USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 26
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During the struggle for independence the British fleet was, at one time, anchored in the river directly in front of the farm, and a foraging party which was sent ashore in two row galleys, attempted to land near the house. The movements of the enemy had been observed, and
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
Adrian Sarvent, Cornelius Cuyper, Peter Freeland, Henry Palmer, and Major Smith went to the river's edge and poured into them such a deadly volley of musket balls that they were compelled to return to the vessels. The fleet then opened a retaliating fire and planted a number of six pound balls in the ground around them. At first these old cannon balls were not looked upon as curiosi- ties, and as they were brought to the surface they were sold as old iron. But after a time a greater value began to be attached to them, and they were more carefully preserved. The last one found on the place is in the possession of the present owner and is prized very highly.
Cornelius Cuyper stood upon a stone during the engage- ment, and as he was preparing to send still another mes- senger of death to the hated foe, a ball struck the rock from under him. This so startled him that, with an oath, he exclaimed; " Don't shoot my legs off!"
In those days there were no burglar and fire proof vaults in which to store valuables, and the settlers were often obliged to bury whatever they wished to keep from the enemy. Philip had a large clock which he prized highly, and when the British were in this vicinity he placed it in a box, carried it to Esquire Pye's and buried it under one corner of his barn.
Some distance up the river is the scene of an incident related by John Martine, now 83 years of age. His grandfather, Major John Smith, had command of a com- pany of one hundred men. While the British fleet lay in the river, two boats were sent ashore for water. The Major's company was secreted behind a height of ground, and when the boats were near the land, they opened so vigorous a fire on them that the crew of one of them at once surrendered as prisoners of war, but the other, hav- ing on board something or somebody of unusual impor- tance, chose to endure the shower of lead, and so pulled rapidly back to the ships. The captives were taken to Washington's headquarters at Tappan.
once demanded of her what forces she had seen. She replied by giving him the fictitious positions of the two generals just as she had been directed, and concluded with the exclamation: " Myn God! Zy benne zoo dicht als't heer op een hout!" (My God, they are as thick as hair on a dog!) Major Smith knew his opponent, and his strategic movement proved a perfect success, for without finishing their dinner they got under arms and marched back to the place from which they came. But he did not accomplish this and many other feats that might be mentioned, without careful thought and much practice in military tactics. It was his habit to resort to the old garret and there give orders to an imaginary company. One day, having given the order to march backward, he attempted to execute the order himself, and so completely forgot his surroundings that he stepped backward down the stairs and fell with much noise to the floor below; whereupon his good wife came in great haste with the inquiry, " John, what on earth are you trying to do?" Smarting from the bruises he had received in the tumble, and realizing the undignified appearance he had inade in the descent, his reply was rather short and sharp, and his would-be comforter went away with the edifying assurance that she knew nothing about war.
Resolvert Stephens, an old inhabitant of the north- western part of the town, who has been mentioned as one of the first justices of the county, figured very promi- nently in the early times. He was, on one 4th of July, compelled, at the point of the bayonet, to take his wheat from the granary and carry it, with a team of fine five year old horses, a distance of forty miles. The load was so heavy, the day so hot, and the drive so severe, that one of the horses dropped dead in the harness, and the other was ruined.
At one time he was observing the movements of the British on the river, when he was discovered by then. and a charge of grape shot was directed toward him. Fortunately, he was watching them closely, and when he saw the smoke he threw himself on the ground and lis- tened to the balls as they tore through the brush near which he had been standing a moment before.
At another time, when the English were at Englewood, then known as the English neighborhood, a large force was sent northward with the hope of reaching and cap turing West Point. They halted on the hill near Mount Moor to partake of their noon day's rations. The Major Hearing that a company of English were coming to "Strawtown " for beef, he and some others resolved to get at least one shot at them. They therefore mounted their horses and started in that direction. They soon sighted their game, which proved to be rather larger than they had anticipated. Nothing daunted, however, they stealthily got within shooting distance, and immediately emptied their muskets upon them, then turned and fled just in season to escape the return bullets, many of which struck the bridge that crossed the stream just below the old mill, and were dug out and kept as relics by some of the party afterward. In this encounter they had the satisfaction, for such it probably was to them, of seeing that one at least of their shots had taken effect, and that the body of one of their enemies was carried away by his comrades. was but a short distance north of them, much perplexed as to what course it was best to pursue. Just then a ne- gro woman came along, going in the direction of the British army. The Major stopped her and warned her of the danger she was incurring of being made a prisoner. But she said she did not care for the red coats, and would go on in spite of all remonstrance. No sooner did he notice her determination to proceed than his ready wit devised a way to deal with the enemy. He said to the woman, "When the British stop you and ask you if you saw any American soldiers, I want you to say that Gen- eral - is in this place with a large army, and that General - is over yonder with a still larger force, and they are only waiting for you to march into the trap they have prepared for you." Having received her in- structions and given her promise, she set out and was Cornelius A. Blauvelt, the grandfather of Cornelius A. soon in the presence of the British commander, who at Blauvelt of Nanuet, was also in the Revolutionary war.
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He was at one time taken prisoner, and, with about three hundred others, was carried to England, where he was confined for nine months. He used to tell an amusing story of a fellow prisoner named Arnold, who was full of reckless good nature and independence. This fellow, on the passage to England, accidentally fell overboard. So little, however, did this disturb him, that when the coop, which had been thrown to his rescue, was being drawn to the vessel, he sat astride of it, whistling and singing as unconcernedly as if nothing out of the ordinary course of events had happened. While in prison he threatened to cut off the queue of one of the turnkeys if he was not more civil in his speech, and in vain did his associates endeavor to dissuade him from so doing. One morning the officer began to storm furiously at the prisoners, when Arnold, with his knife, previously nicely sharpened for the purpose, stepped up behind him, and with one stroke cut the hair completely from his head. For this offence he was of course placed in a dungeon, where he remained for a long time. Each morning, as the turnkey came with his food, he would ask him, " Are you humble yet?" to which he invariably replied, "I am no more humble than you are." At last, the officer became tired of pun- ishing him, and one morning said to him, "Come out now. I see you are not in your right mind." To which Arnold quickly replied, " I have got as much sense as you have." At last the joyful day arrived which brought peace to their beloved country and liberty to themselves. An officer by the name of Lawrence escorted them from the prison to the vessel which brought them back to Bos- ton.
Clarkstown is not preeminently historic ground, yet in the northern part some of the inhabitants assure us that Anthony Wayne, when on the way to capture Stony Point, passed through the valley at the foot of Verdrietig Hook, took supper in a house still standing, and, at that time, occupied by a Colonel Coe, and then crossed the mountains in a northeasterly direction. We do not wish to pass final judgment upon their belief, but think it is possible that their patriotic enthusiasm may have led them to a misinterpretation of historical narratives.
In the northern part of Clarkstown is the largest quarry ever worked within the limits of the town. Nothing has been done here for some years, but there is a history con- nected with this spot which will long make it a place of interest. From this quarry were cut the stones of which Trinity Church, of New York city, is constructed. These were drawn by horses through the valley of the Hacken- sack to the Hudson, and transported to the city on boats.
married an American lady, but soon left her and re- turned to his native country. To the wife was left the support and education of an only son, who, in after years, located in the northwestern part of Clarkstown, just at the foot of the mountain. The family soon drop- ped the prefix De, and in a few years made still another alteration, so that, at the time the son purchased the place above mentioned, he was known as John Jersey.
Prior to his settlement, in fact when he was a boy of but fifteen years, he was servant to an officer in the French and Indian war. While thus engaged he had the small-pox, was kept in a cave in the mountain, and at- tended by a negro woman. During the Revolutionary war, he was intrusted with the safe keeping of many valuables belonging to the people in that vicinity. Isaac Jersey has in his possession an old musket which was carried by John in the Revolution, and by his (Isaac's) father, Peter Jersey, in the war of 1812. In 1782 he bought of Jonas Taylor the farm now owned by Isaac Jersey, and which has been in the same family one hundred and two years. In this part of Clarkstown there are several families who are descendants of John Jersey. In a direct line from John, who was born December 28th 1740, and died September 12th 1821, are the following: Abraham Jersey, born October 14th 1767, died May 11th 1842; John A. Jersey, born June 6th 1793, died June 23d 1875; James Jersey, born May 29th 1825; Andrew Jersey, born January 10th 1847; Willis A. Jersey, born June 18th 869.
This family is connected with two old and quite dis- tinguished families, viz., the Van Houtens, through Nicholas, born November 16th 1736, and died Decem- ber 3d 1825, who was a grandfather of Nicholas Van Houten, of Clarksville, and great-grandfather of Dr. H. Van Houten, of New City; and with the Stephenses through Resolvert Stephens, of whom mention has be- fore been made. James Stephens, a son of Resolvert, was the eighth county clerk, and heid his office from 1828 to 1831 in a private house on the Samuel Helms farm. The room was on the second floor and was finished like a bedroom.
A short distance east of Congers Station is the farm of George Swartwout, which is a place of some historical importance. The farm is a part of a large tract of land which the government confiscated in the time of the Rev- olution, and the main part of the house, in which Mr. Swartwout lives, was standing at that time. The farm was purchased soon after the war by the great grand- father of the present owner, and was occupied by Derick Swartwout, a son of the purchaser. From him it passed is the oldest which the writer has found in the town, and it can be traced in this country back to the year 1660. The pioneer of the family resided at Esopus, and was at one time Sheriff of Ulster county.
There was also taken from this quarry of red sand- stone, not very many years since, a large piece of stone to his son, James D., and then to George. The family from which was cut, by the deft hand of the sculptor, a statue of Washington, which at one time enjoyed con- siderable notoriety. From the quarry it was taken to the residence of the overseer, a Mr. Thoms, now a portion of the Dike estate, and from there it went to the City Hall Park, in New York, where it stood for some time.
The great grandfather of George was a General in the Revolutionary war, and his son was an officer of some rank in the war of 1812. Derick Swartwout kept a large
About one hundred and fifty years ago a man named Daniel De Gersey came from France to this country and number of slaves, but liberated them all before his death.
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
He reached the advanced age of 90 years, 8 months, and 2 days, and his son, James D., lived to be more than 83 years old.
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.
The town has within its limits six villages, of which one only is incorporated. In 1774 the location of the county seat was changed from Tappan to New City, which then received its name, possibly from the expecta- tion that the place would assume greater importance than it has had. It was twenty-four years the county seat of Orange, and has been eighty-six years that of Rockland county.
Just at what time the first Court House was erected in this village is uncertain, but probably not long after the time the county seat was established here. The earliest meeting held in such a building, of which any record can be found, was that of a town meeting which met April 2d 1811. The present building was erected in 1828, except the part occupied by the county clerk's office, which was not built until 1873. The village now contains four ho- tels, three stores, two blacksmith's shops, a wheelwright shop, and a large grist-mill. The latter is on a branch of the Hackensack. It has also two churches.
METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist church in New City was erected in 1845, and dedicated in March of the following year. Be- fore the church was built, services were held for a time |main part of this building is 44 by 28 feet, with 14-foot in a wheelwright's shop, and also in a private residence. posts, and the primary room is 22 by IS feet, with 12-foot posts. Present trustee, Cyrus M. Crum; teachers, Miss E. M. Hope, principal, Wilfred E. Wiles, assistant. At the latter place they paid twenty-five cents per day for the privilege. The pulpit was supplied by itinerant ministers, appointed by the New Jersey Conference until its division, and afterward by the Newark Conference.
The first trustees were Nathaniel Burr, James T. Brickle, Peter Dutcher, John Van Houten, and Garret Onderdonk, all of Clarkstown.
The first ministers were Rev. George Hitchens and Rev. Charles Coit, who supplied the pulpit alternate Sun- days. Rev. Daniel Ryder is its present pastor.
A Sabbath-school has been connected with the church since its organization, and now averages about twenty- five members. Value of property, $1,800.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The Episcopal society at first held services in the Court House under the direction of Rev. E. Gay. Mr. Charles W. Root gave the parish the lot on which the church now stands. The following rectors have had charge since the church was organized and known by the name given above: Revs. Thomas Marsdon, Romaine Mansfield, - Cruikshank, -- Capron, J. F. Esch, and Rev. Mr. Stephens, the present rector.
The Sunday school, which now averages thirty mem- bers, was organized at the time the parishi was estab- .lished.
It is uncertain at what time the post-office was opened. About sixty years ago Abram Hogencamp, an uncle of John Van Houten, kept in the village a grocery store, in |
which he also sold liquor and kept the post-office. At that time there were but one or two mails each week. The office has changed its location several times and has been in charge of a number of different individuals. It is now kept in the store of Peter De Bevoise, who is the postmaster.
William Hogencamp is said to have been the earliest hotel keeper, but in exactly what year he established this business it is hard to determine.
Until May Ist 1875, New City was without railroad communication. At that date the New City branch of the New Jersey and New York Railroad was completed, and Jacob E. Vanderbilt was appointed station agent. He still holds the position, and his store is used as a waiting room for passengers. Mr. Vanderbilt is a de- scendant of one of the oldest families in the vicinity. His great-grandfather, Johannes Vanderbilt, purchased a farm of one hundred and fifteen acres, situated south- west of the village, of a man named Isaac Cole. Upon this farm Augustus Vanderbilt, a brother of Jacob E., now resides.
The old school house stood nearly on the present site of the County Clerk's office. It was moved thence to where the hotel recently occupied by George Gross stands, and from there to the southwestern corner of an acre lot, obtained from William Hogencamp in 1853. The new house stands in the same lot. It was erected in 1880, at which time Tunis Tallman was trustee. The
Years ago there was, on the Jabez Wood property, an old tannery which was in active operation for a number of years. Some of its products were sold in one of the village stores, in which the proprietor had an Interest. The property was finally disposed of, and the owners removed their business to another locality.
NANUET.
About four and a half miles southwest of New City is the village of Nanuet, pleasantly situated on the summit and western slope of one of the ridges extending through the town from north to south. This village dates back only to the building of what is generally spoken of as the " Northern Railroad," in 1839. Prior to that time there were but six houses between where the turnpike is located and the school house. Soon after the railroad was begun, the brick house now owned by S. M. Drew was built, and used as a store, and soon after as a station or wait- ing room. In 1849 D. P. Demarest built the house, a part of which was, and still is, used as a station. He was the first station agent in this village, and held the position until his death, in 1881. He was succeeded by his son, Joseph G. Demarest. Tickets were not sold un- til 1852, and then the station and date were written on them in ink, at the time of selling. The station bore the name of Clarkstown until 1856, when it was changed to Nanuet. This name was proposed by James De Clark,
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CLARKSTOWN-VILLAGE OF NANUET.
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who lived where Mrs. D. P. Demarest now lives. It was the name of an old Indian chief.
When railroad communication with New York was first established there were three passenger trains, two milk trains, and three freight trains each way daily. From the time the road was built the village began to grow, and its facilities for travel have been constantly increasing, so that with the trains on the road mentioned and those on the New Jersey and New York Railroad, which was completed in 1871, there are ten each way daily except Sunday.
Three years after D. P. Demarest opened the store now occupied by S. W. Marks, John W. Hutton and Henry O. Hutton took possession of the brick store op- posite, which had just been erected by Dr. Hasbrouck. They also dealt in lumber and agricultural implements. The lumber which they handled at that time was all rough, except a very little used for flooring. In 1860 they began to sell the Old Ohio Mowing Machines, but two years later they introduced the Buckeye, and at about the same time took the agency for wheeled rakes. In 1869 the building they now occupy was erected. It is 200 by 36 feet, and three stories high. The next season they moved into it and gave up the grocery store to Wil- liam Hutton jr., the present proprietor.
The elder member of the firm of Hutton Brothers- John W. Hutton-died July 19th 1882. This thorough business man began active life as clerk in William Oble- nis's store at Mount Moor, then known as Nyack Turn- pike post-office. Here he remained for a number of years, when he came in possession of the same, and con- ducted the business, with his next younger brother, Rich- ard, until he came to Nanuet, in 1852. The firm have been favorably known for many years, not only in this but other counties; their business is extensive and must rank among the foremost industries of the town,
NANUET BAPTIST CHURCH.
The first known record of the Baptists in Rockland county was made in 1782. In 1797 Elder Daniel Steers, from London, England, began to preach in Middletown, and under his influence several persons were converted and baptized. On the 18th of October 1798, these indi- viduals, with some others from different parts of this and Bergen county, formed themselves into an independent society under the name of the "Rockland Baptist Church." In December of this year James Burges was appointed clerk, and James Blauvelt and Nathan Lane were made deacons. In January 1802, the name was changed to the " Middletown Baptist Church." Three years later a small house of worship was erected on the Middletown road, at the head of the road leading from Pascack. Before this all services had been held in pri- vate houses.
The deed for the piece of land on which the first church stood is written on very tough unruled paper or parchment of a peculiar appearance, bordered by three parallel pen lines. The beginning of the document reads thus:
" This Indenture made the Twentieth day of February in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and ten Between Abrahan D. Blauvelt of Orangetown in the County of Rockland and State of New York, yeoman of the first part, and Jacobus D. Blauvelt, Abraham D. Blauvelt and Isaac Tallnian of Orangetown, aforesaid, Trustees of the Temporalities of the Baptist Church sit- uate at Middletown in Orangetown, aforesaid of the second part, Witnesseth that the said Abraham D. Blau- velt for and in Consideration of the sum of Five Shillings and other Valuable Considerations for the benefits of the said Church and Congregation, Have by these presents Granted &c.,"
The clerk of the church has in his custody other old documents bearing the dates 1802 and 1816, chiefly val- uable as relics of former times.
In 1811, the members were by request dismissed from the church to form an independent church at "Masonicus, or Hempstead," to be known as the " Masonicus Baptist Church." In the same year Elder Steers resigned his charge at Middletown and the church remained without a pastor until 1815, when Elder Joseph W. Griffiths was called to minister unto them. Under his teaching the church so increased that it was found necessary to build a larger house, which was erected about half a mile south of the old one. Elder Griffiths resigned in 1853, having labored earnestly and successfully during a period of thirty-eight years.
Elder J. L. Thompson was very soon afterward install- ed as pastor, and he in turn was followed by Rev. W. Pauline, April 7th 1859. In that year the church was brought within the limits of Clarkstown, and the building now occupied by the society was erected. In 1865 the name was changed to the "Nanuet Baptist Church." In December, 1859, Mr. Pauline resigned and was soon afterward succeeded by Rev. C. J. Page. The subsequent pastors have been: Rev. A. B. McGowen, in 1871; Rev. Frederick Greaves, in 1873; Rev. Frank Fletcher, in 1880; and Rev. W. S. S. Warden, who is at present regularly supplying the pulpit.
It is claimed for this church by some of its present members, and perhaps justly, that its Sabbath school is the oldest in the county. The facts of the case seem to be these: Rev. Joseph W. Griffiths organized a Sabbath school at Middletown some time near the beginning of the second quarter of the present century. The exact date is generally admitted to be doubtful, but is put by some as early as 1825.
The first Sunday school ever held in Nanuet was or- ganized by Miss Martha A. Wight, in the spring of 1860. The Duryea house, opposite the church, was then in an unfinished condition, and permission having been given, she swept the shavings and dirt from the basement, had the boards and other building material piled up for seats, and there, with no roof but the clear blue sky, she com- menced her labor of love. The school, known as the Nanuet Sunday School, was continued in the unfinished basement of the church, and also in the church, when completed, and remained a distinct body until the Bap-
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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.
tist people gave up the church at Middletown, when their school and this were merged in one.
Mr. S. M. Dow, the superintendent, has been connect- ed with it in that capacity most of the time for nearly thirty years. The school numbers ninety pupils and eight teachers, and has a library of about three hundred volumes.
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