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 85
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Supervisors.
Towo Clerks.
Collectors.
1819. Edward B. Pugsley. Martin H. Hoffman. Peter Ostraoder.
1820.
1821.
Martin Harder.
Conrad Gaul.
1822.
*
1823. Teunis G. Snyder. John J. Kittle.
1824.
44
"
1825. Barent Van Buren.
1826.
"
¥
Teunis Isbester.
1827.
Philip Wager.
Geo. P. Shufelt. Peter G. Shutelt.
Supervisors.
Town Clerks.
Collectors.
1829. John J. Kittle.
John S. Hogeboom. Heory Fowler.
1830. Martin H. Hoffman. Martin Gilbert.
Adam Melius.
1831.
44
Levi B. Skinner.
1832. Jehoiakim H. Plass. John I. Miller, Jr.
1833. Jacob N. Harder.
Martin Gilbert.
1834.
1835.
Teunis Isbister.
George Tator. Jacob P. Tipple.
1836. Barent Van Buren. Wm. P. Vosburgh.
1837. Wm. M. Bunker.
George Tator.
1838. Andrew Kittle.
Teunis Isbester.
Jacob Groat.
1839.
1840. Peter Groat, Jr.
G. A. Stupplebeem. Henry Bowman.
1841. Christopher Garner. Martin Gilbert. 1842. 66 Alfred Nash.
1843. John T. Leggett.
H. J. Dunspaugh.
1844.
G. A. Stupplebeem. M. Fradenburgh.
1845. William Moul.
Thomas Newell.
John S. Fowler.
1846.
1847. Jacobus Harder. 1848. Wm. P. Vosburgh. 1849. William P. Groat. 1850. James H. Baroes.
1851.
1852. James I. Leggett. 1853. John T. Leggett. 1854. Cornelius Moul. 1855.
1856. M. A. Emerick. 1857. Henry P. Pulver. 1858. John D. Shufelt. 1859. George A. Clum.
1860. N. Van Bramer.
Wm. Waltermire.
Philip D. Shufelt. Elijah Ifulbert.
1862. B. Van Valkenburgh. Sherman G. Graff.
1863. Abram Vosburgh.
J. H. Stupplebecm. IIenry E. New.
1864.
T. Stupplebeem. =
Eugene Stupplebeem. Jacob Stupplebecm.
Franklin H. Traver. John W. Ostrander.
1867. Andrew H. Kittle.
1868.
1869. Jeremiah Kittle.
1870. Solomon Sbarp.
1871.
George S. Snyder.
1872.
1873. John I. Leggett.
Charles Mesiek.
S. J. Kittle.
1874. Curtis H. Porter.
Barney Wager.
1875. Jacob Stupplebeem. Walter A. Stickles. Jobn H. Coburn.
1876.
1877. William G. Kittle. J. H. Rivenburgb.
E. F. Bartlett.
1878. George S. Fowler. Webster R. Craw.
Grosvenor Boice.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1819. Jeremiah Mandeville.
1838. Thomas T. Mesick.
1820. Martin H. Hoffman. 1839. David Waltermire.
1821. David Wager. 1840, Peter Philip.
1822. Heury Poucher. 1841. George Wager.
Wm. Van Alstyne.
1842. Nelson Martin.
1827. Martin H. Hoffmao. Andrew Kittle.
1844. Peter F. Rossman.
1845. Cornelius Moul.
Henry Poucher. 1846. Charles Armstrong.
1829. Andrew Kittle. Wm. Smith, Jr. Lafayette Waltermire.
1830. Henry Poucher.
1848. Wm. M. Buaker.
1831. Martin H. Hoffman.
1832. Andrew Kittle.
1833. Wilhemus Ostrander.
1850. Levi Cutler.
1851. Jacob M. Rivenburgh.
1852. Wm. M. Bunker.
1834. Wm. M. Bunker.
1853. Cornelius Moul.
18å4. Levi Cutler.
1855. Jacob M. Rivcoburgh.
1836. Andrew Kittle.
1837. Philip J. Miller.
1856. W.m. M. Bunker.
John A. Kittle.
Teunis Smith. Richard Hollenbeck.
George Waltermire.
Win. II. Templeton.
Asher W. Merrill. David Blake. Albert C. Ostrander.
Franklin Sayder.
Frederick Mesick.
1861. Curtis H. Porter.
Sylvester Melius. John J. Kittle, Jr.
David Fradenburgh.
William II. New.
Tobias Waltermire. Walter A. Stickle.
J. M. Rivenburgh. Philip M. Harder. Abram Vosburgb. Martin Gilbert.
David M. Graff. R. E. Dunspaugh. IIenry E. New. George S. Fowler. Sherman G. Graff. Franklin H. Traver. Jeremiah Mead.
1865. Curtis H. Porter. 1866.
Andrew Sharp.
D. E. Waltermire. Wm. F. Jones. Franklin H. Traver. William T. Leggett. John Vosburgh. 44 E. B. Underhill.
1843. Peter Sagendorph.
1828. Philip Wager.
1847. Thomas Newell.
1849. Cornelius Moul. Levi Cutler.
John Holsapple.
D. J. Waltermire.
John G. Smith.
William Smith, Jr. Wm. M. Bunker.
1835. David Waltermire.
Peter Hogeboom.
J. B. Waltermire. J. W. Ostrander. Wm. M. HIolsapple.
James B. Peterson.
A. W. Ostrander.
John Waltermire.
Wmn. II. Tater.
John 11. Waltermire.
1828.
Peter Harder.
334
HISTORY . OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1857. Curtis H. Porter.
1858. Cornelius Moul.
1859. Henry D. Kittle.
1860. lliram Alleo.
1861. Jacob M. Riveoborgh. 1862. George A. Kippleburgh.
1863. Cornelius Mool. Peter J. Mesiek.
1871. Jacob I. Miller. 1872. Nathan C. Hogeboom. 1873. Ifenry D. Kittle. 1874. Cornelius Moul.
1864. George S. Snyder. H. D. Kittle.
1875. George S. Snyder.
1865. Jacob M. Rivenburgh.
1876. Wesley B. Wager.
IS66. Peter H. Storm.
1877. Geo. R. W. Link.
Joseph P. Hogeboom.
Nathan C. Hogeboom.
1878. George A. Kisselburgh.
From the town books the following interesting excerpts have been taken :
1818 .- $600 was voted for the support of the poor, and larger amounts thereafter.
1820 .- " If any person shall suffer any Canada thistles to go to seed on bis land or premises, he shall subject him- self to a penalty of ten dollars."
The assessment-roll this year shows the names of several hundred tax-payers. Below are the names of those pos- sessing $2000 or more of real and personal property : Peter Andrews, Nathan Collins, Samuel Coleman, Philip Denspaugh, Richard Deyse, Philip Diedrich, Martin Gar- ner, William Groat, Cornelius Goes, Henry Groat, Palmer Ilolmes, widow Henry Holsapple, John J. Holsapple, Mar- tin H. Hoffman, John E. Hogeboom, Tobias L. Hoge- boom, Stephen J. Hogeboom, Bartholomew Hogeboom, widow Jacob Harder, the Emerick heirs, Adam J. Her- riatt, Harder & Duel, Nicholas, William, and Michael Har- der, Edward Hunting, John Jacobi, John J. Kittle, John IIenry Kittle, William Link, Wilhelmus Link, Legget & Staats, John Lane, William Link, Jr., John Leggett, Jacob Moul, John Moul, John Macy, Anthony Melius & Son, Thomas H. Mesick, Jacob J. Miller, Jacob New, Wilhel- mus Ostrander, Jeremiah Pulver, Philip W. Pulver, Ed- ward B. Pugsley, Daniel Pultz, Peter Philip, Henry Poucher, George Risdorph, Peter Rody, Henry Schinkle, Philip P. Shufelt, widow Martin Stupplebeem, David Southard, Jacob H. Snyder, Henry Snyder, John H. Sny- der, William H. Snyder, Henry Shufelt, Jonah Sehinkle & Son, Wm. P. Smith, Jacob Stupplebeem, Leonard Smith, George T. Snyder, Jacob and John Simmons, Sagendorph, on the Heermance place, George Tator, John G. Tator, Jonathan Traver, Jacob Tipple, Oliver Teal, James Utter, Thomas Van Alstyne, John L. Vosburgh, M. L. Vosburgh, Benjamin Vredenburgh, Barent Van Buren, Sally Water- meyer, David Wager, Jacob Wager, William Waggoner, John Whitbeck, Jacob Waltermire, and W. Yager.
This year, 1820, William Link manumitted his slave woman Diannah, and the next year Barent Van Buren freed his negro man Cato, who was under forty years of age, and able to provide for himself. In the years following other citizens endowed their servants with liberty. Most of these negroes remained in town, and many of their descendants may yet be found within its bounds.
THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS
received the attention of the town soon after the first meet- ing, and the following thirty-two overseers were appointed :
Martin Ilarder, Jonathan Head, Benj. Vredenburgh, Wil- liam Winn, Matthew Waltermire, George Follout, Thomas Van Alstyne, Jehoiakim Van Hagen, Jeremiah Mandeville, Jacob Loop, Henry J. Mesick, Matthias Emerick, Henry Link, J. J. Mesick, William P. Smith, Henry Combs, William Day, Wilhelmus Links, Johannes Moul, Jehoiakim Schinkle, James May, James Crandell, Samuel Coleman, John Frost, James Bullis, John Son, John L. Holsapple, John Shufelt, Henry R. Van Rensselaer, Ezekiel Thomas, Edward K. Pugsley.
The highways of Ghent are at present in an admirable condition. Several important thoroughfares traverse the town, the principal ones being the old "post-road," in the western part, and the Union turnpike, from the southwest to the northeast. The Berkshire railroad (now the Hud- son and Boston) was constructed through the town in 1837- 38, and the New York and Harlem railroad at a more recent date. They enter the town from the south, several miles apart, and converge until they meet at the village of Ghent, from whenee the lines are parallel to Chatham village. The former road has stations at Pulver's, in the southern part, and at Ghent, which is also a station on the Harlem road. These railways have done much to promote the prosperity of the town.
THE CEMETERIES
of Ghent, with one exception, are controlled by church societies and private individuals. One of the finest of these is connected with the West Ghent Reformed church. It embraces several acres, carefully kept, and contains some handsome monuments.
THE GHENT UNION CEMETERY,.
in the eastern part of the town, below old Ghent village, contains about five acres of ground tastefully arranged, and neatly inclosed. It is on the opposite side of the street from the old church cemetery, and is under the con- trol of a rural cemetery association, formed Oct. 11, 1865. The first trustees were A. C. Garner, Abram Vosburgh, Geo. A. Clum, P. M. New, Wm. E. Snyder, and Jacob II. Stupplebeem. The present officers are : President, Abram Vosburgh ; Secretary, P. W. Mull ; and Treasurer, A. M. Tracy.
A short distance northeast from the village of Ghent are
THE COUNTY POOR FARM
and buildings connected therewith. They were located here on account of the central position of the place. The farm comprises two hundred acres of land, in a high state of cultivation, whose products afford considerable revenue. The present main building, which is a substantial brick structure, was erected in 1857, at a cost of $22,000. The lunatic asylum, on the same farm, was completed in 1877, and has at present thirty-five inmates. The poor-house has two hundred and thirty-seven inmates. These institu- tions are noticed at greater length in the general history of the county.
THIE GHENT MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
was organized Feb. 5, 1859, for a term of thirty years. The directors chosen were David Crapser, Edward B.
1867. Jacob I. Miller. George A. Kisselburgh.
1868. George S. Snyder.
1869. Joseph P. Hogeboom.
1870. Geo. A. Kisselburgh.
335
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Pugsley, Jacob I. Miller, James C. Van Valkenburgh, John E. New, Jacob M. Rivenburgh, Martin Fredenburgh, Wm. Smith, and George A. Kisselburgh. John E. New was chosen president, and Jacob M. Rivenburgh secretary and treasurer. The company has been remarkably success- ful. From a statement of its condition, made Jan. 1, 1878, it appears that farm property amounting to $664,165, in two hundred and twenty-one policies, was insured. The total loss since doing business, nearly nineteen years, was $4420, making a yearly average of $232.63 ; or afford- ing assurance at a cost of but $0.47 per year on every $1000 insured.
In 1868 the number of directors was changed to five members. The board is at present composed of Townsend Powell, Abram Vosburgh, David Crapser, Martin Freden- burgh, and Martin V. Stupplebeem. The first two named are the president and secretary of the company.
THE GHENT MANUFACTORIES
are limited to a few establishments, principally on the east- ern part of the Kline Kill. But in 1820, when the town extended to the Claverack and Kinderhook, there were reported six grist-mills, four saw-mills, four fulling-mills, five carding-machines, and three cotton and wool factories.
The present Garner grist-mills, near the village of Ghent, occupy the site of saw and grist-mills erected soon after the settlement of the town, by Samuel Coleman. Subsequently the Spanglers operated them many years. Above this are the old Arnold mills, now operated by F. Stupplebeem. Between these is Niles' paper-mill, established in 1872. It employs water and steam power, and is eapaeitated to pro- duce three thousand five hundred pounds per day. The Mickle paper-mill is an older establishment. Its capacity is about the same as the Niles mill. Sixty years ago Edward Holmes had a woolen-factory, in a brick building, near Niles' mill, which was abandoned, and a new factory erected farther up the stream. This, too, has been discon- tinued. In the western part of the town were small saw- mills, operated by Peter Philip, John Tipple, John Van Hagan, and one, now operated by Peter Engle, that was built by George Snyder. In this locality was a small woolen-factory, by Thomas Van Alstyne, operated about 1824. Closely identified with these mills and factories were
THE PIONEER TAVERNS AND STORES,
as well as the public-houses and trading-points of a later period. Of the former, the stone house of Johannes Hoge- boom was undoubtedly one of the first and most prominent. As early as 1760 it gave its name to that particular locality, and was put down in the guide-books as the principal stop- ping-place on the stage-route from Boston to Albany, between Nobletown (Hillsdale) and Kinderhook. Jacob Moul had a tavern on the main road, in a red frame house, before 1800. Afterwards the commodious house now occupied by his son William was erected. Both of these taverns had a wide reputation. Near the county build- ings Abram Hogeboom had a store and a tavern, which were largely patronized ; and at a later period William M. Bunker opened a store at this point, in a building which is yet standing. Near the depot Martin H, Hoffman had the
first store, and a tavern was kept by a Mr. Van Ness. This property now belongs to A. M. Traey, who is at present one of the most active business men of
THE VILLAGE OF GHENT,
in which are the only stores and hotel in the town. This is a thriving place of several hundred inhabitants, favorably located to enjoy a large trade; and is one of the most im- portant shipping-points for farm produce in the county. Excepting a few small buildings, it has grown to its present size almost entirely since the completion of the IIarlem rail- road. It contains several fine business blocks, and a num- ber of attractive residences. A mile south, on the old turnpike, is a hamlet, locally called "Old Ghent," but which is really a part of the village. At the former place is the Lutheran church, while the latter contains the Reformed.
The Ghent post-office was established in the lower village, and changed to its present location after the railroad was built. It enjoys good mail facilities. Jacob Stupplebeem is the postmaster.
Soon after 1800, Dr. Edward B. Pugsley began the prac- tice of medicine in Ghent, and remained in town until his death, in 1863. Dr. E. L. Coburn was for many years a leading practitioner. Dr. P. W. Mull has been in practice since 1852, and Drs. Moore, Greene, and Van Alstyne have also been physicians in Ghent.
In the village of Glient is a very neat brick school-house, erected in 1878, at a cost of $3000. There are twelve schools in the town, attended by three hundred pupils, and supported at a cost of $5000 per year.
THE FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF GHIENT .*
Many of the early settlers of the town were members of the Reformed Dutch church of Claverack and Kinderhook, chiefly of the former. Some time before the Revolution these were animated by a desire to possess the privileges of re- ligious worship in their own locality. But it was found difficult to harmonize upon a site for the proposed building, and, accordingly, two houses were begun. One was located on the old road leading to west Ghent, a short distance west from the Waltermire school-house, its chief promoters being the Kittles and the Philips. The other was in the Squampamoek flats, in the Hogeboom neighborhood, on the southeast corner of the present Union cemetery. This having been the more vigorously pushed to completion, work on the first was suspended. It was never finished. The frame stood many years, and was finally taken down to pre- vent its falling. As near as can be determined, both houses were begun in 1774, and, the completed one being ready for occupancy in the spring of 1775, a meeting for the for- mation of a church was appointed for March 28 of that year.
The church of Claverack at that time (and indeed from 1770) was withont a pastor. Rev. Gerhard Daniel Cock, settled over the churches at Germantown and Rhinebeck, seems, more frequently than any other minister, to have supplied their pulpit. He it was who came out to Squam-
₱ From a sketch of the church, by the Rev. J. B. Drury.
336
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
pamock and officiated at the dedication of the new church, and installed the first consistory. The season of 1775 was a remarkably early one, and we can conceive that already, the last of March, the snows of winter were gone, the scat- tered fields of wheat and grass were already looking green, and the extended forests beginning to give promise of re- turning spring. The 28th of March that year fell, we find, on Tuesday, so that we can conceive Dominie Cock officiating at Claverack on Sunday, and coming on Monday from thence to the house of the chief promoter of the new enterprise, Mr. Lawrence Hogeboom, residing in a stone house near the site of the present residence of Hon. J. T. Hogeboom. In coming thither the dominie doubtless rode, as was universal with the ministry in those days, on horse- back, and followed the road that yet winds through the beautiful valley of the Squampamock. But then, instead of the carefully-tilled fields, substantial homesteads, and fruitful orchards that now exist, the most of the land was yet primeval forest, with only occasional clearings about the humble cabins in which the most of the earlier settlers were content to dwell. The stone house of Johannes Hoge- boom (father of Lawrence) seems to have been quite a man- sion for its day, since, as early as 1760, it gave name to the community.
But we must pass from the early settlers to the church which was to be planted in the midst of them. On Tues- day, March 28, in the presence of Dominie Cock and the consistory of the church of Claverack, the new church was organized. Articles were drawn up regulating the rela- tionship of the churches of Claverack and Squampamock, which were agreed to by Johannes Holsapple, Wilhelm V. Aolsteen, Johan Adam Schmit, and Richard Ysselsteen, elders, and Matthew Hollenbeck, Jonas Schenkel, and Jer- emias Johannes Muller, deacons, of the church of Clav- erack, and Zecharias Kernreich, Lawrence Hogeboom, Johannes Hogeboom, Jr, and Johannes Moedt, represent- ing the new congregation. On the same day a consistory was chosen, viz. : Elders, Zecharias Kernreich and Lawrence Hogeboom ; Deacons, Omphrij Moor, Johannes Hogeboom, Jr. The following were the church members: Lawrence Hogeboom and his wife Hester Leggett, Johannes Hoge- boom, Jr., Omphrij Moor, Zecharias Kernreich and his wife Cornelia Schutt. Service was held for the first time on Wednesday, March 29, when Dominie Cock installed the consistory and preached from the text, Rev. iii. 18 : " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."
We can easily imagine that the little church was well filled on that day, and that from miles around the people came on foot and in wagons and on horseback to participate in the services. A few among us yet remember the primi- tive building. A frame structure, elapboarded and un- painted, sufficiently large for the somewhat sparsely-settled country. The interior was fitted up with high old-fash- ioned pews, a lofty gallery on three sides, and a wine-glass pulpit reached by a winding flight of steps, and overhung by the inevitable sounding-board, in this case suspended
from the rafters by ropes attached to its four corners. At this first church service three children were baptized, viz., Mary Harton, Maria Keller, and Abraham Shutt, whose parents were respectively Meikel Harton and Elizabeth Ysselsteen, Adam Keller and Maria Muller, Abraham Shutt and Lena Rossman. The sponsors were for the first, Albert Pawling and Maria Ysselsteen; for the second, Con- rad Reh and Maria Schmit, his wife; and for the third, Jacobus Hogeboom and Catherine Hogeboom. Thus was the Low Dutch Reformed church of Squampamock inaugu- rated. Its career was not destined to be one of very great prosperity, but it maintained an existence for nearly forty years, and was an important preparation for the church that was to come after it, and which endures to the present. The records of this first organization, though kept in Dutch and not very intelligible to those who are Dutch by descent and who have forgotten their fathers' language, are of great interest as giving some idea of our community a hundred years ago. The book itself, bound as it is in vellum and of paper, which in its water-marks bears the evidence that it antedates the Revolution, having woven in its texture the crown, with the initials G. R. under it, besides a seal, in which the lion rampant of England is a chief feature, is to the antiquarian of great interest.
The title-page reads as follows: " Allgemeen Kerken- bock, Der Nederduitschen, Gereformeerden Gemeente Jesu Christi op Squampamuck, begonnen. Anno. 1775, von 28 Maerch. ‘Laet alle Dingen Eerlyck Ende met Orden Geschieden.' 1 Cor. 14: 40.
" Von 29th dito is de Eerste Kerkenraedt bevestigt Docr. Dom. Gerhard Daniel Cock en de Erste predicatie in de Nieuwe Kerk Gedaen ober de woorden Apoc. 3: 18."
This book contains the Doop Register, list of baptisms; Register of Ledemater, or communicants; Kerkenraedt's Acten, or acts of the consistory. Of these latter the first entry recounts what was done March 28, and records the articles of agreement between the consistories of Claverack and Squampamoek. The next entry is a call made upon the Rev. Dom. Johannes Gabriel Gebhard, in which it is stipulated that he shall preach once every two months and administer the sacrament in the church of Squampa- mock, in return for which the consistory promise yearly and every year to pay him the sum of £20 New York money. This eall was made on him Oct. 17, 1772, and signed by Lawrence Hogeboom, elder, and Johannes Hoge- boom, deacon.
During the seven years that elapsed from the formation of the church until the calling of Dominie Gebhard, there were occasional services by such ministers as could be secured. The church did not prosper, but managed to preserve an existence through the trying times of the Rev- olution. After this event it did not receive proper encour- agement from the churches of Claverack and Kinderhook, nor cordial support from the members in the western part of the town, and for the next thirty years barely retained its organization.
Children were baptized in 1777 (Feb. 27), 1779 (July 19), 1781 (Jan. 24 and Dec. 9), where we meet in the record the names of Adam and Heinrich Raed, Bartholo- mew, John, and Abraham IIogeboom, Geisbert and John
337
IIISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Sharp, Wendel Ham, David Sager, Paulus Moon, Anthony Melius, Michael and Cornelius Muller, William Holsapple, Barent and Jacob Wager, Latham Lamphear, and others, as Wood, Cerder, Jackson, Conner, Whoms, and McKarty, and wives, with patronymics of Herder, Maul, Sheffer, Vinzon, Eggelston, Stahl, Dittmore, and Scott. In 1782, Dominie Gebhard began stated services once in two months, and during their continuance the church enjoyed a fair measure of growth. Forty persons were added to the membership in the ensuing seven years, twenty-eight of whom were on confession of their faith. Exactly when and why the arrangement with Dominie Gebhard was ter- minated I am unable to state. It would seem to have been about 1790.
In looking over the names of the early church members, of names that yet continue among us, we find Hogebooms, Millers, Herders, Kuns, Gerners, Zufelds, Schermerhorns, Van Dusens, Diedricks, Sharps, Shaffers, and Lants. Sub- sequent to 1790, while services were not perhaps as regular, and with no stated supply, yet they were continued with tolerable frequency up to 1801, and occasionally on to 1816. The record of baptisms contains the names of over three hundred children baptized. The last entries are John, Tobias, and Franklin, sons of Tobias L. and Eliza Hoge- boom, and Jacob, son of James W. and Rebecca Peterson, -the first in 1809; of the latter two, one in 1816 and the other in 1818. In looking over this list, among many names now unknown in our community beyond those already mentioned, the following have representatives yet abiding among us : Stopelbeen, Jones, Grod, Hoffman, Rifenberger, Rossman, Moet, Gaul, Martin, Decker, Van Valkenburgh, Ostrander, Mesick, DeGraff, Pulver, Deo, Hess, Banman, Van Dassel, Gardinier, Hoes, Van Ness, Leggett, and Traver.
In 1801 the church, having stood for over a quarter of a century, was in need of repairs, and the membership and congregation were yet small and weak. It was little more than a preaching station of Claverack, and offered few in- ducements for persons who could attend at Claverack or Kinderhook to identify themselves with it. The building was rapidly falling into decay, and the congregation felt either unable or disinclined to make the needful repairs. At this juncture the Hogebooms, on behalf of the church, arranged with the Lutheran congregation, then organizing, that if they would put the house in repair they should, by such process, acquire a half-interest in the building. An agreement to this effect was drawn up and signed, the re- pairs duly made, and thus began a fraternal copartnership, a practical illustration of Christian fellowship, destined to continue not only during the further fifteen years' occupancy of the old edifice, but to be perpetuated in the building of a new one.
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