USA > New York > Orange County > The history of Orange County, New York > Part 36
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TUXEDO PARK. .
The tract of land containing this park consists of 7,000 acres. and came into the possession of the Lorillard family in 1812. Shafts were sunk in various places in an attempt to find iron ore, but the property was otherwise undeveloped until the advent of the Erie Rail- road in 18441. The locomotives burned wood in those days, and an ar- rangement was made to supply the railroad with fuel. The hills and valleys were covered with large forest trees, all of which were sacrificed, excepting a few along the Continental road. The station here was for years known as the "Wood Pile."
About 1860 Tuxedo Lake was stocked with black bass, and from that
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time the fishing was carefully preserved for the Lorillard family and their friends. Up to 1885 no better bass fishing could be found anywhere than that afforded by this beautiful lake. This suggested to Mr. P. Loril- lard (deceased, 1901), the idea of establishing here a shooting and fish- ing club. He bought out the other members of the family, and acquired a clear title to the whole tract. Five thousand acres were enclosed in a wire fence eight feet high. Deer were bought and turned loose. English pheasant eggs were procured in large quantities and several pheasant hatcheries were located. A fine trout hatchery was also built.
Having made a start on the preserve, Mr. Lorillard proceeded to or- ganize the club. He gave a dinner to his sporting friends at the Union Club, New York, and his idea met with an enthusiastic reception. Twenty gentlemen were appointed a board of governors. Invitations to join the club were sent out, and temporary headquarters secured in New York.
The foundations of the clubhouse were laid, and about 1,800 men were employed in roadmaking. Before the new work was begun there was but the Continental road through the park. The first park road con- structed was the Station road. The construction of the road around the lake was then undertaken. As the work progressed Mr. Lorillard de- cided, instead of a mere game preserve, to lay out a residential park. This plan involved enormous expense. Many roads were required to develop the building sites. A complete sewer and water system was con- structed. A village for shops and employees and a large livery stable were built. An office in the village for the transaction of the park busi- ness was opened. At the same time Mr. Lorillard formed a stock com- pany called the Tuxedo Park Association, to which he turned over all the lands and other assets of the park. The officers chosen were: Mr. P. Lorillard, president ; P. Lorillard, Jr., vice-president ; George D. Findley. treasurer, and William Kent, secretary. This company leased the club- house and grounds to the members for twenty-one years, and guaranteed the new club against loss for the first ten years of its existence and sub- sequently during the term of the lease. Fourteen houses were built and advertised for sale or rent. Twelve were located on Tower Hill and two across the dam at the foot of the lake.
The first sale of park property to a resident was made in February, 1886, when Dr. Morris H. Henry, Mr. Lorrilard's personal physician, purchased Lot No. 101 on the map of Tuxedo Park. This was followed
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in March, the same year, by the purchase of Lot No. 120 by Allen T. Rice, the editor of the North American Reviews, and the same year Lot No. 121 was sold to William Waldorf AAstor, Lot No. 123 to Pierre Loril- lard and Lot. No. 103 to Travis C. Van Buren, all of which persons are now deceased, the land having in every instance passed into other hands.
That same year, Francis D. Carley, James 1. Breese, Josephine Lee Price, James Brown Potter, Margaret S. E. Cameron and Mary L. Barbey also purchased land in the order named. Of these Mrs. Price, Mr -. Barbey and Mr. Potter still hold interests in the real estate.
The first person actually to take up his residence at Tuxedo with his family was Mr. Grenville Kane, who leased the cottage he subsequently purchased and is now the oldest resident of the park proper, Mrs. Price and William Kent, in the order named. being the next arrivals.
Thus the park as a place of residence became an accomplished fact. through the indomitable pluck and energy of Mr. Lorillard. Each year has shown a steady and substantial gain in residents. The present of- ficers of the association are: P. Lorillard, president : George Griswold. vice-president ; George D. Findley, treasurer, and William Kent, secretary.
As an organization the Tuxedo Club is very strong. The club book of 1908 shows a membership of 374. of which seventy-seven were resi- dent members. Among them are found the family names of those not only prominent in business and financial circles, but also who have been identified with the society of the State since the earliest periods. The club is seit-supporting, has renewed its lease with the Tuxedo Park Associa- tion for a term of years, and bids fair to become a great center of social life. .
TUXEDO VALLEY.
So comprehensive was the scope of the original plan of development. that a whole village was created at the time of the founding. near the en- trance gate, containing stores, cottages, and subsequently a town hall. schoolhouses, churches, library, and a $30.000 hospital now in course of construction.
The Tuxedo Stores Company was organized March. 1804. Each resi- dent of the park was invited to subscribe to the stock, and the company began business April 1, 1894.
The Tuxedo electric light plant was organized in 1809. and is owned and controlled by the residents of Fixedo.
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St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo .- In 1887 Mr. Henry T. Barbey obtained from the association a grant of land, on which he erected the first church build- ing at Tuxedo, since which time it has been greatly enlarged by additions from time to time including a large parish house-until it had grown into the present beautiful church edifice. It was consecrated October 14, 1888, and the Rev. Mr. Colston placed in charge. The present rector is the Rev. William FitzSimon.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel .- The cornerstone of this church was laid June, 1895. The edifice cost $7,000. Rev. James Quinn was the first pastor. In July, 1899, the church and rectory were com- pletely destroyed by fire. A year later it was rebuilt, and on September 23, 1900, was solemnly dedicated by the Most Rev. Archbishop Cor- riga11.
The Tuxedo police force was organized May 1, 1886. John Pederson was captain until 1891, when he was succeeded by Gillmore O. Bush. The residential part of the park is patrolled regularly day and night.
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
TOWN OF WALLKILL.
BY WILLIAM B. ROYCE.
T HE town of Wallkill is the second largest town in the county of Orange, and, exclusive of the area in the city of Middletown, contains 38,030 acres, as shown by the equalization table of the board of supervisors for the year 1906. This area would be considerably increased if an accurate estimate could be obtained of the amount of land not included in farm and lot descriptions and being used for church, ceme- tery, school and road purposes.
The town is bounded northerly by Crawford and Montgomery, easterly by Hamptonburgh, southerly by Goshen and Wawayanda, and westerly by Mount Hope and the Shawangunk Kill, which separates it, for about half the distance, on its westerly border, from the town of Mamakating, Sullivan County. The Wallkill River forms part of its easterly boundary. dividing it from the town of Hamptonburgh. This stream also passes through the southeast corner of the town, and is the only large stream flowing within its borders. Both the Wallkill and Shawangunk Kill flow in a northerly direction and find their way into the Hudson River at Rondout. The other streams in the town of Wallkill are small ; the prin- cipal ones being Monhagen Creek, flowing through the city of Middle- town ; the Bullhack, rising near Circleville and emptying into the Wall- kill near Phillipsburgh : and the Mayunk, flowing through the easterly portion of the town and emptying into the Wallkill in the town of Mont- gomery. Notwithstanding the fact that there are no important streams, the town is well watered by small streams and springs, so that there is never danger to agriculture from this source.
The topography of the town of Wallkill is very irregular, varying in elevation from 335 feet above sea level in the easterly portion of the town along the Wallkill to 1,035 feet in the westerly, about three miles west of the city of Middletown and about half a mile north of the old Mount Hope turnpike. All the principal ridges and valleys of the town run in a northerly and southerly direction.
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EARLY CHANGES AND GOVERNMENT.
The precinct of Wallkill, of which the present town is the legal suc- cessor, was erected December 17. 1743, by an act of the Colonial Legisla- ture. The three towns of Crawford, Montgomery and Wallkill, and por- tions of Mount Hope and Hamptonburgh, were embraced in the area of this precinet. In 1772 the precinct of Hanover was erected, or set off, from the precinct of Wallkill, and included the towns of Crawford and Montgomery and a portion of Hamptonburgh, and, while it was generally supposed that Wallkill became a new precinct, legally Hanover was set off from the old precinct, and the statute directed that the rest of the ter- ritory "should remain" the precinct of Wallkill. It is also a fact that the town records of the precinct of Wallkill were left with, and became a part of, the records of Hanover, and, from the date of the separation, che pre- cinct of Wallkill opened a new record, which is still preserved. Up to the time of the erection of the precinct of Hanover, the town or precinct meetings were held for the whole precinct, including all territory orig- inally forming the precinct of Wallkill.
The first town meeting in the precinct of Wallkill, after the division, was held at the house of Samuel Watkins, April 7, 1772, and the follow- ing is the record of the officers chosen :
William Dunn, clerk and supervisor ; Benjamin Booth, James Wilkins, Elijah Reeve, commissioners for regulating and laying out public high- ways; Stephen Harlow, William Watkins, David Moore, commissioners for laying out the money raised by act of Assembly on the highways ; David Crawford, Moses Phillips, assessors ; John McGarrah, John Patter- son, constables and collectors; Abel Wells, George Booth, poormasters ; Jonathan Smith, Esq., Isaiah Vail, John Ketchum, Benjamin Vail, Jr., fence viewers and damage appraisers. Fences were to be four and one- half feet high, staked and ridered; five rails high or otherwise equivalent as the fence viewers shall judge.
Many items of interest could be gleaned from these old records, one of the principal being the fact that many of the persons in Wallkill to-day, occupying prominent social, business and official positions, are the direct descendants of these sturdy pioneers of earlier days.
The construction and care of the roads then, as now, seemed to be one of the principal subjects in which the people were interested. In order to
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demonstrate this, and at the same time preserve the names of many of those who then assumed the long-enduring business of road building in Wallkill, we make the following quotations from the records :
"Precinct to be divided in three districts, viz: The east side of the Wallkill, one; the west side, two, to be divided by the new northwest line."
"Samuel Watkins, from the Widow McBride's corner to Thomas Simeril's, and thence along the road to Campbell's bridge."
"William Bodle, from Esquire Smith's to the Minisink road, and from the schoolhouse on the road to llezekiah Gale's; from thence to John McGarrali's, and thence to the schoolhouse; to work also on David Crawford's road to the bridge one day."
"John Hill, from Esquire Smith's road along the Minisink road to the middle of Connor's bridge ; also a piece of road leading from the Mini- sink road to Orange County."
"James Rogers, Jr., from the precinct line to the Widow McCord's north gate."
"Captain William Faulkner, from his own house to Thomas Simeril's."
"Henry Savage, from the Widow McCord's north gate to Arzuble Mc- Curdy's house."
"Daniel Tears, from the precinct line to John McHenry's house."
"Edward Campbell, from the John McHenry's to AArzuble McCurdy's, and Peter Mclaughlin, from the corner of Edward McNeal's lot to Phillips house."
"Tilton Eastman, from Connor's bridge to the Pine Swamp "
"Stacy Beakes, from Minisink road to Dunning's road that leads to Pine Swamp."
"George Smith, from the middle of the white-oak bridge to the top of the round hill beyond Corcy's."
"John Ketchum, from the top of round hill to the west end of the pre- cinct."
"Abraham Taylor and John Daily, Jr., from the white-oak bridge by Elijah Reeve's to the precinct line."
"There was raised by direct taxation for the following purposes:"
£ S. d.
IO 0 0"
"For the poor
"For highways
46 16
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For the year 1906 there was raised by direct taxation in the town of Wallkill, which contains only about one-third of the acreage of the pre- cinct of Wallkill, for the support of the poor, $1,000, and there was expended in the town for road purposes, exclusive of the care of State roads, and exclusive of the territory embraced in the City of Middletown, about $4,500. Presumably many of our taxpayers would prefer the olden days so far as taxes are concerned.
SOME EARLY HISTORY.
Very little is known of the aboriginal days of the town of Wallkill. While various tribes of Indians occupied different parts of Orange County, from the names of certain of the streams in the town of Wallkill, it is evident that they made their home, at least part of the time, in this town. However, outside of tradition and a few individual cases of contact with them, which had very little, if any, influence on the future history of the town, nothing reliable is known that would be of interest at the present time.
The earliest record of the patenting of lands, now included within the town of Wallkill, was some time before the year 1724, and seems to have been embraced in two patents, one known as the Minisink Angle, and the other a part of what is known as the John Evans patent. The latter tract was subsequently re-patented at dates commencing December 14, 1724, and ending May 13, 1761. The actual settlement of the town did not occur until about the close of the period mentioned, and therefore, Wallkill was not settled as early as a number of the other towns in the county.
It is only necessary to refer to the assessment roll of the town of Wall- kill of to-day to find many property owners whose names are the same as those of their ancestors who subdued the wilderness and made Wallkill one of the most attractive and wealthy towns in the county. When we mention such names as Bull, Harlow, Borland, Wisner, Houston, Car- penter. Reeve, Mills, Green, Wickham, Connor, Mapes and Horton, taken from the assessment rolls of to-day, we could almost imagine we were reading a roll call of the names of the sturdy pioneers who subdued thie wilderness and caused the valleys of this town to blossom as the rose.
Previous histories of this town and the numerous writings of other per-
Samuel Wickham Mills, D.D.
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TOWN OF WALLKILL.
sons have made all these facts so familiar that it would seem idle to bur- den these pages with any repetition of the history of the carly settlement of the town and its inhabitants.
From the time of settlement, during the entire Colonial period to the Revolutionary War, there was little of moment that happened here. The settlements gradually progressed in different directions, but, as before stated, not as rapidly as in some other towns. During the Revolutionary War, a number of its citizens were with the army at various times, but the town, by its location, was far removed from the din and strife of participation in any events of the struggle : no battles occurred within its limits, and it is not known that any organized bodies of the British or their allies ever set foot within its borders. From the close of the Revolu- tionary War until 1803. there was a steady growth in population, so that the assessment roll for that year contained 462 names of those who were assessed for either real or personal property, or both.
On March 29, 1799. the State Legislature passed an act for the gradual abolition of slavery. and a number of citizens recorded a formal act ci freeing negroes held by them. The first one of these seems to have been made in 1800, and is in the following form :
"I do hereby certify that I have manumitted and set free my negro slave, Otis, as fully and amply as I am authorized by the act of the Legislature entitled. 'An act for the gradual abolition of slavery,' passed the 29th day of March, 1799." "Given under my hand and seal this ist day of November, 1800."
"TABETHA BORLAND."
Similar acts of manumission were entered by Jonathan Smith. Stephen Smith, Henry B. Wisner, John Wilkin, William Phillips and Israel Wickham, and it is a fact that the descendants of these people, bearing in many cases the identical names, were the strongest opponents of slavery. and the most loyal supporters of the government during the Civil War.
As early as 1828, the temperance question began to agitate the people of the town of Wallkill, possibly more thoroughly than it is doing in the present day, for the reason that, in 1824, there were just three times as many taverns (as they were called in that day) within the limits of the town as there are hotels at present ( 1008). Many of the questions in- volved in the temperance agitation of that time are the chief object of argument at present, and we have only to quote a resolution passed at a
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meeting of the town of Wallkill, held in that year, to show this fact con- clusively :
"Whereas, pauperism has increased in the town of Wallkill to an alarming extent ; and whereas intemperance is one of the greatest pro- gressing causes, inasmuch as more than three-fourths of the paupers emanate directly or indirectly from that source, and whereas tippling- houses, dram-shops, and groceries have a direct tendency to increase the evils ; therefore,
"Resolved, (as the sense of this town meeting), That the board of excise be requested to refuse granting licenses to those persons whose principal object is to retail intoxicating liquors and not having suitable accommodations for public entertainment."
"Resolved, that the foregoing be entered on the records of said town and published in two newspapers printed in Goshen."
"Dated Wallkill, this ist day of April, 1828."
The town of Wallkill continued to grow steadily, without any change in territorial boundaries, until 1848, when the village of Middletown was incorporated within its limits, but, outside of certain local matters, such as schools, streets, police, and a few other minor matters, the village con- tinued to form a part of the town until the erection of the city of Middle- town, in 1889. All the town officers were elected to represent the village and town in all things, excepting the purely local matters, applicable especially to the village.
IN THE CIVIL WAR.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861, the fires of patriotism seemed to burn as brightly in the town of Wallkill and village of Middle- town as in any corresponding section of the country. Meetings were called, resolutions adopted, and steps immediately taken to form a com- pany for the defense of the Union. Aid societies were established by the women, supplies sent forward to suffering soldiers, and everything was done that love and patriotism could suggest for the care of those in the army and for the preservation of the Union.
As near as can be estimated, Wallkill and Middletown combined sent to the front some 787 soldiers. Liberal bounties were paid to those who
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went, either as volunteers or substitutes, and the best of care was taken of the families of the absent soldiers. When we take into consideration the fact that, at the beginning of the war, the population of the town of Wallkill and village of Middletown, combined, was less than 7.000, it will be seen that more than. 10 per cent. of the entire population proved its loyalty by going to the front, and the percentage who went and never returned was far greater than the proportion, in comparison to population. That Wallkill proved its loyalty by devotion and blood, this record most amply proves.
in the year 1879, the citizens of Wallkill and Middletown erected to the memory of the soldiers of Wallkill, a most graceful and impressive monu- ment. It was first located at the junction of North and Orchard streets, but subsequently removed to Thrall Park, on the corner of Wickham avenue and Grove street, which is a much better location than the original. Mrs. Thrall, who generously donated and bequeathed the money for the erection of Thrall Library and Thrall Hospital. also gave the city the land for Thrall Park, which is situated north of and adjoining the hospital.
HAMLETS.
The present town of Wallkill contains no incorporated village, and only four hamlets, which might be dignified by the name of village, as follows : Circleville. Ilowells, Scotchtown and Mechanicstown. The rest of the town is entirely devoted to agriculture, and, since the erection of the city of Middletown, has not shown any increase in population. Its farms are largely occupied by the owners, in many cases heirs and descendants of original and colonial possessors, and it possibly shows a less number of farms under rental than do many other towns in the county.
CHURCHES.
There are three churches and one chapel at present in the town of Wallkill. A Congregational church is located at Howells, and was in- corporated under its present name on July 6, 1847. This church had existed for many years previous to this, under other names, and at dif- ferent locations.
The Presbyterian church at Scotchtown was organized some time before 1798, but the precise date seems to be unknown. The first official record that a church was regularly organized seems to be in the minutes
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of the Presbytery of Hudson, when, on April 19, 1798, Jacob Mills and George Houston appeared as commissioners from the Presbyterian church in the town of Wallkill and requested that said church be taken under the care of the Presbytery, and that supplies might be appointed them. This request was granted and the services of the church continued. under supplies, until June 30, 1803, when Rev. Methuselah Baldwin became pastor. Previous, however, to the appearance of the commissioners be- fore the Presbytery, a meeting had been held, on December 24, 1795, at the house of George Houston, apparently for the organization of a church, and at this meeting it was resolved that a subscription be opened for building a meeting-house at the corner of the roads above the house of George Houston, and that the new congregation should be under the care of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. This church was erected, enclosed and painted in 1797, and thus remained, without plastering, pews, pulpit or stoves, until 1806, when it was finished, at a cost of $515. This building was used for about fifty-seven years. when it was succeeded by the present church edifice. The church was, for many years, a leading one in the Presbytery of Hudson, and is still doing active work.
The Circleville Presbyterian Church was organized on January 4, 1842, and became a part of the Presbytery of Hudson. Its house of worship was erected in 1842, and a large part of the expense of such erection seems to have been contributed by donations in the way of labor, timber, lumber and mason work. The land, consisting of five acres, was donated by Samuel Bull, who, in addition to his gift of land, contributed much in labor, material and money, and to him the community is largely indebted for benefits derived from this church through its past years and at the present tinie.
The chapel previously referred to was erected near Rockville through the liberality of Robert A. Harrat and his neighbors in the immediate vicinity, and is used for Sunday-schools and special church services by clergymen from any denomination who desire to preach within its walls.
RAILROADS.
Wallkill has excellent railroad facilities. The Erie runs through from Howells Depot, passing out at its southern border. The Ontario
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& Western comes in at the northwesterly end of the town, running thence in a general southeasterly direction to the city of Middletown, thence casterly through the town of Wallkill, passing out into the town of Hamptonburgh near Stony Ford. The Middletown & Crawford branch diverges from the Ontario & Western Railroad about two miles north of Middletown, passes through the town in a northeasterly direction to the town of Crawford near Bullville and runs thence to Pine Bush. The Susquehanna & Western Railroad passes into the town from the south- erly border of the city of Middletown and runs in a southwesterly direc- tion in the town of Wawayanda. In addition to the above, the Eric & Jersey Railroad Company is now building a low-grade road which enters the town near Howells and runs in a general easterly direction through the town, passing about one mile north of the city of Middletown, thence leaving the town and passing into the town of Hamptonburgh in the vicinity of Stony Ford.
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