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 22
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Here is Thomas Henyon's account with the Vestry when he gave up his tenancy in 1802:
Thomas Henyon to the Wardens and Vestry
Dr
April 29th 1802.
To 1 years Rent ending April, 1802 £45. 00. 0.
To damage done on the Farm by cutting Hoop Poles-Wood 10. 16. 0.
£55.16.0.
331
The Glebe Farm
Cr
By repairing the Barn £ 6. 0.0.
By making 27 Rods over the hundred Rods for Rent, 5. 8. 0.
By Dan'l Haight's Note
26. 15. 0.
By Cash paid James Mandeville
17. 13. 0.
£55.16.0.
In addition to the farm James Mandeville was allowed to have the pasture of the ground lying around St. Peter's Church for twenty shillings, it being, however, stipulated that he should not be allowed to pasture hogs on the said land. At the close of the year his account with the Vestry is thus recorded:
James Mandeville to the Wardens and Vestry :-
Dr.
1803
To 1 years rent of the Parsonage Farm, £35. 0. 0.
To 1 years rent of the Church land, 1. 0. 0.
To Cash received Daniel Haight 10. 3. 0.
£46. 3.0.
Cr
By sundries for repairing the Parsonage House,
£26. 5.10.
By Cash paid to Henry Mandeville for
Boarding men when repairing the
house, clearing meadows, and all other services done by him
8. 14. 0.
By Cash
11. 3. 2.
£46. 3.0.
332 The History of St. Philip's Church
The following year the rent of the glebe was raised to fifty pounds, the tenant being required to give se- curity, and the removal of "hay or dung" from the farm was prohibited. James Mandeville continued as tenant of the farm for several years, and in 1822 Joshua Nelson assumed the tenancy at one hundred dollars per annum and "to be allowed out of his rent to put a new roof on the Parsonage House-a pine roof of Good short pine shingles." The following is a copy of the lease:
An Article of Agreement and farm let to Joshua Nelson by the Committee Harry Garrison and Daniel Haight who ware appointed by the Wardens and Vestry of said Church to let the Parsonage Farm for the year 1822-
And we the said Committee do by thes presents Let the Parsonage Farm for one year from the first day of April, 1822, till the first day of April, 1823, for the sum of Ninety Dollars a part of which may be paid in Making of Stone Wall on said Farm in such place as the Wardens and Vestry shall Direct.
And the following is the Restrictions on which the Farm is let:
No Hay to be sold off the Farm nor any Manure off of the said Farm on any pretence whatever but to be used on the farm. Not more than twenty acres of Winter Grain. Not more than the same Quantity of acres of Summer croppes and the Meadows to be kept in good repair, that is free from brush and in a farmer like Mannor to be done at the expense of the said Joshua Nelson, and no More firewood to be cut than for the use of the family of the said Joshua Nelson he to have the full use of all the lands of said farm for the aforesaid term.
333
The Glebe Farm
And at that time on the first day of April, 1823, to give up the said farm to the Wardens and Vestry or Make a further Agreement for another year, and it further agreed on that if the said Joshua Nelson shall Seed any of the Land of said farm and not stay more than one year then the Wardens and Vestry to allow him out of his rent such sum as is right & reasonable, but if he shall continue on said farm then the seeding to be continued for his benefit.
As Witness to this agreement we have hereunto set our hand and seals this 24th day of January, 1822.
Daniel Haight (Seal) Joshua Nelson (Seal) Harry Garrison (Seal).
For some years there was an agitation to sell the glebe farm and invest the money for the good of the parish. As far back as 1812 "several members of the Vestry con- curred in a scheme for selling the Glebe," but, writes a parishoner to Bishop Hobart, "The manner of the gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, the obtaining a confirma- tion of that gift by a Law of the State, and a certainty of a future fund to the Churches, induced William Denning to oppose that measure of sale, and it is sincerely to be hoped it never will again be attempted."1
The question of the sale was however taken up seriously in the year 1827, when the then Rector, the Rev. Edward J. Ives, put the case to Bishop Hobart thus:
At the last parish meeting the officers of my Church resolved to dispose of it, provided it met with your approbation, and Judge Garrison was authorized to address you on the subject . The annual avails from the Farm do not exceed $100, and part of this is to be appropriated to repairs on it. It will 1 Hobart MSS.
334 The History of St. Philip's Church
command (it is supposed) when offered for sale three or four thousand dollars. Is it not best to dis- pose of it, and invest the amount in safe and per- manent stock in N. Y .?
On January 4th, 1828, the Vestry voted "to petition the Chancellor for leaf to sell the farm," and one year and a day later "agreeable to the Order of the Chancellor of the State of New York, the Gleab was offered for sale. Sixteen dollars, thirty seven and a half cents was offered per acre."
The price was not deemed satisfactory and "the sale was then adjourned until the second day of February at 2 o'clock p.m." On that day "the farm was again offered for sale, and struck off to Joshua Nelson of Philips Town at sixteen dollars, fifty cents per acre." A little later this note appears in the minutes of the Vestry:
Memorandum.
Joshua Nelson to whom the Farm was struck off at the auction afterwards became dissatisfied with the purchase and paid the costs of obtaining the Decree of Sale &c from the Chancellor to R. C. Cruston to be released from the purchase which Wardens and Vestry consented to do.
Once more, therefore, the weary round of renting was taken up, and Christopher Haight became the tenant at a rental of $125. For security Haight gave a bill of sale on the hay and rye. There is preserved an inter- esting account of Christopher Haight's dated 1829:
To Vestry for Rent. Contra. Cr.
November 12th, 1829.
To 16 boards for Barn $2-00
" 31/2lb. Nales 1-041/2
" James Mowetts labor at Barn 1-50
335
The Glebe Farm
To 1 doz panes of Glass -75
'puting at Back in Chimney
1-00
" Sill under the Doar -75
April 16th, 1830
To Cash on Rent 70-00
" 16 bushels of Corn-paid to Mr Garrison 8-25
" Cash paid J. Garrison for Rent 10-00
April, 1831.
To Cash paid to Garrison 38-00
" 60 Boards at 14ª per board 8-75
" 11 lbs. Nales 831/2
" Labor by Roberson 2-50
Drowing the 60 Boards from Peekskill 2-00
" Drowing the Ladder from Mandevills 1-00
" 1 days work by me and 2 days by Stephen 2-25
" 3 Rods stone Fence at one dollar per rod 3-00
$153-63
May 31st, 1831
To Cash paid John Garrison, Clerk
65-00
$218-63
How the farm passed out of the hands of the Vestry is thus described by the late Frederick Philipse:
20th October, 1838.
By unanimous consent of all the acting members of the Vestry, both of St. Peters and St. Philips (altho' without any formal meeting being had) the Glebe Farm belonging to the said Churches was sold at Peekskill at Public Auction in pursuance of advertise- ment, and under an authority obtained from the Court of Chancery on the 10th of November, 1828, and under the direction of Isaac Seymour Esq., General Pierre Van Cortlandt and others, and was struck off to David McCoy for the sum of $5001 that being the highest bid for the same.
336 The History of St. Philip's Church
The terms of settlement were one half cash, the other half left on bond and mortgage for twenty years at 6%.
As the parish was about to divide it was mutually agreed that St. Peter's should receive the cash, and St. Philip's assume the mortgage. The resolution of the Vestry (1839) is very explicit:
Resolved, that one half of the proceeds of the said sale to be and hereby is irevocably appropriated, given, pledged and devoted to and for the exclusive use and benefit of S. Philips Chapel and the atten- dant minister and congregation hereof only-for the advancement of Religion according to the Rites and Doctrines of the Protestant Episcopal Church- and to be under the exclusive direction of such of the Church Wardens and Vestrymen of S. Peter's Church and S. Philips Chapel, now united, as shall be resi- dents of Philips Town, and attendant upon Divine Worship at that Chapel.
The deed ran as follows:
Harry Garrison, Pierre Van Cortlandt, Wardens, and S. Gouverneur, Cornelius Nelson, John Garrison, Daniel Haight, H. C. DeRham, Isaac Seymour, : at 11 a.m. Frederick Philipse, Vestrymen of the Corporation of St. Peter's : Cons. $5001. Church in Peekskill, in the Town : of Cortlandt and County of : Westchester, and St. Philip's : Chapel, in the Highlands, in the :
Town of Philips and County of : Dutchess (now Putnam) :
: Corporation Deed.
: Dated Apl. 1, 1839.
: Ack'd Feb. 3, 1840.
: Rec'd Dec. 10, 1851.
: Liber X., page 310.
337
The Glebe Farm
To David McCoy Sold at Public Auction.
CONVEYS:
All that certain farm or tract of land situate in Phil- ipstown aforesaid, bounded as follows; to wit: North by land now or formerly of Isaac Lent and James Mowatt, on the east by land now or formerly of Isaac Lent, on the south by the Putnam County line, until it comes to the land of Pierre Van Cort- landt, and on the West by the lands now or formerly of James Mowatt and James Croft. Containing about 200 acres, be the same more or less. Being the same premises which were granted by the people of the State of New York to the Trustees of the United Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Peter's Church, in the Town of Cortlandt, in the County of West- chester and St. Philip's Chapel, in Philipstown in the County of Dutchess (now Putnam), and their succes- sors forever in trust for the use of the said United Congregations by an act of the Legislature passed 27th March 1794, and which said Trustees and their successors were duly constituted a body corporate under the name and style of the Corporation of St. Peter's Church in Peekskill, in the Town of Cort- landt and County of Westchester, and St. Philip's Chapel, in the Highlands, in the Town of Philips and County of Dutchess, by virtue of and under an act of the Legislature of the State of New York passed 6th April, 1784, entitled an act to enable all the religious denominations in this State to appoint Trustees who shall be a body corporate for the purpose of taking care of the temporalities of their respective congre- gations and for other purposes, as by reference to the records in the Clerk's Office in the County of
338 The History of St. Philip's Church
Westchester, Liber A of Religious Societies, page 26, on the 22nd day of December, 1791, will more fully appear.
In subsequent years a dispute arose between the Vestry and McCoy, and recourse was had to the courts. The mortgage was finally paid in 1864 and the proceeds were invested in treasury notes.
This was not the only land owned by the Vestry. In 1806, Daniel Haight, James Mandeville and Harry Garrison were appointed a committee of the Vestry to purchase "a farm of real estate to the amount of the £400 which will be advantageous for the Society to pur- chase." The land selected adjoined the parsonage farm and was bought from "Samuel Owens, Esq." for £500. In area it was 34 acres, 2 roods, and 15 perches, and Mr. Owens leased the ground for seven years at an annual rental of £25.
That this additional land was for the purpose of en- larging the glebe is evident from the following Minute of the Corporation of Trinity Church:
Resolved that the further sum of £100 be granted to the United Churches of S. Peter's and S. Philip's towards payment for thirty-four acres of land lately purchased as an additional Glebe, and that the sum be paid with the £400 formerly granted for the same purpose and upon the like conditions as are expressed in the grant of that sum.1
In 1811 the Vestry found it necessary to sell the wood off this lot. It was divided into five lots and sold to the highest bidder, and the following statement is recorded in the minutes:
1 Minutes of Trinity Corporation, August 29th, 1807, Vol. 2, p. 273.
339
The Glebe Farm
To share of Wood
Owens Land.
A. Cunie, No. 1
$18.00
John Oppy, " 2
19.00
Hopper Smith, No. 3
25.1212
Drake Conklin, “ 4
25.75
Jas. Mandeville, No. 5
22.50
$110.3712
The disposition of the proceeds of this sale is interest- ing. Eighty-five dollars was paid to meet an order drawn on the Vestry by the Rev. John Urquhart, Rector of the parish, and twenty-two dollars and fifty cents went to pay a "book account." Harry Garrison and Daniel Haight were each allowed two dollars "for their two days' services in transacting the business."
The acquisition of this property seems to have been peculiarly difficult, for in 1816
the question being put by what Means the Church lost the Lot of Land Purchased of Samuel Owens by Daniel Wm. Birdsall, voted that John Oppie, Major Hanlon and James Mandeville were appointed a Committee to see if there are no Means by which the Church may obtain there property purchased by the Vestry of Samuel Owens.
The Committee never reported.
CHAPTER XII.
THE CHURCHYARD.
F OR nigh upon a century and a half the ground around St. Philip's in the Highlands has been used as a last resting place for the faithful dead. In that hallowed spot there sleep "the forefathers of the hamlet." Men who were prominent in the affairs of the nation, men who directed great commercial enterprises, and men who fought in the Revolutionary and the Civil Wars lie side by side with those whose lives were not the less worthy because they were obscure.
From the earliest times the Vestry of the parish has taken the greatest care of this "God's Acre." For the repeated extension of the churchyard the parish is in- debted to the members of the Philipse family.
The oldest tombstone is thus inscribed:
SULVENUS NELSON who departed this life July 11th, 1793 Aged 24 Years, 3 months, and 4 days. Behold and see as you pass by! As you are now, so once was I: As I am now you soon must be Prepare for death, and follow me.
The next oldest graves are
Harry, son of Harry and Jane Garrison, who died November 18th, 1795.
341
The Churchyard
Hannah, wife of Jacob Nelson, who departed this life February 16th, 1798.
and ANNA LANCASTER, wife of Joshua Lancaster, died April 16, 1799. Aged 43 years, 1 month and 14 days. Dear friend that lives to mourn and weep, Behold the grave wherein I sleep. Prepare for death, for you must dye, And be entombed as well as I.
It is an interesting fact that here are buried so many soldiers whose "battle day is done." Two, at least, link us with the far-off days of the Revolution.
LIEUTENANT JOEL JENKINS Who departed this life June 23rd, 1827 Aged 69 years, 9 months and 11 days. A worthy of the Revolution.
And still another link with that memorable conflict is the tombstone of
JOHN BISHOP A Soldier of the Revolution who died in 1849 aged 93 years.
Two sons of the parish were killed in the Civil War:
CHARLES A. TURNER, Died October 10th, 1863, aged 22 years. A good soldier-A true son of the 38th Regt., Co. B, N. Y. Volunteers Wounded at Fredericksburg.
and
342 The History of St. Philip's Church
JESSE H. AUSTIN, Died March 7th, 1865 Aged 18 years and 6 months. 38th Regiment, Co. L, N. Y. Volunteers Died at Harpers Ferry
An undated "Government stone" marks the final rest- ing place of
ALEXANDER NELSON, Company L, N. Y. H. A.
Others served in the same conflict, but were spared for longer service:
SAMUEL NICOLL BENJAMIN Assistant Adjutant General Brevet-Lt. Colonel U. S. A. Born January 3rd, 1839 Died May 15th, 1886
and his comrade in arms and kinsman
ABRAHAM KERNS ARNOLD, Colonel U. S. Cavalry. Brigadier-General Volunteers. Born March 24th, 1837 Died November 23rd, 1901.
In two instances the parish gave father and son to serve in the same Civil War-the Halls and the Ardens- and in each case the father was a Vestryman. General Hall is buried at Tarrytown, and his son survives; but the Ardens rest in this churchyard.
GEORGE DePEYSTER ARDEN Born December 25th, 1841 served during the Rebellion of the seceding States as Colonel of the New York State Volunteers; and after many years of pain and suffering in the patient pur- suit of his business died of disease due to the casualties and exposures incidental to his service in the Army. Died May 26th, 1885.
343
The Churchyard
Near to this son rests his honored father, for long years a Vestryman, Warden and custodian of the churchyard, who, though retired from the Army, responded to his country's need and rendered yeoman service:
THOMAS BOYLE ARDEN July 18th, 1813 August 18th, 1896 Class of 1835 West Point Military Academy "For Thou hast been a shelter for me."
In the same conflict there served Harry Arden, another son of the Colonel. He fought under General Banks and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He died October 6th, 1908. James Turner, John Bliss Miller, Alfred Fields and Richard Austin fought in the ranks. Another sol- dier's grave is that of the young son of General Arnold:
WALTER MONTGOMERY ARNOLD Corporal Troop F 6th U. S. Cavalry Son of Abraham Kerns and Sarah Benjamin Arnold Died February 6th, 1895 Aged 26 years.
The Spanish-American War claimed one distinguished son of the Parish:
To the Memory of HAMILTON FISH, JR. only son of Nicholas and Clemence B. Fish. First Sergeant of Capron's Troop, Troop L
First United States Volunteer Cavalry. Killed in Battle at Las Guasimas, Cuba, June 24th, 1898 in the 25th year of his age.
344 The History of St. Philip's Church
Wandering through this peaceful spot and examining the inscriptions, one could call an almost complete roll of the Wardens and Vestrymen of by-gone days. Here lies Joshua Nelson, who was born in 1726, a member of the first Vestry, who died at the age of ninety-one; Justus Nelson, born in 1738; Daniel Haight, born in 1753; Cornelius Nelson, born fourteen years before the Declar- ation of Independence; Sylvanus Haight, who died in 1834; and Richard D. Arden, a Vestryman from 1840 until 1857. Five members of the Garrison family served on the Vestry, all of whom are buried here, as is also Richard Upjohn, the architect of the present church.
And coming down to later times we mark the graves of William Moore, who entered the Vestry in 1857, and was Warden at his death; Henry W. Belcher for forty years on the Vestry; Hamilton Fish, Governor of the State of New York, Secretary of State, a Vestryman and Warden from 1862 until 1893; the brothers Livingston, Samuel Sloan, President of the Delaware and Lacka- wanna Railroad, who entered the Vestry in 1875, and served until 1907; William H. Osborn, President of the Illinois Central railroad, and a member of the Vestry in 1877-8; John M. Toucey, General Manager of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, a former Treasurer of the parish, and John H. Iselin, a Vestryman from 1890 to 1893.
In this, as in most burial grounds, there are the un- marked graves of the dead. When the New York Cen- tral railroad was being constructed through this parish in 1849, an epidemic of cholera broke out which carried off many of the laborers. They were reverently interred in a trench on the north side of the churchyard.
345
The Churchyard
The erection of a larger church in 1861 made the re- moval of some remains necessary. This was carried out with the utmost care and tenderness. This work brought to light an interesting historical link with the War of the Revolution.
During the War "Beverly," the erstwhile mansion of Colonel Beverly Robinson, was occupied as headquarters by Major-General Israel Putnam, who was accompanied by his wife. There were anchored in the river opposite "Beverly" some American frigates, the magazines of which exploded. This, together with the noise of the battle and capture of Fort Montgomery, so terrified Mrs. Putnam that she fled from "Beverly," and took refuge in the house of Jacob Mandeville at the Four Corners. There she died. The place of her burial has been a matter of much debate. But all the evidence points to the fact of her interment in this churchyard. At the time of her death General Putnam was with the troops at Fishkill. The imperative need for his presence there would necessitate as little delay as possible in the inter- ment, and the churchyard was the nearest and the most fitting burial ground.
The matter seems placed beyond dispute by the evi- dence presented in a letter to Mr. Stuyvesant Fish written by Colonel J. S. C. Hamilton in 1904. He says, "An old acquaintance of mine, Michael Lee by name, who for many years had been the trusted employee of the late Henry R. Worthington, informed me that when he first arrived at Castle Garden from Ireland, he was employed by a contractor and taken up the river to Garrison; the first work allotted him was to take up the remains of a considerable number of persons buried in a very old
346 The History of St. Philip's Church
churchyard, the object being to grade up the grounds pre- paratory to the erection of some other building;1 in the course of this work he opened a vault situated in the side of the bank, and took out a casket containing the remains of the wife of Major-General Putnam; upon opening the same it was found that she had been prematurely buried, as the remains were face downward, and that the hair was not only in a perfect state of preservation, but had grown until it had covered nearly all the interior of the casket." Upon further pursuing his investigation Colonel Hamil- ton found a brother-in-law of the contractor, who testified that the remains, with others, were re-interred immedi- ately in the rear of the present church.
It is worthy of historical record that the churchyard was not the earliest burying place. The ground in the rear of Jacob Mandeville's house was used for burial purposes, and the last gravestones were removed about 1862. It is quite within the range of possibility that Jacob Mandeville, whose grave has never been traced, was buried there. Up to a few years ago there could be traced on the Toucey estate many graves. By the courtesy of Mr. James Nelson I am able to reproduce the inscription on a slab of Argylite which he himself copied:
HER LIES THE BO DY OF I. H. DESH YE 7 1753.
The ground has been cultivated, the graves levelled, and the last stone carried away.
1 Undoubtedly the new church in 1861.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE PARISH REGISTER.
T HE Canon Law of the Church requires that in every parish there shall be kept an accurate record of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials, and also a list of communicants.
The earliest parochial register has just been discovered. It is a faded school exercise book, measuring eight inches by seven, and is styled,
Register of
Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals of the Congregations of S. Peter's Church, Peekskill, and S. Philip's Church in the Highlands Begun 16th December, 1809, kept by The Revd John Urquhart, Rector.
There are five recorded baptisms for St. Peter's.
BAPTISMS AT ST. PETER'S CHURCH AND BELONGING TO THAT CONGREGATION.
1810. June 17th, Baptised, Walter, son of the Rev. John Urquhart Sponsors: Major Hanlon, Captain Mandevill, and Miss Sally Hanlon. 1810, Nov 18th, Baptised Charlotta, daughter of Owen and Elizabeth Odell. Sponsors, the Parents.
348 The History of St. Philip's Church 1811, July 11th, Baptized Charles, the son of Samuel and Mary Howel.
Sponsors, the Father and Mrs Jane Brown.
1811, July 28th,
Baptized on Sunday, Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry and Ann Coyne. Sponsors, the Parents.
1811, Oct. 20th,
Baptized Anne Matilda, the daughter of James and Mary Summerbille. Sponsors the Parents and Mrs Lydia Ferris.
BAPTISMS OF THE CONGREGATION OF ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH. 1810, Jany 2nd
Baptized at Joshua Lancaster's on Tuesday, Joshua, the son of Isaac and Sarah Henyan.
Also Rebecca, daughter of John and Ruth Lounsbury. Sponsors, the Mother and Joshua and Susanna Lancaster.
1810, July 8th
Baptized at Mr William Denning's on Sunday, Charles Denning, the son of James and Amelia Gillespie. Sponsors, William Denning, William Henderson and Sarah Henderson. Baptized at the same time and place, Frances Maria, the daughter of William Alexander and Maria H. Duer. Sponsors, Lucretia Shaler, Sarah Henderson and William Hen- derson.1
1 Frances Maria Duer was a grandchild of William Denning and Sarah (Hauxhurst) Denning, the latter of whom is buried in the Chest- nut Grove south of the Beverly house. She married Henry S. Hoyt, and for some years prior to 1875, lived in the old Beverly house. She died at Newport, R. I., about 1908.
Praktisms of the Congregan off Philips Church Basierend al Joshua La casters on Lucida, 2 Lany, 1810 Joshua Mu Son of Loxac March catto Rebecca Daughter & John Khuth Lounsburn. 1dionsons. The Mothers & Joshua & Susanna Lancaster
Buried al ott, William Penningis on Sunday to 8 th day Mille 1810 Charles Dennings The Son of James formelin Gillespie.
Showsors Willen Denning Million Henderson &Sarah Henders Maltired at lana tus blaw Frances Maria, the Daughter a William Alexander Mc Maria H. Duer. Sponsors, Lucrecia Shaler, Sarah Henderson & William Henderson?
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