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 40
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42
Claverack.
256
86,473.16
40,400
33
Clermont.
74
25,893.59
9,600
14
Copake ...
166
67,295.22
21,100
14
Gallatin.
104
34,730.44
9,100
11
Germantowu
110
49.737.30
14,300
11
Ghent ..
208
89,467.87
28.400
34
Greenport.
117
51,960.81
16,200
7
Hillsdale.
192
77,592.80
22,300
24
lludson
501
193,655.55
69,300
55
Kinderhook
407
123,161.11
36,700
32
Livingston.
168
53,382.91
21,400
23
New Lehanon
170
62,210.17
23,600
1S
Stockport.
96
34,277.09
12,600
14
Stuyvesant
162
64,207.35
18,200
13
Taghkanic.
123
41,690.12
17,000
19
3581
$1,319,549.26
$458,600
405
County
1729
367,577.10
5310
$1,687,126.36
The towns refunded to individual subscribers to the first bounty fund $81,300; $143,877 have been paid for in- terest on the war bonds of the county up to March 1, 1878. The whole amount of war debt incurred has been paid in full, except $40,000, which has been extended by new bonds falling due March 1, 1883 and 1884, bearing seven per cent. interest.
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF HUDSON.
THE city of Hudson, the seat of justice of the county of Columbia, is situated about midway between the northern and southern limits of the county, on the east bank of the Hudson river, twenty-eight miles below Albany, and oppo- site to the village of Athens, in the county of Greene. Here, from an eastward bend of the river, two bays indent the Columbia shore, and between these bays lies the city, built principally along the top and sides of a high swell of ground which commences at the slope of a loftier elevation more than a mile inland, and extends westwardly to the river, where it ends in a bold headland that rises from the water's edge, almost perpendicularly, to a height of sixty feet.
The length of the city is from river to hill ; its width is from bay to bay. In the eastern part rise the spires of the churches, giving relief to what would otherwise be its rather monotonous outline ; and upon the high ground overlooking the South bay, and the green slopes of Mount Merino, the court-house rears its dome from among the surrounding trees. The city is well and substantially built, and many of the residences are of great elegance, beautifully em- bowered, and so located as to give from their verandas charming views of the unrivaled scenery of the locality, as well as of the lofty Catskills in the distance.
The Hudson and Chatham railroad passes through the southern and eastern part of the city, and terminates at the river, where it connects with the New York and Hudson steamers. The Hudson River railroad, with its steel traeks brightened by the incessant passage of trains, crosses both the South and the North bay, and passes along the entire front of the city, which, by this route, is distant one hun- dred and fifteen miles from New York. The various man- ufactories, with their tall chimneys and great piles of coal and iron, are situated near the railroads and the river,-too much in the foreground to add to the beauty of the city, but yet located most advantageously for the requirements of their business.
In the middle of the river, between Hudson and Athens, is an island of alluvial ooze, nearly two miles in length, the same ou which Henry Hudson's little ship ran aground, centuries ago. It is covered in summer with what is sup- posed to be the wild rice of the northern lakes, and is sub- merged by the flood, though uncovered at the ebb of the tide, which has at this point a rise and fall of about five feet. This island, known as the " middle ground," has, on either side, a sufficient depth of water to float the largest vessels, but it is certainly a blemish in the otherwise un- broken and beautiful reach of the river.
CLAVERACK LANDING IN 1783.
The site of the city was comprehended in the limits of that ancient grant of land which we have before mentioned
as having been purchased from the Indians, in 1662, by Jan Frans Van Hoesen, and to him confirmed by letters patent from the English governor, Richard Nicolls, May 14, 1667. It is not probable that in selecting this domain he was moved by any other consideration than that of its agricultural advantages, nor that during all the years of his occupancy he ever dreamed of future cities, or com- merce, or manufactures, or thought of the capabilities of the great river beyond the floating of the little sloops that carried to market the products of his fertile bouwerie which lay farther inland.
The old patentee died about the year 1703, and among the children he left were Jurrien, Jacob Jans, Johannes, and Catharine, which last named was the wife of Francis Hardick .* By the law of primogeniture, which was then in operation, the eldest son, Jurrien, inherited the landed estate, but he appears to have had no inclination to wrong the other heirs, and so an amicable partition was agreed to ; and on Jan. 7, 1704, he conveyed by deeds to his brothers and sister the lands lying on and near the river, which were probably regarded by all as being less valuable than those lying farther back and nearer to Claverack creek.
The portion conveyed to Catharine and Franeis Hardiek is described? as " a certain piece of land situate, lying, and being at Claverack aforesaid, on the east side of Hudson's River, now in their possession, Beginning from the river side and runs up Eastwardly into the Woods along the north side of the Waggon-Way to the Spruyt of Dientz bridge at the bounds of said Jurrien Van Hoesen, and so along the said bounds Northwest to the bounds of Jacob Jans Van Hoesen, and from thence Westward along his bounds to the said River side, together with the House and Barn and Orehard."
The brother Jacob Jans also received lands to the north- ward, but no deed of them is found recorded.
The lands conveyed to the brother Johannes lay upon the river and South bay, and on the north they came up to the road which formed the south boundary of the traet allotted to the Hardicks.
This road or " Waggon-Way" led from the interior farms to the landing, and passed nearly along the line of Ferry and Partition streets; and the traets of Johannes Van Hoesen and the Hardieks, lying respectively on its southern and northern sides, comprised a large part of the site of the present city.
# Francis Hardick had, when a boy, been kidnapped (or rather as- sisted to run away) from service in Liverpool by the master of a ves- sel trading between that port and New York ; and having by some means found employment with Mr. Van Hoesen, afterwards married his daughter Catharinc.
+ Albany Deods, Book " D," pp. 282 to 285.
152
153
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Francis Hardick died about 1742, devising his more northerly lands to his son Jan, but the residue, running south to about the line of Ferry and Partition strects, to his son William, who in turn died about 1760, leaving sev- eral sons, among whom were Francis (the eldest), Gerrit, Jacob, and Lendert. The lands descended by primogeni- ture to Francis, and at his death, which occurred May 4, 1783, were inherited by his sons William, Peter, and Dan- iel ; but the portion allotted to the last named appears to have laid outside the present city limits.
Some years before the death of Francis Hardiek a " store and wharf lot" and a " mill lot" had been sold out of the Ilardiek tract to Jeremiah Hogeboom, for the purposes in- dicated by their names. The "mill lot" adjoined and par- tially included what is now called Underhill's pond, in the northeast part of the city, and the " store and wharf lot" lay on the river, upon the north side of the old country road, or wagon-way (now Ferry street), and is so shown on a map of the lauding-place and vicinity, made by Wil- liam Ellison in September, 1774, now to be seen in the office of the secretary of state at Albany. In the year 1783 both these lots were owned and occupied by Peter Hogeboom, Jr., having probably come into his possession by devise or descent from Jeremiah Hogeboom, the pur- chaser.
It has been mentioned that the lands lying south of the old country road, or " Waggon-Way," and extending thence to the South bay and westwardly to the river, were conveyed in 1704 by Jurrien Van Iloesen to his brother Johannes. He in turn conveyed them (Oct. 28, 1724) for the consid- eration of natural love and affection, and the sum of five pounds, to his sons Jacob and Gerrit Van Hoesen. Fifty- nine years later (1783), these lands were in possession of Hendrick Van Hoesen, Gerrit Van Hoesen, John Van Alen, and Catharine (Van Hoesen) Van Alen, having prob- ably come to these owners by descent, though no record is found showing whether they came in that manner or other- wise.
The lands conveyed by Jurrien Van Hoesen to his brother Jacob Jans, in 1704, extended from the Hardick tract northerly along the river to the north line of the patent. These lands, or a portion of them lying adjoining the Har- dick tract, descended from Jacob Jans Van Hoesen to his son Jacob, and from him to his sons, Jacob and John Jacob Van Hoesen, who were its owners in the year 1783.
Among the sloop-skippers, river-men, and small traders, as well as among the thriving farmers who occupied the rich meadows and bottom-lands to the eastward, and who transported their products hither for shipment, this locality was known as Claverack Landing. Here were two rude wharves or piers, each with a small store-house in connec- tion, of which the respective owners were Peter Hogeboom, Jr., and Colonel John Van Alen, husband of Catharine (Van Hocsen) Van Alen. Hogeboom's store stood upon the " store and wharf lot" before mentioned as having been sold by the Hardicks to Jeremiah Hogeboom. Colonel Van Alen's store stood on a spot which is now the southwest corner of Ferry and Water streets.
At the point where the old country road came down to the river (the present ferry-slip) was the landing-place of a
ferry, plied by Conrad Flock, to and from Lunenburgh,* for the accommodation of occasional teams and passengers desiring to eross. If he had only foot passengers, ferryman Flock transported them across in a canoe, but if teams were to be ferried, then two canoes were fastened side by side to carry the wagon and driver, while the animals were com- pelled to swim astern.
A water-mill (very poorly supplied with water, but an- swering in some manner the purpose of grinding grain for the neighborhood) which stood upon the little stream, in the "mill lot," was also owned and operated by Peter Hoge- boom, Jr.
There were thriving orchards upon the lands along the old country road, and the farms were well tilled, as was usually the case among people of Dutch birth or extrac- tion. Besides bestowing the necessary care upon their lands and cattle, some of the inhabitants here found time to engage in fishing, particularly during the herring season; taking large numbers of these fish, for which they found ready sale in New York.
In the preceding brief mention we have enumerated the business enterprises of this obscure landing-place, and have traced the proprietorship of the adjacent lands down to the closing year of the Revolution.
In the carly part of that year (1783) there came to this quiet spot a party of visitors, four in number, sober, un- demonstrative Quaker men from the southeastern part of New England. Their arrival seemed but a commonplace occurrence, and none could at that time have thought it a matter of very great moment, yet it proved to be of more importance in the annals of dull old Claverack Landing than all the previous events of its history during the one hundred and twenty years which had elapsed since the time of its purchase from the Mohicans by the pioncer Van Hoesen.
The circumstances and motives which had brought these visitors to the landing were as follows: About thirty per- sons,t principally Quakers, residents of Providence and Newport, in Rhode Island, and of Nantucket and Edgartown, in Massachusetts (all of whom were or had been engaged in commercial pursuits, the whale fishery or other branch of marine navigation, and all possessors of considerable pecuniary means, while several were persons of large wealth), having suffered very severely in their business by reason of the ravages of British cruisers during the war, had, about the commencement of that year, formed them- selves into an association having for its object the estab- lishment of a commercial settlement or town at some safer and more sheltered location, and the removal thither of them - selves, their families, and their business ; and in pursuance of this project they had appointed a committee from their number to make a tour of exploration to select a proper and eligible site for the proposed settlement.
* The upper and older portion of the present village of Athens, opposite Hudson. This name has sometimes been incorrectly spelled Loonenburgh. The orthography which we give is as found in Sau- thier's map, published in London, Jan. 1, 1779.
t The number of proprietors was, by their agreement, limited to thirty, but the association never reached quite that number at one time.
20
154
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The committee so chosen proceeded on their mission, passing westwardly through Long Island sound and the East river, where they examined and came near purchas- ing a site from Colonel Rutgers .* They, however, decided to search farther, and so passed into and np the Hudson, stopping for a considerable time to examine a location offered by Mr. - Davies, at Poughkeepsie; but finally declining this offer, they proceeded up the river until they came to the old sloop-landing at the clover-reach, and here we find them; the same four Quaker visitors whom we have mentioned above.
The chief personage among this party was Thomas Jen- kins, Esq., of Providence, a merchant of high standing in that city, and by far the wealthiest membert of the asso- ciation, as well as a man of excellent business capacity, fine attainments, and great dignity and polish of manner. He had been the originator of the project, and to him the other members of the committee yielded great deference. Another of the explorers was Cotton Gelston, also of Providence, and an intimate friend of Mr. Jenkins, but possessing neither the wealth nor business ability of the latter. The names of the other two members of the committee cannot be given, nor are we able to say whether their journey from New England was made in their own vessel or by the packet-sloops of the Sound and the North river. It is most probable, however, that they came in the manner first mentioned.
It would be interesting to know the details of that first visit, of their reception by the Van Hoesens, the Van Alens, and the Hardieks (though, from what we know of their later intercourse, there can be no doubt that it was a cordial one), of their examination of the site, and negotiations for its pur- chase; but we find no account of these, nothing to show whether a decision was arrived at and a bargain concluded by the committee before reporting to their associates. We only know that it was finally decided to locate at Claverack Landing, and that on the 19th of July, 1783, Peter Hoge- boom, Jr., conveyed his store and wharf property by deed to Thomas Jenkins for the consideration of twenty-six hun- dred pounds; and that, on the 22d of the same month, Margaret, widow of the second Francis Hardick, William and Peter Hardick, her sons, and Gerrit and Jacob,¿ sons of the elder William Hardick, united in a conveyance, also to Thomas Jenkins, of certain land described as " bounded northerly by land of Jacob Van Hoesen to the river, about two hundred rods, and by the river to lands conveyed by Peter Hogeboom, Jr., to Thomas Jenkins." The consider- ation named in this conveyance was eighteen hundred and seventy pounds.
A lot of two acres adjoining the above, and lying on or near the North bay, was conveyed on the same day by Francis
Hardick§ to Thomas Jenkins, for a consideration of five hundred and forty pounds. These three tracts, embracing the lands lying north of Ferry and Partition streets, and extending along the river and the North bay, were probably all that were included in the first purchase. The titles to these, as well as to tracts subsequently purchased,|| were taken by Mr. Jenkins for the association.
THE PROPRIETORS AND THEIR COMMERCIAL SETTLE- MENT.
The articles of agreement subscribed by the proprietors of Claverack Landing were as follows :
"WE, the subscribers, being joint proprietors of a certain Tract of Land lying at Claverack Landing, on the banks of the Hudson River, purchased by Thomas Jenkins of Peter Hogeboom, Junr., and others, for the purpose of establishing a commercial settlement, on principles of equity, do enter into the following Articles of Agree- ment, lo wit :
" ARTICLE FIRST .- That each proprietor subscribe for such part of the above Tract, in proportion as near as may be to his Stock in Trade, with the others concerned.
" ARTICLE SECOND, -- No proprietor shall be permitted to purchase laods within two miles of the said landing, unless he shall give the Proprietors the refusal thereof at the rates nt which he himself purchased it.
" ARTICLE THIRD .~ That each and every one of the proprietors shall settle there in person and carry his Trading Steck on or before the first day of October, A. Dom., one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, nuless prevcoted by some unavoidable event that shall be estecmed a sufficient reason by some of the proprietors for his nen-compliance, and his going immediately after that obstruction is removed. In case of Death, his heirs, executors, or administrators, with fully complying with these Articles, shall be entitled to the same privileges as other proprietors.
" ARTICLE FOURTH .- That no person be permitted to dispose of his share who has oot fully complied with these Articles, but said share revert to the other Proprietors, they paying the first cost of said share, without interest, and that the proprietors which have complied with the foregoing shall hold possession of said lands ac- cording to their several proportions.
" ARTICLE FIFTH .- That no proprietor be permitted to enter any building ou any proprietor's land nutil it shall be divided, and they shall be subjected to such regulations as shall be hereafter made for regulating the Streets, Lanes. Highways, Gangways, &c.
" ARTICLE SIXTH .- That we further agree that if any ene er mere shall forfeit the right of his or their interest in the aforementioned lands, according to the true inteot and meaning of the preceding articles, that he or they shall, if furnished with Deeds or other In- struments of conveyance frem Thomas Jenkins, give up the same to the Proprietors, or furnish them with a clear Dced er Deeds of ull their right, title, and interest in said lands, they paying such person or persons the first cost, as described in article fourth.
¿ This person, usually known as Francis Hardick, Jr., was the son of Jan Hardick, and a cousin of that Francis Hardick who died in May, 1783.
| On the 5th of September following, Lendert Hardick conveyed to Mr. Jenkins twelve and a half acres and twenty perches of land, for a consideration of two hundred and fifty pounds (Alb. Co. Deeds, Book K, pp. 380, 381). This tract lay in or nearly in the northwest- erly angle of Second and Mill streets. It had been purchased by this grantor (April 3, 1767) from Francis Ilardick, Jr., to whom it had descended from his father, Jan Hardick, who acquired it about 1742 by devise from his father, the first Francis Hardick, son-in-law of the patentee, Jan Fraos Van Hoesen.
The "mill let," which had also been a part of the estate of Jau Hardick, and hud been purchased from Francis Hardick by Jeremiah Hogeboom some years prior to 1774, was sold by Peter Hogeboom, Jr., to Themas Jeokins in 1784.
* The tract offered by Colonel Rutgers was considered as entirely too small for their purpose ; otherwise it would have been approved and purchased by the committee. As it was, they offered within five hun- dred dollars of the price demanded.
+ It is said that the property brought here by the different mem- bers of the Jenkins family amounted in the aggregate to fully & quarter of a million dollars.
# Gerrit and Jacob Hardick had, by purchase, acquired small lots within the boundaries of the tract.
155
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
" ARTICLE SEVENTH .- That the subscribers do solemnly agree to abide by the preceding Articles and regulations, and that this In- strument be signed and sealed by each individual proprietor, and the original be lodged in the hands of the Proprietors' Clerk.
" STEPHEN PADDOCK, t THOMAS JENKINS,*
JOSEPH BARNARD, t
REUBEN MACY, }
BENJAMIN FOLGER, t COTTON GELSTON,#
SETH JENKINS,? JOHN ALSOP,#
WILLIAM WALL,$ CHARLES JENKINS, t
IlEZEKIAH DAYTON,# EZRA REED,
DAVID LAWRENCE," GIDEON GARDNER, t
TITUS MORGAN, 2
JOHN THURSTON,"
REUBEN FOLGER, t
NATHANIEL GREENE ">
Besides these subseribers to the agreement, the list of proprietors included the following names : Alexander Cof- fin, ¡ William Minturn, § Shubael Worth, f Paul Hussey, t Marshal Jenkins,t Deborah Jenkins, ; Lemuel Jenkins,} Benjamin Starbuck, ; John Cartwright,; John Allen.} The names of Benjamin Hussey, Samuel Mansfield, Walter Folger, Daniel Paddock, and Peleg Clark also appear afterwards on the record book of the proprietors, indieating that they were members of the association ; but the time of their becoming such cannot be given, nor is the reason known why only a part of the proprietors signed the arti- cles of agreement.
Having completed the purchase and perfected their plans, they proceeded without delay to the business of settlement. In the fall of the same year there arrived at the landing the brig " Comet," of Providence, Captain Eleazer Jenkins, having on board three of the proprietors with their families. Two of these were Seth Jenkins and John Alsop, and the third is believed to have been Joseph Barnard, as it is known that he arrived during that autumn. Another of the brig's passengers was a youth of nineteen years, named Marks Barker, | who continued a resident here during the remainder of his long life, and is yet well remembered by many of the citizens of Hudson.
The other proprietors came in the following spring. It was purely a business enterprise which they had planned, and they came prepared to push it with the true New England energy. They made the journey from their former homes in vessels owned by members of the associa- tion, T and some of them brought houses framed in Nan- tucket or Providence, and ready for immediate erection here. One of these portable dwellings was brought by Stephen Paddock, and formed his first residence in the new settlement. Upon his arrival at the landing, his vessel was boarded by a stout, fine-looking gentleman, evi- dently of Duteh descent, and wearing a scarlet eoat. It
was Colonel John Van Alen, the most considerable pers on- age among the inhabitants of the neighborhood. He came to welcome them to their new home, and to invite them to disembark, and to remain at his house until their own was made ready for occupancy. Mr. Paddock accepted the kind and courteous invitation, and remarked that if his host was a fair specimen of their new neighbors, then their lines had surely fallen in pleasant places. The colonel lived but a short time after this, ** but until the day of his death he ever proved a steadfast and generous friend to the set- tlers.
In the employ of Colonel Van Alen, at the time of the proprietors' arrival, was a young man not yet twenty-four years of age, who afterwards became well known in the annals of Hudson and of the county. This was Samuel Edmonds. Ile was born in New York city in 1760; en- tered the Revolutionary army when but a youth ; served through the war, and became a commissioned officer; was present at Monmouth and Yorktown; and, on the elose of hostilities, started out to seek his fortune, being then the possessor of a horse, saddle, bridle, two blankets, and a little Continental money. With this outfit he journeyed north ward, and (probably by accident) came to Claverack Landing, where Colonel Van Alen engaged him as a clerk in his store; and there in that capacity the proprietors found him. After the death of his kind patron he entered business for himself in a small way, and a few years later married Lydia, daughter of Thomas Worth, and by her became father of Judge Jolin W. Edmonds. He after- wards became paymaster-general of militia, member of Assembly, and sheriff of Columbia county. He died at Hudson in 1826.
When the pioneer arrives at his place of settlement, the duty to which, first of all, he gives his attention, is the construction of a shelter for his family. This was the first need of the settlers at Claverack Landing; but a necessary preliminary even to this, in the minds of those practical men, was the business of laying out and defining public highways, and the adoption of measures to secure regular- ity in the location of buildings thereon. On the 14th of May, 1784, immediately after their arrival, the proprietors held their first business meeting, of which David Lawrence
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