USA > New York > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, and border wars of New York, containing a sketch of the early settlements in the county > Part 19
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1.8
Colchester ..
329
89
2
12
65
310
700
20 00
0 80
5 62
1 60
9 13
2 35
1.3
Beaverkill .
134
32
2
. .
24
100
125
30.84
13 42
8 71
11 65
5 49
4 16
6.
Delhi ..
189
74
3
25
100
220
32 96
19 46
1 70
5 27
3 80
2.3
Walton .. .
117
18
2
9
35
120
10 64
5 83
1 57
1 00
1 36
1 18
1.5
Hancock .
125
35
· 5
46
158
600
7 17
13 21
4 20
2 75
2 59
4.3
Deposit .
64
24
11
49
160
2 75
25 67
2 50
3 00
2.9
Cannonsville.
154
50
3
2
9
70
225
3 00
1 00
1 25
1 00
1.1
Jefferson . . .
570,
150
3
9
70
370
1000
84 81
17 00
16 72
20 00
4 61|
3.7
Charlotte.
390
110
6
8
86
462
740
90 08
30 00
5 57
22 26
2 10
5.5
Franklin .
260
26
5
45
193
450
42 18
5 00
5 70
2 33
2 91
2 25
1.8
Total .
5113 1087|41
84
672 3030 8186
$686 93
$329 25 $48 69| $114 19 $124 61 $51 43|
$2 04
..
Kortright ..
293
37
4
. .
..
1
.
1
·
.
1
230
IS. SCHOOL, STATISTICS.|
HISTORY OF
2 71
5
231
DELAWARE COUNTY.
A series of weekly meetings, was established for prayer and other religious vocations, and so strict was their outward deport- ment in comparison with that relic of aristocratic religion from which it had sprung, the Church of England, that the public, either out of compliment or derision, gave to the new organization, the appellation of "Methodist," which name it still retains.
The limits of the present sketch will hardly permit us to dwell in detail upon the gradual increase of Methodism in England, or its introduction into the other civilized countries of the old world. It was introduced about the middle of the Eighteenth century (1766,) into the United States, by a com- pany of Irish emigrants, who landed in the city of New York, and founded the first Methodist society in the new world. The society gradually increased prior to its regular organization, and the churches in some sections of the country had become quite numerous. These churches existed in an isolated and detached form until 1773, when the first conference was held in America. The number of churches represented was ten, who reported in total 1,160 members.
Strange as it may seem, the church, instead of decreasing during the Revolution, which immediately succeeded the first conference, met with an almost incredible increase, so that the conference in 1783, reported fourteen thousand members. At the Annual Conference in 1792, some internal dissension led a large number of members to secede, who styling them- selves "Republicans," formed the germ of another denom- ination, since become quite numerous, as the Christian, or Unitarian Baptist Church.
In 1830, another secession took place, which resulted in the formation of the Protestant Methodist Church. At a still later period (1843,) a third secession from the radical orga- nization was effected, which contributed the elements for the formation of another church, styled the Methodist Wesleyan
232
HISTORY OF
Church. The succeeding year, (1844,) the dissolution of the Methodist Church was brought about, the result of angry dis- sensions and contentions in relation to slavery, which resulted in the formation of two distinct organizations, the Methodist Church North, and the Methodist Church South.
The next religious denomination, and the only one besides Methodism, having a sufficient number among the citizens of the county, to render an article of general interest, is the Presbyterian Church. Under this head are included all the churches formerly represented in the General Assembly, viz. : Congregational, and Old and New School Presbyterian.
Presbyterianism as well as Methodism owes its origin and in- troduction in America to Irish emigrants. As early as 1705 or 1706, a Presbytery was convened in Philadelphia, by seven or- dained ministers, four of whom were Irishmen, two were Scotch- men, and the seventh, a native-born American.
Rev. P. Douglass Gorrie, in his interesting work on " Churches and Sects," says: "In 1788 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was duly organized, and two years after- wards the Assembly invited the ministers of the Congregational churches to renew the Annual Convention (which had existed prior to the Revolution but had been broken up by internal dissensions,) in connection with the ministers of the Presbyterian Church."
This conciliatory feeling evinced on the part of Presbyterians, met with a mutual return on the part of Congregationalists, and resulted in 1801, in the adoption of a plan of union between the two bodies, which existed with the best of consequences for more than thirty years. Among the questions on morals, which have at different periods, disturbed the harmony of the Church, is the one respecting slavery. The Presbyterian Church in its earlier history bore decided testimony against slave-holders and slave-holding, but foreseeing that sooner or later these dissensions would result in a dissolution of the church similar to that effect-
233
DELAWARE COUNTY.
ed among the Methodists in 1844, they wisely resolved in future to pass that subject in silence, and since 1816, to at least a re- cent period, all discussions of the subject of slavery have been excluded from the General Assembly.
The work above referred to, adverting to the dissolution of the church, says, after discussing some doctrinal points which had become the issue between what were afterward styled the Old School and the New School churches: "What with complaints, decisions, protests, appeals, reversals, suspensions, restorations, &c. &c., a crisis was evidently at hand, and the notes of pre- paration for the Assembly of 1837, which were heard in every part of the church, gave fearful evidence of an approaching con- flict. Immediately before the session of the General Assembly of 1837, the opposers of Mr. Barnes and his doctrines held a convention in Philadelphia, wherein they prepared a statement of their grievances, and drew up a memorial, with a method of reform. In the memorial they protested against sixteen errors of doctrine, ten departures from Presbyterian order, and five declensions in discipline; and as a means of reform they pro- posed a severance from the Presbyterian Church of all local churches, presbyteries, and synods which were not organized on strictly Presbyterian principles, and the separation also from the Presbyterian Church of such presbyteries and synods as were known to be composed chiefly of unsound or disorderly members. On the meeting of the Assembly, it was found that the Old School party, as the opposers of Mr. Barnes were called, had a small majority in the body, and finding themselves possessed of sufficient numerical strength, they proceeded, among other things, to abrogate the Plan of Union which had been formed between the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, and to declare that the Synods of Utica, Geneva, Genesee, and Western Reserve, containing about five hundred ministers and about sixty thousand members, where the supposed heretical 20*
234
HISTORY OF
opinions prevailed most, were not consistent parts of the Pres- byterian Church. After the close of the session, and during the year prior to the next session of 1838, the time was busily em- ployed in preparing for a renewal of hostilities. At length the General Assembly of 1838 met. The commissioners from the different bodies appeared, and among the rest the commissioners of the four excluded synods. The Moderator of the Assembly refused to recognize a motion that these members be received; whereupon the rejected commissioners, with those who advo- cated their claims to a seat in the Assembly, united in disclaim- ing the authority of said moderator to refuse to recognize the above motion, and subsequently elected a new moderator and clerk, and organized themselves into what they claimed to be the Constitutional Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. While the latter body was transacting their business in the First church, (Mr. Barnes's,) the old body remained in their seats and trans- acted their business also as the General Assembly of the Church. Among important acts of the Assembly at each session, is the election of trustees to represent said Assembly as a corporate body. The two Assemblies accordingly elected two sets of trustees to fill vacancies, who subsequently claimed seats in the board ; but a majority of the sitting members of the board decided in favor of those elected by the Old School Assembly. As there was considerable church property held by the trus- tees for the Assembly, it became a matter of importance to know to which Assembly the property belonged. The dis- carded trustees accordingly commenced a suit in the courts of Pennsylvania, and their claim to the property or trusteeship was allowed by the decision of the Judge. The case, how- ever, was appealed, and the Superior Court granted a new trial. But as the Chief Justice had advanced legal opinions adverse to the claims of the New School party, the suit was very properly discontinued. Since the above period both As- semblies have met statedly, and transacted their business, each
235
DELAWARE COUNTY.
as the representatives of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. All that need be added, is, that since the above separation, greater amity and peace have prevailed, not only among the ministers and members of each branch, but between the ministers and members of both branches in their inter- course with each other."
Annexed is a list of the Presbyterian Churches in the county :
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
LOCATION.
NAME OF MINISTER.
NO. OF MEMBERS.
1. Franklin,
Rev. Mr. Morgan, 140
2. Harpersfield, vacant,
84
3. Meredith,
Rev. Charles Chapman, 70
4. Deposit,
O. H. Seymour, 129
5. Hancock,
J. D. Cornwell, 1
36
6. Walton,
J. S. Pattengill, 150
7. Davenport,. H. Boies,
46
8. New Road, C. S. Smith,
60
9. Hamden, vacant, 38
753
PRESBYTERIAN, NEW SCHOOL.
10. Shavertown, Thomas Larcom, 30
11. Cannonsville, S. J. White, 40
12. Delhi, Rev. D. Torrey, 145
13. Hd. of Delaware, W. Mayo, 80
14. Colchester, Edward Orton, 105
400
· PRESBYTERIAN, OLD SCHOOL.
15. Delhi,
16. Hamden,
C. B. Smyth. Charles Brown.
17. Stamford.
18. Hobart.
19. Bovina.
1
236
HISTORY OF
Next in importance to the establishment of churches for religious worship, and the promotion of a healthy moral tone among all classes of citizens, and nearly allied to it, as an agent in bringing about the most desirable results, is the diffu- sion of education throughout all grades of society.
The committee appointed by Gov. Tompkins in 1811, in presenting their report, speaking of the importance of educa- ion, thus refer :
"The commissioners think it necessary to represent in a stronger point of view, the importance and absolute necessity of education, as connected either with the cause of religion and morality, or with the prosperity and existence of our politi- cal institutions. As the people must receive the advantages of education, the inquiry naturally arises, how is this end to be obtained ? The expedient devised by the legislature, is the establishment of common schools; which being spread through- out the State, and aided by its bounty, will bring intellectual. improvement within the reach and power of the humblest citizen. This appears to be the best plan that can be devised to disseminate religion, morality, and learning throughout a whole country. All other methods, heretofore adopted, are partial in their operations, and circumscribed in their effects. Academies and universities, understood in contradistinction to common schools, cannot be considered as operating impar- tially and indiscriminately as regards the country at large. The advantages of the first, are confined to the particular districts in which they are established ; and the second, from causes apparent to every one, are devoted almost exclusively to the rich. In a free government, where political equality. is established, and where the road to preferment is open to all, there is a natural stimulus to education, and accord- ingly we find it generally resorted to, unless some great local impediments interfere. In populous cities, and the parts of the country thickly settled, schools are generally established
237
DELAWARE COUNTY.
by individual exertion. In these cases, the means of educa- tion are facilitated, as the expenses of schools are divided among a great many.' It is in the remote and thinly populated parts of the State, where the inhabitants are scattered over a large extent, that education stands greatly in need of encou- ragement. The people there, living far from each other, makes it difficult so to establish schools, as to render them convenient or accessible to all. Every family therefore, must either edu- cate their own children, or the children must forego the advan- tages of education."
The subject of universal education was one of the earliest matters of interest which drew the attention of our State Legis- lature. At the first meeting, after the ratification of the con- stitution, Gen. Clinton, then governor, called the attention of the legislature to the subject of education. He says : "Neglect of the education of youth, is one of the evils consequent upon war. Perhaps there is scarce any thing, more worthy your attention, than the revival and encouragement of seminaries of learning; and nothing by which we can more satisfactorily express our gratitude to the Supreme Being for his past favors ; since piety and virtue are generally the offspring of an en- lightened understanding."
In 1795, April 9th, the legislature took the first action on the subject of education, and " An act for the encouragement of schools" was passed, appropriating $50,000 annually for five years, to the establishment of and support of common schools. There were defects in this act, which its practical workings served to demonstrate, and accordingly, on the the 5th of March, 1801, the attention of the legislature was again called to the subject, and the following resolution adopted : " Resolved That the Act for the encouragement of schools, passed April 9, 1795, ought to be revised and amended, and that out of the annual revenue arising to this State from its stock and other
238
HISTORY OF
funds, the sum $50,000 be appropriated for the further encou- ragement of schools, for the term of five years.
In 1811, up to which time no fixed system had been estab- lished, Gov. Tompkins adverted to its necessity in his annual message, and an act was passed by the legislature in accord- ance thereto, authorizing the Governor to appoint a committee of five, to report a system for the permanent organization and establishment of public schools upon a durable basis. This committee submitted their report on the 14th of February, 1812, accompanied by a bill which subsequently became a law, com- prising substantially the main features of our common school system, as it existed up to the year 1838.
The main features of the bill are comprised in the following extract from their report : "The outlines of the plan suggested by the commissioners are briefly these ; that the several towns in the State be divided into school districts, by three commis- sioners, elected by the citizens qualified to vote for town offi- cers ; that three trustees be elected in each district, to whom shall be confided the care and superintendance of the school to be established therein ; that the interest of the school fund be divided among the different counties and towns, according to their respective population, as ascertained by the successive censuses of the United States : that the proportions received by the respective towns be subdivided among the districts, into which such town shall be divided, according to the number of children in each, between the ages of five and fifteen years ; that each town raise by tax annually, as much money as it shall have received from the school fund : that the gross amount of moneys received from the State, and raised by the towns, be appropriated exclusively to the payment of the wages of the teachers; and that the whole system be placed under the superintendence of an officer appointed by the Coun- cil of Appointment."
We have thus briefly drawn the outlines of the origin and
239
DELAWARE COUNTY.
development of our admirable common school system. Its history since that period, is vitally connected with that of the State, and it remains for us but to add, that under the control of a liberal and enlightened legislature, the system has realized the most magnificent results.
In 1827, at the opening of the session, Gov. Clinton, in his annual message, called the attention of the legislature to the expediency of providing " small and suitable collections of books and maps," to be attached to the common schools. No definite action was taken upon the subject at the time, but sub- sequently, April 13, 1835, an act was introduced authorizing the taxable inhabitants of the several school districts to impose a tax not exceeding twenty dollars the first year, and ten dollars for each subsequent year, "for the purchase of a district library, consisting of such books as they shall in their district meetings direct." In 1838, Gov. Marcy recommend that a portion of the revenue of the United States' deposit fund "be devoted to the purchase of DISTRICT LIBRARIES, in such of the several school districts of the State, as should raise by taxation an equal amount for that object." And the legislature, in accord- ance with the suggestion of the Gov., passed an act appropriat- ing $55,000 froni the annual revenue of the United States' de- posit fund, "to be expended by the trustees in the purchase of suitable books for a district library."
The number of school districts in the county in 1840, was two hundred and eighty-four, viz., Tompkins 18, Sidney 11, Masonville 11, Delhi 17, Davenport 15, Hancock 8, Franklin 25, Kortright 17, Meredith 14, Bovina 13, Andes 17, Col- chester 16, Hamden 13, Harpersfield 20, Middletown 20, Walton 17, Stamford 14, Roxbury 18. The total number of scholars attending these schools, as reported in the census returns for that year, was 10,651. During the ten succeeding years up to 1850, the number of school districts had increased to 302, with a total number of students 12,597, showing an
240
HISTORY OF
increase over the preceding report of nearly two thousand students, while the total increase of population in the county during that period was but about four thousand, a more favor- able report than can be exhibited by any other county in the State, and which argues strongly the gratifying advancement of the county in intellectual development. And it is upon the extent and permanancy of this feeling, that the friends of edu- cation rely; and this spirit to which they appeal, in looking forward to the just appreciation and judicious improvement of those means of moral and mental enlightenment, which the beneficent policy of the State has placed at the disposal of the inhabitants of the several districts. The renovation of our common schools, distributed as they are, over every section of our entire territory, their elevation and expansion to meet the constantly increasing requirements of science and mental pro- gress, and their capability of laying broad and deep the foun- dations of character and usefulness, must depend upon the intelligent and fostering care they shall receive, at the hands of those to whose immediate charge they are committed. There is no institution within the range of civilization, upon which so much, for good or for evil, depends-upon which hang so many, and such important issues to the future well- being of individuals and communities, as the common dis- trict school. It is through that alembic that the lessons of the nursery and the family fireside, the earliest instructions in pure morality, and the precepts and examples of the social circle are distilled ; and from it those lessons are destined to assume that tinge and hue which are permanently to be incor- porated into the character and the life.
Ought we not, then, in drawing this brief chapter to a close, to impress upon all good citizens the necessity of devoting their undivided energies to the advancement and improvement of these beneficent institutions. Resting as it does upon their support, indebted to them for all its means of usefulness, and
241
DELAWARE COUNTY.
dependent for its continued existence upon their discriminat- ing favor and efficient sanction. The district school must become the central interest of the citizen, and the parent, the clergyman, the lawyer, the physician, the merchant, the manu- facturer, and the agriculturist, each must realize that there, under more or less favoring auspices, as they themselves shall determine, developments are in progress which are destined at no distant day, to exert a controlling influence over the insti- tutions, habits, modes of thought and action of society in all its complicated phases ; and that the primary responsibility for the results which may be thus worked out, for good or for evil, rests with them. By the removal of every obstacle to the progressive and harmonious action of the system of popular education, so carefully organized and amply endowed by the State, by a constant and methodical and intelligent co-opera- tion with its authorized agents, in the elevation and advance- ment of that system in all its parts, and especially by an infu- sion into its entire course of discipline and instruction, of that high moral culture which can alone adequately realize the idea of sound education, results of inconceivable magnitude and im- portance to individual, social, and moral well-being, may con- fidently be anticipated. .
21
1
242
HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XI.
Anti-rent Difficulties-Early grants of land within the limits of the county-Hardenburgh patent-Dispute in regard to the Western limits of the patent-Survey of the patent-Protest of the Indians -Indian deed of the land between the branches of the Delaware to Johanus Hardenburgh-Bradt patent-Enumeration of the other patents in the order in which they were granted-Land monopoly- Early restrictions placed upon grants-How eluded-Views of the early legislatures- Recognition of the grants prior to the Revo- lution -Validity of the manorial titles-Leasehold system-Sys- tematic classification of deeds-Durable lease-Redemption lease- Three life lease-One and two life lease-Yearly lease-Seven year proviso-Claims of the tenants-History of the excitement- Grievances of the renters.
IN presenting to the public the history of the late anti-rent difficulties in the county, it shall be our aim, as it certainly is our duty, to narrate it truthfully, and if we err, judgment must be pronounced accordingly. We disclaim the intention of reviving in the minds of any, painful or unpleasant remin- iscences connected with the past, and so far as we can do so consistently, we shall avoid any immature conclusions, or hasty expressions, that will not extenuate our determination. Those scenes of excitement, "those times that tried men's souls," are numbered among the things that were. The reign of dis- cord is broken, and terror-stricken he has flown to parts unknown, while the gentle zephyrs of union and harmony, of good feeling and brotherly love, have spread their benign influence over the thousand hills and valleys that mark the surface of old Delaware, and as of old, peace and prosperity, with their attendant bless- ings, are over all diffused.
With the view of presenting the whole case more fully to
243
DELAWARE COUNTY.
the reader, we may be pardoned for drawing aside the curtain of time, and glancing at those early grants which indirectly proved the source of after disturbance.
. The first of these grants was made to Johanus Hardenburgh and others, of the county of Ulster, on the twenty-third of April 1708. The defined limits of this patent, now familiarly known as the Hardenburgh patent, were, owing to the unex- plored state of the interior or western part, vague and uncer- tain. An ancient settlement had been made at Minisink, on the Delaware-above which place no white settlement existed. The idea of the source of the Delaware, or as it was then appellated, "Fish-kill," had been gathered from the friendly Indians, who resided upon that stream, or from traders who had boldly penetrated into the wilderness to traffic with them. From these sources of information it had been established that the source of the stream lay many days' journey to the north- east, and hence the description in the original grant-" to the main branch of the Fish-kill or Delaware river ;" whereas the two streams are so evenly poised at their junction, that even the more practised eye of the engineer, cannot without elaborate investigation and computation, detect the larger.
It is not strange, then, that the question should at an early day be agitated, " which is the main branch of the Delaware, or Delaware river proper ?" and consequently the western limits of the Hardenburgh patent. It was urged by those who assumed that the Hardenburgh title extended only to the East Branch, that it was so understood by the patentees themselves, and that the original survey extended only to that boundary line. The facts relating to this controversy, so far as I have been enabled to glean them, are these. In 1749 Ebenezer Wooster run up the East Branch, and the same year, or the year succeeding, Robert Livingston, also in the employ of the proprietors of the patent, surveyed and located the West Branch. The Indians, who still held peaceable possession
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