USA > New York > Rockland County > The history of Rockland County > Part 41
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The growth of calico printing led Resolve Waldron and Charles Ben- son to start a steam chemical factory on the south side of the Haverstraw and Monroe Turnpike, just east of the old toll gate, in 1840. The object of this factory was the manufacture of Pyroligneous acid, which was much used in calico printing. This industry was abandoned in 1843, but a year later it was re-begun by William Knight, in a factory near Cedar Pond.
The post office at Garnerville was established in June, 1875, with John D. Norris as post master, a position which he retains at the present time.
SAMSONDALE OR WEST HAVERSTRAW.
In 1830, Elisha Peck, head of the firm of Peck & Phelps, returned from England, where he had been in the interest of the firm's business for many years, bringing with him the machinery for a rolling mill. Land on the Minisceongo creek had already been purchased by Anson Phelps, and on this land the firm established a rolling mill, wire, and other works. To the village which sprang up around these works, and which was founded almost entirely by the necessities of the employees and their fam- ilies, Peck gave the name of Samsondale, in honor of the ship Samson, on which he had returned from abroad.
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At the time these works were erected, the road which is still known as the "Ramapo Road," ran as at present. From it, at the corner just southeast of the old factories, a road turned northwest, passed through the hollow by the works, and then turned to the north, to reach Grassy Point. The road, which now passes on by the Presbyterian church up to the West Shore Railroad depot, was not then in existence, and the traveller who desired to reach the section now known as Stony Point village, had to ride up to Mead's Corners, and then round through the present Gar- nerville to Benson's Corners, or else, drive down to Grassy Point, and from thence to his destination. The present road was opened by Mr. Peck, and beside it were erected a number of small houses for his em- ployees. Some of these buildings, doorless, windowless, desolate-looking, still stand on the west of the highway on the level of its old grade.
The industry started at Samsondale was continued for some time, under Peck & Phelps. Then the latter partner left the business, which was carried on by Peck alone, till, in 1842, a change in the tariff laws rendered it unprofitable, and the works were closed. Previous to this, a chemical factory and screw works had been added to the industries of the hamlet.
Upon the withdrawal of Mr. Peck from business, the mill was hired by Henry Essex, who carried on the manufacture of needles in it till 1844, when it was leased by Higgins & Co. for a carpet factory. Under this firm one hundred looms were employed, and some 250 people obtained a livelihood. In 1850, Higgins & Co. closed the works here, and removed to West 43d street, New York City. The screw factory and wire works were at first leased by Day, Newell & Day, after Mr. Peck closed up, and turned into a lock factory. At a later period they were occupied by Hicks & Payson, who carried on the manufacture of percussion caps.
Since that time, the buildings have been leased by various parties, for different manufacturing purposes. On the morning of July 21st, 1885, one of the buildings, which was then used as a cracker factory and feed mill, caught fire and was entirely consumed.
While Elisha Peck was still engaged in business, he built a tramway from his factory to the dock at Pullen's Point, for the transportation of his material ; this road is still in use, being now employed for the shipping of brick.
Previous to February 10th, 1883, a survey and census was taken of an area of 1, 24-100 miles, comprised in the present bounds of West Haver- straw. The resident population within this area was found to be 1,602. A call was then issued for an election to be held at George Taylor's hall, on March 29th, 1883, to determine the question whether or not the terri-
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tory should be incorporated as a village by the name of West Haverstraw. The total vote cast at this election was 202, of which only 13 were in the negative.
The boundaries of the village are : South, by the village of Haver- straw, and the Ramapo road to its junction with a road that leads south to John Springsteen's; West, by a line running from this junction to the Stony Point line, near the N. J. and N. Y. Railroad; on the North, from the Stony Point boundary eastwardly to the road leading north from Benson's Corner, and by a line which continues the course of the said boundary to a point on the Minisceongo Creek, north of the Farley house, on the lands of the Haverstraw Clay and Brick Company; and on the East, by a line running southerly from the above point to the north line of Haverstraw. The first officers were :
Adam Lilburn, President.
Trustecs.
John Taylor, Theodore G. Peck, James G. Scott.
Henry M. Peck, Treasurer.
Charles W. Gordon, Clerk.
JOHNSONTOWN.
In the closing years of the last century, several brothers named John- son, who were employed by a ship-building firm, came into this mountain- ous section to get out ship timber. At this time, the mountains were heavily wooded, and the supply apparently inexhaustible, and, with the prospect of a long residence before them, the Johnson brothers settled on the site of the present hamlet. At this spot, others, who were engaged in one way or another among the mountains, gradually settled. A store was started to supply the wants not only of these settlers, but also of those who were occupied as charcoal burners, or in the making of wooden ware, and who dwelt in the surrounding territory, and the settlement was called Johnsontown.
At the entrance of the Methodists into the County, this hamlet was visited by them and a mission established, which, in the course of time, grew strong enough to warrant the building of a church for that worship. The hamlet has gradually increased in population, and at present, threc stores, that of John Secor, of Burton & Matthews, and of Johnson, are kept open. A sulphur spring of reputed medicinal value has been found in this neighborhood.
On March 10th, 1824, a Legislative Act was passed for the incorpora- tion of the Monroe and Haverstraw Turnpike. In the petition praying for this Act it was set forth, that Roger Parmele and others had opened
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this road through the wilderness from the Orange Turnpike near Parmele's slitting mill to the creek landing at Haverstraw at their own expense. Few inhabitants resided upon it, and the burden of keeping it in order fell en- tirely upon the projectors. With an idea of making it partly, if not absolutely self-supporting, the following residents in both Orange and Rockland counties signed the petition : Roger Parmele, Joseph Blackwell, Hudson McFarlan, George Kyle, Robert Parkinson, Samson Marks, Abr. Gurnee, Abram Goetchius, George Weyant, Matthew Benson, Walter Brewster, Samuel Brewster, Samuel Goetchius, Samuel Smith, John Suffern, Edward De Noyelles, Lawrence De Noyelles, John F. Smith, Abram Dater, Jacob Marks, Elias Gurnce, John B. Secor, John Rose, Harman Felter and Jacob Odell.
The first Board of Directors were : Roger Parmele, Hudson McFarlan, Resolvert Waldron and George Kyle. A toll-gate was erected near the " Sand-field," and continued in operation till the repeal of the. Act incor- porating the Company. This occurred April 28th, 1870, and by the pro- visions of the Act for repeal Abram Weiant was appointed to settle up the affairs of the road.
Perhaps one of the most unlikely events in this township was the start of a communistic settlement within its boundaries. Utopian ideas have influenced a few people in every generation. A belief that the whole human race would live together in a common brotherhood, with a common interest from common toil, and thus avoid the competition, the successes, the failures of life as now presented to us ; has been taught in theory since history has been recorded. Often too, the principle has been put in prac- tice and has ended many times in failure and sorrow.
The Haverstraw community, like its predecessors began with every prospect of success. In 1826, a body of citizens, composed of artisans from almost every industry, to the estimated number of eighty, settled upon land previously purchased from John I. Suffern, at a spot now marked by the station of the N. J. & N. Y. Railroad west of Garnerville. The habits and characters of the members of this community are recorded as good. They were industrious. They are said to have displayed more than ordinary intelligence.
Upon the land which they had bought were dwelling houses, out buildings and a saw and rolling and slitting mill. A church was estab- lished in which lectures on ethical or industrial subjects were given. Everything seemed bright before the nascent colony. Then, at the expi- ration of a few months-five it is stated-the Haverstraw Community, like most of its predecessors, collapsed and disappeared from the face of the earth.
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The founders of the experiment were Jacob Peterson, George Houston, Robert L. Jennings, and a Mr. Fay. The price asked for the land they bought, some 130 acres, was $18,000 and of this, one third was in cash, the remainder being left on mortgage. At the crash of the enterprise, the mortgage which was held by John I. Suffern, threw the property back into his possession.
SUPERVISORS.
Cornelius Haring, 1723-24. Jacobus Swartwout, 1725- 27-1730-34. Cornelius Kuyper, 1728-29- I740. Gabriel Ludlow, 1735-1738- 39. Garret Snedeker, 1736-37. Adrian Onderdonk, 1741-43 Guisbert Kuyper, 1744-52- 17So-SI. John Coe, 1753-63.
John De Noyelles, 1764-71.
Edward W. Kiers, 1772-79.
Tunis Kuyper, 1782-85.
David Pye, 1786-91.
Benjamin Coe, 1792-1801. Samuel Smith, 1802-5.
Nathaniel Dubois, 1806-7. Andrew Suffern, ISO8-9. Abraham DeCamp, 1810-11. David DeBaun, ISI2.
Samuel Goetchius, IS13-14- IS21. Halstead Gurnee. 1815-17. James Taylor, IST8-20. John I. Suffern, 1822-23. Matthew Gurnee, IS24-25- 1828-29. Charles Smith, IS 26-27. Lawrence DeNoyelles, 1830- 31-1834-1839-41. James De La Montagne, 1832-33-1837-38. Jacob Hauptman, 1835. Henry Christie, 1836.
John W. Felter, Sr., 1842- 46-1853-54. George E. DeNoyelles, 1847 -52. Andrew Debaun, 1855-56. Wesley J. Weyant, 1857. Wm. R. Knapp, 1858-59. John Lawrence DeNoyelles, IS60. Prince W. Nickerson, 1861- 64. John I. Cole, 1865,-67. Samuel C. Blauvelt, 1868-74 Henry Christie, IS75.
John W. Felter, 1876-79. Josiah Felter, ISSO.
Authorities referred to : Documents relating to Colonial History S. N. Y. U. S. and N. Y. State Census Reports. Magazine of American History, Vol. xiii. " History of Haverstraw " by A. S. Freeman, D. D., and W. S. Pelletreau. Lectures " Thirty Years in Haverstraw " and " Thirty Years in Rockland County," by A. S. Freeman, D. D. Files of the Rockland County Messenger. Session Laws, S. N. Y. I am indebted also to William Govan, M. D., John Law- rence De Noyelles and Alonzo Wheeler, for information.
CHAPTER XIX.
NEW HEMPSTEAD, HAMPSTEAD OR RAMAPO.
DATE OF ERECTION-AREA-ORIGIN OF NAME - FIRST TOWN MEETING- CENSUS-HISTORY OF SUFFERNS-SLOATSBURGH-DATERS OR PLEAS- ANT VALLEY-RAMAPO-STERLINGTON-HILLBURN-KAKIAT OR NEW HEMPSTEAD - SCOTLAND - SHERWOODVILLE - MECHANICSVILLE OR VIOLA-CASSADY'S CORNERS-LADENTOWN-POMONA-SPRING VALLEY -MONSEY-TALLMAN'S-MISCELLANEOUS-HISTORY OF THE OLD TAV- ERNS-NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK RAILROAD STATIONS-THE ORANGE TURNPIKE-STAGES-TOWN OFFICERS.
In the history of this town I shall draw largely from the History of the Town of Ramapo, by Rev. Eben B. Cobb.
At the same time and for the same reasons, that led the people of the present Clarkstown to petition for a separate town existence, the residents of Ramapo asked the like privilege, and, in 1791, the town of New Hemp- stead was erected with an area of 34,545 acres.
Among the early settlers within the limits of the present town were a number of families from about Hempstead, in Queens county, and these immigrants gave to their new home the name of the one they had left, distinguishing it from the older settlement by calling it New Hempstead. The Indian name of this section was Hackyackawek, which soon became corrupted by the settlers to Kakiat, and for many years this portion of the County was indifferently called by either name. Upon the erection of the town, the name, that the settlers from Long Island had given their settlement, was adopted for the town. New Hempstead remained the appellation of the township till March 3d, 1797, when the Legislature passed an act from which the following extract is taken : "That the town of New Hempstead, in Orange County, shall hereafter be called, known, and distinguished by the name of Hempstead, any law, usage or custom, to the contrary notwithstanding."
Mr. Cobb, in his history of the town, regards this name as growing from an error in orthography, and thinks that Hampstead instead of Hempstead was intended. In proof of this view, he says: "We are led to this con- clusion from the fact that in the town records and on deeds after this, the name is most frequently written Hampstead, and that Horatio Gates Spaf- fard, in a Gazetteer, published by him at Albany in the year 1813,
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states that from correspondence 'with old inhabitants of the Town, and some of its present officers,' he adopts the name of Hampstead." I would add to these reasons, that in the New York Civil List, under the caption of Obsolete Towns, the name is given as Hampstead.
Whatever the Legislature may have intended, however, Hempstead was the legal name given; and now followed "confusion worse con- founded." If the prefix of New, had failed to distinguish this from the Long Island town, certainly matters were not bettered when that prefix was dropped. I, myself, recall hearing old people speak of the town, using the Indian or its other designations indifferently, and for some time found difficulty in recognizing that all the names applied to the same sec- tion ; we may judge then how confusing such a multiplicity of names would be to a stranger. And, as if to add still further to the intricacy, the church at Clarksville, until 1840, was officially entitled : The First Reformed Dutch Church of New Hempstead.
Such a condition of affairs could not long be tolerated in a town so rapidly increasing in importance, and in the fall of 1828, a meeting of the residents was held at Cassady's Corners to petition the Legislature for a change. "The meeting is reported by those still living," says Mr. Cobb, "as ' quite stormy,' owing to the various names which were proposed. One was for calling the town Columbus, after the discoverer of America ; another, Denton, in honor of Abraham Denton, the first man who settled in the town; another, Scamantown, after Jacomiah Seaman, the first white child born in the town ; another, Ramapo, after the river and moun- tains of that name found in the town. Still another advocated New An- trim, after the place called New Antrim, founded by Jolin Suffern near the point of the mountain, and still one more thought Mechanicstown should be the name, after a hamlet by that name just springing into life in the centre of the town.
At last, after much discussion, it was by a plurality of votes decided to petition the Legislature to make the name Mechanicstown." The Legislature did make it Ramapo, influenced, it is said, by a letter from Hon. J. H. Pierson, favoring that name. If posterity had no other cause to be grateful to Mr. Pierson, this act alone should make us revere his memory. Perhaps no greater wrong has been perpetrated in this country than the extinction not only of the Indian race, but also of their very names. The first mention of the name that Mr. Cobb has found is in a deed dated August 10th, 1700. It is there spelled Ramapough. In 1708, it is written Romopock; and later, becomes Romapuck or Ramapuck, Ramapaugh and Ramapo. Tradition gives its meaning as clear or sweet water.
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The first town meeting in Ramapo, was held on the first Tuesday in April, 1791, at the house of Theunis Cooper, near the " Brick Church." The presiding Justices were Samuel Goetchius, Theunis Cuyper, and John Suffern ; and the following officers were elected : Gilbert Cooper, Super- visor and Town Clerk; Abram Onderdonk, Garret Serven, Joseph Goet- chius, Assessors; Henry Howser, Collector; Abram Onderdonk, Aury Blauvelt, Overseers of the Poor; Jacob Deronde, Peter Van Houten, Al- bert Cooper, Commissioners of Highways : Albert Cooper, Joseph Lyon, Constables ; Stephen Gurnee, James Onderdonk, Henry Young, John S. Coe, John Myer, Thomas Onderdonk, Fence Viewers ; Hendrick Wanna- maker, Garret Eckerson and Johanes Smith, Pound Masters.
In spite of the difficulty in regard to the choice of a name, Ramapo pushed forward rapidly. From the erection of the town till 1835, it excelled any of the other towns in population. Then it lost in the race, and now ranks third.
In 1800, Ramapo had
1,981 inhabitants.
" 1810,
-
-
2,313
" 1820,
2,072
" 1825, State Census,
2,379
" 1835,
2,576
" 1845,
2,91 I
" 1855,
1865, -
4,330
" 1870, U. S. Census,
4,649
1880,
-
4,952
-
..
-
3,414
NEW ANTRIM OR SUFFERN.
The first owner of land in the village, as we have seen, was Jacobus Van Buskirk, who, in 1762, obtained a mill site on the Mahwah River. In September, 1763, John Suffern, who was born near Antrim, Ireland, moved to the site of the present village, and secured an acre of land on the south side of the present Nyack Turnpike. Soon after, he removed diagonally opposite, and built upon the site now occupied by the house of George W. Suffern. Here he started a store at the division of the roads, one of which passed westward, through Sidman's and Smith's Passes, to reach the villages in the towns of Goshen and Minnisink, the other running north-easterly through Kakiat to Haverstraw and King's Ferry, which was the first in the present town.
As we have heretofore read, valid titles could not be obtained to real estate in this part of the town till after Jan. 18th, 1775. As soon as secur-
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ity in possession was assured, Suffern began the purchase of land, one of his first bargains being for the mill right of Van Buskirk. Here he ran a grist mill for many years. Shortly after, he started potash works, not far from his store, and about 1813, he built a forge on the west bank of the Mahwah, south of the Nyack Turnpike. Mr. Suffern also built and car- ried on a woolen factory on the Mahwah, about a quarter of a mile south of the Nyack Turnpike. These were the early industries of New Antrin1.
Upon the opening of the Erie Railroad in 1841, the village took the name of Suffern in honor of its founder. At this time radical changes had taken place. The road to Haverstraw had been much shortened from those days when one had to pass through Kakiat to reach that place, and though, as we have seen, the attempt to build the Waynesburgh and New Antrim Turnpike had ended in failure, still the Haverstraw road had be- come of so much importance that it was kept in good order. The Nyack Turnpike had been long since cut through and had materially shortened the distance to the river, and both these roads joined the Orange Turnpike in the village. With these wagon routes was now combined the railroad.
The first post-office in Rockland County was established at New Antrim, Oct. 4th, 1797, and John Suffern became the first postmaster. The office at that time was in Suffern's store. In 1808, this office was discontinued. From 1844 till 1849, the office for the Ramapo works was kept by George W. and Jno. C. Suffern, in the store now occupied by Alanson Traphagen, but the Suffern office was not established till March 10th, 1858. At that time George W. Suffern was postmaster and held the office till 1861, when Alanson Traphagen received the appointment. He held the office till 1868, when Dwight D. Baker became postmaster. Baker was succeeded by James Wannamaker in 1882, and the office was moved to the postmaster's store, In August, 1885, Peter D. Johnson be- came postmaster.
The first store in the present village was built in 1842, by George W. Suffern. In 1884, the village contained 20 stores, 90 houses, 2 hotels, and a population of about 600 people.
Ramapo Lodge, No. 589, F. & A. M., was instituted June Ist, 1865, with Charles E. Suffern, W. M .; S. M. Hungerford, S. W .; George M. Crane, J. W .; R. F. Galloway, Treasurer; Daniel Sherwood, Secretary ; W. D. Furman, S. D .; Stephen A. Ronk, J. D .; John W. Crum, S. M. C .; John H. Wannamaker, J. M. C .; Peter Sines, Tyler; A. R. Leport and W. T. Howard.
Ramapo Council, 436, A. L. of H. was instituted February 21st, 1880,
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with D. B. Baker, D. Cooper, C. F. Whitner, A. S. Bush, T. J. Yost, A. Zavistoskie, W. H. Hollister, W. D. Hall, J. L. Crane, E. Whitner, A. S. Zabriskie; A. C. Sherwood, and E. Roberts, charter members.
Industry Encampment, No. 103, I. O. O. F., was organized December Ioth, 1883, with the following officers: H. R. Porter, C. P .; D. S. Wan- namaker, H. P .; Harrison Bull, S. W .; John Finch, J. W .; W. G. Eaton, Scribe; E. S. Roberts, Financial Secretary; G. E. Remsen, Treasurer .; J. H. Wambough, Guide; J. L. Crane, J. Woods, J. Zabriskie and P. Slaven, first, second, third, and fourth watch ; A. S. Bush and W. H. Sutherland, inside and outside sentinels ; G. P. Miller and WV. Blauvelt, guards of tent,
On November 23d, 1874, a violent storm passed over the village, dur- ing which the tower of the Episcopal Church was blown down and several buildings unroofed. No lives were lost. In February, 1875, the railroad station, erected in 1862, was destroyed by fire. Though the residents of the village had borne about two-thirds of the expense of this building, the railway company collected the insurance, and have, so far, done little toward restoring the citizens' money by erecting a respectable station house.
Among the great conceptions-still born-were the Ramapo Land and Water Company, incorporated April 23d, 1869, and the Suffern Dime Savings Bank, incorporated April 27th, 1869 Neither enterprise passed beyond the act incorporating it.
DATER'S WORKS OR PLEASANT VALLEY.
The early industries of this place have been considered in Chapter X. In 1854, the forges were finally abandoned. Upon a portion of their site a store was built, which is now occupied by Geo. W. Dater, grandson of the founder of the works; while upon another portion stands a large building, erected in 1882, by Hon. Charles Siedler, of Jersey City, for mill purposes, but, as yet, unoccupied. Since 1871, Edward Allen has used the building, formerly occupied by his father, Adna Allen, as a hoe factory, for a grist mill, to which he added saw and bark mills in 1878.
Half way between Pleasant Valley and Sloatsburg, formerly stood a grist mill used by the Sloatsburg Manufacturing Company. In 1874, this building was purchased by Mr. Knapp, and started as a shoddy mill. In 1878, it was burned by spontaneous combustion, but was immediately rebuilt, and now employs 21 hands, and turns out 18,000 pounds of shoddy in bulk, per month.
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SLOATSBURG.
The first owner of land at this place was Wynant Van Gelder, who purchased the site of the present village from the Indians, March 7th, 1738. Isaac Van Duser, married Van Gelder's daughter, and obtained by gift from his father-in-law, the tract of land where Sloatsburg stands, on June 13th, 1747. Stephen Sloat in the course of time, won the hand of Van Duser's daughter, and received as dower the property which now bears his name, June 3d, 1763. The Indian name of this place was Pothat or Pothod. The original Sloat mansion is still standing, and is occupied by a decendant of Stephen Sloat. In days gone by this building served as a public house on the road from New York to Albany.
We have followed the early manufacturers of this place in Chapter X, and seen that the factories were closed in 1878. In 1882, the old mill was re-opened by Robert Mccullough, and has since been used for the manufacture of spun silk thread.
The post-office at Sloatsburg was established March 27th, 1848, with Jonah Brooks, as first postmaster. He held the position till 1849, when Jacob received the appointment and retained the office till 1852. In that year Henry R. Sloat became postmaster. He was followed August 26th, 1885, by Theodore Haff.
This hamlet contained in 1884, six stores, and about fifty houses. It is the location where the only remaining gate on the Orange Turnpike is standing.
THE Y-PIERSON'S DEPOT-STERLING JUNCTION-STERLINGTON.
When the Erie Railroad was opened in 1841, the company built a Y at this spot, to turn their locomotives-a similar Y exists at Sparkill sta- tion, and was formerly much used. At a later period, the railroad com- pany built a station-house at this point, and the place was called Pierson's Depot. In 1865, the Sterling Railroad was opened, and the place then began to be called Sterling Junction. In 1882, on the establishment of the post-office, the name was again changed to Sterlington.
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