History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 95

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 95

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Sassacus and his handful of followers fled over the mountains into the beautiful valley of the Housatonic, to Kent Plains, from which they were speedily driven by pursuers, and climbing the great hills westward of that region, descended into the lovely valley of the Weebutook, or Ten Mile River. There, on the site of Dover Plains village, tradition tells us, they encountered a strong band

* The population of the town, according to the census of 1880, is 2,281. In 1870 it was 2,279, with 244 foreign and 33 colored. In 1875 it was 2, 173, with 184 foreign ar.d 25 colored.

t From a sketch by Benson J. Lossing.

* The latter were the Mohegans, who had rebelled against his authority.

483

TOWN OF DOVER.

of Mohegan hunters, who were also trained warriors, from whom Sassacus and his men barely escaped destruction after a fierce conflict, and took refuge in the watery cavern now known as the Dover Stone Church, a cool and safe retreat at that mid- summer time, when the stream was low, and the cavern was mostly dry. The Mohegan hunters did not discover their retreat; and a week after- wards, when the latter had left the valley, Sassacus and his young braves, who had been joined by a few other fugitives, followed the Weebutook north- ward, substituting on the fish with which it abound- ed, and the berries that grew on the plains. They made their way to the land of the Mohawks, near Albany, craving the hospitality of that nation, which was denied. The sequel is told by Gover- nor Winthrop in his " Journal," in which, under date of August 5, 1637, (two months after the destruction of the army of Sassacus) he wrote :-

" Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Pincheon and about twelve more, came by land from Connecticut, and brought with them a part of the skin and lock of hair of Sassacus and his brother, and five other Pequod Sachems who, being fled to the Mohawks for shelter, with their wampum (being to the value of £500) were by them surprised and slain, with twenty of their best men."

Almost a hundred years after the battle of Sasco Swamp, a descendant of one of the Pequod cap- tives taken there, named "Mah-wee," was with a party of hunters who chased a buck to the top of some high hills, from which they looked down into a valley flooded with golden light, and traversed by a winding river. Thither to that valley, in which they found rich corn lands, they took their families, and near the confluence of a small stream and the river, on the site of the village of Kent, they made a settlement and called it Pish-gach-ti-gock,* " the meeting of the waters." The river they called Hoosa-tah-nook, the "stream over the mountains." This settlement was composed largely of Pequods mixed with a few New England Indians, and Mah- wee became their Sachem about the year 1728. Before that event, he was hunting in the mountains west of the Housatonic, and from their summits he discovered the beautiful valley of the Weebutook, or Ten Mile River. He descended into it, and found the river full of fish and the forest swarming with game. Mahwee built there a wigwam for his fam- ily, and brought them to it ; and near the spot where Sassacus, the former sovereign of his nation, had his sharp fight with the Mohegans, he gathered a settlement over which he ruled. Mahwee became

a Moravian convert to Christianity, and after rul- ing the settlement at Pish-gach-ti-gock with wis- dom, he died greatly respected by the white peo- ple. Mahwee's grand-daughter, Eunice,* who was twice married, died in Kent a few years ago, at the age of about one hundred years, a consistent mem- ber of the Congregational Church, to which she became attached when she was eighty-five years of age.

Thus through fact and fancy, through tradition and history, is woven the name of the Dover Stone Church-the cathedral fashioned by nature's hand. We know not its beginning; we cannot predict its end. It existed when this country was a wilderness; when the name of Duchess was un- known ; when even our government and the pro- gress of to-day were not so much as the basis of a dream. In the rush of its cascades the Red Man heard the voice of the Great Spirit and his war song was hushed. In the murmur of its waters the White Man heard the melody of a more civil- ized worship, and stood with solemn awe in this house not formed by human hands-the Temple of the Almighty. It has witnessed the changes of centuries. It has seen the Red Man fade and die like some exotic flower. It has seen the White Man come in all the freshness of civilization ; its melodious stream has chanted a requiem over his generations dead and gone, and still the ancient arch guards the wild ravine, and the never tiring stream, as it patiently hews out newer and more fanciful forms, give's to the breeze the song of en- durance :-

" Men may come and men may go, But I go on forever, ever, I go on forever. "

To the south of the Dover Stone Church, possi- bly a mile, where a small stream comes down the mountain, are The Wells-cavities worn to various depths in the rock by the action of the water. These wells range from three to a dozen feet in depth, and the smooth and sloping rocks on either side render access to them quite dangerous.t The scenery in this vicinity is wild and beautiful, and from this point a fine view is obtained of the vil- lage nestling in the valley below.

It is not definitely known when or by whom the first settlement was made at this point. In 1802 the village contained less than a dozen buildings, and among the few residents were Cornelius Dutcher, Jonathan Mabbett, Doctor Berry and James Ketcham. Among the first merchants in

* Pish-gach-ti-gock has been corrupted into " Scaghticook."

* Her name was also spelled " Mauwee."

1 In one of these wells, a few years since, a man lost his life in a fool- hardy attempt to cross the stream above it.

484

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

this vicinity if not the pioneers in business- were Stephen, Justus and Uriah Gregory .* They rented from Lawrence Belding a piece of ground some eight rods square, at the foot of Plymouth Hill, upon which they erected a store and black- smith shop. For this ground they paid a yearly rental of forty shillings, their lease,-which was dated April 1, 1790,-to continue five years. From this place they commenced business in Paw- lingstown, now Dover Plains. Not long after the removal, Stephen Gregory withdrew, and Justus and Uriah M., conducted the business some time and failed, and with their brothers Ebenezer and Elias, moved to Sand Lake, Rensselaer County.

Luther Holley succeeded the Gregorys in the business, and for some years was a successful mer- chant. He removed to Salisbury, Conn. James Ketcham, Lawrence and Joseph Belding were the next merchants, beginning as partners, first in the store of the Gregorys, and then in Holley's store, where for eight years they did a prosperous business.

James Ketcham was for many years a promi- nent man of the town. He was born July 31, 1777, at Little Rest, in the town of Washington, this county. In his infancy his parents removed to Hunting, South, Long Island, where his father kept a small country store, abandoning his trade of shoemaking for mercantile pursuits. In 1789, the family returned to the town of Washington, locating near the farm of the late Judge Isaac Smith, where the elder Ketcham opened a small store. In 1790, the father died, and James was placed in the store. He had some advantages of a common school education, and after his father's death worked for a time on the farms of William Cornwall and a Mr. Pugsley, for the sum of one shilling per day. His father, however, had express- ed a wish to have him engage in mercantile pur- suits. His uncles, Titus and Jonathan Mabbett, were merchants, and built the house now owned by Walter Haight,f in which they had a store. Justus and Uriah Gregory had a store near Law- rence Belding's, and, failing about this time, the Mabbetts hired the store of Lawrence Belding and installed James Ketcham as their clerk. In 1797, Lawrence and Joseph Belding purchased the stock of Jonathan Mabbett,-who had previously pur- chased the interest of Titus Mabbett,-and James Ketcham became one of the firm of Lawrence Belding & Co. In 1797 he married Lois Belding, and on May 6, 1799, Lawrence Belding bought

from Luther Holley the house and store at Dover Plains, to which they removed their stock, and where a prosperous business was done up to 1806. Afterwards Jonathan Mabbett purchased with James Ketcham the interest of the Beldings, and the firm became Mabbett & Ketcham, remaining as such to 1810. In that year John Mabbett retired from the business, and James Ketcham became sole proprietor. When the town of Dover was formed from Pawling he was chosen first town clerk. George Casey became the first postmaster. The mail was carried on horseback once a week. After Mr. Casey left the town, James Ketcham was appointed postmaster, and held the office for thirty successive years. Under the administration of Polk he was removed, and Joshua Rodgers was appointed in his stead, holding the office four years. Mr. Ketcham afterward held the office four years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, supervisor of the town five years, and a member of the State Legislature in 1814. He was a merchant up to 1827. He died Saturday, November 11, 1871.

The store of Lawrence and Joseph Belding was the first in the village. It stood on what is now the property of George N. Allerton.

The house now occupied as a tenant house by Frederic Reed, and owned by the Lossee family, is the only one standing unaltered, which was here when James Ketcham came.

General John H. Ketcham, the present Member of Congress from this district, is a grandson of James Ketcham.

The merchants now engaged in business here are as follows :-

Belding & Hammond, (Geo. T. Belding, Thom- as Hammond,) general merchants, have been in business as a firm four years. The business was established by them ten years ago. Mr. Ham- mond withdrew from the firm, and re-entered it about four years ago. In their store is kept the postoffice, Geo. T. Belding, postmaster, who was appointed some six or seven years ago.

Hanna & Preston, (John A. Hanna, Henry W. Preston,) general merchants, began business in March, 1881. They are both natives of Dover, the former born in 1859, the latter in 1830. The building in which they are conducting business was built by Theodore Wing, in 1868.

Bartholomew McMurray, also a general mer- chant, began business four years ago. He was born in Ireland in 1847, and came to Dover Plains in 1873.

William Record, dealer in cigars, tobacco and

* For this and other facts we are indebted to Uriah Gregory, of Pough- keepsie, a nephew of the Gregorys named.

t At Little Rest, town of Washington.

LITTLE

HON. JOHN H. KETCHAM.

Seldom does History preseut to us a more pleasing sub- ject than the life and history of the Hon. John H. Ketcham.

His life of usefulness, in both public and private, is worthy of emulation, and it befits History to give it to the world for an example that would be well followed by the many.

His career through life may be likeued to a deep flow- ing river, constantly fed, as it pursues its way unturned by any obstacle, by the pure waters of heaven, gathering strength and depth as it nears its destination-the mighty ocean. So Mr. Ketcham has lived, a life of quiet yet busy usefulness, gathering new strength and power from each act of beneficence.

Happy in the associations of his yonth, gifted with a kindly genius attracted to the good and great, beloved by them, and finding nourishment in a heroic history and an amiable life, he stands before us a noble character, one of "Nature's own noblemen."

Mr. Ketcham was born in Dover, Duchess Co., December 21st, 1832, and is a representative of oue of the oldest families in Eastern New York. He is the second son and child of John M. and Eliza A. Ketcham, of Dover, Duchess Co. John H. received his education in part at Suffield, Conn., and at Worcester, Mass., where he was graduated in 1851. On his return to his native town he formed a partnership with his older brother Wm. S., engaging in farming and an extensive marble business, which they continued successfully for several years. It was while he was engaged in this, that he was called upon to come out from the retirement of private life and take the offices of Town Supervisor and Member of Assembly for two terms, also representing the State in the Senate. In 1861, at the breaking out of the War, he was appoint- ed by Gov. Morgan a member of the War Committee for the counties of Duchess and Columbia, and was after- wards commissioned to raise a regiment, which he did, filling out his quota with the picked meu of the county, largely from the best and most intelligent families.

His Regiment, (the 150th New York Infantry.) was at first ordered to Baltimore, afterwards took part iu the ever memorable battle of Gettysburg, suffering severely. Again recruiting and filling up his Regiment, he moved

south-west joining Gen. Sherman, and with him moved on to Atlanta, Ga. in his notable "March to the Sea." While on duty on Argyle Island, near the mouth of Savannah River, he received a wound, from the effects of which he has never entirely recovered, besides his general health becoming much impaired from privation and exposure.

While at Savannah he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General by brevet, afterwards to Brigadier- General and subsequently Major-General by brevet. Fol- lowing this when on duty at Atlanta, he received the nomi- nation for member of Congress from his home district, and was elected by a large majority. He has since served six terms in the same office, and now in 1880 has received the seventh proof of the confidence of the people of his District. His nominations have been made by acclama- tion, and he has been supported by the people in his District irrespective of party. He has always been untir- ing and unremitting in his efforts to promote the wishes and interests of his constituents.

His privilege and pleasure will continue to be to keep the interests of those whom he represents ever foremost and to serve them to the ntmost of his ability.

During the interval - about three years - that Mr. Ketcham was not a representative in Congress, he was appointed by President Grant with Ex-Gov Dennison of Ohio and the late H. T. Blow of Wisconsin, Commission- ers of the District of Columbia, and served with his nsual energy and fidelity, and to the great satisfaction of the people of the District.

Mr. Ketcham was married February 4th, 1868, to Miss . Augusta A. Belden, daughter of William H. and Sarah Belden, of Amenia, Duchess Co .. now residing in New York City. The parents of Mr. and Mrs. Ketcham were among the carliest and representative families of the County.

The fruit of their marriage has been four children ; two sons and one daughter are living, named Henry, Charles and Ethel.

He is a man of warm impulses, and always ready to help a friend or do a kind act for a fellow being. He is one of the most popular men of his county, and is known aud recognized as the poor man's friend.

485

TOWN OF DOVER.

confectionery, began business in October, 1881, succeeding James Brant, who had conducted the business two years.

Boyce & Son, dealers in coal, flour and feed, began business as a firm in October, 1881. The business was established by William H. Boyce ten years ago.

Jeremiah Woldren, furnishing undertaker, estab- lished that business here nine years ago.

David Maher, the proprietor of the Dover Plains Marble Works, has been in business here since 1867. He was born in Ireland in 1845, and came to Dover Plains in 1862.

Among the early physicians was Dr. Thomas Hammond, who began his practice here in 1824, and continued it to 1869. He was a surgeon in the war of 1812. He died in Port Huron, Mich., in May, 1880. Previous to him a Dr. Delavan was a practitioner of the town for a number of years. Dr. Hooker was also an early physician, in the south part of the town, contemporaneous with Dr. Hammond. Dr. Thomas Hammond, Jr., be- gan to practice here in 1844, and continued in the profession until 1869, when he entered the mer- cantile business, in which he remained three years. He then resumed his medical practice, which he continued three years, and again entered the mer- cantile business in which, under the firm name of Belding & Hammond, he is now engaged.

The physicians now practicing here are Drs. Wellman and Berry. Dr. George Marvin Well- man, A. M., was born in Springfield, Mass., in 1837. He graduated from Georgetown Medical College, D. C., in 1868, and came to Dover Plains in 1869. During the Rebellion he was Ward Master in the hospitals at Washington.

Dr. Charles H. Berry was born at Lake Mahopac, Putnam County, N. Y., in 1842. He graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, in the class of '68, and in that year came to Dover Plains, where he has since prac- ticed.

The lawyers now practicing here are Horace D. Hufcut and Robert A. Mc Glasson.

Horace D. Hufcut, a native of Dover, was born October 12, 1836. He received his education at Poughkeepsie and in the Amenia Seminary, studied law with his father, George Hufcut, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1860.

George Hufcut was admitted to practice in 1848, and followed his profession here for some forty years. He died in Dover Plains, in May, 1880.

Robert A. Mc Glasson was born in Westchester

County, in 1833. He came to Dover Plains in 1860, studied law with Horace D. Hufcut, was ad- mitted to the bar in 1875, and has since been con- nected with Mr. Hufcut in the practice of his profession.

The village has one newspaper, the Dover Press, which was established by S. B. Shaw, its present editor and proprietor, in 1878. The first number was issued November 29th, of that year. It is a weekly, published every Friday.

The Dover Plains Bank was organized in 1857 as a State Bank. The officers were: David L. Belding, President ; John H. Ketcham, Vice Presi- dent; George T. Ross, Cashier.

In 1865, the bank was re-organized as a National Bank with the following officers : David L. Belding, President ; John H. Ketcham, Vice President ; W. S. Morgan, Cashier. The present officers are : George W. Ketcham, President; Edwin Vincent, Vice-President ; A. J. Ketcham, Cashier. The capital of the bank is $100,000 ; surplus, $35,000. Up to July 1, 1881, the bank has paid in dividends $132,000, with a surplus, at that time, of $30,- 005.70. The building in which the business of the bank is transacted was built in 1857.

The Dover Plains Lodge, No. 666, F. & A. M., was organized August 13th, 1867. The members to whom the Dispensation was granted were : An- drew B. Hammond, Isaac G. Sherman, James Y. Tuthill, Andris Brant, William H. Chapman, The- odore Wing, Horace D. Hufcut, George T. Beld- ing, John H. Ketcham, Charles F. Segilkin, Wm. B. Ross, Perry W. Chapman, Sewell White, Thos. Arnold and George Hufcut.

The charter officers were : Andrew B. Hammond W. M .; Andris Brant, S. W .; Isaac G. Sherman, J. W .; George Hufcut, Treas .; Horace D. Hufcut, Secy .; Thomas Hammond, Jr., S. D .; Robert C. Swift, J. D .; Rev. A. P. Lyon, Chaplain; Isaac A. Morse, Tiler.

The lodge is in a prosperous condition. It has a membership, according to the last report, of 116. The meetings are held on the evening of every other Thursday.

The Dover Plains Lodge, No. 423, I. O. G. T., was organized November 17, 1881. The charter officers were : A. J. Ketcham, W. C. T .; Isaac A. Morse, W. S. ; Mrs. G. M. Wellman, W. V. T .; John Hanna, W. T .; Rev. M. R. Lent, W. C .; Dr. G. M. Wellman, P. W. C. T. ; A. E. Bangs, L. D .; David Hanna, I. G .; James Foster, O.G .; Mrs. A. T. Ketcham, Financial Secretary ; Mrs. A. Brant, R. H. S. ; Miss Jessie Worden, L. H. S .;

486

HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

Frank Brant, W. M .; Miss Laura Davis, A. S .; Miss Louise Morse, A. M. The Lodge meets Tuesday evenings, in Reading Room Hall.

The Reading Room Association of this village, was organized in 1877, by Rev. James M. Bruce, Horace D. Hufcut, Andrew J. Ketcham, Isaac A. Morse, Andris Brant, George N. Perry, Charles F. Segelkin, Samuel B. Shaw, and others. H. D. Hufcut was elected President. S. B. Shaw was the first Secretary. It was supported by voluntary contributions, up to 1881, when it was merged into the organization of I. O. G. T.

The Dover Plains Hotel was built by Beldin Dutcher about 1848, by whom it was kept a num- ber of years. The present proprietors are Sparks & Corwin.

The hotel known as Preston's Hotel was built by George Robson in 1848. The property is now owned by the heirs of George H. Losee, who died November 25, 1881.

Reed's block (Masonic Hall Building) was built by Mrs. David B. Reed, of New York, in 1868.

The Military School at Dover Plains was estab- lished by Arthur E. Bangs.

On the 16th of September, 1880, he commenced holding a select school in the village, which opened with twenty-four pupils, and at the end of two weeks the number had increased to forty-one.

Being assured by this manifestation of interest that there was a demand for such an institution, he applied to the State authorities for guns and accoutrements, and through the agency of the Hon. John H. Ketcham, obtained the required number. The number of pupils gradually in- creased until the winter term opened with fifty- seven. The institution is known as the Dover Plains Military Academy, and is still under the principalship of Arthur E. Bangs.

Dover Plains contains three churches, the Bap- tist, Methodist Episcopal, and Catholic, organized in the order named. In 1774 a Society of Friends was organized in the town, and was known as the Branch Preparative Meeting. It was an offspring of the Friends Society at what is now known as Quaker Hill. A small church edifice was erected soon after the organization. The society is nearly if not quite extinct.

The Second Dover Baptist Church was organ- ized in 1794. In the old burial ground at South Dover may be found an old time worn tombstone with the following inscription :-

"Samuel Waldo, Died Sept. 10, 1793. Aged 62 years. "

Underneath are these quaint lines .-

" A dying preacher I have been,

To dying hearers such as you ;

Tho' dead a preacher still I am To such as come my grave to view ; Let this to you a warning be, That you must quickly follow me."

To this man, perhaps more than to any other, belongs the credit of stimulating the people of the Baptist persuasion, then living in this section, to organize as a church. The earliest records known of this society are dated April 21, 1794. At that date the following persons signed and presented a petition to the Baptist Church of Pawlingstown, now known as the South Dover, or First Dover Church: Edward Southworth, David Simmons, Joseph Belding, Benjamin Allis, Moses Haight, Reuben Allen, Caleb Barnum, Mary Talman, Fre- love Crandell, Mary Haight, Eliphal Belding, Dorcas Gregory, Lydia Benson, Jerusha Sim- monds, Samuel Elliott, Alse Casey, Elizabeth Koon, Hannah Benson, Jerusha Woolcut, Susanna Benson, Catie Elliott.

The first church meeting was held on the 24th of that month, when Elder Seth Higby was chosen as moderator ; Deacon Edward Southworth being elected clerk of the church. Elder Higby, Minor Higby, and Mary Crofoot were received into the church by letter. It was also voted that the third Saturday in the month be the regular day for church and covenant meeting. This still contin- ues to be the usage of this church.

The early meetings of this society were held in a house situated in what is now the Valley View Cemetery, which was built previous to the Revo- lution for the Dutch Reformers, and by them de- serted before its completion. In this house all denominations met for worship. It was badly out of repair, with rough slabs for seats, and with no facilities for heat, or light at night. The frame of this building was torn down some years since. A Union Church was built on the same ground about 1844, which has since been taken down and con- verted into a blacksmith and wheelright shop, now standing on Mill street in this village. Elder Higby was the first pastor, remaining until 1799.

At the meeting in January, 1796, £20 19S. were assigned to Elder Higby for the year's salary.

A dissension arose in the church in 1799, and but £4 was subscribed for the salary of the pas- tor for that year. Later, seven members sub- scribed two shillings each per month towards his support.

During 1815 Job Foss began to preach, holding services in different localities in the town. With-

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TOWN OF DOVER.

out remuneration he labored on, visiting this church at least once a month until 1832.

On the 17th of December, 1832, a subscription paper was circulated to raise $2,500 with which to build a suitable church edifice. In this movement the Church owes a debt of gratitude to Elder Foss. The desired amount was raised, and James Ketch- am, Ebenezer Stevens and Thomas Hammond were appointed a Building Committee, and the building of the present house was begun. It was finished at a cost of nearly $6,000, Mr. Ketcham and Mr. Stevens meeting the deficiency. The church was dedicated in December, 1833, by Elder Perkins, who had become the pastor. He remained with the church until 1835, when, through dissensions internal, he resigned the pastorate and was succeeded by Elder P. Roberts. Elder Robert's ministry lasted but one year.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 95

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