History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

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 15

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streams, with which the county abounds, furnish excellent mill sites.

The streams and lakes within the county were abundantly stored with choice fish during the early years of settlement ; but the contamination of their waters by the refuse from factories and other causes depleted them. Measures have been taken to restock them. About 1822, pickerel were in- troduced into Thompson's Pond, a beautiful sheet of water lying in the eastern part of the town of Stanford, by James Dudley and one or two others whose names are not remembered. They were taken from one of the numerous lakes in Western Connecticut, carried across the country in wash- tubs, and safely deposited. They lived and mul- tiplied abundantly. Mr. Dudley was one of the most skillful anglers for trout in all that region of country. He carried on blacksmithing in connec- tion with a small farm near "the old separate meet- ing-house," which, in early times, was widely known as "the yellow-meeting-house," and was a guide point in all that part of the country. But, like many other old landmarks, it has gone, and little remains to mark the spot where it stood so long, except "God's acre" adjoining it, where rest the remains of many of the early settlers of that fruit- ful and beautiful valley.

About the same time pickerel were transplanted from New Milford, Connecticut, to Silver Lake, on the borders of the towns of East Fishkill and Beek- man. They were transported in large casks across the country, a distance of full twenty miles.

In December, 1877, the Supervisors appointed a committee, consisting of J. S. VanCleef, P. A. M. Van Wyck, Albert Emons, James H. Weeks, David Warner and Peter H. Christie, to stock the waters of the county and to enforce the laws relative to the taking of fish. In 1878, the committee reported that, "as far as your committee are informed, the waters of this county suitable for salmon trout have been sufficiently stocked. During the last few years there have been distributed of this fish through public and private effort not less than 150,- ooo, a large proportion of which seem to have per- ished, either because the water was not adapted to them, or because they were devoured by their nat- ural enemy, the black bass ; and it is respectfully suggested that the efforts at stocking our streams for the coming year be confined mainly to brook trout and land-locked salmon."

The climate of Duchess County is agreeable and healthful, though, from the elevations of some por- tions of it, it is colder than some of the adjacent

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

counties .* The relative temperature of different sections of the State, while it depends chiefly on latitude and elevation, is modified in some degree by a variety of other circumstances, such as the situation in regard to the sea, or other large bodies of water, both as it respects proximity and direc- tion; the configuration of the surface, whether level or hilly, and the position and shape of the hills, the nature of the soil, and the extent of cultivation in the surrounding country. f

The difference of vegetation between the eastern and western parts of the State is from ten to fifteen days in favor of the latter. The harvests are gath- ered earlier, and vegetation continues longer. The peach tree, in the same parallels along the Hudson, is sickly, and in the Mohawk country rarely bears fruit. In the eastern part of this county vegetation is from eight to ten days later than along the Hud- son. Between Sandy Hill and the Matteawan Mountains the harvest is earlier by a week than on the Mohawk between the east limits of Mont- gomery County and the west limits of Herkimer County. South of Matteawan Mountains, ap- proaching the sea coast, the climate is milder and vegetation earlier, and of longer continuance than in the north and west.}

In the Hudson Valley, the extreme summer heat is greater by several degrees than in any other sec- tion of the State. There is no other place in the State where the thermometer has risen so high on an average each year as at Montgomery, Pough- keepsie and Lansingburgh. This must be under- stood as applying only to the hottest days in each year, and not to the average of the seasons. As we ascend the Hudson, the opening of spring grad- ually becomes later, the difference between the vicinity of New York and Albany being about a week.§ It is also characterized by the opposite extreme. In 1835, a year of great severity of cold, the thermometer at Poughkeepsie reached - 35° on the 4th of January. At New Lebanon, Colum- bia County, the mercury froze the same day, a condition requiring a reduction to - 403°. |

Observations made during a period of eleven years at Poughkeepsie, which is in latitude 41° 41', and at the level of tide water, showed a tempera- ture of 50.74°, while the temperature due to latitude

and elevation is 49.67°-a difference of 1.07° to be attributed to other causes than altitude and lat- itude. At Red Hook, in latitude 42° 2', at an elevation of fifty feet,* twelve observations showed the temperature to be 48.81º, while the tempera- ture due to latitude and elevation is 49.13°-a reduction of .32° by other causes than latitude and elevation. The mean temperature of the State, as determined from 59 localities and 577 observations, is 46.49°; the mean annual maxi- mum, from 59 localities and 550 observations, 92°; the mean annual minimum, from 59 localities and 551 observations, 12°. The following is a com- parison of the mean temperature, and annual extremes of heat and cold, with the average of the State during the same years :---

Poughkeepsie. Red Hook. State.

Mean temperature, + 4.25° + 1.92 46.49°+

66 annual maximum, + 4.24 + .75 92°

66 66 minimum, +2.33 + 3.42° 12º

66 66 range, + 1.91 -2.67º 104°

The Hudson Valley, like the valleys of New York generally, has less rain than the hills or elevated lands. The quantity of water precipitated in rain is proportioned to the temperature, and not to configuration or proximity to the sea ; but there are practical exceptions to this general prin- ciple, and an example is furnished in the district which includes the highlands and mountains of most parts of the New England States and New York, which has more rain than would fall to it by the general rule. There is some evidence that the contact of atmospheric volumes with these alti- tudes induces a share of the precipitation. We find the greatest quantity for the State near the Highlands of the Hudson, and a diminution from this line both towards the sea and inland. Here topography and configuration influence the result very much. The rain-fall in the region of the Southern Highlands exceeds that of other portions of the State in the spring, fall and winter, very largely in the latter season, while it is less in the summer season. In the Hudson Valley, as shown by observations between 1825 and 1855, made at eleven academies and colleges and two military posts, 36 inches was the annual rain fall. This is a falling off of at least four inches from the country in the vicinity on either side. The elevated por- tions of the State, including Albany, from observa- tions from 1820 to 1850, at thirteen academies, gave a corrected average of nearly 39 inches ; and

* Geographical History of New York, Mather and Brockett, 187. t Letter of James H. Coffin, a tutor in Williams College, dated Sept. 4, 1843, and published in Natural History of New York, Part V., Ag- riculture, 12.

# Gordon's Gazetteer of the State of New York, 64.

$ Coffin's Letter ; Natural History, Part V., Agriculture, 22, 23.

| Blodgett's Climatology, 148-150, which quotes Niles' Register, April II, 1835.

* Both Poughkeepsie and Red Hook are at the level of tide water, but the height of the instrument in each case was assumed to be fifty feet. t + means more, and -, less than for the State.

# Coffin's Letter.

METEOROLOGY-MORTALITY-SOIL.

as the points of observation are in most cases in valleys more or less below the general level of the country, it would be safe to assign 40 inches as the average quantity for the district inclusive of its valleys. Observations at Poughkeepsie Academy during fourteen years gave 38.13 inches, and at Red Hook Academy, during ten years 34.73 inches .* Observations made at Stanfordville in this county in 1879, show the total precipitation in rain, snow, etc., to have been 39.535 inches.t

The healthfulness of the climate as compared with that of other counties in the State is indicated in a measure by the percentage of deaths. The rate in this county is 1. 17 ; while the average for the State is 1.15. Just half the counties in the State present a better showing than Duchess, while two others equal it. The maximum rate-1.41- is in Madison county ; the minimum -. 85-, in Clinton .¿ The mortality in Duchess, however, would seem to be due to other causes than climatic influence ; for the census of 1880 exhibits a re- markable longevity among its citizens. In the city of Poughkeepsie there were 635 persons of seventy years or over, 95 of eighty years or over, and II of ninety years or over. In the county, outside of the city, there were 1,994 of seventy years or over, 410 of eighty years or over, 38 of ninety years or over, and 2 of one hundred years or over, (Honora Fitzgerald, of Amenia, aged 107, and Prince Crosby, of Wappingers Falls, aged 100;) thus making a total of 3,185 persons in the county who had reached man's allotted time on earth.§

The soils of the county are embraced within the two districts which Prof. Emmons denominates the Eastern and the Hudson. The former is a narrow belt of country extending from the Sound to the head of Lake Champlain, and embraces a large proportion of the counties of Duchess, Columbia, Rensselaer and Washington ; the latter comprises the valley of the Hudson.

The Eastern district, though long and narrow, is very constant in its character, features and pro- ductions throughout its entire range. The soil, resting upon the Taconic system of rocks, consists of the debris of those rocks, which, ex- tending far to the north, and in the direction of the drift, have not changed its character. It is finer than those derived from the primary rocks,

and possesses a superiority from the facility with which finely divided matter absorbs the floating gases of the atmosphere. Some difference exists in its chemical composition ; and some of the differences observed in crops are due to elevation, combined with other causes necessarily connected therewith. The Taconic range is composed of slate, with a granular limestone at the east base and a sparry limestone at the west base. All the minor ridges have a direction parallel to the main ridge dividing the States and a like composition ; the limestones usually occupying the valleys as well as the sides of the mountains further east. West from the main range their height and steep- ness diminish. There are no elevated plains. The principal plains border the valley of the Hudson, and are rather sandy, with an underlay of clay. The arrangement of the hills in this district is such as to favor vegetation, and to admit, even invite, useful improvements in draining and irriga- tion. Generally the slopes are gentle, but steeper upon the west than the opposite side. The hills are susceptible of cultivation to their summits, and are not broken by the rugged and outcropping rocks.

Though these soils are by no means clayey, as much alumina is frequently obtained from them as from the tertiary clay. This is a good feature and, in durable soil, one upon which mechanical fertili- zation may be employed without annual loss. Without exception they contain less lime than is requisite to form the best and most productive kinds of land. The best materials for fertilizing them are lime and peat, of each of which there is an abundance. They should be composted, which is the only way in which they can be usefully em- ployed. Leached or unleached ashes are a useful addition to this compost, inasmuch as there is a deficiency of potash in the soil to meet the de- mands of the cultivated crops.

The soils of the Taconic system are rarely excessively leachy, but some are moderately so. For a leachy soil it is proper to make a bulky ma- nure, consisting of burnt clay, ashes, peat or organ- ic matters, the whole of which is only moderately soluble, but, when exposed in a porous soil, it re- quires the influence of the air to bring it with suf- ficient rapidity to a state fit for the consumption of vegetables. In a close and compact soil, the solubility of the manure may be greater ; for then it may be retained for the future use of plants, if not required immediately.

What are called cold lands are not uncommon in this district. They lie on the slopes of hills,

* Blodgett's Climatology, 345, 348, 353, 354.

t Prof. J. Hyatt's Paper on The Periodic Distribution of the Rain- fall at Certain Stations, read before the Poughkeepsie Society of Natural Science, Jan. 28, 1880.

# Census of 1875.

§ The Sunday Courier, of Poughkeepsie, Oct 31, 1880.

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

frequently 200 or 300 feet above the valleys. This condition is produced by the agency of many springs, which issue from the hillsides, and saturate the earth with water, in the shape of small foun- tains, which percolate through the soil and sub-soil on their way to the valley below ; but this evil may be cured by draining, which is the most efficient means of improving the soils in this district.

These soils require draining more frequently than western ones, in consequence of the peculiar structure of the underlying rock, which, in the Taconic district, is invariably placed edgewise, or at an angle varying from 15° to 30°; and the layers or strata are compacted so closely, that water seldom or never finds its way into the rock, and hence must pass through the soil; and if this is not very porous, the water passes off slowly, and is frequently detained so long that the soil is most of the time saturated with it.

Magnesia is a common element in the soils of this district, and to this element Prof. Emmons at- tributes the excellence of the crops of corn, which, he says, "is so much at home upon the gentle slopes of this system." "At any rate," he adds, "in no other district is this crop so perfect, so sound and rich, as in Dutchess, Columbia, Rens- selaer and Washington counties. Comparing this crop in the eastern district with that of the west, we unhesitatingly give preference to the former, as being more thrifty and sounder in the kernel, and better filled out. There is a limit, however, at which maize ceases to ripen in this district. For example, along the Taconic range between Massa- chusetts and New York, at the height of about 1,000 feet above tide, it dwindles to a short slender stalk, and yields but small tapering ears. This limit is often marked by a line of frost during the cold months, to which it very frequently descends, form- ing a distinct icy line of congealed vapor upon the forests, and upon the trees of the cultivated fields."*

The Hudson district is closely related to the Eastern. Its slaty or shaly rocks, and sandstone and limestone beds, furnish, when mixed, a soil much like that of the Eastern district. There is, however, more alluvial matter, broader meadows, and a less undulating surface. Beneath the river bottoms there reposes a stiff calcareous clay ; and departing a little from the river, and ascending its sloping bank, we find sandy plains, which, however, are underlaid with the same stiff clay, a marine de- posit of modern date. No part of this district

rises into mountains. Steep bluffs are common, but rarely exceed 300 feet in height. As an agri- cultural district it is important; but it has been longer cultivated, and hence is more exhausted than the Eastern district .*

In the Hudson Valley we find the rocks and soil of the lower part of the New York system, together with a few granite, gneissoid, and hornblendic boulders, but these constitute only a small propor- tion of the matters composing the soil. From the east rise of the valley west to the river, the bould- ers and soil are derived from the Champlain group. The soils in the valley differ in many respects from those of the Taconic slate district. The slates or shales are more decomposable, more calcareous, and the beds of limestone are more extensive. Hence we expect the soil contains more lime, and is, in general, more favorable for agriculture. The rocks, too, are less disturbed. This district con- tains a distinct formation of clay and sand, which imparts a peculiar character to it, approximating those of the west wheat district. This formation gives a degree of stability to the soil which is not possessed by the soils of the Taconic district. But the principal difference between the soils of this and the adjacent districts, consists in the fine- ness of the former. The Taconic slates furnish no small amount of the debris or soil; and the Northern Highlands furnish their materials, though less plentifully. The extensive beds of clay with their accompanying sands, which form one of the most important features of the district, are formed from the detritus of the rocks of the Primary and Champlain divisions, the Hudson River slates and shales, decomposing and forming clay.

Argillaceous soils are improved by paring and burning, the latter process converting their astrin- gent salts of iron to the peroxide. By ignition, the close texture of the clay becomes open and pervious ; some of the materials composing it become more soluble; the color of the clay, which, by this pro- cess becomes red, absorbs more heat ; and we may reasonably conclude that clays thus treated become better absorbers of the nutritive gases, as ammonia and carbonic acid.

Wheat | was once the great staple of production

*In 1874, Duchess ranked only forty-ninth in the average yield of In- dian corn per acre-24. 12-below the State average, which was 32.33 bushels.

* "Duchess," says Spafford, "took an early lead in the introduc- tion of gypsum as a manure, with the most decided advantage." The committee appointed to confer with the State Board of Equalization in 1880, stated, by way of argument, " that the county had been drawn away upon the farmers' hay wagons."

1 In 1835, Duchess county sent more than one-third of all the grain shipped to New York city from the several counties of the State. Her contribution was 838,043 bushels, while the aggregate quantity was 2, 309,307 bushels. (Gordon's Gazetteer of New York.) During the year ending June 1, 1840, there were 2,507,79014 bushels of grain raised in the county, ( The Sunday Courier, of Poughkeepsie, August 3, 1873 ; ) and in 1874, 1, 513, 007 bushels. (Census 1875.)

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS-COMPARATIVE STATISTICS.

of the Hudson Valley ; but it has ceased to be a profitable crop, unless it be for family consump- tion, in consequence of the essential losses the soil has sustained in the successive croppings to which it has been subjected .*

Agriculture is the leading branch of industry, "but the prestige this county once had, by reason of its nearness to New York, has passed away with the improvements in transportation and the con- stant drain upon its fertility, incident to the kind of farming necessary to produce profitable results."} The soil is adapted to a wide range of crops, but there is not one, perhaps, that is peculiarly a char- acteristic of the county; yet it ranks high in the gross value of its farm products. The gross sales from its farms in 1874 amounted to $3, 178,920 ; which was exceeded by only nine other counties in the State. The cereals, especially corn, oats and rye, are produced abundantly ; but wheat and buck- wheat, less plentifully. Tobacco is quite extensive- ly raised. Though not specifically a dairy county, the butter made is large in quantity and excellent in quality, while the production of milk for the New York market is an important and leading industry, especially in the eastern portion. For this reason hay is a large and staple crop. Sheep raising is an important industry in the eastern por- tion of the county, but far less extensive than half a century ago. Pork is a staple production. Fruit of excellent quality is raised in large quantities, and grapes, which are already successfully and ex- tensively raised, are receiving increased attention, especially in the Fishkills. The grapes from that locality, says an article in the New York Herald, in 1876, have "obtained an enviable reputation in New York City." The same writer says, "The finest grapes of out-door culture in the United States are probably grown by Messrs. Van Wyck & Johnson, at their vineyard back of Fishkill." In cultivated area the county is excelled by only twelve counties in the State ; in the cash value of its farms, by only six ; in the value of farm buildings other than dwellings, by only one ; in the value of stock, by twelve; in the value of tools and implements, by twelve ; and in the cost of fertilizers used, by eight.

The manufactories of the county, though not very numerous, are some of them quite extensive and valuable ; but the disparity between agricultural and mechanical pursuits is increasing to the detri-

ment of the latter. From 1870 to 1875 the num- ber of manufacturing establishments in the county (lecreased from 602 to 499 ;* nevertheless we may fairly question if their value has materially de- creased, though we have not the data at hand to determine this. In 1836, the county ranked second in its manufactories, being surpassed only by Oneida County .; In 1832, it ranked third in the State in the number of cotton mills, having twelve, while Oneida had twenty and Rensselaer, fifteen ; third, also, in the amount of capital in- vested-$445,000 ; second in the number of spin- dles in use-17,690 ; third in the number of pounds of cotton annually manufactured-833,000 ; fourth in the value of cloth produced-$1,952,oco ; fourth in the number of pounds of yarn sold-185,500 ; second in the value of yarn and cloth produced - $332,500 ; and second in the number of persons sustained by said establishments-1,974. It was in the front rank in the number of manufactories 6-(Orange County having the same number.) The only three from which reports were received employed a capital of $186,000, (while the six in Orange County employed only $192,762 ;) and 197 operatives, (a number exceeded only by Rensselaer, which reported five factories ;) paid wages amount- ing to $42, 179, (exceeding all others ;) used 156,- 000 pounds of wool, (exceeding all others ;) and manufactured goods to the value of $196,250, (exceeding all others.) It had three cupola and air furnaces, making 855 tons of pig iron. Eleven counties excelled it and three equaled it in num- ber, while only four excelled it in production. It had, also, one blast furnace, making 836 tons of pig iron and 5 tons of castings. Six counties ex- celled it in number, but none in quantity, if we except Orange, which included also the blast fur- nace at Cold Spring, Putnam County. It employed in these iron industries 295 persons, who had 967 dependents .¿ In 1880, the county produced 61,- 637 tons (of 2,000 pounds each) of all kinds of pig iron.§

In 1880, the assessed valuation of real estate was $36,045,422 ; assessed valuation of personal property, $6,217,232 ; the indebtedness of the county for which bonds had been issued, $277,- 000 ; total indebtedness of county and city, ex- clusive of school districts, $2,345,947.70. []

* Natural History of New York, Part V., Agriculture, by E. Em- mons, 6, 7, 213, 242, 251 -- 256, 263, 326, 327.

t Report of Committee to Confer with State Board of Equalization, Dec. 4, 1880.

* Census of 1875.

t Gordon's Gazetteer of the State of New York, 425.

Į Ibid, 336, 337

§ Letter of James M. Swank, Philadelphia, Secretary American Iron and Steel Association, and Special Census Agent to Collect Iron and Steel Statistics.

Il Census of 1880.

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

CHAPTER X.

GEOLOGY - UNDERLYING ROCKS OF DUCHESS COUNTY-ROCKS OF THE CHAMPLAIN DIVISION -ROCKS OF THE HUDSON RIVER GROUP-GRIT AND SLATE ROCKS-UTICA SLATE GROUP- TRENTON LIMESTONE GROUP-BLACK RIVER LIMESTONE-CALCIFEROUS GROUP-BARNEGAT LIMESTONE-ROOFING SLATE-THE TACONIC SYSTEM - METAMORPHIC ROCKS - DOLOMITIC AND GRANULAR LIMESTONE-DUCHESS COUNTY MARBLE - THE "STONE CHURCH " - STEA- TITE-IRON ORE ABUNDANT AND OF GOOD QUALITY - GALENA-COPPER-SILVER -GOLD -PRIMARY ROCKS-GRANITE -- HORNBLENDE- SIENITE-GNEISS-MICA SLATE-AUGITE ROCK -GREENSTONE-ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS-SHELL MARL-PEAT-SINK HOLES -" SPOOK HOLE" -CLAY BALLS AND CALCAREOUS CONCRETIONS- MINERAL SPRINGS-GAS SPRINGS -- SUBTERRA- NEAN STREAMS-INFLAMMABLE GAS-SULPHATE OF IRON-BOG ORE -- MANUFACTURERS OF BRICKS-TOPOGRAPHICAL CHANGES -- DRIFT DE- POSITS-SMOOTHED AND SCRATCHED SURFACES OF ROCKS-WHAT THEY INDICATE.

T HE underlying rocks of Duchess county are classed in the Geological Reports as the metamorphic rocks of the Primary system and the Champlain division of the New York system. The former occupy a narrow belt along the east border of the county ; the latter extend thence west to the Hudson River and beyond it. Rocks similar in character to the Shawangunk grit, and the inter- stratified and overlying red rocks, range north through the county from Fishkill, near Matteawan ; and Prof. Rodgers, though doubtful about the geo- logical age of this formation, inclines to the opinion that it is equivalent to the new red sandstones, which are associated with trappean rocks in this State ; though Prof. Mather, assuming their identi- ty with the rocks they resemble, infers for them a greater age. These red grit rocks, like those they resemble to the south, are in a highly inclined po- sition, often vertical ; and were observed in hun- dreds of localities in this county and those north of it to Vermont.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

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