USA > New York > Putnam County > Garrison > History of St. Philip's church in the Highlands, Garrison, New York, including, up to 1840, St. Peter's church on the manor of Cortlandt > Part 20
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RICHARD DEAN ARDEN (1840-57) the son of James Arden by his wife, Eliza Dean, was born in New York on the 12th of September, 1777. He came to live in the Highlands about 1819, and resided at "Ardenia," the homestead built but never occupied by William Henderson, a son-in-law of Mr. Denning, and there he spent the remainder of his long life. He was a fine specimen of a country gentleman of the old school, an excellent shot, an ardent sportsman, abstemious and given to hospitality. By his marriage on September 17th, 1806, to Jane de Peyster, he became connected with one of the best known New York families. He was
1 Barrett, Old Merchants of New York, p. 330.
302 The History of St. Philip's Church
a staunch supporter of the Church and the connection of the Ardens-father and son-with the Vestry of St. Philip's covered a period of nearly sixty years. He died at the ripe old age of eighty-eight on July 17th, 1865, and is buried in the family plot in the churchyard.
CORNELIUS NELSON (1802; 1811-29; 1836-41) was a member of the Vestry for a quarter of a century. The fourth son of Justus, he was born February 25th, 1758. He married Chloe, daughter of Nicholas Budd, and died January 3rd, 1841. He is buried in St. Philip's churchyard.
JUSTUS NELSON, 2nd (1840-41), was a brother of Cornelius, and a son of Justus by his second wife, Phoebe Budd. He was born March 17th, 1780, and died Decem- ber 17th, 1851.
CORNELIUS NELSON, JR. (1841-2), was a son of Mephiboseth Nelson, a member of the Vestry in 1812. He was born on Christmas Day, 1780, and on February 26th, 1812, was married to Charity Jeacox by the Rev. John Urquhart, who thus records the marriage:
Married on Wednesday the 26th Feby, 1812, before several witnesses at the house of Jeacox in the High- lands, Cornelius Nelson and Charity Jeacox.
He served in the War of 1812 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Militia. About 1850 he removed from the parish and died at Scotch Plains, New Jersey, on November 25th, 1855.
CYRUS GAY (1841-2) was a small farmer and lived in what is now the house now owned by Walter Turner at Forsonville. He is said to be buried at Putnam Valley.
1
RICHARD DEAN ARDEN VESTRYMAN, 1840-1857
Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Philip's 303
GEORGE HAIGHT (1842-44) was a son of Daniel and succeeded his father on the Vestry. He married Chloe, daughter of Elisha Covert.
PETER BROSS (1842-44), confirmed in St. Philip's Church in 1847 by Bishop Onderdonk, was by trade a cooper, but, in the season, an expert shad-fisher. His workshop stood near the Hudson River and north of the Brook Kedron.
SAMUEL MANGAN WARBURTON GOUVER- NEUR (1844-52; 1864-76) served on the Vestry for twenty years. He was a son of Samuel Gouverneur, first Warden of the parish, and a brother of Frederick Philipse. He was born on September 9th, 1807. A man of leisure, he devoted much time and money to the laying out of the churchyard after the erection of the new church, for which service he received the special thanks of the Vestry. Mr. Gouverneur died on December 21st, 1876, and the Vestry thus expressed their sorrow at the death of their "friend and fellow-officer:"
We hereby express our heartfelt sense of the great loss we have sustained as a parish and community in the decease of one whose ever genial courtesy and considerate Christian character had endeared him through a long life of trust and responsibility to all ages and conditions about him. No one could be more missed from a region to whose interests he was bound by every tie of family, fortune and affection.
CHRISTOPHER HAIGHT (1847), born March 16th, 1776, married Sarah, daughter of Pheanas Nelson. He lived on the Philipse estate and died September 15th, 1854, aged 78 years. He is buried in the churchyard.
304 The History of St. Philip's Church
ADOLPHUS NATHANIEL GOUVERNEUR (1852-3) was one of three brothers who, in addition to their father, served on the Vestry. He was the second son of Samuel Gouverneur and was born on September 29th, 1805. He married Elizabeth Georgiana Gill, and died on the 28th day of August, 1853.
JOHN HOPPER (1852-3) was confirmed in St. Philip's Church by Bishop Carlton Chase in 1852. He was by trade a shoemaker and lived near the river. He afterwards removed to a house on the Turnpike road, where he died.
About the middle of the nineteenth century a group of new men began to settle in the Highlands. Most of them were strong Churchmen and they served the parish with great fidelity. The Livingstons settled here about 1848, and four years later they were followed by RICH- ARD UPJOHN (1852-78). Shortly after came William H. Osborn, Hamilton Fish and Samuel Sloan. They came just in time to take up the work of the Gouver- neurs and the Moores. Born in 1802, Mr. Upjohn's mother was the daughter of the Rev. Richard Michell, Vicar of St. James, Shaftesbury, in the county of Dorset, England. He was a distinguished architect, and among the many noble and enduring monuments to his genius is Trinity Church, New York. On coming to Garrison he purchased the historic house of Jacob Mandeville at the "Four Corners," where the first Church services were held in 1770. He was the architect of the present parish church. Mr. Upjohn died on August 17th, 1878, in the seventy-seventh year of his age, greatly mourned by all his associates in parochial work. He rests under
Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Philip's 305 the shadow of the church he designed. On his death the Vestry adopted the following minute:
We, the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of S. Philip's Church in the Highlands, place on record our high appreciation of his character and ability, and our sense of the great loss which the Church in gen- eral and ourselves particularly have sustained in his decease. His long residence and warm interest in our parish (the present church of which was designed by him as a labor of love) and the marked consistency of his Christian life and example, demand this tribute of affection to our departed brother, as well as our unfeigned gratitude unto Almighty God.
WILLIAM DOMINICK GARRISON (1863-4; 1868-9), a grandson of Harry, and the eighth child of Judge John Garrison, was born at the Highland House on September 10th, 1838. With his election to the Vestry in 1863, father, son and grandson had sat on the Vestry for eighty-nine years. For three years William D. kept a country store in the parish, and for a time was a farmer at Plainfield, N. J., where he married on February 10th, 1863, Emma Louise Taylor. In 1866, with his brother George, he opened the far famed "Highland House," where the late Bishop Henry Codman Potter for some years brought his candidates for their pre-ordination retreat. Mr. Garrison afterward became one of the best known hotel men in the city of New York. He died on Decem- ber 6th, 1892, and is buried in the churchyard.
GEORGE MILLER (1863-4), a member of the Vestry representing St. James' Chapel, was the son of Justus and Susan Miller of Highland Falls. He settled at High- land Station, now Manitou, as a farmer and for several
306 The History of St. Philip's Church
years was Sexton of the Chapel. His first wife was Au- gusta Nelson; his second, Eliza I. Lounsberry. He died on the 24th of December, 1902, and was interred in the Hillside Cemetery, Peekskill.
NATHANIEL F. MOORE, LL.D., D. C. L. (1865-72) was a brother of William Moore, and a notable figure in the academic world. Born on Christmas Day, 1782, he was a son of Dr. William Moore, for forty years one of the leading physicians in the City of New York. Mr. Moore graduated from Columbia in 1802, and studied law in the office of Beverly Robinson, a grandson of the first Warden of this parish. He was admitted to the Bar in 1805. Twelve years later he became adjunct Profes- sor of Greek and Latin at Columbia, and from 1842 to 1849 he served as president of the college.1 The years of his retirement he spent in this parish, of which he was a devoted communicant and a generous helper. He died at the "Highland Grange" on the 27th day of April, 1872, in his ninetieth year, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Mark's in the Bowery, New York. On the occa- sion of his death the following minute was entered upon the records of the Vestry:
Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this world the soul of our deceased eminent brother, Nathaniel F. Moore, LL. D. ,
Resolved: That in the departure of this venerable and learned man our Church of which he was for many years a Communicant, has met with a great loss worthy of continued remembrance.
1 A Memorial Discourse of Nathaniel Fish Moore, LL. D., by Rev. B. I. Haight, S. T. D., LL. D., 1874.
Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Philip's 307
Resolved: That we hereby record our thanks to God and honor to Dr. Moore's memory in calling up numerous Christian acts of his life thereby affording in so eminent a degree a suggestive example to the world.
GEORGE E. MOORE (1865-7) resided but a few years in the parish, living in what is now the Allen home- stead, which he built. He was a man of frail health, and for that reason came to the Highlands from New York. An artist of no mean ability, he executed the pencil drawing of the old Church which is reproduced in this volume. He died at Garrison on July 24th, 1867, in the thirty-fourth year of his age and rests in Greenwood Cemetery.
GENERAL JAMES F. HALL (1867-77), who was born in New York City February 1st, 1822, came to re- side in the Highlands in later life because of its proximity to West Point where he had many military friends. Although engaged in business as a music publisher, he took a deep interest in military affairs, serving on the staff of his father, General William E. Hall, who com- manded the second Brigade of the New York National Guard. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was largely instrumental in raising the 1st New York Volunteer Engineers, which was mustered into service on October 10th, 1861, and of which he was gazetted Major. Much active service fell to his lot. He took part in the capture of Port Royal, Fort Pulaski, Morris Island, and the fights of Pocotalico and Olustee. He was with Sherman in the operations against Savannah and Charleston and served under Grant in the closing scenes of the War. In these numerous engagements Mr. Hall was distinguished for
308 The History of St. Philip's Church
great personal bravery, and was several times mentioned in dispatches. For "gallant and meritorious conduct" before Fort Sumter he was awarded a medal. Early in 1864 he became Brigadier-General, which rank was afterwards confirmed by the United States Senate.
His eldest son, William E. Hall, served as a Lieutenant on General Gilmore's staff, and his father, General Wil- liam E. Hall, was also in the service for a short time, so that three generations were at the front during the Civil War. At the close of the rebellion he entered the cus- toms service, and was Assistant Appraiser, Port of New York. Removing to Tarrytown about 1877 he became a Vestryman of Christ Church, died on January 9th, 1884, and was interred in the family vault in Greenwood Cemetery. On the death of his wife in 1903, his body was removed to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where it now rests.
WILLIAM S. LIVINGSTON (1875-91) came of Scotch ancestors, who were driven from Scotland by religious persecution and took refuge in Holland, from which country later descendants emigrated to America. He was a son of Francis Armstrong Livingston and was born in Rhinebeck on the 10th of January, 1823. He married on November 13th, 1847, Susan Livingston Armstrong of Trenton, N. J., and his second wife, whom he married on the 28th of March, 1889, was Emily Augusta Green, widow of William Blackwell. Settling in Garrison in the year 1848, he served on the Vestry for sixteen years, and dying in New York on December 30th, 1891, was buried in St. Philip's churchyard.
Although WILLIAM HENRY OSBORN (1877-8) only served on the Vestry for one year he was a steadfast
Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Philip's 309
friend of the parish. He was born of New England par- entage at Salem, Massachusetts, on December 21st, 1820. Eight fruitful years were spent at Manila, in the Philip- pine Islands, as a partner in an East India firm. Re- turning to New York about 1850, he married two years later Virginia, daughter of Jonathan Sturges, one of the leading merchants and philanthropists of New York City. On August 11th, 1854, Mr. Osborn was elected a Director of the Illinois Central Railroad, and filled that office for twenty-three years. On December 1st, 1855, he became president of the company and retained that office until July 11th, 1865. He continued as a director until 1877. In one capacity or the other he was a commanding in- fluence in the Illinois Central for nearly thirty years. His management was "characterized by prudence and consideration, remarkable skill and executive ability, firm and unceasing devotion to the interest of the com- pany, indomitable will and courage, and above all, strict integrity of purpose."1 In 1857 Mr. Osborn became a · resident landowner in Garrison, and from that time until his death was actively interested in the welfare of the community, being in all his service aided by his wife, to whose cherished memory a beautiful memorial altar now stands in the church. He died on March 2nd, 1894, aged seventy-four, and is buried in the churchyard.
FRANCIS ARMSTRONG LIVINGSTON (1880-5) was born on July 2nd, 1824, and, with his brother, Wil- liam, settled in Garrison about 1848. On the 8th of October, 1848, he was married in the Church of the
1 Historical sketch Illinois Central Railroad. W. K. Ackerman, pp. 62-8.
310 The History of St. Philip's Church
Ascension, New York, to Sarah Jane, daughter of Richard Dean Arden. In 1860 he came into possession of the riverside section of the South Farm where he resided until his death, which took place on Thursday, November 29th, 1894. He is buried in St. Philip's Churchyard.
JOHN M. TOUCEY (1890-1898) was a man of con- siderable prominence in the railroad world, winning his way from the position of brakeman to that of general manager of the New York Central system. For six years he served as Treasurer of the parish. In 1895 he presented to the church a fine two-manual organ "in filial devotion to the memory of Harriet Toucey and Emeline Butler Atwater," and only five days before his death he conveyed $5,000 in trust for its maintenance. He died on September 26th, 1898.
JOHN H. ISELIN (1890-3) served on the Vestry for three years. The son of John A. Iselin, he was born in the city of New York on September 15th, 1843. He came to reside in the Highlands through his marriage to Mary, daughter of Adolphus Nathaniel Gouverneur. He died at "Eagles Rest" on the 13th of July, 1895, and was buried in St. Philip's churchyard.
CHAPTER XI.
THE GLEBE FARM.
W HEN the Rev. John Doty was called as the first Rector of the United Churches in 1770, the problem of his support was a very mater- ial one. There were no parochial endowments and no pew rents. The parish adopted what was then-outside of Virginia-the general custom of subscriptions, to which was added a parsonage house and glebe. This afforded a permanent abode for the Rectors and some additional income from the land.
That from the outset the Vestry had in mind the ac- quisition of a glebe farm is evidenced in an extract from a letter addressed to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the year 1770. The letter, which is signed by the Wardens, says, "We can assure the Venerable Society that from the generous offer of Mr. Beverly Robinson, we have the hopes of a very good glebe provided within the year."1
An unknown writer of 1813 tells us that "The late Beverly Robinson Esq., having a wish to make the Es- tablishment permanent, took Mr. Doty and his wife into his own family until a Parsonage House and a Glebe could be furnished for a settled clergyman, and Mr. Robinson made a present to the Corporation of a farm of land lying on the then Post Road, and belonging to his estate, containing upwards of two hundred acres, and,
1 Hawk's Fulham Archives.
312 The History of St. Philip's Church
with the aid of a subscription, built a good house thereon, to which Mr. Doty removed."1
The glebe farm was the nearest land in Beverly Rob- inson's possession to St. Peter's Church, on the manor of Cortlandt. It contained some two hundred acres, lying on both sides of the King's Highway, now known as the Albany Post Road, in what was the southeasterly corner of Beverly Robinson's Water Lot, Number One, and in what is the southeasterly corner of Philipstown in Put- nam County. Its southerly boundary ran for a mile along the line which separated the Philipse Patent from the Manor of Cortlandt, which line now divides Putnam County from Westchester, and extended two chains to the westward of Canopus or Sprout's Creek.
The Catskill Aqueduct, now being built by the City of New York, crosses the line between Westchester and Putnam Counties at a point four and one-half miles to the eastward of the Hudson River, on land adjoining the easterly bounds of the glebe.
The Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Peter's, Peekskill and St. Philip's Chapel in the Highlands, sold at auction and conveyed the glebe farm to David McCoy on April 1st, 1839, for $5,001. Mr. McCoy died on February 27th, 1872. Through a partition suit, the property passed, March 17th, 1890, to his son, Nelson McCoy, who, having mortgaged it to William L. Todd to secure a loan of $1,600, died March 14th, 1896. On the first of November following Mr. Todd began proceedings to foreclose and, being put in possession by a referee's deed, dated April 13th, 1897, conveyed the property to Smith
1 Hobart MSS.
313
The Glebe Farm
Lent on May 1st, 1897. The title has since passed in succession to the Fidelity & Deposit Company of Mary- land, to Warren S. Jordan, to Cornelius J. Curtin and at last accounts was vested in Lowell M. Palmer. Most of the land lies on the westerly slope of Cat Hill and commands a fine view of a rugged wooded country. "The McCoy House" is the most southerly building on the Post Road in Putnam County, and stands on the west side of that road a short distance north of the fifty-one mile stone from New York.1 The parsonage, therefore, was about one mile and a half to the north of old St. Peter's Church, and about six miles to the south- east of St. Philip's, between which a highway (the old Peekskill-West Point road) had been opened before the Revolutionary War. Immediately to the north of the glebe, but in the valley of Sprout's Creek, lay the Conti- nental Village, which became, during that War, an im- portant strategic point and depot of supplies for the Con- tinental Army. It is repeatedly referred to by Major- General William Heath in his Memoirs as "the village."
Singularly enough the name "Glebe Farm" has per- sisted until very recently in all the conveyances, although it is more than a century since any of the Rectors have lived thereon. So also the county maps as lately as 1867 describe the farm as "The Parsonage."
At the time the glebe was given to the parish it was in the possession of Ebenezer Jones, from whom the Vestry purchased the "improvements." The land secured, the Vestry set about the erection of a parsonage, and at the
1 Since writing the above the "McCoy House" has been destroyed by fire.
314 The History of St. Philip's Church
meeting of March 23rd, 1772, it was "unanimously agreed to go and build Mr. Doty a house." It was also "agreed with Jerediah Frost to git the timber, draw the same the boards and other Meteralls which he may want for the said house. To do all the Carpenters and Joyners work and paint and glaze the same for Seventy five pounds."
The house was locally known as "the yellow house." In July it was "Ordered that Mr Dan Birdsall Call upon those persons for the money they have Promª to give Towards Building M" Doty's house and to account for the same when Required thirto." Three months later, at a Vestry meeting, "it was unanimously resolved to Build a Citchen and Piazor adjoining to Mr Doty's house on the North side, and the following persons say Dan Birdsall, John Johnson, Joshua Nelson, David Penoyer and Caleb Morgan have agreed with Jerediah Frost and David Penoyer to Do the carpenter work and have each of them promised there payment." The work was evi- dently somewhat delayed for the following July it was "ordered that Dan' Birdsall Do Employ a person to finish the Piazor of Mr Dotys house."
Scarcely was the parsonage house complete and the Rector settled therein when trouble began, evidenced by a document in the author's possession in the handwriting of Colonel Beverly Robinson, senior Warden of the parish. It runs as follows:
ADVERTISEMENT.
To Be Sold at Publick Vandue on Saturday ye Seventeenth day of December next at the house of John Mandivell in Peekskill to the highest Bidder, A farm in Dutchess County adjacent to the Mannor
Advertiment
Tobe Sold at Publich Vandue on Saturday of Seventeenth day of December next at the house of John Harinivell in Sechs till to the highest bidder A farm in Dutcheft County adjacent to the Manner of lostand whereon of Res Ma John Daly City lives containing two hundred two acres of Land, great part of which is cleared & fill for, Groping; there is an vaid farm a very good Dwelling houses two Mary high with two rooms & a large Entry below and these rooms and an fully above, fare placed in four of froorys, a good Kitchen Joining the house & A well mar of same, alf agon bearing Apple Orchard; The Conditions of sale are as follows. The profsection of the
fre mitted will be delivered on the first day of April next when a good & Sufficient Deed with an indispensable tille will be given by of Subscriber, fort on of Consideration of one third of purchase) money being fraid at that time, one other thing to be paid onor before of first day of December 175. & the other this on or before the first day of December 1776, Bond & Mortgageon I promised to be given as Security for the two last fragments. If the highest linder to whom of farmis thrush of lox does not comply with these conditions, the it to be set up again on the said firth day of April next, and if it should siet for more than it was Strueth off to him for, heis to have no advantage from if juon Sale, but if it should sell for left he must make up the deficiency any person inclinable to View of Law firm before of Day of Sale maybe showed the James by applying to Daniel Haight living on the premifles or by Sylvenind haight at my Mills near the James
The Yandice to begin at Bliven & locke in the fornoon of the day above Mentioned
Highlands Octo 28 1774 Rev. Robinson
ANNOUNCEMENT OF VANDUE OF GLEBE FARM
1774
315
The Glebe Farm
of Cortlandt whereon ye Revd Mr. John Doty lately lived containing two hundred and two Acres of land, great part of which is cleared & fitt for Croping; there is on said land a very good Dwelling house two story high with two rooms & a large Entry below, and three rooms and an Entry above, fire places in four of ye rooms, and a good Kitchen Joining the house & a well near ye same, also a good bearing Apple Orchard;
The Conditions of sale are as follows: The pos- session of the premises will be delivered on the first day of April next when a good & Sufficient Deed with an indisputable title will be given by ye Subscriber, for and on consideration of one third of purchase money being paid at that time, one other third to be paid on or before ye first day of December, 1775, & the other third on or before the first day of December, 1776, Bond & Mortgage on ye premises to be given as secur- ity for the two last payments. If the highest bidder to whom the farm is struck off too does not comply with these conditions, the said farm is to be sett up again on the said first day of April next, and if it should sell for more than it was struck off to him for, he is to have no advantage from ye second sale, but if it should sell for less, he must make up the deficiency.
Any person inclinible to View ye said farm before ye Day of Sale may be showed the same by Applying to Daniel Haight living on the premises, or by Syl- vanus Haight at my Mills near the same.
The Vandue to begin at Eleven O Clock in the forenoon of the day above Mentioned.
Highlands Oct 28th, 1774. Bev. Robinson.
Unquestionably this notice of sale refers to the parochial glebe farm. We know from other reliable sources that the property, whilst given, had not been legally conveyed to the Corporation. Technically, therefore, it was still
316 The History of St. Philip's Church
the property of Robinson. When we call to mind the events of the day it is not difficult to conjecture a reason for this step. The political difficulties with England were becoming acute; the Rector had moved away from the parish and presumably the two churches were closed. It will be remembered that the glebe was given on con- dition that "the Vestry purchased the improvements and built a Parsonage House thereon." At the date of the Vandue those conditions had not been complied with and the money had been advanced by Daniel Birdsall. It is reasonable to conjecture that Mr. Robinson's motive in announcing the sale was to induce the Vestry either to meet their obligations and secure title to the property or else to abandon their claim. This conjecture is strength- ened by three affidavits, made some years later, and which have recently been discovered amongst the Van Cort- landt family papers. They are as follows:
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