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 81
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In 1870, in connection with Messrs. George North, Ed- ward Tompkins, and David R. Smith, he purchased seven thousand five hundred acres of land about sixty miles north of Charleston, S. C., some eight hundred acres of which was under a state of cultivation, and a plantation for cotton- raising, the balance being valuable timber land. These gentlemen ereeted a saw-mill on the timber land on the Great Pedee River, and began quite extensively the manu- facture of lumber. The business has been successfully carried on until the present time. Mr. Crane, having pur- chased the interest in the business of Messrs. North and Tompkins, is now the owner of three-fourths of the original purchase, with its improvements, and Mr. Smith remains on the property and conduets the business.
Mr. Crane was one of the original directors of the Rondout Bauk, and has been its vice-president since its organization. He has ever been interested in church mat- ters, has been a member of the Presbyterian Church in Rondout since 1835, and was ordained one of its elders in 1844. He has never been active in polities further than to exercise the right of suffrage; was formerly a Whig, and is now a Republican.
He married, Nov. 19, 1833, Miss Eliza F., daughter of the late William Mckinstry, of Hudson, N. Y., and grand- daughter of Colonel John MeKinstry, who was taken prisoner by the Indians under their great leader Brant during the Revolutionary period, tied to a stake to be burned to death, but as the surrounding fagots were about to be kindled the chieftain Brant discovered in their victim a Masonic sign, immediately ordered him taken from the pile, and au ox was sacrificed in his stead.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Crane are Henry Walter (deceased ), Fienry M., an ! Anna Amielia, wife of David S. Hasbrouck, of Troy, N. Y.
RICHARD DEYO.
The progenitors of the Deyo family in Ulster County were Christian and Pierre Doyau (now spelled Deyo), -- Huguenots,-two of the twelve original patentees of the old town of New Paltz.
Richard Deyo's grandfather, William, and father, William W., were natives of New Paltz, and followed agricultural pursuits there during their lives. His father was born in 1790 ; married Miss Sarah, daughter of Ralph Hasbrouck ; and died Sept. 16, 1861. She was born in 1789, and died June 17, 1553. They had cleven children, all living in 1880, except the eldest, Elijah, who died Aug. 13, 1828, and Dr. Elvy Deyo, third child, who died in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., April 29, 1879.
Richard Deyo was born in New Paltz, Jan. 28, 1818. llis early education was received in the common schools of his native town. At the age of seventeen he began teach- ing school, which business he continued until 1841, when he entered the store of John D. Middagh, a merchant of Rondout, as clerk, and remained one year. From 1812 to
Richard@up 11
1845 he was a clerk in the store of Solomon E. Elting, of New Paltz, followed by one year's service for N. & A. L. Anderson, merchants and freight-agents of Rondout. In 1546 he established a general mercantile business in Rou- dout, which he has successfully carried on for a period of thirty-four years, and continues in ISSO.
He married, Jan. 15, 1851. Catherine, daughter of Solo- mon Terpening, of Esopus. She was born Sept. 21, 1831. His only son, Elvin Deyo. born Sept. 5, 1852, is engaged in business with his father. Mr. Deyo, following in the line of politics of his father, was a member of the Whig party, and is now a Republican. He never sought political preferment, although often solicited to accept office. Hle was reared under the influences of the Dutch Reformed Church, but has been a member of the Presbyterian Church of Rondout sinee 1849, of which, also, his wife has been a member for the past twenty-five years.
JAMES GIRARD LINDSLEY
was born at Orange, N. J., March 19, 1819. He was the fifth of six children (all of whom are now living, 19-0! born to John Morris and Charlotte Taylor Liudsley.
Francis Lindsley and his brother Joum came from Eng-
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309
CITY AND TOWN OF KINGSTON.
land to the New Haven colony some time previous to 1644. Francis was one of the forty from that colony who first settled Newark, N. J., in 1666. Their removal grew out of dissatisfaction caused by the union of the New Haven and Connectient colonies, and their wish to found a community more strictly Puritanical in form. His town- lot was on Market Street, nearly opposite where the court- house now stands. His out-lot was in what is now known as Sonth Orange, part of which fell to the father of the subject of this sketch, having descended through Ebenezer, Benjamin, and John. The place at South Orange was the homestead of the latter, and was several times despoiled during the Revolution; and once, while the owner was absent at the battle of Monmonth, serving in the militia, hardly anything was left that could be carried away by the Loyalists or Hessians. At that time John M. was an infant a few days old. and his mother was in a precarions condi- tion. The mother and child were saved after suffering great hardship.
After the war John succeeded in his farming, and became one of the important men in Essex County. He also en- gaged in, and did a large business in the manufacture of shoes,-a noted industry in and abont Newark. He was for a long time justice of the peace and judge of the county conrt.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was descended from the Rev. Daniel Taylor, the first minister of the church at Orange, then known as the " Mountain Society," at that time Congregational in form, but now known as the First Presbyterian Church.
The organization of the church and settlement of Mr. Taylor occurred about the year 1721. He was a graduate of the high school of Killingworth, the embryo of Yale, and had officiated at Smithtown, L. I., six years previous to his advent at Orange. A man of remarkable energy, he was not only the spiritual guide of his flock, but advised and assisted those who stood in need of it in their temporal affairs; wrote their wills and conveyauces, many of which are still extant ; and, entering into what was the great eon- test of the time, defended his parishioners against the de- mands of the Proprietary Goverment.
At the time of James G.'s birth his father was engaged in mercantile affairs. He was largely interested in woolen manufactures. Ile also soon after came into possession of part of the paternal acres, which, with other traets in his possession; led him into farming pursuits, besides being the postmaster of the town.
These different branches of business gave opportunity for him to interest his children in some way or other in them. Thus it was with James G. Previous to his six- teenth year his time was passed on the farm, in the store or post-office, and at school, the last three years of his school-days being at the Orange Classical School, where Latin, natural philosophy, and chemistry were his principal studies.
At that time the manufacture of hats was the leading industry of the town, aud several large establishments were engaged in this business. The desire of the parent was that his children should engage in business rather than learn professions, and at his request Girard (as he was
familiarly known) agreed to devote the last five years of his minority in preparing for this pursnit by making him- self familiar with the hatter's trade. He therefore entered the factory of Henry Stryker, one of the largest in the place, where he remained till his majority. Industrious and careful, he became familiar with every detail of the occupation.
He did not, however, entirely forego literary pursuits or negleet to store his mind with food for its development. Orange at that time, like most progressive places, had an institution known as the Lyceum, and its members included all the professional men and scholars of the town, and who- ever else there was that could render its sessions instructive and interesting, whether in essays, debates, lectures, or readings; and its well-selected library afforded the.means of information and advancement seldom exceeded. To this society young Lindsley was admitted, and with many others he now looks upon it as one of his greatest privileges.
Before he reached his majority the great crash of 1837 had fallen upon the country, with no signs of improvement in 1840. fle therefore was compelled to seek employment where it could be found, and went to work for William Bodwell, who was in the hatting business over the Orange Mountain, afterwards in Orange Valley. He continued with hiru about two years, and then for a short time en- gaged in business with George Harrison, but, as the times did not yet warrant or encourage new enterprises, they dis- continued their efforts. Hle now spent a year without definite employment.
In 1843, Mr. Calvin Tomkins urged him to engage with him in line-burning, and they began operations at the foot of Twenty-first Street, East River, New York. This ven- ture, owing to stagnation in building, did not succeed. lu the spring of 1844 he engaged with the Newark Lime Cement Manufacturing Company to take charge of their business in Patersou, N. J., with an interest in the same. Here be continued two years, during which time he so en- larged the business, that parties engaged in the same line were induced to purchase the property on favorable terms to the company. The company was the more inclined to sell as it beenme evident that Mr. Lindsley was the man needed at Rondout, where as yet only the quarries were worked for the manufacture of eement at Newark.
The increasing demand for cement foreshadowing the ne- cessity of building works at Roudont, Mr. Lindsley arrived in Rondout, May 10, 1846. The first four years of his time here was spent in developing the quarries and extending the facilities for obtaining the stone needed by the increased demand for cement. In the winter and spring of 1850 preparations were made for building the kilns and mills at Rondout, mainly from the plans of Calvin Tomkins, who was the originator and chief stockholder of the company. The works were so far completed by the following spring that manufacturing was commenced. There were many things yet to be attended to for the development of the ex- tensive concern, and hardly a year has passed in the thirty since their erection that has not witnessed an improve- ment in the facilities for production and the quality pro- duced.
The time and attention of Mr. Liudsley has mainly been
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310
HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
devoted to this establishment, and in looking after its pros- perity he has spent the best years of his life.
The Newark Lime and Cement Manufactory is the most successful of the kind in the country, and if this is at all due to oversight, the energy, prudence, and sagacity of Mr. Liudsley should have their proper award.
While, however, this business has engaged his attention during the most active part of his life, it has not diverted him from an interest in the affairs of the village, town, and country of his adoption. A consistent temperance man, an ardent Whig, Republican, and Liberal, he could not but enter into the spirit of these movements.
In 1852 he was the president of the village of Roudout, but the interest of his business prevented him from accept- ing it the following year. Ile was elected a trustee again in 1859, and officiated as such almost continuously till 1870, being president a considerable part of the time.
During this time the village of Roudout was transformed from a maze of almost impassable streets without sidewalks, and with water coursing through the middle of them, into a town of established grades, flagged walks, and much-needed sewers, most of the engineering being afforded gratuitously by Maj. L. A. Sykes, who was also one of the board, assisted
by Mr. Lindsley. In 1870, feeling that he had given as much time and service to the improvement of the place as he could well afford, he declined filling the office again In the fall of this year he was induced to take the Re- publican nomination for Congress, and was only defeated by about two hundred, in a district generally giving sixteen hundred Democratic majority. In the spring of 1872 he ran for supervisor of the town of Kingston, gaining bi- election by cighteen in a town giving often one thousand Democratic majority. Upon the organization of the city government he was elected mayor by seven hundred majority. and by re-election filled the office for six consecutive years.
On the 25th of September, 1844, he married Sarah Esther, the eldest daughter of Calvin Tomkins, then living at Red Bank, N. J. Mrs. Lindsley died June 29, 1876. They had one child, who arrived at maturity,- Anna, boro at Paterson, Aug. 7, 1845. She was married to Rev. F. Marion MeAllister, then rector of St. John's Church, Kingston, April 20, 1870; died April 3, 1875. She left two children, --- Girard h. and Louise D. Aubrey MeAl- lister,-who live with their grandfather.
Mr. Lindsley married for his second wife Mrs. Laura B. Oatley, of Salem, N. Y., July 3, 1877.
ADDEND A.
THE following articles were received too late for insertion under their appropriate headings : -
THE ULSTER COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY
was organized in 1816, and admitted as an auxiliary of the American Bible Society, November 30th of that year. It
is not clear who were the officers the first eight years, but the Rev. JJohn Gosman was principally instrumental in its organization, and through his efforts the society carly be- came one of the most flourishing and liberal in the State. Mr. Gosman was the first life member made by the County Bible Society.
The report for 1819 shows twenty life members by the payment of thirty dollars cach, and one hundred and fifty annual members by the annual payment of one dollar each.
The society has made since its organization six hundred and ninety-four life members and twelve life directors. Much of the efficiency and usefulness of the society has been due to the earnest and liberal support and unremitting labors of Gen. Joseph S. Smith, who for thirty years filled a prominent offee, and was present at thirty-nine consecu- tive annual meetings.
The present organization is as follows: President, Wil- liam Smith, E-opus ; Vice-Presidents, Wm. R. Sheffield, Saugerties; Asa Lefevre, Gardiner ; Rev. S. W. Adriance, Lloyd ; Corresponding Secretary, Rev. Philip Peltz. New Paltz; Recording Secretary, Rev. Philip Peltz, New Paltz ; Treasurer, N. E. Brodheol. King-tou.
There has been a systematic canvass of the county to supply the destitute, viz. : 1540, 1101 families found desti- tute ; 1852, 825; 1857, 950. The hotels and fire com- panies of the county were also supplied this year with 422 copies, at a cost of 8215.05. In 1575 a canvass of the western towns of the county resulted in supplying 205 destitute families. During the years 1862-65 several thousand copies of the Scriptures were donated to the soldiers who left the county in their country's service.
The following table shows the donations to the American Bible Society by decades :
1516-26.
Donations. $250.00
For Bibles.
$396.16
1:26-36.
1,583.00
1,105.63
IS36-46.
1.795.99
1.926.78
1846-56
5,565.41
1,520.98
1:50-66
S,084.48
6,195.08
1866-76.
9,782.65
5,277.85
Total for sixty years .. $27,314.53 817,035.33
The above is exclusive of all expeuses of County Bible Society for collections, canvass, and printing.
The officers of the Ulster County Bible Society have been as follows :
Presidents .-- 1824, James Oliver; 1828, Abram Bruyn Hasbrouck : 1843, Giles Isham; 1850, A. B. Preston ; 1855, Joseph S. Smith ; 1858, A. B. Preston : 1860, Ed- mund Eltinge; 1564, J. W. Emerick ; 1866, John Lyons; 1877, Walter B. Crane ; 1879, William Smith.
Corresponding Secretaries .- 1824, John Sudam; 1828. Henry Tappen; 1831, John Van Buren; 1832, Jacob Burhans; 1846, Jonathan Hasbrouck ; 1850, Rev. D. M. Quackenbush ; 1855, A. B. Preston; 1858, Rev. E. W. Bentley; 1868, Rev. J. F. Harris ; 1869, Rev. E. W. Bentley ; 1873, Rev. Philip Peltz; 1680, Rev. Philip Peltz.
Treasurers .- 1824, Severyu Bruyn; 1828, Joseph S. Smith; 1855, C. H. Van Gaasbeck ; 1858, IT. II. Rey- nolds; 1861, E. B. Newkirk ; 1866, C. II. Van Gaasbeck ; 1879, N. E. Brodhead.
THE KINGSTON FEMALE BIBLE SOCIETY
was organized some time prior to the county society, and admitted as an auxiliary to the American Bible Society. July, 1816, and was actively engaged in supplying Bible destitution until 1824, when it became identified with the eounty society. The officers were Mrs. John Gosman, President; Mrs. Maria Van Keuren, Corresponding Secre- tary ; Mrs. H. Radcliff, Treasurer.
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312 1
PART SECOND.
HISTORY
OF THE
TOWNS OF ULSTER COUNTY.
٠
Photo. by Lewis, Kingston.
JACOB J. HASBROUCK.
Jacob J. Hasbrouck was born in the village of New Paltz, in the " old stone house" now occupied by Mr. Joseph Hasbrouck, Oct. 20, 1767. He was twice married. His first wife was a daughter of Gross Hardenberg, of Sullivan County, by whom he had one chill, Lewis, who, upon becoming of age, went to Sullivan County to look after property which fell to him by his mother; and was never heard of after starting for New Paltz on his return. His second wife was Ann Du Bois, who was born in New Paltz, Ang. 11, 1776. Eight children were the result of this union, viz. :
Ist. Maurice, born Nov. 26, 1800; married Jane Du Bois,-children, Jacob M., AAbram M., Catha- rine Ann, Josiah J., and Simon ; all except Catha- rine married, have families, and are living in New Paltz. Both father and mother are deceased.
2d. Catharine, born Dec. 14, 1802 ; married Me- thuselah Du Bois. Eight children. Herself and hu-band deceased.
3d. Col. Jacob J., a portrait of whom and biog- raphy appears on another page of this work.
4th. Da Bois, born July 21, 1807. Is deceased.
5th. Margaret, born Nov. 12, 1809; married Si- mon L. Du Bois. Died without issue.
6th. Albina, born Nov. 20, 1812, widow of Dr. David Wurtz, whose portrait and biography will be found on another page of this volume.
7th. Asenath, born May 28, 1817; married Der- rick W. Du Bois. Died without issue.
Sth. Huram, born Oct. 28, 1819. Twice mar- ried ; his first wife was Maria, daughter of Solomon P. Hasbrouck, to whom he was married March 3,
1842, and by whom he had five children, ouly two of whom-Lewis and Maria-are living. His wife died Aug. 25, 1852. His second wife was Rozilla, si-ter to his first. By her he has had nine children, five living, viz. : Unther, Annie D., Mar- garet J., Delaney K., and Walter, Mr. Huram Hasbrouck is a prominent farmer living in the town of Lloyd, was supervisor of the town of New Paltz one year, and county treasurer for the years 1859- 61. Has been auditor for the town of Lloyd for the last four years.
Jacob J. Hasbrouck, with his brother Josiah, in- herited from his father, Jacob Hasbrouck, a large landed property, situated in what was then the town of New Paltz (now New Paltz, Gardiner, and Lloyd). His life was devoted for the most part to the care of his estate.
To the limited education received in the common schools of his day, he added from year to year to his fund of knowledge by quite extensive reading. He took an active interest in public affairs of town and county, and few of his eotemporaries exercised a more commanding influence. He was town clerk for many years, and was twiee elected to the General Assembly.
In politics he was identified with the Democratic party, of which he was a leader in his locality.
He was a man of large heart, a friend to the poor, almost idolized by his family, and respected by the entire community in which he lived.
He died at New Paltz, Nov. 16, 1850, and, with his wife, is buried in the Lloyd Union Ceme- tery.
٢
NEW PALTZ
I .- GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.
THE town of New Paltz is situated in the southeastern section of the county, and is bounded as follows: on the north by the towns of Rosendale and Esopns, on the south by the towns of Gardiner and Plattekill, on the east by the town of Lloyd, and on the west by the towns of Rochester und Marbletown. It is irregular in outline, and has a farm area of 19,392 acres. The population of the town, as given in the census of 1870, is 2465.
The boundaries of the town, as described by the revised statutes, are as follows :
"The town of New Paltz shall contain all that part of said county Founded northerly by Esopus and Hurly, costerly by the bounds of the county, southerly by Marlborough, Plattekill, and Shawauguuk, and westerly by the west bounds of the New Paltz patent, continued moutherly to the southwesterly corner of the same, an.l thence along the highest part of the precipices of steep rocks to the northwest cor- Los of Shawangunk."-Recived Statutes, vol. i. page 219.
The above description must be modified by the language of the act erecting Rosendale, the act erecting Lloyd, the act annexing a portion to Esopus, and by the act erecting the town of Gardiner, as fully appears in the chapters upon these several towns included in this volume.
JI .- NATURAL FEATURES-SCENOGRAPHY.
The surface of the town is generally a hilly upland, and the soil a fine quality of sandy loam, fertile and productive. Large quantities of hay are raised in the town, and it ranks high as a fruit-producing section. .
The Shawangunk Mountains extend along the west bor- der. Paltz Point, the most prominent feature of this range in the town, actains an elevation of twelve hundred fect Dove tide-water. From it can be obtained a fine view of the surrounding country, nature and art vying each with the other in diversifying the broad panorama spread out I.fore the eye.
The Wallkill flows in a northwesterly course through the Centre of the town. It is bordered by broad, fertile flats, which render rich returns to the industrious husbandman.
At an altitude of twelve hundred feet above the Hudson, in a deep rocky gorge of the mountain, hies the sweetest of Highland lakes, Lake Mohonk, half a mile in length, deep, rien, and surrounded by headlong precipices. The whole mountain is a vast tumble of rocks, piled in the mnost fan- tastic shapes, heavily wooded, and a natural flower-garden. Here the arbutus, the azalea, and the laurel in succession "ch. the rocky slopes with early summer beauty. There is she tilless variety in the wondrous rock scenery, and a whole schon would hardly suffice to explore this wild and wonder- fal labyrinth. But from: the two sumunits, Sky-Top and
Eagle's Cliff, in addition, an outlook is gained not inferior to any in the whole Catskill region, in some respects unri- valed in America. In the valleys of the Rondout and the Wallkill below, beautiful as paradise, lie the great grazing aud dairy farms of the city. Eastward can be traced the course of the Hudson aud the line of the Green Mountains, with their most commanding summits. The whole western horizon is crowded by piled-up walls of azure, stretching from the Alleghanies in the southwest to the cone of Over- look in the north.
The Lake Mohonk House, a picturesque framue building, with numerous gables aud balconies, is built on the lower edge of the lake, and its style of architecture is altogether in keeping with the general character of this unique spot. It faces the lake, on the other side of which Sky-Top rears its lofty summuit. The rear of the hotel looks out upon the extensive Rondout Valley, bounded by the Shaudaken Moun- tains and some of the Catskills on the north. It is a well- kept summer hotel, visited by the most refined and intelligent people, and devoid of the usual noise, bustle, and confusion of places of its class.
III .- PIONEER INCIDENTS AND EARLY SETTLE- MENT.
History states that the Dutch established a trading-po-t at Rondout in 1614. Tradition, however, has it that the first settlers of Ulster County landed at Saugerties, and fol- lowed up the Esopus Kill twelve tuiles, through uubroken forests, and settled finally at Kingstou, being attracted by the rich alluvial meadows. This settlement was twice bro- ken up, and as late as 1655 is said to have been wholly abandoned through fear of the Indians. Before 1660 it was reoccupied and put in some posture of defense. The region was called by the Indians Atkaukarten, but was com- monly known to the settlers as Esopus. The little settle- ment that was made ou the present site of Kingston was known as Wiltwyck.
Various Indian troubles of greater or less magnitude kept occurring to disturb the peace of the pioneer settle- ment ; but on July 15, 1660, a formal treaty of peace was effected with the Indians. On May 16, 1661, a charter was conferred upon the place, under the name of Wiltwyck, in commemoration of the fact that the site of the settle- ment had been a free gift from the Indians in 1658.
From this time until June, 1663, the settlement increased, Wiltwyck became too confined, and a new village was laid out to accommodate the increasing population. This rapid increase of the settlers boded no good to the Indians, who began to threaten vengeance on the intruders. To avert the storm already approaching, the director-general in- structed the magistrates to announce to the sacheurs bis
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