History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 174

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 174


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Some doubt has arisen over the term " precinct of Minisink," as it has been thought to cover, in part at least, the same territory as the preeinet organizations just mentioned. The name Minisink was applied in the early documents to the settlements of Maghagh- emek and to those of Big and Little Minisink ;* but there are clear evidences that besides the indefi- nite region, Minisink, there was also a " precinct Min- isink," with collectors, assessors, and other officers. This is rendered certain by a document recently dis- covered among the papers of Benjamin "Van Vleet, being a warrant for the collection of a tax in the pre- cinet of Minisink. In 1737 an aet of Assembly was passed authorizing the erection of a " court-house and goal at Goshen," and the warrant quoted was for the portion levied on the Minisink people. The follow- ing is a verbatim copy of the warrant :


" Orange county ss.


Pursuant to an Act of the General Assembly of this Collony of New York entitled an Act to Enable the Justices of the Peace in that part of Orange County lying to the Northward of the Highlands to build a Court House & Goal for the Said County at Goshau.


" Wee the Justices of the peace for that part of Orange County Lying The town of Deerpark was organized in 1798. The three early organizations given above were north of the to the Northwards of the Highlands: Require end Command yon the Assessors for the precinck of Minisiack on Receipt of this our Warrent You assess upon the Estates Real and personall of all and Every the Io- | old county line, at least nominally. The territory now habitants Resedents Sojouroers and Freeholders of your presinck the eum of Twenty Nine pounds being your proportion of the money to lie Raised for Building the said Court House & Goele att Goshan ; and the eaid assessment so made by you and Signed under your Hands you are to Deliver uoto the Collector of your preciock annexed notu this Warrent on or before the first Day of May next Ensuing which Said Collector is


* The settlement of Great Minisink was near the Great Minisink Is- land, twelve milee below Carpenter's Point, and little Minisink near the Little Jeland between Carpenter's Point and the Great Island.


hereby authorised and Commanded to Receive & Collect and Levy the same and in Case any person or persons shall Deny Refuse or Neglect to pay their Tax 80 assessed as aforesaid: you are to Distrain him her or them by his her or their goods & chattles and the Distress to keep at the charge of the Owner or Owners for the space of fonre Days and not being Redeemed in that time you are to make sale thereof at publick Vandne to the Highist bider & out of the produce of such Sail you are to Deduct the said Tax & charges of sail and Return the overplush (if any be) Emediately to the owner or owners: which moneys so by you Levyed & Collected as aforesaid you are to pay to John Holly Esqr or to such per- son as shall be appointed by the majority of the Justices Liveiog to the Northward of the Highlands in Orange County on or before the first Day of June now next Ensuing first Retaining in Your llands nine pence in the pound for your troble of Collecting and paying the same for Your Doing whereof this shall be to you and Each of you a sufficient warrent Given under our hands & seals att Goshan in the County of Orange thie fourteenthi day of April in the Twelfth year of the Reign of our Sover- eign Lord King George the Second &c: Anno Dom 1739.


" To the assessors & collectors of the presiock of Minisinck.


" VIN'T MATHEWS " JOHN HOLLY


"JOHN CARPENTER


" SAM A. JAYN "JA. SWARTWOUDT.


" ANTONI X WESTBROEK


" WILLEM PROVOST"


Six seals ; figure, deer bead, in sealing wax.


On the back of the warrant is the following return:


" Received of John Decker Collector of Minnicinck the full contents of this within tax warrant I say Recd pr. mne Collector fees first being deducted that is ninepence pr. £. " JOHN HOLLY, Com.


"June ye 30, 1739."


The question arises, then, Where was the precinet of Minisink? The date is very early-1739. The precinet organizations of Wagachameek, 1701, Mach- ackameck, 1709, and Mamakating, 1743, extended south to the old county line; but none of them south of that line. The precinct of Goshen had for its north boundary the same "old county line," ex- tending from Plum Point, on the Hudson, to what is now Sparrowbush, on the Delaware. We know from the assessment-roll of 1775 that the triangular portions of the present town of Deerpark, south of the old county line, was in Goshen Precinet. Now the claim of New York extended south to the lower end of Great Minisink Island. The limits of Goshen Precinet were not stretched southward to include this disputed territory, but there was erected the Minisink Precinct along the Delaware, below what was afterwards known as Carpenter's Point. The signatures to the warrant given above do not prove that "Minisink Precinet" ineluded any part of the present territory of Deerpark. The signatures are simply those of the county officials directing the collecting of the tax in the precinct of Minisink.t


+ Perhaps this cooclusion must not be considered settled without fur- ther investigation. When the statute of 1701 enumerates " Mackhecke- meck" Great and Little Minisiuk, it seems at the first view to have left out the " lower neighborhood" between Ilugnenot and Carpenter's Point, but the term Mackhackameck then applied to all the settlement in the valley above Carpenter's Point. When a few years later the old county line was ruo, and ite location definitely known, Mackhackameck was limited by that line on the south, and the Goshen Precinct covered the territory south of that line to Carpenter's Point.


708


HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


in Deerpark, south of the old county line, comprising Port Jervis and its vicinity, was a part of the town of Minisink from 1789 to 1825, and much interesting material relating to this section may be found in the chapter upon that town.


It is not known that any records of the early pre- «inets remain. At least none such have come down to the clerk's office of the present town of Deerpark. From other sources we have the following :


At the town-meeting of Mamakating Precinct for April 5, 1774, the following officers were chosen : Supervisor, Benjamin Dupuy ; Clerk, Thomas Kyte; Constable and Collector, Jacob Stanton ; Assessors, Harmanus Van Inwegen, Abraham Cuddeback, Jr. Overseers of the Highways : First District, Benjamin Cuddeback ; Second District, Diek V. K. Westbrook ; Third District, Jacob Devins ; Fourth District, Robert Cook; Fifth District, Ezekiel Travis; Sixth District, Abraham Smedis. Overseers of the Poor, Philip Swartwout, Robert Cook ; Fence-keepers, Benja- min Depuy, Jacob Stanton; Stallion-viewers, Vail Wheeler, Abraham Cuddeback ; Pound-keepers, Vail Wheeler, Benjamin Depuy.


Philip Swartwout was supervisor in 1776; Benja- min Depuy in 1778 and 1782; Jacob R. DeWitt in 1873 ; Benjamin Depuy again in 1784 and 1787 ; Peter Cuddeback, 1788.


The town of Deerpark having been erected in 1798, we have the following record of the first town-meet- ing :


"Record of the proceedings of the freeholders in the town of Deerpark at the first town-meeting held in said towu, at the house of Elisha Reeve, Esq., on the 3d day of April, 1798.


"List of town officers: William Deun, town clerk ; James Finch, Jr., supervisor : - Seybolt, - Rose, Joseph Smith, assessors; Peter Gumaer, Jr., collector ; Benjamin Dupuy, Elisha Reeve, overseers of the poor ; - Reeve, James Finch, Sr., Wm. Cuddeback, Sr., commissioners of highways ; Wm. Young, Jr., Abraham Van Inwegen, constables ; David R. Arnell, Abel Woodhull, James Finch, Jr., William Rose, com- missioners of schools.


"OVERSEERS OF IHIGHWAYS.


No.


No.


1. James Fioch, Sr.


11. John Ward.


2. James Ketchum.


12. Reuben Baker.


3. Wm. Mulock. 13. Joseph Smith.


4. Samuel Satterly.


14. Elias Gumaer.


5. W'in. Young, Sr.


15. Beojamin Depuy.


6. James Finch, Jr.


16. Richard -.


7.


17. Samuel Farnum.


9. Alexander


18. Abner Sheldon,


10. David Norris.


19. Sammuel -. "


GENERAL NOTES FROM THE RECORDS."


Road distriets of 1799 as determined by the com- missioners March 12th :


No. 1 .- Beginning at Thomas Hulse's, and running from thence to the crotch of the road on the top of the mountain to the old Orange County line, and from James Finch's harn to said county line near Wells' [Plantation], and from Rufus Stanton's to the Shawangunk Kill bridge. James Finch, road-master.


No. 2 .- From the east side of Shawangunk Kill bridge, at Ketchum's mill, to Thomas Hulse's. Wil- liam Davis, road-master.


No. 3 .- Beginning at the main road near William Davis', and from thence to Samuel Watkins'. Wil- liam MeDowell, road-master.


No. 4 .- Beginning at the forks of the road near James Ketchum's, and running from thence by Wil- liam Penny's to Elisha Comstock's, and from the crotch of the road by the old school-house near where Oliver Owen formerly lived, [and from] William Mu- lock's to the mountain road near Capt. [ Farnum's]. William Penny, road-master.


No. 5 .- From David Corwin's bridge to the brook on the east side of the mountain running into Skin- ner's meadow. William Young, road-master.


No. 6 .- Beginning against Andrew Davis' old house on the mountain road, and running from thence to James Finch's [bridge], and from the crotch of the road near Jasper Writer's to the main road near Thomas Hulse's. Enos Brown, road-master.


No. 7 .- Beginning at John Seybolt's, and run- ning from thence along the mountain road against Andrew Davis' old house. Jacob Wiggens, road- master.


No. 8 .- Beginning at the crotch of the road near Abner Skinner's, and running from thence to the top of the hill. Noah Tuthill, road-master.


No. 9 .- From the east side of the Shawangunk Kill bridge, [near] Elijah Reeve's, to the east side of the bridge near Hanchet's. Alexander Car, road- inaster.


No. 10 .- From the crotch of the road near William [Gillet's], along the mountain road to the [ ] said road near Ezekiel Newman's, and from Elijah [Reeve's] to Silas Gildersleeve's. Eli Roberts, road- master.


No. 11 .- From the county line near Jolin King's to Elijah [Reeve's]. Charles Gillet, road-master.


No. 12 .- From the county line a small distance north of [ ] Wood's to Timothy Oakley's, and from thence to the cross road near Elijah Reeve's mill. Timothy Oakley, road-master.


No. 13 .- Beginning at the old county line near Giles', and running north to Capt. William Rose's; from thence over [ ] by Jonathan Stanton's to the east side of the [mountains], to the brook running into Skinner's meadow. Benjamin Gumaer, road- master.


No. 14 .- Beginning at the county line near Abra- ham [ ]; running from thence south to the crotch of the road [ ] the mountain. Jacob Van Etten, road-master.


No. 15 .- Beginning at the county line near Joseph Tice's ; from thence to the Esopus road near Capt. William [ ]. Jonathan Campbell, road-master.


No. 16 .- From the Deerpark road across the moun- tain to the [ ] at Westbrook's, and thence to the county line. Silas Clark, road-master.


* A few illegible aod doubtful words are inclosed in brackets.


709


DEERPARK.


No. 17 .- From Mongaup bridge to the Five-mile Tree. John Wood, road-master.


No. 18 .- From the east side of Stickney's bridge - ] line north of Jacob Newkirk's; [ ]. Abraham Stickney, road-master.


No. 19 .- ( Description not given). Cornelius Swart- wout, road-master .*


The first election returns are the following :


" We, the subscribers, inspectors of election for the town of Deerpark, in the county of Orange, and State of New York, for the year 1799, do hereby certify that the following statement is the result of the canvass and estimate of the ballots taken at an election held in this town on the 30th day of April, Ist and 2d days of May, in said year, for Senators to represent the middle district of said State. Dated 2d day of May, 1799.


" John Hathorn, 52 votes; John Suffero, 51 votes ; Isaac Bloom, 52 votes.


" JAMES FINCH, JR., " WILLIAM DENN, " WILLIAM YOUNG, " JOSEPH TUTAILL,


" ELIAS GUMAER, Inspectors."


SLAVES.


As in other towns there are a few entries, required by law, recording the birth of slaves,-somewhat of an interesting fact to the youth of the present gener- ation who may scarcely have read that New York was once a slaveholding State.


We give several of the earliest :


"This may certify that Flors, daughter of Elizabeth, servant of the subscriber, was born 31st of July, 1800.


" IFARMANUS VAN INWEGEN, Farmer.


"DEERPARK, 7th April, 1800."


"This may certify that Harry, son of Jio, servant of the subscriber, was born the fifth day of November, in the year 1800.


" EZEKIEL GUMAER, Farmer.


" DEERPARK, April 7, 1801."


" This may certify that Simon, son of Suffi, servant of the subscriber, was born the twenty-third day of July, in the year 1800.


" BENJAMIN DEPUY, Farmer.


" DEERPARK, April 7, 1801."


" This may certify that Cate, daughter of Jin, slave of the subscriber, was born the 6th day of July, in the year 1802.


" JAMES KETCHUM, Farmer.


" DEERPARK, March 30, 1803."


To manumit a slave required the certificate of the overseers of the poor.


Under date of Jan. 22, 1803, Jacobus Swartwout and David Corwin, overseers of the poor, certify that "Susanna, a negro woman slave of Mary Rose, widow of the late Capt. William Rose, appears to be under the age of fifty years, and of sufficient ability to pro- vide for herself."


The latest birth of a slave child recorded seems to be the following :


" Josiah Van Inwegen, of the town of Deerpark, in the County of Orange, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that to the best of his knowledge and belief, Sam the son of Mary, slave to the said Josiah Van Inwegen, was born the 29th day of July, in the year 1817.


" JOSIAH VAN INWEGEN.


" Subscribed & sworn the 24th day of August, 1819."


* The road-masters' names attached above are for the year 1800, and the districts as described must be north of the "old county line," as the territory south of that belonged to Minisink until 1825.


ASSESSMENT-ROLL OF 1825.


This is the earliest now preserved in the town clerk's office, and was made by Benjamin Cuddeback, Philip Swartwout, and William Cuddeback, assessors. This is the first roll made after the division of the towns, and the erection of Deerpark with its present territory. Persons assessed for $2000 or over were William Cuddeback, $5050 ; Henry Cuddeback, $2323; Cornelius Cuddeback, $4033; Jacob Cudde- back, $3824; Benjamin Cuddeback, $2000; Cornelius Cole, $2549 ; Isaac Decker, Jr., $2341 ; Peter Gumaer, Jr., $3114; Peter E. Gumaer, $6330; Gerardus Gu- maer, $3153; Francis Kelly, $2038; James D. Swartwout, $3650; Stephen St. John, $2131; Ja- cobus Swartwout, $3352; Levi Van Etten, $5859; Margaret Van Fleet, $2243. The total assessed val- uation was $114,820, and the tax levied upon that, $227.63.


TOWN OFFICERS.


The principal town officers from 1798 to 1880 have been as follows:


Supervisors.


Towo Clerks.


1798-99 James Finch, Jr.


William Denn.


1800.


Solomion Finch.


Enoch Tuthill.


Peter E. Gunner.


Solomon Finch.


1804


Eli Roberts.


1805-8


Peter E. Gumaer.


1809


1810-13 Peter E. Gumaer.


1814-16. James Finch, Jr.


1817. Abraham Cuddeback.


1818-19 .James Finch, Jr.


1820 .. Abraham Cuddeback.


1821.


1822 Stephen Farnoni.


1823 James Finch, Jr.


1824.


David G. Finch.


Joseph Conklin.


1825-26. Peter E. Gumaer.


Benjamin Vau Inwegen.


1827-28 Philip Swartwout.


1829 Benjamin Cuddeback.


1830-31


Levi Van Etten, Jr.


1832


.Peter E. Gumaer.


1833


Daniel Hilferty.


John S. Van Inwegen.


1835-36.


Lewis Cuddeback.


1837


George Burns.


16


1838


1839-40. Levi Van Etten.


1841-42 Lewis Van Juwegen.


John S. Van Inwegen.


1843-44 Wm. Cuddeback.


Charac A. Van luwegen.


1845-46. Charles llardenbergh.


1847-48 Abraham J. Cuddeback.


1849. David Swartwout.


Jolin B. Crawford.


1851


Samuel Fowler.


W'm. IT. Bennet.


Francis W. Lock wood.


1856


1857. l'eter Cuddeback.


Dayton T. Cox.


George Brodhead.


1860


Solonion Van Etteo, Jr.


Charles W. Douglass.


Edgar A. Wells.


1863.


Franklin R. Brodhead.


1864.


=


1865.


1866-69


1870. R. W. Palmer.


1871 Peter P. Swartwoul.


1872-73. Charles St. John, Jr.


1874 Wm. HI. Nearpass. =


1875


1876-78


=


Charles Hardenbergh, Jr. Cornelius E. Cuddeback. =


1879 Franklin R. Brodhead.


=


1880 Luke S. Rosencrnoce.


=


The following are the justices of the peace who pre- sided at town-meetings, with the dates at which their names first appear in the records as so presiding :


Peter G. Van Inwegeo.


1850 Nelson Birdsall.


Peter G. Van Inwegen.


1852 Peter P. Swartwout.


1853. Edward L. Norris.


1854. James Bedaett.


1855. Eli Van Inwegen.


Andrew Conger. Joseph Il. Knowlton.


1858-59


Joha Van Etteo.


1861


1862. Orville J. Brown.


Dayton T. Cox.


Francis R. Fossard.


George Clauson.


William E. Haggarty.


Jacob l'ewitt.


Lewis L. Adams.


=


Peter E. Gumaer. Benjamin Van Iawegea. Cbarac A Van lowegen.


1834.


Stephen Farmum. =


Charles Murray. =


Stephen Faroum.


Jonathan Smith.


Ira Seybolt. Isaac Gillet.


Peter E. Cuddebeck.


1801


1802


1803


-


710


HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


1812, Wm. Young, Jr .; 1813, James Finch, Jr .; 1821, Richard Penny, Isaac Otis; 1825, Joseph Chattle, Richard Tevny (presided at the organization of the town of Calhoun, afterwards Mount Hope), Abraham Cuddeback, Thomas Van Etten; 1828, Abraham Cudde- hack, Benjamin Cuddeback, James D. Swartwout; 1829, Levi Van Etten.


The justices of the peace elected at the annual town- meetings were as follows :


1830, Solomon Van Etten; 1831 (no election of justice recorded) ; 1832, David Decker, abraham Cuddeback ; 1833, Cornelius Gray; 1834, Charles C. Boyd ; 1835, Jeremiah Gumaer : 1836, David Decker, WDI. Cuddeback; 1837, Cornelius Gray ; 1838, Abraham J. Cuddeback ; 1839, William Cuddeback; 1840, David Decker; 1841, Cornelius Gray, Charles C. Boyd; 1842, Abraham J. Cuddeback ; 1843, James H. Taylor, Abraham J. Cuddeback ;* 1844, Saminel W. Jackson; 1845, Eli Van Inwegen; 1846, Abraham J. Cuddeback ; 1847, Alex- ander Gordon; 1848, Joho Caskey ; 1849, James Bennett; 1850, Abraham J. Cuddeback ; 1851, James Cuddeback, Jr .; 1852, Francis Marvin ; 1853, John Caskey; 1854, Wilhelmus Westbrook ; 1855, John M. Helter, John J. Bross; 1856, Wm. H. Newkirk; 1857, Lucas F. Hough, Henry II. Stewart; 1858, Peter P. Swartwout ; 1859, Ilenry II. Stewart, James N. Penny ; 1860, Wm. Il. Newkirk ; 1861, John J. Bross ; 1862, James N. l'enny ; 1863, Lucas F. Hough, William Westfall; 1864, William Raokin ; 1865, Daniel C. Hazen ; 1866, James N. Penny ; 1867, George Clauson (also to fill vacancy) ; 1868, Benaiah Rhodes; 1869, Joseplı L. Potter : 1870, Henry Dutcher ; 1871, Daniel Holbrook; 1872, John Van Etteo, Jr., Norman W. Mulley (also to fill vacancy); 1873, Norman W. Mulley, Moses L. Cole; 1874, William E. McCormick; 1875, Dayton T. Cox; 1876 Moses L. Cole; 1877, Daniel C. Ilazen ; 1878, Daniel Holbrook, WDI. Norris : 1879, Dayton T. Cox, Moses L. Cole ;+ 1880, Moses L. Cole.


BONDING OF THE TOWN OF DEERPARK.


This was effected by papers recorded in the office of the county clerk, and bearing date May 16, 1868. The consent of the tax-payers, as expressed in the instru- ment, was verified by the affidavit of Aaron Decker and others. The bonds were to be issned in aid of the Monticello Branch Railroad, to extend from Port Jervis to Monticello, in Sullivan County, through the towns of Deerpark, Thompson, and Forestburgh. The amount of bonds was to be $200,000. These bonds were issued to run thirty years.


V .- VILLAGES. PORT JERVIS.


This village dates from 1826, when the Delaware and Hudson Canal became a certainty. It is named in honor of the engineer who superintended the con- struction of the canal. As late as 1846, a writer said of Port Jervis, " A small village on the canal, where it first approaches the Delaware. It is just above Carpenter's Point and the junction of the Neversink. and the Delaware."


He added, however, another paragraph, in which he said,-


"The small flourishing village of Port Jervis through which this canal passes had its origin at the commencement of the navigation thereat, and owes its population to that work. There are now five stores and groceries in this village : three taverns, in spacious buildings; one three-story grist-mill, built by Dr. Ball, of Brooklyn, being a stone build-


* The latter must have failed to qualify, in 1842.


+ He had failed to qualify under his election of 1876, and bad served by appointment.


ing, and has four run of stone in it; three churches,-a Dutch Reformed, a Baptist, and a Methodist church, and one large school-house. The dif- ferent branches of mechanical country business are also carried on. A considerable amount of lumber is brought in and sold. Coal is deposited and sold. A mail ronte from Kingston, in U'lster County, to Milford, in Pennsylvania, and thence to the city of Philadelphia, passes through this village and crosses the Delaware at about half a mile distant. The Neversink bridge place is abont one mile sontherly of Port Jervis; Hu- guenot about four, and Cuddebackville about eight miles northeast. These are small places, the two latter on the canal and mail route."


The "little village" of 1846, with its five stores, has grown rapidly to its present proportions. The "stores" are over 100 in number. Other business places are correspondingly increased, nntil a "Directory" must be consulted instead of a history to obtain an idea of the development of thirty-four years.


PORT JERVIS POST-OFFICE.


Previous to the opening of the Delaware and Hud- son Canal, in 1828, the post-office for this section was at Carpenter's Point. The last postmaster at that place was Frank Kelly. About 1829 the office was removed to Port Jervis, and John Slauson (father of Erastus Slanson) was the first postmaster. He kept it at his hotel, at what is now the corner of Main Street and the Huguenot road. This was under Jackson's first administration. The second postmaster was Dr. John Conkling, who was appointed in 1833, under Gen. Jackson in his second term, Amos Kendall, Postmas- ter-General. The office was removed to the store- house of Dodge, St. John & Co., near the canal on Main Street. Dr. Conkling held the office from 1833 to 1845, and served under the administrations of Jack- son, Van Buren, Harrison, and Tyler. In 1845, nn- der the administration of l'resident Polk, Dr. Charles Hardenburgh was appointed postmaster, and kept the office in his drug-store, on the site of the present par- sonage of the Reformed Church. During this same administration Dr. Hardenburgh was removed, and Mr. Lyon appointed. June 21, 1849, Dr. John Conk- ling again received the appointment, and removed the office in a wheelbarrow to the building on Main Street recently used as a glove-factory. In May, 1851, Dr. Conkling resigned in favor of Francis Marvin, who held the office until the inauguration of President Pierce's administration. In 1853, Mr. Marvin was sncceeded by Thomas J. Lyon, and he in turn was followed, in February, 1855, by James Van Fleet. Under him the office was removed "down town," corner of Pike Street and Jersey Avenue. In 1857, George Broadhead was appointed postmaster nnder Buchanan's administration. The office was kept cor- ner of Pike and Ball Streets. In 1861, nnder Presi- dent Lincoln, Augustus B. Goodale was named as the incumbent, and the office was moved " up town" to its present location. Mr. Goodale held the office nntil 1879, when Charles St. John, Jr., editor of the Port Jervis Union, was appointed, and is the present post- master. During Mr. Goodale's term the present brick building was erected, and the portion used for the post-office rented to the government for ten years.


711


DEERPARK.


INCORPORATION.


Under date of July 20, 1853, application for incor- poration was made to the Court of Sessions by a petition signed by C. N. Lawrence, Nathaniel Van Tuyl, Orville J. Brown, Samuel H. Mills, and J. A. Jennings. The application was accompanied by the necessary survey and certificates of election. The publication of the requisite notice was verified by John Dow and A. G. Tucker. The inspectors of elec- tion were Thomas Van Ellen, James Van Fleet, and Abram Swartwout.


The order of the court bears date May 13, 1853. The first election was held Aug. 9, 1853. The char- ter was revised in 1866, and again in 1867. The first resolutions submitted to the vote of the people, in ac- cordance with law, soon after the incorporation, were for the following purposes :


For building a pound .. $100


For streets and sidewalks ... 200


For surveying and other expenses. 350


For printing and incidentals 300


Total $1350


The resolutions were adopted.


The sums for 1880-81, placed in contrast, tell some- thing of the progress in improvements as well as in expenses :


For general expenses. $3025


For the pay of officials. 3500


For the water fund. 1850


For gas-lamps .. 2200


For naphtha-lamps. 2425


Total $13,000


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Streets and other expenses carry the sum up to $17,000 or $18,000.


The following list shows the full board of trustees each year, also the president, clerk, and treasurer. The election of the first president does not appear in the minutes, but it is believed to be correctly given :




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