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 185
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The date of the patents already given affords some guide for determining this matter. The Rip Van Dam Patent was obtained in 1709, and settlements followed soon after in the vicinity of Salisbury, now in Blooming-Grove. Several of the other patents range or date from 1719 to 1722. Upon the John Lawrence Patent of 1719 there was a settlement by Mr. Mandeville in 1728.
Taking the earliest of these dates, however, there is left a period of thirty years succeeding 1685 of which there is little account, and thirty more in which the information is only fragmentary, as to the present town of Cornwall. The fact is clear that the territory now constituting Cornwall was not settled, except in the Bethlehem neighborhood and near Salisbury, until a few years preceding the Revolu- tion. All the early records of Cornwall at the or- ganization as a precinct separate from Goshen in 1764 show that the population was mostly in Monroe and Blooming-Grove. If the records of Goshen Precinct from 1720 to 1764 had not been destroyed, much light might have been obtained as to the names of officers elected upon this territory, the laying out of roads, and all those details of town business in which names and localities are often very fully given.
At the formation of the precinct of Cornwall in 1764 a book of records was opened by the new pre- cinct officers. This is preserved in good condition, and is now in the office of the town clerk of Bloom- ing-Grove. It is a volume of great value, and should be rebound and kept in a fire-proof vault. Liberal extracts are made from this volume under the head of " Organization," below, and these furnish the means of determining many of the families who were resid- ing upon the present territory of Cornwall in the period just preceding the Revolutionary war, as well as upon the territory of the other three towns erected from Old Cornwall, viz. : Blooming-Grove, Monroe, and Highlands.
* Probably the "Half-Moon" was anchored on the opposite side of the river, but all the more clearly were the lands upon the west side seen from the deck or from the higher lands upon the eastern shore.
756
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
· The names of those persons who are known or sup- posed to have been residing on the territory of Mon- roe, Blooming-Grove, and Highlands have been trans- ferred to the chapters devoted to those towns. There are retained in this list those ascertained to have been residing upon the present territory of Cornwall before the Revolution.
SETTLERS PRIOR TO THE REVOLUTION.
Timothy Brewster. He was chosen in 1765 an over- seer of the highway for "the water-side." It is in- ferred that he lived further east than most of the Brewsters, who were in Blooming-Grove.
Jeremiah Clark. He was chosen in 1765 a fence- viewer for New Cornwall, and was path-master for dis- triet No. 1 in 1775. Either he or another of the same name was supervisor in 1791-93, and town elerk still later. Jeremiah Clark was also one of the judges of the county in 1788. He had also served in the first Provincial Congress, April 20, 1775. It is evident that his homestead was in Cornwall, probably in the | vicinity of Canterbury, or further east. Other Clarks mentioned in the early records are Reuben, Smith, Ephraim, Gershom, Nehemiah, David, William, John W. (See Biography of Thomas C. Ring.)
Joseph Chandler, Jr. There were probably three of the same name in succession, father, son, and grand- son, as there was a Joseph Chandler, Jr., supervisor as late as 1812, thirty-seven years later than the first mention appears. The homestead was in the north- west part of Cornwall.
Thomas Clark, Sr. and Jr. It is said that the Thomas Clark homestead was on the site of the pre- sent Smith boarding-house at "the Corners," now better known as Cornwall-on-the-Hudson.
David Mandeville. An old Mandeville home- stead was the present place of the Episcopal rectory in the village of Canterbury, but before the Revolu- tion the family were probably on the John Lawrence Patent.
Amos Mills. He was a justice of the peace in 1765. He lived in Canterbury, in a dwelling, long since re- moved, that stood near Sutherland's present law-office. He had a farm near there. His children were Amos, Jr., who kept the present James A. Smith store, be- yond the stone bridge; Zachariah, who moved West; Zebadialı, who died unmarried; Mrs. Isaac Van Duzer; Mrs. John Barton, her husband being a very early merchant in Canterbury. The children of Amos, Jr., were Mrs. James Hawkshurst; Mrs. Daniel Hal- . let, of Monroe; Mrs. Peter Neels, of Troy ; and Eliza- beth (our informant), still living.
David Miller was path-master of distriet No. 6 in 1775. The number of the district, compared with others, indicates that he was on the present territory of Cornwall before the Revolution.
Langford Thorn. As he deeded to the Friends in 1789 a part of the ground yet occupied by the meet-
i
that his homestead was near that point. Daniel Thorn, a son of Langford, is mentioned in the old records. He lived on the present Raymond place.
Joseph Thorn. He was path-master of district No. 7 in 1775. He was the early merchant of Salisbury. In company with Nicholas Townsend, of Monroe, he went with two wagons to Philadelphia and purchased goods during the Revolutionary war. A quantity of tin was brought home and made into various articles. Miss Phebe Cock, of Canterbury, has boxes then made from that tin. Mr. Thorn was from Long Island. He never married ; a maiden sister kept house for him.
Jonathan Brooks. He was one of the Committee of Safety for Cornwall in 1775. He lived on the Rip Van Dam Patent, out towards Salisbury.
A. Sutherland was path-master of district No. 14 in 1775. There were three brothers of the Sutherlands about the time of the Revolution or a little later,-1. Alexander, whose children were Alexander (father of John D., our informant), Andrew, David, and Mrs. John BuBois. 2. David, whose children are not given. 3. Andrew, whose children were Daniel and David, both of whom went West, the latter being a lawyer of note. The father of these three brothers was also Alexander. He was buried the day Fort Montgomery was captured, and the family tradition is that the friends at the grave, hearing the distant firing, thought the British were coming over the moun- tains, and ran away from the grave.
Nathaniel Sands was a son of David Sands, the well-known Friends' preacher. The homestead is still well known as the Sands' place in Canterbury. David Sands had no other sons, according to the rec- ollection of Miss Phebe Cock, from whom some of these items are obtained, but there were three daugh- ters,-Mrs. Charles Newbold, Mrs. Elias Ring, and Marietta, who died young.
David Sutherland, Sr. and Jr. The son was chosen constable in 1775 " for the water-side." Of Maj. John D. Sutherland we learn that the homestead of this branch of the family was a part of the well- known Sackett or Lewis Beach farm. The name of David Sutherland is in the militia rolls of 1738, very probably the senior above named.
David Sherod (Sherwood ?) was chosen in 1765 an overseer of the highway " for the water-side." This does not entirely agree with tradition, which sup- poses him to have lived in Monroe, and sold to Nicholas Townsend the present Stephen Smith place. Between 1765 and the Revolution was, however, time enough to have purchased one there, and to have sold again.
Justus Sackett was chosen a constable in 1765 "for ; the water-side." His location is not determined, though at some later period the old Sutherland prop- erty, now of Lewis Beach, became known as the Sackett place.
Isaac Tobias was the early physician in the west ing west of Canterbury village, it is to be inferred | part of the town. His homestead was the William
CORNWALL.
757
Ilalstead place of modern times, near Salisbury, Isaac Tobias died in 1808. A grandson, Daniel To- bias, is still living, a hale and hearty octogenarian. Frederick Tobias was also mentioned as path-master of district 36 in 1775.
William Roe was chosen path-master for district No. 2 in 1775. His homestead was near the bounds of New Windsor, in the Plum Point neighborhood.
Isaac Van Duzer, Sr. and Jr. The younger was path-master in 1775 for district No. 31. There are also mentioned in the records prior to the Revolution, C. Van Duzer, I. Van Duzer (3), Jacob Van Duzer, and Christopher Van Duzer,
Joseph Wood was a fence-viewer in 1765 for "New Cornwall." Inferring that this was to designate his district separate from the districts of Blooming-Grove, Oxford, etc., in tbe precinct of Cornwall, it may be concluded that he lived in what is now Cornwall. There are also mentioned Daniel Wood, Stephen Wood, John Wood, Amos Wood, Timothy Wood, and Ebenezer Wood, the last named being commissioner of highways in 1775.
The remaining names from the records of Corn- wall, 1765 to 1775, or from among the signatures to the Articles of Association at the opening of the war of the Revolution, are given below. About 50 have been mentioned above as located on the territory now embraced in Cornwall; about 100 are trans- ferred to the chapter on Monroe as settlers before the Revolution in that town; 130 to the chapter upon Blooming-Grove, giving, it is believed, the names of all the principal families who were in that town prior to the Revolution; and to the chapter upon the new town of Highlands about 20 as possibly living on the territory now embraced in that town before the Revolution. It must also be observed that the list undoubtedly covers a very large section of what is now Rockland County, the boundaries of Cornwall Precinct extending at that time from Mur- derer's to Tappan Creek (ante, pp. 13, 14), and with the exception of Haverstraw and Orangetown, taking in the whole of Rockland as well as the towns in Orange already named.
Henry Atwood.
Nathan Burchard.
John Arles.
Sylvanus Bishop. Zachary Burwell.
Matthew Ayers.
Samuel Bartlett.
Neal Anderson.
Silas Benjamin, Sr.
Caleb Ashley.
Silas Benjamin, Jr.
Samuel Brinson.
Benjamin Budd.
%. Burchard.
David Biggs.
Isaac Brown .*
Ilarris Bartlett.
Asa Buck.
Isaac Brown.
W'm. Bell.
Win. Brown.
W'm. Bartlett.
George Batemau.
John Brand.
Isaac Bower.
W'n. Bedell.
Isaac Couley. Nathan Cooley.
Nathaniel Biggs.
Isaac Cooley, Sr.
David Bloomfield.
Isaac Cooley, Jr.
Jacob Brown.
Thomas Chatfiehl. Daniel Chambers.
* Path-master of District No. 40, 1775.
Joshua Corey.
Samuel Hall.
Benjamin Callay. John Callay. Thaddeus Coley. Dennis Colley. Benjamin Corey. John Close. Win. Cook.
Elulia Hudson. Richard Houeman. James IIuff. Nathaniel Jayne.2 Benjamin Jayne. Daniel Jayne. James Jordan.| || David Jones.
Richard Collingwood.t
Timothy Corwin.
Stephen Jayne. John Johnson.
Abram Cooley. Archibald Coukham, Jr.
James Keeler.
Silas Corwin.
Dennis Kelly, Jr.
John Carr.
Win. Ketch.
David Causter.
Jacob Kune.
Henry Dyer, Sr.
Samuel Ketcham, Sr.T.
Henry Dyer, Jr.
Samuel Ketcham, Jr. Wm. King.
Aaron DeGraw.
Benjamin Ketcham, Sr.
Togidalı Dickens.
Benjamin Ketcham, Jr.
John Daynes. Jacob Deyo.
Michael Kelly.
Daniel Devan.
Thomas Lynch.
Thomas Everson.#
Benjamin Lester. John Leonard.
John Faren.
Thomas Livingston.
L. Ferguson.
John Lightbody. Gabriel Lightbody.
James Gray.
Isaac Lightbody.
Daniel Gage.
Andrew Lightbody.
John Griffith .¿
George Leonard .***
Samuel Gibson.
Peter Laurie.
Joseph Gold.
Eleazer Lose.
Thomas Hurley.
James Ledis.
Sutherland Hulett.
Samuel Laws.
Henry Halle.
Jacob Laws.
Sylvanus Halle.
James Laws.
W'm. Howard.
Joshua Landstar.
Wni. Herd.|
Patrick McDonald.+++
Justus Hulse.‘
James McLean.
W'm. Hunter .**
Charles Mckinney.
Josepls Hildridge.tt
P. McGlochlin.###
Joseph Hildreth.
John McManns.
Stepben Hulse.
John McCarty.
Sylvanus Halsey.
James Mitchell.
Phineas Herd.
Hugh McDonnell.
Col. A. Hawks Hey.#
Barnabas Many.
John Hall.
Hugh Murray.
Zopher Head.
Azariah Martin.
Wm. Hooge.
Jolın McLean.
Henry Hall.
James McGoffack.
Samuel Howard.
Robert Mc Whorter.
Wiu. Howard.
John McKelvy.
Thomas liuley.
Wol. Nicholson.
Joseph Halsted.
Francis Nantine.
Robert Haight.
Patrick Odey.
James Halsey.
Patrick O'Duddle.
Stephen Halsey.
Thomas Oliver.
Israel Hedges.
Ezekiel Osman.
+ Path-master of District No. 19, 1775.
+ Path-master of District No. 10, 1775.
¿ Justice of the peace in 1774.
Path-master of District No. 11 in 1775.
" Path-master of District No. 9 in 1775.
** Path-master of District No. 25 in 1775.
++ Path-master in 1765 fur the highway " from the new road to Goshen road."
## He lived in what is now a part of Rockland County, and was a dele- gate to the first Provincial Convention, April 20, 1775.
¿¿ Justice of the peace in 1765, and one of those presiding at town- meeting of 1765.
Hi Path-master of District No. 18, 1775.
ET Path-master of District No. 30, 1775.
*** Patlı-master of District No. 39 iu 1775.
+++ Path-master of District No. 3, 1775; undoubtedly Cornwall.
### Path-master of District No. 13, 1775.
-
George Everson.
Jacob Gale.
Joseph Ketcham.
Lewis Donovan.
Francis Burke.
Wm. Bradley.
W'm. Ayers.
758
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Benjamin Prindle.
Moses Strain.
John Price.
David Stage.
Brier Palmer.
Joseph Stephens .*
Stephen Peet. James Peters.
Jonathan Stephens.t
Ed. Tompkins.
Josiah Pell.
Michael Thomas.
John Pell, Jr.
Zopher Teed.#
John Peckham.
Abner Thorp .¿
Thomas Poicy.
Reuben Taber.
Joshua Philby.
Jesse Teed.
John Pride.
Eleazer Taylor.
Nathan Pease.
Benjamin Thorn.
Gilbert Roberts.
Selah Tucker.
Samuel Rocket.
Wmn. Thompson.
Thomas Shaw.
Joseph Van Note.
Ebenezer Stephens.
Joseph Wilcox.
Stephen Sleet.
Sylvanns White. [
James Sears.
llenry Wisner, Sr."
Thomas Sullivan.
Henry Wisner, Jr.
Samuel Slaughter.
James Wilkins.
John Stephens.
John Williams.
Justus Stephens.
Jacob White.
David Stephens.
Gilbert Weeks.
Sylvanus Sayles.
Thomas Willett. .
Stephen Sayles.
Garret Willen, Jr.
Matthew Sweeney.
John Weygant.
Alexander Sutton.
Arthur Yeomans .**
Abram Snyder.
E. Youmans.
Solomon Servis.
S. Youmans.
The early settlement and subsequent growth of this town is shown still further under various heads, as churches, military, trade and commerce; reference being made to the chapters of the General History for much valuable material with reference to this subject.
In 1821 justices of the peace appointed for Cornwall were William A. Clark, Nathaniel Ring, and Nathan Westcott.
Joseph Thorn, the merchant at Salisbury a hun- dred years ago and more, has been mentioned, and Isaac Van Duzer, at the landing, about the beginning of this century.
Considering the period of 1820 to 1830 the follow- ing notes may be given : John E. Chadeayne came from Connecticut about 1821, and was for a time in business in a store then standing near the present Library Hall, opposite Driscoll's public-house. May 25, 1825, his father, Daniel Chadeayne, reached here from Connecticut and with his son formed a merean- tile partnership, which was continued for many years. They traded at Canterbury in the store-now an old land-mark-beyond the stone bridge, and still occu- pied as a store by James Otis Smith. Mr. Chadeayne had three children : John E., mentioned above; Henry F. ; and a daughter, Mrs. Henry P. Husted. The firm was John E. Chadeayne & Co. John E. Chadeayne retired from trade after six or eight years. His father continued the store alone for a short time, and then Henry F. Chadeayne went into trade there,
* Path-master of District No. 28, 1775.
+ Path-master of District No. 30, 1775.
$ Path-master of District No. 17, 1775.
¿ Patlı-master of District No. 23, 1775.
|' Justice of the peace in 1770.
" Justice of the peace in 1770.
** Path-master of District No. 38, 1775.
and continued, with the exception of a year or two when he went South, until 1860, a period of more than twenty years. Since that time the old store has been in the hands of various proprietors: Cordon & Birdsall, Daniel L. Birdsall, John L. Davis, Fer- guson & Crane, Ferguson alone, Charles S. Ostrander, Denniston & Ward, and finally the present proprie- tor, James O. Smith. During the absence of Henry F. Chadeayne mentioned above James M. Adam's carried on the store.
The brick store, now a meat-market, near the Union Hotel, is an old place of trade, first kept by Richard Williams, fifty or sixty years ago; after- wards by Nathan Beers, John E. Chadeayne, Henry P. Husted, Samuel H. Purdy, Henry F. Chadeayne (for a short time after returning from Savannah), then by James W. Adams.
There was a store for many years where the drug- store of Peter P. Hazen is now located, kept by Sea- man & Dusenberry, 1835 to 1840, or about that time.
The old store of Lewis Barrett was where the en- gine-house is now located. He was succeeded by James M. Barrett, Henry Rountree, and Joseph Fer- guson. On the corner below was a store by Cock & Purdy, as early as 1830, afterwards kept by Samuel G. Purdy, by Victor M. and George W. Purdy, the former also trading for a time alone, then by James M. Barrett for some years. Subsequent proprietors were L. P. Bayard, Barrett & Monell, James Milva- ney, and Charles Ostrander. Before Cock & Purdy it was a very early store by Samuel Purdy.
At the dock the old store of Isaac Van Duzer was succeeded by Weeks & Griffin, by MeFarlan, and by Livingston.
Edward Falls kept store opposite the Union Hotel.
Nathan Clark, yet in trade, commenced business about 1827, and now after more than fifty years he is found at the same place. He has a general country store, transacts from his doek shipping business, deals in coal, as well as a large miscellaneous business.
Dr. Isaac Tobias was an early physician, living in the west part of the town. He practiced for many years. Other physicians of a later period were Dr. Alexander Clinton, who lived at Canterbury, on the present Edwards place ; afterwards removed to New York and died there. Dr. Elihu Hedges, who had an extensive ride far and near, dying in 1824, young and in the midst of an active career, his homestead now being owned by his daughter, Miss Mary T. Hedges. Dr. Ileaton, who practiced for many years, and whose son-in-law, Dr. John M. Gough, was in partnership with him for a time. A grandson, Dr. Thomas Heaton, is now in practice in this town. Contemporary with Dr. Gough was Dr. Ball, who re- moved to Brooklyn. Dr. William Morrison acquired an extensive practice, and became a physician of mueh note. He died in 1853 or 1854.
As to where the earliest tavern was located there is | little evidence. Doubtless there was one at the dock.
759
CORNWALL.
There was no doubt one at a very early date in Can- terbury ; also in Bethlehem, and at Salisbury. As for the great leading public roads it is usually safe to calculate that in the era preceding the opening of railways about every alternate house was a tavern. A search among the loose papers of the town clerk's office and among the books reveals no "license lists," such as may be found in some towns nearly a hundred years old. The destruction of the papers of the town clerk's offices (sometimes purposely by a strange in- considerateness) blocks the way in many cases to any positive information. There is probably not a town that did not have at one time or another all the ma- terials for a full history on this and similar points. If towns will burn their old papers, their old road surveys, and their old assessment-rolls, defects must be expected in any minute history.
Isaac R. Van Duzer, a native of this town, practiced law from 1825 to 1830, or about that time, and re- moved to Goshen. George M. Grier practiced law in Cornwall fifty years ago, continuing for several years. Benjamin H. Mace, of Newburgh, came to Cornwall a year or so during his early career as a lawyer. Ebenezer C. Sutherland, a native of this town, was a practicing lawyer for many years. His son, Daniel E. Sutherland, is an attorney at the present time in Canterbury. At Cornwall-on-the-Hudson are three lawyers, William H. Clark, Daniel E. Pope, and Charles H. Fuller.
IV .- ORGANIZATION.
The precinct of Cornwall was organized in 1764, and comprised the eastern or river portion of the earlier Goshen Precinct. The dividing line was so drawn that nearly all of the territory comprising the present towns of Blooming-Grove, Cornwall, Highlands, and Monroe were included in the new precinct. The fol- lowing interesting extracts from the records, compris- ing the first precinct-meeting of 1765, throw not only considerable direct light upon the civil history, but also furnish the most reliable data for determining the names of the early settlers.
FIRST TOWN-MEETING.
" At a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of the precinct of Cornwall, in the county of Orange, on the first Tuesday in April, 1765, at the house of John Brewster in Blooming-Grove, pursuant to an act of the Lientenant-Governor, Council, and General Assembly of the Province of New York for that purpose.
" Present-Selah Strong, Nathaniel Jayne, David Smith, and Amos Mills, Esqs., Justices of the Peace.
" Voted, John Brewster, Sr., clerk; Hezekiah Howell, Sr., supervisor ; John Brewster, David Smith, and Zacharialı Dubois, commissioners of highways; Jeremiah Coleman, assessor; John Hudson, collector; Elihu Marvin and Samuel Moffatt, overseers of the poor; John Hudson, con- stable for Blooming-Grove ; Ifophni Smith, constable for Smith's Clove; J. Sackett, constable for the water side; John Woolley, overseer of the road from the new meeting-bouse to Martin Remilies; Bazaliel Seely, for Oxford, from Israel Seley's to Gregory's; Joseph Hildrige, from the new road to Goshen road; Nathaniel Seeley, from James Sear's to Sater- lie's mill; Hezekiah Howell, for Blag's Clove; Steven Gilbert, for Goshen road, from the precinct line to the Otterkill; Josiah Reeder, from the Otterkill to Coll Matthews'; Joseph Chandler, from Coll Matthews' to county line ; Francis Drake, from Henry Mapes' to Thomas Mapes';
James Halsted, from Teed's bridge on new road to Sterling ; Benjamin Strong, from the meeting-house to Adam Collins' sad to the new school- house ; Thomas Smith, from John Earle's to Cave's; Joel Tuthill, from Curtis Coleman's to Nathaniel Curtis1 mill, and so along to the Round Hill; Richard Goldsmith, from John Brewster's to Gilbert's; Silas Youngs, from the end of Oxford road to R. Youngs'; Benjamin Gregory, from his house to Oxford ; David Sherod and Timothy Brewster, overseers for the water side; David Smith, from Gregory's to Jolin Earle's on the Clove road ; Juli Smith, from his house to Car's, and from his house to Dunbar's; Elihu Marvin and Archibald Little, fence-viewers for Oxford ; Austin Smith and John Earles, for Woodbury Clove; Joseph Wood and Jeremiah Clark, for New Cornwall; John Brewster and David Coleman for Blooming-Grove."
At this time the town was very large, embracing the present towns of Cornwall, Blooming-Grove, and Monroe, with a part of Chester.
The justices of the peace during this period of ten years were Selah Strong, Nathaniel Jayne, David Smith, Amos Mills, Archibald Little, William Thorn, Henry Wisner, Silvanus White, John Griffith.
In 1777 the precinct-meetings were conducted under the direction of four committee-men in place of the justices. In that year the committee were Elihu Mar- vin, Thomas Moffatt, Daniel Coleman, and Samuel Strong.
Thus far it does not appear that the precinct had adopted a set of laws for its government, such as we find in other precincts. Though the precinct ap- pointed overseers of the poor, yet the records do not show that any poor money was raised for their sup- port during these ten years. The precinct brand in 1774 was the letter C. In 1875, £60 was raised for support of the poor; in 1787, £25; in 1788, £30; in 1789, €30. It does not appear how the poor were sup- ported, or that the poor-masters ever accounted to the precinct or its officers for the expenditure of the money.
In 1793 they began to adopt regulations to govern the town, and among them that a pound be built near John Brewster's, Blooming-Grove; one near John Barton's, Murderer's Creek; one at John Weygant's, Smith's Clove; and a pair of stocks at each pound. This was a rigid beginning. The fences to be built four feet four inches high, thick and strong. In 1797 every ram found running at large was to be sold for the use of the poor.
In 1769, Selah Strong, William Thorn, Henry Wis- ner, Jr., and Sylvanns White, four of His Majesty's justices, declared the indenture of the apprentice James Simmons void by the ill treatment of his master, and discharged the apprentice.
1788, Capt. Tuthill and Richard Goldsmith were appointed a committee to go to Capt. Sloat's to con- sult with a county committee.
The records appear to have been very regularly kept from the beginning, but principally confined to the election of town officers, districting roads, record- ing them, and appointing overseers. There is very little variety and less legislation found in them.
NAMES OF PLACES MENTIONED PREVIOUS TO 1790 .- Water-side, Blooming-Grove, Smith's Clove,
760
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
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