USA > New York > Ulster County > New Paltz > History of New Paltz, New York and its old families (from 1678 to 1820) : including the Huguenot pioneers and others who settled in New Paltz previous to the revolution, 2nd ed > Part 50
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Mr. Dewitt's successor was Charles H. Haywood, whose proposition to take charge of the school and furnish a com- petent female teacher on condition that the trustees give him the tuition fees was accepted. He remained until July, 1863.
Henry Gallup was the next principal, remaining two years.
In 1865 the following trustees were elected: Edmund El- tinge, Edward DuBois, John W. DuBois, Jonathan Deyo, Charles B. Hasbrouck, Abm. V. N. Elting, Alfred Deyo, Sol. Deyo, Elijah Woolsey, W. H. DeGarmo, Theodore Deyo, Abm. M. Hasbrouck, Zach. Bruyn, Philip Elting, Philip D. Elting, Jr. Alfred Deyo was elected president and Sol. Deyo secretary of the board.
Jared Hasbrouck was the next principal of the school serv- ing in that capacity from Jan. 1, 1866 until April, 1868.
By resolution of the trustees the rates of tuition were raised and fixed as follows while Mr. Hasbrouck was principal :
Classics and Modern Languages $10 a quarter 66
Higher English 9
Common English 6
Elementary English 5
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In 1868 Dr. H. M. Bauscher rented the Academy property of the trustees for the term of five years at the annual rent of $200 a year for the first two years and $300 a year for the balance of the term.
In 1875 it was voted to grant the request of Dr. Bauscher that he be released from the contract to purchase the Academy property for $5,000 and the money already paid on the con- tract be returned to him. The property was then leased to him at an annual rental of $250.
In the same year Ira Deyo was elected trustee in place of Philip Elting, who had moved to California.
In 1880, a committee was appointed with power to sell a strip of land 100 feet in width off the south end of the Academy lot, the price to be not less than $500. This sale was made to Mr. Albert K. Smiley for $500.
At the annual meeting in August, 1881, Dr. Bauscher, who for thirteen years had maintained a most excellent school with a good attendance, and was the first to organize a graduating course in the school, having decided not to remain longer, it was necessary to employ another principal. Mr. Alfred Deyo also resigned the position of president of the Board.
Jesse Elting and Ralph LeFevre were elected trustees to fill vacancies caused by death and resignation. The latter was elected president of the Board. Messrs. F. E. Partington and Wm. F. Perry were employed as principal and associate prin- cipal of the school.
At a meeting in August, 1882, action was taken for the grading, drainage and improvement of the grounds. This resolution was carried into effect and about $400 expended.
In 1883 the sum of $150 having been raised for the pur- chase of books and apparatus application was made to the regents for the grant of a like amount from the state.
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At a meeting in March, 1883, a committee was appointed to see what could be done towards the proper observance of the Semi-Centennial of the Academy. At the same meeting Messrs. Partington and Perry were each presented with a gold headed cane by the trustees in appreciation of the work done by them in promoting the welfare of the school. The Semi-Centennial exercises and banquet were very largely attended by those who had been formerly students at the school.
At a meeting in September, 1883, a request was presented from the principal of the school that steps be taken to enlarge the present Academy building or erect a separate building and a committee was appointed to take the matter into con- sideration.
At a meeting held March 1, 1884. (the Academy building having just burned down) a committee was appointed to ob- tain the best rooms obtainable in which to continue the school until the end of the year. The rooms selected were in the store at the foot of Main street.
At the next meeting, one week later, the question of re- building was taken up and it was voted unanimously that the " Academy must be rebuilt." A subscription list was instantly started among the trustees present and $1,650 was subscribed on the spot. A committee was appointed to solicit further subscriptions and a committee was appointed to draft an appeal to all old students, soliciting their aid to rebuild the Academy.
For some time after this date meetings of the board of trus- tees were held almost every week, the place of meeting being either at the Huguenot bank or at the Savings bank.
April 7th the soliciting committee reported having received subscriptions to the amount of $4,360.
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At a meeting one week later the soliciting committee re- ported having received subscriptions to the amount of $6,760.
April 21st action was taken in regard to cleaning up the ruins of the burned Academy and for procuring stone for the foundation, also for employing an architect. A letter was read at this meeting from the clerk of the Kingston Classis of the Reformed church expressing friendly overtures and acknowledging the Academy as an Academy of the Reformed church so long as its management be under the control of a board of trustees, the majority of which shall be members of the Reformed church. This overture was accepted, but no further action was taken in this direction.
April 28th the soliciting committee reported a total sub- scription of $9,910.
On the 5th day of May the total amount of subscriptions was reported at $10,530 and a resolution was adopted that the trustees, thinking this sum sufficiently large, together with the insurance ($2,900) to justify them in commencing to build, subscribers be notified to meet to select a new board of Academy trustees.
Two weeks afterwards a resolution was passed to ask the Regents for an amendment of the charter increasing the capi- tal to $25,000 and increasing the number of trustees from 15 to 21 and this was done.
At a meeting May 19th Messrs. Joseph Hasbrouck, John W. DuBois, Ira Deyo and Alfred Deyo resigned their posi- tions as trustees and A. K. Smiley, J. J. Hasbrouck, Elting T. Deyo and P. I. F. Elting were elected. At this meeting Jacob LeFevre, A. K. Smiley, Elting T. Deyo, Jesse Elting and J. J. Hasbrouck were appointed a building committee.
At the next meeting, May 22, A. V. N. Elting, Philip D. Elting, Jr., Edmund Eltinge and Theodore Deyo tendered their
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THE NEW ACADEMY, NEW PALTZ
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resignations as trustees and H. H. Elting and Lambert Jen- kins were elected. J. J. Hasbrouck was elected treasurer.
During June and July there is no record of any meeting's.
However, during this time the election for a new board of trustees was held and the former board elected with the fol- lowing additional members: DuBois LeFevre, Philip B. Has- brouck, Henry J. DuBois, Capt. Jacob L. Snyder, S. P. Keator and John J. Hull. The amount of money raised for the purpose of rebuilding the Academy was quite remarkable. The largest contribution was made by Mr. and Mrs. Lambert Jenkins, who together paid $1,250. In the work of soliciting funds most of the money outside of that subscribed by the trustees was obtained by Rev. Ame Vennema, Mr. F. E. Partington and Hon. Jacob LeFevre.
Messrs. Partington and Perry, having resigned their posi- tions as principal and associate principal, a resolution was passed expressing appreciation of their services. Mr. Part- ington became principal of the Staten Island Academy, a posi- tion which he filled for twenty-two years.
Dr. Henry A. Balcom was selected as the new principal and his wife became assistant in the school.
The school was opened in the village hall in the fall of 1884 with the very small attendance of 13 pupils.
At a meeting held Jan. 22, 1885, the building committee made a report of expenditures and receipts, showing a de- ficiency of $6,860.03, that amount being due contractors for- building, and heating apparatus. This amount the treasurer was authorized to borrow. A resolution was also adopted thanking the building committee.
At the same meeting " On motion Ralph LeFevre and H. A. Balcom were appointed a committee to ascertain the prac- ticability of having the Academy converted into a State Nor-
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mal School and to endeavor to secure the necessary legislation to accomplish the same."
This committee commenced work promptly, and their first visit to Albany was made about February Ist.
No further meeting of the Academy trustees was held for four months.
During this interval a great amount of work was done, not alone by the committee appointed by the trustees, but by others, especially Messrs. Jacob LeFevre and J. J. Hasbrouck ; also by residents of Kingston and Albany, in procuring the passage of the bill.
At a meeting May 20, the president reported that the fol- lowing bill had passed the Legislature :
An Act to amend an act entitled "An act in regard to Normal Schools," passed April seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, and providing for a normal and training school with an academic department, at the village of New Paltz, in the county of Ulster.
Section I .- The following commissioners, viz: The Secre- tary of State, the Comptroller, the State Treasurer, the At- torney General and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, named in the first section of the act entitled " An Act in re- gard to Normal Schools," passed April seventh, eighteen hun- dred and sixty-six, and of which this act is an amendment, shall be and they are hereby authorized, to accept proposals made to them under the provisions of the said act, for the lo- cation of a normal and training school with an academic de- partment, in the village of New Paltz, in the county of Ulster, and upon the acceptance of such proposals, all and every of the provisions of the said act shall apply to said normal and train- ing school, and the location, establishment, conduct and main- tenance thereof, and shall have full force and effect in re-
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spect thereto and to all matters connected therewith, in the same manner and with the like effect, as though the said pro- posals had been duly accepted according to and under the pro- visions of said act; and all acts, resolutions and proceedings of the board of trustees of the New Paltz Academy in re- spect to the location or establishment of a normal and training school at New Paltz, in the County of Ulster, are hereby con- firmed and made effectual for the purposes intended, in the same manner and with the like effect, as if a normal and training school had been duly located there by the acceptance of proposals therefor under the provisions of said act.
Section 2 .- This act shall take effect immediately.
The president stated that the commissioners named in said act to examine the buildings and grounds would probably be at New Paltz about the middle of June.
A committee was appointed to receive the state officers and draft a proposition to convey the property to the state.
At a meeting June 2, the amount of subscriptions received since last meeting was stated at $2,500, the effort being made to clear up the indebtedness as it was necessary to turn over the property to the state free of debt.
At a meeting June II the committee reported the proposi- tion to be submitted to the state officials which is entered in full on the secretary's book. The proposition describes the property and closes as follows:
" The property herein proposed to be conveyed to the state is intended to be conveyed in trust for the use and purposes specified in the acts of the Legislature hereinbefore referred to and expressed in this instrument and in case of the aban- donment by the state of the said uses and purposes, the said property to revert and be reconveyed to the board of trustees of the New Paltz Academy."
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GROUP OF ACADEMY TRUSTEES
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The visit of Governor David B. Hill and of the state officers mentioned in the act, together with other invited guests, was made to New Paltz about the middle of June and the proposition of the board of Academy trustees to convey the property to the state was duly accepted, with the proviso that Wm. B. Ruggles, Superintendent of Public Instruction, should report what changes in the building were necessary to adapt it to the purpose of a State Normal and Training school and what additional furniture and equipment was necessary.
Superintendent Ruggles decided that a number of changes in the building and a considerable amount of additional furni- ture was needed, entailing upon the trustees an expenditure of about $800.
It was voted to accept the proposition of Wm. B. Ruggles, superintendent of public instruction, and that "we proceed to furnish the building as required as soon as the title is ac- cepted by the Attorney-General." Jesse M. Elting and Jacob M. Hasbrouck were elected trustees to fill vacancies. Dr. H. A. Balcom continued the school until it was converted into a State Normal School, which happened the next February.
At a meeting held Sept. 7, 1886, A. K. Smiley passed over his check of $156.62 to assist in the payment of interest on note of $3,500 given by the Academy Trustees for balance due, the amount of Mr. Smiley's check being the receipt from sales of flowers at the mountain house.
At a meeting held at the Independent office Oct. 31, 1896, to make some disposition of the sum of $149.47 in the hands of the treasurer, the note of $3,500 having been paid by the 14 trustees who had endorsed it, and cash in the treasurer's hands having come into his possession by the subsequent sales of canning factory and creamery stock which had been do- nated to the Academy trustees when the work of rebuilding
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HISTORY OF NEW PALTZ
was in progress, on motion it was resolved that the money be paid pro rata to the following named trustees who had endorsed and paid the note, Elting T. Deyo, Jonathan Deyo, Solomon Deyo, Henry J. DuBois, Henry H. Elting, Jesse Elting, Philip L. F. Elting, Abm. M. Hasbrouck, Josiah J. Hasbrouck, Philip B. Hasbrouck, Lambert Jenkins, Jacob LeFevre, Ralph LeFevre, Jacob L. Snyder.
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CHAPTER XIV
A MYSTERIOUS MURDER
It was about the year 1830 that a murder was quite cer- tainly committed in the town of New Paltz, though no one disappeared from the neighborhood and no body of a mur- dered person was found. The place of the murder was on the road to Kettleboro, where Egbert DuBois now lives.
It was before the day of railroads and the locality was then all in woods. A man on a chestnut horse had passed through our village going south. It is said that he had been collecting land rents in the northern part of the county. It was in the early spring and about 9 o'clock in the evening. Josiah Du- bois, father of Wm. E. DuBois, who lived on the other side of the Wallkill, half a mile west, heard cries of distress and came up to the side of the Wallkill, to cross the stream but some one had taken the boat away. A colored man working for Henry Hornbeck, on what is now the C. L. VanOrden place, also heard the shouting and came down the hill, thinking that some one was calling for assistance, but found nothing. John Hoppinsted passing along the road saw a light moving along the ravine a short distance to the east. Next morning Budd's stage driver found a $5 bill and some cigars; also marks of a scuffle in the ground very near the present location of Egbert DuBois' granary. A mantle with a high collar, such as was worn by well to do people was found hidden in a stone wall close by. Deyo DuBois and his brother Wessel heard a horse whinnying, but thought it one of Gen. Wynkoop's horses running in the woods.
Finally the greatest discovery came which left no doubt that a murder had been committed. Months afterwards two men
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HISTORY OF NEW PALTZ
in crossing the gorge of the Plattekill were stopped by a sad and grewsome sight. Here lay before them in the dark ravine the skeleton of a horse, still fastened by a stout halter to the branch of a tree overhead.
These were the remains of the noble animal the rent collec- tor had ridden. The poor beast had dug holes in the ground with his feet and gnawed the trees as far as he could reach before he perished of starvation. Much kinder would it have been to have killed him on that spring night when his master was slain. The bridle was still on the horse and near by was the saddle.
But the murdered man's body was never found nor did we ever hear the name of the man who quite certainly lost his life on that night; nor were any arrests ever made. News traveled slowly in those old days and justice was not so swift footed as now. But even to the present day people talk of the mystery of the dark deed nearly 80 years ago, and of the skeleton of the horse that was found in that dark ravine.
OUR VILLAGE IN 1850
In 1850 our village had a population of about 250. On the upper part of Main street Abm. V. N. Elting resided in the brick house which he afterwards enlarged and in which he lived for nearly half a century afterwards. Mrs. Jane Le- Fevre lived in the house a little farther down the street. The next house was that of Charles B. Hasbrouck, whose wife conducted a millinery establishment. Across the street Mr. Hasbrouck had a store which did a large business. Here was the village postoffice in 1850. The Huguenot Bank was not started until several years afterwards. The building was owned at that time by the family of Benj. Van Wagenen.
The Steen Hotel was owned and occupied by Benj. Smedes. Aldert Schoonmaker was the village tailor having succeeded
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Mr. Webb. John N. Vanderlyn purchased Mr. Schoonmaker's real estate. The shop remains as it was then.
From the Steen Hotel to the foot of Main street there were few houses in 1850. Part of the house of Daniel Relyea, who was the village butcher, is still standing, adjoining the store of DeWitt Schepmoes. The house at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets, now the residence of the Coe family, was occupied in 1850 by the Poyer family. In 1855 Lewis D. Barnes built as a store the building that is now the grocery department of the store of J. J. Hasbrouck & Co. Mr. Barnes lived in what is now the Jacob M. Hasbrouck house, which had been built a few years before by Dr. Isaac Reeve, who was practicing medicine. Dr. Wurts had built the house now owned by Peter McMullen a short distance farther west.
Near the foot of Main street was the distillery of George Wurts and the store building, which he had previously con- ducted, but which was run in 1850 by Mr. Ruggles and shortly afterwards by Matthew J. Smedes and his brother Josiah.
The Methodist church, which had been built in 1839, oc- cupied nearly its present location, but was a smaller building than at present ..
The present residence of Josiah J. Hasbrouck was stand- ing in 1850 and occupied by the family of Mrs. Christopher LeFevre. At the corner of Chestnut and North Front streets Kate Hasbrouck had a shop in 1854 where she made boys' clothing and here she remained all her life. Benj. Johnson occupied the old hotel building, formerly the Budd place, nearly on the site of the present Colonial Hotel. The hotel was kept a little later by John Burger. A short distance up the street, near the village school-house but on the other side of the street, Elias Coe had a blacksmith shop. Down the street what is now the Memorial House was occupied at about this time and some years afterwards by Samuel D. B. Stokes.
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The building now owned by Mrs. Andrew Deyo across the street from the Memorial House, became the village postoffice in 1852. Zach Bruyn was deputy postmaster and had a har- ness shop. In 1857 Mr. Bruyn put up a building at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets, where Mr. Poucher's store now is. Here he had a harness store and kept the postoffice until 1861 when Easton Van Wagenen became postmaster and moved the postoffice to the building now the DuBois & Gregory drug store.
Now going again to the lower part of our village: The stone house with a brick front south of the old grave yard was owned by Rebecca Elting and occupied by Mrs. Blandina Potter and her son Charles. The present residence of Abm. D. Brodhead was occupied by his grandfather, Abm. Deyo. It has been modernized and greatly enlarged. Daniel DuBois' family lived in the old fort and the Webb family owned and occupied the next building, now the residence of Cyrus D. Freer. The Elting homestead was occupied by tenants. The house across the street from the Reformed church, now the Isaiah Hasbrouck house, was owned by his aunt, “ Mreecha Hasbrouck."
The northernmost of the old stone houses in the street was purchased about 1850 of the heirs of Andries DuBois by Samuel D. Morey, who long carried on the shoe making business there. A little farther north on the other side of the street were the select school building and the residence of Corodon Norton.
THE HUGUENOT BANK
So far as the business interests of this place are concerned no more important event ever transpired in New Paltz than the organization of the Huguenot Bank, Feb. 10, 1853. Ed- mund Eltinge was the prime mover in the enterprise. Al-
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though the village was small New Paltz was the center of a good farming country and farmers at that period were nearly all saving a little money from year to year and farms were in- creasing in value. With a single exception all of the first board of directors were farmers and the capital stock of $125,- 000 was nearly all owned by farmers within six or eight miles of New Paltz. In certain cases, however, farmers were so enthusiastic in the enterprise that they mortgaged their prop- erty in order to take stock. The first board of directors were Alfred Deyo, Jacob G. DuBois, Edmund Eltinge, Mathusalem Elting, Capt. Abram Elting, Abm. V. N. Elting, Roelif Elting, Oscar Hasbrouck, John Howell, Abm. P. LeFevre, Garrit Le- Fevre, Moses P. LeFevre and Timothy Seymour. Edmund Eltinge was the first president. The first cashier was A. G. Ruggles, who was succeeded not long afterwards by Nathan LeFevre.
In 1857 came a financial crash extending over the country. The Huguenot Bank passed into the hands of a receiver for a few months. It was reorganized with Roelif Eltinge as presi- dent, Nathan LeFevre as cashier and Edmund Eltinge as as- sistant cashier.
THE HUGUENOT PATRIOTIC, HISTORICAL AND MONUMENTAL SOCIETY
The incorporation of the Huguenot Patriotic Historical and Monumental Society of New Paltz took place in the year of 1893.
" The trustees for the first year were Louis Bevier, Irving Elting, A. T. Clearwater, George H. Sharpe, Frank Has- brouck, Joseph E. Hasbrouck, Edmund Eltinge, Jesse Elting, Jacob LeFevre, Dr. Abraham Deyo, Ralph LeFevre, Jonathan Deyo, Solomon DuBois, Abraham D. Brodhead and Jacob M. Hasbrouck.
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THE HUGUENOT MEMORIAL HOUSE AND PATENTEES' MONUMENT
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" The expressed objects and purpose of the society were :
"'To record the virtues and to perpetuate the memory of the Huguenot patentees of New Paltz and of the early settlers upon the New Paltz patent, by erecting and maintaining a suitable monument to the patentees at New Paltz village; by marking and by preserving the marks of the burial places of early settlers; by marking and preserving historical sites and buildings ; by acquiring ownership of such sites and buildings, together with relics, documents and papers, and by founding and maintaining thereon and therewith a museum or museums ; by discovering, collecting and preserving documents and in- formation respecting the New Paltz patent and its early set- tlers and by publishing the same.'
" Contributions of money were solicited from the descend- ants of the early settlers and from those interested, and all who contributed became members of the association.
" The Jean Hasbrouck house was bought in 1899 and has since been maintained by the Society as a museum. The monument was erected in 1908, the unveiling taking place Sept. 29th, that being the 230th anniversary of the granting of the Patent by Gov. Edmond Andros.
The tablet on the monument bears the following inscription :
To The Memory and in Honor of
Louis DuBois Christian Deyo Abraham Hasbrouck Andre LeFevre Jean Hasbrouck Pierre Deyo
· Louis Bevier
Anthoine Crespel Abraham DuBois Hugo Frere Isaac DuBois Simon LeFevre.
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HISTORY OF NEW PALTZ
The New Paltz patentees, who, driven by religious persecu- tion from their native France, exiles for conscience' sake, came to America, after a sojourn in the Rhine Palatinate near Man- heim, here established their homes on the banks of the Wall- kill, settled the country purchased from the Indians and granted by patent issued by Governor Edmond Andros on the 29th day of September, 1677, and nobly bore their part in the creation of our free government.
The Huguenot, Patriotic, Historical and Monumental As- sociation of New Paltz erects this monument, the 29th day of September, 1908.
INDEX TO APPENDIX.
A
PAGE
Addison, John
.40, 43, 99
Allen, Matthew
39
Alsop, William 38
Andros, Governor Edmund ·3, 4, 5, 196
Anjou, Gustave
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