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Full text of "Delaware County, New York; history of the century, 1797-1897; centennial celebration, June 9 and 10, 1897"

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COPYRIGHT  DEPOSIT 


//^ 


Gei\eral  Erasius  Root. 


Delaware  C  o^ntv? 

New  ^orU 


History  of  tl)e  Ccntar^j 

l(-9r-l397 


Centennial  Celebration 

Jcini.-  0  and   lo,   i  J07 


Edited   by   DAVID   MURRAY,   LL.D. 


WILLIAM    CLAKK.    iTHLL'^IIKl! 

II  K  I.  Fl  1  .      \  .      V. 

L'-'.is. 


Ct^ 


lOl'YKIGHT     I'.Y 


WILLIAM     CLAKK. 


1  S  9  «  . 


70CC?l£SR£CuVED. 


-O  U 


Judge  Ebenezer  Foote. 


/ 

/ 


PART    I. 


Pre  (cice. 


IX  issuino^  tins  ceuteuiiial  volume  to  the  public  tlit'  ol)ject  hus 
been  to  comuieiuorate  iu  some  permanent  and  suitable  way 
the  events  of  the  century  which  has  passed.  For  this  purpose  the 
public  celebration  of  the  ceuteuui;il  aunivcrsarv  was  held,  and  the 
records  of  this  memorial  volume  ha"ve  been  collected  and  printed. 
To  those  who  have  contributed  to  these  paj'^es  we  desire  to  ex- 
press our  most  cordial  thanks,  and  to  hope  that  thereby  a  work 
has  been  prt)duccd  which  may  lie  I'mnid  in  some  deg'ree  worthy 
of  the  occasion.  We  trust  tliat  the  impulse  wliicli  lias  been  j^iven 
by  this  celebration  to  the  spirit  of  historical  iucjuiry  amou<r  our 
people  may  be  augmented  by  the  effort  which  has  been  made  in 
this  book  to  gather  together  what  is  still  remembered  of  our 
history. 

It  is  impossible  to  name  the  almost  numberless  sources  of 
help  which  have  contributed  to  these  jjages.  Without  the  en- 
couragement and  aid  which  have  been  so  liberally  afforded,  it 
would  have  been  imijracticabic  to  bring  this  enterprise  to  a  suc- 
cessful issue.  It  is  proper  here  to  make  grateful  acknowledge- 
ment to  the  newspaper  press  of  the  county  for  the  uniform 
kindness  and  enthusiasm  with  which  the  centennial  celebration 
was  commended  and  this  forthcoming  volume  has  been  heralded. 
It  may  not  be  amiss  tn  ap<il(igiy.c  here  for  the  delay  which  has 
occurred  in  the  issue  of  this  centennial  volume.  It  has  l)e('U 
fcjuud  impossible  to  present  a  book  worthy  of  the  occasion  at  an 
earlier  day.  As  it  is,  we  fear  our  friemls  have  often  beconu?  im- 
patient over  tlie  persistency  with  wliicli  \vc  have  urged  the  com- 
pletion of  the  parts  undei  taken  by  them.  We  confidently  commend 
the    completed    work   to  all   tliose   who  are   proud   of  their  county. 


4  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COlWrV. 

and   wild   iirc   auxious   tliat    her   career   diiriii;^    the   lirst    ceutinv    of 
her  existence   may   be   wortliily   recorded. 

It  has  been  the  publisher's  aim  tn  make  this  vulumo  not  (Uily 
valuable  with  historic  facts  Imt  with  ilhistialinns  to  jjreseut  an 
accurate  and  quite  comj)reheiJsive  view  nf  the  county  as  it  ajjpcars 
at  the  Ijeginning  of  its  second  century.  This  feature  will  doubt- 
less 1)6  highly  appreciated,  and  the  durable  and  attractive  binding 
gives  added  value  to  an  imjjortant    work. 

(xrateful  mention  should  also  be   made   of   the    interest    and    c-n- 

..  couragement  manifested  by  the  good  people  of  the  county,  and  the 

hope  is  indulged  that    expectations    will    in   a    measure   be    realized. 


CO 


to 


Contents. 


PART  I. 

IXTKODri'TOUY. 

Object  of  the  Cfiitennial  Volume 

Sources  of  luformaliou 

Authors  of  Town  Histories  

Mr.  J.  A.  Parshall  ami  Mr.  S.  B.  Champion 

Illustrations 

Portraits  and  Views  

Maps  and  Books  relating  to  Delaware  County... 

Buns  Map  of  Delaware  County 

(JoiUds  Map  ot   Delaware  County 

Gould's  History  of  Delaware  County .-. 

FriMii-h's  Gazetteer  and   Hough's  Gazetteer 

Beers's  .\tlas 

Munsell's  History  of  Delaware  County 

Boston  Biographical  Go's  biographies .. 

Other  historioal  material 


Section  I.— Indian  0<'CCPANTs;  Wild  .\nimals. 


New  York  at  the  time  Hendriek  Hudson's  first  voyage 

American  Indians 

The  Confederacy  of  Five  Nations,  afterward  Six  Nations.. 

The  Mohicans 

The  peaceful  policy  of  the  Dutch 

Sir  William  .Tohnson  and  the  English  policy 

Treaty  with  the  Indians  as  to  thi'  liiu'  of  property 

Traditions  concerning  Teunis 

Wild  animals  in  Delaware  c(i\inty 

The  black    bear 

The  wolf,  the  fo.\  and  the  panther 

The  deer 


PAGE. 

19 

V.I 
lit 

i;» 

10 

lit 

•20 

20 

20 

20  I 

20 

21 

21 

21 

21 


The  woodchuck,  squirrels,  etc. 
Pa.ssenger  pigeons 


2.5 
25 
25 
2(1 
2(1 
27 
2H 
2S 
2!t 
2!) 
30 
:tl 
:t2 
32 


\ 


/ 


HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

VAGE. 

( larmloss  and  iiiaraiKliuf;  birds 35 

iiook  tniut.  anil  black  bass "5 

'luiis  of  shad  iu  the  Delaware 35 

Section  II.— Physical  Features. 

I  ijcueial  features  of  tlie  county S7 

The  Susquehanna  and  the  Delaware  valleys ■V, 

(Jeolofjiral  formations 37 

Bowlders •!« 

Flagging  stones 3S 

Highest  peak  in  the  county 39 

Crops  and  products 39 

Section  III. — Early  Settlements. 

Dutch  settlement  in  Middletown  4(1 

The  Johnston  settlement  in  Sidney 41 

Indian  raid  into  the  Johnston  settlement 4-2 

Pounders  of  Harpersfield 42 

Early  trials  in  Harpersfield 4.1 

Revolutionary   experiences ■ 45 

A^ctive  period  of  immigration 4(> 

Colonial  patents  in  Delaware  county  (note) 47 

Character  of  the  early  settlers 48 

Settlers  from  New  England 48 

The  Koxbury  contingent 49 

Scotch  immigration 50 

Section  IV. — Pioneer  Experiences. 

Trials  of  the  first  settlers 52 

Example  of  a  Scotch  family 52 

The  American  axe  and  its  use 55 

The  logging-bee 56 

The  first  crop WJ 

Tools  and  implements 57 

The  chimney  and  wood  fire 58 

Tallow  candles 58 

Friction  matches  (  note) .58 

Section  V. — Revolutionaby  Troubles. 

Tories  iu  all  the  settlements GO 

A  ijuarrel  at  Middletown 60 


\ 


CONTENTS.  7 

PAGE. 

The  r^i'ttli'iiii'iit  SHVod  \>y  Tennis (iO 

A'i{,'ilauoi'  eoiiiiiiitti>e  at  Harpeistield r.l 

Colonel  John  Harper <n 

.Iose|)li  Brant  the  Indian  chief <;2 

General  Herkimer's  ooul'erenee  with  Brant f'>'2 

Harperstield  settlers  escape <i5 

The  settlement  at  Sidney  visited  by  Brant fi-"> 

The  Indians  and  British  join  in  frontier  raids til! 

Tlie  Wyoming  massacres GO 

The  expedition  under  Generals  Sullivan  and  Clinton fil". 

The  liattle  at  Newtown l>7 

Indian  country  devastated .-.:'^  G7 

The  Genessee  valley  invaded fiH 

Indian  retaliations fiS 

Indians  appear  at  Harpersfieid  Gf^ 

Berainiscences  of  the  war ''^ 

Sectiox  VI. — Organtz.\tion  op  the  County. 

New  county  proposed Gil 

Charter  enacted  by  the  Legislature Git 

Boundaries  of  the  county G9 

Original  towns '" 

New  towns ^^' 

First  meeting  of  the  supervisors "1 

Court  of  Common  Pleas  organized "1 

First  court  house "1 

■Second ■court  house '"- 

Present  court  house ''^ 

Exciting  experiences '■' 

Population  of  the  county  by  towns '*' 

Taxable  inhabitants  in  1820 "<■' 

I'ounty  Judges ' ' 

Surrogates '  ' 

District   .attorneys ' ' 

County  Clerks ''^ 

Sheriffs ''* 

County  Treasurers '•' 

Members  of  Congress '^' 

State  Senators ''•* 


8  HISTORY    Oh'    DKLAWARK    CorXTV. 

PAGE. 

Members  uf  Assembly 79' 

Supreme  Ciourt  Justices So 

Coustitutioiial  Delpijates H5 

State  Officers S5. 

Section  VII. — Military  Con'cerxs. 

The   Ki'voliitiiiuary  iii(i\i'iiiriUs S6 

War  of  1812,  and  the  renewal  of  the  military  spirit 8& 

Organization  of  the  State  militia  S(; 

General  training H7 

A  general  training  broken   up  88 

Section  VIII. — Anti-Rest  Troubles. 

Lanil  and  land  patents 89 

Leased  lands ,S9 

Form  of  lease  in  use 9(1 

Movements  in  Albany,  Rensselaer  and  Columbia  eounlies 91 

Disguised  Indians 91 

Law  against  disguises 92 

Shooting  of  Steele 92' 

Contests  in  the  courts  and  the  legislature :),") 

Settlement  of  anti-rent  issues 9.5. 

Section  IX.— The  Civil  War. 

Contribution  of  troops  by  Delaware  eounty  97 

Company  I  of  the  71st  regiment  9T 

Troops  raised  in  Colchester 98 

Cavalry   companj'  98 

The  Ellsworth  regiment 99 

The  Eighth  independent  battery 99- 

The  Shepard  rifles lOO 

Company  I  of  the  SOth  infantry 100 

Contriliulion  to  the  lolst  regiment  100 

14Uh    regiment  : 101 

General  conclusions 105 

Section  X.— Early  Industries. 

(iradual  advamement  of  the   county 10(i 

Intn>diicLion  of  grist  mills  lOfi 

Saw  nulls  and  lumbering lOG,  107 

'I'annei-ies lOT 


fOXTKXTS.  1) 

vw.v.. 

Wood  asli(>s Hi" 

Miiplo  siifjar  lO.s 

Miillvr  iiiiiUiiiv;  KIN 

Eiii-ly  hiccils  (if  cows lii'.i 

r:irkiii.L;  and  niarUrtiiiK  Imtlur 1  Ml 

SK(  TION    XI.  — ItOAIlS   AND    KaILKOADS. 

Di'lawaii'  an  inland  connt.v Ill 

Dcvi'ldpnient  of  roads 1 1 1 

Care  of  till'  roads ♦. "...  11 1 

'I'll  in  pike  loni  panics 1 1- 

Tli.'  Eric  Canal 1 1-! 

AUc^'cd  firicvaiice  to  rcnioto   counties 112 

New  York  and  Erie  railroad 1  !•"> 

Mistake  of  abroad  gaii^je II') 

liciiclil  of  the  Erie  railroad  to  Delaware  <-oiinly ll'l 

Alliaiiy  and  Susquenaniia   railroad IH' 

New  York  and  ()s\vef,'o   Midland   railroad II" 

lionte  and  engineering  c|iiestions II" 

I'.onding  the  towns  for  its  construction 11" 

Ulster  a"d  Delaware  railroad 11« 

Aided  liy  bonding  the  towns H"-' 

Ailvantages  secured 1  !'•' 

Section  XII.   -Editation  and  Sihooi.s. 

The  pioneer  settlers  eager  for  education I'iO 

Movi'Uients  of  New  York  for  ciuiimon  scliools 1"-" 

■jiie  log   school   house 1-1 

En  nil  I  lire  and   e(|uipnii"iits 1-1 

'Peachers'  wages  (note) 1-- 

Ucgretful  renienibrance ''-•' 

Studies  in  a  country  school 1-5 

Going  up  and  standing  head '-•' 

Reading  liooks '-■■ 

Writing,  copies  and   |)eiis '-'' 

Ink  and  ink  powder '-'' 

.\ritlinielic '-'' 

AilvertiBonienl  of  hook  and  slalioncry 1-' 

Thunder   storm '-■ 

Till-  Kelaware   Academy '-^ 


10  irisrouY  OF  itFJ.AWMii':  coixry. 

I'AGE. 

Tlio  Di'la\v;iri>  Litoi-aiy  Iiistiluti' I'2:i 

The  Fi'r;;iis()nvill('  A(-adpniy I'M) 

Acuclciiiv  at  Deposit l:ll 

Tlio  Aiidos  Acaclpmy 1:11 

Tlio  Stamford  Snminary 131 

^Vallnll  Aoadomy  and  Uuioii  Srlmol •. i;V2 

Section  XIII.— Cmiunns  and  CiirKcir  Movements. 

Relit!ioiis  couviction.'^  of  pionocr.s 133 

Coiigrefjational  chuiclu^s 134 

Scotch  Piosliyterian  cliurdic.s 134 

IJaptisI  c-li inches 13.") 

Mi'tliodist  churches 135 

Protestant  Episcopal  churches 137 

Friends 137 

Koniau  Catholic  churches 137 

Separate  bodies  of  Scotch  churches 138 

Scdicli  cliiircli  in   Bovina 13'.) 

Services,  music,  Sunday  school,  i>tc 1311 

(V!lel)ration  of  the  Lord's  Sujjper 113 

Section  XIV. — Early  Physicians. 

Want  of  |ihysicians  among  tlie  early  settlers 14.") 

Br.  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes' view  of  medicines 14") 

The  mothers  were  the  physicians 14(1 

Sell- made  doctors 14(1 

I'hysicians  followed  the  coloni.sts 147 

The  clergy  were  often  skilled  in  medicine 147 

Sl.ile   mi'clii-al   society  14.S 

('oiinty  niedic-al  .societies 14,S 

Dr.  J.  H.  Brett 14« 

Di-.  Plait   Towiisend 14S 

Other  physicians H.S 

Walter  Scott  the  country  doctor 14'.l 

Life  of  George  Washington  (  note  i  l.")l) 

Dr.  Scott's  successor ].")] 

Equipment  of  a  doctor's  office LM 

Surgical    operations ].",-2 

Tn  rn-Key jr,o 

Bleeding  ]',•> 


1>A((F.. 

ExiK'iiiiH'Mls  witli    rlili)roriinn \'i'^ 

A  smjjiiiil  I'xpoiic'iicc Ifi;) 

SiwUlli'-liatis  anil  traveling  l")t 

A  I'alal  acM-iili'iit  l-')4 

Seition  XV.  -BioonAi'iiiiAr,  Skkitiies. 

C'uloncl  John  Haipi'i'.  Iiy  Allen  S.  rrilil>s  lo." 

.Iiiilf;i>  Kboufzer  Footi' H'd 

(Icncial  Krastus  Root l<i"> 

Hon.  Samuel  Sherwood,  liy  Saniii(>l  Sliciwooil  of  New  York Hill 

General  Henry  Leavenworth 174 

William  B.  Ogcleu IT'.I 

lU'v.  Daniel  Shepanl 1«'2 

.Tndge  Amasa  J.  Parker 1K.'> 

Jay  GouM 1H7 

Anthony  il.  Paine I'.ll 

Hon.  Samuel  A..  Law  P'l 

Colonel  Amasa  Parker I'll 

Hon.  Charle.s  Hathaway ll'l 

Hon.  Samuel  Gordon 1''2 

Dr.  ().  M.  Allahen lll'2 

Hon.  Norwood  Bowne 1!13 

Judge  William  Gleason 19:1 

Judgi'  William   Murray I'-);t 

General  Ferris  Jacobs,  jr I'-'-t 

Judge  Isaac  H.  Alaynard I'-"4 

PART  II. 
The  ('[^ntexnial  CELEniiATioN. 

Afldress  of  W.-lcume  by  Hon.  Abrain  ('.   Crosby 2li:i 

Letter  from  Rev.  John  L.  Scott,  D.  I) -'i'^" 

Letter  from  Rev.  A.  S.   Ked/.ie '210 

Remark.s  of  Gonerul  Amasa  J.  Parker ^I'i 

Remarks  of  Mayor  J.  H.  Milohell .' •21'"> 

Letter  fiom  David  Murray,  LL.   D '217 

UemarksofJ.   I.   Goodrich    Esii '21'-' 

Remarks  of  Thomas  G.  Smith  Ks.| ■2'20 

Remarks  of  Hon.  T.  E.  Hancock '2"2I 

Extracts  from  a  b'lti'r ■2'2!l 


12  nisroRV  of  DKi.AWMiK  corxrv. 

I'A(!E, 

VcKMii  "V.mi"  l.y  Artliur  ifoic 2->.'i 

Aikliess  l),v  Hon.  ('has.  E.  Lincoln  233 

List  of  Relics  c-xliihitcd  23K 

Ci'iiti'nnial  dinner 2311 

(I rami    procession  240 

Words  of  Welcome  by  Col.  R.  1'.    Corniiick 24() 

Anti-Rent  Episode  by  David  Murray,  LL.  D 243 

The  Anti-Rent  "Andes  Tragedy"  by  the,  lati^  Hon.  Richard  Morse 2(i4 

Memorial  airainst  the  Erection  of  the  County 2(17 

PART  III. 
Town  Histoisies. 

Andes,  by  O.scar  S.   Nichols 274 

Boxlna,  by  Hon.  D.  L.  Thompson 2'.ll 

Colchostei-,  By  Edward  E.  Conlon 3111 

Davenport,  by  Walter  Seott  ; 32(1 

Delhi,  by  John  A.  Parshall 331» 

Deposit  and  Tompkins,  by  Cu\.  G.  D.  Wheeler 3.55 

Franklin,  by  Williara  B.   Hanford 373 

Hamden,  by  Henry  W.   Holmes 3K3 

Hancock,  by  Hon  Wesley  Gould 401 

Harpersfiehl,  by  Allen  S.  (Jibbs 41.5 

Korlrij,dit,  by  William  B.  Peters 451) 

Masonville.  by  A.  F.  (letter 4K1 

Meredith,  by  Josiah  D.  Smith 41(3 

Middletown,   by  Hon.  Jolin  Orant,  and  Mrs.  J.  K.  P.  Jackson 503 

Ro.xbury,  by  Dr.  J.  N.  Wright 51S 

Sidney,   by  Edwin  R.  Wattles .52H 

St.'unford 547 

Walton,  by  Hon.  Timothy  Sanderson 5()7 

APPENDIX. 

Kci'ord  ol' First  meeting  of  Board  of  Siiperxisors 507 

Ki'cor'd  of  first  eleetion  canvass (100 

NewsiKipers  of  Delaware  County C.Ol 

Or'ganizatioir  of  towns (104 

f'or-i'cctioris  and   .\ddilions  (i()4 


I5ist  of  llUr.slrcilions. 


PA<iE. 

Poi'Uait  of  Gomnal  Enisliis  Root Facinf{  title  piif^e. 

Portrait  of  .Iiuij;i'  El>oii('zor  Foote 15 

A  PIdiii'i'i-  Home i:i 

Portrait  of  Hon.  Saiimcl  Slierwood :t:i 

Delaware  eouiity  waterfalls l:) 

Log  house  and  aii  old  ihureh 5:! 

Portrait  of  Hon.  Williaiii  B.  Ogdeu <>:) 

A  raft,  river  foniiiis,',  sugar  making 73 

Portrait  of  Hon.  .\masa  J.  Parker S3 

Delaware  tounlv  lakes  03 

The  Sherwood  residence 1M3 

Delaware  eounty  seeni'ry  113 

(ieneral  Leavenworth's  monument  and  stone  ((uarry 123 

Early  [ihysicians'  outfit  and  reminders  of  early  days 141 

State  .\rm(iry  at  Walton lull 

Portrait  of  Jay  Gould 177 

Group  of  portraits l'J5 

Centennial  deeo rations 213 

Centennial    Itadges 231 

.Vnli-Kenters'  Indian  disguises 24!) 

Centennial  di'eo rations 263 

Village  of  Andes 273 

Villages  of  Union  Grove  and  Shavertown 27il 

Village  of  Bovinn  Centre "-Hi* 

Lake  Dela wa re,  Bo vi na 2i)'.l 

Village  of  Downsvjlle 311 

Village  of   Arena  and  Shavertown  view 3111 

Village  of  Davenport 327 

Villages  of  Davenport  Centre  and  West  Davenport 331 

Village  of  Delhi 3.37 

County  farm  and  liridge,  in  Delhi 343 

Village  of  Deposit 353 

Village  of  Cannonsville 3.5i)- 

l:< 


14  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

PAGE. 

Villages  of  Eoek  Kift  and  Trout  Creek 3(>5 

Village  of  Franklin 371 

Village  of  Treadwell 377 

Village  of  Hamden 3sl 

Village  of  DeLaneey  and  Hamden  street 389 

Village  of  Hancock 399 

Villages  of  East  Branch  and  Fish   Eddy 405 

Villages  of  Harpersfield  and  North  Harpersfield 413 

Colonel  Harper's  monument  and  views 421 

Villages  of  Halcottville  and  Kellys  Corners 431 

Villages  of  Arkville  and  New  Kingston 441 

Village  of  Bloomville 459 

Village  of  Almeda  and  Bloomville  street 469 

Village  of  Masonville 479 

Villages  of  East  Meredith  and  Mer.'dith 489 

Village  of  Meridale 495 

Village  of  Margaret ville.  501 

Village  of  Griffin  Corners 511 

Village  of  Kosbury 319 

Village  of  Grand  Gorge 523 

Village  of  Sidney 529 

Village  of  Sidney  Centre 535 

Village  of  Stamford 545 

Village  of  Hobart 555 

Village  of  Walton 565 

Village  of  Walton 575 

Stratton's  Falls  and  view 585 

Jersev  cow  and  butter  firkin 593 


Introdactor\i. 


DllLVWAliE  c-ouiity  has  played  au  iinportaut  ]iart  in  tlic  jiast 
liistorv  of  the  coiuiiiouwealtli  of  New  York.  It  is  tittiiig, 
Tthereforc,  at  the  end  of  the  first  cciitiirv  of  her  organized  life,  to 
■  forumemorate  the  eirciinistanees  of  her  establishment,  and  to  fi^ather 
up  the  faets  of  her  experience  which  may  serve  as  lessons  for  the 
future.  The  committee  haviuj^'  charire  of  the  celebration  of  the 
centennial  anniversary  of  the  county  has  deemed  it  suitable  to 
prejjare  a  volume,  which  Ix'sides  coutaiuintj-  th<>  luoceedings  of 
the  days  devoted  to  the  public  exercises  at  Delhi,  should  also 
include  historical  notices  of  the  towns  and  the  county,  and  bio- 
^■ra])hical    sketches  of  some   of  her  most   eminent   citizens. 

It  is  impossible  to  enumerate  all  the  sources  from  wliidi  in- 
formation has  been  derived  for  the  compilation  of  tliis  story  of  a 
•  century.  To  the  authors  of  the  town  histories  whose  names  are 
given  in  the  contents,  the  committee  desires  to  express  its  special 
.thanks  for  their  valuable  contributions.  Ackuowledpfenients  are 
particularly  due  to  Mr.  John  A.  I'arsha]].  the  veteran  antiiiuarian 
of  Delhi,  for  his  constant  and  williuLr  assistance  at  all  times;  and 
to  Mr.  S.  B.  Champion  of  .Stainford  who  for  forty-seven  years  has 
edited  and  published  a  continuous  newspaper  and  whose  recollec- 
tions cover  more   than   hall'  of   the   county's  history. 

For  the  illustrations  which  add  so  much  to  the  interest  and 
value  of  the  volume  we  desire  to  express  our  obligations  to  those 
who  have  aided  us  in  securing  them — to  Miss  Foote  who  has  per- 
mitted the  photographing  of  a  miniature  bust  of  her  ancestor, 
■Judge  Foote;  to  Mr.  E.  B.  Sheldon  for  permission  to  copy  the 
portrait  of  General  Root  in  his  possession;  to  Mr.  Samuel 
.Sherwood    of  New   York    for   a    ])ortrait    of   his   grandfather   and   a 


20  Hl.srORV    OF    DELAWAllE    COUNTY. 

view  of  the  venerable  house  which  he  oecupied  when  he  wa«  a 
lewitleut  of  Delhi;  to  Mis.  John  V.  L.  Pruyu  for  a  portrait  of  her 
father,  Judge  Amasa  J.  Parker;  and  to  Miss  Helen  Miller  (xould 
for  that  of  her  father,  Jay  (xould.  Besides  these  notable  illustra- 
tions, it  is  most  fitting  to  make  mention  of  the  picturesque  views- 
of  places  and  things  gathered  by  Mr.  Chas.  T.  Telford,  the  i)hoto- 
grapher,  who  has  traveled  over  the  county  in  search  of  what  would 
add   interest   to   the  past  life   of  the    century. 

It  will  be  of  interest  here  to  enumerate  the  maps  and  books 
which  have  heretofore  been  published  in  reference  to  Delaware 
county.  In  this  statement  we  do  not  include  the  most  important 
publications  of  all,  viz:  the  newspaper  press  of  which  an  account 
is  given  in  the  appendix.  Mr.  S.  B.  Champion  has  kindly  furnished 
a  detailed  statement  of  these  publications  from  which  this  is  chietly 
derived. 

1.  In  1829  David  H.  Burr,  a  land  surveyor,  i)ublished  a  map 
of  Delaware  county.  It  was  maiulj'  designed  for  the  benefit  of 
the  owners  of  laud  patents  and  their  agents,  and  for  lawyers  con- 
ducting litigations  concerning  land.  The  boundaries  of  land 
j)atents  and  the  location  of  the  lots  are  there  given. 

2.  In  1856  Jay  Gould,  then  in  his  20th  year,  published  a  map 
founded  on  surveys  made  by  himself.  It  is  a  wall  map  containing 
plans  oi  all  the  villages  in  the  county.  Mr.  Champion  admiring 
his  pluck  and  self-reliance,  furnished  a  small  aiiKJiint  of  financial 
backing,   with  which  he  accomplished  the  jol). 

3.  While  Mr.  Gould  was  making  surveys  for  his  map  he  also 
collected  material  tor  a  history  of  the  county.  The  manuscript 
having  been  destroyed  by  tire  had  to  be  re-written.  It  was  pub- 
lished finally  in   1S.3(). 

4.  In  18(j()  a  Gazetter  of  the  State  of  New  York,  giving  a  brief 
history  of  every  county  in  the  State,  was  compiled  by  J.  H.  French 
and  published  by  K.  P.  Smith  of  Syracuse.  The  sketch  of  Dela- 
ware county  was  mainly  composed  of  facts  taken  from  Simms" 
liistcu'v    of   Schoharie    county,    Campliell's   histiuw  of  Tryon  county. 


isriiiiiirfTiiii  v.  •>i 

aii<l  ( iiiuld's  history  of  J)(-la\viirc  <-(iiiiitv.  In  IST.'i  it  new  cililiiiii 
iif  this  gazetter  was  pulilislicd  iiiidcr  t  he  sii]i(r\  isidn   of    Dr.    l-'iiiiik- 

liu   B.    Hough    who    hud    Ix'ou   eugaged   in    the    |ur]iarati f  the 

ori^^iiial  work. 

.").  In  1S()!I  au  athis  of  Dchiwarc  ccmiity  was  ])rcjiaicd  under 
the  direction  of  F.  W.  Beers  and  |inl>lislied  hy  Beers,  I'Ulis  and 
Soule  of  New  York.  It  resendilcd  (iould's  nia]!  in  styh'  and  ar- 
raiigeuient,  and  chiinis  to  liave  beeu  wade  from  ai'tual  surveys. 
But  this  is  uncertain.  It  contains  forty-oue  pages,  a  colored  map 
of  each  town  on  u  page  and  outlines  of  the  larger  villages  on  others. 

(i.  In  188(1  a  ([uarto  vulunie  of  tiic  liistory  of  Delaware  coiintv 
was  published  liy  W.  W.  JIuusell  iV  Co.  of  New  York.  It  contained 
'MVl  pages,  and  was  illustrated  with  county  buildings,  farms  and 
houses,   and   with   portraits  of  resident  citizens. 

7.  In  181)5  the  Boston  Biot;'raj)liical  l!e\icw  I'ulilishing  Com- 
pany issued  a  volume  uf  71  (i  pages,  containing  biograjihical 
sketches  of  591  persons  then  resident  in  the  county.  aci'om)ianied 
with  portraits  of  a  portion  of  them. 

8.  In  187"2  the  citizens  of  Sidney  celebrated  the  centennial 
anniversary  of  the  first  white  settlement.  The  j)roceediugs  of  this 
celebration  were  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  daj'  but  no 
centennial  voluiue  was  issued.  In  lsi)7  a  historical  souvenir  of 
Delhi  and  vicinity,  of  (!'2  ])ages,  was  ])ublishcd  contaiuiug  historical 
matter  and  illustrated  with   views  and  ])ortiaits. 

It.  Besides  these  publications,  which  refer  e.\<dnsiv<dy  to  Dela- 
ware ccniuty,  mention  may  here  lie  made  of  the  following  works 
which  deal  more  or  less  with  the  early  settlements  of  the  county, 
viz:  Simms'  History  of  Schoharie  County,  Campbell's  History  of 
Trvon  Countv,  and  Stone's  Life  of  Brant. 


Delaware  Coant\;. 
I. 

Indian  Occapant.s;     Wild  Animals. 


m^T^  we  could  tiike  a  birds-eye  view  of  the  .State  of  New 
York  at  the  time  Heudrick  Hudsou  in  1(500  sailed  up 
the  river  which  uow  boars  his  name,  we  would  behold 
a  territory  almost  completely  covered  with  forest. 
Here  aud  there  shiuinn-  lakes  would  be  seen  where 
the  blue  water  is  striviuf^-  bravely  to  keep  at  l)ay  the 
encroachiug  forces  of  the  laud.  Numberless  streams 
trickle,  aud  glide,  and  How  along  wooded  banks  out  to 
the  UK'asureless  sea.  The  Hudsou  river  aud  its  tributaries  draining 
the  region  of  the  Adiroudacks  and  the  beautiful  valleys  to  the 
south  of  them, — the  Delaware  aud  Susquehanna  reaching  their  thin 
tendrils  up  into  the  mountains  of  ceutral  New  York, — the  branches 
of  the  Ohio  laving  their  gentle  banks  in  western  New  York,  ;uid 
the  mighty  St.  Lawrence  and  the  streams  which  feed  aud  drain 
the  lakes, — what  a  fascinating  picture  they  present  aud  what  a 
story  they  have  to  tell  to  him  who  can  read  the  future  or  the  pjist. 
The  only  inhabitants  of  this  vast  wilderness  at  the  time  of 
Heudrick  Hudson's  invasion  of  its  solitude  were  the  American 
Indians.  Although  jJositive  and  fixed  homes  cannot  be  assigned  to 
these  red  men  in  the  same  sense  as  to  the  white  men  vvho  followed 
them;  yet  in  a  general  way  it  may  be  stated  that  the  centre  of  the 
State  was  occupied  by  the  powerfid  confederacy  of  the  Five  Nations 
of  Indians.     These  wore  the  ^lohawks,  the  ()noi<las,  the  Ononda>,'as, 


26  HISTORY  OF  ni':i..\\VM{h:  forxrv. 

the  Cavugas,  aud  the  Senecas.  Subsetiueutlv  iii  1717  the  Tuseavo- 
ras,  a  coguate  tribe  who  dwelt  iu  the  Caroliuus,  removed  to  New 
York  and  were  admitted  into  the  Indian  League,  which  uow  l)e- 
canie  the  confederacy  of  the  Six  Nations.  These  tribes  occupied 
the  middle  and  western  parts  of  the  State. 

The  Mohicans,  sometimes  called  the  Delaware  Indians,  occupied 
the  regions  along  the  Hudson  river  and  as  far  east  as  the  Con- 
necticut, and  westward  to  the  head-waters  of  the  Susquehanna. 
This  tribe  was  less  warlike  and  more  disposed  to  be  friendly 
towards  the  white  settlers  than  their  enemies  the  Six  Nations. 
The  novelist  Cooper  in  his  "Last  of  the  Mohicans"*  has  drawn 
a  fascinating  jjicture  of  the  fragments  of  this  tribe  at  the  time  of 
the  French  war  in  the  region  of  Otsego  lake.  They  had  been 
conquered  and  reduced  to  a  pitiable  condition  of  dependence  by 
their  fierce  neighbors;  and  at  the  time  of  the  revolutionary  war 
when  the  Mohawks,  under  the  lead  of  Brant  and  at  the  instigation 
of  the  British,  raided  the  loyal  settlements,  the  Delawares  were 
able  to  make  no  headway  against  them. 

No  part  of  the  present  county  was  ever  the  permanent  home  of 
the  Indians.  They  visited  various  parts  of  it  on  hunting  excur- 
sions, and  established  camps  which  remained  fixed  for  mouths;  but 
they  always  withdrew  before  the  rigors  of  winter  began.  The 
present  site  of  Sidnej'  village  was  thus  an  Indian  hunting  camp; 
and  several  places  on  the  East  Branch  of  the  Delaware,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  West  Branch  where  the  valleys  slope  oS  in  several 
directions,  were  visited  by  Indians  in  their  annual  hunting  excur- 
sions. This  right  to  rove  the  forests  in  the  ojjinion  of  these 
savages  gave  them  an  ownersliiii  in  territory,  which  the  early 
settlers  were  considerate  enough  to  respect.  It  was  the  jJolicy  of 
the  Dutch,  who  came  first  into  the  territory  of  the  New  Nether- 
lands, to  treat  the  Indians  as  the  real  land-owners.  They  bought 
the  island    of    Manhattan,   although  the  price    which    they    paid — 

*  Wo  have  followed  the  novelist's  cxamiilr  in  iisin;4  tlic  word  Mohican  as 
till'  name  of  this  tritie. 


IXDIAX   (lOTI'AXrS:      WILD   AXIMM.S.  27 

tw ciity-fDiir  dollars — seems  uow  so  ridicMilously  iiiiiil('i|uate.  The 
Yiiu  Keusselaer  colonists  who  settled  the  territory  about  Albauy 
bought  the  lauds  of  the  ludiaus,  of  which  they  afterward  received  a 
f>-rant  from  the  Dutch  West  India  C'oiiipauy.  So  too,  after  the 
Dutch  possessions  in  Anicricii  had  been  transferred  to  the  I'luglish 
iu  1()(]4,  the  new  owners  niaiutained  the  same  peaceable  relations 
with  the  aborigines.  Aud  when  the  great  Hardenbcrgh  patent 
was  given  by  Queen  Auue  iu  1708  to  Johannes  Hardeubergh  and 
his  associates,  it  was  required  of  them  that  they  must  extinguish 
tlie  Indian  titles  before  the  grant  would  be  complete.  In  doing 
this  there  arose  a  controversy  between  the  patentees  and  the 
Indians  as  to  whether  the  great  tract  lying  l)etween  the  East  and 
West  branches  of  the  Delaw-are  river  was  included  in  the  sale  made 
by  the  Indians.  In  order  to  settle  this  dispute  the  patentees 
agreed  to  purchase  frmii  the  claimants  the  disjmted  territory,  for 
which  they  paid  the  sum  of  one  Iniiulred  and  forty-nine  jiounds, 
nineteen  shillings. 

In  order  to  maintain  amicalile  relations  with  tlic  Six  Nations  tin? 
English  Colonial  (Tovernment  ap]iointcd  iu  174(i  William  Jolinsou 
(afterward  Sir  William)  as  Commissary  of  Indian  Affairs.  He  had 
been  trained  by  the  Schuylers  of  Albauy  who  had  maintained  the 
traditional  Dutch  policy  of  peace  and  fairness.  He  established  his 
office  at  Johnstown  in  Fulton  county,  so  called  after  himsi'lf.  My 
his  great  influence  he  kept  the  Six  Nations  on  the  side  of  the 
British  during  the  French  war;  and  when  the  hostilities  of  the 
revolutionary  war  were  about  to  break  out,  his  ascendency  was 
shown  by  the  New  York  Indians  alnitist  uuanimously  taking  the  side 
of  the  tories.  He  died  in  1774  just  before  active  hostilities  began; 
but  his  i)olicy  was  continued  by  the  members  of  his  family  who  were 
maintained  by  the  government  in  the  same  re.spousible  position. 

One  of  the  most  important  agreements  which  Sir  William  John- 
son made  with  the  Indians  was  a  treaty  entered  into  at  Fort 
Stanwix  in  17(iH.  This  treaty  was  designed  to  settle  the  disputes 
which   had    arisen    in   reference   to    the    western    boundary    line    to 


28  HISTUUV    OF    DELAWARE    CUrXTV. 

which  the  loeatiou  of  white  settlements  mig-ht  extend.  The  line 
tixed  by  this  treaty  was  an  irregular  one  beginning  on  the  Ohio 
river  and  ruuuing  eastward  to  the  Susquehanna,  and  along  branches 
of  the  same,  thence  to  the  Delaware  river,  and  so  north wiird  near 
the  present  city  of  Rome  and  1)y  the  Canada  Creek  to  Lake  Ontario. 
It  was  signed  on  the  part  of  the  British  by  Sir  AYilliam  Johnson, 
and  on  the  jjart  of  the  Indians  by  representatives  of  eac-h  of  the  six 
confederated  nations,  viz  the  ^lohawks,  the  Oueidas,  the  Tuscaro- 
ras,  the  Onondagas,  the  Cayugas,  and  the  Senecas.  Sir  'William  on 
behalf  of  his  government  paid  to  the  Indian  chiefs  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  seven  shillings  and  three 
pence,  and  in  return  received  a  deed  of  the  land  so  conveyed. 
Delaware  county  lay  to  the  east  of  this  line,  which  was  known  as 
the  "line  of  pro2)erties."  It  was  therefore  open  to  settlement,  both 
under  the  terms  of  this  treaty,  and  under  the  Hardenbergh  patent 
which  had  originally  been  bought  from  the  Indians. 

The  only  Indian  who  is  known  to  have  lived  in  Delaware  county 
after  the  Revolutionary  war  was  old  Tennis,  who  dwelt  alone  in  a 
little  tent  by  the  lake  which  still  retains  his  name,  situated  in 
Boviua  near  the  borders  of  the  town  of  Andes.  The  story  con- 
cerning him  is  that  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  when  the 
Indians  were  about  to  make  a  raid  upon  the  white  settlements  in 
Middletown,  the  family  of  Mr.  Yaple  received  a  friendly  warning 
from  this  Indian  who  had  received  kindnesses  from  them.  Taking 
advantage  of  this  timely  caution  ilr.  Yaple  and  his  neighbors 
escaped  and  drove  off  their  cattle  and  saved  much  of  their  belong- 
ings. Prol)al)ly  the  action  of  Tenuis  in  giving  notice  to  the  whites 
enraged  his  companions,  and  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  escape 
into  solitude.  Here  he  lived  for  many  years,  supporting  himself 
by  hunting  and  fishing,  and  occasionally  receiving  a  little  help 
from  the  white  neighbors  who  always  felt  for' him  a  deep  sense  of 
gratitude  for  saving  their  lives. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  when  Teunis  ran  short  of  lead  to  make 
balls  for  his  ritle,  he  used  to  make  a  journey  of  a  few  days  from 


IXDIAX    OCCrPAXrS:      WILD    AXIMAl.S.  29 

home,  aud  liriuj^  back  with  him  blocks  of  a  miueral  which  he  used 
for  the  mauufacture  of  balls.  This  ga\e  rise  to  the  belief  that  there 
was  somewhere  within  reach  a  lead  mine  to  which  Tenuis  went  for 
his  sujiplv  of  this  niiueral.  Search  t'nr  it  has  often  been  made;  but 
no  such  mineral  deposit  has  ever  beeu  found.  It  is  impossible  that 
he  derived  it  from  anj'  natural  mine.  Au<l  he  never  revealed  the 
source  of  his  supply.  It  is  j)robable  that  he  had  access  to  some 
secret  store  of  lead  which  his  tribe  had  established  when  they 
used  to  roam  over  this  rejicion  in  search  of  {jjame. 

It  is  as  apjjroisriate  a  place  as  we  shall  find  to  },'ive  some  account 
of  the  wild  animals  which  inhabited  the  wilderness,  when  the  white 
settlers  came  into  Delaware  county.  The  largest  and  most  power- 
ful of  these  animals  was  the  black  Ixar  (I'rsus  anicricamisi  which 
roamed  freely  through  all  the  mountainous  regions  of  the  county. 
Their  food  was  a  mixed  carniverous  and  vegetarian  diet.  When 
pressed  with  hunger  they  watched  for  and  destroyed  domestic 
animals.  They  were  specially  fond  of  honey,  and  when  a  tree 
contained  a  store  of  this  delicious  food  the  bear  was  always  on  hand 
to  climb  it  and  if  possible  extract  some  of  its  sweetness.  .  The 
earliest  settlers  suffered  much  from  their  depredations  among  their 
hogs.  As  was  often  the  case  the  hogs  were  turned  into  the  forests 
to  collect  nuts  as  food;  and  the  liears  took  advantaj^'e  of  the 
opportunity  to  seize  them  and  caiTy  them  off.  At  other  times  when 
the  hogs  were  contiued  in  a  pen  to  be  fed  with  the  milk  of  the 
dairy,  the  bears  often  came  jirowling  by  night  around  the  buildings 
and  carried  off  the  well  fed  occupants  of  the  pen. 

For  these  reasons  the  farmers  were  always  prepared  to  hunt 
these  natural  enemies.  Every  one  had  his  rifle,  au<l  many  were 
skilled  in  the  use  of  it.  The  tlint-lock  rifle  was  at  these  early  times 
the  chief  kind  of  gun  in  use.  The  percussion  cap  was  not  iutro- 
(bucil  until  about  IS-lO.  The  old  fashioned  long  barreled  Jliut-lock 
American  rifle  was  a  most  effective  weapon,  not  only  in  the  hands 
of  the  white  pioneer  settler,  but  also  in  the  skilled  and  steady 
hands  of  the  Indians. 


30  iiisroh')-  OF  iiHi.AWAUH  cofxrv. 

Tlie  wolf  (Cuiiis  lujiiiK)  Wiis  ;ilso  ;i  foiuiuou  pest,  iilioiit  tlic  UfW 
farms.  It  was  a  cowardly  Imt  a  luiscliievous  auiiiial.  Their  spe- 
eialty  was  the  waylaying-  aDil  killiij;^'  of  sheej.).  They  remained 
hiddeu  during  the  day  and  came  out  at  idght.  A  single  wolf  in 
this  way  often  became  the  terror  of  a  wliole  neighborhood.  From 
its  lair,  often  almost  inaccessible,  it  would  sally  out  in  search  of 
unprotected  sliee]!.  If  the  season  were  winter  and  snow  on  the 
ground  it  was  possil)le  to  track  its  depredations.  But  even  when 
the  hunter  was  able  to  follow  the  wolf  to  its  lair,  it  was  sure  to  have 
taken  timely  wai-ning  and  made  its  escape.  Dogs  were  often  used 
to  follow  tlic  trucks  of  the  wolves,  and  sometimes  combined  efforts 
were  made  to  hunt  and  destroy  what  had  become  a  serious  and 
destructive  nuisance. 

The  red  fox  (Vulpex  fulves)  was  another  of  the  farmer's  enemies. 
The  destruction  of  poultry  was  its  special  purjjose.  It  also  was  a 
night  prowler.  It  was  hunted  esj^ecially  in  the  winter  time  by 
men  with  dogs.  The  English  fox-houud  was  early  introduced 
and  was  a  common  sentinel  on  the  farms.  The  fox-skin  had 
besides  a  commercial  value  which  led  to  a  keener  interest  in 
hunting  this  animal. 

The  most  dangerous  wild  animal  which  frequented  the  woods  of 
Delaware  county  was  the  panther — commonly  called  "painter" 
(Felis  concoler).  It  was  not  a  large  animal,  but  belonging  to  the 
cat  family,  was  possessed  of  great  agility.  It  sought  its  ijrey  by 
noiselessly  gliding  within  reach,  and  then  making  a  sudden  spring. 
Ill  this  way  it  attacked  deer,  and  sheep,  and  (^ven  cows.  It  was 
capable  even  of  attacking  a  human  being*  when  tempted  by  hunger 
or  by  the  helplessness  and  exposure  of  its  victim.  It  scarcely  ever 
appeared  in  the  oj^en  fields,  and  whenever  it  was  killed  by  the 
hunter  it  was  nearly  always  when  found  lurkiu.n'  furtixcly  in  tlie 
woods. 

From  time  to  time  the  l)c)ard  of  supervisors  offered  bounties  for 

*  Sec  Coopi'r's  desciiptiou  of  Loatherstockiug  shooting  a  I'aiUln'i-  and 
saving  the  life  of  Elizabetli  and  Louisa.     Tlie  Pioneers  p.  337. 


IXDIAX    oni-l'AXrS:      WILD    AXIMALS.  31 

the  killing  of  some  of  the  ilestnictive  wild  auinials.  The  bounty 
iu  Inter  times  was  $5  for  kiiUin^^'  a  wolf,  and  S15  foi-  killing  a 
panther. 

The  animals  hunted  for  food  were  not  many,  tlie  red  deer 
(Cervus  canadensis)  being  the  principal  one,  or  indeed  almost  the 
only  one.  This  graceful  animal  roamed  the  hills  of  Delaware  in 
great  numbers  and  even  down  to  a  recent  period.  The  flesh  was 
an  im])ortant  article  of  food  to  the  j)ioueer  settler.  Tlu'  ujale  is 
provided  with  antlers  which  fall  off  every  spring  and  grow  out 
again  during  the  summer.  Each  year  additional  prongs  grow 
upon  tlie  antlers,  so  that  the  age  of  a  buck  nuiy  be  approximately 
known  by  the  nundjer  of  prongs  \ipon  his  antlers.  The  female 
gives  birth  to  one  doe  at  each  time  of  breeding,  so  that  the  increase 
of  the  herd  is  not  rapid.  They  feed  entirely  on  vegetables.  Their 
common  food  is  the  buds,  leaves  and  twigs  of  forest  trees,  and  the 
wild  grass  and  plants  which  grow  near  streams  of  water.  They 
arc  liuntcd  iu  two  ways:  oiir  the  still  hunt  wlicrc  tlie  liuntcr  cicejis 
silently  and  slowly  ujiou  his  prey,  and  shoots  one  of  a  lunl.  .\s  the 
deer  is  exceedingly  timid  and  very  swift  of  flight,  it  is  not  easy  to 
get  within  shooting  distance.  The  aeconil  method  of  liunting  is 
with  dogs  who  are  capable  of  tracing  the  animal  l)y  scent,  'V\\v. 
deer  runs  usually  in  a  well  known  track,  and  therefore  the  hunter 
stations  himself  near  where  it  is  expected  to  pass.  The  baying  of 
the  hounds  gives  warning  of  the  approach,  and  when  the  Heet 
footed  animal  darts  by  the  hunter  must  be  ready  to  give  it  the  fatal 
shot. 

Besides  the  Hesh  of  the  deer  which  furnished  delicious  food  to 
i\u\  s  !ttlcr,  the  skin  was  tanuc<l  into  a  soft  leather  called  buck-skin, 
which  had  niauy  uses.  The  Indians  used  it  for  moccasins  and 
othei-  [uiniitivc  purposes.  White  settlers  made  from  it  leggings, 
mittens,  gloves,  whip-l.islies,  etc. 

There  were  besides  the  large  game  already  enumerated,  several 
smaller  and  xinimportant  animals.  Thus  there  was  the  woodchuek 
(.\rctomys  niouax),  which  was  hunted  for  the  skin,  and  which  fed 


32  IllsroliV    (IF    Dh'LAWAh'K    ((ilXTy. 

speciallv  ou  the  red-clover  aud  was  troublesome  to  the  farmer  by 
making  trails  tlirout^h  the  growing  meadows.  There  were  at  least 
three  kinds  of  squirrels,  which  however  playful  aud  pretty  were 
destructive  to  the  ripened  grain:  the  chip-monk,  the  red  squirrel, 
and  the  gray  squirrel.  To  these  may  be  added  the  beautiful  black 
squirrel  which  however  was  more  rare  than  any  of  the  others.  The 
squirrels,  especially  the  chip-monk,  were  sometimes  a  great  nui- 
sance to  the  farmer,  in  stealing  corn  aud  wheat  and  rye.  Some- 
times S(|uirrel-hunts  were  held  in  a  neighborhood,  when  every 
body,  who  could  get  a  gun,  started  out  to  kill  all  the  squirrels  he 
could  find.  There  was  usually  a  jjrize  offered  for  the  person  who 
killed  the  greatest  number,  and  a  second  prize  to  him  who  killed 
the  next  greatest.  The  necessity  for  this  kind  of  destruction  of 
squirrels  has  long  since  disappeared,  and  farmers  are  now  cpiite 
willing  that  the  nimble  little  marauders  should  steal  all  they 
need  to  supply  their  summer  food  aud  their  winter  stores. 

Some  of  the  older  inhabitants  of  the  county  will  remember  the 
flocks  of  wild  pigeons  that  sometimes  in  the  spring  llew  over 
the  valleys.  These  birds  were  jDroj^erly  called  Passenger  Pigeons 
(Ectopistes  migratorius).  The  breeding  places  of  these  birds  were 
in  the  north,  sometiiues  as  far  as  the  Hudson  Bay  country.  The 
immense  flocks  in  which  they  crossed  Delaware  county  were  on 
their  way  to  the  breeding  grounds.  These  flocks  were  sometimes 
half  a  mile  wide  and  long  enough  to  require  two  or  three  hours 
to  pass  over  a  given  place.  In  Cooper's  Novel  of  the  Puiueers,  will 
be  found  a  description  of  a  flight  of  pigeons  near  Otsego  Lake, 
when  the  group  of  characters  is  represented  as  killing  the  birds 
with  clubs,  and  guns;  and  how  in  their  extravagance  even  a 
cannon  loaded  with  scraps,  was  tired  into  the  almost  interminable 
flock.* 

Such  migrations  of  pigeons  however  have  completely  ceased. 
"With  the  more  destructive  agencies  now  made  use  of,  the  pigeon 
like  the  buffalo  has  been  almost  hunted  out  of  existence.     Delaware 

*  See  Cooper's  Pioneers,  p.  '2fi7. 


Hor).  Sarriuel  Sherwood 


ixniAX  occri'Axrs:    wild  ammm.s.  ;^r) 

•coimty  sees  tlieiu  uo  more,   altbougli   titty  years  aj^o  they  were  n 
common  sight  which  many  of  the  ohl  iubahitants  will  i-emember. 

Besides  the  swallows,  the  robins,  the  woodjieekers,  and  other 
birds  which  were  harmless,  there  were  a  nuinlii  r  which  were 
regarded  as  the  enemies  of  the  farmers  and  which  were  always  held 
as  legitimate  objects  of  their  skill  in  gunning.  These  were:  the 
crows  which  fed  voraciously  on  the  newly  sown  grain  and  against 
whom  scarecrows  were  almost  valueless;  the  hawks,  wliich  were 
marauders  of  domestic  chickens;  owls  which  prowled  about  the 
houses  h\  night  to  hunt  for  mice  and  other  destructive  rodents, 
l)ut  which  when  tiesh  is  scarce  do  not  hesitate  to  help  themselves  to 
grain  and  fruit;  and  more  rarely  the  eagle  which  from  its' tlight  in 
the  air  pounced  mercilessly  upon  the  young  lambs,  and  even  some- 
times upon  young  children. 

It  only  remains  to  say  a  word  aliont  the  wild  inhabitants  of  the 
waters  of  Delaware  county.  The  most  notable  of  the  tish  in  its 
■streams  has  always  been  the  brook  ti-out  (Salmo  fario).  This 
delicious  fish  frequents  the  streams  of  t(iii])erate  climates.  It 
ascends  all  these,  even  the  very  small  ones,  for  the  purpose  of 
selecting  suitable  ground  for  spawning.  During  everj'  rise  of  the 
streams  there  is  an  irresistible  instinct  in  these  ti'ont  to  push  on  to 
higher  and  higher  ground.  They  are  fislu'd  legitimately  with  a 
bait  of  angle-worms,  or  grasshoppers,  or  with  an  artificial  fly.  But 
the  streams  of  the  county  have  been  so  thorougldy  fished,  and  the 
methods  of  illegitimate  fishing  with  weirs  and  nets  so  much  used  in 
them,  that  the  brook  trout  has  very  largely  disapjieared.  It  is 
only  where  portions  of  the  streams  are  "preserved"  and  protected 
from  coniUKin  fishing  that  a  few  of  this  delicious  game  are  still  to 
be  found. 

In   the  rivers  there  liave  been  preserved  from  the  earliest  times 
some  of  the  black   bass,  which  is  caught   with   a  bait  or  with  a  ll\ 
It  is  an  excellent  table  tish,  but  has  never  been  very  abundant. 

Among  the  early  settlers  along  the  West  braudi  of  the  Dela- 
ware as  well  as  the  East  branch,  there  was  for  a  time  runs  of  shad 


:Mi  iiisroiiY  OF  iiHi.AWAi:!-:  corxrv. 

(Alosa  saijidissfiiia)  iu  the  spring.  This  of  course  was  before  the 
shad  fishing  on  the  lower  Delaware  was  as  destructive  as  it  has 
since  become.  Now  shad  rarely  go  higher  tliau  the  dam  above 
Trenton  iu  the  Delaware  river,  and  sueh  a  thing  as  the  expectation 
of  a  profitable  run  at  Dej)osit  or  Colchester  is  out  of  the  question. 
Thus  we  have  traced  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  county 
from  their  earliest  time  of  the  white  settlers.  The  forests  that 
sheltered  the  Indians  and  the  game  on  which  they  lived  have 
almost  gone.  The  streams  of  water^  once  sheltered  from  evapora- 
tion by  the  abundant  and  over-hanging  trees  have  dwindled  into 
in.significauce.  The  lumber  which  used  to  give  work  to  the  chop- 
per, and  a  rush  of  business  every  spring  to  the  raftsman,  is  gone. 
Instead  we  have  thousands  of  civilized  inhabitants,  mdnstrious  and 
thrifty;  cows  instead  of  deer;  sheej)  instead  of  wolves;  roads  and 
railroads  instead  of  Indian  trails;  and  churches  and  school-houses 
with  worshij)pers  and  smiling  school  children  on  every  road  and  in 
everv  village. 


II. 

Ph\^sic^il   Featares. 


IF  we  mark  out  ou  the  map  of  the  Colour  of  New  York,  before  its- 
settleiueut  by  the  whites,  the  little  space  included  iu  the 
preseut  couuty  of  Delaware,  it  would  l)e  found  to  be  a  very  rou^^li, 
though  a  very  picturesque  spot.  It  is  covered  completely  by 
woods,  mostly  of  maple  and  beech  interspersed  with  birch,  eherrv 
and  l)ass-wood.  But  at  frequent  intervals  there  were  fine  groves 
of  pine  and  spruce,  and  inouutains  clothed  to  the  very  tops  with 
the  rich  green  of  the  heiidock.  The  soil  in  general  was  stonv  and 
incorrigible,  and  responded  unwillingly  to  the  tillage  of  the  hus- 
bandman. But  along  the  rivers  and  brooks  there  were  here  and 
there  sweet  bits  of  intervale  which  softened  the  roughness  of  the 
surface.  Every  where  from  the  hillsides  burst  out  little  springs 
which  each  in  turn  contributed  to  streams  that  flowed  into  the 
picturesque  rivers. 

The  Susquehanna  river  roughly  sjseaking  Hows  along  the  north- 
western border  of  the  county;  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware 
intersects  the  southern  townships,  and  the  West  branch  the  central 
townships.  The  county  is  thus  divided  iiito  three  sections  each 
with  a  high,  irregular  water-shed  drained  by  numl)erless  tril)utary 
streams. 

I  have  before  me  the  new  geological  ma])  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  which  Professor  James  Hall*  the  State  geologist  has  issued. 
.\t  my  reijuest  he  has  furnished   me   with   a   sjiccial   colored   map  of 

*  Professor  Hall  is  li.v  iiiauy  years  the  seuior  of  any  oflicur  cu-  employe 
of  the  Stale.  He  reei-iveil  his  tirst  aiipointmeiit  in  the  geolot^ii^ul  survey  from 
Governor  Man-y  in  lH:t7.  and  ho  has  hi'on  lontiauously  since  then  in  the 
service  of  the  State. 

37 


88  IllsrilUV    (IF    liKLAW'ARK    CdrXTY. 

Delaware  coimtv.  More  thau  tbree-fourtlis  of  the  couuty,  iuchuliuji- 
all  the  southern  portiou  l)elou<>s  to  the  Catskill  foriiiatiou.  A  little 
corner  on  the  north  side  iuchulinf^'  portions  of  the  to\vushi])s  of 
Davenport  and  Harpersfield  belongs  to  the  Ithaca  formation. 
South  of  this,  extending;'  alonj^'  the  Sus(iuehauna  and  including' 
parts  of  Sidney,  Fraukliu,  Meredith,  all  of  Kortright,  and  j)arts 
of  Harpersfield,  Stamford  and  Roxbury,  and  following-  the  West 
l)riiuch  down  below  Hamden,  and  the  East  branch  below  Halcott- 
ville,  lies  a  very  irregular  space  belonging  to  the  Oneonta 
formation.  Finally  there  is  another  very  irregular  tract  forming 
the  division  between  the  Catskill  and  Oneonta  formations,  and 
belonging  to  the  Chemung  formation.  No  coal  deposits  occur  in 
any  of  these  formations,  and  no  minerals  of  any  kind  have  ever 
been  discovered  within  the  limits  of  the  county. 

Occasionally  bowlders  have  been  encountered,  especially  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  which  indicate  that  in  the  glacial 
])friod  much  of  this  region  was  covered  with  ice.  Moving  with 
resistless  impulse  it  carried  with  it  from  distant  points  the  rocks 
which  it  had  picked  np  on  its  way.  In  the  township  of  Franklin  is 
an  immense  bowlder  which  from  its  composition  and  character 
could  not  possibly  have  been  derived  from  any  neighboring  rocks. 
This  bowlder  was  brought  to  my  attention  by  Professor  J.  C. 
Smock  now  superintendent  of  the  (Teological  Survey  of  New  Jersey. 
He  visited  it  when  he  was  studying  the  evidences  of  the  glacial 
I)eriod  in  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  and  expresses  his  belief  that 
it  was  brought  thither  by  the  ice  from  some  jjoiut  in  Canada. 

The  rocks  in  Delaware  countj'  are  not  in  general  suitable  for 
building  purposes.  The  only  valuable  C[uarries  are  the  fiagging 
stones  which  have  been  found  in  several  localities.  In  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  village  t)f  Delhi  these  quarries  have  been  worked 
to  great  advantage,  so  that  few  places  have  better  tiagged  side- 
walks than  this  charming  country  village.  When  building  stones 
are  required  in  the  structures  which  are  to  be  erected,  they  must 
be  brought  from  a  distance;   or  the}'  may  be  picked  up   in  small 


PIiysTCAr.    FKATlliKS.  Si)- 

quantities  from  the  bowlders  wbiuli  have  beeu  dropped  here  and 
there  as  described  above. 

The  luoimtaius  of  Delaware  couuty  form  a  coiiiu'cting  link 
between  the  Blue  Ridge  on  the  south  and  the  Catskill  and  Helder- 
berg  mountains  on  the  north.  The  highest  peak  in  the  county  is 
Mt.  Pisgah  situated  in  the  township  of  Andes,  said  to  be  about 
3,400  feet  above  tide.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  county  the 
mountains  are  high  and  the  vallej'S  narrow  and  declivitous.  With 
the  exception  of  the  bottom  lands  along  the  rivers,  there  was  little 
land  capable  of  growing  successful  crops  of  grain.  The  best 
crop — and  this  has  given  to  the  county  its  distinguishing  spe- 
cialty— was  the  gi-ass  which  furnished  pasture  to  the  cows  in 
summer,  and  hay  for  them  in  winter.  The  springs  and  brooks 
which  provided  abuudam-e  of  water,  and  the  trees  which  i)r(>vided 
refreshing  shade,  were  helps  in  the  same  direction. 

For  a  long  time  the  aljuudauce  of  pine  in  parts  of  the  louuty 
gave  employment  to  many  lumbermen,  who  cut  and  hauled  and 
rafted*  to  market  the  product  of  the  forests.  In  like  manner  the 
hills  covered  with  hemlock  furnished  bark  for  tanning  leather. 
But  a  century  of  such  <lestructive  industries  has  virtually  ex- 
hausted these  sources  of  jjrimitive  wealth.  Few  rafts  are  now  run 
either  on  the  "West  or  J^ast  branches.  And  scarcely  a  tannery  can 
be  encountered  in  any  i)art  of  the  couuty. 

*  See  below  Section. 


III. 

Early;  Settlements. 


THE  only  {jurt  of  the  present  coiiuty  wbicli  is  claimed  to  have 
been  oc(nipied  by  wbite  settlers  at  a  date  [jrior  to  the  Fort 
•Stauwix  treaty  is  a  small  settlement  on  the  East  branch  of  the 
Delaware  river  in  the  present  town  of  Middletowu.  lu  the  year 
1762  or  1763  a  small  band*  of  adventurers  of  Dutch  extraction  set 
out  from  Hurley  in  Ulster  county  to  explore  the  lands  on  the  East 
branch  of  the  Delaware.  They  ascended  Shandaken  creek,  crossed 
over  the  mountains  forming  the  divide  between  the  triliutaries  of 
the  Hudson  river  and  the  Delaware,  and  found  themselves  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  the  East  branch.  To  their  great  surprise  they 
found  here  evidences  of  a  deserted  Indian  village,  which  they 
afterwards  learned  was  called  Pakatakan;  and  even  traces  of  Euro- 
pean settlements  at  several  places.  These  latter  were  doubtless 
left  by  the  hardy  trappers  and  traders  who  had  forced  their  way 
hither  in  search  of  beaver  skins,  and  had  found  at  least  two  homes 
of  the  beaver  near  this  place. 

The  hardy  adventurer's  from  Hurley  took  up  fai'uis  along  this 
valley,  and  having  made  some  hasty  prejiarations  went  back  for 
their  families.  They  obtained  warranty  deeds  for  the  land  from 
■Chancellor  Livingston  one  of  the  heirs  of  Johannes  Hardenbergh 
the  owner  of  this  tract.  The  price  paid  was  twenty  shillings  an 
acre;  and  the  deeds  bear  the  date  of  1763.  The  names  of  these 
first  settlers,  so  far  as  they  have  come  down  to  us,  were  the 
brothers  Harmauus  and  Peter  Dumoud,  Johannes  Van  Waggoner, 
Peter    Hendricks,     Peter    Brugher,     and     Messrs.     Kittle,    Yaple, 

*  I  aiij'iiidobtcd  to  n  communication  from  Dr.  O.  M.  Allaben,  in  Gould's 
Jlinlory  of  Delawuri'  County,  I'or  this  account  of  tlic  iriddlctowii  pioneers. 

w 


KMil.V   Sl'rri'LICMKXT.S.  41 

iSlougbtei'  (uow  uaiued  Sliter),  Hiiicbaf^li,  Greeu  aud  Bicrcli.  Their 
farms  were  c-hoseu  alouf(  the  banks  of  the  East  branch,  aud  the 
viciuitv.  The  settlers  were  driven  off*  by  the  Indians  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  (1778),  and  the  l)iiildin<is  and  iinprovonicuts  were 
destroyed.  But  soon  after  tlic  \\:ir  tlu'V  returned  aud  resumed 
their  a1>an<loned  farms. 

The  first  settlements  in  both  Sidney  aud  Harperslield  took  place 
about  the  year  177(1;  and  both  iu  like  manner  were  interrupted  by 
the  disturl)ances  of  the  Hevolutionary  war,  which  shortly  followed. 
The  pioneer  of  the  former  of  these  settlements  was  Uev.  William 
Johnston  a  Presbyterian  clergyman  born  in  Ireland,  and  who  had 
resided  several  years  previous  to  his  removal  to  the  Susquehanna 
valley  in  the  neighborhood  of  Albany.  Mr.  Joliustou  aud  his  son 
Witter  Johnston  jo-urneyed  by  Otsego  lake  and  thence  down  the 
Susquehanna,  stoi>ping  finally  at  the  beautiful  tlats  which  are  now 
called  Sidney.  Here  they  found  a  few  scattered  but  friendly  In- 
dians, belonging  to  the  Housntouick  tribe,  which  at  this  time  were 
subject  and  triliutary  to  the  Six  Nations.  They  selected  a  farm  of 
520  acres  bordering  on  the  river,  which  w-as  a  part  of  a  laud-patent 
belonging  to  Bauyar  and  Wallace,  of  which  they  bought  the 
fee-simple.  In  the  Hevolutionary  troubles  which  soon  came  on 
Wallace  took  the  tory  si<h-.  aud  his  property  which  the  Johnstons 
had  bought,  Imt  had  imt  ])aid  for,  was  confiscated  aud  became  the 
property  of  the  State.  On  the  recommeudation  of  the  governor, 
however,  the  Johnstons  on  payment  of  the  balance  still  due  were 
contirmetl  in  the  title  to  the  land  they  had  bought. 

The  Johnston  fauiily  occupied  their  new  home  iu  the  year  177;^, 
and  were  followed  by  otlier  families  who  soon  made  a  thriving  and 
attractive  neighborhood.  Ihey  were  named  Sliter,  Carr,  Wood- 
cock and  Dingnian.  The  Sliters  inter-married  with  the  Johnstons 
and  iu  the  troubles  of  the  I{evolutiouaiy  war  took  witli  them 
the  patriotic  side.  But  the  others  became  tories  and  are  lost 
sight   of,    except    that    Carr    afterward    is    said    to    have    erected 

*  Soc  IipIciw  Section. 


4-2  HISTORY    OF    DELAWMiK    CorXTV. 

the  lirat  grist-mill  in  this  viciuity,  upon  Carr's  brook  which 
empties  into  the  Susquehanna  a  few  miles  above  the  Johnston 
settlement. 

In  1777  during'  the  Revohitionarv  war  the  Johnston  settlement 
received  a  visit  from  Brant  and  a  band  of  Iro(iuois  Indians.  The 
Susquehanna  valley  was  a  frequent  resort  of  these  fierce  warriors; 
and  all  the  scattered  Indians  of  other  tribes  which  wandered 
through  the  region  between  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Hudson 
were  tributary  to  the  Iroquois.  Brant  and  all  the  Six  Nations  had 
made  a  treaty  with  the  British  through  Sir  William  Johnson  and 
had  embraced  the  tory  side  in  the  pending  controversy.  He  came 
with  a  band  of  about  eighty  men.  The  white  settlers  held  a 
conference  with  the  redoubtable  chief,  who  announced  to  them  his 
ultihiatutn.  He  gave  them  eight  days  in  which  to  leave  their  homes, 
after  which  everything  would  be  at  the  mercy  of  his  followers.  If 
any  of  the  families  chose  to  declare  themselves  British  partisans,  he 
promised  them  protection  and  i^ermission  to  remain  in  their  homes. 
Under  this  urgent  alternative  Mr.  Johnston  and  the  other  whig 
families  took  leave  of  their  little  jJossessions  and  hurried  to  Cherry 
Valley.  They  were  there  when  the  little  village  was  burnt  by  the 
Indians  in  1778;  but  the  family  escaped  iu  time  from  the  massacre, 
and  one  of  the  sons  was  in  the  fort  which  withstood  the  efforts  of 
the  savages  to  burn  or  take  it. 

After  the  war  was  over  the  fugitive  families  returned  iu  1784  to 
their  homes  at  Sidney,  and  resumed  the  peaceful  and  prosi)erous 
life  which  has  made  Sidney  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  all  the 
towns  iu  the  county. 

It  remains  to  say  something  about  Harjierstield,  which  is  the 
only  other  part  of  the  county  which  was  settled  by  white  jjeople 
before  the  Revolutionary  war.  The  founders  of  Harpersfield  were 
a  family  of  Harpers,  whose  ancestor  James  Harper  migrated  from 
Ireland  to  Maine  iu  1720.  After  successive  migrations  of  the 
family  John,  a  grandson  of  the  Irish  emigrant,  settled  iu  17.54  at 
Cherry  Valley  in  New  York.     A  son  of  this  John  named  John,  ji'.. 


Near  ttaraaretviUe. 


Steele's  BrooK,  Delt\i. 


Near  Duriraveq. 


KAh'i.y  si-:ttij-:mi-:.\ts.  45 

was  the  founder  of  Harperstielcl,  and  his  son,  also  named  John,  was 
t.he  noted  Colonel  Harper  who  was  so  conspicuous  in  the  border 
wars  of  the  revolution. 

In  1767  the  Harpers  obtained  from  the  Colonial  ^overunient 
permission  to  obtain  from  the  Indians  a  tract  of  laud  containing 
100,000  acres  not  before  purchased,  situated  near  the  head-waters 
of  the  Delaware  river.  After  this  transaction  was  complete  the 
Harpers  received  from  the  government  a  deed  of  the  laud  in  17()i). 
Two  years  after  this,  in  1771,  Colonel  Harper  established  his  family 
upon  this  tract  and  proceeded  to  divide  it  into  suitable  farms  for 
settlement.  A  considerable  number  of  families  from  Cherrv  Valley 
and  old  friends  from  New  England  soon  after  joined  them,  and  tlie 
place  took  on  an  appearance  of  prosijeritj'.  The  first  settlers 
however  were  suliject  to  some  severe  trials  from  the  w-ant  of  food 
for  themselves  and  their  cattle.  Their  nearest  neighbors  were 
thirty  miles  olT  at  IScholiarie,  and  for  grist  mills  they  were  com- 
pelled to  go  down  the  Schoharie  creek  to  the  Jlohawk.  In  1775, 
however.  Colonel  Harper  erected  a  grist  mill  for  the  convenience  of 
his  neighbors.  The  whole  tract  was  heavily  timbered,  mostly  with 
majjle  and  beech,  and  the  making  of  maple  sugar  was  one  of  the 
chief  early  industries.  The  lands  covered  l)y  hardwood  are  always 
more  easily  cleared  than  those  covered  by  pine  or  other  evergreens. 
The  rich  and  varied  farms  of  Harpcrstield  came  rapidly  into  condi- 
tions of  fertilit}'  and  were  soon  able  to  siipport  a  widesjiread  and 
prosperous  population. 

But  before  the  settlement  could  attain  this  condition  of  2^ros- 
perity,  it  was  compelled  to  go  through  a  jjeriod  of  trial  during  the 
Revolutionary  war,  which  left  its  impress  for  a  long  time  u])ou  its 
inhabitants  and  its  growth  and  progress.  It  was  in  the  summer  of 
1777  that  the  a])proacli  of  Brant  and  JJutler  with  a  band  of  Indians 
and  tories  made  the  Harperstield  settlers  realize  the  danger  of  their 
position.  Some  Hed  to  Schoharie  and  some  went  back  to  New 
England.  So  that  from  that  time  to  the  close  of  the  war  Harpers- 
tield was  almost  deserted.  Occasionally  some  of  the  fugitives  came 
A 


4(i  HlsroIiV    (IF    DELAWARE    CorXTV. 

back  from  Soholiarie  to  look  after  their  possessions.  Thus  iu  the 
spring  of  1780  Captain  Alexander  Harper  and  a  number  of  others 
went  to  Harpersfield  at  the  usual  sugar  making  season.  Brant  and 
his  party  of  Indians  surprised  and  cajjtured  them.  Some  were 
killed  and  scalped,  while  Harper  and  several  others  were  carried 
bv  a  long  and  tedious  march  to  the  British  fort  at  Niagarii. 
There  they  remained  as  prisoners  iu  circumstances  of  fearful  misery 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  Others  were  taken  as  prisoners  to 
Quebec  where  they  were  kept  until  under  the  treaty  of  peace  they 
were  set  at  liberty. 

After  the  establishment  of  peace  most  of  the  families  returned 
to  their  homes,  which  however  had  been  in  many  cases  desolated 
bv  the  Indians  and  tories.  Other  settlers  rapidly  joined  these 
pioneers,  attracted  by  the  sturdy  character  of  the  founders,  and  by 
the  liberal  terms  on  which  they  could  secure  farms  on  which  they 
might  settle.  From  that  time  down  to  the  present  Harpersfield  has 
continued  to  be  one  of  the  most  thriving  and  prosperous  of  the 
towns  in  the  coXinty. 

The  23eriod  following  the  war  was  everywhere  active  in  emigra- 
tion. The  soldiers  who  had  spent  many  years  in  fighting  for  their 
countrv  had  lost  that  attachment  to  their  homes  which  made 
abandonment  dif&cult.  They  had  learned  of  hundreds  of  places 
where  they  could  find  farms  to  be  taken  up  and  homes  to  be 
established.  Many  of  the  officers  of  the  army  received  in  lieu  of 
pay  which  was  due  to  them  grants  of  laud  fi-oui  which  they 
expected  to  realize  abuudant  profits.  They  did  not  foresee  the 
times  when  the  fertile  Genessee  country,  and  the  rich  valleys  of 
Ohio  would  be  speedily  in  demand.  But  they  eagerly  accepted  the 
proffered  lands  still  unoccupied  in  the  eastern  portions  of  New 
York.  Poor  old  General  Steuben  who  had  performed  such  noble 
service  for  his  American  friends,  was  rewarded  with  a  townshijj 
named  after  him  iu  the  rough  i-egions  of  Oneida  county.  Baron 
DeKalb  was  in  like  manner  rewarded  with  an  equally  fertile  (!) 
tract  of  land  in  St.  Lawrence  county. 


/•;.  1  /i' /.  r  .s /■; rri. i:.\n:s vs.  47 

Much  of  the  hiuil  iu  Delawari'  coiiiity  had  liccu  grauted  iu 
various  tracts  before  the  breakiuj^  out  of  the  war.  The  year  1770 
-seems  to  have  beeu  aiiiaziugly  prolific  iu  Dehiware  county  patents. 
In  the  uote*  appeudcd  will  be  found  the  patents  j^rauted  in  Dela- 
ware county  by  the  English  Colonial  government.  iSubsetiuent  to 
the  formation  of  the  State  government  many  tracts  were  i)urchased 
from  the  State,  by  land  speculators  who  generally  sold  but  some- 
times rented  to  settlers  the  farms  which  tliey  undertook  to  clear  and 
cultivate.  The  largest  of  these  tracts  was  in  the  western  angle  of 
the  State,  aiul  occupying  a  region  owned  l>y  the  Stjite  of  Massachu- 
setts. The  two  states  settled  the  question  of  jurisdiction  by  an 
agreement  that  the  price  of  tlie  lauds  when  sold  should  go  to  Mas- 
sachusetts, l>ut  tli.-it  the  whole  tract  slioiild  belong  politically  to  the 
State  of  New  York.  The  land  was  in  17111  sol<l  by  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  to  Phelps  and  (iorhani;  but  on  account  of  their  fail- 
ure to  fulfill  the  contract,  it  was  resold  subse(piently  to  them 
together  with  a  numl)er  of  other  purchases.  Almost  all  the  contents 
of  the  counties  of  the  State  west  of  Cayuga  lake  were  included  in 
this  territory.      .-Another  large    tract    is    usually    called   the   Macomb 

'  List  (.if  patents  granted  by  the  Enirlish  Coloiiial  Govoinnii'iu.  in  Delaware 
■county.     Houijh'i*  (Uizfleer,  p.  48  : 

Bal)ingtOB's  Patent,  1770,  2,000  acres,  Charles  Baliington. 

BeiUington  Patent,  1770,  27,000  aere.s,  John  Leake  and  others. 

Clarke's  Patent,  1770,  2,000  acres,  James  Chirke. 

DeBeriiier's  Patent,  1770,  2,000  acres,  John  I)<>Bernier. 

Franklin  Township,  1770,  30,0011  acres,  Thomas  Wharton  and  others. 

Golrlsljoroiigli  Patent.  1770,  (i.OOO  acres,  Edward  Tudoi-  and  others. 

Hardenhergh  Patent,  1708,  ,  Johannes  HardeuhiMgh  and  others. 

Harper's  Patent,  17i',0,  22,000  acres,  John  Harjier,  Jr. 
-  Kortright  Patent,  1770,  22,000  acres,  Lawienci'  Koitiighl. 

Leake's  Patent,  1770,  5,000  acres,  Robert  Leake.     Forfeited  by  attainder. 

McKee's  Patent,  1770,  40,000  acres,  Alexander  McKee  and  others. 

MeKee's  Patent,  1770,  18,000  acres,  additional,  Alexander  McKee  and  others. 

Prevost  Patent,  1770,  ,  James  Prevost. 

Strasburgli  Township,  177(1,  37,000  acres,  John  Butler  and  others.  For- 
/eited  by  attainder. 

Walton's  Patent.  177ii,  20,000  acres,  WIIUhmi  \Viilto[i  and  others. 

Whiteboro  Township,  38,000  acres,  Henry  Wliite  ami  i.thers.  I'orfeii.Ml 
J)V  attainder. 


48  msronv  or  hkla  wauk  c<jrx'ry. 

purchase,  situated  iu  Fraukliii,  St.  Lawrence,  Jefferson,  Lewis,  Os- 
wefi^o  and  Herkimer  counties.  The  lands  iuchided  in  these  Liter 
puroliases  were  usually  sold  in  fee  sini])le  to  the  settlers:  while 
imii-li  of  that  iu  Delaware  ciuinty.  surli  as  tlic  Hardei]l)er,yh  patent. 
tli<'  Ivortri^ht  jiateut,  the  Liviuf^ston  patent,  the  Verplanck  tract, 
etc.,  were  granted  on  lease. 

The  settlements  formed  iu  the  various  towns  will  l)e  detailed  iu 
the  tt)\vu  histories  gi'^'^u  below.  The  pioneers  were  of  varied  na- 
tionality, and  in  this  respect  were  a  fair  sanqile  of  the  mixed 
25opulatiou  through(nit  the  State.  From  Kingston  came  the  Dutch 
and  Palatine  (lermaus  and  a  few  of  the  Walloons,  who  settled  iu 
Middletown  along  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware.  The  same 
classes  of  emigrants  had  settled  the  Schoharie  valley  and  thus 
formed  a  continuous  belt  of  low  Dutch  pioneers  from  Albany  up  the 
Mohawk  river,  thence  up  the  Schoharie  creek  to  its  liead  waters  and 
then  down  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware,  meeting  the  little  body 
of  Dutch  jjioneers  who  had  lirokeu  through  the  mountain  barriers 
from  Kingston.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  these  emigrants  were 
industrious,  intelligent,  and  conservative.  Like  their  Euroi)eau  an- 
cestry they  sought  as  places  of  settlement  low-lying  lands,  border- 
ing the  picturesque  streams  which  aliouuded  iu  the  new  continent. 
There  were  no  considerable  number  of  these  Holland  emigrants  who 
came  into  Delaware  county.  The  lauds  were  opened  up  to  settle- 
ment too  late  to  take  advantage  of  the  Holland  period  of  New  York 
history.  This  jieriod  ended  iu  1664  when  the  Dutch  possessions  in 
America  were  by  treaty  transferred  to  England.  After  that  time 
few  emigrants  came  from  Holland  to  New  Y(n'k,  aud  the  only  Dutcdi 
j)ioneers  into  Delaware  county  came  from  the  older  settlements  of 
the  same  nationality  in  other  parts  of  the  colony. 

The  great  mass  of  the  early  settlers  in  Delaware  county  were 
from  New  England.  They  had  already  learned  that  the  hlcak  hills 
where  they  had  at  tirst  made  their  homes  wew  by  no  means  the 
fertile  aud  productive  regions  they  had  anticijiated.  From  the 
earliest  times  there  w'as  a  continuous  stream  of  emigration  from  the 


h:.\Ri.y  sirrri.h-MKXTs.  4>( 

■colonies  iiud  states  of  New  Kiiyhnul,  liist  into  ciistern  New  York, 
tlien  into  western  New  York,  iinil  still  later  into  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois  and  farther  west.  There  was  a  time,  just  subsecjiient  to  the 
Kevolutiouarv  war,  when  many  of  these  restless  aud  adventurous 
New  Euf^'landers  stuii^ht  homes  near  the  head  waters  of  the  Susque- 
hanna  and  the  Delaware  rivers.  The  immense  town  of  Fraid<lin 
which  at  its  organization  contained  thirty  thousand  acres  of  land 
was  largely  settled  l)v  New  Englanders.  Slumaii  Wattles  the  first 
settler  came  tliither  from  Connecticut  in  17.S5  acconi])anied  hy  his 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  followeil  hy  numerous  friends  who  ra]iidly 
huilt  up  a  thriving  and  intelligent  conununity.  The  town  of  Wal- 
ton was  a  part  of  Franklin  until  17!(7,  and  it  too  was  largely  settled 
hy  families  of  New  England  origin.  Dr.  Piatt  Townsend  came 
liither  fnuu  Dutchess  ciiuut'.  and  lirought  with  him  a  iiunilier  of 
friends  fi'om  Long  Island  who  like  himself  had  first  migrated  fiom 
Connecticut.  This  auspiiious  hegiuuiug  led  many  other  New  Eng- 
land families  who  were  seeking  new  homes  to  come  into  the  valleys 
of  the  Delaware  and  tlic  Susi|U(iianna. 

Another  notable  company  of  colonists  came  in  ITH'.t  consisting  of 
twenty  heads  of  families  and  twii  .single  men  from  Fairfield  c-ounty, 
Connecticut.  They  were  exploring  the  wildei'uess  in  search  of  ,i 
suitable  place  in  which  to  settle.  They  came  from  Catskill  and 
after  a  long  journey  reached  the  head  waters  of  the  A\'est  l)iancii  of 
the  Delaware.  Here  they  found  a  friend  in  an  old  settler  nam(Hl 
luman,  who  aided  them  to  find  hinds  on  which  they  could  settle. 
I'art  <pf  them  lo<-ateil  in  the  p|-eseiit  tdwii  uf  lioxbury,  whicli  tlieu 
was  the  town  of  Stamford;  the  others  found  luunes  in  wluit  still 
bears  the  name  of  Stand'ord  in  Hose's  brook.  This  lias  continued  to 
l)e  a  most  thrifty  and  pnispcrous  settlement,'  an<l  to  this  day  be.-irs 
the  marks  of  the  ]iioneers  wlio  fcuinded  it. 

*  The  names  of  this  company  arc  ^iven  in  HimtiVit  Ifinlori/  of  Ihlidnirr 
•Coiiii/i/  as  I'ullows:  Josiah  I'atcliin,  Cajitiiin  Atiraham  (loiilil,  Colonel  John 
Hiililili",  Aaron  Rollins,  I,suac  HnljMi',  Tah'ott  (louhl.  Isaac  (loiild,  (icorge 
Si|uires,  Walter  and  Soth  Lyou,  John  Polly,  Ste|ihen  .\fhiins.  Peter  and  Ebea 
Jennings,  Joseph  Hill,  autl  one  by  the  name  of  Gibson.  The  two  unmarried 
jiien  were  David  Gould  and  David  Sipiirps.     See  p.  197. 


50  HTSTOnr    OF    DKI.AWARE    CnVXTY. 

The  Seoteb  iiiniiij^riitiou  iutu  Dclawiirr  cdniity  was  prim-qiallv  of 
a  later  date.  A  few  ciune  to  the  ref^ioii  alioiit  the  time  of  the 
Revohitiou.  John  More  was  a  Seotehiuau  who  came  iuto  the  cimii- 
try  ami  fouuded  Moresville  in  ITHIi.  Kortrin'ht,  so  uamed  from 
Lawrence  Kortrisht  who  jnirchased  a  patent  of  twenty-two  thou- 
sand acres  fi'om  Colonel  Harjjer,  was  settled  principally  l)y  immi- 
grants from  the  uortli  of  Ireland  and  from  Scotlauch  The  patent 
was  purchased  in  1770  and  the  settlement  began  from  that  date. 
But  the  great  mass  of  the  settlers  came  in  during  the  first  twenty 
years  of  the  i^resent  century. 

Andes  received  a  large  contingent  of  Scotch  immigrants.  These 
were  not  however  the  first  settlers,  who  were  of  Dutch  ancestry  and 
came  from  the  Hudson  river  counties.  But  a  large  numl)er  of 
Scotch  families  came  in  at  various  times  and  settled  the  Cabin  Hill 
region  and  some  of  the  valleys  towards  Bovina.  It  was  this  same 
movement  which  led  many  of  the  same  nationality  to  invade  the 
rough  regions  of  Bovina.  They  had  been  jjreceded  in  this  move- 
ment by  Elisha  B.  Maynard  a  New  Euglander,  who  was  the  first 
settler,  in  179"2.  But  the  hardy  Scotch  crowded  iuto  the  lauds  on 
the  head-waters  of  the  Little  Delaware,  and  made  the  little  town, 
when  it  was  organized  in  1820,  almost  their  own.  The  town  of 
Delhi  in  like  manner  contains  many  families  who  by  ancestry  are 
Scotch.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  mountainous  region  rising 
from  the  Little  Delaware  on  the  south-west.  The  section  is  still 
called  the  Scotch  mountains  from  the  fact  that  the  greater  part  of 
it  was  settled  liy  Scotch  families.  It  will  be  observed  that  m  all 
these  settlements  of  the  Scotch,  they  have  chosen  the  hills  and 
uplands  in  preference  to  the  fertile  valleys.  This  was  partly  owing 
to  the  fact  that  they  came  into  the  county  at  a  later  date  when  the 
richer  lands  along  the  rivers  had  been  already  taken  up.  But 
besides  this,  and  besides  their  general  poverty  which  led  them  to 
select  cheap  lands,  we  must  attribute  their  choice  of  hilly  lands  to 
their  predilictions  founded  upon  the  dear  mountains  from  which 
thev  came,  and  for  which  thev  retained  siu-h  fond  memories. 


K.l A"/.  1'    .S /•."/■  77. /•;.!/ /■;.V7'.S'. 


51 


It  may  he  saiil  in  coiu'lusidii  that  wherever  they  settled  the 
Scotch  juMveil  most  thrifty  ami  successful  farmers.  They  were 
without  exceptiou  iutellif^'eut  ami  religious;  ami  lost  no  time  in 
providiufj  for  themselves  auil  their  children  churches  and  schonl- 
houses,  such  as  they  had  lieen  accustomed  to  in  their  ohl  home.  .Vs 
a  consequence  no  j)arts  of  tlie  county  arc  more  prosperous  and 
pro-^'ressive  than  those  that  have  lieeu  settled  by  the  Scotch  and 
which  are  still  occupied  by  their  fruf^al  and  industrious  descend- 
ants. 


IV. 
Pioneer  Experiences. 


WHATEVER  the  uatiuualitv  of  the  pioiuei's,  the  experiauf.es 
through  [which  they  were  required  to  pass  iu  cleariug  and 
recluciug  farms  to  cultivation  were  esseutially  the  same.  The  Dutc.h- 
meu  who  came  iuto  Middletowu  through  the  Shaiidakeu  mouutaius, 
the  Yankees  who  came  to  Roxburv  or  Harpersfiehi  or  Fraukliu,  the 
Scotchmen  who  penetrated  to  the  hill  country  of  Andes  or  Delhi  or 
Bovina,  all  had  to  go  through  the  same  trials  and  suffer  tlie  same 
inconveniences.  It  may  be  of  interest  at  this  point  to  follow  a 
pioneer  into  the  forests  of  Delaware  county  and  watch  him  while  he 
clears  a  place  for  himself  in  the  wilderness. 

Take  as  an  illustration  a  family  which  had  come  from  Scotland, 
consisting  of  a  father  and  mother  with  two  little  boys.  They  came 
first  to  the  house  of  Scotch  friends  iu  Andes;  and  after  prospecting 
around  took  on  lease  a  farm  iu  the  adjoining  town  of  Boviua,  which 
had  just  then  been  organized  as  a  separate  town.  This  farm  is  en- 
tirely covered  with  forest  of  maple,  beech,  liii-ch,  bass-wood,  etc. 
The  father,  after  selecting  the  jilace,  leaves  his  family  for  a  little 
with  his  friends  and  himself  goes  thither  to  cut  down  a  few  acres  of 
the  forest,  and  to  put  up  log  buildings  for  the  protection  of  his 
family.  When  these  were  ready,  we  may  inuigiue  the  little  caravan 
on  its  way  to  the  new  home  in  the  wildi^rness.  A  yoke  of  oxen 
drags  a  rude  lumber  wagon,  on  which  are  mounted  the  mother  and 
the  two  little  boys.  The  father  drives  them  and  carries  on  his 
shoulder  an  axe  which  he  has  already  learned  to  handle.  A  few 
pieces  of  j^rimitive  furniture  are  also  carried  (Ui  the  wagon,  together 
with  the  pots  ami  kettles  and  dishes  whirli  are  needful  in  the 
kitchen.      A    dog  of  the   Scotch   collie   l)reed   circles    in   excited  joy 


,^..,-..'-  ^ 


\ 


\'i'~'*^l 


A  Primitive  Home. 


IF 


St.  Peter's  Ct\urcfi  ^P.  E  )  Hv^-ban,  Luili  m  io^l. 


i'i<>.\i-:Kh'  h:si'i-:Rih:.\ch:s.  55 

.•irnnuil  tlic  |i:irty.  stiirtliii<>-  siiuin-cls  aiiil  l)!r(l>,  iiiiil  ]>iittin;^  tn  Hifjfbt 
till'  wolves,  the  foxes  ami  tbe  bears  whieli  creep  curiously  out  to 
see  the  passiufr  cavalcude.  A  friend  who  is  n'c'iiiK  t"  help  to  install 
the  family  in  its  new  home,  is  drivinjj'  behind  theni  a  milk-cow  and 
her  calf,  a  half  <lci/.cn  sheej)  and  a  sow  with  a  half  ^rown  littci-  of 
piffs.  The  fifood  collie  in  the  midst  of  all  his  miscellaneous  duties 
considers  liimscif  sjiccially  I'har.yed  with  the  drivini,'  of  this  diversi- 
Ked  herd. 

Everytliinj,'-  ^^'oes  well.  At  every  farm  house  they  ]iass  they 
receive  a  kindly  word  of  welcome  and  offers  of  any  hel]i  they  mif^ht 
need.  Their  journey  is  not  lou^';  and  before  nij^ht  they  have 
arrived  at  their  new  home.  A  wood  tire  is  started  in  the  chimney; 
a  hearty  meal  is  cooked  from  the  supplies  they  had  brought  with 
them.  The  oxen  and  the  cow,  the  sheeji  ami  the  ]ii,L;s  are  •■dl 
suitably  housed  and  fed.  The  season  was  the  early  .-lutumn  and 
the  first  ni<,dit  was  exquisitely  beautiful.  The  same  stars  which 
they  knew  in  Scotland,  and  the  same  full  moon,  the  harvest  moon, 
looked  down  ujion  them  uitli  friendly  eyes.  They  soon  ]uit  the 
furniture  in  order,  and  having-  comniitted  thcmsehcs  to  the  care  of 
him  who  eiiually  is  their-  (xod  in  the  wilds  of  .Vmeri<-a  and  in  their 
dear  native  land,  they  were  soon  aslee]>. 

Every  moment  that  was  not  needed  for  the  care  of  his  family 
ami  iiis  cattle  is  em]iloyed  l)y  the  father  in  chol)l)in,!4  ih.wn  the 
trees  anmml  his  l)uildiu'--s.  Little  by  little  the  <-li'ariii--  became 
larfjfer  and  the  in-osjiects  <>radually  bri^;hten.  The  American  axe, 
which  he  soon  learned  to  wiehl  with  force  and  jirecision,  is  the  most 
effective  tool  which  has  ever  licen  .levised.  With  it  the  intermin- 
able forests  of  the  continent  have  been  levelled  and  turned  into 
fruitful  fields.  A  few  years  later  when  the  two  l)oys  had  <,'rown  so 
as  to  handle  the  axe.  the  three  wtuild  to^'ether  attack  a  tree:  the 
father  cuttinf,'  alone  on  one  side,  and  the  two  boys  putting;  in 
alternate  strokes  on  the  other  side.  The  tree  cuttin-  usually  con- 
tinued during,'  the  entire  winter  and  tliiis  by  s)iiin^'-tinie  a  coiisider- 
a1)le  addition  is  made  to  the  clearing'. 


5()  HISTORY    OF    DELAWAHK    COfXrV. 

The  task  lit'  the  ]iiniu'cr  however  iis  not  only  to  cMit  dnwii  tlic 
trees.  Each  tree  after  it  bail  been  felled,  was  cut  into  loj^s  of  almut 
fourteen  feet;  the  branches  were  trimmed  off  and  piled  into  Ijiiish- 
heaps.  Then  when  the  summer  sun  had  dried  the  branches,  and 
the  more  pressing  spring's  work  was  passed,  advantage  was  taken  of 
a  windv  day  when  there  was  a  strong  breeze  away  from  the  build- 
ings. The  brush  heaps  were  all  kindled,  being  watched  lest  tire 
shoukl  do  some  damage,  and  in  order  that  the  heaps  should  be  com- 
pletely burned.  After  this  preliminary  work  was  done,  then  came 
the  great  work  of  "logging."  This  was  sometimes  done  by  the 
pioneer  and  his  boys.  But  it  was  a  very  heavy  task,  and  if  a  large 
clearing  was  to  be  made  the  usual  custom  was  to  hold  a  "  logging ' 
bee."  A  few  of  the  ueighljors,  who  sometimes  had  similar  favors  to 
ask,  were  invited  to  help  on  this  supreme  occasion.  Perhaps  two 
additional  yoke  of  oxen  were  brought,  and  each  man  carried  his  axe 
on  his  shoulder.  They  came  after  breakfast,  and  went  away  after  a 
five  o'clock  sujajjer.  A  dinner  was  served  at  twelve  o'clock  and  for 
an  hour  men  and  oxen  were  alike  refreshed  by  rest.  It  is  fair  to 
say  that  on  these  occasions  the  farmer  was  expected  to  provide 
some  kind  of  drink.  It  was  either  ram  which  came  from  New 
England  or  the  West  Indies;  or  it  was  the  whisky  which  already 
began  to  be  distilled  in  all  these  country  towns.  The  men  did  not 
drink  to  excess,  and  noliody  was  much  the  worse  for  what  they 
considered  their  suitable  indulgence  on  these  occasions. 

The  work  they  had  to  do  consisted  in  dragging  the  logs  to- 
gether and  making  them  into  heaps  for  burning.  A  yoke  of  oxen 
was  assigned  to  each  gang,  which  consisted  of  two  or  three  men 
besides  the  driver.  Each  log  was  drawn  by  the  oxen  to  its  heap 
and  rolled  hj  the  men  with  hand-spikes  to  its  place.  Fragments  of 
the  unburned  branches  were  piled  in  along  with  logs,  and  thus  log- 
heajjs  were  made  throughout  the  clearing.  As  the  whole  space  had 
already  been  burned  over  when  the  brush-heaps  were  tired,  the  task 
which  the  loggers  now  had  w  as  by  no  means  a  clean  one  or  an  easy 
one.      Their  faces   and   their   clothes   were   soon  begrimed   with  the 


PIONEER    KXPKHIKXCES.  5T 

coal  from  the  log«  and  tlir  lirnui-lics.  I>iit  tliis  did  nut  iiitcrfci-c 
with  the  good  humor  of  the  coiiijiuiiy  m-  with  iu-tivitv  and  the 
williuguess  with  which  they  worked. 

After  the  logging,  on  some  dry,  breezy  ilay  the  t'aiiiicr  sets  fire 
to  these  log-heaps,  and  watching  and  tending  tlicni  can't'ully  sees 
them  all  burned  n]i.  Then  among  the  stumps  on  the  soil,  well 
fertilized  by  the  ashes  left  by  the  l)urued  log-heajis.  he  sows  his 
crop  of  rye.  or  oats,  or  buckwheat.  Aud  notwithstanding  tlie 
rough  and  uuplowed  surface  these  tivst  crops  wcic  sure  to  be  rich 
and  abundant.  Along  with  the  first  croj)  of  grain — rye  or  oats  but 
not  of  buckwheat — the  farmer  also  sows  a  cro})  of  mixed  timothy 
and  red  clover.  The  grain  comes  to  maturity  during  the  first 
summer,  but  the  grass  making  a  stsirt  during  this  summer  under 
tlie  friendly  shade  of  the  grain,  conies  to  a  head  and  furnishes  a 
crop  of  hay  for  the  second  summer.  Potatoes  are  planted  also  in 
the  new  soil  and  yield  a  good  crop.  Some  minor  crojjs,  such  as 
turnips,  cal)bages,  and  onions  are  also  raised  even  from  the  very 
first.  On  the  farms  along  the  rivers  and  in  [initccted  places  Indian 
corn  is  also  planted,  although  not  in' general  until  the  secund 
year. 

The  stumps  and  roots  of  the  hardwood  tindicr  very  soon  begin 
to  decay,  and  in  a  few  years  can  be  torn  up  and  l)urned.  Thus 
land  which  at  first  was  covered  with  forest,  in  tlie  course  of  five  or 
six  years  became  cultivatalile  fields,  yielding  abundant  crops  of 
grain  and  hay  and  vegetables.  \Vhere  the  forests  were  oi  pine,  as 
was  the  case  in  many  places,  the  stumi)s  were  nnu-h  longer  in 
decaying.  Indeed  you  may  still  see  fields  tilled  with  innc  stumps 
which  iinist  have  been  cut  fifty  years  ago.  .■V  stiuii]>-niacliine  is 
generally  necessary  to  eradicate  the  pine  stiuiijis,  and  thin  a  lire 
soon  reduces  them  to  practicable  ashes. 

The  tools  and  implements  in  the  case  of  a  priniitive  farm  such  as 
we  have  been  describing  were  neither  many  nor  elaborate.  The  axe 
was  the  most  useful  aud  important,  hammer  and  cut  nails,  the  saw 
aud  the  crowbar.     Then  there  were  the  voke,  the  ox-chaiu,  the  sled 


■58  HisroRV  (IF  /»/-,7,.i  ir.i /,"/•:  lorxT): 

to  l)c  drawn  liy  dxcn.  the  harrow  used  oii  new  laud  cxcn  Ix'fore  the 
ploui^li,  the  hoe  and  the  shovel.  Alioiit  the  ham  and  stahle  were 
the  tlail.  the  t'aiinin.L;'  mill,  the  half-lnishel  ^raiu  measure,  birch- 
Iniioui,  i't<-.  In  the  house  the  cookinj;'  of  food  and  the  neeessarv 
warmth  were  furnished  by  the  open  tire-])lace.  The  wood  was  cut 
usuiilly  in  the  winter  time  and  was  thoroiifj'hly  seasoned  l)efore  it 
was  used  on  the  tire.  In  the  winter  W'hen  the  weather  was  cold 
there  was  built  an  immense  Are  fcmsistinpf  of  a  bac'k-lof>',  a  fore- 
sti(di,  and  the  necessary  top-dressin;;'.  When  sucdi  a  tire  ;;-ot  mnler 
way  it  was  a  sioht  to  behold.  It  must  be  rememliered  that  at  this 
early  chiy  friction-matches*  were  unknown;  and  at  nij;ht  before 
.H'oiuj^  to  lied  it  was  ahvays  the  custom  to  cover  up  a  bed  of  coals 
with  ashes,  so  that  the  fire  mig-ht  be  kept  alive  till  nioruiuf^'.  If  liy 
any  accident  the  tire  became  extiui;u:shed,  the  common  resonrce 
was  to  send  to  a  neighbor's  for  a  shovelful  of  live  coals. 

There  is  uothiuj>  in  which  fj;-reater  proj^ress  has  been  made 
duriup  the  century  than  in  the  matter  of  artificial  li<>'ht.  At  the 
time  of  the  s<'ttlenient  of  our  Scotch  Pioneer — say  IH'Ii) — almost  the 
only  kind  of  artificial  li^lft  in  nse  by  such  a  family  was  the  candle. 
It  was  made  from  the  tallow  of  the  beef  or  sheep;  preferably  from 
the  former,  because  it  was  harder  and  .strou<>er.  A  row  of  wicdvs 
was  huus'  on  a  stick,  ami  the  whole  dijjped  at  once  into  a  pot  of 
melted  tallow  an<l  taken  out  a>^ain.  The  stick  with  its  row  of 
dip])ed  wicks  was  then  hun^  in  a  cool  place  until  the  layer  of  tallow 
becanu'  liard.  In  the  mean  time  a  second  and  then  a  third,  etc.,  of 
the  rows  of  wicks  were  dipped  and  hung  up  for  coolin<,'.  The 
process  was  continued  until  the  candles  became  as  lars'e  as  was 
desired.  An  improved  method  of  makinf^-  tallow-candles  was  to 
have  a  row  of  five  or  six  tin  caudle  moulds  soldered  toj^etlier 
parallel.  Wiid<s  were  inserted  in  each  and  drawn  tii^htly  thnuif^h 
the  centre  of  the  mould.  Then  the  nudted  tallow  was  jioured  into 
the  moulds  around  the  wicks,  and  the  row  kept  in  a  cool  place  until 

*  It  was  aliiiut  ISIU  lliat  Irictinii-liiatclies  cainc  iiitn  use.  In  ri'iiidte  locali- 
.ties  tlioy   were   inliiiiluc-cd    laler.      The   price  was  alicnU  '2    ('■  I'm- a  Iki.x  el'    Hfty. 


I'lilSEEH    KXI'hjniCMKS.  -,S) 

the  i-HiuUcs  liiul  hecouie  lianl.  Attii  this  they  were  dniwu  out  of 
the  iiioukls  uiul  wore  reiidy  for  uw;>.  ArtiHcial  li^lit  wiis  not  so  iniK-h 
used  ill  those  early  (hiys  as  now.  Ijuinjis  for  uhide  oil  \ver<'  soiiie- 
tiiiics  cniiiloyed  when  a  brttvr  lii^ht  was  iieeessary.  But  't  was  not 
till  the  discovery  of  kci-osciic  oil  iu  185H,  iu  Peuusylvjiuia,  that  the 
nicat  iniproveineiit  iu  the  eharaeter  of  lifjfht  for  eouutrv  houses 
l)eL;au.  Since  that  time  almost  every  house  has  its  kerosene  lainj)s., 
wlii<-li  f\irn'sli  a  l:;;'lit  ncarl\   ciiual  to  the  ;;as-li;^ht  of  cities. 


V. 
Revolationar>j   Troables. 

DELAAVAEE  coiiuty  was  involved  in  the  trials  of  the  Kevolutiou 
ouly  as  a  froutier  comimmity.  In  tlie  meagre  settlements  at 
Harperstield,  Middletowu  and  Sidney  there  were  differences  of 
opinion  which  gradually  grew  into  bitter  controversies.  Even  iu 
the  perilous  times  which  resulted  from  the  invasions  of  the  Indians 
theie  were  tories  who  were  ready  to  lead  them  against  their  jiatriot 
neighbors,  and  help  them  to  raid  their  homes  and  carry  off  their 
slender  possessions. 

The  Middletown  settlers  were  very  sharply  divided.  Even  the 
boys  at  school  became  bitter  partisans.  It  is  handed  down  by 
tradition  that  a  quarrel  occurred  l)etweeu  two  of  the  school-boys, 
■one  Isaac  Dumoud  a  sou  of  Peter,  and  the  other  a  boy  by  the  name 
of  Markle.  The  latter  called  Dumond  a  rebel;  and  in  retiu-n 
Duuiond  struck  him.  An  encounter  ensued;  and  probably  other 
boys  took  sides.  The  matter  ended  in  the  breaking  up  of  the 
school.  In  the  spring  of  1778,  soon  after  the  burning  of  Kingston 
by  the  British  troops,  the  Indians  advanced  up  the  East  branch  for 
the  purpose  of  making  depredations  upon  the  patriotic  settlements. 
Their  designs  against  Middletown  were  revealed  Ijy  the  friendly 
Indian  Tennis*  as  has  been  mentioned  above.  He  notified  ^Ir. 
Yaple  his  friend,  and  by  him  the  alarm  was  sj^read  among  his 
patriot  neighbors.  They  drove  oft'  their  cattle  and  concealed  such 
of  their  goods  as  they  could.  The  Indians  burnt  their  buildings 
and  pursued  the  fugitives  through  the  hills  towards  Kingston  as  far 
Mi  Shaudakeu.  It  is  said  that  Yai)le  afterwards  returned  to  secure 
some  of  his  goods,  and  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  tories  au(l  carried 
off  to  Pepacton.     He  was  however  soon  after  released. 

*  See  p.  28. 


liEVoLITIoXARY    THOlIil.F.S.  61 

A  coiupiiuy  of  patriot  luilitiu  was  seut  from  HcLohiirii'  to  protect 
■  the  settlei's.  A  sad  event  occurred  in  connection  with  the  \nsit  of 
these  troops.  In  Aiij^iist  ITTN  they  took  j>nsouer  Messrs.  Dumoud 
and  Barrow,  supposing  them  to  have  been  tories,  who  had  returned 
to  the  settlement  to  secure  a  piece  of  fjraiu  which  was  ripe.  They 
were  mounted,  both  on  a  sinj^'lo  horse,  and  at  what  they  thought  a 
favorable  moment  tried  to  make  their  escape.  They  were  detected 
in  their  eifort  and  Dumoud  was  shot,  but  Barrow  eluded  pursuit 
and  escaped.  lu  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  Peter  Brufjher  and 
his  young  son  had  returned  to  the  Middletown  settlement  tt) 
harvest  some  of  their  crops.  The  Indians  had  been  provoked  by 
his  piloting  the  Schoharie  militia  against  them,  and  they  took  this 
occasion  to  kill  him.  The  boy  they  took  prisoner  and  carried  him 
with  others  to  Niagara.* 

The  most  trying  scenes,  however,  of  the  Revolution  which  oc- 
curred in  Delaware  county,  were  those  in  Harperstield.  Here  the 
settlers  were  mostly  patriots,  and  early — August  1775 — in  the 
struggle  they  formed  a  committee  of  vigilance.  The  chief  of  this 
committee  was  John  Harper,  who  received  the  commission  of  Col- 
onel. Others  of  the  active  settlers  were  enrolled  and  took  a  solemn 
oath  of  fidelity  to  the  f)atriot  cause.  They  had  not  then  given  up 
the  hope  that  at  least  a  part  of  the  Indians  might  join  the  American 
•side  in  this  controversy.  As  there  was  a  gathering  of  the  Indians 
.  at  Oipiago  on  the  .Suscpiehanua  river,  it  was  deemed  best  to  des- 
l)atch  Colonel  Harper  to  hold  a  i-oufercnce  with  them.  This  he  un- 
dertook in  the  winter  of  177(5.  and  carried  with  him  a  letter  from 
the  Provincial  Congi'ess.  He  was  received  by  them  with  kindness, 
and  as  he  spoke  their  language  fluently,  he  was  given  an  opjiortunity 
to  read  the  letter  and  state  the  wishes  of  the  Congress.  They 
treated  him  witli  the  most  august  ceremony  and  gave  him  the  as- 
.  surance  of  their  wish  to  remain  neutral  in  the  controversy  then 
pending. 

But  the  hopes  raised  by  this  conference  of  Colonel   Harper  with 
*  See  liouldK  Hwlory  of  Delaware  County,  p.  39. 


(J2  msToliV    <ll-'    liFJ.AWMih:    corsTY. 

the  ludiauK  were  of  short  duratiou.  Joseph  Brant,*  a  JMohawk  lu- 
diau,  and  whose  sister  was  the  lu  lian  wife  of  Sir  Williiua  Johusou,. 
had  become  the  war  chief  of  the  Six  Natious.  As  a  youth,  l>v  me 
iiirtueuce  of  Johusou,  he  had  liccu  scut  to  the  Moor  Charity  School 
at  Leliauou,  Couuecticut.  Here  he  ac(|uired  a  fairly  ^ood  educa- 
tion, and  made  the  acquaintance  of  many  boys  who  afterward 
became  prominent.  One  of  these  was  Captain  Alexander  Harper,  a 
brother  of  Colonel  John  Harper.  By  the  aid  of  Sir  "William,  and 
through  his  own  active  and  ambitious  genius,  he  had  V)een  ad- 
vanced to  the  leadershijj  of  the  powerful  league  of  Indians.  He 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  2:)resent  at  the  conference  between 
Colonel  Harper  and  the  Indians  at  Oquago.  And  when  he  after- 
ward joined  the  Indians  he  had  little  difficulty  in  reversing  all  the 
good  inqjressions  which  had  been  made,  and  in  persuading  his- 
fierce  and  lawless  warriors  to  enter  upon  the  bloody  succession  of 
raids  which  followed. 

The  result  of  a  second  effort  to  dissuade  the  Indians  from 
making  common  cause  with  the  Bintish  was  no  more  favorable  than 
that  just  referred  to.  This  effort  was  made  by  General  Herkimer 
in  June,  1777.  He  had  known  Brant  as  an  old  neighbor  in  the 
Mohawk  country,  and  hoped  to  exert  some  wholesome  influence 
upon  him.  Herkimer  asked  Brant  to  meet  him  at  I'nadilla  on 
the  ■  Susquehanna,  and  this  he  did.  Each  of  the  leaders  had  come 
to  the  place  of  meeting  with  a  considerable  force.  A  conference 
was  held,  but  without  any  good  result.  Indeed  an  angry  alterca- 
tion occurred  between  Brant  and  a  Colonel  Cox  who  was  one  of 
General  Herkimer's  attendant  officei's.  And  although  no  open 
breach  of  the  peace  occurred,  both  jjarties  retired  from  the  meeting 
more  bitterly  hostile  towards  each  other  than  before. 

Under  jiressure  of  such  dangers  the  peojjle  of  the  Harjurslicld 
settlement  concluded  that  it  was  safest  to  escaj)e  to  some  more 
populous  place.  A  few  of  the  hardy  men  remained  to  care  for  the 
property  and  ci'ops  as  far  as  possible;  but  the  women  and  children 

*  Wo  fdlliiw  Sloiif'x  [.iff  of  Hniiil  in  those  iiarlirulais. 


Hor).  Willian\  B.  Oydeq. 


h'h:\()i.iTioxAi;y  rmiiiiLESi.  (J5 

aii'l  most  of  the  men — Jiilv  1777 — took  iiiiick  aud  ((niet  lU'iJurture 
for  Clierry  Valley.  Tlie  stunlj-  old  Scotchman  John  More  who 
lived  remote  from  the  Harperstield  settlement  had  luil  heard  of 
their  depiirture  and  was  t[uietly  remaining  in  his  home.  A  friendly 
Indian  who  belonged  to  one  of  the  threatening  hands,  escaped  from 
his  conipauious  by  night  and  came  to  John  More's  house  to  warn 
him  to  follow  his  friends  and  make  his  escape.  He  was  wise 
enough  to  follow  the  advice  and  with  his  family  and  possessions 
joined  in  the  procession  to  Cherry  Valley. 

The  Johnston  settlement  on  the  Susi[uehauna  at  Sidney  i'laius 
had  a  visit  from  Brant  and  his  Indians  in  June  1777.  They  stole 
some  cattle  from  the  settlers  in  order  to  feed,  as  Brant  said,  his 
hungry  warriors.  Mr.  Johnston  held  a  conference  with  them,  at 
which  Brant  gave  his  ullimalum  in  the  following  speech:  "I  am  a 
man  of  war.  I  have  taken  an  oath  with  tlie  king,  and  I  will  not 
make  a  treaty  with  ymi.  I  will  give  these  families  forty-eight 
hours*  to  get  away.  So  long  they  shall  bo  safe.  If  any  amiinf^-  you 
wish  to  join  us,  I  will  protect  them  and  they  shall  not  l)e  hurt." 
The  Johnston  and  Sliter  families  who  were  patriots  took  advantage 
of  the  short  respite  and  made  their  escape  to  Cherry  Valley.  Three 
families  espoused  the  tory  cause  and  remained  under  Brant's 
promise  of  protection.  At  Cherry  Valley  these  families  were  pres- 
ent at  the  siege  and  burning  of  the  place  by  the  Indians  and 
British ;  but  after  the  war  was  over  they  returned  to  their  old 
homes,  and  resumed  their  pioneer  life. 

The  Indians  of  the  Six  Nations  were  mainly  allies  of  the  British 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Part  of  the  Oneida  tribe  and  i)art  of  the 
Tuscaroras  were  either  friendly  to  the  Colonists  or  neutral  iu  the 
war.  But  the  Mohawks,  the  Cayugas  and  the  Senecas,  were  hostile; 
and  under  the  active  leadership  of  Brant  gave  tiie  fi'ontier  settle- 
ments in  Tryon  county  an  infiinte  amount  of  trouble.  They  had 
held  early  in  the  war  a  council  with  British  commissioners,  who 
urgently    pressed    them    to    cond)ine    against    the    patriots.     They 

•  Another  authority  niveg  the  tiiiii'  as  eight  ilays. 

4 


(j(;  HISTORY    OF    DKLA^VARE    COVXTY. 

thereupou  made  a  treaty  uuder  which  each  chief  of  the  savajje 
allies  was  to  receive  a  suit  of  clothes,  a  brass  kettle,  a  j,'uu  aud  aiu- 
iiuiuitiou,  a  tomahawk,  a  scalping  knife,  a  piece  of  t^old,  and  a 
promise  of  a  specified  bounty  for  every  prisoner  or  scalp  delivered 
at  head-quarters. 

Under  these  incentives  many  savage  cruelties  were  enacted, 
sometimes  by  the  Indians  alone  aud  sometimes  by  British  troops 
accompanied  by  Indians.  The  little  village  of  Springfield  at  the 
head  of  Otsego  Lake  was  destroyed  in  the  spring  of  1778,  by  Brant 
aud  his  warriors.  In  July,  1778,  the  terrible  massacres  at  Wyoming* 
on  the  Susquehanna  were  perpetrated.  The  whole  country  was 
aroused,  and  the  result  was  the  sending  of  the  Sullivan  expedition, 
in  order  to  exact  due  vengeance  for  the  numberless  barbarities 
which  had  been  committed  on  the  frontiers. 

This  expedition  was  jjlanned  by  General  Washington  who  in- 
sisted on  the  adecjuate  punishment  of  the  hostile  Indians,  who  for 
so  many  years  had  acted  as  the  willing  agents  of  the  British  in 
harrying  aud  raiding  the  New  York  settlements.  The  forces  of  the 
expedition  were  to  consist  of  two  parts; — one  under  the  command 
of  General  Sullivan,  which  was  to  ascend  the  Susquehanna;  the 
other  uuder  the  command  of  General  James  Clinton  (the  father  of 
DeWitt  Clinton)  which  was  to  be  gathered  in  the  Mohawk  valley,  to 
ascend  the  river  in  boats  to  Canajoharie,  drag  the  210  boats  across 
the  portage  of  twenty  miles  to  the  head  of  Otsego  Lake,  launch 
them  there  and  traverse  the  lake  to  the  outlet  of  the  Susquehanna, 
thence  to  descend  the  rivet  and  juiu  the  first  division  at  the 
junction  of  the  Chemung  aud  Susquehanna.  The  task  of  this 
second  division  was  most  difficult,  but  was  performed  with  prompt- 
ness and  entire  success. 

One  difficulty  General  Clinton  surmounted  in  a  most  original 
aud   effective   manner.     It   was  in   August,   1779,   that  he   and   his 

*  Thomas  Campbell's  famous  poem  of  Gertrude  of  Wyoming  made  a  great 
impression.  He  calls  Brant  the  "  monster  Brant."  Brant's  son,  however,  visi- 
ted London  in  order  to  vindicate  his  father's  memory.  It  is  said  that  he  con- 
vinced the  poet  that  Brant  was  not  [iresent  on  this  occasion. 


REVOLrriDXARY   TliornLES.  67 

expedition  arrived  at  the  outlet  of  tlie  lake.  The  drought  had  so 
lessened  the  How  into  the  river  that  it  was  too  low  to  tloat  the  l)oats 
which  had  been  brouf^ht  thither  with  such  labor.  Clinton  had  a  dam 
erected  across  the  outlet  liv  which  the  tinw  was  interrupted.  In  a 
few  davs  the  water  of  the  lake  was  raised  to  the  necessary  height. 
The  boats  had  beeu  in  the  mean  time  moored  in  the  stream  below 
the  lake.  Then  when  everything  was  ready  the  dam  was  removed, 
and  the  boats  were  carried  down  on  the  crest  of  the  swollen  stream, 
until  they  arrived  August  22  at  the  designated  place  of  rendezvous. 
The  westward  campaign  at  once  began,  under  the  command  of 
General  Sullivan.  A  considerable  battle  was  fought  at  Newtown 
the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Elniira.  It  is  called  the  battle  of  the 
Chemung.  A  combined  force  of  Indians  under  Braut  and  of  British 
troops  under  Colonel  ■John  Butler,  opposed  Sullivan's  army.  But 
the  British  and  Indians  were  swept  away  and  the  nnirch  westward 
continued.  The  Indian  towns  which  were  found  were  everywhere 
deserted,  and  as  a  revenge  for  the  long  series  of  depredations  upon 
white  settlements,  these  towns  and  the  crops  alumt  them  were 
destroyed.  The  beautiful  country*  of  the  Cayugas  and  Senecas  was 
the  blossom  of  the  highest  Indian  civilization.  The  Indians  everj-- 
where  ded  as  Sullivan's  expedition  advanced.  A  slight  and  ineffec- 
tive stand  was  made  before  Sullivan  entered  the  beautiful  valley  of 
the  Genesee.  Everything  was  devastated  and  destroyed.  The 
ripening  crops  on  which  the  Indians  depended  for  their  winter's 
supply  were  Ijurnt  "The  town  of  Genesee  contained  one  hundred 
and  twentj'-eight  houses,  mostly  large  and  very  elegant.  It  was 
beautifullj'  situated,  almost  encii'cled  with  a  clear  fiat  extending  a 
number  of  miles;  over  which  extensive  fields  of  corn  were  waving, 
together  with  every  kind  of  vegetable  that  could  be  conceived."  f 

*  Stone  in  liis  life  of  Brant  says :  "  Tlicy  liacl  several  towns  and  many  large 
villugo.s,  laid  out  with  a  con.sideraMe  degree  of  regularity.  They  had  franu'<l 
houses,  some  of  them  well  fini.shed,  having  chimneys  and  painted.  Tliey  had 
broad  an<l  productive  fields;  and  in  addition  to  an  al>undance  of  apples,  were 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  pear  and  the  still  more  deliiious  peach.  Lifi-  of  -lo- 
j»}>h  Bninl.     Vol.  II,  p.  'i."!. 

+  Sullivan's  report  as  cited  )>y  Stone.     Vol.  II,  ]i.  :).!. 


68  HlsruliY    UF    DELAWMih:    corxTy. 

This  towu  with  all  its  accumulated  supplies  was  utterly  destroyed, 
besides  forty  other  ludiau  towus  and  villages-  Oue  hundred  aud 
sixty  thousand  bushels  of  corn  were  burned  or  cast  into  the  river. 
Fruit  trees  were  cut  down  and  fields  of  j^rowinj^-  vej^etaliles  were 
utterly  devastated. 

On  the  Kith  of  Se])teiiiber  Sullivan  re-crossed  the  Cxeuesee  river 
aud  commenced  his  return.  It  had  been  intended  that  he  should 
advance  on  Fort  Niagara  aud  reduce  this  jjrincipal  stronghold^ 
But  perhaps  fearing  that  his  force  had  been  too  nuuh  re<luced  to 
undertake  such  a  task,  he  did  not  venture  ujjon  the  advance.  He 
had  accomplished  the  immediate  object  of  his  campaign.  He  had 
administered  a  stern  and  unsparing  punishment  upon  the  Indians 
for  their  barbarities  committed  ujion  the  white  settlements.  Per- 
haps such  cruelties  are  justitialile  under  such  circumstances;  but 
modern  rules  of  warfare  would  not  justify  the  destruction  of  peace- 
ful towns  and  villages,  without  absolute  evidence  that  they  belonged 
to  the  guilty  authors  of  the  depredations. 

The  Indians  were  roused  by  this  expedition  of  vengeance  to 
make  retaliations.  During  the  winter  of  1779-80  Brant  led  a  band 
of  Indians  against  the  Oneidas  who  had  befriended  the  Americans 
in  their  struggle  with  the  British.  He  comijletely  destroyed  their 
dwellings  aud  broke  up  their  settlement.  In  the  spring  of  1780  he 
appeared  again  at  Harpersfield.  By  a  timely  warning  the  inhabi- 
tants had  made  their  escape  and  had  taken  refuge  in  Schoharie.  A 
few  of  the  men,  among  whom  was  Captain  Alexander  Harper,  had 
returned  to  secure  the  luajjle  sugar  crop.  They  were  surprised  and 
taken  jn-isoners.  Part  of  them  were  marched  off  to  Niagara,  and  part 
sent  to  Canada;  where  both  jiarties  remained  till  the  end  of  the  war, 
when  they  w'ere  set  at  liberty  and  returned  to  their  desolated  homes. 

The  only  reminiscences  of  the  scenes  of  the  war  were  the 
bitternesses  left  by  the  disloj'alty  of  torv  neighbors.  Some  of 
these  tories  ventured  after  the  war  to  return  aud  re-estal)lish  them- 
selves among  their  old  neighbors.  But  they  found  their  neighbor- 
hoods too  hot  for  them,  and  were  compelled  to  make  hasty  exits. 


VI. 
Orcjani^ation   of  the   Cocrntv 


DOWN  ti>  ITHT  the  territory  uow  foriuiuj^-  Delaware  eouuty  was 
uicludeil  iu  the  comities  of  Ulster  aud  Otsejro.  The  former 
reached  to  the  West  branch  of  the  Delaware  river  which  formed  its 
north-west  boundary;  the  latter  reached  the  same  stream  whicli 
formed  its  soutli-east  boundary.  The  inhabitants  south  of  the  river 
were  compelled  to  go  to  Kingston  for  their  necessary  law  business, 
while  those  on  the  north  side  went  the  low^  journey  to  Coopers- 
town.  In  IT'.il  a  plan  was  mijoted  to  carve  from  the  two  counties 
another,  to  lie  called  Delaware  county  from  the  name  of  tlie  Dela- 
ware river  which  took  its  rise  within  the  proposed  boundaries. 
There  \vas  a  strong  opposition  of  course,  as  there  always  is,  to  the 
formation  of  the  new  county,  and  a  j)etition  numerously  signed  was 
sent    to   th<'   Legislature   protesting  against    tlic   proposed   action. 

For  several  years  therefore  the  measure  was  held  back,  and  it 
was  not  till  1797  that  the  bill  was  finally  passed.  During  this 
session  of  the  Legislature,  Dr.  J.  H.  Brett,  a  physician  of  Harpers- 
tield,  \\&H  a  member  of  the  Assembly  from  Otsego  county,  John 
Burr  of  Middletown  a  member  for  Ulster  county,  and  Ebeuezer 
Foote  a  member  from  Xewl)urgli  in  Or.inge  county.  These  three 
active  aud  eflicient  members  espoused  the  cause  of  the  new  county, 
and  mainly  by  their  agency  the  bill  was  cai-ried  through  the  Legis- 
lature ami  became  a  law  Marcli   ID,  IT'.i". 

Some  slight  changes  have  been  made  iu  the  boundaries  of  the 
■county  since  the  original  act  of  incorporation  was  passed.  In  1K17 
n  section  north  of  the  Charlotte  river  was  detached  from  Otsego 
<;ounty  ami  added  to  Dehnyare  county.  .\nd  in  ls22  a  stiip  of 
Delaware  county  lying  on  the  south  side  of   (lie  Sus(|uehanna   river, 


70  IIISTORV    OF   DELAWARE    COl'STY. 

but  separated  from  the  bodv  of  the  county  liy  ahiiost  inaccessible 
mountains,  was  detached  from  Delaware  county  and  made  a  part  of 
Otsego.  "With  these  exceptions  the  lioundaries  of  the  county  have 
i-emained  as  described  in  the  original  act. 

When  the  county  was  chartered  there  were  only  seven  town- 
ships already  established.     They  are  given  below: 

1.  Harpersfield,  organized  1788,  in  Otsego  county. 

2.  Middletown,  organized  1789,  in  Ulster  county. 

3.  Colchester,  organized  17!)2,  in  Ulster  county. 

4.  Franklin,  organized  1792,  in  Otsego  county. 

5.  Stamford,  organized  1792,  in  Ulster  county;  in  1834  a  part 

was  detached  from  Harpersfield  and  Kortright  and  at- 
tached   to  Stamford. 

{).    Kortright,  organized  1793,  in  Otsego  county. 

7.  Walton,  organized  1797  (just  before  the  organization  of  the 
county),  in  Otsego  county. 

The  other  twelve  towns  of  the  county  have  been  formed  from 
time  to  time  by  slicing  away  parts  of  the  older  towns,  in  the 
following  order: 

1.  Delhi  1797,  taken  from  "Walton  and  Kortright. 

2.  Roxbury   1799,  taken  from  Stamford. 

.'J.  Meredith  1800,  taken  from  Franklin  and  Kortright. 

4.  Sidney  1801,  taken  from  Franklin. 

.5.  Hancock  ISOd,  taken  from  Colchester. 

(i.  Tompkins    1806,    taken   from   Walton    (for  two    years   called 

Piueiield). 

7.  Masonville  IMl,  taken  from  Sidney. 

<S.  Davenport  1.S17,  taken  from  Harperstield. 

9.  Andes  1.S19,  taken  from  Middletown. 

10.  Bovina  liS20,  taken  from  Delhi,  Middletown  and  Stamford. 

11.  Hamden   1825,  taken  from  Delhi  and  Walton. 

12.  Deposit  1880,  taken  from  Tompkins. 


ORGAXIXATIOX   (IF    TIIK   lOlSTY.  71 

lu  fuithciauce  of  the  orgauizatiou  of  the  new  eountv  the  super- 
visors held  tlieir  first  ineetiuj;'  May  81,  17',)7.  They  met  iu  the  new 
town  of  Delhi.  Tlx'  place  of  nieetinf;'  was  at  the  house  of  Gideon 
Frisbeo,  which  stood  at  the  junction  of  Elk  creek  with  the  West 
brunch  of  the  Delaware  river  and  which  for  many  years  served  as 
a  tavern.     The  supervisors  were  as  follows: 

1.  William  Hortou,  Colchester. 

i.  Enos  Parker,  Franklin. 

3.  Roswell  Hotchkiss,  Harpersfield. 

\.  Benajah  Beardsley,  Kortrig-ht. 

o.  Benjamin   ^lilk,  Middletowu. 

{).  John  Lamb,  Stamfor<l. 

7.  Robert  North,  Walton. 

The  records  of  this  first  meeting  have  been  preserved  and 
are  of  great  interest.  In  the  appendix  will  be  found  some 
facts  concerning  these  early  records.  The  court  of  common  pleas 
held  its  first  session  at  Mr.  Frisbee's  house  on  October  3,  1707. 
The  first  jury  impaneled  in  the  county  was  in  attendance,  and 
it  is  the  tradition  that  its  sessions  were  held  under  a  large 
butternut  tree  which  w-as  standing  until  a  few  years  ago.  The 
judges  of  this  court  were:  Patrick  Lamb,  William  Horton,  and 
Gabriel  North;  assisted  by  Isaac  Hardenbergh,  and  Alexander 
Leal.  The  following  attorneys  were  admitted  to  practice  at  this 
court:  Conrad  E.  Elmendorf,  Philip  Gebhard,  Anthony  Marvine, 
David  Phelps,  Erastus  Root  and  Cornelius  E.  Yates.  Until  a 
court-house  was  built,  iu  which  the  county  business  could  be 
conducted,  the  courts  continued  to  be  held  iit  Mr.  Frisbee's 
tavern. 

The  first  Court  House  was  begun  in  17!»S.  The  board  of  super- 
visors voted  the  sum  of  $1,200  for  its  erection  and  appointed  a 
commission  of  substantial  citizens  to  direct  the  building.  An  addi- 
tional sum  of  $oO()  was  afterward  voted;  and  the  whole  expenditure 
was   audited   and  paid  at  $2,()o4.42.     This  building  stood   on   the 


72  IIISTdHV    OF    DKLAWAliK    COlWTy. 

{jfroimd  which  uow  eoiui)oses  the  Court-House  stjuare  uear  the  r.iain 
street  and  which  was  donated  for  the  purpose  bv  George  Fislier 
and  Levi  Baxter.  A  part  of  the  buihliug  was  used  as  a  jail;  and 
the  office  of  the  County  Clerk  was  also  situated  in  it. 

In  1820  this  Court  House  was  destroyed  by  tire;  and  a  young 
man  from  Andes  named  Abram  Coon  who  had  been  committed  for  a 
short  confinement  in  the  jail  for  petit  larceny,  perished  in  the 
flames.  The  citizens  of  Delhi  took  immediate  measures  to  rebuild 
the  Court  House.  Colonel  Amasa  Parker  was  sent  to  Albany,  where 
the  Legislature  was  in  session,  and  where  General  Erastus  Root  was 
present  as  a  member.  Together  they  drew  an  act  authorizing  the 
State  to  loan  to  the  county  the  sum  of  $8,000,  with  which  to 
rebuild  the  Court  House;  the  sum  to  be  repaid  with  six  j)er  cent 
interest  in  four  years.  By  General  Root's  activity  and  energy  this 
act  was  imujediately  passed,  and  the  rebuilding  was  begun.  It  was 
provided  that  until  the  new  jail  was  ready  for  use,  prisoners,  for 
whom  no  bail  could  be  taken,  might  be  confined  iu  the  jail  of 
Greene  county. 

The  building  then  erected  continued  to  be  used  till  1871.  But 
in  18(iS  the  board  of  supervisors  took  measures  to  replace  it  by  a 
building  more  adequate  and  suitable.  At  this  time  an  offer  was 
received  from  the  town  of  Walton  to  sujiply  the  county  with  all 
necessary  buildings  on  condition  that  the  county-seat  should  be 
removed  to  that  place.  This  offer  however  was  not  accepted.  It 
was  felt  by  the  eastern  towns  of  the  county  that  it  would  be  a  gi'eat 
inconvenience  to  have  the  county-seat  so  far  removed  from  the 
centre  of  the  territory.  The  people  of  Delhi  were  thoroughly 
roused  by  the  danger  of  losing  the  county  buildings  and  offices, 
and  by  a  vote  of  the  town  authorized  the  ])ayment  of  $10,000 
towards  the  erection  of  the  new  Court  House.  The  supervisors 
voted  to  exjiend  the  sum  of  ^30,00(1  foi'  a  buiUliug  of  brick  trimmed 
with  stone.  The  design  for  it  was  drawn  by  Mr.  I.  E.  Perry  the 
supervising  architect  of  the  State  Capitol,  and  ^Ir.  Robert  Murray 
was  the  superintendent  of  the  construction. 


oRtiAMZ.iTiox  (II-'  riih:  coixry.  75 

The  old  buildiufj  was  sold  to  the  villaf^e  of  Delhi  for  ii  towii-liall 
ami  removed  to  a  site  iu  the  rear.  The  cost  of  the  uew  buildiiitr 
was  fouud  to  be  i,'reater  than  tlic  iii-chitect's  estimate,  and  tlic 
supervisors  voted  au  additional  sum.  'Die  bnildiufj  was  conipleted 
and  opened  Jamiarv  30,  1S71. 

The  most  excitiuf,'  experiences  in  the  court  at  Delhi  were  three 
below  mentioned: 

1.  The  trial  of  John  Graham,  jiu  Irishman,  in  1814,  for  the 
murder  of  Hugh  Cameron  and  Alexander  McClilfrey.  A  i|uarrel 
had  taken  place  between  the  parties  at  a  loo-ging  bee;  and  on  their 
wav  home  through  a  piece  of  wood,  (iraham  struck  them  with  a 
handspike.  He  was  tried  for  the  crime  and  convicted.  He  was 
hung  July  -ill,  1814. 

2.  The  second  exciting  trial  was  that  of  Nathan  Foster  for 
poisoning  his  wife  in  1819.  He  had  been  a  torv  during  the  Revo- 
lution and  was  believed  to  liave  iuluniianly  noinlcred  Colonel  .Vlden 
at  Cherry  Valley  in  1777.  He  was  fouud  guilty  of  the  murder  of 
his  wife  and  duly  hung.  Martin  VanBuren  the  Attorney  General 
was  present  and  assisted  the  District  Attorney.  Erastus  Root 
and  Samuel  Sherwood   were  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner. 

8.  The  third  period  of  intense  excitement  was  wlicn  the  anti- 
rent  trials*  were  held  for  the  killing  of  Under-SheriflF  Steele. 
These  trials  were  held  in  the  autumn  of  lS4(i,  Justice  Amasa  J. 
Parker  presiding.  The  Attorney-General  John  VanBuren  assisted 
the  District  Attorney  and  Samuel  Sherwood  was  special  counsel. 
The  counsel  for  the  jirisoners  under  trial  were  .\masa  Parker  the 
uncle  of  the  presiding  justice,  Samuel  Gordon,  and  ^ritclicll  San- 
ford  of  Greene  County. 

*See  the  paper  on  thf  .\.nti-Kent  Episode. 


76  IIISTOHY    OF    DKLAWARK    rolXTV. 

From  the  successive  Uuited  States  censuses  we  have  compiled 

the  facts  given  below  couceruiug  the  several  towns  in  the  county  of 

Delaware. 

1«KI         ISld         ISrill         IWSO         1(<4()         18.")(1         ISWI         1K70  1880  1890 

Aucles l,:i7H    l.HOO    2,17(;    2,fi7'2    2,987  2,K40  2,fi39  2,2(14 

BoviiKi 1,267     1,3-lK     1,403    l.SKi     1,242  J, (122  1,022  1,007 

Colchester  .  .    1,207        MH5     1,064    1,424    1,567    2,184    2,471  2,652  2,941  2,973 

Davenport 1,384     1,778    2,052    2,305    2,360  2,187  1,939  1,789 

Delhi K20    2,39(;    2,285    2,114    2,554    2,909    2,839  2,920  2,941  2,908 

Deposit 1,714  1,664 

Franklin  ....    1,390     1,708    2,481    2,786    3,025    3,087    3,.307  3,2S3  2,907  2,897 

Hamden 1,230    1,469    1,919    1,836  1,762  1,496  1,507 

Hancock 578       525       76(>    1,026    1,798    2,862  3,069  3,238  4,745 

Harpersfleld,   1,007    1,691    1,884    l,97(i    1,708    1,613    1,466  1,485  1,420  1,386 

Kortright...    1,513    2,993    2,548    2,870    2,441    2,181    2,022  1,812  1,730  1,588 

Miisouville 719    1,145    1,420    1,550    1,683  1,738  1,673  1,397 

Meredith  213        726     1,375    1,666     1,640     1,634     1,626  1,462  1,563  1,555 

Middletown  .    1,064    2,318    1,949    2,383    2,608    3,005    3,200  3,035  2,977  3,313 

Roxbury ....       936    1,892    2,488    3,234    3,013    2,853    2,.544  2,188  2,344  2,272 

Sidney 1,388    1,107    1,410    1,732    1,807    1,914  2,.597  2,461  3,122. 

Stamford..,       924     1,658    1,495     1,597     1,681     1,708     1,658  1.658  1,638  1,940 

Tompkins 869    1,206    1,774    2,035    3,022    3,564  4,046  2,534  2,626 

Walton 1,154    1,211    1,432    1,663    1,846    2,271    2,098  3,216  3,544  4,543 


Delaware  Co.  10,228  20,303  25,587  33,024  35,396  39,834  42,465  42,972  42,721  45,496 

In  1820  the  following  was  the  number  of  the  taxable  inhabitants 
in  each  of  the  towns: 

Colchester 177         ^Meredith 'Mi 

Delhi  .  .  ■ 124         Koxbury 169 

Franklin 205         Stamford 195 

Harpersfleld  105         Walton   183 

KortriiJ-ht 2(i(l  


Middletown  1(17  Total  .  1,681 

We  give  in  closing  this  chaj)ter  concerning  the  organization  of 

Delaware  county  a  list  *  of  the  several  officers  from  the  formation  of 

*  For  this  enumeration  we  are  indelitcd  to  the  yen-  York  CirU   Lixl,  sup- 
plcunented  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Parshall. 


oKdAXIZATKlX   (IF   THE   COUNTY. 


IT 


tlR'    couuty    to    tlu'    iu'esciit,    witli    tlic    tuuc    of    their    electiou    to 
office. 

I.     C'orxiY  JriHiEs. 


Joshua  H.  Brett 171)7 

Hl)eiiezer  Foote l.slo 

Isaac  Ofifileu IMIG 

Ebenezer  Foote 1H28 

Jabez  Bostwick 1S81) 

Charles  Hathaway 1840 

Nelson   K.  Wheeler 1845 


l'.<lwiii  More 
\\'illiuiii    (rleasou. 


1847 
1851 


Jesse  Palmer 1855 

William   Gleasou      1859 

William  JIurray 1 8()8 

Edwin  D.  Waj^uer 1S(I7 

Isaac  H.  Mayiuud  1.S77 

Daniel  T.  Arbuckle 18s:{ 

James  R.   Baumes 1881) 

All)ert  H.  Sewell 188;t 


Albert    H.  Sewell. 


II.      Strrooates. 


Anthony   Marviue  171)7 

John   W.  (iret^ory  1811 

Ann  IS   Dcinj^'lass lSl:i 

itobert  North 1815 


Aniasa   J.   I'iuker 
Charles  Hathaway 
Nelson   K.  Wheeler 


ISD." 


1s:H2 
1841 
1844 


fSiuce  1847  the  duties  of  the  Surro^^ate  have  been  performeil  by 
the  County  .ludge. 

111.      District   Attiiknkys. 


William  H,  Kiting.  .  .  1818 

John   B.   S])encer 1821 


Sehlli     i;.     Hobliie 

is-i.-i 

Noadiah  Johnson 

\H-H 

.\masa  .1.  Parkei- 

is:w 

Samuel   (lordon 

.      1H8(; 

NeU'in    K.  Wheeler.  .  . 

1K39 

Jonas   A.  Hugliston.     . 

. .      1842 

Truman   H.  Wheeler . 

1845 

Amasa  J.  TeiiBroeck  .  . 

. .      1S47 

William    Murray 

1H5(I 

Iioberl    I'arker.  . 

ls5:f 

John  (Irant 185ti 

George  W.  Clark 185i) 

Ueilbeu    H.    IJoot  1S(;2 

Ferris  Jacobs,  ji'  ls(')5 

Harvey  F.  Davidson.  1S(;.S 

Ferris  .lacobs,  jr  1.S71 

Daniel  T.  .VrlnKkle  Is7t 

Atirain  C.  Crosby  ls77 

Jonas   M.    Preston  iSSd 

.Samuel  H.  Faucher 18,s;! 

John    1'.  (iraut 1889 

William  F.  Wliite  lsi)2 


78 


HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAHK    CiJlXT)'. 


TV.     County  Clkks. 


Ebeuezer  Foote 1797 

Philip  Ciebbard 1801 

John  Doll ISOH 

Homer  E.  Phelps  ISdlt 

Asahel  E.  Paine  IKIO 

Homer   R.   Phelps  IHll 

Ambrose  Bryau 1S13 

Asahel  E.  Paiue  1S15 

Homer  E.  Phelps iS'il 

Homer  E.  Phelps lS-22 

John  Burhans 1825 


Crawford  B.   Sheldon 

18-28 

William  McLaughrv.  . 

1845 

Beujamiu   Cannon 

1852 

Robert  S.  Hiij^hston.  .  . 

1858 

William  Ward   (rraut 

18(i4 

Smith  H.  White 

187(1 

Ransom   A.   Grant 

I87(i 

Georfje   T.   Warner.  . 

1882 

Georue   W.   Crawford 

1888 

Joshua   K.    Hood 

18114 

Elias  Butler 

James  I.   White 

Clark  Lawrence 

Roswell  Hotehkiss 
Nathan  Edgertou,  jr.  . 

Jabez   Bostwick 

Robert  Leal 

Jabez   Bostwick 

Martin  Keeler 

Isaac  Bvirr 

Martin  Keeler    

Roger  Case 

Martin  Keeler 

Gurdon  H.  Edgerton 

John  H.  Gregory 

Duncan   J.  (iraut 

John  M.  Betts 

John  Edgerton 

■Green  Moore 


V.     Sheriffs. 

17'.t7 

DeWitt  C.  Thomas 

1846 

1799 

David    Rowland 

1848 

1301 

Duncan  McDonald 

1852 

1805 

Alexander  H.  Burhans    . 

1855 

1809 

Baldwin   Griffin 

1858 

1811 

Gabriel   S.   Mead 

1861 

1813 

John   Calhoun 

1864 

1815 

Hamilton  S.  Preston  .       . 

1867 

1819 

Edward   A.  GritiUth 

1870 

1820 

Darius  S.  Jackson 

1873 

1821 

William   J.  Clark 

1876 

1822 

John  Crawford 

1879 

1825 

William  H.  Douglass .  .  . 

1882 

1828 

Daniel  Franklin 

1885 

le31 

John  J.  McArthur 

1888 

1834 

Thomas  E.  Elliott 

1891 

1837 

William   C.  Porter 

1894 

1840 

James  D.    Lawrence .... 

1897 

1843 

(>iii<.\siy,.\ri()S  (IF  Till-:  cinsry. 


r'.i 


YI.        CdlNTV    TlvKAsriiKliS. 

Previous  to  lS4ii  the  tri'iisurtTs  of  the   i-ountics   wore  iippoiiitcil 
l)v   the   Imiirds  of  sujtervisors  aud  held  otHce  durin;^'  tluir  plcusiive. 

•James  Elwood lS4s         .1.   Suvau   Paj^'e  isTo 

Horatio  N.  Buckley l^i")l         Miuor  Stilsou .  .  .  ISSl 

Charles  A.  Foote ISCd         J.  1{.  Houeywell  1^S,S7 

Theophilus  F.  Melutosh        IHdlt         C.  S.  Woodruff.  l.sii.j 

Vn.     Members  of  Congress. 


I'.nistiis    Itoot  lsn8-0o 

Krastus   Moot  isd'.i    11 

Samuel   .Sherwood  lsl;{-li) 

Erastus  Root  isl.")  17 

Robert  Clark  lslil^21 

Charles  A.  Foote  l.S-28-25 

Selah   R.   Hobl)ie  Is-JT   Jl) 

Erastus   Root  l.s:51    :{8 

Noadiah  Johus<ju  1S8;J   85 

Amasa  J.  Parker  1887- :{!( 


Samuel    (iordoii  1S41    48 

Samuel    (im-don  ISI.")    47 

Hermau  D.  Ciould  IHill-ol 

Jonas  A.  Hu^lisou .  .  lS.'j.')-o7 

James  H.  (xraham  IS.'jH-dl 

Samuel   F.  Miller    .  llSdH-C;-) 

Charles  Knapji  ISC'I  71 

Samuel  F.  Miller  1875  77 

Ferris   Jacobs,  jr 1881   ,s:{ 

Charles  J.  Kuapp  ,    188i)-!)l 


VIII. 


Staik  Skn  \tors. 


Ebeuezer  Foote     17'.i'.i. 
Joshua  H.  Brett 

Erastus  Hoot 

Isaac  Orfdeu 
•  I..li,i   T    More 

Isaac  Of^'den   

Noadiah  Johnson 

Erastv.s    Root 
Ste])heii   C.   Johnson 
Join:    M.     I'.etts 


|S()(I 

-02 

Henry  E.  Bartlett.  .  . 

.    1852- 

58 

1804 

12 

Edward  I.  Ikirhaus 

.    1858 

5it 

1812 

Ki 

Orson   M.   Allaben.  .  . 

.  18(;4- 

(i5 

181(1 

20 

James  H.  (iraham  .    . 

.    1872- 

78 

]S2(I 

28 

Curtis   Marvin 

1878 

7;> 

182:} 

27 

Matthew    \V.   Marvin 

I8S(; 

87 

1887 

811 

William   Lewis 

1888- 

8!» 

1840 

44 

James  Ballautine 

18".t5 

•.k; 

1844 

48 

John  ( irant 

Is'.it; 

184S 

4'.1 

;80  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAlih:    COIXTY.    ' 

IX.     ]Me;mhkks  of  Assembly. 

1797.  .      William  Horton,  Niitliauiel  Wattles. 

1798.  .  .  .Elias  Butler,  Erastus  Root. 
1799 ....  Patrick  Lamb,  Sluman  Wattles. 

18(»0 Gabriel  North,  Erastus  Root. 

1801 ....  Gabriel  North,  Erastus  Root. 

1802.  .  .  .John  Lamb,  Elias  Osborne. 

1803.  .  .    Gabriel  North,  Elias  Osborne. 

1804.  .  .  .Adam  L  Doll,  Anthony  Marvine. 

1805.  .  .  .Anthony  Marvine,  Gabriel  North. 
180G.  .  ,  .John  T.  More,  Joshua  Pine. 
1807.  .  .    John  T.  More,  Gabriel  North. 

1808 Daniel  Fuller,  David  St.  John. 

1809 John  T.  More,  Elias  0.sborne. 

1810 ....  Daniel  Fuller,  David  St.  John. 
1811 .  .  .   Danel  H.  Burr,  Isaac  Ogden. 
1S12.  .  .    Robert  Clark,  Andrew  Craig,  jr. 

1813.  .  .    John  T.  More,  Isaac  Ogden. 

1814.  .  .  .Robert  Clark,  Asahel  E.  Paine. 

1815  ....  William  Dewey,  Henry  Leavenworth. 
181(!.  .  .    Martin  Keeler,  Asahel  E.  Paine. 

1817.  .  .    William  Beach,  Erastus  Root. 

1818.  .  .  .James  Eells,  Erastus  Root. 

1819.  .  .    Peter  Pine,  Erastus  Root. 
1820 ....  John  H.  Gregory,  Erastus  Root. 

1821.  .  .    Benjamin  Benedict,  Asa  Grant. 

1822.  .  .  .Asa  Grant,  Samuel  Rexford. 
1823 James  Ells,  Peter  Pine. 

1821.  .  .  .Jabez  Bostwick,  Harmau  I.  Quackenboss. 

1825.  .  .  .Erastus  Root,  William  Townsend. 

1826.  .  .  .Erastus  Root,  John  Thompson. 
1827 Edward  Doyle,  Erastus  Root. 

1828 William  S.  McRea,  James  G.  Redfield. 


()R(iAXIX.\Tlii\    OF    TIIK    CorSTY. 


Si 


1829 Matthew  Halcott,  Erastus  Root. 

1830 David  P.  Mapes,  Peter  Piue. 

1831.  .  .  .James  Coulter,  James  Hugbstou. 

1832.  .  .  Jobu  EilgertoD,  Stixldiu'il  Stevens. 

1833.  .  .  .Samuel  Gordou,  Anuisa  J.  Parker. 
1834:.  .  .  .Dubois  Burbaus,  "William  B.  Ogdeu. 
1835.  .  .  .John  (iiiffin,  James  W.  Kuapp. 
lK3(i.  .  .    Jesse  Bootb,  Tbomas  J.  Hubbell. 
1837  ....  Cornelius  Bassett,  Darius  ]Maples. 

1838 Icbabod  Bartlett,  Jonas  :More. 

1839 Orson  M.  AUahen,  Nathan  Bristol. 

18-10.  .  .    Stephen  H.  Keeler,  Charles  Knapp. 
1841  Samuel  Eells,  Orriu  (iriffiii. 

1S42.  .  .  .Milton  Bostwick,  Nelson  K.  Wheeler. 
1843 ....  Edward  I.  Burbaus,  Jesse  Palmer. 

1844.  .  .  .John  McDonald,  Linus  Pcirter. 

1845.  .Orrin  Foote,  Reuben  Lewis. 
l!S4(j.  .  .    John  C.  Allaben,  Donald  Shaw. 

1847.  .  .    Piatt  Townsend,  John  Calhoun. 

1848.  .  .  .James  E.  Thompson,  Luther  Butts. 

1849.  .  .  .George  H.  Winsor,  Richard  Morse. 

1850.  .  .    Samuel  Dovle,  William  Gleason,  jr. 

1851.  .  .  .Hezekiab  Elwood,  Lewis  Willis. 

1852.  .  .  .Charles  S.  Rogers,  Daniel  Stewart. 

1853 Samuel  F.  Miller,  David  Rowland. 

1854 William  B.  Smith,  Ezekiel  Miller. 

1855.  .  .  .John  Mead,  John  Haxtuu. 

1856.  .  .  .Barna  R.  Johnson,  Warren  Dimiiiiil;. 

1857.  .  .  .Fletcher  Palmer,  Samuel  \.  Law. 

1858.  .  .  .Barna  R.  Johnson,  Samuel  A.  Law. 
1859 Donald  D.  Shaw,  died. 

Barna  R.  Johnson,  Samuel  A.  I^aw. 
1860.  .  .  .Seymour  E.  Smith,  Daniel  AVaterburv. 
1861 Nelson  K.  Wheeler.  Daniel  Waterburv. 


82  iiisTitiiv  (IF  dflawm;/-:  loixrv. 

l!-!()2.        Kol)(it  W.  Couitucy,  Fiaucis  1{.  (xilljeit. 
1S()8.       ..leruiiic  S.  Laudtieltl,  Fi-aiicis  R.  Gilbert. 
ISfi-t.  .  .    Ira  E.  Sheruiiuj,  Jatues  Oliver. 
ISi;.")  Ira  E.  Sherman,  Joliu  Ferris. 

18G(>.  .  .  .Joshua  Smith,  (ieorge  C.  Gibbw. 
l.S(;7  .      .  Albert  E.  Sullard,  Edward  I.  Burhans. 
1S68.  .  ,    Beujaniiii  J.  Bassett,  Johu  Ferris. 
ISd!)         Alpheus  Bolt,  Orson  M.  Allaben. 
1870.        Alpheus  Bolt,  James  H.  Graham. 
1S71    ,  ,    William  Lewis,  jr.,  Matthew  Griffiu. 
1S72.  .  .  .William  Lewis,  jr.,  Matthew  Griffiu. 
1878.  .      Benjamin  J.  Bassett,  Matthew  Griffin. 

1874.  .  .  .Warren  (t.  Willis,  (ieorge  G.  Decker. 

1875 .  .  George  D.  Wheeler,  Isaac  H.  Maynard. 
1S7G  William  J.  Welsh,  Isaac  H.  Maynard. 

1877.  .  .    Albert  H.  Sewell,  Robert  P.  Cormack. 

1878.  .  ,  .Albert  E.  Sullard,  John  S.  McNaught. 
1S79.        Robert  Beates. 

1880.  .  .  .William  Lewis. 

1881.  .  .    Chester  H.  Treadwell. 
1S,S2.     .  .Timothy  Sanderson. 

1883.  .  .  .Silas  S.  Cartwright. 

1884.  .  .  .Silas  S.  Cartwright. 
1885  ....  Charles  J.  Kuapp. 
1886.       .David  L.  Thomson. 
1S87.  .  .  .Charles  J.  Knapp. 

1888.  George  O.  Mead. 

1889.  .  .  .James  Ballantiue. 

1890.  Henry  Davie. 

1 891 .  James  R.  Cowau. 

1892.  .  ,    DeWitt  Griffin. 

1893.  Wesley  Gould. 

1894.  ,  ,  .Robert  Cartwright. 

1895 Delos  H.  Mackey. 

1896.  .  .    Delos  H.  Mackey. 
1897    .    .Delos  Axtell. 


Hori.  flrriasa  d.  ParKer. 


oiiiiAXizATio.x  OF  rill-:  corxrv. 

Sl'l'KKMK    Ciillir    •JrsTU'ES. 


85 


1844 Aniiisii  J.  Parker. 

1867-87 .  William     Miirrjiy,    apiicuntt'd     in     phicc     of     Justice 

Masou. 
1887 ...   Francis    E.    Gilbert,     ainxiiiited    in    place    of    Justice 

Murray. 


1801. 
1821 . 
1846. 

1S67. 
187:5. 
18!)4. 


CoNSTrri  rioNAi.   DKi.Wi.vxKs. 

.  Roswell  Hotclikiss,  Elias  Osl)oru. 
.Erastus  Root,  Robert  Clark. 
.Isaac  Burr,  David  S.  Waterburv. 
John  Grant,  Samuel   F.  ^liller. 
.Jonas  M.  Preston  (conimissiouer). 
.  Abram  C.  Crosby. 

St.\te  Offu'ehs. 


1823-24. Erastus  Root  was  Lieutenant-Governor. 

1824.  .  .  .Erastus  Root  was  ajipointed  a  member  of  a  commis- 
sion to  revise  the  laws. 

1835 .  .  .  .  Amasa  J.  Parker  was  chosen  by  the  Legislature  a 
Regent  of  the  University. 

1854.  .  .  .Norwood  Bowue   was  elected  State  Prison  Lisiiector. 

1855.  .  .  .Joel  T.  Headley,  who  was  born  in  AValton,  but  at  the 

time    of    his   election    was    not    a    resident    of    the 
county,  was  elected  Secretary  of  State. 


VII. 
?\ilitar>;  Concerns. 


WE  have  alreaily  leferied  to  the  military  uiovemeuts  which 
pertained  to  the  Revolutiouary  period.  These  were  uot 
uirtuy  uor  important,  because  the  coimty  was  then  only  sparsely 
inhabited.  The  troubles  that  came  upon  Harperstield,  and  Sidnej' 
and  the  settlements  ujjou  the  East  Branch  all  arose  from  the 
Indians  under  Brant.  Tories  sometimes  accompanied  these  expetli- 
tious,  and  the  sufferings  entailed  were  painful  and  exasperating. 
But  the  retribvitory  expedition,  which  was  undertaken  under  (ien- 
eral  Sullivan  in  1779,  put  an  end  to  these  annoyances  and  the  whole 
eastern  and  southern  sections  of  the  State  were  permanently  re- 
lieved from  further  raids. 

By  the  time  the  war  of  islii  broke  out  the  county  was  compara- 
tively tilled  up.  All  the  more  inijxirtant  settlements  were  well 
advanced,  and  had  begun  to  take  on  the  appearance  which  they 
now  display.  In  common  with  other  counties  in  the  State,  Delaware 
furnished  troops  for  guarding  the  Canadian  frontier.  But  these 
contributions  of  troops  were  only  little  employed,  and  the  real 
services  of  Delaware  county  troops  in  this  war  were  not  impt)rtant. 
The  chief  effect  produced  by  the  excitement  and  achievements  of 
the  war  was  the  revival  of  the  military  spirit.  For  many  years 
thereafter  the  organization  of  the  militia  throughout  the  different 
counties  of  the  State  was  kept  up  with  an  enthusiasm  and  an 
effectiveness  which  have  never  been  equalled. 

The  law  of  the  State  made  all  able  bodied  citizens  (with  a  few 
exceptions)  between  eighteen  and  forty-tive  yeai's  of  age  liable  to 
military  duty,  and  reciuired  them  to  attend  once  each  year  at  a 
general  muster  at  some  central  point  in  the  county.     Besides  this 


MILITAHV   CdSCKliSS.  S7 

j^eueral  imister,  tboiT  wt-rt'  m  iuudv  tnwiis  vdluutt^er  iiiUitia  coiii- 
piiuies,  which  reoeived  much  more  frequent  traiuiuff  and  whose 
officers  ami  men  were  di'essed  iu  uuiform.  These  voluuteer  com- 
panies were  assembled  for  the  general  traininj-;  at  the  sanie  time  as 
the  uu-unifoi-med  troops;  and  on  these  occasions  counted  them- 
selves, as  well  as  were  counted  by  the  enthusiastic  spectators,  as 
intinitelv  more  impt>rt;uit  and  more  to  be  depended  on  iu  any  case 
of  real  war. 

The  fifeueral  training  above  referred  to  was  held  in  the  month  of 
Sej)tember,  generally  at  or  near  the  village  of  Delhi.  There  was  a 
clear,  open  intervale  below  the  village,  called  Cavins  Hats,  where 
the  troops  were  usually  assend)led  and  put  tlnouf^h  their  evolu- 
tions. Three  days  were  occujiied  iu  the  function;  the  tirst  being 
partly  used  in  assembling,  and  the  last  partly  iu  going  home.  The 
middle  day  was  the  great  day.  Thousands  of  men  and  women,  boys 
and  g'irls,  came  from  every  jiart  of  the  county  to  see  the  great 
sight.  Every  where  about  the  entrance  to  the  field  booths  were 
established  for  the  sale  of  lemonade  and  ginger-bread,  and  other 
drinks  and  cakes.  I  think  there  was  a  special  driuk  often  in 
evidence  on  these  occasions,  called  infail.  made  from  honey  which 
had  been  allowed  to  ferment.  This  was  a  great  favorite.  But  most 
of  the  children  conHned  themselves  to  ginger-bread  and  lemonade. 

The  evolutions,  especially  when  the  general  officers  came  upon 
the  field  on  horseback,  were  watched  with  thrilling  interest.  Be- 
sides the  Colonel  (as  I  recall  him.  Colonel  Robert  Parker)  and  other 
officers  of  the  regiment,  there  was  also  present  the  still  more 
gorgeous  Brigadier  General  (I  think  General  Farrington)  and  his 
staff,  who  had  come  from  a  distance  to  be  ])resent  on  this  occasion 
and  to  iuspect  the  troops.  As  they  gallnjied  from  j)lace  to  place  on 
the  field,  aiul  sat  solemnly  and  majestically  on  their  horses  watching 
the  movements  of  the  rej^iment,  they  seemed  like  heroes  and  demi- 
gods. To  witness  these  military  displays  of  swords  and  muskets,  of 
white  trousers  and  brass  buttons  and  shoulder  straps,  of  manual 
drill   and   marching  and  evolution,  of  the  music  with  drum  aud  fife, 


8f^  msroin'  of  dki.awahe  corxrv. 

was  to  boys  of  tli;it  day  ;i  most  ort'ectivc  stiimilus  uud  ediu-atiou.  It 
was  thus  that  the  military  spirit  was  aroused  amon<f  our  people, 
and  when  at  last  war  came  there  was  iu  every  township  scores  of 
young  men  ready  to  vohiuteer  for  its  jierilous  service. 

Mr.  J.  A.  Parshall,  the  veteran  antiquariau  of  Delhi  has  given 
me  his  recollection  of  one  of  these  general  trainings,  which  came 
near  having  a  serious  terniiuatiou.  On  this  occasion  the  gathering- 
was  upon  the  Hats  of  the  Webster  farm  about  four  miles  above 
Delhi.  Hundreds  of  country  wagons  were  arranged  both  along  the 
road  and  iuside  the  entrance  gate.  The  usual  booths  were  also 
placed  near  this  entrance.  Honey  was  one  of  the  delicacies  which 
was  sold  from  them.  The  horses  had  been  taken  from  the  poles, 
tied  to  the  wagons  and  stood  eating  the  hay  which  had  been 
provided  for  them. 

In  the  midst  of  the  evolutions  the  bees  from  a  ueighl)oriug  farm 
had  scented  out  the  honey  and  had  come  to  carry  away  the  jirecious 
store.  They  concluded  that  the  horses  had  no  business  so  u^ar  to 
these  hoards,  which  they  assumed  were  designed  for  themselves. 
So  they  grew  very  angry  over  the  matter  and  attacked  the  horses 
and  even  the  spectators  who  stood  about.  It  does  not  take  much  of 
a  bee  to  frighten  a  horse.  In  a  few  minutes  the  poor  animals  were 
kicking  and  p)lunging  at  every  wagon.  Then  they  broke  loose  from 
their  fastenings  and  went  galloping  up  and  down  the  road  and  over 
the  parade  ground.  Nothing  more  confusing  can  be  imagined. 
The  frightened  horses  respected  neither  men  nor  women,  neither 
brigadier-generals  nor  colonels.  They  went  galloijing  recklessly, 
with  harness  trailing  and  farmers  chasing  and  boys  hallooing,  down 
among  the  marching  troops,  where  they  enforced  unforeseen  move- 
ments and  quick  transformations  not  put  down  in  the  regular 
programme.  It  took  several  hours  to  capture  tht  runaway  horses 
and  to  restore  peace  and  order.  And  although  nobody  was  hurt, 
and  no  harm  had  been  done,  beyond  the  breaking  of  some  halters 
and  the  explosion  of  some  bad  words,  the  training  of  that  day  was 
much   demoralized  and   liad   to   lie   prematurely   closed. 


VIII. 
Anti-Ucnt   Troablcs. 


AT  a  prececliuf>:  paffe*  will  be  fdiiiid  ii  list  of  tracts  of  laud 
which  had  lieen  obtaiued  in  Delaware  county  either  by  grant 
or  purchase.  The  owners  of  these  tracts  endeavored  to  induce 
settlers  to  take  up  farms  ujinn  them.  Perlia])s  both  the  patentees 
and  the  settlers  were  often  deceived  or  mistaken  concerning  the 
cliaracter  of  the  land  \.hich  was  thus  transferred.  Much  of  it  was 
rough,  rocky  and  difficult  of  cultivation.  The  farms  which  were 
cleai'ed  often  jtrovcd  nniiroductive,  and  the  settlers  found  they  had 
a  very  serious  task  to  |ini\id('  for  theii'  ramilirs  and  make  the  |)ay- 
luents  on  their  land. 

Some  of  the  patentees  had  from  the  beginning  adopted  the  plan 
of  selling  their  lands  to  the  farmers,  and  making  the  ter)ns  of  pay- 
ment such  that  they  could  be  met.  Others  (leem<(l  it  better  jiolicy 
to  give  the  farmers  leases  of  their  farms, — gi-anting  tor  the  tirst  five 
years  the  use  of  the  land  without  rent,  for  the  second  live  years 
requiring  half  the  permanent  rent,  and  then  after  this  requiring 
a  full  rent  of  a  certain  number  of  bushels  of  wheat  for  each  one 
hundred  acres;  or  sometimes  a  certain  sum  of  mouej-  for  one 
hundred  acres.  The  greater  part  of  the  county  was  originally 
iu  the  Hardeubergh  patent.  Sotiic  of  this  great  patent,  which  is 
said  to  have  contained  more  tlian  two  millions  of  acres,  was  sold 
in  tracts  to  intermediate  purchasers,  b\it  most  of  the  remainder 
had  continued  to  be  owned  liy  the  heirs  of  the  Hardeubergh 
associates. 

In  the  report  made  in  the  Assendjly  iu  ISKI  liy  the  committee  of 
which   Mr.   Samuel  J.  Tilden  was  chairman,  there  is  coutaiued  an 

*  Soo  p.  47. 

m 


;)((  ///.STOAT    OF    nh'.L.WVMiK    CnlSTY. 

acc-ouut  uf  the  leasehold  tracts.  These  luay  he  smiiiiiurized  as  fol- 
lows: 1st,  the  Kortrisht  tract  of  which  about  "if ), (10(1  acres  were 
under  lease  at  six  pence  an  acre;  '2d,  the  Desbrosses  tract  of  (>(),()()(l 
acres  which  origiually  belonged  to  the  Hardenbergh  patent,  the 
land  had  been  leased  for  seven  years  rent-free  and  subsequently  at 
an  annual  rent  of  one  shilling  au  acre;  3d,  the  Morgan  Lewis  tract 
of  20,00(1  acres  of  which  15,000  acres  were  under  perpetual  lease, 
the  first  five  years  being  rent-free,  the  second  five  years  on  a  rent 
of  ten  bushels  of  wheat  for  each  one  hundred  acres,  the  third  five 
years  for  fifteen  bushels  of  wheat,  and  afterwards  for  twentv  bush- 
els of  wheat;  4th,  the  G.  and  S.  Verplanck  tract  of  20,000  acres 
under  lease;  5th,  the  R.  R.  Livingston  and  Mrs.  Montgomery  tract 
of  20,000  acres  under  lease  for  twenty  bushels  of  wheat  for  each 
one  hundred  acres;  (ith,  the  General  Armstrong  tract  of  8,000  acres, 
under  three-life  leases  for  twenty  bushels  of  wheat  for  one  hundred 
acres;  7th,  the  Hunter  and  Overing  tx'acts  under  leases  for  twelve 
and  a  half,  fifteen  and  eighteen  cents  an  acre. 

In  the  History  of  Delaware  County,  New  York;  ISSO,  (p.  (i5),  will 
be  found  a  lease  for  a  farm  on  the  Coulter  brook  given  by  Janet 
Montgomery  to  James  Thompson,  jr.,  in  1H27.  This  farm  was  a 
part  of  the  Hardenbergh  jsatent,  and  had  been  inherited  by  Mrs. 
Montgomery  who  was  a  sister  of  Robert  R.  and  Edward  Livingston. 
"We  give  a  few  lines  from  this  lease,  which  mav  serve  as  a  sample  of 
the  ordinary  leases  under  which  the  lands  of  Delaware  county  were 
held:  "Together  with  all  and  singular  the  trees,  woods  and  under- 
woods to  be  made  use  of  on  the  premises  and  nowhere  else;  saving 
and  reserving  to  the  party  of  the  first  part,  her  heirs  and  assigns, 
all  water  courses  suitable  for  the  erection  of  mills,  with  a  right  to 
erect  mills  or  other  works  thereon  with  three  acres  of  land  adjacent 
thereto;  and  also  saving  and  reserving  a  right  to  erect  dams  and 
cut  ditches  for  the  use  of  sucli  water-works;  and  also  saving  all 
mines  or  minerals  found  on  the  devised  premises  with  the  sole  right 
to  dig  for  and  work  the  same,  the  said  party  of  the  first  part  com- 
jiensating  for  nnv   damage   sustained  thereby."  *  *  *  *  "Yielding- 


AXTI-HKXT    TKorilLKS.  <)] 

ami  i)ii.viii^  therefor  durinj^-  the  cuutimmnce  of  this  present  lease, 
yearly  aud  every  year  the  yearly  reut  of  two  fat  heus  aud  tme  day's 
labor,  with  a  wafjou,  sled  or  plough  with  ii  yoke  of  oxen  or  jiaii'  of 
hois;>s  and  a  driver,  at  snch  time  and  jilacc  witliin  ten  miles  as  the 
party  of  the  first  part,  her  heirs  aud  assigns  shall  reipiire.  *  *  *  * 
And  also  it  is  further  eoveuauted  and  agreed  that  upon  every  sale 
or  assignment  of  the  said  premises  *  *  the  party  of  the  second 
part  shall  pay  to  the  party  of  the  tirst  part  one  tenth  part  of  tlic 
consideration  money." 

It  will  be  inferred  from  the  statement  above  that  at  the  time  of 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Auti-reut  tronbles  in  1S44  a  very  large  part 
of  the  eounty  was  held  iiuder  lease.  No  doubt  the  evils  of  the 
leasehold  system  bore  heavily  upon  the  farmers  in  these  rough  and 
unproductive  regions.  To  spare  from  their  little  wheat  crops 
enough  to  pay  the  landlord  his  reut  was  a  pinching  process,  which 
compelled  the  families  to  live  upon  rye  aud  buckwheat.  Or  if  the 
rent  was  payable  in  money,  much  of  the  returns  from  their  little 
dairies  was  swallowed  up  for  this  insatiable  purpose.  It  followed 
therefore  that  when  the  farmers  heard  of  movements  in  Albany  and 
Ilensselaer  counties,  in  Columbia  county,  and  even  nearer  at  hand 
in  Ulster  and  Schoharie  counties,  which  promised  to  abate  the  evils 
under  which  they  labored,  they  eagerly  lent  an  ear  to  the  sugges- 
tions of  relief.  Ambitious  agents  came  amongst  the  simple-minded 
farmers,  suggesting  a  combination  not  for  the  purpose  of  electing 
t<»  the  legislatui-e  members  who  would  secure  for  them  changes  in 
the  laws,  which  would  have  been  legitimate,  but  encouraging  and 
planning  to  resist  forcibly  the  jjrocesses  of  law-. 

The  least  excusable  movement  was  the  organization,  in  imitation 
of  their  friends  in  Albany,  in  Rensselaer,  in  Columbia  aud  other 
counties  of  disguised  and  armed  bands  of  so-called  Indians.  The 
avowed  object  of  these  bands  was  to  prevent  the  service  of  legal 
papers  pertaining  to  the  c<jllection  of  rent,  and  to  interfere  in  case 
Bales  of  projierty  for  jjayment  of  rent  were  undertaken  by  the 
officers  of  the  law.     Most  of  the  persons  engaged  in  these  Indian 


92  HlsroRV    OF    DELAWARE    Cor.XTV. 

bands  were  young  and  inexperienced,  and  were  led  into  unlawful 
proceedings  without  due  consideration.  It  was  in  this  spirit  tliat 
the  outrages  upon  the  Sheriff's  officers  in  Roxbury  were  comniitted 
in  1844. 

The  legislature  in  1845  passed  a  law  making  it  unlawful  for  any 
person  to  appear  in  disguise,  and  if  armed  as  well  as  disguised  the 
person  could  be  punished  with  imprisonment  and  fine.  Several  of 
those  persons  thus  disguised  and  armed  were  captured  and  pun- 
ished. 

The  fatal  termination  of  these  proceedings  came  in  the  summer 
of  184.').  A  farmer  by  the  name  of  Moses  Earl  lived  upon  a  farm  in 
Andes  about  three  miles  from  the  village.  It  was  a  lease-farm  be- 
longing to  the  Yerplanck  tract,  and  carried  a  rent  of  $3'2  a  year. 
The  rent  had  not  been  paid  for  two  years,  and  the  agent  deter- 
mined to  collect  it  by  Sheriff's  sale.  After  one  postponement  the 
sale  was  fixed  for  August  7th,  1845.  The  Sheriff  with  a  counsel, 
and  with  Under-sheriff  O.  N.  Steele  and  Constable  E.  S.  Edgerton, 
apjjeared  to  conduct  the  sale.  A  large  body  of  disguised  Indians — 
at  least  "200 — were  present  and  ranged  themselves  around  the 
cattle  which  were  to  be  sold.  An  t)rder  was  heard  given  by  one  of 
the  disguised  chiefs:  "Shoot  the  horses,  shoot  the  horses."  A 
volley  followed  which  wounded  the  horses  on  which  Steele  and 
Edgerton  rode.  Instantly  another  order  was  given:  "Shoot  him, 
shoot  him."  Another  volley  followed  and  three  balls  struck  Steele. 
One  of  these  wounds  was  fatal,  and  he  died  after  five  or  six  hours. 

Following  this  tragedy  was  an  intense  excitement.  Meetings 
were  held  everywhere  throughout  the  county  to  deplore  and 
denounce  the  crime.  Rewards  were  offered  for  the  capture  of 
persons  supposed  to  have  been  concerned  in  it.  The  Gt)veruor 
declared  the  county  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  and  troops  were 
ordered  to  Delhi  to  maintain  peace  and  guard  the  captured  pris- 
oners. A  court  was  convened  August  22,  1845,  for  the  trial  of 
those  who  were  brought  before  it.  Amasa  J.  Parker,  who  only  a 
few  years  before  had  left  the  county  to  become  a  Judge,  jjresided. 


L(«)(!3' 

i 

Sirader's  LaKe,  Daveripon, 

Spring  LaKe,  Merediit\ 


WawaKa  LaKe.  Halcottville 


,\.\ri-i;i-:\r  rnor iu.es.  95 

lu  all  i'ij;btv-lV)iir  pfisoiis  wt-rc  eitlicr  i-oux  ictcil  or  cDiit'csseil  their 
•fuilt,  aud  were  seuteuced.  Two  of  the  iiiiinlier, — Vau  Steeiibur«f 
and  O'Connor, — were  found  t^uilty  ot'  murder  and  sentenced  to  l>c 
luiuji-.  In  iicitlicr  case  was  it  proved,  however,  that  the  prisoner 
had  tired  auv  of  the  shots.  Under  the  <-ircnmstauces  Governor 
Wrifrht  conmuited  their  sentences  to  inijiiisonnieut  for  life.  All 
the  prisoners  were  traus|inrt(  d  to  the  State  prison,  where  thej' 
remained  in  eoutinenieut  until  the  winter  of  1S47,  when  tliev  were 
pardoned  l\v  Governor  Yiuint;.  There  was  much  criticism  of  this 
act  of  clemency;  but  the  lesson  of  obtdience  to  law  had  been  thor- 
oughly learned,  and  not  a  breath  of  unlawful  excitement  has  ever 
been    nttered    since   then. 

The  Anti-rent  question  was  still  agitated,  however;  but  the 
ammunition  used  was  not  bullets,  and  tar-aud-feathers,  but  free  dis- 
cussion and  votes.  Tlie  Constitutional  Convention  of  1S4()  ])laced 
in  the  new  instrument  several  }irovisions  which  served  to  cure  some 
of  the  evils  under  which  the  leasehold  system  had  labored.  New 
laws  were  enacted  by  the  Le>iislature  which  distribnted  the  burdens 
of  taxation  more  evenly.  The  clause  in  many  leases  which  required 
a  part  of  the  ]>rice,  in  case  of  a  sale  by  inie  tenant  to  another,  to  bi' 
paid  to  the  landlord,  was  declaied  illej^al  and  void.  The  question 
as  to  tlie  validity  of  the  titles  by  which  the  landlords  held  their 
lauds  were  by  dii'ection  of  the  Legislature  taken  into  the  courts  by 
the  Attorney-General.  In  two  cases  the  matter  was  carried  to  the 
Court  of  Appeals  and  by  it  decided  in  favor  of  the  validity  of  the 
landlords'  titles.  Thus  the  legal  questions  which  had  furnished 
le},'itimate  grounds  for  the  excitement  were  disposed  of,  and  the 
county  ^'radmiUy  subsided  to  its  usual  condition  of  quiet  and  good 
order. 

The  circumstance,  however,  which  led  to  this  peaceful  solution 
of  an  angry  question,  was  the  almost  universal  sale  of  the  fee- 
simple  of  the  leased  lands  to  tiie  farmers.  The  experienc<'  of  the 
landlords  had  been  so  unfortunate  for  a  long  time,  that  they  were 
ready  to  put  a  very  moderate  price  on   the   land,  and   to   make   very 


9(5 


IIISTOKV    nF    DELAWARE    COl'STY. 


easy  terms  of  puyiiiL'ut.  Ou  the  othiT  haud  the  teuaiits  had  had  so  • 
severe  and  memorable  a  lesson  iij)i)ii  the  subject  of  reut-payiu^^,  that 
they  were  ready  to  meet  the  hnidlord  at  a  point  more  than  lialf 
way,  and  beeome  the  possessors  of  their  farms.  Vast  tracts  in  the 
county  in  this  way,  which  before  were  almost  universally  under 
leases,  have  since  then  liecome  fee-simple  farms.  Such  an  aj^ita- 
tiou  as  prevailed  in  1845  and  18i(i  would  be  impossible  now. 


> 


:Jt-- 


J 


IX. 
The   Cisil   War. 


1861   ISbS. 


A  PERIOD  of  tiiiil  through  which  Dchiwarc  c-ouutv  had  to  jxiss 
was  the  war  of  lS()l-o,  wliich  was  t'dUijht  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  Uuiou.*  The  seutimeut  of  tlie  coiiuty  was  thoroui,'-hlv 
stirred  in  reference  to  this  war,  aud  troops  were  contributed  far  in 
exeess  of  the  average  for  the  whole  State.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
exphiin  here  the  causes  of  this  bloody  war.  It  is  enough  to  state 
tliat  the  spirit  of  the  North  was  unanimously  enlisted  in  behalf  of 
the  government  at  "Washington.  Vt'e  shall  only  enumerate  the 
several  bodies  of  troops  which  from  time  to  time  left  the  county  to 
join  the  armies  of  the  Nation  in  their  effort  to  i)iit  ilown  the 
rebellion. 

1.  The  first  body  to  leave  the  county  was  Couqiany  I  of  the  71st 
regiment.  This  company  left  Delhi  June  4,  IHfil,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Robert  T.  Johnson  as  c-aptain.  Their  movement  to  the 
front  was  a  continuous  ovation.  .Vt  tiist  they  moved  to  Camp  Scott 
on  Stateu  Island,  where  they  were  attjiched  to  the  E.xcelsior  Bri- 
gade (Sickles  Brigade)  as  Conqiany  I  of  the  Third  Regiment. 
From  tliis  point  they  were  transferre<l  to  a  ])omt  near  Washington 
where  they  were  on  picket  duty  during  the  winter.  In  the  sj)ring 
of  Isf'rJ  they  w'ere  attached  to  the  .Vrmy  of  the  I'otonnic,  aud  from 
tliat  time  were  engaged  in  ni.ui\  l)attles,  viz:  Seven  Pines,  Peach 
Orchard,  Glen    Dale,  Malvein    Hills,  Bristow    Station,  Second    Bull 

•  For  the  facts  collectiKl  \u  this  cliaptcr  irouccruiiig  the  Delaware  couuty 
troops  in  thi-  Civil  war  I  gratcsfully  acknowledge  my  obligations  to  the  Historif 
iif  Delaware  County.  1880.  The  fullness  and  particularity  with  which  the  cir- 
ciimslaiices  are  stated  are  worthy  of  all  praise. 

«; 


!)K  HISTORY    OF    liKI.AWAIiK    coixrv. 

Kuu,  Frcderickshur^f,  Cbaucelldrsvilk',  C'olil  Hail>iir,  iiud  Peters- 
l)Ui'jj'.  Nt)  wouder  that  tbey  were  luucli  rut  up,  aud  when  after 
their  voliiuteered  service  of  three  years  they  were  discharged  in 
Aufiust,  lS(iJ:,  Init  few  of  the  original  company  returned  to  the 
county.  The  commander  of  this  company.  Captain  Johnson  was 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  ]\Iajor  in  the  li-lth  regiment  of  X.  Y. 
Volunteers,  aud  tliough  lie  was  wounded,  yet  he  still  lives  in  honor 
of  Delaware  county's  first  coutrilnition  to  the  war.  This  comjiauy 
had  at  various  times  during  its  term  of  service  a  roster  uf  twenty- 
one  officers  and  eighty-three  men. 

2.  The  second  organized  body  of  Delaware  couuty  troops  was  a 
company  which  was  raLsed  in  Colchester  in  May,  ISfJl.  by  Captain 
William  H.  Elwood  and  Elbridge  G.  Eadeker,  who  personally  sus- 
tained the  j^reliminary  expense  of  the  organization.  As  the  body 
was  not  large  enough  to  constitute  a  full  comjjany,  it  was  con- 
solidated with  a  similar  <'ompany  from  Cattaraugus  couuty.  aud 
assigned  to  the  71st  N.  Y.  Volunteers.  They  too  experienced  much 
hloody  fighting  under  General  Hooker.  They  were  engaged  in  the 
following  battles:  Stafford  Court  House,  Siege  of  Yorktowu,  Fair 
Oaks,  Savage  Station,  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  jNIalvern  Hills, 
Bristow  Station,  Second  Bull  Euu,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville, 
Gettysburg,  Wapping  Hills,  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania  Court  House, 
Cold  Harbor,  and  Petei-sburg.  They  served  the  full  time  of  their 
enlistment,  viz.,  three  years,  and  were  discharged  in  the  spring  of 
1864.  The  portion  of  the  comjiany  from  Delaware  couuty  uund)ered 
tliiiteen   officers  and   fifty-four  ])rivates. 

;-i.  As  a  third  coutrilnition  Delaware  county  sent  a  company  of 
cavalry,  denominated  in  the  war  records  as  Company  E  of  the  8rd 
N.  Y.  Cavalry.  Fifty-five  men  were  enlisted  at  Delhi  aud  detach- 
ments were  added  at  Walton  and  Hancock,  so  that  the  company 
numbered  about  one  hundred  men  when  it  rendezvoused  at  Elmira 
in  August,  1801.  They  were  taken  to  the  neighborhood  of  Wash- 
ington aud  there  subjected  to  the  rigors  of  a  winter's  traiuiug. 
They    formed    a    part    of    ^lajor    Mix's    liatallion.    aud    were    with 


rill-:  civil.  ii'.iK— /.s'.7-/.w.i.  ()<) 

Bunisiilc  ill  liis  I'luujiiii;;!!  in  North  C'liroliiia  in  ISd'J  and  IS(;:i. 
From  this  they  wert*  recjillecl  to  the  ut'ij;hl)orh()oil  of  KichnKiml. 
Init  aj,'ain  were  sriit  back  to  North  Carolina.  They  saw  an  imnicnsc 
amount  of  service,  haviu^'  beeu  iu  tbirtv-tive  entfa^fenu  iits.  'J'hcii- 
captaiu  was  Ferris  Jacobs,  Jr.,  of  Delhi,  who  in  1S()3  was  jironiotcil 
to  Major,  iu  ISfil  to  Lieuteniint-Colouel,  in  1S()5  to  Brifjadier 
General,  with  which  rank  he  was  niuster<'il  out  at  the  close  of  the 
war.  The  eouipauy  carried  on  its  rolls  liviuf^  jind  dead  thirty-one 
t>fticers  and  one  hundred  and  tifty-tbree  privates. 

4.  The  Ellsworth  re^fimeut  was  recruited  from  various  localities 
throu^^liout  the  State.  Delaware  county  furnished  a  very  consid- 
erable nuudter,  who  wei'e  amonj;  the  very  best  of  this  suj)erb 
re^rimeut.  It  was  ort,'aui/.ed  at  Albany  in  the  summer  of  IKIil, 
uuder  the  military  designation  of  the  44th  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  ^\■heu 
it  started  to  the  front  in  October,  1861,  it  numliered  l,()(jl  men. 
For  a  time  the  regiment  was  employed  upon  pi<ket  duty;  but  iu 
time  it  had  its  full  share  of  fighting.  In  18()2  it  was  engaged  iu 
the  Second  Bull  Run,  being  almost  annihilated  iu  this  bloody  battle. 
It  bore  its  part  in  other  engagements  as  follows:  Hanover  Court 
House,  (iaines"  Mills,  Turkey  Beud,  Malvern  Hill,  Antietam,  Shep- 
ardston  Ford,  Fredericksburg^-,  Chancellorsville,  Middle! )urg,  Get- 
tysl)urg,  Spottsylvauia  Court  House,  North  Anna,  Bethesda  Church, 
Petersburg  and  Weldou  Railroad.  It  was  mustered  out  after  the 
three  }'ears'  term  of  service  for  which  it  had  volunteered.  Only 
fourteeu  officers  and  !(>(•  privates  returned  to  .Vll>any,  where  they 
were  welcomed  home  by  Governor  Seymour.  .Ml  the  lest  including 
theii-  gallant  Colonel  Rice  were  left  on  Southern  battle  tields. 

o.  The  next  contribution  to  be  mentioued  is  tlie  Sth  N.  Y. 
I'ldepeud'^nt  Battery.  It  was  organized  at  Newburg,  October,  IKfil, 
the  enlistiueut  being  for  three  years.  Most  of  the  men,  but  not  all, 
were  from  Delaware  county.  The  captain  was  Butler  Fitch  a 
Delawar  '  county  man.  On  its  roster,  including  of  course  jiromo- 
tlons  and  re-enlistments,  were  sixty-four  officers  an<l  Hl"2  ])rivates, 
.•uid   tliirtv-two  recruits  and  re-enlistments. 


100  HISTOliV    <IF    IiKI.AWAHK    CiirSTY. 

6.  The  51st  X.  Y.  Voluuteers  wiis  fonufd  hy  the  cousolidatiou 
•of  the  Shepaid  Kitlcs  (so  caUeil  from  Cohmcl  Elliot  F.  Shepard), 
the  Seott  Ritles  aud  the  Uuion  RiHes.  They  were  organized  as  cue 
regiment  at  New  York  in  October,  18()1,  and  set  out  for  the  front 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Ferrero  uumheriug  H50  men.  They 
were  placed  in  the  brigade  of  Geucral  Kemi,  aud  went  through 
the  trying  canipaigu  of  (ieueral  Buruside  iu  North  Carolina.  The 
following  liattles  among  others  they  shared  in:  Slaughter  Mountain, 
Rappahannock  Station,  Warren  Station,  Manassas,  Chautilly,  Fred- 
erick City,  South  Mountain,  Sharpsburg,  Autietam,  Banks'  Ford, 
Vicksburg,  Jackson.  Blue  Spring,  Campbell  Station,  Kuoxville,  aud 
Grant's  Campaign  against  Richmond  and  Petersburg.  The  career 
of  the  regiment  may  in  brief  be  stated  as  extending  from  Roauoake 
Island  in  18()2  to  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox. 

7.  Company  I  of  the  S9tli  Infantry  X.  Y.  Volunteers  was 
originally  mostly  from  Delaware  county.  It  was  raised  in  Delhi 
by  Captain  Theophilus  L.  England  and  First  Lieutenant  Robert  P. 
Cormack.  The  conjpany  numbered  eighty-two  enlisted  men.  The 
remaining  companies  were  mostly  enlisted  in  the  counties  of  central 
Xew  York,  and  the  regiment  was  organized  at  Elmira  uuder  Harri- 
son F.  Fairehild  as  colonel.  Like  many  others  of  the  Delaware 
county  troops  the  89th  were  called  to  participate  in  Buruside's 
North  Carolina  campaign.  They  shared  in  the  following  battles: 
Roauoake  Island,  Camdeu,  South  Mills,  Newbern,  South  Mountain. 
Antietam  (where  out  of  500  men  engaged  200  were  lost),  Fred- 
ericksburg, Charleston,  Fort  \Vagner,  Fort  Gregg.  Under  General 
■"  Baldy "'  Smith  they  were  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
They  were  present  at  Appomattox  when  General  Lee  surrendered  in 
April.  1S()5.  In  all  they  were  engaged  iu  twenty-three  battles. 
When  they  were  mustered  in  iu  1801  they  numbered  980  men;  aud 
when   they  finished  and  returned  home  there  were  only  225    left. 

8.  The  101st  N.  Y.  Volunteers  was  made  up  by  combining  two 
.skeleton  regiments,  one  raised  iu  Delaware  county  and  the  other 
raised  in  Onondaga  county.      The  cousolidated  regiment  was  sent  to 


rill-:  civil.  WAK  -isiii-isus.  idi 

the  Ainiv  of  the  I'i)ti)iiiac  where  it  wiis  Sd  reduced  by  the  casualties 
of  war  that  it  was  consoliihitid  uitli  tlie  :{7th  N.  Y.  Volimteers, 
takiug  tlie  hvtter  desiguatiou.  After  the  terrible  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville  it  was  uecessarv  afijain  to  consolidate  the  'i7th  with  the 
40th  N.  Y.  Yolimteers  uuder  tlie  latter  name.  It  was  at  last  nius- 
:  tered  mit  at  the  eml  of  the  war  in  -luly,  ISi;.").  It  had  jinrticipated 
iu  the  foUowiiiji;'  battles:  Fair  Oaks,  Seven  Pines,  Seven  Davs' 
Hetreat,  Malvern  Hill.  CTaincsville,  Second  Bull  Run,  Frederick, 
Md.,  Autietani,  Fredericksburg',  Chaucellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Ma- 
nassas (rap,  Brandy  Station,  Kajjidan,  Culpepper,  Kelly's  Ford, 
Mine  Knn.  \Vil(leruess,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna,  Cold  Harbor, 
lieaui's  Station,  Petersburg  and  Appomattox.  Of  the  ti'oops  fur- 
nished by  Delaware  county  in  this  consolidated  and  re-consolidated 
regiment  there  were  of  otiicers  forty-one,   and  of  privates  'I'.Vl. 

9.    The    most    complete    organization    which    Delaware    eountv 
furnished  to  the  war  was  the  14Ith  regiment  N.  Y'^.  Volunteers.     It 
was  raised   in   the  summer  of  18()2  when  President  Lincoln  called 
for    :^()(),()(M)    more    men    to  \)\\X  down    the  rebellion.     The    utmost 
enthusiasm  prevailed.      Meetings  were  held  everywhere  throughout 
-the  county.      AVithin   twenty  days  from  the  time  of  the  first  move- 
ments the  i-egiment  was  ready,  to  be  mustered  iu.     It  was  moved  at 
once  to  Washington  in  order  to  aid  in  the  defence  of  the  Cai)itoI. 
and  !it  the   same   time   to  be   trained   and   discij)liued  into  a  hardy 
body  of    soldiers.     In  Ajiril,  lK(i3,  they  were  moved  to  Suffolk  iu 
Vii<,'-iuia    which    General    Longstreet    was    then    besiegint^-.     From 
there  they  were  moved  to  West  Point  in  Virginia.      In  July,  IKOH, 
they  were  ordered  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac;  but  in  August  they 
were  sent  to  South  Carolina  where  they  were  present  at  the  bom- 
bardment of  Charleston  an<l  Sumter.      In  February.,  18(54,  they  were 
■  sent  to  Florida.     Then  later  in  the  year  they  were  employed  in  eo- 
. operating  with  (ieneral  Sherman. in  his  great  march  through  the 
-centre  of  the  Confederacy.     They  were  not  engaged  in  as  much  or 
.as   severe    fighting  as  some  of    the    other    bodies    of    troops    from 
.Delaware    county      But    they    were    present    at    a   luost    important 


102  HISTORY    Oh'    lih'LAWAKK    (dlWTV. 

l)friod  of  the  \v;u',  uinl  wheu  it  uame  to  iiu  end  iu  tlic  spriu^  ot 
18(io,  they  were  still  iiu  iictivc  iiiiil  intrepid  body  of  troops.  They 
were  mustered  out  of  the  service  in  July,  18(j.5.  The  tlags  which 
liad  heen  j^iven  to  them  at  Delhi  wheu  they  left,  they  brouj^ht  back 
with  them  wheu  they  returned.  They  were  toru  and  shot  through, 
and  stained  with  lilood,  and  worn  with  wind  and  rain.  But  they 
were  jsreeious  relics  of  their  campaigns  and  now  are  treasured  with 
other  mementos  of  the  war  in  the  capitol  at  Albany. 

We  close  the  account  of  the  services  of  this  regiment  by  some 
statistics  of  the  organization: 

The  following  were  the  Colonels  from  the  begiunin-^-  to  the  end 
of  its  service;  Robert  S.  Hughston,  Davi<l  E.  Gregory,  William  J. 
Slidell,  James  Lewis. 

Lifiitt-nant  Colonels:  David  E.  Gref^ory,  James  Lewis,  Calvin  A. 
Kice. 

Majors:  Kobert  T.  Johnson,  Calvin  A.  Kice,  William  Plaskett. 

Adjutants:  Marshall  Shaw,  Charles  C.  Siver,  George  R.  Cannon. 

Quarter-Masters :  James  H.  Wright,  Samuel  Gordon,  jr.,  Spencer 
S.  Gregory. 

Surgeon  :  John  R.  Leal. 

Chaplains :    Alexander  H.  Fullerton,  David  Torrey. 

There  were  also  the  following  numbers  of  other  commissioned 
officers,  and  of  privates  iu  the  several  companies: 

Captains '^'2. 

First   Lieutenants ^i^^ 

Second  Lieutenants  .  .  ^iS 

Company  A  IH.')  Company  F  l.'ii» 

Company  B  l'")0  Company   (t  l:i:{ 

Company  C  13J:  Company  H  .  H'> 

Company  D  .  145  Company   I.  144 

Company  E.  151  Company   K  l-JS 

Total  Field  officers,   Commissioned  officers  and  Privates.,  1,51(;. 


rill-:  I'lvii.   UM/i'     ■sai-isi;.'-,. 


105 


Besides  the  ;il)i>vr  martiiil  Dr^aiii/.titioiis  wliiili  were  (■(intiil)\it,o(l 
by  Delaware  county  to  the  Cixil  war,  there  wei'e  manv  voluiiteors 
will)  ji>iii"d  regimeuts  <ir  eoiuiiaiiics  wliicli  \ver<'  raised  iu  neighbor- 
ing U)i.alities.  Thus  there  were  eulistuieiits  carried  ou  along  the 
Sus(iuehanua  river,  aud  not  a  few  of  the  boys  from  Delaware  county 
were  gathered  into  these  centri  s.  It  is  inii)ossible  to  give  the 
credit  which  is  due  for  tliese  ijatiiotic  contributions.  But  it  may 
be  affirmed  without  hesitation  that  no  part  of  the  State  responded 
with  more  readiness  aud  enthusiasm  to  the  calls  of  the  nation  than 
Delaware  county.  For  the  saci-ilices  both  in  men  and  money  which 
were  made  for  the  preseivatiou  of  the  unity  of  the  country,  the 
citizens  of  this  generation  may  b  ■  justly  ])rou(l  of  the  patriotism  of 
the  past  generation. 


X. 

Earl^  IndtivStries. 


As  the  coiiutv  was  developed  hv  the  labor  of  these  industrious 
and  intellif^eut  pioneers  the  whole  face  of  a  neififhborhood 
became  transformed.  The  forest  was  crowded  back  and  in  its  pliice 
appeared  smiling  fields  of  wheat  and  rve,  corn  and  Imckwheat,  hay 
and  potatoes.  Apple  orchards,  plum  trees,  and  currant  bushes 
appeared  ou  every  farm.  The  log-house  and  barn  gave  place  to 
frame  buildings;  horses  displaced  oxen  in  many  of  the  services  of 
the  farm  and  the  family.  Roads  were  laid  out  and  maintained 
throughout  the  couuty.  Mills*  for  grinding  grain,  which  at  first 
"were  few  and  distant,  were  erected  at  convenient  places  on  streams 
which  furnished  water  power.  When  these  mills  were  well  nigh 
inaccessible  the  pioneers  had  recourse  to  home  made  wooden  mor- 
tars, which  were  dug  out  of  a  green  stump  large  enough  tt)  hold  a 
peck  of  grain.  Over  this  was  bent  a  tough  sapling  to  which  was 
tied  a  heavy  wooden  pestle.  "With  this  rough  apparatus  the  farmer 
could  break  the  husks  from  the  grain,  and  even  crush  the  kernels 
into  a  kind  of  rude  meal. 

Saw-mills  were  early  introduced  at  many  suitable  mill-sites. 
These  were  generally  erected  near  pine  or  hemlock  forests,  and 
lumber  was  cut  by  them  for  the  new  frame  houses  and  liarns  which 
everywhere  Ijegan  to  be  erected. 

For  many  years  lumljering  was  one  of  the  great  industries  of 
Delaware    county.     At    many    places  both  on    the  East    and    West 

*  The  first  settlers  in  Harin'islicld  were  oompelleti  to  go  to  Seholiarie  with 
their  grain  ;  tho!?e  who  settled  in  Middletown  went  to  Kingston ;  and  the 
Johnstons  at  Sidney  ascended  the  Susquehanna  and  found  mills  at  Cherry 
Valley. 

106 


EAHL)    ixnrsTiiias.  107 

l)niuc'lies  of  the  Delaware  river  great  raftiug  statiuus  were  maiu- 
taiued.  The  lumber  was  cut  iu  the  winter,  ami  either  prepared  for 
raftiug  unsawed,  or  it  was  sawed  into  Ixiards  and  joists  and  scaut- 
lin;,'.  In  the  sprinj^-  this  hiniln  r  was  liuilt  into  rafts  in  a  protected 
eddy  of  the  river.  Then  the  lumbernieu  taking  advantage  of  the 
xisual  freshets  of  the  spring  started  their  rafts  ou  the  river.  It  was 
uo  easy  task,  aud  not  wholly  without  danger,  to  steer  the  raft 
through  the  rough  ami  sinuous  current  and  past  the  sharp  head- 
lands and  rocks.  AVheu  the  narrow  part  of  the  stream  had  been 
passed,  usually  below  the  junction  of  the  two  liranches  of  the 
Delaware,  the  smaller  rafts  were  joined  together,  four  of  the  former 
making  one  large  raft.  In  this  fashion  the  raft  was  run  dowu  the 
whole  length  of  the  rivei-  to  the  great  huuber  market  of  Philadel- 
])hia.  It  is  only  necessary  to  add  here  that  the  lumber  of  Delaware 
county  has  long  since  been  exhausted  and  instead  of  the  supply 
being  sent  out  in  rafts  by  the  rivers,  it  has  now  become  necessary 
to  bring  it  in   liy   the   car   load   on   the   railroads. 

There  were  a  number  of  minor  industries  which  for  a  time  were 
prevalent  iu  the  county,  but  which  have  gradually  passed  away  aud 
are  uo  longer  of  consequence.  1.  .\s  long  as  hemlock  tindjer  lasted 
the  tanning  of  leather  continued.  In  many  localities  this  was  an 
important  business,  aud  in  some  has  continued  until  very  recent 
times.  But  the  hemlock  forests  have  now  been  comi^letely  demol- 
ished, and  tanning  has  ceased  to  l)e  of  consequence  in  reckoning 
the  available  resources  of  the  county.  2.  When  the  forests  were 
lieing  cleared  up,  aud  when  wood  was  the  only  kind  of  fuel 
immense  quantities  of  wood  ashes  were  produced  on  the  farms. 
These  were  used  in  nuxuy  and  various  ways.  Soft  soap  for  use  iu  all 
farm  purposes,  was  made  by  leeching  wood  ashes  aud  ju'oduciug  a 
Jye.  This  when  combined  with  animal  fat  producccl  the  well  kuown 
soft  soap,  which  farmers  in  early  times  almost  univei'sally  employed. 
The  wood  ashes  also  were  sold  by  the  bushel  to  establishments 
where  they  were  reduced  to  merchantable  potash  and  pearlash, 
which  were  largely  used  in  the  arts. 


108  UlSTOHV    OF    DELAWARE    ((llWrV. 

The  makiug  of  maple-sugar  was  from  the  earliest  settlement  of 
the  couuty  a  promineut  occupation.  Even  before  the  Harpers  came 
to  live  iu  HarpersHekl  they  had  come  thither  in  the  spring  of  1772 
to  obtain  this  crop.  The  town  was  so  well  supplied  with  maple 
trees  that  for  a  long  time  it  liore  the  name  of  "  tlie  Bush  ''  or  the 
"  Sugar  Bush."  Sugar  was  made  iu  the  spring  of  the  year  at  the 
time  when  sap  of  the  maple  begins  to  ascend  from  the  roots  to  the 
buds.  The  tree  that  is  used  for  sugar-making  is  called  the  sugar 
maple  (Acer  sacchariuum)  which  abounds  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  United  States  and  Canada.  An  incision  was  made  in  the  trunk 
of  the  tree  two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground.  To  catch  the  sap 
which  flowed  from  this  incision  a  spile  w^as  inserted  iu  the  tree  just 
below  it;  and  from  this  spile  the  sap  fell  drop  by  drop  into  liuckets 
or  sap-troughs.  It  was  gathered  from  these  receptacles  into  a 
hogshead,  from  which  it  was  fed  to  evaporating  pans.  Then  when 
reduced  to  the  consistency  of  thin  molasses  it  was  transferred  to 
a  pot  where  it  was  still  further  reduced  to  a  consistency  which 
would  when  it  was  poured  into  moulds  cause  it  to  harden  into 
cakes. 

This  maple-sugar  was  almost  the  only  kind  of  sugar  used  among 
the  pioneers,  and  is  still  manufactured  in  every  part  of  the  county 
where  majsle  trees  are  to  l)e  found. 

It  soon  became  apparent  that  butter  making  was  the  industry 
best  adapted  to  Delaware  county.  In  general  the  soil  was  too  stony 
and  intractable  for  the  raising  of  grain.  Wheat  was  almost  aban- 
doned as  soon  as  facilities  for  importing  wheat  Hour  became  availa- 
ble. Rye  continued  to  be  raised,  but  usually  not  in  (piautities  much 
more  than  sufficient  to  sujjply  the  wants  of  the  farmer's  family. 
Oats  were  needed  both  for  man  and  beast,  and  even  the  rough 
soil  and  the  short  season  were  no  im])edimeut  to  the  raising  of 
good  croj)s.  Buckwheat  and  Indian  corn  and  potatoes  were  also 
crops  which  were  raised  readily  and  freely,  but  farmers  generally 
contented  themselves  with  crops  sufficient  for  home  consumption. 
The  main  business  of  the  farmer  and  his  famih'  was  to  make  butter. 


KAHi.y  ixinsriaKS.  109 

wliicli  always  ('(uild  lie  sold  citlicr  in  Imlk  or  iu  sniiill  qiiautities 
for  cash. 

The  great  question  in  ritVniicc  to  every  farm  was;  how  many 
cows  will  it  keep.  This  depended  on  two  thiufjfs,  first  the  amount 
of  pasture  laud  which  furnished  food  for  the  cow's  in  summer,  aud 
necond  the  amount  of  meadow  land  which  furnished  hay  for  the 
cows  iu  winter.  Grass  and  hay, — these  were  the  sta])le  articles  of 
food  for  the  cows.  There  were,  however,  other  foods  which  were 
sometimes  used  to  supplement  these.  In  the  autumn  when  the 
{jfrass  was  bej^nnninj,'  to  fail  sliced  potatoes  aud  sliced  turuips  were 
feil  to  the  milch  cows.  And  in  th<>  sprin-f  when  the  cows  had  j^rown 
tired  of  hay,  au<l  the  pasture  was  not  yet  ready  for  them,  they  were 
ofteu  fed  with  a  mash  of  brau  or  crushed  S'r''i"  i"  addition  to  the 
hay  which  was  their  maiu  diet. 

Butter  making  was  essentially  the  same  iu  the  early  i)eriods  of 
the  county  as  it  is  now.  The  cows,*  however,  were  mvu-h  inferior 
as  milk-givers  to  the  present  breeds,  and  the  milk  was  much  less 
rich  in  butter.  The  cows  were  usually  the  native  cattle  which  had 
spread  from  New  England,  and  were  the  miscellaneous  crosses 
between  cattle  imjiorted  from  Holland,  Denmark,  England  and 
Scotland.  They  were  small  and  geuerally  active  in  climbing  the 
hillsides  of  Delaware  county  farms.  The  average  daily  milking  was 
from  six  to  ten  quarts.  From  this  it  was  customary  to  make  during 
the  season  at  the  very  best  about  100  pounds  of  butter.  When 
these  figures  are  compared  with  the  (hiiry  records  of  the  present 
day  they  seem  trivial.  Now  a  good  Jersey  cow  yields  fifteen  to 
twenty  quarts  of  much  richer  milk,  which  if  used  for  butter  making 
■will  produce  something  like  "ioO  to  800  pounds  during  the  season. 

The  milk  was  poured  into  tin  pans  aud  these  set  in  a  cool  dairy 
house   until   the  cream    had   risen.      Then   the   cream    was  skimmed 

'Professor  E.  B.  Voorhees,  director  of  the  New  Jersey  Experiment  Station 
who  has  given  facts  hero  mentioned,  says  the  dairy  cow  of  the  Middle  States 
was  undoubtedly  a  ilesccndant  of  the  early  importations  from  Holland  1(12.5, 
from   Denmark   10-27,  and   from   the  West   Indies  into  Virfjlniii  as  carlv  as  1609. 


no  HISTOIIV    OF    IiKI.AWARE    COUXTY. 

from  the  pans  aud  put  into  the  cburu,  where  it  was  agitated  witli  a 
dasher  uutil  the  butter  "came."  Churuiug  was  a  tiresome  task 
when  done  by  haud;  but  this  was  ahiiost  the  uuvarviug  custDin  iu 
the  earliest  times.  Later,  wheels  were  constructed  to  do  the  churn- 
ing, which  were  sometimes  turned  by  a  dog  or  a  sheep  aud 
sometimes  by  the  water  of  some  convenient  stream.  The  l)utter 
when  taken  from  the  churn  had  to  be  worked  in  a  large  wooden 
bowl  with  a  wooden  ladle  iu  order  to  squeeze  from  it  the  milk 
which  might  cling  to  it.  Then  it  was  salted  with  fine  salt  and 
jiacked  into  the  firkins  or  tubs  in  which  it  was  carried  to  market. 
Nearly  all  this  heavy  work, — and  it  was  heavy — was  done  by  the 
women  of  the  jaioneer  families;  aud  by  this  means  they  liore  their 
full  share  in  the  labor  of  maintaining  the  families  and  producing 
the  means  by  which  progress  and  prosjierity  were  gradualh'  spread 
throughout  the  new  settlements. 

The  butter,  as  we  have  said,  was  jjacked  iu  firkins  holding  from 
eighty  to  one  hundred  pounds;  or  sometimes  in  tubs  made  by  saw- 
ing a  firkin  into  two  parts.  A  farmer  kept  these  packages  in  his 
cellar  until  the  cool  weather  of  the  autumn  arrived.  Then  he 
loaded  all  his  firkins  into  a  lumber  wagon,  covering  them  carefully 
from  the  sun  and  the  dust,  aud  carried  them  to  some  place  on  the 
Hudson  river,  whence  it  could  be  taken  to  New  York.  At  these 
places — Catskill  or  Kingston  generally — there  were  butter  buyers- 
or  commission  merchants  who  were  ready  either  to  pui-ehase  the 
dairies  for  cash,  or  to  take  them  to  New  York  on  commission.  At  a 
period  a  little  later  there  sjDrang  up  a  class  of  men  in  various  cen- 
tral localities  throughout  the  county  who  undertook  to  purchase 
their  butter  from  the  farmers  at  home,  and  thus  spare  them  the 
long  journey  which  they  had  been  obliged  to  take.  Still  later  and 
withiu  a  comparatively  recent  time,  there  have  appeared  creameries 
at  many  points,  to  which  the  farmers  now  carry  their  milk.  These 
establishments  treat  the  milk,  the  cream  and  the  butter  in  the  most 
approved  methods,  and  have  done  much  to  raise  the  dairying- 
industry  of  Delaware  county  to  its  present  high  character. 


XI. 
Roads  and   Uailroads. 


DELAWARE  c-ouiity  is  a  completfly  inlnuil  t'oiinty;  no  occau  or 
naviyjable  river  touclies  it  ou  any  side.  More  than  this,  it 
has  a  rough  aud  mouutaiuous  surface,  over  which  it  is  impossible 
to  liuild  far-reachiug  roads,  or  railroads  of  commercial  value. 
Access  to  the  couuty  was  iu  three  principal  directions:  1st,  through 
the  Shaudaken  mountains  from  Kingston  into  Middletown  and  the 
valley  of  the  East  branch;  •2d,  by  the  head- waters  of  the  "West 
branch  through  Schoharie  aud  Greene  county  from  Catskill;  3d,  up 
the  valley  of  the  Delaware  as  it  winds  through  the  mountains,  and 
then  up  either  branch  into  the  various  valleys  of  the  county.  As 
fast  as  the  county  became  settled  of  course  roads  were  oj^eued  and 
settlements  connected.  At  tirst  these  roads  were  little  more  than 
trails  such  as  the  Indians  followed  iu  going  from  place  to  place  on 
their  hunting  excursions.  But  the  new  settlers  brought  wagons 
aud  horses  with  them,  and  these  required  wider  roads,  the  trees  to 
be  cut  down  and  the  roots  aud  rocks  to  be  grubbed  out,  aud 
bridges  to  be  built  over  intervening  streams.  It  is  just  to  say  that 
the  roads  iu  this  county  were  never  good.  Aloug  the  priucijial 
streams  the  roads  were  cut  through  the  soft  alluvial  soil,  aud  were 
dusty  in  summer,  muddy  iu  spring  and  autumn,  and  only  good  in 
winter  when  they  were  covered  with  snow.  The  roads  up  the 
smaller  valleys  and  over  the  hills  were  invariably  rough  aud  stony, 
every  shower  washing  away  the  eaitli  and  leaving  the  stones  more 
and  more  exposed. 

The  care  of  the  roads  was  iu  the  hands  of  a  so-called  path- 
master,  who  was  elected  to  this  office  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  road 
district.     Each  citizeu  was  assessed  for  a  certain  sum  proportionate 


112  HISTOHY    OF    liKLAWAHF.     CIHSrY. 

to  the  size  of  his  fanii.  He  was  jX'iMuitted,  hmvever,  to  work  out 
his  assessment  iipni  the  I'oads,  either  iu  hand  lal)or  or  with  a  team 
ami  driver.  As  this  was  alnmst  invariably  his  choice,  the  worl<  wiis 
not  always  the  best  adajited  to  the  wants  of  the  highway.  The 
pathmaster  was  generally  iguoraut  of  the  best  method  in  which  to 
treat  his  district,  and  iu  cousLHjuence  the  repairs  were  very  often 
mere  waste  labor  which  left  the  roa<ls  iu  a  worse  condition  than 
they  were  in  before.  If  the  assessment  had  always  been  collected  in 
money  and  that  spent  judiciously,  the  condition  of  the  roads  would 
have  been  much  better,  and  the  worry  and  annoyance  would  have 
been  much   less. 

In  later  years  turnpike  companies  have  sometimes  been  formed 
to  keep  special  roads  in  repair,  for  which  they  were  authorized  to 
charge  toll.  As  a  temporary  exjjedient  this  no  doubt  was  an 
advantage,  and  the  roads  thus  cared  for  have  proved  a  great  benefit 
to  communities.  But  it  is  a  great  burdeu  to  the  farmers,  aud  they 
are  in  general  bitterly  opposed  to  having  the  roads  which  they 
almost  daily  travel  interrupted  by  toll-gates.  It  is  the  duty  of  the 
county,  and  of  the  State  to  provide  good  roads  for  its  citizens. 
There  is  no  duty  more  important  or  pressing'  at  the  present  daj' 
than  this,  and  it  is  specially  iucumbeut  iu  a  county  like  Delaware 
which  is  not  easily  accessible  to  the  great  markets. 

When  the  Erie  Canal  was  constructed  aud  oj^eued  in  1825  a  new 
era  was  begun  for  the  prosperity  of  western  and  central  New  York. 
Even  the  counties  aloug  the  Hudson  aud  the  sea-port  of  New  York 
city  were  vastly  enriched.  To  connect  such  a  sea-port  with  the 
interior  of  a  great  State,  aud  by  means  of  inland  lakes  with  the 
very  heart  of  the  continent,  was  one  of  the  greatest  feats  of 
economic  statemanshi})  which  the  world  had  seen. 

But  it  seemed  a  grievance  to  the  counties  distant  from  the  line 
of  the  canal, — and  it  still  seems  a  grievance,  that  they  who  eujoycd 
no  benefit  from  it,  have  been  and  are  still  obliged  to  contribute  to 
the  millions  which  it  has  cost  to  construct,  to  enlarge  and  to  repair. 
Delaware  countv,  removed  as  she  necessarilv  was  from  the  line  of 


1 


flinieda  Valley. 


Mereditti  View. 


At  St\averto\i)ii 


iniMis  AMI  i;mi.i;(>m>s.  115 

-the  i';uial  iicvci'  roccived  auv  ilii'cct  l)ciictit.  She  only  ]irotiti"(l  from 
it  in  a  general  way  by  tlio  l)nililin^'  u])  of  the  ;^rcat  metropolis  and 
the  increase  tliereliy  of  the  ileniand  for  those  jiroducts  wliicli  slie 
liail    for   sale. 

In  eonunon  witli  tlie  sontliern  tier  of  eoiiuties  across  the  State, 
Delaware  county  insisted  with  fifreat  urp^eucy  upon  tlie  construction 
of  a  I'ailroad  which  should  connect  New  Yoik  city  witli  Lake  Erie. 
Phiiis  for  huildiug  the  N.  Y.  and  Erie  railroad  were  seriously 
iliscussed  as  early  as  18'25.  Petitions  for  aid  in  the  enterprise  by 
the  State  were  presentetl  to  the  Lej^islature,  and  in  coujpliance  with 
these  the  Coinptroller  was  authorized  to  loan  to  tlie  company  tlie 
sum  of  one  million  of  dollars;  one  quarter  of  the  sum  when  one 
hundred  miles  of  the  road  had  been  completed,  a  second  quarter 
when  two  hundred  miles  were  completed,  a  third  when  three  hun- 
dred, and  the  last  when  four  hundred  miles  were  finished.  With 
this  eiicoura^fement  the  stock  of  the  road  was  rapidly  sul)scril)ed 
for.  Ground  was  broken  for  the  beginning  of  the  construction  at 
De])osit  in  this  county  November  7,  ISJ^o.  But  the  financial  strin- 
gency throughout  the  country  in  188(5  and  1887  put  an  end  for  a 
time  to  the  prosecution  of  the  enterprise.  But  in  18:!8  the  State 
again  came  to  its  aid  by  the  grant  of  an  additional  loan  of  three 
million  of  dollars. 

The  physical  difficulties  of  Ijuildiug  a  railroad  through  such 
rough  and  mountainous  regions  as  the  Delaware  and  Susquehanna 
valleys,  were  not  at  first  fully  realized.  Twice  the  location  of  the 
track  was  changed,  in  order  to  avoid  obstacles  which  had  not  been 
fully  a]ipreciated. 

Unwisely  the  road  was  planned  to  have  a  broad  guage  of  seven 
feet  instead  of  the  ordinarj'  gauge  of  four  feet  eight  inches.  This 
was  in  imitation  of  the  gi-eat  engineer  Brunei  who  constructed  the 
(Jreat  Western  railway  of  England  with  a  broad  track,  under  the 
impression  that  all  the  competing  and  connecting  lines  would 
finally  conform  to  the  broad  gauge.  But  wlien  the  importance  of 
■running  cars  from  all  roads  over  the  l''.ric,  and  in  turn  of  liein^'-  able 


11(5  IIISTOHV    OF    DKhAWMih:    iorXTY. 

to  seud  the  loiidetl  ciu's  of   the  Erie   over  the   roads   with   which   if 
connected,  it  became  an  urgent  necessity  to  change  to  the  narrower 
and    standard    guage.      The   t-haugc   was   lujt    made,  however,  until 
much  later,  and  then  only  at  a  very  considerable  expense. 

The  Erie  railroad  only  runs  through  a  small  jjart  of  Delaware 
county,  following  the  Delaware  river,  entering  from  Sullivan  county 
and  leaving  at  Deposit.  But  even  this  inconsiderable  contact  was 
of  infinite  benefit  to  the  county.  Besides  the  aid  it  rendered 
to  the  towns  immediately  adjoining,  many  parts  far  to  the  east  were 
much  helped  in  having  a  better  and  easier  communication  opened 
up  for  them  with  the  New  York  markets.  Much  of  the  travel 
which  had  before  this  sought  an  outlet  eastward  by  long  and 
mountainous  routes  to  the  Hudson  river,  now  adopted  this  natural 
and  easy  route  down  the  Delaware  valley  to  Hancock.  Many  farm 
products  which  under  former  circumstances  were  not  worth  send- 
ing to  market  now  became  valuable  and  merchantable.  This  was 
the  first  step  towards  bringing  Delaware  county  out  into  the 
world. 

The  next  stejJ  was  the  opening  of  the  Alljany  and  Susquehanna 
railroad.  This  line  was  organized  in  1851,  receiving  State  and 
local  aid  towards  its  construction.  It  was  finished  to  Oueonta  in 
1865,  to  TJnadilla  and  Sidney  Plains  in  1866,  and  to  Binghamton  in 
1869.  In  1870  it  was  leased  to  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Canal 
Company  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  has  since  been 
operated  as  a  part  of  its  system.  Although  the  Albany  and  Sus- 
quehanna railroad  at  no  point  enters  Delaware  county,  yet  as  it 
runs  for  a  long  distance  down  the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna  there 
are  many  places  where  it  affords  valuable  facilities  to  portions  of 
the  county.  From  the  station  Emmons  there  was  run  for  many 
years  a  daily  stage  by  way  of  Elk  Creek  to  Delhi.  Erom  Oueonta' 
there  was  easy  communication  into  the  towns  of  Franklin  and 
Meredith,  and  from  Unadilla  and  Sidney  Plains  into  the  western 
towns  of  the  county. 

The  third  attempt  to  invade  the  solitude  of    Delaware  county 


ROADS    AXn    UM I. ROADS'.  117 

WHS  iniule  by  the  New  York  iiud  Oswef^o  iliiUaml  iiiilroml,  uow 
iiilleil  the  New  York,  Ontario  i!^  Westeru.  Tliis  road  was  projected 
ill  1S(!.")  and  articles  of  iiiroiiioration  tiled  in  ISCi;.  [t  was  de8if>:ned 
to  rrarh  from  New  York  city  to  Oswego,  by  ruiiuiuf,'  throu^^'ll  a. 
section  of  the  State  not  before  traversed  by  railroad  and  thus  to 
open  up  some  hopeful  regions  which  heretofore  had  been  shut  in 
bv  niouutaius.  ^Iiudi  special  legishitiou  was  needed  to  carry  out 
this  desi-^ai.  It  jilainly  could  not  rely  for  success  upon  the  sub- 
scription of  stockholders  who  would  risk  their  money  in  the 
enterprise.  Henry  K.  Low,  Senator  from  Sullivau  county,  and 
Speaker  Dewitt  C.  Littlejobn  from  Oswe^-o,  were  in  the  State 
legislature  when  the  plans  for  buihbnj^-  this  road  were  under 
discussion;  and  l)y  the  powerful  iiitlueuce  of  these  two  men  the 
needed  let,nslatiou  was  procured.  The  most  important  of  the  laws 
imssed  was  one  enabling  any  town  of  a  county  through  which  the 
road  was  to  pass  to  issue  bonds  for  its  construction,. — ^the  sum  to  be 
raised  not  to  exceed  thirty  per  cent,  of  the  taxable  property. 

Much  discussion  occurred  in  regard  to  the  location  of  the  line. 
.Some  of  the  most  earnest  friends  of  the  road  insisted  ujDon  the 
main  line  being  located  through  the  village  of  Delhi.  It  was  not 
an  easy  thing,  however,  to  lay  a  line  through  the  mountains  of 
I  )elaware.  Engineering  questions  are  involved  in  it,  and  patriotic 
impulses  must  remain  in  the  background.  It  was  finally  settled  to 
make  the  main  line  cross  the  Delaware  valley  at  ^Valtou,  and  build 
a  branch  line  to  Delhi. 

Mr.  Ijittlejohu,  who  had  been  made  president  of  the  company, 
traversed  the  route  from  end  to  end,  ajipealing  to  the  several 
coiiiniuuities  for  their  aid.  As  he  was  a  man  of  endless  resources 
and  of  most  earnest  and  plausible  address,  he  met  with  uniform 
success  ill  inducing  the  towns  to  lii)iid  themselves.  In  the  fore- 
closure proceedings  instituted  in  isT'.t  the  cost  of  tlie  road  is  stated 
at  $2(!,883,0()();  of  which  sum  the  amount  received  from  bonding 
the  town.s  was  nearly  §7,UUU,0()(), — the  towns  in  Delaware  county 
furnishing   $(i(}0,8(JU.     For  the  town  bonds  thus  issued  stock   was- 


118  IIISTimV    OF    DEI.AWAHK    roVXTY. 

returned  by  the  eoiupuuy.  This  stock  was  \vi])&d  out  by  the  fi  ire- 
closure  proceedings  above  referred  to;  and  thus  the  towns  were  put 
iu  the  position  of  making  an  absolute  gift  to  this  road,  ^\'hl)  will 
say,  however,  that  the  benefits  derived  from  it  have  not  more  than 
balanced  the  large  outlay?  Besides  the  amounts  received  from  the 
towns,  the  company  relied  for  building  the  road  upon  the  stock 
subscribed  for  and  on  the  amounts  realized  from  mortgages.  It  is 
only  necessary  to  add,  however,  that  the  road  has  never  pr<iv(il  a 
financial  success.  In  1873  it  defaulted  on  its  interest  and  went  into 
the  hands  of  receivers.  In  1880  it  was  sold  to  a  new  company  who 
have  re-organized  it  on  a  basis  which  enables  it  to  pay  its  way.  It 
is  now  called  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  railroad. 

The  fourth  railroad  whiih  has  penetrated  the  inhospitable  re- 
gions of  Delaware  county  is  the  Ulster  and  Delaw^are.  This  grew 
■ovit  of  the  disputes  over  the  location  of  the  Midland  railroad.  A 
■strong  party  with  Mr.  Thomas  Cornell  at  its  head  was  very  desirous 
of  making  the  eastern  terminus  of  this  road  at  Kingston  on  the 
Hudson  river,  and  of  extending  it  westward  through  Ulster,  Dela- 
ware and  other  counties.  And  when  it  was  determined  to  build  the 
Midland  through  Sullivan  county  and  so  northwest  through  Dela- 
ware, Mr.  Cornell  and  his  party  set  about  building  a  road  of  their 
own.  It  was  projected  in  1865  and  begun  soon  after.  It  was  laid 
through  a  most  intractable  region,  among  the  Shandaken  moun- 
tains, over  Pine  Hill  and  then  up  to  the  head  of  the  West  branch  of 
the  Delaware.  In  1870  the  road  was  opened  to  Shandaken  and  at 
once  develoj)ed  a  substantial  business  in  carrying  summer  visitors 
into  the  Catskill  mountains.  In  1871  the  road  was  over  Pine  Hill, 
the  severest  engineering  obstacle  it  had  to  encounter.  In  1872 
Rosbury  village  was  reached,  and  in  the  same  year  the  village  of 
Stamford.  This  was  the  highest  jDoint  attained  (1,888  feet).  Here 
the  Ulster  and  Delaware  railroad  halted  for  several  years,  although 
the  original  plans  contemplated  its  extension  through  Kortright 
and  Davenport.  In  1884,  it  was  carried  down  the  valley  of  the 
Delaware  to  the  village  of  Hobart,  and  finally  in  iSitl  it  was  still 


lillADS    A.\I)    I{MI.H()MIS. 


Ill) 


further  exteudod  to  Blooiiiville  wlicro  it  uow  rests.     This  terniinus 
is  oulv  ei'if'ht  miles  t'roiu  tlie  villaf,'e  of  Dellii. 

Like  the  Miilhuid  railroiid  this  also  was  aided  liy  the  towus 
through  which  it  passed.  Thus  Middletowu  was  bonded  for  Sll>(),- 
()()(>,  Koxl)urv  for  $120,()(K),  Stamford  for  $1()(),(K)()  and  Harperstield 
for  $l()U,(tOU.  To  all  these  towus  aud  to  uiauy  uot  included  in  the 
list  the  road  has  heen  of  immense  advantage.  The  whole  dairy 
industry  of  the  easteru  j)art  of  the  county  has  been  put  upon  a  uew 
and  improved  basis.  The  supplies  of  lumber,  feed  aud  Hour  which 
are  required  by  the  farmers  aud  others  are  lirought  to  them  at  a 
much  less  cost  and  at  a  more  convenient  distance. 


XII. 

E-dacation  and   Schools. 


THE  PIONEER  settlers  iu  Delaware  couuty  were  almost 
uuiformly  iutellij^'eut  and  possessed  of  the  eleuieuts  of 
■education.  The  desceudauts  of  the  Hollanders  and  Huguenots 
who  came  into  Middletown  although  not  at  first  hand  from  Hol- 
land, yet  they  brought  with  them  the  traditiouarj-  regard  for 
■schools,  and  early  established  them  iu  their  midst.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  first  outbreak  of  the  Eevolution  in  Middle- 
town  was  among  the  school-boys  at  the  school,  where  the  one 
called  the  other  a  "rebel."  The  New  Englauders  who  came  to 
Harpersfield,  Roxbury,  Franklin  and  Delhi,  always  after  becoming- 
settled  in  their  homes  made  it  their  first  duty  to  provide  schools  for 
their  children.  Nor  were  the  Scotch  immigrants,  who  came  into 
Andes,  Delhi  and  Bovina,  behind  the  other  nationalities  in  organ- 
izing schools,  and  maintaiuiug  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  rising 
generation. 

The  State  of  New  York  almost  as  soon  as  it  was  constituted, 
began  to  legislate  concerning  education.  In  1795  the  sum  of 
$50,000  annually  was  granted  for  five  years  for  the  encoui'agement 
of  public  schools.  In  1811  five  commissioners  were  apjiointed  to 
organize  a  school  system.  In  1812  a  public  school  system  was 
organized  with  Gideon  Hawley  as  superintendent.  District  schools 
were  instituted  to  be  mainly  sujijDorted  by  rate  bills.  In  1821 
the  office  of  State  superintendent  was  abolished  and  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  school  system  entrusted  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 
In  1849  a  free  school  law  was  passed  and  submitted  to  the  jieople 
who  sustained  it  by  a  large  majority.  In  1851  the  free  school  law 
•was  repealed  and  rate  bills  agiiin    introduced.     Finally  in   18(i7  a 

ICO 


EDrCATKlX    .l.\7>    SCHOOLS.  121 

•  flTe  scbodl  liiw  WHS  a^aiii  enacted  wbicli  with  occasinual  aiiiciiil- 
iiK'iits  has  rciuaiiuMl  tw  the  ]ins('ijt.  No  dues  are  required  t'l'inii  the 
attfiidiu"''  children.  The  schools  are  sii]ii)oitiMl,  first.  Iiv  ]iiililii- 
moneys  received  from  the  State,  and  second,  by  moneys  raised  l>y 
local  taxation. 

It  may  not  be  iininterestiut^'  to  recall  the  district  school  of  the 
early  decades  of  the  present  century.  It  may  safely  be  asserted 
that  nearly  all  the  school-houses  of  that  time  iu  the  county  were  of 
log's.  Indeed  in  the  annual  report  of  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
lustruction  for  18!t2,  there  were  still  forty-five  lop  school-bouses  iu 
the  State.  And  at  a  time  when  the  greater  part  of  the  dwelling- 
houses  were  of  logs  it  is  not  probable  that  the  school-bouses  would 
be  better.  The  log  school  house  was  a  building  almost  s(|uare.  It 
was  made  by  notching  the  logs  into  each  other  and  laying  them  so 
that  the  successive  log.s  would  be  as  close  to  each  other  as  possible. 
The  spaces  between  the  logs  were  then  j)lastered  both  on  the  inside 
and  outside  with  a  mortar  made  of  common  clay. 

.\  chimney  was  built  at  one  end  of  the  oblong  building,  and  an 
<iji(  11  tire-)ilace  funiished  the  only  means  of  heating  the  room.  A 
door  was  cut  in  the  logs  at  one  side  of  the  chimney,  and  the  corner 
on  the  other  side  was  used  for  the  storage  of  wood.  A  window  was 
cut  in  the  logs  opposite  to  the  chimney,  which  furnished  the  only 
light  for  the  little  room.  Along  this  end  was  jilaced  a  high  slant- 
ing shelf  at  whicli  to  write,  with  a  slal>  scat  for  the  accoiniiiodation 
of  the  writers.  The  seats  for  the  other  scholars  were  placed  on  the 
three  sides  of  the  room,  but  not  across  the  chimney  end.  They  also 
were  roughly  hewn  slabs,  each  supported  by  foui'  wooden  legs. 
The  teacher  had  the  dignity  of  having  a  little  se])arate  table  and 
chair,  which  stood  at  the  end  of  the  scholars'  bench  mi  one  side. 
There  was  an  open  space  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  where  the 
scholars  stood  up  to  recite  their  .spelling  and  reading.  The  girls 
sat  on  one  bench  and  the  boys  on  another;  and  it  was  one  of  the 
teri'ible  jninisliiiients  for  a  mischievous  boy  to  be  sent  to  a  seat 
.among'  the  g'irls. 


12-2  HISTOHY    Oh'    DELAWARE    COIXTY. 

Ill  the  winter  time  this  si-hciol  was  attended  hy  the  larger  hoys' 
and  girls,  as  well  as  liy  a  part  of  the  suialh-r  ones;  Imt  in  the  sum- 
iiier  the  work  ou  the  farms  kept  the  ohler  children  busy,  and  then 
only  the  little  ones  were  able  to  attend  sehool.  In  conscMjiience  of 
this  the  teacher  in  winter  was  always  a  mau  and  in  the  summer  a 
woman.  They  were  called  resjiectively  Master  and  Midrena.  The 
wages*  of  the  winter  teacher  were  probably  about  sld  to  ?1.")  a 
month  for  three  months.  And  the  wages  of  the  youug  woman  in 
summer  were  about  a  dollar  a  week.  lu  both  cases  the  teachers 
besides  their  wages  in  money  usually  "boarded  round:"  spending 
about  a  week  at  each  of  the  families  in  the  district. 

School  life  at  this  little  country  school-house  was  most  delight- 
ful and  fascinating.  There  was  a  little  brook  near  by  where  the 
boys  used  to  wade  and  Hoat  their  make-believe  boats.  There  was  a 
forest  where  they  wandered,  climbing  the  trees,  picking  wild  Mow- 
ers, and  drinking  from  a  cool  spring.  There  was  ii  wild  honeysuckle 
shrub  which  grew  in  these  woods,  and  in  the  season  the  boys  would 
bring  back  from  their  excursions  a  little  bunch  of  honeysuckle 
blossoms  for  the  school  mistress,  which  to  their  great  delight  she 
would  i^nt  in  an  old  ink  stand  and  keep  ou  her  little  table. 

The  school  assembled  at  nine  o'clock  and  was  dismissed  at  four.. 
There  was  a  short  recess  at  eleven  o'clock;  and  then  at  twelve  there 
was  an  intermission  of  an  hour.  Some  of  the  scholars  who  lived 
near  went  home  and  got  their  dinner;  but  most  of  them  brought 
lunch  baskets  with  them,  and  at  this  intermission  proceeded  to 
enjoy  what  their  mothers  had  jirovided  for  them.  By  far  the  most 
interesting  part  of  school  was  this  intermission.  Nothing  ever 
tasted  so  good  as  these  simple  lunches  of  bread  and  butter,  a  slice 
of  cold   meat  and   perhajis  a  raw  apple.      No  enjoyment  was  ever  so 

*  In  a  history  of  the  Setth'iiicnt  at  Fall  Clovi'  in  .\udes  there  is  a  rocoid 
that  Hobert  Craig  in  1H4'2  was  hired  to  teach  the  district  school  tor  three 
mouths  at  S12  a  month  ;  also  that  Miss  More  was  paid  S17  for  teaching  seven- 
teen weeks.  This  same  record  also  gives  the  inforination  that  ?;U.;?4  wcis 
received  from  the  State  as  public  money  for  the  support  of  the  school ;  and- 
S8.63  as  library  monej.     Hintori/  of  Delaifare  County,  ISS:i,  p.  100. 


Gen.  Leavenwortli  iVVoqUii\erit  iri  Foreground. 


Sio^e  Ouairy  Sliowirig  RocK  Formatiori. 


i-:i>rc.\Ti<)S  AXi)  sciKxii.s.  125 

iutcuse  as  the  phivs  auil  nues  ami  fniliis  wliicli  wcro  iuilulficd  in 
(luriu«r  this  uoon  hoiir.  Although  hall  playiii;,^  was  not  rt'duccd  to 
the  system  which  has  sim-e  made  it  tlic  national  game,  I  venturer  to 
assert  that  these  school-boys  got  as  much  pleasure  out  of  playinf;^ 
"  two  old  cat"  as  the  great  professionals  now  derive  from  tlie  most 
scientific  game. 

There  is  a  queer  suliject  of  regretful  remeiiil)l'im<-e  whicli  has 
remained  with  me  to  tiiis  day.  Once  the  supjily  of  liincli  was  mon; 
thau  1  i-ould  dispose  of.  On  my  way  home  I  hid  a  sur])liis  ]iiece  of 
breiid  iiiul  butter  in  the  chinks  of  a  stoue  wall  beside  the  road.  No 
doubt  tlu>  sciuirrels  found  it  and  made  short  work  of  my  suri)his 
hincli.  Hut  for  a  long  time  it  worried  me  to  think  that  I  iiad 
thrown  away  this  good  bread  and  butter. 

The  plays  and  frolics  outside  of  school  were,  as  I  have  said,  far 
more  enjoyable  thau  the  exercises  inside.  There  was  a  blackberry 
patch  by  tile  sule  of  tlu'  road  where  we  sto})ped  to  gorge  our- 
selves. 'l"he  ]iatcli  was  on  the  land  of  a  farmer  who  being  old  and 
fat  was  accustomed  to  sit  ou  the  porch  of  his  house.  He  would  call 
to  us  to  "clear  out;"  Imt  knowing  that  he  was  too  fat  to  chase  us 
and  too  good  natnred  to  catch  us,  we  did  not  remit  our  berry 
picking  until   we  had  enough. 

Wliat  shall  I  say  of  what  we  learned  in  this  little  country 
school  V  Reading,  spelling,  writing  and  arithmetic,  were  the  subjects 
on  which  we  were  emjsloyed.  Webster's  spelling  book  was  the  text- 
book for  beginnei's  in  ri'adiug  as  well  as  in  sj)elling.  The  scholars 
stood  in  a  row  and  read  or  si)elled  before  the  teacher.  Their 
ambitiim  was  stirred  by  "going  up  "  and  reached  its  supreme 
fruition  by  "standing  hea<l."  Shame  and  disappointment  followed 
them  as  they  went  down  and  reached  the  climax  when  at  last  the3' 
"  stood   foot." 

Besides  the  reading  matter  which  was  in  the  spelling  book,  the 
older  scholars  read  the  English  reader.  Those  who  used  it  will 
remember  the  excellent,  although  somewhat  difficult  selections  of 
which   it  was    composed.      The    New    Testament     was,  liowevei',   iho. 


126  insroiiY  of  />/•;/,. i  ir.i /,•/•;  coiwry. 

liiy'liest  and  cliiff  rt'adiii;^'  lionk.  They  skipped  the  geiieidoyies  and 
some  other  haixl  chapters;  l)ut  the  sermon  on  the  nunmt,  and  some 
of  the  chapters  in  the  l;i>s]ic1  of  St.  John  were  read  and  rei'ead 
until  the  reading  was  half  of  it   reciting  from  memory. 

Writing  was  only  second  to  reading  in  respect  to  the  amount  of 
attention  which  it  received.  Copy-books  with  engraved  copies  had 
not  yet  been  intrnduccd  in  this  country  school.  It  was  the  duty  of 
the  teacher  to  set  a  copy  at  the  top  of  each  page.  The  pens  were 
made  from  goose-tjuills,  which  preceded  in  universal  use  the  more 
modern  steel  pen.  It  was  (juite  an  important  and  not  always  an 
available  accomplishment  of  a  country  school-teacher  to  make  good 
(juill  pens.  We  still  have  a  reminiscence  of  this  ancient  and  neces- 
sary skill  in  pen-making  in  the  word  "pen-knife,"  which  persists  in 
being    used,   although    the  thing  itself   has  passed  away  for  ever. 

Ink  too  was  not  so  easily  obtained  as  now.  In  the  stationery 
stores  ink-jiowder  was  sold,  which  could  be  mixed  with  vinegar  and 
water  and  thus  made  into  a  writing  fluid.  But  more  often  the  ink 
of  the  country  children  was  made  from  the  sap  of  the  soft  maple. 
This  sap  was  drawn  from  the  tree  in  the  spring,  at  the  same  time  as 
the  sugar  maple  is  tapped  for  its  sugar-making  sap.  This  sap  when 
exposed  to  the  air  becomes  black,  and  when  boiled  down  and 
treated  with  copperas  makes  a  dye  for  coloring  black.  When  it  is 
still  further  concentrated  it  forms  a  very  respectable  ink.  This  was 
what  the  scholars  principally  used;  but  occasionallj-  some  high- 
toned  boy  put  the  rest  to  shame  by  bringing  ink  to  the  scliool  made 
from   the   ink-powder  wliich   his  father  had  bought. 

Arithmetic  was  never  taught  in  classes.  Each  scholar  proceeded 
on  his  own  account  to  cypher  through  the  arithmetic.  The  book  in 
use  during  the  early  part  of  the  present  century  was  Daboll's  Arith- 
metic. It  was  arranged  under  successive  rules;  for  example,  the 
rule  of  addition,  the  rule  of  subtraction,  the  rule  of  compound 
numbers,  the  rule  of  three,  the  rule  of  square  root,  etc.  A  scholar 
was  expected  to  learn  each  rule  by  heart,  and  then  work  out  all  the 
examples  under  it.      The  teacher's  business  was  to  help  him   when 


KOrCATIlIX    AXU    SCJKJOLS. 


1-27 


u1>J)1'h1(mI  to.  He  usually  had  a  luauiisi-ript  hook  containiuji;  all  tlie 
I'xaiupks  correctlv  worked  out,  to  which  he  turned  iu  case  of 
ueed. 

H(  ii>  is  an  adveitisriiicnt  of  (1.  iV  Ii.  M'hitc,  'M^  Maideu  Lane, 
New  York,  1SU4,  euuiueratin<i'  some  of  the  books  aud  articles  which 
were  iu  use  duriu<^'  the  early  jiart  of  the  century. 


Webster's  (irammar. 
Murray's  Granuuar. 
School  Master's  Assistant. 
Cypherin  g-books. 
Copi)er-plate  Copies, 
luk-powdcr. 
Dutch  Quills. 
Sealing  Wax. 
Morse's  Geograjihy. 


Copy-books. 

Writing  Paper. 

Pen    Knives. 

Lottery  Tickets  and  Shares. 

Bibles. 

Testaments. 

Catechisms. 

Wafers. 

Slate-pencils. 


I  will  close  this  sketch  of  flic  countiv  district  school  with  an 
incident  which  I  am  sure  nunc  who  e.xperienced  ever  forgot.  The 
summer  school-mistresses  were  usually  young  girls  and  often  very 
bright  and  winsome;  and  of  course  the  boys  were  devoted  to  them. 
One  of  these  attractive  school-mistresses  was  presiding  among  her 
uneasy  little  subjects  on  a  summer  afternoon  iu  July.  The  air 
grew  close  and  sultry,  and  the  sky  became  covered  with  thunderous 
clouds.  A  fierce  shower  broke  over  the  little  valley.  Lightning 
fitfully  illiuiiinated  the  dusky  interior  of  the  school-hou.se.  A 
deluge  of  rain  poured  itself  upon  the  roof  and  walls,  and  easily 
found  its  way  through  a  huntlred  gajiing  cracks.  Both  mistress 
aud  children  were  thoroughly  frightened.  They  stood  about  cry- 
ing piteously  aud  pale  with  fear.  Every  blinding  llash  of  lightning, 
followed  almost  instantly  by  the  splitting  and  terrifying  thunder, 
arouseil   a   new   paroxysm   of  weeping. 

But  the  young  girl  was  eipud  to  the  occasion.  She  got  the 
school  Bible  from  her  desk  and  iu  the  darkened  room  read  with 
trembling  emphasis  the  18th  psalm: 


128  msraiiv  OF  iiHL.wvMit:  cDryry. 

Then  Oif  uaitli  sliook  iiml  In'iiibled: 

The  foundations  also  ol'  thi'  hills  moved  and  wcii-  shaken. 

Because  he  was  winth. 

There  went  vi]>  a  smoke  out  of  his  nostrils. 

.\nd   lire  nut  of  his  niDutli   ih>voured: 

Coals  were  kindled  by  it. 

At  the  briL;htness  that  was  before  him   his  ihiek  elouds  passed. 

Hail  stones  and  eoals  of  tire. 

The  Lord  also  thundered  in  the  heavens. 

And  the  Highest   save  his  voice ; 

Hail  stones  and  eoals  of  tire. 

Aucl  as  the  coiufortiufj  verses  of  the  psalm  were  read  the 
fierceness  of   the  li^htuiuj;-  aud  the  raiu  abated: 

With  the  merciful  tlioii  will  show  thyself  merciful; 
With  an  upright  man  thou  wilt  show  thyself  upright, 
With  the  pure  thou  wilt  show  thyself  pure. 

*         *         *         * 
The  Lord  my  God  will  eidighten  my  darkness, 
For  who  is  God  save  the  Lord? 
Or  who  is  a  rock  save  our  God? 

The  fri.yht  which  had  disti<^iired  every  couuteuauce  gradually 
faded  away;  and  witli  tlie  siiushine  which  followed  the  storiu  came 
Lack  the  bright  cheerfuluess  which  naturally  belonged  there. 

In  addition  to  the  district  schools  which  were  established  every- 
where throughout  the  eounty,  a  number  of  schools  of  secondary 
grade  have  attained  mmdi  promiuence.  The  oldest  of  these  is  the 
Delaware  Academy  at  Delhi.  It  was  chartered  in  1820,  General 
Root  being  then  a  Member  of  Assembly  from  Delaware  county. 
An  appropriation  of  $(),000  for  its  benelit  was  made  by  the  legisla- 
ture from  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  lauds  of  Robert  Leake, 
which  had  escheated  to  the  State  on  account  of  his  disloyalty  in  the 
Revolutionary  war.  The  site  for  the  first  building  was  given  by 
General  Root,  adjoining  the  site  of  the  court  house.  Here  it  stood 
until    the    street   was  to  be  cut    through,  when  the  building    was 


EDl'CATIO.y   AXIt   SCHOOLS.  12!) 

mo  veil  hack  to  the  place  where  it  now  stauils,  occupied  for  private 
uses.  lu  185(i  the  present  superb  site  was  secured,  and  the  three 
buildiujjs  erected,  wlierc  the  Academy  has  since  been  conducted. 
.\l)(>ut  $40,00(1  was  raised  foi'  these  ])ur]i()ses,  mostly  on  scholar- 
ships. Below  is  j^'iveu  the  successive  priuci])als  from  the  estalilish- 
uieut  of  the  Academy  until  the  present  time. 

1.  John  A.  Savage  l,S-21-->4 

2.  Frederick  A.  Fenn  .  ...  182-l~2(; 
8.  Thomas  Farrin^'ton  182()-27 
4.  Stephen  C.  Johnson  1827-29 
.1  Robert  Tolefree  lS2!)-^30 
tj.  William  J.  Mouteith  1830-32 
7  Rev.  Orange  Clark .  .  1832-34 

8.  Rev.  Ebenezer  H.  Cressy 1834-37 

!).  Rev.  Daniel  Shepard  1837   4(1 

10.  William  R.  Harper lS4(i-47 

11.  Merritt  G.  McKeon      1847-54 

1-J.    .Ic.liu  L.  Sawyer  18.14-03 

13.  Rev.  Silas  Fitch  lS(>3-(;7 

14.  Levi  D.  Miller  18(i7  G'.t 

1.").  William  Wight    18(;i)-75 

1(5.  Sherrill  E.  Smith 1875-85 

17.  James  O.  Griffin 188.->  iio 

15.  Willis  D.  Graves 18V»0-!)8 

The  Delaware  Literary  Institute  at  the  village  of  Fraukliu,  was 
chartered  by  the  legislature  in  1835.  The  sum  of  $7,000  was  raised 
to  purchase  a  site  and  erect  a  building.  It  was  of  stone,  eighty  by 
forty  feet,  and  four  stories  high.  The  following  were  the  rates  of 
tuition  ,it  the  bcj^'-iuiiiug:  Fur  arithmetic,  English  grammar,  geogra- 
phy anil  other  common  English  branches,  $3  a  term;  for  surveying, 
mensuration  and  other  higher  English  brandies,  $4  a  term;  for 
Greek,  Latin,  Algeljra  and  Geometry  $5  a  term,  and  for  Frencli 
$2  extra. 


l:}0  HISTORY    OF    lIlCLAWAlilC    VOL  STY. 

Up  to  1837  the  male  iiiiil  female  departnieuts  were  coudueted 
separately.  Since  that  time  they  have  been  clasised  together.  lu 
1838  the  institution  was  received  under  the  visitation  of  the  Ue- 
geuts  of  the  University  and  shared  in  the  division  of  the  Literature 
Fund.  In  1851  a  ladies'  boarding  hall  was  erected,  of  wood  fifty- 
tive  by  forty  feet  and  three  stories  high.  In  1854  the  chapel  was 
begun,  eighty  by  forty  feet  and  three  stories  high.  In  l.S5()  the 
original  stone  building  was  destroyed  by  tire,  the  insurance  being 
$3,000.  And  in  the  same  year  the  chapel  building  which  was  in 
course  of  erection  was  blown  down,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to 
rebuild  it  from   the  foundation. 

The  Delaware  Literary  Institute  has  from  its  l)egiuning  enjoyed 
a  wide  jJopularity,  and  has  been  the  pride  of  the  people  of  Franklin. 
Below  are  given  the  names  of  the  successive  principals: 

1.  Rev.  William  Frazer 1830-38 

2.  Silas  Fitch,  jr 1838-4() 

3.  Eev.  George  Kerr,  D.  D 184(i-(50 

1:.  Stephen    Holden    and    Rev.    Milan 

L.  Ward 18(;0-(Jl 

5.  Oliver  W.  Treadwell 1802-05 

6.  George  W.  Jones 18()5-G8 

7.  Rev.  Frederick  Jewel 1868-69 

8.  George  W.  Briggs  1869-74 

9.  E.  M.  Rollo 1S74-77 

10.  Charles  H.  Verrill  ,    : 1.S77-97 

11.  Elmer  E.  French  1897- 

The  Fergusonville  Academy  is  situated  in  the  town  of  Daven- 
port, on  the  Charlotte  creek.  It  was  founded  by  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
and  Rev.  Sanford  I.  Ferguson.  Their  residence  in  New  York  city 
led  them  to  see  the  iniportauce  of  ])rovidiug  sweet  country  school 
life  for  the  growing  boys  and  girls.  The  school  was  beguu  in  1848 
and  from  the  beginning  was  a  great  success.  It  was  a  purely 
boarding    school,  and    the    instruction    was    designed   to  train    the 


EUL'CATlOS    ASl)    SCIUXJL.S.  \M 

boys  auil  ^ii'ls  to  liabits  of  virtuous  liviuf,'.  Both  the  fouudiTs  wcro 
c'lerf,'_viiieu  of  the  Methodist  Episoopiil  church,  iiud  tlieir  wide  iic- 
iiuaiutuuce  in  their  denomiuatiou  brought  to  them  in  this  licautit'ul 
s])ot   an   almiidaiire   of  jiatronage. 

Ill  ls.')(i  the  Ferguson  brothers  retired  frnm  the  school  wliuli 
they  had  foiiuded  and  James  Oliver  l)ecaiiic  the  inojirictor  and 
ninuagcr.      The  school  is  now  closed. 

An  Academy  was  bej^un  in  Deposit  in  IS.'id,  Imt  the  building 
was  destroyed  by  tire  in  1885.  Again  in  1851-2  a  seminary'  was 
built  and  incorporated  under  State  laws.  But  it  was  not  tiuaucially 
successful,  and  it  was  sold  under  foreclosure.  The  buildings  were 
utilized  by  the  village  for  a  Union  School  connected  with  the 
public  school  system.  With  this  Union  School  there  is  connected 
an  Academical  department,  where  secondary  education  is  imiJarted. 

The  Andes  Academy  was  begun  in  1847  by  William  Stoddard. 
Mr.  Heniy  Dowie  bought  the  building  and  enlarged  it  in  1857. 
In  isti'j  a  stock  company  was  formed  to  wliicli  Mr.  Dowie  trans- 
ferred the  buildings  and  improvements.  The  i)rin(ipals  have  been 
in  succession   as  follows: 

1.  William  Wight,  who  served  only  a  short  time. 

2.  Rev.  Peter  Smeallie 1862-07 

3.  Rev.  James  Smeallie 18(i7-7G 

4.  Rev.  E.  H.  Stevenson  lK7i;  SO 

The  Stamford  Seminai'y  was  begun  in  ls4il.  .V  stock  company 
was  formed  and  a  building  fifty  by  thirty-two  feet  was  erected. 
The  schot)l  was  opened  in  1S41I  and  Jdlin  L.  Mur]iliy  was  appointed 
the  first  principal.  He  was  a  j^'ood  teacher,  but  his  financial  man- 
agement was  not  successful.  In  1852  E.  W.  Boies  was  nnide 
principal  but  he  only  continued  six  iiHinths.  Then  Charles  (i. 
Churchill  l)ou<.,dit  the  ])r(>i>(rty  from  the  coriioratinn.  and  for  a  time 
conducted  it  as  a  jirivate  enterprise.  He  in  turn  sold  the  buildings 
to  Rev.  O.  F.  Gilbert  who  for  several  years  conducted  the  school 
with  success.     But  he  detennined  to  re-enter  the  ministry,  and  sold 


132  HJSrORY    OF    Dhl.AWARK    COl'XTy. 

the  school  iii  18(!1  to  Rev.  Johu  Wilde  who  liad  before  heeii 
connected  with  the  Seminary  at  DejJosit. 

In  1866  Mr.  Wilde  sold  the  Seminary  to  S.  E.  Churchill,  who 
made  many  iniprovemeuts  iu  the  lmil(liu<,'s.  The  school  now  was 
in  a  tide  of  success.  In  1872  the  Ulster  and  Delaware  railroad  was 
finished  to  Stamford,  and  everything  connected  with  the  little  vil- 
lage had  a  liooni.  ^Ir.  Churchill  saw  modes  of  making'  money  more 
easily  than  by  maintaining  a  boarding  school.  So  he  ])r(>cured  the 
incorporation  of  the  institution  in  1S72  in  order  to  enable  it  to 
receive  the  bequest  of  Samuel  Judson  for  the  establishment  of  a 
Free  Library.  The  people  of  Stamford  in  order  to  continue  their 
Seminary  then  raised  a  sum  of  money  and  erected  a  new-  and 
admirable  building  costing  nearly  $12,500.  Here  the  Stamford 
Seminary  has  rested  from  its  wanderings,  and  remains  as  the  pride 
and  delight  of  the  little  village.     It  is  now  a  Union  Free  School. 

The  village  of  Walton  has  been  active  in  providing  itself  with 
secondary  education.  In  1853  an  association  was  formed  for  the 
establishment  of  an  Academy.  The  sum  of  §3.500  was  subscribed 
for  the  erection  of  a  building.  A  site  was  donated  and  the  build- 
ing erected.  The  school  was  opened  in  the  fall  of  1853.  In  the 
year  1851  it  was  incorporated  by  the  Regents  of  the  Unive  rsity. 
It  continued  as  an  incorporated  Academy  till  18()8,  when  it  was 
transformed  into  a  Union  School  under  the  public  school  system, 
with  an  Academical  department  arranged  to  give  secondary  instruc- 
tion.    The  jniucipals  have  been  as  follows: 

1.  Eli  M.  Maynard 1851-57 

2.  Marcus  N.  Horton  .  1857-61 

3.  Sidney   Crawford  18(;i-(i4 

1.  Charles  E.  Stimuer 1864-67 

5.  Strong  Comstock 1867-70 

6.  T.  D.  Barclay 1870-72 

7.  Strong  Comstock,  (second  time).  .    .  1872-92 
<S.  James  R.  Fairgrieve 1892- 


XIII. 

Chtrrchcs  and   Chciivh    ""Xon  cmcnts. 


A  COMPLETE  liistory  of  the  foniuliii<^-  aiul  Ir.iildin-  n]<  ><(  the 
sevci-iil  chuicli  or^'auizatioiis  iu  Delaware  (Muinty  would  be 
most  iuterostiug.  It  could  only,  however,  be  uiulertakeii  utter  ii 
prolonf^ed  investigatiou  of  the  records  of  each  of  the  bodies,  and 
would  be  best  done  by  persons  writing' each  for  his  owu  deuomi- 
natioii.  What  can  here  be  attempted  is  to  sketch  the  general 
movements  by  which  the  several  denominations  established  them- 
selves in  the  new  county.  It  is  left  to  the  town  histories  to  give  the 
accounts  of  the  several  churches  which  have  grown  up  in  them. 

It  may  in  general  be  safely  asserted  that  all  the  early  pioneers 
were  persons  of  religious  convictions,  and  so  far  as  possible  brought 
with  them  their  own  church  organizations  and  arrangements. 
With  the  New  England  settlers  came  the  Congregational  churches, 
which  in  many  cases  were  transformed  into  churches  connected 
with  the  Presbyterian  body.  From  England  and  Scotland  canie 
many  families  who  at  home  had  been  Presbyterians,  and  who  iu 
theii-  new  homes  took  measures  to  establish  churches  of  their  own 
kind.  The  -'Great  Awakening"  which  arose  out  of  the  preaching 
of  George  Whitetield,  the  Teunants  and  the  Wesleys,  hail  roused 
into  activity  the  religious  life  of  New  England  and  the  Middle 
States.  And  all  who  came  from  these  ipiarters  were  ind)ued  with  a 
deep  sense  of  dependence  on  an  over-ruling  providence.  We  leave 
it  of  course  to  the  town  histories  to  describe  the  special  movements 
which  led  to  the  founding  and  de\ clojinient  of  particular  (diurclies. 
It  will  be  sufficient  here  to  give  some  general  account  of  the 
princijjal  religious  bodies  and  the  movements  by  which  they  be- 
came established  in  this  county. 


13-4  IllsruHV    OF    HKLAWAHK    COfXTV. 

The  Couyrog;iti(_)U!il  fhiiii-lats  with  their  peculiuiities  auil  Doliti- 
cal  affiliatious  came  with  the  einigrauts  from  New  Euf^laud. 
Harperstiekl,  Fraukliu,  ^lereilitli,  Walton  aud  other  towns,  were 
settled  iu  jjart  by  New  Englauders  aud  the  establishmeut  of  Con- 
grenatioual  churches  followed  soon  after.  Thus  iu  17S7  a  church 
which  afterward  became  Presbyterian  was  founded  iu  Harperstield. 
It  is  uow  called  a  Congregational  church.  Others  followed  thus; 
in  Franklin,  17()3;  Walton,  1798;  Sidney,  1808;  Deijosit.  1S12; 
Masonville,  1818;  Davenport,  1825;  Colchester,  182o;  aud  Han- 
cock, 1831.  There  was  for  a  long  time  a  mutual  agreement 
betw-een  the  Congregational  body  and  the  so-called  New  School 
Presbyterian  church  to  co-operate  iu  their  pioneer  work.  It  fol- 
lowed therefore  that  churches  founded  under  New  England  intlu- 
ance  often  became  connected  with  the  adjacent  bodies  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Presbyterian  churches  were  founded  as 
follows:  In  Delhi,  the  First  Presbyterian  I'hurch,  18(15;  in  Mason- 
ville, 1820;  in  Delhi,  the  Second  Presbyterian  church,  IHHl ;  in 
Franklin,  the  .\i-abia  church,  1832;  in  Stamford,  1831. 

A  class  of  churches,  which  may  be  termed  Scotch  Presby- 
terian, has  arisen  in  many  parts  of  the  county.  These  were 
connected  with  the  Associate,  the  Associate  Reformed,  and  the 
Eeformed  Presbyterian  bodies.  In  1858  the  two  former  bodies 
combined  to  form  the  United  Presbyterian  church,  by  which  name 
the  body  is  now  designated.  The  families  who  associated  them- 
selves to  form  churches  connected  with  these  bodies  were  maiuly 
from  Scotland  aud  the  North  of  Irelaud,  who  came  into  the  county 
in  the  early  part  of  the  century.  As  has  beeu  exi)lained  this 
immigration  began  soon  after  the  II  'volutiouary  war  and  continued 
down  as  lats  as  1810.  The  Uutherfords,  the  Scotts,  the  (iladstones, 
the  Fletchers,  the  Forests,  the  Murrays,  the  Elliotts,  the  Telfords, 
the  Thompsons,  the  .Archibalds  and  others  all  came  from  the 
South  of  Scotland;  and  the  Lamouts,  the  McGregors,  the  McCiib- 
bons,  the  !McLaurys  also  spelled  ilcClaughry,  McLaughrys,  McFar- 
lands,  McDonalds,  McCrackens,  emigrated  either  from  the  North  of 


ciirRciiKs  .\\i)  cniinii  M()\-i-:.\/i-:.\rs.  m^. 

.Scutluiiil  or  the  >iorth  ui  Irfluutl.  Tlu'V  were  nil  protustiiut  ;iuil 
I'hieriy  Presbyterinn  in  tbeir  religious  affiliatious.  Heuce  in  Andes, 
Boviua,  Delhi  uinl  Ivortri^ht,  where  these  settlers  chiellx  miigre- 
{,'ateil,  Seoteh  Presbyterian  chiirehes  fast  followed:  At  the  Flats 
below  Delhi  in  180.'),  in  Bovina  in  1809,  in  Kortri<:;ht  in  1810,  in 
Andes  in  1838,  and  at  Cabin  Hill  in   Andes  in  1885. 

The  r.aiitist  chnrch  caiiie  wiUnMit  iiiurh  external  [iressure. 
Whenever  a  few  families  of  this  faith  f<>un<l  themselves  within  reach 
of  each  other  they  usually  combined  themselves  into  a  ehurcli. 
The  form  of  church  {foverument  among  the  Baptists  is  congre- 
"•ntioual,  so  that  it  was  possible  for  these  little  clnirches  to  spring 
up  and  flourish  without  dependence  on  any  outsi<le  organization. 
The  early  Baptist  chiu'ches  may  be  mentioned  as  follows:  In 
Colchester,  soon  after  the  Revolutionary  war;  in  Harperstield,  1792; 
in  Franklin,  1798;  in  Masonville,  1810;  in  Deposit,  1812;  in  Rox- 
l>ury,  ISKi;  iu  Sidney,  1817;  in  ileredith,  ISIS;  in  Tom])kins,  1830; 
in  Walton,  1888;  iu  Delhi,  1842;  in  Hancock,  1858;  and  in  Stam- 
ford, 18(i8. 

The  most  numerous  body  among  the  churches  iu  Delaware 
county  is  now  no  doid)t  the  Methodist.  They  began  the  work  of 
evangelizing  in  this  region  almost  as  soon  as  the  Revolutionary  war 
was  ended.  The  machinery-  of  the  church  is  well  adapted  to  the 
circumstances  of  thinly  settled,  poor  and  religious  conununities. 
The  country  to  be  covered  is  divided  into  circuits  in  each  of  which 
there  are  a  number  of  preaching  stations,  situate(l  so  that  one  or 
two  preachers  (or  circuit-riders)  can  visit  them  and  }ireuch  to  them 
as  often  as  the  number  of  stations  will  permit.  Thus  if  a  circuit 
contains  ten  jjreaching  stations  two  circuit-riders  are  assigned  to  it; 
and  if  tach  of  the  preachers  were  to  give  the  full  Sabbath  to  eacdi 
station,  they  would  1)e  able  to  visit  every  station  once  in  live 
Siinilays.  With  even  these  infreijuent  visits  it  would  be  ])ossil)le  to 
keep  uj)  the  church  organization,  and  stimulate  it  to  a  healthy 
activity  and  growth. 

The  work  laid  on   these  jiioneer  ciicuit-riders  was  most  onerous. 


18(i  lllsroHY    <IF    DF.LAWAHE    VOL  STY. 

The  long  jourueys  requireil  of  tliciu  were  chiefly  luaile  on  lioiscbiu-k. 
They  received  so  little  pay  that  it  was  absolutely  uecessary  for 
theiu  to  live  and  lodge  at  siicli  Imincs  as  ihey  c-oidd  tiiid  among 
their  owu  people.  Tlie  circuiustauces  counected  with  their  lnug 
rides  and  their  pressing  services,  made  it  iuipossilile  for  them  to 
read  or  consult  books,  or  make  any  study  of  tlie  original  languages 
in  which  the  scriptures  were  written.  In  the  early  days  of  Meth- 
odism it  was  rare  to  find  scholarly  men  among  the  clergy.  The 
character  of  their  work  nnule  it  im])ossilile.  They  knew  the  English 
Bible,  and  this  was  almost  the  oidy  book  with  which  they  were 
familiar.  This  must  not  be  interpreted  as  the  times  of  an  ignorant 
clergy.  The  men  who  beciime  eminent  as  preachers  in  the  Dela- 
ware county  circuits  in  the  early  days,  were  only  to  lie  called 
unlearned  in  the  bookish  sense.  In  all  other  respects  they  far 
outranked  the  clergy  of  cities  and  pavements,  of  books  and  libraries. 
From  the  fresh  woods  through  which  they  traveled,  from  the 
silence  and  solemnity  of  nature  they  learned  lessons  mcire  prufmuid 
than  books  can  teach.  From  the  unspoiled  children  of  the  pioneer 
settlements  they  imbibed  experiences  far  more  instructive  than  can 
be  found  amid  the  centres  of  culture. 

The  movements  which  led  to  the  establishment  of  Methodist 
churches  throughout  the  towns  of  Delaware  county  began,  as  we 
have  said,  soon  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  trace  these  movements  from  that  early  time 
through  the  century  which  followed.  Before  the  third  decade  of 
the  eighteenth  century  was  finished,  iletht)disni  liad  ol)tained  a 
lodgment  in  almost  every  township.  And  during  the  two  decades 
which  next  followed,  the  churches  had  acquired  a  standing  which 
has  ensured  their  permanent  growth  and  prosperity. 

It  will  be  sufficient  in  ending  what  we  have  to  say  alxiut  this 
j)Owerful  body,  to  enumerate  the  times  when  the  churches  were 
founded  in  the  several  townships.  The  first  movement  of  which 
we  have  any  record  was  in  Colchester  in  1795;  it  was  in  this 
township  that  Brainerd  the  great  Indian  missionary  once  preached 


CIIIRCHHS    AXI)    rlllliCII    MilVKMKXTS.  ]:]J 

lit  !i  date  eveu  i-nrlii'V  thiiu  this.  Then  in  ISdO  Methn^list  i  huirhcs 
were  fouudcd  in  Middletowu,  iu  Koxl)iii-y  both  at  the  viUaj^c  iiiul  at 
Moresville.  Soou  after  tliis  in  1S()2.  and  hlter  in  1808  iu  couse- 
(lUfiice  cif  the  jireachiii^'  of  Nathan  ]5anL;s  a  church  was  lic^iiu  in 
Waltiin.  In  HjirperstieUl  movenieuts  were  heM\ni  in  1S(KS,  but  a 
ihun-h  was  not  founded  until  some  years  hiter.  Subseiiuent  steps 
were  taken  and  chureiies  founded:  in  P^rauklin  in  ISIS,  and  Crotui 
bsll);  in  Amies  in  IS'id,  but  it  was  some  years  hitcr  before  a  cliurcli 
liuildiuj;'  was  be<;un,  whicli  was  occupied  in  an  untinislicd  state*  in 
1S8(I,  and  eoin])leted  in  1888;  iu  JIasouvine  in  1S22;  in  Tt)mpkins 
and  Deposit  iu  1830;  in  Hancock  iu  1831;  in  Davenport  and  in 
Hobart  iu  1834;  at  Ferj^usonville  iu  1830;  iu  Delhi  iu  1S31I;  and 
iu  Bovina  in   184!>. 

The  Kjiiscopal  church  be^an  in  Hobart  in  ITD-l,  the  villaf>'e  itself 
Inning-  been  calh'<l  after  the  celel>rated  liishoj)  Hobart  of  New 
Jersey.  The  second  township  to  fouiul  au  Episcojial  church  was 
Delhi  iu  1819,  and  others  iu  the  foHowin^-  order:  Walton.  1S30; 
Deposit,  18()0;  Franklin,  18(>5.  Tlie  only  nieetiu^;-house  of  the 
Friends,  which,  however,  has  not  continued  to  the  present,  was 
l)et,'un  iu  Harpersdeld  iu  1810.  A  cousideral)le  number  of  Eomau 
Catholic  churches  have  come  into  existence  within  the  last  half- 
ceuturv.  These  have  arisen  chiefly  iu  connection  witli  the  Roman 
Catholic  population,  which  has  followed  the  construction  and  ad- 
ministration of  the  railroads  which  have  jjeuetrated   the  county. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  Scotch  immi^'rants  who  came 
iuto  Delaware  county  brouj^ht  with  them  the  liias  in  behalf  of  tlii' 
schools  anil  clnirches  which  they  hail  enjoyed  in  their  old  hoiu<'. 
Their  first  effort  was  always  to  estal>lish  a  school  where  their 
children  could  receive  the  elementary  and  us.'ful  education  of 
which  they  knew  so  well  the  value. 

Next  to  schools  they  invariably  soufjjht  to  establish  chui'ches  for 
themselves  and  their  families.     They  brouf^ht  witli  them,  liowever, 

•  It  is  said  that  tlie  work-bench  was  used  as  a  pulpit  an^l  a  potash-kettle 


138  lUSTonV    ur    llKLAWARE    COlXTV. 

till  the  church  tlivisious  that  had  arisen  iu  Scotlauil.  Withiu  the 
little  circle  of  Scotch  frieuds,  there  were,  for  iustauce,  the  Associate 
church,  the  Associate  Reformed  clunch,  and  the  Eeformed  Pres- 
hyteriau  church,  which  latter  body  was  commonly  called  the 
Oameronian  church.  Each  of  these  bodies  had  its  separate  ors'ani- 
zation  and  maintained  a  rigidly  distinct  system  of  worship.  They 
did  not  exchange  pulpits  with  each  other,  and  never  gave  an 
invitation  to  the  mendx'rs  of  the  other  bodies  to  partake  with  them 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  They  all  agreed  iu  using  the  j)salms  of 
David  for  singing  and  the  Westminster  catechism  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  their  children.  And  yet  in  spite  of  these  marks  of 
conformity,  they  were  strenuously  and  sometimes  even  bitterly 
opposed  to  each  other  on  account  of  disputes  which  had  arisen  iu 
Scotland  and  which  did  not  in  the  least  relate  to  their  doctrines  or 
their  discijDline  iu  this  country.  Thus  the  Cameronians  held  that 
Christians  ought  not  to  take  any  part  in  sustaining  or  administer- 
ing' a  government  which  was  not  conducted  on  relig'ious  principles. 
Hence  the  members  of  the  Cameroniau  church  never  voted  or  took 
.any  part  in  the  elections  which  were  held  in  America. 

The  church  concerning  which  the  following  recollections  are 
given  was  connected  w-ith  the  Associate  body.  It  was  the  first 
church  established  in  the  town  of  Boviua:  but  was  followed  soon 
after  by  another  Scotch  church  of  the  Cameroniau  persuasion. 
The  building  was  as  ugly  as  could  be  imagined.  It  was 
almost  square,  without  ornaments  or  projections,  or  steeple.  It 
was  a  frame  building,  clap-boarded,  and  had  been  painted  of  a 
snuff-brown  color.  The  jiaint,  however,  had  long  since  been 
washed  away,  and  the  boards  left  of  a  natural  wood  color.   • 

The  inside,  that  is  the  galleries,  the  pews  and  the  pulpit,  was 
finished  in  unpainted  piue.  At  the  front  of  the  church  there  were 
two  doors  from  the  vestibule  into  the  open  air.  From  the  vestibule 
two  uncarpeted  stairs  ascended  to  the  galleries.  Two  doors  led 
into  the  main  body  of  the  church,  near  which  stood  two  stoves 
Imrning    wood    when    the    weather    required    them.      The    gallery 


ciiriiCHEs  Axti  ciirix'cii  M(i\  i:mi-:xts.  l:{<) 

•  exteuded  aroiiud  three  sides,  aud  ou  the  fourth  side  opposite  the 
eutrauce  stood  a  high  pulpit.  Directly  in  front  of  this  was  a  scciuiil 
aud  lower  puljiit-  for  the  precentor.  The  jkws  were  jiartly  narrow 
sitting's  and  partly  s(|uare  boxes  with  seats  around  tlirec  sides. 
The  services  never  beingf  held  in  the  evenings,  tluic  were  no 
arrangements  for  artificial  lighting  either  by  caudles  or  lani})s. 

The  preacher  in  this  church  was  a  Scotchman  who  had  inuni- 
grated  to  America  when  he  was  still  a  young  man,  having  just 
tinishi-d  his  theological  studies.  He  was  a  man  of  fair  abilities,  and 
devoted  to  his  work  and  his  Hock.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how 
much  salary  he  received,  but  certainly  it  must  have  been  quite 
small.  .\s  he  grew  older  and  his  children  increased  in  number  aud 
size  he  found  it  necessary  to  purchase  a  farm  on  which  he  lived 
during  the  last  years  of  his  pastorate. 

The  church  services  began  at  ten  o'clock  aud  were  of  the  ordi- 
nary Scotch  Presbyterian  character,  consisting  of  singing,  reading 
the  scripture,  extemporaneous  prayers  and  a  sermon.  The  whole 
service  lasted  about  two  hours,  of  which  the  sermon  constituted 
<piite  one-half.  The  preaching  was  always  without  notes;  as  in- 
deed the  preaching  of  all  the  Scotch  ministers  of  that  day  was.  At 
the  close  of  the  morning  service  there  was  an  intermission  of  an 
hour;  during  which  the  people  scattered  under  the  trees  and 
among  the  wagons  in  which  they  had  coiue  to  ehunli.  They 
emjiloyed  the  hour  faithfully  in  eating  the  luucheou  which  they 
had  brought  with  them,  in  discussing  the  sermon,  and  in  exchaug- 
iug  the  harmless  gossiji  of  the  week.  There  was  a  delightfid,  cool 
sjiring'  near  the  church,  and  nearly  evei'vone  took  occasion  to  visit 
it  during  the  intermission  and  to  drink  from  it  with  a  tin  cn|i 
which  was  always  kept  there. 

The  afternoon  service  began  at  one  o'clock,  and  lasted  aliDut  an 
liou)-  and  a  half.  It  was  exactly  like  that  of  tjic  niorniug  with  the 
exception  that  several  of  the  parts  including  the  sermon  were  a 
little  shorter.  The  people  scattered  on  foot  and  in  wagons  as  they 
iiad  come.     The  wagons  were  nejirlv  alwavs    the    lumber    wagons 


liO  IllSIOHy    OF    lil-:i..\\VMiK    COIXTV. 

which  the  fariuers  used  ou  their  fiuiiis.  Thev  were  j)rovided  with 
u  spriii""'  seat  iu  frout  on  which  the  driver  and  auother  sat,  and 
then  with  liuiird  seats  ]ilac('d  iu-ross  the  box  of  the  wa^oii.  1  sup- 
pose that  iu  very  early  times  tlicse  wagons  were  sometimes  drawu 
to  church  by  oxen,  but  in  my  time  only  horses  were  used,  and  often 
very  good  horses  at  that. 

The  music  in  the  church  was  of  a  \cry  limited  and  old-fashioued 
description.  There  was  no  instrnmeutal  music  allowed  in  any 
of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  churches  of  that  day;  and  to  a  great 
exteut  the  same  is  true  to  this  day.  The  human  voice,  in  the 
opiuion  of  these  good  people,  was  good  enough  for  the  praise 
of  God  iu  his  sanctuary.  The  precentor  who  led  the  singing  was  a 
Scotchman  who  had  learned  what  he  knew  about  music  before  he 
left  his  native  land.  The  number  of  his  tunes  was  not  large, 
perhaps  a  dozen  in  all.  They  were  all  Common  Metre  tunes  except 
Old  Hundred.  They  used  Rouse's  metrical  version,  iu  which  all 
the  psalms  are  rendered  in  common  metre,  except  the  one  hun- 
dredth which  is  long  metre.  As  far  as  I  can  remember  the 
following  tunes,*  with  others,  were  used:  French,  Coleshill,  Bangor, 
Martyrs,  Dundee,  Newton,  Elgin,  York,  Mears,  Irish,  Old  Hundred. 

The  tune  Ortonville  was  introduced  during  my  daj'  at  the 
Scotch  church.  But  it  had  the  unpardoualjle  fault  of  repeating  tlie 
last  line.  This  was  contrary  .to  the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament 
and  was  a  "vain  rejietition."  So  the  jjrecentor  reduced  Ortonville 
to  orthodoxy  by  omitting  the  repetition  of  the  last  line. 

A  Sunday  school  was  started  in  this  Scotch  climrli  jirobably 
al)out  1840.  It  was  the  result  of  a  general  movement  which  was 
then  taking  place  throughout  the  country  in  favor  of  the  establish- 
ment of  Sunday  schools.  It  was  held  at  the  intermission,  and 
the  exercises  were  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  doctrines  and 
usages  of  the  church.     The  children  who  composed  the  classes  were 

*  My  readers  will  remember  the  sketch  of  "Jeems  the  Door-koepor  "  iu 
John  Brown'K  Sj>are  ILiiirx.  The  tuiios  he  used  in  his  solitary  family  worship 
were  French,  Searborougli,  Coloshill,  Irisli,  Old  Hundr(>d,  Baiii^or,  ami  Black- 
burn. , 


Early  Pliysicians'  Outfit. 


Rerriir\der3  of  Early  Days. 


CnrRCHES  AXD   CHURCH  ^fOVE^fRXT^^.  143 

re(jiurf»l  to  comuiit  to  iiioiiioiy  uliaptuis  of  tlic  Jiil)l(',  the  j)salius  in 
vers(\  and  the  Shorter  Catechism.  The  parts  of  the  scripture 
wLi'-li  were  coiiiinnuly  learned  were:  the  l"2tli  chapter  of  Ecclesias- 
tes,  the  58rd  and  the  ()3rd  chapters  of  Isaiah,  chapters  from  the 
Proverbs,  chapters  from  the  Gospels,  and  from  the  epistle  to  tiie 
Hebrews.  As  a  matter  of  course  the  childi'eu  also  were  re(|uir(!d 
to  repeat  the  Lord's  Prayer,  the  .\postles'  Creed  and  the  Ten 
Coiiimandnicnts.  These  they  had  ])riilial)ly  learned  at  home  in 
accoidauce  with  the  invariable  Scotch  custom.  But  many  children 
who  beloupred  to  families  who  were  indifferent  to  religious  instruc- 
tion, obtained  in  this  Sunday  school  the  training  which  implanted 
in  them  the  seeds  of  religious  faith. 

It  remains  to  describe  one  of  the  peculiar  institutions  of  th(' 
Scotch  church  as  it  had  been  derived  from  the  practices  in  Scot- 
lau<l.  This  was  tlic  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  usual 
custom  ill  .Xiiicricaii  cliurclies  of  Scotch  origin  was  to  celebrate 
this  ordinance  twice  in  the  year,  in  the  spring  and  in  the  autunin. 
It  was  so  extended  and  laborious  a  series  of  services  that  tlu^ 
minister  of  a  church  always  sought  assistance.  And  as  this  as- 
sistance could  only  properly  .come  from  ministers  of  the  same 
body,  it  was  sometimes  no  easy  matter  to  obtain  the  help  that  was 
needed. 

The  first  day  of  the  celebration  was  Thursday  which  was  kept  as 
a  '"ist-day.  Meat  and  foods  of  a  similar  kind  were  geuerallv  ab- 
stained from,  but  the  day  was  not  kept  as  an  absolute  fast.  A  ser- 
vice was  held  in  the  chuicli  in  the  morning,  when  a  sermon  was 
preacdied  either  by  the  pastor  or  bj-  the  minister  assisting  him. 
Then  there  was  a  service  on  Saturday  morning,  when  another 
sermon  was  preached.  After  the  service  was  over  the  members  of 
the  church  passed  in  line  in  front  of  the  jireceiitor's  desk,  where 
one  of  tlie  (dders  stood  and  gave  to  each  a  "token,"  the  possession 
of  wliich  entitled  the  holder  to  sit  down  at  the  Lord's  Table.  No 
general  invitation  was  given  to  the  members  of  other  chundies,  and 
only  members  of  this  particular  cliurch  were  entitled  to  tokens. 
8 


144  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COlXrV. 

Tht  tokens  were  little  bits  of  chijiiied  tliut,  ou  cue  side  of  which 
bad  lieeu  cut   the  letters  J.  C.  (Jesus  Christ.) 

The  principal  service  was  held  ou  the  Sabbath,  when  usuallv 
the  visitiu^-  cleryvmau  preached  a  discourse  which  was  called 
"fencing  the  tables."  The  object  was  to  point  out  and  declare  the 
sins  which  would  debar  the  members  from  sittinfij  down  at  the 
Lord's  Table.  Often  this  was  a  most  solemn  and  almost  a  terrify- 
ing- discourse.  The  extemporaneous  Scotch  eloquence  penetrated 
to  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  faces  grew  pale  and  hands 
trembled,  and  sometimes  suppressed  sobs  told  of  the  searching 
impression  which  this  discourse  was  making. 

After  this  discourse  the  comnumicants  sat  dt)wu  at  the  table 
which  had  been  spread  through  the  middle  aisle  and  across  the 
sjiace  in  front  of  the  pulpit.  A\'heu  all  of  the  communicants  could 
not  be  accommodated  at  one  table,  a  second  was  served  immediately 
after  the  first.  An  elder  passed  along  the  table  and  took  up  the 
tokens  which  had  been  distributed  the  preceding  Saturday.  The 
bread  was  then  passed  along  the  table  by  another  of  the  elders, 
after  which  one  of  the  ministers  sjioke  a  few  words  of  pathetic 
comfort.  Then  in  like  manner  the  wine  was  passed  along  the 
tables,  and  the  other  minister  made  a  short  address.  The  usual 
intermission  followed,  and  the  afternoon  service  was  held  as  on 
other  Sundays. 

The  communion  season  was  closed  by  a  service  on  Monday 
morning,  when  one  of  the  ministers  preached,  applying  with  great 
power  the  lessons  of  the  occasion. 


XIV. 
Earh;  Pbv,.sicians. 


IT  is  ii  pn/./k'  to  :iuy  ouo  to  uuderstuud  liow  tljr  curly  settlers  iu 
this  aud  other  couuties  j^ot  ou  so  well  without  doctors  or  with 
siu'h  very  pt)or  doctors.  Iu  the  early  history  of  the  colonies  there 
was  uo  cessation  in  the  birth  of  children  or  iu  the  sickness  and 
death  of  both  old  aud  y(muf>'.  Eveu  more  than  the  usual  amount 
of  accidents  must  have  occurred,  calling  for  the  aid  which  only  a 
doctor  can  afford.  It  helps  to  esplaiu  this  difficulty,  when  we  re- 
member that  the  pioneers  who  migrated  into  the  new  settlements 
of  America  were  mostly  younpf  and  well  and  stront":.  The  old  aud 
feeble  would  not  undertake  so  perilous  an  enterprise.  And  thou^'-h 
uothiug  could  prevent  the  well  from  l)ecomiuf>'  sick,  aud  the  sick 
from  dying,  the  danger  from  such  sickness  and  death  would  be 
much   less  than   in   the  old  communities  from   which   they  came. 

It  must,  however,  be  taken  for  granted  that  nature  performed 
most  of  the  cures  in  those  early  days  as  indeed  she  ]iri)l)ably  iloes 
still.  Doctors  stood  by  then  as  now  aud  administered  what  they 
deemed  very  important  remedies,  but  which  after  all  had  but  little 
to  do  with  the  cures  which  nature  WTOUght  out  by  her  own  medica- 
ments. In  the  ITtii  and  18th  centuries,  when  most  of  the  coloniz- 
ing in  America  took  place,  medical  science  was  in  a  most  defective 
condition  even  in  jirogressive  nations  like  England  aud  Holland. 
The  medical  theories  which  then  prevailed  have  long  since  been 
abandoned,  aud  most  of  the  remedies  which  were  then  relied  on 
have  given  place  to  others. 

Dr.  Oliver  Wen(h'll  Holmes  in  au  address  delivered  in  1860 
makes  some  trenchant  remarks  concerning  the  remedies  which  even 
then  were  in  use.     He  says:  "Throw  out  ojnum  which  the  Creator 


14()  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

himself  seems  to  prescribe;  throw  out  a  few  of  the  specifics*  which 
our  art  did  uot  discover  and  is  hardly  needed  to  appl;-;  throw  out 
wine  which  is  a  food,  aud  the  vaj^ors  which  produce  the  miracle  of 
anaesthesia,  aud  I  firmly  lielieve  that  if  the  whole  moti'ria  mt'dii-u,  as 
now  used,  could  be  suuk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  it  would  be  all 
the  better  for  mankind, — and  all  the  worse  for  the  fishes."  f 

The  chief  resource  of  the  pioneer  families  in  all  that  pertained 
to  sickness  and  wounds,  was  the  skill  of  the  mother.  She  had 
inherited  from  her  ancestors  a  knowledge  of  all  the  common  <lis- 
eases  which  were  liable  to  attack  her  children,  and  she  kept  on 
hand  a  supply  of  the  medicines  which  were  thought  to  be  the  sj)e- 
citic  remedies  for  them.  If  there  were  cuts  or  bruises  or  burns 
within  her  domain,  she  knew  how  to  stop  the  bleeding,  soothe  the 
pain  and  care  for  the  wounds  until  they  were  healed.  There  were 
occasions,  which  were  beyond,  or  apparently  beyond,  the  resources 
of  such  homely  skill.  Aud  there  is  no  doubt  that  in  some  such 
cases  death  or  deformity  were  the  results,  which  a  more  trained 
skill'  aud  a  more  penetrating  diagnosis  might  have  warded  off. 

Besides  the  mother's  skill  there  was  in  almost  every  settlement 
some  man  or  woman  of  more  than  common  reisutation  for  curing 
diseases  or  healing  obstinate  wounds  and  sores.  It  was  commonly 
believed  that  there  was  for  every  malady,  whether  it  was  a  bite  or 
sting  or  bruise  or  pain  or  fever,  some  curative  plant  which  nature 
had  provided.  Animals  in  their  natural  state  knew  these  cures  by 
instiuct.  A  sick  dog  ate  grass.  A  cat  found  its  cure  for  almost 
everv  ailment  in  catnip;  aud  all  animals  of  the  cat  family,  such  as 
the  tiger,  the  panther  aud  the  lion  have  the  same  almost  insane 
liking  for  this  plant.  [Many  animals,  it  was  believed,  had  an  in- 
stinctive knowledge  of  the  plants  which  would  be  an  antidote  to 
the  bites  of  poisonous  snakes.  And  it  was  inferred  that  men  who 
came   nearest  in   their  modes  of  life  to  wild  animals,  would  in  like 

*  He  ijiinies  aiiioiiL!  the.se  spooifios :  Cinchona,  Mercury,  .\rsi'nic,  Coli-hi- 
cum,  Sulphur  and  Iron. 

t  Carrtnls  and  Coiud(!i--ciin-ent>),  pp.  38,  39. 


KARLV  l'liy:slCIA\S.  147 

iiinuuer  approni-h  tbeiii  iu  their  kuowledge  of  curiitive  herbs.  Thus 
some  old  solitary  Indian  who  had  beeouie  disconueeted  from  his 
tribe,  or  some  half-crazed  old  man  or  wduian,  was  sure  to  be 
believed  to  have  iniraoulous  medical  powers,  and  often  spent  his 
time  iu  searching  for  herbs  out  of  wliich  to  extract  specifics  for 
human  ailments. 

But  physicians  were  not  far  behind  tlie  pioueers  in  our  Ameri- 
can settlements.  Dr.  Le  Baron  came  with  the  Mayflower,  and  Dr. 
La  Montague  came  over  m  l(i29  with  a  colony  of  Walloons  to  New 
Amsterdam.*  The  French  and  Indian  war  (1754-63)  brought  into 
the  country  a  considerable  number  of  doctors  of  a  more  .skilful 
sort.  They  came  as  surgeons  of  the  British  troops  which  were  sent 
over.  Many  American  iiractitioners  and  nurses  were  associated 
with  these  military  surgeons  as  so  called  "  ^Surgeons'  Mates,"  from 
whom  they  learned  much  of  their  skill  in  surgery,  and  a  better 
knowledge  of  diseases  and  of  the  remedies  applicable  to  them. 
Some  of  these  English  surgeons  remained  in  the  country  after  the 
war  was  over,  and  composed  an  appreciable  element  in  the  causes 
which  served  to  advance  the  medical  profession  iu  the  American 
Colonies. 

It  is  worth  mentioning  also  that  very  many  of  the  clergy  in  the 
early  times  were  more  or  less  skilled  in  medicine.  The  wants  of 
the  sick  came  naturally  under  their  notice,  and  for  this  reason 
not  a  few  of  them  were  educated  in  both  professions,  as  missionaries 
of  the  present  day  are  trained,  in  order  that  they  might  be  pre- 
pared for  the  circumstances  of  the  pioneer  settlements.  Rev.  Jona- 
than Dickinson  of  Elizabethtown,  whose  chief  fame  was  as  a 
theologian  and  as  the  first  president  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey, 
had  a  high  reputation  as  a  physician.  A  notable  description  by 
him  of  the  terrible  disease  called  throat  (listemi)er  in   his  day,   but 

•  It  was  the  custom  in  the  early  times  as  well  as  mine  rccciU,  to  <l('riilc 
the  physicians  of  the  day.  Dr.  Douglass,  a  noted  ami  .sarcastic  doctor  of  Bos- 
ton in  the  IMth  century,  mercilessly  abuses  the  practitioners  of  his  day.  He 
quotes  against  them  the  declaration  of  the  .\pocrapha  :  "He  that  siiini'th 
against  his  Slaicer,  let  him  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  physicians." 


148  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    CorXTY. 

which  is  now  knowu  as  (li|)btberia,  shows  him  to  have  beeu  a 
physician   as  well  as  a  theologian. 

The  chief  ditticiiUy  lay  in  the  want  of  some  leyal  recjiiircnK'ut 
for  liceusinj^'  medical  iiractitioners.  lu  the  first  years  nf  the  i)res- 
ent  century  there  w-as  nothing  to  prevent  any  ignorant  pretender 
from  assuming  the  standing  of  a  doctor,  and  practising  among  an 
unsuspecting  community.  The  establishment  of  the  State  Medical 
Society  in  1806  was  the  first  step  taken  by  reputable  practitioners 
to  protect  the  communities  from  such  mischiefs.  The  same  law 
which  jjrovided  for  the  formation  of  the  State  society,  provided  also 
for  the  organization  of  county  medical  societies,  and  gave  them 
authority,  through  censors  to  be  chosen  by  them,  to  determine  who 
were  fitted  to  enter  the  profession.  Within  a  few  years  medical 
societies  were  formed  in  almost  all  the  counties  of  the  State,  and 
the  medical  profession  was  organized  into  a  compact  and  homo- 
geneous bod}-.  The  physicians  of  Delaware  county  met  to  form 
such  an  organization  July  1,  1S(I6.  Dr.  J.  H.  Brett  of  Haqiersiield 
was  chosen  president;  and  a  board  of  four  censors  was  named  which 
was  aiithorized  to  examine  and  license  those  who  should  make 
application  to  them.  This  veueral)le  county  society  still  exists  and 
prosjjers,  and  to  it  the  satisfactory  condition  of  the  medical  profes- 
sion must  iu  a  large  measure  be  attributed. 

The  Dr.  J.  H.  Brett  mentioned  above  is  closely  connected  with 
the  organization  of  the  county.  He  was  a  resident  of  Harperstield 
when  that  township  was  a  part  of  Otsego  county.  And  he  was  a 
member  of  the  State  Legislature  when  the  act  organizing  the  new 
county  of  Delaware  was  passed.  He  gave  up  iu  great  [lart  the 
practice  of  his  profession  and  was  appointed  County  Judge.  He 
held  this  position  from  1797  to  1810.  It  was  during  this  period 
when  he  was  both  doctor  and  judge  that  he  became  the  first  presi- 
dent of  the  newly  organized  county  medical  society.  Another  of 
the  first  physicians  of  the  county  was  Dr.  Piatt  Townseud  who  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  Walton.  In  1784  he  purchased  from  Mr. 
Walton  who  had  come  into  possession  of  a  large   patent  of  lands 


KMii.y  rinsiciAxs.  14(» 

ftlonfj  the  west  hraui-h  of  the  Delaware  river,  a  tract  of  5',()(t()  acres. 
He  was  a  resident  of  Duti-hess  conuty,  but  a  native  of  Couucetieut. 
lu  1785  he  removed  to  Delaware  county  with  a  colony  of  twenty 
persons,  and  there  estal)lished  the  settlement  now  known  as 
Walton.  He  was  known  as  ^i  lar^e  landed  proprietor,  hut  still 
better  as  a  skilful   and  synij>athiy.in<T  i)hysician. 

The  names  of  a  few  other  physicians  have  come  down  to  ns  in 
pouneotion  with  the  history  of  the  county.  Thus  we  have.  Dr. 
.Vsnlicl  K.  Paine  of  Kortrij^ht.  who  was  the  father  of  General 
Anthony  M.  Paine  the  founder  of  the  Delaware  Gazette;  he  was 
president  of  the  County  Medical  Society  in  ISKi;  Dr.  Thomas 
Fitch  of  Delhi,  who  immipfrated  from  Connecticut  in  1803,  and 
lived  about  four  miles  up  the  river  where  the  familiar  namt'  of 
Fitch's  bridge  still  recalls  him;  he  was  present  at  the  formation  of 
the  County  Medical  Society  in  1806;  Dr.  Ebenezer  Steele,  who  was 
born  in  "Walton  in  17',)8,  and  joined  the  County  Society  in  1821 ; 
Steele's  brook  is  a  perpetual  reminder  of  him.  To  these  familiar 
names  we  may  add  Dr.  .Vlniiron  Fitch  born  1801,  and  Dr.  Ferris 
Jacobs  born  in  1802,  both  of  whom  were  eminent  practitioners 
within  the  memory  of  men  still  living. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  add  some  reminiscences  of  the  doc- 
tors whom  the  writer  knew  in  his  boyhood.  This  will  show  better 
than  anythinj,'-  that  I  can  write  the  relations  of  the  profession 
to  the  community.  The  first  of  these  country  doctors  was  a 
Scotchman,  named  Walter  Scott.  He  had  migrated  from  Scotland 
some  years  before  I  had  much  occasion  for  his  medical  skill.  It 
was  usually  said  that  he  ncvci-  had  been  educated  as  a  rcj^ular  pliy- 
aiciau  or  had  taken  a  medical  degree.  But  he  had  been  a  student 
at  the  University  of  Edinburgh  and  he  showed  in  all  his  character 
and  life  the  culture  of  a  scholar.  He  had  for  a  time  served  as  a 
gardener  to  a  practising  physician  ;  and  in  this  jjosition  he 
employed  his  leisure  in  readin;^  his  master's  professional  books, 
and  in  picking  up  the  odds  and  ends  of  his  practice.  He  was  a 
uatui'al  physician;  and  when  he  settled  in   the  little  Scotch  neigh- 


150  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

borhood  be  quickly  ciuue  iuto  notice  as  a  most  useful  and  slcilful 
man.  lu  this  uei^Lhoiliood  the  ailments  were  chietlv  a  few  bruises 
and  cuts,  now  and  then  a  case  of  colic  from  eatinpf  green  apples, 
and  as  a  more  serious  event  a  broken  bone  wliicli  liad  to  be  set  and 
bandaged.  In  all  these  contingencies  the  Doctor,  as  he  was  uni- 
versally called,  soon  attained  a  very  notable  reputation  and  won  the 
coutideuce  of  all  the  families  whom  he  served.  He  was  a  most  kind 
and  amiable  man,  and  an  entertaining  friend  and  companion.  His 
figure  was  spare  an(\  tall  and  slightly  stooping.  His  face  was  thin 
and  tanned  with  the  sun.  He  took  snuff  in  the  old  fashicmed 
abundant  way;  and  our  first  warning  of  his  approach  to  the  house 
was  generally  the  trumpet  like  call  with  which  he  prepared  himself 
for  a  new  charge  of  bis  favorite  ammunition.  His  eyes  had  a 
pleasant  twinkle,  and  his  conversation  was  varied  and  musical  and 
thoroughly  Scotch. 

Such  was  the  man  who  was  called  to  attend  me  in  a  serious 
accident,  the  results  of  which  kept  me  in  bed  for  almost  two  years. 
He  liad  infinite  pity  for  the  poor  little  invalid,  and  I  can  still  see 
the  kind  old  face  as  he  bent  over  me.  '\Mieu  I  began  to  mend  he 
brought  me  one  day  a  little  book,  entitled  the  Life  of  George 
Washington.  It  was  a  tiny  little  book,  bound  in  boards  and  was  a 
fair  sample  of  what  was  written  for  children  in  those  days.  I  had 
not  yet  learned  to  read,  and  he  told  me  that  when  I  could  read  the 
fii'st  page,*  the  book  should  be  mine.  So  I  struggled  bravely  for 
many  weeks  and  perhaps  months,  until  at  last  I  earned  its  posses- 
sion. In  some  unexplaiuahle  way  I  have  preserved  this  (juaint 
little  volume,  and  as  I  write  these  lines  it  is  lying  before  me  with 
my  name  written  in  it  many  times  in  every  possible  fashion  of 
boyish  hand-writing. 

*  This  is  the  first  page :  '■  lu  the  liistory  of  man,  we  contemplate  willi  par- 
ticular satisfaction  those  legislators,  heroes  and  philosophers,  whose  wi.sdom, 
valor  and  virtue  have  contributed  to  the  happiness  of  the  human  species.  We 
trace  the  luminous  progress  of  those  excellent  beings  with  sweet  complacency. 
Our  emulation  is  roused,  while  we  behold  them  steadily  pursue  the  path  of 
rectitude  in  defiance  of  every  obstruction.  We  rejoice  that  we  are  of  the  same 
species,  and  thus  self-love  becomes  the  handmaid  of  virtue." 


On  tl^e  TrerripersKill. 

Or)  ttie  Ouleout. 


Sirader's  LaKe. 

Near  AVargareiville 


KMii.y  riD'siciAXs.  ;i51 

Tbe  n'ocxl  old  doctor  ;it  bist  becrtiiip  iufiriii  and  uualdf  to  visit 
the  fjiiuilics  who  iicnhMl  liis  assistance.  It  was  a  coiiiinou  sayiug 
iiinoli^'  the  circle  of  liis  practice  that:  "There's  uae  j^iiid  a  heiu 
sick  uoo,  siu  Doctor  Scott  caiiua  come  tae  see  us."  \l  hist  he  died 
amidst  the  \niiversal  sorrow  of  tlie  litth'  Scotch  neighborhood 
which  he  had  so  faithfully  served, — a  sorrow  which  could  only  he 
compared  to  that  which  pervaded  the  parish  of  Drunitochty  when 
Dr.  McClure  died  and  was  liuried,  as  lau  ^faclaren  has  described  it 
iu  the  Bouuy  Briar  Bush. 

Fortuuately  a  youu<^  man  had  been  in  course  of  training  to  take 
Dr.  Scoffs  place.  He  was  a  son  of  one  of  the  original  Scotch  set- 
tlers of  the  ueighliorhood.  He  had  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
Almiron  Fitcli  in  Delhi  and  had  lieen  graduated  by  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New  York.  He  established  himself  iu 
the  ju'actice  of  medicine  about  the  time  that  Dr.  Scott's  disability 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  retire.  And  although  the  proverb 
about  a  prophet  beiun'  without  honor  in  his  own  country  was  often 
quoted  against  him,  he  gradually  won  the  confidence  of  the  families 
who  had  trusted  in  his  i^redeeessor,  and  of  many  families  far 
beyond  the  precincts  of  his  neighborhood. 

The  eciuiimieiit  of  the  office  of  a  couutry  (h)ctor  of  that  day  was 
not  specially  elaborate.  There  was  in  this  one  a  human  skeleton, 
which  was  hung  iu  a  closet  and  was  the  terror  of  the  small  boys 
who  had  the  run  of  the  ofKce.  The  medicines  consisted  of  such 
commou  remedies  as:  Ijjecac,  opium,  rhubarb,  castor-oil,  calomel, 
jalap,  Spanish- fiie.s,  valerian,  Ijelladonua,  Peruvian  bark,  gentian, 
etc.*  Many  of  the  medicines  were  made  into  pills  in  the  doctor's 
own  office.  A  mortar  and  pestle  were  a  very  necessary  implement, 
and  the  energy  of  the  office  boy  and  often  of  the  doctor  himself 
were   emjiloyed    in    com]iouudiiig    the   pills  that   might  be   needed. 

*  Dr.  Oliver  Woiniell  Hciliiics  pictures  tlie   physician   of   liis   larlv  ilays  as 
"he  would   look  at  the  tongue,  feel   the  pulse,  and   shako  from   his  vials  a 
horril)le  mound  of  iiii-cac,  or  a  revolting  mass  of  rhubarb — jjood  stirring  rem- 
edies that   meant  business,  but   h'ft   a   flavor  behind   them   that  emliittcrs  the 
'recollections  of  childhood." 


152  III.STOHY    UF    DELAWARE    COCXTY. 

Besides  the  staudaril  medicines  there  was  always  iu  the  office  of 
a  couutrv  doctor  a  supply  of  the  siir<^ical  iustrunieuts  which  might- 
be  wanted.  A  couutrv  doctor  is  a  poor  stick  unless  he  can  perform 
the  ordiuary  ()i)erations  which  the  exigencies  of  his  ])i-actice  call 
for.  He  must  be  ready  to  undertake  them  without  delay  and  with 
a  firm  contidence  in  his  own  ability.  Broken  bones  must  be  set. 
Bleeding  wounds  must  be  stanched  and  stitched  together  and 
jiut  in  the  way  of  healing.  Crushed  limbs  must  be  amimtated, 
and  the  doctor  must  do  it  or  the  mau  will  die. 

There  was  an  old-fashioned  imjilement  called  a  turn-key  which 
some  will  remember  as  being  iu  use  for  the  extraction  of  teeth.  If 
the  patient  was  young  the  doctor  put  him  on  a  low  stool  and  took 
his  head  between  his  knees.  Then  he  cut  the  gums  away  with  a 
scalpel,  and  apjjlied  the  fangs  of  the  turn-key  to  the  outside  of  the 
tooth.  May  the  Good  Lord  direct  him  to  the  right  tooth  I  When 
all  was  ready  he  gave  the  instrument  an  infernal  twisl:,  which 
seemed  to  the  miserable  and  helpless  patient  to  be  unsettling  the 
foundations  of  the  universe.  But  the  jjaroxysm  was  of  short  dura- 
tion. He  was  soon  released  from  his  confinement,  his  mouth 
washed  out,  and  a  wad  of  cotton  sopjied  in  creosote  inserted  in  the 
toothless  cavity.  Then  he  was  dismissed  from  the  office  feeling 
himself  a  very  miub  humiliated  and  demoralized  individual,  if 
indeed  he  was  an  individual  at  all. 

Bleeding  in  the  early  part  of  the  century  was  regarded  as  the 
universal  resort  iu  every  kind  of  fever  and  intiammatiou.  It  was  a 
(•(immon  belief  that  horses  ought  to  be  bled  in  the  spring  to  pre- 
vent a  so-called  spring  fever  which  otherwise  was  sure  to  affect 
them.  It  was  the  theory  then  held,  that  a  fever  was  a  congestion 
of  blood,  and  therefore  the  appropriate  remedy  was  to  draw  from 
the  sufferer  some  oi  the  troublesome  surplus.  A  case  of  inflamma- 
tion, as  of  the  lungs,  the  bowels  or  the  throat,  was  to  l>e  treated  iu 
the  same  way.  I  have  seen  a  mau  suffering  from  severe  colic  bled 
profusely  until  he  grew  faint  and  the  pain  abated.  The  lancet  was- 
the  universal  companion  of  the  doctor.     He  carried  it  with  him  on 


KAiii.y  pin.siciAXs.  if):} 

every  occasion,  aud  wa';  ready  at  a  nionieiit's  waruiuf,'  to  wliij)  it  out 
and  draw  off  a  l)owlful  of  surplus  blood.  It  is  remarkable  how 
completely  tliis  remedy  has  been  superseded.  The  practitioner  of 
the  present  day  never  thinks  of  drawing  off  the  IjIooiI  of  his  fevered 
patient.  His  effort  is  to  supply  foods  and  drinks  which  will  make 
for  him  more  blood,  instead  of  takin<^'  away  his  already  impover- 
ished supply. 

When  I  was  ])r(iiHriug  for  college  at  a  preparatory  school  I 
lived  for  a  time  with  a  couutry  doctor,  who  enjoyed  a  large  country 
jiractice.  I  remember  well  when  he  came  home  from  a  meeting  of 
the  County  Medical  Society,  bringing  with  him  a  Ixittle  of  chloro- 
form, with  the  wonderful  story  that  it  would  render  jiatieuts 
insensible  to  pain  during  the  severest  operations.  That  was  the 
first  time  I  had  ever  heard  of  anaesthetics.  And  we  tried  it.  One 
of  the  boys  breathed  the  vapor  until  he  became  apparently  insensi- 
ble; aud  the  rest  of  us  pinched  him,  stuck  pins  in  him,  pulled  his 
hair  and  tweaked  his  nose,  until  we  had  assured  ourselves  that 
anaesthesia  was  no  delusion.  Thus  one  of  the  miracles  of  modern 
surgery  had  been  wrought  before  our  eyes. 

The  most  serious  medical  experience  that  I  remember  was 
encountered  when  I  was  Ii\-ing  with  this  same  doctor.  A  child  had 
been  born  with  a  hare-lip  in  one  of  the  families  within  his  practice. 
After  the  child  had  grown  sufficiently,  the  doctor  wished  to  per- 
form the  usual  operation  to  close  up  the  opening.  He  asked  me  to 
go  with  him  to  aid  him.  I  did  not  in  the  least  understand  wliat 
the  operation  was  like;  or  I  certaiidy  would  have  nfuscd.  And 
although  chloroform  was  known  to  him,  he  did  not  venture  to  use 
it  in  the  case  of  this  child.  It  turned  out  to  be  my  duty  to  hold 
the  screaming  baby  firmly  in  my  arms,  while  the  doctor  clipped  off 
tlie  edges  of  the  opening  aud  stitched  them  together.  I  think  that 
experience  has  served  me  for  a  lifc-tiuK';  and  1  cannot  to  this  day 
witness  severe  surgical  oj)eratious,  even  when  performed  un<lir  the 
influence  of  anaesthetics,  without  feeling  an  uiicontrollablc  repug- 
nance. 


154  HISTOIiV    OF    liF.I.AWAHF.     COVSTY. 

The  usual  method  of  tiiivclint;'  over  the  rouyh  eouutry  roads  hy 
the  doctor  was  on  horscliack.  Sometimes,  however,  he  use<l  a 
Tsuggj  when  the  roads  were  sucli  as  to  permit  that  kind  of  Iciromo- 
tiou.  AVheu  he  weut  (m  horseback  he  carried  a  jiair  of  saddh'-ljags 
swung-  across  his  saddh-.  This  consisted  of  two  leather-covered 
boxes  eoutaiiiini^'  in  separate  comiiartmeuts  little  liottles  of  jiills, 
powders  and  liijuid  medicines;  and  also  a  few  surgical  instruments 
which  were   most  frequently   called   for. 

I  close  this  chapter  with  a  tragical  occurrence  su(di  as  some- 
times takes  place  in  the  experience  of  a  country  doctor,  whose 
practice,  however,  is  mainly  simple  and  uneventful.  About  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  boy  was  seen  galloping  uji  the  street  of 
the  little  village,  his  horse  covered  with  lather,  and  his  face  almost 
as  white  as  the  foam  which  flecked  the  flanks  of  his  horse.  He 
drew  up  in  front  of  the  doctor's  office,  sprang  to  the  ground  and 
holding  the  bridle  in  one  hand  opened  the  door,  and  called  in  with 
a  trembling  voice:  "Doctor,  a  tree  has  fallen  across  my  father  when 
he  was  chopping;  one  of  his  legs  is  broken  and  the  other  is  terribly 
crushed."  In  five  minutes  the  doctor  gathered  together  the  instru- 
ments he  might  need,  including  those  for  amputating  a  lindi,  and 
not  forgetting  a  Imttle  of  brandy.  In  five  minutes  more  he  was 
mounted  on  his  fleet-footed  little  mare  and  was  galloping  l>a(dc  with 
the  frightened  boy.  The  farm  was  five  miles  off,  up  a  steep  road 
and  then  along  a  difficult  piece  of  cross-road.  But  the  horses  took 
it  without  pause  or  falter. 

Early  next  morning  you  might  have  seen  the  weary  doctor 
I'iding  slowly  back.  He  had  done  for  the  poor  man  all  that  his 
skill  enabled  him  to  do.  But  he  knew  too  well  the  terrible  chances 
which  menaced  him,  and  his  head  hung  sadly  on  his  breast  and  his 
heart  sank  with   apprehension. 

Next  Sabbath  morning  a  notice  was  read  in  Scotch  church, 
announcing  the  funeral  of  Donald  Knox  who  had  been  crushed 
.by  a  falling  tree  and  had  died  from  his  injuries. 


XV. 
^iooTapMcal  s;3I>etcl)es. 

COLONEL  JOHN   HARPER.* 

J  A:\1KS  harper,  tlie  -nmdfiitber  of  C'oloud  Hiirper,  oiiiij^Tato.T 
from  tlie  coimtv  of  Derrv,  iu  Ireland,  and  arrived  with  liiw 
family  at  Casco  Hay  iu  ^faiue,  iu  October,  17"2().  There  he  settled; 
hut  a  war  haviu;;-  Iiroken  out  with  the  Indiaus  lie  removed  to 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  with  his  family  excejjt  his  youuf,'est  son 
John,  who  remained  for  the  defense  of  the  Province,  continuin<i'  in 
the  service  a)4:ainst  the  Indians  about  throe  years  and  ei^^ht  months. 
After  his  discharge  he  weut  first  to  Boston,  and  afterw;ird  to 
Hopkinton,  Connecticut,  where  he  married  .\biffail  Moutf,n)mery, 
November  8,  17"28.  From  Hopkiuton  he  removed  to  Nodell's  Island 
near  Boston,  where  was  born  William,  his  eldest  sou,  Septend)er  14, 
1726.  .lames,  the  second  sou,  was  born  March  "20,  1781.  IMary, 
the  eldest  (hxu^'hter,  was  born  .lanuary  'J.'!,  17;{."{.  John,  the  third 
son,  was  born  May  ^il,  17;M.  ^NFar^aret,  the  second  daughter,  was 
born  February  7,   1740. 

Iu  1741  the  family  removed  to  ^Middlctown,  Connecticiit,  where 
Joseph,  .\lexaiider  ,-iml  Abij^ail  were  born  between  that  time  and 
1747,  when  they  I'emoved  to  Windsor,  Connecticut,  where  anothi  r 
daut,diter,  Mirriam,  was  1)orn   February   14,   1740. 

John  Harper  and  his  family  removed  from  ^\'inds(Jr  to  Cherry 
Valley,  tin  u  iu  All)any  county  iu  the  Province  of  New  York,  in 
17.")4,  where  they  ])urchasiMl  a  piece  of  land  which  they  immediatelv 
commenced   to  clear  and   cultivate. 

The  father  and  mother  and  their  eij^ht  children    were   all    iutelli- 

•This  sketch  is  prcparoil  by  Mr.  Allen  S.  Gibbs  of  Ilariiersllelil,  iiiid  Is 
laki'ii  from  tho  history  of  the  town  of  Harpersflekl. 

l.ir> 


ir)(;  insroRY  of  dklawark  county. 

yeiit  pei'sous,  and  the  uaiues  (if  most  of  tliciu  are  intimately 
connected  with  the  great  struggle  for  iudependeuee.  All  tlicu 
living  were  patriots,  aud  after  our  independence  was  acknowledged, 
were  prominent  in  their  several  localities. 

William,  the  oldest  son,  was  a  Member  of  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress, one  of  the  judges  of  Montgomery  county,  aud  after  Otsego 
county  was  formed  was  one  of  the  Associate  judges  of  that  county. 
He  was  also  Member  of  Assembly  from  Tryon  county  for  the  years 
1781,  1782  and  1784,  and  from  Montgomery  for  1785-1789.  He 
married  Margaret  Williams  of  Albany,  April  18,  17(50.  His  long 
and  useful  life  ended  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  in  ^Milford,  Otsego 
county.  New  York. 

James,  the  second  son,  died  of  small  pox,  ^larch  2"2,  17()0. 

John  Harper,  Jr.,  the  founder  of  Harperstield,  was  distinguished 
for  his  bravery  and  sagacity  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
when  he  held  a  commission  as  Colonel.  He  was  married  to 
Mirriam  Thompson,  by  whom  he  had  four  chiklren — Archibald, 
Margaret,  John  and  Ruth.  John,  born  July  10,  1774,  was  the  first 
white  male  child  born  in  Delaware  county. 

During  his  youth  Colonel  Harper  attended  a  school  at  Lebanon, 
Connecticut,  and  while  there  became  intimate  with  a  young  Indian 
who  afterward  became  the  celebrated  chief  aud  warrior,  Joseph 
Brant;  aud  who,  although  his  name  has  always  been  held  up  as  the 
synonym  of  savage  cruelty  and  outrage,  there  is  much  reason 
to  believe  has  been  greatly  misrepresented  by  writers  whose 
jjartisan  spirit  was  too  much  excited  to  do  him  justice,  and  who 
were  disposed  to  hold  him  responsible  for  the  cruelties  committed 
by  Indians  under  his  command.  Were  this  true,  it  seems  certain 
that  so  strong  a  partisan  as  Colonel  Harper  would  not  have  con- 
tinued friendly  with  him  during  the  war,  and  for  many  years 
afterwards.  It  is  nearlv  certain  that  on  the  occasion  of  the 
destruction  of  Harperstield  by  the  Indians  and  Tories  in  1777, 
Colonel  Harper  aud  his  family  w'ere  saved  by  a  secret  warning  from 
Biaut,  the   particulars  of   which   will   be   hereafter  related. 


lUoiniAl'lIICM.    SKETCHES.  loT 

Josej)h  Hariitr.  the  fc until  sou,  does  not  seem  to  liiivc  been  so 
proniiueiit  in  the  events  of  the  time  as  either  of  liis  brothers,  hut  he 
foii{j;ht  liravely  in  the  frontier  warfare,  and  was  a  niend)er  of  the 
Conmiittee  of  Safety  of  Har]ierstieUl.  After  the  war  he  married 
Cutharme,  dau<,diter  of  Joseph  Douglass  of  Harperstiehl. 

Alexander  Harper  was  nearly  as  ])rominent  as  his  more  eele- 
briited  l)rotber.  and  held  a  eommissiou  as  C'ajitain.  After  the  war 
be  settled  iu  Harperstield,  and  is  believed  to  have  kept  the  first 
tiiveru  iu  town;  as  for  several  years  all  town  uieetiugs  were  held  at 
his  bouse.  He  also  for  several  years  held  the  ouly  commission  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  within  the  present  boumls  of  the  town.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Bartholomew,  daujifhter  of  au  early  settler  on  the 
Charlotte,  near  what  is  now  South  Worcester. 

At  the  breakiug  out  of  the  Revolution,  men  were  compelled  to 
side  with  the  Kin;.;-  or  the  Colonies,  and  in  Harperstield  nearly  all 
sided  with  the  Colouies.  They  formed  a  Committee  of  Safety  as 
follows;  Isaac  Patchin,  chairman;  John,  Joseph  and  Alexander 
Harper,  Johu  Harper  Jr.,  Free{>:ift  Patchiu,  Audries  l{el)ar,  William 
McFarlaud,  St.  Leger  Cowley,  Isaac  Sawyer,  John  Moore,  and 
James  Steveus. 

The  first  capture  of  Indians,  as  related  by  "Siuims,"  was  made 
by  Colonel  Harper  iu  Juue  or  July,  1777.  The  Colouel  had  started 
ou  horseback  for  Cherry  Valley,  about  thirty  miles  distant.  As  he 
ueared  the  -Scheuevus  creek,  iu  the  present  town  of  Decatur,  he 
saw  a  ])arty  of  teu  Indians  approaching,  and  as  he  could  not  well 
avoid  it  he  contidently  met  them.  He  at  ouce  recognizeil  the 
leader  as  Peter,  au  Oquago  chief.  He  met  them  in  a  friendly  man- 
ner, calliu^r  them  brothera,  and  they  sujiposiu^;'  him  to  be  a  Kiuj^'s 
man  were  thrown  otT  their  >,''uard.  and  informecl  liim  tliat  they  were 
ou  their  way  to  destroy  the  Sidney  settlement  of  Itev.  William 
Johnston  aud  others,  and  that  their  restiupr  place  for  the  night  was 
to  be  a  mile  or  two  above  the  UKUith  of  the  Scheuevus.  Shaking 
hands  with   the  jiarty   he   bade   them   gnod-bye. 

As  soou  as  he  bad  passed  out  of  their  sight,  lie   hastily  returned 


15K  uisToKV  or  i>i:i,AWAiih:  corsrv. 

aud  sei-ureil  tlirt'O  Hiirtliolomew  brotherH  ou  the  Charlotte,  ami  at 
Harpersfield  his  Krothcrs  Joseph  auil  Alexiiuder,  anil  other  settlers 
uutil  his  i)aity  iimnlicred  eighteen.  Well  armed  and  with  ropes 
they  set  forward  aud  reached  the  ludiau  camp  just  before  daylight; 
fouud  them  all  asleejj,  secured  their  arms,  aud  then  with  eight  of 
their  number  ready  with  guns  to  enforce  obedience  a  man  with  a 
rope  approached  each  of  the  slee]3ers;  the  Colonel  taking  his  stand 
beside  the  leader  shouted  in  his  ear:  "Peter!  it  is  time  for  business 
men  to  be  up." 

The  party  all  started  to  their  feet,  but  tiudiug  their  own  arms 
secured  aud  so  many  guns  ready  to  shoot  any  who  atteni])ted  to 
escape,  they  submitted  to  be  liound  and  were  soon  on  their  way  as 
prisoners,  to  Albany.  Soon  after  daylight  Peter  recognized  his 
captor  and  exclaimed:  "Ah,  Colonel  Harper,  why  me  not  knoic  i/ou 
i/e.-tterday?"  "There's  policy  in  war,  Peter."  "O  yes,  me  find  'em 
so  now." 

Soon  after  the  above  capture,  the  enemy  under  McDonald 
(according  to  Simms,  but  Rev.  H.  Boies  says  Brant  and  Butler)  on 
its  way  to  Schoharie,  visited  Harjierstield  intending  to  capture  or 
destroy  Colonel  Harper  aud  his  "Whig  neighliors.  Ou  account  of  a 
heavy  rain  storm  the  enemy  ludted  a  few  miles  away  aud  a  friendly 
Indian  stole  from  the  camp,  made  his  way  to  Colonel  Harper's 
house  and  informed  him  of  the  intended  attack. 

The  Colonel  hastily  concealed  what  household  stuff  he  could 
not  carry,  placed  his  wife  and  younger  children  on  a  horse,  or 
horses;  with  the  rest  of  the  settlers  hurried  off  in  the  rain  and 
darkness  over  the  Jefferson  hills,    to  tind  safety  in  Middlebnrgh. 

Harperstield  the  next  day  was  sacked  and  destroyed.  Colonel 
Harper's  niill  built  two  or  three  years  before  was  burned.  Simms 
savs  the  house  was  tired  at  two  opposite  corners,  but  the  posts 
being  cherry  did  not  burn. 

During  this  raid,  or  not  long  after,  a  family  named  21cKec  is 
said  to  have  been  murdered  below  Odell's  lake  in  the  south  part  of 
Harpersfield.      The   father  was  absent,  but  the  mother  and  children 


Slate  Aririory  at  Waltori. 


View  Sliowirig  Location  of  tt\e  Arniory. 


-0^- 


iiU)<:HM'in<'Ai.  sKh:rciii-:s.  ICX 

were  hutclicicil  auA  tlimwii  into  (lie  lliuncs  of  tlic  bui'iiiii^  Imust!; 
exc(]it  oiu'  diiUfj^hU'V.  Auue.  wlm  threw  herself  at  tlie  feet  of  a 
saviij^c  who  had  his  iixe  raised  to  strike  her.  He  admired  her  hohl- 
uess  !iii<l  spared  her  life.  She  was  takeu  to  NiaH;ara,  where  she  was 
coiiiiieUed  by  the  siiuaws  to  rim  the  f^auutlet,  and  was  uearly  killed 
diiriufjf  the  terrible  ordeal.  She  liowever  reeovered,  and  after  a 
loufi;  captivity  was  allowed  to  return  to  her  home. 

When  ^IcDonald  and  his  party  appeared  near  Schoharie,  the 
•garrison  feeling'  unable  to  contend  with  him  successfully.  Colonel 
Harj)er  volunteere<l  to  i;o  alone  t<i  .Vlliaiiy  for  assistance.  Sto])pinfi;' 
at  a  tavern  for  the  nij,'ht,  the  Tories  attempted  his  capture,  but  he 
drove  them  from  the  door  with  his  jiistols.  The  next  day  tiudinfip 
be  was  followed  by  two  Indians  who  intended  to  wajiav  him,  he 
stopped  in  a  hollow  out  of  their  sij^ht.  stuck  his  sword  in  a  stump, 
placed  his  l)ack  ai^-'ainst  his  horse,  waited  till  they  approachci],  then 
with  a  pistol  in  each  hand,  he  exclaimed:  "  Stop,  i/oii  villains:  face 
about  and  be  off,  or  these  bullets  shall  whistle  throuf,'h  your 
hearts."  The  Indians  finding-  him  thus  armed  and  ready,  faced 
about  as  directed.  Colonel  Harper  then  proceeded  safely  to  .\ll)any 
and  obtained  a  troop  of  tweutj'-eis'ht  horses.  One  of  the  party  had 
a  trumpet,  from  which  an  occasional  blast — says  Simms — produced 
au  etf(?ct  equal  to  that  of  an  army  with  banners.  This  troop,  with 
the  partj-  at  Schoharie,  met  juid  defeated  McDonald,  and  Colonel 
Harper  wrote    the    Provincial   Council   of  Safety   at   Kingston: 

"ScH0H.\uiE,  Au{>:ust  '2.S,  1777. 

"Gentlemen:  Since  we  put  Captain  ^IcDonald  and  his  army  to 
flif^ht,  I  proceeded  with  some  volunteers  to  Harperstield,  where  we 
met  many  that  had  been  forcecl  by  McDonahl,  and  some  of  tin  in 
much  abused.  Many  others  were  in  the  woods,  who  were  volun- 
teers; and  as  we  could  not  f^et  hands  on  those  that  were  active  in 
the  matter,  I  f^avc  orders  to  all  to  make  their  appearance  at 
Schoharie  in  order  to  give  satisfaction  to  the  authority  for  what 
the}'  have  done;  and  if  they  do  not,  that  they  are  to  be  pioclaimed 
traitors  to  tlie  United  States  of  .\merica;  which  th<'y  readily  aj,'reed 
U 


102  JllsroliV    OF    DELAWARE    CUCXTY. 

to,  and  further  declare  that  they  will  use  their  best  endeavors  to 
bring  in  those  who  have  been  the  cause  of  the  present  disturbance. 

"I  would  therefore  beg  the  Honorable  Council  of  Safety,  that 
they  would  appoint  proper  persons  to  try  these  people,  as  there 
will  Vie  many  that  can  witness  to  the  proceedings  of  our  enemy,  and 
are  not  in  ability  to  go  abroad. 

"From  your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"John  Harper,  Colonel." 


JUDGE  EBENEZER  FOOTE.' 

•Judge  Foote  was  born  April  12,  175(),  in  Colchester,  Connecti- 
cut. He  was  the  sou  of  Daniel  Foote  and  the  J)rother  of  Eli  Foote 
whose  daughter  Roxaua  married  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher  and  was  the 
mother  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Mrs.  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  and 
others  of  that  talented  family.  Some  of  the  Foote  family  espoused 
the  loyalist  cause  in  the  Revolutionary  war;  but  Ebeuezer  was  an 
ardent  j)atriot,  and  when  the  first  guns  were  fired  he,  with  several 
other  young  men,  tied  from  home  without  his  father's  permission 
and  joined  the  patriotic  troops  near  Boston.  He  was  present  at  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill  and  served  continuously  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  For  his  bravery  and  efficiency  he  was  promoted  from  the 
ranks  in  which  he  enlisted  tu  the  position  of  Major.  He  attracted 
the   attention    of  Washington    and  was    by   bim    assigned    to    staff 

duty. 

He  had  the  misfortune  to  be  taken  captive  during  the  war,  and 
was  confined  with  many  others  in  the  Bridewell  prison  in  New  York 
city.  Along  with  a  uundjer  of  others  he  formed  a  plan  to  escape. 
They  managed   to  elude  their  guards  and  found  themselves  in  the 

*  We  are  iiidelited  for  the  facts  embodipil  in  this  slietc-h  to  a  memorial 
volume  coneerniiig  Samuel  E.  Foote  in  which  there  is  an  appendix  jjiving  the 
principal  events  in  tlie  life  of  Ebenezer  Foote;  also  to  an  obituary  notice  t)y 
General  Henry  Lea ven wort  li  printed  in  the  Delaware  (lazette  December  28, 
182'.i,  and  to  memoranda  furnished  liy  Miss  Foote  of  Delhi,  the  great-great- 
grandaughter  of  Judge  Foote. 


BIOilRArjIICM,    SKKTCIIKS.  1(J3 

•couutrv  near  where  Chambers  street  now  is.  They  made  their  way 
to  the  Hudsou  river  with  the  iuteutioii  of  crossiug  it  to  New  Jersey. 
They  found  an  old  leaky  boat,  but  they  were  unable  to  make  it 
sufficiently  safe.  All  the  other  fugitives  then  took  to  the  laud  and 
tried  to  make  their  way  through  the  hostile  sentinels  to  the  country 
north  of  them.  But  Foote  found  a  plauk  and  with  it  undertook  to 
Mwim  the  Hudson.  It  was  in  the  month  of  Dei'cudjer  and  the  water 
was  piteously  cold.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  escaping  the 
patrolling  vessels,  and  in  making  his  way  to  the  other  side.  He 
landed  at  Hoboken  where  he  found  shelter  aud  dry  clothes.  He 
escaped,  but  he  never  recovered  wholly  from  the  ctfects  of  this 
terrible  exposure. 

Major  Foote  from  his  rank  iu  the  Itcvolutimiary  army  became 
a  member  of  the  Order  of  C'inciuuati,  aud  u]i  to  the  time  of  his 
death  took  great  pleasure  in  joining  his  comrades  on  the  fourth  of 
July  to  celebrate  the  achievement  of  American  independence. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  he  only  possessed  the  back  ])ay  whicdi 
was  due  to  him  for  his  services.  Part  of  this  was  paid  to  him  iu 
money;  and  a  part  was  liquidated  hy  a  grant  of  unsettled  land  on 
the  West  branch  of  the  Delaware  river.  He  entrusted  the  certifi- 
cate of  his  army  pay  to  an  agent  for  collection  and  this  precious 
rascal  defrauded  him  out  of  the  whole.  He  had  married  iu  1779 
Jerusha  Purdy,  a  meniljer  of  the  Westchester  family  of  that  uame. 
Her  property  also  had  been  mostly  destroyed  by  the  British  troo]is 
in  their  incursions  into  the  regions  north  of  New  York. 

Major  Foote  had,  therefore,  to  commence  life  anew.  He  started 
iu  a  mercantile  career  at  Ncwbvir^h  wliicli  was  then  in  Ulster 
county.  In  this  he  unist  have  been  more  or  less  successful :  for  we 
find  that  several  times  he  was  chosen  to  represent  the  county  iu  tlie 
State  Legislature.  He  is  recorded  as  having  been  in  the  Asseud)ly 
in  17112,  17'.I4.  IT'.m;  and  IT'.t".  It  was  during  this  latter  year  that 
the  bill  for  the  erection  of  Delaware  county  was  under  discussicju, 
and  Major  Foote  took  an  active  part  in  perfecting  and  securing  the 
passage   of  the  measure.     He  served  as  Senator  from  the  Middle 


1(14  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNrV. 

District  ilurinf,'  the  years  17!t8,  ITilll,  1K(MI,  1801  and  1H()'2.  In  17i)ir 
he  was  chosen  to  serve  as  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Appointment 
under  Governor  John  Juv. 

On  tlie  establishment  of  the  new  county  he  was  appointed  liv 
the  Governor  the  county  clerk,  and  immediately  removed  thither  to 
assume  his  duties.  At  this  time  it  must  be  remendsered  that  there 
was  no  village  of  Delhi.  There  were  two  sites  which  were  looked 
upon  as  likely  to  become  the  locaticm  of  the  pro])()sed  county  build- 
ings. One  of  these  was  at  tlie  mouth  of  Elk  Creek  on  the  grounds 
of  Gideon  Frisbee.  Here  already  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of 
supervisors  had  been  held  and  the  county  court  had  held  its  first 
session.  The  other  was  the  extensive  flat  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Delaware.  There  is  a  tradition  that  some  of  the  early  county  meet- 
ings and  courts  were  held  in  the  latter  locality  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Leal.  It  was  near  this  beautiful  intervale  that  the  laud  lay  which 
had  been  granted  to  Major  Foote  for  his  military  services;  and  it 
was  near  this  on  the  south  that  he  selected  a  site  and  built  a 
residence  for  himself.  The  building  is  still  standing  but  has 
2)assed  out  of  the  possession  of  his  descendants. 

Mr.  Foote  served  as  county  clerk  until  1801  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Philip  Gebhard.  He  was  not  only  the  clerk  of  the  board 
of  supervisors,  but  also  the  clerk  of  the  courts  held  in  the  county 
and  the  custodian  of  their  records. 

In  1810  he  was  ajijiointed  by  Governor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  as 
county  judge  for  a  term  of  six  years.  Subsequently  in  1828  he  was 
again  appointed  to  the  same  oHice  which  he  held  until  his  death  in 
182'.l  at  the  age  of  seventy-four. 

No  citizen  of  Delaware  has  ever  enjoyed  a  more  distinguished 
circle  of  acquaintance.  He  knew  and  corresponded  with  the  most 
active  ijolitieal  managers  of  the  day,  and  many  of  them  were  his 
guests  at  Arbor  Hill.  We  may  mention  a  few  from  whom  letters 
are  still  preserved  by  his  descendants:  The  Patroon  Stejihen  Van 
Eeusselaer,  Hon.  Elisha  Williams,  (ioveruor  Morgan  Lewis,  General 
Schuvler,    the    Livingstons,     Cadwalader    Golden,     Josiah    Ogden 


BIOCRM'IIICM.    SKETCHES.  165 

HoffiuiUi,  l'lnlii>  Villi  Cdurtliuult.  Martin  Van  Burtn,  .Jolin  Jav, 
DeWitt  Cliutou,  Aaron  Burr,  etc.  Catherine  Livingston  writes  to 
him  regretting  not  lia\ing  seen  liini,  and  \v<iul(l  like  to  sell  him  a 
young  slave   girl,   as  she  has  more  than   she  can   afford   to   keep. 

We  have  already  stated  that  he  married  in  17711  Jenisha  Purdy. 
He  had  four  children,  viz:  Frederick  Parsons,  Charles  Augustus, 
Harriet,  ami  .Margaret.  Frederick  served  as  general  in  the  war  of 
isl'J  and  died  in  Ijcgliorn,  Italy,  in  IS'27.  His  second  son  Charles 
Augustus,  was  a  lawyer  and  tilled  many  local  ottices.  He  was  a 
member  of  congress  in  liS24,  hut  died  soon  after,  aged  forty.  His 
eldest  son  was  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  served  with  distinction  in 
the  Seminole  \\'ur  and  finally  was  killed  in  the  battle  at  (iaiues' 
Mills  in  lHt)2.  The  second  sou  of  Charles  Augustus  Foote  was 
Charles  A.  Foote  of  Delhi,  who  died  in  189(),  and  who  will  be 
remendjered  by  many  friends  still  living.  He  was  born  in  IKIS  and 
lieiug^  left  an  orphan  he  was  obliged  to  care  for  liiniself.  ^^  hi  ii 
tweuty-oue  years  of  age  he  commenced  business  and  continued  in  it 
till  his  death.  During  these  many  years  he  maintained  a  character 
of  spotless  integrity.  He  held  many  positions  of  pul)lic  trust.  He 
vas  treasurer  of  Delaware  county  for  nine  years — from  18(51  to 
isTo.  He  served  as  treasurer  of  the  village  of  Delhi;  he  was  town 
clei'k;  he  was  a  trustee  of  the  Delaware  Academy,  and  a  director  of 
the  National  Bank.  In  all  these  ])ositions  he  discharged  liis  trusts 
with  unswerving  fidelity. 

GENERAL  ERASTUS  ROOT. 

A  full  account  of  General  l\oot  would  include  a  great  part  oi 
the  history  of  the  county  in  which  so  much  of  his  life  was  spent. 
We  give  below  the  principal  incidents  in  his  varied  and  eventful 
career. 

1.  He  was  born  in  Hebron,  Connecticut,  March  1(1.  177;{. 

2.  He  was  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College,  17il3. 

-i.    He  removed  to  Franklin,  then  in  Otsego  county,  and  when 


166  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARK    COVSTY. 

Delaware  county  was  oi-fiaiiized  in  17'.)7  be  transferred  liis  resi- 
dence to  Delhi  where  he  coutiuued  to  dwell  uutil  the  time  of  hi» 
death. 

4.  He  was  married  iu  180(5  to  Miss  Eliza  Stockton  of  Walton. 
He  had  five  children:  1.  Julianne  born  1(S07,  married  Hon.  S.  E. 
Hobbie,  died  1898  in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  2.  Charles  born  ;\Iay 
(i,  1809,  died  December  8,  1828;  :-i.  Elizabeth  born  1812,  died 
1865;  4.  William  born  1818,  died  1874;  5.  Augusta  born  ISlC, 
died  1838. 

5.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Assembly  from  Delaware  county  iu 
1709,  1801,  1802,  1818,  181!),  1820,  1821,  1826,  1827,  1828,  1880. 

6.  He  was  Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  1827,  1828,  1830. 

7.  He  was  a  State  Senator,  1812-16,  and  1840-44;  at  tliis  last 
election  in  1840  he  was  chosen  by  two  majority. 

8.  He  was  Lieutenant  Governor  1823-4.  In  1824  he  was  again 
a  candidate  for  the  same  ottice,  but  was  defeated  by  James  Tall- 
mage. 

9.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1S21. 

10.  In  1824  the  Legislature  appointed  James  Kent,  Benjamin 
F.  Butler  and  Erastus  Eoot,  as  a  commission  to  revise  the  State 
laws. 

11.  He  was  a  member  of  Congress  1803-5,  1809-11,  1815-17, 
1831-33. 

12.  When  the  village  of  Delhi  was  incorporated  in  1821  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Assembly,  and  it  was  by  his  activity  that  the  act 
was  passed. 

13.  In  1831  he  was  appointed  by  President  Jackson  along  with 
James  McCall  of  New  York  and  John  T.  Mason  of  Michigan  as  a 
commission  to  lay  out  the  (xreen  Bay  Indian  Reservation. 

14.  At  the  Democratic  Convention  in  1830  he  was  a  candidate 
for  the  nomination  for  Governor,  but  he  was  defeated  by  Enos 
Throop. 

15.  He  was  the  postmaster  at  the  village  of  Delhi  during 
twenty  years. 


IIKKiHAfllliM.    SKh-r<lll-:s.  1(;7 

111.    la    lS;i:i   hv  al>audiiiR'il   the   Democratic  pnrty  ami  liccamc  a 

Whit,'. 

17.  Ill  his  youtli  ]]f  piiblislied  ftu  arithmetic,  ami  in  1824  he 
pulilishtil  a  vdhnuf  of  AtUlrosses  to  the  People.  He  had  the  houor 
of  hoiiij^-  immortalized  in  Fitz  Greeue  Hallock"s  Croakers,  in  the 
poem    iiildressfil    ti>    Mr.    I'ottcr   tlic    V('ntrilo(|iust. 

IS.  He  died  in  New  YniU  oil  his  way  to  Washington  to  spend 
the   winter  with   his   (lau^litcr   Mrs.  Selali   R.  Hol>l)ie.* 

A  collection  of  papers  relatiuf^-  to  (iencral  l\oot  was  ou  exhi- 
bition during  the  celebration  of  the  centennial  anniversary.  Since 
that  time  these  papers  have  been  presented  to  the  New  York  State 
Library  at  Albany  by  Mrs.  Selah  1!.  Hobliic,  then  the  only  surviv- 
ing child  of  General  Root,  who  has  since  died,  and  by  Rev.  Reeves 
Hobbie  of  Newark,  her  son.     They  are  as  follows: 

1.  Diploma  from  Dartmouth  College,  1793. 

2.  Recommendations  of  Erastus  Root  for  admission  to  the  bar 
of  ToUand  county,  Connecticut,  February  IG,  ITMi. 

S.  Certificate  of  admission  to  the  bar  of  Tolland  county,  Con- 
necticut, February  25,  1791!. 

4.  License  to  practise  as  counsellor  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  January  4,  1799. 

5.  Aj)i)ointmeut  of  Erastus  Root  as  Master  in  Chancery,  by  (tov- 
eruor  George  Clinton,  January  28,  1802. 

(!.  Appointment  of  Erastus  Root  as  Brigade  Inspector  of  the 
Militia  of  Delaware  county.  New  York,  with  the  rank  of  Major,  by 
(ioverudr  George  Clinton,  JIarch  29,  18(12. 

7.  .Vppdiutincnt  nf  Erastus  Root  as  Lieutenant  Colonel,  Com- 
mandant of  the  Hegimeut  of  Jfilitia  in  Delaware  county,  by  Gover- 
nor George  Clinton,  March  24,  l8():i. 

8.  License  of  Erastus  Root  to  practise  as  attorney-at-law  in  the 

•General  Root's  wil  was  infpii'ssiljli'  ami  I'lmml  \riit  un  all  occnsions. 
Wlii'ii  Ilaiiiiltoii  Fish  was  udiiiinati'd  I'or  Govi'iiuir  hi'  is  saiil  to  have  exprossod 
himself  tluLS :  '•  No  doiiht  Haniiltoii  Fish  is  a  good  man,  but  he  can't  swim  in 
the  waters  of  the  Delaware." 


1(;H  IIISTllin     OF    liEI.AWAHF.     COISTV. 

Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  New  Yurk,  liv  .Tames  Keut,  Chief  Jus- 
tice, Au-ifust  18,  18()(i. 

9.  Api)()iutiiieut  of  Erastus  Root  as  Brigadier  Geueral  of  Bri- 
f^'aile  of  Militia  iu  Delaware  and  other  cduutics,  by  (loveriii)r  Dauiel 
D.  Tompkins,  February  17,  ISOS. 

10.  Certificate  of  the  election  of  Erastus  Koot  as  meniher  of 
Congress,  June  3,  1808. 

11.  Discharge  of  Erastus  Root  from  the  office  of  Master  of 
Chancery,  by  (xovernor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  March  30,  1810. 

12.  Certificate  of  the  election  of  Erastus  Root  as  a  Senator  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  May  81,  1811. 

13.  Ai)ji(nntmeut  <>f  Erastus  Root  as  a  Master  of  C!haucery,  by 
Governor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  February   12,  1811. 

14.  Aiipoiutmeut  of  Erastus  Root  as  Brigadier  General  of  the 
Brigade  of  Militia  iu  Delaware  county,  by  Governor  Dauiel  D. 
Tompkins,  April  10,  1811. 

lo.  Appointment  of  Erastus  Root  as  Commissioner  for  Insolvent 
Debtors,  etc.,  by  Governor  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  June  7,  1811. 

1().  Order  of  Brigadier  Geueral  P.  Farrington  to  Lieuteuant 
Colonel  Erastus  Root,  September  4,  1814. 

17.  Certificate  of  the  admission  of  Erastus  Root  as  Solicitor  and 
Counsellor  iu  the  Court  of  CUiiucery,  by  James  Kent,  Chancellor, 
August  23,  181(). 

18.  Appointment  of  Erastus  Root  as  Major  Geueral  of  the  8th 
Division  of  Infantry,  by  Governor  Dauiel  D.  Tompkins,  March  22, 
181(i. 

19.  Certificate  of  the  election  of  Erastus  Root  as  Lieuteuaut 
Governor,  Deceiuber  4,  1822. 

20.  Discharge  of  Erastus  Root  as  ]Major  (xeneral  with  the 
thanks  of  the  Commander-in-chief,  November  17,  1824. 


JilUiiRArUJCAL    SKKTCUKS.  KH) 


HON.  SAMUEL  SHERWOOD.' 


Siiimiel  Sherwood  was  hovu  iu  Charlotte  county  (now  "Washiuf;- 
ti>i)  county)  iu  this  State,  April  '24,  ITT'.t.  His  father  had  come 
from  Counecticut  to  settle  in  that  thinly  impulated  rej^ion  near 
Luke  (leor^c,  and  on  the  lireakini;'  nut  of  the  Hexolution  hecanie  an 
officer  of  the  vnlunteer  troops.  Iu  ITSd  occurred  the  invasiou  of 
that  rej,'ion  l>y  the  British  and  ludiaus  under  Colonel  Carleton,  who 
rnva^^'ed  the  wliole  district  and  burned  many  of  the  liousis  of  the 
Whi^jTs.  l\Ir.  Sherwood's  father's  house  was  liurued  at  that  time; 
the  mother  takin-jf  her  two  children,  his  brother  and  himself  ou 
liorsebaek  barely  escaped  the  ludians.  A  few  years  after  the  war 
his  father  moved  to  Cayuya  couuty;  there  Jfr.  Sherwood  received  a 
f^ood  education  at  the  local  schools  aud  was  without  doubt  a  ])re- 
j'ocious  scholar,  for  at  the  ajje  of  si.\teeu  he  begau  the  study  of  the 
law  iu  the  office  of  Judf^e  Walter  Wood  of  .Vurora.  Before  he  was 
tweuty  be  had  accumulated  some  landed  i>roperty  iu  Cayuf^'a 
county.  He  entered  the  law  office  of  Conrad  E.  Elmendorf  of 
Kiuf^stou,  where  he  remained  until  November.  ITHlt,  when  he  went 
to  Delaware  county.  Before  he  was  eij^hteen  he  had  tried  suits 
before  justices,  aud  before  he  was  twenty  had  tried  causes  against 
many  of  the  eminent  lawyers  iu  Ulster  aud  Delaware,  such  as  Smith 
ThoHipson   and   (larret    Van  Ness. 

MTien  Mr.  Slierwnud  went  to  Delaware  couuty  he  had  formed  a 
]iartnership  with  Mr.  Elmendorf  aud  did  business  in  the  hitter's 
name  until  his  admission  in  Delaware  Common  Pleas,  February 
Court,  1800. 

He  was  )iiarrie(l  in  isiid  to  Miss  Deborah  Hawkins  and  couj- 
menced  housekeepiup  at  Delhi  next  winter.  Thei'e  were  several 
ohildreu  of  this  niarria^'e.  the  late  'Slvn.  Herman  D.  (iould  bein<,'  the 
eldest. 

In  1S(I4  he  estal>lisiied   his  house    and    law   office    at    Sherwood's 

*  This  sketch  is  prefiari'il  by  Saiinn*l  Shcrwooil  "f  New  York  City. 


170  JUsroHV    OF    DELAWARE    ('OlWrV. 

bridge  (tbeu  called  Lfal's  luid^e)  about  a  mile  south  of  Dellii,. 
where  he  had  accjuired  fousiderablc  laud.  This  house  together 
with  the  adjaceut  farm  aud  wooded  hill  were  retained  by  him 
during  his  life  and  bequeathed  to  his  grandson  and  namesake,  in 
whose  possession  they  now  are.  Woodland  House,  so  called  by  its 
builder,  is  one  of  the  oldest  houses  in  the  township.  It  is  situated 
on  somewhat  rising  ground  overlooking  the  Delaware  river.  The 
architecture  is  Ionic  in  style,  the  woodwork  of  the  porch  being 
somewhat  elaborate  considering  the  period  of  its  construction. 
Mr.  Sherwood  in  selecting  a  building  site  had  been  somewhat  of 
the  opinion  that  a  village  or  settlement  was  likely  to  spring  up  in 
the  neighborhood  on  account  of  the  junction  of  the  Little  Delaware 
with  the  larger  stream,  and  in  the  early  part  of  the  century  this 
seemed  likely;  for  just  above  the  bridge  w-ere  established  a  tan- 
nery, a  grist  mill  and  other  industries.  ^Ir.  Sherwood  was 
interested  in  many  of  these  business  enterprises. 

In  politics  he  was  originally  a  Federalist.  On  going  to  Dela- 
ware county  he  was  appointed  paymaster  in  Colonel  Butler's 
regiment  of  local  militia  and  later  was  appointed  to  take  the  census 
in  Delaware  county  iu  ISOO. 

In  a  memorandum  made  in  1850  he  says: 

"My  determination  to  make  Delaware  county  my  residence  had 
its  origin  in  the  local  ijolitics  of  the  day.  The  Federalists  of  Dela- 
ware and  Ulster  counties  were  anxious  to  persuade  me  to  break  a 
lance  with  Erastus  Root,  some  six  or  seven  years  my  senior  and 
then  established  as  the  leader  of  the  Democracy  of  the  county. 
We  entered  the  lists  in  opposition  to  each  other  and  rose  and  fell 
with  the  ebb  tide  of  our  respective  parties.  With  the  accession  of 
George  Clinton  to  the  gubernatorial  chair  of  state  iu  ISdl  the 
Federalists  lost  power  in  the  state,  aud  it  was  only  during  the  war 
of  1812  that  they  again  obtained  a  temporary  ascendancy  after  the 
dissolution  of  the  party,  1810  to  IS'2'2.  The  portion  of  the  party 
uniting  with  DeWitt  Clintt)u  came  into  power  with  him  iu  1825  aud 
held  this  power  till  his  death  in  1828.     Delaware  county,  1798,  was- 


BIOdKAPHlCAL   SKETCHEIS.  171 

liir^'fly  anti-Federal  or  Democratic,  uever  j^iviuj,'  less  than  four  or 
tivi-  Inimlreil  Deiuod'atic  iiuijoiity  of  votes  under  rep;ular  orj^uiiiza- 
tion,  and  it  became  part  of  the  tactics  of  th^  day  for  the  minority  to 
divide  and  conciuer,  and  as  every  year  presented  some  '  ism '  it 
•generally  happened  that  the  Federalists  were  able  to  throw  away 
tbeir  vote  ou  some  unobjectionable  Democrat  rather  than  ^'oinj,'  to 
the  i)olls  with  a  certainty  of  defeat.  In  this  warfare,  which  was- 
always  unpleasant,  we  often  succeeded  in  controlling  the  supervis- 
ion of  the  county  and  in  subduing  the  tyrannies  and  injustices  of 
our  opponents." 

lu  isri  Mr.  Sherwood  was  elected  to  Congress  as  a  Federalist. 
The  Federalists,  as  is  well  known,  were  Disposed  to  the  war  of  1812 
and  presumably  he  was  in  sympathy  with  his  party  on  that  issue. 
but  later  he  gave  his  support  to  the  war  measures  proposed  by  the 
atlmiuistration  of   President  Madison. 

In  1.S14  Mr.  Sherwood,  whose  first  wife  had  died  in  ISlO.  was 
married  to  Miss  Laura  Bostwick  and  they  spent  the  following 
winter  in  Washington.  This  was  the  year  following  the  burning  of 
the  public  buildings  in  Washington  by  the  British  troops;  the  war 
was  still  in  progress,  the  outlook  gloomy;  nevertheless  there  were- 
the  usual  ceremonial  receptions  at  the  WTiite  House.  !Mrs.  Sher- 
wood's letters  written  at  the  time  give  an  interesting  picture  of  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  period,  and  an  entertaining  descrip- 
tion of  the  appearance  (jf  Mrs.  Dolly  Madison,  the  President's 
wife. 

Mr.  Sherwood,  after  serving  his  term  in  Congress,  was  not 
again  a  candidate  for  ])ublic  office  and  later  in  life  became  a 
Democrat. 

His  law  practice  in  Delaware  county  contiuui  d  until  ls;{0. 
.Vnioug  those  associated  with  liiiu  as  law  ])artiiers  or  students  may 
be  mentioned  .\masa  Parker,  (father  of  the  late  Robert  Parker  of 
Delhi,)  Judge  Aniasa  J.  Parker  of  Albany,  Nelson  Wheeler  and 
Franklin  Sherwood  Kinney. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  century  he  was  generally  pitted  against 


172  HISTOIIV    Oh'    DELAWARK    COIXTV. 

•General  Koot  in  lej^al  as  well  as  political  matters.  Sdiuc  did  papers 
iu  a  libel  suit  entitled  "  Hoot  vs.  Sherwood  "  are  still  in  existence 
and  illustrate  tlie  conditions  of  politics  aliout  iSdS,  Itoot  claimed 
that  Sherwood  had  libelled  him  by  publishiufi'  a  political  poster 
statiuj^'  that  he  (Root)  was  an  adherent  of  Aaron  Burr,  and  char;,'- 
ma  Root  with  complicity  iu  Burr's  schemes  in  the  west  and  urfjiufj 
the  electors  to  "  beware  of  Burrites."  Root  succeeded  in  ^cttinL;- 
one  hundred  dollars  damaf^es. 

Iu  the  trial  of  James  Graham  for  the  murder  of  Cameron  and 
Mc(Tillivrae  the  accused  asked  to  have  Erastus  Root  and  Samuel 
Sherwood  appointed  his  counsel.  But  Street,  the  District  Attoruev, 
had  already  secured  Sherwood  for  the  ])rosecution.  The  latter  in  a 
private  letter  describes  the  trial  as  a  most  impressive  one.  Great 
crowds  of  peo2)le  were  present.  Even  many  ladies,  amcmg  others 
the  wife  of  the  presiding;-  judoe,  Ambrose  Spencer. 

About  ISHd  ^[r.  Sherwood  moved  to  New  York  and  established 
a  successful  lej^al  practice,  which  he  coutinued  until  alxnit  IS.")."), 
I)roniiueut  iu  general  practice  his  specialty  perhaps  was  the  man- 
agement of  real  estate  cases,  ejectment  suits  and  the  like.  He  was 
also  distinguished  as  a  Chancery  lawyer.  In  early  life  he  had  been 
in  active  practice  against  Aaron  Burr.  In  the  Anti-rent  trials  in 
Delhi  he  appeared  for  the  jjrosecution  at  the  request  of  'Sir.  Van- 
Bureu,  the  Attorney  General. 

Although  engaged  in  l)usiuess  in  New  York  he  retained  a  deep 
interest  iu  Delhi.  He  had  been  associated  with  most  of  the  enter- 
prises of  the  early  period  of  the  history  of  the  village;  he  was 
interested  iu  the  establishment  of  the  Academy  and  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  St.  John's  Episcopal  Church. 

His  home,  Woodland  House,  has  sheltered  four  generations  of 
his   family   as   well   as  many   visitors. 

In  appearance  Mr.  Sherwood  was  aliove  the  middle  height, 
strougly  built,  with  dark  comjilexion,  marked  features.  He  was  a 
uiau  of  few  words  but  euergetic  and  forcible.  He  died  in  ISIi'i. 
Four   of   Ml'.  Sherwood's   children    survived   him:   Mrs.  H.  D.  (rould. 


IlKii.HM'IIICM.    SKhrrcilKS.  17;^- 

•loLii   Sherwood,  iiolnit    H.  Slurwood  ;iud   ^Ir.s.  i).  C'oliltn   ilunav. 
All  these  are  now  deiid. 

John  Sherwood  was  born  in  Delhi  in  1S'2(I.  was  educated  at  tlie 
Delaware  Academy  and  New  York  private  schools  and  was  f^rad- 
iiated  at  Yale  CoUejje  in  188!).  He  studied  law  and  practiced  with 
his  father.  At  one  time  he  made  a  specialty  of  the  law  coucerniuj,' 
trade  marks  and  had  l)eeu  euf^'aj^cd  in  important  cases  coiicernin;^" 
steamships  and  marine  insurance.  He  was  interested  in  historical 
literature  and  was  especially  conversant  with  the  military  history  of 
the  co\intry. 

He  married  in  IS.")!  Miss  ilarv  Elizalietli  A\  ilsou.  daughter  of 
(ieneral  James  A\'ilson  of  Keene,  New  Hamiisliire.  One  of  their 
sous,  Samuel  Sherwood,  is  the  owner  of  the  old  Sherwood  place  and 
sjienils  a  jjood  deal  of  his  time  in  Delhi.  Another  son,  Arthur 
Muriay  Sherwood,  is  of  the  banking'  firm  of  Tower  tV  Sherwood, 
Wall  Sti'eet,  New  Y'ork.  ^Irs,  Arthur  JI.  Sherwood  was  Miss, 
liosina  Emmet. 

Robert  H.  Sherwood,  son  of  the  late  Samuel  Sherwood,  had 
lieen  a  lawyer.  He  died  the  year  after  his  father's  death,  in  ISti;! 
He  married  in  1852  Miss  Mary  Neal,  daughter  of  John  Neal  of 
Maine.  She  survives  him  as  do  two  daughters,  Mrs.  Picking,  wife 
of  Captain  Picking,  United  States  Navy,  and  Mrs.  J.  Wilson  Patter- 
son of  Baltimore. 

^Irs.  Herman  I),  (loulil  was  the  iddest  daughter  nf  ilic  late 
Samuel  Sherw 1  and  was  born  in  this  county  in  ISOd.  She  mar- 
ried Herman  D.  (iould,  a  prominent  business  man  of  Delhi  village. 
He  was  a  merchant  and  for  some  time  president  of  the  bank  and 
Representative  in  Congress.  They  lived  in  the  large  and  attractive 
house  at  the  lower  end  of  the  village  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
the   Messrs.   Bell. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould  had  four  sons:  Sherwood  D.,  S.  Augustus,. 
Herman  and  Charles.  S.  Augustus  (lould  is  the  only  survivor  of 
the  four.  He  married  ^liss  Weston  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Chi- 
cago.    Herman    (iould    had    been    prominent    iu    railroad    woi-k  and 


174  JIISTOIIV    OF    Dh:LAWAJiE    COUXTV. 

was  a  resident  of  Illinois  at  the  time  of  bis  death.  He  left  a  widow 
jiud  three  children — the  Misses  Rutli  and  Katharine  fTould  and 
Edward  L.   Crould. 


GENERAL  HENRY  LEAVENWORTH. 

A  monument  to  General  Leavenworth  stands  on  the  hrow  of  the 
hill  above  the  village  of  Delhi.  The  situation  is  beautiful,  but  the 
grounds  about  it  have  been  sadly  neglected,  and  now  the  graceful 
shaft  is  almost  concealed  l)_v  the  great  trees  and  the  encroaching 
iinderbrusli.  "With  my  best  endeavors  I  have  been  able  to  gather 
only  a  few  facts  concerning  him  of  whom  many  were  proud  in  his 
day,  and   to  whose  memory  they  erected    this    worthy  monument. 

Henry  Leavenworth  was  born  in  New  Haven,  C'i>nnecticut,'  in 
178;-}.  He  belonged  to  the  same  stock  as  the  noted  General  Elias 
W.  Leavenworth  of  Syracuse  who  for  so  long  a  time  was  a  promi- 
nent tigure  in  New  York  public  life.  Like  many  other  young  men 
of  New  England  he  had  been  smitten  with  the  fever  of  emigration 
and  followed  friends  into  the  county  of  Delaware.  He  had  already 
begun  the  study  of  law  before  he  left  New  England,  and  when  he 
came  to  Delhi  in  ISO.')  at  twentv-(me  years  of  age,  he  entered  the 
office  of  General  Erastus  Root  to  continue  his  studies.  In  due  time 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  then  became  a  partner  of  his  pre- 
^'ejjtor. 

He  imbibed  from  his  j)artner  not  only  a  good  knowledge  of  law 
xxuA  a  readj'  and  cordial  manner  with  all  who  ajsproached  him,  but 
jDarticularly  a  keen  liking  for  military  matters  with  which  the  ex- 
periences of  the  Revolution  made  almost  all  the  pioneer  settlers 
familiar.  Fi'oui  this  militai'v  ardor  came  the  movement  of  Mr. 
Leavenworth  at  the  opening  of  the  war  of  1812.  He  raised  a  com- 
pany, (the  25tli  Lifantry,)  for  service  and  was  commissioned   as   a 

*  Iq  a  sketch  (if  liini  in  the  WdKliiiiijtini  (IhiJiv  \\'ii'M)  liis  birtliplace  is  j;iven 
AS  Vermont,  but  it  is  bolieveii  ttiat  ttiis  is  an  orriir.  Tin'  ni.irmiin'nt  iibovi'  re- 
ferred to  gives  the  place  or  his  nativity  as  Connecticut. 


lilOiiHM'IIICM.    SKF.rcUF.S.  17.-, 

■Captain  in  the  Unitcil  Slalts  Ainiv.  He  wus  in  the  li;ittlo  of  ('lii])- 
pcwa  whiTf  lie  was  l)i-('V('ttc(l  for  hraverv,  and  attain  in  I  lie  battle  of 
Niat,'ara,  wliirc  be  was  a  second  time  brevetted.  I'nil  in  this  bist 
battle  he  had  been  severely  woiiiub'd.  Colonel  Ijeavenwoitli  had 
married  Harriit  Lovejov  just  before  settinj;'  out  for  the  war.  and  his 
wife  accompauied  him  to  tlie  field  of  service.  Fortunately  she  was 
preseut  to  uurse  him  and  eare  for  him  in  bis  wounded  condition. 
IJut  he  recovered  and  was  able  again  to  <i'ive  bis  services  to  the 
government. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Colonel  Leavenworth  was  allowe(l  a 
leave  of  absence  from  the  army,  and  on  his  return  to  Delaware 
county  be  was  elected  a  mend)er  of  the  State  lej^islature.  He  ren- 
dered such  service  to  his  State  and  his  party  that  pointed  him  out 
as  a   (■cmsjiicuously   rising  man. 

On  re-entering  the  army  be  was  appointed  an  Indian  agent  by 

.  the  government  in  the  Northwest  territory.  He  repaired  to  bis  field 
of  labor  without  bis  wife;  but  after  a  few  years,  she  joined  bim  in 
these  then  remote  regions.  There  are  still  many  reminiscences  of 
Colonel  Leavenworth's  res-idence  in  that  country.  His  duties  were 
])artly  civil  and  jjartly  military.  .\s  a  reward  for  his  faithfulness 
and  bravery  the  War  Department  had  conferred  on  him  the  rank  of 
Brigadier  General.  For  the  purpose  of  protectinj^'  the  frontier  set- 
tlements against  the  Indians  he  erected  many  forts  whicli  would 
enable  the  slender  forces  of  the  United  States  to  hold  their  own. 

-One  of  them,  Fort  Leavenworth,  has  given  its  name  to  a  city  in  the 
state  of  Missouri. 

]>nrint,'  the  winter  of  1S.'{4  lie  came  to  Washington,  on  duty 
<-ouuected  with  bis  mission  in  the  West.  During  his  visit  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  He  was  put 
in  comnuiud  of  the  military  department  of  the  Southwest  ami 
returned  to  bis  duties  in  the  spriuj^-.  DuriuL;  his  o]icrations 
against  the  hostile  Indians  he  was  seized  witli  an  attack  of  malarial 
liver  He  died  from  this  at  Cross  Timbers  in  the  'I'erritory  of 
.Vrkausas.     Cajitain   James  Dean,  who  was  with   him  at   his  death, 


17(; 


lllsroliy    oh'     IIF.LAWARK     COVXTV. 


wrote  couceriiiu^-  the  p<iiiif\il  civcumstauces.  General  Leaven- 
worth, foreseeing  that  his  death  was  near,  said  to  Captain  Dean: 
"To  the  people  of  Delaware  county  I  owe  all  that  I  ever  have  been; 
and  at  the  beautiful  little  villai,')'  of  Delhi,  that  (U'lij^htful  spot,  I 
wish  my  bones  to  rest.  Place  luy  body  in  a  cothu  of  bordock  wood, 
and  let  it  be  buried  here  until  the  cold  weather  comes.  Then  carry 
me  by  way  of  New  Orleans  back  to  my  home." 

This  was  tenderly  done,  and  accompanied  by  a  detachment  of 
his  command  his  l)ody  was  brought  to  Delhi.  Here  it  was  received 
bv  every  demonstration  of  sorrow  and  respect  by  his  townsmen  and 
the  military  authorities  of  the  State.  The  fuucral  was  held  IMay  22. 
1835,  and  he  was  buried  in  the  spot  w^here  his  monument  now 
stands.  This  was  erected  shoi'tly  afterwards  by  his  achuiriuf^ 
friends.     It  bears  the  following  iuscrip)tion: 


On  the  West  Front : 


(hi  the  Xinih  Front : 


In  JIejioet  of  Henbt  Leavenworth, 
Colonel  of  the  U.  S.  2d  Infantkt 

.\ND 

Bbigadieb  General  in  the  Army. 


.\s  A  Testimonial 

To  his  ptblic  and  phivate  wokth 

His  Begiment  have  erected 

This  MoNrMENT. 


On  the  South   Front : 


On  the   Fast   Front . 


B<iRN  AT  New  Haven,  Connectktt, 

December  10,  1783. 

Died 

In  the  Service  of  his  Cointey 

Near  the  False  Waschita 

.TlLY  21,  lH,3t. 


Fob  his  Civic  Virtues 
His  Fellow-Citizens  of  Delaware 

Honored  him  with  a  Seat 
In  the  Legislature  of  New  York  : 

The  Fields  of 

Chippewa,  Niagara  and  .\uricharee 

Establish  his  Fame  as  a  Soldier. 


iAr.  clay  Gould. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCHES.  17<) 


WILLIAM  B.  OGDEN.* 


The  faiiiilv  in  wliicli  William  I?.  Oj^ilcii  lielonged  cunie  to  Dcla- 
wiire  ciiunty  from  Monistown,  New  .Icrsey.  It  seems  to  have 
eujovetl  the  special  friendship  of  Goveruor  Dickersou  of  that  State, 
because  we  find  that  a  yoimger  brother  of  William  B.  was  uamed 
after  the  ^'overuor  Mahlou  Dickersou  Ogdeu.  It  is  stated  that 
Abraham  the  father  of  William  started  out  to  Hud  a  suitable  j)lace 
iu  which  to  settle.  He  had  about  dctermiued  upou  Washiuft'tou, 
the  uew  capital  of  the  uatiou;  but  he  met  a  frieud  iu  Philadel))hia, 
who  had  purchased  a  large  tract  of  laud  iu  the  wild  regicms  ou  the 
upper  Delaware.  He  set  forth  so  attractively  the  opportunities  for 
laud  and  lumber  iu  this  picturesipie  region,  that  it  cmlcd  iu  the 
agreement  of  the  Ogdeus  to  go  to  Delaware  county  instead  of 
Washington. 

Accordingly  iu  ITHT  a  colouy  of  this  family,  all  bearing  substan- 
tial bible  names,  found  their  way  into  the  valley  of  the  Delaware 
and  settled  at  Walton.  Here  Isaac  and  .\l)raham  established  a  s;iw 
mill  for  cutting  up  the  vast  amounts  of  timber  which  was  found 
around  them.  Subsequently  they  added  to  their  establishment  a 
mill  for  fidling  the  cloth  which  the  settlers  brought  to   them. 

Here  William,  the  son  of  Abraham,  was  born  in  1S()5.  Long 
afterward  when  he  had  become  a  prosperous  and  well-known  public 
man,  he  spoke  of  his  early  life:  "I  was  born  close  by  a  saw  mill,  was 
early  left  an  orphan,  was  cradled  in  a  sugar  trough,  christened  iu  a 
mill  pond,  graduated  at  a  log  school  house,  and  at  fourteen  fancied 
I  could  <1()  auytliiug  T  turned  my  baud  to,  and  that  nothing  was 
impossible." 

In  his  boyhood  he  was  remarkably  athletic,  and  was  foiid  of 
hunting  and  fishing.  His  father  was  obliged  to  make  it  a  rule  for 
him,  that  he   must   not   fish   more   than    two  days  iu  the  week.      He 

•  I  am  indebted  to  Hon.  Andrew  H.  Green  of  New  York  for  tlu»  most  of  tlie 
information  contained  in  tliis  sketch.     Tlie  pamplilet  referred  to  is  No.  17  ol' 
till-  Ferniis  Historical  Series,  rclatlniL;  to  early  Cliicago  events. 
10 


180  HISTOHY    (IF    liKLAWARE    CdlSTV. 

Wiis  ii  uotiiblv  yood  «but  *  iu  the  days  wheu  j^ood  shootiuj^'  was  uot 
uui-oiuiiion. 

It  had  beeu  determined  in  the  fajuily  eouucils  that  William 
should  study  law,  ami  he  had  beguu  to  make  jjreparatiou  for 
his  prol'essioual  studies.  At  this  time,  18'2(),  his  father  suffered  a 
stroke  of  paralysis  from  which  he  died  iu  1H"25.  The  duty  of  the 
son  was  to  take  up  the  responsibilities  of  the  father  and  abandon 
his  chosen  career.  This  he  did  bravely  and  without  hesitation.  For 
the  next  ten  years  he  was  the  intrepid  business  man  of  "Walton.  In 
1S84  when  he  was  still  a  young  man  of  twenty-nine  he  was  elected 
to  represent  the  county  in  the  State  Assembly.  The  scheme  for 
building-  the  Erie  railway  with  State  aid  was  iu  that  year  before  the 
legislature.  ^Ir.  Ogden,  although  inexperienced  in  legislation,  was 
pvit  forward  as  a  leader  in  the  advocacy  of  the  desired  measures. 
He  made  a  speech  on  the  subject  lasting  through  three  days,  which 
is  still  spoken  of  as  showing  the  far-sighted  discernraeut  of  the 
future  financier. 

It  was  during  this  winter  that  he  became  interested  in  the  sub- 
ject of  real-estate  in  the  little  village  of  Chicago.  His  friend  Arthur 
Bronson  of  New  York,  and  his  future  brother-in-law  the  late  Charles 
Butler,  had  visited  the  west  and  had  become  impressed  with  the 
prosj)ects  of  this  place.  A  land  comjiany  was  formed  and  Mr.  Og- 
den was  asked  to  take  up  his  residence  there  as  its  agent. 

Mr.  Ogden  therefore  removed  to  Chicago  in  1835.  and  entered 
on  that  splendid  career  which  ended  only  with  his  life.  Chicago 
had  then  only  1,50(1  inhabitants.  But  he  was  one  of  those  who  saw 
its  future  jjossibilities  at  the  head  of  lake  navigation  and  as  a  rail- 
road center.  Two  years  later  it  received  a  charter  as  a  city,  and 
had  then  reached  a  population  of  3,500.     Mr.  Ogden  was  elected  the 

*  Turkey  shooting  was  a  favorite  amusement  in  tlio.se  days.  Usu;illy  a 
colored  man  owned  the  turkey  and  was  paid  twenty-five  cents  by  each  one 
who  shot.  If  the  marksman  hit  tlie  head  of  the  turkey  it  was  his;  but  if  he 
hit  any  other  part  it  still  was  the  negro's.  When  young  Ogden  shot  he  was 
made  to  pay  twice  the  regular  rate.  The  poor  darkey  would  shout,  "Dodge, 
dodge  old  gobbler,  Ogden  is  going  to  shoot.  Shake  yer  head,  darn  ye,  don't 
you  see  that  rifle  pinting  at  ye?"     See  Arnold's  memorial  of  W.  B.  Ogden. 


HHXiliM'llliAI.    SKETCHES.  181 

first  mayor  of  thf  uew  city.      Td  liiin  mure  thau  to   any  otlicr  iiiaii  it 
owes  its  j)ositioii  as  tlio  j^icaf  niid-coniitry  metroiiolis. 

It  is  im|H)ssil)lc  tliut  he  slioiild  liavc  ^'oue  on  witli  all  his  ijfrcat 
enterprises  wnthout  reverses.  Durin-jf  the  crisis  of  IS")?  lie  was 
larjjely  interested  in  the  extension  of  the  railroad  which  is  uow  the 
Chieafifo  and  Northwestern.  Tliis  corporation  defaulted  in  the  pay- 
meut  of  the  interest  on  its  floating  deht.  Mr.  Ogden  was  the  en- 
dorser of  its  |)apei-  to  the  extent  of  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars. 
The  response  of  bis  friends  in  this  eml)arrassment  is  one  of  the  most 
creditable  tbinj^s  in  tiiiaucial  history.  Samuel  Russell,  the  founder 
of  the  bouse  of  Russell  \-  Co.  in  ('bina,  placed  nearly  half  a  million 
of  dollars  at  his  disiiosal;  Robert  Eaton,  of  Swansea,  Wales,  sent 
him  eipfhty  thousand  (loUars  to  use  at  bis  discretion;  Matthew  Laflin 
of  Chicaf,'t)  tendered  bini  from  himself  and  bis  friends  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars;  and  Col.  E.  D.  Taylor  repeatedly  ottered  like  sub- 
stantial assistance.  But  Mr.  Ogden  contrived  to  weather  this  storm 
without  accepting  this  magnanimous  aid.  He  was  often  iicaiil  to 
declare  that  it  was  worth  while  to  become  end)arrassed  in  order  to 
experience  the  generosity  of  such  friends. 

The  active  spirit  of  I\Ir.  Ogden  kept  him  busy  during  all  these 
years  in  developing  new  lines  of  industry.  He  founded  an  imiuen.se 
lumbering  establisliment  at  Peshtigo  in  Northern  Wisconsin;  lie 
organized  great  iron  and  coal  works  at  Brady's  Bend  in  Pennsyl- 
vania; he  was  the  leading  spirit  in  the  movements  connected  with 
the  Union  Pacific  railroad,  the  Fort  Wayne  railroad,  the  Chicago 
and  Northwestern  railroad  and  many  others. 

So  much  of  his  time  was  now  re([uired  in  New  York  on  account 
of  his  great  interests,  that  in  18(i(i  he  purchased  for  himself  a  bouie 
on  Fordham  Heights  ni'ar  New  York,  which  he  calb;d  Boscol)el. 
The  Chi<^ago  people  never  (piite  forgave  him  for  this  desertion  of 
the  city  be  had  dune  su  much  td  Ijuild  up.  But.  lie  did  not  give  up 
Chicag'o.  He  always  retained  a  iiouse  and  a  legal  residence  there. 
He  considered  himself  as  a  Cbicagoan  living^  for  conveniences  in  New 
York. 


182  lllsroHY    OF    liKhAWARE    COVXTV. 

He  was  at  Boseobel  wheu  word  came  to  him  iu  1871  that  (  hicat^o 
■was  on  fire.  He  started  thither  by  the  earliest  train.  On  his  way 
lie  received  notice  that  his  luiubcriug  villaf,'e  at  Peshtif^o,  two  hun- 
dred miles  from  Chicago,  was  also  entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  We 
may  well  suppose  that  Mr.  Ogden  was  not  the  least  brave  of  those 
who  confronted  the  disasters  of  that  terrible  time.  By  their  courage 
and  iutrejiidity  they  turned  the  ruin  of  Chicago  into  lasting  benefit, 
and  gave  it  an  impulse  toward  greatness  which  it  has  never  hist. 

Up  to  1875  Mr.  Ogden  had  lived  a  bachelor,  l)<)th  at  Chicago  and 
Boscobel.  But  in  that  year  he  married  Mary  Aruot,  daughter  of 
Judge  John  Aruot  of  Elmira,  and  took  her  to  reside  at  Boscobel. 
Here  he  died  in  1877  aged  seventy-two  years.  He  left  l)ehiud  him 
a  great  name  for  financial  skill  and  enterprise,  for  open-hearted 
generosity,  and  for  a  most  attractive  and  charming  personality.  He 
never  forgot  his  native  town  or  county.  In  his  will  there  was  a 
clause  bequeathing  a  sum  of  money  to  be  expended  in  the  discretion 
of  his  executors  for  charitable  objects.  This  clause  was  attacked  in 
the  courts  but  was  settled  by  compromise,  and  from  it  the  sum  of 
$20,000  was  received  for  the  establishment  of  a  library  iu  the  village 
of  "Walton.  A  beautiful  building  for  this  purpose  has  been  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $14,500. 

REV.  DANIEL  SHEPARD. 

PR1N(IF.\I.  (IF  THE   DKI, AWAKE   ACADE.MY    l.s;i7-4tj. 

No  sketch  of  Delaware  eovinty  would  be  complete  without  an 
account  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Shepard,  the  principal  of  the  Delaware 
Academy  from  1837  to  1840.  All  those  who  knew  him  and  knew 
the  work  he  had  done  for  the  Academy,  and  esiiecially  all  those  who 
were  students  under  him,  will  be  ready  to  testify  to  his  high  and 
exemplary  character  and  his  iusjjiring  scholarshij).  When  he  came 
to  Delhi  iu  1837  to  take  charge  of  the  Academy  he  was  only  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  when  he  died  iu  1840  he  was  only  thirty-oue. 
We  aj)pend  a  brief  sketch  of  his  short  but  brilliant  life. 


lilOiiRM-mcAL    SKETCHJiS.  18:{ 

He  was  boru  at  Portlaiul,  Couuectii'ut,  iu  ISlo.  His  i)areut8 
were  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Churcb,  and  be  was  cou- 
firmed  auil  became  a  commuuicant  at  tlic  ajj^e  of  sixteen.  He  was 
sent  to  Trinity  C'olll•^'■e  at  Hartford,  and  was  graduated  iu  ls:i(;.  It 
was  liis  purpose  to  enter  the  university  of  the  Episcojial  Church, 
but  as  he  was  still  very  youny,  he  accepted  an  iuvitatiou  to  beco)n(> 
tbe  principal  of  the  Delaware  Academy.  'While  he  held  this  position 
he  pursued  his  theological  studies  and  was  ordained  a  dcac<in  l>y 
tbe  Bishop  of  Couuecticut  iu  188!1,  and  a  few  years  later  was  or- 
dained a  priest  by  tbe  Bishop  of  New  York.  During  his  principal- 
ship  he  occasionally  officiated  in  the  church  at  Delhi,  and  he  never 
gave  uji  the  design  to  devote  his  life  to  the  sacred  ministry,  but 
death  came  before  he  was  able  to  change  the  plans  of  his  life. 

When  lie  came  to  Delhi  the  academy  was  in  a  depressed  con- 
dition, and  the  prospects  might  have  deterred  a  less  alert  and 
enthusiastic  man.  But  ilr.  Shepard  had  youth  and  health  and 
unbounded  vigor,  and  entered  on  his  (bities  with  an  assurance  that 
speedily  brought  success.  Nine  years  he  remained  principal,  and 
each  succeeding  year  of  this  period  witnessed  a  marked  advance  iu 
tbe  stauding  and  prosperity  of  the  school.  It  had  a  patronage  not 
only  from  the  county  of  Delaware,  but  from  the  large  cities  of  the 
country.  Many  boys  were  sent  from  New  York,  with  the  assured 
expectation  that  they  would  receive  not  only  a  sound  educational 
training,  V)ut  would  profit  by  the  Ijraciug  physical  and  moral  atmos- 
phere in  which  they  would  l)e  placed. 

The  academy  hail  the  contidenci'  ami  the  patronage  of  the  best 
and  most  distinguished  citizens  of  the  couuty  and  esi)ecially  nf  the 
village  of  Delhi.  The  old  students  will  remember  well  the  faithful- 
ness and  vigilance  of  the  trustees  iu  watching  over  the  institution; 
how  (ieneral  Root  in  his  old  age  renewed  his  youth  and  his  sriidlar- 
ship  by  visiting  the  school  on  every  suitable  occasion;  how  t't)lnii(d 
Amasa  Parker,  Judge  Amasa  J.  Parker,  and  others,  were  constantly 
present  on  occasions  of  examiuatiou  or  at  the  exhibitions  which  were 
lield  at  the  close  of  the  terms. 


184  HISTORY    oF    DF.I.AWARK    CorSTV. 

'Sir.  Slu'itani  \v;is  the  priiiciiial  character  couiiei'teil  witli  th<! 
school.  In  the  female  (Icpartuieiit.  however,  which  was  separated 
froiii  the  male,  Mrs.  Teu  Broeck  (afterward  Mrs.  Howard)  was  for  a 
lon^-  time  the  preceptress,  and  endeared  herself,  uot  only  to  the 
girls  uuder  her  immediate  care  but  to  the  l)oys  iu  the  male  depart- 
ment, lu  classical  learning  particularly  Mr.  Shepard  was  an  en- 
thusiastic scholar  and  teacher.  Any  of  the  lads  wlm  shciwed  any 
special  ajititude  received  from  him  every  encouragement  and  assist- 
ance. He  was  a  most  successful  disciplinarian,  and  maintained  an 
easy  and  natural  authority  over  his  hoys  which  made  impossible  the 
taking  of  any  liberties  with  him.  He  had  a  good-natured  wit  of 
which  they  had  a  wholesome  fear,  and  with  whicli  he  occasionally 
lashed  them.*  But  it  was  his  natural  dignity  and  the  kind-hearted 
spirit  in  which  he  administered  his  little  domain  that  made  him  an 
easy  and  successful  ruler. 

Mr.  Shepard's  career  at  the  Dc'laware  Academy  was  uot  long, 
although  it  was  memorable.  At  the  close  of  the  academic  year  iu 
1846,  he  planned  for  himself  a  trip  to  the  we.st.  He  went  as  far  as 
St.  Louis  and  was  there  seized  with  a  congestive  fever.  He  started 
on  his  return  home,  iu  spite  of  his  illness.  The  facilities  for  travel 
were  then  by  no  means  so  great  as  they  have  since  become;  and  the 
fatigue  of  his  exertions  materially  aggravated  his  disorder.  He 
reached  home  suffering  still  from  the  attack  of  fever,  and  after  a 
few  weeks  closed  his  young  and  promising  life. 

He  had  married,  after  coming  to  Delhi,  Miss  Hogau  of  Albany, 
who  with  a  family  of  young  children  survived  hioi.  She  still,  after 
a  period  of  more  than  fifty  years,  remains  iu  a  placid  old  age  await- 
ing the  summons  to  join  lier  dear  husband  in  the  laud  of  eternal 
rest. 

*  Dr.  McGregor  of  New  York,  wlm  was  Mr.  Shepard's  pupil  for  several 
years,  remembers  once  when  he  was  engaged  with  a  class,  some  of  the  other 
boys  in  the  room  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  neglect  their  work. 
Mr.  Shopard  without  a  moment's  hesitation  said  : 

"Thomas  Scott,  you  study  not, 

Edward  Bill,  you're  idle  still, 

Walter  Crear,  come  sit  here." 


lUddHAI'inCAL    SKETCHES.  IKf) 

AMASA   J.   PARKER. 

Of  I'lW  of  luT  citizeus  is  Delaware  county  uioi-c  ))it)U(l  tliau  of 
the  eiiiiuiut  ami  ufcoiiiplisbed  Jiul<>e  Parker.  Althdujili  he  reiuDved 
from  his  home  iii  Delhi  at  au  early  age — only  thirty-nine,  yet  he 
Latl  remained  long  enough  to  lie  chosen  to  most  of  the  hom)ral)l<' 
offices  of  the  county,  ami  to  sliow  liy  his  professional  ability  and  l>y 
his  energetic  private  career,  his  true  worth  as  a  man  and  a  citizen. 

He  was  the  sou  of  Rev.  Daniel  Parker,  a  Congregational  clergy- 
man who  for  many  years  was  the  pastor  of  a  church  in  Sharon, 
Connecticut.  He  was  horn  in  Sharon  in  lS(l7;  luit  in  1816  the 
father  removed  to  (Ireenville,  in  (rreene  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he 
took  charge  of  the  .Vcadei.iy  of  that  place.  The  son,  then  only  nine 
years  old,  here  ci>mmeuced  the  study  of  Latin,  and  in  the  usual 
studies  of  a  classical  education  made  notable  advancement.  In 
May,  1H"2S,  when  only  sixteen  years  old  he  liecainc  pnuci])al  of  the 
Hudson  Academy.  In  1825  he  entered  the  senior  class  of  Union 
College  and  was  graduated,  still  retaining  his  position  in  the  Hud- 
sou  Academy.  After  graduating  he  commenced  the  study  of  law  in 
the  office  of  Judge  John  W.  Edmonds. 

In  lK-27,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  removed  to  Delhi  and  resumed 
the  study  of  law  with  his  uncle.  Col.  Amasa  Parker.  He  was  adniit- 
teil  to  the  bar  in  1N2S,  and  immediately  was  taken  into  partnership 
by  his  uncle.  Here  for  fifteen  years  he  was  engaged  in  an  extensive 
and  laborious  practice;  his  uncle  almost  entirely  confining  himself 
to  the  duties  of  the  office,  leaving  to  the  learned  and  brilliant 
nephew  the  duty  of  apj)earance  in  court. 

In  1834  he  was  a  meudier  of  the  Assembly. 

In  ISS")  he  was  chosen  a  Regent  of  the  University,  which  position 
he  held  till  he  was  appointed  Judge. 

In  lH87-:!!t  he  was  a  mcmlicr  of  Congress  from  the  counties  of 
Broome  and  Delaware. 

In  1839  he  was  a  candidate  for  State  Senator  against  General 
Root,  but  was  defeated  1)V  a  few  votes. 


186  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCSTY. 

lu  1844  he  was  iippointed  by  Governor  Silas  Wrip^bt  to  the  ottice 
of  Circuit  Jud^e  of  the  Third  Circuit.  It  was  at  this  time  he  re- 
moved to  Albany  where  he  resided  until  his  death. 

At  no  time  in  the  history  of  the  State  have  the  judicial  labors 
devolving  upon  the  judges  been  more  difficult  and  responsible  than 
those  which  he  was  called  upon  to  discharge  during  the  twelve 
years  of  his  service.  The  anti-rent  excitement  was  then  at  its  height. 
It  crowded  the  civil  calendars  with  litigation,  and  the  eriniiual 
courts  with  indictments  for  acts  of  violence  in  resisting  the  collec- 
tion of  rents. 

The  trial  of  Dr.  Boughton  ("Big  Thunder')  in  the  spring  of 
1845  before  Judge  Parker  at  Hudson  lasted  two  weeks  and  resulted 
in  a  disagreement  of  the  jury.  The  second  trial  was  held  by  Judge 
Edmonds  and  the  ijrisoner  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  State's 
prison. 

In  the  summer  of  1845  Osman  N.  Steele,  Under-Sheriff  of  Dela- 
ware county,  while  attending  a  sale  for  rent,  at  which  more  than 
two  hundred  disguised  "  Indians  "  were  present,  was  shot  and  killed. 
Over  two  hundred  jiersons  were  indicted  for  crimes  connected  with 
this  killing.  The  trials  were  conducted  during  the  autumn  of  1845 
by  Judge  Parker.  The  cases  were  all  disposed  of  either  by  trial  or 
by  the  prisoners  pleading  guilty.  The  sad  business  was  ended  and 
Judge  Parker  had  done  a  pathetic  and  trying  piece  of  work. 

In  1846  a  new  constitution  was  framed  for  the  State  and  duly 
adopted.  Under  this  constitution  Judge  Parker  was  elected  a  Jus- 
tice of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  for  the  full  term. 

After  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  devoted  himself  to 
the  duties  of  his  profession  in  the  city  of  Albany.  A  large  part  of 
his  time  was  taken  up  with  the  argument  of  cases  before  the  Court 
of  Appeals.  He  was  the  author  of  several  law  books  which  were 
highly  esteemed  by  the  profession.  Geneva  College  in  1846  l)es- 
towed  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  He  was  called  upon 
often  in  his  home  in  Albany  to  aid  in  the  management  of  educational 
and   charitable  enterprises.     For  many  years  he  was  a.  professor  in 


BIOdRAPHICAL  SKETCHES.  187 

tbf   All)!iuy   Liiw   Si-luHil   iiud   ilevoted   imu-li  time  tv  prepariug  aud 
•jfiviiifj  lectui'es. 

Hf  was  a  iioliticiaii  in  its  widest  auil  l)est  sense.  Twice  he  was 
thi'  cauiliilate  of  bis  party  for  CMtvcriioi-  nf  liis  State,  iu  1851;  and 
n^raiii  iu  ISoS. 

JAY  GOULD. 

Jay  Gould  was  horu  iu  Eoxbiiry.  Debiware  couuty,  in  188().  He 
WHS  a  desdeiidaut  of  the  Goulds  who  immigrated  from  New  Euglaud 
iuto  Delawai-e  couuty  in  1781).*  The  ancestor  of  the  family  came 
from  England  iu  HUG  and  settled  in  Fairfield,  Conn.  Abram  Gould 
the  great-grandfather  of  Jay  Gould,  was  a  colouel  iu  the  Revolution- 
ary war  and  was  killed  in  battle.  It  was  the  sou  of  this  revolution- 
ary colouel  who  came  with  other  pioneer  settlers  into  Roxbury. 
Here  his  sou  John  B.  Gould  was  born,  who  grew  up  to  be  one  of 
the  substantial  citizens  of  the  town.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
John  More  who  was  the  pioneer  Scotch  settler  in  Roxbury  and  the 
founder  of  Moresville. 

When  their  son  Jay  Gould  I  was  fourteen  years  old,  he  was  sent 
to  the  Academy  at  Hobart,  where  he  made  such  good  use  of  his 
opportunities  that  he  became  well  founded  iu  the  branches  of  which 
he  was  afterward  to  make  such  good  use.  In  1851  his  father  es- 
tablished a  hardware  store  iu  the  village  of  Roxbury,  and  the  ener- 
getic boy,  now  grown  to  be  sixteeu  years  of  age.  was  the  chief 
manager  of  the  business.  In  the  midst  of  all  his  engagements, 
however,  he  contrived  to  save  time  to  coutiuuc  his  studies  iu  survey- 
ing and  engineering.  .\ud  in  the  next  year,  18.")2,  we  find  liim 
employed  to  make  a  survey  of  Ulster  couuty  for  a  proposed  map. 
His  employer,  however,  failed  in  his  plans,  and  they  were  taken  up 
and  finished  by  his  young  assistants  one  of  whom  was  'Sir.  Gould. 
Other  surveys  followed, — the  village  of  Cohoes,  and  the  counties  of 
.\lbauy,  Sullivan  and  Delaware,      .\bont  IS.").'!  hf   was  for   ,i   time   a 

•  Soe  pngt'  49. 

t  Originally  the  name  was  Jason  Gould. 


188  HISTORY    i)F    DELAWARE    COfXTV. 

student  in  tlie  Albiuiv  Aciuleniy,  uo  ddulit  with  tlu-  imrjiose 
■of  jjcrfectiuf,'-  biinsi'lf  in  the  briiuches  whicli  he  h;ul  occasidn 
to  use. 

His  history  of  Delaware  couuty — a  uotrtl)ly  thorough  ami  paius- 
takiij<4  piece  of  work — was  issued  in  18.')().  After  the  nuinuseript 
had  Ijeeu  sent  to  the  printer  in  Philadeljihia  it  was  destroyed  l)y  a 
lire  in  the  printing'  house.  It  was  however  re-written,  and  ready 
for  the  printer  a  second  time  within  four  mouths  from  the  time  of 
its  destruction.  The  map  of  Delaware  county  was  also  published 
in  1856  when  Mr.  Gould  was  still  Init  twenty  years  of  age. 

In  the  meantime  he  had  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Col.  Zadoc 
Pratt  of  Prattsville,  wdio  had  a  giit  for  discovering  energetic  and 
cajjable  young  men.  Col.  Pratt  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
owing  to  the  failure  of  the  supply  of  hemlock  bark,  the  time  tor  the 
business  of  tanning  at  Prattsville  w-as  nearly  ended.  He  despatched 
Mr.  Gould,  therefore,  to  search  for  and  select  some  suitable  place 
where  the  business  could  be  profitably  conducted.  In  pursuance  of 
this  purpose  he  selected  a  site  in  Pennsylvania,  where  there  was  an 
abundance  of  hendock  timber  which  would  furnish  bark  for  a  long 
time.  Here  he  built  an  extensive  tannery  and  entered  uj)()n  the 
business  on  a  large  scale.  In  a  few  years  he  was  al)le  to  buy  out 
bis  partners,  and  finally  in  1857  he  sold  out  the  entire  establishment 
in  order  to  enter  upon  the  occupation  which  had  always  bad  a  fasci- 
Jiation  for  him. 

In  his  testimony  before  a  Commission  appointed  by  the  United 
States  Senate  in  1883,  to  investigate  the  affairs  of  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad,  Mr.  Gould,  in  describing  this  transition  in  his  career, 
says:  "I  still  retained  my  early  love  for  engineering  and  I  was 
watching  the  railrtjads;  After  the  panic  everything  went  down  very 
Jow,  and  I  found  a  road  whose  iirst  mortgage  bonds  were  selling  at 
ten  cents — the  Rutland  and  Washington  Railroad,  runninj^-  from 
Troy,  N.  Y.  to  Rutland,  Vt.  I  bought  a  majority  of  the  bonds  at  ten 
•cents,  and  left  everything  else  and  w^ent  into  railroading.  That  was 
in  18()().     I  took  entire  charge  of  that  road.     I  learned  the  Inisiuess, 


BIOiiRAPIIICAL    SKETCHES.  I  S<) 

iiiul  I  was  pit'siikut,  tiiasurir  uuil  f^fUfial  sujiciiutemlcnt,  and 
(iwiinl  a  coutrolliug  interest." 

The  result  of  his  foresij^lit  and  cncrjiv  was  soon  apparent.  The 
road  which  he  had  rescued  was  soon  after  consolidated  with  others 
into  the  Rensselaer  and  Saratoga  Railroad  with  a  very  suVistantial 
profit  to  the  young  financier.  After  this  profitable  transaction  he 
estflblished  himself  in  the  city  of  New  Vnrk,  becoming  an  extensive 
broker,  esi)ecially  in  railroad  jiroperties.  The  New  York  and  Erie 
Railroad  was  at  this  time  in  dire  tiuaucial  straits,  and  ^Fr.  Gould 
purchased  large  blocks  of  its  depreciated  securities.  In  1872  he 
became  the  president  of  the  road,  and  for  some  years  thereafter  was 
deeply  engaged  in  its  management.  Finally  however  a  decisive 
turn  occurred  in  its  affairs  through  the  intervention  of  the  English 
bondholders  and  ^Ir.  (irould  and  his  friends  were  retired. 

When  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  became  financially  end)arrassed, 
feeling  assured  of  the  substantial  value  of  the  transcontinental 
lines,  he  bought  up  large  <|uantities  of  its  securities.  Tliese,  when 
the  affairs  of  the  road  had  l)een  improved,  appreciated  greatly  on 
his  hands  and  returned  him  a  liberal  profit.  His  dealings  in  the 
Missouri  Pacific  securities  were  of  the  same  kind  and  le<l  to  the  same 
profitable  results.  As  he  himself  testified  before  the  Commission 
above  referred  to:  "The  re-organization  of  broken-down  roads  and 
ren<leriug  them  profitable  had  become  a  hobby  with  me.  I  cared 
less  for  the  money  I  made  out  of  the  transactions  than  for  the  satis- 
fa<-tion  of  re-establishing  them  upon  a  profitable  basis." 

Another  of  his  far-reaching  and  remunerative  schemes  was  the 
organization  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph  Comi)any.  After 
.Beveral  preliminary  consolidations,  the  last  which  brought  all  the 
interests  into  one  vast  company  was  effected  in  issl.  Hy  this  great 
transaction  he  became  by  far  the  largest  holder  of  Telegi'.iphic 
stock  in  the  United  States.  Soon  after  this  he  took  up  the  Elevated 
Railroad  interests  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  it  was  mainly  through 
his  iiiHuence  that  the  separate  companies  holding  these  valuable 
franchises    were    combined    into    one    working  organization.      The 


l;(()  IIISTORV    OF    DELAWARE    COLWTY. 

results  of  this  oiieratioii  were  to  adil  hu';^ely  to  his  alreaily  vast 
wealth.  Thus  Viy  his  own  foresi;^ht  aud  by  his  clear  and  dexterous 
eoiid)iuatioiis  this  able  aud  eapal)le  luau  who  "knew  how  to  briug 
things  to  pass,"  had  step  Ijy  step  grown  to  be  one  of  the  reeognized 
tiuaneial  powers  in  the  eountry. 

In  1868  he  had  married  Helen  Day  Miller,  the  daughter  of  Hon. 
Daniel  S.  Miller  of  Greenville,  N'.  Y.  Their  children  who  are  all 
still  living  are:  (ieorge  Jay  Gould,  Edwin  Gould,  Helen  Miller 
Gould,  Howard  Gould,  Anna  Gould,  (now  the  Countess  Castelan^ 
aud  Frank  Jay  Gould.  His  wife  died  January  13,  1889,  aud  Mr. 
Gould  himself  December  2,  1892. 

lu  memory  of  their  father  and  mother,  and  in  recognition  of 
their  father's  birth  aud  early  residence  in  Delaware  couuty,  the 
family  has  improved  and  beautitied  the  ancestral  residence  iu  Rox- 
bury  aud  frequently  it  is  occupied  as  a  summer  home.  They  have 
also  built  a  beautiful  aud  picturesque  little  memorial  cliurcli,  which 
they  have  donated  to  the  Reformed  Congregation  of  the  town.  And 
lastly  Miss  Helen  Gould,  who  most  often  takes  up  her  summer  resi- 
dence there,  has  bought  back  the  old  home  of  her  father  and  cou- 
Terted  part  of  it  into  a  library  and  reading  room  for  the  people  of 
the  village.  She  has  contributed  mauy  books  to  this  library,  aud 
the  library  association  of  the  place  has  purchased  others,  so  that 
the  little  village  library  has  become  a  most  valuable  souri'e  of  culture 
and  intelligence. 

All  these  benefactions  have  been  inspired  by  the  desire  to  com- 
memorate in  some  appro|iriate  manner  the  lives  of  those  who  were 
so  dear  to  them,  aud  at  the  same  time  to  benefit  the  community  to 
which  early  associations  had  attached  them.  It  is  a  matter  of  no 
small  pride  to  Delaware  couuty  that  two  of  the  most  eminent  finan- 
ciers of  our  country  have  thus  l)eeu  born  within  her  territory,  viz: 
William  B.  Ogden  aud  Jav  (iould. 


BIOGRAl'HICM.    SKETCHES.  11)1 

Anthony  M.  Paine.  General  Paine  was  boni  at  Har|nTsliel(l,  Slaieli  25, 
IWll.  a  sou  of  Dr.  Asahel  E.  Paine,  who  came  to  Dellii  in  1807,  and  Mr.  X.  SI. 
Paint-  was  a  resident  from  that  time  till  his  death,  March  10th,  1881.  In 
Mareh.  lN3:i,  in  eonipany  witli  Jaeoh  D.  Clark,  purehased  the  Delaware  Gazette. 
In  early  life  Mr.  Paine  was  engaged  in  mercantile  l)iisiness  in  Delhi  village. 
Kor  many  years  he  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  also  Sii|iervisor  and  Town 
Clerk.  For  one  year  he  was  Treasurer  of  the  county,  and  in  IKIiO  census  taker 
■of  the  county.  He  was  a  director  in  the  Delaware  Bank  for  nearly  fort.y  years  ; 
for  over  forty  years  a  trustee  of  Delaware  Academy,  and  for  fifteen  years  pres- 
ident of  the  board.  He  passed  through  the  various  promotions  of  the  old 
State  militia  until  he  reached  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General,  which  position  he 
lii'ld  until  the  militia  was  disbanded.  Mr.  Paine  was  always  very  regular  and 
punctual  in  attendance  at  his  office:  and  rarely  in  the  last  forty-four  years  of 
his  life  did  a  day  pass  by  when  in  the  village  that  he  was  not  to  lie  found  there 
at  his  accustomed  seat;  and  as  he  passed  into  and  through  nnddle  life  to  a 
ripe  old  age,  no  man  ever  had  occasion  to  .say  that  a  single  scar  marred  that 
life's  record.  His  ear  was  never  deaf  to  the  story  of  suffering  and  distress, 
nor  his  hand  empty  to  want  and  hunger. 

Hon.  Samuel  A.  Law.  Samuel  K.  Law  was  born  in  Cheschire,  Conn.,  in 
1771.  He  was  graduated  from  Yale  College  in  1792.  He  pursued  the  study  of 
law  at  Litchlield,  Omu.  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1795.  He  was  sent 
into  Delaware  county  in  1798  as  the  agent  of  the  owners  of  the  Franklin  Patent. 
The  tract  was  then  almost  a  wilderness;  but  the  liberal  terms  offered  to  set- 
tlers led  to  the  rapid  filling  up  of  the  vacant  lands.  Mr.  Law  himself  became 
a  settler,  and  established  himself  at  what  has  since  been  called  Meredith 
S4|uare.  He  was  appointed  a  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  from  which 
fait  he  was  commonly  called  Judge  Law.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Mererlith  in 
1x45  in  the  74th  year  of  his  age. 

C>loneI  Amasa  Parker.  Colonel  Parker  was  born  in  Lilclilield  county, 
•Conn.,  in  17x4.  He  was  graduated  from  Yale  College,  studied  law  in  Litchfield 
and  afterward  with  Peter  Van  Schaik  at  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.  In  1812  he  removed 
to  Delhi  and  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Sanniel  Sherwood,  then  in  the 
acme  of  his  professional  career.  This  lasted  until  Mr.  Sherwood  removed  to 
Xew  York.  His  residence  was  near  that  of  Mr.  Sherwood  at  the  inllux  of  the 
Little  Delaware.  Afterward  he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  iiei)hew,  Amasa 
J.  Parker,  which  continued  until  the  latter  was  apjiointixl  a  judge  and  removed 
to  .\lbany.  Then  he  still  continued  the  practice  of  law  with  his  son.  Robert 
Parker.  His  distinguished  services  in  his  professj.iri  iMnlerl  with  his  di'ath 
in  18.55. 

Hon.  Charles  Hathaway.  Charles  Hathaway  was  born  at  Hudson  \.  Y.  in 
17'.H..  |{c  died  at  hi-  home  in  Delhi  January  21,  1X7(!.  He  came  with  his  par- 
ents into  Delaware  county  in  18(is,  where  he  spent  the  whole  of  his  long  life. 
He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Delhi,  b<'ing  for  a  time  in  partnership 
with  Hon.  C.  A.  Foote.  He  held  the  office  of  County  Judge  and  Surrogate  be- 
ginning 1S40.  to  which  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Seward.  During  his 
term  of  office  there  was  a  bitter  controvers.y  throughout  the  State  as  to  the 
maladministration  of  the  office  of  Surrogate.     The  rejiorts  of  Surrogate  Hath- 


192  hlSTOHV    OF    DELAWARE    COCXrV. 

away  \vi>io  ospot-ially  commeiideil  as  ruotlols  foi-  houosty  ami  fairm-ss  in  cvoiy 
particular.  After  the  leiiniualiou  of  his  term  of  office  as  county  judj^e  he 
retired  from  the  practiee  of  law,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  extensive  land 
interests  for  which  he  had  lieeii  appointed  agent.  These  interests  were  the 
same  as  those  for  which  .Judge  Foote  had  acted.  During  his  lifi'  he  had  avail- 
ed himself  of  the  assistan<-e  of  Mr.  Hathaway  in  the  niauagement  of  these  im- 
portant concerns;  and  licfore  his  death  had  him  sulistilutcd  for'  hhiisclf  as  the 
agent. 

Judge  Hathaway  was  during  his  whole  life  an  active  and  public-spirited 
citizen.  The  introduction  of  water  for  the  village,  the  organization  of  a  fire- 
department,  the  Vmilding  of  cliurches  and  county  buildings,  the  organization 
of  the  Delaware  Bank,  all  found  in  him  an  active  and  zealous  friend. 

Judge  Hathaway  married  in  l!S2S  Maria  Augusta  Bowne,  a  neice  of  Judge 
Foote  and  a  sister  of  Norwood  Bowne. 

Hon.  Samuel  Gordon.  Samuel  Gordon  was  born  at  Wattles  Ferry  on  the 
Susquehanna  in  isii-j.  Like  most  of  the  young  men  of  that  day  his  education 
was  chiefly  obtained  in  the  common  schools  of  his  home.  His  busy,  active  and 
intellectual  boj'hood  naturally  led  to  a  career  beyond  the  community  in  which 
he  was  born.  He  acquired  by  persistent  self-effort  a  good  general  education 
including  classics  and  general  literature.  In  1827  he  commenced  the  study  of 
law  with  General  Erastus  Root  in  Delhi.  After  admission  to  the  bar  in  1829 
he  became  a  partner  of  General  Eoot  and  began  that  remarkable  career  of 
professional  activity  which  ended  only  with  his  life.  Scarcely  a  term  of  the 
court  passed  during  that  long  period  without  his  being  engaged  in  some  of  the 
most  important  cases.  He  was  elected  in  succession  to  nearly  all  the  offices- 
which  lay  in  the  line  of  his  profession.  He  was  postmaster  in  1831;  he  was 
member  of  Assembly  in  183.3 ;  he  was  District  Attornej-  of  Delaware  county 
from  1836  to  1839  ;  he  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress  from  Delaware  and 
Broome  counties  in  1840 ;  he  was  re-elected  in  1844;  during  the  civil  war  he 
served  as  provost-marshal  of  the  19th  congressional  district  until  its  close 
in  1865. 

His  wife  was  Frances  Leete  and  his  children  were  Harriet,  Frances,  .\ima, 
Samuel,  William  and  George  L. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Delhi,  October  24,  1S7S. 

Dr.  O.  M.  AUaben.  Dr.  Allaben  was  born  in  1808  at  a  place  then  in  the 
town  of  Delhi,  but  which  now  is  in  the  town  of  Hamden.  His  father  removed 
to  Koxburj'  when  his  son  was  still  a  small  boy.  He  attended  the  Delaware 
Academy  and  prepared  himself  for  his  subsequent  professional  studies.  He 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  1827  with  Dr.  J.  B.  Cowles  of  Koxbury. 
He  was  graduated  in  1831  from  the  Waterville  (Me.)  Medical  CJoUege,  and  in 
the  same  year  settled. for  practice  in  the  town  of  Middletown.  Besides  his 
constant  devotion  to  his  profession  he  was  always  a  most  pulilic-spirited  citi- 
zen, and  ready  to  exert  his  influence  for  the  benefit  of  his  friends  and  the 
community.  He  was  elected  supervisor  of  his  town  for  seven  successive  terms 
lieginning  from  1839.  He  was  a  member  of  Assembly  in  1840  and  again  in 
18711 ;  and  a  State  Senator  in  l.sr.4  and  186.').  In  the  latter  position  he  obtained 
the  legislation  necessary  for  bviilding  the  Ulster  and  Delaware  R.  R.  In  ist;3 
he  started  the  Utilitarian  newspaper  which  he  per.sonally  conducted  for  five 
years.  In  1832  he  married  a  <laughter  of  Noah  DimmocU.  He  died  at  Mar- 
garetville  November  27,  1891. 


i:i()i,ii.\riin\\l.  skethies.  1<)3; 

Hon.  Norwood  Bowne.  Xnrwnod  Unwiii'  was  boru  in  Ni'W  York  City  Jla.y 
•2,  isl.!.  He  iNiil.v  iM'i-aiiii'  lainiliiir  witli  tlu^  (iri liter's  tnuli>  with  wliirli  his  life 
was  to  be  associated.  He  <'aiiie  to  Dellii  in  ls;50  in  oiiier  to  enter  upon  tlie 
stuily  of  law  witli  his  brother-in-law  Charles  Hathaway.  But  the  taste  for 
editorsliip  and  printiuj?  was  too  strong  in  him.  He  wa.s  for  a  time  eoiiuected. 
with  a  newspaper  ealled  the  Delaware  Repulilieau  estublislied  by  George  E. 
Marvine.  But  this  t^nterprise  uot  being  successful,  he  returned  to  New  York, 
where  he  was  eonnected  with  the  publication  of  the  Protestant  Vindicator. 
Tlie  printing  and  publishing  house  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1834,  leaving  t he- 
proprietors  penniless. 

Ill  1S:11)  he  retunieil  to  Dellii  lor  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  newspaper  in 
the  interests  of  the  Whig  party.  The  Delaware  (iazetle,  a  Democratic  Jiaper-, 
had  been  established  in  IHl!),  and  in  183!(  was  the  only  newspaper  printed  in 
the  county.  At  this  time  Mr.  Bowne  founded  the  Delaware  E.ipress  and  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  his  life  continued  to  be  its  editor  and  publisher. 

Mr.  Bowne  has  held  various  local  ofTlces.  He  was  postmaster  from  184a- 
1(1  18.V2;  he  was  active  both  personally  and  by  his  paper  in  every  important 
public  enterprisi'.  In  18.54  he  was  elected  on  the  State  ticket  with  Governor 
Myron  H.  Clark  to  the  office  of  State  Prison  Inspector,  in  which  he  served  loi- 
three  years.      He  died  at  Delhi,  January  7.  181)0. 

Hon.  William  Gleason.  •Imige  Gleason  was  born  in  Koxbury  January  4, 
181'.l.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  vicinity,  and  added  ta 
his  ac(iuirenients  a  vast  amount  of  liberal  culture  attained  by  private  reading 
mid  study.  To  the  very  end  of  his  life  he  took  delight  in  works  on  literature, 
history  and  poetry,  which  hi-  had  learned  to  love  in  his  boyhood.  He  studied 
law  ill  the  office  of  Judge  Levinus  Monson  of  Hobart,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
county  bar  in  1841!  and  to  that  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  184.5.  He  was  elected 
H  member  of  Aissembly  in  1850  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  business  of  that 
iHidy.  In  1851  he  was  elected  County  Judge  and  Surrogate  and  removed  his 
residence  to  Delhi.  He  was  elected  to  a  second  term  in  1859,  and  served  also 
as  supervisor  of  the  town.  He  was  in  every  way  a  i)ublic-s|)irited  citizen  and 
ready  on  every  occasion  to  help  forward  measures  for  the  jiublii-  good.  In  the 
civil  war  when  Delaware  county  was  so  conspicuous  for  its  patriotic  elTorts. 
no  one  was  more  active  in  devising  and  working  for  the  public  good  tlian 
.Iiidge  Gleason. 

Ill  18.53  Judgi'  Gleason  was  married  to  Caroline,  daughter  of  -John  Bluiich- 
anl  of  Delhi.  He  has  had  three  sons  all  still  living :  John  13.  Gleason  of  New 
York,  Wallace  B.  Gleason  of  Delhi,  and  Lafayette  B.  Gleason  of  New  York. 
H.'  died  at  his  home  in  Delhi.  May  9,  181)4. 

Hon.  'William  Murray.  William  Murray  was  born  in  Boviiia  in  18211.  He 
was  the  son  of  William  Murray  who  had  migrated  from  Scotland  two  years 
before.  In  his  early  life  he  was  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  pioneer  settler. 
His  education  was  such  as  could  be  acquired  at  the  common  schools  and  at 
the  Di'laware  Academy.  He  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of 
Siiiiiuel  (lordon  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1848.  He  has  held  in  succes- 
sion nearly  all  the  offi<-i's  in  the  line  of  his  profession  ;  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
District-Attorney,  County  Juilge.     .\fter  the  e.xpiration  of  his  term  of  office  he 


194  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCXTY. 

was  appointed  by  Govenmr  Fi'iiKni  in  Januai-y,  IHIiH,  Justice  of  the  Supn-me 
Court  in  the  Sixth  District  in  the  place  of  Judge  Mason,  resigned.  In  the 
autumn  of  1869  he  was  elected  to  the  same  office  for  eight  years.  And  at  tlie 
end  of  this  term  he  was  re-elected  without  opposition  for  the  term  of  fourteen 
years.  These  evidences  of  popular  favor  were  the  results  of  his  judicial  fair- 
ness, his  personal  amiability  and  profound  legal  knowledge. 

In  18.50  Judge  Muriay  married  Rachel  Merwin  of  Hloomvillc.  He  has 
three  children  living;  David  Murray,  lawyer,  of  New  York,  Mrs.  Alexander 
Conklin  of  Delhi,  and  Asher  Murray,  lawyer,  of  Wadena,  Minnesota.  He  died 
al  Delhi,  1887,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

General  Ferris  Jacobs  jr.  General  Jacobs,  the  son  of  Dr.  Ferris  Jacobs  of 
Delhi,  was  born  March  20,  1836.  He  received  his  education  at  the  Delaware 
Academy,  the  Franklin  Institute  and  at  Williams  College.  From  this  last  in- 
stitution he  was  graduated  in  1856  in  the  same  class  with  President  Garfield. 
He  commenced  the  studj'  of  law  in  Philadelphia  but  afterwani  changed  to 
Delhi  where  he  was  connected  with  the  office  of  Parker  and  <;ieason.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  18.59. 

Early  in  the  civil  war  he  enlisted  a  company  of  cavalry  and  was  mustered 
in  as  captain  at  Elmira  in  August,  1861.  His  company  belonged  to  the  Third 
Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteer  Cavalry.  From  this  time  he  was  in  continual 
active  service.  He  was  with  General  Banks  in  the  Shenandoah ;  he  was  with 
Burnside  in  North  Carolina,  where  he  was  in  innumerable  engagements  and 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major;  he  took  part  in  the  memorable  campaigns 
of  1864  and  was  again  promoted  to  be  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  commanded  his 
regiment.  His  regiment  was  so  cut  up  and  reduced  in  numbers  that  it  was 
necessary  to  consolidate  it  with  other  regiments  and  Colonel  Jacobs  resigned. 
He  re-entered  the  service  however  and  was  assigned  to  duty  on  the  northern 
frontier.  In  July,  1865,  he  was  mustered  out  of  service  with  the  brevet  rank 
of  Brigadier-General. 

After  his  return  from  the  war  in  1865  he  was  elected  District-Attorney  and 
in  1871  he  was  elected  tor  a  second  term  of  the  same  office.  He  ran  for  the 
office  of  County  Judge  but  was  defeated.  He  was  a  member  of  Congress  dur- 
ing the  term  1881-83. 

In  1869  he  married  Miss  Mary  Hj-de  of  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio.  He  died  at 
Delhi.  August  30,  1880. 

Judge  Isaac  H.  Maynard.  Judge  Maynard  was  born  in  Bovina  in  1838, 
being  the  grandson  of  the  first  settler  in  that  town.  He  was  graduated  from 
Amherst  College  in  1862.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Murray  and 
established  himself  at  the  village  of  Stamford.  Here  he  was  supervisor  in 
1869  and  1870.  He  was  elected  County  Judge  as  a  democrat,  carrying  the 
county  by  1,355  nutjority.  although  usually  its  majority  was  800  re|)ublican. 

In  1875  he  was  elected  Member  of  Assembly;  in  1884  he  was  appointed 
first  Deputy  Attorne\--General  of  the  State,  which  position  lie  resigned  to  be- 
come Second  Comptroller  under  President  Cleveland.  In  1887  he  was  appointed 
Assistant  Secretary  of  the  I'nited  States  Treasury.  In  1892  Governor  Flower 
appointed  him  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Appeals. 

Judge  Maynard  was  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments,  a  brilliant  and  suc- 
cessful lawyer,  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  many  friends.  He  ilied  in  Albany 
June  12,  1896,  at  the  age  of  58  years,  and  his  remains  rest  in  Woodland  Ceme- 
terv  at  Delhi. 


1: 


Ul  - 


IsQacH] 

(■nlioijt/ 


PART    II. 


11 


Centennial  Celebration. 

TV/f  ARCH  10,  IHIIT  .  .  .  the  birtlula.v  of  Delaware  couiitv.  A 
1  A-  couuty  which  has  rouuded  a  full  ceuturv  is  uo  iiifiiut; 
there  is  uo  poetical  license  iu  the  phrase  "  Old  Delaware."  Xatur- 
allv,  as  the  liuudredth  auuiversary  drew  near,  there  were  thouf^'hts 
of  some  tittiuff  celebration  of  the  century  milestone,  but  the  various 
suffgestions  of  individuals  or  the  couuty  newspapers  did  not  crys- 
tallize into  definite  action.  The  Delaware  Express,  at  Delhi,  had 
freiiuently  called  up  a  remembrance  of  Mandi  10,  1797.  Its  editor 
discussed  the  advisability  of  a  celebration  with  many  of  the  promi- 
nent men  of  the  county  but  found  little  interest  amouj^  the  people 
;,'enerally.  The  project,  however,  was  not  to  be  smothered  by  any 
moist  blanket  of  indifference;  if  the  people  who  should  care  did  not 
care,  latent  interest  must  be  aroused.  Delaware  county  had  fin- 
ished a  hundred  years  of  honorable  history;  she  had  sent  out  from 
her  borders  a  host  of  children  who  had  made  history  in  other 
counties  and  other  states  and  had  honored  their  birthplace;  Iter 
sons  and  her  daughters  had  ever  been  and  were  sturdy,  honest  and 
full  of  the  free  spirit  of  the  native  hills.  The  century  mark  of  such 
a  county  must  not  pass  unnoticed.  In  tlui  issue  of  The  Delaware; 
Kxpress  for  March  (),  1S'.)7,  the  following  call  foi'  a  citizens'  meeting 
was  jtrinted: 

.V  Centenntal  Mekti-Ni}.  On  coiisullalinn  with  some  of  our  iicoplc  rn- 
-;ar"liiiK  ilic  Comity  Ci!iiteiiiiial  it  is  thouj^ht  proper  to  liold  a  meeting  of  our 
'itizens  and  others  who  may  ho  in  town  ne.\t  Tuesday  evening,  March  '.),  at 
VilhiKc  Hall  at  eight  o'clock,  to  consider  the  advisability  of  eelebratiiig  the 
•  ■vent.     Come  and  express  your  opinion. 

When  the  a])])ointcd  Tuesday  evening  came  just  thirteen  patri- 
otic   citizens    gathered    together    in    the    Village    Hall.      Whatever 


200  insroRY  uf  hklawahe  cor  sty. 

misfortune  is  commonly  associated  with  the  fateful  uumber  thirteen 
or  whatever  ill  luck  comes  from  a  thirteen  club,  it  must  heuce  and 
hereafter  Imld  its  jicacc  in  Delaware  county.  The  meeting  started 
on  a  Inisiuess  basis:  from  this  evening  a  Centennial  Celebration  was 
assured.  Mr.  "William  Clark  was  elected  chairman  of  the  meeting, 
and  Mr.  K.  P.  Mcintosh,  secretary.  The  practical  outcome  of  the 
evening  was  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  consult  with  the 
people  at  the  county  seat  and  to  report  at  a  later  meeting  some 
linal  determiuatidii.  The  committee  appointed  was  J.  K.  Hood,  C. 
S.  AVoodruff,  W.  I.  Alasou,  AI.  T.  Menzie  and  J.  J.  Burke.  The  ]nib- 
lication  of  the  appointment  of  this  committee  stirred  up  an 
immediate  interest  in  other  towns  and  the  county  press  gave  every 
encouragement  and  called  upon  the  citizens  to  support  the  move- 
ment. As  oue  pajjer  said;  " That  the  anniversary  of  so  important 
an  event  should  be  fittingly  celebrated  finds  an  almost  unanimous 
affirmative  resjjonse  from  the  citizens  of  old  Delaware.  Delhi  has 
taken  the  initiative  toward  this  end  l)y  temporarily  organizing  and 
now  let  the  action  of  the  county  seat  be  ratified  by  every  town  in 
the  county  and  at  no  distant  date."  This  seemed  to  be  the  senti- 
ment of  the  entire  county. 

The  committee  began  an  active  campaign  at  once.  It  advised 
with  the  leaders  of  different  organizations  which  it  thought  t'ould 
aid,  notably  the  various  fire  departments  of  the  county.  In  two 
weeks  time  nearly  all  of  the  fire  organizations  had  agreed  to  come 
to  the  celebration,  which  the  Committee  had  set  for  the  0th  and 
Idtb  of  June.  So  general  was  tlie  interest  and  widespread  the  en- 
thusiasm that  no  doubt  of  the  Centennial's  success  was  possible  at 
the  second  pulilic  meeting  held  Alarch  "28,  just  two  weeks  after  the 
real  inception  of  the  movement. 

Sub-committees  were  at  once  appointed,  correspondence  was 
begun  with  available  men  in  every  town  in  the  county,  the  fire  de- 
partments were  enthused,  athletic  clubs  were  stirred  up,  men 
versed  in  the  antiquities  of  their  towns  were  selected  as  historians 
and  relics  of  the  past  were  engaged  for  exhibition.     The  make-up  of 


(•EXTi:\XIAL    CELEBRATloy.  -Jdl 

the  viui<>\is  iiiiiniiittees  represeuted  the  busiiu'ss  anil  professioual 
men  of  Delhi.  In  ailditicm  to  the  General  Committee  the  follow- 
iug  were  selected: 

Oh  Fimnirr :     M.  T.  Meiizie,  S.  F.  Adee,  Jas.  E.  Harpor. 

Oil   HMonj:     William  Clark,  Robert  P.  Mcintosh,  S.  E.  Smith. 

Oil  Sjiiiih  iM  :     Hon.  A.  C.  Crosby. 

On  Relics :     Dr.  Win.  Orniiston,  Charles  W.  (iraham. 

Finiiii'ii's  ('(iiiiiiiillir :  Thi>  Firemen's  Board,  J.  J.  Bnrke,  Chiel';  W.  A. 
Mcintosh.  Secretary. 

Hiri/rlr  Ciimmitlii- :  R.  P.  Mcintosh.  F.  M.  Farrington,  C.  R.  Stilson,  Jas. 
E.  Harper. 

Arranjifements  for  the  Centennial  Parade  were  made  <arly.  Mr. 
Frank  L.  Norton  of  Delhi  was  made  (xraml  Marshal  ami  the  Assist- 
ant Marshals  chosen  from  different  parts  of  the  county  were: 
Georfife  JI.  Bur^dn,  Walton;  George  O.  Leonard,  Stamford;  A\'ni. 
Brinkman,  Franklin;  A.  B.  Evans,  Deposit;  Arthur  S.  Meeker, 
Delhi,  Gran<l  Marshal's  Aid. 

Every  arraDf<euient  was  well  planned  and  executed  with  thor- 
ouo-hness.  When  the  calendar  marked  the  opening'  of  the  festal 
day,  June  it,  nothing  seemed  lacking  either  in  general  plan  or 
proper  consideration  of  details.  Delhi  decked  herself  in  holiday 
tinery  as  never  before.  Flags  and  luiutiug  floated  from  house  and 
business  block,  fine  arches  spanned  the  streets  welcoming  the  citi- 
zens of  the  county  to  the  capital  town,  special  electric  lights 
illumined  the  public  buildings.  Men,  women  and  children  were 
decorators  and  decorated.  Never  before  had  sucli  a  gorgeous 
tlisplay  been  shown  in  the  county.  Favorable  comment  was  uni- 
versal. Although  the  committees  had  thus  carefully  arranged  and 
earnestly  labored,  one  point  was  forgotten  in  the  mass  of  detail 
that  had  fallen  upon  them:  tlie  clerk  of  the  wcatliei-  li.-ul  lieen 
overlooked.  Old  Jupiter  I'luvins  drew  n\\  the  Hood  gates  of  the 
heavens  and  from  Tuesday  morning'  the  "drops  that  water  tlie 
earth"  were  continually  falling. 

But  so  great  was  the  patriotism  and  enthusiasm  of  the  peo])le  of 
Delaware  county  that  it  could  not  be  dampeiieil  by  the  heavy  rains. 
Tlie  stulT   that  won  the  Delaware  hills  from  wilderness  to  cultivated 


202  HISTORY    OF    IiF.I. AWARE    COVXTY. 

uud  fertile  fields  could  celebrate  her  birthday  under  a  cauojn-  of 
uncheekered  blue.  It  seemed  that  the  jjeople  had  all  plauued  to 
attend  the  celebration,  promisinfi^  hj  far  the  largest  couvocation  in 
the  annals  of  the  noble  history  of  the  county.  Interest  in  the  event 
had  entered  almost  every  home,  and  it  was  the  assemblage  was 
very  large. 

The  Delaware  Express  in  reporting  the  celebration  said :  "  We 
are  confident  that  those  who  could  not  come  were  present  in  spirit. 
The  thoughts  crowding  about  the  occasion  have  brought  our  people 
closer  together  and  insjiired  new  feelings  of  patriotism.  Doulitless 
there  is  also  a  newborn  purpose  in  many  hearts  to  laljor  more  earn- 
estly that  the  new  century  shall  be  brighter  and  better  than  the 
one  that  has  passed.  If  this  lie  one  result  it  is  glory  enough  for 
two  rainy  days  celebration  of  the  Centennial  of  the  l)est  countj-  of 
the  best  state  in  the  grandest  country  on  the  face  of  the  earth." 

The  story  of  this  inspiring  and  very  successful  event  can  only 
be  briefly  told  in  these  jjages.  The  program  for  the  first  day,  June 
9,  included  the  town  histories,  addresses  and  papers  prepared  for 
the  occasion.  These  exercises  were  held  in  the  court  room  of  the 
court  house,  which  was  beautifully  ornamented  for  the  occasion. 
It  was  a  fitting  place  in  which  to  recount  the  events  of  a  century, 
with  the  portraits  of  such  prime  actors  hanging  upon  the  wall 
as  Erastus  Eoot,  Samuel  Sherwood,  Amasa  J.  Parker,  Jonas  A- 
Hughstou,   Colonel  Amasa  Parker,   and  Samuel  Gordon. 

Hon.  Abram  C.  Crosby,  the  president  of  the  day,  called  the 
assembly  to  order  and  an  earnest,  appropriate  prayer  was  offered 
by  Rev.  L.  Willard  Minch,  the  chaplain.  Vocal  and  instrumental 
music  was  interspersed  with  the  historical  productions  giving  zest 
to  the  exercises.  At  five  o'clock  of  this  day  a  service  of  thanks- 
giving to  Almighty  Grod  was  held  in  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  conducted  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Seeley  and  Rev.  Dr.  Robinson  of 
Delhi. 

The  adcli'esses,  papers  and  letters  follow  while  the  town  histories 
constitute  Part  III. 


CEXTEXXLAL   CELEBRATION.  ,2(18 

Addics.s  of   WcUoiiK-,   l)v;   Hon.   .\l)i\iin  <.".  (■i\\sl)\', 

nv    IiKI.HI,     N.     Y. 

Fellow  Citizens:  Wc  mool  to  celebiato  the  oue  huudicdth  anniversary 
of  till'  county  of  Delaware.  To  the  young  a  century  seems  a  long  period  of 
tiiiio;  to  the  middle-aged,  who  realize  they  have  lived  nearly  half  the  century 
the  period  appears  extremely  short.  Dela\vari>  county  was  orgaidzed  on  the 
tenth  day  of  Man-h,  1797,  only  si.\  days  after  George  Washington  retired  from 
the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States. 
Our  history  commences  in  the  early  days  of  the  government  when  the  Revolu- 
tionary heroes  were  actively  participating  in  and  directing  the  affairs  of  the 
young  republic. 

During  the  one  hundred  years  since  the  organization  of  this  county  the 
political  map  of  Europe  has  been  greatly  altere<l.  .V  century  ago  Napoleon 
was  planning  his  liret  military  movements.  He  had  not  won  an  imixirtant 
battle.  His  great  European  wars,  greater  than  the  battles  of  the  Roman  or 
(Irecian  conquests,  were  subsefiuently  fought.  Then  all  the  ports  of  China 
were  closed  to  the  whole  civilized  world ;  then  Japan  had  not  learned  the  ad- 
vantages of  our  civilization,  or  secured  the  services  of  one  of  the  honored  sons 
iif  Delaware  county  (David  Murray,  LL.  D.)  to  establish  and  take  charge  of 
her  educational  institutions  and  stimulate  an  intellectual  activity  which  has 
made  her  one  of  the  strongest  eastern  nations  in  intellect,  political  economy 
and  military  and  naval  prowess.  Then  our  own  country  embraced  only  a 
narrow  belt  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  scarcely  extending  beyond  the  AUeghe- 
ides,  with  a.  population  of  less  than  four  millions  of  i)eople:  Michigan  and  the 
whole  northwestern  territory  were  inhaV)ited  by  warlike  sa\agos ;  Floritla,  all 
the  vast  teiTitory  between  the  Mississippi  river  and  the  Pacilic  Ocean,  Mexico, 
O-nlral  America  and  nearly  the  whole  of  South  America  were  under  the  control 
of  the  Government  of  Spain. 

Now  since  the  acquisition  of  all  that  valuable  territory  and  also  rich  and 
undeveloped  .\la.';ka.  like  old  England,  we  can  boast  that  the  sun  never  sets 
upon  our  possessions. 

Fifty  years,  after  the  formation  of  our  county,  had  elapsed  before  the 
<liscovery  of  the  gold  producing  mines  of  California— .so  rich  in  their  resources 
that  they  have  reduced  the  value  of  the  precious  metal  and  materially  aided 
in  revolutionizing  the  financial  system  of  the  world  ;  ten  years  after  the  county 
was  formed  the  first  steamboat  was  built  and  plowed  its  way  through  the 
waters  of  the  Hudson  river,  nuikiug  our  state  the  pioneer  in  steam  naviga- 
tion; during  the  last  half  century  petroleum  has  been  discovered,  the  use  of 
which  has  revolutionized  illuminating,  heatingand  propelling  ;  twenty-five  years 
after  the  formation  of  our  county  the  lirst  steam  railroad  was  built  and  a  New 
Vork  capitalist  is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  applying  and  adapting  steam  power 
to  railroad  transportation:  sixty  years  ago  railroad  construction  was  in  its 
infamy  ;  there  was  no  banking  institution  except  the  I'lnled  States  bank:  no 
-lock  exchange;  no  telegraph  or  telephone  lines;  no  mining  stocks:  no  organ- 
ized money  corp<»rations ;  and  the  mail  facilities  were  so  limited  at  the  timi- 


•204  HISTORY    iiF    liELAWARE    COVSTY. 

of  the  orgauizatioii  of  our  couuly  tliat  Boujamiu  Franklin,  tin'  Postniaister 
General,  rode  over  the  country  in  his  old  sulkoy  and  personally  inspected 
every  mail  route  in  the  United  States. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  this  county  the  representatives  of  the 
people  were  engaged  in  bitter  dissensions  in  the  national  legislature,  <-harges 
of  plots  to  overthrow  the  new  government  were  freely  made,  the  treasury  was 
liaukrupt,  no  satisfactory  financial  system  had  been  developed  or  put  in  opera- 
tion, national  debt  had  been  contracted  with  no  means  of  payment ;  and  citi- 
zens of  Pennsylvania  and  Massachusetts  were  in  open  rebellion  to  prevent  the 
collection  of  the  revenues  necessary  for  the  ordinary  expenses  of  government. 

Surrounded  by  such  embarrassing  circumstances  and  confronted  by  reas- 
onable doubt  regarding  the  ultimate  success  of  popular  government,  the 
patriots  who  by  their  wisdom  and  patriotism  had  solved  the  complicated 
questions  that  had  arisen  during  the  struggle  for  independence  and  by  the  for- 
mation and  ratification  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  had  firmly  laid 
the  foundation  of  American  institutions,  were  successfully  enacting  laws  andi 
adopting  policies  of  government  that  have  developed  and  made  us  the  greatest 
nation  of  the  earth. 

Then  the  county  of  Delaware  was  almost  a  primeval  forest.  The  axe  had 
hardly  disturbed  the  solitude.  A  few  inhabitants  were  living  in  scattered  log- 
huts  in  the  small  clearings  along  the  valleys  of  the  streams  and  upon  the 
slopes  of  the  hills  and  mountains ;  but  nearly  the  whole  county,  in  territorial 
extent  almost  as  large  as  the  state  of  Rhode  Island,  was  in  the  simplicitj'  and 
grandeur  of  nature.  General  Root,  Samuel  Sherwood  and  a  few  other  grand 
and  able  men  had  established  their  homes  at  or  near  the  county  seat  and 
were  developing  the  local  interests  of  the  new  county,  while  others  at  the 
Capital  of  the  nation  were  maturing  plans  for  the  government  of  the  wliole 
people. 

Many  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  old  Delaware  have  settled  in  other  lo- 
calities and,  by  their  industry,  energy  and  ability,  have  made  their  names  and 
transactions  a  part  of  the  history  of  nearly  every  state  of  the  union.  We  re- 
call with  pride  the  records  of  our  ancestors  who  were  prominent  in  the  early 
history  of  our  county  and  point  with  satisfaction  to  the  work  of  their  descend- 
ants who  have  developed  its  rescuirces  and  coiitributeil  to  its  present  pros- 
perity. 

The  mixture  of  races,  the  intermarriage  of  inhabitants  of  different  countries 
and  nationalities,  especially  of  the  European  states,  have  developed  stronger 
individu.alities  and  made  better  citizens  physically  and  intellectually.  Such 
has  been  the  result  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Delaware.  Prior 
to  the  Revolution  a  few  of  the  sous  and  daughters  of  Scotland  had  settled  in 
and  become  inhabitants  of  a  portion  of  our  county.  The  descendants  of  the- 
Puritans  of  New  lingland  had  crossed  to  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county,  in 
Koxbury.  Stamfoi-d  and  Harpi'rsfield,  and  had  also  gone  into  Franklin  and 
down  the  Susquehanna  into  Sidney  and  formed  centers  of  population,  whose' 
citizens  loved  their  homes,  liberally  supported  the  church  and  promoted  edu- 
cation under  the  many  disadvantages  surrounding  them.  They  have  left  their 
good  influences  behind  and  a  large  portion  of  the  county  of  Delaware  has  beea 


CEXTEXXIAL    CELEBRATldX.  2(15 

AiiH'iioauizi'il  tiinl  I'lliioatoil  by  the  leaoliiiit,'*  ami  oxamplos  nl'  the  piouoors 
from  New  Englaud  and  their  ilesoeudants.  The  Dutch,  slow  and  conservative- 
In  their  ways,  cnnio  up  from  Esopus,  traveled  across  Pine  Hill,  drifted  down- 
the  East  1. ranch  of  tlie  Delaware  and  up  the  stream  into  the  town  of  Koxbury 
and  there  met  and  located  with  the  pioneers  from  New  England;  the  New 
Enijhinder  had  his  little  lionu"  and  farm  to  till  and  in  many  places  had  built 
his  factories  where  the  inanufactureil  products  needed  for  the  comfort  of  the 
piMiple  wi're  successfully  made.  JIany  of  the  Dutch  were  weavers  and  skilled 
In  other  tra<les  and  they  were  all  peacefully  inclini'd  and  lived  and  worked 
happily  with  the  Yankees.  Many  Scotchmen  with  their  families  and  Bibles 
came  over  soon  after  and  located  iu  the  interior  towns  of  the  county.  Their 
llrndy  esUiblisherl  religious  beliefs,  home  influences,  deep  interest  in  educa- 
tional affairs  and  love  of  and  obedience  to  the  fiovernment  of  their  adoiited 
country  has  left  an  impress  upon  the  people  of  the  county  of  Delaware  that 
will  not  be  effaced  for  ^generations  hence.  The  establishment  of  the  chunli 
and  the  school,  the  hardy  industry,  pluck,  determination  and  obstinacy  of  the 
Scciti'hnien  and  their  families  have  contributed  largely  to  the  development  of 
the  intellectual  and  material  interests  of  our  county. 

There  is  not  a  nation  in  Europe  from  Scandinavia  on  the  north  to  sunny 
France  and  Italy  on  the  south  that  has  not  contributed  to  the  population  of 
old  Delaware.  The  habits  of  the  inhabitants,  the  church,  the  school,  the- 
pure  air  and  water,  the  mountain  scenery  and  all  the  surroundings  of  nature 
and  civilization  have  tended  to  develop  the  manhood  of  every  European  who- 
lias  made  this  his  adopted  home;  and  instead  of  helping  to  till  the  prisons 
and  reformatories  or  drifting  down  among  the  criminal  classes  of  the  cities 
he  has  bi'coine  a  good  citizen  of  our  county,  adopted  our  customs  and  aided  iu 
the  development  of  our  resources. 

During  the  last  century  our  country  has  passed  through  trying  ordeals,  in 
«  hich  many  of  the  citizens  of  Delaware  county  have  particii>ated.  By  the  war 
of  1S12  our  government  asserted  its  power  and  authority  on  the  high  seas; 
protected  .\merieaii  citizens  in  their  person  and  property  against  the  arrogant 
demands  of  the  mother  country  and.  by  the  bravery  of  her  soldiers  and  sailors 
on  land  and  on  sea,  demoustrati'd  to  the  nations  of  the  earth  that  we  were  one 
nation  and  people,  under  a  common  Hag,  and  that  wherever  the  starry  banner 
lloate<l  the  rights  and  interests  of  American  citizens  must  be  recognized  and 
protected. 

One  hundred  years  ago  our  nation  was  disgraceil  and  humiliated  by  the 
accursed  institution  of  human  slavery;  upon  the  platform,  in  the  public  press 
and  the  halls  of  legislation  long  and  bitter  discussions  were  had  between  the 
r.'presi'utatlves  of  frei-  labor  and  slave  labor,  regariling  the  rights  of  the  own- 
••rs  of  human  ehatti'ls  in  free  territory;  the  pernicious  doctrine  that  tin'  rights 
of  the  iudivhlual  state  were  paramount  to  thi' authority  of  tin' national  gov- 
ernment and  that  there  was  no  power  under  the  coiislilution  to  c-oerce  a  state 
and  preservi-  the  unity  of  the  nation  was  stn-nuously  advocated  until  the  slave 
holders  attempted  by  armed  force  to  disrupt  the  union,  by  open  rebellion 
against  the  general  government,  and  establish  an  independent  confederacy 
baHed  upon  slavery  as  the  foundation  and  corner  stone. 


2(»(>  nisroin'  ah'  dki^awmH':  roiXT): 

At  tlie  i-.ill  dl'  llic  I'liirf  I'Xi'cMtivo  niiiiiy  liravc  sons  (if  Di'lawjuc  cihimI.v 
promptly  enlisted,  and  went  I'ortli  to  battle  for  their  country,  uphold  its  ffag, 
preserve  the  government  and  maintain  the  jirineipk-.s  of  liln'rty  so  dear  to  the 
heart  of  every  friend  of  hunianit>.  They  fought  the  battles  of  thr  union  ajid 
established  beyond  ([uestioii  that  heneefoi-tli  there  will  lie  liut  one  counli'y, 
nation  and  people  uiiitrd  and  happy  undn-  a  cniiininn  Hag  and  mai-c-hing  on  to 
<i  higher  destiny. 

In  evei'y  part  of  our  county  are  evidences  of  the  great  struggle  in  which 
the}-  were  engaged;  the  empty  sleeve,  the  wooden  lindi,  the  broken  constitu- 
tion of  many  of  the  old  veterans  show  unmistakably  that  they  gave  the  best 
years  of  their  early  manhood  on  the  southern  battle  lields,  and  in  the  swamps 
and  morasses,  and  prisons  of  the  sout  h  ;  the  thousands  of  soldiers'  graves  in  the 
national  cemeteries  and  scattered  throughout  the  land  sileutly  testify  to  their 
deeds  of  heroism  and  great  sacrifices  made  upon  the  altar  of  human  liberty. 
AVhen  the  old  soldiers  march  through  our  streets  to-morrow  they  should  be 
greeted  with  uncovered  heads  showing  that  we  fully  recognize  the  services 
they  have  rendered  and  the  sacrifices  they  have  made,  and  but  for  the  great 
expenditure  of  life  and  treasure  and  their  loyalty  and  heroism  instead  of  en- 
joying the  great  advantages  of  a  united  government  under  the  glorious  Mag  of 
lilierty,  with  a  population  of  over  seventy  nnllions  of  happy  and  prosperous 
people,  our  country  would  now  be  broken  into  forty-five  separate  and  inde- 
pendent states,  disputing  with  and  warring  against  each  otlu'r  like  the  repub- 
lics of  Central  and  South  America. 

Human  slavery,  existing  in  our  countrj',  protected  by  law,  contradicted  the 
assertion  tliat  our  government  was  a  haven  for  the  down  trodden  and  op- 
pressed from  every  countrj-  of  the  earth  and  its  abolition  was  among  the  most 
glorious  and  important  results  of  the  great  civil  war.  Over  four  millions  of 
enslaved  human  beings  were  released  from  bondage,  liberty  ceased  to  be  a 
theory  and  became  an  accomplished  fact,  and  now  wherever  the  banner  of 
liberty  and  freedom  lloats  over  American  soil  every  citizen,  whatever  his  race, 
coh)r  or  former  condition,  if  obedient  to  the  law,  can  proudly  say  I  am  a  free 
American  citizen. 

A  century  ago  education  was  a  luxury,  enjoyed  only  by  a  linnted  number. 
About  that  time  Governor  George  Clinton  lij-  his  messages  to  the  legislature 
recommended  the  establishment  of  common  schools  and  a  board  of  Regents  of 
the  University  and,  foUowing  his  suggestions,  laws  were  enacted  resulting  in 
the  organization  of  our  public  school  system  which,  by  subse(|uent  legislation, 
has  been  developed  into  the  grandest  and  most  liberal  educational  .system  in 
the  union.  Our  school  houses,  dotting  every  hill  side  and  nestling  in  every 
valley  throughout  the  entire  .state,  are  nurseries  of  liberty  and  afford  to  the 
children  of  every  citizen  the  facilities  for  a  good  common  school  training, 
while  in  the  cities  and  enterprising  villages  of  the  state  every  opportunity  is 
offered  for  the  procurement  of  a  higher  and  more  liberal  education.  Inventive 
genius  has  facilitated  and  lessened  the  expense  of  jiublicalion  of  books,  peri- 
odicnls  and  newspapers  so  that  the  poorest  and  hundjlest  citizen  has  within 
his  reach  excell<Mit  reading  matter  for  himself  and  his  family  and  the  neglect 
or  refusal  to  fnrnisli  intcllrctual  food   for  their   use   is  absolutelv  ineNcusable. 


CEXTI-:X.\I.\L    CEI.F.ItRATloS.  "iOT 

For  tin'  pri r  11  ritiar  or  a  drink  of  whisUry  a  iiidiitlily  rimiiaziiii'  i-aji  !"■  |Hir- 

cliiisi'd  rcpli'to  with  iiifuniialion  ami  tin-  Iji'sl  litciiu-.v  pmiUii'litms  of  nioilrni 
writers.  Thi"  iiioiu\v  that  many  of  our  peoplo  daily  pxpLMid  for  iiscli'ss  hixiirios 
would  soon  covor  tho  family  tables  and  fill  the  sholvos  of  home  libraries  willi 
th.'  best  books  of  ancient  and  modern  history  and  literature. 

There  is  no  community  of  people,  remote  from  the  cities,  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  better  housed,  clothed  and  fed  and  possessing  greater  educational 
advantages  of  instruction  by  the  school,  pulpit,  platform,  books  and  newspa- 
pers than  the  iuluibitauts  <if  the  county  of  Delaware. 

Throughout  the  civilized  world  the  higher  countries  have  furnislnil  to  tlir 
lowlands  a  constant  and  unfailing  supply  of  recruits  possessed  of  great  physi- 
cal and  mental  strength  and  vigor.  The  inhabitants  of  the  colder  regions 
are  compelled,  by  the  rigorous  demands  of  naturi',  by  industry  an<l  frugality. 
to  provide  for  their  physical  wants,  while  the  children  of  the  w-armer  clinuites 
rely  upon  the  lavish  productions  of  nature  to  furnish  to  them  their  physical 
necessities.  Located  among  the  spurs  of  the  noble  Catskills  near  the  metrop- 
olis of  the  western  hemisphere,  with  rugged  soil,  bracing  atmosphere,  long 
winters  and  clear  streams  of  sparkling  water  running  along  the  beautiful 
valleys  toward  the  sea,  Delaware  county  naturally  produces  men  and  wouu-n 
who  are  well  fitted  mentally  and  physically  to  enter  a  broader  sphere  of  activ- 
ity  and  successfvilly  battle  in  the  struggle  of  life.  From  her  borders  nolile. 
ambitious  and  promising  young  men  have  continually  gone  forth  to  engage  in 
the  peaceful  battles  of  education,  legislation  and  business  and  aid  in  the 
development  of  other  states  throughout  the  union.  There  is  hardly  a  consti- 
tutional or  statutory  law  of  a  western  state  which  has  been  framed  without 
the  parlicipaticm  of  some  son  of  Delaware  county.  There  is  scarcely  a  great 
business  enterprise  in  any  of  the  leading  cities  of  the  union  without  a  son  of 
Delaware  county  connected  with  it  in  some  capacity.  They  go  out  to  win,  and 
lDi|uire  wherever  you  will  you  find  that  where  one  native  born  citizcMi  of 
our  county  fails  in  whatever  business  he  undertakes  ninety-nine  others  suc- 
ceed. We  are  justly  proud  of  the  success  they  have  attained  within  and 
without  their  native  state  and  like  the  Koman  mother,  we  point  exultingly  to 
them  and  exclaim,  "These  are  our  jewels." 

I  heartily  extend  to  you  the  sincere  welcome  of  the  entire  county  of  Dela- 
ware and  particularly  of  the  village  of  Delhi.  This  celebratitm  is  not  local  in 
Its  character:  it  is  a  gathering  of  the  people  from  th(^  entire  county,  in  which 
all  classes  have  shown  a  great  interest  and  for  which  they  have  furnisheil 
numerous  and  valuable  contributions.  The  public  proix'rty  here  belongs  to 
the  whole  peojile  (if  the  county.  The  citizens  of  Delhi  are  only  stockholders 
in  it. 

I  sincerely  hope  that  these  anniversary  exercises  will  develop  a  general  feel- 
ing of  harmony  and  unity  among  the  people  of  the  whole  county.  We  have  a 
•  common  interest  and  pride  in  our  local  government  and  institutions,  and  we 
'Should  labor  together  without  prejudices  to  |'r(pnM>lc  tin-  bi^^t  iiiler.'sts  of  the 
whole  comniunitv. 


2()S  iiisr(ii;y  or  Delaware  corxrv. 

Letter  tropi   r.c\ .   John  L.   5cott,   I).  I)., 

UF    THILADELPHIA,    PA. 

Allow  11)0  to  assure  you  of  my  keenest  regrets  at  not  bciii^  alili"  to  atliMid. 
the  coming  Centennial  of  Delaware  county.  I  had  hoped  the  pleasure,  but 
fate  seems  to  have  ordered  otherwise,  so  I  bow  to  the  inevitable.  This  Cen- 
tennial, from  its  very  nature,  ought  to  be  not  only  the  source  of  personal 
pleasure,  but  also  productive  of  lasting  good.  Delaware  county  was  a  gener- 
ous mother,  and  there  are  many  things  jier  sons  cannot  afford  to  forget.  If 
I  were  to  be  born  over  again,  I  would  ask  the  good  Angel  to  let  me  off  in 
Bovina,  on  the  banks  of  the  Little  Delaware,  and  near  the  old  mill  which  my 
grandfather  built  just  ninety-six  years  ago.  It  was  a  good  place  to  be  born 
in,  and  an  equally  good  place  to  leave  so  soon  as  one  was  able  to  toddle  away. 
As  two  streams  unite  to  form  the  Delaware  river,  so  two  civilizations  entered' 
into  tlie  early  formation  of  the  county.  The  Puritan  and  the  Scotch.  The 
Puritan  was  English,  and  halted  long  enough  in  Xew  England  to  take  breath' 
before  attempting  the  ascent  of  the  Catskills.  He  scattered  his  marks  all 
along  the  way.  Eoxbury,  Stamford,  Hamden,  Meredith  and  Colchester,  were 
the  god-sons  of  New  England  sponsors.  The  Scotch  on  the  contrary,  were  a 
direct  importation.  They  came  straight  from  old  Scotia  with  their  heathery 
brogue  still  fresh  upon  their  lips.  Andes,  Kortright,  and  Bovina  especially 
were  but  patches,  cut  from  the  map  of  Scotland  and  pasted  on  the  face  of 
Delaware  county.  I  saw  the  last  of  those  centennial  pioneers  as  they  were 
passing  into  the  West  now  forty  years  ago.  They  were  a  race  of  honest  men. 
With  axe  in  hand  they  fought  their  way  to  the  mountain  summit,  and  but  for- 
them  many  a  rich,  fertile  farm  had  remained  the  forest  of  a  century  ago. 
These  were  the  Highlanders  of  Delaware  county,  and  formed  a  distinctive 
force  in  its  developement.  In  my  boyhood  the  anti-rent  war  was  still  fireside 
history.  The  line  of  battle  stretched  like  a  stone-wall  through  the  towns  of 
.\ndes  and  Bovina.  The  philo.sophy  of  this  fact  few  have  thought  to  inquire. 
It  was  simply  a  Scotch  sense  of  injustice,  manifesting  itself  In  a  strange 
county.  My  grandfather  spent  some  money  and  more  time  in  the  log  jail  at 
Delhi,  because  somebody  had  been  shot  in  an  adjoining  town.  Not  long  since 
I  learned  the  reason  why  he  became  a  part  of  that  hopeless  struggle.  His 
father  had  been  a  laird  or  factor,  and  cjuari-eled  with  the  Earl  whom  he  repre- 
sented. So  he  came  to  America,  and  took  sweet  vengeace  on  the  Overings, 
the  Livingstons,  and  the  Kortrights,  for  what  the  Earl  of  Traquair  had  done 
at  home.  They  were  good  haters  and  true  friends.  There  is  a  tradition  that 
when  the  old  gentleman  was  rusticating  at  Delhi,  an  oflieer  came  and  said: 
"Mr.  Scott,  we  know  you  did  not  kill  Steele,  but  think  you  can  name  the  man 
who  did,  tell  us  and  go  homo !"  The  old  man,  sweeping  his  hand  across  his 
throat,  and  with  an  expletive  which  I  hope  the  Recording  Angel  did  not  hear, 
replied;  "take  my  head,  sir,  take  my  head.  "  Liberty  at  the  price  of  dishonor 
had  no  quotation  in  their  markets.  Those  men  at  the  other  end  of  the 
century  were  religious  after  a  fashion  [leeuliar  to  themselves.  They  generally 
attended  church  and  those  who  did   not,   were  always  r>'aily   with   a   reason. 


CEXTh:.\.\IM.    CKI.KnixATKiX.  2(l".l 

it-l»'(.-i!illy  it  tlioy  dill  nul  like  tlio  iiiiiiistor.  Two  iioi^hliiiis,  whoso  uaiiK's  1 
withliolil  out  of  rpspeet  to  their  Uescendauts.  hud  disagreements,  of  the  most 
■  deadly  Uiiid.  One  was  a  pillar  in  the  eliurch  and  the  other  a  M/cc/icr  outside. 
'.Thi>  niinistiT,  tin'  Kev.  Jas.  Douiilas.  meeting  tlie  non-ehneh-goer.  remarked 
.that  his  parishouer's  et>Mdnet  was  devilish.  '-Devilish,  it  is  daninahle  sir.  it 
is  damnalile."  But  the  minister  had  done  an  uneoneious  niissionar.v  work,  and 
tlie  next  Sunday  his  congregation  was  inereasi'd  in  attendance  liy  one.  Not 
as  Mr.  A.  15.  Douglas  onee  said  to  me.  "that  he  loved  IJome  less,  hut  he 
lialcil  Ids  neighlior  more.  "  This  was  l.ut  ilic  outside  of  a  kind,  poetic  nature 
that  few  could  understand.  Somewhere  over  the  hills  and  out  of  sight,  there 
was  a  garden  of  wild  native  llowi-rs  that  best  declared  their  worth.  Delaware 
county  owes  them  a  debt  which  she  can  never  pa.y.  Their  life  and  spirit  have 
surviveil  the  century  and  live  in  the  nol)lest  manhood  of  the  present.  There 
wi're  two  forces  in  the  Delaware  of  my  day  for  which  I  am  profoundly  grate- 
ful, the  church  and  village  academy.  The  niijdslers  were  men  of  more  than 
onlinary  aljility.  Forest,  Laing.  Doviglas.  Graham  and  Wilson  had  bound 
their  sheaves  and  were  going  through  the  gates.  Gibson  and  Lee  were  the 
lirst  preachei's  I  ever  heard,  and  in  the  maturer  judgement  of  all  these  years, 
I  regard  them  still  as  men  of  exceptional  power.  The  common  schools  wi're 
iuferior,but  the  village  academies  gave  some  of  us  an  opportunity  which 
otherwise  had  never  come.  Andes,  Delhi,  Stamford  and  Roxbury,  were 
educational  centres.  I  as  a  boy  of  fifteen,  walked  twue  a  we.'k  to  Andes,  a 
d. stance  of  ten  nules.  For  live  days  instruction  it  was  no  eas.v  task,  but 
under  the  tuition  of  Wm.  Wight  and  Peter  Smeallie  it  paid  a  thousand  times. 
There  was  once  a  family  intercourse  among  the  good  people  of  Delaware, 
which  I  susiiect  has  largely  become  a  thing  of  the  past.  The  old  l>ariiers 
have  been  swept  awa.v,  and  Delaware  county  has  met  and  absorbed  a  newer 
•ivili/.ation.     Our  fathers  are  fast   bi'coinjng   mere  names  to  be  talked  about. 

■■  Each  in  his  narrow  cell  fore\  er  hi  id 
The  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep.  " 

But  what  they  were  cannot  die.  Their  accents  live  in  other  voices  and  their 
footsteps  are  the  paths  by  which  we  walk.  The  walled  mountains  are  their 
monuments,  and  the  integrity  of  their  sons  their  highest  eulogy.  The  aliserit 
salute  you.  and  as  we  stand  Ijy  this  well  of  common  recollection,  let  us  drink 
deep  anri  long  t<>  th<'  honor  of  idd  Delaware,  and  the  men  of  one  hundred 
years  ago. 

A  river  dear  as  life  to  me. 
From  out  the  nu>unlains  liiids  the  sea. 
.\ud  oft  in  thought  I  w.inder  there. 
.\long  the  banks  of  Delaware. 

The  mountains  gaze  in  sondue  liu-e. 
Upon  the  waters  in  theii-  race. 
As  if  they  watched  in  eonstani  prayer, 
.The  dear  old  l>iink«  of.p.daware. 


210  iiisroiiv  (IF  iiF.i.AWAHt:  cm  wry. 

Along  tluise  banks.iiii  cliisly  bed, 
Thore  sleeps  in  peace  iny  eliorished  dead. 
Unvexed  by  toil  or  tnuiblous  eare 
They  rest  u[">ii  the  Delaware. 

Anil  wiirn  the  lace  of  lU'e  is  ruu. 
One  boon  I  ask  and  ask  but  one — 
That  I  with  them  a  ^rave  may  share 
Upon  the  banks  ol'  Delaware. 


Lcttoi'  fiopi   Picv.   A.  yS.   Kc(I/:ic. 

OF   GK.\N1)    n.WEN,    MICH. 

While  thankful  for  an  invitation  to  attend  the  celebration  of  Delaware- 
county's  Centennial,  it  is  too  long  a  .journey  for  one  of  my  age,  four  score  and 
ten. 

I  would  like  to  revisit  the  scenes  of  my  boyhood  in  Stamford  and  Delhi. 
The  earliest  of  these  is  readily  recalled,  being  the  building  by  my  father  of  a 
stone  milkhouse  in  Stamford,  eighty  years  ago  this  month,  to  facilitate  his 
dairying. 

It  must  have  been  about  the  year  of  your  county  organization  when  my 
grandmother  Kedzie,  whose  family  in  1795  found  a  home  in  what  soon  became 
Delaware  county,  found  herself  in  Catskill,  before  Landlord  Steele  established 
his  line  of  stages  to  that  town,  trj-iug  on  an  autumnal  Saturday  afternoon  to 
persuade  a  Delhi  neighbor  to  delay  his  return  home  till  Monday,  ofl'ering  to 
pay  his  hotel  1)111  so  that  she,  refusing  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath  day,  might 
ride  home  with  him.  He  pleaded  his  business  and  went  home.  She  went  to 
church,  and  having  bought  a  supply  of  tracts,  spent  Monday  and  Tuesday  in 
tract  distribution  while  on  her  way  home  on  foot. 

I  recall  what  I  suppose  was  the  dedication  of  the  Masonic  Temple  in  Delhi 
(now  the  Kingston  hotel  building  |  the  year  forgotten.  My  brother  James  and 
I  were  permitted  to  go  from  our  home  on  the  "  New  Patent"  in  Delhi  town- 
ship to  see  the  Masonic  procession.  In  doing  so  we  passed  the  field  our 
father  was  "summer  fallowing  "  and  with  amazement  admired  his  industry, 
when  instead  of  such  work  he  could  have  a  day's  fun  at  the  village.  In  that 
Masonic  procession  the  thing  I  most  vividly  remember  was  the  reverent  way 
Mr.  Knapp,  familiarly  known  as  Father  Knapp,  carried  the  open  Bililc  tliroiigh 
the  street. 

When  my  fathm-  removed  his  family  from  Stamford  to  Drihi,  wi-  attended 
worship  in  Rev.  Mr.  Ma.Kwell's  church  below  Delhi. 

Gen.  Koot,  Judges  Parker  and  Sherwood,  the  merchant,  Herman  D. 
Gould,  the  surveyor,  Mr.  Hathaway,  the  hatter,  Mi-.  Thurber,  Mr.  Penlield 
and  his  blacksmith  shop,  Kobert  Hyde  with  his  trowels,  Gurdon  Edger- 
ton  and  Mr.  Steele  with  their  hotels.  Judge  Foote  in  his  home  law  onii-e 
are  prominent  liguj-es  in  the  gallery  of  my  early  recollcctidiis. 


<i-:.\ri:.x.\iM.  cELKiiUAriox.  -211 

Delaware's  aiiti-roiil  war  aiid  auli-ncasiuiic  pulitics  cuiin'  later,  awalii'iiiiij; 
iliseussioii  ami  sliriiut;  society  to  its  piolinnnlest  tleplhs. 

AiiiDii;^  the  tnulitioiis  of  my  boylKiml   is  ii  llieolofjical  iliseiissioii  lield  in 

LilKi-'iton's  tavern  "  liy  Lorenzo  Dow  with  Gen.  Root  and   Mr.  Busli.     Wlieu 

asked   for   his   idea   of   Heaven,   ilr.   Dow   promptly   replied  :  •■  II   is  a   vast 

etliereal  plane  in  which  there  is  neither  a  Koot  nor  a  Bush,  and  I  fear  never 

will  he.  ■• 

One  of  my  early  attraetious  was  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Delaware 
County  Bible  Society,  held  each  winter  in  the  old  couit  house,  whose  two 
pillars  were  trimmed  with  evergreens.  In  one  such  meeting  Rev.  Robert 
Forrest  arose  in  his  stately  manner  and  said  :  "  I  have  been  a  member  of  this 
society  for  ten  years  and  am  so  plea.sed  with  its  work  in  distributing  I  lie 
Woril  of  God,  that  as  a  thank-offering  I  give  ten  dollars  to  its  treasury.  " 

Thi're  was  a  day's  fun  every  autumn  for  us  boys  in  attending  Rogiinental 
Training,  with  its  gay  sights  and  a|)petizing  gingerbread;  also,  with  the 
regiment  formed  in  a  "hollow  square"  in  its  season  of  i)rayer  led  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Ma.xwell,  whose  hat  was  reverently  placed  upon  the  bass  drum  covered 
with  a  black  ch)th:  all  concluded  with  inspiring  stiaius  of  martial  music,  a 
grand  inarch  up  the  town's  main  street  and  a  scurrying  home  of  us  boys,  tired 
hut  well  paid  by  a  day's  fun. 

My  early  recollections  are  of  the  Delaware  Gazette,  whose  columns  on  or 
alHiut  September,  IH'iH,  made  record  of  my  father's  death,  written  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Maxwell.  Seventy  years  ago  the  Gazette  was  wont  to  <'ome  to  our  home  in 
the  wilderness  of  Michigan  with  the  refreshment  of  "  good  news  from  a  far 
countrj',  "  though  its  ••  news  by  the  last  ship  from  Europe  "  was  a  month  ol<l  ; 
yet  the  Gazette,  even  to  the  advertisements  was  eagerly  read  by  the  whole 
fandly. 

This  hastj"  recital  of  a  few  things  of  the  long-ago  times  brings  to  mind  the 
fact  that  Delaware  county  in  the  first  century  of  its  history  has  oidy  and  I 
trust  fully  shared  in  the  |>rogress,  which  by  invention  and  discovery  through 
ste^ni  and  electricity  has  made  this  a  new  world. 

"Praise  Goil  from  whom  all  blessings  flow.  " 

1'.  S. — The  descendants  of  my  grandfather  Kedzic?  have  held  residence  in 
Delaware  county  during  all  the  years  of  its  organized  history.  And  those  of  us 
who  have  strayed  far  away  still  hold  some  claim  to  such  connection  with  old 
Delaware,  even  though  we  declined  the  environment  of  its  dose-abutting  hills. 

My  careless,  and  as  I  now  recall  it,  joyous  boyhood  in  Stamford  and 
Delhi,  seem  almost  like  a  former  existence,  as  all  this  world  will  soon  seem  to 
be  to  mi'.  And  of  the  world  I  ho]ie  then  to  have  as  iih-asant  recollections  as  I 
now  have  of  your  ju.stly  proud  county,  aged  one  hundred  years. 

I  hope  the  historian  of  your  celebration  will  be  abli'  to  show  the  steps  and 
recount  the  toils  and  troubles  by  which  Delaware,  in  lields  and  homes,  in 
-hools  and  churches,  in  reforms  and  politics,  came,  within  a  century,  to 
leh  its  honorable  standing  among  the  counties  of  the  Empire  state  despite 
ad  hindrance  of  hills,  which  with  all  their  ruggedness  an-  still  dear  to  my 
recolleclion. 


•212  IIISTOh'V    OF    liF.I. AWARE    CorXTV. 


I'lCiiKirK.s  of  ck'nci'iil  Ama.sa   j.  ParKcr, 

OF   ALHANY.    N.    Y. 

Mb.  Phesident.  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  :  It  is  a  matter  of  great  plcaKure 
to  nie  to  lie  witli  j'oii  here  in  my  native  village,  upon  this  occasion,  and  to  join 
with  the  sons  ami  daughters  of  old  Di'laware  in  celebrating  the  Ceuteunial  of 
her  life.  Such  a  celeliration  could  not  be  inaugurated  and  carried  through  liy 
an  inert  or  slothful  people.  That  would  be  impossible!  On  the  contiary, 
such  a  celebration  can  only  have  its  conception  and  being  among  an  active 
and  aggressive  population,  proud  of  its  past  history  and  achievements  as  well 
as  ambitious  for  future  growth  and  renown.  Not  only  is  a  Centennial  of  this 
character  to  be  appreciated  for  re\i\iijt,'  ihe  past  and  for  the  expression  of 
hopes  for  the  future,  but  for  the  social  and  neighborly  iutercoui'sc  among  the 
people  brought  together  from  all  parts  of  the  county. 

The  history  of  this  county  which  will  be  laid  Ijefore  you  at  this  time,  the 
facts  which  will  lie  brought  to  light,  the  duties  which  will  be  taught,  will  in  a 
great  measure  tell  upon  the  character  of  every  one  who  takes  part  in  this 
interesting  celebration.  Those  who  are  here  will,  returning  to  their  homes, 
impart  newly  gained  knowledge  to  others  and  thus  much  that  was  almost  for- 
gotten in  the  laud  will  lie  revived  and  stam))ed  upon  tlie  memories  of  a  new 
generation. 

While  considering  the  past  of  this  county  we  caimot  ovei'look  the  fact  that 
it  has  contributed  its  full  share  toward  the  bui!di;<g  uji  of  our  great  State  and 
Nation  and  that  her  sous  have  ever  loyally  fcuighi  lor  the  inlcgrily  and  honor 
of  the  country. 

"Well  may  we  here  to-daj-  renew  the  memories  of  our  forefathers'  days,  for 
our  own  good  and  the  lessons  taught.  They  were  daj-s  of  trial  and  want,  of 
courage,  devotion  and  sacrifice.  The  steadiness,  thrift,  economy  and  industry 
of  those  days  was  in  strong  contrast  with  these  days  of  luxury,  extravagance 
and  speculation.  For  (me,  I  should  hail  most  heartily  much  more  simplicity 
and  earnestness  in  every  day  life,  without,  in  any  degree,  detracting  from  the 
spirit  and  lite  of  true  progress. 

I  am  here  from  busy  surroundings  for  but  a  few  hours  to  record  myself  as 
present  and  join  in  these  festivities.  Personally  I  prefer  to  listen  and  ponder, 
rather  than  talk  iiiuili  upon  this  occasion.  Besides  many  are  here  and  each 
one  should  have  an  opportunity  to  speak.  Kichly  cherished  memories  crowd 
iipoii  me  in  these  surroundings.  Though  taken  by  my  parents  to  .\lb.-Liiy 
when  about  a  year  old  I  was  here  in  this  village  many  times  in  my  boyhood 
and  enjoyed  many  a  ramble  or  drive  among  the  hills  and  in  the  valleys  of  Del- 
aware county.  My  few  latest  trips,  say  during  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
have  been  sad  ones  when  dear  friends  or  elders  of  my  kin  have  been  laid  at 
rest. 

This  county  has  ever  held  .-i  warm  place  In  my  affections  and  my  )iarents 
early  inspired  me  with  their  love  for  its  generous,  intelligent,  cultured.  (Jod- 
fearing  and  prosperous  people.  Many  of  those  I  prized  here  in  my  youth  and 
those  who  became  my  friends  in  later  years,  beginning  with  school  and  college 


n 

o 


CEXTEXXIAI.    CKI.kHIiATIoX.  'ilij 

"lays,  fiiim  Di-luwure  fiuiuty,  urc  vory  ik'ur  U>  my  iiR'iuory  ami  iicaily  all  of 
tlu'iii  have  already  passed  over  the  dark  river  into  the  life  eternal. 

May  the  (Ireat  Ruler  i>f  all  who  doeth  all  things  well  and  who  has  show- 
ered his  blessings  upon  us  in  the  past,  eontiuue  His  pniteclion  and  direction 
for  all  time. 

l\>.-nKii-K.s  o\    n.iv^'i'   I-    II-    nililHil. 
OF  ionoi;s,  N.   V. 

MH.  t'HAIKMAX,  L.4.DIES  AXD  GENTLEMEN:  It  is  Hot  wilhuul  eousidenible 
trepidation  that  I,  a  physician,  respond  to  your  call  for  a  speech  on  this  occa- 
sion, especially  in  the  presence  of  so  many  lawyers  as  aliound  at  this  county 
seat  anil  who  are  presumably  better  fitted  by  trade  and  training'  for  this  than 
I.  .\nd  it  is  fair  to  assume  tliat  they  are  more  fitted  Ijy  natural  predilection 
and  training  for  tliis  task,  for  I  once  heard  of  a  father  and  mother  (up  here  in 
the  hills  of  Delaware  or  somewhere)  who  wished  to  educate  and  prepare  one 
of  their  sons  for  the  greatest  influence  in  life  of  which  he  was  capable.  They 
thought  it  necessary  to  ascertain  his  natural  bciil  or  inclination,  believing 
that  they  would  attain  larger  and  surer  success  by  educating  him  along  this 
line.  So  they  left  him  alone  in  a  room  in  which  had  been  placed  an  orange,  a 
dollar  and  a  BiV)le,  and  they  said :  "  Now  it  on  our  return  we  find  that  he  has 
taken  the  oi-ange  we  will  make  a  farmer,  an  agriculturist  ot  liiiii.  II  he  has 
preferred  the  dollar  we  will  educate  him  for  a  business  man,  a  financier.  If 
he  has  taken  to  the  Bible  we  will  make  him  a  preacher."  Keturning  after  a 
few  minutes  they  opened  the  door  and  found  .Johnnie  sitting  on  the  Bible, 
eating  the  orange  and  with  the  dollar  in  his  i)ocket.  The  old  farmer  ex- 
claimed :  "Mary  .lane  that  boy  is  a  hog,  we'll  make  a  lawyer  of  him."  I  give 
that  to  the  lawyers  just  to  allay  my  nervousness.  Seriously,  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen, I  congratulate  you  on  this  occasion  which  you  celebrate,  and  as  I 
address  you  my  heart  Alls  with  pride  and  pleasure  for,  Mr.  t'hairman.  I  deem 
it  not  only  a  pleasure  but  a  privilege  to  be  with  you  all  to-day.  I  ,iiu  prouil 
that  I  am  a  son  of  old  Delaware  county,  and  when  I  look  into  the  faces  of  my 
old  associates  many  are  the  recollections  of  by-gone  happy  days  that  Hash 
vividly  before  my  memory,  and  as  these  recollections  appear  before^  me  I  feel 
like  repn>ating  poetry  and  song  : 

Backward,  turn  backward,  oh  time  in  your  Might. 
.\nd  make  me  a  child  again  just  for  to-night. 

If  it  be  at  all  times  discreditable  to  man's  character  to  fail  in  jiatriotic  love 
and  loyalty  t4)  the  land  of  his  nativity,  how  much  more  inexcusal)le  such 
recreancy  is  in  a  son  of  old  Delaware  county.  Where  in  all  the  broad  land  can 
we  find  a  locality  offering  so  much  to  appeal  to  patriotic  love  and  pride  as  this 
county  presents  to  her  sons  and  daughters.  Her  climate.  .So  salubrious,  so 
varied,  always  stopping  short  of  uncomfortable  extreiiu's  in  wint<'r  or  in  sum- 
mer. Her  physical  geography  and  landscape,  scenery,  hills  and  valleys,  a 
happy  medium  always  between  the  rugged,  rocky  and  often  barren  mountains 
«n  the  one  hand,  and  monotonous  levels  on  the  other. 
1-2 


216  HISTORY    OF    DKI.AWARK    CorSTY. 

Her  pure  pereiiuial  spiiiij;s,  purliiij;  rills  and  stately  rivers,  tlie  feitility  ot' 
her  soil ;  nowhere  else  tlo  we  find  the  earpeling  of  the  valleys  ami  the  drapery 
of  the  hillsides  more  delightfully  verdant  with  grass,  or  more  biautifully 
bespangled  with  flowers,  and  nowhere  else  do  we  find  more  various,  more 
beautiful  or  more  stately  woods  than  those  which  are  indigenous  to  her  soil, 
and  which  frieze  and  embroider  the  landscape  on  every  hand.  Agriculturally, 
a  country  especially  adapted  to  grazing  and  dairying,  her  pastures  clothed 
with  flocks,  her  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills,  add  interest  to  the  scenes  to  mem- 
ory dear.  The  agricultural  products  such  as  milk,  butter,  eggs  and  maple 
sugar  are  those  which  will  always  lind  a  market  in  the  great  cities  of  the  east 
not  far  away,  while  the  character  of  the  climate,  the  nature  of  the  soil  and  the 
purity  of  the  water  are  such  as  make  these  products  the  best  on  the  market, 
untainted  by  garlick,  ragwood  or  a  thousand  other  noxious  and  deleterious 
weeds  which  grow  in  other  sections.  These  advantages  afford  greater  stabil- 
ity in  the  prices  of  his  products  and  value  of  property  and  a  more  sure  reward 
for  his  toil  to  the  farmer  of  Delaware  county  than  to  those  of  other  sections  of 
our  great  country.  Delaware  county  has  not  suffered  as  have  other  sections 
of  our  land  from  the  stringency  and  depression  of  the  last  few  years.  Then, 
the  people  of  this  generation,  as  we  remember  them  (and  we  trust  they  may 
always  continue  to  be)  were  a  self-respecting.  God-fearing,  church-going  race 
who  reared  their  children  and  sent  them  forth  into  all  departments  of  human 
life  in  the  world,  inspired,  athletic,  girded  and  panoplied  ;  and  we  think  we  may 
safely  affirm  that  the  children  of  old  Delaware  county  wherever  they  may  have 
gone  and  in  the  midst  of  whatever  opportunities  and  responsibilities  they  may 
have  been  tested,  they  have  proven  themselves  exceptionally  true  and  strong 
in  all  that  goes  to  make  up  a  noble  and  useful  manhood  or  a  beautiful  and 
lovely  womanhood.  .A.nd  this,  after  all,  is  the  highest  purpose  which  a  com- 
munity like  old  Delaware  subserves,  to  furnish  men — fresh,  pure,  strong 
manhood.  Look  down  the  roll  of  great  men  who  in  all  departments  of  human 
thought  and  enterprise  have  attained  distinction  and  have  achieved  success, 
especially  as  heroes  and  benefactors  of  the  race.  Begin  with  that  old  history, 
the  Bible,  follow  down  the  ages  to  the  present  time,  trace  the  biographies  of 
the  great  men,  the  successful  men,  in  all  walks  of  life  to-day,  and  note  how 
large  a  proportion  of  them  came  from  the  influence  and  environments  of  rural 
and  agricultural  communities.  This  can  all  be  explained,  but  that  is  not  my 
purpose  here  nor  have  I  time  to  do  so.  Enough  it  is  to  note  the  fact,  and 
remember  that  there  is  no  more  ad\antageous  sphere  in  which  to  rear  a  family 
of  boys  and  girls  and  attain  the  highest  results  to  which  any  wise  parent 
would  aspire  than  that  this  county  furnishes,  viz.,  character,  not  wealth,  nor 
fame  necessarily,  but  manhood  and  womanhood.  And  never  was  there  greater 
need  and  demand  for  this  product  so  peculiarly  indigenous  to  old  Delaware- 
than  to-day. 

Ill  fares  the  land,  to  hastening  ills  a  prey. 
Where  wealth  accumulates  and  men  decay. 
Princes  and  lords  may  llourish  or  may  fade, 
A  lireath  can  malie  tliem.  as  a  breath  has  made. 
But  a  bold  peasantry,  their  country's  pride. 
When  once  destroyed,  can  never  be  supplied. 


CENTENXIAL   CELEBRATION.  JIT 

lA'ttir   \'vom    lion.    l),^i\iil    ^\uiici\;,    LL.D., 

OF    Ni:\V    liKlXSWICK,     X.      I. 

It  is  with  {;rc!it  rogrot  tluit  I  am  conipi'lltMl  ti>  abiiudon  my  wish  to  be 
ineseiit  at  the  (•clebiation  ol'  the  ci'iitciiuial  aiuiiviTsary  of  the  political  orj;aiii- 
7.alioii  of  Delaware  county.  \  century  seems  like  a  long  period  in  the  history 
of  any  civil  body  ;  but  when  at  its  completion  we  look  back  upon  its  rounded 
ypars,  it  counts  for  comparatively  little.  In  a  certain  sense  the  whole  period 
can  be  spanned  within  my  own  experience.  Thus,  the  political  life  of  General 
Erastiis  Root  reaches  back  to  the  very  origin  of  Delaware  county.  He  was  a 
Member  of  Assembly,  representing  the  county  in  1798 — the  second  year  of  its 
i>rgani'/.ation.  .\nil  yet  when  I  was  a  school  boy  at  Delaware  .\ca(lemy,  I 
reniemlicr  perfectly  his  veneralile  figure  as  he  used  to  sit  on  the  veranda  of 
his  house  opposite  the  old  .\(iidem}-  liuildiiig.  To  us  he  seemed  a  most  inter- 
i-sting  and  pictures<|ue  old  man.  He  was  fond  of  gathering  us  about  hitu,  and 
as  was  his  wont,  teasing  us  and  telling  us  stories.  He  was  the  President  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Academy,  and  as  such  he  was  a  person  of  great 
importance,  and  considerable  terror  to  our  little  community.  He  was  nearly 
always  present  at  the  examination  of  our  classes,  and  used  to  frighten  us  very 
much  by  the  learned  questions  he  used  to  put  to  us  in  our  Latin  and  other 
studies.  It  was  with  a  kind  of  awe  that  it  was  whispered  among  us  tliat  in 
his  youth  he  had  published  an  arithmetic,  wlijch  fcir  a  time  held  its  place 
beside  those  of  Pike  and  Dalioll. 

>!}•  friend,  Ihe  late  Judge  Parker,  of  .\lbany,  told  me  a  story  of  General 
ituol  which  I  have  never  seen  in  print,  and  which  you  will  perhaps  pardon  me 
if  I  here  insert : — In  the  early  days  of  Delaware  county,  when  General  Koot 
was  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  the  route  from  Albanj-  to  Delhi  was  by  stage 
ilown  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson  to  Coxsackie,  and  thence  out  over  the  Cats- 
kill  mountains  to  the  Delaware  river.  On  one  of  these  trips  the  stage  was 
u|isel  and  Geiu'ral  Root  had  his  leg  broken.  He  was  detained  at  the  poor 
little  village  many  weeks,  while  his  leg  was  mending.  .Jutlge  Parker,  who  had 
then  taken  up  his  residence  at  Albany,  went  down  to  visit  him  during  his  con- 
valescence and  foun<l  him  in  a  most  irritable  and  impatient  frame  of  ndud. 
It  must  be  understood  that  at  that  time  very  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cox- 
sackie, being  descendants  of  the  Dutch  settlers,  spoke  little  except  Dutch. 
General  Root  complained  bitterly  of  his  forlorn  and  wearisome  condition. 
••Think  of  it,"  said  he,  "here  I  am  in  this  miserable,  God-forsaken  hole;  with 
nobiHJy  to  talk  to  and  nobody  to  drink  with;  and  if  I  were  to  die  here  and  be 
buried  among  thi'Se  Dutchmen,  when  I  rise  at  the  resurrection  I  will  not  be 
able  to  understand  a  damned  word  which  these  Hollanders  have  to  say." 

I  have  referre<l  to  the  Delaware  Academy  in  connection  with  General 
U<«)t;  but  one  eaiujot  recall  this  venerable  Institution  at  that  day  without 
bringing  to  mind  its  accomi)lislu'd  Principal,  Rev.  Daniel  Shepard.  You 
cannot  appropriately  celebrate  the  past  century  of  Delaware  county  without 
making  mention  of  him  who  rendered  so  great  and  so  valuable  a  servi(M>  to 
this  community.     His   line  .scholarship,  his   apt  .•md   attractive  methods  of 


218  HISTORY  OF  DELA^yAliE  corxrv. 

teaching,  liis  graeol'ul  and  attractive  ])Oisonalty,  anil  liis  puro  and  manly 
eluiraetor  niailo  him  the  idol  of  the  students  and  the  pride  and  honor  of  the 
town. 

I  confess  to  a  kind  ot,  gralilication  in  belongiug  to  that  interesting  section 
of  the  people  of  Delaware  county  which  we  may  denominate  the  Scotch  contin- 
gent. You  will  agree  with  me,  I  am  sure,  that  no  part  of  the  settlers  of  this 
county  has  contributed  more  to  its  solid  growth  and  prosperity.  In  reading 
the  annals  of  Drumtochty,  which  Ian  Maclaren  has  so  inimitably  sketched  in 
the  Bonnie  Brier  Bush,  I  have  often  thought  that  here  in  your  very  midst  was 
a  Scotch  element  which  only  needed  such  a  hand  of  genius  to  make  equally 
immortal. 

Delaware  county  received  its  Hrst  installment  of  Scotch  immigrants  before 
the  richer  regions  of  Western  New  York,  or  the  still  more  fertile  and  atl  raetive 
territories  of  Ohio,  and  the  farther  West  was  open  to  settlement.  They  came 
here  because  the  hills,  the  streams  and  the  valleys  reminded  them  ot  their 
dear  old  homes  in  Scotland.  They  brought  with  them  their  churches,  their 
.  schools  and  their  love  of  political  and  religious  liberty ;  and  they  have  here 
helped  to  build  up  intelligent,  honest  and  God-fearing  communities,  which 
have  made  this  county  a  .synonym  for  all  that  is  best  and  most  suljstantial. 

There  have  been  three  periods  of  trial  tlirough  which  this  county  has  been 
called  to  pass  in  attaining  her  present  standpoint.  The  first  of  these  was  the 
Revolutionary  period.  This  was  indeed  over  before  the  separate  history  of 
the  county  was  begun ;  but  the  patriotic  qualities  of  the  heroes  of  that  day 
w-ere  submitted  to  a  sharp  test.  ■  The  second  period  was  the  Anti-Kent  episode, 
which  in  1845-6  stirred  the  countj'  to  its  angry  depths.  And  yet  out  of  tlie 
excitement  and  tragedies  of  that  time  the  character  of  its  population  has  sur- 
vived unharmed.  A  third  period  of  trial  came  when  in  common  with  all  the 
North,  you  were  called  upon  to  put  down  the  great  Rebellion  of  1861-.1.  Even 
yet  there  are  hearts  in  this  community  which  are  wrung  with  pain  at  the 
recollection  of  the  sacrifices  which  they  were  called  upon  to  make  at  that  time. 
Of  the  hundreds  of  husbands  and  sons  who  were  given  up  to  join  in  that  terri- 
ble conflict,  how  many  are  sleeping  in  unknown  graves?  and  of  the  thinning 
ranks  who  still  survive,  how  many  are  carrying  with  them  perpetual  memen- 
toes of  their  battles,  their  marches  and  their  encampments?  And  yet  out  of 
all  these  heavy  trials  who  does  not  recognize  that  this  noble  and  stalwart 
county  has  by  means  of  them  been  chastened  to  a  higher  destiny,  and  to-day 
at  the  end  of  her  first  century,  stands  more  conspicuously  strong  and  vigorous 
than  ever  before. 

As  one  of  her  loyal  sons,  who  has  enjoyed  the  high  privilege  of  having 
been  born  and  fostered  within  her  territory,  I  desire  to-day  to  join  with  others 
equally  loyal,  in  celebrating  her  centennial  annivei'sarj-,  and  in  extending  to 
her  our  congratulations  upon  the  past  century  of  success,  and  in  wishing  to 
her  in  the  future  the  same  allotment  of  good  fortune  and  prosperity. 


CEXTi:y.\iAi.  ci-:li:i!ratii)X.  2iu 

liCilliirN.s   o|    ).    1.  lioodiivh,  V.si\., 

(ir    IIKI.HI,     \.     V. 

Mh.  Phesidext  and  Fellow  Citizens:  Ninety-seven  yenrs  jifjo  niy  fjiiiiid- 
fiillier.  Isaai-  (lootlrich,  who  had  been  a.  soklier  of  the  Revolution,  willi  Ins 
family  and  liis  lirother  . Tared  with  his  family  eanie  to  Dehiware  eouuty.  He 
selll.'d  in  the  town  of  Delhi  at  a  plaee  now  ealled  DeLaneey,  then  beinn  a  |iail 
of  I)i!lii  the  town  of  Hainden  not  having  been  foiiued  till  twenty-five  years 
afleiward.  At  this  time  my  father,  Hiram  B.  Goodrich,  was  eij^ht  years  of 
«(;e,  antl  when  he  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  lie  enlisted  as  a  sol- 
ilier  in  the  war  of  1812  and  eontinued  in  the  service  until  the  elose  of  the  war. 

I  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  have  always  lived  here,  and  no  man  has 
^{reater  reason  to  cherish  feelings  of  love  and  gratiludi'  towanl  this  county 
than  myself. 

The  early  settlers  of  this  part  of  the  county  were  many  of  them  from  New 
England.  They  cut  loose  from  civilization  ;  they  brought  their  all  with  them  ; 
lliey  burneil  their  bridges  behind  them.  These  l)rave  hardy  men  with  their 
faithful  devoted  wives,  their  strong  stalwai't  sons,  their  flrm-hearted  daugh- 
ters and  the  little  children  "  homeless  except  for  the  mother's  arms  and  couch- 
less  except  for  the  mother's  breast,"  plunged  into  this  wilderness  and  enlisted 
ill  a  life  struggle  for  its  conquest. 

Instead  of  being  surrounded  by  the  comforts,  conveniences  and  enjoyments 
of  civilized  life,  '■  Bleal;  nature's  desolation  wrapped  them  round,  eternal  for- 
ests and  iinyicliling  earth."  Instead  of  the  sound  Of  the  steam  whistle  and 
the  church  bell  they  heard  the  howl  of  the  wolf,  the  Scream  of  the  panther  and 
the  war  whoop  of  the  Indian. 

Id  those  days  when  a  man  got  up  in  the  morning  he  had  to  fed  of  his  scalp 
t<>  see  if,  like  his  country's  flag,  it  was  "still  there." 

This  was  no  "  camping  out "  party,  this  was  no  holiday  excursion  ;  it  meant 
business.  The  siivage  beast  and  the  still  more  .savage  man  had  to  be  driven 
out,  the  forest  lijid  to  be  cut  down  and  subdued,  and  all  the  hanlships.  priva- 
tions an<l  daugei'S  necessarily  incident  to  the  conversion  of  a  wildiuness  had  to 
be  encountered  and  endured.  And  yet  in  spite  of  all  these  hindrance's  and 
iibstaides  such  was  the  energy  and  industry  of  these  pioneers  that  we  lind  by 
the  census  of  1825  that  they  had  changed  this  wilderness  into  a  thriving  coin- 
iniinity  with  a  population  of  nearly  thirty  thousand. 

Delaware  county  has  always  discharged  her  dutii\s,  public  .iiul  pri\ate, 
faithfully  and  well — has  borne  her  full  share  of  the  burdens  in  war  ami  in 
peace.  In  the  war  of  1812  she  furnished  her  full  i|Uota  of  soldieis,  and  in  the 
war  of  the  Rebellion  no  county  of  its  size  in  tiiis  state  or  any  other  sent  to  the 
front  more  or  better  or  Ijraver  men  than  Delaware  county.  Scarely  a  battle 
Held  of  the  war  which  was  not  moistened  by  tlic  I. Ion. I  of  Delaware  county's 

Imys. 

Di'laware  county  being  an  inland  county  with  no  cities,  no  great  coniiner- 
eial  or  railroad  centers,  no  extensive  manufacturing  towns  or  establishments, 
thousands  of  our  most  active,  energetic  and  amliitious  young  men  have  gone 


220  HISTORY    OF    OKI. AWARE    COCXTV. 

out  from  us  to  huilil  up  oilier-  loi-iilities  or  to  engagi'  in  luisiiu'ss  when-  quii-UiT 
and  j;ieater  returns  woro  promisctl.  The  West  is  full  of  them,  ami  when  ymi 
find  a  Delaware  county  lioy  you  find  a  leader. 

But  in  spite  of  this  drain  upon  our  population  Delaware  county  has  always 
had  and  still  has  as  successful  teachers,  as  eloquent  preachers,  as  skilful  phy- 
sicians, as  able  lawyers,  as  up-to-date  farmers  and  mechanics  as  any  similar 
locality  in  the  State. 

Delaware  county  has  reason  to  lie  proud  of  her  history,  her  rec(jrd,  her 
able  men,  her  uolile  women,  and  nevi>r  more  so  than  to-da.v. 


rn-marl^.s  of  Ar.  Thomas  Ci.  5tr»itb, 

OF    SIDNEY,   N.   V. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen:  I  have  been  delighted  in  what  I  have  seen  and 
heard  this  afternoon  at  this  Centennial  celebration  of  old  Delaware  county.  I 
have  heard  a  great  many  things  this  afternoon  that  take  me  back  to  the  days 
of  my  boyhood.  I  can  recollect  in  old  Delaware  county  when  there  was  no 
such  thing  as  a  mile  of  railroad  known,  no  telegraph,  nothing  but  the  old  stage 
coach  for  a  means  of  conveyance ;  when  it  was  guite  a  circumstance  to  make  a 
journey  of  a  hundred  miles;  when  it  took  four  or  five  days  to  get  a  letter  a 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  cents  postage.  In  looking  over 
some  of  the  old  relics  down  in  the  jury  room  I  was  reminded  of  things  in  my 
boyhood  days.  I  well  remember  when  my  father  used  to  raise  flax,  when  my 
mother  used  to  spin  it  on  a  little  wheel,  weave  cloth,  make  tha  summer  gar- 
ments for  the  family  out  of  the  tow  cloth,  and  the  winter  garments  out  of 
woolen  cloth ;  she  would  spin  the  wool  and  dye  it  and  make  the  cloth.     *     ' 

Many  of  these  things  remind  us  that  we  are  getting  along  in  years  in  the 
historj'  of  Delaware  county.  We  call  it  "old"  Delaware.  I  think  ninety-seven 
times  this  afternoon  I  have  heard  the  expression  "old  Delaware."  But,  in 
another  sense  of  the  word,  what  is  "old?"  "Old"  is  not  always  represented 
by  years.  AVe  get  a  better  idea  b.v  comparison  sometimes.  If  a  man  is  a  hun- 
dred years  old  we  call  him  old.  If  a  country  or  a  government  was  a  hundred 
years  old  we  might  not  call  it  old.  I  think  I  heard  one  speaker  this  afternoon 
say  that  there  was  a  building  in  Roxbury  a  hundred  and  four  years  old.  A  few 
years  ago,  in  that  marvelous  city  in  the  Adriatic  sea,  I  stood  inside  of  a  i  Iniich 
building  that  was  built  in  the  sixth  century,  over  thirteen  hundred  ye:irs  old. 
It  looked  as  though  it  was  made  for  another  thousand  yeai'S.  We  would  call 
that  old  in  Delaware  county.     *     *     « 

For  all  that  I  am  willing  to  admit  that  old  Delawai-e,  I  am  rea<ly  to  allow- 
that  terra,  I  am  proud  of  it,  I  am  glad  to  hear  the  term  applied  to  it,  "old 
Delaw-are."  I  am  proud  of  being  a  citizen  of  old  Delaware.  Delaware  does 
not  possess  .some  things  that  other  countries  do,  I  will  admit  that.  She  does 
not  have  any  wondeiful  Niagara  Falls ;  she  does  not  have  such  a  grand  fissure 
in  the  earth  as  the  canon  of  the  Yosemite ;  she  don't  have  any  range  of  snow 
capped  mountains  piercing  into  the  clouds ;  don't  have  any  sunny  climes 
where  the  frost  king  never  is  known.     On  tlie  other  hand  she  don't  have  any 


CEXTEXXfAL   CKLKIUiATIoX.  'i-il 

mia.'^ma,  don't  liave  any  earthiiuakcs,  tlou't  hav(>  any  tornadoes,  don't  liavc 
any  blasting  sirocco.  Bnt  sho  docs  have  these  grand  green  hills,  these  beauti- 
ful vaUeys,  these  pretty  villages  dotted  all  over,  this  [iri-tty  Delhi  backed  liy 
its  beautiful  green  hills.  .\11  over  the  hills  of  Delaware  gushes  the  sparkling 
water  that  is  <lrink  for  man  and  beast  and  rivals  the  fabled  neetar  of  the  gods. 
All  hail,  old  Delaware!  And  when  the  second  century  of  its  establishniiMit  is 
(•elebrated  may  it  liaxc  grown  better  and   better  with  the  years  in  the  century. 


r>cnuirk.s  of  Hon.  T.  E.  Hani'Oils, 

OK    SVH.\CUSE,     X.     V. 

Mli.  Cn.\iini.\N.  Fellow  Citizens,  L.vDiEs  .\NU  GentlemeK  :  I  am  pnmd 
and  pleased  to  be  the  salutatorian  this  evi'niug.  I'lnler  that  arrangement  yn\i 
will  soon  lie  out  of  tronlile  and  so  will  I. 

I  I'ongratulate  you  upon  being  one  humlred  years  old  to-day,  as  a  county; 
certainly  not  as  individuals,  especially  the  ladies.  Judging  from  what  I  heard 
here  this  aftemooD,  if  oiiu  person  should  attempt  to  tell  all  the  good  things 
that  eouhl  be  said  concerning  tliis  county  and  its  sons  and  daughters  he  would 
speak  from  now  until  the  dawn  of  the  next  centennial  day. 

I  have  not  armed  myself  with  those  deadly  weapons,  the  cyclopaedia  and 
the  gazetteer,  if  you  have  one,  but  I  remember  reading  in  a  New  York  paper 
the  other  day  that  Delaware  county  was  celebrated  for  many  things;  among 
others  that  it  was  distinguished  for  its  hops.  I  understand  you  claim  not  to 
raise  hops  here,  but  it  must  be  so,  if  it  says  so  in  the  paper.  You  are  al.so 
noted  for  your  maple  sugar,  for  your  tanneries  and  your  temperance  Demo- 
crats. That  is  certainly  glory  enough  for  one  county.  I  have  been  in  a  great 
ninny  counties  that  were  not  distinguished  in  that  way,  especially  in  the  latter 
respect. 

One  of  your  fellon-  citizens  who  is  dead  and  gone  and  who  has  been  referred 
to  by  your  speakers,  called  Delaware  county  the  Swit/.c^rland  of  .\merica  ;  and 
with  its  hills  and  valleys,  its  healthful  clime  and  fertile  soil,  it  seems  to  me 
that  it  combines  the  beauties  of  Switzerland  and  of  the  country  about  the 
Khiue. 

This  same  veracious  newspaper  that  I  was  speaking  about  lievoted  some 
remarks  to  myself  in  an  adjoining  column,  of  course  complimentary,  in  which 
it  called  me,  if  I  remember  correctly,  a  statesman  from  the  Onondago  Keser- 
vation.  If  that  be  true,  I  must  be  related  in  some  way  to  the  tribe  of  Dela- 
wnres.  I  certainly  ought  to  be  interested  here  because,  if  I  remember  rea<liug 
correctly,  in  17(i«  (uie  of  my  progenitors,  a  chief  by  the  name  of  Segareesera 
joined  in  a  deed  of  conveyance  whereby  he  sold  all  his  right,  title  and  interest 
in  and  to  Delaware  eount.v  and  thi'  surrounding  country  to  King  George  the 
Thiril  for  tifty  thousand  dollars.  I.and  was  high  in  Delaware  county  at  that 
lime,  comparatively  speaking,  because  I  remember  before  that  Manhattan 
Island  was  sold  for  twenty  four  dollars.  A  few  years  after  that  King  George 
the  Third  transferred  to  a  free  and  independent  people  all  his  title  to  the 
whole  country  for  a  much  smaller  consideration. 


222  IllsroliV    OF    DlCLAWMtK    t'OlXTV. 

I  also  am  iulorestiMl  iu  this  county  lierause  I  believe  I  I'oniierly  lived  iir 
Delaware  eouiity,  by  proxy,  at  least.  I  think  that  Onondaga  i-ounty,  in  fact, 
all  the  counties  between  Oswego  and  Delaware  once  belonged  to  Tryon  county, 
iiiKl  you  could  travel  all  the  way  from  Delhi  to  the  Onondaga  valley  without 
going  out  of  the  county,  and  if  a  man  wanted  to  visit  his  neighbor,  all  he  had  to- 
do  was  to  gel  upon  his  horse,  put  his  wife  on  b(>hind  him,  travel  three  or  four 
weeks  and  he  would  find  himself  in  his  neighbor's  back  yard.  Those  were  the 
days  of  stage  coaches.  These  are  the  days  of  chain  lightning.  If  you  desire 
to  visit  with  a  man  in  London  to-day,  iu  half  an  hour  you  can  shake  hand.s 
across  the  sea.  If  you  want  to  talk  with  a  man  in  Chicago,  in  five  minutes 
you  hear  him  at  the  other  end  of  the  wire. 

We  do  well  to  celebrate  the  deeds  of  our  ancestors.  I  ha\e  been  pleased 
to  hear  these  venerable  men  speak  about  the  sires  of  '76,  how  the  good  old 
men  of  Delaware  county  fought  for  thi'ir  liberty,  fought  to  achieve  independ- 
ence for  this  nation,  to  build  up  this  garden  of  the  gods  where  you  are  living 
to-day.  .\nd  I  was  pleased  to  hear  them  tell  of  the  patriots  of  1H12.  who 
fought  to  maintain  the  dignity  and  self  respect  of  the  youngest  of  the  family 
of  nations;  and  then  still  later,  how  the  sons  of  Delaware  left  their  homes  and 
their  firesides,  kissed  their  wives  and  children  good-bye,  said  farewell  to  father 
and  mother  and  went  down  into  the  vallej'  of  the  shadow  of  death  to  fight  in 
behalf  of  home  and  native  land.  We  do  well  to  praise  such  deeds  and  to 
remember  gratefully  those  who  have  preceded  us. 

I  have  been  told  since  I  have  been  here  that  Delaware  county  is  sur- 
rounded by  seven  other  counties  and  one  State.  I  would  not  undertake  to  tell 
what  those  counties  are,  I  never  was  good  in  geography.  I  believe  that  Sulli- 
van is  one,  and  Greene  and  Ulster,  Schoharie,  Broome,  Otsego  and  Chenango; 
and  Pennsylvania.  Is  that  right'?  That  is  the  best  recitation  I  have  made  in 
geography  in  a  long  time.  But,  judging  from  the  patriotism  I  have  seen  man- 
ifested here,  you  are  not  willing  to  be  bounded  by  any  such  narrow  confines  as 
that.  Sometimes  the  further  a  man  gets  awa}' from  home  the  more  patriotic^ 
he  is,  and  some  of  you  seem  to  be  feeling  about  like  a  man  from  the  wild  and 
woolly  West  who  was  celebrating  the  Fourth  of  July  in  Paris.  In  fact  there 
were  three  of  them ;  one  was  from  Boston,  the  other  from  the  South  and  the 
other  from  the  West.  They  were  having  a  Fourth  of  July  celebraticm  all  by 
themselves.  Aud  the  gentleman  from  Boston  proposed  a  toast  to  the  United 
States.  With  true  Bostonian  precision,  he  says  :  "  Here's  to  the  United  States ; 
bounded  on  the  North  by  British  America,  bounded  on  the  South  by  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  bounded  on  the  East  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  bounded  on  the 
West  by  the  Pacific  Ocean."  The  reconstructed  gentleman  from  the  South  was 
not  satisfied.  He  says.  "I  think  that  hardly  expresses  the  idea.  I  will  pro- 
pose a  toast  to  our  native  land.  Here's  to  the  United  States;  bounded  on  the 
North  by  the  North  Pole,  bounded  on  the  South  by  the  South  Pole,  bounded  on 
the  East  by  the  rising  sun,  bounded  on  the  West  by  the  setting  sini.  '  The 
gentleman  from  the  West  was  not  satisfied  with  that.  He  says,  "I  think  I 
can  express  the  idea  more  clearly ;  I  will  propose  a  toast.  Here's  to  the 
United  States ;  bounded  on  the  North  by  the  North  Star,  bounded  on  the 
South  by  the  Southern  Cross,  boundetl  on  the  East  by  chaos,  bounded  on  the 


CEXTH.WIAI.    CKI.KIIIiATKl.y.  O^-.i 

Wi'st  liy  I'ti-ruity."  Ami  1  >u|i|i(>se  thai  is  iilioiit  tin'  si/.c  of  Dcinwarc  ooiuity 
t'«-ili»y.  Wi>  oiitsidi'is,  lliMitiles,  so  to  speak,  aro  wiliiuK  to  coui't'dc  tliat  Di'ia- 
wuri-  I'ouiity  is  about  all  tlioro  is  of  it.  It  was  uot  our  fault  that  we  were  not 
liorii  hi>rt»;  we  w<>re  not  consultefl,  we  didn't  have  our  ehoice. 

I  am  expectin;;  to  lii>!ir  tliat  travel  strike  and  I  do  not  intend  to  talk  nuuh 
longer.  I  have  hi'ard  snnir  MTy  line  things  about  Delaware  county.  I  have 
been  told  that  for  sixteen  yc-ars  after  you  built  your  first  jail  the  county  judge 
and  district  attorney  and  the  committing  magistrates  were  discouraged  be- 
cause no  one  viMitured  to  lireak  the  law,  and  linally  they  turned  the  jail  into  a 
hotel.  Anil  then  for  about  twenty  or  thirty  years  after  that  when  a  nuiu  coni- 
niitte<l  a  misdemeanor  he  walked  into  the  jail  and  locked  himself  in  ;  this  was 
way  l>ack  in  '"iJt.  I  suppose  that  explains  the  temperance  Democrats.  I  am 
reminded  that  some  of  my  fellow  members  of  the  bar  (I  am  supposed  to  be  the 
titular  head  of  the  members  of  the  bar)  felt  aggrieved  at  some  remarks  that 
were  made  liere  this  afternoon  by  a  physician  concerning  the  boy  who  sat  on 
the  Bible  with  the  orange  in  his  mouth  and  the  dollar  in  his  pocket.  He- 
claimed  that  the  boy  became  a  lawyer.  Now,  we  can  all  say  that,  as  far  as  the 
dollar  in  liis  pocki't  is  concerned  it  is  a  mistake;  but  I  would  call  the  gentle- 
man's attention  to  that  passage  of  s<ripturo  which  reads  as  follows  :  ••  And  .Vsa 
was  sick,  and  they  sent  tor  a  physician,  and  Asa,  died.' 

Now,  fellow  citizens,  I  am  somewhat  embarrassed.  I  ha\  e  ha<l  to  arrange 
my  speech  as  I  went  along.  I  don't  know  but  what  I  am  trespassing  upon  the- 
lime  of  some  one  else  who  is  to  follow.  But  I  find  it  difficult  to  stop.  The- 
thenu'  is  fruitful,  the  occasion  suggestive,  and  your  faces  an  inspiration.  You 
have  my  good  wishes.  I  congratulate  you  again.  I  congratulate  you  over  the 
fa<-t  that  you  are  citizens  of  the  United  States,  where  every  man  is  a  king  and 
every  woman  a  ipieen.  I  congratulate  you  over  the  fact  that  you  are  citizens 
of  the  grejit  imperial  State  of  New  York,  first  in  wealth,  lirst  in  strength  and 
lirst  in  material  resources.  I  congratulate  you  that  you  lielong  to  the  good 
•  lid  county  of  Delaware,  and  hope  that  j-ou  live  long  and  prospi'r. 


EAti'cict.s  from  a   I.olti'i'. 

In  1774  my  great-grandfather,  .\lexanilcr  Leal,  willi  his  wil'e  and  six  sons, 
came  from  Paisley,  Sc-otland,  and  settled  near  the  centre  of  Korlright.  Last 
summer,  IS'.lli,  I  had  a  wliili'  rose  from  a  busli  mi  Ihc  plai-e  whicli  has  blos- 
somed for  over  one  hundred  years.  In  writing  adviie  to  his  iliildren  Mr.  Leal 
said  :  "I  reproved  myself  for  bringing  a  family  into  tlic  wildi'i-uess  where  there 
was  no  preai-hing of  the  gospel."  They  soon  found  ways  to  have  a  minister. 
.\  Mr.  .Vnniui.  from  New  .Jersey,  came  over  one  hundri'd  miles,  and  lie  preached 
for  lliem  and  baptized  a  cliild.  Very  soon  the  way  opened  for  a  gradimte  of 
Edinburg  UniviMsity,  William  McCauley,  to  come  among  them.  There  was  a 
desire  among  the  Slaml'ord  people  i  now  South  Kortright  i  to  have  him.  Kort- 
rlght  Center  prevailed.  A  church  was  organized,  and  lor  a  linu>  Mr.  Mcl'auley 
iiiid  the  elders  walked  Sabbath  afternoons  over  to  Stamford,  a  distance  of  si.\ 
miles  and  hail  service.     After  a  while  Mr.  Forrest  was  settled  in  Stamford.. 


-224  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COrxrV. 

He  was  miR-h  rosiipcteil  by  his  pooplc.  Butli  ministcis  wcri'  coiisidciiMl  im-ii 
of  ability.  I  tliink  llr.  McCauley  was  tliought  to  be  tlio  stn>nf?er  of  the  two 
as  to  intellect,  but  Mr.  Foirest  wore  the  broadcloth  auil  luul  the  more  poli-shed 
manner.  One  time  the  Associate  Reformed  body  met  at  Newburg.  Those  in- 
terested in  that  assembly  felt  disheartened  when  tlie  man  who  was  to  preaeli 
for  them  appeared,  dressed  in  a  homespun  suit,  but  when  Mr.  McCauley  offered 
his  prayer,  all  fears  vanished  :  they  felt  sure  they  had  the  right  man,  and  ever 
afterwards  it  was  a  favor  to  have  Mr.  McCauley  come  among  tliem.     *     «     « 

In  those  days  the  people  came  from  all  d.rections,  eighl  or  ten  miles,  to 
church.  At  communion  seasons  there  would  be  services  beginning  with  Friday 
and  lasting  until  Monday  afternoon.  The  different  churches  came  together, 
the  houses  nearby  opened  their  doors  and  welcomed  all  who  came.  Many  a 
friend  stayed  over  and  made  a  visit  of  weeks.  In  reading  the  story  of  Chan- 
cellor Livingston,  I  was  reminded  of  those  days.  It  was  stated  of  him  that  he 
would  have  friends  visiting  him,  and  when  they  were  too  much  at  home,  he 
would  send  money  to  another  friend  and  ask  him  to  send  for  them  to  visit; 
after  awhile  they  would  return  improved.  The  money  was  not  so  plenty,  but 
the  interchange  of  friends  was  ([uite  common.     *     *     * 

The  Sabbath  was  sacred;  no  work  that  was  not  absolutely  necessary  to 
life  was  done;  the  dishes  would  bo  left  until  Monday  morning,  the  wood  was 
brought  in  Saturday  night.  If  the  choice  were  given  to  me  to  have  an  Aca- 
demic course  without  a  religious  education  or  a  common  school  education  with 
the  old  time  religious  training  I  would  .say  every  time  give  me  the  latter,  for 
they  who  have  that,  do  the  clearest  thinking  and  have  the  strongest  will  power 
to  overcome  difficulties.  I  am  reminded  of  a  time  when  Dr.  Agnew  asked  me 
if  I  knew  two  ladies  who  had  called  on  him  from  Betty's  Brook,  they  appeared 
very  refined  and  cultured  he  said  ;  .so  they  were ;  a  family  of  daughters  and  two 
sons,  but  with  a  stirring  father  and  a  capable  quiet  mother  the  Scotch-Irish 
element  was  well  developed,  there  was  no  backwoods  people  with  such  train- 
ing. The  mothers  of  those  days  were  not  clamorous  for  place,  but  they  held 
the  rudder  all  the  same,  behind  the  scenes. 

Early  in  this  century  the  father  of  the  Leals  went  down  below  Delhi  and 
bought  land  for  his  four  sons  on  the  east  side  of  the  Delaware,  his  own  farm, 
I  being  now  called  the  Meeker  farm,)  the  poor-house  lot  and  the  one  below; 
there  being  no  church  in  the  town  then,  he  used  to  walk  to  Kortright  Center, 
fourteen  miles,  every  Sabbath.  Mrs.  Gould  told  me  that  she  had  often  seen 
Grandfather  Leal  on  horseback  with  Grandmother  behind  him  going  to  Stam- 
ford to  church.  Judge  Bostwick  told  me  that  no  one  dared  to  fish  or  hunt 
until  the  old  gentleman  was  off;  they  were  sure  to  be  fined  if  he  saw  them.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  had  a  church  near  by;  it  stood  on  the  flat  a  little  be- 
low the  Little  Delaware  bi-idge.  Mrs.  Thurlier  told  me  that  he  stood  on  the 
bridge  and  saw  the  last  rafter  go  up;  he  leaning  on  his  long  staff  said,  '•  Kow 
Jettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes  ha\e  seen  thy  salva- 
tion;"  thus  he  had  seen  three  churches  organized,  ami  liis  exhortation  to  his 
children  was,  "be  always  ready  to  support  the  Gospel;  be  mindfufcif  Mr.  Mc- 
Cauley for  he  has  been  a  faithful  minister  to  ye  all.  " 

Mr.  Maxwell  was  settled  over  the  Delhi  church,  he  preaching  occasionally 
in  the  Court-house  and  also  at  Cabin  Hill  ov(>r  the  Scotch  mountain.     .\  few  of 


CENTEXXIAL    CELErtHATIoS.  ■22.') 

ihi'  villagi-  in'opU'  wi'iil  ilowu  lo  the  rluncli,  Iml  they  were  not  a  <-hui-cli-i;()iiij,' 
•fommunity ;  they  were  iiipn  of  affairs,  al)le  lawyers;  the  first  bar  in  the  State 
-outside  of  the  city  of  New  York  it  was  said  :  there  was  a  true  aristoeraej';  the 
duiigliters  were  sent  away  to  school ;  in  those  days  Catskill  had  a  superior 
school,  ease  of  manners  and  quiet  deportment  were  tauj^lil.  Mrs.  Ma.\well 
(Judj^e  Foote's  daufjhter  i  was  an  example  of  a  rdiiiert,  delicate  lady,  and  a 
kind.  f;entle  woman,  always  attentive  to  everyone,  but  never  conileseendiiif! : 
the  yotnifj  ladies  of  that  time  were  not  street  girls,  they  were  protected  liy 
their  homes. 

The  Judges  of  thai  time  seemed  to  lie  distrilmleil  aroiiinl  the  country  at  a 
distance  of  three  or  four  miles  apart.  Judge  Law  at  Meredith  Si|uare  ;  he  had 
hopes  of  having  the  county  town  up  there.  Why  not  ?  The  only  Slate  road 
ivissed  over  the  hills,  three  stage  coaches  a  day  passed  that  way,  it  lieing  the 
most  tiireet  roail  from  Western  New  York  to  Catskill  en  route  to  New  York. 
But  down  hill  the  judges  came:  Judge  Frisbee  at  the  foot  of  Elk  Creek,  i  the 
first  court  was  held  there,)  Judge  Keeler  farther  up  the  river;  Judge  Leal  be- 
low the  village;  Judge  Foote  two  miles  further  on ;  later  on  Ju<lge  Bostwick 
across  the  river. 

Probably  the  law  business  would  not  support  thi-m,  or  perhaps  it  was 
proper  to  be  a  land  holder.  Mr.  Sherwood,  a  well  known  lawyer  lived  below 
the  village.     •     *     « 

In  the  thirties  there  came  a  great  change  in  the  religious  feeling  all  over 
the  country,  there  were  what  were  called  protracted  meetings  held  in  many 
places.  The  old  churches  were  holding  their  places  and  keeping  their  children 
mostly,  but  the  multitude  were  living  careless  lives,  they  cared  for  none  of 
these  things.  Then  came  an  evangelist,  Mr.  Orton.  a  refined  Christian  gentle- 
man and  with  all  very  zealous,  who  had  a  great  influence  among  the  people; 
meetings  were  held  in  the  Court-house  and  in  the  District  school-house  at 
■Sherwood's  bridge.  The  leading  village  people  began  to  be  interested,  many 
of  them  came  out  decided  Christians,  among  them  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gould.  Mr. 
G<iuld  gave  largely  of  his  means  and  was  active  in  working.  He  used  to  have 
a  school  Salibath  afternoons  in  our  school-house,  and  meetings  during  the 
week.  The  young  |)eople  of  the  Scotch  families  were  interested  ;  I  remendjer 
hearing  my  Grandfather  say  to  ray  Grandmother,  "I  thiid<  I  will  go  over  and 
hear  what  our  young  people  are  getting:"  became  hack  finding  no  fault.  I 
was  too  young  to  go  generally,  but  one  evening  was  then';  I  w.is  iiiuch  inter- 
ested in  hearing  Deacon  Knapp  sing  alone, 

"  The  year  of  jubilee  has  come. 
Return  ye  wandering  sinners  home." 

He  was  a  di'vout  old  man  ;  he  used  to  have  a  prayer  meeting  in  the  village  ; 
his  family  thought  him  foolish  to  go.  When  asked  who  was  thiui'  he  would 
say.  "  I  was  there  and  the  Saviour  was  there."  Who  knows  but  like  Cornelius, 
his  prayers  were  heard  and  answered?  Certainly  he  lived  to  see  the  school 
house  crowded.  In  a  short  time  a  church  was  orgaidzed  and  a  building  put  up 
where  the  Second  Presbyterian  church  now  sUmds. 

Mr.  Kedzie,  Uncle  Robert  Leal  and  James  Leal  (my  grandfather),  with 
itheir  fannlies  left  the  S<'otch  Church  and  uniteil  with  the  village  church.     The 


2-2(5  HISTOHY    OF    DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

Episeopiil  L-luuvh  imisl  have  boon  iiij^'iini/.cd  very  scion.  There  wiis  u  great 
eliaiige  in  the  village;  those  who  were  imi  church-goers  were  the  excei)tions. 
The  old  Presbyterian  churches  looked  uiioii  tlie  "  new  lights,"  as  they  were- 
called,  as  not  quite  orthodox ;  they  sang  hymns,  they  had  many  isms,  there 
was  danger  of  depending  upon  good  works.  Time  has  straightened  out  these 
dift'orenees  so  that  they  are  now  of  one  mind,  liolding  the  same  views  essen- 
tially, only  keeping  the  diftVnnit  names  to  help  those  who  are  anxious  to  keep 
their  own  individuality.  By  tliis  time  there  wore  churches  in  all  the  towns: 
at  Moreditli  Square  n.  large  Cmigregationalist  church  ;  I  remember  going  tliere 
when  it  looked  doubtful  about  getting  a  seat.  The  southern  towns  were  all 
well  sustained  religiously — among  tlie  best  known  names  were  Wheeler,  Ogden, 
Mead,  Eells  and  St.  John.  Delaware  county  has  had  many  men  tliat  she  may 
well  be  proud  of. 

Delaware  Academy  must  have  been  started  in  tlie  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury; the  first  teacher  was  a  Mr.  Savage,  probably  from  Washington  county, 
New  York.  I  rememljor  my  grandmother  speaking  very  respectfully  of  Uncle 
and  Aunt  Savage  from  that  section.  General  Knot  was  a  loyal  citizen.  Mr. 
Samuel  Sherwood  lent  his  inlluence  for  the  good  of  the  place.  I  think  we  all 
feel  as  my  brother  wrote  fifty  years  ago. 

Land  of  my  own  green  home  forever! 

Of  rugged  glen,  and  cloud-capped  hill; 
Lanil  of  llie  lake  and  rolling  river — 

My  childhood's  home,  I  love  thee  still ! 

Land  where  the  Catskills  rear  their  heads 

Aloft,  to  mock  the  storms  of  Heaven, 
Of  fair.v  dell  and  weird  cell, 

And  mighty  oaks  by  lightning  riven  : 

Home  of  my  youth,  though  Time  and  Fate 

That  alter  things,  may  change  thee; 
Yet  Tinu'  nor  Fate  shall  ever  drive 

Thine  inuige,  Delaware,  from  me. 

Stern  land  of  mountain,  rock  and  Hood, 

Of  barren  heath  and  stormy  sky. 
Thy  sons  are  freemen  and  thy  clifft^ 

The  fortresses  of  Liberty  I 

Forever  rest  that  (Joddess  bright 

Thy  firm  emliedded  rocks  among ; 
While  Freedom  hath  a  home  on  earth, 

Or  Freedom's  chorus  shall  be  sung  ! 

A  rugged  band  are  they — those  men 

Who  cleave  thy  iron  rocks  for  food ; 
Stern  zealots  of  the  olden  time, 

"  Who  live  not  but  in  the  fear  o'  (iod." 

Men  of  the  ol<l  Douglass  line. 

Who  ne'er  was  liearded  in  his  den 
Wlio  like  their  fathers  for  their  rights 

Would  firndy  draw  the  sword  again. 

Forever  be  among  them  there. 

The  blood  they  from  old  Scotia  draw; 
The  firm  resolve,  the  Christian  walk. 

.\nd  meek  obedience  to  the  law. 


CEXTEXXIAL    CELEI'.HA  TIOX. 

■"ocpi,  "1007,"   1)\;     \ithui-    ''\oi\',   Esq., 

(ir   iiKi'osrr,    X".   v. 

OiK"  lin.v,  liittiiig  in  my  sauuUim, 

(  The  word  is  quiti>  11  Hood  one,) 

I  siuuohow  jjot  to  tliitiking, 

Or,  it  may  be,  lialf-way  ilrcaming, 

Over  days  that  long  were  passed, 

Over  which  the  shadows  passed, 

A  very  queer  illusion. 

Or.  possibly,  delusion, 

I  eliani-ed  upou  an  old-tiinc  bi>()k. 

It  had  a  inildewed.  iinriiMil  Uxik, 

It's  date  was  1H1I7. 

II'  I'm  uot  very  much  mistaken, 

It  is  a  rare  and  novel  relie. 

In  truth  a  genuine  old  antiiiue. 

I  read  it  o'er  with  greatest  care, 

But  whence  it  came  I'm  not  aware. 

I  trust  you'll  get  the  book  and  read  it, 

E'en  though  it's  stale  to  our  time  critic. 

But  of  the  nineteenth  century 

It's  a  curious  epitome. 

That  it  is  old,  you'll  givi^  it  credit, 

Because  it's  not  in  the  "phonetic.  " 

(I  simply  stop  right  here  tn  state 

You  will  not  find  It  up  to  date.) 

From  it  I  gather  llie  impression, 

And  so  will  you  on  careful  reading 

(  That  is,  of  <'0urse,  providing 

You  comprehend  the  spellingi. 

That  in  eighteen  hundred  ninety-seven 

Delhi  had  some  sort  of  celebration — 

That  many  people  met  up  there. 

From  every  part  of  Delawarr  : 

They  read  some  scraps  of  history. 

And  dilated  on  their  glory, 

And  how  they'd  reached  the  summit 

By  excellence  of  wil . 

What  was  its  purposi',  I  donl   krmw, 

Because  it  was  so  long  ago. 

Yet  'tis  true  they  hfid  this  celi'bratiou. 

Per  se,  for  mutiuil  admiration. 

.\iid  I  give  it  to  you  gratis 

They  boasted  of  their  "status," 

But  what  they  had  to  brag  about. 


228  IIISToliY    OF    DELAWAUK    COVNTY. 

Or  why  llicy  ilid  so  jiiiup  aud  bliuiit, 

Is  what  we  can't  exactly  know, 

Because  it  was  so  long  a;^o. 

In  nineteen  liundred  uiiicty-seven, 

Existing  by  tlie  grace  of  Heaven, 

We  can't  conceive  as  you  well  Ivuow, 

AVliy  these  old  things  were  ever  so. 

It  seems,  in  those  old-fashioned  days, 

The  people  had  peculiar  ways 

Of  doing  things  from  hand  to  hand 

That  we,  you  Icnow,  can't  understand. 

They  iiad  something  called  a  "phone" 

By  which  they  talked  from  home  to  home; 

They  had  a  wire,  or  some  such  matter. 

They  used  for  lack  of  something  better, 

And  these  were  stretched  on  sticks,  they  say. 

In  a  peculiar  sort  of  way. 

Now  tliese  old  things  we  can't  conceive, 

Nor  scarcely  in  our  mind  believe. 

Why  such  crude  things  were  e'er  in  use, 

We  can't  our  minds  quite  disabuse. 

Why,  now  we  talk  with  men  in  Mars, 

They  called  it  then  one  of  the  stars ; 

When  we  converse  right  through  the  air 

We  can't  see  why  they  used  a  wire. 

As  I  read  backward  to  that  time 

I'm  quite  bewildered  in  my  mind. 

They  talked  of  gold  and  silver, 

'Twould  any  mind  bewilder. 

They  talked  about  the  ratio. 

And  the  consequential  value. 

Now  we're  making  gold  and  silver. 

As  you'll  well  remember. 

By  a  well-known  composition 

Of  this  century's  invention. 

They  talked  of  the  precious  mclal, 

And  of  the  monetary  evil. 

Gold  seemed  to  them  great  virtue  bear 

Because  it  was  so  very  rare. 

But  since  we've  got  to  making  it 

At  a  reasonably  fair  profit. 

We  keep  the  ratio  as  we  want 

By  the  working  of  the  plant. 

Our  mills  are  running  on  full  time 

And  our  output  of  gold  is  tine; 

And  our  trade's  expanding  fast — 

This  year  greater  than  the  last. 


CKXThWXIM.    CF.I.r.nHA  TliiX.  o-H) 

Our  ciiniiiii'ivc  Willi  all  piuipli'  far  uiid  wide 

Exalts  our  nation's  piido. 

Our  aiuliatisadof  at  Noitli  Poll? 

Reports  a  good  coudition  as  a  wholo; 

We've  nothing  from  that  part  to  fear, 

Except  an  early  frost  this  year. 

No  doulit  that  our  reciproi-ity 

Has  Miueh  advanced  us  in  Unit  cciuiiiry. 

The  delicacies  that  they  produce, 

Exchanged  with  us  for  things  of  use. 

As  we  look  back  a  lumdri'd  years 

It  fills  our  eyes  with  scalding  tears. 

Our  fathers  in  their  vain,  boasted  role, 

Did  never,  never  take  the  "  pole," 

And  yet,  with  great  solemnity. 

On  the  record  placed  their  own  stupidity. 

Then  they  had  a  long  contention 

O'er  the  question  of  combustion, 

By  burning  wood  or  coals,  'twould  seem, 

(Or  did  I  learn  it  in  a  dream, i 

Why,  ever  since  I  can  remember, 

We  made  our  fuel  out  of  \vater. 

The  date  of  this  discovery 

Is  not  now  in  my  memory. 

But  we  have  no  contention 

O'er  a  coal  trust  combination. 

Why  I  should  reckon  not, 

When  we  make  thi-  water  boil  the  pot. 

To  extract  the  fire  from  water 

Is  a  very  simple  matter, 

And  'tis  queer  this  thing  they  didn't  know. 

Only  a  hundred  years  ago. 

It  didn't  even  have  a  mention 

At  that  wondrous  eelebrati<ui. 

Yet  the  fullness  of  their  wisdom 

They  related  with  great  unction. 

And  prated  of  their  knowledge 

Got  in  common  school  and  college — 

That  the  summit  of  their  wisdom 

Covered  all  things  'neath  the  sun. 

We  extend  to  them  our  jiity 

In  the  line  of  Christian  duty. 

Beyond  our  wildest  imagination 

Is  the  picture  of  their  ignorance. 

Things  that  to  them  seemed  credulous 

Are  plain  as  noonday  sun  to  us; 

They  were  not  of  the  twiiilietli  century. 


230  HISTORY    OF    DFJ.AWAHE    CorXTV. 

TherefDrf  not  as  wise  as  we. 

I  will  not  tx'  an  unfair  eritli-. 

They  tliimglit  tlioy  knew  things  Uiat  tliey  didnl, 

A  common  thing,  e'en  now,  we  must  admit. 

So  we  will  not  in  judgment  on  them  sit. 

Our  fathers  were  a  fairish  class, 

Considering  they  were  in  the  past. 

They  sermonized  on  the  "  world  " 

As  though  in  that  all  things  were  told. 

They  wisely  talked  about  some  planet 

And  through  a  spy-glass  thought  they  saw  it, 

But  whether  it  was  land  or  ocean. 

They  didn't  have  the  slightest  notion  : 

By  the  way,  I'm  just  reminded. 

And  I  pause  right  here  to  state  it. 

Our  annual  coming  great  event 

(See  sjiecial  small  bills  freely  sent  I 

The  vestibuled  excursion  out  to  Mars, 

On  the  modern  airship  "Golden  Stars," 

I  am  not  the  company's  agent, 

But  I  freely  recommend  it; 

Tlie  rates  are  low  and  very  fair. 

(No  extra  charge  for  best  of  air) ; 

I  was  out  there  in  the  month  of  May 

fpon  the  vessel  "Windy  Way." 

The  people  there  are  much  like  us, 

This  I  observed  in  a  town  caucus. 

It  gave  me  (juite  a  homelike  feeling 

To  mark  the  ijuantum  of  their  stealing. 

They  are  very  active  after  spoil 

Ami  quite  averse  to  hardy  toil. 

So  we  can  call  the  Marsden  "brother' 

In  any  sort  or  kind  of  weather. 

The  men  of  Mars  are  peaceably  inclined. 

And  by  the  name  are  very  much  maligned. 

They  were  theu  holding  a  convention 

To  etTect  an  arbitration 

With  their  neighbors  in  the  "Milky  Way  ' 

At  some  early  future  day. 

We  came  back  by  way  of  Jupiter, 

But  owing  to  distress  of  weather — 

The  wind  was  blowing  south  by  west 

Our  captain  thought  it  was  not  best^ 

We  cliil  not  make  a  landing. 

Which  wasijuite  disappointing; 

But  we  made  the  port  of  Venus 

And  'twas  there  the  boys  all  left  us. 

They  said  they'd  take  the  next  ship  back, 

Butthey  didn't,  that's  a  fact. 

I  thiidi  they  found  an  Oklahoma 

In  the  goddess'  fair  country. 

And  I'm  strong  of  the  opinion 

That  they  setth'd  in  that  nation. 

How  little  did  our  fathers  kunw. 

>Only  a  hundred  .years  ago. 


JentermJal  Badges  worri  by  ttie  Officers  of  ttie  Delt\i  Celebratior\. 


CEXTEXXrAL    CELEBRATION.  0;^;^ 

Addiw^.s  h\  Ik-'n.   c"  hd.s.  K.   Ltruoln. 

OF    ALBANY,     X.     Y. 

Ml!.  President.  Ladies  and  Gextle.mes  :  At  the  outsi-t  1  want  to  cxpn's.-i 
my  uratiliuli'  to  your  distinguisheil  cilizon  and  my  good  friend  Mr.  Crosby,  for 
ilivitiii;;  nu'  to  attend  this  eelebratiou.  It  was  not  until  yesterday  that  I  felt 
sure  that  I  could  be  here,  but  now  I  am  ready  to  say  that  I  count  this  one  of 
the  fiutunate  occasions  of  my  life.  As  I  have  sat  here  to-day  and  listened  to 
the  histories  of  your  various  towns,  and  the  devel(>|iment  and  growth  of  this 
■county,  ray  patriotism  has  been  stirred,  my  love  of  country  has  grown,  and 
my  respect  for  American  citizenship  has  increased.  I  am  very  glad  to-night 
that  I  am  able  to  make  this  visit  to  Delaware  county. 

I  am  not  a  son  of  Delaware  county.  I  am  not  even  a  brother-in-law.  More 
than  that,  I  am  not  even  a  .son  of  Xew  York.  I  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in 
old  Vi'rnioiit,  anil  for  more  than  forty  years  my  father  and  mother  have  slept 
beneath  her  sod.  But  I  came  to  this  State  when  a  child,  and  I  have  lived  here 
I'ver  since.  This  has  been  my  State.  I  have  taken  an  interest  in  all  her  affairs, 
I  have  become  proud  of  her  history,  I  have  become  proud  of  her  station  as  the 
Empire  State  of  this  great  union;  and  as  I  have  studied  her  history  and 
watched  her  development,  I  have  become  more  and  more  proud  to  be  a  citizen 
of  the  State  of  New  York. 

There  are  some  things  about  the  State  of  New  York  to  which  it  might  be 
well  for  us  to  call  attention.  I  recall  the  fact  that  back  in  KiHIi  a  Colonial 
.\ssenibly  was  held,  and  passed  what  it  called  a  "charter  of  liberties."  In 
that  charter  of  liberties  it  declared  that  the  government  rested  linally  with  the 
"  people  met  in  general  assembly."  You  who  have  read  that  history  remem- 
ber that  King  James  objecte<l  to  those  words,  "the  peo])lc,"  because,  he  said, 
they  were  not  in  any  other  constitution  in  America.  So  the  State  of  New  I'ork, 
■or  colony  of  New  I'ork,  was  first  in  the  declaration  of  a  government  by  the 
people.  Not  from  old  Massacnusetts,  not  from  Delaware,  not  from  Virginia. 
but  from  the  old  Dutch  and  English  settlement  of  New  York,  Hrst  came  into 
our  constitutional  history  those  great  words,  '-the  people,"  the  keystone  of 
popular  government.  It  is  worth  while  for  us  to  remember  this  as  we  think 
•of  the  development  of  our  liberty,  ami  of  all  the  free  institutions  which  we  so 
much  enjoy. 

It  seems  incongruous  that  I  should  be  called  on  to  say  anything  here. 
This  is  a  family  reunion,  and  I  am  a  stranger  to  you,  this  is  my  first  visit  to 
Delaware  county,  but  I  had  had  the  pleasure  and  the  honor  of  being  acquaiuted 
with  a  few  of  your  citizens,  so  that  when  Mr.  Crosby  invited  me  to  come  I  con- 
»ente<l.  not  only  to  visit  with  him  and  other  citizens  with  whom  I  am  ac- 
■<iuainte<l,  but  that  I  might  take  in  the  full  meaning  of  a  great  occasion  like 
this  in  Delaware  county.  But,  after  all,  it  may  be  projier  that  I,  a  stranger  to 
you.  should  <ome  here  and  say  a  few  words  of  greeting.  My  home  is  in  the 
county  of  Cattaraugus.  We  cannot  have  a  centennial  in  Cattaraugus  in  twenty 
jears,  but  I  want  to  take  this  occasion  to  invite  you  to  come  and  help^us  cele- 
brate when  we  do  h<dd  it.     It  makes  me  feel  young,  looking  at  this  celebration 

13 


234  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'XTY. 

to-night  from  the  standpoint  of  Cattaraugus.  It  was  not  until  the  oest  year 
after  this  county  was  organized,  that  the  first  white  settlement  was  made  in 
Cattaraugus  eounty,  and  then  a  few  Qualsers  wont  up  the  Allegany  river  and 
settled  just  over  the  line  in  what  is  now  the  southern  part  of  our  county.  You 
trace  j-our  history  back  farther  than  the  organization  of  the  county,  because 
you  go  back  with  the  history  of  the  State  itself,  and  to  the  colony  of  New 
York.  I  bring  to  you  to-night  the  greeting  of  Cattaraugus,  greeting  you  and 
congratulating  you  upon  this  auspicious  event,  that  you  have  come  up  through 
these  years,  and  that  Delaware  county  has  developed  so  grandly  that  to-night 
you  are  able  to  celebrate  with  proper  pride  this  great  history  of  yours  which 
we  have  heard  recounted  to-day. 

You  do  not  expect  me  to  give  any  of  the  history  of  Delaware  county.  Your 
own  people  will  do  that.  But  I  count  you  a  part  of  the  State  of  New  York ; 
you  belong  to  the  same  family  of  smaller  commonwealths  to  which  I  belong. 
Cattaraugus  and  Delaware  are  only  jiarts  of  this  great  State  of  New  York; 
smaller  divisions,  originating  from  the  English  habit  of  dividing  the  common- 
wealth into  smaller  municipalities.  AVe  have  our  county  government  as  you 
have  yours,  and  our  general  development  has  been  substantially  the  same. 

The  other  day  I  found  in  the  State  Library  the  history  of  Delaware  county, 
written  by  Jay  Gould,  and  I  found  it  a  very  interesting  book.  One  little  item 
in  that  book  attracted  my  attention ;  no  one  has  referred  to  it  to-day,  and  it 
seems  to  me  to  be  of  some  significance.  On  the  third  of  October,  17!t7,  the 
seal  of  the  old  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was  established  liy  an  order  of  that 
court.  The  emblem  put  on  that  seal  was  a  stream  of  water  issuing  from  a 
high  mountain.  That  seal  was  changed  only  two  or  three  years  afterwards. 
Mr.  Gould  remarked  of  that  original  seal  that  it  was  emblematic  of  the  surface 
and  general  features  of  the  county.  I  find  in  it  a  much  deeper  meaning  than 
that.  A  stream  of  water  issuing  from  a  high  mountain.  A  mountain  indicates 
strength  and  stability,  and  those  have  been  characteristics  of  Delaware  county 
in  all  this  century.  K  stream  of  water  represents  life,  power,  progress  and 
influence,  and  all  those  characteristics  have  also  marked  Delaware  county  in 
all  these  years.  It  is  like  that  stream  which  Ezekiel  saw  in  that  wonderful 
vision.  When  he  first  measured  it,  it  was  only  ankle  deep ;  the  next  time,  it 
was  up  to  the  knees ;  the  next,  it  was  up  to  the  loins ;  until  now  it  is  so  broad 
and  deep  that  it  is  immeasurable.  You  cannot  measure  the  influence  which 
has  gone  out  from  Delaware  county.  We  have  had  some  account  of  it  to-day 
as  we  have  heard  of  your  great  men,  of  your  noble  women,  of  the  men  who 
have  gone  out  spreading  this  influence  far  and  wide,  even  around  the  globe, 
and  into  remote  hemispheres,  and  upon  the  islands  of  the  sea.  Everywhere 
this  force  has  gone,  illustrating  the  emblem  of  water  issuing  out  of  a  high 
UKmntain,  carrying  with  it  everywhere  influences  which  shall  never  stop,  and 
cannot  stop,  because  measured  only  by  eternity.  That  was  a  significant  sug- 
gestion to  me,  and  if  I  were  now  a  citizen  of  Delaware  county  I  should  regret 
that  that  first  seal  was  ever  changed.  It  was  of  deeper  significance  than  the 
historian  suggested. 

Emerson  wrote  an  essay  on  "  The  Uses  of  Great  Men,"  in  which  he  said 
that  the  search  after  a  great   man   was  the  dream  of  vouth,  and  the  most 


CEXTEWIM.    CELEBRATIOS.  285 

serious  Ofcupation  of  iiiaiili(x>il.  We  have  been  going  over  to-day,  some  of  us 
listening,  others  in  fact,  the  history  of  Delaware  county,  and  while  we  liave 
not  lieen  purposely  searching  for  great  men,  we  have  Ijeen  tiudiiig  great  men 
all  along  this  strong  line  from  the  earliest  days  until  now.  We  lind  men  who 
are  gri'at.  great  in  their  patriotism,  great  in  tlieir  devotion  to  i)nncii)le,  great 
in  their  love  of  education,  great  in  every  department  of  human  effort:  great 
men  who  established  the  county  of  Delaware  and  made  it  strong,  and  firm, 
and  stalile,  as  indicated  by  that  first  emblem  upon  that  old  cnunty  seal,  n'pn-- 
sented  by  a  high  mountain  and  a  living,  growing  stream. 

Shortly  after  I  came  to  the  bar  an  incident  occurred  in  England  that  made 
a  very  profound  impression  on  my  mind.  It  was  the  (^xpiratiou  of  a  lease 
which  had  been  given  a  thousand  years  before.  Think  of  it  !  .V  lease  a  thous- 
and years  oUl.  And  yet.  when  the  lease  expired,  the  peojile  who  were  entitled 
to  the  reversion  of  the  land  upon  the  expiration  of  the  lease  were  on  hand 
ready  to  take  their  property.  That  incident,  more  than  any  human  language 
can  convey,  illustrated  thi' strength  and  the  stability  of  English  institutions. 
That  incident  showed  that  the  England  of  .■Vlfred,  of  William  the  Conciueror, 
of  Elizabeth,  and  of  Cromwell,  is  al.so  the  England  of  Victoria.  It  showed  also 
that  the  England  of  Hastings,  and  of  Eunnymene,  and  of  Marston  Moor,  is  the 
England  of  Waterloo.  It  showed  also  that  the  England  of  Spencer,  and  of 
Shakespeare,  and  of  Milton  is  the  England  of  Tennyson.  It  showed  that  the 
England  of  those  old  days  had  continued  practicallj-  unchanged,  here  and 
there  modif,ing  its  form  of  government  slightly,  but  all  the  while  the  same 
grand  old  England.  The  Plantagenets.  and  the  Tudors,  and  the  Stuarts,  and 
till'  Brunswicks,  and  linally  the  Hanovers,  have  occupied  the  throne  of  Eng- 
land, but  it  is  old  England  still.  As  I  have  thought  of  that  thousand  years 
lease  the  question  has  occurred  to  me.  Will  this  nation  last  a  thousand  years? 
Why  not?  We  are  told  that  historj-  repeats  itself.  That  is  true  to  a  limited 
degree,  but  I  do  not  believe  it  is  true  of  nations.  Nations  do  not  repeat  them- 
selves. There  was  only  one  Babylon ;  there  was  only  one  Gn^ece,  the  mother 
of  arts  and  literature.  The  Greece  of  to-day  is  not  the  Greece  of  Solon  and 
Pericles.  There  was  only  one  Rome:  although  it  existed  for  lifteen  c(>nturies, 
the  Home  of  to-day  is  not  the  Eome  of  f'lesar,  and  of  Cicero,  an<l  of  Justinian. 
But  the  England  of  to-day  stands  as  the  development  of  peculiar  principles 
and  institutions.  What  reason  is  there  to  suppose  that  this  nation  may  not 
last  a  thousand  years,  and  more  than  a  thousand  years?  It  would  depi'nd.  of 
course,  upon  the  people  who  come  after  us.  First  upon  what  we  do.  tlieii 
upon  what  those  do  who  may  follow  us. 

While  that  lease  was  lying  in  somebody's  possession,  winking  out  its  pur- 
posi'  iluring  those  ten  centuries,  it  saw  many  important  evtiuts.  So,  this 
county,  while  only  a  hundred  years  old,  has  seen  many  important  events,  and 
many  great  changes  in  the  history  of  the  worlil. 

When  your  county  was  organized,  there  were  oidy  three  cities  in  the 
State; — New  York,  Hudson  and  Albany.  Now  we  have  forty-one  cities,  and 
we  have  one  city  next  to  the  largest  on  the  gU>be,  and  one  which,  long  before 
the  expiration  of  the  next  century  will,  I  believe,  be  the  lirst  city  in  the  world. 
Your  C(uiiity  to-day  possesses  a  larger  population  than  there  was  in  the  entire 


28(5  lUsrORV    OF    DKLAWAHK    CO  TXT  V. 

Stati'  of  New  Yorli  wlioii  your  oouuty  was  orgauizi'cl.  Tlicri'  an-  nioir  pcnjile 
ill  the  State  of  New  York  to-day,  anil  Goveruor  Blai-k  is  Cliief  JIagistratc  of  a 
larjjer  iioimlatioii,  tliaii  there  was  in  the  entire  union  wlien  Thomas  Jefferson 
was  eleeted  President.  We  fount  our  wealth  by  billions ;  we  eount  our  popu- 
lation by  millions.  We  have  become  in  fact,  and  we  are  destined  to  remain, 
the  Empire  State  of  this  great  nation.  All  this  development  has  come  about 
W'hile  you  have  been  progressing,  and  developing,  and  making  this  particular 
part  of  the  State  a  strong,  stalwart,  stable  county. 

This  county  in  its  development  has  seen  three  complete  and  revised  con- 
stitutions adopted ;  it  has  had  occasion  to  observe  that  Now  York  has  been 
the  pioneer  in  great  legislation,  in  great  legal  reform,  and  other  States  have 
been  copying  from  us  all  these  years.  New  Y'ork  stands  to-day,  not  only  in 
these  material  respects  that  I  have  mentioned,  but  in  other  respects,  in  law, 
and  legal  and  constitutional  reform,  the  greatest  State,  and  the  great  example 
of  all  the  States  of  the  Union.  Y'ou  in  Delaware  county  share  all  this.  You 
have  helped  to  produce  it.  We  are  all  together  a  part  of  this  great  common- 
wealth. Y'ou  had  your  share  in  it,  and  we  have  all  had  our  share  in  it,  and  we 
have  a  right  to  feel  to-night  proud  of  our  constitution,  proud  of  the  results  of 
constitutional  government,  proud  of  this  material  prosperity,  proud  of  the 
character  of  our  citizens,  proud  of  the  condition  of  our  citizenship,  and  proud 
of  all  these  things  which  go  to  make  up  this  beneficent  institution  which  we 
call  American  civilization. 

Now,  these  institutions  which  wc  boast  .so  much  of  have  come  down  to  us 
from  our  fathers.  Webster  made  the  remark  that  these  institutions  which  we 
have  are  ours  "to  enjoy,  to  preserve,  and  to  transmit."  Ours  to  enjoy :  we 
enjoy  them  day  by  day.  Ours  to  preserve,  and  see  that  our  posterity  takes 
them  from  us  untarnished.  Ours  to  transmit  to  remotest  generations,  these 
institutions  which  have  built  up  this  nation  and  uuide  us  what  we  are.  And 
Webster  made  this  further  remark,  that  if,  under  such  fa\-orable  conditions  as 
had  existed  and  did  then  exist  in  his  day  in  this  country,  for  the  establishment 
of  a  government  by  the  people,  and  for  the  people,  if  a  free  republican  govern- 
ment could  not  be  maintained  under  those  conditions,  it  could  not  be  main- 
tained at  all.  We  believe  it  is  here  to  be  maintained  through  the  cycles  of  the 
ages,  with  all  these  institutions  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  which  we  are  so 
proud  of  to-night,  and  which  we  glory  in  as  we  stand  here  at  the  close  of  this 
first  century  of  your  count}'. 

Wc  stand  here  to-night  on  the  pinnacle  of  this  century.  We  look  ilown 
into  the  past  and  we  see  those  men  struggling  through  hardships  and  priva- 
tions to  build  this  nation,  and  to  establish  these  institutions;  and  this  genera- 
tion is  responsible  not  only  to  the  past,  to  see  that  we  properly  preserve  and 
take  care  of  the  institutions  which  we  have  received  from  It,  but  responsible 
for  the  future,  that  we  may  be  able  to  transmit  to  our  posterity  and  to 
generations  yet  unborn  these  institutions  which  we  believe  are  destined  to 
make  and  to  continue  to  make  this  American  nation  the  flower  of  the  world  in 
all  ages. 

But  there  are  people  coming  after  us.  We  have  heard  n  little  to-night  of 
the  next  century.  What  shall  our  greeting  be  to-night  to  the  men  and  w(unen 
of   1997?     They  will  look  back  upon  this  occasion;  they  will  read  the  liook 


(  EXTEWIA  I.    (  KI.I-:ilI{A  TKIX.  -J:!? 

whii-li  your  piesidout  1ms  sugges^U'il  will  bo  [uiuti'il,  loiitaiiiiuf,'  thi'  s|ii'cihi's 
niid  thi"  histories  wlii<-li  wo  havo  hoard  horo,  and  Ihoy  will  UkiU  into  it  to  see 
what  sort  of  nion  and  wonion  livod  in  Dolawaro  eoiiuly  at  this  tinio,  and  what 
kind  of  institutions  you  had.  They  will  loolj  to  soo  what  kind  of  a  t'onstitu- 
tioM  you  had,  whetlior  it  oxpressod  the  very  hijjhost  form  of  -{ovornniont,  and 
whotlior  it  was  i-ak-ulalod  to  produce  the  very  best  oitizonship.  and  wliotlior  it 
was  inteudod  to  bring  about  tho  greatest  happiness  of  the  people.  They  will 
consider  all  these  institutions,  and  they  will  consider  us  personally  to  see  how 
much  of  our  personality,  and  how  much  personal  eharaoter  we  put  into  these 
institutions  which  we  are  to  hand  down  to  them.  The  responsibility  nn'ans 
much  as  we  stand  here  at  the  close  of  one  century,  and  look  into  anotlier,  and 
look  down  the  aisles  of  time  until  we  see  the  end  of  that  century,  and  in  imag- 
ination behold  that  eontiMiiiial  a  hundred  years  from  now.  What  will  it  be? 
Imagination  is  uiieiiual  to  the  task  of  portraying  what  th.it  centennial  will  be, 
what  institutions  it  will  find,  what  conditions  of  people  will  be  there  found, 
and  what  sort  of  government  they  will  enjoy  ;  and  whether  they  will  so  modify 
the  government  as  to  lose  sight  of  the  cardinal  principl'^s  upon  which  our 
institutions  are  based.  Those  things  will  demand  their  attention,  but  it  is  our 
duty  to  see  that  we  hand  clown  to  tln"m  these  institutions  in  the  very  best  con- 
dition possible. 

You  remember  that  remarkable  oration  by  Daniel  Webster  upon  the  two 
hundredth  anniversary  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  in  which,  after  going 
over  thi'  ground  of  the  development  of  tho  causes  which  led  to  the  colonization 
of  .America,  and  the  formation  of  this  government,  he  turned  his  face  toward 
the  future,  and  he  wondered  what  we  should  be  able  to  say  to  those  people 
condng  after  us  a  century  later.  And  as  he  dwelt  upon  that  future,  and  upon 
those  conditions  which  he  could  barely  describe,  he  exclaimed:  "Advance, 
then,  ye  future  generations.  We  welcome  you  as  you  rise  to  take  the  places 
which  we  now  fill,  and  where  we  are  now  passing  and  shall  .soon  have  passed 
our  brief  human  duration.  We  welcome  j-ou  to  the  pleasant  land  of  our  fath- 
ers:  we  welcome  you  to  these  healthful  skies  and  tliese  verdant  fields ;  we 
greet  your  accession  to  this  blessed  inheritance  which  we  have  enjoyed;  we 
welcome  you  to  the  blessings  of  good  government  and  religious  liberty ;  we 
welcome  you  to  the  treasures  of  science  and  the  delights  of  learning;  we  wel- 
i-onie  you  to  the  transcendent  bliss  of  domestic  life,  the  happiness  of  kindred, 
of  parents,  and  children ;  we  welcome  you  to  the  immeasurable  l)lessings  of 
iiitional  existence,  the?  immortal  hope  of  f'lirisliaiaty,  and  the  light  of  e\cr- 
lastiug  truth." 

To-niglit,  fellow  cilizi'iis,  let  that  be  the  greeting  which  we  send  to  the  men 
ami  women  of  lli!)7,  and  lot  us  hand  down  t<i  them  these  institutions  untar- 
nished, without  syiot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  thing,  and  tlien  they  will  look 
back  upon  us  and  call  us  blessed,  an<l  as  they  recount  in  their  histories  the 
deiKls  of  1S97  they  will  thank  us  that  we  have  preserved  for  them,  as  Webster 
said,  and  transmitted  to  them,  these  institutions  without  fa\dt  and  witliout 
blendsh,  so  that  they  could  enjoy  them,  improve  them,  build  upon  them,  make 
human  life  bettor,  and  better  still ;  make  human  life  more  happy  in  all  its 
developments,  and  make  themselves  the  greatest  nation  which  tho  worlil  has 
ever  seen. 


238  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAHK    CorNTY. 

HavhiK'  now  presented  the  ])riiici]i;il  iuldrcsses,  papers  and  let- 
ters prepared  for  this  occasiou — excepting  Dr.  Murray's  sketch  of 
the  Anti-Rent  wai',  which  follows, — it  is  in  order  to  give  an  outline 
of  the  other  exercises  of  the  celebration. 

The  efforts  of  the  committee  on  relics  were  rewarded  l>y  a  large 
and  exceedingly  interesting  collection  of  articles,  implements,  uten- 
sils, souvenirs  and  curios  gathered  during  the  years  of  the  century. 
This  exhibit  was  nicely  disjilayed  in  the  grand  jury  room  of  the 
court  house,  and  throngs  of  f)eople  enjoyed  a  visit  to  that  museum 
of  ancient  handiwork  and  genius.  There  were  many  coutri1)utious 
from  nearly  all  parts  of  the  county,  but  the  towns  of  Bovina,  Delhi, 
Kortright  and  Roxburv  were  most  numerously  represented.  The 
largest  individual  exhibits  were  from  W.  B.  Peterw  of  Bloomville, 
Edmund  L.  Fish  of  Fish  Eddy,  A.  M.  Warner  of  Stamford  and 
Admiral  Gillis  of  Delhi. 

In  the  collection  of  W.  B.  Peters  was  an  exceptionally  good 
showing  of  Indian  relics,  all  found  in  the  town  of  Kortright. 
Among  these  were  stone  aiTOW  heads,  knives  and  tools  used  by  the 
primitive  sons  of  the  forest  at  the  beginuiug  of  the  century,  a  scalp 
hook  which  his  grandfather  captured  with  twelve  bloody  scalps 
hanging  thereon.  He  also  had  an  admirable  collection  of  rare 
books,  of  valuable  coins,  and  musical  instruments. 

Edmund  Fish  had  a  display  of  Hint  implements  which  had  been 
gathered  from  various  parts  of  this  couutry.  Illustrative  of  the 
early  struggles  of  the  pioneers,  the  best  collection  came  from 
Bovina,  which  included  household  articles,  carpenters'  tools  and 
implements.  The  collection  loaned  by  Admiral  Gillis  contained 
many  revolutionary  relics  and  a  great  variety  of  interesting  things 
from  Peru.  A.  M.  Warner  exhibited  geological  specimens,  Indian 
relics,  old  firearms  and  quaint  musical   instruments. 

Some  of  the  other  articles  of  especial  interest  were  a  chair  used 
by  the  Colonial  Congress,  by  AV.  B.  Hanford  of  Franklin;  an  old 
high  post  bedstead  and  coverlet  IIT)  years  old,  by  H.  W.  White  of 
Delhi;   tin  lanterns,  the  oldest  one  shown   In-  Dr.  William   Ormistou 


CENrh:XXIA  L    CELEBRA  770.V.  -280 

<jf  Dcllii;  old  t'liniituic,  lioru  spoons,  guns,  jiistols,  powder  liorus, 
crockery,  fi'lassware,  niajis,  books,  fancy  work  and  crude  tools  of  all 
sorts. 

To  the  older  peojile  a  study  of  these  auti(|uities  "turned  liack 
time  in  its  riii;ht  "  and  revived  memories  of  theii' youthful  privations 
and  struggles.  To  the  younger  people  it  was  au  interesting  revela- 
tion— a  source  of  wonder  and  even  amusement  to  many.  They 
could  not  belj)  wondering  how  their  forefathers  got  along  with 
those  iuiperfect  aids  to  their  work.  This  was  really  as  successful 
as  any  part  of  the  celeliration,  and  it  is  a  regret  that  the  exhibits 
<-Rnnot  be  reproduced  in  pictures. 

When  Thursday  morning  came  the  rain  was  still  falling  and 
many  who  had  planned  to  witness  the  grandest  parade  ever  held  in 
the  county  were  compelled  to  forego  the  pleasure.  However,  a 
great  company  journeyed  to  the  county  seat  that  morning.  The 
firemen  were  not  deterred  from  their  duty  in  meeting  the  promises 
made  and  all  the  comjjanies  came,  accompanied  by  their  friends. 
Kepresentatives  of  the  several  posts  of  the  Graiul  Army  of  the 
l{epublic  and  other  veterans  of  the  war  of  the  rel)elliou  also  came 
to  join  the  parade.  Visiting  organizations  were  escorted  to  their 
headipiarters  by  the  Delhi  Cornet  Band,  and  accorded  a  hearty 
welcome. 

At  eleven  o'clock  began  the  serving  of  a  suni])tuous  dinner,  at 
the  opera  house,  to  the  1,000  invited  guests,  provided  by  the  citi- 
zens of  Delhi.  The  firemen,  the  veterans,  the  Thirty-third  Separate 
Company  from  "Walton  and  the  bands  were  the  guests.  "William  D. 
Smith  of  Delhi  was  chii'f  of  the  coniinissarv  department,  and  the 
following  committee  were  in  charge  of  the  opera  house,  the  hostelry 
of  the  occasitm:  ^Irs.  L.  "W.  Firth,  Mrs.  Mary  Dann,  Mrs.  John  A. 
Woo.lburn,  Mrs.  K.  W.  Paul,  Mrs.  C.  (i.  Maxwell,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Frank- 
lin and  Mrs.  J.  J.  Burke.  The  young  ladies  of  Delhi  volunteered 
to  serve  the  meals,  which  they  did  with  thoughtful  attention.  The 
visitors  were  profuse  in  their  j)raises  and  thanks  for  this  part  of  the 
program. 


240  llISTOIiV    OF    DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

A  patriotic  iiud  eutbiisiastic  people  were  cheered  when  at  noon 
the  raiustonn  abated  for  a  little,  so  that  the  grand  procession  could 
lie  formed.  The  grand  marshal,  Frank  L.  Norton,  and  his  assistants, 
arranged  the  companies  on  the  public  square,  and  when  in  readi- 
ness Prof.  Willis  D.  Cxraves,  president  of  the  day,  secured  attention 
and  in  a  few  words  introduced  Colonel  R.  P.  Cormack  of  Delhi,  who 
extended  a  welcome  as  follows: 

•'  I  am  directed  by  the  residents  of  this  village,  to  extend  to  you,  one  and 
all,  the  most  kindly,  cordial,  and  hearty  welcome,  to  a  participation  in  tlwir 
hospitalities  that  can  be  framed  in  words.  To  the  Veteran  Soldiers,  I  am 
further  instructed  to  say  that  they,  in  common  with  their  fellow  citizens  all 
over  the  country,  understand  and  appreciate  the  sacrifices  j'ou  made  in  sever- 
ing home  ties  and  accepting  camp  life,  the  trials  of  bivouac,  the  long  and 
weary  march,  the  discomforts  of  the  trenches,  fronting  the  enemy  tor  months 
in  succession,  and  in  the  fierce  heat  of  battle,  that  the  Nation  might  live  and 
the  Union  of  the  States  remain  intact,  and  to  assure  you  that  the  patriotism 
which  prompted  you  to  spring  to  the  defense  of  our  country,  will  never  be 
undervalued.  To  the  Firemen  of  Delaware  county,  it  is  made  my  duty  to  say 
that  the  people  of  Delhi,  although  having  been  exempt  from  devastating  fires 
for  many  years,  by  reason  of  the  activity  of  their  own  firemen,  feel  very  thank- 
ful for  the  singleness  of  purpose,  which  prompts  you  to  devote  your  time  to 
the  protection  of  your  neighbors'  property  and  sometimes  their  lives.  The 
frequency  with  which  firemen  are  maimed  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  and 
the  number  who  have  laid  down  their  lives  in  effort's  to  save  others,  sufficiently 
attests  the  danger  of  jour  calling,  and  I  here  venture,  in  the  name  of  the  peo- 
ple from  whom  you  severally  come,  to  sincerely  thank  you  for  your  noble 
woik.  The  people  of  Delaware  countj-  also  extend  a  hearty  welcome  to  the 
Thirty-third  Company  of  the  State  National  Guard,  and  desire  to  congratulate 
them  upon  their  soldlerlj-  appearance,  while  they  recognize  in  their  personnel 
the  same  element  and  characteristics  which  have  made  the  American  soldier 
famous  all  over  tiie  world,  and  it  is  my  province  to  say  that  your  fellow  citi- 
zens repose  the  most  pei-feet  eonfldence  in  your  patriotism  and  love  of  country, 
if  you  should  be  called  into  the  field  for  earnest  work.  This  celebration  is 
peculiar  in  its  characteristics.  It  interests  all  the  people  of  the  county  alike. 
It  is  at  once  patriotic,  sentiniental  and  historical,  and  like  the  century  jilant, 
it  blossoms  only  once  in  an  hundred  years.  'We  are  glad  to  see  so  many 
familiar  faces  from  all  parts  of  the  county,  and  sincerely  thank  you  for  your 
pi'esenc(>  and  I  will  close  my  remarks  by  quoting  the  old  adage,  that  brcxity  is 
the  soul  of  wit.     The  town  is  yours  for  this  auspicious  occasion.  ' 


CKXThX.XIM.    Cin.hlUiATKlX.  'i-ll 

Wlu-ii  till'  si>(_';iker  had  (•(iiii-ludcd,  the  lines  were  ([iiicklv  ur- 
niu^rfd   and   the   jirocessiou   moved   iu   the   fdlhiwiiij^-  order: 

GHAXD    M.VUSHAL— FliANK    L.   NORTON. 

Platdon  of  ('hiof  Engineers. 
Carnages  i-untaiiiiug  speakers  and  (.listiiiguislieil  guests. 

Fiisl  Diemion. — Marshal,  Geokoe  M.  Bubgin.— Sidney  Dniiu  Corps; 
Tliirty-third  Separate  Company,  Walton;  Sidney  Centre  Band;  Plielps  Host- 
Company,  Sidney;  Cartwright  Hook  and  Ladder  Company.  Sidney;  Bovina 
Ham);  Ben  Marvin  Post,  Walton;  Jolm  \.  Logan  Post,  Stamford;  Eggleslon 
Pos(,  Deposit;  Plaskett  Post.  Hancock;  Fleming  Post,  Dt)wusville ;  Bryce 
Post,  Hamden;  F.  T.  Hine  Post,  Franklin;  England  Post,  Delhi. 

Second  Divi-iion. — MARiSHAL,  Wii,i.iAM  Brinkman. — Brown's  Band.  One- 
onta;  Stamford  Hose  Company;  Maynard  Hose  Company,  Stamford;  Cliurehill 
Hook  and  Ladder  CV)mpany.  Stamford;  Fleiselimann's  Band;  Koxbury  Hose 
Coiiipany;  Pakalakan  Hose  Company,  Margaretville ;  Arena  Hose  Company, 
.\rena  ;  Hine  Hose  Company,  Treadwell. 

Third  /JicwiV™.  — Marshal,  George  O.  Leoxaru.— Downsville  Band  ;  She- 
liawken  Hose  Company,  No.  1,  Hancock ;  Hancock  Hose  Company,  No.  2, 
Hancock  ;  Hancock  Hook  and  Ladder  C<;)mpany,  No.  1,  Hancock;  Andes  Band  ; 
Howie  Hose  Company,  Andes;  Andes  Hook  and  Ladder  Company;  Hamden 
Hose  Company;  Franklin  Baud:  Edgerton  Hose  Company.  Franklin  ;  Edgor- 
tou  Hook  and  Lad<ler  Companj-,  Franklin. 

Fourth  />irwioH.— Marshal.  John  P.  Matthews.— Walton  Band;  Mmiow 
Hose  Company,  No.  1.  Alert  Hose  Company,  No.  2,  Fancher  Hook  and  Ladder 
Company,  No.  3,  Townsend  Hose  Company,  No.  4.  Walton ;  Deposit  Baud  : 
Deposit  Hose  Company ;  Bloomville  Band;  Cascade  Hose  Company,  Hol)art; 
Delhi  Band;  Coiiuago  Engine  Company,  No.  1,  Yonmaus  Hose  Company,  No. 
•2,  Graham  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  No.  :!.  Sheldon  Hose  Company,  No.  i. 
Active  Hose  Company,  No.  5.  Athletic  Hose  C^)nlpany,  No.  ti,  Delhi. 

Tlie  line  of  march  im-luded  the  follow  in>^  streets  of  the  villai^e: 
Court,  Second,  Franklin,  Woolerton.  Clinton  and  ^[aiii.  Au  iiiter- 
esting  feature  of  the  ])iirade  was  the  (iim|i.niv  of  ■•Anti-Reuters" 
from  Andes,  dressed  iu  the  Indian  L;arli  of  disj^uise.  .V  ])ictnre  of 
this  company  appears  elsewhere. 

This  jjiirade  was  one  of  jifreat  interest,  representing-  every  p.irt  of 
the  county.  The  many  liands  discoursed  inspiring;'  music.  The 
tirenieu  were  resplendent  iu  bright  uew  uniforms,  in  various  colors 
and  shades,  represeutiug  safety  from  the  r^vap^es  of  tire.  The  vet- 
irans  of  '()1-T)5,  now  grown  cfray  with  years,  representiuf,'  the  uohle 
army  whidi  saved  our  country  in   time   of    peril — an    iudestructihh- 


:242  HrsToiiv  of  Delaware  roT-xTv. 

union.  The  separate  compauv,  iu  full  imitoiin,  representative  cif 
ilie  state's  defense  ajjfainst  invasion  by  enemies.  The  past  century 
had  not  seen  the  equal  of  this  inspiring  spectacle,  and  it  was  a 
proud  day  for  the  gathered  thousands. 

After  the  i)ar!ide  many  watched  the  game  of  base  ball,  while 
Main  street  held  a  crowd  of  people  interested  in  the  hose  races  and 
the  hook  and  ladder  races  by  the  firemen.  Cascade  Hose  Company 
•of  Hobart  won  first  prize,  ?5(),  in  the  hose  race  and  Phelps  Hose 
Company  of  Sidney  second  prize,  §2.5.  Cartwright  Hook  and  Lad- 
<ler  Company  of  Sidney  was  the  only  one  entered  for  the  hook  and 
ladder  race,  and  second  prize  of  $"25  was  awarded. 

In  the  early  evening  there  were  band  concerts  and  later  a  dis- 
play of  fireworks  and  the  celebration  of  a  hundred  years  existence 
as  a  county,  by  loyal  citizens,  came  to  a  close.  This  Ijrief  story  and 
pictures  therewith  give  but  a  faint  conception  of  the  important 
•occasion. 


The  Anli-Rent  Episode   in   the   5 tale  of" 
New  ^lorlv 

^X   David    n(iira>:,    LL.D., 

OF  NEW  DIUXSWICK,  X.   I. 

THE  Auti-Reut  ayitatiou  which  occurred  in  the  state  of  New 
York  lietween  1889  aucl  IS-lli  was  iu  runuy  respects  a  re- 
markable 7iiovenieut.  It  had  its  ultimate  origiu  iu  the  leasehold 
tenure  of  lamls  which  was  intrDilui-ed  into  this  country  from  Eu- 
rope, and  which  was  sujjposed  to  carry  with  it  a  trail  of  the  feudal 
system  that  for  centuries  had  held  its  sway  iu  almost  all  the  coun- 
tries of  Europe.  The  communities  which  hecame  involved  iu  these 
Auti-Rent  troubles,  and  were  led  into  exhibitions  of  lawlessness  and 
even  bloodshed,  were  iu  almost  all  cases  hij^h-toued,  industrious  and 
moral.  They  belonf,'-ed  to  the  staid  and  conservative  parts  of  the 
people,  as  indeed  the  aj^ricultural  elements  of  a  state  are  sure  to 
do. 

The  objects  of  this  paper  are  to  give  some  account  of  the  Anti- 
Rent  disturbances  in  Delaware  county.  To  do  this  intelligently  it 
will  be  necessary  to  explain  the  introduction  of  European  land 
tenure  into  America  and  how  out  of  this  unreasoiial)le  system  arose 
troul)lcs  which  involved  the  best  parts  of  tlu-  State  for  many  years. 

The  first  settlements  witJiin  tjic  jiroscnt  boundaries  of  New  York 
were  made  by  the  Hollanders.  The  object  of  the  Dutch  "West  India 
Company  in  its  American  policy  wiis  a  profitable  trade.  .\nd  almost 
the  only  article  of  trade  to  be  derived  from  tlic  Holland  territory  iu 
America  was  the  jx'ltry  of  fin-hcariii^'  aiiiiuals.  Hence  it  was  im- 
portant that  jjermanent  and  trustworthy  settlements  should  be 
established  at  convenient  points  within  this  territory.     The  ])r<'seiit 

?8tate  of  New  York  contains  within  its  boundaries  at  Little  Falls  the 

■as 


•244  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWMiE    CorXTV. 

most  available  route  across  the  Allei^'hauies  to  the  west,  and  at  the 
time  of  the  Dutch  settlements  was  the  home  of  the  most  thrifty,  eu- 
terprising  aud  war-like  tribes  of  Indians.  To  bring  themselves  into 
contact  witli  these  sources  of  the  fur-trade,  the  Dutch  West  India 
t'ompauv  undertook  to  develop  a  settlement  at  All)auy.  To  this  end 
they  ofifered  imjiortant  concessions  to  such  men  of  wealth  as  would 
engage  to  found  colonies  on  the  frontiers  of  the  Indian  territories. 

Killain  Van  Rensselaer,  a  rich  pearl  merchant  of  Amsterdam,  was 
the  first  to  undertake  this  task.  He  received  a  grant  of  land  ex- 
tending twenty-four  miles  along  the  Hudson  river  at  Alljany,  aud 
running  back  twenty-four  miles  on  each  side.  This  extensive  tract 
covered  the  chief  parts  of  the  two  counties  of  Albany  and  Rensse- 
laer. The  recijiient  of  this  grant  was  denominated  a  patroou,  and 
he  engaged  to  plant  within  seven  years  a  colony  on  his  lands,  of  at 
least  fifty  families. 

In  KKiO  a  ship-load  of  emigrants  was  forwarded  from  Holland, 
and  in  succeeding  years  others  followed.  They  were  chiefly  planted 
on  farms  in  what  is  now  Albany  and  Rensselaer  counties.  The 
lands  were  leased  to  them  on  what  are  called  perpetual  leases.  The 
annual  rent  was  at  tirst  tixed  at  ten  bushels  of  wheat  for  one  hun- 
dred acres,  together  with  four  fat  hens  aud  a  day's  work  with  a 
team.  In  the  later  leases  the  rent  was  tixed  at  fourteen  bushels  of 
wheat  for  one  hundred  acres. 

In  16()4:  the  Holland  possessions  in  America  were  all  transferred 
by  treaty  to  England,  and  among  them  the  patroonshij)  of  the  Van 
Rensselaers.  The  personal  rights  of  the  inhabitants  were  not  dis- 
turbed, and  the  patroonship  became  the  manor  of  Rensselaerwyck, 
with  the  rights  and  usages  of  an  English  manor. 

The  English  during  their  ascendency  created  several  othei'  great 
njauors.  The  most  important  of  these  was  the  Livingston  manor  in 
what  is  now  Columbia  county.  It  covered  1(5.5,240  acres.  The  ob- 
ject of  the  English  colonial  government  in  thus  founding  manors- 
was  of  course  to  secure  the  prevalence  in  America  of  a  landed  aris- 
tocracy after  the  jiatteru  of  England.     Tlic  land  of  the  Livingston 


'/•///•;  AXTiuHXT  i:i'isiiiiK.  245 

limUdi'  >\iis  like  tlijit  of  lifiisscliicrwvck  assij^iicd  to  settlers  on  lease, 
•some  iu  perpetuity,  some  for  uiiuty-iiiiie  years,  and  some  tor  one  or 
more  lives.  The  "greater  jiart.  liowcxcr,  was  leiised  for  two  lives. 
The  aunual  rent  varied  between  fourtceu  and  eighteen  liusliels  of 
wheat  for  one  hundred  acres. 

Thei'e  were  other  large  patents  in  different  eastern  counties, 
wliose  tenants  became  involved  in  the  Anti-Kent  agitation.  The 
principal  of  these  were  in  Schoharie  county,  iu  Schenectady  county, 
the  George  Clark  tracts  iu  Montgomery,  Scoharie,  Otsego,  Oneida 
and  Delaware  counties,  in  Greene  county,  in  Ulster  county  and  iu 
Sullivan  and  Delaware  counties. 

The  tract  of  greatest  interest  to  Delaware  county  was  the  Hard- 
eubevgh  patent.  It  was  granted  by  Queen  Anne  in  1708  to  Johannes 
Hardenbergh  of  Kingston  and  iiis  associates.  It  included  ten  miles 
square,  and  was  claimed  by  the  grantees  to  extend  to  the  West 
branch  of  the  Delaware;  but  this  claim  was  disjiuted  by  the  settlers 
■who  held  that  grant  only  extended  to  the  East  branch.  The  orig- 
inal grant  specified  that  the  land  extended  to  the  "  Main  Branch  of 
the  Fish-lvill  or  Delaware  river."  Which  is  the  main  branch  is  even 
yet  almost  impossible  to  decide.  As  the  two  How  toL;etlH>r  at  Hau- 
•cock  they  are  so  nearly  of  the  same  size  that  we  may  pardon  the 
dis])utes  of  the  patentees  and  the  settlers. 

The  lauds  of  the  Hardenbergh  patent  were  nearly  always  granted 
to  settlers  on  leases  at  one  shilling  an  acre.  Besides  this  large  pat- 
ent, there  were  in  Delaware  county  several  other  considerable  tracts; 
thus  there  were  the  Morgan  Lewis  tract  of  15,(100  acres;  three 
tracts  of  Gulian  and  Samuel  Yerplanck  originally  of  50,000  acres,  of 
which  there  were  20,000  acres  under  lease  at  the  time  of  the  Auti- 
Hent  outbreak.  To  these  tracts  must  lie  added  tlinse  of  liobert  R. 
Livingston  and  Mrs.  Montgomery,  and  the  extensive  tracts  of 
Hunter,  Kortright  and  Overiug.* 

The    first    Auti-Hent    outl>reak    took    place    in    the    lands    of   the 

♦These  itctiis  are  lukeii  from  the  rt^poj'l  of  Hon.  SuMiiiel  J.  TiliJen  in  the 
-winter  of  I84fi  to  the  New  York  Assembly. 


24(5  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COl-XTY. 

Helderljcr^s  iu  All);iiiy  county  iu  l.s:{!).  It  ui-Dse  from  the  iitteiiipt 
made  to  euforce  the  collection  of  rents  wLicb  the  too  great  leuieucv 
of  tlie  patroon  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  had  suffered  to  accumulate 
in  arrears.  At  the  time  of  his  death  this  accumulation  amounted  to 
not  less  than  $-!:()(), (l(»l.  The  effort  to  enforce  payment  led  to  violent 
resistance,  and  the  officers  of  the  law  were  compelled  to  cull  upon 
the  governor,  William  H.  Seward,  for  military  assistance.  After  the 
forcible  settlement  of  the  questions  at  issue,  at  the  sutfgestiou  of 
the  governor  commissioners  were  appointed  to  endeavor  to  make  a 
comiaromise  between  the  landlord  and  his  tenants.  But  no  satis- 
factory result  came  from  this  conference  and  the  commissioners 
reported  their  failure  to  the  next  legislature. 

Soon  after  this,  the  agitation  as  to  the  payment  of  rents  spread 
to  the  Van  Rensselaer  leasehold  properties  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Hudson  river.  Anti-Rent  associations  began  to  be  formed  iu  all  the 
considerable  localities.  These  associations  became  affiliated  and  ex- 
erted a  wide  intiuence  iu  all  the  subsequent  movements,  both  in  the 
Van  Rensselaer  and  other  leasehold  domains.  In  connection  with 
these  associations  there  ajjpeared  a  set  of  professional  agitators, 
who  went  about  descanting  upon  the  evils  of  the  system  of  rents 
and  encouraging  the  tenants  in  the  methods  of  violence  which  they 
adojited.  Dr.  Boughtou  who  was  afterward  tried  and  convicted  iu 
Columbia  county,  and  ^Ir.  Brisbane  who  was  present  at  the  killing 
of  Steele  in  Delaware  county,  were  both  professional  anti-rent  lec- 
turers. 

It  must  not  be  assumed  that  the  aims  aud  purposes  of  these 
associations  were  wholly  or  even  principally  wrong.  There  was- 
a  perfectly  legitimate  object  which  they  did  much  to  promote. 
In  them  began  that  persistent  agitation  which  finally  brought 
about  those  reforms  which  the  leasehold  system  fairly    needed. 

Til  the  meantime  the  employment  of  disguises  had  been  intro- 
duced to  aid  iu  the  resistance  to  the  25!\ymeut  of  rent.  Wherr- 
these  disreputable  disguises  were  first  used  we  hjive  not  been 
able  to  ascertain.     It  the  second  ti'ial  of    Dr.    Boughtou    in    IXi-'i 


riiK  .wriHExr  ei'isode.  2-4T 

.Imlge  Eilmoiids  in  jiroiiouiii-iuji'  st'iitcuct'  uixni  liim,  clmr^^cs  tlnit 
he  was  the  first  to  introduce  them;  but  tliere  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  same  dispfuise  was  used  at  a  much  curljer  date.  The 
disfjuise  consisted  of  a  shecpskiu  ciiji  [luUed  down  over  the  head 
and  face,  out  of  which  had  bcoii  cut  holes  for  the  eyes,  ears, 
mouth  and  nose.  Sometimes  the  caj)  was  trimmed  with  orna- 
mental feathers  or  plumes  of  horsehair,  and  with  an  artificial 
beard.  The  disguised  persons  called  themselves  Indians,  and 
the  commanders  assumed  such  names  as  Bi^f-Thunder,  Little- 
Thunder.  Blue-Beard,  White-Chief,  .^c.  Besides  the  caj),  the 
body  of  the  Indian  was  disguised  by  a  calico  blouse  extending- 
a  little  V)elow  the  knee,  which  was  contiued  at  the  waist  by  a 
colored  sash.  These  "Calico-Indians"  were  armed  with  pistols 
and  knives,  and    usually  also   carried   a   ritle. 

Serious  disturbances,  accompanied  by  the  appearance  of  dis- 
guised Indians,  broke  out  both  in  Rensselaer  county  and  ui)ou 
the  Livingston  manor  in  Columbia.  These  disturbances  generally 
consisted  in  the  resistance  to  the  sheriff  in  serving  pajiers  upon 
chdiuquent  tenants,  or  in  interfering  with  sales  which  the  sheriff 
was  called  upon  to  hold  for  the  liquidation  of  rents.  The  diffi- 
culties reached  such  a  pass  that  at  last  the  governor  was  called 
upon  to  aid  the  officials  of  Columbia,  and  to  send  troops  to  assist 
them  in  the  performance  of  their  duties.  Similar  disturbances 
manifested  themselves  in  Schoharie  county,  in  Ulster  county,  and 
a  second  time   in   Albany   county. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  in  other  counties,  the 
affairs  in  Delaware  county  were  rapidly  converging  towards  a 
tragi<'al  crisis.  Tlie  parts  of  the  county  in  which  the  excitement 
first  began  were  the  towns  of  Roxbury  and  Middletowu.  The 
lands  here  were  a  part  of  the  Hardenburgh  patent.  They  lay 
in  the  disputed  section  of  the  patent  l)etweeu  the  east  and  west 
I  tranches  of  the  Delaware  river.  The  tenants  had  been  getting 
stirred  u])  by  the  disturbances  which  occurred  in  Albany  and 
Columbia  counties.     Professional  agitatois   had    visited    thcni    and 


•248  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

liiul  advised  them  to  resist  the  payiiient  of  reut.  Auti-reiit  asso- 
ciatious  had  beeu  founded  and  thousands  of  tenants  had  enrolled 
themselves  as  members.  Thev  paid  a  certain  niimlier  of  cents 
for  each  acre  of  their  farms,  and  out  of  the  funds  thus  collected, 
the  exjjeuses  of  the  aj^itation  were  paid,  puch  as  exjseuses  of 
meetings,  pay  of  lecturers,  equipment  of  Indians,  and  their  out- 
lay and  maintenance  when  upon  any  excursion  connected  with 
the   organization. 

In  the  summer  of  1844:  John  B.  (Toukl,  the  father  of  Jay 
Gould,  who  resided  in  Eoxbury,  was  visited  by  a  baud  of  Indians 
who  requested  him  to  cease  having  his  dinner  horn  blown  for 
his  workmen  at  dinner-time,  as  was  the  custom  of  all  the  fanners 
of  that  region.  The  object  of  this  request  of  course  was,  that 
the  blowing  of  Mr.  Crould's  dinuer-horn  might  not  be  mistaken 
for  the  signal  by  which  the  Indians  were  summoned  to  a  gather- 
ing, Mr.  Gould  however  refused  to  give  up  the  use  of  his 
dinuer-horn,  notwithstanding  the  insistauce  of  the  Indians.  They 
threatened  him  with  violence  if  he  continued  the  practice,  and 
he  finally  drove  them  off  with  a  gun.  A  few  weeks  later  a 
larger  body  of  Indians  surrounded  his  house  and  tried  to  in- 
timidate him;  but  he  absolutely  refused  to  yield  to  their  demands, 
and  finally  as  the  neighbors  began  to  collect  they  retired,  with- 
out having  secured  their  end.  On  their  way  home  they  took 
revenge  by  capturing  Hiram  J\Iore  and  tarring  and  feathering 
him.  In  September  of  the  same  year,  another  outrage  was  com- 
mitted in  the  tarring  and  feathering  of  Timothy  Corbin,  who  was 
engaged  as  a  deputy-sheriff  in  serving  jsapers  on  Daniel  W. 
S(|uires.  The  official  papers  w-hich  he  carried  were  taken  from 
him   and   destroyed. 

In  February,  1845,  Under-Sheriflf  O.  N.  Steele  with  three  assist- 
ants arrested  Squires,  who  had  been  indicted  by  the  Grand  Jury  for 
riot,  assault  and  battery,  in  being  engaged  in  tarring  and  feather- 
ing Mr.  Corbin,  in  compelling  the  surrender  of  the  sheriff's  papers. 
He   was   arraigned   and   admitted   to  bail.      A  week  later  than  this. 


D 


3= 


0) 


rn"  I    li •^  irn 

• 

^^lN 

THE  AXri-HKXT   KI'ISODK.  251 

Deimty-Sluiirt'  J.  A.  Jiorsoii  of  MiddUtowu  uudcrtook  to  serve  a 
deeliiratiou  iii  a  case  uot  eouuecUd  with  Auti-Kcut.  He  was  met  b_v 
nine  (lisguiseil  ludiaus,  who  threateued  Liiu  with  tar  iuul  fciithcrs, 
if  he  came  agaiu  ou  a  like  erraud. 

For  api^oariup  disguised  aud  armed  in  Roxburv  and  MidcUctowu 
the  (iriind  Jury  in  lfS-l5  indicted  Sihis  Tonijjkins,  Lewis  Knnpp, 
Anson  K.  Burrill  and  Ezekiel  C.  Kelly.  This  indictment  was  under 
II  law  which  liad  liceu  enacted  by  tlie  lef^'islature  duriii;^'  the  session 
i)f  184"),  making  it  unlawful  to  appear  in  disguise  aud  specifying 
the  iiunishment  in  two  degrees,  first  when  disguised  and  isecond 
when  disguised  and  armed.  Of  the  persons  thus  indicted  Kelly 
pleaded  guilty  and  was  tiucd  i?"2.")0;  the  otlicr  three  w'ere  tried, 
found  guilty  aud  sentenced  to  State  Prison  for  two  years. 

Under-SheritT  Steele  with  an  escort,  who  had  been  serving 
l)apers  ou  delinquent  tenants  in  the  town  of  .\ndes,  was  stopped  on 
his  way  home  by  a  body  of  ludiaus  near  the  little  lake  now  calh'd 
Lake  Delaware.  They  were  taken  back  to  the  village  of  Andes  and 
there  confined  in  a  tavern.  Steele  found  means  to  despatch  a  mes- 
senger to  Delhi,  which  is  distant  about  thirteen  miles.  The  Sheriff, 
Green  Moore,  being  warned  of  the  predicament  of  his  assistant, 
-summoned  help  and  started  for  his  rescue.  The  ludiaus  having 
learned  of  liis  coming  immediately  scattered  aud  left  their  j)risouers 
free. 

Shortly  after  this  Under  Sheritf  Steele  and  Deputy  Sheriff  Edg- 
erton  made  an  incursion  into  Roxburv  for  the  purpose  of  arresting 
persons  who  had  been  engaged  in  tarring  aud  feathering  the 
slieriff's  deputy  and  in  abstracting  his  papers.  They  marched  in 
two  parties,  each  composed  of  thirty  to  forty  men.  They  made 
several  arrests  of  persons  who  were  alleged  to  have  been  in  disguise 
foutrary  to  law.  Two  of  them,  viz.  James  O.  Bunill  and  Warren 
W.  Scudder  (Blue  Beard)  were  committed,  aud  four  others  were 
discharged  for  want  of  proof.     Scudder  was  admitteil  to  bail. 

While    these    disturbances    were   thus   accumulaf iug,    tlic    slicrilf 
became   concerned   for   the   safety  of   the  jail  aud   the  other  jiublic 
14 


252  HISTORY    OF   DELA^^^AHE    COl'XTV. 

biiildinf>'s.  He  sumiiioued  a  t^uard  from  the  surioiiudiuj^-  towus, 
which  he  j)hiced  iiuder  the  comniaud  of  CoUmel  Miirviu  of  Walton. 
I'udcr  the  authority  of  a  hxw  which  liad  Iteeu  passed  by  the  lej^-isla- 
ture  at  its  preeediug-  session,  he  l)orrowed  from  the  State  a  hundred 
sabres,  a  hundred  pairs  of  pistols  and  six  hundred  ball  cartridges. 
With  these  preparations  he  deemed  the  prisoners  under  arrest  safe 
from  the  attempts  at  rescue  which  from  time  to  time  were 
thi-eatened. 

There  is  evidence  that  these  attempts  at  violence  and  resistance 
to  law  were  contrary  to  the  moderate  and  sensible  oj)inious  of  even 
the  strongest  anti-rent  communities.  Many  meetings  were  held, 
some  of  which  were  meetings  of  anti-rent  associations,  in  which  a 
disapj)roval  of  acts  of  violence  and  lawlessness  were  most  strongly 
and  peremjjtorily  expressed.  But  for  the  time  being  the  guidance 
of  matters  was  in  the  hands  of  the  reckless  and  ii-responsible.  The 
absurd  freak  of  disguises  was  mainly  played  by  the  young  and 
inexperienced,  who  usually  had  no  property  or  character  of  their 
own  at  stake.  It  reipiired  the  serious  and  heavy  hand  of  the  law  to 
be  laid  upon  them,  before  they  could  he  awakened  to  a  realizing 
sense  of  what  they  were  really  doing.  The  event  which  was  to 
startle  them  all  back  into  a  full  consciousness  of  the  dangerous 
position  in  which  they  stood  was  now  ujion  them. 

On  the  7th  of  August,  1845,  Sheriif  Green  Moore,  Under-Sheriff 
Osman  N.  Steele,  Constable  Edgerton  and  their  counsel  P.  P. 
Wright,  Esq.,  weut  to  the  town  of  Andes  to  sell  jH'oiserty  belonging 
to  Moses  Earle  which  had  been  levied  on  for  the  non-payment  of 
rent.  His  farm  was  upon  the  Yerplanck  tract  and  subject  to  an 
annual  rent  of  $82.  It  was  in  arrears  for  two  years,  and  therefore 
the  Sheriff  was  to  sell  property  to  the  value  of  $()4  and  enough 
more  to  cover  the  cost  of  collection.  Mr.  Wright  had  been 
employed  by  the  agent  of  the  Verplanek  landlord,  and  went  to  the 
sale  prepared  to  bid  on  the  property  otfered,  if  necessary. 

Sheriff  Moore  and  Mr.  Wright  arrived  at  the  premises  about  ten 
o'clock.     There    were    present    already  a    considerable    nund)er    of 


THE  ASTI-RENT  EPISODE.  -25:} 

spectators.  Mr.  W'riyht  soii);Lit  :ui  iuti'rvifw  witli  ^Ir.  Kurlc  aud 
proposed  a  settlement  of  the  luatter  without  a  sale.  But  he  de- 
cliiicil  and  replied,  "You  must  ^o  ahead,  I  shall  tij^ht  to  tlie 
liardcst."  About  eleven  o'eloek,  Mr.  Wrijfht  says  iu  his  evideuce 
afterward  fj^iveu,  a  small  body  of  disf^uised  ludiaus  crossed  the  road 
aud  weut  through  the  pasture  where  the  cattle  which  were  to  be 
sold  were  gathered,  and  theuce  entered  the  woods.  Afterwards 
other  bodies  of  Indians  made  tluir  a]>]i(arauce,  until  it  was  lielieved 
that  more  than  two  hundred  were  present  disguised  aud  armed. 

About  1  o'clock  one  hundred  or  more  of  the  ludiaus  marched 
single  file  out  of  their  ambuscade  and  took  their  place  in  the 
pasture,  ilr.  Wright  was  near  enough  to  hold  some  conversation 
with  them.  He  called  out  to  them  that,  "they  were  all  there  to 
break  the  law."  They  answered,  "Damn  the  law,  we  are  here  to 
l>reak  it."  He  was  told  by  the  Indians  that  if  he  dared  to  bid  on 
tlie  property,  he  would  go  home  to  Delhi  iu  a  wagon  feet  foremost. 
A  pail  of  whiskey  was  brought  out  from  ~S\r.  Earl's  house  aud  car- 
ried along  the  line,   from  which  the  Indians  drank. 

OtKcers  Steele  and  Edgerton  came  to  the  farm  about  '2  o'clock 
on  horseback.  The  Sheriff  then  announced  that  the  sale  would 
be  l>egun,  aud  started  with  two  or  three  citizens  to  drive  uj) 
the  cattle  which  were  to  be  sold.  They  were  driven  to  a  pair 
of  bars  opening  into  the  road;  but  the  Indians  stopped  them 
from  going  through.  They  formed  themselves  into  a  hollow 
sipiare,  enclosing  the  sheriff,  the  cattle,  Mr.  Steele  and  Mi-. 
Edgert.(m   on  horseback,  and   'Siv.    Wiight. 

It  was  at  this  supreme  moment,  when  all  the  parties  were 
ill  a  state  of  the  greatest  excitement,  that  an  order  was  heard 
from  the  chief  of  the  Indians,  "Shoot  the  horses";  and  a  moment 
later  another  shout  from  an  uncertain  (|uarter,  "Shoot  him,  shoot 
him."  A  voUej'  was  at  once  fired  and  blood  was  seen  to  How 
from  Edgerton's  horse.  A  few  seconds  later  another  volley  was 
lired,  and  Steele  fell  bleeding  from  his  horse.  Three  balls  had 
pierced    him,    besides    others    which    had    entered    his    clothing. 


254  HISTORY    OF   DKLAWAIiE    COlWrV. 

Both  the  horses  died  from  their  wouuds.  Sheriff  Moore  appealed 
to  the  Indians,  "  For  God's  sake  desist,  you  have  done  enough." 
Steele  was  carried  into  ]\Ir.  Earle's  house,  and  Drs.  Peake  and 
Calhoun  were  summoned  to  his  aid  from  the  village  of  Andes 
which  is  about  three  miles  distant.  Three  serious  wounds  were 
found  upon  him:  One  in  his  arm,  another  in  his  hreast,  and  a 
third  which  entered  at  his  Lack  and  came  out  through  his 
bowels.  He  lingered  five  or  six  hours  in  great  agony  and  then 
died.  ^Tiile-  lying  in  his  sufferiug  he  is  said  to  have  toM  Mr. 
Earle  that  if  he  had  agreed  to  a  settlement  this  morning,  he 
would  not  have  been  shot.  Earle  replied  that  lie  would  not 
settle  if  it   cost   forty   lives.* 

There  was  also  a  question  raised  at  the  trials  which  followed, 
■whether  Steele  had  fired  upon  the  Indians  before  he  was  tired 
ui^ou.  It  was  understood  that  upon  his  deathbed  he  acknowl- 
edged having  fired  his  revolver  after  he  had  received  the  wound 
in  his  arm.  The  pistol  was  subsequently  picked  uj)  and  was 
presented  at  the  trials.  The  condition  of  the  barrels  showed  that 
it  had  not  been  tired  excej)t  as  stated  by  Steele.  Neither  the 
sheriff,   Mr.  Edgerton  nor  Mr.  Wright  tired  their  pistols. I 

The  fatal  termination  of  this  affair  aroused  the  greatest  excite- 
ment, not  only  throughout  Delaware  county,  but  throughout  the 
State.  NewsjDapers  denounced  the  mad  violence  which  had  resulted 
in  the  death  of  an  officer  in  the  performance  of  his  duty.  Every 
where  meetings  were  held  by  the  friends  of  the  anti-rent  movement 
protesting  against  the  injustice  of  charging  this  criminal  folly 
against  anti-renters.     Nothing  could  have  happened  whicli  would 

*  It  is  fair  to  state  that  Dr.  Calhoun  who  was  present  at  Steele's  death, 
denies  the  accuracy  of  this  statement.  He  saj-s  that  Earle's  answer  was, 
"If  they  will  show  me  their  title  I  will  pay  every  cent  of  rent;  but  if  they 
mean  to  bully  me  out  of  it,  I  will  not  pay  if  it  costs  forty  lives." 

t  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  was  a  sjiecial  hatred  against  Steele 
among  the  disguised  Indians  present  at  Earle's  sale.  He  had  been  the 
most  active  of  the  SheriiT's  officers  in  searching  for  and  arresting  the  dis- 
guised men.  The  fatal  shots  which  were  poured  into  him,  and  into  no 
others,  were  unquestionably  fired  by  some  of  his  victims  or  their   friends. 


THE  AXri-liEXT  El'ISODE.  -255 

tcml  to  deprive  a  cause,  which  nianv  cleemod  a  {^001!  caiiwf,  so 
I'oiuiik'tely  of  the  sviupatliv  to  which  it  min^ht  be  entitled. 

(lovernor  Silas  Wright  at  once  offered  a  reward  of  $500  for  the 
arrest  of  Warren  W.  Scuddcr,  who  was  believed  to  have  been  m 
eoiiiniaud  of  the  Indians  at  Earl's  sale.  Sheriff  !Moore  also  offered 
a  reward  of  $;^00  for  the  apprehension  of  So  udder,  and  8200  for  the 
apjirehension  of  William  Bartlett.  The  Sheriff  with  an  armed  /w.»r 
scoured  the  county,  searching  for  those  who  could  be  showu  to 
have  been  engaged  in  auj'  way  in  this  fatal  affair.  On  August  'llih 
(Jovernor  Wright  issued  a  proclamation,  declaring  Delaware  county 
iu  a  state  of  insurrection,  and  ordering  thither  a  sutKcient  military 
force  for  the  preservation  of  order  and  the  guarding  of  arrested 
prisoners.  Two  companies  of  volunteers  were  summoned  from  the 
towns  in  the  south  and  west  of  the  county,  where  no  lease  land  nor 
anti-rent  sentiment  was  to  be  found.  Colonel  Marvin  of  Walton 
commanded  these  troops,  one  hundred  of  whom  were  mounted  and 
were  used  to  escort  the  Sheriff'  and  his  ofhcers  iu  making  the 
needful  aiTests.  The  jail  was  so  tilled  with  prisoners  awaiting 
trial,  that  the  Sheriff  was  obliged  to  build  a  temporary  structure  in 
order  to  provide  room  for  them. 

The  trial  of  the  persons  charged  with  complicity  in  the  death  of 
Steele  was  conducted  in  the  Circuit  Court  held  by  .Tudge  .\^masa  J. 
Parker,  beginning  August  22,  1845.  It  was  a  most  trying  ordeal 
through  which  he  was  obliged  to  pass.  He  had  resided  for  many 
years  in  Delhi,  and  there  had  begun  his  brilliant  legal  career. 
N[any  of  the  persons  who  now  ajjpeared  before  hiiu  for  trial  were 
known  to  him,  and  their  j^resent  critical  positions  must  have  deeply 
touched  the  sensibilities  of  his  nature.  It  may  safely  be  said  that 
no  person  in  any  way  connected  with  these  trying  events  exerted  a 
more  benign  intlurnce  than  Judge  Parker  in  putting  an  end  forever 
to  the  methods  of  violence  which  had  sprung  u]i  in  tliis  sober 
and  conservative  community.  The  arraignment  and  conviction 
of  so  many  prisoners  seem  like  a  barbarous  and  unnecessary 
cruelty.     But  such  an  experience  was  necessary  to  convince  them 


256  HISTORY    UF    DELAWARE    CdiyTV. 

of  tlie  danger  and  futility  i>f  tvitlin^-  with  the  execution  of  the 
laws. 

The  District  Attoruey  who  eornluctetl  these  trials  was  Jonas  M. 
Hughston,  and  he  was  assisted  by  John  Van  Burcu  then  the  Attorney 
General,  and  by  Samuel  Sherwood  as  special  counsel.  The  counsel 
for  the  prisoners  were  Samuel  Gordon  and  Amasa  Parker  an  uncle 
of  the  presiding  Judge,  both  residents  of  Delhi.  The  results  of 
these  trials,  which  continued  into  October,  may  be  summarized  as 
follows: 

No  evidence  was  presented  which  made  it  certain  that  any  of 
the  prisoners  had  fired  the  fatal  shots.  The  nearest  apjiroach  to 
this  was  in  the  trial  of  John  Van  Steenburg,  in  regard  to  whom  it 
was  testified  that  he  asked  to  borrow  a  ramro<l  in  order  to  re-load 
his  gun.  On  this  evidence  he  was  convicted  of  mui-der.  In  the 
case  of  Edward  O'Conner  it  was  proved  that  he  was  jjresent  at 
Earl's  sale,  disguised  and  armed,  and  that  he  proJmhhj  discharged 
his  gun.  On  the  technical  ground  that  he  was  present  disguised, 
armed  and  aided  as  a  subordinate  Chief  of  the  Indians,  he  also  was 
convicted  of  murder.  It  was  j^roved  that  the  Commander  of  the 
disguised  Indians  at  Earl's  was  Warren  W.  Scudder  of  Roxbury. 
And  although  a  reward  was  offered  for  his  capture  he  was  not 
arrested  and  probably  had  left  the  State. 

The  list  of  convictions  and  punishments  is  as  here  given: 

1.  John  Van  Steenburg  and  Edward  O'Connor,  found  guilty 
of  murder  and  sentenced   to  be  hung,   November  29,   lt^4r). 

2.  Daniel  "\V.  Scpiires,  Moses  Eai'le,  Zera  Preston  and  Daniel 
Northrup,  indicted  for  murder,  pleaded  guilty  of  manslaughter 
in  the  first  degree,  and  sentenced  to  State  prison  for  life. 

3.  John  Phoenix,  John  Burch,  John  Latham,  William  Keside, 
and  Isaac  L.  Burhaus,  indicted  for  murder;  pleaded  guilty  of 
manslaughter  in  the  first  degree  and  sentenced  to  State  prison 
for  seven  years. 

4.  Caleb  Madison,  same  as  above  except  sentenced  to  State 
prison  for  ten  years. 


THE  AXTI-HEXT  EPISODE.  -257 

5.  Williaui  Brisbaue,  fouud  guiltv  of  niiiuslaughter  iu  the 
secoml  ilcjfree  and  sentenced  to  State  prison  for  seven  years. 
(  He  was  a  professional  Icctunr  and  was  present  at  the  sale  un- 
disffuised. ) 

(!.  Charles  T.  McCmnber,  found  fjuilty  of  robbery  in  the 
second  de«;ree;  sentenced   to   State   prison   for   seven  years. 

7.  William  Jocelyn,  fouud  f,aiilty  of  manslaughter  iu  the  second 
ilegree;  sentenced  to   State   prison   for  two  years. 

N.  Thirty  persons  pleaded  ),'uilty  and  were  fined  sums  between 
"'."idd  and  S2.5. 

!'.  Thirty-nine  persons  pleaded  guilty  and  their  sentences 
were  suspended. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  punishments  meted  out 
to   the  persons  convicted  or   who   pleaded   guilty: 

"2     to  lie  hung. 

4  manslaughter,   first  degree,    life   imprisonment. 

1     manslaughter,  first   degree,    10  years'   imin-isonment. 

5  manslaughter,   first   degree,   7  years'  imprisonment. 

•2  manslaughter,    second  degree,  7  years'    imprisonment. 

1  manslaughter,   fourth  degree,   2  years'  imprisonment. 

30  fined  sums   varying  between  $500   and  §25. 

3!t  sentences  suspended. 

84     total  sentenced. 

This  number  did  not  include  either  the  leading  chiefs  of  the 
Indians,  or  those  who  could  he  proved  to  have  tired  upon  Steele. 
These  had  early  escaped  from  the  country  or  h.'ul  nKinagc<l  to 
elude   detection. 

The  sentence  of  death  which  had  been  passed  upon  \"au 
Steeuburg  and  O'Connor  was  felt  under  the  circumstances  to  be 
unnecessarily  severe.  Governor  Wright  therefore  promptly  com- 
muted their  sentences  to  imprisonment  for  life. 

They  as  well  as  the  large  nundier  of  other  prisoners  were 
conveyed  to  the  State  jirison  at  Sing  Sing,  where  they  remained 
till  pardoned. 


258  HISTORY    OF    DELAWAHK    COUNTY. 

The  fxcitemeut  iu  Delaware  county  after  these  trials  aud 
couvictions  rapidly  subsided;  so  that  on  the  18tli  of  the  follow- 
ing December  the  {Governor  deemed  it  safe  to  withdraw  the 
proclamation  declaring  the  county  in  a  state  of  insurrection. 
The  troops  which  had  been  employed  to  guard  the  public  build- 
ings at  Delhi  were  ordered  home;  and  soon  everything  resumed 
its  ordinary  peaceful  routine.  For  a  long  time  how-ever  a  very 
bitter  feeling  *  jDrevailed  as  to  the  harshness  and  severity  with 
which  the  Anti-renters  had  been  treated  iu  these  trials. 

The  exjjenses  of  this  insurrection,  which  were  paid  by  the 
State  and  afterwards  charged  to  Delawiu-e  county,  were  S63,- 
683.'20.  It  is  said  that  this  sum  has  never  been  rei^aid  by  the 
county,  and    will   not   probably   now   be   called   for. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  measures  which 
were  taken  to  remedy  the  evils  of  which  the  anti-renters  com- 
plained. It  was  plain  that  the  remedies  to  be  hereafter  applied 
must  no  longer  jjartake  of  violence  aud  lawlessness.  The  gover- 
nor iu  his  message  to  the  legislature  made  several  important 
recommendations,  and  the  legislature  gave  a  good  degree  of 
attention  to  measures  of  amelioration.  The  chairman  of  the 
special  committee  in  the  Assembly  was  Hon.  Samuel  J.  Tilden, 
aud  it  is  to  his  earnest  and  liberal  efforts  that  material  amend- 
ments were  made  to  the  laws.  Mr.  Tilden  in  an  elaborate  report 
gives  these  weighty  conclusions  reached  by  his  committee  con- 
cerning the  anti-rent  questions:  1.  Leasehold  tenures  have 
exerted  an  unfavorable  influence  wherever  they  have  prevailed, 
2.  The  easy  terms  at  first  required  seem  a  great  benefit  to  the 
tenant,  but  afterward  are  often  misleading  and  dangerous.  8. 
The    proprietorship    of    laud    is    natural    and    exhiliratiug    to    the 

*  Yi^irs  after  tin-  i)eriod  of  these  trials,  a  relatne  of  one  of  the  ofTieers 
who  attended  Earle's  sale,  was  running  for  member  of  Assemblj'.  He  be- 
longed to  the  dominant  party  in  his  district  and  had  no  doubt  about  his 
election.  To  his  amazement  he  found  himself  overwhelmed  in  an  ignomin- 
ious defeat.  The  cause  was  subsequently  found  to  be  that  he  had  served 
on  the  Sheriffs  posse  in  the  old  anti-rent  times  and  assisted  in  making 
some  of  the  arrests. 


THE  AXTI-RKXT  KI'ISOnE.  •2,-,<> 

liuniiiu  mmil  and  has  a  vast  iuriueiii'o  iu  sefiiiiu><'  the  prosjurity 
of  ^rowiu^'  t'oiiiiminities.  4.  The  restraints  iuserted  in  the  ohl 
leases  to  the  alieuatiou  of  himl  arc  a  serious  inqicilinient  to  the 
(levelopmeut  of  leasehold  properties.  The  more  enterprising  set- 
tlers are  kei)t  out  and  the  steady  making  of  improvements  on 
farms  is  discouraged.  5.  It  is  reasonable  and  fair  that  the 
interest  of  the  landlord  iu  the  farms,  of  which  the  annual  rent 
is  the  measure  should  pay  its  equitable  part  of  the  taxes  assessed 
for  State   and  local  purposes. 

Besides  the  laws  enacted,  the  constitutional  convention  of 
1H46  inserted  several  important  clauses  bearing  upon  the  ques- 
tions of  land  tenure.  Thus  Section  1-1  provides  that  no  lease  or 
grant  of  agricultural  land  for  a  longer  period  than  twelve  years, 
hereafter  made,  iu  which  shall  be  reserved  any  rent  or  service 
of  any  kind  shall  be  valid.  Section  lo  provides  that  all  lines, 
tpiarter  sales,  or  other  like  restraints  ui>on  alienation,  reserved 
in   any  grant   of   land  hereafter  to  be   made,  shall  be   valid. 

In  the  election  which  was  held  in  the  autumn  of  1840  the 
anti-rent  vote  was  cast  in  favor  of  John  Young  for  governor 
and  in  consecpience  he  was  elected.  In  January  1847  a  few 
weeks  after  he  took  office.  Governor  Young  issued  a  proclama- 
tion pardoning  all  the  anti-rent  prisoners  remaining  iu  the  State 
prison.  There  was  some  complaint  against  this  wholesale  pardon, 
but  the  governor  in  his  proclamation  made  a  calm  and  judicial 
statement  of  his  reasons;  and  the  consei|ueuces  which  followed 
his  action  have  seemed  to  justify  his  views.  Enough  had  been 
done  to  show  that  the  tpiestions  at  issue  were  not  such  as 
could  be  settled  by  violent  resistance  to  law.  The  period  of 
legislation  and  of  appeal  to  courts  of  law  hail  now  come  and 
tiiis  phase  of  the  question  was  destined  to  continue  many  years- 
I'assing  over  this  legal  struggle  we  have  a  few  words  to  say 
al)out  their  effects  on  the  natural  relation  of  landlord  and 
tenant. 

The  agitation  which  had  so  long  continued   over   i)aymeuts   of 


•2()0  HTSTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

rent,  rtud  the  laws  wbich  had  been  enacted,  usuall.v  in  the  interest 
of  the  tenants,  rendered  the  landlords  wary  of  the  situation.  The 
Van  Eensselaer  landlords  especially  became  heartily  tired  and  dis- 
couraged over  the  continual  resistance  whicli  they  met  with  in  the 
collection  of  their  rents.  First  they  made  propositions  to  sell  the 
fee-simple  to  the  tenants  on  more  liberal  terms  than  had  before 
been  offered.  Many  of  the  tenants  being  equally  weary  of  the  long- 
contest  took  advantage  of  the  depression  in  the  value  of  the  land- 
lord's holdings  and  bought  their  farms  outright.  Finally  the 
Van  Eensselaer  family,  which  had  been  landholders  for  more  than 
two  hundred  years,  sold  out  all  the  leases  which  remained  and 
ceased  to  be  the  greatest  landlords  in  our  country. 

In  Delaware  county  where  the  tenants  had  received  such  a 
severe  lesson  concerning  the  payment  of  rent,  they  were  ready  to 
meet  their  landlords  more  than  half  way  in  settling  this  burning 
question.  In  some  cases  the  landlords  sold  their  rights  to  new 
parties,  who  were  ready  to  arrange  witli  the  tenants  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  fee-simple.  Usually  the  new  purchasers,  having 
ac<|uired  their  properties  at  a  tritling  valuatiou,  were  ready  to 
bargain  with  the  tenants  at  easy  rates. 

In  the  report  which  Mr.  Tilden  made  to  the  Assembly  iu  1S4B 
he  made  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  amount  of  laud  under 
lease.     Thus: 

In  Albany  couuty  there  were  1,397  leasehold  farms  comprising 
233,900  acres. 

In  Rensselaer  couuty  there  were  l,()(;f;  leasehold  farms  compris- 
ing 202.100  acres.  In  another  account  referring  to  the  same  date 
the  following  statement  is  made:  Nearly  one-half  of  Rensselaer 
county  was  covered  with  leases;  the  greater  part  of  Columbia 
county;  a  large  part  of  Delaware  county;  and  about  two-thirds  of 
Albany  county. 

To  show  what  changes  had  been  made  iu  rented  farms  up  to  the 
vear  1880,  we  refer  to  the  U.  S.  Census  as  cited  in  Professor  Che- 
ney's pamphlet  on  Anti-Rent  Agitation  ( Philadeljihia  1887). 


THE  AXTI-REST   EPISODE.  Jlil 

Albany  C'uuutv 3,325  fniiiis,       (iSK)  ou   lease. 

Columbia  County 3,825  fanns,       735  ou  lease. 

Delaware  County  .").2<i+  farms.       ()8S  on   lease. 

It  appears  from  these  statistics  that  leases  in  ISSO  covered 
about  12'j  per  cent,  of  the  farms.  This  is  a  proportion  not  <jreater 
than  in  other  counties  of  New  York  or  in  New  Englaml.  They 
show  that  the  anti-rent  question,  which  for  a  time  stirred  this 
peaceful  couuty  to  its  very  dejiths,  has  passed  away  and  become  a 
matter  of  history,  like  the  ^lexican  war  with  which  it  was  con- 
temporaueous. 

v*r>ources  of  Information. 

1.  Files  of  till"  Albany  FrcoluiUlor. 

2.  Files  of  the  Delaware  Gazette. 

;t.    Records  of  Itie  Clerk  of  Delaware  County. 

4.    Lcfjislative  Documents  of  the  State  of  New  Yoik. 

.5.   Session  Laws  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

Ci.    .K.  -J.  Weise's  History  of  Albany. 

7.    History  of  .\lbany  County. 

H.    History  of  Rensselaer  County. 

it.    History  of  Columbia  County. 

111.    Jay  Gould's  History  of  Delaware  County. 

11.  Brodliead's  History  of  New  York. 

12.  Hough'.s  Gazetteer  of  New  York,  187-i. 

13.  The  .\nli-Renl  Agitation  :  By  Professor  Cheney.  Philadelphia  1SH7. 

14.  Anti-Rent  Disturbances:  By  D.  D.  Barnard,  .-VnierieaM  Wliig  Ri-vlew, 
II :  .-.77. 

!.■>.    Sketch  of  Anson  Bingham  :  By  A.  J.  Colvin,  Albany,  1882. 
Ifi.    Manor  of  Rensselaerwyck  :  By  0."  Pepper,  1846. 
17.    Mrs.  .T.  V.  L.  Pruyn  :  Memoranda  of  her  father,  Hon.  A.  J.  Parker. 
IH.    Mr.s.  William  Y'ounians  :  Scrap  book  kept  by  her  husband.  Hon.  \Villiain 
"Yonnians. 

10.    Hon.  Martin  I.  Towiisend  of  Troy  :  Personal  KecoUections. 

20.  Hon.  Verplanck  Colvin:  Meiuoramla  of  liis  father,  Hon.  A.  J.  Colvin. 

21.  Professor  .1.  M.  Vincent.  Johns  Hopkins  I'niversity:  Letter  of  Judge 
John  Martin  of  Columbia  County  concerning  Anti-Rent  dislurl.ances,  184.5. 

22.  Jolin  .\.  Parshall,  Esq.  .  Personal  Recollections. 
2.'{.    Robeil  Murray,  Esq.  :  Personal  Re<'ollection8. 

24.  The  Author  Is  also  indebted  to  Mr.  David  Murray,  Jr.  for  searches 
made  at  the  Library  of  the  New  Y'ork  Bar  .\ssociation  in  the  Session  Laws  and 
the  Legislative  Documents  of  the  State  of  New  Y'ork.  and  in  the  New  Y'ork 
Re(>orts. 


Tbe  Anti-Rent  ''Andes  Tracred^." 


THE  followiug-  is  a  sketch  of  the  sale  at  wLicli  Deinity-Shei'iff 
Osmau  N.  Steele  was  shot,  as  prepared  by  the  bite  Hou. 
Richard  Morse  of  Andes,  aud  endorsed  h\  others  who  were 
present.  This  account  is  printed  here  because  it  is  accepted  by 
many  as  correct,  and  was  written  after  the  bitter  feeling  of  the 
anti-renters  had  passed  away  aud  by  one  not  directly  interested. 
Mr.  Morse  says: 

"The  history  of  any  important  event  should  be  a  correct 
narration  of  the  facts  and  circumstances  surrounding  the  event, 
so  that  the  student  of  history  may  not  be  misled  in  his  con- 
elusious.  History  is  generally  made  up  of  traditions  and  these 
are  usually  colored  by  the  feelings  and  sympathies  of  the  nar- 
rator, and  no  better  jjroof  of  the  truth  of  this  can  be  found 
than  in  consulting  the  two  published  versions  of  the  '  Andes 
tragedy,'  the  first  appearing  in  Jay  Gould's  history  of  Delaware 
county  many  years  ago,  and  the  last  pul)lisli('d  iu  ^[uusell's  his- 
tory in  1880,  neither  of  which  gave  a  correct  and  truthful  state- 
ment of  the  facts.  It  was  my  fortune  to  be  present  at  the 
'Earle's  sale,'  and  therefore  an  eye  witness  of  the  'tragedy' 
which  may  now  be  very  properly  called  the  'Appomattox'  of 
English  feudal  tenures  in  this  country,  because  from  that  time 
on  the  war  ceased  and  peacefid  negotiation  has  since  resulted  iu 
substantially  wiping  out   that  odious  system  of  tenures. 

The  Earle's  sale  took  place  on  the  7th  day  of  August.  18-15. 
Both  (if  the  histories  alluded  to  assert  that  Steele  and  Edgerton 
were  there  in  their  official  capacity,  which  is  manifestly  incorrect, 
as  was  proven  by  the  testimony  of  Green  More,  who  was  then 
Sheriff   of  the   county,  and  present  at  the  sale.     At  the  O'Connor 

262 


Cer\teqriial  Decoratioris,  Maip  Street,  Deltii. 


THE  AXrr-R.EXT  -AXDES  TliMi i-jivr  •>{■■,:•, 

•trial,  lie  tfstitit'd  that  bis  orders  to  Steele  and  Ivlj^crtoii  were 
not  to  ajijieiir  at  the  sale  unless  tliev  liroiiylit  a  'posse'  of  at 
least  forty  men  with  them.  John  Allen  swore  that  he  ai^reed 
to  give  Steele  aud  Edgertou  the  sixtv-foxir  dollars  reut  for  which 
the  'distress'  was  made,  if  they  would  attend  the  sale  aii<1  hid 
off  the  i)roperty.  The  arrangement  with  Allen,  who  was  the 
agent  of  the  landlord,  shows  couelusivelv  tliat  neither  of  them 
attended  the  sale  otKciallv,  on  the  contrary  their  jiresence  there 
was  clearly   for  the    purpose    of    speculatioiL 

Colin  Cam])bell  aud  myself,  who  at  that  time  occupied  adjoin- 
ing farms  to  Mr.  Earle,  were  re(iuested  liy  him  to  attend  tin 
sale  and  hid  m  the  property  for  him.  saying  that  he  wanted  to 
jiay  his  rent  aud  stop  the  trouble,  aud  desired  to  take  that  course 
to  do  it:  we  cousented  and  it  was  for  that  purpose  that  we  at- 
tended the  sale.  A\Tien  we  arrived  at  Mr.  Earle's,  he  called  us 
to  one  side  aud  informed  us  that  Northviiii.  the  'Indian  Chief,' 
liad  sent  word  to  him  from  the  woods,  where  they  were  assem- 
liled,  that  if  he  procured  us  to  l)id  off  the  cattle,  the  'Indians' 
Would  shoot  them,  but  if  he  would  let  P.  P.  Wright  or  any  other 
agent  of  the  landlords  bid  them  off,  the  '  Indians '  would  shoot 
them  and  the  anti-renters  would  pay  him  all  the  damages  he 
sustained.  We  stated  to  him  that  under  such  circumstances  we 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter,  and  we  remained 
there  after  that  simply  as  spectators.  When  the  Sheriff  wanted 
to  commence  the  sale,  the  ■  Indians '  and  a  number  of  citizens, 
not  in  disguise,  repaired  to  the  field  where  the  cattle  were  graz- 
ing and  drove  them  into  a  corner  near  the  road  and  surrounding 
them,  told  the  Sheriff  to  proceed  with  the  sale  and  they  would 
protect  him.  About  that  time  Steele  and  Edgertou  rode  uj), 
and  someone  wanted  the  cows  driven  into  the  highway.  Mr. 
William  Brisbane  objected  to  that,  claiming  that  the  advertise- 
ment stated  that  the  sale  was  to  take  place  on  the  preniises  of 
Moses  Earle,  and  that  the  highway  belonged  to  the  jiublic.  At 
this  juncture  Steele  aud  Edgertou  rode  down   to  the   barn    where 


266  IIISToliV    (JF   DELAWMiE    COIXTV. 

oue  of  till'  uotiees  of  sale  was  jiosted,  and  then  rode  back  to  the- 
bars  leadiuj^-  into  the  field  where  the  cattle  were  surrounded  by 
the  'ludiaus'  aud  Sheriff.  "When  tliey  came  to  tli<'  bars,  P.  P., 
Wriyht  ste])ped  iu  between  their  horses  ami  jnilled  down  the 
top  bar,  and  seizing-  the  inside  stirrup  of  each  horse  he  vaulted 
over  the  bars  with  them.  As  the  bars  were  cleared,  the  horse- 
men rushed  in  among  the  'Indians'  and  at  this  moment  Edger- 
tou  drew  a  pistol  aud  riouvishiuy  it  over  and  around  his  head, 
commanded  all  persons  jjreseut  to  assist  iu  keeping  the  peace. 
As  he  was  swinging  his  pistol  it  went  off,  and  that  was  the  first 
reports  of  fire-arms  on  the  ground  that  day.  I  was  standing 
on  an  elevation  where  I  could  see  aud  hear  all  that  transpired. 
As  soon  as  the  report  of  Edgerton's  pistol  was  heard,  the  order 
was  given  by  the  Chief  to  shoot  the  horses,  and  I  saw  an  '  In- 
dian' run  up  to  Edgerton's  hoi'se  and  shoot  him  in  the  breast. 
At  this  time  there  were  many  shots  fired.  The  horse  when  shot 
reared  up  aud  Edgerton  junijied  off  and  raised  his  baud  and 
cried  out,  'For  Clod's  sake,  don't  shoot  me.'  About  this  time 
Steele's  horse  was  shot — he  having  a  pistol  iu  his  right  baud — 
aud  the  horse  turned  toward  the  bars.  Theu  I  saw  an  'Indian' 
run  up  by  the  side  of  the  rail  fence  and  take  aim  aud  fire  at 
Steele,  who  crouched  down.  The  horse  fell  near  the  bars.  Two 
persons  raised  Steele  ujj  and  carried  him  down  toward  the  house.. 
I  then  left  aud    the  'Indians'    and  spectators  all  dispersed." 


T 


Ao'ainst  tbe  Erection  of  the  CoQnt\;. 


H]''.  following'   rciudustrniice  is   j^'ivcu   tn   sluiw   t]\v    oppo.situni 
Xn  fs\;\}>]\s]]m<y  DchiwiU't'   CDUutv: 


To  the  Honorable  Hit  l.i  fiixlnliin'  of  llic  Sitilr  of  Ncir  York,  coiiveiieil  ol  Xew 
York.  Janimr)/.  ITOr,  :  Tlu'  piayiM'  of  yoar  petitioners  humbly  showetli  llmt 
whereas  your  Honors  have  on  the  'ilst  and  •24th  of  March  last  resolved  in  Ijoth 
Houses  that  Daniel  Wattles,  Joshua  L.  Beitt  and  othi-rs  have  liberty  to  present 
to  either  House  of  the  Legislature  at  the  next  session  a  bill  to  erect  into  a  new 
County  all  those  parts  of  the  counties  of  Ulster  and  Otsego  according  to  the 
lines  mentioned  in  a  late  publication  in  the  public  newspapers  printeil  in 
Kingston  and  other  places. 

We,  your  humble  petitioners,  inhabitants  of  New  Stamford,  viewing  with 
great  concern  the  unhappy  situation  and  circumstances  of  the  country  for  such 
an  event  as  the  passing  said  bill  and  influenced  by  osqual  solicitude  for  the 
present  and  future  prosi)erity  of  our  New  Woild,  beg  leave  to  exercise  our  just 
and  constitutional  rights  of  remonstrating  against  the  passing  said  bill,  as  it 
strongly  agitates  our  minds  and  we  [iresume  will  dei'ply  affect  oui'  interest  and 
the  interest  of  our  felh)w  citizens.  The  matter  has  undergone  a  full  discussion 
and  is  the  fruits  of  mature  deliberation.  Our  reasons  against  said  bills  taking 
place  is  as  foUoweth  : 

First,  We  humblj'  conceived  that  the  petition  of  Wattles,  Beitt  and  others 
in  favor  of  passing  said  bill  is  no  more  than  the  selfish  views  of  designing  men 
to  place  themselves  in  posts  of  himor  and  profit  and  thus  building  themselves 
up  on  the  ruins  of  their  neighbors,  profusely  and  by  deceit  and  flattery  liave 
duped  many  people  to  join  them  without  due  consideration. 

Secondly,  The  country  is  rough  and  uneven,  consisting  of  largo  uninhaliited 
mountains  and  narrow  valleys,  and  those  mountains  extend  almost  through 
the  country;  likewise  it  abounds  with  large  streams  of  water  and  those  belch- 
ing forth  in  fierce  inundations  in  such  a  maimer  as  to  destroy  all  commuica- 
tlons  from  one  part  of  the  <'Ountry  to  anotlier.  Those  obstructions  render  it 
very  troublesome  and  expensive  to  mal<e  and  maintain  convenient  roads  and 
bridges  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants  and  the  traveler,  ami  iji  line  it  creates  a 
demand  far  beyond  what  we  at  present  are  able  to  supply. 

Thirdly,  In  most  parts  of  our  country  it  is  so  thinly  inhabitecl  that  it  is  out 
of  our  |M>wer  to  nniintain  common  schools  of  learning  for  the  education  of  our 
children,  although  we  have  a  large  sum  of  money  to  pay  for  the  benefit  of 
sehools,  and  are  not  situate<l  so  as  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  the  same  and  we 
despair  of  having  our  country  ever  settled  to  advantage  for  any  social  enjoy- 

267 


2(58  HISTORY    OF    I)ELA)yATiK    COUXrV. 

ment,  for  the  new  lands  are  held  up  to  such  a  large  and  extravagant  price  that 
the  people  utterly  despair  of  buying  or  taking  a  lease  on  the  hard  terms  that 
is  offered. 

Fourthly.  We  lieg  your  Honors  to  take  into  your  serious  consideration  tlie 
propriety  of  erecting  a  new  county  in  a  place  where  they  are  not  able  to  make 
necessary  roads  and  Ijridges.  nor  even  to  build  decent  houses  for  public  wor- 
ship. Moreover  the  country  will  not  admit  of  any  central  place  suitable  to 
accommodate  a  Court  of  Common  Pleas  and  its  attendance.  Furthermore,  the 
lines  of  said  new  county  run  in  such  a  form  that  it  cuts  several  towns  in  such 
a  sort  that  it  discommodes  them  very  much  in  doing  ordinary  town  business. 

And  we  your  humble  petitioners  find  no  kind  of  inconvenience  in  doing  our 
county  business,  as  we  are  obliged  to  go  to  the  Hudson  river  once  or  twice  a 
year  and  it  ever  will  he  our  place  of  trade  at  Kingston  and  other  places  along 
said  river,  so  that  we  can  dispatch  all  necessary  county  business  with  little 
trouble  and  expense. 

And  we,  your  petitioners,  sensible  of  the  undistinguished  favors  you  have 
hitherto  shown  us  in  guarding  against  the  views  of  designing  men,  we  still 
repose  our  cenfidence  in  your  deliberation  and  your  petitioners  as  in  duty 
bound  shall  ever  pray.  Signed  William  Keator.  Francis  Sumrick.  .John  C. 
Jieator,  Joseph  Keator  and  108  others. 


PART    III. 


1". 


Tovn  Mbtorie^. 

m 

THE  most  valuable  part  of  the  centennial  celebration  was  tlie 
Town  Histories  which  hail  been  prepared  for  the  occasion. 
To  the  authors  of  these  histories  the  readers  of  this  volume  are 
uuder  the  deepest  obli','atioii.  Thev  have  Ix'cii  prepared  with 
iutiuite  troui)le  by  busy  men,  and  nothinf^'  but  a  sense  of  the 
public  interest  and  of  the  f^ratitude  of  their  fellow  citizens  can 
ailcijuatel}-   reward   them. 

Below    these    histories    are    given   in   the   alphabetical  order  of 
the  towns. 

Andes.      By  Oscar  S.    Nichols. 

BoviNA.     By  Hon.  D.  L.   Thomson. 

CoLCHESTEK.     By  Edward   E.   Coulon. 

Davenpout.     By  Walter  Scott. 

Dki.iii.     By  John   A.    Parshall. 

Deposit  and  Tompkins.     By  Col.   George  D.  'WTieeler. 

FuANKi.iN.     By  William    B.  Hanford. 

Hamden.     -By   Henry   W.    Holmes. 

Hancock.     By    Hon.   Wesley  (iould. 

Hahpkuskiki.d.      By    .\llcn   S.   (libbs. 

KoKTHKiHT.      l'>y   William  B.    Peters. 

Masonville.     By  A.   ¥.   (ietter. 

Mkhedith.     By  Josiah   D.    Smith. 

MiDiii.ETowN.      By    Hon.    .lohn   (iraiit,   and  Mrs.  J.  K.  P.  Jackson. 

lloxBURv.     By  Dr.   J.  N.  Wright. 

Sidney.      By    Edwin   R.    Wattles. 

Stamkoud.      Written    for   this   work. 

Walton.     By  Hon.   TinKitliy  Sanderson. 

271 


Andes. 

IjY  O.scar  »">.   Nichols. 

OF  the  earliest  settlemeuts  uiiide  iu  tliut  portiou  of  Delaware 
eouuty  now  comj^rised  iu  the  towu  of  Andes,  there  exists  to- 
day a  record  of  little  more  thau  tradition.  The  circumstauces  at- 
tending the  advance  of  the  pioneers  before  the  revolutionary  war 
were  not  such  as  favored  the  acciniiulatiou  of  elaborate  material 
for  future  history.  Coming  generations  shall  never  know  the 
trvie  story  of  that  early  march  of  civilization  into  the  heart  of 
the  American  forests;  and  it  is  difficult  to  realize  what  must 
have  l)eeu  the  hardships  and  deprivations  and  uncertainties  which 
the  leaders  iu  that  forward  movement  encountered.  There  re- 
mains for  us  the  story  of  success  and  progress;  the  failures  and 
reverses  belong  to  those  details  that  are  left  to  the  imagination. 
The  exi^erieuces  of  the  early  days  were  doubtless  common  to 
all  the  settlers  of  the  Middle  States;  and  iu  the  following  nar- 
rative an  attempt  will  be  made  to  refer  to  some  of  the  more 
familiar  traditions  clustering  al)out  the  l)eginuing  of  this  town. 
Prior  to  the  Revolution  there  appear  to  have  been  scarcely 
auy  permanent  settlements  in  this  |iorti(ui  of  the  county.  The 
peculiar  topographical  relations — the  rocky  hills,  often  thickly 
wooded  and  cut  by  deep  valleys,  with  wild  mountain  streams, — 
offered  few  immediate  advantages  t<i  the  Indians  and  hence  it  is 
principally  lower  down  the  streams,  after  they  join  the  Delaware, 
that  records  of  Iiuliau  tribes  (the  Delaware  Indians)  appear.  The 
earliest  white  inhabitants,  coming  from  the  New  England  districts, 
and  from  the  lower  portions  of  New  York,  followed  along  the 
streams  and  sought  such  places  amid  their  banks  as  gave  prom- 
ise  of  i-eward    for    labor    e.vjjended.      But    these    settlers    left    no 


I 


•       ft  ^ 


roil'.V    (>/••  AXDES.  275 

|ieriimii('iit  trsices;  tbey  may  have  failed  to  overcome  the  difficul- 
ties which  the  peculiar  character  of  the  country  preseuted,  aud 
doubtless  some  left  to  joiu  the  throng  of  revolutiouary  warriors. 
'I'licri'  arc  no  records  which  justify  auy  certain  conclusions  as  to 
the  fate  of  these  individuals;  liut  the  traditions  of  their  existence 
lend  conii>leteness  to  the  history  of  the  later  community,  and 
contributes  to  the  enthusiasm  which  the  tales  of  colonial  strug- 
gles  arouse   in   American    heitrts. 

It  was  during  the  revolutionary  period  aud  in  the  following 
years  that  the  tirst  permanent  settlements  began.  According  to 
various  authorities,  the  years  1781  to  178i  mark  the  date  of  these 
pioneer  movements.  At  about  this  time  several  families,  making 
their  way  up  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware  river,  located  at 
the  place  now  known  as  Shavertown.  These  families  included 
•lohu,  Jacob  and  Philip  Shaver  (hence  the  name).  They  had  mi- 
grated from  Dutchess  county,  while  Philip  Barndardt  had  come 
to  this  district  from  Schoharie  county.  These  names,  like  those 
which  follow,  serve  to  indicate  the  nationality  of  the  early  set- 
tlers. .V  few  years  later  other  individuals  began  to  direct  their 
way  along  the  smaller  l)rauches  of  the  rivei".  These  branches 
afforded  the  natural  paths  along  which  the  invasion  into  the  un- 
known territory  should  lie  conducted.  Thus  we  learn  of  Robert 
Nicht)lson  who  made  his  home  about  17!)()  up  the  Tremperskill, 
the  small  stream  joining  the  East  Branch  at  Shavertown.  To 
the  same  neighborhood  came  Thomas  More,  James  Phenix,  Elijah 
Olmsted,  Joseph  Erskiue,  Silas  Parish,  K.  \\asliburH  aud  Eli  Sears, 
naiiics,   many    of  which    are   familiar   in    tiic    county    auuals. 

Somewhat  later  than  the  period  just  referred  to  l)egan  a 
movenu'ut  towards  the  district  under  discussion,  along  the  direc- 
tion of  the  West  Branch  of  the  Delaware.  Communication  with 
the  outer  world  was  less  easy  along  this  path,  and  coiis((iuently 
the  immigration  in  this  direction  was  less  extensive  until  at  a 
much  later  ])eriod.  Toward  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
however,  settlers  had  followed  tlie  West   Branch   as   far   as  Delhi, 


27(;  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COrXTY. 

aud  theu  pursuiug  their  cuursf  up  the  Litth'  Debiware — the 
stream  joiuing  the  West  Branch  just  below  the  j)resent  vilhige 
of  Delhi — had  made  tlieir  way  into  the  preseut  town  of  Boviua 
aud  tbeu  gradually  iuto  the  uortheru  portiou  of  what  is  uow 
known  as  Andes.  How  entirely  iudejjendeut  the  two  lines  of 
jjioneer  niovemeut  were,  is  well  illustrated  by  the  following  in- 
cident which  we  take  from  the  historical  account  of  the  town  by 
H.  W.  Blake:  Aaron  Hull,  a  pioneer,  who  came  l)y  the  Tennis 
Lake  route,  had  taken  up  his  abode  about  one  mile  north  of  the 
present  village  of  Andes.  His  nearest  neighbor  to  the  south  was 
Jonathan  Earl,  who  in  1795  had  located  on  the  farm  now  occu- 
pied by  Robert  McNair  on  the  road  from  Andes  to  Shavertown. 
"These  two  families  lived  for  a  j'ear  or  more  unknown  to  each 
other,  until  one  evening  Mi'.  Earl  while  looking  for  his  cow  that 
had  strayed  up  to  what  was  then  the  swamp,  uow  the  site  of 
the  village,  found  her  in  company  with  Mr.  Hull's  cattle  that  he 
was  driving   home  from   their  browse   pasture." 

As  iu  the  adjacent  parts  of  the  county,  so  here  the  early 
settlers  devoted  much  of  their  time  to  the  lumber  industry. 
Rafting  soon  became  a  profitable  business  on  the  Delaware  where 
it  was  extensively  undertaken.  The  numerous  streams  in  the 
locality  under  consideration  afforded  means  of  transportation  for 
the  logs,  aud  in  the  course  of  time  saw  mills  were  erected. 
With  the  changes  incidental  to  the  country's  growth,  however, 
all  this  has  changed,  and  today  dairying  forms  the  chief  industry 
of  the  community. 

It  was  not  uutil  after  the  war  of  1812-14  that  the  present 
town  of  Andes  was  formed.  At  that  time  the  county  comprised 
fifteen  towns.  By  a  special  act  of  the  State  Legislature,  passed 
April  13,  1811t,  a  portion  of  Middletown  was  set  aside  to  com- 
jirise  the  present  town  of  Andes.  The  name,  rather  unique  iu 
character,  is  said  to  have  arisen  through  a  suggestion  regarding 
the  extremely  hilly  character  of  this  part  of  the  county,  aud  the 
word  Andes  was  chosen  to  be  applied  to  the  town  including  this 


V'OH'.V    OF  AXDKS.  277 

UKPUiitiiiii-likc  district.  'I'liiit  the  ilcsiHimtioii  wiis  uot  altogether 
iiiai)i)ro])ri!it('  will  In-  evident  wlieu  it  is  remembered  that  the 
hit,diest  puiut  in  the  ciivinty — Mt.  Pisgah,  witli  an  altitude  of 
;t,4(Hi  feet — lies  in  the  northeastern   [)nrt  of  the  town. 

The  new  town  was  the  fourth  in  size  in  the  county,  hut  was 
indeed  little  more  than  an  unbroken  forest  with  a  few  settler 
iuliabitauts.  On  the  first  Tuesday  in  ^larch,  IK'20,  the  first  town 
iiieetiutf  was  held  in  what  was  then  designated  as  the  village  of 
Treuipersville,  the  name  being  changed  to  Andes  in  the  following 
year.  At  this  meeting  the  town  ofKeers  were  elected,  viz:  Super- 
visor, town  clerk,  assessors,  overseers  of  the  poor,  commissioners 
of  liigbways,  etc.  In  the  absence  of  general  legislation,  l)y-laws 
were  adopted,  one  to  the  effect  that  ''No  cattle  shall  be  allowed 
t<i  run  at  large  within  forty  rods  of  any  Publick  House,  Tavern, 
Grist  mill,  Fulling  mill  and  ^dl  places  of  Publick  Business  from 
the  first  day  of  November  until  the  first  day  of  April,  under  the 
jieualty  of  one   dollar." 

The  first  election  for  State  officers  was  held  on  the  last  Tuesday 
in  April,  1H2(),  and  continued  for  three  days.  The  relative  import- 
ance of  the  new  town  is  indicated  by  the  results  of  this  contest. 
Seventy-six  votes  were  cast  for  governor,  DeWitt  Clinton  receiving 
twenty  and  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  fifty-six.  At  a  later  date,  instead 
of  continuing  the  election  three  days  at  one  place,  the  inspectors 
went  each  day  to  a  ditTerent  part  of  the  town  for  the  convenience  of 
the  scattered  voters.  At  this  period  there  was  but  one  hamlet  in 
the  town.  The  church  and  school  were  never  forgotten  in  tliose 
ilays,  and  formed  the  center  about  which  civilization  clustered  in  its 
rural  abodes.  Accordingly  the  town  containc<l  a  church, — Presby- 
t<-rian  in  denomination, — eight  school  districts,  a  tavern,  a  grist 
mill,  a  saw  mill  and  .a  tannery.  If  we  add  to  these  the  log-cabin 
homes  of  tillers  of  the  soil.  thei"e  is  j)resented  to  the  imagination  a 
picture  which  seems  strange  indeed  to  the  child  of  the  closing  years 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  AVhere  the  forest  trail  formed  the  only 
line  of   communication   with    the  neighboring  districts,   to-day  th<' 


278  HISTORY    UK    DELAWARE    CUCXTV. 

telejiboue  extends  from  lianilet  to  liamlet  aud  the  earth's  forces  are- 
subdued  to  assist  the  wants  of  man  in  a  manner  and  degree  that 
our  forefathers  could  not  venture  to  dream  of.  In  place  of  the  bi- 
monthly mail  of  1820,  tlie  great  New  York  dailies  to-day  bring  their 
treasure  of  intelligence  to  the  home  of  the  farmer  on  the  very  day 
of  their  issue.     Such  have  been  the  changes  that  time  has  wrought. 

In  the  period  succeeding  182(1,  the  town  of  Andes  experienced  a 
slow  and  steady  growth.  Other  hamlets  beside  old  Trempersville, 
began  to  form.  Thus  Shavertown  which,  as  we  have  seen,  was  early 
a  growing  settlement  at  the  junction  of  the  Tremperskill  and  East 
branch,  was  established  as  a  ijost-office  in  1828;  Union  Grove,  fur- 
ther up  on  the  East  branch,  was  likewise  organized  in  1857;  while 
the  village  of  Andes  was  incorporated  in  18(11.  At  this  period  its 
population  was  about  850.  The  more  fertile  valleys  of  the  town 
had  become  settled  by  a  thrifty  class,  and  it  is  during  these  years 
that  various  well  known  localities  in  the  town  began  their  growth. 
These  places  have  in  many  instances  received  characteristic  and 
peculiar  designations,  auK)ug  which  we  may  refer  to  Fall  Clove, 
Wolf  Hollow,  Bussey  Hollow,  Shaver  Hollow,  Canada  Hollow, 
(rladstone  Hollow,  Dingle  Hill,  Lake  Hill,  Palmer  Hill,  etc.  More 
mills  were  built  in  the  region,  but  of  the  many  that  existed  in  the 
first  half  of  the  century  few  remain  at  the  present  day.  Among 
these  land  marks  are  still  to  be  seen  one  at  Pleasant  Valley  (O.  E. 
Miner's  ).  and  another  at  Union  Grove  (  Jenkins'  mill  ).  These  relics 
of  early  Andes  industry  serve  to  demonstrate  how  thoroughly  the 
character  of  the  occupation  of  the  townsmen  has  changed  in  late 
years.  Of  the  causes  contributing  to  this  change  we  shall  speak 
later  on. 

As  regards  the  religious  life  of  the  commuuity,  there  has  been 
evidence  from  the  earliest  days  of  an  enthusiasm  and  interest  that 
speak  praises  for  the  fathers  of  the  early  generation.  Meetings  for 
devotional  purposes  were  held  in  various  portions  of  the  town  long 
before  church  edifices  had  been  erected,  and  the  unusual  devotion 
of    the    Andes    people    is    shown    in    the    considerable    number    of 


Uqiori  Grove. 


Village  of  Sl^avertowri. 


7VM\-.V    (*/•■   AXOKS.  -iSl 

fluiri-lies  that  were  erected  e\iii  liefore  the  sixties.  Presbvteriau- 
isiu  i>re(loiiiiuiited,  but  by  no  iiieaus  exeliuled  other  sects,  anioDg 
whom  the  Methodists  aud  Baptists  were  most  active.  In  the  earnest 
effort  to  siiniid  tlic  Christian  faith  a  religious  society  (  Presbytei-ian) 
was  organized  as  early  as  18(tl,  aud  in  1818  a  church  was  erected, 
l)art  of  whicli  now  forms  the  Town  Hall  building  in  Andes  village. 
In  1888  a  United  Presbyterian  Church  was  erected  at  Cabin  Hill; 
in  1888  the  Methodist  Episcopal  edifice  at  Andes  was  opened. 
These  were  followed  by  Presbyterian  house.s  of  worship  erected  in 
1848  at  Andes,  in  1851  at  Shavertowu,  and  in  the  following  ytar  at 
Pleasant  Valley. 

All  the  churches  have  laliored  incessantly  and  speut  money 
freely  in  proclainiiuf,'-  the  words  of  truth,  and  to-day  the  spires  of 
eight  churches  point  heaveuward  and  afford  opportunity  for  the 
people  to  meet  together  in  their  respective  houses  aud  worship 
accortliug  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience.  It  may  not  be 
without  interest  to  note  that  Rev.  Dr.  James  Bruce  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  congregation  of  .\jides  village  has  spent  thirty-three 
consecutive  years  in  its  service. 

Up  to  the  year  18!)()  Andes  had  at  least  two  public  cemeteries, 
one  being  located  at  Shavertown,  the  second  and  larger  one  a  short 
distance  southwest  of  Andes  village  on  the  Tremperskill  road.  The 
attempt  to  incorporate  this  with  a  larger  area  of  laud  failed,  owing 
to  the  difficulty  of  making  satisfactory  arrangemeuts  with  holders, 
of  adjoining,'  i)roi)erty.  Acc(jrdiugly  in  18!(0  an  association  was 
foniied  and  the  ])reseut  Rural  Cemetery  opened.  The  farm,  Icuown 
as  the  Smith  pro]icrty,  located  on  an  elevation  to  the  north  of  the 
village,  was  purchased  and  a  jiortion  of  it,  duly  incorjiorated,  was 
set  aside  for  the  purpose  meuti(med. 

It  was  in  the  year  184.5  that  the  well  known  .Vnti-Heut  difHculties 
reached  their  culiiiination  in  this  county.  In  tlic  previous  years  the 
settlers  who  had  U]i  to  that  tiirje  jiaid  their  annual  rents  un<ler  what 
was  known  as  the  Hardenlx  ig  Patent  claim  refused  longer  to  sub- 
mit  to  what  they  considered   unjust  lunl  exorbitant  demands,  while 


-iS2  IllsroiiV    (IF    DELAWARE    COVXTV. 

the  lessors  prosecuted  for  rent.  Associatious  of  the  iiff^rieved  were 
formed  with  the  purpose  of  seeking  redress  aud  preveuting  the 
colleetiou  of  the  rents.  Men  disguised  as  Indians  banded  together 
to  carrj-  out  the  purjjoses  of  these  individuals.  The  processes  of 
the  law  were  iuterfered  with ;  aud  meanwhile  judiciul  and  legislative 
proceediugs  were  on  foot  to  remedy  the  difficulties. 

The  climax  was  tiually  reached  in  a  series  of  events  taking  place 
in  Audes,  aud  leading  to  the  death  of  Deputy  Sheriff  Steele.  An 
Act  had  already  heeu  passed  forbidding  the  proceedings  of  the 
ai'med  aud  disguised  bands,  and  severe  penalties  were  directed. 
The  immediate  occasion  of  the  so-called  Anti-Rent  "  Andes  tragedy" 
was  the  attempt  of  Sheriff  Green  ^loore  to  sell  the  property  of 
Moses  Earl  upon  an  execution  for  rent.  Mr.  Earl  at  that  tLme 
resided  about  oue  and  a  half  miles  from  Audes  village,  on  the 
mountain  road  leading  to  what  is  now  called  Dingle  Hill.  The 
property  is  at  present  in  the  possession  of  William  Scott. 

Of  the  events  that  transpired  incident  to  this  Audes  tragedy 
there  are  a  number  of  accounts,  varying  in  the  statement  of  the 
details,  and  doubtless  colored  largely  by  the  sympathies  of  the 
narrator  in  the  questions  involved.  It  is  difficult,  indeed,  to  find  a 
■description  of  the  transactions  of  that  fatal  day  that  is  free  from 
evidences  of  prejudice  at  the  same  time  that  it  bears  the  stamji  of 
fiutheuticity.  The  writer  has  carefully  reviewed  the  various  pub- 
lished accounts  and  has  likewise  received  useful  information  from 
inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Andes  who  were  present  at  the  Anti-Rent 
affair.  The  following  narrative  is,  in  his  judgment,  warranted  by 
the  results  of  this  study : 

On  the  7th  of  August^  184"),  the  Sheriff  of  the  county,  Mr.  (xreeu 
Moore,  went  to  Andes  to  be  present  at  the  sale  referred  to.  When 
the  Sheriff  wanted  to  commence  the  sale  the  "  Indians,"  and  certain 
other  citizens  not  in  disguise,  repaired  to  the  Held  where  the  cattle 
to  be  sold  were  grazing,  and  drove  them  into  a  corner  near  the 
highway.  After  surrounding  the  cattle,  the  "Indians"  advised  the 
>iheriff  to  proceed  with  the  sale,  and  promised  at  the  same  time  to 


rows  OF  AxnKS.  283 

protect  liirii.  At  this  jimc-ture  two  Doputy  Sheriffs.  Steele  iiml 
Edjjertoii.  !i])i)eare(l  upon  the  seeiie,  :ilthoii^h  tlie  hest  authorities 
iudieilte  that  they  had  heiii  r((iu(st{'cl  nut  to  h<-  jn'eseiit.  Wheu  it 
was  suggested  that  the  cattle  be  driven  upon  the  hi-jhway  jirior  to 
the  snle.  iiu  objection  was  ininiediately  raised  ou  the  i^rouod  that 
the  notice  of  sale  distiuctly  stated  otherwise,  aud,  furthermore,  that 
the  hij,''hway  was  publie  property.  The  two  Deputy  Sheriffs  here- 
Hi)Oii  roile  alonj^'  the  hi^'hw.ay  to  the  barn  where  a  notice  of  the  sale 
bad  beeu  posted,  aud  then  returned  to  a  poiut  where  there  was  an 
openiuf,'  into  the  field  closed  by  bars.  Steele  aud  I-^dgerton,  who 
were  joined  by  P.  P.  Wright,  entered  the  field  with  their  horses; 
Edf^erton,  rtourishinfr  a  pistol,  coininaiuled  those  present  to  assist  iu 
preserving  the  peace.  The  fiic-arm  was  discharged, — accidentally 
it  is  stated, — aud  immediately  the  leader  of  the  Indians  commanded 
them  to  shoot  the  horses.  At  once  there  was  a  report  of  pistols; 
amid  the  coufusion  two  horses  were  killed  and  Steele  was  fatally 
shot.  He  died  in  a  short  time.  Tlie  events  of  the  day  were 
reported  to  the  Governor  aud  the  county  jiut  uuiler  martial  law. 
Various  legal  ])rosecutions  followed,  two  individuals  being  con- 
victed aud  imprisoned.  They  were  fully  pardoned  at  a  later  period. 
The  abandonment  of  the  secret  Anti-Rent  organizations  quickly 
followed. 

The  opening  of  the  Civil  war  found  Andes  ready  to  send 
forth  her  (piota  of  men  to  defend  the  Nation's  I'ights  and  to 
battle  for  the  cause  of  the  North.  -\  goo<l  number  of  her  sons 
started  from  their  homes  an<l  joined  the  other  volunteers  from 
the  county.  These  men  were  for  the  most  part  members  of  the 
14-tth  Regiment  Volunteers,  anil  many  of  them  saw  considerable 
of  the  struggles  of  the  Rebellion.  The  enthusiastic  meetings 
held  in  the  village  of  Andes  during  the  wai-  are  recidlad  by 
many  of  the  older  icsidents;  patriotism  reached  a  high  ])itcli  and 
Henry  Dowie,  a  prominent  citizen,  entertained  Horace  (Jreeley 
■on  one  occasion.  The  survivors  of  the  war  have  organized  a 
prosperous   Post  of  the  Grand  Armj-   of  the  Republic,  and  named 


•2S4  lUSToIiV    OF    ItKLAWAUK    COCNTY. 

it  Fletflier  Post,  to  bouor  the  memory  of  oue  of  tlie  tiist  of 
Andes'  residents   to   fall  in   the  great   struggle. 

In  the  years  following  the  war  Andes  experienced  such  trans- 
formations as  were  connuou  to  many  of  her  sister  towns  in  the 
county.  The  chief  occupation  of  the  townsmen  gradually  was 
changed  more  and  more  into  that  of  a  dairying  community  and 
agriculture  took  a  leading  part  in  the  lives  of  the  people.  It 
gave  rise  to  a  quiet,  uuimpetuous,  religious  community  whose 
daily  life  was  merely  a  record  of  hard  work  with  satisfactory 
returns.  The  village  of  Andes  grew  steadily  from  a  hamlet  of 
350  people  to  one  of  500  inhabitants,  and  it  became  a  commer- 
cial center  for  the  surrounding  district.  The  farm  produce  from 
the  neighboring  towns  was  brought  to  the  village  to  be  ex- 
changed for  the  necessities  which  the  farm  did  not  prodiu-e  and 
"trading  day,"  Saturday,  afforded  many  scenes  of  earnest  activity. 
For  years  no  town  in  the  county  enjoyed  the  prosperity  whii-h 
came  to  Andes.  The  i^rogress  which  it  experienced  was  largely 
due  to  the  eflforts  of  one  man,  Heitry  Dowie.  In  addition  to 
his  extensive  business  interests,  he  was  deeply  concerned  with 
all  enterprises  which  were  undertaken  in  the  direction  of  im- 
proving the  village.  His  prosperous  butter  business  brought 
people  from  distant  parts  of  the  county  and  gave  to  the  village 
an  impetus  that  was  long  felt.  It  was  to  the  reverses  of  fortune 
in  the  case  of  this  one  man  that  the  decline  of  the  once  pros- 
perous village  is  largely  due.  The  tide  of  trade  has  drifted  to 
other  channels;  the  facilities  of  travel  and  communication  have 
improved  so  greatly  in  later  years  that  the  farmer  no  longer  is 
compelled  to  go  far  to  find  his  market.  Thus  the  progress  of 
the   age  has  wrought   changes  in  the  fortunes  of  the   town. 

Among  the  incidents  which  have  left  their  impress  upon  the 
village  of  Andes  was  the  disastrous  tire  of  June  ^(i,  187S.  The 
origin  of  the  conflagration  was  probably  accidental.  The  flames 
started  in  the  wagon  house  belonging  to  the  Union  Hotel  owned 
by  Peter  Crisjjell  and   standing  on   the    premises    ojjposite  to  the 


7'(Mr,V    (IF  .WDES.  2.S.") 

hotel.  The  tire  exteutled  in  l)<)th  iliieetious  from  this  property, 
<-()iu])letel.v  destroviuji'  nil  tlie  Imihliuj^'s  on  the  north  side  of  the 
street  as  fiii'  us  Pchiwiirc  Avcnni'  td  the  west,  iuid  the  street 
leading'  to  Hi.uh  street  on  the  east.  No  less  th.-iii  tifteen  hiiild- 
iufjs  were  eonsiimed,  some  of  them  stores,  others  jjrivate  residences. 
Althoun;h  a  volunteer  tire  department  had  already  been  organized 
in  1S77,  and  the  Andes  water  works  were  in  operation,  the  flames 
maile  rajtid  headway,  and  the  dry  weather  and  wind  prevailing 
caused  so  rapid  a  spread  of  the  work  of  destruction  that  the 
efforts  of  the  citizens  were  of  little  avail.  The  loss  was  estimated 
at  $4(),0<I0.  This  portion  of  the  village  was  subsequently  re- 
built in  large  part  and  the  new  structures  have  adde<l  materially 
to  the  appearance  of  the  place.  In  August,  ISiXi,  the  Union 
Hotel,  which  was  built  in  1S33  and  had  for  many  years  lieeu  a 
landmark  in  the  town,  was  burned  to  the  ground.  This  place 
has  not  been  rebuilt  up  to  the  present  date. 

In  (-(mnectiou  with  various  enterjarises  which  originated  in 
the  town  of  Andes  it  is  necessary  to  record  a  series  of  transac- 
tions which  have  been  of  serious  consequence  to  the  development 
and  progress  of  the  town.  The  incidents  I'eferred  to  are  known 
as  the  Andes  Town  Bonds  affair.  After  the  construction  of  the 
Ulster  and  Delaware  Railroad  from  Kingston  to  Stamford  a  pro- 
ject was  entertained  of  connecting  the  valley  traversed  by  the 
New  York  and  Oswego  Midland  Railroad,  now  known  as  the  New 
York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railroad,  with  the  railway  crossing 
among  the  Catskills  from  the  Hudson  river.  This  new  road, 
which  was  to  pass  through  Andes,  promised  to  afford  a  valuable 
outlet  from  this  region  as  well  as  to  give  easier  means  of  access 
to  the  town.  The  new  railway  was  surveyed  to  run  from  Ark- 
ville,  where  it  juincd  the  Ulstt^r  and  Delaware  liailroad,  through 
Arena,  Uni(Ui  (Jrove,  Shavertown.  u])  the  Tremperskill  to  within 
two  and  one-half  miles  of  Andes  village  to  the  present  farm  of 
David  iluir,  theu(;e  along  the  valley  leading  to  Lake  Delaware. 
From  this  spot  the  road  was  jjJanued  to  follow  the  valley  of  the 


286  lUSTOliV    OF    DELAWARE    VOl'NTY. 

Little  Dehiwiire  to  the  villiiye  of  Delhi.  A  coiupany  was  incor- 
porated under  the  name  of  the  Delhi  and  Middletown  Railroad; 
a  survey  of  the  road  \vas  uuide,  riglit  of  way  obtained  and  a 
portion  of  the  road  from  ArkviUe  to  Andes  was  graded.  The 
interest  of  the  town  of  Andes  in  the  enterprise  was  evidenced  by 
the  action  of  the  town-^the  only  one  along  the  line  of  the  pro- 
posed railroad  doing  so — in  bonding  itself  to  the  extent  of 
§!)8,000  for  the  benefit  of  the  organized  company.  The  se(ji;el  is 
well  known.  After  various  vicissitudes  and  unfortunate  incidents 
the  completion  of  the  road  was  never  undertaken,  while  the  ob- 
ligations assumed  by  the  town  could  not  be  released.  The  burden 
was  a  severe  one,  esjiecially  under  the  circumstances  related. 
For  several  years  interest  (at  seven  per  cent.)  was  faithfully  ])aid. 
At  the  end  of  this  period,  a  sentiment  opposed  to  the  continu- 
ance of  this  debt  having  gradually  arisen,  the  bond  affair  became 
a  matter  of  litigation  and  remained  in  the  conrts  for  several 
years,  when  a  temporary  relief  was  obtained.  The  old  debt  was 
released  and  the  town  bonded  anew  for  $120,000,  with  interest 
payable  at  the  rate  of  three  per  cent.  There  is  a  debt  balance 
not  yet  jii'ovided  for  at  this  time.  The  history  of  the  Bond  affair 
is  the  story  of  a  heavy  burden  ujaon  the  town,  without  compen- 
sation in  the  form  of  a  railroad,  or  redress   of  any  kind. 

Since  the  failure  of  the  Delhi  and  Middletown  Railroad  there 
have  been  several  attempts  at  various  times  to  organize  railroad 
companies  and  build  a  railroad  to  Andes,  but  none  of  these  have 
been  successful.  The  people  of  the  town  have,  however,  l)y  no 
means  lost  confidence  in  the  ultimate  success  of  their  long  con- 
tinued efforts  in  this  direction. 

The  last  two  decades  have  witnessed  no  startling  changes  in  the 
make  up  of  the  town.  Business  interests  have  been  transferred 
from  time  to  time,  a  new  generation  of  iuhalutauts  has  sprung  up 
and  there  has  been  a  transition  from  the  bustling  days  of  the  seven- 
ties to  the  more  qiiiet  times  of  the  present.  Of  the  older  inhabitants 
identified   with   the   progress   of   the  town  many  are  dead,   among 


TdWX   <)l--  A.XDKS.  -287 

these  Hi'ury  Dowie,  of  whom  meution  has  alreudv  Ix'fu  iiiiulf. 
Diiucau  ]5alhuitiiie.  for  many  years  President  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Amies,  died  iu  ISSi).  The  dirertion  of  the  affairs  of  the 
bank  i>assed  into  the  hands  nf  his  son  David,  but  the  institutidu 
closed  its  doors  a  few  years  later.  Another  son,  James  Ballantiue. 
was  siieeessively  Supervisor  of  the  town.  Member  of  Assembly  and 
finally  State  Senator  at  Albany.  He  died  before  conipletiu'>:  his 
term  of  service,  'Slay  4,  18!)fi.  Prominent  anioiif;-  the  iiier<diants  of 
Andes  were  Daniel  B,  Shaver  who  began  his  business  career  in  1833 
and  for  many  years  occupied  the  building  erected  bj'  him  iu  1835. 
Mr.  Shaver  died  iu  May,  18117.  A.  S.  Dowie,  Sr.,  for  many  years 
the  head  of  the  firm  of  A.  S.  Dowie  \-  Son,  died  in  1878;  the  junior 
member  is  now  in  business  in  Philadeljiliia,  the  tirni  having  been 
lati-r  succeeded  by  Hotchkiss  I't  Marx,  who  subsequently  dissolved 
partnership,  Mr,  Hotchkiss  retaining  the  old  store  while  Mr.  ^[arx 
has  opened  a  new  place  of  business  near  the  site  of  the  old 
destroyed  Union  hotel  wagon  house.  Mr.  E.  M.  Norton  has  for 
many  years  been  engaged  iu  the  drug  business  in  the  village,  his- 
])reseut  location  beiug  in  the  building  erected  by  Daniel  H,  Hawks. 
The  hardware  business  was  conducted  in  Andes  by  a  number  of 
parties  who  succeed  each  other  iu  the  course  of  a  few  years. 
Thus  the  establishment  of  Nichols  cV  Dickson  was  conducted  by 
O.  S.  Nichols,  Nhdiols  cV  Murray,  and  E.  J.  Turnbull.  Eli  Feltou 
jr.,  afterward  Feltou  A;  Cant,  were  succeeded  by  James  Bruce  jr. 
The  Ajades  Recorder,  originally  issued  by  Rev.  Peter  Smeallie 
and  successfully  couduiteil  for  many  years  by  William  Clark,  has 
continued  publicatiou  under  various  ownershi2)s,  beiug  conducted 
at  the  present  date  by  Miller  iV  Crawford.  A  banking  business  is- 
now  conducted  by  James  F.  Scott,  who  has  represented  the  town 
on  the  Board  of  Supervisors  for  many  years  ami  twice  has  liceu  its 
chairman. 

.\ndes  has  always  maintained  a  satisfactory  educational  estal)- 
lishment.  For  years  the  Andes  Collegiate  Institute,  founded  in 
1S47,    drew    students  from  distant  points  and  it  was  perhaps  the 


288  IIISTOIir    OF    DKI.AW'AHK    CorXTV. 

most  prosperous  school  of  the  i-ouuty.  With  the  iiuprovciiieut  of 
the  public  school  system  and  the  growth  of  other  similar  iusti- 
tiitious  iu  mauv  of  the  iicarhy  towns,  the  jirosperity  of  the  Institute 
declined  and  its  doors  were  finally  closed  iu  1880.  Several  at- 
tempts were  made  to  revive  the  school  hut  the  efforts  have  all 
failed  and  the  spacious  buildings  now  stand  idle,  remindiug  the 
citizens  of  their  usefulness  in  the  earlier  days.  The  Andes  Union 
Free  school,  later  the  Andes  High  School,  was  organized  in  1893 
in  the  old  district  school  building  which  was  enlarged  for  the 
purjjose.  This  institution  has  been  improving  steadily  and  now 
stands  high  as  a  preparatory  school  for  girls  and  boys.  A  num- 
l)er  oi  the  young  graduates  have  completed  a  collegiate  course, 
giving  evidence  of  the  thoroughness  of  the  pre]iarafion  afforded 
by   the   Andes  school. 

The  first  telegraph  line  connecting  Andes  with  the  exterior 
was  erected  by  the  Andes  and  Delhi  Telegraph  Company  in  187(i. 
The  first  message  was  sent  over  the  thirteen  miles  of  this  line 
June  1,  1876.  Afterwards  this  line  was  extended  to  Arkville  on 
the  Ulster  and  Delaware  Railroad  and  likewise  connected  with 
Boviua  Center.  This  line  has  recently  been  converted  into  a 
telephone  line  and  has  greatly  facilitated  the  ease  of  coninjuni- 
cation  between  Andes  .and  distant  places.  In  18!>6  another  com- 
j)any  was  organized  and  a  telephone  line  built  between  Andes 
and  Dowusville,  passing  through  Shavertown  and  Pepacton.  This 
line  is  connected  with  many  of  the  farm  residences  along  the 
route  and  considerable  local  business  is  thus  transacted  by  the 
use   of  the  telephone. 

The  old  Delhi  and  Kingston  Turnpike — the  road  early  con- 
necting Delhi  with  the  Catskill  region  and  the  Hudson  river — 
was  abandoned  lieyond  Arkville  in  187'2.  Later,  that  portion  of 
the  road  between  Andes  and  Margaretvjlle  was  given  u])  liy  the 
com]iany,  which  at  the  present  time  still  controls  the  well  kept 
road  from  Delhi  to  Andes  villaire. 


l^oxina. 

IjV  lion.  I).  L.  Thorn |),son. 

ONE  liuuilred  aud  seven  years  ago  three  or  four  liai'dy  youug- 
meu  from  Westchester  couuty,  with  rudely  coustrueted 
kuapsaeks  fastened  to  their  belts  aud  with  trusty  rifles  upon  their 
slidulders  luadc  a  surveying  aud  i)rospccfiiig  tour  (iver  au  ludiau 
trail   fnnu  Stamford,  through  the  eastern  part  of  the  couuty. 

In  that  little  party  was  Elisha  B.  Mayuard,  a  youug  man  of 
English  descent,  in  search  of  a  future  home  for  himself  aud  his 
fitniily.  With  keen  perception  and  astute  judgment  iu  regard  to 
richness  of  soil,  he  selected  that  sjjot  of  ground  which  is  now,  and 
ever  since  has  been  iu  the  possession  of  the  Maynard  family  in 
Bovina.  In  the  summer  of  1701  young  Maynard  cleared  up  two  or 
three  acres  of  land,  built  a  little  cabin,  mostly  under  ground,  sowed 
a  bushel  and  a  half  of  rye  aud  then  returued  to  liis  liouie  iu  West- 
chester county.  He  spent  the  winter  of  17'.)1  and  171*2  iu  making- 
preparations  for  his  new  home,  and  in  the  spring  of  1792  moved  his 
family  aud  all  his  belongings  upon  a  wood-shod  sled  drawn  by  two 
yokes  of  o.xen,  all  the  way  from  the  Hudson  river.  For  two  years 
youug  Maynard  had  no  neighbors  this  side  of  the  Stamford  range 
of  mountains.  The  somewhat  dangerous  conditions  and  the  actual 
privations  incurred  by  him  must  be  largely  left  to  the  imagination. 

(lame  of  every  kind  was  abundant,  the  tameness  of  which  on 
account  of  uufamiliarity  with  uiau  was  even  annoying.  It  was  diffi- 
cult to  raise  stock  on  account  of  the  depredations  of  bears, 
])anthers,  and  wolves.  Benefits,  however,  resulted  from  these 
circumstances,  for  the  mouutaiu  brooks  were  filled  with  the  fiuest 
trout  anil    the    woods    with   deer,    that    fuinisjicd   a  material  )iart  of 

the   family   food. 

1,;'  291 


292  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'XTY. 

lu  17!)4  Alcxauiler  liriisli  caine  from  Long'  Islaiul  iiiid  settled 
upon  that  tract  of  laiul  wliii-li  now  iufludes  the  vilhif^'e  of  Boviua 
Centre,  six  miles  west  of  .Mr.  Mayuard,  his  nearest  neighbor.  These 
two  earliest  settlers  were  blest  with  unusually  lari;fe  families,  Mr. 
Maynard  haviug-  twelve  children  and  Mr.  Brush  nine.  The  old 
Puritan  custom  of  j;iviug  children  Bible  names  was  in  vogue  with 
the  Yankee  element  of  the  early  settlers.  Every  one  of  the  ]\Iay- 
nard  and  Brush  families  were  given  Scripture  names — the  boys 
having  such  names  as  Abram,  Isaac,  Jacob  and  Elisha,  and  the  girls 
Miriam,  Kuth,  Rachel,  Esther,  etc. 

Mr.  Brush  a  year  or  two  after  his  settlement  here,  with  a  spirit 
of  enterprise  and  the  best  of  motives,  bought  the  seed  of  the  white 
daisy  and  sowed  it  upon  his  laud,  also  giving  it  to  neighbors 
around  him.  He  lived  to  hear  maledictions  heaped  upon  his  head 
for  his  well  meant  but  mistaken  idea  of  improving  the  pasturage  of 
the  farms. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  a  number  of  set- 
tlers, mostly  from  Scotland,  began  to  establish  homes  and  clear  up 
the  land.  Among  them  were  the  Landons,  Leets,  Davises,  Dumouds, 
Moscrips,  Hiltons,  Eussells,  Hamiltons  and  Ormistons.  Those  peo- 
ple endured  privations  and  hardships  which  the  jiresent  third  or 
foui'th  generation  of  their  sons  and  daughters  could  scarcely 
imagine.  The  comforts,  the  conveniences,  and  the  luxuries  of  life 
were  to  them  unknown.  Their  necessities  were  easily  supplied,  and 
the  source  of  them  came  from  their  immediate  surroundings.  The 
crt)ps  raised  from  the  newly  cleared  land  were  jDrincipally  rye, 
potatoes,  and  tlax.  Sometimes  the  family  enjoyed  the  luxury  of 
pork  for  dinner,  provided  the  bears  had  not  cajitured  the  pigs 
before  butchering  time.  In  such  a  case  they  resorted  to  licar  meat, 
if  they  could  catch  the  bear. 

As  a  sample  of  physical  strength  and  endurance  growing  out  of 
the  necessities  of  their  environments,  it  is  I'elated  that  a  'Sir.  Davis 
and  a  Mr.  Hilton  upon  different  occasions  canned  each  of  them 
upon   their  backs   two   bushels  of  rye  to  a  grist  mill  in  Schoharie 


rowx  OF  noviXA.  >293 

cimntT,  a  distanct'  of  cij^htt'cii  miles  from  their  homes,  aiul  returned 
with  tile  tlt)iir  the  same  day.  However,  a  tjrist  mill  was  soou  after 
erected  on  the  other  side  of  the  Stamford  moiuitaiu  at  the  foot  of 
Udsc's  luook,  and  to  this  mill  was  carried  on  tiie  hacks  of  men  or  on 
horseback  the  grain  to  be  made  into  tiour  for  family  use. 

Amid  such  surrouudiuj^s  the  sous  and  daughters  of  these 
pioneers  loved  and  married  as  in  more  modern  days.  The  first 
marriage  was  that  of  James  Russell  and  Nancy  Iticliie,  the  first 
l)irth  Elisha  Horton  JNJaynanl  igraiidfatlur  of  the  late  Isaac  H. 
Jlayuard)  in  17it;i.  The  first  death  was  that  of  Hezekiah  Davis  in 
179S.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  James  Richie  in  1795. 
The  first  school  teacher  was  William  Edwards,  who  taught  a  school 
in  1808.  The  first  general  store  was  kept  l)y  James  "Wetmore.  The 
first  grist  mill  by  Htei)hen  Palmer.  The  first  resident  physician  was 
Dr.  Kelly.     The  first  church  was  built  in  1809. 

From  this  time  onward,  early  iu  the  morning  and  late  at  night 
could  be  heard  the  sounil  <if  the  axe  as  it  felled  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  which  after  seasoning  for  a  few  weeks  were  rolled  into  heaps 
and  reduced  into  ashes.  The  burning  of  so  much  tindier  produced 
large  quantities  of  ashes  which  suggested  a  new  industry — that  of 
converting  the  ashes  into  what  was-  called  potash  and  pearl  ash. 
The  works  where  these  substances  were  manufactiu-cd  were  called 
asheries.  David  Ballantine,  grandfather  of  the  late  Senator  Ballan- 
tine.  built  an  asliery  and  ran  it  for  many  years  in  connection  with  a 
small  general  store.  Eight  or  ten  cents  a  bushel  was  paid  iu  trade 
for  ashes  delivered  at  tlie  store  or  at  the  works,  the  good  house- 
wives almost  invarial)ly  t;d<ing  pay  in   dishes. 

The  town  or  townslii]]  of  Bovina,  a  name  given  it  by  General 
Erastus  Root,  was  formed  from  parts  of  Delhi,  Middletown  and 
Stamford  in  18'20.  The  name  is  said  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
word  Bovine,  alluding  to  the  fact  of  its  being  prominent  iu  the 
dairying  l)usiiiess.  With  the  e.xception  of  Harj)erstield  it  is  in  -area 
and  jjopulation  the  smallest  town  in  the  county,  containing  only 
27,000  acres,  or  forty-two  stjuare  miles  of  land.     Fifteen  years  after 


294  nisrORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

its  oryanizatiou  iuto  a  township,  or  more  detiuitely  iu  1835,  its  pop- 
ulatiou  was  1,41  "2.  Since  that  date  until  the  present  time  there  has 
been  a  steady  aud  ahuost  regular  yearly  decrease,  until  now  the 
]iopulation  numbers  less  than  1,0(10.  Its  general  features  are  hills 
and  valleys  supplied  with  abundant  springs  of  pure  cold  water, 
making  it  admirably  adapted  for  dairying  jjurposes,  which  is  and 
has  been  from  its  earliest  settlement  its  chief  and  most  important 
industry. 

Its  enterprising  citizens  are  justly  inoud  of  the  flattering 
appreciation  of  the  excellency  of  Bovina  butter,  and  the  reputa- 
tion it  has  gained.  Upon  two  occasions  Bovina  dairies  have 
supplied  the  tables  of  the  presidential  mansion  at  Washington, 
being  recommended  as  the  finest  flavored  butter  made  iu  the 
United  States. 

In  March  1820  the  first  town  election  was  held  at  the  house 
of  John  Hastings,  who  then  kept  an  inn  on  the  farm  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  his  grandson,  James  E.  Hastings.  At  this  elec- 
tion Thomas  Landon  was  chosen  Supervisor,  with  a  full  corps  of 
other  town  officials.  Some  resolutions  adopted  at  these  early 
town  elections  are  suggestive  and  amusing.  For  instance  at  a 
meeting  held  April  5,  1821,  is  this  record:  "Voted  that  .  a 
jjauper  be  sold  to  the  person  who  will   keep    him    the    cheapest." 

was  then  put  up  at  auction  and  sold  to  John  Bennett   for 

one  year  at  9  shillings  and  sixfience  a  week.  So  vigorously  op- 
p)0sed  were  the  jDeople  at  this  time  to  paying  taxes  for  the  support 
of  imupers,  that  at  a  town  meeting  in  March  1838,  they  passed 
this  resolution:  "Voted  that  the  county  poor  house  at  Delhi 
be   abolished." 

Among  those  distinguished  by  long  terms  of  office  as  Super- 
visor, maj-  be  mentioned  Judge  James  Cowan,  who  held  the 
office  from  1825  to  183!1 — fourteen  consecutive  years.  Alexander 
Storie  was  supervisor  for  eight  years  and  David  Black  for 
eleven  years.  The  present  Supervisor  is  William  L.  White, 
a    grandson   of   Eev.    John    Graham,   who   for   over   twenty   years 


Towx  OF  /.'or/.v.i.  2i»5 

was     the     pastor    of     tlif    (uow)     Uuitod    Presbyteriau    Church    of 
Hoviua. 

lu  the  time  that  has  king  goue  by,  the  habits  and  customs 
ami  to  us  the  ijeeuliarities  of  the  early  settlers  seem  strange 
and  somewhat  amusing.  The  older  inhabitants  now  living  cm- 
pliasize  the  claim  that  there  was  more  sociability  and  frieudshi]) 
among  the  people  in  those  days  than  now.  There  was  no 
<livi8iou  or  distinction  among  them  on  account  of  wealth,  for  all 
were  poor.  Neighbors  would  drop  in  oi  an  evening  to  have  a 
social  chat  and  a  drink  of  whiskey  with  a  fellow  neighbor. 
Whiskey  seems  to  have  been  regarded  as  a  necessity.  There 
was  at  one  time  three  distilleries  in  the  town  for  its  manufac- 
ture. And  I  have  been  told  that  the  home  consumption  did  not 
allow  of  any  exportation.  A  settler  would  take  a  bushel  of  rye 
to  the  distillery  and  receive  for  it  two  gallons  of  whiskey.  They 
flaimed  that  they  could  have  a  milder  drunk  on  the  whiskey 
of  those   days  than   in  more  modern   times. 

.In  old  gentleman  who  was  enthusiastic  over  the  good  old  times 
and  friendships  of  those  early  days,  told  a  story  that  so  evidently 
contradicted  the  facts  claimed,  that  we  are  led  to  believe  that 
there  were  sinners  as  well  as  saints  even  in  the  long  ago  time. 
He  said  that  two  neighbors,  whom  I  will  call  A  and  B,  had 
become  somewhat  careless  about  their  line  fences,  which  naturally 
made  bad  blood  between  them.  On  one  occasion  A's  sheep  got' 
into  B's  lot,  where  B  caught  three  or  four  of  them  and  cutting 
the  thin  skin  separating  the  muscle  of  the  hind  leg  from  the 
gandirel  joint  he  stuck  the  other  hind  leg  through  the  aperture, 
and  in  this  shape  sent  them  home  on  three  legs.  A  just  chalked 
this  bit  of  neighborly  courtesy  down  and  waited  for  his  chance, 
which  soon  came  by  B's  hogs  getting  over  into  his  lot.  A  caught 
the  hogs  and  cut  their  mouths  almost  back  to  their  eyes.  AVheu 
B  saw  his  hogs  he  started  for  A's  with  all  the  vim  of  a  modern 
Fitzsimmons  and  throwing  his  coat  on  a  stump  he  wanted  to 
know  what   .V   mtant  by  slashing   uj)  his  hogs  in    that   shape.     A 


296  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COIXTY. 

said,  "Well,  uow,  just  hold  ou,  B;  I'll  tell  you  how  this  came 
about.  Your  hogs  were  over  iu  iiiy  lot  wheu  luy  sheep  came 
home  ou  three  legs,  aud  when  the  hogs  saw  those  sheep  they 
began  to  laugh,  aud  laughed  so  heartily  that  they  split  their 
mouths  opeu  clear  back  to  their   ears.  " 

There  is  a  tradition  of  a  lead  mine  iu  the  southern  part  of  the 
town.  An  Indian  named  Teunis  built  a  hut  or  cabin  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Walter  A.  Doig.  This  Indian  was  often  observed  to 
leave  his  cabin  and  after  a  short  absence  return  with  pieces  of  rock 
richly  tilled  with  lead  ore,  from  which  he  obtained  his  bullets.  He 
admitted  the  existence  of  a  valuable  lead  mine,  but  would  never 
make  known  its  location.  It  is  said  that  upon  one  occasion  when 
this  Indian  was  over  ou  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware,  he  was 
assaulted  and  beaten  by  two  drunken  white  men,  when  a  ]\Ir.  Bas- 
sett  of  Andes  came  to  his  rescue.  He  afterward  invited  Mr.  Bassett 
to  come  to  his  cabin,  saying  he  would  show  him  something  that 
would  make  him  the  richest  man  in  all  the  region  around  him.  Mr. 
Bassett  visited  the  friendly  Indian,  who  blindfolded  him  and  led 
him  through  the  woods  for  a  short  distance.  After  removing  the 
obstruction  from  his  eyes,  he  was  shown  a  lead  mine  of  unusual 
richness.  The  Indian  told  him  that  he  would  not  yet  reveal  the 
location,  but  promised  that  before  his  death  he  would  do  so.  The 
old  Indian,  however,  died  soon  after  aud  all  knowledge  of  this  mine 
died  with  him.  Mr.  Bassett  and  others  spent  mouths  in  fruitless 
search  for  this  buried  treasure.  The  Mr.  Bassett  referred  to  was 
the  father  of  the  late  Peter  Norton  Bassett  of  Andes,  a  man  whose 
integrity  aud  veracity  was  never  doubted. 

The  adaptation  of  the  early  settlers  to  their  necessities  and  sur- 
roundings ought  at  this  time  to  teach  us  lessons  of  economj'  in 
many  of  the  affairs  of  life.  Flax  was  grown  in  large  quantities  from 
which  the  good  housewife  ujadc  her  husband's  shirts  aud  suiuuier 
clothing.  The  woolen  ganuents  were  likewise  made  in  the  home. 
The  wife  and  mother  carded,  spun  aud  wove  the  wool  for  the 
cloth,  and  often  completed    the    preparation  of  the    garments  for 


the  liacks  of  her  husbaud  and  chililreu  bv  cutting-  auil  iiiakiiif^- 
tlieiii.  They  may  not  have  beeu  artistically  tittcd,  but  uiotLn-i- 
made  tliem;  while  less  critical  eyes  than  those  of  modern  times 
surveyed  them.  An  old  gentleman  said  that  the  men  of  those 
days,  as  they  looked  down  on  their  thick  cow-hide  boots,  were 
not  always  certain  whether  they  were  going  home,  or  away  from 
home.  An  old  lady  referring  to  the  amount  of  material  put  into 
the  men's  shirt  collars  in  those  times,  laughingly  remarked  that 
the  shirts  might  have  been  worn  vvnmg  end  u]i  without  attract- 
ing unusual   attention. 

But  it  was  the  men  and  women  icarcd  iu  such  surrouudiugs 
that  the  ]>eoj)le  of  Boviua  to-day  are  jnMuid  to  call  their  ances- 
tors. Their  labor  soon  developed  the  limited  resources  about 
them  into  material  prosperity,  and  all  now  feel  the  truth  of  a 
sentiment  once  so  beautifully  expressed  by  Thomas  Jefferson  when 
he  said,  "  Let  the  fai'mer  be  forever  houoi'ed  in  his  calling,  for 
they  who  till   the  soil  are  the  favored  and  chosen  peojjle  of  God." 

From  181")  to  1820  those  who  settled  in  Bovina  came  largely 
from  Scotland.  They  brought  with  them  that  Scottish  thrift  and 
piety  that  has  so  honored  the  land  of  Burns  and  of  Bruce,  and 
demonstrated  in  their  love  of  country  and  their  loyalty  to  Christ, 
the  true  elements  of  that  Christian  character  which  the  world 
respects  to-day.  It  has  been  rei^orted  by  agents  of  the  American 
Bible  Society  that  no  family  in  Bovina  has  ever  been  found  with- 
out a  bible.  The  influence  of  the  clergy  is  universally  felt.  For 
forty  years  no  license  for  the  sale  of  li(|U(ir  has  l>eeii  granted, 
and  with  one  exception  of  a  few  months  not  a  jiauixr  from  the 
town  has  been  an  inmate  of  an  almshouse. 

From  lK-2()  to  ISUO  hired  men's  wages  were  from  eight  to  ten 
dollars  a  month.  Hired  girls  received  seventy-five  cents  a  week, 
and  if  they  could  weave  they  got  one  dollar  a  weik.  .Vn  interesting 
fact  in  the  history  of  this  town  is,  that  the  Mormon  Proj^het,  Joseph 
Smith,  once  worked  here  as  a  common  day  laborer.  There  is  a 
.stone  wall    still  standing  on   the   fai"m   of  Frederick  Johnston  built 


2<)8  HISTOHV    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

b_v  him  between  the  years  1835  and  1840.  lu  1885  when  slavery 
was  abolished  iu  the  state  of  New  York  there  were  two  slaves 
in  the  town;  one  was  owned  by  John  Erkson  and  the  other  by 
Alexander  Johnston. 

One  custom  of  Scottish  origin  was  that  of  offering  cake  jmd 
wine  at  funerals.  This  was  kept  uj)  for  some  time.  Whenever 
the  jjeople  entered  a  house  of  mourning  they  were  offered  cake 
and  wine.  This  simple  service  at  the  burial  of  their  dead  was 
suggestive   of  appreciated  sympathy  in   times   of  bereavement. 

Briefly  noticing  what  is  called  the  Anti-Rent,  or  Equal  Eights 
party,  it  may  be  said  that  the  tirst  meeting  of  this  jjarty  was 
held  at  the  hotel  of  John  Seacord,  in  Bovina,  Oct.  1,  1844. 
John  McDonald  of  Kortright  and  George  Thompson  of  Andes 
were  nominated  for  the  Assemlily  at  this  meeting.  -  Mr.  ^IcDon- 
ald  being  endorsed  by  the  Whig  party  was  elected.  For  the 
killing  of  Under-Sheriff  Steele  at  the  Earle  sale  in  Andes,  Aug. 
7,  1845,  John  Van  Steenburg  aud  Edward  O'Connor  wei-e  senten- 
ced to  lie  hanged  Xov.  27.  O'Connor  was  a  citizen  of  Bovina, 
then  living  on  the  farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Stejihen 
Russell.  Naturally  the  most  intense  excitement  and  deepest  con- 
cern were  felt  for  the  fate  of  O'Connor.  The  sentence  was  how- 
ever changed  to  iiuprisoumeut  for  life,  and  early  iu  1847  at  the 
request  of  nearly  12,000  petitioners,  Governor  Young  pardoned 
Van  Steenburg  and  O'Connor  with  all  who  had  been  iinprisoued 
for  this  tragedy.  The  result  of  this  Auti-Reut  afritatiou  was  that 
the  tenants  bought  the  soil  of  the  laud  they  bad  tilled  and 
occupied,  at  easy  pi-ices.  But  it  had  created  bitter  feelings  and 
animosities  among  the  jjeojile  that  took  years  to  remove.  Busi- 
ness men  who  were  iu  sympathy  with  the  landlords  were  boycotted 
to  an  extent  that  drove  them  from  the  town.  Horace  Greeley's 
2iaper  was  iu  sympathy  with  the  Anti-Reuters  aud  was  uuiversally 
patronized.  Almost  everybody  in  Bovina  took  the  Tribune.  It 
was  jestingly  said  that  "  up  in  Bovina  the  people  didn't  read 
anvthing  but   the   Bible   aud    the    New    York   Tribune."     But    the 


TiJWX   OF   noviXA.  301 

Auti-Keut   couriict  has  g'oue  iuto   liistory,    a   history  oi  whii'h   the 
towu  to-tliiy  scarcely  remembers  with   either   pride   or  pleasure. 

The  tirst  post-oflSce  iu  this  towu  was  estalilisheil  at  Lake 
Delaware  iu  1821.  Previous  to  that  time  the  mail  was  brought 
from  Stamford,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles,  ouce  every  mouth, 
people  takinjj  turns  in  briufjfiuy  it  over  the  mountain.  The  post- 
office  iu  Bovina  Centre  was  established  iu  1S41  with  Johu  Erk- 
sou  as  postmaster.  The  present  postmaster  is  Wni.  McC'uue. 
The  early  mail  carriers  iu  briuffing  the  mail,  wheu  withiu  a  mile 
of  the  post-oflice  commenced  to  blow  a  horn,  aud  continued  to 
blow  every  two  or  three  minutes  until  their  arrival  at  the  post- 
office. 

The  first  physician,  as  has  been  said  was  Dr.  Kelly — present- 
physicians,    Drs.   Phinney  and  Dickson. 

AVben  this  towu  was  established  there  were  upwards  of  4tM) 
children  of  school  age;  nt)w   there  are  less  than  275. 

The  most  important  trade  center  is  the  little  village  <)f  Bovina 
Centre,  in  which  there  are  four  general  stores,  one  for  tlour  and 
feed,  one  hardware,  one  drug  aud  one  grocery  store,  one  saw  and 
grist  mill,  two  blacksmith  shops,  two  cooper  shops,  two  boot 
ami  shoe  shops,  one  millinery  ])urlor,  one  barber  slio])  aud  one 
hotel.  Sixty  years  ago  all  the  goods  sold  in  this  towu  consisted 
of  three  or  four  wagon  loads  drawn  semi-annually  from  Catskill. 
some  Go  miles  distant. 

The  present  trade,  exclusive  of  the  liaiulliiig  of  butter,  from 
figures  and  estimates,  amounts  to  over  one  hundred  and  twelve 
thousand  dollars  annually. 

The  schools  of  this  towu  are  small.  No  educational  .-idvan- 
tages  except  the  common  school  have  ever  been  enjoyed  by  the 
people  iu  their  home  town,  wliilc  thousands  of  dollars  have  l)een 
paid  for  education  in  the  academies,  seminaries  and  colleges  at 
other  places.  Bovina  has  furnished  for  the  educational  aud  pro- 
fessional vocations  of  life  withiu  the  past  forty-tive  years,  forty- 
oue     persons     who    have     been    graduated    with    distinction    from; 


302  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTV. 

colleges  arouud  us.  In  .ill  st.itistics  of  this  tdwa  it  is  fair  to 
consider  the  smalluess   of  populatiou. 

In  OctoV)er,  ISdi),  the  Associate  Presljyterian  Congregation  of 
Little  Delaware,  now  the  United  Presbj'terian  Church  of  Boviua, 
was  organized  with  a  membership  of  eleven  souls.  The  barns 
tmd  private  dwellings  of  the  people  were  used  as  places  of 
worship  until  ISl.'i.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Alexander  Bullions  in  the  bar-room  of  Thomas  Landon's  hotel 
at  Lake  Delaware.  The  minister  stood  behind  the  bar,  with  his 
Bible  resting  upon  it,  and  expounded  to  his  little  audience  the 
truths  and  teachings  of  the  Gosijel.  About  this  time  Dr.  Bullions 
preached  in  a  barn  yet  standing  upon  the  farm  of  ]Mrs.  Lucy 
•Coulter,  at  which  an  incident  occurred  that  greatly  disturbed  for 
a  time  the  devotional  spirit  which  ought  to  exist  during  religious 
worship.  Old  grandfather  Coulter  had  prepared  the  barn  flooi' 
and  provided  seats  for  the  female  jaart  of  the  audience — the  men 
were  to  stand,  or  sit  on  the  hay  mow.  Dr.  Bullions  had  just 
begun  his  sermon  when  a  hen  flew  off  her  nest  with  an  unusually 
loud  demonstration  of  cackling,  taking  a  circuit  around  among 
the  worshipers,  to  the  great  diversion  and  merriment  of  the 
•children  and  less  sedate  hearers.  The  preacher  stopped  and  asked 
is  someone  would  not  remove  the  fowl  from  the  building.  Just 
then  old  Mr.  G.,  a  large  '2-40  pound  Hcotchman,  caught  it  by  the 
feet  and  poking  it  under  the  hay  sat  down  on  it.  The  hen 
gave  one  squeal,  and  never  after  disturbed  a  religious  meeting. 
But   the  spiritual  solemnity  of  that  service    was    badly    impaired. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  congregation,  Rev.  James  Laing,  was 
installed  in  June,  1S14,  receiving  a  salary  of  $250  per  annum. 
In  1815  a  house  of  worship  was  built,  which  was  not  however 
completed  until  1824  For  nine  years  it  was  used  for  religious 
services  without  pews  or  pulpit  or  stoves.  The  carpenters'  work- 
bench was  used  for  a  ])ulpit,  with  blocks  and  benches  for  seats. 
During  the  winter  season  wt)men  brought  foot  stoves  tilled  with 
•coals  which  for  a  short  time  at  least  kept  their  feet  from  freez- 


voir.v   or  i:()\i.\A.  no:! 

■iufJT.  The  uieu  were  Imrdy  aiul  endured  the  discoinfoit  us  lust 
■tlicv  could.  In  IS'24  this  cliuvch  buihlinj^-  was  furnished  with 
pews  and  ]iiil]iit  hut  was  without  any  means  of  heating,'  for  a 
nniulier  of  vears.  The  conLj'rej^ation  j^radually  ;;rew  in  nundiers 
and  in  intiuenee  in  this  coufi'euial  soil  for  Presbyteriauisni.  Rev. 
John  (Irahani  succeeded  Rev.  Mr.  Laiuf^-  aud  was  its  pastor  for 
twenty  years.  He  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  James  B.  Lee, 
who  lemained  with  this  people  for  thirty-two  years.  The  salaries 
of  its  clerj^ymen  have  been  j^radually  iiu-reased  until  the  present 
j,'ifted  and  pojndar  younj,'  preacher.  Rev.  W.  L.  C.  Samson,  receives 
$1, ")()(!  per  annum.  The  present  membership  of  this  congfre- 
pratiou  is  'M'l.  The  contriliutions  the  past  year  for  all  purposes 
were  over  ?!!, ;{()(•.  A  history  of  this  congregation  would  scarcely 
be  complete  without  further  notice  of  the  long  aud  acceptable 
pastorate  of  Dr.  Lee,  who  spent  the  better  part  of  a  life  time 
in  devoted  service  to  the  spiritual  aud  material  prosperity  of 
r.nvina.  It  every  enterprisiug  project  aud  moral  reform  he  was 
a  leader.  Difficulties  did  not  discourage  him,  uor  opposition 
intimidate  him.  He  faithfully  aud  fearlessly  espoused  that  which 
he  believed  to  be  right,  whether  it  was  popular  or  not,  aud  his 
agency  in  the  town's  progress  was  marked  in  its  prosperity  and 
enlightenment. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  or  Covenanter  Congregation  was 
organized  in  1814.  It  is  a  church  that  is  and  always  has  been 
one  of  practical  disseut  from  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  holdinj^-  that  the  National  Constitution  is  radically  wrong 
and  <lefective  in  failing  to  acknowledge  the  existence  of  (xod, 
the  supremacy  of  Christ  as  Kint;  of  Nations,  aud  the  Word  of 
(iod  as  the  supreme  law.  They  ilo  not  vote,  hold  office,  or  take 
any  part  in  the  administration  of  the  government,  yet  always 
I'ceognize  its  authority  in  things  lawful  ami  ri;^lit.  'I'iiey  are 
somewhat  exclusive,  cmphHsi/ing  the  purity  rather  thau  the 
popularity  of  their  denomination.  The  society  numbers  about  75 
of   o\ir    most    enterprising    and    respected    citizens.      The    present 


304  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COI'XTV. 

pastor  of  this  people  is  liev.  T.  M.  Slater,  verv  recently  iustulled 
over  them.  The  one  imiuediatoly  j^receding,  Rev.  A.  I.  Rol)b,  left 
this  fharye  to  become  a  missionary  in  China.  Their  first  church 
building  at  upper  Bovina  was  of  stone,  "i-l  by  34  feet,  and  was 
built  in  1825.  The  present  church  building  is  a  comfortable  and 
commodious  one  in  Bovina  Centre.  This  congregation  since  its 
establishment  ha.^  had  eight  different  pastors. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Society  was  so  far  as  jireachiug  was 
concerned,  the  jjioneer  of  all  others.  Alexander  Brush,  the  second 
settler  in  town,  was  a  local  preacher,  and  often  preached  in  his  own 
house  and  that  of  others  for  years.  He  was  followed  by  Rev. 
AVilliam  Jewett  about  1S12.  who  was  the  first  regular  preacher. 
Services  were  held  in  houses,  barns,  school  houses  and  groves  until 
1849,  when,  they  built  a  house  of  worship  in  Bovina  Centre,  which 
was  dedicated  August  22d,  1849.  There  was  at  one  time  some 
ojjposition  manfested  to  Methodism  which  the  historian  scarcely 
cares  to  record.  The  incidents  attendant  upon  that  opijosition  are 
not  of  pleasant  memory.  But  times  have  changed,  and  now  the 
different  churches  of  Bovina  are  in  closest  christian  friendship  and 
fellowship.     The  present  pastor  of  this  people  is  Rev.  S.  E.  Myers. 

It  is  frequently  regreted  that  the  old  church  buildings, — the 
landmarks  of  our  civilization  and  religion,  had  not  l)een  preserved 
in  all  their  original  features;  for  the  peculiar  construction  of  them 
both  inside  and  out  would  to-day  be  matters  of  interest. 

Some  occurrences  of  the  long  ago  time  are  amusing.  One 
rather  peculiar  character  in  Bovina  whom  I  will  call  Billie  Smith — 
more  often  called  General  Smith.  He  was  well  known  throughout 
the  county.  He  was  somewhat  short  in  stature  and  remarkable  for 
his  wit  and  presence  of  mind.  He  could  take  a  joke  as  well  as  give 
one;  l)ut  u])on  the  occasion  to  be  related  he  thought  the  trick  was- 
too  much  of  a  joke  to  be  funny.  One  warm  day  in  summer  he  was 
at  church  sitting  in  a  pew  with  a  door  oi)euiug  out  into  the  aisle, 
which  was  fastened  with  a  button  on  the  outside.  Smith  became 
drowsy  during  the  long  sermon  and  finally  got  sound  asleep,  lean- 


TOWX    or    l:n\-IX.\.  ;^05 

iuj,'  heavily  against  the  door  of  the  pew.  A  wag  sitting  immediiitclv 
l)ehiml  him,  ami  watching  the  jji-ogress  of  his  slmiiher,  cautiouslv 
reached  arouud  aud  turned  the  button.  Sujith  hmded  out  into  the 
aisle  almost  on  the  top  of  his  head.  His  (luiclc  wit  imd  rare  pres- 
ence of  mind  came  to  his  rescue  and  he  hiy  as  lie  fell  all  iu  a  lieaji 
to  suggest  a  faint.  "When  he  was  carried  outside  he  gave  his 
opinion  of  that  joke  aud  joker  in  language  hardlv  tit  for  a  week 
day,  much  less  a  Sabbath  day.  It  was  many  years  after  this  before 
Smith  could  be  induced  to  attend  church. 

The  principal  industry  of  this  town  is  butter  making.  To  pru- 
duce  (juantity  aud  improve  quality,  aud  to  give  it  a  standing  in  the 
first  markets  of  the  State  aud  out  of  it,  neither  effort  or  expense 
have  beeu  spared.  The  first  Jersey  stock  brought  into  Bovina  was 
by  John  Hastings  and  Andrew  Archibald  in  1S();5.  The  Hastings 
l>rothers  were  enthusiastic  iu  their  appreciation  of  that  strain  of 
cattle;  while  a  majority  of  dairymen  at  that  time  were  slow  to 
acknowledge  its  superiority.  But  facts  and  figures  became  so  con- 
vincing that  the  skeptical  became  believers,  and  .Jeisey  stock  was 
soon  found  to  be  profitable  and  po2)ular.  About  1870  "William  L. 
Rutherford,  a  farmer  of  considerable  means,  jiurchased  a  herd  of 
twenty  head  from  a  Conuecticut  stock  dealer,  paying  ?2.")()  a  head, 
or  $5,(100  for  the  herd.  They  were  all  registered  thoroughbreds. 
For  ten  years  the  residt  of  the  transaction  was  highly  profitalde  to 
^Ir.  Rutherford  in  sales  of  stock  from  that  herd. 

In  18.su  William  L.  Ruff,  purchasing  the  farm  of  Mr.  Rutherford, 
also  purchased  the  stock  paying  $(!,300  for  it  aloue.  For  eighteen 
years  ifr.  Ruff  has  given  jiersoual  attention  to  this  stock,  of  which 
lie  is  justly  proud.  His  transactions  as  a  stock  dealer  during  this 
time,  independent  of  the  butter  jiroduced  by  the  herd,  has  exceeded 
$88,(100.  He  has  paid  !?1,0(I0  for  a  sinj^le  aidmal  as  a  breeder, 
whose  sire  was  sold  for  :?rj,(Mio.  Mr.  RulT  has  sold  three  months 
old  calves  for  over  $200,  cows  for  $350  each,  .•in<l  u]iiin  one  occasiiui 
lie  refused  an  offer  of  $2,00((  for  ten  calves.  His  largest  sales  have 
been   priuci])ally.to  dealers  in  j)ure  Ijlooded  stock.      To  Mr.  Pearson 


306  HISTOIiV    i)F    IlKLAWAHK    CorXTV. 

of  Wayne  uuimty  he  sold  a  beifer  which  sit   Kve   years  of  age  pro- 
duced tweuty-eight  and  three-- [Uartcr    pounds  of    butter   a  week. 

James  E.  Hastings,  who  may  be  said  to  1)c  a  pioneer  in  introchic- 
iug  this  stock  into  Bovinii,  also  has  one  of  the  finest  and  most 
valuable  herds  of  thoroughbred  cattle  in  the  county. 

There  are  live  or  six  pure  Jersey  dairies  in  town.  Purchasers 
have  come  from  Pennsylvania,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  and  some 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  made  selections  from  these  and  other 
herds  of  Jersey  cattle  in  Boviua.  The  entire  dairies  of  the  town 
are  of  high  grade.  As  high  as  360  pounds  of  butter  per  annum 
have  been  made  from  each  cow.  Much  of  Boviua's  prosperity  in 
former  years  was  due  to  this  superior  breed  of  cattle,  and  the 
excellency  of  the  butter  produced. 

A  conspicuous  dairy  of  Guernseys  is  owned  by  T.  H.  Ludington 
of  Lake  Delaware.  They  are  said  to  be  a  hardy  and  extraordinary^ 
milk  and  butter  producing  cattle.  Mr.  Ludington,  a  man  of  more 
than  usual  intelligence,  speaks  enthusiastically  in  favor  of  this- 
breed,  claiming  a  production  of  over  800  pounds  per  cow. 

During  the  civil  war  Bovina  furnished  seventy-one  volunteers 
for  the  army. 

Bovina  is  the  possessor  of  a  banner  given  l)y  the  Delaware 
county  Sabbath  School  Association,  entitling  it  to  the  h(}nored 
distinction  of  being  the  banner  Sabbath  School  town  of  the  county. 
One  of  the  Sabbath  schools  of  this  little  town  is  the  second  largest 
in  Delaware  county.  Its  reports  show  a  contribution  of  $100  each 
(|uarter  for  benevolent  and  missionary   purposes. 

Connected  with  and  under  the  management  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian congregation  is  a  large  and  well  selected  library  of  500  or 
600  volumes  which  is  open  to  the  general  public.  To  this  library 
Commodore  Gerry  of  New  York  City  has  contributed  $300. 

The  cemetery  at  Bovina  Centre  is  one  of  the  finest  and  best  kept 
in  this  section  of  the  State.  Mr.  Gerry  has  also  aided  in  beautify- 
ing this  resting  place  of  the  dead  by  presenting  to  its  trustees- 
massive  iron  gates  of  considerable  value. 


7VM\-.V     dh'     IIOVIXA.  307 

Mrs.  E.  T.  (icvrv's  simiincr  lesidfiici'  is  at  Lake  Delaware  in 
15oviuii.  Tlic  estate  siirroiiuds  a  beautiful  lake  covering  over  l.jO 
acres,  wliicli  is  stoikeil  with  finest  trout.  This  wealthy  and  f>'euer- 
i>us  faniilv  by  ileeils  of  charity  and  labors  of  love,  have  won  ^^rateful 
apju'eeiutiou  throu-jjhout  the  comiiiuiiity  in  which  for  a  few  weeks 
duriufi;  the  summer  they  reside. 

We  ought  not  to  close  this  l)rief  history  of  Boviua,  without 
referring  to  some  of  its  citizens  who  have  become  distinguished  in 
|irofcssioiiaI   life. 

Jiidge  William  Murray  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Sixth 
•ludicial  District  was  born  in  Boviua,  November  21st,  1820.  His 
career  was  one  of  steady  advancement  from  a  boy  working  on  his 
father's  farm,  to  that  of  a  Supreme  Court  Judge.  His  success  was 
in  no  way  a  surprise  to  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  came  of  a  family 
of  brains,  inheriting  that  persevering  and  determined  ambition 
which  always   wins  success. 

Judge  Murray  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  otMce  of  Samuel 
(iordon  in  1S4S,  and  was  ailmitted  to  the  bar  at  a  gtucral  terii] 
held  in  Albany.  His  progress  was  one  of  steady  advancement. 
He  was  a  Kepul)lican  in  j'olitics  and  a  firm  believer  in  the 
principles  of  his  party.  His  personal  appearance  was  one  of 
affable  dignity,  and  liis  decisions  as  a  jurist  showed  a  (lcc]>  knowl- 
edge of  law.  He  died  in  1887.  Dr.  David  Murray  now  living,  a 
brother  of  the  late  Judge  Murray,  attained  eminence  as  Professor 
in  Itutgers  College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  and  later  as  superin- 
tendent of  educational  affairs  in  Jai>an.  He  is  a  man  of  high 
Bcholarly  attainments  and  his  reputation  and  standing  in  highest 
educational  dej)artnients  is  world  wide. 

Hon.  Isaac  H.  Maynard,  a  grandson  of  the  tirst  settler  of 
the  town,  was  born  in  18;W.  He  was  graduated  from  Amherst 
College  in  lH(i2,  studied  law  in  tlic  office  of  Ju<lge  Murray  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Binghamton  in  18(i.'{.  In  politics  lie 
was  a  Democrat.  In  187.5  he  was  chosen  to  re])resent  Delaware 
countv  in   the  legislature  at  .\lbnnv.     In   1877  was  elected  to  tlie 


■308  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

office  of  County  Judge  aud  SuiTogate  iu  tbis  Rcimblicau  eouuty 
by  1,'355  majdrity.  In  1S83  he  was  a  candidate  on  the  State 
Democratic  ticket  for  Secretary  of  State,  bnt  was  defeated  on 
account  of  his  tirni  aud  uucoiapnmnsiug  couvietions  upon  the 
temperance  question.  In  188-t  he  was  appointed  First  Deputy 
Attorney-General.  He  resigned  this  position  and  accepted  the 
office  of  Second  Comptroller  of  the  United  States  Treasury  to 
which  he  had  beeu  appointed  by  President  Cleveland.  In  1887 
IVIr.  Maynard  was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  iu 
1892  Governor  Flower  appointed  him  Associate  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Api^eals.  He  afterwards  became  a  candidate  for  that 
position  but  was  defeated.  He  died  in  1895  at  the  age  of  .57 
years. 

Bovina  cherishes  with  pardonable  pride  the  memory  of  other 
■citizens  both  living  aud  dead  which  must  be  left  for  later  rec- 
ords. To  the  ministerial  profession  it  has  given  eleven  young 
men;  to  the  educational  profession  iu  colleges  and  seminaries, 
thirteen;  to  the  medical  profession  six,  aud  to  the  legal,  six. 
The  jseople  are  intelligent,  industrous,  frugal  and  God  fearing. 
It  is  said  there  is  uot  a  family  in  town  who  does  not  attend 
religious  church  services.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  village 
of  Bovina  Centre,  beautifully  situated  ou  a  knoll  iu  the  Forrest 
Talley,  is  one  of  the  finest  cemeteries  in  the  county.  Many  of 
the  dead  who  slumber  here  have  left  behind  them  precious  mem- 
ories. It  was  at  one  time  a  custom  among  the  early  settlers  to 
bury  their  dead  upou  their  owu  lauds.  There  has  beeu  at  least 
twenty  of  such  burial  places  in  the  town.  Now  the  dust  of  the 
fathers  has  been  largely  gathered  into  this  beautiful  cemetery, 
where  it  will  i-emain  until  "this  mortal  shall  have  put  on  im- 
mortality." 

Note  by  D.  M.— The  attention  of  the  writer  of  this  note  has  been  called 
by  Mr.  Uilbert  Tucker,  the  editor  of  the  Country  Genlli-mioi.  to  a  "Cow  Census 
of  the  Town  of  Bovina,  Delaware  Co.,  N.  Y.,"  wliich  was  taken  by  the  Dairy- 
men's Association  for  the  year  1891.  It  was  published  as  a  bulletin,  dated 
18!)2.     He  tells  nie  that  he  knows  of  no  other  similar  eensus  that  has  ever 


roir.V    Oh-    liOVISA.  ;)()<) 

been  taki'U.     Tin-  paniphli't  is  now  lictVue  nie  from  which  I  have  oonipiled  a 
few  facts.     Tlio  town  was  selected  because  it  was  conspicuous  for  tlie  quantity 
ami    i|uality   of   its   dairy   pioilucts,   and   because   its   inhabitants   are   more 
iiMiformly  engaged  in  Initter  malting  than  any  other  town  in  the  State. 
l"n>iii  tliis  important  pamphlet  the  I'ollowing  statistics  are  derived  : 

1.  lioviua  contains -J", 271)  acres  of  land;  the  assessed  valuation  of  which 
in  lyi'l  was  #:!'.)ii,25'.l.  The  average  value  of  the  land  including  woodland, 
swamp,  etc.,  is  $14..");)  an  acre.  The  value  of  the  improv<'d  land  may  therefore 
1"'  estimated  at  from  live  to  seven  times  this  sum. 

2.  The  population  of  the  town  as  given  in  the  Census  for  1890  was  1,007. 
As  enumerated  in  this  pamphlet  there  are  117  farmers  engaged  in  dairying 
owning  2.<'i(iy  cows  thus  averaging  23  cows  to  each.  The  cows  are  in  large 
pro|>ortion  Grade  .Ti'rseys  :  although  a  number  of  farmers  report  part  of  their 
stock  ns  •' thorimghbred  Jerseys,"  "registered  Jerseys"  or  "full-blood 
Jerseys.  ' 

3.  The  total  amount  of  butter  made  is  reported  a*  (J6,'J88  pounds.  Besides 
butter  the  farmers  sold  calves,  pork,  and  other  dairy  products.  The  average 
earnings  per  cow  varied  between  #101.13  and  $30. IS;  and  for  the  whole  town 
was  $t;3.fl9. 

4.  Mr.  B.  G.  Gilbert,  the  secretary  of  the  Dairymen's  Association,  in  sum- 
ming up  tins  census  says;  "The  majority  of  these  farms  pay  their  owners 
from  six  to  eight  dollars  per  acre  for  the  whole  acreage,  over  and  above  the 
entire  expense  of  the  dairy,  with  the  exception  of  what  labor  may  be  required. 
This  includes  uncleared  as  well  as  cleared  land ;  and  the  labor  is  often  done 
by  the  farmer  ami  his  family.  The  probability  is  that  from  the  land  under 
cultivation  and  available  for  cattle  sup|iorl  the  dairymen  of  Bovina  obtain 
fully  ten  per  cent  net." 


17 


Colchester. 

IjY  Edvai'd  tf..  Conlon. 

THE  town  of  Colchester  was  formed  AjHil  1(»,  IT'.l'i,  from  tin- 
town  of  Middletown,  and  iucluded  the  present  town  of  Han- 
cock and  a  portion  of  the  town  of  Walton.  It  was  then  in  the 
county  of  Ulster.  In  1799  a  part  was  annexed  to  the  town  of 
Walton.  Hancock  was  taken  oif  in  18()(),  and  a  part  of  Walton 
was  annexed  to  Colchester  in  1827.  Since  which  last  the  boun- 
daries of  the  town  have  remained  unaltered.  At  the  formation 
of  the  county  of  Delaware  in  1797,  Colchester  was  one  of  the 
seven  constituent  towns.  The  name  of  the  town  was  suggested 
by  Josejsh  Gee,  an  early  settler,  who  came  from  Colchester, 
Conn.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  euishouious  Indian  name, 
Pawj)acton,  was  discarded  for  this  harsh   sounding  English   name. 

The  East  Branch  of  the  Delaware  river  runs  south-westerly 
through  the  north-central  jjortion  of  the  town.  The  Indians 
called  this  river  Paw2iacton.  The  Beaverkill  river  flows  west 
through  the  southerly  corner  of  the  town.  The  Indians  called 
this  river  Whelenaughwemack. 

In  the  year  1766,  Timothy  Gregory,  then  a  young  man  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  came  from  Westchester  county,  and  erected 
a  log  house  on  the  flat  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  about  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile  above  the  present  river  bridge  at  Colchester, 
where  he  lived  uutil  the  Revolutionary  war.  Tliis  was  the  first 
house  ever  erected  within  the  bounds  of  Colchester,  and  stood 
midway  between  the  highway  and  tlic  biunekill,  opposite  a  little 
sjjring  that  Hows  across  the  highway  at  a  point  a  few  rods 
above  a  small  bill  in  the  highway.  In  the  succeeding  years 
a    few    other   settlers    located   farther    up    the    river,    and    at   the 

310 


o 

o 
t 

J3 


rOWX   OF   COI.CIIKSTFJi.  :{18 

coinmeufi'ineiit  of  the  Revolution  there  were  uiiic  houses  in  this 
Betth'nient.  Frederick  ^liUer's  was  farthest  up  tlie  river  and 
stuoil  near  where  the  Sliufelt  Shaver  house  was  afterwards  erected; 
Mr.  Parrish  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Cole's  Clove,  Russell  Gregory 
just  below  Broek's  lirid^e  on  tlie  east  side  of  the  river,  William 
Hose  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  below  Dowusville,  near  Rock 
Eddy.  The  other  persons  who  are  known  to  have  resided  here 
prior  to  the  Revolution  are,  Thomas,  and  John  Gregory,  James, 
and  S.  Shaver,  Silas  Bowker,  Peter,  Harry  and  Nehemiah  Avery, 
Jacob  Baruhart  and   Daniel    Parrish. 

In  1778  these  settlers,  on  account  of  the  hostility  of  the  In- 
dians, were  compelled  to  abandon  their  homes  and  seek  safety 
within  the  settlements  along  the  Hudson,  but  at  the  close  of  the 
war   many    of    them    returned    and    be^au    life    anew. 

The  first  school  was  established  in  the  town  in  1784,  by 
Daniel  Parrish.  The  school  house  stood  at  the  northerly  base 
of  the   gi-avel  knoll  at   the   entrance   to  Cole's  Clove. 

The  first  marriage  occurred  Dec.  14,  1788,  the  contracting 
parties  being  Abraham  Sprague  and  Mary  Parrish,  who  was  a 
sister  of  Daniel  Parrish.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  the 
Rev.  Bezaleel  Howe,  a  Baptist  minister.  Sjjrague  was  tweutj'- 
two  j-ears  of  age  and  his  bride  twenty-one.  Sj)rague  was  a 
member  of  the  Washington  Guards  during  the  Revolutionary 
War,  and  was  present  at  the  execution  of  Major  Andre.  He 
resided  for  many  years  after  his  marriage  on  the  farm  across 
the  river  from  Dowusville,  and  cleared  the  first  land  there.  His 
house  stood  between  the  jireseut  highway  and  tlie  biiiiiekill  and 
above  the   road  leading   to  Dowusville. 

The  first  birth,  which  is  recorded,  was  that  of  (^atherine  Rose, 
daughter  of  William   Rose,   born  Dec.   '24,   1784. 

The  first  death  was  that  of  Thomas  Gregory,  wlio  died  Dec. 
31,  1788,  aged  twenty  years,  and  is  buried  in  the  Phelj)s  burying 
ground    at   Colchester. 

Abraham    Sprague   and   Daniel    l}t>wker  ran   the    first  raff  down 


314  lUsroliV    OF    DELAWARE    CorXTV. 

the  river  that  went  from  above  Sliebawkeu,  (Haueock),  it  con- 
sisted of  spar  tiuiLers  for  the  I'liiladelpbia  ship  yards.  Upon 
this  trip  they  gave  to  many  of  the  turns  and  islands  along  the 
river  the   names   which  they  still   bear. 

The  first  saw  mill  stood  on  the  biuuekill  below  the  residence 
©f  S.   O.   Shaver. 

The  first  grist  mill  erected  in  Delaware  county  was  erectecl  by 
William  Horton,  and  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  alxiiit  one- 
half  mile  below  Colchester,  on  the  farm  of  E.  D.  Horton.  The 
people  brought  their  grain  to  this  mill  in  canoes  from  a  distance  as 
far  down  the  river  as  Equinunk,  and  for  many  miles  in  all  directions 
it  was  brought  on  horseback.  In  the  early  part  of  the  present 
century  as  many  as  7,000  bushels  of  wheat  were  ground  at  this  mill 
in  a  single  year. 

The  Phelps  burying  ground  at  Colchester  is  the  oldest  in  town, 
named  from  David  Phelps,  whose  residence  stood  near  by.  In  this 
Ijurying  ground  ()nly  three  graves  are  marked  l)y  lettered  head- 
stones, which  are  common  field  stones.  Besides  that  of  Thomas 
Gregory  mentioned  above,  are  the  following: 

Josiah  Gregory,  died  Dec.  14,  ITDG,  aged  25  years. 

Timothy  Gregory,  died  Dec.  — ,  1821,  aged  78  years. 

In  the  year  17'.IS  the  first  tax  was  levied  in  Delaware  county, 
and  the  total  assessed  valuation  of  real  and  personal  property 
in  the  town  of  Colchester,  which  then  included  the  town  of 
Hancock,  was  $14,803.75.  The  present  valuation  of  such  i^roperty 
is  $578,815. 

The  official  records  of  the  town  begin  in  1703  and  the  record  of 
every  town  meeting,  and  all  official  acts,  are  carefully  recorded  in 
the  town  clerk's  office  down  to  the  present  time.  From  these 
records  it  appears  that  the  first  town  meeting  in  the  town  of  Col- 
chester, county  of  Ulster,  was  held  at  the  house  of  Lazarus  Sprague, 
in  April,  1793,  "Where  the  following  officers  were  duly  elected  viva 
voce,  by  a  majority,  namely,  for  the  ensuing  year:  William  Horton, 
Supervisor;  Pet«r  Ten  Broeck,  Jr.,  Clerk." 


T<n\\\   til-'   cnLrlllCSThli.  ;^15 

A  c-oiupleto  list  of  towu  officers  follows,  and  amoug  the  rtsolu- 
tious  adoptt'il  at  the  nieetius'  is  the  following-:  "Resolved  that  hogs 
may  run  coniinoncis  witli  a  two  foot  yoke  and  ring  through  the 
nose." 

Upon  the  formation  of  the  county  of  Delaware  in  17!)7,  "William 
Horton,  who  had  been  supervisor  since  171);{,  was  again  re-elected 
to  that  office.  The  following  is  his  oath  of  office  duly  recorded  in 
the  town   clerk's  office: 

I,  William  Hortdii,  do  solcniiily  and  siiiccroly  iiroiiusc  and  swear,  that  I 
will  in  all  thinj^s  to  tlio  best  of  my  knowlodKO  and  abilities,  faithfnlly  and 
impartially  execute  and  perform  the  trust  reposed  in  me  as  supervisor  of  the 
town  of  0)lchester,  In  the  county  of  Pelaware,  that  I  will  not  pass  any  amount 
or  any  article  theri'of  wherewith  I  shall  think  the  said  county  is  not  justly 
chart;oal)le,  nor  will  I  disallow  any  amount  or  any  article  thereof  wherewith  I 
think  the  said  county  is  justly  chargeable.  William  Hortox. 

The  following  is  from  the  official  records  of  the  towu  clerk's 
office: 

At  a  special  town  meeting  held  in  the  town  of  Colchester,  for  the  purpose 
of  dividing  said  town,  convened  at  the  house  of  Abraham  Sprague,  on  ye  28tb 
of  December,  180.5,  XTnanimously  agree — 

1st.    RfMihvd.  that  the  said  town  be  divided. 

•2nd.  RixDifi'il.  that  the  line  between  the  two  towns  cross  the  Papakunk 
river  at  the  upper  end  of  the  liuig  (tat  that  Abrani  Sprague  now  lives  on. 

'ird.  /f(W)/r<v/.  that  the  bounds  be  such  beginning  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
farm  that  Al>raham  Sprague  now  lives  on  where  the  road  crosses  the  river 
running  easterly  in  a  direct  line  to  strike  the  county  line  at  right  angles; 
thence  starting  from  the  placi'  of  begiMiiitig  and  coiuinuc  the  same  line  west- 
erly to  the  line  of  Walton. 

4th.  ReMolvKil,  that  William  Wheeler.  Jonas  Lakin  and  Soldnion  Miller  lie  a 
committee  to  bring  the  above  resolutions  into  elTect. 

At  the  annual  towu  meeting,  March  l;i,  18l;J,  it  was  "Resolved, 
that  the  sum  of  seventy  dollars  he  raised  for  the  support  of 
schools." 

The  following  are  correct  transcripts  from  the  records  of  the 
town  clerk's  office: 

Born  on  the  2Hth  of  September.  1810,  a  male  child  of  a  black  slave  to  John 
Hitt.     Recorded  Novemb.'r  Kith,  IHKi. 

A  negro  boy  ti.uned  Tom  belonging  to  Alexamler  Cole  was  three  years  old 
the  fourth  of  March,  lsi:t. 


31f,  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COISTY. 

Born  of  a  black  slave  iM-longinjj  to  Alexander  Cole,  a  male  cliild  named 
Benjamin,  born  the  seeon<l  day  of  January.  IslS.  Recorded  the  id  day  of 
July,  1813. 

Born  to  a  black  slave  belonging  to  Alexander  Cole,  a  female  child  named 
Gin,  the  twentieth  day  of  January,  181.5.     Recorded  13th  January,  181(;. 

Born  of  a  black  slave  belonging  to  Alexander  Cole,  a  female  child  named 
Harriet,  the  twentieth  day  of  Decemlicr,  ISlfi.  Recorded  the  2Kth  February, 
1818. 

The  oldest  buildiuf,'  in   the   town  is  tlte   l);iru   iiow  staudiii-,'   on 

the    Jason    Gregory    farm    at    Grej^orytown.       It    was    erected    by 

Timothy  Gregory  in  1789;  the  original  frame  is  still  sound,  and  the 

building  gives  promise  of  standing  yet  many  years. 

William  Holliday  was  the  oldest  person  who  ever  died  in  the 

town;   his  age  was  Ktl,  and   he   is   buried   in   the   old   cemetery  at 

Downsville. 

The  town  has  furnished  the  following  members  of  the  Assembly: 

William    Horton,    elected    1798;    John    H.   Gregory,  elected    1821; 

Hezekiah  Elwood,  elected  1852;  Barna   R.  Johnson,   elected   1859, 

served  three  terms;  Robert  Beates,  elected  1879;  James  W.  Kuapp, 

elected  1836. 

John  H.  Gregory  was  elected  Sheriff  of  the  county  in  1831. 

William  Horton  was  also  one   of  the   Associate  Judges   of   the 

Court  of  Common  Pleas,  when  that  court  was  first  organized  in  the 

county  in  1798. 

David  Phelps  was  one  of  the  six  attorneys  admitted  and  sworn, 

at  the  first  session  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  in  1798.     Phelps 

resided  many  years  in  the  town,  was  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments, 

and  always  a  true  frieud  of  Colchester.     He  made  an  earnest  effort 

"to  have  the  county  seat  located  ou  the  East  branch, — a  movement 

which  was  successfully  opposed  by  General  Root  and  others.    David 

Phelps  died  at  Deposit,  at  a  ripe  age,  and  in  obedience  to  his  wish 

expressed  in  life  his  remains  were  taken  back  to  his  l)elov(d  town 

of  Colchester,  where  the  best  of  his  life  had  been  spent,  and  he  rests 

in   the   old  cemetery  at  Downsville.      Horton  and  Phelps  were  the 

leaders  of  their  respective  parties  for  many  years  in  the  town  of 

Colchester,  but   Horton's  party  was   far  in   the   ascendancy  in   the 


TOir.V  OF  CULCllEsrEH.  317 

town  ami  c-oimty,  and  be  was  houored  luauy  tinifs  with  office,  while 
Pheljis  reiiiaiued  in  private  life. 

At  iiiescnt  there  are  six  post-oflices  iu  the  towu,  Pepaetou, 
Downsville,  Colchester,  Sliinhopple,  Hortou  and  Butternut  Grove. 
The  two  last  named  are  on  the  Beaverkill.  Downsville  was  so 
named  in  honor  of  Abel  Downs.  Pepaetou  is  a  corruption  of  the 
Indian  name,  Pawpacton,  and  is  live  miles  up  the  river  from  Downs- 
ville. Colchester  is  the  oldest  post-office  in  towu,  that  having  been 
the  principal  settlement  in  the  town  for  inauy  years;  it  is  two  miles 
•lown  the  river  from  Downsville.  Shiuh()j)j)le  is  at  the  mouth  of 
Trout  brook,  five  miles  below  Downsville,  and  received  its  uame 
frum  the  large  number  of  hobble  bushes  which  ^row  un  the  dats  iu 
that  vicinity. 

Early  settlers  were  accustomed  to  griud  their  corn  in  small 
mills,  which  by  reason  of  their  peculiar  construction  were  called 
tub-mills.  Prior  to  the  Revolution  William  Rose  had  such  a  mill  at 
the  falls  on  the  little  brook  above  Downsville,  and  it  was  from  this 
that  "Tub-mill  Brook"  received  its  name. 

Those  who  have  known  about  shad  fishing  in  the  East  Inanch 
may  be  interested  in  the  following  extracts  from  affidavits  used  in 
178o  in  the  investigation  into  the  title  to  the  laud  between  the 
branches  of  the  Delaware  river: 

Jo.shiia  Pine,  junior,  aged  twenty-four  years  being  duly  .sworn  deposeth 
and  saith,  that  his  father  having  purehasi'd  lands  in  John  Walton's  Patent,  on 
the  west  side  of  Cookquago  branch  of  the  Delaware  river,  he,  the  deponent, 
went  with  his  father  to  settle  there  in  the  month  of  May  in  the  year  1785  ;  that 
sometime  in  the  month  of  June  in  the  same  year  the  deponent  went  down  the 
I'awpacton,  or  East  branch  of  the  Delaware  river,  with  a  canoe,  from  the 
-■■ttlements  at  Piiwpactoii  to  Schehawken  (  Hancock),  and  thence  up  the  West 
branch  to  Walton's  Patent,  to  the  knowledge  of  any  of  the  settlers,  but  that 
the  shad  came  up  to  about  Cookhouse  (  Deposit;;  and  also  that  the  people  of 
Pawpai-ton  told  deponent  that  they  had  caught  thirteen  hundred  shad  the 
year  before,  at  one  haul,  in  Pawiiactoii  river ;  that  deponent  never  lieard  of 
any  such  quantity  being  caught  in  the  West  branch. 

Peter  Dumond  also  testified: 

That  iluring  the  time  he  lived  on  the  East  branch  of  Delaware,  near 
I'aughkataean  i  Margaretville  i,  beginning  in   17(13,    he   frequeiuly   lished   for 


;^1S  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE   COUNTY. 

shad  below  Papacnuk  iluriug  tlii'ii'  season,  as  also  above  the  inoutli  of  the 
Beaverkill,  or  Whelenaughweniaek,  when  he  caught  large  quantities  of  shad. 
This  deponent  remembers  the  time  when  the  white  people  settled  at  Papaeunk 
caught  as  iiianj-  shad  at  one  fishing,  about  three  miles'below  their  settlement, 
as  served  the  whole  of  their  families  for  that  season,  as  this  deponent  was 
informed. 

The  followiug  is  a  complete  list  of  the  supervisors  of  the 
town,  showing  the  years  in  which  they  were  elected.  Joseph  S. 
Bliven  was  elected  at  a  special  town  meeting  held  in  Sei^tember, 
1822,  iu  place  of  Abel  Downs,  incapacitated  by  sickness.  Begin- 
ning with  1894,  supervisors  were  elected  for  two  years:  William 
Horton,  1793-97;  Adam  Doll,  1798;  Abel  Downs,  1799,  18(tl-01, 
1814-22;  Roswell  Bradley,  1800;  Jonas  Lakin,  ISO,");  Adam  I. 
Doll,  1806;  Lewis  Hait,  1807-10;  John  Moore,  1811;  Anthony 
Lloyd,  1812-13;  Joseph  S.  Bliven,  1822.  (To  fill  vacancy).  Ben- 
jamin Pine,  1823-24;  George  W.  Paige,  1825-27;  Hezekiah  El- 
wood,  1828-29,  1833-34;  Charles  Knapp,  1830,  1835-3(5;  Alexander 
Cole,  1831-32;  John  H.  Gregory,  1837-38;  James  W.  Knapp, 
1839-40,  1845;  Rensselaer  W.  Elwood,  1841,  1844,  1852,  1855-57; 
Barna  Radeker,  1842-43;  Robert  M.  Hanmer,  1846-47;  "SVilliam 
Holiday,  Jr.,  1848;  Alfred  Hunter,  1849,  1853-54;  Enoch  Horton, 
1850-51;  George  W.  Downs,  1858-59;  Alexander  Elwood,  1860; 
Elbridge  G.  Radeker,  1861;  "William  B.  Champlin,  18()2-63, 
1865-68;  Edwin  D.  Wagner,  1864;  E.  L.  Holmes,  1869;  Edwin 
H.  Downs,  1870-71;  Alston  W.  Hnlbert,  1872-73;  William  H. 
Hitt,  1874;  George  P.  Bassett,  1875-77;  David  Anderson,  1878; 
Charles  L.  Elwood,  1879-80;  Charles  K.  Hubliell,  1881-82; 
James  M.  Radeker,  1883  85;  Milo  C.  Radeker,  1886;  J.  Arthur 
Montgomery,  1887;  Charles  S.  Elwood,  1888;  Charles  E.  Hulbert, 
1889-90;  Frank  W.  Hartinau,  1891-92;  Henry  J.  Williams,  1893- 
94;  Edward  T.    Smith,    189(!i)7. 

THADITIONAL    HISTORY. 

Prior  to  1766,  the  date  of  the  first  settlement,  the  Pawpac- 
ton  valley  was  the  home  of  the  Wappinger  Indians,  and  within 
the    territory    that    is    now    the    town    of    Colchester    were    two 


Village  of  Arena. 


rii.-redj  and  YiciriHy. 


TUWy    OF   a)Hlii:sTEI{.  y21 

Iiiiliiin  villaj^es.  riiwpaetou  auil  P!i])aif()uck,  the  .former  located  on 
the  riat  near  the  nioutb  of  Cole's  Clove,  the  latter  is  believed 
to  liave  beeu  located  on  tlu'  westerly  side  of  the  river  about 
two  or  three  miles  lielow  Dowusville.  but  it  seems  the  ludiaus 
bad  ceased  to  make  their  home  in  tliis  vicinity  before  the  white- 
Ncttlei's  came. 

Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war  the  Indians,  whose 
headquarters  at  that  time  were  on  the  Ouleout,  began  to  liarasa 
and  worry  these  settlei's,  and  encouraged  by  the  tories,  they 
erected  a  kind  of  fort  on  middle  hill,  on  the  westerly  side  of  the 
river,  about  two  miles  below  Downsville,  which  they  made  their 
iieadquarters  while  committing  their  depredations.  About  the 
year  177S  an  incident  occurred  that  compelled  these  settlers  to 
abandon  their  homes  along  the  East  Branch  and  seek  safety 
within  the  American  lines  on  the  Hudson  River.  The  Indians- 
liad  captured  two  patriot  scouts,  who,  in  charge  of  three  Indians,, 
were  being  taken  to  the  Canadian  line,  their  iian<ls  being  securel,y 
tied  with  strong  thongs.  One  night  while  the  Indians  slept,  a 
jirisoner,  whose  name  was  Anderson,  discovered  that  one  of  the 
Indians  had  partially  turned  over  in  his  sleep  and  uncovei-ed 
his  tomahawk.  (  On  such  occasionsi  the  Indian  always  slept  on 
liis  tomahawk  ).  Anderson  carefully  rolled  himself  over  until  ht^- 
reached  the  uncovered  tomahawk,  and  with  it  rolled  awaj'  again. 
With  the  aid  of  the  tomahawk  he  managed  to  cut  the  thongs 
that  bound  him  and  was  soon  free.  He  ere])t  to  where  his  com- 
panion lay  and  awoke  him,  and  (piickly  cut  the  thongs  with 
which  he  was  bound,  and  giving  his  co]n))aiiioii  the  tomahawk 
instructed  him  to  kill  the  Indian  to  whom  it  Ix'longed  at  a  signal 
from  .\ndersou.  Anderson  then  went  stealthily  to  the  other  two 
Indians  and  succeeded  in  ol)taining  his  tomahawk  from  one  of 
the  Indians  without  waking  him.  Anderson's  companion  weakened 
and  did  not  want  to  kill  the  Indians,  claiming  it  would  be  safer 
to  make  their  escape  and  leave  the  Indians  sleeping,  but  Ander- 
son,   who    was   a    firm    believer    in    the    adage    that    "  There  is  no. 


322  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'NTY. 

f;'00(l  luiliiiu  but  a  ileail  ludiau,  "  was  determiucd  to  carry  out 
his  purpose  and  insisted  that  bis  compauiou  should  kill  one 
while  be  killed  the  t)ther  two.  At  the  si<>ual  from  Anderson 
each  buried  his  tomahawk  in  the  head  of  au  Indian,  and  like  & 
flash  and  before  the  third  Indian  could  sirring  to  his  feet,  al- 
though he  was  awakened  by  the  noise,  Anderson's  toiuahawk 
again  descended  and  this  Indian  followed  his  companions  to  the 
liajipy  liuuting  ground.  The  men  then  took  the  corn  which  the 
Indians  had  with  them  and  started  east.  The  main  body  of  In- 
dians in  that  vicinity  almost  immediately  discovered  their  dead 
companions,  and  set  out  ujion  the  trail  of  the  scouts.  They 
knew  the  two  men  could  never  reach  the  Hudson  without  aid 
from  the  white  settlers;  that  without  such  aid  they  must  subsist 
upon  the  little  corn  they  took  from  the  Indians  and  the  roots 
they  might  dig.  The  Indians  therefore  sent  swift  runners  ahead 
and  informed  the  settlers  that  whoever  harbored,  aided  or  fed 
these  men  would  be  killed  by  slow  torture.  Among  the  settlers 
thus  warned  were  those  re.siding  in  Pawpacton.  Anderson  and 
his  companion  succeeded  in  reaching  the  East  Branch,  and  from 
the  top  of  the  high  mountain  below  Downsville  they  looked  down 
upon  the  log  cabin  of  Timothy  Gregory.  They  waited  till  night 
and  under  cover  of  the  darkness  they  descended  and  crossed  the 
river  and  went  near  the  house  of  Gregory.  Fearing  that  the 
inhabitant  of  this  house  might  be  a  tory  they  dare  not  knock 
at  the  door,  but  lay  down  by  the  side  of  the  path  that  led  from 
the  house  to  the  spring,  and  soon  Mrs.  Gregory  came  towards 
the  spring  for  water,  and  Anderson  cautiously  accosted  her  and 
told  their  story.  She  informed  her  husband.  The  two  men  were 
nearly  dead  from  hunger  and  exhaustion.  Gregory  acquainted 
the  men  with  the  terrible  threat  of  the  Indians  against  anyone 
who  should  aid  them,  and  told  them  it  would  be  unsafe  to 
conceal  them  in  the  house.  He  brought  thein  food,  and  then 
directed  them  down  the  river  about  three  miles  and  hid  them 
in  the  rocks  on  the  mountain   between  the  river  and  Fuller  Hill. 


T(nv.\  (JF  CiJl.rUKSTKH.  ;-{23 

Here  tliev  reumiued  concealed  aliout  oue  week,  Gref^orv  liriug- 
iug  food  to  them  iu  the  iiif^lit  time,  and  when  thej"  had  saiu*"'! 
sufficient  strenp'th,  early  oue  morning  before  it  was  lipht,  he 
directed  thcni  ti>  the  line  between  Lots  tive  and  six  of  the  Hiir- 
deubergh  Patent,  which  line  strikes  the  river  near  Gregorytowu, 
and.  runs  east  to  the  Hudson,  and  aloug  the  line  of  blazed  trees 
they  set  out  for  the  east  and  reached  the  Hudson  in  safety. 
The  mountain  on  which  these  men  were  concealed  is  known  tn 
this  day  as  ••Anderson's  mountain."  Soon  after  leavinj;-  these 
men  at  the  line  menticmed,  (iregory  met  three  Indians,  and  they 
inquired  of  him  why  he  was  so  far  from  home  at  that  early 
hour.  He  tuld  them  he  liad  come  down  with  his  dog  and  gun 
to  see  if  he  could  start  a  deer — that  they  freijueuted  the  river 
at  that  place  iu  the  early  morning.  But  the  Indians  were  sus 
j)iciaus  that  all  was  not  right  and  they  (juestioued  him  closely 
as  to  whether  he  had  seen  the  two  white  men,  whom  they 
described.  Fortunately,  while  they  were  talking,  Gregory's  dog 
Ijegau  barking,  and  a  large  deer  dashed  down  the  hill  into  the 
river,  which  Gregory  shot  and  killed,  and  which  he  divided 
lil)erally  with  the  Indians.  This  completely  allayed  the  suspicious 
of  the  Indians,  and  they  believed  that  Gregory  had  told  the 
truth  as  ti)  his  business  there  at  that  early  hour.  The  Indians 
soon  learned  that  Anderson  and  his  companion  had  reached  the 
Hudson.  They  had  succeeded  in  following  their  trail  to  the 
vicinity  of  the  Colchester  settlement,  and  knew  the  scouts  had 
received  aid  from  someone  there,  though  everyone  denied  having 
any  knowledge  of  the  matter.  A  council  was  held  and  the  In- 
dians decided  to  reek  a  terrible  vengeance  upon  these  settlers 
unless  they  could  learn  who  the  guilty  jiarties  were.  Their  plan 
was  to  begin  at  Frederick  Miller's,  the  farthest  u]i  tlic  river, 
and  take  every  mend)er  of  the  family  ti)  the  next  house  below, 
and  so  on,  taking  every  member  of  the  family  to  the  next  house 
below,  and  at  each  house  they  were  to  give  the  settlers  an  op- 
portunity   to    divulge    the    names   of   the  persons  who  had    given 


824:  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVSTY. 

aid  to  Autlersou  iiuil  his  frieud,  ;iud  wlieu  they  roiiclifd  the  lust 
house,  that  of  Timothy  Gregory,  if  they  coukl  uot  obtain  the 
required  iuformatiou,  tliey  would  theu  massacre  every  iiiaii. 
womau  aud  child.  A  friendly  Indian  informed  the  settlers  of 
this  ])lau  aud  they  lost  no  time  in  seeking  safety  in  the  eastern 
settlements.  It  was  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  and  a  part  of  the 
corn  had  been  cut  aud  stacked.  This  the  settlers  burned,  and 
destroyed  what  of  their  other  crojjs  they  could.  Their  cooking 
utensils  and  tools  aud  iron  ware  they  l)uried,  or  sunk  in  the 
river  and  binuekillp,  aud  along  the  Hue  of  blazed  trees  between 
Lots  five  and  six  they  started  for  the  Hudson.  They  had  left 
none  too  soon,  for  on  the  second  day  of  their  journey  they  were 
overtaken  by  an  Indian's  dog,  (They  knew  it  was  an  Indian's 
dog  by  its  being  closely  cropped,  as  was  the  Indian  custom )-, 
aud  that  night  they  sent  the  women  and  children  some  distance 
from  the  line,  and  the  men  lay  in  ambush  and  waited  for  the 
approach  of  the  Indians,  who  they  felt  certain  were  on  their 
trail.  But  morning  dawned  and  no  Indians  had  been  seen. 
They  then  resumed  their  journey  and  reached  the  Hudson  in 
safety.  The  next  spring  a  few  of  the  men  ventured  back  to  see 
their  homes.  They  found  that  some  of  the  houses  had  been 
burned,  that  the  Indiaus  had  gathered  what  corn  had  not  been 
destroyed,  and  had  wintered  in  the  little  ravine  or  gulf  about 
two  miles  below  Dowusville  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  and 
directly   back  of  the   residence  of  C.  A.   "Warren. 

In  1779,  shortly  after  the  battle  of  the  Miuisink,  two  scouts  were 
employed,  Bowker  aud  Osterhout,  to  watch  the  East  branch  of  the 
Delaware  and  report  if  auy  Indians  came  up  the  river.  It  was 
thought  that  if  Brant  sent  a  detachment  against  the  Susquehanna 
settlement  they  would  probably  take  that  route.  These  men  were 
to  receive  a  bushel  of  wheat  each  for  their  services.  They  took  up 
a  position  on  the  poiut  of  land  between  the  East  branch  and. 
Beaverkill,  and  on  the  second  day  after  their  arrival,  they  saw  a 
band   of  Indiaus  coming  up  the  river  in  cauoes.     They  remained 


roir.v  OF  ciii.<ni:sri:i;.  325 

loufj  euou',''h  to  make  an  fstiiimtc  of  the  iiuhiImt  of  Iiuliiuis.  and 
theu  started  iij)  the  Beaverkill,  wliicli  tlicv  t'rcinioiitly  crossed,  iu 
(inler  to  render  it  dittieidt  for  the  Indians  to  pu'.sue  them  iu  ease 
their  <-ani|i  at  tlie  point  sliouhl  he  disroverecl.  Tlie  Indians  hmded 
at  the  phiee  where  the  scouts  had  been  eucanijied,  and  lost  no  time 
iu  seudiufi'  a  small  detachmeut  iu  jmrsuit.  Xotwithstaudiuji-  the 
precautious  of  the  meu  tliey  were  overtaken  aud  captured  while 
crossiuf^  the  AVillowemock  rivei'.  But  thev  succeeded  in  making 
their  escape  aud  carried  the  news  to  the  eastern  settlements. 
Ahout  thirty  soldiers  were  immediately  sent  to  aid  iu  proteetiujif 
the  settlement  upon  the  Susquehanna.  They  struck  the  head 
waters  of  the  East  brauch  aud  descended  that  river.  WJien  near 
PejiaetoH  their  scouts  informed  them  that  Indians  were  eueamped  a 
siiort  distance  down  the  river,  and  uot  wishing  to  encounter  them, 
tliey  turned  up  Cole's  Clove,  crossed  the  notch  iu  the  mountains 
and  descended  Downs'  brook  which  empties  iu  the  river  at  Dowus- 
ville.  'W'heu  tlie  soldiers  were  about  where  the  village  now  stands, 
.they  suihleuly  came  upon  the  Indians  aud  were  received  with  .a 
volley.  The  soldiers  deployed  aud  scattered  among  the  heavy 
timbers  on  the  mountain  side,  aud  then  the  battle  began  iu  true 
ludian  fashion,  every  one  for  himself,  shielding  himself  behind 
trees,  or  rocks  as  l)est  he  could.  The  Indians  were  about  the  same 
iu  numbers  as  the  whites.  The  battle  lasted  from  five  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  until  night.  When  darkness  came  all  was  silent.  Iu  the 
luorning  the  soldiers  found  that  the  Indians  had  abandoned  the 
field,  but  had  left  four  of  their  dead  behind.  The  soldiers  buried 
their  own  dea<l  in  that  vicinity,  but  the  exact  spot  is  not  known. 
They  theu   proceeded   on    tlieir   way  to   the  .Susquehanna. 


Davenport. 

Vjx   Walter    .Scott. 


THE  westward  iiiiirch  of  civilizatiim  probably  had  not  reached 
the  territory  embraced  in  the  present  town  of  Davenport 
prior  to  the  Revolutionary  wai\  The  frontier  of  New  York  being 
exposed  to  the  depredations  of  a  race  of  savages  more  fierce  and 
warlike  than  those  inhabiting  any  other  state,  of  com-se  no  settle- 
ments were  made  dining  the  time  of  that  struggle.  But  as  soon  as 
peace  was  established,  the  "  Star  of  Empire  "  resumed  its  westward 
course,  and  .is  early  as  1786,  the  enterprising  pioneer  had  made  his 
way  into  the  Charlotte  valley. 

An    old    publication   states   that    the   first   settlers   were   Daniel 

Farnsworth  and Pross,  who  settled  at  Davenport  Centre.     But 

they  could  not  have  much  jjreceded  Daniel  Olmstead,  who  settled 
on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  the  widow  of  Chauncey  Olmstead,  for 
Mr.  Alexander  Shellman  informs  me  that  his  grandfather  settled 
near  the  old  Emmons  hotel,  three  miles  east  of  Oneonta,  about  1790, 
and  that  in  making  the  journey  to  Schoharie,  the  Olmstead  settle- 
ment was  the  first  one  passed.  The  orchard  on  that  farm  is  said  to 
be  the  oldest  in  town.  Mr.  Shellman  says  that  for  several  years  it 
was  the  custom  in  his  grandfather's  family  to  make  j)eriodie  trips 
on  horseback,  along  the  Indian  foot  jiath  to  the  nearest  grist  mill, 
which  was  at  Schoharie,  to  have  grinding  done  for  the  family.  As 
the  family  consisted  of  twelve  persons  and  the  grist  was  only  about 
one  and  one-half  bushels  the  interval  between  ti-ips  could  not  have 
been  very  long. 

Among  the  other  early  settlers  were  Humphrey  Denend,  Har- 
mon Moore,  George  Webster,  Elisha  Orr  and  a  Mr.  VanTalkenbiirg, 
whose  given  name  I  have  been  unable  to  learn.     The  first  physician 

326 


■nnvx  OF  iiAVKxronr.  32!) 

was  Dauiel  Fuller,  who  settled  in  the  towu  iibout  IT'.Ki.  'I'lic  tivst 
mill  tliim  built  iu  the  towu  was  across  the  MiiliUehrook  at  the  site 
uow  oeeuj)ied  by  J.  T.  Yerilou,  a  saw  mill  and  f^rist  mill  was  orectcd 
there  about  17!)8,  Dauiel  Preutice  beiuj^'  the  builder. 

The  first  marriage  takiu^-  phice  in  the  town  wiis  that  of  Hiuiiiou 
Moore  aud  ^larv  Orr,  iu  ITlll.  Miss  Orr  was  a  distaut  relative  of 
Robert  J.  Orr,  uow  a  resideut  of  West  Davenport.  The  youu^' 
eouple  weut  to  housekeeping-  iu  a  log  house  ou  the  site  of  a  frame 
house  now  owued  by  C'haiiucey  Houghtaliug.  The  latter  house 
replaced  the  log  t)uc  about  sixty  years  ago.  Mrs.  ]\[oorc  was  also 
the  first  adult  to  die  iu  towu,  as  one  of  her  childreu  had  beeu  the 
first  person.  Richard  Moore  aud  a  IMiss  Bauker  were  also  married 
ou  the  same  day  as  Harmou  Moore.  Hauuah  Dodge  was  the  first 
school  teacher.  Dauiel  Prentice  was  the  first  iuu  keej)er  and  Ezra 
Deneud  the  first  store  keeper. 

The  old  ludiau  trail  from  the  earlier  settlemeuts  at  Schoharie 
aud  Harpersfield  to  those  upou  the  Husi|uehauua,  leading  along  the 
Charlotte,  must  have  been  the  scene  of  many  an  encounter  between 
the  pale  faced  scout  of  the  Revolution  and  his  dusky  foes.  It  often 
served  as  a  war-path  for  the  uoted  Timothy  Murjihy,  whose 
descendants  still  live  in  town.  But  at  this  late  day,  it  is  impossible 
in  the  limited  time  at  my  disposal  to  separate  facts  from  fiction 
concerning  some  of  the  incidents  which  occurred  in  the  Charlotte 
valley  during  the  Colonial  period,  and  the  early  days  of  the 
Republic. 

The  march  of  Colonel  Harper  ou  the  occasion  of  his  capture  of  a 
banil  i>f  fifteen  Tndiaus,  was  through  the  town  of  Davenport,  aud 
the  capture  itself  occurred  within  gunshot  of  its  bonier.  The  facts 
as  to  the  event  were  given  by  Colonel  Harpei',  himself,  to  Rev.  Mr. 
Fenu,  late  of  Harpersfield,  who  narrates  them  as  follows:  In  the 
year  1777  Colonel  Harper  had  command  of  the  fort  in  Schoharie, 
and  came  out  through  the  woods  to  Harpersfield  iu  the  time  of 
making  sugar,  and  from  thence  laid  his  course  for  Cherry  Valley  to 
investigate  the  state  of  things  there,  aud  as  he  was  jiursuing  a  blind 


330  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARE    (orXTV. 

liiud  of  Indian  trail  ami  was  aseeudiug  what  are  now  called  the 
Decatur  Hills,  he  cast  his  eye  forward  and  saw  a  comjDauy  of  men 
•comingf  directly  toward  him,  who  had  the  appearance  of  l)eiug 
Indians.  He  knew  that  if  he  attempted  to  tiee  from  them  they 
would  shoot  him  down;  he  resolved  to  advance  right  uji  to  them, 
and  make  the  best  shift  for  himself  he  could.  As  soon  as  he  came 
near  enough  to  discern  the  white  of  their  eyes,  he  knew  the  head 
man  and  several  others;  the  head  man  was  Peter,  an  Indian  with 
whom  Colonel  Harper  had  often  traded  at  Oquago,  before  the 
Revolution  began.  The  Colonel  had  his  great  coat  on,  so  his 
regimentals  were  concealed,  and  he  was  not  recognized.  The  first 
word  of  address  on  Colonel  Harper's  part  was,  "  How  do  you  do, 
brother?"  The  reply  was,  "Well.  How  do  you  do,  brother? 
Which  way  are  you  bound,  brother  V "  '-On  a  secret  expedition. 
And  which  way  are  you  bound,  brother  ? "  "  Down  the  Susque- 
hanna to  cut  o&  the  Johnstone  settlement."  (Parson  Johnstone  and 
.a  number  of  Scotch  families  had  settled  down  the  Susquehanna  at 
what  is  now  called  Sidney  Plains,  and  those  were  the  people  whom 
thej' were  about  to  destroy.)  Says  the  Colonel,  "Where  do  you 
lodge  to-night?"  "  At  the  mouth  of  the  Scheneva's  creek,"  was  the 
reply.  Then  shaking  hands  with  them,  he  bade  them  good  sjieed 
and  proceeded  on  his  journej'. 

He  had  gone  but  a  little  way  from  them  before  he  took  a  circuit 
through  the  woods,  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten  miles,  to  the  head  of 
the  Charlotte  river,  where  were  a  number  of  men  making  sugar; 
ordered  them  to  take  their  arms,  two  days'  provision,  a  canteen  of 
rum  and  a  rope,  and  meet  him  down  the  Charlotte,  at  a  small 
e-learing  called  Evans'  place  at  a  certain  hour  that  afternoon.  Then 
he  rode  with  all  speed  through  the  woods  to  Harperslield,  collected 
.all  the  men  who  were  making  maple  sugar,  and  being  armed  and 
victualed,  with  each  man  his  rope,  laid  his  course  for  the  Charlotte. 
When  he  arrived  at  Evans'  place,  he  found  the  Charlotte  men  there 
in  good  spirits,  and  when  he  mustered  his  men,  there  were  fifteen, 
including  himself,  exactly  the   same   number  as  there   were  of  the 


v^'-.v-    sr. 


Village  of  Daveriport  Ceqter. 


Village  of  West  Daveriport. 


ToW.y   OF   DAVK.XrilUr.  8HS 

■eueiuy;  tbcu  tlic  Colouel  luinlc  his  iiicu  :ic(|u:iiiit('(l  with  liis 
enterprise. 

Tbev  iiiiu-i'hcil  ilown  the  river  a  little  distiiiice,  :ui<l  then  licnt 
their  i-iuirse  across  the  hill  to  the  mouth  of  the  Seheuevus  creek, 
auil  wbeu  thej'  arrived  at  the  brow  of  the  bill,  where  they  could 
overlook  the  valley,  where  the  Seheuevus  flows,  they  cast  their  eyes 
down  upon  the  flat  aud  discovered  the  fire  around  which  the  eueni_v 
lay  encamped.  '-There  they  are,"  said  Colonel  Harper.  They 
descended  with  j^reat  stillness,  forded  the  creek,  which  was  breast 
deeji.  .\fter  advaucin;^'  a  few  hundred  yards,  they  took  some 
refreshments,  and  then  prepared  for  the  contest — daylight  was  just 
lieginuinfi;  to  appear  in  the  east.  "When  they  came  to  the  enemy, 
they  lay  in  a  circle  with  their  feet  toward  the  tire,  in  a  ileep  sleep. 
Their  arms,  and  all  their  implements  of  death,  were  stacked  up 
according  to  the  Indian  custom,  when  they  lay  themselves  down  for 
the  night.  These  the  Colonel  secured  by  carrying  them  ofif  a 
distance,  and  laying  them  down;  then  each  num  taking  his  rope  in 
hand,  placed  himself  by  his  fellow.  The  Colonel  rapped  bis  man 
softly  and  said:  "  Come,  it  is  time  for  men  of  business  to  lie  on 
their  way,"  and  then  each  one  sprang  upon  his  man,  and  after  a 
severe  struggle,  they  secured  the  whole  number  of  the  enemy. 
After  they  were  all  safely  bound,  and  as  the  morning  had  so  far 
advanced  that  they  could  discover  objects  distinctly,  the  Indian, 
Peter,  exclaimed,  "  Ha  !  Colonel  Harper,  I  know  thee  now — Why  did 
I  not  know  thee  yesterday?"  The  Colouel  marched  the  men  to 
.\lbauy,  delivered  them  up  to  the  commanding  officer  there,  aud  by 
this  bold  and  well  executed  feat  of  valor  he  saved  the  whole  Scotch 
settlement  from  wanton  destruction. 

Among  the  incidents  of  pioneer  lite  whiih  occurred  within   the 

town   of  Davenport,  and  which  have  probably  never    appeared    in 

print,  I  will  mention:    On    one   occasion    a   deer   being   chased    bv  a 

small  dog,  uear  where  E.  F.  Sherman  now  resides,  ran  on  to  a  field 

of  ice  anil  slid  down  against  the  house  of  Peter  Shellmau,  who  then 

resided  there.     Mrs.  Shellman  went  out,  and  before  the  deer  could 
IK 


334  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

regain  its  fodtiiij^-  she  killed  it  witli  an  ax.  A  little  Dutch  j^irl  who 
resided  ou  the  top  of  the  iiiouutaiu  just  south  of  West  Davenport, 
while  playing  near  the  house,  made  the  acquaintance  of  two  little 
animals  who  were  as  full  of  play  as  she  was,  and  all  three  enjoyed 
themselves  immensely.  When  the  j^irl's  mother  found  the  f^irl  she 
recognized  in  the  new-found  playmates  two  bear  cubs !  That  hap- 
pened about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  The  girl  lived 
until  the  present  decade.  If  the  cubs'  parents  had  discovered  the 
newly  made  acquaintanceship  before  the  girl's  jiarents  did,  it  is 
bearhj  possible  that  some  other  historian  might  have  been  selected 
to  write  this  sketch,  as  the  girl  lived  to  be  the  grandmother  of  the 
present  writer. 

The  greater  part  of  the  town  of  Davenjjort  was  embraced  in  a 
tract  of  2(1,000  acres  granted  to  Sir  William  Johnson,  the  Indian 
Superintendent  of  the  British  Government.  Sir  William  was  a  man 
of  superior  talents  and  of  great  executive  ability,  and  was  much 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  It  is  thought  by  some  that  at 
heart  he  was  friendly  to  the  American  cause;  but  believed  that  his 
allegiance  belonged  to  the  British  crown,  and  it  was  asserted  that 
he  ended  his  own  life  to  avoid  the  struggle  in  his  mind  between  his 
inclination  and  what  he  conceived  to  be  his  duty.  His  estate 
descended  to  his  children,  all  of  whom  were  Tories,  and  it  is  said 
that  their  patent  was  the  only  portion  of  Delaware  county  which 
was  confiscated  for  disloyalty  of  its  owners,  during  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  I  have  not  had  the  time  since  I  was  assigned  the  duty  of 
writing  this  history  to  trace  the  chain  of  title  from  the  Johnsons  to 
the  settlers;  but  in  the  earlier  deeds  of  laud  iu  the  patent,  the  name 
of  "John  Jacob  Astor,  Merchant,  of  New  York  City,"  frequently 
appears  among  the  grantors.  Later,  the  patent  came  into  the  con- 
trol of  Peter  Smith,  and  after  him,  his  sou  Gerrit  Smith,  the 
celebrated  Abolitionist. 

The  present  town  was  formed  from  parts  of  Kortright  aud 
Maryland,  on  the  81st  day  of  March,  1S17.  The  law  was  passed 
during  the  four  months  that  John  Tavlor  acted  as  governor,  Isaac 


TOWN   OF   DAVENPORT.  335 

();,'<leu  lit  thiit  time  representing  the  county  of  Delaware  in  tlio 
Senate  and  ^lartiii  Keelcr  uiiil  Asahel  K.  Paine  in  the  Assembly. 
The  town  was  named  in  honor  of  John  Davenport,  who  became  the 
first  Sujiervisor.  A  portion  of  the  town  was  annexed  to  Mex-edith 
in  1S7S.  Among  the  noted  institutions  of  by-gone  days  was  the 
Kergusonville  Academy,  founded  in  1S4S,  by  Kevs.  Samuel  D.  and 
Sanford  I.  Ferguson.  It  afterwards  came  uuder  the  management 
of  Hon.  James  Oliver,  who  had  previously  been  a  preceptor  of  Jay 
Gould's.  This  was  one  of  the  last  schools  to  succumb  to  the  com- 
petition of  schools  suijported  by  the  public. 

The  poi)ulation  of  Davenport  is  perha|)s  more  cosniupolitan 
than  that  of  any  other  town  in  the  county.  Representatives  of 
many  nations  have  settled  here  and  amalgamated,  and  the  result 
is  a  good  specimen  of  the  true  American  race.  Many  of  her 
sons  have  risen  to  eminence;  but  I  refrain  from  meutioniug  their 
names  lest  I  lie  accused  of  partiality,  thi-ough  the  accidental 
omission   of   some    names  that   should  be   mentioned. 

Geographically  Davenport  is  a  long  and  narrow  town,  lying 
in  and  along  the  two  sides  of  the  Charlotte  valley.  The  soil  is 
of  a  chocolate  colored  clay  loam,  resembling  that  of  Otsego 
county  more  than  it  does  that  of  a  great  portion  of  Delaware 
county.  The  scenery  is  unsurpassed  for  beauty  and  grandeur. 
Sexsmith  lake,  a  body  of  water  shaded  on  one  side  by  n  virgin 
forest,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  sheets  of  water  in  the  world. 
Strader  or  Goodrich  lake  at  Davenport  Centime  is  another  beautiful 
sheet,  smaller  but  more  accessible  and  perhaps  better  known 
than  Scxsmith's.  The  Charlotte  river  affords  excellent  water 
|x)wer. 

When  the  Albany  and  Susquehanna  railroad  was  first  pro- 
jected it  was  designed  to  run  through  the  Charlotte  valley;  but 
it  was  diverted  to  one  side,  mainly  through  the  influence  of 
Judge  Westover,  a  large  landowner  of  Kichmondville.  Then  other 
roads  began  to  be  built  (m  other  sides,  and  until  recently  Dav- 
enport   was    left    without    any    "f    the    modern    facilities  for   trans- 


336  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARE    COUNTY. 

j)ort!iti()U.  Still  it  was  tar  fiDiii  bcfumiuj^'  the  least  prosperous 
town  in  the  county.  As  it  lay  in  the  natural  line  of  travel 
Ix'tweeu  the  Hudson  and  the  west  in  the  a^c  of  the  Indian 
trail  and  of  the  turnpike,  it  is  no  less  in  the  natural  line  in  the 
ape  of  railroads.  Let  us  hope  that  the  natural  advantafjes  will 
soon  be  utilized  by  the  continuation  of  a  railroad  to  tide-water. 
Then,  with  adequate  facilities  for  exercise  the  natural  intelligence 
and  enterprise  of  the  inhabitants  will  show  themselves  in  the 
renewed  prosperity   of   the   town,  and   I  have   no   doubt    that 

Cast  in  some  diviner  niDuld 

The  new  cycle  will  shame  the  old. 

At  the  first  town  meeting,  in  April,  1S17,  John  Davenport  was 
elected  suiservisor,  and  Seth  Goodrich  town  clerk.  The  sulise- 
quent  supervisors  have  been,  Jesse  Booth,  Gains  Northway,  John 
M.  Ten  Eyck,  Carlton  Emmons,  Abijah  Paine,  Thompson  Paine, 
Benjamin  Parker,  David  Morrill,  Zebulon  E.  Goodrich,  Morton 
B.  Emmons,  William  Simson,  jr.,  Henry  Ten  Eyck,  Geo.  C.  Paine, 
George  W.  Goodrich,  Cornelius  Miller,  Sanford  I.  Ferguson, 
Aaron  Ford,  D.  M.  Dibble,  William  F.  Ford,  John  Hitchcock, 
William  McDonald,  Jacob  E.  Norwood,  J.  George  Lockwood, 
James  M.  Donnelly,  George  W.  Crawford,  John  L.  Beardsley,  Elbert 
A.  Tabor,  Henry  S.  Wickham  and  Gilbert  T.  Scott. 

The  population  of  the  town  in  1840  was  2,052,  and  has  varied 
but  little  since  that  time.  Davenport,  formerly  East  Davenport, 
is  the  largest  village.  The  others  are  Davenport  Centre,  West 
Davenjoort  and  Fergusonville.  There  is  a  Methodist  Episcopal 
organization  in  each  village  and  a  United  Presbyterian  congre- 
gation  at  Davenport. 

The  first  newspaper  was  established  in  1877  hy  Marcus  M. 
Multer,  and  afterwards  owned  by  Edward  O'Connor.  Later  it 
was  called  the  Transcript  and  edited  by  Amasa  J.  Champion. 
It  was  discontinued  and  the  Standard  was  established  by  Charles 
S.   Hitchcock. 


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mm^';^^'  .   i  jf^^MmSB^^ 

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mijymr^if^ii 

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Delhi. 

Vj'i  John    \.    I'cir.slviU. 


DELHI,  the  eij^lith  town  foniuil  in  tliis  county,  w;is  organized 
^lan-li  'I'.i.  IT'.IS,  iuul  was  taken  fniui  Midilletowu,  Kort- 
rij,'Iit  aiid  Walton.  A  part  was  taken  therffroni  in  1<S20,  to  form 
Boviua,  and  a  jjortiou  therefrom  to  form  Hamileu,  1825.  How 
it  came  to  be  called  Delhi  has  been  often  told,  and  it  is  not 
necessary  to  repeat  it  here.  The  officers  designated  to  locate 
the  Court  House  and  gaol  provided  that  they  shall  not  be  erected 
at  a  greater  distance  than  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Little   Delaware. 

Previous  to  the  location  of  the  county  buildings  there  were 
but  few  settlements,  the  largest  one  being  just  below  the  village, 
the  next  one  on  the  corporate  bounds  of  the  now  village,  and 
the  thii-d  in  size  a  little  above  the  village,  where  Gideon  Frisbee 
first  settled,  and  where  the  first  courts  were  held,  before  the 
county  buildings  were  erected. 

June  IK,  1812,  it  was  enacted  "that  it  sjiall  be  lawful  for 
the  comrs.  of  excise  in  and  for  the  town  of  Delhi,  in  their  dis- 
cretion, to  authorize  an  inn  or  tavern  to  be  kept  in  the  building 
occupied   as  the  jail   of   the    county  of    Delaware." 

I  have  heard  (ien.  Paiue  allude  to  it.  and  think  he  stated 
tliat  the  jailer  generally  had   the   bar   therein. 

At  Sherwood's  bridge  at  one  time  there  was  a  tannery,  sad- 
lUe  and  harness  shop,  a  trip  hammer  and  one  or  two  other 
industries,  and  I  have  been  told  there  was  a  store  there.  Sher- 
wood and  Parker  had  a  law  oflice  there,  and  at  one  time  were 
the   leading   lawyers  in   the   town. 

Among  the    first    settlers    in    the    town    were    Gideon    Frisbee, 

ami 


340  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COl'XTV. 

Thomas  Farriugtou,  B.  Tendes,  J.  Deuio,  George  Fisher,  Jnhu, 
Francis  aud  Levi  Baxter.  The  first  birth  was  that  of  Huhlah, 
daughter  of  Gideou  Frisbee,  Juue  14,  1787;  the  first  marriage 
that  of  Philip  Frisbee  and  Jerusha  Harmon,  1791;  the  first  death 
of  an   adult   that   of   Dr.    Philip  Frisbee,  1797. 

The  Sherwood  place  has  Ijeeu  in  the  uninterrupted  possession 
of  the  familj'  since  1801.  The  main  part  of  the  building  was 
erected  in  1804,  aud  there  Mr.  Sherwood  had  his  law  office 
until  his  removal  to  New  York  in  18S1,  aud  until  his  death, 
October,  1862,  speut  every  summer  at  the  old  family  mansion. 
Many  and  many  are  the  gay  parties  that  have  been  held  in  that 
venerable  old  mansion.  The  same  may  truly  be  said  of  the  old 
mansion  erected  by  Judge  Foote,  a  short  distance  below  aud  on 
the  opf)Osite  side  of  the  river,  and  in  the  early  days  of  the  present 
century  many  distinguished  guests  have  been  entertained  by  each 
in  their  hospitable  homes.  Probably  there  are  but  few  premises 
of  land  in  this  town  that  have  been-  held  in  the  uninterrupted 
possession  of  the  same  family  for  over  ninety-six  years,  as  in  the 
Sherwood  family. 

Robert  J.  Blair  states  that  his  farm  on  Scotch  Mountain  was 
occupied  first  by  his  grandfather  in  1803  or  1804,  aud  so  on  dowu 
to  its  present  owner. 

Col.  Aniasa  Parker  bad  a  dwelling  house  near  Mr.  Sherwood, 
and  it  is  still  known  as  the  Parker  House. 

Early  in  the  present  century  the  village  began  to  be  settled 
>)y  business  men,  lawyers,  merchants  aud  mechanics  of  all  kiuds, 
attracted  here,  as  lieing  the  county  seat.  Among  them  were 
Gen.  Root,  Gen.  Leavenworth,  Dr.  A.  E.  Paine  and  many  others 
who  became  prominent  men  in  its  affairs.  Of  her  residents  eleven 
were  elected  to  Congress,  aggregating  thirty  years;  one  Lieut. 
Gov.  two  years;  Sjjeaker  of  the  Assembly  three  years;  State  Sen- 
ators twenty  years;  Members  of  Assembly  aggregating  nearly 
thirty  years,  and  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  about  twenty 
years,  and  many  other  ofiices  which  it  is  uuueces.sary  here  to 
recapitulate. 


TOWS   or   DELHI.  341 

Delhi  has  si'iit  out  iuto  the  diflFereut  couuties  of  the  State,  aud 
iuto  viirioiis  states,  iiieu  who  have  lichl  iiii|ii)itaiit  places  in  the 
various  positions  of  life — eminent  clergymen,  lawyers  and  med- 
ical men,    bankers,  etc. 

The  first  church  erected  in  the  town  of  Delhi  stood  just  below 
.Sherwood's  brid-^'e  on  the  opjwsite  side  of  the  river,  and  was 
built  in  1811.  Rev.  E.  K.  ilaxwell  was  pastor  thereof  twenty- 
eif,''ht  years.  The  tirst  child  baptized  by  him  is  still  living  in  this 
town.  This  is  now  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  a  now  building 
being  erected  in  the  village  in  1881.  The  tirst  chui-ch  built  in  the 
village  was  St.  John's  church.  In  the  Gazette  of  July  l-t,  1S3()  the 
following  notice  appears: 

Notice. — The  inhahitants  of  Delhi  and  adjoining  towns  are  respectfully 
invited  to  assist  in  raising  the  Church  in  this  village  on  Tuesday,  the  '20th 
inst.,  at  9  in  the  morning.  The  frame  is  heavy,  and  will  require  100  good 
hands  to  put  up  the  main  body.  The  frame  will  be  put  together  on  Monda\', 
which  will  reiiuire  forty  hands.  E.  Steele, 

C.  r>.  Sheldox, 
N.  Hathaway, 
Delhi.  July  14th,  1830.  Trustees. 

In  the  Gazette  of  the  next  week  it  is  stated  that  the  building 
■was  raised  without  furnishing  any  ardent  spirits,  which  is  the  first 
instance,  it  is  believed,  of  a  public  building  being  raised  upon  cold 
water  principles.  The  Second  Presbyterian  edifice  was  erected  in 
1831,  the  Methodist  in  1841,  and  the  Bai)tist  in  lS-t4. 

The  Christian  church  at  Fitch's  bridge  was  built  aljout  1816, 
the  'West  Delhi   United  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  in  1841. 

The  Catholics  have  never  had  a  church  here.  After  the  Village 
Hall  was  placed  in  its  present  location,  they  occasionally  held 
services  therein;  now  they  have  a  very  neat  little  room  over  Brady's 
meat  market. 

The  first  fire  company  organized  in  the  village  of  Delhi,  or  in 
the  county  of  Delaware,  was  on  the  1st  of  August,  1821,  composed 
of  Ebenezer  Steele,  Captain;  Herman  D.  Gould,  Noadiah  Johnson, 
<'hai-les   Hathaway,    Nathaniel    Hathaway,   O.    S.    Decker,   Selah  R. 


342  msTony  of  delawahk  couxty. 

Hobble,  John  J.  Lappon,  Caleb  Tlmrber,  Homer  R.  Phelps,  David 
Newcomb,  Abner  G.  Thvirber  aud  Elijah  H.  Roberts;  appointed  by 
Erastus  Root,  president,  aud  G.  H.  Ed{i;erton,  clerk. 

Of  the  above  members,  three  in  after  years  were  elected  Mem- 
bers of  Congress  from  this  county. 

The  first  hand  engine  was  the  old  I'hu^uix,  which  was  bought  in 
New  York  in  the  spring  of  1832.  The  Cataract  engine  was  bought 
in  IS-tO,  I  think,  by  private  subscription,  aud  was  known  as  the  "  up 
street "  engine. 

I  cannot  omit  to  mention  "  Corporal  Trim,"  a  somewhat  promi- 
nent character  in  Delhi  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago.  C.  E.  Wright,  who 
learned  his  trade  in  the  Gazette  office,  thus  alludes  to  him:  "Of 
course  many  of  your  peoj^le  will  remember  'Corjjoral  Trim,"  as  he 
was  styled,  a  colored  servant,  or  body  guard  of  General  Leaven- 
worth. Long  after  Trim  had  left  the  service  of  his  master,  he  loved 
to  tell  to  a  company  of  listeners,  when  his  tongue  was  well  lubrica- 
ted by  a  few  potions  of  old  rye,  of  his  fright  when  the  General 
ordered  him  during  the  battle  of  Chippewa  or  Niagara  Falls,  I 
don't  remember  which,  to  wipe  with  a  tuft  of  grass  the  brains  of  a 
man  that  had  been  sprinkled  upon  the  saddle  of  his  horse,  a  cannon 
ball  having  taken  off  the  owner's  head,  all  in  view  of  the  'Corporal.' 
Of  course  Trim  obeyed,  but  the  'hair  of  his  head  stood  on  end  like 
quills  upon  the  fretful  porcupine,'  and  he  was  i^ale  even  to  white- 
ness. According  to  his  own  story,  the  close  of  the  battle  found  the 
redoubtable  '  Corporal '  snugly  euscoused  under  the  lowest  layer  of 
a  rail  fence,  whither  he  had  crawled  for  safety.  It  was  a  rare  treat 
to  hear  this  quaint  character  relate  these  with  many  others  of  his- 
adventures.'' 

A  kind  Providence  has  not  blessed  our  little  town  with  any 
celebrated  mineral  spring  to  make  us  a  great  summer  resort;  but 
up  Elk  Creek,  from  our  earliest  settlement,  there  has  been  a  salt 
spring  from  which  a  fine  quality  of  salt  has  been  obtained,  and  in 
the  Gazette  of  April,  1832,  reference  is  made  thereto,  and  also  hy 
W.  W.  Mather,  State  Geolooist,  in  1840. 


County  House  ar\d  Farrqat  lt\e  left. 


Kir)gsior\  Street  Bridge. 


Towx  OF  DELHI.  :^45 

III  Marcli,  ISCi.'j,  a  stock  coiiiiiuiiy  was  fonucil.  kuowu  as  the  Ell; 
("reek  Salt  and  Petroleum  Company.  The  capital  stock  thei-eof  was 
$3()(),0()().  !Si)ou  thereafter  work  was  heg-uu,  ami  after  spcmlint;-  a 
few  thousaml  dollars  work  was  ahaudoiied. 

But  a  munificeut  Providence  has  favored  us  with  ilivcrsitied  hills 
aud  valleys  upon  which  f^'raze  many  choice  herds  of  cattle,  cool  aud 
refreshiuff  si)riuf,'s,  and  thereby  we  are  eual)led  to  manufacture  as 
tine  a  qiuilitv  of  l)utter  as  any  other  county  in  the  State.  Soi'ie 
years  aj^o  a  lady  of  this  town  made  a  small  ])ackage  of  butter  that 
took  the  first  premium  in  Loudon.  l'rol)ul)ly  this  same  lady,  and 
others  in  the  town,  coidd  have  sent  a  packaj^e  of  butter  to  Queen 
Victoria  on  her  sixtieth  anniversary,  for  her  dinner  on  that  cele- 
livatcd  Occasion,  and  that  she  and  all  the  memVters  of  the  royal 
family  would  have  awarded  the  ///•.-./  premium  to  the  tine  sani])li' 
from  Delhi.  All  honor  and  praise  to  the  fair  maids  and  matrons 
who  make  our  far-famed  Delaware  county  butter. 

Of  the  various  industries  carried  on  in  this  town  from  time  to 
time,  I  think  there  was  never  a  distillery  for  the  manufacture  of 
whiskey.  A  few  years  ago  there  was  a  still  at  the  Fall  Mills  for  the 
manufacture  of  cider  brandy. 

In  the  generation  or  so  past  the  games  in  vogue  were  playing 
of  ball,  pitching  of  quoits,  etc.,  aud  many  a  game  has  taken  place 
between  town  and  town,  and  often  at  "The  Hook,"  and  Delhi  had 
some  crack  players.  Xeitlier  should  the  game  of  checki'rs  be  omit- 
ted. At  one  time  we  had  a  place  here  called  "Checkerville," 
situated  somewhere  up  the  Little  Delaware,  and  in  those  days 
no  barroom  was  considered  complete  without  a  checker  board 
tlierein. 

A  "s(piiiiel  hunt"  was  one  of  tlie  sports  in  the  days  past. 
(Generally  in  June  the  boys  and  older  men  chose  sides  and  hunted  a 
day  for  wild  game,  aud  at  a  given  time  and  place  met  and  counted 
the  game,  and  the  defeated  party  paid  for  the  supjjer — and  some- 
times great  dexterity  was  displayed  in  stealing  game  from  side  to^ 
side. 


34:fi  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

Ill  those  days  Thanksffiviupj  was  uot  considered  ])ropei'l_v 
observed  unless  a  shootiuf>-  match  was  <,'otteu  up  in  wiiich  the 
■crack  shots  of  the  town  were  present.  Rare  sport  indeed  it  was. 
General  Training,  too,  was  one  of  the  events  eagerly  waited  for. 
The  Fourth  of  July  and  General  Training-  were  the  only  holidays 
in  the  land  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago. 

It  would  be  impossible  here  to  give  the  names  of  the  Kevolu- 
tionary  soldiers  now  reposing  in  the  dirtereut  cemeteries  of  the 
town,  and  the  soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812,  the  Seminole  war,  or  the 
jNIexican  war. 

When  the  post-office  was  first  established  in  Delhi,  I  am  uualtle 
to  state.  A  few  years  ago  I  wrote  to  the  Post-office  Department  at 
Washington  and  learned  that  the  original  records  were  destroyed 
by  tire.  The  first  records  on  tile  were  October  1,  ISOI,  when 
Erastus  Root  was  postmaster.  Until  within  a  year  or  so  past  there 
has  been  but  one  post-office  in  the  town  of  Delhi. 

The  first  Temperance  Society  formed  in  the  town  was  in  Jan- 
uary, 1829,  Dr.  Ebeuezer  Steele,  President.  At  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Delaware  County  Society  in  1831,  Levinus  Munson,  Amasa  J. 
Parker  and  Charles  Hathaway  were  appointed  delegates  to  the  State 
Society. 

The  first  common  school  record  I  can  find  is  in  December,  1812. 
Ambrose  Bryan,  Erastus  Root  and  Asahel  E.  Paine  were  chosen 
trustees,  and  R.  Deuio,  collector. 

As  early  as  1788  there  was  said  to  be  a  saw  mill  in  this  town, 
iind  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  there  was  scarcely  a  brook  in  the  town 
but  what  one  or  more  saw  mills  were  located  thereon,  and  rafting 
was  one  of  the  events  every  sjjring.  Today  there  are  but  two  or 
three  mills  in  town  run  by  the  old  water  wheel,  and  if  the  first  man 
who  sawed  logs  in  Delhi  in  1788,  could  be  transferred  for  a  moment 
to  the  Crawfords  &  Adee  mills,  what  would  be  his  amazement;  and 
then  pass  along  our  streets,  see  the  railroad,  telegraph  and  tele- 
phone poles,  our  electric  lights,  hundreds  of  bicycles,  upon  which 
are   ladies  and   gentlemen,  lioys   and  girls,  propelling  themselves  at 


voir.v  Oh'  itKi.iii.  -.iij 

tbe  nite  i)f  ii  mile  iu  six  to  ten  luiuutes,  tlu'U  tiiily  would  he  say: 
""Lo,  this  only  have  I  found,  that  (rod  hntli  made  inau  uj)rip^lit;  Init 
they  have  sou^dit  out  many  inventions."  And  then,  too,  what  would 
uncle  .lohu  Hunt  say  to  see  buildinj^s  moved  without  ox  teams? 

At  the  time  this  county  was  formed  slavery  was  lej^alized  in 
this  state,  and  a  few  slaves  were  held  in  this  town.  A  distiu- 
■ruished  Representative  iu  the  Legislature  iu  this  State  from  this 
viUage.  raised  his  voice  iu  advocacy  of  its  repeal  and  voted  therefor. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  thei'e  were  but  six- 
teen states  in  the  Union,  w'ith  a  population  of  scarcely  5,000, 0(H), 
and  our  borders  of  civilization  scarcely  reached  out  to  the  Ohio, 
an<l  wli;  re  now  stands  the  city  of  Chicago,  probal)ly  the  foot  of 
white  luan  had  never  trod.  Xow  Chicago  is  the  second  city  iu 
size  in  the  United  States,  and  its  first  JFayor  was  a  J)elawiire 
county   boy. 

The  first  l)urial  ground  in  the  town  was  jn-obalily  that  on 
Judge  Frisliee's  place,  just  above  the  village,  where  the  Frisbees, 
Farringtons,   Fitchs   and   other   early   settlers   were   buried,    and 

'•Where  hcave.s  the  turf  iu  many  a  niouldciini;  lieap. 
Each  in  his  uariow  cell  forever  laid. 

The  niile  fnrcfathers  of  the  hamlet  slei'|i." 

The  first  assessment  roll  of  the  town  was  in  May,  1798,  and 
contains  1"25  names — the  largest  assessment  was  that  of  Gideon 
Frisbee,  $'2-2(i.-2r);  total  value,  $7,8r):5.i;t.  Alex.  Leal,  Gideon  Fris- 
bee,   W'm.  Cornell  and  Elijah  Beardsley  were  the  assessors. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  i-eijuired  to  be  held  at  the  house 
of  Levi  Baxter.  Ebenezer  Foote  was  the  first  Supervisor,  but 
the  other  officers  elected  I  am  unable  to  give,  as  the  town  rec- 
ords for  many  years  after  its  organization  are  missing. 

Those  who  have  entered  the  U.  S.  naval  service  frou)  this  town, 
(natives)  are  Charles  S.  Root,  (son  of  Gen.  E.  Root.)  who  died 
on  board  the  F.  S.  ship  Hudson,  as  midshipman,  iu  the  harbor 
of  Rio  Janeiro,  December  H,  1828,  aged  111  years.  Buiieil  in  the 
Protestant  cemeterv  in  that  citv.      \\"m.    K.    \\'lieeler.   Lieut.  Com- 


848  HISTORY    OF    DKI.AWARE    COUNTY. 

uiaucler  of  the  U.  S.  luivv,  (lied  at  sea  March  14,  ls7(),  hiiried  at 
Cxaboo,  West  Africa.  His  remains  were  afterwanls  I  nought  to 
this  viUage  ami  phicetl  iu  Woodhiud  cemetery. 

Ill  the  U.  S.  Army,  Capt.  lleusselaer  W.  Foote,  litli  lufautry, 
jiai'ticipated  in  the  Seminole  war;  killed  at  the  battle  of  (iaines 
Mills,  before  Richmond,  June   '11,   18(52. 

AVm.  Root  was  in  the  regular  service  as  a  commissioned  officer, 
and  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican  war  resigned,  and  died 
September   21,   1874,    aged  61   years. 

Frederick  Steele  was  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  and  was  iu 
the  Mexican  war  and  participated  in  many  engagements;  was 
meritoriously  mentioned  for  distinguished  bravery,  and  was  pro- 
moted. In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  had  important  commands, 
and  was  made  a  General  in  command  of  all  the  cavalry  in  the 
Department  of  Missouri.  He  died  iu  California,  January,  18(>5, 
aged  49  years. 

Intimately  interwoven  with  the  history  of  Delhi,  are  its  news- 
papers, and  a  brief  recital  of  each,  which  from  time  to  time  has 
been  p)ublished  in  the  village,  is  necessarily  proper  in  this   sketch, 

The  first  pajier  published  in  Delhi,  or  iu  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware, was  the  Delaware  Gazette,  issued  November  18,  1819,  John 
J.  Lappon  editor  and  proprietor.  On  the  23d  of  April,  1822,. 
David  Johnson  became  its  j)roprietor  and  continued  as  such  un- 
til March,  1833,  when  Anthony  M.  Paine  and  Jacob  D.  Clark 
became  its  projarietors.  In  May,  1839,  Mr.  Paine  became  sole 
proprietor  and  continued  so  until  February,  1872,  when  his  interest 
was  transferred  to  his  son,  George  H.,  and  Ira  B.  Kerr.  In  Oc- 
tober, 1881,  Mr.  Kerr  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  S.  E.  Smith,  and 
the  firm  was  Paine  iV:  Smith  until  J\[r.  Paine's  death  in  January, 
1895.  February,  1895,  Mr.  S.  E.  Smith  became  sole  proprietor. 
It  may  here  be  stated  that  Gen.  Paine  and  his  descendants  had 
an  uninterrupted  interest  in  the  paper  for  sixty-two  years.  The 
venerable  old  Gazette  has  lived  to  see  the  rise  and  fall  of  several 
paj)ers  in  this  village.     The  Gazette  building  was  erected  in  1837, 


7'r)ir.v  OF  DKi.lil.  ;34<) 

iiuil  occiiiiit'd  ill  OftoliiT  i)f  tliiit  year,  lunl  the  Gazette  Las  l)ecu 
issiieil  weekly  tlierefroiii  ever  siuee. 

The  Delaware  Republican  (No.  1),  was  issued  iu  June,  1.S21, 
Elijah  J.  Roberts  publisher.  H.  H.  Nash  afterwards  became  its 
publisher,   and   it   was   discontinued   in    182/),   or  thereabouts. 

The  Delaware  Repuldicau  (No.  2,)  was  issued  in  Septend)er. 
1S:{().  by  (reorge  Marviue.  Messrs.  McDonald  &  Bowne  subse- 
i|Ueutly  became  its  jiroprietors,  and  the  last  number  issued  was 
dated   Dec.    12,    IS82. 

The  Delaware  .Ji>\irnal  was  issued  April  1(1,  1S;U,  by  Wlii]i])le 
iV   Wrij^ht,  and  was  published  but  a  few  years. 

The  Delaware  E.xprcss  was  issued  in  January,  1S8SI,  by  Nor- 
wood Bowne,  who  remained  its  editor  and  publisher  until  his 
death.  January,  ISild,  a  jieriod  of  fifty-one  years.  After  his  death 
the  paper  was  published  by  his  sou,  Charles  N.,  for  a  short 
period,  when  it  was  pul)lished  by  Bowne  cV  Gillies,  then  by  P.  M. 
(iillies,  and  he  afterwards  sold  to  Mr.  S.  F.  Adee;  Mr.  Adee  sold 
to  William  Clark,  its  jiresent  proprietor. 

The  Voice  of  the  People,  (the  organ  of  the  anti-renters),  was 
issued  by  William  S.  Hawlcy,  in  June,  1S4(J,  and  a  few  years  there- 
after was  discontinued. 

The  Star  of  Delaware  was  issued  iu  Decend)er,  18.59,  Ijy  ]{<'v. 
C.  B.   Smyth.      How  long  it  was  published  I  do  not  now  recollect. 

The  Young  Patriot  was  issued  in  1860  by  Ira  G.  Sprague, 
and  iu  18(52  its  name  was  changed  to  the  American  I'anner,  and 
as  sn<-li   was  published   for  a  short  time. 

The  Delaware  Rei)ublican  (No.  :{,)  was  issued  May  12,  18(10, 
by  A.  Stnrtcvant  and  T.  F.  Mcintosh.  In  February,  18(18,  :Mr. 
•Sturtevaut  sold  his  interest  to  Joseph  Eveland;  and  the  same 
was  published  by  them  until  January,  1870,  when  T.  F.  Mcintosh 
l>ecanie  sole  proprietor,  and  remained  as  such  until  April  l.'j,  18!t.5, 
when  his  son,  Robert  P.,  became  associated  with  liis  father,  by 
whom  it   is  now  published. 

The   Monthlv    Croaker,    an    amateur   publication,    was   issued   in 


350  fllSTOHY    OF    DELAWAHK    COlWTy. 

July,  1SS7,  liy  Joliii  F.  Van  Der  t'ook,  Jr.,  :i  bov  only  twelve 
years  old,  aud  contimied  witlioiit  intermission  until  Novemlier, 
1891.  lu  October,  1SSI2.  he  went  to  Cleveland  as  a  reporter  on 
the  Press,  and  after  a  stay  there  of  six  months  went  to  New 
York  city  as  a  reporter  on  the  Harlem  Local  Reporter,  and  now 
is  the  Eastern  manager  of  the  "  Seripps-McRae  News  Company. 

In  our  exhibit  of  relics  of  the  past,  what  a  pity  an  old  Ram- 
age  press,  which  was  about  the  only  printing  2)ress  in  use  when 
this  county  was  organized,  and  ujion  one  of  which  the  first 
issue  of  the  Gazette  was  printed,  and  a  pressman  could  print 
only  about  20i)  an  hour,  was  not  on  exhibition,  and  then  com- 
pare it  with  the  power  presses  now  in  use  on  our  large  daily 
journals  which  strike  off  many  thousands  an  hour.  What  a  change, 
indeed,  has  taken  place  in  less  than  a  century.  "The  improve- 
ments in  printing  and  printing  machinery  have  been  great  and 
rapid.  Printing  has  come,  in  these  days,  to  be  a  tine  art,  and 
the  ijroduct  of  the  jirinting  press,  in  its  highest  and  most  artistic 
phases,  fully  justifies  its  popular  reputation  as  one  of  the  first, 
greatest,  and  most  progressive  of  the  modern  achievements 
of   men." 

Since  the  introduction  of  telegrams  and  cablegram  dispatches, 
great  changes  have  taken  place  in  our  receipt  of  news.  To-day 
a  person  can  send  an  account  of  our  Centennial  celebi-ation  to 
our  namesake  in  India,  (Delhi)  thousands  of  miles  away,  and  have 
the  same  published  there    to-morrow. 

The  older  inhabitants  of  the  village  will  jsrobably  remember 
the  old  clock  in  the  belfry  of  St,  John's  church.  It  was  the 
gift  of  Gen.  Erastus  Root,  and  the  gift  document  is  dated  Nov- 
ember, 1831.     Some  years  ago  it  was  taken  out. 

As  we  review  our  little  history  of  the  County  Seat  for  the 
past  century,  who  will  doubt  that  our  forefathers  were  men  of 
marked  ability,  solid  worth,  action,  enterprise,  thorough  patriot- 
ism and  true  courage? 

May   the   next   recurring  anniversary   of  our  Centennial  witness. 


roir.v  oh'  HKi.iii.  Hal 

as  jjreat  uuil  iiiipoitiiut  chauj^es  iu  the  ouwaiil  stride  of  civiliza- 
tion as  in  the  past;  auil  may  our  beueficeut  Father  voiu-hsafe 
to  lis  His  ever-watchful   care  iu   the   future   as   in    the    past. 

"What  dearnr  privilege,  imleed,  tlmii  U>  do  as  our  sires  have  iloiie, 
To  follow  in  the  paths  they  proved,  t<>  linish  as  they   begun; 
To  give  to  our  children  uiuleliled.  In  all  that  our  fathers  won." 

Delhi  was  the  second  village  iucorjiorated  iu  the  count.v,  ^Nfurch 
■Jl.  IS'il,  and  its  first  otKcers  were:  Trustees,  Ei'astus  Root,  Charles 
S..  Foote,  (iurdeii  H.  Edgertou,  Jahez  Hitchcolk  and  Nathaniel 
Steele,  jr.;  Clerk,  Gurdou  H.  Edgerton;  Treasurer,  Henuau  D. 
Oould;  Overseer  of  HijL,'hways,  Jabez  Hitchcolk. 

The  Delhi  Fire  Departnieut  was  organized  March  ;{(i.  18(i(t,  aud 
its  first  officers  were:  Chief  Eugiueer,  Apollos  C.  Edgertou;  Assist- 
ant Engineer,  Dexter  Petteugill;  Clerk,  John  A.  Farshall;  Treasurer, 
Caleb  A.  Frost. 

The  first  taverns,  built  of  logs,  were  opened  iu  17110,  hy  Gideon 
Frisbee  just  above  the  village,  and  l)v  George  Yendes  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  town.  In  179H  Mr.  Denio  opened  a  log  tavern  on  the 
present  fair  grounds. 

In  1824  the  Delaware  Wocjlen  Factory  was  started  by  a  company, 
Samuel  Sherwood  aud  H.  D.  Gould,  i)riucipal  owners.  In  183i) 
Hichard  Titus  purchased  the  business,  and  later  O.  S.  Pentield  & 
Company,  also  Smith  tt  Pentield.  In  18'2(J  George  Sherwood  built 
the  grist  mill,  aud  in  1870  Smith  &  Pentield  constructed  the  jiresent 
building. 

Cassia  Lodge,  No.  180,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  instituted  in  Delhi  in 
March.  ISOJ).  Erastus  Root  was  Master,  Ambrose  Bryan,  Senior 
Warden.  Elnathan  Heath,  Junior  Warden.  Delhi  Lodge,  No.  41}',), 
F.  A:  A.  M.,  was  instituted  at  Delhi  in  ISoS,  P.  B.  Merwin  Master. 
Delhi  Chapter,  1-24.  H.  A.  M.,  was  instituted  at  Delhi,  April  VI,  1827. 
Its  tirst  officers  were:  Auuisa  Parker,  H.  P.,  Amasa  Millard.  K.. 
Lorenzo  Henry,  S.  Delhi  Chapter,  No.  240,  R.  A.  M.,  was  instituted 
at  Delhi.  Aprd,  18()i».  Its  first  officers  were:  J.  S.  Page,  H.  P.,  John 
Woodburn,  K.,  J.  ^f.  Preston,  S. 


352  HiSTortr  OF  Delaware  corxrv. 

Delhi  Lod},'e,  No.  2(!5,  I.  0.  O.  F.,  was  institutf  il  at  Delbi,  March 
2,  1847.  Its  first  N.  G.  was  Trumau  H.  "Wheeler.  After  au  exist- 
euce  of  many  years  it  surrendered  its  charter.  Delhi  Lodp^e,  No. 
()2r),  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  at  Delhi,  March,  18i):i,  M.  E. 
Arbuclde,  N.  G. 

One  of  the  important  industries  of  Delhi  is  the  Crawfords  Wagon 
"Works,  which  was  established  in  181)4,  and  was  enlarged  in  1895. 
They  give  employment  to  from  forty  to  eighty  men,  and  their  plant 
now  covers  about  four  acres  of  ground,  and  comprises  four  large 
buildings,  and  about  an  acre  of  Hoor  sj)ace.  The  principal  manu- 
facture is  the  Stiver  gear,  pneumatic  wagons. 

The  New  York  Condensed  Milk  Company  established  a  milk 
bottling  works  here  in  1805.  "Borden's  Condensary,"  as  it  is  called 
here,  is  an  important  acquisition  to  our  village,  and  gives  employ- 
ment to  fifty  or  more  men,  and  receives  the  milk  from  nearly  two 
hundred  farms. 

Sanford's  Creamery,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  village,  is  an 
imi^ortant  industry  in  our  village,  and  has  been  hei-e  a  number  of 
yeai's. 

Some  seventj-  years  ago  Mr.  Elting  had  a  potash  manufactory  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  just  above  the  upper  iron  bridge.  Many 
years  afterward  James  Elwood  had  a  j)otash  manufactory  not  fai' 
from  where  the  residence  of  George  H.  Maxwell  now  stands. 


Deposit  i\nd  TompI>ins. 

THE  town  of  Deposit  is  tlif  youiifjcest  towu  in  Delaware  couutv, 
and  is  anionj,''  the  snuxUer  ones  in  its  area,  Imviuf;'  27, (J22 
acres  of  land;  there  are  two  towns  haviu-,'  a  less  nunil)er  of  acres. 
In  vahiation  of  real  estate,  it  bears  a  very  favorid)le  conij)arisou 
with  other  towns;  there  is  one  town  of  equal  valuation  per  acre, 
twelve  that  are  lower,  and  but  five  of  higher  valuation.  The 
personal  j)roperfv  n(  tlii'  town,  when  orj^anized,  was  greater  than 
eleven  towns  and  nearly  equal  with  that  of  the  other  seven.  It 
has  been  materially  reduced  within  the  last  two  years  by  the 
removal  of  the  Deposit  national  l)ank  to  that  portion  of  the  village 
of  Deposit  situated  in  Broome  county. 

The  town  was  organized  by  the  Legistattire  of  the  State  in 
1880,  the  territory  being  taken  wholly  from  the  town  of  Tomp- 
kins, which  was  the  largest  towu  in  Delaware  county  excepting 
one,  Hancock,  and  is  still  the  largest  towu  in  the  county,  except- 
ing two,   Andes  and   Hancock. 

It  is  the  most  western,  or  south-western  town  in  the  county, 
iind  is  bounded  on  the  w-est  partly  by  the  state  of  Pennsylvania 
and  partly  by  Broome  county.  The  village  of  Deposit  is  divided 
by  the  boundary  line  which  separates  Delaware  and  Broome 
counties.  The  greater  uund)er  of  inlialiitants  of  the  village,  ,ind 
by  far  the  greater  business  interests  are  in  Broome  county.  Yet 
a  majority  of  the  churches,  and  nearly  an  equal  number  of  in- 
habitants, including  many  of  the  old  residents  of  the  village,  are 
in  Delaware  county. 

Ajiplieation  for   a   division   of  the   town   of  Tompkins  and    the 

'■rection  of  the  new  town  of  Deposit  was  twice  made  to  the  Board 
I'.l  :i'>3 


35(i  IlISTony    OF    DELAWARE    COLWTV. 

of  Supervisors  of  Delaware  county.  In  187(i  at  a  nicetiuf^  of  the 
hoard,  a  vote  was  taken  which  resulted  in  nine  for  division  and 
eight  against.  There  was  a  majoritj^  in  favor  of  the  new  town, 
hut  as  the  law  recjuired  a  two-thirds  vote  tlie  (|uestii)n  was  lost. 
It  Wits  fully  shown  to  the  hoard  hy  the  applicants  for  this  pro- 
ject, that  their  only  ohject  in  asking  for  a  division  of  Tompkins 
was  to  save  the  voters  and  husiness  men  of  the  j)roposed  new 
town  the  unnecessary  distance  which  thej'  were  ohliged  to  travel 
in  attending  every  town  meeting,  and  in  transacting  husiness  at 
the  town  clerk's  otKce.  There  were  350  voters  then  in  the  ter- 
ritory, and  more  than  that  number  now  in  the  town  of  Deposit. 
The  extra  travel  which  was  always  expensive,  unpleasant  and 
annoying,  was  over  sixteen  miles  on  an  average  to  each  voter, 
making  an  aggregate  amount,  counting  all  the  voters,  of  about 
(),()()()  miles.  The  extra  travel  is  now  saved  to  the  voters  of  the 
town  of  Deposit,  and  all  the  people  of  the  tow-n  are  accommo- 
dated in  their  business  interests  like  other  people  of  the  towns 
of  the  county.  The  only  ohjection  urged  against  the  passage  of 
the  bill  by  members  of  the  board  of  supervisors,  was  that  if  the 
new  town  was  organized  it  would  be  lost  to  Delaware  county, 
and  the  people  of  the  town  woiild  "  stejj  down  and  out "  and  be 
gathered  into  the  adjoining  county  of  Broome.  It  was  publicly 
announced  before  the  hoard,  l)y  those  who  were  opposed  to  the 
division,  that  the  generous  inhabitants  at  the  county  seat  had 
such  a  devoted  love  for  the  people  of  the  jsroposed  new  town, 
that  they  could  not  allow  the  joetition  to  be  granted.  It  would 
he  placing  a  wicked  temptation  for  eovetousness  within  conven- 
ient and  easy  reach  of  Broome  county,  and  would  be  an  efficient 
move  for  the  dismemberment  of  good  old  Delaware. 

No  protestation  of  the  people  of  the  proposed  new  town,  of 
their  loyalty  to  Delaware  county,  was  a  sufficient  guaranty  of 
their  honesty,  and  no  declarations  of  the  inconvenience  and  un- 
necessary annoyances  which  they  were  obliged  to  suffer  ct)uld 
arouse  the   sympathy  of   their  loving  friends  in   the  eastern   por- 


yOH'.V.s-   OF  DKl'OSIT  AXD   TOMPKIXS.  ;{r,7 

tioii  of  flic  county.  Tlicy  were  ol)lijifecl  to  ^o  to  the  Legislature 
of  flic  State,  aud  ask  of  strau^^ers  what  could  not  be  •,'raiited  to 
fliciii   by    their  friends  at  home. 

The  town  of  Deposit  is  too  youuff  to  furnish  anything'-  like  an 
ancient  history  of  its  early  settlement.  All  the  early  records 
apply  to  the  old  town  of  Tompkins,  wliich  was  organized  Feb. 
•2H,  iKOfi,  from  the  town  of  Walton  and  was  called  Pinelield.  It 
retained  this  name  about  two  years,  until  the  loth  of  ^Vlarch, 
1S()8,  when  the  name  was  changed  to  Tompkins  in  honor  of  Gov- 
ernor Daniel  I).  Tompkins.  The  first  supervisor  of  tiie  town  was 
P.'ter  Pine. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  territory  iui'luded  in  the  present 
towns  of  Tompkins  and  Deposit  before  the  war  of  t"he  Revolution. 
It  was  inhabited  by  various  tril)es  of  Indians;  the  Leui  Leuaj)es 
(or  Delawares)  aud  the  Mohawks  were  the  principal  occupants. 
Their  council  ground  was  located  near  Deposit  village,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Delaware  river,  at  a  place  opposite  the  point 
where  the  Tewbeac  (Butler  Brook)  and  Oipiaga  Creek  empty  into 
flu-  river.  This  is  at  the  most  westeiii  bend  of  tlu'  Delaware,  on 
land  formerly  known  as  the  Peter  Pine  farm,  and  later  as  the  N. 
K.  Wheeler  farm.  On  this  place  the  Indians  had  several  acres  of 
cleared  land,  where  they  planted  their  corn.  About  two  miles 
Ixlow  Deposit  they  liad  another  clearing.  The  place  at  Deposit 
tliey  called  Big  Coke-ose,  and  the  place  lielow  was  Little  C'oke- 
ose.  These  names  were  afterwards  perverted  by  fjie  wliife  in- 
habitants aud  the  village  of  Deposit  was  called  Cookhouse;  Lit- 
tle Coke-ose  lost  its  name  entirely. 

Deposit  was  incorporated  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  in 
IHH,  and  was  the  first  village  incorpcjrated  in  Delaware  county. 
11  included  only  15()  acres  of  land,  being  Lot  No.  forty-three, 
Evans  Patent,  lying  between  the  river  and  the  county  line.  It 
wa«  wholly  within  the  County  of  Delaware  and  had  very  few  in- 
habitants. In  185L  the  charter  was  amended  so  as  to  include 
tlie  territory   within  its  present  limits. 


358  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCXTY. 

The  first  white  okiu  kuowii  to  have  resided  in  the  vicinity  of 
Deposit,  or  in  the  territory  of  the  present  town,  was  Peter  Hyu- 
hack,  (usually  pronounced  Hinepaw).  He  was  a  Dutchman,  and 
came  up  the  river  in  a  canoe  with  his  wife  and  several  children 
to  Biy  Coke-ose,  and  settled  on  the  l)ank  of  the  river  about  forty 
rods  from  the  Indian  council  ground.  He  was  a  trader  with  the 
Indians,  was  very  familiar  with  them,  and  after  they  left  the 
country  in  1785  he  remained  four  or  five  years  and  then  follo^Ved 
them  to  Canada.  He  purchased  quite  a  large  tract  of  laud  of  the 
Indians  with  their  improvements;  these  consisted  of  their  clear- 
ing on  which  a  few  apple  trees  had  been  planted  or  grown,  and 
nothing  more.  Several  of  she  apple  trees  are  still  standing  and 
bearing  fruit.  About  the  year  171)0  he  sold  his  possessions  to  a 
Mr.  Yandervoort,  and  Mr.  Yandervoort  sold  to  Andrew  Craig. 
This  last  sale  was  of  iOO  acres  and  included  all  of  the  old  Peter 
Pine  farm.  The  consideration  of  this  sale  and  purchase  was  a 
dark  colored  boy  about  fifteen  years  of  age  who  was  to  be  owned 
and  treated  as  a  slave.  He  was  to  be  delivered  to  Mr.  Vander- 
vooi't  at  Carjienter's  Point,  now  Port  Jervis,  and  two  men  were 
hired  to   "deliver  the  goods." 

These  men  were  Conrad  Ediok  and  Henry  Sampson.  The 
boy's  name  was  John  Magee,  generally  called  Jack.  He  was 
placed  in  a  canoe  and  all  started  down  the  river.  They  were 
obliged  to  stay  over  uight  ou  the  way,  and  stopped  at  Skinner's 
Eddy.  All  were  tired  and  all  slept,  l)ut  in  tlie  morning  there 
was  no  "Jack  in  the  box."  He  had  made  his  escape  and  not 
long  after  he  returned  to  Mr.  Craig,  his  former  owner,  and  lived 
to  grow  up  a  free  man.  He  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  consider- 
able ability.  He  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  the 
town  of  Tompkins  for  a  number  of  years.  His  residence  was  at 
Trout  Creek,  above  Cannonsville. 

This  farm  which  was  sold  in  1790  for  the  price  of  a  slave,  may 
be  considered  historic  ground,  not  only  as  the  council  groimd  of 
the    several    tribes    of    Indians    who    roamed    over    the    hills    and 


Towxs  OF  DKi'nsrr  A\i)  vvj.ur/iV.v.s.  :m\i 

viiUcvs  (if  this  i-egiou  before  the  Hevolutiouiu-y  war,  but  ass  their 
|icnuaiK'nt  scttlenieut  and  home  for  many  years,  as  shown  by  their 
ruih'  farniinH'  pUit.  their  orelianl  and  buryin;;-  ground.  ^Nfaiiy 
arrows  and  sjjear  heads  and  stone  pesth's  for  f^rindinj^  corn  have 
lieen  found  nn  the  premises.  Here  too,  as  stated,  lived  tlie  first 
white  settler,  and  here  was  the  first  f^round  broken  for  the  ci in- 
struction of  the  New  York  and  Erie   railroad. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  IS;}"),  James  G.  King,  president  of 
the  railroad  company,  with  a  few  representatives  of  the  organi- 
zation, met  witli  citizens  of  Dej^osit  and  the  surrounding  country 
to  break  the  first  ground  for  the  road.  President  King  commen- 
ced the  work  with  the  shovel,  and  Hon.  Samuel  B.  Ruggles  with 
wheelbarrow  nuived  the  first  earth  into  line  for  the  road.  Mr. 
Stuyvesaut,  treasurer,  and  Wm.  Beach  Lawrence,  another  ofiicial 
(if  the  company,  took  pai-t  in  the  work;  Gen.  Root,  of  Delhi,  and 
Judge  Drake,  of  Owego,  were  among  the  number.  All  present 
participated  in  a  very  moderate  way  in  removing  some  of  the 
c.-irth  liy  shovel  (ir  wheelbarrow,  in  the  very  first  work  upon  this 
enormously  expensive  road  of  488  miles.  Forty  miles  of  the  road 
from  Deposit  to  Callieoon  were  then  put  under  contract,  and  the 
grading  was   immediately   commenced. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  in  the  territory  included  in 
the  towns  of  Tompkins  and  Deposit  seems  to  have  been  made  l)y 
a  Mr.  Fitch,  of  Bainbridge,  father  of  Jabez  Fitch,  who  afterward 
became  a  merchant  in  the  village  of  Deposit.  He  came  to  what 
is  now  called  Stilesville  in  178.'),  and  located  on  a  small  clearing 
made  by  tiie  Indians  near  the  nidiitli  (if  the  .Vstraguntira  (unw 
called  ('(lid  Spring  Brook)  two  miles  fnnii  Deposit  village.  He 
built  a  log  house  for  his  family  and  erected  a  very  rude  saw  mill 
with  a  woo<b'n  crank,  and  with  a  log  carriage  whiidi  had  fd  bo 
"gigged  ba<'k  "  with  the  foot  and  hand.  The  running  of  the  mill 
was  fdund  t(i  lie  rather  unprofitable,  and  ^fr.  Fitch  sold  (Uit  to 
Hubbard    Burrows  and  Aaron  Stiles  anil  returned  to   Bainbridge. 

The    next    settlement    was   nuide   by   Jesse    Dickerson    in    1780 


362  HISTORY    OF    DELAWAHK    COrXT)'. 

at  Cauuousville,  at  the  uidutli  of  the  (iaunuissy,  uow  called  Trout 
Creek.  He  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  a  man  of  great  energf)- 
and  of  considerable  property.  He  went  from  liis  home  in  New 
Jersey  to  New  York  city,  thence  by  a  chartered  sloop  to  Catskill, 
then  with  his  family  and  a  stock  of  cows,  horses,  oxen,  shee]), 
etc.,  he  worked  his  way  throu<fh  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness 
to  Stamford,  at  the  head  of  the  Mohawk,  or  west  branch  of  the 
Delaware  river,  and  thence  down  the  river,  by  slow  and  difficult 
travel  to  his  new  home  in  the  wilderness.  He  was  two  weeks 
on  his  way  from  Catskill.  There  were  no  roads  of  any  kind,  in 
any  dii'ection  to  or  from  his  place.  He  purchased  a  large  tract 
of  land  and  made  extensive  arrangements  for  the  improvement 
of  his  possessions.  He  laid  out  grounds  and  streets  for  a  city, 
iiu(\  named  it  Dickerson  city.  The  place  was  called  ••  the  city " 
for  liftv  years  or  more.  He  was  instrumental  in  bringing  other 
inhabitants  into  the  territory.  Soon  after  reaching  the  jjlace  he 
built  a  saw  mill,  which  was  only  just  finished  when  it  was  com- 
pletely wrecked  and  torn  away  by  a  flood.  He  built  another  mill 
the  next  year  on  the  same  site  and  soon  after  built  a  grist  mill. 
The  grinding  stones  of  this  mill  were  (quarried  out  of  the  mouu- 
taiu  about  two  miles  below  the  city  and  were  worked  out  and 
fitted  in  a  rude  way  by  hand.  They  answered  better  than  the 
pestle  which  had  lieeu  used  for  mashing  grain,  yet  there  was  no 
bolting  cloth  used.  To  this  mill  men  would  bring  their  grain 
from  the  surrounding  country,  thirty  or  forty  miles  away.  A 
man  who  was  hungry  considered  himself  fortunately  situated  if 
he  lived  near  the  Delaware,  so  that  he  could  load  his  grain  in  a 
canoe  and  drag  it  up  or  down  the  river  to  the  city  mill.  People 
living  in  Windsor  on  the  Susquehanna  river,  l>rought  their  grain 
on  horseback  by  an  Indian  trail  to  Cookhouse,  fifteen  miles,  and 
then  by  canoe  or  Indian  trail  eight  miles  to  Dickerson  city.  Mr. 
Dickerson  ran  the  first  raft  of  sawed  lumlier  down  the  west  branch 
of  the  Delaware  to  mai'ket.  He  l)uilt  several  houses  and  made 
numerous    improvements    to    his    large    property,    which  he  called 


TOWNS  OF  DEPOSIT  ASD  TOMPKINS.  3(;3 

the  '■  Miltou  Estate,"  but  like  many  a  new  enterprise  the  expen- 
ditures were  greater  than  the  iuconie,  autl  tiudiufj;  that  his  specu- 
lative i<leas  were  uever  to  he  realized,  he  mortgaged  his  property 
aud  tinally  turned  it  over  to  tlie  mortgagee,  and  abandouiug  his 
cherished   iiroject,   lie   left   all   and   went   to  Philadelphia. 

This  property  was  bought  by  Benjamin  Cannon,  aud  was  deeded 
to  him  iu  18(1!)  by  the  executors  of  Al)raham  Dubois,  of  Philadel- 
phia. He  built  a  public  house  and  made  additional  improvements. 
Other  iiermaneut  inhabitants  came  iu  and  the  name  of  the  place 
was  changed  to  Cannonsville,  which  it   still  retains. 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  the  territory  now  included  iu  the 
town  of  Deposit,  who  bought  lands  aud  remained  as  permanent 
inhabitants,  were  Scpiire  V.'hitaker  aud  John  Hulce.  Mr.  "Whitaker 
came  froui  the  Wyoming  Valley  in  Pennsylvania  with  his  family, 
escaping  the  terrible  Indian  massacre,  to  Carpenter's  Point,  (now 
Port  Jervis.) 

In  17S()  he  went  up  the  river  iu  a  canoe  with  all  his  house- 
hold eifects  and  stopped  for  a  year  at  Shehoekeu.  Iu  1787  he 
moved  his  canoe  coutaining  his  family  and  household  goods  to 
Little  Coke-ose,  two  miles  below  Deposit,  where  he  bought  a 
large  farm  of  a  Mr.  Chapman  on  which  was  a  small  Indian  clear- 
ing. He  paid  down  for  the  farm  by  giving  a  saddle.  His  first 
habitation  was  a  very  rude  cal)in  covered  with  liark,  and  iu 
this  cabin  was  the  first  wedding  of  the  town.  The  ceremony 
was  jierformed  by  a  missiouary  froiii  Connecticut,  Timothv 
Howe. 

The  hajipy  groom  and  Inide  were  Capt.  Conrail  Edick,  a 
Revolutionary  soldier,  and  Margaret  Whitaker. 

Capt.  Edick  came  to  Big  Coke-ose  from  the  Mohawk  Valley 
aud  became  identified  with  all  the  early  incidents  of  Deposit  his- 
tory. He  was  highly  respected  by  all  the  people  of  the  surrounding 
country.  He  reared  a  large  family  in  the  Cookhouse,  where  for 
many  years  he  kept  the  only  tavern,  or  jjublic  house,  aud  died 
in  lK4ri.      S(|\iire   Whitaker    lived    to    rear    a    large    familv    on    the 


3(U  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

t'anii  for  which  he  gave  his  saddle.  One  of  his  descendants  now 
occupies  the   same    premises. 

John  Hulse  who  is  named  as  one  of  the  first  settlers  who 
bought  land  and  became  a  permeuent  inhabitant,  located  just 
north  of  the  present  village  of  Deposit.  He  came  from  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  1789.  Many  of  his  descendants  remained  on 
the  j)remises  purchased  by  him,  and  were  honored  and  respected 
inhabitants  of  the  town.  His  grandson,  M.  R.  Hulce,  lately  de- 
ceased, was  a  native  of  Deposit.  His  acquaintance  with  people 
of  Delaware  county  and  in  the  surrounding  country  has  Ijeen 
as  extensive,  perhaps,  as  that  of  any  man  in  the  Delaware  valley. 
He  has  for  years  been  the  historian  of  Deposit.  To  him  the  author 
of  this  sketch  is  indebted  for  most  of  the  items  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  Tomj^kins. 

The  town  of  Deposit,  as  is  well  known,  was  formerly  a  rough 
lumbering  territory.  Its  hills  and  valleys  were  covered  with  pine 
and  hemlock,  and  the  quality  of  the  lumber  was  of  the  very  best. 
That  lumber  has  all  been  rafted  down  the  Delaware  river  to 
market,  and  yet  no  man  in  all  the  town,  or  in  the  valley  of  the 
Delaware,  ever  became  wealthy  by  the  business  of  lumbering.  A 
few  sharp  men  who  bought  lumber  and  took  it  to  the  Philadel- 
phia market  were  fortunate  in  making  a  little  money,  but  the 
men  who  took  off  their  coats  and  did  the  hard  work  and  suffered 
the  risks  of  the  business,  were  never  the  better  for  all  their 
harassing  labor. 

The  village  of  Deposit  received  its  name  from  being  the  jilace 
of  dejiosit  of  lumber  from  the  Susquehanna  valley  and  the  sur- 
rounding country.  For  at  least  fifty  years  this  place  was  the 
lumberman's  favorite  rafting  ground,  and  the  Delaware  was  the 
great  water  way  to  the  Philadelphia  market.  All  is  now  changed. 
There  are  no  rafts  of  lumber  run   from    this    section    of   country. 

The  town  of  Dejjosit,  like  many  of  the  towns  of  Delaware 
county,  has  a  large  portion  of  its  ai-ea  in  uuproduetive  and  al- 
most   worthless    land.     Along    its   few   creeks   and   river   Hats  and 


1 


Village  of  Trout  CreeK. 


■^lA^i^e  .:   K-Cr;  K; 


niWXT  OF  DEPOSIT  AND  TOMPKWS.  3(;T 

ou  some  of  its  liills  the  f.-iriiit'i's  are  spemliii^''  tl)eir  (|uiet  lives- 
in  (lairyiuy;. 

There  is  very  little  other  business  iu  the  towu.  Nearly  iilL 
the  iiiercautile  and  luauufacturiujj;  business  of  the  village  of  De- 
posit is  done  iu  Sauford,  Broome  eounty.  There  is  oceasioually 
found  in  the  hills  of  the  town  a  stone  (|uanv  whicii  furnishes  a 
few  working  men  with  hard  labor,  but  produces  little  money. 
This  is  something  like  the  lumbering  business,  and  both  remind 
one  of  the  old  adage  of  the  value  of  a  horse  hide,  "The  skin 
of  a  horse  is  worth  a  dollar,  and  it  is  worth  a  dollar  to  skin 
him." 

In  all  the  improvements  which  have  been  made  in  Delaware 
county  within  the  one  hundred  years  of  its  existence,  perhaps. 
Deposit  has  had  its  full  share.  The  building  and  opening  of 
the  Erie  railroad  furnished  the  first  permanent  advancement  of 
the  business  interests  in  all  the  southern  portion  of  the  county. 
Lands  have  been  cleared  and  cultivated,  manufactories  have  been 
established,  mercantile  business  has  been  opened  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  increasing  population,  schools  and  churches 
have  been  built  and  the  whole  people  are  now  enjoying  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  great  commercial  thoroughfare. 

In  the  village  of  Dejjosit  many  comfortable  modern  resiliences 
and  business  houses  have  been  erected,  and  although  the  limits 
of  the  corjioratiim  include  a  jiortiou  of  Broome  county,  yet  the 
ilivisiou  line  of  the  two  counties  does  not  separate  the  people  in 
their  social  and  business  relations.  They  are  at  peace  with  each 
other  and  with  all  mankind.  They  have  what  they  deem  a  be- 
coming pride  in  their  (jwii  prosperity,  and  in  the  prosperity  of 
Delaware  county.  Those  who  arc  inhabitants  of  the  county  wish 
to  be  regarded  as  loyal  subjects  of  ''The  powers  that  be"  iu  the 
^'ood  old  eounty  of  Delaware.  Yet  they  do  not  feel  indebted  to 
nuiny  of  the  towns  of  the  county  for  their  improved  condition. 
Their  resources  for  business  are  almost  entirely  dciivi-d  from 
the   adjoining   county   of   Broome    and    the    state    of    I'liinsylv.uiia. 


3(i«  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARE    COrXTV. 

There  are  still  liviuf^'  some  of  the  old  inhaliitauts  of  the  vil- 
lage who  can  reiiieiulier  seventy  years  aj^o  when  the  "  {'(idkhouse" 
liad  not  more  than  twenty  dwelliufj  houses  in  the  settlement. 
There  was  but  one  church  which  was  built  in  1818,  to  which 
some  of  the  members  occasionally  came  to  worship  from  ten 
miles  away.  A  number  of  years  passed  before  any  other  church 
was  built.  One  of  the  worshippers  at  this  tirst  church  was  some- 
times brought  by  her  only  sou  in  a  canoe  from  Hancock.  She 
was  the  widow  of  Major  Ebeiiezer  Wheeler,  a  soldier  in  the  war 
of  1S12.  The  only  physician.  Dr.  Thaddeus  Mather,  who  then 
g-uarded  the  health  of  the  people,  rode  his  old  gray  Imrse  by 
night  or  day  twenty  miles  up  and  down  the  river  to  visit  his 
patients.  There  were  fe^v  bridges  across  any  of  the  streams. 
The  hills  and  many  of  the  narrow  valleys  were  then  covered 
^vith  a  dense  forest  growth  which  aiforded  comparatively  safe 
j)rotection  to  the  deer  and  other  wild  animals  which  uboumled 
in  this  locality.     Everything  is  now    changed. 

There  are  none  of  the  pioneers  who  tirst  came  to  this  almost 
inaccessible  country,  and  broke  the  stillness  of  the  dense  forest 
along  the  Delaware  valley  by  their  rude  lumljeriug  ojjerations, 
who  have  lived  to  see  the  product  of  the  last  noble  forest  tree 
tloat  away  down  the  river  to  market.  They  have  not  seen  the 
bright  and  thrifty  villages  that  have  sprung  up  in  every  town 
in  Delaware  county.  Nor  did  they  hear  the  rumbling  of  the  rail- 
road engine,  or  its  warning  whistle  as  it  rushed  along  the  Dela- 
ware valley  contributing  its  great  power  to  transportation  and 
commerce.  Their  descendants  however  are  enjoying  the  comforts 
and  blessings  which  result  from  the  privations  and  toils  of  their 
fathers. 

One  of  the  later  inhabitants  of  the  Delaware  valley,  who  was 
Ijresent  and  took  part  in  the  tirst  breaking  of  ground  for  the 
Erie  railroad,  made  the  remark,  which  then  seemed  a  rash  projjh- 
ecy,  "that  the  time  would  come  when  a  traveler  could  take  his 
breakfast  in  Deposit  and  his    .supi^er    in    New    York    city."      That 


roir.v.s-  (IF  ni:i'i>siT  ash  tdmi'Kixs.  309 

time  lias  i-oiiic.  He  nccil  not  wait  for  liis  sui)]icr.  He  can  take 
iiis  twelve  o'clock  (liiincr  in  the  i-ity.  The  lailioads  that  traverse 
the  county  of  Delaware  have  indeed  afforded  the  most  ett'ective 
menus  for  transportation,  and  they  are_  uow  carryiu;,'  to  the  jjreat 
metropolis  of  our  country  the  products  of  every  town  in  the 
county,  and  are  hrinj^in;^  back  the  necessaries  and  luxuries  of 
life  fi'om  every  laud  aud  every  clime.  Yet  it  seems  a  straufice 
couditiou  of  affairs  that  the  five  railroads  runuiufi;  throu<jh  or 
into  the  county  cannot  better  accommodate  the  peo])le  of  the 
towns  in  their  inl.-md  travel  and  their  connection  with  each 
other. 

The  distance  from  the  head  of  the  Delaware  to  the  lower  line 
of  the  county  is  about  sixty  miles,  (a  fji'Qod  days  travel  for  a  good 
pedestrian)  aud  yet  the  mail  passing  regularly  over  this  distance 
l>y  railro.-id  and  stage  is  never  less  than  two  days  on  the  way 
aud  often  three.  Time  may  be  saved  by  those  "  who  know  how- 
to  travel"  by  sending  letters  via.  New  York  city,  a  distance  of 
'2-yO  miles.  But  whj-  need  we  comjilain  of  our  ]ireseut  accommo- 
dations in  traveling.  Let  us  look  back  a  hundred  years  to  the 
time  of  the  f(Uiii;ition  of  oui'  county,  when  lUir  fathers  had  no 
railroads  aud   no  regular  mails. 

The  improvements  for  Delaware  county  are  not  fully  accom- 
plishe(h  We  have  yet  to  see  trolley  roads  ruuuiug  aloug  each 
branch  of  the  Delaware  river  ami  threading  the  valleys  of  the 
smaller  streams  through  every  town  in   Delaware  county. 

The  moral,  intellectual  and  social  couditiou  t>f  the  people  of 
the  county,  within  the  century  since  the  time  of  its  organization, 
may  be  attributed  to  their  churches,  their  schools  and  public 
institutious. 

Delaware  county  has  more  thriving  villages  with  graded 
schools  aud  first  class  institutious  for  the  education  of  the  youug 
than  almost  any  inland  county  of  the  state.  We  need  these 
schools  to  pre]iare  the  coming  generations  for  the  active  duties 
of  life. 


370  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUXTV. 

The  earlj'  settlei'H  of  the  couutv  fouuil  a  rouj^b  aud  ruj^j^eil 
territory,  which  could  only  be  subdued  by  the  strong  arms  and 
courageous  hearts  of  these  jDioueers.  A  less  daring  and  persever- 
ing race  would  have  been  discouraged  and  have  sought  a  more 
congenial  climate  and  an  easier  soil  for  cultivation.  By  their 
active,  honest,  intelligent  labor,  they  oj)ened  and  prepared  the 
way  for  the  present  prosperity  of  the  people  of  the  whole  county. 
The  reputation  of  the  people  of  the  county  has  never  suffered 
by  a  comparison  with  others  of  the  state.  And  now  with  all  the 
modern  improvements  of  the  present  age  and  the  facilities  for 
advanced  education,  the  present  and  coming  jiopulation  will  be 
held  responsible  for  the  moral,  intellectual  aud  jiolitical  character 
of  the  countv. 


o 

O 


Franl>lin. 

FUANKLIN  was  tiikeu  from  Harpersfield  Miirch  lit,  1793,  while 
a  part  of  Otsego  county,  aud  four  years  before  Delaware 
vouuty  was  organized.  But  its  area  has  been  much  reduced  by 
the  setting  off  of  Walton,  Meredith  and  Sidney.  Its  surface  is 
uneven,  rising  into  ridges  and  low  niouutaius.  The  soil  is  mostly 
red  clay  loam  underlaid  by  hard  pan,  from  one  to  two  feet  below 
the  surface.  Along  the  creeks  the  subsoil  is  gravel  or  clay.  There 
is  very  little  waste  land,  and  nearly  all  is  suitable  for  agricul- 
tural purposes. 

The  Ouleout  creek  and  its  branches  flow  southwesterly  across 
the  northern  part  of  the  town,  to  join  the  Susquehanna,  and 
forms  good  drainage  and  some  water  powers.  The  hills  on  either 
.side  of  the  Ouleout  and  some  of  its  branches  were  covei'ed  with 
ilense  forests  of  the  largest  and  best  quality  of  pine.  The  ixeu- 
eral  forest  is  beech  and  maple.  In  localities  there  is  oak,  hickory 
and  chestnut,  with  scattering  varieties.  The  first  town  meeting 
held  in  Franklin  was  held  at  Bartlett  Hollow,  near  Edwin  Tay- 
lor's, at  the  house  of  Sluman  Wattles.  Slumau  Wattles  was 
«lected  super^■isor  and  Robert  North  town  clerk;  Gabriel  Smith, 
David  St.  John  and  Samuel  Hanford,  assessors.  The  other  town 
otMcers  were  also  elected,  after  which  resolutions  were  passed. 
The  eighth  was  as  follows:  "  Resolved,  that  the  next  town  meet- 
ing be  held  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Root,  at  ten  o'clock,  forenoon." 
That  place  was  some  five  miles  from  the  present  village.  That 
meeting  was  held  as  appointed.  It  was  the  first  town  meeting 
vailed    by    the    town.     The   meeting   held   at  Shiman    M'attles'    on 

the  tirst  Tuesday  of  April,  1793,  was  not    called   by   the   town,  but 

3:3 


.•{74  HISTORY    OF    DELA\yARE    rOUXTV. 

was  appointed  by  the  Legislature  aud  was  a  part  of  the  ai-t  of 
incorijoratiou,  because  none  in  the  town  liad  the  power  to  call 
a  legal  town  meeting  till  they  had  been  elected. 

The  early  settlers  were  men  uud  women  accustomed  to  labor. 
Their  first  and  main  business  after  building  a  log  house  for  their 
families  and  making  them  comfortable  was  to  cut  the  timber, 
till  the  land  and  to  bring  it  into  cultivation.  They  looked  at 
their  former  homes  and  the  many  privileges  and  comforts  they 
there  enjoyed  and  had  sacrificed  for  their  forest  htnues.  That 
brought  no  discouragement.  They  came  to  this  new  and  wild 
I'egiou  to  build  for  themselves  homes.  They  saw  clearly  that 
what  was  needed  to  restore  to  them  what  they  had  sacriticed 
was  steady,  persistent  labor  and  economy.  Those  thoughts  in- 
spired new  efforts  and  energy.  So  that  every  tree  that  was  felled, 
every  rod  of  ground  that  was  cleared  brought  those  comforts  and 
blessings  nearer  to  their  homes.  They  learned  that  steady  and 
efficient  labor  was  no  barrier  to  mental  or  social  happiness.  Most 
of  those  early  settlers  were  from  Christian  homes  and  clnu<-li 
jjrivileges.  They  soon  felt  the  need,  and  regretted  the  al)sence. 
This  feeling  grew  and  became  stronger,  till  a  public  meeting  was 
called  to  consider  the  necessity  and  propriety  of  forming  a  Bap- 
tist church.  The  meeting  was  held  on  the  1.5th  day  of  January, 
17i):-i,  and  a  Baptist  church  was  organized.  This  was  the  tirst 
church  organization  in  the  town.  On  the  12th  day  of  October,. 
17133,  the  Congregational  element,  influenced  by  the  same  anxious 
desire,  came  together  by  appointment  and  formed  a  Congrega- 
tional church.  Those  two  churches  were  the  only  ones  iu  town 
until  1838.  The  Methodists  had  some  preaching.  The  earliest 
records  inform  us  that  Rev.  Stephen  Whitehead  is  known  to  have 
preached  here  iu  1802.  Some  time  after  that  there  was  Method- 
ist itinerant  preaching,  but  no  church  house  till  1838.  There  are 
now  eight  churches  iu  the  town,  viz:  Two  Congregational,  two 
Baptist,  three  ^lethodist  and  one  Episcopal,  each  having  a  good 
church  edifice  and  stated  pastors  laboring  for  the  advancement 
of  the  moral  and  Christian  good  of  all. 


TdWX   (IF    /••/iM.VA7./.V.  375 

In  the  early  diu-s  of  tbe  towu  there  was  much  ausiety  iu  re- 
ffanl  to  the  educatiou  of  the  childi'en.  The  settlers  were  few 
and  scattered.  That  made  it  difficult  to  establish  any  system  of 
education.  There  was  then  uo  i)iil)lic  scliool  money  to  be  divided 
among  the  schools  and  each  parent  or  j,niardiaii  was  liable  for 
teachers'  wages  iu  j)roportii)ii  to  the  uuml>er  of  childreu  they  scut 
to  school.  This  furnished  but  very  limited  means  of  educatiou. 
And  those  wishing  higher  attainments  than  the  common  schools 
(or  graauiiar  and  select  schools  as  they  were  calltHl)  could  give, 
had  to  seek  it  outside  the  county.  As  the  population  and  finan- 
ces increased  common  schools  grew  into  more  importance.  Our 
state  gave  large  endowment  fund?  and  our  schools  were  benefit- 
ted by  its  interest.  Laws  were  enacted,  school  districts  formed, 
school  otKcers  elected  and  teachers  recjuired  to  pass  an  examina- 
tion. This  brought  the  district  schools  up  to  a  much  better 
position;  though  our  schools  had  been  advanced  to  a  better  position 
uo  effort  was  made  for  a  higher  educatiou  than  a  good  common 
school  could  sjive  till  IH'20.  In  the  vcar  ITTd  a  yiaiit  1)V  the  Kiuir 
of  England  was  made  to  a  conij)auy,  of  27, (KM)  acres  of  laud, 
•since  known  as  the  Bedlington  iiatent.  That  patent  had  fallen 
to  the  state  by  escheat.  Gen.  Erastus  Root,  in  182(1,  being  a 
member  of  the  Legislatiu'e,  introduced  a  bill  to  incorporate  the 
Delaware  Academy  and  also  appropriating  the  sale  of  those  es- 
cheated lan<ls  f(}r  the  erection  and  endowment  of  said  academy. 
It  was  strongly  opposed,  but  Gen  Hoot's  popularity  carried,  and 
the  bill  was  passed  and  the  academy  built  at  Delhi.  This  awakened 
a  new  interest  and  other  academies  were  talked  of.  Franklin 
eventually  began  seriously  to  take  measures  to  obtain  that  object. 
In  1H8.")  a  petition  was  sent  to  the  Legislature  asking  for  a  grant 
of  incorporation  for  an  institution  of  learning  to  be  called  Dela- 
ware Literary  Institute.  On  the  2.'!(1  day  of  April,  IS.'J."),  the 
petition  was  granted  and  the  Delaware  Literary  Institute  was 
located  at  Franklin.  Measures  were  then  taken  to  raise  $7,000 
for   the   purchase  of  fifteen   acres   of  land   for   a   site  and  to  build 


376  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUXTY. 

the  lustitiite.  Tliis  seemed  almost  au  iinpossibilitv.  But  the 
public  took  hold  of  it  with  a  will  aud  the  amouut  was  raised  aud 
"the  tirst  huildiug  was  built;  this  was  of  stone,  eif>hty  feet  long 
aud  forty  feet  wide  aud  four  stories  lii^li.  The  iustitute  was  uow 
a  permanent  institution  of  learning,  fully  equipped  for  business, 
aud  gave  large  promises  for  the  future.  Aud  well  have  those 
l^romises  beeu  fulfilled.  This  stone  structure  stood  for  tweuty- 
iwo  years,  wheu  it  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire.  Every  effort 
proved  unavailing,  and  it  burned  to  the  ground.  The  citizens 
put  forth  renewed  effort,  and  by  voluntary  coutril)utious  raised 
sufficient  funds  and  rebuilt  the  building.  While  the  chapel  build- 
ing was  in  process  of  construction  it  was  blown  down,  necessi- 
tating additional  expense  that  was  soon  raised  and  paid.  The 
ladies'  boarding  hall  was  built,  a  structure  40x80  feet  and  three 
stories  high,  costing  a  large  sum.  And  all,  amounting  to  $-l(),000, 
has  been  paid  by  the  citizens  of  Fraukliu,  without  asking  the 
state  to  contribute  a  dollar,  with  the  exception  of  the  first  $7,000 
that  was  for  building  the  tirst  Institute.  At  that  time  there  were 
those  out  of  this  town  with  large  liberality  whose  names  are  re- 
membered with  grateful  respect  and  gratitude.  But  most  of  that 
class  are  gone  to  a  happier  world,  as  we  humbly  trust  and  lielieve. 
When  the  Institute  was  ready  for  use  the  public  gave  their 
•support  aud  patronage  in  full,  until  au  increased  population  aud 
new  organizations  has  given  to  mauy  of  the  towns  union  schools 
with  academic  departments. 

Up  to  1819,  there  was  no  paper  pu1)lished  iu  Delaware  couuty. 
All  necessary  printing  had  to  be  doue  out  of  this  county.  There 
was  compyaratively  little  needed.  It  was  not  till  1819  that  the 
first  newspaper,  the  Delaware  Gazette,  was  published  iu  Delhi 
by  John  J.  Lappan.  The  Ulster  County  Plebian,  published  by 
Judge  Buell,  had  furuished  reading  matter  for  a  large  proportion 
of  Franklin  readers,  aud  the  same  of  the  county.  There  are  uow 
twenty-two  newspapers  published  in  the  county. 

The    general    business    of    the    farmers   in  the   earlv   davs   was 


Ik 


TOWX    or    FliAXKI.IX.  379 

>cleariug  htuil,  laisiii'^-  priiiii,  pork  ami  cattle.  The  f^iaiii  and  jxnk 
fouuil  market  aiiioiif,'  the  luiubermeii  alou;^'  the  Delaware.  The 
cattle  were  mostly  Iwugbt  by  drovers  and  driveu  to  the  eastern 
markets.  Manufacturing  and  rafting  lumber  down  the  Delaware  to 
market  began  very  early  to  attract  attention  till  it  became  a  very 
general  business.  Silas  Johusoii,  a  young  man  from  Walton,  who 
iu  after  years  kept  hotel  and  li\ed  and  died  in  Franklin,  steered  the 
first  raft  of  lumber  ever  run  from  Walton.  Franklin  had  jileuty  of 
pine  timber  and  gradually  worked  into  the  lumber  l>usiness  till  for 
jnauy  years  it  was  actively  engaged  in  manufacturing  lundier  and 
■drawing  it  to  the  Delaware  at  Walton  and  rafting  it  to  Philadel- 
phia. This  business  continued  for  some  years  till  a  very  large 
proportion  of  pine  bad  been  carried  away.  But  it  never  proved  a 
lucrative  business.  The  business  of  the  farm  changed  from  grain 
and  stock  growing  to  sheep  and  wool.  The  town  of  Franklin 
became  one  of  the  largest  wool  growing  towns  iu  the  county,  and 
for  some  years  Delaware  county  was  the  largest  wool  producing 
county  of  the  state.  A  few  years  later  another  change  came  over 
the  business  of  the  farm,  changing  from  wool  to  dairying.  And 
to-day  this  county  is  one  of  the  largest  butter-producing  counties 
of  the  state,  and  its  character  for  cpiality  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
butter  market.  Franklin  has  done  its  share  in  raising  the  dairy 
character  of  the  county  to  where  it  now  stands,  botli  iu  i|uantity 
and  quality. 

The  town  has  two  villages,  Franklin  and  Trcadwell.  Treadwcll 
is  an  enterprising  and  prosjierous  village  of  some  iour  hundred 
inhabitants  and  situated  midway  between  Franklin  and  Delhi,  is 
pleasantly  located  and  a  place  of  considerable  business  for  its  size. 
The  village  has  two  churches,  a  Baptist  church  and  a  ilethodist 
church,  fovir  stores,  and  one  hotel,  but  no  license.  Treadwcll  does 
not  appear  to  be  of  the  right  soil  to  grow  license  j)lants.  They 
have  one  of  the  best,  abundant  and  unfailing  water  supplies  of  soft 
spring  water  for  use  and  tire  ])urj)08es.  It  is  l)rought  from  a 
distant   hill,  many  feet   above   the   level   of  the   vilhigc. 

Franklin  village  is  seventeen  miles  from  Delhi,  four  from  the 
D.  iV.  H.  railroad  at  Otego,  and  five  from  the  N.  Y.,  O.  iS:  W. 
•station.  There  are  four  churches  iu  the  village,  viz:  Congrega- 
tional, Baptist.  ^lethodist,  and  Episcopal;  eight  stores,  a  bank  of 
fifty  thousand  dollars  cai)ital,  organized  in  1804,  which  never  has 
•211 


380  lllSTOin'    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

passed  a  dividend,  aud  never  has  paid  less  than  three  per  cent, 
dividend  every  six  months,  and  no  depositor  has  lost  a  dollar  bv 
depositing  in  that  hank,  and  no  stockholder  has  tailed  to  receive 
an  equivalent  more  than  equaling  the  interest  on  his  stock.  It 
has  a  large  surplus  and  always  ready  to  meet  legal  ilemands 
when  presented.  There  is  one  hotel  but  no  license.  There  has 
been  no  license  granted  to  any  one  for  more  than  twenty-tive 
consecutive  years.  And  at  our  last  town  election,  after  an  ex- 
perience of  twenty-live  years  of  no  license,  the  town  gave  a 
majority  of  110  against  licencing  again.  There  is  one  newspaper, 
the  Delaware  Dairynuiu,  printed  in  Franklin,  a  large,  eight-jiage 
paper,  alive  and  actively  dispensing  all  the  dairy  and  agricultural 
news  and  the  early  general  information  once  each  week  to  a 
subscription  list  of  '2,500  subscribers,  and  doing  a  large  amount  of 
job  printing.  The  village  has  a  large  and  splendid  water  supply 
of  the  softest  and  purest  of  water  so  arranged  that  no  external 
impurities  can  reach  it.  It  is  from  a  height  that  gives  a  hundred 
jiouuds  pressure  to  the  square  inch  on  the  main  pipes  in  the 
■village.  That  gives  full  force  to  the  hydrants  so  that  no  other 
power  is  needed  in  case  of  tire.  There  is  a  full  and  eflicient 
company  of  firemen  for  each  of  the  departments  that  are  well 
equipped,  and  take  pride  in  their  doings. 

The  new  Ouleout  Valley  Cemetery  is  the  pride  of  the  town. 
A  good  many  thousand  dollars  in  money  have  been  expended  on 
it.  Improvements  are  continually  l)eing  made.  The  public  feel- 
ing aud  interest,  and  it  is  continually  growing,  and  is  of  interest 
to  all.     But  it  needs  to  be  seen  to  be  appreciated. 

There  is  Frank  T.  Hine  Post,  (1.  A.  R.,  men  who  took  the  risk 
of  standing  in  the  l)reach  of  a  divided  nation  at  war.  and  risking 
their  lives  in  bringing  back  the  ceceding  to  a  hajipy  reunion  and 
to  a  powerful  aud  undivided  nation.  They  are  worthy  of  the 
gratitude  and  respect  of  the  nation ;  but  it  is  sad  to  see  that 
number  decreasing  as  they  are  discharged,  and  we  lay  them  away 
in  peaceful  rest. 

There  is  a  baud  of  gentlemen  that  dispenses  good  music  to 
the  village,  that  awakens  our  drowsy  spirits  and  quickens  our  sensi- 
bilities and  gives  a  cheer  after  the  wearisome  business  of  the  day. 
They  ai-e  a  worthy,  happj-  band,  ever  ready  to  render  their  sweet 
melody  where  necessity  requires  it,  or  where  love  of  music  asks  it. 


yiiiage  u]   naQider\. 


Mam  ((en. 

l^X   Mcnry   \\  .   Holmes. 

TH  !•",  Iiistory  of  tlic  tnwii  of  Hiiiiidfii  diite.s  ouly  from  the  tiino 
of  its  erection  l).v  Lc-^islative  eiuictmeut  April  4,  1825. 
The  prior  history  of  tlif  t<rritory  coiuprised  within  the  [jresent 
houudaries  of  tlie  tnwn  helou^^s  properly  to  those  towns  from 
whieh  the  town  of  Hanideu  was  formed.  It  may,  however,  prove 
iiiterestiuf,'  to  the  present  and  future  generations  to  know  that 
from  Nov.  1,  1()88,  when  the  first  (u-ganized  government  was  formed 
iu  the  colony  of  New  Yolk,  until  ^Farch  1(1,  17'.)7,  when  Delaware 
county  was  erected,  all  that  [lart  of  Hanideu  lying  east  of  the 
Delaware  river  was  iu<-luded  in  the  couuty  of  Ulster.  That  part 
of  the  town  lying  west  of  the  Delaware  w-as  in  Albany  county  until 
^larch  1"2,  177"2,  wheu  it  was  included  in  the  new  couuty  of  Tryon, 
the  name  of  which  was  changed  to  Montgomery  April  2,  ITS-l.  From 
iloutgomery  was  formed  Otsego,  February  1(!,  17!)1,  and  iu  this  new 
county  was  included  the  western  part  of  the  pi'eseut  town  of 
Hamden.  Thus  wheu  Delaware  county  was  erected  from  Otsego  and 
Ulster,  that  j)art  of  Hamden  lying  east  of  the  river  was  a  part  of  the 
town  of  Middletown,  Ulster  couuty,  and  that  part  of  the  town  west 
of  the  river  was  a  part  of  the  town  of  Harperstield,  Otsego  county. 
Between  the  erection  of  the  couuty  in  17!I7  and  the  crcc-tiou 
of  the  town  in  1H25,  the  number  of  the  towns  in  the  county  bad 
been  increased  from  seven  to  sixteen.  Hanideu,  the  seventeenth 
town,  was  taken  largely  from  Delhi,  and  a  portion  from  Walton. 
The  original  liiii'  between  Delhi  and  Walton  was  the  u])])er  line 
of  the  Lupton  farm,  now  owned  by  James  A.  Chambers,  but  in 
1H12  this  line  was  moved  u\>  in  the  lower  line  of  the  farm  now 
owned  by  .Yrthiir  Shaw,  therefore    prior    to    .\iirii    4,    182"),    idl    that 


3Ki  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVSTY. 

])iirt  (if  Huiiiileii  uortli  of  this  lius  was  a  part  of  the  towu  of  Delhi 
ami   that   portiou  south   of  the   line   was  iucludeil   in   Walton. 

The  bouudaries  of  the  towu  have  uever  been  changed.  Its 
arpa  is  about  34,000  acres  or  fifty-three  square  miles,  oue  tweuty- 
sixth  of  the  area  of  Delaware  county. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  its  real  estate  was  in  ISDT  Sodl, ()()(), 
one-twenty-sixth  of  the  valuation  of  the  county.  The  personal 
assessment  iu  the  same  year  was  $(13, 000,  or  oue-thirty-tifth  of  the 
county;  the  population  in  1890  was  1,507,  or  one-thirtieth  of  the 
county.  More  than  one-half  of  the  total  area,  probably  20,000 
acres,  lies  east  of  the  river,  but  census  returns  show  fully  as  many 
inhabitants  on  the  west  side  as  on  the  east. 

The  greatest  width  of  the  town  is  along  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  seven  miles,  the  width  along  the  west  bank  being  but  live  and 
one-half  miles,  the  Delhi  line  on  the  east  bank  being  further  uj)  the 
river  than  on  the  west.  The  greatest  length  of  the  towu  is  from 
the  point  where  Hamdeu,  Andes  and  Colchester  corner,  near  Solo- 
mon Signor's,  to  the  Hamdeu-Franklin  line  near  Edward  Howlaud's, 
which  is  thirteen  and  one-half  miles  in  air-line.  We  are  unable  to 
ascertain  what  was  the  population  of  the  towu  in  l.s;!()  when  the 
first  census  was  taken  after  its  erection,  but  subsequent  censuses 
show  that  at  that  period  the  population  was  rapidly  increasing. 
Thus,  the  census  of  1835  shows  1,34!)  inhabitants;  184(1,  l,40!t; 
1845,  1,7(>7;  1850,  1,!U!);  since  when  there  was  a  steady  decrease 
until  ISJSO.  when  there  were  1,407.  Under  the  census  of  18!tO  there 
were  1,507,  and  there  is  reason  for  the  belief  that  there  has  since 
been  a  small  increase.  Prior  to  1880  the  United  States  censuses 
were  taken  by  the  United  States  Marshal  and  his  deputies,  but  since 
the  wtirk  has  lieeu  done  by  enumerators  appointed  within  the  towu. 
The  United  States  census  in  both  1880  and  1800  were  taken  by 
Henry  W.  Holmes,  and  the  State  census  of  1875  by  Harvey  M. 
Seaman. 

In  March.  182G,  the  towu  was  divided  into  fourteen  highway  dis- 
tricts, which  have  since  been  increased  to  the  number  of  fortv-seveu. 


Towx  OF  n.\Miih:x.  385 

111  Julv.  lS'J(i,  the  towu  was  iliviJed  into  eight  school  districts, 
Nos.  one,  two  aud  three  being  the  river  districts  and  covering  a 
wide  expanse  of  territory  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  The  first 
change  after  the  original  division  was  the  erection  of  No.  nine, 
being  that  part  of  No.  three  lying  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  from 
DeLancey.  The  number  of  districts  was  graduallj-  increased  until 
in  1S4.^  No.  sixteen  was  erected  in  Gregory  Hollow,  being  set  off 
from  Basin  Clove,  which  remained  No.  eight. 

The  number  of  districts  remains  at  sixteen,  all  comniou  scliool 
districts,  there  being  no  graded  school  within  the  town.  The 
consolidation  of  some  of  the  smaller  districts,  or  the  adoption  of 
the  "  township  system  '  has  already  been  agitated  aud  it  is  evi- 
dent that  a  positive  change  will  ere  long  take  place  in  the  local 
school  system. 

The  first  known  settler  within  the  town  of  Hamden  was  David 
Harrower  who  came  from  "down  East"  with  his  wife  and  two 
sons  and  a  cow,  in  the  summer  of  1779  according  to  the  most 
authentic  records,  but  well  established  tradition  places  his  advent 
into  the  unbroken  wilderness  at  an  earlier  date.  They  came  down 
the  river  from  Stamford  in  a  canoe,  the  cow  being  driven  along 
the  Indian  trail,  and  camped  upon  the  river  tlat  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Arthur  Shaw,  where  a  cabin  was  built  aud  the  pioneer 
settlement  of  the  town  of  Hamden  was  permanently  established. 
For  a  period  of  six  years  this  family  ha<l  no  known  neighbors 
nearer  than  Cauuonsville  or  Stamford.  Tradition  hath  it  that  in 
1785,  while  Mr.  Harrower  was  catching  fish  he  observed  a  large 
fresh  chip  floating  down  with  the  current,  which  to  his  alert 
observation  was  indisputable  evidence  of  the  jiroxiniity  of  other 
white  settlers.  Starting  at  once  on  a  trij)  of  investigation,  after 
going  up  the  river  about  five  miles  he  came  to  where  Bartholcmew 
Yendes  had  just  settled  and  begun  his  clearing.  It  can  well  l)e 
imagined  that  the  advent  of  such  near  neighbors  was  hailed  with 
great  gladness  by  both  families,  and  tliat  a  frei|uent  ami  iiiutually 
beneficial    intercourse    was    thereafter    maintained.       In     isdo    tlie 


38(;  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

old  "  Hari'owei'  iiiiiiisioii  "  was  erected  u|ii>ii  tlie  kuoll  near  the 
river,  iipou  what  bail  tbeu  become  a  eoniparatively  well  developed 
and  valuable  farm.  lu  1S18  this  tiue  estate  of  SOO  acres,  com- 
prising the  present  farms  of  Arthur  Shaw  aud  William  Brvce, 
became  the  property  of  Hou.  Douald  Shaw,  aud  the  Harrower 
Louse  was  occuj)ied  by  him  for  many  years,  aud  was  the  birth 
place  of  his  children.  It  is  only  within  the  jiast  ten  years  that 
the   old  "mansion,"  the  oldest  in  town,   was  razed. 

William  Cornell  settled  iu  1787  the  farm  now  owned  by  Donald 
Crawford  aud  occupied  it  until  1814.  In  182((  it  was  purchased  by 
Donald  Crawford  senior,  aud  has  always  remained  iu  the  (h'awford 
family.  The  first  saw-mill  in  town  was  built  im  this  farm  by  Eos- 
well  Peake  prior  to  1800. 

The  Howards,  several  brothers,  were  among  the  earliest  settlers 
and  occupied  a  tract  of  land  comprising  the  present  Youmaus,  Heu- 
derson  and  Stewart  farms  and  much  of  the  village  of  Hamden. 
James  Howard  is  accredited  as  the  first  iun-keeper  of  the  town, 
having  opened  such  business  as  early  as  17!)(),  probably  earlier,  ou 
the  lot  now  occupied  by  Dr.  W.  D.  Heimer. 

Walter  Chace  first  came  ft)  town  iu  17!tl  and  secured  emjiloy- 
ment  from  Beuajah  McCall,  making  shingles.  He  I'eceived  $4.00 
per  month  aud  board,  which  may  be  accepted  as  the  regular  com- 
pensatiou  for  skilled  labor  at  that  time.  About  1800  he  purchased 
of  Gershom  Howland  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  grandson  Charles 
W.  Chace,  where  he  resided  many  years  and  l)ecame  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  town,  holding  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace 
seventeen  consecutive  years  from  1828.  His  son  Harry  P.  Chace 
succeeded  him  on  the  farm  aud  was  also  a  prominent  man,  holding 
the  office  of  supervisor  iu  1835  aud  1836,  and  being  the  last  Demo- 
crat ever  elected  to  that  office  in  town. 

Gershom  Howland  came  from  Rhode  Island  iu  179(i  with  four 
sons — Joseph,  Job,  Phineas  aud  Gershom.  Phiueas  settled  on  the 
J.  B.  Hawley  place.  Job  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  James  Kent, 
and   Gershom   on   the  Charles  W.  Chace  faim,   which,   however,  he 


TOWN  OF  HA^n>EX.  387 

ssoou  sold  to  \\'ultfi'  Cliacc  ami  rciiKivcd  to  the  t'iiniiau  farii]  in 
Howliiud  Hollow. 

Jiiiiies  Musou  !iud  his  son  (xeortre  came  from  Schoharie  couuty 
ill  17!(.")  aud  settled  iqiou  the  farm  now  owned  l)y  his  great-ffraud- 
childreu,  John  A.  aud  William  (J.  More  aud  their  sisters,  the 
children  of  James  M.  More,  who  died  about  1S(U.  This  farm 
has  therefore  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  original  settler 
aud  his  lineal  descendants  for  a  period  of  108  years.  The  son, 
(xeorffe  Mason,  soon  after  settled  upon  the  farm  now  owned  by 
Henry  Loos.  The  only  daughter  of  .James  INfasoD,  Jane,  married 
Roswell  Peake,  who  settled  in  17118  Mpou  the  J.  S.  Murray  lot 
now  owned  by  R.  J.  Granlees. 

Henry  Wagfoner  cai;ic  in  179()  and  settled  ou  the  lower  part 
of  the  Bagley  farm,  now  owned  by  Wm.  •!.  Oliver,  which  soon 
after  passed  into  the  possession  of  .\rchiliald  Church,  ;ind  is  des- 
ignated to  this  day  as  the  Church  lot. 

About  1792  Reuben  Ward  settled  on  the  farms  now  owned 
by  E.  J.  Combs  and  Andrew  Buckliam.  Soon  after  Ward  sold 
the  Combs  lot  to  Isaac  Roberts.  ■Tt)hu  Combs  came  from  \ew 
Durham  in  1<S(I5  and  settled  on  the  Brisack  farm,  now  owned  by 
J.  H.  Turnbull.  One  sou,  John,  settled  ou  the  Raitt  farm,  now 
owned  by  James  A.  Nichol.  Another  son,  Anson,  purcha.sed  of 
Isaac  Rol)erts  the  farm  where  his  sou  Edmund  J.  Combs  uow 
lives,  and  where  he  was  born  in  ISKi;  the  house  in  which  he 
was  born  still  standing  aud  formiug  an  annex  to  his  present 
residence.  Here  is  a  man  who  for  eighty-two  years  has  lived 
on  the  same  farm  and  practically  in  the  same  house. 

The  Ebenezer  Fraser  farnj  now  owned  by  Isaac  Scobie  was 
settled  in  17'.l7  by  Abraham  Barber  and  his  sons  Simeou,  Oi'bin  and 
Minius,  who  soon  settled  the  adjoining  farms  and  occujiied  them 
mauy  years. 

Abraham  Bush  first  came  to  Hamdeu  in  IHIO  aud  settled  on  the 
F.  M.  Keene  place  opposite  DeLaucey.  In  1818  his  sou  Caspar 
Bush  settle<l  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Racliel  Shaw  .-idjoin- 
iug  William   Vails. 


388  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

Nathaniel  Steveus  iu  ISOl  settled  ou  the  fanu  in  Terrv  Clove 
now  owneil  by  his  graudson  Henry  M.  Stevens.  Matthew  Tiff  was. 
a  very  early  settler  ou  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  A.  Saltou, 
which  he  sold  in  1834  to  ^yilliam  Lewis,  who  iu  turn  sold  it  to 
Alexander  Salton  in  1850.  Alexander  Neish  eame  from  Scotland  iu 
182fi  and  tirst  settled  iu  Andes,  Imt  in  IS'28  removed  to  Terry  Clove 
to  the  farm  on  which  his  son  "William  Neish  uow  lives  and  where  he 
has  coutiuuously  resided  since  1S"2H. 

Urbaua  Terry  came  from  Connecticut  iu  17i)'J  and  settled  ou  the 
farm  uow  occupied  by  Isaac  Belcher.  His  sons  Nathan  and  Darius 
soon  after  settled  upou  the  Louis  Robisch  farm  where  they 
remained  many  years,  after  w  hich  they  emigrated  to  the  West  with 
their  families.  Another  son,  Samuel,  was  the  first  occupant  of  the 
Robert  W.  Stevens  fai-m.     Three  sous  still  reside  in  town. 

Bartholemew  Signor  on  the  John  D.  Saltou  farm  and  Thomas 
Signor  on  the  Alexander  McDougall  farm  were  also  very  early 
settlers  in  Terry  Clove,  and  have  numerous  descendants  within 
the  town.  The  Salton  family  came  from  Scotland  in  1880.  The 
four  brothers,  Alexander,  David,  William,  and  John,  all  married 
and  occupied  farms  iu  Terry  Clove,  and  three  of  them  died  there 
within  the  past  few  years,  William  having  removed  to  the  west 
in   1875. 

Roswell  Belcher  has  resided  upou  the  farm  uow  occupied 
by  him  iu  Terry  Clove  since  1819,  when  his  father  came  there 
from  Connecticut.  Roswell  had  three  brothers,  Elijah,  Isaac, 
and  Alva.  They  were  the  first  colored  family  iu  the  town  and 
have  always  been  respected  as  an  intelligent  and  upright  family. 
Roswell  Belcher  was  the  first  colored  man  in  Delaware  county 
to  serve  upon  a  jury. 

James  IVforrison,  Andrew  Christie,  Jacob  Gray,  Archie  Lawrence 
and  Peter  Merritt  were  the  tirst  permanent  settlers  in  Basin  Clove. 
David  Nichol  entered  Gregory  Hollow  in  184!)  when  it  was  an  al- 
most unbroken  wilderness.  He  cleared  the  hind  aud  developed  the 
farm  uow  owned  bv  his  sou-iu-law  Hugh  C.  White. 


r,r 


Village  of  Delaqcey. 


•2"»=  XT  rjm*-f» 


Street  Viev.  ir,  liar;\;e; 


7V>ir.V   OF   IIAMDEN.  W.n. 

The  t'ovt'its  were  settlers  in  Covert  Hollow  at  au  early  date. 
Uuderhill  Covert  on  tlie  Philip  McFarlane  farm  and  Ahraliaui 
Covert  ou  the  Allen  Anderson  place.  Tbev  were  anion^'  the  best 
men  in  town  and  Abraham  was  one  of  the  three  commissioners  of 
hi^'liways  elected  in  18'2(i,  at  the  first  town   meeting. 

No  history  of  Hamdeu  would  be  complete  without  mention 
bein;,'-  made  of  •'  lame  Peter "  Lauut  and  his  brothers,  Lewis  and 
John.  Peter  carried  the  Delaware  valley  mails  on  horseback 
three  times  a  week  to  Catskill  over  the  old  Catskill  turnpike.  His 
home  is  with  his  brother,  Lewis,  who  married  Jauette  McFarlaue- 
These  three  brothers,  John  aged  94,  Peter  88,  aud  Lewis  85,  are  re- 
markable for  their  rugged  health  and  activity  and  the  keenness  of 
their  mental   faculties. 

Malcolm  !Mi'l''.-iilane  came  from  Sc(.)tland  about  ls2()  aud  settled 
ou  the  farm  at  the  head  of  Chambers  Hollow  where  his  sou  Gilbert 
still  resides. 

Eli  Baglev  came  from  Hilsdale,  Columbia  county,  in  liSUi),  and 
having  married  Eunice  Goodrich  bought  the  Henry  Wagoner  farm. 
Hei'e  Edward  Baglev  was  born  in  1SL5  aud  succeeded  his  father  in 
the  ownership  of  the  farm,  adding  to  it  the  "(ioodrich  lot,"  making 
it  one  of  the  most  productive  aud  valuable  properties  in  town.  He 
also  kei)t  puljlic  house  and  conducted  a  wa^ou  sliop  ou  the  site  of 
H.  Nichol's  shop.  The  latter  l)usiness  he  solil  to  his  son  Charles 
about  18(]6,  continuing  his  hotel  ami  farm  until  ISSD  when  he  sold 
it  to  William  J.  Oliver  who  came  from  Boviua.  Jlr.  Bagley  still 
lives  within  a  few  rods  of  his  birth-place.  He  married  Orril  A. 
Pettis  daughter  of  Joshua  Pettis,  whose  son,  Philander  B.  Pettis,  is- 
another  native  of  the  town  who  has  for  eighty-three  years  resided 
within  sight  of  his  birth-jjlace.  He  married  Barbara  Chace,  daugh- 
ter of  Harry  P.  Chace.  and  for  a  time  resided  with  his  father  in 
DeLancey,  but  soon  jjiirchased  the  property  now  owned  by  his  son. 
H.  K.  Pettis,  where  for  many  years  he  combined  the  business  of 
farming,  lumbering  and  keeping  public  house. 

.\llen  Stoodley  was  one  of   the   first   settlers  in   that    portion   o£ 


392  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'XTY. 

the  town  for  luiiuy  years  kuowu  as  Stoodley  Hollow,  l)ut  now 
kuowu  hv  the  uame  of  its  post-office,  North  Haindeii.  The  Stood- 
Jey  faiuily  eaiue  in  18'21,  aud  was  speedily  followed  by  the  Millers, 
Kussells,  Fishes,  Howlauds,  Deuuys,  Woods,  Ponieroys,  Kipleys, 
Bentons  and  Goldsmiths.  The  postofliee  was  established  shortly 
after  1S5(I  with  a  weekly  mail  from  Walton.  About  ISS"  another 
postotiiee  was  established  two  miles  down  the  brook  from  North 
Hamden  under  the  name  Mundale  with  Huf>h  C.  Munu  as  ])ost- 
master,  who  was  succeeded  l>y  .1.  P.  Davidson,  Alfred  Leseur,  and 
last  by  Rev.  Daniel  Harris.  The  first  families  in  this  locality  were 
the  Munns,  Eassons,  Doigs  aud  Darts.  A  blacksmith  shop,  cooper- 
age aud  store  comprise  the  business  of  the  vicinity.  A  co-operative 
•creamery  was  conducted  for  a  time  about  18510. 

Wakeman  Andrews  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  scIukiI  dis- 
trict No.  15  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Donald  Crawford  and 
known  as  the  Mayham  place.  His  son,  Andrew  Andrews,  settled  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Creorge  S.  Andrews,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  until  his  death  in  IS'.X!  at  the  age  of  ill  years.  He  accumu- 
lated a  tine  property,  an<l  in  his  prime  was  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  the  town.  George  S.  Andrews  held  the  otKce  of  assessor 
nine  years  and  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  substantial  men  in 
the  town. 

In  1787  Joseph  Fisk  came  from  Bloomville  and  settled  upon  the 
farm  now  owned  l)y  Joseph  A.  Kelley.  Benajah  MeCall  is  supposed 
to  have  been  one  of  the  very  early  settlers,  the  date  of  his  occupy- 
ing the  James  A.  ChamV)ers  farm  being  placed  at  17S7.  In  1808 
this  property  was  purchased  by  William  Lupton  a  wealthy  emigrant, 
who  erected  the  Lupton  mansion,  the  most  elegant  residence  in  the 
Delaware  valley,  the  degree  of  elegance  in  those  days  being  in 
jDart  measured  by  the  smallness  of  the  window  panes  aud  the  acute- 
ness  of  the  gables.  This  farm  was  afterward  occupied  by  Robert 
Murray,  a  prominent  builder  and  once  Supervisor  of  the  town;  and 
about  1880  it  became  the  property  of  James  A.  Chambers,  one  of  the 
energetic  and  successful  young  farmers  of  the  town,  who  removed 


TOWS    OF   HAMDEN.  8<)8 

tlic  old  iiiimsioiL,  ( rec'ted  uew  l)uil(liufj:s  aud  trausfonned  a  very 
much   ruu   down   estate   iuto   a   iiiixlel    aud    productive   farm. 

The  tirst  settlcnieut  iu  DeLaucev  was  made  iu  17!l(l  liy  Henry 
aud  James  Edwards,  who  settled  upon  the  farm  uow  owued  by 
Cai)tain  AVilliaui  Hyiuers  ami  S.  P.  HowlamI,  ami  conducted  a  saw 
mill  at  the-mouth  of  the  brook  ueai-  the  river  brid}j;e.  The  tirst  hotel 
iu  DeLaueey  was  kept  by  Isaac  Goodrich,  who  came  iu  1808  aud  set- 
tled on  the  '-(Toodrich "  lot,  uow  included  iu  the  farm  of  William 
J.  Oliver. 

Jabez  Bostwick  opened  the  first  store  iu  DeLaueey  in  ISOil,  l)ut 
soou  after  removed  to  the  farm  uow  owued  by  ^I.  ('.  ^tcNaiit,'-lit, 
which,  however,  remained  in  the  Bostwick  family  uutil  liSSO.  Jabez 
Bostwick  was  county  judpfe,  sheriff,  member  of  assembly  and  one  of 
the  most  prominent  men  of  the  county  in  his  day.  Joshua  Pettis 
was  also  a  vei\y  early  settler  and  soou  after  IKOd  opened  a  grocery 
business  ou  the  lot  between  the  residences  of  D.  M.  Murray  and 
Kobert  Davidson.  .V  depression  iu  the  ground  still  shows  the  site 
of  his  builtliuf,''. 

Sheldon  Patterson  settled  ou  the  Solomon  Siguor  farm  iu  ISl'i, 
and  kejit  jniblic  house. 

At  the  tirst  town  meeting  held  March  7,  lS'2(i,  Jabez  Bostwick 
was  elected  supervisor  aud  Daniel  Coleman,  Jr.,  town  clerk.  Since 
then  twenty  ditferent  men  have  beeu  elected  to  the  oftice  of  super- 
visor. Besides  the  present  incumbent  Imt  four  of  them  survive, 
viz.:  Smith  M.Titus  who  served  iu  IH.'iH,  and  who  for  many  years 
has  resided  iu  Kansas;  Bobert  Murraj',  uow  residing  in  Walton;  H. 
X.  Combs,  and  Donald  Crawford  who  served  eight  yeai's  aud  was 
chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  two  years.  Two  ex-supervis- 
ors, Alexander  Shaw  aud  Henry  Holmes,  have  <lie(l  withiu  the  past 
year. 

The  principal  town  othcers  at  the  present  time  are  as  follows: 
Supervisor,  William  Bryce;  Town  Clerk,  Joseph  Davidson;  Justices 
of  the  Peace,  Henry  W.  Holmes,  Royal  J.  Elderkin,  Donald  Crawford, 
('.  S.  Hymers;  Assessors,  James  A.  Chambers.  John   .\.  Ballantine, 


394  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUXTV. 

Robert  L.  Meiu;  Couiiuissiouer  of  Highways,  Friiuk  !M.  Keeue; 
Overseer  of  the  Poor,  Jobu  B.  Mable;  Collector,  John  A.  Butler. 

Tbe  removal  of  tbe  "  forest  primeval "  and  its  manufacture- 
into  lumber  was  the  lirst  great  industry  of  the  early  settlers,  and 
within  a  few  years  of  the  first  settlement  nearly  every  little  rivulet 
had  its  saw  mill,  and  on  each  of  the  larger  streams  were  several. 
The  manufacture  of  the  lumber  gave  employment  the  whole  year 
around  to  all  who  desired  to  labor,  and  the  Delaware  river  was 
a  cheap  and  rapid  thoroughfare  for  transportation  to  Philadelphia, 
the  greatest  lumber  market  of  the  Atlantic    coast. 

Going  "  down  the  river"  several  trips  each  spring  was  looked 
forward  to  with  joyful  anticipation  by  the  lumbermen.  Although 
much  hard  labor  and  more  or  less  risk  were  involved,  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  voyage  and  the  excitement  of  seeing  the  sights  in 
one  of  the  largest  cities  of  the  United  States,  outweighed  every- 
thing else  with  the  average  raftsman.  This  industry  was  at  its 
highest  point  in  1850,  and  some  who  can  remember  claim  that 
to  have  been  the  most  prosperous  era  of  the  town's  history.  Cer- 
tainly there  was  no  scarcity  of  work  and  money  was  plenty,  but 
the  fact  remains  that  with  few  exceptions  the  lumbermen  lived 
!i  hard  life  and  died  poor.  Tbe  lumber  business  after  1850  began 
to  decline  and  by  1S70  had  substantially  ended.  But  one  saw 
mill  remains  in  the  entire  town,  that  of  H.  JI.  Seaman  at  De- 
Laucey,  on  the  site  of  one  of  the  first  mills  erected  in  the  town. 
A  small  amount  of  ciistom  sawing  is  done  at  this  mill,  barely 
sufficient  to  pay  for  keeping  it  in  repair,  and  this  mill  is  the  sole 
relict  of  an  industry  which  at  one  time,  it  is  estimated,  annually 
brought  $75,000  of  foreign  money  into  the  town. 

As  the  lumber  business  declined  the  farmer  turned  naturally 
to  dairying,  and  from  1800  till  1890  butter  making  was  the  one 
great  industry.  The  great  prices  received  for  butter  during  the 
Civil  war  and  for  many  years  thereafter  enabled  many  farmers  to 
pay  off  their  mortgages,  erect  new  buildings,  purchase  new  and 
imjiroved  implements  and  machinery  and  live  in    greater  comfort 


TOWX   or   IIAMDKX.  8!)5 

iiud  with  j^ri'utor  ('iisc.  15\it  in  its  turn  the  Imttfi-  iiulustiv  lias 
.«o  ilecliued  and  tlic  protits  are  so  small  that  is  uo  longer  possible 
to  pay  for  a  farm  from  its  products,  and  with  the  hope  of  more 
profitable  returus  most  farmers,  whose  location  permits,  have  en- 
gaged in  the  shi]iiiient  of  milk,  and  it  is  probable  that  at  least 
oue-Lalf  of  all  the  milk  now  jtroduced  in  the  town  is  shipped  to 
New  York,  or  manufactured  in  co-operative  creameries.  Large 
creameries  are  conducted  at  Hamden  and  DeLancev;  others  at 
Terrv  Clove  and  ^fuudale  at  present  inoperative  will  doubtless 
he  re-opeued  another  season.  In  aihlition  to  these  the  Borden 
coudeusary  at  Delhi  daily  receives  the  ])r<Hlu(t  frdui  thirty  to 
forty  Hamden  dairies. 

A\'ithin  the  past  few  years  it  has  been  develo])ed  that  many 
of  the  hills,  praeticidly  worthless  for  farming  junposes,  are  tilled 
with  blue  stone  of  the  finest  quality  and  suitable  foi'  flagging, 
curl)ing,  or  Imilding  purj)oses.  This  business  is  in  its  end)ryo 
state,  not  yet  fully  devek>ped,  but  steadily  increasing  in  volume 
and  already  affordiug  emplovmeut  to  many  who  would  otherwise 
be   unable   to  secure   employment   within   the   town. 

The  breeding  of  sheep  and  the  manufacture  of  woolen  cloth  and 
yarn  which  was  at  one  period  quite  extensively  conducted,  there 
)>eing  one  large  woolen  mill  employing  several  operatives  in  town, 
has  almost  entirely  ceased,  and  the  mill  has  Ixen  transformed  into 
a  grain  and  feed  store. 

.\t  the  first  g^eneral  election,  held  in  1H"2(),  there  were  east  in  the 
town  of  Hamdeu  142  votes,  of  whi(di  W.  B.  Rochester  received 
ninety-six  and  DeAVitt  Clinton  forty-six.  The  total  vote  in  ISHO 
was  42G,  of  which  (iartield  received  a  majority  of  25(!.  The  vote  of 
1SS4  was  41(t,  of  which  Blaine  received  272  majority.  The  vote  of 
ISSK  was  43K,  of  which  Harrison  received  28iS  majority,  and  the 
vote  of  1K!)6  was  412,  of  which  McKiuley  received  a  majority  of  245. 
The  vote  of  IMSS  was  the  largest  of  which  we  have  any  record  and 
was  doubtless  the  largest  ever  cast  iu  the  town.  Piior  to  IH.'id  the 
lowu    was    usually    Dem.ocrati<'.  then    the   Whigs  gained  the  asccml- 


396  HISTOHY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY'. 

Hucy  uuil  iu  ^eucial  maintained  it  until  1M56,  when  tlif  l{epul)lu'au 
ticket  received  a  niajority  of  over  'iOO  votes.  It  is  a  remarkable 
fact,  jn'obably  witliout  a  jiarallel  in  the  state,  that  for  more  ikan 
forty  years  no  candidate  of  the  Republican  party  for  a  state  or 
national  ofKce  has  failed  to  receive  in  the  town  of  Haniden  a 
majority  exceedinfif  '200,  often  nearly  8()(),  out  of  a  total  vote  which 
lias  never  reached  440.  And  further,  no  Democrat  has  been  elected 
to  the  office  of  supervisor,  town  clerk,  or  justice  of  the  peace  since 
1836.  While  in  other  towns  there  have  been  political  revolutions 
brought  about  by  general  or  local  causes,  the  Ke])ul5lieau  party  iu 
Hamden  has  never  had  a  reverse  or  lost  any  degree  of  its  prestige. 
This  is  doubtless  due  to  the  fact  that  "  Free-soilism  "  early  took  root 
in  the  minds  of  our  voters.  The  same  love  of  liberty  of  s])eecli  and 
action  that  caused  a  large  percentage  of  our  voters,  or  their  fathers, 
to  emigrate  from  a  land  of  oppression  to  a  land  of  freedom,  caused 
these  voters  to  early  esjjouse  and  enthusiastically  support  the  cause 
of  abolition  of  slavery  and  to  join  and  adhere  to  the  political  i^arty 
which  made  the  United  States  in  fact  a  country  of  free  speech  and 
free  men. 

Less  than  oue-tliiid  of  the  town's  popuUiliou  live  in  villages.  Haiiidoii, 
the  principal  village,  has  nearly  three  hundred  inhabitants,  but  is  much  more 
important  as  a  business  center  than  its  size  would  indicate.  Four  large 
establishments  dealing  in  general  merchandise,  one  hardware  store,  one 
furniture  and  undertaking  establishment,  two  feed  and  grain  dealers,  two 
hotels,  two  blaeksmitli  shops,  a  cooperage  and  two  firms  dealing  in  butter 
comprise  the  business  directory  of  the  village.  Two  physicians  divide  the 
medical  practice,  viz ;  W.  D.  Heimer  who  came  from  Andes  in  LSTfi  and  has 
ever  since  practiced  iu  the  town,  and  enjoys  a  reputation  for  success  an<l  skill 
second  to  none  in  the  county,  and  H.  C.  Neff,  who  came  from  Michigan  in  1893, 
and  has  worked  into  a  good  practice  and  is  well  liked  bj-  his  townsmen. 
There  are  two  churches,  the  First  Presbyterian,  erected  in  lSfi4  and  since 
improved  and  remodeled,  is  a  substantial  and  attractive  Imildiug.  Kev. 
George  Brown  was  its  first  pastor.  He  came  to  Hamden  in  1854  and  preached 
in  the  old  union  church  Ijuilding  until  his  own  church  was  erected.  He  con- 
tinued its  pastor  until  1892  when  because  of  failing  health  he  i-esigned  and 
removed  to  AValton,  where  he  died  in  189.5.  The  present  ',3astor  is  Rev.  J.  H. 
Turnbull.  The  Methodist  Epi-scopal  society  occupied  the  old  union  church  for 
many  years  prior  to  1892  when  they  liuilt  a  new  edifice  of  modtu-n  architecture. 

Two  miles  above  Hamden  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  lies  the  village  of 
DeLancey  with  a  population  of  175.  The  location,  with  its  wide  stretching 
river  Hats  which  never  overflow,  perfect  drainage  and  shaded  streets,  is  <me  of 


yoir.v  OF  IIAMDEN.  :m)7 

tlie  lliirst  in  till'  i-oiirity  I'm-  a  lai't,'i'  villai,'i',  lnit  with  im  iiiaiiiitai-lorv  nr  Imsi- 
noss  outerpri-si'  to  siiiiporl  a  lait,'i'r  iiii|iiilaUoii,  tlu'ie  i>.  no  f;iovvlli  ami  no 
prospect  of  any.  Ouo  ncuoral  ini'icliandisi!  establishment,  one  jjrocciy,  a 
piitilic  house,  a  blaoksmith  shop,  a  cooperage  ami  a  K'''*t  mill  arc  the  principal 
Imsincss  estftblishmcuts.  H.  M.  Seaman  for  many  years  <'oii(luct<'(l  licre  thi' 
only  tannery  in  town,  but  tlie  supply  of  liark  becoming  exhausted  he  creclcil  a 
large  grist  mill  on  the  site  of  his  tannery  and  utilized  his  water  powiT  for 
griniling  grain.  This  is  the  only  mill  in  town  and  is  largely  patronized.  He 
is  also  an  extensive  dealer  in  flour,  feed  and  grain.  The  United  Presbyterian 
church  society  of  DeLaucey  erected  a  building  in  1H4S  which  was  remodeled  in 
1KH2  aud  was  used  until  December  24,  1H()6,  when  it  was  totally  destroyed  by 
lire,  which  was  firet  discovered  about  eight  o'chiek  .\.  M.  .\  new  building  was 
inmiediately  planned  and  was  built  during  the  suninier  of  l.S!)7  at  a  cost  of 
nearly  ST.tUlll  for  building  and  furnishing.  It  was  deiiicated  October  14,  1897, 
and  has  since  been  used.  Kev.  Dr.  Thomas  Park,  of  Walton,  was  pastor  of 
this  church  from  1H7H  till  1H92  and  under  his  ministry  the  membership  was 
greatly  increased.  The  present  pastiir  is  Rev.  N.  L.  Heidgcr,  who  came  from 
Philadelphia  in  November,  lH!t.">.  The  Christian  church  of  DeLancey  was 
erected  in  1H44  aud  was  regularly  supplied  by  preachers  of  that  denomination 
until  1H77,  since  when  it  has  lieeii  occupied  only  at  long  intervals.  Its  last 
pastor  was  Rev.  James  Topping,  who  regularly  supplied  its  pulpit  during  the 
year  18911.  The  only  other  church  in  town  is  one  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
ilenomination  at  llundale,  erected  in  1881  when  the  society  was  first  formed. 
Its  pastor  is  Eev.  Daniel  Harris  who  came  thereto  from  Kock  Rift  in  IS'.Ki. 

There  arc  lour  post-olliccs  in  the  town,  viz:  Hamden,  DeLancey,  Mundale, 
and  North  Hamden.  The  first  two  arc  money  onier  ollici's,  the  others  are  not. 
Donald  Crawford,  Henry  W.  Holmes,  Daniel  Harris  and  Amos  P.  Wood  are  the 
respective  postmasters  at  the  ofBces  in  the  order  named. 

The  building  of  the  New  York  &  Oswego  Midland  Eailroad  was  a  matter  of 
much  interest  to  the  people  of  Hamden,  aud  when  it  was  decided  that  the  road 
would  follow  the  Siilney-Wallon  and  Hancock  route,  the  tow-n  was  bon<ied  to 
aid  ill  the  constructiim  of  the  Delhi  branch.  It  was  represented  that  the  town 
would  receive  stock  in  the  new  roa<l  to  an  amount  equal  to  the  amount  of 
lionds  issued,  which  could  in  a  very  few  years  \>c  sold  at  par,  thus  realizing 
the  sum  neces.sary  to  retire  the  town's  bonds  at  very  little  actual  cost  to  the 
town.  On  these  iepresentati<ms  the  necessary  consent  of  the  ta.xpayers  was 
secured  and  SKHl.diMi  of  coupon  bonds  were  issued  by  William  Li-wis,  Marshall 
Shaw  and  James  Chambers  as  Railroad  Commissioners,  bearing  date  of  issue 
■lanuary  1,  1H(>9,  due  twenty-five  years  after  issue  with  no  option  of  redemp- 
tion, rate  of  interest  seven  per  ci-nt.,  payable  semi-annually.  .\s  early  as  1880 
the  town  was  desirous  of  refunding  this  issue  of  bonds,  but  the  holders  would 
not  accept    payment  and  <ml.y  $11,1100  had  been  surrendered  and  retired  when 

the   entire    issue    fell    due.     The   original    railroad    company  having  sp lily 

become  bankrupt  and  the  road  having  passed  into  other  hands,  it  was  snp- 
|Hise<l  that  the  stock  ai'(|uired  by  the  town  was  of  no  value,  but  in  18HI  William 
Lewis  as  Railroad  Commissioner  sold  it  for  five  and  oni'-fourtli  |>i  r  leni,,  thus 
realizing  S-i.2.i0,  which,  together  with  the-  railroad  ta.\  rebates,  were  invested 
us  a  sinking  fiinil   for  the  li(|uidatioM  of  the  town's  lionded  debt.     When  the 


3i)8  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COi'XTY. 

JiODils  IVU  due  Jjinuary  1,  IM'.l-l,  this  sinkius,'  fund  Miiidurdrd  to  alicmt  *r,,il(l(i. 
leaving  $85,()l)U  of  the  bonded  debt  still  unprovided  for.  New  lion<l.s  to  that 
amount  were  issued  to  the  Comptroller  of  New  York  State  and  the  proceeds 
■used  to  redeem  and  retire  the  old  bond  issue  which  has  been  done  with  the 
exception  of  one  SlOO  bond  which  has  never  been  presented.  The  new  bond 
issue  bears  interest  at  three  and  om^half  per  cent.,  and  fi.lKlO  of  the  principal 
-sum  is  payable  each  year  until  May  1,  11)14,  when  the  entire  sum  falls  due.  It 
will  readily  be  seen  that  our  town  has  paid  dearly  for  their  railroad,  liut  we 
believe  the  concensus  of  opinion  is  that  it  has  been  a  good  investment,  and  if 
to-day  the  people  of  the  town  could  get  back  their  money  by  relinquishing  the 
road  they  would  undoubtedly  refuse  to  do  so. 

It  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  one  hundred  men  were  enlisted  from 
Haniden  in  the  civil  war.  most  of  them  serving  in  the  72d,  H9th,  101st  and 
144th  Regiments  New  York  Volunteers,  and  more  in  the  last  named  than  in 
any  other  organization.  As  a  matter  of  fact  Companj-  C  of  the  144th  Regiment 
was  very  largely  made  up  of  Hamden  men  and  was  commanded  first  by  Captain 
Thomas  Lewis  and  later  by  Captain  M.  C.  Lewis.  The  regiment  was,  during  a 
portion  of  the  war,  commanded  by  Colonel  James  Lewis,  now  a  distinguished 
Presbyterian  clergyman  residing  at  Joliet,  Illinois.  These  three  Lewises  were 
all  natives  of  and  enlisted  from  the  town  of  Hamden.  Most  of  the  veterans 
residing  in  town  belong  to  Bryce  Post,  No  fil2.  G.  A.  R. 

Donald  Shaw,  hereinbefore  referred  to,  was  for  many  years  the  most  prom- 
inent and  for  a  long  time  wielded  a  greater  influence  than  any  other  man  in 
town.  He  came  from  Scotland  in  180<j,  and  to  Hamden  in  18"20.  purchasing  the 
narrower  estate  and  engaged  extensively  in  lumbering  and  tanning.  Business 
and  politics  being  then  as  now  almost  inseparable,  he  became  a  political  leader 
^nd  was  elected  supervisor  in  the  years  1837,  1838,  1839  and  1842,  and  in  1847 
represented  the  First  district  of  Delaware  county  in  the  New  York  Assembly. 
He  died  about  1866  leaving  an  estate  valued  at  $100,000.  His  son  Donald  D. 
.Shaw,  a  young  man  of  exceptional  ability  and  just  graduated  from  Yale  college 
was  elected  to  the  Assembly  of  1860,  but  died  before  the  opening  of  the  session. 

William  Lewis  was  another  Scotchman  who  became  prominent  and  influen- 
tial in  the  town  and  county.  Born  in  1827  and  emigrating  in  1834,  he  lived  on 
the  farm  in  Terry  Clove  now  owned  by  John  A.  Salton  until  1850  when  he 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in  the  village  of  Hamden.  He  soon  became 
a  recognized  leader  of  the  Republican  part,y,  and  in  185G  was  elected  to  the 
office  of  justice  of  the  peace  in  which  he  continued  eight  years.  From  1863  till 
1866  he  was  United  States  assessor  of  internal  revenue.  In  1871,  1872  and  1880 
Jie  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  of  New  York.  From  1875  till  1881  inclusive  he 
was  supervisor  of  the  town  and  was  chairman  of  the  lioard  in  1877  and  1878. 
In  1887  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  and  for  two  j'ears  represented  the 
Delaware-Chenango-Broome  district.  He  had  sold  his  mercantile  business  in 
1874  but  for  se\eral  years  thereafter  had  dealt  largely  in  Delaware  county 
butter,  being  for  a  time  the  most  extensive  dealer  in  the  town,  if  not  in  the 
county.  During  his  senatorial  term  his  health  failed  and  steadily  declined 
until  he  died,  December  11,  1891.  He  despised  deceit  and  hypocrisy,  was  a 
steadfast  and  loyal  friend,  never  making  a  promise  whicli  he  did  not  fullill, 
.and  died  univer.sally  respected  for  his  ability  and  integrity. 


X 

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riaiKodv 

I^Y  Mon.  Wcslcv  ciouUI. 

THE  town  of  Hancock  \v!is  formiMl  iu  ^larcL,  ISOd.  It  was 
iiaiiu'd  after  tlie  cclcliratcd  .Tt)bu  Hancock,  anil  hears  tlic 
same  relatiou  to  towns  iu  jjiMicral  that  the  sifjuature  of  Hancock 
to   the   Declaration   of   Independence   bears  to  oi'dinay  siijnatures. 

The  town  contains  nearly  ITU  sqiiare  miles  of  territory,  and 
the  Delaware  river,  including  the  West  and  East  branches  thereof, 
flows  u]iwanls  of  forty  miles  through  the  town  and  along  its 
southerly    border. 

With  its  lofty  and  extensive  mountain  ranges,  its  numerous 
valleys,  beautiful  lakes,  hundreds  of  springs  and  streams  of  the 
coldest,  purest  and  sweetest  water,  teeming  with  tine  trout  and 
various  other  fish,  its  immense  forests  of  oak,  pine,  hemlock, 
maple,  beech,  birch,  basswood,  cherry,  ash,  and  other  valuable 
timber,  abounding  with  deer,  wolves,  bears,  wild  turkeys,  part- 
ridges and  other  game,  it  presented  a  fine  and  desirable  field 
for  the  hardy  pioneer  and  the  bold  huntsman;  but  liad  few  at- 
tractions for  the  weak  and  etTeminate  of  the  human  race. 

But  little  is  known,  at  the  present  time,  of  the  savage  tril)es 
who  for  long  centuries  fished  in  its  waters  and  hunted  in  its 
forests.  "The  steel  of  the  white  man  hath  swept  them  away." 
A  few  small  clearings,  remnants  of  Indian  villages,  and  a  small 
number  of  .scattered,  roving  red  men,  uniler  the  chieftain  Canope, 
were  still  found  along  the  river  by  the   early  settlers   of  the  town. 

Until  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  this  vast  do- 
main was  comparatively  unknown  to  the  white  man.  In  the  early 
<lays  of  the  American  Revolution  a  few  hardy  spirits  settled  in 
the  town.  The  first  permanent  settler  was  Josiah  Parks,  who 
21  *'" 


4(f2  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

hiiviug  beeu  au  otticer  in  the  British  iiMvv,  was  coiiiiiiouly  kuowit 
as  "Bo'seii"  Parks.  The  only  two  otlier  white  men  that  are  known 
to  have  settled  in  the  town  prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, were  John  Johnston,  who  was  killed  by  the  Indians,  and 
one  Cadoce,  whose  cabin  was  located  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek 
now  bearin^^-  his  name.  Nothing  furtlier  is  known  of  him.  and 
it  is  thought  that  he   too   was  killed  by   the   Indians. 

Josiah  Parks  was  a  man  of  heroic  mold,  a  man  that  would  leave 
his  impress  upon  any  people  that  he  came  in  contact  with.  Many 
of  his  descendants  are  still  living  in  the  town  of  Hancock,  and  a 
history  of  the  town  would  be  very  incomplete  without  at  least 
a  short  sketch  of  this  hardy  pioneer.  He  was  born  in  New  Lon- 
don, Conn.,  in  the  month  of  February,  1745.  At  an  early  age 
he  and  his  brother  Silas  entered  the  British  naval  service  in  an 
expedition  against  the  Spaniards.  After  an  unsuccessful  assault 
upon  the  Spanish  fort  at  Havana,  young  Parks  stvidied  out  a 
plan  by  which  he  thought  he  could  capture  the  fortress.  The 
British  officer,  learning  of  his  plan,  gave  him  sufficient  men,  and 
Parks  landing  his  men  on  the  mainland  made  an  assault  wpon 
the  Spanish  works  and  captured  them.  For  this  act  of  bravery 
he  was  promoted.  Shortly  thereafter  his  brother  Silas  died  and. 
was  buried  at  sea.  On  reaching  home  he  left  the  British  ser- 
,vice,  married  and  moved  to  Shawangunk,  in  Ulster  county,, 
where  he  remained  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution. 
He  procured  from  the  government,  service  as  a  scout  among  the 
Indians  and  tories,  and  did  much  valiant  work  in  that  capacity. 
Up  to  the  day  of  his  death  the  word  "  tory  '  would  arouse  in 
him  the  fiercest  passions  of  his  tiry  natui'e.  After  the  battle 
of  Minisiuk  he  moved  his  fanjily  to  Equinunk,  coming  up  the 
river  in  a  canoe  with  his  family  and  all  their  belongings,  and 
finding  shelter  in  a  cave  in  the  rocks.  Shortly  thereafter  he  built  a 
log  cabin  on  the  line  of  what  is  now  the  town  of  Hancock.  While 
at  this  point  a  friendly  Indian  inforniiMl  him  of  the  intended  In- 
dian  raid  upon  the  "Wyoming  Valley.     He  at  once  started  to  inform 


7V;\r.\'   OF  l/A.\('<icK.  4();{ 

the  iiiiliiij)i>v  people  of  tlieir  iiii]H'U(liii<,'  diuif^cr,  Imt  :ilas,  tliey 
woiilil  not  believe  the  tale,  iiutl  history  loconls  the  terrible  disaster 
that  befell  tbeni  shortly  thereafter.  Only  two  fai'iilies  believed 
aud  jjrotited  by  the  warning-,  viz:  Fiillertou  and  Whitaker,  who 
cftiue  away  with  him,  the  Fullertou  family  facing  to  Orange  eounty 
and  Whitaker  to  Hhehocking.  Numerous  descendants  of  these 
families  still    live. 

Ill  17S4  a  Bajitist  miuister,  by  the  name  of  Ezekiel  Sampson 
settled  on  the  flats  a  short  distance  below  where  Haucock 
village  now  is,  but  he  remained  there  only  a  few  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Chemung  county  in  178i).  In  17,s7  Judge  Samuel 
Preston  came  to  Stockport  to  survey  the  lands  in  that  vicinity,  one 
Edward  Doyle  from  Doylestown,  Pennsylvania,  coming  with  him. 
In  178!)  Judge  Preston  determined  to  establish  a  colony,  locating 
himself  across  the  river  at  Stockport.  Young  Doyle  determined  to 
remain  with  him,  and  thereafter  only  went  back  to  Doylestown  for 
an  occasional  visit.  He  settled  at  a  point  two  and  one-half  miles 
below  Shehocton,  now  Haucock  village,  on  the  farm  now  occupied 
by  Frank  Doyle,  one  of  his  descendants.  Soon  after  he  married 
Elizabeth  Shaffer,  and  many  of  their  descenchiuts  still  reside  in  the 
town.  Edward  Doyle  was  the  first  member  of  the  Legislature  from 
this  town.  He  had  three  sons,  Edward,  John  and  Samuel,  the  last 
named  being  the  third  memlier  of  the  Legislature  from  the  town, 
and  three  daughters,  Abigail,  Elizabeth  and  Mary.  His  wife  w.is 
the  first  nieiidier  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  iliurch  in  tlii'  town, 
she  having  been  a  memlter  of  that  church  at  Canaan,  Pennsylvania, 
where  she  regularly  attended  the  Quarterly  Conferences,  going  and 
returning  on  horseback.  The  Methodist  church  was  first  organized 
in  IS.'U,  at  Hancock  village,  then  a  small  liainlet.  When  they 
proceeded  to  organize  they  discovered  that  there  was  no  copy  of 
the  Church  Discipline  in  the  place,  so  they  posted  a  man  on  horse- 
back to  the  Doyle  residence  to  procure  one,  in  the  nieautnne  having 
a  very  enthusiastic  meeting,  singing  hymns  and  giving  testimony. 
That  small  l)eginning  has  grown  into  a  church  at  the  same  place 
with  a  present  membership  of  al)Out  30(1. 


404  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVSTY. 

lu  tlic  latter  ])art  of  the  eigbtecutb  ceuturv  one  Ezra  May 
located  iu  the  town,  teaching  school  in  1800  and  ISOl  at  Sliehoctim, 
now  Hancock  village.  He  afterward  became  the  tirst  deacon  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  there.  He  also  gave  the  old  cemetery  to  the 
people  for  a  burying  ground  for  their  dead.  John  Duseubury 
started  the  first  store  in  the  town.  It  wasn't  much  of  a  store,  but 
no  doubt  was  considered  quite  an  acquisition  l)y  the  settlers. 

Captain  John  Knight,  from  near  Philadelphia,  settled  below 
Stockport  about  1785.  Numerous  descendants  of  his  still  reside  iu 
the  town  and  have  always  been  considered  people  of  tine  tastes  and 
habits.  About  ITIH)  Aaron  Thomas  and  Moses  his  brother  settled 
above  Doyle  along  the  river.  Many  of  the  Thomas  family  still 
reside  in  the  town  and  are  considered  good  substantial  citizens. 
Along  the  East  branch  of  the  Delaware,  settlement  l)egan  about 
the  same  time. 

Henry  B.  Bascom,  D.  D.,  one  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  South,  was  born  iu  Hancock  May  27,  17f)(i.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1813,  and  iu  18"28  was  elected  Chaplain  to 
Congress.  In  1827  he  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  Madison 
College,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1842  became  president  of  Transyl- 
vania University.  He  was  editor  of  Quarterly  Review  of  tlie 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  184(i-1850,  and  was  elected  a 
Bishop  May,  1859.     He  died  September  8th,  1850. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  the  upper  end  of  the  town,  was  by 
Abraham  Sprague  at  Long  Flats,  iu  1788.  His  grand-son,  A. 
Sisrague,  is  still  living  iu  the  town,  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 
Abraham  Sprague  came  direct  to  this  place  from  Newburgh,  upon 
his  discharge  from  the  Continental  army.  The  tract  of  land  upon 
which  he  settled,  consisting  of  261|  acres,  was  granted  to  one  John 
Burch,  Esq.,  of  Loudon,  by  Queen  Anne,  and  was  excepted  out  of 
the  Hardenberg  Patent.  Burch  conveyed  the  same  to  William 
Cockburn  in  1772,  and  Christopher  Tappan  as  agent  for  Cockburu 
sold  the  same  to  Mr.  Sprague  in  1777,  while  he,  Sprague,  was  iu 
the    army.      Mr.    S23rague    soon    after    his    settlement     there    sold 


h. 


Village  of  East  Braqcf). 


:.M 


Fii'iii  iSkUxtm  timiii 


Village  o;   i  :sri  i-.  i  ;y 


Tl')^y^'  or  ii.wcorK.  407 

portious  (if  tlif  Tjoiil;  I''l:it  tn  Titus  Williams  (f^Tiimlfatht'r  of  ('dloiiel 
'Williniiis  now  icsitliiij,'  ut  Kiist  Hiaucli  )  and  Charles  and  James 
Sutton  who  settled  tbereon  about  ITil").  In  ISOO  Titus  Williams 
autl  one  Stephenson  built  tlii'  first  j^n-ist  mill  near  there,  and 
Ste]>hens(Ui  run  the  same  until  his  (h-ath,  which  occurred  some 
years  hlter  by  drowniuff  at  Early's  ford.  He  attempted  to  cross 
ujjon  the  ice,  but  it  tjave  way  and  he  fell  in.  His  liat  bein{>-  found 
later  upon  the  remaining  ice  at  this  point  told  the  tale  of  his 
unfortunate  death.  His  body  was  found  the  next  sprinf^  at  the 
head  of  Cochectou  Falls.  It  was  upon  discovery  buried  at  a  point 
between  high  and  low  water  mark,  that  being  supposed  to  be 
the  reijuirements  of  the  law  at  that  time.  Silas  Bouker,  Major 
Laudtield  and  Jesse  Baxter  settled  at  Harvard  in  1790.  About  two 
years  thereafter  Ichabod  Benton,  Solomon  Miller  and  Elijah 
Thomas  settled  what  is  known  as  the  Martin  Flat  near  Harvard. 
In  the  same  year  James  Miller,  great-grandfather  of  S.  Gordou 
Miller,  and  his  two  brothers  settled  at  the  juncture  of  the  East 
branch  and  Beaverkill  on  the  site  of  an  ancient  Indian  village 
calle<l  "  Pacatacau,"  and  on  the  exact  sjiot  where  now  stands  the 
thriving  village  of  East  Branch. 

.Vl)out  the  same  year,  17'.l'2,  Jonathan  Bolton  settled  on  Bolton 
Flat,  and  one  Gilbert  Early  on  the  Early  Flat,  about  njidmay 
between  East  Branch  and  Fish  Ed<ly.  This  flat  contained  several 
hundred  acres  of  jiroductive  laud,  and  was  considered  one  of  the 
finest  along  the  East  Branch  for  many  miles.  But  a  little  over 
one-half  of  it  now  remains.  Little  by  little,  slowly  but  surely, 
each  year  during  the  past  century,  the  Delaware  river  has  been 
collecting  the  interest  on  the  mortgage  whicli  she  holds  upon 
what  was  once  the  best  farm  in  the  whole  town,  and  whose  fertile 
acres  once  "filled  heaping  full  the  old  cherry  chest  of  Uncle 
(till  "   with   l)right   and   shiny   silver  dollars. 

The  first  settler  at  Fish  Eddy  was  Jonas  Lakiu,  better  known 
as  Squire  Lakin,  who  cleared  a  small  place  near  the  mouth  of 
the    brook,   and    erected    a  store,   thought  by  some   to  have   been 


40S  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'XTV. 

the  tirst  store  iu  towu.  About  the  year  179"2  Ebeuezer  Wlieeler, 
emigratiuf)'  from  Massachusetts,  settled  iu  the  towu  and  built  a 
saw  mill  at  Partridfje  Island.  The  Wheeler  house  now  staudiuj^' 
upou  the  banks  of  the  river  there  being  the  oldest  house  iu  towu. 

At  Pease  Eddy,  a  little  farther  down  the  river,  Aarou  Pierce 
was  the  first  settler,  after  wliom  came  ^Ir.  Pease,  Asa  Apjjley 
and  Ezra  Maine. 

About  this  time  there  came  to  Cadosia  and  Hancock  the 
Leonards,  Hawks  and  Sands,  all  of  whom  have  numerous  descen- 
dants iu  the  town. 

Prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  settlements 
have  all  been  along  the  river  and  its  principal  branches,  but 
little  being  known  of  the  immense  tract  lying  along  the  section 
known  at  the  present  time  as  the  French  Woods  and  Goulds. 
That  vast  territory  beiug  well  watered,  and  mostly  covered  with 
hardwood  timber,  is  much  the  best  part  of  the  town  for  agricul- 
tural purposes.  Numerous  streams  starting  along  this  elevation 
flow  northwesterly  into  the  East  Branch,  and  southerly  into  the 
Delaware.  At  the  heads  of  many  of  these  streams  are  tiue  lakes 
and  good  farming  lauds,  l)ut  m  following  the  same  as  they  uear 
the  river  the  valleys  become  narrow,  and  the  mountains  upon 
each  side  steep  and  high  so  that  the  land  is  practically  untillable, 
and  this  is  so  with  each  of  the  score  or  more  of  streams  rising 
iu  the  highlands  and  flowing  into  the  river,  as  already  stated. 
This  vast  section  of  several  thousand  acres  was  deemed  of  little 
value  by  the  early  settlers.  There  being  no  roads,  nor  means  of 
getting  the  timber  to  the  river,  it  remained  comparatively  an 
unbroken  wilderness  for  many  years  after  the  settlements  along 
the  river.  In  the  early  part  of  the  preseut  century  David,  Asher 
and  Loring  Leonard  settled  the  westerly  part  of  this  section, 
known  as  the  French  Woods.  Shortly  thereafter  colonies  of 
French  and  Germans,  principally  from  New  York  city,  settled 
there,  many  clearing  their  lauds  and  making  permanent  homes. 
In  this  place  the  first  Catholic  church  iu  the   town    was    erected. 


TOW.y  (ly  iiAxrocK.  409 

and    recently    ix    INrptbodiat    Episcopal    tlimcli     bus     been    erected 
there. 

lu  the  fall  (if  1S42  .Jdlui  (nmbl,  baviuj^'  excbauged  twn  brick 
bouses  in  tbc  citv  of  Newlmr^di  for  a  large  tract  of  wild  land,  in 
the  central  jiart  of  tbe  bij^-blands  between  the  rivers,  now  known  as 
Goulds,  removed  bis  family  there.  In  the  early  part  of  October, 
haviuy  arrived  at  ^^'('sttield  Flats,  and  tbe  end  of  tbe  roads  and 
civilization,  be  tof^etbcr  with  bis  family  consisting  of  a  wife,  one 
daughter  and  seven  sons,  started  with  a  caravan  of  six  ox  teams 
and  sleds.  Cutting  their  way  through  the  forests,  they  arrived  at 
their  destination  October  18th,  having  been  three  days  and  two 
nights  on  the  journey  through  the  wilderness  from  "Westfield  Flats. 
The  smoke  curling  from  the  nearest  cabin  was  at  least  three  miles 
distant,  and  there  were  but  two  or  three  neigbl)ors  within  four  or 
five  miles.  With  the  pioneer  spirit  and  lofty  puritanism  be  left  the 
culture  and  civilization  of  the  beautiful  Hudson  valley,  thinking 
that  he  might  better  rear  his  large  family  of  boys 

"  Far  from  the  mad'niii^  crowd's  ignoble  strife." 
About  ten  years  thereafter  he  was  suddenly  killed  by  logs   rolling 
on  him  at  a  saw  mill  near  Peakville.     Seven  of  his  sons  served  in 
the  Union  army,  in   the  civil  war.     One  afterward  became  a  doctor 
and  one  a   lawyer. 

Within  a  few  years  after  ^Ir.  (lould  mo\ed  into  this  section  (piite 
a  nund)er  of  families,  mostly  from  Hehobarie  county,  settled  there, 
generally  engaging  in  farming,  and  at  the  jjresent  time  this  is  the 
best  agricultural  and  most  beautiful  part  of  the  town.  Uj)  to  this 
time  and  for  some  years  after  this  part  of  tbc  town  abounded  in 
game,  especially  deer.  The  writer  when  a  boy  well  remembers 
seeing  six  fine  deer  all  in  one  drove  in  his  father's  fields,  grazing  as 
contentedly  as  if  the  land  had  been  cleared  and  seeded  for  their 
special  benefit.  This  settlement  closed  the  period  of  pioneering,  as 
the  town  had  uo  more  large  isolated  tracts  lying  wild  and  unoccu- 
pied. Those  coming  later  knew  little  of  tbc  privations  and  bard- 
ships  endured  by  the  early  settlers. 


41(1  HISTORY    OF   DKLA^yARE    COUNTY. 

Agriculture  b;is  uot  attained  to  very  great  iniportaiicc  iu  the- 
towu,  liaviuj^-  t^enerally  beeu  made  secondary  to  luiuberiut^-  and 
other  employments.  Mucli  of  tlie  bind  along  the  river  is  uot 
adapted  to  farming,  the  Hats  being  not  very  extensive  and  the 
mountains  being  steep  and  rough.  The  lands  adapted  to  farming 
were  settled  very  much  later,  and  while  promising  to  l)e  very 
valuable  iu  future,  are  in  many  instances  still  uncleared,  or  if 
cleared  not  fully  subdued  and  cultivated.  One  of  the  great  draw- 
backs is  the  poor  roads.  The  country  being  sparsely  settled  and 
the  roads  new  and  rough,  will  require  much  labor  to  make  traveling 
very  desirable  or  pleasant  for  years  to  come. 

The  chief  industries  in  the  towu  during  the  first  three-quartei's 
of  the  present  century,  were  tanning  and  rafting  lumber  dowu  the 
Delaware.  For  many  years  millions  of  feet  of  hemlock,  pine  and 
hardwood  were  annually  run  to  the  down  river  markets,  the 
heiulock  bark  being  used  principally  at  home  in  the  tanneries.  As 
the  tanning  business  and  the  rafting  of  lumber  declined,  the  manu- 
facture of  hardwood,  by  chemical  processes,  into  acetate  of  lime, 
wood  alcohol  and  charcoal  developed  into  an  extensive  business. 
There  is  at  this  time  nine  large  factories  in  the  town,  costing,  with 
equipments,  several  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  giving  employ- 
ment to  hundreds  of  men.  If  the  destructive  forest  fires  could  be 
entirely  suppressed,  this  iudusti'y  might  continue  for  countless 
ages,  as  the  natural  reproduction  of  wood,  from  lauds  cut  over, 
would  be  sutKcieut  to  furnish  the  wood  for  an  ecjual  number  of 
factories  indefinitely. 

Another  industry  of  much  inq)ortance,  aud  of  great  lieuefit,  has 
lately  been  developed  into  substantial  magnitude,  viz. :  quarrying 
of  blue  stone.  While  this  business  already  has  attained  to  inqiort- 
auce,  aud  gives  emjiloymeut  to  many  men,  it  may  no  doubt  be 
considered  still  in  its  infancy.  The  hills  and  mountains  of  the 
town  are  seemingly  full  of  fine  stone  quarries,  hundreds  aud 
j)robably  thousands  of  them  yet  unopened,  and  many  of  those 
opened  are  luit  partially  developed  or  exhausted. 


roir.v  oh'  iiaxcock:.  411 

There  are  still  a  iiuiiil)er  of  saw  mills  iu  fi)\vii;  ulso  a  lew 
wood  workiug  estal)lisbnieuts.  Of  the  hitter  the  town  has  far 
too  few.  With  iiuliiiiited  water  power,  t;ood  facilities  for  ship- 
l)iiig  and  plenty  of  timber,  this  industry  should  be  eucouraj^ed, 
as  it  could  give  steady  employment  to  uuiiierous  perscms,  witliout 
sucli  a  great  waste  of  timber  as  was  occasioned  by  the  rafting 
of  the  lumber  down  the  river,  or  by  sliip]nng  it.  only  partially 
luauufactured,   from   the   mills. 

The  growth  of  Hancock  has  been  steady  and  sure.  The  two 
principal  villages,  Hancock  and  East  Branch,  are  putting  up  a 
few  new  liuildiugs  each  year  and  making  material  growth  and 
develojjmeut.  Each  Federal  census  has  shown  au  increase  iu 
population  and  wealth  in  the  town.  The  census  of  1S!)1)  shows 
the  population  to  have  been  -IJiii,  two  hundred  more  than  the 
next  largest  town  in  the  county. 

Since  the  Declaration  of  Indejieudence  the  growth  of  the 
United  States  has  been  about  twenty  fold,  wliilc  that  of  Hancock 
has  been  one  thousand  fold.  Judging  fi'oni  tiic  past  and  the 
present  outlook,  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  in  the  near  future  the 
town  of  Hancock  will  l)c  the  banner  town  of  tlu'  county,  both  in 
population  and  wealth. 

The  liistory  of  Hancock  presents,  it  is  true,  but  little  that  is 
startling  or  gi-and.  Her  early  settlers  were  nicn  of  robust  strength 
and  rugged  honesty.  They  i)ossessed  few  of  the  comforts  of  life 
and  none  of  its  luxuries;  still  we  jire  not  sure  but  they  got  as 
much  real  enjoyment  out  of  life  as  those  a)i])arcntly  nu)re  favored 
wlio   are   surfeitecl    with    the    hixui-y   of   civ  ili/.ation  .nid    rctiiicini'nt. 

The  town  of  Hancock  is  not  resting  satistieil  witli  her  ])ast. 
Like  a  young  giant  she  is  tirndy  planting  her  feet,  squaring  her 
slioulders  and  jireparing  for  the  onward  march  of  civilization  and 
prosperity.  She  has  no  old  castles,  no  lofty  monuments,  speaking 
of  mighty  events  already  achiev(<l,  no  traditions  or  old  wives' fables. 
Forward!  is  the  word  of  command  along  the  lines  of  business, 
education,  religion   and   home   life. 


412  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVNTY. 

Half  a  ceDturv  ago  tlicic  was  uo  railroad  witbiu  lur  liorders. 
Ti)-(lay  the  Erie  railway,  tnivcrsiu^'  the  town  from  east  to  west,  has 
iijiwards  of  twenty  miles  of  double  track  thereiu.  The  Ontario  aud 
Western  aud  the  Seniutou  branch  have  about  twenty  miles  of  siui,'le 
track  in  town,  making  with  the  Erie  forty  miles  of  railroad  in  town 
with  nine  stations.  At  that  time  the  only  means  of  crossiuji;  the 
river  were  by  canoe,  by  boat  or  by  fcirdiuf^-.  Now  there  is  one 
suspension  bridge  across  the  West  l)ranch  and  one  across  the  main 
river.  These  were  erected  by  private  capital.  There  are  also  three 
iron  liridges  across  the  East  l)ranch  and  <me  across  the  month  of 
the  Beaverkill,  erected  by  the  town.  The  total  expense  of  these 
bridges  was  about   S10(),0()(l. 

A  century  ago  there  were  only  two  schools  in  town.  Now  there 
is  a  fine  Union  Free  School  at  Hancock  village  and  twenty-one 
common  schools  in  the  town.  At  that  time  there  was  not  a  cliiirch 
in  the  entire  town,  now  there  are  thirteen  churches,  and  religious 
services  are  al.so  held  at  a  number  of  places  in  the  public  school 
houses.  Then  there  were  but  a  score  of  voters,  now  some  1,500. 
Then  the  entire  property  in  town  was  valued  at  a  few  thcjusaud 
dollars,  now  the   assessed   valuation   exceeds  one   million   dollars. 

The  future  of  Hancock  ought  to  be,  and  is  bright.  With  her 
large  territory,  her  great  natural  resources,  her  diversified  in- 
dustries, her  numerous  streams,  furnishing  unlimited  power,  her 
fine  railroad  facilities,  her  exhaustless  stores  of  the  finest  blue 
stone,  and  her  boundless  forests,  she  ought  not  for  ages  to  come 
close  her  pages  of  history,  aud  sit  down  content  with  achieve- 
Juents  gained  or  laurels  won. 

Nations,  states,  cities,  towns  and  villages,  yea,  man  himself, 
must  either  advance  or  recede.  All  things  animate  or  inanimate 
are  at  this  moment  either  growing,  developing,  perfecting,  or 
receding,  decaying,  disintegrating.  Happy  indeed  the  condition 
of  that  people,  or  individual,  who  looks  to  the  achievements  and 
successes  of  the  future  in.stead  of  dwelling  among  the  dead 
things  of  the  past 


Village  oj  Harpers] leia. 


i 


Village  of  Nortl\  Harpersfield. 


Marpcrsficld. 

IjV   AlUn   .■^.  <.al)l).s. 

THE  history  of  Harperstield  l)egins  at  a  iiieetiu^-  between  the 
Hai-jjers  ami  the  OuoughquaRe  ludians,  presiiiuably  in 
17(i(5,  at  which  au  agreement  was  made  for  the  purchase  of  the 
lands  named  in  their  petition  to  the  Governor  and  Council  of 
the  province,  which  was  granted.  The  follow-ing  consent  and 
deed  has  been  copied  from  the  originals  owned  by  Mr.  D.  N. 
Gaylord,  a  great  grandson  of  Col.  Harper,  such  consent  being 
necessary  to  enable  them  to  olitalu  a  valid  title  from  the  gov- 
ernment: 

By  his  excelloiicy,  Sir   Henry   M()<irc,    Barojict,   C'aiilaiii-(;cii.Tal 
.  )    and    G(ivernor-in-Chief  of   the   Province   of   New   Yoi-k   and   the 

]-    Tfrritorics  depondinK  thereon  in  America,   Chancellor  and  Vice- 
1  arms.  I  i  r. 

'  '    Admiral  of  the  same:     To  all  to  whom  these  presents  may  i-omc 

or  may  concern.  Greeting. 

Whereas,  John  Har|)er,  Sen.,  Wiliiam  Harper,  John  Harper,  Jr.,  Joseph 
Harper,  and  Alexander  Harper,  by  their  humble  petition,  presented  unto 
me  and  read  in  Council  on  this  day,  have  set  forth  that  there  are  yet  certain 
lands  unpurchased  of  the  native  Indians  of  Onoughiiuane,  of  which  they  are 
the  proprietors,  situate,  lyinn  and  being  in  the  county  of  Albany',  upon  the 
head  of  the  Delaware  river ;  and  the  said  Indians  being  disjiosed  to  sell  the 
same,  the  petitioners,  with  thi-ir  partners,  are  desirous  to  purchase  one 
hundred  thousand  acres,  or  a  smaller  <|uantity,  as  it  may  In;  found,  in  order 
to  enable  them  to  obtain  his  Ma.iesty's  letters  patent  for  the  said  lands,  that 
they  may  settle,  cultivate  and  improve  the  same;  or  any  other  unpurchased 
lands  Ijelonging  to  the  said  Indians  where  they  may  be  disposed  to  give  them, 
not  exceeiling  the  said  (piantity  ;  and  therefore  humbly  prayed  my  license  for 
the  purpose  aforesaid. 

I  have  tlieiefore  thought  fit,  by  and  with  the  advice  of  his  Majesty's 
Council,  to  grant,  and  I  do  by  these  presents  give  and  grant  unto  the  said 
John  Harper.  Sen.,  William  Harper,  John  Harper,  Jr..  Joseph  Harper,  and 
.\lexandei-  Harper,  full  power,  leave  and  license  to  purchase  in  his  Majesty's 
name  from  the  native  Indian  pro|)rietors  these  of  the  lands  aforesaid;  pro- 
vided the  said  purchase  to  be  made  within  one  year  from  the  date  hereof,  and 
<:'onformably  to  the   regulations  contained  in   his  Majesty's  proclamation  of 

41.'i 


41(i  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    (•(JlWrY. 

till'  7tli  of  Ot-ti)lior,  17<"i3 :  or  that  tlii'  partitas  do  jirodm-e  a  certifii-ato  signed  by 
Sir  William  Johnson,  Baronet,  his  Majesty's  sole  Agent  or  Siiperinteudeut  of 
Indian  Affairs  for  th  !  Northern  Department,  that  thi^  Indians  to  be  brought 
liefiire  me  for  the  sale  of  the  said  lauds  are  chiefs  of  or  belong  to  the  tribe  or 
nation  who  are  the  owners  and  proprietors  of  the  said  lands,  and  that  they 
have  authority  from  such  tribe  or  nation  to  dispose  thereof,  and  for  so  doing 
thih  shall  be  to  them  a  sufficient  license. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal  at  arms,  at  Fort  George  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  the  ninth  day  of  April,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-seven. 

(Signed)  H.  Moore. 

By  his  Excellency's  command 

G.  Basyar.  D.  Sect'ry. 

The  time  given  iu  the  foregoing  whs  probnMy  extended,  us  the 
purchase  was  completed  iu  presence  of  the  (xoveruor,  at  the  house 
of  Sir  William  Johnson  on  the  14th  day  of  June,  17()8,  for  the 
purchase  of  250,000  acres  extending  from  the  east  line  of  Harpers- 
field,  down  the  Charlotte  and  Suscj[uehanua,  one  mile  from  each, — 
Sir  William  Johnson  had  the  mile, — to  the  mouth  of  the  Ouleout; 
thence  direct  to  and  down  a  creek  called  Canaskully, — Trout 
Creek  (?) — to  the  Delaware  river;  theuce  up  to  Lake  Utsayautha. 
The  Harpers'  laud  was  run  out  the  same  year  and  Governor  Moore 
having  died,  a  deed  reciting  the  before  named  facts  and  setting  out 
their  laud  was  granted  by  Cadwalader  Colden,  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor, Andrew  Elliott,  Keceiver  General,  and  Alexander  Colden, 
Surveyor   General,  as  commissioners,   which  concludes  as  follows: 

■•  In  pursuance  whereof,  and  in  obedience  to  his  Majesty's  said  instructions 
we.  the  said  Commissioners,  do  hereby  certify  that  we  have  set  out  for  them, 
the  said  John  Harper,  Sen.,  William  Harper.  John  Harper.  Jr.,  .Joseph  Harper, 
Alexander  Harper,  Andreas  Rebar,  William  (iolt,  Thomas  Hendry,  John  Wells, 
Robert  Campbell,  James  Scott,  John  Wells,  Jr.,  Joseph  Harper,  Jr.,  John 
Thompson,  Robert  Thompson,  John  Thompson.  Jr..  James  Moore,  Robert 
'Wells,  .James  Harper,  Timothy  Mcllvain.  John  Rebar  and  Johannes  Wahad. 
all  that  certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land  within  the  Province  of  New  York  situate, 
lying  and  being  in  the  county  of  Albany,  between  the  Cookquago  branch  of 
Delaware  river  and  the  branch  of  the  Susquehanna  river  called  Adiquitange, 
beginning  at  a  rock  maple  tree  marked  on  four  sides  with  a  blaze  and  three 
notches  and  with  the  letters  au<l  figures  A.  C.  17(!8.  standing  on  a  high  point 
of  laud  at  the  south  side  of  a  small  pond  of  water  called  by  the  Indians  Utsay- 
autha, from  whence  the  said  branch  of  the  Delaware  called  by  the  Indians 
Cookquago  issues,  and  runs  thence  North  thirty  degrees  West,  five  hundred, 
and  forty-nine  i-hains;  thence  South  eighty-six   degrees  West,  two  hundred. 


rnir.V    (IF    IIAin'ERSFIKLD.  417 

AwA  lifty  eliains;  thence  South  sixty-tliree  degrees  West,  one  huudreil  and 
eleven  chains;  thence  Sixith  thirty  degrees  East,  seven  hundred  chains,  to  a 
tract  of  six  tliousand  acres  of  land  granted  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  forty  to  Areut  Bradt,  Volkerl  Van  Vechlen  and  others:  thence 
aliini;  the  Northern  and  Eastern  bounds  of  the  last  mentioned  tract.  Xorth- 
easterly  and  Westerly  as  they  run.  to  thi'  said  lirancli  of  Delaware  river  called 
L'ooki|uago  ;  thence  up  the  Northern  bank  of  the  said  branch  as  it  winds  and 
turns  to  the  rock  maple  tree  where  this  tract  tirst  began,  containing  twenty- 
two  thousand  a<-res  of  land  and  the  usual  allowance  for  highways.  And  in 
setting  out  the  said  tract  or  parcel  of  land,  we,  the  said  Commissioners,  have 
had  regard  to  the  profitable  and  unprofitable  acres,  and  have  taken  care  that 
the  length  thereof  doth  not  extend  along  the  banks  of  any  rivei- otherwise 
than  is  conformable  to  his  Majesty's  instructions. 

Given  under  our  hands  at  the  City  of  New  York  the   t  wcMty-ninih  day  of 

November,  one  thousand  si-ven  hundred  and  sixty-nine,  In  the  tenth  year  of 

the  reign  of  i>ur  Sovereign  Lord  George  the  Third,    by   the  Grace  of  God.  of 

Great  Britain.  Frani'c,  an<l  Ireland,  King.  Del'i>nder  of  the  faith,  and  so  forth. 

(  Signed  i  C.\dw.\lladek  Cot^df.n, 

Andrew  Elliot. 

Alexander  Golden." 

A  pateut  was  soou  after  granted  giviufj  eacli  of  the  patentees 
1.(1(1(1  acres,  though  most  of  them  afterward  deeded  their  rights  to 
the  Harpers.  The  patent  reserved  to  the  King  all  mines  of  gold 
and  silver  and  all  pine  trees  tit  for  masts,  of  twentv-foiir  inches 
diameter  and  upwards  twelve  inches  from  the  earth,  for  masts  for 
the  royal  navy.  The  grant  is  also  subject  to  a  (luit  rent  of  two 
shillings  and  sixpence  sterling,  yearly  for  each  10(1  acres,  and  is 
erected  into  a  township  forever. 

This  township  is  to  elect  annually  two  assessors,  two  overseers 
of  highways,  two  overseers  of  the  poor,  one  collector,  one  treasurer, 
and  fiiur  coustaldes,  to  l)e  chosen  at  the  most  public  place  in  the 
township.  Vacancies  are  to  be  tilled  by  election  within  forty  (biys 
after  they  occur. 

Digging  the  gold  or  silver,  cutting  the  pine  tit  for  masts,  or 
default  in  (luit  rent  renders  the  patent  void. 

Ill  1771  Cdlniiel  Harper  removed  his  family  from  C'lierry  \alley 
for  the  i)urpose  of  making  a  permanent  settlement,  and  having  the 
patent  divided  into  lots  and  highways:  Adonijah  Stanburrough 
acting  as  surveyor  assisted  by  several  men,  one  of  whom  was  David 
Hendrv. 


418  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

Rev.  Harper  Boies,  who  married  a  graud-dan^liter  of  C'olouel 
Harper  and  who  took  a  deep  iutereti'  in  the  early  history  of  the 
town  and  chureh,  says;  "The  Cohmel  first  erected  a  shelter  for  his 
family  in  the  form  of  a  wigwam,  and  there  lived  till  a  house  could 
be  built;  but  not  long  after  their  arrival  the  Colonel  was  called 
away  on  business.  His  wife  then  superintended  the  erection  of  a 
dwelling,  directing  the  men  whom  the  Cohmel  had  brought  with 
him  to  assist  the  surveyor,  and  before  her  husband's  return  the 
walls  were  fully  raised.  The  house  was  soon  roofed  and  fitted  for 
the  residence  of  the  first  white  family  that  ever  made  a  home  in 
Harperstield.  This  house  stood  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Lot  Xo. 
133,  near  a  small  stream  which  crosses  the  turuj)ike  below  the 
Center,  west  of  and  near  the  cemetery.  Part  of  the  foundation  is 
still  visible  crossed  by  a  wall  about  ten  rods  north  of  the  turnpike. 
The  i^lace  is  now  owned  by  Gideon  E.  Wickham,  who  says  that 
lately  he  plowed  up  some  bricks  near  the  wall.  A  part  of  the  house 
now  occupied  by  him  was  built  by  Colonel  Hari:)er." 

From  this  time  forward  settlers  came  in  rapidly  and  lands  were 
cleared  till  the  Revolution.  Nearly  the  whole  tract  was  heavily 
timbered,  and  till  crops  could  be  raised,  all  the  tiour  had  to  be 
brought  from  Schoharie  on  the  backs  of  horses  or  men. 

The  following  was  related  to  Jay  Gould  by  !Mr.  Boies: 

■'The  lirst  wiuter  succeeding  the  removal  of  the  Harpers  was  very  severe. 
Tlie  arraugements  they  had  beeu  able  to  make  proved  hardly  sufficient  for 
the  privations  they  were  compelled  to  endure.  «  «  «  *  Winter  set  in 
earlier  than  expected,  and  the  snow  fell  to  such  depth  as  to  render  it  almost 
impossible  to  reach  any  settlement,  of  which  there  was  none  nearer  than 
Schoharie,   nearly  thirty  miles   away. 

In  the  midst  of  this  dilemma  their  stock  of  provisions  became  reduced  to 
a  little  corn,  which  was  powdered  in  a  mortar  and  made  into  jolumy  cake. 
*  *  *  *  At  last,  but  one  small  loaf  of  johnny  cake  was  left,  and  the  wife 
who  had  borne  up  well  to  now,  began  to  yield.  She  had  concealed  the  state 
of  their  provisions  from  her  husband  till  it  was  useless  to  conceal  longer,  and 
she  told  him  this  small  loaf  was  all;  and  the  children  were  crying  for  that, 
but  she  dared  not  give  them  that  for  fear  they  might  need  it  more  hereafter. 
The  father  now  resolved  to  travel  to  Schoharie  on  snow  shoes  on  the  morrow, 
and  divided  the  loaf  among  the  fandly  but  keeping  none  himself.  «  «  «  « 
In  the  meantime  the  Schoharie  settlers  being  aware  that   their  ni'ighbors  in 


roir.Y   OF   llMiPERSFIKLD.  X\\\ 

the  '  Bush."  as  Harperslleld  was  usually  called,  must  be  slioit  of  provisions, 
had  determined  to  go  to  their  relief  the  same  day  that  the  last  of  the  johnny 
laki'  was  eaten.  Aoeordingly,  early  on  the  day  in  question,  a  eomiiany  set  out 
from  Sehoharie  on  snow  shoes,  arriving  at  Harptnslield  at  riiidiiiijht,  to  the 
joyful  surprise  of  the  starving  inhaliitaiils." 

The  story  as  tolil  by  "Siinnis"  is  that  the  relief  i)arty  traveled 
with    sleif^'hs;   jiud   is    iini<-h    less   reasonable. 

It  is  related  that  on  another  occasion  the  Colouel's  stock  of 
hay  beeame-exhaiisted,  iiud  he  was  forced  to  go  over  to  the  Dela- 
ware river,  to  a  uiitural  meadow  ou  lauds  since  owned  liy  the 
late  Elijidi  Churchill,  and  cany  hay  on  his  shoulders  to  keep 
his  cow  from  starving.  The  distance  is  at  least  four  niiles,  and 
the  journey  was  made  on  snow  shoes;  and  these  are  only  two 
out  of  many  examples  of  hardships  endured,  and  assistance  ex- 
tended. Notwithstanding  all  this,  more  and  more  settlers  were 
attracted  l>y  the  liheral  terms  offered  by  the  patentees,  and  as 
in  all  new  settlements  new  comers  were  warmly  welcomed,  and 
when  necessarj-  the  ready  assistance  of  the  settled  erected  houses- 
for  the  new  comers  at  the  shortest  notice. 

A  history  of  Harperstield  would  necessarily  be  incomplete 
without  a  historj-  of  the  Harpers.  That  which  follows  is  taken 
from  records  in  i)ossession  of  his  descendants.  * 

cAPTntE  oi'  eowLiiv  .\xn  s.\wvek. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  177!),  St.  Ledger  Cowley  and  Isaac 
Sawyer  were  cajjtured  by  four  Indians.  They  were  among  the 
refugees  from  Harperstield  who  sought  safety  in  Schoharie  at 
the  beginning  of  difficulties;  where  their  families  remained  in 
their  absence. 

The  prisoners  could  speak  Dutch,  which  the  Indians  under- 
stood nearly  as  well  as  their  own  language;  and  the  latter  could 
understand  little,  if  any,  of  the  conversation  of  these  Anglo- 
Americans — Cowley  being  Irish  and  Sawyer  Scotch.  When  t.ikeu, 
they  intimated  by  signs  as    well    as    they    could,    that   they  were 

•  The  skelirh  of  Col.  Haipei  :i|i|iears  in  Part  I.  and  was  taki'n  from  this 
history. 


420  HISTORY   OF   DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

friends  of  the  Kiuf^;  aud  not  only  evinced  a  williug-ness  to  pro- 
ceed \vitb  their  captors,  liut  a  desire  to  do  so.  An  axe  l)eh)nfiiuf( 
to  one  of  theiu  was  taken  alonfi^  as  a  prize.  The  prisoners  set 
off  with  such  apparent  willingness  on  their  long  journey  to  Canada 
that  the  Indians  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  bind  them;  but 
they  were  compelled  to  act  as  "hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of 
water "  for  their  red  masters. 

After  being  eleven  days  captive  they  arrived  at-  a  deserted 
hut  near  Tioga  Point,  aud  the  captives  were  sent  to  cut  wood  a 
few  rods  distant.  On  such  occasions  one  cut  aud  the  other  carried 
it  to  the  hut.  While  Cowley  was  chopping  and  Sawyer  waiting 
for  au  armful,  the  latter  took  a  newspaper  from  his  pocket  aud 
pretended  to  read  it  to  his  fellow;  instead  of  which  he  was  pro- 
posing a  plan  of  escape.  After  the  Indians  were  sound  asleep 
the  friends  arose  aud  secured  their  weapons,  shaking  the  priming 
from  their  guns.  Sawyer,  with  a  tomahawk,  stood  over  the  most 
desperate  of  the  Indians,  while  Cowley,  with  his  axe,  placed  him- 
self beside  auother.  At  a  given  signal  the  blow  fell,  fatal  to  the 
two  Indians.  Sawyer  drew  the  haudle  from  his  weapou  iu  trying 
to  pull  it  from  the  skull  of  his  victim,  aud  Cowley  had  the  rest 
of  the  tragedy  to  finish.  As  another  rose  to  his  feet  he  partly 
warded  Cowley's  next  blow,  which  exposed  his  shoulder,  and  he 
fell  back  stunned.  The  fourth,  as  he  was  about  to  escape,  re- 
ceived a  heavy  1)low  from  the  axe,  tied  iuto  a  swamjJ  near,  where 
he  died.  The  Indian  who  was  stunned  recovered,  and  while  the 
victors  were  planning  their  next  course,  sprang  to  his  feet,  dashed 
through  the  tire,  caught  up  his  rifle,  snapped  it  at  one  of  his 
foes,   rau  out  of  the  hut  aud  disa})peared. 

Expecting  to  be  followed,  the  friends  took  a  zig  zag  course 
and  succeeded  iu  eluding  pursuit,  though  at  one  time  they 
counted  ten  Indians  in  pursuit  of  them.  After  suffering  much 
from  exposure,  and  still  more  from  hunger  they  finally  reached 
their  friends.* 

*  Abridged  from  Simms'  Frontiersman. 


Wtiere  Alexander  Harper  vuas  captured. 

Col.  Harpers  ftoriuirier\t. 

Site  of  Claxtoq  House. 


Towx  OF }i.\ni'i:nsiih:i.i>.  4-2:{ 

Sawver  is  said  to  biive  diid  iiiaiiv  years  alter  in  Williaiiistuwu, 
Massachusetts. 

St.  Led^'er  Cowley  eiaijirated  to  America  from  Duhliu,  Ireland, 
.•ilioiit  ITii'.i,  with  ills  wife.  Mary,  and  two  children,  •Jonathan  and 
Samuel,  and  settled  in  (ireenlmsh,  near  Albany,  where  he  eu^at^ed 
in  trade:  we  would  now  style  him  a  couiniercial  traveler, — uot 
exactly  a  peddler,  aud  uot  exactly  a  merchaut, — in  which  he  contiu- 
ued  several  years.  Exactly  when  he  reniove<i  to  this  section  is 
not  known,  liut  he  located  near  Blooniville,  perlnqis  continuinf)- 
the  same  business.  After  the  war  he  built  the  first  jurist  mill 
near  Stamford  villajre,  the  site  of  which  still  shows  ou  the  west 
side  of  the  river  a  few  rods  above  the  railroad  bridf^e,  below  the 
villagfe.  His  saw  mill  stood  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream, 
l)oth  bein^  supplied  l)y  tiie  same  dam.  His  house  stood  abo\it 
sixteen   rods   northwest    from    the    mill. 

After  his  death,  his  sou  William  moved  the  mill  to  a  site  near 
the  present  Stanley  mill  where  it  was  Ijurued.  His  children, 
born  in  this  country,  were  \\'illiani,  Polly,  Martha,  Elizabeth, 
.Vnn,  and  Ledger.  His  will,  the  tirsf  reconhd  in  Delaware  county, 
is  dated  Sept.  8(lth,  17!H),  aud  be(|ueaths,  iimon-^-  other  things, 
one  thousand  feet  of  pine  lumber  aud  ten  )iounds  lawful  money 
to  aid  in  the  completion  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Harpers- 
field;  it  disposes  of  about  "20(1  acres  of  land  in  Delaware  county, 
aud  tifty  acres  and  buildings  in  (ireeul>nsh,  besides  personal, 
and  names  his  friends,  Hon.  Joshua  H.  Brett,  Col.  John  Harper, 
and  his  sou  William  as  executors,  giving  to  each  the  sum  of 
seven  jiouuils  for  services.  The  will  was  })roved  .Vug.  7.  IT'.IT, 
before  Anthony  Marviue,  at  Kortright — now  Delhi.  His  only 
descendants  of  the  name  now  living  in  town  are  Wm.  A.  Cowley 
and  his  son  John  R.  Cowley;  the  former,  a  great-grandson  of  St. 
Leilger.  furnished  the  documents  and   iuformatiou    for   this  sketcli. 

C.^PTUKE    OV    THE    SlfiAR    M.\KERS. 

On  the  second  day  of  April,  17KU,  a  scouting  party  commanded 
by  ("apt.  Alexander  Harper,    fourteen   in    all,   was   sent   from   Scho- 


4:24  HISTORY  i)F  DKLAWARE  corxrv. 

biiiie  to  Hiupi'isticld  for  the  puijiosf  of  imikiuf^  maple  su^'iir,  aud 
watching  certain  disaffected  persons  in  that  vicinity.  The  names 
of  the  party  besides  Harper  were,  Freegift  and  Isaac  I'atchin, 
brothers,  Ezra  and  Henry  Thorp,  Thomas,  James,  and  John  Hen- 
drj',  brothers,  Cornelius  Teabout,  James  Stevens,  M'illiam  Lamb 
and  sou   Williiui],   Dr.    IJrowii,    and   one   other. 

Shortly  after  they  arrived  at  the  block-house  at  Harperstiehl 
where  they  deposited  their  provisions,  a  heavy  snow  storm  came 
on  during  which  about  three  feet  of  snow  fell,  in  addition  to  that 
already  on  the  ground. 

After  seeing  the  uu'u  fairly  engaged  in  sugar  making  at  the 
different  camps — tive  in  number — Harper  went  l)ack  to  S<hoharie 
on  some  business,  and  did  not  return  till  the  Sth. 

Among  the  early  settlers  was  one  Samuel  Claxton,  or  Clock- 
stone,  who  resided  on  Lot  No.  18,  (situated  on  the  road  since 
called  Smith  street.)  He  was  a  Tory  and  had  harbored  the  In- 
dians and  Tories  since  the  commencement  of  the  war.  The  house 
had  become  so  noted  in  this  respect  that  it  was  known  long  after 
the  war  as  the  "Tory  house."  It  was  situated  about  thirty  rods 
from  the  west  line  of  the  lot,  and  aliout  fifty  rods  from  the  present 
highway.  The  house  stood  on  the  trail  from  Schoharie  to  Har- 
pers field,  and  when  on  his  return  to  the  camps.  Harper  arriveil 
near  the  house,  instead  of  following  the  trail  in  a  curve  past  tlie 
house  he  determined  to  go  straight  across,  both  to  shorten  the 
distance  and  avoid  observation.  Near  the  large  tree  in  front  of 
the  house,  while  on  this  route,  he  stooped  to  fasten  his  snow- 
shoes,  when  Brant  and  two  other  Indians  came  upon  him  un- 
awares and  took  him  prisoner,  Brant  exclaiming  as  he  recognized 
him;  "Ah  I  Captain  Harper,  is  it  you?  I  am  sorry  to  see  you 
here."  "Why,"  said  Harper,  "are  you  sorry  to  see  me  here?" 
"Because,"  he  replied,  "I  must  kill  you,  though  we  were  school- 
mates in  youth."  Harper  replied  that  it  was  no  use  to  kill  those 
who  submitted  peaceably.  He  was  accordingly  bound  and  taken 
to   Claxton's    house,    where    he    found    the    rest    of    Brant's    forces. 


Tdwx  oh'  UMii'hJiisi-iKi.i).  425 

tiiiioiintin^^  ill  nil  to  forty-three  Imlirtiis  ami  seven  Tories.  Tliis 
Wiis    iilioiit    eij;lit    o'clock    in    the    niniuiuff. 

Ill  oriler  to  make  the  surprise  more  complete,  and  allow  noue 
to  escape,  the  enemy  were  distrilnited  so  as  to  fall  upon  all  th(* 
siij^ar  makers  at  once,  nud  so  well  was  it  carried  out  that  no  sig- 
nal of  alarm  was  j^iven.  \  company  a]i]iroathe(l  the  house  where 
Hteveus  was  eugaj^ed,  which  was  on  Lot.  No.  57.  He  liad  been 
up  most  of  the  uight  hoiling  sap.  and  towards  morning,  having 
boiled  all  the  stock  on  hand,  he  laid  down  in  the  store  trougli 
and  fell  j^sleep.  The  voices  of  the  enemy  awakened  him,  and  he 
sprang  up  to  get  his  gun,  when  an  Indian  came  to  the  door  and 
seeing  the  movement  threw  his  tomahawk,  which  Stevens  <lodged, 
and  catching  the  Indian  threw  him  head  foremost  into  the  coals 
uud<'r  the  kettle.  This  he  ha<l  scarcely  done  when  a  second  toma- 
li.awk  was  thrown,  killing  him  instantly,  when  he  w.as  scaljied 
and  left.  Four  years  later,  when  Samuel  and  Mrs.  Sally  Hunt 
Wilcox  moved  into  the  house,  blood  stains  were  plainly  seen  on 
the  floor. 

.\  second  ])arty  jiroi-eeded  to  the  camp  of  Thomas  Hendry  on 
Lot  No.  87,  when  he,  offering  some  resistance,  was  killed  and 
scalped,  while  his  brother  John,  submitting  peaceably,  was  taken 
prisoner.  Another  detachment  captured  William  Lamb  and  his 
son  William,  a  boy  eleven  years  of  age,  on  Lot  Xo.  S4.  L.iiub 
was  in  the  hut  when  taken.  The  son  was  gathering  s.ap,  and 
just  coming  to  the  hut,  when  seeing  the  Indians  he  dro]ipcd  his 
pails  and  ran  towards  the  Schoharie  trail,  but  reaching  a  place 
where  the  sun  had  softened  the  crust  he  began  to  break  through 
and  surrendered.  James  Hen<lry  is  supjiosed  to  have  been  killed, 
and  some  of  the  jjarty  captured  near  the  highway  leading  from 
the  school  house  of  district  No.  2  toward  the  (biylord  and  May- 
uar<l  farms.  Tlie  Patchins  and  Thorps  were  taken  near  the  north- 
west  (corner  of  L(jt   No.    "214,    now   owned   by   Dr.   S.    E.    Chuichill. 

.\fter  J)luuderiug  the  cami)s  of  sugar  and  othei-  aiticles,  the 
parties  reassembled   with   theii-  jilunder  and  prisoners,  when  Urant 


42()  HISTORY    OF    DKLA\YARE    COUNTY. 

(Iciiianded  of  Harper  whether  there  were  anv  truops  at  Scholiarie. 
Harj)er  saw  at  ouce  that  their  lives  depeiuleil  ou  his  auswer;  if 
he  said  '-Xo."  which  was  the  truth,  they  would  all  be  killed,  and 
the  eueaiy  would  proceed  to  Schoharie  and  perhaps  cut  off  the 
entire  settlement.  He  therefore  replied  that  three  hundred  con- 
tinentals arrived  there  three  days  l)efore — a  righteous  lie. 

The  party  then  started  for  Niagara  and  after  proceeding  a  few 
miles  met  Claxtou,  the  tory,  who  was  surprised  to  see  them,  as 
he  knew  them  all.  Brant  related  his  adventures,  and  how  he  had 
been   defeate<l   by   the  story  of  troops  at  Schoharie. 

"Troops!"  said  Claxton,  "There  are  no  troops  at  that  place, 
j'ou  may  rely  upon  it.  Captain  Brant;  I  have  heard  of  lioue." 
Brant  sj)raug  towards  Harper  and  exclaimed:  "How  came  you  to 
lie  to  me  so'?'"  when  Harper  turned  to  the  tory  and  said,  "You 
know,  Mr.  Claxton,  I  have  been  to  the  forts  alone,  and  if  Cap- 
tain lUant  disbelieves  me  he  does  it  at  his  peril."  His  going  the 
tory  did  know,  and  he  answered,   "Yes,  I  know    it." 

Several  miles  from  the  place  of  capture  the  party  halted  at  a 
grist  mill  owned  by  a  tory,  who  told  Brant  he  might  better  have 
taken  more  scalps  and  less  prisoners.  After  a  frightful  joui-ney 
during  which  captors  and  captives  nearly  starved,  they  reached 
Niagara,  where  Harper  found  friends  who  saved  him  from  much 
of  the  suffering  endured  by  his  comrades. 

After  the  war  Harjier  and  the  Patchius  and  Ezra  Thorp  re- 
turned to  Harperstield  where  they  had  before  resided;  after  a 
time  Harper  and  his  brother  Joseph,  with  a  number  of  others, 
removed  to  Ohio,   founding  Harperstield  in  that    state. 

Freeegift  Patchin  after  a  time  removed  to  North  Blenhciui, 
where  he  became  a  General  of  Militia,  and  ]\Ieml)er  of  Assenil>ly  for 
several  sessions.  Isaac  moved  to  Jetferson,  upon  land  owned  l)y 
his  wife,  and  died  at  about  seventy  years  of  age.  Ezi'a  Thorp 
never  married,  but  lived  for  many  years,  and  died  on  what  is  still 
known  as  "Thorp  Hill."  where   also   lived    another    brother,    Daniel, 


TOWX    OF   UAUI-KHSFIKIJ).  427 

who  at  the  time  of  tliis  liiiil  was  I'li^^a-^fd  iu  ilefeuse  of  the  coiist; 
j)i-iil)al>ly  Couuecticnit.  'Ihf  latter  was  father  uf  the  late  Nelson 
L.   Thorp  of  this  town. 

William  Lamb,  previous  to  the  war,  owued  the  farm  where  he 
was  captured,  and  when  released,  returned  there  and  luiilt  a 
house  east  of  tlie  toll  gate,  near  the  Centre,  where  he  died  aliout 
IHlit,  aged  eighty  years.  The  house  has  been  repaired  and  en- 
larged, and  is  now  owued  l\v  Joseph  Tate.  The  bt)y,  William, 
was  absent  eleven  years  before  he  reached  the  house  of  an  aunt 
in  Schoharie,  where  his  father  went  to  bring  him  home.  William 
afterwards  settled  iu  the  western  part  of  the  state  with  a  brother 
Peter.  Two  other  brothers  were  John  aud  David,  the  former 
passing  his  life  iu  Harperstield,  aud  leaving  a  son,  William  J. 
who  is  well  remembered.  David  was  an  easy,  improvideut  man, 
who  after  living  awhih-  in  Hari)erstield  removed  to  Kortright. 
M'ni.  R.  Stanley,  a  grandson  of  Wm.  Lamb,  is  now  ninety  years 
old.  Of  the  Hendrys,  only  John  was  married,  aud  his  wife  and 
a  son,  four  years  old,  were  at  Schoharie  when  he  was  captured. 
He  was  a  carpenter,  au<l  the  British  wished  him  to  go  to  Ber- 
muda to  work,  which  he  refused  to  do,  and  to  subdue  his  "in- 
different spirit"  as  they  called  it,  he  was  confined  in  a  dungeon 
at  Quebec,  in  which  he  died.  He  wrote  to  his  family  that  they 
might   kuow    why  he   was  so  cruelly   treated. 

The  foregoing  was  related  to  Simms  by  Thomas  Hendry,  the 
young  son  of  John,  whost;  widow  married  a  JTcPhersou  with  whom 
the  boy  lived  till  old  enough  to  learu  the  trade  of  ship  carjieuter. 
About  1800  he  moved  to  Lot  No.  ITS,  whirh  had  lieen  owned  by 
his  fatlier,  ami  l)uilt  a  small  framed  house,  which  was  unusual 
for  the  tirst  house  on  a  new  farm.  About  the  same  time  he  mar- 
ried Eupha  (Iraham,  by  whom  he  had  several  children,  of  whom 
William  ().  and  David  B.  settled  iu  town,  the  latter  on  the  home- 
stead, each  leaving  one  sou — James  A.,  son  of  William,  ainl  Charles 
M..   son  of  David.     Charles  now  owns  the  homestead. 


428  HISTORY   OF   DELAWARE    COrXTV. 

Of  the  celebrated   toiubstoues  to  the  meiudiv   of   the    murdered 

iuiil  captured  Hendrys   in    Harperstield   Rural  Ceuicterv,    one   was 

erected   by   Thomas   Heudrj',  iuscribed   as   follows: 

Sacred  to  the  Memory  of 

Thomas  and  John  Hendry, 

Who  was  Sacrificed  by  the  Tory   Party 

April  Kth,   1780, 

For  the  Crime  Called  Democracy. 

When  the  British  and  Tories,  O'er  This  Land  Bore  the    Sway, 

A  Less  Critel  Indian,  My  Body  Did  Slay*. 

Thomas  Hendry. 

When  my  Brother  was  Mirdered,  I  was  Standing  By, 

But  in  Qdebeck  Prison  I  was  Doomed  to  Die. 

John  Hendry. 

The  other  stone,  iimch  older,  is  iuscribed: 

In   ;\Ifmory  of  Mr.  James  Hendry, 
Who  was  Killed  by  Indians  and  Tories, 
April  Hth,   1780, 
In   the  :{i(TH   Year  of  His  A<iE. 
While  British  Tiranny  Overspread  This  Land 
I  was  Slain  by  Criel  Hands. 
W^illiam  Heudry,  a  brother   of  John,   James,   and   Thomas,   set- 
tled on  Lots  No.  15  and   1(5,  after  the  war.     He  married  Catharine 
Hall,  from  Mohawk.     Of  his  children,    William    lived   in   Jefferson, 
Schoharie    county,    leaviuj^-    a    numerous    family.      Catharine    mar- 
ried  Clark  Bryan,    who   died   youn^-,    leaving  three  sons,  of  whom 
William   published  a   newspaper  for  many   years  in   Hudson,    and 
Clark  W.  is  now  publisher  of  "(n)od  Housekeeising  "  at  Springfield, 
Mass.     Their   mother  lived   to   be   nearly    or    quite   ninety.     Polly 
married   William  Buckingham,  who   was   a  soldier  of  1812,  super- 
visor and  justice  of  the  peace   of  the   town,  and  Lieut,  of  Cavalry 
in  the  Anti-Rent  war.     They  passed   their  lives  on   the   old   farm. 
He   died   in    IS-Ki,    she   living    many   years    longer,    leaving  a  large 
{amilv   of  children. 


TOWX   OF   HA RI'KliS FIELD.  429 

As  earlv  as  1782  an  c)])iin(iii  ]ii(\aile(l  anion;,'  the  Tories  iu 
this  section  that  a  chan^jc  of  iesi(h'm'('  was  ilesinible,  auil  a  liastv 
removal  was  the  couseiiueuce.  The  followiug  incidents  would 
indicate  that  their  opinions  were  well   ^^rouuded: 

Among  the  must  cruel  and  malicious  of  tlie  Tories  was  one 
Beacraft.  who  was  one  of  the  seven  with  Brant  at  the  capture  of 
the  sugar  makers.  The  night  of  the  capture  the  prisoners  were 
confined  in  a  log  pen,  and  Beacraft,  one  of  the  guards,  would 
freijiieutlv  call  to  them,  "You'll  all  l)e  in  hell  before  morning," 
while  all  througli  the  journev  to  Niagara  he  was  continually  taunt- 
ing them,  and  boasting  of  the  numerous  cruelties  lie  liad  committed 
and  particularly  of  having  cut  the  throat  of  a  little  Vroman  boy, 
then  scalping  him  and  hanging  his  body  across  a  fence.  This 
continual  boasting  and  nagging  was  kejit  u]>  till  the  prisoners 
all  hatccl  him  with  a  deadly  bate.  .\fter  the  war  he  had  the  im- 
pudence to  return  to  .Schoharie.  His  j>reseuce  becoming  known 
H  party  of  AVhigs  surrounded  the  house  he  was  in,  near  where 
the  Blenheim  bridge  now  stands,  and  leading  him  from  it  into 
a  grove  neail>y,  wliiiiped  liim  with  hickory  gads,  giving  him  be- 
tween every  ten  lashes  the  reasons  for  that  particular  uundjer; 
this  was  continued  till  he  was  nearly  dead,  and  some  of  them 
out  of  pity   put   an   end    to   his   sufferings. 

Simms  recites  the  story  that  he  thanked  thciii  for  sparing  his 
life,  an<l  was  never  afterward  heard  from  l)y  the  citizens  of  Scho- 
harie, and  the  foregoing  exj)lains  that  although  it  was  a  terrible 
punishment  there   was  a  terrible    ])ro vocation. 

Simms  relates  also  that  a  party  from  Harpersfield  went  down 
the  Delaware  and  gave  the  miller  who  preferred  their  scalps  to 
their  persons  nearly  a  hundred  lashes;  and  from  thence  proceeded 
to  the  house  of  a  Tory  neighbor  and  gave  him  al)Out  the  same, 
g'iving  as  a  reason  that  they  had  harbored  and  fed  tlie  enemy  on 
their  way  to  niiirder  their  neighl)Ors.  The  ciil])rits  were  both 
ndnioDisbed  to  leave  the  coiintry  and  never  return.  One  of  them, 
it   is  supposed,    went    to    Camubi    and    staid    there,    the   other   went 


430  IllsrORY    OF    DF.I, AWARE    COVXTY. 

to  Albany  coiiiity  lor  u  time,  l)ut  was  afterwards  allowed  to  re- 
turn. The  Tory  C'laxton  sold  liis  land  to  a  C'apt.  James  Smith, 
who  had  been  a  soldier  iu  the  French  war  and  in  the  Hev(jlutiou, 
and  though  Claxton  was  never  accused  of  cruelty  to  the  patriots, 
his  havin<^-  harbored  the  enemy  made  him  so  diltideut  of  meeting 
his   old    nei^'hbors   that    he   came    back    in    the  ni^ht  to  ^-et  his  pay. 

Capt.  Smith  came  from  Haddani,  Conn.,  and  buyiuji'  Lot  Xo. 
12  in  addition  cut  the  two  lots  across  into  five  farms,  phicinfj- 
his  four  sons,  Frederick,  Nehemiah,  Hubbard,  and  James  Jr.,  on 
four  of  them,  and  disposing'  of  the  tifth  to  a  friend,  or  relative. 
William  Dart.  Each  farm  contained  fifty  acres,  beiuf,'  forty  rods 
wide  and  two  hundred  rods  lou^'.  Frederick  and  James  Jr.  had 
also  been  soldiers  in  the  Revolution.  The  reason  for  Captain 
Smith's  removal  to  this  country  was  to  prevent  his  sons  from  be- 
coming sailors,  which  was  likely  to  l>e  the  case  if  they  remained 
in  Haddam. 

David  Garmsey  was  another  soldier  who  settled  in  the  same 
school  district,  being  on  Lot  No.   5(5. 

Abijah  Baird,  also  a  soldier,  settled  on  Lot  No.  ;i"2,  at  the  top 
of  the  ]\Iiddlebrook  hill,  in  ITS!),  his  lot  cornering  on  the  south- 
east with  Cajjt.  Smith  and  on  the  southwest  with  Mr.  Garmsey. 
He  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  town.  It  is  said  he  intended  to  go 
further,  but  looking  over  the  great  forest  ahead,  he  was  discour- 
aged,   and  concluded   to  sto])   where   he   was. 

The  Harpers  came  back  in  17s:i  S4.  The  Colonel  rebuilt  his 
grist  mill,  and  his  wife  having  died  during  the  war,  he  married 
the  widow  of  his  cousin,  Joseph  Harper,  by  whom  he  had  two 
daughters,  Abigail  and  Sally.  Of  his  nine  children,  only  Margaret, 
who   married   Hon.    Roswell   Hotchkiss,  passed  her  life  iu  this  town. 

Tradition  says  the  Colonel  had  a  saw  mill  near  his  grist  mill,, 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  below  the  Centre;  if  so  no  signs  of  it  re- 
main; biit  he  built  a  saw  mill  on  the  Middle  brook,  not  far  from 
the  school  house  of  Dist.  No.  VI,  one  of  them  being  the  first  saw 
mill  in  town.      With  the   Harpers,    and    following   them,   came   most 


Yillaae  of  Halcottville. 


Villaue  of  Kelly's  Corriers 


TOWX   OF   IIMil'KKSFIKl.l).  J,^;^' 

of  the  earlier  settli-rs — thou-^'b  some  hiul  sickeuetl  of  hardships 
:iiul  gone  back  to  the  ohler  settlemeuts, — followeil  by  mauv  uew 
settlers.  Aiiioug  the  tirst  of  the  ucw  oues  was  Samuel  Wilcox, 
who,  as  before  iiieiitioued,  iiiDved  iutu  tlie  house  where  Jimies 
Stevens  was  killed  in  ITSO.  He  became  a  ]iroiiiinent  man,  was 
Supervisor,  Justiee.  and  one  of  the  tirst  Deacons  of  the  Baptist 
church,  when  he  came  near  being  placed  on  trial  for  shooting  a 
wolf  on  Sunday;  the  wolf  being  found  prowling  around  the  log 
pen    wlicre   the    Deacon   housed   his    slu'cp. 

.\nother  settler  of  17.S8  or  1784  was  Levi  Gaylord,  tirst  Deacon 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  who  came  with  his  sons,  Levi,  Jedediah,. 
and   Joel,  all  of  whom  became  jirominent.  and  useful  men  in  town. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  tlic  earliest  known  settlers  on  the 
various  lots  in  town,  revised  from  a  list  made  several  years  ago: 
Ijot  2,  Aaron  Scott:  '.\,  Samuel  Southmayd;  4,  Daniel  Lindsley:  •">. 
Daniel  Nichols;  (>,  John  Brown;  7,  Amos  Baruum;  8,  Kaymoud 
.Starr:  it,  Ezra  Nichols;  10,  William  Baird:  l-->,  ('apt.  James  Smith; 
i;f,  Samuel  Claxton;  14,  Hazard  and  Salmon  W.  Beardsley;  15,  Kv 
William  Hendry;  17,  Phinneas  Bennett;  18,  James  Morrison:  li>,^ 
2(1,  Levi  Gaylord;  21,  Ezra  Thorp;  22,  Joseph  and  John  Barnum: 
23,  Edward  Evans;  24,  25,  Joseph  Benson,  Nathan  Holmes;  2(i, 
Joseph  Kitte;  27,  Najah  Beardsley;  28,  Lewis  Peutield:  211,  John 
r.indsley;  80,  Eden  Hamilton;  .'il,  -.Vl.  Abijali  Band;  X\  34,  Caleb- 
(lil)bs;  .'55,  Stephen  Judd;  30,  37,  Thomas  Hendry;  3H,  Joel  Gay- 
lonl:  3'.t.  James  Montgomery;  40,  Daniel  Edwards;  41,  Freegift 
Patchin;  42,  Ezra  Thorp;  43,  Daniel  Thorj);  48,  Gabriel  Gray;  50,. 
51,  Samuel  and  John  Kuap]p;  52.  Muttliiw  Lindsley;  53,  James 
Si)encer;  54,  Plymeut  Dayton;  55,  Voluntine;  5(),  David  Garnisey; 
57,  James  Stevens;  58,  Samuel  Wilcox:  5!(,  Richard  Bristol;  (iO, 
David  Lamb;  (Jl,  William  McEarlaud;  (>2,  Thomas  Maxou;  63,  Syl- 
venus  Graves;  (>4,  Samuel  Stevens;  (55,  John  Moutgomery:  <ili, 
Joshua  Drake;  (III,  Hemau  C'oi>ley:  7(i,  .Vl)cl  Sclcy;  72,  Hcnjamin 
Pierce;  73,74,  Isaac  Pierce;  75,  Benjamin  Owens;  7(i,  James  Bryan; 
78,   Davtou;  70,  Ezekiel   Baird;  8(1,  Zacli.   Brvau;   81.  Presbv- 


4:54  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVSTV. 

teriau  church;  S2,  Alexiiudcr  Harper;  h:5,  Jt>hu  M()utjiroiiier\  ;  S4, 
William  Lamb;  85,  Thelus  Hotchkis;  87,  Uriah  Adams;  88,  Asa 
Warner;  89,  Noah  Buck;  IH),  (irershom  Davis;  91,  Robert  Eus:lish; 
t);"),  John  Birdsall;  97,  Joseph  Copley;  98,  Perez  Pierce;  109,  191, 
James  Campbell;  10:i,  Isaac'  Dayton;  1(14,  Abel  Dayton;  1(15,  Ki)ine- 
tus  Buckiupfhani;  l()(i,  Andrus  Jerome;  1()7,  Zadoc  Osboru;  198, 
Colonel  Harper;  110,  Joshua  H.  Brett;  111,  112,  Abrani  Williams; 
ll:S,  Richard  Stanley;  114,  Daniel  Peters;  117,  Alden  Bennett;  119, 
Jacob  Titus;  120,  Lemuel  Birdsall;  121,  John  Hari)er;  12H,  Samuel 
Campbell;  124.  William  I.  Harper;  12'),  Burgoyne  ^Icllvaine;  127, 
Hug-h  and  John  McCuUoui^h;  128,  129,  Benjamin  Morse;  130,  Joel 
Davis;  131,  Daniel  Prentice;  132,  Roswell  Hotchkis;  133,  Colonel 
Harper;  13(i,  William  McClure;  137,  Martin  Kello-ifK;  l-^*^.  Elisha 
Sheldon:  139,  Eliab  Wilcox;  142,  William  Butts;  143,  144,  Gideon 
and  John  Wickham;  145,  Ezekiel  Woodbeck;  152,  Samuel  Doane; 
153,  Joel  Hubbard,  sen.;  154,  Robert  AVatkius;  155,  15(i,  Samuel 
and  Thomas  Loyd;  159,  Ransom  Packard;  KJO,  James  Douj^lass; 
IGl,  Uriah  Odell;  l(i4,  Elial)  Wilcox;  108,  Charles  MeMulleu;  1(59, 
Heman  Copley;  170,  Robert  Henderson;  171,  Simcoii  Fuller;  173, 
James  Bell;  174,  Abel  Seley;  175,  Colonel  William  Harper;  17(1, 
James  Scott;  178,  John  Hendry;  179,  James  Brown;  180,  181,  Ros- 
well  Hotchkis;  182,  Joel  Mack;  184,  Robert  Hamilton;  185,  David 
Hendry;  188,  William  Wardwell;  189,  John  McClelland;  190, 
Thomas  Porter;  195,  Robert  and  John  Wool;  19(5,  John  Wilson; 
197,  Daniel  Butler;  203,  Benjamin  Odell;  204,  Ruliff  Voorhis;  205, 
20(i,  David  and  John  Wilcox;  207,  Andrew  Rickey;  210,  Stephen 
Churchill;  217,  St.  Leger  Cowley;  219,  Peter  Monfort. 

On  the  northeast  corner  of  the  town  Benjamin  Bartholomew 
and  his  brothers,  Thomas,  Joseph,  James,  and  Jt)hu,  both  before 
and  alter  the  war  owned  five  lots  called  the  Bartholomew  tract, 
or  thousand  acres;  five  other  lots  being  north  of  the  Charlotte. 
They  built  mills  on  westerly  lots,  but  which  side  of  the  creek  is 
unknown. 

On  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town  Benjamin  and  Ebenezer 
Poster,    Daniel    Sawyer,    and    Isaac    Cleveland  were  early  settlers. 


TOM'X   OF    IIARrHliSFlKl.D.  435 

A  lai->»'e  part  of  wluit  is  cjillcil  Middle  lnook  was  settlid  l>_v 
people  from  Daiil)iirv,  Coiiu.,  iiud  for  suiuf  tiiiii'  was  called  New 
Daulnirv. 

Some  veai's  aj^o  Mr.  .loliii  Nieliols.  then  in  liis  iiinety-tliii'd 
vear,  stated  that  he  \v:is  fuiir  years  old  wheu  his  father,  E/ra 
Nichols,  settled  ou  Lot  '.',  now  ()wiie<l  l>y  Isaac  P.  Nicliols.  The 
first  work  after  their  arrival  was  t<>  erect  a  h)fjf  house,  which  was 
built  of  peeled  tii'  poles  notched  toj^ether  at  the  corners,  the 
spaces  between  the  poles  beiug  tilled  with  mnd.  The  roof  was 
covered  with  lar<ife  pieces  of  elm  hark  fastened  on  with  wooden 
pius.  The  door  was  a  woolen  blanket,  and  the  tloor  was  of  sticks, 
split  in  halves  and  hewed  as  smooth  as  possible,  and  called  punch- 
eons. Mr.  Nichols  believed  that  he  killed  the  tiist  skunk  ever 
seen  iu  town;  he  had  set  a  trap  uear  a  dead  horse  hoi)iiif^-  to  catch 
a  fox.  Ou  Koiufj  to  see  what  he  had  caught  he  found  a  siMall 
spotted  animal  fast,  but  busily  gnawing  at  the  horse.  I'pon  his 
trying'  to  loosen  the  trap  he  was  astonished  to  tind  himself  in 
the  midst  of  a  tei'ribly  disagreeable  odor  which  nearly  tcmk  away 
his  breath.  He  killed  the  animal,  however,  and  was  told  at  home 
what  it  was.  He  sold  the  skin  to  a  ^Ir.  Montgomery  who  ke})t 
a  store  at  the  Centre,  and  it  was  there  nailed  uj)  as  a  curiosity. 
Mr.  Nichols  sai<l  also  that  ci'ows  did  not  appear  for  some  years 
after  their  arrival. 

As  related  by  ^Ir.  David  Ji.  Baird,  -a  grandson  of  Abijah, — one 
of  these  New  Daubury  settlers,  Jehu  Kuapp,  was  rather  eccentric, 
and  being  greatly  troubled  Ijv  the  sliee]i  of  a  neighbor  named  Day, 
which  persisted  in  foraging  on  his  crojas,  Kna])]!  finally  caught 
one  i)f  the  sheej),  and  cutting  a  slit  in  one  hind  leg  stuck  the  other 
leg  through  it.'  The  shee])  hobbled  home  and  the  rest  stayed  away; 
not  long  after.  Knapp's  uld  sow  got  down  to  Day's  and  came  home 
with  her  mouth  i  ut  njien  as  fai-  l>ack  as  a  knife  would  lin.  Kiia]>]i 
■went  for"  Day  for  misusing  his  hog  so,  and  was  coolly  told  that 
•  when  that  sow  got  down  here,  and  see  how  funny  that  'er  sheep 
looked  with  one  leg  tucked  through  t'other,  she  just  split  her 
mouth  laughin'." 


436     •  HISTORY  OF  iiF.i.AWAiih:  rdiwrv. 

In  till'  iiiii-tliwfstfi'ii  [lai't  1)1'  the  town,  on  wlntt  is  still  known  as- 
(^luiker  Hill.  tluTc  settled  from  Duteliess  county  ii  colony  of 
Quakers,  or  Friends,  as  they  styled  themselves,  of  about  twenty 
families  who  built  a  lofj  churcli  with  a  \o'^  partition  through  the 
middle  to  sejiarate  the  men  from  the  women.  If  a  couple  wished 
to  marry,  the  youuf^'  man  stated  their  intention  to  the  meetiuL;'  and 
took  his  scat  with  his  intended  on  the  women's  side.  Preachinpr 
was  only  as  the  spirit  moved;  often  uothinj^'  was  said;  just  shook 
hands  and  separated. 

Harpersfield,  the  only  ori<)inal  town  iu  Delaware  county,  was 
first  organized  April  27,  17S7.  and  covered  about  the  same  territory 
as  the  250,000  acre  tract  purchased  from  the  Indians  June  14,  17('iS. 
For  some  reason  this  act  was  inoperative;  and  March  7th,  17H8,  the 
town  was  again  organized  as  follows:  Harpersfield,  and  all  that 
part  of  the  said  county  of  Montgomery  between  the  C"ook(|uago 
branch  of  the  Delaware  river  and  the  branch  of  the  Sus(|uehauna 
river  called  Adiquitauge,  beginning  at  a  rock  maple  tree  marked  on 
four  sides  with  a  blaze  and  three  notches,  and  with  the  letters  and 
figures  .\..  C,  1708,  standing  on  a  high  point  of  laud  at  the  south 
side  of  a  small  lake  called  by  the  Indians  Utsayantha.  from  whence 
the  said  branch  of  the  Delaware  called  by  the  Indians  Cookquago- 
issues,  and  running  from  thence  North  thirty  degrees  West  to  the 
said  Adiquitange,  and  thence  down  the  same  and  the  Susiiuehanna 
to  the  bounds  of  Pennsylvania,  and  East  along  the  same  to  the 
river  Delaware,  and  then  up  the  siime  river  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  be  and  is  hereby  erected  into  a  town  by  the  mime  of 
Hari^ersfield. 

The  territory  embraced  averaged  about  fourteen  miles  wide  by 
about  sixty  miles  long;  and  from  it  nineteen  towns  and  parts  of 
towns  have  been  formed  iu  tlie  counties  of  Broome,  Chenango,. 
Delaware  and  Otsego.  The  names  of  the  towns  ai-e:  Afton,  Bain- 
bridge,  Colesville,  Davenport,  Delhi,  Deposit,  Franklin,  Hamden.. 
Harpersfield,  Kortright,  Masonville,  Meredith,  Oneonta,  S.iuford. 
Sidney,  Stamford,  Tompkins.  Walton,  and  Windsor. 


rnwx  iiF  iiMxfi-:i;sFih:i.ii  4:^7 

Altliciuji;h  partiiij^  with  so  nnicli  tcrriturv  has  nunh-  the  ohl  town 
tlic  siiiiiHcst  ill  the  (•(uiiity,  rciluciiij^'  her  from  more  thiui  eight 
.huudred  to  but  little  iiidrc  tluiii  forty  square  miles,  she  is  the  best 
Jookiug  town  of  the  lot,  as  the  ma])  will  show. 

'riic  lirst  town  meeting  of  which  any  record  exists  was  liehl 
Vpril   1,   1787,    as  follows: 

Chosen  unanimously,  A\'m.  Cure,  moderator;  John  Harper, 
■treasurer;  Samuel  Wilcox.  John  Deuiston,  assessors;  Isaac  Patchiu, 
Sen.,    collector;   E/ra   Thorp,   'i'helus   Hot<'hl<iss,   const.aliles. 

June  1"J,  17S7.  This  day  appointed  Wni.  McFarland  Towii 
i<.'lerk  in  jilace  of  Walter  S.iliiu.  former  Clerk,  al)seut,  and  Isaac 
Patchin.   Sen.,    Assessor,  in  jjlace  of  Benjamin  Bartholomew,  absent. 

At  a  town  meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  District  of  Har- 
persfield,  voted  at  the  house  of  Alexandei-  Har]ier,  Esq.,  on  Tuesday 
the  first  day  of  April,   .V.    D.    1788: 

Ist,   voted:      Wm.   McEarlaud,   Town    Clerk. 

'Id.   voted:     Edward  Paine,  Es(j.,  Supervisor. 

8d,    voted:      E/ra   Thorp.   Constable. 

4th,  voted:  Levi  (iaylord,  Samuel  \\'il<-o\,  (labriel  North.  Shi- 
man   Wattles,   and   David   Parsons,   Assessors. 

5th,  voted:  Stephen  Judd,  Moses  Clark,  autl  Simeon  Hyde, 
collectors. 

litli,   voted:     Alexander  Harper,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 

7th.  voted:  William  Hendry,  John  Brown.  Nathaniel  Skinner, 
iiichard  Bristol,  Ezra  Paine,  John  Gardner,  Path  Masters;  Eli 
Reynolds,  Jr.,  (iideon  Frisliee,  Beuajah  McCall,  Samuel  Johnson, 
and  Hugh  Thompson,  Path  Masters  for  P.  D.  (supposed  Paint'S- 
dale.) 

8th.    voted:      ('apt.    David   Parsons,   Benj.    Morse,    Poor   Masters. 

'••th,  voted:  Levi  Gaylord,  Samiu^l  Wilcox.  E/ra  Paiue,  Sam- 
uel Johnson,  Fence  Viewers. 

Kith,  voted:  Daniel  Mack,  James  Douglass,  Fiancis  Clark, 
iSenaj'ii   McCall,  'Prisers  damages. 

The    second    town    meeting    held    .\])riJ    7tli.    178".),  at   the  same 


438  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COIWTY. 

place,  elected  besides  persons  within  the  pr<  s^ut  limits  of  tbe 
town,  Closes  Clark  of  Hampden,  and  Robert  Freeman,  Walton, 
Constables;  Alex.  Smith.  Johorakim  Burfifett,  and  Gabriel  North, 
Assessors;  Robert  Freeman,  .SiV)bles  Bennett,  Collectors;  Jacob 
Houghtail,  Henry  Buryett,  Dau'l  Parker,  Nathaniel  Wattles,  John 
Ogden,  Witter  Johnson,  Michael  Goodrich,  Joshua  Pine,  David 
Harrow,  Path  Masters.  May  Jllth  of  the  same  year  was  the  first 
election  of  commissioners  of  hij^hways;  previously  they  had  either 
been  appointed  by  courts  of  Special  Sessions  or  commissioned  by 
the  Governor.  Such  a  commission  issued  to  Hon.  Roswell  Hotch- 
kiss  is  still  in  existence.  The  commissioners  elected  were  Samuel 
Wilcox,  Jared  Goodrich  and  Nathaniel  Wattles.  Also  at  the  same 
time,  Abel  Kidder  of  Franklin,  Kenoth  Chisholm  of  Painesdale, 
Andrew  Kilt'  of  Goalsborou^'h,  and  Georf^e  Wiseamore  of  Whites- 
borough,    were    elected    Pathmasters. 

The  following  resolutions  would  indicate  that  these  town  meet- 
ings had  considerable  authority  over  the  other  districts,  or  that 
they  were  rather  free  with  criticism: 

April  6th,  179(1,  voted:  That  the  proceedings  of  Kortright, 
Hampden,  Walton,  and  Clinton  are  ajjpproved  of  and  ratified  by 
this    meeting. 

April  5th,  1791.  voted:  That  the  proceedings  of  Kortright, 
Hampden,  Walton,  Franklin,  and  Charlotte  river,  be  ratified  and 
approved  of  by  this  meeting. 

April  8J,  17!I2.  voted;  That  the  proceedings  of  the  town  of 
Kortright  shall  not  be  ratified  by  this  meeting. 

April  "2,  1798.  The  proceeilings  of  Kortright,  viz:  (.\pproved, 
of  course. ) 

Grover  Smith,  commissioner  of  ro.-ids;  Thomas  McClaugliry. 
James  Stewart,  assessors;  Thomas  McClaughry,  Caleb  D.  Ferris, 
overseers  poor;  Ephraim  Barrit,  Grover  Smith,  Warner  Lake,  David 
Mcllvaine,  Daniel  Harris,  Aaron  Stewart,  Caleb  D.  Ferris.  Hugh 
Sloan,  John  French,  James  Stewart,  Richard  McClaughry,  Thomas 
McClaughry,  pathmasters. 


T(ny.\   OF  IIARPERSFIELD.  -t3;> 

A  later  resoliition  reiuls:  Any  lin;^-  louiul  ou  the  ruiniiums  with- 
out being  well  rinf^'cil  mid  yoked,  .thall  pti;/  a  tine  of  titty  ccuts. 

Another  time  it  was  voted :  That  hofj's  on  the  ooiiiiuon  shall  In- 
irriix/i-il  iu  the  nose  on  peniilty  of  twenty-five  cents. 

The  followinj;;  seems  to  show  that  the  town  came  (|U!ti-  near 
luiitiii^'  (•hiircli  and  state: 

April  "ili,  ITllt'i,  Resolved:  that  all  the  money  that  has  arose  from 
the  excise  in  this  town  shall  l)e  collected  ami  loaned  to  the  proprie- 
tors of  the  Presbyterian  meetiuj,'  house,  at  the  usual  interest  on 
dcniaiid.  for  the  purjiosc  of  carryiu;;  on  the  liuildiu^''. 

April  2.  IT'.l'.t.  iiesolved:  that  tin-  excise  money  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  shall  be  aj)propriat<Ml  to  the  special  use 
of  the  several  religious  societies  and  dissenters,  to  be  for  their  use 
forever,  within  the  town  of  Harperstield,  for  the  puri)ose  of  erecting 
or  rej)airing  houses  of  public  worsliiji  or  other  juirijoses,  and  that 
the  assessors  of  said  town  for  the  last  year  shall  be  empowered  to 
ascertain  what  proportion  of  said  money  belongs  to  t^ach  religious 
society  and  dissenters,  in  pro])ortiou  to  last  year's  tax  list,  each 
Bociety  producing  a  list  of  the  nicmhers  of  their  own  society  under 
the  hands  of  their  jjarticular  members,  within  six  months  after  this 
second  day  of  April,  179'.t,  an<l  the  mcuieys  to  be  paid  over  to  the 
societies  or  persons  entitled  thereto,  within  one  year  from  this  date. 

Mai'ch  2,  1H02,  Resolved:  that  the  money  now  due  the  town, 
iu  the  hanils  of  the  Coiniiiittee  of  the  I'resbytcrian  meeting  house, 
shall  be  laid  out  towards  repairing  au<l  finishing  the  said  house 
for  the  benefit  of  said  town  to  hold  Public  Town  .Meetings,  and 
when  necessary,  anil  when  the  whole  of  said  sum,  which  is  ^\(\'2 
;iiid  cents,  with  the  interest  till  paid,  shall  be  laid  out  in  iii.iniier 
aforesaiil,  which  shall  be  <lone  liy  the  tirst  of  November  next, 
then  the  notes  given  by  said  Committee  of  said  house  shall  be 
given  u])  and  <lischarged.  Rut  if  not  laid  out  m  manner  as  above, 
then  the  privilege  hereby  meant  to  be  granted  by  said  town  to 
be   forfeited. 

Rv    resolution    passed   March   fi,    Isdt,   one    lmndre<l    doll.ns    of 


440  HISTOHY    Oh'    DKLAWAHK    CUVXTY. 

■excise  mouey  was  given  to  the  Bajjtist  society  to  :ii<l  in  Iniilding'  the 
cliurcli  near  Stevens',  the  town  to  ha\c  the  \ise  of  the  church  for 
j)ul)lic  nieetiu^fs  if  the  societj-  do  not  uecd  it  at  the  same  time;  Init 
in  isri  when  application  was  made  to  the  town  meeting  for  help  to 
huild  a  school  house  out  of  the  excise  money,  it  was 

Resolved,  theretm:   that  the  town  cannot  ap]iroj)riate  any  of  said 
mouey  for  erecting  common  school  houses. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  olKcers  from  the  first  recorded: 
Sujiervisors:  1T8H,  Edward  Paine;  1789-98,  William  McFarland; 
1794,  Samuel  Wilcox;  1795-97,  1S12-18,  Roswell  Hotehkiss;  1798, 
Aaron  Wheeler;  1799,  Salmon  W.  Beardsley;  lK()()-()4,  Levi  (lay- 
lord;  18()5-()(;,  ISU-K;,  1818-:20,  1824-'2r),  t'yrenus  Gibbs;  1807, 
(xiles  Humistou;  1808-10,  Elisha  Sheldon;  1817,  1821-28,  1820,  1829, 
James  Ells;  1827,  Samuel  Stevens,  Jr.;  1828,  1880,  Baruch  Taylor; 
1881,  Frederic  A.  Fenn;  1882,  l88(;-87,  Stoddard  Stevens;  1888-84, 
Nathan  Bristol;  188."),  1848-44,  William  Buckingham;  1838-40, 
Lymau  Hakes;  1841-42,  Phineas  L.  Bennett;  184.5-40,  Johu  Harper; 
1847,  Asahel  Cowley;  1848-49,  Johnson  B.  Bragg;  18.50-51,  Ira  S. 
Birdsall;  1852-53,  Elias  B.  Penfield;  18.54,  18i;(),  ^[ichael  Daytcm; 
1855,  Jeffrey  H.  Chamjilin;  185(),  Sheldon  A.  Givens;  1857,  James 
S.  Peters;  1858-59,  18()()-()9,  Norman  P.  Dayton;  l8(il-(;3,  Richard 
E.  Davis;  1804,  Henry  TenEyck,  Jr.;  1805,  Truman  B.  Seley;  1870, 
John  L.  Beardsley;  1871-72,  1878-88,  Allen  S.  Gibbs;  1873-75, 
Richtniyer  Hubbell;  1870-77,  Haujilton  S.  Preston;  1884,  Calvin 
Hull;  1885-87,  Amos  Barnum;  1888-91,  Levi  B.  YanDu.sen;  1892-95, 
Johu  J.  McArtliur;  189(;-97,  William  M.  Beckley;  1898,  .John  W. 
Dayton. 

.  Town  Clerks:  1787,  Walter  Sabin;  1788-89,  AViUiam  McFar- 
land:  17S»(l-94,  18()()-nl,  Roswell  Hotehkiss;  1795,  Aanm  Wheeler; 
1790  99,  Levi  Gaylord;  1802-03,  Salmon  W.  Beardsley;  1804,  Enos 
Bell;  1805,  James  Smith,  Jr.;  1800,  Eliab  Wilcox;  1807-10,  Peter 
Pentield;  1811,  John  Davenport;  1812-14,  Joshua  H.  Brett;  1815, 
James  Ells;  1810-17,  Ebenezer  Penfield;  1818,  Cornell  Smith.  Jr.; 
1819-21,  John  Lake;  1822-28,  Joseph  Hotehkiss;  1824.   182(),  Aaron 


Village  of  ArKviUe  iq  Distarice. 


Village  of  New  Kirigsioq. 


TOWX  OFIIAh-l'KRSFfELD.  443 

Willi. x;  l.s-io,  Aiisim  Pciiriclil;  18-27-:!(l.  Ficileiick  A.  Feiiu;  l,s;Jl-32, 
Nathan  Hiistol;  ls:{:{-84,  .Jos(].li  W.  Habi'ui-k;  1885-87,  1848,  Jobu- 
■80n  B.  Bragg;  1888,  Smith  rcntichl:  188'.)-4(),  Myrou  Tremsiiu; 
1841-42,  James  McMiu;  1844-45,  Heuiy  K.  Hamiltou;  184G,  1858, 
Alexauder  Dales;  1847-48,  James  Fraui-e;  184it-5(),  Horace  Lock- 
wood;  1851,  I8t!(l-(i8,  Elias  B.  Peutield;  1852,  William  C.  Lamont; 
1858,  E.  L.  H.  Moeller:  1854,  Beuj.  F.  Gibbs,  Jr. ;  1855,  AUeu  S. 
(iibbs;  185f),  Russel  D.  Baird;  1857,  1859,  William  Elsbree;  1804. 
C'alviii  H.  Peters;  18(15,  Lewis  C.  Wilveruail;  18(1(5,  John  Bell;  1807- 
08,  Kichtuiyer  Hubbell;  1809,  Seth  W.  Hubbard;  1870-78,  1887-89, 
Samuel  I).  Hubbard;  1874-75,  Peter  I.  Merriam;  1870,  1879,  Charles 
L.  Foote;  1877,  Thomas  M.  Douglass;  1878,  Alviu  F.  Laiu;  1880, 
Samuel  H.  Vau  Dusen;  1881-88,  Hiram  P.  Hubbell;  1884,  Charles 
W.  Phincle;  1885-80,  Jay  :M.  Dyer;  1890,  1898-98,  (leorge  B.  Dav- 
enport; 1891,  (Jideoii  E.  Wirkham;  181(2,  William  S.  Dart. 

Justices  of  the  Peace:  1780,  Alexauder  Harper;  1791,  Joshua  H. 
Brett;  1808,  Elisha  Sheldon,  Samuel  Wilcox;  1804,  Roswell  Hotch- 
kiss;  1800,  Salmon  W.  Beardsley;  1809,  Cyrenus  Gibbs;  1812,  Eden 
Hamiltou;  1814,  Peter  Penfield,  Cornell  Smith;  1821,  Calvin  How- 
ard; 1828,  Stephen  Lockwood,  Barucli  Taylor,  Samuel  Stevens, 
Kaynioud  Starr;  1827,  Josejjh  Copley;  1828,  Frederick  A.  Fenn; 
1830,  James  Spencer  (elected);  1881-85,  John  Wool;  1882-84,  James 
Bristol;  1882,  Ira  S.  Birdsall;  1880,  William  Buckingham,  Nathan 
Bristol;  1887-40,  Alonzo  B.  Wilcox;  1887,  Michael  Dayton;  1841, 
Joseph  Ells;  1841-45,  Nelson  L.  Tlmrp;  1844-48-51,  Levi  Seley; 
1S48-40-5O,  Benjamin  F.  (iihbs;  1848,  Hiram  Graves;  1844-48, 
James  Strain,  Jr.;  1844-47,  Apollos  B.  Wilcox;  1849-58,  Jeffrey  H. 
Champlin;  1850-52,  John  Flausburgh;  1854-59,  Johnson  B.  Bragg; 
1855-09,  Wiley  Beard;  1857-00,  Ezra  J.  Nichols :  1S58,  Almus  M. 
Babcock;  1859,  Fredus  Baldwin;  1802-00,  Allen  S.  Gibbs;  1802-09- 
74-77,  Michael  Odell;  1804-07-71,  Thomas  H.  Smith;  1805,  James 
Loughrau;  1807,  John  S.  Baldwin;  1871-74-88-80-90-94-98,  Stephen 
VanDuseu;  1872,  Colonel  D.  Wiltsie;  1875,  James  D.  Seley,  Morell 
Wager;  1870-80-84-88,  John  J.  McArthur;  1878,  James  Beilby; 
23 


444  Hisrouv  of  Delaware  covxty. 

187"(-.S:5-87-'.H,  ItifliiU-a  JI;ih^cc;  1S.S1-.S2.  Siumiel  D,  Huhbiird;  1885^ 
Cheeney  A.  Crowell;  1881),  Daiii.l  W.  Peters;  188<)-!)-2-<)(;,  Edfrar 
B.  Dayton;  18;):{,  Charles  A.  McJIurdy;  1S!>4-1I7.  (U'or-c  t'.  (Hl.bs; 
1895,  Eolla  (t.  Nichols. 

The  first  religions  society  iu  Harjtersfiekl  was  organizeil  Juue 
7,  1787,  at  a  meeting  lield  for  that  purpose  at  the  house  of  CoL 
Johu  Harper,  wheu  Col.  John  Harper,  David  Heudry,  Benjamin 
Bartholomew,  Joseph  Hotchkis,  and  Daniel  Mack  were  chosen 
trustees,  and  it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  trustees  and 
congregation  should  be  called  "Presbyterian  Congregation  of  Har- 
perstield."  The  election  was  held  pursuant  to  an  act  passed  by 
the  Legislature.  April  (i.  1784;  Deacons,  Levi  (iaylord  and  William 
McFarland.  The  proceedings  were  certified  by  John  Deniston 
and  Levi  Gaylord,  the  officers  of  the  election;  witnessed  by  Alex- 
ander Harper  and  Roswell  Hotchkis,  and  acknowledged  before 
William  Harper,  one  of  the  Judges  of  ^Montgomery  county.  Five 
days  after  their  election  the  trustees  agreed  to  make  proposals  tO' 
Rev.  John  Lindsley,  which  included  the  offer  of  VM)  as  an  annual 
salary  and  £100  as  a  settlement.  Mr.  Lindsley  accepted  the  ott'er 
with  the  understanding  that  he  was  to  be  paid  in  labor,  cattle 
or  notes.  He  commenced  his  labors  iu  the  fall  of  17s7,  and 
continued  them  till  17111.  He  is  also  supposed  to  have  taught 
the  first  school  iu  town.  Between  1791  and  1798  Eev.  David 
Huntington  and  Rev.  William  Stone  jn-eached  for  the  society 
occasionally. 

In  1793,  Rev.  Stephen  Fenn  became  the  minister,  and  was  to 
receive  seventy  acres  from  Lot  No.  108,  the  whole  of  Lot  No.  (iT), 
(one  hundred  acres,)  and  XlO  in  building  material;  the  whole 
valued  at  £200,  to  be  considered  as  his  settlement.  He  was  also 
to  receive  £7(t  annually  for  four  years,  after  which  his  salary  was 
to  be  increased  £5.158  per  year  till  it  amounted  to  111;),  which 
was  to  be  the  annual  salary  thereafter,  but  if  he  left  before  the 
end  of  twenty  years  he  was  to  forfeit  £10  per  year  for  each  year 
he    fell    short   of   twontv,    unless    he   left   through   the    fault   of  the 


TdWX   (IF   IIAni'KliShlFJ.n.  445 

society.  Mr.  Feuu  lenigjiui/.cd  the  society  in  ITitS,  jinil  Caleh 
(iil>l)s  iiud  .losliun  H.  Brett  were  elcctcil  Deacons,  ^[r.  l''enii  cou- 
tinueil  Lis  labors  with  the  cliuirh  over  tliirty-tive  years,  aud  was 
finally  disniisseil  in  conseqiu'nce  of  the  auti-Masouic  excitement 
caused  by  the  abductiou  of  ]Morj,^aii,  he  being'  a  Masou,  and  re- 
fusing to  sever  his  connection  with  that  order.  (Rev.  H.  Boies 
hist.)  It  is  believed  that  a  church  was  Imilt — i>rolialilv  ot  logs — 
soon  after  the  formation  of  the  society.  It  is  first  referred  to  in 
the  records  Nov.  3,  178!),  as  follows:  "Resolved,  that  it  shall  Ixt 
the  duty  of  the  Clerk  for  the  time  being  to  notify  each  annual 
meeting,  sixteen  days  previous  to  the  first  Tuesday  of  NOveniher 
annually,  at  the  place  of  |iul>lic  worship  and  likewise  at  Col. 
Harper's  grist  niill."  .Vlso  Nov.  15,  17!)1,  a  resolution  specifying 
the  circumstances  under  which  the  Trustees  shall  open  the  (diurch. 
The  tirst  church,  however,  of  which  anything  is  otherwise  known 
was  erecteil  about  IT'.U.  an<l  was  erecteil  by  sid)scrij)tiiins  |ia\able 
in  labor,  material,  etc.  This  church  was  used  till  1SH7.  when  a 
new  one  was  built  under  contract  for  S2,525  and  the  ol<l  meeting 
house.  At  one  time  the  society  uundiered  over  two  huiulred 
members;  but  the  estal>lisliirient  of  other  chui'ches,  and  internal 
disseutions   have   reduced   it    to   a   very    small    mendiership. 

The  following  shows  the  methods  of  the  society  one  hundied 
and  six  years  ago: 

At  a  meeting  of  the  session  of  the  Presbyterian  ciih.  in  Harpers- 
field,  regularly  warned  and  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stephen  .hidd, 
ou  Thursday,  July  the  I'.tth,  Ann.  Dom.  17!)-_>. 

Present,  Rev"d  ^\'illiunl   Stone.  M.  .V.,  New    I'alt/,,  !Mod.  pro   teni. 
Messrs.  C.vLEij  Gihhs,       )  Klders 

Liivi  G.wi.oKii.    \       of  said  t'hii. 

The  following  persons  presented  themselves  to  take  the  Cov- 
enant of  (iod  \ij)on  themselves,  aud  to  be  admitted  to  solemn 
ordinance  of  baj)tism,  viz:  Messrs.  Joseph  Harper,  David  Hendry, 
William   Heudrv,  Thomas  Jlontgomery,    Nathaniel    Skinner,    Itnliert 


.{4i;  JIISTOHV    OF    DKLAWARK    COIXT): 

iloutgomery,  Joel  (iaylunl  (by  iqjplicatiou  of  his  wife,  be  beiut<- 
absent),  Mrs.  Mercy  Gaylord,  wife  Mr.  Jedediali  Gay  lord. 

All  these  were  examined  aud  approved  aud  recoiuineuded  liy 
the  Elders  (excepting  Mr.  Joel  Gaylord,  who  being  in  family  con- 
nection with  the  Elders — son  of  one  and  son-in-law  of  the  other) 
was  recommended  by  Messrs.  Joseph  Hotchkiss  and  Nathaniel 
Bristol.  Aud  likewise  Messrs.  James  Cooley  aud  Jacob  Bright- 
mau  presented  themselves  to  receive  the  ordinance  of  baptism 
for  their  children,  and  after  a  full  and  caudid  examination  were 
approved  and  recommended,  provided  that  Mr.  Cooley  shall,  i>re- 
vious  to  his  taking  the  Covenant  the  next  Lords-day,  subscribe 
to,  aud  publicly  acknowledge  a  written  confession  of  the  ruiuoiis 
sin  of  drunkenness;  and  Mr.  Brightman  subscribe  to,  and  make  a 
public  confession  of  the  detestable  sin  of  fornication  at  the  same 
time  aud  place.     ******** 

True  copy  of  record. 

Attest  Wm.   Stone,  Mod.   P.  T. 

\j  It  is   said  that  a   "  bee  "  was   made  to   get  out  timl)er  for  the 

old  church,  aud  Elder  "Warner  Lake,  a  Baptist  preacher,  was 
jn-esent  to  help,  aud  it  was  suggested  that  he  be  asked  to  pray; 
Deacon  McFarland  was  also  present,  aud  said  this  was  a  "Presby- 
terian bee,"  and  he  made  the  prayer  himself.  Another  time  he 
rather  discouraged  the  choir  leader,  who  started  to  use  a  pipe  to 
pitch  his  tuues,  liy  commaudiug  him  to  "  (Jit  oot  o'  the  hoose  i' 
the  Laird  wi'  that   whussle." 

The  second  religious  society  in  Harpersfield  was  Baptist,  aud 
organized  about  179"2.  They  held  meetings  for  some  time  in  a 
building  near  the  present  school  house  in  district  number  three. 
Elder  Lake,  before  meutioued,  who  lived  iu  Kortright  on  what  is 
still  known  as  Lake  hill,  where  John  Porter  now  resides,  was  the 
first  and  for  many  years  the  minister.  Elder  Mack  was  the  second, 
aud  was  succeeded  by  Diugee  Adams,  who  served  as  pastor  mauy 
yeiu-s   till    very   serious  charges  against    him    divided   aud    greatly 


TOWS    OF   HMtPKHSriEI.n.  447 

weakened  the  society.  They  built  a  clitiri'h  iu  1805  about  half  way 
between  the  Centre  and  Stamford,  aided  by  the  town  with  a  site 
and  one  hundred  dollars.  This  was  removed  and  rebuilt  at  Stam- 
ford in  ISUa. 

The  Quaker  society  was  formed  about  1810,  and  for  some  time 
meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  John  Wickham,  an  eai'ly  settler, 
who  was  the  first  and  only  preacher.     This  society  is  extinct. 

.V  Methodist  class  was  formed  in  the  north  part  of  the  town  with 
Silas  Washburn  as  leader  and  .■il)out  thirty  iiieiiil)ers,  amonj^'  whom 
were  the  Seleys,  Darts,  Butts  and  others. 

As  related  by  a  neighbor  who  was  with  him,  Washburn  ouce 
proved  himself  ijuite  an  evangelist.  As  was  customary  with  farm- 
ers of  that  time  they  went  to  New  York  with  their  butter  in  the 
fall,  and  as  they  were  going  off  the  boat  the  horse  of  a  carman 
backed  off  the  dock  and  was  drowned.  The  carman  was  greatly 
distressed  at  losing  the  only  means  of  support  for  himself  and 
famih',  and  the  people  present,  though  very  sorry  for  him,  began  to 
separate.  Uncle  Sile,  as  he  was  called,  got  u))ou  a  l)ox  and  began 
to  shout  and  a  crowd  gathered  again.  ■  You  all  say  you  are  sorry 
for  this  man,"  said  Washburn;  "  now  how  much  are  you  sorry?  I 
am  sorry  five  dollars,"  and  placing  a  bill  in  his  hat  passed  it  around 
and  soon  secured  money  enough  to  buy  the  poor  fellow  a  good 
horse,  for  which  of  course  he  was  very  thankful.  The  next  year  as 
Washburn  was  leaving  the  boat  a   man   accosted   him   with,  "  Ain't 

you  the  man  that  was  so  G d sorry  for  me  last  year  when 

my  horse  was  drowned  ?"  Uncle  Sile  knew  him  at  once,  and 
replied:  "Yes,  I  was  sorry  for  you;  but  I'm  a  great  deal  sorrier 
now!"  "WTiy?"  asked  the  carman.  "  Because,"  said  Uncle  Sile, 
"  if  you  don't  stop  swearing  and  be  a  better  man  you'll  go  straight 
to  hell !  "  He  soon  had  the  man  crying,  made  him  kneel  down,  and 
prayed  with  him,  and  made  him  promise  to  stop  swearing  and  lead 
a  better  life. 

The  Methodists  organized  a  soeietj'  Jan.  2,  182;^,  to  be  known 
as  the  Methodist  Union  Society  of  the  town  of  Harperstield.     They 


448  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCXTV. 

suoii  after  jmicbiiscd  an  i)l<l  ston-  wliicli  they  cliaiifjcd  into  a 
cliurcli  and  used  till  al)i)ut  lS5(t,  wheu  it  was  abandoned,  and  it 
was  used  as  part  of  a  dwelliuy,  and  is  still  so  used.  This  cliureli 
stood  near  llural  cemeterj',  where  the  wagon  house  of  Lewis 
Hag-er  now  stands.  For  the  next  eight  years  meetings  were  held 
at  the  liinises  of  iuenil)ers  and  in  school  houses,  till  in  1858  the 
society  purchased  a  building  at  the  Centre,  formerly  an  academy, 
using  it  as  a  church  till  1871  wheu  a  new  church  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  $3,. 50(1.  This  has  been  recently  repaired  and  improved 
into  quite  a  fine  church.  The  society  is  now  in  a  nourishing 
condition. 

1857  a  Methodist  church  was  built  at  North  Harpersfield  by 
the  successors  of  the  Class  before  named,  and  services  are  well 
attended. 

In  the  same  year  what  was  called  a  "Free  Church"  was  built 
near  the  last  named  Methodist  cliurcli,  but  has  not  l)eeu  well 
kept  up. 

Some  years  ago  the  Catholics  liuilt  a  tine  church  in  the  Stam- 
ford  end   of  the   town   which   is  said  to  be   well   attended. 

The  first  burying  ground  in  Harpersfield  was  located  (m  the 
west  end  of  the  church  lot  (81)  given  by  Col.  Harper  to  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  most  of  the  first  Inirials  were  made 
there. 

Colonel  Harper  died  Nov.  20,  1811,  and  was  buried  there, 
and  also  his  second  wife,  liut  about  1853  his  descendants  re- 
moved the  remains  of  both  to  the  cemetery  below  the  Centre, 
where  a  monument  was  j^laced  over  them.  The  latter  cemetery 
was  opened  about  1812,  on  account  of  the  old  ground  being  wet 
and  unsuitable.  The  ground  below  the  Centre  is  (juite  well  kept 
and  has  some  good  monuments. 

Harpersfield  Rural  cemetery,  on  the  east  side  of  Lot  No.  68, 
is  really  the  best  ground  in  in  town  for  the  purpose,  and  was 
opened  previous  to  1705. 

Tlic  burial  in  this  ground  of  the  murdered  and  captured   sugar 


TOWX   or   IIAHI'h:iiSh'/KLD.  4|i( 

makers  aud  otlicr  Ucvolufioniii-v  hcidcs,  of  Hou.  Josliua  H.  Bi-ett, 
ami  other  iiotulilc  lueii  nf  tlic  ciirly  times,  renders  it  i[uite  worthy 
of  uotiee  iu  this  history. 

Five  other  grounds  have  been  used  in  town,  three  in  the  uortli 
;ind  two  iu  the  soutli  part,  of  wliieh  the  one  on  tlie  Middlelirciok 
is  the  hest  kept.  A  stone  set  to  the  grave  of  a  child  of  Eden 
Hamilton,  Iniried  in  1711"),  mentions  that  as  the  first  hnrial  in 
that  ground. 

A  lodge  of  Masons,  known  as  Charity  Lodge  \o.  2'H,  F.  \  A. 
^r..  was  organized  Sept.  27th,  1S1;{,  l)ut  there  seems  to  he  uo  list 
of  memhers.  A  certiticate  of  mendiership  issued  to  Michael  Day- 
ton in  1815  shows  the  following  olMcers:  Elijah  Andrews,  W.  M. ; 
Thomas  Maxon,  S.  W. ;  Tlr)mas  Hendry,  J.  W. ;  and  Samuel  Stevens, 
Sec'y.  The  lodge  continueil  its  comnninicatious  until  the  Morgan 
excitement  was  at  its  height  when  the  members  met  in  an  up])er 
room  iu  the  house  of  David  S.  Patchiu  and  formally  surrendered 
their  charter  to  the  (rrand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  New  York.  Such 
property  as  belonged  to  the  lodge  was  divided  among  the  mem- 
bers.     Michael  Dayton  was  the  last  Master. 

The  grist  aud  saw  mills  of  Col.  Harj)er  aud  St,  Leger  Cowley 
have  l)eeu  mentioned;  but  as  stated  1)V  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Betsey 
Hamilton,  now  95  years  old,  Mr.  Campbell  built  a  grist  mill  in 
1818  in  the  lower  part  of  ^liddlebrook,  aud  two  years  later  he 
built  a  saw  mill  nearer  his  residence.  These  were  to  replace  mills 
built  by  him  on  the  united  Harperstield  and  Middlebrook  streams, 
built  about  17i)2  l)elow  North  Kortright,  and  which  had  been 
carried  away  by  a  heavy  Hood.  Mr.  Campbell  fearing  the  mill 
■would  go  went  iu  on  Sunday  and  removed  the  j^'rain  belonging  to 
his  customers,  but  would  not  l)reak  the  Sabbath  enough  to  save 
his  own  of  which  he  had  a  large  quautity. 

About  1820  or  1825  Abijah  Baird  and  his  son  William  built 
grist  and  saw  mills  at  No.  Harperstield,  which  were  run  till  alxuil 
lK4;i,  when  they  were  burned  by  an  incendiary;  l)ut  were  soon 
rebuilt  and  are  still  ninnin"'. 


4.")()  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

In  1H(I4  Judge  Hotchkiss  liuilt  u  grist  mill  and  a  null  fur  mak- 
iug  liuseed  oil.  Both  are  now  out  of  use.  There  are  uow  six 
grist   mills  and  four  saw   mills  runuiug  in   town. 

There  was  formerly  four  clothieries  in  HarpersHeid,  all  doing 
a  good  business;  but  the  spinning  jenny  and  the  power  loom  have 
driven  them  out  of  l)usiness,  and  they  have  been  torn  down  or 
adapted  to  other  uses,  notable  among  the  latter  being  the  works 
of  Newell  &  Co.,  whieh  are  now  run  by  W.  A.  Cowley  &  Son  as 
a  machine  shop  and  grist  mill,  a  foundry  being  used  in  connection. 
In  place  of  another  cloth  works  a  foundry  was  started  at  North 
Harpersfield,  which  has  always  done  a  good  business. 

Of  blacksmiths,  Peter  Pentield  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
to   do  job   work,   Mr.    Baird   keeping   shop  more   for  his  own   use. 

Eben  Dodge  worked  on  the  old  road  in  the  west  end  of  the 
town  near  the  present  residence  of.W.  Ct.  Henderson,  and  Thos. 
Maxon  worked  near  L.   C.   Grant's. 

About  1800  Ebenezer  and  David  Penfield  were  running  a 
scythe  and  axe  factory  near  the  Centre,  using  a  trip-hammer  to 
assist  in  forging.  They  finally  dropf)ed  the  scythe  business,  dis- 
olved  partnership,  and  started  separate  shops  under  the  titles  of 
E.  Penfield  &  Sou,  and  D.  Penfield  cSc  Son;  both  firms  doing  a 
jobbing  business,  and  making  axes  and  edged  tools,  the  sons 
succeeding.  The  reputation  of  the  Penfield  axes  extended  over 
Delaware  and  the  adjoining  counties.  At  their  first  location  they 
were  succeeded  by  Beardsley  Sanford,  a  celebrated  manufacturer 
of  sjoinning  wheels  and  reels;  and  in  those  days  no  young  wife's 
outfit  was  complete  without  a  set  of  Sandford's  wheels  and  reel; 
but  the  business  died  out  from  the  same  cause  as  the  cloth 
works. 

The  first  store,  so  far  as  known,  was  kept  by  John  IMontgom- 
ery  in  a  house  aftervFard  occupied  by  Ebenezer  Penfield,  which 
stood  across  the  turnpike  from  the  present  residence  of  H.  Ralph 
Dart.  About  179f)  Giles  Humiston  was  keeping  a  store  near  the 
residence  of  Geo.  C.   GibV)s  in  the  Stamfcnd  end  of  the  town;  and 


rOir.V   OF   IIARPERSFIELD.  4.51 

Inter  Noiih  iiiul  Joliu  Davcuport  li.ul  one  iit  tlic  Centre,  ami  Kay- 
iiiund  Starr  at  North  Harpersticld. 

The  first  distillery  was  run  l)y  a  man  named  Chapman,  who 
also  had  a  small  store  near  Col.  Harper's  grist  mill.  Judge  Hoteh- 
kiss  was  rvnming  one  alioiit  1800,  as  was  also  the  Davenports 
and  Starr,  making  four  distilleries  in  Harperstield  all  running  at 
the  same  time.  No  wonder  the  town  was  thriving,  and  had  money 
to  give  out  of  the  e.xcise  fun<l.  for  building  churehes !  But  every- 
body drauk;  the  preaehei-  and  his  fiock,  and  the  doctor  and  his 
patients,  and  the  man  was  inhospitable  who  did  not  offer  it  to  his 
guests. 

Within  the  memory  of  the  writer,  there  was  almost  a  riot  at  a 
l)aru  raising  because  the  helpers  were  served  with  food  instead  of 
whiskey. 

Many  different  houses  have  been  used  as  taverns  in  Harperstield. 
.\lexauder  Harper  is  believed  to  have  kept  the  first,  as  early  as  1781) 
or  1787,  at  the  Centre.  After  his  removal  to  Ohio,  a  tavern  was 
kept  some  years  by  Nathaniel  Skinner,  then  by  John  Bristol,  then 
by  Asahel  Merriam,  who  kept  it  as  early  as  1808,  and  till  about 
18:20.  The  house  had  a  reputation  extending  into  the  far  west, 
under  the  management  of  Johnson  B.  Bragg,  up  to  1847,  when 
Mr.  Bragg  sold  it.  From  that  time,  as  railroads  were  built, 
and  under  biid  management,  the  custom  decreased  till  it  was 
closed. 

Prior  to  17!)(!  Stei)hen  Judd  kept  a  tavern  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Lot  No.  85,  which  was  torn  down  in  1885.  .\bout  180(1, 
and  till  18i(),  llajor  Isaac  Pierce  kept  a  tavern  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town;  and  about  the  same  time  Samuefl  Stevens  opened  a  tavern 
about  half  way  between  the  Centre  and  Stamford.  \  house  was 
nearly  completed,  and  while  the  workmen  were  at  dinner  one  day 
the  building  took  fire  and  burned  down.  .Vnother  was  immediately 
begun  and  when  finished  was  used  as  a  tavern  for  some  years.  But 
it  was  <luring  the  ownershiji  of  his  son,  Stoddard,  tiiat  the  Stevens 
tavern  became  almost  as  well  known  as  Bragg's. 


4.")-2  HISTORY    OF    liFJ.AWAUE    COrXTV. 

Scveiul  (itlicr  houses  were  kejit  as  tiivenis,  viz:  ()u  Lot  !>,  H. 
W.  Hamilton;  Lot  :i(>,  Biudt's  Patent,  Saiuncl  Wilcox;  Lot  41, 
Harper's  Patent,  W.  P.  Piulney;  Lot  01,  Joseph  Hotchkis;  Lots 
132,  l;^3,  Kausom  Packard;  Lot  156,  Samuel  Lloyd,  James  Ells; 
Lot  181,  Joel  Mack. 

]Maj.  Isaac  Pierce,  John  Hristnl,  and  James  Cooley  were  early 
carpenters. 

With  the  building  of  the  Susijuehanua  turnpike  Harpersfield 
became  a  very  active  business  ])lace;  ])robably  doing  more  than 
any  other  jjlace  within  many  miles.  It  had  three  stores,  tud  har- 
ness shops,  two  cabinet  shops,  two  shoe  shops,  two  tailor  shops, 
a  hat  factory,  three  blacksmith  shops,  and  a  wheelwright,  aud  all 
busy,  which  looked  quite  lively  for  a  place  of  only  twenty-four 
houses.  Coaches  ran  tri-weekly,  usually  with  an  extra  or  more, 
aud  the  writer  has  seen  eight  four-horse  coaches,  besides  the 
family  coach  of  the  proprietors,  stop  at  Bragg's  for  breakfast. 
.Spring  and  fall  the  road  was  fairly  lined  with  teams  drawing  pro- 
duce east  or  goods  west.  During  the  summer  and  early  fall 
immense  droves  of  cattle  were  continually  passing  through  from 
the   western  states. 

The  Delaware  turnpike,  nine  miles  long,  built  in  1841!,  or  1844, 
paid  for  itself  in  four  years.  The  advent  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
checked  those  little  profits,  and  the  Albany  and  Susquehanna 
cut  them  tine.  The  Ulster  tV  Delaware  helped  it  somewhat,  and 
it  is  now  a  little  more  than  paying  its  way. 

From  1800  to  1812  the  history  of  the  town  is  uneventful.  The 
town  furnished  its  quota  by  draft  aud  enlistment,  but  most  of  the 
soldiers  had  an  easy  time,  hardly  any  of  them  being  in  battle.  A 
notable  exception  was  General  John  Ellis  Wool,  who  gained  un- 
dying laurels  in  that  and  the  Mexican  war.  A  private  from  Har- 
persfield named  Zenas  Berse  was  so  perfectly  fearless  that  the 
General  said  if  he  had  a  thousand  men  like  Zeue  he  would  drive 
all   the   British   off  the    continent. 

It   is    unfortunate    that   no   record    can    now    be   found    to    show 


T(i\y\    (IF   IIMil'ERSFIELD.  4.-):! 

tlic  uaiiics  of  eulisted  uicn  tluriii^  the  u  iir  cif  the  Kcliellii)ii.  iicir 
the  iimouut  paid  for  bounties. 

The  towu  was  iujiired  much  more  h\  the  hoouiiug  of  values, 
lea<liu<j  to  extra vaf^auce  in  mauy  ways,  tiian  Ky  the  taxes  for 
liouoties,  though  tliey  were  very  huf^e. 

Before  the  homu  had  subsided,  the  railroad  f(\(r  struck  us,  ami 
the  towu  was  bouded  for  islOO.OOU;  aud  after  tweuty-four  years  of 
liayiufi^  priucipal  aud  interest  we  were  out  over  $2(l(),()(l()  for  a  rail- 
road we  didn't  get. 

During  that  time  there  was  occasionally  more  excitement  than 
during  the  war.  Candidates  for  towu  aud  county  olKces  were 
elected,  or  defeated,  according  to  the  iugenuity  of  the  stories  for  or 
against  them  about  the  railroad.  Complaints  befoi-e  the  railroad 
commissioners  were  prosecuted,  and  actions  were  carried  to  the 
coui't  of  appeals,  only  to  be  defeated,  and  till  the  pockets  of  the 
lawyers.  Litigation  must  have  cost  the  town  twelve  or  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  Since  this  great  debt  has  been  paid  taxes  have 
been  lower,  and  the  town  is  slowly  recovering  from  its  depression, 
aud  if  no  further  tariff  agitation  arises,  we  shall  again  feel  as 
though   Harpersfield  was  a   good  town   to   live   in. 

Harperstield  state  tax  for  1788,  £l'.l,  or  about  j<.{U.  Harperslield 
state  tax  for  1888,  $7(!(t.8(),  with  less  than  one-twentieth  the 
territory. 

The  ]iric<'  of  cut  nails  in  IT'.IT,  as  appi'aised  in  the  St.  Leger 
(  owley  inventory,  were  as  follows:  Ten  pounds  \d  cut  nails,  $1.44; 
thirty-tive  pounds  8*/  aud  'liUl,  §().87.  In  18!)7  the  writer  bought 
fifty  pounds  4rf  for  $1.25. 

HON.      ROSWKLL    HOTCHK1S 

was  born  in  Clieshire,  Conn.,  July  "24,  17(i'2,  aud  came  to  Har- 
perstield with  his  father,  Joseph,  aud  his  brothers,  Thelus  and 
Joseph,  in  17K4.  In  17H.")  he  married  Margaret,  eldest  daughter 
of  Cr)lonel  John  Harper,  and  settled  on  Lot  Xo.  182,  now  owned 
l>y   Stephen   Van   Dusen,   but    afterward   removed  to   Lot  N'i>.  IM. 


454  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COrXTY. 

wlicre  he  coutiuuetl  to  reside  duriut^-  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
During  the  war  he  served  in  the  army,  part  of  the  time  acting 
as  orderly  for  one  of  the  otiiuers.  Being  a  bright,  aetive  young 
man  he  became  secretarj-,  thus  acquiring  the  plain,  peculiar  hand 
which  makes  his  wiuting  admired  wherever  seen.  At  one  time, 
while  serving  as  one  of  the  outpost  guards  to  one  of  the  forts  on 
the  Hudson,  they  were  raided  in  the  night  by  a  troop  of  British 
and  nearly  the  whole  giuird  slain.  Hotchkis  had  stooped  to  tie 
his  shoe,  but  seeing  the  trooper  close  upon  him  he  dove  into  a 
clump  of  bushes  close  by  and   eseaj)ed. 

In  civil  life  Judge  Hotchkis  served  as  Supervisor,  Town  Clerk. 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  various  minor  oflices,  being  supervisor 
when  the  co.unty  was  formed.  In  the  county  he  was  Judge  of  the 
Common  Pleas,  Sheriff,  1805-09,  and  member  of  the  Constitutional 
convention  in  1801.  Soon  after  the  Federal  (loveruuient  was 
formed  a  post  office  was  established  at  West  Harperstield,  of  which 
he  was  postmaster  till  his  death,  when  the  office  was  discontinued. 
Judge  Hotchkis  and  his  wife  united  with  the  Presbyterian  church 
in  1792,  and  at  his  death,  December  '2S,  1S4;!,  he  was  the  oldest 
member.  His  wife  died  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year.  His  only 
descendants  now  living  in  town  are  Daniel  N.  Gaylord,  and  his 
sons,  Hai'per  and  Edward.  The  most  of  this  sketch  and  the  Hai'- 
j)er  family  history  was  obtained  from  Mr.  Gaylord. 

REV.     H.\KPEK    BOIES 

was  born  in  Massachusetts  in  1797.  He  came  to  Harperstield  in 
1830,  and  became  the  successor  of  Mr.  Fenn,  in  July  of  that  yeai-, 
which  position  he  held  for  five  years,  when  he  returned  to  Massa- 
chusetts. During  the  first  year  of  his  ministry  in  Harperstield  an 
extraordinary  revival  took  place,  and  moi-e  than  one  hundred 
members  were  added  to  the  church.  In  1850  he  returned  by 
invitation  of  the  church  and  supplied  them  for  the  succeeding  five 
years;    during    which    time, — he    being    a    widower, — he    married 


7VMI-.V    ((/■•    IIMn'F.HShlKI.D.  455 

Miirguret,  yimii-jest  ilauj^litcr  uf  •liiclj^c  Hdtilikiss.  After  1H55  he 
■coutiuueil  to  reside  in  Hiirpersticld,  j)icacliiiii^'  for  that  and  tlic 
iieit^'hboriug  cougregatious,  as  his  failing  health  permitted. 

Of  a  very  loviug  disposition,  the  mild  deportmeut  and  affable 
manners  which  characterized  Mr.  Feun,  belonged  equally  to  him. 
His  death,  which  took  pl.ice  March  7th,  18(>7,  the  writer  felt  as  a 
personal  loss.  Mr.  Boies  took  gi'eat  interest  in  the  earlj'  history  of 
the  town  and  church,  giving  material  aid  to  Jay  Goidd  for  his 
history,  and  the  memoranda  left  by  him  have  materially  assisted 
the   writer. 

UEV.     STEPHKX    FENS. 

The  materials  for  this  sketch  were  derived  from  Mr.  E.  A. 
Dayton,  an  aged  neighbor  who  knew  and  remembers  Mr.  Fenu, 
from  notes  by  Rev.  Harper  Boies,  his  successoi',  and  from  his  fare- 
well sermon. 

Mr.  Feun  was  born  at  "Watertowu.  Connecticut,  in  17(ii),  and 
graduated  from  Yale  College  in  17!)"2.  He  was  of  medium  height, 
thick  set,  with  rather  sandy  hair  and  tlorid  complexion;  and  is 
described  as  being  "  mild  in  his  deportment,  affable  in  his  manners, 
witty,  as  well  as  grave  in  his  conversation,  with  a  mind  stored  with 
a  fund  of  amusing  anecdotes  connected  with  the  experiences  of 
himself  and  others."  He  came  to  Harjjersfield  in  1798,  where  he 
officiated  as  ])astor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  for  more  than  thirty- 
tive  years,  and  is  sail!  to  hH\e  been  the  first  college  graduate  who 
ever  preached  in  the  county. 

During  that  time  he  performed  seven  hundred  and  thirteen 
baptisms  in  that  and  in  societies  around,  and  he  also  performed 
three  hundred  and  sixty-seven  marriages.  He  was  a  universal 
favorite  with  old  and  young^,  being  always  s\'mj)athetic,  whether 
the  occasion  was  a  wedding  or  a  funeral.  Probably  no  man  during 
this  time  had  a  greater  influence  for  good  over  the  moral  and  social 
development  of  the  town  than  Mr.  Fenn. 

He  might  prol)ably  have  spent   his    life    in    this    jiastorate,    l)ut 


45(;  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    rorXTV. 

fur  the  iibtluctiou  of  William  Morj^au  iu  lS2iS,  as  supposed,  by 
Masons  which  rendered  the  order  especially  obnoxious  iu  Har- 
persfield.  ^Ir.  Feuu  b;louj,''e(l  to  the  ordei-  and  refusiuf^-  to  with- 
draw the  occasion  was  used  (by  some  iu  abhorrence  to  the  Masons, 
and  by  others  who  thought  their  pastor  instead  of  being  cheerful, 
like  Mr.  Feuu,  ought  always  to  be  singing  "Hark  from  the  Tombs,") 
to  procure  his  dismissal.  About  four  years  after  leaving  the  pulpit 
iu  Harperstield  he  was  siezed  with  a  tit  of  apoplexy  while  iu  his 
wagon,  on  his  way  to  till  an  appointment,  and  lived  but  about 
thirty  minutes  after  the  attack.  He  died  September  2G,  1888. 
and  his  funeral  was  attended  in  the  church  where  he  had  so  long 
proclaimed   the  gospel. 

One  of  Mr.  Fenn'^  anecdotes  shows  him  as  a  boy.  His  family 
lived  near  the  church  and  an  old  lady  used  to  come  to  their  house 
every  Sunday  between  sermons,  when  Stejjhen  was  called  upon  to 
till  and  light  her  jiipe,  which  was  a  large  oue,  from  the  family 
crib;  and  after  smoking  awhile  she  would  stick  the  pipe  in  her 
garter  aud  return  to  church.  Stephen  got  tired,  and  one  day 
loaded  the  pipe  as  full  as  he  dared  with  powder,  and  not  have 
it  go  off  in  the  house.  The  old  lady  had  her  smoke.  i)ut  her 
pil)e  iu  the  usual  place  and  started  for  church,  but  before  she 
got  there  an  explosion  took  place  which  raised  her  about  a  foot 
from  the  ground,   aud  Stephen  was  freed  from  his  servitude. 

This  oue  was  rather  at  his  expense  iu  two  ways:  A  colored 
couple  came  to  the  tavern  one  night  aud  sent  word  up  the  hill 
to  Mr.  Feuu  that  they  wished  him  to  luarry  them.  ^Ir.  Feuu 
went  of  course  found  a  crowd  there,  and  the  party  had  lots  of 
fun.  After  awhile  Mr.  Fenn  began  to  dun  the  groom  for  his  fee. 
"No,"  said  the  groom,  "You've  only  half  married  us."  "  Yes,  I 
have,'  said  ^Ir.  Feuu,  "I've  married  you  just  as  usual.  "  "No," 
said  the  darkej',  "You  haiut  kissed  the  bride  yet,  aud  I  won't  ])ay 
till  you  do."  Mr.  Feuu  went  without  the  fee  aud  called  on  the 
rtip. 


TiiWX   OF  HARPERSFIEIJ).  457 

IliiN.     .KlSHIA     11.     lilil/I'T. 

the  tirst  ])riicticiuf^  plivsiciaii  in  Hiupcrsticlil,  was  burn  ulmiit  17.")(l. 
and  t-aiiH'  to  Hsirperstielil  about  ITSS.  The  record  shows  that  iu- 
was  elected  assessor  iu  ITSlt,  ';«),  aud  '1)1;  aud  iu  ITill  he  is  tirst 
uoticed  as  oue  of  the  justices  of  the  peace.  Iu  17!)")  he  tirst  pre- 
sided at  the  anuual  town  uieetiug,  previous  to  which  a  moderator 
liad  always  been  chosen.  In  17!)()-7  he  was  Member  of  Assembly 
for  Otsej^o  county,  and  it  was  largely  owiug  to  his  exertions  that 
the  county  of  Delaware  was  formed  at  that  time,  agaiust  a  stroup 
opposition.  Iu  17'.)7  he  was  apjjoiuted  first  Judjije  of  Delaware 
county,  which  office  he  held  till  ISIO,  wheu  being'  sixty  years  of  age 
he  was  dis<pialitied  by  the  constitution  from  holding  it  longer.  He 
was  State  Senator  eight  years,  l.S()4-ll,  member  of  the  Couucil  of 
Appoiutmeut  in  1805,  and  continued  to  hold  office  of  some  kind 
nearly  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  took  place  December  "24, 
18"22.     None  of  his  descendants  reside  in  town. 

Members  of  Assembly  from  Harperstield:  William  Harper  four 
years,  Joshua  H.  Brett,  James  Ells  twice,  Stod<lard  Steveus,  Nathan 
Bristol,  George  C.  Gibbs. 

Judge:    Joshua  H.  Brett. 

Sheriffs:    Koswell  Hotchkis,  Johu  J.  ^IcArthur. 

District  Attorney:    John  P.  Grant. 

HOS.     CYREXtS    (ilBBS 

was  born  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  April  17,  17(58,  being  nineteen  years 
old  when  he  removed  to  Hari)erstield  with  his  father,  Deacon 
Caleb  (iibbs,  iu   1787,  aud  settled   upou  Lots  No.   83  and  84. 

During  the  Revolution  the  Deacon  was  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  of  Litchfield,  aud  at  a  special  town  meeting  held 
Oct.  7,  1777.  it  was  voted:  "That  Messrs.  Caleb  Gibbs  ;uid 
others  be  a  committee  to  purchase  aud  provide  shirts,  frocks, 
overalls,  stockings,  aud  shoes,  for  the  non-commissioned  officers 
and  "privates  in  the  Continental  army  belonging  to  this  town." 
Several   of  his  daughters  had    previously    moved    to    Harperslield, 


4r)8  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

which  is  supposed  to  bavf  beeu  his  reasou  for  moviu^''^  ^s  he  was 
uearlj  sixty  years  old.  The  Deaeou  and  his  sou  cleared  and  im- 
proved their  land,  aud  ujion  the  death  of  the  former  in  1801, 
the  farm  came  into  the  possession  of  the  sou,  aud  continued  to 
lie  his  through  life. 

Judge  Gibbs  was  well  educated  for  those  times,  an  excellent 
business  man,  and  he  became  one  of  the  leading  nien  in  town.  In 
the  county  he  held  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Clerk  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  18()9-1'2,  aud  Judge  of  the  Common  Pleas. 
Between  1805  aud  1825  he  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  ten 
years,  aud  at  different  times  he  was  elected  to  uearl}'  every  office  in 
town.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  early  in  life, 
aud  aided  in  forming  the  first  Methodist  society  in  Harpersfield, 
serving  as  cue  of  the  officers  and  first  class  leader.  He  died 
August  10,  18-45. 

The  name  is  represented  in  town  by  Major  (leorge  C.  fxibbs  and 
^son  Ransom,  Howard  a  nephew  of  the  Major,  and  the  writer  and 
Jiis  son   Francis,  who   occupy  the   old   homestead. 


ISorlrioi)l'. 

I3V  W.   Vj.   IVtcns. 


Ii-oiifts.s   tliiit   1   tft'l   somewhat  proud    to-duv    to    represeut    uud 
to  be  represented  with  the  good  people  of  old    Kortright. 

Alliiiiiy  uiul  rister  counties  are  a  hundred  ami  fourteen  years 
older  than  Delaware,  having  been  formed  iu  l()S;i  with  the  Del- 
aware river  for  their  boundary,  and  the  territory  now  known  as 
ivortright  was  situated  iu  turn  iu  the  eounties  of  Albany  and 
I'l'viui.  iu  tlir  I'l'iiviucf  <if  New  York,  ami  the  counties  of  Mout- 
gomerv,  Otsego  and  Delaware  in  the  State  of  New  York.  A  very 
old  maj)  in  my  possession  christens  us  "  The  Manor  of  Court- 
wright,  lying  in  the  county  of  Albany  aud  the  province  New 
York." 

Kortl'ight  was  born  of  Harpersfield  and  altliongli  not  as  large 
as  in  her  childhood,  she  is  still  larger  than  liti'  njothci'  and  quite 
as  good  looking.  Originally  she  occupied  all  the  hind  of  the 
Kortright,  (loldsborough,  Bradisli  and  ^Meredith  Patents;  liaving 
the  Delaware  river  for  her  southern  l)oun(hiry  and  extcuding  in 
a  westerly  direction  to  a  ]ioint  situated  within  the  coriioration 
limits  of  the  present  village  of  Delhi  and  within  the  Hight  of  an 
arrow  from  where  we  are  at  this  moment  standing,  the  line  cross- 
ing Main  street  in  a  northerly  direction  between  Meredith  and 
( >i-chard  streets.  Koi'tright  is  four  years  older  than  oui-  county, 
liaving  been   formed  in   17!)8. 

The  act  of  17!t7  which  formed  our  county  dii'ected  that  the 
county  business  be  transacted  at  tlie  house  of  frideou  Frisl)ee  iu 
tlic  town  of  Kortright  until  fuithcr  legislative  action.  This  house, 
as  ii.any  of  you  are  doui)tless  aware,  is  still  standing  at  the 
Mioutli  (it  I'',lk  Creek  aud  is  occu])ied  by  Mi'.  James  Frisbee. 
'1\  ■"" 


4()2  HISTORY    <JF    DKLAWARE    CDVXrV. 

Wheu  Delhi  was  boru  in  17'.).S  wu  rathei'  liked  the  kiil  ami 
gave  it  15,(M)(»  acres  as  a  l)irthday  present.  AVe  j,'ave  Meredith 
15,000  at  its  hirth  iu  1800.  Davenport  as  iniicli  in  1S17,  and 
when  good  old  Stamford  claimed  she  was  cramped  in  ls;i4  we 
turned  in  with  Harpersticld  and  gave  her  enough  room  to  make 
her  comfortable.  That  our  localitv  was  a  favorite  hunting  and 
camping  ground  with  the  aborigines  is  not  only  attested  by  the 
records  of  our  historians  but  also  by  the  great  number  of  Indian 
relics  in  the  shape  of  tlint  arrow  heads,  bits  of  pottery,  tools, 
such  as  knives,  scrapers,  files,  spear  heads,  etc.,  a  tine  collection 
of  which  may  l)e  seen  anu)ug  the  towns'  exhibits  here  to-day.  It 
is  not  within  our  province  if  we  had  the  time  to  go  into  details 
of  the  early  experiences  of  settlers  with  these  somewhat  trouble- 
some neighbors,  they  having  long  before  the  formation  of  the 
town  passed  out  from  luuong  us  and  on  to  the  happy  hunting 
ground   which   their  wild   fancy  had  so  often   pictured  them. 

About  the  year  181-i  having  been  long  out  of  the  original 
article,  with  some  of  our  neighbors  we  conceived  the  idea  of 
stocking  up  anew  with  a  home-made  variety,  of  a  possil)ly  less 
dangerous  if  not  less  useful  sort,  the  outcome  of  which  was  the 
anti-rent  movement  of  that  year.  Delhi,  as  I  remember,  having 
none  of  her  own,  swooped  down  on  us  one  day  and  gobbled  uji 
several  of  our  choicest  specimens  and  we  were  mad  about  it,  and 
didn't  like  Delhi  just  a  little  bit,  and  iu  fact  didu't  play  in  her 
yard  much  for  the  next  ten  years.  On  July  4th,  1845,  we  had  a 
celebration  at  Bloomville.  Hon.  Ira  Harris,  then  an  aspirant  for 
(iovernor,  and  later  Supreme  Court  Judge  and  United  States  Sen- 
afor,  with  others,  addressed  the  jjeople  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Peters'  Grove.  Such  a  multitude  as  gathered  in  that  little  village 
on  that  day  was  never  there  before  or  since;  beside  the  civic 
throng,  Indians  in  most  fantastic  dress  and  form  and  feature 
poured  in  from  every  hill-top.  They  quietly  hung  around  and 
listened  to  the  addresses,  immediately  after  which,  collecting  iu 
the  meadows  below,  they  entertained  the   crowd   for   an   hour   with 


T()\y.\   Oh-  KOnrHKIIlT.  4(J3 

ivlint  was  iU'si^''iiat('il  an  ludiaii  traiiiiiiy,  and  wliicli  consisted  of 
II  vciv  well  executed  drill  of  scnii-niilitary  tactics  and  evoluti(JUs, 
wliicli  ill  its  wierd  entirety  created,  I  dare  sav,  ou  the  average 
Iielii.lder  ail  impression  and  a  picture  which  time  would  not  be 
likely  to  ohlitenite.  A  lad  then  of  ei{>;ht  years,  I  oliservod  ii  re- 
spectful dist!inc<!  and  at  the  close  reached  the  village  just  a  little 
ahead  of  those  fellows,  where  in  my  excitement  I  was  immediately 
knocked  down  and  run  over  hy  a  four  horse  team,  and  carried 
lioiiie.  what  there  was  left  of  me,  to  my  Ma  on  a  pillow.  The 
history  of  the  sudden  and  somewhat  tragic  end  of  this — shall  I 
say  nonsense? — is  too   familiar  to   most  of  you   to  need  mention. 

The  first  birth  in  our  town,  we  are  told,  was  that  of  Daniel 
McCiillivrae,  the  first  school  was  taught  by  Jane  Blakely,  the  first 
mill  was  built  at  Bloomville  by  Jacob  Every.  The  first  church 
that  on  the  hill  at  Kortright  Centre,  the  Presbyterian,  tlie  first 
))astor,  AVilham  ilc.Vuley,  who  was  installed  in  the  year  ITiU  and 
who  continued  in  that  position  until  his  death  in  1851.  The 
membership  of  this  church  at  times  reached  500  and  the  weekly 
attendance  was  much  more.  A  rather  witty  friend  once  told  me 
in  describing  his  early  recollections  of  attendance  at  this  <-lnircli, 
that  with  the  rest  of  the  small  boys  he  was  each  Sabbath  hung 
ui>  on  11  narrow  seat  or  shelf  at  the  back  of  the  gallerj-,  where  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Leal  was  delegated  to  pick  them  up  and  re- 
j>liice  them  as  one  after  the  other  tumbled  off  on  account  ot  sleep 
or  exhaustion.  The  service  commenced  at  '.l:li(i  in  tiie  nioniing 
and  (rontinued  with  an  hour's  intermission  until  three  in  the  after- 
noon. He  assured  me  it  was  a  hapjiy  event  each  Lord's  Day  when 
the  preacher  reached  that  i)art  of  his  closing  prayer  where  he 
jileaded  for  a  safe  return  to  their  several  places  of  abode.  It  was 
then  hurrah  boys!  we'll  be  out  of  this  now  in  just  three-(iuarter8 
iif  an  hour.  Mr.  McAuley  was  a  man  of  the  ]ieople  and  yet  his 
reign  of  over  half  a  centurj-  was  well  nigh  ngal.  One  only  of 
his  large  family  survives,  Mrs.  James  (r.  Ulakely,  who  at  the  age 
t)f  eighty-three  years  is  as   brij.dit    and    witty    as   at   forty.      During 


4(14  HISTORY    OF    DELAWAHK    COUXrV. 

a  recfut  vis^it  to  lier  pleasant  bome  iu  Kortiigbt  she  related  to 
iiic  this  auecdote:  Being  called  uimu  at  (iiit-  time  to  marry  a  rather 
craukv  parishioner,  her  father  made  the  ceremom'  unusually  short, 
hopiuj;'  thereby  to  win  bis  approval.  The  experiment  was  a  failure, 
however,  and  the  worthy  miuistei  was  seriously  re])roacbeil  for 
his  shortcomings  by  the  injured  benedict.  A  few  years  later, 
wife  No.  1  ba\in^'  died,  he  invited  the  pastor  the  secimd  time  to 
officiate  in  the  same  capacity;  the  good  work  was  begun  and  the 
jjarties  pledged  in  the  usual  manner,  then  came  a  prayer  of  regu- 
lation length,  then  a  somewhat  extended  address  to  the  bride  at 
the  end  of  which  she  was  told  to  lie  seiited,  and  the  exhortation 
to  the  bridegroom,  who  i-emained  standing,  commenced  and  con- 
tinued for  something  like  an  hour,  completing  at  length  a  cere- 
mony which  the  much  married  man  was  never  known  to  criticise 
ou  account  of  Ijrevity.  The  first  Methodist  church  is  believed  to 
have  lieeu  the  one  at  Bloomville,  although  the  one  built  ou  Betta's 
Ijrook  dated  liack  to  near  the  first  of  the  century.  John  Bangs, 
one  of  the  jiioneers  of  Methodism,  was  an  early  resident  of  the 
town  and  among  the  first  as  he  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  of 
the  many  preachers  who  have  represented  that  body,  ^[any  anec- 
dotes both  humorous  and  pathetic  might  be  told  of  these  faithful 
and  devoted  men  which  are  worthy  of  record  if  time  would  admit. 
In  the  year  1S87  Bloomville  circuit  paid  its  preacher  $137  iu  cash 
and  ST(i  in  jirovisious,  and  his  preaching  places  were  limited  to 
Bloomville,  West  Kortright,  Elk  Creek,  Mei'edith  Pond,  Federal 
Hill,  Delhi,  Peake's  Brook,  Hamden,  Haniden  Hill,  New  Road. 
"Walton,  Walton  Mountain  and  the  Griswold  school  house.  Another 
of  the  early  churches  of  the  town  was  that  of  the  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian, organized  in  1X14,  with  a  church  near  the  residence  of 
^Ir.  Harvey  Bolles  at  Kortright  Centre,  at  which  time  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Williams  became  pastor  and  remained  ten  years,  when 
Rev.  Samuel  M.  Wilson  became  pastor  and  remained  incumbent 
until  his  death  in  1S()4:.  A  new  church  was  built  near  the  white 
house   a   mile   west   in  1S.51.      ^Iv.  Wilson  was  a  faithful  pastor  and 


TDWX  OK  KdirnaniiT.  4(;.5 

the  father  of  &  wide  awake  familv,  as  I  reuieiuhei'  of  two  daughters 
aud  as  mauy  sous;  the  latter  were  full  of  niiscbief  iiud  their  j)rauks 
were  the  bane  of  the  life  of  at  least  oue  of  the  neighbors,  au  old 
lady,  who  had  appealed  to  the  foud  father  in  vain  for  his  friendly 
interference,  and  who  on  one  occasion,  hearing  that  the  old  gentle- 
man was  daugerously  ill,  was  provoked  to  say  that  "  preacher  or 
no  preacher,  if  the  father  of  those  boys  dies  aud  gets  to  lienvcn, 
he  will  make  a  good  summer's  work  of  it." 

Kev.  .1.  O.  Bayles  succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  this  church  in 
the  year  lK(i(i,  and  for  about  thirty  years  was  a  faithful  and  capable 
minister   of   the  Word. 

The  original  survey  of  the  Kortright  aud  Goldsborough  Tracts 
were  made  by  William  Coekburu  about  the  year  1770,  aud  Alexan- 
der Mills,  a  pioneer  resident,  was  made  agent  for  the  proprietors. 

Alexander  Leal,  John  McKenzie,  aud  Daniel  McGillivrae,  who 
with  their  families  came  from  Scotland  to  Xew  York  in  1778.  left 
their  families  iu  that  city  early  in  the  following  spring  aud  in  their 
search  for  a  future  home  pressed  their  way  through  forest  and 
stream  and  over  mountain  until  they  reached  the  wcjoded  hills  near 
where  the  village  of  Kortright  Centre  now  stands.  There  these 
sturdy  Scots  found  already  gathered  together  in  different  localities 
within  the  present  town  limits  a  few  and  were  soon  followed  1)j' 
others  as  sturdy  aud  determined  spirits  as  themselves,  and  having 
each  selected  one  or  more  of  the  recently  surveyed  fari'is  or  lots  at 
once  began  the  work  of  clearing  the  timber  and  fitting  up  as  best 
they  could  homes  for  their  absent  ones  who  were  anxiously  await- 
ing their  return. 

These  pioneers  were  nearly  all  Scotch  aud  Irish  Protestants,  and 
as  no  land  was  a  home  iu  its  true  sense  to  them  without  a  place  of 
worship,  they  soon  organized  themselves  into  a  religious  society, 
and  as  early  as  the  following  j'ear  petitioned  the  Associate 
Keformed  Church  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  for  a  preacher. 
This  request  was  shortly  after  granted  by  the  Presbytery,  aud  as 
one  of  its  "vacancies"  was  supplied  and  cared  for  until  the  settlers 


46r>  HISTORY    OF    I)ELA\yARE    COVXTV. 

were  ilriveo  out  iiiul  scattered  hy  the  storm  of  tlie  Revolutiouiiry 
war.  Mauy,  aud  indeed  most  of  these  settlers  never  returned. 
Among  the  few,  however,  were  the  families  of  Jlills,  Leal  and 
McGillivrae,  and  with  them  and  following  soon  after  came  the 
names  of  Harjier,  Riggs,  McClaughry,  Sloan,  Stewart,  Goodrich, 
McKenzie  and  others,  all  staunch  Presbyters,  who  soon  succeeded 
in  reorganizing  their  society.  A  jireaching  place  was  provided  and 
after  a  season  of  supplies,  with  Rev.  William  McAuley  as  their 
pastor  became  the  Associate  Reformed  Church  of  Kortright,  for 
years  one  of  the  largest  and  most  prosperous  in  the  Synod  of  New 
York,  and  of  which  I  have  before  made  mention.  After  half  a 
century  of  active  work  the  venerable  McAuley,  having  entirely  lost 
his  sight,  laid  aside  his  life  work  and  Rev.  Clark  Irving  was 
installed  as  juuior  or  "collegiate"  pastor,  Mr.  McAuley  remaining 
as  senior  until  his  death  in  IS.tI.  Rev.  Irving  was  of  superior 
scholarship  and  au  able  and  successful  preacher.  In  the  year  18-1'.) 
the  church  edifice  was  burned  and  out  of  its  ashes  grew  three 
churches,  one  at  North  Kortright,  one  at  West  Kortright,  and  one 
on  the  old  site  at  Kortright  Centre.  These  churches  have  since  for 
forty-five  years  each  been  doing  earnest  and  successful  work,  the 
parent  organization  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Irving  for  twenty 
years.  Rev.  .\..  M.  Smeallie  for  seventeen  years,  and  Rev.  N.  E. 
Wade,  the  present  incumbent,  for  eight  years;  all  men  of  ripe 
attainments  and  earnest  purjjose. 

The  one  at  West  Kortright  under  Rev.  J.  B.  McNulty,  Rev.  John 
Rippey,  and  last  though  not  least.  Rev.  R.  T.  Doig,  has  also  been 
highly  favored  on  account  of  the  high  rank  of  the  men  who  have 
been  called  to  minister  to  them  in  sacred  things.  And  the  t)ne 
at  North  Kortright  under  that  of  Revs.  John  Erskine,  James 
Smealie,  R.  B.  Taggart,  R.  C.  Monteith  and  A.  M.  Smealie,  all  men 
eminently  fitted  to  till  the  high  ofldee  to  which  they  were  chosen. 

The  present  church  edifice  at  Bloomville  was  begun  and  en- 
closed in  the  year  1800.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Every  fell  from 
the   highest   peak  to   the    ground  on  the  day  of  its  raising  without 


roir.V    OF   KliHTRIi.llT.  467 

sustaiuiug  further  permaneut  iujurv  thau  the  entire  loss  of  oue  of 
liis  senses,  that  of  siiielliuf,''.  For  uearlv  thirty  years  it  remained 
uutinisheil,  the  seats  being  composed  of  boards  supported  by  h)ffs 
or  timbers.  It  was  completed  about  the  year  1830,  was  rebuilt  in 
1S.")7.  and  again  rebuilt  and  modernized  in  the  j'ear  1889.  Anjcmg 
those  who  have  done  mo.st  active  work  as  preachers  may  be  men- 
tioned J.  B.  "U'akely,  Ii'a  Ferris,  A.  C".  Morehouse,  Chas.  Palmer, 
(leo.  ■«'.  Martin,  E.  White,  O.  P.  Dales,  S.  J.  McC'utcheon  and  J. 
1'.  Race.  Among  these  the  pastorate  of  l{cv.  A.  C.  Morehouse 
stands  perhaps  most  prominent  in  the  recollection  of  the  ohlcr 
citizens.  His  labors  l)egau  in  the  spring  of  the  year  185C;  he  was 
at  the  time  a  comjmratively  young  man,  possessed  of  a  reasonably 
sound  head  and  an  agreeable  presence;  he  was  an  acceptable 
preacher  and  was  particularly  well  adapted  to  pastoral  work.  Dur- 
ing his  three  years  stay  at  Bloomville  and  Rose's  Brook  he  con- 
ducted successful  revival  meetings  and  built  or  rebtiilt  tine  churches 
at  both  station.s.  There  were  at  Bloomville  about  ItKi  accessions 
to  the  membership  as  the  result  of  his  first  effort,  among  thesi' 
were  many  of  the  first  and  most  influential  citizens  of  the  town 
and  village.  On  one  occasion  soon  after  his  first  arrival  at  Bloom- 
ville he  set  out  on  a  day  to  make  pastoral  calls  in  the  village; 
his  attention  had  been  called  to  the  fact  that  one  family,  con- 
sisting of  sonu'  four  or  five  members,  were  all  ciininiuuicauts  of 
the  church  except  the  man  of  the  house,  who  was  somewhat 
skeptical  and  sometimes  was  disposed  to  resent  any  allusion  made 
to  him  by  the  minister  about  his  future.  The  new  minister  de- 
termined to  make  this  cue  of  his  first  visiting  places,  which  he 
accordingly  did,  selecting  an  hour  when  the  head  of  the  house 
would  be  likely  to  be  present.  He  failed  to  find  him  in  and  after 
a  brief  call  proposed  a  season  of  prayer.  He  had  only  knelt  with 
the  family  and  begun  his  petition  when  he  was  accosted  in  a  deep 

bass    voice    with    the    command,    "Here,    d n    you,    ijuit  that! 

(.^uit  that!!  Get  out!  Get  outl!"  whereupon  he  hastily  arose  to 
his  feet,   and  in  a  half  dazed  condition  undertook  to  offer  a  pro- 


-K)8  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

test  or  au  apology.  lu  liis  i-oufiisiiiu  it  was  some  iiiiuutcs  before 
the  good  woman  of  the  house  could  sufficiently  compose  the  youufi; 
minister  to  get  him  to  understand  that  his  tradueer  was  no  other 
than  an  erring  pet  i)arrot  which  had  been  a  favorite  in  the  family 
and  neighborhood  for  years. 

A  jsrominent  figure  in  Bloomville  sixty  years  ago  was  that  of 
Asher  Merwin,  father-in-law  of  Judge  William  Murray  of  Delhi  and 
of  Hon.  Stephen  H.  Keeler  of  Bloomville.  In  company  with  Silas 
Kuajip  he  built  the  old  hotel  in  Bloomville  about  the  year  1800. 
One  end  of  the  same  was  used  by  him  as  a  store,  and  the  rest  by 
Knajsp  as  a  hotel.  Colonel  Merwin  was  a  genial  old  gentleman  and 
a  pleasant  companion  of  old  or  young.  In  his  younger  manhood 
he  served  for  a  time  as  clerk  in  the  Bloomville  hotel,  kept  at  that 
time  by  Silas  Knapjj,  who  later  became  his  father-in-law.  One 
evening  while  a  young  friend  who  had  rode  in  on  horseback  from  a 
neighboring  town  was  calling  on  one  of  the  young  ladies  of  the 
house  his  visit,  which  had  been  somewhat  prolonged,  was  rather 
rudely  interrupted  by  young  Merwin  who  informed  him  that  his 
horse  had  got  loose  and  had  started  for  home,  at  the  same  time 
giving  his  friend  the  grateful  intelligence  that  he  had  caused  the 
boys  to  bring  a  horse,  with  which  he  could  readily  overtake  his 
own  if  he  made  good  use  of  whip  and  spur.  The  visitor  mounted 
with  a  bound  and  was  soon  out  of  sight,  but  soon  returned,  saying: 
"Boys,  I  have  a  little  l)usiness  with  you  in  doors;  I  thought  before 
I  reached  the  bridge  that  this  horse  rode  strangely  like  my  uu-n." 

Other  early  iirominent  citizens  of  Bloomville  and  its  vicinity 
were  Jacob  Every,  who  at  different  periods  built  two  grist  mills; 
Silas  Kna2:)p,  Thomas  Fitch  and  Kufus  Bunnell,  who  under  the  firm 
name  of  Fitch  &  Bunnell  conducted  a  mercantile  business  and 
erected  several  important  buildings,  among  which  were  the  large 
house  now  owned  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Hill,  long  known  as  the  Bathrick 
house,  the  red  stoi-e  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  recently 
removed  from  the  corner  of  the  S.  Forman  lot,  and  the  Dr.  Formau 
house   now  standing;  Jehiel   (iregory,    father   of  Horace   Gregory, 


tf^? 


Blooinville  Street. 


TOWX   OF  KOHTHKiHT.  ITI 

who  was  11  lifeloiif^  I'esitU'iit.  a  niercliaiit.  I'attlc  ilialcr  ami  an  artivo 
Imsiucss  uiau;  Aarou,  Johu  aud  William  (ire^orv,  Moses  Lyou,  Sr., 
•lohu  Batbrick  ami  bis  two  sous,  Dauiel  ami  Noah,  Hiram  Every,  as- 
niercbaut  and  farmer;  Colonel  Adam  Jaiiues,  as  liotel  beeper,  nier- 
chant  and  farmer:  .rohn  Peters,  who  as  farmer  and  dealer  iu 
general  merebandise,  wool,  butter,  bops,  cattle  and  real  estate 
spent  fifty  years  of  a  busy  life  in  the  villai^e  and  upward  of  ninety 
within  the  present  post-office  limits;  Yir^'il  Bunnell  aud  sou, 
(leorge,  the  latter  beiuj^' a  man  of  particulaily  tine  presence  aud  a 
successful  mercbant,  doing  business  in  the  store  now  oi-cu]>ied  by 
M.  F.  Allison;  Henry  aud  Isaac  Drake,  furniture  dealers;  James  R. 
White  aud  Andrew  !More,  mercbauts;  Samuel  Barlow,  also  a  mer- 
chant,— the  last  three  being  iu  their  day  not  only  wide-awake- 
l)usiness  men  l)ut  each  possessed  of  a  love  of  innocent  fun  which 
kept  a  whole  village  from  a  couditiou  of  ennui:  George  Dales,  hotel 
keeper,  justice  of  the  peace  and  manufacturer  of  ])roprietary  medi- 
cines; Charles  W.  Duren,  furniture  dealei"  Harvey  Davis,  merchaut, 
farmer  and  liverymau,  was  for  many  years  suj)ervisor  of  the  town; 
Josejih  W.  Browncll,  cooper,  justice  of  the  peace  aud  merchaut; 
Al)ijah  Fiebls  Cooj)er  aud  Aaron  Champion  ^Miller,  were  among  our 
most  exemplary  citizeus.  Doctors  Wadby,  H.  K.  Wilbird,  Stephen 
Formau,  O.  L.  Butts,  and  J.  R.  Matbews  each  in  their  turn  served 
their  day  in  ministering  to  the  sick  and  suffering  aud  are  rcnicni- 
liered  by  many  for  thiir  kindly  offices. 

These  represent  a  portion  of  the  business  num  of  Bloomville 
village  and  ouly  such  as  have  passed  into  history.  Many  more  who 
are  still  among  tlie  living,  and  whose  life  work  seems  not  yet  to 
have  been  completed,  bave  done  and  are  doing  much  among  us,  li\it 
their  names  can  hardly  be  meutioned  within  the  space  of  this 
arti(de. 

.\  somewhat  noted  character  who  lived  in  another  town  across 
the  Delaware,  Imt  who  was  almost  a  daily  visitor  and  was  counted 
one  of  our  citizens,  was  William  Youmans.  or  "  I'nclc  Bill,"  as  he 
was  familiarly  c.alled.      A  idiief  pi-culiaiity   about   the   unin,   and  one 


472  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

that  attracted  people  for  iiiili's  to  see  liiii),  was  a  iimst  iiijiiatiiial 
couditiou  of  his  features,  kuown  as  a  liver  face.  It  consisted  of 
an  almost  blood  I'ed  growth  exteuding  dowu  from  the  chiu  the 
length  of  a  medium  sized  potato,  and  which  also  hung  pendant 
from  each  ear  ami  a  correspDiidiiig  disculoriug  and  slight  growth 
of  the  same  firey  red  color  that  covere<l  the  entire  lower  ]iart  of 
the  face.  With  this  peculiarity  of  feature  he  was  also  the  victim 
•of  a  shaking  palsy,  which  kept  these  elongations  in  a  constant 
tremor  as  though  they  had  been  formed  of  a  jelly.  His  speech 
was  also  affected,  and  he  talketl  in  a  kind  of  jerky  manner  tiiat 
made  him  altogether  a  most  remarkid)le  personage.  He  was  a 
man  of  much  more  than  ordinary  wit  and  intelligence,  and  very 
few  met  him  if  but  for  a  few  moments  without  going  away  with 
some  sally  of  wit  whicli  would  be  as  indellible  as  the  sight  of 
his  features.  On  one  occasion  after  having  an  animated  s<Tiiitinul 
discussion  with  the  minister  on  the  story  of  the  creation,  on 
.starting  for  home  with  a  new  pair  of  boots  on  his  arm  he  was 
met  by  the  good  man  wdio  asked  him  where  he  got  his  boots:  "I 
■created  them.'"  "What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  "Why,  I  said 
let  them  be  made,  and  they  were  made!" 

Prominent  among  the  older  residents  of  the  town  was  the  name 
of  Alexander  Leal,  the  father  of  Alexander  Leal  who  now  lives 
east  of  Kortright  Centre.  Mr.  Leal  was  at  one  time  the  most 
extensive  dealer  in  Initter  in  the  state,  and  as  incredulous  as  it 
may  seem,  is  said  to  have  practically  controlled  or  ' '  cornered " 
the  entire  butter  market  of  the  country  on  different  occasions. 
His  residence  at  the  time  was  on  the  farm  lying  east  of  that  of 
his  son  Alexander.  Lewis  Mills  was  also  an  active  liusiness  man 
living  at  North  Kortright.  He  owned  and  traveled  with  a  circus 
for  several  years,  which  was  not,  perhajis,  the  greatest  even  then  on 
earth,  but  was  the  best  owned  in  Kortright,  and  furnished  a  very 
creditable  entertainment.  Several  members  of  the  Mills  family  be- 
came eminent  on  account  of  their  business  ability,  and  accumulated 
.elsewhere  immense  wealth. 


rOWX   OF    KORTRfdlfT.  4.7;-! 

Elisha  ()sl)(ini,  Tlimuas  Sliiluiul  and  I'ftcr  Fisher,  Sr.,  livini,' 
ou  tlic  iiiouiitaiii  so\ith  of  Bloonivillr,  were  citizens  of  sterling'  iii- 
te>4Tity.  Saiiiuol  Oslxini  aud  Peter  Fisher,  sous,  coutiuiied  in  pos- 
session of  the  ()sl)oru  and  Fisher  farms  up  to  the  time  of  their 
ileath. 

Aniouf;:  the  prosperous  farmers  of  former  years  living-  akiiig  the 
Dehxware  were  Joseph  Clark,  for  several  years  supervisor  of  the 
towu,  a  most  active  aud  reliahle  citizeu,  who  succeeded  his  father, 
William  t'lark,  on  the  M.  X.  Fiisbic  farm,  Wheeler,  Barlow,  Peter, 
James,  aud  Audrew  KitI,  brothers,  all  of  whom  raised  larj^e  aud 
respectable  families  at  Kiffville.  Audrew  kept  a  hotel  in  the  house 
where  DeWitt  Kitf  speut  his  last  days,  ou  the  east  side  of  the  high- 
way, Heury  Sackrider,  who  was  succeeded  l)y  James,  his  sou,  ou  the 
E.  J.  Wheeler  fai'ui,  Duncan  aud  Joliu  McDonald,  l)oth  of  whom 
lield  different  offices  of  trust  aud  honor.  A  sou  of  the  latter,  Graut 
McDouahl,  became  a  successful  business  man  iu  New  York  and 
[)ossessed  {jfreat  wealth.  John  Andrews,  who  occupied  for  mauy 
years  the  farm  owne<l  by  William  Nesbitt,  behuijied  to  a  large 
and  somewhat  distinguished  family  who  were  sous  of  Samuel  Wake- 
man  Andrews,  who  spent  his  life  ou  the  Daniel  Andrews,  or  Sharp 
farm,  ou  the  east  side  of  the  river.  John  Andrews  was  father  of  S. 
W.  Andrews,  Sr.,  who  for  many  years  was  j)ro])rietor  of  an  impm- 
taut  line  of  stages  in  New  York,  from  wliicli  he  realized  a  handsome 
competence.  He  was  the  fatlier  of  S.  W.  Andrews,  the  present 
owner  of  the  palatial  residence  on  the  spot  where  Judge  Martin 
Keeler  formerly  lived  at  South  Kortright.  Judge  Keeler  was  a 
promiuent  business  man  nf  the  town  seventy-Jive  years  ago;  held 
the  oftice  of  County  Judge  and  Sheriff,  and  was  extensively  engaged 
in  mercantile  pursuits.  He  was  the  father  of  Hon.  Stephen  H. 
Keeler  of  Bloomville,  Hon.  Martin  Keeler,  Kortright  Centre,  Fid- 
mund  Keeler,  North  Kortright,  and  Charles  Keeler  of  So\itli  Kort- 
right. all  of  whom  were  m  their  ilay  ai'tivc  and  inthicntial  mer- 
chants aud  business  men,  doing  business  at  the  above  named  places, 
the  two  first  named  liaving  hrdd  various  offices  of  trust   aud   honor. 


474  HrsTiiRV    OF    TiKLAyVARE    COUNTY. 

Tboiuns  Clark  uwucd  tlio  faiiii  which  is  uow  the  delijifhtfiil  home 
of  J.  J.  AudiewH.  He  WHS  a  dif^uitied  ^'eiitlenian  of  Euj^lish  Ijirth, 
aud  iu  couuectiou  with  the  farm  kept  a  hotel.  A  daiij^hter  of  his 
was  the  accomplished  wife  of  the  late  James  A.  Thomas,  who  speut 
their  lives  near  Bloomville  in  the  town  of  Stamford.  The  names  of 
Sauford,  Griffin,  Simmons,  McMurdy,  Hillis,  Hauford,  White,  are 
synonyms  of  business  prosperity   and   integrity. 

Back  of  fifty  to  seventy  years  ago  a  large  proportion  of  the 
woolen  garments  worn  by  both  sexes  were  home  made.  Sheep 
were  kept  on  every  farm,  the  wool  was  combed  or  carded  into  rolls; 
these  rolls  of  wool  were  two  or  three  feet  long  and  a  little  larger 
around  than  an  ordinary  lead  pencil,  they  were  then  spun  or  twist- 
ed into  threads,  each  roll  being  stretched  out  as  the  twisting 
process  was  going  on  until  it  was  as  tine  in  the  thread  or  yarn  as 
the  spinner  was  pleased  to  make  it.  This  thread  or  yarn  was  then 
colored  or  dyed  aud  some  "  doubled  and  twisted "  aud  knit  into 
socks  or  mittens,  or  left  single  and  woven  into  cloth;  this  cloth 
when  taken  from  the  loom  would  be  possibly  five  feet  wide  and  was 
rough,  thin  and  slazy.  It  could  be  held  up  to  the  light  and  objects 
seen  through  it.  It  was  then  sent  to  the  "fulling  mill"  where  it 
was  placed  in  a  vshallow  trough  and  with  soajD  and  cold  water 
abundantly  supplied  it  was  pounded  or  squeezed  by  simple  ma- 
chinery constantly  for  about  three  or  four  days,  aud  when  taken 
from  this  bath  was  found  to  be  "full  cloth,"  thick,  heavy  aud  tirm, 
and  about  two  aud  one-half  feet  in  width  or  half  as  wide  as  when 
it  left  the  loom;  if  four  yards  long  when  put  in  there  would  be 
possibly  three  when  taken  from  the  vat.  These  fulling  mills  were 
a  necessity  and  were  common;  one  was  in  operation  iu  Bloomville 
at  the  head  of  N.  Moak's  mill  pond,  nearly  opposite  the  residence 
of  L.  H.  Every,  another  at  the  river  crossing  just  above  the  small 
bridge  ou  lands  of  W.  H.  Forman,  another  at  Kiffville,  and  many 
others  were  scattered  throughout  the  town.  Oat  mills  aud  oat 
kilns  were  also  quite  common.  These  were  used  in  the  preparation 
of  oat  meal.  The  oats  were  first  spread  in  the  kiln  on  an  iron 
screen  with  a  tire  underneath  and  heated  uutil  the  hard,  dry  hidl 
or  covering  was  charred  and  brittle,  then  they  were  run  or  rolled 
loosely  between  two  light  mill  stones  which  broke  and  loosened  the 
hull,  leaving  the  berry  white  and  clean,  then  after  the  separating 
process  the  oat  berry  w-as  ground  into  oat  meal.  One  of  these 
mills  was  also  situated  at  Kift'ville. 


7VMV.V    (IF    KdirrHli.llT.  47.-) 

A  gristmill  wiis  also  situated  a  slidit  ilistaiicc  abovo  tlio  Hogs- 
l>nck  oil  lands  of  K.  .T.  Wheeler,  and  was  run  liy  a  man  l)y  the  name 
iif  John  Tolditch,  but  who  was  somewhat  a])])roi)riat(>lv  called 
tor  short,  liy  old  and  youn^'.  and  in  fact  only  linown  liy  manv  as 
■'  Johnny  Tolldish.  " 

Saw  mills  and  ;jrist  mills  were  scattered  at  ditterent  jioints 
throughout  all  parts  of  the  town.  Whiskey  stills  and  j)utashcries 
were  alsi>  abundant  throughout  the  town. 

Among  the  early  teachers  of  schools  we  have  often  hcai'd  men- 
tion of  one  named  Patterson,  an  eccentric  character  but  a  man  of 
more  than  comuiou  educational  al>ilitv.  He  enjoyed  the  reputation 
of  being  able  to  solve  nearly  any  or  all  mathematical  pioblems,  and 
also  to  distort  his  features  so  as  to  frighten  the  most  incorrigible 
scholar  into  a  meek  ol>edience.  .\  story  is  told  of  an  occasion  when 
a  most  exasperatin^f  violation  of  the  rules  had  been  conunitted 
within  the  temple  of  learning,  and  the  l)oys  were  pron]]>tly  called 
into  the  entry  way  and  solemnly  warned  that  the  guilty  boy  must 
come  forward,  confess  his  crime,  remove  the  obstruction  and  throw 
himself  on  the  mercy  of  the  court.  The  faithful  pedagogue  waited 
and  worked  his  face  for  all  he  was  worth,  but  it  failed  for  the  first 
time  to  start  the  unknown  criminal.  The  situation  was  becoming 
.awkward,  when  the  teacher  fell  1>ack  and  su]))ilied  himself  with  a 
very  large  slate  and  pencil  and  (piietly  told  the  class  that  if  that 
boy  held  off  and  put  him  to  the  further  lalior  and  trouble  of 
tigurinj^'  out  which  one  was  the  guilty  one,  the  trouble  with  that 
boy  in  that  school  would  only  have  just  commenced.  'J'his  was 
counted  a  most  serious  turn  in  affairs  by  the  youngsters  and  the 
unfortunate  victim  at  once  walked  up,  confessed  his  guilt,  and  took 
his  medicini'  like  a  little  man. 

.Vndrew  (iilchrist,  for  many  years  a  prominent  citizens  and  office 
holder  in  the  town,  was  a  son  of  Thomas  (lilclirist,  who  came  from 
Irelanil  about  the  year  IHIO.  Andrew  (iilchrist  was  the  father  of 
Dr.  William  (iilchrist  late  of  New  York,  now  deceased,  a  gentleman 
of  great  wealth  and  whose  benevolences  throughout  our  town  auil 
county,  both  public  and  jiiivate,  have  been  ])rincely.  He  was  a 
l)rother  of  Mrs.  B.  "SI.  Banks  and  ^Frs.  Smith  of  Bloomville. 

Alansou  Banks  came  from  Westchester  county  about  the  year 
ISOO.  He  was  the  father  of  John  Tianks,  who  for  many  years  was 
an  esteemed  citizen  and  who  left  a  large  family,  of  whom  the  fol- 
lowing were  lon^r  or  are  still  residents  of  oui'  town:   .M;insoM  Banks, 


47(i  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARE    COVXTV. 

who  receutly  died  in  Cortlaud  coiiuty,  Heiirv  ]M.  Biiiiks,  Beujiuuiu 
M.  Banks,  both  resideutH  of  the  towji,  ^Mrs.  Jobu  O.  Thompsou,  Mrs. 
Thomas  Robertson,  ^Irs.  Lehiud  Kcnyou,  and  Mrs.  William  (r. 
Stouteuhurgh. 

Moses  Sackrider  camL'  from  Westchester  eouuty  about  the  year 
1796.  He  was  the  father  of  Timothy,  Henry,  Daniel  and  Solomon, 
Polly,  and  Hannah  Wetmore,  wife  of  James  Wetmore,  Esq.,  late  of 
Stamford,  and  mother  of  S.  S.  D.  Wetmore  and  Thomas  H.  Wet- 
more, both  substantial  citizens  and  life  long-  residents  of  the  town. 
Henry  Saokrider  married  a  sister  of  James  Wetmore,  senior,  and 
was  the  father  of  James  and  Solomon  Sackrider,  who  were  louj^ 
prominent  residents  of  the  town. 

Thomas  McClaughry  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  Kort- 
right  from  Westchester  county  in  1784.  Two  brothers  also  settled 
in  the  town,  Richard  and  Andrew.  Thomas  reared  a  large  family, 
among  whom  known  to  the  writer  was  Matthew  and  Edward.  Mat- 
thew was  the  father  of  the  late  Mrs.  James  McGillivrae,  of  Walter 
T.  McLaury  of  North  Kortright  and  of  Doctors  James  and  William 
McLaury,  who  were  long  and  successfully  engaged  as  medical 
practicioners  in  and  about  the  city  of  New  York.  Edward  was  the 
father  of  the  late  E.  T.  McLaury  and  grandfather  of  Judson  Mc- 
Laury, now  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  at  Kortright  Centre. 
A  McClaughry  (McLaury)  lineage  of  the  town  of  K(U-tright  wouhl 
till  a  book. 

John  Blakely  came  to  Kortright  from  Schenectady  iu  17;iS.  He 
had  five  sous,  William,  James,  John,  George,  and  David,  and  sev- 
eral daughters.  William  Blakely  married  Nancy  McDonald,  a 
sister  of  Duncan  and  John  McDonald,  and  was  one  of  the  prosper- 
ous and  influential  citizens  of  the  town.  He  was  father  of  Joliu  D. 
Blakeley  who  married  a  sister  of  John  Peters  of  Bloomville  and 
spent  his  early  life  in  Kortright,  of  James  (i.  Blakely  who  nuirried 
a  daughter  of  Rev.  McAuley,  and  whose  wife  and  family  still  reside 
in  Kortright,  and  of  Goldsborough  Banyer  Blakely  who  married  a 
daughter  of  the  late  Pierce  Mitchell  of  ]\Ieredith,  and  whose  wife, 
one  son  and  daughter  reside  at  Oneonta,  N.  Y.  Many  niend)t'rs 
of  this  and  other  branches  of  the  Blakely  family  have  become 
scattered  and  are  no  longer  residents  of  the  town. 

William  Rowland,  accompanied  by  his  son  Ebeuezer,  moved  to 
Kortright  and  settled  on  a  farm  at  the  foot  of  Keuyou  Hill  about 
ISOU.     Ebeuezer  Rowland  became  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of  his 


7'oir.v  (IF  KoiiTRiciir.  477' 

iliiv  residing,'  in  tlif  towi].  He  w;is  fatliei'  of  \\'illiiiiii  liowliuid  Kscj., 
.liiiiics  IJowlaud,  El)eiu'Zfr  Uowland  and  GeDij^'e  llowhmd,  all  of 
whom  Ijecunic  substiintial  aud  wealthy  citizens  of  tlie  town  and  arc 
well  known.  The  home  of  Ebeuezer  Kowlaud  who  niarnc  d  a 
danyhter  of  Holxnt  Mclhvaiu,  Escj.,  and  resides  in  the  extreme 
western  part  of  the  town,  is  oue  lit  for  a  prince.  In  fact  the  visitor 
to  our  town  of  Kortright  who  fails  to  take  in  that  region  occui)ied 
l)y  the  residences  of  William  INIcClintock.  James  Rowland,  Joiin 
A[ore(h)(di,  M(rritt  S.  and  Joseph  Kolierts,  William  H.  Browni  11,. 
William  Blakely  and  James  Kelso,  will  miss  a  locality  which 
on  acconnt  of  tine  farm  houses,  barns  and  outbuildings  and  neat,, 
productive,  well    fenced   and    well    kept  fanus   is  difficult  to  exceed. 

The  veteran  editor  of  the  Stamford  Jlirror,  S.  B.  Champion, 
established  his  jjrinting  bvisiness  in  Bloomville  in  the  year  IS.jl,. 
and  continued  the  publication  of  the  Bloomville  Mirror  in  that 
village  for  about  twenty  years  when  he  moved  his  plant  to  Stam- 
ford,   giving   his   pu1)licatiou   its   jiresent   name. 

Benjamin  Gerowe,  manufacturer  of  grain  cradles,  resided  lor 
many  yeai's  at  KilTville.  He  was  the  father  of  AA'illiam  (ierowe  of 
Walton,  and  Harvey  B.  Gerowe,  who  with  his  sou  Lucius  W.  resides 
also  near  Kiffville,  where  they  are  extensively  engaged  in  the  dairy- 
ing business.  Benjamin  Gerowe  is  still  living,  in  the  state  of 
Delaware,  having  reached  very  nearly  the  century   mark. 

Orson  J.  Butts,  R.  W.  and  John  W.  McArthur,  Cornelius  \V. 
Every,  William  Shaw,  John  O.  Thompson,  Augustus  Dunn,  Geo.  E. 
Scott  and  James  (iibson  are  all  ])rosperous  and  intelligent  farmers 
living  in  the  central  ])ortiou  of  the  town.  Other  substantial  citi- 
zens who  were  prominent  in  their  various  vocations  were  John  and 
Hugii  Kinmouth,  farmers,  who  came  from  Scotland  about  the  year 
l.s;iu.  The  former  was  the  father  of  J.  A.  Kiiuiioutli,  who  still  res- 
ides on  the  ol<l  homestead,  and  W.  {{olio  Kinmouth,  a  physician 
in  New  Jersey.  Hugh  Kinmouth  was  the  father  of  two  sons,  l)oth 
of  whom  are  physicians  of  note  living  in  New  Jersey.  The  elder,. 
Sutherland,  having  by  means  of  well  conducted  transactions  in  real 
estate   become    possessed   of   great   wealth. 

Simon  Mcintosh  was  an  early  resident,  came  from  Dutchess 
county  iu  the  year  IKOd  ;  his  wife's  mime  wiis  Bates,  also 
from  Dutchess.  They  were  l)lesse(l  with  seven  sous,  Jonath.an, 
Heury.  William.  Matthias,  Alexander,  (ieorge  and  Simon.  Of  these 
Heurv  had  two  chihlrt'n.  William   and   Emeliue;  William   M<-Intosli 


478  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWARK    COUNTY. 

is  uow  liviD^'  ill  Wasliiiij^ton,  D.  ('.,  the  father  of  Jauies  H.,  a  fdnncr 
school  commissioner  of  our  coiiutv,  iiiid  A.  W.  Mcintosh  of  Delhi, 
N.  Y.  Emeline  Mclutosh,  claugliter  of  Heury,  was  the  wife  of  the 
late  Frances  Fuller  and  mother  of  Mrs.  J.  E.  Powell,  (ieorj^e 
Mcintosh,  a  younger  son  of  Simon  and  brother  of  Henry,  lived  for 
many  years  on  Federal  Ilill,  town  of  Delhi,  and  was  the  father  of 
Theophilus,  the  senior  editor  of  the  Delaware  Republican.  Other 
members  of  the  family  drifted  to  other  parts  of  the  county. 

John  McArthur  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  Kortriyht  and 
settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  W.  McAi-thur  about  the 
year  181H;  there  was  born  to  them  one  son,  Robert,  the  father  of 
John  "\V.  and  Robert  W.  McArthur.  The  fact  that  the  fond  parents 
journeyed  the  entire  distance  to  New  Yoi-k  in  those  slow  and 
troublous  times  for  the  sole  jjurpose  of  having  their  boy  properly 
christened,  is  an  incident  which  John  W.  should  pin  in   his  hat. 

Still  others  certainly  no  less  deserving  of  mention,  who  by 
•devoted  lives  and  generous  impulses  Jiave  imprinted  their  names  on 
the  hearts  of  our  people  are  the  families  of  Roberts,  Kerr,  Orr,  Mc- 
Murdy,  Galloup,  Donnelly,  Donaldson,  Kilpatrick,  Loughren,  Hus- 
ted,  Forman,  Smith,  Burdick,  Mitchell,  Keuyon,  Harkiiess,  Harper, 
Parker,  Jones,  Douglass,  Humphrey,  Mcllwaiu,  Ciimmiugs,  Stouten- 
burg,  Beken,  Davis,  Ceas,  Hill,  Every,  Brown,  Rowlands,  McNeeley, 
Sexsmith,  Tait,  BoUes,  Mc.Vuslin. 

I  am  warned  that  I  must  not  trespass  further  on  your  time 
with  this  record  to-day,  but  I  cannot  close  without  making  mention 
of  the  honored  dead — if  I  cannot  of  those  still  living — who  were 
our  defenders  in  the  late  civil  wai-.  A  soldiers'  monument  erected 
at  Kortright  Centre  records  the  names  of  Joseph  R.  McCracken, 
Levi  Decker,  John  S.  Burdick,  Josepli  Rowland,  James  T.  Mc- 
La'iry,  Walter  T.  Mead,  John  M.  McCully,  James  Murphy,  (xeorge 
Ceas,  Richard  Young,  Horace  S.  Hauford,  Chauncey  D.  Hauford, 
John  B.  McWilliams,  Charles  H.  Barker,  Frederick  Ames,  Samuel 
Tate,  Andrew  Tate,  J.  Newton  McLaury,  Hugh  Black,  and  Wil- 
liam Davis.  In  the  midst  of  our  rejoicing  on  this  occasion,  ami 
the  things  of  beauty  and  the  national  emblems  which  gladden 
our  eyes  and  surround  us  on  every  side,  let  us  stop  to-day  and 
in  our  minds  wreath  a  garland  and  plant  a  flag  over  the  i-esting 
place  of  those  and  all  those  who  nobly  served  and  nobly  died 
for  us  and  the  couiitrv  which  we  laud  and  love  so  well. 


AasonvUle. 

THIS  f.Dwu  was  t'onuetl  from  Siduey,  April  4,  ISll,  uud  was 
named  after,  llev.  Juhn  'S\.  ^lasoii,  who  in  the  ri^^ht  of  bis 
wife,  a  descendaut  of  (icn.  Joliii  Bradstreet,  was  owuer  of  the 
•,'rcatcr  part  of  the  Evans  ])ati'nt,  which  hiid  in  this  town.  Tliis 
patent  was  surveyed   in   ITKIi  by   Wm.   Coekburu. 

A  few  words  will  explain  the  physical  features  of  the  town. 
The  Bennett  brook  rises  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  iiins 
an  easterly  course  and  empties  into  the  Susquehanna  in  the  town 
of  Bainbridf,'e.  Cold  Spriuf,'  brook  rises  two  and  a  half  miles 
south  of  Bennett  brook,  runs  south  and  discharges  into  the  Dela- 
ware near  tlie  Stiles  settlement.  Two  lidges  extend  on  either 
side  of  these  brooks  their  whole  length.  They  are  broken,  how- 
ever by  nuiiH'rous  liiteral  ravines  through  whieji  tiow  small  streams. 
The  highest  summits  are  from  five  to  six  hundred  feet  above  the 
valleys,  and  about  eighteen  Inindred  feet  above  tide  water.  The 
surface  is  stony;   the   slialy   loam   only    fairly   pioductive. 

The  village  of  Masouville  is  situated  on  Bennett  brook,  a  little 
west  of  the  center  of  the  town.  The  first  p(^rmanont  settlement 
was  made  here  in  1795,  on  what  is  known  as  the  Cockburn  gore, 
a  strip  of  land   running  across  the   west  end   of  the   town. 

Tiie  lirst  settlers  were  mostly  from  JIassachusetts,  among 
whom  we  note  William    and    Adiu    Wait,    Samuel    M'hitman,    Daniel 

Scranton,    Knos    (1 Imaii,    Justin    North,     Pere/.    Moody    ,iiid    his 

Kou  iI(>s<'K,  Asa  Terry  and  Caleb  Monsou.  The  tirsf  l>irtii  was 
that  of  Sally  Wait,  August  In.  ITST.  Tin-  first  .leatli  was  tliat 
of  William   Wait  during  the   same  summer. 

In  17'.t7  the  State  road  was  built,  ending  at   Jericho,    now    Bain- 


4s'2  iiisToiiv  OF  i>p:i.AWAi{h:  corxTY. 

lirid^c.  OtlitT  settlers  came  soou  nftcr,  Darius  Siuitb,  Tiuidtliy 
Enstiiiau,  Beruice  Hazor,  Sj'lvester  and  Ebeuczer  Smith.  Dr.  Eli 
Emmons  taught  the  first  school;  Simeou  Wells  kej^t  the  tiist  iuu, 
where  the  old  Baptist  pavsouaffc  now  stands.  The  site  of  the 
tirst  school  house  is  now  occupied  by  the  liarii  of  the  late  John 
^I.  Parker.  The  tirst  store  was  kept  h.v  Fitch  and  Phelps--,  in  ISOS. 
Joseph  Biekuell  built  the  first  jurist  and  saw  mill  in  18U"2,  about 
half  a  mile  west  of  the  present  village.  Hazor,  Ebenezer  Smith, 
Dr.  Pliuy  aud  Darius  Smith  settled  near  the  fciiter  of  the  town. 
Collins  Brown  settled  a  little  east  of  the  center;  Silas  Kiieeland 
oil  Beech  Hill;  Wearam  Wi^i^  settled  about  two  miles  soiitli  of 
the  center  im  the  Delaware  road.  He  was  well  educated  and  a 
man  of  good  judgment.  He  was  the  first  supervisor  of  the  town 
aud  laud  agent  for  John  M.  Mason  for  many  years.  JIalcolm 
Allen  aud  John  McKinuon  came  about  ISOO  aud  settled  on  the 
Sidney  road  one  and  a  half  miles  northwest  of  the  center.  L. 
McQuaiu,  the  two  Eloner  brothers  and  Thomas  B.  Paliiier  came 
in  1800;  Joseph  Bicknell,  Ira  Balcom,  Levi  Wells,  Elijah  Whit- 
man aud  (ieorge  Clayhom  came  about  1801;  Elijah  Whitman  aud 
Wui.  Bolt  came  from  Saratoga  county.  William  McCrea,  a  relative 
of  the  Jane  MeCrea  who  was  murdered  by  the  Indians  in  1777, 
also  came  from  Saratoga  couuty.  There  was  a  tragedy  enacted 
at  the  residence  of  this  McCrea,  in  which  one  Paugbourue,  a 
laborer  for  McCrea,  murdered  his  wife.  There  was  also  a  case  of 
murder  in  1819  by  Nathan  Foster,  who  poisoned  his  wife.  The 
trial  was  conducted  at  Delhi  and  created  an  intense  excitement. 
Martin  Van  Buren  was  present  aud  assisted  the  District  Attor- 
neys. Foster  was  convicted  aud  iiuug.  Mrs.  Martha  Bradstreet 
came  to  ^lasonville  in  1819  and  commenced  suits  to  recover 
lands  of  tlie  Evans  patent  in  Masonville  and  Tompkins.  She  was 
successful  in  some  instances;  but  at  the  preseut  date  all  these 
suits  have  been  discontinued,  as  upon  further  investigation  it  was 
held  that  the  claim  was  uot  established.  This  claim  aud  the 
liti"atiou   arising  out   of  it   had   much   to   do  in   retarding   the   set- 


TOWX    III--    MASIIWILLI-:.  4.S8 

-tk'iiR'iit  of  the  town.  The  villa'>c'  of  Masouville  is  ;i  y.ivt  of  Lot 
18,  iu  the  Evaus  patent,  tlie  wliolc  lot  contjiiuiut^-  l,(l()7  acres.  It 
was  all  elainieil  by  the  heirs  of  Mrs.  ^Fartlia  IJradstreet.  Most 
of  the  occupants  have  settled  with  the  (  laiiii;uits  by  paying  $5,000 
to  the   late   William   Yoinuans,    couusel   for  the  ilainiants. 

Iu  ITitK  Timothy  Eastman  took  a  lease  embraciuj;  the  site  of 
Masouville.  This  lease  was  assigned  to  Reuben  Bump,  and  by 
him  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Nash,  and  by  Nash  to  Darius  Smith, 
iather  of  the  late  Stillman  Smith,  iu  IKOl.  I'licsc  parties  and 
their  heirs  have  held  possession  ever  since.  Tlu'  peo])lc  ]iurcli,ised 
laud  from  them  iu  good  faith  and  miule  improvements  without 
any  knowledge  of  a  trust  deed  until  in  IK")!).  The  settlers  there- 
fore felt  that  the\-  had  been  greatly  wronged  and  that  this  deed 
should   be   caucellfd. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  town,  known  as  East  ^lasouville,  was 
settled  a  little  later  than  the  western  part.  The  soil  is  better 
adapted  for  agriculture  than  the  rest  of  the  town.  The  farmers 
have  the  advantage  of  tin  Ontario  iV  Western  railroad  which 
gives  them   an   outlet   for   their  produce. 

OK(iANI/.\TIOX    OV    THK    TOWN. 

Agreeable  to  a  vote  of  the  inhabitants  and  an  act  of  the  I^egis- 
lature,  March  1,  isrj.  the  first  annual  town  meeting  was  held  at 
the  house  lately  occupied  by  Samuel  Wliitniiin,  and  was  adjourned 
to  the  school  house  near  Collins  Brown.  The  following  persons 
were  elected  to  ofKce:  Supervisor,  Wearam  Willis;  town  (derk, 
Pliny  Smith;  justices  of  the  peace,  L.  Liverly,  Uzziel  Taylor; 
assessors,  Lucius  Scolield,  Abuer  Graves;  commissioners  of  high- 
ways, Thomas  B.  Palmer,  William  McCrea,  Erastus  Goodman; 
collector,  Robert  AV.  Fo.ster;  constables,  R.  W.  Foster,  Job  Ehner; 
fence  viewers,  William  S.  McCrea,  Closes  Shaw,  Farriugtou  Parker; 
pound  keeper,  Joseph  Bicknell. 

At  this  meeting  the  following  ri-solutions  were  passed:  Res- 
olved, That  the  overseers  of  the  poor  of  the  aforesaid  town  give 
.their  notes  on  interest  to  the  supervisor  and   justice  of  the  peace 


484  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

for  all  moneys  received.  Voted,  that  fences  four  iiu<l  one-half 
feet  liij^li  shall  be  deemed  a  lawful  fence.  Voted,  that  horses- 
and  bo<^s  shall  not  run  on  the  common  land.  Voted,  that  the 
damages  done  by  horses  and  hoj^s  shall  be  the  penalty  without 
any  regard  to  the  fence;  said  daiua^^es  to  be  ajjpraiscd  liy  tlie 
fence   viewers,   the   owners   to    pay    all    the    costs. 

We  had  j^repared  a  list  of  the  persons  who  had  been  sent  to 
the  Legislature,  and  who  hail  served  as  supervisors  of  the  town, 
but  fearing  that  this  sketch  may  be  too  much  extended,  we  omit 
tbese  names. 

The  census  of  ISSd  showed  about  21.()()(i  acres  of  improved 
land  and  of  unimproved  about  11,001)  acres.  The  nundser  of  acres 
under  the  plow  was  "^j-tlS,  the  pasture  land  something  over  10,000 
acres,  mowing  laud  nearly  S.OOI)  acres.  The  last  report  of  farm 
lands  does  not  vary  much  from  rejiort  of  sales  of  1S74.  falling  a 
little  below.  At  tlie  last  census  tlie  inhabitants  nundjered  about 
1,(!()0,  the  slight  decrease  from  year  to  year  being  caused  by 
emif>ration  to  the   west. 

There  are  now  about  "i.oOO  rows  on  the  farms  of  the  town. 
Dairying  is  the  })rincipal  industry.  One  hundred  and  Hnc  years 
ao'O  the  town  was  all  forest  through  which  wild  beasts  roamed 
at  will.  Seventy  years  ago  there  was  on  an  average  al)out  one 
cow  to  a  clearing;  the  tinkle  of  the  cow  bell  could  l)e  heard 
from  every  hill  and  valley.  As  I  have  stated,  we  are  now  largely 
euga"'ed  in  dairying.  About  475, .500  pounds  of  butter  are  pro- 
duced annually.  In  the  western  part  of  the  town  there  is  a  cheese 
factory  managed  by  Ernest  Bilby.  F.  AV.  Smith  owns  two  cream- 
eries, one  in  the  village  and  one  at  Jericho.  W.  A.  (lifford  owns 
one  at  East  Mason ville  and  one  at  Tacoma.  J.  C.  and  V.  \\. 
AVillis  own  one  at  Beaver  Lake.  The  patrons  of  the  creamery 
all  use  separators,  and  the  butter  ranks  with  the  best  sent  to 
market,  but  at  the  present  time  the  jirice  is  so  low  it  leaves  l>ut 
a  small   per  cent,   to  the   farmer. 

The  lumberin.u  interest   in    INI.-isonville   was   of   vast    ])ro])ortions. 


rnir.v  (*/•■  MASdxvn.i.h:.  4S.-; 

from  iS'id  to  ISoO.  Little  else  was  tlioui^ht  of  except  to  cut 
lof^s,  haul  lof^'s,  sinv  lof>'s  and  build  rafts.  Had  the  people  followed 
fanning!'  with  the  same  teuacity  and  zeal  as  they  did  the  luiid)er- 
iii<4'  business  tlic  town  would  lit-  niurli  luttcr  off  to-day.  Tn  the 
winter  time  it  was  no  tritlin.L;'  matter  to  j;ct  up  at  four  o'clocU  of 
a  frosty  morninjf,  the  mercury  away  below  zero,  feedinj^-  teams, 
loadiuff  slei^dis  witli  lumber  and  then  starting,'-  off  for  the  river, 
twenty,  thirty,  ami  often  tinu's  a  greater  nundier  in  procession. 
It  was  exciting,  truly,  but  it  was  dry  work.  So  they  would  sto]) 
at  the  coruers.  as  they  calle<l  it,  to  take  a  drink  to  warm  them- 
selves; two  and  a  ludf  miles  further  on.  at  the  height  of  the 
grade,  they  would  rest  their  teams,  and  being  weary  themselves 
would  stop  for  refrcshm  'iits  at  what  is  now  known  as  the  Bryant 
place.  Again  al)oiit  two  miles  further  s(Mitli  at  the  forks  of  the 
Cold  Spring  brook  they  wjuld  stip  in  to  see  how  '•  mine  host  "  w  as 
getting  along  this  cold  morning.  Arriving  at  the  river  they  would 
feed  their  teams,  take  a  diink  of  whiskey,  eat  the  lunch  they  had 
with  them,  unload  the  lunil)(r  and  then  start  for  home.  This  is 
not  an  overdrawn  picture.  The  writer,  then  but  a  little  boy, 
has  often  driven  a  team  in  such  a  train  and  has  often  been  urged 
to  drink  with   the  rest. 

( )n  the  return  of  Spring  these  lundieriuen  would  figure  u]) 
their  loss  and  gain.  Many  of  them  would  Hud  a  l)alance  ag'ainst 
them  for  the  curn  and  oats  they  had  bought.  To  saw  this  vast 
amount  of  lundxr  no  less  than  seventeen  saw  mills  were  kept 
running.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate  tlieiu.  They  were  im- 
portant enterprises  when  luml)eriug  was  in  vogue;  but  now  their 
usefulness  is  mostly  gone.  Besides  these  sawmills  there  was  one 
place  where  the  pioneers  carried  their  apples  to  have  them  manu- 
factured into  cider  and  vinegar.  There  were  cooper  shops,  planing 
mills  and  shingle  machines,  and  wagon  and  carriage  manufactor- 
ies. It  is  needless  to  extend  our  enumeration  of  the  ])laces  of 
business,  the  factories  and  the  residences  which  have  been  erected 
in  the  town. 


4s(;  iiisTdiiv  Oh'  iii':h.\\vM{i<:  coi/ntv. 

KEMINISCENCEN    OF    NKLSON    (iUAVKS.  * 

III  ISI'2  wi'  hiul  !i  vcrv  (!()1(1  sui'uiicr;  it  froze  evei\v  iiioiitli  of 
that  year.  The  com  nil  rotted  in  the  grouud;  in  June  we  planted 
a  second  time.  I  went  out  with  my  father  to  see  liiiu  phmt  and 
came  near  freeziuj^-  my  hands  and  feet.  It  froze  so  hard  that 
night  that  in  the  iiHU-iiiuL;  1  went  out  and  slid  on  the  ice  with 
my  bare  feet.  Again  in  ISKl  it  was  very  cold,  it  snowed  every 
mouth  in  the  year;  no  corn  was  raised,  potatoes  were  no  larger 
than  birds  eggs;  grain  of  all  kinds  was  a  failure,  there  was 
neither  hay  nor  fruit.  In  June  it  froze  ice  one  inch  thicl;;  in 
July  we  had  a  hail  storm  or  rather  an  ice  storm  which  covered 
the  ground  with  ice.  Many  sheep  and  yearlings  were  killed.  I 
shall  always  remember  it  as  the  starving  time.  The  inhabitants 
suffered  much  for  food;  almost  all  the  cattle  died.  What  kept 
the  peojsle  from  starving  was  that  they  had  grain  left  over  from 
the  preceding  year,  which  was  a  year  of  jilenty.  Fish  and  game 
were  also  abundant.  The  years  1820  and  1821  were  almost  as 
bad  as  that  of  181().  Had  we  not  secured  a  small  crop  of  rye 
we  must  have  starved.  In  182(1  we  had  continuous  sleighing  from 
November  first  to  May  fifteenth  t)f  the  next  spring.  Other  re- 
markaV)le  seasons  were  1848,  1845  and  1850.  "We  think  the  times 
hard  now  and  the  jjrofits  small,  but  they  are  Hush  times  com- 
pared to  those  early  years  of  trial. 

In  1814  the  ground  where  the  Presbyterian  church  now  stands 
was  all  covered  with  logs.  They  made  a  logging  bee  and  cleared 
it   up  in  one  afternoon. 

Wild  animals  were  very  plentiful.  It  was  a  common  thing  to 
have  encounters  with  or  see  bears,  wild  cats,  panthers  and  wolves. 
Once  when  I  was  a  lad,  driving  a  jiair  of  oxen,  I  was  attacked 
by  what  I  supposed  was  a  big  grey  dog.  which  I  beat  off  with 
mv  t)x  gad.  The  animal  proved  to  be  a  grey  wolf.  Mr.  McCrea 
went  out  one  morning  to  his  sheep  pen  and  found  three  sheep' 
killed    l>y    wolves.      He    found   the   travks  of  five   wolves   whicli   he 

*  Mr.   (iravos  died   in   L'i'.is  ncnrly   iiiiioly  yciirs  nl'  a^c. 


roWX    OF  MASOXVII./.E.  487 

followeil  oviT  to  liis  next  noi^libor's.  Here  tbey  bud  killed  two 
sIriji.  The  iieif>:libors  were  uotitied  to  turu  out  mid  buut  tbein; 
Tbey  followed  tbem  for  some  distance  witbout  killing    tbeiii. 

An  amusing  story  is  told  of  Peter  Couse,  wbo  was  tbresbing 
liurkw  heat,  «1mii  siidilculy  a  big  hear  was  seen  a])proacbing  from 
tbe  woods.  He  gave  a  loud  sliout,  turned  and  ran  for  tbc  liousc. 
His  dog  was  as  scar(<l  as  bimsclf  and  kcjit  close  at  bis  beels. 
Uncle  Peter,  tbinking  it  was  tbe  bear  at  bis  beels,  was  too 
fri^btened  to  look  back,  and  ran,  out  of  breatb,  to  tbe  bouse. 
Tlif  bear  being  frigbtened  also  liy  Peter's  sbout  ran  as  fast  as 
be  could   tbc  otber  way. 

It  would  be  possible  to  gatber  up  many  interesting  tales  of 
adventures  witb  wild  animals  iu  tbese  early  days;  but  it  is  not 
possible  to  take  tbe  space  bere. 

CHURCHES    OF    M.4S0XVII,I,i:. 

Tbe  first  Baptist  cburch  in  Masonville  was  organi2e<l  January 
■J7,  isio,  by  tbe  adoption  of  articles  of  faitb  and  a  cburcb  covenant, 
with  eight  members,  namely :  Caleb  Bennett,  Collins  Brown,  Joseph 
Sanders,  John  Balcom,  Darius  S.  Kniitli.  Louis  Balcom,  Zeljibia 
Smith,  and  Sally  Welsh. 

The  first  cburcb  was  ))uilt  m  LSI'.)  about  one  mile  east  of  the 
present  church.  Tbey  bad  no  facilities  then  for  warming  the  bouse 
and  each  one  carried  a  foot  stone  to  keep  tbeiu  warm  during  tbe 
service.  The  cburcb  was  recognized  and  received  into  fellowship 
iu  1H12.  The  same  year  the  cburch  united  with  tbe  Franklin  Bap- 
tist association,  iu  which  it  remained  until  1S54,  wiien  it  joiueil  the 
Deposit  association  to  wbicli  it  now  belongs.  Tbe  successive 
pastors  have  l)ccn;  Orange  Spencer,  John  N.  Ballard,  Simeon  P. 
(hiswold,  Henry  Robertson  Eight,  E.  L.  Benedict,  James  .\imer, 
Henry  Sherwood,  E.  Baldwin,  E.  T.  Jacol)s,  E.  H.  Corey,  B.  L.  AVel- 
man,  X.  Ripley,  L.  AV.  Jackson,  W.  E.  Howell,  R.  Cary,  il.  Berry, 
W.  S.   I'.rry. 

The  church  that  was  built  in  LSI!)  was  simply  enclosed.  In  this 
thev  held  their  meetings   for  seven  vears  before   tbev  were   alile   to 


4HH  niSTdliV    (IF    DKLAWMiE    ClirSTY. 

finish  the  iiitcrinr;  and  it  was  tliifc  years  after  this  l)rf()re  stoves 
were  set  iij).  Here  they  \vcirsliiji]ieil  for  twinty  years.  Then  a 
building  was  erected  in  a  more  convenient  location  near  the  center 
of  the  village  where  they  continued  until  1SS4.  A  large  and 
beautiful  church  was  then  built  on  tlie  main  street  seating  al)out 
three  liundred  au<l  tifty  people.  Several  churches  have  been  formed 
in  whole  or  in  j'iirt  from  this  oldest  churcdi.  Its  j)resent  member- 
ship is  128. 

The  second  cjiurch  m  Masunville  was  the  Congregational, 
formed  June  IS,  ISIS.  The  Rev.  Caleb  Wright  was  moderator  of 
the  council.  A  meeting  was  held  ^larch  14,  1S21.  for  the  j)urpos6 
of  taking  into  consideration  the  erection  of  a  meeting  house.  It 
was  votei^  to  l)uild  a  house  forty-live  feet  long  by  thirty  feet  wide, 
fifteen  feet  posts.  September  13  the  society  met  and  resolved  that 
this  society  raise  a  sum  not  to  exceed  SloO,  to  be  laid  by  tax  on 
such  members  as  should  agree  to  be  taxed,  taking  the  town 
appraisement  as  a  guide;  to  be  taxed  not  more  than  thirty  per 
cent,  on  all  taxable  property  that  is  not  encumbei-ed;  such  money 
to  be  used  to  pay  a  preacher  one-half  of  his  time.  The  first  sale  of 
slips  netted  S98.5(l. 

In  1S20  the  Rev.  John  M.  ilasou  and  his  wife  of  the  Brailstreet 
family  granted  a  lot  of  112  acres  of  land  for  the  support  of  the 
ministry  of  the  church.  A  Presbyterian  society  was  formed  to 
receive  the  grant  under  the  law  providing  for  the  incorporation  of 
religious  societies,  under  the  name  of  First  Presbyterian  Society  of 
Masouville.  The  farm  and  the  parsonage  are  about  one  mile  south 
of  the  village,  the  proceeds  are  used  for  the  benefit  of  the  societj'. 
It  is  a  good  jjiece  of  laud  and  suitable  for  farming  and  dairying. 

The  following  have  been  the  successive  pastors:  Egliert  Roosa, 
John  Fish,  Charles  Chapman,  Daniel  Manning,  Moses  Fatcher, 
Harvey  Smith.  In  1847  the  church  was  changed  into  the  Congre- 
gational form,  succeeding  which  were  the  following  jiastors:  George 
Evart,  Mr.  Ketcham,  A.  H.  Fullertou,  Sumner  ilandeville,  P.  B. 
Wilson,  Mr.  Perry,  C.  E.  Gary,  John  Hutchingsou,  Josiah  Still,  J. 
D.  Cameron. 


Village  of  Mereditf\. 


Village  of  East  l\erednt\. 


raWX   ilF   \l.\S(t\VII.LK.  4'.»1 

The  cliurch  cditici'  was  Imilt  In  IS'J'J  .mil  1S4.'{.  It  was  i-ciiiod- 
•cllcd  iii  \x'^^l.  'V\\v  cliun-li  liiis  been  couuectcd  with  Siisijiii'liiuina 
Associiitidii  uiiil  the  C'liciiiuit^o  Presbytery,  aud  is  uow  coiiuected 
witli  the  Biiif^haiiitou  Presbytery.  It  has  always  been  feeble  as  to 
iininl>i-rs  and  jikuh'N  .  .aiiil  lias  liad  tii  depend  in  a  j;reat measure 
upou  home  mission  liiuds  for  sui)2)ort.  The  Bradstreet  claim  for  a 
lonji'  time  hamjiered  it  and  paused  anxiety.* 

.V  Methodist  Kpiscopal  eliurcli  was  orf>anized  in  Masonvillc  in 
\^i'l.  I'ntil  1S.")1  tlic  uicetiii^^s  were  held  prini'ip.ally  in  tiic  sidn)oI 
house,  at  wliirli  time  a  commodious  (diurcli  was  erected,  wliiidi  was 
eulari^ed  aud  modernized  in  IST.'i.  In  1S(U  a  jjarsonaf^e  was  pur- 
chased with  a  lot  containing  two  aiTcs  of  land.  This  property 
beinj^-  inconveniently  situated  was  sold  ami  a  parsonage  on  the 
main  street  near  the  cliur<di  was  bouj^hf.  Preacdiinj^'  has  been 
maintained  in  this  clnirch  since  its  or{>;auizatiou.  The  names  of  the 
preachers  can  be  j^iven,  but  they  will  occupy  too  much  sj)ace  for 
this  history.  Tlie  church  has  had  a  steady  fi'rowth  from  the  first. 
Out  of  it  has  been  formed  cliurclies  at  Bennettsvillc  and  at  Tacoma, 
which  have  drawn  frnm  the  streuf^'th  of   the  jiarent  society. 

MASONVII.LE     LOIIOE    XO.     (iliCi.     1'.     ,\      \.     M. 

This  lodj^e  was  organized  July  11.  l.S(;(i,  by  electing  •).  C. 
Bourne,  W.  M. ;  Hiram  Seotield,  V.  ^\ . ,  A.  C.  Bailey,  Jr.,  W.  There 
weie  twelve  ciiarter  mendiers.  The  lodge  inis  [irtispeicd  fidm  the 
beginning  aud  is  now  in  a  satisfactory  condition.  It  has  forty-two 
mendiers  in  good  standing.  The  Sidney  Lodge  took  a  niind)er  of 
the  brethren  from  ilasonville  Lodge  as  charter  niendjers. 

MII.n'AltV. 

It  would  be  interesting'  to  give  in  detail  the  military  move- 
ments wlii<di  took  place  in  this  patriotic  town.  The  following 
pers<jns  are  l)elieved  to  have  lieen  eugaged  in  the  Revolutionary 
war,   aud   who   ought   jiarticnlarly   therefore   to   be   In  Id   in  grateful 

'At  till'  riM|ui'Sl  of  Mr.  Gcllei-  Ri'v.  .1.  D.  ('.•iiiieroii,  [lastur  <il'  llic  Presliy- 
liMiiiii  diurcli,  has  prepuri'il  a  few  [mges  rolatitiji  to  llie  recent  history  of  tho 
rlunih.      It  is  of  groat  iiilcrest,  Iml  f'lr  want  of  spncc  must  lie  here  oinitteil. 


492  lllsrol!)-    OF    DELAWAKK    corsTY. 

Keiiieiul)raiice:     Ezekial  Upsen,  Jouatljau    Hiile,    Asm    Gillett,    Case 
Vau  Tice,  Ahraiu  Houghtaliuf^',  Elijah  Wliitmau  ami  Collius  Brown. 

Auotber  list  of  those  engaged  in  the  war  of  ISl'i  consists  of 
Ambrose  Bennett,  Miner  Wlieateu,  John  Houghtaliug,  Nathan 
Shaw,   Abraham   Scott  ami  Joseph   t'lark. 

In  the  Civil  war.  ISdl  to  ISOo.  the  part  of  the  county  in  ami 
about  Masouville  was  notably  patriotic.  It  is  ini])ossible  to  dis- 
tribute the  names  of  those  who  entered  the  army  with  certainty 
among  the  localities  from  which  they  went.  The  town  of  Mason- 
ville,  the  town  of  Sidney  and  the  towns  of  Tompkins  and  Deposit, 
together  with  localities  on  the  Susquehanna  river,  not  in  the 
county,  were  all  enthusiastic  in  the  work  of  su])plying  soldiers 
for  this  war.  Not  less  than  150  persons  could  be  enumerated  as- 
volunteering  from  these  towns. 


Aeredith. 

IjV  Jo.siab  D.  >iiulb. 

IN  attcMijitin^'  tn  write  this  liistory  (wd  serious  ditiiciilties  con- 
front the  writer.  SSoiiie  years  a-j^o  the  Imililiiij^  in  wliidi  the 
town  reeords  wore  kept  was  destroyed  hy  tire,  and  much  that 
woidd  no  doubt  Lave  been  of  material  aid  in  nuikin;^'  u])  this 
record  was  forever  h>st.  Ajriiin,  within  a  few  years  many  of  the 
ohler  inhabitants  from  whom  valuabh'  data  couKl  have  been  ob- 
tained have  ]iassi'd  away.  Oiii-  main  dependence  has  lieen  such 
historical  facts  as  are  already  on  record,  toj^ether  with  items  of 
interest  furnished  by  present  or  former  residents  of  the  towu 
now  liviufr, 

Mei-editli  was  foiMued  from  Franklin  and  Kortrij^ht.  March 
14.  18(MI.  and  named  from  Samuel  Meredith  of  l'liila<lel])hia.  Its 
boundaries  have  remained  the  same  as  at  its  oryfauizatiou,  except 
that  iu  1H7S,  at  their  own  request,  a  number  of  laud  owners  in 
the  town  of  Davenport,  whose  farms  are  situated  aloupf  the  Ouleout 
vidley,   were  set  otT  and  are  now  included  in  the  town  of  ^[ereditb. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  by  Joseph  liramhall  in  17H7. 
Captain  Amos  Bristol  settled  in  17!)(),  Clark  Lawrence  iu  17!tl, 
follov.ed  by  Closes  aud  Nathan  Stilson  and  Nathaniel  Stewart; 
the  last  tliree  settling  on  a  tract  of  1,(MI(I  acres  iu  the  western  part 
of  the  town  that  was  purchased  at  oue  dollar  per  acre.  In  17!t8 
Caleb  Strontr.  Oliver  Dutton,  Daniel  North,  David  Bostwick  and 
Triinum  Stilsou  joiued  the  settlement.  Caleb  Stronj^'  settled  ou 
the  farm  now  owned  by  his  ^frandson,  Lewis  B.  Stron^r.  and  so 
far  as  the  writer  has  been  able  to  learn  this  is  the  onl\  Liriii  in 
town  that  has  been  owned  aud  occupied  liy  a  direct  descendant 
of  the  family  since   its   first   settlement.      The   ori^^iual    deeds   t,'-iveu 

I'M 


4!I4  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

\o  Caleb  Strong,  bearing  date  of  'Shiy.  ISO"),  ure  still  in  tin-  i)osses- 
sion  of  the  present  owner.  Oliver  Button  wiis  a  Sergeant  la  the 
war  of  the  Kevohitioii,  and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
David  Bostwick  was  the  grandfather  of  Hon.  Mi  Itou  Bostwick 
who  meets  with  us  to-day  at  the  advaneed  age  of  eighty-nine 
years.  Hon.  Samuel  A.  Law,  pojiularly  known  as  Judge  Law, 
came  from  Cheshire,  Couu.,  in  171)(),  and  settled  at  the  Square  as 
jigeut  and  part  owner  of  the  Franklin  Patent,  making  the  tirst 
surveys  of  farms  in  this  section.  Largely  through  the  influence 
of  Judge  Law  Meredith  S(iuare  became  and  for  a  long  time  was 
the  most  important  })iiint  along  the  Catskill  turnpike,  or  in  Dela- 
ware county.  Judge  Law  was  influential  in  cavising  ipiite  a  large 
immigratiou  from  New  England,  and  the  town  assumed  much  of 
the  characteristics  of  a  Connecticut  town.  Judge  Law  built  the 
first  saw  mill  at  Meredith  Hollow.  He  died  December  "28,  lS-t5. 
Daniel  Dibble  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Philo  F.  Bene- 
dict in  the  year  1799,  which  he  bought  of  Daniel  Smith  who  then 
owned  the  farms  now  occupied  by  Edmund  Rose,  John  T.  ^Ic- 
Donald  and  Alex.  McDonald.  Daniel  Dibble  was  a  Revolutionary 
soldier,  and  was  present  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyue.  The  entire 
list  of  Revolutionary  soldiers  who  settled  in  town  were,  Silas 
Brooks,  Eleazer  Wright,  Daniel"  Dibble,  Oliver  Dutton  and  Cap- 
tain Riley.     The  last  two  were  pensioners. 

The  following  named  gentlemen  served  in  the  wai-  of  l.si'2: 
Trumau  Smith,  William  Cramer,  George  Howland,  Simon  Knowles, 
Dennis  Rice,  J.  Carriugton,  Simeon  Crane,  C.  Couse  and  Jacob 
Hunt,  who  settled  in  different  sections  of  the  town.  The  three 
Mitchell  brothers,  Aaron,  Pierce,  and  David,  settled  on  upper 
Elk  Creek  in  1S()2.  Families  of  the  names  of  Thornton  and  Peaster 
were  early  settlers  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  town.  David 
Bostwick  settled  on  what  has  since  been  known  as  tlic  Wiard 
place  in  1794.  The  first  frame  house  built  in  town  by  Clark 
Lawrence,  the  tirst  school  taught  in  same  by  Lucy  Austin,  near 
where   the   dwelling  of  Hmi.    Milton  Bi>stwick  now  stands.     Joseph 


ri)\vx  OF  .\ii:iii:iiirii.  4t)7 

liriiiiiliiill  kept  the  tirst  hotel,  uiul  tlic  tirst  liirtli  uimI  ilcutli  occuiTfcl 
ill  his  fuiiiily.  Riit'us  liiiiiiiill  kept  the  first  store  ;it  the  Stpiare 
in  IT'.i'.l.  David  Spoor  hnilt  the  tirst  grist  mill  at  Meredith  Hol- 
low, iiiiw  Mcriilule,  at  the  raisin;^-  of  whicli  a  man  came  near  losiii;^ 
his  lite  from  falliiiH'. 

If  space  permitted  the  writer  would  gladly  make  mention  of 
those  who  came  on  to  take  the  jilaces  of  the  older  settlers  aln  aih 
mentioned.  The  Dihliles.  !\[itchells.  JOlder  Sears,  Deacons  Ijake 
and  C'arr,  Jonathan  Heiieilict.  Deacon  .losiali  I).  Wells,  tlir  i'oiters. 
De:ins.  Duttons,  Shavers,  and  many  othei's  who  took  an  active 
jiart  in  town  affairs,  and  in  the  organization  and  liuiiding  n]j  of 
the   chnrches. 

The  Baptist  (diuich  at  Meredith  was  eonstitnted  Vn^ust  2'J, 
IS]].  February  4,  IHIS,  it  was  decided  to  divide  the  C'Lurcli  aud 
two  Churches  were  formed,  viz:  the  East  aud  West  Meredith  Raj)- 
tist  churches.  A  report  ma<le  to  the  Association  June  1,  ISKi, 
gives  the  numher  of  mendiers  as  eighty-four  and  the  name  as 
Kast  ^fei'edith  liajjtist  church.  Benjamin  Sears  was  invited  to 
liecome  pastor  Aj)ril  1,  IKIS;  ()li\(  r  Dutton  and  Isaac  Lake  were 
chosen  Deacons. 

Nathau  Stilsou  preached  in  West  [Meredith  before  the  cliuich 
was  built.  .Vmmon  Bostwick  went  to  Kent,  Conn.,  an<l  Inciught 
Klder  Crane,  who  became  tlie  first  pastor  of  West  Jleredith  church. 
.Vfter  a  time  there  arose  a  division  and  a  large  nundier  withdrew 
,and  formed  the  Crotou  (now  Treadwell)  ciiurch.  The  <hnrch 
which  was  built  in  IS'JS  was  finally  desti-oye<l  l>y  lir<-  in  1S-|"J. 
Forty-eight  members  of  the  East  Meredith  Baptist  church  were 
dismissed  to  unite  with  tlie  Delhi  Ba])tist  church.  (By  East  ^b're- 
dith    is   meaut   Meredith,    and    not    the    East    ^leredith    of    to-day.) 

The  present  Bai)tist  cimrcli  at  Meredith  was  erected  in  1S48 
and  remodeled  in  lS'.):i.  The  Congregational  or  I'lcsbyterian 
i-hurch  at  Meredith  Sijuare  was  organized  in  IHl."),  the  first  trustees 
being  Samuel  Moody  aud  Simeon  (Iriswold,  and  the  clerk  Bildad 
Curtis.     The  present  cliurch   was  built  in  IS^S,  and  William  Fisher 


498  IllsrOJn'    OF    DKLAWARE    COfXTV. 

\V!iw  the  first  settled  pastor.  The  ebnrcli  iiiterioi'  was  remodeled 
ill  1X57.  Later  the  Free  Will  Baptists  built  a  eburcli  at  East 
Meredith,  uow  owned  ami  i-ebuilt  by  Presbyterians;  also  the 
^lethodists  have  a  church  at  Meridale.  Special  mention  should 
be  made  of  that  Father  in  Israel,  Kev.  (leorjie  F.  Post,  who  was 
called  as  pastor  of  the  Meredith  Bajjtist  church  three  different 
times,  and  served  as  pastor  for  a  period  of  about  twenty-one 
years,  the  total  numl)er  of  baptisms  beinj^-  1:55.  He  is  still  livinj^- 
at  eighty-two  years  of  age,   l)ut  in   feeble   health. 

The  building  of  "The  (ireat  Catskill  Turnpike,"  as  it  was 
called,  was  a  notable  event  in  the  early  history  of  the  town.  It 
was  the  great  thoroughfare  from  western  New  York  to  Catskill, 
and  thence  by  boat  to  New  York  city,  and  was  in  its  time  to  the 
portion  of  the  state  through  which  it  passed,  what  tiie  Central 
railroad  is  to-day.  It  is  said  that  there  w'as  at  times  almost  a 
continuous  line  of  teams  passing  and  rejjassing,  and  there  was 
an  average  of  one  hotel  to  every  mile,  and  every  one  tilled  each 
night.  A  former  histm'ian  says  there  were  at  one  time  seven 
hotels  within  the  limits  of  the  town.  There  were  in  those  early 
days  three  distilleries  and  one  brewery,  two  of  the  distilleries 
being  owned  and  operated  by  prominent  members  of  the  Baptist 
church.  Although  rum  drinking  was  not  in  those  days  attended 
with  as  swift  and  certain  destruction  as  it  is  to-day,  yet  we  tind 
the  good  peojile  of  the  town  becoming  alarmed  at  the  efifects  of 
the  drink  curse  caused  by  the  presence  of  so  many  distilleries 
and  hotels.  Lawlessness,  idleness,  and  the  thousand  ills  that  in- 
variably follow  the  liciuor  traffic  led  to  the  organization  of 
"The  Social  League,"  whicB  was  established  by  eighty-four  of 
the  best  citizens  of  the  town.  This  was  the  first  temjierance  so- 
ciety in  Delaware  county.  So  far  as  the  writer  can  learn,  the 
town  of  Meredith  can  boast  of  never  having  had  a  licensed  saloon 
within  its  borders,  aud  who  shall  say  that  the  efforts  of  those 
pioneers  to  save  their  young  men  from  drunkenness  has  not  been 
the  leaven  that  has  jiermeated  the  lives  and  acts  of  generations 
following. 


vnir.v  ((/■■  MhjiEnrni.  49;) 

Lyinj^' fis  iiiiuli  ot  till-  tuwii  does  along  the  water-shed  between 
'.the  Siisi|iiehiuiii;i  and  Dehiware  rivers,  the  soil  which  is  niaiidy 
reil  shale  :uid  <lisiutegrated  s:ind  stone  t'ormiition,  is  better  adapted 
to  the  growth  of  grass,  oats  and  potatoes,  than  corn  cnlture,  dairv- 
.iug  therefore  has  been  the  j)rincipal  iudnstrv.  And  altho\igli 
there  are  a  few  practieallv  abandoned  farms,  I  l)elieve  I  am  justified 
iu  saying  that  no  town  in  Delaware  county  eau  present  a  larger 
proportion  of  farms  free  from  debt,  or  a  smaller  percentage  of 
liusiuess  failures. 

The  early  representatives  in  the  legislature  were  Hon.  Benj;i- 
min  Benedict  in  lS->"2,  Hon.  Samuel  A.  Law,  Jr.,  in  lH58-(i(),  Hon. 
Milton  Bostwick  in  1S4:{.  ^Ir.  Ifostwick  is  the  oldest  living  ex- 
assemblyman  in  the  county,  and  there  is  only  one  older  in  tlic 
state.  He  is  still  living,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years. 
Hon.    D.    H.    JIackey  served   in   189(i   and   was  re-elected   iu  l.S!)7. 

As  the  years  have  sped  by  the  ])ioneers  and  tlieir  successors 
one  after  another  have  passed  over  to  the  great  beyond,  and  in 
many  cases  their  places  have  been  tilled  by  a  stui'dy  class  of 
Scottisli  sons  and  daughters,  and  their  descendants  are  to-day 
among  our  most  thrifty  and  upright    citizens. 

Fifty  years  of  um-emittiug  toil  and  frugality  were  rewarded 
bv  ho:nes  of  plenty,  when  over  these  hills  and  along  these  vallevs 
resouniled  the  clarion  notes  of  war,  and  an  experience  came  to 
these  homes  which,  (iod  grant,  may  never  be  rejteated.  Long 
years  ago  there  appeared  a  cloud,  apparently  no  larger  tlian  a 
mau's  liaud,  and  a  few,  at  times  but  one,  jif  our  citizens  maiched 
each  vear  to  the  ballot  box  and  deposited  tlieir  protest  against 
the  curse  of  American  slavery.  I  need  not  repeat  the  history  of 
gathering  doiuls,  and  the  final  outburst  of  the  most  cruel  war 
this  nation  has  ever  seen.  Its  record  is  indelibly  inscril>ed  on 
marble  slul)s  in  liundreds  of  cemeteries,  in  vacant  chairs  whose 
occupants  come  not  again,  and  on  the  tablets  of  hearts  who  freely 
gave  their  all   to   maintain   the   honor  of  the   dear  old   Hag. 

Xo   historian   will   ever    tell   the   story   of  anguish   that    wrung 


500  HISTORY    OF    DKl.An'ARE    COl'XTV. 

tbf  hearts  of  fathers  and  luDthers,  or  wives  aud  sisters,  who 
hravely  said  adieu  to  sons,  husbands  and  brotherH.  Home  of  them 
went  out  from  the  homes  never  more  to  return.  In  this  Heaven- 
horn  sacrifice  Meredith  stands  second  to  none  of  her  sister  towns. 
The  conditions  folhnvin^-  tlie  j^reat  civil  war  have  l)een  much 
the  same  in  this  as  in  other  towns,  aud  years  of  plenty  have  been 
succeeded  by  shortened  crops  and  leaner  harvests,  but  ovir  people 
can  with  abundant  reason  lift  their  hearts  in  thanksgiving^-  and 
praise  to  the  great  Giver  of  good  that  so  few  of  the  ills  and  mis- 
fortunes of  life  have  come  to  us,  and  such  an  abundance  of  His 
blessiners. 


Q 

to 
o 


Middle  (o\.n. 

IjV;    llv"'".    John    cii\uil. 

11'  1^  with  sincere  satisfiietion  tliat  I  witness  tli<'se  exliibitious 
iif  respect  for  the  woithy  deeds  iif  our  forefuthers  niid  the 
eviileut  disposition  of  our  j)e()ph>  everywhere  to  clierisli  the  nieiu- 
orv  of  tlieir  iincestors;  especially  iu  times  like  the  present  when 
|>ublic  and  private  \  irtue  so  needs  the  reiuvii>or!ition  of  noble 
examples.  In  field  and  council  the  sons  of  Delaware  have  done 
ji;ood  and  honorable  service,  and  the  history  of  Delaware  is  cue 
of  which  we  can  well  be  proud.  In  the  glory  of  her  past  history 
tjie  original  town  of  jNIiddletown  took  no  small  part  and  it  is  a 
pleasure  for  us,  her  cliildi'en,  to  assist  in  whatever  wav  we  can 
in  celebrating  her  oni'  hundredth  birthday.  In  this  histiu'v  I 
shall  l)rietly  recount  some  of  the  eai'ly  history,  leaving  the  later 
events  and  growtii  and  jirosperity  of  the  town  to  the  longer  jiajier 
to  be  submitted   later   for  j)iil)lic'ation. 

The  town  of  Mid<lleto\\n  was  incorporated  in  17S".),  as  a  ]iart 
■of  Ulster  county,  being  formed  from  the  towns  of  Woodstock 
and  Rochester.  It  took  its  name  from  its  central  location — most 
of  the  po])ulation  of  the  state  being  in  tlu^  territory  drained  by 
ihe  Hnilson,  Delaware  ami  Susi|uehaiina  rivers,  of  which  the  Dela- 
ware was  the  middle  valley  and  the  town  of  Middletowu  contained 
nearly  all  that  part  of  L'lster  county  lying  within  the  valley. 
Middletowu  is  one  of  the  original  and  one  of  the  oldest  towns 
in  Delaware  county,  and  formerly  covered  all  the  territory  of  the 
present  towns  of  Koxbnry,  Hovina,  Middletowu,  .Vmles,  Colchester, 
Hancock,  nearly  all  of  Stamford,  a  large  part  of  Delhi,  Hamdeu, 
Walton  and  Tomi>kins,  and  a  small  jjortion  of  Shaudaken  in 
rister  county,  comprising  more  than  half  of  th<'  whole  county  of 
■2(i        '  •■>'" 


504  fllSTOIiV    OF    DKhAn^ARE    COUNTY. 

Delaware.  By  division  it  has  been  reduced  to  a  territory  of  58, ()()(»• 
acres,  with  a  pojndation  of  about  4,U(KI  iuhabitauts.  The  East 
branch  of  the  Dehiware  river  flows  throuf^h  the  eential  part  of 
the  town,  with  the  Jiataviakill,  Bushkill,  Dry  Brook,  Mill  l!rook 
aud  Plattekill  streams  as  tril>utaries,  draiuiuf^'  fertile  \allcys,  and 
along  which  are  located  the  thirteen  settlements  of  the  town. 
This  extraordinary  number  of  post  otKces  can  better  be  appre- 
ciated directly  after  a  presidential  election  or  before  a  town  caucus. 
The  history  of  the  permanent  settlement  of  this  mother  of  towns 
properly  begins  with  the  advent  of  the  Dutch  in  17t!:i,  though 
the  Canadian  French  were  here  about  the  time  of  the  French 
and  Indian  war,  and  still  earlier  there  was  a  Tuscarora  Indian 
village  called  Pakatakan  just  above  the  present  village  of  Mar- 
garetville,  and  the  above  Indian  name  Pakatakan  is  still  used  to 
designate  a  company  of  ]Margaretville  firemen.  Of  this  original 
occujiancy  of  the  town  by  the  Indians  the  Indian  mounds  and 
burying  grounds  on  the  old  Dumoud  farm  attest,  and  the  large 
number  of  arrow  heads  and  tlint  axes  that  have  been  found  in 
this  vicinity  is  an  additional  proof.  Still  further,  there  are  in  all 
probability  many  who  have  heard  the  authentic  but  hair  raising 
stories  told  to  this  day  in  Middletown  of  the  wonderful  exploits 
ot  Tom  Quick  and  Tim  Murphy,  the  Indian  slayers  whose  favorite 
haunts  were  the  valleys  of  the  Delaware,  stories  more  wonderful 
than  the  "good  times  coming"  prophecies  of  the  Republican 
politicians.  I  made  mention  above  of  the  first  jjermanent  settlers 
being  Dutch — they  were  with  one  exception,  to  my  knowledge, 
and  this  was  my  maternal  great-great-grandfather  O'Connor,  who, 
while  he  could  speak  nothing  but  the  Dutch  language,  yet  he 
was  a  full-blooded  Irishman,  born  in  Ireland.  These  Dutch  .set- 
tlers at  first  consisted  of  only  four  families  from  Ulster  county, 
who  bought  four  farms  on  Great  Lot  No.  7,  on  the  Jliddletown 
flats,  receiving  deeds  therefor  dated  April  '.1.  1708,  paying  S<2.5(i 
])er  acre.  Five  more  families  joined  them  during  the  ne.\t  eight 
years,   and   all  maintained   friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  until 


TOW.X    OF   MIDDLRTdWX.  505 

tlic  time  of  the  Kevolutiim,  when  the  frieudly  and  timely  \viiiiiin{{ 
(pf  iiu  Indian  named  Tenuis,  who  afterwards  lived  in  Bovina,  alono 
saved  them  from  being  massacred  by  the  Indians.  As  it  was  they 
were  forced  to  return  to  Ulster  eouuty.  beinj;  followed  bv  the; 
Indians  as  far  as  Shaudakeu.  However,  the  settlers  afterward 
returned  and  were  never  afterward  disturbed,  the  Indians  being 
driven  westward.  A  single  incident  may  suffice  to  show  the  present 
generation  what  kind  of  a  life  was  lived  by  those  early  adven- 
turers: One  night  when  tlie  cows  were  driven  to  the  enelosun? 
to  be  milked  a  stray  yearling  steer  was  noticed  in  the  drove. 
The  cows  did  not  seem  to  be  contented  in  his  comjiauy,  and  after 
several  vain  attempts  to  milk  the  uneasy  herd,  the  stray  yearling 
was  discovered  to  be  nothing  less  than  a  black  bear. 

Chancelh)r  Livingston,  as  one  of  the  heirs  of  Johannes  Har- 
denbergh,  was  once  the  owner  of  all  this  secton,  which  was  a 
part  of  the  land  granted  Johannes  Hardenbergh  by  Queen  iVnno 
in  nw,  anil  he,  Hardenbergh,  was  thus  the  original  proprietor 
of  the  soil,  and  the  village  of  Margaretville  is  named  after  his 
great-granddaughter  Marj^aret.  Of  the  many  privations  and  hard- 
ships endured  by  our  forefathers  in  the  early  pioneer  life  of  the 
town,  in  the  limited  time  allowed,  I  can  make  but  brief  mention — 
personally,  I  have  always  sympathized  with  our  foreniothers  the 
most,  for  the  reasim  that  they  had  to  endure  the  same  hardships 
that  our  forefathers  did  and  our   forefathers  beside. 

In  ITS'.),  by  act  of  the  legislature,  the  town  of  iliddletown  was 
erected,  and  Benjamin  Milk  was  afterward  elected  a  supervisor 
of  the  town  to  sit  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Suiieivisors 
held  at  Delhi,  May  80,  17il7 — seven  sujiervisors  sitting  at  this 
meeting.  .\t  this  town  election  the  ballot  box  was  taken  from 
place  to  place  in  the  town  for  the  convenience  of  voters,  and  it 
may  be  interesting  to  know  that  flu  discovery  was  afterwards 
made  that  the  successful  canditlate,  Benjamin  Milk,  was  neither 
a  resident  of  the  town  of  Middletown  or  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware. 


5()(;  HISTORY    OF    DEf^AWARE    COVXTV. 

The  oldest  liousc  uow  standing  iu  the  town  of  Middlctowii 
is  on  the  Daniel  Waterl)ury  farm.  It  was  built  iu  IT'.H  l)y  Colonel 
John  Grant,  who  was  the  first  postmaster  of  the  town  and  held 
office  forty  years.  The  town  meetings  were  held  here  for  many 
years,  the  draft  for  tlie  war  of  ISI'2  took  jilace  iu  the  same  l)uild- 
iug,  and  the  broad  iiieadow  near  was  used  for  the  general  ti'aiuiug 
of  the  militia.  At  these  general  trainings  the  tubs  and  pails  of 
whiskey  punch  were  used  so  freely  that  the  sham  lights  usually 
turned  out  to  be  real  fights  before  the  day  was  oyer.  Very  soon 
after  the  return  of  the  refugees  at  the  close  of  the  Revolution, 
a  Dutch  Reformed  Presbyterian  church  was  erected  in  the  old 
churchyard  above  the  present  yillage  of  Ai-ena,  and  the  first  sup- 
ply preaching  was  by  a  one  legged  man  by  the  name  of  Anderson, 
who  afterwards  became  a  fortune  teller  and  doctor.  Probably 
the  oldest  burying  j^l^''^  in  the  county  is  the  old  cemetery  on 
the  Dumond  farm,  just  across  the  river  from  Margaretville.  It 
was  used  by  the  early  Dutch  settlers  and  many  years  liefore  liy 
half  breeds  who  preceded  them.  In  the  war  of  ISI'2  three  com- 
panies were  drafted  from  JNIiddletown  (as  it  was  then)  for  the 
defense  of  New^  York  harbor.  In  the  Anti-Rent  war  Middletown 
took  a  considerable  part,  one  of  the  saddest  episodes  of  which 
was  the  shooting  of  Steele  at  Andes,  for  which  Edward  O'Connor 
of  Middletown  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  be  hung,  but  was 
afterward   pardoned   by    (xovernor    Young. 

The  history  of  the  various  settlements  and  villages  in  the 
town,  the  growth  in  population,  schools,  societies,  business,  news- 
papers, professions,  military  affairs,  tire  department,  railroads, 
agriculture  and  public  improvements  will  have  to  be  left  f(n-  the 
published  history. 

Politically,  Middletown  has  always  taken  a  leading  part,  and 
many  of  her  citizens  have  sacrificed  their  time  and  submitted, 
from  purely  patriotic  motives,  to  the   discomforts   of   holding   office. 

Thus  reviving  briefly  the  early  history  of  this  county  we  may 
safely    say  that  none  has  a   hist(n-y   more    romantic   iu    its   incidents. 


Towx  III--  Miniii.irriiww  .-^((7 

more  marked  for  tlit-  stiirdv  iuilepemleuce  unci  honesty  of  its 
people,  for  tlieir  euer','_v,  ^Jtrsistence,  will  iuiloinitable  to  defeud 
tiieir  rif^dits.  aud  rcMidiuess  to  aceord  like  rif^hts  to  otbers.  It 
is  11  i[iU'stioii  \v]ii<-]i  presses  iijiou  us  wlietber  the  coiiiity  in  its 
snhsequent  history  has  jnoved  itself  worthy  its  origin,  and  wiiether 
we  of  to-da}'  deserve  such  aucestry.  Tiiis  spirit,  luiuj^led  largely 
with  the  spirit  of  nationality  inspired  our  people  to  the  heroie 
devotion  displayed  in  the  late  eivil  war.  Beinj,'  largely  an  ajjfri- 
cultural  people,  with  uo  very  large  towns  or  eities,  and  with 
few  millionaires  and  little  chance  to  grow  rich  by  speculation, 
we  have  not  been  tempted  to  stray  very  far  from  our  fathers' 
ways  of  industry,  economy,  simplicity  of  living  and  providence 
for  the  future.  l''roni  this  little  garden  aud  nursery  of  men  how 
many  have  gone  forth  to  the  broader  or  more  inviting  fields  oi 
tlie  expanding  west  and  to  the  great  marts  of  commerce — and 
this  seed  of  Delaware  sowing,  wherever  cast,  has  burst  into  har- 
vests to  the  enrichment  of  many  counties  and  states.  One  hun- 
dred years  hence,  when  Delaware  shall  cehbrate  the  secoml  cen- 
tennial year  of  her  life  as  a  county,  when  we,  who  to-day 
commemorate  the  virtues  of  our  historic  fathers  shall  have  ])assed 
into  sileiu-e;  when  they  comjiare  the  present  with  this,  may  they 
tin<l  a  county  and  people  softened  by  culture,  l)ut  true  to  the 
indomitable  spirit  of  the  past, — a  people  free,  independent,  intel- 
ligent, industrious,  sober,  honest,  virtuous  and  religious,  and 
above    all,    happy. 

I^V   '\'"'<-  J-   K.   i\  Jacls.son. 

Jliddletown  contains  eight  hamlets  of  varying  size,  namely: 
New  Kingston,  in  the  northern  |)art  of  the  town,  on  the  Platte- 
kiii,  a  tributary  of  the  Delaware  River.  New  Kingston  was  first 
sf^ttled  by  the  Dutch.  The  laud  was  given  liy  William  Living- 
ston to  one  hundred  families  who  w<'re  let't  homeless  after  the 
burning   of  Kingston   by   the   British  in   1777.     This  fact  gave  the 


508  HISTORY    OF    DK/.AWAHE    CorXTV. 

place  its  uaiiie.  Latti'  the  Scotcli  elfiiicut  caiu(>  iu  prcdomiuatiug 
iiuiiihers.  The  laud  is  fertile  aud  well  adapted  to  fanning — ex- 
celleut  butter  is  made  iu  large  quautities  froui  dairies  of  lilooded 
cattle,  cbietly  Jerseys.  The  village  coutaius  oue  geueral  store, 
a  post  office,  a  tire  iusurauce  assoeiatiou,  a  blacksmith  aud  a 
cooper  shop,  U.  P.  Church,  aud  a  district  school.  The  U.  P. 
pastor  is  Rev.  J.  B.  Pollock. 

Arkville,  iu  the  central  part  of  the  town,  derived  its  name 
from  au  incident  in  the  history  of  oue  of  its  oldest  houses:  In 
the  time  of  a  heavy  freshet  this  house  was  the  only  oue  that 
was  uot  disturbed  by  the  water  that  came  through  the  valley. 
Its  location  on  a  high  knoll,  coupled  with  beiug  the  home  of 
one  Noah  Dimmiek,  gave  it  the  name  of  the  ark,  from  which  the 
name  of  the  hamlet  is  borrowed.  Arkville  ccmtains  four  stores, 
the  Commercial  House  aud  Cole's  hotel,  a  graded  school  with 
two  departments,  a  Methodist  cburi'b,  a  saw  aud  a  jilauiug  mill. 
Situated  ou  the  Ulster  &  Delaware  R.  R.  it  is  the  principal  depot 
for  farm  produce  for  the  western  portion  of  the  town  of  Middle- 
town,  aud  the  eastern  terminus  of  oue  of  the  few  remaiuiug  old 
time  stage  routes,  conuectiug  the  Ulster  A:  Delaware  with  the 
Ontai-io'  A:  "Western  at  Delhi,  tweuty-live  unles  distaut.  Several 
large  boarding  houses  for  the  accommodation  of  summer  guests 
are  here,  and  their  best  advertisement  is  that  they  are  well  tilled 
through  the  summer  and  fall  mouths.  The  Hofifman  house,  sur- 
rounded ou  three  sides  by  forest  trees,  is  the  summer  home  of 
many  artists  aud  lovers  of  uature.  The  Locust  (rrove  house  is 
another  delightful  resort  of  historical  record.  This  was  the 
])roperty  of  Edward  Livingston  who  was  ouce  INIiuister  to  France. 
While  in  Paris  his  style  of  liviu^  jjUiuged  him  iuto  debt  aud  he 
mortgaged  his  estate  to  a  French  importer  named  Laussat,  and 
Joseph  Bouchand.  They  foreclosed  the  mortgage  aud  built  this 
house  about  l.Sl"2.  It  was  purchased  from  Laussat  by  the  late 
Hiram  B.  Kellj',  whose  widow,  Katie,  aud  son,  Eldridge,  ai"e  now 
the  proijrietors. 


TOWS   OF  MIDDLETOWX.  5((<) 

Diiui-Hvcii  is  11  post  station  <iii  the  Pliittckill.  lu  tlie  diiys 
■^vh('ll  the  couutrv  was  new,  and  luuiberiuff  and  tauuiujj  were 
proniiueut  industries,  it  contained  a  f^rist  mill  and  tannery.  Early 
in  tlie  century  the  first  of  many  tanneries  in  the  town  was  l)uilt 
li(  re.  A  primitive  feature  of  tliis  tannery  was  that  tlic  vats  for 
iauniuf^  the  skins  were  made  l>y  diffjjiug  holes  in  the  earth  and 
poundiufj  in  a  liniuj,'  of  lilue  clay.  The  destruction  of  the  hem- 
lock forests  was  followed  by  the  decay  of  th(>  tanning'  and  milling' 
industries,  and  to-day  the  mill  and  lumber  yard  of  Oluey  Smith 
is  all  that   recalls  the   past. 

On  the  Delaware  river  in  the  western  part  of  the  town  lies 
the  village  of  .\rena,  formerly  known  as  Lumberville,  a  name  sig- 
nificant of  the  early  inc'ustry  of  the  place.  Arena  has  an  M.  E. 
churcli,  a  large  district  school,  a  (traud  Army  Post,  three  gen- 
eral and  one  hardware  store,  a  Lodge  of  I.  O.  ().  F.,  a  fire  company, 
and  two  hotels.  At  Grants  Mills,  four  miles  southwest  of  Arena, 
on  the  Millbrook  stream,  is  the  large  boarding  house  of  A.  W. 
and  J.  M.  DeSilva.  This  region  is  much  sought  after  by  anglers 
both    from    city    and    <-i)uiitry. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  is  Halcottville,  named  in  honor 
of  its  first  merchant,  ilatthew  Halcott,  who  was  one  of  the  promi- 
lu'ut  business  men  of  Middletown  early  iu  the  century.  The 
Ulster  iV:  Delaware  K.  H.  passes  through  the  place.  It  contains 
one  hotel,  two  general  stores,  a  grange  store,  a  large  mill,  with 
Hour  and  feed  store.  .\  Methodist  church  was  recently  built 
and  Rev.  R.  S.  Beckett  is  in  charge.  At  tlie  Baptist  church  Elders 
.\bner  Morse  and  John  Clark  preside.  A  new  school  building 
has  l)eeii  erected  in  a  sightly  part  of  the  village.  Lake  Wawaka, 
a  line  sheet  of  water  over  a  mile  long,  is  formed  by  a  diuii  across 
tlie  river.  On  the  lake  are  row  boats  and  a  steam  launch  for 
j)leasure  parties. 

Kelly's  Corners,  another  station  on  the  Ulster  &  Delaware  K.  H. 
half  way  between  Halcottville  and  .Arkville,  contains  a  store,  a  post- 
office,  a  large  creamery  and  cheese  factory.'  Limburger  cheese  is 
manufactured  here. 


510  IIISTOHY    OF    IIF.LAWARE    COVXTY. 

In  the  eastern  cud  of  the  town  is  (Irifiiu  Conici-s,  a  village  tliat 
has  made  rapid  f^iuwth  in  the  last  ten  years.  It  is  situated  ou  the 
Bushkill  stream  aud  the  Ulster  A  Delaware  E.  R.  The  especial 
cause  of  its  growth  is  the  suiniiier  boarding-  business.  The  beauty 
of  the  mountain  scenery,  the  ]iur('  air  and  fine  water  have  won  the 
city  guest.  The  village  has  ii  line  public  library,  the  gift  of  a 
woman  who  spent  several  seasons  here.  It  is  called  the  Skene 
library  in  honor  of  Dr.  Skene,  her  husband.  Other  features  of  the 
village  are  four  churches,  viz. :  Methodist,  Old  School  Baptist, 
BajJtist,  aud  Episcopal.  There  are  numerous  fine  summer  boarding 
houses.  The  societies  are  Knights  of  Pythias,  with  seventy  mem- 
bers, and  Good  Templars.  A  bridge  over  a  small  stream  on  Main 
street  divides  Griffin  Corners  from  Fleischmanns,  named  after  the 
senator  who  built  a  cottage  and  laid  out  l)eautiful  grounds  on  the 
hill  above  the  dejjot.  About  ten  years  ago  city  people  began 
building  cottages  here,  and  now  thirty-five  ornament  the  hillside. 
The  cost  of  these  with  their  grounds  is  from  three  thousand  to 
forty  thousand  dollars  each.  Among  the  prominent  people  who 
make  their  summer  homes  here  are  ^Irs.  t'luirles  Fleischmanu,  JMrs. 
L.  Blair  a  sister  of  the  Senator,  Louie  Fleischmanu  and  the  young 
widow  of  Max  Fleischmanu,  and  Mrs.  Seidl,  the  widow  of  the  late 
musician  and  leader.  There  are  three  stores,  mill  and  other  enter- 
prises in  this  place.  The  people  of  Fleischmanns  have  fitted  up 
fine  grounds  for  bicycliug  aud  other  athletic  games,  called  the 
Mountain  Athletic  grounds;  here  also  is  a  riding  school  building 
that  cost  $10,000. 

Marg'aretville,  the  metrt)polis  of  JNIiddletown,  is  located  on  the 
East  brauch  of  the  Delaware,  at  the  foot  of  Blount  Pakatakan,  a 
lofty  verdure  crowned  peak  of  the  C'atskills,  and  near  the  central 
part  of  the  town.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  the  daughter  of 
Governor  Morgan  Lewis,  who  at  one  time  owned  this  tract  of  land 
by  inheritance  from  her  mother.  Her  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
Chancellor  Livingston.  At  the  time  of  the  Revolution  Livingston 
was  the  owner  of  all  this  section    of  countrv.      The    first   settler   on. 


■Si  .     «^A^^ 


mm*:* 


'  -tf 


v^ 


^^V^ 


ToWX    OF    Mlliin.ETOWS.  .-,l:j: 

the  site  of  the  vill!i<,'-e  was  Ig'iios  DuiikukI,  in  ITst.  He  sold  tLi' 
land  for  flOO  to  a  !Mr.  Tompkins,  who  Iniilt  tlii'  tirst  saw  mill. 
Tompkins  sold  to  Jephtha  Seafj^cr  and  Solomon  Scott. 

In  1S4:{  the  hit.-  Dr.  Orson  M.  .\lhil)(n  succeeded  Mr.  Scott  iu^ 
ow^ner  of  the  west  half  of  the  fai-m.  and  David  Sliter  the  Sealer 
part.  .\t  this  time  Marjjfaretville  contained  three  buildinj^s, — a  saw 
mill,  mill  house,  and  the  house  of  Solomon  Scott,  the  father  of  the 
venerable  Methodist  minister  Russell  S.  S<-ott  and  ^ruudfatlier  of  S. 
F.  Scott.  The  mill  house  was  a  frame  buildinj^',  enclosed  with 
plank.  It  is  still  in  j^ood  repair,  and  occu])ied  as  a  dwellint^'.  The 
tirst  hotel  was  huilt  in  lK-44  by  David  Ackerly.  It  was  enlarged  by 
his  sou  J.  B.  Ackerly  in  1H71,  and  aj^ain  in  1S8;{  and  fitted  for  the 
accommodation  of  city  boarders. 

The  first  store  was  kept  in  the  ottice  of  Dr.  ().  II.  AUaben.  The 
Doctor  and  Rev.  Ananias  Ackerley,  his  partner,  conducted  business 
near  the  present  home  of  Mr.  E.  Clute.  lu  IS  17  a  lartjer  store 
was  built  on  the  corner  opposite  the  .Xckerley  hotel  and  occupied  in 
184!l  by  liurhaus  A:  Decker.  Mr.  Decker  continued  business  here 
until  lH.");'j,  when  he  built  a  more  commodious  store  near  his  house. 
In  187(i  he  sold  his  business  to  his  son-in-law  Orson  A.  Swart. 

Dr.  Allabeu,  believing  the  old  adage  "the  pen  is  mightier  than 
the  sword,"  on  July  7th,  IHIWJ,  issued  the  tirst  iiuiuber  of  a  weekly 
paper,  called  the  Utilitarian.  .\t  this  time  the  county  had  but  live 
pajiers.  He  continued  to  till  the  editorial  chair  for  live  years  when 
be  sold  the  paper  to  A.  R.  Henderson  and  H.  T.  Becker.  In  1S7'.I  it 
was  purchased  by  J.  K.  1'.  Ja(dvson,  a  staunch  Democrat.  In  Issl 
a  second  ]>a]ier  was  started  by  Frank  Bar(day.  It  was  juiblishid 
about  five  mouths,  then  closed  its  career.  In  1SS)4  the  Messenger 
was  established,  owned  by  a  stock  coni));niy.  with  John  (xrant  as 
editor  and  Dr.  J.  W.  Telford  as  assistant. 

The  village  of  Margaretville  was  incor))or,ite(l  in  Is".").  .Vt  the 
first  charter  election  Di'.  Smith  \V.  Keed  was  elected  president,  E. 
A.  Olmstead,  G.  (5.  Decker  and  .\.  P.  Carpenter  trustees.  The 
present    corporation    oHicers    are:     .\ndrew    J.    Kaufman    president.. 


514  HISTORY    OF    DKI.AWMiK    COIXTY. 

Charles  Gorscli  aud  Hiifus  (iavett  trustees,  Noiih  1).  Oluistead 
treasurer,  Herniou  Roternioud  sti-eet  eoiimiissiouer. 

Margaretville  has  three  churches.  lu  18o()  the  tirst  Mcthoilist 
E]n8copal  church  was  built,  aud  Rev.  R.  S.  Hcott  was  the  preacher 
and  Rev.  Richard  Decker  his  assistant.  lu  1880  the  society  erected 
a  larger  buildiug  ou  Church  street.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev. 
Orville  Van  Keureu.  This  church  has  a  large  memljership  aud  a 
llourishing  Sunday  school.  Hon.  (1.  (i.  Decker  has  been  its  super- 
intendent for  nearly  fifty  j-ears.  This  school  was  the  first  in 
^liddletown  to  establish  a  class  in  normal  Sabbath  school  aud  home 
department  work.  So  interested  was  Mr.  Decker  in  having  the 
teachers  in  his  school  thoroughly  familiar  with  Bililc  history,  that 
in  1893  he  built  a  pleasant  room  connected  with  the  ihurch  for  the 
use  of  those  in  the  normal  class. 

Through  the  instrumentality  of  Rev.  W.  N.  Allalien  a  Bajjtist 
society  was  organized  in  187-t.  Services  were  held  in  tlic  ohl 
academy  building  until  the  society  in  1881  l)(iught  and  refitted 
the   old    Methodist    church    ou    Main   street. 

In  18",H  a  Presbyterian  society  was  formed  with  Rev.  1{.  M. 
Blaekl)uru  as  preacher,  who  only  remained  a  few  months;  he  was 
followed  by  Rev.  Charles  Ellis,  Mr.  Osborn,  and  Frank  B.  Seeley. 
A  church  was  built,  and  dedicated  in  August,  1890.  The  society 
has  made  rapid  grow-th.     Rev.  D.  G.  Law'sou  is  the  present  pastor. 

A  Catholic  society  holds  services  once  a  month,  conducted  by 
priests  from  Stamford  or  Kingston.  At  present  they  have  no 
church,   but  have  been  discussing  the    tjuestion    of    building    one. 

Ill  188!)  the  Catskill  Mountain  Agricultural  Societ}'  was  formed, 
with  O.  'Si.  Allaben,  president,  J.  K.  P.  Jackson,  secretary,  O.  A. 
Swart,  treasurer,  and  William  R.  Swart,  general  manager.  They 
purchased  twenty-six  acres  of  river  flat,  below  the  village,  from 
Wni.  R.  Swart,  paying  S"2,5(l(l;  improvements  costing  ^'i.SOO  were 
added  and  the  first  fair  was  held  in  the  last  week  of  August,  1889. 

Margaretville  has  four  lawyers:  A.  P.  Carpenter,  Calvin  Hull, 
J.    K.   P.   Jackson,   and   S.   P.   Ives;  five   physicians:  Smith  W.  Reed, 


T()W\  OF  Miiihi.F.'niws.  515 

•Charles  Allulxn.  (1  T  Br..wii,  J  \V  Telford,  iiud  William  K. 
Heudrv.  Dr.  Iteed,  the  veteran  pliysieiaii,  has  practiced  here  siuce 
185;-i;  he  has  beeu  sii})eriutendeut  of  eoiumou  schools  of  the  towu 
and  has  tilled  the  office  of  Supervisor  for  teu  terms. 

Earlier  than  ISTl  tlic  educational  advantafjes  of  the  towu  were 
such  as  could  he  procuied  at  tiie  ordiuary  district  school  of  the 
day,  where  one  teacher  was  expected  to  be  able  to  teach  sixty 
or  seventy  pupils.  But  in  1871  a  new  school  buildiuf,'  was  erected 
and  fitted  for  two  departments.  This  was  the  first  school  in  the 
towu  to  employ  two  teachers.  As  time  advanced  and  Marfifaret- 
ville  became  a  larger  business  center  the  need  of  a  still  better 
school  becjime  evident.  From  1KH2  to  1892  Miss  Lucy  A.  Water- 
bury,  a  lady  of  rare  aliility  as  a  teacher,  a  dauf^hter  of  Robert 
L.  'Waterbury,  taut^ht  a  select  school  here.  In  1H;I2  at  a  meet- 
iuff  called  for  the  pur))ose,  it  was  voted  to  chauf^e  the  public 
school  into  a  I^nion  free  school,  with  a  school  board  of  nine 
members,  namely ;  William  K.  Swart,  E.  L.  O'Connor,  Mrs.  S.  P. 
Ives,  J.  H.  Hitt,  C.  Hull,  Mrs.  J.  K.  P.  Jackson,  Amos  Allison, 
C.  J.  Dickson,  and  C.  C.  Kaufman.  Mr.  Swart  was  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  success  of  the  school  and  gave  lilierally  of  his 
time  and  money.  He  was  president  of  the  board  until  his  death, 
when  Edward  L.  O'Connor  filled  the    office. 

The  first  principal  was  Alviu  A.  Lewis.  A  tine  library  has  lieen 
added  to  the  school;  the  bnihling  is  furnished  with  running  water 
and  heated  by  steam. 

The  supervisors  who  have  watched  over  the  interests  of  Middle- 
town  fui-  the  last  twenty  years  have  been  selected  from  this  village. 
The  following  list  gives  the  name  and  time  of  service  of  each: 
From  IHSO  to  1Hk:1  Dr.  S.  W.  Heed;  1HH4,  Dr.  O.  M.  Allabeu;  1885, 
W.  F.  Doolittle;  IHSC,  S.  W.  Reed;  1887,  James  W.  Kittle;  1888  to 
1892,  S.  W.  Reed;  18;t2  and  1898,  J.  W.  Kittle;  1894  to  1898, 
Thomas  Winter. 

In  1885  a  water  company  was  established  with  $lf),(l()()  <-apital. 
The  present  officers  are:    Alexander  Thoni]>son.  president :  William 


516  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAUK    ro/.V'/'l". 

T.  Winter,  vice-prcsidciit;  A.  Albcis,  secretary  ami  treasurer;  E.  L. 
O'Couuor,  snperiutciulciit. 

lu  18.S7  the  Excelsior  Hook  aud  Ladder  C()iiij)any  was  orpjanized 
with  thirty  members,  aud  soon  after  the  Pakatakau  Hose  C'omjjauy 
with  twenty-five  memhers.  The  liic  department  was'  acce])ted  l)v 
the  corporation  trustees  in  lis'.tli.  In  ISKi;  ;i  tliree-story  liuihlinji' 
was  erected  on  Church  street  for  the  department. 

In  1891  a  state  bank  was  or<;anized  with  a  capital  of  ?(2").(l(l(t. 
which  has  been  increased  to  $40.0(1(1.  A  tine  buildiuy  was  built  ou 
the  corner  of  ^laiu  and  Bridf^e  streets.  Hon.  (leorfj^e  G.  Decker 
has  been  president  of  the  bank  since  its  t)rj;aui7.ation,  John  (irant 
its  first  and  Noah  Olmstead  its  present  cashier.  Howard  Swart 
assistant,  E.  L.  O'Connor  vice-president,  and  J.  K.  P.  Jackson 
attorney. 

The  hotels  of  Margaretville  are;  The  Ackerly  House,  the  River- 
side House,  the  Bouton  House.  Tlie  Rieneral  mercantile  business  is 
represented  by  many  active  firms. 

There  are  several  societies,  the  oldest  is  the  Masonic.  ()ri,'ani/.ecl 
in  1835,  Knights  of  Pj'thias  and  (lood  Templars.  Another  old 
organization  of  the  place  is  the  cornet  band,  formed  in  185'J,  and 
now,  neai'ly  thirty  years  after,  it  still  contains  several  of  the  tii-st 
members. 

In  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  ^liddletowu  sht)wed  her  patriot- 
ism bv  sendini,''  more  men  to  the  front  than  any  other  town  in  the 
county. 

The  popularity  of  Margaretville  as  a  summer  resort  is  each 
year  increasing.  Its  clear  mountain  springs  from  which  it  rei'eives 
its  water  supply,  its  improved  roads  and  shaded  drives,  its  miles 
of  stone  walk,  its  clean  streets  and  tine  mountain  scenery  attract 
all  who  visit  the  place.  During  the  summer  months  the  population 
is  largely  increased  by  city  peojjle.  Among  those  who  have  built 
cottages  here  is  the  artist,  Mr.  Henry  ilosler,  whose  i>aintings 
are  noted  both  in  Euro]>e  and  Anierica.  The  normal  pojuilation 
of  Margaretville  is  about  80(1. 


roM'.V    ((/■■   MllilH.h'.TOWX.  517 

Aniouf,'  those  peoph'  piuiiiiiieut  for  their  usefulness  iu  the 
town  of  Middletowu  iiiuv  be  nientioued  Dr.  Orsou  M.  AUnheii,  wlio 
ciiine  here  aud  settled  the  year  he  g-railuated  from  Waterville 
Medical  CoUejje,  Maine,  iu  ISSl;  here  he  practiced  medicine  until 
his  ilcatli  in  1S;I"2.  The  respect  aud  confidence  placed  in  liiin  liv 
the  people  is  shown  l)v  the  nnnierous  public  offices  that  he  tilled; 
beiuf,'  once  a  Senator,  twice  in  the  Assembly,  and  seven  terms 
town  supervisor.  He  procured  the  first  lepfislatiou  relating;  to 
the  Ulster  iV  Delaware  Hailroad,  aud  was  instrumeutal  iu  various 
early  town  and  villaj^e  improvements. 

(ieor<jfe  (i.  Decker  came  to  Middletowu  in  1.S4'.I.  He  was  in- 
strumeutal iu  establishinp;  the  ]Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
especially  liilpfnl  tlicrein.  He  has  been  Supervisor  of  the  town, 
Jlember  of  Assembly,  aud    is   now   jiresident   i>f  the    Peoples   Bank. 

Matthew  GritJin,  an  attorney  at  (IritHn  Corners,  represeuted 
the  second  district  of  the  county  iu  the  Assembly  for  three  years. 
His  sou  DeWitt  (Jritfin  is  also  an  attorney  and  was  Member  of 
Assembly  iu   XsWl. 

John  (irant,  a  uative  of  this  town,  was  elected  State  Seiiiitor 
in  IHlMi,  the  vouuL'est  member  of  that  bodv. 


I^oxbarVv 

VjX  Dr.  /.   N.   Wiitjhl. 


IN  the  year  178S  dh  tlic  bcuutiful  Hats  u]>iiu  whit-li  ndw  stautls 
the  vilhige  of  Roxlmrv,  a  wauderiug  hunter  hy  the  name  of 
Israel  Inmau  Imilt  himself  a  house  of  lo<^s  aud  made  a  little 
clearing'.  But  agriculture  was  not  Israel's  forte.  The  glossy  fur 
of  the  beaver — whose  dam  across  the  East  branch  of  the  Dela- 
ware at  that  point  made  those  fiats  a  minature  Venice — was  vastly 
more  to  his  taste.  But  luniau  soon  had  company,  for  in  the  next 
year,  1789,  a  party  of  pioneers  of  about  twenty  families  from 
Fairfield,  Conn,  followed  a  isathway,  with  blazed  trees  for  a  guide, 
from  Catskill,  and  camped  at  the  mouth  of  what  is  now  known 
as  Roses  Brook  in  the  town  of  Stamford.  Their  horses  being- 
stabled  in  the  woods  to  browse,  the  third  day  were  missing,  when 
a  search  party,  of  which  Abram  (irould  was  one,  started  on  their 
trail.  They  followed  them  over  the  mountain  aud  on  the  other 
side  met  Inmau  who  told  them  he  had  their  horses  aud  invited 
them  to  his  cabin.  So  jileased  were  they  with  the  location  that 
they  returned  for  their  families,  aud  persuading  two  others  to 
come  with  them  they  came  l)ack  over  their  trail  to  what  is  now 
Grand  Gorge,  passing  through  the  mountain  uotch  and  down  the 
valley  to  a  place  now  known  as  West  Settlement.  Thus  the  grand 
old   town   of  Roxbury  had   its  birth. 

But  another  settlement  had  added  materially  to  the  beg-iuuing 
of  the  town.  In  the  year  17H(i  that  sturdy  old  Scotchman  John 
More — whose'^numerous  descendants  are  so  closely  and  honorably 
associated  with  the  growth  and  pros])crity  of  this  town — estali- 
lished  his  home  near  the  head  waters  of  the  East  branch  of  the 
Delaware,    at    a   jioint    seven    miles   east   of  Inman's  cabin,  his  land 

.■.l^ 


Tdwx  OF  nn\iui;y.  521 

diiiiii  bciuj^'  now  purtiiilly  covciod  l)y  the  villii},'o  of  (iiuud  (loiHt'. 
This  befjiiiiiing  was  known  as  INfore's  Settleiiiont,  then  Moresville, 
until  in  ISTo  the  ])i)st  otlicc  di'pavtnn'nt  liy  n^ason  of  the  conl'usion 
arising  from  their  hoini^'  a  niiniher  of  similarly  muned  otiiccs  in 
this  state  chan-j^cd  the  name  to  (rraud  Gorfje,  nprnpas  of  the  j^raiid 
mountain   j^orf^re  jnst   west   of  the   village. 

And  now  commenced  the  gigantic  undertaking  of  transfonniug 
a   howliuj^'   wilderness   into   tlie   heaiitiful    town    of   to-day. 

"His  echoing  axe  llie  settler  swuiik, 

Amid  the  sea-like  solitude. 
And  crasliiug,  tliundering,  down  were  liunji 

The  Titans  of  tlie  wood." 

It  was  soon  learned  that  the  l)ark  of  the  hemlocks  which  cov- 
ered the  mountain  sides  could  be  utilized,  and  large  tanneries 
sprung  into  existence  along  every  stream,  tr()m  which  immense 
quantities  of  tirst-class  sole  leather  found  its  way  to  the  markets 
of  the  woi'ld.  Saw  mills  on  every  niountain  rivulet  furnished 
lumber  for  the  homes;  green  jiastures  and  waving  meadows  ap- 
peared, and  Koxbury  took  the  place  which  she  long  maintained 
as  the  first  butter  town   in   tlie  I'nited  States. 

In  1S45  l{oxliurv  became  involved  in  what  was  known  as  the 
Anti-Rent  war.  Masked  and  armed  men  disguised  as  Indians 
terrorized  the  jjeaceable  farmers  who  thought  ditferently  from 
themselves  in  regard  to  leased  land.  Many  serious  and  ludicrous 
incidents  o<-curred,  a  fair  specimen  being  the  l)attle  of  Shacksville: 
As  the  signal  for  the  gathering  of  the  Indians  was  the  blowing 
of  a  horn  the  farmers  were  forbidden  to  use  theirs  to  call  their 
men  to  meals.  John  B.  Cioukl,  the  father  of  the  late  Jay  Gould, 
refused  to  submit  to  their  dictation  and  j)roceeded  to  lilow  his 
horn  when  ami  where  he  ])leased,  until  one  noon  after  a  particu- 
larly long  and  aggravating  blast,  a  tribe  of  warriors  swooped  down 
upon  him  to  execute  vengeance.  The  old  man.  instead  of  begging 
for  mercy,  ([uietly  took  down  his  old  flint-lock  rifle  from  the  antlers 
where    it    hung     and     confi-onted    them.        That    .and    the    ominous 


r)2'2  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVNTY. 

clickiu'i' of  tlif  hick  wiis  euou^li;  iu  less  time  than  it  takes  to 
tell  it  uotLiugf  could  l)e  seeu  but  the  cloud  of  dust  raised  by  those 
bold  warriors  as  thev  scooted  for  tall  timber,  and  the  battle  of 
Shiicksville  was  over.  These  differences  however  were  soon  ad- 
justed, but  more  or  less  of  the  auti-reut  feeliuj;-  prevailed  until 
other   issues   al)sorbed    the   attention   of   its   followers. 

"When  the  war  cloud  of  IHGl  spread  its  fj:loom  over  the  country 
Roxbury  sent  nearly  one  hundred  of  her  sous  to  defend  the  iu- 
tegritv  of  the  nation.  Enlisting  in  tighting  regiments  over  sixty 
of  theui  sleep  where  they  fell  on  the  tield  of  battle,  or  in  the 
tienches  near  the  prison  pens  of  Richmond,  Saulsburv  ajad  Ander- 
sonville.  Only  about  thirty  of  their  more  fortunate  comrades  are 
peacefully  waiting  for  their  final  muster  out  as  residents  of  this 
"town. 

The  building  of  tlie  Ulster  A;  Delaware  Railroad  in  IST'i  marked 
a  new  era  in  the  history  of  this  town,  making  many  changes  iu 
long  established  customs  and  putting  in  touch  with  the  outside 
world  in  a  manner  never  dreamed  of  by  its  early  settlers.  And 
though  the  town  was  bonded  for  the  large  sum  of  $150,000  for 
the  construction  of  this  road,  it  has  all  been  paid,  and  now  this 
town  has  within  its  borders  over  fourteen  miles  of  one  of  the 
finest  and  best  managed  railroads  in  the  state.  Its  people  can 
now  leave  their  homes  in  the  morning,  go  to  Xew  York,  transact 
a  fair  amount  of  business  and  return  liy  nine  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, a  wonderful  change  from  the  old  five  days  journey  by  stage 
<-oach  and  steamboat. 

Roxburv  has  had  the  liouDr  of  contributing  two  county  judges 
to  the  bench  of  this  county.  Edwin  More,  who  was  the  first 
countv  juilge  elected  under  the  constitution  of  184(i,  and  "William 
•Gleason,  who  was  elected  in  1H51  and  again  iu  1850,  serving 
eight  years.  Its  citizens  have  also  many  times  represented  this 
county  iu   the   legislature   at    .\lbany. 

In  this  brief  sketch  it  is  utterly  impossible  even  to  mention  the 
names   of   those   who   have  been    prominent  iu   the  history  of  this 


(n 


o 


TOWX  OF  liOXIUUY.  525 

towu.  Yi't  iiifiiioi  V  loves  to  dwell  upon  the  names  of  John  !More 
who  more  [H'rlmiis  tliaii  any  ntlier  cnii  lie  calleil  the  fouutlei'  of 
Itoxbun;  of  Jay  Goukl,  the  most  hiilliaut  liuaucier  of  the  age, 
who  was  born  aud  grew  to  maidiood  in  a  typical  Roxbury  home; 
of  Hou.  Edward  I.  liuihans.  the  able  and  couscieutious  magistrate 
aud  sagacious  mau  of  business;  of  Charles  Harley,  who  for  his 
whole  long  lift-  was  the  honored  merchant,  genial  companion  aud 
trusted  adviser  of  the  entire  eastern  jiortion  of  the  town,  aud  of 
John  ('.  .111(1  Jiisejili  Keatiir,  whose  enterprise  did  so  miu-li  to 
make  the  beautiful  valley  of  liatavia  the  splendid  section  that  it 
is  to-day. 

The  town  of  iioximry  has  a  ])oj)iilatiiiii  of  2, ■Hi  wiio  receive 
their  mail  from  four  well  conducted  post  offices.  Eight  cliuiches 
of  th<'  following  denominations  are  well  supported.  Three  Metlioil- 
ist  Episcopal,  two  Reformed,  two  (old  school)  Baptist,  and  one 
Baptist;  all  of  tliem  having  excellent  edifices,  and  their  ]iul])its 
supi)lied  with   ekxiuent  and  earnest  pastors. 

Two  beautiful  villages  are  within  its  borders,  luixluiry  and 
(Irand  (xorge.  The  incorporated  village  of  Hoxlnirv  is  second 
to  no  village  in  the  county.  It  has  wide,  level,  well  shaded  aud 
well  lighted  streets,  the  licst  possible  system  of  water  works,  a 
well  eipiipped  tire  department,  a  union  free  school  supplied  with 
all  the  iiiiideni  metliods  of  education,  a  live  newsjiaper,  two  aiiqile 
and  well  arranged  public  hulls,  three  tine  churches,  -  one  of  them 
the  (iould  Memorial  church,  erected  in  loving  memory  of  their 
father  li\  the  chihlren  of  the  late  Jay  (iould,  having  a  deservedly 
national    reputation. 

'  .\  lar^e  number  of  first-class  villas  and  cottages  are  every 
seasou  tilled  with  summer  guests,  while  the  jirivate  homes  of  Rox- 
bury are  beautiful  aud  modern.  Kirk-side,  the  elegant  and  spa- 
cious summer  residence  of  Helen  ililler  Gould,  is  an  ornament  of 
which  any  village  niiglit  l)e  proud,  while  the  lucsence  of  Miss 
Gould    in    the   town    is   a  bcnisou   indeed.      Her  interest   iu  every 

public  imjirovement.  the  establishment  aud  mainteuance  of  a  juiblic 
97 


ry2V,  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

lil)r:irv,    licr    unostentatious    and    clet^iuit    liosjiitality,    combine    to- 
place   her  aniou<,'  the   must    Ixloved  of  women. 

"Our  homos  arc  chi-eiicr  for  her  sake. 

Our  doorj'ards  briKhtor  bloomiii};. 
And  all  about  the  social  air 

Is  sweeter  for  her  comiuf;. 

Her  presence  lends  its  warmth  and    health, 

To  all  who  come  before  it; 
If  woman  lost  us  Eden,  such 

As  she  alone  restore  it." 

The  vilhige  of  Grand  Gorge  is  what  may  be  justly  called  a 
modern  and  up-to-date  village.  A  mere  hamlet  in  1872,  the  build- 
ing of  the  Ulster  i.V:  Delaware  railroad  gave  it  an  impetus,  and  a 
steady  and  substantial  growth  has  been  the  result.  Its  situation 
commands  the  trade  of  a  large  portion  of  Greene  and  Schoharie 
counties,  which  with  its  extensive  milk  business  makes  it  an  ex-  ' 
tremely  lively  village.  It  has  two  admirable  churches,  two  large 
(creameries,  two  mammoth  mercantile  establishments,  a  splendid 
school,  a  tine  system  of  water  works,  and  its  residences  are  with- 
out exception  in  tirst-class  condition  and  of  modern  construction. 
It  entertains  a  large  number  of  summer  guests,  and  is  in  all  res- 
pects a  good  place  in  which  to  exist. 

Batavia,  about  four  miles  south  of  Roxbury  village,  is  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  valleys  in  the  county,  and  is  a  thriviu<>-  farming" 
community.  It  has  two  churches,  a  post  office,  and  many  of  the 
tinest  farms  and  farm  buildings  in  the  town,  and  its  inhabitants- 
are  altogether  a  happy  and  prosiierous  people. 

Such  is  a  brief  history  of  the  town  of  Roxbury  in  181)7,  Del- 
aware county's  centennial  year.  Its  future  is  bright  with  many 
[jleasant  anticipations  which  are  sure  to  be  realized,  and  it  will 
always  hold  its  position  among  the  tirst  towns  in  our  county. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  persons  who  have  held 
the  office  of  Supervisor: 

17SI9,  180<i,  Isaac  Hardenbergh;  1807,  1808,  Joshua  Ferris;. 
1809-25,    1882,    1838,   John   T.    :\tore;    182(5,    1827,    1880,   David  P. 


T(nv.\  OF  lioMiiin:  ry-27 

Mapes;  IH'iH,  182'.),  Lewis  Hiirdeubergh ;  1K:^1,  Ih:^,  IKM,  IM'2, 
Jc.iKis  ilorc;  1885,  Alcxauder  Diiuiels;  188(!,  Diiuiol  Rowland;  18:^7, 
18t:{,  1844,  184(5,  1847,  Tliomas  Keator;  183!»,  1853,  1854,  1857, 
lS()4-(;(),  E.  I.  IJurh.ins;  isto.  1S41.  Harvey  Keator;  isl."),  .I,,|ii,  S. 
More:  1848,  Sheriiiiiii  S.  Street;  1S4!>,  18(10,  Ira  Hicks;  1850,  xMar- 
tiu  Kelly;  1851,  1852,  1855,  18(i3,  Alexander  H.  Burhans;  185(i, 
Jonius  M.  Smith;  1858,  1872,  1878,  Edward  Burhans;  1850,  Beuja- 
niiu  Scudder;  1860,  Charles  Harley;  18()2,  Alexander  More;  18()7, 
Jaeol)  Newkirk;  1808,  Hii-am  Meeker;  18(i!),  Abram  Van  Dyke; 
1870,  1871,  (leorge  W.  Lauren;  1874,  Andrew  J.  Corbiu;  1875, 
187(1,  Henry  C.  Soop;  1877,  John  E.  Newkirk;  1878,  187!),  O.  A. 
Meeker;  1880,  1881,  Daniel  D.  Andrus;  1882,  Charles  (!.  Keator; 
1883,  Geor{,'e  W.  Lauren;  1884,  Daniel  T.  Keator;  1885,  Charles  G. 
Keator;  188(;,  1887.  Ahiierin  Cartwrif^ht;  1888,  1894-i)7,  David  S. 
Booth;  188'.)-i)l,  B.  B.  Boutou:  I8i)2,  Charles  Schermerhorn;  i8!):{, 
Ezra  H.  Bartraui. 

I'rior  to  187(1,  the  followiujj;  held  the  office  of  Town  Clerk: 
John  T.  More,  John  E.  Burhans,  Otis  Preston,  Thomas  Mont- 
f^oniery,  Jonathan  B.  Cowles,  John  Frisbee,  Novatus  Blish,  Dubois 
Burhans,  Ezekiel  Preston,  E.  Follett,  Thomas  Keator,  Truman  C 
Bidwell,  John  P.  Burhans,  A.  C.  Cowles,  A.  H.  Tyler.  Alexander  H. 
Burhans,  Samuel  B.  Follett,  Hiram  Meeker,  Daniel  W.  IMcGarry, 
Silas  S.  Cartwright,  Orrin  A.  Meeker,  Richard  W.  Van  D}ke,  Jolin 
C.  Van  Dyke,  John  E.  Newkirk,  Fred  J.  Youn<>;man,  William  W. 
Noble,  Henry  C.  Soop. 

The  early  Justices  of  the  Peace  were  the  followiu^j: 
Al(!sauder  Daniels,  Harvey  Keator,  Daniel  Rowland,  Henry  T. 
B<'<>ker,  Timothy  Cartwrit,'ht,  Edward  I.  Burhans,  Harvey  Keator, 
Samu<'l  More,  Samuel  Scudder,  Eli  AVrif,'ht,  Cyrus  Graves,  D;ivid  M. 
Smith,  Benjamin  H.  Akin,  .\.  C.  Cowles,  Lewis  Stratton,  Ei-astus 
Mead,  Solomon  P.  Moffatt,  Nelson  K.  Dart,  Hiram  Meekei-,  All)ort 
R.  Terwila^-er.  Geor},'e  A.  Dart,  (ieorfje  A.  D(>nt,  Robert  B.  Smith, 
Almerin  Cartwri{,'-ht,  John  T.  (irant,  Jacob  K.  Benjamin,  Erastus 
Mead,  Ezia  Mead,  William  D.  Powell,  Samuel  B.  Shout. 


r^V  Edvin   l\.  Wattks. 

^^IDXEY  was  origiually  part  uf  the  town  of  Harperstitld. 
\~y  Harpersfield  was  created  a  town  iu  Otsego  county  in  177H, 
and  eiuljraced  lands  between  the  Siiscjuehauua,  Charlotte  and  Del- 
aware rivers.  It  included  Ijesides  the  present  town  of  HariJersfield, 
Franklin,  Sidney,  part  of  Bainbridge,  and  part  of  Afton. 

Harpersfield  was  tlien  in  Montgomery  county — the  name  !Moiit- 
gomery  having  been  substituted  iu  place  of  Try  on,  because 
Governor  Tryou  was  a  tory.  In  1791  the  county  of  Otsego  was 
created  from  Montgomery,  and  the  town  of  Harpersfield,  including 
Franklin  and  Sidney,  became  jDart  of  Otsego.  In  179'i,  Harpersfield 
was  divided,  the  western  part  being  called  Franklin, — and  Franklin 
was  made  to  include  what  is  now  Sidney, — and  Sidney  was  taken 
oliE  from  Franklin  in  1801.  The  name  of  Sidney  was  given  iu  honor 
of  Sir  Sidney  Smith,  a  British  .Vdmiral,  who  about  that  time  had 
achieved  great  success  iu  Syria  (Asia  Minor)  by  <'hecking  the 
progress  of  Napoleon  Bt)naparte.  Sidnev'  jn-ior  to  this  time  was 
called  Susquehanna  Flats,  but  at  the  suggestion  of  au  English 
school  master  named  Mandeville,  the  name  was  changed  to  Sidney. 
Rev.  William  Johnston,  oue  of  the  earliest  jjioueers  of  our  town, 
was  boru  iu  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  1718.  This  remarkable  man 
received  a  thorough  education  at  Fjdinljurgh  I'Ui\'ersitv,  Scotland. 
He  came  to  this  country  when  a  young  man,  and  married  Miss 
Cummins,  an  English  lady.  It  is  not  fidly  known  where  he  resided 
during  all  the  time  prior  to  his  removal  to  this  town,  but  it  is 
l>elieved  that  it  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany.  His  oc<Mipation  liad 
been  that  of  a  minister  (jf  the  gospel,  of  the  Presbyterian  Calviuistic 
faith.      His   wife   was  a   lady  of   education,  and   was  in  recei]it  of  an 


Q 
Id 

n> 


nnvy  of  sii>.\i-:y.  -,31 

iiuuuity  of  Cl'yU,  wliicb,  however,  ceiisecl  after  the  breakiu-^  out  of 
the  war.  luterestiiiK  iucideuts  are  related  in  the  career  of  the 
elder  Johnstou,  aud  the  tradition  is  that  tlic  notorious  Braut  met 
General  Herkiiiicr  l)y  appointment  in  the  summer  of  I  777,  cinMniixd 
on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Milton  Jt)hnston  farm  one  mile  l)elow 
the  village  of  Sidney.  Here  they  held  a  conference  and  the  Rev. 
William  Johnston  was  present  at  the  interview,  and  Brant  askid 
him  which  side  he  was  on,  and  Mr.  •lulinstoii  told  him  lie  was  on  thi- 
side  of  the  people. 

Soon  after  these  occurrences  the  Johnston  family  remove<l  for 
safety  to  Chei-ry  Valley.  Before  leaving  they  secreted  some  rude 
farm  utensils  that  they  could  not  carry  with  them,  Imrying  them  in 
the  ground  ami  under  the  hearth  in  the  cabin. 

After  the  massacre  at  Cherry  Valley,  Hugh  and  Witter  went  to 
Schenectady  and  Florida  in  the  Mohawk  valley,  where  their  father 
died  in  1783,  after  preaching  a  sermon  celebrating  the  result  of  the 
war.  Witter  and  Hugh  returned  to  Sidney  in  1784,  bringing  tlicir 
mother  with  them. 

The  following  ol)ituary  notice  of  the  son  Hugh  is  worth  pre- 
serving: "Died  at  Sidney  Plains,  October  28,  1888,  Hugh  Johnston, 
aged  70  years.  Cai^tain  Hugh  Johnstou  was  born  A]>ril  lufh,  17ii8, 
in  Duanesborough,  New  York.  He.  with  his  father,  Kev.  William 
Johnston,  with  other  connections,  came  to  the  Susnuehanna  Flats, 
now  Sidney,  in  1775.  They  were  the  first  settlers  in  that  ]>art  of 
the  county,  and  for  two  years  sutTered  all  the  hardships  and  juiva- 
tious  of  a  new  country.  In  •Iiine.  1777,  they  were  oliliged  to  leave 
their  homes  and  Hee  before  an  invading  foe.  Brant,  a  chief,  with 
one  hundred  and  ten  warriors,  came  ami  burnt  their  buildings  and 
slaughtereil  their  cattle." 

At  Sidney  was  the  site  of  an  old  Indian  fort  where  three  acres 
of  ground  were  enclosed  by  mounds  of  earth,  surrounded  by  a 
ditch:  and  fiji-  a  long  time  this  enclosure  was  calh-d  tlii'  l-'mt 
(Mounds. 

In  company   with   Mr.   T.  (1.  Smith   we   visited  recently  the   old 


532  HISTORY    OF    liEI. AWARE    COVSTY. 

Indiiiii  liurial  jilacc,  located  uvur  the  Ontuiid  \  Westei  u  l)ritlj,'e 
across  the  Susquehanna  river  at  Siilney.  We  found  a  cireular,  liav- 
stack  looking  mound  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
base,  and  ten  feet  in  height,  well  authenticated  as  their  burial 
place.  Since  that  time  one  of  the  early  tribes  assembled  on  Moses 
hill  just  across  the  river,  and  decided  to  make  an  encampment 
where  Sidney  village  is  now  located.  Some  of  the  tribes  remained 
there  for  many  years.  Excavations  and  examinations  of  this  mound 
have  proved  it  beyond  doubt  to  be  an  Indian  burial  ground.  The 
unearthing  of  arrow  heads  and  other  relics  was  sufficient  evidence 
to  induce  the  jteople  to  have  the  mound  rouain  intact.  'Slv.  Arthur 
Bird  suggested  to  the  village  fathers  to  have  a  monument  of  an 
Indian  chief  placed  on  the  mound,  holding  in  his  hand  the  calumet, 
or  pipe  of  peace,  a  deserved  and  appropriate  memorial  of  the 
"Indian  lover"  and  "his  dusky  mate." 

The  first  grist  mill  west  of  Harpersfield  was  built  in  177H  by 
Abram  Fuller,  on  the  Ouleout,  near  Wattles  Ferry.  An  inn  was 
02)ened  by  Nathaniel  Wattles  at  the  Ferry  in  ITX.^.  The  first  raft 
was  sent  d<iw)i  the  river  to  Harrisburg,  in  179.5,  liy  Captain  David 
McMasters. 

In  1787  a  great  scarcity  of  provisions  occasioned  much  distress 
in  this  valley,  and  the  settlers  were  saved  from  starvation  by  a  boat 
load  of  tiour  from  Northumberland,  Pennsylvania,  brought  to  them 
through  the  exertions  of  General  Daniel  Bates. 

The  second  settlement  of  white  people  was  made  upon  the 
Ouleout  in  the  summer  of  1785,  by  Slumau  Wattles,  who  was  after- 
wards Justice  of  the  Peace  and  a  Judge  of  the  County  Court.  Mr. 
Wattles  was  lioru  in  1752,  of  Scotch  descent,  in  Lebanon,  Connecti- 
cut, and  died  in  Sidney  in  1837,  aged  85  years.  Arriving  in  this 
state  he  first  settled  for  a  short  time  at  New  Canaan,  and  moved 
from  there  to  a  place  upon  the  West  branch  of  the  Delaware,  at  or 
near  what  is  now  called  Bloomville.  Leaving  this  place  Mr.  Wattles 
located  in  Franklin,  upon  what  is  now  known  as  the  Taylor  fani), 
where    he    commenced    clearing    a   ]5iece  of  laud,  and   the  folK)wing 


Tdwx  or  siiiXKv.  5:-!:^ 

year  weut  back  after  his  family,  briu^'iiit,'-  tlieiii  with  him  on  liis 
returu.  lu  the  course  of  this  joiiriiev  a  dau^'litcr  was  Ijorii  ti>  them, 
the  first  white  female  chilil  born  in  Delaware  county.  Previous  to 
movinj^'  his  family  the  Jndj^e  hail  minle  some  im])rovcments.  havinj.; 
erected  a  lo^-  cabin,  the  covering  or  roof  as  well  as  the  ujjper  and 
under  floors  of  which  were  composed  of  elm  bark.  As  near  as  we 
can  learn  this  was  in  1785.  About  this  time  John  and  Alexander 
Harper  bought  of  the  Indians  the  right  and  title  to  a  large  tract  of 
laud,  and  soon  after  sold  their  contract  to  a  (•ompauy,  who 
petitioned  the  State  for  a  grant  of  a  patent  of  land.  The 
patent  was  granted  to  Peter  V.  B.  Livingstone,  and  was  known  for 
a  long  time  as  the  Wattles  patent,  the  Judge  being  one  of  the  four 
proprietors.  The  Harpcis  having  failed  to  jiay  the  proprietors, 
Judge  ^\'attle8  went  to  Governor  Clinton  and  related  the  circum- 
stances. The  (xovernor  asked  him  if  he  had  the  money  due  the 
State,  and  learning  that  he  had,  they  both  went  before  the 
Legislature  and  the  Governor  stated  the  business  of  Judge  Wattles, 
and  thereupon  an  act  was  passed  reinstating  them  in  the  contract. 
Soon  after  Judge  Wattles,  standing  upon  the  banks  of  the  Ouleout, 
called  by  the  Indians  "Leafy  Water,"  surrounded  by  the  swarthy 
denizens  of  the  forest,  made  with  them  a  memorable  treaty.  .Vnd 
many  times  thereafter  during  the  frequent  troubles  that  arose  he 
was  able,  by  this  treaty,  to  save  himself  and  family  from  being 
massacred. 

In  this  brief  sketch  many  incidents  and  reminiscences  must  l)e 
omitted;  but  we  would  })ay  a  grateful  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
those  grand  men  who  when  quenching  their  thii'st  from  the  flow- 
ing springs  of  the  forest  disj)layed  a  character  as  \nn-c  as  the 
fountain   itself. 

We  have  in  our  possession  Judge  Wattles'  old  account  book, 
more  than  a  century  old.  written  by  his  own  hand  with  ink  made 
from  the  bark  of  a  tree,  with  a  pen  made  from  the  wing  of  a 
bird  captured  in  the  same  dense  wilderness.  In  this  book,  now 
jt'ellow    with   age,   we  find  histoi-ical  records  of  great  value,  legal 


534  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAHK    COlNrV. 

documents  aud  papers,  which  when  we  consider  the  dates  when 
they  were  written,  indicate  remarkable  ability.  Aud  what  Mr. 
Francis  W.  Halsey  said  <if  liiiu  after  a  careful  study  of  Judge 
Wattles'  life  aud  character  was  true:  "  A\'heu  Sluniau  Wattles- 
left  this  world  he  took  a  man's  life  with  him.  ' 

Also  we  find  in  this  book  running  accounts  with  Peter  V.  B. 
Livingstone,  Jonathan  Bush,  Solomon  Martin  and  many  others  in 
17!)1,  aud  later  with  Daniel  Root  aud  all  of  the  early  settlers. 
Two  entries  of  early  dates  read:  "Nov.  "iit,  1790.  Benj.  Hovey 
Dr.  to  cash  0  £  15s  and  lOd,  to  be  delivered  at  Ball's  in  Catskill. 
April  (),  1791,  to  cash  received  of  Peter  V.  B.  Livingstone,  £11 
4s  and   7d.  " 

While  cordially  acknowledging  our  willingness  to  do  honor  to 
the  pioneers  of  every  town  in  our  county  we  take  honoral>le  pride 
in  the  mention  of  the  Johnstons,  Smiths,  Bidwells,  Hodges  aud 
Burdicks,  who  figured  so  prominently  in  the  Susquehanna  and 
t)uleout  valleys. 

The  next  settlement  was  made  upon  Carr's  Creek,  at  what  is 
now  Sidney  Centre,  m  1793.  The  first  pioneer  was  Jacob  Bid- 
well,  who  located  upon  the  farm  where  Harper  W.  Dewey  now 
resides.  The  coming  of  "Uncle  Jacob,"  as  he  was  familiarly 
known,  was  some  years  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 
Peace  had  been  restored,  Indian  hostilities  had  f)ractically  ceased, 
and  though  living  in  a  dense  wilderness  very  far  removed  from 
neighljors  aud  friends,  they  enjoyed  a  sense  of  security  aud  safety. 
Still,  they  had  their  battles  to  fight  aud  we  can  imagine  some- 
thing of  the  sufferings  and  hardshijjs  of  these  early  pioneers. 

Earliest  among  the  wants  of  the  earliest  settlers  was  that  of 
a  grist  mill.  It  was  more  a  necessity  than  a  saw  mill,  because  a 
good  axe  could  cut  and  hew  logs  for  a  cabin  and  could  thus  de- 
lay the  advent  of  sawu  timber  for  j'ears.  But  with  fiour  and 
meal  the  case  was  more  urgent.  The  hollow  to]>  of  a  tough 
stump,  or  a  hollow  boulder,  soon  became  inadecjuate  to  meet  the 
wants   of   the    new    comers.     One    of   the    first    grist  mills  on  the- 


a 


T()\V.\    OF   SIHXFY. 


.">:{7 


U|)[)fi-  Siisi|iiili:iiin:i  was  Imilt  on  Chit's  t'ret-k.  It  \v:is  Imilt  a  tew 
years  liifinc  the  oiic  whii-h  Aluinu  Fuller  sot  up  on  the  Oiilcoiit, 
!in<l  tliirtv  years  enrlier  tlniii  the  one  hnilt  in  I'uiulillii  villa^^e.  At 
the  Baxter  mill  a  small  ainouut  of  griuiliuj,^  meal  was  done  hefore 
177S,  and  sixteen  years  later  it  was  destroyed  by  tin;.  John  Carr, 
its  builder,  and  the  builder  of  a  saw  mill  on  the  same  site,  is  famil- 
iarly known  in  local  annals  as  a  tory.  When  Joseph  Brant  Hist 
came  to  Uuadilla  in  June,  1777,  Carr  was  one  of  those  whom  he 
allowed -to  remain  because   he   hail   declared   himself   for   tiie    Kinj^. 

Another  early  settlement  in  our  town  was  made  in  1711.")  by 
Captain  Samuel  Smith,  at  what  is  now  known  as  Franklin  Depot, 
liut  for  many  years  as  .Smith  Settlement.  Mr.  Smitli  came  from 
Bennin;;ton,  Vermont,  and  first  settled  on  the  farm  lately  owned 
by  Richard  Ostrauder.  The  father  of  Cajitain  Smith  was  killed 
at  the  ])attle  of  Benuiujctou,  and  Mr.  Lyman  ]i.  Smith,  a  well- 
known    business    man   of    Jiin^hamtou,  is    one   of   his    j,a'andsons. 

Jonathan  Burdick  was  another  of  the  early  .settlers  of  Sidney. 
His  father,  Elisha  Burdick,  came  to  Kortright  iu  1810.  Mr.  Bur- 
dick's  father  was  a  soldier  iu  the  war  for  inde))eudence,  serviufj;' 
live  years.  He  was  at  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown. 
and  lie  had  been  one  of  the  j,'uards  when  Major  .\nilre  was  taken 
from  the  old  Dutch  church  to  the  place  of   execution. 

Joseph  Niles  moved  to  this  town  in  1H12.  He  was  drafted  to 
},'o  to  the  war  and  hired  a  man  to  yo  in  his  stead,  who  went  to 
Sackett's  Harbor  under  (reueral  Hoot.  David  liaker  came  in  l>^lt> 
and  settled  near  the  village  of  Sidney  Centre,  at  which  time  the 
land  upon  which  this  flourishing  village  now  stands,  with  the  ex- 
cejitiou   of   one   little  spot,    was  an   unbroken   forest. 

A[r.  .James  Hughston  settled  soon  after  Mr.  Wattles  diil,  and 
settled  on  the  Ouleout.  It  was  then  a  very  dense  wilderness, 
and  so  thick  were  the  trees  and  bushes  that  it  was  said  to  be  im- 
possible to  drive  a  pair  of  yoked  oxen  from  Mr.  Hughston's  house 
t(j  Wattles'  ferry.  Mr.  Hughstou  moved  his  wife  into  this  town 
on  horseback,    with    her    bed    ami    other    articles   strajiped   on    tlic 


.538  HISTORY    OF    ItKLAWARK    COVXTY. 

horse;  and  she  used  to  relate,  iiiiioiiii'  other  iucideuts,  how  she 
iinide  !l  cradle  tor  her  first  child  t'roiu  a  piece  of  a  hollow  tree. 
Mr.  Hughstou  lived  aud  died  at  Sidney,  was  a  niafristrnte  iu  the 
town  for  about  forty  years,  was  several  times  supervisor  and  ouee 
a  member  of  the  State  Legislature. 

Soon  after  the  Revolutionary  war,  Adam  Rifeubark  settled  on 
the  bank  of  the  Susquehanna,  near  what  is  now  called  C'rookerville. 
It  is  said  he  was  a  deserter  from  the  British  army. 

Tihiothy  Beach,  about  the  same  time,  moved  his  family  into  a 
cabin  he  had  built  at  the  junction  of  the  Ouleout  and  Susquehanna, 
where  he  lived  a  number  of  years  aud  was  drowned  in  the  river  by 
an  Indian.     He  has  numerous  descendents  residing  iu  this  county. 

In  the  year  1789  Isaac  Hodges  came  from  the  town  of  Florida, 
on  the  Mohawk  river,  to  the  Ouleout  to  look  for  lands  for  his  sons 
to  settle  on.  He  purchased  5(10  acres,  being  a  part  of  the  patent 
surveyed  by  Judge  Wattles  a  few  years  previous.  He  paid  ten 
shilliuos  an  acre,  aud  divided  this  land  among  his  four  sons, 
Hezekiah,  Benjamin,  Isaac,  and  Josiah.  Early  in  the  spring  of 
179(1,  Hezekiah  with  his  wife  and  three  brothers  took  possession  of 
the  laud.  They  moved  with  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  one  horse,  an<l 
carried  their  few  household  goods  and  jjrovender  for  the  oxen  on  a 
sort  of  sled  with  crooked  runners,  which  was  called  a  dray,  and  was 
so  constructed  as  to  easily  pass  over  logs  and  other  obstructions. 
They  arrived  at  their  destination  the  29th  day  of  April,  1790,  with 
•200  pounds  of  hay  for  their  team  aud  a  little  corn.  Ou  the  day 
after  their  arrival  the  snow  fell  two  feet  deep,  and  the  intensely 
cold  weather  and  scarcity  of  provisions  and  fodder  caused  them 
much  suffering. 

In  1797  Stephen  Dewey  with  his  sons,  William,  Roger  and 
David,  settled  on  the  Ouleout  about  one  mile  above.  Soon  after 
William,  afterwards  well  known  as  Colonel  Dewey,  jjurchased  the 
farm  and  resided  ou  it  until  his  death.  He  filled  mauy  public 
positions,  having  served  as  Supervisor  of  the  towu  of  Sidney,  aud  a 
member   of  the   Legislature.      He  married   the  daughter  of  Judge 


TOWy    OF   SinSKY.  531) 

Wattlt»s  rc'fcrrcil  to  us  the  first  white  female  cliild  Ikh'ii  in    Dflawarc 
coimty. 

AiiRiUf^'  otlicr  early  settlers  were  -Toiiatliaii  Hiisli,  at  whose  house 
the  first  town  nieetiut;'  was  held:  and  one  Stevens,  who  ran  a  j^'i'ist 
mill  ou  the  Ouleout,  and  also  the  fiist  and  onlv  distillerx  foi- 
niakinj,'  whiskey  in  the  town.  Some  other  early  pioneers  were 
Oliver  Giifirer,  a  captain  in  the  militia;  Xiithaiiiel  Woleott,  Josiab 
Thatcher,  for  many  years  Town  Clerk;  "William  Evaus,  and  others. 
Most  of  these  old  settleis  raised  lar^'c  families  and  left  numerous 
descendeuts,  some  of  whom  still  remain  in  Sidney,  l)ut  most  of  them 
are  widely  scattered. 

Jonatlian  C'arlej"  came  from  ])ut<-hess  (-(uinty  and  settled  ou  the 
hanks  of  the  Susqnehauua  in  tlie  year  1795,  two  miles  below  Oteffo 
village.  He  found  a  family  l)y  the  name  of  Collyer  there,  who  came 
a  few  years  earlier.  Josiah  Chase  also  canie  about  that  tiuie;  Labau 
Crandall,  John  French,  Jerry  Eeed  and  (xodfrey  Calder  came  imme- 
diately after.  The  first  school  in  that  part  of  the  town  of  Sidney 
was  tau^rht  by  Miss  Abigail  Reed,  in  Mr.  ('alder's  barn. 

John  Avery  settled  at  Sidney  Plains  ( now  Sidney )  in  the  year 
179H,  and  died  in  1830,  aged  HO  years.  He  was  born  at  Ashford 
Corner,  and  served  in  the  Revolution. 

Levi  Baxter  came  to  Sidney  in  1803.  He  was  a  njan  of  marvel- 
lous industry  and  energy,  and  di( d  at  the  age  of  S7.  .Si|uire  Baxter 
was  the  son  of  Mr.  Francis  Baxter,  a  Revolutionary  soldier  who 
during  the  war  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  tories  and  after  suffering 
much  abuse  was  incarcerated  in  that  infamous  den,  the  New  York 
Sugar  House. 

Deacon  Peter  Bradley  came  to  Sidney  at  the  close  of  the  {{evo- 
lutionary war  and  resided  there  until  his  deatli  in  about  1S14.  He 
settled  on  the  farm  where  General  Herkimer  and  Brant,  the  Indian 
chieftain,  held  their  conference  in  1777. 

Space  forbids  especial  notice  of  many  of  the  early  pioneers,  and 
the  records  are  lost  of  others  deserving  of  mention.  Milton  C. 
Johnston   of    Siduev,  Witter  Johnston   of    Fort    Dodge,   Iowa,  and 


.-)40  HISTORY    OF    DKLAWAKE    COCXTY. 

Laureus  Johustou  of  Cbiillis,  Iowa,  now  liviuj^,  are  f^reat  graiul- 
phildreu  of  the  Rev.  William  Johnston. 

The  section  of  the  town  of  Sidney  lyiuj,'  upon  the  Oiilcont  ereek, 
at  the  point  where  Wattles  feri-y  was  built,  for  a  louj^-  term  iif  years 
was  the  principal  lousiness  part  of  the  town.  It  was  here  that 
Judge  Wattles  many  times  held  court,  and  here  elections,  fjeuerul 
trainings  and  town  meetings  were  held.  At  this  place  also  the 
Hon.  Samuel  Grordon  was  born. 

Closely  connected  with  the  interests  of  early  Sidney,  and  of  very 
great  local  and  commercial  advantage,  was  the  construction  of  the 
Catskill  turnpike.  The  opening  of  this  great  thoroughfare  from 
Catskill  to  what  was  then  Wattles  Ferry,  along  the  Ouleout,  a 
distance  of  eight  miles  through  our  town,  was  an  important  enter- 
prise all  along  the  line,  and  also  gave  a  wonderful  impetus  to  the 
business  of  the  village  of  Uuadilla,  immediately  across  the  river. 
The  Catskill  Turnpike,  as  a  turnpike,  dates  from  the  year  1802;  but 
the  road  itself  was  of  much  older  date  than  that.  The  road  followed 
lines  nearly  straight,  and  ran  through  lands  owned  by  the  stock- 
holders. Little  regard  was  had  for  grade,  the  main  jiurpose  being  to 
m.ake  the  laud  accessible  and  marketable.  It  soon  became  a  famous 
highway  between  the  two  rivers,  the  Hudson  and  Susquehanna. 
Toll  gates  were  built  every  ten  miles,  and  the  immense  amount  of 
travel  provided  funds  to  pay  the  stockholders  and  kejit  the  road  in 
tine  condition.  The  rates  of  toll  were  as  follows:  For  twenty  sheep 
or  hogs,  eight  cents;  for  twenty  horses  or  cattle,  twenty  cents;  for 
a  horse  and  rider,  live  cents;  for  a  horse  and  chaise,  twelve  and 
one-half  cents;  for  a  coach,  twenty-five  cents;  for  a  stage  or  wagon,, 
twelve  and  one-half  cents.  Two  stages  were  kept  regularly  on  the 
road,  the  fare  five  cents  a  mile.  A  stage  that  left  Catskill  Wednes- 
day, reached  Wattles'  Ferry  Friday  night. 

The  town  of  Sidney  is  located  in  the  northwest  coi-uer  of  the 
county,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Susquehanna  river, 
on  the  east  by  Franklin,  on  the  south  by  Masouville,  and  on 
the  west  by  the  town  of  Baiubridge,    (  Chenango  Co.)     The   town 


Tow.y  or  siDXEv.  541 

comprises  u  larj,'e  jii'cii  of  j)rcHluctive  ami  fertile  himl.  It  bus  two 
euterprisiufj  villages:  Sidiicv,  located  on  the  Susi|uebaiina,  aud 
Siduev  Centre,  on  Carr's  Creek.  The  villat^c  of  Sidney  Centre 
eoutains  a  population  of  about  odd.  and  Sidney  about  :i.d(id;  while 
the  entire  town  aeeordiupf  to  the  census  of  IS.'jd  contained  1,807 
inhaliitiints,  and  by  that  of  ISilO,  ."{.112.  At  the  organization  of 
the  town  in  l.Sdl  tiic  inhal>itants  must  have  consisted  of  a  few 
families  at  Sidney,  Jacob  Bidwell  at  Sidney  Centre,  Capt.  Samuel 
Smith  at  what  is  now  Franklin  Depot,  and  a  few  squatters  aloufjf 
Carr's  Creek. 

The  thriviuf,'  villaife  of  Sidney  Centre,  located  on  the  New 
York,  Ontario  iV  Western  railway,  contains  seven  stores,  two  tine 
churches,  and  two  large  creameries;  while  the  energy  and  enter- 
prise of  its  business  men  insures  a  healthy  and  steady  growth. 
The  first  school  built  in  the  Sidney  Centre  district  was  located 
where  George  Simpson's  barn  now  stands,  and  one  of  the  first 
teachers  was  Miss  Lydia  Knapp,  afterwards  the  wife  of  Daniel 
S.  Dickinson.  Garrett  Dedrick  kejit  the  tirst  store,  and  William 
Smith  was  the  first  postuuister.  Jlr.  William  Johnston  of  Penn., 
s))eakiug  of  himself  in  a  friendly  letter  says:  "I  might  say,  and 
truthfully  too,  that  I  helped  to  swing  the  axe  right  and  left  to 
cut  down  the  timber  where  the  beautiful  village  of  Sidney  Centre 
now  is."  He  says  further,  "Samuel  Niles  was  a  good  mower,  and 
Launt  Thompson  was  the  only  man  who  could  go  barefoot  the 
year  through."  If  space  allowed  uk  iition  could  be  maile  of  many 
worthy  men  and  women,  and  many  interesting  events  described; 
but  it  is  enough  to  call  attention  to  the  wonderful  changes  nuide 
during  the  century.  lu  the  i)lace  of  hardsliip  and  suffering  we 
see  well  cultivated  farms  and  handsome  villages:  instead  of  being 
compelled  to  go  to  Schoharie  to  mill  with  a  |icck  or  hidf-bushel 
of  In<1iaD  corn  to  be  ground  into  meal  to  keep  our  families  from 
starvation,  we  have  everything  in  abundance  growing  on  our  own 
farms,  or  brought  to  our  doors  from  idl  the  markets  of  the  world. 
Tiuly  this  fact  presents  an  object  lesson   worthy  our  consideration. 


5-12  Ulsronv    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

The  log  cabiu  was  au  evolution  of  the  wigwam  and  was  the 
fii'st  dwelling  of  the  wilderness,  where  the  pioneer  attempted  to 
construct  a  home.  Uude  as  it  was  it  secured  warmth  and  safety 
to  the  family,  and  sheltered  men  and  women  nf  nulilc  character 
and  daring  enterprise.  The  great  stone  cliimuey  at  one  end  of 
the  cabin  became  the  roaring  tunnel  for  the  household  tire.  At 
that  time  tire,  in  the  form  of  living  coals,  was  as  carefull_y  guarded 
and  preserved  as  was  the  sacred  tire  of  old.  It  was  the  last  and 
most  binding  duty  of  the  pioneer  l)efore  retiring  at  night  to  bury 
the  tire,  and  the  tirst  necessity  in  the  early  morning  was  to  search 
the  ashes  for  living  coals,  and  failing  in  that  the  next  and  only 
recourse  was  an  early  journey  to  the  nearest  neighbor,  (  which 
was  often  a  long  distance,)  to  borrow  a  shovelful  of  coals.  It  is 
a  long  step  from  that  condition  of  affairs  to  the  turning  on  of 
the  electric  light  by  a  simple  motion  of  the  hand;  and  think  of 
all  that  has  come  between,  since  the  pioneer  and  his  family  sat 
in  the  blaze  of  the  open  fireplace,  heaping  on  boughs  of  wood  to 
make  a  light  by  which  the  pages  of  an  old  book  could  be  read ! 

This  town  was  rej^resented  in  the  Senate  by  John  M.  Betts  in 
184:8-49.  Jonas  A.  Hughstou  was  Mendjer  of  Congress  in  1855. 
Members  of  Assembly  were  Sluman  Wattles  in  180U,  Nathaniel 
Wattles  in  1708,  (then  Franklin),  William  Dewey  in  181(5,  Charles 
Rogers  in  1853,  Samuel  Rexford  in  182;i,  James  Hughston  in 
1832,  Reuben  Lewis  in  184(5,  Ira  E.  Sherman  in  18(35,  and  188(), 
Albert  H.  Sewell  in  1878,  Robert  Courtney  in  18(53,  Robert  Cart- 
wright  in  1895,  Timothy  Sanderson  in  1883. 

OwY  town  is  highly  favored  as  a  railroad  center.  The  Albany 
and  Susquehanna,  now  owned  l)v  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  com- 
pany, was  built  in  186(5,  tmd  runs  three  miles,  within  our  l)ound- 
aries.  The  New  York,  Ontario  &  Western  railway  was  built  in 
1870,  giving  the  town  fourteen  miles  more  of  railway.  The  New 
Berli)i  Branch,  running  from  Sidney  to  Edmeston,  was  completed 
in  1873.  The  junction  of  the  great  thoroughfares  at  Sidney  give 
the  village  remarkable  shijoijing  facilities,  and  induce  passenger 
travel,  trade  and  commerce  from  many  jioints. 


■/■oi\-.v  (IF  sin.\h:y.  543- 

Oiiv  of  tlu'  must  iiiiiHirtaiit  imlustiii's  of  >Si<liic_v  is  the  Sill;  .Mill 
Coiiipauy  eiiiployiiif,'  loll  Imiiils.  The  raw  silk  is  iuiiiortid  from 
Japan  jukI  mamifuctiiifd  iuto  ladies'  "iloves  auil  mitts.  The  dyciuf^ 
and  weaving  are  all  done  here,  fifteen  looms  being  iu  operation  f'oi' 
weaving  the  cloth,  and  each  loom  weaving  a  web  ten  feet  wide. 

The  Novelty  Works  used  twenty-nine  car  loads  of  lumber  iu  the 
month  of  ^lay,  employing  1(10  hands. 

The  Sidney  Glass  Works  employ  100  hands  in  making  bottles  of 
every  description,  and  the  Cart  and  Carriage  Company  and  the- 
Lumber  Machinists,  each  employs  a  large  force  in  their  extensive 
businesses. 

The  Sidney  National  Bank  was  organized,  with  a  caiiital  of 
j;.5(>,(IOO,  in  December,  1887,  with  John  A.  Clark  as  president, 
Slumau  L.  Wattles  as  vice-president,  and  James  L.  Clark  is  the 
present  cashier.  The  bank  declared  no  dividend  for  eight  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  its  surplus  equalled  its  original  cajiital. 

Space  will  allow  us  to  mention  only  a  few  of  the  conspicuous 
men  of  Sidney.  The  Hon.  Ira  E.  Sherman  ( lately  deceased )  was 
held  in  the  highest  esteem,  and  his  tine  sense  of  honor,  ability  and 
kindness,  made  his  presence  seem  like  a  benediction.  His  fame  as- 
a  poet  is  widespread,  and  from  a  brooklet,  river,  or  old  ruin  he 
would  weave  a  song  stoi'V  iu  language  surpassingly  Ijenutiful. 

Mr.  H.  C.  Weller  is  the  oldest  business  man  in  our  town,  and  by 
honorable  business  methods  has  been  very  successful  and  enjoys 
the  contidence  of  his  nuiny  friends  iu  a  remarkalilc  degree. 

Mr.  T.  G.  Smith  enjoys  a  reputation  not  confined  to  our  town  or 
county.  Retiring  a  few  years  since  from  active  pursuits,  he  made  a 
trip  to  the  old  country,  visiting  London,  Paris,  Na])lcs,  Florence, 
Rome  and  Vienna,  and  also  traversed  Hollainl  and  Belgium.  His 
correspondence,  while  abroad,  was  published  in  the  metropolitan 
journals,  and  read  with  the  greatest  interest  l)y  many  people.  His 
description  of  the  "City  of  the  Sea,"  and  other  historic  places,  was 
appreciated  and  recognized  by  all  who  had  the  pleasure  of  reading 
Iiis  letters. 


J544  HISTORY    OF    DKfMWARE    COCXTY. 

The  village  of  Sidney  contains  five  cbuicbes:  Congregational, 
Methodist  Episcopal,  Baptist,  Episcopal  and  Ronuiu  Catholic. 

The  first  newspaper  printed  in  Sidney  was  the  Star,  in  1K7(). 
We  now  have  the  Sidnej'  Record,  Sidney  Advocate  and  the 
Transcript — the  last  named  published  at  Sidney  Centre.  The  first 
number  of  the  Sidney  Record, — Arthur  Bird  editor, — was  issued 
December  S,  1S8'2.  The  population  of  the  village  at  that  time  was 
550.  The  organization  of  the  Sidney  National  Bank,  and  the 
energetic  work  of  the  distinguished  editor  of  the  Record,  gave  a 
powerful  impetus  to  the  business  prosperity  of  Sidney.  Citizens  of 
iHir  town  are  proud  of  the  honorable  career  of  Mr.  Bird,  in  j)ul)lic 
and  private  life,  and  appreciate  his  manly  work  in  their  l)elialf. 
This  gentleman  received  the  appointment  of  United  States  Vice- 
Consul  General  at  Port-au-Prince,  Hayti,  in  the  year  1871). 

Sidney  was  the  first  village  in  the  county  to  have  an  organized 
pt)lice  force.  Mr.  Leroy  Smith  is  the  Chief,  and  under  liis  sujicr- 
vision  the  town  feels  comparativelj-  secui-e. 

In  conclusion  we  would  pay  a  grateful  tribute  to  the  noble 
pioneers  of  every  town  who  laid  the  foundation  for  all  we  have, 
and  make  their  lives  and  character  an  object  lesson  for  our  young 
men  to  appreciate  and  value  the  rugged  integrity  and  faithful 
industry  of  those  grand  men.  The  past  is  history  and  the  future 
is  the  unwritten  page.  Of  our  uni)aralelled  advancement  in 
science,  and  the  jiossiljilities  already  accomplished  they  could 
not  have  had  the  faintest  conception.  And  when  we  review  the 
wonderful  growth  of  our  towns,  state,  and  nation,  a  panoi'ama  of 
astonishing  events  is  constantly  before  us,  and  indeed,  it  is  true 
that  the  future  is  known  only  in  a  kind  Providence  and  His 
knowledge  is 

"The  Diviiiily  tliiit  sliapcs  nur  ends, 
Kniifth   li(>\v  tlii'M]  iis  \Vi'  will." 


3 
o. 


Written  loi-  this   lli>torv. 

TH  !■",  prcsfut  tciwii  lit'  Stiiiiil'ord  was  t'onucrly  a  part  of  ristor 
i-ouutv,  or  as  it  was  termed  "  Origiual  County;"  that  is  it 
was  a  coiiutv  orjifauized  l)efore  New  York  State  was  iiuder  its  first 
coustitutiou  as  a  state.  Au  Act  to  divide  tUe  Proviuce  of  New  York 
into  provint-es,  sbires  and  counties  was  passed  November  1,  1()S:S. 
The  act  provided:  "  That  the  said  i)roviuct'  he  divided  into  twelve 
counties,"  to  wit:  City  and  County  of  New  York,  Westchester, 
Ulst  r,  Dutchess,  Orauf^e,  Richmond,  Kings,  Queens,  Suffolk,  Dukes 
and  Cornwall.  The  two  latter  counties  were  afterward  surrendered 
"to  Massachusetts. 

The  first  known  settlers  in  the  town  were  Dr.  Stewart  and  Johii 
and  Alex.  More,  who  emigrated  from  Scotland  in  1778.  Two  years 
afterwards  they  were  followed  by  James  Stewart,  William  Fraser, 
Simon  Fraser,  Daniel  and  Abijah  Bennett.  Others  who  came  were 
Elijah  Baldwin,  son  of  C'alel)  Baldwin,  a  captain  in  the  Uevolutiou- 
ary  army,  who  came  to  Stamford  early  in  17!)2,  Philander  Smith,  a 
practicing  physician,  Stephen  Beers,  a  native  of  Stamford,  Conn., 
Heth  (iriftin.  Burton  Judsou,  Isaac  tiould,  Beuj.  (iilliert.  These 
pioneers  located  in  what  was  called  the  Towiishi]i  Valley,  on  Town 
Brook,  and  about  five  miles  from  its  nu)utli.  It  was  the  intention 
of  the  early  settlers  to  make  this  place  the  center  of  business. 
Accordingly  au  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  surveys  made 
and  a  town  plot,  one  mile  square,  was  laid  out  into  pilots  forty  rods 
square,  with  eiglit  streets  running  at  right  angles.  Fuv  a  new 
country  this  locality'  was  quite  thickly  settle<l  jjrevious  to  the  Bev- 
olution,  most  of  the  settlers  coming  from  Stamford.  Conn.  The 
Indians  and  Tories  drove  tliem  out  and  nniny  of  tiicni  were 
■28  «■ 


5-t8  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

compelled  to  retiiru  to  their  uutive  State.     But  with  the  close  ot 
the  war  they  returned  uiid  ii^aiu  souf^lit  the  beautiful  valley. 

ilauy  of  the  settlers  beiug  from  Stamford,  Fairfield  coimty,. 
Connecticut,  the  name  of  their  former  place  of  residence  was  f>iven 
to  this  locality,  and  it  was  called  New  Stamford.  Two  years  later 
{  April  (i,  17!)()  )  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  authorized  the  layiuj^'  out 
of  a  road  through  to  the  Delaware  and  Susquehanna  valleys.  The 
road  extended  from  near  the  mouth  of  the  Ouleout  to  the  Hudson' 
river.  For  that  purpose  the  laud  commissioners  were  authorized  tO' 
draw  from  the  state  treasury  a  sum  "  not  exceeding'  eight  hundred 
pounds."  The  contract  for  building  this  road  was  awarded  to 
Nathaniel  Wattles  and  Medad  Hunt,  but  proving  ruinous  the  con- 
tractors were  relieved  in  1793  by  a  further  grant  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds.  The  advantages  of  a  road  built  by  the  state 
elated  the  peojile  and  in  a  comjiaratively  short  time  the  number  of 
settlers  increased;  mills  were  built  and  an  air  of  activity  prevailed 
throughout  the  country. 

The  number  of  settlers  increased  so  rapidly  that  the  formation 
of  a  new  town  was  desired.  This  section  was  then  embraced  in  the 
town  of  "Woodstock,  as  the  territory  of  that  town  then  extended  to 
the  Delaware  river.  An  application  for  that  purpose  was  made  tO' 
the  Legislature,  which  on  April  10,  1792,  enacted  as  follows; 

"  All  that  part  of  the  town  of  Woodstock  in  the  county  of  Ulster 
bounded  West  by  the  west  bounds  of  the  county  of  Ulster,  South 
by  the  north  bounds  of  Middletowu,  East  by  a  line  to  begin  on  the 
side  bounds  of  Middletown,  two  miles  east  of  Papacton  river,  and 
running  northerly  to  a  monument  number  seventeen  at  the  head  of 
said  Papacton  I'iver,  and  thence  continuing  the  same  course  north- 
erly until  it  meets  the  line  of  Albany  county,  shall  be  erected  into  a 
separate  town  by  the  name  of  Stamford,  and  the  first  town  meeting 
in  Stamford  shall  be  held  at  the  house  of  Peter  Knajjp." 

This  meeting  was  held  on  Tuesday,  April  2,  1793.  Patrick  Lane 
was  superintendent  of  the  meeting  and  Peter  Osborn  moderator. 
These   officers    were   elected    for    one   year:     Georg-e    Scpiires,    town 


roWX   i)F  STAMFOUP.  5.1;) 

clerk;  Siiimicl  Iii<^ei«oll,  coustiihU-;  Andrew  Beers,  supervisor; 
Josliuii  Wrifjfht,  Silas  Kuji))]},  Abijiili  Bennett,  assessors;  Daniel 
Bennett,  Sanmel  ^ferriaiii,  Israel  Innian,  coniniissioners  of  lii;,'h- 
ways;  Hufjli  Rose  ami  James  (irant,  overseers  of  |)oor;  (ieorge 
;MeKenna,  Ezra  Hart,  Peter  Osborn,  Allen  (irant,  Salmon  Mallett. 
•lacol)  Smither,  Joliu  Wriylit,  diHtrict  roadmasters;  Abraham  (lould, 
Ezra  Hait,  Simon  Frasier,  feuce  viewers  and  damaj^'e  'prisers;  Peter 
Shearman,  Zalmou  Tousev,  Israel  Inman,  pound  musters.  The  next 
annual  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  honse  of  Philo  Norton. 

The  question  of  a  new  county  became  a  sid)ject  for  consideration 
as  the  settlement  increased  between  the  Delaware  and  Susiiuelianna 
rivers.  On  the  lOth  of  March,  IT'.IT,  by  an  .\et  of  the  Lef,nslature 
the  county  of  Delaware  became  a  fact.  The  entire  territory  of  the 
county  at  first  comj)rised  the  towns  of  Stamford,  Harperstield, 
Kortright,  Franklin,  IMiddletown  and  Colchester,  but  a  short  time 
afterward  the  town  of  Walton  was  added. 

When  first  formed  the  town  of  Stamford  liail  an  ai'ea  of  SI, ()()() 
acres.  It  possessed  all  that  part  of  the  county  of  Delaware  lying 
north  of  tlie  northern  bounds  of  (ireat  Lot  No.  -40  in  the  Harden- 
burgb  Patent.  The  direct  length  of  its  south  line  was  about 
sixteen  and  three-fourth  miles,  and  of  its  eastern  line  about  eleven 
and  one-half  miles.  Its  northern  line  was  eleven  miles  ,ind  its 
western  side,  direct  from  corner  to  corner,  about  thirteen  and  one- 
fourth  miles,  .\bout  two  years  afterward  its  area  was  reduced 
more  than  half  by  the  formation  of  the  town  of  Koxburv.  In  1820 
it  sustained  another  loss  of  territory  liy  the  erection  of  the  town  of 
Bovina.  Ten  years  later  (  1830  )  six  lots  were  taken  from  Haii>ers- 
tield  at  the  village  of  Hobart  and  annexed  to  Stamford. 

Prior  to  ]  S2()  the  town  meetings  were  held  down  the  Delaware 
and  on  Buse's  Brook,  with  one  exception,  (  IT'.ll  )  wiien  it  was  held 
lit  the  house  of  Abel  Watkins  in  the  Town  Plat.  Town  meet- 
ings were  subse(]uently  held  at  the  Masonic  hall  in  M'aterville, 
now  Hobart,  and  the  town  house  has  ever  since  been  located 
there. 


•550  HISTORY    OF    I)h:LA]yARE    COVXrV. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  elected  was  Dimcau  McDouahl, 
who  was  elected  at  the  aumial  town  meeting  held  April  G,  188(t. 
The  methods  of  voting  for  town  officers  prior  to  1822  was  by  cira 
voce,  raising  the  hand,  or  l)y  the  voters  arranging  themselves  on 
either  side  of  the  mom  and  heiiig  counted.  The  first  justices  being 
made  b_v  appointment  no  record  is  obtainable.  But  bv  official 
signatures  it  is  found  that  Patrick  Laml)  held  the  office  in  17!(8, 
being  succeeded  by  Benjamin  Ackerly,  ITDi,  Andrew  Beers,  17i)5; 
Isaac  Hardenburg,  1796,  Hugh  Rose,  171»7,  Asahel  E.  Paine,  1S(»2, 
Elijah  Canfield,  1808,  etc. 

In  1800  a  town  insurance  company  was  formed  with  these  offi- 
cers: Jacob  B.  Van  Housen,  Charles  Griffin,  HenVy  Pratt,  Xelson 
L.  Thorp,  Cyrenus  Gibbs,  Lyman  Wilcox,  Frances  R.  Gilbert,  Wuj. 
R.  Beckley  and  Robt.  T.  Hume.  Mr.  Wilcox  was  chosen  president, 
and  Mr.  Gilbert  secretary. 

The   following  from  Stamford  have  been  Members  of  Assembly 
Patrick  Lamb,  1800;  John  Lamb,  1803;  Anthony  Marvin,   1805-06 
Robert  Clark,  1813;  James  G.    Redfield,    1829;  John   Griffin.    18;i(; 
Orrin  Griffin,   1842;  Orrin  Foote.  1846;  Daniel  Stewart,  1853;  John 
Haxten,  1856;    Frances  R.    Gilbert,    1863-64;    Isaac    H.    Maynard, 
1876-77;  John  S.  McNaught,  1879. 

In  1850  Levinus  Monson  of  Hobart  was  elected  a  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  (Sixth  Judicial  district).  Only  one  man  from  Stam- 
ford was  ever  elected  to  the  office  of  County  Jvidge — Isaac  H. 
Maynard  in  1878. 

Those  residents  of  the  town  who  have  been  elected  and  served 
as  Sheriffs  of  the  county  are  Duncan  J.  Grant,  1835-37;  DeWitt  C. 
Thomas,  1847-49;  Baldwin  (iriffin,  1859-(il;  William  R.  Clark. 
1877-79. 

Many  volunteers  from  Stamford  helped  to  form  the  144th  Regi- 
ment, which  left  Delhi  for  the  front  on  Sept.  27,  1862.  Among 
those  who  enlisted  were  Wesley  W.  Sanford,  Omer  Champlin,  Beers 
Grant,  James  Grant,  and  niauy  others  whose  names  we  have  not 
space  to  mention. 


T(nV.\    OF   STAMI-'Olill.  5<51 

Anidii^''  those  who  resided  in  thr  town  :i  ccnturv  iij,'o  were: 
iSteiihcii  Ad.'iiiis.  Suiuuel  Adee,  Diivid  Austin,  Samuel  BaV)bit,  Syl- 
viiuus  BriKhaiii,  Andrew  Beers,  John  Bennett,  Amos  Baldwin,  • 
Thomas  Brooks,  James  Boutou,  Asa  Beach,  Archibald  Biirf^iss, 
Thomas  Crosby,  Alexander  Cummiugs,  Hemau  Dewey,  .Samuel 
Davis,  Daniel  Foote,  Joshua  Ferris,  James  (iraut,  Isaac  (Jould, 
Heth  (irillin.  .lolni  Hayes,  Ezra  Hoyt,  Eseck  Inman,  Benjamin 
Jones,  Jabez  Jeuuiugs,  Silas  and  Peter  Kuapp,  Joseph  Keator,  John 
and  William  Lamb,  Daniel  Lynch,  Niithan  Lee,  John  Mallett, 
(xeoryf  McKenney.  Alexander  JIcDonald,  Klisha  Mayuard.  Asa 
Norton,  John  Polly,  Solomon  Parsons,  Huj,di  Rose,  Daniel  liobin- 
son,  Aaron  Rollins,  Joshua  Simmons,  David  Smith,  John  Sherman, 
Ebenezer  Sturgess,  Thomas  Taylor,  Nathaniel  Tiffany.  Charles 
Tucker,  Henry  Voorhis,  Demar  Wheeler,  Joshua  Wriyht,  Anthony 
Wilber,  Daniel  W^oolsey,  William  Yeomans. 

BANKS. 

With  increased  business  came  the  needs  of  a  bank,  and  on  Octo- 
ber 24,  18(!8,  the  First  National  Bank  of  Hobart  was  establislied  in 
that  vilhif^e.  Previous  to  the  above  date  the  banks  at  Kingston  and 
Catskill  had  been  used  by  depositors.  The  first  board  of  directors 
was  made  up  of  Frederic  W.  Foote,  John  M.  Olmstead,  Russell  D. 
Baird,  John  Griffin,  Robt.  I.  Hume,  Robt.  ^IcNauglit,  John  Cowan. 
Mr.  Foote  was  chosen  president,  and  John  M.  Olmstead  cashier. 
The  capital  at  first  was  §50,000,  which  was  afterwards  increased 
to  ^luil, 0(1(1.  Ill  1,S72  Mr.  Foote  resigned  his  position  and  Mr. 
Olmstead  was  chosen  to  succeed  him  as  president.  In  1881  the 
bank  went  into  voluntary  licjuidation.  To  the  credit  of  the  institu- 
tion it  may  be  said  that  during  the  eighteen  years  of  its  existence 
it  never  nussed  declai-ing  a  dividend,  and  during  that  time  it  paid 
to  its  stockholders  about  ?lH(i,(l()(t.  In  1872  Mr.  F.  W.  Foote 
started  a  private  banking  house,  which  was  known  as  the  l'",x<-liange 
Bank.     Its  l)usiness  career  was  short  lived. 

It  was  on  November  12,  1881,  that  the  Stamford  National  H.ink 
was  organized    witii   a  capital  of  SoO.iKHt,    which    was  increased  in 


552  IIISrORY    OF    DELAWAUK    COIXTV. 

188()  to  $75,000.  The  bank  befjau  business  early  iu  188-2  with  these 
officers:  M.  Fredenburgh,  S.  W.  Hubbard,  J.  H.  Merchant,  I.  H. 
Mayuard,  Stephen  Van  Duseu,  E.  W.  Churehill,  Edgar  Johnson, 
N.  K.  Wilson,  R.  G.  Dayton.  Mr.  Fredenburgh  was  the  Jirst  presi- 
dent, and  Mr.  Hubbell  the  fir.st  cashier.  The  present  officers  are 
J.  H.  Merchant,  pi-esideut;  C.  L.  Audrus,  vice-president;  (i.  W. 
Kendall,  cashier.  Directors,  E.  W.  Churchill,  Stephen  Van  Duseu, 
Heth  Griffin,  H.  S.  Wood,   E.   W.   Gallup,  E.  L.  Seeley. 

The  National  Bank  of  Hobart  was  established  Dec.  6,  1890,  with 
a  capital  of  $50,000.  The  lirst  officers  were  J.  R.  Cowan,  president; 
J.  M.  Olmstead,  vice-jsresident;  J.  A.  Scott,  cashier.  The  same 
gentlemen  are  still  retained  in  office,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Olmstead,  who  has  been  succeeded  by  O.  I.  Bennett  as  vice-presi- 
dent. The  directors  are  J.  R.  Cowan,  J.  M.  Olmstead,  Jacob  Law- 
rence,  J.    E.   Bush,   O.   I.    Bennett,  John  Bell. 

FR.4.TERXAL. 

The  first  fraternal  organization  in  the  town  of  Stamford  was 
that  of  St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  F.  cV-  A.  M.,  No.  48,  chartered  April  1"2, 
179(>.  Andrew  Beei's  was  the  first  master;  John  French  senior 
warden  and  James  Laughran  junior  warden.  The  first  by-laws 
adopted,  or  at  least  recorded,  were  on  December  20,  1796.  The 
first  number,  48,  was  renumbered  45,  and  the  charter  was  forfeited 
(presumably  for  not  making  returns  to  the  Grand  Lodge)  in  1832. 
The  old  warrant  of  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  was  returned  to  the  Grand 
Lodge  August  11,  1852.  On  September  4,  1852,  a  dispensation  was 
issued  to  Harry  Andrew-s,  Elisha  Wetmore,  William  McCaughan, 
Agnus  McDonald,  Alexander  Stewart,  B.  Lyon  and  Joseph  B.  Hunt 
to  erect  a  lodge  at  Hobart.  Harry  Andrews  was  named  as  master; 
Elisha  Wetmore  senior  warden,  and  William  McCaughan  junior 
warden.  A  warrant  was  issued  to  these  brethren  as  St.  Andrew's 
Lodge,  No.  289,  Juue  8,  lf^5;}.  This  last  warrant  or  charter  is  the 
one  under  which  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  is  now  working.  St.  Andrew's 
Mark  Master's  Lodge  was  an  off-shoot  of  St.  Andrew's  Lodge,  and 
is  not  the  first  masonic  lodge  organized  iu  Delaware  county  as  has 


Towx  OF  sTAMroRi).  r)r>3 

•ermucDiislv  lieeu  recorded.  The  tirst  rci-urds  (ilitiiiiuililo  of  luiv 
minutes  bear  date  March  (1,  IT'.IS.  The  otlicers  were  Andrew  Beers, 
master;  David  (i.  Wain\vrij;lit,  senior  warden;  Robert  (i.  Wetmore 
junior  warden;  John  S.  Bradford,  tiler.  The  lodf,'e  of  Mark  Master 
^lasons  was  formed  about  the  time  the  Grand  Chapter  of  the  State 
was  organized.  On  February  4,  1S()2,  n  Chapter  of  Koyal  .Vrch 
Masons  was  organized,  Andrew  Beers  being  chosen  high  priest; 
John  Lamb,  king;  and  Erastus  Root,  scribe.  The  number  of  tliis 
chapter  was  14.  The  original  charter  of  St.  Andrew's  Chajiter  is 
uow  in  the  possession  of  Delta  Chapter  Xo.  185,  R.  A.  M.  of  the 
village  of  Stamford,  lieing  the  legitimate  and  lineal  descendant  of 
old  St.  Andrew's  No.  14.  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  and  St.  Andrew's 
Chapter  were  the  first  of  the  order  in  Delaware  county.  The  tirst 
meetings  of  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  were  held  at  the  house  of  Andrew- 
Beers,  and  at  other  members'  liouics.  Some  time  later  a  masonic 
liall  was  built  near  St.  Peter's  Episcopal  church  in  Hobart.  The 
Rtiilding,  a  frame  structure,  was  moved  to  its  present  site  more  than 
sixty  years  ago,  after  having  been  abandoned  for  lodge  purposes. 
It  is  now  used  as  a  tenement.  The  present  masonic  hall  at  Hobart 
was  built  in  18X!I.  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  is  more  than  one  hundred 
years  old,  its  centennial  having  been  celebrated  at  Holiart  on  Octo- 
ber 8,  18;)(;,  at  which  time  Major  George  C.  CHbbs  of  Stamford  was 
the  historian,  and  to  him  the  writer  is  indebted  for  much  data 
concernmg  the  Masonic  organizations.  St.  Andrew's  Lodge  has  a 
membership  of  about  one  hundred.  The  present  olticers  are:  G.  A. 
Young,  master;  "Walter  Kniskern,  senior  warden;  William  Barrett, 
junior  warden;  Norman  K.  Silliman,  secretary;  John  Telford,  treas- 
urer; Itdlicrt  ('.  151ackl>urn.  senior  deacon;  W.  Frank  Clark,  junior 
deacon;  John  Coon,  tyler. 

Delta  Chapter,  No.  18."),  was  organized  Feb.  K,  iHli.").  The  first 
officers  were,  Michael  Karen,  High  Priest;  Robt.  S.  Brownell,  King; 
•Oliver  D.  Young,  Scribe;  S.  B.  Cliamiiion,  Secretary.  Regular  con- 
vocations are  held  in  the  village  of  Stamford.  The  present  officers 
.are,  .\.  L.  Van   Dusen.    Hif,'li   Priest;   E.    A\'.    Landon,    King;  J.    W. 


554  UlsroHV    OF    IiKLAWARK    COrXTY. 

Baldwin,    Scribe;   Joliusou   Hiimiltou,    treasurer;   Geo.   ().    Leouaril,. 
secretarj-.     There  are  sixty-five    members. 

Hobart  Lodge,  No.  :^;i!),  I.  ().  ().  F.,  wa.s  orj^auized  ^Lircli  7, 
1848,  with  these  oflScers:  Dr.  C'alviu  C.  Covel,  noble  grand;  Bald- 
win Griffin,  vice-grand;  John  McDonald,  treasurer.  Capt.  John  R.. 
Baldwin  was  the  first  member  to  die,  March  7,  IHM,  The  ]u-esent 
officers  are,  noble  grand,  D.  J.  Young;  vice-grand,  Freeman  Keyser; 
secretary,  Geo.  A.  Young;  treasurer,  Justus  Cobbe;  warden,  J.  E. 
Butler.  This  lodge  is  the  parent  Odd  Fellows'  organizati(m  of 
Delaware  county.  The  lodge  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary 
last  spring. 

KIRE    DEPARTMENT,    ST.WIFORD. 

The  organization  of  a  fire  department  for  the  village  of  Stam- 
ford was  perfected  June  H>,  1870.  The  first  apjjaratus  j^urchased 
was  a  hand  engine  of  the  Button  make.  It  was  a  second  hand 
machine,  bought  for  $250,  in  Rome,  N.  Y.,  by  Maj.  Geo.  C.  Gibbs 
and  Harvey  S.  Wood,  a  committee  ajtiiointed  for  that  purpose  by 
the  board  of  trustees.  Major  Giblis  was  appointed  chief  of  the 
department  and  A.  M.  Martin  assistant  chief.  A  company  consist- 
ing of  thirty-five  men  was  immediately  organized  to  run  with  the 
machine,  the  company  retaining  the  title,  "Fort  Stanwix  Engine 
Co.,"  that  being  the  original  name  of  the  engine  while  it  was  owned 
in  Rome.  John  M.  Bennett  was  elected  foreman.  The  machine  is 
still  in  commission  but  is  not  much  used  owing  to  the  splendid 
system  of  water  works  with  which  the  village  is  supplied.  The 
present  officers  of  the  fire  department  are  Geo.  O.  Leonard,  chief; 
A.  L.  Van  Dusen,  1st  assistant;  J.  G.  Dean,  2d  assistant;  E.  L. 
McArthur,  clerk. 

Stamford  Hose  Co.  No.  1,  was  organized  Nov.  21,  1883.  The 
present  officers  are,  Wm.  Myers,  foreman;  A.  L.  Mattice,  assistant; 
W.  P.  More,   secretary;  Eugene  Stouteuburgh,   treasurer. 

L  H.  Maynard  Hose  Co.  No.  2,  was  organized  April  17,  1880. 
John  Dooley  is  foreman;  F.  A.  Maynard,  assistant;  E.  L.  McArthur,, 
secretary;  A.  E.  Fink,  treasurer. 


X 
o 


yoir.v  OF  sTAMi-tiia).  557 

S.  E.  Cliiirchill  Honk  ami  Liiilili  r  Co.  was  or;;iini/.c(l  Ort.  2, 
1H95.  The  otticers  are,  Iv  ('.  Hant'ord,  I'oninan ;  C.  E.  Smith,  assis- 
tant: J.    A.  Tooley,  secretary;    1>.    ('.    Hoa^laiid.    treasurer. 

\V.\li;i!    WOKKS. 

The  busiuess  of  the  vilhifje  haviiij^  increased  to  such  au  e.\teut 
that  the  need  of  a  better  su])ply  of  water  for  tire  and  domestic  use 
became  ini]ii  rativc.  <)ii  Fcliruury  2,  ISSl,  tlir  jiicseiit  excellent 
system  of  water  works  was  established.  Au  organization  was 
formed  and  u  company,  capitalized  at  S"2(), 0(1(1.  immediately  bef^au 
business.  The  dire<-tors  wfiv  S.  E.  Churciiill.  J.  P.  (irant,  S.  W. 
Hubl.ell.  I.  H.  .Mayuard,  J.  C.  Van  Dyke,  Johnson  Hamilton.  F.  (i. 
Rulifsou,  Edgar  Johnson  aud  E.  W.  Churchill.  S.  E.  Churchill  was 
elected  president;  J.  P.  Grant,  secretary;  S.  \V.  Hubl)ell,  treasurer: 
F.  G.  Rulifsou,  supei'intendent. 

A  reservoir  was  constructed  about  one  aud  oue-half  miles  north 
of  the  village  and  mains  laid  throughout  the  various  streets.  Octo- 
ber 29,  1892,  the  capital  of  the  company  was  increased  to  $30,000, 
and  again  on  March  8,  1897,  to  ^45,000.  This  last  increase  of 
capital  was  for  the  purpose  of  building  another  reservoir  about  a 
mile  fuither  north  of  the  original  one  aud  to  put  down  au  increased 
number  of  mains.  The  new  reservoir  was  constructed  early  in  the 
summer  of  1895,  at  a  cost  of  $1(),(MI().  The  water  works  is  one  of 
the  best  iu  the  state  of  its  size  aud  au  abundance  of  pure  spring 
water  is  supplied  the  citizens.  There  are  twenty-six  fire  hydrants 
located  about  the  village  at  im])ortant  points.  The  jn-essure  of 
water  is  121  pounds  to  the  sipiai-e  inch.  The  present  officers  are: 
J.  C.  Van  Dyke,  president;  J.  K.  Cowan,  vice-president;  AVilliani 
Whitney,  secretary;  U.  H.  Earner,  treasurer:  Johnson  Hauiilton, 
superintendent;  C.  A.  Crowell,  A.  M.  Warner.  W.  V.  (iillespie,  E. 
W.  Churchill,  directors;  George  O.  Leouard,  (,'ollector. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  first  school  commissioners  of  the  town  were  Joseph  llurd, 
Silas  Kuapj)  and  Francis  Burritt,  who  were  elected  at  the  annmil 
meeting  in  IT'.h;.     On  Fel).  :},  lSi;i,  the  town  was  diviited   into  nine 


^58  HISTORY    UF   DELAWARE    CurXTV. 

.sebodi  districts,  the  connnissioners,  Charles  B.  Perrv,  Aaron  BlisL, 
and  Dauiel  ■McGillivrae,  being  elected  at  a  special  meeting'  held  in 
January  of  that  year.  The  first  inspectors  of  schools  were  Kohert 
W  Forest,   William   Kedzie,   Joseph   D.   Beers,  :Mutthe\v  DcAVitt,  Ituht. 

Greassou  and  Abel  AVatkins.  The  first  school  building  stood  on 
the   east   side   of  Delaware   street  near   the   railroad  crossing,  in  a 

•corner  of  the  lot  of  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.    I.    H.   Maynard. 

.Small  select  school  had  been  kept  at  various  times  and  in  dift'i  rent 
parts  of  the  town,  but  it  was  not  until  1S51  that  the  citizens  were 
induced  to  contribute  toward  the  erection  of  the  Stamford  Semin- 
ary building.     The  building  finally  passed  into  the  hands  of  Charles 

■■O.  Churchill,  who  built  a  boarding  hall  in  connection  with  the 
school.  The  building  later  passed  into  other  hands  and  is  devoted 
to  private  eutcriirisos.  It  was  not,  however,  until  1874  that  the 
"Stamford  Seminary "    was   incorporated   under   board   of  regents, 

.and  on  the  30th  of  May  the  corner  stone  of  the  present  splendid 
structure  was  laid.  The  building  with  its  apinu'teuanees,  exclusive 
of  site,  cost  S12, ()()().  A  bell  weighing  300  jjounds  was  subsequent- 
ly bought  by  private  subscription.  In  the  seminary  building  was 
kept  the  books  of  the  Judson  Library  Association,  named  after 
Samuel  Judsou,  jr.,  who  bequeathed  to  the  association  $1,500  upon 
condition  that  the  citizens  of  the  village  would  contribute  an  eqiuil 

-amount  of  money.  This  being  done  the  Library  Association  was 
formed  with  a  board  of  trustees  composed  of  S.  E.  Churchill,  J. 
C.  Van  Dyke,  J.  H.  McKee  and  I.  H.  Maynard.  The  library  con- 
tains about  3,(100  volumes.  The  establishment  of  a  Union  Free 
School  was  not  perfected  until  August,  1881,  when  school  districts 
No.  1  of  Stamford,  No.  15  of  Jefferson  and  No.  5  of  Harpersfield 
were  consolidated  and  the  Union  Free  School  system  was  perfected. 
The  first  trustees  were  Norman  K.  Wilcox,  Van  Zandt  Wyckoff,  S. 
B.  ChamiJion,  S.  I.  Brown,  Harvey  S.  Wood,  H.  S.  Preston,  I.  H. 
Maynard,  S.  E.  Churchill,  John  Hagar.  I.  H.  INIayuard  was  elected 
president,  and  Van  Zandt  Wyckoff  secretary.  The  seminary  build- 
ing  was  secured   and  has  since  been  used.     The  first  principal  was 


rnn'.v  (II--  sr.\MF<)i:i>.  -,.-)!> 

Ivolit.  M.  Hu^-'lifs.  Ht'  was  siu'ceedi'il  liv  Ailelliert  Gardonicr,  ISS-t; 
F.  M.  Siiiitb,  LS87;  James  Blakeslev,  IHIH);  J.  B.  Hastiii«rs,  18112; 
Jaiiics  A.  Tooley,  18IKi.  The  jiresent  priucijtal  is  Prof.  S.  L.  Howe, 
wb'i  was  PUfiafieil  iu  LSlKi.  The  present  hoard  of  trustees  consists 
of  H.  P.  Huhhell,  presiileut;  S.  V..  Churchill,  J.  H.  :\[ereliaut,  C. 
L.  Autlriis,  H.  C.  Lawrence,  S.  I.  Brown,  J.  A.  Toolev,  A.  W.  Terry, 
E.  E.  Van  Dyke.  W.  H.  :\rcAlpine  is  clerk.  The  scho>>l  has  an 
attendance  of  alnuit   ;?ti(i  pupils. 

HOBVHT. 

Hobart  is  a  small  village  in  the  town  of  Stamford  and  aliout 
four  miles  west  of  the  latter  village.  It  has  a  po})ulation  of  ahout 
650  and  is  the  oldest  portion  of  the  town  of  Stamford.  The  place 
-was  ori-jinally  known  as  "Waterville,  presumably  taking  its  name 
from  the  excellent  water  power  which  the  Delaware  river  atfords  at 
this  point.  The  settlement  was  at  one  time  called  "  Tiukertown  " 
from  the  fact  that  a  man  liviuir  here  ajiprojtriated  to  his  use  a  fidl 
•set  of  tinker's  tools  belonging  to  another  man.  The  Rev.  Philander 
Chase,  the  first  rector  of  St.  Peter's  Episcojial  church,  suggested 
that  the  village  be  named  after  Bislio])  Hobart  oi  New  Jersey, 
which   was  done. 

The  village  was  incorporated  early  in  the  spring  of  ISss.  The 
first  meeting  of  the  board  of  trustees  was  held  on  Jlay  81  of  that 
year.  Tlie  first  President  of  the  village  was  Dr.  J.  S.  lIcNaught; 
Trustees,  J.  K.  Odell,  S.  D.  Kerr,  John  Robinson;  Treasurer,  Case 
Ostrander;  Collector,  O.  B.  Barlow;  Clerk,  A.  H.  (irant.  The  pres- 
ent officers  of  the  village  are:  President,  James  R.  Cowan;  Trustees, 
Jacob  Lawrence,  Oscar  L  Bennett;  Treasurer,  William  S.  Thomson; 
€lerk,  A.  S.  Carroll. 

George  Foote  kept  the  first  tavern,  where  the  old  Mansion 
House  building  now  stands. 

Cyrus  Beers  opened  the  first  store,  on  the  same  ground  wlnre 
the  store  of  J.  W.  Griffin  is  located. 

The  first  physician  in  Hobart  was  Dr.  Josliua  H.  Brett,  who  was 
also  the  first  judge  of  Delaware  county.  Other  i)hysicians  were 
Drs.  Gregory,  Hanford,  Howard,  and  J.  S.  McNaught,  the  last  of 
whom  has  been  supervisor  of  the  town  and  represented  the  diptrict 
in  the  Assembly.  Dr.  ilcNaught  is  still  in  active  ])ractice  and  one 
.of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  village. 

The  first  lawyers  were  J.    B.    S])encer  and    ,\ndrew   Beers,   the 


5()()  HISTORV    OF    DELAWARE    CorXTY. 

lattei-  beiuy  kuowu  as  tlu'  iihuaiiiu-  maker.      Souk;   of  bis  almanacs ^ 
are  still  in  existence. 

Williaui  Trotter  was  the  first  po.stmaster  at  the  villaj.;e,  ami 
James  B.  Eich  is  the  present  iucumbeiit. 

George  Foote  built  the  first  canliuy  iiiill.  He  also  imilt  a 
woolen  factory,  ami  the  water  to  run  both  mills  was  taken  from  the 
same  dam,  which  althouj^h  frequently  rebuilt  still  remains  and  does 
good  service.  The  foundry  now  operated  by  John  Kobinson  was 
built  by  Charles  Whiting  in  the  winter  of  184!).  Mr.  Robinson  has 
owned  and  conducted  the  foundry  for  nearly  forty  years. 

The  Hobart  Agricultural  Society  was  organized  June  17,  l(S7(i, 
with  these  officers:  President,  D.  C.  Sharpe;  Vice-Pi-esidents,  Sam- 
uel H.  Stevens,  E.  A.  Gallup,  Charles  S.  Stevens,  H.  Meeker; 
Secretary,  E.  S.  McNaught;  Treasurer,  James  S.  Kerr.  The  first 
exhibition  of  the  society  was  held  October  10-12,  187G.  The 
grounds  and  l)uildings  are  south  of  the  village.  The  society  has 
not  held  annual  exhibitions  in  several  years,  not  a  sufficient  interest 
being  manifested  to  ensure  its  success. 

The  Union  School  of  Hobart  was  organized  in  1K!)1,  when  the 
present  building  was  constructed  at  a  cost  of  about  $7,000,  which 
includes  the  furii^sliings.  The  building  mas  enlarged  in  1895  by 
the  erection  of  an  addition.  The  board  of  education  consists  of 
James  E.  Cowan,  president;  A.  S.  Carroll,  secretary;  James  B.  Eich, 
treasurer;  James  A.  Scott,  R.  Hume  Grant,  William  H.  McClelland. 
There  is  a  well  stocked  library  containing  about  2,000  volumes 
attached  to  the  school.  Prof.  George  J.  Dann  is  the  principal,  and 
Martha  Belle  Scott  preceptress.  The  school  is  now  known  as  the 
Hobart  High  School. 

The  lire  dejjartmeut  was  organized  August  5,  188(1,  the  first 
company  being  called  Star  Hose  Co.  No.  1.  In  1894  this  comj)any 
was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Cascade  Hose  Co.  About 
the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Star  Hose  Co.  a  small  hand  fire 
engine  was  bought  in  New  York.  It  at  one  time  belonged  to 
Engine  Co.  No.  41,  of  the  volunteer  dei^artment  of  that  city.  The 
company  organized  to  run  with  this  machine  was  called  Clinton 
Engine  Co.  No  data  of  the  formation  of  this  comijauy  is  obtain- 
able. The  "old  tub,"  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  is  still  in  service 
but  not  much  used  owing  to  the  village  being  supplied  with  water 
works.  The  officers  of  this  company  are,  J.  E.  Butler,  foreman;  J.. 
C  McMurdy,  secretary;  C.   E.   Hauford,   treasurer.     The  officers  of 


7V(ir.v  o/-  sT.\MF<ii;ii.  .^(jl 

•Casciulc  Hose  Co.  arc  AV.  J.  H.  KoljiiisDu,  forcinaii ;  Cliarlcs  L. 
Shakcltou,  assistant;  A.  S.  C'aiidll.  sccretavv;  C  K.  Huiifonl,  treas- 
urer. Justus  CoMic  is  chief  of  tlic  (lc|iaitiiiciit,  and  .\,  S.  ('ai-i-iill, 
assistaut. 

The  Mausiou  House,  wliicli  is  now  closed,  is  the  ohlest  hotel 
iu  the  place.  It  was  built  more  thau  seveutv  years  ago.  For  iiiauy 
years  the  hotel  was  couilucted  by  Clayton  Weeks.  The  last  laud- 
lord  was  Jesse  ifiuor.  The  Barrett  House,  "William  Barrett,  pro- 
jirietor,   is  the  only  public   house  at  present  iu   the   village. 

The  Hobart  AVater  Company  began  business  iu  1887,  the  capital 
stock  of  the  company  being  $1'2,0()().  The  otticers  are:  President, 
W.  R.  Brock;  Seci'etary,  Charles  T.  Leonard;  Treasurer,  J.  S. 
McXaught;  Superintendent,  Robert  AIcNaught. 

There  is  l)ut  one  newspaper  published  in  tlie  village,  the  Ho- 
l)art  Independent.  This  paper  was  established  iu  1885  by  J.  B. 
Rich,  who  in  1890  sold  it  to  Mr.  A.  J.  Cham])iou  of  Stamford.  The 
latter  conducted  the  paper  but  a  few  mouths  when  it  jjassed  into 
the  hands  of  I.  L.  Braymau  of  Walton.  In  18itl  Mr.  Frank  B. 
Maybam,  the  present  publisher,  secured  control  of  the  pai)er  and 
(■hauged  its  tone  to  that  of  the  Democracy. 

The  first  creamery  in  the  village  was  established  in  1888  by  L. 
B.  Halsey  of  New  York  and  J.  V.  Jordan  of  N'ewburgh,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Jordan  <.V  Halsey.  The  name  of  the  creamery  was 
afterward  changed  to  that  of  the  Sheffields  Farm  C'reanu'ry.  Last 
spring  some  of  the  farmers  became  dissatisfied  with  the  jirice 
offered  them  for  milk  and  withdrew  their  patronage.  .Vs  a  result 
of  this  movement  a  co-operative  association  was  formed  by  a  large 
number  of  the  farmers  and  the  Hobart  Dairy  Condensing  Company 
(  limited  )  was  organized.  A  substantial  two-story  building  has 
lieen  erected  neaj'  the  railroad  station,  which  cost  f\illy  e(|ui])]>ed 
$lo,000.  James  A.  Cowan  is  president;  ().  B.  Foote,  vice-i)resident ; 
S.  O.  Bennett,  secretary;  J.  R.  Stevenson,  treasurer. 

STAMFOKT). 

Stamford  is  one  of  tin-  most  picturcsfnie  ami  ln'iilthv  villages  it  tin'  Stale. 
It  is  about  H>2  miles  from  New  York  and  seventy-four  from  Kingston.  It  is 
familiarly  spoken  of  as  the  •'  Saratoga  of  the  Catskills,"  lieiiig  i|uito  noted  as  a 
summer  resort.  Its  altitude  is  alioul  l.SOII  feet  above  tide  watiT.  Thi'  vil- 
lage is  roneheil  by  rail  over  the  T'Ister  .V  Delaware  railroad,  which  was  built 
as  far  as  Stamford  in  December,  1S72.  Later  the  r<iod  was  i'om|i|eled  to 
Jiloomville.  thirteen  miles  distant. 

The  village  was  .incorporated  May  1'.'.  IsTo.     The  llrst  president  was  Isaac 


5«2  IIISTORV    OF    DELAWARE    COLWrV. 

H.  Maynaid,  aiul  the  fust  board  <•(  tiusteos  Charles  Giifflri,  J.  B.  Van  Houseiv 
J.  W.  llaj-naril.  E.  W.  Clninliill,  H.  S.  Wood.  On  February  19,  1873,  by  an 
Act  of  the  Legislatuic  tlic  ari';i  <it'  tlic  corporation  was  reduced  to  its  present 
limits.  The  village  lies  at  llie  base  of  Mount  Utsayantha,  whose  towering 
summit  is  reached  by  a  two  mile  drive.  From  this  point  the  entire  range  of 
the  Catskills,  the  Hudson  river  valley  and  the  Berkshire  hills  aic  plainly 
visible  in  clear  weatlier. 

The  village  is  haud.somely  laid  out  and  has  several  well  shaded  streets. 
There  is  a  normal  population  of  about  1,000,  but  in  the  summer  months  this 
number  is  increased  nearly  four-fold.  The  village  contains  a  number  of  large 
hotels  and  commodious  boarding  houses  and  numerous  pretty  cottages,  some 
of  which  are  owned  by  citizens  of  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  otlier  cities,  by 
whom  they  are  occupied  in  the  summer  months.  There  are  four  churches 
(referred  to  below  ),  a  public  school  and  several  substantial  business  blocks. 
The  citizens  are  progressive,  enterprising  and  take  a  natural  pride  in  the 
village.  Among  the  Important  hotels  are  Churchill  Hall  and  Rexniere.  under 
the  management  of  S.  E.  Churchill ;  the  Grant  House.  J.  P.  Grant,  proi)rietor; 
the  Hamilton  House,  A.  E.  Tallmadge,  proprietor;  and  the  Delaware  House, 
Fred  M.  Tingley,  proprietor.  The  latter  house  is  one  of  the  old  landmarks  of 
the  place.  It  was  built  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century  by  Lemuel' 
Lamb,  who  was  its  landlord  for  several  years.  The  "  tavern  "  was  a  small  red 
frame  building  and  originally  but  a  story  and  a  halt  in  height.  Daniel  Clark, 
however,  is  said  to  have  kept  the  first  public  house  in  the  town. 

The  Mirror  office  was  built  by  S.  B.  Champion  in  the  sunim(>r  of  1S70,  tin- 
frame  being  raised  on  the  Gth  of  .July  of  that  year. 

In  1893  Granthurst  Park  was  annexed  to  the  corporation.  It  is  located  on 
the  heights  overlooking  the  village  and  is  surrounded  by  the  handsome  resi- 
dences of  some  of  the  more  wealthy  citizens. 

The  Stamford  Electric  Light  Company  was  organized  April,  1892,  with  a 
capital  of  $20,000.  The  present  officers  are,  J.  P.  Grant,  president ;  .1.  K. 
Grant,  secretary;  S.  E.  Churchill,  treasurer;  .J.  Corbin,  manager. 

Of  the  three  newspapers  in  the  town  the  Stamford  ilirror  is  the  oldest. 
This  paper  was  established  in  18-51,  by  Simon  B.  Champion,  who  had  previous- 
ly printed  a  newspaper  in  the  village  of  Bloomville.  Mr.  Champion  is  the 
oldest  publisher  in  the  county  and  one  of  the  few  veteran  editors  in  the  state 
actively  engaged  in  country  .journalism.  He  became  a  resident  of  Stamford 
in  1870,  having  moved  from  Bloomville.  The  Mirror  is  Democratic  in  tone 
and  principle  and  its  venerable  editor  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  classes.  Mr. 
Champion  has  held  many  positions  of  trust  in  his  town,  Mr.  A.  .1.  Champion 
is  assistant  editor  of  the  Mirror  and  Mr.  Clifford  Champinn  its  Iiusiness 
manager. 

The  Stamford  Recorder  was  establisiied  in  the  village  in  .\pril.  1S!)2.  by  a 
company  composed  of  representative  Eepublicans  who  desired  an  exponent  of 
tlieir  political  faith.  The  name  of  the  corporation  is  The  Stamford  Printing 
and  Publishing  Company,  and  the  printing  plant  of  the  Andes  Recorder  was 
purchased  of  William  Clark,  wlio  became  editor  and  manager  of  tlie  Stamford 
Recorder.  In  August,  1894,  Mr.  Clark  resigned  and  Edward  .V.  .\ckley  has 
been  the  editor  and  manager  since  that  time. 


TO  WW    (JF  STAMF(Jlil).  -,(;3- 


This  youug  villam'  i.s  t-ituutod  iu  tlio  boiuitirul  valley  of  Ihc  West  BiaiR-li 
ill  the  western  part  of  the  town.  Sini'O  the  eoiiiiiig  of  the  railioad  new  Iniild- 
ings,  stores,  hotel,  ami  a  larjie  and  important  ereaniery  have  been  c-iocted. 
The  ereaniery  is  owned  and  operated  sneeessfully  l)y  a  company  of  farmers. 
James  MeLean  and  S.  W.  Andrmvs  have  each  fine  summer  residences  here.ind 
the  latter  is  making  very  extensive  improvements  on  his  grounds.  In  the 
picture  given  on  page  4(>0  this  place  is  shown. 

CHIIRCHES. 

The  first  building  to  be  used  in  town  for  religious  purposi-s  was  buill 
about  1798.  It  was  a  union  meeting  house,  not  denominational.  The  money. 
$.5.50,  to  build  this  meeting  house  was  raised  by  popular  subscription.  Among 
the  original  subscribers  were  Thomas  Rickie.  Douglas  Mcliityre.  James  Pud- 
ney,  Nehemiah  Whitney,  Ralph  Newell  an<i  Thomas  Montgomery. 

The  second  chunh  l)uilt  in  the  town  was  St.  Peter's  Episcopal  in  llobart. 
The  frame  was  raised  on  July  4,  IHOI.  It  was  a  noted  edifice  for  that  early 
period,  a  picture  of  which  appears  on  page  .53.  The  organization  of  this 
church  society  dates  from  December  8,  171)4.  when  membei-s  of  the  Episco- 
/palian  church  at  Stamford,  Kortright  and  Harpersfield  met  and  elected  Trii- 
V  man  Beers.  Augu.slus  Bates,  Ebenezer  Stiirgis,  Gershom  Hauford,  Andrew 
y  Beers,  Herman  Bradford,  Stephen  Bartow,  Elijah  Baldwin  and  Moses  Sack- 
rider  trustees.  A  parsonage,  costing  $.5'i;i,t;ri,  was  liuilt  in  the  fall  of  IMOO. 
The  money  to  build  it  was  loaned  In-  the  corporation  of  Trinity  Church  of  New 
York,  and  the  building  is  still  in  use.  The  Rev.  Philander  Chase  was  the  first 
rector  of  the  parish  and  the  Rev.  Benjamin  T.  Trego  is  now  in  charge. 

The  third  church  was  built  in  the  Township  valley  in  lS2:i  by  llie  Meth- 
odist society,  the  framing  and  constructi<m  of  the  building  being  superintended 
by  Peter  Grant.  The  building  was  not  heated  and  for  seats  loose  boards  were 
thrown  aen.)ss  supports. 

The  fourth  church  in  town  was  built  as  a  Union  Church  in  the  village  of 
Stamford  in  WM.  On  June  24,  lH:i4,  the  Presbyterians  withdrew  from  the 
Harpersfield  church  and  organized  a  church  society.  The  Rev.  Fordice  Har- 
rington  was  the  first  pastor.     While  Rev.  Warren  Mayo  was  pastor,  in  18.55, 

m 'y  was  raised  by  subscription  and  a  new  edifice  was  built  in  the  village  of 

Stamford.  The  present  structure  is  a  very  attractive  one.  and  the  pastor 
is  the  Rev.  Leonard  E.  Richards. 

The  Methodist  .socieiy,  which  is  believed  to  have  \n-ru  the  lifth  church 
organization  in  the  town,  was  organized  about  1832.  The  Rev.  John  Bangs 
was  the  first  pastor.  The  Methodists  were  the  last  to  ufre  the  old  Union 
mi-eting  house,  the  Baptist  soi-iely  having  withdrawn  and  in  18(14  they  built  a 
more  modern  structure.     The  Rev.  F.  D.  Abrams  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  Baptist  church  .society  was  originally  organized  in  the  town  of  Ji-ffer- 
son.  Si'hoharie  county,  but  the  church  building  stood  in  Harpersfield,  about 
two  miles  ni>rthwest  of  Stamlmd  village.  Iu  18f':t  the  society  was  reorgauizeil 
.iiid  the  present  Ipuilding  erected  on  Main  strei't  between  the  Methodist  and 
Pii'sbvifiiiiM   churclies.     Some  ye.irs  au'o  the  church  was  rebuilt.     The  church. 


564  iiisronv  of  r)h:r.A\VARF  corxrv. 

■was  dedioatetl  Novemlier  8,  18G6.     The  Rev.  .1.  B.  Van  Hooson  was  pastor  of 
this  church  for  many  years.     The  present  paster  is  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Sibley. 

The  seventh  cliureh  in  town  was  built  in  Hobart  by  tlie  Presbyterian 
•society  in  18.54,  wiiidi  lias  not  had  a  pastor  rcfjularly. 

Tlie  Jlethodists  also  built  a  elHireh  at  the  head  of  Roses  Brook  uliiili  was 
tlie  eifihth  church  built  in  the  town. 

William  Trotter,  esq.,  had  much  to  <l(i  witli  the  organizatior]  of  tlir  Re- 
formed Presbyterian  church  of  Hobart,  which  was  effected  in  that  villaj,'!'  in 
]853.  The  following  year  the  present  edifice  was  built  at  a  cost  of  Sii.'iOO. 
Mr.  Trotter  died  before  the  church  was  completed.  The  church  was  dedicated 
in  IS.o.)  by  the  Rev.  Andrew  Johnston,  the  newly  installed  pastor.  Later  the 
society  changed  its  name  to  that  of  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Holiarl. 
which  it  still  retains.     The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Charles  II.  Herrick. 

As  a  result  of  revival  services  in  Hobart  held  in  January,  1834,  l)y  the  Rev. 
Uezaleel  Howe,  the  Methodist  Church  Society  was  organized.  The  present 
church  edifice  was  built  in  183.T  and  in  1854  it  was  extensively  repaired,  and 
several  years  afterwards  the  society  built  a  parsonage  adjoining  the  church, 
costing  SI, 500.     The  present  pastor  is  the  Rev.  A.  A.  Walker.  . 

Grace  Episcopal  Chapel  was  organized  in  Stamford  village  as  a  mission  of 
St.  Peter's  church  in  the  fall  of  1883.  The  establishment  of  a  mission  was  the 
■outgrowth  of  the  efforts  of  Mr.  James  McLean  of  South  Kt)rlright  and  New 
York,  Miss  M.  R.  Treadwell.  Mrs.  I.  H.  Maynard.  Mrs.  Ingrahaui,  Mrs.  H.  S. 
Wood.  Mrs.  B.  H.  Foote,  Mrs.  R.  C.  Simpson  and  other  ladies  of  the  Episcopal 
faith  living  in  Stamford.  The  chapel  cost  about  S3, 000  and  was  built  on  a  lot 
<lonated  by  Dr.  H.  S.  Wood  for  that  purpose.  When  the  chapel  was  conse- 
•crated  some  years  later  the  societj'  was  set  apart  as  an  in<icpendent  mission 
and  it  has  since  been  self  supporting.  The  present  rector  is  the  Eev.  Olin 
Hallock. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  of  which  the  Rev.  Pat- 
rick Livingstone  is  pastor,  was  built  in  1870  on  Harper  street.  The  structure 
is  a  frame  building  and  cost  about  S4.000.  The  dedication  of  the  church  took 
place  on  Oct.  25,  1870,  the  Rt.  Rev.  J.  J.  Conroy,  Bishop  of  Albany,  officiating. 
It  is  a  mission  church  and  under  the  pastorate  of  the  Father  Livingstone  has 
grown  so  as  to  occupy  an  important  position  among  the  mission  churches  of 
the  Catholic  diocese. 

Besides  the  cliurches  mentioned  above,  the  one  at  Alnu^da,  or  South  Korl- 
right,  is  probably  the  oldest  church  organization  in  town. 

The  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Wil- 
liam McAuley  in  the  year  1790,  at  South  Kortright.  In  1833  the  .society  built 
a  second  church,  which  has  been  remodeled  in  recent  }"ears.  During  the  first 
ninety  years  of  the  existence  of  tliis  congregation  there  were  but  three  pas- 
tors :  Ri'v.  Wm.  Mc.Vuley,  Rev.  Robert  Forrest  and  Rev.  John  D.Gibson. 
The  membership  of  this  church  extended  over  a  very  large  territory  in  the 
early  days.  In  1858  1  he  name  was  changed  to  United  Presbyterian,  the  Asso- 
-ciate  and  Associate  Reformed  organizations  in  the  I'uited  States  having  been 
merged  into  one  body.  This  church  is  still  prosperous  after  an  existence  of 
jiiore  than  a  century,  and  Rev.  W.  L.  Martin  is  the  pastor. 


.'W 


Walton. 

I^Y  Hon.    T.   .^iindci-.son. 

IH.VN'K  uiKlcitnkcii  the  tusk  to  collect  jiiul  arniiii^e  iu  as  orderly 
a  iiiiiiiiH  T  as  the  brief  period  of  time  assigned  to  me  will 
permit,  some  of  the  principal  eveuts  which  have  trans])ired  within 
the  limits  of  the  town  of  Walton  within  the  past  one  hundred  years. 

The  year  1784  mai-ks  the  period  of  the  first  permanent  settle- 
ment within  the  hounds  of  the  jiri'seiit  town  of  Walton.  A  ylance 
at  that  date  recalls  the  fact  that  tlie  w'ar  of  independence  had  Ijeeu 
brouf,'ht  to  a  successful  issue,  and  the  mother  country  had  been 
compelled  to  relimiuish  her  claim  upon  the  thirteen  colonies,  and 
that  henceforth  they  were  to  carve  out  for  themselves  tlic  form  of  a 
{il'overnmeut  and  lay  the  foundations  of  a  permanent  republic. 
The  great  state  of  Xew  York,  even  at  that  early  period,  began  to 
give  evidence  of  that  supremacy  among  the  sisterhood  of  states 
which  she  Las  easily  maintained  for  more  than  half  a  century. 
From  the  landing  of  tiie  Dutch  on  ^lanhattan  Island  in  llidil,  until 
the  transfer  of  the  colonial  government  of  the  colony  to  the  English 
in  nCA,  the  principles  of  Dutch  freedom  became  im])laiited  in  the 
governmental  policy  of  the  inhabitants. 

In  l(i83  the  state  of  New  York  was  divided  into  ten  counties, 
Albany,  Dutchess,  Kings,  New  Y'ork,  Orange,  Queens,  Richmond, 
Suifolk,  Ulster  and  Westdiester. 

At  that  date  the  territory  that  is  now  embraced  within  the  liMiil> 
of  the  county  of  Delaware  was  included  in  the  cdunties  of  Alli,in\ 
and  rister.  That  portion  of  the  county  north  of  the  ^\■(•st  biiinch 
of  the  Delaware,  or  what  was  then  called  the  Fishkill,  was  within 
the  boundaries  of  Albany  county,  and  that  portion  lying  on  thr' 
south  of  the  aforesaid  branch  was  included  iu  the  county  of  Ulster. 
29  •'■'"■ 


568  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCXTV. 

Ou  March  12tL,  1772,  the  couutv  of  Trvon  was  organized  froiir 
the  fouutv  of  Albany,  so  named  from  Tryou,  the  cohjnial  j^overuor 
who  during  the  Revolution  became  so  zealous  in  the  cause  of  the 
king  that  he  wantonly  sent  out  parties  to  burn  and  destroy  all  the 
property  of  the  inoffensive  eolouists,  declaring  that  he  would  give 
twenty  dollars  for  every  acting  committeeman  who  should  be  deliv- 
ered to  the  King's  troops. 

The  year  succeeding  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  the  name  of 
Tryon  county  was  changed  to  Montgomery.  This  county  included 
that  portion  of  the  county  north  of  the  "West  branch  of  the  river. 

February  IGth,  Otsego  was  erected  into  a  county,  including 
within  its  boundaries  the  northern  jjortion  of  the  county  of  Dela- 
ware. Upon  the  erection  of  the  present  county  of  Delaware,  on 
March  10,  1797,  the  southern  portion  of  Otsego  county  included 
between  the  Susquehanna  and  the  West  branch  of  the  Delaware, 
and  that  portion  of  Ulster  south  of  the  West  branch  and  extending 
to  the  northern  boundaries  of  the  present  county  of  Sullivan,  was 
erected  into  the  county  of  Delaware. 

Upon  the  formation  of  the  county,  six  towns  were  included 
within  its  limits,  to  wit:  Colchester,  Middletowu,  Franklin,  Har- 
persfield,  Kortright  and  Stamford. 

The  town  of  Colchester  was  originally  organized  April  loth. 
1792,  and  was  carved  out  of  the  town  of  Middletowu,  which  had 
been  organized  March  81st,  1789,  as  a  town  of  Ulster  county.  The 
territory  of  this  town  was  taken  from  the  towns  of  Rochester  and 
Woodstock  in  Ulster  county. 

The  town  of  Franklin  was  organized  April  10th,  1792.  from  the 
town  of  Harpersfield,  which  was  organized  ^larch  7th,  17SS,  as  a 
town  of  Montgomery  county. 

Kortright  was  organized  March  12th,  1793,  from  the  town  of 
Harpersfield.     Stamford  was  organized  April  10th,  1792. 

Seven  days  after  the  organization  of  Delaware  county  the  town 
of  Walton  was  organized.  As  originally  organized  the  upper  or 
northern  boundary  line  was  the  line  of  White's  patent,  just  above 


Towx  OF    WM.Tox.  5f;9 

D.lhi  villiige,  ruiuiint;-  wi'storlv  tlu'ouj:,^^  tlic  tuwu  of  i'ljiukliu  iiiul 
what  is  uow  the  town  of  Jlasonville  to  the  Hue  of  Broome  county, 
thc'uce  southerly  to  the  Dt'lawnrc  river  at  Deposit.  The  West 
branch  of  the  Dehiware  was  the  southerly  boundary  of  the  town. 
Upon  the  formation  of  the  town  of  Delhi  in  1708,  the  upper  line  of 
Liviuf^ston's  patent  was  the  northerly  boundary.  That  line  was  the 
upi)cr  line  of  the  Robert  JIurruy  farm.  In  181"2  the  town  line  was 
m  )ved  up  to  Arthur  Shaw's  line,  Ixiu^''  the  iipjx'r  line  of  Bedding- 
ton's  patent.  In  IM'io,  upon  the  erection  of  the  town  of  Haunlen, 
the  town  line   was  moved  to  its  ]u-esent  location. 

The  town  derives  its  name  tmni  William  Walton,  who  obtainccl 
a  j^'raut  of  tweuty  thousand  acres  of  land  from  the  Kiuf^  of  Enj^laud 
in  1770.  This  yraut  extended  from  the  Delaware  to  the  Susipie- 
hanna  river  and  was  about  two  miles  in  width.  The  upper  line  of 
the  patent  was  located  about  one  mile  above  Walton  villaj^e,  near 
the  farm  formerly  owned  by  Ste})hen  Bcrray  and  the  lower  Hue 
al)out   a   ujile    below   the    villaj^e. 

The  to[)o{,'raphy  of  the  town  may  be  described  !is  a  mixture  of 
mountain,  hill  and  vaHey.  Through  the  southeastern  portion  runs 
the  "West  branch  of  the  Delaware  river.  Along  that  portion  of  the 
river  in  the  northern  |>arf  of  the  town  are  wide,  fertile  fiats.  Below 
the  village  the  Hats  become  narrower,  and  the  mountains  ai)proach 
almost  to  the  river  banks.  That  portion  of  the  town  north  of  the 
river  is  traversed  by  the  East,  West  and  Third  brooks,  wliicli  empty 
into  the  river  through  the  plain  iipmi  wliicli  the  village  of  Walton 
is  now  situated.  The  valleys  of  these  various  streams  form  some  of 
the  best  farming  lands  in  the  county. 

The  first  pernuiuent  settlement  was  made  in  the  town  in  the 
year  17H4.  Prior  to  that  time  hunters  and  prospectors  had 
uinloubtcilly  ])assed  thrniigli  tlic  unknown  forests  which  then  stood 
as  sentinels.  Although  but  little  more  than  one  hundred  years 
have  passed,  many  of  the  events  of  those  early  days  have  faded  into 
tradition,  tradition  into  myth,  and  myth  into  fable.  It  is  said  that 
stmie    of   th(^   carlv   settlers    from    the    region    of    the    Siisiiiichanna 


570  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    CorxrV. 

valley  made  iucursious  into  these  regions,  allured  l>y  the  plentiful- 
ness  of  the  game. 

At  this  period  Dr.  Piatt  Towiiseiid,  a  resident  of  Long  Island, 
purchased  of  William  Walton  a  tract  of  live  thousand  acres  from 
the  south  end  of  the  'Waltou  patent.  A  portion  of  the  purchase 
price  was  to  be  paid  in  surveying  the  tract,  the  doctor  being  a 
Ijractical  surveyor.  Seventeen  hundred  of  the  five  thousand  acres 
■was  paid  for  in  this  work. 

Of  the  original  settlers  who  came  from  Long  Island  with  Dr. 
Townseud,  twenty  in  number,  were  the  following  jjersons:  The 
doctor's  two  sons,  "William  and  Isaac;  Robert  North,  wife  and  infant 
son,  Benjamin;  Gabriel  North,  wife  and  two  daughters,  Hannah 
and  Deliorah;  William  Furmau,  wife  and  two  children;  Joshua  Pine 
and  sons,  John,  Joshua  and  Daniel,  and  daughters,  Nellie  and 
Mollie. 

They  left  Long  Island  in  the  month  of  March  oi  that  year  and 
ascended  the  Hudson  in  a  sloop  to  what  was  then  called  Esopus. 
Leaving  their  families  at  Marbletown  the  men  of  the  party  made 
the  journey  fi'om  that  point  to  Walton  on  foot,  traversing  the 
almost  unknown  wilderness.  No  one  of  the  number  has  left  a 
detailed  account  of  that  interesting  journey.  Their  route,  no  doubt, 
touched  at  the  early  settlement  made  at  Pakataken,  near  the  present 
village  of  Margaretville,  and  Pepacton  on  the  East  branch  of  the 
Delaware  just  above  Downsville.  When  they  arrived  at  the  end  of 
their  journey  they  found  that  some  timber  pirates  had  preceded 
them  up  the  river  the  year  i^revious,  and  had  cut  from  Pine  Hill  a 
quantity  of  the  pine  which  covered  it  in  great  abundance  from  base 
to  summit,  and  from  which  the  hill  had  its  name,  and  had  attem^jted 
to  raft  it  down  the  river  for  the  Philadelphia  market;  but  being 
unacquainted  with  the  river  the  fruits  of  their  piracy  was  strewn 
along  the  banks,  the  rafts  not  being  sufficiently  strong  to  stand  the 
racking  resulting  from  uuskillfvd  jiilotage.  These  people  had  built 
a  log  hut  or  cabin  for  their  temporary  use,  which  Mr.  Townsend 
and  his  party  were   not  slow  to  apjiropriate  and  occupy.     Though 


7YMr.V   (//•■    UM/,7'O.V.  571 

rude,  uo  doubt,  it  was  a  palace  of  rest  for  the  wear}-  pioneers  at  the 
eud  of  their  louf,'  and  perilous  journey.  The  exact  locatiou  of  this 
cabin  iu  the  wilderness  is  somewhat  in  doubt,  but  the  weiyht  of 
authority  seems  to  place  it  somewhere  near  the  mouth  of  the  East 
nronk,  nciir  what  was  formerly  tlie  residence  of  Damon  Hull. 

Hobert  North,  one  of  the  i)ioueers,  built  a  lo<j  house  on  the  spot 
where,  a  few  years  later,  iu  ITit'J,  he  built  a  frame  residence,  proba- 
bly the  first  erected  in  the  town,  and  which  stood  until  replaced  a 
few  years  since  by  the  modern  mansion  of  the  North  sisters. 

The  early  summer  was  spent  in  clearing-  the  laud  and  making  a 
shelter  for  their  families,  and  in  the  latter  i)art  of  June  they 
retraced  their  steps  over  the  mountains  and  up  the  valleys  to 
Kingston,  and  made  preparations  to  move  their  families  to  their 
IK'W  homes.  It  is  said  that  a  large  portion  of  their  belongings 
were  taken  down  the  East  branch  iu  boats  or  canoes  to  the 
junction  below  Hancock,  and  from  there  up  the  West  branch  to 
Walton.  The  teams  and  wagons  were,  however,  brought  through 
the  forests,  a  road  lieing  cut  as  they  advanced. 

The  star  of  empire  moved  slower  in  those  days  than  in  later 
years;  the  only  sounds  which  broke  the  stillness  of  the  forests  were 
the  woodman's  axe,  the  crack  of  the  ritle,  the  howl  of  the  wolf  and 
the  cry  of  the  pantlier.  It  is  said  that  Mrs.  Robert  North  made  the 
journey  from  Kingston  on  horseback,  carrying  in  lui'  arms  her 
infant  son,  Benjamin,  while  strapped  behind  her  upon  the  back  of 
the  horse  was  her  beddiug  and  some  household  furniture. 

Once  settled  in  their  new  homes,  and  the  fame  of  the  new 
locality  reaching  friends  upon  Long  Island  an<l  in  Connecticut, 
they  soon  found  congenial  spirits,  anxious  to  brave  the  hardships 
of  frontier  life,  and  nutke  for  themselves  and  posterity  a  home  iu 
the  wilderness.  In  the  year  immediately  following,  new  settlers 
swarmed  iu  from  Long  Island  and  Connecticut. 

At  this  early  day  there  were  no  mills  for  grinding  grain  nearer 
than  Schoharie,  and  to  that  place,  (ju  horseback  or  on  foot,  the 
early  settler  carried   his   grist    when    he    desired   something  more 


572  HISTORY    OF    DKI.AWARK    CorXTY.  , 

palat;il)le   tliau  tbe   product  which  he  oljtiiiued  fi-om  pouuiliufj;  the 
graiu  iu  a  hollow  mortar  made  of  stone  or  wood. 

It  must  also  be  remembered  that  there  were  uo  mail  facilities  in 
those  early  days;  uo  electric  telegraph  spauuiug  the  contiueut,  or 
calile  resting  upon  the  ocean  bed.  The  grist  carrier  became  a  news 
carrier,  and  ujiou  his  couiiug  from  the  mill,  was  besieged  by  the 
whole  neighborhood  to  learu  what  had  transpired  at  the  Schoharie 
settlement,  and  what  he  had  learned  of  the  outside  world.  The 
first  regular  mail  facilities  were  not  established  until  about  fifteen 
years  after  the  first  settlement.  At  that  time,  about  the  year  ISOO, 
a  mail  hue  was  estal)lished  between  Kingston  and  Jericho,  not  the 
city  whose  walls  were  demolished  by  the  blast  from  a  ram's  horn, 
but  the  place  now  known  as  Baiubridge,  Chenango  county.  One 
mail  weekly;  from  the  east  Fridays,  and  from  the  west  on  Satur- 
days, abundantly  satisfied  the  then  wants  of  the  community. 

In  the  year  immediately  following  the  advent  of  the  first 
settlers,  the  fame  of  the  new  country  and  its  fertility  having  spread 
abroad,  many  were  anxious  to  avail  themselves  of  the  privileges 
which  the  well  watered  and  well  wooded  hills  and  the  fertile  valleys 
offered  for  permanent  homes.  The  love  of  adventure  and  the 
excitement  incident  to  clearing  up  the  laud  aud  hunting  and 
destroying  the  wild  beasts  of  prey  of  which  the  forest  abounded 
brought  many  from  the  states  of  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts 
and  from  the  more  recent  settlements  along  the  Hudson.  There 
was  something  in  the  pioneer's  life  that  seemed  to  chann  them  and 
it  i-equired  only  a  few  years  for  the  settlement  to  become  too 
densely  populated  and  too  civilized  for  their  restless  spirit  and  they 
were  anxious  to  advance  to  new  fields  and  forests. 

As  stated  before,  the  fifteen  years  following  the  first  advent 
brought  many  new  settlers  so  that  upon  the  organization  of  the 
town  in  1797,  March  17th,  the  population  of  the  new  town  was  not 
far  from  1,200  inhabitants.  The  town  then  included  the  town  of 
Tompkins  and  a  large  jsart  of  the  town  of  Hamden. 

From  the  old  tax  roll  of  17'.llt,  now  iu  the  possession  of  the  Pine 


TOWX   OF    WALTOX.  573 

ffiiiiily,  the  taxable  iiihabitauts  withiu  the  preseut  limits  of  the  town 
uuinbered  uiuetv-two.  Allowiii','-  five  iuhabitauts  to  each  taxpayer, 
the  estimated  population  at  that  time  woubl  l)e  4(')(l.  The  followiug; 
is  the  number  of  taxpayers  in  the  town  and  the  estimated  popula- 
tion for  the  followiug  years: 

In  1^>()8,  taxpayers  114;  estimated  inhabitants  .570;  assessed 
property,  real  and  personal,  §880.55. 

In  1810,  taxpayers  172;  estimated  population  iS(;o;  assessed  val- 
uation §108,801. 

In  1815,  taxpayers  lilO;  estimated  population  1150;  valuation 
S18(i,25(;. 

Walton  village  in  the  year  1815  cdiitiiiued  88  taxpayers  ; 
estimated  population  Kio. 

In  1h20,  taxpayers  I'.IS;  estiiuuted  populutioii  it'.MI;  assessed 
valuation  $178,890. 

In  1825,  taxpayers  222;  estimated  population  1,110.  assessed 
valuation  §145,538. 

In  1880,  taxpayers  25(1:  estimated  jKipulation  1,280;  assessed 
valuation  .^184,870. 

In  1885,  taxpayers  8(!1;  eeusus  ])oinilation  1,754;  assessed 
valuation  $157,350. 

In  1840,  taxpayers  887;  census  pojmlation  l,S4fl;  assessed  valu- 
ation §182,S70. 

In  1845,  taxpayers  879;  census  population  2,704;  assessed 
valuation  §192,2.50. 

In  1850,  taxpayers  419  ;  census  population  2,277  ;  assessed 
valuation  §212.190. 

In  1855,  taxpayers  497;  census  population  2,404. 

In  18()0,  taxpayers  550;  census  population  2,740;  assessed  valu- 
ation §541,340. 

In  18f)5,  taxpayers  (ill  ;  census  ])oi)ul;iti(iii  2,92(1  :  assessed 
valuation  §584,200. 

In  1870,  census  population  8,578;  assessed   vnluatiuii   ?;.sl2,222. 


.574  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE   COUNTY. 

The  first  grist  mill  was  Imilt  l)y  ^Michael  Goodrich  ou  East 
Brook,  about  a  mile  from  the  village,  upon  the  site  uow  occupied 
by  the  Rowland  mill.  From  the  best  information  obtainable  the 
date  of  its  erection  is  17!)2.  The  site  has  been  used  for  that 
purpose  continuously  since  that  time.  The  second  grist  mill  was- 
built  about  two  and  one-half  miles  up  the  river  from  the  village 
by  Thomas  W.  Griswold  about  the  year  1798.  This  mill  has  long 
since  fallen  into  decay,  and  not  a  vestige  is  left  to  mark  even 
the  site.  The  third  grist  mill  was  erected  in  1802  by  Daniel  Rob- 
inson in  what  is  known  as  the  Den,  upon  the  farm  now  occujned 
by  John  Northcott. 

In  1806  William  and  Isaac  Towusend  built  the  fourth  mill, 
which  is  still  in  existence  and  is  owned  by  A.  A.  Haverly.  This 
mill  is  located  just  above  the  village  on  the  river.  These  early 
mills  were  very  crude  in  eonstructiou,  with  only  one  ruu  of  stone, 
aud  these  were  brought  a  great  distance,  probably  from  Schoharie 
or  Albany.  They  were  brought  by  wagon  or  cart  to  the  head  of 
the  river,  two  canoes  were  lashed  together  aud  the  stones  placed 
upou   them   and   thus  lloated   to   their  destination. 

Several  of  the  early  settlers  had  a  crude  contrivance  or  vat 
for  tanning  their  own  leather.  The  first  tannery  was  built  by 
Nathaniel  Steele  ou  East  Brook  on  the  premises  occupied  by  Pol- 
lock Howlan<l.  This  was  built  in  1803.  Alaii  Mead  a  few  years 
later  established  a  tannery  on  Mt.  Pleasant  near  the  Fraukliu  road. 
In  1810  John  and  Nathaniel  Steele  erected  a  tannery  at  what  is 
uow  the  corner  of  Delaware  and  North  streets,  upon  the  site  now 
occuijied  by  the  Lyon  building  and  the  wagon  shop  of  J.  B.  Eells 
&  Son.  This  tannery  was  soon  after  purchased  by  Alan  Mead, 
who  abandoned  the  one  ou  the  hill.  At  this  time  the  bark  for 
tannery  uses  was  ground  by  a  very  rude  process.  A  few  years 
later,  about  181.5,  a  more  perfected  machine  was  used  for  grinding 
bark.  Iii  1842  John  and  Gabriel  Mead  built  an  extensive  tannery 
ou  West  Brook.  This  was  Inirued  in  1857  aud  rebuilt  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,   aud   passed  to  the  firm  of  Mead,  North  &  Co.  iu  ISfiH. 


•SC 


\ 


Q 
IQ 


TdWX   OF    WM.TOX.  577 

lu  1S72  it  was  punhascJ  by   Tolx  y    \    WarutT.      Mr.    WaruiT    dii'il 
iu  18!)i)  auil  the  business  is  now  carried  on  hy   Mr.  Tol)ey. 

In  187(>  the  Novelty  works  were  started  h\  W.  C.  (Joiild;  for 
a  time  they  were  run  liy  Wood  >V  (i.ndd.  and  then  by  Peake  <& 
Barlow.  Mr.  Peake  bon-^ht  out  .Mr.  Barlow's  interest  iu  IKid,. 
and  iu  l.S!)5  a  corporation  was  formed  with  a  capital  stock  of  oue 
hundred  thousaud  dollars.  .\l)out  one  hundred  and  fifty  meu  are 
employed  iu  its  various  departments.  It  is  now  the  principal 
manufacturing  industry  of  the  town. 

Two  foundries  are  in  operatiou;  one  owned  by  N.  O.  Flint,  and 
one  by  L.  E.  Hoyt  &  Co.  These  are  located  at  West  End  near 
the  ().  \  W.  depot.  L.  K.  Hoyt  iV  Co.  employs  about  twenty  men 
and  the  Flint  foundry  a  less  number. 

The  manufacture  of  potash  was  oue  of  the  early  industries  of 
the  toW'U,  coinmenciny  about  the  year  1800.  One  potash  manu- 
factory was  located  on  East  Brook  and  was  discontinued  alxmt 
18"28.  In  lK:-{(i  one  was  established  near  the  jinscnt  dejiot  by 
Xiles  Berray,  and  still  later  au  extensive  oue  was  established  Ijy 
William  Ogdeu  and  Henry  Smith,  where  the  Novelty  works  are 
now  located  on  Delaware  street.  These  establishments  have  loujj 
since  disappeared. 

Brick  kilns  were  established  as  early  as  1815.  One  was  located, 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  James  Patterson  on  East  Brook.  In 
182H   Ezra  Benedict  operated  a   kiln   on   East    Brook. 

The  clothing  of  the  early  settlers  was  largely  made  by  h.iinl, 
to  use  a  common  phrase.  TJie  wool  from  the  l)acks  of  the  sheep 
was  washed  and  carded  by  hand  into  rolls.  These  were  spun  into 
yarn  upon  a  spinning  wheel,  from  which  it  was  taken  upon  a  reel. 
The  hand  loom  was  i)ut  into  o])eration  and  the  shuttle  was  sent 
back  and  forth  with  each  downward  motion  of  the  treadles.  Some 
of  the  housewives  were  very  expert  as  weavers,  and  several  yards, 
per  day  of  good  solid  woolen  cloth  was  the  residt.  Flax  was- 
ijuite  extensively  cultivated,  and  the  lian<l  process  from  the  break- 
ing  to   the   weaving  was  wont  to  produce   a  good   portion   of  the 


578  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVXTY. 

Avearing  apparel  of  both  male  aud  female  for  the  summer  mouths. 
A  carding  machine  was  first  put  into  operation  in  the  saw-mill 
of  the  Ogden's  above  'SValtou  village,  early  in  the  history  of  the 
town.  Afterwards,  Isaac  and  William  Ogden  put  iu  a  fulling 
mill  about  the  year  ISOO,  near  the  present  residence  of  William 
Hall,  formerly  the  Stephen  Berray  place.-  In  1S(I7  ]\Ir  Towusend 
erected  the  second  mill  near  where  the  Haverly  grist  mill  now 
stands.  Quartus  Merrick  built  a  third  mill  up  East  Brook,  near 
the  Cyrus  St.  John  place,  now  occupied  by  Henry  A.  St.  John. 
During  the  Monroe  administration  these  mills  received  medals 
for  the  excellence  of  the  cloth  produced.  The  mills  have  all  passed 
out  of  existence  long  since. 

Among  the  early  industries  that  of  distilliug  must  uot  be  left 
out,  for  at  that  early  date  the  necessity  of  "a  little  wiue  for  the 
stomachs  sake  "  was  fully  recognized;  nor  was  the  appetite  always 
satisfied  with  wine.  The  product  of  the  rye  and  wheat  seemed 
to  be  iu  great  demand.  As  early  as  1795,  John  Eells  established 
a  distillery  on  the  hill.  Later  Fletcher  Gardiner  erected  one 
further  up  East  Brook.  About  1798  Selick  St.  John  established 
the  third  and  last  one  up  East  Brook.  In  the  year  1810  the  county 
of  Delaware  produced  nineteen  thousand  gallons  of  spirituous 
liquors.  It  was  u.sed  on  all  occasions;  the  logging  bee  and  the 
church  raising  alike  felt  its  stimulus.  But  it  would  be  a  mistake 
to  suppose  that  there  were  uot  ardent  advocates  of  temperance 
among  those  who  made  daily  use  of  it.  Prominent  among  the 
organizers  of  the  first  temperance  society  iu  Delaware  county  in 
the  town  of  Meredith  were  the  owners  of  two  distilleries.  The 
legislation  of  that  period  too,  had  its  peculiarities.  For  iustance, 
one  of  the  provisions  of  the  law  of  1829,  was  that  no  person  who 
did  not  have  a  license  to  sell  intoxicants  should  put  uj)  a  tavern 
sign  under  a  penalty  of  $1.25  per  day.  Wiiat  harm  could  have 
come  from  a  tavern  sign  where  no  intoxicants  were  sold  is  a 
•question  which  would  bear  investigation  V)y  a  student  of  sociology. 

The  vear  immcdiiitelv  following  the   organization  of    tlie    town 


Tdw.y  (IF  WM.riis.  :^i\\ 

liceuse  was  •j:rautc(l  l)_v  tlif  town  Ijoanl  to  seveu  places  for  the 
sale  of  li(juor,  viz:  James  Howard,  Georp^e  Yeuiles,  Joliu  Eells, 
Thos.  W.  (iiiswdlil,  Natliau  Kellojijfj,  Clark  Cauuou,  Elias  Uiitlcr. 
In  IH-iO  a  special  town  meeting  was  liclil  at  which  1!I2  votes  were 
cast  against  license  to  S2  for  license.  At  a  special  town  mcetiu"- 
in  1H0()  to  vote  upon  the  qiicstion  of  license.  41  (>  votes  were  cast 
for  license  and  4K((  aj^ainst.  The  l:nv  known  ;is  the  Kaiucs  law 
went   into  effect   M.ucli    l.S!)(;. 

Walt(ni  has  been,  and  is  one  of  the  leadinfj^  towns  in  the  county 
in  all  that  pertains  to  aj,'ricultural  interests.  Her  location  pecid- 
iarly  tits  her  for  dairvin-j  and  kindred  agricultural  pursuits.  The 
river  flats  of  the  East.  West,  and  Third  hrooks  produce  an  abun- 
dance of  grain  and  hay;  while  the  hills  which  rise  on  either  side 
from  which  bubl)les  cold,  pure  water  in  great  abundance,  produce 
rich,  sweet  pasturage,  so  necessary  for  the  ])roductiou  of  the 
butter,  the  fame  of  wiiicli  lias  become  worhl  wide  .  Tlie  ninuber 
of  cows  in  the  town  at  present  is  estimated  at  (),()(l(l.  The  amount 
of  butter  pro(lu<'cd  is  not  as  large  as  formerly  owing  to  the  growth 
of  the  milk  traffic,  which  began  to  be  developed  upon  the  open- 
ing of  the  Ontario  &  Western  railroad  in  1872.  Large  (piantitieR 
of  milk  are  produced  in  that  portion  of  the  town  adjacent  to  the 
line  of  the  railroad,  which  is  shipped  direct  to  Xew  York  city, 
thus  diminishing  in  some  degree  the  j)roduct  of  butter.  The  farms 
which  produce  the  milk  are  so  managed  that  the  jiroduction  ex- 
tends through  the  winter  months,  at  wiiicli  time  the  |)rice  is  ad- 
vanced, making  the  ]ir()cliictinn  mmc  jirotitable.  Owing  to  increased 
railroad  facilities  from  the  west  and  the  conseciueut  cheapness  of 
grain,  large  quantities  of  feed  are  purchased  by  the  farmers  and 
the  number  of  cows  upon  their  fanns  has  been  largely  increased. 
Formerly  the  farmer  depended  entirely  upon  his  own  farm  for 
the  feed  for  his  stock.  Now  the  great  grain  belts  of  the  west 
assist  in  making  the  dairy  of  the  eastern  farmer. 

The  lirst  town  meeting  was  held  in  the  log  church  of  the  liiiou 
society  in  Ajiril,    IT'.t".      Prior  to  that  time  the  town  meetings  were 


580  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COVNTY. 

lirKl  lit    tlic    house    of   iliijor   Root,    near   the    jivesciit    ilivisicjii    Hue- 
of  the  towns  of  Fraukliu  and   Walton. 

From  the  town  records  a  few  extracts  may  not  be  imintei-estiuf,'': 

"April  ;^rd,  1798,  at  a  town  meeting  held  at  the  meeting  house 
at  Walton,  the  following  perstjus  were  elected  into  otiice,  to  wit; 
Isaac  Darrow,  collector;  David  St.  John,  town  clerk;  Robert  North, 
supervisor;  Isaac  Darrow,  John  Eells,  and  Clark  Cannon,  assessors; 
Benajah  McCall,  Thaddeus  Hoyt,  overseers  of  the  poor;  Aziel 
Hyde,  Michael  Goodrich,  Reuben  Crosby,  commissioners  of  high- 
ways; Lewis  Seymour,  constable  aud  collector;  Thomas  Dennis, 
Joseph  Adams,  constables;  Hilliard  Burrhus,  Andrew  Craig,  Dr. 
Wm.  Maxtield,  Samuel  Teed,  Asa  Gears,  John  St.  John,  Thomas 
W.  Griswold,  Moses  Hauford,  Josiah  Cleveland,  Dr.  Isaac  Goodrich, 
-Vziel  Hyde,  David  Smith,  Nathaniel  Emerson,  Samuel  Frisbee, 
overseers  of  highways;  Benajah  !McCall,  Isaac  Darrow,  Samuel 
Johnston,  King  Mead,  James  Bradt,  Joseph  Webb,  Jonas  Parks, 
fence  viewers;  John  Eells,  j^ound  master;  Benajah  McCall,  Aziel 
Hyde,   James  Durfee,  commissioners  of  schools." 

At  a  town  meeting  in  18U3  the  following  resolution  was  passed: 
"That  any  hog  or  hogs,  running  at  large  without  a  sufficient  yoke 
and  ring,  the  fence  viewers  to  be  judges  of  the  j'okes,  shall  be 
liable  to  be  taken  aud  shut  up  in  any  mans  enclosure.  The  owner 
of  said  hogs,  after  being  notified  to  take  his  hogs  home,  which 
notification  sliall  be  made  within  twelve  hours,  shall  be  liable  to 
a  tine  of  fifty  cents  for  each  hog  so  found  running  at  large  with- 
ont  yoke  and  rings,  after  the  first  notification,  from  the  first  day 
of  April  to  the  first  day  of  December." 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  supervisors  of  Walton  since  its 
erection  and  the  date  of  their  first  election:  Robert  North,  1797; 
David  St.  John,  180.5;  John  Eells,  1809;  Gabriel  North,  1811; 
Isaac  Ogden,  1813;  Bennett  Beardsley,  1815;  William  Tow-nsend, 
1828;  William  Merwin,  1827;  Alan  Mead,  1829;  Samuel  Eells,  1832;- 
Peter  Gardiner,  1830;  John  Townsend,  1839;  Ambrose  Ogden,  1842; 
John  Mead,  1S41;  David    More,    1845;    G.    S.    Mead,    1.S4H;    Gabriel 


7VM\-.V    (//••    ir.l/.7V(.V.  .-(HI 

S.  North.  ISo");  Bcujiuiiiu  J.  Bassctt,  iHSil;  J.  B.  Kclls.  l.s(!8;  C. 
B.  Wade,  lK(i'.t:  M.  W.  Marvin,  187(1;  A.  D.  Peakf.  ISTd;  (i.  O. 
Mead,  1877;  Charles  B.  Bass(tt,  18!M);  Joscidi  Harhv,  18!)2;  H.  S. 
He  well,    18!»:^. 

As  early  as  18()2  \vc  tind  the  earl.v  settlers  of  Walton  conibiiiiu",' 
their  eflforts  toward  securiuj,''  the  advautafices  of  a  piililii-  hlirarv. 
Xearl.v  fifty  shares  at  $"2  per  share  were  taken  and  with  this  fund 
;the  foundation  of  a  valuable  collection  was  coiuiuenced.  In  l8(»ii 
the  Walton  library  was  incorporated  under  the  f^eueral  act  of  the 
leyislature.  This  organization  was  kept  up  and  additions  made 
to  the  collections  until  the  number  of  volumes  reached  ()o8.  On 
January  27th,  1852,  the  library  was  divided  by  lot  among  its  mem- 
bers. By  a  ])rovision  in  the  settlement  of  the  estate  of  the  late 
Wm.  B.  Ogden,  a  fund  of  twenty  thousauil  dollars  was  set  aside 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  library  building  and  furnishing  the 
same  with  books.  This  building  is  now  in  course  of  erection 
upon  the  jJublic  square  at  the  junction  of  North  street  and  (Jar- 
diner  Place.  Fifteen  thousand  dollars  of  the  fund  is  being  used 
in  tlie  construction  of  a  building.  The  balance,  with  some  liberal 
contributions  of  friends  interested  in  the  project,  will  supjilv  the 
books  and  provide  for  the  care  of  the  building. 

As  early  as  1813  the  town  was  organized  into  school  districts. 
Orig^iuall.v  there  were  twelve  districts;  William  Townsend.  Alex- 
ander Ogden,  commissioners  of   schools. 

As  at  present  organized,  the  town  contains  twenty-three  dis- 
tricts, the  last  organized  being  the  Marvin  Hollow  district,  wiiidi 
was  organized  in  1850.  The  necessity  for  more  and  better  edu- 
cational facilities  soon  became  apparent  to  the  people  of  the  town, 
and  in  1852  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Pattengill,  then  ))aKtor  of  the  Congre- 
gational church,  a  large  hearted  and  lilxral  minded  man,  began 
the  agitation  of  more  extensive  educational  facilities.  He  made 
the  theme  the  subject  of  several  sermons  and  lectures.  .V wakened 
l)v  these  ap))eals,  a  su))scription  ])aper  was  circulated  and  $."<,. "{(lO 
was  subscribed  in  sums  varWng  from  ?5  to  $30(1.     The  subscribers 


582  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COCXTV. 

organized  tbeiuselv(  s  iiuder  the  uame  of  Tlie  Academy  Associatiou. 
At  a  meeting  of  tbe  association,  Foliruavv  3,  1853,  the  following 
persons  were  elected  trustees,  to  wit:  Col.  John  Townseud,  D.  H. 
Ciay,  Hon.  John  Mead,  Dr.  J.  S.  McLaurv,  William  E.  White,  Kev. 
J.  S.  Pattengill,  Dr.  T.  J.  Ogden,  Gen.  B.  J.  Bassett,  S.  H.  White, 
J.  H.  St.  John,  Thomas  Marvin,  AVhite  (Iriswold,  Nathaniel  Fitch. 
The  board  was  organized  by  the  election  of  John  Mead  as  presi- 
dent; Dr.  McLaury,  secretary;  Nathaniel  Fitch,  treasurer.  J.  S. 
Pattengill,  John  Mead,  and  T.  J.  Ogden  were  appointed  a  building 
committee.  The  land  was  donated  by  John  Townseud  and  J.  Eells 
was  appointed  master  builder.  The  frame  of  the  building  was 
erected  June  23,  1853.  The  lower  lioor  was  divided  into  two 
apartments,  one  used  as  a  chapel  and  the  other  for  a  primary 
department.  The  upper  floor  was  divided  into  two  school  rooms, 
one  for  ladies  and  one  for  gentlemen.  The  entire  cost  of  the 
building  was  about  four  thousand  dollars.  The  academy  was  com- 
pleted December  14th,  1853,  and  incorporated  by  the  regents 
February  10,  1854.  The  first  principal  emjiloyed  was  Mr.  Eli  M. 
Maynard,  assisted  by  his  sister  Miss  Lucy  A.  Maynard.  Miss  Ade- 
laide Gardiner  was  the  tirst  teacher  in  the  primary  department. 
Mr.  Maynard  resigned  in  March,  1857.  Henry  E.  Ogden  acted 
as  princij)al  during  the  spring  term  of  1857.  M.  N.  Horton  took 
charge  as  principal  August  26,  1857.  During  the  spring  of  1859, 
an  addition  was  built  to  the  main  building  at  a  cost  of  fifteen 
hundred  dollars,  and  the  lower  rooms  of  the  main  building  were 
used  entirely  for  a  chapel.  Mr.  Horton  resigned  March  18(il.  In 
July,  1801,  Sidney  Crawford  took  charge  as  principal,  assisted  by 
the  following  corps  of  teachers:  Miss  Jeuuie  S.  Bostwick,  !Miss 
Charlotte  Marsh,  who  tilled  the  position  of  preceptress.  Miss  E. 
Maria  Ogden,  teacher  of  drawing  and  painting.  Hon.  John  Mead 
resigned  the  presidency  of  the  board  March  30,  18G3,  and  David 
H.  Gay  was  elected  to  succeed  him.  Charles  E.  Sumner  was  en- 
gaged as  principal  aud  began  his  duties  August  24,  1804.  He 
remained  in  charge  three  years  and   was  assisted   liy   ]Miss  Lena  F. 


TO  WW  OF  WAi/rox.  -,«3. 

Wlieiit  as  preceptress  iu  1S(;4  aud  1H(!,"),  ^liss  Jcuiiic  Siimucr,  lS(io 
auil  LS(>(i.  iiij.l  Miss  Jeuuie  F.  Barues,  18(i(;  to  ISdT.  Miss  Hattie 
A.  Taylor  had  charR-e  of  the  primary  ilepartnieut.  Mr.  Suiimer 
was  siiceeeih-d  by  Strong  Comstock,  August  I'.ttli,  ISd",  and  .Miss. 
Martha  Atwood  was  preceptress.  Iu  the  spring  of  1808  a  uiiion 
school  was  organized,  and  the  academy  property  transferred  tn 
the  board  of  education.  Iu  1H70  the  Rev.  D.  T.  Barclay  was  chosen 
principal  for  the  two  following  years.  The  diplomas  were  tirst 
awarded  in  1S71.  The  tirst  class  consisted  of  Ella  Love,  Hannah 
N.  Benedict,  Charlotte  E.  North,  Cornelia  F.  White.  >riss  Laura 
(iay  was  engaged  as  preceptress  iu  1.S7U  iind  held  the  position 
until  188(i.  Jlr.  C'omstock  was  again  called  to  till  the  position  of 
principal  iu  IST'i  and  continueil  iu  charge  uutil  ISHl.  when  Pr(jf. 
Fairgrieve,  of  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  was  chosen  as  principal.  Owing  to 
the  rapid  growth  of  the  town,  incident  to  the  building  of  the 
Ontario  iV  Western  railroad,  the  old  building  soou  became  inade- 
quate for  the  purpose  for  whi<-h  it  was  intended,  and  a  new  l)uil(l- 
ing  was  erected  iu  1892  at  a  cost  of  about  forty-rtve  thousand 
dollars.  The  new  building  is  one  of  the  tiuest  of  the  kind  in  the 
state,   and  was   completed   and   occupied  in  the  fall  of  18!)2. 

The  brave  and  hardy  pioneers  who  left  their  homes  upon  Long 
Island  and  Connecticut  to  establish  their  future  homes  iu  the 
wilderness  in  the  interior  of  New  York,  brought  with  them  the 
principles  and  the  faith  which  enabled  them  to  bear  up  under 
and  sustain  the  burdens  incident  to  such  a  great  uudertakiug. 
They  were  descendants  of  the  men  who  I'lnturies  before  had  left 
their  own  country  ami  braved  the  dangers  of  a  stormy  voyage  of 
three  thousand  miles  of  ocean,  in  order  that  they  might  wi)rshi|i 
(rod  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own   conscience. 

As  early  as  1791  a  log  house  was  built  upon  Mt.  Pleasant  for 
the  double  purpose  of  a  ])lace  of  worshij)  on  the  Sabbath  and  a 
school  during  the  week.  The  church  was  formally  organized  Octo- 
ber 12,  1793,  by  Rev.  David  Huntington,  a  missionary  from  the 
(Tcucral  Association   of   Connecticut.     Mr.    Huntington's  stay   was- 


.1584  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    CorXTY. 

Iiiicf.  David  Harrowev,  a  iiicmlier  of  tlic  cliurcli,  now  (■ii1cic<l  a 
ronise  of  studv,  and  in  two  years  was  cniployfd  by  the  association 
as  pastor.  Three  days  after  the  or<)auizatiou  of  the  churcli,  Octo- 
ber 15,  1798,  the  ecclesiastical  society  couuected  with  the  church 
was  organized  iu  legal  form.  The  first  trustees  were  Daniel  Eoot, 
.Samuel  Johnson,  CHias.  Marsh,  Michael  Goodrich,  (labriel  Xortli, 
James  Weed.  The  fii'st  clerk  was  Robert  North.  A  log  meeting 
house  was  used  for  church  jjurposes  ten  years.  Mr.  HaiTower 
remained  with  the  church  as  stated  supply  ten  years,  spending 
•.some  portion  of  his  time  in  visiting  and  ministering  to  the  (nit- 
Jj'ing  settlements.  A  new  church  ))uilding  was  commenced  in 
1800  and  finished  iu  ISOS  upon  the  same  site.  The  church  was 
without  a  stove  until  1810,  and  at  the  town  meeting  that  year  a 
Tesolution  was  voted  to  purchase  a  stove  for  the  meeting  house 
and  assess  the  cost  upon  the  town  for  the  ])rivilegc  of  using  the 
building  for  town  meeting  purposes. 

The  following  are  the  pastors  who  have  ministered  to  the 
•society:  In  1807  the  Rev.  Archibald  Bassett  was  called  and  re- 
mained until  1811.  The  Rev.  Orange  Seymour  was  stated  supply 
for  six  months.  In  1813  the  Rev.  Isaac  Headley  was  called  and 
remained  until  1829.  The  Rev.  Alva  Lillian  supplied  for  six  months 
and  Rev.  E.  D.  "Wells  was  called  in  1830  and  Rev.  A.  L.  Chapman 
in  1831.  The  Rev.  Jonathan  Huntington  supplied  for  six  months, 
and  the  Rev.  Fayette  Shepherd  was  called  in  1834  and  remained 
until  1838,  and  the  Rev.  Wilton  Clark  from  then  until  1842.  In 
1840  the  church  was  built  upon  its  present  site.  The  Rev.  E.  D. 
Willis  supjjlied  iu  1843  and  remained  until  1847.  The  Rev.  J. 
S.  Pattengill  was  installed  iu  1S4S  and  remained  until  Ajiril,  1868. 
The  Rev.  S.  J.  White  was  installed  in  ISGil  and  remained  until 
1875,  and  the  Rev.  H.  M.  Ladd  was  pastor  from  1875  until  1881, 
when  Rev.  G.  W.  Nims  came  and  has  remained  until  the  present 
time. 

The  first  Methodist  class  was  organized  in  IcSO'J,  and  Scth 
Berray    was    chosen    leader.      The    members    were    Anna    Berray, 


SiraiioiVs  Falls,  Koxbury. 


View  riear  Canponsville. 


Tuwx  (>y  WM.Tux.  587 

Esther  Bcrrav,  John  Heath,  Di'iviil  Hoath,  Eleanor  Heath,  Mrs. 
Filkins,  Elizabeth  Orr,  (^uartus  Merrick,  Lucia  Jlerrick.  The  cele- 
brated Nathan  Bangs  held  i)reailiinff  services  in  "Warreu  Tavern  as 
«arl_v  as  ISdS,  and  afterwards  a  iireaclier  named  Richards  came  into 
town  on  bnsiuess  and  preached  a  few  sermons.  The  Rev.  Asa  Hall, 
while  visiting  his  father,  preached  in  the  house  of  Cyrus.  St.  John. 
That  was  about  the  year  181(1.  The  first  regular  apijoiutment  was 
January  1.  isl'.i.  when  A.  S.  Scotield  was  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  the  church,  since  which  time  there  has  been  regular  j)reach- 
ing. 

The  following  have  l>een  the  appointments:  In  IS.U,  David 
Terry  and  James  Benson;  1885,  ^M.  VanDusen  and  D.  B.  Turner; 
183C,  S.  IL  Knapp  and  T.  Bangs;  1887,  S.  M.  Knaji])  and  Arad 
Lakin:  1888,  H.  Frost  and  Arad  Lakin;  1889-40,  B.  Wakely; 
1841-4-2,  Aaron  Rogers;  1843,  Sanford  Washburn;  1844,  J.  Tippet, 
W.  C.  Smith,  and  A.  H.  Mead;  184r),  B.  M.  Gerrung;  184(5,  M.  S. 
Peudell;  1847,  George  Kerr;  1848  George  Kerr  and  Elias  Rogers; 
184i),  David  Gibson;  18r,(l,  D.  C.  Drake;  1851,  Meto  Coachman; 
1852,  George  Palmer;  1858-54,  John  Davie;  1855,  William  Hall; 
185()-57,  Richard  Decker;  1858,  Charles  Sitzer;  l85!t-(;(>,  P>dwin 
Clement;  IStJl-ti'i,  John  Y.  Richmond;  lS(;8-64,  Richard  Decker; 
18()5-(;(i,  John  W.  Gorse;  1867-69,  A.  R.  Burroughs;  1870-72,  J. 
J.  Dean;  1878-74,  J.  :\r.  Burgar;  1875,  Joseph  Eliot;  1876,  J.  G. 
.Slater;  1877-79,  Edward  AVhite;  1880-81,  Rev.  W.  A.  Chadwick; 
1882-84,  Rev.  George  Hearn;  1885-87,  Rev.  L.  .S.  Brown;  1888- 
9(1,  Rev.  ().  D.  iiamsay;  1891-92,  Rev.  J.  W.  Bohlman;  1898-95. 
Rev.   E.   H.    Roys;   1896,    Rev.   Robert  Knapi.. 

The  first  Methodist  church  was  built  in  1811,  and  it  cost  $1,60(1. 
The  first  board  of  trustees  was  composed  of  the  following  persons: 
Sanford  Ferguson,  Julni  McCall,  Gersham  H.  Bradley,  Hiram  Fitch. 
Cyrus  St.  John.  A  new  chun-ii  was  b\iilt  in  18(!9  at  a  cost  of 
$(0,(10(1.  This  church  was  used  until  1892,  when  the  jH-esent 
structure  was  commenced  and  built  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  It  is  said 
to  be  the  most  beautiful  church  structure  in  the  county. 
30 


588  HISTORY    OF   DELAWARE    COL'XTY. 

The  first  serviees  of  the  Protestant  Episeopiil  cliiircLi  were  heM 
in  Walton  al)out  the  year  ls;!i(  by  Rev.  'Sir.  Johnson. 

The  first  vestry  was  composed  of  the  followiuf>f  named  persons  r 
James  Noble  and  Everett  Guild,  wardens;  Isaac  Oydeu,  Kobert 
North,  Jr.,  James  Smith,  "W.  B.  Ogden,  Peter  Gardiner,.  Joshua  Pine,. 
Bennett  Beardslee,  Benajah  Hawley,  John  F.  St.  John,  Adam 
Mallory,  Rufns  Smith,  vestrj'men.  In  ISHl  the  church  edifice  was 
commenced,  and  completed  in  1884.  The  clergymen  (connected  with 
the  early  history  of  the  parish  were  the  Eev.  Mr.  Adams  of  Unadilla,. 
Rev.  Orange  Clark  of  Delhi,  Rev.  Russell  Wheeler  of  Butternuts, 
Otsego  county,  and  Rev.  E.  K.  Fowler  of  Monticello,^  N.  Y.  The 
first  installed  rector  was  the  Rev.  John  F.  Messinger,  who  supplied 
here  in  1834;  in  1837,  Rev.  Amos  Billings  Beach;  1839,  Rev.  Rob- 
ert Campbell;  in  IS-IO,  Rev.  Asa  Griswold;  in  1842,  Rev.  David 
Hiintington;  in  1846,  Rev.  William  G.  Heimer;  in  1847,  Rev.  John 
Creighton  Brown;  in  1860,  Rev.  Charles  Canfield;  in  1861,  Rev.  F. 
S.  Comptou;  in  18f)3,  Rev.  Frederic  Sisson;  in  18(!5,.  Rev.  Gurdon 
Huntington,  who  died  November  "29,  1875;  in  1876,  Rev.  Theodore 
A.  Snyder;  in  1877,  Rev.  Mr.  Searing;  afterward  Rev.  Mr.  Rathbun, 
Rev.  Reeves  Hobbie,  Eev.  J.  R.  L.  Nisbitt,  Rev.  Richard  Searing, 
and  Rev.  Charles  Temple  at  the  present  time,  have  been  the  rectors. 

The  first  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  the  year  1866  from  the 
various  outlying  branches.  Rev.  Jenkins  Jones  was  stated  sujjply 
during  the  first  year.  In  November,  1869,  Rev.  L.  'SI.  Purriugton 
was  called  as  pastor,  and  remained  uutil  1877.  The  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  1869  at  a  cost  of  $5, ()()().  In  1878,  Rev.  A.  J.  Adams 
was  called;  in  1881,  Rev.  E.  B.  Glover;  in  1882,  Eev.  W.  N.  Thomas; 
in  1882,  Eev.  J.  A.  Hungate;  in  1886,  Eev.  W.  P.  Chii)man:  in  1887, 
Eev.  C.  A.  Stone;  in  189.5,  Rev.  A.  J.  Whaleu;  in  1S95,  Rev.  W.  A. 
King;  in  1896,  Eev.  J.  T.  Barber. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  September  5, 
18(51.  The  first  church  edifice  was  built  on  East  l)rook,  about  five 
miles  from  Walton  village.  The  first  jjastor  was  Rev.  David 
McAllister,  who  remained    until   1S84.     In  1S74  a  new  church  wuj^ 


Towx  or  WM/ro.y.  5H«) 

orcted  in  Wiiltou  vill!if,'e.  In  iMHo  Rev.  S.  G.  Slmw  whs  ciiUcl  to 
tin-  pastoriito  and  niMainrd  until  ISDC.  Tlic  jncscnt  i>iistor  is  iicv. 
U.  ('.  Roed. 

Tlic  I  nitcd  l'rcsl)vtiii.in  ciiiiich  xviis  ()i;^anizid  ()(t<il)ii-  lit, 
IKC..').  The  elders  elected  were  -Idliu  \V.  Siiiitli,  William  Kil].atiieli, 
Thomas  McLaurv,  I'.  M.  Doij,'.  The  ehureb  edifice  was  built  in 
ISdS  mid  the  Rev.  W .  II.  Crow  settled  as  pastor.  In  187:{  Rev.  S. 
\V.  Meeks  was  chosen,  an<l  in  1878  Rev.  W.  M.  Howie  was  called 
and  remained  until  lSi)2,  when  Rev.  Thomas  Park,  the  jireseut 
l>astor,  was  called.  .V  new  cluireli  edifice  was  erected  on  the  corner 
of  North  and  East  streets  in  18<)1  at  a  cost  of  ahout  six  thousand 
dollars.     The  number  of  mendx-rs  is  2H0. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  town  clerks  of  Walton: 
David  St.  Jolm,  date  of  election  \\)v\\  4,  IT'.IT;  AVilliam  Townscnd, 
1801;  Robert  North,  ISOC;  David  St,  John,  1828;  Piatt  Townsend, 
182!t;  David  H.  Gay,  1848;  Henry  E.  St.  John,  1857;  Charles  B. 
Wade,  18(il;  Orson  J.  Ells,  1SG8;  George  W.  Fitch,  18(>4;  David  H. 
Gay,  18(;5;  George  O.  Mead,  ISt;?;  John  S.  Eells,  1877;  John  Oliu- 
stead,  1888;  John  S.  Eells,  the  present  clerk,  1884.  Within  a  p«  riod 
of  one  luindred  years,  twelve  men  have  served  as  town  clerks. 

The  War  of  Independence  was  brought  to  a  successful  termina- 
tion and  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  mother  country  was  signed  the 
year  prior  to  the  first  settlement  of  the  town,  .\nioug  the  early 
settlers  of  file  town  were  many  who  braved  tlie  dangers  anil  bore 
the  sufferings  in  the  jjatriot  army  under  Washington  during  the 
eventful  struggle.  From  the  best  information  the  following 
persons,  early  settlers  of  the  town,  served  in  tlu'  Revolutionary 
war  either  as  soldiers  of  the  line,  levies  or  militia:  Mattiiew  Marvin, 
.Tared  Hoyf,  Daniel  Nichols,  Cajitain  James  .V.  Marvin,  James 
.Vdams,  Roger  Case,  Jonathan  Weed,  Reul)en  Bartow.  These  men 
were  enlisted  largely  from  the  state  of  Connecticut,  and  after  the 
revolution   moved  into  the  state  of  New  York. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  residents  of  the  town  who  per- 
formed   militarj-    service    for    the    state    during    the    war  of    1812: 


590  HISTORY   OF   DELAWARE   COUNTY. 

Beujaiuiu  E.  Eells,  Mead  Eells,  John  Marvio,  Stcphoii  Berriiv,  ;\Ir. 
Smith,  Jouathau  Beers,  Sanuiel  ^loreliouse,  Natbau  Nichols,  (iiihricl 
North,  Johu  Patrick. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  those  who  were  drafted  iu  the  service 
ill.  lull:  Jonas  Walker,  William  K.  Seeley,  Eliphalet  Seeley,  Syl- 
vamis  Seeley,  Seeley  Benedict,  Silas  Benedict,  Nathan  Benedict, 
Teuas  Ogden,  Johu  Raymond,  Samuel  Eells,  Levi  Hanford,  Amasa 
Hoyt,  Chauncey  Hoyt,  Billy  Benedict,  Alfred  Bradley,  Gersham  H. 
Bradley,  Captain  Harmon  Sawyer,  Ebeuezer  Steele,  Smith  St.  Johu, 
John  Hess,  Thomas  Marvin,  Piatt  Richards,  Thomas  Keeler,  Johu 
Olmstead,  Bueld  Case,  Hanford  Wakeman,  Hezekiah  Yanderburg, 
Alfred  Nichols,  William  Cable,  Simon  Cable,  Nathaniel  G.  Eells, 
Lieutenant  Gabriel  North,  Benjamin  North,  Quartermaster  Gabriel 
Honeywell,  William  Seymour,  Cook  St.  John,  sutler;  Richard  W. 
Stockton,  sergeant;  Tunis  Brazee,  Harry  Bedell,  Johu  Barlow, 
Ebeuezer   Hanford. 

The  next  military  event  following  the  war  of  1812,  was  the 
so-called  "Anti-Rent  war"  of  1845.  From  the  fact  that  there  was 
little  or  no  leased  laud  iu  the  town,  Walton  had  consequently  less 
sympathy  for  the  "  Auti-renters "  than  there  was  iu  those  parts  of 
the  county  where  the  land  was  largely  lease  lots.  The  soldiers 
called  out  to  aid  the  sheriff  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  were 
taken  largely  from  the  town  of  Walton  and  those  towns  where 
there  was  little  or  no  anti-rent  sympathy.  Major  James  Marvin,  of 
Walton,  was  in  command  of  the  troops  or  the  sheriflf's  posse,  as  it 
was  termed  in  those  days,  during  the  period  that  the  county  was 
under  martial  law,  by  a  proclamation  of  the  governor  of  the  state, 
Silas  Wright. 

The  great  civil  war  of  18(11  to  1865  made  large  demands  upon 
the  patriotism  and  the  purse  of  the  loyal  North,  and  the  part  which 
the  town  of  Walton  bore  in  that  eventful  struggle  will  always  be  a 
source  of  pride  to  her  patriotic  citizens.  The  limits  of  the  present 
historical  sketch  will  not  permit  the  recording  of  all  the  names  of 
those  who  enlisted  and  served   iu   that  memorable  struggle.     Our 


rOlV.Y    OF    WAI.TO.W.  -,i)l 

records  will  therefore  be  cdutiiifd  to  a  list  of  the  orf,'iiuiziitioiis  iu 
which  there  were  enlisted  men  from  the  towu.  The  followiii{,'  list 
and  the  battles  in  which  they  were  engaged  is  taken  from  the 
adjutaut-geuerars  report  of  the  state  of  New  York  |niblislied  in  the 
j-ear  lS(iS: 

The  7"2d  Infantry,  Company  I,  C'liptiiiu  .lolmson;  engagements 
Williamsburg,  Seven  Pines,  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Malvern  Hill, 
Bristow  Station,  Bull  Uun. 

The  71st  Regiment;  this  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States  from  June  20  to  November  lit,  lH(il.  On  the 
expiration  of  its  term  of  service  the  original  n)embers  (  except  the 
veterans )  were  mustered  out  and  the  veterans  and  recruits  trans- 
ferred to  the  12()th  New  York  Volunteers. 

The  71st  Regiment,  Company  I,  Captain  Elwood,  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  August  4th,  18()1,  and  mustered 
out  of  service  July  30th,  1864,  and  the  recruits  transferred  to  the 
I'iOth  New  York  Volunteers.  Engagements,  Stafford  Court  House, 
Yorktown,  Williamsburg,  Seven  Pines,  Fair  Oaks,  White  Oak 
Swamp,  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Malvern  Hill,  Bristow  Station, 
Second  Bull  Run,  Chantilly,  Fredericksburgh. 

Third  New  Y'ork  Cavalry,  Company  E,  Captain  Jacobs.  Mus- 
tered into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  from  .July  17th  to 
August  ■27th,  18(Jl.  On  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service,  the 
original  members  ( except  the  veterans )  were  mustered  out  and  a 
regiment  composed  of  veterans  and  recruits  retained  in  service.  It 
was  united  with  the  First  ^Mounted  Rifles,  July  22d,  18(i.5,  and  was 
called  the  Fourth  Provisional  Cavalry.  Engagements,  Y'ouugs 
Cross  Roads,  William.sburgh,  Kingston,  White  Hall,  Goldsborough, 
Balls  Bluff,  Weldon  Railroad,  Edwards  Ferry,  Stony  Creek,  Peters- 
burg, Malvern  Hill,  New  Market,  Johnson's  House. 

The  8th  New  Y'ork  Independent  Battery,  Captain  Fitch,  was 
raised  principally  iu  the  county  of  Delaware  and  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  OctoVjer  30th,  18()1.  On  tlie  expiration 
of  its  term  of  service,  the  original  members  ( except  veterans  )  were 


592  HISTORY    OF   DELAWABE    COrXTV. 

mustered  out  aud  a  battery  composed  of  veterans  and  recruits 
retained  iu  service  until  June  30tb,  18(i5,  when  it  was  mustered  out 
in  accordance  with  the  orders  of  the  war  department.  Enga<,'e- 
ments,  Malvern  Hill,  Fair  Oaks,  Seven  Pines. 

The  .Tlst  New  York  Infautrv  was  mustered  into  the  service  of 
the  United  States  from  July  "iTth  to  October  28d,  18(il.  The 
original  members  (except  veterans)  were  mustered  out  (m  the 
expiration  of  the  term  of  service  aud  a  regiment  consisting  of 
veterans  and  recruits  retained  in  service  until  July  25,  18(J5,  when 
it  was  mustered  out  iu  accordance  with  orders  from  the  war 
department.  Engagements,  Roanoke  Island,  Newburg,  Manassas, 
Chantilly,  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Siege  of 
Vicksburg,  Jackson,  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  North  Anna,  Cold 
Harbor,  Petersburg,  Weldon  Railroad,  Poplar  Spring  Church. 

The  8S)th  Infantry,  Company  I,  Captain  T.  L.  England,  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  December  6th,  1801,  mustered  out 
August  3,  18(i5.  Engagements,  Suffolk,  Camden,  South  Mountain, 
Antietam,  Fredericksburg. 

The  101st  New  York  Infantry,  Colonel  George  F.  Chester. 
Mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  September  7th,  1861. 
It  w-as  united  with  the  37th  regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers, 
December  24th,  1862,  aud  the  officers  mustered  out  of  service. 
Engagements,  Seven  Pines,  Peach  Orchard,  Savage  Station,  Chicka- 
hominy,  White  Oak  Swamj),  Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Malvern  Hill, 
Groveton,  Second  Bull  Run,  Chantilly,  Fredericksburg. 

The  l-t4th  New  York  Infantry,  Colonel  Lewis.  This  regiment 
was  organized  at  Delhi,  New  York,  to  serve  for  three  years.  The 
companies  of  which  it  was  composed  were  raised  in  the  county  of 
Delaware.  It  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
September  27th,  1862,  and  mustered  out  of  service  June  25th,  1865, 
in  accordance  with  orders  from  the  war  department.  Company  B 
of  this  regiment  was  raised  in  the  town  of  Walton,  M.  W.  ^larvin 
Captain.  Engagements,  Honey  Hill,  John's  Island,  .Tames  Island, 
Siege  of  Wagner,  Deveaux  Neck,  Honey  Hill. 

The  69th  New  York  Infantry,  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  September  7th,  1861,  mustered  out  June  30th,  1805. 
Engagements,  Yorktown,  Fair  Oaks,  Peach  Orchard,  Malvern  Hill, 
Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellor's  Bluff,  Gettysburg,  Wilder- 
ness, Spottsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Reams  Station. 


fl  Jersey  Cow. 


H  Bauer  Firkir). 


APPENDIX. 


Tbe  First  Ijoaid  of  Supcix  isois. 


Till'  fcilliiwinn  is  a  liii-ial  Iniiisi-ript  nl"  llic  iiTind  of  tho  proeoediiigs  <if  the 
Board  : 

At  tlio  lirsl  Auniial  Jloi'ting  of  tin'  Board  of  Supervisory  of  thi>  Omnty  of 
Dflawart",  held  at  tlie  House  of  (iideoii  Frisl)ie  in  the  Tinvn  of  KortiKht,  in 
saiil  County,  on  the  30th  day  of  May  (  being  the  last  Tuesday),  in  tin'  year  of 
our  Lord  1797. 

Present : 

Enos  Parker  from Franklin 

Roliort  North Walton 

William  Horton Colchester 

Henjamin  Milk  Middletowii,  Chairiiiat] 

John   Lamb Stiimford 

Roswell  Hotehkiss Harporsfield 

Beiiajah  Beardsley Kortright 

And  the  Board  proceeded  to  vote  for  a  Clerk,  whereupon  it  was  Rinolwd, 
that  Anthony  Marvine  should  be  their  Clerk  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Likewise  ReMoUvd,  that  Anthony  Marvine  be  Treasurer  of  the  said  County 
of  Delaware  upon  his  entering  into  Bond  with  Security  as  the  Law  directs. 

Whereu|ion  the  said  Anthony  Marvine  produced  a  Bond  with  Jared  Good- 
rii-h  anil  Benajah  Bi'Jirdsley  of  the  Town  of  Kortright  as  Securities,  which  was 
accepted  Ipy  the  Board. 

The  Board  then  proceeded  to  canvass  and  I'stiniate  the  Ballots  given  for 
two  Members  of  Assembly  for  said  County,  and  it  appeared  on  the  close  of 
said  Canvass  and  Estimate  that  William  Horton  and  Nathaniel  Wattles 
Esquires  were  duly  elected  Members  of  Assembly  for  said  County  for  the 
ensuing  year.  Whereupon  they  were  declared  duly  elected  and  the  proper 
certificates  were  made  out  and  sent  to  their  several  addresses,  according  to  Law. 

The  Board   then   adjourned   to   the   third   Tuesday   in    .\ugiist    next,  at    '.^ 

o'l-lock  A.  M.,  at  the  sjinie  place. 

Test  A.VTH.  Marvine,  Clk. 

of  Board. 
At  an  Adjourned  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  County  of 
Delaware,  held  at  the  House  of  Gideon   Frisbee  on  Tuesday,  the  15  Day  of 

August,  1707. 

Present : 

Enos  Parker  from Franklin 

William    Horton Colchester 

Benjamin   Milk Middletown 

Robert  North Walton 

And  adjourned  till  tomorrow  morning  at  8  o'clock. 


.7)08  IIISTOHY    OF    DELAWARE    COUNTY. 

Wt'diiesday,  August  IG,  1797.  Board  mi't  i>iiisiitLiit  ti>  iiit.joiirniMciit,  .-iiid 
tho  othi^r  members  attended,  to  wit : 

Benajah  Beardsley KorUif,'lil 

Eos  well  Hotohkiss Harpersfield 

John  Lamb Suimfoid 

And  Pi'ooeeded  to  Business. 

Rexolved  by  the  Board  Ihiit  each  Town  be  charged  with  accounts  exhibited 
to  us  for  Services  done  in  such  Town  previous  to  the  passing  the  Law  for 
erecting  this  County,  altho  the  same  might  have  been  cliargeable  against  the 
■County,  had  this  County  not  been  erected. 

Renolvcil.  that  for  Services  done  in  this  County  and  aiiditabic  by  llii^-  Bnuid 
(  except  where  otherwise  ascertained  by  Law,  or  a  Renolri'  of  a  Town  Jli-eting) 
the  sum  of  Ten  Shillings  pr.  Day  including  Expenses  be  allowed. 

Resolved,  That  the  Clerk  of  the  Board  be  allowed  (for  the  ordinary  Serv- 
ices, and  lor  apportioning  the  Tax  on  the  several  Towns'  dujilicates  Ac  i  the 
sum  of  twelve  pounds  per  year. 

Accounts  audited  against  the  Town  of  Franklin,  £43  :  V, :  8. 
Accounts  audited  against  the  Town  of  Colchester,  £41  :  1.5  :0. 
Accounts  audited  against  the  Town  of  Walton,  £40  :  16  :G. 
Accounts  audited  against  the  Town  of  Stamford,  £SIG  :3  :4. 
The  Board  then  adjourned  till  to-morrow  morning  at  6  o'clock  A.  M. 
Thursday,  August  17th,  '97.     Board  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 
Accounts  audited  against  the  Town  of  Harpersfield,  £'23  :7  :G. 
Accounts  auditeil  against  the  Town  of  Kortriglit.  £.■?(> :  IK  :3. 

After  the  accounts  were  audited  and  finally  adjusted  the  Board  Resolved 
in  manner  following,  to  wit : 

Resolved  that  the  Clerk  apportion  the  Tax  of  each  Town  upon  the  Inhab- 
itants thereof  and  transmit  the  Tax  Lists  and  Warrants  to  the  respective 
■Supervisors  with  due  speed.  And  that  he  need  not  make  Duplicates  thereof, 
but  if  tho't  necessarj'  each  Supervisor  may  make  his  own. 

By  the  Supervisors  of  the  Towns  formerly  in  Otsego  :  Resnlivd.  That  We 
will  each  request  the  Collector  to  collect  the  amount  of  Otsego  Deficiency  as 
soon  as  may  be  after  obtaining  Warrants,  and  transmit  it  to  the  Treasurer, 
and  that  he  settle  up  with  the  Treasurer  of  Otsego  County  as  soon  as 
■convenient. 

N.  B.— Mr.  Milk  agreed  to  take  the  Warrant  and  List  of  his  Town  and 
make  out  the  Tax  therrt>f. 

The  Board  then  adjourned  xim-  die. 

Test        Antii.  M.\uvrNB,  Clk. 

\t  a  Special  Meeting  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  County  of  Dela- 
ware held  (in  Consequence  of  a  Request  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  said 
County  lately  held  for  Purposes  mentioned  in  their  Resolve  No.  1  on  file  l  at 
the  House  of  Gideon  Frisbie  in  the  Town  of  Kortright,  in  said  County,  on 
Tiiesd.ay  the  24th  Day  of  October,  171t7. 


AI'I'KXDIX.  ;-)'.!!» 

Presi>nt : 

Elms  I'mki'i',  (liaiiriiiin Franklin 

William    Hoiton Coleliestcr 

Bonajiih  Bcardslcy Kortriglit 

Rdsw.'jl  HotcliUiss HnrpoisnoUl 

•'"liii  La  Hill Stamford. 

The  Boiinl,  al'ii'i-  iiiaturclv  idiisiiUin;;  tlu'  Kccinest  in  tho  said  U>'Solv<'  and 
the  Intincsts  nl'  llirir-  CoiisUtucnts,  I'liruf  t(i  Ihc  fcillowinf;  Kosolutions.  to  wit : 

ReMoInd,  llial  \vi'  will  [iroscnt  a  Pi'liliim  tu  IIh'  Li-fiislature  reiiui'stinj;  a 
Law  anthorizin^;  llio  Supervisors  to  raise  a  Sum  of  Money  fur  the  purpose  nf 
Uuildinn  a  Court  House  and  Gaol  in  said  County. 

lii'MDinil.  that  till'  Petition  lie  for  a  Law  authorizing  the  Supervisors  of  tli(! 
■County  of  Delaware  for  the  time  lieiiin  to  raise  a  Sum  not  e.\eeeding  twelve 
hundred  Dollars  lor  the  purpose  of  liuilding  a  Court  House,  Ac.,  at  such  times 
as  they  shall  think  proper.  And  that  the  Clerk  ilriiw  up  a  petition  for  the 
purpose  and  have  it  ready  for  signing  by  tomorrow  niornint;. 

Adjourned  till  7  o'clock  tomorrow  A.  M. 

Oelolier  2.">lh,  171I7.     Thi"  Hoard  met  pursuant  to  adjournment,  and 

RfH<)lre<l,  that  a  Clause  he  added  to  the  Petition  oidered  drawn  up  yester- 
day for  our  proportion  of  School  Money,  which  was  neglected  in  the  Bill  for 
erecting  the  County. 

The  Clause  was  then  aildnl  iicc-ordingiy  and  the  Petition  read,  iipproM'd 
of,  and  signed  b.v  tlie  Supervisors  and  forwarded  to  the  Legislature. 

Resolved  further,  that  the  Cltuk  make  a  Demand  of  a  Deed  from  Levi 
Baxter  for  the  Land  he  proposed  giving  for  the  Court  House,  Ac.,  and  also  of 
Daniel  W.  Sackrider,  if  he  comes  openly  into  the  County  within  20  Days.  If 
he  does  not  come,  to  negotiate  the  Business  (as  to  the  Deeil  ami  CijO  he  was  to 
give  for  the  Court  House,  Ac.)  with  George  Fisher  in  such  maimer  as  is 
equitable  both  for  him  and  the  County.  .\nd  that  if  the  Business  is  not  ilone 
by  Ba.xter  A  Sackrider  or  Pislier  to  his  .satisfaelion  he  notify  the  lioard.  Ac.  to 
remove  the  stake. 

RiMolved.  that  if  Sackrider  comes  into  the  County  ami  iloes  not  fiiHill  his 
Engagement  as  to  the  Land,  Ac,  that  the  Clerk  institute  a  Suit  against  him 
for  Damages. 

Renolred.  tliat  if  the  Deeds  are  given,  the  Clerk  survey  the  Land  proposed 
and  make  out  the  Deeds  to  the  Supervisors  and  their  Successors  in  olllce,  and 
Insert  a  <-lause  therein  of  Sei/.en  Warranty,  Ac  And  that  he  be  allowed  for  his 
Inuible  in  transacting  the  above  Business  what  is  reasonable  and  just,  and 
that  the  same  shall  be  chargeable  against  the  County. 

liixdtnil.  that  the  Clerk  make  Report  to  the  next  Board  what  he  has  done 
in  the  above  Business. 

The  BoanI  then  ailjounied  .linr  dii\ 

Asrii.  Mauvisf.  Clk. 


I^ecord  of  First  flection  Canv^ass. 


A.  D.  1797. 

I Supervisor  of  the  town  of in  the  County  of 

Delaware  do  solemnly  and  sincerely  declare  and  swear  in  the  presence  of  Al- 
mighty God  that  I  will  faithfully,  honestly  and  impartially  canvass  and  esti- 
mate the  votes  for  members  of  Assembly  for  the  County  of  Delaware  contained 
in  the  inclosures  delivered  into  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  same  County,  and 
that  I  will  publish  and  declare  the  persons  who  have  the  Greatest  Number  of 
Votes  for  Members  of  Assembly  to  be  severally  elected  to  the  said  office  res- 
pectively, and  that  I  shall  discover  any  of  the  other  persons  who  shall  attend 
with  me  for  the  purpose  aforesaid  Conducting  or  demeaning  himself  (U-  them- 
selves partially,  unduely  or  corruptly  in  the  premises,  that  I  will  divulge  or 
discover  the  same  to  the  end  that  the  person  or  persons  so  offending  may  be 
brought  to  Justice. 

Benjamin  JIilk, 
William  Hoeton, 
Ends  Pakker, 
John  Lamb, 
koswell  hotchkis.s, 
Benajah  Beardsley. 

We  the  Subscribers  being  the  Supervisors  of  the  County  of  Delaware,  As- 
sembled on  the  last  Tuesday  of  May  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
Seven  hundred  and  ninetj'-seven  at  the  house  of  Gideon  Frisbee,  Esq.,  for  the 
purpose  of  Canvassing  and  Estimating  the  Votes  taken  at  the  last  Election  for 
Members  of  .\ssembly  for  the  said  County  of  Delaware,  Do  hereby  Certify  that 
upon  such  Canvass  the  following  Persons  were  duly  Elected  by  Plurality  of 
Votes,  to  leit,  Nathaniel  Wattles  and  William  [Horton — omitted  in  record]  Es- 
quires.    Witness  our  hand.  May  31st,  17it7. 

KoSWELL    HOTCHKIS.S, 

bena.jah  be.aedsley, 
Benjamin  Milk, 
William  Horton, 
Enos  Parker, 
Robert  North, 
John  Lamb. 

I  do  Certify  the  foregoing  to  Ije  true  Copies  of  the  Original  form  of  an' 
Oath,  and  Certificate  Subscribed  as  above  and  entered  of  Record  by  me. 

Ebenezer  Foote,  Clerk  of  Delaware  County. 


im 


Newspajiers  o|'  (lie  Cocintv. 


Tlio  I'ollowiiijj;  smmiiarv  n'onrd  (if  tlie  iiowspapcrs  whicli  have  lici'ii  I'stati- 
lishod  ill  Di'lawaio  i-oiiiity  iluriiin  t  ho  cent  my  has  licen  prepared  from  iiifoi- 
iiiatioii  furnished  liy  editors,  and  tlie  writer  is  inch'lited  for  this  oomiiihition 
largely  to  Mr.  Jolm  .V.  rarsliall,  who  for  sixty  years  lias  been  i-onnected 
with  the  Di'laware  Gazette. 

Xo  papers  have  been  printed  in  ]}o\  iiia.  llaiiiden,  llai  pcMslield.  Masoiivilh', 
Meredith  and  Tompkins. 

When  the  county  was  erected  tliere  was  not  a  religious  paper  published  in 
the  state,  as  far  as  can  be  learned.  In  183H  there  were  but  ten  power  presses 
running  in  the  state,  now  there  are  (ifteen  in  Delaware  county. 

The  Delaware  Gazette — was  the  first  newspajier  published  In  the  <-ounly, 
begun  In  1819,  and  was  the  only  one  luiblished  prior  to  1S'21.  Slieiiill  E. 
Smith  Is  the  present  editor  and  publisher,  Delhi. 

The  Delawai-e  Republican  (No.  1) — was  started  bj'  Elijah  J.  Roberts  in 
June,  1821,  at  Delhi.     Discontinued. 

The  Delaware  Republican  (No.  2) — started  Seplemlier  1830,  by  George 
Marvlne,  at  Delhi.     Discontinued  in  1832. 

Delaware  Journal — established  In  April,  1834,  by  Wliipple  A  Wright,  at 
Delhi.     Discontinued. 

The  Delaware  Express — was  begun  in  .laniiary.  1830,  by  Norwood  Bowne, 
at  Delhi,  who  continued  Its  editor  and  publisher  until  his  death  January  7, 
1890.     William  Clark  is  now  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Voice  of  the  People  (Anti-Rent)  liegun  in  18i(j,  by  W.  S.  Hawley,  at 
Delhi.     Discontinued. 

The  Deposit  Courier — the  lirst  ]>aper  in  Deposit  was  established  in  1848 
by  M.  R.  Hulee.  In  18fi!>  It  was  purchased  by  Chas.  N.  Stow,  who  is  still 
editor  and  publisher. 

The  Stamford  Mirror-  was  stJirli.'d  as  the  Bloomvllli'  Mirror  at  Bloomville 
in  May,  1851,  by  Simon  B.  Champion,  who  has  continued  to  be  its  editor  and 
pulillsher.     In  1870  the  plant  was  removed  to  Stamford. 

The  Franklin  Visitor- -was  started  liy  G.  W.  Reynolds  March  28,  I85."j.  In 
18()3  it  was  removed  to  Delhi  and  consolldaled  witli  the  Republican. 

The  Walton  Blade  establisheil  at  Walton,  May  185(1,  by  E.  I'.  Berrav . 
Discontinued. 

The  Deposit  Union  Democrat— was  started  In  18.''ifi  by  C.  E.  Wright,  liut 
was  soon  merged  into  the  Courier. 

The  Star  of  Delaware— was  established  by  Rev.  C.  B.  Siidtli,  at  Delhi,  in 
De<-ember,  185'.t.  and  publlsheil  for  a  short  time. 

liiil 


602  HISTORY    OF    DELAWARE    COl'XrY. 

Till'  Yduui;  I'iitriot — was  luiblislicil  .-il  Drllii  for  a  sliint  tiiin'  in  IMUI. 

Till'  Di'lawan'  Rc'iKililii'aii  |X.>.  :!;— was  started  Jlay  12,  IsiKI,  \,y  Sturto 
vaut  auil  Mclutosh.  T.  F.  &  R.  P.  Mi-I[ito*h  ari'  its  jirt'si'nt  fditors  aud 
publishers. 

The  ITtilitariaii — published  at  Mai'garetville,  was  establislied  July  7,  18(i3. 
by  Dr.  O.  M.  AUabeu.  In  1874  it  was  purfha.sed  bj'  J.  K.  P.  .Jackson,  present 
editor  and  publisher. 

The  Andes  Recorder. — The  first  paper  in  Andes  was  the  Student,  estab- 
lished September  .5,  186(5,  by  Peter  Smeallie.  A.  D.  Hitchcock  succeeded  it 
with  the  Recorder.  The  plant  was  removed  to  Stamford  April  1,  l.s',i2,  by 
William  Clark.  The  paper  was  re-issued  by  S.  F.  Adee  and  T.  W.  Miller  is 
m>w  editor  and  publisher. 

Hobart  Free  Press. — This  paper  was  started  in  186(>  by  Charles  H.  Cleve- 
land. The  Delaware  Chief  and  Vdlage  Record  were  also  published  at  Hobart 
for  a  time. 

The  Franklin  Register — was  started  in  Franklin  by  A.  D.  Hitchcock,  June 
30,  1868.  In  1883  the  name  was  changed  to  Delaware  County  Dairyman,  and 
Joseph  Eveland  &  Son  are  editors  and  publishers. 

The  Walton  Chronicle— was  established  February  3,  1869,  by  A.  1).  Hitch- 
cock. It  is  now  published  by  the  Chronicle  Association  and  Henry  S.  White 
is  editor. 

The  Walton  True  Press — was  started  by  Harvey  Ireland  in  1872,  ami  was 
subsequently  merged  into  the  Chronicle. 

The  Hancock  Herald — was  started  in  1873  and  Henry  W.  Wagner  is  the 
present  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Deposit  Times — was  started  by  S.  C.  Clizbe  in  1874  and  discontinued 
in  less  than  two  years. 

The  Star — was  the  first  paper  iiuIiUsIhmI  in  Sidney,  beginning  in  1«70,  by 
Owen  &.  Wright.  The  following  have  also  been  published  in  that  village  but 
all  have  suspended  :  The  Midland  Times,  1874.  M.  W.  D.  Fenton.  The  Demo- 
crat, 1874,  J.  K.  P.  Jackson.  The  Sidney  Herald,  187"),  M.  W.  D.  Fenton. 
The  News  and  Wave,  1879,  C.  C.  A  C.  0.  Brown.  The  Valley  News,  1879, 
Clayton  Brown.  The  Rural  Times,  1881,  Mr.  Jones.  The  Unahanna.  1890, 
Wier  Bros.     Daily  Despatch,  1894,  Wier  Bros. 

The  Downsville  News — was  started  liy  A.  E.  Peck  in  187.5  and  is  still  puli- 
lished  by  him. 

The  Charlotte  Valley  News — was  started  in  1877,  at  East  Davenport.  Il 
was  followed  by  the  Transcript  and  later  the  Standard  which  has  ceased  pub- 
lication. 

The  Roxbury  Times — was  begun  in  ]H80  and  John  H.  Dudley  is  now  edilor 
and  publisher. 

The  Walton  Reporter — was  first  published  in  18.S1  aud  is  now  published  by 
the  Reporter  Company,  with  Paul  Nichols  and  John  P.  White  as  editors. 


APPKXDIX.  COS 

Till' Sidiii'v  R.'roiil--was  starli'd  ill  i1m>  vi'iir  lHS-2  liy  Artliur  Bird,  who  is. 
still  I'ditiir  ami  |»d)lisher. 

The  Walton  Cyclone— was  stiiili'd  ill  issr,  liy  Ei'lls  \- Soil.  In  Ism;  in  was. 
chunked  to  tin"  Peoples  Pre.ss  and  soon  ilisi-ontiiuied. 

The  Delaware  Standard  a  luoliibition  paper,  was  started  in  Xov.'inliei. 
1KM7.  I)y  Rev.  W.  M.  Howie,  .\fter  several  channes,  Wni.  S.  fole,  tin-  owner, 
chaiifji'd  the  name  to  the  I>i>laware  Coiiiity  News,  which  su.spended  iu  IH'.iri. 

The  Arena  Enterprise — was  started  in  1SS9  by  H.  D.  Ellsworth,  and  was 
published  for  about  three  years. 

The  Herald— was  established  at  Griirin  Corners  iu  l«9ll  by  Wilson  Unl- 
raud.     John  V.  Gregory  is  the  present  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Stamford  Recorder— was  started  iu  that  villaj^e  .\pril  10,  1K'J2,  by  the 
Stamford  Printing  and  Publishing  Company,  William  Clark  editor.  The  pres- 
ent eilitor  and  manager  is  Edward  A.  .Ackley. 

The  Walton  Times— was  started  November  lit,  WM,  by  Win.  H.  Eells,  the 
present  editor  uud  publisher. 

The  Margaret ville  Messenger -was  established  iu  IH'Ji  by  the  Messenger 
Company,  with  John  Grant  editor,  and  is  still  published  as  above. 

The  Sidney  Centre  Transcri|)t — was  started  in  18!).")  Ijy  W.  J.  \Veyrau<>li. 
anil  Chas.  H.  Scliutts  is  the  present  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Church  Review  was  published  at  Delhi  for  nine  months  in  Im'.i:!,  by 
.\dfe  A-  Lawsou. 

The  Sidney  Advocate — was  establish<'d  in  l.s'.i.'i  by  Bolton  A  Stanton,  .ind 
J.  F.  .\ndrews  is  now  the  editiu-and  publisher. 

There  have  been  two  papers  published  for  a  time  at  Blooinville,  and  pos- 
sibly the  above  is  not  a  complete  list  of  all  the  veutures  iu  the  Held  of  Dela- 
ware county  journalism. 

C.  Edick  Wright,  who  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the  Delaware  Gazette 
oHlce,  in  writing  some  reminiscences  about  ten  years  ago  said  :  "The  inlluence- 
of  the  Press  is  felt  in  every  m)ok  and  eoruer  of  our  land.  It  penetrates  the 
cabin  of  the  poor  as  well  as  the  marble  halls  of  the  rich.  It  reaches  tin' 
prisoner  in  his  cell  and  points  him  the  way  to  reformation.  Next  to  the  Bible, 
and  as  an  auxiliary,  the  newspaper  is  a  guide  to  the  statesman,  a  help  to  tin- 
clergy,  and  an  indispi-nsable  article  in  every  household." 

Gush  forth  eivil  libi'ily's  springs. 
Let  the  Press  of  the  \atir)ii  ami  land. 

That  dread  foe  of  tyrants  and  kings. 
It's  country's  true  sentinal  stand. 
The  Pre.ss  of  the  Nation — on  progressions  age, 
'Tis  the  day-spring  of  youth,  and  the  guide  of  the  sage. 
'Tis  the  audible  footfall  of  thought  on  the  page. 
The  articulate  beat  of  the  heart  of  the  age— 
'Tis  the  ••  Harp  of  a  tlioiisand  strings." 


eve 

Dates  of  Oro'anization  of  the  Towns^" 

1.    Harpersfield,  original  town;  Roswoll  Hotchlciss,  first  supervisor. 
'2.    Miildletown.  original  town  ;  Bonjaniin  Milk,  first  supervisor. 

3.  Colchester,  urigiual  town;  William  Horton,  first  supervisor. 

4.  Franklin,  original  town  ;  Euos  Parker,  first  supervisor. 
.5.    Stamford,  original  town ;  John  Lamb,  first  supervisor. 

(5.    Kortright.  original  town  ;  Benajah  Beardsley,  first  supervisor. 

7.  Walton,  original  town  ;  Robert  North,  first  supervisor. 

8.  Delhi,  organized  1798 ;  Ebenezer  Foote,  first  supervisor. 

y.  Eoxbury,  organized  179'.);  Isaac  Hardenbergh,  first  supervisor. 

10.  Meredith,  organized  1800. 

11.  Sidney,  organized  1801 :  Witter  .Johnson,  first  supervisor. 

12.  Hancock,  organized  18(JG  ;  John  Knight,  (1825). 

1:3.  Tompkins,  organized  1806;  Peter  Pine,  first  supervisor. 

14.  Masonville,  organized  1811  ;  Warren  Willis,  first  supervisor. 

1,5.  Davenport,  organized  1817  ;  John  Davenport,  first  supervisor. 

10.  .\ndes,  organized  1819 ;  Daniel  H.  Burr,  first  svipervisor. 

17.  Bovina,  organized  1820  ;  Thomas  Landon,  Jr.,  first  supervisor. 

18.  Hamden,  organized  1825 ;  Jabez  Bostwick,  first  supervisor. 
IVi.  Deposit,  organized  1880;  Geo.  D.  Wheeler,  first  supervisor. 


Corrections  and  Additions. 

On  page  70.  the  date  given  lor  the  organization  of  the  town  of  Delhi 
■should  be  March  17,  1798  instead  of  1797.      See  Session  Laws  1798,  Chap.  43. 

On  page  72,  in  reference  to  the  present  court  house  it  should  be  added 
that  in  1894  an  annex  was  built  at  a  cost  of  about  $10,000. 

On  page  75,  sixth  line  from  the  bottom,  1846  should  be  1845. 

On  page  77,  the  term  of  Judge  Ebenezer  Foote  should  be  stated  to  begin 
1823  instead  of  1S28. 

On  page  77,  the  term  of  Judge  Baumes  should  lie  1.S88  instead  of  1889. 

On  page  77,  the  surrogate  named  as  Amasa  J.  Parker  should  be  Aniasa 
Parker. 

On  page  78,  the  date  given  for  William  McLaughry  as  county  clerk  should 
be  1846. 

On  page  78,  the  name  given  as  sheriff  should  be  Daniel  Rowland  instead  of 
David  Rowland.  The  same  change  should  be  made  in  the  name  ip.  81)  of  thi* 
nienilier  of  .\ssi>mbly  for  1853. 

On  page  79,  the  name  of  Samuel  Kexford  should  have  apjieared  at  State 
Senator  for  1829-30-31  32. 

On  page  80,  at  the  head  of  the  list  of  members  of  .\ssembly,  it  should  be 
stated  that  the  dates  given  are  the  years  in  which  they  were  elected. 

On  page  85,  among  Supreme  Court  Justices  it  should  be  stated  that  in 
1850  Levinus  Monson  was  appointed  in  the  place  of  E.  B.  Morehouse,  deceased. 

Sh.\d  in  DEL.\WA*nE  County  :  Since  the  paragraph  on  page  35  was  written 
I  have  received  from  several  directions  information  that  shad  have  been 
ea\ight  in  the  East  Branch  of  tlie  Delaware  river  in  recent  years.  One  of 
these  instances  will  be  found  in  the  histtn-y  of  Colchester  in  this  volume. 


DEC  19  1898 


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