History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 61

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 61

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

place. The association of which Governor Colden was the representative was influential, and the fact that they had established a township plot on the tract was soon noised abroad. Daniel Denton, so well known in Long Island history, apparently took con- siderable interest in the matter, and sent to the place his son James and his neighbor Richard Albertson. Duncan Alexander, the son of James Alexander, was also added to the list of inhabitants; while conspicu- ous in his efforts to induce settlements on the tract was Alexander Colden, who, in furtherance of the interest which he held, obtained (1743) the charter for the present Newburgh ferry, and at about the same time erected a grist-mill on the Quassaick. From a German settlement the place had passed, in 1743, almost wholly under the control of the Scotch-Eng- lish, and had been inchoately christened with the Daniel Denton, Michael Dunning, and Henry Wile- ; Scotch name of Newburgh. Such possibilities as they saw in the "nplands" on which the Palatines had almost starved, to the latter were not vouchsafed, or burgh Plot."|| Lot No. 5, granted to the widow of | if they were they were without the means to secure.

man, by whom it was divided (1730-31 ) into lots, and was subsequently known as "The Old Town of New- Joshua Kockerthal, was sold by her children (174I) to James Smith, who sold one acre in the southeast corner to Alexander Colden ; the remainder descended to Benjamin Smith. Lot No. 6, the first one north of the Glebe, was sold by Burger Meynders to Burras Hohes. Lot No. 7 was sold by Jacob Webber to Zacharias Hofman, August 5, 1724. Lots Nos. 8 and 9 were sold by Johannes Fischer and Andries Volek to Zacharias Hofman, Feb. 20, 1722.5 Hofman held the lots until his death, when they were sold by his heirs. These changes brought the Glebe lands into occupation to some extent by the families of the orig- inal settlers or their descendants who had not re- moved from the place, and by strangers who had rented them ; they also brought to the Colden plots a number of immigrants.

To the original settlers the new-comers were known as "the Dutch and English new inhabitants," terms

* " Ilis Excellency Gov. William Burnet" is the language of the deed. Governor Burnet was a son of the distinguished Bishop Burnet, Hle was Governor of the province for a few years prior to 1728.

f The eastern part of lot No. 1 descended from Nathan Smith to Henry . and Thomas, his sons, and was subsequently purchased by James Ren- wick,

# James Alexander was the father of William Alexander, who served as an officer in the war of the Revolution, and who is familiarly known in history as Lord Stirling. Ile attained considerable distinction in the colony, and was largely interested in lands, not only in what is now Orange County, but in other parts of the State.

¿ Son of the original patentre.

" The reader will not confound this title with that of "Old Town," by which the Glebe lauds have been known in more modern times. Christian Henricke's land (lot No. 4) was that section of the present city of Newburgh lying between First Street and Western Avenue. It will be referred to hereafter as being the first to bear the name of Newburgh.

" The deeds from Webber and Volck are recorded in the Ulster County records. Webber soll for £110, and Volck and Fischer for £130, " to be divided between them."

The increase in population brought with it also a change in the civil organization of the district. When they were first established on the patent the Palatines were not given local officers; justices and constables do not appear to have been known to them ; the commission of crime is not recorded against them ; their church was their government. Yet civil author- ity was made accessible to them, and the hand of the government extended to them in the collection of taxes, as part of the specifically undefined territory of the precinct of the Highlands, which was created for that purpose by an order of the court of sessions of Ulster County, Sept. 5, 1710. More definite boun- daries and a more limited territory were given to the precinct in 1743, at which time " the parish by Quas- saick" had become a comparatively important portion of its composition.

But to the church of the Palatines the influx of population was disastrous; under its touch this last link of their association was dissolved. Resuming the record, we find that Zacharias Hofman, one of the trustees of the Glebe, died in 1744, and that on the 23d of June, in the same year, Burger Meynders, Jr., was elected as his successor and "Tobias Weigand anew confirmed, which was done in the church there; none of the English and Dutch new inhabitants appearing, although they were knowing to our election." Three years later, on the 22d of July, pursuant to the terms of the patent, a meeting of all the inhabitants of the parish was held, and the new inhabitants, who were there in force, elected " Mr. Alexander Colden and Mr. Richard Albertson for their trustees," who took immediate steps to open the church to a minister of the Church of England, one of whom, the Rev. Ileze- kiah Watkins, was then stationed in the district.

251

NEW BURGUI.

The record continues : "Our (the Lutheran ) minis- ter coming there, did preach the 12th of July, without speaking to the new trustees. Sunday, the 19th, the church was full of people, taken out of the country from both sides of the river. Some justices of the peace, and some with swords and sticks, were there in the church, in the presence of the English minister, Mr. Watkings, who was come there the first time the same Sunday. Our minister, after oral and pub- lic protest at the door of the church, went into a private house upon the Glebe to do divine worship for the Lutherans." In the year 1748, the 3d July, our minister preached in the church, to which Mr. Albertson did consent, because the English minister was not to come there that Sunday ; but Mr. Col- den did prohibit the church. The 2d October our minister was preaching in the church without speak- ing with the new trustees."

This appears to have been the last visit made by "our minister," Mr. Michael Christian Knoll. In be- half of himself and others, he presented to Governor Clinton a petition, dated May 12, 1749, setting forth the facts of the case substantially as here given, stating further "that the Lutheran inhabitants living on the said granted lands, being now reduced to a small num- ber, the present inhabitants have taken occasion to de- prive your petitioners of the said church and Glebe, and have lately hindered your petitioner, Michael Christian Knoll, from performing service in it, and forbade the tenants to pay the rents to your said peti- tioner, pretending that the said Glebe and church have reverted to the crown for want of Lutheran inhabitants to enjoy them, notwithstanding your petitioners do aver that within a convenient distance from the said lands as great a number of Lutheran families are living as are sufficient to make a congregation for divine service at those times when your petitioner, Michael Chris- tian Knoll, by his agreement is called to preach at that place. Your petitioners therefore most humbly pray your excelleney to grant to your petitioners, the minister and consistory of the Protestant Lutheran Church of New York, letters patent to confirm the said church and five hundred acres of land for the use of a Lutheran minister, for the benefit of the said Lutherans in that neighborhood." Another petition on the same subject was submitted to the Governor, by the same parties, on the 5th of October, 1749, in which it is positively asserted that " there live as ten- ants upon the Glebe and thereabout, on both sides of the river, more than thirty families" of the Lutheran

* The tradition connected with this affair is that the Lutherans at- tempted a forcible ejectment of the new Inhabitants, but failed. In the melve the door of the church was forced from its hinges and one bulky Lutheran buried beneath it as it fell. He escaped with a few bruises, and the ussailants retreated with most woeful countenances.

There is another tradition, that the bell previously noticed was taken from its place secretly at night and hidden in the swamp on the lands lately owned by William P. C. Smith, deceased; in which place it re- mainen for thirty or forty years, when it was accidentally discovered and returned to its proper place. The bell was subsequently placed in the cupola of the academy, where it remained until 1831 or 1832.

confession. This paper and the documents aecon- panying it were read before the Council, October 29th, and the memorandum in reference to their disposition is : "Read, and Council of opinion that nothing can be done in this petition." In other words, the terms of the charter having been complied with in the eler- tion of trustees, the Council refused to set the result aside.

The decision of the Council practically terminated " The Palatine Parish by Quassaiek," the original members of which had long previously removed from it, or had been laid away in its quiet churchyard. As a people, they were earnest, good men and women. Wherever they or their neighbors of subsequent inn- migrations are met, their record compares favorably with that of the immigrants from any other country. No citizens of more substantial worth are found under the flag of this their native land than their descendants ; no braver men were in the armies of the Revolution than Herkimer and Muhlenberg. Had they done nothing in the parish but made clear- ings in its forests and planted fields they would be entitled to grateful remembrance; they did more,- they gave to it its first church and its first govern- ment ; and in all its subsequent history their descend- ants have had a part. We close their record with wonder, not that they accomplished so little, but that they accomplished so much.

The affairs of the Palatine or Lutheran Church and of the Glebe remained in the position which has been stated until 1751, when Edmund Concklin, Jr., Wil- liam Ward, Jacob Wandel, James Denton, William Smith, Richard Albertson, Thomas Ward, John Wandel, Caklass Leveridge, Henry Smith, William Mitchell, Alexander Colden, Nathan Furman, Daniel Thurston, Michael Demott, and Duncan Alexander presented a petition to Governor Clinton and Council, praying for letters patent conveying to themselves and their successors the Glebe lands, with a view to establish and maintain a minister of the Church of England and a schoolmaster ; with power to divide the Glebe so as to reserve 200 acres for the use of a minister and schoolmaster, and cut up the remaining 300 aeres into lots of one acre each, which lots, in- stead of being leased for seven years, should be leased forever, the lease-holder paying an annual rent ; and also with power to "hold a fair on the said lands on the second Tuesday in April and October annually."

Notwithstanding the earnest remonstrance of the Lntherans, the Governor issued a warrant to William Smith, Esq., " His Majesty's Attorney-General," di- recting him to "prepare a draft of letters patent to Alexander Colden and Richard Albertson, trustees, etc., for the Glebe land of Quassaick, in the county of Ulster," in accordance with the terms of the peti- tion, the lands to be held by the "said Alexander Colden and Richard Albertson, as first trustees, during their natural lives, and to their successors for- ever, for the sole use and behoof of a minister of the

252

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Church of England, as by law established, and a schoolmaster, to have the care of souls and the in- struction of the children of the neighboring inhabi- tants."

This was followed by a legal surrender, on the part of Collen and Albertson, of the lands held by them as trustees under the first patent; and on the 26th day of March, 1752, the letters patent previously ordered by the Governor and Council were issued, "constituting them and their successors one body corporate and politie, in fact and name, by the name of the Parish of Newburgh," and vesting in them the lands in question in trust "for the proper use, benefit, and behoof of a minister of the Church of England, as by law established, to have the care of souls of the aforesaid tract of 2190 acres of land, and of a schoolmaster to teach and instruet the children of the aforesaid inhabitants, and their successors forever, and to no other use whatever." The patent further granted to the trustees and their successors " free and full liberty and license to hold and keep a public fair upon the tract of 500 aeres on the second Tuesday in April and October in every year forever aforesaid tract of 2190 acres of land, as those in the neighboring settlements and counties, and all other persons whatsoever, may buy and sell any horses, sheep and cattle, or any goods, wares, and merchan- dise whatsoever, without paying any toll or other fees for the same."*

hereafter, where, as well all the inhabitants of the dwelling by Joseph Albertson ; 7, two dwellings by

The provision for the maintenance of a school- master, and for an annual fair, as well as the denomi- nation of the minister, were new features in the patent. Another new feature was the change ef- fected in the name of the settlement. Under the first patent it had borne, as we have shown, the title of Quassaiek ; and by this name the place was legally known until the grant of the new patent, in which it was expressly directed that the settlement should be called "the Parish of Newburgh." Previous to the legal application of this name the place had been called Newburgh by the "new inhabitants," as al- ready stated, as early as 1731 .; In the petition of Alexander Colden, May 24, 1743, asking for letters patent to establish a ferry, it is said, " at a place now commonly called Newburgh Patent." In the peti- tion of Colden, Albertson, and others, Nov. 4, 1751, it is said, " at a place called Quassaick, now com- monly called Newburgh Patent, in Ulster County." As both of these papers were drawn by Colden, it

would seem that to Coldlen belongs the honor of having conferred the title which the town and the city now bear. The name is of Saxon origin, the word new being the English orthography for the Saxon neow, and burgh is the Saxon burg with the English addition of the letter h .;

One of the first official aets of the trustees under the new patent was the division of the Glebe into streets and lots, the designating of portions for the minister and schoolmaster, and the repair and seating of the church building. Soon after, a map was pre- pared showing the location of the streets and lots. The streets laid out on it are confined to the Glebe, with the exception of King Street, and are King, now Liberty; Second, now Grand; Hasbrouck, now Montgomery; Water, South, Clinton, Broad, and North. The streets named, however, with the ex- eeption of King and South Streets, were not opened until a subsequent period .? The lots were occupied as follows: No. 1, by the church ; 2, by three build- ings owned by John Morrel and Dr. Morrison ; 3, one dwelling by William Ward; 4, one dwelling by Henry Bend; 5, one dwelling unoccupied; 6, one Martin Weigand ; 25, one dwelling by Henry Don ; 29, one dwelling by William Ward; 41, one dwelling by William Ward, Jr. The remaining lots were without buildings and occupied as follows: No. 8, John M. Young: 9 and 10, Patrick McCary; 11, Thomas Waters; 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60, Alexander Brower; 13, Samuel Sands ; 14, Morrel and Morri- son ; 15 and 40, William Ward, Jr. ; 16 and 39, Joshua Sands : 18, 53, 63, and 65, Joseph Albertson ; 19, 31, and 43, Jonas Denton ; 20, 32, and 44, Samuel Den- ton ; 21, Dr. Isaae Brown; 22, Morris Fowler; 23, Thomas Brown ; 26, Charles MeCary ; 28 and 71, Abel Belknap; 33 and 45, Jonathan Hasbrouck; 34, 35, 46, 47, 58, 59, and 70, Thomas Morrel; 37, Robert Morrison ; 38, William Miller; 42, Thomas Ward; 50, 57, and 69, David Connor; 51, Thaddeus Smith ; 52 and 64, Jeremiah Ward; 55 and 67, James Tidd ; 66, Nathan Smith ; 73, Isaac Belknap ; 17, 49, 54, 56, 61, 62, and 68, and those west of King Street, vacant.

# It is reasonable to presume that bad the name been conferred by the Germans in honor of the Elector John William, of the house of New- burg, it would not have been written with the final h.

¿ The marginal notes on this map are as follows: " Lots Nos. 1 and 27 are reserved for church and chinrchyards, and No. 72 for u public land- ing and shipyard. The owners of the lots below King Street are Capt. Jonathan Hasbrouck, Nos. 33 and 45; Samuel Denton, Nos. 20, 32, and 44; Jonathan Denton, Nos. 31, 43, and 19; John Morrel and Dr. Morri- son, Nos. 2 and 14; William Ward, Jr., No. 3, 16, 64, and 76 ; Joseph Al- bertson, Nos. 6, 18, 53, 63, 65, 67; Martin Weigand and others, No. 7; Patrick McChry, Nos. 9 and 10; Alexander Brower, Nos, 11, 12, 23, 24, 36, 48, 60; Thomas Morrel, Nos. 10, 22, 34, 46, 50, 59, 35, 47, 70; Abel Belknap, Nos. 71 and 20; Isaac Belknap, No. 73. N. B .- South Street, Broad Street, and North Street are each two chains wide, and all the rest each one chain. Each lot contains one acre of land, and is three chains and eighty-three links in length and two chains and sixty-five links in breadth." From the well-ascertained dates at which some of the lot- owners became residents, it is apparent that some of the entries on the map were made at a later period than the map itself.

* Such fairs are very common in England and Germany. In many of the counties of the province they were established by special enactment of the Assembly at an early period. The fairs were held on the spot above named down to the stormy times of the Revolution, were resumed after the war, and were held at different periods as late as 1805, at which time they had degenerated into mere exhibitions of race-horses. The last fair of which any record has been preserved was held on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 1805, when a premium of $200 was awarded "to the jockey riding the best horse on the course of Benjamin Case."

+ "The Old Town of Newburgh Plot."

253

NEWBURGH.

The records throw little additional light upon the period between the transfer of the Glebe to Colden and Albertson and the events immediately preceding the Revolution. The few facts that we have gathered, however, are worthy a passing notice in this history, as they serve to indicate the progress of the parish. It was during this period that the trustees of the Glebe erected a residence for their minister, and a residence and school-house* combined for their schoolmaster. The former was a building about thirty-five feet square, a single story and attic in height, with a rude portico. It stood on the parson- age lot, on the west side of what is now Liberty Street, just north of Gidney Avenue. It was here that Heze- kiah Watkins, the first English minister, resided. ( The building continued to be occupied as a parsonage until after the commencement of the Revolutionary war, and subsequently became a tenant-house. The schoolmaster's house was a building of similar con- struction, and stood on the schoolmaster's lot on the west side of Liberty, nearly opposite Clinton Street. It had no portico, but was deeper than the parsonage- house, the school-room being placed in the rear. In this rudimental college Hutchins and Spierin pre- sided, and gave instruction in the old-fashioned rule of Daboll and birch rods; made good scholars in "reading, writing, and arithmetic," and graduated at least two generations of worthy members of society.

In 1767, John Morrel and Joseph Albertson peti- tioned Governor Henry Moore for the establishment of more taverns at Newburgh. In this petition it is stated "that on the Glebe land there are about sev- enteen dwelling-houses, which are situated at or close by a very public landing-placet on Hudson's River, whither many people from the back parts of the country bring their produce to send it to New York, having at least three boats belonging to the place that constantly go from thence to New York and re- turn back again with goods, which creates a very con- siderable trade ;" that in order to accommodate this trade it had been thought necessary, for several years previous, "to permit taverns or public-houses to be set up at or near the said landing," for the better "en- tertainment of the country people;" that " until about two years ago" one of the petitioners had been per- mitted to set up a tavern and retail liquors, and kept " a very good and orderly house."; Notwithstanding these facts, " one James McClanghry, one of the com- missioners for collecting the duty of excise for strong liquors, etc., in the county," had refused to grant per- mits to the petitioners, but had "granted a permit only to one Martin Wygant,? who pays three pounds

for the excise, whereas all the retailers together in the place when they were permitted did not pay more than two pounds." The petitioners urged the " abso- lute necessity for at least three or four taverns at the said landing-place, to accommodate the country people, travelers, and passengers ;" and that unless so many taverns were licensed, the place would "become of no account and be deserted by its inhabitants." The petition bears date Feb. 4, 1767, and the state- ments contained in it are certified to by eighty-three persons "inhabitants of the county of Ulster," whose names show the change in the population of the set- tlement. What answer was given to this petition does not appear, but as the place has since become of some "account," it is reasonable to suppose that the prayer of the petitioners was granted, and that the (lire calamities predicted, in case of refusal, were thus averted. It is a little amusing to note the language of the inhabitants of this august village of "about seventeen houses," and their reference to "people from the country."li

We next have, under date of Nov. 17, 1769, a peti- tion to Cadwallader Colden, Lieutenant-Governor, and at that time acting Governor of the province, asking for a charter for the Newburgh Mission. This petition is signed by John Sayre, missionary ; Chas. Robie, Cad. Colden, Jr., Samuel Fowler, and Joseph Watkins, vestrymen ; and Robert Carscaden, Andrew Graham, and Josiah Gilbert, church wardens, and re- cites " that by the pious donations of several per- sons" the mission was then in the possession of sundry tracts of land, " now held for the church by deeds of trust only," and that from " the inconvenience arising from this and sundry other matters" in which the good of the church was essentially concerned, the petitioners humbly prayed for a royal charter, which was granted.

In 1770 (April 16th), John Sayre, missionary, Sam-

near Liberty. It was a mere log cabin with a frame addition. During the encampment at Newburgh, Gen. Wayoe had his quarters there. About 1780, Weigand removed to a more commodious building on Lib- erty Street, just north of the burying-ground, and the old tavern was occupied by the father of Gen. John E. Wool, and was the birthplace of that officer. Martin Weigand was a grandson of the original settler, Michael Weigand.

| The signatures are Samuel Falls, Edward Falls, Isaac lodge, Thomas Orr, Ilenry Smith, Thomas Smith, Jacob Gillis, Samuel Fowler, Jolin Stilwell, James Demot, Joel Holmes, Isaac Demot, Daniel Denton, John Flewwelling, Abel Flewwelling, Josiah Cone, Daniel Durland, Silas Leonard, Nathaniel Conklin, Javies Denton, Johu Alston, Buroughs Holmes, Heury Terboss, John Porter, William Harding, Lemuel Conklin, llendrick Cropsey, Joseph Hallett, Jacob Haiett, John Flewwelling, Mauris Flewwelling, Tunes Dalson, John Dalson, Jacob Douchtout, Cor- neles Gale, Thomas Hard, John Elsworth, Benjamin Totten, Joshaway Conklin, John Truesdell, Gilbert Purdy, Nathno Purdy, Isaiah Purdy, Joshua Purdy, Leonard Smith, Luft Smith, Auning Smith, Daniel Smith, Gilbert Denton, Pete Ston, John Wier, Heo. A. Gamble, Nathan Purdy, Elijah Carman, Nehemiah Denton, James Toundsend, Isaac Brown, Stephen Albertson, Obadiah Smith, David Wyatt, Hezekiah Wyatt, Thad- eus Smith, John Wandle, Isaac Shults, John Carman, William Ward, Robert Morrison, Mary Wilsoo, widow, John Fox, Stephen Hooper, John Hallen, John Vaogonder, Benjamin Smith, Elnathan Foster, Williams Booyls, Robert C'ar Harding, Thomas Morrel, Daniel MeCor, Jobn Bride, Jacob Wandel, Jacob Ansell, William Whitehead, Richard Albertson.

* It has been supposed that the Glebe school was kept in the old church ; but this is a mistake. The church was not used as a school- honse until nfter 1804.

+ What was afterwards koown as Powell's Dock, at the foot of First Street.

# Joseph Albertson was the person here referred to. His house was on Liberty Street, south of Broad.

¿ Martin Weigand's tavern stood on the north side of Broad Street,

254

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

uel Fowler, William Ellison, John Ellison, Stephen Wiggins, Leonard Smith, Samuel Winslow, and Na- than Purdy petitioned Governor Colden for "a royal charter of incorporation of St. George's Church, in the parish of Newburgh, and county of Ulster," which was granted .*

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 61

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