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 193
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IV .- ORGANIZATION.
This town was organized in 1799 under the name of Chesekook, that being the name of the patent upon the territory of which the town was located. By an act of the Legislature passed April 2, 1801, the name was changed to "Southfield." This was not satisfactory, though it remained the name for several years. April 6, 1808, another act was passed con- ferring the name Monroe,-in honor, it is presumed, of the distinguished statesman who afterwards be- came President of the United States.
From the records of the town clerk's office we obtain the following account of the organization :
FIRST TOWN-MEETING.
" At un annual town-meeting held at the house of John Weygant, in Smith's Lower Clove, by the freeholders and inhabitants of Chesekooks on the first Tuesday in April, one thousand seven hundred and ninety- nine; Justices Michael Hay and Moses Cunningham present.
"James D. Secor, town clerk ; Michael Hay, supervisor; Moses Cunningham, Richard Woodhull, Isaac Hull, assessors; Davidl Koowl- tou, Moses Cunningham, poor-masters; Richard Woodhull, Obadiah Cunnigham, Isaac Williams, commissioners of roads; Jonathan Taylor, Jonathan Hallock, Henry Brewster, Richard Wilks, Isaac Slutt, com)- missioners of schools ; Ilophni Smith, Richard Wilke, collector'e secu- rity ; Robert Lamoreaux, Heury Brewster, Charles Cunningham, Beo- jamin Rose, John Mapes, John Rogers, Amos Miller, Isaac Slutt, fence- viewers ; Jolin Weyant, Adam Belcher, Peter Lamoreaux, Jr., pouod- masters; Jeremiah Trickey, Tobias Weygent, Nathaniel Taylor, Jona- thao Hallock, constable's eecurity.
" Patlı-masters for the town of Chesekooks, 1799:
No.
1. Stephen Davenport.
2. Amos Miller.
13. Daniel Knowlton.
14. James Miller (3).
15. Henry Wood.
5. David Rogers.
16. Ilophni Smith.
17. Linus Rider.
7. John Bull.
18. Daniel Hallock.
19. Patrick Ford.
9. Joonthen Hallock.
10. William Trickey.
21. Solomon Earle.
22. Richard Woodhull.
23. Robert Caton. 27. Isaac I. Lamoreaux.
24. Peter Lamoreaux, Jr.
25. John Hans.
26. Luke Lamoreaux.
" Voted, $200 for the use of the poor.
" Voted, No cattle to run in our commons except those that are in our town. If any cattle be found io our comoops that do not belong in our town they are to be carried to pound and dealt with ns those that tres- pass on their neighbors.
" Voted, No rams to run from the 1st of September until the Ist of No- vember ; and if they he found in any man's inclosed land they shall be forfeited for the use of the poor.
" l'oted, Ten dollars for a wolf head; two dollars for a wild cat's head.
" Voted, Hogs to be commoners that are sufficiently yoked and ringed in their snonte, and they are to be judged by the fence-viewers.
" Voted, Justices is to direct the size and form of the pounds.
" Voted, This meeting is adjourned to the house of Charles Cunning- ham the next ensuing meeting."
We take the following additional notes from the town records. The first volume bears upon its first page the following order or request :
" We, the subscribers, do request James D. Secor to deliver the records of the old town of Cornwall to James Roe, which he promises to deliver to Jeremiah Clark, Jr., Town Clerk of the town of Cornwall.
(Signed) " MICHAEL HAY, "SELAH STRONG, Supervisors.
" ANSELM HELMS,
" MOSES CUNNINGHAM,
" DAN HARRISON, Overseers of the Poor.
" Feb. 17, 1800."
The question may arise whether this request was complied with. The records mentioned are now (1880) in the town elerk's office of Blooming-Grove instead of Cornwall.
It would seem that the town which retained the name after a division was entitled to keep the old records, with or without an order.
A special town-meeting was deemed necessary soon after the annual meeting, the record of which is as follows :
" At a special towu-meeting called by the inhabitants of Cheesecooks:
" J'oted, That the laws respecting chattle from other towns at our last town-meeting be confirmed with some amendments on this 11th day of May, 1799.
" Voted, Any creatures driven or found in the town of Cheesecooks that do not really and directly belong to an inhabitant of said town shall he dealt with in extraordinary manner.
" l'oted, That the sun of five shillings per hend be paid to the driver of chattle to the pound, one-half to go to the use of the poor and the other half to the said driver or impounder, to be received from the sale of said creatures according to the statute law in such cases of trespass.
" Voted, That James Webb be pound-master, and that a pound be built contiguous to his residence.
" Voted, That Eli Marvin be pound-master in the room of Charles Cunningham."
This question of outside cattle seems to have been a very important one, as another special meeting was held within a month to further arrange for more strin- gent rules and thorough protection. The fertile val- leys of Monroe must have offered a strong temptation to the eattle of other towns, and it cost quite an effort to make owners or cattle, or both, understand the lo- cation of the town lines. The following is the record of the second special meeting :
" At a special town-meeting held by the inhabitants of the town of Cheesecooks, held at the house of John Weygant, on the 4th day of June, 1799.
11. James Smith, Jr.
No.
12. Morris Pilgrim.
3. Peter Lamoreaux, Sr.
4. Benjamin Benoet.
6. Michael Weygant.
8. Jeremiah Trickey.
20. Jesse Laoioreaux.
28. George Warner.
29. James Cromwell.
792
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
" Ist. Agreed by the majority and
" Voted, That any horned cattle of any other person not belonging to the town of Cheesecooka shall not be commoners in said town.
"2d. Voted, That any inhabitant of any other town who has drove chattle into said town shall have free liberty and toleration to drive their chattle out of the bounds of said town at any time between now and the 12th day of June instant.
"3d. Voted, Any person or persons driving any chattle to any pound which has been or shall be erected within said town, and delivering them to the pound-master of said pound or pounds, said person or persons so driving and delivering to said pound-master, or pound-masters receiving then, the people of the town of Cheesecooks doth hereby bind them- selves to defend them in all or every snit or suits which shall be brought againat any of said driver or drivers, pound-master or pound-masters as aforesaid.
" 4th. Voted, That cattle so impounded shall be dealt with according to the law passed at our last town-meeting."
The first road survey recorded was under date of Oct. 15, 1799, as follows :
" Beginning at the road between the house of Isaac Lamoreaux and the house of the Widow Prindle, where there are two maple-trees marked, and runs from thence near a peperage-tree marked standing near the line of Lamoreaux and Jones' lots, and from theoce along, as there are saplings marked near the house of Moses Miller, to a white-oak sapling marked near the line betwixt the lands of Jones and Henry Wood, and from thence along the side hill, near Ilenry Wood's new house, on the northwest side, to the land of Jonathan Taylor to a chestnut sapling marked, and from thence on the most convenient ground through the commons till it intersects the main road near Nathaniel Taylor's house."
These road surveys mention so many names and localities throwing light upon early settlement we quote the second survey also :
" Beginning at a red-oak blazed sapling. where formerly stood the house called the Pendle House, on the road leading from James Webb'a to Stirling furnace, on the land of said Webb, and from thence running through said Webb's laud to the south side of Mombasha Pond to the land of Charles Webb ; and through the land of said Charles Webb, where are treea and saplings blazed to a pair of bars a few rods northwest of said Charles Webb's barn ; and from thence as is most direct to the land formerly in possession of Daniel Miller, deceased, now in possession of Capt. Abraham Miller ; and from thence running the must direct way to a chestnut-tree blazed northwest of the larn now in the possession of said Miller ; thence along the road commonly traveled by the processors of said farm towards the stage road across the land formerly the property of Daniel Miller, deceased, to a chestnut sapling and oak sapling marked on the lands of John Nix ; thence across the lands of aaid Nix and the lands of Vincent Compton as the trees are blazed to the stage road, where there is a heap of stones a few rods southeast of the house of Vincent Compton."
In 1803 it was voted to build pounds at Adam Belcher's, Peter Lamoreaux's, John Weygant, Jr.'s, and Jacob Mandeville's, and twenty-five dollars was appropriated for building the four.
The same year $100 was voted for building bridges, provided they cannot be made a county charge.
Nov. 11, 1805, at a special town-meeting, John Coffey was chosen supervisor in the place of Moses Cunningham. There is no reason assigned, but Mr. Cunningham had probably died in office.
The following have been the principal town officers from 1799 to 1880:
Supervisors.
1799. Michael Hay
1800-5 Moses Cunningham.
1806-7 John Coffey.
1808-13. Abraham Letts. =
1814
1815.
1816. John MeGarralı.
1817. James Cromwell, Jr.
1818-20 James Weygant.
Town Clerks. James D. Secor. =
Abraham Secor. James Weygant.
John McGarrah. Jonas Ring.
Supervisors.
1821-26.
James Weygant.
Wm. Vail, Jr. .6
1827-29
Robert Fowler.
1830-31
Hudson McFarland.
=
John McGarrah. Win. Vail, Jr. T. G. Wilks.
Stephen McDonald.
1837-38
Hudson McFarland.
1839-41 ..
Rensselaer Mekelvey.
1842
Morgan Shuit.
1843
Anthony D. Vail. Rensselaer McKelvey.
1844
1845
1846
1847-48
Geurge J. A. Monell.
1849-51
Morgan Shuit.
1852-53.
1854.
llorace Swezey. Job Mapes.
1855-56
4
1857-59
=
Ananias B. Hulse.
1860-61
1862-63
1864.
Chauncey R. Knight.
Thomas R. Earle.
1865.
Morgan Shuit.
1866.
G. O. McKelvey.
Charles S. Ostrander.
1869-72
Henry M. Morehouse.
1873-74
Heury V. Turner.
1875.
Thomas R. Earle.
1876
Frank Williams.
1878
=
Sanford S. Lewis.
1879-80
David M. Hollenbeck.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1830, James Weygant; 1831, Samuel Webb ; 1832, John McGarrah ; 1833,
Miles Hughes ; 1834, George Wilkes; 1835, James Weygant; 1836, Peter Ball; 1837, Miles Ilughes; 1838, Thomas 4. Wilkes; 1839, James Weygant; 1840, Michael Shultz; 1841, Joseph P. Andrews, Peter Ball; 1842, Elmore Earl; 1843, Morgan Shuit ; 1844, Thomas G. Wilkes ; 1845, Joseph R. Andrews, Archibald Campbell; 1846, EI- more Earl; 1847, Morgan Shuit ; 1848, Thomas G. Wilkes; 1849, Peter V. Ball; 1850, Elmore Earl; 1851, Morgan Shuit; 1852, Thomas G. Wilkes : 1×53, William Seaman ; 1854, Thomas C. B. Smith; 1855, Morgan Shuit : 1856, Thomas G. Wilkes; 1857, William Seaman ; 1858, Thomas C. B. Smith; 1859, Morgan Shuit; 1860, Thomas G. Wilkes; 1861, William Seaman; 1862, Thomas C. B. Smith: 1863, Morgan Shuit, Henry Ford ; 1864, Thomas R. Earl, 3 years, George K. Smith, 4 years; 1865, William Seaman ; 1866, Thomas C. B. Smith ; 1867, Morgan Shuit ; 1868, Charles T. Ford ; 1869, William Seaman; 1870, Thomas R. Earle; 1871, Morgan Shuit; 1872, John S. Ford; 1873, Willianı Seaman; 1874, Joseph Rake; 1875, Morgan Shuit; 1876, John S. Ford, Edward H. Seaman; 1877, Ananias B. Hulse; 1878, Joseph Rake; 1879, John G. Earle, John S. Ford; 1880, John S. Ford.
THE THREE TOWNS.
TOWN OF HIGHLANDS .- This must not in any manner be confounded with the present town of High- lands, which was erected in 1872 out of the territory of Cornwall. The Monroe Highlands was entirely a different organization. In the year 1863, for divers and sundry reasons supposed to be sufficient by the friends of the movement, an effort was instituted to divide the town of Monroe into three towns. The maps were duly made, petitions drawn, and the propo- sition laid before the board of supervisors of Orange County at their annual meeting. The effort was suc- cessful, and the board passed an act in due form, erecting ont of the former territory of Monroe High- lands in the north, Monroe in the centre, and South- field in the south.
The first town-meeting for Highlands was held at the house of Selah L. Lefferts, at about the usual time of town-meetings, in March, 1864. Smith Wey- gant presided, and the following town officers chosen. If this record is not precisely definite and accurate,
det
cit
1833.
1834 Hudson McFarland.
=
1835
1836
Lewis H. Roe.
לל
Charles Turner.
0
Alfred Cooper. William Seaman.
Charles S. Ostrander.
Thomas R. Earle.
Chauncey B. Newkirk.
1877
Charles T. Ford, Jr.
1867-68
George J. A. Monell.
1832 Charles Townsend.
Town Clerks.
it
793
MONROE.
it is a sufficient explanation that the records are not officially preserved, and the proceedings, as here detailed, are given on the recollections of various citizens, who are doubtless in the main correct, sustained also by memoranda in possession of Mr. Thomas Earle: Supervisor, Morgan Shuit ;* Town Glerk, Isaae L. Noxon ; Justices of the Peace, Mor- gan Shuit, Charles Lewis, Archibald Campbell ; Over- seers of the Poor, Daniel M. Lamoreux, John Wines; Inspectors of Election, Theodore Weyant, Alexander Campbell, Aaron H. Taylor; Assessors, Henry Thorn, James Wilkes, Samuel H. Brown ; Constables, Syl- vester R. Tuthill, Charles H. Earle.
The following path-masters were appointed for dis- tricts numbered in the order of the names: George F. Wilkes, Josiah Webb, Isaac Rider, William Shuit, Horace Hullson, James M. Ball, Charles T. Ford, Joshua T. Cromwell, King Rider, William II. Brooks, John Brooks, Lorenzo D. Weygant, William O'Neil, Gilbert Turner, John Coffey, Aaron Redner, Morgan Shuit, Thomas B. Hallock, Thomas H. Bates, Jacob Seaman, Charles Lewis, Charles Sutherland, Henry Thorn, Amos W. Sutherland, William Walsh, Jesse Brown, Isaac Clark, John Weygant, John Clark, Reu- ben Rice, James Weygant, Ebenezer Whitmarge, Jacob Bailey, William Van Tassel, James H. Lewis, John Ayres, James Miller.
TOWN OF MONROE .- The meeting was held March 22, 1864, at the house of Thomas Smith. This was the year of the division, when three towns had been erected out of old Monroe, viz .: Monroe, Southfield, and Highlands. Of course three town-meetings were held and three full sets of town officers were chosen.
Supervisor, Chauncey B. Knight; Town Clerk, Chauncey B. Newkirk; Assessors, Ira Jenkins, for three years; John K. Roe, for two years; Commis- sioners of Highways, Sanford S. Lewis, two years; George W. Thompson, one year; George Heaton, three years; Overseers of the Poor, William J. Me- Elroy, Solomon W. Esray; Constables, Silas Gallo- way, Isaac M. Shuit, Jacob L. Redner; Inspectors of Election, James Smith, Peter Ball, James H. Bertholf; Justices of the Peace, Thomas R. Earle, three years; George K. Smith, four years.
The next town-meeting was to be held at Bayer's Hall. The town board presiding at this meeting were William Seaman, Thomas C. B. Smith, Elmore Earle, and Thomas R. Earle.
It was voted to have three highway commissioners, two overseers of the poor, and three constables ; to have stone division fences four and one-half feet high, and rail fences five feet high. A full set of forty-five path-masters for the new town were appointed, in the order of districts as their names are given :
William G. Knight, Thomas Caren, Henry Wood-
ruff, William V. Mapes, William Carpenter, Thomas Smith, Alfred Carpenter, Wait Pearsall, James Cromwell, Abram Tetts, George King, Peter Ball, S. S. Bull, H. H. Lawrence, Samuel King, J. K. Roe, S. Smith, W. J. McElroy, P. G. Lewis, G. H. Smith, Charles Post, J. M. Webb, John Mosure, Stephen Compton, Edward Jones, Thomas Lewis, A. S. Smith, George S. Jacques, William Clark, Elmore Earl, Peter Turner, Asahel Smith, T. C. B. Smith, J. R. Suther- land, J. R. Rider, John McGarralı, Charles Turner, Levi Hunter, J. H. Thompson, William R. Conklin, James H. Bull, Walter Garretson, Peter Earle, James Oldfield, Franklin Mapes.
TOWN OF SOUTHFIELD .- This town was organized by a town-meeting held pursuant to this act, as in the case of the other two towns. For some unexplained reasons the records of the town are not preserved in the office of the Monroe town clerk, as it would seem they ought to have been, after the reconstruction took place. The legality of this proceeding by officers chosen at this town-meeting of Southfield, may even yet be called in question, and yet there is no official record preserved of their election. Josiah Patterson was chosen supervisor, and represented Southfield in the board of supervisors that year. Of course one tax was levied and collected upon Southfield as a town by itself.
THE CONCLUSION .- Those who were opposed to the formation of these three towns petitioned the Legisla- ture to reorganize the old town of Monroe. This movement was successful. The new towns of High- lands, Monroe, and Southfield were reunited by the Legislature of 1865, and in time so that the annual town-meeting in the spring of 1865 was for the whole town. The most noted reminiscence of the affair was that for some two years following there must have been eight or nine justices of the peace in the recon- structed town.
V .- VILLAGES. MONROE
is a village having the same name as the town, situ- ated on one of the head-waters of the Ramapo, the outlet of Round Pond. It is a station on the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railway.
The present business of the village comprises three hotels,-the Waubeck House, Theodore Mapes; one by Martin Konnight ; and a third by another party. There are stores by Theodore MeGarrah and by Mon- tanye & Co .; a fancy store and millinery by Mrs. Griffin ; a bakery by Nicholas Reed; a drug-store by Henry Mapes; a shoe-store by Edward C. Jones; blacksmith-shops by David Redner, Solomon Fair- child, Henry Rider, and a fourth by another proprie- tor; a feed-mill by Knight & Conklin; a grist-mill, owned by C. B. Knight; carriage-making and under- taking by Charles W. Mapes; also carriage-making by Henry Huhn; a hardware-store by J. H. Bertholf; and harness-making by J. S. Gregory.
* In the arrangement this veteran supervisor fell to Highlands, and it eeemed the ouly proper thing to do to have him represent the new town. With his long experience he could save this delicate young enterprise from the perile that might environ it.
51
794
HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.
WOODBURY FALLS
is a hamlet in the north part of the town, on Wood- bury Creek, taking its name from the falls in that stream, and formerly the seat of a furnace. The creek is the outlet of Hazzard Lake. A post-office was established here Aug. 11, 1874. Lewis A. Van Cleft was appointed postmaster, and retains the office at the present time. There is a store there, kept by the postmaster, Lewis A. Van Cleft.
SEAMANVILLE
is about one mile east of Monroe village, on the Erie Railway, and was formerly a station. There is now a grist-mill and cider-works, operated by Charles Tur- ner. This is an interesting point of early settlement, and the location of the earliest Presbyterian meeting- house, as shown in the valuable article, given else- where, from the pen of the present pastor.
HIGHLAND MILLS POST-OFFICE.
This village has grown up around the mills estab- lished at this point and mentioned elsewhere. It is very near to Woodbury, and they might be supposed to constitute only one village. It was formerly known as Orange. Extensive mills were quite early erected at this place. The Townsend tannery, established many years ago, is now owned by J. T. Cromwell. The Townsend flour-mill of early times is still in the same family, and owned by Charles H. Townsend, operated by J. T. Cromwell. There is also a fish-line factory near the depot by Henry Hall & Sons, and two stores by J. T. Cromwell and Robert Pembleton. The post-office was established at this place, under the name of Orange, about 1828 or 1830. It was located on the old stage-route between New York and Albany. Mr. Vail was postmaster "so long back as memory or tradition goes" (says our informant). He was suc- ceeded by Peter Lent about 1844 or 1845. A few years later Morgan Shuit followed Mr. Lent, and held the office until May 24, 1872, when C. H. Townsend, the present incumbent, was appointed. There is a shoe-store by James P. Lent.
CENTRAL VALLEY
is another of the small villages that have grown up through various business enterprises in the valleys of the Ramapo and of Woodbury Creek. It is the third in order from the north line of the town. A post- office was established here Dec. 27, 1871. Alfred Cooper was appointed postmaster, and has held the office until the present time. There is a store by Alfred Cooper, and a carriage manufactory by Robert F. Weyant. There is a public hall, known as Insti- tute Hall, for meetings, lectures, etc. This place is a noted summer resort. There is a boarding-house by Isaac L. Noxon. The Cornell School and Boarding Building is also there. There is also the Summit Lake Honse, by Elisha Stockbridge, in the mountains about two miles from Central Valley.
GREENWOOD LAKE.
A post-office was established under this name in July, 1876. L. Y. Jenness was appointed postmaster. He resigned, and John B. Bradner was appointed, Oct. 11, 1877, and retains the office at the present time. This is a summer resort of note, and guests are received by Lyden Y. Jenness, by the Brandon House, and by others.
TURNER'S
is a station on the Erie Railroad, next east or south- east of Monroe. It has also a post-office. It was formerly known as Centreville, from the fact of sev- eral roads intersecting at that point, and considerable business and local trade centring there. The village has its present name in honor of Mr. Peter Turner, a citizen who did much to advance the prosperity and growth of the place, and to whose estate a large portion of the business part of the place belonged. The present business of Turner's consists of one hotel by Charles Ford, formerly the well-known Turner House, and a railroad eating-house by James G. Turner; stores by Thomas R. Earl, James Cronon, David M. Hollenbeck ; a grist-mill for custom-work, run by Mr. Legg; blacksmith-shops by Jesse Sullivan and by John Coffey, and carriage-making by John Coffey. The large and handsome eating-room and depot of the Erie Company, now in ruins, was built by a firm (Peter Turner and Mr. Blaisdell, from Bos- ton), and afterwards bought by the railway company. It was burned the night before Christmas, in 1872. It has never been rebuilt, and is now a picturesque ruin, with trees growing up in it, the habitation of sparrows, and only needs the clinging ivy to give it the classic air of English scenery.
The grist-mill mentioned above was first established just below the dam, on the north side, and a saw-mill on the south side, at a very early day. John Earl was the proprietor for many years, and afterwards sold to Peter Turner. The latter erected the present mill some distance below, the water being supplied from the old pond through a race.
There was also in early times a forge at this place, but long since given up.
QUEENSBOROUGH
is the rather ambitious name bestowed upon a neigh- borhood lying in the valley of the southern branch of Poplopen's Creek. There is some mining in this vicinity, and an acid manufactory by Wm. Knight, the acid being extracted from wood for coloring pur- poses.
GREENWOOD IRON-WORKS.
This name naturally attaches to the village which has grown up in connection with the manufacturing operations at this point. There is one store, kept here by the company, and there is little other business cx- cept as connected with the iron-works and carried on by the company.
795
MONROE.
SOUTHFIELD
was the name of the locality of the "Southfield Works" and the " Monroe Works." These enter- prises are on the Ramapo River, somewhat south of the centre of the town, and upon the Erie Railway. They were established about 1805 or 1806 to make pig-iron. The early proprietors were William Town- send and Peter Townsend. Peter Townsend, a son of the founder of the same name, has a summer resi- dence at Southfield. There is a hotel, kept by John Speller ; a shoddy manufactory, also by John Speller ; one store by Charles Patterson, a mile below the works ; a store by John Speller; and a store by the Southfield Iron Company.
There is a large summer boarding-house on the well-known Coffey place.
HELMSBURGH
is the name formerly bestowed upon a neighborhood south of Mombasha Lake, and west of Southfield. It is merely a rural mountain neighborhood, sometimes called Bramertown, with mueh fine scenery and many secluded retreats.
AUGUSTA
. is a station upon the Erie Railway in the south part of the town, and the seat of the old Augusta Works. These were founded just at the close of the Revolu- tion, 1783-84, by Solomon Townsend, of the city of New York, to make bar-iron and anchors. It was an important enterprise, but was not permanently suc- cessful. In later years the works passed to the owner -. ship of Peter Lorillard, who allowed them to remain idle. 13,000 acres of land were attached to the works. The hydraulic power is second only to that of Pater- son, N. J.
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