USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 21
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Thomas E. Blanch was for a long period the only at- torney in the Town of Orangetown. He resided at Piermont, and enjoyed a large practice prior to 1860. He died some years since, having been long retired from active business. He was a man of great general infor- mation and of much legal ability.
John C. F. Schmidt was born at Nyack in 1822, and for many years practiced law with great success in New York city. In the later years of his life, he returned to this county and continued in active practice to the time of his death in April 1881. He was one of the most talented lawyers that the county has produced, a man of fine presence, a powerful speaker, strong in argument, and of great legal knowledge.
Charles W. Root, of New City, was a native of Rens- selaer county, and was engaged in the practice of law at Troy for several years before coming to this county. He
Of those who have occupied the position of District | established himself at New City, and built up a good
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business, which he maintained to his death in 1880. He was a very careful, methodical lawyer, and was highly esteemed throughout the county.
Hugh Maxwell resided in Nyack for a great many years, though we do not find that he often appeared in its courts. He was prominent at the bar in New York city, was District Attorney, Collector of the Port, and afterwards Minister to Russia. His later years were passed quiety upon his extensive property at Nyack, where he died.
Abraham B. Conger came to this county many years ago. He had previously practiced law in the central part of the State. During his residence here, he was mainly occupied in the care of his real estate, of which he possessed large tracts in Clarkstown and Haverstraw, and very seldom appeared in our courts as a practitioner. By unfortunate reverses, he was stripped of his large fortune, and removed to New York. He was Senator from this district in 1852, 1853, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1867.
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John W. Ferdon, of Piermont, although admitted to the bar, has never practiced extensively, but has devoted himself to the care of his large fortune and to literary pursuits. He was a member of the Assembly in 1855. represented this district in the State Senate in 1856-7, and in Congress from 1879 to 1881.
John W. Blauvelt, of Piermont, also has never practiced to any extent since his admission.
Of those now engaged in active practice, Mr. Andrew Fallon, of Sparkill, has been longest in the field. He went to California in 1849, but returned in 1850, entering into a partnership with Thomas E. Blanch. For the past thirty-four years he has been prominent at the bar of the county, and is universally esteemed.
Cornelius P. Hoffman was for many years engaged in practice at Haverstraw, and afterwards at Nyack, but has recently removed to New York city, though fre- quently appearing in the courts of this county.
Several attorneys residing in Westchester county have had very frequent and important business relations in this county. Judge William Nelson, of Peekskill, has already been mentioned as having a large clientage here during the first half of this century.
Calvin Frost and Edward Wells, also of Peekskill, have for many years enjoyed a large practice in our courts.
The following is a list of those lawyers now residing in the county whose business mainly arises within its limits:
George W. Weiant, Alonzo Wheeler, H. D. Batchelder, Charles C. Suffern, Irving Brown, Cyrillus Myers, Wil- liam McCauley, jr., William P. Bannigan, John W. Fur- man, Haverstraw; Seth B. Cole, Abram A. Demarest, Marcena M. Dickinson, William T. B. Storms, Howard Van Buren, Cornelius I. Haring, Edward H. Cole, Nyack; Andrew Fallon, A. X. Fallon, Willian B. Slocum, Charles F. Blanch, William F. Gowdey, Sparkill; George L. Mann, Tappan; H. B. Fenton, Garrett Z. Snider, Spring Valley.
casionally appear in its courts, their main practice being in New York city:
Quentin McAdam, M. E. Sawyer, E. S. Babcock, R. J. Henderson, D. P. Hays, and A. J. Matthewson, all of Nyack.
CHAPTER XX.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
BY WILLIAM GOVAN, M. D.
N THE YEAR 1730, Dr. Osborn, who came from England, settled near the Hudson River in what is now the town of Stony Point. Here he practiced medi- cine, making long and tedious journeys in order to alle- viate the sufferings and sickness of the men and women who had braved the dangers of the wilderness, and of the Indians who at that time inhabited the region. Dr. Osborn practiced in the towns along the Hudson River till his death. His son, Dr. Richard Osborn, born in Rockland county, after studying with his father and in New York city. settled in the same locality and prac- ticed medicine during the Revolutionary war. He was active in the service of Washington, and after the war practiced till his death in 1786. Some of the bills made out by him for professional services still exist, but were never paid-the fate of many physicians' bills since.
Of the physicians who have practiced in the northern part of the county, but who have passed away, the names are recorded of Dr. A. D. Cornelison, Dr. Mark Pratt. who settled in Haverstraw in 1833 and died in [875, Dr. C. H. Austin, Dr. John Purdue, Dr. Charles Whipple, Dr. S. S. Sloat, Dr. David Howland, Dr. Lee. In the north- western and western part of the county were Dr. Slip, Dr. John Demarest, Dr. Talman, Dr. G. J. Hammond, Dr. Daniel Lake, and Dr. G. O. Lockwood.
In the town of Clarkstown Dr. Abraham Cornelison, Dr. John Polhemus and Dr. M. C. Hasbrouck; in the town of Orangetown, Dr. Jacob Outwater, Dr. F. B. Smith and others. The first medical society in the county was or- ganized in 1829. Dr. Abraham Cornelison, of Clarkstown, was elected the first president and Dr. Abraham D. Corne- lison, of Haverstraw, the first secretary. This society con- tinued for some years, and during its existence Dr. John Polhemus, of Clarkstown, held the offices of secretary and president. After being in abeyance for some time the society was reorganized in 1850, when Dr. John Dem- arest of Spring Valley, was elected president; Dr. M. C. Hasbrouck, of Clarkstown, vice-president; Dr. Charles Whipple, of Haverstraw, secretary, and Daniel L. Reeves, of Orangetown, treasurer. There were present at the re- organization of the society Dr. John Demarest, Dr. M. C. Hasbrouck, Dr. Charles Whipple, Dr. Daniel L. Reeves, Dr. Spencer S. Sloat, Dr. James A. Hopson, Dr. Isaac C. Haring, Dr. James J. Stephens, Dr. Jacob S. Wigton, Dr. Lucius Isham, Dr. John Purdue, and Dr. Charles
The following reside within the county, but only oc- Hasbrouck, of New Jersey. Since the organization of
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
the society the following have become members: Dr. Daniel Lake, Dr. C. H. Austin, Dr. Bernard O'Blenis, Dr. G. J. Hammond, Dr. William Govan, Dr. T. B. Smith, Dr. William S. House, Dr. Benjamin Davison, Dr. J. O. Polhemus, Dr. H. H. House, Dr. Henry Reisberg, Dr. C. H. Masten, Dr. Frank Hasbrouck, Dr. Rykman D. Bo- gert, Dr. H. C. Neer, Dr. John Sullivan, Dr. J. Henggler, Dr. J. W. Swift, Dr. George A. Mursick, Dr. C. L. Hum- phrey, Dr. W. S. Stevenson, Dr. Isaac J. Wells, Dr. George in Tappan at that time.
O. Lockwood, Dr. N. B. Van Houten, Dr. E. H. May- nard, Dr. C. H. Teneyck, Dr. Albert O. Bogert, Dr.Garret F. Blauvelt, Dr. E. B. Laird, Dr. Daniel Wemple, and Dr. Theodore C. Wood. Of the above, seventeen have died.
The physicians who have registered in the county clerk's office since 1879 according to law and are now or have been since that time practicing medicine in the county, as classified by themselves, are as follows:
Regular Physicians: Drs. A. O. Bogert, William S. House, James A. Hopson, George A. Mursick, James J. Stephens, Rykman D. Bogert, Jacob S. Wigton, C. H. Masten, William Govan, Benjamin Davison, William G. Stevenson, George A. Lockwood, Daniel Lake, G. F. Blauvelt, H. H. House, N. A. Garrison, J. O. Polhemus, Spencer S Słoat, Isaac C. Haring, C. H. Maynard, Theodore C. Wood, Albert S. Zabriskie, H. B. Chambre, G. H. Woodcock, Isaac J. Wells, G. F. Appleton, D. F. Wemple, E. B. Laird, I. H. Gunning, A. C. Jacobus, and L. R. Tetamore.
Eclectics: Drs. J. A Dingman, S. W. Allen, Reuben H. Owen, Julia Grindle, Hardenburgh Van Houten, and Willard Brockway.
Homopathic: Drs. J. E. Davis, L. B. Couch, and Cor- nelia S. Simpson.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE CIVIL HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
BY HON. JOHN W. FERDON.
R OCKLAND WAS a portion of Orange county pre- vious to 1798. The Ramapo and Haverstraw Mountains extended across the latter county and divided it into two parts, the southernmost of which was known as "Orange County south of the mountains." Because of its proximity to New York, which was then as now the metropolis of the country, this portion of Orange county was first settled, and for a long period it maintained its superiority in population and wealth.
The county of Orange was organized in 1683. In 1699 the Colonial Legislature directed that Courts of Sessions and Pleas be held in Orange. It does not ap- pear, however, that any courts were held there during several years following.
The first court of which any record exists was held at Orangetown, October 29th 1705. At this court, "Upon ye presentment of Coonradt Hanson that George Jewell kept a dog which was injurious to many of the neigh- bors, it was ordered that the said Jewell should hang the said dog." This was the first capital sentence pronounced here. Both complainant and defendant appear as mem- bers in the records of the old Dutch Reformed Church
The first Court House of Colonial times, built in 1739, was located on the center of the green opposite the old Dutch Reformed Church, at Tappan, and in this house courts were held till it was destroyed by fire in 1774.
The relative number of inhabitants in the portion of the county north and south of the mountains changed in the lapse of time, and by the census of 1790, it was found that the larger area on the north had a population of 23,000 persons, but that there were no more than 6,000 in that portion south of the mountains.
From this change in the relative population of the two sections arose strongly conflicting interests, and the people in the southern portion asked for a separate organization, which was granted in 1798, and the county of Rockland was erected. The parent county was com- pensated for its loss of territory by the addition to its northern border of five towns from the county of Ulster.
Rockland, at the time of its organization, consisted of four towns, and the area included in these towns was: Clarkstown, 22,693 acres; Haverstraw, 29,57214; Orange- town, 14,78334; Ramapo, 44,78374.
The civil history of the county may be divided into three periods: From the first colonial organization of Orange county, in 1683, to 1788, when it was organized by a general act of the Legislature of the State; from 1788 to 1798, when the county of Rockland was organ- ized; and from 1798 to the present time.
In the lists which follow, the names only will be in- serted of those officials in Orange county prior to 1798 who resided south of the mountains, in the present County of Rockland.
John Haring was, in 1775, chosen a delegate from Orange county south of the mountains to the Continen- tal Congress. His name also appears as a member of Congress in 1785-87.
Among the members of the Constitutional Convention at Poughkeepsie, in 1783, were John Haring and John Wood from south of the mountains. Both voted against the Constitution.
In the convention held in 1801, to determine the pow- jers of the Governor and Council of Appointment respect- ing nominations for office, and to fix the number of Senators, Peter Taulman, of Rockland county, was a delegate.
Samuel G. Ver Bryck represented Rockland county in the Constitutional convention of 1821, John J. Wood in that of 1846, and Abraham B. Conger in that of 1867-68.
His Excellency, Governor Cornbury, and William Smith, Peter Schuyler, and S. T. Boughton, Esqs., of the Council, executed commissions to hold such courts, The Executive Council of the Colonial period was suc- and these commissions were signed by Queen Anne, ceeded under the first State Constitution by a Council of April 5th 1703. Appointment which was composed of one Senator from
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each district, there being at this time only four districts, Southern, Middle, Eastern, and Western, openly nomi- nated and appointed each year by the Assembly, no sena- tor being eligible two years successively.
John Haring was appointed a member of the Council July 22d 1782; David Pye, January 14th 1792.
We come now to those who have represented Rock- land county, or so much of Orange county as lay south of the mountain.
John Haring, the first Senator, was elected in 1781 and continued in office from the Middle District composed of the Counties of Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster, enti- tled to six Senators, until 1788. He was succeeded in office by David Pye and Jacobus Swartwout, who were elected in 1791 and continued in office until 1795.
John D. Coe was elected in 1795 and continued in of- fice until 1798.
John Suffern was elected in 1800 and continued in of- fice until 1803. He was the first Senator elected after the division of Rockland from Orange. The successor in 1814, and served until 1817.
By the third Constitution of 1846, the State was di- vided into 32 Senatorial Districts. Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester composed the 7th. From this District Abraham B. Conger was elected in 1852; in 1855 John W. Ferdon was elected. Since this date to the present, a term of nearly thirty years, Rockland county has had no representative in the Senate of the State.
Representatives in Colonial General Assemblies.
The first representative from Orange county was Peter Haring, 1701, 1708 to 1711, 1726; Floris Crum, 1702 to 1706; Cornelius Haring, 1713 to 1725; Hendrick Ten Eyck, 1711 and 1712.
From 1701 to 1726, for the first twenty-five years, Orange county sent but one member to the Colonial As- sembly, and twenty-three years out of the twenty- five the member came from south of the mountain, or from what is now Rockland county.
From 1726 to the dissolution of the Provincial Assem. bly in 1775, Orange county was represented by two mem- bers: Cornelius Haring, 1727 to 1737; Vincent Matthews, 1728 to 1738, and 1757 and 1758; Cornelius Kuyper, 1737 to 1739; Abraham Haring, 1745 to 1747, also 1759 to 1768; Theodorus Snedeker, 1747 to 1759; John De Noyelles, 1769 to 1765.
The last session of the General Assembly was held April 3d 1775, when it was dissolved.
The Provincial Congress held its first session May 22d; 1775. Orange county was represented by eleven depu- ties. The following were south of the mountain: John Coe, David Pye, Peter Cloues, William Allison, Abraham Lent, and John Haring.
Second Congress, 1775: Peter Cloues, William Allison, Theunis Cuyper, John Haring.
Third Congress, 1776: William Allison, Joshua H. Smith, Thomas Outwater, Isaac Sherwood, Peter Cloues, Roelof Van Houten, David Pye, John Haring.
Fourth Congress, 1776 to May 17th 1777: William Allison, John Haring, David Pye, Thomas Outwater, Isaac Sherwood, Joshua H. Smith. At the Fourth Con- gress the name was changed, on July roth 1776, to Con- vention of the Representatives of the State of New York.
The first Legislature of the State met at Kingston 1777, September Ist to October Ist, when it was dispersed by the approach of the enemy.
Orange county had four members in the first Assembly: Tunis Kuyper and Roelof Van Houten south of the mountain.
Second session, 1778 and 1779: John Coe, Benjamin Coe and Roelef Van Houten. Third session, 1779 and 1780: John Coe. Fourth session, 1780 and 1781: David of Mr. Suffern was Samuel G. Ver Bryck, who was elected | Pye and John Stagg. Fifth session, 1781 and 1782: John Stagg and John Suffern. Sixth session, 1782 and 1783: Abram Gurnee was elected in 1822 from the Southern District, Rockland county having been transferred to that District in 1815. Gilbert Cooper and John Stagg. Seventh, 1784 and 1785: Gilbert Cooper and William Sickles. Ninth, 1786: Gilbert Cooper. Tenth, 1787: Gilbert Cooper and Peter Daniel Johnson was elected in 1839, and served for four years. Taulman. Eleventh, 1788: Peter Taulman. Thirteenth, 1789: John D. Coe and William Sickles. Fourteenth, 1791: John D. Coe, also Fifteenth, 1792; also Seven . teenth, 1794. Eighteenth, 1795: William Allison and David Pye. Nineteenth, 1796: David Pye. Twentieth, 1796 and 1797: Isaac Blanch. Twenty-first, 1798: Ben- jamin Coe. Twenty-second, 1798 and 1799: Hendrick Smith.
In 1798, by an Act of the Legislature, Rockland county was formed, and its first member of Assembly was Benja- min Coe. In 1800, 1801, 1804, 1807, 1808, 1809, and 1820, Samuel G. Ver Bryck; 1802 and 1803, Peter De Noyelles; 1805, John Cole; 1806, John Haring; from 1810 to 1814, and 1822 and 1824, Peter S. Van Orden; 1816 and 1817, Cornelius A. Blauvelt; 1818 and 1819, 1821, 1825, and 1826, Abraham Gurnee; John I. Suffern, 1823, 1854; Levi Sherwood, 1827, 1828; George S. Allison, 1829, 1830; John I. Eckerson, 1831; Isaack Blauvelt, 1832; James D. L. Montanya, 1833; Daniel Johnson, 1834, 1836; Edward Suffern, 1835; Abraham J. Demarest, 1837; David Clark, 1838; Benjamin Blackledge. 1839; William F. Frazer, 1840; Edward De Noyelles, 1841 and 1842; Cornelius M. Demarest, 1843; John Haring jr., 1844; Joseph P. Booner, 1845; Sampson Marks, 1846; John A. Haring, 1847; Laurence J. Sneden, 1848; Mat- thew D. Bogert, 1849; Brewster J. Allison, 1850; Jacob Sickles, 1851; John Demarest, 1852; Henry De Hart, 1853; John W. Ferdon, 1855; Edward Whitemore, 1856; James Westervelt, 1857; Wesley J. Weiant, 1858, 1859; Peter S. Yeury, 1860; William R. Knapp, 1861 and 1874; James S. Haring, 1862, 1863, and 1864; Prince W. Nick- erson 1865 1866; James Suffern, 1867 and 1869; Thomas Laurence, 1868; James M. Nelson, 1870, 1871, and 1878; Daniel Tomkins, 1873; James C. Brown, 1875;
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George W. Weiant, 1876, 1877; James W. Husted, 1879, 1880; John Cleary, 1881 and 1882; William H. Thomp- son, 1883; John W. Felter, 1884.
County Judges .- The colonial judges south of the mountains in Orange county were Peter Haring, 1717 to 1727; Cornelius Haring, 1727 to 1733; Vincent Mat- thews, 1733 to 1735, and 1737 to 1739; Abraham Peter Haring, 1739 to 1749; Abraham Haring, jr., 1749 to 1769; John Haring, 1774; John Coe, 1775. John Haring was the first judge after the colony was organized into the State, 1778 to 1788.
Rockland county as separate: John Suffern, 1798 to 1806; James Ferry, 1806 to 1816; Samuel Goetchius, County Clerks .- Dirck Storm, 1691 to 1693; Gerardus Cloues, 1721 to 1723; Gabriel Ludlow jr., 1735, 1736. 1816 to 1820; Edward Suffern, 1820 to 1847; William F. Frazer, 1847 to 1855; Edward Pye, 1855 to 1859; An drew E. Suffern, 1859 to 1881, when he died; Seth B. ham Cornelison, 1805-8; Thomas Howard, Jr., 1808-10; Cole, 1881 to 1882; George H. Weiant, the present in- cumbent.
It is a remarkable coincidence in the history of the county that the office of county judge was held by the Suffern family for a term of 57 years out of 84 of its ex- istence, and then only was terminated by death. Grand- father, father, and son were all at different periods in- cumbents of the office.
Sheriffs .- Under the first constitution sheriffs were appointed by the Council of Appointment, and no person was allowed to hold the office during inore than four consecutive years. Under the second constitution sher- iffs were elected for a term of three years.
Orange county under the Colony. This side of the mountain: Floris Willemse Crom, 1690 to 1694; John Perry, 1702 to 1706; Cornelius Cuyper, 1708.to 1709; Cornelius Haring, 1709 to 1718; Theodore Snedeker, 1739 to 1747; Jonathan Laurence, 1756 to 1758.
Rockland county separate: Jacob Wood, 1798; Peter Taulman, 1799; Peter Stevens, 1800; Evert Hogencamp, 1804; Peter Stevens, 1808; Isaac Blanch, 1810; Peter Stevens, 1811; Thomas Hay, 1814; John B. Haring, 1818; Abram Stephens, 1820; John B. Haring, 1821; A. P. Stephens, 1825; John B. Haring, 1828; Richard Blau- velt, 1831; Harmon Blauvelt, 1834; John W. Felter, 1837; John C. Blauvelt, 1840; Archibald Cassedy, 1843; Asbury De Noyelles, 1846; Hageman Onderdonk, 1849; Henry L. Sherwood, 1852; John H. Stephens, 1855; William Perry, 1858; John H. Stephens, 1861; C. Spring- steen, 1864; William J. Penny, 1867; Daniel C. Spring- steen, 1870; Charles B. Benson, 1873; William Hutton, 1876; Henry Christie, 1879; John A. Haring, 1882.
Surrogates .- Peter Taulman, 1798; Tunis Smith, 1807; Peter Taulman, 1808; Garret Onderdonk, 1810; Richard Blauvelt, 2811; Bernard O'Blenis, 1820; James Stephens, 1821; John Van Houten, 1829; John J. Wood, 1837; George Benson, 1841; Horatio G. Prall, 1845; County Judge since 1847.
The constitution of 1846 abolished the office of sur: rogate in counties having a population of less than 40,- ooo.
1801. At first the State was divided into seven districts, but by a law passed in 1818 each county was made a separate district. Under the second constitution dis- trict attorneys were appointed by the court of General Sessions.
Edward Suffern, 1818; John T. Smith, 1820; William F. Frazer, 1833; Horatio G. Prall, 1847; Andrew E. Suf- fern, 1853; Thomas Laurence, 1859; Marcena M. Dick- inson, 1862; L. V. E. Robinson, 1868; Hiram B. Fen- ton, 1869; Chauncey Pratt, 1872; Seth B. Cole, 1872; Marcena M. Dickinson, 1875; Alonzo Wheeler, 1878, present incumbent.
Rockland separate: David Pye, 1798 to 1805; Abra- John Cole, 1810, 1811; Thomas Howard, Jr., 1811-21; David Pye, 1821-28; James Stephens, 1828-31; David Pye, 1831-34; Abraham Hogenkamp, 1834-46; Isaac A. Blauvelt, 1846-50; Abraham De Baun, 1850; John E. Hogenkamp, 1850-56; Abraham A. Demarest, 1856-68; Cyrus M. Crum, 1868; present incumbent.
County Treasurers .- Previous to the constitution of 1846, county treasurers were appointed by the boards of supervisors. They have since been elected for terms of three years.
John R. Coe, 1848; Matthew D. Bogert, 1851; John B. Gurnee, 1869; Daniel D. Demarest, 1875, present in- cumbent.
Superintendent of Schools .- Nicholas C. Blauvelt, 1843. School Commissioners .- Edward Suffern, Simeon D. Demarest, Nicholas C. Blauvelt, L. V. E. Robinson, Nel- son Puff, Spencer Wood, William Van Wagenen, and Thomas W. Suffern, present incumbent.
Presidential Electors .- From 1792 to 1824 they were appointed by the Legislature. John Haring, 1804; Peter S. Van Orden, 1816; Richard Blauvelt, 1824. Since then have been elected by the people. Daniel Johnson, 1844; George Benson, 1848; Edward Suffern, 1852; Alexander Davidson, 1864; David D. Smith, 1875.
Members of Congress .- 13th Congress: Peter De Noyelles; Third District, 1813; Rockland and Westches- ter.
John J. Wood, 1827.
17th Congress: Jeremiah H. Pierson; Third District, 1821; Kings, Richmond, and Rockland.
23rd Congress: Isaac B. Van Houten; Second Dis. trict, 1834; Kings, Richmond, and Rockland.
James 1). L. Montagne, 1839.
32d Congress: Abraham P. Stevens; Ninth District, 1851; Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester.
46th Congress: John W. Ferdon, 14th District, 1878; Orange, Sullivan, and Rockland.
Rockland county is now divided into five towns. Haverstraw and Orangetown, original towns, were erected March 7th 1788; Clarkstown and Ramapo were taken from Haverstraw, March 18th 1791; and Stony Point was
District Attorneys .- This office was created April 4th erected from Haverstraw, March 20th 1865.
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The following shows the population of these towns since 1840:
1845. 1850. 1855. 1860.
1865.
1870.
1875. 1880.
Clarkstown ...
2797
3111
3512
3-74
4023
4137
4.25
4378
Haverstraw
4806
5885
6747
4113
6412
6953
Orangetown
Ramapo Stony Point
2911
3197
3414
3435
4:30
46491
5151
3308
Total.
13741
16962 19511 2492 20788
23213 26915 27690
In 1800 there were 551 slaves in Rockland county; in 1810, 316; in 1814, 218; in 1820, 124.
The census of 1830 showed none.
In 1865 there were 1,265 persons who could neither read nor write.
CHAPTER XXII.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
M ARCH 19th 1794, an act was passed by the Gov- ernor, Council, and General Assembly, entitled, " An Act for raising a sum not exceeding £1,000 for building a Court House and Gaol in the County of Or- ange, and other purposes therein mentioned." In accord- ance with the provisions of this act, David Pye, John Coe, Edward William Kiers, Cornelius Smith, and Roelof Van Houten were appointed trustees, and, May 30th 1774, they purchased from Daniel Gerow "A piece or parcel of land in the Precinct of Haverstraw, at a place commonly called the City, being part of Lot No. 5, in the East Division of the 400 acre Lots in the north moiety of Kakiat Patent." The tract consisted of two acres for a Court House lot, and one acre adjoining on the south, for a " school-house lot." This is the present Court House plot, and was at the east end of Lot No. 5. The first Court House at New City was probably built soon after the purchase of this building site, and was used until after the erection of Rockland county.
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