USA > New York > Orange County > New Windsor > History of the town of New Windsor, Orange County, N.Y. > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
Satisfactory records showing first settlements on the remaining patents and portions of patents have not been found. They were, how- ever, occupied at an early period.
From this brief recapitulation of early settlements in the precinct, it will be seen that few districts in the province were more densely occupied, sparse as was the population; and it may be added that in few districts if any were the immigrants of a class that commanded more general respect. The upper portion of the precinct was in woodland "through which." remarks Cadwallader Colden, Jr., "one could not see the sun shine," and the honor was not with himself alone of felling "the first tree" and "taking out the first stub." The eastern part of the precinct, on the contrary, was partially prepared for cultivation through the re- moval, as has been already stated, of the forests by employees of the government for shipment to England. Whatever the primal condition, however, the years were not many before no small number of the set- tlers could say : "I have made a small spot in the world, which, when I first entered upon it, was the habitation only of wolves, bears and other wild animals; now, no unfit habitation for a civilized family. So that I, without vanity, take the comfort of not having been entirely useless in my generation."
Long years before the commencement of the more active settlement of the town (1724), a road, known as the King's highway, had been opened, from Kingston, with branch to New Paltz, running through Newburgh (now Liberty Street), to Quassaick Creek, which is crossed west of Schultz's mill, turned west and passed through New Windsor, west of the village, thence to Bethlehem, and the Clove to the King's ferry at Stony Point, with a branch to Goshen. To early settlers it
22
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
became known as the Goshen road .* The tradition may well be be- lieved that at least that portion of it leading to Goshen was originally the Indian trial or footpath through the district which it traversed, and there is no improbability in the story that the first settlers of Goshen, including the heroic Sarah Wells, landed at New Windsor and from. thence followed this trail to their new homes. Soon after settlement commenced a road was opened through the center of the district from New Windsor to Neelytown and Wallkill. Along and in the vicinity of these roads the principal settlements were made. Other roads were of course subsequently opened as they were required, the earliest being the branch road to Orangeville or Brewster's forge, the Ridge road, and the roads constituting the Little Britain square .**
The dwellings of the settlers were of logs or stone; in some cases the former being squared or axe-hewed. Their out-buildings were of logs, and their church edifices but mere unfinished barracks. Traveling was mainly on foot or on horse-back ; wagons were few and rude, many of them being made with wheels cut from the end of a log ; sleighs were literally sleds, the runners formed from the limbs of trees or cut from a plank, or taking their highest mechanical form in runners bent from a sapling with supporting knees worked out by a draw-knife. If there were those who had European implements, and the "one-horse chaise," now so rarely seen, except in pictures, they were few in number. The people were poor; their numerous acres even being worth but a paltry sum. But wealth came gradually; in less than forty years the more fortunate were able to inventory of household goods, "several boxes and cases of china, some cases of pictures and looking-glasses, several tables (one a marble slab), chairs, window curtains, some ornamented china, with images of Shakespeare and Milton in plaster of Paris." Silver- ware, and stoves, and the harpiscord, too, became known among them ; and as opportunity offered they acquired negro slaves, of whom, in 1755, Col. Thomas Ellison owned six; James McClaughry, one; James Ed- monston, one; Doct. Evan Jones, six ; Capt. Charles Clinton, two; Chris- tian Hartell, two; Joseph Sackett, Sr., one; Rev. John Moffat, one; Francis Nicoll, one ; James Jackson, Jr., two ; and, John Chambers, two- a record which is of interest also as showing the social rank of the per- sons named, for few there were who could own slaves, even in those cheap times.
*This name appears in patent boundaries as early as 1719. The term "King's Highway" has no other significance than that it was a public road opened as all public roads are.
** See road districts in Chapter I.
23
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
But the reclamation of the wilderness-the erection of dwellings and mills-the opening of roads-the establishment of schools and churches- the acquirement of wealth and social rank-was not the limit of their lives. The rugged front of war was at times on their borders, and every man capable of bearing arms was not only enrolled, but obliged to be in readiness to take the field either against the native enemies of civilization, or against the French. From 1756 to '58 the militia of the district was in the field in guarding the frontiers and on duty in other parts of the province. It was in these campaigns that the Clintons re- ceived their first lessons in arms, and, with many of their neighbors, became fitted for the more arduous struggle for national independence. Writes Thomas Ellison in 1757: "It is but too well known by the late numerous murders barbarously committed on our borders, that the coun- ty of Ulster and the north end of Orange is become the only frontier part of the province left unguarded and exposed to the cruel incursions of the Indian enemy, and the inhabitants of these parts have been obliged to perform very hard military duty for these two years past, in ranging the woods and guarding the frontiers, these two counties keep- ing out almost constantly from fifty to one hundred men ; sometimes by forced detachments, both of the militia, and at other times men in pay by voluntary subscriptions; nay, often two hundred men; which has been an insupportable burden on the poor people, and has driven all the young men out of the county. And yet all the militia of these parts were ordered to march to Fort Edward, while the officers had no orders to leave a detachment to guard the frontiers. So orders were given to the whole to march; but one might as well have torn a man assunder as to compel those who lived in the very outside houses to leave their wives and children to become a sacrifice to worse than wolves. How- ever, the generality of them marched, and that so soon as it was possi- ble to get so scattered a people together. And I would say for the three hundred who went out of the little distressed second regiment of Ulster, that men never marched with more cheerfulness and resolution. and had not the wind failed toward the end of their passage to Albany, they would have been at Fort Edward a day before Fort William Henry sur- rendered. When the wind failed us, every man labored at the oar ; and when we arrived at Albany, made no stay to inquire particularly whether we could get kettles and such necessaries at Fort Edward; we were told in a general way that everything was provided for us. Neith- er did we wait to have a wagon provided to carry our baggage, or to lay in our stores of wine, tea, equipage, etc., but every one, both officers and privates, packed their bundles on their backs, and the colonel, though
24
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
an old man and afflicted with rheumatism, marched on foot with his musket on his shoulder at the head of his men, and waded through rivers crotch deep, and in two very hot days marched from Albany to Fort Ed- ward, in less time, I believe, than troops ever marched it before. Some of the men indeed dropped by the way, not being able to hold out, and in general all complained that their officers marched too hard for them.
"When we got to the camp opposite to Fort Edward we had the melan- choly news of the surrender of Fort William Henry, which could not but effect the spirits of every one. However, for the first two days that we laid there, no uneasiness was discovered in the minds of the men, but an impatience to go forward and retake the fort at all events ; and that this was not affectation plainly appeared when Sir William John- son informed them that an advanced party of the enemy lay between the two forts, and desired such as had courage to fight to go voluntarily with him to rout them. Upon which the whole camp, in less than an hour, got under arms and waded up to their middles in water through Hudson's river to Fort Edward, with all the life and courage imaginable. Scarce could any one be persuaded to stay in the camp to take care of what was left there, no one examining into the probability of success, but placing confidence in the judgment of the commanders. The last of the militia had not got well through the river before the attempt was thought hazardous, whereupon we were ordered back to our camp. This sudden change created great uneasiness in the minds of the men, who now soon began to complain of the intolerable hardships they suffered lying in camp, and the danger they were in of catching the smallpox, etc. But what had the greatest weight on the minds of our people and the most difficult to be removed, was the apprehension that the French might take the opportunity to send Indians upon the frontier settlements in order to throw the country into confusion, and thereby prevent the militia from marching to the assistance of the province, or to protect their wives and children at home. So that after laying five days in camp and hearing that the French were destroying and abandoning Fort William Henry, it was impossible to prevail with the men to stay any longer."
Other manuscripts of official record show that the fears of these men were well founded. The tide of savage warfare soon rolled almost to their very doors; the west side of the Wallkill was completely devastat- ed ; ranging the woods, "and anxiety of mind which the inhabitants could not well avoid, increased by the perpetual lamentations of the women and children," partially draws aside the veil of the past and permits an imperfect vision of pioneer life in its most rugged aspect.
25
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
CHAPTER III.
THE VILLAGE OF NEW WINDSOR.
The village of New Windsor was laid out as a township plot in 1749, by a company under the title of "The Proprietors of New Windsor," and was one of four township plots similarly opened for settlement in the present county of Orange, viz: Goshen, in 1714; Newburgh ( Old Town of Newburgh plot*), in 1730; New Windsor, in 1749; and Chester, at about 1750 .** The precise date of the organization of the company does not appear, nor are its articles of association recorded, if such were entered into .** * The first entry in its original book of minutes is under date of September 9, 1749, at which time the members of the company were Vincent Matthews, Ebenezer Seely, Michael Jackson. Joseph Sack- ett, Jr., Daniel Everett. Hezekiah Ilowell. John Sackett, David Marvin, Evan Jones, and Brant Schuyler, who had, prior to that date, purchased from John Alsop, that portion of the patent to Chambers and Sutherland held (under the partition of that patent) by Col. Peter Matthews.
Immediately after organizing, the proprietors employed Colonel Charles Clinton as clerk and surveyor, who surveyed and made a map of the plot, divided it into lots and streets, and rendered the following accounts :
28 days surveying at I5s per day.
£
21
00
Drawing deed from Mr. Alsop to Mr. Seeley
I
00
O
Another deed from M1. Alsop (not signed) to Mr. Seeley
I
IO
0
A Declaration of Trus: from Mr. Seeley to Proprietors.
1
00
O
Eight days of partition with maps.
16
00
O
.10
10
O
Mr. Ebenezer Seeley jumor's, account for entertaining the Sur- veyor, Chainbearers, markers, and the Trustee appointed to at- tend the survey, as also the expenses one time when the Pro- prietors met
7
01
7
Mr. Seeley's son. chaining. 19 days at 35.
2
0
David Marvin, chaining. 19 days
2
17
0
*Not the Glebe plot. which was settled by the Palatines in 1700, but a plot now lying between First Street and Broadway ( Western Avenue).
** The statement in several Gazetteers that New Windsor is the oldest village in the State is erroneous.
*** The company apparently purchased the site, paid expenses of deeds, surveys, etc., and when lots were sold divided the proceeds.
26
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
Joseph Sackett's servant Tom, 23 days marking trees and setting
posts in the corner of the lots, at 3s.
3
09
Dr. Jones' act : 24 days attending himself, at 8s.
9
12
0
A hand of his: 9 days marking and setting posts.
I
07
0
Boarding one hand 2 weeks at 5s.
O
10
0
By cash to the Collector
0
04
11/2
By a large skin of Parchment for the original deed.
O
03
O
Col. Mathews paid to the chain-bearers
O
06
O
Total of the charges.
£ 68
16 81%
The first sale by the proprietors was to Henry Brewster and Judah. Harlow, in September, 1749, of a store-house, dwelling house, barn, and. lot. In 1752, the proprietors obtained a patent for the soil under water adjoining the township plot, uniting for that purpose with John Cham- bers,* and also established a ferry to Fishkill. The proprietors, in Janu- ary, 1751-'2, were James Tuthill, Henry Brewster, Samuel Brewster, y Brant Schuyler, Evan Jones, John Yelverton, Hezekiah Howell, Joseph Sackett, Jr., Ebenezer Seely, Vincent Matthews, and John Nelson, who executed (Jan. 3d) a deed to Samuel Bayard and Company for twelve lots, "at low rates and under value, to encourage the said Samuel Bayard and Company for the building and erecting a glass hous. for :n king glass and potash, which the said Bayard and Company have agreed to erect upon the said lots." In July of the same year, the proprietors were Vincent Matthews, Ebenezer Seely, John Yelverton, Hezekiah Howell, John Sackett, Brant Schuyler, Henry Brewster, Evan Jones, James Tuthill, Joseph Sackett, Paul Richards, Nathan Smith, and Christian Hertell, from which it appears that purchasers of lots became, to the ex- tent of contributing to the obtaining of the land under water and the opening of roads, members of the Association. In 1772, James Clinton, Robert Boyd, Jr., Theophilus Corwin, George Clinton, David Holliday, and James Dunlap, appear in the list, in which year James Clinton was. elected clerk of the township. At this point the record ceases; it con- clusively establishes the date, however, of the founding of the village,. the grants of soil under water, and the establishment of the manufacture of glass, an industry then in its infancy in the provinces of America. The village, already a commercial center of some importance, increased rapidly in population, and until after the close of the Revolution gave promise of becoming one of the first cities on the Hudson. Its business
*This patent covered the land under water from Quassaick creek to the South line of the township plot, the Northern part being confined to John Chambers. immediately south of the plot, Thomas Ellison held the grant of the same- franchise. The entire river front of the town was thus taken up, except a small. section of Plum Point.
-
27
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
enterprises and the causes of its decline are more specifically noticed in the following sketches :
Glass Works .- The manufacture of glass was commenced in the vil- lage of New Windsor sometime about 1753, by a company of which Christian Hertell, Samuel Bayard, Lodwick Bamper, and Mathias Earnest were members, the first named being the resident manager. The follow- ing agreement recites the purchase of lots for the purpose and other matters connected with it:
"Memorandum that we, the subscribers, have this third day of January, 1751-2,. agreed with Vincent Matthews, who acts in behalf of Samuel Bayard, in New York, for a parcel of lots lying and being at New Windsor, being part of the lands we purchased from John Alsop at New York, in the following manner, that is to say: We, the said subscribers, do agree to sell the following lots with. the prices thereunto annexed, viz :
James Tuthill, lots 21 and 58, for
£o
9
O
Henry Brewster to Brant Schuyler, lots 22 and 59
0
7
O
Evan Jones, lots 23 and 56
O
7 0
John Yelverton, lot 57
0
3
O
0
Hezekiah Howell, lot 43
0
2
0
0
Joseph Sackett, lot 71
0
3
0
0
Ebenezer Seeley, lot 68
3
O
0
Vincent Matthews, lot 69
3
O
John Nelson, lot 70
O
3
O
4
O
O
0
"Provided, nevertheless, that as the chief reason for selling the above lots at such a low rate and under value, is upon this account, viz: To encourage the said Samuel Bayard & Company for the building and erecting a glass-house for making of glass and potash, which the said Bayard & Company have agreed to erect upon some of the above said lots; but in case the said Bayard & Company should fail, and throw up, and not build the said works, then and in such case the above agree- ment to be void and the lots to remain to the above owners; and we, the above owners and subscribers, do hereby acknowledge to have received from the above Samuel Bayard, by the hands of Vincent Matthews, the full one equal half part of the above mentioned sum of forty pounds, being half of the above purchase money, and we do promise and agree to execute, each for himself and for his heirs, good and lawful deeds to the said Samuel Bayard & Company, each for his share or part of the above lots, upon the said Samuel Bayard's paying the rest or the other half of the above purchase money-which said half is to be paid on or before the twenty-fifth day of March next ensuing the date hereof-which said deeds are to be at the proper cost and charge of the said Bayard & Company.
"In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands the day and year first above written.
"(Signature of Proprietors above named.)
"Signed in the presence of us, Fletcher Matthews, Thos. Jones.
"Be it remembered, That I, Christian Hertell, in company with the within Samuel Bayard, Lodwick Bamper, and Mathias Earnest, did agree to the written purchase made by Vincent Mathews, with the within Proprietors of New Wind- sor ; and do agree for myself and the rest of the company to fulfill the said agree- ment; and if we fail of building the said glass-house and quit it, then and in such case to release all the said lots back again to the owners thereof upon their re- turning the purchase money back to me and Company again, or to any of us, as witness my hand this first day of April, 1752.
"C. R. HERTELL & COMPANY.
"Signed and acknowledged and delivered in presence of us, Ebenezer Seely, Jr., Judah Harlow.'
28
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
The works were conducted for a number of years-it is said until after the war of the Revolution. A second undertaking of the kind was commenced in 1867, by a company of gentlemen, principally residents of Newburgh, who regarded the peculiar stone of Butter-hill as a super- ior material for glass ware, but the experiment failed. The ordinary sand glass was subsequently made for a few years.
Commercial Records .- Commercial trade on the Hudson, in colonial times, was essentially different from that of the present day. In its earl- iest stages, sloops and scows were loaded with goods and made coasting trips, stopping perhaps at different points with more or less regularity and selling goods directly to the immigrant settlers, or supplying trading posts similar to that established by MacGregorie and Toshack at Sloop- hill. It was in business of this character that John Ellison, the progeni- tor of the New Windsor family of that name, was engaged in New York, where he owned, at the foot of Little Queen street, at an early date, one of the four wharves on the west side of the city, a store-house and several sloops. His sloops were of course ready to convey immigrants and their household effects to their new homes along the river, for such was the mode of transit, and after they were located, to make them periodical visits with supplies. For the accommodation of themselves as well as the traders, it was not uncommon for the settlers to unite in erecting a store-house (not unfrequently called an "Union store-house), in which the products which they wished to send to market were placed for shipment, as well as the goods which they had purchased, awaiting convenience for removal. Indeed a common store-house on the Hudson, either as an individual undertaking or an associated enterprise, was a necessity for every settlement; the record of their existence at Newburgh, New Windsor, and other points, as early as 1730, is complete. New Windsor thus became one of Ellison's trading posts; there he supplied goods to Chambers and Sutherland, and others, and there he subse- quently obtained landed interests. On his death, his sons, John and Thomas, continued his business, the latter entering into possession of the New Windsor estate, and through himself and his descendants main- tained connection with the New York house for nearly a century.
The Ellisons however, were not alone in commercial venture at New Windsor. Joseph Sackett, Jr., a merchant and trader in New York, and his brother-in-law, John Alsop, bought land there at about the time of the Ellison purebase, on which Alsop settled, and the minutes of the Fro- prietors show that on the lands which they acquired from Alsop had been
29.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
previously erected a house, store-house and barn. * It is also of record that Sackett was the owner, in 1742, of a wharf and store-house adjoin- ing Ellison's on the north, and that it was subsequently merged in the sale to the Proprietors. This wharf was at the foot of Union street, and was subsequently occupied at different periods by Matthew DuBois, Jr., William Jackson, and Isaac and Abraham Schultz, ** the latter extending it to the channel of the Hudson and constructing the store-house which in more recent years has stood in decaying solitude on its terminus. The business of the Ellisons, however, was for many years far in excess of that of their contemporaries; their books show the names of the ances- tors of nearly all of the old families of northern Orange and southern Ulster, who found in them not only their tradesmen, but their bankers. In later years, and until his death, the business of Abraham Schultz was by no means inconsiderable, and had it fallen to equally vigorous suc- cessors, would have occupied in the near past a not less extended record.
It should not be understood that the commerce of New Windsor was confined to the firms which have been named. There were others. The limited advertising record shows that in 1793, Gillespy & Scudder (John Gillespy *** and William Scudder), conducted the freighting business there. In 1794, Isaac Schultz & Son and Joseph Morrell sailed the sloop Sally, Ichabod Lockwood master, and the sloop, Susan, Jacob Wood master. In 1799, Abraham Schultz sailed "the commodious new sloop, Fanny," of which he was also the master. In 1803 and '4, he sailed two sloops, the Mary, Ichabod Lockwood master, and the Fanny, Samuel M. Logan master; in 1806 the sloop Mary, William Walsh master, and the sloop Industry, Reuben Reynolds master ; in 1811-'16, the sloop Superior, William Peet master, and the sloop Perseverance, Thos. Sayre inaster, and the same vessels and masters until 1825. He died in 1830. The Ellison line was continued by Ellison & Floyd ( William Ellison and Samuel Floyd), in 1804; they sailed the sloop Harriet, Jonathan Brown master, and the sloop Minerva, Reuben Reynolds master; in 1807-'10, the sloops Harriet and Attentive. Thomas Ellison (2d) and Samuel
* The first store-house at Newburgh was erected by the proprietors of the Township of Newburgh (more generally known as the "Old Town of Newburgh Plot"). in 1730. as appears by deed of partition executed by Phineas MacIntosh and John Yalverton, April 3d, of that year. It is presumed that it was under similar circumstances that the "Union dock," in New Windsor, received its name. ** Matthew DuBois united with Thomas Ellison, in 1765, in resisting the order of the officers of customs requiring all sloops trading on the Hudson to enter and clear at Albany or New York. He died in Newburgh in 1799. aged 75 years. Jackson occupied the wharf at the outbreak of the Revolution, and Isaac Schultz immediately after the war.
*** Gillespy at that time owned twenty-four of the town lots, besides his resi- dence on Union Street.
30
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
Moffat continued the line in 1811-'12, sailing the sloop Attentive, Samuel M. Logan master, and the sloop Envoy, Nathan H. Sayre master. Of other more recent lines was the sloop Goliah, by Joseph Morrell, from the Schultz dock in 1800, and Morrell & Walsh (Joseph Morrell and William Walsh), sloop Goshen, in 1804. The sloop Hopewell formed another line in 1802-Daniel Borden master and owner. Among the more recent firms was Knapp, Dolson & Co., who sailed the steamer Norfolk, Capt. Jacob Wandell, and the sloop Spy, Captain Geo. L. Sher- wood, in 1832. The barge Experiment, built as a steamboat at New Windsor in 1828, for the Cornwall trade, subsequently sailed from New Windsor under command of Capt. Dyer Brewster. The freighting business was continued by different parties until after the opening of the Erie railroad. The latest advertised enterprise (1850) was that of Joseph Carpenter, who sailed the steamboat Norfolk, Capt. Lewis O. Car- penter, every Monday and Thursday.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.