History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 868

USA > New York > Dutchess County > History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 102

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The church is a plain wooden structure, scarcely evincing its extreme age. A graceful steeple origin- ally towered above the present tower, but being considered unsafe, was taken down in 1803, by Abraham Wetmore, who was then a vestryman of the church. The vane which surmounted it was afterwards placed on the Dutch Reformed church

* Called by Coetus party.

+ Called by the Conferentie party, and served till within a short period of his death, which occurred at New Hackensack, Nov. 20, 1790.

518

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

at Fishkill Landing, and when that building was replaced by the present fine brick structure, was sold to Isaac E. Cotheal, who placed it on the tower of one of his outbuildings, where it still remains.

The church was incorporated Oct. 30, 1785. Oct. 11, 1796, the church was re-incorporated un- der the act of March 17, 1795, and Peter Mesier and James Cooper were named as wardens, and Daniel C. Verplanck, Benjamin Snider, Jno. I. Carmin, Greenleaf Street, Jno. R. Southard, Jere- miah Green, Thomas Poiar, (Poyer), and Robert Mills, vestrymen.

There is no record of the earlier rectors, but during the period for which the record is wanting, they were, it is believed, the same as officiated at Christ Church, Poughkeepsie. Services were dis- continued during the Revolution. Rev. Henry Van Dyck, was the rector Nov. 10, 1790. Dec. 7, 1799, the vestry concurred with the vestry of Christ Church in calling Rev. Philander Chase, afterwards Bishop of Ohio, to the rectorship of the two churches, devoting two-thirds of his time to Pough- keepsie and one-third to Fishkill. Mr. Chase con- tinued until 1805, and was succeeded in 1807 by Rev. Barzillai Buckley, who closed his labors in 1809. Sept. 28, 1812, Rev. John Brown was en- gaged for six months. Sept. 6, 1814, he was called to the rectorship, which he resigned Dec. 6, 1815. Dec. 15, 1816, Rev. Mr. Ten Broeck commenced his labors as rector. Aug. 1, 1733, Rev. Robt. B. Van Kleeck was called to the rectorship, which he resigned in 1835. He was succeeded by Rev. Jno. L. Watson Nov. 9, 1835. Rev. Colby A. Foster was called Sept. 1, 1837, and Rev. Richard L. Burnham, Feb. 1, 1838. Rev. Robt. Shaw was the rector April 12, 1841. June 11; 1843, a call was extended to Rev. Wm. H. Hart. Rev. Christian F. Cruse was the rector April 1, 1847, and Rev. F. W. Shelton, Nov. 2, 1852. Rev. Jno. R. Living- ston was called to the rectorship, Aug. 19, 1855, and continued to officiate as such till his death April 11, 1878. May 29, 1879, Rev. Jno. Henry Hobart, D. D., son of the Bishop of that name, ac- cepted the care of the parish, which he still retains.

The interior of the church was quite extensively repaired and modernized in 1870, but its exterior remains the same as in the Revolution, except that the steeple was removed as before stated.

Methodist Episcopal Church of Fishkill .- Meth- odism was introduced into the town of Fishkill between 1785 and 1795. By reference to the life of Rev. Benjamin Abbott we find that he was ap- pointed to the Duchess circuit in 1789. He refers

to a "brother Tolbert " who preceded him. They had an appointment just over the line in Phillips- town, near Fishkill Hook, where there was a soci- ety of about forty members.

It is probable that a class was organized in Fish- kill village about 1810 or '12, of which John Purdy was leader. But this organization was not perma- nent. They had preaching for some years in a school house standing in the upper part of the village, about that time, and Rev. Fitch Reed, D. D., preached his first sermon in that school house before this class and congregation in 1815. But the first Methodist sermon in the village, says Mr. Bailey, was preached in the street under a poplar tree, near the Baxter house, in 1794, by a man named Croft, who attracted a large crowd. This class subsequently became scattered ; but in 1829, Rev. Marvin Richardson organized a second one, which became the nucleus of the present Society. Meetings were held in private dwellings and the school house until the present church edifice was erected in 1838-'9.

In Sept. 1834, a meeting of the members and friends of the Methodist church in this village was called to take steps to secure a lot suitable for a church site and hold the same till the society should be in circumstances to build. The present site was secured, but the church was not completed until 1841. Rev. L. M. Winchell, was then pas- tor. The parsonage was built in 1865, at a cost of $2,344. The present membership (January, 1882,) is one hundred ; the attendance at Sunday School, which is superintended by Thomas Brown, is fifty- eight.

The following is the succession of pastors since 1853, at which time, in conjunction with Mattea- wan, Glenham, Fishkill Landing and Johnsville, it was on the Fishkill circuit :-

Rev. Uriah Messeter, . 1853.

Rev. Marcus M. Curtis, 1854-'55.

Rev. Elijah B. Shurter, 1856-'57.

Rev. C. W. Lyon, 1858.

Rev. T. Lamont, . 1859.

Revs. Wm. F. Gould and.A. P. Lyon, ... I 860.

Revs. A. Hunt and A. P. Lyon, 186 1.

Rev. William Stevens, 1862.

Rev. H. C. Humphrey, 1863.

Rev. C. M. Eggleston, 1864-'65.

Rev. A. L. Culver, 1866-'68.

Rev. E. S. Bishop 1869-'71.

Rev. T. Elliott, . 1872-'73.

Rev. C. R. North,

1 874.

Rev. W. F. Brush, 875-'76.

Rev. E. S. Bishop, 877-'78.

Rev. E. F. Barlow, 1879-'80.

Rev. Wm. Stevens, the present pastor, . . 1881-'82.

519

TOWN OF FISHKILL ..

FISHKILL LANDING.

Fishkill 'Landing is beautifully situated on the crest and river-slope of the ridge which separates the Fishkill from the Hudson, opposite the beau- tiful and historic city of Newburgh. It is an import- ant station on the Hudson River Railroad, at the river terminus of the New York & New England Railroad, and is distant by the former 58.25 miles from New York, and 23.28 miles from Albany, while it is distant only 11.45 miles from the county seat at Poughkeepsie. The name of the station is Fishkill, while that of the postoffice is Fishkill-on- the-Hudson. The corporate name by which it is commonly known is derived from the fact that it was an early and principal landing place on the river. This gave it an early prominence, but it was long outrivalled by the interior village of Fish- kill, which, for the time being, possessed superior advantages. In 1864, the question of changing the name of the then pretentious village was aggi- tated and many names were propoved At an adjourned meeting held at the Eagle Hotel, Feb. 6, 1864. to consider this subject, it was decidedby a vote of fifty-three to thirty-five to call it " Pra- conside," and a committe was appointed to corres- pond with the Postmaster-General in regard to the proposed change. A counter petition was, how- ever, sent to that official and secured a change of name to Fishkill-on-the-Hoden.

The first settlement at this point was made by Peche Dewall, a squatter, who rated here, ways Mr. Bailey, in the spring of 1622. He cleared about three anges of land and planted omn between the standing stompe, gathering & tolerable crop in the fall His wife amited Him in tilling the com and clearing the forest. The following winter, not Having a team, že buit a hand-sled and mit it drew fome from New York a tal isbei of tak was then moniy noường bat an Indan trat In the spring he bought & bone, paring Ly milch was then confered a fair price. Devad and Dearall apparently did not remam. long for bie

increasing business. At the upper landing there were six dwellings and two storehouses, but three of the former and one of the latter had then re- cently been purchased by P. H. Schenck, of the Matteawan Co., and made appendages of that prosperous establishment. In 1242, Messrs Barber and Howe ( Historical Collections of New York) simply mention it as a small village or hamlet. In 1250, Mesers Mather & Brockett, ( Geographical History of New York,) describe it as "a place of considerable trade," with "much delightful scenery," and a population of about 1,000. In s26o, says French: Gazetteer of New York, it had two news paper offices, two machine shops, four churches and r,ros inhabitants. In 1866 (Directory of Fishkill of that year) it had three churches, two select and one public school, a national and savings bank, a printing office, one hotel, an armory, "%. large number of stores," a machine shop and foundry, and a population of about 1,5g, In 5%12, says Hough: Gazetteer, it had two banks, two newspaper offices, a machine shop, four churches, "many elegant residences," and a population of 2,992. At prevent it contains three churches, (Dutch Reformed, Methodist Epivopal and Afri- can Di. F ... ) a district waną, a private sokol, fonderted on the Quincy plan, established in the spring of rer, by an awraation of gentlemen, under the tucelage of Miss Mary Gay, who con- she was succeeded by Drie Allo: Ch ... call, ) four Freat the First Landing Machine Works, the Dockers Ha: Works, a newspaper offire, a national bank, savings bank, several sobres, a Mankan % aboy, kept by Jom. Pollard, two extensive wagon

520

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

missioners by the Court of Sessions of Duchess County, "to fix the boundary line between the pro- posed incorporation of the village of Fishkill Land- ing and Matteawan." Incorporation was authorized by that Court March 17, 1864, and Stephen Mapes, Lewis B. Ferguson and John Place, Inspectors of Elections of Fishkill, were directed to hold an elec- tion "for the purpose of determining whether such territory shall be an incorporated village." Such election was held at the Eagle Hotel, April 16, 1864, and the question was decided affirmnatively by a vote of one hundred and thirty-nine to sixty. May 14, 1864, the following village officers were elected: Samuel Bogardus, Henry L. Stevens, Charles B. Pugsley, William H. Rogers, Silas G. Smith, Trus- tees ; William R. Addington, Stephen Mapes, As- sessors; P. Y. Youmans, Noah Hanson, Commis- sioners; William J. Smith, Collector; John W. Spaight, Treasurer; John Place, Clerk; W. Alex. Van Wagnen, Pound Master. May 21, 1864, Sam- uel Bogardus was chosen President. Feb. 26, 1878, the corporation voted to incorporate under the general act of 1870, and was so incorporated June 25, 1878.

The following have been the successive Presi- dents and Clerks of the village since its incorpo- ration :-

Presidents.

Clerks.

1864.

Samuel Bogardus, John Place.

1865.

S. Mapes, F. Van Voorhis. do

1866.

H. H. Hustis,

1867. H. N. Swift,

1868. H. H. Hustis,

W. H. Rozell.

1869.

Samuel Underhill, Wm. S. Smith.

1870.

H. H. Hustis,

W. H. Rozell.

1871.

Milo Sage, do

1872.

James Mackin,

1873. H. H. Hustis, do

1874. Armand Miller, do

1875. do Charles Peattie.

1876. do

Wilbur F. Hopper.

1877. J. T. Smith, do

1878-'81. do John F. Schlosser.

MERCHANTS .- The general hegira from New York in 1776, brought with it to the Landing sev- eral merchants, and made it an active business cen- ter during the Revolution. Here too, was located the storehouse of John Fisher, who, during much of that period was commissary to the American army. Jacob Van Voorhis, Jr., who was after- wards a merchant in New York, had a store at Major Daniel Terbos', in the summer of 1779, and at the house of Mrs. Haight in 1781, in which year, as appears from the New York Packet of Feb. 8, 1781, he married "the amiable and agreeable Miss Martha Haight, of Fishkill Landing." In 1782 he

was doing business here with Abraham Mesier, un- der the name of Mesier & Van Voorhis. Egbert Bogardus was also engaged in mercantile business at the upper landing during the Revolution, in a building which stood near the foot of Main street, and continued there till his death, having been as- sociated after the war with a man named Sturgess. He also was a commissary for the American army.

In 1824, William Teller, Jacob Bartley and Will- iam Brett were engaged in mercantile business here. Teller, in 1852, associated with himself as partner William A. Baxter, to whom he sold his in- terest in February, 1871. In the spring of 1871, Mr. Baxter formed a co-partnership with Charles E. Martin, with whom he has since done business under the name of Baxter & Martin.

John Nelson, who had carried on blacksmithing at Matteawan, was engaged in mercantile business here some forty-two years ago. He was the father of Hon. Judge Homer A. Nelson, of Pough- keepsie.

The merchants now doing business here are : Thomas Lester, clothier; Stephen Mapes, druggist ; Samuel Underhill, grocer, who is a native of Ulster county, and established himself in business here some thirty years ago, having been associated with his son, Charles C. Underhill, in 1872-'73; S. G. & J. T. Smith, dealers in dry goods, carpets and boots and shoes; M. E. Dietrich, jeweler ; A. Theodore Moith, chemist and druggist ; W. H. Rogers, dealer in hardware and stoves; Melanch- thon Heroy, boot and shoe dealer ; Stotesbury, Bros. & Co., grocers; H. Member & Sons, whole- sale and retail dealers in groceries and dry goods, and dealers in hay, oats and feed; Nicholas Hop- per, furniture dealer; George Root, crockery dealer; and H. Ritter, jeweler.

PHYSICIANS .- The physicians at Fishkill extended their practice to this place at an early day, and probably supplied it for many years of this century. We do not know who was the first physician to lo- cate here. Roderick Royce came from Mon- ticello, Sullivan county, about 1832 or '33, and practiced here some years, when he returned to Monticello. He was the father of William Royce, a dentist in Newburgh. He also kept a drug store in the building now known as the Revere House. Rev. James Harkness, M. D., who was born in Roxburyshire, Scotland, March 3, 1803, graduated at the University of Edinburgh, and subsequently studied medicine. He became a Presbyterian minister, and practiced medicine considerably among the members of the churches with which he

52I

TOWN OF FISHKILL.

was connected. He was pastor of the Presbyterian church of Matteawan in 1843-'5, and afterwards founded the Presbyterian church at Fishkill Landing. In 1840 he became a homeopathic physician and soon after located at the Landing, where he prac- ticed several years. James Sykes Rumsey, who was born July 9, 1800, finished his education in France, and married into the Verplanck family, was in prac- tice here in 1846 and continued till his death, Nov. I, 1872. Valentine Vermilyea graduated at the New York Medical College about 1840, and located at Fishkill Landing, where he practiced till about 1850. William P. Bell, who was born in Gettysburg, Penn., Feb. 25, 1822, and had practiced in Ohio, came here about 1850, and practiced till his death, Dec. 4, 1869. Dr. Pearson was contemporary with Bell for three or four years. He removed to the western part of the State.

The present physicians are : Henry Slack, who was born in Albany, June 10, 1831, graduated at Yale in 1848, and at the Albany Medical College in 1851, completing his medical studies by a two- years' course in hospital clinics in Paris. He com- menced practice in 1856, in New York, and re- moved thence in 1865 to this village ; Chas. M. Kittredge, who was born in Mt. Vernon, N. H., in 1838, graduated at Amherst in 1862, and at Har- vard Medical College in 1867. He was physician in the Insane Asylum in Hartford, Conn., for three years immediately succeeding his graduation, at the expiration of which time he established himself in practice at Hyde Park in this County, removing thence in 1870 to Fishkill Landing, where he estab- lished that year his home (Riverview Home) for nervous invalids, which he has since conducted with gratifying success, extending his practice also to the village patronage, and making a specialty of nervous diseases. Dr. Kittredge purchased the King Chandler property, which he improved and adapted to its present use. It occupies a sightly location, overlooking the Hudson and the city of Newburgh, and has accommodations for four to eight patients. Dr. Kittredge is a pioneer in this speci- alty-the treatment of cases bordering on insani- ty-and his "home" is among the first opened in this country ; Julius Edgar Moith, who was born in Fishkill Landing in 1857, and graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York in 1879; and Walter D. O. K. Strong, who was born in Owasco, N. Y., Aug. 10, 1823, graduated at Buffalo University April 19, 1849, and removed to this place in the spring of 1880, and engaged in practice with his son, Jacob R. Strong, who was

born in Sennett Nov. 22, 1853, studied medicine with his father and Dr. Benj. Lansing, of Rhine- beck, and graduated at the Homeopathic Medical College of New York in the spring of 1880.

LAWYERS .- John Owens, from Westchester county, was in practice here in 1850 and continued four or five years. He went to New York, where he practiced and died. Contemporary with him was Edwin R. Bogardus, a native of the place, and son of Matthew A. Bogardus. He practiced here but a few years. He went to New York about 1851 or '52, and was then a young man. A man named Sloan preceded them, and had an office where Dr. Mapes' drug store now is. He was a highly conscientious man, but did not practice more than a year or two. He went to New York about thirty-eight years ago.

The present attorneys are : Henry H. Hustis, who was born in Cold Spring, N. Y., March 9, 1829, educated at Amenia Seminary, read law at Newburgh with Wm. Fullerton, the great criminal lawyer of New York City, Judge Jno. J. Monell and Thomas George, all of Newburgh, and was ad- mitted in September, 1852. He opened an office in this village January 3, 1853, taking the place of John Owens. J. Hervey Cook, a native of War- ren county, N. J., and a lineal descendant of Fran- cis Cook, who came with his son John among the Mayflower passengers, received an academic edu- cation at the Suckasunny Academy and was in- structed in the classics at the Chester Institute. In November, 1865, he entered the Law Depart- ment of the University of Albany and graduated in November, 1866. He opened an office in this village in May, 1867 ; Jno. F. Schlosser, who was born in Poughkeepsie, Aug. 22, 1839, graduated at Union College in 1874, read law with H. H. Hus- tis of this village and E. A. Brewster of Newburgh, was admitted in 1876, opened an office here July 5, 1876, and was elected School Commissioner of the Ist District, in this County in 1878; George H. Porter, who came here from New Jersey in the summer of 1879 ; and Samuel B. Rogers, a native of Fishkill, son of Wm. H. Rogers, who was edu- cated at Amenia Seminary and spent three years at Union College, graduated at the Albany Law School in 1879, and opened an office in this vil- lage in the spring of 1880.

MANUFACTURES .- The Fishkill Landing Machine Ce., was incorporated Feb. 17, 1853, and its char- ter was renewed at the expiration of twenty years. The original capital was $25,000 ; it has been in- creased to $35,000. The company was composed

522

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

of some seventeen individuals, mostly residents of Matteawan, who had been employed by the Mat- teawan Co., as iron workers. They first leased and subsequently purchased the building which had been used by the Matteawan Co., for the storage of cotton, which they fitted up and occupied tem- porarily till the present brick structure, one hun- dred and twenty by forty feet, two stories, was erected and ready for use that year-1853. The old building is still used by them as a storehouse. The company engaged in and still continue the manufacture of stationary and marine engines, besides doing a general machine business.

The Dutchess Hat Works were established in 1874, by Lewis Tompkins, the present proprietor, who erected at that time a building which now forms the southwest portion of the large brick building on the corner of Main and Bank streets. The building has been enlarged nearly every year since to meet the increased demands of the business, and has now about four times its orig- inal capacity. The business employs two hundred and sixty persons, about one hundred of whom are females. Mr. Tompkins is also proprietor of the Hudson Straw Works, on Main and Hudson streets, which were established by him in the fall of 1880, and employ some one hundred persons, about two-thirds of whom are females, in the man- ufacture of straw hats.

The First National Bank of Fishkill Landing was organized May 9, 1863, with a capital of $50,- ooo, which was increased Jan. 16, 1864, to $100,- 000, and May 1, 1872, to $150,000, the limit allowed by the charter but reduced July 1, 1876, to $100,000. The first officers, elected . May 18, 1864, were: Walter Brett, president; Daniel Brinckerhoff, vice president. Conrad N. Jordan, late cashier of the Third National Bank of New York, and now treasurer of the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad, was chosen cashier July 17, 1863. The Bank commenced business August 10, 1863, in the building it now occupies, which had previously been used for other purposes, and was purchased by the Bank in April 1880.

Walter Brett was president until Jan. 1, 1870, and was then succeeded by James Mackin, who has since held the office. March 15, 1864, William C. Oakley succeeded Mr. Jordan as cashier and filled that position until his death, Oct. 13, 1869. Milton E. Curtiss succeeded him, entering upon the duties of the office Nov. 1, 1869.

The Mechanics' Savings Bank of Fishkill-on-the- Hudson was chartered March 5, 1866. The char-

ter, which was drawn by Henry H. Hustis, who, with others, believed that the character of the peo- ple, who are largely engaged in manufactures and are transient, favored the success of a rightly conducted savings institution, names twenty-five persons as the first trustees. Of that number only seven are still on the board, viz : Walter Brett, James Mackin, Henry H. Hustis, Thomas Aldridge, Lewis B. Ferguson, John T. Smith, William H. Rogers. The first officers were : John Rothery, president ; William C. Verplanck, Ist vice president ; James Mackin, 2d vice president ; William C. Oakley, treasurer. Mr. Rothery declined the presidency and Joseph Howland was elected to that office March 24, 1866. The Bank commenced business in 1866 in the building now occupied by the Na- tional Bank, and continued there until the spring of 1874, when it was removed to its present loca- tion, the building having been erected for its accommodation that year by Henry H. Hustis. Joseph Howland resigned as president, Sept. 30, 1868, and was succeeded at that time by William S. Verplanck. Silas G. Smith succeeded to the presidency, April 7, 1873, and has since held that office. William C. Oakley was treasurer until his death, Oct. 13, 1869, and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Bartow W. Remsen, Dec. I, 1869. John T. Smith was elected secretary March 24, 1866, and has held that office to the present time.

PRESS OF FISHKILL LANDING .- The Fishkill Standard was started Aug. 2, 1842, by Wm. R. Addington, who published it until 1860, when it passed into the hands of a man named Webster, who published it three months, when it was sold to W. A. VanWagenen and Aaron Vanderwerker, who published it under the name of A. Vander- werker & Co. In October, 1861, Mr. Van Wag- enen sold his interest to Rufus A. Reed, and it was published by Reed & Vanderwerker until February, 1862, when it was purchased by James E. Member, in the interest of John W. Spaight, who became the nominal publisher Jan. 1, 1875, having been the actual and sole manager from 1862 to the present time. Its size is twenty-eight by forty-two inches, having been increased in 1868 from twenty-four by thirty-six inches, or from seven to eight columns. In that year also the office was removed to its present location. The Standard is published every Saturday, and not only takes high rank among the press of the County, but is one of the best rural papers in this State. It is independent in politics. It was first

523

TOWN OF FISHKILL.

published as an independent paper by a Whig edi- tor. In 1856 it was published in the interest of the Know Nothing party and after the Know Nothing excitement died out, in that of the Repub- lican party until Mr. Spaight took charge and changed it to a local family newspaper.

The Home Gazette, a literary monthly, was started in 1870 by John B. Gould, who published it until 1872, when he associated with himself Wm. N. Anthony, who, after about a year, acquired Mr. Gould's interest, and three or four months later sold it to A. A. Bensel, of Newburgh, who merged it in the Home, Farm and Orchard, pub- lished in that city. About the same time James J. McNally, from Newburgh, started a daily paper, but soon after changed it to a tri-weekly. It was discontinued after a few months. The Daily Gazette was started in 1873 by Wm. N. Anthony, but was discontinued after a trial of some four months. It was an evening paper. The Fishkill Daily Telephone was published from Oct. 4, 1880 to July 2, 1881, by Frank D. Spaight and Wm. N. Anthony.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 868

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 868