USA > New York > Dutchess County > The history of Dutchess County, New York > Part 37
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In this, his semi-centennial sermon, he said that during his min- istry he had united in wedlock 700 persons, and conducted service at 800 funerals. In three houses on adjoining farms in Ancram he had attended 21 funerals. Three-fourths of the village had been built since he began to preach. The greater part of his congregations of the first years of his ministry have died or removed. Two heads of families only survive who were here in 1833. The church now enjoys the ministrations of Rev. C. E. Doane.
It was through the influence of Freeborn Garretson that Methodism received its first impetus in Pine Plains and adjoining towns. Meet- ings in these early years were held in farm houses and in groves, in the old Round Top Church, and wherever opportunity offered. Their prayers were none the less pleasing to their Maker because they had no church home. They had no privileges in the Union Meeting House. "So they took to the school houses and work shops in winter, and to the groves in summer, where they could have camp-meetings, free air, a free gospel, free grace and a free shout."
In 1835, with thirteen members, the building of a Methodist church in Pine Plains was commenced. The house was dedicated in 1837. In 1891 the building was repaired and enlarged, and an excellent pipe organ placed in the choir gallery. The present pastor is Rev. W. C. Oliver.
The meeting for constituting the Baptist Society of Pine Plains was held in a log building, then the home of Alfred Brush, May 4th, 1836. Some early Baptists who had been identified with the church at Spencers Corners (near present Millerton), having removed to Pine Plains in the earlier years of that century, united with some others in establishing a society of Baptists. These brethren con- tributed to the erection of the "Union Meeting House,"-now Presby- terian-with the understanding that they were to occupy it one- fourth of the time. Elder John Buttolph, of Spencers Corners, served the church some two years, Rev. R. G. Armstrong, of the Pres- byterian Society, also preaching from the same pulpit one-fourth of the
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time. In those days the diverse church doctrines were plied with vigor, and the advocacy of immersion and sprinkling from the same pulpit is probably one of the causes which led to the withdrawal of the Baptists. Elder Luman Burtch succeeded Buttolph, and came up from Bangall once in four weeks.
At this time the Baptists set about building a house of worship. A lot was purchased for six hundred dollars, the frame of the edifice was put up and enclosed, the roof and belfry nearly completed, when late one Saturday afternoon in June a cyclone passed through Pine Plains leaving destruction in its wake. The new church edifice was directly in its path, and when the storm had passed those early worshipers beheld the work of their hands leveled with the ground.
This was disheartening to the struggling society. In this ex- tremity Elder Burtch came to their assistance. Through his influ- ence the churches of the county contributed liberally of their means towards rebuilding.
The Baptist churches at Bangall, Spencers Corners, Amenia, Dover, Stanford, Fishkill and Pleasant Valley each sent substantial tokens of their good will, and after persistent effort the building was com- pleted, and in May of 1838 was formally dedicated.
Next year Elder Nathan D. Benedict, of Connecticut, accepted a call from the church, and became its first settled pastor. His salary was three hundred and fifty dollars a year and house rent.
Up to this period the society had been considered as a sort of branch of the Stanford church. But in May of this year the neigh- boring Baptist organizations were convened in ecclesiastical council and the Baptist church of Pine Plains was organized with twenty-six constituent members. Since that time the church has supported a number of able and self-sacrificing ministers, and maintained during the succeeding years religious services that have led to the saving of souls.
The primitive Episcopal Society of Pine Plains is closely identified with the Dibblee (Dibble) family, who were among the staunch pioneer settlers. The Episcopalians at first affiliated with the church in Sharon, Conn., whither they went twenty miles to enjoy religious ser- vices in accordance with their belief. They, too, held a part interest in the "Union Meeting House" so frequently referred to in the pre- ceding pages, and they maintained service there. Their number hav-
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
ing suffered depletion by the death of some and the removal of others, Episcopal services in the town nearly ceased for a considerable time. Mainly through the efforts of Theron Wilber, who moved into the town about 1850, the dormant society was revived. In this work he was assisted by Rev. Sheldon Davis, a missionary of the county. Rev. Homer Wheaton, of Lithgow, held services for a time in the Union Bethel Church, followed by Rev. Frederick Sill, of Red Hook. On the evening of July 9, 1858, Dr. Potter visited this place, when three persons received the rite of confirmation-the first solemnization of this rite in the town of Pine Plains. Owing, doubtless, to jealousy, the "Union" church doors then were closed to them; but the seed was kept alive, and a Parish was organized according to statute in No- vember of 1859, the title to be the Church of the Regeneration.
In May, 1860, subscriptions were first solicited for a church build- ing, and the edifice was completed in the spring of the following year. At the laying of the corner stone a paper was deposited, bearing among other interesting matters the following chronological facts : "At the time of the laying of this corner stone James Buchanan is President of the United States, and Edwin D. Morgan is Governor of New York. The Right Rev. Thomas Church Brownell, D.D., LL.D., is the presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America ; the Right Rev. Benjamin Tredwell Onder- donk, D.D., is Bishop of the Diocese of New York, and the Right Rev. Horatio Potter, D.D., LL.D., is provisional Bishop of the same." Rev. Henry L. Ziegenfuss was among the Rectors who have been in author- ity over this church. The present incumbent is Rev. Thomas Burrows.
The Bethel Church was built on the old Round Top property, less than ten miles below the village of Pine Plains, a few years after the old meeting house was removed. It was in 1838 that the first tan- gible effort was made towards the erection of the new. In March, 1840, the church was ready for dedication. Although undenomina- tional in its avowed purposes, it was deemed altogether appropriate that a Lutheran should dedicate it, because of the associations with old Round Top, whose rightful successor it was. Rev. J. Berger, of Mellenville, Columbia County, accepted an invitation to conduct the services. Religious affairs moved smoothly for some twenty years when the disadvantages of a "Union Church" were made unpleasantly manifest. Friends and families were estranged over questions un-
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TOWN OF PINE PLAINS.
worthy of notice, and the church, instead of constituting itself a mental and moral "uplift" to the community, may have been rather a vehicle of harm.
As previously stated the present village of Pine Plains was the seat of government of the original town of Northeast. It had an official name as a postoffice a few years prior to its organization as a town, Dr. Israel Reynolds receiving the appointment of postmaster in 1818. Dr. Reynolds was instrumental in establishing a post route, in 1796, from Rhinebeck to Sharon, passing through the hamlets of Pine Plains and North Amenia. In 1830 a direct stage route twice a week was established from Poughkeepsie to Pine Plains, by way of Pleasant Valley. Since the construction of the Newburgh, Dutchess & Connecticut railroad, in 1869, the mail has been carried by steam.
One of the institutions in which Pine Plains takes a pardonable pride is the Seymour Smith Academy. This school was established in 1877, and a building erected capable of accommodating forty boarding pupils. Rev. Abraham Mattice, A.M., was the first and only prin- cipal, and conducted the school successfully seventeen years. The higher standards attained by our Union Free Schools have placed the old time Academy in the background, and the Seymour Smith Acad- emy, as such, was forced to close its doors. The trustees have placed the building under charge of the State Board of Regents, and a Union Free School with an academic department is now conducted in it, with Mr. Emery Ricart as principal.
The Seymour Smith Academy was erected through the generosity of Seymour Smith, a former resident of the town, who left his entire estate to the town of Pine Plains for that purpose. A special act of Legislature was necessary to make the bequest available. Mr. Smith was a bachelor. He raised a company in the War of 1812, and was stationed at Staten Island. His subsequent life was spent as a far- mer. He died November 26, 1863, and was buried in Evergreen cemetery.
As stated in the chapter on Northeast the family of Bryans were the original makers of fanning mills, and supplied the demand for them within a radius of many miles. In like manner the Harris fam- ily were the originators of the famous Harris scythe. Strange to say, the factories of these two pioneer industries were located at the same place at the same time, at, or near, Shekomeko station. John Harris,
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
the founder of the scythe industry, commenced making scythes here by hand on an anvil. He learned the art from a mulatto slave be- longing to his uncle.
John afterward married and removed to the vicinity of Fort Ann, N. Y. In constant fear of Indians, some special alarm caused him to place what household goods he could collect on an ox sled and start for Dutchess County. He was not out of sight of his house when he saw the savages had already applied the torch to his doomed dwell- ing. He had taken the precaution to send away his wife and two daughters a day or two before.
On his return John Harris resumed the business of scythe making, taking others into partnership with him. The iron which finally be- came the component factor of his scythes was carted in pigs from Livingston's Ancram Furnace to the Steel Works at Wassaic, and the refined steel conveyed from thence to Hammertown, near Pine Plains village, where the business was carried on for many years.
In 1814 the business was left to Seth Harris and his two sons, John and Silas. Two years later a stove shop was built and a second finish- ing trip hammer added to the plant. The works had an annual out- put of about five hundred dozen. The Harris Scythe Works long since went into decay. Stones from the crumbling walls do duty in adjacent foundations.
Pine Plains has a public library of nearly 3,000 volumes. A meet- ing for its establishment was held at the Stissing House December 14, 1797. Subscription papers were drawn up and circulated. The shares were estimated at two dollars and a half. Forty-seven shares were taken, the library was incorporated under the laws of the State, trustees were chosen, by-laws passed, and the institution fully estab- lished. This was in the eighteenth century. Now, in the twentieth century, the library continues on its mission of enlightment, spreading its benefits among all who come within its influence.
The first meeting for the organization of the Pine Plains Bank was held at the Stissing House February 15, 1839. Aaron E. Winchell was Chairman, and F. I. Curtis, Secretary. Seventeen directors were named. In March articles of association were adopted. Reuben W. Bostwick was the first President ; William Eno, Vice President ; F. W. Davis, Cashier, at one thousand dollars salary and house rent. It began with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. This bank
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TOWN OF PINE PLAINS.
closed business in 1857, voluntarily, but maintained its good name to the last.
May 29th of the following year the Stissing Bank was organized, capital stock to be one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, Justus Boothe, President, and Reuben Bostwick, Cashier. In 1865 it was changed to the National Bank and the stock reduced to eighty thou- sand dollars. Reuben Bostwick was cashier until his death in 1870, when his son Frederick was chosen as his successor. The bank at present has a capital stock of $45,000, and individual deposits of more than $115,000. The present officers are: President, Wm. Bost- wick; Vice President, Edward Bryan; Cashier, J. H. Bostwick.
MOUNT Ross received its appelation from a resident of that name. The splendid water power afforded by the Roeliff Jansen at this place made it a point much sought after by those desiring to locate mills. Saw mills, grist mills, carding machines, and cloth-weaving and full- ing mills were established there at different times. Huntting mentions a weaver there named Matthew Winter who sued a delinquent customer for weaving forty-four yards of cloth at eight pence a yard. This was in 1788. Early in 1800 Stephen Carroll was a blacksmith here, and Isaac Parsons hooped barrels and casks.
The following has been the succession of Supervisors since the or- ganization of the town:
1823
Israel Harris
1853-'54
Anthony Pulver
1824-'25
Reuben W. Bostwick
1855
Walter Herrick
1826-'27 Israel Harris
1856
John Righter
1828
Ely Hamblin
1857 John H. Mosher
1829
Samuel Russell
1858
Harman W, Pulver
1830-'32
Reuben W. Bostwick
1859-'60
Eli Knapp John Thompson
1834
Edward Huntting
1862-'63
Cornelius Pitcher
1835
William H. Bostwick
1864
Walter W. Husted
1836
Daniel Sherwood
1865
Cornelius Pitcher
1837
William H. Bostwick
1866-'67
A. D. Miller
1838-'39
1868-'70
Caleb H. Reynolds.
1840
Abraham Dibble Backus Culver
1871
John A. Herrick
1841-'42 Henry R. Hammond
1872
Phoenix N. Deuel
1843
Frederick T. Ham
1873 John A. Herrick
1844-'46 William Eno
1874 Henry H. Ham
1847-'49
John H. Mosher
1875-'77 William Toms
1850-'52
Edward Huntting
1878-'80 William B. Jordan
1833
Daniel Sherwood
1861
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
1881-'83 James T. Germain
1892 Jacob S. Bowman
1884 Isaac P. Carman
1893 Jacob S. Hinsdale
1885-'87 John A. Herrick
1894-'96 Isaac P. Carman
1888 Albert Bowman
1897-'02
William B. Jordan
1889-'90 John A. Herrick
1891 Albert Bowman
1903-'09 Jacob S. Hinsdale
In 1897 Isaac Huntting published a compilation and revision of sketches that had been printed on different occasions in the Amenia Times, the Dutchess Far- mer, the Poughkeepsie Telegram and the Pine Plains Register.
He states in his preface that "A little preserved is better than all lost," and he did some excellent work in preserving and publishing various documentary evidence and maps, as well as many traditions of the neighborhood of Northeast and Pine Plains.
His book is entitled "History of Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct and Pine Plains, New York, Dutchess County. By Isaac Huntting, Pine Plains, N. Y. Vol. I. Amenia. Chas. Walsh & Co., Printers, 1897."
It can be found in the public library of Poughkeepsie in the Adriance Memorial Library Building .- (Enrroa.)
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TOWN OF PLEASANT VALLEY.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE TOWN OF PLEASANT VALLEY.
T HE town of Pleasant Valley, as a separate municipality, dates from 1821, when the Legislature took territory from Clinton and formed the new town. The town of Clinton being large, and political objects and interests becoming weightier, it was con- sidered advisable by the citizens of the villages of Pleasant Valley and Hyde Park, in union with those in the vicinity of each, to petition for the division of the town. Accordingly upon the 26th day of January, 1821, a bill was passed by the State Legislature creating the towns of Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley, which, after defining the bounda- ries of the former town, reads :
"And be it further enacted that the remaining part of the said town of Clinton shall be divided into two separate towns by the following division line to, wit:
Beginning on the west line of the town of Washington in the corner made by lots number five and six in the great division of the Nine Partners Patent and running westerly along said lot line until it intersects the east line of the aforesaid town of Hyde Park, and that the north of the two last mentioned towns shall be known by the name of Clinton, *
* * and that the south of the two last men- tioned towns shall be known by the name of Pleasant Valley, and that the first town meeting in said town last mentioned shall be held at the house of Cyrus Berry, on the first Tuesday of April next."
The surface of the town is a rolling and hilly upland, covering 20,255 acres. This territory is almost equally divided by Wapping- er's Creek, which flows in a southwesterly direction. The town is bounded on the north by Clinton ; east by Washington ; south by La- Grange; west by Hyde Park, and for a short distance on the south- west by the town of Poughkeepsie.
The village of Pleasant Valley, with a population of about seven hundred, is the commercial center of the town. Salt Point and Wash- ington Hollow are hamlets.
The settlement of Pleasant Valley took place during the time it was a part of Crom Elbow precinct-1737-1762. Among the pioneers
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
who located in the vicinity of Washington Hollow were the New- combs, Filkins, Humphreys, Halls and Jacksons. These families were Presbyterians, and in 1747 erected a substantial meeting house at the Hollow, which during the Revolution became the headquarters of numerous bands of Tories.
The next settlement of importance within the town was near the village of Pleasant Valley, about the year 1740, by both Presbyterians and Quakers. Among the earliest names recorded were the Allens, Flaglers, Formans, Marshalls, Beadles, Deans, Sellecks and Abbotts, who began to make use, in a primitive way, of the mill privileges afforded by the Wappinger creek. The families of Van Voorhees, Harris and Frost settled in the north part of the town in 1765.
A fulling mill east of the village of Pleasant Valley was built by John Kenyon in 1808. It was later operated by William Buckley. The carding mill of Thomas Carpenter and the woolen mill of George Evarson were erected in 1809. The same year Robert Abbott estab- lished a cotton factory near the bridge. He erected two buildings, one a grist and cotton mill, the other for mechanical shops. Both buildings were destroyed by fire in 1815. They were immediately rebuilt by De- lavergne & Thwing, who, either as owners of the property, or building contractors, failed. The property was purchased in 1820 by Gib- bons & Evartson, and from that time to the purchase by Garner & Company it oscillated from individual to stock control. The cloth manufactured here compared favorably with other American products of the kind. It was printed at Wappingers Falls. For several years the plant has been in idleness, which somewhat retarded the growth of the village. In the spring of 1909 it was reopened, and the 3,500 spindles again set in motion.
The village becoming quite a manufacturing center, and increasing in population, the inhabitants in 1813 petitioned the government for a postoffice, which was granted. Another petition went to the Legis- lature for an act of incorporation. By this act the following village trustees were appointed: John Robert Abbott, John Beadle, Israel Dean, Hubby Adee and Joshua Ward, to serve until the second Tues- day of May, 1815.
Apparently little attention was given to the official affairs of the village following its incorporation, as there is no record of elections until May 9, 1843, when William Thorne, Franklin Dudley, Zachariah
GEORGE LAMOREE.
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S. Flagler, Gilbert Noxon and Joel Terrill were elected trustees. A meeting of the freeholders was called in 1844 for the election of vil- lage officers. The attendance was so small that the election was postponed.
When the excise law was passed in 1862, it required that "special proceedings should be taken in incorporated villages." Zachariah Flagler was then the only member left of the 1843 board. He called a meeting, and the following were duly elected: David L. Jackson, William Patton, Joel O. Holmes, John C. Velie and George W. For- man. The next election was held May 13, 1863, when the excise law was acted upon. John B. Duncan was chosen village president and Albert Devine, clerk.
The village was re-incorporated March 21, 1903 .. Charles L. Cole was elected president, and Wright Devine and Edward C. Drake trus- tees. Isaac J. Noxon is now village president.
A free library was organized July 1, 1903, as a voluntary associa- tion. A site for a new building at the corner of Main street and the South road has been donated, and the village has voted the removal of the old No. 4 school building to this location for the purpose of a library hall.
A number of farms in the neighborhood of the village, containing limestone from which cement can be made, have recently been pur- chased by the American Cement Company. A force of one hundred men will be required to quarry the rock, which will be shipped to Poughkeepsie to be ground.
CHURCHES.
Among the ancient religious associations in the county was the "Pittsburgh Church" at Washington Hollow. This edifice was erected in 1747, pursuant to the following resolution :
"Crom Elbow Precinct in Dutchess County, September 19th, 1746, we the sub- scribers do Covenant and Promise for ourselves Heirs and Assigns to pay towards Building and Erecting of a Presbyterian meeting house the sum or sums annexed to each of our names Under Written and it is to be understood that said meeting house is to stand about twenty or thirty rods to the south east from Henry Fil- kins Sheriff and said money is to be paid to Mr. Jacob Hall, Capt. Samuel Jack- son, Joseph Barber, Esqr. Henry Lott and Thomas New Court who being a com- mitty chosen to Receive said money and it to be understood that any of the Subscribers Under Written have liberty to pay what they subscribe in work accord-
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THE COUNTY OF DUTCHESS.
ing to the acceptance of the said committy and Said Committy are Obliged to Render a true account of their disbursements of the money to a committy which shall be hereafter chosen."
No record can be found of the early pastors, but there is evidence that one Deliverance Smith ministered to this congregation previous to 1763, in which year Joseph Hoff was chosen "Clark to Keep the Records of the Society's Proceedings." At a meeting of the trustees held August 30, 1769, it was agreed that John Platt, John Carpenter and Melancthon Smith "be chosen to carry on, seat and repair said meeting house, and that after said work be accomplished the seats be sold at Public Vendue to the highest bidder." Among those who pur- chased pews at the sale held in December following were Simon Flag- ler, £5, 10s ; Frederick Ham, £5; Israel Platt and Wilmott Oakley, £4, 10s ; William Beedle, £4; William Allen, £4; Eliphalet Platt and Jacob Everson, £4, and Samuel and Melancthon Smith, £3, 15s. The building was again repaired in 1805, and with that year the records close. Shortly thereafter the society united with the Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Valley. The old building stood until the year 1858, when it was taken down, and the Methodist Society purchased the property.
It was in this church building that a band of Tories, in the summer of 1777, assembled. They numbered about four hundred, and came principally from the southern part of the county. Parties were sent to the bordering settlements to intimidate the patriots, and obtain supplies for the British army. While the Tories were thus showing authority, they were surprised by a company of American soldiers from Sharon, Connecticut. Upon their attempt to escape, the Yankees gave them a broadside and killed several. About thirty in number were captured and marched to Sharon, from whence they were taken to New Hampshire and held until the close of the war.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PLEASANT VALLEY. This organization dates from 1765, and is an outgrowth of the "Pittsburgh Church" at Washington Hollow, and the one that absorbed it, through the village becoming the business center. Their edifice, which was a wooden struc- ture, was not erected until 1770. The church site and ground for burial purposes was deeded to the society, April 10, 1770, in consid- eration of ten shillings, by Jacob Everson and his wife, neither of whom appear to have been members of this congregation at the time.
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TOWN OF PLEASANT VALLEY.
The society was incorporated under the name of the "Presbyterian Congregation of Pleasant Valley," January 28, 1785, and Cornelius Humphrey, Eliphalet Platt, Lemuel Conklin, John M. Thurston, John Everson and Joshua Ward were chosen trustees. In 1812 the first house of worship was enlarged and improved at a cost of $2,500. The present brick edifice was erected in 1848. The congregation secured a parsonage with about twenty acres of land attached, in 1801, and in 1840, a new parsonage was built on the site of the old one. This farm was sold in 1870, and in the same year the present parsonage near the church was erected at a cost of $4,500.
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