History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 110

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 110

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"Henry Winser and Isaiah Vail, justices of the peace at different periods; Elijah Welch, counselor and attorney ; Ralph Keeler, consta- ble. Ob. Vail and Stephen Smith kept public-house; John Cox, tanner sod currier (Robt. Houston and Charles Dill will be remembered in this connection later) ; S. Canfield, shoemaker; Francis Drake, harness- maker; Isaiah Smith and Shelden Ensign, blacksmiths; Peter Hulse, wagon-maker; Eliad Tryon, cooper; Silas Hulse made whisky, and Abel Darby corn-brooms ; David Hanford, physician; Jesse Corwin made fanning-mills; Gabriel Wells, Stacey Beakes, and Sam. Denton, merchants, furnished dry-goods, hardware, and, if they followed the custom of the times, rum and tobacco ; Lydia Smith sold ginger-cake and beer; Nat Penny made hats ; and Charles Weed, spinning-wheels.

"To the best of the writer's recollection, the little borough on the stream supplying Houston's mill, a mile or so above town, was called White-Oak Bridge, and afterward ' Monhagen.' It once boasted a small grist- and saw-mill, and a store and tavern, kept by Isaac Vail.

"Obviously, & man looking at the village of fifty years ago, and then at the Middletown of to-day, must exclaim, ' What hath time wrought !'

In those days Phillipsburgh did a thriving business. Dr. Phillips carried on the grist-mill now owned by Mr. Marsh, also the carding-mill near,- now not used,-and built the blacksmith-shop ; also built and conducted the cider and distillery establishments, these on the south side of Wall- kill River. Opposite, Col. Moses Phillips and son Moses did an extensive mercantile business, while William fulled and manufactured wool quite largely where Hulse's mill stands now, and afterwards built the Me- chapictown mills. Another son of Col. Phillips, George, carried on grist- and fulling-mills farther up on the Wallkill, the history of which is still fresh in the memory of the elderly and middle-aged. The old plot near Phillipsburgh used for hurying is very old: dates back of your correspondent's memory.

"One thing might confidently be claimed in behalf of the village for situation, viz .: travel far as the reader please, he could scarce find an- other so quiet and beautiful valley and deliglitsome stream as the local- ity at Phillipsburgh.

"Lastly, I will only trouble you with one locality more,-a kind of little ' city set on a hill.' Fifty years ago Scotchtown had its Presbyterian Church, with Mathuselah Baldwin for pastor. The community came honestly by its name. Among the early settlers might be mentioned the McWilliamses, McCarters, Mcwhorter, McVey, McGinnis, McLaugh- lio, McNeal, McClure, with others of less Scotch in name, but none the less in composition. Not far on the Middletown road stood, and still stands, now unoccupied, probably the oldest residence in the town of Wallkill, built of stone in 1791 by Caleb Goldsmith, Sr. Dr. Joshua Ilornbeck was then the practicing physician. The village had its store, -the first by Robt. Sterritt, then by Everson ; its tavern by Elijah Seeley, afterwards by Jno. G. Houston ; also a blacksmith- and wagon- shop, the latter by Thos. Bell. David Slauson (father of Charles Slan- son) was a thoroughgoing carpenter of the neighborhood. The burying-

ground opposite the church had been in use already a long period for the purpose. The first church edifice was constructed too far back for the writer's knowledge. It was not seated and finished, however, until 1806. The place had no post-office till years later. Mail matter was re- ceived at an office known as ' Wallkill,' kept by Monell, about a mile sonth of Stony Ford Bridge. Here also election was held for some years, though not the town-meetings.

" Scotchtown occupies one of the most elevated and sightly situations in Orange County. An incident : On receipt of the news of the favora- ble termination of the battle of New Orleans, and conclusion of the / treaty of peace after the war of 1812, the staid inhabitants resolved on a public rejoicing and church illumination, which proved a decided suc- cess, the illumination attracting general attention and remark through a large extent of country commonly known as the valley of the Wall- kill. But, better still, its moral light was never hid, since it has nearly uniformly, and justly too, enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most solid, sober, and religious communities to be found.

Middletown, and is near the line of Mount Hope. The post-office was established about 1846. Samuel C. Howell, after whom the place is named, was the first postmaster, and served about ten years. His suc- cessors have been Judson Horton, two years; H. Bevans, six years ; J. T. Roe, eight years ; Samuel Bull, two years; T. M. Walter, five years; and, since the last named, L. Coleman, the present incumbent.

The present business of Howell's Depot comprises the freighting and general traffie of the Erie Railroad at this point, stores, general merchandise, by H. Bevans and B. Mapes ; drug-store, Dr. S. E. Putney ; hardware-store and tin-shop, by L. Coleman, who is also postmaster ; a hotel, by S. H. Case; blacksmith- shops, by Henry Beyea and by Ira Lockwood ; wagon- shop, by Joseph G. Sharp; meat-market, by George Lansing; shoemaker-shops, by Milton Crist and James H. St. John.

The village is finely situated, commanding an ex- tensive view of a rich agricultural section, bounded to the north and west by the Shawangunk Mountains. The Congregational church is one of the finest houses of worship that can be found in a rural village of this size. Its interior is peculiarly neat and convenient, the excellent proportions, the modest yet beautiful frescoing, the superior arrangement of the desk and recess for the choir, all prove that taste and refine- ment do not depend on wealth or on the culture of a large eity.

VAN BURENVILLE

is the name bestowed upon a village west of Craw- ford Junction, and near the northeast angle of the town of Mount Hope. It arose from the establish- ment of a post-office there forty or fifty years ago by that name, given no doubt in honor of President Martin Van Buren. It was formerly a place of con- siderable business on the old stage-route from Middle- town to Bloomingburgh, in Sullivan County.

The opening of the plank-road by a shorter line left Van Burenville away from routes of much travel and its business disappeared. The post-office facili- ties were transferred to Howell's, on the Erie Railroad.

450

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

SAND STATION

is a stopping-place on the Oswego Midland, a mile or more north of Middletown.

FAIR OAKS

has a post-office, and it is also a station upon the Midland Railroad, now known as the New York, On- tario and Western.

It was established May 14, 1872. Matthew S. As- kew was appointed postmaster, and has retained the office to the present time (1880). Mr. Askew is also station-agent and proprietor of the hotel. The latter was built and opened for business the day the battle of Fair Oaks, Va., was fought in the late war. In a conversation that day over the name, Fair Oaks, then in everybody's mind, was suggested and speedily adopted.

CRAWFORD JUNCTION

is the point at which the Branch Crawford Railroad : diverges from the main line of the New York, On- tario and Western Railway.

The traveler will look in vain for any village. The diverging point is in a swamp; a single switchman's hut and a milk-platform comprise the railroad struc- tures.

PURDY'S STATION

is a stopping-place on the New York, Ontario and Western Railway, in the northwest part of the town, and not far from the line of Sullivan County. It is mostly a milk-station, and there is no business there except as connected with the railroad.

LOCKWOOD'S

is also a station on the same railroad, and both are of considerable convenience to the people of those neighborhoods.

ROCKVILLE

is sonth of Bull Hack. The name is derived from a huge rock that lies on the slope of the hill near by. It has been blasted away somewhat, and is therefore not as prominent an object as formerly. The farm was formerly that of Samuel Wilkison. It is now owned by William Startup.

There is a creamery located near the Fonr Corners.

MILLSBURGH

was an early name for a neighborhood settled, among others, by Jacob Mills, whose descendants were nu- merous and constituted the prominent families of the district.

STONY FORD

was so called as early as 1767. It was a fording-place over the Wallkill from Montgomery into this town, a miłe west of Lagrange. There is a rift across the stream at this point literally paved with cobble-stones, firm and hard. Of course this primitive method of crossing was long ago substituted by a bridge.

BRIMSTONE IIILL,

early times. Being short of glasses, an extra one was brought in from another room that had been used in mixing up some brimstone, and a quantity was left in. In the hurry of the occasion, or the darkness of the evening, it was not perceived, and the man who was fortunate enongh to get that whisky of extra strength rushed into the street, shouting, "Brimstone! brim- stone !" And so the place was named as the tradition rnns.

MICHIGAN

was the name applied to a cluster of houses on Three- Miłe Hill, and is still preserved in the name of the school district. Mr. Eager's solution of the origin is that a citizen who was somewhat in debt undertook to make the people believe that in a temporary ab- sence from town he had been to Michigan. And when he afterwards opened a tavern here they rather contemptuously called the place Michigan.

LAGRANGE.

The first post-office in this town was at Lagrange. It was called "Wallkill," and was kept by Jobn Monell. The building is yet standing. Another post-office was a large, hollow white-oak tree, near Patrick Bodle's, now J. Denton Mills'. Any person being at the Wallkill post-office, and finding letters for the neighbors in the vicinity of Scotchtown, would bring them up and deposit them in this tree; then, as the neighbors passed, they would call and examine the contents of this office; finding anything for them- selves, they would take it and leave what belonged to others.

DAVISTOWN

was an old name for a neighborhood in the east part of the town, arising from the Davis families, which were numerous in that section.

HONEY-POT.

This is the mellifluous name bestowed many years ago upon an excellent spring of water a mile or more from Circleville. The farm and the district were also known to some extent by the same term. The prop- erty was originally owned by Richard Gale. He sold it to Jonathan Hawkins, who moved to Orange County from Long Island, and married the danghter of Jacob Mills. Mills Hawkins, a son, was the next owner, who sold to George MeNish. In 1843 it was divided into two farms,-one sold to Hiram S. Wilkison, and the other subsequently to Osear Shaw, and the latter is now owned by David W. Shaw. There are various traditions as to the reason for the name, but none of them are of definite authority. Whether it was be- cause of the sweetness and purity of the water that flowed from the spring, whether a "bee-tree" with its rich deposit of honey once stood by the spring, whether stolen honey was once hidden there, must be left to future investigation.

GUINEA

in the north part of the town, is so named from the is an old name applied to a settlement made by story told of a drinking spree at the old log tavern of colored people, east of the Honey-Pot farm. They

451

WALLKILL.

had been the slaves of Col. MeLaughry, of New Windsor, and were freed by him, 1825 to 1828. The three heads of the old families were John, Thomas, and William. They were industrious, useful citizens, and highly respected by their white neighbors. The land was given to them by Col. McLaughry, consist- ing of a ridge running north and south, some of it rough, but mostly good land.

BULL HACK

is an old name applied to a section of this town lying about a mile south of Circleville and a half-mile or more in breadth. It is proper here to correct the statement of a previous writer that this land is " high, stony, rough, and hard to subdue." On the contrary, quite a portion consists of low, valuable, alluvial flats, and other parts are rich uplands, comprising some of the best farms in town. Doubtless the name origi- nated from the fact that some of William Bull's de- scendants settled in this section at an early day, and in the dense forest then to be cleared "hacking" away for a living was doubtless a necessity ; but this epithet Bull Hack was not understood to be deroga- tory either to the soil or to the people who lived there.

PIERCE VALLEY

was a name applied to the beautiful Parmalee estate about the time that Franklin Pierce, of New Hamp- shire, was elected to the Presidency. It has remained one of the local terms in use to some extent at the present time.

VI .- SCHOOLS.

At the annual meeting April 6, 1813, the necessary steps were taken to comply with the statute of 1812 for the organization of the common-school system of the State. The commissioners elected were William Hurtin, Jaccb Dunning, and Benjamin Woodward. Others, serving one or more years each, during the period 1813 to 1844, were Walter Everett, William Booth, Elijah Welch, Henry B. Wisner, Joseph Chat- tle, Samuel Millspaugh, John Brown, Jr., William Finn, Jonathan B. Webb, Stephen Ingersoll, George Little, Israel H. Wickham, Shubael B. Denton, Lear- tus M. Weller, Jacob Mills, Jr., John B. McMunn, Samuel W. Brown, Robert H. Houston, Stephen Harlow, Nathaniel Conklin, Charles Dill, James F. Houston, William Hoyt, James MI. Finch, Abraham Vail, Jr., John M. Cash. Several of these served for many years, particularly William Hurtin, who was an incumbent of the office a large share of the thirty years.

.During the same period inspectors of schools were chosen, and served one or more years each, as follows : Rev. Abel Jackson, Rev. Methuselah Baldwin, Joseph Chattle, Gabriel N. Phillips, William Bodle, Isaiah Vail, Joshna Hornbeck, Dr. David Hanford, Dr. Benjamin B. Newkirk, Benjamin Dodge, Dr. Eusebius

Austin, Henry B. Wisner, Nathan Stark, Rev. Wil- liam Blain, Stephen Ingersoll, Benjamin Woodward, Thomas W. Gilbert, Thomas Royce, John B. McMunn, George Houston, Isaiah S. Hulse, Daniel C. Wisner, Ira Moore, Ambrose IIulse, Harvey Everett, James W. Finch, Alfred ITurtin, John W. Cash, Coe G. Bradner, Jonathan M. Vail, Willnot Moore.

Several of these citizens decided on the qualifiea- tion of teachers for many years. Especially should it be mentioned that Rev. Mr. Baldwin served twenty- five or more of the thirty years that this system pre- vailed. Joshua Hornbeck also served about the same length of time.

The system of supervision by town superintendents was inaugurated in 1844. The incumbents of that office in Wallkill were as follows:

Elected annnally: 1844, John G. Wilkin ; 1845, Hiram Shons; 1846, Hiram Shons; 1847, Harvey Everett. Elected biennially : 1848, Harvey Everett ; 1850, Harvey Everett; 1852, Harvey Everett; 1854, Alexander T. Bull ; 1855, Harvey Everett (to fill va- cancy); 1856, Henry S. Mosher. This last-named incumbent was legislated out of office, or rather pre- vented from qualifying, by the act creating district commissioners. At this date all control of the schools by the town authorities ceased. If the new system had any advantages, there was nevertheless a serious loss of town leadership and town enthusiasm that in many cases has never been recovered. Twenty-five years of the Assembly district system have failed to show its superiority to "local, home control." The proposition occasionally mentioned, even in official reports at Albany, to re-establish a Board of Educa- tion in each town, is an indication of this fact, and to it sooner or later the State will undoubtedly return.

A partial school report on file for April 1, 1815, shows the following facts :

District No. 1 .- Alsop Vail and others, trustees; 91 children between five and fifteen ; entitled to $41.17.

District No. 6 .- Wm. Bull, Jr., and others, trustees; 62 children, and entitled to $28.05.

District No. 7 .- John Savage, trustee ; the same.

District No. S .- John Fowler, trustee: 68 children, and entitled to $30.77.

District No. 9 .- Jolin Mc Williams, trustee; 84 children ; entitled to $38.00.

District No. 10 .- Simeon Slauson, trustee; 107 children ; entitled to $48.40.

District No. 11 .- William Phillips, trustee ; 92 children ; entitled to $41.62.

District No. 12 .- Abraham Crane, trusteo; 61 children; entitled to $27.60.

District No. 13 .- Thomas Thompson, trustee ; the same.

District No. 14 .- Absalom Weller; 69 children, and entitled to $31.22. District No. 16 .- Peter Hoyt, trustee; 68 children, and entitled to $30.77.

District No. 17 .- Elisha Reeve, Jr., trustee; 60 children; entitled to $27 15.

District No, 18 .- William Finn, trustee; 57 children; entitled to $25 50.

District No. 19 .- James Morrison, Jr., trustee; 54 children ; entitled to $24.43.

District No. 20 .- l'hilip Miller; 31 children; entitled to $14.03. Part District No. 5 (Goshen) .- 28 children ; entitled to $12.67.

452

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

A school at Middletown, prior to the law of 1812, had undoubtedly been maintained by private liber- ality, as the records show that after the legal organi- zation in 1813 a proposition was made to buy the school-house of the owners thereof.

The first meeting of the district as then organized was held at the house of Obadiah Vail, on the 30th of June, 1813. Stacey Beakes had called the meeting by personally serving a notice on each voter.

Ephraim Everett was chosen chairman, after which the regular officers were elected : Henry D. Wisner, clerk ; Isaiah Vail, William Murray, and Isaac Little, trustees ; Samuel Bennett, collector.

It was voted to have a school kept in the school- house at Middletown.

At an adjourned meeting in September, held at the same place, it was voted to raise a tax of $60 to pur- chase a stove and repair the school-house.

One dollar was voted to buy a book for the records, -the book from which the writer makes these notes, sixty-seven years afterwards. They again adjourned to November, but the record of the meeting by the clerk is brief: "It being very rainy no person met at the school-house."

At a meeting held a few days later the trustees ex- hibited an account of expenses incurred in repairs amounting to $37.75, which the meeting responded to by voting a tax of $20.

It was voted to have an assistant teacher employed. William Murray and Henry B. Wisner were named as a committee to see about purchasing the school-house.

At an adjourned meeting in February, Jesse Cor- win was chosen moderator. The committee on school- house reported in part.

At a meeting April 4, 1814, Isaiah Vail was mod- erator. The negotiation with the owners of the school-house does not seem to have progressed favor- ably, for it was moved " that we abandon the present school-house as district property," and this was car- ried. The next motion was, "Shall we be contented with the present school-house until we are ordered out by the proprietors?" and they voted "No." The next vote was on the question, " Is it necessary to have a new school-house ?" and it was voted in the affirma- tive. Moses H. Corwin, Eusebius Anstin, and Henry B. Wisner were appointed a committee on location, price, etc. In June the committee reported that lands could be obtained of George W. Vail or of Obadiah Vail.

Meanwhile, whether "contented" with the old house or not, they evidently used it, as we find them voting, in October, the sum of $35 " for the school-house."

March 6, 1815, Elisha Reeve was chosen moderator; Henry B. Wisner, Isaiah Vail, and Samuel Bennett were appointed a committee to draw up and present a plan for the future benefit of the district. March 20th the committee reported they could recommend the purchase of no land they could find at present.

24, 1865, the clerk, somewhat disgusted, records the following: " Talked and conversed about a month of things of no moment and adjourned."

Oct. 31, 1815, $40 was voted to purchase wood.

At the annual meeting June 29, 1816, Henry B. Wisner was chosen elerk; Samuel Bennett, Elisha Reeve, and Eusebius Austin, trustees ; Gabriel Wells, collector.

June 28, 1817, the trustees chosen were Walter Everett, Elijah Welch, Jr., and Cornelius Shons. A committee, consisting of Isaac Vail, Isaac Little, and. Gabriel Wells, were again appointed to report upon a suitable site for a school-house and the probable ex- pense of building.

July 12th the committee reported that " Brundage & Smith would sell a corner on the west side of the road for $40; Luther Vail, on the same side, for $50; Luther Reeve, adjoining the turnpike, for $50."

It was then voted that the trustees buy of either Luther Vail or of Brundage & Smith, and they ad- journed to September.

The adjourned meeting is reported by the clerk as follows : " Being siek, did not attend at the school- house ; understood there was no meeting and no adjournment."

' At a special meeting, Jan. 8, 1818, it was voted to buy a site of Luther Vail, on the west side of the road leading to the turnpike. It was further voted to raise a tax of $500 for purchasing the site and building. Isaac Little, Stephen Sayre, and David Warren were appointed a committee to make a draft and estimate, also the probable expense of buying the old school- house and moving it.

At the same meeting they voted that the wood should be furnished by each family in proportion to scholars sent; and if any one failed to furnish the same after three days' notice from the teacher, then Elijah Welch was to furnish for all delinquents at the rate of one dollar and fifty cents per load.

Jan. 22, 1818, the committee reported a plan for a school-house 36 feet hy 22, and the estimated expense at $400 ; that the expense of removing the old house would be $25, and "would save from the expense of building a new one the sum of one hundred and fifteen dollars besides the expenses of moving."

This business grew onerous and difficult for the trustees to manage alone, and an advisory committee to aid them was named, consisting of Samuel Bennett and Isaac Little.

At last the house was built, though the meeting at which it was voted to build seems to be omitted from the records; bnt at the annual meeting June 7, 1818, the following resolution was adopted :

" Resolred, That the trustees be anthorized to appropriate the surplus money they may have in their hands, arising from the tax levied on the 4th of April last (for the purpose of building a new school-house), towards putting another story on said house."

Dec. 3, 1818, it was voted to purchase a "ten-plate

Freqnent meetings were held without result. Oct. ' stove" for the new school-house.

453

WALLKILL.

Feb. 2, 1819, it was voted to sell at public auction the land granted to this district by Abel Woodhull.

In 1814, James Young, of Neelytown, taught school in Scotchtown; he was afterwards a missionary to the Seneca Indians.

Dolly Jane Corwin, daughter of Jason Corwin, of Scotchtown, taught school (private) in Scotchtown about 1840. She died a few years ago, having taught forty-seven years.

About 1828 two small distriets were united, and, No. 12 being formed, the building known as the " White School-house" was built upon the southwest corner of James Morrison's farm, now owned by Nathan J. Mills. Morrison gave the land; Bradner Little had the contract for building the house for $300; Sammel Bull did the mason-work. It was long used for religious purposes ; in it Circleville Church was organized, and the first communion service ad- ministered by the Rev. Daniel T. Wood. For many years it was used by different denominations for reg- ular Sunday afternoon service. Forty-eight persons have held the position of teacher; of these, Henry Crane tanght eight years in snecession. Sarah E. Wilkison (present teacher) has tanght five and one- half years, but at different times. John A. Stitt, near Bloomingburgh, and D. Kerr Bull, of Brooklyn, were among the early teachers ; as far as the writer knows, one is a minister in Massachusetts, two are doctors, one a lawyer, seven are dead, and only five are fol- lowing the profession of teaching. The school-house is just one mile from Circleville.

WALLKILL ACADEMY.

The first meeting to initiate the work of founding this institution was held Jan. 30, 1841. The amount of stock subscribed was $3656.75. The stockholders numbered 115, and the shares were five dollars each. The stockholders met Feb. 27, 1841. Israel H. Wick- ham was chairman of the meeting, and Ira Moore secretary.

Application having been made to the Legislature for incorporation, the necessary aet was passed in the following May. The first board of trustees consisted of the following persons : Israel H. Wickham, Alex. W. Shaw, George Houston, Col. C. Bradner, Stacey Beakes, William S. Webb, Charles Dill, Harvey Everett, Samuel Denton, David Ilanford, Calvin Carmichael, Alex. Wright.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 110

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1336

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336