History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 62

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 62

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The section of this road passing through the " Ramapo Pass," then almost a wilderness, was a difficult as it was an important one to keep in repair .*

Coming from the southeast and turning here, so that it Therefore, April 4th 1800, a stock company, officially known as the Orange Turnpike Company, was formed proceeds in a westerly course through the Ramapo Pass on toward Buffalo and Chicago, is the main line of the by act of Legislature, to which power was given to New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad, with its straighten and improve the road from the State line to Monroe, a distance of 20 miles, and to provide for the future maintenance of the road by the collection of tolls. double track and its hundred or more trains each day. It is joined here from the east by what is called the " Piermont Branch " of the same road.

The stock of this company was largely taken up by in- fluential citizens of Orange county, to whom the road was of special value. Of the original 67 stockholders re- ported on the treasurer's book, May 29th 1800, Aaron Burr's name comes first, followed by Peter Townsend, Seth Marvin, * * * J. G. Pierson & Brothers, *

* * John Suffern, etc.

Before the formation of this turnpike company, the " Albany Road," bending to the north shortly after crossing the New Jersey line, ran in front of the present Episcopal church at Suffern, to what is now the Nyack Turnpike, where it turned to the left, following the course of the present Nyack Turnpike to a point be- tween the Catholic and Methodist churches, where, strik- ing directly across to the Eureka House at the " Point of the Mountains," it proceeded westward along the valley of the Ramapo.

In 1869, the company was authorized by an act of the Legislature to abandon the western half of its road, which was done. The turnpike company, therefore, to- day owns but ten miles of road, viz., from the New Jer- sey line to Wild Cat Brook, and on this there is but one toll gate, viz., at Sloatsburg.

III. Nyack Turnpike.

Starting from Suffern, in an easterly direction toward the Hudson at Nyack, is the " Nyack Turnpike."

One need only glance at the map of roads in this sec- tion made in 1814 by Teunis Smith, to see why it was built. It " shortened the distance to a landing 4 or five miles."

" I find from an examination of our books," writes Mr. Jeremiah H. Pierson, February 19th 1806, " that we are

*From Kings Bridge the army marched through Ramapo on what we have called the New City road. Elizabeth Cooper, grandmother of Mr. William Furman, is said to have watched them pass her father's house, which stood near the brick church, and Washington, it is sald, lifted his hat to her. Upon reaching the " point of the mountains " the forces are said to have encamped near the house of Mr. Thomas W. Suffern, on Nyack Turnpike, about a mile east of Suffern village.

"The road was opened to Middletown, January 3d 1843: Port Jervis. January 6th 1848; Binghamton, December 28th 1848; Elmira, October 10th 1849; Hornellsville, September 30 1850; Dunkirk, April 22d 1851.

*That this is true is evident from an aet passed by the Legislature of New York, February 10th 1794, whereby the supervisors were anthor- ized to appoint "a freeholder" "to superintend rebuilding the bridge over the lunnpo Creek, in the town of New Hempstead, near the house of Lewis Shinert in the Clove." at an expense not exceeding END. This sum not being found sufflelent, March 5th 135 the supervisors were given power to raise by tax £56, 6s. lu addition.

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HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

transporting to and from the landing from our works only 872 tons, on an average, in one year; a saving of five miles in the distance will therefore save the transporting of one ton 4360 miles. To which add the freight of all Sterling Works, Ringwood, Dater's, and the forge building by Mr. Suffern, and the road is of considerable magnitude to this part of the community."

But it was not only the shortening of the distance to the river, and hence to market, which lead the manufacturers of the Ramapo Valley earnestly to desire this road, but also that they might reach a better landing. "The waters also at Haverstraw" writes Mr. Pierson, "are an extended flat, so that the boats never go to and from the docks ex- cept at high water, and the tides frequently being in- sufficient, the boats miss their weekly trips, and further, these flats freeze so that the landing is the most obstruct- ed by ice of any on the river below the Highlands. On

the contrary, Nyack has a channel close in shore and plenty of water at ebb tide, is far less obstructed with ice, and boats have repeatedly sailed for weeks together from that dock when Haverstraw and the Sloat were both fast with ice, and is 9 or 10 miles nearer New York."

For these considerations and others, after repeated petitions, by an act of Legislature April 17th 1816, the Nyack Turnpike Company was incorporated with Teunis Smith, Robert Hart, Abraham Tallman, Teunis De Pew, Peter Smith, Jeremiah H. Pierson, Edward Suffern, John E. Myers, and William Young, incorporators. The road "to begin at the cross road near Nyack landing, in Or- angetown, in the county of Rockland, between the houses along the old road, until in front of said Peter Smith's dwelling house, and front thence the most direct and con- venient route to the Orange Turnpike road, and to pass in front of the dwelling house of John Suffern in the town of Hempstead in said county."

The stock was to consist of 700 shares of $25 each, Jeremiah H. Pierson, John E. Myers, and Teunis Smith were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions for the stock, and no toll gate was to be placed within one-half mile of its junction with the Orange Turnpike.

April 20th 1830 a further act was passed by the Legis- lature, entitled " An act to improve the State Road from the Orange Turnpike to Nyack in the county of Rock- land," by which J. H. Pierson and Edward Suffern of the town of Ramapo, Lucas Ackers and Isaac Lydacker of Clarkstown, and John Green, Teunis Smith, and Peter Smith of the town of Orange were appointed trustees to superintend such repairs and improvements.

The charter of the Nyack Turnpike was renewed June 18th 1853.

As originally run the road made a detour to the south at Monsey to avoid a swamp, and it passed out of the town about a mile east of the "Little Church in the Orchard." (See history of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Spring Valley).

In 1871 the Alturus Company opened a road from Monsey directly across the swamp toward Spring Valley, which road is largely travelled under the impression that

it is the Nyack Turnpike. It joins the turnpike near the " Dutch Factory."

About a mile and a half southeast of Suffern, on the north side of the turnpike, is a huge boulder. Prof. Cook, State Geologist of New Jersey, says, that this is the largest boulder to be observed in this part of the country, that "the rock is a Feldspathic Gneiss traversed by veins of Syenite; that it may not have travelled far, as the nearest outcrop of Crystaline rock is not more than two miles away," and that its dimensions are 45 by 30 by 25 feet, and its estimated weight 1,500 tons. IV. The Haverstraw Road.

Starting at Suffern and running in a northerly direc- tion to the Hudson at Haverstraw is what is known as Haverstraw road. In early days the road coming from New Jersey, and passing in front of the present Episco- pal church (see history of Orange Turnpike), upon reaching the house of Mr. Suffern on the Nyack Turn- pike, branched, one part proceeding westerly to the point of the mountain, and so up the valley to Ramapo and Goshen, the other striking directly across to the base of the mountain, and so in a northerly direction to Camp Hill and Haverstraw. This last was the basis of what is now the Haverstraw road.

"The Road to the River " was the occasion of no little controversy in the first years of the present cen- tury.

That one was needed to accommodate the growing manufactories of the Ramapo Valley was admitted by all. It was only troublesome to decide where such a

of Teunis Smith and Peter Smith, running thence westerly | road should run. Friends of both Haverstraw and Nyack, naturally desiring that trade should be turned toward them, zealously presented the claims of their special locality, while individual property owners, anx- ious that such a thoroughfare should pass by them, advo- cated their claims with equal tenacity. We have already seen, in the history of the Nyack Turnpike, some of the reasons which influenced the Legislature to incorporate that company.

That there were strong reasons presented for making a road to Haverstraw is also clear, from the fact that on April Ist 1814 the Legislature passed " An Act to Incor- porate the New Antrim and Waynesburgh Turnpike Company.'

This company, of which Halstead Coe, Edward Suf- fern, Josiah Conklin, John Knap, John D. Coe, Elias Gurnee, Andrew Suffern, John Felter, and Abram Dater were trustees, was authorized to issue stock to the amount of 640 shares, at $25 a share, and to build a turnpike, "to begin at the dwelling house of John Suf- fern, situated in the town of New Hempstead, from thence in a direct course, as nearly as may be, to such a point in the village of Waynesburgh, late Warren (now Haverstraw), as the commissioners, Edward Suffern, John Knap, John D. Coe, Josiah Conklin, Elias Gurnee, and George Smith, shall direct." But, though formed, as far as we know, nothing was done by this company, at least in the town of Ramapo.

The road to the river, "under the base of the moun-

RAMAPO-RAILROADS-VILLAGES.

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tains," was gradually straightened and improved by or- dinary methods until its present form was reached.

same), Sherwoodville, and Furmanville, leaves the town of Ramapo at Ladentown and Camp Hill.

About three miles from Suffern a road branches froin the Haverstraw road to the east, called the New City road, along which one, passing the two Baptist churches, Mechanicsville, Cassady's Corners, " The Brick Church," and "The English Church," can drive to the county seat at New City. This last road leaves the town half a mile east of English Church.

Besides these four roads starting from or passing by the " Point of the Mountains " at Suffern we may men- tion

V. The Sterling Mountain Railway.

This road runs from Sterlington, on the Erie Railroad, to Lakeville, New York (Sterling Lake), a distance of 7.6 miles. It was built to transport ore, etc., from the Sterling iron mines and furnaces.

The company was organized May 18th 1864, and the road was opened November Ist 1865. The gauge of the road originally was six feet, but in 1882 it was changed to the standard, 4 feet, 872 inches. At present this road is offering special inducements for excursions along its line to Sterling Lake, one of the most pictur- esque spots in the State.

VI. The New Jersey and New York Railroad.

This road runs from the Erie Junction, New Jersey, to Stony Point, New York, a distance of 31.50 miles. It was formed November 4th 1874, by a consolidation of the Hackensack and New York, and the Hackensack and New York Extension Companies.

The road was opened May 3d 1875. A receiver was appointed in 1877. The original lines were sold sepa- rately, the Hackensack and New York Railroad, August 14th 1878, the Hackensack and New York Extension Railroad, November 1879.

'The New Jersey and New York Railroad Company was organized April 3d 1880. As at present run this road enters the town of Ramapo at Spring Valley, and proceeding almost due north, leaves the town about a mile and a half north of Pomona station. Along its line in the town are Spring Valley, Union Station, New Hempstead, Alexis Station, and Pomona.

There are other roads in the town, such as the road from Sloatsburg to Johnsontown, the roads running north and south through Tallman's, Monsey, and Spring Valley, as well as numerous cross roads, but the above seem all that require special mention.

VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.

In tracing the history of the several villages and ham- lets in the town it will be convenient to begin at Orange county and to speak of such as may lie along the follow- ing roads in their order: The Orange Turnpike, the Ny- ack Turnpike, the New City road, and the Ilaverstraw road.

Coming down the Orange Turnpike then, from the vil- lage of Southfield, formerly Cheesecocks, in Orange

DATER'S WORKS OR PLEASANT VALLEY.

The history of Bergen county, N. J., in enumerating the early settlers of that region speaks of Abram Da- ter, " who settled on land now owned by Henry Went- zelt and had sons Abram, Henry and Adam "

We find this "Grandfather Dater " established in the iron business at Pleasant Valley in the first years of the present century. The product of his forges was mer- chant iron which, when finished, was carted to Nyack, and thence by river to New York.

In 1806 Mr. Jeremiah H. Pierson writes: "We have concluded to offer you (Mr. Dater) £45 per ton for iron of sterling pig drawn to guage, provided you engage to deliver us a given quantity say 30 or 40 tons or the chief part of the iron you make."

In 1812 Mr. Dater was the second largest taxpayer in Hempstead (Ramapo).|

In 1813 he had "six forges and employed about 140 persons." In 1820 the firm was Dater & Ward, Thomas Ward, Mr. Dater's son-in-law, having been taken into partnership.

In 1831, upon the death of Abram Dater, the works were sold to the Sterling Company, which operated them for a short time.

In 1849 they came into the hands of N. Potter Thomas. Later they were run by A. H. Dorr; and later still or until 1854 they were under the charge of John Sarsen.

These forges were located on both sides of the Ramapo, and the site at present is marked by the store of George Washington Dater, grandson of Abram, the founder of the works, and by a large building adjoining the dam at this point, which was erected in 1882 by the Hon. Charles Siedler, of Jersey City, for mill use, but as yet unoccu- pied.

Mr. Dater also ran a grist mill, located on the west bank of the Ramapo, and a forge known as " The Split Rock Forge" on Stony Brook, about three quarters of a mile from Sloatsburg, at the present site of Edward F. Allen's mill dam. Mr. Allen's dam now covers the Split Rock from which the forge was named.

Here, about the year 1835, Mr. Dater's partner, Thomas Ward, built a saw mill, which in 1847-49 was used by Adna Allen as a hoe factory, and since 1871 by

*Michael Weiman or Weymer was a farmer who was settled at this point at the opening of the century. The ruins of his saw mill dam may still be seen in the Ramnpo River at this point.

+This farm is located on the Island Road from Suffern to Paterson, about 3 miles from Suffern.

IThe fourteen largest taxpayers in 1812, with amounts paid, were : Jeremiah HI. Pierson, $48.77; Abrum Dater. $17.50; John Suffern. $17.12; Mrs. Abigail Gurnee, $13.15; Isaac Sloat. $10.74; Abram C. Smith, $10,59; Cornelius A. Blauvelt, $9.34; Josinh Conklin, $9.28; Juo. A. Bluntvelt. 39.07; John S. Coe, $8.50; JJohn Gurnee. $8 66; Rich. Wannamaker, $8.50; Gilbert Johnson, $8.43; Solomon Towusend, $8.00.

The road passing by Wesley Chapel (see history of county, past the mines of the Old Agusta Works, we en- ter Rockland county and the town of Ramapo to the east of the mill dam formerly of Michael Weiman,* and having proceeded about half a mile come to the site of what was once known as

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

272

Edward Allen, his son, as a grist mill. In 1878 Mr. accounts of the loan officers appointed in the county of Allen added a saw mill and bark mill.

Half way between Dater's and Sloatsburg, on the Orange Turnpike, is the shoddy mill of H. Knapp. Originally this was a frame building used by the Sloats. burg Manufacturing Company as a grist mill. It was purchased by Mr. Knapp in 1874, burned by spontaneous combustion in 1878, but immediately rebuilt, and now employs 6 men and 15 women, and turns out 18000 pounds of shoddy in bulk, per month.

SLOATSBURG.

About half a mile south of Dater's. on the Orange Turnpike, is Sloatsburg, so called from the family of Sloats which owned the land and founded the industries of the place. The Indian name was Pothat or Pothod, as written in several old deeds and papers.

The history of the place may be said to commence on the 7th of March 1738, when Wynant Van Gelder pur- chased of the native Indian proprietors the tract of land upon which the village now stands (see history of early settlers in, the Clove).

Van Gelder, who is spoken of in the History of Ber- gen County, New Jersey, as one of the first settlers in that region, appears to have been the fortunate father of a fair daughter, and when young Isaac Van Duser, who had recently purchased the property in the Clove next adjoining to the south, claimed the hand of this daughter in marriage, the father not only gave the daughter, but

In answer to these petitions, the line was moved to its also, on the 13th of June 1747, the tract of land pur- present position, i. e., crossing the Orange Turnpike " to chased from the Indians.

But history repeats itself. Van Duser too, had a fair daughter, and when Stephen Sloat, a Hollander, born March 25th 1727, coming from New York city, claimed the hand of this daughter, the father, not to be outdone by his father-in-law, gave his daughter not only, but, June 3d 1763, the tract of land which he himself had re- ceived as his wedding dower.

From this marriage there were born to Stephen Sloat, John, Isaac, Mary, and Elizabeth.

United States navy, and was killed in the Revolution.

Isaac, the second son, inherited the family estate.

Mary married James Westervelt, a merchant of New York, and Elizabeth died in youth.

Isaac, the inheritor of the estate, left two sons, Stephen and Jacob, who succeeded to the property jointly.

The stone house at present occupied by William L. Sloat was the original Sloat mansion .* It was of ca- pacious dimensions, and served for a public house on this post road from New York to Albany.

Here, at the house of Stephen Sloat "in the Clove," for 23 years after the separation of the counties of Or- ange and Rockland, the Supervisors of the two counties, together with one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of each county used to meet " for the purpose of inspecting and examining the mortgages, minutes, and

Orange under the act for loaning moneys belonging to the State;" and here too the stages used to delight to stop for dinner.

February 23d 1798, when Rockland county was set off from Orange, the line of division ran from Popolens Kill on Hudson's River, " on a direct course to the south- easternmost corner of the farm of Stephen Sloat, and then along the south bounds of his farm to the southwest corner thereof, and then on the same course to the bounds of the State of New Jersey." But after March Ist 1800, we find several petitions to the Legislature from the inhabitants of this section praying that the line be moved farther east.

Those residing in Rockland county showing how the line as then run interfered with the manufacturing in- terests of the valley by calling persons employed in the manufactories "to do military duty and work on the highways " on different days, and by giving the employ- ers "frequent occasion to interest themselves in the litigious disputes among their workmen living in differ- ent counties." And those residing in Orange county showing "the great inconvenience experienced owing to their remote situation from where the courts are held and county business transacted; whereas, if the line was so altered as to take them in or annex them to the county of Rockland, the distance would not exceed one-half what it now is."

the east of Michael Weiman's dam," and running thence to the 20th mile stone on the Jersey line.

Jacob, the second son of Isaac Sloat, was a mechanical | genius, and may be said to be the founder of the manu - facturing operations of Sloatsburg.

The first mill was built in 1815 .* It was a frame building about 20 by 60 feet, with three stories and two wings, one being a machine and smith shop where heavy mill screws and vises had previously been made.

This mill, which is still standing, marked the exact site John was the father of the late Admiral Sloat of the of the wigwam of one of the old Indian proprietors of

the land, and here the daughter of Van Duser, Mrs. Isaac Stoat, used to visit the Indian women, by whoin she was taught the art of shooting with a bow and arrow the trout which were then large and abundant in the Ramapo.

In this mill Mr. Sloat commenced the manufacture of cotton cloth in connection with stocks and dies, in which latter article he led the market of New York.t

About 1824, Charles Danforth, of locomotive fame, was engaged with Mr. Sloat, as overseer of his mill, at a sal- ary of $1.25 per day. While thus employed, he conceived the idea of a new spindle, which, after much labor and many experiments, he was forced to abandon.

Jacob Sloat, who had watched the new invention with

*A tannery had, however. been operated hy Isaac Sloat as early as 1792.

+We are Indebted for the faets in this history to an article on " Slonts- burg and Jacoo Sloat," published by J. J. Sloat. of Wyekott, New Jer- sey, in the Paterson Daily Guardian, of Tuesday, July 18th 1842, from which artiele we quote freely.

*The old doors to this house had many bullet inarks whleh told of encounters In-Revolutionary times.

REFERENCES.

1. Nail Works, and Rolllng Mill.

2. Steel Furnaces.

8. Foundry.

4. Pattern Shop.

6. Wheelwright Shop.

6. Store Room and Hoe Factory.

7. Coal House.

8. Forgo and Wire Works.

9. Smith Shop.

10. Cotton Mill.

11. Dye House.

12. Screw Factory and Machine Shop.

13. Store House.

14. Coal Ilouse.

15. School House.

16. Parsonage.

17. Storo House.

18. Store.

19. Grist Mill.

20. Saw 3fill.

21. Straw Mill.

22. Horse Stablos.

23. Oxen and Mule Stables.

24. Mule Stahles. 25. Mulo Stables.

28. Barn and Slaughter House.

27. Barn.

28. Carriage House.

29 Plerson Family Mansion. 20. Plerson Family Mansion.

81. Old Road through "Pass" now Orange Turnpike.

The Village oxtended beyond the limits of this sketch, and Included the church and burying grounds, and 19 dwelllags not herein shown.

RAMAPO.

+1=

RAMAPO "IN YE OLDEN TIMES."

PHOTZ LITH ET QUE+ ITE NELL HE NIA WILLIAMET N

273

RAMAPO-VILLAGES.

interest, seeing the reason of Danforth's failure, offered to complete the work if Mr. Danforth would consent to share the profits, and having received an affirmative an- swer, went to his shop, made a conical cap, fitted it to a spindle, attached that to one of the spinning frames, and lo! " The Cap Spindle " was a success.

For this valuable improvement, Mr. Danforth obtained patents both in this country and in Europe, from which he realized large profits. But no articles of agreement having been signed by Danforth and Sloat, the latter never received a penny for his invention.

The mill at Sloatsburg continued running on cloth, with but few changes or improvements, until about the year 1836, when one of the wings was torn down, and in its place was erected a wing 20 by 30 feet, three stories high, the lower floor being used as a machine shop; an addition was also built to the north side of the main building, thus giving the structure the form of a T.

In 1838 weaving was discontinued, and the mill was run on fine and coarse wraps. In 1839 the firm of J. Sloat & Co. was established. It comprised Stephen and Jacob Sloat, John Quackenbush, and John S. Westervelt.

New and improved machinery was added, and in addi- tion to the old branches of business, the manufacture of cotton twine was commenced.

In 1840, Jacob Sloat, having patented a. process for dressing cotton twine, the demand for twine became so great that all the spindles were turned upon its manufac- ture. This led to the erection of the first brick mill, in 1846, a building 152 by 34 feet, which increased the manu- facturing capacity of the company from 2,500 pounds per week to 6,000 pounds.

In 1853 "The Sloatsburg Manufacturing Co." was in- corporated, comprising the members of the old firm, who continued the business.

In 1857, 128 feet were added to the brick mill, thus connecting it with the original structure and making a building 340 feet in length. By this addition the capacity of the company was increased to 8,000 pounds per week. The war of the Rebellion interfered with the manufacture of cotton goods, and the company ceased operations in August 1878.

Jacob Sloat retired from the management of the busi- ness in 1851 and died in 1858.

The property is now owned by William L. and Henry R. Sloat.

The old mill has been run since 1882 by Robert Mc. Cullough, as a spun silk thread mill.

Sloatsburg is a station on the New York, Lake Erie, and Western Railroad. It has a Methodist Episcopal church, a school house, a post office established March 27th 1848, three general stores run by Allen & Pem- bleton, John Whritnour, and Fred Sloat, a hardware store and lumber yard run by Theodore Haff, a shoe shop by J. J. Barbarow, a meat shop by John Morris, a hotel kept by Samuel Post, and about 50 houses.

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History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 62

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