History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 133

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 133

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On the expiration of his second term he returned to his farm on the banks of the Wallkill, and there remained until 1857, when he was called to take the presidency of the Goshen Bank. How useful and skillful he was in this new field of labor, the success of the bank demonstrated before his decease ; and the flourishing financial condition of that institution over which he presided was in a great measure due to his foresight and good management.

His sterling patriotism deserves grateful mention. He was not only liberal in his monetary contribu- tions towards the conduct of our late civil war, but he further contributed two of his sons to the defense of the nation's honor, thereby making his patriotism practical. He loved his fellow-men, and he was al- ways, and to all, just, generous, and true. The close of his life was marked by a universal expression of personal bereavement.

Mr. Murray married, July 13, 1837, Ellen Maria, only daughter of Capt. White and Abby (Robert- son) Matlack (formerly spelled Matlock), of New

York City. She was born May 22, 1809, and had an only brother, Robert R. Matlack, who was for several years a merchant in New York, and died in middle life in Virginia. Her father was a sea-faring man all his life, traded between Lisbon and Cadiz for several years, and for thirty years he traded between New York and Liverpool. This was in the early part of the century, and his business was done in sailing vessels. He was born in Philadelphia, Feb. 16, 1778, and died in New York about 1834. His wife survived him only about two years. Her paternal grandfather, White Matlack, born at Hatten Field, N. J., Nov. 7, 1745 (O. S.), married, June 21, 1768, Mary Hawks- hurst, who was born on Long Island, at Hempstead Harbor, Nov. 22, 1747.

The progenitor of the Matlack family, a Quaker, emigrated from Derbyshire, England, and settled at Philadelphia about the time of the settlement of Wil- liam Penn ; and one of his descendants, Timothy, was father of the last named, White Matlack.

Mrs. Murray's mother, Abby Robertson, was born at Portsmouth, N. H., and her grandfather, Robert Robertson, was a native of Dalkeith, Scotland.

The children of William and Ellen Maria Murray are William M., who began a clerkship in the Goshen Bank in 1863, and was elected its cashier in January, 1866, which position he retains in 1881.

Maj. Henry Spencer Murray enlisted in the Sey- enth New York State Militia, which was employed to guard Washington in the beginning of the late civil war, and subsequently to guard Baltimore. In the fall of 1862 he raised a company for the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment of Volun- teers, and joined the Army of the Potomac; was in the battle of Chancellorsville, in May, 1863, where he was wounded and captured, but afterwards par- oled. At the battle of Gettysburg, the major and colonel of his regiment being killed, he was promoted from captain to the rank of major, and assigned to duty at the camp of paroled prisoners at Annapolis, where he remained until regularly exchanged, about January, 1864. He again joined the regiment, and followed the events of the army until the battle of Boydton Road, Oct. 27, 1864, when he was again wounded, captured, and placed in Libby Prison, where he remained until about the close of the war, when he was regularly discharged. He never recov- ered from the effects of his first wound, and died at Goshen, March 6, 1874.

Robert R. Murray enlisted in 1862, in the company commanded by his brother, Capt. Henry S. Murray, and remained in constant service until the close of the war. IIe was wounded at the battle of Chancellors- ville in the hand, but recovered from its effects, except the loss of a finger. He was regularly discharged upon the closing of hostilities, returned to Goshen, and has been engaged in mercantile business there for the past six years. The youngest of this family of children is Miss Abby M. Murray.

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GOSHEN.

WILLIAM T. RUSSELL .- His paternal ancestors were early settlers in New England, and his great- grandfather once owned the land where New Bedford, Mass., is located. His father, John W., son of Hum- phrey and Berthia (Wady) Russell, settled in New York City while a young man, where he married Frances M., daughter of Samuel Talman.

Their children are Edward C .; Phebe A., wife of John D. Monell, of New York; and William T. Russell, who was born in New York, Dec. 12, 1821, and was therefore eight years of age when the family settled in Orange County.

He received a sound, practical education during his minority, being for some time a pupil of the well- known scholar and teacher, Rev. Clarkson Dunn, of Newton, N. J., and was also a student at Hartford grammar school. Leaving school in 1840, for three years he remained at home on the farm. From 1843 to 1857 he was a partner with David Redfield in the dry-goods trade in Goshen.

In 1857 he was chosen cashier of the Orange County Bank, but after serving for a few months he accepted the position of cashier of the Goshen Bank, which place he satisfactorily filled until the spring of 1865 and resigned. He acted as vice-president of that bank from January, 1870, until August, 1875, when, upon the death of its president, Hon. William Murray, he was chosen president of the bank, which position he retains in 1881.

GOSHEN SAVINGS-BANK

was organized under a special act passed April 11, 1871. The meeting to organize under the act was held April 14th, and the bank was opened for busi- ness May 1, 1871. The first depositor was Charles H. ! Westervelt.

The first trustees were E. A. Post, Henry Morrison, A. B. Post, Benjamin F. Edsall, Lewis Cuddeback, George D. Wilson, Charles W. Thompson. E. A. Post was chosen president, B. T. Edsall first vice- president, Henry Merriam second vice-president. These officers continue to the present time (Decem- ber, 1880). Other members of the board now are Dudley Murray, Henry Bacon, Charles J. Elliot, Charles M. Thompson, A. B. Post, Lewis Cuddeback.

The first secretary and treasurer was Lewis Cudde- back. He was succeeded by Dudley Murray, the present incumbent of that office.

The amount of deposits Dec. 1, 1880, was $192,- 380.35.

X .- PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST.

These are mostly the old homesteads, around which · family traditions cluster. There are neither battle- grounds nor encampments of armies to be traced in Goshen. The central part of the village is a place fruitful in suggestions of the past. Conrts of justice were held here a hundred and fifty years ago. Here is where the earnest discussions that preceded the

He was an enterprising business man of New York for many years, where he was engaged in shipping in- Revolution occurred. Ilere the symbol of royal su- terests, and he is said to have established the first line of sailing packets between that city and New Or- leans. In 1829 he settled in the town of Goshen, Or- ange Co., where he was engaged in agricultural pur- suits until his death, which occurred in 1842. His wife survived him, and died in 1858.

premacy was broken by the hammer of a sturdy pa- triot, whose hatred of kingly authority did not wait for the breaking out of the war. Tradition points to the spot also where Claudius Smith was executed, not far from the present band-stand at the lower corner of the park. The Orange County Hotel occupies the site of the court-house of 1738, and a portion of the wall belonging to the early building constitutes a part of the present south wall of the hotel. There are doubtless some other ancient structures in the village, but nearly all have given way to buildings of modern times.

THE OLD WESTCOTT WELL.

This was found forty years ago or more on the land of David M. Westcott, in Goshen village. It was sev- eral feet beneath the surface, and covered carefully with a large flat stone. Beneath that it was regularly stoned up. It has been suggested that it was dug by French explorers traveling from north to south soon after the discovery of this country; but there is no proof of this, nothing but conjecture.

It has been supposed that it was dug, stoned up, and covered by early surveyors, about the time of Christopher Denne's settlement, perhaps earlier, per- haps later ; that it was near one of their temporary cabins, in which they lived while surveying. They needed such a well; made its covering somewhat down in the ground, which in after-years became easily covered and lost during the early cultivation of the field.

There has also been another supposition : that dur- ing the colonial period, either in the war of 1756 or earlier, a rude block-house fort or building of some kind for protection was erected by the people of Goshen at this point, and that this well was sunk within the fort as an absolutely seenre source of water in case of an attack, or especially a prolonged siege .*

If buildings and places of historical significance are few, it is evident, from the collection of relics at a Martha Washington tea-party in 1876, that certain families of Goshen are in possession of many curiosities of the past. Among these may be named the origi- nal assessment-roll of 1775, copied for this county history, O. B. Tuthill; a wooden trunk of 1620, Victor M. Drake; deed from Cadwallader Colden to Wm. Bull, 1723; black-flint Indian pestle, Miss Fanny Denton ; salt-cellar from the "Mayflower," Mrs.

* This wonderful discovery was probably only the uncovering of an old well dug for the first minister's residence, and needs no historic ex- planation.

546

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Moody; copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Boston on cotton, 1776, Miss Ethalinda Drake; snuff-box one hundred years old, Silas Horton; a silver token, which the newspaper that we quote from gravely affirms was given by Queen Anne to the Reformed Church at Neelytown, 1710,* Mrs. James P. Hoffman ; deed from John Tuthill and David Horton to Barnabas Horton for a farm in Goshen, 1730. There were many others, "too numer- ous to mention." Mr. Montanye, of the Goshen Inde- pendent, has a small collection of old newspapers, very valuable,-Goshen Repository, vol. ii. No. 570, Dec. 31, 1799, in mourning for Washington; The Orange Patriot, vol. ii., Ang. 4 and Ang. 11, 1801 ; Goshen Repository, Sept. 26, 1797.

XI .- INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

Goshen is very similar in its agricultural capabili- ties to the other towns in the central part of the county. The surface is rolling or moderately hilly. The soil is good, and many valuable farms abound. The labor of the industrious farmer is rewarded in every part of the town by abundant erops. All the grains usual to this section of the country are success- fully produced. The trade in milk is extensive, and the conveniences for daily shipment to New York are excellent, by means of the Erie Railroad, the Wall- kill Valley and the Pine Island branch of the Erie. Much attention is given to the raising of fine cattle, and many choice specimens may be seen upon various farms in all parts of the town. Superior horses are bred in Goshen. A driving-track at the village atfords a convenient place for testing their speed, and during quite a portion of the year horses may daily be seen in training, whose value would often excite the astonishment of a stranger unacquainted with Orange County stock.

It ought to be added that recently the Drowned Lands, in Goshen, are now being devoted to onion culture ; that the product, both in size, quantity, and quality, rivals the best Chester onion-fields, and it is confidently expected that a much greater culture of this fragrant eseulent may be expected in this town.

ORANGE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL WORKS.

This is an old-established foundry, William V. Ray proprietor. The line of works consists of agri- cultural implements and a general foundry business. Mr. Ray also manufactures small steam-engines of four or five horse-power. He has made for some years a specialty of iron fence, and sends out from his establishment very fine specimens of work.

GOSHEN BRICKYARD AND TILE-WORKS.

This business was begun about 1868 by Jacob W. Ilayne and John Wallace. Mr. Peter Hayne became associated in the business in 1870, and five years later

became sole proprietor. The line of work consists of briek, both common and pressed, drain tile and glazed tile of large size. The clay deposit is abund- ant, lying convenient to the works, and of excellent quality.

THE RIDER ENGINE COMPANY OF GOSHEN was organized by a certificate filed Nov. 12, 1879. The object of said association was stated to be "the mannfacture and sale of engines, and the carrying on of a general foundry and machine business." The capital stock is 890,000, divided into ninety shares.

The trustees named in the instrument were Wil- liam M. Sayre, Henry Merriam, Jason W. Corwin, and Frank A. Merriam. The manufactory is located at Walden, in the town of Montgomery. The com- pany from which they purchased was Rider, Wooster & Co. The business had been under their manage- ment for six or seven years.

PLANING-MILLS.

There have been two in operation at times in Goshen village, but neither of them are now in ope- ration, though the buildings are standing.

GOSHEN FOUNDRY AND GAS MACHINERY COM- PANY.

This is a new enterprise, and is an important addi- tion to the business interests of Goshen. The com- pany was organized in May, 1880. The officers are B. Van Steenbergh, president ; H. H. Paulsen, treas- urer; George E. Dougherty, secretary. The capital stock is $40,000. The buildings were commenced about the middle of April, and completed in Sep- tember. The company secured a convenient lot of nearly three aeres, lying near the Erie Railroad. A branch track is laid through their property, supplying facilities for shipment at the foundry. The buildings are constructed in the best manner, and furnished with the latest improved machinery. The material used in erecting them is brick. The machine build- ing is 40 by 70 feet, and in part two stories high; the foundry is 40 by 80; the carpenter- and pattern- shop, 20 by 90. There is also a handsome office ele- gantly fitted up; it is 16 by 22, and two stories in height. Business was commenced about the 1st of October, 1880. Twenty-five hands are employed, and the works are in active operation. They are built of such capacity as to allow the proprietors to increase the business to any extent which the demands of the future may require. The line of work is that of a general foundry, but the manufacture of gas ma- chinery is given special attention.

The managers are men of energy, and the enter- prise is already attracting an excellent line of custom. Orders for work to the amount of $16,000 were re- cently received in a single day. The company have erected a handsome block of dwellings for their em- ployés, comprising eleven separate tenements. They have also built two dwellings of wood. In the erec-

* Queen Anne died in 1714, and the Neelytown Church was formed in 1765.

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GOSHEN.

tion of all the buildings upon the property regard has been had to beauty of exterior as well as to solidity of construction and convenience.

CREAMERIES.

These will, perhaps, be too common in Orange County soon for any special notice. There are four in this town,-one by Carpenter Howells, at Goshen ; one by Bailey & Co., near the Orange County farm ; one by John A. Ryerson, near the village; and one at Conklingtown, by Youngs, Wells, and others.

XII .- MILITARY.

Considerable military interest seems to have existed in Goshen from the earliest settlement. Solomon Carpenter was lieutenant-colonel in the regiment of 1738, under command of Col. Vincent Matthews. James Thompson was quartermaster, and Michael Jackson adjutant. In all military matters Goshen was a rallying-point. Doubtless soon after the settle- ment every able-bodied man was enrolled in the militia, and trainings and military drills took place at Goshen. It was not, however, until some years after the first settlement that any troubles arose which called the militia of Goshen into actual service.

OLD FRENCH WAR.

Goshen became very early the most important, populous, and publicly-known place in the county, and its people were called upon to take an active part in all matters of a public character or which concerned their interests. These events were largely of a warlike character, commencing with the aggres- sions of East New Jersey as early perhaps as 1730, then continued through the old French and Indian war, and so down to the Revolution and the battle of Minisink, in each and all of which the inhabitants of this region turned out with alacrity, and discharged their duty with good will and patriotic honesty. In relation to these services in the French and Indian war, it may be said that they were principally on the frontiers of Orange and Ulster, and in the northern part of the State. (See General History.)

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

During this struggle Goshen was an important point of military preparation, as it had been in the colonial period. For the names of those who became soldiers in that war we refer to the old militia-rolls or other papers of the General History. The one en- gagement in which Goshen had so large a share and suffered so severely was the battle of Minisink. For convenience, we treat of that in connection with the obsequies to the memory of the fallen in the battle of Minisink in 1822.

Public interest in gathering up the remains of the slanghtered heroes of that fearful struggle seems to have received the first public expression in November, 1821. A communication appeared in the Independent Republican, signed " Vindex Mortuorum." At a pub-

lic meeting held at the house of Jesse Edsall, in Goshen, Nov. 14, 1821, Hon. James Finch was called to the chair, and Jesse Wood, Jr., appointed secretary. A committee to gather up the bones was named, con- sisting of John Hathorn, Thomas Waters, Nathan Arnout, Jacobus Swartwout, James Reevs, Daniel Myers, Henry G. Wisner, Maj. James Tusten, Mi- chael A. Jones, Alsop Vail, John Barker, Col. Ben- jamin Webb, Dr. David R. Arnell, James W. Car- penter, Jesse Wood, Jr., Thomas Jackson, James Burt, Col. Benjamin Dunning, Col. Jonathan Bailey, James Finch, Jr., Peter E. Gumaer, and James Van Vleet, Jr.

Committees were appointed in each town to solicit donations to meet the expenses of obtaining the bones, 'interring them, and erecting a monument over the graves. These committees were as follows: Goshen, G. D. Wickham, James W. Carpenter, Amzi L. Ball, Townsend Seeley, Daniel II. Denton; Warwick, Samnel S. Seward, Robert Farrier, James Wheeler, Jesse Wood, Jr., Stephen A. Burt ; Minisink, George Phillips, Peter Holbert, Joshua Sayre, John T. Jan- sen, Jr., Increase B. Stoddard; Wallkill, Erastus Mapes, Jacob Dunning, William Phillips, Joshua Hornbeck, Adam Millspaugh; Deerpark, James Finch, Jr., Isaac Otis, Martin L. Corwin, Abraham Cuddeback, Benjamin Van Inwegen; Monroe, Robert Fowler, George Wilkes, Benjamin Cunningham, Joseph R. Andrews, Israel Green; Cornwall, Wil- liam A. Clark, Nathan Westcott, Isaac Van Duzer, Oliver Gridley, Elihu Hedges; New Windsor, Rob- ert B. Burnet, Joseph Morrell, Samuel Brewster, William Sly, Charles Ludlow ; Newburgh, Isaac Bel- knap, William Wear, Jr., Cornelius Wood, Alexander Ross, Daniel Tooker; Montgomery, John Blake, Samuel Hunter, David Strahan, Moses Crawford, An- drew Bedford; Blooming-Grove, Selah Strong, Hec- tor Craig, Moses Ely, William Horton, Henry Seeley.

The following is taken from the Independent Repub- lican of April 29, 1822:

" All the bones that could be found of the brave men who fell in the battle of Minisink were collected from the battle-ground on Wednesday last, and brought to the village on the day following. They are now in the possession of the committee, with whom they will remain until the anniversary of the day upon which the battle was fought.

" In securing the bones neither pains nor expense were spared. The party traveled about forty miles the first day, and half of that distance was a complete wilderness. They put up for the night at Mrs. Watkins', who lived about six miles from the battle-ground, to which they pro- ceeded the next morning. Some left their horses behind, it being very difficult to get along with a horse. The country around was a complete wilderness, scarcely exhibiting a trace of human footsteps. The battle was commenced on the banks of the Delaware, opposite the month of the Lackawack, and terminated about three-quarters of a mile from the river. It was a matter of astonishment to many of the party when they were shown the course taken by our troops. Some of the descents are really frightful. Most of the bones were found on the ground where the battle was fought; but some were found some distance away, which undoubtedly belonged to the wounded who had died with hunger and fatigue."

PROGRAMME OF THE EXERCISES AND THE ORDER OF THE FUNERAL PROCESSION, JULY 22, 1822.

At the separation of forty-three years the bones of forty-four of our fellow-citizens who were slain at the battle of Minisink by the Indians

548

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

have been collected, and will be deposited in the old burying-ground in the village of Goshen.

The special committee have agreed upon the following arrangements for rendering funeral honors to the remains of those who fell in that battle :

1. Maj. Worth is appointed marshal of the day, and all orilers pro- ceeding from him will be respected and obeyed accordingly.

2. Col. Faulkner and Capt. Ball are appointed aides to the marshal of the day.

3. It is requested that stores, offices, and other places of business be closed, and that no carriages or persons on horseback appear on the street through which the procession is to pass from the commencement thereof to the end.

4. It is recommended to the citizens, as well as those in the procession, to be silent during the solemnities of the day.

5. The general order of the procession will be four deep.

6. The line of the procession will form on the street between James W. Carpenter's store and the house of Jeremiah Drake, and will proceed through the Main Street to the junction of the roads near the house of Alfred Ely ; thence to the Orange Hotel ; and thenco to the Presbyterian church, through which they will pass to the place of interment.

7. On the arrival of the front of the procession at the gate opposite the church the whole will halt upon a signal for that purpose, and open to the right and left to admit the biers and procession, according to the order of the marshal of the day.

8. During the movements of the procession minute-guns will be fired and the village bell tolled.

9. Signal-guns will be fired in the following order :

1. Thres guos will be fired in quick succession at sunrise to an- nonnce the solemnities of the day.

2. One gun will be fired at eleven o'clock as the signal of parade, ; and time-worn patriot, and animate the youth of the when the different societies, companies, etc., will form at their respective placee of rendezvous.

3. One gun at twelve o'clock for forming the line.

4. Two guns in quick succession for the procession to move.

5. One gun for the procession to halt and open to tlre right and left, as will be'directed by the marshal of the day.

6. Two guns in rapid succession for the minute-guns nul bells to cease.

ONDER OF PROCESSION.

1. Detachment of dragoons; 2. Marshal of the day; 3. Military, in reversed order ; 4. Committee of arrangedients ; 5. Escort, battalion of cadets; 6. Pall-bearers and two hearses; each heaise drawn by two white horses ; 7. Chaplain, orator, and person laying the corner-stone ; 8. Mourners ; 9. Clergy ; 10. Survivors of the battle; 11. Officers and soldiers of the Revolution ; 12. Officers not on duty, in uniform ; 13. Civil and judicial officers ; 14. Gentlemen of the bar ; 15. Medical society ; 16. Ma- sonic lodges, with their badges : 17. Principals, teachers, and students of academies; 18. Citizens; 19. Detachment of dragoons.

OaDER OF SOLEMNITIES AT THE INTERMENT ..

1. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Fisk ; 2. Funeral eulogium by the Rev. Mr. Wilson; 3. Interment ; 4. LRying the corner-stone; 5. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Cotter; conclusion by military firing.

MINOR ARRANGEMENTS.

1. The general and special committees of arrangements will appear on that day with crape on the left arm ; 2. The surviving relatives are requested to appear clothed with the usual badges of mourning ; 3. Committee of arrangements meet at J. W. Carpenter's ; 4. Survivors and relatives of the slain at J. Wood's; 5. Clergy at the court-house ; 6. Sur- viving officers and soldiers of the Revolution at Mr. Kitchell's; 7. Mili- tary officers not on duty nt J. Edsall's; 8. Gentlemen of the bar and civil and judicial officers will meet at Dr. Seward's; 9. Medical society will meet at Dr. T. G. Evans'; 10. The different Masonic lodges will meet at George Moore's hotel ; 11. Principals, teachers, and students of acade- mies at Oliver Crane's; 12. Military at such places as their commanding officers may direct ; 13. The Presbyterian church will be opened from 11 to 12 o'clock, for the admission of females only.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 133

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