USA > New York > Ulster County > Marlborough > The history of the town of Marlborough, Ulster County, New York: from the first settlement in 1712, by Capt. Wm. Bond, to 1887 > Part 15
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IV. George W., married Sarah, daughter of Robert S. Lockwood, of Marlborough, and died in 1863. C
V. Matilda B., died in Milton in 1883, single.
VI Rachael B., married Oscar Clark, in Milton ; died in 1886.
VII. Walter Sands, married first ; Sarah, daughter of Richard DuBois, second, , living in Poughkeepsie.
VIII. David Sands, married Phebe, daughter of John Lawson, and re- sides on North Main street, Marlborough.
IX. Sarah A., single, died in Marlborough in 1886.
X. Alfred B., went to Staten Island in 1859, to collect $300, and never was heard of afterwards.
XI. R. Montgomery, lives at Maiden Rock, Wis.
XII. Horace B., still living.
David Sands, sr., lived in the old house on Sands' dock, Milton, which is still standing. His land extended to within about 15 feet of where the West Shore R. R. depot now stands. He was a ship carpenter, kept a store, and ran a sloop to New York. He was a busy man, and his ledgers, now in the possession of his son, David Sands, jr., show that he had dealings with nearly all the residents in the neigh- borhood in the early part of the present century.
David Sands, jr., was born in 1827, and has spent the greater part of his life in this town. He has followed fruit farmning, and was a school teacher in his younger days. For a number of years he administered the law in the justice's court in Marlborough, earning the title of 'Squire Sands.
In 1886 he bought the property on North Main street, where he now resides, and remodeled it into the present commodious dwelling. He traces his descent on his moth-
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er's side to Sarah Wells, who, when a girl of sixteen years, became the first settler of Hamptonburgh. She married Wm. Bull, ancestor of the wife of David Sands, sr.
BINGHAM.
Thomas D. Bingham came from Wetchester County, and settled in Marlborough several years before the dawn of the present century. At first he lived with Dr. Fowler. In 1793 he married Elizabeth Purdy, and settled on the place now owned by Enos Reynolds, on what is now Bingham street, deriving its name from him. He began his married life in a log house about one hundred yards west of the house in which Reynolds now lives. The present house was built by him in 1795 and '6, and is still in good condition. He had three sons and one daughter. John was born in September, 1795. The others were David, Finetta and Charles. All three of the sons died in 1825 of typhus fever.
Finetta married Jeremiah Clark, and died in Marlborough, December 6, 1886, the 85th anniversary of her birth.
John married Elizabeth Bloomer, and died when about thirty years old, leaving an infant son, Charles E. Bingham, now an elder of the Presbyterian church, and father of John W., Clarence and Charles E. John W. is a nurseryman ; Clarence married Melissa Kniffin, daughter of Samuel H. Kniffin ; Charles E. removed to Livingston Manor, Sullivan County, where he is engaged in the jewelry business.
David lived in Marlborough and had three sons, Thomas, Jeremiah and Daniel. Thomas is living west of Newburgh. He has a son, John F. Bingham, a resident of Delaware, and prominent in railroad affairs.
JOHN JOSEPH ALEXIS ROBERT.
This gentleman with the long name was resident in Marl- borough from 1798 to 1813, when he returned to his native
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country, France. He is spoken of in the "History of Ulster County" as a genuine aristocrat. The title is hardly a cor- rect one. He was a quiet, well-behaved gentleman of some means, who owned several slaves and resided where Isaac Hall now lives, keping a store, and running a nursery. He was short and pussy in appearance, and well liked by his neighbors. He drove a handsome span of brown horses. In his house was a big old-fashioned parlor, where he often entertained company. He had a large swinging apparatus to keep the flies off his dinner table. lu 1813 he sold his farm here and gave his slaves their liberty. To one of them named Figaro he gave five acres of ground, stipulating that he should pay for it in chickens and turkeys. The fowls were never called for. The house where Figaro lived still stands, being occupied by Philip DuBois. Robert then re- turned to France, where he had a wife living. From an ad- vertisement of Robert's in the Political Index of Newburgh, dated Sept. 17, 1810, he states that he had fourteen years experience in the nursery business, and had discovered that it was a great mistake to transplant trees in the spring, the proper time being from the 15th to the 30th of November.
BUCKLEY.
The Buckley, or Bulkley (sometimes spelled Bulkiley) family are of ancient origin, settled in Cheshire in the early part of the twelfth century. They afterwards scattered far and wide, some settled in the Isle of Anglesea, some in Ire- land, Haughton in Bedfordshire, Cheadle and other parts of England. The Rev. Peter Bulkley, who came to America, was a descendant from the Haughton branch. He was a clergyman of the Church of England, rector of Odell, in Bedfordshire, and was silenced by Arch-Bishop Laud for non-conformity, whereupon, says Cotton Mather, "he sold a goodly heritage and came to America in 1635." About the same time his brother Nathaniel, in company with a large
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number of non-conformists, emigrated to Holland to escape the persecution they were subjected to under the rigorous administration of Arch-Bishop Laud.
John Buckley, a descendant of Nathaniel, was born in Stuttgart, in the kingdom of Wurtenberg, in 1755, where he received a liberal education, and in compliance with an old law of the kingdom, which compelled every young man to learn some mechanical trade, he chose that of a carpenter and builder. He came to America with Gen. Reidesel, and landed in Quebec June 1, 1776, accompanying him all through Gen. Burgoyne's campaign, which ended in the surrender of his army at Saratoga, October 17, 1777. They were all sent prisoners of war to Boston. Soon after he left the army he commenced working at his trade in Tewkesbury and Lowell; in 1780 he settled in Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where he purchased a farm ; in 1785 married Margaret Dunlop, eldest daughter of Hugh Dunlop, one of the early settlers of New Hampshire, by whom he had five sons, all born in Jaffrey : John, James, Samuel, Frederick and Wil- liam. All settled in Jefferson Co., N. Y., except Frederick, who went South. John was born in 1786, and worked with his father, a carpenter and builder, who was engaged in build- ing in Boston and Cambridge. He left his father's employ in 1805 and went to Providence, where he learned the trade of millright and machinist, and was for several years in the employ of Brown & Amory and Samuel Slater, who is justly called the father of American manufacturers. In 1809 the Pleasant Valley (Dutchess Co.) Manufacturing Co. was chartered and he was engaged by the company to superin- tend the construction of their great water wheel and running gear. In 1811 the Cornwall cotton factory was incorporated and employed him to superintend the construction of their machinery. He remained in their employ until 1815, when he purchased a carding and spinning mill and a small farm in Marlborough. The mill he converted into a woolen fac- tory, making broadcloth and satinets. In 1855 he changed his factory into a cotton mill, and continued the business until the commencement of the civil war in 1861, when he
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ceased manufacturing and retired from active business. He died at Marlborough June 1, 1874, aged 84 years.
In January, 1814, he married Phebe, youngest daughter of James Thorne, by whom he had six children : John, born Oct. 23, 1814 ; Thomas Townsend, born July II, 1817 ; Margaret, born March 21, 1819, died March 13, 1872; William, born Sept. 7, 1821 ; Mercy Townsend, and James, who died in infancy.
Thomas Townsend Buckley died in Brooklyn, February 6, 1887, in his 70th year. He was a prominent merchant in New York city for many years. He began business at the age of fourteen in a store in Marlborough. A little later he went to Newburgh as clerk, and when eighteen years old went to New York city and engaged in the wholesale dry goods business. In the course of a few years he became largely interested in the importing and jobbing trade. In 1874 he retired from active business, spending his summers at Marlborough and his winters in Brooklyn. He married Amelia A., daughter of William R. Thompson, of New York. In his younger days he traveled in the West, becoming unusually well informed on a great variety of topics. He held many important positions during his career, having been vice-president of tic Bank of the Republic, re- ceiver of the Atlantic & Pacific R. R. Co., director of the Metropolitan Gas Co., and Home Insurance Co. He was one of the executive committee of the great Sanitary Fair of 1864, and was a member and patron of historical and art societies. At his death the New York papers all devoted considerable space to his obituary. His remains lie interred in Greenwood cemetery.
MERRITT.
The Marlborough branch of the Merritt family are de- scendants of George Merritt, who was born in 1702, and came to Newburgh in 1747, dying there Feb. 2, 1750. He
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was married to Glorianna Purdy, who died Sept. 13, 1765. Their children were George (2), Samuel, Caleb, Gabriel. Josiah, Humphrey, Elizabeth, Jane, Glorianna.
Three of these sons subsequently settled in Marlborough about 1775. One of them lived on the farm which Chas. G. Velie now owns, and another on the Carpenter farm, where Isaac Hall now lives, and which at one time belonged to J. J. E. Robert, the slave holder. Josiah was the third brother, and the only one who has descendants living in the town. He settled on the place now owned by Thomas Buckley, and engaged in farming. He was a man of sterling qualities. and a hard worker. He married twice, first to Annie Purdy, by whom he had five children, Gabriel, Josiah, Nancy, Al- thea and Esther Ann. His second wife was Rachel Sher- wood, and their children were David, Joseph and Phebe. He had a slave named Priscilla, who married a slave called Peter Milden. Figaro Milden was born of them, and he and his mother received their liberty from Josiah at his death.
Gabriel Merritt was born in 1777, and served in the war with Great Britain in 1812 and 1814. He held several of- fices in the town, being at one time a constable, a justice of the peace for 20 years, and poormaster for some years. He married Rebecca Whitmore, from Westchester county. His death took place in 1853.
Their family was large. Eliza died young. Rachel, mar- ried Wm. Kelly, and is now living in Marlborough. Her children are Elizabeth, Marcus D., the builder, and Harriet Amelia, married J. H. Elting, of Highland, now deceased. Esther Ann, married Wm. P. Flewelling, of St. John, N. B. James D., is a fruit farmer, now living in Marlborough, mar- ried Delia Moore, of N. Y. city. His family are Mary E., who married George Clarke, and resides in Milton ; Susan R., living in Marlborough ; Ida S., living in town ; William H., a civil engineer, living in Arizona ; Robert W., who has a fruit farm adjoining his father's. Edward A., married Eme- line Kniffin, of Marlborough; Rebecca Jane, died a few years since. Mary died young. Gabriel, jr., married Mary Flewelling, and settled in St. John, N. B. Charles W., mar- ried Mary Lane, of New York.
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Nancy, the second child of, Josiah Merritt, married Mo- bury Carpenter (see Carpenter.) Esther married Zephaniah Northrip. She was grandmother to Henry Northrip, of Orange Co., Zephaniah, of Newburgh, and Justice C. S. Northrip, of Milton. Althea married John Brower, father of Miss Charlotte A. Brower, of Marlborough. David I., married Sally Cropsey. Both are now deceased. Phebe married Andrew Cropsey. Joseph married a Miss Wood, of Orange county.
Josiah married Betsy Demott, and settled north of Mil- ton nine years afterwards. They left several children, among them, John Merritt, living in New Paltz, a younger son lives in Catskill, and a daughter who married John Yelvington, of Poughkeepsie.
Edward A. Merritt, son of Gabriel and grandson of Josiah, is still living in Marlborough at the age of 69 years. He was for many years a carpenter and builder, having led a busy life. He now resides on West street, Marlborough.
John C. Merritt, eldest son of Edward A., keeps a large dry goods, grocery and general store on Western avenue. He was postmaster for ten years, takes a lively interest in local politics, and is a prominent Republican.
Charles E. Merritt, the second son, is treasurer and assist- ant superintendent of the Mackey-Bennett Cable Co., in New York city. The other children are Henry, who died three years ago, at Whitestone, L. I., where he was engaged in business. P. Elting, associated with his brother John C. in the mercantile business. Marcus D., who is in the hardware business in San Francisco; Lizzie A. married Frank Conk- lin, son of James Conklin, of Middle Hope. She lives in Minneapolis. Mary K., and Frank E., who is in the com- mission business in New York city.
BROWER.
Charles N. Brower came from Poughkeepsie about 1830, and bought the Lymasen farm, near Lattintown, which he
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afterwards sold to Levi Crosby, blacksmith, moving to Main street, Marlborough, where he built two houses, now the property of Charles D. Brower. He was a descendant of Mrs. Annike Jans, claimed to be the rightful owner of Trinity church property, St. John's park, and other valuable prop- erty in New York city. He married Mary Doty, of Massa- chusetts, a lineal descendant of Capt. John Ward, of the Mayflower. Their children were Jane E., Charles D., Sarah Ann (widow of Cornelius Valentine), James I., and Rosetta, wife of W. L. Parmalee. Jane E. married a Doty, and moved to Croton, died in New Haven, Conn., and is buried in the old Presbyterian cemetery in Marlborough. Charles D. is a fruit grower, living on the corner of West and Bloom streets. James I. lives in Kingston.
CLARK.
Jeremiah Clark was a man of much force, who left a strong imprint on the locality where he lived and died. lle was a Presbyterian in religion, a Democrat in politics, a shrewd judge of men and means, and a hospitable and popular man. He represented the Second Ulster District in the State Legislature in 1860. Ile was the father of Samuel C., Charles B., William S., Augustus G., Elizabeth A., Jeremiah, John F. and Julia Clark.
George S. Clark, of Milton, belongs to another family, be- ing the son of J. Oscar and grandson of Nathaniel Clark, who came from Cornwall in 1817, and purchased the old homestead, on the Farmers' turnpike, still in the possession of the family.
QUIMBY.
The Quimbys were among the carly settlers of Marlbo- rough. Levi Quimby and his sons James and Isaac came here before the Revolution. Also Zadok and Enos Quimby.
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They settled in the western part of the town, where Samuel L. and John Quimby now own. The present residents of the name are descended from James, who left a son James, father to Samuel L. and John. Samuel L. was supervisor of the town in 1885, is an ardent Democrat and owns a large fruit farm.
COLMAN.
One of Milton's most public-spirited men was Samuel Colman. He started the wheelbarrow factory there in 1844, and for many years was prominently identified with every good work and enterprise in the locality. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and a strong advocate of the temperance cause, ever ready to lift his voice against the traffic, and assist in elevating his fellow men. On one oc- casion he bought all the liquor there was in the tavern at the dock, and poured it into the street. His son, S. O. F. Colman, was associated with his father in the wheelbarrow manufactory, and in 1855 married Anna M. Newman. In 1875 S. O. F. Colman withdrew from the factory, and went to Poughkeepsie, engaging in the hardware business. In 1879 he removed with his family to Syracuse. His eldest son died in 1883, another son is married and living in Chicago. He has also a daughter, resident in Syracuse.
BELLY.
Following is the chronological table of this old family which is connected with the early history of the town :
John Belly was born in the year of our Lord 1753, November the 29th, died 12th of April, 1824.
Magdalane Coutant, his wife, was born March the 5th, 1755; died Feb- ruary 8th, 1845.
Elizabeth Belly was born December the 4th, 1779.
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Mary Belly was born March the 11th, 1781 ; died in '82.
Nicholas Belly was born March the 30th, 1782. Nathaniel Belly was born Sept. 11th, 1783. Jacob Belly was born Oct. the 29th, 1785. Jane Belly was born February the 24th, 1788. Mary Belly was born March the 15th, 1790.
Susannah Belly was born June 16th, 1792.
Martha Belly was born May 17th, 1794. John Belly jr., was born January 19th, 1797.
Bernard Belly was born May 29th, 1800, and departed this life the 20th of January, 1802.
BROWN.
Thomas Brown, born in Bristol, England, in 1817, married a Boyle, engaged in mercantile business, and emigrated to Marlborough about 1835, securing a homestead on the Marl- borough mountain, where he farmed. He left four children, Charles H., Thos. P., William and Mary. William has moved away. Charles married a Scott. Thos. P. and Mary occupy the old homestead on Mount Zion.
HURST.
The original settler of this name was Jonathan Hurst, born in Yorkshire, England, in 1800. He married a Brooks, engaged in farming and manufacturing. In 1826 he came to Poughkeepsie, and four years later to Marlborough, en- gaging in John Buckley's factory. He died in 1857, leaving four children : Josiah, John, Martha and Elizabeth. Eliza- beth died a few years ago. Martha married H. J. Bye.
()THER PROMINENT MEN.
Daniel S. Tuthill, son of Congressman Selah Tuthill, pub- lished the "Pioneer" newspaper in Milton from 1829 until
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his death in 1833. Though he only lived to twenty-seven years of age, yet he was one of the most active business men of the locality. His remains are interred in the old Presby- terian cemetery at Marlborough.
Jesse T. Conklin was a representative man in Milton fifty years ago. He was supervisor in 1830.
Miles J. Fletcher was a man of much prominence in Marl- borough in the thirties. He kept store here and was super- visor in 1836 and '37.
Stephen and Joshua Case lived here a hundred years ago, and were buried here. They exercised a large influence in public affairs. Stephen was town clerk from 1778 to 1783.
Dr. Benjamin Ely was a man of strong character, and a slave holder. He owned a large farm west of the present village and practiced medicine. He was town clerk from 1784 to 1790, and lived here for many years. He was a soldier in the Revolution, and fought at Bunker Hill.
Samuel Stilwell came to Marlborough in 1851 from Stone Ridge. He kept store for four years, and then followed fruit farming. Only his later years were spent in Marl- borough. He was an active member of the Methodist Church, and was a class leader. He held several public positions of honor. In 1880 he died, leaving considerable property. He was a man of broad views, and contributed liberally to the construction of both the Presbyterian and Methodist church buildings. His son, S. W. Stilwell, oc- cupies the old homestead on Main street.
THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.
Marlborough is known to the outside world principally through her fruits, which have attained a wide celebrity in New York, Philadelphia and Boston markets. Located in the centre of the Hudson valley fruit section, Marlborough possesses the very best soil and the most fertile slopes of the whole territory. More fruit is shipped from this town than any other point on the Hudson, and the place justly claims precedence in all points connected with the raising of small fruits.
GRAPES.
Concord grapes are raised in immense numbers, though all other good varieties have their footing. It may be of in- terest here to trace the growth of grape growing in New York. The first grape vineyard in the state was planted by John Jacques, at Washingtonville, Orange county. The first vines planted by him were Isabellas, and they are yet living and bearing every year. Dr. Underhill, of Croton Point, planted his vineyards soon after.
William Cornell, of Clintondale, was the first to plant grapes in vineyard form in Ulster county. These were Isabellas, procured from Dr. Underhill in 1846. Soon after Jacob Heaton, Alexander Palmer and William Kniffin, all of the town of Plattekill, started vineyards. This was before the Concord, Diana or Delaware were known. These varieties were introduced on the Hudson by A. J. Caywood, then of the town of Plattekill. He first planted the Diana in 1853, the Delaware in 1854 and the Concord in 1855. George Lawson, of Marlborough, is believed to have been first to plant the Concord in this town, about twenty-five years ago. Since that time grape growing has steadily increased. It is
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estimated that three thousand five hundred tons of grapes were shipped from the town last year.
While the Concord is most largely raised, being the grape for the million, many other varieties are grown, some of which promise some day to supplant the popular Concord. The Niagara and Pocklington are among recent candidates for favor.
A. J. Caywood & Son have introduced several varieties, among others the Duchess, Poughkeepsie Red and Ulster Prolific. The Poughkeepsie Red is a cross between the Delaware and Iona, and possesses the peculiar quality of possessing nothing offensive to the taste, but may be chewed down, skin, seeds and all with relish. It is very hardy.
The Ulster Prolific was first fruited fifteen years ago, and is deep red in color, compact in cluster, of fine flavor and about the size of the Concord.
PEACHES.
Peach raising has had a large run in Marlborough, though the fruit is not grown as much now as a few years since, it having been demonstrated that this climate is too cold, and that a good peach crop cannot be obtained but once in three or four years. When there is a good crop of late peaches, however, the prices received are enormous, five and ten dol- lars a basket being top figures. Many growers have made money out of peaches, and many have lost, and the uncer- tainty of the crop reduces rather than increases the number of growers.
THE FAMOUS ANTWERP RASPBERRY.
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The History of Marlborough. THE FAMOUS ANTWERP RASPBERRY.
The growing of small fruits for market began in the town of Marlborough with the introduction of the Hudson River Antwerp. This variety was brought in by Edward Young, in 1836, as described in the sketch of the Young family, in a previous chapter of this work In the spring of 1837 plants were brought here from New Rochelle, Westchester Co., by Thomas H. Burling, and planted in the garden of his son-in- law, Nathaniel Hallock, and grown for family use for some years. Edward Young was the first. to introduce them to market. and to him and Alexander and William C. Young are present growers largely indebted for demonstrating the profit to be derived from marketing berries and small fruits generally. The Antwerp was the best and most profitable berry ever known, but the variety is now almost run out, becoming more scarce with every season. Other berries have come in to take its place, the most prominent being Caywood's Marlborough raspberry.
Other small fruits are largely raised here, strawberries and currants ranking next to raspberries. Blackberries are beginning to be introduced, and promise to be profitable. One prominent variety has been originated in the town by A. J. Caywood & Son. It is styled the Minnewaski black- berry, and is of large size, glossy black in color, with a tender core. Indeed, the Caywoods have originated so many good new fruits that Marlborough is becoming almost as widely known as a source of new fruits as it is for the successful growing and large production of the same.
DESIGNED & COPY
RIGHT.18 By W.C.SCRANTON. - Phila .-
THE MINNEWASKI BLACKBERRY.
STATISTICAL.
Marlborough derives its name from John Churchill, the famous English general, Duke of Marlborough, born in 1650, died in 1722. The town lies in the southeastern corner of Ulster county, and is eight miles in length at the west, with a river front of five and three-quarter miles, extending three and a half to four miles west of the river. It includes the villages of Marlborough and Milton, and the hamlet of Lat- tintown. The superficial area is given in the supervisors' report for 1877 as 14,300 acres. In 1870 the assessed valu- ation was $379,811. In 1886 it was $974,015. The average assessed value per acre is $40.
The boundaries of the town are described in the revised statutes as follows :
"The Town of Marlborough shall contain all that part of said county, bounded easterly and southerly by the bounds of the county ; westerly by a line beginning on the line of the county, two chains and seventy-five links east of the north corner of a tract called the Five Patentees, and running thence on a straight line northerly to the most easterly bounds of the land heretofore of Robert Tift, where it joins the Town of New Paltz; and northerly by a tract granted to Lewis DuBois and partners, called the New Paltz patent."- Revised Statutes, vol. i, page 219.
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