USA > New York > Rockland County > The history of Rockland County > Part 44
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Jane, or as she was called in the vernacular of the Clarksville people, Naut Kanniff, seems to have been exceedingly eccentrie, a person who would now be regarded by alienists as insane ; but her vagaries at the worst took a harmless form. She was odd in dress, preferring parti-colors of wondrous diversity, queer in the fashion of arranging her hair. She was unsocial in a neighborhood where every one knew each other ; and morose or erratic when forced to meet people. With these traits and habits, she combined one other. From her deceased husband she had gathered a smattering of medicine, and now, when placed where she could get at the herbs known in her Materia Medica, she made wondrous decoc- tions with which she treated such as came to her for aid, and I have been informed by those who knew her, with most excellent results.
In a spot where all others were connected by ties of blood or marriage, the advent of this stranger could but create comment, and the actions of Mrs. Kanniff formed an interesting topic of conversation. Inadvertently, perhaps, her name became associated with Satanic influence and her deeds, theretofore regarded as harmless, began to assume an appearance of dia- blery. The distrust of Naut soon spread from their elders to the children of the neighborhood, and, when compelled to pass her house on errands, the young ones of Clarksville would scurry by with palpitating hearts and starting eyes, looking askance for some manifestation of the evil one.
It did not take a long time for Jane Kanniff to learn the belief, con- cerning herself, that was gaining ground and the effect of that knowledge was to aggravate her oddities.
There seems to have been no one aet of monstrous import that pro- voked the trial. but rather a culmination of suspected misdoings. The house wives of the locality found great difficulty in making their ehurnings " come off" well, and two or three averred that upon emptying their
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churns they had discovered the form of a horseshoe plainly ourned in the bottom. A worthy member of the church after passing a sleepless night, distracted by the lowing of his cattle, found, on visiting his farm yard in the morning, the best milker of the herd standing in a farm wagon. From that hour she is said to have yielded no milk.
Circumstances such as these, were of grave character in a God fearing peaceful community. It seems not to have occurred to these intelligent citizens that perhaps heat applied to the milk to aid the churning, and the known proclivity of the domestic dog to chase cattle ; might have been factors in these events. They sought a preternatural cause, and fixed on the baleful influence of Naut Kanniff. It was determined that she should be tried for witchcraft.
A shrewd suspicion probably, that not only would no legally appointed judge listen for a moment to such a charge, but also that those who made it would become a public laughing stock ; led the worthy people to take the law in their own hands ; and from similar considerations they forbore mentioning their determination to their dominie. But the desire for jus- tice was uppermost in their minds, and only reputable citizens were permitted to act in the matter. The choice for judge resulted in the selec- tion of the resident physician and the jury was composed of the farmers in the neighborhood.
It may occur to the reader as it has to the writer, that the occupation of the practice of medicine might unfit a man from acting impartially as a judge in this case, the more especially because the accused interfered with that occupation by her treatment of disease. Such an idea however seems not to have entered the minds of her neighbors.
The place selected for the trial was an old mill, which stood on the site of the present mill, just south of Pye's Corner. The mode of trial was by balance. The suspected woman was brought to the mill, was seated in one dish of the big mill scale, and held till a board-covered, brass-bound Dutch Bible was placed in the opposite dish. If, in the test which was to follow, the Bible outweighed the woman, it would be con- clusive evidence that she was in league with the evil one. If to the con- trary, she raised the Bible, it was equally conclusive she was innocent. It is with regret I have to record that Mrs. Kanniff outweighed the Bible, sending it to the ceiling with a mighty bound; a regret which will be indulged by others, who, with a curiosity equal to my own, would much cared to have seen what the gentle men present would have done had the Holy Book sent the woman to the beam.
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SLAUGHTER'S LANDING OR ROCKLAND LAKE.
In 1711, John Slaughter bought a tract of land in the Clove, at the present Rockland Lake, and built a landing which bore his name till changed by Barmore, Felter & Co., in 1835. Up to that time, the lake and the country about it was called the "Pond," Quaspeck having been lost or abandoned.
Until the genesis of the ice business, this spot was but an outlet for the back country, and held the same position, as a landing, as Snedeker's, Sneden's, Huyler's. The introduction of one form of business called for the establishment of others. A hotel became a necessity, as soon as the ice company had settled its plant, and that at the landing, now controlled by James Ackerson, was built by Barmore & Leonard in 1839. The first landlord was Captain Isaac Cook. In 1844, Thomas Ackerson took charge of this hostelry, and retained it till his death in 1883.
A year after the building of the hotel at the landing, in 1840, A. P. Stephens, later Member of Congress, built and opened the first store at Rockland Lake. At a later period this store passed into the possession of L. F. Fitch, and finally, in 1860, was turned into a hotel. It is now occupied by Walter Ackerson.
I have already spoken of the fierce competition for the control of the ice at Rockland Lake, which followed the organization of Barmore, Leon- ard & Co., in the chapter devoted to the business interests of the County ; and then stated that this company purchased the landing. Prevented by their ownership from using the old dock, Cheeseman and Andrus built the lower dock, now used by Miranda's stone crusher, in 1841. Upon their removal from the Lake, this dock ceased to be of use for many years.
Influenced by the prospect of future growth, E. E. and J. L. Conklin started a wheelwright and blacksmith shop at the Lake in 1842. This firm at once took charge of the manufacture and repair of all the ice wagons and tools of Barmore, Leonard & Co., a business they retained till 1856, when the construction and repair shops of the Knickerbocker Com- pany were erected in New York City. From that time, most of the work of the Knickerbocker Company was done in the city, but the Conklin brothers continued their business till the death of J. L. Conklin in 1864, when the shops were closed.
In 1850, Francis Powley built the marine railway at Rockland Lake for Barmore, Leonard & Co., who used it for the construction and repair of the vessels engaged in their business. At first, this ship yard was under the management of John G. and Henry Perry, who conducted it
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for a few years, when George Dickey took charge of it. He carried it on till his death. Since that time, nothing has been done, and the yard has disappeared.
In 1872, John Mansfield established a stone-crusher at the lower land- ing, and carried on the industry for a short time, when the plant was bought by M. M. Miranda. Under his charge, the business has increased till at present it ranks among the important industries of our County. Four crushers are worked from April till December in each year ; an av- erage of from 75 to 90 vessel loads of crushed stone are shipped annually, and employment is given to from 25 to 65 men, according to the season, and the demand for the product.
In 1873, James W. Smith obtained the grove now known, as Sylvan Grove, and fitted it up as a resort for pleasure parties.
The post-office at Rockland Lake was established March 10th, 1842, with Thomas J. Wilcox as first postmaster. In 1845, he was succeeded by A. P. Stephens, who held the office till Feb. 8th, 1850, when he was fol- lowed by Leonard F. Fitch. Sept. 16th, 1853, E. E. Conklin became postmaster and he has been succeeded by Austin T. Fitch, May 23d, 1859 and Thomas H. Woodcock, Feb. 16th, 1864.
The Knickerbocker Fire Engine Company of Rockland Lake was or- ganized May 25th, 1861, with William Hoffman, Foreman ; J. L. Conklin, Assistant Foreman. Several severe fires have occurred at the Lake. In 1841, the icehouse at " Stony Point" was burned ; in 1863, another ice- house was destroyed by fire, and in 1879, still a third was consumed. After the Knickerbocker Co. was organized a shed was built over the doek at the Hudson on the river face of which was the painting of a gigantie man elad in Knickerbocker costume. This shed caught fire in 1870 and was utterly destroyed.
The first school in this village was held in a building belonging to John Smith, which stood on the lake side of the road opposite the property now owned by Sorrel. Tradition has it that the building had been used by Smith as quarters for his slaves and that he manumitted his bond people and gave their foretime home for the purpose of a school and meeting house. On March 19th, 1812, Hercules Ryder gave to Daniel Brady, George Myers and Samuel De Baun as trustees of the Union school house, a lot of land at the location of the present school house on the road near Valley Cottage. Among the teachers in this school was Moses G. Leonard, who wielded the ferule in 1828. The present school building was erected in 1861.
The first public school in the village was opened in a building erected
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on a site given by Mr. Wells for that purpose, in 1835. This building, now used as a dwelling, stands opposite the present school house. The present house was built in 1850, on land given by John D. Ascough. George M. Dennett, Thomas I. Wilcox, and E. E. Conklin being elected trustees for that year.
On October 13th, 1853, it was decided to make a free school district of the one at the Lake according to a Legislative Act for the establishment of Union Free Schools passed in 1852. This school continued free until January Ist, 1857, when, in accordance with a decision reached on Jan. 17th, 1856, the free school system was abolished in the district.
NANUET.
Until the opening of the Erie Railroad in 1841, this village had no ex- istence, and not over a half dozen houses stood between the Turnpike and schoolhouse. The first name of the place was Clarkstown, a name it re- tained till 1856, when, at the suggestion of James De Clark, the present name, taken from that of an Indian chief, was given. This is one of the few, rare, instances in our County where, in christening a place, the old Indian names have been used.
The first store in the village, now owned by S. M. Drew, and used as a dwelling house, was built by David De Clark, in 1841. This was also the first railroad station. In 1849, D. P. Demarest built the house, a part of which was and still is, used as the station. In 1852, Dr. M. C. Hasbrouck built the brick store now occupied by William Hutton, Jr., and it was at once occupied by John W. and Henry O. Hutton, who, in combination with their other business, started the first lumber yard in the village. The Hutton Brothers also introduced a department devoted to agricultural implements, and kept on hand both mowing and raking ma- chines. In 1869, the building now used by the firm was erected and opened in 1870.
The first hotel in the village was opened by Peter Demarest, Jr., and was conducted, after his death in 1839, by his son, D. P. Demarest. This hostelry, known as the " Old Red Tavern," stood just south of the present Nanuet schoolhouse, and before the Turnpike was opened, was on the main road from Suffern to Tappan Slote. In the early days of this tav- ern a grocery store was connected with it, which seems to have passed from existence when the railroad was opened.
In 1867, Abram D. Brower started a foundry in the buildings now used as a dwelling house, and standing south of Samuel Blauvelt's wheel- wright shop. Brower continued the business but a short time, and then the place was closed. As early as 1794, Major Cornelius I. Blauvelt
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owned and conducted a saw-mill on Narranshaw, Naurashazink, or Naur- ashank Brook, a short distance southwest of the present village. About 1810, this property was sold to Abram C. Blauvelt, and since then has been owned by Aurt Van der Wall, Isaac Pye, David Benson, and the present owner, Gustav Boliz. As at present conducted, a considerable business is carried on in ship timber and kindling wood, and recently a turning lathe was added to the industry.
The Nanuet school " can without difficulty be traced back to 1812. At that time, Abram C. Blauvelt * * was teacher, and was ex- empt from military duty on that account. The schoolhouse was an old red building, 1472 by 131/2 feet on the outside, and it stood south of the Yeury barn, about where the road crosses the swamp, westward, This building is still standing on Henry E. Insley's place." In 1844, that part of the school at present occupied by the primary department, was erected on the lot where it now stands, and in 1869, the part used as the grammar school was built. The first mention of a school library was in 1839.
The Nanuet Fire Engine Company was organized in 1860, with Wil- liam H. Snyder, Foreman, and J. W. Demarest, Assistant Foreman. In 1862, the company received a charter from the State Legislature. Until the erection of their engine house in 1868, the firemen used to meet in " Mechanics Hall." No severe fires have visited the hamlet.
The Nanuet Debating Society was formed by several of the residents of Nanuet, prominent among whom were C. A. Blauvelt, C. A. DeBaun, Andrew Hopper, A. J. Demarest, David Bogert and Nicholas C. Blauvelt, about 1845, for the purpose of combining with social intercourse a dis- eussion of the important questions of the day. The old school house was purchased by the society and used as their place of meeting. Upon the disorganization of this society the Nanuet Temperance Society occupied the old school building for several years. " Mechanics Hall " was opened to the public by Samuel B. Blauvelt and C. L. Ackerson, in the spring of 1863.
The post-office was first established at Nanuet, March 6th, 1846, and David DeClark, was the first post master, the office being kept in his brick store. On February 13th, 1851, David P. Demarest, became post master, and he has been followed by William H. Snider, October 21st, 1862 ; Edward Hutton, August 3d, 1870 ; and William Hutton, August 1885
The Nanuet Cemetery first came into general use at the time the church adjoining was built. The stone of Daniel DeClark however bears the date of a year earlier, September 22d, 1825.
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DUTCH FACTORY.
In 1812, a cotton factory was built at this place, and was given the above name from the fact, that a majority of the stockholders werc de- scendants of the original Dutch settlers of this section. This factory, which was used exclusively for the manufacture of cotton yarn, was burned in 1824. The property was then sold to John Gerow, who built and carried on a saw-mill on the spot. In a short time Gerow sold the mill to J. & L. Van Riper, who took down the saw-mill and erected an- other cotton factory in 1830. Under the Van Riper's management cotton yarn, coarse cotton blankets and candle wicking were manufactured, and the waste was used in making cotton bats. This factory, like the first was burned in 1858. The Van Riper's then rebuilt on a larger scale, and began the manufacture of mosquito netting and hat buckram. In 1865, a stock company called the Spring Valley Manufacturing Company, was formed and the business was carried on more extensively than ever until the financial depression of 1873, fell disasterously upon the company, and the factory was closed.
From 1873 till 1882, the factory remained idle. Under a judgment against the company the property had been sold, and had been bought in by a Mrs. Ward, of New York City, who could neither use nor dispose of it. In the latter year the factory was bought by Wm. Hyenga, who began, and has since carried on in it, the manufacture of briarwood pipes.
A short distance above the Dutch factory. Cornelius Blauvelt owned and conducted a saw and grist mill in 1812. This property was later purchased by James Eckerson, who carried on the old business for a number of years. In 1853, the firm of A. & I. R. Blauvelt was formed, and this firm bought the mill and used it for the manufacture of stock- ings and yarn. This business was continued by the firm till 1858, when the term of partnership having expired, Abram sold out to I. R. Blau- velt, who carried on the business till 1865.
Just below the Dutch factory stands a charcoal mill, which is carried on by James Smith. This was originally built for a grist mill by Jacob Serven. Later it came into the possession of Lucas Eckerson, who sold it to Harman Westervelt; then it was purchased by John Stilwell, who in time sold it to John V. Smith. Under this last owner it was continued as a grist mill till 1857, when the business was changed to grinding char- coal. This industry was continued by John V. Smith till his death, and since then has been continued by the present proprietor, James Smith.
On the northwest corner of the junction of the turnpike with the road which passes the Dutch factory, J. Mackie formerly owned property, and
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to locate the neighborhood this place was called " Mackie's Corners. In the northeastern part of the township, at the junction of the Short Clove road with one which passes the residence of Cornelius De Pew, John Stagg erected a brick blacksmith shop in 1852, and this place took the name of " Stagg's Corner's." In recent years, a settlement of no inconsiderable size has sprung up here, and a church edifice of the M. E. Society has been built.
CEDAR GROVE CORNERS OR WALDBERG.
At the junction of the road running from Pye's saw-mill to Rockland Lake, with the road between Haverstraw and Nyack, a church was built in 1830, which bore the name among the people of the " Pond " or " Yel- low Church." At a later period this junction was called Cedar Grove Corners, from a grove of cedar trees which stood on the opposite side of the road from the church. In 1835, the Central Hotel was built by Abram B. Snedeker just north of the corner. A few years later, by 1845, A. B. Conger began to purchase land in this section, and in the course of time, built a residence not far from the Long Clove, which he named Waldberg. This name gradually spread to the neighborhood, and prior to 1860 had been adopted by the residents of the school district as the name of the locality.
SNEDEKER'S LANDING OR WALDBERG LANDING.
The lack of sufficient depth of water at Haverstraw village led to the establishment at this place of a ship-yard and marine railway for the repair of vessels engaged in the brick business. In 1845, the railway was laid down, for Tunis M. and George W. Snedeker, by Joseph Walker, since largely known as the proprietor of Vinegar Bitters. For several years a prosperous business was carried on, and for one or two years the local steamboats made this a landing place. The building of marine rail- ways at Tomkin's Cove and Rockland Lake in 1850, and at Peck's dock in 1851, drew business from this yard, and it was at length abandoned. The dock is rapidly being washed away, and an old house alone marks the site of a once important landing. In the general change of name for this section, the locality became known as Waldberg Landing, and it is so recorded on the charts of the U. S. Coast Survey.
While on the river front, I may perhaps speak of a project which was agitated between 1845-50. This was, the building of a carriage road from the end of Broadway at Upper Nyack, under the mountains along the river to Snedeker's Landing. The citizens of Haverstraw and Nyack
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joined in the movement, and a sufficient sum of money to build the road was subscribed. The enterprise was stopped by the extravagant price asked for his property by Isaac I. Blauvelt, who owned the river front at Calico Hook, south of Rockland Lake landing.
STRAWTOWN.
On the road, running south from Pye's saw mill toward Clarksville and next west of the Hackensack River, is a neighborhood, which has been known by the above name since a period beyond the memory of living men. Many reasons have been given for the appellation, among which the fol- lowing seems as suitable as 'any. The increasing settlement of this section gradually led to an increase in the number of saw mills and a reduction in the price of shingles. Advantage was taken of this by the farmers of the County, and shingle roofs replaced the straw-thatched barns of an older time. In this neighborhood alone did the residents adhere to the old custom, and from their evident admiration for thatch, the remaining people called them " Strawtowners." In 1854, a store and shoe factory were kept in this locality by Nathaniel Burr.
BARDON'S STATION.
In 1861, a German, by name John Bardon, settled at this place and opened a distillery, gradually the neighborhood became settled by German immigrants and, when the railroad from Nanuet to New City was built, in 1875, this hamlet was made a station, taking for its name that of Bardon. The first and only store in the hamlet was then built by Bardon and has since been carried on by him and his family.
From the few villages of which I have spoken, it can be realized how thoroughly devoted to agriculture this township is. Shut in by the ridge of trap rock, which forms the Palisades and which has its origin but a short distance from the northwest boundary, on the north and east; and shel- tered on the west by the high hills of eastern Ramapo; abundantly irri- gated by the head waters of the Hackensack and the many streams which flow into that river, this section is well fitted for farming. The quarry business which at one time formed a profitable source of income, has long been abandoned for all practical purposes. The getting out of peat, which was found in large quantities in the township-one bog of 40 acres, 6 feet deep and estimated to contain 40,000 cords, south of the Long Clove, another near Walberg of 40,000 cords, and still another west of Nyack in the Valley of the Hackensack-while at one time in 1838, started as a business venture did not prove lucrative and was abandoned.
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Among the industries of Rockland County in past days, mention must be made of the Silver Spoon Factory carried on by Joseph Blauvelt. This business was at first started in a small house south of New City in 1820 As the demand up on Blauvelt increased, more and more room had to be used, and finally he moved east of New City on the road to the brewery.
The material employed in the factory was sent to the County from New York stores, for which the manufactured articles were made. Beside sup- plying these metropolitan stores, however, Blauvelt did considerable local business and furnished many of the residents with silver ware. Horse power was employed in the business and some dozen people earned a living at the work. The industry was continued for many years and was not absolutely abandoned till 1865.
The building known as the " Rockland Brewery," which stands on the east side of the road from Clarksville to New City, about two miles north of Isaac Pye's corner, was built in 1855, by Huber & Aschenhei- mer. Previous to the erection of this building, a brewery had been car- ried on in a frame building, a short distance northeast of the Rockland Brewery. The business had not proved successful and had been discon- tinued, and the building was later used for the making of wine and vin- egar.
When Huber & Aschenheimer first started the Rockland Brewery, the motive power was by horse and hand. After two years, the brewery was sold to Kiser & Maas, who failed, and the property fell into the hands of their creditors. In 1865, J. G. C. Schmersahl purchased it, remodeled the buildings, excavated a pond, put up ice houses, and introduced steam power. Under his management the business was carried on successfully for some time, and then came into the hands of the present proprietors, Schmersahl & Cross, the son and son-in-law of J. G. C. Schmersahl. Brewing was practically discontinued shortly after, and the place is now used as a hotel and pleasure ground.
The building of the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railroad through the town in 1883, gave rise to three stations; Nyack Turnpike, Valley Cottage, two and three-quarter miles southeast of the Rockland Lake post-office, and Conger's, situated a short distance northeast of the Waldberg Church.
On March 20th, 1873, a post office was established at Valley Cottage, with James A. Green, as post-master. It seems not to have been a suc- cess, and six years later, March 17th, 1879, it was discontinued.
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