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 24
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 24
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS
dence in France, Blair's Sermons, vol. 1, 3, Lock's Essays, 3 vols., Abridged, Jeny's View, Condorect, Butler's Hudibras, Homer's Iliad, Works of Dr. Franklin, History of China, 2 vols., Messiah, Young's Night Thoughts, McFingal, Prison of Paris, Payne's Epitome of History, Lady's Library, Carver's Travels. Finlay's Kentucky, 2 vols., Watt's Essays, Rights of Wo- men, Paley's Evidence, Travels of Cyrus, Expedition to Egypt, Grand Prie's Voyage, 2 vols., Voyage in Search of Perouse, 2 vols., Parents' Friend, 2 Vols,, Blair's Lectures, 2 vols. Probably not many of these books can be found now, and would not be read if they could be found.
Thus in November, 1793, the library was ready for the loan of books, and Ebenezer Baldwin who then kept the hotel on the site of the now Stissing House, was librarian, and held that office until January 1, 1800, when he was succeeded by Israel Reynolds. January 1, 1799, the annual meeting of the corporation was held and Jesse Thompson, Ebenezer Dib- blee, Ebenezer Baldwin, John A. Turck, Samuel Waters, Cornelius W. VanRanst and Peter Husted were chosen trustees. This meeting and oth- er meetings near this date were held at the public house of Ebenezer Bald_ win. In January, 1800, the amount of library money in the hands of the treasurer was six dollars and four cents, and in this month also ten addi- tional by-laws were passed, making fifteen in all. They covered the draw- ing of books and general management of the library. A book could be held six weeks, and one cent fine for every day over that time. The libra- rian was to assess damages to the books loaned, "viz. for the least grease spot, or rend or soil beyond common usage three cents, and for all greater damage in like proportion, having reference to the size of the book and the set to which it belongs."
July 2, 1800, Tuesday, the trustees held a meeting at the house of Israel Reynolds, who had succeeded Ebenezer Baldwin, of the Stissing House property. They met there again in January, 1801. In August of that year they met at the store of Ebenezer Dibblee & Son. The first Tuesday in January, 1802, they met at the house of Asahel Haskins, who it is supposed kept the hotel on the site of the now Ketterer hotel. On the second Tues- day in April of that year, 1802, they met at the house of Peter Newkirk, who had succeeded Israel Reynolds. They met there again in October of that year and also at that house in January, 1803, when Fyler Dibblee was chosen treasurer and librarian. The second Tuesday in April of that year they met at the house of Benjamin R. Bostwick, who it is said kept the hotel at that time on the now Ketterer property, but the meetings follow- ing in that year were held at the house of Peter Newkirk.
The original subscribers of two dollars and fifty cents were "proprie- tors," and share-holders, and the shares, $2.50, were transferable under hand and seal of the proprietor and approved by the librarian who kept record of such transfers. They were personal estate, and in cases of decease fell to the heirs. Transfers commenced in March, 1799, the next
6
STEPHEN ENO. [See Lineage.]
260
HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
year after the library was organized, and seem to be recorded with care and regularity for eight or ten years following, when the records show less transfers.
From 1798 to 1804 no changes occurred in this library association oth- er than election of officers and minor matters in the routine of business. In May, 1803, Stephen Eno, the ancestor of the Pine Plains name, came to this village and settled on the "Stephen Eno property " on South street, which he purchased of William Bassett With the purchase of this real es- tate he also purchased Bassett's right or share in the library. At the first annual meeting following, which was the first Tuesday in January, 1804, the trustees chosen for the "Union Library " were Jesse Thompson, John Harris, Fyler Dibblee, Thomas Stephenson, Benjamin R. Bostwick, John A. Turck and Stephen Eno. One week from that day the trustees met at Peter Newkirk's, Jesse Thompson being chairman, and appointed Stephen Eno librarian and treasurer, which offices he held without a break, I think, until 1829. His early life and training had fitted him for this position. He appreciated the value of books and a library as an educator of the commu- nity. He was the life of the library. A donation of books to the amount of two dollars and fifty cents made the donor a subscriber or proprietor. Books for this library were then principally purchased from individuals in the vicinity. For illustration, he purchased of Hugh Gamble four volumes of Adventures of a Guinea, of another four volumes of Domestic Encyclo- pedia, of Bernard Mathison eight volumes of Gibbon's Rome for twenty dollars in 1808. In 1816 of John L. Knickerbocker the History of New York, two volumes by Knickerbocker; in 1817 of Silas Germond History of Ire- land four volumes. Books were bought of Paraclete Potter, who had a bookstore in Poughkeepsie. In the list purchased by Mr. Eno possibly within twenty years I find Roderick Random two volumes, Shakspeare nine volumes, Burns' Poems, two volumes of Thaddeus of Warsaw, three vol- umes of The Rambler, two volumes of the Alhambra, Tooker's Pantheon, Byron's Poems three volumes, Literary Magazine twelve volumes pur- chased from Fyler Dibblee in April 1825 at six shillings each, two volumes of Tales of the Crusades, Hogg's Tales two volumes, Robinson Crusoe, and that curious book The Koran. Can any one tell or will any one tell what became of this old book ? The Koran is in the library now, but is a recent publication.
These are some of the old books in this library in 1828. The number at that time according to the register was two hundred and sixty-one. Mr. Eno ceased to continue as an officer in the association from old age, and not much increase was made to the number of volumes nor interest in the library after his resignation until about thirty years since, when the inter- est revived, and financial aid came to libraries throughout the state by leg- islation, and meanwhile the fund was kept up by voluntary subscription
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THE LIBRARY.
from the town people and annual dues from the share-holders, In 1895 it passed to the control of the state board of regents. Mr. Frank Eno has been the librarian for several years, and holds that office now. The list shows about 2,500 volumes, but by loss and mutilation probably the actual number is about two hundred short of that amount.
The old register of the "Union Library" is a valuable book of history. Very much of name and date it contains is not found in any other book in the town.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
SEYMOUR SMITH ACADEMY AND PINE PLAINS UNION FREE SCHOOL.
The Seymour Smith Academy came into being by the bequest in his will which reads "I bequeath my entire estate to the town of Pine Plains for the especial purpose of aiding said town in establishing an academy for the promotion of science and useful knowledge." The will bears date March 12, 1861. He was a son of Peter Smith and Sarah Winans, who about 1760 settled in Charlotte Precinct, on the lands adjoining the present boundary of Stanford and Pine Plains, the farm known later as the Tripp- Hicks farm on Huntting Hill in the town of Stanford. A few years later they moved to a farm in the present limits of Pine Plains, near the south boundary of the town, where Nelson Bathrick now lives, and there Aug- ust 7, 1779, Seymour Smith was born. His. great grandfather, Daniel Smith, came from Englan.1 and was among the earliest setlers in Con- necticut.
Seymour Smith spent his early life in this town, in his youth attend- ing the district school of that time, limited in its means and manner of education, finishing his education by a short term in a Po'keepsie school with Walter Cunningham. Thomas 1 .. Davies, Harry Conklin, Stephen Thorne and Jacob Van Benthuysen associate pupils. Ile returned to Pine Plains and in the war of 1812 raised a company of volunteers for. a year's service, and was stationed at Staten Island. At the expiration of his ser- vice he returned to this town and soon after leased the now Henry Knick- erbocker farm about three miles east of the village. Here he was an in- dustrious and energetic farmer, and a successful grower of barley and wheat. At the close of the lease he purchased a farm on the east bank of the Hudson River, near the boundary line of Clermont and Germantown in Columbia county about twelve miles from Hudson. This was his first and only home, His taste and inclination was to produce the best of all products. He had the best breeds of cattle and the choicest varieties of fruit. He took more premiums on his farm products than any one exhib- itor at the agricultural societies where he exhibited. "Excelsior" was his motto. On this farm he deceased a bachelor on Nov. 26, 1863. Adjoining the southern driveway in the Evergreen Cemetery at Pine Plains stands a marble sl aft surmounted by an urn erected to his memory. On one side .of it we read, "Seymour Smith, born August 7, 1779, died Nov. 26, 1863. He was a soldier in the American army in the war with Great Britain in 1812. He bequeathed his entire estate to the town of Pine Plains to estab- lish an Academy for the promotion of knowledge."
To carry out this provision of his will an act was passed by the legisla-
-
.
SEYMOUR SMITH. [See Lineage.]
264
HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
ture Feb. 19, 1864, "authorizing the town of Pine Plains, Dutchess County, to take the bequest given it by the will of Seymour Smith, deceased, and to carry into execution the object for which said bequest was given."
In accordance with this act a board of trustees was chosen to receive. and invest the money, the amount being about six thousand dollars, which was allowed to accumulate until 1877, when the building was erected. Hezekiah Andrews, of Hillsdale, was the carpenter builder. The building is of wocd, forty by sixty eight, two stories and a mansard, resting on a high basement wall of brick, making in all four stories, tastefully trimmed with mouldings, scrolls and brackets. is warmed throughout by steam, and has hot and cold water on every floor. All the rooms are com- modious and pleasant and well arranged for the purposes designed. Forty boarding pupils can be accommodated. The board of trustees at the- time of its erection were Walter W. Husted, Frank Eno, Jonas Knicker- bocker, Phenix Deuel, John A. Herrick, William S. Eno, Henry Myers, John A. Thompson, Harmon W. Pulver. John Righter, Leander Smith, Ury Hicks. Walter W. Husted was president of the board, Frank Eno. secretary, and John A. Thompson treasurer. The Academy was incorpo- rated in 1874.
The Academy opened May 8, 1879. Rev. Abraham Mattice, A. M., prin- cipal. He was from Fort Plain, Montgomery County, N. Y., where for several years he had been principal of Fort Plain seminary. He brought. about twenty pupils with him. The Academy opened with about fifty pu- pils, and numbered fifty-eight before the end of May. It was a school for. ladies and gentlemen, and Mrs. Smeallie was preceptress. The graduating exercises for this year were held in the Methodist church on the first and second of July, 1879. The gradnates were Vedder Yates, Harry B. Conk- ling, H. Judd Ward, Helen A. Thorne, Louise C. Garner, Lettie B. Letson, Margaret V. D. See and Anna B. VanDeusen, eight in all. The church was. crowded and the exercises were very interesting, new in their nature, to- the people of Pine Plains. In 1880 there was one graduate, in '81 four, in '82 seven, in '83 six, in '84 three, in '85 seven, in '86 eight, in '87 six, in '88 three, in '89 ten, in '90 two, in '91 five, in '93 eight, '94 none, '95 four. Down to May, 1896, six of the graduates have deceased, six are clergymen, six are physicians, and three are lawyers. Total number of pupils 1002, an average of fifty-nine a year. The largest number of pupils was during 1881-2, and '94. It has given instruction to a large number in music, hav- ing some years forty music pupils and keeping five pianos in use. Twenty- five or more have been prepared for college. From the first it has turned out many successful teachers. . With such a record its influence as an ed- ucator has been and is far reaching and incalculable. It continued until March 1, 1896, seventeen years, Mr. Mattice being the only principal. The grading and progression to a higher standard in our union free schools has done away with the old time academy. But few now exist, and these are
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SEYMOUR SMITH ACADEMY AND UNION FREE SCHOOL
in the nature of a select school, and even these few are becoming less an- nually. The building being closed as an academy, it was placed by the trustees under charge of the state board of regents. The Pine Plains Un- ion Free School was organized in March, 1896, and an Academic Depart- ment established in June of that year, the whole being under a board of education constituted of Frank Eno, William Bostwick and Leander J. Wilbur. Frank Eno Secretary, J. Huntting Bostwick treasurer, Richard T. Hoctor truant officer, J. HI. Forrester principal. in April, 1896, they leased the Academy building and opened the Union Free School. They made some internal repairs to the building, and gave it otherwise a thor- ough renovation. "The school rooms are well lighted and ventilated, and are heated by the most modern steam plant obtainable," they say in the first circular of the "Pine Plains Union Free School." Prof. Forrester and family reside in the building where there are ample and convenient. accommodations. The following synopsis in part from the circular gives. the status of its management. Fall term commences September 1st, 1896. It has a neatly furnished library comprising the best selections of standard authors, and in addition the pupils have free access to the town library of about two thousand volumes. Non-resident pupils can obtain good board at reasonable rates. Pupils driving to the school will be pro- vided with stabling accommodations free of charge, and a rack for bicycles. is also provided. Pupils residing in the district receive instruction free. Residents outside the district pay a fee of three dollars for fall and spring terms respectively, each three months in length, and four dollars for the winter term of four months. Pupils outside the town pay six dollars for fall and spring terms each and eight dollars for winter term. All school fees. for pupils outside the district payable in advance. This embodies substan- tially the management of the Pine Plains union free school at its organiza- tion in 1896.
SEYMOUR SMITH ACADEMY, 1889.
CHAPTER XXVII.
DISTRICT SCHOOL.
To go back from the graded school of to-day to the old district school a hundred years ago, and note the changes in the between time, would be very near an impossibility, and at best of tedious interest. Some old doc- uments, however, relative to district schools in North East, having the es- sence of truth, are too good to be lost. These pertain to "North East," and it must be borne in mind that previous to 1818 North East embraced the territory of the now north part of North East, Pine Plains and Milan, and at that time " North East " and "Little Nine Partners " were the same in territory.
April 9, 1795, the legislature passed "An act for the encouragement of schools,"-amended in '96 and '97-which is the first year any reports were filed with the town clerk, or are found among the town papers. Presum- ably the filing of reports originated by a provision in this act. By it, among other things, the amount of the school fund "distributed " or as- signed to the county was apportioned by the supervisors to the several dis- tricts, pro rata according to attendance. The teachers reported to the trustees, the trustees to the commissioners of schools, and the commission- ers to the treasurer of the county, with an order to pay the trustees of the respective distriets There had been no commissioners of schools previous to this act of 1795 and none were elected at the spring election, as the act was passed too late for this, but in 1796 John D. Bull, Ebenezer Dibble, Josiah Holly and John Folton were elected to this office. the first commis- sioners of common schools in the old town of North East. Commissioners of schools were elected in the towns from this time until 1844 when super- intendent of schools was voted for, the offices of commissioner and inspector of schools having been abolished. Moses Conger was elected the first superintendent of schools in now Pine Plains.
Under the above act, in 1795, two thousand and two hundred pounds school fund was "distributed " to the County of Duchess-Putnam was then part of Duchess-and in the apportionment to the towns by the super- visor May 30, 1795, North East had 154 pounds, one shilling. Half of that, as an additional amount-77 pounds 6 pence-was raised by tax on the town making the amount of school fund 231 pounds, 1 shilling, 6 pence. An order for this amount-the first under the act of 1795-was drawn May 31, 1796, on the county treasurer. William Emott, Esq., by Ebenezer Dib- blee, John Folton and John D. Bull. The act caused a good deal of dis- ·cussion as to its real meaning and intent, but good, bad and mixed, it was a new departure in the school system. A school district was called a
FRANK ENO. See Lineage.
269
THE DISTRICT SCHOOL.
"'society," and the seventeen, the number then in Old North East, were reorganized to include all the territory in the town, and all the children from five to fifteen years old-about five hundred-the legal school age. Some districts covered a large territory, and from two to three miles was not an uncommon distance to go to school.
It is scarcely to be doubted, however, that the school master and school house were respectively in existence years before 1795, but the school law of that year made them a matter of public record. Ebenezer Dibblee was town clerk of old North East in 1795-6, and was careful and conscientious in his clerical duties in all things-including the first school records under the law of 1795.
There is not a complete list of school districts or "societies" on file for any year from 1795 to 1800, but the data at hand shadow the substance of the unseen and unknown of our district schools a hundred years ago.
Julia M. Eno taught district No. 14-West Pine Plains or Milan-from June 17 to July 16, 1795. Seventy-two scholars, one pound, 14 shillings, 6 pence school money, Ephriam Herrick, Richard Wilde, Daniel Bodgley trustees. Simon Ter Bush was her successor, commencing August 17 and closed " the quarter of teaching " Nov. 19, 1795. At the residence of Rev. Simon Dakin at Spencer's Corners (near Millerton), August 28, 1795, James Winchell, Esq , and Philip Spencer, Jun., were chosen trustees of No. 2, and then and there hired Ethel Burch as teacher at three pounds, four shillings per montlı. He commenced September 5th, 1795, closed October 5, 1795. James Reynolds succeeded, closing the third Tuesday in March, 1796. David Lyman, Jun,, taught this school-then No. 19, the number of school districts having increased-from March 28, 1797 to March 22, 1798, for thirty-four dollars. The list is of interest to old families near Spencer's Corners. The scholars were above the age of four years. Simon Dakin, Jun., sent Ebenezer, Hersey, James, Homer, David, Tolma, Ruth, Hannahı and Phebe, (all Dakins,) and Sally Northrop. Abraham Hartwell sent Niles and Nathan Hartwell. Jacob Hall sent Jacob, William, Huldah and Betsey Hall, Simon Dakin, Sen., sent John Colkin and Greaty Wooden. Abraham Hartwell, Jun., sent Ezra Canfield. James Winchell sent Law- rence Briggs. John D. Bull sent Charles Gatta. Benjamin Perry sent Love Spencer, Abagail Perry, Parmelia Perry and Samuel Perry. Stephen Brown sent Abner and Eliza Brown. Alexander Spencer sent Jemima Grove. Duncan McLane sent James Scofield. James Hamblin sent Har- man Hamblin. Simon Dakin, Jun., Abraham Hartwell, trustees. Of the above children David Dakin and Niles Hartwell were later prominent men in Pine Plains.
John Culver-the pioneer preacher ?- taught district No. 18, "near Joshua Hamblin's in Oblong," from December 18, 1797, to February 28, 1798 at $9 a month and board. Ephraim Hamblin, Agrippa Martin, trus- tees. Oliver Davison taught No. 15 in Amenia from March 21, 1797, to
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HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
May 16, 1797. at seven dollars a month. This district was east of Winchell Mountain and the Buttolphs and Knapps and Woodwards attended this school. He was succeeded by Sylvanus Holmes who commenced June 7, 1797, and closed Nov. 7, 1797, at seven dollars a month "and his horse kept." He was succeeded by Isaiah Bunce, Jun., who taught from November 20, 1797, to March 19, 1798, at seven dollars and fifty cents a month. Mr. Bunce, Jun., makes this endorsement on his return to Commissioner Culver of North East: "Mr Culver, if these returns are not made up right send them back and wherein wanting." Uri Judd, who a little later was a promi- nent physician, taught "at the stone school house in the town of Stanford" from October 9, 1797, to March 10, 1798, at ten dollars and a half a month, and he writes his school "was apprabated by the commissioners of Stan- ford." Among the twelve pupils who attended this school from North East living in the James Smith and Germond Husted neighborhood, were Isabella Husted, Nathan Finch, Charlotte Finch, David Smith, Jacob Hus- ted, Silas Husted and Isaac Shumway. This stone school house stood on the road a short distance south of the old brick house south of Mr. Isaac Carpenter's, known as the Tallmadge-Mathison House. The road then passed that house southerly to the "Square." It has since been changed to where it is now. John McAlpine taught in the Righter-Stickle-Pulver district, two miles east of Pine Plains, from April 15. 1798, to March 8, 1799, at ten shillings and a quarter for each scholar and board. The names of the patrons, "proprietars," of the school and number of days sent are given, but not the names of the children. In addition to the above named patrons were Knickerbacker, Peter Husted. William Rector, Sen., John Harris and Hugh Gamble. The number of days of Peter Husted's children was 690, nearly 200 more than any other proprietor. Ira Sawyer taught district No. 11, "near George Sheldon's (George Sheldon lived where now lives Sydney Smith, Charles Case neighborhood) from November 28, 1798, to March 22, 1799. Charles Hoag sent Anny Hoag and Betsey Shewett; Job Corbin sent Peter Corbin ; George Sheldon sent Seneca, Andrus, Mor- ris and George Sheldon, Jun. ; John Harrris sent Rachel, Hannah, Lois, Betsey, James and Israel Harris; Hontice Smith sent Andrew Smith; Pol- ly Smith sent Harry Smith; Friend Sheldon sent Benjamin and Isaac Shel- don; Abner Case sent James, Nancy and Phebe Case; Anthony Briggs sent Jeremiah and James Briggs; Isaiah Dibble sent Gustavus and Harriet Dibble; Ira Winans sent James and Walter Winans; Jonathan Case sent Jeremiah Wilson and Amy Case; Nathan Sheldon sent Betsey and Tenty Sheldon. Charles Hoag and Job Corbin Trustees. Noah Peck taught No. 9-now Mulford Wheeler neighborhood-from March 11 to June 10, 1799, at eight dollars a month, and another term from June 17 to Septem- ber 16, 1799, at same price. He then went to the Andrus Rowe Corners- then in Amenia-and taught from December 16, 1799, to March 15, 1800, at six dollars a month. Jesse Brush taught No, 2-Milan-from Sept. 15,
WILLIAM ENO. [See Lineage.]
'272
HISTORY OF PINE PLAINS.
1795, to March 15. 1796, at 4 pounds a month and board. Forty-one schol- · ars, including 8 named Stewart, 5 Thorne, 5 Mead and 1 Elizabeth Bone- steel. The next year Henry I. Stewart taught this school from April 4, 1797, to March 23, 1798, at the rate of one hundred and seventy-nine dol- lars a year and board. Among his scholars were Hannah, Semantha, Richard T., Sarah, John and Betsey Mead; John, William, Peggy, Catha- rine, James, Andrew and Richard Stewart; nine Cookinghams and others. Aaron E. Winchell, one of the early merchants in Pine Plains, and con- nected with its early development, taught No. 4, on Winchell Mouutain, at the George Winchell place, from July 2, 1795, to October 9, 1795, at six dollars a month. He taught a term succeeding of six months commencing October 12, 1795, at eight dollars a month. Two scholars in this term had · an exceptionally large attendance, Lydia Lawrence 127 days, and her sis- ter Lorinda 117 days. Lydia and her "Instructor" not many years later, were respectively wife and husband. Mr. Winchell went from this school to the "Town of Livingston," Columbia County, and taught from Novem- ber 21, 1797, at $10 a month. At the expiration of this term he was re- engaged for a year at eleven dollars a month, commencing April 25, 1797.
Samuel Goodwin taught No, 4-"the school near Benjamin Hicks' on the road leading from Cold Spring to Hoffman's-from July 2, 1795 to Mar. 10, 1796. Forty-eight scholars, 3,641 school days attendance, school money 25 pounds 11 pence. Laban Crandle, Noah Shaw, trustees. This was the largest attendance at any school in old North East during the school year from April 1795 to April 1796. Ten scholars surnamed Hicks attended this school, nearly one-fifth of the total attendance. The school house was on the corners near the residence of the late Samuel I. Hicks, a son of Benja- min I. Hicks, and the school house there now is probably on or near the site of the old one. Isaac Jackson taught No. 7, in the neighborhood of Ira Winans from November 18, 1799 to February 25, 1800, at the rate of 5 dollars per month and his board and his horse kept on hay."
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