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 67
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No. 19, from the turnpike, near John Livingston's, to the road that leads to the Claverack line : Peter Bortle 6, Peter Benham 9, John C. Cole 6.
No. 20, from the middle bridge, near the house of Peter Rockefeller, to the Manor dock : Jacob Shaver 5, R. T. Livingston 20, Barent Ten Eyck 6, A. Luddiogton 5, Nathan Sheldon 8, Abram A. Shults 8, Henry Tator 5.
No. 21, from the Manor mills to Claverack line : Elijah B. Park 8, Jacob H. Best 8, Joseph Finkle 5, Daniel Post 5, Abram B. Ten Eyck 5.
No. 22, from the Blue store to the Manor church : Jacob Spaunsbergh 6, Jacob S. Cole 6, Thomas Duncan 8, Z. Volant 9, Jacob Rockefeller 5, Conradt Barringer 9, Henry K. Miller 6, Peter Miller 7.
No. 23, from William Garretson's to the school-house, near Peter A. Decker's: John Bush 5, Reuben Gage 7, John Ryphenbergh 5.
No. 24: John P. Showerman 6, Frederick Flint 7, N. Rote 7.
No. 25, from the " Post road" to Frederick Flint's : Jacob Melius 7, Henry W. Livingston 19, Martin Mather 6, Daniel Hoffman 7, Peter Smith 7.
No. 26, from the small bridge, near the house of Henry I. Barringer, innkeeper, to Peter Rockefeller's: Michael Ham 7, Henry Livingston 19, William Huddleston 6, Wil- liam Couroe 6, John J. Patrie 6, Jacob Patrie 8.
33
258
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
The town has at present forty road districts, and most of the highways are in good condition.
THE MANUFACTURING INTERESTS
of Livingston embraced at an early day saw and grist-mills controlled by the several lords of the manor. The first and most noted were on Roeloff Jansen's Kill, near its mouth, and were erected about 1710, chiefly to supply the Pala- tines with meal and flour. At a later period, these mills, or others on their site, were widely known as the " Manor Mills." They were operated more than a hundred years, as well as a carding-machine and fulling-mill, at this place, for a less period of time. The power was last used about 1820 and thereafter to operate a ship-tackle factory, many hands having been engaged in the manufacture of hoisting- blocks, etc. At the time Livingston victualled the Palatines he had a brew-house and bakery near his mill. For many years the power has been idle.
Half a mile above this point, at the mouth of the Kleina Kill, is George W. Moseley's mill, erected in 1875, for the manufacture of box-makers' and bookbinders' boards. The power is supplied from rapids on the Roeloff Jansen, four hundred yards distant, which, by means of a dam eighteen feet high, afford a thirty-foot fall. The mill occupies a good stone building, fifty-seven by sixty-three feet, and two sto- ries high, and the machinery consists of two forty-inch en- gines, producing two tons per day, and giving employment to fifteen men. This is the only mill of the kind in the county.
On the same stream, where the Sturtevant farm now is, John Richmond erected a woolen-factory about 1810, which was operated on an extensive scale for those times. About 1835 a man named Ainslee became the proprietor, and con- tinned the works several years. A small hamlet sprung up around the mill, and the place had a busy appearance. There is nothing left to note the former prosperity but the ruins of the factory and a few deserted tenements.
Still farther above, at the natural falls, the Livingstons erected the " Good Hope Mill" before 1780. In 1784 it was operated by Jacob Blatner, and about 1800 by Marcus Blatner. Abont 1820, John Van Deusen became the owner of the privileges, and controlled them many years. Other proprietors were L. R. Miller, John Pierce, Baker & Bur- gert, and, since 1871, Charles E. Bingham. It has three run of stones, and is capacitated to grind eighty barrels per day.
The two falls at this place have been further improved by several dams, affording now an aggregate fall of more than forty feet. Below the upper falls was formerly a woolen- factory, operated by Asahel Andrews and others, which was finally converted into a hosiery-mill. It was destroyed by fire in 1862, and the site is now used for other purposes.
The power of the lower fall was first improved about 1850 to operate a paper-mill, erected by Jacob W. Ross- man. Some years after Baker & Burgert purchased the property, and extended the facilities for manufacturing paper by erecting a second mill just below their grist-mill. Both establishments are at present the property of C. E. Bingham, whose name has been applied to this locality. They contain two sixty-eight-inch machines and six thirty-
six engines, capacitating them to produce six tons of me- dium wrapping-paper daily, and giving employment to about fifty persons.
Near the east line of the town, on Copake creek, the Livingstons had a forge before 1800; but nothing more than the bare knowledge of its existence can now be ascer- tained. After 1825, Messrs. Reed & Watson improved the power for a cotton-factory, which later became the property of Samuel G. Wheeler, and was operated by Jere- miah Carpenter. It was a large frame building containing about forty looms. Some time after 1835 it was destroyed by fire.
In 1842, Henry P. Hermance purchased the water-power and erected the present grist-mill, which was remodeled by Edward Livingston in 1865. It is at present the property of Martin L. Potts, and contains four runs of stones, two of which are used for merchant work, producing the celebrated " Glenco Mills" brand. On the opposite side of the stream is a saw-mill, operated by John H. Schermerhorn.
A short distance below this point is a small water-power, which was improved by Herman & Bennett for a cotton- batting factory. Subsequently John B. Barringer erected a carding-mill and tow-manufactory, which are yet carried on in a small way, as well as a husk-factory by Newton Schermerhorn.
On the same stream, near the north line of the town, are the " Linlithgo Mills." The first improvement in this di- rection was made by Robert Livingston, who erected, about 1780, what was long known as " Mill Support." Abram Burdick operated this mill at a later period, and Abram Briggs was an early owner. From him the mill passed to Samuel Fox, who enlarged the building and changed it into a hosiery-mill. After a few years' operation he removed the machinery and again operated it as a grist-mill, giving it the present name. Since 1870 it has been the property of Jacob H. Proper. It is supplied with several run of stones to grind grain and plaster, the capacity being two hundred bushels of the former and ten tons of the latter.
In the southwestern part of the town, on the Kleina Kill, are " Walker's Grist-Mills." Moncrief Livingston first had a mill here about 1800, in which Christian Cooper served as miller. In 1820, Eleazer Smith put mp sonie clothing-works, which he sold, in 1832, to Henry Walker. In 1835 the present mill was started, and has since been operated by the Walker family.
JOHNSTOWN,
the largest village in Livingston, is located east of the centre of the town, about nine miles from Hudson. It derived its name from John Livingston, who was active in promoting the settlement of the place. Being surrounded by very rich farming country, and on the intersection of the old post-road and the Catskill turnpike, it was formerly the seat of considerable business and a place of notable impor- tance. It is pleasantly situated, contains the Linlithgo Re- formed church, a good school-honse, several large mechanic shops, and about two hundred inhabitants.
John Van Deusen was one of the first to engage in active trade at this point, selling his first goods in an old shed. About 1800 he built the store-house now occupied by N.
259
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Ilallenbeck, in which he followed merchandising forty years, becoming one of the wealthiest men in town. Where Samuel Cole now lives Jonathan Lane had a store about 1790, although not conducted on a large scale. The suc- cessive merchants at the Van Deusen stand were Henry A. Du Bois, John Whitbeek, Philip Smith, Samuel Cole, and the present merchant. In 1827, Herman Livingston erected a store building opposite the above, in which Bonesteel, Broadhead & Co. engaged in trade, being followed, in 1830, by Heury Baker. Here Samuel Shutts was the last in trade, in 1877.
About the time Van Deusen opened his store the pres- ent hotel was erected by a member of the Livingston family. Jacob M. Fonda was one of the first innkeepers. In 1822, L. Homedieu kept the house, and later landlords have been George W. King, Peter Smith, Henry Hare, Peter Van Deusen, Reuben Van De Bogart, Edward Hermance, and the present, Walter Haynor. In the lower part of the village was a famous hostelry as early as the Revolution. It was a long red building, with spacious stables, where stage-horses were changed. Among the proprietors were a man named Pulver, and, after 1800, William Huddleston and Henry I. Baringer. About 1825 it was converted into a tenement. Other taverns were on the post-road, north and south of the village, and in 1805 twenty licenses were granted to keep public-houses in the town.
The post-office at this place was established April 1, 1805, with the name of Livingston, there being another Johns- town in the State. Jonathan Lane was appointed post- master, and held the position many years. Other ap- pointees were Killian Miller, Robert H. Morris, Walter Patterson, John Whitbeck, John Van Deusen, Frederick Best, Peter I. Bachman, Henry Baker, Henry Du Bois, Samuel Cole, Simeon Clark, German Fingar, and, at present, James Rossman. It has a daily mail from Hudson direct.
Some very eminent attorneys have lived at Johnstown. Killian Miller was in practice here from 1807 till 1833. Robert H. Morris, afterwards mayor of New York city, was here as the attorney of the Livingstons, and was sue- eeeded by Josiah Sutherland. He removed to Hudson, and from there to New York city, where he still resides, honored as an upright judge. Charles Esselstyn came to the village as a young attorney in 1820, and lived here until he was elected surrogate. Seymour L. Stebbins was associated with him a short time, and then removed to Kingston. Robert H. Andrews, now of Hudson, lived in the place about 1840; and John M. Welch, of the same city, at a later period. After this John Whitbeck was for many years a practicing attorney, and Robert Hood has heen located here since 1866.
Dr. John McClellan located as a permanent physician at Johnstown about 1800, and remained about forty years. In the last ten years of his practice his contemporary physicians were Dr. John Rossman, in 1830; Dr. Samuel McClellan, in 1832; and Dr. George Livingston, in 1834. After that period Dr. William Jones located here, remain- ing until 1865 ; Dr. Robert Humphrey from 1840 till 1860; and from 1858 till his death, in 1867, Dr. Stephen Platner. Since 1850 Dr. Jacob Horton has been one of the leading practitioners, and is now the only one located at this point.
Among the oldest citizens at present living at Johnstown is Samuel Shear, who came to the place in 1829. For the past thirty years he has been a justice of the peace.
Three miles northeast from Johnstown, on Copake creek, is the pretty hamlet of
GLENCO MILLS.
This locality was formerly known as "Soher," but re- ceived its present name after 1830. It contains a good flouring-mill, a saw-mill, several large shops, a neat chapel of the Methodist church, and about eighty inhabitants.
Henry P. Hermance engaged in trade' at Glenco Mills about 1845. Between that period and 1850 James Bo- gardus occupied the stand, and since the latter date the merchant here has been Ira Williams. On the east side of the creek Milton Shaurman put up a store in 1872, which he has since carried on.
The hotel was erected abont 1850 by Stephen H. Ham, and kept by him several years. Subsequently John Water- ford, Sylvester Bortle, Suydam Decker, and Frank Back- ford have been landlords at this place.
The Glenco Mills post-office was established in 1856, with Henry P. Hermance postmaster. Ira Williams was appointed deputy, and at a later period became the post- master, and still retains the office.
Dr. Nelson H. Mesick has been located here the past four years as a practicing physician.
BLUE STORE,
near the southwest line of the town, where the Highland turnpike intersects the post-road, is a hamlet containing half a dozen houses. About the present century there was a store and tavern at this place painted blue, which gave the name to the locality. W. T. Livingston and Leonard Ten Broeck were some of the early proprietors, and at a later period John Ring and others. The place was widely and favorably known, and was one of the principal stopping- places on the Albany road. Before 1829 Henry Baker had a store on the opposite side of the street, which was afterwards kept by various parties, hut long since became a tenement. The tavern became the property of Caleb Washburn in 1836, and in 1840 was demolished to give place for the present well-appointed hotel, which, since 1846, has been kept by William H. Washburn.
A post-office was established in this place, May 22, 1871, which, since Jan. 1, 1878, has been supplied with a daily mail.
Dr. Benediet A. Wicks is located here as a physician. The place has also several mechanic shops.
BINGHAM'S MILLS
is a manufacturing village on the Roeloff Jansen, about a mile southwest of the Blue Store. It contains a good grist- mill and two paper-mills, whose history is elsewhere noted. A Union chapel was built at this place in 1857, in which are held the services of the Lutheran and Reformed churches, and a Sunday-school, having C. E. Bingham as superin- tendent.
The building is a plain frame, and will seat two hundred
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
persons. The place has also the usual shops and two stores. The oldest of these was first kept by Van Deusen & Reed, about 1830. Later merchants were S. Ten Broeck, John Weaver, and Philip L. Lynk, the present occupant. A new store was opened near the mills in the spring of 1878, by Bingham & Story. The village has one hundred and twenty-five inhabitants.
WALKER'S MILLS
contains eight or ten houses and shops, and a store by Peter Becker. Thomas Morton had formerly been in trade at this place. A few miles west, near the Hudson, is the old hamlet of
LINLITHGO,
or, as it is now sometimes called, Stadtche. The former name was given in honor of Mr. Livingston's old home in Scotland; the latter is a Dutch term, signifying a very small town. Although the seat of the manor-house, and the place where the first church was erected in 1722, it is now simply a cluster of houses in the neighborhood of the Memoriał chapel, whose owners are engaged in growing small fruit. There is a small store and a tavern, but the business has been diverted to
LIVINGSTON STATION,
on the Hudson River railroad, half a mile west of Lin- lithgo. This is also a landing for freight barges, and a point of important traffie. The railroad company estab- lished a depot here in 1860, and about the same time D. & R. Miller engaged in the freighting business. They were succeeded in 1866 by Proper & Washburn, and in 1869 by Washburn & Co., who at present conduct the business on a large scale, including general merchandising, lumber, coal, etc., occupying all the buildings in the place. In the store is kept the Liulithgo post-office, established in 1857 by Robert Washburn.
In the extreme southeastern part of the town, and partly in Gallatin, is the hamlet of
UNION CORNERS,
containing about fifty inhabitants. The first attempt at a village was made on the north bank of the Roeloff Jansen, a short distance below the present hamlet. Here were mills and other industries on the Clermont side of the stream, and the place was known as Elizaville. As early as 1790 there were half a dozen houses. In one of the oldest at this point John Manny had a store in 1800, and kept a tavern in the same building. The house has been rebuilt, and is now used as a farm residence by John A. Coon, who was the last in trade at Elizaville. Other pro- prietors in the order of time were John Crawford, in 1810, Alexander Brothers, John Steager, Jabez Parsons, Robin- son F. Peaster, Jacob & William Elkenbergh, and E. & N. Coons. The mills were destroyed by a freshet in 1869, since which the business has centered in the upper part of the hamlet. Here Thomas Swart had a store in 1803, and afterwards Punderson & Wheeler. Then the house was changed into a tavern called the " Union Corner House," from which the hamlet has been named. John B. Latham was one of the early keepers. It is yet standing, used as a residence by Samuel Baker. In 1830, Michael P. De
Lameter creeted the store-house now oeeupied in merchan- dising by John H. Gardner, and in 1854 Zach P. Smith engaged in trade on the same corner, removing his build- ings in 1864. Since 1874 Mr. Smith has conducted a store and public-house in the building now occupied by him, and which was erected that year.
The post-office was established about 1840, with the name of Elizaville, having Peter Robinson as postmaster. The office is at present held by William Stickle.
The hamlet has also several mechanic shops, a Methodist church, and a good school-house. The Rhinebeck and Con- necticut railroad has a station on the Clermont side, called Elleslee.
THE LIVINGSTON FARMERS' AID AND FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
was organized in 1857, by the selection of John Haver as president, and Robert Decker secretary. The State insur- ance law having been enacted meanwhile, the association was reorganized under its provisions, June 26, 1858, as
THE LIVINGSTON MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY.
The directors chosen were John L. Potts, president ; Robert Decker, secretary; Henry L. Potts, David Miller, and Samuel Shutts.
The business of the company the past twenty years has been very successful, 768 policies having been issued. The present number of policies is 222, representing $468,868 of insured property.
Six fires have occurred, involving the loss of $5450, or about $272.50 per year. The affairs of the company have been wisely managed since its formation by the following officers :
Presidents .- 1858-59, John L. Potts; 1860-61, Ger- man Fingar; 1862-63, Thomas Miller; 1864-66, Adam Fingar; 1867-72, Henry L. Potts; 1873-74, German Fingar ; 1875-76, Stephen O. Potts; 1877-78, German Fingar.
Secretaries .- 1858, Robert Decker; 1859-66, Henry Shear ; 1867-78, Samuel Shutts.
MUTUAL HOPE GRANGE, NO. 36, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY, was organized Dec. 9, 1875, with twenty charter members. Stephen O. Potts was chosen Master, and J. B. Wagner Secretary, and have since filled these offices. It has been very prosperous, and now numbers sixty-seven active mem- bers, comprising some of the best farmers of the town. The meetings are held in a neatly-furnished hall at Johnstown.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
No early account of the public schools has been found among the records of the town. It appears, however, from the history of the Linlithgo church at Johnstown, that Robert Livingston, the first lord of the manor, made some provision for the encouragement of education as early as 1722. A hundred years later the town voted three times the amount of money received from the State for the sup- port of the schools, or about $1000. There were at that time 10 school districts, having 580 children between the ages of five and twenty-one years. Dr. John MeClellan and
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
James S. Livingston were for many years the school com- missioners.
In 1878 the town had 12 districts, containing 720 chil- dren between the ages of five and twenty-one years. The average attendance was 244, and the amount apportioned to the town by the county $1705.31.
THE REFORMED CHURCH OF LINLITHGO.
It has been stated in another part of this book that the church at Albany extended its missionary work to the settlements along the Hudson before the year 1700. It is not improbable that the manor of Livingston may have been thus visited, but owing to the sparse settlements within its bounds no effort was made to organize a church until after 1720. As most of the lease-holders were very poor, the expense of building a church was cast upon Robert Livingston. It appears that the governor of the province, upon a representation of the ease, thought it too great to be borne wholly by Mr. Livingston, but recognizing the importance of having a place of worship on the manor, he commended the purpose to the Christian publie in the following certificate, which authorized Mr. Livingston to solicit aid from those who were inclined to promote so de- sirable an object :
" TO ALL CHURCHES AND CHARITABLE PEOPLE WITHIN THE PROVINCES OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY, IN AMERICA, GREETING :
" Whereas, Robert Livingston, Esq., sole Proprietor of the Manor of Livingston, hath proposed and doth propose to establish a church or meeting House, and to send for and call some able and piou> Dutch Reformed Protestant minister from Holland, according to the Consti- tution and direction of the Reformed Church in Ilolland, agreeable to the discipline and government of the Dutch Church, as is estab- lished by the Synod at Dort, in the year 1618 and 1619, to officiate therein for the inhabitants and sojourners within the Manor, agree- able and suitable to the Vulgar language and education of the said inhabitants, which pions work, and the building of such church or meeting-house will require a larger sum of money than can be reason- ably expected to he advanced by any one particular person,
" I, heing willing and desirons to promote and encourage so pions an undertaking, have therefore thought fit to grant unto the same Robert Livingston leave and license to collect and receive the free and voluntary charity and contribution of any of the inhabitants within the said province towards carrying on and finishing the same ; and for his so doing this shall be his sufficient warrant.
" Given under my hand and seal this 2Ist day of June, 172I. "W. BURNET, "Cupt .- General and Governor of New York."
The appeal for help was not in vain. With the funds secured, and with a liberal share of his own means, Robert Livingston erected the first church in the southern part of Columbia county in the fall of 1721. It was first occu- pied for public worship Jan. 13, 1722, by Dominie Petrus Van Driessen, the pastor of the Albany church, who again held one of his occasional services in this locality. The house was a plain but very substantial frame, and stood on the site now occupied by the Memorial chapel, at Lin- lithgo. Beneath the church was constructed the Livingston family vault, which has been used by eight successive gen- erations of the lord of the manor ; and adjoining was a grave-yard for the use of the tenants. In the will of Robert Livingston, executed Feb. 10, 1722, he set aside forty aeres of land, opposite the church, for a minister's home-farm, and sixty acres, farther east, to be used towards the minister's
stipend. Ile also built a house, on twenty acres of land, east of the church-yard, which was bequeathed for the use of the clerk of the church, who was to combine with that office the duties of instructor of the youth of the manor.
These temporal provisions having been made, the organi- zation of the church proceeded accordingly. It was effected July 4, 1722, by the selection of the following consistory : Elders, Robert Livingston, Jacob Vosburgh, and Cornelius Martense ; Deacons, Tobias Ten Broeck, Robert Van Deusen, and Wilhelm Hallenbeck. In addition there were as members Johannes Sparr, Johannes Scherp, Andreis Brussie, Jochem Radclift, Solomon and Mary Schutt, Alida Livingston, Doretha Vosburgh, Maritje Ten Broeck, and Cornelia Decker.
A month later Lendert Konyn, Jan. Decker, Johannes Cool, Killian Winn and his wife, Maritje, Lena Whitbeck, Johannes Spoor, Jr., and Peter Cool became members ; and in 1723 Johannes Dyckman and his wife, Janitje, Dirck Hallenbeck, Christoffel Muldor, Claas Brussie, An- dreis Rees, Conradt Ham, Cornelia Hogeboom, Johannes Shutts, Matthaus and Robert Van Deusen, Gysbert Oster- hout, Jan. Vosburgh, Johannes Petri, and Peter Haver were added to the list. At a later period Johannes Spoor, Jacob Decker, and Philip Spickerman became members.
In 1755. the membership of the church aggregated one hundred and ninety-five, but as many had died, or left to join other churches, the actual membership was no more than fifty. The elders to this period were, in addition to those first named, Jeremias Miller, Johannes Dyckman, Con- radt Ham, Johannes Sbutts, Johannes Cool, Abram Vos- burgh, Rieger Schermerhorn, Jacob Schermerhorn, Samuel Hallenbeck, William Hallenbeck, Robert Van Densen, Hendrick Smith, Hendrick Mesick, Jochem Van Valken- burgh, and Robert Livingston, Jr. The deacons for the same period were Jan Decker, Lawrence Knickerbocker, Lendert Konyn, Jan Vosburgh, Johannes Cool, Jacob Decker, Johann Conradt Petri, James Gardner, Henry Mesick, Martin Ham, Michael Schmidt, Dirck Ten Broeck, Johannes Schaurman, Casper Ham, Johannes Ten Eyck, Hendrick Stever, Johannes Best, and Peter Vosburgh.
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