History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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 74

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* Ibid ; Local Reminiscences in The Sunday Courier of June 22, 1873 ; Clarkson's Clermont or Livingston Manor, 155.

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establishments fitted up with turning lathes, a sash factory and a planing mill.

This was a period of great activity in the devel- opment of Poughkeepsie's enterprises, and the vil- lage is said by Gordon to have increased neariy one hundred per cent. during the last preceding six years. The population in 1836, as we learn from the Poughkeepsie Eagle of Jan. 6, 1866, was be- tween 7,000 and 8,000. There were, says that paper, seventy-nine streets, thirty-eight of which were opened in that year, four reading rooms, four newspaper offices, nine places of worship, five en- gine houses and three schools.

The great impetus given to the development of the village at this period was due to what is known as the "Improvement Party," which was composed of such men as Paraclete Potter, George P. Oak- ley, Nathaniel P. Tallmadge, Walter Cunningham and Gideon P. Hewett. With the help of John Delafield, of New York, and other enterprising men, they projected and accomplished great things for the village. They cleared the forest from Col- lege Hill, gave the eminence that name, and erected upon its summit an imposing edifice for educational purposes, seventy-seven by one hundred and thirty-seven feet. They laid out and planted Mansion Square. They caused to be surveyed, mapped and named, at an expenditure of more than $100,000, twenty-six new streets north of the Fallkill, and half as many south of Montgomery street, on the farm of Bronson French, all of which appear on a map of Poughkeepsie, made in 1836, by Henry Whinfield, an English civil engi- neer, then in the employ of the "Improvement Party." They organized and put into operation a whaling company, of which the late Capt. Barnard was the managing agent; built the large wharf known as the " Whale Dock"; constructed the fine barque N. P. Tallmadge for the whaling service, and sent several ships to sea. Upon the Parker and Williams estates north of the Fallkill and east of the old Albany post-road, now North Ave- nue, they laid out lines of streets and gave them the following names: William, Green, Star, Willow, Morton and Falls, running parallel with North street. At right angles with that street were : First, Second, Third, Fourth, Hamilton and Clin- ton, the northerly extension of the latter from North street being the present Buckingham Ave- nue. East of Clinton street and south of College Hill, were Oakley, Emott, Cottage, Mansion and Thompson streets, all terminating at Smith street.

Other improvements made during the five years

from 1831, were the construction of a reservoir, with pipes, &c., to supply the village with water for fire purposes, at a cost of over $25,000 ; one thou- sand feet of dock and bulkhead, including the new ship yard and dock of the whaling companies, which alone had a water frontage of four hundred and fifty feet ; a new brick brewery nearly two hundred feet long ; a silk factory of brick, thirty- six by one hundred feet, four stories high ; a new market and village hall, at a cost of $20,000 ; two Episcopal churches; a new Baptist church on the site of the old one; a Catholic church ; a second Presbyterian church; a large coach factory; a young ladies' seminary of large dimensions; two elegant banking houses; a new postoffice and range of offices attached; a splendid mansion house opposite the park, which was highly orna- mented and stocked with deer; about forty fash- ionable modern dwellings, mostly of brick, in the immediate vicinity of the new park. During the latter years upwards of one hundred and sixty dwellings were built. Property had risen greatly in value, and in 1835, there was not a single unoc- cupied tenement in the village.

In 1841, Poughkeepsie had seventy-nine streets and one thousand and fifty-five dwelling houses, ex- clusive of other buildings, thirty of which were erect- ed within the year, mostly fine brick or frame buildings. There were twenty-five dry goods, fifty- one grocery, four drug, and two crockery stores, fourteen shoe stores and shops, six hat stores, ten public houses, twelve victualing rooms, ten milli- nery, three hardware, five stove and tin, two glove, five watch and jewelry, two confectionery, and two book stores, twelve tailoring establishments, two chair ware-rooms, one book bindery, nine markets, (two of them public,) five saddle and harness, nine carriage and wagon, ten blacksmith, three paint, three machine, two turning, two toy, and five bar- ber shops, three furnaces, two brass foundries, two gun factories, four . grist, two saw, and one dye- wood mill, three plow factories, two leather stores, two tanneries, three tobacco and cigar factories, three malt houses, two breweries, three livery sta- bles, four coal, six lumber, two marble, and two ship yards, three freighting companies, three print- ing offices, issuing five papers, ( Telegraph, Eagle, Journal, Casket and Thomsonian,) five bakeries, two carpet and two lock factories, one rope walk, two woodware and four cooper shops, three pump factories, two brick yards, two soap and candle factories, one sperm candle and oil factory, three sash and blind factories, two frame making establish-

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

ments, one morocco establishment, one paper hanging establishment, two potteries, one comb, one pin, one paste blacking, one umbrella and one band-box factories.

There were four banks, (Duchess County, Farmers' and Manufacturers', Poughkeepsie and Poughkeepsie Savings Bank,) with an aggregate capital of $1,050,000. The other incorporated com- panies were the Poughkeepsie Silk Co., the Duchess Whaling Co., the Duchess Mutual Insurance Co., and the Duchess Guards. There were twelve churches, (Baptist, Congregational, two Episcopal, two Friends, two Methodist Episcopal, one Presby- terian, one Reformed Dutch, one Roman Catholic, and one Zion Methodist-colored,) a collegiate school, the Duchess Academy, a Lancasterian school, five female seminaries, a male boarding school, a high school, and eighteen other schools, a lyceum and reading room with a cabinet and stated lectures, three other reading rooms, a circulating library, thirty-two lawyers, sixteen physicians, (three Thomsonian,) three dentists, and a population in 1840 of seven thousand seven hundred and ten .*

Disturnell, in 1842, speaks of an incorporated company for the manufacture of locomotive engines and railroad machinery, which had then erected " large buildings, not surpassed by any in the State." The Duchess Whaling Co., then owned five ships engaged in the whaling trade. One of the two brew- eries is described as being "very extensive, per- haps the largest in the State, being capable of making 30,000 barrels of beer annually." Three plaster-mills had been added to its manufacturing industries ; and at its three brick yards were " manufactured the finest kind of brick in large quantities." In addition to its whale ships, three steamboats, three freight barges and eight sloops were engaged in transporting produce and mer- chandise to and from New York and other places on the river. "No place on the Hudson," adds Disturnell, " exceeds this village for beauty of loca- tion, and preëminence in refinement and wealth of its inhabitants ; surrounded as it is by one of the richest agricultural districts in the Union, it may justly be ranked as the queen of villages in the Empire State." In 1843 its schools became free.

The year 1846 marks an epoch in the history of the village, for on the 19th of October in that year, the magnetic telegraph was introduced into Pough- keepsie, at an earlier period than in New York city.

The office was located over the postoffice in Gar- den street, and a Mr. Curtiss was the operator .*

In 1850, Messrs. Mather and Brockettt name carpets, cutlery and firearms as principal articles among its varied manufactures. The product of its brick-yards was large in quantity and superior in quality. Its population was then about 9,000. Four years later (March 28, 1854,) the village was incorporated as a city ; and the following year, (1855,) its population was increased to 12,763. In 1860, its population had increased to 14,726 ; its churches, to eighteen in number. It had five banks, and its principal manufactures, consisting of pig iron, carriages, carpets, pins, chairs, drugs, files, sewing silk and ale, required a capital of something like a million of dollars, and employed 625 men .¿ In 1872, the number of its banks had increased to seven, and their capital to $1,585,000. It had three daily and three weekly newspapers. A street railroad connected its two depots, the one in the western, and the other in the northeastern part of the city. An iron bridge of fifty feet span had been erected over the Fallkill, whose tortuous channel through the city, proving a cause of sick- ness, had been straightened and certain of its dams and ponds removed. Its excellent water-works were then in process of construction. Its popula- tion which, in the meantime, had increased to 16,- 699 in 1865, and 20,080 in 1870, has since re- mained almost stationary, decreasing in 1875 to 20,022, and again increasing in 1880 to 20,207.

An incident of historic interest transpired in the city in 1880, in the removal of the remains of the Irish patriot, Neilson, who suffered imprisonment, exile, poverty and death, in consequence of his de- votion to civil and religious liberty. The plain slab which marked his grave in the Episcopal ceme- tery in Poughkeepsie, where he had so long lain, bore the following inscription :-

SAMUEL NEILSON. A native of Belfast, in Ireland, and Editor of the Northern Star, WHO DIED AUGUST 29, 1803. If the memory of a man who discharged all the duties of his station in life as a father, husband and persecuted patriot, claims a tear, here the tribute is due.

In the presence of five of his descendants-his only surviving daughter, Mrs. McAdam, of Yonkers, N. Y., and her four daughters-and a large con- course of ladies and gentlemen, his remains, which

* The Sunday Courier, of Poughkeepsie, August 3, 1873.

* Poughkeepsie Weekly Eagle, April 8, 1876.

t Geographical History of the State of New York, 190.

# French's Gazetteer of New York, 274, 275.

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"WOOD-CLIFF"-RESIDENCE OF JOHN F. WINSLOW, ESQ., POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y.

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CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.

were converted to dust, were carefully gathered, inclosed in an urn, and conveyed, under the escort of a procession, to the Rural cemetery, where they were re-interred with appropriate ceremonies.

Poughkeepsie was incorporated as a village March 27, 1799 ;* and as a city, March 27, 1854. As a city it originally comprised four wards, but in 1865, the number was increased to six. Unfortunate- ly the earlier records of the village, like those of the town of Poughkeepsie, are either lost, or have not been preserved ; but we are able to give the names of most of the village presidents, and the principal city officers from the time of the incorporation :-

VILLAGE PRESIDENTS.

1799. James S. Smith.

1801. Gilbert Livingston.

1803. Andrew Billings.

1804. Thomas Nelson.

1805-'6.

William Emott.

1807-'8. James Tallmadge, Jr.

1809.

John Brush.

1810. David Carpenter.

18[I-'12. William Emott.

1813. George Bloom.

1814. Reuben B. Rudd.

1815. Gilbert Ketcham.

1816. Clapp Raymond.

1817. Thomas Brownjohn.

1818, '20. Benjamin Forbus.

1819. Samuel Pine.

1821. William Plummer.

1822. Richard Draper.

823. Thomas L. Davies.

1824. Solomon V. Frost.

1825. Oliver Holden.

1826. John S. Myers.

1827. Nathaniel P. Tallmadge.

1828-'29. Stephen Cleveland.

1830. Walter Cunningham.

1831-'32. Henry Conklin.

1833. George P. Oakley.

1834. Alexander Forbus.

1835. Matthew Vassar.

1836-'8.

Jacob Van Benthuysen.

1839-'40. Gideon P. Hewitt.

184I. Gilbert Wilkinson.

1842-'3. Hubert Van Wagenen.

1844, '51. John M. Cable.

1845-'6. Matthew J. Myers.

1847-'8.

Adam Henderson.

1849.

Samuel B. Johnston.

1850. George B. Adriance.

1852.

George Innis.

1852. E. Q. Eldridge.

1853-'4. Jacob De Groff.

The first city officers, from April 17, 1854, to March 12, 1855, were: Mayor, James Emnott ;

Aldermen-Ist ward, Benjamin B. Reynolds, Wm. H. Tallmadge ; 2d ward, James T. Hill, James H. Seaman ; 3d ward, Henry S. Martin, Wm. A. Fan- ning ; 4th ward, Lewis F. Street, Henry D. Varick ; Chamberlain, Robert N. Palmer.

The following have filled the offices of Mayor and Chamberlain since the incorporation of the city :-

Mayors. Chamberlains.

1854-'5. James Emmot, Robert N. Palmer.

1855. H. D. Varick, do do

1856-'7. Geo. Wilkinson, do do

1858. Chas. W. Swift, do do

1859-'60. do do Robert E. Taylor.

1861-'2. James Bowne, do do

1863-'4. George Innis, do do

1865-'6. do do Joseph G. Frost.

1867-'8. do do Frederick W. Pugsley.

1869-'70. George Morgan, W. Morgan Lee. 1871-'3. H. G. Eastman, do do

1874. do do Joseph G. Frost.

1875-'6. J. B. Carpenter, George H. Williams.

1877-'8. H.G. Eastman,* Lewis Baker.

1879-'80. William Harloe, do do

1881. Ezra White, Sherman H. LeRoy.

CHAPTER XXXI.

POUGHKEEPSIE'S MERCANTILE INTERESTS.

T HE mercantile and commercial interests of Poughkeepsie have, during the present century, been of considerable magnitude and importance. Previous to the construction of railroads, although its population was small, it was the natural center of business for a large extent of country ; and since that epoch, though its mercantile business has been restricted very nearly to the natural demands of its own citizens and the country immediately contig- uous, the large and rapid increase in its population has maintained the volume of trade.

The earliest merchants of whom we have seen any mention, were Timothy Low and Henry Fil- kins, both of whom were engaged in business here as early as 1735. Filkins was Sheriff of the county from 1743 to 1748, and represented it in the Colo- nial Assembly from 1752 to 1758. John I. Van Kleeck was trading here in 1773; and Beekman Livingston and Archibald Stewart, during the Rev- olutionary period. Each of the latter two kept a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, drugs and hardware. Livingston's store was located on the corner of Market and Cannon streets, on the

* Many authors among them Mr. Lossing, erroneously state the date of the village incorporation to be 1801.

* Died in Denver, Col., July 13, 1878.

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

Park House site, and Stewart's, adjoining the Dutch Reformed church, which occupied the site of the Poughkeepsie Hotel. Stewart soon after removed to New Jersey, and, notwithstanding his loyalist proclivities here, was a delegate from that State to the Continental Congress in 1784 and 1785, to fill a temporary vacancy.

John S. Freer, a descendent of the Freer family, who were among the first settlers in this vicinity, was engaged in mercantile business here about the beginning of the century, and continued till about 1828. His store was two or three doors west of Bowne's carpet store, on the site of the building which was occupied for a number of years by the Eagle office, and subsequently in that building, which was erected by him about 1820. He was a single man, and resided here till his death, which occurred several years after he closed out his busi- ness.

Within the first decade of the present century fully a score of persons were engaged in mercantile business here. Andrew J. Billings, who was then quite a celebrated man, was located here in 1797. He was the first watchmaker and jeweller in Poughkeepsie. Elijah Morgan came to Pough- keepsie in that year and served an apprenticeship with Billings. Mr. Morgan was a native of West- chester county, whence his father of the same name removed to and settled in East Fishkill about the close of the Revolutionary war, becoming by his intelligent industry, one of the first farmers in that town. The younger Morgan commenced busi- ness as a jeweller on his own account about 1805, in a building which stood on the south-east corner of Main and Liberty streets ; continuing till 1855, within two years of his death, which occurred April 27, 1857, at the age of seventy-four years. His son, William S. Morgan, was associated with him in 1835 and '36. The latter year, May 12th, Pough- keepsie was visited by a fire, the most disastrous it has suffered before or since. Some fifteen stores, mostly wooden buildings, were destroyed. They extended from the old Eagle building, (312 and 314 Main street,) to near Academy street, a block of wooden buildings then occupying the corner of Main and Academy streets, but since torn down, escaping the fire. The block which escaped the fire was the property of Leonard Davis, one of the pioneer merchants, and the buildings which have been erected on its site are still owned by his heirs.

In 1836, William S. Morgan cominenced the erection, on the site of the smouldering ruins, of the store 322 Main street, now occupied by Hiram

S. Wiltsie. This step was taken by Mr. Morgan against the advice of his friends, who predicted that he would never do any business there, as the business of the. village then lay mostly towards the river; but, singularly, that store is now . the very center of the business part of the city. In April, 1837, Mr. Morgan opened the store, commencing business on his own account. He continued to oc- cupy it till April, 1881, when he sold to William B. Carpenter, who rents to Mr. Wiltsie, the pres- ent occupant. Mr. Morgan at the close of a very active and successful business career, is living in retirement in Poughkeepsie, enjoying the respect and confidence of his associates in business and the citizens generally.

Charles and William Livingston purchased of Peter R. Mason the land east of Mr. Morgan's store, to the Davis block, the eastern limits of the fire, and erected at the same time the building oc- cupying that site, but subsequently sold the stores to other parties. West of Mr. Morgan's store, in the fire district, other stores were built by Jacob Rowe, William Frost and Capt. William Broas, the latter adjoining the Eagle office, while a fourth party built the store now occupied by John W. Candee, with dry goods. These buildings, cover- ing the entire district ravaged by the fire, were erected at the same time, and patterned after a then famous block in Philadelphia, the distinguishing characteristics being circular windows and hollow iron columns. These peculiarities presented a novel and attractive appearance but have since given way to the flat windows now in vogue.

Joseph and Caleb Morgan, brothers of Elijah, were contemporary with him, and occupied a store opposite on the west corner of Main and Liberty streets. They dissolved May 5, 1818. Joseph died many years ago, but Caleb survived and resided here till a recent period.

Thomas W. Tallmadge came here from Connec- ticut about 1805 and was an extensive dealer in stoves till about 1840. He was a highly respected citizen and successful merchant. For twenty-three years he was President of the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank, retaining that position till his death, August IT, 1856, at the age of seventy-five years. His widow survived him till about a year since, and died here aged over ninety years.

Jesse Oakley & Son as appears from the Political Barometer of July 1, 1806,* "were among the heavy merchants of this place " at that time. " They kept dry goods, groceries, cloth and kersey-

* From the Poughkeepsie Eagle, August 12, 1876.

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CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE.

meres, wines, Jamaica spirits, tea, puffs and tippets, pickled cod, dye-woods, etc. John Field was also a prominent merchant, and David Brooks and Benjamin Munger. *

* Elisha Brown carried on the sole-leather and hide business and slaughtered cattle. * * * Samuel Myers was a repacker of pork and beef, as was also Thomas Bayeux. Nathan Myers kept a dry goods and grocery store, and an iron mongery. Charles H. Dunscombe kept a dry goods and gro- cery store. James Trivett kept dry goods, grocer- ies and shoes. All took produce in payment for goods. John Everett was also a dealer in dry goods, groceries, hardware and crockery. Hayt & Fuller kept glass, oil and paints. * * *

Van Kleeck & Mannery were dealers in dye-wood, cam-wood, copperas and press-papers. David Gladd kept a grocery. Peter R. Maison kept a dry goods store and sold 'women's straw hats, feath- ers and plumes.' Valentine Baker kept a dry goods store in Market street. G. H. Cunningham kept a seed store. George Parker advertised 'Par- ker's Mills' flour, plaster, wheat, etc."

Jesse Oakley was a Member of Assembly from this county, from 1794 to 1797. John Field was a Deputy to the Provincial Congress from Duchess in 1776. David Brooks was born in 1736 ; enter- ed the army in 1776, as a Lieutenant in the Penn- sylvania line ; was captured at Fort Washington, and remained a prisoner for two years. Upon being exchanged he was appointed Assistant Clothier-General at headquarters-an office of re- sponsibility, which he so filled as to secure the friendship of Washington. After the close of the war he removed to New York and subsequently to this county, both of which he represented in the Assembly, the former in 1788, and the latter from 1794 to 1796, and again in 1810. He was a Rep- resentative in Congress from 1797 to 1799; County Judge of this county from 1795 to 1807; and was appointed Clerk of this county June 5, 1807; again Feb. 9, 1810; and again Feb. 23, 1813. He was one of the Commissioners who made the first treaty with the Seneca Indians, on the site of the city of Utica. He died at his home, where he was universally esteemed, in August, 1838 .* Elisha Brown represented Putnam County in the Assembly in 1820 and '2 1.

Paraclete Potter, who was a native of this coun- ty, established himself in business here as publisher and book-seller in 1806. He was likewise, a jour- nalist, publishing the Poughkeepsie Journal. He

was an exemplary journalist ; for "with talent and taste combined rare judgment and candor and the most unswerving morality." He once asserted that he "never as a rule admitted into the Journal a paragraph that he would be ashamed to read to [his] wife and daughters." His store was located next to the corner of Main and Garden streets, and was afterward known as Wilson's book store. It was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1870, and was, at that time, said to be the oldest business establishment in Poughkeepsie where the same kind of trade had been carried on continuously. No place in Poughkeepsie, except the court house, had so many interesting associations connected with local celebrities in politics, the liberal profes- sions and literature as that modest little store. The brick building which now occupies its site was erected in 1871.

William Wilson, who succeeded Paraclete Potter in the book store and bindery, was a native of Crieff, a Scotch village at the foot of the Grampian Hills. His childhood was passed in poverty, and he never entered a school as pupil, but received his scholastic and religious training from his moth- er, a high-spirited Scotchwoman, who was left a widow when he was five years old. In early life he was apprenticed to a cloth dealer in Glasgow. He sedulously devoted his spare moments to read- ing and studying and the cultivation of his taste for music, and acquired some distinction both in literature and music. He successively became contributor and assistant editor of the Dundee Review and sole editor of the Dundee Literary Olio. Through the kindly offices of Feldburg, a Danish author, he formed the acquaintance of the literati of Edinburgh. He enjoyed the warm friendship of Mrs. Grant, of Laggan, the author of Memoirs of an American Lady, and formed an intimate acquaintance with Robert and William Chambers. In 1833, he emigrated to America, and in the summer of that year engaged in the business above referred to, which he continued till his death, August 25, 1860. He contributed many poems to American and British periodicals, but seldom over his own name. His chosen signatures were " Alpin " and " Allan Grant." Some of these appear in a collection of Scottish poetry published at Glasgow in 1844. At his death, he left quite a large collection of his poems, in manuscript, from which a selection, made and arranged by an inti- mate friend, was published by his eldest son. He also left in manuscript, an unfinished work on the Poets and Poetry of Scotland, which was afterwards

* Lanman's Dictionary of Congress, 53.

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

edited by his son, James Grant Wilson, and pub- lished by Harper & Brothers. Mr. Wilson not only possessed literary talent, but he evinced an earnest desire to elevate the moral and intellectual standard of the people, an end to which his circu- lating library contributed in no small degree.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 74

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