USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 45
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Another encouragement to the trade of Kingston was the fishery at the steep rocks, which in the spring of the year supplied shad not only to the surrounding country, but also to Delaware and the valleys of Rondout and Minisink, and the region as far westward as Pennsylvania. The larders of those days were well supplied. Each houscholder kiiled his own pigs and beeves, and corned the latter for winter usc, so that in the fall nearly every barn was turned into a slaughter house. Poultry of all kinds was plentiful, and, besides the smaller game which abounded in the vicinity. an abundant supply of venison was brought from the Dela- ware in the winter and sold in open market on the streets. Indeed. deer were not unfrequently shot in the Brabant and Plattekill neighborhoods. Most families provided their cellars with barrels of oysters before the elose of navigation. There were four meals,-an carly breakfast, dinner at noon, tea at four o'clock in the afternoon, and supper at cight.
Wood was brought at discretion by each family from the Kingston commons, and great piles of it lay in the streets between the houses and barns, to the great annoyance of pedestrians, Nor was there a lack of arms for all this work, as a large number of negroes were maintained by every household whose means justified it, who generally took the family name, were well treated, and made kind and attached servants. The Dutch language was in frequent use in the family and in general intercourse between the citizens, and always with the negroes; and Col. Abraham Hasbrouck, in his diary, says of a deceased relative that he spoke Datch and French well, and tolerable English.
At the beginning of the century the antique dress was passing away, but the older meu still wore stocks, buckles, and knee-breeches, while the younger assumed the long boots with peudeut tassels. The people were somewhat clannish, partly by reason of the heated political divisions of the time, partly from other causes, and the sentiment extended strongly to the young. The boys were divided into Kinderhookers and Woolverhookers, the former being those who resided south of what is now Pearl Street, and the latter those from that line to North Front Street.
The Kinderhookers were said to be so called because the southern portion of the village was thought to be very prolific in children, and the Woolverhookers were stigmatized as savages by their envious rivals, because on cold winter nights the howling of the wolves could be heard in North Front Street from the woods above the Brabant fartis. When a Woolverhooker strayed into the bounds of the chemay a rallying-ery was raised, there was a gathering of the Kinderhooker clan, and he was driven within his own limits or until he met a sufficient force to keep the field ; and at times a large body invaded the hostile territory seeking and accepting battle.
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HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
So also there were defiances and trials of strength be- tween the colored populations of Hurley and Kingston, the wrestling-matches and other rough sports taking place at a large oak-tree on the Hurley road; and the master- spirit in these contests for a long period was Prince Terry, a mulatto of splendid physique, nearly seven feet in height, and reputed to have been the son of a British officer.
There were no public amusements. Formal dinners were not frequent, but there was much tea-drinking, es- pecially by the ladies. The young people were fond of dancing and promoted parties to that end, wherein they not only had the approval of their elders, but often their personal participation. This social enjoyment was so much approved that when De Wall's house and ball-room were burned he was assisted in the immediate rebuilding by a general subscription. There was not much driving, as the number of carriages was limited, and besides these only a few two-wheeled gigs were maintained ; but the young people rambled a good deal together to the flat rocks, out to Love Lane, and down to Jacob's Valley, and these could bear ready witness to the whisperings of a hundred years ago.
A " Cider Club" existed, which convened once a week in winter at the members' houses, not to examine any question of literature or reform, but for the discussion of a generous supper.
Debates were left to the political parties, and here they found earnest favor. Party spirit ran high, and it was quite common about election-time, among the younger partisans especially, to wear cockades, the Republicans dis- playing on their hits red oves, the Federalists black ; and when Lueas Elmendorf addressed the people before his illuminated house on his election to Congress, he wore the bonnet-rouge of the Jacobins. Each party celebrated the Fourth of July, the one on the Kykuyt and the other on the plains, each listening to the reading of the Declaration of Independence and an oration, followed by a dinner in a bower, with the inevitable accompaniment of pipes and tobacco.
This was a sincerely religious community. The Sabbath was quiet, and there was a general observance of the duties of the day. Two services were held on Sunday, -at ton o'clock in the morning and at two in the afternoon, there being no sufficient means for lighting the church in the evening. For a like reason the court rarely sat at night, and when such a session was necessary the court-room was imperfectly lighted by great tin blaulers.
A general observance was had of all the religious festi- vals, now largely neglected except by the Episcopalians. New Year's day received little attention, but Christmas was the prominent festival of the year. Communion was administered on that day, whether it fell upon Sunday or not, and during Christmas week there were family dinners and reunions.
l'ingster was the favorite holiday among the colored people, who were so numerous that, added to another local peculiarity, it was a colloquial saying abroad concerning Kingston that every other house was a barn, and every other white man a negro.
Refreshments were provided at funerals, as many of the
attendants came long distances, there being a proper table set in the principal room within the house, and in mild weather without. Mulled wine was generally served, and after it pipes and tobacco until the procession was ready to move. Then, as there were no hearses, the body was placed upon the bier and carried by the appointed bearers to the burial-place, where they also completed the sepalture by filling up the grave. After a short pause the sexton stepped forward, uncovered, and returned thanks to all present for their assistance, beginning his set phrase with the words " Vreinde and Messieurs," one Dutch and the other French, and so, perhaps, had the Holland and the Huguenot blood been commingled in the body committed to the dust. . This function of the sexton grew out of the fact that funerals were frequently held without the presence of the minister, who was not expected to travel wearisome dis- tances over rough roads on every such occasion.
Letters and papers were received through a tri-weekly mail, the mail-route being from New York to Hackensack, thence to Goshen, and thence to Albany via Kingston. The coaches carried passengers, and on the close of navi- gation were the only means of travel, cansing a sensation as they rolled in and out the village to and from the stage- house of Mrs. Hannah Radcliffe or other carlier inns.
Kingston was not only the centre of trade for a wide region round about; it was also the point of departure for the many old and opulent families in their voyage to New York by sloops. This was long the cause of frequent and fatuiliar intercourse between these old families and our eiti- zens. Such were the Ten Eyels, the Newkirks, the Wyn- Loops, the Roosas, the Crispells, and the Du Boises, of Hurley ; the Beviers, the Olivers, the Lounsberys, the De- lematers, the Hardenberghs, the Dewitts, the Kroms, and the Jansens, of Marbletown ; then, in Rochester and Wa- warsing, the Dewitts, the De Puys, and the Beviers again, and the Bruyns, the Hoornbecks, the Westbrooks, the Schoonmakers, the Van Wagenens, the Brodheads, the Vernooys, and the Oosterhondts. From the valley of the Wallkill were the Jansens, the Hardenberghs, the Bruyns, and the Grahams, of Shawangunk ; and the Hasbroucks, the Le l'evers, the Eltings, the Deyos, the Freers, the Du Boises, the Beriers, and the whole loyal tribe of the IIu- guenots, frem New Paltz.
From several articles written for the press in 1876 by Mr. Marius Schoonmaker, we take the following additional items with reference to the old homesteads of Kingston :
The northerly bounds of the stockade followed North Front Street from the east only to about the junction of Crown Street ; at that point the stockade diverged from the street to follow the brow of the hill and strike Frog Alley at or very near the site of the old stone house in that alley now occupied by John Roe, and which in the early part of this century was the residence of Benjamin Bogardus, the miller. The northwest horn-work, or salient of the stock- ade, must therefore have been at or about the site of that Bogardus house. From the old map of 1695 it appears the minister lived outside of the stockade, and very near the present junction of East Front and Pearl Streets. The singular faet appears by that map that at that early day in the seventeenth century Wall Street extended through to
Peter DuBois
PETER J. De Bois was born at Twalfskill (now Wilbur), in the town of Kingston, Ulster Co., N. Y., Sept. 20, 150 ;. fle is a descendant of louis Du Bois, one of two French Huguenots by that name, who was born in the province of Artois, France, Get. 26, 1926, came to America in 1960. and lind & son named Matthew, born iu 1679. Matthew hand a sou namel Johannes, born in 1705. Johannes was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketeli, and had two sons, Jeremiah and Joshua. Jeremiah was born Jan. It, 1715; Lad two children,-John J, reminh und Maritje. John Jeremiah was born April 12. 17TH, was the owner of a large, well- stucked farm at Twall-hill, which was the old Hu Bois homestead und had been in the family for many generations.
On this farm was a water- power, which was us. I for carding wool and the manufacture of cloth. Peter J., son of John Jeremiah, lived here until 1824, when he lett b's futher's homme to learn the trade of a tailor. In 1828 he commencer the tailoring business or linedif in Kington, and kept on han la stock of rloth-, triminags, ready-made elnthing. nud Fents' furnishing good. He wanted, Sept. 17. 1929. Harriet, daughter of Jobu Il n.lricks, of Kingston. She was born Ang. 2. 1:07.
Mr. No Bois continued hea viness successfully model the spring of 1847. when impaire i health caused by confinement cotto.He Ilim to discontinue his trade, and he disposed of his stock of goods. In July of the same year he associated with hin self Mr. Cornelius Bruyn, president of the U'Ister t'ounty Bank, and others, in the purchase of a large tract of eighteen hundred and twenty three seres of coal, lumber, and farming lauds in Lu- zerne Co., Pa. Meesrs. Du Bois and Bruyn were cach one-third owners in the purchase. By agreement Mr. Du Bois was placed in charge of this property at a small salary, and in October, I-17, he removed there with bis family with a view of improving his health by out-door exercise.
He began manufacturing lumber, running two www-wills. The lumber trade did not prove profitable, in consequence of the great expense of transportation to the New York market and the low price of lumber. He continued this business until Issa, when the coal-lan I speculation was very excited, and in September of that year effected & sale of the whole property to John tilson, of Philadelphia, at a very large advance over cost, for which he bad the credit by all the prominent cal men of that district of making the best sale ever tuade in the Lackawanna Valley. In the winter f 1853-56 be tande a purchase of one hundred and ten acres of William silkman, adjoining tine former tract, paying Cheretor one bumlred and twenty five dollars per acre, which, however, he sold in a short time at a han komne advance. In March, 1856, he returned with his family to Kingdon. In Jane of the same year he was elected a director of the Kingston Bank, and in June, 1-55, was elected vice-president, which office he hebl until January, 1569, when from choice hy resigned his connection with the bank.
In 1936 he became interested in the Dickson Manufacturing Company,
located at feranton. Pa., then in process of building. This was a large foundry aul machine-works for building locomotives, railroad cars, station- ary steam-engines, etc., of which Thomas Hickson, then of Carbondale, was the projecter and for several years president of the company. This has been regarded as one of the most successful enterprises of the age. In 1357 be associated himself with Thomas Dickson, Joseph II. Scranton, Joseph Albright, Meylett, and a few others, all successful business men, in the purchase of a cial property loeated about one mile west of Seranton. A shaft wus sunk, a coal- breaker and sereens were erected at birge expense and on an improved plan. 'These works were regarded as the model eval- works of the Anthracite Valley. Tho products of the mines were sold to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Coal Company, and were delivered in their cars at the works.
This paid a live al dividend over and above the interest on the invest- ment, and was soll efter a few years to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Coal Compriny at a price far in advance of the original cost. This sale was probably a mistake.
In 1:60, Mr. Du Bois conceived the idea that a powder-mill for making b' tag-powder located in the mining district would be a good investment. He therefore ass winted with himself John Smith, of the firm of Smith & Rand, widely known as a practical manufacturer of powder, and with him at once created powder-mill: a little north of Scranton, in Luzerne Co. Pa., which they pat in running order within six months.
l'revione, however, to starting the mills they interested with them four prominent residents of Scranton, euch of whom was at the head of a large mining company. the object being to secure a ready sale of the products of the mills.
In 1864, Mr. Smith died; the business being carried on for several years after, until becoming dissatisfied with the hazardous character of the enterprise Mr. Du Bois disposed of his interest in the business. This was decidedly the most profitable business venture of his life.
The foregoing, with a few minor transactions of less magnitude, have constituted the active business life of Mr. Du Bois. By industry and economy he accumulated a very respectable and comfortable estate.
The panic of 1973, better remembered as Black Friday, was the beginning of a series of years of depression, and had the effect to pros- trato every branch of business and industry in the whole country, as well as to depreciate the value of everything, particularly of local securities and real estate, and caused him with many others to meet heavy losses.
Mr. Du Bois and wife survive in Isso, both in their seventy-third year of age, and in their fifty-first year of married life. They have had three Sotto and two daughters, -- Ann Elizabeth, died in 1855 in her twenty-third year : lemuel, died in 1834 in his twenty-second year : John Gosman ; Henrietta, wife of F. W. Ingalls, M.D., Kingston ; and Orlando, who died in 1978 in his thirty-third year.
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CITY AND TOWN OF KINGSTON.
North Front Street, when less than a century afterwards, and before the burning of Kingston, it was effectually closed at John Street by the large and splendid stone man- sion of the Vanderlyn family, the ruins of which remained standing after the Revolution nutil comparatively a recent period, when Wall Street was extended anew to North Front Street. The house at the corner of North and East Front Streets, spoken of as having been the residence of Gen. Armstrong, was only occupied by him for a short tinte. It was the original homestead of the elder Wessel Ten Broeck, and is one of the very oldest houses in the place, having been undoubtedly built, as the tablet upon it indicates, in the year 1676. It was therefore already one hundred years old when the first Senate of the State of New York met in it, and that event took place more than a hundred years ago from the present time.
On Main Street the frame dwelling-house next and be- yond the Eagle Hotel, and the house on the corner, ocen- pied in modern times by Burhans & Felen, were built in the early part of the present century, if not even earlier than that.
On the south side of James Street there was a stone house occupied by a weaver named Sleight, which stood at what was then the end of Fair Street before it was opened to the south.
The " three small stone honses" beyond Judge Wyn- koop's, already mentioned, were in the following order : first, that of Cornelius Beckman ; second, that of Abraham Wynkoop ; and third, that of Jacob Marius Groen. This last was located below Maiden lane, and opposite the southerly end of the Van Baren House, situate on the corner opposite ; directly adjoining it on the south was the old Van Buren tanyard.
At the time of the burning of Kingston that house was occupied by Peter Marius Groen the eller, and father of the younger Jacob and of Peter Marius Groen. The old gentleman would not believe that the British intended 10 burn the village, and continued in that belief until the last moment. He was very denf. and did not leave the house until the British were in the immediate vicinity. He went out of the rear door as they entered the front, and cseaped over the fields in the rear.
Love Lane, a well-known romantic walk of olden times, lies between the property of JI. Schoonmaker and D. J. Donovan. In the early part of this century, and, indeed. until the erection of M. S hoonmaker's dwelling on the a ljoining lot, Love Lane was inclosed at the end in Wall Street by a gate, and for nearly its full length was shaded on cither side by high bushes and trees, which, together with the woods at the end, minde a pleasant and romantic walk. Hence the name.
The Noah Wells house, named above as on the cast side of Wall Street, opposite the court-house, was taken down to woke room for the savings-bank building. Originally that lise was owned by Mr. Benjamin Lowe, the father of Rev. Ifer Lowe, who was pastor of a Dutch Church on Long Island for many years. Adjoining the house at the time of the Revolution, and between it and the graveyard, stood a large barn, which escaped the flames, though the house was burned. Noah Wells, the hatter, when he came into
possession of the property, after the Revolution, moved the barn back from the street, and built a hatter-shop in front. The barn remained standing until within a few years past.
The stone house at the corner of John and Wall Streets, formerly owned by Cornelius Schoonmaker, and which was removed to make room for the stores of Dimmick, Wood & Walker, was at the time of the burning of Kingston owned by Cornelia Lowe, the grandmother of Mrs. Schoon- maker.
Pefore the British arrived Mrs. Lowe buried some of the china in the garden, and made preparation to remove the best furniture and the silver to a place of safety. She was prevented by her brother from doing so, who probably thought it unnecessary. There were also there the wife and daughter of a British officer. The wife told Mis. Lowe not to remove anything, as she would stay and take enre that nothing should be injured. When the British came this lady protested against their touching anything, as she was a British officer's wife. The soldiers' reply was, " You will all be British officers' wives now." They dragged her chest with clothing into the street, broke it open with their guns, riffed it, took her daughter along with them as far as where the academy now stands, the mother following them with serents and eries; they then tore the ear-rings out of her ears and let her go with her mother; so the only thing saved by Mrs. Lowe was the buried china. A part of this is still in osistenee.
The Vanderlyn ruin, mentioned above, was left for many years with its rear walls and gables still standing down to the extension of Wall Street. On the inside of the lot, against the rear wall, a small building was erected, and afterwards extended to the street by a small frame building at the north enl, which aceonnolated the Vanderlyn family for many years. Vanderlyn, the artist, on his return from France, contemplated the restoration of the building, but his pecuniary condition never enabled him to aecom- plish it.
In reference to the Molly Elmendiph house there is toll an interesting incident of Revolutionary times. At the time of the tea difficulty and the prohibition against its use, Mrs. Ehmendorph kept a store in that building, and had some tea on hand, but could not sell it. Some of the ladies of the town, being determined to enjoy a cup of the cousfort, went in a body to the store, took forcible posses- siou, seized an I weighed out what tea they wanted, left the money to pay for it on the counter, and went on their way rejoicing.
On the north side of North Front Street, and east of the Bambeker House, where formerly stood the brick buildings of John Ilume and Isaac Du Bois, was a stone building in which Cornelius Elmendorph, with the cognomen of . Old Naber," kept a public house. That building was torn down to make way for the erection of the brick building about the time the new court-house was built.
On the opposite side of North Frout Street stood the frame building which afterwards, and in 1816, was occupied as a store, and subsequently to that for many years by the Messrs. Wells as a cabinet-maker's shop.
Passing farther east, there was standing on the south side of North Front Street, where Sahler & Reynolds' hard-
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HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
ware-store is now situated, a frame dwelling occupied by Peter Tappeu, and afterwards for several years by Philip Newkirk. It remained standing until it was removed to make room for the brick store now occupying the site.
At the junction of North Front and East Front Streets, and fronting North Front Street, was the storehouse of Peter Van Gaasbeck, who was commonly known as the Big Major, to distinguish him from another person of the same name, who was called the Little Major. He was a men- ber of the Third United States Congress, and at that time also owned and resided in the Wessel Ten Broeck home- stead. The oll storehouse after his death was ocenpied by John Tremper, and then by Coert Du Bois and Peter G. & Henry Sharpe. It is still standing, having undergone several changes, which have left it in its present formt.
In East Front Street, on the west side, and between John and Main Streets, the house now occupied by Moses Malks was standing certainly as early as 1800. It was occupied for many years by Mrs. Grier as a store and dwelling. She was the widow of Mr. Grier, who built the mill at the Twaalf Kill which was afterwards owned by James Pine, and subsequently by Theron Skeel.
On Albany Avenue, opposite the stone house of Peter Dumond, and on the corner between the two plains, was the frame store and dwelling of Philip Van Keuren, which building is still standing. Between that and the Vo-burgh house, ou Maiden Lane, and opposite where the academy now stands, were two framne dwellings, the one occupied by Philip Dumond and the other by Abraham Post.
Ou Union Avenue, on the west side, a short distance be- yond St. James Street, stood a small frame house, the home- stead of William Van Buren, and it still stands there, having undergone but little alteration. At that time a blacksmith-shop was attached thereto.
In St. James Street, on the south side, between Union Avenue and what is now called Prospect Street, were three or more fraude buildings, compactly baile, the corner on Union Avenue occupied by JJohn Chollet as a bakery and small grocery store, and the other buildings occupied by one Marsh, Garret Krom, and others. On the north side of St. James Street, between the Masten house and the pre- ent resilence of Charles Brodheal, stood two old frame houses, the first occupied by one Pross, and the other was the John IFverince house, npou the site of which JJesse Hamilton's house now stands.
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In what is uow Prospect Street, ou the west side, an l back of where the furnace now is, stood the residence and blacksmith-shop of Abijah Dewey.
The Du Bois house, at the corner of Wall and St. James Streets, was the homestead of Joshua Du Bois the chter. Ile was the father of Charles Du Bois and Joshua Da Bois the younger.
The small stone house formerly standing in St. James Street, and removed when Fair Street was extended south- erly, was the homestead of Benjamin Elmendorph.
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