The history of Rockland County, Part 21

Author: Green, Frank Bertangue, 1852-1887
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: New York : A.S. Barnes
Number of Pages: 468


USA > New York > Rockland County > The history of Rockland County > Part 21


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46


191


By 1870 the Fifty-seventh had followed in the footsteps of its military predecessors, and become a skeleton regiment, and, by the expiration of the seven years' term of service, in the following year it passed from ex- istence.


A year or two now elapsed with virtually no militia organization in our County. Then a company, lettered B, was raised and joined to the Sixteenth Battalion, Seventh Brigade, Fifth Division. The commissioned officers of this company were : Henry E. Smith, Captain; William Salters, First Lieutenant; Eugene Gardner, Second Lieutenant. The armory of Company B was in Nyack, and the great majority of its members resided there. During the brick-makers' strike in Haverstraw, in 1877, Company B was ordered to that village, and remained on duty from May 24th to May 30th, ere quiet was restored, being quartered in the United States Hotel. Again, during the railroad strikes and riots of 1877, this organi- zation was ordered on duty in the armory, and remained under orders from July 24th to August 2d.


The same difficulty, that has always met every County movement, met this. Distance between the villages prevented citizens of one from attend- ing regular meetings in another, and neither Nyack nor any other village in the County had population enough to keep a military organization full. The change from a seven to a five year term of service brought the end of military duty for two sets of men at the same time. There was no re- cruiting to meet the vacancies thus caused, and the company at once fell below its legal number. Then came the legislative act, under which the National Guard was reorganized and consolidated, and all skeleton organi- zations disbanded, and, as Company B came under the list of skeletons, it was wiped from existence on December 17th, 1881. Since that time no effort has been made to raise a militia organization in Rockland County.


A list of the dates of the commissions of the officers in the Regiment of Militia commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cornelius A. Blauvelt, in the County of Rockland, November 28th, 1812.


Nicholas Gesner


Lieutenant's Commission, May 12th, 1798. Captain's First Major's June 26th, 1811.


„¢ April 25th, 1806:


Lieutenant's April 25th, 1806.


Michael Salyers


April 2d, 1811.


Captain's Second Major's 66 March 7th, 1812.


Ensign's April 25th, 1806.


Thomas T. Eckerson.


Lieutenant's April 24th, 1807.


Captain's


June 26th, 1811.


Ensign's


66 April 25th, 1806.


Frederick Barbarow


Lieutenanant's Captain's


April 24th, 1807.


June 26th, 1811.


192


Ensign's Commission, June 15th, 1808.


Jacob D. Onderdonk.


Captain's


June 20th, 1811.


Ensign's


April 25th, 1806.


Cornelius Sickles


Lieutenant's


April 2d, 1811.


Captain's 66 March 7th, 1812.


Jacob I. Blauvelt


Captain's


June 26th, 1811.


Samuel S. Ver Bryck.


Captain's


June 20th, 1811.


Erastus Colt


Captain's


March 7th, 1812.


William Herbert Gesner


S


Ensign's


June 20th, 1811.


Daniel A. Blauvelt


Paymaster's


March 7th, 1812.


Ralph Busl


Surgeon's


June 3d, 1812.


Daniel Ackerman


Ensign's


66


April 24th, 1807.


Lieutenant's


June 26th, 1811.


§ Ensign's


June 15th, 1808.


John Van Orden


Lieutenant's


June 26th, 1811.


Samuel Sidman


Lieutenant's


S Ensign's June 26th, ISII. March 7th, 1812.


John T. Eckerson


Lieutenant's


June 26th, 1811.


George Washington Sneden.


Lieutenant's June 20th, 1811.


James Hudson


Lieutenant's


March 7th, 1812.


Henry Gesner


Ensign's


June 20th, 1811.


John Mackie


Ensign's June 20th, 1811.


John T. Yeury


Ensign's


June 26th, 1811.


Alpheus S. Colton


Ensign's


March 7th, 18:2.


Mathias A. Concklin.


Ensign's


March 7th, 1812.


Stephen Hennion


Ensign's


June 26th, 1811.


Captain, John Snedeker.


Abraham Storms, First Lieutenant. Dowah A. Blauvelt, Second Lieutenant.


Ensign, James Swartwout.


Adrian Onderdonk, First Sergeant.


Garret G. Snedeker, Third Sergeant.


John Stevens, Second Sergeant.


Abraham Snedeker, Fourth Sergeant.


Charles Ferlwood, First Corporal.


George Smith, Fourth Corporal.


Shobal Hall, Second Corporal.


William Gilchrist, Fifth Corporal.


Samuel Lawrence, Third Corporal.


Garret F. Snedeker, Sixth Corporal.


Thomas Gilchrist, Fifer.


Harmon Tremper, Drummer.


Abbott, C. Hoffman, John


Richards, Lawrence


Allison, Daniel


Harrison, Matthew


Rogers, Jesse


Baker, Thomas


James, Paul


Rose, James


Brady, David


Jaycocks, Timothy


Ryder, Hercules


Brewer, Paul


Johnson, Samuel G.


Short, William


Barmore, Nathaniel


Knapp, David


Slott, Lewis


Brinkerhoff, Christian


Knapp, Jacob


Smith, Richard


Bennet, John


Lum, John


Baker, Joseph


Lydecker, John Jr.


Smith, William Snedeker, Tunis Snyder, Hendrick


Carsick, Alexander


Minford, Robert


Corby, Isaac


Meyers, Stephen


Springsteen, Garret


De Baun, Christian


Meyers, Abraham


Storms, John


Felter, Harman


Mullen, Marcus


Tallman, A. A.


Felter, Edward


Onderdonk, Garret


Tallman, J. D. D.


Felter, David


Paul, Arthur


Tallman, Harman


§ Lieutenant's


June 26th, 1811.


Adjutant's


March 7th, 1812.


Daniel Tallman


Quartermaster's 66


June 3d, 1812.


193


Felter, John


Paul, Uriah


Vanderbilt, Jacob


Felter, John P.


Perry, John


Van Orden, Jacob


Felter, Jacob


Tremper, John F.


Williams, Elias


Felter, George


Pierson, Silas


Van Ilouten, Jacob


Felter, Benjamin


Polhemus, Theodorus


Van Orden, John


Thew, William


Remsen, John


Williamson, Jeremiah


Finch, Henry


Remsen, Theodorus


Van Houten, Jobn, Jr.


Gilchrist, Budd


Short, William


Wiley, Willianı


Gerow, Isaac


Attached to 83d Regiment N. V. S. Militia, Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin F. Gurnee.


Captain, Jacob I. Blauvelt.


First Lieutenant, John Eckerson.


Second Lieutenant, George Wiants.


Ensign, John Mackie.


John Taulman, First Sergeant.


Abram A. Johnsou, Third Sergeant.


William Hutton, Second Sergeant.


John 1. Johnson, Fourth Sergeant.


Henry Oblenis, First Corporal.


James D. Clark, Third Corporal.


Derick Van Houten, Second Corporal.


John Duryea, Fourth Corporal.


John Wooder, Fifth Corporal.


Peter Cole, Fifer.


Abraham D. Blauvelt, Drummer.


Ackerman, Cornelius


Eckerson, Lucas


Smith, John


Ackerman, Abraham


Eckerson, Thos. T.


Smith, Garret A.


Blauvelt, John C.


Eckerson, Abr'm


Smith, Garret I.


Bulwer, Henry


Eckerson, Jacob T.


Serven, John G.


Baker, George


Fox, Stephen


Sudderland, John


Barbarow, John N.


Hopper, Garret A.


Smith, Aury


Blauvelt, C. J.


House, John, Jr.


Serven, Aury


Brewer, Ahr'm


Ilouse, llenry


Taylor, John


Cole, Isaac


Hopper, John


Taylor, William


Carlow, James


Johnson, Peter


Taylor, Johnathan


Carlow, George


Johnson, Abr'm I.


Taylor, Edward


Demarest, Jacob P'.


Lydecker, Albert


Taylor, Isaac


Demarest, David


Mackie, James May, Coonrod


Van Buskirk, Andrew


De Clark, Peter


Norwood, Cornelius


Van Ostrand, Jacob


Demarest, James


Osborn, Nathaniel


Van Ostrand, Moses


De Baun, Abr'm


Peterson, Abr'm


Van Houten, Joseph


Demarest, Peter M.


Remson, A.


Van Wort, John


De Clark, Moses


Ronseau, John P.


Van Orden, David


Wanamaker, Cornelius


Wilson, Caleb


Tinkey, George


De Clark, James C.


Eckerson, Derick Smith, Garret S.


Blanch, Thomas


Attached to the 83d Regiment, N. Y. S. Militia.


Abraham Ackerman, George Carlow and Nathaniel Osborn; never reported for duty and James Carlow, furnished a substitute named Jacob Miller.


194


Roll of the field and staff officers of a battalion of New York De- tached artillery at first commanded by Major Harman Tallman, later by Major Tyler Dibble, in the service of the United States, in 1814.


Major, Tyler Dibble.


Clermont Livingston, Adjutant.


William L. Cande, Surgeon,


Henry Van Nostrand, Sergeant Major.


William S. Wilkin, Paymaster. Joseph Ellicott, Quartermaster. M. B. Gager, Quartermaster Sergeant.


COMPANY.


Alanson Austin, Captain.t


Henry Butterworth, Captain.#


Purdy Fowler, First Lieutenant.


Francis Armstrong, First Lieutenant .;


Edward L. Welling, Second Lieutenant.


Garret Henion, Second Lieutenant.


John Hathorn, Jr. First Sergeant.


Nathaniel R. Denton, Third Sergeant.


William Robison, Second Sergeant.


Henry W. Houston, Fourth Sergeant. §


Joseph Roe, t First Corporal.


John Welling, § Second Corporal.


William Munger, t Third Corporal.


George Wandel, Fourth Corporal.


James W. Finch, Fifth Corporal.


Henry Feagles, § Fifer.


John Welling, Drummer,


Armstrong, Daniel§


Gourdinier, Barney Pickins, Edward§


Armstrong, George


Ifartwick, John **


Polhemus, Daniel


Applebee, Elnathan


Harris, Roberto


Quimby, John H.tt


Baird, Nath. W.6


Hedges, John


Roe, John S.


Broad, James B.#


Gilbert, Elnathan B.


Roads, Matthew


Bloomer, Thos. B.


Johnson, John


Strong, John§


Bazly, Loal


King, John


Sterns, Elisha


Blair, Barnard


Lawrence, Nathanielő


Tice, Jubal


Byram, Cantwell;


Ludlow, Daniel


Tice, Lee


Beedle, Peter **


Lydecker, Albert A.


Tallman, John


Conkling, Joseph


Matthews, Samuel


Taller, James T.


Cornelison, John


Minthorn, James


Vanorsdol, Cornelius


Crostgrove, Chris.#


Mapes, Lewis Murray, John


Welling, Hezekiah D.


Dekay, Sam'l L.


McDowell, Roberttt


Wheeler, Jamestt


Dolsen, John§


Onderdonk, Ruliffő


Hunter John


Felter, Jeremiah P.


Orvins, Benjamin


Lyon, Jabez


Griggs, Daniel


The waiters attached to this company were : John Carter, James Demarlo, Henry Scott, and John Call.


COMPANY.


Jonathan Reynolds, Captain.


Tunis Tallman,# Captain.


Leonard Thompson, Firt Lieutenant. Ezra L. Barrett,t Second Lieutenant.


William Kalstine, t First Sergeant. John Jenks,t Second Sergeant.


Derrick Husted,# Third Sergeant. James G. Husted, Fourth Sergeant.


Milo Winchester, t First Corporal. George Reynolds, t Second Corporal.


Samuel Garlick, Third Corporal.


Isaac Latimer, Fourth Corporal. Morse Couch, Drummer.


Charles Perry, Fifer.


Allison, Abrabam


Holmes, Morgan L.


Reynolds, Ambrose


Alexander, Andres §


Huysrodt, William,


Reed, Morris Record, William


Anson, William Husted, Walter


Welling, Thos. H.


Dusenbery, Dan'l C.t


Finn, Daniel


Onderdonk, Garrettt


Stevens, Abr. S. S.


195


Anson, Robert


Hamblin, George


Armstrong, John W.t


Hamblin, Hiram


Smith, James S. Springsteel, Benj. Story, William§


Baker, William


Hicks, Stephent


Buel, Charles


Knickerbocker, Peter H.


Velie, C. I.


Castle, Mosest


Knickerbocker, Cornelius


Wheeler, Isaac


Card, Elijah B.


Knickerbocker, Andrew


Winans, Gerhardus


Conklin, Wm. H.


Knapp, Nicholas§


Wood, Sirren


Conklin, Burnett


Miller, Lewis


Wood, John


Colepoughs, John##


Martin, William


Jacocks, Lawrenceg


Drake, Samuel


Noble, Nathaniel


Jarvis, Henryt


Davis, Samuel D.


Polhemus, Theodorus*


Furman, William §


Platt, Jonas D.


Dodge, Samuel K.


Pulves, John P.


Williams, John


Flinn, Rufus


Reynolds, Jno. P.t


Wilkins, Wm.


Gritman, B. D.


Reynolds, Nathaniel


Perry, Jno.


James S. Smith, Benjamin Springsteel and John Wood were detached, September 15th, to work in the stone quarries getting out material for the forts.


COMPANY.


Philip P. Schuyler, Captain.


William Mulner, # Captain.


Stiles R. Fox, First Lieutenant.


Joseph F. Dill, Second Lieutenant.


O'Farra D. T. Fox, First Sergeant.


James Smilie, Second Sergeant.


Peter Stoutenbergh, t Third Sergeant.


Moses Comfort, Fourth Sergeant.


William King, First Corporal.


John Bart, Second Corporal.


Joseph Dill, Jr., Third Corporal.


Isaac Bishop, Fourth Corporal.


Jacob Ludium, Fifer.


Ilenry R. Bush, Drummer.


Arnet, John


Doty, Joseph I.t


Pottenbergh, John


Ames, Elisha W.


Doty, Calium


Pye, William;


McBride, James


Frederick, John


Redfield, William


Buchanan, John


Falls, George


Redfield, Henry,


Buckstaver, Moses


Fundy, Isaac


Sherman, Jacob,


Brockway, Amos


Felter, Peter W.t


Strachan, Charles C.


Baker, Daniel S.


Grivens, Samuelt


Sneden, Robert t Simpson, William


Buskirk, David## Substi-


Gregor, John ; Hunt, Levitt


Stewart, Samuel##


Bates, Isaac


Hazelton, Chas. A.


Sherman, Jacob, Jr.


Brown, Nathaniel A.


Johnson, Richard Knapp, Daniel


Wakerman, Elisha


Curtis, William


Van Keuren, Tobias§


Winans, Jonathan


Catlin, Hamlin


Keeler, Daniel B.


Wright, Joseph


Canfield, Samuel


Mckenzie, Johntt


Wigham, Robert, Jr.


Carr, John, Jr.


John Tentt, Ward Master.


Cromwell, Smith Case, Gabriel Campbell, John##


Lent, Henry§ Lawrence, Peter Morris, Statest Mann, Isaac


Coe, Samuel I.


Miller, Thomas##


Davis, John I.


Macinus, John


Davis, John C.


Meyers, William


Davis, Samuel


Oliver, James,


WAITERS. Brown, James Jackson, Harry Freeman, Henry McRea, Abraham


tuted for him


Voorhouse, William##


Badgly, William


Bird, Milo WAITERS.


196


COMPANY.


John J. Woolley, t Captain.


William Smith, tt Captain.


Alonzo De La Vergne, First Lieutenant.


Cornelius J. Swarthont, Second Lieutenant.


Simon Williamson, First Sergeant.


James A. Stoutenburgh, Second Sergeant.


Joshua Flagler, Third Sergeant.


Joshua Cheeseman, Fourth Sergeant.


Jeremiah Duel, First Corporal.


Gilbert Southard, Second Corporal.


Edward W. Briggs, Third Corporal.


Durias J. Covel, Fourth Corporal.


Smith Steward, Fifer.


Abiah Bishop and Stephen Tompkins, Drummers.


Aspel, Thomast


Luckky, George, Jr. Tilbets, Lyman


Barrum, Nathanielt


Jacob, Israel


Tompkins, William##


Burch, Charles§


Maccord, Wm. W.


Totten, John H.


Bradner, John


McFarlin, Abr.


Taylor, Williamt


Bodel, Isaac,


Martin, John##


Van Tassel, Tryontt


Bigger, George


Maden, Edw. S.t


Williams, Henry


Benedict, Henry T.


Mills, James


Wesley, Franklin


Coe, Daniel


Ocoy, Patrick


Wilsey, George


Dusenberry, Stephen


Olivet, William


Wilcox, Simeon##


Ferris, John D.


Owen, Increase§


Whitney, John


Graham, Richard


Oakly, Jeremiah


Wheeler, Joel, Jr.t


Grinder, Johntt


Purdy, David


Williams, Isaac


Halley, Eleazar P.##


Poppano, William


Winslow, Joseph##


Hulright, Wm. A.


Scryver, William


Thompson, Henry


Johnson, Andrew


Sims, Davidt


Peters, Hulető


Jones, Stephen S.


Savage, Rowland,


Hall, Ira S.##


Lake, Ebenezer


Spooner, Nathant


Wilcox, Benajah


Lake, Crapo


Smith, Acon##


Brinkerhoff, Abr. L.


Lake, Stephen


Seaman, Peter


Gipson, Solomon


Luckky, William##


Tripp, Samuel


Gage, M. B., Promoted


Quartermaster Sergeant.


The last parade, review and inspection of the old 17th Regiment, in which Rockland County was represented, occurred at Verplanck's Point on October 21, 1862. This regiment belonged to the 7th Brigade, Gen- eral S. C. Parmenter, of Newburgh, commanding, and to the 5th Divi- sion, Major-General S. S. Burnside, of Oneonta, commanding. In the Adjutant General's report for that year the roll of officers was as follows:


Isaac Pye, Major.


James Creney, Jr., IIaverstraw, Regimental Engineer. W. Govan, M. D., Stony Point, Surgeon. Ferdinand L. Nichols, Nyack, Quartermaster.


WAYNE GUARDS.


Co. B. Dominick Kennedy, Captain. Thos. Murphy, First Lieutenant. John Bannon, Second Lieutenant. All of Haverstraw.


Co. C. John V. B. Johnson, Captain. Richard Wandell, First Lieutenant. J. D. Blauvelt, Second Lieutenant. All of Piermont.


STONY POINT GUARDS.


Co. D. Edw. W. Christie, Captain. Abr. S. Greene, First Lieutenant. M. B. Marks, Second Lieutenant. All of Haverstraw.


*Died. tFurloughed. #Discharged. §Sick. ** Extra Duty. ttEnlisted in the U. S. Army. ##Deserted.


197


INGOLD GUARDS.


Co. F. C. P. Hoffman, Captain. S. W. Allen, First Lieutenant. I. De Baun, Second Lien- tenant. All of Haverstraw.


Co. I. W. D. Furman, Captain, of Monsey. Renben Riggs, First Lientenant, of Monsey. Au- gustus Coe, Second Lieutenant, of Suffern.


"ROCKLAND COUNTY RANGERS."


Co. R. Charles M. O'Blenis, Captain, of Clarksville. John A. Campbell, First Lientenant, of Nyack Turnpike. Henry Palmer, Second Lieutenant, of Nyack.


Authorities referred to: "Federal Government," by Alden Bradford ; "Morning Report " of Captain Jacob I. Blauvelt's Company ; Diary of Captain Jacob I. Blauvelt ; Muster Roll of Bat- talion of Artillery from United States Records ; Reports of the Adjutant-General S. N. Y .; Ar- chives of the Rockland County Historical Society.


CHAPTER XII.


PROPOSITION FOR A TURNPIKE FROM NYACK TO SUFFERN-BITTER OPPO- SITION-THE BILL AS PASSED-RENEWALS OF THE CHARTER-AN ACT INCORPORATING THE NEW ANTRIM AND WAYNESBURGH TURNPIKE COMPANY PASSED-THE BEGINNING OF STEAMBOAT COMMUNICATION WITH NEW YORK-LATER STEAMBOATS-CHARTERS FOR FERRYBOATS -CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF STEAMBOATS-OPENING OF THE ERIE RAILRAOD AND OF OTHER RAILOADS.


We have already seen that Tappan Landing was the original port of entry for the County, and that for years its store and its market sloop were amply sufficient to carry on the outside business of the southern part of her territory. When Kakiat was settled by the Hempstead people, an outlet for their produce was afforded by a dock at the foot of the Long Clove road, the existence of which would have remained unknown but for the discovery of Prof. Lavalette Wilson, of Haverstraw, who found in it the spot where Andre landed. Later, Major Kiers, built a dock further north to meet the wants of shippers. Nyack in 1804, began communica- tion with New York through the market sloop of the Tallman's, DePew and Meyers. The development of manufacturing interests at Ramapo, created a demand for better means of transportion.


An examination of the map of Rockland County, will show it to be an almost perfect triangle, its base extending along the Hudson, its apex, stretching away into the Ramapo Mountains. Almost in the centre of this apex were the works of J. G. Pierson, and Brothers; the Dater Works, and but two or three miles away was the woolen factory of John Suffern. As the roads then ran, it was both a shorter and easier route from Ramapo to Haverstraw, than to any other village on the Hudson, and the tide of travel naturally set in that direction. But at best this was a round-a-bout way to get to the Metropolis, the roads, compared with to-day, were horrible, the grades heavy, and when at last the river was reached, the means of communication, dependent on tide and wind, very uncertain. A study of this subject soon convinced Mr. Pierson, that either easier and surer modes of travel must be found, or the magnificent water power of the Ramapo could not be utilized to its full capacity. While he was thinking out the problem in the western part of the County, keen, far-seeing men were moving in the same matter at the east. Nyack


199


was waking from a lethargy. A young and pushing generation was com- ing to the fore, and its members saw at once, that while the water power for manufacturing purposes was wanting, and space for an extensive pur- suit of agriculture did not exist, there was a chance to infuse life into the hamlet by making it the port of shipment for the County. Conference be- tween Mr. Pierson and the active men in Nyack, resulted in a determina- tion to improve communication in the County, by obtaining a legislative act creating a turnpike road, which should run as nearly as possible in a straight line from the Orange Turnpike at Sufferns, to the river at Nyack.


No one can justly accuse Haverstraw people of being thick-witted when their interests are at stake, and when this new project was broached, they saw as clearly as their Nyack neighbors, the drift of the enterprise. It meant a removal of business from their village with a gain of that business which they would lose for Nyack, it meant a strife for supremacy be- tween the two places, and, if Haverstraw lost, she must not only go to the wall but indirectly be taxed to see her rival succeed; and the people of that village joined as one man in a long and bitter struggle against the proposed new road. For years the contest continued with unflagging vigor and exerted an influence on County politics never since seen. Every method was used, from the election of members of Assembly to the influ- eneing of commissioners; from appeals to the courts to bitter personal conflicts ; by one or the other sides and used freely. In vain, those favor- ing the proposed road, pointed out that it would be self-supporting by reason of its tolls and the issue of bonds would prevent it becoming a County burden ; in vain they argued, that rather than continue thus hamp- ered by bad means of communication, the mill owners of Ramapo would close their factories and thus settle the controversy ; in vain they said that Nyack was chosen because of its not only being nearer to the city but also because the depth of water at its landing was greater than at Haverstraw, and heavily loaded vessels could get away without reference to the stage of the tide, and would not be so apt to be stopped by the ice in winter. Every argument was met and answered and the member of Assembly during the early years of the discussion-General Peter S. Van Orden- being opposed to the bill, it could not be passed. At length, after a hard political canvass, Van Orden, who had been the member from Rockland County, continuously from 1809 to 1816, was defeated, and in the latter year Cornelius A. Blauvelt was the Assemblyman. During his first term of office, on April 17, 1816, the bill was passed for a Turnpike to run from a point between the houses of Teunis and Peter Smith, "running thence westerly along the old road until in front of the said Peter Smith's dwell-


200


ing house, and from thence, the most direct and convenient route to the Orange Turnpike Road and to pass in front of the dwelling house of John Suffern, in the Town of Hempstead, same (Rockland) County."


Those favoring the proposed road had won, so far as obtaining a legis- lative act could go, but the struggle was by no means ended. By one or another method the opponents of the bill fought its progress, till, in 1822, the Turnpike was no nearer existence than six years before. In 1823, John J. Suffern was member of Assembly, and through his efforts a new act was passed for the construction of the Turnpike, dated April 23d, by which Andrew Suffern, William Yeoury and Tunis Smith were appoint- ed commissioners and ordered to begin their duties as such on or before June Ist. The year 1824 saw General Van Orden, the long opponent of the bill, again in the Assembly, and, the contest over the road now taking the form of objections, by those who combated it, to the route selected, a new act appointing two more Commissioners was passed February 28, 1824. The new members thus appointed were Roger Parmely and George Kyles. Two more years passed away, during which some progress was made in surveying the proposed route, and then, on April 17th, 1826, a fresh act was passed by the Legislature for the correction of the survey of the Turnpike. At last, on April 30, 1830, the final act, entitled, “ An Act to Improve the State Road from the Orange Turnpike to Nyack in the County of Rockland," was passed by the Legislature, and settled the long controversy. George S. Allison was Member of Assembly from this County at the time of the passage of this act.


AN ACT to improve the State road from the Orange Turnpike to Nyack, in County of Rock- land. Passed April 20, 1830.


The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, Do Enact as follows :


SEC. I. Jeremiah H. Pierson and Edward Suffern, of the town of Ramapo; Lucas Ackerson and Isaac S. Lydecker, of Clarkstown, and John Green, Tunis Smith and Peter Smith, of the Town of Orange, in the County of Rockland, shall be and hereby are appointed Trustees to super- intend the construction, repair and improvement of the State Road from the Orange turnpike to Nyack, in the County of Rockland, five of whom shall be a board for the transaction of business, and the acts of a majority of them shall be valid and binding, and the said Trustees are hereby em- powered, from time to time, in the manner and upon the security hereinafter mentioned, to borrow such sum or sums of money as may be necessary to be expended in the further construction, repair and improvement of said road, which said sum or sums of money may be borrowed, as aforesaid, before any part of said road shall be constructed, repaired or improved, in the manner hereinafter directed, and that the said Trustees shall be further authorized to accept of donations to the said road, and contributions in labor to be performed on the same, and that the said Trustees shall commence and complete such section of the said road, not less than six miles in length, as persons who may or shall provide the funds, or contribute the labor for completing the same, shall desig- nate and prefer, but the said Trustees shall, in no event, be liable or responsible for the repayment of the money borrowed or the labor performed, as aforesaid.


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SEC. 2. As soon as said Trustees shall have completed, in the manner hereinafter directed, six miles of said road it shall be the duty of the said Trustees to give notice thereof to the person administering the Government of this State, for the time being, who shall thereupon forthwith nominate and appoint two discreet persons, not interested in the said road, residing in the County of Orange, to view the same and to report to him in writing whether such road is completed ac- cording to the true intent and meaning of this act, and if the report shall be in the affirmative then it shall be the duty of the person administering the Government of this State, and he is here- by required by license, under his hand and the privy seal of this State, to permit the said Trustees to make and erect gates across and upon the said road at such place or places, as they or a majority of them shall deem best, to collect the duties and tolls, hereinafter granted, from all persons travelling or using the same, so that no more than one full toll-gate or two half toll-gates shall be erected upon and across the same.




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