USA > New York > Rockland County > The history of Rockland County > Part 38
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Besides these societies, there are in Nyack : The Choral Society, or- ganized January 12th, 1880; The National Provident Union, May 2d, 1883; Rockland County Branch, A. S. P. C. A., September 24th, 1875 ; Rockland County Society, Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 1884; The Orangetown Law and Order Society, organized February 19th, 1884, with Garret Van Nostrand, President; Seth B. Cole and William Best, Vice- Presidents ; Howard Van Buren, Secretary ; John H. Blauvelt, Treasurer.
The Nyack Helping Hand Association was organized October 2d, 1882, with George F. Morse, Superintendent; Mrs. J. G. Partridge and Wm. Lydecker, Assistant Superintendents; Charles Theis, Secretary ; Mrs. J. M. Ackerman, Assistant Secretary; Mrs. Alexander Hudson, Treasurer ; Mrs. C. F. Randolph, Assistant Treasurer. This association
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grew out of the charitable labor of the benevolent citizens of Nyack, and was intended to work still greater good by united effort. In the year ending November Ist, 1884, this association had received $414.04, and expended $307.76. It had helped 41 families and 137 individuals, and given relief to 123 individuals. Beside money, it received large dona- tions of food supplies, clothing, coal and medicines.
PIERMONT.
The early settlers on the Orange Town patent made the creek or slote nowknown as Sparkill their outlet, and, in the progress of time, one of them built a mill upon it, in which, as necessity demanded, a mercantile business was carried on. The dam, belonging to the old mill, became the head of navigation on the slote, and, by the dam at the spot where Haddock's store now stands, was the Tappan Landing, the first port of entry in the County.
In this old mill a store was opened long before the Revolution, by Abraham Mabie, who kept it till the close of that war. About 1783, this store came into the possession of Major Abraham Taulman, who managed it till his death in 1835, when it passed into the possession of his sons.
During this period the name of Tappan as applied to the spot gradu- ally ceased to be heard, and the place was either spoken of as the Landing or Taulman's Landing, the point outside of it being called Taulman's Point. This name continued till the building of the N. Y. & Erie Rail- road in 1839, when Dr. Lord, combining the name of the long pier built for that corporation, with the mountainous nature of the surrounding country, called it Piermont. At the same time the Sparkill, which had theretofore been commonly spoken of as the slote or creek, received its present name.
The nature of the valley of the Sparkill is such, that but two main roads can exist and the opening of those from the south must have been contemporaneous with the settlement of the Landing. On the north, the road was probably opened as soon as settlement along the river bank occurred.
Major Taulman continued business in the old mill till 1805, when a new building was erected for a store. We have seen that at his death the store passed into the hands of his sons. They continued the business till 1856, when they sold out to John Myers who kept the store for a year. In 1857, Roger Haddock bought Myers out and began business. He remained in the old building till 1876, when he moved into a new store that he had had built the previous year. This new building is of brick,
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three stories in height and 40x88 feet in size. One of the floors of this building is used as a public hall and is known as Haddock's Hall.
Beside the store and grist mill at the landing proper, a saw and grist mill was erected further up the slote, early in this century, by John Moore, a negro, on property purchased from a Mrs. Graham. In 1810, Moore added to this business by starting a carding mill, which gave employment to three men. In 1815, William Ferdon bought Moore out, put improved machinery in the mill, and for many years ran it successfully as a woolen factory. In 1860, he rebuilt the structure, added still further improve- ments in machinery and let it to parties from Paterson, N. J. The mill changed hands once or twice in the next few years, and was finally de- stroyed by fire. At one time fifteen people found employment in this factory, spinning yarn and making blankets.
It may not be amiss to say a word further regarding John Moore. His trade was that of building mill wheels, and, among others constructed by him, was the wheel for De Pew's mill, which stood on the site now oc- cupied by Grant's flock mill in Nyack. He was also a partner of Mr. De Pew for some time, and was regarded as an intelligent, upright man. His daughter, Mrs. Sisco, and grand-daughter, Mrs. James West, are now living on Piermont avenue in Nyack.
After the building of steamboats, a dock was run out at the mouth of the present Sparkill and it was there that the Orange landed, and that the Rockland was built. When the long pier was constructed, little further use was found for the old wharf and it gradually went to decay.
The post office at this place answered for both the Landing and Tap- pan and seemed to have been kept part of the time in one place and part in another. On March 25th, 1815, Philip Dubey, was appointed post- master, and the name of the office was Orange. Dubey then owned the '76 House. On May 28th, 1830, Morris Bartow was made postmaster. April 9th, 1834, Peter H. Taulman became postmaster, and the name of the office was changed to Slote. This change lasted for only a few days, and on April 30th, 1834, we again find the name of the office, Tappan. Finally, June 26th, 1839, the name of the office became Piermont. After Taulman, David Clark became postmaster, April 28th, 1848, and he has been followed by S. A. Jessup, May 15th, 1867 ; John B. Wandle, May 17th, 1872; and Richard Wandle, January 13th, 1881. In 1872, May 13th, Sparkill, which up to 1870, bore the name of Upper Piermont, was given a separate office with Isaac A. Spencer, as postmaster. He was succeeded May 5th, 1880, by Lucretia Spencer.
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The first schoolhouse at Piermont was built early in the century, and stood on the east side of the creek, on the road to Palisades. The lower part of the building was of stone, which was whitewashed, the upper part was wood, painted red. This building remained in use till 1845, when it was succeeded by a new frame house. In the course of time, the demands upon the facilities of the schoolhouse led to its enlargement. No further change was made till 1884, when the present school building was erected at an expense of $5,000.
The growth of Piermont depended entirely on the opening of the Erie Railroad, the location of its eastern terminus at this place, and the building of the locomotive and car works. On the withdrawal of this industry, the village began to decline. For an account of the building of the Erie Road, the reader is referred to Chapter XII. In due course of time, two round houses, a machine, car and paint shop, foundry, planing mills and the other structures needed at a railway terminus were constructed here, the total number of buildings covering at least four acres. This was the period of Piermont's greatest prosperity, and in 1860, her population reached 2,426. In 1852, the directors of the Erie Road, having had that clause in their charter, which prevented them from running in New Jersey repealed, made the eastern terminus of the road at Pavonia. After this, their works were gradually removed to that place, the large round house and other buildings were destroyed by fire, and at length, the few remain- ing structures were taken down, and disposed of in various ways. A newspaper item in January, 1862 tells us, that one-half of the inhabitants, and many buildings had already gone, and the remainder were to be moved before spring.
Until the opening of the Nyack spur of the road in 1870, Piermont re- mained the terminus for passengers and freight on the Northern Railroad, but since that time, it has gradually fallen into a condition of decrepitude, from which there appears to be no relief.
The village of Piermont was incorporated in 1850. The first officials consisted of Peter H. Taulnian, President ; J. G. Blauvelt, James A. Hop- son, S. S Post and J. I. Walsh, Trustees; and Cornelius Hoffman, Clerk. Following P. H. Taulman, the Presidents of the village have been : James Westervelt, 1853; J. G. Blauvelt, 1854; John R. Baker, 1856; David Clark, 1857; Andrew Fallon, 1858; John W. Blauvelt, 1865 ; Andrew Fallon, 1866; Marcus Hoffman, 1867; John B. Wandle, 1868; Richard V. D. Wood, 1871 ; John Van Orden, 1873; Roger Haddock, 1882. The corporate limits cover an area two miles long and one and a half wide.
The Fire Department was organized in 1852, with James Westervelt
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as Chief. The first machine-Empire No. I, and the engine house were the property of the Erie Railroad Company. Protection Company, No. I, was organized in 1856, with David Cole as Chief. This company dis- banded in 1878. Besides the destructive fires in the Erie Companies' buildings, the fire department has had an unusually large number of serious fires to combat. Perhaps the most disasterous conflagration was that which started at an early hour on the morning of November 20th, 1861. Flames were first discovered in Van Voorhis' meat market. The water supply gave out in a short time, and the following buildings were consumed : H. Cooper's two-story frame house ; I. Van Voorhis' market drying house and barn, sheds, etc .; N. H. Lusk, two-story building and barn; A. L. Brown's clothing store; F. Bemhardy's drug store; Jacob Wagner's saloon; a building forty by thirty feet belonging to J. V. B. Johnson ; a two-story building belonging to the Judge Blauvelt estate; the building used by Jacob Harrison as a clothing store, and the store and dwelling of Moses Oppenheimer.
Among the societies, social and secret, in Piermont, may be named: Piermont Lodge, No. 83, I. O. of O. F., which was organized February Ist, 1843, with William De Voe, N. G .; D. A. Mabie, V. G .; John J. Lawrence, Secretary; John B. Wandle, Treasurer.
Wawayanda Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M., was organized in June, 1853, with D. B. Parsons, W. M .; R. H. Black, S. W .; E. G. Bennett, J. W .; John Randall, Treasurer; D. C. Noe, Secretary Levi F. Ward, S. D .; John R. Baker, J. D.
Rockland Chapter, No. 204, R, A. M., was organized in April, 1867, with John Van Orden, Jr., H. P .; W. L. Lawrence, K .; W. S. Van Hou- ten, S .; Sumner Sturtevant, C. of H .; John W. Hutton, P. S .; D. Crans- ton, R. A. C .; A. Smith, M. 3d V .; J. W. VerValen, M. 2d V .; S. D. Clark, M. Ist V .; J. J. Lawrence, Secretary ; A D. Onderdonk, Treasurer.
American Legion of Honor, Rockland Council, No. 491, was organized in April, 1881, with F. B. Wright, Commander; L. G. Clark, Vice-Com- mander; I. E. Gillies, Secretary; Geo. Pierson, Jr., Collector ; George A. Knapp, Treasurer; Ward Phillips, Guide ; G. V. A. Blauvelt, Warden ; J. W. Adriance, Sentry ; E. G. Tucker, Past Commander.
The Law and Order Association, of Piermont, was organized in Feb- ruary, 1884, with Hon. John W. Ferdon, President; I. M. Dederer and Cornelius Auryansen, Vice-Presidents ; R. Haddock, Treasurer, and T. M. Peck, Secretary.
The Piermont Rowing Association was organized in October, 1879, with E. N. Whiton, President ; L. G. Clark, Vice-President; F. B. Wright,
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Secretary : G. A. Knapp, Treasurer ; J. A. Styles, Captain ; A. X. Fallon, Lieutenant. During the winter of 1879-80 a fine boat house was built.
In 1847, Eleazer Lord, LL. D., gave two hundred acres of land, at the point of the mountain near the present Sparkill, for the purpose of a ceme- tery, which he named Rockland Cemetery. At the time of this donation, the Erie Railway had its eastern terminus at Piermont : that place was an already populous and growing village, and the grant of land for public sepulture was not only a kind, but also a necessitous act. But another purpose was intended by Mr. Lord beside that of creating a merely local place for interment. The situation of his donation, on the main line of travel to and from a growing city, led him to expect this place for burial would be used by the inhabitants of New York. Greenwood had been in- corporated barely nine years, and was far more difficult of access than Piermont; and the local church-yards in the metropolis were already over crowded.
The change of the Erie Railroad route, that caused the decline of Piermont, left Rockland Cemetery far from the line of travel. The ground became overgrown with weeds, and was a picture of desolation. In 1880, a change was worked through the efforts of William H. Whiton, Andros B. Stone, George S. Coe, Jose M. Munez, John W. Ferdon, and others, the cemetery was again placed in excellent order at a large cost. Most prominent among the spots of interest in this beautiful place for burial is Mount Nebo, upon which an observatory fifty feet in height has been erected, from which an extensive view can be had. The height above the sea on this observatory is 750 feet.
Among the many mad acts perpetrated in the southeastern part of our County, during the era of real estate speculation, from 1870 to 1876, was one incorporating the Sparkill Creek Canal Company. The redundancy of this name should have been sufficient to kill the project. This corpora- tion was formed for the purpose of opening a canal from the New Jersey line, where the Sparkill crosses it, to the Hudson River. The capital was fixed at $100,000, and the incorporators were : John W. Ferdon, Hiram Slocum, Luciel Saniel, Ambrose Girandat, Isaac Smith Homans, Jr., H. G. Torrey, A. A. Demarest, J. V. B. Johnson, Walter Phelps, D. W. Kipp, C. Auryansen, Roger Haddock. Further than the passage of the act by the Legislature, on May 2d, 1871, the project never advanced.
Ere leaving the subject of Piermont it seems proper to speak of the road side cave or mine hole, a short distance from Haddock's store. This presents an excavation of two passage ways ; the one extending in a west- outhwest course, a distance of five and seventy feet ; the other extending
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west bearing rather north for a distance of between forty and fifty feet. These passage ways are cut through solid rock and range from four to six feet in width, and from three to nine feet in height. At the extremity of the longest passage is a beautiful spring of water about six feet in diame- ter, and eighteen feet deep. Nothing is known as to when or by whom this excavation was made.
PALISADES.
The first name by which this place was recognized, was that of the Westchester county ferryman, who gave the permanent appellation to his home landing of Dobb's Ferry. That the landing on this shore was often- times called Dobbs Ferry during the Revolution is undoubted. That name was never popular among our County people however, possibly because of its liability to be mistaken for the opposite hamlet, and shortly after the Revolution the name Sneden's Landing was generally used. That members of the Sneden family already conducted a ferry or were about to, in the early days of the War for Independence, is evinced by the order from the County Committee of Safety, forbidding them so to do. For years this spot was known as Sneden's Landing, and then the name was changed to Rockland. After existing for a number of years under that name, it was again abruptly re-christened and called Palisades. The hamlet contains many fine residences, and its streets and avenues are handsomely laid out. The old wharf, where for so many years, the pro- ducc of a large section of country was brought to be shipped by steam- boat, has almost disappeared. All that remains of its old time customs, is a row boat ferry which still exists for the benefit of the casual traveller.
ORANGEVILLE.
This is a hamlet in the western part of the township on Narranshaw Creek. The first mill in the place was built in 1780 for Abram Cooper and John De Pew. The present building was erected for Rulef Van Houten, in 1862, and is at present conducted by Edw. C. Van Houten. A short distance southeast of Orangeville, on the Hackensack River, stand the Orangeburg Mills. The first mill on this spot was built in 1770, by a Mr. Mabie, a Huguenot settler who moved into Orangetown in early days. At a later period the large building known as the Atlantic Factory was built here for Peter C. Mabie, and about the same time, C. P. Mabie started a store in the hamlet. The nearest railroad station to this neigh- borhood is probably that on the "Branch " though the New Jersey and New York Railroad station at Pearl River, is but a short distance away.
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ORANGEBURG STATION.
This is a country railway station and post-office, situated about half way between Sparkill and Blauveltville on the " Branch." A small chapel for Sunday school and church services, built by James E. Haring stands here. The post-office was started Feb. 2' th, 1861, with Henry A Blau- velt as postmaster, and was discontinued Aug. 21st, 1867. It was re- es- tablished Jan. 12th, 1880, with James A. Haring postmaster. On Dec. 24th, 1883, he was followed by Rachel A. Blauvelt.
PEARL RIVER.
This is a local village in the extreme south west of Orangetown, and is a station on the New Jersey and New York Railroad. The place takes its name from the creek that passes near it, in which many pearl mussels have been found. Pearl River contains one store and a hotel. The post-office was organized Jan. 17th, 1872, with Julius E. Braunsdorf as postmaster. He was followed on Sept. 20th, 1880, by James Serven. In 1873, the Ætna Sewing Machine Works were erected by Mr. Braunsdorf and car- ried on till his death in 1880, giving employment to 100 men. Since that closing, until within a short period, the buildings have stood idle. An effort is now being made to use them for another branch of business.
THE NYACK AND NORTHERN RAILROAD.
For many years before the final construction of this railway spur, cer- tain citizens in Nyack had endeavored to have the railroad from Piermont extended along shore to that village. Each and every one of these efforts were frustrated by property owners along the proposed route, placing so high a valuation on their lands, that the financial success of such an exten- sion seemed impossible. At length in 1867-68, when the mad specula- tion that followed the Civil War was raging, these enterprising citizens, who had ever labored for the extension of the Erie Railroad, determined that longer waiting would be ruinous and that, if the road could not be brought along the shore, some other way of getting it extended must be found. Several informal meetings and interviews took place between those favoring the project and finally a delegation waited upon Messrs. Fisk, Gould, Sisson and Roorback, officers of the Erie & Northern Rail- roads in relation to the matter.
These men entered into the idea and promised, that if the people of Nyack would raise the sum of $60,000, they would add $40,000, making a sum sufficient to construct a road. The Nyack people at once began
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the endeavor to raise their amount, but only succeeded in obtaining $28,000. Upon learning this, the railroad men generously offered to accept that sum, and make good the balance themselves. Having obtained the Nyack subscription, the proposed road was immediately bonded for $100,000, a sum amply sufficient to cover all expense, and the bonds sold. By this arrangement the railroad men paid not one cent, and had $28,000 from Nyack.
The building of the road was begun in August, 1869, and it was opened in May, 1870. The occasion of the formal opening was a gala day for Nyack. The officers of the Erie and Northern Railroads visited the place on a special train, were received and welcomed by a display of flags, and the firing of cannon, and were given a dinner at the St. Nicholas Hotel on Main street. As soon as the road was completed, it was leased to the Northern Railroad Company, and has since been operated by it.
HIGHLAND AND MIDLAND AVENUES.
Though these roads pass for about an equal distance in the townships of Clarks and Orange, I have deemed it wise to speak of them in the chap- ter on Orangetown. The Tweed Ring had reached the summit of its power. It had prostituted legislatures, influenced the Executive, extended its corrupting presence to the Bench ; it had piled up a city debt in New York to an enormous figure, had so distorted public opinion and morality, that people began to think policy the best honesty, and money, however obtained, the sole criterion of social success ; and finally, it had defied with contempt, any attempt to overthrow it, and by reason of its immun- ity from punishment, had led to the formation of local rings in other places.
It was at this time, that the era of fantastic speculation in real estate reached Nyack. The opening of the Nyack and Northern Railroad had briskly advanced the price of real property ; the extravagance which fol- lowed the war led to the use of a credit system, at once impracticable and dangerous ; and people planned cities, erected buildings, and made fabu- lous wealth, in the maddest dreams that ever floated across the mental visions of an ordinarily common sense community.
Among the citizens of that section of the County between Rockland Lake and Sparkill, there were many who owned large farms, which the tremendous advance in value of land together with the rapid building of railroads throughout the country, permitting distant sections to enter into active competition with the Hudson River valley, had rendered unprofitable for agricultural purposes. These large land holders were seized with the
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mania for speculation, and determined to open their farms to purchasers. With this object in view, the Legislature, which was dominated by the Tweed Ring, was appealed to, and the Representative from Rockland- James Nelson-was found to be a willing tool for the work.
In the session of 1871, an act, authorizing the making and opening of two roads, was brought before the Legislature. One of these roads-now known as Highland avenue-was to extend, from the intersection of the highway running east of Rockland Lake, with the highway running from the lake to Rockland Lake landing, to the highway running from Upper Piermont to Orangeburg. This road was to be sixty feet in width, was to be opened, graded, macadamized, guttered and curbed, and the com- missioners appointed to oversee the building of it were directed to " make and flag suitable walks along and upon either side of the same, and, also, to make all necessary culverts." The aggregate of expenses for all pur- poses was not to exceed $10,000 a mile. The cost of this work was to be met from taxes assessed on property lying within a quarter of a mile from the centre of the avenue, along its length and on "two strips of land lying immediately north and south of the termini of said avenue, within the limits of one-half mile north and south, respectively, by half a mile east and west." The commissioners were authorized to assess the pro rata tax upon each piece of property included within the taxable limits, and to appoint collectors to obtain the assessment ; and they were further empowered "to sell the lands assessed, upon which the said assessment shall remain unpaid for the space of thirty days after the time for and the return of said warrant by said collector or collectors, * * * in the same manner as the Comptroller of the State is authorized to sell lands for the non-payment of assessments for taxes."
The commissioners named for appointment in this bill were: Peter Voorhis, David J. Blauvelt, William L. Lawrence, William A. Shepard, William Voorhis, W. C. Templeton, William H. Whiton, Henry Brinker- hoff, and Nelson Puff.
The other road now known as Midland avenue, was to be opened from Main street in the village of Nyack to the Hook Mountain. It was to be 70 feet in width, was to be graded, paved, curbed and guttered and the commissioners were empowered at their discretion, to cause side walks to be constructed and flagged. The cost of constructing this avenue was to be met by taxes assessed upon all property lying within nine hundred feet of the centre of the avenue.
In case the assessments were not paid in thirty days after the time for the return of the collector's warrant, the assessed property was to be dis-
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posed of in the same manner as in the case of Highland avenue. The commissioners named for appointment by this bill were: Peter Voorhis, Marcena M. Dickinson, Richard P. Eells and William C. Templeton.
The scheme for the passage of these bills was strongly backed, and for a time it appeared as though the project would be forced through. In view of the success of the measure the commissioners, named in the bill, began individual preparations for gain. One bought a traet of mountain land and erected a stone crusher for the purpose of furnishing gravel for the road : others purchased property contiguous to the proposed highway, and members of the Tweed Ring contemplated the erection of a large hotel on the top of the Hook Mountain.
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