USA > New York > Ulster County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Ulster County, New York, from its earliest discovery > Part 17
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HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
and taken for examination before a Justice of the Peace living where Washburn Baxter recently died. During the examination he escaped, and remained away some time and that was the last of it.
The slaveholder complained of being very poor. He said that slaves raised a big crop of corn every year, but that the corn was fed to the hogs and the slaves ate the hogs all up and he had nothing left.
With some of the slaveholders, the slaves were thought much of and treated almost as members of the family. An old man with a large tract of land had among his slaves one called Harry. He was very large and a fine-looking fellow. He was the leader of a company or squad of colored men who formed either a militia company or drilled as such. His old master was very proud of him, and he always rode his owner's big black stallion on such occasions.
As a fitting conclusion to this chapter we publish a poem on slavery by Samuel A. Barrett.
To SLAVERY.
Blot upon our country's pages ! Mocker of her liberty ! Who, that lives in after ages, Will believe that it could be That earth's most enlightened nation Gave thee honor, power and station ?
That a Christian people, ever Boasting Freedom's only chart, Should, by every foul endeavor, Aid thee, demon as thou art! And perpetuate thee long, With thy deep and damning wrong ?
Damning wrong-that ever rises, With its victims' groans, to God ! Yet our law its cry despises, And upholds the tyrant's rod- Hurls the captive to the earth- Crushes freedom at its birth ----
235
To SLAVERY.
But there is a law, that teaches Truth, and right, and liberty; Strong that law, and far it reaches, Over land and over sea- 'Tis implanted in each mind Of the whole of human kind. Thrones, before that law. now totter- Mitres, to the earth are hurled; And the truth its champions utter, Stirs the pulses of the world ! They proclaim Equality- Hear and tremble, Slavery ! Yes ! dark monster! thou art fated- Thy death-hour is drawing nigh, Tho' thy maw be yet unsated With thy victim's agony !- Right is hourly growing stronger- Thou canst live but little longer !
Over our fair land is breaking Truth's effulgence, far and fast; Men, from error's trance awaking, Feel that they have hearts, at last ! And confess, as all men should, Universal brotherhood.
Rise, Columbia ! rise in glory, Wipe the foul stain from thy brow; And in future song and story, Thou shalt live, as thou shouldst now, Earth's model-nation, great and free, And pioneer of Liberty !
Break thy children's galling fetters- Lo! their blood pollutes thy plains ! Tyrants, and their base abettors, Wring it daily from their veins ! Yet employ no means coercive, Such, of good, are aye subversive. Truth, alone, should be thy agent. "Tis a power omnipotent ; Truth, without parade or pageant, Bonds, and bars, and walls hath rent :- "Tis the weapon God employs,- Use it, and thou shalt rejoice.
RESIDENCE OF C. M. WOOLSEY.
0
CHAPTER IX.
THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR.
Both of these wars were very unpopular with the people of the town of Marlborough. A few attempts were made to get up some enthusiasm, but they were dismal failures. Most of our people thought these wars were uncalled for and that they could and should have been avoided. A few men may have drifted off and enlisted, but no record can be found of their en- listments. Certainly no one of any prominence from here took part in either war.
A regiment for the war of 1812 was raised in the county under Colonel Hawkins, a lawyer of Kingston. It was mustered into service and stationed at Staten Island to cover New York, and the fortification in the Narrows. It was in no engagement, and after a few months returned home. After the capture of Washington in 1814, there was great alarm all through the country; and our people were expecting daily to see the enemy's vessels approaching our shores. It became necessary to increase the troops for the defense of New York harbor, and in August, 1814, General Frederick Westbrook of Ulster county made a levy of 500 men from his command, and in September he embarked his men on sloops at King- ston Point for New York harbor. But, like Colonel Hawkins' regiment they saw no real warfare and re- turned home in December of the same year.
I cannot find what men from this town were in these commands, but it is quite likely that there were some, as they were recruited all over the county.
There was much rejoicing in the town on the 17th of February 1815, on the cessation of hostilities, and the treaty of peace. The war was injurious to the
238
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
business of the country; it affected all classes of people; the specie of the country was not in circula- tion, but was hoarded or exported; the banks stopped specie payment, and " shin plasters " were issued, and circulated as money; our ancestors had no other currency for some time. Finally, those which were not lost or destroyed were redeemed in specie.
As a conclusion to this article we give two poems written by Samuel A. Barrett.
OUR COUNTRY'S QUARREL.
(Written in the early stage of the Mexican war - soon after the sur- render of Monterey.)
" Stand thou by thy country's quarrel, Be that quarrel what it may; He shall wear the greenest laurel Who shall greatest zeal display."-T. G. Spear.
What boots the " greenest laurel " wreath, If wet with tears and stain'd with blood? "Tis fouler than the Siroe's breath ! And loathed by all the just and good. The cypress were a fitter wreath For those who do the work of Death, Unless inspired by Freedom's breath.
Shame to the Bard whose lyre is strung To sound Dishonor's praise afar ! Tho' prostituted Press and tongue Commend Oppression's coward war - The bard - the bard should ever be The champion of humanity, From prejudice and error free.
There's blood on Palo Alto's plains ! And in Tampico's sunny sands ! That blood once flow'd in Christian veins, That blood was shed by Christian hands ! Oh! wherefore was it shed? wherefore Do we invade a foreign shore? Or drench a foreign soil with gore?
239
OUR COUNTRY'S QUARREL.
Look up along the Rio Grande - What desolation meets thine eye ! What monuments of ruin stand Amid its lovely scenery ! Fiend of War has reveled there ! And hamlet, cot, and country bear Marks of his presence everywhere.
Gaze on Monterey's ruined walls, On fallen Matamoras gaze - The very sight thy soul appals ! And yet thou joinest in the praise Of those who laid those cities low, Who hurl'd the death-shot-struck and blow - And made the blood in torrents flow !
Hark! every bland and balmy breeze, That comes from far-off Mexico, Oppress'd with human miseries, And with the widow's wail of woe - Brings something what we should not hear, Brings something that should pain our ear, And wring from every eye a tear !
Those bloody battles fought and won - What are they worth ? what have they cost ? What have they for our country done? What have they for our country lost ? They've won for her a conqueror's name, Leagued with dishonor and with shame! And lost her early, honest fame !
Millions of treasure, too, they've lost - But oh ! the loss of human life Is ever greatest - ever most, Is War's unblest, unholy strife ! What is the shout of victory, But War's appalling minstrelsy ? The death-dirge of humanity !
Why ride our ships on foreign seas ? Why seek our troops a foreign foe? Why streams our banner on the breeze Of fair and sunny Mexico?
240
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
Why comes the widow's wail afar, Blent with the awful notes of War? Canst answer why these sad things are?
Is it because insulted Right Seeks to enforce an honest claim ? No; - 'tis because oppressive Might Seeks to extend his wide domain! Regardless of a Nation's laws, With scarce the shadow of a cause ! God! who can give such deeds applause ?
For this, are countless orphans made,- For this, are cities hurl'd to dust - And War, that most unholy trade, Is flattered, honored, and call'd " just !" Oh Heaven ! that such things e'er should be, In this the nineteenth century Of peaceful Christianity.
Where are the hearts that felt for Greece, And wept o'er Poland's funeral day? Where are the partisans of Peace? Of Right? of Justice? Where are they ? Mute is their voice ! - or only heard In warnings, like the prophet's word. Who wields the sword shall feel the sword !
Why is the stateman's voice unheard ? Why sleeps the God-taught Poet's pen ? Shall Nation's rights be sepulchred. And all respond amen! amen ! Ye civil Fathers ! can it be ? Have you no soul of sympathy For justice and humanity ?
Awaken from your lethargy! The influence that you possess C'an rule a nation's destiny, Can curse her fortunes, or can bless. Will ve not use it while ve may ? Will ve not work, while vet 'tis day, For Peace and for America ?
241
BALLAD.
Avert the military flood, Which threatens to o'erwhelm our land : Some upstart hero, drunk with blood, Will soon aspire to its command ! 'Twas ever thus - the ghost of Rome. From crumbling fane and ruin'd dome, Warns of the evil that may come! December, 1846.
BALLAD.
When the Hudson's waves are gleaming In the moonlight's mellow ray, Lovely Ellen lonely wanders, From her dwelling far away.
When the rose of youth was blooming On her soft and snowy cheek, And the world was bright before her, Edwin did her dwelling seek.
Earnestly he woo'd and won her - She became his happy bride - And where now she wanders lonely, Oft they wandered side by side.
They were loving, loved and lovely ; Life to them was full of bliss - Three glad, sunny summers brought them Pleasures. health, and happiness.
But a sudden change caine o'er them ! Duty beckon'd him afar: Oh! that man should e'er be sommon'd By the tragic voice of War!
On the field of Cerro Gordo, Edwin slumbers with the slain ! When the awful news was brought her, Reason fled her fevered brain.
Now, a wretched maniac, roving Thro' the scenes of former bliss, The once gay and lovely Ellen Dreams no more of happiness.
242
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
AN OLD ASSESSMENT ROLL.
Assessment of the Lands in William Bond's Pattent, for Quit Rents, made by James Hallock and Benjamin Townsend, Assessors.
Marlborough, 16th October, 1815.
Men's Names.
No. of Acres.
Amount Each Person has to pay. ct. mills.
James Hallock
150
$14 70
Foster Hallock
91
8 91 S
David Conklin
1
9 8
Francis Pell
1
9 8
Hallock & Sowles
4
39 2
Joshua Sutton
50
4 90
Richard I. Woolsey
50
4 90
James Hull
80
7 84
Alexander Young
49
4 80 2
James Fowler
103
10 09 4
Thomas Mackey
35
3 43
Nathaniel Chittenden
6
58 8
Comfort Lewis
50
4 90
Benjamin Townsend
30
2 94
Volentine Lewis
14
1 37 2
Micajah Lewis
5
49
Rufus N. Lewis
4
39 2
Nathaniel Woolsey
24
2 35 2
Zadoek Lewis
24
2 35 2
Friends' meeting-house lot
1
9 8
Amount
772
$75 52 5
Marlborough. Tenth Month
the 16 1815
BENJ'N TOWNSEND JAMES HALLOCK.
Assessors
The above is a copy of an assessment roll of the lands and people on the Bond Patent for quitrents. At this time all the lands of the Bond Patent had been sold to actual settlers, and I cannot see why an assess- ment for quitrent was made, or where the money went to. for what purpose it was used, and how or why Benjamin Townsend and James Hallock were asses- sors of the lands of this patent. The duly elected
Attent for Quit Runt Puede ly fre 7
150 $ 14 40 Foster Hallock 95 8 91 8 David Bankline .. 98 ~ 98 39 2 1
Framis Pell. /
4
4 40.00
X 80 7 84 - C 1
Hereasider Youss
80 2
X
1) 11 9 4
35 3 43-
1
11
58 8
ОС и "' 94 . 1
4
1 5
49
1
ASSESSMENT ROLL - BOND PATENT,
243
AN OLD ASSESSMENT ROLL.
assessors of the town for the year 1815 were Allen Lester, Eliphalet Smith and George Birdsall. So this quitrent assessment must have been for some special purpose, and probably had been continued from the earliest settlements, when such an assessment and tax were the custom. The document makes the acreage of the Bond Patent as 772 acres, which is probably correct, as surveys were made by purchasers. The original grant called for 600 acres, but this was ex- clusive of lands for roads and rugged and barren lands.
Horatio Gates Safford, LL. D., in a Gazetteer pub- lished in 1813, describes Marlborough as follows:
The land is under good cultivation, and is productive of all the common agricultural products of this region. A larger proportion of English families than any town in the country.
The road of the Farmers' Turnpike and Bridge Co. termi- nates in this town. * * There are seven or eight schools. In 1810, population 1964. There are about 74 looms in families which produce annually 22,937 yards of cloth for com- mon elothing.
Safford's Gazetteer of 1824 gives the following de- scription of Marlborough :
Marlborough, a small Township in the southeast corner of Ulster County, on the west shore of the Hudson opposite Barnegat, 23 miles south of Kingston, bd, N. by New Paltz, E. by Hudson, S. by Newburgh and County of Orange, W. by Plattekill. Its medial extent N. and S. is about six miles and it may be three wide, its area about eighteen sq. miles. The land is under general cultivation and it produces of all the common agricultural products of the region. The inhabi- tants consist of a larger proportion of English families than in most of the Towns of this County.
The road of the Farmers' Turnpike and Bridge Company terminates in this town. There are a good many "Friends " in this town, who have a Meeting House, and there is also one for the Presbyterians.
There is a small Hamlet called Milton, a neighborhood called Lattintown, besides some river landings and places of business. The lands are held by right of sale. Population, 2,248; tax-
244
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
able property, $108,172 ; electors, 364; acreas of improved land, 9,436; 1,665 cattle; 424 horses; 2,092 sheep; 10,887 yds. of cloth, made in families : 7 grist-mills ; 5 saw-mills; 2 fulling mills; 3 carding machines; 1 cotton and woolen factory and 1 distillery. One of the stated places of monthly meeting.
The description of Marlborough published in Jedi- diah Morse's "American Gazetteer " 1789 is as follows :
New Marlborough, a township in Ulster County, New York, on the west side of Hudson's river, north of Newburgh. It contains 2,241 inhabitants; of whom 339 are electors and 58 slaves.
At the time of this last description the population also included what is now Plattekill, as that was not separated from Marlborough until 1800; but by 1810 Marlborough alone had reached a population of 1,964; and in 1820 it had a population of 2,248. It was at that time the smallest town in point of area in the county but with more population than most of them, and had more than one-half the population the town now has, showing it has been a populous country town from earliest times. The lands were under quite general cultivation or improvements, -9,436 acres out of about 14,500, the whole acreage of the town.
The description of location as being opposite Barnegat sounds strange now when there is not a ves- tage left of the place except the ruins of the kilns and foundations of houses. At the time spoken of there were a large number of kilns and a small village of houses. An extensive business was done in burning and shipping lime. The town was then a strictly farming community; cattle, sheep and horses were plentiful,-2,992 sheep are given, 1,665 cattle. To be sure there is no such number here now, and 424 horses will cover most all we have at the present time.
The number of mills appear large, but at that time all the flour was made from the grain raised on the
THE OLDEST HOUSE IN THIE TOWN.
245
ANCIENT HOUSES.
farms,-it was not brought here in barrels from abroad; and the lumber for all purposes was sawed from the logs eut on the farms, and the boards carted back home to build houses, etc. Mills had commenced to assist in the manufacture of cloth. The one dis- tillery is a luxury that has gone out of existence; our people must have been moderate drinkers, as Platte- kill, at the same time, had seven. The Quakers boasted of a monthly meeting. Taken all in all it gives a very clear description of the state of things in the town in those times.
ANCIENT HOUSES.
The original honses were mostly log; they were easily and cheaply built. The first settlers had no saw mills and, therefore, no boards except such as they split or hewed out to use for the floors, doors, etc. Many afterward built stone houses as additions to the log houses. When the saw mills started up then the frame buildings commenced to be built. The material was cheap and, as mechanies were scarce, the settlers generally constructed their own dwellings. Abner Brusch, who owned the south half of the Barbarie Patent, where Milton now is, or his grantor, Richard Albertson, built a log house at the Conklin place, Milton, about 1740; he afterward built a small frame house which is still standing, being the north part of the Conklin house. It is the same as when built and has two huge stone fireplaces. This is one of the oldest, if not the oldest house now standing in the town. The next house built about the same time or previous is the stone house adjoining the Lester place on the north. This was on the Bond Patent. John Young lived here in 1760 and some time previously ; lie had married one of the ten daughters of Edward
246
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
Hallock, and in December, 1760, Edward Hallock moved his family up in a sloop from Long Island. He brought his wife, nine daughters and two sons, and moved in with his son-in-law, and nineteen people wintered in this small house in which there has never been any change made. Hallock was a Quaker preacher, and here were held the first Quaker meet- ings. There is a tradition that a peddler years after was murdered here and his body thrown into the river. The old road leading to the river went by this house at this time. Afterward it was changed further north to its present location. The house at Sear's corner, the Sturgeon house, belonged to the Lewis family for many years. It was erected before the Revolution, most likely by Elijah Lewis; people congregated here to get the news. A road led down from the back country to Lewis' dock. This house was a stopping place for the line of stages running in winter from New York to Albany. These three houses are with- out question the oldest houses in the town. The Du- Bois house at Marlborough and the Smith house at Milton were built about 1765; they are almost as sub- stantial as when erected. The Smith house has an addition. The house built by Noah Woolsey, where Amelia Woolsey recently died, the James Nolan house, at the brook or a part of it, a part of the H. H. Hal- lock house, the Odell, Sulvenus Purdy, the old North- rip house, the house of the late William H. Lyons, the house where Theodore Rhodes recently lived, the honse at the mill on the Hallock place, the Frank Wood and Stott houses and several others were built prior to 1800. Also the Martin house on the turn- pike, which was a tavern.
Many old houses have been torn down during the last fifty years. The William Holmes house recently torn down by A. J. Hepworth was a very old house. It was used as a tavern in olden times, and the town
247
ANCIENT MILLS AND FACTORIES.
meeting was held there in the year 1801. A hundred years ago there was at least a dozen log and twice that number of stone houses standing. And on all the oldest farms there were houses in 1800 on the same sites as the present residences.
ANCIENT MILLS AND FACTORIES.
Edward Hallock, between 1760 and 1770 built a grist and saw mill on Hallock's brook at Milton, just west of the post road at the foot of the first hill ; afterward the mill was changed to a point farther north, where it now stands. He erected dams on the stream, which made the commencement of the Hallock ponds.
About this time Leonard Smith and his son, Anning Smith, built the Smith pond, a mile above where the Mary Powell dock now is at Milton. They started a woolen factory, and a saw and grist mill, which were in existence many years. They also had a store there, and it was quite an active place.
. Major Lewis DuBois had two grist mills on old Man's Kill in what is now Marlborough village. He also had a saw mill on the south side of the kill.
About 1790 Charles Millard had a saw mill on Jew's creek. He sawed lumber for the people, and also sold and shipped lumber. In 1809 he also had a grist mill there. In 1815 John Buckley, who was an expert wheelwright, machinist and manufacturer, pur- chased this property of Millard, and had a carding and spinning mill there; a part of the old mill is still standing. He spun and carded wool for the farmers, and soon after began making cloth. In 1822 he took James and John Thorne in as partners under the firm name of " Thornes and Buckley," and the place be- came known as the Marlborough woolen factory, in
248
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
which the business and facilities were increased. In connection with the previous products, broadcloths , and satins were manufactured. The firm was dis- solved in 1830 but was carried on by Mr. Buckley in the same manner until 1855. During this time no better work was done in the State. The goods were a standard article wherever they were sold, and large amounts were manufactured. A large part of the farmers of southern Ulster and Orange counties were supplied with their best cloth from here.
The late Mrs. Martha Poyer, (formerly Miss Tooker), a descendant of one of the oldest families, who died during the past year at the age of 93, had a purple cloak that was made from cloth made from the wool of her father's sheep when she was a girl. It is of heavy cloth, and has seen more than 75 years of ser- vice. The color is bright and clear and it is in a good state of preservation. It is quite a curiosity in its way. It was always kept by the owner as her dress- up cloak.
Foster Hallock carried on a grist mill about the year 1800 on the Hallock brook. His son George afterward conducted it, and now his grandson Robert H. Hallock runs it, and is doing an extensive business. It is substantially the original mill with a few altera- tions. The original mill and pond were built by Sutton, and used many years before Hallock.
Silas Purdy had a grist mill and perhaps a saw mill in 1765 and for many years afterward at what is now the Henry E. Gaede place, and until recent years there had been a mill there ever since. There was also a tavern and a store at this place. Purdy had one of the earliest mills; there were fulling, card- ing and other mills at different times along the stream from his place to Marlborough village.
Wolvert Ecker, the old patriot, had one of the very earliest mills on Jew's creek just over the town line.
249
VESSELS AND TRANSPORTATION.
where the Armstrong place now is, and this accommo- dated the people of all that neighborhood in early times. This mill was in existence over a hundred years. I find in very ancient papers that there was a " Deyoes " mill, "Henry Turbushe's " mill and " Samuel Merritt's " mill, but I cannot locate them.
VESSELS AND TRANSPORTATION.
After the settlers commenced to arrive here it be- came necessary to have some means of travel by the river. The rowboat and canoe were of no service except to cross the river and for use along the shores for short distances, so the people soon turned their attention toward the building of sloops. Smith built a sloop at his dock before the Revolution; it was called "Sally." Sloops were also built at Sands' dock. Jacob and John Wood, Caverly and others were sloop builders, and built vessels along the river. It re- quired no great science to build these, but it was quite an industry and many vessels were built, not only for use here, but for use abroad. There were many skilled carpenters; and the boats they afterward built were made larger and with more pains taken in their construction. Some were built of red cedar, and considered very choice, and were subsequently planked and replanked and lasted a long time. They were made tight, seaworthy and strong, and when equipped with sails, even the smaller ones, could easily make trips up and down the entire river. Anning Smith ran his sloop for years from his dock. It made one trip a week to New York. From the next dock, called Nicoll's landing, afterward Brusch and then Sands' dock) a sloop ran to New York. Sands had a store at this dock in his time. Isaac Hill ran two sloops from what is now the Powell dock. Hill was a di-
250
HISTORY OF MARLBOROUGH.
rector and instrumental in building the Farmers' Turnpike to bring business to the dock. Jacob and Thomas Powell ran two sloops from their dock. There was transportation from there twice a week. Quimby and Lewis also ran sloops and Millard and DuBois. These were not all run at the same time, but from 1760 to 1830.
The principal staple here was wood, and New York city wanted large quantities. We had no coal then, and thus the sloops had all the wood they could carry. As the lands were cleared up and the crops grew, the produce was shipped by these sloops. The farmers sent their butter, grain, hogs, cattle and cider, in fact everything they could spare from their own use to New York, as this was the principal if not the only market they had. The sloops returning brought goods and supplies for the stores and people.
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