History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 192

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 192

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Mr. Ketcham is the last of a large family residing in the neighborhood of Mountainville, and through long years of faithful and honest toil has worthily repre- sented the name. While a man of modest pretensions, not given to display, but living an unostentatious and humble life, he has enjoyed a wide influence in the con- munity, and been recognized as one of the leading men of his locality, lle served as a justice of the peace for four terms, declining further clection ; and while not a church member, has, by a life of integrity and honor- able dealing, commanded the respect and esteem of all who knew him. Ile was married on April 29, 1846, to Merey, daughter of Nathaniel and Rebecca (Cornell) Brown, and his children have been Charles, who is in trade at Mountainville, and a leading and influential citizen ; Theodore, who is cultivating the home farm ; Aun E., who died in infancy ; and Olive A., wife of James Barton, of Mountainville.

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After the burning of his vessel he located at Gar- rison's Landing, Putnam Co., where he built the dock, residence, and store. IIe engaged in trade and kept a publie-house at that point until his demise, in 1841. His wife survived him many years, passing away at a ripe old age in January, 1879. The chil- dren were Mary Jane, who married James D. Faurot, of Fort Montgomery ; Joseph Henry, deceased ; Hannah Elizabeth, of New York City, widow of Sylvanus Coursen; William Augustus, who died in childhood ; Charles Henry ; and Sydney, who died in infancy.

Until the age of nine years the subject of this sketch resided with his parents, and received his early in- struction from Rev. Mr. Williams, an Episcopal clergyman at Phillipstown. After the death of his father he went to reside with his sister, at Fort Montgomery, where he attended the district school. When seventeen years of age he removed to Corn- wall, Orange Co., and commeneed to learn the trade of a carpenter with Daniel Taft. In 1853 he opened a shop of his own at the junction of the Newburgh road and Hudson Street, in Canterbury, where he re- mained until the year 1861. In the latter year he formned a partnership with his brother-in-law, Thomas Taft, under the firm-name of Mead & Taft, their shop being near the old Catholic church at Cornwall-on- the-Hudson. In 1871 the firm removed to Cornwall

Landing, where they erected a large frame mill and an extensive addition to the dock. On March 29, 1877, their entire establishment was destroyed by fire, but was replaced the same season by the large three- story brick building which the firm now occupy. Here the firm of Mead & Taft are doing a large building business, and their establishment is known far and wide as one of the most successful of its kind in the country. Their building is one of the largest, most complete, and conveniently arranged of its kind, and the variety and quality of the work done are not surpassed by any similar establishment in the United States. The firm do the finest panel work that can be done, manufacture large numbers of hard-wood mantels, and have contracted for and built many large houses and churches in different parts of the country, including 110 cottages at Long Branch; the Elberon Hotel, New Jersey; all the cottages at that popular sea-side resort; the Smith House, at Highlands, N. J .; Palmer House, Nyack ; and the church of "Our Lady Star of the Sea," at Long Branch.

Mr. Mead was married in June, 1854, to Mary E., daughter of Daniel Taft, of Cornwall, and has a family of eleven children. His son, Charles S. Mead, is engaged in business with him. Harry G. Mead, another son, is the contracting agent for the Canada Southern Railroad in New York.

MONROE.

I .- SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, AREA, TITLE.

MONROE is the southeast town of the county. It is bounded north by Blooming-Grove, Cornwall, and Highlands, east and south by Rockland County, west by Warwick, Chester, and Blooming-Grove. Its area is given by the equalization table of the board of supervisors, 1879-80, as 70,049 aeres, but, as in the case of all other towns, this is only an approximate statement. The total assessed valuation for the year 1879-80 was $2,182,910, and the whole amount of tax paid upon that basis was $17,161. The title to the soil of Monroe is mainly derived through the Chese- kook Patent. The town was first named from that patent. For a full statement reference is made to the chapter on patents in the General History.

II .- NATURAL FEATURES.

The first striking feature of this town is the well- nigh continuous valley which divides this town into two nearly equal parts, and which has been made the line of the Newburgh Short-Cnt Branch of the Erie

Railroad. Through the northern part of this valley Woodbury Creek, which has one of its sources in Hazzard Lake, flows northward, and in Cornwall unites with Murderer's Creek. Not far south from the sources of this stream are the head-waters of the Ramapo, which flows southward into the county of Rockland. The summit between these two valleys is low, and the rivulets of the two streams, flowing in opposite directions, are found very near to each other. The eastern angle of the town is drained by Poplopen's Creek, which receives from the southwest a branch of considerable extent. Various branches of these several streams are found, and nearly the whole of the town is drained by them. The ponds in this town are numerous and of surpassing beauty. (See General History.)

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The southern portion of Orange County, including Monroe, was settled mostly from the Eastern States, or from Long Island. The families were generally

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of English ancestry, first having settled in the East, and at a later period removed west of the Hudson. Just when the settlement commenced in Monroe is not very accurately determined. All the accounts of Revolutionary times indicate a population of consid- erable numbers upon this territory. The oldest patent in this section is the Chesekook, which was granted in 1702. There was little or no settlement for some years following that date. Varions writers have men- tioned 1742 as about the time of the first settlement along the Ramapo Valley. The Smiths were in this town at as early a day as 1727, and the name "Smith's Clove" appears in the earliest town records of Corn- wall, 1765. Satterly's Mill is mentioned at this time also, and other names from the territory of what is -now Monroe or near it.

The records of Cornwall having been preserved, and also the names attached to the Revolutionary ar- ticles of association, we can determine all the leading families residing before the Revolution upon the ter- ritory of the four present towns formed out of Corn- wall. After the lapse of one hundred and ten years, it cannot be expected that the location of all of them can be determined, either with respect to the farms they occupied or the present towns organized upon this territory.

The following names are taken from those records and lists as having belonged to the present territory of Monroe. For others still not identified reference is made to the chapter upon Cornwall, where they are given in full.

Henry Brewster was commissioner of schools in Monroe, 1799. His name appears in the records of Cornwall prior to 1775. The Brewsters were in Blooming-Grove mostly, but the name appears also in other town records.

Elijah Barton probably lived on the Benjamin Case farm of late years. Roger Barton is also mentioned before the Revolution.

John Bull, mentioned in Cornwall records, is sup- posed to have lived on the boundary of Warwick and Monroe. Ebenezer Bull is also mentioned.

John Belcher's homestead was probably the present Mead place at Ramapo. Adam Belcher is also men- tioned in the early records.

Robert Brock. The Brocks in early times lived in the mountains near Braymertown.

John Brooks. Ilis homestead was probably the present place of Benton Brooks.

Abram Butler. The families of this name in early times were in the south part of Monroe, near the New Jersey line.

Henry Cock came from Long Island just at the close of the Revolution. He remained for a time at Nicholas Townsend's, in Monroe, and then settled two miles west of Newburgh, where David Foster afterwards lived. His children were Jacob, of Mon- roe; William, of Mcknight's Mills, Monroe; Ed- mund, of the Duncan place, Canterbury ; Charles ;

Stephen ; Mrs. William Titus; Mrs. Zebulon Town- send; and Hannah, who died unmarried. Nicholas Cock, the father of the three brothers, carriage manu- facturers at Canterbury, was a son of William. The children of Jacob Cock were Anthony, Elijalı, Jacob, Jr., Mrs. Isaac Titus, Mrs. David Ketcham, Mrs. Hannah Seaman, Mrs. Clark Smith, and Mary, un- married. Mr. Charles Cock, merchant at Cornwall- on-the-Hndson, is a son of Anthony.

A. Cunningham. The old Cunningham homestead was the present place of Peter P. Parrott. A. Cun- ningham, Jr., is also mentioned.

David Compton's homestead was the present place of Harrison Compton, and has been in the family from before the Revolution. Jacob Compton, both Sr. and Jr., are also mentioned in the early records.

J'. Cashaday (Cassidy). Timothy Galloway speaks of one Cassidy, a tailor, very old, sixty years ago or more, who lived in Monroe, near the line of Bloom- ing-Grove.

Solomon Cromwell. An old Cromwell homestead was near the line of Blooming-Grove,-the Daniel Vail place of later times.

William Conklin. An old tavern stand at Baker- town, near Monroe village, was a Conklin homestead.

Joseph Davis' bomestead was where James Wilkes now lives. A grandson, Cornelins Davis, lives in Chester.

Robert Armstrong was path-master of district No. 34 in Cornwall, 1775.

Owen Nobles was connected with the Stirling Iron- Works at an early day.

Samuel Robbins and Philip Robbins were doubtless in Monroe. They are mentioned in the records of Cornwall prior to the Revolution.

James McLaughlin and W. M. MeLaughlin are named in early Cornwall records before the Revolution.

John Earle was chosen in 1765 a fence-viewer for Woodbury Clove. He lived near Highland Mills. Ilis sons were l'eter, John, Solomon. Samuel Earle is also mentioned in the old records, and the name of Richard also appears.

Peter Earle's homestead was at the sonth point of Schunemunk Mountain. He was the grandfather of Thomas R. Earle, now a merchant at Turner's. Thomas R. was the son of Daniel.

William Fitzgerald. An early Fitzgerald home- stead was in Dutch Hollow, near the line of War- wiek.

Alexander Galloway probably lived in the neigh- borhood of the Dickerman place, on the turnpike. Sanders Galloway is also mentioned in the early records, and likewise George.

Jacob Galloway was an early resident. The old homestead was on Rye Hill, the Webb property of the present time, late that of Jolin K. Roe. He had a son James, who had two sons-Thomas and James -and three daughters,-Mrs. Jacobus, of New York ; Mrs. Fitch, of Warwick ; and Mrs. Lewis, of Monroe.

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Palmyra. U.4.

James, Jr., removed to Elmimi. Thomas had a son Timothy, who resides at Turner's, and from him these items and others have been obtained. The old home- stead remained in the family for three generations, and was finally sold by Thomas Galloway.

James Galloway, named as a path-master of district No. 24 in 1775, was probably the first James men- tioned above.

Elijah Green. In early times the Greens were on the east side of Mombasha Pond.

Vincent Helms was chosen constable in 1775. The name of Helmsburgh, given to a part of Monroe south of Mombasha Lake and west of the south field, undoubtedly indicates the place where the families of that name lived before the Revolution. Thomas Helms appears as security for Vincent Helms, consta- ble, in 1775. If he was not the father of Vincent, he was evidently a man of more property, and consid- ered "good" for the amount of money a constable might chance to have in his possession. Phineas Helms and Brewster Helms are also mentioned.

Jonathan Hallock lived near Highland Mills, His father was one of the earliest settlers. Jonathan Hal- lock, probably a son, was mentioned in 1799 as a town officer of Monroe.

John Hanse was path-master in 1775 of distriet No. 45, Cornwall. He, or some one of the same name, was also path-master of district No. 25, in Monroe, twenty-four years later.

Samuel Knight. Knight's Mills were well known for many years. They had been owned for a time by William Cock. They are in the hands of the Knight family at the present time. Doubtless Samuel Knight lived in that neighborhood.

Isaac Lamoreux and John Lamoreux are both mentioned in the Cornwall records before the Revo- lution, and the name is very frequent in the records of Monroe, commencing in 1799,-Peter Lamoreux, Sr., and Jr., also Luke Lamoreux.

Henry Mapes lived near Monroe village, on the place now owned by the heirs of Dr. Andrews. Benjamin Mapes, Smith Mapes, and Bethuel Mapes are all men- tioned before the Revolutionary war. Mr. Everett Mapes, now of Turner's, does not connect these names to his family line, but states that there were several distinet families of this name.

Daniel Miller's homestead was in the vicinity of Mombasha Pond, though either he or another of the same name lived also near Turner's Station. There are also mentioned, in the Cornwall records before the Revolution, Garret, John Jr., William Jr., Jona- than, Philip, Aaron, John, James, Joshua (path- master of district 26, 1775), Adam, Benjamin, Joseph, Robert.

Joseph Patterson. This name is frequent in Mon- roe, and probably the one named in the old records lived here.

Jacob Parliaman was path-master of distriet No. 46 for Cornwall before the Revolution.

Edward Robbins lived in Smith's Clove before the Revolution.

Andrew Stewart and Luther Stewart are named in the early records.

Capt. Austin Smith was chosen a fence-viewer "for Woodbury Clove," and assessor for district 5 in 1775. Jonas Smith was path-master of district 33 in 1775.

Nathaniel Seeley, Sr. and Jr. One of them was chosen in 1765 overseer of highways for a district " from James Sears' to Satterly's Mill." Nathaniel Seeley, of Smith's Clove, is mentioned in the ac- counts of Claudius Smith as having been robbed .*

David Smith was a justice of the peace in 1765, and the same year was an overseer of the highway " from Gregory's to John Earle's, on the Clove road." Other Smiths not named above, found in Cornwall records prior to the Revolution, are Francis, Samuel (path- master of district 22, 1775), James, Timothy Jr., Jo- seph, Hans, Daniel, Elisha.

Julius Smith was overseer of the highway in 1765 " from his house to Carr's, and from his house to Dun- bar's."

Hophni Smith was chosen a constable in 1765 " for Smith's Clove," and also in 1775. He, or one of the same name, was the first collector of Monroe, 1799.

Thomas Smith was overseer of highways in 1765 - "from John Earle's to Caves." His name is on the list of attorneys in 1770.

Wm. Thorn was a justice of the peace in 1770, and lived at what is now Highland Mills.

Nicholas Townsend came from Long Island not long before the Revolution and settled in Monroe, where Stephen Smith now lives. The old house was built of home-made brick manufactured on the spot, and about twice the size of modern brick. The house now standing is the same, only very much modernized. Mr. Townsend had no sons. Three daughters were Mrs. Jacob Cock, Mrs. Wm. Cock, and Mrs. James Hallock. Miss Phebe, a daughter of Wm. Cock, resides at Canterbury.

Tobias Weygant. He, or one of the same name, was chosen a town officer of Monroe at the first town- meeting, 1799. That meeting was held at the house of John Weygant, and that was the place now owned by Russell Liffert. John Weygant had one son, John C: The children of the latter were Mrs. Charles F. Ford, Mrs. Abram Weygant, Mrs. Banghart Weygant, Mrs. Alfred Cooper, Mrs. Rachel MeKelsey, Henry, Benjamin, Frank. There was also a Tobias Weygant in what is now Highlands at an early day.

James Wilkes, Sr. and Jr., are mentioned in the Cornwall records prior to 1775; also Richard Wilkes.

In the following memorandum the location of a part of the officers named at the first town-meeting is given :

James D. Secor, the first town clerk, lived near the present creamery on the Isaac Thompson place. A

* The above may be properly in Blooming-Grove.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

son of Mr. Secor was a captain in the militia in 1812. Jonathan Taylor, one of the first school commis- sioners, lived near Highland Mills. Moses Cunning- ham, one of the first assessors, lived at Greenwood Iron-Works. The old homestead is still in the pos- session of the family, and is owned by George Cun- ningham. Obadiah Cunningham, one of the first road commissioners, probably lived at Greenwood Iron- Works. Jonathan Halloek, school commissioner in 1799, lived near Highland Mills. Richard Wilkes, school commissioner in 1799, lived near the Green- wood Iron-Works. Hophni Smith, collector in 1799, lived at the north end of Mombasha Pond. Robert Lamoreux, fence-viewer in 1799, probably lived in the well-known neighborhood of the Lamoreux fam- ily. Charles Cunningham lived also near the iron- works at Greenwood. John Mapes lived west of Monroe village, on the present Nathaniel Clark place. John Mapes is said to have owned a mile square. Amos Miller lived near the present George Fitzgerald place. Jeremiah Trickey lived a mile from Turner's, on the present Eunice Lewis farm.

Linus Rider lived on " the Ridge" west of High- land Mills. Daniel Hallock lived at Highland Mills. Patrick Ford lived near Woodbury Falls, on the present place of Byron Ford, a descendant, the prop- erty having remained in the family through four gen- erations. David Ford was a son of Patrick Ford, and the children of David Ford were Charles T., Benja- min, John, Townsend, Henry, David, Jr., William, Mrs. Peter B. Bush, Mrs. Charles Campbell, and Mrs. Milton Pembleton. Charles T. Ford, Jr., a son of Charles T., is the present popular proprietor of the old Turner Hotel, at Turner's Station. Jesse Lamo- reux was the father of Robert Lamoreux of later times, and lived in the Diekerman neighborhood. Solomon Earle lived on "the Ridge" near the High- land mills. James Smith, Jr., lived in Dutch Hollow valley near the Warwick line. Morris Pilgrim lived about a mile west of Turner's, on the present place of his daughter, Mrs. Arminda B. Townsend. James Miller (3) lived near George Fitzgerald's place, at old Monroe village. Henry Wood lived in Smith's Lower Clove. Tobias Weygant lived at Highland Mills. Nathaniel Taylor lived south of Highland Mills ; property still in the family. Adam Belcher lived at Southfield, on the well-known Coffey place. Stephen Davenport, an old Davenport place, was the present Alexander Thompson place, about a mile south of Turner's. John Bull lived near Satterlytown. David Rogers probably lived at Southfield. Isaac .J. Lamo- reux lived a mile east of Turner's. Jeremiah Trickey 1 lived at what was known as Turkeytown, southeast of Turner's. James Cromwell lived about two miles west of Monroe village, still known as the old Croni- well place, on the borders of Round Pond. Richard | it until now.

Woodhull lived on the present place of Mrs. Camp- hell. Jonathan Hallock lived near Highland Mills. His father was an early speaker in Friends' meetings.

Charles Webb was also a noted speaker. Robert Caton lived at the Upper Smith's Clove, and was a member of the Friends' meeting.

TORYISM IN MONROE.

No history of Monroe can be written without touch- ing upon this subject. It has some unpleasant feat- ures, because it is proper to admit, certainly after the lapse of a century, that there were loyalists or Tories who were good citizens,-men of integrity, men whose personal character was above reproach, men who honestly believed that the government of the English crown was their lawful government; that re- sistance to it was rebellion, unqualified treason. Such men scorned to take advantage of the state of war for the purpose of neighborhood murder or of mis- cellaneous robbery. In speaking of such men as loyalists or Tories, no descendants need to blush for their ancestors. Impartial history requires the truth to be told, yet it is not right to unnecessarily decry the honor or the sincerity of such men. Nevertheless, there was a class of Tories, or men who used that name as a cover to their proceedings, who became simply highway robbers, taking advantage of the unsettled state of the country to perpetrate their crimes. To this class must evidently be assigned the Cow-Boys of the Highlands, and perhaps no one of the towns of Orange furnished more or better hiding-places for these guerrillas than the town of Monroe. The story of Claudius Smith is given in the General History.

AN UNUSUAL CASE OF ARREST LONG AFTER TIIE COMMISSION OF A CRIME.

In a newspaper of 1820 occurs the following article :

" GOSHEN, Sept. 4, 1820. "On Thursday morning last, a man by the namie of Gilbert Hortoo, about forty-four years old, of the town of Monroe, was brought to Goshen jail, charged with having committed a murder twenty years ago !

" A great variety of particulars in relation to this affair are already in circulation, and we deet it no iofringement of the rights and privileges of any of the parties concerned to publish the most correct statement we have been able to collect. Our readers will expect it, we shall therefore give it to thea).

"In the year 1800, a man named Amos Wood, living at or near Butter Hill, in the Highlands, died very suddenly : he was well in the evening and in the morning was found dead. We do not learn that any suspicions of murder were entertained at the time, or that the body underwent any examination. A report was prevalent that llorton had been intimate with Mrs. Wood some time before Mr. Wood's death, but for the proof of this we cannot vouch. It is, however, true that soon after the death of Mr. Wood, Horton and Mrs. Wood lived together as man and wife.

"Some time after the death of Wood (how long we are unable to say) circumstances were unfolded which caused Mrs. Wood to be apprehended on charge of having murdered her husband. It was said she had been to Newburgh or New Windsor, and procured arsenic with which she poisoned hini. She accordingly was arraigned at the Circuit Court in this county, and after the district attorney had gone through with his testimony, the presiding judge told him if he had nothing more to offer against her she must be discharged, and she was accordingly set at lib- erty. This woman has been dead several years. If our recollection is correct, somse suspicion was attached to Ilorton at the time as having had a hand in the death of Mr. Wood, but he has never been apprehended for

" About five or six years ago Horton was apprehended in the town of Monroe for breaking open and robbing a house or store in Sussex County, N. J. He then appeared terrified at the idea of going to State prison, and (as the story goes, but this he now denies) he called two of his

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acquaintances aside and told them he had been once to the State prison, and that he had rather be hung than go there agaio, at the same time asserting that he alone poisoned Wood. He then requested thepi to go before a magistrate, qualify to his declaration, and have him apprehended for murder. This was, however, declined. In what manner he got clear of the robbery we are not informed ; report states that he turned State's evidence and exposed his accomplices, but this he denies.

" It seems that Mr. Wood left a son, who has been absent from this part of the country for several years, and soon after his return heard the con- fession of Horton. Ile immediately resolved to have him brought to justice. Horton was accordingly apprehended, but made hisescape. Mr. Wood, however, resolutely pursued him, and after faithfully traversing the mountains about a week, he discovered him near the mouth of his subterranean hiding-place among the rocks. Ile was taken by surprise, and had no opportunity to defend himself. Mr. Wood presented a gun to his breast, telling him the moment he attempted to stir or make any re- sistance he would blow him through, whilst another person in his con- pany secured his hands. He had in his hand a cane with a sword or dagger in it, and a knife was found on him when he was brought to jail.

" Horton was convicted of manslaughter, and went from this jail to State prison, but was pardoned at the solicitation of his mother, when his term had about half expired. The circumstances of this transaction are briefly these : One James Mapes was deputized, or about to be depu- tized, to arrest Ilorton on eome legal process. llorton was determined not to be arrested. He seized a club and warned those who were around him to etand off, but Mapes approaching rather too near received a blow on his head which fractured his skull, and was considered the cause of his death."

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 192

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