USA > New York > Washington County > Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 52
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
The Catholic Church of Notre Dame De La Victorie, came into existence in 1867, branching out from the present Whitehall church, and was placed under the charge of Rev. A. Payette. They pur- chased the old Episcopal church, which they remodeled and improved. The present pastor is Rev. J. J. Either.
TOWN OF WHITE CREEK.
This town lies in the southeastern part of Washington County, and is bounded on the north by Jackson, east by Vermont, south by Rens- selaer County, and west by Cambridge. The Taghanic Mountains traverse the northern part of the town, but the southern portion is rolling land. The Owl Kill is the principal stream; it enters the town near Cambridge village and, flowing in a southerly direction, empties into the Hoosick below Center White Creek. The Owl Kill has quite a number of tributaries, principal of which is the North White Creek. Little White Creek rises in the eastern part of the town and flows directly into the Hoosick.
The name of the town was given to it by the early settlers from Pelham, who named their locality "White Creek," from the whiteness of the bed of the stream running through it, and also from the clear- ness of its waters, which contrasted strongly with the stream coming
[ 60 ]
482
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
from the north, which they name Black Creek. The name has held ever since.
The town is made up from the Cambridge, Schermerhorn, Lake, Wilson, Van Cuyler, Bain, Grant and Campbell Patents. The exact date of the first settlers coming into White Creek is not known, but the town began to be taken up between the years 1761 and 1765. The early history of part of this town is so closely connected with that of Cambridge that much of it has already been given in the annals of that town. Among the early settlers in White Creek were: Thomas and James Ashton, John Allen, Dr. William Richards, Zebulon Allen, David Sprague, Seth Chase, Joseph Stewart, Asa Rice, Paul Cornell, John Harroun, Thomas M. Cool, John Wood, Jonathan Hart, Aaron Van Cuyler, Rev. William Waite, Joshua Gardner, John Corey, Ed- ward Aiken, Isaac Lacy, Simon Covell, David Preston, Joseph Mosher, Simon Fowler, Josiah Dewey, Hercules Rice. John Younglove, Austin Wells.
White Creek was, at first, part of the town of Cambridge, but in 1815 it was erected into a separate town by act of the Legislature.
The supervisors and town clerks from that date down to 1900 were :
Supervisors-1816-23. William Richards; 1824-26, Robert Wilcox; 1827-28, Clark Rice: 1829-30, M. F. Palmer; 1831, George W. Jermain; 1832, John McKie; 1833, Andrew Cole; 1834, John A. Rice; 1835-36, James McKie; 1837, Stephen Barker; 1838-39, Henry Rice ; 1840, C. S. Ransom : 1841-43, Stephen Barker; 1844-45. David Niles : 1846-47, Freeman A. Fuller; 1848, Dyer Pierce; 1849-51, Garrett W. Wilcox; 1852, Palmer D. Gardner; 1853, John Hubbard; 1854, John McKie: 1855, John K. Dyer; 1856-57, Freeman A. Fuller: 1858, Thomas Ellis: 1859-60, George Barker; 1861-62, John Larmon: 1863-64, George Barker; 1865, G. W. Wilcox; 1866-68, Hiram Sisson ; 1869-70, Clarence D. Keynon; 1871. William Eldridge; 1872, James Ellis; 1873, William Eldridge; 1874, Charles C. Cottrell; 1875, James Ellis ; 1876-78, Hugh Tabor; 1879, Charles C. Cottrell; 1880, Samuel W. Crosby; 1881-82, Willard Lawton ; ISS3-84, John James; 1885-86, Lewis Coulter ; 1887-89, Hiram Sisson; 1890-91, Lewis E. Nicholson; 1892-97, Henry E. Perry : 1898-1900, Forest E. Kenyon.
Town Clerks-1816-19, Ira Parmely; 1820-23, Clark Rice; 1824, Johnson D. Stewart; 1825, M. F. Palmer; 1826, Philip N. Draper; 1827-28, M. F. Palmer: 1829, Norman Clark; 1830, George W. Jermain; 1831, M. F. Palmer; 1832, Andrew Cole : 1833, John A. Rice ; 1834-39, Burdick G. Allen ; IS40-41, Reuben Powers; 1842-43, B. F. McNitt; 1844-45. B. P. Croker; 1846-47, Dyer P. Sisson; 1848, R. K. Crocker; 1849, William Brown; 1850, Loomis W. Gunn; 1851. John Hubbard; 1852-53, J. E. Knickerbocker; 1854-55, Josiah H. Merchant; 1856, Thomas H. Lake; 1857, Charles C. Cottrell; 1858, M. P. Barton: 1859-60, Fletcher Baker; 1861-62, Hiram Butts; 1863, Franklin Fowler; 1864-66, Xury J. Maynard; 1867-70, Warren E. Hawkins; 1871, J. H. Merchant: 1872, E. L. Nicholson; 1873-74, William P. Robertson; 1875-
483
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS-WHITE CREEK.
76, Warren E. Hawkins: 1877, Clark Rice; 1878, E. J. Fuller ; 1879-84, J. F. Robert- son; 1885-91, W. L. Hitchcock; 1892, Jerome B. Joslyn; 1893-98, Lewis E. Nichol- son : 1899-1900, Arthur K. Lansing.
This town is historically associated with the Revolutionary War. The English under Baum marched across it when moving upon Ben- nington. This force entered the town from the northwest, traversing the present road which forms the boundary between Jackson and Cambridge and following the valley of the Owl Kill. On the night of August 13, 1777, Baum encamped at Waite's Corners. The Battle of Bennington took place in Vermont just across the line of White Creek
The principal points in this town are: North White Creek, Ash- grove, Pumpkin Hook, Center White Creek, Post's Corners, Martin- dale Corners and the village of White Creek.
The village of White Creek has been the business center of the town since the Revolutionary days. The first house here was built by John Allen and the first store was started by Jacob and Benjamin Merritt, who soon afterward located where the Sisson store now stands. Edward Aiken built a grist mill which became a cotton fac- tory, a woolen mill and a flax mill successively. Tanneries were erected by James Allen, Jonathan Hart and Sylvanus Tabor, and John Allen also put up a hat factory, Paul Cornell operated two trip hammers. George Mann made scythes and Edward Hurd had an axe factory here in the early days.
In 1810 a Union Academy was established at White Creek Village by subscription from the principal men of the village, but after a promising beginning it declined, was changed into a private school and ultimately went out of existence as an educational institution.
The Baptist society in this town dates back to 1772, when Elder William Waite began his labors. The church was formally organized in 1779 and Elder Waite was the first pastor. In 1788 their first church building was erected, but remained in an uncompleted condi- tion until 1808. This edifice was rebuilt in 1855. The parent con- gregation being at Waite's Corners, a branch was established at White Creek in 1796 and both congregations ultimately came under the charge of one pastor. The church at White Creek was dedicated in October, 1855.
Friends' meetings in White Creek were held as early as 1783 and a
484
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
meeting house was built in 1785, but this was replaced by a larger one in 1804. This edifice was burned down in 1874.
The Methodist Episcopal Church at White Creek Village was or- ganized in 1831 and a congregation of the same sect at Post's Corners in 1856.
[This article, written especially for this history, was received too late to go in with the town of Salem, and being of historic interest, is inserted here. ]
Shushan United Presbyterian Church was organized on the 6th day of June, 1820, as " The First Associate Congregation of Salem " and consisted of seventy members in all. The first pastor, Rev. James Waite, was ordained and installed July 6, 1825. The second pastor was Rev. David Gordon, and he was succeeded by Rev. David Wish- art French. The next was Rev. Hugh Brown and the fifth Rev. J. B. Clapperton, who was followed by Rev. R. J. Cunningham. Then Rev. D. G. Mckay was called and installed as pastor, who was suc- ceeded by Rev. S. W. Douthett. The latter was installed December 14, 1897. At the present time (1900) the congregation numbers 196 members. In 1879, during the pastorate of Rev. R. J. Cunningham, the church removed from their former location one mile east of the village of Shushan to the village, where a new and beautiful church edifice was built. largely through the liberality of the Low family. The present elders are W. J. Mccollum, John McGeoch, George M. Foster and William McGeoch.
485
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXVI.
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
PRINTING AND PUBLISHING IN SALEM.
HISTORY OF THE SALEM REVIEW PRESS.
BY T. A. WRIGHT.
For about fifty-nine years previous to the establishing of the Salem Press, which in 1885 was consolidated with the Salem Weekly Re- view, and is now (1900) published as the Salem Review Press. Salem had been the literary as well as the legal center of Washington County, and in fact of all that part of the country lying north of Albany. One newspaper had been maintained here almost continu- ously during these years, and a part of the time two public journals were published. Though, with few exceptions, no marked literary ability had been displayed by their editors, still the papers were great stimulators to public education and social advancement, were all pow- erful politically, and largely instrumental in developing and enriching the state, as well as the county.
While in this sketch the writer contemplated recording only the his- tory of the Review Press, with brief allusions to the characteristics and qualifications of the men who at various periods have guided its course through the storms of political upheavals, through wars and rumors of wars, and the social and religious changes of a half century, he is sorely tempted, as a prelude, to review the lives and works of these pioneers in the field of journalism, whose names and deeds became so familiar to him during his early connection with the craft in Salem.
First and foremost of them all was the man who, in all probability, penned the "Address to the People," published in the Times or National Courier, in the first issue (June 1, 1794) of that the first newspaper pub- lished in Washington County-St. John Honeywood. His early train- ing and education at Yale College, under the guidance of its distin- guished president. Dr. Ezra Stiles, in whose family he lived, his poetic genius, artistic abilities and marked literary attainments, enabled him to set a high standard in this virgin field for those who were to con-
486
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
tinue in the responsible work of keeping their readers informed of what was going on in their midst, and in the old world from which so many of them had recently fled.
George Gerrish was the publisher of the first newspaper in Salem, which expired in less than a year. It was succeeded, in 1795, by the Washington Patrol, with Honeywood as editor and William Wands as publisher. Either the field was too poor, or the business management inadequate, for notwithstanding Honeywood's literary ability, this second effort at journalism in Washington County failed in a few months.
Then came Henry Dodd, with a combination of business and edito- rial ability, and if half was true of him that the writer heard during his apprenticeship in the Salem Press office nearly forty years ago, the word " fail " was not in his vocabulary-at least not to be applied to any of his undertakings. With the energy, wisdom and tenacity of pur- pose of this man behind it, the third newspaper in Washington County, The Northern * Centinel, started on a successful career, and, excepting a brief period, Salem has ever since maintained a public journal.
Mr. Dodd was joined by a partner, David Rumsey, about 1803. and The Northern Centinel became The Northern Post. James Steven- son, Jr., joined the firm in 1814, and the name was again changed to the Washington County Post. Mr. Rumsey retiring soon after, the. business was continued by Messrs. Dodd & Stevenson until 1830-1, when it was sold to Mr. Dodd's sons, Edward and Henry W.
Judging from some of the books and pamphlets which the writer has examined, printed by these early craftsmen, it is evident that they were not only possessed of an extensive plant, but were capable and painstaking printers.
Henry W. Dodd died in 1834, but Edward continued publishing the Post until 1835, when he sold out to William A. Wells. Thus it will be seen that this family of Dodd, father and sons, for over thirty years conducted a public newspaper, in Salem, and were probably the most capable and successful journalists and printers the town has ever known.
Another family, the Gibsons, four generations of which, at various times, divided their energies between law and journalism in Salem,
* Spelled, as was then the custom, with a C.
487
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
all brilliant writers, did much to elevate the literary standard of the press in this county, as the files of the various papers they conducted and enriched with their contributions, bear witness.
The successor of the Dodds had been publishing a paper at White- hall, in this county, and he consolidated the two journals and con- tinued them as one at Salem, under the name of The County Post and North Star, until 1837, when the establishment was sold to Thomas G. Wait, and again resumed the name of The Washington County Post.
Once more, in 1838, the paper changed proprietors and James Gib- son first tried his hand at journalism. The high standard maintained by the Dodd regime had not been continued under Mr. Gibson's two immediate predecessors, but the brains and indomitable energy of this young lawyer instilled new life and vigor into the paper and stamped him as not only a master of law but of journalism, and during the two years in which he was the publisher the Post gained an enviable reputation and became a great power in politics.
In January, 1841, Mr. Gibson sold the establishment to William B. Harkness who continued the publication until 1845, when F. B. Graham became the editor and proprietor by purchase. Associated with him for a time was Clark W. B. Martin. The paper continued to be published until 1848, when its proprietor became financially embarrassed and The Washington County Post expired. Other writers have claimed that it was only a case of suspended animation, because the old hand press upon which the paper had been printed, came into the possession, nearly a year later, of one Robert G. Young who used it in printing a newly established newspaper at North White Creek, which he named The Washington County Post. This paper is now published at Cambridge and claims to have been estab- lished in 1798, but it is straining the law of heredity too much to admit its direct descent from any paper ever published in Salem.
That The Review Press has a legitimate claim to collateral decent from the first paper published in this town justifies the writer in embodying in its history the foregoing account of its predecessors.
As before stated during a part of the period covered by this sketch Salem sustained two public journals. In 1803 The Washington Reg- ister was established by John M. Looker, who after two years was succeeded by John P. Reynolds, whose ability soon made the paper one of the best in the state and gave it a wide circulation. In 1806
488
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
he was appointed one of the state printers, retaining the office for three years.
With Henry Dodd and his partners conducting one prosperous weekly and Mr. Reynolds another, during the following decade jour- nalism, publishing and printing in Salem reached high water mark. The printing of these two establishments was extensive and of a high character. Well preserved specimens of which can still be found in all the large public libraries in the United States and in many private collections of books. Here, in 1806, was printed, in Mr. Reynolds' office, "Hume's History of England," four octavo volumes, of over 600 pages each. The text is set in long primer type, with foot and marginal notes in minion. The typography is excellent and the presswork clean, sharp and even, giving little evidence of the inking ball and other crude implements and material then in use. Brains, good taste and mechanical skill are very much in evidence, not only in the printing, but in the binding and steel plate portraits of English sovereigns which adorn the work. This history was printed for Mr. Packard, an Albany publisher, and was a corresponding edition to " Smollet's Continuation of Hume and Bishop's Life of George the III.," bringing the history down to the beginning of the nineteenth century ; a work of great importance and interest at the time, as is shown by the list of 500 subscribers obtained before its publication. The following residents of Salem were among the number: Abram Allen, William K. Adams, Seth Brown, J. L. Billings, Philo Curtis, Otis Clapp, Asa Fitch, L. B. Foot, James B. Gibson, William McFar- land, George McWhorter, John McNaughton, W. F. Morrison, Samuel Nelson, J. P. Reynolds, (100 copies), David Russell, Samuel Smith, A. C. Saunders, John Savage, Charles Warford, Samuel Warford and William Williams. Among other books printed by these early prin- ters the writer has examined copies of " McEwen's Essays on Subjects of Divinity," " The Child's Instructor," a schoolbook much used; "Dr. Watt's Catechism for Children," Dr. Proudfit's "Ruin and Recovery of Man," a full bound duodecimo volume of 412 pages; "Owen on the CXXX Psalm," Washington's Farewell Address," printed for the Washington County Benevolent Society, 1811, a neat little volume, half-bound in green morocco; "Dr. Clark's Farewell Letter to his Former Congregation," seventy-two pages, 1811: " Dr. Proudfit's Theological Works," four volumes, 1815; "Speculative Masonry," by Salem Town, 284 pages, 1818, and numerous preten-
489
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
tious pamphlets and tracts. A beautiful edition of Burns' Poems, with the author's life, and extracts from some of his letters, was also printed here in 1815, two volumes, 24mo. This edition is now very rare.
The Associated Reformed Church in America had imported all their psalm books from Scotland, until the embargo of 1807 and the War of 1812, when the supply from this source was cut off. Dr. Proudfit induced Mr. Reynolds to print an American edition, the Doctor him- self reading and revising the proofs. A most accurate and well printed book was the result, and the work of Salem's printers was in nearly every Associate Reformed church in America in a short time. These are only a few of the many books printed by these printers. Two complete bookstores were carried on in connection with these printing offices, selling their own and other publications, thus draw- ing to Salem the literati of all northern New York.
For ten years Mr. Reynolds continued to publish The Register. He was succeeded in January, 1816, by Timothy Haskins. Three years later (1819) he sold the paper to James B. Gibson, the first of four of the name who have been connected with the press in Salem. Mr. Gibson was a prominent lawyer, but soon proved that journalism was also in his line, for he enlarged and otherwise improved The Register and for three years edited it with marked ability, and until 1822, when Beriah Stiles became editor and publisher. He also retained the paper about three years, when in 1825 the establishment was purchased by Reynolds & Warren. In less than a year Mr. Warren disposed of his interest to his partner who conducted the bus- iness until 1827, when Mr. Reynolds left Salem and a Mr. Patterson continued the publication with Alexander Robertson as editor, until 1830, when the publication of The Register ceased.
This left the Dodds in full possession of the field and for twelve , years only one newspaper was published in Salem. In 1842 William B. Harkness, who, as before stated, was publishing The Post, and John W. Curtis started a temperance paper and called it The Wash- ingtonian. It was printed in the office of The Post, but expired after a few issues, and again Salem had but one newspaper, and this too ceased to exist in 1848, as before stated.
That a railroad had entered the County at Whitehall and other and more fertile fields for journalism had opened in adjacent towns is the
[ 61 ]
490
WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
only reason the writer knows for the suspension of all publications in Salem; but the fact remains that for some time in the year 1848 until May 21, 1850, the town was without a local newspaper. On the latter date William B. Harkness resumed the publication of a journal here and called it The Salem Press. It was the largest paper that had up to this time been printed in the county, and in fact almost as large as any since published here. For five years Mr. Harkness continued its publication, when, in October, 1855, he sold the business to Daniel B. and Benjamin F. Cole. These brothers had learned their trade on the Press, and besides being expert printers, possessed good journal- istic abilities, and the business flourished under their management. In 1859 Benjamin F. sold his interest to his brother, and for ten years thereafter Daniel B. Cole carried on the business alone. Mr. Cole, though a genial gentleman, was a strict partisan in politics, and in the writer's memory the Press office was the rendezvous for the choice local spirits of the Democratic party; such men as Marinus Fairchild, William A. Russell, John R. Lytle, James H. Carswell, Asa Munson, of Hebron; Joseph Connor, Josephus Martin, and many lesser lights, met here to discuss party measures. Leaders of the opposing party often dropped in, to cross swords with ye editor, and he was ever ready and could give them royal battle.
In 1869 Col. Solomon W. Russell purchased the Press establishment and for nearly three years it flourished under his management. The dignity of journalism was never more forcibly exemplified in Wash- ington County than during Col. Russell's connection with the Salem Press. Up to this time ordinary local happenings of every day life were completely ignored by the press. Nothing short of murder, burglary, fire or suicide were ever written up, and these but sparingly. Marriages and deaths were published, however, and the obituary poet was tolerated then, as now. Col. Russell opened the columns of his paper, in a moderate degree, to local items, but it remained for his immediate successors to adopt the new school ideas and establish the local department. In December, 1871, Col. Russell sold The Salem Press to Messrs. Gibson and Robertson. James Gibson, Jr., the third of the name and family who had been engaged in journalism, brought to the publication the wealth of his splendid literary abilities, and its columns were filled to overflowing with the products of his fertile pen. Abner Robertson was his associate, and for about six months these two young lawyers worked together, and the popularity of the
491
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
Press grew apace. Political differences arose, however, and Mr. Robertson retired. Mr. Gibson continued to publish one of the best papers ever issued in the county until July, 1875, when the establish- ment was sold to Henry D. Morris. Mr. Morris was an experienced newspaper man, and the Press, under his management, retained its business standing, but lost its editorial ability. He continued its publication until September, 1880, when Elisha P. Thurston became editor and publisher.
In December, 1877, Daniel B. Cole again entered the field with a new paper, which he named The Salem Weekly Review. In con- nection with his newspaper Mr. Cole became a large publisher of law blanks, and it began to look as though printing and publishing was getting back to its old-time prosperity and importance in Salem
Mr. Morris and Mr. Cole were both veteran editors and practical printers, and they divided the old and brought to the town such new patronage as they could control, and again Salem showed that it could sustain two local newspapers.
In Mr. Thurston the Press had a splendid writer, but a poor busi- ness man, and while he published a good paper, financial embar- rassments came. In the meantime Daniel B. Cole had taken his son, Beverly F. Cole, into partnership. The father died November 8, 1884, and his other son, Harry E., entered into partnership with his brother, Beverly, and they continued the publication under the name of Daniel B. Cole's sons, until July, 1885. when they purchased The Salem Press of Mr. Thurston, and consolidated the two papers, and the names as well, into The Salem Review Press, which they continued to publish until December, 1886, when they transferred their interests to Hon. James Gibson, who continued its publication, as editor and proprietor, until his death in June, 1897.
Although forty-six years had passed since Judge Gibson had pub- lished and edited The Washington County Post in Salem, he had been a large contributor to the different Salem newspapers, especially of historical, genealogical and biographical matter. Once more in full possession of the Press he began the publication in its columns the results of his long and deep historical researches, and one after another appeared, in quick succession, his "Bench and Bar of Wash- ington County," "Graves and Grave Yards of Washington County," "Old Families," and other histories, thus preserving records of great value, not only to his own, but to future generations, and making
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.