History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 95

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 95

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For a time the village was lighted by gas, but the enterprise was not pecuniarily successful, and the company was disbanded.

The Taylor & Bateman coal and Inmber yard is conveniently situated near the railroad. They are also proprietors of the Walden Steam-Mill, and dealers in flour, feed, grain, grass-seed, lime, cement, and building supplies generally.

The post-office was established many years ago. Mr. E. W. Knapp is the present postmaster, and has held the office nearly twenty years. He was preceded by Marcus K. Ilill. Earlier still was James Kidd.

Embler's grist-mill was burned a few years ago, and has not been rebuilt. He has a saw-mill, which was not destroyed and is still running.

The Eagle Hotel, C. Johnson, proprietor, was built in 1823 by Jesse Scofield. It is a well-known house, and a favorite stopping-place for travelers. The St. Nicholas is a later-built house, and is a large and commodious hotel.

The principal stores and other business places of Walden, as shown by the advertising columns of the village paper, are T. E. Newkirk, drugs, medicines, toilet articles, lamps, cigars, etc .; II. B. Wooster, grocery-store; Caleb Birch, boots, shoes, hats, and caps; W. H. Wood, general furnishing undertaker ; Sears Brothers, dry-goods, provisions, groceries, crockery, and glassware; Walker & Eaton (West Walden), dry-goods, groceries, grass-seed, wooden- ware, etc .; T. Cockroft, confectionery, domestic nuts, cigars, toys, etc .; the palace photographic car ; John R. Hays, hats, caps, gents' furnishing goods, and ready-made clothing; E. W. Knapp, postmaster, sta-

* Declined, and R. H. Sutliff appointed.

George Kilner.

1870.

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MONTGOMERY.

tioncry, school-books, newspapers, and periodicals ; T. D. Barker, harness, blankets, and robes; MeCul- lough & Tate, groceries and provisions ; G. V. Tears, boots and shoes ; Stoddard & Rutherford, general in- surance agents; II. E. Stoutenburgh, watchmaker and jeweler; William Alcock, watches and jewelry ; Frank Pultz, stationery, sheet music; Irving II. Loughran, attorney and counselor-at-law ; Dawson & Rowland, millinery and fancy goods; T. L. Mills- paugh, carpets, oil-cloths, furniture ; Fowler's hard- ware-store and agricultural implements.

The Walden Herald is a neat village paper, and is now in its eleventh volume, Mr. Chauncey A. Reed editor and proprietor. It is conducted with vigor, and has evidently come to stay.

ST. ANDREW'S

is a hamlet situated in the northeast part of the town, not far from the line of New Windsor. It derives its name and most of its historical importance from the fact that it was the seat of an early Episcopal church known as St. Andrew's, which is now located at Walden. The early development of the water-power VI .- SCHOOLS. led to the growth of a large village at Walden, and The modern system of public schools having been inaugurated in the State by the law of 1812, this town, at the annual meeting of 1813, complied with the con- changed the current of trade and other business from St. Andrew's. A post-office is still maintained there, and James 1. Coe is postmaster. There is also a | ditions of the statute and elected as school commis- hotel there, kept by John MeKinney.

COLDENHAM

is in the southeast part of the town, near the New Windsor line. Its name is derived from the Colden family, among whom there were several members of much prominenec, of whom a full account has already been given. This little hamlet in late years has of course had nothing of the importance of former times, when it was the home of the Lieutenant-Governor and acting chief magistrate of the colony of New York. A hotel, a small number of shops, stores, and private dwellings constitute the village of to-day.

ALLARD'S CORNERS

is a hamlet in the northwest part of the town, where a post-office was established some years ago for the convenience of quite a section in this town and in Ulster County.

SCOTT TOWN

was recognized in former years as a neighborhood with a special name, though scarcely so at the present time. It was described as situated "on the Newburgh and Cochecton turnpike, four miles east of the village of Montgomery, where therc used to be a turnpike-gate." Samuel Monell was gate-keeper, and Mr. John Scott resided there, kept a store, and from him the name is derived.

SCOTT'S CORNERS

must not be mistaken for the above. The Corners are about one and a half miles east of Montgomery vil- lage. It was named from John F. Scott, who kept

store at this place, as his father, John Scott, did at the other mentioned above.

KEISERTOWN

was the name formerly attached to a settlement, and at the present time to a school district, in the south- west part of this town, on the Wallkill, three miles from Montgomery. It was a Dutch settlement. To this simple rural hamlet Mr. Eager, in his history of this county, devotes the following amusing para- graph :

"Though on the banks of the Wallkill, in this republicau county, we find ourselves unexpectedly in royal company, in the very presence of the Causars. The name of Keiser is of blood royal descent, direct from Casar. An example: Keiserluter, in the Lower Palatinate, is Casariopolis in Latin.

" The Grand Emperor of Russia is a Keiser, and claims it by calling bimself the Czar of all the Russias, which is nothing less than calling himself Cæsar, King, Keiser in his own native Russ, the language of his country. The name, therefore, is good Dutch, and the emigrants im- ported it when they came. Keisertown consequently is an Imperial ('ity, the town of a King, the city of Cæsar."

sioners Wm. Crist, Joseph I. Houston, and Abraham A. Thompson. Others who served one or more years each during the period from 1812 to 1844 were the following : Frederick Millspaugh, Nathaniel P. Hill, Wm. W. Crawford, Jonathan Mould, Alexander Thompson, Jr .. Adam Dickerson, George Eager, Wil- liam Jackson, llenry Dubois, Daniel Lawson, Henry Dubois, David Lawrence, Charles Borland, Jr., Abra- ham Crist, Isaae Jennings, William Graham, James Jessup, George Welles, John J. Scott, Thomas Cline- man, Robert Mead, Cornelius Neafie, Moses Smith, Joseph V. Whalen, John Kelly, Gideon Pelton. During the same period the following persons served one or more years each as inspectors of schools : An- drew King, Moses Froeligh, William Powell, Isaac Van Doren, Arthur I. Stansbury, David Mason, Charles Borland, Jr., Samuel W. Eager, Ilenry I. Harden- brook, Wm. H. Weller, Charles Winfield. Daniel W. Frye, Absalom Bull, James C. Cook, Isaac Jennings, John L. Lyon, David Ruggles, Joseph V. Whalen, Fred. J. Betts, George Eager, Archibald Smith, John Sears, Philip Millspangh, Martin Lewis, Iliram E. Conger, Jacob C. Tooker.

Under the system of supervision by town superin- tendents, from 1844 to 1856 the following were the ineumbents of the office in Montgomery :

1844-46, Peter T. Clearwater; 1847-48, George W. Millspaugh; 1849, Peter T. Clearwater; 1851, James T. Kane; 1853-55, Alexander Beattie.

In 1856 all control of the schools by town authority ceased, supervision being transferred to the Assembly District Commissioners.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

The report for the year ending June 15, 1816, showed 996 children between the ages of five and fifteen.

MONTGOMERY ACADEMY.

The subscription to found this academy is dated in 1787, and contains 277 names, subscribing from 4s. to £6, and covered a population of fifteen miles square. The sum subscribed amounted to £319, and the sub- scribers appointed the following persons trustees : Arthur Parks, Benjamin Sears, Adam Crans, Jacob Newkirk, Henriek Smith, Johannes Miller, Ilendrick Van Keuren, William Jackson, James Jackson, Philip Millspaugh, Martinas Crist, Matthew Hunter, and Gideon Pelton.

The trustees purchased a frame already put up several miles distant, as they could get it for some small sum, made a frolic, and carted it down to the village. This was but the work of a day in those patriotic and free-will times. The building was en- tirely put up and finished. The teacher they wished to employ (the Rev. Alexander Miller, of New Jer- sey) was married, had a family and horse, and could not come unless they could be accommodated as well as himself. The trustees doubled their exertions, built a kitchen adjoining the academy, put up a stable, and permitted Mr. Miller to live in the ground- floor, tendered him £80 for the first year, and after that all he could make, which was accepted. The school opened with fair prospeets, and has been in as flourishing condition ever since as any country aead- emy in the State. Among its early teachers we name Nathaniel Howell, Nathan H. White, Reuben Neely, - and William H. Weller. Tuition was from £5 to £2 per year, according to what the pupil studied.

This building, never very substantial, was removed in 1818, and the present brick edifice put up in its place at an expense of over $5000. The institution had some funds on hand, a rare fact at this day, which, with $1500 raised by subscription and $2000 of quit- rents on three patents in this county then unean- celed, enabled the trustees to complete this noble educational structure. The building is 60 by 40 feet, two stories high, with a small cellar for coal and wood. Each story is divided into two rooms, a large and small one. The institution was incorporated April 13, 1792. There are but three academies in the State older than this.

This academy is still an important institution of the town, as it was in earlier years.

Like all similar institutions, there have been times when it was not as prosperons as at others, but a school of excellent character has been maintained. The large and convenient building erected so many years ago has been kept in good repair. It was thoroughly refitted a few years since at an expense of about $600. Its academie character is maintained. It has never yielded to the modern custom of confis- cating academies for the benefit of a school distriet. The present board of trustees consists of Dr. L. M. sioner, in the person of John McNeal, in said Synod

Crawford, president; J. M. Wilkin, secretary; T. L. Jackson, treasurer ; Rev. F. S. Schenck, J. O. Miller, C. J. Mould, Rev. H. C. Earl, Henry Bergen, W. H. Senior, Rev. J. M. Dickson, Rev. J. C. Forsythie, D. M. Wade, F. Bodine, Rev. P. H. Milliken. The present principal is Prof. David L. Rouse.

MONTGOMERY PUBLIC SCHOOL.

This is under the charge of three trustees. A con- venient building was erected a few years since, with rooms for three teachers. The teachers now em- ployed, winter term of 1880-81, are Daniel C. Car- vey, principal ; Miss Adelia Sears, Miss Josephine Haviland, assistants.

THE WALDEN UNION FREE SCHOOL

lias a good building, erected in 1859, adapted to three departments. The present teachers are William Abell, principal; Miss Emily W. Kidd, Miss Fanny Stewart, and Miss Mary A. Hart, assistant teachers.

The present Board of Education are Dr. T. Mills- paugh, president ; Dr. William A. Loughran, C. D. Wooley, James S. Eaton, T. W. Bradley, George T. Wooster; A. S. Tears, clerk,

Among those active in effecting the free-school organization and members of the first board were J. B. Tears, Ebenezer Knapp, Dr. Thomas Millspaugh, and others. J. B. Tears has been president of the board most of the time since the organization.

VII .- CHURCHES.

This town is the seat of several churches of ancient date. Their records combined show how strong were the Christian elements which entered into the char- acter of the early settlers. To found a church was the next thing after building the rude pioneer houses for their families.

In the general chapter on churches some of the earlier religious organizations have been referred to at some length, and we shall therefore be pardoned if we indulge in some repetitions.

THE GOODWILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCII.

This church, an elaborate and valuable history of which has lately been given to the public by the present pastor, the Rev. J. M. Dickson, is the oldest in the town. It was planted by the Scotch-Irish set- tlers, who for years made their influence so widely felt, not merely in their own and neighboring communi- ties, but also in the affairs of the nation. Their in- coming dates from about 1724-25, though some of the pioneers of the colony purchased land here as early as 1721. Their early history is to a great extent in- volved in obseurity, their influence rather than their records having been handed down to posterity. The early records of the church are all lost. From the records of the Synod of Philadelphia, however, it ap- pears that in September, 1729, they had a commis-

389

MONTGOMERY.

in Philadelphia to secure supplies of preaching among them, and that they were referred by the Synod to the Presbytery of Philadelphia. Whether they had at this time any formal organization as a church cannot be ascertained, as the early records of the Presbytery of Philadelphia are also lost.

1729 has therefore been taken as the year from which to reckon the age of the church, and in September, 1879, its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary was celebrated by the Presbytery of Hudson, the ultimate successor in this field of the Presbytery which took it under its care a century and a half before. The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settle- ment, from which, considering the religious character and habits of the people, some would date the com- mencement of the church, might have been celebrated some four or five years sooner.

This community early took to itself the name "The People of Wallkill," or "Wallakill," as the name ap- pears in some of the older documents, no doubt from their contiguity to the Wallkill River, and the name afterwards extended to their precinct, and is still pre- served as a territorial designation in the town of Wall- kill. The church very naturally went for long years by the name of the Wallkill Church, though Good- will is the name incorporated in the deed of the ground on which the church stands, dated Nov. 9, 1741, and was probably its corporate name from the first. The territory which contributed to its membership came to be very extensive as the settlement enlarged, and hence it is not strange to find this a mother of churches, as many as seven or eight having more or less directly sprung from it, some through bitter con- troversy and some in the natural order of growth.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP .- In the deed of a highway from the town of Shawangunk to the Goshen line oc- curs the following in describing the route, "by or neare the Meeting House now erecting neare the set- tlement of Adam Graham." The date of this is Sept. 1, 1735. This is the first church building of which there is any record, and the above is the only mention of it that has been preserved. Mr. Dickson, the his- torian of the church, reasons, from "the character of the people and the customs of the early settlers, " that there must have been some rude structure in use pre- vious to this, which the congregation had already outgrown.

The next building was erected in 1765, which Mr. Dickson claims is still standing and constitutes the main frame-work of the present structure. To this there was an addition made some years later, with an elevated steeple, in connection with the building of which there was probably a general remodeling of the house, the date of which is not known. In 1830 this building was again remodeled, the aforementioned addition, with its steeple, taken away, with the gal- leries that had extended around three sides of the audience-room, and the pulpit taken down from its exalted position on one side and placed at the end of

the room opposite the entrance, which from this time was only from the south. The cost of these repairs | is recorded as "$1230.99."

In 1871 this structure was again remodeled, and this time enlarged by an addition in front which con- stitutes a commodious vestibule and choir gallery, and from which rises, as in olden times, a spire. The main building was also made entirely new internally, stained-glass windows put in, and a heater placed in a basement. The cost of this work was not far from $8000. It is now one of the neatest structures to be found anywhere in the county.

PASTORS .- This church has had eight installed pas- tors. The first was the Rev. Joseph Houston. He was a native of Ireland, and was educated in Scotland. He served the Elk River Church in Maryland as pas- tor from 1724 till 1739. He was installed pastor of this church in 1740, probably in January, and was removed by death October 29th of the same year. Very little is known of the parties who occasionally ministered here previous to this time. History con- nects the name of the Rev. Samuel Gelston with this church, but with a good deal of indefiniteness. "His labors here," says Mr. Dickson, "whatever their ex- tent, could not have been earlier than 1732 or '33, and not later than 1734." According to the records of the Synod of Philadelphia, of Sept. 23, 1735, this church, in connection with the church at Bethlehem, had called the Rev. Isaac Chalker, but this church had afterwards refused to receive him, and the case had come up from the Presbytery to the Synod for final adjustment.

The second pastor was the Rev. John Moffatt, a native of Ireland, and a graduate of Nassau Hall in 1749, who was here ordained and installed in 1751. Previous to this, or May 26, 1743, the church had called the Rev. Samuel Cavin, but for some reason he was not installed. Mr. Moffatt's ministry ended somewhere between 1765 and 1769. During its con- tinuance a parsonage was built (in 1756), and in 1765 a meeting-house was erected. The year follow- ing (1766) the trustees purchased a farm of one hun- dred acres, which is still owned by the congregation. During his ministry the missionaries of the Reformed Presbytery and the Associate Presbyterian Church were active in the colonies. The former organized one of their " praying societies" out of this church about 1753, and, in connection with the labors of the latter, the church divided in calling a successor to Mr. Moffatt, and the Associate Church of Neelytown was the result. A secession from this church about the same time or a little before seenis to have entered into the organization of the Little Britain Associate Church.

The Rev. John Blair was the third pastor. He was installed May 19, 1769, and was removed by death Dec. 8, 1771. lle was a man of great ability. His early ministry had been spent in Pennsylvania. He had also served as Professor of Theology in Nassau

390

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Hall, and as vice-president of the College of New Jersey.

The Rev. Andrew King was the fourth pastor. His labors here began in 1776, though he was not installed till June 11, 1777, and he remained in the pastorate of the church till his death, Nov. 16, 1815, a period of nearly forty years. During his ministry three churches were organized in the territory that contrib- nted to the membership of this church, viz. : Hope- well, Scotchtown, and Graham's Church ( Associate), lessening the field of his labors. During his minis- try, too, the Orange County Bible Society was organ- ized in this church, and he was chosen its first presi- dent.

The fifth pastor was the Rev. Robert W. Condit (afterwards D.D).). But after the death of Mr. King, previous to the calling of Mr. Condit, the church passed through a severe trial, a diversity of senti- ment in reference to the fitness of a Rev. William Gray for the pastoral office being allowed to ripen into a division of the church. The division, how- ever, did not actually occur till Mr. Condit was called, after which the disaffected portion withdrew and formed the Berea (Reformed) Church.

Mr. Condit was ordained and installed Dec. 13, 1820, and continued pastor till April 22, 1830, when he resigned to accept a call from the First Presby- terian Church of Oswego, which he served till his death, Feb. 13, 1871. He was a graduate of Princeton College and Theological Seminary.

The sixth pastor was the Rev. William Blain, who was installed July 27, 1830. He was a graduate of Union College, and of Princeton Theological Semi- nary, and had served in the ministry some fourteen years before commencing his labors here. Like his predecessor, he too found here an irreconcilable fac- tion, which soon withdrew from the church, but on very different grounds. The time had come when the growing village of Montgomery needed a Presbyterian Church, and some of the most influential members of this church cherished the thought of removing the old church to the new site. In this they were simply outvoted and peace was restored, though, says the historian, "for a time this church severely felt this last exodus." Mr. Blain's pastorate ceased with his death, June 9, 1857, though for some little time he had been incapacitated, through bodily infirmity, for the performance of pastoral duties.

The seventh pastor was the Rev. David M. Maclise, D.D., a native of Ireland, educated at Belfast Royal College. He was installed as colleague of and snc- cessor to Mr. Blain; June 17, 1856. Previous to this he for some time served the church of Norwood and Ilastings in Canada West. In the spring of 1869 he resigned this church to take charge of the Alexander Presbyterian Church, New York City. He is now pastor of the Calvin Presbyterian Church, St. John, N. B.

The eighth (the present) pastor is the Rev. James

Milligan Dickson. He is a native of Vermont, a graduate of Dartmouth College, and of the Union Theological Seminary, New York City. Previons to coming here he had acted as pastor for four and one- half years in the city of Brooklyn, and for seven years in Newark, N. J. He began his labors here on the first Sabbath in November, 1869, and was regu- larly installed on the 15th of the February following.

Under his pastorate the membership of the church has been greatly increased, and the church building enlarged and remodeled. He has also performed an invaluable service in searching ont and putting in order the history of the church, in the form of "The Goodwill Memorial," to which we would refer any who may wish to trace further this interesting his- torv.

ELDERS .- The following list of elders is the most complete that can be given. Mr. Dickson ventures the conjecture that possibly a Robert Hunter, and perhaps John McNeal, Sr., were among the earliest :

Inducted into Office.

Ceased to Act.

Matthew Rhea* (Rea) ..

John Neely*

Alexander Kidd*

Robert Hunter*

Patrick Barber*

Arthur Beatty 1770.

Thomas Gimerell

About 1771.

David Jagger

Aug. 21, 1796.

Matthew Rhea

Abraham Dickerson

James Caldwell (or Colwe))). Arthur Parks .. About 1786.

.John Barber.

William Coddington.

Sept. 24, 1826.

William Faulkner.

Dec. 11, 1831.

Thomas MeKissock

July 18, 1821.

James Hunter

Henry Miller 1819

Cyrus Lyon ..

Walter Mend

1823.

June 2, 1869. March 22, 1860. Feb. 2, 1861.

Andrew N. Young.

Dec. 14, 1877.

Charles Miller =

Thomas B. Scott,

April, 1859.

May 3, 1862. Nov. 5, 1868.

James W. Bowen ...

Jan. 17, 1869.

James C. Bull.

Conrad Loskamp.

May 20, 1876.

John Wylie ..

David Jagger Aug. 20, 1876.

Samuel Finley

Oct. 26, 1879.

Joseph B. Hadden

Pliny E. Hawkins

Those in italics constitute the present Session of the church.

The following constitute the present board of trns- tecs : Enoch B. Nixon, president ; William C. Brews- ter, Gideon P. Smith, Charles Woodruff, John C. Howell, William Y. Denniston, Lewis Lipsett.

Treasurer and clerk of congregation, John H. Graham.

The printed history of the church shows that it has, in addition to the usual Sabbath services in the sane- tnary, which are held morning and evening, and prayer-meetings during the week, an active Sabbath- school, a Temperance Union, a Woman's Aid Asso- ciation, a Woman's Foreign and Home Missionary Association, and a Library Association.

* Not definitely known. All previous to 1770.

Aug. 2, 1853. Sept. 28, 1832.

Nathaniel Brewster.

William Graham

Aug. 26, 1838.

November, 1801. Dec. 8, 1814. Feb. 6, 179S.

Aug. 11,'1806.

Feb. 12, 1836.

Gideon Peltou. June 13, 1847. ..

James Van Keuren, M.D.

Previous to 1770. Subsequent to " About 1778.

January, 1776. Sept. 21, 1790. March 9, 1774.

391

MONTGOMERY.

REFORMED CHURCH OF MONTGOMERY.

This was composed originally of German immi- grants, and organized in 1732. From its organiza- tion till about 1772 it was served by supplies, who came two or three times during the year, preached, baptized, and administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

In 1772 the Rev. John Michael Kearn was settled, who remained till 1778, when he was obliged to re- sign his-charge, on aceount of difficulties growing out of his political opinions.

From 1778 to 1784 the Rev. Rynier Van Nest, the minister of the Reformed Dutch Church of Shawan- gunk, officiated a part of the time in this church.

In 1788 the Rev. Moses Froeligh was settled over the Associate congregation of Shawangunk and Mont- gomery, in which he continued till 1811, when he re- signed the charge of the former, but continued pastor of the latter till his death in 1817. In that year the Rev. Jesse Fonda was settled, and remained till his death in 1827.

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 95

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