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 72
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present brick house, which, with the lime kiln prop- erty, was sold by Bowers' heirs to Milton Griffin, by whom it was sold to Mr. Tower, who demolish- ed the old lime kiln, which was in operation for many years. There were three kilns, all of which have been torn down. The adjacent quarry, which is owned by Mr. Tower, furnishes a good lime- stone, which is used as a flux in the furnaces in Poughkeepsie.
About 1812, Mr. Drake, in company with Sam_ uel Bogardus, built the dock and warehouse at the Lower landing. Both were then quite diminutive affairs, but have since been very much enlarged. Drake's store was in the north part of the hotel, now kept by Mr. Van Anden. In 1816, he erected directly opposite it for a store, the stone building now occupied by W. Millard & Son, for a sash and paint house. He was actively engaged in busi- ness here for twenty-five or thirty years, and resided here till his death.
Bogardus, Dearin & Co., did a mercantile and freighting business in the building now occupied by John Vermilyea. They were in business several years, contemporary the latter part of the time with Drake. They failed before 1818.
Peter Oakley, Monfort & Swards, and Millard & Mills (Walter Millard and Uri Mills, ) were early and prominent merchants. Oakley remained here several years. He removed to the vicinity of Hopewell and died there. Monfort & Swards did not stay long. They failed. Walter Millard was interested in the freighting and lumber business here till his death, since which time the property has been owned by his heirs, though the dock property-the Lower landing-has been rented to various parties. His son, William B. Millard, who was in company with his father at the time of his death, has since carried on the lumber business. Walter Millard was a native of Marlborough and removed thence to New Hamburgh in 1824. He was prominently identified with the business in- terests of the village till his death, in August, 1880. His heirs own a large portion of the productive property of the village.
John Bishop is the oldest merchant now doing business here. He was born about a mile north of Barnegat. His grandfather, Caleb Bishop, came here from Mount Pleasant, back of Sing Sing, soon after the close of the Revolutionary war, and set- tled on the river bank about a mile north of Barne- gat, where he was engaged in quarrying and burn- ing lime, an occupation which also employed his sons John, William, Conrad, Caleb, Joshua and
* Hough's Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1872, erroneously states the date of this accident to be the night of Feb. 5-6, 1871,
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TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
Gabriel. The homestead is still in the hands of the family, belonging to the heirs of his son Philip, whose widow is now living in Poughkeepsie, aged seventy-eight. The merchants now engaged in business here are: John Bishop, Marvin Van Anden, John Myers, Francis Myers, all doing a general mercantile business, and A. T. Williams, druggist.
Soon after Drake's store was opened here, as early as 1813, a postoffice was established and called Wappingers Creek,* a name which seems also to have been applied to the office at Wappin- gers Falls at a later date. We were advised, how- ever, by the best informed of the present inhabi- tants that the office was established some forty years ago, and that Walter Millard was the first postmaster, being succeded in the office by Samuel H. Jones, Francis Myers and William Ferris, the latter of whom is the present incumbent.
Spafford's Gazetteer of 1824, speaks of New Hamburgh as " busy little village," with "a hand- some collection of houses," a landing, and "an extensive store," which, he says, " has lately sprung up" at the mouth of Wappingers Creek. Gordon, writing in 1836, said it contained about twenty dwellings, on both sides of the creek, an extensive store, tavern and postoffice. The village suffered from a disastrous fire May 3, 1877, involving the loss of seven buildings, including Francis Myers' " large store," the Madison House, four dwellings and a barn, which were valued at nearly $40,000.
H. C. Millard & Co. are engaged in the manu- facture of Knight's patent cement pipes, drain pipes, chimney flues and stench traps, in which Rosendale cement is chiefly used. The business was established some thirteen years ago.
The village has neither lawyer nor physician. No lawyer ever settled here, nor a physician for any considerable period.
The M. E. Church of New Hamburgh was or- ganized about twenty-five or twenty-six years ago, a few weeks previous to its incorporation, by Rev. Alonzo F. Sellick, who was for two years the pastor of the church. Theodore Van Sicklen, Charles Griffin, Milton Griffin, John R. Vannosdall, John M. Brower, Peter Brower, James H. Lawson and John Brooks were prominent male members.
The church edifice was erected the same year as the organization, at a cost of $800, the subscrip- tions for the whole amount having been collected by John R. Vannosdall.
Mr. Sellick's successors in the pastorate have
been : Matthew Van Duzen, two years ; David B. Turner, two years ; John Luckey, two years ; - Osborn, two years ; - Gould, one year ; Daniel O. Ferris, two years ; Gilbert Townsend, one year ; Horace Wood, one year ; -- Ferris, father of Daniel O. Ferris, two years; Rev's. Morehouse and Bishop, each two years ; " Happy David" and - - Elgin, each one year ; Rev's. Hauxhurst, Sager and Lent, each two years, and Abraham Davis, the present pastor, who came upon the charge in the spring of 1881. He resides at Low Point, in the town of Wappinger, which is on the same charge as New Hamburgh. The present number of mem- bers is about thirty-five. The Sunday School was discontinued in 1880.
ROCHDALE.
Rochdale is a small manufacturing village, situ- ated in the northeast part of the town, on Wappin- gers Creek, distant five miles northeast of the court house, in Poughkeepsie, and about two and a half miles east from Pleasant Valley and Van Wagner's Station, both on the Poughkeepsie, Hart- ford & Boston Railroad. There is no postoffice and never has been. Mail is received from Poughkeepsie.
Rochdale was formerly known as Whippleville, from a family of that name who were interested in manufacturing enterprises here. Its present name was given by James Taylor,in honor of his native place, the great center of the co-operative indus- tries in England. It contains a district school, a woolen mill and a population of about 160, all of whom are families connected with the woolen mill. There is no church here, but religious services are held in the school house. Episcopal services are held once in two weeks by Rev. John Henry Nimms, who is stationed at Lithgow. He also preaches at Millbrook and Pleasant Valley. · Ministers of other denominations occasionally preach here.
The history of the place centers in its manufac- turing enterprises, more especially its cotton and woolen manufactures. The water-power at this point was used to propel a grist mill at an early day, probably about the beginning of the present century. This old mill was converted into a cot- ton factory by Messrs. Taylor & Forbus, the latter of whom has been dead for many years. James Taylor, the senior partner, was born in Rochdale, England, in 1798, and in early life was engaged in business in Poughkeepsie. In company with Mr. Forbus he carried on an extensive busi- ness at Rochdale, where he died April 14, 1877.
* Spafford's Gazetteer of New York, 1813, 276, and 1824, 425.
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
About 1850, Messrs. Taylor & Forbus were en- gaged in litigation, during which time the property at Rochdale lay idle. About 1854, John Goff rented it, and run the mill for three years, when it again lay idle for six years. In 1863, Elias Titus bought the property, in company with his sons, Robert, Richard and Henry, and the business has since been conducted under the name of Elias Ti- tus & Sons. The Messrs. Titus found the dams in a dilapidated condition, and rebuilt them. They are upon both arms of the stream, which is here divided by an island of three or four acres. One is of stone, about sixteen feet in height ; the other of wood, about five and one-half feet. The build- ings were then in pretty good repair, and to these an addition forty-five by fifty feet was made by the Messrs. Titus about 1867. The original grist- mill now forms the rear portion of the present mill. The first addition was made to the north end of that building ; the second one, in the form of an L, to the west end. The Messrs. Titus changed it from a cotton to a woolen mill when they first took possession. They commenced with two sets of machinery, which have since been increased to four. About sixty-five persons find employment in this mill, nearly half of whom are females, and about a thousand yards of white flan- nel are made per day.
Elias Titus was a native of the town of Wash- ington, in this county, and a son of John Titus, a blacksmith, who lost his property during the Revo- lution, but pursued his trade at Washington Hol- low, where he also established the woolen business, which he continued in a building now used as a saw- mill, till his death. About 1830, Elias removed to La Grange, where he and his brothers established the woolen business on the east side of Wappingers Creek, about five miles below Rochdale, which lo- cality has acquired from this family the name of Titusville. He afterwards carried on the business alone for many years, but was latterly associated for some ten years with his brother-in-law, Cyrus Sweet, (who died in Poughkeepsie at an advanced age,) and subsequently with his sons Robert, Rich- ard and Henry, who now constitute the firm which operates the factories both at Rochdale and Titus- ville, and with which he (Elias,) was connected till his death. He died at Titusville, July 8, 1880, in his 76th year. The Titusville factory contains four sets of woolen machinery, and gives employment to about forty persons ; but the finishing for the pro- duct of this factory is done at the Rochdale Woolen Mills, while previous to the increased facilities at
Rochdale, the finishing for that factory was done at Titusville.
MANCHESTER.
Manchester, named from Manchester, England, is situated about three miles south-east of Pough- keepsie, on Wappingers Creek, which, while every- where a picturesque stream, is, says Lossing, at no point more lovely than along this plain. The place, though never of overshadowing importance, was of far more consequence at an earlier period than at present, having been the seat of a respect- able manufacturing industry. It now contains a district school, an Episcopal chapel, (not now in use,) fifteen dwellings, and a postoffice named Manchester Bridge. There has been a postoffice here for a great many years, though it has lapsed at intervals for short periods. David S. Halstead, the present postmaster, has held the office for a number of years. On the east side of the creek is a small grist-mill and blacksmith shop, the latter kept by Isaac Wolever. The former, known as the Manchester Mills, of which Richard Kinworthy is proprietor, contains two runs of stones, which are propelled by a small stream which empties into Wappingers Creek at this point, and has a fall of twelve feet.
EAST POUGHKEEPSIE.
East Poughkeepsie consists of a few stores, two taverns, and a meat market just east of the limits of the City of Poughkeepsie, and two brick-yards, the only remaining representatives in the town of an industry once of greater importance than at present. The Bull's Head, a somewhat noted hostlery at this place, has been kept for the last eight years by H. H. Owen. It has been a tavern stand for a great many years. The other tavern is known as Ballard's Hotel, and is kept by Caleb Ballard.
The two brick-yards are designated by the names of their proprietors, Flagler & Wing and Rose. The former was established thirty-four years ago by Charles Vassar, who carried on the business for something like a dozen years. His successors have been Herman Ferguson, Abel Adams, Bedell, Flagler & Wing, the latter of whom, the present proprietors, have carried on the busi- ness some fourteen years. In this yard eighteen to twenty persons are employed and seventeen thousand brick made per day. Rose's brick-yard was started in the spring of 1881, by H. R. Rose, who had previously carried on the business on the
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TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
Davies farm twelve or thirteen years. Some twelve persons are here employed and about fifteen thousand brick made per day.
CLINTON POINT.
Clinton Point, formerly known as Barnegat, is situated on the Hudson River railroad, about five miles south of Poughkeepsie, and was once famous for the quantity and quality of the limestone quar- ried and burned in its vicinity, but is now deserted and gone to decay. The business of quarrying and burning lime at this place was commenced about the beginning of the present century, and continued till within some six years, since which time no lime has been burned there. There were at one time as many as ten kilns in operation here,* and a very extensive business was done, lime being shipped in large quantities during the latter part of the time to New Jersey for use as a fertilizer. There was formerly a postoffice here, but it was discon- tinued about a year ago. George Platt was the last postmaster.
MILTON FERRY.
Milton Ferry is a station on the Hudson River railroad about four miles (3.89) south of Pough- keepsie and opposite Milton, in Ulster county. Whitney & Sons, formerly had a berry-box manu- factory at this place, but it. was burned June 2, 1876, and the material saved from destruction was immediately removed to Marlborough, where they resumed business. The factory was an old struc- ture and at the time of its destruction was giving employment to thirty-six persons.
VAN WAGNER'S.
Van Wagner's is a station on the Poughkeepsie, Hartford & Boston Railroad, midway between Poughkeepsie and Pleasant Valley. It derives its name from Egbert Van Wagner, who owns nearly all the property thereabouts, and gave the railroad company the right of way through his lands, a dis- tance of nearly three-fourths of a mile, in consid- eration of their locating a station at that point.
LOCUST GROVE.
Locust Grove, two miles below Poughkeepsie, was the residence of the late Prof. Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the electric telegraph, and is still the home of his family. Prof. Morse died April 2, 1872, aged eighty years.
The old residence of Gov. George Clinton, six miles south of Poughkeepsie, was standing till within the last year or two. It was burned down, and has not been rebuilt. The premises are now owned by a person in New York City.
TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
We cannot, in the space allotted us, hope to give more than the legislative action of the town, and in a condensed form, its results, during this eventful period ; but this, perhaps, sufficiently re- flects that unwritten history which is, in a measure, indicated in the general history of the country.
The first recorded public action was on the 3d of September, 1862, when an application was made for a special town meeting to provide means for paying a bounty to volunteers who had enlisted since July 2d of that year, or who should thereafter enlist to fill up the town's quota, and thus relieve it from a draft.
The meeting was held at the house of Caleb Ballard, Sept. 13, 186 2, and presided over by the Board of Town Officers : Anthony D. Woolsey, Supervisor ; Thomas W. Jaycox, George L. Den- nis and Henry Burroughs, Assessors ; and Samuel Matthews, Town Clerk. Wm. S. Johnston, Stephen Baker, Walter Millard, Samuel Brown and Samuel Matthews were appointed to prepare resolutions for the consideration of the meeting. The resolu- tions so reported, were, after some emendations, adopted. They provide,
"That a bounty of $100 be paid to all volunteers who have enlisted prior to the 6th day of Septem- ber, 1862, and that a bounty of $150 be paid to all volunteers who have enlisted or may hereafter enlist from and after the 6th day of September, 1862, to fill up the quota of said town under the calls of July 2, 1862, and 5th of August, 1862, and that the sum necessary to pay said bounties be levied and assessed upon the taxable property of said town in the same manner as ordinary town or county taxes are assessed, levied and collected."
The money thus raised was paid out in the fol- lowing manner :-
To members of the 150th Regiment :- -
Wm. M. Stilwell. $150.00
Adna H. Jones 150.00
John Cass. . 150.00
Ambrose D. Albertson . 150.00
Edmund I. Van Wagner 150.00
James W. Myers 150.00
James Van Nosdall 150.00
Josiah Budd . 150.00
Robert Wright 150.00
John Grude . - 50.00
* Gordon says that in 1836 there were some twenty kilns.
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
Joseph Moore $150.00
Thomas Newman. 150.00
Robert Birth .. 150.00
Peter Shook . 150.00
George C. Washburn 150.00
Wm. Kniffin. 150.00
Briggs E. Smith 150.00
Rauson E. Bennett 150.00
John H. Smith. 150.00
John Ward. 150.00
John Collin .
150.00
Daniel S. Dubois
150.00
James Welch
150.00
Total.
$3,450.00
To members of the 167th Regiment :
James R. Lee, Sr $150.00
James R. Lee, 150.00
Jordan N: Lee 150.00
Wm. Brown 150.00
Henry Smith. 150.00
Charles Dutcher 150.00
John Williams. 150.00
Richard Tessell 150.00
George Storm .
75.00
Total $1,275.00
To members of the 5th N. Y. V.(Corcoran Legion :)-
Edward Flynn $100.00
Peter Finerty 100.00
John Brady . 100.00
John Murphy, No. I. 100.00
Thomas Slowey 100.00
James Clark 100.00
J. W. Randall 100.00
Henry Can . 100.00
John Murphy, 2d 100.00
James Graham 100.00
John Roach
100.00
Total .$1, 100.00
To members of the 4th N. Y. Cavalry : - David Klein $100.00
Andrew Patterson. 100.00
Robert Williams 100.00
Augustus Stolle 60.00
John Emling. 60.00
Wm. Barney
60.00
Louis Muller. 60.00 Charles Mainer 60.00 Charles Fisher 60.00
Henrie Huther 60.00
Herman Jones.
60.00
F. W. Endman
60.00
Benedict Abend 60.00
Henry Conlan
60.00
Christian Schouten 60.00
Frederick Mye 60.00
Silas B. Adams 60.00
Thomas Healy 60.00
Total
$ 1,200
To members of the 168th N. Y. Vols :-
Charles H. Scott. $75.00
Barnard Mclaughlin . 75.00
Wm. Upright 75.00
Charles McCormack 75.00
Albert Mansfield .. 75.00
Robert McBarney 75.00
John B. Phillips. 75.00
Cromaline Diamond. 75.00
Total
$600.00
The total amount paid to volunteers to Feb. 26, 1863, was $7,625.
The following named persons enlisted prior to Sept. 6, 1862, were applied on the quota of the town under the call of July 2, 1862, and were en- titled to the $100 bounty, as per resolution of Sept. 13, 1862 : Charles W. Brower, George W. Brower, Alonzo Barrett, J. W. C. Blauvelt, J. C. Burhans, William Partington, William Conlan, Edward S. Drury, I. B. Hielman, Silas Partington, Thomas Jones, Andrew Jackson, Leonard Lawson, Solomon Lawson, A. W. Myers, James Mowris, James H. Underdunk, Isaac E. Pye, George H. Pollock .*
At a special town meeting held at the house of William J. Bishop, on Monday, August 1, 1864, it was unanimously resolved that a bounty of $600 be paid to each volunteer credited on the quota of the town under the call of July 18, 1864, for five hundred thousand men ; that the disbursing com- mittee have discretionary power to pay such sum in excess of $600 as in their judgment was neces- sary to secure the volunteers and fill the quota of the town ; " that any person who shall have pro- cured at his own expense, in anticipation of the action of this meeting, or any person who may hereafter so procure, a substitute, [who] is or shall be credited on the quota of the town under the above call, shall be entitled to receive from the dis- bursing committee a sum equal to the average of the aggregate amount paid for volunteers."
Following are the names of the seventy-four men to whom the bounty was paid :---
H. C. Herring, Diebold Marching,
Thomas Duffy,
Samuel Williams,
Charles Wolcott,
John Pigeon,
Andrew Decker,
Charles Dudley,
William Murphy,
James P. Quigley,
Louis Mills,
George Snyder,
Theodore Mosher,
Joseph Hanan,
Charles Kent,
Robert Ferdon, Jr.,
* Nov. 10, 1864, Samuel Speedling, Horton Van Nosdall, Edward Van Nosdall and Theodore Simpson appeared before the board of town auditors and claimed $100 bounty under the resolution of Sept. 13, 1862. It was found to be due and was paid to the former three.
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE INNIS, ESQ., POUGHKEEPSIE.
A
13
T
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CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
Henry Wilson,
Patrick Hughes,
James L. France,
Stephen H. Warner,
James Tierney,
Christian W. Frederick, James Johnston,
James De Lancy, Charles Weaver, George Walston, John Smith,
Patrick H. Griffin, William O'Riley, Alex. Deven, Francis Myers,
Hiram Halsted,
George Stockhein,
John Moore,
Robert T. Gill,
Michael McDonald,
John F. Halstead, Augustus Doughty, Charles I. Howell, Galen Overacker, Tunis Conklin,
Charles Martin, James Reves, E. J. Millard, John Ring, Wm. B. Millard, R. D. Harris,
Wm. S. Johnston,
Wm. B. Nixon,
Thomas Parish,
J. P. Rhyne,
Wm. Thompson,
Clarkson Underhill,
Michael Downing,
Daniel Dauson, D. B. Harris, Philip Collins,
George L. Dennis, P. B. Underhill, Silas DeGarmo, Reuben Townsend,
D. T. Barnes,
Walter VanAmburgh, John Ritter,
James Simmonds,
Alonzo B. Velie,
Andrew J. Gilbert,
Patrick Grogan,
Robert Johnson,
Sylvester Perkins,
Wm. Paulding.
The town of Poughkeepsie furnished during the war 338 men, 48 of whom belonged to the naval service. 230 enlisted for three years, and 38 for one year ; the period of service of the remaining 70 is not indicated. The number enlisted in the town and city of Poughkeepsie was 82. The rest, where indicated, were, with one exception, enlisted in New York. Only nine, it appears, were natives of the town. A town bounty of $150 was paid to sixty ; of $100 to fourteen ; of $60 to fifteen ; of $75 to eight ; of $300 to three ; of $200 to three. A county bounty of $600 was paid to four; of $540 to one ; of $500 to three ; of $525 to one ; of $425 to one ; of $415 to two; of $400 to three ; of $350 to four ; of $312.50 to three ; of $300 to eighty-six ; of $250 to one; of $200 to one; of $150 to two. They were distributed through va- rious organizations and branches of the service, as follows : Twelve in the 5th, one in the 7th, one in the 8th, three in the 20th, one in the 43d, three in the 45th, two in the 52d, one in the 58th, one in the 69th, three in the 80th, four in the 91st, six in the 98th, one in the 99th, two in the 106th, one in the 127th, four in the 128th, fifty-nine in the 150th, seven in the 156th, five in the 159th, nine in the 167th, eight in the 168th, and eight in the 192d in- fantry regiments ; two in the Ist, seven in the 20th, and two in the 3Ist U. S. C. T .; eighteen in the 4th, three in the 5th, one in the 6th, five in the
12th, one in the 15th, three in the 18th, three in the 2 Ist, and one in the 28th cavalry regiments ; two in the Ist, four in the 2d, (heavy,) one in the 4th, three in the 5th, one in the 7th, six in the 8th, one in the 15th, and thirty-four in the 16th (heavy) artillery ; and one in the V. R. C.
CHAPTER XXX.
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.
POUGHKEEPSIE CITY-ITS DELIGHTFUL AND ELIGI- BLE SITUATION-FIRST SETTLEMENT-THE VAN KLEECK HOUSE-ITS HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS -POUGHKEEPSIE IN 1799-TAX LISTS OF 1805, 1849 AND 1880 COMPARED -- POUGHKEEPSIE IN 1812 AND 1824-LAFAYETTE'S VISIT-POUGH- KEEPSIE AS SEEN THROUGH GORDON'S EYES IN 1836 -THE "IMPROVEMENT PARTY" - POUGHKEEPSIE IN 1841 -DISTURNELL'S DE- SCRIPTION OF POUGHKEEPSIE IN 1842-ELEC- TRIC TELEGRAPH FIRST INTRODUCED INTO POUGHKEEPSIE-POPULATION OF POUGHKEEPSIE AT DIFFERENT PERIODS-VILLAGE AND CITY OFFICERS FROM THE DATE OF INCORPORATION.
P OUGHKEEPSIE is one of the most beauti- ful and attractive cities in the State, and one of the most delightful of the many charming localities in the valley of the Hudson with its va- ried associations, its mountains of wondrous gran- deur, its fruitful plains, and vales of rare scenic beauty. In varied natural scenery it is scarcely surpassed by any ; while for wealth, culture, refine- ment -all those qualities which adorn a noble life -it is the peer of all.
It is located on the steep slopes of the rolling hills which form the east bank of the Hudson, and, mainly, on the elevated table-land above, the greatest average elevation of which is 202 feet above high water in the river. It lies nearly midway be- tween Albany, the capital of the State, and New York, the commercial metropolis of the United States ; and enjoys an unrivalled land and water transportation. Some of its streets have the fault of most old Dutch towns, in being crooked and contracted, but its more modern streets are regular and spacious. The principal ones are kept scrupulously clean, and nearly all are profusely shaded with handsome trees, so that the city, when viewed from the river or a distant eminence, pre- sents in spring, a mass of foliage from which only
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Adelbert N. Burtis, John Williamson, Barney Tierney,
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