USA > New York > Greene County > Catskill > Reminiscences of Catskill : local sketches > Part 10
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The office of POWERS & ADAMS, as long ago as I can remember, was near the foot of Main Street, and they were very nearly, if not quite, at the head of the Greene County Bar. Of the early life of JAMES POWERS I know very little, if anything, and as he is still living,* those who are curious in such matters are referred to "headquarters" for in- formation. I know that he married a daugh- ter of Judge STEPHEN DAY, that he was not only a good lawyer, but also a busy politician ; that at one time he ably represented the Third District (then, I believe, composed of seven counties, and extending from Vermont to Pennsylvania) in the Senate of the State, and that he was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1846.
JOHN ADAMS was, I think, a native of Cats- kill, but resided, in the early part of his life, at Durham. He came to this village about the beginning of the present century, and not long after, he became associated with Mr. POWERS in business. After accumulating a fair com- petency for each, the health of Mr. ADAMS became impaired, the partnership was dis- solved, and he went to the island of St. Thom- as, where he remained until his health was partially restored, when he returned and re- commenced the practice of law in Catskill, in which he continued until his death in 1854.
I was intimately acquainted with Mr. ADAMS, and might, did space permit, tell of a thous- and acts showing the sociability of his dispo- sition, and the kindness of his heart. He was, many years ago, a member of the State Legis- lature, and more recently, represented the Greene and Columbia District in Congress. Of five children, but two are living-CATHIA- RINE, the wife of EDWIN CROSWELL, and WIL- LIAM, President of the Suffolk County Bank, at Sag Harbor.
Of the multiplicity of Students in the office of POWERS & ADAMS, I do not know but two yet extant-CALEB DAY and LEWIS BENTON. The latter is, I believe, engaged in the In- surance business in New York, and the former still resides in Catskill, apparently good for a long string of comfortable years to come. I remember as well as though it was but yester- day, when I first knew CALEB DAY. It was a warm sunny afternoon, when I (a boy) was passing the Catskill Bank, in the basement of which Mr. POWERS had his office. Attracted by the measured tones of an excellent voice, I discovered a knot of students and others, seated on the grass-plat, in the shade of the building, listening to the reading, by CALEB, of IRVING's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow," then just published. Leaning against the railing, I drank in the whole of the dreamy story, and I am fain to say that during the more than forty years which have passed since that day, no display of Elocution has ever addressed itself so directly to my heart.
* * * *
I don't know whether it is the remembrance of that warm afternoon, or the present effect of "some of the same sort" of weather-but one fact is indisputable : I am getting into an unpleasantly profuse perspiration, and must stop just here to cool off.
* Since deceased.
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CATSKILL CEMETERY PAPERS .- SECOND SERIES .- No. XV.
JANUARY 19, 1866.
An interval of half a year lies between the date of my last sketch, and to-day. Then, "Our Cemetery" lay in the light of a Sum- mer's sun, and then daily visits were made, by surviving friends, to the resting-places of "the loved and lost." Now, the sharp winds of Winter sweep past lofty monu- ments and lowly tomb-stones, and the light snows lie all unbroken, save where the wheel- marks of the hearse point the track to some new-made grave.
But, to those who sleep in that enclosure, Summer and Winter, Spring-time and Autumn are one. They heed neither sunlight nor clouds, cold nor heat, the springing of the flower, nor the falling of the leaf-"they rest from their labors."
And perhaps it would be wisdom that I should leave them to that rest,
"Nor farther seek their merits to disclose, Or draw their frailties from that dread abode Where they alike in trembling hope repose, -The bosom of their father and their God,"
yet somehow, I cannot tell why, I feel, at times, driven by some irresistible influence to recall their lives and actions to memory, and to commit them to paper, in my poor imper- fect way, notwithstanding the consciousness that my sketches must surely be of very slight interest, if not tedious, to your readers.
*
There is now, within the bounds of your Village, a populous settlement called West Catskill, but which, in olden time, went by the comprehensive name of "Across the Creek." From the "Hop-o'-nose" nearly to the confluence of the Catskill and Cauterskill, there is a level intervale or swale of land, lying between the hill-side and the Creek, which, in my younger days, was rather sparsely settled. The old DUBOIS house; another as ancient near it, the distinctive name of which I forget, but which was for a time occupied by one CHAUNCEY GOODRICH ; the present residence of the HOPKINS family ; a store-house, black- smith's and wheelright's shop ; a tavern, a cooperage and a slaughter-house, with a few scattering wooden tenements, were about all the buildings which I can clearly remember. The population was principally made up of the families of ROBERT J. CALDER, the cooper; Judge BENTON, a retired physician ; PETER S. DUBOIS, a farmer and large land-holder; EZRA
H. SHEPARD, the whistling wagon maker; Mr. ROWE, (the father of JONATHAN and PETER) who kept the tavern, and JAMES VAN VALK- ENBURGH, the blacksmith, who was commonly called 'COBT'S FOLLECK, for brevity.
To this place, forty or fifty years ago, there came SAMUEL and NATHANIEL WILSON. The former is famous, in the chronicles of the last war with England, as originating the national nick-name of "Uncle SAM, " which happened something after this wise: The Wisox broth- ers, who were familiarly known as Unele SAM, Uncle NAT, Uncle EBEN, &c., had a con- tract for supplying the American army with beef, and, of course, all the barrels were branded U. S., to designate them as government prop- erty. An inquisitive fellow coming along, one day, asked the meaning of the letters, which, to him, were entirely cabalistic. The man who wielded the brand, being something of a wag, replied that they were the initials of the senior contractor, Uncle SAM-and so, Brother JONATHAN was ever after known as Uncle SAM.
But to return. The brothers SAMUEL an l NATHANIEL came to Catskill and settled on the West side of the Creek, both, I believe, occu- pying one domicile, since known as the HAX- TUN house. They commenced the slaughter- ing and packing business, and, one of them at least, carried on the manufacture of brick, prosecuting both trades on an extensive scale, and employing a large number of hands, many of whom (the GLEASONS, GIBSONS, &c. ) ac- companied them in their immigration to Cats- kill. For some time their operations in beef packing were confined to the old slaughter- house standing in the bend of the Creek, near the Hop-o'-nose, but they afterwards erected extensive buildings and yards at "the Point," and enlarged their business until few cstab- lishments of the kind were more widely and favorably known. Uncle SAM did not stay in Catskill many years, but returned to Troy. I believe he had but two sons, BENJAMIN M. andI ALBERT. The former I afterwards renewed my acquaintance with in Troy, while I was a resident of that city ; of ALBERT I have no distinet remembrance, except that he was once most cruelly maltreated at school, by a teacher named NUTTING, who, in his rage, pulled the hair from the boy's head, and otherwise muti- lated him, and I will remember that there was a strong expression of indignation by the whole community at this act of brutality.
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[NUTTING was afterwards, and perhaps | companied him to the porch of the Baptist appropriately, selected as the principal of a Church, where we chatted until his son FRAN- cis came and assisted him to a seat inside the building. I never saw him again-before my next visit to the Village, he had gone to take his seat in a "temple not made with hands." female seminary. Had he lived in these days, and retained his propensity for capillary ex- traction, he might have had fine times among the waterfalls. ]
The last time I saw the two brothers, SAM- UEL and NATHANIEL WILSON together, was in the Summer of 1846, at the house of the elder, in Troy, where NATHANIEL was on a visit. Time had then been pecking at them for about four-score years, but, aside from a weakening of the knees, which Uncle NAT assured us was "a family complaint," the old mower had made but little impression upon either of them. They cracked their jokes, and enjoyed their reminiscences of old times with all the zest of boyhood, and their hearty laughter rang out until Mount Ida sent its cchoes to join in the hilarity.
Uncle NAT remained in Catskill, and was long known and is still remembered as one of the most worthy citizens of the Village. Time will not permit me, to-day, to render a fitting tribute to one who was so universally esteemed, and who so richly deserved the affection of his townsmen. His tomb-stone records that he died August 19, 1854, aged 86 years. Doubtless the record is true, yet it is difficult for me to realize that he was so old, for cer- tain it is that the years which had passed over his head never touched the kindly impulses of his heart.
Not a long time before his death, I saw him at Catskill, on a Sunday. He had started for church alone, but, when near the Bank corner, his limbs failed him, and he was obliged to cling to the railings for support. I lent him my shoulder to sustain him, and ac- | lived "Across the Creek."
Most, if not all, his sons are still living. The eldest, FRANCIS N., is too well known among you to require a lengthy notice at my hands. For many years he was engaged in business with his father, and subsequently lie became connected with the forwarding house of COOKES, DONNELLY & Co., and also as one of the extensive hardware firm first established by Messrs. ATWATER, COOKE & DWIGHT. Hc was, also, for some time, President of the Catskill Bank, and was, in various ways, identified with the business and social inter- ests of the Village, and, like his father, he has always enjoyed the confidence, respect and esteem of all who knew him.
WILLIAM M. (or MERRILL) was about my age, and, for some years we were quite inti- mate. He removed to New York a number of years ago, and was, I believe, associated with an uncle in the packing and inspection business, and I learn that the world has "went well with him." Surely, none envy him a success which has been the result of industry and integrity.
CHARLES is still in business in Catskill, pur-s suing the same trade, and, "following, gen- erally, in the footsteps of his predecessors."
HENRY removed, long since, to the Western country, and I have not heard from him for years.
In my next sketch I propose to notice some others of those who, forty or fifty years ago,
CATSKILL CEMETERY PAPERS .- SECOND SERIES. - No. XVI.
JANUARY 26th, 1866.
Among those who accompanied the WILSONS to Catskill, or who came at about the same time with them, were JONAS W. GLEASON and JOHN EDSALL. These two were, at different times, if not in regular alternation, "boss butchers" at the Catskill slaughter-house .- GLEASON was quite a character in his way. IIe had lungs like a smith's bellows, and du- ring the busy operations of the establish- ment his voice could be heard high above the bellowing of the doomed cattle, or the resound- ing blows of axe and cleaver. JONAS was an ambitious man. I am not sure that he was vain, but I don't think that he ever distrusted
his own capacity to fill any position, from a bladder boy up to President of the United States. He was a little proud, too, of his ora- torical powers, and managed to give them vent upon all appropriate (and sometimes inappro- priate) occasions. I must admit that he some- times lacked a little in eloquence, but he made np in energy ; manner supplied the dearth of matter ; want of grammar was abundantly compensated by gesticulation, and if, at any time he hesitated for proper phrases, he filled up the hiatus with his favorite quotation :
"As high as huge Olympus-come, young Octavio, come."
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The first time I ever heard JONAS in the role pels me to say that he had a much happier knack in selling things than he had in render- ing an account of sales.
of an orator, was at a celebration of the Anni- versary of American Independence "across the Creek." For want of a cannon, the boys charged the "mouse-hole" of an anvil, and from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same, the Village was jarred by the echoes of this improvised artillery. But, above the roar of the anvil, and the shouts of the assembled auditory, rose the stentorian tones of JONAS, in an address in which was compressed more fervid patriotism, if not elegant diction, than are found, now-a-days, in Congressional debates. The heat of the day, or the hunger and thirst of the crowd, obliged JONAS to curtail his harangue, with a promise to conclude it, on the following day, at the same place ; but, from some unexplain- ed cause, he failed to "come to time." It might have been for lack of an appreciative audience, for when I came to the spot there was no one to be seen, except two or three ragged ragamuffins seeking sixpences and segar-stumps among the debris of the pre- ceding day's debauchery.
But his favorite occasion was at the "blow outs" or annual festivals at the closing up of the packing season. These festivals were sometimes held at the tavern of JACOB M. HALLENBECK, at "the Point," but, usually, the dinner was spread on "the bed" or "knock- ing-down and dragging-off" platform at the slaughter-house. It is true that, at these times, the place was thoroughly washed and white- washed, but, to me, there was always a nasal reminder of the recent "base uses" of this banquet hall, not especially provocative of keen appetite.
The dinner, two of the leading dishes of which were roast dog and blood pudding, (the balance, however, being of the choicest eseu- lents and beverages,) was generally preceded by a procession of the men in their work-day habiliments and implements, headed by JONAS a cheval, wearing a huge pair of bullock's livers as epaulettes, flanked by BEN BROOKWAY and a broad-axe. I will not attempt to de- scribe these processions or entertainments, as most of your grown-up readers have, doubt- less, witnessed one or more of them, and, in- deed, I only now advert to them as occasions improved by JONAS for the exercise of his oratorical powers.
JONAS also took advantage of his position as Foreman of the Hook and Ladder Company, to address the members, every month, from the topmost round of a ladder.
He also delighted in acting as an auctioneer, a vocation to which he was, by the "gift of gab," peculiarly adapted. I once had a little business with him in that line, and truth com-
For some years he kept a butcher's stall, and the firm of J. W. GLEASON & SON (his son GEORGE being the partner) transacted a large business, and was supposed to be mod- erately wealthy. I do not know the cause, but, after a while, adversity came on, and they failed. Afterwards, JONAS took the tavern near the Hans Vassen Kill, and for a time was again prosperous, having a good run of Village customers, attracted thither by ex- cellent Yankee Flip, which he was famous for concocting, and the flavor of which is not even yet entirely gone from memory. Subse- quently GLEASON was appointed Village, or police, constable, and was, I believe, active and faithful in the discharge of the duties of the office. His last vocation was that of car- man, and he followed it until his working days were over. Although he lived to a good old age, yet he fell quite short of his calcula- tions of longevity, for I have often heard him say that, as his father had lived to an almost antediluvian age, and that his mother was then extant, and above ninety years old, he held himself good for about a century, "un- less, " as he said, "a house should fall on him." His death was not caused by any such pon- derous agency as a falling house, but by an apparently trivial pustule on the lip, which resulted in a cancer, and slowly, but surely, ate away his life.
There are many anecdotes connected with the history of JONAS W. GLEASON, which I would be glad to repeat, did time permit, or were I not quite certain that they will readily suggest themselves to the minds of your read- ers. Take him, all in all, he was a good citizen, and though he was a thorough butcher, and seemed to be in his element in all the branches of knocking-down, skinning and cutting up, yet he had a kind heart, and I do not remember any one to whom the poor, the unfortunate and the wretched could apply, in their utmost need, with better hopes of relief, than to this man, whose trade was blood.
His eldest son, GEORGE, died long before his father. CHARLES, the second son, survived his brother some years, and will be remem- bered as the subject of an accident in 1834. There had been a warm and spirited election for Trustees that year, (the first time when party politics were mixed with our Villag. affairs) and the Whigs were successful. To celebrate their triumph, the big gun was brought out, and CHARLEY, with others, un- dertook to fire a salute. At the third or fourth firing a premature discharge took place, tear- ing the arm of young GLEASON from the
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shoulder, and otherwise cruelly mutilating him. I hope that I am not hard-hearted, nor vin- dictive, yet I fear that I was not so deeply grieved at the time as I ought to have been, nor as I probably should have been had I not been one of the candidates over whose defeat the rejoicings were had. Yet I think I am sorry, now, that I was not more sorry then. CHARLES recovered from the accident, but is since dead.
There were two other brothers, NELSON and JONAS, but I do not know what became of them.
The space in your paper to which I have usually limited these sketches, will only per- mit me to advert, very briefly, to JOIN EDSALL.
He was born in New Jersey, and, at an early age, apprenticed to one FRINK, a well- known butcher of New York. Before the expiration of his indentures, he was induced, with other boys, to join the "Miranda Expe- dition," a scheme similar to, if not identical with that of AARON BURR, in the early part of of the present century-a sort of raid into Mexican and South American territory. His- tory tells of the failure of that crazy enter- prise, and poor EDSALL and his companions were caught and incarcerated in a loathsome dungeon at Carthagena, New Grenada. There they laid and suffered horribly for months, if not for years ; but, at last, a part of them succeeded in effecting their escape, by digging a subterraneous passage, below the founda- tions of the prison. After enduring terrible hardships and privations, EDSALL shipped on board a foreign vessel as a sailor. He was, afterwards, shipwrecked in the Cattegat, a sort of estuary of the German Ocean. Him- of the Creator's works-an honest man.
self and only a single shipmate clung to a slight raft for a long time, and until they were rescued, nearly frozen and exhausted-the sole survivors of the whole ship's company.
He again entered the merchant service, in which he continued until the breaking out of the War of 1812, when he was impressed into the British service, and was, more than once, an unwilling participant in naval engagements with American vessels. I do not recollect exactly how he got clear from English servi- tude, but think he "took French leave" while his vessel was in port, patching up the dam- ages which she had received from a Yankee privateer. EDSALL afterwards entered the American navy, under the assumed name of JOIIN BROWN, (fearing that, should the fortunes of war again throw him into British hands, he might meet the fate of a deserter, ) and he held the post of Master-at-arms on board Com. MODONOUGH's flag-ship, at the battle of Lake Champlain.
At the close of the war, he resumed his trade of butcher, and was, for a long time, in the employment of SAMUEL and NATHANIEL WILSON, with whom, I believe, he came to Catskill, where his eventful life came to a peaceful close. I have listened, for hours, to his stories of hardships, wrecks and im- prisonments, and regret that I have not the leisure to rehearse them to your readers. But I cannot now do so, (though I may, perhaps, hereafter revert to this subject,) and must close this very desultory sketch by stating that he always enjoyed the esteem and confidence of all who knew him, and that he will long be remembered in Catskill as one of the noblest
CATSKILL CEMETERY PAPERS .- SECOND SERIES .- No. XVII.
I meant to have confined myself, in this and one or more succeeding numbers, to brief sketches of some more of the old residents of West Catskill, or "across the Creek." But other names suggest themselves, this evening, of those who were, especially, mixed up with the interests and welfare of the Village, and fearing that if I neglect them now, they may not soon recur to my memory, I propose to devote this paper to that class.
Among those who were thus identified with the interests and prosperity of Catskill, and ever leading in every good work, and who | ing now occupied by TUZAR BULKLEY, in Main,
MONDAY EV'G., JANUARY 29, 1866.
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have passed away, were WILLIAMS SEAMAN, HENRY ASHLEY, JAMES COLE, ISAAC VAN LOAN, PETER BREASTED, with others, of whom I hope to be permitted to speak hereafter.
WILLIAMS SEAMAN Was, I believe, a native of Long Island, and, if I am not mistaken, was of Quaker (Hicksite) parentage, or, at least, descent. He must have come to Cats- kill more than fifty years ago, for I cannot remember the time when he was not one of its prominent citizens. I first recollect him as residing, and carrying on the business of saddle, trunk and harness making, in the build-
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opposite Church Street, and I recollect, too, that not having a strict regard for the tenth commandment, I often coveted the rocking- horse which was suspended as a business sign above his door.
[And here, allow me to "switch off," for a moment, to recall to the memories of your elder readers, another person who was of the same trade, and who lived somewhere near, if not on the same spot, on which "the STARR House" now stands, just above Spring Alley. His name was JOHN P. BOLEN, but either old ARCH THORP Or 'LIGE WELLS dubbed him JOHN BO PEELEN, and I think he was best known by the latter cognomination. IIe was a fidgetty, excitable man, and I suspect it was owing to this nervous temperament that he left town very suddenly after being burnt out one Summer Sunday afternoon. He had five or six children, of whom I recollect HENRY, DANIEL, JAMES, CAROLINE and SALLY ANN. HENRY was a printer, and learned his trade with MACKAY CROSWELL, in the Recorder office ; DANIEL was a book-binder, with Dea- con ELLIOTT, I think; and JAMES was a tailor- possibly a spontaneous one, for I don't recol- lect with whom he served his apprenticeship. As the family left town many years ago, I do not remember any striking incidents in the lives of either of them-except that I once saw HEN. BOLEN filling Fourth-of-July cartridges from an open powder-keg, in the hall of the Court House, with a lighted cigar in his mouth ! and that I incontinently vacated the premises, under a strong impression that a conjunction of the two articles might produce an "upward tendency" of matters and things in that neigh- borhood, and I preferred some other mode of achieving the character of a rising young man. CAROLINE married a five-fingered tailor, named SAMPSON HETHERINGTON, and SALLY ANN married probably somebody else-I don't know who. They all went to New York a good while ago, and I have lost track of them. So much for my digression BOLEN-wards. ]
WILLIAMS SEAMAN, at about the time MOSES I. CANTINE was appointed State Printer, and left Catskill, removed to (and purchased, I believe) the property vacated by Mr. C., where he resided until his death. As I have stated above, Mr. SEAMAN was foremost and busiest in every plan to advance the interests and en- sure the prosperity of the Village. He was, for some time, a Trustee of the Corporation, and more than once a Supervisor of the town, and it is not invidious to say that there never was a better one-his sound sense and practi- Mr. SEAMAN Was an active and ardent poli- tician, and to him as much as any other one person, Greene County is indebted for the prominent position which it has long held in the Democratic party of the State. I have cal business knowledge enabling him to with- stand and foil the efforts which the other towns did then, and, I suppose, have ever since exerted to fasten the lion's share of tax- ation upon Catskill. He was, once at least, known of more than one instance, when the
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