USA > New York > Greene County > The "old times" corner : first series, 1929-1930 > Part 5
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And your Petitioners shall as in Duty bound Ever Pray-
Great Imbought 4th March 1786
Eighty Eight Signers.
The first signatures are those of John Van Orden, Goose ( pronounced Gosie, i. e. Augustus) Van Schaick, Jr., (pronounced Skoik ), John Baptist Dumond and Ignatius Van Orden, all men of the greatest prominence here- abouts. For convenience of reference we rearrange the list of signers in alphabetical order, inclosing in parentheses the marks made by those who could not write their names, not always because of illiteracy but as often because of age, rheumatism or injury in those days of severe manual toll.
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OLD TIMES CORNER
Wherever the parentheses appear, understand the words "his mark" to be written above and below the mark in the original. Not infrequently the S's and other letters are turned wrong side to in these initialings, while the I is always written with a center cross-line, as it is on the old tomb-stones at the Kykuit and elsewhere. The signatures:
David Abeel, Garret Abeel; John (X) Backer, Ja Barker. John Barker, Phineas Bartholomew, John Bernett. Abraham Bogardus. Egbert Bogardus, James Bogardus, Pet'r Bogardus, Jno. Bourk, Adam Burket, Johannis (IB) Burket, Peter Burket: Patrick Clemes, Wilhemus Onsoler; Petrus (x) Dederick, Zachariah Dederick, John Dies. Nathan'I Dorker, Peter Dounin, Abraham Dubois, Barent Dubois, Benj. Dubois, Cornelius Dubois, Huy- bartus Dubois, Isack Dubois, John Dubois, John Dubois Jr, Laurance Du- bois, Sol! Dubois, David Dumond, John B. Dumond, John B. Dumond Jr, Joshua Dumond, William Dumond; John Ecor; John G. Fox: Dan'l H. Gayne, John Grant; Jacob (X) Hallenbake, Goose Heermans: Friederick Marten, Petrus Maure, Jonah Moor, Oliver Moor, Goers (x) Muiser. Jacob (x) Musier, John Musier, Thomas (X) Musier, William (X) Musier; Gerry O'Bryon, Peter Osterhout, Abraham Overbagh, Jer'h Overbagh, Johannis Overbagh, John Overbagh Jr, Petrus Overbagli, Peter J. Overbagh; Jacobes Persen, Abraham (x) Person, Henry Person; John Roseboom; ('histn (x) Frederich Schmid, Frederik Scram sen, Frederick Schram Jr, John (IS) Strope; James Tattersall; Isaac Van Gorden, Benjamin Van Orden, Egnatins Van Orden, Egnatius Van Orden Jr. Hezekia Van Orden. John Van Orden, John Van Orden Jr. Peter Van Orden. William Van Orden. Gose Van Schaick Jr, Sybrant Van Schaick, Teunice (x) Van Slike, Jacob Van Vechten.
Spellings are those given by Rev. Mr. Lampman in his clearly written copy, but he has marked as a foonote to Nathan'l Dorker: "I think this name is Barker," which suggests that he may have been copying from a copy, not the original. It is our belief that the Gayne of the list is Daniel H. Sayre, and there are other evident corrections to be made. Who will help us to make corrections? And who find ancestors in the list ?- C. Fcb. 6, 1930.
The Van Orden Papers [1786-1807]
that we have been printing for the past few weeks contain two other deeds of interest as settling questions of family history or of geography. These are documents of several pages each, bound together with ribbons and seals at the bottom instead of the tops of the pages. They are of a bit later date than the others, namely 1786 and 1807. The deed of Temper- ance (Loveridge) Van Orden printed last week was accompanied by maps drawn by Samuel Van Vechten showing the division of Lot 4 of the Love- ridge Patent. On one of these maps the course of the Old King's Road is shown as diverging from the road that we now know by the name some- where near Percy Holmes' farm, east of the Quatawichnaach, and presently joining one of the still-existent woodroads in the Streeke. which it then follows to near Pratt Haner's farm on the Palenville Road. The map
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VAN ORDEN PAPERS
goes no farther, but we know that the original road then went on down to the fording place just below Rushmore's (then Van Veehten's) dam. Just how or where it decended the limestone cliff. I cannot now say. Here is a "dandy" bit of worthwhile work for some of our Boy Scouts to put through, mapping the ancient route of this our first highway through the wilderness. Who'll do it? Surveyor Jones. Scoutmaster Park, Mrs. His- torian Vedder, and many others will help, I am sure.
We quote again only the interesting portions of these deeds, since they are of record and available to the lawyers and real estate mien. Perhaps someone can tell us what was an "aefhoudt" tree.
Concerning all these papers of the Van Orden property, we would like to hear all that anyone can tell us about them, the places mentioned, or the people named.
There are in Catskill other old documents, quite as interesting and worthy of publication. Some of these we have seen. and intend to print when we can. The owners of others will do us a favor in calling our attention to them. It is proper to add that our Historian has a fireproof safe in which to store such documents "on deposit" for the owners or to hold them in permanent keeping until our Society has the building of its own that it can now confidently look forward to. But that's almost telling seerets.
Here are the two deeds:
The Deed of 1786.
This Indenture made the Thirty first Day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six Between William Van Orden, John Van Orden, and Jolin Baptist Du Mond the Elder all of the Great Iniboglit in the County of Albany and State of New York Yeomen. David Du Mond of the same place Yeoman and Elizabeth his wife. John Baptist Du Moud the younger of the same place, and Hendrick Burhans of the Manor of Rensselaerwyek in the said County of Albany Tavern- keeper and Temperanee his wife of the first part, and Ignatius Van Orden of the Great Imboght aforesaid. Yeonman of the second part Witnesseth as hereinafter is expressed Whereas the parties to these presents being entitled to a certain Tract of Woodland lying at the Great Imboght aforesaid Beginning at a large Stone standing at the South East Corner of this Tract and in a Lane at the Foot of a Hill called the C'alk Bergh or Lime Hill and running from the said place of Beginning .
. to another Stake and lleap of Stones standing opposite to the Dwelling house of the said John Baptist Du Mond the Elder. .
. to the North West Corner of this Traet being the North East Corner of the Bock Oven . And also to a piece of Swamp Ground also lying at the Great Imboght aforesaid . on the Bank of Hudsons River to an Aefhoudt Tree . the South Line of philip Spaans Land, . in Consideration of ten shillings of lawfu! Money of the State aforesaid . are part of a certain Lot distin- guished as Lot Number Four in a certain Map made by Alexander Mack- dowall in the Month of October One thousand seven hundred and eighteen
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OLD TIMES CORNER
of a Tract of Land patented by William Loveridge written at first.)
(Signed ) William Van orden (Seal) John Van Orden (Seal)
in the presence of .
Jacob Van Vechten
the mark of David x DuMond (Seal)
(Recorded on May 18, 1787,
her Elazebath x Dumond (Seal)
by order of Henry Oothoudt,
a Judge of the Inferior Court of
John B. Dumond ( Seal)
Common Pleas for the City and County
John B. Dumond Jun ( Seal)
of Albany.)
Henderick Burhans (Seal)
(Signed) Hen:y Oothoudt . Temperance Burhans (Seal)
(In the signature of "Elazebath" the surname Dumond has been written, without erasure, directly on the name Van Orden that had been written at first.)
The Deed of 1807.
This Indenture made the Seventh day of December In the Year of our lord One thousand Eight Hundred and Seven Beticen, Egnatius Van Orden of the Town of Catskill in the County of Green and State of New York Farmer Of the One part and William Van Orden of the same place Farmer Of the Other part, Whereas Egnatius Van Orden Deceased of the same place Father of the said parties, was Seized of Two Certain Mes- suages and Farms of land On the West side of and adjoining Hudsons River, Distinguished by Lots number One and part of Lot number Three On a Map made by Christopher Tappen (in) the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Seven, in a Subdivision of Part of Lot number Four in Leveridges Patent-and also Seized of a Certain lot of Woodland Distinguished by lot Number One On a map made by Samuel Van Vechten in the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Six in a Division of the Commons, in said lot number Four . the said Egnatius Van Orden Deceas'd by his last Will and Testament bearing date the Second day of July In the Year of our lord One thousand eight. Hundred and Seven . all That Certain Message or Homestead . as Tenants in Common. Share and Share alike. Caused Jacob Trumpbour Junior, in their presence to Survey the remainder part of the said Devised Farms and lots of land. Equally between them . And Also free liberty, privilege and permission at all times hereafter for the said William Van Orden to pass and repass at Convenient places with Cattle, Horses, waggons, Carts or other Carriages over any of the said lots or premises now divided and released by him to the said Egnatius Van Orden .
(Signed ) Egnatius Van Orden
Scaled and Delivered
In the presence of
Hawley D. V. Hinman (Signed )
Jacob Trumpbour Jun. ( Signed )
( Acknowledged for record before Lewis Benton, Sept, 16. 1833.
by Jacob Trumphour of the town of Saugerties. )
(Signed) Lewis Benton.
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Ja.s Barker
THE MERWINS
Recorded in the Clerks office of Greene County in Book S. of deeds on pages 352, 353 and 354. September IS.th 1833 at 2 o.clock P. M.
(Signed ) W. V. B. Heermance, Clerk.
Life in the Backwoods [1789-1837] in the early days is revealed to us by another interesting writing just received by our Historian. The other day we printed excerpts from the paper by Mr. Baldwin. Now we quote from this valuable contribution by Mrs. Tiffany of llensonville. a great-granddaughter of Daniel and Lydia Merwin of Jewett. The three brothers. Daniel. Thomas and Samuel Merwin, great-great-grandsons of Daniel Merwin 1670 (a son of Miles Merwin 1623, the immigrant) came with several others to what is now Jewett soon after the close of the Revolution-but we let Mirs. Tiffany tell the story:
"They Were the First settlers in these parts. Daniel and Samuel his brother came to Lexington in 1789; also Israel Whitcome. Catskill at that time was only a small scattered settlement. with a gristimill and sawmill. It was also said to be headquarters for Indians, which the inhabitants feared very much. This was the reason given by these later Pioneers for locating far back in the mountains.
"These two brothers, Daniel and Samuel, cleared the land at the base of what is now known as Tower Mountain. Israel Whitcome took up land about a mile to the south. These men exchanged work and built log houses with heavy stone chimneys and heavy plank doors which could be barricaded on the inside against Indians. Daniel was a small man and could climb in and out of the chimney. They cleared some land tand 1 suppose planted some of it). then returned for their brides to Fair Haven. Conn., leaving their homes in care of Israel Whitcome. And what a journey! all on horseback, and most of the way from Catskill by marked trees, a distance of about twenty-five miles, leaving 'Down East. as they always afterward called it. far away." "Our Pioneer Mothers who came to this wilderness to make their homes, far from all their friends. Lydia and Hannah Jacobs, and Thankful Parker: the first two from Fair Haven. Conn .; the last from Branford, Conn. They were very pious women of the Episcopal Faith. Daniel Merwin married Lydia, and Thomas married Hannah; they were half sisters and daughters of Stephen Jacobs of Fair Haven. Samuel Merwin married Thankful Parker.
"From These Three Brothers sprang all the families located on Mer- win Street. All had large families except Daniel, who had only six children. "These Women Brought with them all kinds of flower seeds and plants, and roots both cultivated and wild, which were useful: every family must have a bunch of smellage ( wild celery- Editor), wormwood. elecampane. catnip, sage, coltsfoot and so forth. Some of these were tucked in corners as gardens must be used for vegetables."
"It Was Indeed a Wilderness to which they came. These were days when a letter was a rarity, and before envelopes were invented the letter was folded and seals used in place of postage stamps. Matches were a thing unknown; flint and tinder were used to start a fire. Every log
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OLD TIMES CORNER
cabin was built with fireplaces in which cooking was done, and in some cases the fire furnished light. Later, ovens of brick were attached to the fireplace, which brick was brought from Holland. My oldest sister. when a very little girl, stood watching our Grandmother prepare the oven for baking, said: 'Grandma, why, what for do you build a fire in the cupboard ?' Special hard wood was prepared for the oven, which when burned left a nice bed of coals. In the fireplace every night the coals were carefully banked with ashes and cheerfully divided with an unlucky neighbor, perhaps half a mile away, whose fire had chanced to go out. Borrowing coals in those days was nothing unusual.
"Pins Were Very Scarce. Up to the year 1818 any child who owned a pin felt very important. Women made their own yeast cakes (called in those days Turnpikes), also their soda and starch. Pumpkins were said to have taken the place of apples and other fruit for a number of years. Tomatoes were tabooed as poison. Most of the tools used were handmade. even the nails. Each family made their own soap. Every girl was taught to spin, and every garment for both men and women was hand- made; all garments either wool or linen. The girls were given a stent: they must spin so many knots a day, and when they married they must have a pillowease filled with stockings knit by themselves, also bed and table linen which they had spun and woven."
"No Sound of a Church Bell in those days. The first one mentioned was hung in 1827 in the church between Windham and Ashland. These Pioneers were not prejudiced, as we know that Daniel Merwin gave toward the salary of Henry Stimpson, Presbyterian, who preached in the South Settlement, that is now Jewett. My Great-grandmother always carried her little hymn book in her pocket and sang the hymns while about her work; and doubtless learned them all by heart. Did our Pioneer mothers have any recreation or amusement? Probably not; they were too busy doing things that were imperative. The next generation, when growing up, did not take life so seriously, as I hear of parties where 'Unele Tommy,' who was blind, played his violin and enjoyed listening to the dancing of the young folks."-(. Apr. 10, 1930.
Extracts from Bills of 1821-1826 of Samuel Merwin
For church meeting house in Windham (now Maplecrest ) $100.00
One barrel of shad 6.50
Cow sold 12.00
Cow skin 2,13
Cow skin
2.50
Bills of 1833-37
27% lbs. of beef 1.09
Expense at Hosfords to see show .56
·Postage on letter .10
Hat from Miss Arnolds .SS
1% vd. of gingham .13
16 days work in having .50
-1. Oct. 9. 1930.
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OLD TIMES CORNER
The eldest girl, named Mary but called Polly, married Phineas Chi- tester. They were the parents of Lyman, William. Samnel and a daughter who was called Doll, who married Morgan Kelly or Keller. Another, named Jane, married Josh C'arman and one whose name I do not know married an Overpaugh. The above is correct as far as I know.
(Signed ) Mrs. Jared Tiffany. -C. JJuly 17, 1930.
Every Catskillian [1795-1930]
-
for the last century and a third has looked at, walked upon, maybe stubbed his toe against The Old Stone Step at the entrance to the DuBois drug store. To-day as I write (December 6, 1929) the old step is gone, making way for the march of civic improvement. Through the foresight of the Rev. Walter E. Howe, the generous interest of Mr. and Mrs. J. Mortimer DuBois and the courtesy of Mr. Frank Cooke, it has been removed to a place of safety until such time as the Historical Society can have a proper home for its accumulating priceless collections of the past.
It is a block of New Jersey "brownstone." coarse-grained and glitter- ing with mica on the unworn faces. As described in the Catskill Daily Mail of September 23, 1927, the incessant tramp of human feet across that doorstep has worn its center fully half through. Doubtless every in- habitant of our village since 1795, and most of our visitants, has added his share to the Wear there recorded.
As near as we can learn, and in this we seek correction from any who know better, the drug business of Creswell & Brace originally occupied a store on the east side of Main street until in 1826, following the fire that swept away the frame buildings on the opposite side of the street, thie "Center Brick Block" was erected there. Into this the drug firm moved, taking with them as a precious memento or mascot the stone step that had already served them so well.
Since then, for over a century, "business has gone on at the same old stand" under the following proprietors: Croswell & Brace until 1844, William Il. Wey (who married Dr. Croswell's adopted daughter) until 1856, then their son Benjamin Wey until 1876: but from 1861 to 1862 Mr. Wey had as partner Edward Lavelle, and from March 2, 1863, his partner was William Larremore DuBois who succeeded to the business now conducted by his son. We should like to have a list of all the people who have worked in the store since the beginning. Can anyone send. us the names of any of them ?-- C. Dec. 12, 1929.
From the Historian's Files we have this clipping out of The Examiner of January 18. 1862: "1795"
"This date, as doubtless many of our readers have observed, occupies a conspicuous position above the lintel of the main entrance to Wey and Lavelle's drug store, and serves to designate the year in which the business was established under the direction of one whose kind heart and unwearied benevolence has hallowed his memory among hundreds, whose recollections of him awaken only feelings of grateful satisfaction.
4 1
A SALISBURY LETTER
"Time has wronght many and great changes since then, and the troops of little children that hung upon the old man's skirts (Dr. Thomas O'Hara Croswell. - Ed.), encouraged by his fondness for them, have since grown to man's estate, and taken on the busy cares and anxieties of life; but the image of the Doctor still lingers in their minds, an ineffaceable picture, pleasant to contemplate and profitable in its suggestions. The benign expression of his countenance becomes again a living reality, under the revivifying power of retrospection, and the yellow wig and ever present pipe, and the long coat, are as positive entities, to every spiritual sense, as were the sugar-plums so bountifully dispensed from the capacious pockets of the latter.
"Though greatly changed in its external and internal appearance, by the enterprise of Messrs. Wey & Lavelle, the drug store is the same old spot that is associated with so many pleasant recollections of Dr. Croswell, who in 1795 laid the foundation for its present extensive and lucrative business. With the increase of trade. of course, came the necessity for increased facilities for doing it, and in responding to this demand and the requirements of a more exacting taste, the present proprietors have fitted up a store which for the excellence of its appointments is not excelled by any similar establishment upon the river; and we are pleased to learn that the rapid increase of their business has fully justified the heavy outlay made by them, to establish a large and first class drug store in Catskill."- V. Dec. 12, 1929.
Through the Kindness [1796]
of Assemblyman Bentley another rare old document lies before me, on yellowed paper, folded and sealed and addressed to "Frances Nicoll Esq'r
Member of Assembly New York" The letter reads as follows:
C'attskill, Jan. 19, 1796.
Dear Sir
having in [Engun, deleted] conjunction with two others presented a ptition to the Lageslature praying a grant for a Sum of money for defray- ing the Extra expense we have been at in Errecting a bridge over the Catskill and knowing you to be a well wisher to the public as well as to individuals who are Sufferers on the public account must take the liberty to request you Influense in faver of the petition which from principals jns- tiee I think you would not wish to Refuse the potition is in the hands of Leanard Bronk Esq from whome you may larn the particular Situation we are in Respecting this business with Sentiments of Esteem
am Sir yours
Wessell Salisbury
to Francis Nicoll"
We "Note with Interest" that while he had two ways for spelling Catskill and three ways for petition, and was not wholly used to dotting i's and crossing t's or closing sentences, Mr. Salisbury knew and used the
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OLD TIMES CORNER
right spelling for "business." There are some things that suggest he may have had before him, and laboriously copied, a letter drafted by some one more expert in secretarial work. The handwriting is clear and strong, not immature, and in the same hand as the signature; but the slip in starting "conjunction" looks like a misunderstanding of someone else's writing.
Our Historian Says that this letter sheds some further light on the history of the old stone bridge at Leeds. Referring to her history, p. 51, we find that the two western arches of stone were built in 1792, nearly four years before the date of the letter, and it is doubtless the cost of build- ing these for which the writer asks financial relief. There is reason to think, however, that the original stone bridge was complete as to ail four arches and that these western ones had been washed away before 1785 when their temporary wooden replacement was burned. Early in the nine- teenth century, again. the most westerly arch went out, and for some time a steeply descending wood platform led down from the remainder to the flats beyond. Including the destruction of the original wooden bridge. this makes at least three times that floods wrought damage here. These spring floods were huge affairs; Mrs. Vedder has herself seen the water nearly fill the largest arch and sweep over the lower ends of the bridge, threatening the village. The dams of the mills, just below, then helped to back up the current and spread it widely over the flats, inundating the hay barns and stopping all travel on the road.
A Visiting Architect who examined the bridge a few years ago said that the cement used in the two east arches, which includes the large main arch, was of a superior kind the formula for which is no longer known, whereas that of the rebuilt west spans is different .- C. Apr. 17, 1930.
The High Lights [1800-1929] of Judge Gilbert David Blanvelt Hasbrouck's speech, delivered at the annual dinner of the Society. November 13, 1929, though not printed in the "Corner," are here included because of their enduring worth.
Speaking of himself, Judge Hasbrouck said in part: "I studied law with William Schuneman Kenyon, born at Catskill ( Jefferson) in 1820, a grandson of William Schuneman and a strong, able man, the best beloved citizen of our county in his day, who wore his honors modestly and kept his honor bright."
Later in his address he said: "I turn again to the Schunemans, to the son of the fighting parson Johannes, Martin Gerritsen. Who was the author and father of Greene County? hi was Martin Gerritsen Schuneman. The inhabitants of the towns of Catskill and Windham of the county of Ulster. and of the town of Freehold and the southern part of Coxsackie in Albany. petitioned the Legislature of 1800 to erect a new county. They set forth that Catskill was a commercial town, that the inhabitants of the adjoining territory came there to buy their supplies and all kinds of merchandise; that the merchants residing there have frequent occasion to attend courts as suitors, jurors and witnesses either at the City of AAlbany or in the town of Kingston. That they are situated at so great a distance from these places and the roads are so bad and the injury so great to the inhabitants
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JUDGE HASBROUCK'S SPEECH
in the western part of Ulster County as to require the erection of a new county. The petitioners further set forth that the taxable inhabitants within the proposed county were about 1600 in number and that the population in many parts was rapidly increasing. This petition was re- ferred to a committee of which Jacob Rutsen Van Rensselaer of Columbia County was chairman. The committee reported in favor of the granting of the petition and with the leave of the House brought in a bill entitled 'An act to erect part of the counties of AAlbany and Ulster in a separate county.' It had its second reading and was referred to the committee of the whole. There were remonstrances against the bill presented from towns in Ulster County including Woodstock. On March 3, Silas Wood of Suffolk County, chairman of the committee of the whole, reported that the committee disapproved of the bill. Martin G. Schuneman from Ulster then arose and called for the yeas and nays. In the committee of the whole, Ulster's representatives, Moses Cantine Jr .. and Johannes Bruyn, voted against the bill, Charles W. Broadhead was absent and Martin G. Schune- man in favor of it. Albany's representatives, Ten Broeck, Dietz and Winne, voted for the bill and Shurtliff, Henry and Nicoll voted against it. Conine and Doty being absent. The vote stood 46 against, 42 for the bill.
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