USA > New York > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 14
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To locate all the landmarks in the above description would seem a hopeless task. "Thomas Cercomes" was probably at Red mills. Sibert Cronkhyt probably lived on the north bounds of Westchester county.
In 1745, the commissioners were Adolph Philipse, Thomas. Davenport and James Dickenson, and in that year they laid out the following roads:
" A highway beginning at the division line between Esq.
1The "still water " is south of Mahopac Falls.
2Pussapanun was the Indian name for what is now Union Valley in the town of Carmel.
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Philipse Patent and Col. Beekman's precinct, near ye east part of ye precinct where ye path is now used, so by marked trees and stakes to Cortlandt Patent.
"A highway from James Dickerson's by marked trees to Cortlandt Patent.
"A highway from James Dickerson's by marked trees to Ridgefield new purchase.
" A highway beginning at ye division of ye two counties near by Elihu Townsend's at a white oak tree, on ye east side of ye highway, from thence to a white oak tree, then to Elihu Towns- end's fence to his corner, as ye fence now stands, then with the middle line of the Oblong until it meets with Danbury highway, from thence by marked trees over Joes Hill, so called, until it meets with ye highway that comes from Wostershire', so called.
" A highway beginning at ye bridge by John Dickerson's, so by marked trees until it comes to Crane's Mills, from thence by marked trees to ye bridge by Jeremiah Calkins.
" A highway from Crane's Mills by marked trees to Ridge- field new purchase.
"A highway beginning at Edward Grays, so by marked trees to ye Meeting house, from thence to ye west Branch of Croten by marked trees meeting with ye highway that has already been laid out near by Hamblins.
" A highway from Shaws by marked trees to Frost mills, from thence to Sprages.
"A highway from ye bridge by John Dickerson's, so by marked trees to the Meeting house, from thence by marked trees to Elijah Tompkins.
"A highway beginning near by Taylor's, so by marked trees until it meets with ye highway that comes from ye Great Swamp by William Herns.
" A highway by marked trees from Wm. Herns on ye north side of ye Bear swamp, so called, until it meets with Madam Britts line.
"A highway by marked trees from Madam Britts line to the Horse pound, so called, from thence to Shaws, and from ye Horse pound to Croten river by marked trees.
"A highway beginning at Joseph Lee's, by marked trees to Wostershire highway.
1 Worcester.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
"A highway from Samuel Field's farm to ye highway that leads to Danbury.
"A highway from James Dickerson's farm to ye highway that leads to Cortlandt line.
" A highway from James Paddocks to Connecticut line by marked trees."
Some of the locations in the above description can be identified. James Dickerson lived a little south of what is known as Sodom Corners, in Southeast. The highway "from Col. Beekman's precinct to Cortlandt Patent," is the one that runs from Patter- son south, nearly along the west bounds of the Oblong. Elihu Townsend lived at the extreme southeast corner of the county. "The " bridge by John Dickerson's " was at the Southeast Center or Sodom. Crane's Mills were on the Croton River north of "Joes Hill," three-fourths of a mile east of Sodom Corners. The "Meeting house" was the old log church which stood on the farm of James Barnes, one mile east of Dykeman's Station. Edward Gray lived at Doansburg, north of the church. Elihu Townsend lived on Lot 6, on the Oblong, close to the West- chester county line. The " bridge by Jeremiah Calkins " was at Milltown. "Hamblin's" was near the present residence of Ira Crane, west of Carmel. "Shaws" was on the north end of Lake Gleneida. "Frost Mills" were probably on the Croton where Theodore Kelly now lives. "Sprages" was where Mr. Le Grand Hughson now lives, where the New York and Northern Railroad crosses the east line of the town of Carmel. The highway "from John Dickerson's bridge to the meeting house " is the road that runs north over Brewster's Hill. The road to Elijah Tompkins is the one that runs through " Foggin town " ; Elijah Tompkins lived north of Doansburg. "Wm. Herns " was probably where Aikin's Corners are now, being the east end of the road from Patterson village. . The road " from Wm. Herns to Madam Britts line " is probably the main street of Patterson and its continuation. The "Horse pound road" is the one running through Carmel village. Samuel Field lived on Lot 5, on the Oblong, near Peach Pond, and his house is still standing. The highway "from James Paddock's " is the road south of Joe's Hill. James Dickerson's house was south of the bridge over the Croton, at Southeast Center.
"April ye 20th day, 1747. A highway laid out beginning at
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Abraham Smiths, by marked trees to the highway that leads from Kirkum Mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide.
"A highway laid out beginning at James Mairude's so by marked trees to ye highway that leads from Kirkum Mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide.
" A highway laid out beginning at a former highway near Eli Nelson's, so marked by trees to the former highway in Peeks- kill hollow four rods wide.
"A highway laid out beginning near Mickell Shaws so by marked trees to the highway by Matthew Roes, from thence through Mr. Hill's farm to Kirkum Mills, four rods wide.
" A highway beginning at Kirkum mills so by marked trees to ye highway formerly laid out that leads to the Peekskill four rods wide.
"A highway beginning near Benjamin Brundages so by marked trees to Josiah Gregory's four rods wide.
" March 20th, 174 ;. A highway laid out beginning at Kirkum mills so by marked trees to Peekskill hollow, from thence to Abraham Smith's from thence to the highway that leads from Kirkum mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide.
"A highway laid out beginning at Kirkum mill by marked trees to ye highway east of Benjamin Brundages, four rods wide.
"A highway laid out beginning at ye Peekskill road, and so by marked trees to Josialı Gregory's, four rods wide.
" A highway laid out beginning at James Mored's to the Peekskill hollow."
Some of these landmarks can be identified. Abraham Smith's was where Hon. Saxton Smith now lives in the town of Putnam Valley.
" Kirkum's mills" were where the "Red mills" afterward stood, on the outlet of Lake Mahopac. Michael Shaw's was on the north end of Lake Gleneida. "Mr. Hill's farm " was where the Hill Iron Mine now is.
"Nov. 11, 1748. A highway laid ont from Capt. Wright's saw mill, by marked trees to Peach Pond or to Westchester County line.
" A highway laid out from Curhelus Fuller's by marked trees until it meets the road that leads from ye Long bridge to Daniel Gray's.
" A highway from James Dickenson's unto Cortlandts Manor.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
"A highway by marked trees beginning at Croton River near James Dickenson's and from thence to ye highway by Latham's four rods wide."
" Whereas ye inhabitants of the South Precinct of Dutchess County did request several highways to be laid out. The said commissioners have laid out the several highways as follows:
"Beginning near James Dickenson's, from thence by marked trees to Cortlandt Manor by Nathan Bayley's, four rods wide.
"One more highway beginning near by where Doctor Calkins used to live, from thence by marked trees to ye Oblong, thence between Nathaniel Stevenson and Philipse Patent, to Beekman precinct, four rods wide.
"One more highway beginning near Morehouses Mill by marked trees to ye old highway, and ye old highway by Greenes house stopt up.
"One more highway beginning by Joseph Crane thence unto ye highway by Samuel Jones.
"One more highway beginning at the south end of Nathaniel Stevenson's land, from thence eastward between Stevenson's land and Joshua Barns land, four rods wide to the middle of the Oblong."
"Morehouses Mill " was probably at Milltown. The road from "Nathaniel Stevenson's land " was probably the one that runs northwest from Milltown Cemetery. In 1752, a highway was laid out "beginning at Jonathan Lane's house and from thence by marked trees to Eleazor Yeomans Mills," and another " beginning at Timothy Shaws, from thence over the mountains to the Fishkills." The same year the following were laid out. " A highway from Amos Dickenson's to Jeremiah Jones, four rods wide.
" A highway beginning at the Horse pound and from thence to Amos Fuller's four rods wide.
" Another beginning at John Dickenson's mill from thence to the highway that leads to the meeting house."
In 1754 were laid out: "A highway beginning at the bridge near Edward Hall's mill on the Oblong, from thence by John Ryder's door to a stake in said Ryder's meadow, from thence between James Anderson's land and said Ryder's land as far as is convenient for a highway to be made, from thence as near to Rattle snake hill as is convenient for a highway to be made, from thence to the highway that leads across Joes Hill.
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
" Another beginning at the highway that leads to Robert Padricks on the top of the hill in John Jones possession, from thence to Jacob Finches Bridge and from thence to James Quimby, and from thence to Thomas Frosts."
Another "beginning on the west side of Quimby farm at the highway from thence between John Frosts and James Quimbys farms and thence to Thomas Townsends, and thence to the Bridge by Jeremiah Baylees."
Another "beginning near Nehemiah Woods at the highway, and from thence to Nathaniel Byington's bridge."
Another " beginning at Tho. Higgins and from thence across the hills to Daley brook so called."
Another "beginning at Anthony Battersons house from thence along the colony line to the highway that leads to Danbury."
The road from "Timothy Shaws to Fishkill" is the road from Carmel to Kent Cliffs or Boyd's Reservoir. The road " from Horse pound to Amos Fuller's " is now called Mud road. "Edward Hall's mill" and "John Ryder's" were both prob- ably near Milltown. Thomas Higgins lived north of Milltown. Daley brook flows into the Croton from the east at Milltown.
At the close of the Revolution an act was passed April 4th, 1785, establishing a stage ronte to Albany. "Whereas Isaac Van Wyck, Talmage Hall and John Kinne have by their peti- tion prayed that on Account of the great expense and labor attending the undertaking, an exclusive right of carrying on a stage from the cities of New York and Albany, might be granted to them for the term of ten years. And whereas the erecting a stage as aforesaid will tend to promote the Ease and Benefit of the People of this State, permission is granted them to run stages on the east side of Hudson River." No other per- sons were to run stages under penalty of £200, and they were "to provide at least two good and sufficient covered stage wagons, to be drawn each by four able horses." The fare was four pence a mile, including tlie liberty of carrying 14 pounds of baggage, and for every 150 pounds of baggage four pence a mile was to be charged, and they were " to go at least once a week."
A few years after the Revolution, and almost as soon as the country had become quiet after the toils of war, the attention of the State government and the people was turned to the necessity of better means of communication.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
Acts were passed for the improvement of certain highways and for laying out new ones. A host of turnpike companies were incorporated and every encouragement was given to their enterprise. Not a few roads were opened and improved by the help of funds raised by lotteries. At first the stock of the various turnpike companies found ready purchasers and as the right of way cost very little and labor was cheap, excellent roads were made in all directions at a small expense, while the various laws in relation to working on the common highways soon produced a manifest improvement.
The first turnpike laid ont within the limits of Putnam county was by the Highland Turnpike Company. This company was incorporated by an act of Legislature passed March 16th, 1804. By its provisions William Edgar, Joseph Howland, Philip Van Cortlandt, Pierre Van Cortlandt jr., William Keymees, William Street, Daniel Delavan, Isaac Van Wyck, Gilbert Livingston, Daniel C. Verplanck and Philip Verplanck and their associates were authorized to make " a good and sufficient road beginning at or near the house of Matthew Gage in the town of Mount Pleasant, from thence across Croton river near the house of Philip Van Cortlandt, and from thence to and through the village of Peekskill, and from thence by the nearest and most eligible route, and as near the present post road as circumstances will admit to or near the churches in the town of Fishkill in the County of Dutchess." The official title was the " President, Directors and Company of the Highland Turnpike." The com- pany was authorized to take land if necessary and the commis- sioners who were appointed by the act were William Edgar, William Denning, Thomas Storm, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph Howland, Gilbert Livingston, Daniel W. Birdsall, Isaac Van Wyck and William Keymees. The usual powers were con- ferred upon the company, some of the provisions being that the number of toll gates should not exceed three; mile stones were " to be erected or placed, one for each and every mile of the said road, and on each stone shall be fairly and legibly marked the distance the said stone is from the city of New York" and a bridge was to be erected over the mouth of Croton River, to be furnished with a draw.
Several years previous to this, an act was passed March 28th, 1797, " for opening and improving certain great roads within this State." This act provided that the sum of $45,000 should
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
be raised by three lotteries and after certain other appropria- tions, "the residue shall be laid out in improvements on the post road leading from Croton Ferry to the County of Dutchess."
The act of 1804 was repealed and a new act passed March 25th, 1806, by which William Edgar, Joseph Howland, Philip Van Cortlandt, William Keymees, William Stut, Daniel Dela- van, Philip Verplanck, Henry Garrison, Isaac Van Wyck, Daniel. C. Verplanck, Robert Williams, William Davies and Philip J. Schuyler, were incorporated to make and maintain a turnpike from Kings Bridge to Croton River near the house of Philip Van Cortlandt and then by the most convenient route to Poughkeepsie. Their privileges and duties were similar to those of the former company. The act was amended at various times and the time for finishing the road extended, and persons living on the line of the turnpike could work out their high- way tax upon it if they wished. The turnpike was not a pe- cuniary success, and the act was repealed April 8th, 1833, the corporation was dissolved, and the commissioners of highways were required to cause the road to be kept in repair the same as other highways. The old mile stones which marked the dis- tance from New York are still remaining, and this is about all there is to remind the traveller of the Old Highland Turn- pike.
The next company of this county was the Westchester and Dutchess Turnpike Company, organized by act of March 9th, 1810.
This act provided that William Taber, Rowland Bailey, Jona- than Ferris, Pierre Van Cortlandt, Samuel Owens, James Mandeville, John Oppie, James Dewey, Charles Dusenbury, John C. Voght, John Jones, Nathaniel Drake, Edward Bugby, St. John Constant, Thomas Brown, Solomon Rundle, and Henry Luddington and such as should associate with them, "should make a good and sufficient turnpike road, to be- gin at the Highland Turnpike near the house of Joseph C. Voght, in Cortlandt, thence to the house of James Mandeville, and to or near the house of Samuel Owens in said town: thence to the house of Jonathan Ferris and to or near the house of Edward Bugby and Solomon Avery in Philipstown, and from thence running up Peekskill Hollow, to the house of Rowland
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GENERAL HISTORY.
Bailey', and from thence to the house of Henry Ludington', in the town of Frederick, and then to the great road west of Quaker Hill."
The capital stock was 1,500 shares of $25 each, the distance was twenty-four miles, and there were to be two toll gates on the road. This turnpike through Peekskill Hollow followed the old road which was in use long before the Revolution and plainly marked on Erskine's map. In 1816, the time for the completion of the road was extended to 1821, and by an act of 1820 they were authorized to extend the road "from where it now intersects the Philipstown Turnpike near the house of Wm. Knapp, across the Fishkill Mountains."
The Philipstown Turnpike Company was incorporated by an act passed April 14th, 1815. By this act, Samuel Gouverneur, Amos Belden, David Knapp, Samuel Townsend, John Haight and others were incorporated as a company, " for the purpose of making a good and sufficient road from Cold Spring landing, in the town of Philipstown, and running from thence the most direct and common route, in a northeasterly direction, by way of the ore bed, Milltown3, Abel Peak's tavern4, and Joseph White's tavern, to the meeting house in the town of Patterson, according to the survey thereof made by Zebulon Horner, Jr., March 28th, 1814, and extending to the Connecticut line so as to promote the interest of the Public5."
The capital stock of this company was to be 1,000 shares at $30 each. This turnpike ran from Farmer's Mills, on the west side of White Pond and up into Dutchess county, and making a turn came back into Putnam county on the west side of the mill pond at Ludingtonville. It ran through the village of Patter- son, and thence northeast up the hill and so to the Connecticut line. In 1829, the company was authorized to abandon "so much of their road as lies between the line of Fishkill near Peter Rites, and the town of Patterson, at Benjamin Pugsley's." In 1834, they were authorized "to abandon so much of the road as lies between Haviland's Corners, in the town of Patterson and its intersection with the Connecticut line in the town of Paw-
1The present residence of Mr. Stephens, at Boyd's Corners, formerly Dr. Mat- thew Bailey's.
? At Ludingtonville in Kent.
8Farmer's Mills.
4This was in Dutchess county at what is called "Peck Slip."
5The first 12 miles were built by Dr. Edward Parks, for $12,000.
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
lings." In 1857, an act was passed providing " that when the persons holding a majority of the stock of the company, should have transferred their shares to the towns in which the road lies, that then such parts of the turnpike shall be a public road and worked as other roads." The whole road was finally aban- doned by the company, but as a large portion of it west of Farmer's Mills went through a thinly settled region, there was not enough taxable property to keep it in repair. In 1879, the board of supervisors was authorized to appoint three commis- sioners to keep the road in proper condition. From that time the highway has been kept in repair by the commissioners thus appointed and the sum of $500 has annually been expended for that purpose, and it is generally known as the "Putnam County road." Previous to this, in 1862, an act was passed by which the county judge was authorized to appoint three com- missioners to manage the road. A part of this act provided that no person should carry a load of more than 4,000 pounds on vehicles with wheels less than five inches wide, the roads having been much injured by heavy loads of ore from the mines on the route. In 1875 a law which is still in force was made providing that $500 annually should be raised for keeping the road in repair.
An effort to improve one of the most important roads in the county was made in 1836, when an act was passed by which James Towner and William Watts, of Putnam, and James Turk, of Westchester, were appointed commissioners " to alter the road from Frederick Luddington's by way of the Court House, to Croton Turnpike, for the purpose of shortening and improving the same." This road, which is one of the oldest in the county, has been known from the earliest time as the "Horse Pound road." It was once the principal route between Westchester and Dutchess counties, and is mentioned by the same name in 1756. It ran the width of the county from the Dutchess line at Ludingtonville, to Carmel; and by the Court Honse it ran south, running to the west of the present road opposite the seminary and extended south to where the road turns east that goes to the Gilead burying ground. It followed that road as far as the burying ground, and from that ran south- east (where the telegraph poles now stand and where the line of the old road is yet plainly visible) to the road that runs south past the "Watts farm," called the Croton Falls road.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
The portion of the road between the burying ground and the Watts place was discontinued after the making of the "new road " running east from Carmel, by the Presbyterian church.
The same year Edward Smith, of Carmel, Hart Weed, of Southeast, and Reuben R. Finch, of Cortlandt, were appointed "to lay out a road from Peekskill to the store of James Towner1, in Patterson." They were authorized " to lay out the road not less than three rods wide, by the Court House in Carmel, to the store of James Towner, on the most eligible and direct route, or to alter the road now in use and to discontinue such parts as they deem unnecessary." The commissioners were to have $2 per day for service. This road was from Peeks- kill by way of the "Red Mills", and was made a very excel- lent road.
The act was amended in 1744, and Ray Tompkins, of Somers, John Crawford, of Southeast, and Silas Slawson, of Carmel, were appointed to lay out the highway not less than three rods wide from the house of James Towner, by the Court House in Carmel, to "The house of Gilbert Knapp, near the head of Peekskill Turnpike, in Yorktown," and in case the turnpike should be free, they were to lay out a free road three rods wide. These roads were of great importance, as leading to the only convenient port on the Hudson River.
The "Croton Turnpike" was made under an act passed April 8th, 1811, by which Stephen Barnum, Samuel Haviland, Benjamin Cowls and Abijah Seeley and their associates were authorized "to make a good and sufficient road from the north end of the Croton Turnpike near the house of widow Deborah Sears, in the town of Southeast, and running thence the most direct route to the house of Abijah Seeley, in the town of Pat- terson and thence by the most direct route to the bridge across Croton River abont one half mile west of Capt. Benjamin Cowls, thence eastwardly to the Connecticut line, terminating at the dwelling house of Timothy Haviland, in said town of Pat- terson."
This is the road that runs through Haviland Hollow: Abijah Seeley lived where his son, Dr. Jonathan Seeley, now lives, about a mile north of Doansburg. The old Croton Turnpike ran from the Westchester line near Croton Falls, to the present
1This was at the four corners, near the Baptist church, now the residence of Philip D. Penney.
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
site of the Borden Condensed Milk Factory, near Brewster, and thence on to Southeast Center, and thence to Doansburg where it terminated on the west side of the burying ground. The above described road is its continuation to Cowls' Corners and Haviland Hollow.
The Putnam and Dutchess Turnpike Company was incor- porated by an act of the Legislature passed April 11th, 1827, by which act Edward Smith, Alvin Chase, Herman R., Stephen and Elizer Baldwin, and such persons as should associate with them, were incorporated to build " a good and sufficient turn- pike road, to commence at a point on the Croton Turnpike in the town of Somers in Westchester Co., between the house of Isaac Brown and the bridge over the east branch of Croton River, a few rods northeast of the mill of John Owen, to run from thence the most eligible route through the County of Put- nam, to, or near, the house occupied by Sylvanus Merritt, in the town of Pawlings, in the County of Dutchess, passing on this route on the west side of the Court House in the town of Carmel, Putnam Co., and near the house of Edward Smith, in the town of Kent, and near the house of Sewell White in the town of Pawlings."
The stock was to be $10,000, in shares of $20 each, and as soon as any five miles of the road should be finished, they were authorized to erect gates, but not within one mile of the Court House. Jonathan Morehouse, Benjamin Isaacs and Wheeler Gilbert were appointed commissioners to lay out the road and were authorized to appropriate any land then used as a road.
The end of all these turnpike companies was the same. They proved unprofitable and the cost of maintainingtoll gates and keeping the road in repair exceeded, or at least equaled, the income. They were gradually abandoned, and became common highways, but Putnam county is indebted to these early cor- porations for its best roads, and the traveller may well call to mind the names of their founders and bless their memory.
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