History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 155

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 155


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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between Woodcock Hill and the Schunemunk range, and the valley has been known as Blagg's Clove from the earliest settlement to the present time. West of the Blagg Patent there was granted a tract of 2440 acres, Jan. 11, 1727, to Nathaniel Hazard, a very ir- regular tract lying in the interior of the town south and southwest of Washingtonville. West of the Hazard Patent there was granted, July 7, 1736, a tract of 2000 acres to Joseph Sackett, Sr., and Joseph Sackett, Jr. Adjoining this last-named patent on the sonth is one of 222 acres to the same grantees, Sackett and Son, and of the same date. This adjoins the ter- ritory upon which Oxford village is located.


Further west was a patent to Joseph Sackett of 149 acres, granted Sept. 1, 1737. A little further to the southwest is a patent to Edward Blagg and Johannes Hey of 2000 acres, being a second grant, bearing the same date as the first, March 28, 1726. This was a very irregular tract. Adjoining this patent on the sontheast, and lying between it and the 2000 acres granted to the two Sacketts, was a patent of 2000 aeres granted to Ann Hoagland, May 24, 1723. In her petition she claimed it as having been cut off from the Wawayanda Patent. West of the second patent to Edward Blagg and Johannes Hey is a tract of 2600 acres, granted Aug. 10, 1723, to Richard Gerard and Wm. Bull. In the extreme northwest angle of the town (now in Hamptonburgh ) is a patent granted Dec. 18, 1734, to Elizabeth Denne, of 1140 acres. In her petition she had also claimed the grant as having been cut off from the Wawayanda Patent. Return- ing along the north boundary (the old county line), we have in the centre the patent to Roger Mom- pesson, and this is described as beginning at a cer- tain station on the southwest side of Murderer's Creek, bearing west twenty degrees north, and distant from the wigwam of Maringamus seventy-five chains, " being near eight miles from Hudson's River." The Mompesson Patent was granted March 4, 1709, and confirmed May 31, 1712. It embraced 1000 acres.


II .- NATURAL FEATURES.


The surface of this town is mountainous in the south and east, rolling and moderately hilly in the north and west. The Schunemunk Mountains, upon the line of Monroe, are a broken, rugged range, rising to the height of 1500 feet above tide-water.


There are a number of elevations in town having


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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


special names, as Woodcock Hill, Pound IFill, Mus- ket Hill, Rainer Hill, Bull Mountain, Limestone Hills, Lazy Hill, Tom's Rocks, Peddler's Hill, Round Hill, Mosquito Hill, etc. Like many other sec- tions of Orange County, a large portion of the slopes are capable of tillage, thus constituting a fine farni- ing seetion. The Otterkill is the most important stream. This flows from Hamptonburgh through the northwest part of Blooming-Grove into the town of Cornwall. A large portion of the west part of the town is drained by the Cromeline Creek, which unites with the Otterkill near the line of Hamptonburgh. From that point the Otterkill becomes known as Murderer's Creek through the rest of its course to the Hudson.


Schunemunk Creek rises in the mountains of that name, drains a large portion of the centre of the town, receives some tributary rivulets, and joins the Otterkill near Washingtonville. Another tributary farther east, also rising in the Schunemunk Mountains, joins the main stream below Washingtonville. This is sometimes called Satterly's Creek.


The town has much fine scenery. The mountains upon the southeast are rugged. In the interior are pleasant valleys, and the uplands are diversified with hills and dales. In the vicinity of Craigville the Cromeline winds its way through a valley of con- siderable depth.


At Salisbury, on the eastern border, there is a water- fall, attracting attention at an early day as a mill- privilege of considerable value, and one which has been improved from the first settlement to the present time. The alluvial lands along the streams are fertile. An especially fine section lies around Washington- ville, along the bend of the Otterkill.


III .- EARLY SETTLEMENT.


Vincent Matthews purchased the Rip Van Dam Patent, Aug. 22, 1721. He made an immediate settle- ment, it is supposed, and erected a grist-mill at the place now known as Salisbury. He was probably the first settler of Blooming-Grove. The names of his immediate associates are not given. He gave to his estate the name of Matthewsfield.


The patent to Edward Blagg and Johannes Hey, south of Matthewsfield, soon became entirely the property of Edward Blagg, and he settled upon it. Blagg's Clove has been in use as a name for that neighborhood ever since.


The Mompesson Patent was bought in 1731 by Thomas Goldsmith. He located there, building his house on the west bank of the Otterkill. The village of Washingtonville is partly upon this patent and partly upon the Van Dam Patent.


The Richard Van Dam Patent in the northeast corner was bought by Jesse Woodhull, who settled in Blagg's Clove in 1753. It is not known that he ocen- pied the Richard Van Dam Patent. The Moffatts were early settlers upon this tract.


Vincent Matthews was active in promoting settle- ment. His name appears upon the roll of attorneys as early as 1741. He sold of his tract 1500 acres to Lewis DuBois, of New Paltz. On this property DuBois erected a tavern, and it was kept by Zach- arias Du Bois before the Revolution and during that struggle. The mill which Matthews built he subse- quently sold to John J. Carpenter. In 1776, Mr. Carpenter, associated with Hon. Henry Wisner, made powder there under a contract with the State. Henry Wisner, Jr., with the Phillipses, had another powder- mill at Phillipsburgh, Wallkill.


As Blooming-Grove was a part of Cornwall from 1764 to 1799, we obtain the names of settlers prior to the Revolution mostly from the records of Cornwall, and from the list of signers to the Revolutionary Articles of Association. Prior to 1764 the territory of Blooming-Grove was a part of Goshen Preeinet, the records of which are lost. It is believed the follow- ing memorandum ineludes the name of nearly every permanent settler before the Revolution. Others may, however, be found in the general list given in the chapter upon Cornwall, to which we refer.


John Brewster, Sr., was the first town clerk in Cornwall, chosen in 1765. His son succeeded him four years later. It was at his house and that of his son (same place, we suppose) that Cornwall town- meetings were held for more than thirty years. The names of Edward, Jesse, Francis, Isaac, and Nathan Brewster also appear in the early records. John Brewster, Jr., was chosen town clerk of Cornwall in 1769, and the records were kept by him until 1794, when he was succeeded by Daniel Brewster.


George Duryea. One of this name was chosen path-master at the first town-meeting, of 1799, in Blooming-Grove. Probably the same man, as the difference of time, twenty-four years, is not too much.


Richard Goldsmith, Sr. and Jr. One of them was chosen overseer of the highways in 1765, " from John Brewster's to Gilbert's"; and path-master of District 8, in 1775. Richard Goldsmith, probably the younger, was security for a constable at the first town-meeting of Blooming-Grove, 1799.


Benjamin Gregory was chosen overseer of the high- ways in 1765 from his house to Oxford. He had a son, Benjamin Gregory, Jr. Probably their neigh- horhood was near the line of Monroe.


John Hudson was chosen collector for Cornwall in 1765. He lived at Blooming-Grove, and was also a constable. Henry Hudson, probably a son, was the first collector of Blooming-Grove, 1799. William Hudson is also mentioned in these early records.


Archibald Little, Sr. and Jr. One of them was chosen in 1765 a fence-viewer for Oxford, showing his residence to have been in that neighborhood. He was soon after appointed justice of the peace, and was a member of the Committee of Safety in 1775. There are also mentioned in the early records Timo- ' thy James and Solomon Little.


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BLOOMING-GROVE.


James Mapes lived near Peddler's Hill, in Bloom- ing-Grove. His sons were Wines, Jesse, Robert, James, Barney, David, William ; daughters, Mrs. Terry and Mrs. Turner. Thomas Mapes is also mentioned in the old records. He lived near Peddler's Hill.


Elihu Marvin, Sr. and Jr. One of them was chosen an overseer of the poor in Cornwall in 1765, and also a fence-viewer for Oxford. Elihu Marvin was a mem- ber of the Committee of Safety in 1775; one of the judges of the county in 1778; Seth Marvin, assessor, 1775; Nathan Marvin, path-master of District 16, 1775; James Marvin, justice of the peace, 1777. John and Jesse Marvin are also named in the early records.


Samuel Moffatt, Sr. and Jr. The father was chosen an overseer of the poor in Cornwall, 1765, and the son a path-master in Blooming-Grove, 1799.


Col. Vincent Matthews was a well-known mili- tary officer of the Revolution, and a leading citizen of the county. He was county clerk from 1726 to 1763. James Matthews, highway commissioner in 1775, and Fletcher Matthews are mentioned also prior to 1775.


Thomas Moffatt was an early magistrate, a member of the Committee of Safety, and county clerk from 1778 to 1794.


Joseph Mapes lived on what has been known in later years as the Nathaniel Clark place. A daugh- ter married Thomas Galloway, and there were sons,- John, Nathan, David.


Josiah Reeder was chosen overseer of the highway in 1765, for a distriet from the "Otterkill to Col. Matthews'." There are also mentioned in the early records Samuel, Jacob, Stephen, and Peter Reeder.


Israel Secley was a delegate to the first Provincial Convention, May 20, 1775. There are also found in the old records the names of Thaddeus Seeley, John Seeley, Samuel and Jesse Seeley.


Josiah Seeley was path-master in Cornwall for Dis- triet 15 in 1775. Josiah, Jr., was chosen an overseer of the poor, Blooming-Grove, 1799. (See Chester.)


Bezaliel Seeley, Sr. and Jr. One of them was "chosen for Oxford," in 1765, overseer of the road " from Israel Seeley's to Gregory's." In the Chester account of the Seeley family it is stated that Bezaliel Sceley, the pioneer, was a bachelor. These were doubtless of a later generation, or a different branch. Senior and junior are, however, occasionally used to distinguish two of the same name, whether they are father and son or of no relation.


Selah Strong was a justice of the peace in 1765. Thirty-four years later Selah Strong was the first supervisor of Blooming-Grove. There are also men- tioned Samuel Strong, justice of the peace in 1777, and Nathan Strong, overseer of District 21, in 1775.


Nathaniel Satterly was path-master for District No. 42 in 1775, and justice of the peace in 1778. Sat- terly's mill was a very early affair, being mentioned in 1765. Satterly was a member of the Committee of Safety in 1775. There are also named in the early records John Satterly and Selah Satterly.


James Sayre, Sr. and Jr. James Sayre was an at- torney in 1770. James Sayre, probably the younger, was mentioned at the first town-meeting, 1799, in Blooming-Grove. Nathaniel Sayre, Sr. and Jr., are also named before the Revolution, and John Sayre.


Nathaniel Strong was supervisor of Cornwall in 1775 ; a justice of the peace soon after ; a member of the Committee of Safety in 1775; and was shot dead by Tories at the door of his own house Oct. 6, 1778.


/ Capt. Jesse Woodhull settled at Blagg's Clove, about 1753, upon a tract of 500 acres. He was a delegate to the first Provincial Convention, April 20, 1775, and a member of the State Convention that ratified the Federal Constitution . June 17, 1788. Ebenezer Woodhull is mentioned as a town officer in 1775.


George Whitaker. The name of Benjamin Whita- ker appears as path-master of District 17 in Blooming- Grove, 1799.


Silas Young, Sr. and Jr .; one was chosen in 1765 overseer of the highways from the end of Oxford Road to R. Youngs'. Reuben Young was assessor for Dis- trict No. 6, of Cornwall, in 1775. Birdseye Young was at Oxford, first lieutenant Oxford Company, 1775.


Stephen Gilbert was chosen in 1765 overseer of the highways for a district extending "from the precinct line to the Otterkill." He was a member of the Com- mittee of Safety in 1775. Matthias Gilbert's name also appears.


Zachariah Du Bois was chosen commissioner of high- ways for Cornwall, 1765; in 1775 was one of the Com- mittee of Safety. John DuBois died at Fishkill Landing in 1869, aged ninety-nine years. Zachariah, above named, kept the tavern at Salisbury. He was taken prisoner at Fort Montgomery in 1777.


Hezekiah Howell, Sr. and Jr. The father was the first supervisor of Cornwall, 1765; and one was over- seer of highways the same year " for Blagg's Clove." Hezekiah Howell was one of the Committee of Safety in 1775. Isaiah, Stephen, Isaac, Paul, Zephaniah, Charles, Aaron, Silas, and Jeremiah are also named prior to 1775.


Daniel Mapes may have been the same man who was path-master of District 19, Blooming-Grove, in 1799.


Benjamin Goldsmith and Thomas Goldsmith are both mentioned before the Revolution.


David Coleman was chosen a fence-viewer for Blooming-Grove in 1765. Others before the Revolu- tion were Caleb, Joab, Asahel, Micah, Silas, Richard. Jeremiah Coleman was an assessor in 1765. Daniel Coleman was a justice of the peace in 1777. Thomas Coleman and John Coleman are also mentioned in the old records. Thomas Coleman, Jr., was path- master of No. 43 in 1775.


Francis Drake was named as an overseer of high- ways in Cornwall, 1765, for a district' extending from "Henry Mapes' to Thomas Mapes'." This description i may identify his location. Richard Drake is also named.


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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


Nathaniel Curtis settled in Blooming-Grove in 1760. He had a mill as early as 1765. Coleman Curtis and Daniel Curtis are also mentioned before the Revolution.


Henry Davenport. He was an early blacksmith, and is said to have had a son in the battle of Bunker Hill. He probably lived in what is now Chester. Oliver Davenport is also mentioned in the early records.


John Carpenter was doubtless the man to whom Col. Vincent Matthews sold the early mill at Salis- bury. Benjamin, Timothy, Elijah, Noah, John, Jr., and William are also mentioned before the Revolu- tion.


Wm. Moffatt was an assessor in 1775. John Mof- fatt and Isaac Moffatt are also mentioned.


Timothy Owens and Wm. Owens are also men- tioned before the Revolution.


Capt. Silas Pierson was chosen assessor for District No. 3, of Old Cornwall, in 1775. Silas Pierson, Jr., is also mentioned.


Nathaniel Satterly. He was path-master of District No. 42 in 1775, and. justice of the peace in 1778. One of the name had a mill as early as 1765. Nathaniel Satterly was a member of the Cornwall Committee of Safety in 1775.


Benjamin Strong was chosen in 1765 an overseer of the highway " from the meeting-house to Adam Col- lins' and to the new school-house." As the Blooming- Grove meeting-house was built in 1759, Benjamin Strong lived in that vicinity.


Joel Tuthill was chosen in 1765 overseer of the highway " from Curtis Coleman's to Nathaniel Curtis' mill, and so along to the Round Hill." Jonathan Tuthill was path-master of District 20, of Cornwall, in 1775. He, or one of the same name, was also named as path-master in Blooming-Grove in 1799. John W. Tuthill and Samuel Tuthill are also mentioned, and Francis Daniel Benjamin ; also Capt. James Tuthill.


John Woolley. He was chosen path-master in 1765 for the road from "the new meeting-house to Martin Remelies." The Blooming-Grove meeting-house was built in 1759, and might properly be termed new.


William Gregg, Hugh Gregg, and Robert Gregg are mentioned in the records prior to the Revolution.


For additional names of families preceding the Revolution we refer to a list in the chapter upon Cornwall. Additional light is also thrown upon this subject by the very complete military rolls and other memoranda given in the general chapter upon mili- tary matters. The names of the different companies there given indicate to quite an extent the residence of the men enrolled. We add from a former writer the following notes upon several families of this town :


-


" William S. Woodhull was a descendant of Richard Woodhull, who appears to have first settled at Jamaica, on Long Island, about the year 1648, and removed to Setauket, then called Cromwell Bay, in 1656. The name was originally written Wodhull, and pronounced Odel or Odhnll,


and even to the present time (1847) several branches of the family are ao called, which was owing, it is believed, to giving the W a Welsh pronun- ciation, which is equivalent to OO. It is said that the family from which he descended is very ancient, and may be traced to an individual who came to England frodi Normandy with William the Conquerer, in 1066.


" He was born at Thenford, Northamptonshire, England, on Sept. 13, 1620. His zeal in the cause of English liberty during the Protectorate is supposed to have been the cause of his emigrating, as his situation in England would have been an unhappy one on the restoration of the monarchy.


" The name of his wife was Deborah. He died in October, 1690, leav- ing issue,-Richard, Nathaniel, and Deborah. Nathaniel died withont issue, and Deborah married John Lawrence, of Newtown.


" Richard, the eldest son of the emigrant, was born Oct. 9, 1649, and married Temperance, daughter of Rev. Jonah Fordham, of Southampton. Ile died Oct. 18, 1699. leaving issue,-Richard, Nathaniel, John, Josiah, Dorothy, and Temperance. Richard, the eldest, inherited the pateroal estate at Setauket, and Nathaniel, from whom the family in this connty descended, settled upon lands devised to him at Mastic. He married Sarah, daughter of Richard Smith (2), of Smithtown, by whom he had issne,-Hannah, Temperance, Nathaniel, Dorothy, Sarah, Richard, Ruth, Jesse, Juliana, Deborah, and Ebenezer. He died March 9, 1760. Han- nah married Mr. Strong, of Blooming-Grove, and her descendants are numerous. Nathaniel, born Dec. 30, 1722, inherited the paternal estate at Mastic. Ile was known as Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull, took an active part in the early efforts to resist British oppression, but was violently assaulted by a British officer near Jamaica, L. I., and died on Sept. 20, 1776. Richard received a liberal education, settled, and died at New Haven, Coun. Ilis family has become extinct. Ruth married Judge William Smith, of Mastic. Jesse, well known in Orange County as Col. Jesse Woodhull, was born at Mastic, Suffolk Co., L. I., on Feb. 10, 1735. Ile settled at Blagg's Clove, Orange Co., about 1753, being about eighteen years of age. Ile had abont 500 acres, a part of which was subsequently owned by Win. Woodhull, the residue by W'm. S. Woodlmull. Ile married Hester, daughter of Capt. Lewis Dubois, of Orange County, by whom he had issue,-Nathaniel, Richard, Saralı, Renelihe, Hannah, Jesse, and Ebenezer. lle died Feb. 4, 1795, aged about sixty years. His widow died Nov. 29, 1808, aged seventy-four years and twenty-nine days. Col. Woodhull's son Nathaniel was born Nov. 1, 1758. Married Elizabeth, daughter of Leonard Nicoll, of New Windsor, and died, leaving no issne, April 12, 1799.


" Richard, second son of Col. Woodhull, married llannah, daughter of · Judge William Smith and Ruth Woodhull, before Dientioned, of Mas- tic, by whom he had issue,-Jesse, William Smith, Nathaniel Dubois, and Ruth Hester. Ilis widow, born Oct, 4, 1764, dlied Jan. 6, 1809, aged forty-four years, three months, and twelve days.


" Jesse, eldest son of Richard and Hannah Woodhull, died Oct. 12, 1800, aged five years, six months, and twelve days. William Smith, the subject of remark, was born Ang. 9, 1796, and now resides on a part of Col. Woodhull's estate in Blagg's Clove. He married Fanny II., eldest daughter of Abraham Schultz, Esq., of New Windsor, Nov. 10, 1825, by whom he had issue,-Abraham Schultz, born Nov. 21, 1826; William Ilenry, Nov. 4, 1828 ; Sarah Jane, May 9, 1831; and Jesse, July 17, 1833. Sarah Jane died June 28, 1843.


" Nathaniel Du Bois was born Nov. 30, 1797, married Frances Mande- vill; left issue,-Richard William, Francis M., and Jacob. Ruth Heater was born Nov. 30, 1800, and died unmarried Oct. 8, 1839.


" Sarab, eldest daughter of Col. Woodhull, married Col. John Floyd, of Smithtown, Suffolk Co. Renelihe married Nathaniel Smith, of Smith- town, and Hannah, Oliver Smith, of Moriches. Jesse received an educa- tion, read medicine, Drade several voyages to the East Indies, and died at Pine Grove, Amite Co., Miss.


" Ebenezer settled near Utica, Oneida Co., N. Y., and married there.


" Juliana, daughter of Nathaniel Woodhull, of Mastic, married Heze- kiah Howell, of Blooming-Grove ; was the mother of the present Heze- kiah Howell, of Blooming-Grove, and Judge Nathaniel W. Howell, of Canandaigua. Her descendants are numerous. Deborah married Isaac Nicoll, of Hackensack, N. J. Ebenezer settled in Blooming.Grove, mar- ried Abigail Ilowell, and was father to Fletcher Woodhull and several other sons and daughters."


On the maternal side they are descendants of Col. William Smith, whose descendants on Long Island arc denominated the Tangier Smiths in contradistinction to Richard Smith's family, called Bull Smiths. He was born in England at Higham-Ferrers, Northampton-


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BLOOMING-GROVE.


shire, Feb. 2, 1655. In 1675 he was appointed gov- ernor of Tangier by Charles II., which place, with Bombay, was given to him as a marriage portion by the king of Portugal. Bnt the project of erecting an estab- lishment upon that coast did not succeed. Col. Smith therefore returned to England in 1683. He married Martha, daughter of Henry Tunstall, Esq., of Putney, in the county of Surrey, Nov. 26, 1675. He arrived at New York on the 6th of August, 1686, purchased a large tract of land in Brookhaven, which was erected into a manor called St. George's Manor. He was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court by Gov- ernor Slaughter in 1691, and chief justice by Col. Fletcher in 1602. He took an active part in the transpiring events of the colony, and died Feb. 18, 1705. His surviving children were Henry, William Henry, Patty, Gloriana, and Charles Jeffrey. Henry was born at Tangier, Jan. 19, 1679, and died 1767, aged eighty-eight years.


William Henry Smith, second son of Chief Justice Smith, was born March 13, 1690. He settled upon a part of his father's purchase at Mastic on the south side of the island. His first wife was a Miss Merritt, of Boston, by whom he had a son, Merritt. His second wife was Hannah Cooper, by whom he had issne,-William, Caleb, Elizabeth, Sarah, Martha, Jane, and Hannah.


William Smith, eldest son of William Henry, was born in 1720. He was absent from his family and estate during the whole of the Revolutionary war, and spent his time with his friends in Orange County. He was a judge of the county court and a member of the Provincial Congress. In 1777 he was elected a senator under the State constitution, which office he held till 1783. He died March 17, 1799. His first wife was Mary, danghter of Daniel Smith, of Smith- town, by whom he had John (afterwards Senator John Smith, of Suffolk County ) and Mary.


His second wife was Rnth, sister of Gen. Woodhull, of Suffolk, and Col. Woodhull, of Orange County, by whom he had issue,-William, Caleb, Mary, Han- nah, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Hannah married Richard Woodhull, of Blooming-Grove, son of Col. Woodhull, and had issue,-Jesse, William Smith, Nathaniel Du- Bois, and Ruth Hester, as before noticed in the genealogy of the Woodhull family.


IV .- ORGANIZATION.


Blooming-Grove was organized as a town March 23, 1799, and its territory was taken from that of Cornwall. April 5, 1830, a part of Blooming-Grove was taken off in the formation of Hamptonburgh, being so much of Hamptonburgh as now lies south of the old county line, and east of the former line between Goshen and Cornwall, of which the present east line of Goshen is believed to be a part. Fifteen years later, March 22, 1845, a portion of Blooming- Grove was set off towards the formation of the town of Chester. This was that small part of Chester


which lies southeast of the division line of the old precincts of Cornwall and Goshen, and northwest of the southeast line of Blooming-Grove, extended until it intersects the said precinct line. The name of Blooming-Grove had long been in use for a part of Cornwall, and appropriately became the name of the new civil division. The name, Blooming-Grove, was that of the old village, and was adopted to distinguish it from Hunting-Grove, a well-known locality then in New Windsor.


The first town-meeting of Blooming-Grove was held as shown in the following record :


" A journal of the proceedings of the freeholders and inhabitants of the towa of Blooming-Grove at their first annual town-meeting, held at the house of Jolin Chandler, in said town, on the first Tuesday in April, one thonsand seven hundred and ninety-nine, agreeable to an act to divide the town of Cornwall into three towns, passed the twenty-third of March, 1799.




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