USA > New York > Ulster County > The history of Ulster County, New York > Part 26
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Lattintown, formerly "Latting Town," the oldest neighborhood or hamlet, is so called in the early records of the War of Independence, and prior to that time, just about 1740 or soon afterward, there being several families. of Latting living there at that time. The first Town meeting, 1772, was held at the house of Henry Deyo, and the next, 1773, at the house of Richard Carpenter, both of whom are supposed to have lived at Latting Town. From that time up to and including 1779, the meetings were held at Silas Purdy's, which was the Henry E. Geade place.
Postmasters.
Date of Appointment.
Milton.
Abraham D. Soper.
. Aug. 20, 1822.
Willam Soper
Apr.
2, 1836.
Nancy Soper
Jan.
19, 1849.
Calvin F. Bulkley
Dec.
4, 1849.
David Sands, Jr ..
July
20, 1853.
Peter M. Carpenter
May
26, 1854.
Theodore Quick
Apr.
8, 1861.
Ethan Parrott
. Jan.
12, 1866.
Roswell H. Stone.
.Feb.
15, 1869.
Jacob Rowley
Nov.
12, 1869.
Ethan Parrott
Nov.
22, 1869.
Edward W. Carhart
.Feb.
23, 1882.
Edward . W. Pitcher.
. Mar.
25, 1884.
Frederick H. Smith.
.June
12, 1886.
William H. Townsend, Jr.
. May
24, 1889.
Frederick H. Smith
.Aug.
23, 1893.
C. Meech Woolsey
. Aug.
28, 1897.
=
Frederick W. Woolsey
Aug.
8, 1902.
Purdy had a mill there and kept a tavern. He also kept the stocks, in which persons were put to be punished, and kept the pound where stray cattle were kept. Purdy was an officer in the War, and one of the Com- mittee of Safety and Defence. His place was virtually a part of the Lattintown valley.
In 1780, and for the next fifty-eight years up to and including 1838, meetings were held at Lattintown except the year 1801, when the Town meeting was held at Nathaniel Harcourt's, which was the place owned by Jesse Lyons on the post road. And in 1841, 1849, 1852, the meetings were held at Lattintown, which were the last. For twenty years the meetings were at David Merritt's house, seven years at John Hait's, ten years at Thomas Warren's and other houses in Lattintown. It was a
304
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
great place for racing horses on Town meeting day. The Militia had their trainings there, Courts were held, and there much of the town business was transacted in those times. It was the center of population for many years. The smooth country and fertility of the lands, which were well watered, invited the early settlers. Large tracts of land were cleared and well cultivated, while the more stony and rugged lands between that and the river were mostly forests. The oldest graveyard in the Town was there, in which the first settlers were buried. This was situated on what is now the Odell place, on the grounds now occupied by his barn and orchard. At Lattingtown there was also a school, church, stores, wagon and blacksmith shops, a tannery and distillery in early times. There were also a shoemaker, tailor and undertaker. All of these except the school have ceased to exist.
THE PEOPLE, LANDS, AND CONDITIONS OF THE TOWN.
We have seen that most of the original families had previously set- tled in this Country. They were descended mostly from English and Holland families who had lived in England some time before they came to America, but the tide of foreign emigration did not set in until about 1850. Some had come in from time to time, but since 1850 the emigration has been rapid, mostly from Ireland, though many German families have settled here. They have generally been an agriculturist class, being small farmers in their own country. They were good people-honest and industrious. They accumulated means, bought farms, raised large fami- lies, and were honored and respected. Many of our best and more enter- prising people have descended from these emigrants.
The Irish people have erected and supported two large and flourishing Catholic churches, with parsonages, separate priests, and a large and fine cemetery. Most of the emigration is now from Italy. Many families arrive each year and buy the smaller and cheaper places. They are frugal and industrious, and consider a debt a sacred obligation and pay promptly.
The water courses of the town are confined to a few small streams emptying into the Hudson; in former times they had a larger flow of water, and afforded power for many mills and factories, and they also had many trout. There are several small attractive lakes and ponds. The surface is broken and hilly, rising from the bluff at the river to the Marl-
305
TOWN OF MARLBOROUGH.
borough Mountains, a rocky ridge along the west bounds, an elevation of about a thousand feet above tide.
The soil is a dark rich loam or clay and admirably adapted to general agriculture and grazing. In fact, before the advent of fruit, a large population was supported prosperously on the farm crops they raised. But during the past forty or fifty years the lands to a great extent have been given up to the raising of fruits which grow in great abundance and are generally profitable. There are many large vineyards, and straw- berries, raspberries, blackberries and currants have shown enormous yields. Large quantities of peaches are also raised. The farms have been cut up in small tracts of five acres and upwards, upon which fami- lies live and prosper. The soil stands dry weather well. With proper cultivation, fertilizing and attention the yield is very large. From 100 to 200 bushels of berries to the acre are generally raised.
The great hotels of New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and Mon- treal are furnished with peaches and other fruit direct from here. In fact, no better peaches are raised in the world, and the price for first-class fruit is always high. The gross receipts of some of the fruit growers here are from $10,000 to $20,000 a year. Large sums are paid out for working and picking the crop, and any man, woman or child can find ready employment at good wages. There are 1,000 extra people who come here to help during the packing season. Though none of our people grow rich, yet many keep town and city places, and spend their winters in Europe or in the south. Over half a million dollars worth of fruit is shipped or sold from here every year.
Lands are now selling readily, and advancing in price. The yield of most varieties of fruits has been large this year and the prices good, especially grapes, which have not been so high for years. They raised in value from the commencement of the picking, and the last of the crop sold as high as $65 a ton.
The increase in population has been remarkable. The population in 1865 was 2,733; in 1900 it was 3,978, showing a larger percentage of increase than the city of Kingston or any of the towns, except Rosendale, and this while most of the towns have stood still or lost in population.
306
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
CHAPTER XXIV. TOWN OF NEW PALTZ. BY HON. JOHN N. VANDERLYN.
O NE of the most interesting of the original settlements in Ulster County, or elsewhere, is the Huguenot Settlement of New Paltz. The land on which these Frenchmen and their families settled was not patented to them as trustees, for the benefit of the whole, but to a copartnership of the twelve individuals for their personal use. either as a body corporate or subject to division, presumably in twelve equal shares.
The settlement was one of the earliest after that of Kingston and Hur- ley, but it is generally supposed that some of the patentees had settled there some years previous to the date of the patent. The following docu- ments, which are still extant, show the purchase from the Indians, and the subsequent confirmation by the patent. (The manuscript is in Dutch.) :-
"By approbation of his Excellency, Governor Edmund Andross, dated April 28, 1677, an agreement is made on this date, the 26th of May, of the year 1677, for the purchase of certain lands between the parties named herein and the undersigned Esopus Indians.
"Matsayay, Nekahakaway, Magakahas, Assimerakan, Wawawanis, acknowledge to have sold to Lowies du Booys and his partners the land described as follows :- "Beginning from the high hills at a place called Moggonck, from thence south- east toward the river to a point named Juffrous Hoock, lying in the long reach, named by the Indians Magaatramis, then north up along the river to the Island called by the Indians Raphoes, then west toward the high hills to a place called Waratahaes and Tawentagui, along the high hills southwest to Moggonck, being described by the four corners with everything included within these boundaries, hills, dales, waters, etc., and a right of way to the Rouduyt Kill as directly as it can be found, and also that the Indians shall have the same right to hunt and fish as the Christians, for which land the Indians have agreed to accept the articles here specified :-
"40 kettles, 10 large and 30 small; 40 axes; 40 shirts; 400 fathoms of white net- work; 300 fathoms of black net-work; 60 pairs of stockings, half small sizes; 100 bars of lead; I keg of gunpowder; 100 knives; 4 kegs of wine; 40 oars; 40 pieces of "duffel" (heavy woolen cloth) ; 60 blankets; 100 needles; 100 awls; I measure of tobacco; 2 horses-one stallion and one mare.
"Parties on both sides acknowledge to be fully satisfied herewith, and have affixed their own signature ad ut Supra.
"Matsaya X (his mark)
"Waehtonck X (his mark)
"Seneraken X (his mark)
"Magakahoos X (his mark)
"Andrie Lefeber
"Jan Broecq
"Piere Doyo
"Anthony Crespel
John N. Vanderlyn.
307
TOWN OF NEW PALTZ.
"Wawateanis X (his mark) )
"Abraham Du Booys
"Lowies Du Booys
"Hugo Freer
"Christian de Yoo X (his mark)
"Isaack D. Boojs
"Abraham Haesbroecq
"Symon Lefeber
"Witnesses : "Jan Eltinge,
"Jacomeyritje Sleght,
"Jan Mattyse,
"Agrees with the original,
"W. La. Montague, Secry.
"I do allow of the within Bargaine and shall grant patents for Same when pay- ments made accordingly before me or Magistrates of Esopus.
"Andross.
"We, the undersigned persons, former owners of the land sold to Lowies Du Booys and his partners, acknowledge to have been fully satisfied by them according to agreement, we therefore transfer the designated land with a free right of way for them and their heirs, and relinguishing forever our right of way and title, will protect them against further claims, in token whereof we have affixed our signa- tures in the presence of the Justice, Sheriff, Magistrates, and Bystanders, on the 15th of September, 1677, at Hurley, Esopus Sackmakers.
"Witnesses :
"Sewakuny X (his mark)
"Hamerwack X (his mark)
"Manvest X (his mark)
"Papoehkies X (his mark)
"Haroman X (his mark)
"Pagotamin X (his mark) "Mahente,
"Pochguget X (his mark)
"Pagotamin X (his mark)
"Harommi X (his mark)
"Wingatiek X (his mark)
"Wissinahkau X (his mark) "Mattawessick X (his mark) "Matsayay X (his mark) "Asserwvaka X (his mark)
"Umtronok X (his mark)
"Wamanies X sister in his absence called Warawenhtow
"Wewajask X (his mark)
"Nawas X (his mark)
"Tomaehkapray X (his mark)
"Sagarowauto X (his mark)
"Machkamoeke X (his mark) Witnesses :
"Jan Eltinge ; "Roelof Henderycks;
"John Ward;
"Gars X Harris;
"Albert Jansen; "Testis : "Thomas Chambers, Hall, Sherriffe;
"Wessel Ten Broeck,
"Dirk Schepmoes,
"Hendrick Jochensen,
"Joost de Yaduo,
"Garit X Coonelise, "Lambert X Hybertse,
"Magakhoos X (her mark) "Mattay has publicly proclaimed and acknowledged in the presence of all the Indian bystanders that the land has been fully paid for, in which all concurred."
"Testis: W. Montague, Secr."
The grant by Governor Andross, dated the 29th of September, 1677, is given in the fuller and perhaps more legal verbiage and covers the same ground; in naming the partners, however, the name Laurens Bevier is added, making the twelve patentees. When the purchasers applied to Governor Andross for liberty to settle on their land, he coupled his per- mission with the provision that they must "build a Redoute there first for a place of Retreat and a Safeguard upon occasion."
308
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
There are different views concerning the beginning of the settlement. By some it is stated that one or more of the patentees had squatted on portions of the land some years previously, and becoming nervous through practical isolation, the syndicate was formed to purchase the ground, amounting approximately to 36,000 acres, and erect a settlement ; by others it is alleged that there were no habitations on the tract, and that the patentees and their families, with the exception of Crespel, journeyed up the Wallkill from Kingston in three carts, till they decided upon the place of location. As there seems to be no documentary support to either suggestion, both being founded on the legends in which the neighbor- hood richly abounds, the reader must take his choice.
It is a matter of record that more land was desired later. On February 13, 1683, the Special Session Court, held at Kingston, granted permission to buy land of the Indians westward to New Fort. For some reason the purchase was never completed. Three of the patentees, Louis, Abra- ham and Isaac DuBois, were the father and two sons; the younger, Isaac, being but eighteen years old; the two Deyos or Doys were father and son; the two Lefevers were brothers, as were also the Hasbrocs, though Jan or Jean had left off the first syllable of his name, calling himself Broec. Abraham DuBois, the two Hasbrouck brothers and Simon Lefever had married the four handsome daughters of Christian Deyo, so that the whole company were united either by ties of blood or marriage, with the exception of Hugo Freer. Anthony Crespel did not settle in New Paltz, but sold his share in 1699 to Louis Bevier. It is proper to reproduce this conveyance in full, as it is the first recorded sale of land in the patented tract, and while there seems to have been a division of the land there is no record of the fact. Such were the condi- tions that a century later, after the War of the Revolution, a special act of the New York legislature was required to clear the ancient titles and confirm the legality of the acts of the patentees and their descendants. The deed translated is as follows :-
"Personally appeared Anthony Crespel, a laborer living at Hurley, County of Ulster, who declares and confesses to have sold, ceded, released, conveyed, and by these presents sells, releases and conveys to Louis Bevier, a laborer living at New Palle, a certain piece of land in a thicket adjoining the said Village of Palle mak- ing one of the twelve parts according to the partition by the proprietors of said Palle. This said part is bounded by the pasture of Abraham DuBois and by Louis Bevier on one side, on the south it bounds on the Washmaker's land and on the other side at the north on the heirs of Simon Lefebre. And I, the said Crespel, promise to have the said Bevier enjoy and hold thereof without trouble or hinder-
309
TOWN OF NEW PALTZ.
ance; and the said sale has been made upon payment of 140 schepels of wheat which I the said Crespel have received to my satisfaction, and absolve thereof the said Bevier and all others.
"In testimony whereof I have signed this.
"Done at Quinstown this 10th day of April 1699.
"Antoine Crespel"
"Jean Cottin "Jaque DuBoois Witnesses."
The first transfer of land of which any record is known, was a deed of gift of a cottage and lot to Jean Cottin, a schoolmaster of New Paltz. This deed, in addition to conveying the real estate, gives Cottin the right to cut wood for building and gives pasturage for two cows and calves, a mare and a colt; it reserves the right to discharge him as schoolmaster when they think "proper and fit," and requests him not to sell the property to anyone not of good life and manners. This record has a dual valua- tion, showing that at that early date the cause of education was of para- mount importance, and hardly less so that of so controlling the property as to prevent the influx of undesirable neighbors.
There are a large number of documents concerning the early history of New Paltz in various collections held by some of the descendants of the original settlers. It is shown that for about forty years the prevailing lan- guage was French, then for nearly seventy years the Dutch language, or the Dutch and French together, were used; so that it was not until the War of the Revolution that the English language became in general use. It had been taught in the schools, however, for some time previous.
The original dwellings were built of logs, some of them large and com- fortable for large families, others of smaller size. They gave way, grad- ually, after twenty or thirty years, to stone structures of some pretension, several of which are still standing, and occupied by descendants of the original Syndicate of Patentees.
The antecedent history of the Huguenots has been written in extenso. The persecutions which they suffered on account of their apostasy from the Roman Church, have been written in the blood of thousands and the expatriation of hundreds of thousands. The particular company which came to New Netherland-later New York-seems to have been com- posed of those who, for some years had been refugees in the Palatinate on the Rhine. One work on this subject associates DuBois with the Lefevers, Hasbroucks, Crespels, etc., at Manheim.
Anthony Crespel and Louis DuBois were sons-in-law of Matthew
310
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
Blanchan. Crespel came to America in 1660, Blanchan and DuBois the year following. They settled in Hurley, and at the burning of that town in 1663 by the Indians the wife and two children of Louis DuBois, the wife and one child of Anthony Crespel, and the two children of Matthew Blanchan, Jr., were carried into captivity, where they remained for three months, until rescued by the military force under Captain Kregier.
The LeFever brothers came to Kingston in 1665. Jean Hasbrouck, with his wife and two unmarried daughters, came in 1673. The wife was the daughter of Christian Deyo. Abraham Hasbrouck came in 1675. Louis Bevier, who later purchased Crespel's share in the New Paltz, came in 1673, with his wife and sons, Hugo, Abraham and Isaac. Bevier was a cousin of the Hasbrouck brothers. Later came Christian Deyo, with his three daughters who afterward married Abraham Hasbrouck, Simon LeFever and Abraham DuBois. Also came Pierre Deyo, son of Christian, with his wife and child. Abraham Hasbrouck is said to have served with Governor Andross in the English army, and his influence in getting the patent is mentioned.
Ralph LeFever, in his history of New Paltz (1903) comments on the delay of four months between the date of the original agreement with the Indians, May 26, 1677, and the issuance of the patent, September 29, 1677, but the translations of documents in the same volume shows that there could have been no such delay, from such cause. Governor Andross had endorsed the contract of purchase with his approval, and directed a patent to issue on payment of the terms before him or the Magistrates of Esopus. By the date of this document this was not done until September 15, 1677, and the patent was issued two weeks afterward. It is, of course, possible that payment had been previously made, but the acknowledgement of the same before the Esopus Court was a necessary provision.
The dates of the death of some of the patentees of New Paltz are known, but of others no record is known to exist. Isaac DuBois died at the age of 31, in 1690. Louis DuBois, who had moved to Kingston in 1686, became one of the Judges of the County and died there in 1696. The only grave of the original pioneers marked by a stone in the New Paltz churchyard bears this inscription :-
"1731, A. D. Bois, surviver of 12 patentees."
Jean Cottin, the first teacher of the New Paltz school, was succeeded about 1696 by Jean Tebenin, who remained four years and received a
3II
TOWN OF NEW PALTZ.
recommendation in 1700. Cottin went into business in Kingston, and later married the widow of Louis Du Bois. Neither Cotton nor Tebenin left descendants. Cottin willed his property to the church at Kingston, and Tebenin bequeathed his belongings to the church at New Paltz. The church at New Paltz was organized in 1683. According to the old French record which is still preserved, "Mr. Peter Daillie, Minister of the Word of God, arrived at New Paltz and preached twice the Sunday fol- lowing, and proposed to the heads of the families to choose by a majority of the votes of the fathers of the families an Elder and a Deacon, which they did, and chose Louis Du Bois for Elder and Hugh Frere for Deacon to aid the minister in the management of the church, meeting at Paltz, who were then confirmed to the charge of Elder and Deacon. The present minute has been made to put in order the things which appertain to the church.
The extract is dated January 22, 1683.
The record extends to 1702 and several different handwritings are found. It is mostly a record of marriages and baptisms. The last men- tion of Rev. Mr. Daillie appears in 1692, and the first mention of Reverend Mr. Bourepos in May, 1696.
Gradually as the years passed, the French and the Dutch began to blend. None of the Patentees had Dutch wives; of their children there were several. Solomon Du Bois, son of Louis, married Tryntje Gerriteen some time about 1690. In the latter part of the same decade Mary Deyo married Jacob Clearwater. Abraham Deyo married Elsie Clearwater in 1702. In 1703 Sarah DuBois married Roelif Eltinge. Jacob Freer married Altie Van Weyen in 1705; Hendricus Deyo married Margaret Van Bummell, in 1715. In 1706 Joseph Hasbrouck married Elsie Schoon- maker and in 1721 Solomon Hasbrouck married Sarah Van Wagenen. Some others who lived outside the Paltz also married into Dutch families.
In the third generation the young people seemed inclined to marry more diversely. Johannes Hardenbergh, Jr., a German, married into the LeFever family as did also Jacob Hoffman, a Swede. Elias Ean or Un, whose nationality is not disclosed, married Elizabeth Crespell, the daughter of Anthony Crespell, and settled four miles north of the village on a farm. The farm is still in the possession of their descendants.
When the split came in the church in 1766, the dividing line between the races seems to be shown in the names of those adhering to the beliefs of
312
THE COUNTY OF ULSTER.
the two parties. The seceding faction built a new church, but when the matter was settled all came together again in harmony.
There were other elements of intermixture among the surrounding families. The Brodheads were English; the Hardenberghs came from Germany, and the Terpenings and Ronks from Flanders ; the Auchmoodys were Scotch; the Bruynes Norwegian, and the Wurts and Goetcheons families were of Swiss descent. All this tended to a change in the lan- guage, first to the Dutch, which was predominant outside the settlement itself, and then, gradually to English, which was the official language, and which it was necessary to teach in the schools.
There were several grants of land outside the original patent, secured by the patentees and the descendants, and consideration of the original grant has been separated for the erection or enlargement of other towns. Thousands of the descendants of the original families went into other counties and States, but it is probably a fact that nowhere else in the United States does the population consist so largely of the direct de- scendants of the original settlers, who occupy and cultivate the same land as did their ancestors two and a quarter centuries ago.
In 1728, fifty years after the original settlement, the list of freeholders shows but few changes of names from those of the original twelve.
In 1738, the foot company of militia gives a fair indication of the strength of the settlement, as every able-bodied man between the ages of sixteen and sixty were supposed to be enrolled, and the age limits were elastic in cases of able-bodied persons over or under age.
Following is the militia company :
Captain Zacharias Hoffman Lieutenant Benjamin Smedes, Jr. Ensign Zacharias Hoffman, Jr. Sergeants : John Teerpenning John Freer Evert Terwillige
Corporals : Christian Duio Hendrick Duio Isaac Lefever.
Isaac Freer Jan Une James Agmodi Petrus Low Josia Elling Cornelius Dubois Hendr. Dubois Agustus Van Dermerke
PRIVATES. Abra. Bovier Isaac Bovier
Mathues Bovier
Benj. Hasbroeck
Isaac Lefever, Jr.
Huge Freer, Jr.
Abrm. Vandermerke William Armstrong
Frank J. LeFevre.
-
313
TOWN OF NEW PALTZ.
PRIVATES .- Continued.
James Dimmick
Mathew Jong
Manewel ter Willige
Robert Hanne
Hendrick Decker
John Jemson
Thomas Janson, Jr.
Gerrett Ja. Decker
Tuenis Terpening
John Robertse
Jonas Freer
Rober Guames
Simon Lefever
James Jonston
Johannis Low
Samuel Sampson
Abm. Duio
Richard Davis
Jacob Ge Decker
Tomas Macconn
Daniel Winfiel
Arie Terwillige
Johannes Terwillige
Cornelius Bruyn
Petrus Terwillige
Abr. Ja. Decker
William Rosekraus
Isaac Ja. Decker
Josua Smedes
Abr. He. Decker
Stevanis Swart
Isaac Terwillige
Andrew Grames
Cornu. Schoonmaker, Jr.
John Blake
Johannis Cool John Gream
Solomon Isrel
Hendrick Weller
Lawrence Eldorp
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