History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 60

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 60

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Johnson and Sherwood, whose pastoral relations were long and the most pleasing, as earnest work- ers and accomplished scholars. Beside them lie the Bards, Livingstons, Lewises, Pendletons, Benja- min Allen and others of prominence, whose lives were useful, active and successful.

The Rectors of this Church from the organiza- tion have been as follows : Rev. John McVickar, D. D .; Rev. Samuel R. Johnson, D. D .; Rev. Reuben Sherwood, D. D .; Rev. Mr. Brown, Horace Stringfellow, Jr., D. D .; Rev. James S. Purdy, D. D., and Rev. Philander K. Cady, D. D.

The Parish includes a chapel at Staatsburgh and one within the village of Hyde Park for the con- venience of those who live at a distance from the church.

The Methodist Episcopal Church .- To Rev. S. P. Gallaway, the present pastor (1881), we are indebted for the following history of this church.

Methodism was introduced in Hyde Park in the year 1829, through the labors of Brother Alonzo F. Selleck, then a layman in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and afterward a useful member of the New York Conference. In the month of June, 1833, John Albertson became interested in the cause, and generously deeded the lot on which the pres- ent church stands. Joseph Williams, John Giles, Wm. Armstrong, Alonzo F. Selleck and Henry S. Bacus, were the first Board of Trustees, through whose untiring zeal and great liberality the church edifice was completed.

In 1834 Rev. A. F. Selleck, then a local preacher, supplied the pulpit. In 1835 Denton Keeler and his colleague, appointed to the Milan circuit, were the preachers at this village. In 1834 and 1837, S. Cochran labored here. In 1838 and 1839, C. C. Keys was the preacher in charge. In 1840 and 1841, I. N. Shaffer and Young faithfully and sucessfully preached to this people. John Albert- son, Jr., son of John Albertson, before mentioned, was converted about this time, and, following in his father's footsteps, presented the trustees of the church a lot adjoining it, for a parsonage, retaining it in his possession, until they should be ready to build. This they were not prepared to do until 1856, at which time John Albertson had died. His heirs refused to sanction the gift of this lot, thus defeating his generous intentions. In 1842, Con- ference sent Rev. R. A. Chalker and L. E. Pease, whose ministry and goodly examples were greatly blessed here. In 1843, Hyde Park was formed into a station and Brother C. Chittendon was ap- pointed to the charge. In 1844 and 1845, R. A.

Chalker was re-appointed pastor. In 1846 the Rev. Cyrus Bolster became the pastor. He died soon after leaving here. In 1847 the Rev. B. M. Genung was pastor. In 1848 and 1849, Rev. Wm. Ostrander served the charge acceptably and profit- ably. In 1850 and 1851 the Rev. Andrew J. Hunt was preacher in charge. In 1852 the Rev. J. H. Champion labored faithfully in this place. In 1853 the gifted George Kerr was appointed. In 1854 the Rev. George Daniels was sent to this charge. In 1855 and 1856 the Rev. A. C. Fields. Under his administration the present parsonage was built, at a cost of $2,200.

In 1857 and '58 the Rev. W. B. Mitchell receiv- ed his last conference appointment, and it was to Hyde Park. Here, in the autumn of 1858, Mr. Mitchell died, beloved and regretted by all. The remainder of the conference year, by the unanimous call of the society, I. L. Green, a very worthy local preacher residing in Hyde Park, supplied the pul- pit. In 1859 and '60 the Rev. Thomas Ellis, the warm-hearted Welsh Methodist, was sent here. He died in 1873. In 1861 and '62 the Rev. I. W. Edmons became preacher in charge. In 1863 the Rev. J. W. McComber spent a very pleasant year with the people. In 1864 the Rev. Van Ness Traver was appointed pastor. His public services and pastoral work were highly appreciated by the members of the church. In 1865 Rev. A. H. Saxe was pastor. 1866 Rev. W. L. Pattison served the church as pastor, and was followed by the Rev. R. L. Tarleton in 1867. In 1868 no preacher was appointed to this charge. The church was then thrown on its own resources, heavily in debt. Israel L. Green, a local deacon, volunteer- ed to preach every Sabbath morning, if his health permitted, and Wm. B. Outwater pledged himself to take charge of a prayer meeting every Sunday evening. Thus divine service was held throughout the conference year. In the meantime the church edifice, within and without, was sadly in need of improvement and change. Mr. William Mallory, unsolicited, generously offered to repair the walls of the building, and did so at his own expense, thereby stimulating the trustees to go on and make further improvements. Brothers Green and Out- water resolved to modernize the whole interior, and after laying before the official boards their plans, the work was begun. The whole inner part was remodeled ; the side walls and ceiling were fres- coed; the vestibule, as now standing, was con- structed, and the church was made attractive and comfortable.

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Brother I. L. Green served the church for five years without salary and giving his donations towards the church indebtedness ; preaching- during this, the longest pastoral service connectedly known throughout the N. Y. Conference-over 600 sermons ; delivering many hundreds of exhorta- tions and freeing from debt, with the hearty co-op- eration of the sisters, brethren and friends, the entire property, valued at $6,500. In April, 1873, Brother I. M. Richards, at the conference held in Hudson, received his first appointment to this charge.

In October, 1873, Bishop Andrews transferred Brother Richards to the Nebraska conference, stationing him at Fremont. Again the pulpit was vacant. The Presiding Elder, Rev. S. I. Fergu- son, with approval of the official board, appointed Rev. J. K. Wardle to supply the charge for the re- maining conference year. He commenced his work Sunday, October 19th.

In the year 1874, Brother G. B. Clark was appointed to Hyde Park, and for three years he served the church faithfully. It was during his pastorate here that the beautiful church at Staats- burg (Hyde Park) was built, which proves a great blessing to the people in that conimunity and adds great strength to the charge. The plan of build- ing this church originated between George Lam- oree, (a former member at Hyde Park,) and his pas- tor. In September, 1876, the following brethren met at the house of George Lamoree: Stephen Uhl, R. Schoden, Wm. Gowen and Geo. Lamoree, and they were appointed trustees. September 3, 1876, the church was dedicated, free of debt, and the whole a gift of our worthy and honored Brother Lamoree. A society of about sixty members and a congregation of about 150, worship here every Sabbath.

In 1877, Brother S. J. Mccutchen was appointed to this church.

At this time all indebtedness on parsonage and church property was entirely liquidated. In 1879 the Rev. Wm. Stephens was appointed, and served the charge for two years. In April, 1880, the pres- ent pastor, S. P. Gallaway, was appointed. The people received him cordially, and pastor and people are harmoniously working together.

The following statements taken from a paper fur- nished recently by Rev. Alonzo F. Selleck, will be of interest in this connection :- Rev. Mr. Selleck and his wife came to Hyde Park in the spring of 1828. There being no Methodist Episcopal Church in Hyde Park at that time, he opened his house for

preaching and prayer. The Revs. Butts and Smith, local preachers, came from Poughkeepsie and preached a few times. Rev. Mr. Selleck also held a prayer meeting every Sunday. This drew large numbers, so that the house and door-yard would be full and often part of the road in front. The church of Poughkeepsie gave him authority to hold meetings for prayer, etc., by licensing hini to exhort. In the spring of 1829, Hyde Park was placed on the Milan and Duchess circuit, with Revs. Marvin Richardson and A. M. Osborn, (now Dr. Osborn,) preachers. The first class was formed during this year, numbering eight souls ; Mr. Selleck was appointed leader. In 1830, a new school-house was opened for use, that would ac- commodate about 150 persons. Ten dollars a year was paid for the use of the same by the society. During this year forty persons were con- verted, and the attendance upon divine service greatly increased.

Baptist Church .- At a meeting held in the early part of April, 1844, by those who favored the Baptist faith, it was voted to call a council accord- ing to the rules of the church to organize a society at Hyde Park. On the 18th of that month the council met at the house of Garrett G. Lansing, and organized the church with the following mem- bers :- G. G. Lansing, W. H. Lansing, L. L. Lansing, A. Hoyt, William Hewitt, A. Lent, J. B. F. Lansing, Malinda Lansing, Susan Van Wagener, Lucretia Manning, Morilla E. Lansing, Caroline Vail, Mrs. Phebe G. Traver, Eliza M. Parker, and Mary A. Finch. Upon the 30th of the month, at a meeting held at the house of Mrs. Finch, Alex. Vail, James S. Odell, W. H. Lansing, Thomas Van- dyke, James Finch and C. W. Teller, were elected Trustees ; William H. Lansing, Clerk.

Rev. David Morris was called to officiate as pastor in 1844, and remained one year, when Rev. Philip Roberts, of Pleasant Valley, followed and also remained one year.

During 1846, the Rev. Charles VanLoon of the First Baptist Church, of Poughkeepsie, officiated as "a supply." It was during that year the present and first church edifice was built. The year fol- lowing, Rev. E. Fay was called and closed his labors in the early part of 1851. The pulpit was again vacant until the spring of 1852. Rev. M. A. Brown then began his ministry, which continued one year and six months, when he resigned and gave place to J. W. Jones who remained till the spring of 1856, when he removed to Glenville, where he labored till the spring of 1861. He was

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again called and officiated about six years, and proved the last resident pastor of the church. Mr. Jones still resides within the parish, but owing to ill health and the few members left to sustain the church, occasional service only is held. At one time this organization numbered about fifty mem- bers, but it has proved to be a migratory one,- attaining a respectable membership in numbers and enjoying prosperity for a while ; suddenly a re- moval to other parts would be made by many of the active members, and the progress of the church paralyzed. It has experienced several such shocks since its organization ; yet its seeming groping along the path of religious duty has not been in vain, as we find that from its fold, three young men have been sent forth to preach the gospel, and many times have reported their suc- cessful work in the vineyard. E. Tompkins, Pen- dleton Weed and Lewis Lansing each spreading the "glad tidings " as conscientious and zealous workers.

Roman Catholic Church .- The churches of Hyde Park, Staatsburgh and others of the vicinity were not regularly organized until the year 1862. During that year Mrs. Kirkpatrick, a daughter of the late Mortimer Livingston, a lady of wealth, erected the present edifice at Hyde Park as a memorial to her deceased husband, at the ex- pense of many thousand dollars. She furnished the building in an elaborate style, purchasing and · giving to the church statues, paintings and the whole paraphernalia used in the worship of the Roman Catholic Church in the city of Rome. The vestments are of the original Roman pattern, and excel in richness and beauty any other to be found along the Hudson.

A new parish was established, or the old one re- established, in the latter part of November, 1881, including Staatsburgh and other places, under Rev. T. F. Riley as pastor, making the parsonage connect- ed with the church his residence. The membership is about two hundred and fifty.

Beneath the floor of this edifice is the Kirkpat- rick vault, where lie the remains of the donor's husbands-Mr. Wm. S. Drayton and Mr. Kirk- patrick.

SOCIETIES .- During the "Washingtonian" ex- citement many years ago, a small society was formed here but soon faded from existence and nothing worthy of notice was done in the cause of temper- ance until a "Good Templar" organization was effected. While the charter is still held, the society in reality is a dead letter and unable to form a

quorum for business. Feeling the need of a reform in behalf of the young people of the vicinity, a few of the people convened and concluded to make a call for a meeting to organize a Temperance union. Accordingly, on the 19th of September, 1877, the first meeting was held in the lecture-room of the Reformed church, and the " Hyde Park Temper- ance Union," organized. The following were the first permanent officers :- President, Cecil E. Par- ker ; First Vice-President, Cyrus W. Northrup ; Second Vice-President, Darwin G. Marquart ; Third Vice-President, Simeon Williams; Fourth Vice-President, Michael Leonard ; Secretary, John T. Coxhead; Treasurer, Wm. J. Finch. The mem- bership now numbers six hundred and fifty, prov- ing the "Union" to be the first successful enter- prise of the kind in the town.

The present officers are :- Theodore Barnes, President ; Wm. Storms and Jerome Mires, Vice- Presidents ; Wm. J. Finch, Secretary ; James Finch, Treasurer. There is also a Temperance Union at Chapel Corners, holding their meetings in the school-house, that is in a prosperous condition and doing a noble work in the cause.

I. O. O. F .- The Odd-Fellows Lodge of Hyde Park, is one of the most enterprising of that order to be found in the interior.

SCHOOLS .- The wealthy gentlemen that early selected this town as a summer retreat were men of culture and appreciated the benefits arising from cultivated intellects. The schools that were first formed were as mere shadows of the poorest common schools of to-day, and it was not until about the year 1810 that a wide-spread interest was taken. These not yet having reached that degree of perfection to meet the desires of the more wealthy, many of them patronized the schools of New York and Poughkeepsie until Benjamin Allen, an accom- plished scholar, opened a private school at Hyde Park village about the year 1820. It was a classi- cal school, and was considered one of the best along the Hudson. William Bard organized a Seminary, and was very successful. The date of its commencement we have been unable to learn, for a certainty, but several aged people to whom we were referred think it was about 1830. From Bard's the interest was drifted into the village school which was divided into two apartments, male and female, and continued so for many years, upon the principle of the present Union school. It will be seen that but few localities have been blessed with such educational advantages as this, and in looking over old school reports we find the schools already

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referred to, exerting an influence over the common schools of the surrounding country, by furnishing a higher grade of teachers and adopting standard series of books at a much earlier period than the district schools of other parts.

STAATSBURGH.

This hamlet, near the north line of the town, was formerly named Staatsboro, in honor of the Staats family who settled here about the year 1715 or '20, a portion of whom removed to the Mohawk Valley about the year 1750. The lands they here held in possession, were so held by lease, and when they acquired sufficient funds, they purchased near other families with whom they immigrated in 1710. It is thought by Smith in his History of Duchess, that the word Staatsburgh is a corruption of Stoutenburgh. But we are creditably informed by tradition in the family, and through old documents, that our assertion is correct. By a map before us, drawn in 1770, the two places are distinct from each other. Many times the name was written Stauts, as is done by a branch of the family at the present time.

The amount of ice yearly cut and stored upon the river bordering this town is immense, and may be estimated only by millions of tons annually. In the harvesting of this product, not only laborers, but ingenious utensils are required that not only save labor, but turn it to more profitable account.

The business tact of J. H. Bodenstein, saw the necessity of such implements, and in 1858 he established at Staatsburgh a small manufactory, with but two hundred and fifty dollars as capital. His rustic machinery was driven by a common horse power, but his articles being of great service the orders he received were greater than he was capable of filling, and compelled him to place a six-horse-power engine in the shop, which soon proved to be of equal incompetency with the horse-power to meet the demands for "ice tools," as they are familiarly called. Mr. Bodenstein con- nected with himself his sons, J. G., Henry and Frederick, and placed a twelve-horse-power en- gine in the work shop. They were soon driven to increase the number of laborers, so great was the demand for such tools. The present firm is J. G. Bodenstein & Bro., (Henry,) who by strict application to business and in meeting the wants of the trade, have become known throughout the United States wherever ice is harvested. They give steady employment to several skilled workmen, which adds much to the business interest of the

place, and is a great convenience to the ice harvest- ers of the Hudson, the greatest in the United States.

The grand old forests which covered the hills and valleys of this town have long since disappeared, and but few of the giant trees remain that swayed in their primeval grandeur and witnessed the mighty changes that the past centuries have brought about. But little of the necessary timber and lumber used in the construction of buildings can be obtained from them, but other distant parts supply the demand and form successful business enterprises. The waste of timber has been pro- digious, much to the detriment of the country at the present time, which, although late to learn, proves a lesson for the inhabitants to care for that which remains, and devise means to increase the acreage of wood land. The firm of Cudner & Co. are fast working upon the remnant of the old forest. Their machinery is for sawing, planing and turning ship timber. The establishment was founded in 1850, upon a small scale, but for sever- al years their cash receipts have been from $12,000 to $30,000 annually and employing from five to ten hands, and an outlay of about $3,000 for teams and necessary implements. It has become one of the established enterprises of the county, through the able management of the concern, and one which adds much to the business prosperity of the town.

HYDE PARK IN THE REBELLION.

The list of those who enlisted in the early part of the Rebellion is but partial, as we are unable to obtain the whole, from the fact that many joined regiments in other parts and were not credited to the town. The following are those of the 128th and 150th Regiments :--

Company C .- George D. Cronk, George H. Hadden, John Schryver.

Company D .- Jacob Armstrong, Sergeant; William Briggs, Corporal ; Ethan S. Lattin, John W. Earle, Abram W. Ostrom, Richard Ganley, Alexander Mosher, F. E. Cramer, John Burrows, Privates.

Company H .- H. A. Husted, Robert F. Husted, Privates.

Company I .- John I. Schouten, Peter S. Baker, Privates.

Company K .- Vleric Eshlernan, Sergeant ; Fer- nando Hilliker, Thomas B. Foster, Martin Stengle, Wm. H. H. Traver, John Fitzpatrick, Franklin M. Sherow, William Hall, Jesse Foster, Joseph Brown,

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Edgar Hilliker, William More, Edward Stouten- burgh, David J. Wesley, Privates.

One Hundred and Fiftieth N. Y. S. Vol. In- fantry mustered into the service of the United States October 11, 1862, and mustered out June 8, 1865 :--

Company D .- Frank Malory, First Lieutenant ; James B. Furvey, Second Lieutenant ; Richard Germond, Orderly Sergeant ; James Bell, Fourth Sergeant ; Wm. H. Riley, First Corporal ; Fred- erick Hopper, Third Corp'l; Hiram Wood, Seventh Co'p'l; Abr'm Schultz, Eighth Cor- poral ; John Goss, Musi- cian ; Henry Mackert, Ezra H. Crapser, Alva A. Cronk, Thomas Jones, Hiram Mc- Namee, John Mahan, Geo. Ralston, Levi Schultz, Sam'l Sherrat (?) Pri- vates.

Private Benj. S. Sherar was discharged for wounds and disability. Rich'd Cassidy and Martin Wicker were transferred to other regi- ments. Private James Todd died of disease while in ser - vice.

The 150th was at Baltimore till June 25th, 1863, and removed to Gettysburgh, July 4th. It was with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign, from Atlanta to Savannah, Raleigh and Washington.

As in most of the towns of the county, and we may say State, the records relating to volunteers and bounty money were negligently managed, so it is found to have been the case in this. They are imperfect, and do not give such facts as should have been recorded and which are becoming of more and deeper interest to the people each year, as time carries us on from that eventful period in the history of our country. As the records of the Revolu- tionary strug- gle are of great value to us, the great- grand-children of those pat- riots who per- formed their part, so the re- cords of the late Rebellion will be valued by our grand and great- grand-children in their on- coming time ; and it is indeed a blot upon our intelligence that we hand down to them such meagre records.

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The

OCUSTS DINSMORE PLACE, is one of the most charming of the many fine residences which line the banks of the Hudson, and contribute by their æsthetic surroundings to the attractiveness of a landscape, whose natural beauty has ever elicited the admiration of the tourist or traveler of cultivated tastes. In its delightful situation, the extent of its grounds, the number, magnitude and character of its build- ings, and the elegance of its varied attractions, we doubt if it is surpassed by any of the mag- nificent estates which adorn the banks of that noble and historic stream. All its appointments indicate not only a generous expenditure of means, but an intelligent application of them. They evince also the possession of great culture and refinement, and a high order of artistic skill employed to minister to their gratification.

It is located just above Staatsburgh, and comprises nearly a thousand acres, whose diversified surface admirably adapts it to ornate purposes. It has a river front of fully a half mile, while a portion of it extends back from the river fully three-fourths of a mile, and the remainder about half a mile. With the varied industries which it directly or indirectly sup- ports, it constitutes in itself a village of no mean pretensions ; and from the fine locust grove in the immediate vicinity of Mr. Dinsmore's summer residence, it has been called The Locusts.

The grounds surrounding the spacious mansion, which commands a charming view of the Hudson, and was built by Mr. Dinsmore in 1873, form a beautiful lawn of fifty to sixty acres. extending from the river to the Hudson River Railroad, which extends through the farm at a convenient distance from the river ; thus obviating an objection which obtains with many fine estates along its line. This spacious lawn is studded with forest trees and shrubbery, supplemental to the locusts and large black-walnut trees which were on the premises when purchased by Mr. Dinsmore ; while extensive and magnificent drives are laid out through these and the adjoining grounds. In summer the grounds are additionally beautified by extensive and exquisite floral displays, and a great profusion of bedding plants. In this is exhibited one of Mr. Dinsmore's most marked characteristics. His interest in horticulture, and especially floricul- ture, amount almost to a passionate fondness ; and it is safe to say that no private grounds in this State, if indeed in the country, present so extensive, rare and costly a collection of plants as his. His green- houses aggregate a thousand feet in length and vary in width from eighteen to thirty feet. The grapery occupies 140 feet in length ; the rest is devoted to flowering and bedding plants, vines, ferns, etc., and these are generally classified, a system which admits a more faithful treatment of the plants according to their natural habits, and promotes a more perfect development. Thus one department, 230 feet in length, is devoted to tea-roses ; 150 feet, to tropical plants, a department which is especially fine ; 50 feet, to orchids, a department embracing many rare and costly specimens ; while a very large space is devoted to bedding plants, which are a specialty. One department is filled with palms, another with crotons, another with ferns, mainly Adiantums, another with smilax, another with bouvardia and another with carnations. A separate house,, 20 by 35 feet, is devoted exclusively to cucumbers. These houses are heated with hot water, nine boilers and about 10,000 feet of pipe being used for that purpose.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 60

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