USA > New York > Rockland County > The history of Rockland County > Part 35
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
327
Constitution. That sentiment was then applauded to the echo by the listeners."
The election took place on November 8th, 1864. In the campaign of 1860, 3,779 votes were cast in our County, and the Democratie majority was 959.
Haverstraw.
Orangetown.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist. 3d Dist.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist. 3d Dist.
Lincoln -
152
I21
I26
171
188
90
McClellan
126
275
286
253
242
79
Clarkstown.
Ramapo.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Lincoln -
92
153
116
36
59
134
Mcclellan
128
129
189
248
106
224
FOR GOVERNOR.
Haverstraw
Orangetown.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Ist Dist. 2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Seymour
I26
280
286
258
242
79
Fenton
153
116
125
171
188
90
Clarkstown.
Ramapo.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Seymour
127
128
189
247
106
225
Fenton
93
153
II2
36
59
132
FOR ASSEMBLY.
Haverstraw.
Orangetown.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
ist Dist. 2d Dist. 3d Dist.
Nickerson
128
277
286
254
244
So
Fenton
151
107
120
165
180
87
Clarkstown.
Ramapo.
Ist Dist. 2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Ist Dist.
2d Dist.
3d Dist.
Nickerson
126
I22
190
246
106
220
Fenton
89
150
109
34
59
128
The total vote cast for Presidential Electors was 3,723.
Democratic majority, 847.
And now events hastened to the inevitable issue. The awful hammer- ing process, which Grant had been pursuing upon the Army of Northern Virginia, the march of Sherman, the annihilation of Hood's army, all be- spoke the approach of the end. The political hope of the South died on Lincoln's re-election.
It is not uninteresting to look over the files of our County papers dur- ing the period of the war. At first they are filled with military ardor and military news, to the exclusion of other data; later, the military news is condensed, while the usual County news becomes more prominent ; to- ward the last they settle down to a few brief items concerning the opera-
328
tions of the armies, while the greater part of the papers is filled with information regarding burglaries, church sociables and donations, the an- nual fair, reviews of concerts and other matters of local import. There had been occasions during the later years, when some of the papers dwelt more fully on military events. 'Tis not difficult to recall an old and sorely stricken man, bowed and broken, writing the obituary of a son, killed at Gettysburg. 'Tis not likely that those who lived in those times will for- get the sorrow which filled them when they saw the local papers in mourning for Colonel Pye. As a rule, however, military information had become so much a part of the daily events that slight attention was paid to it by the County sheets. Oh, the long, long, weary war!
Early on Monday, April 10th, 1865, the residents of the County along the river bank heard the firing of guns across the river, and, suspecting from the character of the news during the last few days what it indicated, anxiously awaited the arrival of the morning papers. Those papers told of the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and his army. Immediately began a scene of rejoicing. The private schools in Nyack were closed, bunting was displayed from every Union house, and enthusiastic congratu- lations were exchanged between the loyal people. At Haverstraw all the schools were closed and the children marched through the streets two abreast, singing patriotic songs; guns were fired; flags unfurled, and the church bells were rung during the remainder of the day and night. On board the steamboat Isaac P. Smith an impromptu meeting was organ- ized by Hon. Moses G. Leonard, and speeches were made and songs sung during the continuance of the trip.
Ere a week elapsed, the flags, which had been thrown to the breeze at Lee's surrender, were dropped to half-mast at Lincoln's assassination. The last act in the drama of rebellion was a cruel murder. A description of the long funeral procession, which escorted the martyr to his grave, is not appropriate in this work, and I can only mention the part our people took in the matter. Grief among the Union people was universal, and emblems of mourning were profuse. In the calamity, even a majority of the disunionists seemed sobered and saddened, though a few of the most outspoken expressed gratification and rejoicing till advised to be quiet. The funeral train journeyed north on the Hudson River Railroad. On the day it passed through Tarrytown, the ferry-boat between Nyack and that place transported such crowds of people as she never carried before and never did again, to see the train.
As rapidly as possible, after the surrender of Johnson's army, the Union armies were disbanded and the men returned to their homes. Those from
329
Nyack arrived on the steamboat early in the summer, and were received at Nyack by the citizens, and a procession composed of the fire depart- ment, students of Rutherford's Academy, and civic societies, and escorted to Union Hall. In front of that building speeches were made by repre- sentatives of both parties, a most unwise proceeding, which led this last, and what should have been happiest action in connection with the struggle, to end in bitterness.
According to the State Census Report, taken in 1865, Rockland County furnished 558 men to the Civil War, of whom 89 were killed in battle, or died from wounds or sickness in camp. The statistics (for the correctness of which I will not vouch), stand as follows: Clarkstown furnished 74 men, of whom the greatest number enlisted in any single organization was in the 6th New York Heavy Artillery. Haverstraw furnished 198 men, of whom many enlisted in the 95th Regiment New York Volunteers, and many in the 6th New York Heavy Artillery. Orangetown furnished 123. Many in the 17th Regiment New York Volunteers, the 127th Regiment New York Volunteers, and the 6th New York Heavy Artillery. Ramapo furnished 163: many in the 95th Regiment Volunteers; the 124th Regi- ment Volunteers ; the 6th New York Heavy Artillery, and the 17th Regi- ment N. Y. S. M. Of these troops, 127 were discharged at the end of their term of service; 126 resigned or otherwise left the service. At the time of taking the census, the condition of health in 195 was good; in 37 permanently impaired. Of the deaths :
Killed in Battle, - -
25 Died of Wounds, - - I3
Killed by Accident, -
1 Died of sickness acquired 37
Died of sickness not acquired in service,
Unknown, 12
I
The months and years of enlistment are given as follows :
1861.
Apr. 16
May. June. July.
Aug.
Sept. Oct. Nov.
Dec.
21
6
8
26
14
40
21
IO
Jan.
Feb. Mar.
Apr.
May.
1862. June. July.
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
4
2
4
3
3
4
64
33
8
6
2
1863.
Jan.
Feb. Mar. Apr.
I
I
June. July. 3 48
4
Aug.
Sept.
4 Ocl.
5 Nov.
Dec.
6
3
May.
I
6
330
Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July.
1864. 2 Ang. Sept. Oct. Nov.
Dec.
18 5
I 6
4
II 29 12 2
6
1865.
Jan.
Feb. Mar.
Apr.
May.
I
7
12
4
I
Unknown, 60
See Appendix-A.
NOTE.
While obtaining material for this chapter, I was told by a member of the War Committee that there was treason in that committee; that certain members of it would hasten from the meetings and give information of the proceedings to the leaders of the disunionists. Inquiry among other members of the Committee confirmed this statement, and I was given the names of men who were said to be guilty. I have been unable to find any written or printed proof of this statement, and have therefore refrained from giving it as fact. In the case of the meetings of the Peace and War Democrats, however, I have taken the names from hand-bills, newspaper files, and the reports of the proceedings. The reader who sees these names attached to resolutions condemning the Gov- ernment; then to resolutions sustaining the Government; and then to resolutions decrying it again, can judge of the fine sense of honor and patriotism, which must have been inherent in these men, as well as I. That they were regarded as intelligent, is evinced by the fact that they were selected to fill the offices which are necessary in any organization.
Authorities referred to: "American Politics," Johnson; "The Civil War in America," Draper ; "Notes on Nyack ;" "A Retrospect," from the Rockland County Journal ; "New York and the Conscription of 1863," James B. Fry ; "Adjutant-General's Report for the State of New York." Evening Journal and Herald Almanacs. Files of the New York Herald; Rock- land County Messenger ; Rockland County Fournal. "The American Conflict," Greely; "New York State Census Report." Copy-Book of the Provost-Marshall's Office, (through the kindness of Wm. G. Haeselbarth). Letters and Minutes of the Nyack branch of the Sanitary Commission. Hand-bills, Advertisements, &c., &c.
CHAPTER XVII.
ORANGETOWN.
ERECTION OF THE TOWN-AREA-ORIGIN OF NAME-CENSUS-FIRST TOWN MEETING - IIISTORIES OF TAPPAN - GREENBUSH-MIDDLETOWN- NYACK-PIERMONT-PALISADES-ORANGEVILLE-PEARL RIVER-RAIL- ROAD FROM SPARKILL TO NYACK-HIGHLAND AND MIDLAND AVEN- UES-TOWN OFFICERS.
As we have already seen in the chapter relating to patents, a tract of land about eight miles long, by from three to five miles wide, was granted to sixteen men on March 24th, 1686, and named in the grant the town of Orange. We have also read that at the time of this grant, the division line in this colony and East Jersey was not understood, and that the grant extended into the latter province. When the division line between the two States was finally agreed upon, part of the grant of 1686 belonged to Bergen County, and the area of Orangetown was reduced to 16.023 acres. Still further have we learned, that when this section was set off as a County, in 1683, it was named by the courtiers, whose only desire was to please their royal patron, after the son-in-law of that patron. It was a foregone conclusion therefore, that the first town erected in that County should be given the County's name. But, besides the cognomen accorded it by the grant, it was often called by the early settlers and their descend- ants other names. That of the Indians-Navvasunk Lands-was used frequently till the middle of the Eighteenth Century ; and that of the tribe from which it was purchased-the Tappæns-which was given to their first settlement by the carly colonists, was often extended to a broader use, and the whole patent called Tappan Town. Up to a very recent date I have heard the last written name and doubt not, that among the older families in the County, it is often used to designate the village o Tappan.
It has been already stated that the census returns of Orangetown, during its early history, were returns for the whole County, and that any attempt to separate the population according to towns, appears futile. Not till 1738, do I find any mention of such division, when Eager, in his History of Orange County gives the population of each of the four towns. A hiatus again occurs till 1790, after which the census returns are returned without intermission.
332
In 1738, Orangetown had
830 inhabitants.
In 1835, Orangetown had 2079 inhabitants.
In 1790, ¥ 1175
In 1845,
3227
In 1800,
1337
In 1855,
5838
In 1810,
1583
In 1865,
.6 6166 66
In 1820,
2257
In 1870, U. S. Census, 6810
In 1825, State Census, 1536
In 1880,
8266
The truthfulness of census reports is always open to suspicion, and reference to the returns of 1820, in the above table, will only confirm doubt.
The earliest record of the town is of an election April, 1744. At this were chosen : "Henry Ludlow, Town Clark and Supervisor; John Cor- nelius Haring and John Ackerson, overseers of the fence; Dolph Lent, constable; John Ferdon, John Nagle, John Perry, Commissioners of the highways; Overseers of the high road: Robert Holly, for the Green- bush; J. Bartus Blaufilt, for the wagon road; Daniel Vervelia, for Closter; Thomas Van Houtten, for Skeairecloy; Daniel Blaufilt, for John Clows Land (Clausland); Johannies Bogart, for the mill road; Johannies Meyer, pound master; Renier Wortendyke, Dirck and Tisa Borgard, Assessors; John -, Peter Dau, to record the quit rent; Daniel Skureman and Cornelius Tallman, overseers of the poor ; Abraham Smith, collector."
The early records of the County, as set forth in the Documents relat- ing to the Colonial History of the State, give constant legislative acts intended to prevent the tresspass of swine. In keeping with those acts is the following resolution, agreed upon by the inhabitants of Orangetown, in April, 1783 :
" That No Swine, having their noses well ringed and yoked with yokes the length of the pieces running up and down, being below the Lower Cross piece at Least five inches and above the Upper Cross piece at least six inches, Shall be liable to be impounded. Swine not so ringed and yoked, Who shall get into any person's inclosure, may be impounded, and, unless the owner Redems them in four days after notice Shall be given by adver- tisement, be put up at the Church Dore of Such impounding by paying the damages and costs and three shillings for each Swine So impounded, then the Swine so impounded to be Sold at publick Vendue, and the resi- due of the money arising by such sale, after Such damages, Cost and pounding Shall be paid to be delivered to the overseers of the poor.
Recorded by me,
M. HOGENKAMP, Town Clerk,"
333
TAPPAN.
Whenever, in entering upon local history, we come upon unlimited and unbounded sections of land under a local name, it is safe to feel that we are treading on soil granted to first settlers. Their scope was wide and they took full advantage of it. In the neighboring State of New Jersey, we have Paramus, which formerly was the name of all the country from Sneden's Landing, to the Ramapo ; Pasacack or more commonly, Pascack; a like unlimited tract. In our own County was Kakiat, later Hempstead, which covered all the present Ramapo Township, and ex- tended east to the Hackensack : and Tappan, which was only confined by the boundaries of the Orangetown patent, and the smaller neighborhood of Greenbush.
Tappan Landing was the present Piermont. Tappan Slote, the present Sparkill. The village proper of Tappan, was as we have seen, the first organized hamlet in the whole section from Newburgh to the Jersey line. Here were built the first houses; here were organized the first church society and school; here were erected the first house for divine worship the first court house and jail ; and then-Tappan Village stopped.
Eradicating those villages which have since taken other names from her history, and placing the history of her church under the chapter de- voted to that subject ; we find but little left to say. In 1694, a school was organized in the village under the charge of Hermanus Van Huysen. For many years this place was the County Seat, the county buildings were located here and here the Board of Supervisors met. In May 1832, the Rev. Jacob Cole, opened a boarding school in the village which was con- tinued for about a year. The building of the Erie Railroad left the vil- lage to the south and the opening of the Northern Railroad in 1857-59 passed by it to the east. Recently, the New York, West Shore & Buffalo Railroad, has passed through the hamlet, and it may be that this enter- prise will bring to Tappan more life.
Similar to that of Tappan is the history of Greenbush. This place, now known as Blauveltville, obtained its name from some object of physi- cal nature. In the original patent for Orangetown, we find the name as the Greenbush. At this place, near the present graveyard, settled one of the original patentees of the Orangetown grant, Lammert Ariansen, and built a storehouse. In the case of this man, as in that of others in those days when patronymics were changed to suit the necessity or fancy of the time, his trade became at length his surname and from Lammert Ariansen the Smith we find Lammert Smidt or Smith. Three sons were left by
334
this settler. Garrett, who was the great grandfather of the late Cornelius T. Smith and Rachel Lydecker, settled south of the Greenbush Swamp. Abraham remained on his father's place, and Cornelius built on what was then called the ridge, west of the present Erie Railroad.
BLAUVELTVILLE.
Till the construction of the Erie road, this place bore the name of Greenbush ; then, in honor of Judge Cornelius J. Blauvelt, it was given its present name. Like Tappan, it is a small agricultural hamlet with one store, a blacksmith shop, and a few houses. The first storekeeper remem- bered was John Blauvelt, who was succeeded by Judge Blauvelt, he by Isaac Dederer, and he by Smith Demarest. John Raab then took the store and conducted it till 1882. In 1867, a store was built and opened by the firm of Edebohls & Lediger. Mr. Edebohls died in 1871, and Mr, Lediger has since continued the business.
The post office was first started here on October 14, 1828, with Cor- nelius J. Blauvelt as postmaster. On April 9, 1834. this office was dis- continued, but was re-established June 25th of the same year, with Cor- nelius J. Blauvelt in charge. In 1840, Michael Klain became postmaster, and held the position till April 12th, 1844, when he was succeeded by Isaac M. Dederer. On March 31st, 1854,, Simon D. Demarest became postmaster. He was followed by John Raab, Feb. 3d, 1864, Henry Ede- bohls, Jan. 6th, 1868, and George M. Lediger, Feb. 24th, 1871.
On May 15th, 1809, John I. Blauvelt gavea lot of ground for the erec- tion of a school. Shortly after, a building was erected, which was called the Greenbush Academy. This edifice was of stone and two stories in height, the first floor being used for the teachers' residence and a school- room, while the second floor was turned into a public hall. About 1850, this building was torn down, and the present structure was erected.
The Roman Catholic Juvenile Asylum property at Blauveltville, was purchased in December, 1878, by the Sisters of the order of St. Dominic. Its design is the education of indigent female children.
MIDDLETOWN.
The name Middletown was given to a section of Orangetown situated about a mile west of the Orangeville mills. It was so called because, in the days of early settlement in the then Orange County, the tavern that stood here was midway between the pioneers on the Kakiat patent and those at Tappan. As early as 1720, a log house and tavern owned by a man named Ackerman, was built in this section on the farm now owned and
335
occupied by John A. Bogert. Some of the foundation of this old tavern can still be seen. In 1780, this log house was torn down by David Bogert, who then owned the property, and a stone house erected further north. Shortly after the completion of this structure, an earthquake occurred, which cracked the walls from the roof almost to the founda- tion.
Perhaps it may not be amiss to mention in this connection the legend told of Marias' Rock, a boulder situated on the property of Lansing Blauvelt about a mile south of Nanuet on the Middletown road. Tradi- tion has it that in 1730, a little girl some ten years old, was lost from the Tappan Settlement and never after heard from. A few years later, the skeleton of a child was found lying on the rock, which now bears the lost girl's name, and this was supposed, doubtless correctly, to be the remains of the wanderer.
What a vivid picture this gives of the Wilderness our forefathers set- tled, of the frightful solitude they entered. Barely a few years over a century and a half have passed since a ten year old child, wandering into the woods after berries or wild-flowers, became lost in a section, where now it would be impossible to get beyond the sound of a gun from a human habitation and walked on and on, screaming for help, till exhausted and famished, she fell asleep on the hard stone. Years passed before her skeleton was found.
NYACK.
On the southwest shore of Long Island, between the present villages of Bay Ridge and New Utrecht, formerly lived an Indian tribe named Nayack, Nayeeck, Neyick, or Nyack. At this place, as we have read in the chapter on patents, Van Cowenhoven bought land after his disappoint- ment in regard to the Staten Island grant. The present Gravesend Bay, was then called Nyack Bay, and in it the English fleet anchored previous to their capture of New Amsterdam in 1663. Suddenly the name of Nyack, as applied to that section ceases, and I next find it, applied to the present village of that name on the Hudson, in an old deed bearing date, 1764, under the spelling Niack. There can be no doubt, that during the intervening years, some former resident from the original Nyack on Long Island, moved to the newer Nyack, and finding it nameless gave it baptism.
In the chapter relating to patents, I have already mentioned the ear- liest patentees of this village, as Claes Jansen in 1671, and Harmanus Dows-now Tallman-and Tunis Paulson previous to 1678.
The growth of the village was slow. In 1799, so little value was at-
336
tached to its future, that the property lying between the present Ist avenue on the north, and De Pew avenue on the south, and extending from the river to Highland avenue, was purchased by Abraham Lydecker for $4,000. In a previous chapter I have spoken of the lane that led from Nyack to the King's highway. Besides this, a road, if the reader cares to consider a lane as a road, passed up the present Hudson street, and at Franklin street branched, one lane being continued down Franklin street to Hillside avenue, then down the present Smith avenue to Piermont avenue, and followed the course of that road to the present Piermont. On the present Broadway, north of Main street, there were gates at the end of every farm-one stood at the corner of the present Ist avenue as late as 1810, and the last, at Mr. Pollock's place, was removed within a score of years. On the mountain road at Upper Nyack, just east of Highland avenue, is a deep hollow-still known by the older residents of the vicinity as " Spook's Hollow." From this, north, ran a lane that continued to the property now belonging to Joseph Hilton, where it turned east and north, and finally reached the mountain near the terminus of Broadway.
While Nyack had but this small communication inland, the valley itself was very productive, and in addition to the agricultural products, a good business as we have seen had already grown up from the quarries. To meet the wants of the growing hamlet, Abraham and Harman Tallman, Peter De Pew and Captain Stephen Meyers, built the first market sloop- the Aurora-in Nyack, in 1804. This vessel landed at the first dock in Nyack, the remains of which can be seen between De Pew avenue and the flock factory dock. In the same year Abram Tallman opened the first store in the village on the site of the present Smithsonian Hotel. This store was later sold to the firm of Austin & Edgar, who eventually failed. The next store was opened by Tunis Smith, grandson of Lammert Arian- sen Smidt, in the building standing on Main street, at the head of Court street, in 1810, and this was followed by one opened by Peter Smith, on Main street, at the head of Cedar street.
A few years later John Green, started the first lumber yard just north of the dock at the foot of Main street, and followed by opening a store in 1819, on Main street, at the foot of Canfield street. Later this store came under the firm of Green & Gurnee, and after the latter's death Green & Goetchius. Next, Benjamin Blackledge, opened a store on the site of the present York House-corner of Main and Court streets. Coming down to more recent days, we find D. D. Demarest, opening a store and lumber yard at the present steamboat dock, foot of Smith Place, in 1833. In 1839, we find the Smith's buying Demarest's store, Azariah Ross building
337
the large brick store, on the corner of Court and Main streets, opposite the York House, and D. D. Demarest opening the store, corner of Broad- way and Burd street, now occupied by R. Gedney.
Meanwhile Upper Nyack had awakened to activity, pushed by the same cause that was aiding Nyack, the quarry business. In 1824, the first store was opened by John Van Houten, on the property now owned by J. P. Voris. This was afterward occupied by T. Smith Tallman, and was then used by Richard Gilhuly, as a restaurant from 1861 till 1864. Elijah Appleby, opened a store in 1833, on Broadway opposite the new school. In 1840, Daniel Clark took this store afterward moving up to the property now owned by J. W. Schuler on the corner of Broadway and Tallman street, and later when Tallman street was opened to the river by T. S. Tallman, in 1850, he moved to the spot now occupied by George Stephens.
The first drug store opened in Nyack was by James Clark, on the corner of Broadway and Burd street, in 1843. This store afterward passed into the hands of Johnson, Townsend & Pomeroy, then to Erastus Van Houten, afterward to Wolheim, to Corner, and finally to Philip Moeller. Next came Mrs. Blauvelt's drug store, still occupied by her, in 1858, and De Graff & Ross in 1872. The population of the village in 1860 was 2,016 ; in 1865, 2,400.
It is now necessary to look at another business started by the quarry growth, that of boat building. The early vessels that sailed on the river were known as " keel boats" and " board boats." The first, built with a deep keel, had far greater carrying capacity than "board boats," because their holds, as well as decks, could be used for storage. But it was only when deep water ran close to the shore that these boats could be landed, and for Tappan Landing and Haverstraw, they were practically useless. For shallow water, the flat bottomed vessel with lee-boards was used.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.