USA > New York > Washington County > Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 41
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WILLIAMS' WORK IN THE ARMY.
Colonel Williams's services as an army officer were valuable to the country. In 1775- 76 his time was divided between his legislative and military duties. His regiment, which he had raised and mainly sup- ported financially, he kept employed in defending the frontier and in other ways as its assistance was required by the government. The orders of Generals Gates, Schuyler, St. Clair and Heath, preserved among the " Williams Papers," are evidence of this. Thus General St. Clair ordered him to his relief at Fort Ticonderoga, adding that "with him and others he could laugh at all the enemy could do." General St. Clair had retired from the fort when Colonel Williams reached Skenesborough to Fort Ann, where the first battle in Wash- ington County was fought. Colonel Williams was present with his force. This battle at Fort Ann, resulting in the defeat of the British, was of vital importance. It was initial to Bennington Heights and Stillwater or Saratoga Springs. If the British had won they would have avoided Bennington Heights and carried out the plan of uniting with General Howe north of Albany. After Burgoyne's surrender, Williams arranged his corps into six divisions, each to be on duty one week at a time. This was to enable the men to attend to home affairs and their farms. He interested himself in behalf of those whose loyalty was doubtful. He sought to secure their return to their homes, under the assurance of protection. The original letter of General Gates is among the "Williams Papers," on the subject in reply to one of his. It is dated "Camp Burrass, Sept. 29th, 1777." It is as follows:
It does not remain with me properly to extend the time prescribed
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
by my proclamation for the return of the Tories to the indulgent pro- tection of the government. But your letter shall immediately be sent to Esopus, to be laid before the Legislature of this state now sitting, and if they are pleased to grant a longer day, I shall, upon receiving their answer, immediately acquaint you herewith. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, HORATIO GATES.
AFTER THE WAR.
General Williams continued his active, useful career to the close of his life. He was appointed Regent of the State University on its first board. He was an organizer of Washington Academy, the first north of Albany, to which he presented the ground and building. He was Judge of Washington County Court. He did more for the improve- ment and development of the northeastern section of the state than any others in its history. He died on July 22, 1806, aged fifty-three years and ten months. His descendants are about three hundred, composing some of the most prominent families in the state.
The 'Williams Papers,' which are bound in folio volumes, especially his letters, testify to his noble and exalted character as well as to his usefulness in the service of his state and country.
CHAPTER XXIV.
COUNTY CIVIL AND POLITICAL LISTS.
LEGISLATORS.
STATE SENATORS-1777 -- William Duer.
1777-79-John Williams; also served 1783-1795. 1777-85-Alex. Webster.
1778-82-Ebenezer Russell; also 1784-88, 1795-1803. 1779 -- Elishama Tozer. 1786-90-David Hopkins: also 1809-13.
1788-92-Edward Savage ; also IS01-07.
1793-1803-Zina Hitchcock.
1796-1802-Ebenezer Clark. 1796-98-James Savage. 1804-08-Stephen Thorn ; also 1823-26.
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COUNTY CIVIL AND POLITICAL LISTS.
1807-11-John McLean ; also 1836-37. IS12-15-Gerritt Wendell. -Allen Hascall. 1817-21-Roger Skinner.
1821-David Shipherd.
1823-25-Melanchthon Wheeler.
1825-29 --- John Crary.
1829-33-John McLean, Jr.
1834-36-Isaac W. Bishop.
1838-42-Martin Lee.
1844-48-Orville Clark.
1852-54-Daniel S. Wright.
1856-Justin A. Smith.
1862-Ralph Richards.
1866-James Gibson.
1871-Isaac V. Baker, Jr.
1878-Charles Hughes. 1884-A. C. Comstock.
ISSS-M. F. Collins.
1892-J. H. Derby.
Washington County was represented in the senate by Hon. Fred D. Kilburn of Malone, N. Y., in 1894. In 1894 Washington County became part of the 28th Senatorial District under the Constitutional Amendment and has been represented by Hon. Edgar T. Brackett of Saratoga Springs since 1895.
MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY-1777-78-John Barnes, Ebenezer Clark, John Rowan, Ebenezer Russell.
1778-79-Elishama Tozer, Albert Baker (served to 1781) and David Hopkins, who served until 1786.
1779-80-John Grover, Noah Payne.
1780-Hamilton McCollister, served until 1785, and Matthew McWhorter, who served until 1782.
1781-82-John Williams.
1782-83-Benjamin Baker, Joseph McCracken, who served in 1780.
1784-85 -- Edward Savage, Adiel Sherwood.
1785-86-Albert Baker.
1786-Joseph MeCracken, who also served in 1788-89.
1786-87 Ichabod Parker, Peter B. Tearse, who served until 1790.
1787-Adam Martin, Edward Savage, who served from 1795 to 1802. 1788-89-Alex. Webster.
1789-91-John Rowan, Zina Hitchcock, who served until 1794.
1791-Thomas Converse, Daniel Curtice, who served until 1794.
1792 John Conger.
1792-93-David Hopkins, served 1795-96.
1794-William Whiteside, Benj. Colvin, Philip Smith, David Thomas. 1796-Thomas Smith, served 1798.
374
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
1796-97-Timothy Leonard, A. L. Blanchard, G. G. Lansing, Andrew White, Daniel Mason, served 1798.
1798-Reuben Pride, Melanchton Wheeler.
1798-99 - Charles Kane, Seth Crocker, Philip Smith, David Thomas.
1800-Micajah Pettit, Isaac Sargent, Benjamin Colvin.
1800-1-Gerrit G. Lansing, Timothy Leonard, William McAuley.
1802-Micajah Pettit.
1802-3-Alex. Cowen, Jason Kellogg, John McLean, Isaac Sargent.
1803-4-David Austin, John McLean.
1804-Stephen Thorn, Dr. John Mckinney.
1804-5 -- Isaac Harlow, Jason Kellogg, Solomon Smith, James Sarbuck.
IS04-6-William Livingston, John McLean.
1806-Isaac Sargent, Nathaniel Pitcher, Daniel Shipherd.
1807-Jason Kellogg, Peleg Bragg, John Gray.
1807-9-James Hill.
1808-Thomas Cornell, Lyman Hall, Henry Matteson, Gideon Taft.
1808-9 -Alex. Livingston, Reuben Whallon.
1808-10-Roger Skinner.
1810-John Gale, Wm. Livingston.
1811-John Baker, John Richards, Isaac Sargent, Reuben Whallon, David Woods.
1812-Lyman Hall, James Hill, John Kirkland, Alex. Livingston.
1812-13-John Beebe, Jason Kellogg, Francis McLean, M. Wheeler.
1814 - Paul Dennis, Samuel Gordon, John Savage, Charles Starbuck, John White.
1814-15-John Richards, Henry Matteson, John Gale, Nath. Pitcher, Isaac Sar- gent.
1816-Michael Harris, John Reid, David Russell, James Stevenson, Roswell Weston.
1816 17 John Gale, Nath. Pitcher, David Woods.
IS16-18-Isaac Sargent.
1818-Jason Kellogg, Alex. Livingston, John McLean, Jr.
1819-William McFarland, John Gale, John Doty, Wm. K. Adams.
1820-David Austin, Peleg Bragg, James Hill, John Kirtland.
1820-21-Wadsworth Bell, James Mallory, John Moss, William Richards, John Baker.
IS22-Silas D. Kellogg, James Tefft.
1823-Timothy Eddy, John King, Martin Lee, James MeNaughton.
1824-John Crary ,Silas D. Kellogg.
1824-25-David Campbell, Ezra Smith.
IS25 Lemuel Hastings, Samuel Stevens.
IS26-Hiram Cole, James Stevenson, Israel Williams, David Woods.
1827-John McDonald, P. J. H. Myers, Samuel Stevens.
1828-Jonathan Mosher, Henry Thorn, Henry Whiteside.
IS29-John McDonald, Robert McNiel, Richard Sill.
1830-David Russell, Robert Wilcox, David Sill.
1831-George W. Jermain, Henry Thorn, William Townsend.
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COUNTY CIVIL AND POLITICAL LISTS.
1832-Isaac W. Bishop, John McDonald, James Stevenson. 1833-Walter Cornell, Charles Rogers, David Russell. 1834-Charles F. Ingalls, Melanchthon Wheeler, James Wright. 1835-Jonathan K. Horton, George McKie, Allen R. Moore. 1836-Aaron Barker, Alex. Robertson, Stephen L. Viele. 1837-Joseph W. Richards, Charles Roberts.
1S3S - Erastus D. Culver, Leonard Gibbs. 1839-Salmon Axtell, Jesse S. Leigh.
1840-John H. Boyd, Anderson Simpson. 1841 -- Erastus D. Culver Reuben Skinner.
1842-James McKie, Jr., Daniel S. Wright. 1843-Anson Bigelow, James W. Porter. 1844-John Barker, John W. Proudfit. 1845-James Rice, John Stevenson. 1846-James S. Foster, L S. Viele. 1847-A. F. Hitchcock, Samuel McDonald.
1848 - Benjamin Crocker, Elisha A. Martin. 1849- Leroy Mowry, Alex Robertson. 1850-David Sill, Calvin Pease. 1851-Thomas C Whiteside, James Farr. 1852-Elisha Billings, David Nelson. 1853-Charles R. Engalls, Samuel S. Beaman. 1854- Ebenezer McMurray, George W. Thorn. 1855-James J. Lowrie, Justin A Smith 1856-John S. Crocker, Henry S. Northup. 1857-Anson Ingraham, Henry W Beckwith. 1858-Thad. H. Walker, Ralph Richards. 1859-James M. Northup, James Savage. 1860-James Savage, Peletiah Jackway. 1861-Peter Hill, Nicholas M. Catlin. 1862-George H. Taylor, Philip H. Neher. 1863-Asa C. Tefft, Ervin Hopkins, Jr. 1864-R. King Crocker, And. G. Meiklejohn. 1865-Sylvester E. Spoor. 1865-6-Alex. Barkley. 1866-James C Rogers. 1867-Thomas Shiland, Adolp. F. Hitchcock. 1868-David Underwood, Nath. Dailey.
1869-William J. Perry. 1869-71-Isaac V. Baker, Jr. 1870-71-Thomas J. Stevenson. 1872-George W. L. Smith. 1872-73-Edward W. Hollister. 1873-Eleazer Jones died and William H. Tefft elected to fill the vacancy. 1874-75-Alex. B. Law, Emerson E. Davis. 1876-Henry G. Burleigh. 1877- Isaac V. Baker, Jr.
376
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
1876-77-Townsend J. Potter. 1878-Abraham Reynolds, George L. Terry.
1879-A. Reynolds, G. L. Terry. 18So-G. L. Terry. Hiram Sisson.
1881-Hiram Sisson, J. E. Goodman.
1882-Robert Armstrong, Jr., George Northup.
1883-Robert Armstrong, Jr., George Northup.
1884-D. M. Westfall, Charles K. Baker. 1885-George Scott, Charles K. Baker. 1886-D. M. Westfall, J. H. Manville.
1887-J. Warren Fort, J. H. Manville,
1888-J. Warren Fort, O. W. Sheldon. 1889-C. W. Larmon, W. H. Tefft.
1890-C. W. Larman, J. A. Johnson.
1891-WV. D. Stevenson, J. A. Johnson.
1892-W. D. Stevenson, William Reed.
1893-W. R. Hobbie.
1895-W. D. Stevenson. 1896-7-W. R. Hobbie. 1898-9-Charles R. Paris.
1000 - S. B. Irwin.
THE COURTS.
FIRST JUDGES, COMMON PLEAS-1773, Philip Schuyler; 1777, William Duer; 1778. Ebenezer Russell; 1800, Ebenezer Clark; 1810, Anthony I. Blanchard; 1823, John P. Wendell; 1825, Roswell Weston; 1833, John Willard; 1836, John McLean, Jr.
COUNTY JUDGES-1847, Martin Lees; 1852, James Gibson; 1856, A. Dallas Wait; 1860, Oscar F. Thompson; 1864, Joseph Potter; 1872, A. Dallas Wait; 1884, R. C. Betts; 1887, J. M. Whitman ; 1888, T. A. Lillie; 1900, Charles R. Paris.
SPECIAL COUNTY JUDGES-1859, Oscar F. Thompson; 1860, Henry Gibson; 1864, Royal C. Betts; 1871, Samuel Thomas; 1875, C. L. Allen, Jr .; 1887, A. D. Arnold; 1898, Frederick Bratt, and is still in office.
SURROGATES-1775, Patrick Smith ; 1779, Ebenezer Clark ; 1783, Edward Savage; 1786, Melanchthon Woolsey; 1787, Edward Savage; 1808, Isaac Sargent: 1810, Ed- ward Savage; 1811, Isaac Sargent; 1812, Nathaniel Pitcher; 1813, Edward Savage; 1816, Henry C. Martindale; 1819, Calvin Smith; 1821, Leonard Gibbs; 1824, Samuel Standish, Jr. ; 1832, John Willard; 1837, Alexander Robertson ; 1841, John C. Parker; 1845, Luther Wait; 1847, Joseph Bois; 1852, David A. Bois; 1856, Marinus Fairchild; 1860, Urias G. Paris: 1868, James J. Lowrie; 1872-78, Lonson Frazer; 1880, I. V. Baker; 1884, H. D. W. C. Hill; Grenville M. Ingalsbe, 1896, still in office.
SPECIAL SURROGATES - 1857, John H. Boyd; 1860, Leonard Wells; 1866, Daniel M. Westfall; 1873-78, Leonard Fletcher; 1879, L. Fletcher; 1880, J. K. Larmon; 1882, C. L. McArthur ; 1888, A. D. Arnold; 1889, C. G. Davis, still in office.
377
COUNTY CIVIL AND POLITICAL LISTS.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS-ISO1, Anthony B. Blanchard, who served as assistant attor- ney-general for 1796; 1803, John Russell; 1806, John Savage; 1811, Roger Skinner; 1812, John Savage; 1813, David Russell; 1815, Jesse L. Billings; 1818, John Savage; 1820, Jesse L. Billings; 1821, Henry C. Martindale ; 1828, Leonard Gibbs; 1836, Cor- nelius L. Allen: 1843, Charles F. Ingalls; 1847, Henry B. Northup; 1851, Joseph Potter; 1857, Archibald L. MeDougall; 1862, Joseph Potter: 1863, A. Dallas Wait; 1869, Royal C. Betts; 1875, Samuel Thomas; 1878, Marinus Fairchild; 1881, Edgar Hull; 1896, James White ; 1899, Charles (). Bratt.
SHERIFFS-1772, Philip P. Lansingh ; 1774, Jonathan Parker ; 1777, Edward Savage; 1781, Joshua Conkey; 1785, Hamilton McCollister; 1789, Peter B. Tearse ; 1793, An- drew White; 1796, Philip Smith; 1798, Abner Stone; 1802, Nathan Wilson; 1806, David Woods; 18to, Simon Stevens, Jr. ; 1811, John Doty : 1813, Wadsworth Bull ; 1819, John Doty; 1821, John Gale; 1826, William McFarland; 1829, Warren F. Hitchcock; 1832, Darius Sherrill; 1835, Benjamin Ferris; 1838, Philander C. Hitch- cock ; 1841, Leonard Wells; 1844, Horace Stowell; IS47, Daniel T. Payne ; 1850, Wil- liam A. Russell; 1853, James R. Gandall; 1856, Hugh R. Cowan; 1859, Oliff Abell ; 1862, Benjamin F. McNitt; 1865, Dennis P Nye; 1868, James C Shaw; 1871, Orrin S. Hall; 1874, John Larman ; 1877, George W. Baker; 1880, James Hill; 1883, David Johnson; 1886, George Marshall; 1889, F. D. Hill; 1891, G. N Finch; 1895, James W. Robertson; 1898-9, J. M. Hulett ; part of 1899, Henry Welch ; 1900, Bert Austin ;
COUNTY CLERKS-1773, Patrick Smith ; 1777, Ebenezer Clarke; 1785, John McCrea. 1797, Saint John Honeywood; 1798, Gerrett L. Wendell; 1806, Daniel Shipherd; 1821, Matthew D). Danvers; 1826, Jesse S. Leigh; 1835, Edward Dodd; 1844. Henry Shipherd ; 1853, Nathaniel B. Milliman ; 1859, Philander C. Hitchcock; 1871, William H. Kincaid; 1877. Charles W. Taylor ; 1888, Rodney Van Wormer; 1900, E. H. Sny- der.
COUNTY TREASURERS= 1807 1847, Ebenezer Russell, held by appointment of the supervisors; 1847, Calvin L. Parker; 1850, Edward Bulkley; 1856, John M. Barrett ; 1859, John King: 1862, Nelson G. Moor; 1868, Samuel W. Crosby; 1871, Asahel R. Wing; 1874, James M. Northup; 1879, H. Davis Northup; 1885, John King: 1888, James O. LaVake; 1893, W. H. Hughs; 1896, G. S. Clemons; 1899, Edwin B. Tem- ple.
CHAPTER XXV.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
TOWN OF KINGSBURY.
The town of Kingsbury is notable for two things-its historical in- terest and its steady and stable commercial growth. In primeval days
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
the great Indian trails traversed this town. These trails led from the lakes to the Hudson river, and over them the warriors of the northern and southern tribes passed in their migrations back and forth on peaceful or warlike missions. Also the great military road from Fort Edward to Fort William Henry, passed through the ground which now constitutes the beautiful park in the thriving village of Sandy Hill, and this spot is notable because of the massacre of sixteen men by Indians in the early days, one only, a man named John Quacken- bush, being saved out of a band of seventeen teamsters and soldiers through the whim of a squaw. Weird and mystical legends and ad- ventures are associated with the early history of this part of Washing- ton County which tempt the pen of the historian, but our theme in this chapter is more appropriately the civil and industrial record, especially as the romance and wars of the early days have been fully recounted in the earlier pages of this work.
The town of Kingsbury lies on the west side of the county and about the middle from north to south, and touches great commercial arteries to an extent peculiar for the limits of a single town. On the west are the Hudson River and the Lake George branch of the Dela- ware & Hudson Railway while it is traversed on the eastern side by the main line of this railway and the Champlain Canal. The surface of the town is level and rolling, mainly, but there are some hills in the eastern part, and it is drained by Wood Creek, Halfway Creek and Bond Creek.
The territory of this town is embraced in the Kingsbury patent, granted to James Bradshaw, of New Milford, Conn., and 22 asso- ciates, May 11, 1762. The first settler was this Bradshaw who came to the town in 1763; the second was Oliver Colvin, Sr., and the third Albert Baker, who is, and will always be commemorated in Baker Falls. But, although these were the first three settlers in the town there is no question but that the first white man to step upon its soil was Father Isaac Joques, a French Jesuit, who while on his way to Upper Canada, from Quebec, was captured by the Mohawks in 1642.
Albert Baker settled at Sandy Hill and was soon afterwards joined by Michael Huffnogle. Other early settlers in the town were Samuel Brownson, Thomas Grant, Benjamin Underhill, Solomon King, Joseph. Moses and William Smith, Henry Franklin, S. Dillingham, Ennis Graham, George Wray, John Moss, Timothy, Moses, Samuel and Gilbert Harris, John Phillips, Adam Wint, Samuel, Andrew and
379
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-KINGSBURY.
Adiel Sherwood, Nehemiah Seelye, John Griffith, John Munroe, Leonard Decklyn, Amos McKeney, Asa Richardson, the Widow Jones with six sons from New Jersey. These sons were John, Jonathan, Dunham, David, Daniel and Solomon. One of these, David Jones, was the affianced of the hapless Jane McCrea. He with Adam Wint, Gilbert Harris and others fought for the British in the Revolutionary War. Several of these were with Burgoyne when he crossed the town in 1777.
The town had been steadily growing during the first fifteen years of its life as a settlement, but the raid of Burgoyne and that of Carle- ton, in 1780, left it with only two houses standing and entirely depop- ulated. In 1781 nearly all the fugitives of the preceding year had returned and the town again began to grow and new settlers came in.
The house reputed to be Burgoyne's headquarters is still standing in the village of Sandy Hill, on the northeast corner of Burgoyne avenue and Pine street.
The town received state recognition on March 23, 1786. It grew steadily in population and agricultural improvement and has today the following unincorporated villages: Patten's Mills, Kingsbury Street, Smith's Basin, Adamsville, Dunham's Basin, Moss Street Vaughn's Corners and Langden's Corners.
The supervisors of the town of Kingsbury from 1782 until 1900 were :
1782, Seth Sherwood; 1783-84, Albert Baker; 1785, Joseph Caldwell; 1786, Seth Sherwood; 1787, Joseph Caldwell; 1788, Seth Sherwood; 1789-1793, Seth Alden ; 1794- 95, Oliver Colvin; 1796-97. Seth Alden; 1798-1800, Asahel Hitchcock; 1801, Micajah Pettit; 1802, Oliver Colvin; 1803, Thomas Bradshaw; 1804-1810, Nathaniel Pitcher ; 1812-1814, Felix Alden; 1815-1817, John Moss; 1818-1820, Hiram Cole; 1821-1823, Felix Alden; 1824-25, Hiram Cole; 1826-27. Felix Alden; 1828, Simeon Berry; 1829, Throop Barney; 1830, John Moss; 1831-1840, Josiah Hand; 1841-42, Luther Andrews; 1843, Joseph Tefft; 1844-47, Josiah Hand; 1848-49, John Newman; 1850, Peter H. Cooper; 1851-52, Peter Holbrook; 1853, Peter H. Cooper; 1854, Orrin E. Harris; 1855-1857, James McFarland; 1858-59, Charles Cole; 1860, Hiram Kenyon; 1861, Charles Cole; 1862, Orson Richards; 1863, Guy W. Clark; 1864, Orson Richards; 1865, Peter Holbrook; 1866, Eber Richards; 1869-70, S. HI. Kenyon; 1871, Silas Ambler ; 1872, W. H. Miller, (died during term) ; 1872-1874, L. II. Northup; 1875-1877, George L. Terry; 1878-1880, Charles R. Paris; 1881, E. F. Hitchcock; 1882, L. H. Northup; 1883-84, George L. Terry; 1885-87, Grenville M. Ingalsbe; 1888-1890, John H. Derby; 1891-1893, James H. Durkee; 1894-1897, J. E. Howland; 1898-1900, D. J. Sullivan.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
The town clerks for the same period were:
1782 and 1784 to 1795 inclusive, Samuel Harris: 1783. Fenner Palmer; 1796-7, Asabel Hitchcock; 1798-1801, Joseph Caldwell; 1802-1810, Collins Hitchcock; 1811, James Nichols; 1812, Collins Hitchcock ; 1813-14, Nathaniel Pitcher; 1815-1830, N. Barnum Hitchcock: 1834, Adolphus F. Hitchcock; 1839-1842. Asahel Hitchcock; 1843, Allen Dewey; 1844, Danvers Doubleday; 1845-1847, Thomas Toole; 1848-1850, William Cronkhite; 1851, Charles D. Culver; 1852-54, William R. Locke; 1855-56, Orville C. Howard; 1857, John A. De Forest; 1858-9, Frederick C. Burdick; 1860-1, also 1863, Alfred A. Miller; 1862, Darius Mathewson; 1864, Daniel Monty: 1865, Wil- liam Hooker: 1866-1872, Charles H. Cronkhite: 1873, Charles H. Reed; 1874, John A. Cunningham; 1875-82, Marvin S. Cronkhite; 1883-4, A. D. Arnold; 1885, Harry E. Tidmarsh; 1886, Edgar R. Locke; 1887-93, Harper N. Rogers; 1894-96, W. E. Mosher; 1897-1900, Sheldon W. Mott. Arthur Carleton was clerk while Captain Mott was out with the Second New York Regiment during the Spanish war.
SANDY HILL.
This enterprising and prosperous village is not only the most im- portant part of the town of Kingsbury, but is one of the principal commercial centers of the county and one of the most notable places in northern New York. It is principally noted for its great industries, the history of which carries us back to the early settlement of this tract, when Albert Baker, the third settler in Kingsbury, located .on the spot where Hiram Allen's residence now stands.
He came to Sandy Hill in 1768 with his wife and two young sons, Albert and Charles. He built a short wing dam by the fall which bears his name, and put up a saw mill. In the disastrous year of 1780 his mill and house were burned and he, with others, fled from the town. He was, however, among the first to return in 1881 and at once erected another mill and dwelling. In 1784 John Moss built a dam and saw mill above the village. In the same year Dr. Zina Hitchcock, Jonathan Harris, and others, came to the same locality and soon a little hamlet, the neucleus of Sandy Hill, appeared upon the present site.
In 1793 Washington passed through Sandy Hill on his tour of in- spection of the northern lake military posts.
The industrial life of Sandy Hill really began in 1844, although its earliest notable record is the Baker Mill. In 1844 Stephen Howland purchased the Baker Mills, which were then in ruins, and erected the first manilla paper mills in the United States. Allen Brothers mills now occupy this site. In 1845 the Wilbur and Witpin and the Tarter & Luther carriage factories were built. In 1846 Benjamin Ferris
381
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-KINGSBURY.
put up a manilla paper mill which afterwards became the Waite wall paper mill. In 1860 a shoddy mill was started, but was changed to a straw printing paper mill. This mill was built and burned three times and went out of existence with its last fire. In 1868 The Washington Mowing Machine works were built. In 1866 Howland Clark & Com- pany's paper mill was built, now the Union Bag and Paper Company. In 1860 the Baker Falls Iron and Machine Works were built. These are now the Sandy Hill Iron and Brass Works. In 1872 Orsen Rich- ards built two saw mills, known as the upper and lower saw mills.
The principal industries of Sandy Hill at present are: The Union Bag & Paper Company, Allen Brothers Company, the Standard Wall Paper Company, The Sandy Hill Iron & Brass Works, The Friction Pulley & Machine Works, Hibbard Bros. Machine Works, the Star Suction Washer Company, the Griffin Lumber Company and the Ken- yon Lumber Company.
The facilities for manufacturing at Sandy Hill are phenominal as the fall of the Hudson at this point is seventy feet, affording an almost inexhaustible power.
In 1869 the Glens Falls Railroad was opened through Sandy Hill toward the construction of which Sandy Hill contributed $25,000. In 1873 the present fine court house was erected and the village became the western county scat. The old court house now stands upon the north side of Willow street and is used as a flour and feed store.
The Sandy Hill post office was opened in 1798. Roswell Weston was the first postmaster. Major John Dwyer is the present incum- bent and the postoffice is now rated second class and does a very large business.
Sandy Hill was made a village on March 9, 1810, by the provisions of chapter 40 of the state laws of that year, and comprised, at that time, all of what was known as lot No. 93. The boundaries of the village were extended by an act of March 21, 1856, and the incorpora- tion of the community was fully completed in 1875, under the provi- sions of chapter 291 of the laws of 1870.
There are no village records earlier than 1856. Following is a list of the village presidents commencing with that date :
1856 and 1857, Orson Richards; 1858, J. W. Finch; 1859, Nelson W. Wait; 1860, Joseph McFarland; 1861, M. F. Cronkhite; 1862 and 1863, Darius Mathewson; 1864, Hiram Kenyon; 1865, Joseph McFarland; 1866, E. II. Crocker; 1867-8 9 and 1870, Joseph McFarland; 1871, Amariah Holbrook; 1872, Hiram Kenyon; 1873, E. W.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
Crocker; 1874, Guy W. Clark; 1875, Loren Allen; 1876, Elisha Baker; 1877-8-9-1880, Lyman H. Northup; 1980-1, James P. Buck; 1881-2 and 1882-3, John H. Derby; 1883-4, Eber Richards; 1884-5-6, Silas Doolittle; 1886-7, John J. Cunningham; 1887-8, L. H. Northup; 1888-9-90, Daniel M. Monty; 1890-1, Mitchell Potvin; 1891-2, J. E. Howland; 1892-3-4, David Filkins; 1894-5-6, Charles R. Paris; 1896 7-8-9, David Fil- kins; 1899-1900, Winfield A. Huppuch; 1900-1901, William J. Blake.
The village clerks for same period have been:
1856, J. C. Green, (the first village clerk;) 1857, M. F. Cronkhite; 1858, George B. Culver; 1859-60, A. A. Miller; 1860-61-62-63, R. B. Perry; 1864, J. De Forest; 1865-66, D. E. Parks; 1867, Charles E. Noble; 1868-69-70-71-72, J. D. Teller; 1872 73, Robert S. Coleman; 1874 to 1894, Grenville M. Ingalsbee. D. J. Sullivan elected 1894 and still in office.
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