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 17
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 17
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The Presbyterian Church building at Pine Plains is the outcome of an association for a church building, having its origin in 1813. Before and during the revolutionary war the settlers having or desiring church rela- tions were content, by choice or necessity, with the services at Round Top and Greenbush (Vedder) churches. The war ending in 1783 and peace re- stored, an impetus was given to immigration into that part of " Little Nine Partners " west of Winchell Mountain. Hither came people to settle from Connecticut, Long Island, Pawling. Dover, Horse Neck (Greenwich, Conn. ) and other places having different denominational church interests and rela- tions. The Quakers, quite numerous and influential in the south part of the town and in Milan, had built a church in 1806 at Bethel, and the unfriendly, for lack of a church of their own, attended their meetings as best they could do, if not for spiritual good Meanwhile Pine Plains vil- lage, about 1800, began to boom as a business place, inviting lawyers, doc- tors, merchants and mechanics of various trades. Hither came the invited and uninvited, representing Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, German Reformed, and one or two Universalist, enough of the liberal leaven to leaven the whole lump, provided the lump would leaven Neither of these alone could build a meeting house good enough in all respects to be proud of-be it said they had commendable pride-and so to have a building they could each and all be pleased to look at and worship in, they on April 10, 1813, entered into "Articles of Association for the building of the Union Meeting House on Pine Plains." Then follows: "We, the undersigned, having associated for the purpose of erecting a House for Publick Worship on the Pine Plains do agree as follows: That the size of s'd house shall be thirty-six feet by fifty feet. That the expense of building it shall be divided into Twenty-Five or more parts of shares, and that the holder of each undivided share be bound to pay to such committee or either of them as may be elected by a majority of the votes of the persons present at the election for committee, and in like manner to the suc- cessors in office of s'd committee, the proportions of money due on their individual shares in such installments as s'd committee may think necessary, and for which they are always to give at least thir- ty days notice. That the first election of committee shall be made at a meeting of which ten days publick notice shall be given. That written notice put up at both the Publick Houses at the Plains shall be on all occasions deemed publick notice of such meeting, be posted in con- spicuous places. That when the name of more than one person shall be
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placed opposite a share, each and every individual shall be holden for arrears, and the committee may accordingly call on them collectively or separate. That if any share shall be in arrears after the time set by the committee for the payment of any monies thereon, the interest shall accrue from such time of payment, and may be taxed on said share, and it is fully understood and agreed that if any share shall be in arrears for more than one year from the time afore designated, and the whole money and inter- est dne thereon shall not be paid over to the committee, then and in such case the delinquent share shall revert and fully belong to the holders of the residue of the shares of said House in a just and equal proportion. That a new election for committee shall take place at such time and place or within three months thereafter as may be fixed by the last previous meet- ing for committee, also the number of the committee shall be fixed in like manner except the first committee to be chosen which shall consist of five in number. That each shall have one vote and no more. That all trans- actions, either of the proprietors or the committee, shall be governed by a majority of the votes of those present, and the minority are expected and understood to acquiesce. The committee to fix on the site for the House. The house to be substantially and well built, completely finished and painted neat but plain, and free from costly, extravagant work, all neces- sary discretionary powers, however, are vested in the committee, and by them to be freely exercised. The shares in said House to be transferable. After the House is finished the P'ews and all profits arising therefrom are to be appropriated equally for the emolument of each share, agreeably to the discretion of the committee and distributed accordingly. Bylaws may be hereafter formed, which if made shall be binding.
Subscription to Meeting House shares. NOTE-the words "or more " after twenty-five were interlined before signing.
Share No. 1. Henry Hoffman ; 2, Henry Hoffman ; 3, Fyler Dibblee ; 4, Fyler Dibblee ; 5, Ebenezer Dibblee ; 6, Isaiah Dibble ; 7, Isaac Hunt- ing ; 8, Israel Harris ; 9, Eli S. Bostwick and Rufus Bostwick ; 10, Israel Reynolds; 11, Israel Reynolds; 12, William Woodin and Justus Booth ; 13, Cornelius Husted and Christian Schultz; 14, Samuel Waters; 15, Matthias Hoffman; 16. James G. Husted and Widow Husted; 17, Cornelius Allerton ; Walter Husted; Leonard Husted; 18, Theodore Hooker one-quarter; Derrick Husted one-quarter; Walter Thomas one-quarter; John Couch one-quarter; 19, Jesse Thompson, Philo Wells, Salmon Stevenson, William Stevenson ; 20, Joshua Culver, and Henry I. Hiserodt, Jun., one-quarter; 21, John Hiserodt one-half share, Benjamin Strever one- quarter; Henry I. Hiserodt one-quarter; 22, Isaac B. Smith, Harry Winchester; 23, Jacob Millis, Peter Loucks; 24 William Righter, Jun., one quarter, Gerardus Winans, Jun., one quarter, Benj. Millis one-quarter, Wm. L. VanAlstyne one-quarter;
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
25, A. E. Winchell, Stephen Eno; 96 Silas Harris one-half, William Stickle one-quarter, Jacob Stickle one-quarter; 27 Isaac Dibble one-half, David Winans one-half; 29 Nicholas Pulver one-half; 30 Coonrod Wiltsey one- quarter.
Nothing was done toward the erection of the building in 1813. The first meeting taking action thereto was at the public house of Israel Rey- nolds-now Stissing House-the second Saturday of February, (12th,) 1814, when Henry Hoffman, Fyler Dibblee, William Woodin, Isaac Huntting and Israel Reynolds, five of the associate number, were chosen a commit- tee to manage the affairs of the association until the next election. Henry Hoffman was chairman and William Woodin clerk. The next annual elec- tion for a committee was at this meeting appointed to be held on the first Saturday in February, 1815, at 2 o'clock, at the house of Israel Reynolds, This was the annual election of the committee, but meanwhile, October 8th, 1814, Henry Hoffman, William Woodin, Israel Reynolds and Isaac Huntting, four of the committee, met and arranged to put up this notice in four public places :
"NOTICE .- Subscribers to the Association for building a house for pub- lic worship on the Pine Plains are hereby notified that an installment of eight dollars on each share is required to be paid to Doct. Israel Reynolds by the nineteenth day of November next. By direction of the committee. WILLIAM WOODIN, Clerk.
North East Town, October 10, 1814."
The next meeting was the annual one for the election of a committee to be held on the first Saturday in February, 4th, 1815. Notice of this elec- tion was made and posted January 30th, 1815, by William Woodin, clerk. The meeting was held pursuant to notice Feb. 4, 1815, and Isaac Huntting, William Woodin, Fyler Dibblee, Henry Hoffman and Silas Harris were by ballot chosen committee, Henry Hoffman being chosen chairman. It was declared at this meeting by a vote of the subscribers that a share of the as- sociation should not exceed one hundred dollars. Preparations had com- menced the year before, 1814, for the building of the meeting house, and the committee for that year reported at this meeting that George Clark, the land hokler, had donated one hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and a note against John Merritt and James Myers for one hundred dollars, mak - ing two hundred and fifty dollars; that Doct. Israel Reynolds had con- tracted with a Mr. Ives to deliver at Pine Plains 25000 shingles at $3.50 per thousand, and also with another party for 5000 feet siding delivered here at $16, and with another party for 5000 feet boards and plank at New Marlborough, at $10.25 per thousand. Also at this meeting it was declared that the next annual meeting for the election of the committee should be held at the house of Doct. Israel Reynolds on the first Saturday in Februa- ry, 1816. Two days after the annual meeting of Saturday, 4th, 1815, the committee met (Monday, Feb. 6.) and appointed Aaron E. Winchell clerk and treasurer of this building association, and so competent a man for that
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position could not probably have been selected at that time in the town of North East. The accounts show his accuracy and particularity. A bal- ance of one penny was noted, and the assessment of shares and fractional payments, and payments of fractional interest on pews and various other complications of this conglomerate church association might have puzzled a less methodical head than his. All the accounts and money passed through his hands, and much of it in changes and "turn" as he calls it. He held the office of clerk in this association to 1837 and possibly later. His first official act was Feb. 7, 1815, the next day after his appointment, to post four notices, one each in four public places calling for another in- stallment of sixteen dollars on each share of stock, to be paid to him by the eleventh day of March next (1815). Thus the preliminary building year of 1814 passed and the spring of 1815 found the committee with funds sufficient to commence the building.
February 11, 1815, a meeting of the committee was held, four being present, Henry Hoffman, Silas Harris, Fyler Dibblee and William Woodin, and they decided to purchase the Husted lot to erect the Meeting House on, ยท and Fyler Dibblee and William Woodin were appointed to attend to its purchase at one hundred and fifty dollars. Two days after this, February 13, this deed was executed, the consideration being one hundred and fifty dollars, the lot four rods wide and five rods deep. The grantors were Joshua Culver and Lavinia his wife, Cornelius Husted and Phebe his wife, Walter Husted, Leonard Husted and Saloma (Sally) his wife, Cornelius Aller- ton and Clarissa his wife, Polly Husted and Harry Husted, all of the town of Northeast in Duchess County. The grantees were Henry Hoffman, Isaac Huntting, Fyler Dibblee, William Woodin and Silas Harris. The grant- ees were "joint tenants and not as tenants in common for the use of and as trustees for the inhabitants of said village of Pine Plains and the parts ad- jacent thereto, for the purpose of erecting a church or meeting house on the premises with a yard about the same to be appropriated and forever hereafter set apart for the use, benefit and accommodation of said inhab- itants in carrying on and celebrating public divine worship therein."
At this same meeting of the committee on Feb. 11, 1815, Silas Harris and Willliam Woodin were appointed to go to Catskill and purchase lum- ber and material for the church, and for this purpose February 13, 1815, they were paid $222. On receiving the money Colonel Harris said: "Gen- tlemen, I will spend your money." "That's just what we want," replied Squire Hoffman, "go ahead." Teams were readily procured to haul the lumber, as the enthusiasm was great to see the church built. It was the special enterprise of that year. At this same meeting the committee made a contract with Elijah B. Northrop and Mr. Terril, the carpenters, for building the church. Elijah B. Northrop was deemed a skilled carpenter at that time. He worked by the "square rule" as it was called, that is, made each piece in the frame in mortise and tenon fit its relative cor-
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
responding piece without "'scribing" as it had been hitherto done. It is easy to do this now, but this timber was felled in the forests, and it was phenomenal to see Northrop go from place to place, cut and square the timber and make mortise and tenon ready for the building. Doubts as to the fitting and coming together in all its parts in the frame were gen- eral, almost universal. But like the temple of Solomon, the timbers felled in the forests were nicely adjusted in mortise and tenon, and went together in the frame, not however without the sound of ax or hammer. The building was begun in April, 1815, and completed in nine months. It was 36x50, having a square belfry and tower, and a spire. The pulpit, a high one, requiring ten steps to get into, was opposite the entrance. Be- hind the pulpit was a window to light the reading of the scripture and "the light thereof" at the end of the written sermon, but extremely unpleasant for sitters in the body pews to gaze at the minister in the glare of the win- dow. This window was taken out and the vacancy filled with lath and mortar in the repairs of the '40s. A stove was in the middle at the en- trance-no vestibule, the outside doors opening into the body of the church, which later was taken out and a stove placed at each corner at the en- trance. To make room for these corner stoves the back seat or pew in each corner was taken out. The pipes from these stoves passed out of the windows. There were two aisles to accommodate the pews on the sides and center. There were fourteen pews on each side next to the wall, including the rear pew taken out later for the stove, twelve on each side of the body center, and three ou either side of the pulpit in the corners facing the pulpit, making a total of fifty-eight below, each seating com- fortably four, giving a seating capacity of 232 below. Each pew had a door. Above there was a gallery on each side and in the front The side galleries each had two rows of seats the whole length. The front gallery had three rows of seats between the stair entrances which were in each corner. There were eighteen round columns in all, with Corinthian trim- mings, four on each side above and four on each side below in perpendicu- lar line, supporting respectively the front of the galleries and the roof frame above, and two in the the center of the front gallery, one above and one below, in the same relative position as on the sides. The top of the front of the galleries all around the building had a wide over. hanging cornice and the space between that and the bottom finish of the gallery had a facing of horizontal, perpendicular, diamond shaped and zigzag carvings and mouldings which would now be called antique or unique, possibly either would be proper form. Wood was used for fuel exclusively, and in the later years of the old church, as I remember, the upright cylinder wood stoves in the corners, which had taken the place of the one between the doors, gave a good heat to the winter cold hand, and were equally good or better to scorch the fur muffs of the unmindful young ladies and old women. The numbering of the pews com-
HENRY C. MYERS. [See Lineage.]
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS
menced in the southwest corner at the rear pew on the side left of the west entrance door. This was No. 1, (which was taken out later for the stove) in front of that was 2, the rear west center pew was 3, directly opposite the side pew was 4, the pew next front of the center (3) was 5, opposite this on the side was 6, and so on relatively on this aisle to the last front west center pew 25, opposite to this was 26, the front west side. The front cor- ner pew on this west side facing the pulpit was 28, next in rear 29, and back of that next the wall 30. The rear pew in the corner left of the pulpit and facing it was 31, front of that was 32, and the front one of the three 33. The front pew on the east side was 35, opposite that in the east center body was 36. Diagonally opposite on the east side next in rear of 35 was 37, directly opposite in the body was 38, and so on relatively toward the entrance, the last body pew being 58 and the last side pew 60, which was later taken out for the stove. The pews were appraised to cover the in- debtedness amounting to about thirty-five hundred dollars. The price was graduated as follows: In the body part the front pews next the pulpit on each side were "reserved " The pew next in rear to the reserved on each side was appraised at ninety dollars and with two exceptions five dollars . less on each pew in order toward the entrance, the last being thirty-five dollars. The side pews commencing at the pulpit end were one hundred dollars for the front on each side, and five dollars less with two exceptions on each pew in order back, the last one being thirty-five, each side alike. The corner pews to the right and left of the pulpit were one hundred dol- lars each.
Everything was now ready for the sale of the pews to pay the indebt- edness. Public notice by written posters and otherwise was given that the sale would take place on the 14th of February, 1816. The great general interest brought many bidders. It was a noble work. The building debt stood against it. Elijah B. Northrop & Co., the builders, needed their pay. Henry Hoffman, deeply interested at the commencement and true to the last, was determined the good work should not end ingloriously. "The meeting house must be paid for," he said. Silas Harris, very active and enthusiastic in building the church, came with a small jug of rum. Live- ly stomachs make liberal and cheerful bidders, especially at an auction. James Lillie, a lame lawyer, who had come here in 1813, mounted a table as auctioneer and the sale went on with spirit. The difference between a sale with spirit and a spiritual sale was not then and there discussed. The sale took place Wednesday, Feb. 14, 1816, to the highest bidder, on a credit of six months from Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1815, when the deeds were exe- cuted by the committee, Henry Hoffman, Fyler Dibblee, Isaac Huntting, William Woodin and Silas Harris, who had been elected February 3d, pre- vious. Account of sale: No. 1 not sold, 2 Benjamin Millius $50, 3 Henry Strevel $35, 4 Jacob Stickle $54, 5 Jacob Millius $48, 6 Doctor Cornelius Al. lerton and Cornelius Husted $70, 7 Benjamin Knickerbocker $57, 8 Henry
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THE CHURCHES.
I Hiserodt, Jr., $60, 9 Peter A. Pulver $60, 10 Walter Husted and Leonard Husted $66, 11 Andreas Stickle $61, 12 William Stevenson $67, 13 William Righter, Jr., $62, 14 Justus Boothe $70. 15 Charles Johnson, David Van- Dusen $73, 16 Ebenezer Dibblee $83, 17 John A. Turck, Theodore Hooker $78, 18 Joshua Culver $125, 19 Jacob Boekee and William Van Alstyne $75, 20 Nicholas Pulver $117, 21 William Woodin $80, 22 Christian C. Shultz $108, 23 William A. Stickle $84, 24 Aaron E. Winchell $130, 25 "reserved" body front, 26 Henry Hoffman $125, 27 entrance. to corner pews on west side, 28 Peter W. Pulver $153, 29 Silas Harris $151, 30 Israel and James Harris $130, 31 Isaac Huntting $125, 32 Fyler Dibblee $160, 33 Isaiah and Isaac Dibble $135, 34 entrance to corner pews on east side, 35 James G. Husted $96, 36 "reserved," body front, 37 Matthias Hoffman $102, 38 Jas. W. Smith $84, 39 William W. Pulver $95, 40 Henry I. Traver $80, this pew was conveyed by trustees to Elijah B. Northrop in 1821, 41 Isaac B. Smith and David Winans $106, 42 Jesse Thompson and Philo Wells $75, 43 Jo- siah Winans $80, 44 Andrus Keefer $78, 45 Israel Reynolds $81, 46 Isaac Huntting $73, 47 Peter Loucks $81, 48 Stephen Eno $68, 49 [Henry Hoff- man $60, 50 Theodore Hooker $50, 51 Hendrick Keefer $63, 52 John Harris $50, 53 Conrad J. Wiltsey $58. 54 Elisha Kenyon $53. He did not take it. Fyler Dibblee took it. 55 Henry M. Hoffman $60, 56 Martin J. Hise rodt $49, 57 Silas Germond $40, 58 Peter B. Knickerbocker $35, 59 Henry I. Hiserodt $43. These were the prices the pews brought at the auction sale, in amount over $4000, but the next year, Mar,, 1817, these prices were changed by a reduction on some and addition on others to make a nearer just scale for levying the taxes to pay the ministers and other expenses.
Probably no man at that sale had more influence to make the pews sell at good figures than Silas Harris. Tradition gives him credit for earnest work. He and Fyler Dibblee paid the highest prices, $150, and it was by his direct and personal influence that Peter W. Pulver, not an original sub . scriber, paid the same for his pew. Henry Hoffman, Fyler Dibblee, Isaac Huntting, William Woodin and Silas Harris were committee of this society at this time, and signed the deeds to the purchasers. These deeds have the form and dignity of a conveyance of real estate, and probably some are now to be found in old trunks and garrets. One form reads:
"Know all men by these presents, that we, Henry Hoffman, Fyler Dibblee, Isaac Huntting, William Woodin and Silas Harris, have released and quit claimed and by these presents do for us and our heirs forever re mise, release, and quit claim unto - of the town of Dutch- ess County, his heirs and assigns, all the right, title, interest, claim and de- mand which we have of and in that certain seat or pew marked number - in the new meeting house lately erected on the Pine plains in the town of North East. In witness whereof," &c.
Signed by the above. The pews were deemed a sort of real estate, and transferable in like form and manner, but not recorded.
April 5, 1813, the legislature passed a general act for the incorporation
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
of religious societies. In regard to the date of this incorporation there are some papers extant-and I have one-which do not agree in date with the record in the church book written by Aaron E. Winchell. The outside pa- pers referred to above give February, 1816, as the month of incorporation. Upon a careful examination I deem the record in the book by Mr. Winch- ell correct and produce a copy :
"For three or four Sundays in succession previous to Monday the 4th of March, public notice was given after divine service by the Rev. Mr. Blair at the Pine Plains meeting house that an election for the trustees of the society would be held at the said meeting house on Monday the 4th day of March, the same being in conformity with an act of the legislature of the state of New York for incorporating religious societies passed April5, 1813, Monday, March 4, 1816, agreeable to the above notice the society (general ly) assembled at the said meeting house, motioned and carried that Israel Harris and Aaron E. Winchell be the presiding officers. A motion made and carried that said society do elect trustees. A motion made and carried that the number of trustees to be elected shall be six. A motion made and carried to vote viva voce. The motion reconsidered and carried to vote by ballot, Israel Harris and Aaron E. Winchell as presiding officers to re- ceive the ballots and test the qualifications of voters, the society proceeded to ballot. The poll being closed and on canvassing the votes it appeared that Henry Hoffman, Silas Harris, Fyler Dibblee, Isaac Huntting, Corne- lius Allerton and Israel Harris were by the greatest number of votes elect- ed trustees. A motion made and seconded that this house be known by and named the Pine Plains Meeting house and carried in the affirmative."
Israel Harris and Aaron E. Winchell certified to this as returning offi - cers to the county clerk, and were acknowledged as such by Fyler Dibblee. one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, the next day after the election (March 5, 1816.) The return thus perfected went to Po'keepsie the same day, was received for record "at half past five o'clock P. M.," and re- corded in Lib. 1 of church deeds and certificates, Pages 76 and 77. This gave the society a legal status and was the first legal church society organ- ization in the town. The trustees were divided into three classes, whose terms of office expired respectively in one, two and three years, thus mak- ing two trustees elected thereafter annually. First class, Fyler Dibblee, Silas Harris; second class, Isaac Huntting, Cornelius Allerton; third class, Henry Hoffman Israel Harris. The sale of the pews in the February pre- vious was by order of the "association committee," who signed the deeds which were principally made out February 21st, and whether or not there was any legal right under the sale before the society was incorporated March 4, 1816, is a question of no importance now. The actors did not question it then, it seems, and we now can only say "they did it." The election of trustees disposed of the association committee, and thereafter the trustees controlled the church property and the pulpit too.
Prom what is known there was no Presbyterian service in Pine Plains previous to 1810 or '12. A Rev. Mr. Barnum, the first I know of, about this time preached for awhile in the ball room of the Ketterer old Hotel which had been built a few years previous. He boarded at the time with
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