USA > New York > Orange County > The history of Orange County, New York > Part 34
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1 .
William D. Barnes.
379
CITY OF NEWBURGH.
Bate. 1840-1844; John W. Brown, 1842; David W. Bate. 1843-1840: (dell S. Hathaway, 1847-1849; Enoch Carter, 1850; Odell S. Hathaway, 1851 : Enoch Carter, 1852 : Samuel J. Farnum. 1853 : Henry Walsh, 1854 : Stephen W. Fullerton, 1855; Odell S. Hathaway, 1850; Albert Nie, 1857: Enoch Carter. 1858: Albert Noe, 1850-1865; Odell S. Hathaway, 1861-1863 ; William H. Beede, 1864 : George W. Underhill, 1805: 0. Gil- bert Fowler. 1866.
A FEW BRIEFS.
August 3. 1869, two acres were added to the grounds of Washington's Headquarters.
November 20, 1870, unparalleled rainstorm and destructive hurricane.
In 1870 population, 17,094.
November 4, 1871. Newburgh's contribution to Chicago's relief fund over $5.500.
January 1. 1872, Newburgh's first steam fire engine tested.
May 11. 1873, board of trustees created for Washington's Head- quarters.
February 13. 1878, new public library opened.
May 30, 1878, first exhibition of the phonograph in Newburgh.
September 25, 1878, Newburgh's contribution for relief of yellow fever sufferers in the South, $2.613.
July 5, 1879, mastodon unearthed at Little Britain.
July 28, 1879, movement to erect poles for first Newburgh telephone. June 25, 1880, armory opened.
In 1880 population 18.049.
May 30, 1881. soldiers' and sailors' monument at Woodlawn Cemetery unveiled.
June 4. 1883. first train on West Shore Railroad from Newburgh to New York.
October 1. 1884, beginning of free mail delivery.
October 31. 1885, Moody and Sankey evangelistic meetings.
November 24. 1885. West Shore Railroad sold at Newburgh court-house for $22,000,000.
September 2, 1886, new academy dedicated.
December 23, 1886, street railroad opened.
March 12, 1888, unprecedented snowstorm and blizzard.
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
September 17, 1888, Academy of Music opened.
March 19, 1889, electric fire alarm system adopted.
July 1, 1889, Newburgh's contribution for relief of Johnstown flood sufferers, $5,164.
September 27, 1889, display of national flag over the school buildings began.
In 1890 population 23.087.
October 6, 1896, unveiling of General George Clinton statue.
May 9, 1900, centennial celebration of Newburgh municipality.
Dr. C. A. Gorse.
381
TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
CHAPTER XXVI.
TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
BY DR. C. A. GORSE.
L ESS than three centuries ago, to be accurate in 1609, Hendrick Hud- son sailed up the beautiful river to which he gave his name, and anchored in the broad bay above the Highlands to trade with the aboriginal inhabitants, who then inhabited the primeval forests which lined its banks.
It is probable that he and some portion of his crew were the first men who set foot upon the virgin soil of New Windsor, but it was not until more than half a century later, in 1685, that a company of Scotch and Irish emigrants to the number of twenty-five families, with their servants, under the leadership of Colonel Patrick McGregorie. accom- panied by his sons-in-law. David Foshack and Captain Evens, settled upon the extreme eastern extremity of the town, now known as Plum Point, an elevation of 118 feet above the river and consisting of eighty acres at the mouth of the Moodna Creek.
Here they erected a commodious cabin and established a trading post : this is the earliest recorded settlement in the county. Colonel McGregorie was appointed muster general of the militia of the province and after his death, in 1691, in an endeavor to suppress an insurrection by the Leister party, his sons-in-law and their families continued to reside here until 1789. The patent which the Colonel obtained to the land passed into the possession of his son. Patrick McGregorie, Jr.
The town is wedge-shaped, its sharp edge of about five miles in extent resting upon the river. There is but a small extent of comparatively level land along the river bank upon which the village of New Windsor stands. back of which there rises a steep bluff with a surface of sand and gravel. and a substratum of clay, which is used in the manufacture of an excellent quality of brick, which at the present time is the principal industry of the place. The township is bounded on the north by the city and town of Newburgh, from which it is separated by Quassaick Creek, an outlet of Washington Lake. formerly known as Little Pond, also a portion of the
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
town of Montgomery; on the west by the towns of Montgomery and Hamptonburg : on the south by Blooming Grove and Cornwall. From the latter town it is separated by Moodna Creek, near its mouth. On the east it is bounded by the Hudson River.
The soil is of a sandy and gravelly nature, interspersed in some por- tions by rocks and large stones, of a diversified surface, being rolling and hilly. After leaving the river the surface gradually ascends for a distance of two or three miles, interspersed with gentle elevations which have been utilized by retired business men of New York for sightly country resi- dences, most of which command a magnificent view of the noble Hudson, and the picturesque Highlands in the distance.
On the northern edge of the town rises Snake Hill, or more recently called Muchattoes Hill, an elevation of 600 feet above the river. It lies north and south and is almost perpendicular on its eastern extremity. but slopes gradually on the west, from which the surface is again rolling and adapted to agricultural purposes. At the distance of about five miles from the river the town is crossed north and south by two ridges, rising in amphitheatre form, from whose summit is obtained a most elegant view of the surrounding country. The Highlands on the south, the Fishkill Mountains on the east, the Shawangunk Mountains on the north, an ! the Sugar Loaf and Schunemunk Mountains on the west.
PATENTS.
The earliest recorded patent was issued to Patrick McGregorie in 1635. Others were as follows: 1.000 acres to William Chambers and William Southerland, September 2, 1709: 4,000 acres (in part) to Charles Huddy and Phillip Brooks, February 20, 1709: this included subsequently a por- tion granted to Mary Ingoldsby and her daughter, Mary Pinkhorn, Au- glist 12, 1720 : 4,000 acres to John Haskell of the dates of April 9. 1719. and April 24. 1721 : 800 acres to Vincent Matthews, June 17. 1720: 1,000 acres to John Johnson, February 3, 1720 : 1184 acres to James Henderson, February 12, 1722: 1,000 acres to Vincent Price (in part), July 21, 1721 ; 2,000 acres to Andrew Johnson, July 19. 1719: 1,000 aeres to Lonis Mor- ris, July 21, 1721 ; 2.000 acres to Patrick Hume, November 29, 1721 : 3,292 acres to Cornelius Low & Co. ( mainly). March 20, 1720; 1,000 acres to Richard Van Dam (in part ). June 30. 1720; 2.000 acres to Phineas Mc-
1
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TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
intosh ( mainly ). April 9. 1719, and some portions of the patent granted to Cadwallader Colden. April 9. 1719, some portions of which and the Low & McIntosh patents were cut off in 1830, when the town of Hamp- tonburg was created.
On the 7th of October, 1734, Dr. John Nicoll, of New York, purchased of John Waldron, Cornelius Van Horn and James Livingston 7.500 acres.
The Chamber and Southerland patents were divided November 7. 1723. into three equal parts, Chambers occupying the northern pari, Matthew- the central part and Southerland the southern part. On the death of the latter in 1738, his portion passed to his two sons, William an i John, on the death of William, without issue. John inherited and also obtained, in 1753. the water front from the village of New Windsor to Quassaick Creek. He sold this to Nathaniel Smith, of Kingston in 1738. together with a portion of the Ingoldsby patent, purchased by his father in 1726; also a portion of the German patent purchased by himself in 1742. Smith sold a portion to Robert Boyd. Jr., and another to George Clinton, upon which the latter erected a house in 1769, and resided here until electel Governor in 1777, when he removed to Poughkeepsie. From him was purchased what is known as the Walsh farm on the Quassaick Creek. recently in the possession of his grandson. E. J. De Witt Walsh: On this portion of the tract was Admiral William Chambers, Associate Judge John Chambers, 1751 : Governor George Clinton, 1776; Captain Charles Ludlow. U. S. N. The central portion held by Matthews was purchased by John Aslop. 1724, Whose son John Aslop, Jr., was prominent in the Revolution, and grandfather of Governor John Aslop King. in 1749. He also sold that portion on which the village of New Windsor stands to the company called the "Proprietors" of New Windsor. September o. 1740. Their names were Vincent Matthews, Ebenezer Seely. Michael Jackson Joseph Sackett. David Marvin, Evan Jones and Brant Schuyler.
The Southerlands tract came into the possession of Thomas Ellison in May. 1723. who erected a stone mansion on the bluff overlooking the river; also a storehouse and dock on the river, and conducted a pro-per- ous business for over a century. His mansion was the headquarters of General Washington from 1770 until he moved to the Hasbrook house in Newburgh.
He also purchased the Vincent Matthews patent, adjoining, at Vail's Gate, in May, 1724. upon which bis con. Thomas Ellison, Jr .. ereste ! it
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
1754 the stone mansion and a mill, which subsequently came into the pos- session of his son John, and is now known as General Knox headquarters.
The fourth patent was on the Ingoldsby patent in 1726, by John Gate, who sold to Thomas Ellison in 1736. He sold a portion to James Ed- monston in 1727, upon which the latter erected a stone house in 1754, just west of Vail's Gate, which figured conspicuously in the Revolution.
Dr. John Nicoll came into possession of a considerable tract, from one Peter Post in 1738, which extended from New Windsor village to the base of Snake Hill ; his great-grandson now resides upon a portion of it on the river road.
David Mandeville purchased the Mary Ingoldsby patent May Ist, 1728. and sold to Samuel and Nathaniel Hazard who erected a mill which is still standing.
A patent was granted to Colonel John Haskell in 1719 of 2,000 acres and another 2,000 acres in 1721 upon which he settled in 1726. He erected a log cabin on what was known as the Dusenberry farm, upon which the army erected the Temple when encamped there. Other early settlers upon this tract were: Even Jones. Samuel Brewster, Elizabeth Stollard, Andrew Crawford and Neil McArthur.
The first settler upon the McIntosh patent was John Davis, July 5th, 1726; others about this time were Robert Boyd and the Dill families. Through his wife, Sarah McIntosh, Nathan Smith came into possession of a considerable portion of this tract and erected thereon a grist mill, a fulling mill and a store.
The first settler upon the Andrew Johnson patent upon which Little Britain now stands was John Humphrey, 1724; Peter Mullinder, 1729; also Mary McClaughry, John Read, Robert Burnett, in the same year ; Charles Clinton, Alexander Denniston, John Young, Andrew McDowell, 1731.
The Mailler family were here prior to 1730, who sold to Robert Cars- cadden. Among others who settled here with the Clintons were the Arm- strongs, Beatty, Barkly. Brooks, Denniston, Davis, Dunlap, Frazer, Gor- don, Gray, Hamilton, Little, Mitchell, McDowell, McClaughry, Oliver, Nicholson, Thompson, Wilson and Young, whose descendants are nu- merous in the county.
The Low and Co.'s patent of 3,292 acres was granted to Peter Low, Garret Schuyler and John Schuyler and was divided among them. The
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TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
third portion of John Schuyler passed by will to his nephews. Brant and Samuel Schuyler. Brant Schuyler eventually becoming sole possessor. Low and Garret Schuyler sold a considerable portion to Allen Jarrett. April 511, 1720, Low sold 600 acres to John Vance, September 1st, 1734, and 200 acres to Jarvis Tompkins, May 22. 1738. Other settlers on this patent were: John Slaughter, 1726; Thomas Shaw, 1720; William Miller, 200 acres, November 12th, 1740: Charles Beatty, 200 acres of Brant Schuy- ler's, August 22nd, 1744, which he soll to James MeClanghry, July 141h. 1749. the latter the colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Militia, who fought at the Highland forts in 1777. Beatty, the son of a sister of Charles Clinton, became a distinguished clergyman, some of whose descendants still reside at Salisbury Mills in this county.
James Gambell and John Humphrey purchased of the Hume patent 300 acres, April 6, 1730, and divided it equally between them. Gambell sold to Patrick Byrne, March 12. 1744, and Humphrey sold to Patrick Mc- Claughry, February 22, 1769. The remaining portion of this patent was sold by James Ludlow, a nephew of the patentec, to James Neely, Henry M. Neely, William Young and Patrick McClaughry. William Young sold to Samuel Sly 233 acres, and Gambell and Humphrey sold their por- tion to William Tilford and Samuel Falls.
Cadwallader Colden became the owner of the John Johnson patent of 2.000 acres at the date of its issue. A portion of the Belknap family -et- tled upon it in 1750.
The Van Dam patent of 5,000 acres passed into the possession of Jessie Woodhull in 1753. also a portion to Peter Gallatin. John Moffat and the Walling Brothers. This tract is now included in the present town of Blooming Grove.
The small Henderson patent early passed into the possession of John Wandel and David Edmonston.
The Lewis Morris patent of 1,000 acres was owned by Alexander Denniston, Francis Crawford, Thomas Cook and William Denniston in 1786, purchased from earlier settlers.
We have already mentioned under the head of patents, many of the early settlers. The earliest were those of Colonel MeGregorie at Plum Point in 1685, and the Reverend Richard Charlton, sent out by the Lon lon Missionary Society in 1732, for the parish of New Windsor, which was connected with the Church of England. Among the names of the owners
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
of the village were: Ebenezer Seeley, Brant Schuyler, Henry Case, Vin- cent Matthews, Michael Jackson, Daniel Everet, Even Jones, Hezekiah Howell, Joseph Sackett, Jr., James Tuthill, John Sackett, Jr. Colonel Charles Clinton, 1731 ; Dr. John Nicoll, 1734; William Ellison, 1732; John Ellison. Captain Jas Jackson, William Jackson, Thomas Ellison, Isaac Shultz, Messrs. Logan, Bryam, Halstead, Denniston and others. At Little Britain, John Humphrey, 1724; Peter Mulliner, 1729, who gave it the name from Windsor Castle in England ; Robert Burnett, John Reid, 1729; Charles Clinton, John and James McClaughry, Alexander Denniston and John Young in 1731. Among those who came from Ireland were James Edmonston, 1720; the Clintons, Alsop, Chambers, Lawrence, Haskins, etc., 1731, who settled in the eastern portion of the town, while the Col- dens, Matthews, Wileman, McIntosh, Bulls, settled in the more western portion.
NOTED RESIDENTS.
The most noted residents of this town were those of the Clinton family. Charles Clinton, the father of James and George, was a native of Lang- ford, Ireland, of Scotch-English descent. He sailed with a company of relatives and friends in 1729, to escape persecution. Having espoused the cause of the Stewards at the accession of the House of Hanover in 1689. he settled at Little Britain in 1731. He was a highly educated man and gave his sons a good education. He was a surveyor and a judge of the court of common pleas and fought in the French and Indian Wars, 1759 to 1763, was public spirited, had five sons and two daughters, lived to the ripe old age of eighty-three and died at home, November 19th, 1773.
One son and a daughter died at sea. Two of his oldest sons, Alexander and Charles, were physicians. James and George figured conspicuously in the early history of the Empire State. James. born in 1756, preferred the army to politics. He served with his father in the taking of Fort Frontenac in Canada, also in the invasion by the Indians of Orange and Ulster Counties, rose to major-general in the war of the Revolution, was in charge of the northern department, led an expedition against the Iroquois, cut a road from the Mohawk to Lake Otsego, danimed the out- let of the lake and floated the boats over the upper Susquehanna to reach the lower country with his command, was at the seige of Yorktown.
Rev. Charles Gorse.
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TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
member of the assembly, ratified the Constitution of the Um.el States, and was a member of the convention of 1804 to amend the State Constitu- tion : died at his home December 12th, 1812, 75 years of age : was burie lin the family burying ground by the side of his father.
George Clinton, while a very young man, sailed in a privateer in the French War, was with his father and brother at the seige of Fort Fron- tonac. studied law under Judge William Smith, was clerk of Ulster County in 1759, member of the assembly in 1780. elected to the Conti- mental Congress in 1775. brigadier-general in 1776, first Governor of New York in 1777 : commanded a brigade at the defense of New York City in 1776. He was in command of the forts in the Highlands which he nobly defended with 600 raw militia against 5,000 veteran British troops, and was overwhelmed and obliged to surrender in 1777: was Governor of the State for eighteen years, administering its trying duties with conspicuous ability ; was president of the convention which met at Poughkeepsie in 1788: Vice-President of the United States in 1804: died soon after his re-election in 1808: has been designated as the Father of the State. On the beautiful monument in the old Dutch Churchyard in Kingston, N. Y .. is the following: "To the memory of George Clinton, born in the State of New York, 26th day of July, 1738. died at the City of Washington the 20th of April, 1812. in the 73rd year of his age. Sol- dier and Statesman of the Revolution, eminent in council, distinguished in war. he fille 1 with unexampled usefulness, purity and ability, among other high offices those of Governor of his native State, and Vice-Presi- dent of the United States. While he lived, his virtue, wisdom and valor were the pride. the ornament and security of his country, and when he died he left an illustrious instance and example of a well-spent life. worthy of all imitation."
De Witt Clinton, a son of James, was born March 2nd. 1709. the exact place, being in dispute, some authorities claim at Fort De Witt in Deer Park, while his mother was there on a visit ; others chim at the home of his father. either at Little Britain or while he wa- residing in the village of New Windsor. Perhaps it doesn't matter so much where a man is born as what he may make of himself by stren- ous efforts, as was the case with the illustrious Lincoln an 1 the subject of this sketch. After graduation at Columbia College in 1786. he stu lie 1 law with Samuel Jones : was admitted to the bar in 1789: became soon
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
after secretary to the Governor, his uncle, and became devoted to politics ; subsequently filled with great ability the following honorable positions : Member of the Assembly, State Senator, member of the council of ap- pointment, United States Senator. Mayor of the City of New York, many times member of the council board, Governor of the State for two terms, candidate for President of the United States, being defeated by Madison, and was invited by Mr. Adams to serve as minister to Eng- land, and was the author of twenty-six acts which became incorporated in the laws of the State and nation. The following panegyric was given by William H. Seward, the political successor to the Clintons in New York State, in 1871.
"Only next after Alexander Hamilton, DeWitt Clinton was the wisest statesman, the greatest public benefactor, that in all her history the State of New York has produced." This was from the man who ten years after sat in his chair and persevered in carrying out his policies which estab- lished for New York the political leadership of the land.
Alexander Denniston came over with Charles Clinton and settled at Little Britain in 1731.
Robert Burnett came from Scotland in 1725, and purchased 200 acres at Little Britain in 1729.
Colonel James McClaughry, born in Philadelphia, when nine years old was brought by his uncle, John McClaughry, to Little Britain, all the way behind his uncle on horseback. He married Kate, a sister of Gover- nor Clinton, received a colonel's commission at the commencement of the war, commanded a regiment at Fort Montgomery, 1777, where he was taken prisoner and sent to a hospital in New York, where he would have perished but for the extra care and comforts provided by his good wife, who ministered also to many others there. He returned to his farm at the close of the war and lived until 1790, dying at the age of 69.
Martin Dubois, a neighbor of Robert Burnett and General James Clin- ton, was an assistant quarter-master during the war.
Cadwallader Colden, Jr., of Coldenham, who married Betsy, a daughter of Thomas Ellison, of New Windsor, was a son of Cadwallader Colden, Sr. He was lieutenant-governor of the State from 1760 to 1770. He was arrested as a Tory in June, 1776, by the council of safety of the towns of New Windsor and Newburgh, and after due trial was confined in jail at Kingston, where he remained, for over a year, after which he
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TOWN OF NEW WINDSOR.
was liberated on parole. The town of Coldenham is named after this family.
REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
This town is rich in Revolutionary lore. A portion of the troops of Colonel James Clinton were organized here in 1775. \ battery of four- teen guns , were mounted at Plum Point in 1776. The militia were rallied here in 1777, after the fall of the Highland forts and during the winter of 1779. 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783, nine brigades under com- mand of General Heath, were encamped at the foot of the ridge just west of Snake Hill and just south of the square at Little Britain.
Washington concentrated his forces here in 1779 and made his head- quarters at the William Ellison house at New Windsor village, and re- mained there until 1782, when he removed to the Hasbrook House in Newburgh and remained there until the army was disbanded in 1783. Other generals of the army were quartered at John Ellison's. Here were Generals Knox and Greene, while Gates and St. Claire were at the Ed- monston House, Wayne at Newburgh and Baron Stuben at Fishkill, La- fayette at William Ellison's at the foot of Forge Hill. Other generals were quartered at the old Stone Hotel just west of Edmonston's. When Washington brought his army from New Jersey in 1779, he probably marched over the road from Goshen or Chester to New Windsor now known as the Vail's Gate-Chester State road, but which at that time must have been in a very rough and primitive condition, for a hill just west of Vail's Gate derives its name of Pork Hill from the fact that one of the commissary wagons loaded with salt pork was overturned on this hill. a conspicuous example how names will stick to places as well as to in- dividuals. When Colonel Morgan marched through New Windsor with his three thousand riflemen to join Washington at Boston, a man pre- ceeded him who represented himself as Colonel Morgan to Mr. John Ellison, but when the Colonel himself arrived soon afterwards, the im- poster was detected and was given over to his men for punishment. who gave him an effectual coat of tar and feathers.
At the camp grounds between Vail's Gate and Little Britain, the writer has traced the foundations of many of the huts in which the army was encamped from 1779 10 1782. The foundations were of stone. sur- mounted by hewn logs. A level meadow in front of the barracks was
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THE COUNTY OF ORANGE.
cleared for this purpose and utilized as a parade ground, but was of so marshy a character that for marching and drilling it required paving with flat stones, many of which are still in evidence. This must have been a labor of infinite difficulty and shows of what sturdy material these men were made. At the lower border of this parade ground was also constructed a causeway to the ridge opposite, upon which was erecte 1 a temple or public building, near which were also the barracks for some of the minor officers, a hospital, bakery, and a little further east the bury- ing ground. To commemorate the site of this temple the Newburgh Revolutionary Monument Association has erected a rough stone monu- ment on the farm of the late William L. McGill, now owned an 1 occupied by his married daughter, Mrs. Richard Smith. It commands an uninterrupted view of the Hudson Highlands and the majestic river rolling between, offering exceptional advantages for watching the ap- proach of any vessel on the river or of any consi lerable borly of men from that direction.
NOTED BUILDINGS.
At Plum Point, formerly a portion of the Nicholl estate, still stands the stately mansion of the late Phillips Verplank. On the river side is the earthwork for the protection of the Chevaux-de-frise, one of five ob- structions placed in the river at various points to prevent the ascent of the British fleet, but which proved ineffectual, as the ships of the enemy broke them all, and ascended the river to Kingston, which it burned.
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