USA > New York > Dutchess County > Pine Plains > History of Little Nine Partners of North East precinct, and Pine Plains, New York, Duchess county, Vol. I > Part 14
USA > New York > Dutchess County > North East > History of Little Nine Partners of North East precinct, and Pine Plains, New York, Duchess county, Vol. I > Part 14
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In addition to early settlers, a tradition comes to me by Robert Ter Bush Eddy, of an immigration to this town about 1760. It came to him through his grandmother, Christina Weber, who married Joseph TerBush. She was one of this immigration with her uncle, Leonard Weber. A man named Hubbell and one Roger Sherman were two of the men in the com- pany and all, about twenty-five, came into New York state from Massachu- setts by way of Egremont, Mount Washington and Copake. They camped at Boston Corners. It was then about the middle of March and snow fell during that encampment about three feet deep. Among their belongings was an iron cannon, a six pounder, which they there took from its carriage, put it on a boat sled and came down through Hiserodt-Strever Valley and camped near the Graham-Landon, now Robert Thomas settlement. The Grahams had not yet come. Hubbell went on the north side of Little Stis- sing and built a cabin near the spring at the watering trough, as the road runs now to Mount Ross. Hence it was called the "Hubbell Spring." No road there then. The road, such as it was, to Mount Ross was north of that. Hubbell lived thereto the time of the Revolutionary war The tories from
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS
Clinton and the west side of Stissing invaded Pine Plains through this pass, and Hubbell's was a post for rallying to drive them off. He protect- ed the frontier and had several chases after tories west of the Stissings, but it is not reported that he ever killed one. Roger Sherman was buried at Ancram. This for tradition.
SOME FACTS .- The iron cannon remained here during the last years of the last century and until the '30's of this century, when on a 4th of July, Arba Platt, a wagon maker, was seriously injured by a premature discharge while he had charge of the gun. Not long after it was taken to the Hotchkiss foundry in Sharon Valley and exchanged for a smaller gun, which in its turn has long since gone. The TerBush and Weber families were among the earliest families in this locality. There were five TerBush men, Peter, Joseph, John, Jacob, Benjamin. The name is written TerBush, TerBoss, and Bush, the latter is the name now. The TerBush homestead or first log house was between the house of Daniel Pool and Mill Hill. Benjamin TerBush lived there in 1775 and was a signer of the revolutionary "Asso- ciation" that year. There he deceased in 1777 or early in '78. The overseers of the poor of North East Precinct held their annual meeting in May, 1778. "at the house of the widow Bush," his widow. Joseph, one of the brothers, married Christina Weber, supposed to be one of this immigration. Weber (German) means weaver, referring to occupation, hence the modern Weaver is a corruption. A Christina Weber was sponsor to a baptism in the Old Round Top church in 1760 and again in 1761. Joseph TerBush and Christina Weber settled on the Roloef Jansen in Columbia County, and their daughter, Hannah, married Robert Eddy, He was an Englishman and early in life was enlisted in a British fleet on Lake Champlain. After his marriage he settled and lived on the Henry Hoffman road east of the Benjamin Toms place where he probably deceased. The TerBush men were large and strong physically. Joseph, who lived a good deal in his latest years with his son-in-law, Robert Eddy, is now remembered by some of our oldest citizens as about six feet, four inches tall, and had a great fund of revolutionary war stories. The only lights for dwellings here in his boyhood was pine knots from the forests of pine on these plains, burnt in a big fire place.
The following interview with the late Mrs. Eliza Wilson took place the day Gen. Garfield was shot, July 2, 1881 :
"My father and mother first came here in 1798, and lived in a house on South street. standing on the site of the dwelling now owned by Mr. Chase, south of the Eno property. At that time all the dwellings in this village were the one my father lived in-which he had purchased-a small house and blacksmith shop adjoining us on the south, now the Stocking property, a frame building kept as a hotel on the Myers hotel site-now Stissing House; a log house on the site of Mr. Ketterer's hotel, the Stephen
Portion of Old Winchell and Hartwell Store (on the left.) Stissing Bank and part of Bowman's Drug Store (on the right.)
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS
Eno dwelling near the present Eno law office, a house on the site of the present John Rowe dwelling, one on Mrs. R. W. Bostwick's residence nearly opposite the present Methodist Church, the old part of the house Rev. W. N. Sayre now lives in, the John Turk Honse, near or on the site of the present public school house, the Capt. Benj. R. Bostwick house, on the site of the present Jonas Knickerbocker dwelling, one on the Dakin property next east of the Presbyterian, which David Dakin afterwards en- larged and lived in; the "Graham house" afterwards occupied by Mr. Brush, the Pells building on the corners, and the Booth dwelling a short. distance west of the village. Ebenezer Dibblee had a store first in the Booth house, and and afterwards in the Pells building on the corners. His successors in this building was a partnership in merchandising of Henry Hoffman, Israel Reynolds, Aaron E. Winchell, and possibly some others. Mr. Winchell soon afterwards bought out the interests of the other part- ners and continued alone, Mr. Trowbridge, one time a landlord in the Ketterer hotel, had daughters Cynthia, Emeline. Clara and Amelia. Em- eline married Henry I. Traver, a justice of the peace. Clara married Abraham Parsons, deputy sheriff for some years. He lived in the old Cap- tain Bostwick house. His wife deceased and he moved to the hotel with his father-in-law, and afterwards married Amelia, sister to his first wife, and kept the hotel. Mr. Trowbridge went from there to Bangall, and some years afterward was in Salisbury, Conn., where he deceased."
Mrs. Wilson was clear and positive in her memory and the town rec ords and other documents corroborate her recollections.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHURCHES-ROUND TOP.
In religion, the Connectieut border settlers were either Episcopal, Con- gregational or Baptist and they early organized societies and built- churches as denominational views and financial ability gave choice and opportunity. Different from these the Hudson River colonists were Luth- erans and German Reformed, and to the churches of these denominations on the Hudson and at Clermont and Germantown they rightfully claimed and owed allegiance. To these, twenty miles and more, these early Pine Plains settlers went to church in the primitive pioneer manner, on horse- back holding a child in front, and one or more seated behind. Onee on such a journey a settler from Carman's Mill, in the southeast part of the town, fording the Shacameco at the Rysdorf farm, met with severe diffi- culty, and a child-surname Row-intended for baptism at the parent. church, fell into the stream and was drowned. But in spite of accidents and inconveniences they kept up these church relations until about 1746, when the church known as "Old Round Top"-from the shape of its roof -was built at the present hamlet called "Bethel." This result was brought- into being or greatly stimulated by the Moravian Mission near there which was commeneed in 1740 and continued with life and sneeess until 1746. To this mission people often came from Rhinebeck to hear the missionaries and the audience often numbered two hundred.
James Alexander, of New York, though not a patentee, became owner of several lots in the division-which was made about this time-of the Little Nine Partners and one of them was Lot 30 which contains the site of the Round Top church and burying ground. Johan Tice Smith, better known as Hontiee Smith, and Michael Rowe-great-grandfather of John and the late Wm. A. Rowe-were Lutherans and leading men in building the church, and before building obtained a verbal promise from James Alexander for a gift of one acre on Lot 30 for a Lutheran church and burying ground. The ground was selected, the church built and Mr. Al- exander died soon after, leaving his verbal promise unfulfilled. Years passed until 1769. Meanwhile Peter VanBrugh Livingston had married Mary Alexander, the accomplished and eldest daughter of James Alexan der-who twenty years later in 1789 as Mrs. Livingston was the honored partner of General Washington in a cotillion at the inauguration ball in New York of the first President of the United States-who became the proprietor of Lot 40 containing the church lot. Mr. Livingston fulfilled
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
the promise of Mr. Alexander by giving a deed May 15, 1769. He was at that time an elder in the Presbyterian church in New York city. The deed now before me has not been recorded in the County record, so I give a full copy :
"This indenture made the fifteenth day of May in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Nine between Peter VanBrugh Livingston of the city of New York, merchant, of the first part, and Johan Tice Smith and Michael Rough of the North East Precinct in the county of Dutchess in the colony of New York, yeomen, of the second part. Whereas the party of the first part has been informed that the Honorable James Al- exander, Esq., deceased, did in his lifetime make a verbal promise to the people of the Lutheran persuasion that he would make a present to their congregation of about one acre of his part of Lot No. 30 in the Little Nine Partners in the north precinct of the County of Dutchess in the Province of New York for the erection of a church and supplying it with a cemete- ry, which by reason of his death not long afterwards it is said was not ful- filled, and whereas that part of Lot No. 30 which did belong to the said James Alexander, Esq., deceased, is now owned by the said Peter Van- Brugh Livingston, who married the eldest daughter of the said James Al- exander, deceased, and being willing in honor of the memory of his father- in-law to carry said promise into execution, now This Indenture Witness- eth that the party of the first part in consideration of the pious and lauda- ble design aforesaid and of the rent, and of the conditions hereinafter re- served and contained, and for the further consideration of the sum of five shillings lawful money of New York now to him paid hath granted, bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant, bargain and sell unto the parties aforesaid of the second part and to their heirs and assigns for ever, all that certain piece or parcel of ground being part of the said Lot No. 30. Beginning at a stake and a heap of stones on the east side of the road thirty three links north of Johan Tise Smith's north line and runs from the said stake north twenty-three degrees east three chains and sev- enteen links, thence west eleven degrees forty minutes north three chains and seventeen links thence south twenty-three degrees and a half west three chains and seventeen links thence east eleven degrees forty minutes south three chains and seventeen links to the place of beginning contain- ing about one acre of ground and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, with the appurtenances and all the estate right title and interest whatsoever of the party of the first part of in and to the same or any part thereof, to have and to hold the said piece of ground with the ap- purtenances unto the said parties of the second part their heirs and assigns forever under the conditions hereinafter peculiarly mentioned to wit: So as that the parties of the second part or either of them their or either of their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns or any of them shall and do within two years from the date of these presents inclose the said piece of ground above mentioned and hereby granted within a good and suffi- cient fence and keep the same forever hereafter in good repair. and erect a new edifice or church thereon or keep the old church in repair for the worship of the Almighty God as practiced by the Lutheran evangelical churches or use the same for a cemetery or church yard for the interment or burial of the dead and shall not appropriate, apply or convert the same at any time forever hereafter to private or secular uses. And under this further condition to wit, so as the aforesaid parties of the second part or either of them or either of their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns or any of them shall and do pay or cause to be paid unto the party of the
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THE CHURCHES.
first part or to his heirs one ear of Indian corn on the first day of May next and on the first day of May in every year thence ensuing forever hereafter if lawfully demanded, that then this present Indenture and everything therein contained shall remain in its full force and virtue forever. But if it shall happen that the parties of the second part their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns shall not comply with the conditions above men- tioned or shall at at any time hereafter apply or convert the same to pri- vate or secular uses, that then and from thenceforth it shall and may be lawful to and for the party of the first part and his heirs into all and sin- gular the aforesaid premises with the appurtenances to reenter to him and them as their former estate and enjoy, this present writing or any thing in the some contained to the contrary notwithstanding, and the party of the first part for himself and his heirs doth covenant and grant to and with the parties of the second part their heirs, executors, administrators and as signs in manner following (that is to say) that they the parties of the sec- ond part their heirs and assigns paying the said yearly rent as aforesaid if demanded and the other conditions above mentioned being performed, shall and may from time to time and at all times forever hereafter peacea- bly and quietly enjoy the premises above mentioned without let or molest- ation of the party of the first part or and other person or persons lawfully claiming or to claim by, from or under him.
In witness whereof the parties to these presents have herewith set their hands and seals the day and year first above written
P. V. B. LIVINGSTON. [L. S. ]
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of David VanNess, Peter V. B. Livingston, Jr."
Two pertinent facts are brought to light in this deed. First, that. the building was designed "for the worship of Almighty God as prac- tised by the Lutheran Evangelical churches." Thus it was a Lutheran church. The second pertinent fact is contained in the phrase "and erect a new edifice or church thereon, or keep the old church in repair." By this record we learn that at the date of this deed the church was consid- ered an old church. At the dedication of the Union Bethel church-which stands near by-in 1840 the Rev. Augustus Wackerhagen was present, and at the close of the dedicatory sermon by Rev. Jacob Berger, a Lutheran minister, the old man made some remarks, of which I remember this: "This," said he, "is a most interesting occasion. We stand on interesting ground. The providences of God are sometimes mysterious. It is a singu- lar fact that a hundred years ago a church was erected to the worship of Almighty God on this spot, and to-day after a century has passed we have dedicated another to His Most Holy Name." He could not have said this without some knowledge of the facts and facts probably obtained by his connection with the Lutheran churches on the Hudson. The Moravian Mission church about a mile distant was built of bark in 1743. These were the first church buildings built in this town
The highway now runs through the land described in this deed and makes two cemeteries, one on either side of the road. The descendants of Michael Rowe have saved for and used the part east of the highway for their family burials and hence it is called the "Rowe Cemetery," while that
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HISTORY OF PINE PLINAS.
part of the original purchase west of the road has been used for a general burying ground, or free for all burials. The cemetery on the east side con- tains the site of the first church built about 1746, and the second, or "Round Top," built about 1780, which stood where the present monu- ment to William A. Rowe is erected. He was a descendant of Michael Rowe, one of the grantees in the deed, and this monument-probably without intent-singularly and appropriately also commemorates the site of the old churches, answering a double purpose. The church at the Moravian mission in this neighborhood was abandoned about 1746 and the mission broke up. While the mision lived-1740 to 1746- its church and preachers answered for the Palatine settlers, whether Lutheran or German Reformed. Some of the Rowe families, the Kiefer and Hontice Smith families are known to have fraternized with the Moravians, and hence so long as there was a church and preacher and regular service at the mission there was no need for another church. The need came when the Moravian laborers had departed, and they even then did not forget the mission ground but made occasional visits to this field for a number of years later. In 1753 Abraham Reinke, a Moravian, was sent by the "United Brethren" at Bethlehem, to preach to the white people in Sharon at their urgent request. This was a result of the Moravian mission near Sharon. Reinke also at this visit preached in Salisbury and at the Ob- long-probably the old Round Top church at Amenia Union-and in this Round Top church at Bethel, which was called "Nine Partners" and at Livingston Manor. This church was on the direct route from Sharon and Oblong to Livingston Manor. Reinke was eight weeks on this visit and "preached twenty times to large audiences sometimes numbering three hundred souls," and the historian adds "he was succeeded by other breth- ren." He had five times the number of hearers the churches in the same territory average to-day.
The Palatine settlers on the Hudson were Lutherans or Calvinists- "German Reformed." At first both worshiped unitedly in one church- the old church at Pink's Corners-until 1728, when they denominationally separated, the Lutherans selling their interest to the German Reformed and building a church about four miles distant known as the "Stone Church." Some extracts from the records of the parent churches-Luth- eran and German Reformed-at Rhinebeck give the church status of the ancestors of some of our town's early settlers.
GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP.
Peter Klein joined the church April 19, 1742, by letter. Leonard Sern- berger joined April 20, 1742. Jacob Melius April 2, 1743, and at same time Johannes Dings and John Peter Dings, and Jan. 2, 1742-3 Jacob Loucks, Gertrude Melius, Ann Melius, Catharine Melius, Eve Gertrude Dings, Anna Maria Dings. John Jacob Myer in 1745, John Coonrad Myer Oct. 12, 1749, on confession of faith, Nicholas Stickle, Jun., Nicholas Rau, Jun., and
EDWARD HUNTTING, [See Lineage.]
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
John Peter Klein April 5, 1749, William Weber and wife, Anna Maria Klein, May 15, 1751, Jacob Pulver, Johannes Klein and Andreas Stickle May 18, 1752, Coonrad Turk Aug. 25, 1754, Anna Margaret Rauh Dec. 21, 1755, Andreas Richter Oct. 8, 1756, Catherine Pulver, Margaret Pulver and Catharine Stickle May 18, 1752. William Richter united in April, 1765.
BAPTISMS (SAME CHURCHI).
Susanna, dau. of Nicholas Stickle and Margaret Drom, 1731, witnesses Peter Polver and Susanna Drom. Gerhardt, son of Christian Deidrick and Anna Maria Winnegar, May 21, 1739, witnesses Gerhardt Winnegar and Anna Catharine Winnegar ; Frederick, son of Nicholas Stickle and Catha- rine Keifer, bap. Jan. 17, 1773: Frederick, son of Jost Baur and Elizabeth Maul, April 21, 1765 ; Zachariah, son of Nicholas Stickle and Anna Bone- steel, bap. March 14, 1790, witnesses John Bonesteel and Catharine Sernberger,
MARRIAGES (SAME CHURCH).
Andreas Stickle, son of Nicholas, m. Elizabeth Pitcher, of Rhinebeck, Feb. 14, 1758; Josh Baur, son of Michael, born in Baden, Germany, m. Elizabeth Maul, Feb. 28, 1758; Henry Pulver, son of Michael Pulver, m. Ann Shaver, dan. of Valentine Shaver, May 16, 1758; Jacob Loucks, wid- ower, m. Ann Streibel, dau. of Jacob Streibel of Wirtemberg, 1759. John Klein, son of Johan Peter Klein of Rhinebeck, m. Rosina Schneider, dau. of Christopher Schneider, Sept. 11, 1759; Johannes Stickle, son of Nicholas Stickle, m. Elizabeth Behm, Dec. 2, 1766 ; Wilhelmus Richter m. Marga- ret Koll Nov. 19, 1769.
ELDERS (SAME CIIURCH).
Wendal Polver 1740, Johannes Peter Klein 1741, Michael Polver 1741. Nicholas Stickle 1745, Johannes Richter 1747, Michael Polver (deacon) 1747, John Peter Klein 1757, Michael Polver 1757, Jacob Maul 1758; Johannes Richter 1762.
ST. PETER'S LUTHERAN CHURCH. (BAPTISMS.)
Eva, dan. of Frederick and Rebecca Klein bap. July, 1750. Johannes. son of William Tanner and Eva his wife bap. May 4, 1749 from Ancram. William son of Johannes and Elizabeth Richter, born Nov. 23, 1748, bap. Dec. 25, 1748. Susanna, dan. of Balthasar Lot and wife Elizabeth, bap. Jan. 1747 ; witnesses Nicholas Rauh and Susanna, his wife. Anna Richter, dau. of John Richter and wife Elizabeth, born Jan. 2, 1736, bap. Jan. 7, 1736 ; witnesses Andreas Richter and his wife Anna Elizabeth. Maria Rau, dau. of John Rau and Catharine his wife, born March 13, 1735, bap. April 13, 1735. [NOTE .- This was the Moravian John Rauh. ] Susanna, dau. of Peter Richter and Elizabeth his wife, born Aug. 13, 1734, bap. Aug. 20. 1734 ; witnesses Peter Polver and wife, Susanna, Peter Rau, son of Michael and Anna Maria Rau, born Dec. 14, 1733, bap. March 2, 1734. Catharine, dan. of Conrad Winnegar and wife Catharine, born Nov. 10, 1733 ; Margaret, dau. of John Jacob Melius and wife Anna Maria, born
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THE CHURCHES.
Nov. 3, 1735, bap. Feb. 16, 1735 ; witnesses John Jacob Dings and wife Gertrude. Christina, dau. of Coonrad Silvernagel and wife Catharine "from Stissings," born Oct. 26, 1750, bap. - , sponsors, Andreas Schmidt and Christina Silvernagel. Simon, son of Jacob and Catharine Melins, born July 30, 1751, bap. " at Aneram" Aug. 20, 1751. Johannes Richter and Ehzabeth were witnesses to a baptism Nov. 23, 1751. Nicholas, son of Frederick and Gertrude Stickle, bap. Feb. 21, 1764 ; Nicholas Stickle and wife Margaret, witnesses. Catharine, dan. of Nicholas and Anna Rau, bap. Jan. 14, 1761. Jacob, son of Ulrick and Margaret Striebel, bap. March, 5. 1762. Leonard, son of Henrick and Maria Keefer, bap. Oct. 9, 1702; Maria, dau, of David and Catharine Rundall, bap. Jan. 5, 1783.
MARRIAGES (SAME CHURCHI.)
Henrich and Helena Smith were married April 20, 1749. Peter Klein and Pheronia Myer, mn. 1752. Rev. John Christopher Hartwick married a couple from "Stissing in Dutchess County," March 15, 1756. The same minister married Nicholas Smith, ( son of Johantice Smith, of "Stissing" ) and Catharine Rhan, dau. of Michael Rhan, 1751.
COMMUNICANTS.
Henry Winnegar and Margaret Younkhans were communicants in Ancram in 1746. Matthew Younkhans was a communicant there in 1747. John Henry Hoffman was a communicant in Ancram in 1749, and Michael Rau, Frederick Rau, and Catharine Rau, were communicants there in 1750. Johannes Richter and Elizabeth and Jacob Polver were confirmed by Rev. Johannes Spaller, between 1733 and '36. The Rev. Johannes Spaller was the Lutheran minister at this Rhinebeck Lutheran church from 1723 to 1736 but there are no records until 1733-the old church divided in 1729- leaving only from 1733 to 1736 for the record of Mr. Spaller, from 1736 to 1746 there is no record, a gap of ten years. In 1746 Rev. John Christopher Hartwick became pastor and continued in that relation until 1758. Two years now pass without a settled pastor. In March, 1760, Rev. Johannes Frederick Ries became pastor and continued in this relation until January, 1783. In May 1784, Rev. George Heinrich Pfeiffer became pastor and remained such until January 1798,
The record of the German Reformed church heretofore mentioned is not so regular as the Lutheran. It begins in 1730. The church was organized in 1734 but no settled pastor until 1742 when Dominie Weiss became pastor and continued until 1746. Rev. Casper Ludwig Schnoor was his successor and he was succeeded by others until 1755 when Rev. Johan Casper Rubell became pastor. He remained four years, when Rev .- Marcius succeeded until 1762 or '63. Then in 1763 Rev. Gerhardt Daniel Koch became pastor, and continued in this relation until 1791.
By comparing the dates of baptisms and other church ministrations in the respective church records above, with the time of service of the minis-
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
ters in their respective churches, families interested may get a start for the church record of their ancestry. Further examination in this line how- ever would probably be necessary for success. But these references and extracts-which are only picked out here and there-are intended at this time for a broader and more general historical purpose. They explain the otherwise inexplainable, how it came to pass that the same parents and adult children seem to be identified to both churches. In infant baptisms for instance, at one time Lutheran at another German Reformed in the same family, and the same of communicants, the same person at different times in either church. It seems a better Christianity then existed among these people than at a later time when church ordinances were circum- scribed by inside church doors and inside walls. Better to be baptized by a Lutheran, then thought a German Reformed than no baptism, and the same on the other side. This is fast becoming the sentiment of the Christian. The cause of this mixed record -let me call it such-seems to be the irregular ministerial supply-vacancies gaps of years more or less- in the respective churches. These people liked their dominie. He was part of the family, a member of the household, and yet above him was conscience and duty, and these to be satisfied only in action. Do some- thing, but let that something be the right thing to do. So a Lutheran dominie being absent, the next best something was a German Reformed. This is the creed of a truly Christian conscience.
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