USA > New York > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 31
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The chapel was completed and opened for worship January 1st, 1865. The church was dedicated on October 10th, 1865, free of debt, by Bishop Simpson. The seats are free.
326
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
The church property, organ, bell, parsonage and furnishing cost nearly $40,000, of which Daniel Drew contributed a large portion, and the stone tablet over the door still bears the name, "Daniel Drew M. E. Church."
The elegant pipe organ now in the church was the gift of D. D. Chamberlain and cost $3,500. Mr. W. F. Jewell has been for some years the organist and Prof. S. O. Spencer the precentor.
The church property, including site, buildings, parsonage, etc., is one of the most beautiful in the country. The member- ship is a little over one hundred, with about half that number in the Sunday school.
The presence of the "Drew Ladies' Seminary," another of Daniel Drew's benefactions, has been quite a help to the Sab- bath congregations, and the faculty of the seminary have been most faithful supporters of the church in her varied interests, especially Profs. George Crosby Smith and Stephen Olin Spencer.
CHAPTER XX.
TOWN OF CARMEL (Continued.)
Lake Mahopac .- Hotels and Boarding Houses .- Lake Mahopac Improvement Company .- Mahopac Land Company .- Putnam Land Company .- The Islands of Lake Mahopac .- Lake Mahopac Methodist Church .- Protestant Episcopal Church .- Roman Catholic Church .- Union Valley Cemetery and Chapel .- Mount Hope Methodist Chapel .- Red Mills .- Mahopac Iron Ore Company .- Red Mills Baptist Church .- Red Mills Presbyterian Church .- Rev. Harris Rogers Schenck .- Putnam County Seminary Association .- Western Part of Carmel .- Supervisors.
L AKE MAHOPAC, the pride of Putnam county, has been associated in modern times with all that is beautiful and romantic in rural scenery, all that is gay and extravagant in fashionable life, and with the most reckless of land speculations. This beautiful sheet of water, covering an area of 603 acres, and elevated 656 feet above the level of the sea, is one of the greatest attractions of the country. In early times it was generally known simply as the " Big pond," but on Erskine's military map it is noted as " Mahopac Pond," the Indian name which is thus perpetuated being probably the equivalent of "Great Lake," a name which, in comparison with the others in the county, it justly deserves. It was also known as "Hughson's pond" from Robert Hughson, who lived on the north side of the lake at the time of the Revolution.
After the confiscation of the property of Roger Morris and his wife, the land around the lake was sold in large farms. A large tract of 314 acres, which included the land on the north- west side of the lake, and extended west to Kirk Lake and in- cluded its outlet, and also the famous "Red Mills," and the large island, was sold to William Smith. The land lying at the southwest corner of Lake Mahopac and on the north side of the outlet was sold to John Le Clare. This embraced 89 acres
328
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
on the south side of this outlet, and extending for some dis- tance along the south side of the lake was a farm of 132 acres sold to Abigail Clark. The "Dean House " stands on this tract. Next to the above farm, extending along the lake to a point east of Ganung's Island, was the farm of Joseph Gregory, which included 130 acres. Next to this, including the lake shore to a point above the "Thompson House," was the farm of John Drake, which extended far to the east and embraced 262 acres. Next north of this was a farm sold to Peter Mabie. This was a tract of 105 acres and began on the lake shore at a point nearly west from the Methodist church, and ran east to the brook which is the outlet of the Mud Pond, then down the same for some distance, and then extended east to the original east line of Lot 5 of Philipse Patent, then south along this line six chains, and then westerly to the lake. It included nearly all the shore of the lake between the Methodist church and a point a short distance south of the Carpenter House.
Previous to the Revolution one " Dr. Hamilton " is marked on Erskine's military map as living at the south end of the point of land that projects into the lake and forms so important a portion of its contour.
The original farms thus sold by the commissioners of for- feiture, were soon transferred to other parties, and were after- ward divided among many owners. Fifty-two acres of land at the northeast corner of the Joseph Gregory farm were sold to Abel Smith, April 24th, 1801, by Solomon Kirkham and wife Hannah. This tract lay directly opposite what is known as "Ganung's Island" and Abel Smith had his house on it. March 15th, 1794, Abel Smith bought of Paul Secord a small tract "Beginning at the northwest corner of land now or late belonging to the widow of Samuel Crane, then along the same southerly to the highway, then west by the highway to an old coal kiln near a place called the Indian Cove; from thence north to a large pond, and then by said pond to the place of begin- ning, be the same more or less." This last tract is now owned by Stephen Smith. It is probable that what is now known as "Hoguet's Point " was originally a part of the Drake farm, and it was bought by Abel Smith at the beginning of the present century. After his death it fell to his son, Ahijah Smith, who sold it to Anthony Hoguet September 15th, 1854, who owned it till the time of his death, January 2d, 1875, and it has ever since
4
MILL FARM RED.MILLS WW.SMITH. 188. Acres;
S.36. 7 H0.75 $ 55 PORTE7.
N.º: 418/8.
"26'E927 N22 E28.47 Abigail Clark
PEAN
John Le Clare" 89. Acres.
William Smith. 314. Acres.
132.Acres. ATOM3047 82943850
Lo SOW
$26 ×1600
JOHN 59)Y 13,00 WE
$ 2& W 23.40.
EN18:30 4.3.45
-600
GRAND ISLAND WW SMITH
WIXSOM POND
PELEG V SHUDAEL WIXOM
PETRE IBLAND TAS GOOD
Robert Hughson. 363. Agres.
- 1782 .-
N. 2C.E.33.00
( With Location of Modern Residences)
HOGUETS POINT
WY TILDEN.
John Drake
3585
ROAD-TO- CARMEL
262. Acres.
NOUS
CARPINTER GREGORY HOVRE
8.40W5800
1868 ESZF2
HOUSE
Carmel 2'83
yMUD POND.
--
Peter Malie. 105. Acrcs.
A201525.65
NS2 W4000 0
JANEM
NEGRIDE15.90
Around Lake Mahopac 533 E 11.00
Joseph Gregory 130. Acres.
LAKE MAHOPAC
NICE IS3Y
Map Showing original Jarmus
845. 30 €
5.44.2 20.000 EFT LILA
KIRK LAKE
N72'YE 23' 10' 092461864
John Crane
329
TOWN OF CARMEL.
borne his name. It was surveyed and divided into lots, and an elegant map filed in the office of the county clerk, but the dream of its purchaser, to see it the site of beautiful villas, was never realized. To the west of Ganung's Island is a lot of two acres which was sold by Ahijah Smith to Peter D. Christie, Sep- tember 20th, 1859, and left by him in his will to Marion De Lavarre, a lady of somewhat romantic history. Upon this she built a beautiful cottage, which is one of the ornaments of the place. She sold the premises to Lewis H. Gregory and Thad- deus R. Ganung in 1870; the latter transferred his share to Mr. Gregory and it was sold by mortgage sale to Mr. Thaddens R. Ganung, its present owner.
Up to 1834, the lake was scarcely known to the outside world world, except by the reports of a few tourists who had seen its romantic beauty. In that year Stephen Monk, a native of Con- necticut, purchased from Stephen Thompson one acre of land adjoining the lake; this acre was a part of the Peter Mabie farm and was given by Mr. Mabie to his son-in-law, Edward Vermil- yea. He sold it to William Wright, who conveyed it to Stephen Thompson in 1822, and it was purchased from him by Stephen Monk, December 26th, 1834; this lot lies on the south side of the road leading from the railroad station to the lake and is the same site on which the famous Gregory House after- ward stood. Here Mr. Monk erected the first hotel and board- ing house at Lake Mahopac. The house stood at the corner of the lot and close to the road which runs south along the lake. His hotel soon became the resort of tourists, and he had a liberal amount of patronage, although the only means of ac- cess was by stages from Peekskill.
Mr. Monk, though a popular landlord, did not become wealthy here. Business troubles soon began to annoy him and in the newspaper of that day there appeared the following advertise- ment, the forerunner of many similar ones in after times:
" For Sale .- Valnable real estate. Will be sold on the 1st day of October next at 10 o'clock A. M., at auction at the resi- dence of S. Monk, that well known and popular resort, the Mahopac Hotel in the town of Carmel, together with abont one acre of land on which the said Hotel is situated. The undersigned consider that this property is so well known and highly appreciated it is unnecessary to give a further descrip- tion here.
330
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
" About 20 acres of excellent woodland at the head of the lake and five acres in the vicinity of the premises first men- tioned will be sold at the same time.
" W. W. TAYLOR, " ELIJAH CRANE,
Assignees of S. Monk.
"September 14. 1882.3'
At the above sale the hotel and the acre of land on which it stood were sold to Charles W. Schaffer and George W. Shields for $3,560. The premises were conveyed by them to Huldah Gregory in September, 1844. The piece of land lying directly opposite the west end of the road which runs to the railroad station, and which was bounded on the west by the lake, was a part of the old Mabie farm, which was purchased by Daniel Baldwin. This piece, containing about an acre with a dwelling house, was sold to William Nelson by the administrators of Daniel Baldwin in September, 1842, and he transferred it to Huldah Gregory, and both pieces, with the buildings, were conveyed by her to her son, Dr. Lewis H. Gregory, January 26th, 1853. Notwithstanding these various sales Stephen Monk continued to conduct the hotel, holding the premises as a ten- ant and making the owners some trouble to get possession. He died March 15th, 1859, and the following characteristic notice appeared in the newspapers of that day.
" Death of Stephen Monk .- This somewhat remarkable habi- tue of Carmel, died in New York city on Tuesday the 15th inst. Mr. Monk was born in Massachusetts in 1803. Many members of his family still reside in that State and hold a position in the highest circles of society. Mr. Monk, or "Old Bolivar," as he was familiarly styled, came to Putnam county in the fall of 1826, and a short time after commenced the boot and shoe business at Lake Mahopac. Prior to this period, he had been leader of the band in several of the principal travelling exhibitions of the country.
" He was married in the autum of 1829 to Miss Clorinda Crane, daughter of John Crane, jr., and sister of the late Elijah Crane. Shortly after his marriage, he started a hotel at Lake Mahopac, and may be regarded as the father of that beautiful summer resort. Most of the town business was transacted at his house, and " Old Bolivar" was instrumental in bringing about many important improvements, and, indeed deserves the credit of establishing the Lake in the hearts of the pleasure seekers and
331
TOWN OF CARMEL.
tourists of the metropolis. He kept the principal Hotel at Mahopac until the year 1854, when circumstances with which the public are familiar, induced him to relinquish the pro- prietorship.
"He was fifty-six years old when he died, and leaves a wife and seven children. He had been sick about five weeks. He was a man of much versatile talent, and some genius. At one period of his life he was considered the first clarionette player in the United States. He was entirely a self-taught man; and his mechanical dexterity in some respects was marvellous. Poor Bolivar! We remember well when he came to us with tears in his eyes, and related in his slow, broken accents the loss of his favorite violin at the burning of the Crystal Palace ;- a genuine Cremona, a century and a half old, which he valued as priceless, and for which he had refused a thousand dollars. His face had been singularly handsome in his youth, and in his somewhat premature age retained many traces of its former beauty. He had a large heart, and no man ever went from his door hungry; and when at last he had no settled home, his heart and purse were always open for the destitute. Had he been less liberal he might have left a richer legacy to his heirs. Everybody liked him, and all will regret his decease. His remains were in- terred in the Crane burying ground."
From the time of his purchase till the day of his death Dr. Lewis H. Gregory was identified with the progress of the hotel business at Lake Mahopac. In addition to the original hotel built by Monk, he enlarged the dwelling which stood nearly op- posite, and it was generally known as the Mansion House. This building took fire and was destroyed January 18th, 1857, being the first boarding house burned at the lake. Dr. Gregory en- larged his premises by the purchase of seventeen acres on the sonth, from the heirs of Ebenezer Horton, and a smaller piece from Pierre Humbert. The old Monk house was moved to it and a large boarding house was erected in its place and was the most extensive building of the kind in the neighborhood, and known as the Gregory House.
All of the original Mabie farm, with the exception of the acre which came into the possession of Stephen Monk, was sold by the heirs of Peter Mabie to Daniel Baldwin and to Sutton and Samuel Vail. The latter sold their part to Mr. Baldwin, who by other purchases became one of the largest land owners
332
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
around the lake, and some of the property still remains in the hands of his descendants. In the spring of 1853 Reuben D. Baldwin built a large boarding house on the north side of the road and opposite the Gregory House; this was blown down while in process of erection by a furious gale which occurred March 25th. In 1858 John W. Carpenter came to this place and built the house which bears his name, and it was conducted by him as a first-class boarding house till 1868 when it was sold to Alvah Hyatt, but soon came back to its former owner.
About 1849 the Harlem Railroad was completed as far as Croton Falls. The tide of travel, which up to that time had been from Peekskill, turned at once to the former place. During the height of the boarding season there was a constant travel up the highway leading from Croton Falls to the lake, and by an act of Legislature in 1859, commissioners were employed to straighten and improve this road and under their management it became one of the best highways in the county', and on the arrival of trains on the Harlem Road, coaches belonging to the various boarding houses, drawn by four, six and even ten horse teams, urged on by drivers who strived to emulate Jehu of old, made remarkably quick time in reaching their destination.
Among the well known citizens of the place in the days before boarders and boarding houses were thought of, was Stephen Thompson, who came from Connecticut and set up the business of hat. making at the lake. Nathan L. Thompson, his son, also came from Connecticut and bought a lot of four or five acres by the lake'. Here he established the business of hat making which he continued for many years. The following advertisement ap- pears in the local paper:
" Nathan L. Thompson has opened a Shop on the south shore of the celebrated Lake Mahopac where he offers for sale ready made hats of his own manufacturing, cheap for cash.
" WANTED .-- The subscriber wants an apprentice to the HAT making business; a lad of 16 or 17 years of age, of steady habits, and one who can come well recommended, enquire of
"N. L. THOMPSON. " Lake Mahopac, Sept. 9tlı, 1846."
1 The old road ran a short distance north of the present one for some distance, and near the house of Judge Edward Wright.
2The Thompson House stands on the original Drake farm. This part of it was owned in the early part of this century by Elias Mabie and afterward by Henry S. Baldwin, who sold to Thompson.
333
TOWN OF CARMEL.
About 1851 Mr. Thompson began to entertain boarders, com- mencing in a small way and gradually enlarging his accommo- dations till he could entertain three hundred guests. This hotel was burned July 6th, 1869, and was at once rebuilt on a much larger scale and it is safe to say that the Thompson House has been the most permanently profitable of any of its kind.
October 5th, 1869, the Baldwin House, which stood north of the Gregory House, was burned, and it has never been rebuilt. The curiously shaped building now on the premises, which attracts the attention of travellers, was originally the carriage house and barn of the hotel. The loss by this fire is said to have been $50,000, and the lot was sold to several persons by the assignees of Reuben D. Baldwin.
South of the Carpenter House is the " Kaufman Place." This was a farm of 99 acres which had once been a portion of the original Drake farm and had been purchased by Daniel Baldwin. In 1867 it was sold by Henry S. Baldwin to Samuel Kaufman for $30,000. At that time there was a comfortable farm house on the premises, which was the Baldwin homestead. Kaufman is said to have expended $150,000 on the place. It was the oft repeated story of heavy mortgages with the usual result, and it is now held by the Nevada Bank.
The old Hughson farm at the north end of the lake remained in a state of primeval simplicity till a comparatively recent date. It was sold by the Hughson family to Stephen Dingee and by him to Benjamin Ballard, whose heirs conveyed it to his brother, Selah Ballard, and it was sold by him to Lewis B. Griffin', March
1Lewis B. Griffin came from New York where he had made a comfortable for- tune by building docks. He died about 1860, leaving no children. Near the middle of this farm is a small burying ground where rest some of the early set- tlers of this neighborhood. The following dates are from tombstones:
Mr. Samuel Wixom, died April 11th, 1803. Age, 64.
Benjamin Griffin, born 1747, died May 26, 1825 66
Phebe, wife of Benj. Griffin, Dec. 11, 1849 92.
John Griffin April 16, 1855 67.
Michael Sloat Aug. 4, 1815 58.
Elisha Baldwin Oct. 19, 1816 65.
Elizabeth, wife of June 2, 1831 76.
JA'NY 24 J. B. DIED AGED 70 1780.
(This last inscription is supposed to mark the grave of James Baldwin, the an- cestor of the Baldwin family).
Mary. wife of Shubael Wixom, 2d Feb. 6, 1801, age 31.
Elijah Wright, November 11, 1827 45.
334
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
27th, 1841, for $12,500. It remained in his possession till the time of his death, with the exception of two small pieces, one of 24 acres, which was sold by him August 12th, 1856, to Wil- liam Tilden, and another of 11 acres, sold in 1855 to Elias H. Herrick.
After the death of Mr. Griffin the remainder of the farm, with some additional land, was sold under a partition suit by Odle Close, Referee, to Isabel Saportas, wife of Edward Saportas, July 1st, 1863. The extreme south end of the Hugh- son farm on the east side of the lake was bought by John Crane, who owned a large farm to the east of this. The part bought by him included the land where the Lake House now stands and some distance to the north and east. John Crane gave this with a large farm besides to his son, Nathaniel Crane, Sep- tember 2d, 1826. Nathaniel Crane sold the lot where the Methodist church now stands to the trustees of the church. The small white house standing on the east side of the road, nearly opposite the east end of the boulevard was built by Nathaniel Crane, for his son-in-law, Ammon Fowler, but was sold by him to Lewis B. Griffin, together with 80 acres of land adjoining, May 3d, 1846, and he sold the house with the land around it to Elias H. Herrick and it now belongs to his widow.
Shortly after his purchase, William Tilden erected the elegant stone mansion which stands on the north shore overlooking the lake, and it is still in possession of his family. On the southwest corner of the lake, at the outlet, was the original Abigail Clark farm. A large part of this was afterward owned by Devoe Bailey, who by various purchases became one of the largest land owners in the county, his lands extending from the lake to the Westchester line This tract he left to his son, William, who sold it to James Seeley, and in 1852 it was sold to Amzi L. Dean. Upon it he built a boarding house, beginning on a small scale, and gradually enlarging till it became an ex- tensive business, which has descended to his sons.
The "Summit House," a hotel built about 1856 by Amzi Slawson, on the south side of the road, about sixty rods west of the Dean House, was burned January 1st, 1865, and never rebuilt.
When the various boarding houses around the lake were filled to their full capacity the place presented an appearance of gaiety and fashionable life equal to any of the famous water-
11
A. H. DEAN, Proprietor.
DEAN HOUSE, LAKE MAHOPAC, N. Y.
335
TOWN OF CARMEL.
ing places of the country, and Lake Mahopac was mentioned in the same category with Newport and Saratoga.
In the spring of 1871 the prospect of extending the New York City & Northern Railroad to Carmel seemed favorable, and to get in advance of this enterprise the Harlem Railroad Company planned a road from Golden's Bridge to Lake Ma- hopac. Articles of incorporation were speedily executed for the " New York and Mahopac Railroad " and the work of sur- vey and building began at once, and was so rapidly carried on that the first train ran through to the lake on July 4th, 1871. Upon this occasion there was a grand celebration, and Lake Mahopac was in the height of its glory.
About this time was organized a company whose career is a very important chapter in the history of this section of country. The " Lake Mahopac Improvement Company " was incorporated March 8th, 1871, its object being "The erection of buildings and laying out and subdivisions of lands with building lots or villa plots at Lake Mahopac."
The capital stock of the company was $1,000,000 and the trustees were Joseph Seligman, Demas Barnes, Henry Knicker- bocker, Uranus H. Crosby, Alfred B. Darling, William Moller, Andrew McKenney and John H. Cheever. The company pur- chased several tracts of land, paying for them extravagant sums, making partial payments and giving mortgages as se- curity for the remainder.
A very prominent character in this enterprise was Uranus H. Crosby, who obtained some property and more celebrity by drawing the opera house in Chicago in a lottery. He bought many pieces of land here and sold them at a large advance to the Improvement Company.
The Gregory Honse, which stood near the site of Stephen Monk's Hotel, and was built by Dr. Lewis H. Gregory, was sold by him to Andrew McKenney in April, 1871. In part payment he took a farm in Connecticut where he made his home for a short time. McKenney transferred the property to the Mahopac Improvement Company the same year. The premises, being heavily mortgaged, were sold by John G. Miller, referee, to Dr. Gregory, in May, 1875, and he again took charge of the hotel which had not been very prosperous during the interval. The incumbrances on the estate were such that on April 26th, 1877, it was again sold by Walter Edwards, referee, to .Edwin A.
336
HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
McAlpine, who took possession. On the 2d of October. 1878, occurred an event which will be long remembered, and which was thus described in a local newspaper.
"The well known Gregory House, at Lake Mahopac, was en- tirely consumed by fire on Tuesday morning last. It had been closed for the season, and at the time of the fire was occupied by Mr. Perry and his family only. On Monday Mr. Gregory had removed his horses and wagons, and his live stock, to his place in Connecticut, and was there when the fire occurred. It commenced at the north end, and in a very short time the im- mense structure was reduced to ashes, together with its furni- ture. Mr. Perry, who has been connected with the house the present season, occupied the southern end and the most of his furniture was saved. What was known as "Monk House," a small building in the rear of the main house, was also destroyed. Conjecture is rife as to the fire, but nothing definite has been ascertained. The insurance amounts to $92,000, divided be- tween twenty or twenty-five companies, which will cover the loss. Mr. McAlpine, the owner of the property, is in Europe. The furniture was mostly owned by Mr. Gregory, and Mr. T. R. Ganung, of the Lake, had an interest in it also.
"The destruction of this popular summer resort will prove a severe blow to the prosperity of Lake Mahopac, and we fear it will be a long time before an establishment equal to the Gregory will be built in that locality."
The original hotel of Stephen Monk had been removed to a short distance from the main building and thus perished the oldest and largest of the hotels of Lake Mahopac. It was never rebuilt. The vacant lot is still owned by McAlpine.
The Improvement Company, after their purchase, began to plan improvements on an extensive scale. The first was the laying out and opening the Boulevard on the north and west sides of the lake; thus making a magnificent drive around the whole circumference. July 4th, 1871, there was a grand cele- bration, the event being the opening of the Boulevard, which had been in progress for some time under a large force of en- gineers, mechanics and laborers. Upon this occasion the corner stone of the "National Museum of Natural History," was laid.
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