, viz .: 1875, William H. Tripp, Christopher S. Hoysradt, Leonard Coon (appointed) ; 1876, Christopher S. Hoysradt, Frederick C. Barton, William Hoag; 1877, Hoffman Strever ; 1878, Frederick C. Barton.
There are four post-offices in this town, located at An- cram, Aneram Lead Mines, Boston Corners, and Weed Mine. There was formerly one known as Ancram Centre, which was discontinued in 1871.
ANCRAM,
which is the principal village, is situated on the kill, near the west line of the town, and contains about three hun- dred inhabitants. It is pleasantly situated, lying mostly on the west bank of the stream, which rises quite steeply to a height of abont seventy-five feet. The village is sepa- rated into two parts, nearly an eighth of a mile apart. The first, and principal part, lies near the fall in the kill, and contains two churches (Evangelical Lutheran and Meth- odist Episcopal), two hotels (" Ancram" and " Sunnyside") two stores, two blacksmith-shops, a shoe-shop, a large paper-mill, a fine school-house, a depot, and about twenty- five dwellings. A little way to the north is a small cluster of about a dozen dwellings.
The first hotel was built on the present site of the An- cram Hotel, in 1845, by John Scism. It has been repaired and added to, but the original frame is still standing.
Thomas T. Loomis. Allen Sheldon.
1821. Allen Sheldon.
1836. George W. Barton.
Elias Reynolds. Adam A. Iloysradt. Isaac B. Smith.
1822. Ebenezer Finch.
1824. Elias Reynolds.
1803. llenry lloffman.
1804. llenry Hoffman.
Isane B. Smith. John llolley.
1825. Henry Younghance.
1808. Isaac B. Smith.
Elected by the People.
Thomas T. Loomis. Ebenezer Kingman. Elins Reynolds.
1810. Allen Sheldon.
1811. Isaac B. Smith.
Ebenezer Kingman.
1813. Allen Sheldon.
1829. John P. Feller.
Henry P. Mink. Thomas T. Loomis. Samuel lloag.
1815. Elias Reynolds.
Thomas T. Loomis.
Coopradt I. Wiltscy. 1818. Isaac B. Smith.
Coonradt I. Wiltsey.
1835. Henry S. lloysradt. Henry Porter. Joseph Halstead.
1837. Andris Brant. Stephen Decker. Henry I. Strever.
1841. Andris Brant. Lemuel Pomeroy, Jr. Christian C. Roraback.
1844. Arthur McArthur.
David K. Tripp.
1815. llenry Van Densen. Caleb Wolcott.
Edson Card.
1842. Miranda Birch. John Kisselbrack.
1865. Gilbert R. George. John Shaw. 1866. Simcon M. Collier. 1867. Gilbert R. George. Enoch N. Snyder.
1868. Alvin Wilbur. William W. Hoysradt. Richard S. Butts. Enoch N. Snyder.
1854. Abr. A. Vosburgh.
1855. Peter McArthur.
W irren Tripp. A ubros~ Dennis.
John Shaw. Freeman Seutt. Alphens Scutt.
1848. William H. Smith. Alvin Wilbur. James Tripp.
1872. Benjamin Eggleston. William H. Tripp.
1849. John P. White. George Morgan.
1851. Simcon M. Collier.
1853. Elisha Moore.
Henry Dayton.
1854. Benjamin F. Kline.
1867. 46
Artemas S. Barton. John P. Williams.
1868. 46
1869. James Hoag.
1870.
1871. Archclaus Brandt.
Jacob Roraback.
1872. Jacob Miller
Peter Scism.
1873.
46
Jacob J. Shook.
Gilbert H. Collier.
1874.
Obed Finch. Nicholas Smith.
1875.
Alexander Card. John I. Shook.
1876. 66
Duncan K. Pulver. Lewis Pulver.
1877. William Hoag.
1878.
David Ostrom. Albert L. Iloysradt. Jay Shook.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Appointed.
Isaac B. Smith. Allen Sheldon. John S. Harris.
1827. John Coons.
Henry S. lloysradt. John B. Strever. Philip II. Mink. 1828. Jacob H. Teal.
1830. Henry S. Iloy sradt. Elias Reynolds. Benjamin Hamlin. 1831. John B. Strever. 1832. Wandel I. Pulver. 1833. Andris Brant. 1834. Hiram Thomas.
1873. Philip M. Lown. 1874. Eaton II. Card. James Bntts. 1875. William W. Hoysradt. 1876. William H. Pulver. Enoch N. Snyder.
1861. Asa Hoag.
1866. II II. Floysradt.
Egbert Pulver. Talın. Pulver, Jr. Albert C. Niver. Arthur Miller.
George Kisselbrnek. Freeman Haynor. Gea Knickerbocker.
1856. Henry Dayton. Enoch N. Snyder.
1843. Alex. Smith, Jr.
Win. F. Rorabick.
Joseph Decker. Solomon Johnson. Stephen Decker. John II. Silvernail. Peter McArthur. Daniel Johnson. John W. Levi. John Johnson.
1843. Asa Hoag.
1849. Abr. A. Vosburgh.
1852. Peter P. Rossman.
William H. Barton. Zachariah M. Blass.
1871. William W. Hoysradt .. William A. Fritts.
The first grist-mill stood on the east side of the creek, nearly opposite the paper-mill. It was run by Philip Coon, and existed previous to 1826. There was a saw-mill on the
Duncan Kesfer.
Richard Moore.
407
IHISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
same side near the bridge, which is still standing, though in a very dilapidated condition.
The first store was kept in the early part of the century, in a building east of the bridge, by Isaac B. Williams, a son of Livingston's agent at the iron-works. The building was afterwards moved near the creek, below the saw-mill, and is now used as a barn. Augustus Tremain afterwards kept a store near the same place.
Previous to 1840 the village was but a hamlet, consist- ing principally of the employees of the furnace and forges. There was then not more than half a dozen houses, or rather cabins, and the Livingston mansion. In 1843 this mansion was torn down and rebuilt on the same founda- tions by the heirs of Henry I. Livingston. In 1845 the first sale of the soil in Aneram was made under mortgage, and the property was bought by Dr. Peter P. Rossman and Joseph D. Mouell. They tried to build up a village, and it is principally through their efforts that the place has attained its growth and prominence. Dr. Rossman now resides in the Livingston mansion. He is a descendant of the first Rossman family in Taghkanie, and a grandson of Jacob Rossman of that town. He is one of four brothers, all of whom were practicing physicians. Two of them died in the south, and one, Dr. John B. Rossman, lives in Albany. He has attained considerable prominence in political matters, having held many important town offi ces and represented his district in the Assembly.
ANCRAM LEAD MINES,
more commonly called " Hot Ground," lies south of the centre of the town, and is a station on the Poughkeepsie, Hartford and Boston railroad, twenty-nine miles from Ponghkeepsie. The first name conferred on this locality was " Punch Brook," a name which still adheres to the stream that passes through it. It derived this name from a tradition- ary incident, in which a man who had been to Hudson on business, and who had imbibed considerably more ardent spirits than he could transport with an undeviating upright- ness of carriage, had also, in view of future emergencies, procured a half-barrel of liquor, which he was drawing home on a lumber wagon. As he drove through the bed of the brook the wagon tilted over the stones, and the barrel rolled against and knocked out the end-board, fall- ing on to the stones and knocking in one head, and, before the owner could collect his befuddled senses, the liquor had mingled with the waters of the stream, and ran gurgling on its way to the river. The name afterwards given it of " Hot Ground" was probably on account of the ore-bed there. It is a common belief among the ignorant that the ground where metallic ore is found is always warmer than where no ore exists, and the steam or cloud rising from the hill-sides after a shower is thought to indicate the location of hidden mines. There is an extensive bed of lead ore at this point, and " Hot Ground" probably was first used to indicate this fact. It is a small village, one church (Presbyterian), one hotel, two stores, one restaurant, a depot, one wagon and blacksmith-shop, and about a dozen dwellings.
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