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 8
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The back road from Milton was built by Capt. Anning Smith some time near the Revolution. He laid it out entirely through his own land.
The road from Lattintown to Newburgh is also an old road, and reasonably straight, a virtue which has been shamefully avoided in laying out the town.
The Farmers' turnpike was ordered built by the town in 1790, to run from Lattintown to the river. Westward it ran to Wallkill, and afterward to Modena.
Hampton turnpike was laid out about 80 years ago. It ran in a straight line from Hampton to Plattekill. The direction of the road through Marlborough was close to the southern boundary of the town, crossing the county line just south of Chas. G. Velie's residence. The road was built so straight over hills and down valleys that it was nothing but steep grades. Teamsters were not long in find- ing out that it was more easy for their horses to draw a load around than over these hills. As a consequence the turn- pike was little used. After a time Thomas Fyfe, who owned the place now belonging to Alex. Young, shut off an unused portion of the " pike," having given other land for the public use. John C. Storms later shut off still more of it, and Alexander and Wm. Young closed off other portions on their property, and to-day there is not much left of the Hampton turnpike.
The old Huckelberry turnpike is now known as Bingham street. About 18 years ago it was put through in its present shape, by the efforts of Dr. E. E. Taylor.
The following were the road districts in 1772:
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I-Caleb Merritt's line, on the road that comes from Wol- vert Acker's, to Lonis Du Bois' north linc.
2-At Du Bois' north line, to run to Lattintown road.
3-From the last mentioned to the Paltz line.
4-From Elijah Lewis' dock to John Caverly's line.
5-To run from the last mentioned to Jo. Hicks' westward, and South to Capt. Gale's North line.
6 From the last mentioned southward to the river road.
7-To begin at the new bridge by Silas Purdy's mill to run southward to Dr. Perkins' South line.
8-To begin at the last mentioned, to run to Newburgh.
9-To begin at the Jew's house, to run westward to J. Russell's.
IO-To begin below Samuel Townsend's, to run West out of the precinct.
II-To begin at Deyo's bridge, to run to Nathaniel Quim- by's house.
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12-From Silas Purdy's mill northward to Lattintown road.
13- From Mr. Brush's log house to Jonathan Hicks'.
14 From the last mentioned to the pine swamp.
15-Still westward to the precinct line.
16-From the Plattekill to Capt. Terpanney's.
17-Still southward to Newburgh line.
18-To begin on the road from Lattintown, to run on the Everitt line sonthward to Newburgh.
19-From John Duffield's to the sixth district west.
20 From the East district to the Newburgh road at Mr. Megmin's.
21-From the Lattintown road to the Paltz line.
OLD VESSELS.
Shortly before the Revolutionary War there was a dock and storehouse at Smith's pond, from which Capt. Anning Smith ran a vessel to New York twice a week. Another
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dock was built after the war, just below the present dock, and Capt. Hall ran a sloop from that point. A little further to the South during Jefferson's administration, about 1804, a dock was built from which Thomas Powell, of Newburgh, ran a vessel to New York. He also kept a store there, and it was from his wife that the fast and famous steamer Mary Powell derived her name.
The original landings for vessels at Marlborough were in Jew's creek, one being at the junction with what is now called Buckley's creek and the other about half way between that point and the Ravine Falls. A road used to run from these landings to the main road, at a point just south of the cemetery.
The sloop Stranger was run from DuBois' dock in 1822 or 1823, and the Thomas lloyt was run by Moab Carpenter at about the same time. These vessels proved too small for the trade, and about 1825 Mowbray Carpenter and Josiah Lockwood sailed two sloops between Marlborough and New York, named the Victory and Robert Minturn. They car- ried flour, hay, butter, wood, live stock and farmers' produce of various kinds, the captains selling the cargoes, for want of modern commission men. Mr. E. A. Merritt used to run in the Victory in 1833 and 1834. Also James Carpenter.
In 1836 a stock company placed the steamboat Fannie on the Marlborough route, and ran to New York twice a week. Jacob H. Tremper (now widely known as the captain of the steamer Baldwin) commanded this early steam craft, which was run two years, and then sold because the business did not pay.
The steamer Splendid, owned by Millard & Mills, ac- commodated the town's traffic about 1845. A barge from Milton, the Lexington, Capt. Roe, also stopped here regularly, and a boat run by horse power, from New Hamburgh, con- nected with it at Marlborough.
The propeller Wyoming was put on the line in 1857, and was run by J. P. Millard and H. H. Holden from Millard's dock. Samuel Millard afterwards purchased Holden's interest. The Wyoming did a prosperous business for sev-
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eral years, carrying as much as 300 bags of flour a week during the busy season.
N. Woolsey Wright at one time ran a sloop to Haver- straw, largely for convenience in shipping flour from his own mill. A sloop styled the Abe Jones, was also used in the coal trade.
With the growth of the fruit industry, a daily line of boats became necessary, and the Marlborough vessels disappeared, the trade being carried on by the steamers of the Pough- keepsie Transportation Co. and Cornell Steamboat Co.
RAVINE FALLS, MARLBOROUGH, AS THEY APPEARED IN 1800.
(Page 93.)
REMINISCENCES.
THE RAVINE FALLS.
The Marlborough of to-day is a very different-appearing place from the Marlborough which is described in other pages. It is emphatically a live town, and during the sum- mer season receives a large increase of vigor and business from the fruit industry and the visits of pleasure seekers. The tired occupants of the city, or the wealthy who travel for pleasure, come here in increasing numbers every year. The attractions are lovely scenery, a m "derate temperature in "dog days," and fruit not surpassed in flavor by any grown in any portion of the world.
Perhaps the most interesting natural curiosity within the town limits is the fall of Old Man's Kill or creek into the Sucker Hole, a tumble of about 235 feet. The body of water running over is not large, but the height is so great, and the fall so little broken as to constitute a waterfall to see which is worth many miles to travel.
The Sucker Hole either derives its name from the sucking of the water in and out or because sucker fish are caught there. Every high tide the Hudson sends its waters into the creek almost to the foot of the falls. The precipitous sides of the hole are densely clothed with verdure, preventing a good view of the falls from the railroad or the river, but a trip down the rocks well repays the labor of the returning climb. The prospect obtained from the top of the precipice, from the rear of residences on Main street, may be com- pared to an infantile Yosemite. The picture is framed on either hand by walls of rock half hidden among dark cedars and a variety of foliage. In the depths of the foreground Jew's creek winds its way to a cove, which is crossed by the
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West Shore R. R. tracks. Beyond is the blue Hudson, with the shores of New Hamburgh, and the entrance to a tunnel in the distance.
The precipice on the west side of the Sucker Hole has been the cause of many accidents, though it is not known that any lives were lost there. About seventy years ago a carpenter shop stood where the stables of McMullen's hotel now are located. During a lively little hurricane it blew over into the chasm, and the fragments were scattered far and wide. Among other things a saw was blown to the point where Buckley's creek connects with the Old Man's Kill, a distance of almost half a mile from where the shop stood originally.
A little over thirty years ago a boy named Polhamus fell over the precipice while returning from Sunday school. He remained there all night, although searchers were out with lanterns looking for him. He was found in the morning, not fatally injured, nor was he crippled in consequence.
Some years since a young man named Birdsall, a relative of the late Hosea Birdsall, slipped over while cutting slip- pery-elm bark, but was not seriously hurt.
Later, a reckless young fellow, whose name is lost to his- tory, went down on a bet after a set of false teeth. He climbed down most of the way, and jumped the rest, but failed to break his neck.
In 1885 Willie Burke, son of Edward Burke, about six years old at the time, fell over while in pursuit of a ball. He went from the top clear to the bottom, and broke a thumb, but was not injured otherwise, beyond a few scratches.
In 1886 a tramp, who was somewhat the worse for liquor, rolled over, but stopped on a ledge of rock about seventy feet from the top. He was badly cut about the head, but tramped out of town the next day, as though uninjured.
Probably others have fallen over this dangerous precipice, but it is not likely that any one could have been killed here, and no record preserved of the accident. It is astonishing to think that five persons could fall a distance of from seventy to two hundred and thirty-five feet, and none of them be
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killed, but their immunity is generally ascribed to the mass of soft rubbish which has accumulated at the foot of the declivity. This has operated as a spring mattress to break the fall of those who took the terrible tumble.
FACTS AND INCIDENTS.
Some fifty years ago a man named Pell lived on the Isaac Hall place, on Main street, in a tenant house. His wife died, and he went crazy with grief. He was not confined, and one night the poor man dug up his wife's body, and was found attempting to feed her.
Previous to 1830 or '35 large brick yards were located back of the present Knickerbocker Company's ice house. There was another where J. W. Keveny now owns, about a mile north, which was owned by Young & Moore. Nathaniel Adams built the first brick yard in Marlborough about 1825, but the clay all ran out inside of ten years.
Singularly enough, Marlborough supplied Newburgh with coal one winter twenty or thirty years ago, before the rail- roads were through. The supply in that city gave out, and the Millards being well stocked, sent coal down in carts all winter.
The sand bank to the north of Landing street used to come all the way to the dock store. To William C. Young be- longs the credit of digging away a large part of it.
Seventy-five years ago wolves went plenty in the Marl- borough mountain, and committed frequent depredations.
Lewis DuBois owned a fulling mill, when the 18th cen- tury was in the small figures, which he seems to had some difficulty in keeping employed, for over date of August 6, 1810, he advertised in the Newburgh " Political Index" the following :
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" A Clothier Wanted, at the mill of the subscriber; one who can come well recommended, either on shares or other- wise. The stand is one of the best in the country, it being ten miles distant from any other Fulling Mill. The mill is new and calculated for carding also.
LEWIS DUBOIS."
The clothier secured by this advertisement could not have been satisfactory to DuBois, for on February 4, 1811, ap- peared the following notice :
" Dissolution : the public are informed that the partner- ship of Lewis DuBois and Nathan Tupper, in the Clothier's business, was dissolved on the first of December last.
LEWIS DUBOIS."
Sept. 15, 1817, the mill was again advertised to let, for a term of years.
Letters for Marlborough went to the Newburgh post office previous to 1809, and were advertised if not called for. Under date of July 1, 1807, were advertised letters for Alex- ander Cropsey, Josiah Merritt and Charles Millard, all well known residents. Either they were negligent about getting their mail, or these were letters with heavy postage due on them, which they did not care to redeem.
A good many farms were offered for sale during the war of 1812 or previous. Among others Mary Quimby adver- tised a farm of 150 acres, about a mile West of the Hudson, John Van Wie wanted to sell a farm of 137 acres, and it is probable that he sold as it is the only mention of his name in any record concerning Marlborough. David Merritt adver- tised his Lattintown farm, and Charles Millard tried to sell his mill property.
In 1818 post coaches ran through Marlborough three times a week, the line being between Albany and New York.
Jew's creek was navigable up to within about fifty years. In 1812 several vessels were run up in the creek for shelter
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from British gunboats, which they feared were in pursuit. John and Andrew Cropsey owned the creek about that time (possibly a few years later) and ran sloops up as far as Buckley's point.
It. is a curious fact that Marlborough was not settled as soon as surrounding towns because the soil was supposed to be so poor. The New Paltz patentees came here before loca- ing at the Paltz, and looked over the ground, deciding that it was too rocky. The first white settlers of Dutchess county also paid a visit to Marlborough on a like errand. and voted that the land was of little or no value. Now, that our soil has been proven the most valuable fruit land of the fertile Hudson valley, this estimate of our ancestors seems, amusing. The unpromising rocks and stones retain the moisture so necessary and valuable to the production of fine fruits.
STORES AND STOREKEEPERS IN MARLBOROUGH.
John Conger kept a store, where John Badner is now lo- cated, about 1810 or 1815. He afterwards removed it to the dock.
John J. A. Robart kept a store in a shed-like structure near where Isaac Hall lives, on Main street, about 1810. This building was afterwards used as a school house, and later moved to the site of Carpenter's present store, where it was used by a hatter. All the oxen in the vicinity were re- quired to move the building. The hat shop was run by Reuben Drake, father of Wm. Drake, of New Hamburgh.
John DeSilvia had a store on Main street in 1816.
Joseph Lockwood kept a grocery on the dock about 1819 or '20. After that Joseph Carpenter kept store there, sub- sequently removing to Cornwall.
Jasper Van Buren kept a store where Mrs. Hinsdale's house stands on Main street, in 1821.
James Whitmore had the store, vacated by John Cruger, for some years. He was a brother-in-law of Gabriel Merritt.
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The History of Marlborough.
Robert Spence and Wm. McElrath kept a store where J. C. Merritt is for a number of years. They also ran a woolen mill in the building now used by Woolsey Wright as a grist mill, employing fifteen or twenty hands. They came here young men and lived together, in the same house where Figaro Milden now lives, until Spence got married .. The woolen mill was afterwards run by a man named Stratton, and later by one Longbotham. Joseph Hepworth, grand- father of J. A. Hepworth, also ran the mill for a time.
WVm. McElrath succeeded Spence & McElrath, and built the store now occupied by J. C. Merritt, about forty five years ago.
Miles J. Fletcher kept a store at the location of S. Cor- win's Sons fifty years ago.
Mowbray Carpenter was also one of the early store- keepers.
John Polhemus kept store here about 1830.
Lewis W. Young had a store at the dock for a number of years.
RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT MILTON.
The South line of the Bond patent remains as a landmark to the present day, never having been crossed by subsequent sales and divisions of property. An old rock near the resi- dence of C. S. Northrip is yet pointed out in the village, which was cut to mark this boundary.
It may be of interest to note that the price of land in Mil- ton changed but little between 1753 and 1775. The price was but little over one pound per acre. Some of these acres are now very valuable. Every timber tree twenty-four inches and over in diameter, twelve inches from the ground, or that attained that size while the individual possessed the land, was reserved for use in the British navy for masts. Rights in any mines of gold or silver that might be discov. ered were reserved by the crown.
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In 1862 a young ladies' seminary, boarding and day school, was carried on in Milton by Rev. E. W. Clark, below the Methodist church, on Church street. The town proved to be too small to support such an institution.
Rev. P. C. Oakley formerly set type beside one of the Harper brothers, in New York city.
The Milton Savings Bank was organized June 1, 1871. Leonard S. Carpenter, president ; Jesse Lyons, Ist vice- president : William H. Gedney, 2d vice-president ; Ethan Parrott, secretary. No business was ever transacted by the organization.
About seventy years ago a ferry known as Lattimer's was run across the Hudson at Milton, from the old stone house. It is stated that when Gen. Washington had his headquar- ters at Newburgh, gold was sent to him from Boston to pay off the troops, and was brought across the river at this ferry.
The first meeting house in Milton was a store, located on the corner near the old Hallock homestead. Here the Friends worshipped prior to 1806.
A number of years ago Smith Mackey had a hay press where H. H. Bell & Son's plush factory now stands. He did a thriving business.
Milton has always been favored by steamboats as a land- ing, though only a village, but in the days when steamboat racing was fashionable, before the people learned that it was dangerous, captains often refused to stop, and row boats were sent out, and packages would be tossed back and forth in quick fashion.
C. M. Woolsey has in his office the commission of his an- cestor, Wm. Woolsey, as ensign, dated July 4, 1778, and bearing the autograph of George Clinton, the first colonial governor of New York state.
Cornwall S. Roe was a prominent man in Milton for a number of years. He died out West only a few years since. His parentage was unknown, as he was picked up from the water at Cornwall when a babe, his father and mother being drowned by the capsizing of a boat. The little boy was bundled up in a blanket and floated.
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Ship carpentering was carried on by Philip Caverly on Dog street, Milton, at an early date. He married a widow by the name of McElrath, and bought the farm where Luther Caverly now lives. He used to buy wood of Wilhelmus DuBois, and got some big bargains, because Wilhelmus' land was entailed, and he would not bother to measure the wood, saying that as it was entailed he didn't care who got it.
LATTINTOWN FIFTY YEARS AGO.
At the beginning of the present century Lattintown vil- lage was the principal centre of the town. More business was transacted than in Milton or Marlborough village. The inhabitants had not yet learned that the Hudson river was the great backbone of the state, and that live towns and cities must be located close to its banks.
In those days there were in Lattintown two hotels and a still. Mechanism of all kinds was carried on, there was a school ; men came there to look for work ; law suits were car- ried on; there was horse racing, and sometimes pugilistic encounters and the like.
The village derived its name from a man called Lattin (or Latting) whose origin and history has been almost forgotten. Jacob and John Lattin lived here and afterwards moved to Esopus. A man of the same name visited Marlborough nine years ago, in the endeavor to trace his ancestry, but learned very little. It is probable that much might have been dis covered if the burying ground near Odell's had been undisturbed, but as many of the stones had been carried away, and used for dairy shelves and other useful purposes, the work of the historian was greatly hindered.
A Scotchman named McElrath was one of the earliest storekeepers. He kept all kinds of groceries and liquor, and married a grass widow.
Two farmers, one of whom was named Chas. Brown, set up a still and made cider. They did a thriving business.
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A great deal of the land then was set out in apple trees as soon as it was cleared. The cider machine was an odd affair, consisting of a circle, with two large wheels or crush- ers, on which the boys used to ride, as on a merry-go-round. The cider was afterwards distilled into whiskey.
In 1826 a good hotel was built, and the landlord kept a blacksmith shop, with two journeymen and an apprentice. The local Methodist minister was also a shoemaker aud made to order. There was also in the place a harness maker, hat- ter, tailor, wagon maker, undertaker, tanner ard other tradesmen.
Fourth of July was a big day at Lattintowr, during its glory, and a revolutionary cannon was freely used. There are still in the village many gates swung by a ball and chain, and it is tradition that the balls belonged to this old cannon.
The Lattintown Baptist Church was established in 1807, and the village knew its highest prosperity between that date and 1825.
Town meetings were held in Lattintown at the house of David Merrit, for many years. . These gatherings were quite informal, being more of the character of a meeting of farmers to talk over their mutual interests, than a properly organized legislative body. .
The following description of David Merritt's property is taken from an advertisement in the "Political Index," pub- lished in Newburgh in 1809 :
"For Sale, a farm situate in the village of Lattintown, town of Marlborough, and county of Ulster, containing about 180 acres of land. Said farm is under the best im- provement, excepting 80 acres of excellent wood land. There is on the same a dwelling house neatly finished, con- taining four rooms and a kitchen on the first floor, and one above 20 feet square. Also about 300 bearing apple trees, a cider mill and house, and two barns, one 32x43, the other 30x40, and other outhouses. The situation is excellent for a public house, being the place where town meetings and
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the elections have hitherto been held. For further par- ticulars enquire of the subscriber on the premises.
DAVID MERRITT.
December 18, 1809."
Among the residents of Lattintown during the '20s and '3os were Thomas Wygant, grandfather of Asbury Wygant ; John Hait, who owned the farm where Odell now lives; John and Lattin Caverly ; Chas. Brown, who owned 400 acres where Edward Du Bois now resides; James Quim- by, grandfather of Samuel Quimby. The Wygant brothers were well-to-do, and owned a good deal of land. Buchanan Lounsbury owned where John Poyer is located. The Pur- dys owned several hundred acres.
John Bailey, grandfather of Dr. Elisha Bailey, was a resi- dent, and Dr. Bailey taught school in Lattintown when a very young man.
Wm. Lymasen settled half a mile above Lattintown about the time of the Revolution. He died in 1801. His children, Joseph, Peter, John and William all settled in the vicinity. Moses Lymasen, son of Peter, is now living in Poughkeep- sie. He fought in the late civil war. The rest of the family are scattered.
Rebecca Drake, a widow, kept store in the village over fifty years ago, and Thos. Warren kept the hotel. Charles Craft was undertaker at the same period. Wm. Lymasen was a tailor, and used to go about in a wagon, and work at people's houses.
Squire Waterous was Justice of the Peace for many years. He was born in 1741, and administered the law for our grandfathers. He had many petty trials. Perhaps the most important one was of the members of a family named Cole, living half a mile above the village. On the occasion in question a hunting dog ran into a hole and brought out a roll of cloth instead of a rabbit. This was identified as having been stolen from Buckley's cloth mill, and Martin Cole was proved guilty of the theft, and served two years in Sing Sing in consequence,
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The History of Marlborough.
A family named Rhodes was a great trouble to the neigh- borhood. There were seven or eight brothers of them, who were thieves. For the credit of the present generation let it be said that they left no descendants in the town of Marl- borough. Five of these brothers were arrested at one time . for breaking and entering a church. All were sent to the State prison in consequence, for periods varying from five to ten years. John Rhodes was a horse thief and got a fourteen years' sentence the last time he was jailed. There was a younger brother of this family named Lewis, who married a lady named Bennett, who was said to be the only . decent one of the lot, but he also ended up in State prison.
Benjamin Harcourt was Justice of the Peace at the time of the troubles with the Rhodes family. He also served two terms as Sheriff.
The liquor taverns were much thicker then than now. Everybody drank whiskey, including the ministers. The residents became frightened because there were so many drunkards, about 55 years ago, and circulated a pledge, by which the signers agreed to abstain from whiskey, which was the principal drink. In 1834 a temperance institution was organized in every district in the town. It seems to have been necessary, as the taverns were simply liquor shops, having no accommodations. They were very com- mon, and almost everybody carried a bottle as well.
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