USA > New York > Dutchess County > The history of Dutchess County, New York > Part 25
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General John H. Ketcham, late Member of Congress from this district, was a grandson of James Ketcham. General Ketcham died in 1907. William S. Ketcham, the old Democratic war horse of east- ern Dutchess, is another grandson.
The Dover Plains Hotel was built by Belden Dutcher about 1848, by whom it was kept a number of years. The present proprietor is William T. Elliott. Preston's Hotel was also built in 1848 by George Robson. The property is now owned by the heirs of George H. Losee, who died November 25, 1881. William Whalen is the proprietor.
Reed's Block (Masonic Hall Building) was built by Mrs. David B. Reed, of New York, in 1868.
David Maher, the proprietor of the Dover Plains Marble Works,
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
has been in business here since 1867. He was born in Ireland in 1845, and came to Dover Plains in 1862.
Among the early physicians was Dr. Thomas Hammond, who began his practice here in 1824, and continued it to 1869. He was a sur- geon in the war of 1812. He died in Port Huron, Mich., in May, 1880. Previous to him a Dr. Delavan was a practitioner of the town for a number of years. Dr. Hooker was also an early physician, in the south part of the town, contemporaneous with Dr. Hammond. Dr. Thomas Hammond, Jr., began to practice here in 1844, and con- tinued in the profession until 1869, when he entered the mercantile business, in which he remained three years. He then resumed his medical practice, which he continued three years, and again entered the mercantile business under the firm name of Belding & Hammond.
The physicians now practicing are Dr. C. F. Roberts, Dr. Cook and Dr. C. L. Fletcher.
George Hufcut was admitted to practice in 1848, and followed his profession here for some forty years. He died in Dover Plains in May, 1880.
Horace D. Hufcut, a native of Dover, was born October 12, 1836. He received his education at Poughkeepsie and in the Amenia Semi- nary, studied law with his father, George Hufcut, and was admitted to the bar in 1860. He died in 1903.
The village had one newspaper, the Dover Press, which was es- tablished by S. B. Shaw, editor and proprietor, in 1878. The first number was issued November 29th of that year. It was a weekly, published every Friday for a year or two.
Seth Deacon started a paper here ten years ago, the "Dover Plains Review." It only ran about a year.
The Dover Plains Bank was organized in 1857 as a State Bank. The officers were: David L. Belding, President; John H. Ketcham, Vice President ; George T. Ross, Cashier. In 1865 the bank was re- organized as a National Bank with the following officers: David L. Belding, President ; John H. Ketcham, Vice President ; W. S. Morgan, Cashier. The present officers are: George W. Ketcham, President; Edward Vincent, Vice President ; E. J. Reynolds, Cashier. The capi- tal of the bank is $100,000; surplus $35,000. The bank building was erected in 1857.
The Military School at Dover Plains was established by Arthur E. Bangs in 1880.
"STONE CHURCH," DOVER PLAINS, N. Y. Hiding place of Sassacus, Sachem of the Pequod tribe, 1637.
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TOWN OF DOVER.
The Dover Plains Library was established ten years ago and is in a prosperous condition. About one thousand volumes are on its shelves, comprising historical works, classical works, and fiction. The entertainments given from time to time are the social events in this section. Mr. Seeley A. Johnson is the Librarian. The officers are: Mrs. A. H. Cook, President ; Mrs. D. B. Haight, Vice President ; Mrs. Irving Wheeler, Secretary ; Miss Rebecca Chapman, Treasurer. The Trustees : George B. Chapman, M.D., Richard F. Maher, Mrs. Hora- tio Benson, Mrs. Seeley Johnson. Book Committee: Mrs. A. H. Cook, Mrs. H. S. Benson, Richard F. Maher, Seeley A. Johnson.
A new Union Free School at Dover Plains was established March 19, 1908. The building will cost about $10,000 and the land, pur- chased from Mr. Hanna and Mr. Wing, about $1200, with $1500 voted for furnishing. In naming the members of the Board of Edu- cation, we take the following from the impartial columns of the Amenia Times:
The members of the board are well known, and as they will go down in town history as the first Board of Education established in Dover Plains we give a short notice of each member. George B. Chapman, M.D., was Dover's leading physician until a few years ago, when he retired and took up scientific farming. He owns the Midfield Dairy Farm, one of the most successful certified milk plants in the State. Dr. Chapman was recently appointed health officer of the town. Mr. Edward G. Reynolds, cashier of the Dover Plains Bank, is a native of Amenia and al- though a new member of the community, his friends recognize in him sound, prac- tical business ideas. Mr. David Maher, proprietor of the marble and granite works, is a lifelong resident of Dover, and his election to the board was conceded to be a compliment to his ability, honesty and fitness to serve the interests of the public. Mr. John Dutcher is a retired locomotive engineer, and at all times a kindly, affable, pleasant gentleman, who has the welfare of the village at heart. Mr. John A. Hanna is as widely known as any man in Dutchess County, and his varied experience in the Assembly, Board of Supervisors, and as postmaster and merchant makes him a valuable member of the educational board. Mr. Charles Wyman, owner of the electric light plant and the coal and feed business, is re- garded as a thorough and satisfactory business man and upright in all dealings. Mr. Thomas P. Whalen is well known locally, having held town office for upward of twenty years. He is the present Commissioner of Highways and takes a deep interest in the success of the town. Dr. Chapman recently resigned and Mr. J. Edwin Benson was appointed in his place. Professor H. S. Benson is Principal.
The J. H. Ketcham Hose Co. was organized July 20, 1903, and the following were the first officers: J. A. Hanna, Chief; Edward Blanshan, Foreman; G. W. Polhemus, First Assistant Foreman ;
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
George T. Record, Second Assistant Foreman; Horatio S. Benson, Secretary ; R. P. Ketcham, Treasurer ; Charles Wyman, Steward. The company comprises about sixty. members; they are uniformed and have a fine meeting room.
The McDermott Milk Co. have a large factory here, handling about 100 cans of milk per day.
Hall & Ferguson's large cold storage plant is located here. Dur- ing the warm months of summer the machinery at this plant is covered with a white frost. They have a capacity of 15,000 barrels of fruit. Mr. George W. Polhemus is the buyer of the fruit and also general manager of the building and refrigerating plant.
The Elm Stock Farm, located about one-half mile east of Dover Plains, is owned by Horatio N. Bain, proprietor of the Nelson House, Poughkeepsie. The farm consists of 250 acres of land and the build- ings are commodious and extensive. Mr. Bain has 100 head on this farm, comprising trotters, pacers, brood mares and colts.
The Dover Plains Lodge, F. & A. M., was organized August 13th, 1867. It has a membership, according to the last report, of 116.
The Dover Plains Lodge, I. O. G. T., was organized November 17, 1881. The Lodge disbanded a few years ago.
Dover Plains contains four churches, the Baptist, Methodist, Catho- lic, and Episcopal, organized in the order named. In 1774 a Society of Friends was organized in the town, and was known as the Branch Preparative Meeting. It was an offspring of the Friends Society at what is now known as Quaker Hill. A small church edifice was erected soon after the organization. The society is nearly if not quite extinct.
The Second Dover Baptist Church was organized in 1794. In the old burial ground at South Dover may be found an old time worn tombstone with the following inscription :
"Samuel Waldo, Died Sept. 10, 1793. Aged 62 years."
To this man, perhaps more than to any other, belongs the credit of stimulating the people of the Baptist persuasion, then living in this section, to organize as a church. The earliest records known of this society are dated April 21, 1794. At that date the following persons signed and presented a petition to the Baptist Church of Pawlingstown, now known as the South Dover, or First Dover Church: Edward Southworth, David Simmons, Joseph Belding, Benjamin Allis,
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TOWN OF DOVER.
Moses Haight, Reuben Allen, Caleb Barnum, Mary Talman, Freelove Crandell, Mary Haight, Eliphalet Belding, Dorcas Gregory, Lydia Benson, Jerusha Simmonds, Samuel Elliott, Alse Casey, Elizabeth Koon, Hannah Benson, Jerusha Woolcut, Susanna Benson, Catie Elliott.
The early meetings of this society were held in a house situated in what is now the Valley View Cemetery, which was built previous to the Revolution for the Dutch Reformers, and by them deserted before its completion. In this house all denominations met for worship. It was badly out of repair, with rough slabs for seats, and with no facilities for heat, or light at night. The frame of this building was torn down some years since. A Union Church was built on the same ground about 1844, which has since been taken down and converted into a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, now standing on Mill street in this village.
On the 17th of December, 1832, a subscription paper was circu- lated to raise $2,500 with which to build a suitable church edifice. The desired amount was raised, and James Ketcham, Ebenezer Stevens and Thomas Hammond were appointed a Building Committee, and the building of the present house was begun. It was finished at a cost of nearly $6,000, Mr. Ketcham and Mr. Stevens meeting the deficiency. The church was dedicated in December, 1833, by Elder Perkins, who had become the pastor. He remained with the church until 1835, when, through internal dissensions, he resigned the pas- torate, and was succeeded by Elder P. Roberts. Elder Roberts' min- istry lasted but one year. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Ringrose.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Dover Plains was organized in 1852. The board of trustees consisted of the following persons: William H. Belding, Darius B. Tallman, Will McKoy, William Sands, Samuel H. Tompkins, J. P. H. Tallman, James G. DeForest, David L. Belding, Darius Tallman. The erection of the church was begun and completed under the pastorate of Rev. William Ostrander in 1853, at a cost of $5,500. The church then numbered about forty persons. The present number is about one hundred. A convenient parsonage, costing about $2,500, is owned by the church, and the entire property is free from debt.
A sketch of the Roman Catholic Church will be found in another chapter.
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
St. James' Episcopal Church was built in 1904. Previous to the erection of the church the Episcopalians held their meetings in the hall. Rev. Alexander Hamilton was the rector who built the church. The present pastor is the Rev. William Harris. Other ministers who have been in charge of the mission were as follows: Rev. Albert Bur- dick, Rev. Mr. Wayne and Rev. Mr. Ashton. The congregation numbers about forty.
Three miles west of Dover Plains, on an elevation known as Chest- nut Ridge, is another Methodist Church, which was organized some years previous to 1849. The church edifice was erected in that year. Among the early members were Robert Van Wyck and wife, James McCord and wife, Catharine Shears (now White), George Van Wyck and wife, Mariette Hustus, Catharine Tompkins, Isaac Benton. The pastors, as a rule, have ministered to this church from Verbank and Dover Plains.
Chestnut Ridge was also the home of Benson J. Lossing, the his- torian, who owned here an excellent farm of some three hundred and fifty acres. Mr. Lossing was a native of Beekman, born February 12, 1813. At an early age he was left an orphan and was compelled to rely upon his own resources. A dweller in a rural district, he naturally gravitated to farm work, doing for a year or so such labor as a boy was capable of performing. At the age of thirteen he went to Poughkeepsie to learn the trade of a watchmaker, and in 1833 en- tered into partnership in that business with his former employer. But the mind of Mr. Lossing was bent in a different direction. He had early imbibed a taste for literature, a taste gleaned from stolen inter- views with a scanty stock of books; and in 1835 he became part owner of the "Poughkeepsie Telegraph," and entered upon his career as a literary man. The next year, in company with E. B. Killey, he began the publication of a semi-monthly paper, more in unison with his tastes. This was the "Poughkeepsie Casket," in the management of which he first essayed the art of wood engraving, in order to illustrate his work.
In 1838 he became editor of the "Family Magazine," the first illus- trated work of that kind ever published in this country. His first historical venture was "An Outline History of the Fine Arts," in 1840-41. His next work, "Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-six: or The War for Independence," was written in 1846-47. The works on which his fame chiefly rests are the "Field-book of the Revolution"
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SHELDON WING.
1
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TOWN OF DOVER.
and "Our Country." The former was published in series by Harper & Bros., from June 1, 1850, to December, 1852, and had an extensive sale. Mr. Lossing died in 1891.
DOVER FURNACE: To the south of Dover Plains, on the Harlem Railroad, lies the station of Dover Furnace. Here are located the ruins of the works of the South Boston Iron Company, established in February, 1881. The buildings of the company were erected in the summer of that year, and the principal business done was the manu- facture of iron for government cannon.
Wm. B. Cutler is the only merchant. He conducts a general store that was built by Preston & Coyle, 1881. Edwin Vincent, the largest land owner in the town, resides at Dover Furnace. His son, Charles W. Vincent, is a graduate of Columbia School of Mines and a mem- ber of the present town board. Other old residents of Dover Furnace are Charles Cutler, Frank Cutler, Gilbert Tabor, Eleazer Cutler.
Shapparoon Lake, noted for pike, perch and pickerel, is west of the station.
SOUTH DOVER: The hamlet of South Dover lies in the southern part of the town, on the Harlem Railroad. The depot at this point is known as Wing's Station, and the settlement here consists of the station, one hotel, two stores, postoffice and a few dwellings.
The postoffice was established about 1852. The merchants are J. S. Wing, and Oscar Hasbrouck, of whom further notice will be found in Part II of this work.
The hotel at Wingdale was built in 1858 by John Cornwell, who died in 1864. It is now conducted by Egbert Slocum.
South Dover proper lies to the east of the station some two miles. This is also a hamlet of but few inhabitants, and is quite picturesquely located. The postoffice was established here about 1828, and the first postmaster is said to have been Mott Titus. John Ragan is the pro- prietor of a grist mill and the only merchant is George Trowbridge, who has been in business here three years. He had previously been engaged in business at Webatuck six years.
Webatuck, or, as it is often spelled, Webotuck, is a small settlement about three miles distant from Wingdale. William C. Camp con- ducted a store here for several years, and in 1881 was appointed post- master. Cleveland Titus was his successor from 1885 to 1906, when the postoffice was discontinued.
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
Jacob Harrington, it is said, was about the first settler in the locality of South Dover. A house which he built had in it a stone marked 1763. In that year his wife died, whose tombstone yet stands in the cemetery. His house was torn down some fifty years ago, and the residence of the late Alfred Wing stands on its site. The Wings, the Prestons, the Rosses and Sheldons were also early settlers here, and the Deuels were pioneer settlers in the hollow which bears the family name.
South Dover has two churches, the Baptist and the Methodist Epis- copal. The society of the latter denomination was organized some years previous to 1855; but there exists no records to show the precise date of its origin or to shed light upon its progress. The church edifice was erected in 1855.
For some years the society worshipped in the Union Church, which stood where the Baptist Church now stands. The succession of pas- tors previous to 1854 is unknown.
The First Baptist Church of Dover was organized in 1757, and is the oldest church in the town. On the 9th of November, 1757, Mr. William Marsh, from the Philadelphia Baptist Association, visited South Dover, by request, and explained to the people of the Baptist persuasion who met with him the nature of a covenant, to which, "in the most solemn manner," a number subscribed, and were by him con- stituted into a church. On the first of December, 1757, Ebenezer Cole was chosen as clerk of the church. On the 4th of January, 1758, Samuel Waldo was chosen as pastor and was ordained by Elders Marsh and Willard. At a conference meeting held September 3, 1758, it was voted to build a meeting house thirty by forty feet. To see to the accomplishment of this work, Peletiah Ward, Manasseh Martin, Benjamin Seeley, Ebenezer Cole and Eliab Wilcox were appointed a building committee. That building was for many years the only place of worship in the town of Dover. From 1757 to 1794, during the pastorate of Elder Waldo, there were about 250 members admitted by letter and baptism. From 1794 to 1885 other pastors were Elders Freeman Hopkins, Detherick Elisha Booth, Job Foss, Elijah Baldwin, Nehemiah Johnson, Johnson Howard, John Howard, T. W. Jones, William G. Hoben, G. F. Hendrickson, William P. Decker, Rev. Isaac N. Hill and Rev. Edward S. Merwin. Rev. J. G. Dyer is the present pastor.
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TOWN OF DOVER.
The march of progress, aided by natural decay, is fast sweeping away all architectural traces of our forefathers, whose pioneer homes in this locality were constructed first of logs, and later when it became possible, of rough timber and boards, which could be had for the cutting.
Foremost of the noted hostelries in the county during the Revolu- tion was the "Morehouse Tavern" at Webatuck. It was located on the then chief highway from Hartford to Fishkill. Under its roof many of the general officers of the Continental army slept. There Washington, Putnam, Arnold, LaFayette and other distinguished leaders have been entertained, and there Rochambeau and his officers have lodged. An interesting account of the sojourn of the Marquis de Chastellaux at this tavern will be found in Chapter XIII. Bene- dict Arnold had his last friendly talk with his Commander-in-Chief at the Morehouse Tavern before he attempted to betray the American cause.
The Red Lion Inn, another notable tavern, was located at Weba- tuck, and part of the original building still stands.
The old house north of Philip Hoag's was built in 1751, as shown by date on chimney, by Hendrick Dutcher. When Washington evacu- ated Boston he passed with a portion of his command, so tradition says, by the road leading west from Wing's Station. His troops encamped for the night on the hill across the brook, west from Philip Hoag's, on both sides of the road. Washington took up his head- quarters in the old house just mentioned. Elder Waldo, a Baptist preacher, lived at that time where the Misses Hoag now reside. He carried all the milk produced by several cows into camp, together with other provisions, and distributed the articles among the soldiers. He invited them to come to his house and get whatever they wanted to eat. Many of them did so and partook of his generosity, and, to their credit be it said, nothing about the premises was in the least disturbed by them. A family by the name of Elliott lived on the place now occupied by Frank Hoag. They were less free with their provisions than Waldo and went to the officers with the request that the soldiers be entirely kept off their grounds. The result was that not a chicken or scarcely any other eatable was left about the premises, the troops making a clean sweep of everything the Elliotts possessed, and, notwithstanding their earnest entreaties, the officers paid no heed to their complaints.
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
In the year 1821 the New York and Sharon Canal was projected. Many enterprising men took a lively interest in it, though some looked upon it as a visionary scheme. The canal was proposed to be con- structed from Sharon Valley down by the Ten Mile River, and by the Swamp River to the sources of the Croton in Pawling, and by the Croton either to the Hudson or to the Harlem River. The pre- liminary survey was made and sixty thousand dollars contributed. The money was deposited with a broker in New York, who failed, and the project was abandoned. In 1826 the project was renewed and a report of the Canal Commissioners was made to the Legislature. The estimated cost of the canal to. the Hudson was $599,232, and by the route to the Harlem it was $1,232,169. This included the whole ex- pense of locks, excavation, aqueducts, bridges and everything essen- tial to the completion of the work. There is no record of the project after this. The projectors were: Cyrus Swan of Sharon, Joel Ben- ton and Thomas Barlow of Amenia, William Tabor of Pawling, and Mark Spencer of Amenia.
The Harlem Railroad, which traverses very nearly the proposed canal route, was built through the town of Dover in 1849.
Valley View Cemetery was dedicated October 7th, 1871. It con- sists of twenty acres of beautiful, undulating meadow. . The grounds were laid out by Mr. J. I. Wanzer. The first directors: John H. Ketcham, G. T. Belding, J. K. Mabbett, George, Allerton, Thomas Hammond, M. D., Joseph Belden and Horace D. Hufcut.
The succession of Supervisors from the erection of the town in 1807, are as follows:
1807
George Crary
1840
John M. Ketcham
1808-'10
Andrew Pray
1841
Egbert Sheldon
1811-'15
James Ketcham
1842
William Hooker
1816-'20
James Grant
1843
J. W. Bowdish
1821
William Hooker
1844-'45 David Vincent
1822
James Grant
1846-'47
Edgar Vincent
1823-''28
Absalom Vincent
1848
Ebenezer A. Preston
1829
William Hooker
1849
S. Wheeler
1830-'33
John M. Ketcham
1850-'51
Edward B. Somers
1834
William Hooker
1852
John M. Tabor
1835
Joel Hoag
1853
George Hufcut, Jr.
1836-'37
John M. Ketcham
1854-'55
John H. Ketcham
1888
Absalom Vincent
1856
William Hufcut
1839
Egbert Sheldon
1857
John B. Dutcher
JOHN A. HANNA.
TOWN OF DOVER.
291
1858
Thomas Hammond, Jr.
1880
1859
Wm. S. Ketcham
1881
1860
Allen H. Dutcher
1882-'83
1861-'62 Obed Wing
1884
George T. Belding
1863 1864-'65 1866-'67 1868
Edwin Vincent
1886
Geo. T. Belding
Wm. S. Ketcham
1887
Charles W. Vincent
1869
Horace D. Hufcut
1889-'90
Sheldon Wing John A. Hanna
1871
Edwin Vincent
1892-'93
Theo. Buckingham
1872
Obed Wing
1894-'95
John A. Hanna
1873
Myron Edmunds
1896-'97
Roselle Mead
1874
Cyrus Stark
1898-'99
Myron Edmonds
1875-'76
Myron Edmonds Andris Brant
1900
Wilson Sheldon
1877
1901-'03
Edward A. Brush
1878
William H. Boyce
1904-'07
George V. Benson
1879
George T. Belding
1908-'09
Edward A. Brush
Cyrus Stark
1888
William Record
1870
George W. Ketcham
1891
Edwin Vincent Andris Brant Albert Fry
Baldwin Stevens
1885
Ebenezer Preston
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
CHAPTER XX.
THE TOWN OF EAST FISHKILL.
T HE historical account of the early settlement of the land and of the title to the soil now included in the town of East Fish- kill is embodied in the succeeding chapter devoted to Fishkill, of which this town was originally a part, and from which it was set off as a separate town.
The division was effected November 29, 1849, by act passed by the Board of Supervisors, under authority of a previous act of the Legis- lature. The survey of the new town was made by Elnathan Hasten of Beekman, and John Ferris of Pawling. Benjamin H. Strang, James A. Emans, Garrett Deboise and Hasbrook Deboise were chain and flag-bearers. J. Wesley Stark of Pawling, Wilson B. Sheldon of Beekman, and Alexander Hasbrook of Fishkill, Supervisors of the three towns, were a committee to superintend the survey. The land set off embraced about 33,000 acres, and formed the second largest town territorially in the county, being exceeded only by the town of Wash- ington. It is bounded on the north by La Grange; east by Beekman; south by Putnam County, and west by Fishkill and Wappinger.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Jacob Tompkins, in Stormville, on the last Tuesday in March, 1850, at which the follow- ing officers were elected: Supervisor, Benjamin Hopkins ; Clerk, Wil- liam Hasbrook ; Justice, Morgan Emigh, John S. Emans, Rushmore G. Horton and William Homan; Collector, Orry N. Sprague; Com- missioners of Highways, John Anderson, Charles Ogden and George Van Nostram; Assessor, Lewis Seaman; Sealer, Jacob Wiltsie; Over- seers of the Poor, Abraham Pullings and Abraham Adriance; Con- stables, Daniel Weeks, Jacob Wiltsie, John Van Vlack ; Inspectors of Election, David Knapp, Orson H. Tappan, John K. Vermilyea, Peter Adriance, William B. Ashley and Abraham S. Storm.
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