History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 198

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 198

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West Point, as a village, is composed almost wholly of the military school and the necessary structures connected with it. There is but little business distinet from that.

The tide of travel is provided for by only one hotel upon the military reservation of West Point. Cozzens' Hotel, near Highland Falls, was erected many years ago, and met the wants of those earlier years of summer flight from the cities.

HIGHLAND FALLS

is a thriving modern village one and a half miles south of West Point. It is situated on Bog Meadow Brook, and its name is derived from the falls in that stream. A post-office was established here July 14,

1849, under the name of Buttermilk Falls. Cornelius Nelson was appointed postmaster. Under the admin- istration of James Buchanan he was removed and Timothy O'Leary appointed. At the expiration of Mr. Buchanan's term Mr. Nelson was reappointed, and is now (1880) in office.

The village in its present development is mostly modern, but the place has the charm of an early his- tory reaching back nearly two hundred years to the times when the sons of the forest occupied all this region, and to those later periods when the first white men began to settle the west shore of the Hudson south of Cornwall.

The present business in Highland Falls, as shown by the advertising columns of the village paper, may be mentioned as follows: W. H. Edsall, physician and surgeon ; Christopher Stark, dealer in oysters, clams, foreign and domestic fruits; Dr. W. E. Bird- sall, of Peekskill, performs dental operations at High- land Falls three times a week ; Richard Darcy, mason and plasterer ; T. E. Drew's, Mountain Dairy (at West Grove) ; P. R. Chapman, attorney- and counselor-at- law ; Christopher Stark, news-dealer ; George H. Tur- bush, painting; George Reppman, bakery and confec- tionery ; Nellie McCabe, clothing, hats, caps, ladies' and gentlemen's furnishing goods; Kreutz' new bakery; Mrs. O'Neil, millinery, ladies' and gentle- men's furnishing goods ; Krimmling, watchmaker and jeweler ; Anthony Miller, hardware, willow- and wooden-ware; and Lambert Kleits, real estate dealer.

There are also several stores, as Chace's, groceries ; Denton's, general assortment; Altshimer & Parry, dry-goods. There are also various mechanic shops. Hotels, Cozzens, Exchange, and others. All these, to- gether with many handsome private residences, con- stitute a pleasant village and a thriving business place.

FORT MONTGOMERY.

This place perpetnates the name of old Fort Mont- gomery, which stood on the south side of Poplopen's Creek, at the junction with the Hudson.

The drive from West Point and Highland Falls to Fort Montgomery is one of the finest in the country. It affords some of the most delightful views, and there are many elegant villa-residences to be seen along the route.

The modern hamlet has but little business. Like many other points along the river, its chief interest is derived from its associations with the location and capture of the forts.

WEST GROVE

is a mountain hamlet, northwest of Highland Falls, in the vicinity of the beautiful ponds that form so de- lightful a feature of this elevated region.

The early settlers have been mentioned. There is no business to be described in this locality. The people of this beautiful mountain valley travel out to Highland Falls, or over the hills to Cornwall, for trade and for public business.

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HIGHLANDS.

VI .- SCHOOLS.

The notes upon the organization of the schools of Cornwall, the names of the commissioners, inspec- tors, and superintendents, there given for the period from 1813 to 1856, must be referred to for information with reference to the school affairs of what is now the town of Highlands, then a part of Cornwall.

Outside of the military reservation there are now three distriets, No. 1 constitutes the Fort Mont- gomery neighborhood. The school-house is located on the river road, a short distance north from this village. No. 2 comprises the village of Highland Falls and the surrounding vicinity.

No. 3 comprises the West Grove neighborhood, with a wide extent of mountain territory surrounding it. The school-house is in the valley of Bog Meadow Creek.

A large territory in the southwest is attached to a district of the town of Monroe, comprising a tract from Cranberry Pond on the east to Mount Rascal on the west, with not more than half a dozen families on the whole extent.

Upon the military reservation there is maintained a post-school for the children of soldiers and officers.

WEST POINT MILITARY ACADEMY.

This place was deemed of national importance as a military post during the war of the Revolution. At the close of the war the interesting question was thoroughly considered, how can the country be pre- pared for war and be successfully defended without a standing army ?

Such was the public sentiment of that day over the rest of the civilized world that every nation deemed a standing army indispensable to its safety ; but in this country publie opinion was strongly against it. On the other hand, men versed in the affairs of government were aware of the danger of wholly dispensing with an army, and still secure that military knowledge which the exigencies of the future might require for the defense of the republic.

Sept. 20, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee, consisting of Messrs. Sherman, Gerry, and Lewis, in accordance with a resolution of the same date, "to repair to headquarters, near New York, to inquire into the state of the army and the best means of supplying its wants."

One result of the investigations then made was the adoption of the following resolution :

" Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to prepare a Continental Laboratory and a Military Academy, and provide the same with proper officers."

At the request of the committee above named, Col. Henry Knox furnished a paper entitled "Hints for the Improvement of the Artillery of the United States." In that occurred the following paragraph :

. "And as officers can never act with confidence until they are masters of their profession, an Academy established on a liberal plan would be of the utmost service to the Continent, where the whole theory

and practice of fortification and gunnery should be taught : to be nearly on the same plan as that of Woolwich, making allowance for the differ- ence of circumstances; a place to which our enemies are indebted for the superiority of their artillery to all who have opposed them."

The matter being thus definitely brought to the attention of Congress, the following resolutions were adopted :

" CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, " Oct. 1, 1776.

" Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to prepare and bring in a plan of a Military Academy at the army."

The members chosen were Mr. Hooper, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Williams, and Mr. J. Adams.

It does not appear that this committee ever re- ported, or that any further steps were taken for some years in reference to it. At that time, too, the idea was evidently one of temporary instruction for ren- dering the Continental army more efficient, and not that of a permanent military school.

In determining the proper peace establishment which should exist after the war closed, the import- ance of making West Point a permanently fortified place was clearly brought out. Brig .- Gen. Hunting- don, in reporting upon this necessity, incidentally said, " And with a small additional expense an academy might be here instituted for instruction in all branches of the military art."

Col. Timothy Pickering discussed the matter at considerable length, opposed a proposition to establishi several such schools at different arsenals, but favored one to be located at West Point. No immediate action was, however, taken. Seven years elapsed be- fore the project had any further official notice.

Gen. Knox, Secretary of War, in an official report, Jan. 21, 1790, discussed the necessity for military education in general, but did not propose a permanent academy.

In 1793, Gen. Washington, in his annual message, suggested the inquiry, " Whether a material feature in the improvement of the system of military defense ought not to be to afford an opportunity for the study of those branches of the art which can scarcely ever be attained by practice alone." It is well known that this matter was a subject of earnest discussion in the cabinet at this time, and that the question whether the Constitution gave Congress the authority to es- tablish such a school was brought up, and rendered Washington's recommendation less emphatic than it would otherwise have been.

The act of May 7, 1794, shows that Congress was also impressed with the necessity of military instrue- tion in some form. It provided for a corps of artil- lerists and engineers, to consist of four battalions, to each of which eight cadets were to be attached, and the Secretary of War was required to procure at the public expense the necessary books, instruments, and apparatus for the use and benefit of said corps.

In 1798, Congress authorized an additional regiment of the same force, and increased the cadets to 56.

There was yet no attempt to locate this corps at

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

any one point, but the principle of admitting young men to a eadet grade in the army was fully adopted.

In July, 1798, Congress authorized the President to appoint four teachers for this corps. Boynton's history does not show that any were appointed, and if there were their names do not appear.

In 1800 the subject was fully investigated by Mr. McHenry, then head of the War Department, in a message communicated to Congress by President Ad- ams. It was supplemented by another message, Jan- uary 31st, in which the propriety and necessity of founding a military school were strongly enforeed. A bill was introduced into Congress for the creation of such an institution. The bill was defeated by the parliamentary motion of postponement to one day beyond the session. But the subject was now fairly before Congress in a definite form.

Two years more elapsed, and then Congress, under date of Dee. 22, 1801, called upon the Secretary of War to lay before the House a statement of the ex- isting military establishment. It was furnished on the 24th, and led to the passage of the act of Mareh 16, 1802, by which the peace establishment was de- termined. By this act the artillerists and engineers were made to constitute two distinct corps. To one regiment of artillery 40 cadets were attached, and to the corps of engineers 10 cadets. Section 27 pro- vided that the said corps, when organized, shall be sta- tioned at West Point, in the State of New York, and shall . tain of engineers, April, 1802.

constitute a military academy.

The institution, as it went into operation under this aet, was nothing more than a mathematical school for the few cadets who were then in service, and under the direction of a private citizen, George Barron.

Col. Jonathan Williams, reporting with reference to the sehool, March 14, 1808, says,-

" A part only of the officers were appointed soon after the passage of the act, of whom the major (Williams), who was ex-oficio the chief en- gineer, and two captains (Barron and Mansfield) took charge of the academy, the students of which were the cadets belonging to the regi- ment of artillery. The major occasionally real lectures on fortifications, gave practical lessons in the field, and taught the use of instruments generally. The two captains tanghit mathematics,-the one in the line of geometrical, the other in that of algebraical, demonstrations."

Soon after the opening power was given by law to appoint a teacher of drawing and of the French lan- guage. It is evident that at this time the institution was a small and comparatively nnimportant affair. The report, indeed, said of it, " In short, the Military Academy, as it now stands, is like a foundling, barely existing among the mountains, and nurtured at a dis- tance, out of sight, and almost unknown to its legiti- mate parents."

A congressional committee-consisting of Messrs. Nicholas, of Virginia ; Troup, of Georgia ; Desha, of Kentucky ; Upham, of Massachusetts ; and Milner, of Pennsylvania-reported a bill April 12, 1808, which added 156 members to the corps of cadets. This gave to the institution a much greater extent, and it began to be in some sense a national school. During the

next four years it received the attention of President Madison, and his messages had frequent recommen- dations with reference to it.

April 29, 1812, there was passed the act which really laid the broad basis of the West Point Military Academy of the present time. The number of ea- dets was limited to 260. The requirements for ad- mission, the term of study and service, and the rate of pay and emoluments were definitely prescribed. The institution, thus fully established, did not, and does not, consist in buildings, apparatus, and location, but in a regularly-constituted military body, whose officers and professors are appointed, confirmed, and commissioned in the same manner and form as other ! army officers, and subjected to the same rules and articles of war as govern all the land forces of the United States.

It is not within the design of this article to traee the subsequent history of this institution, nor would the limits of this volume permit. Having shown the. successive steps taken in establishing the academy, we can only add the following notice of the board of in- struction :*

The first board of instruction, as provided in 1801, consisted of the following officers :

Superintendent, Jonathan Williams, major of en- | gineers, April, 1802.

Teacher of Mathematics, William A. Barron, cap-

Teacher of Natural Philosophy, Jared Mansfield, captain of engineers, May, 1802.

James Wilson, student, first lieutenant engineers.

Alexander McComb, student, first lieutenant en- gineers.

Joseph G. Swift, student, second lieutenant engi- neers.

Simon MeLin, student, second lieutenant engi- neers.

The superintendents from 1802 to 1880 have been as follows :

Jonathan Williams, major corps of engineers, from April, 1802, to July 31, 1812.

Alden Partridge, captain corps of engineers, from Jan. 3, 1815, to Nov. 25, 1816.

Joseph G. Swift, colonel corps of engineers, and brevet brigadier-general U.S.A., from Nov. 25, 1816, to Jan. 13, 1817.

* We find the following advertisements in old papers :

" Proposals will be received by the subscriber to build on the plain at the post of West Point next spring and summer a plain strong dry stone wall two hundred and thirty rods long-to be sunk 15 inches below the surface and raised five feet above it : the base to be 3 feet in thickness and the top 12 inches.

" The ditch for the foundation is to be filled with small round stones promiscuously thrown in to within six inches of the surface. Payment if required will be made on the completion of each fifty rods of said wal' " GEORGE FLEMING,

" Acty. Assist. Military Agent.

" WEST POINT, Nov. 11, 1805."

April 9, 1821, I. Green, captain Quartermaster's Department, Militar Academy, West Point, advertises for 1650 cords of oak-wood, to he deli ered at the Military Academy, to be sound, straight, merchantable woo

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HIGHLANDS. .

Alden Partridge, captain corps of engineers, from Jan. 13, 1817, to July 28, 1817.

Sylvanus Thayer, captain corps of engineers, and this movement it was deemed best to take a wider brevet major U.S.A., from July 28, 1817, to July 1, 1833.

René E. DeRussy, major corps of engineers, from July 1, 1833, to Sept. 1, 1838.

Richard Delafield, major corps of engineers, from Sept. 1, 1838, to Aug. 15, 1845.

Henry Brewerton, captain corps of engineers, from Aug. 15, 1845, to Sept. 1, 1852.

Robert E. Lee, captain corps of engineers, and bre- vet colonel U.S.A., from Sept. 1, 1852, to April 1, 1855.

Jonathan G. Barnard, captain corps of engineers, and brevet major U.S.A., from April 1, 1855, to Sept. 8, 1856.

Richard Delafield, major corps of engineers, from Sept. 8, 1856, to Jan. 23, 1861.

Peter G. T. Beauregard, captain corps of engineers, and brevet major U.S.A., from Jan. 23, 1861, to Jan. 28, 1861.

Richard Delafield, major corps of engineers, from Jan. 28, 1861, to March I, 1861.

Alexander H. Bowman, major corps of engineers, from March I, 1861, to July 1, 1864.

Z. B. Tower, major, from July 8, 1864, to Sept. 8, 1864.

G. W. Cullum, lieutenant-colonel, from Sept. 8, 1864, to Ang. 28, 1866.

Thomas G. Pitcher, colonel, from Ang. 28, 1866, to Sept. I, 187I.

Thomas H. Ruger, colonel, from Sept. 1, 1871, to Sept. 1, 1876.

J. M. Schofield, major-general, from Sept. 1, 1876, to present date.

Subsequently to the compiling of the above list Gen. Schofield was relieved, and Gen. Howard was assigned to the command of the department.

The history of the West Point Military Academy has been so fully written by Capt. Boynton in his complete work; by Lossing in his " Field-Book of the Revolution," and by so many other authors, that it is deemed unnecessary to treat of the subject further in this history.

HIGHLAND FALLS SCHOOL.

This institution occupies a most beautiful site upon the banks of the Hudson at Highland Falls. A sum- mer hotel of ample dimensions, standing a short dis- tance south of Cozzens', was converted into a school building. The course of instruction is thorough. Special attention is given to preparing young men for admission to West Point.

VII .- CHURCHES. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY OF THE HIGHLANDS

executed a certificate of incorporation Oct. 12, 1830. The proceedings were signed by Nathaniel Gregory and Samuel Spencer, and the trustees chosen were

William Howe, of Buttermilk Falls ; Samuel Spencer, of West Point; and Peter Meeks, of West Grove. In view of the necessities of this entire region than was indicated by the above organization, and hence, under date of one day later, we find the following :

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN SOCIETY OF THE HIGHLANDS

executed a paper under date of Oct. 13, 1830, pro- posing to erect two houses of worship,-one to be located near Buttermilk Falls, the other to be erected for the convenience of the people residing at the Forest of Dean, Queensborough, and part of Fort Mont- gomery neighborhood ; these houses of worship to be open for the use of other denominations subject to reasonable regulations. The proceedings were signed by William Howe, Samuel Spencer, Peter Meeks. Twenty years later (April 1, 1850), the society was reorganized under the title of

"THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS."

The certificate was signed by John Van Deventer and John W. Hall. The trustees chosen were David Parry, Cornelins Nelson, Charles P. Smith, Alex- ander Mearns, and John M. Hall. We have no sta- tistics of the church in response to our request.

Rev. E. P. Roe, now of Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, was the pastor for some years.

The present pastor (January, 1881) is Rev. Mr. Williams. An efficient Sunday-school is maintained.

THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI AT FORT MONTGOMERY

executed a certificate of incorporation Jan. 11, 1831. The proceedings were signed by Thomas Potter and Ebenezer Bull, and the trustees chosen were Thomas Potter, Ebenezer Bull, Michael Jaquish, Hiram Ty- lor, and Silas Rockwell. This certificate shows un- doubtedly the leading men interested in Methodist work in this place fifty years ago. The church has a good house of worship. We regret that a history of the church, in response to our invitation, has not reached us.

THE FIRST PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCHI AT BUTTERMILK FALLS

executed a certificate of incorporation March 4, 1845. The proceedings were signed by Charles P. Smith and James Thackara. The trustees chosen were Andrew Swaim, David Parry, James Thackara, Charles P. Smith, Wright Dusenbury.

This effort was discontinned after a short time, and the society ceased to exist, its members uniting with other denominations.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI OF HIGH- LAND FALLS.

This constitutes one of the strong religious socicties of the town. A honse of worship was erected a few

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

years since, and the society has a parsonage con- veniently situated.

A history of this church, expected from the pastor, has not reached us.

THE CHURCH OF TIIE HOLY INNOCENTS (EPISCO- PAL), CORNWALL,

executed a certificate of incorporation Sept. 13, 1850. The paper was signed by Franeis Rider, R. S. Smith, and Rey. J. B. Gibson. The wardens chosen were Robert W. Weir and Thomas Webb; the vestrymen were Dennis H. Mahar, W. H. C. Bartlett, A. E. Church, Francis Rider, R. S. Agnew, Thomas Corris, B. R. Alden, and R. S. Smith. Of this church the present pastor writes as follows :

" The Church of the Holy Innocents, Highland Falls, Orange Co., owes its existence in a great measure to the liberality of Prof. Robert W. Weir, for many years in charge of the department of draw- ing and painting in the United States Military Aead- emy. The building was begun in the spring of 1846, and when finished was consecrated by Bishop De- Lancey, July. 1, 1847. In laying out the plot for the church, Prof. Weir placed it on the arc of a great cirele passing longitudinally through the middle of the building and the City of Jerusalem, in allusion to Solomon's dedication of the Temple, and also of Daniel's opening his window towards the Iloly City when he prayed.

" The material of which the church is built is the native stone, quarried on the spot. The baptismal font, of pre-eminently beautiful design and execution, was made also from a simple block of the native granite obtained in the near vicinity. Solidity, sim- plicity, and truth are the characteristics of the archi- tecture, and the devout worshiper in this house of ; God cannot fail to be impressed with the feeling of reverence which its simple beauty and correct orna- mentation inspire. The church will seat about 250 people ; camp-stools placed in the aisles increase its seating capacity.

"The ground on which the church and rectory stand was deeded by the late W. B. Cozzens and wife to trustees, and subsequently vested in the church on its being incorporated, and consists of one and four- tenths acres. The present rector, Rev. W. R. Thomas, M.A., is the sixth in succession, his predecessors having been the Rev. C. H. Hall, D.D. (now of Holy Trinity, Brooklyn, L. I.), the Rev. Messrs. Preston, J. B. Gibson, D.D., Henry E. Duncan, D.D., and the late Rev. Minot M. Wells. The latter clergyman held the rectorship for eighteen years,

Roe, Esq .; Vestrymen, Prof. George L. Andrews, Charles Tracy, Esq., John Pierpont Morgan, Esq., Mr. Andre Freis, Ezra Drew, Esq., Col. Alfred Mordecai, James Duane Pell, Esq., Capt. Stanhope E. Blunt."

CHURCHI OF THE SACRED HEART (CATHOLIC).

This parish was formed Dee. 15, 1870, the Most Rev. John McCloskey, Archbishop (now Cardinal) of New York, appointing Rev. T. J. Earley as pas- tor. This place was attended from Cold Spring up to this date. On taking charge he found a small church, in an out-of-the-way place, dedicated to St. Thomas. After much trouble there was seeured in November, 1872, the present site from Mr. Theodore Cozzens for the sum of $5000 cash. The location is the best in this town, elevated several feet above the West Point road, and directly opposite Cozzens' Hotel. The build- ing is Gothic in style, with a spire some 125 feet high. The material used in construction is the granite of this neighborhood for the basement part, which is 13 feet high. The rest of the building is the best of hard brick, with Ohio stone trimmings. Its dimensions, 93 feet long and 46 feet wide. In all respects itself and grounds (about one and one-half aeres, which are kept in thorough repair and ornamented with flowers and sbrubberies) are the most picturesque in the place. The cost of the church was about $19,000. The building was erected in 1875-76.

In 1876 also was erected a pastoral residence at a cost of over $6000. The pastor has likewise to attend to the spiritual wants of West Point, where there are some 800 Catholics of all ages; the number at this place being about 700; in the whole parish about 1500 or over.

There has heen no change in pastor since the foun- dation of the parish. Everything is in a progressive state at present. There are in the Sunday-schools near 400 children, with teachers sufficient to instruct then.

VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.

As in all other towns, these possess much interest in the study of the past. Oftentimes one broken, rough stone, with a few initials and a single date, will throw a clear light upon family history or upon more publie annals. In other cemeteries patriotic recollections are kindled, and the times that tested a nation's patriotism will be indicated on the records of those who died for their native land. Both these elements commingle in studying the cemeteries of llighlands. The most noted of these is at West Point, on the military grounds.

"There are now (July, 1880) 100 communicants connected with the church, a flourishing Sunday- school, and various parochial agencies for the effi- THE HIGHLAND UNION CEMETERY vient carrying on of its legitimate work. The body was incorporated by a certificate executed Feb. 17, 1860. James Denton was chosen chairman of the retary. The trustees named in this instrument were corporate of this church (July, 1880) is as follows : Rector, Rev. W. R. Thomas, M.A .; Senior Warden. i meeting for organization, and Cornelius Nelson see- Prof. Robert W. Weir; Junior Warden, Stephen R.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 198

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