History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 37

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 37

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From December 15, 1785, to May 8, 1791, the baptisms are all in the handwriting of Henry Lyle. They are all in the same ink, were probably all recorded in one sitting, and, therefore, copied from slips, or from some book not suited to the

taste of the consistory or in a condition to receive other necessary records. From July 17, 1788, to August 26, 1791, the records are all in the handwriting of Dominie DeWitt. It is thought he closed his pastorate in the Red Hook Church on the first of July, 1791. Giving him credit for all recorded in the hand of Henry Lyle, Petrus DeWitt baptized eighty-three children in the Red Hook Church, twenty-one of whom had a Heer- mance for father or mother. He added thirteen members to the church, all of whom, with one ex- ception, were Heermances, and their wives. This exception was Catherine Verplank, wife of Har- manus Hoffman, who became a member on profes- sion of her faith June 19, 1790. He baptized Philip Verplank Hoffman, their son, May 10, 1791.

The Rev. Jeremiah Romeyn was installed the next pastor here, February 2, 1794, the Rev. Petrus DeWitt preaching the sermon. He remained in the charge until 1806, a period of twelve years. He added fifty-one to the member- ship of the church, baptized one hundred and eighty-four children, and married seventy couples. Among the baptisms is found the name of James Kosciusko Armstrong, before mentioned in con- nection with the Armstrong family.

The succeeding pastor was Rev. Andrew N. Kittle, who came into the pastorate under a regu- lar call from the Old and New Red Hook churches, which was accepted by him on the first of Febru- ary, 1807. His pastorate extended to 1833, cov- ering a period of twenty-six years. His successor was the Rev. Frederic W. Thompson, of New Brunswick, N. J. His pastorate was a very short one, lasting from 1834 to 1836.

The Rev. Jacob W. Hangen succeeded Mr. Thompson. He came into the pastorate in 1838, and went out in 1840. He died in 1843.

His successor was Rev. John W. Ward, who served the church from 1841 to 1845. He died in 1859.

The Rev. T. G. Johnson succeeded Mr. Ward, and continued in the pastorate from January I, 1846, to July 3, 1870, on the evening of which day his labors were terminated by his death, He died in the fifty-seventh year of his age, the thirty- first of his ministry, and the twenty-fourth of his Red Hook pastorate. The next pastor was the Rev. Henry Van Schoonhoven Myers, who pre- sided over the church from 1871 to 1874. He went from Red Hook to South Brooklyn.

The Rev. Joseph Scudder, a doctor of medicine and an India missionary for a number of years,

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TOWN OF RED HOOK.

was Mr. Myers' successor. He came into the pas- torate in 1875, and died November 21, 1876.

Mr. Scudder's successor was the Rev. Ezekiel Carman Scudder, the present efficient incumbent, also a doctor of medicine, and at one time an India missionary.

The edifice of this church was in existence in 1787, and was probably built in that year. It was built of stone. In 1854 that edifice was recon- structed, and in 1871 gave place to the present liandsome and commodious Gothic wooden struc- ture. It was erected at a cost of about $ 14,000. The corner stone was laid September 12, 1871, and the house was dedicated May 15, 1872. The interior contains three beautiful memorial windows of stained glass. The first is to the memory of Harmanus Hoffman and his wife, Catharina Ver- plank, and was a gift from their son, Philip Ver- plank Hoffman, of New York .*

The second is to the memory of the Rev. J. G. Johnson, and was put in its place by the church. The third is to the memory of Ebenezer Adams, a veteran of the Revolution, and was a gift to the church from his daughter Ruth. He was often an elder of this church. He died January 31st, 1846, aged 94 years.

RED HOOK.

The village of Red Hook lies in the southern part of the town, and is perhaps the most beauti- ful village in the township. Its streets are level and well shaded, its buildings and churches fine, and its business is of a solid and well established character. The village contains a population of 936.1

The postmaster here is Charles W. Massanneau, appointed under Lincoln's first administration.

The village has one newspaper, "The Red Hook Journal," a weekly, established in 1859 by Levi Piester, who conducted it until his death, some three years after. His wife, Martha, then con- ducted it about one year, then rented the estab- lishment to Franklin Van Valkenburgh for one year, and again rented it for two years to Chauncy A. Reed. The office and paper were then pur- chased by Albert Piester in 1866, who is still the editor and proprietor.

The First National Bank of Red Hook was established in February, 1865, through the exer- tions of William Chamberlain. The first officers were Jacob W. Elseffer, President ; Robert H.

Freeman, Cashier ; Clarence Shook, Teller. The Directors were, William Chamberlain,* Geo. A. Phelps, J. W. Elseffer, Thomas Elmendorph, Dr. John Bates, f Henry H. Conklin, Peter G. Fraleigh, Augustus Martin,¿ Robert L. Massanneau. The present officers are :- Robert L. Massanneau, President ; John S. Crouse, Cashier; Clarence Shook, Assistant Cashier. Directors :- J. W. Elseffer, Henry H. Conklin, Thomas Elmendorph, Benj. B. Hoffman, John M. Lewis, Alfred Allen- dorf, John S. Crouse, Clarence Shook, Robert Massanneau.

A Lodge, I. O. O. F., was organized here January 24, 1874, under the title of " Christian Lodge, No. 379." The charter members were :- Stephen R. Burnett, John H. Shafer, DeWitt Van Wey, John E. Plass, H. W. St. John, Rev. Thomas T. Everett. The first officers were :- Stephen R. Burnett, N. G .; John E. Plass, V. G .; John H. Shafer, Treas .; D. W. Van Wey, R. S. The Lodge has a very fine hall, and meets every Satur- day night.

An old established industry here is the Red Hook Tobacco Factory, whose brands of tobacco and cigars are so celebrated throughout this sec- tion of the State. This industry was started over sixty years ago. The nucleus of the building in which the business is conducted, was built some sixty years ago, by Robert C. Massanneau. A portion of the present building was erected in 1846.

The business since 1875 has been conducted by Hoffman & Co., (Benj. B. and John W. Hoffman, Robert B. Hevenor and Henry E. Miller,) who succeeded Nicks & Hoffman, who had run the business seven years. The succession of proprie- tors as far as can be learned has been as follows :- before Nicks & Hoffman, Hendricks & Company, about five years; J. & P. Hendricks & Co., twelve or thirteen years; Jeremiah & Philip Hen- dricks, four or five years; Jeremiah Hendricks, about three years ; Hendricks & Wells. This is as far as the proprietorship can be definitely ascer- tained.

The Red Hook Hotel was built probably over a hundred years ago, but by whom it is not known. It has been held by many successive owners, and has been added to and changed many times. It is on the old post road from New York to Albany. The present proprietor is Howard Ellsworth, by

* Harmanus Hoffman was an elder of the church in 1789.

t In 1870 the population was 861.

* Born in 1800, died May, 1875. A son, Wm. L., also a director, elected in 1868, died in Aug., 1880. t Died June, 1877.

# Died Jan., 1875.

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

whom the building has been owned fourteen years, twelve of which he has kept it as a hotel .*

One of the early merchants at this point was Claudius G. Massanneau, who died in 1846, aged 77 years. His son, Robert C., was also a mer- chant here many years. He died in 1878, aged 80 years. His successors in the business were his sons, Charles W. and Edward F., t who have con- ducted a mercantile business here since 1861. The store of Massanneau Bros. was built by Robert C., their father, in 1854 or 1855.

The other merchants now doing business here, are, Le Grand B. Curtis, general hardware, suc- ceeding his father, John Curtis, who established the business some thirty years ago, and who died in July, 1879; Benjamin F. Gedney, general hard- ware, in this branch of the mercantile business five years ; Electrus Teats, (a native of Milan, ) boots and shoes, in business here twelve years; John Hobbs & Co., (William E. Hutton,) druggists, in business eight years, succeeding Ransom E. Traver, who had conducted the business two years }; Ste- phen R. Burnett, (born in Red Hook, June 30, 1829,) furniture and undertaking, in business twen- ty years, succeeding Benjamin F. Gedney ; Abram A. Dayton, (born in Brooklyn, 1835,) in business here twenty years; Charles H. Dayton, (born in Tivoli, 1861,) books and stationery, in business three years ; William A. Coon, (born in Red Hook, 1850,) boots and shoes, in business two years, suc- ceeding Charles Falland who established the busi- ness about a year previous ; Virgil Pulver, (born in Red Hook, 1854,) cigar manufacturer, in business two years.

The lawyers here are, Jacob Whiteman Elseffer, who was born in Red Hook, September 6, 1822, educated at Claverack, N. Y., studied law with Judge Rowley, Upper Red Hook, and was admit- ted to the bar in 1845.

Joseph Martin, born in Red Hook in 1814, studied law with Jacob W. Elseffer, and admitted to practice in 1858.

John H. Elseffer, son of Jacob W., born in Red Hook, July 2, 1851, educated at De Garmo Institute, Rhinebeck, and at Cornell University, graduated from Albany Law School in June, 1876.

George R. Carhart, born in Clinton Hollow, N. Y., September 23, 1857 ; educated at Clifton Park Seminary, and De Garmo Institute, studied law with Hackett & Williams, Poughkeepsie, and

with Hon. C. M. Woolsey, of Milton, Ulster Coun- ty, and admitted to the bar January 30, 1880.

J. Edward Webb, a native of England, estab- lished an office here in January, 1881.

The physicians are, Dr. Robert J. Carroll, born in Ohio in 1843, graduated from Jefferson Medi- cal College, Philadelphia, in March, 1867; came to this town in 1876.

Dr. Harris L. Cookingham, born in Hyde Park, N. Y., in 1850, graduated from Albany Medical College in 1871, practiced a year and a half in Staatsburg, and came to Red Hook.

The most historic points of interest near this vil- lage are the houses of E. L. Traver and Edward Martin. The former at one time known as the " Martin House," was built probably one hundred and fifty years ago, and still retains the character- istics of the architectural style of those days. The Martin Homestead, the present occasional residence of Edward Martin, was built by his grandfather, Got- lieb, or Gotlop Martin, in 1776, the rafters being raised on the stone walls on July 4th of that year. This homestead has never been out of the family. The house stands on the road leading to Upper Red Hook. Hendrick Martin, the great grand- father, was the first proprietor of the farm as ten- ant. The house of Egbert L. Traver, before men- tioned, was the original dwelling of the ancient Martins.

. +

Red Hook contains three churches, the Metho- dist Episcopal, Episcopalian and Lutheran.

For the brief and even meagre history of the Methodist church here given, we are principally in- debted to the memories of some of the oldest liv- ing members. Two small blue-covered books, titled respectively, " Probationers and Members," "Baptisms and Marriages," contain all the written history of the church now to be found. Previous to this date there appears to have been no record, or, at least, none preserved. Red Hook, it is learned, was originally an appointment on the Milan Circuit, supplied with only occasional preaching. Rev. Samuel Cochrane, one of the fathers in the Church, is mentioned, among others, as having preached in the old school house that was located just in the southern end of the village. As there was no church edifice at that time, the itinerant had to preach where he could find a convenient place. Mrs. Christian Mowl, the oldest living member of the church, used to offer the hospitality of her house to the Methodist itinerants. In the year 1840 this appointment was made a station, and was called the Red Hook Mission.

* Leased to Edward Coon 2 years.

t The former born in 1833, the latter in 1836, in Red Hook.

# The business was established by Charles Gilbert Brown, in 1870.

.....

Moss ENG CONY

.....

"THE MARTIN HOMESTEAD," RED HOOK, N. Y. OWNED BY EDWARD MARTIN.

187

TOWN OF RED HOOK.

Albert Nash was the first minister stationed here. He held services in what was then called, "Fan- cher's Hall," which, years ago, was either taken down or converted to other uses. During his pas- torate the first church edifice was erected. The old house is still standing on or near the original site, and is in the possession of Jacob W. Elseffer. The membership was then small, not exceeding perhaps, a dozen names. Among these, were Sam- uel Fancher, Mrs. Christian Mowl, Mrs. Jane Nicks, and others whose names cannot now be easily re- called. The next preacher on this charge was Bar- tholomew Creagh, appointed in the spring of 1841. He drew around him some of the wealthier and aristocratic families of the neighborhood and town, among whom were Mrs. William B. Astor, and Mrs. Col. Armstrong and daughter. They became regular attendants and supporters of the M. E. Church in this place.

About this time the old German Reformed Church of this place was converted into the pres- ent Lutheran Church. Quite a number of its members and congregation became dissatisfied, and, instead of resolving themselves into the Lu- theran Church, some of them united with the Methodists.

Mr. Creagh's labors were blessed with a revival, and this favorable combination of circumstances gave the church a standing which it had before vainly struggled to gain. The whole town had been pre-occupied by German Reformed and Lu- theran influences, so that the Methodists found hardwork to obtain even a foothold, but now their prospects had become quite encouraging.

In 1849 the present church edifice was erected, and in 1860 or 1861 it was repaired and trans- formed in part into its present beautiful appearance. The church organ was purchased in 1866. In the fall of 1867 the interior of the church was refitted and improved, seats cushioned, and a marble-slab table bought for the altar, while the old fixtures were transferred to the parsonage. In February, 1877, the church was enlarged by an addition of twelve feet to its length, the audience room changed to its present form, new floor laid over the old, seats changed somewhat, chairs purchased for choir, and building repainted, all at a cost of about $600. A pipe organ was also bought for about $800.

The following, as near as can be learned, has been the succession of pastors since the time of Rev. Mr. Creagh :---

Rev. Chas. B. Sing

1843-1845

Rev. O. V. Amerman . 1845-1847

Rev. W. C. Hoyt 1847-1848

Rev. - - Shaffer 1848-1850

Rev. E. O. Haven. 1850-1852

Rev. S. C. Perry

Rev. J. A. Edmonds 1852-1853

1853-1855

Rev. O. V. Amerman 1855-1857

Rev. Wm. Bloomer 1857-1858

Rev. Chas. B. Sing 1858-1860

Rev. O. Haviland. 1860-1861

Rev. G. W. Knapp

1875-1878

Rev. Wm. H. Evans 1878-1881

Rev. Wilbur F. Brush -1881

Christ Church was not formally established here until 1854, although occasionally the services of the church had been held since 1850. In that year the Rev. Henry de Koven, Rector of St. Paul's Church in the upper part of the township, at Tivoli, determined to establish the Church in this village on a permanent basis. He, with the aid of a few friends of the cause, procured a lot containing about an acre and on it erected and fur- nished, at a cost of $5,500, the present building, the property being vested in him as sole trustee. On July 21, 1855, the building was consecrated under the name of Christ Church, Lower Red Hook, by the Right Rev. Horatio Potter, D. D., Bishop of New York. Soon after the consecration, Dr. · de Koven called as his Assistant the late Rev. Frederic Sill, who held that position for about four years, and had sole charge of the parish for two years, while the Rector was absent in Europe.

The present incumbent, the Rev. John W. Moore, M. A., was called as Rector by Dr. de Koven in February, 1861, and began the discharge of his duties April 7, 1861. Dr. de Koven con- tinued sole trustee until August 28, 1867, when, at his instance, the church was organized as a free church with the name of Christ Church, Red Hook (dropping the word " Lower,") under an act of the State Legislature, passed April 13, 1854. Dr. de Koven then resigned his trust, and deeded the church property to seven trustees, as follows : Rev. John W. Moore, Rector ; Hon. John W. Chanler, William Chamberlain, Henry Astor, An- drew Crane, John H. Lord, Dr. John Bates.

These gentlemen were a close corporation, and had power to fill any vacancies. With the excep- tion of the Rector, none of the original trustees are in the present Board. The Church has now about forty communicants, and a Sunday School averaging from thirty to forty children.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is an outgrowth from the old " Pink's Corner" Church, which was the original church, and was German Reformed. It originated from that portion of the

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

Palatines who adhered to the Calvanistic faith. Their first church building stood below St. Peter's, at what was known as "Pink's Corner," now Monterey, where an old burial ground shows the location of the church.

The baptismal record runs back to 1730. About the year 1800 the old edifice at "Pink's Corner " was abandoned, and a new church was built at Lower Red Hook Village, about four miles north of the former location.

The German Reformed Church died out gradu- ally,-some congregations united with the Dutch Reformed, and this church at Red Hook being largely affiliated with the Lutherans by association and intermarriage, became a Lutheran church during the pastorate of Rev. Dr. N. W. Gortner, at St. Peter's, and has since been connected with that denomination. The church building is a large substantial stone edifice, with a fine parson- age, lecture-room, cemetery, and ample sheds. The church has an enrolled membership of 305 communicants. A few years ago the church edi- fice was largely improved at an expense of $3,000, and recently a pipe organ, costing $1,400, has been added.

On the territory of this congregation are two Lutheran chapels, one at Rock City, about four miles south-east from here, and the other at Bar- rytown, near the Hudson River. That at Rock City was built at the sole expense of John Griffin Schultz, a member of the Red Hook Church. It was built on the land of the donor, and cost about $3,000. In 1872 Mr. Schultz presented the deed of the property to the Synod. The chapel is sup- plied with preaching by the Lutheran ministers of Red Hook, St. Peter's and Wurtemburg.

The chapel at Barrytown was built by Robert Donaldson and Isabella Donaldson, his sister, and which, after the death of the former, was deeded by Miss Donaldson, in 1873, to the Synod of New York and New Jersey, with which this church at Red Hook is connected. Robert Donaldson is buried in the rear of the chapel and on its grounds.

The pastor of Red Hook preaches there in the afternoon.

The succession of pastors, subsequent to Rev. N. W. Gortner, has been as follows :-

Rev. Dr. Charles F. Schaeffer. 1846-1851

Rev. Dr. William D. Strobel 1851-1860

Rev. N. H. Cornell. . 1860-1864

Rev. Dr. Joseph H. Barclay 1865-1868

Rev. W. H. Luckenbach. 1869-1872

Rev. Thomas T. Everett 1872-1875 Rev. Dr. G. F. Stelling . 1875-1877

Rev. J. Q. McAtee 1877-1879 Rev. S. A. Weikert. 1879-1881

TIVOLI-MADALIN.

After the Revolution an old Frenchman drifted into the northern part of Duchess County and bought what was afterward known as the Elmen- dorf Place. He spelled his name Delabegarre, but tradition says that this was an Americanism for L'Abbe de Seguard, which would indicate that he was a waif of the French Revolution.

On this place he built a quaint old structure, since remodeled and rebuilt by Col. Johnston L. de Peyster. Of the original only a sort of octagon tower remains.

The early French settlers, when they established themselves and acquired some property, and saw a little hamlet grow up around them, followed as far as possible the custom of their native country by surrounding their dwellings with a high heavy wall, and, where there was a stream, a moat, in order to entitle them to style their dwellings " Chateaux ; " because in France a protecting wall and a ditch, or at least a wall, was indispensable to such an appellation. Part of the old wall built by Delabegarre, with its postern gate, is still standing. Carried away by his ambition, Delabegarre, in imi- tation of the Livingstons,-who laid out a town on a bleak clay flat, near the original manor church, on the north shore, overlooking Roelaff Jansen's Kill, near the present station of Oak Hill, where no house was ever built-laid out his farm of about sixty acres into a city,* in which no house was ever erected. The plot of this imaginary city was elegantly engraved by the celebrated St. Memin, whose miniature likenesses of notables of the Revolutionary times have become of the great- est value. Delabegarre styled his enwalled dwell- ing "Le Chateau de Tivoli," and from this cha- teau and illusory town, the name of the present postoffice, station, and incorporation was derived.

Tivoli lies in the north-western part of the town, on the Hudson River. The incorporation com- prises that section at one time known as Myers- ville, then changed to Madalin, the postoffice at this part of the village still retaining the latter name. These two post-villages were united and incorporated June 18, 1872, the first president of the corporation being James Starr Clark, and Jacob H. Feroe the first clerk.

The following is the succession of presidents and clerks to date :-

* " Staatje "-little town.

189

TOWN OF RED HOOK.

PRESIDENTS.

1873, James Starr Clark,

CLERKS. Jacob H. Feroe, Frank S. Ormsbee,

1874-75, Chas C. Champlin,

1876-77, Daniel V. Queen,

1878, Rensselaer Potts,

1879, Zachariah Weeks,

William Hover,

1880-81, Watson D. Otis.

The village contains a population of 1,254. The population of Tivoli proper, in 1870, before the in- corporation, was 452 ; of Madalin, 629 ; total, 1,081-an increase of 173 in ten years. The postmaster at Tivoli is Theodore A. Hoffman, ap- pointed February 4, 1869.

This portion of the incorporation has one store, a freighting establishment, a church* and two hotels.

The merchant is Theodore Hoffman, in business seven years, succeeding Hoffman & Feroe. This store was built about 1853, and the first merchant to do business in it was Edward Miller.

The Tivoli Hotel, Saulpaugh Bros., proprietors, (Philip and Harman,) was built by James Outwater about 1850.

The Farmers' Hotel, Alexander Boice, proprie- tor, was built by a man named Fontaine, but at what precise date is unknown. The property some eighteen years ago came into the possession of George Rogers, who thoroughly remodeled the building and gave it the present name.

Peter Henry, a colored man, who was born on the Bard Place, at Annandale, died here April 5, 1874, aged nearly 102 years. It is said that his mother and grandmother were both born in this town. A son, also named Peter, aged about 7 1, still lives here.

That portion of the incorporation known as Madalin is the larger and more important end of the village. Mr. Winegar, from whom we have before quoted, said he worked on the building on the north-east corner, where Clarence Moore now has a store. At the "raising" it was proposed to name the place, and Ephraim Martin suggested the name of Myersville, in honor of a prominent resident of the name of Ten Broek Myers (or Meyres,) one of the first merchants here. It was so named, and as Myersville it remained until the misspelling of the name, " Mireville," became too appropriate. It was then called Madalin-a mis- nomer for Magdalen, for it was named for Magda- len Island, just below in the river.

At that time this locality was but sparsely popu- lated, and the roads did not have their present form. What is now known as Wall Street, was at one time known as " Lothrop's Lane," so called for

a man of that name into whose property the lane ran as a private road, and it was afterward opened through to the main road.

Eighty years ago, the road from Upper Red Hook, then Red Hook, (what is now Lower Red Hook was then only known as " Hardscrabble, ") to Upper Red Hook Landing, now Tivoli, did not come down the " Molly Coon " hill, and there was no bridge across White Clay kill. The road turned off near the old Vosburgh family's brick house, on the summit of the hill, and went down the hill to the creek in the rear of the house of Alfred Lewis Moore, along the north edge of the present woods. There was a ford through the creek two or three hundred yards south of the mill where Parks once had his woolen factory. The road ascended in the rear of the present buildings and out-buildings fronting on the main street east and west, and came out on the present Montgomery street, about where Edward Feller's house now stands. Before that it turned off from the road to Upper Red Hook, just west of John I. Saulpaugh's house, and ran south half way up the hill, where its traces are yet plainly distinguishable.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 37

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