USA > New York > Ulster County > The history of Ulster County, New York > Part 25
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There were several who opposed the colonies, some of whom returned after the war, and were left unmolested, though their names were long after used with contempt, and the rest took up their residence in Canada.
Samuel Devine, from the western part of the precinct, was very reck- less in his conduct and conversation, and was arrested and tried twice for being a Tory. He was released on the first charge, but on the second he was court-martialed and sentenced to be hung, but was pardoned under the gallows by Governor Clinton.
A few Tories joined the English Army, and, after the war, settled in Canada, a bond was given by one who was suspected.
No part of the town was ever invaded by the enemy. When Brant and his Indians massacred the soldiers, who went out. from Goshen to meet him at Minisink on the Delaware, there was another scare, but it soon subsided as Brant got no further. But our ancestors had their troubles ; there was war and rumors of war all the time. They were taxed to the limit; their property pressed in the service; many of their men were in the service of the country, and much of their lands uncultivated. But they were true and loyal and their rejoicing was great, at the favor- able termination of the war.
There appears to have been no large tribe of Indians about here, and no forts or camping places can be determined. The Esopus Indians, the
Charles Young.
293
TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
Wappingers, the Mohawks and other tribes, sometimes passed through in small squads and camped about, as Indian clubs and arrow heads are often found. A gentleman at Milton has quite a collection of stone-clubs or pestels, which he has picked up on his farm; also a flint tomahawk and several arrow heads. They undoubtedly at one time had a small camp there, where they hunted and fished. But there is no tradition about the Indians here, except that there was a small trail through this town, from the back country to the river.
They must have been peaceable, at least, as there is no record they ever injured any person or destroyed any property.
In 1776 there were seventeen persons licensed to keep taverns in the town of Marlborough. The record for that year is given as follows :-
Peter Mackoon
Thomas Mott
Robert Gilmore
Edmund Turner, Jr.
Cerstophel Deyo
Carlvian Lieger
Samuel Drake
Henry T. Bush, Jr.
Wright Carpenter
Wheeler Case
Isaac Bloomer
Jacob Powell
David Merritt
Isaac Hill
Benjamin Carpenter
Robert Simonds
John Benson
An enumeration of the people of the town in 1782 gave the following results, not counting slaves or free persons of color :-
White Males under sixteen. 491 Males over sixteen and under sixty. 335
Males sixty and upwards. 24
Females under sixteen. 402
Females above sixteen 366
Total. 1618
The water power of the various streams was utilized at an early date, while it cannot be known definitely, it is thought that the site of the Old DuBois Mill, near the Village of Marlborough, was one of the first, and probably the first to be erected. Sawmills and gristmills were erected by James Hallock, Foster Hallock, Auning Smith and others.
A carding-mill was erected in 1810-1811, and another shortly after- ward. Most of the mills were on Jew's Creek, Old Man's Creek and Hallock's Creek, and the sawmills remained until the region tributary was practically denuded of timber. During the first half of the nine- teenth century there were numerous manufacturing establishments built.
Most of the old settlers came from Long Island and Westchester County. They were people who were established in those places, having
294
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
their farms and property there. Some came up in sloops, and others crossed in scows from the opposite side of the river. They brought their families, their cattle and horses, and their worldly goods with them, and when they arrived, they were all ready to erect their log or stone houses and commence clearing the land, and after the first arrivals their friends, who were already here, helped them. Perhaps no community started with better or more favorable prospects. They did not come destitute as a large body of foreigners have done, for in a short time they could change their original abode and start life anew, with all their household goods, properties, comforts and conveniences, that they had en- joyed in their previous homes.
Old letters, papers and records show this. In fact, the same names can be traced in the records and papers of Westchester and Long Island, and spelled the same as our people then spelled their names. These people visited together and kept up their relationship and friendship for a gen- eration or more; and many of our people can trace their ancestors to these places. A few settlers drifted in until 1740, or thereabouts, when they commenced to arrive more frequently.
From that time on the population rapidly increased. In one year, twenty or more families arrived. In 1782, the population was 1482. In 1790, the enumeration of inhabitants, including Plattekill, colored people and slaves, was 2,241 ; Newburgh having only 2,365. And this population was supported by ordinary farm crops on stony land, which first had to be cleared. There was no fruit to sell them. The families were large, having from six to fifteen children. Edward Hallock, who landed his sloop and his family at what is known as Grandfather's Rock, at the river south of the Bond Patent, had ten girls and two boys.
These were an honest, industrious people, law abiding and God-fearing. No great crimes were committed. Churches and schools were plain but plenty ; almost as many schools were supported then as now. A chattel mortgage was almost unknown. A person never borrowed money, ex- cept under necessity, and then paid it as soon as possible. Notes scarcely ever were taken. The borrower considered he was under a sacred ob- ligation, and he often went without necessaries to make his payment.
Very few judgments were entered, but the execution went against the body and the debtor was put in jail, if he did not pay. But people were very lenient, and there was not much oppression. There were very few
295
TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
real estate mortgages on record before 1800. The debts must have been fixed up in some other way. Until the Constitution of 1777, the choice of candidates at the Precinct meetings was determined by viva voce vote.
The entire patent of land, formerly granted to Augustine Graham and Alexander Griggs, covers the railroad depot and docks, at the river and the entire village of Marlborough, and all the valuable farms and lands surrounding it; and this extensive and now valuable property, worth in the neighborhood of $2,000,000, was obtained by Lewis DuBois without the payment of a dollar. It seems that he was in possession, and living upon these lands, at the time that the deed was given in 1763, and the presumption is he had been there several years. He had undoubtedly obtained the Ida Hoffman or the Jury Quick title, for that one undivided one-half, and was living on the place under that title for years before he got the above mentioned deed; for at the time he was interested in various projects about the place and had agreed to give to the Marlbor- ough Society two acres of land. On April 8th of the next year, he exe- cuted a deed for the land to John Woolsey and Stephen Case, first Trus- tees. He was the largest subscriber, giving 15 pounds on the first and 8 pounds on the last subscription list, so he must have been a man of means. He had previously, though the year cannot be fixed, erected a large house, substantially the same as it now stands, which was an expensive house then, and which is now owned by John Rusk. It was all forest at the time. The trees were cut down and hewn into timber, where the house stands. It was one of the first frame houses in the country. Its size and general appearance made quite a sensation, and people came long distances to see it.
Richard Woolsey, born in Westchester County, 1697, came here when a young man, married Sarah Fowler, and had twelve children.
Among the other families, who settled early in Marlborough, were the Purdys, Wygants, Anning Smiths, Youngs, Merritts, Quimbys, Clarks, Cropseys, Bloomers, Pembrakes, Conklins, and many others.
The town records give, in the road list of 1788, a practically complete list of the male inhabitants over twenty-one years.
Another of the very early families was that of Joseph Carpenter, who was born on Long Island about 1704 or 1705. He settled at Lattintown at a very early date, and raised a large family of children, said to have numbered eighteen sons and daughters. Their descendants are still nu-
296
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
merous in the country. Edward Hallock came to Marlborough from Long Island in 1760, and engaged in farming and milling. His brother Samuel came soon afterward, purchased 1,000 acres of land, near the Village of Milton, and erected a house, which still stands. He left six children and Edward left twelve. Many of their descendants still live here. Leonard Smith, with five sons and two daughters, were Long Island people, and settled here in 1762.
At a special Town meeting, held at the house of Robert Gilmore, in the Town of Marlborough, the 8th day of March, 1800, the following notes were by a majority entered into, viz .:
Voted that the Town of Marlborough be divided as follows (provided the assent of the Legislature can be obtained for that purpose) : beginning on the line between the Town of Newburgh and the Town of Marl- borough, two chains and seventy-five links east of the northwest corner of the five patentees, from thence northward on a straight line, to the northeastern line of Robert Tifft's land, where it joins the Town of New Paltz. Voted also that the new town on the west side of the mountain be called the Town of "Patteekiln"; and the first town meeting to be held at the house of Robert Gilmore. And the remainder of the town, on the east side of the mountains, retain the present name of Marlborough, and the first town meeting be held at the house of David Merritt, in Lating Town. Voted that Joseph Morey, Esq., and Cornelius Drake be appointed to carry a petition, and the proceedings of this meeting to the Legislature, and to have twenty-four dollars for their services, to be paid by the town.
THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR.
Both of these wars were very unpopular with the people of Marl- borough. There were a few attempts to get up enthusiasm, but they were dismal failures. Most of our people thought they were uncalled for, and that they should have been avoided. A few may have drifted off and enlisted, but no record can be found thereof. Certainly no one of any prominence from here took part in either war.
Slavery existed in those days.
Slaves were bought and sold; the following is a specimen of a bill of sale :
KNOW all men by these presents, that I Joseph Sherwood, of the Town of New- burgh, County of Ulster and State of New York, for and in consideration of the sum of twenty pounds of Current Lawfull money, to me in hand, paid by Josiah
297
TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
Merritt, of the Town of Marlborough, County and State aforesaid, HAVE granted, bargained and sold by these Presents, DO grant bargain and sell unto the said Josiah Merritt, one Negro Girl, named Syl, aged seventeen years, To have and to hold the said Negro, unto the said Josiah Merritt and his Executors, Admin- istrators and Assigns, for and during the Natural life of Her, the said Girl. And I the said Joseph Sherwood, for myself, my Executors and Administrators and As- signs against me, the said Joseph Sherwood, my Executors, Administrators and Assigns, shall and will Warrant and Defend, by these Presents; In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal, this twenty-eighth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.
JOSEPH SHERWOOD, (L. S.)
The slaves generally took the name of their masters and were usually kindly treated, but it appeared hard to punish anyone for killing his slave. A man living at Lattintown, who owned a negro man slave, coming home one day was met by his wife in great excitement and she said to him, "Jim, that d- nigger has run away. Bring him back dead or alive." So Jim put a double-barreled shotgun in his wagon, and started on the back road, toward Newburgh-the route his wife indicated the slave had gone. He overtook the slave just below the limits of the town, near a small graveyard, in the Cosman neighborhood. Jim called to the slave to stop, but he ran across the graveyard, and Jim shot him. He put him in his wagon, and took him back dead to his wife, thus obeying her better than most men do their wives.
He was arrested and taken for examination before a Justice of the Peace, living where Washburn Baxter recently died. During the exam- ination, he escaped and remained away some time, and that was the last of it. The man's name was James -. He owned the place after- ward owned by Sheriff Harcourt.
A slave-holder complained of being very poor. He said that his "nig- gers" raised a big crop of corn every year, but the corn was fed to the hogs, and the niggers ate all the hogs, and he had nothing left.
With some of the slave holders, the slaves were thought much of and treated almost as members of the families. An old man with a large tract of land had among his slaves one called "Harry." He was large and a fine looking fellow, and dressed well, the leader of a company of colored men, who formed a militia company and drilled as such. His old master was proud of him, he always rode his owner's big black stallion on such occasions, and his master used to help him to get started. He was hold- ing his horse on one occasion, and he handed his master a shilling, and some one observed, "What did you do that for, Harry?" Harry replied,
298
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
"Ain't that the way the white people do?" Afterward his master manu- mitted him.
A company of cavalry was organized in 1804, under the command of William Acker. It was composed of Marlborough and Newburgh men. Nathaniel DuBois served several years as Captain. The last Captain was Robert D. Mapes, of Marlborough. It was disbanded about 1838. David W. Woolsey, of Marlborough, was commissioned as Captain, 1823, by Joseph C. Yates, Governor, in the 14th Regiment of Infantry.
William Martin was a Captain of a company; and some other compa- nies, or parts of companies, were organized in the town at different times. In November, 1867, C. M. Woolsey was commissioned, and served as Commissary, (Ist Lieut.) of the 20th Regiment of N. Y. State Militia, until the regiment was disbanded.
Horatio Gates Safford, LL.D., in a Gazetteer of the State, published in 1824, describes Marlborough as follows :
"Marlborough, a small Township in the southeast corner of Ulster County, on the west shore of the Hudson opposite Barnegat, 23 miles south of Kingston, bd, N. by New Paltz, E. by Hudson, S. by Newburgh and County of Orange, W. by Plattekill. Its medial extent N. & S. is about six miles and it may be three wide, its area about eighteen sq. miles. The land is under general cultivation and it produces of all the common agricultural products of the region. The inhabitants consist of " a larger proportion of English families than in most of the Towns of this County.
The road of the Farmer's Turnpike and Bridge Company terminates in this town. There are a good many "Friends" in this Town, who have a Meeting House, and there is also one for the Presbyterians.
There is a small Hamlet called Milton, a neighborhood called Lattin- town, besides some river landings and places of business. The lands are held by right of sale. Population, 2,248. Taxable property, $108,172. Electors, 364. Acres of improved land, 9,436. 1,665 cattle. 424 horses. 2,092 'sheep, 10,887 yds. of cloth, made in families, 7 grist-mills, 5 saw- mills, 2 fulling mills, 3 carding machines, I cotton and woolen factory and I distillery. One of the stated places of monthly meeting.
Ar He. DuBois
299
TOWN OF MARBLETOWN.
TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH IN THE CIVIL WAR.
The following is a list of those who enlisted in the Army and Navy : ARMY. David M. Weed
James Anderson
James N. Whims
Sidney Barnhart
James B. Williams
Jacob Berrian
John Wordin
Reuben R. Bloomer
Isaac Fletcher Williams
Oscar B. Bloomer
Charles C. Wygant
James Bailey
John S. Wood
Walter M. Bailey
Chas. L. Woolsey
Chas. A. Bailey
C. M. Woolsey
Thomas Brown
William York
Patrick Conley
John H. Dingee
Jas. D. Cassidy
Wm. H. Duncan
Henry Cassidy
James C. Brewster
David C. Crossbary
James M. Benson
Geo. W. Detmar
R. F. Coutant
Daniel Davis
Cevonia Lounsbery
Ferris G. Davis
John Hendrickson
Benjamin C. V. DeWitt
Lewis Hornbeck
Peter E. DeWtt
Isaac N. Hornbeck
Geo. J. Fowler
Daniel B. Martin
Luther P. Hait
Hezekiah Martin
John Harding
John Margison Elmore Terwilliger
Edward H. Ketcham
Wm. L. Dougherty
John T. Ketcham
Jesse E. Knapp
John McVay
Oliver Lawson
Wm. Miller
Geo. Duncan
Geo. H. Miller
Wm. Duncan
John McCarty
Isaac Sims
John H. Mackey
Charles Lee Mackey
David F. Mackey
Cornelius Atherton
Nehemiah Mann
David Johnson
Morris Lee
Horace B. Sands
Wm. J. Purdy
John W. Williams
Alonzo S. Petit
Stephen J. Poyer
Geo. W. Quimby
Isaac Lewis
John D. Quimby
Phineas H. Smith
Thos. Elliot
Isaac Theals
Chas. H. Free
Peter Terwilliger
Geo. Palmateer
Jeremiah Terwilliger
Stephen Rhodes
James Terwilliger
Geo. Ryer
Matthew Terwilliger
Reuben H. Rose
Danel Tuthill
Aaron Rhodes
Samuel Valentine
Theodore Rhodes
John H. Valentine
Walter Rhodes
The following were the Commissioned Officers: Nehemiah Mann, Captain in the 4th N. Y. Cavalry. Killed at Cedarville, Virginia, August
NAVY.
Peter V. L. Purdy
Martin Fisher
Geo. W. Smith Henry Scott
John Kenney
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THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
18, 1864. John Ketcham, 2nd Lieut., 4th N. Y. Cavalry. Died in Libbey Prison, October 8th, 1863. Edward Ketcham, 2nd Lieut., 120th N. Y. Infantry. Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. William J. Purdy, 2nd Lieut., in the 156th N. Y. Infantry. C. M. Woolsey, 2nd and Ist Lieut. and Brevetted Captain, in the 2nd N. Y. Cavalry, and 2nd Lieut., Ist Regiment U. S. C. Troops. Oliver Lawson, 2nd Lieut., Ist Mounted Rifles. There has been a post, called Ketcham Post, 495, G. A. R., De- partment of N. Y., in the town for many years, organized August, 1884. C. M. Woolsey was first Commander ; P. V. L. Purdy and H. B. Crowell have also been Commanders. C. M. Woolsey is the present Commander. Out of the whole number, who enlisted as above named, not more than twenty are alive and in the town.
Among the men of special prominence, which Marlborough produced, or who were identified with the interests of the town, were:
Ebenezer Foot, Member of Assembly, 1792, 1794, 1796, 1797.
Selah Tuthill,
1804.
Nehemiah L. Smith,
18II.
David Staples,
1814, 1818.
Abram D. Soper,
1829. Also County Judge from 1828 to 1836.
William Soper,
1843.
L. Harrson Smith,
1853.
Jeremiah Clark,
=
1860.
C. M. Woolsey,
1871, 1872, and Justice of Session, 1866, 1867.
E. F. Patten,
1881.
Sands, Haviland,
190I.
Benjamin Harcourt, Sheriff, 1832.
On April 5th, 1764, Lewis DuBois conveyed to John Woolsey and Stephen Case, two acres of land, but the Society, thinking that one and one-half acres was sufficient, reconveyed half an acre to the donor. In the old burying ground attached to the church, are buried many of the first settlers.
Marlborough now has many factories and stores, four churches, a large graded school, and three taverns. It has recently been incorpo- rated and Frank L. Snyder is its President. It has a system of water- works and electric lights. Population about 800. It is a flourishing village and a desirable place of residence.
Postmasters.
Appointment.
Marlborough. Daniel G. Russell
Date of
July 13, 1824.
Miles J. Fletcher April 14, 1826.
Robert B. Mapes Aug. 12, 1841.
30I
TOWN OF MARBLETOWN.
Postmasters .- Continued.
Miles J. Fletcher
June
7, 1843.
James S. Knapp
April
10, 1856.
66
Charles D. Jackson
April
8, 1861.
Dallas DuBois
Aug.
20, 1866.
John H. Baxter
Aug.
4, 1869.
66
John C. Merritt
April
I, 1875.
66
Martin V. B. Morgan.
Aug.
5, 1885.
66
H. Scott Corwin (not commissioned).
Feb.
28, 1889.
Charles H. Kniffen May
. Aug.
3, 1893.
66
Charles H. Kniffen
. Feb.
15, 1899.
Charles I. Purdy
. Feb.
26, 1903.
James A. Johnston
Apr.
19, 1904.
Milton was so named previous to the Revolution. The name is found in an old record of the earlier Methodist Society. "In October, 1788, Rev. Ezekiel Cooper held the first Methodist meeting in the County, at the house of John Woolsey." Milton had good water-power, and saw and grist-mills were soon built. There has been a steady growth of popu- lation. It was very flourishing from 1820 to 1850. A turnpike was built about 1820, and a large tract of country to the west had its outlet here
David Sands carried on a large ship yard. There was a pin factory, soap factory and two hat factories at one time, and a paper called the National Pioneer, was printed here in 1829, edited by Daniel S. Tuthill, or as he was generally called, Selah Tuthill, a son of Selah Tuthill, the Member of Congress. The Pioneer was issued every Wednesday, at $2.00 per annum, "payable quarterly, or $2.50 at the end of the year." This price was for village subscribers, and those who got their paper through the post rider. There were four pages of six columns each.
From the advertising columns of the Pioneer, more is to be learned about Milton than from the reading matter. Advertisements appear from David Brower, tailor, in Milton Village; Anson St. John, manufacturer of cabinet ware and fancy chairs, also painter ; C. S. Roe, general store- keeper, agent for threshing machines, real estate agent, dealer in rye, oats and corn, and owner of a tow boat ; Mrs. M. B. Taylor, milliner, of Marlborough; Chas. Field, hat manufacturer; Longbottom & Co., an- nouncing the retirement of James Kinworthy; and many others of more or less interest. From one of these, we learn that the proprietor of the paper, D. S. Tuthill, also kept a store at New Paltz landing, (Highland). Here he sold goods "at reduced prices," just as the modern merchants do.
. Daniel S. Tuthill, or Selah Tuthill, as he was commonly called, was a man of considerable ability and business enterprise.
3, 1889.
Willam S. Wright.
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THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
From the files of the Pioneer, we learn that Cornelius Polhemus kept a public house in Marlborough in 1830.
Cornwall S. Roe was one of the most prominent men in Milton, in 1830, if his advertisements in the Pioneer prove anything. In one copy of the paper he had no less than sixteen advertisements of various kinds. He kept a general store, where he sold dry goods, groceries, crockery, hard- ware, lumber, tar, plaster, salt, fish, pork, etc. He bought grain and flax- seed at "highest cash prices," and purchased patent rights for agricultural machinery. He also speculated in land. In one place he advertises, that the ladies of Ulster County can be supplied with Navarino Hats, either in the flat or made up, in the newest manner at short notice. In another place behold: "The Tow boat Atlanta, Capt. C. S. Roe, now performs her passage with all regular speed; and to meet the economical views of all, passengers are taken at the low rate of four shillings, who find them- selves :- Six shillings and found. She arrives both ways before day- light." C. S. ROE. Milton, April 7, 1830.
There was a ferry at Milton called Lattimer's Ferry from the old stone house across the river. This was in operation during the Revolu- tion and for many years afterward; it was said that during the war, regular communication was kept up between the Patriots of Boston and the forces in the Highlands and New Jersey. Money to pay the troops and valuables were carried by this ferry. The old stone house was a short distance south of where the railroad depot now is, and it was torn down when the railroad was built.
Jacob Powell and his son kept store there, and ran a line of sloops to New York about the year 1800. In 1795, they took out license for a tavern. Farmers took their produce there for shipment, and bought their goods. The same business was carried on there for many years after. At the road running down to it, at Northrop's corner, there was a black- smith's shop, a store, a church and a house. Jacob Wood and Philip Caverly had a shipyard at the foot of Dog's street (lane), and built sloops and vessels. David Sands had a yard at Sand's Dock, and built vessels and kept store there. About 1850, Geo. Hallock had a brick yard. The clay was taken from his pond. From that time and for many years, Jacob Handley ran a horse-boat across the river.
There are five churches, several factories and mills, and stores at Mil- ton. Population, about 800. It has always been a favorite landing place
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TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
for steamboats and has enjoyed greater benefits and conveniences from them than any of the adjoining villages.
The first Town meeting was held here, in 1840, at the house of Robert S. Lockwood.
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