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 72
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116
Just before this period, Robert R., the chancellor, had
* Clarkson's " Clermont Manor."
279
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
built himself a fine country-seat, a little south of the old home, in which, at this time, lived his mother and youngest brother, Edward. His zeal in the cause of freedom had made him and others arch rebels in the estimation of the British, and the objects of summary punishment. Accord- ingly, when General Vaughan made an incursion up the Hudson, in the fall of 1777, to afford a diversion in favor of the imperiled army of Burgoyne, at Saratoga, he burned Kingston, the home of several patriots, and sent a detach- ment of troops to destroy Clermont, the home of the future chancellor. Before landing the troops, the commander fired a cannon-ball at the house, which struck a loenst-tree, re- moving several branches. This tree is still standing on the lawn at Clermont.
It is said that shortly before the advent of the British Mrs. Livingston had hospitably entertained two wounded officers of that army, who proposed to extend their protec- tion to the house and family. This was refused by the sturdy mother, who would rather suffer the loss of the property than have it protected by the enemies of her country. "The wounded men were sent to the house of a Tory neighbor, and preparations for the quick departure of the family made. All were busy, the females of the household all giving a hand to assist the general packing for the removal of clothing and all movable valuables. Silver and other articles of value were buried in the wood ; books were placed in the basin of a dry fountain and covered with rubbish ; wagons and carts were piled with baggage and all necessary articles required by a large family, both for immediate use as well as preservation. Even at this hour, Mrs. Livingston burst into a hearty laugh at the odd figure of an old black woman perched upon this miscella- neous assortment of trunks and bundles. There was not much time to spare, for as the last load from the house had disappeared, and when the carriages containing the family had reached the top of the hill overlooking the house, they beheld the smoke already arising from its walls. It had been fired as soon as entered by the British soldiers, one party of whom had arrived from Rhinebeck, which place they had burned, and another had landed from the British ship-of-war, which lay a little south of the house."*
After destroying both the mansions at this place, the British heard of the capitulation of Burgoyne, and did not proceed farther up the Hudson, but returned to New York. Madame Livingston and her family had meanwhile taken refuge in Salisbury, Mass., just beyond the State line, in a stone house, which is still standing there, near a picturesque lake. Hearing of the retreat of Vaughan's forces, they soon returned to their old home, desolated by the ruthless enemy. The following year Madame Livingston rebuilt her mansion, using the same side walls, which had remained firmly standing. On the 19th of November, 1778, she wrote to the American commandant of this section, asking for the exemption of certain mechanics living in Clermont, who were on duty in the companies of Captains P. Smith, Tiel Rockefeller, and Clum. She desired the men to assist her in rebuilding her house and barns. This house is yet standing, and is illustrated on another page. It is now the
home of Clermont Livingston, a grandson of the chancellor, and great-grandson of the patriotic Margaret Beekman. After the war the chancellor erected a more elegant mansion than the British had destroyed, a little south of the old place, and connected it with the maternal home by a beautiful walk. Both mansions are finely situated, and the latter was described by Spafford, in 1812, as follows : " Its front on the Hudson is 104 feet, depth 91 feet, and it consists of a main body of two stories and four pavilions. The south, or garden front, is a green-honse, with bathing- room and offices adjoining. Over these is a large, elegaut breakfasting-room and four bedrooms.
"The second story is conveniently divided into rooms, connected by a long gallery. One of the pavilions contains a well-chosen library of 4000 volumes in various languages. The north faces a fine lawn, skirted on one side by a beau- tiful wood on a bank raised about ten feet, terminating in a second lawn, from the rear of which springs precipitately a rocky ridge covered with shrubs, trees, and evergreens, af- fording a fine, rich background. This is balanced on the opposite side of the lawn by a beautiful avenue of locust- trees, planted irregularly, through which winds the road to the house. The Hudson is seen in broken views through the branches of these trees. From the front of the house, which faces the river, the view is extensive and highly pic- turesque. The Hudson is partially hidden by clumps of trees on its banks, and some islands covered with wood add a pleasing variety to its scenery, while the opposite shore is in full view, with the adjacent fields, farms, and forests rising like an amphitheatre toward the Catskill mountains, which terminate the view by an altitude of 8000 feet. The elegant display of light and shade occasioned by their irregularity, their fine blue color, the climbing of the mists up their sides, the intervention of clouds which cap their summits or shroud their slopes only with their occasional reflection from the surface of the Hudson, succeeded by the bursting terrors of their thunder-gusts, all combined from this point of view, associate a mass of interesting, pic- turesque, and sublime objects.
" The south front of the house overlooks the pleasure- grounds and a fine, grassy vale in the highest cultivation, skirted with a flowering shrubbery, with a rich and exten- sive background of various fruit-trees.
" The bold and lofty banks of the Hudson, affording a greater variety of forest-trees than I ever recollect to have seen before in the same area, have given to Mr. Livingston the ready means of forming an elegant walk of near two miles long under their shade, from which at every step yon catch a new view of the Hudson and the scenery on the opposite side. In the style of all these improvements art is so blended with nature that it is difficult to discriminate their respective beauties. The natural features are every- where preserved, though softened and harmonized by the happiest effects of art."
The essentials of this place remain the same as described sixty-six years ago. Here the chancellor lived after his retire- ment from public life, and fostered Fulton's project to build a steamboat, which was named after his home, " The Cler- mont." He was deeply interested in agriculture, and here first employed the use of gypsum in New York, and intro-
* Clarkson's " Clermont."
280
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
dueed the race of merino sheep into the United States. He died March 26, 1813, and was interred in the family vault in Clermont.
The only children of the chancellor married Robert L. and Edward P. Livingston, members of other branches of the original family. These occupied the two mansions in 1825, when Lafayette last visited Ameriea. He was the guest of the Livingstons, and was tendered a grand recep- tion on these grounds. "The lawn for half a mile was crowded with people, and the waters in front were white with vessels freighted with visitors from the neighboring counties, and all the cups, plates, gloves, and slippers bore the image or name of Lafayette."*
The author above quoted is a son of David A. Clarkson, an attorney of New York, who married a daughter of Ed- ward P. Livingston. In 1858 the sisters of this gentleman purchased the Chancellor Livingston property and placed it in complete repair; and it is yet, as in years gone by, one of the most magnificent country-seats on the Hudson.
It has been stated that some of the Palatines were early settlers of Clermont. Among these may be mentioned, as being there as early as 1715, families bearing the names of Sagendorph, Rockefeller, Ryfenbergh, Haver, Minekler, Kilmer, Kun (Coon), Ham, Gardner, and Lasher. The latter settled south of Germantown, and the numerous per- sons of that name in the southern part of that county are the descendants of three brothers, Conrad, George, and John. The old stone house erected by Conrad in 1752 near the Lutheran church, just across the town line, is still standing, and is now the home of E. and P. G. Lasher. The other brothers built houses near by, which have been removed, the three forming a triangle. They had a well in common, which yet remains, as well as an old pear-tree, said to have been planted by Conrad more than one hun- dred and twenty-five years ago. The Coon family lived ou the neck of Clermont, east of Elizaville. In 1790 there were, hesides those already mentioned, living in the town, in the northwestern part, families named Proper, Gysel- bergh, Gardner, Peter Herder, J. Canroe, Loveman, and J. Minckler; in the vicinity of and at Clermont village, P. Ham, M. Cooper, H. Best, the Ten Broecks, Dr. Thomas Broadhead, and Dr. Wm. Wilson. The latter came in 1784 from Scotland at the solicitation of Chan- cellor Livingston, whose family physician he was. Dr. Wilson succeeded Peter Van Ness as a first judge of the county. He died in 1828. A son, Wm. H. Wilson, now eighty-eight years old, occupies the homestead. The latter engaged in the War of 1812 as hospital surgcon, and was appointed surgeon in the regular army before the close of the war, when but twenty-two years old. South of this place lived the Rev. Mr. Romeyn, Ira Gale, Andries A. Bortel, J. Mickler, P. D. Rockefeller, Jan Ham, James Ilaines, and H. Blass ; and from the post-road west, toward the Hudson, A. Minckler, J. Minkler, Philip H. Clum, I. Fingar, N. and W. A. Sagendorph, John Cooper, G. Denninger, H. Coon, M. Smith, and Peter Feller. The latter lived on the place at present occupied by the family of Uriah Feller, a grandson. Jacob Feller lived east of
the post-road, on the place now occupied by his grandson, Geo. W. Feller. And still farther west than those above named were the Collins, Clum, Lawrence, Meyer, and Van Valkenbergh families. The system of life-leases hindered the advancement of the town, and kept its inhabitants from attaining the prosperity enjoyed in some other parts of the county. In 1875 the population was nine hundred and thirty-seven, eighty-four less than in 1870.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
The records of the town, from its organization to 1800, have been lost, and a complete list of the early civil officers and other interesting matter pertaining to the town eannot, therefore, be given. Fortunately, a list of the principal officers, from the first eleetion to date, has been procured, and is here given.
Supervisors.
Town Clerks.
1787-92 Samuel Ten Broeck.
1793
Martin J. Cooper.
1794-97.
.Samuel Ten Broeck.
1798-99
William Wilson.
1800 Samuel Ten Broeck.
Seth Curtis.
1801.
William Wilson.
1802
=
1803
66
1804
66
1805
Thomas Broadhead.
1806.
Samuel Ten Broeck.
66
1807.
Thomas Broadhead.
1808.
Peter J. Cooper.
1809.
1810.
1811.
16
16
1812.
1813.
Garret Cuck.
1814.
66
1815.
1816.
"
1817
Thomas Broadhead.
1818
Garret Cuck.
1819
Thomas Broadhead.
=
66
1821
66
1822
1823.
Robert L. Livingston. John T. Broadhead.
John S. Cross.
1826.
Thomas Broadhead.
Jacob Lynk.
1827.
1828 Wm. H. Wilson.
Jacob Cooper.
1829
46
66
Jacob Lynk.
1831.
66
Henry H. Feller.
1834.
Jonas Dinegar.
1835. John I. Potts.
James O. Broahead.
1836
1837 Henry H. Feller.
Alexander Potts.
.
1838.
1839. Jeremiah Proper.
1840.
1841. John I. Traver.
1842
1843. Peter Robinson.
1844
1845. Seymour Smith.
=
George W. King. Uriah Feller.
1848 Alexander Potts.
Andrew Sagendorph.
1849.
1850,
P. II. Knickerbacker.
Jacob H. Moore.
David Coon. "
1854.
Henry L. Rockefeller.
Thomas Broadhead.
1855
1856. Jacob HI. Moore.
1857
1858 Philip HI. Potts. 4
Jacob Elkenbergh. 44
1859,
Robert Washburn.
Levi Le Roy.
1861
IS62
Albert Potts.
66
1824
1825
1832.
1833 John Sanders, Jr.
Robert Clow. Alexander Potts. Peter Fingar.
Peter Potts.
1846
1847. George W. King.
1851 ..
1852
Peter Potts. "
1853
Philip 11. Potts. Robert Coon.
1860.
* Clarkson's "Clermont."
Jacob Cooper.
1820
1830
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Supervisors.
Town Clerks.
1863.
Uriah Feller.
1864.
I865 Henry L. Rockefeller.
1866
1867 Jacob H. Moore.
Ilarold Wilson.
1868
1869 .. Wm. L. Fraleigh.
1870
1871.
1872.
1873 Uriah Feller.
1874
64
George W. Blaco. Wm. 11. Rockefeller.
1875
4€
1876 Harold Wilson.
Egbert Potts.
1877.
=
1878 Jacob H. Moore. Levi Decker.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1789. Peter Livingston.
Samuel Ten Broeck.
James Elting.
William Wilson.
1842. Heory Coon.
1792-95. Samuel Ten Broeck.
James Elting.
William Wilson.
1798-1801. William Wilson.
Thomas Broadhead.
1805-8. Jacob Ten Broeck.
1808. David Nichols. Tra Gale.
1810. Edward P. Livingston.
Peter I. Cooper.
1847. Lewis Near.
Wm. Wilson.
Joseph Fletcher.
1813. Thomas Broadhead.
Henry Fulton. Garret Cuek.
1850. Alex. Potts.
1815. John Ellsworth.
Edward Feller.
Tra Gale.
1851. Thomas Gardner. Lewis Near.
Jacob Feller.
John V. R. Ten Broeck.
1818. Ilenry Fultoo.
John Ellsworth.
Jacob Cooper.
Peter Fingar.
Jacob Feller.
Jacob Ten Broeck.
1821. John Ellsworth.
1855. Amos Miller.
Samuel Ogden.
1856. Joseph Shirts.
Adam Ten Broeck.
1857. Wm. L. Fraleigh.
Jacob Cooper.
1827. Jacob Cooper.
Jeremiah Proper. David C. Near. Iloraee Stevens.
1830. Wmn. Mead.
1831. Jeremiah Proper.
David C. Near.
1862. Philip H. Potts.
1832. Horace Stevens.
1863. David F. Littell.
1864. Joseph Shirts.
1865. Wm. L. Fraleigh.
1866. Philip 11. Potts.
1867. Albert Potts.
Joseph King.
1868. Joseph Shirts. David F. Littell.
Samuel Cross.
1869. Wm. L. Fraleigh. Philip H. Potts.
1870. Peter P. Fraleigh.
1871. George W. Blaco. 1872. Joseph Shirts. 1873. Wmn. L. Fraleigh. 1874. Peter P. Fraleigh.
1875. Reuben Van De Bogart. 1876. Joseph Shirts. 1877. Wm. L. Fraleigh. 1878. Peter P. Fraleigh.
CLERMONT HIGHWAYS.
In 1800 the town was divided into twelve road districts, having the following descriptions and overseers :
No. 1, from the camp line to the creek, at Jacob Sals- pagh's,-David Winans.
No. 2, from the camp line to Dutchess county,-Gerrit B. Lasher, who was appointed, May 31, by Philip D. Rocke- feller and Peter Feller.
No. 3, from George A. Sagendorph's to Andreis A. Bortel's, -Jacobus Ryphenburgh.
No. 4, from Dutchess county, on the post-road, to the bridge, near Walter T. Livingston's,-Philip D. Rocke- feller.
No. 5, from the camp line to John Lynk's,-Peter P. Herder.
No. 6, from Ira Gale's to John Weaver's, and so on to the old bridge,-Ira Gale.
No. 7, from Andreis A. Bortel's to Nicholas Hermance's, -John Sisson.
No. 8, from Pleasant Vale to the Dutchess county line, -Isaac Burham.
No. 9, from the bridge at Nicholas Hermance's to the post-road, near A. Buysis',-Jacob C. Ham.
No. 10, from the post-road, passing Philip H. Clum's and Peter Feller's, to John Cooper's,-Adam Minkler.
No. 11, from Nicholas Sagendorph's to the camp line,- Benjamin Pitcher.
No. 12, from the new bridge, near the Widow Living- ston's, to the camp line,-Philip C. Moore.
In 1878, in a smaller territory, the town had twenty-six road districts.
The post-road was long used by the Highland Turnpike Company, which had erected a toll-gate on the hill just above Fraleigh's, at the old Philip D. Rockefeller place. From Clermont village to the Roeloff Jansen Kill the course of this road was formerly northeast, crossing at the upper bridge. From the Blue Store to the above point the post- road was located some time after 1800, as being a more direct course. It has always been one of the principal thoroughfares of the town. The old " wagon-path," from the manor-house, in the town of Livingston, to Elizaville, crossed the Roeloff Jansen Kill, near Clermont village, and passed up on the south side of the stream to Johannes Dyckman's. This road was located soon after 1700. Its course has been much modified. In the western part of the town is a good highway, running north and south, popu- Jarly known as the " telegraph road;" and west of this is the Hudson River railroad, which does not have a station in the town. The Rhinebeck and Connecticut railroad was constructed through the southeastern part of the town in the fall of 1873. It has a station opposite Union Cor- ners, called Elleslee, and affords good shipping facilities for this part of Clermont and the adjoining towns.
The absence of water-power in the town has limited its
MANUFACTORIES
to a single point on the Roeloff Jansen, at Pleasant Vale, and this power has not been utilized since 1869. Here was erected, some time before 1800, a grist-mill, which was thatched with straw, from which circumstance it was widely
1840. David C. Near. John Washburne.
Jeremiah Proper.
1841. John K. Stall.
Wesley R. Gallup. John I. Traver.
Jeremiah Proper. John I. Traver.
1843. Philip A. Stall.
1844. Solomon D. Terwilliger. Alex. Potts.
1845. Wesley R. Gallup.
Jacob II. Cnek.
1846. Jeremiah Proper.
Lewis Near.
1848. Austin Washburn. Seymour Smith.
1849. Wesley R. Gallup. Wm. L. Fraleigh.
1852. Joseph Shirts. Edward Feller.
1853. Wesley R. Gallup.
1854. Lewis Near. Win. L. Fraleigh.
1858. Henry L. Rockefeller. Ephraim Dencgar. 1859. Henry L. Feller. 1860. Adam Donerly.
1861. Wm. L. Fraleigh. David F. Littell. Joseph Shirts.
1833. David C. Near. Jacob Lynk. 1834. John Moore.
1835. Jeremiah Proper.
1836. David C. Near.
1837. Jeremiah Proper. John I. Traver.
1838. Win. B. Fineh.
Henry N. Bonesteol. 1839. Ilenry H. Feller. John Mosher.
36
281
Albert Potts. Ephraim Denegar. Levi Le Roy.
Henry L. Rockefeller.
Ilarrison Lasher.
282
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
known as the " straw mill." It was owned by the Living- ston family, and was operated by various parties, who im- proved the mill and added a saw-mill. While Peter Rob- inson controlled the property he also operated a fulling-mill and carding-machines, transaeting a heavy business. In 1848, William Elkenbergh erected a new grist-mill, having four runs of stone, which in time became the property of Mrs. Clarkson. In the fall of 1869 every improvement at this point was swept away by a freshet, which completely diverted the channel of the stream and greatly impaired the future use of the power.
In matters pertaining to education, Clermont has a record of the
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SCHOOL
which antedated the school system of the State. It was authorized by a special act passed in 1791, and was the germ of the common schools which followed soon after. These were under the supervision of Wm. Wilson, John Cooper, and Nathan Collins, in 1800 ; and later, Dr. Thomas Broadhead and the Rev. Augustus Wackerhagen were ac- tive promoters of education in the town. In 1833 a part of the " Christian chapel" was used for a select school by Dr. Wackerhagen, which became an incorporated academy April 26, 1834, and was received under the regents Feb. 26, 1837. After several years of most successful operation, the academy passed under the principalship of Ephraim Hudson, also a very successful edneator. But it was at length suffered to go down, and finally became a public school. The building is yet employed for this purpose.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
It is probable that the Rev. Freeborn Garretson held occasional Methodist services in the town at the time he was presiding elder of this section of the country. But the proximity of the Lutheran and Reformed churches, in Livingston and Germantown, prevented the formation of a new religious society in Clermont, from that period until fifty years later. In 1829 the Methodists sent the Rev. John B. Mathias to labor in Clermont, but evidently with- out effect, as no successor followed until nine years later. In 1833, measures were instituted by some of the citizens of the town to erect a house of worship which should af- ford rooms, also, for academic purposes. Subscriptions were solicited, and with the funds thus secured
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHAPEL IN CLERMONT was crected in 1833. It is a roomy two-story frame build- ing, centrally located in the village of Clermont, and was designed " for the use of all sects, and to be free for any man of good moral character who may wish to preach the gospel." The property was at first controlled by "The First Christian Society of Clermont," formed Feb. 28, 1834, and had for its first board of trustees Jacob A. Turk, Henry I. Shyfer, John J. Elting, and Richard Peary.
From that time to this religious services have been held in this house by the pastors of the neighboring churches and others, withont, however, effecting a spceial organiza- tion, except in the case of the Episcopalians. After ser- vices had been held in the chapel twenty-five years, by the clergy of the Red Hook and other parishes,
THE ST. LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF CLERMONT
was organized July 2, 1859, under the general act of 1854. The trustecs chosen were W. H. Wilson, Peter. R. Liv- ingston, Robert Dibblee, Walter Livingston, Harold Wilson, Henry De Koven, and Robert H. Dibblee.
In the fall of 1859 a very neat little house of worship was erected in the village of Clermont, adjoining the Chris- tian chapel, which was consecrated on the 18th of October of that year, by Bishop Potter. It has sittings for 150 per- sons, and, with the lot on which it stands, is valued at $3500. A small cemetery is also connected with the church.
The Rev. Henry De Koven became the first rector of the parish, continuing until 1860. Since that period the rec- tors and ministers of the church have been : 1860, the Rev. J. W. Moore ; 1861-64, the Rev. J. S. Clarke ; 1865, the Rev. S. S. Dearborn; 1866-67, the Rev. E. Weil; 1868-74, the Rev. W. S. Rowe; 1874, the Rev. M. E. Wilson, who is the present rector, and is also the superintendent of a Sunday-school, organized in 1860. The church has 20 members, and the congregation numbers about 100.
A very comfortable parsonage was erected by the parish in 1867, on a large lot of ground in the northeastern part of the hamlet. It is reported worth $1000.
· THE CLARKSON EPISCOPAL CHAPEL,
in the western part of the town, was erected about 1860, through the munificence of Mrs. L. Clarkson, who also supports the service of the church, from the parish of Red Hook, as a preaching station of that point. The' chapel does not have a regular organization.
In the northwestern part of the town, just across the line, is the Germantown Lutheran church, whose parsonage and cemeteries are in the town of Clermont. A history of that church and the St. John's Lutheran church in Living- ston will contain a large portion of the religious interest of Clermont.
CLERMONT GRANGE, NO. 398, PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY, was instituted June 30, 1876, with eighteen charter mem- bers. Seth Lasher was elected the first Master, and M. Fingar, Secretary of the grange, which has from the first been very prosperous. It now numbers forty-two members, comprising some of the leading men of the town. The incetings are held in the village of Clermont, in a building which contains, also, a co-operative store, conducted by individual members of the grange. It was opened April 12, 1878, and is in charge of M. Fingar as managing agent.
THE GERMANTOWN AND CLERMONT FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
was organized in June, 1868, and had for its first directors David Moore, Andrew Sagendorph, Chester Snyder, Nicholas Dick, Gilbert Rockefeller, Jacob H. Moore, and Peter P. Fraleigh. Uriah Feller was elected the first president of the company, and Valentine Fingar secretary. The company has sustained losses amounting to $5400, and at present carries risks aggregating $210,450. Its affairs are at pres- ent in charge of the following board of directors : Alexander W. Hover, president; Peter P. Fraleigh, secretary ; Ches-
*
..
283
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ter Snyder, Jacob P. Feller, John H. Hover, Gilbert Rocke- feller, Jacob H. Moore, HIerman Gardner, and George W. Feller.
Besides those already named, H. L. Rockefeller, David Moore, Josiah Kniskern, and Peter P. Fraleigh have been presidents of the company, and W. L. Fraleigh secretary.
CLERMONT.
On the post-road, twelve miles south from Hudson, and six east from Germantown, is the only village in the town. It is located on a rich and beautiful tract of land, and was formerly a place of greater importance than at present, the railroads having diverted the trade it enjoyed to other points. It now contains three stores, an Episcopal church, four or five good mechanic shops, a large hotel, and has about two hundred inhabitants. Before the Revolution, Derick Jansen lived at this place, near the residence of Wm. H. Wilson, and kept a store in one of the two houses then standing there. Jansen remained in the place, but bc- came much reduced in his circumstances. A Major Grier and Patrick Collins were afterwards engaged in trade in the same locality. About 1800, Dr. Wm. Wilson erected the store-house at present in use in this part of the village, in which Elisha Miner opened a store. Having gone to New York to purchase goods he contracted the yellow fever, from which he died. Cyrus Capron succeeded as a merchant, and was followed by Bonesteel & Broadhead, A. Wacker- hagen, and later by Levi Le Roy, who remained about twenty years. George D. Foland is at present here in trade. In the central part of the village Edward P. Livingston, at that time the proprietor of Clermont, erected a store-house, which has had numerous occupants. For the past twenty- two years Martin Williams has here been in trade. The co-operative store, on the opposite corner, was opened in the spring of 1878.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.