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 16
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 16
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QUAKER CHURCH AT BETHEL, 1896.
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Underwood, Jethro Coleman, Nathaniel Mead, Edward Southwick are separated to visit it and inform their satisfaction on "first month next." Six months passed, and on "21st of 1st month, 1804," the committee "report they have attended that meeting to pretty good satisfaction and that friends there desire it may be continued. After a deliberation, and having the concurrence of the women, we allow a meeting to be held there as usual for six months. Henry Hull, John Hull, John Guerney, David Cookingham, Benjaman Thorne and Charles Coleman are separated to visit it and inform their satisfaction in the "seventh month next." At this date and meeting the "Stanford preparative meeting informs that Charles and Betsey Hoag are desirous that their children, viz., Anna, James, Hen- ry and John, may be received into membership with Friends. After a time of consideration and with the unity of the women we admit them members." On "21st of fth month,' the six months after it had expired, the committee reported and allowed a meeting to be held for another six months Joseph Underwood, Jethro Coleman, Daniel Lawrence, Morris Carman, George Cookingham, Zachariah Mosher, Paul Hoag and Benjamin Thorne were the committee, and at the end of six months they report the meet- ing be "allowed" for another six months and the report to be made "on next 7th month" (1805). Charles Coleman, Nathan Smith, Richard Carman, Joseph Underwood, Abraham Gurney and John Hull, were the com- mittee to report at the end of the six months, and on the " 18th of the 1st month," 1806, they report this: "The committee except one appointed in 7th month last to visit the meeting held at Charles Hoag's in North East town, now report in conjunction with the women that they have attended that meeting to a good degree of satisfaction. After a time of consideration thereon and Friends expressing their prospects, having the concurrence of the woman's meeting, the meeting is allowed as heretofore, the term of six months. Maurice Carman, Zachariah Mosher, F. Hull, John Gurney, Philip Hoag, Nathan Smith and Benjamin Thorne are appointed to visit it as frequent as way may open and report ith month next their sense thereon, with the propriety of a preparative meeting held there. And the Friends of that meeting suggest to the consideration of this, the propriety of building a house for them to meet in to stand near the place where the meeting is now held, and propose the size, 26 by 22 feet with 12 feet posts, estimated cost 140 pounds. After Friends express- ing their prospects thereon it resulted in appointing Charles Coleman, Benjamin Thorne, John Hull and Zachariah Mosher to confer with the Friends there to consider the size and estimated cost with the relative cir- cumstances attending the building a house in that place, and to offer such advice and encouragement to forward the building as they may think proper and report to next meeting." Charles Hoag was clerk of this meeting. On the "19th of 4th month," 1806, the building committee say " the Friends who were appointed trustees to the building, a meeting
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house in North East, inform that on paying attention to that business and more maturely considering the plan and size of the house, and the Friends there being invited with them, they propose that the house be built 30 by 26 feet and 10 feet posts as it is calculated to be built with the same expense first estimated, and the room to be more convenient. The meet- ing appears willing to leave them with the Friends there at liberty to build it as they propose with this restriction, that they make no additional expense to this meeting."
The proposed change to 30 by 26 feet. with 10 foot posts, was adopted, and the house was commenced very soon after the date of this report- April 19, 1806-and completed by June 20, 1807. On this date the building committee or trustees make this report at Stanford monthly meeting: " The Friends heretofore appointed trustees to the building a meeting house in North East now inform that they have attended thereto and that the house is as far completed as is expected at present, and that they have taken a deed for the lot of land belonging thereto as directed. Charles Hull, Solomon Vail, John Peckham, Isaac Vail, Samuel Carpenter and Edward Hull are appointed to settle with them and to take a deed of the same on behalf of this society." August 19, 1807, this committee report "that they have taken a deed of the land for the meeting house in North East." On behalf of the building committee of trustees appointed at Stanfordville by the society, February 22, 1805, a deed of trust was taken by Ezra Bryan and Charles Hoag-they were two of the trustees-from Jacob Bockee the then proprietor of the land where the house now stands. This deed bears date June 20, 1806. Consideration "twenty-five dollars." Ezra Bryan and Charles Hoag made their conveyance to Charles Hull, Solomon Vail, John Peckham, Isaac Vail, Samuel Carpenter and Edward Hull, September 1, 1807, which left the title in them as trustees of the society and a meeting house ready for occupancy. Thus step by step with due consideration and the concurrence and unity of the women the Quaker meeting house in North East was built. Ezra Bryan, one of the early members of this society, was its builder, and its original shape with its long steep roof and high gables is still preserved. The side was front which was to the south, fronting the road from the south and two doors for entrance, the right for " mankind " the left for "womankind" There were long benches for seats to which very comfortable back rails were attached, and a high wood partition ran through the center to hide the- 'women from the men and the girls from the boys. A small raised platform was at the rear end of the men's department. It was plain yet comfortable inside, and with it the Friends and world's people were satisfied. A substan- tial stone foundation supported it and the lot sloped to the south, so that the entrance to the doors which were on that side was up a tlight of five steps built of stone and of a height each which in these days would be " killing" to some people. But the Quakers then had plenty of backbone and strong
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knees so no difficulty was experienced in getting into the house through the doorways. Elias Hicks, the great Quaker preacher, had at this time com- menced preaching. The division into Hicksite and Orthodox came later. " We attended Friend's meeting at North East," he says in his journal, "on first day ( Sunday, December 21, 1807), and also a meeting in the evening at Little Nine Partners." [NOTE .- Little Nine Partners was the Quaker meeting house in Milan. That was in North East then, but they distinguished the two societies by calling that Little Nine Partners and this North East, although both were in Little Nine Partners and also in North East. The society at Mechanic was in "Great Nine Partners," called by the Quakers by that name .- I. H.] Even earlier than this he writes "on second day ( Monday, December 5, 1803). we rode to Little Nine Partners (Milan); and the four following days we attended meet- ings at that place, Pine Plains, Stanford and Creek." And again in 1818 he preached here. "First day the 23" ( November 22, 1818), we had a very crowded meeting at Little Nine Partners. The next day we were at an appointed meeting in Friend's meeting house in the town of North East which was likewise a very full meeting." [NOTE .- Milan was set off in the spring of that year, so the meeting house at Bethel was very correctly as he says "in the town of North East."-I. H. ] These were the visits of that bright comet Elias Hicks. But the first preacher here of the fixed star order was Thomas Ellison, who commenced preaching about 1807. This was one of the fields of his earliest labors. He preached in other places in this county, but to this society and community was Thomas Ellison known above all men in his church relations for a connected quarter of a century. During this time this house was filled Sabbath days and often on the week-day meetings. Of actual members there were . twenty-five or thirty, possibly more. These, with their influence in the community, gave wordly prosperity to the society. In the minutes of January 18, 1806, already noticed, an application was made to the Stan- ford society for a preparative meeting to be held here. It was granted July 19, 1806, in accordance with their report, and the preparative meet- ings were to be held on the 4th day of the week preceding the monthly meeting to be held at Stanford in September. Monthly and quarterly meetings were not held here, but at Stanford.
"Time flies," and we scarcely realize while writing of these neighbor- hood matters that eighty years and more have gone, and with them the persons answering to the names just written, other forms have appeared and there have been changes in church government and changes in the government of the same church or society. So old church records as well as other records often have a vein of humor above legend or tradition. The essence of fact gives them flavor I give an incident touching the church law of marriage as it then existed in the society of Friends. . I have men- tioned in my list of members of this society Gerardus Winans-"Uncle
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JONAS KNICKERBACKER. [See Lineage.]
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Crand"-who then lived on the Edward Huntting farm, and furnished quite a quantity of timber for the frame of this meeting house. In 1807 or thereabouts he married the widow of Benjamin Knickerbocker and this is what they said about it at the Stanford monthly meeting on the 18th of 4th month, 1807: "North East" preparative meeting informs that Gerardus Winans has kept company and married contrary to the order of Friends after being precautioned. This meeting after weightily considering the subject appears easy in concluding to disown him, and appoint Charles Coleman and Abraham Gurney to inform him thereof and to prepare an essay and produce to next meeting." This committee reported at the Stanford monthly meeting 23d of 5th month, 1807 : " Whereas Gerardus Winans, a member of our meeting, having so far deviated from the estab- lished rules of our society, as to go out in marriage with one not a member with us after being seasonably precautioned ; we therefore testify against his misconduct therein and disown him from being any longer a member with us until he shall make satisfaction to the monthly meeting. The fol- lowing Friends are appointed to inform him thereof and give him a copy if desired and inform him of the right of an appeal and report to next meet- ing .- Thomas Ellison, Thomas Griffin and Ezra Bryan." They reported at the Stanford monthly meeting on the 20th of 6th month, 1807, saying, "The Friends appointed to inform Gerardus Winans of the judgment of last meeting in his case and to offer him a copy of his denial and inform him of his right to an appeal, report the appointment answered and that he did not mamfest any intention to appeal." According to the popular verdict now, " Uncle Crand " did right in sticking to " Aunt Latchie "- regardless of being " disowned." He was in advance of the times. But the society could take no step backward and was morally obliged to act as it did. An incident several years later, in the '30s, is fresh to my memory. One bright Sabbath morning I went to Quaker meeting. The house was fairly filled and there being no preaching that day, it was a " silent" meet- ing. In the silence, I heard outside the galloping of a horse coming from the east. The messenger halted at the door and one of the Friends went out. It was Isaac Reynolds. He soon returned to the door-which was open-in front of the men's department and said in a strong, earnest voice " Edmund, thy house is on fire." The silence was very suddenly broken and meeting was out. It proved to be the dwelling on the farm owned by Mr. George Smith, deceased. Edmund Reynolds was the Friend addressed, who was the proprietor of that farm and at that time owned and lived on the farm now the residence of Mr. Phenix Deuel. Thomas Ellison, the early preacher here, was social, generous, warm-hearted and naturally made everybody his friend. There was a peculiarly pleasant melody in his voice when preaching, which perhaps made him so popular as a preacher. He appealed to and touched the hearts of his hearers by his emotional warmth, rather than by cold logic to reason and judgment. No
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man excelled him in the kind of singing oratory of that day. It was natural to him, hence pleasant to listen to. It is said that in early life he learned to play the violin, and played for dances, at apple parings and other social gatherings. While under religious impressions he attended one of these gatherings as "fiddler," and as he relates, his violin con- tinually sang "Jesus Christ was crucified, Jesus Christ was crucified." With reverence be it said the rhythm of this line is in accord with the dance music of that time and highly compliments Mr. Ellison as musician in its application. This was about the last of his playing and he sold his violin. But remorse for this sale troubled him. He purchased the violin soon after, and found peace in seeing it burn in the old fire-place. The years from 1807 to 1830 were the brightest in the history of this society. Thomas Ellison-who had been living for several years while preaching here, in the dwelling on the corner south east of the church, now occupied by Henry Knickerbocker, and with his son, Tripp Ellison, kept a store and tailor shop in a building on the same corner and some years since destroyed by fire-moved away about 1827 and the society was left without a regular preacher. This vacancy was filled by different preachers or speakers from the society at Stanfordville, and among them Henry Hull filled the most appointments. Meanwhile-1840-other denominations had erected churches and organized societies at Pine Plains, which drew away support from this. Sadder still, nearly all the original members, some in family burying grounds, others in public ones, were "each in his narrow cell for- ever laid" and none to fill their places. At length no meetings were held and in 1875 it was thought best by the society at Stanfordville to sell the prop- erty, which was accomplished by Peter Dorland at private sale to Mr. Phenix Deuel, in the spring of that year. John Carman, the youngest son of Phineas Carman and grandson of Richard Carman, died in 1879. He was the only living male member of the society at the time of his de- cease, and with his decease the record of "The Friends Society in North East" is finished.
But tho' finished as I have made it, reproach would come upon me, and that right justly, did I not stop here to pay tribute-an humble one-to the founder of this "society," and a worthy man, Charles Hoag. He was the son of John and Mercy Hoag, of the town of Washington, Dutchess County, N. Y. They came from Connecticut. Charles was born Dec. 25, 1771, married Betsey Denton, Nov. 21, 1793, and came to this town in 1798. He was a living force continually and when he took the office of town clerk of old North East in 1800, he vitalized the system of record keeping and brought order from the chaotic. For conscience's sake he could not "solemnly swear" to do this before any judge or justice, but it was as solemn and binding for him to say before James Winchell, a justice of the peace : "I, Charles Hoag, do solemnly, sincerely declare and affirm that I will faithfully and honestly keep all the books, records, writings, and
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ยท papers by virtue of my said office of town clerk committed and which shall from time to time be committed unto me * * *. " He felt the import of this obligation and fulfilled it. His filing on this paper reads : "Town Clerk's Affirmation." This was his first civil office in the town and he held it only one term. The next year he was one of the board of excise, having Jesse Thompson, James Winchell and Isaac Sherwood for associates. These "solemnly swear in presence of Almighty God" in regard to their official duties, and Mr. Hoag affirms. He had no desire for political strife. For him it had no charm and he abandoned it. The strife to win was nothing, but the strife to do good was everything, and the greatest good he deemed to be in education. In this he was foremost of all men in his time in this locality, from first to last. Upon his first settle- ment in the town he became one of the trustees in his school district- which office he filled nearly annually for over thirty years-and in the winter of 1798 and 9 employed Ira Sawyer as teacher, who taught eighty- one and a half days from Nov. 28, '98, to March 22, '99. There were thirty- seven scholars, and his daughter Anny-then about five years old-only missed seven days, which for so young a child shows the interest her father had in the school as well as for her punctual attendance. The late Harriet Dibble Bostwick attended sixty-three days and her brother Gustavus sixty-four. New life was put into the district. Mr. Hoag was trustee the next year and Mr. Sawyer continued as teacher from March 22, '99, to March 1800. Anny Hoag went 148 days and Harriet Dibble and her brother 188 each, which is the highest score on the list. This was his beginning in the cause of education which he kept up for several years, meanwhile enlarging his sphere and influence by taking the town office of commissioner of schools. In 1812 he again took the advance-the first in the present town limits-by opening a boarding school for girls and boys at his own dwelling. The girls' school was a building adjoining the south- west corner of the present Henry Keefer dwelling, the boys' school being in an addition adjoining the main building on the north. Jacob Willett and his wife Deborah Rogers-both later well known in this county-were employed as teachers in these respective schools. It was called a " board- ing school." A "select school" came many years later, but never by Charles Hoag. Jacob Willett and Deborah taught here three years, possibly longer. The school was open for day pupils and was a power for good. Among the pupils boarding were daughters of Isaac Smith, Esq., then living three miles north of Pine Plains in "Ancram," the children of Peter Husted, of John Harris, of Eliakim Lapham, the children of Captain Isaac Hunting, Emily Dibble, later the wife of Henry Bostwick, Louisa and Abby Smith, daughters of Judge Isaac Smith, of Lithgow, the former subsequently the wife of Hon. Homer Wheaton, the latter the wife of Hon. Nathaniel P. Talmadge, Betsy Hitchcock, the wife of Theodorus Gregory, many years since connected with the "Eastern House " in Poughkeepsie,
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and Miss Sarah Wilber, of Pine Plains, who until her recent decease was the only one living of this list. These are by no means all, but represent patronage from the surrounding towns and territories, a patronage highly appreciative and complimentary to Charles Hoag's zeal and energy in the cause of education. Jacob Willett and wife went from here to Mechanic in this county and established a school which had wide celebrity and patronage for many years. Enoch Haight succeeded Mr. Willett in the school at Charles Hoag's for a few years, when he established or taught a school on the site of the present county poor house. Mr. Haight was suc- ceeded by Ambrose Eggleston, the eldest children of Charles Hoag now being assistants, and afterward carrying on the school alone, until about, 1824, when the school closed. The building used for the girls school on the southwest corner of the dwelling was sold and converted into a dwelling near by in Bethel, in which Hiram Davis, a shoemaker, for- merly lived, and later Josiah Johnson, and still later sold to Edward Huntting. Again in 1835 Charles Hoag opened a boarding school at his dwelling, principally for ladies, his youngest daughter, Miss Mary Hoag, being, principal. Like the former school it was open for day scholars, and all the young ladies of the neighborhood attended and many from abroad were boarders. It was highly successful. She kept the school at this time three years, then went to Flushing for one year-1838-returned and re-opened the school in 1839 and continued it until 1841 when it closed never to open again. Miss Hoag was an accom- plished lady and teacher, teaching for several years after the close of this school in Albany. Her school at home was in the north building, which has since been sold-moved and converted into a dwelling. now on the corner opposite the old Quaker meeting house. Charles Hoag was not stout in physique nor tall, had dark hair and a black eye that looked yes or no without equivocation. His temperament was bilious, with the ner- vous organization peculiar to that temperament largely infused. His moral courage was quite phenomenal compared with the average man. He knew no personal fear and cared little for public opinion where right and duty called. [ AN INSTANCE .- When-about 1829-the excitement was great among the respective Hicksite and Orthodox Friends, trouble arose about the property of the Society at Mechanic-" Nine Partners "-and no Orthodox Quaker there could stay the aggressions of the Hicksites. Many tried it and failed. The Haights were the leading Hicksites. Charles Hoag ( orthodox ) was called. He went, and when he said "Jonathan if thee puts thy hand there I'll chop it off," Jonathan deemed it prudent to keep his hand off, and he did. They knew Charles Hoag and none molested him nor made him afraid. He was in the right and preserved the property for the time being to the orthodox society, which was later decided in the civil court the Hicksite being adjudged seceders. He had no peer in prompt decision and action. Indeed for him to decide was to
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act. He coupled them. He waited not for opportunities but created them. Other men might come to the same mental result by a waiting deliberation, but while they deliberated Charles Hoag had the thing accomplished. He had not the suave, many - sided elements for personal popularity or for a successful politician, hence he was deemed by the drones and cowards cross, crabbed, overbearing and tyrannical. Enemies are useful to such men and they always have them. They could not or did not read him aright, for he was not of them although among them, and his voice and example were continually crying "woe to the sluggard and the idler." In early life he studied navigation, having an eye to the navy, but for personal reasons it is said he abandoned that and took up surveying. The might have been is speculation, not history, yet yielding to temptation a pity true it seems that a Providence should have changed the steps of one so well fitted in character for a commodore or an admiral. In the prosecution of surveying his powers of endurance were often tested. Some of his surveys-probably many of them-are in existence now and show his handy work. About 1830 he sokl his compass, chain and field notes and also his business to William Eno, Esq., of Pine Plains, reserving the right to complete the work in that line he had at that time commenced. In addition to this he wrote wills, contracts, agree- ments and other legal papers of like import. He was counsellor, referee and judge, known and employed for miles around. He wrotea neat, plain hand and his language was concise, covering his points without verbosity or ambiguity. More might be written but enough already to form judg- ment of what he was to himself, his God and his fellow men. I knew him in his declining and last days when "years steal fire from the mind and vigor from the limb," and could form some estimate of the heat and blaze of early life and manhood. It was in the severity of winter when he drew wood from a lot on Stissing mountain to his house. His family protested and his neighbors saw him go by with wonder and pity in the cold and storm. "Charles Hoag is sick " they said the next day or so after, pneu- monia followed and within a week he died, died with the harness on. East of the old Quaker meeting house lot and adjoining is its burying ground. No blocks nor shafts of Scotch granite nor Italian marble are there decked with carved trappings which so often mock goodness never known to the sleeping dust beneath, but in one spot is a mound with sim- ple turf, green perennial as the years come and go. At the west end of this stands a plain white marble slab on which the Friend, the worldling and the stranger can read;
DIED. CHARLES HOAG 1ST MO. 23D 1840 AGED 68 YEARS.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, JANUARY, 1889.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
At the outset under this head it is pertinent and proper to state that the history of this church building is referred to until the Presbyterian church society had a being some years later, which will be noticed in its order of time. Until this takes place it is more of a complicated historical study than plain bistorical reading.
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