History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 46

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 46

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Many of the amusements, sports, and fireside enjoy- ments of the people here, as well as their religious customs and superstitions, were transplanted from the native countries of the original settlers. The origin of many of these in the remote past is lost; but customs often out-

live the ideas which gave birth to them. On the annual return of Christmas the yule log and Christmas candles were burned among the English as in ancient times in "merrie England " and the Dutch celebrated the holi- days with still greater zest after the manner of their fore. fathers in the Netherlands. St. Nicholas, or "Santa Klaas," was regarded among the Dutch children as a veritable personage, and they had a hymn in the Dutch language which they sang on the occasion of their Christ- mas festivities, the first line of which was, "Sanctus Klaas goedt heyligh man" (St. Nicholas good holy man.) The practice which was introduced by these Dutch settlers of having their children's stockings hung up to be filled by Santa Klaas is far from being extinct. New Year's eve and the first of January were formerly cele- brated in a noisy way by firing guns at the doors in a neighborhood, when the neighbors thus saluted were ex- pected to invite their friends in to partake of refresh- ments and then join them to thus salute others till all the men were collected together, when they repaired to a rendezvous and passed the day in athletic sports and target firing. When the style was changed the Dutch here at first refused to recognize the change in their celebration of these festivals. New Year was never cele- brated with greater cordiality and hospitality than by these people, and their old customs are plainly traceable in the manner of keeping the day still in vogue here.

St. Valentine's day, called among the early Dutch here "Vrouwen dagh," or women's day, was a time of great hilarity among the young people. One peculiarity in their manner of celebrating it was as follows: "Every girl provided herself with a cord without a knot in the end, and on the morning of this day they would sally forth, and every lad whom they met was sure to have three or four smart strokes from the cord bestowed on his shoulders. These we presume were in those days considered 'love taps' and in that light answered all the purposes of the 'valentines ' of more modern times."

203

ORANGETOWN-EARLY RECORDS.

Easter day, or " Pausch" (pronounced Paus), was ob- by an act of the Provincial General Assembly, in 1737, a served by religious services as well as merrymakings, and Court House was directed to be built at Goshen; that these continued through Easter week. Among their customs was that of making presents to each other of colored eggs, called Easter eggs, and this still prevails among some of their descendants. the old Court House was burned at Tappan in 1774, as no mention is made of it after that date; and that a Court House was built at New City to take its place, as the towns of Haverstraw and Orangetown are directed to raise £125 to repair it as early as 1784.

"Pinckster dagh," or Pentecost, was once celebrated by the Dutch here by good cheer amony neighbors, among whom soft waffles were peculiar to this festival.

SUPERVISORS OF OLD ORANGE COUNTY.

The first recorded meeting of the Supervisors of old Orange county was held March 29th 1723, in Orange- town. On that occasion, the account of Dirck Straat, allowed for meals, drink, and lodging to the Supervisors, comes to 19s. 712d. At that date there were only three Supervisors. It took two days, however, to do very little work. James Osborn, from the precinct of Goshen, spent four days in going to and from the place of meet- ing. In 1728, they were no longer recorded simply as Supervisors, but as Supervisors representing certain pre- cincts, as Orangetown, Haverstraw, Goshen, and Minis- cinct. Many of their meetings were held in the Court House in Orangetown. For the first time they met in 1757, at the house of Casparus Maybee, and continued to meet there till 1774, when they met at the house of Stephen Slott, in the Ramapo Clove, now Sloatsburgh. What was then Slott is now Sloat. Their next meeting was held at Goshen. Orangetown, in those days, was too near the enemy's lines to be agreeable. At that ineet- ing it was voted, that, "On account of the distress the inhabitants on the south side of the mountains have sus- tained by the enemy, there be taken off the quotas as they stood, fourteen thousand seven hundred and thirty dollars from the two precincts of Haverstraw and Or- angetown." At the next meeting, in 1780, on account of the continued distress, there was taken off the quotas of Haverstraw and Orangetown, as they stood, $20,000. In each instance the above sums were divided among the towns north of the mountains. In 1782, frio were taken off for the same reason. In 1783, £30 were taken off. In 1787, the precincts of Haverstraw and Or- angetown, by a law of the State, are directed to raise £125 to repair the Court House at New City, that Haver- straw pay £90 14s. 6d., and Orangetown £34 5s. 6d. These sums were reported in the particulars of these towns as having been raised at the meeting of Supervi- sors in 1787. They met at New City in 1790 and 1792, but nothing is said about meeting in the Court House. In 1793 the Supervisors met at New City Court House. So they did in 1794, 1795, and 1796. The last meeting of the old Orange county board was held at the house of Stephen Slott, October 2d 1798. At this date the towns had increased from three in 1793 to eight; Orangetown, Haverstraw, Clarkstown, and Hempstead (now Ramapo) south of the mountains, and Goshen, Miniscinct, Corn- wall, and Warwick north of the mountains. These rec- ords establish the fact that courts were held in 1727, and afterward, till the division of Orange county in 1798; that

When Rockland county was set off from Orange, in 1798, a new Court House was built at New City, to take the place of the first one erected there, and this was suc- ceeded by the present one in 1827. The jail was added in 1856. The whole cost was about $16,000. At a later date still, the Surrogate's and other offices were added, at a still further cost of $8,000.

FROM THE TOWN RECORDS.

" At a Town Election held the first Tuesday in April, 1744, Pursuant to an act of assembly;

" Henry Ludlow, Town Clark and Supervisor; John Cornelius Haring and John Akerson, overseers of the fence; Dolph Lent, constable; John Ferdon, John Nagle, John Perry, Commissioners of the highways; Overseers of the high road: Robert Holley for the Greenbush, J. Bartus Blawfilt for the wagon road, Daniel Vervelia for Closter, Thomas Van Houtten for Skeairecloy, Daniel Blawfilt for John Clows Land, Johannies Bogart for the mill road. Johannies Meyer, pound master; Renier Wortendyke, Dirck and Tisa Bogard, assessors; John - Peter Dau to rec'd the quit rent; Daniel Skureman and Cornelius Tallman, overseers of the poor; Abraham Smith, collector."

The above is a copy of the original record.

The following is copied from the town records:

" At the town Election held at Orange town the first tuesday in April Annof Domini 1783 Unanemusly Agreed that No Swine having their noses well ringed and yoked with yokes the length of the pieces runing up and down being below the Lower Cross piece at Least five inches and above the Upper Cross peace at least Six inches Shall be liable to be impounded Swine not so ringed and yoked Who shall get into any persons inclosure may be impounded and unless the owner Redems them in four days after notice Shall be given by advertisement be put up at the Church Dore of Such impounding by paying the damages & Costs and three shillings for each Swine So impounded then the Swine so impounded to be Sold at publick Vendue and the residue of the money arising by such sale after Such damages Cost and pounding Shall be paid to be delivered to the overseers of the poor.

" Recorded by me

" M. HOGENKAMP, Town Clerk."

The following is a list of the Supervisors of Orange- town from 1722 and Town Clerks from 1744 to 1884, in- clusive, with year of election:

Supervisors .- Rinear Kisarike, 1722; Cornelius Haring, 1723-28; Cornelius Smith, 1729-31; Barent Naugell, 1732, 1733; Gabriel Ludlow, jr., 1734-38; Henry Lud- low, 1740-46; John Ferdon, 1747; Adolph Lent, 1748- 57; David Blauvelt, 1758, 1759; Daniel Haring, 1760-

204

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

63; Abraham Haring, 1764; Johannes Blauvelt, 1765; Thonias Outwater, 1766-74; John M. Hogencamp, 1779, 1780, 1783-1796; Jonathan Lawrence, 1782; James Perry, 1797-1800: James Demarest, 1801; Samuel G. Verbryck, 1802, 1803; James Perry, 1804, 1805, Samuel G. Verbryck, 1806-19; John Perry, 1820; Samuel G. Verbryck, 1821, 1822; Richard Ellsworth, 1823; William Sickles, 1824-27; Samuel G. Verbryck, 1828, 1829; Isaac I. Blauvelt, 1830-34; Benjamin Blackledge, 1835-38; John Haring, jr., 1839-41; John J. Haring, 1842; John T. Blauvelt, 1843-45; John S. Verbryck, 1846, 1847; Simon D. Demarest, 1848, 1849; William E. Smith, 1850, 1851; John C. Blauvelt, 1852-54; John J. Lawrence, 1855; M. M. Dickinson, 1856, 1857; James S. Haring, 1858-63; William Dickey, 1863, 1864; James S. Haring, 1865-71; Isaac M. Dederer, 1872, 1873; Daniel D. Demarest, 1874, 1875; Henry A. Blauvelt, 1876-79; George Dickey, 1880, 1881; Hagaman Onderdonk, 1882; George Dickey, 1883.

Justices of the Peace .- There were Justices of the Peace prior to 1830, but no record has been kept of them. The following is the list of justices from 1830 to 1884, inclusive: Peter Smith, 1830; Adolphus L. Mabie, 1831- 35; James J. Demarest, 1832-36; Albert Lydacker, 1834; Jacob Ackerson jr., 1834; John McGahagen, 1836; Tu- nis Cooper jr., 1836; Garret Tallman, 1836-38-42; John Haring jr., 1837; Nicholas Brown, 1839; Cornelius Dick- inson, 1839-41; John C. Blauvelt, 1840; Abram House, 1841-44-47; John J. Lawrence, 1842-45; Stephen H. Lawrence, 1843; James J. Demarest, 1845-48-52; Isaac Blauvelt, 1846-50-54; C. I. Haring, 1847; John S. Ver- bryck, 1849-53; John McGahagen, 1849; Henry E. Sloat, 1850; M. M. Dickinson, 1851; Isaac M. Dederer, 1855; Tunis I. Blauvelt, 1856; John V. B. Johnson, 1857; Dan- iel Burr, 1857; Abram B. Stephens, 1858; John A. Bo- gart, 1860-64-68-72-77; John J. Lawrence, 1860; Peter Stephens, 1860-62-66-70-74; John S. Verbryck, "1861; John Van Orden jr., 1863-67-71-75; Henry A. Blauvelt, 1865-69; Sylvanus B. Huested, 1873-79; Jacob Horn, 1876; James S. Haring, 1877; Charles H. Meeker, 1878; John C. Haring, 1879; Albert O. Bogart, 1880; John J. Lawrence, 1881; Orlando Humphrey, 1882; John Van

Orden jr., 1882; William B. Slocum1, 1883; Edward H. Cole, 1883.

List of town officers elected at the annual town meet- ing held in and for the town of Orangetown, March 18th 1884: George Dickey, Supervisor; Eugene C. Fisk, Town Clerk; A. O. Bogert, Justice of the Peace; James H. Smith, Assessor; William N. Sickels, Commissioner of Highways; Cornelius De Baun, Poor Master; Henry Quidor, Collector; William H. Conklin, David Shak- spear, William Campbell, Charles F. Kirkpatrick, W. H. Harris, Constables; Harry D. Towner, Game Con- stable; Abram Blauvelt, Excise Commissioner.

NYACK.

EARLY HISTORY.

Town Clerks .- Henry Ludlow, 1744, 1745; Robert ago, and what advancement has been made in their Hallett, 1746, 1747; John De Wint, 1748-52; Thomas Outwater, 1754, 1755; Andries Onderdonk, jr., 1758-60; Thomas Outwater, 1761-73; Jan Myndert Hogenkamp, 1778-91; James Demarest, 1792-97; Teunis Smith, 1798; Richard Blauvelt, 1799-1817; Cornelius Sickles, 1818- 20; Richard Elsworth, 1821, 1822; David Clark, 1823, 1824; Richard Blauvelt, 1825-27; Cornelius I. Blauvelt, 1828, 1829; James J. Demarest, 1830-38; John B. Blau- velt, 1839, 1840; Abram House, 1841-45; George Van Houten, 1846; Jeremiah Youmans, 1847; John S. Ver- bryck, 1848, 1849; Henry A. Blauvelt, 1850-54; Richard P. Eells, 1855, 1856; A. Thompson Blauvelt, 1857, 1858; John W. Blauvelt, 1859-67; James S. Haring, 1868; Henry A. Blauvelt, 1869-72; John H. Blauvelt, 1873; John A. Haring, 1874-82; William B. Slocum, 1883.

It may be a matter of interest to the modern Nyackers to know how their predecessors lived two hundred years manners and customs since that period. In the " Journal of a voyage to New York in 1679-80," by Jaspar Dankers and Peter Sluyter, there is a careful description of a house of the Nyack Indians of Long Island, an Algon- quin tribe affiliated linguistically with the Virginia In- dians. "We went from hence to her habitation," these authors said, " where we found a whole troupe together, consisting of seven or eight families, and twenty or twenty-two persons, I should think. Their house was low and long, about Go feet long and fourteen or fifteen wide. The bottomn was earth, the sides and roof were made of mud and the bark of chestnut trees; the posts or columns were limbs of trees stuck in the ground and all fastened together. The top or ridge of the roof was open about half a foot wide, from one end to the other, in order to let the smoke escape in the place of a chim- ney. On the sides of the walls of the house the roof was so low that you could hardly stand under it. The en- trance or doors, which were at both ends, were so small and low that they had to stoop down and squeeze them- selves to get through them. The doors were made of mud or flat bark. In the whole building there was no lime, stone, iron, or lead. They build their fires in the middle of the floor according to the number of families which live in it, so that from one end to the other, each of them boils its own pot and eats when it likes, not only the families by themselves, but each Indian alone, ac- cording as he is hungry, at all hours, morning, noon, and night. By each fire are the cooking utensils, consisting of a pot, a bowl or calabash, and a spoon, also made of a calabash. These are all that relate to cooking. They lie upon mats with their feet towards the fire on each side of it. They do not sit much on anything raised up, but for the most part sit on the ground or squat on their ankles. Their other household articles consist of a calabash of water, out of which they drink, a small bas- ket in which to carry and keep their maize and small beans, and a knife. All who live in one house are gen- erally of one stock or descent, as father and mother, and

205

ORANGETOWN-EARLY HISTORY OF NYACK.

their offspring. Their bread is maize, pounded on a " The first grant of land was in 1671, under King James, from Philip Carteret, Governor of the Province of New block by a stone, but not fine. This is mixed with water and made into a cake, which they bake under the hot Jersey, under the Right Hon. Lord John Berkeley, to ashes. They gave us a small piece when we entered, and although the grains were not ripe, and it was half baked and coarse grains, we nevertheless had to eat it, or at least not throw it away before them, which they would have regarded as a great sin or a great affront. The giving of maize or bread to a stranger when he first enters the house, was in obedience to a usage universal in the Indian family."

On a map of New Netherland, according to the char- ters granted by the States General of Holland in 1614 and 1621, which accompanies Brodhead's History of New York, Nyack Bay is located near New Utrecht on Long Island, back of Coney Island. It is referred to once as the place where the West India Company made a purchase of land. It is again referred to as the place where the English anchored their ships when they came to drive out old Peter Stuyvesant and his Dutch adher- ents and rob them of their possessions in New Amster. dam. On our modern map is found the name transferred from the old Utrecht Bay to that place on the Hudson where Nyack now is. It can easily be imagined that some of the early settlers, having discovered the beauties of this place, packed their household treasures, gave an extra rubbing to the ruddy faces of their children and at an early hour on some propitious day, embarked on a Dutch sloop, and with favoring wind and tide, landed before night on this shore where they pitched their tents and founded the new settlement. Since then, in order to prevent geographical confusion, the old Nyack has been 'dropped out of the maps altogether, and the new home inserted in its place. The records also show that the Cornelisons once bought lands from the Indians on old Nyack Bay. Some of these very Cornelisons located where South Nyack now is and erected that dignified and substantial stone mansion, with its quaint surround- ings, now occupied by John L. Salisbury and his family.

"Seventy-five years ago the spot where the village of tracts in this region were already possessed by earlier Nyack now stands was little more than an unbroken for- patentees. est. The hills were heavily wooded, while the rest of " William III, by the grace of God, King of France, Holland, England, and Scotland. , the land was grown over with brush and cedars, forming a tangled and almost inpenetrable mass, with here and there a space cleared for the planting of wheat.

" The entire district, from Hook Mountain on the north to Wayside Chapel on the south, and from the river to the summit of the Nyack hills, was divided into ten farms. Beginning at the south was that of Michael Cor. nelison sen., which reached up to De Pew's bridge. Then came that of Abran Tallman and Tunis Harman Tall- man, reaching from De Pew's bridge to the present line of Garret Sarvent. North of this was the farm of Garret Sarvent, next that of John Van Houten, and then that of Benjamin Knapp, covering the property at present owned by Hon. Hugh Maxwell. Next came the farm of Henry Palmer, and then that of Jeremiah Williamson; the last two, reaching up to the Hook Mountain, were those of Aury Smith and his brother, Major John Smith."

Claas Jansen von Purmarant, and extended from the brook near the residence of the late Dr. Hasbrouck, to the creek crossed by the bridge near the residence of Peter De Pew, at a yearly rental of one peppercorn per year. Michael Cornelison sen., having some time pre- vious married a daughter of Claas Jansen, succeeded, in 1765, in buying out the respective shares of all the other heirs, which, with the share inherited by his wife, consti- tuted him sole proprietor of the original grant from Philip Carteret.'

In 1790, a road two rods wide was laid out between the houses of William Bell and Widow Sarah Onderdonk, with sufficient swinging gates, of which by proof one had been previously allowed to Hendrick W. Bell. A private road passed through the farms between Piermont and Nyack, and then, for the first time, it was recognized as as a public road. But the farm lines were not disre- garded. The commissioners at that date were Cornelius C. Smith, Colonel Johannes Bell, and Major Johannes Blauvelt. Nyack did not have full access to the back country till 1827, when, by an Act of the Legislature, the Nyack Turnpike was opened. This, together with the building of the steamboat Orange at the same period, gave the little hamlet quite an impulse toward growth, so that in 1830 its population had increased to about 300. Since then the increased facilities for travel between it and the metropolis, and the establishment of manufac- tories, have caused a rapid growth, so that the little town that had but 300 inhabitants fifty years ago, has now a population of at least 4,000. Its situation, too, must be admitted by unprejudiced observers to be the most favorable of any on the river. Its form is that of an am- phitheatre, with a gentle ascent from the shore of the river to the mountain top.

The first patent in Nyack which can be found is given below. The reader will observe, however, that two

"Whereas, Cornelius Clausen, by petition to Banjamin Fletcher, Governor of the precinct of New York; that his father, Claus Jansen from Permerant below Pauws (or Paulus') Hook, owned a tract of land in Orange county in Orangetown, granted to him by patent from Philip Carterett, Governor of East Jersey, before the line between the States was well distinguished, lying on the Hudson River at the north end of Tappan, at a brook, thence northeasterly along the river 40 chains, thence north westerly 60 chains to the foot of the moun- tains, thence south-southwest above the mountains 40 chains, thence south-southeast to the river at the point of beginning, containing 240 acres. April 16th 1671.

"Also another tract lying on the north side of the above, beginning at said brook, running northerly along the river 80 chains, then west-nor'west 50 chains to the

* * *

* *

206

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

top of the mountain, thence south-southwest over the mountains So chains, thence east-southeast to the river 50 chains at the place of beginning, containing 400 acres. A. D. 1671.

"Also a piece of meadow 160 acres lying on the north side of Claus Jansen's and south side of Tunis Paulson's, west and north by the high hills and east by the river.

"Also 20 acres of meadow and bogs; west-southwest 20 chains and 13 chains wide; north by Harmanus Dows, by Claus Jansen van Permerant; west by the hills and east by the river, with a creek running through it to the river; the whole containing 180 acres.

" By General George Carterett, Baronet, &c. "October 20th 1678.

"Also at the same time another meadow and bogs, west-southwest 20 chains to the hill, thence along the hill 14 chains to a great rock; thence east-northeast 20 chains to the river; thence along the river to beginning; containing 28 acres. Bounded south by Herman Dow's, west by the hills north of Thomas Paulson, east by the river. All the said lands being defended to Cornelius Clausen.

"And whereas Cornelius Clausen hath purchased from Tunis Paulson a piece of land 150 acres; beginning at a red oak stump that parts Claus Van Permerant's land from said lands; thence west by north 50 chains; thence north along the foot of the mountain, 40 chains; thence along the river to the stump at beginning. Bounded north by Cornelius Clausen, south by Claus Jansen's, west by the mountains, and east by the river, leaving a their heirs and assigns forever. highway to pass through the same. A. D. December 6th 1694."

The following indenture is added, not because it is the next transfer of property (there were niany changes in the ownership of real estate in the period of forty-two years that elapsed between these two papers), but be- cause of its antiquity and curious wording when com- pared with the legal documents of to-day:

" This Indenture made the 26th day of March in the ninth year of the Reinge of Ower Sovering Lord, George, Kinge of Great Britian, France and Ireland, Kinge De- fender of the faith, Ano Domini One thousand seven hundred and thirty and six, Between Ayre Smith of the Township of Toppon in the County of Oringe of the one part and Gerret Onderdonk and Abrahamı Onderdonk, both of Longe Island, of the town of Heinsted and colony of New York.

" Yeomans witnessed that the said Ayre Smith, for and in consideration of the sum of 350 pounds of good and lawful money of the Province of New York, to him well and truly in hand paid before the ensealing and delivery of these preasants, the recept whereof I do hereby acknowledge and myself there width fully satisfied and thereof and therefrom and of and from every part and parcel thereof doth hereby acquit exonerate and forever Discharge the said Gerret Onderdonk and Abraham On. derdonk, to them their heirs, executors, administrators, and every one of them hath given, granted, baregained, solde, alinated, rewised, released, conveyed and con-

farined, and by these presants doth give, grant, baregain, sell alinate, rewise, release, convay unto the said Garret Onderdonk and Abraham Onderdonk, to them their heirs and assigns forever, All a certain farm or tract of land or meadows, situate laying and being at the North River on the west syde of said river in the bounds of Toppan in Oringe County, beginning at the north by a black oak sappling with a west line to the top of the hill and so alongh the said tell it comes to Gabriel Ludlow's" to a certain stone there standing and so down to the kreeck or brook and so along the kreeck or brook or sloot till it comes to the river and west along the said till itt comes to the first station, being bounded on the north by Tunis Dowse Tallman, west top of the hill, south by the creek or sloat, together containing three hundred and twinty accors, being the same more or less of it lyek width all and singular houses, barns, stables, or- cards, gardaing. meadows, fansings, ways, patches, pas- sages, watter or watter courses, benefits, comoditys, prev- lidges belonging to the same premises hereby granted, and reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof, and all the esteate, right, tittle, interest, possession, property, claim and demand, whatsoever of him the said Ayre Smith of in or to the said tract of land or any part or parcel thereof. To Have and to hold the sd. farm and all and singular other the premises with the appurtenances herefore mentioned or intended to be hereby granted and released and every part or parcel thereof unto the said Gerret Onderdonk

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 46

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993