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EARLY 


Sac 


I 


History  of  Amenia, 


BY 


NEWTON     REED 


AAIEMA.  N.   v.: 

DE  LACEY  &.  WILEY,   PRINTERS. 
I. ST-'.. 


3"^  2.  SS 
'OS 


\ 


INDEX 


Tbe. names  of  the  Early  Residents  and  of  the  Sub- 
scribers to  the  Roll  of  Honor  are  placed  in  alphabetical 
order  in  the  book,  and  are  therefore  left  out  of  the 
Index. 


Adams.  Elisba,  "27,  -ii 

John,  78 

.losiah,  78 
Adams-  Mills.  '27,  78.  I'Jo 
AGKICI'LTUKE,  132 
Allen,  Elijah.  37 

Ethan.  4»;.  fi3.  f;7 
Allerton,  Dr.  Corneliiis,  If!,  7St 

l)r.  Reuben,  16>  4'i,  (i'A  <;7,  78 

Archibald,  78,  136 

David,  78 

Isaac,  34.  78 

Jonathan,  78 

Samuel,  78 
Allswo'th,Janaes,13,  78 
Amenia  I'reuinct.  5 

Union,  IS.  39 
Amenia,  Is  a  me  of,  45,  46 

South,  39 
Andrews,  Barzilla,  C2 

Ko-or.  7!» 
Aretsnn,  Jolm,  •! 
Asbury.  IJi.shop.  3(> 
Assembly.  .Arcratiers  of  4!) 
ASSOCIATOKS,  :.3 
Atherton,  C,  6").  ';7,  71> 

James,  78,  7it 

Barlow,  Elislia,  4>2,  48,  40,  6'2.  tj:),  (U.  T.O, 
House  of  Deacon,  144 
Capt.  Jesse,  13(5 


IJarlow,  Dc'ii'^on  Moses  41,  42.  47,  79 

Xathan,  (i.j,  71> 

I'ch-  7!) 

Thomas,  l'2y 
Baptist  Church,  33 

in  N.  E  ,  34 
Baptisms.  42 
Barker,  Jacob,  110 

William,  47,49,  62'4,  79,  13<> 
.Barret,  Kev.  Jolm,  40,  43,  67, 141 
Bartlett.  Daniel  ('.,  62,  68 
Beach.  J.  W.,  142 

Zerah,  120 
Beebe.  John,  47 
Bell,  Wm.,  37 
Belden.  Deacon  Joseph,  81 

Silas,  42 

Taber,  49 
Benedict,  Benjamin,  32,  47 

John,  63 

Samuel,  63 
Benson,  Hon.  Egbert.  46,48,73 
Bejiton,  Joel,  49,  129 
Bird,  Moor,  127 

Bev.  Isaac,  84 
Blount,  Wm.,  62.  lA 
Bockee,  Justio<',  ilo 

Abraham,  27,  43,  47,  49,  50,  5S 
Boka.  48 
.Bokee,  Jacob,  49,  56.  52,  68,  117 

James,  49 


INDEX. 


Bokee,  Phenix,  28 
Bouquet,  Henrj-,  83 
Bockee  on  Slaverv,  115 
Bostwick,  Wm.  II.,  49 
Boughton,  Sampson,  6 
Boughton,  Sampson  <k  Co.,  14 

Grant  to,  15 
Boradll,  xinne,  107 
Boyd,  John,  1.9,  42 

House  of,  144 
Bradley,  Lemaii,  I2ti 
Brown,  Tristram.  o2 

Gen.,  44 

Joe],  4.9 
Brownson,  John,  79 
Bronson,  John,  ^2 
Brush.  Jesse.  62.  fiS 

Col.  Henry,  84,  13G 

Col.  John,  50,  136 

William,  63 
Bryant,  Amos,  49 
Buel,  Grower,  32 

Col.  Nathaniel.  64 
Burritt,  Rev.  Blackleach,  37 
Burton,  Judah,  62,  6!» 
Bump,  Jedidiah,  42,  65 

James,  62 
Burial  Places  145, 

Cady,  28 

Camp,  East,  15,  16, 120 

Canfield,  Jndson,  124 

CANAL  SHARON,  128 

Cantelon,  Major  De,  63 

Canterbury.  79 

Carmel  in  Nine  Partners,  30 

Carpenter,  J.  B.,  50 

B.  I'latt,  50 

Joseph,  63 

Justice,  115 
Castle,  Daniel,  42 

Gideon, 42 

Inn  of,  119 
Chamberlain,  28 

Joseph,  42 

Colbe,  42,  48,  62,  63 

Dr.  John,  48,  65 

Dr.  William  G.,  114,  129 

Capt.  William,  53,  62.  65,  68,  69 

Calvm,  127 

Conrad,  62 
Chicomico,  11 
CENTENNIAL,  54 
Child,  Increase,  62,  64, 


,69 

Dr.  Josepli,  87 
CHURCH,  CITY.  37 
Church.  Hon.  Samuel,  22,  27 
CIVIL  LIST, 48 

CITIZEN'S  NAMES  TO  THE  PLEDGE, 
Clapp's  Patent,  79.  133 
Clapp, 133 
Cl.irk.  Bishop,  141 
Cleaveland,  Elisha,  26 
Clinton,  Gen.  James,  64 
CIVIL  ORGANIZATION, 45 
Clark,  Hiram,  13 
Cline,  1  eter,  62.65 

John,  42 
Cloth  Dressing,  123 
Coal,  Price  of,  127 

Lehigh,  129 
Colfax,  24 

Cochran,  Rev.  Samuel,  36 
Colden,  C,  6, 15, 100 
Coleman,  A.,  90 
Collins,  Capt.  David,  27,  77 

Hon.  J.  F..  89 


C(jllin8,  Burving  Place  of,  14-6 
Committee  of  Safetv,  53 
Conklin.  Henry,  49' 

Nathan,  62 
Congdon,  John,  63 
Conference,  M.  E.,  36 
Conquest  of  Quebec,  46,  106 
Cook,  Joab,  32 

Simeon,  32,  61,  62.  63.  67 
Cornw-ell,  Rev  John,  37,  3S 

W   B.,50 
Cotton.  Rev  Dr.,  26 
Creed.  Wm.,  6 

Crosby.  Dr.  Cvrenus.  49,90,  i:;f> 
Crum  E:ibow,  45,  85.  133 
Croton  Water,  127 
Culver,  Backus,  90 
Cummings,  Rev.  Dr  ,  141 
Curtis,  John,  37 

Ruth,  146 

Danbury,  Burned,  69,  98 
Dakin,  Simon.  27,  34,  90 

Caleb,  90 
Darrow.  Isaac,  48 
Davis,  28 

•      Rev.  Sheldon,  12 

M.  L  ,  110 
Davies,  William,  125 

Rev.  Thomas,  90 
Delano,  Benjamin,  65  ^  S' y 

Thomas.  41  ' 

Delamater.  Claude,  22 

Jacob,  22 

Capt.  Isaac.  22,  23,  6'.'. 69 

Benjamin,  23,  42 

Joljii,  M.  1)  ,  24 

Martin.  23,  42 

Col.  Anthony.  136 

Houses  of.  23.  144 
Delavergne,  Dr..  92,  ]:i9 
Denton,  Benjamin,  37 

Joel,  m 
Dewey.  Jed.,  32 
Dorr,  24 .  109 
Doty,  David,  63-5,  70.  \?/) 

Reuben,  63, 65 

Samuel.  41 

Ellis,  42 
Dover.  7 

Dubois,  Col..  64, (!8 
Dunham,  John.  110 

Samuel,  62, 12(j 
Dutcher,  Derrick,  22 

Edgct,  Lieut..  63.  64 
Ellis.  127 

Emniott.  James,  6 
Eno.  Stephen,  91 
Evarts.  W.  M..24 
Evartson,  Jacob,  4S 

Admiral,  92 

Slaves  of,  117 

House  of.  145 
Everitt,  Dr..  139 
Equivalent  Land,  6 

Federal  Store,  125 

Co..  125 

Bridge,  125 
Filkin.  Henry,  6 
Flint,  Jabez."62,  69 
Forbes.  Samuel,  126 
Ford,  John,  63 
Foss,  Cyrus,  142 
Forge,  Dunham's,  91 
Freeman,  Robert,  32,  63 


INDEX. 


Ill 


Gale,  Justice,  115 
GalesburKh,  ifi 
Garnst'v,  John,  53,  lin 
Garretson,  Rov.  F.,  3G 
Gates,  Gen.,  04 
Gillett,  Joel,  27 

Gardiner,  27.  30 

Abner,  27,  G3,  78 
Graham,  Augustus,  G 

Colonel,  64 
Graj',  Jeouthan,  63,  67,  70 

Samuel,  62,  6^ 
Gridk'v,  Noah,  126 

N.,  &  Son,  126 

House  of.  124 

Hall,  Benjamin,  65 
Hamlin,  Deacon,  30 

Isaac,  4 
Hammond,  James,  4!» 
Harris.  Moses,  47,  (12,  66,  6S 
Harlem  Heights.  136 
H  arlem  Kiver,  128 
Ilarvev,  Joel.  52 
llatchi  Eben,  42 

Lemuel,  62 

Oliver,  62 
Hawley  A-  Co..  6 
Haven,  E.  O.,  141 

Bishop,  141 
Heathcote,  Caleb,  5,  6 
Hebard,  Keuben,  34 

Deacon,  34 

Robert,  37 

Elijah,  37 
Herrick.  Hufus,  47;  64 

Benjamin,  4i) 
Hessians,  73,  101 
Hitchcofk's  Corner,  95 
Hitchcock,  Amari.  42 

Samuel,  42 
Hinclilitre,  124 
Hott'man,  Anthony,  48 
Hollister,  Allen,  43 

Asa,  37,  63 

Benjamin,  27.  42 
Holmes,  Jehosh.,  26 

Ichabod, 63 
Horse  Neck.  108 
HOUSES,  THE  OLD,  114 
Hopkins.  Gov.  !)6 

BenjaTuin,  55,  ()2,  t'n 

IVIichael,  47,  48,  32 

Noah,  32,  62,  63 

Reuben,  48,  56,  62,  64,  67 

Roswell,  32,  43,  52.  62-4.  f, 

Stephen,  27,  32,  47,  48,  ^  7 

Weight,  32,  65,  62,  67, 
Hopkins'  Inn,  117 
Humphrey,  Col.,  65 
Hurd,  Asa,  88 

Allen,  §8,    . 
Hull,  Gen  ,84    ■• 
Huguenots.  39 
Hunting,  Is-nac,  37 

Samuel,  125 
Hunt,  A.  J.,  142      , 

A.  S  ,142' 
Hyde,  Rev.  Eli.  :W 

William,  24,  107.  109 

Independence  Fort,  67 

Mount,  64 
Independency, 31 
Indians,  11, 
Indians,  Peqnot,  3, 11 
Indian  Missions,  11, 12 


Indian  Pond,  11,  13 

Burial  Places,  13 
INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR,  73 
Ingraham,  (Jeorge,  37 

Tliomas.  37 
IRON  MAKING,  126 
Iron,  Price  of,  127 
INNS  AND  STORES,  119 

James,  G.  1).,  27 
Jamison,  David,  6 
Jackson.  Daniel,  18 
Jarvis,  Samuel,  74 
Jay,  John,  48 
Jefl'erson,  94 
Jewell,  Wm.,  36 
Jesuits,  11,  12 
Joiinson,  Judge.  78 
Johnny  Cake  Furnace  127 
Judson,  Azariah,  42 
Judson,  28 

Karner  House,  26,  98 

Kellogg,  Oliver,  42 

Ketchara,  Joseph,  64 

Kent,  Chancellor,  40 

Kent's  Parish,  4(t 

Kidder,  Rey.  Dr,  142 

Khig.  John,32 

Samuel,  32,  47-8,  52,  73 

Kingsley,  W.,  63,  70      . 

Kingston  burned,  73 

Kinney,  Stephen,  26,  37 
;  Elijah,  28 

;  Henry,  37 

\    Knapp,  James,  62 
Jones,  70 
!    Klock-s  Field.  36  ,  ^ 

!    Knibloc,  Rev.  Eben.  39,  40,  13,  116 
I  William.  40 

•i  El'iah.40 

!  John, 40 

i  Joseph,  40 

■  Stephen.  40 

!    Knickerbacker,  !',  21,  22 
j    Kneiss,  Mrs.,  141 

'    Land,  Price  of,  26,  81,  88 
i    LandoJi,  Jona  ,  66 
.{    Laselle,  Josh.,  63 
j    La-wyers,  13S 
!    Lead'  Mines,  66 
I    LEATHER,  122 

Leedsvillp,  27 
'    LEEDSVILLE  FACTORY,  124 
,  115  :-lU\       Leed^vi!].■  .Mill.loJ-i 
Leonard.  !>r.,  13» 
i  JiKlue  W.H.,.50 

Lexin^^'tuii  Battle.  News  of,  51,  61 
LIBHAin'ES  AND  SCHOOLS,  MO 
Library  Union,  140,- 
Litchfield,  16 
Livingston,  16 

Furnace  of,  127 
JVIanor  of,  14, 17 
Gilbert,  48 
Robert,  15,  45 
Henrv,  45 
i  Rev.  Dr.,  41 

JLord,  Ephraim,  62,  70 
•Lossing,  B.  J.,l3T 
SLothrop, '28.  41,42 
Walter,  42 
ton  is  XIV.,  17 
tot,  Baltus,24 
pioyd,  John,  64 


IV 


INDEX. 


Mackey,  fi2,  i>9 
McDonald,  John,  66 

Anne  66 

Burying  Groun<3,  66 
McGregor,  kob  Koy,66 
Map,  Old,  -21 
Manning,  Kev.  Dr.  o5 
MAMUFACTURES,  122 
McKendree,  Bishop,  "26 
Manheini,  17 
Marsh,  Silas,  47,  52,  73 

Kev.  Cyrus,  100 

Lawver,  100 
McNeil,  John,  65 
Marshall,  James,  6 
Mather,  Kev.  Cotton,  01 
Mauwee,  Eunice,  10 
Mead,  Job,  ;i2,  62 

Job,  Jr.,  62 

Nathan,  2(! 

Nathan,  Jr.,  32 

John  K.,  49 
Mechanics,  123 
Meeting-House,  Ked,30,  32, 3« 

Council.  31 
Merrick,  Pres.,  142 
METHOI»I.ST  SOCIETY,  ''A 
Middle  District,  48 
Militia,  63,  68,  74 
MILLS,  133 
Milk.  Job,  47-8 
Millerton,  5 
Miller,  Dr.  J..  110 
Miller,  Fite,  112 
Mile-Stones,  131 
Mile-Bo  ants.  131 
Mitchell.  J.,  t;2.  tiO 
Money,  Silver,  121 
Moravians,  11 

Missions,  AH 
Morse,  Josiah,  64 
Montgomery,  78,  48 

Nase,  Cornelius,  21 
Nase,  Henry,  20,  21,  76 

John, 21 

I'hil.,  21 

■\Villiaai,  21 

Kfjbberv  of,  76 
New  Milford,  16,  130 
Neely.  Alex..  49 

Mis,  41 
Newcomb,  80 
New  Lights,  31,  3.S,- 
Ivewman,  Josh.,  62 
NINE  PAKTNEKS,  5,15,  2(L2» 
Nciuk,  12 
North  Castle;  75 
Northeast,  13 
North,  Sclah.  124 
North  Kiver  Presbytery,  3:3 
Nor  walk,  106 
Nye,  Svlvanus,  42,  65 

'Eben,.50 

House  of,  144 

Susan, 141 

OBLONG,  5-8, 10,  15 

SOCIETY  OF,  39 
OFFICERS  IN  TlIEWAll,«; 
Orion,  Levi,  t;5 
Orange,  Prhiceof,  92 
Ore  Bed,  91.  126 
Osborn,  Kev.  J.,  33,  44 

Isaac,  62 
Quebec,  Conquest  of,  100 


^    Paine.  Abraliani,  26,  30,  32 
Abraham,  Jr..  47.  49 
Barnabas.  15.32,49,61 
'.  Brinton,  49.  (i2-6,  68 

."Maj.,  a  prisoner.  (18 
Kphraitii.  47-8,55,  61 
Jiid^re  i:phraim,  50 
Notice  (,f,  71 
Death  of  Judge,  73. 
House  of  Judge,  144 
Icbabod,  32 
'  Jusiah,  26,  32.  100,  10;; 

I  Rev.  Sol.,  31 

I  Samuel,  34 

!  Dr.,  138 

i  Genealogv  of.  100 

!    Palalines,  1(!,  17 
i  Elecior,  17 

I    Palmer,  A.  VV.,  49 
j  James,  34,  74 

I    Park,  Rufus,  124 
;  :  Elijah  B..  126 

i    Parsonage  Farm,  42 
i    Pawling  Encampment,  73 
I    Peck,  Rev.  J.  M.,  35 
j    Pennoyer,  Amos,  63,  67,  70 
I  Jesse.  63,  69 

,  John,' 27 

I  Josei)li,  47.  <;r, 

I    Perlee,  Edmund.  47,  62,  65 

Henry.  136 
;    Perry,  Thos.  W.,  rri) 
j     Piatt.  Jud^e.  73 
j     I'laster,  134 

Pleasant,  Name,  133 
!    PLKIXJE,  P.VTKIUTIC.  51 
j     Pitts.  Philip.  47 

Philip-s  Manor.  40 
j    Plymouth  Hill,  si 
I    Porter,  Job,  27 
I  Daniel,  27 

i    Post-Offlces,  13  J 
Post  Riders,  130 
Powel,Rev.  J.,  12     - 
Powers,  Frederick,  39 
Jacob,  62 
Peter,  -37 
Ruth,  34 
Rev.  H.  N.,  142 
Population.  41.42 
Rural,  123 
Preston  Plains,  40 
Prince  Edward,  40 
PROFESSIONAL  MEN,  130 
Protestants,  French,  23 
Puritans,  32,  39 

Rav,  Silas,  62,69 
Reed,  Eliakim.  42,  65 

Elijah.  42 

Ezra,  42.  48 

Jamts,  42.  (;2,  Cl-fi,  f^< 

Store  of,  120 

House  of,  144 

(iershom,  42,  65 

Josiah  .M.,  126 

N.  R.,  House  of,  144 

William,  97 

Samui-1,  62 

Silas,  62 

Simeon,  62 
Reading,  lu(; 

RECOKI*.  JUDICIAL,  115 
RESIDENTS.  EARLY,  77 
Reinke,  Rev.  A.,  13,  26 
Reynolds,  G.  G.,  50 


INDEX. 


Rovnulds.  Joua,  47 

Hciiscot,  l4o 
KPciemptidiiists.  H7 
KELUIIOUS  S(X"IKTIES.HJ> 
HEVOLl  TlONAUY  WAR,  ol 
KcvoliitKiii  <ry  SoKiicrs,  b2 
Kice,  Kcv.  P..  3(i 
HOHHEiaES,7(i.  86 
Kodgers,  Dr.  J.,  41 

Ichahod,  47 
Kose,  Kc-v.  I).,  41 
K<)\v,  Conrad,  42 

N'icholas.  20,  42 

.Suns  of.  20 

Saimiol.  42 

I'hilip.  hi  J 
Kows,  ralati)n.'s,20 
Rouli.  Johan.,  20 
Rowk'v,  28 

Daniol.  42 
ROLL  OF  HOKOR,  53,  55 
Rudd,  Hezak-el,  27,  62.  70 
Riimhoiit,  l;« 
Kiuidall,  David.  35,  37,  62,  7<i 

Jacob,  136 
KiissiL,  Samuei,  136 

Sackctt,  Ezekiel,  42 

Dr.  John,  15.  16 
Richard,  14.  15.  Hi 
Cliildren  of,  15 
Books  of,  16 
«irave  of.  145 
.St.  John,  Ezra.  63 
Salisbury.  John,  27 
SEMINARY,  AMENI  A.  -w,  141- 
Saratoua,  67 
Scatacook,  10,  11,  12 
Schuvler.  (ien.,  70 
SETTLEMENTS,  FIRST,  14 
St'di;"vvick,  John,  64 
Scnatf,  :Mfnibers  of,  48 
Schools,  Couniiiin,  140 
Separatists,  31.  32,  ;J8 
Separate,  M.  H.,  ;i8,  145 
SLAVERY,  82,  110,117,  118 
Slason,  I'fter,  52 
Sutherland,  David,  63 

R..,i;cr.  37.62 
SOLDIERS,  INDIVIDUAL.  ti7 
Soldiers.  1812,  136 

of  Sharon.  75 
.Spencer.  Alexander,  42,  62.  t;,s 

Ambrose,  son  of,  4:) 

Ambrose,  Jun..  44,  I3(; 

Mark,  129 
Spencer  Corner,  !)0 
.Spies,  74 
Shepherd,  Daniel,  63 

Jona.,  32,  34 

Samuel,  32,  47 
Sherman,  W.  49 
Sheep  in  Dutchess,  134 
Shevalier,  Ellas,  32 

Deacon,  34 

Peter,  32. 

Richard,  34 
Showerman,  A.,  24 
Shunpike ,  131 
Smith.  Elijah,  63 

Gov.,  93.  96 

Isaac,  28. 49.  53,  125 

James,  53 

Joel,  37 

Lawrence,  125 

Plait.  49 
Sniithfield  Society,  3K 


I    Snyder.  Samuel,  20 
I    Stt'btiins'  Corner,  106 

Steel  Works,  14,  127,  133, 136 
Snpervis(jrs,  47 
Square.  lo9 
Swift,  E.  M.,  50 

Kev.  Job,  38 

Judah,  5t),  52,  65 

Moses,  42 

Keubeii,  42 

Seth,  4-J 
Scythes,  Price  of,  127 

Taber,  William,  127 
Tannery,  114.  123 
Tecumtiia,  84 
Teller,  Dr.  A.,  64 
Ten  •Mile  River,  10 
Ten  Eyck,  Henry,  6 
Thompson,  Ezra,  66,  85 

lienajah,  49 
TIMES,  AMENIA,  143 
Ticonderoga,89 
Toby,  Elisha,  42 
TORIES  IN  DUTCHESS,  75,  8t; 
Tower  Hill,  l(i2 
TOWN  MEETING,   FIRST,  4<; 
TRAVEL,  ROUTES  OF.  131 
True,  Prof.  C.  K.,  141 
Trumbull,  11 
Trumbull,  75 
Turnpike,  Dutchess,  131 

i    Van  Camp,  J.,  22 
Vanernom,  I  ,  27 
Valley  Forge,  69 
Vermont,  Name  of,  46 

Walworth,  Chancellor,  24,  109 
Warren,  James,  81 

Stephen, >*%. 65    /  ,   .^-'t 
Warner.  Seth,  63,  67 
Washburn,  Miles,  47 
Wardwell,  Allen,  36 
WAR  OF  1812,  130 
Washington,  lien.,  74 
Washiac,  10,  14, 15 
Wassaic  Creek,  14 

Furnace,  126 
Waterman,  41,  42,  143 
Waters,  Samuel,  63,  64, 115 
Waantununck  River.  14 
Wakely,  Rev.  Dr.,  36 
Weebutook,  10 
Wells,  Selah,  37 

Josh.,  37 
Westtield  Society,  37 
Westfield,  F.A.,68 
Wequagnock.  11 
Wheeler,  F^lijah,  48 

J.  M„  97 

Noah,  62,  63,  67 

lien  son  H.,  97 

Timothy,  37 

Thomas,  27 

Burial  Place,  14(i 
Wheat,  120 
Whitefield,  32,  38 
Willett,  Gilbert,  7,  113 

Marinus,68,  89, 113 
Willson,  Robert,  32,  37,  125 

Thomas,  37 
Winchell,  Prof.  Alexander,  142 
Winchester,  A.,  42 
Winegar,  Conrad,  19,  40,47, 115 

Garrett,  16,  18-9,  62,  69 

Hendrick.  19 


VI 


INDEX. 


Winegar,  House  of,  144 
Samuel  S.,  19 
Uldrick,  16,  19,  145 
Eve,  Grave  of,  146 

Wolcott,  28,47,  133 

Wolfe,  Gen  ,  106 

Woolse}'.  28 


Wood,  Rev.  E.,;«.  34,74 
Worthlngton.  Rev.  W.,  !)6 
Wyoming,  79,  y.j,  113 

Young,  l)r.  Thos.,  20, 45-6,  106 
William.  42 


Erratum.— On  page  88,  line  6,  read  two  dollars  and  a  half,  instead  of  ten  dollars  and  a  half. 


INTEODUCTION. 


The  histoi-y  of  a  rural  town  not  only  gratifies  a  most 
reasonable  curiosity,  but  possesses  a  positive  value  as  a 
source  from  which  is  drawn  the  history  of  the  State  ; 
and  there  is  a  peculiar  importance  belonging  to  the 
records  of  those  towns,  which  had  their  beginning  at 
the  commencement  of  our  national  life.  The  peoplo, 
who  laid  the  foundations  of  these  small  communities, 
were  laying  the  foundations  of  a  great  nation,  and  in  no 
age  or  country,  has  the  character  of  a  nation  been  so 
greatly  formed  by  the  people,  in  their  primary  associa- 
tions. Any  careful  record  of  these  communities  will 
become  more  valuable  as  it  grows  older. 

In  making  a  memorial  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Amenia,  and  of  their  first  civil  and  social  institutions, 
I  propose  to  present  only  those  things,  worthy  of  record, 
which  would  soon  be  out  of  the  reach  of  any  historical 
research,  and  without  attempting  to  bring  the  record 
down  to  the  present  time,  either  of  the  events  of  general 
interest,  or  of  particular  families. 


INTRODUCTION. 


There  is  no  need,  in  such  a  work,  of  describing  those 
physical  features  of  the  country,  wnich  remain  un- 
changed, nor  of  introducing  any  part  of  general  history, 
which  may  be  found  in  books,  accessible  to  the  ordinary 
reader. 

Those,  in  whose  interest  this  work  is  undertaken, 
need  not  be  told  that  the  sources  of  information  are  very 
unfruitful.  There  is  a  surprising  absence  of  any  written 
memorials  of  those  families,  which  were  earliest  here. 
They  were  men  of  toil,  and  not  literary,  or  disposed  to 
keep  a  record  of  their  uneventful  lives  ;  and  their  se- 
cluded location  was  so  far  removed  from  any  scenes  of 
historic  interest,  that  these  memorials, — which  hardly 
come  up  to  the  dignity  of  history — will  be  of  interest  to 
only  a  few,  besides  the  residents  here,  and  the  descend- 
ants of  the  earlier  inhabitants. 

The  difficulty  of  finding  exact  data,  and  the  desire 
to  be  as  accurate  as  possible,  and  to  be  brief,  are  the 
reasons  why  so  much  time  and  research  should  be  ne- 
cessary for  so  small  a  work.  The  writer  expects  to  be 
reminded  of  some  errors,  and  of  many  unavoidable 
omissions. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  LIMITS. 


The  Frecinct  of  Amenia  was  to  consist  of  the  nine 
easternmost  tier  of  lots  of  the  Lower  or  Great  Nine 
Partners,  and  of  that  part  of  the  Oblong,  lying  between 
these  lots  and  the  Connecticut  line.  This  included  the 
present  town  of  Amenia  and  all  that  part  of  the  present 
town  of  Northeast,  south  of  a  line  running  through  the 
northern  part  of  the  present  village  of  Millerton.  The 
tovm  of  Amenia,  when  organized,  had  the  same  geo- 
graphical limits. 

NINE  PARTNERS. 

The  Great  Nine  Partners  Patent  was  granted  in 
1697  to  Caleb  Heathcote,  and  others,  and  it  covered  the 
territory  very  nearly,  which  is  now  included  in  the 
towns  of  CHnton,  Pleasant  Valley,  Washington,  Stan- 
ford, Amenia,  except  the  Oblong,  and  the  south  part  of 
Northeast,  except  the  Oblong.  This  grant  was  made 
before  the  Oblong  was  ceded  to  New  York,  and  was 
bounded  east  by  what  was  then  the  colony  line. 

This  patent  was  divided  into  thirty-six  principallots, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AIVIENIA. 


besides  nine  narrow  water  lots,  which  extended  to  the 
Hudson  Eiver,  across  the  southern  part  of  the  town  of 
Hyde  Park,  and  the  "nine  easternmost  lots,"  Nos.  28  to 
36,  were  allotted  one  to  each  of  the  nine  proprietors.  The 
south  lot  in  the  tier.  No.  28,  was  allotted  to  Augustus 
Graham,  No.  29  to  John  Aretson,  No.  30  to  Henry 
Filkin,  No.  31  to  Caleb  Heathcote,  No.  32  to  James 
Emmott,  33  to  Wilham  Creed,  34  to  David  Jamison,  35 
to  James  Marshall,  and  36  to  Hendrick  Ten  Eyck.  The 
lots  were  nearly  equal,  containicg  about  3,400  acres, 
varying  somewhat  according  to  the  quality  of  the  land. 
The  Little  Nine  Partners  tract  was  north  of  this, 
and  corresponded  nearly  with  the  towns  of  Milan,  Pine 
Plains,  and  th(3  northwest  part  of  Northeast.  This  pat- 
ent was  granted  to  Sampson  Boughton  and  othersiu 
1706. 

"  THE    OBLONG." 

•'The  Oblong,"  or  "Equivalent  Land,"  ceded  to 
New  York  by  Connecticut,  after  years  of  controversy, 
in  1731 — 61,440  acres — was  580  rods  in  width,  and  was 
divided  into  two  tiers  of  square  lots,  called  500  acres 
each,  though  exceeding  that.  It  was  sold  by  the  colon- 
ial government  of  New  York  to  Hawley  &  Co.,  and  al- 
lotments made  to  the  individuals  of  the  Company,  and 
by  them  sold  to  emigrants,  "who  received  a  guarantee 
of  title  from  the  colonial  government."  "It  was  this 
security  of  title,  which  caused  these  lots  to  be  eagerly 
sought  after  by  emigrants,"  The  Crown  also  gave  a 
deed  of  these  lands  to  an  English  company,  which  en- 
deavored to  maintain  its  claim  in  the  English  court  of 
chancery,  and  the  suit  was  brought  to  an  end  only  by 
the  Revolutionary  war. 

This  land  was  surveyed  and  divided  by  Cadwallader 
Golden,  Surveyor-General  and  Lieutenant  Governor  of 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


New  York,  who  was  one  of  the  Commissioners.  Another  of 
the  Commissioners  was  Gilbert  Willett.  They  became 
owners  of  some  of  the  land.  The  Oblong  lots,  included 
in  Amenia,  were  nnmbers  43  to  72. 

The  name  "  Oblong," — at  first  applied  to  the  whole 
tract — became  after  a  few  years  limited  to  that  valley 
in  Amenia,  of  six  or  seven  miles  in  extent,  now  Amenia 
Union  and  South  Amenia. 

The  history  of  this  controversy  is  this.  In  1664,  it 
was  agreed  between  the  two  colonies  that  the  boundary 
line  should  run  from  a  certain  point  on  Long  Island 
Sound  no'i  th-north-west  to  the  Massachusetts  line  ;  both 
parties  then  understanding  that  this  line  would  be  par- 
allel to  the  Hudson  Eiver,  and  twenty  miles  from  it, 
which  was  the  acknowledged  limit  of  the  two  colonies. 
This  was  when  the  whole  country  north  of  Long  Island 
Sound  was  an  unknown  land,  and  there  was  great  mis- 
conception of  the  points  of  the  compass  ;  for  this  direc- 
tion would  lead  to  the  Hudson  Eiver  below  "West  Point. 

When  this  error,  which  both  parties  recognized,  was 
made  apparent,  it  was  agreed  to  rectify  ic.  But  the 
people  who  had  s^ettled  on  lands  defined  by  that  bound- 
ary very  earnestly  desired  to  retain  their  civil  connec- 
tion with  the  Connecticut  colony ;  it  was  therefore 
agreed  by  that  colony  to  cede  to  New  York  sm  eqidvaleni 
in  territorial  extent,  equal  to  the  present  towns  of 
Greenwich,  Stamford,  New  Canaan,  and  Darien,  an  area 
12  miles  by  8 — 61,440  acres. 

The  agreement  was  completed  and  subscribed  by 
the  Commissioners  at  Dover*  on  the  14th  of  May,  1731, 
after  the  entire  survey  had  been  made  by  them,  and 
the  monuments  set  up. 

*  Dover  is  spoken  of  by  the  Commissioners  m  their  report  as  a  village,  the  only  one 
on  the  west  side  if  the  Oblong  ;  and  Ridgefield  and  New  Milt<.i\I  the  only  villages  on  the 
east  side. 


8  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA. 


The  survey  was  made  by  runniDg  a  random  line 
from  a  given  point  to  the  Massachusetts'  boundary  and 
the  true  boundary  between  New  York  and  Connecticut, 
was  found  by  perpendicular  surveys  from  this  random 
line.  This  accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  monuments, 
which  mark  the  boundary  line  between  the  two  states, 
are  not  in  a  true  line,  which  has  excited  a  vexatious  con- 
troversy for  so  many  years  and  is  not  even  yet  settled.* 


*  The  Governor  of  Connecticut,  in  his  recent  message,  calied  the   attention  of  the 
Legislature  to  this  subject. 


ASPECT  OF  THE  COUNTEY. 


There  was  not  an  unbroken  forest  here  when  the 
first  settlers  came  ;  as  the  fires  of  the  Indians,  in  their 
pursuit  of  game,  had  destroyed  the  timber  on  the  dry 
lands,  except  a  few  isolated  specimens  of  oak,  white 
wood,  and  wild  cherry,  some  of  which  attained  great 
size.  On  the  plains  there  were  scattered  small  oaks, 
wliich  had  sprung  up  after  the  fires,  and  by  the  creeks, 
and  in  wet  lands,  there  were  large  button-wood 
and  black-ash  trees  ;  and  all  the  streams  were  overhung 
with  a  mass  of  alders  and  willows.  The  mountains,  it 
has  been  said,  were  covered  with  a  less  dense  growth 
of  wood  than  at  present.  It  is  evident  that  in  the  val- 
leys, the  white  wood  or  tulip  tree,  and  tlie  wild  cherry 
have  given  place  to  other  trees,  as  the  elm  ;  and  that  on 
the  mountains,  the  chestnut  has  greatly  increased.  The 
mountains,  being  burned  over  also  by  the  Indians,  were 
so  bare,  that  the  wild  deer  were  plainly  seen  from  the 
valleys  below. 


10  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


There  were  but  few  of  the  large  wild  animals  ;  only  a 
few  deer,  and  an  occasional  otter  in  the  creeks,  and 
very  rarely  a  wolf. 

The  principal  stream,  called  in  Dover,  the  "  Ten- 
Mile  Eiver,"  and  .in  Amenia,  the  "  Oblong  Eiver," 
was  called  by  the  Indians  the  Weebutook,^  and  its 
largest  tributary  from  the  west  in  this  town  was  called 
by  them  the  *'  Wassaic."t  These  streams  were  stocked 
with  herring,  and  were  frequented  by  great  numbers  of 
minks,  and  were  the  resort  and  breeding  place  of  wild 
ducks. 


•  Weebutook  signified  "Beautiful  Hunting  Ground.'  This  is  the  interpretation 
flven  by  Eunice  Mauv.-ee,  grand-daughter  of  the  Chief,  Gideon  Mauwee,  of  the  Scatacook 
tribe  of  Indians,  in  Kent,  Coun.    It  was  she  who  attained  the  age  of  102  years. 

t  The  Indian  word  "Wassaic  is  understood  to  signify  "  Difficult,"  or  requiring  hard 
labor,  perhaps  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  access  to  the  stream  in  its  rocky  chasm.  In 
1703,  it  was  written  "  Washiack."    The  village  of  Wassaic  was  so  called  in  1843. 


THE  INDIANS. 


When  the  first  settlers  came,  tliey  found  several 
scattered  remnants  of  the  Pequot  Indians,"  who  had 
their  hunting  grounds  up  and  down  these  valleys. 
They  had  a  village  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town, 
on  the  west  side  of  Indian  Pond,  called  Wequagnoch, 
a  settlement  called  Checomico,  near  Pine  Plains,  and  at 
Scatacook,  in  Kent,  Conn.,  there  was  a  considerable 
bribe.  There  was  constant  intercourse  between  these 
liiferent  settlements,  and  frequent  migrations  from  one 
to  the  other. 

The  remarkable  labors  of  the  Moravian  missionaries 
among  these  Indians  began  in  1740,  and  were  attended 
with  very  evident  success,  but  the  missionaries  were  so 
annoyed,  and  their  people,  by  the  officers  of  the  colon- 
ial government  that  in  a  very  few  years  they  were 
Iriven  out  of  the  state.+  These  worthy  christian  labor- 
3rs  were  charged  with  being  Jesuits,  and  emissaries  of 


*  That  they  -vvcre  Pequots  is  genorally  accepted,  on  the  authority  of  the  accurate 
listorian  Trumbull. 

t  These  exiles  ^t-nt  first  to  Bethlehem,  i'erii..  under  the  friendly  care  of  the  Breth- 
ren, and  thence  to  Canada. 

*2 


12  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  ASfENIA. 

the  French,  a  most  odious  and  unreasonable  imputation. 

It  may  be  some  palliation  of  this  excessive  jealousy, 
that  the  missionaries  were  foreigners,  and  that  this  was 
a  period  of  our  country's  history  when  the  French  in 
Canada  were  sending  their  emissaries — especially  the 
Jesuits — to  the  Indians  on  our  northern  borders  to  ex- 
cite them  against  the  English  and  the  colonies  ;  though 
there  is  no  reason  now  to  believe  that  the  influence  of 
these  emissaries  extended  to  the  scattered  and  feeble 
bands  of  Indians  in  this  part  of  the  state.  It  should 
be  noted  also  that  it  was  not  by  the  local  authorities, 
that  the  missionaries  were  disturbed,  for  they  were  held 
in  high  esteem  by  their  English  neighbors."^ 

There  was  not  only  no  outbreak  here  between  the 
Indians  and  the  whites,  but  they  lived  in  perfect  friend- 
ship, and  the  rights  of  the  Indians  were  faithfully 
guarded  by  the  stronger  and  more  sagacious  party. 

After  the  Christian  Indians  had  been  driven  out  by 
the  state,  the  Scatacooksof  Connecticut  continued  their 
annual  excursions  through  the  valleys  of  Amenia  till 
after  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  until 
the  last  remnant  of  the  tribe  had  sunk  into  idleness 
and  intoxication. t 

After  the  dispersion  of  the  Indians,  one  of  the  Mo- 
ravian missionaries — Eev.  Joseph  Powell — ministered 
to  a  congregation  of  the  early  settlers  at  the  station 
in  Amenia,  near  Indian  Pond,  where  he  died  in  1774, 
He  was  buried  there,  with  some  of  his  people,  on  the 
field  of  his  labors,  in  the  burying  ground  of  the  breth- 
ren, near  their  house  of  worship.     Here  also  the  monu- 

*  A  valuable  and  pleasing  history  of  these  Moravian  missionaries  was  prepared  by 
Rev.  Sheldon  Davis  in  1858,  the  original  manuscript  journal  ot  the  missionaries  having  then 
recently  been  discovered  in  the  historical  archives  of  the  Brethren  at  Bethlehem. 

t  At  a  place  by  the  river,  called  the  "  Nook,"  near  South  Amenia,  the  Indians  -were 
accustomed  to  hold  their  noisy  "  pow-wows."  There  were  a  few  Indian  wigwams  near  the 
outlet  of  Swift's  Pond. 


THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  13 


mental  stone  says  James  Alworth  died,  1786,  aged  73, 
Mary  Alworth  died,  1797,  aged  79  (and  others).  This 
ground,  consecrated  by  missionary  work  and  christian 
burial,  is  on  the  farm  of  Col.  Hiram  Clark,  in  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Northeast,  not  far  east  of  his  house  and  on 
the  west  side  of  Indian  Pond."* 

Eev.  Abraham  Eeinke,  another  of  the  Moravian 
Brethren,  ministered  to  the  people,  in  different  parts  of 
the  town,  before  the  settlement  of  a  pastor. 

*  Several  Indian  burial  plaws  are  spoken  of  in  tradition;  one  on  lands  of  Myron  B. 
Benton;  another  where  that  old  burving  ground  lies,  near  Amasa  1).  (Coleman's,  still  the 
burial  place  ot  families  in  that  vicinity.  Besdes  these  it  has  often  happened  that  bones, 
cvidentlv  of  Indian  remains,  have  been  disinterred  in  the  Oblong  valley. 


FIEST  SETTLEMENTS. 


^  MR.  SACKETT. 

Mr.  Richard  Sackett*  was  here  several  years  before 
any  other  settlement  was  made,  though  the  precise 
year  when  he  brought  his  family  is  not  known.  The 
place  now  known  as  the  "  Steel  Works,"  on  the  Wassaic 
creek  and  the  Harlem  Railroad,  was  the  place  where  he 
made  his  settlement,  which  is  said  to  have  been  pre- 
vious to  1711.  In  the  Colonial  Records,  we  read  ; 
"  March  11,  1703,  Richard  Sackett  petitioned  govern- 
ment  for  license  to  purchase  (of  the  Indians)  a  tract  of 
land  in  Dutchess  county,  east  of  Hudson's  river,  called 
Washiack."  "  Oct.  20,  1703,  License  granted."  "  Nov. 
2, 1704,  Patent  to  Richard  Sackett  &  Co.  f«)r  said  land, 
containing  about  7,500  acres,  or  thereabouts."  "  April 
10, 1706,  Patent  to  Sampson  Boughton  &  Co.  for  a  tract 
of  land  joining  on  north  side  of  above  patent,  and  ex- 
tending east  to  the  colony  line  of  Conn,  and  Waanti- 
nunk  river,  and  north  to  the  manor  of  Livingston." 

*  He  is  called  by  tradition  "  Captain  "  Sackett,  but  in  all  the  old  public  documents,  he 
Is  mentioned  as  "Mr."  Sackett. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  15 

Mr.  Sackett  was  a  resident  of  New  York  city,  when 
he  obtained  the  license  and  patent  of  1703  and  1704.  In 
1711  and  1712,  he  was  one  of  the  commissioners  with 
Mr.  Robert  Livingston,  in  settling  the  Palatines,  at 
East  Camp,  or  Germantown.  This  occupied  so  much 
of  these  two  years,  that  he  could  not  have  spent  much 
of  his  time  at  his  new  home  at  Washiack. 

The  patent  of  1704—"  7,500  acres,  or  thereabouts  " 
— must  have  been  covered  by  the  Great  Nine  Partners' 
Grant,  which  was  made  May  27,  1697,  making  Mr. 
Sackett's  subsequent  title  invalid. 

The  patent  of  April  10,  1706,  to  Sampson  Boughton 
&  Co.,  was  that  of  Little  Nine  Partners,  and  Mr.  Sackett 
was  one  of  the  nine. 

In  1726,  Mr.  Sackett  made  application  to  the  Con- 
necticut Legislature  for  license  to  purchase  of  the  In- 
dians a  tract  of  land  in  the  west  part  of  the  town  of 
Sharon.  But  his  petition  was  denied,  though  repeated 
several  times. 

He  was  never  able  to  maintain  his  title  to  any  of  the 
Oblong  lots,  nor  could  his  heirs,  though  his  son — Dr 
John  Sackett — attempted,  in  1750,  under  the  grant  of 
7,500  acres,  to  hold  some  of  these  lands  against  Lieut. - 
Gov.  Colden  and  others.^' 

Mr.  Sackett  died  1746,  and  was  buried  on  the  hill, 
not  far  from  his  place  of  residence,  in  a  little  cemetery, 
now  greatly  neglected.  There  is  no  stone  to  mark  his 
grave. t 

He  had  three  sons  and  two  daughters..'!:  To  his  son. 
Dr.  John  Sackett,  he  gave,  by  his  will,  the  homestead, 

*  Lot  No.  45  of  the  Ob!ong,  which  was  near  Mr.  Sackett's  place,  was  allotted  to  Gov. 
CoMen,  who  made  the  survey  of  the  Oblong,  and  was  given  by  him  to  his  son,  Alexander 
Colden,  who,  in  1750,  re-surveyed  lots  43,  44,  45,  and  46. 

t  Barnabas  Paine,  Esq.,  saj^s  in  his  manuscript  that  he  had  several  times  visited  the 
grave  of  Mr.  Sackett  in  that  place,  but  now  no  stone  can  be  found  there  which  identifies  the 
grave. 

t  The  children  of  Mr.  Sackett  were  Richard,  John,  Josiah  Crego,  Mary  and  Catherine- 
The  last  of  the  family  that  left  here ,  grand-sons  of  Mr.  Sackett,  went  to  Eenuselaer  Co. 


16  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENTA. 

orchard,"  and  meadows,  and  improved  lands,  and  also 
his  books.f  To  his  son  Eichard,  he  gave  two  hundred 
acres  of  land,  above  his  equal  share,  "  as  being  his 
eldest  son."  These  bequests  of  land  show  Mr.  Sackett's 
own  estimate  of  his  titles,  some  of  which,  at  least,  proved 
to  be  empty. 

It  may  be  supposed,  that  Mr.  Sackett,  being  much 
associated  with  Mr.  Livingston,  and  observing  his  suc- 
cess in  acquiring  a  large  landed  estate,  was  encouraged 
to  enter  upon  a  similar  course.  There  is  nothing,  how- 
ever, in  the  history  of  these  transactions  that  appears 
unwortliy  of  an  honorable  man.  Gov.  Hunter,  in  1712. 
— to  the  Home  Government — commends  Mr.  Sackett's 
"  diligence  and  indastrj',"  and  says,  "  and  he  well  dp- 
serves  a  reward,  to  which  I  humbly  recommend  him." 

At  the  time  Mr.  Sackett  established  liis  family  in 
Amenia,  there  was  not  another  white  famil}^  in  the 
county  nearer  than  Poughkeepsie,  and  the  whole  popu- 
lation of  Dutchess  county,  then  including  Putnam,  was 
only  about  450.  There  was  no  settlement  in  the  ad- 
joining county  of  Litchfield,  in  Connecticut,  except  in 
Woodbury  and  New  Milford.ij: 

THE  WINEGARS. 

In  1724,  Capt.  Garret  Winegar  came  to  Amenia 
Union  from  the  East  Camp,  now  Germantown,  in  Co- 
lumbia county,  on  the  Hudson  river.  His  father,  Ul- 
drick  Winegar,  then  seventy-two  years  old,  came  with 
him.  They  were  of  those  Palatines,  who  were  forced 
out,  destitute,  from  their  native  country,  in  the  interior 

*  This  orchard  was  celebrated  long  after.— One  tree  is  left. 

t  These  books,  some  of  which  were  on  subjects  of  National  History,  show  the  literary 
disposition  of  the  family.  They  were  presented  by  Dr.  John  Sackett  to  Dr.  Reuben  Allerton , 
and  after  his  death  they  were  taken  by  his  son,  Dr.  Cornelius  Allerton. 

t  There  were  twelve  families  in  New  Milford  in  1712 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  17 


of  Germany,  out  of  revenge  by  Louis  XIV.,  and  were 
befriended  by  the  English  government,  which  gave  them 
lands  in  this  new  country,  and  for  some  time  a  free 
subsistence.  "  The  Elector  Palatine,  the  head  of  the 
little  state,  having  deserted  the  cause  of  France,  orders 
were  given  to  lay  waste  his  country.  The  cruel  edict 
was  fearfully  executed  ;  two  cities  and  twenty-five  vil- 
lages were  reduced  to  ashes,  and  their  innocent  inhabi- 
tants were  left  to  perish  by  cold  and  hunger." 

A  part  of  these  people,  brought  to  America  by  the 
friendly  ships  of  Great  Britain,  were  placed  at  the 
Camp,  where  six  thousand  acres  of  land  were  divided  to 
their  several  families,  and  they  were  supplied  also  by 
the  royal  bounty  of  Queen  Anne"^  with  present  subsist- 
ence, with  horses  and  cattle,  and  all  those  implements 
which  are  necessary  for  the  successful  prosecution  of 
their  future  industries.  It  was  expected  that  there 
would  be  some  return  to  the  government  for  these 
favors  in  the  production  by  the  colonists  of  naval  stores, 
hemp,  tar,  pitch,  and  pine  lumber. 

The  six  thousand  acres  now  the  town  of  German- 
town  was  a  part  of  the  manor  of  Livingston,  and  was 
released  to  the  Crown  by  Mr.  Livingston  for  this  pur- 
pose, that  it  might  be  the  home  of  these  refugees. 
Many  of  the  Palatines  were  located  in  other  parts  of 
the  state.t 

This  settlement  was  made  in  1710  ;  and  in  1724,  Mr. 
Winegar,  probably  through  some  discontent,  was  led  to 
seek  a  home  in  this  unoccupied  region.      The  cause  of 

♦  One  of  the  royal  gifts  of  Queen  Anne  was  a  church  for  their  worship. 

t  The  Upper  Palatinate  was  a  small  state,  Ij-insr  on  both  sides  of  the  Rhine,  having 
Manheim  for  its  capital.  In  1674,  the  whole  of  it  was  rendered  almost  desolate  by  the 
troops  of  Louis  XIV.,  who  had  no  better  motive  than  that  the  invaded  provmce  Avas  part  of 
the  empire  with  which  he  was  then  at  war,  and  next,  that  the  inhal)itants  were  almost  all 
Protestants.  Abont  2,700  Palatines,  who  had  sought  refuge  in  England,  were  serit  to 
America  by  the  British  government  in  1710.  They  were  mostly  German  Keformed,  or 
Presbyterian. 


18  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

discontent  was  this.  The  colonists  complained  of  un- 
reasonable exaction  upon  their  productive  iudustrj,  and 
that  the  royal  bounty  of  food  was  unjustly  withheld 
from  them  by  the  commissioners,  some  of  whom  seem 
to  have  made  too  great  a  profit  out  of  these  subsidies. 

It  is  a  reasonable  conjecture  that  Mr.  Winegar's 
acquaintance  with  Mr.  Sackett  at  the  Camp  may  have 
led  him  to  come  to  Amenia,  and  it  is  evident  tiiat  he 
was  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  independence  and  enterprise, 
and  not  by  any  desire  for  speculation. 

He  entered  upon  land  at  Amenia  Union — where  he 
built  his  house — without  any  title,  except  from  the  In- 
dians, and  afterwards,  when  the  Oblong  was  confirmed 
to  New  York,  and  surveyed,  he  received  a  title  from  the 
proprietor  of  those  lots  at  a  reasonai)le  price. 

In  1739  Mr.  Winegar  purchased  of  Daniel  Jackson 
300  or  400  acres  of  land  in  Connecticut,  adjoining  his 
own,  and  removed  into  the  house  built  by  Mr.  Jackson 
on  the  hill  above  the  site  of  the  brick  factory,  thus  be- 
coming a  citizen  of  the  town  of  Sharon.  He  had  built 
a  mill  at  a  place  above  the  present  mill  sites  of  the 
place,  which  was  the  first  mill  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
ty, and  the  first  building  erected  in  the  town  of  Sharon. 

The  character  of  Mr.  Winegar  for  honesty  was  pro- 
verbial. He  lived  on  the  most  friendly  terms  with  the 
Indians,  by  whom  he  was  regarded  with  the  greatest  re- 
spect, and  whom  he  several  times  defended  against  the 
injustice  of  their  white  neighbors  ;  and  it  is  said  that  he 
gave  his  children  charge  at  his  death  that  they  should 
never  allow  the  Indians  to  go  from  their  doors  in  want 
of  food. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  there  is  no  mention  of  any 
block-house,  or  any  defense  against  the  Indians,  put  up 
by  these  early  settlers,  notwithstanding  they  were  sur- 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  19 

rounded  by  large  numbers  of  them,  and  were  isolated 
for  many  years  from  any  other  white  settlements  ;  while 
in  Litchfield,  between  1720  and  1730,  there  were  five 
houses  surrounded  by  palisades,  and  "soldiers  were 
stationed  there  to  guard  the  inhabitants  while  at  work 
and  at  worship  on  the  Sabbath." 

Mr.  Winegar  died  in  1755  in  the  midst  of  his  enter- 
prises. He  made  provision  in  his  will  for  his  fourteen 
children,  and  also  made  special  and  kind  mention  of  his 
servant  "Tom."  His  father,  Uldrick  Winegar,  had 
died  in  1754,  aged  102  years.  Their  graves  and  those 
of  many  of  their  descendants,  are  in  that  well-chosen 
burial  place  near  Amenia  Union. 

Hendrick  Winegar,-=^  the  oldest  son  of  Capt.  Garret, 
had  his  residence  for  several  years  near  the  foot  of  the 
west  mountain,  and  in  1761  he  built  the  large  stone  and 
brick  house  a  short  distance  west  of  Amenia  Union. 
He  was  the  ancestor  of  the  families  of  that  name  in 
Kent,  Conn. 

Uldrick,  another  son,  was  the  grandfather  of  Capt. 
Samuel  Snyder  Winegar,  Conrad  Winegar,  another 
son  of  Garret,  was  a  magistrate  and  public-spirited  cit- 
izen in  the  town.  His  antique  and  quaint-looking  old 
house,  which  stood  near  the  rocks  in  rear  of  Samuel 
Hitchcock's  house,  remained  till  about  1820.  His  only 
son,  Gerhard,  or  Garret,  the  grandfather  of  Garret  H., 
was  an  officer  in  the  Eevolution,  and  died  before  the 
close  of  the  war.  Esq.  Winegar  held  a  valuable  tract  of 
land,  extending  from  the  highest  point  of  the  east 
mountain  to  that  of  the  west.  The  wife  of  Capt.  John 
Boyd  and  the  wife  of  Col.  Colbe  Chamberlain  were 
daughters  of  Esq.  Winegar. 

One  of  the  daughters  of  Capt.  Garrett  Winegar  was 

♦  He  was  called  Ensign  Wineffar. 

^3 


20  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


the  wife  of  Nicholas  Row,  Sen.  Another  was  the  wife 
of  Dr.  Thomas  Young,  who  will  be  mentioned  again. 

Lieutenant  Samuel  Snyder,  who  was  one  of  the  Pa- 
latines, and  came  here  with  them,  was  the  brother-in-law 
of  Garret  VVinegar,  and  his  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
Henry  Nase. 

His  house  was  where  John  D.  Barnum  lives.  He 
was  95  years  old  when  he  died  in  1808.  Here  is  now 
(1875),  planted  by  him,  the  first  pear  tree  grown  in  this 
part  of  the  land. 

THE  ROWS. 

The  Rows  were  also  Germans,  and  are  supposed  to 
have  been  also  of  the  Palatines,  and  to  have  come  to 
this  place  soon  after  the  Winegars  and  previous  to  1731. 
See  old  map  of  Nine  Partners. 

"  Johannes  Rouh  died  in  1768,  aged  72  years."  He 
lived  where  the  brick  house  now  stands  built  by  Henry 
Morehouse.  He  was  the  father  of  Nicholas,  Sen.,  and 
William.  The  sons  of  Nicholas,  Sen.,  were  Nicholas, 
Jun.,  Samuel,  Conrad,  and  Garrett."^  The  sons  of  Nich- 
olas, Jun.,  were  William,  Nicholas,  John,  Henry,  Con- 
rad, and  Gilbert.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  John 
Lovel.  Of  the  other  sons  of  Nicholas,  Sen.,  Conrad 
lived  where  Walter  Sherman  does,  and  Garret  built  the 
Hilliard  house,  a  stone  building  where  Shadrack  Sher- 
man's house  now  stands. 

The  old  houses,  built  by  these  early  settlers,  of  w4iich 
there  were  as  many  as  seven  or  eight  near  Amenia 
Union,  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  were 
objects  of  special  interest. 


•  One  of  the  daughters  of  Nicholas  Row,  Sen.,  was  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Delamater, 
Another  was  the  wife  of  Capt.  William  Young. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  21 

There  is  a  pen  and  ink  map,*  executed  previous  to 
1731,  of  the  Nine  Partilers,  which  shows  the  dwellings 
in  Amenia  at  that  time.  Mr.  Sackett's  is  shown,  and 
Henry  Nase's,  four  near  Amenia  Union,  and  one  on 
Lot  33,  The  Lot  lines  seem  to  be  drawn  according  to 
the  survey,  and  the  streams  and  ponds  are  laid  down 
with  a  good  deal  of  accuracy.  This  map  is  supposed 
to  have  been  made  by  the  family  of  one  of  the  proprie- 
tors of  the  grant. 

The  dwelling  on  Lot  33  is  probably  intended  for 
that  of  Salisbury,  who  is  mentioned  on  page  21. 

The  four  houses  near  Amenia  Union  confirm  the 
supposition  that  Mr.  Row  was  there  previous  to  1731, 
and  the  location  of  one  of  the  houses  agrees  with  that 
of  Mr.  Row. 

This  steadfast  Christian  people  have  not  gained  that 
historical  notice  which  has  been  acceded  to  the  Hugue- 
nots and  to  the  Hollanders  ;  and  it  may  be  suggested 
as  a  reason  that  the  Germans,  at  their  early  and  en- 
forced emigration,  and  out  of  their  great  poverty,  neg- 
lected the  higher  education  and  were  without  a  historian 
to  make  a  memorial  of  their  deeds. 

HENRY  NASE. 

In  1725  Henry  Nase  settled  in  the  south  part  of  the 
town.  His  memorial  stone,  in  the  cemetery  at  Dover, 
says  : — "  Henry  Nase,  born  in  High  Germany,  died 
Dec.  11,  1759,  about  64  years  old."  His  residence  was 
near  where  his  grandson,  Corneilius,  lived,  but  on  the 
opposite  or  east  side  of  the  river,t  and  here  also  his  son 


*  The  compiler  is  indebted  to  Mrs.  Caroline  Germond,  a  descendant  of  Henry 
Filkin,  one  of  the  Nine  Partners,  for  the  use  of  this  map. 

N.  B.— Space  would  f*il  to  mention  all  the  voluntary  contributions,  which  have  been 
made,  to  assist  in  this  work. 

t  The  old  map— mentioned  above— indicates  that  Mr.  Nase"s  first  house  was  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  which  is  also  the  testimony  of  tradition. 


22  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Philip,  Sen.,  resided,  who  was  the  father  of  Henrj,  John, 
Philip,  Corneilius,  and  William.  Henrj,  the  oldest  of 
these,  being  a  tory,  emigrated  to  Nova  Scotia  after  the 
Revolutionary  war.  The  others  occupied  four  contigu- 
ous farms  in  that  beautiful  agricultural  district. 

K  NICKERBACKER  AND  VANDUSEN. 

It  appears  that  these  families  were  in  the  south  part 
of  the  town  at  an  early  period  and  also  that  Jacob  Yan 
Camp  and  Derrick  Dutcher  were  in  the  north  part  of 
Dover,  previous  to  1731.^" 

There  is  a  deed,  written  in  the  Dutch,  or  Holland 
language,  of  the  date  of  1711,  from  Herman  Knicker- 
backer  to  Corneilius  Knickerbacker.  It  appears  to  be 
of  land  occupied  by  Van  Dusen,  and  the  house  of  Van 
Dusen  was  a  r.hort  distance  east  of  Geo.  T.  Belding's 

It  was  about  1720,  that  Van  Dusen,  Knickerbacker 
and  Dutcher  purchased  land  in  Salisbury  of  the  Indians, 
supposing,  as  has  been  said,  that  their  purchases  were 
within  the  province  of  New  York. 

"  The  first  highway  from  Salisbury  was  from  Wea- 
tague  through  Lakeville,  Ore  Hill,  Sharon  Valley, 
Sackett's  Farm  to  Dover,|  showing  the  intercourse  of 
these  Dutch  families. 

DELAMATERS. 

Capt.  Isaac  Delamater  settled  where  Samuel  Sher- 
man lives  previous  to  1740.  He  came  here  from  King- 
ston, Ulster  county,  where  the  family  had  lived  several 
generations.  His  father  was  Jacob,  and  his  grand- 
father was  Claude,  who  came  to  America  after  1645  and 
before  1650. 

*  The  old  map  shows  the  houses  of  Jacob  Van  Camp  and  Derrick  Dutcher  near  Tly- 
mouth  Hill. 

t  Historical  Address  of  Hon.  Samuel  Church,  of  Salisbury,  Conn,,  at  the  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  that  town  in  1841. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  23 


They  were  Huguenots,  and  like  a  large  portion  of 
that  excellent  people,  made  their  escape  from  persecu- 
tion* in  France,  first  to  Holland,  and  thence  to  America, 
and  thus  became  identified  in  that  country  and  in  this 
with  the  Hollanders.  It  is  a  striking  fact,  and  exempli- 
fied in  the  subsequent  chapters  of  this  history,  that  so 
many  of  the  early  settlers  of  Amenia  were  brought  here 
by  their  love  of  freedom. 

Capt.  Delamater  died  April  20,  1775,  the  very  day 
after  the  battle  of  Lexington,!  and  was  buried  in  his 
own  field.  He  was  also  a  magistrate,  and  though  many 
quaint  things  were  said  and  done  by  this  excentric  jus- 
tice, his  integrity  and  good  sense  were  nevej  questioned. 
It  is  an  accredited  tradition  that  in  judicial  cases  of  im- 
portance he  consulted  his  wife,  who  sometimes  sat  by 
his  side  in  court. 

He  had  been  captain  of  a  company  of  colonial 
troops  in  the  French  war,  and  took  special  inter- 
est in  military  affairs,  calling  the  young  men  of  his 
district  together  to  his  own  house  for  instruction  in 
military  art. 

Capt.  Delamater  was  a  large  land  owner,  and  gave 
farms  to  his  sons.  Martin  remained  at  the  homestead. 
Benjamin  built  a  stone  house  north  of  Horace  Reed's. 
John  (Honnes)  built  a  mill  atLeedsville — the  first  in  the 
town — and  also,  in  1761,  he  built  the  brick  house,J  now 
the  property  of  Myron  B.  Benton.  Isaac,  Jun.,  lived 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Newton  Reed,  where  he 
built  a  house,  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  residence  of 
the  present  owner,  and  which  is  now  the  oldest  build- 
ing in  the  town  of  Amenia.     Mr,  Delamater  owned  also 


*  It  is  ref»orded  in  history  that  200,000  French  Protestants  suffered  martyrdom,  and 
700,000  -were  driven  from  the  kingdom. 

t  The  house  built  by  Mr.  Delamater  was  of  brick,  and  was  burned  about  1819. 

J  J.  M.  D.  seen  on  the  face  of  the  wall  stands  for  John  and  Mary  Delamater. 


24  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


the  farm  of  Edward  E.  Cline.  John  Delamater,  of 
Leedsville,  was  the  grandfather  of  John  Delamater, 
M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  who  was  a  distinguished  physician  and 
surgeon,  and  who  was  professor  in  the  medical  institu- 
tions of  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  Fairfield,  N.  Y.,  and  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  He  died  in  Cleveland  in  1867.^'  There  were  sev- 
eral other  physicians  in  the  family,  t 

Besides  the  families  named  above,  all  of  whom  emi- 
grated from  the  North  river,  there  was  one  Baltus  Lot, 
who  lived  awhile  in  the  north  part  of  this  town  and  on 
the  public  lands  in  the  town  of  Sharon,  and  Adam 
Showerman  is  mentioned  as  being  about  the  same  time 
in  that  part  of  the  town.  These  were  supposed  to  have 
come  also  from  near  the  Hudson  Eiver. 

There  were  several  Dutch  families  settled  on  the 
Housatonic  in  Salisbury  previous  to  this,  and  before  any 
settlements  were  made  there  by  the  New  Englanders. 


*  Dr.  John  Delamater's  mother  was  Elizabeth  Dorr,  a  descendant  of  William  Hyde, 
of  Norwich,  Conn.,  and  consequently  is  named  in  that  remarkable  genealogy,  prepared  by 
the  late  Chancellor  Reuben  Hyde  Walworth. 

t  Ex-Gov.  Todd,  of  Ohio,  is  a  descendant  of  John  Delamater.  Ex-President 
Colfax  and  Wm.  M.  Evarts  are  also  members  of  this  family. 


FIRST  SETTLERS  FROM  NEW  ENGLAND. 


The  first  important  immigration  to  these  new  lanas 
from  other  parts  of  New  York  and  from  New  England 
was  not  till  about  1740.  The  Nine  Partners'  land  had 
been  in  market  for  some  time  and  was  sold  at  first  in 
rather  laige  tracts.  The  Oblong  lots  were  brought  into 
market  in  1731  and  attracted  many  immigrants  from 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts. 

From  1740  to  1750,  the  immigration  was  evidently 
large,  from  the  significant  fact  that  about  1750  the  pop- 
ulation was  sufficient  to  encourage  the  people  to  insti- 
tute public  worship  in  three  different  places. 

In  the  journal  of  Abraham  Reinke,  one  of  the  Mo- 
ravian missionaries  who  preached  at  "  Nine  Partners 
and  Oblong,"  in  1753,  he  says : — "  The  people  came 
here  five  years  ago  in  expectation  of  bettering  their  for- 
tunes  by  the  purchase  of  cheap   farms,   and   for  the 


26  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


enjoyment  of  religious  liberty.""  This  shows  that  by 
his  estimate  a  considerable  portion  of  the  people  came 
here  about  1748.  It  also  gives  a  significant  intimation 
of  the  spirit  of  the  people  in  their  jealous  regard  for 
their  religious  rights.  The  opportunity  to  obtain  fruit- 
ful lands  at  a  moderate  price  was  very  attractive.  The 
better  lands  were  easily  cleared  and  brought  immed- 
iate returns.  The  title  w^as  assured,  and  the  price  was 
moderate.! 

Among  the  earliest  of  the  first  settlers  from  New 
England  were  Hezekiah  King  and  Abraham  Paine.  It 
was  somewhat  previous  to  1740,  as  Mr.  King  died  in 
1740,  and  he  had  built  a  house  a  little  west  of  Amenia 
Union,  afterward  called  the  "  Karner  House," 

The  house  was  built  in  the  style  prevailing  in  Con- 
necticut at  that  time,  high  in  front  and  very  low  in  the 
rear.  The  timber  was  w^iitt;  wood,  wiiich  indicated  its 
early  stiucture,  as  all  the  oldest  houses  were  of  that 
timber-t  Abraham  Paine,  of  Cimterbury,  settled  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  town,  as  it  is,  and  also  Joshua 
Paine,  Jehoshaphat  Holmes,  and  Elisha  Cleaveland. 
About  1740  Nathan  Mead  came  from  Ilorse  Neck,  or 
Greenwich,  tliat  hive  of  the  Meads,  and  purchased 
where  the  family  are  still  in  possession.  Stephen 
Kinney  from  New  Preston ',sett]ed[in  1740  near  the  Sep- 
arate, so  called,  where   his  family  is   still  represented. 


*  There  was  not  any  subjection  of  the  cliurch  to  the  state,  which  these  emigrants  fled 
from,  but  they  were  jealous  of  the  least  interference  of  the  spiritual  with  the  temporal  power; 
and  their  theory  cf  the  entire  separation  of  church  anel  state  is  now  the  theory  in  every  part 
of  the  United  States.  The  plan  of  union  adopted  by  the  first  settlers  of  Massachusetts  was 
expressed  by  Kev.  Mr.  Cotton  in  his  letter  to  Lord  Say  and  Seal.  "It  is  better  that  the 
Commonwealth  be  fashioned  to  the  setting  forth  of  God's  house,  which  is  his  church,  than 
to  accommodate  the  church  frame  to  the  civil  state."  These  historic  facts  had  so  much  con- 
nection with  the  settlement  of  Amenia  that  without  some  reference  to  them  we  shall  misun- 
derstand one  of  the  essential  elements  in  the  social  history  of  this  people. 

t  The  price  of  new  land  then  was  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  acre.  In  ITfiO  it  was  about 
two  dollars  and  a  half  per  acre. 

X  A  large  number  of  the  first  houses  built  by  settlers  were  commodious  structures, 
and  of  pleasing  architectural  appearance.  There  were  but  few  log  houses.  The  white  wood 
was  very  suitable  lor  building.  The  two-^to^y  house  built  by  Jedidiah  Bump  was  covered 
entirely  with  siding  from  one  tree. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  27 


Elisba  Adams  was  the  first  resident  in  that  part  of  the 
town  called  Adams'  Mills,  and  the  first  in  the  west  part 
of  Lot  32  of  Nine  Partners 

Benjamin  Hollister  from  Sharon  settled  in  1741  near 
Leedsville,  where  some  of  his  family  are  in  possession. 
Joel  Gillett  came  to  the  Delavergne  farm  in  1742. 

Gardiner  Gillett  lived  north  of  where  Hiram  Coop- 
er's residence  now  is,  and  on  a  road  now  discontinued. 
Abner  Gillett  was  here  previous  to  1748,  probably  as 
early  as  1742.  He  owned  the  farm  of  Geo.  D.  James. 
About  1742,  Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins,  of  Hartford,  Conn., 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  about  a  mile  north  of  the 
present  village  of  Amenin,,  and  including  the  land  on 
which  the  Old  Ked  Meeting  House  stood.  He  pur- 
chased the  north  half  of  lot  32  of  Nine  Partners,  and 
appears  to  have  purchased  the  right  of  Isaac  Yanernom 
who  had  bought  of  John  Salisbury.  "  There  had  been 
some  improvements  made  by  Salisbury."-  Stephen 
Hopkin's  house  was  southwest  of  the  old  burying 
ground,  and  was  reached  in  late  years  by  a  lane,  and 
was  the  residence  awhile  of  Henry  lugraham. 

Thomas  Wheeler  came  from  Woodbury  in  1749  to 
lands  which  are  held  now  by  his  descendants.  Daniel 
and  Job  Porter  came  also  that  year.  Simeon  Dakin 
from  near  Boston  removed  to  the  north  part  of  the 
town  about  1750,  and  also  Bezaleel  Eudd,  and  Spencer. 
Captain  David  Collin  settled  on  the  place  now  occu- 
pied by  his  great  grandson.  John  Pennoyer  removed 
from  Sharon  in  1749  to  Oblong  lot.  No.  62.  In  the 
northwest  part  of  the  town  Abraham  Bockee,  from  New 
York,  settled  on  land  purchased  by  his  father  in  1699, 
two  years  after  the  purchase  of  the  Nine  Partners'  tract 

*  The  dwelling  of  Salisbury  is  shown  on  the  old  map,  mentioned  on  page  21,  though 
the  location  is  not  perfectly  exact,  nor  the  name.  This  Salisbury  was  probably  the  one  re- 
terred  to  in  Judge  Church's  Historical  Address.    He  was  not  a  land-owner  there  nor  here. 

-4 


28  THE  EAKLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

— land  now  held  by  his  descendant,  Phenix  Bockee. 
Elijah  Kinne  was  on  a  farm  north  of  the  Cit}'.  It  was 
a  little  later  than  these  dates  that  Isaac  Smith  and 
others  immigrated  to  that  part  of  the  town. 

In  the  southeast  part  of  the  town,  some  of  the  ear- 
liest settlers  were  Davis,  Eowley,  Bump,  Cad}^,  Knapp, 
Woolsey,  Woolcott,  Mitchell,  Curtis,  Lothrop,  Judson, 
Delano,  Doty,  and  others,  of  whom  a  part  were  known 
there  only  a  few  years.  Those  families  from  Connecti- 
cut and  the  Cape,  who  became  the  permanent  residents, 
the  Barlows,  Swifts,  Chamberlains,  Keeds,  Clines, 
Hitchcocks,  and  others  migrated  to  their  new  homes 
here  in  the  years  from  1755  to  1769. 

These  and  the  early  settlers  in  the  other  parts  of  the 
town,  will  be  noticed  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this  work, 
and  it  will  be  more  convenient  for  the  compiler  and  for 
the  reader  to  have  the  names  of  the  families  arranged 
in  alphabetical  order,  rather  than  in  the  order  of  the 
date  of  their  settlement. 

The  formative  period  of  the  town's  history  was  an 
eventful  epoch  also  in  the  history  of  the  colony.  The  pop- 
ulation of  the  colony  was  rapidly  increasing.  In  1716,  the 
population  of  Datchess  county  was  8,800  and  in  1756,  it 
was  14,148,  and  the  population  of  the  colony  of  New 
York  was  96,765. 

There  was  Avar  between  England  and  France,  and 
great  activity  in  the  military  service,  and  the  men  were 
trained  by  their  service  in  the  French  war  for  that  na- 
tional struggle  which  was  to  come.  There  was  also  a 
great  agitation  of  religious  questions  arising  out  of  the 
revival  of  religion  under  the  ministry  of  Edwards  and 
others. 


KELIGIOUS  SOCIETIES. 


It  is  evident  that  a  large  number  of  families  besides 
these — whose  names  are  given  and  the  date  of  their  im- 
migration— had  settled  upon  these  lands,  as  early  as 
1750,  as  indicated  in  their  institution  of  public  worship 
by  several  congregations  about  this  tiaie. 

They  had  come  into  this  newly-opened  territory 
without  any  concert,  each  family  purchasing  their  land 
independently  of  the  others,  and  without  any  previous 
or  immediate  arrangement  for  establishing  civil  or  ec- 
clesiastical organizations.  In  this  they  were  unlike  the 
communities  in  New  England,  which  made  their  settle- 
ments under  the  regulations  of  an  organized  association, 
civil  and  religious.  Those  were  a  homogeneous  people 
and  set  out  at  once  with  all  the  advantages  of  a  common 
centre  and  unity  in  their  social  life. 

The  absence  of  this  municipal  unity  in  the  case  of 
these  immigrants,  and  the  want  of  any  public  records 
in  the  beginning,  may  readily  account  for  the  lack  of 
exact  dates  in  their  history. 

These  immigrants,  however,  notwithstanding  their 
isolation  and  diversity  of  origin,  soon  began  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  their  future  welfare  when  they  set  up  the 


30  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


institutions  of  religion,  and  united  in  that  form  of  chris- 
tian fellowship,  which  indicated  their  love  of  freedom, 
and  which  was  the  model  of  the  then  future  free  institu- 
tions of  our  country. 

The  Republican  form  of  ecclesiastical  government, 
adopted  by  so  many  of  the  churches  in  America,  was 
not  patterned  after  the  form  of  the  civil  government  of 
this  country,  which  is  much  more  recent.  It  seems 
more  proper  to  say  that  the  form  of  church  government 
was  the  model  of  our  civil  government.  It  is  consistent 
with  the  teachings  of  history  to  say  that  the  adoption 
of  a  republican  form  of  ecclesiastical  government  by  the 
churches  at  the  time  of  the  Eeformation  in  France,  Swit- 
zerland, Holland,  Scotland,  and  partly  in  England,  pre- 
pared tlie  people  for  choosing  the  same  form  of  gov- 
ernment for  the  State. 

The  germ  of  American  liberty  was  in  the  Eeformation. 

THE  EED  MEETING  HOUSE. 

The  territory  afterwards  included  in  the  town  of 
Amenia,  being  geographically  divided  into  three  prin- 
cipal valleys,  there  were  three  congregations  organized 
for  public  worship,  and  they  were  all  of  the  same  order, 
Presbyterian,''^  or  Congregational.  The  oldest — so  far 
as  recorded — of  these  churches  was  organized  near  the 
centre  of  the  town,  when  in  May,  1748,  Abraham  Painet 
and  Gardiner  Gillett  entered  into  covenant,  "  The  Lord 
having  thus  begun  to  build  his  church  here."  In  Jul}^, 
1749,  '  'Sixteen  souls  more  were  gathered  into  church 
fellowship."  They  called  the  name  of  the  church  "  Car- 
mel,  in  the  Nine  Partners."    In  1750,  June  14,  Abraham 

*  The  term  "Presbyterian"  was  then  orten  applied  to  a  Congregational  church. 

t  Mr.  Paine  speaks  of  himself  as  "  Abraham  Paine,  son  of  Elisha  Paine,  of  Cauter- 
burj',  Conn."    There  is  an  account  of  these  families  in  their  alphabetical  order. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  Or  AMENIA.  31 


Paine,  Jun.,  "  was  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the  ministry 
by  solemn  ordination  by  laying  on  the  hands  of  the 
Presbytery,  and  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  The 
ecclesiastical  form  of  the  church  and  the  doctrines  were 
agreeable  to  those  in  New  England  at  that  time,  and 
the  council  called  for  the  installation  of  Mr.  Paine  were 
from  Connecticut.  The  day  of  the  ordination  was  ob- 
served with  solemn  fasting. 

Mr.  Paine  does  not  seem  to  have  been  educated  in 
early  life  for  the  ministry,  but  was  invested  with  the 
office  to  meet  the  immediate  wants  of  a  newly-organized 
congregation.  One  of  the  council  at  his  ordination  was 
his  father's  brother,  Rev.  Solomon  Paine,"'  an  eminent 
minister  of  Canterbury,  Conn. 

This  society  was  ^instituted  at  a  time  when  in  New 
England  the  churches  were  agitated  by  the  fiery  zeal  of 
the  "  New  Lights,"  or"  ►Separatists,"  and  Mr.  Paine,  and 
a  considerable  portion  of  his  church,  were  affected  with 
their  notions,  which  led  to  some  disagreement  between 
them  and  the  more  conservative  of  the  congregation. 

The  Separatists  were  earnest  and  conscientious,  but 
som-etimes  uncharitable  and  censorious,  and  their  disci- 
pline took  cognizance  of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart, 
wdiich  were  confessed  to  one  another,  and  were  made 
the  subject  of  censure  and  rebuke.f 

The  Separatists,  or  New  Lights,  differed  from  other 
Congregationalists,  not  in  then^  doctrines  ;  but  in  their 
claim  to  have  obtained  a  new  spiritual  Light,  and  to 
have  reached  a  higher  spiritual  Life.  A  spirit  of  un- 
charitableness  was  indulged,  and  they  were  accustomed 

*  Another  brother  of  his  father  had  been  an  eminent  lawyer,  and  became  a  Separa- 
tist minister,  aiici  subjected  himself  for  his  irregularities  in  preaching  to  persecution. 

t  The  record  of  a  council  of  the  church  of  the  Red  Meeting-  House,  at  which  several 
members  were  subjected  to  discipline  for  various  offences,  especially  "  for  the  indulgence 
of  an  Antinomian  and  party  spirit,"  says—"  This  solemn  assemblv  continued  from  Wednes- 
day morning  in  solemn  fasting,  lamentation,  prayer  and  confession,  from  the  rising  of  the 
morning  tillthe  stars  appeared  on  Saturday  night." 


32  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENTA. 


to  denounce  ministers  and  others  as  Antinomian,  and 
unregenerated,  and  when  their  views  did  not  govern  in 
a  church,  they  were  disposed  to  separate  themselves 
from  it.  In  their  ecclesiastical  government,  the  Sepa- 
ratist held  to  that  Independency,  which  the  Pilgrims 
contended  for  when  they  fled  from  England  to  Holland  , 
previous  to  their  coming  over  to  Plymouth."^ 

The  differences  between  the  Pilgi^ims  and  the  Puri- 
tans, which  existed  at  that  time,  had  not  died  out  in 
New  England  in  1740,  and  scarcely  now. 

They  both  held  fast  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Tliirty- 
Xine  Articles.  But  the  Puritans,  hoping  for  the  purify- 
ing of  the  English  church,  did  not  sever  their  connec- 
tion with  it  till  tliey  left  for  their  new  home. 

The  Separatists  were  also  restive  under  the  subjec- 
tion in  New^  England  of  the  church  to  the  civil  authori- 
ty, and  were  prepared  to  give  a  high  tone  to  their 
independency  in  their  new  home,  and  to  assert  the 
rights  of  individuals  and  the  equality  of  all  men.t 

The  house  of  worship — which  was  always  known  as 
the"Eed  Meeting  House" — was  built  in  1758.  The 
place  where  it  stood  is  a  triangle  at  the  convergence  of 
the  highwaj^s  about  a  mile  northeast  of  the  village  of 
Amenia,  and  near  the  burying  ground.  It  was  a  build- 
ing nearly  square,  two  stories,  with  a  gallery  on  three 
sides,  and  was  seated  with  square  pews. 

This  house  was  built'J:  and  afterwards  repaired  partly 

*  This  is  the  time  when  they  received  the  name  of  "  Separatists." 
t  One  of  the  King's  officers,  ia  pnrsuit  of  a  deserter  liere,   in  1761,  says  of  the  people 
in  Nine  Partners  that  "  they  are  levellers  from  principle  (Doc.  Hist.,  III.,  ySo)."' 

X  The  number  of  those  who  contributod  to  the  building  of  the  church  was  seventy-nine 
and  the  amount  contributed  was  £350-17-4=$S77.17.  Of  those  who  contributed  to  this  work 
these  names  will  be  recognized.  Stephen  Hopkins  is  first  with  the  sum  of  £20.  Joshua 
Paine,  Ellas  Shevilear,  and  Benjamin  Benedict  gave  each  £13.  Samuel  King,  £9;  Jedi- 
diah  Dewey  and  Koswell  Hopkins,  each  £10.  Other  names  are  Kobeit  Freeman,  Abraham 
Paine,  Jun.,  Joab  Cook,  Grover  liuel,  Jonathan  Shephard,  Jun.,  Samuel  Shepard,  Nathan 
Mead,  Jun.,  Simeon  Cook,  John  King,  Tristram  Brown,  Noah  Hopkins.  Michael  Hopkins, 
Ichabod  Paine,  Sen.,  Ichabod  Paine,  Jun.,  Weight  Hopkins,  Job  Mead,  Peter  Shevilear, 
Barnabas  Paine,  Robert  Willson,  John  Hindman,  and  John  Brunson.  Their  paper  is  dated 
"  Nine  Partners,  Feb.  fi,  1758."  The  site  for  this  edifice  was  presented  by  Capt.  Stephen 
Hopkins,  who  also  gave  the  first  land  for  the  Burying  Ground. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA.  38 

by  the  contributions  of  those  not  strictly  adherents  of 
the  Congregational  polity,  and  was  occupied  harmon- 
iously in  later  years  by  the  Congregationalists,  Baptists 
and  Methodists. 

In  1770,  in  June,  (or  July,  according  to  Sedgwick's 
History),  the  celebrated  WJiitefield  preached  in  theEed 
Meeting  House  to  the  crowds  that  followed  him  from  all 
the  country  round. 

Elder  Elijah  Wood,  a  Baptist,  was  the  acceptable 
minister  of  the  congregation  several  years. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  present  century,  the  three 
denominations  gradually  became  separated,  and  each 
sustained  a  separate  organization. 

There  is  no  record  of  a  settled  pastor  after  Mr. 
Paine  for  many  years,  but  there  appears  to  have  been 
preaching,  stated  and  occasional,  and  the  ordinances 
were  administered  by  pastors  of  other  churches  and 
stated  supplies,  and  there  were  evidently  a  large  number 
of  excellent  Christian  men  connected  with  this  congre- 
gation. 

There  was  much  distraction  at  the  time  of  the  Kevo- 
lutionary  war,  and  afterwards  some  degree  of  dissen- 
sion in  drawing  the  Hues  between  the  adherents  of  this 
church  and  the  other  denominations. 

In  1811  this  church  was  connected  with  the  Asso- 
ciated Presbytery  of  Westchester,  and  in  1815  with  the 
Presbytery  of  North  Kiver. 

In  1815,  Kev.  Joel  Osborn  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  gave  to  it  his  services  one-third  of  the  time, 
which  indicates  the  feebleness  to  which  it  was  reduced. 
From  that  period  there  has  been  a  gradual  improve- 
ment. 

THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Amenia  at  its  organization  in 


34  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


1790,  appears  to  have  been  composed  partly  of  some 
from  the  old  Congregational  church  and  of  others  who 
had  been  educated  in  the  Baptist  system,  and  who  had 
been  members  of  the  Baptist  church  in  Northeast."' 
"  On  the  5th  of  May  1790,  three  brethren  related  their 
experience  and  signed  the  covenant,  and  on  the  12th 
and  19th  three  more  brethren  and  several  sisters  united 
with  them."t  On  the  2d  of  June  they  chose  Reverend 
Elijah  Wood  for  their  minister,  who,  on  the  27th  of 
June,  "  administered  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper 
to  them  for  the  first  time." 

Mr.  Wood  had  ministered  to  the  Congregational 
church  some  years,  and  it  does  not  appear  that  his 
change  of  views  and  his  uniting  himself  with  this  new 
orfifanization  sandered   the  fraternal  relations  with  the 

o 

brethren  of  the  old  church,  or  lessened  their  confidence 
in  him.  We  find  him  invited  by  the  Society's  commit- 
tee— Deacon  Shevalier,  a  Baptist,  and  Deacon  Hebard, 
a  Congregationalist — to  continue  his  ministrations. 
The  jealousy  and  strife,  which  after  this  disturbed  the 
two  churches,  is  happily  now  almost  forgotten. 

Eev.  Elijah  Wood  was  a  native  of  ISorwich,  Conn., 
and  went  in  early  life  to  Bennington,  Vt.,  where  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  a  Congregational  church.  From 
Bennington  he  came  to  Amenia  before  the  Revolution- 
ary war  and  was  counted  among  the  active  patriots. 
He  was  not  a  scholar,  but  was  a  good  student  and  an 
acceptable  preacher.  He  was  sometimes  laid  aside  by 
ill  health,  but  continued   to   minister  till  his  deatli  in 


*  The  Baptist  church  in  Northeast,  at  Spencer's  Comers,  was  instituted  in  1751  by 
Elder  Simon  Dakin,  who  came  from  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  where  he  had  suffered  some 
annoyance  for  his  religious  principles.  Tliis  was  the  second  Baptist  church  organized  in 
the  colony  of  New  York,  and  became  one  of  the  most  important.  It  was  sustained  by  the 
large  and  influential  family  of  Winchell's,  farmers  of  enterprise  and  wealth. 

t  The  nameT  of  those  Avho  first  constituted  the  church  were  James  Palmer,  David 
Allerton,  Richard  Shevalier,  Eeuben  Hebbard,  Jonathan  Shepherd,  Samuel  Paine,  Deborah 
Palmer,  Jenneti;  Allerion,  Elizaoeih  Holmes,  Thankfal  Hebbard,  and  IViary  Cook.  James 
Palmer  was  licensed  to  preach  iu  1791. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  35 


1810.  At  the  ordiuatiou  of  Mr.  Wood,  Rev.  James 
Manning,  D.  D.,  President  of  Brown  University, 
preached  the  sermon. 

In  1816,  this  church  was  ^.-reatlj  revived  and  enlarged, 
as  were  the  other  churches  about  that  time.  Rev.  Mr. 
Peck,  who  was  their  minister  two  years,  seems  to  have 
been  the  successful  agent  in  the  prosperity  of  the  church 
though  in  his  memorandum  of  it  he  manifests  his  great 
modesty  in  referring  only  very  slightly  to  himself. 

Rev.  John  Mason  Peck  was  born  in  Litchfield,  South 
Farms,  and  was  trained  in  the  school  of  industry  and 
frugality.  He  came  to  Amenia  when  a  young  man,  and 
although  his  education  was  limited,  he  engaged  in 
teaching  awhile  and  then  became  minister  of  the  church. 
In  1816,  he  went  to  Philadelphia  to  complete  his  educa- 
tion, and  thence  to  Missouri,  where  he  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  in  preaching  and  in  the  cause  of  higher 
education. 

A  pleasing  memorial  of  this  excellent  man  has  been 
prepared  by  Rev.  Rufus  Babcock,  D.  D. 

THE  METHODISTS. 

The  Methodist  Society  of  Amenia,  which  was  one  of 
the  earliest  in  this  part  of  the  country,  seems  to  have 
been  formed  in  1788,  and  numbered  eight  members,* 
David  Rundall  being  the  only  male  member  for  several 
years.  The  first  sermon  was  preached  in  a  private 
house,  half  a  mile  east  of  Sharon  Station,  and  the  first 
hymn  sung  begins  "  Thou  Judge  of  Quick  and  Dead.'' 
The  meetings  were  held  in  that  house,  or  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, till  the  settlers  from  Rhode  Island  removed 
here — Ward  well,  the   Ingrahams  and  others — when    a 

•  These  were  David  Rundall.  his  wife  Catherine,  his  wife's  mother,  Ruth  Powers, 
wife  of  Peter,  Ruth  Powers,  wife  of  Frederick,  and  three  others. 


36  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

society  was  formed  near  the  Old  Red  Meeting  House. 
It  is  understood  that  Mr.  Garrettson  formed  the  first 
class  but  he  did  not  preach  the  first  sermon.  Captain 
Allen  Wardwell  was  the  first  clasr.  leader. 

The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Wakely  called  that  part  of  Amenia 
"  The  Old  Methodist  Classic  Ground."  The  important 
position  of  this  society  at  that  time  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact  that  the  New  York  Annual  Conference  was 
held  here.  It  was  in  1808,  and  the  sessions  were  held 
in  the  Round  Top  School  House,  about  half  a  mile 
northeast  of  the  Old  Red  Meeting  House.  Rev.  Bishop 
Asbury  presided  and  occupied  the  teacher's  chair,''^  with 
the  school  desk  before  him,  and  the  preachers  sat  upon 
the  benches  of  the  pupils.  On  the  Sabbath,  the  Confer- 
ence occupied  the  Red  Meeting  House,  when  the  Bishop 
preached. 

One  hundred  and  three  preachers  were  stationed  at 
Conference.  Ten  were  admitted  on  trial,  one  of  whom 
was  William  Jewett.  Fifteen  were  continued  on  trial ; 
one  of  these  was  Phineas  Rice.  Eight  were  ordained 
elders,  and  one  of  the  eight  was  Samuel  Cochran. 

Some  families  entertained  ten  or  twelve  of  the 
preachers,  and  their  horses,  and  the  people  were  so 
gratified  with  the  Conference  that  a  committee  waited 
on  them  with  thanks  for  holding  the  session  there,  and 
invited  them  to  come  again. 

The  first  church  edifice  of  this  society  was  built  in 
1812,  a  short  distance  east  of  the  residence  then  of 
Thomas  Ingraham,  which  remained  until  1845.  The 
New  York  Conference  met  in  this  church  in  1813,  when 
Bishops  Asbury  and  McKendree  presided. 

At  this  Conference  eighty-six  preachers  were  sta- 
tioned— the  Conference  having  been  divided  since  1808. 

*  This  chair  is  preserved  as  a  commemorative  relic, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  37 

At  tliis  session  of  the  Conference,  David  Rundall  enter- 
tained fourteen  of  the  preachers. 

George  and  Thomas  Ingraham  and  Frederick  Powers 
were  pillars  in  this  church  for  many  years,  and  Peter 
Powers  was  widely  known  as  an  able  exhorter  and  ven- 
erated leader.  The  first  preachers  who  went  out  from  this 
society  were  Robert  and  Elijah  Hebarci ;  many  others 
have  followed  and  the  influence  of  the  membership  has 
gone  into  all  parts  of  the  land.  The  Amenia  Seminary 
which  has  accomplished  so  much  for  the  cause  of  good 
education,  was  the  result  of  their  enterprise. 

THE  CHURCH   AT  THE  CITY. 

Of  the  church  at  the  City,'"'  in  the  west  part  of  the 
town,  there  are  no  very  early  records.  The  oldest  rec- 
ord now  known  begins,  "  The  Records  of  the  church  of 
Christ  in  the  towns  of  Amenia,  Washington,  and  Stan- 
ford, Dutchess  county,  A.  D.  1787,  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  the  United  Congregational  Church  of 
Christ  in  Westfield  Society."  Then  again  "  April  9, 
1787,  A  solemn  fast  was  held  and  two  sermons  were 
delivered,  one  by  the  Rev.  John  Cornwall,  the  other  by 
the  Rev.  Blackleach  Burritt,  after  which  the  following 
persons  signed  the  covenant."t  During  the  year 
1787  thirty-six  other  names  v/ere  added. 

This  could  not  have  been  the  first  institution  of  religious 
worship  and  of  the  ordinances  by  that  people,  as  there 
was  a  house  of  worship  erected  there  in  1750,  which 
gave  place  to  another  in  1814,  both  on  the  site  of  the. 

*  The  "City"  received  that  name,  at  the  tirst  settlement  of  the  place,  because  three 
log  houses  were  built  there  near  each  other. 

t  Those  who  flrst  signed  the  covenant  in  1787  were  Stephen  Kinnev,  Kobert  Willson, 
Timothy  Wheeler,  Joshua  Wells,  Jun.,  John  Curtis,  Selali  AVells,  VVm.  Bell,  Elizabeth 
Willson,  Elizabeth  Wheeler,  Mary  Curtis,  Rebecca  Shumday,  Ahijrail  Kinney,  Anna  Elliot, 
Anna  Adams,  Afterwards,  Asa  Hollister,  Elisha  Adams.  Kojrer  Southerland,  Thomas 
Willson,  Henry  Kinney,  Isaac  Hunting,  Kobert  Willson,  Jun.,  Joel  Smith,  John  Slawter, 
Elijah  Allen,  Benj.  Denton,  <&c. 


38  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AJ^IENIA. 

present  church  edifice.^  That  so  many  were  ready 
to  enter  into  covenant  that  year,  and  that  they 
had  a  name  by  which  they  were  "  commonly  known," 
indicate  that  this  was  a  re-organization,  or  a  more  per- 
fect organization  of  a  Christian  community. 

In  1812,  July  7,  "The  Society  unanimously  voted 
that  the  church  give  the  Rev.  Eli  Hydef  a  call  to 
preach  at  the  City  Meeting-house,  Smithfield  Society, 
with  this  proviso,  that  all  proper  means  be  used  to 
unite  the  two  societies,  and  that  the  meetings  be  pro- 
portioned at  the  two  houses  as  they  shall  agree. 

The  other  "Society"  and  "House"  refer  to  the 
Separate  Meeting-house  and  Society,'!  which  was  located 
about  two  miles  south  of  the  City. 

There  are  no  records  whatever  or  tradition  that 
shows  the  origin  of  that  society,  or  of  its  name,  or  the 
reason  of  any  division  among  this  excellent  Christian 
people.  Perhaps  the  cause  of  any  strife  is  now  happily 
forgotten. 

It  is  a  reasonable  theory,  suggested  by  the  name, 
and  by  a  history§  of  the  times,  that  a  part  of  the  church 
at  the  City  became  Separatists,  or  New  Lights,  and 
withdrew  from  the  old  church,  in  the  early  history  of 
the  congregation,  when  so  many  of  the  churches  were 
agitated  by  that  schism.  The  conservative  and  safer 
sentiments!  of  the  congregation  seems  to  have  prevail- 

*  In  front  of  this  church  edifice  was  a  little  grove  ofoaks— one  of  which  remains.  Un- 
der the  shade  of  this  grove  a  great  congregation  were  assembled,  June  20,  1770,  and  heard  a 
sermon  by  that  wonderful  preacher,  George  Whitefield.  Every  place  where  he  ministered 
seems  to  have  been  remembered,  and  all  who  heard  his  discourse  rehearsed  it  to  the  gene- 
rations that  came  after  them. 

t  Ttev.  Eli  Hyde  came  to  this  church  from  Oxford,  Chenango  county,  N.  Y.  Rev.  Job 
Swift,  D.D.,  afterwards  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  was  minister  at  the  City  in  1782. 

X  The  Separate  Meeting-house— now  standing— was  built  some  years  before  the  revo- 
lutionary war.  Rev.  John  Cornwall,  of  Cornwall,  Conn.,  resided  near  and  ministered  there 
many  years. 

§  See  Contemporai-y  history, 

II  There  were  in  the  City  congregations  a  number  of  families  from  Long  Island  and 
other  places  in  New  York,  who  had  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of  culture  and  religious  instruc- 
tion, and  who  were  evidently  on  the  moderate  side  in  those  agitations. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  39 


ed  pretty  sood,  and  harmony  was  evidently  restored,  as 
we  find  the  leading  men  of  both  parties  associated  in 
the  interests  of  the  congregations  many  years  previous 
to  the  final  organic  naion, 

THE  OBLONG   SOCIETY. 

The  congregation  in  the  Oblong  valley  was  made  up 
partly  by  families  living  in  Connecticut,  and  the  house 
of  worship  was  at  Amenia  Union,  and  situated  about 
twenty  yards  west  of  the  colony  line,  on  the  hill  west  of 
E.  Lambert's  store,  on  land  now  owned  by  Wm.  Blith- 
man.  It  was  a  capacious  building,  with  pews  and  gal- 
leries, and  with  doors  on  three  sides.  The  roof  had 
four  sides,  which  terminated  at  the  top  in  an  ornamental 
cupola,  which  gave  it  the  name  of  the  "  Round  Top 
Meeting  House."  It  was  built  previous  to  1755,*  and 
in  1786  it  was  taken  down  and  another  erected  near 
where  the  present  church  edifice  of  the  Society  is 
situated. 

The  first  preaching  there,  of  which  there  is  any 
record,  was  by  a  Moravian  missionary,  as  we  have  seen 
in  1753.  He  was  a  German,  and  was  naturally  attached 
to  the  families  of  his  countrymen  settled  here. 

The  congregation  was  composed  of  people  of  very 
diverse  origin.  Palatines,  Huguenots,  and  Puritans,  and 
their  pastor  was  from  Scotland.  But  a  common  desire 
for  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  soon  united  them  into  a 
well-organized  society. 

The  church  was  organized  Dec.  11, 1759,t  and  the 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Knibloe  was  installed  pastor. 

*  Deacon  Ebenezer  Hamlin,  who  died  in  1755,  bequeathed  "twenty-four  pounds,  old 
tenor,  towards  the  worship  of  God  in  the  neighborhood  where  I  dwell,  viz.,  in  or  near  the 
new-erected  meeting-house,  on  the  Oblong,  near  Sharon  (Sedgwick's  History.)." 

t  In  1859  the  congregation  of  South  Amenia  held  a  memorial  service  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  one  hundreth  anniversary,  and  a  historical  discourse  was  read. 


40  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA. 


He  was  from  Scotland,  and  received  his  education  in 
Edinburgh,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1752.  It  was 
while  he  was  a  student  of  theology  at  Edinburgh,  that 
the  leaders  inScotland  made  that  last  bold  strike  in  behalf 
of  Prince  Edward  the  Pretender,  and  the  battle  of 
Preston  Plains  was  fought,  which  decided  the  fate  of 
that  unhappy  prince.  Mr.  Knibloe,  with  some  other 
young  men,  went  out  to  witness  the  battle,  and  thus  ex- 
cited the  suspicion  of  the  government  that  he  sympa- 
thized with  the  party  of  the  Prince,  which  made  it 
desirable  for  him  to  flee  away. 

Mr.  Knibloe  came  to  the  Oblong  from  Philips 
Manor,  in  Putnam  county,  near  "  Mr.  Kent's  Parish.""'^ 

He  was  pastor  of  the  church  at  Oblong  about  six- 
teen years,  and  the  breach  of  this  relation  was  brought 
about  in  consequence  of  his  apparent  loyalty  to  the 
British  King  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
■ — an  attitude  entirely  contrary  to  that  of  the  Presby- 
terian ministers  of  that  day.  But  the  evidence  is  clearly 
against  the  suspicion,  through  his  conscientious  regard 
to  duty,  from  which  he  could  not  be  driven,  and  per- 
haps some  tenacity  of  will,  led  him  to  pray  in  public 
for  the  King  and  Royal  family,  which  was  sufficient  in 
that  excited  condition  of  the  public  mind  to  raise 
the  charge  of  disloyalty  to  his  adopted  country.  It 
afterward  became  the  conviction  of  the  people  that  Mr. 
Knibloe  was  not  disloyal,  and  from  about  the  end  of 
the  war  till  the  close  of  his  life  in  1785,  he  continued  to 
preach  to  the  acceptance  of  the  people.f 

In  answer  to  the  charge  of  disloyalty,  Mr.  Knibloe 
says,  "  When  I  read  the  ministerial  charge,  it  was  to  go 

*  The  son  of  Mr.Kent,  and  the  father  of  Chancellor  Kent,  was  a  friend  of  Mr.  Knibloe. 

t  The  house  which  Mr.  Knibloe  built  for  himself  is  about  half  a  mile  southeast  of 
Amenia  Union.  His  sons  were  John,  William,  Elijah,  and  Josei)h.  Tlie  three  first  named 
died  in  tlie  great  epidemic  of  1S12.    :Mr.  Stephen  Knibloe  is  his  grandson. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  41 


forth  and  preach  the  gospel  of  Jesas  Christ.  I  look  on 
it  that  government  has  nothing  to  do  in  the  province  of 
religion  but  to  guard  the  empire  of  truth  from  every 
persecution,  and  leave  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  to  its 
own  Lord."  "  I  am  conscious  to  mj^self  that  I  have  ever 
wished  and  prayed  for  the  welfare,  happiness,  liberty, 
and  charter  privileges  of  the  British  colonies  in  North 
America ;  likewise  for  the  deliverance  of  our  distressed 
brethren  in  Boston,  and  also  for  success  to  attend  the 
armament  and  military  preparations,  which  have  already 
gone  forth  and  are  about  to  march  in  defense  of  Amer- 
ican liberty." 

This  appears  to  have  been  written  about  the  time  of 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  when  all  eyes  were  turned 
towards  Boston. 

While  the  British  army  held  New  York,  the  distin- 
guished Dr.  John  Eodgers,  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian 
church  there,  left  the  city,  as  many  others  did,  and  found 
a  safe  retreat  in  the  country.^  He  came  here  in  1778, 
and  ministered  to  the  people  about  two  years.  He  was 
regarded  with  the  highest  respect  by  the  people  and  his 
influence  was  in  the  highest  degree  salutary.  His  biog- 
rapher says  that  "  through  the  influences  of  his  minis- 
trations in  Amenia  the  congregation  was  greatly  bene- 
fitted and  improved  and  the  former  harmony  restored." 
The  Kev.  Dr.  Livingston  also  spent  some  time  with  the 
congregation  during  the  war ;  also  Kev.  David  Rose,t 
who  was  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church  on  Long 
Island. 

The  names  of  about  a  hundred  and  sixty  heads  of 
families  are  recorded,  most  of  whom  were  parishioners^ 

*  There  was  no  more  safe  retreat  than  this,  nor  any  place  in  the  land  more  complete- 
ly out  of  the  way  of  the  disturbing  effects  of  the  war. 

t  Rev.  David  Rose  was  a  graduate  of  Yale. 

t  The  first  deacons  in  Mr.  Knibloe's  church  were  Samuel  Waterman  and  Meltiah 
Lothrop.    Thomas  Delano  was  elected  in  1772,  and  Moses  Barlow  in  1775. 


42  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


of  Mr.  Knibloe,  which  indicates  a  population^  nearly 
equal  to  the  present  in  the  same  limits.  The  number 
of  marriages  by  Mr.  Knibloe  was  320,  and  the  number 
of  baptisms  was  581 — delightful  testimonies  to  the 
prosperity  of  that  generation. 

These  are  some  of  the  members  of  Mr.  Knibloe's 
church  : — Alexander  Spencer,  Elhs  Doty,  Joseph  Cham- 
berlain, and  his  wife,  Abigail,  Meltiah  Lothrop,  Daniel 
Eowley,  Silas  Belding,  and  his  wife,  Samuel  Waterman, 
and  his  wife,  Isaac  Hamlin,  and  his  wife,  Benjamin 
Hollister,  and  wife,  Benjamin  Hollister,  Jun.,  and  wife, 
Daniel  Castle,  and  wife,  E-zra  Reed,  and  wife,  James 
Reed,  Elijah  Reed,  and  wife,  Reuben  Swift,  Stephen 
Warren,  and  wife,  Colbe  Chamberlain,  and  wife;.  ]?^ses 
BarTc)w,  and  wife,  Eliakim  Reed,  and  wife,  Margaret 
Chamberlain,  Priscilla  Lovel,  Jediah  Bumpas,  Hannah 
Swift,  Dorcas  Belding,  Joanna  Barlow,  and  many 
others. 

The  leading  members  of  the  Society  in  1786,  when 
they  removed  and  rebuilt  the  church  edifice,  and  in  1796, 
when  they  purchased  the  Parsonage  Farm,t  were  these, 
James  Reed,  Moses  Barlow,  Walter  Lothrop,  Stephen 
Warren,  Gideon  Castle,  Eliakim  Reed,  Elisha,  Barlow, 
Seth  Swift,  Moses  Swift,  Benjamin  Delamater,  Conrad 
Row,  Samuel  Row,  Nicholas  Row,  Oliver  Kellogg, 
Elisha  Tobey,  Ebenezer  Hatch,  Reuben  Allerton,  John 
Cline,  John  Boyd,  Amariah  Winchester,  Amariah  Hitch- 
cock, Sylvanus  Nye,  William  Young,  Samuel  Hitchcock, 
Ezekiel  Sackett,  Martin  Delamater,  Gershom  Reed, 
Jedidiah  Bump,  and  Azariah  Judson. 

The  condition  of  the  congregation,  so  many  years, 

*  The  population  of  Amen  ia  in  1790  was  3,078. 

t  In  1796  the  Society  bought  the  farm  of  Eliphalet  Everett— the  west  part  of  J.  H. 
Cline's  farm— KJO  acres,  for  a  parsonage,  for  which  they  paid  £600— SlGiiO. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  43 

affirms  the  testimony  to   the  value  of  a  pious,  learned, 
and  stable  iDinistrr. 

After  the  close  of  the  Kevolution,  there  was  evi- 
dently a  decline  of  religion  in  this  congregation,  as  in 
the  others  of  the  town,  and  perhaps  from  the  same 
causes,  which  seemed  to  be  the  distracting  spirit  of  the 
times  ;  and  not  till  about  1812  was  there  the  beginning 
of  a  return  to  prosperity  in  these  churches.^ 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Knibloe,  several  ministers 
were  employed  temporarily,  and  for  short  periods,  till 
1802,  when  Eev.  John  Barnet,  A.  M.,  was  engaged  for 
an  indefinite  time,  and  his  ministry  was  acceptably  con- 
tinued till  1812,  the  time  of  his  service  including  1802 
and  1812. 

Mr.  Barnet  was  a  native  of  Simsbury,Conn.,  and  was  a 
graduate  of  Yale  College,  where  he  was,  after  the  war, 
a  tutor.  He  was  a  thorough  scholar,  and  a  succesful 
teacher  of  young  men,  many  of  whom  he  had  under  his 
instruction  while  in  Amenia.t 

In  the  revolutionary  war,  Mr.  Barnet  was  a  chaplain,' 
first  in  Col.  Hopkin's   regiment  of  Amenia  at  Saratoga, 
and  afterwards  in  the  regular  army,  where  he  was  highly 
regarded  by  Washington. 

Mr.  Barnet's  preaching  was  didactic  and  logical, 
rather  than  practical ;  instructive  to  a  certain  class,  but 
not  effective  with  the  many.  It  was  unfortunate  for  the 
congregation  that  he  did  not  consider  himself  their  pas- 
tor, but  only  a  hired  preacher,  and,  consequently,  he 
omitted  those  services  of  a  pastor,  which  are  essential 
to  the  highest  success  of  the  ministry. 

*  V^^.l^  '.^  '"  ^^''^^^  societies,  as  in  all  other  agricultural  communities,  a  serious  de- 
crease of  attendants  upon  puhlic  worship,  owing  to  ageneral  decrease  of  rural  popu'ation, 
particularly  of  the  native  laboring  people,  M'hose  place  is  filled  bv  foreigners  of  opposite 
religious  attachments.  .  c  yy       ^ 

t  Among  the  pupils  of  Mr.  Barnet  in  Amenia  were  Abraham  Bockee,  Allen  Hollister 
terleel-ish,  and  several  sons  of  Hon.  Ambrose  Spencer.  Mrs.  Barnet  was  a  sister  of 
Judge  Spencer.    Mr.  Barnet  died  at  the  residence  of  his  son  in  Greene  county  in  1837. 

*6 


44  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

A  Fourth  of  July  oration  by  Mr.  Barnet  in  1812  was 
published  ;  also  a  funeral  sermon  for  Ambrose  Spencer, 
Jun.,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane. 
Capt.  Spencer  had  been  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Barnet  in  Amenia, 
and  though  very  young,  was  aid  to  Gen.  Brown  when 
mortally  wounded  July  25,  1814. 

In  1815,  the  scattered  remains  of  the  old  church 
were  gathered  together,  and  with  considerable  additions 
a  reorganization  was  effected.  Bev-  Joel  Osborn  became 
the  pastor,  and  from  that  time  there  has  been  a  regular 
succession  of  settled  pastors  to  the  present. 


CIVIL  OEGANIZATION. 


The  "  Precinct "  of  Amenia  was  formed  by  an  act 
of  the  Colonial  Legislature,  March  20,  1762.  The  geo- 
graphical limits  were  the  same  also  of  the  "  town  "  of 
Amenia,  which  was  formed  March  7, 1788,  and  continued 
the  same  till  March  26, 1823,  when  the  towns  of  Amenia 
and  Northeast  were  so  reorganized  as  to  change  the 
boundary  between  them  as  it  is  at  present.  This  terri. 
tory  had  been  a  part  of  Crum  Elbow  Precinct,^  and  was 
about  twelve  miles  in  length,  and  of  an  average  width 
of  four  and  a  half  miles. 

The  name  Amenia  was  first  used  about  the  time  of 
the  organization  of  the  Precinct,  and  owes  its  origint  to 
Dr.  Thomas  Young,  a   learned  gentleman  who  resided 


*  The  municipal  regulations  of  a  precinct  were  nearly  the  same  as  of  a  town.  At 
the  first  Precinct  meetinj^,  "  It  was  resolved  that  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  be  given  to 
Robert  Livingston  and  Henr3'  Livingston,  for  their  favor  and  regard  to  the  Precinct  of 
Amenia  in  procuring  a  division  of  the  same,"— that  is  a  separation  from  the  larger  precinct. 
Crum  Elbow  Precinct  extended  from  tlie  Hudson  Kiver  to  the  Connecticut  line.  Charlotte 
Precinct  was  west  of  Amenia.  Crum.  or  Krom,  seems  to  have  been  the  name  of  a  family 
in  the  west  part  of  the  Precinct.  Crum  Elbow  ("  Crom  Ebogh  ")  Ci'eek  enters  the  Hudson 
there. 

t  The  name  is  from  a  Latin  word,  which  signifies  pleasant.  "Amcena,  Pleasant. 
De  locis  prfficipue  dicitur."— applied  prmcipally  to  places.  Though  so  suitable  a  name,  and 
agreeable,  it  had  not  been  given  to  any  other  town  in  the  country. 


46  THE  EAKLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

several  years  at  Amenia  Union,  where  he  had  married  a 
daughter  of  Capt.  Garret  Winegar. 

Hon.  Egbert  Benson,  in  a  Memoir  read  before  the 
N.  Y.  Historical  Society,^  in  1816,  says  "Vermont — 
green  monntains — and  the  town  of  Amenia — pleasant — 
owe  their  names  to  the  fancy  of  Young,  the  poet.  I 
mean  the  American,  and  not  the  English  Young.  He 
had  a  peculiar  facility  in  making  English  words  from 
Latin  ones." 

Dr.  Young  was  the  author  of  a  poem,t  called  "  The 
Conquest  of  Quebec,"  in  which  he  gives  an  account  of 
the  provincial  troops  that  were  sent  from  the  several 
towns  to  aid  in  that  campaign  under  Wolfe,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  capture  of  Quebec.  He  was  the  friend  of 
Ethan  Allen,t  who  resided  in  Salisbury ,§  Conn.,  while 
the  former  resided  in  Amenia,  and  they  were  often  to- 
gether, and  they  were  also  in  sympathy  in  the  violence 
of  their  patriotism  and  in  their  religious  unbelief. 

FIRST   TOTVN   MEETING. 

The  record  of  the  first  town  meetiug  is  this  : — "At 
the  Annual  Town  Meeting  of  the  Freeholders  and  In- 
habitants of  the  Precinct  of  Amenia,  on  the  first  Tues- 
day of  April,  Anno  Domini  1762,  at  the  housell  of  Ros- 

*  p.  126,  N.  y.  Hist.  Collection,  Vol.  ii. 

t  Only  a  few  lines  of  the  poem  are  now  known. 

%  "  Appendix  to  Early  History  of  Vermont"  says  of  Young.  "He  was  hifrhly  distin- 
guished as  a  philji^opher,  phil.inthropist  and  patri  it,  and  for  his  erudition  and  brilliancy  of 
imagination,  i)r.  Young  is  supposed  to  have  died  lu  Pliiladelpliia  in  1777,  leaving  in  Amer- 
ica two  accomplished  daughters. 

§  Ethan  Allen  was  one  of  the  three  men  who  built  the  first  blast  furnace  in  Salisbury. 

i|  The  place  of  the  first  Town  Meeting,   and  of  the  subsequent  Town  Meetings  for 

,    *     many  years,  was  near  where  the  Old  Meeting  House  stood.    The  house  of  Roswell  Hopkins 

'  V.         stood  near  the  Meeting  House.    The  residence  of  his  father,  Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins,  who 

\  '  [L    ^^^  ^^^'  ^"^^^  Supervisor,  was  further  south  towards  the  fair  grounds,  and  was  in  later 

^  I  ^      years  reached  by  a  lane  from  the  highway.      Mr.  Henry  Ingraham  resided  there  several 

years.    The  Totten  house,  where  W.  P.  Perlee  lived,  was  built  by  one  of  the  sons  of  Capt. 

Stephen  Hopkins.   The  Town  Meeting  was  held  at  Capt.  Abiah  Palmer's  first  in  1789.  There 

.a^jlJ^    was  no  highwa}'  east  from  Amenia.    Where  the  turnpike  now  runs  there  was  a  swamp. 

There  was  a  road  running  east  and  west  across  the  hill  north  of  Hiram  Cooper's. 


THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  47 

well  Hopkins,  Esq.,  Michael  Hopkins  was  chosen  Clerk 
of  said  Precinct,  and  Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins  was  chosen 
Supervisor. 

Samuel  Dotj  and  Jonathan  Eejnolds  were  chosen 
Assessors  for  the  year  ensuing. 

Benjamin  Benedict,  Abraham  Paine,  and  Moses 
Barlow  were  chosen  Overseers  of  the  Poor. 

Conrad  Winegar  was  chosen  Collector  and  Constable. 

Samuel  Shepherd,  Kufus  Herrick,  and  Ichabod 
Rogers  were  chosen  Constables. 

Thomas  Wolcott  and  Jonathan  Reynolds  were  chosen 
Pound  Keepers. 

Captain  Stephen  Hopkins  and  Samuel  King  were 
chosen  to  take  Inventories  of  Intestate  Estates  for  the 
3'ear  ensuing. 

Miles  Washburn,  Benjamin  Benedict,  and  Roswell 
Hopkins  were  chosen  Fence  Yiewers  for  the  year 
ensuing. 

Thomas  Wolcott,  John  Beebe,  Joseph  Pennoyer, 
Philip  Pitts,  Samuel  Shepherd,  William  Barker,  William 
Roberts,  Edmund  Perlee,  Moses  Harris  and  Job  Milk 
were  chosen  Overseers  of  Highways. 

Also  voted  that  a  Fence,  four  feet  and  four  inches 
high,  well-wrought  and  substantial,  shall  be  deemed 
lawful." 

In  1763,  Edmund  Perlee  was  chosen  Supervisor. 

In  1764, 1765  and  1766,  Stephen  Hopkins  was  chosen 
Supervisor. 

In  1767,  Edmund  Perlee  was  chosen. 

In  1768  and  1769,  Ephraim  Paine  was  Supervisor. 

In  1770,  Abraham  Bockee  was  chosen  Moderator  of 
the  Town  Meeting  and  Ephraim  Paine  was  chosen 
Supervisor,  and  continued  to  1776. 

In  1776,  Silas  Marsh  was  chosen  Supervisor,  and  in 


48  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

1777  and  1778,  Eoswell  Hopkins.  In  1779  and  1780, 
Dr.  Jolm  Chamberlain.  In  1781,  Coi.  Colbe  Chamber- 
lain. In  1782  and  1783,  Ephraim  Paine.  In  1784, 
Isaac  D arrow  was  Supervisor. 

Michael  Hopkins  was  Town  Clerk  till  1773,  when 
Koswell  Hopkins  was  chosen  and  continued  till  1784. 

Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins  and  Samuel  King  continued 
to  take  Inventories  of  Intestate  Estates  for  several 
years. 

The  Justices  of  the  Peace— from  the  Crown,  of 
course — were  Abraham  Boka,  Ephraim  Paine,  Eoswell 
Hopkins,  and  Conrad  Winegar. 

In  1772,  Ezra  Keed,  Job  Milk,  and  Elijah  Wheeler 
were  chosen  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  "  and  are  to  serve 
for  nothing." 

CIVIL  LIST. 

The  following  named  citizens  of  Amenia  have  served 
in  various  official  positions. 

Ephraim  Paine  was  Deputy  to  the  First  New  York 
Provincial  Congress  in  1775.'^ 

Jacob  Evertson  was  a  Deputy  to  the  N.  Y.  Provin- 
cial Congress  in  1776. 

Ephraim  Paine  was  a  delegate  in  Congresst  under 
the  Articles  of  Confederation  in  1784. 

Ephraim  Paine  was  a  member  of  the  N.  Y.  Senate 
from  Middle  District  in  1779, 1780, 1782, 1784  and  1785. 

Eeuben  Hopkins,  a  native  of  Amenia,  was  a  member 
of  N.  Y.  Senate  from  Middle  District  from  1794  to  1797. 

Elisha  Barlow  was  a  member  of  N.  Y.  Senate  from 
Middle  District:}:  from  1807  to  1810. 

*  This  Provincial  Congress  Convened  in  New  York  May  2-3, 1775,  and  adjourned  Nov. 
4, 1775.  Col.  Anthony  Hoffman,  Gilbert  Livingston,  and  Richard  Montgomery  were  among 
the  delegates  from  i)utchess  county. 

t  The  number  of  delegates  in  that  Congress  from  this  State  were  seven.  Of  these 
were  Egbert  Benson,  John  Jay,  &c. 

J  The  Middle  District  was  composed  cf  Dutchess,  Orange,  and  Ulster  counties. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENTA.  49 


Abraham  Bockee  was  a  member  of  N.  Y.  Senate 
from  1842  to  1845. 

Abiah  W.  Palmer  was  a  member  of  N.  Y.  Senate 
1868-69  and  1872-73. 

Edmund  Perlee  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1801. 

Elisha  Barlow  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1821. 

Members  of  Assembly  of  State  of  New  York 
FROM  Amenlv. 

Brinton  Paine,  1775-81  and  1785-87. 
Abraham  Paine  1781-82. 
Barnabas  Paine,  1793. 
James  Bockee,  1794. 
Jacob  Bockee,  1795-97. 
Wm.Barker,  1798, 1800. 
Piatt  Smith,  1798-99. 
Elisha  Barlow,  1800,  1802. 
Benajah  Thompson,  1804,  1808,  1809. 
Benjamin  Herrick,  1806. 
'^   Cjrenus  Crosby,  1808. 
Alexander  Neely,  1810-11. 
Joel  Benton,  1814,  '15,  17,  and  '31. 
Isaac  Smith,  1816. 
Abraham  Bockee,  1820. 
Taber  Belden,  1828,  '37. 
Joel  Brown,  1833. 

Henry  Conklin,  1833,  '34,  '39  and  '40. 
John  K.  Mead,  1844. 
Amos  Bryant,  1840. 
Walter  Sherman,  1845,  '47. 
James  Hammond,  1848-49. 
Wm.  H.  Bostwick,  1854. 
Abiah  W.  Palmer,  1860 


50  THE  EABLY  HISTORY  OF  AMELIA. 


OTHER  OFFICES  HELD  BY   CITIZENS  OF  AMENIA. 

Epliraim  Paine  was  appointed  First  Judge  of  Dutch- 
ess county  in  1778,  which  was  also  the  first  appoint- 
ment to  the  office  of  Judge  in  Dutchess  county  after  the 
organization  of  the  government  of  the  State  of  New 
York. 

Abraham  Bockee  was  appointed  First  Judge  of 
Dutchess  county  in  1846. 

Elisha  Barlow  was  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  County 
Court  in  1808. 

Abraham  Bockee  was  Member  of  the  U.  S.  Congress 
in  1829-31  and  1833  37. 

Ebenezer  Nye  was  Surrogate  of  Dutchess  county  in 
1821. 

John  Brush  was  Surrogate  in  1819. 

E.  M.  Swift  was  District  Attorney  in  1843,  and  B. 
Piatt  Carpenter  in  1858. 

Thomas  N.  Perry  was  Sheriff  in  1840,  and  Judah 
Swift  in  1861. 

Jacob  B.  Carpenter  was  Presidential  Elector  in  1861. 

Hon.  William  H.  Leonard,  son  of  Dr.  Leonard,  and 
a  native  of  Amenia,  was  elected  one  of  the  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court  in  1859,  and  was  afterwards  one  of 
the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  was  also  Com- 
missioner of  the  Court  of  Appeals. 

Hon.  George  G.  Reynolds,  of  Amenia,  is  now,  1875, 
serving  as  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  City  Court  of 
Brooklyn. 

Hon.  William  I.  Cornwall,  of  Cayuga  county,  son  of 
Eden  Cornwall,  and  grandson  of  Eev.  John  Cornwall, 
has  been  several  times  Member  of  the  Assembly  and  of 
the  Senate. 


THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 


In  the  war  of  the  Revohition  the  p'-^triotism  of  the 
citizens  of  Ameuia  was  expressed  with  promptness  and 
ahiiost  entire  unanimity.  On  the  29th  of  April  1775, 
only  ten  days  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  a  meeting 
was  held  in  the  city  of  New  York  of  those  ready  to 
oppose  the  oppressive  acts  of  the  British  government. 
An  Association  was  formed  and  a  Pledge  adopted,  which 
was  sent  for  signatures  into  every  county  of  the  State. 

THE  PLEDGE. 

"  Persuaded  that  the  salvation  of  the  rights  and  lib- 
erties of  America  depend,  under  God,  on  the  firm  union 
of  its  inhabitants  in  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
measures  necessary  for  its  safety,  and  convinced  of  the 
necessity  of  preventing  anarchy  and  confusion  which 
attend  a  dissolution  of  the  powers  of  government,  We, 
the  Freemen,  Freeholders,  and  Inhabitants  of  Amenia, 
being  greatly  alarmed  at  the  avowed  design  of  the  Min- 
istry to  raise  a  revenue  in  America,  and  shocked  by  the 

-7 


THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


bloody  scene  now  acting  in  Massachusetts  Bay,  do  in 
the  most  solemn  manner  resolve  never  to  become  slaves, 
and  do  associate,  under  all  the  ties  of  religion,  honor, 
and  love  to  our  country,  to  adopt  and  endeavor  to  carry 
into  execution  whatsoever  measures  may  be  recom- 
mended b3^  the  Continental  Congress,  or  resolved  upon 
by  our  Provincial  Convention,  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
serving our  constitution  and  of  opposing  the  several 
arbitrary  acts  of  the  British  Parliament,  until  a  recon- 
ciliation between  Great  Britain  and  America,  on  consti- 
tutional principles  (which  we  most  ardently  desire)  can 
be  obtained  ;  and  that  we  will  in  ail  things  follow  the 
advice  of  our  General  Committee  respecting  the  pur- 
poses aforesaid,  the  preservation  oi  peace  and  good 
order  and  the  safety  of  individuals  and  property." 

This  Pledge  of  the  "  Association  "  was  presented  to 
the  citizens  of  Amenia  for  their  signatures  in  June  and 
July  of  1775,  by  Roswell  Hopkins,  Samuel  King,  and 
Silas  Marsh,  a  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose, 
and  four  hundred  and  twenty  subscribed  to  the  pledge, 
and  only  six  delayed  or  refused  to  sign. 

Those  who  persisted  in  refusing  to  sign  were  Joel 
Harvey,  Philip  Row,  Samuel  Dunham,  Judah  Swift  and 
Peter  Slason.^ 

The  qualifications  in  their  subscription  to  the  pledge 
by  three  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  of  the  town,  shows 
a  scrupulous  conscientiousness  rather  than  any  want  of 
patriotism  ;  and  their  regard  for  their  oath  of  office 
rather  gives  a  serious  emphasis  to  their  act.  Isaac 
Smith  subscribed  with  this  limitation,  ''  I  do  agree  to 
the   above  Association  so    far  that  it  doth  not    interfere 

*  Mr.  Slason  never  accepted  the  situation.  He  lived  in  Sonth  Amenia  near  his 
brother-in-law,  Capt.  Wm.  Chamberlain,  and  after  the  war,  when  the  pole  was  raised  in 
that  part  of  the  town,  crowned  with  the  cap  of  liberty,  Mr.  Slason  was  brought  to  it  with  a 
rope  around  his  neck  and  required  to  confess  his  loyalty.  He  kneeled  down  before  this 
emblem  of  the  nation's  freedom  and  cried  out  "  Great  art  thou,  0  Baal." 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  53 


with  the  oath  of  my  office,  nor  mj  allegiance  to  the 
King.— Isaac  Smith."  Abraham  Bockee  made  this 
qualification  "  Not  to  infringe  on  my  oaths. — Abraham 
Bockee." 

John  Garnsey  refused  at  first,  and  afterwards  gave 
this  declaration.-—"  June  8,  1775.  This  may  certify  to 
all  people  whom  it  may  concern  that  I,  the  subscriber, 
am  willing  to  do  what  is  just  and  right  to  secure  the 
^  privileges  of  America,  both  civil  and  sacred,  and  to  fol- 
low the  advice  of  our  reverend  Congress,  so  far  as  they 
do  the  Word  of  God  and  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  I  hope,  in  the  grace  of  God,  no  more  will  be  re- 
quired. As  witness  my  hand.         John  Garnsey. 

This  stern  old  Puritan  distinctly  asserted  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  "  higher  law,"  and  he  was  not  less  heroic 
in  asserting  the  rights  of  men. 

Those  who  signed  the  Pledge  of  the  Association 
were  called  "  Associators,"^and  the  subscription  to  the 
Pledge  was  pressed  upon  individuals — with  a  degree 
of  rigor,  perhaps,  sometimes — as  a  test  of  their  loyalty.f 

A  Committee  of  Safety  was  appointed  here  as  in 
other  towns  in  the  country.  Besides  those  already 
mentioned,  Capt.  Wm.  Chamberlain,  in  the  east  part  of 
the  town,  was  very  active.  The  vigilance  of  the  Com- 
mittee was  particularly  directed  to  the  movements  of 
the  Tories,  or  those  suspected  of  a  want  of  loyalty  to 
the  country,  and  any  hesitation  in  signing  the  pledge 
was  the  occasion  of  suspicion  and  accusation  awhile,  to 
the  disturbance  of  society,  and  the  violent  zeal  of  some 
of  the  leaders  led  them  to  rebuke  the  moderation  of 
others  who  were  equally  steadfast  in  their  patriotism. 
It  is  quite  probable  that  some  may  have  been  brought 

*  The  list  was  sometimes  called  the  "  Roll  of  Honor." 

t  Mr.  Marsh,  in  his  return  of  names  to  the  committee,  says  "  I  am  compelled  to  re- 
mind yon  of  James  Smith— out  of  my  limits— who  is  notoriously  wicked." 


54  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


to  a  decision  by  the  prompt  and  vigorous  measures  of 
the  Committee.  It  became  evident,  however,  that  a 
most  remarkable  unanimity  of  loyal  sentiment  prevailed 
in  the  town,  while  in  many  other  towns  of  the  county  a 
very  large  number  were  openly  hostile  to  the  action  of 
the  patriots. 

A  rude  prison,  constructed  of  logs,  was  used  for  con- 
fining tories  and  any  other  suspected  persons.  This 
was  built  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the  present  village  of 
Amenia*  and  north  of  where  the  turnpike  now  runs. 
The  remains  of  this   prison  w^ere  there  a  few  years  ago. 

THE    CENTENNIAL. 

The  returning  Centennial  of  each  important  act  in 
the  great  drama  of  the  Revolution  is  now  celebrated 
with  appropriate  ceremonies,  that  there  may  be  kept 
alive  in  the  minds  of  all  the  people  a  just  estimate  of 
the  work  of  their  fathers,  and  of  the  principles  which 
were  asserted  at  such  a  cost.  It  is  now  just  a  hundred 
years  since  the  citizens  of  Amenia  by  this  subscription 
put  their  hand  to  the  work  of  the  Revolution  ;  and  we 
are,  at  this  distance  of  time,  better  able  to  estimate  the 
character  of  that  important  act. 

It  is  certain  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  those 
who  joined  in  the  pledge  w^ere  well  informed  on  the 
questions  at  issue  and  knew  the  serious  nature  of  their 
action.  This  is  intimated  by  the  religious  regard  they 
had  to  their  oaths.  The  civil  and  religious  rights  of 
individuals  and  the  limits  of  state  authority  had  been 
subjects  of  their  study  all  their  lives.t    Persecution  had 

*  The  reader  will  bear  in  mimd  that  there  was  no  village  where  Amenia  now  is ,  no 
highway  Avhere  the  turnpike  now  i-uns,  and  that  the  centi-al  place  of  public  business  of  the 
town  was  by  the  lied  Meeting  House,  near  the  burying  ground. 

t  Tt  is  recommended  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  that  a  me- 
morial discourse  be  preached  in  every  Presbyterian  church  on  the  Sabbath  preceding  the 
4th  of  July,  1876,  to  preserve  the  history  of  that  church,  and  to  commemorate  the  patriotism 
of  the  ministers  and  christian  people  of  the  Revolution.  A  large  number  of  these  membei's 
of  the  patriotic  league  were  members  of  the  christian  societies  otthe  tOAvn. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENTA.  55 

driven  some  of  them  from  homes  in  the  old  country,  and 
others,  who  had  come  out  of  New  England,  had  been 
educated  to  a  very  jealous  sense  of  personal  responsi- 
bility and  personal  rights.  They  were  not  led  in  haste 
by  any  political  faction  to  rash  excitement.  They  un- 
derstood the  central  truth  of  the  Kevolution, — that  it 
luxis  not  rebellion,  but  a  positive  assertion  vf  rights  luJiich 
they  h%d  always  justly  held,  and  a  determined  resistance  to 
neivly -imposed  bonds. 

It  is  not  any  less  to  the  honor  of  their  patriotic  vir- 
tue and  courage  that  they  did  not  foresee  the  greatness 
of  the  end  of  this  incipient  act ;  that,  with  the  great 
leaders  of  the  people,  in  the  beginning  of  the  contest, 
"  They  builded  wiser  than  they  knew." 

ROLL   OF   HONOR. 

Names   of    the    Citizens   of   Amenia   luho   subscribed    the 
Fledge, 

The  names  of  those  patriotic  citizens,  who  did  not 
hesitate  to  show  their  hands  in  this  serious  crisis,  are 
fortunately  preserved  and  are  recorded  now,  as  a  fit 
memorial  of  their  loyalty  and  courage,  which  will  be 
regarded  with  just  pride  by  those  who  recognize  in 
these  names  those  of  their  ancestors  and  relatives,  and 
former  citizens  of  Amenia. 

More  than  three  hundred  of  these  names  are  men- 
tioned in  other  records  of  the  town,  or  are  known  as 
belonging  to  families  then  residents.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  of  these,  or  more,  were  indeijendent,  separate  land- 
holders. 

Several  of  the  patriots  must  have  been  absent. 
Ephraim  Paine  was  attending  the  Provincial  Congress. 
Benjamin  and  Waight  Hopkins   had  already  gone  with 


56 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Ethan  Allen.  Keuben  Hopkins,  elacob  Bockee,  and 
some  others,  who  are  known  to  have  been  true,  are  not 
mentioned. 

The  number  of  names  given  with  those  added  which 
are  known,  making  435,  gives  some  intimation  of  the 
population  of  the  town  at  that  time. 

The  present  spelling  of  the  names  of  families  is 
adopted,  as  the  manuscript  in  many  cases  seems  to 
have  been  very  uncertain. 


Thomas  Ackley, 
Abraham  Adams, 
Abraham  Adams,  Jun., 
Elisha  Adams, 
Jonas  Adams, 
Joseph  Adams, 
William  Adams, 
Jonathan  Allerton, 
James  Allen, 
James  Allsworth,  Jun., 
William  Allsworth,, 
Solomon  Armstrong, 
Cornelius  Atherton, 
Benjamin  At  water, 
John  Atwater, 
Levi  Atwater, 
Joseph  Backus, 
James  Barker, 
William  Barker, 
Elisha  Barlow, 
Moses  Barlow, 
Nathan  Barlow, 
Henry  Barnes, 
Josiah  Barnes, 
James  Barnet, 
John  Barnet, 
John  Barnet,  Jun., 
Daniel  Barry, 
John  Barton, 
John  Barry, 


James  Beadle, 
Elisha  Beardsley, 
John  Benedict, 
Samuel  Benedict, 
John  Benson, 
Joseph  Benson, 
Ebenezer  Besse, 
Elias  Besse, 
Ephraim  Besse, 
James  Betts, 
Daniel  Blakely, 
William  Blunt, 
Abraham  Bockee, 
John  Boya, 
Jared  Brace, 
Edmund  Bramhall, 
David  Brewster, 
Ellis  Briggs, 
Benjamin  Brown, 
David  Brown, 
Moses  Brown, 
Zedekiah  Brown, 
John  Brusan,  Jun., 
^John  Bronson, 
Lemuel  Brush, 
Richard  Brush, 
William  Brush, 
Ezra  Bryan, 
Israel  Buck, 
Jonathan  Buck, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


57 


Zadock  Buck, 
Grover  Buel, 
Grover  Buel,  Jun., 
Jedidiab  Bump, 
Eli  Burton, 
Jsaac  Burton, 
Isaac  Burton,  Jun., 
Judah  Burton, 
Ebenezer  Carter, 
Daniel  Carter, 
Gideon  Castle, 
Colbe  Chamberlain. 
John  Chamberlain, 
William  Chamberlain, 
Increase  Child, 
James  Chapman, 
Jeremiah  Chapman, 
Ezra  Cleaveland, 
Josiah  Cleaveland, 
John  Cline, 
Peter  Cline, 
Led.     Ch.  (?) 
David  Collin, 
John  Collin, 
Barnabas  Cole, 
John  Connor, 
Joab  Cook, 
Simeon  Cook, 
Simeon  Cook,  Jun., 
Nathaniel  Cook, 
Samuel  Cornwall, 
Thomas  Cornwall, 
William  Cornwall, 
John  Coe, 
Jabez  Crippen, 
Benjamin  Crippen, 
Benjamin  Crofut, 
Enoch  Crosby, 
John  Curry, 
Elijah  Darley, 
Mahew  Dagget,  Jun., 


^.  Caleb  Dakin, 

Isaac  Darrow, 

Daniel  Davidson, 

Squire  Davis, 

Isaac  Delamater, 

John  Delamater, 

Martin  Delamater, 

Benjamin  Delano, 

Stephen  Delano, 

Joseph  Delavergne, 

Lewis  Delavergne, 
\^ohn  Denny,  Jun., 

Abraham  Denton, 

Benjamin  Denton, 

John  Denton, 

Benjamin  Denton,  Jun., 

Joel  Denton, 

Gabriel  Dickinson, 

Yersal  Dickinson, 

James  Dickson, 

Samuel  Dodge, 

John  Dunham, 

Nehemiah  Dunham, 

Samuel  Dunham,  Jr., 

Seth  Dunham, 

Benjamin  Doty, 

David  Doty. 

Joseph  Doty, 

Eeuben  Doty, 

Jacob  Dorman, 

John  Douglass, 

John  Drake, 

Jacob  Elliot, 

Archibald  Farr, 

John  Farr, 

Albert  Finch, 

William  Finch, 

Jonathan  Fish, 

Asa  Fort, 

Ephraim  Ford, 

James  Ford, 


58 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


John  Ford, 
William  Ford, 
Natbaoiel  Foster, 
Joseph  Fowler, 
BeDJamin  Fowler, 
Elijah  Freeman, 
John  Freeman, 
Robert  Freeman, 
Eobert  Freeman,  Jun., 
Abraham  French, 
John  Furman, 
Thomas  Ganong, 
Daniel  Garnsey, 
John  Garnsey, 
John  Gates, 
Nathaniel  Gates,  Jan., 
Gerard  Gates, 
Stephen  Gates, 
Nathaniel  Gates, 
Abner  Gillett, 
David  Gillett, 
Gardner  Gillett, 
Joseph  Gillett, 
Moses  Gillett, 
Barnabas  Gillett, 
Eleazar  Gillson, 
Jeduthaw  Gray, 
Joseph  Gray, 
Samuel  Gray, 
Joseph  Green, 
Timothy  Green, 
William  Hall, 
Richard  Hamilton, 
Jason  Hammond, 
Sylvester  Handly, 
Daniel  Harvey, 
Obed  Harvey, 
Obed  Harvey,  Jun., 
Moses  Harris,  Jun., 
Samuel  Hart, 
Abel  Hebard, 


James  Hebard, 
Robert  Hebard, 
Benjamin  Herrick, 
Benjamin  Herrick,  Jun., 
Samuel  Herrick, 
Stephen  Herrick, 
Stephen  Herrick,  Jun., 
Nathan  Herrick, 
Rufus  Herrick, 
William  Herrick, 
Abner  Holmes, 
Elijah  Holmes, 
Benjamin  Holmes, 
Ichabod  Holmes, 
John  Hoboes, 
Samuel  Holmes, 
Benjamin  HoUister, 
Samuel  Hollister. 
Noah  Hopkins, 
Roswell  Hopkins, 
Asa  Hudson, 
William  Hunt, 
Jonathan  Hunter, 
John  Howard, 
Samuel  Jarvis, 
Benjamin  Johns, 
Ezekiel  Johnson, 
Paul  Johnson, 
Robert  Johnson, 
Samuel  Johnson, 
Eben  Johnson, 
John  Jones, 
Samuel  Judson, 
Heath  Kelly, 
Simeon  Kelsey, 
Joel  Ketchum, 
Samuel  King, 
Samuel  King,  Jun., 
William  King 
Elijah  Kinney, 
Ebenezer  Kinney, 


THE  EARLY  HISTOK^  OF  AMENIA,. 


59 


Jesse  Kinney, 
Stephen  Kinney, 
William  Knapp, 
Zadock  Knapp, 
Ebenezer  Larabe, 
Richard  Larabe, 
Joshua  Lasell, 
Daniel  Lamb, 
David  Lamb, 
Isaac  Lamb, 
Thiel  Lamb. 
Ebenezer  Latimer, 
EHsha  Latimer, 
Thomas  Lawrence, 
Theophilus  Lockwood, 
Walter  Lothrop, 
John  Lloyd, 
Isaac  Marks, 
Isaiah  Marsh, 
Silas  Marsh, 
William  McCullough, 
Daniel  May, 
Levi  Maiiew, 
Thaddeus  Manning. 
Obed  Matthews, 
Benjamin  Maxam, 
John  McNeil, 
Ebenezer  Mayo, 
Elijah  Mayo,' 
James  Mead, 
John  Mead, 
Job  Mead, 
King  Mead, 
Lsaiah  Mead, 
John  Mears, 
x\bel  Merchant, 
John  Merchant, 
Job  Milk, 
Wright  Millman, 
William  Mitchell, 
Eleazer  Morton, 


William  Moulton. 
Thomas  Morey, 
John  Mordack, 
Peter  Morse, 
Abial  Mott, 
Thomas  Mygatt, 
Sylvan  us  JNye, 
Levi  Orton, 
John  Osboru, 
Isaac  Osborn, 
Josiah  Osborn, 
Owen  Osterhout, 
James  Palmer, 
Samuel  Palmer, 
Nathan  Palmer, 
xA-braham  Paine, 
Barnabas  Paine, 
Brinton  Paine, 
David  Paine, 
Elihu  Paine, 
Barnabas  Paine,  Jun. 
Ichabod  Paine, 
Ichabod  Paine,  Jun., 
James  Paine, 
Joseph  Pennoyer, 
Amos  Pennoyer, 
Ebenezer  Park, 
Isaac  Park, 
Edmund  Perlee, 
Robert  Patrick, 
Jonathan  Pike, 
Nathaniel  Piniiey, 
Jacob  Powers. 
Joest  Powers, 
Peter  Probasco, 
Thorn  Pudney, 
Monmouth  Purdy, 
Elijah  Porter, 
David  Randle, 
Eliakim  Reed,  Jun., 
Elijah  Reed, 


60 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Ezra  Keed, 
Gershom  Keed, 
James  Keed, 
Silas  Keed, 
Simeon  Keed, 
Jacob  Reynolds. 
Stephen  Reynolds, 
William  Reynolds, 
Ichabod  Kodgers, 
Ichabod  Rodgers,  Jun., 
William  Roberts, 
Silas  Roe, 
Elijah  Roe, 
Garnet  Row, 
Nicholas  Row, 
James  B.  Row, 
Bezaleel  Rudd, 
Zebulon  Rudd, 
David  Rundall, 
Jared  Rundall, 
Ezra  St.  John, 
Ezekiel  Sackett, 
John  Sackett, 
John  Sackett,  Jun., 
Richard  Sackett, 
Benjamin  Sage, 
Daniel  Sage, 
Rufus  Seaton, 
Abner  Shevalier, 
Elias  Shevalier, 
Peter  Shevalier, 
Richard  Shevalier, 
Solomon  Shevalier, 
Asahel  Sherwood, 
Parrock  Sherwood, 
Daniel  Shepard, 
Israel  Shepard, 
Jonathan  Shepard, 
Samuel  Shepard, 
John  Seymour, 
John  Scott,  ^ 

/ 


Lemuel  Shurtliff, 
Abraham  Slocum, 
George  Sornborger, 
Frederick  Sornborger, 
Samuel  Southworth, 
Elijah  Smith, 
Elijah  Smith,  Jun., 
Isaac  Smith, 
Jesse  Smith,  Jun. , 
Piatt  Smith, 
Thomas  Smith, 
James  Smith,  Jun., 
Joseph  Smith, 
Samuel  Snyder, 
Jacob  Spicer, 
Nathan  Spicer, 
Elnathan  Spalding, 
Andrew  Stevens, 
Elkanah  Stevens, 
Lot  Swift, 
Nathaniel  Swift, 
Samuel  Swift, 
Seth  Swift, 
Bowers  Slason, 
Matthew  Stevens, 
Joshua  Talent, 
John  Thayer, 
Beriah  Thomas, 
Thomas  Thomas, 
Samuel  Thompson, 
Samuel  Thompson,  Jun. , 
Ezra  Thornton, 
Joel  Thurston, 
John  Thurston, 
Timothy  Tillson, 
Shubal  Tyler, 
John  Torner, 
Seeley  Trowbridge, 
David  Truesdel, 
Adin  Tubs, 
Benjamin  Vaun, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA. 


61 


Matthew  Van  Deusen, 
William  Young, 
Elijah  Wood, 
Robert  Wood, 
Stephen  Warren, 
Daniel  Washburn, 
Joel  Washburn, 
David  Waters, 
Samuel  Waters, 
Daniel  Webster, 
Thomas  Welch, 
Josiah  Wells, 
Samuel  West, 
Noah  Wheeler, 
Seth  Wheeler, 
Solomon  Wheeler, 
Simon  Whitcomb, 


Josiah  Wells, 
Gilbert  Willet, 
Josiah  Williams, 
Justus  Willson, 
Reuben  Willson, 
Robert  Willson, 
Lawrence  Wiltsey, 
William  Wiltsey, 
Ashbel  Winegar, 
Conrad  Winegar, 
Garret  Winegar, 
Henry  Winegar, 
Henry  Winegar,  (2) 
Samuel  Winegar, 
Dier  Woodworth, 
William  Wynans,  Jun. 


NEWS  OF  THE  BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON. 

When  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  reached 
Amenia,  the  militia  companies  came  together  with  a 
spontaneous  will,  like  men  who  had  something  to  do* 
"  They  were  addressed  by  Ephraim  Paine,  Esq.,  in  a 
masterly  oration,"  in  which  he  rehearsed  the  matters 
which  had  brought  the  country  to  so  serious  a  crisis, 
pointed  to  the  tyranical  measures  of  England,  intended 
to  enslave  this  country,  now  already  begun  in  blood, 
the  danger  of  America,  and  that  the  time  had  come  to 
step  forth  with  manly  courage  to  resist  the  force  of 
lawless  invasion. 

"  At  the  close  of  this  address,"  says  one*  who  was 
present,  "  the  whole  audience,  officers  and  privates, 
caught  the  flame  as  from  an  electric  shock,  and  were 
ready  to  march   to  the   seat  of  war."     Simeon  Cook, 


*  Barnabas  Paine,  Esq.,  who  left  in  writing  many  valuble  statements  of  the  times. 
He  was  the  father  of  the  late  Barnabas  Paine,  Esq. 


62 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


captain  of  one  of  the  companies,  addressed  his  men. 
"  Fellow  soldiers,  the  time  is  come  to  give  up  onr  liber- 
ties, or  defend  them  with  the  musket,  xls  many  of  jou 
as  are  willing  to  march  with  me  to  the  scene  of  action,  I 
will  lead,  and  I  will  expose  myself  to  all  the  dangers 
and  hardships  that  you  will  be  exposed  to.  If  any  of 
you  are  unwilling  to  go  you  are  dismissed."  It  is  added 
that  not  one  left  the  ranks. 


SOLDIERS   IN     THE   REVOLUTIONARY   WAR. 


These  are  names  of  the  soldiers,  as  far  as  now  ascer- 
tained, who  were  residents  of  Amenia  : 


Noah  Wheeler, 
Simeon  Cook, 
Benjamin  Hopkins, 
Waight  Hopkins, 
Roswell  Hopkins, 
Keuben  Hopkins. 
Noah  Hopkins, 
Brinton  Paine, 
Jacob  Bockee, 
Jabez  Flint, 
Jacob  Powers, 
Job  Mead, 
Job  Mead,  Jun., 
Moses  Harris, 
William  Barker, 
Alex.  Spencer,  Jun,, 
Daniel  C.  Bartlett, 
William  Blunt, 
David  Rundall, 
■  Roger  Southerlapd, 

V  Increase  Child, 
Joseph  Mitchell, 
James  Eeed, 

Wudah  Burton, 
Silas  Reed, 


Simeon  Reed, 
Samuel  lieed, 
Edmund  Perlee, 
Nathan  Conklin, 
Lemuel  Hatch, 
Oliver  Hatch, 
Peter  Cline, 
Jesse  Brush, 
Eiisha  Barlow, 
James  Bump,  — ^ 
Conrad  Chamberlain, 
Samuel  Gray, 
William  Chamberlain. 
Garret  Winegar, 
Mackey, 
Jones  Knapp, 
Silas  Ray, 
Barzilla  Andrews, 
Isaac  Osborn, 
Dr.  Reuben  AUerton, 
Ephraim  Lord, 
Bezaleel  Ruad, 
Joshua  Newman, 
Isaac  Delamater, 
Colbe  Chamberlain, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMEJillA. 


David  Doty, 
John  Benedict, 
Joel  Denton, 
John   Congdon, 
Warum  Kingsley, 
Stephen  Edget, 
Amos  Pennoyer, 
Jesse  Pennoyer, 


(V 


Jeduthan  Gray, 
Asa  Hollister, 
Samuel  Benedict, 
John  Ford, 
Reuben  Doty, 
Samuel  Waters, 
William  Brush, 
Ichabod  Holmes. 


OFFICERS    IN    THE   WAR. 

The  following  notices  of  officers,  who  were  residents 
of  Amenia,  are  compiled  from  the  Calendar  of  Histori- 
cal Manuscripts,  relating  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 

July  27,  1775,  Waight  Hopkins  was  chosen  Captain 
in  a  regiment  of  Green  Mountain  Boys  under  Colonel 
Ethan  Allen  and  Lieut.-Col.  Seth  Warner. 

Oct.  17,  1775,— The  date  of  commisrions  to  officers 
in  Regiment  No.  6,  of  Militia  of  Dutchess  county. 

David  Southerland,  Colonel, 
Roswell  Hopkins,  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Simeon  Cook,  Major 
Richard  De  Cantelon,  Major, 
Joseph  Carpenter,  Adjutant, 
Daniel  Shepherd,  Quarter-master, 

First  dnnpany .  Third  Company. 

William  Barker,  Capt,,  Joshua  Laselle,  Capt., 

Job  Mead,  1st  Lieut.,  Colbe  Chamberlain,  1  Lt., 

Noah  Hopkins,  2d  Lieut.,  David  Doty,  2d_Lieut., 


Abner  Gillett,  Ensign, 
Second    Company. 
Brinton  Paine,  Capt., 
Samuel  Waters,  1st  Lieut. 
Ichabod  Holmes,  2d  Liet., 
Jesse  Brush,  Ensign, 


Elisha  Barlow,  Ensign, 
Fourth    Company. 
Robert  Freeman,  Capt., 
Elijah  Smith,  1st  Lieut., 
Ezra  St.  John,  2d  Lieut., 
Noah  Wheeler,  Ensign, 


Major  De  Cantelon  was  not  a  resident  of  Amenia, 
bat  was  probably  a  professional  soldier,    appointed   to 


64  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

that  regiment  for  the  instruction  of  the  officers  and  men 
in  the  military  art. 

Oct.  17,  1775, — Minute  Men  of  Amenia  Precinct. 


Regiment  under  Col.  John  Van  Ness. 

Increase  Child,  Capt.,  ^ 
John  Lloyd,  1st  Lieut., 
William  Blunt,  2d  Lieut., 


James  Keed,  Major, 
Eeuben  Hopkins,  Adj., 
—^  Jos.  Ketcham,  Jr.,  Q.  M., 


Josiah  Morse,  Ensign. 

1775. — Officers  in  Gen.   Clinton's  Brigade  recom- 
mended to  him  for  the  standing   army. — 
Col.  Graham,  Capt.  Brinton  Paine,  Lieut.  Hopkins, 

1775. — Kufus  Herrick  was  appointed  Captain  in  a 
Dutchess  county  regiment. 

Apr.  12, 1776. — Officers  in  Col.  James  Clinton's  reg- 
iment of  Continentals, — 

Increase  Child,  Capt.,  John  Lloyd,  Lieut 

1776. — Petition  of  Officers  of  Col.  Graham's  regiment 
for  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Abraham  Teller  to  be  Sur- 
geon of  said  regiment. — Morris  Graham,  Col.,  Roswell 
Hopkins,  Lieut.-Col.,  Wm.  Barker,  Maj.,  Reuben  Hop- 
kins, Adj.,  Elisha  Barlow,  Capt.,  Stephen  Edget,  Lieut., 
Samuel  Waters,  Lieut.,  and  others. 

Oct.,  1776. — Capt.  Edget  resigns  on  account  of 
sickness. 

Dec.  14,  1776. — In  Committee  of  Arrangements, 
Resolvedf  that  Brinton  Paine,  Esq.,  be  appointed  Capt. 
in  Col.  Dubois'  regiment. 

Mount  Independence,  Nov.  15,  1776. — Lieutenant 
David  Doty  has  obtained  leave  of  Major-Gen.  Gates 
to  join  the  N.  Y.  troops  ;  we  recommend  the  said  Doty 
as  a  worthy  officer  and  one  that  has  performed  his  duty 
to  universal  satisfaction  as  Adjutant  and  Lieutenant. 

Nathaniel  Buel,  Col., 
John  Sedgwick,  Maj. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


65 


Jan.,  1777. — Officers  recommended  for  commissions 
according  to  their  rank  in  Col.  Humphrey's  regiment. 

Edmund  Perlee,  1st  Lieut,  i 
Reuben  Doty,  2  Lieut., 
David  Doty,  Adj. 


Brinton  Paine,  Major, 
Wm.  Chamberlain,  Capt., 
John  McNeil,  1st  Lieut., 

Jan.  7, 1777. — Capt  James  Eeed  petitions  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  operation  of  the  rules  adopted  in  regard 
to  the  transportation  of  flour  to  the  army  at  the 
eastward.  Capt.  Reed  was  Assistant  Commissary,  and 
was  directed  to  send  flour  for  the  army  at  the  east,  but 
was  hindered  by  a  certain  embargo  on  flour  crossing 
the  colony  line.  Judah  Swift  disregarded  these  orders 
of  the  Provincial  authorities,  and  sent,  in  the  night, 
two  sleigh  loads  of  flour  to  the  east  by  way  of  Kent* 
On  the  Kent  road,  near  the  colony  line,  the  drivers  en- 
countered the  guard,  whom  they  overpowered.  The 
object  of  this  embargo  seems  to  have  been  to  prevent 
the  flour  going  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Trusty 
persons  received  a  permit  to  go  with  the  flour  to  cer- 
tain points,  and  in  several  cases  these  persons  agreed 
to  bring  back  a  load  of  salt. 

Feb.  7-15,  1776. — Account  of  guns  delivered  to 
Capt.  Child  and  appraised  by  Dr.  Chamberlain,  C. 
Marsh  and  C.  Atherton. 


Gun  of  Stephen  Warren, 
*'    "    Levi  Orton, 
"    "    Jedidiah  Bump, 
"    "    Benjamin  Delano, 
"    "    Peter  Cline, 
*'    *•    Nathan  Barlow, 
"    "    Benjamin  Hall, 
**    "    Sylvanus  Nye,     . 
"    "    Gershom  Reed, 
"    "    EliakimReed, 

Pistol  of  Joseph  Pennoyer, 


3   0   0 

110  0 

215   0 

2  0  0 

.       115  0 

2  5  0 

.       2  0  0 

315  0 

210  0 

310  0 

010  0 

66  THE  EARLY  HISTOEY  OF  AMENIA. 


This  is  taken  from  a  memorandum  found  among  the 
papers  of  Capt.  James  Heed.  It  shows  the  means  to 
which  Congress  was  obliged  to  resort  to  furnish  fire- 
arms to  the  soldiers. 

April  22,  1777. — Major  Brinton  Paine  is  a  prisoner 
in  New  York,  "  and  is  not  like  to  come  out."  "  The 
Major  tells  the  guards  that  he  is  in  a  just  cause,  and  if 
he  gets  out  he  will  fight  them  again." 

April,  1777. — The  lead  mines  at  Great  Nine  Part- 
ners were  explored,  with  some  success,  by  an  agent  of 
Congress.  The  lead  mines  were  on  the  lands  of  Mr. 
Fish,  in  Amenia,  and  were  explored  at  the  suggestion  of 
Moses  Harris.  The  Commissioners  appointed  by  the 
Provincial  Congress  were  Jonathan  Landon  and  Ezra 
Thompson,  and  they  employed  John  McDonald,  an  ex- 
perienced miner  from  Scotland,  who  appears  to  have 
come  over  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  people  in  their 
struggle.  The  work  at  these  mines  was  continued 
through  the  season,  as  reported  by  Mr.  McDonald  with 
great  particularity.  This  John  McDonald  was  of  the 
distinguished  Highland  family  of  McDonalds,  and  Ins 
wife  was  the  grand-daughter  of  Rob  Roy  MacGregor, 
one  of  Walter  Scott's  heroes,  Mr.  McDonald  was  the 
father  of  John  McDonald,  well  known  in  Dutchess 
county  fifty  years  ago,  and  of  Miss  Anne  McDonald, 
very  extensively  known  on  account  of  her  position  in 
Judge  Smith's  famil}-.  She  came  with  her  father  from 
Scotland  when  a  child,  and  on  account  of  the  reduction 
of  his  estate  by  the  worthlessness  of  continental  money, 
she  entered  Judge  Smith's  family  as  a  governess.  After 
Judge  Smith's  death,  she  became,  through  her  remark- 
able executive  ability,  almost  the  sole  manager  of  his 
large  estate,  and  continued  in  that  position  many  years.^' 

♦  The  McDonald  burying- ground  is  in  the  north-west  corner  of  old  Amenia,  near  the 
Row  School-house,  where  the  several  generations  of  the  family  in  this  country  are  buried 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  07 

Sept.  17,  1776. — Cornelius  Atherton  petitions  the  N. 
Y.  Council  for  the  exemption  from  military  duty  of  his 
workman,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  fire-arms  in 
his  contract  with   Congress.* 


NOTICES  OF  INDIYIDUAL   SOLDIERS. 

"  Captain  Cook,"  says  Mr.  Paine,  "  was  afterwards 
deservedly  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  courage  and  steadinesst  in  battle 
near  Fort  Independence,!  in  1777."  "  It  was  in  this  ac- 
tion also  that  Captain  Noah  Wheeler  and  Col.  Roswell 
Hopkins  were  noticed  for  their  bravery,  and  also  pri- 
vates Amos  Pennoyer  and  Jeduthaw  Gray,  who  were  all 
from  Amenia." 

Five  sons§  of  Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins  were  officers. 
Waight  and  Benjamin  joined  the  Green  Mountain  Boys, 
under  Col.  Ethan  Allen  and  Lieut.-Col.  Seth  Warren 
and  were  both  killed  by  the  Indians.  Eoswell  Hopkins 
was  Colonel,  and  took  part  with  his  regiment  in  the  bat- 
tles at  Saratoga.  Dr.  Reuben  Allerton  was  Surgeon  of 
the  regiment  in  that  campaign,  and  it  is  understood 
that  Rev.  John  Barnet  was  Chaplain,  who  was  after- 
wards Chaplain  in  the  Continental  army.  Reuben 
Hopkins,  the  youngest  of  the  brothers,  and  who  was 
born  in  Amenia  in  1748,  was  Adjutant  in  Col.  Graham's 
regiment.  In  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  1812,  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  eight  Brigadier  Generalsjl  of  N.  Y. 
State,  being  then  a  resident  of  Orange  county. 


He  was  engaged  at  the  Steel  Works. 


t  Mr.  Paine  says  that  "Major  Cook  was  a  tall,  spare  man,  and  of  singular  steadiness 
of  manner,  which  gave  him  the  name  among  his  neighbors  of '  Old  Steady.'  " 

X  This  was  the  Fort  Independence  near  Peekskill. 

§  On©  had  died. 

i|  Lossing's  "War  of  1812,"  page  366. 

*9 


68  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

Captain  William  Chamberlain  was  very  active  among 
the  citizens  of  the  town,  as  one  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  in  the  beginning  of  the  war  ;  and  in  1777  he  re- 
ceived a  commission  as  Captain  in  Col.  Humphrey's 
regiment,  and  entered  the  army  under  Gates,  and  took 
part  in  the  battles  at  Saratoga,  which  resulted  in  the 
capture  of  Burgoyne. 

Brinton  Paine  was  transferred  to  the  regular  army 
in  Col.  Dubois'  regiment,  which  was  in  Gen.  Clinton's 
brigade.  Col.  Dubois  had  served  in  Canada,  and  he 
commanded  the  right  wing  at  the  battle  of  Klock's 
Field,  near  the  Mohawk,  in  1780.  In  April,  1777,  Maj- 
Paine  was  a  prisoner. 

In  Oct.,  1777,  the  Militia  of  Dutchess  county  were 
called  to  the  defense  of  the  Highlands."^ 

Jacob  Bockee  was  a  Captain  of  a  company  in  the 
regiment  under  the  command  of  the  gallant  Col.  Mari- 
nus  Willett. 

Moses  Harris,  Jun.,  served  in  the  dangerous  duty  of 
a  spy,  and  was  greatly  confided  in  by  Washington.  He 
was  rewarded  for  his  services,  after  the  war,  by  a  grant 
of  land  in  Westfield,  Washington  county,  N.  Y.,  now  the 
town  of  Fort  Ann.  Mr.  Harris  resided  in  the  north- 
west part  of  the  town. 

"  Alexander  Spencer,  Jun.,  was  a  volunteer  in  Ar- 
nold's expedition  to  Quebec,  and  died  on  the  march. "t 

Daniel  C.  Bartlett  was  the  son  of  a  Congregational 
minister,  who  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  gave  him 
on  the  Sabbath  his  sword,  which  he  had  newly  ground, 
and  told  him  to  go  and  defend  his  country.  Mr.  Bart- 
lett went  with  Montgomery  to  Quebec,  and  was   at  the 


*  This  was  the  most  perilous  year  of  the  war  for  Dutchess  county.  The  enemy  were 
threatening  the  passes  of  the  Highlands  on  the  south,  their  armed  vessels  moved  up  the 
Hudson,  a!id  Burgoynes  army  moved  slowly  trom  the  north.  Our  Militia  were  called  at 
times  in  both  directions  to  meet  the  Invasion. 

t  Sedgwicli's  "History  of  Sharon." 


THE  EAELY  HISTOKY  OF  AMENIA.  69 


capture  of  Fort  St.  John,  in  Nov.  1775.  He  was  also 
present  at  the  burning  of  Danbury  in  1777. 

Increase  Child,  who  lived  in  the  southeast  part  of 
the  town,  was  a  Captain  in  the  Continental  troops. 

Joseph  Mitchell  was  a  private  in  the  regulars. 

Jesse  Pennoyer  enlisted  during  the  war  at  the  age 
of  sixteen. 

Jabez  Flint  entered  the  service  at  the  beginning  of 
the  war  and  joined  the  army  near  Boston.  His  next 
service  was  near  New  York,  when  the  retreat  was  made 
from  Long  Island,  and  his  company  escaped  with  peril 
from  Governor's  Island.  In  1777,  he  entered  the  regu- 
lar army  for  three  years,  and  went  to  Philadelphia,  and 
the  next  winter  he  experienced  the  sufferings  of  Valley 
Forge.  Afterwards  he  became  Assistant  in  the  Quar- 
ter-Master's Department,  and  then  Assistant  in  the 
Commissary's  Department. 

Judah  Burton  was  in  the  Commissary's  Department. 
Capt.  James  Reed  was  in  the  Commissarj^'s  Depart- 
ment temporarily  ;  so  also  was  Capt.  Isaac  Delamater. 

Samuel  Gray  was  in  the 'regular  army  through  the 
war,  and  had  the  reputation  of  a  good  soldier.  He  lost 
his  life,  in  1826,  by  falling  into  a  welh" 

Capt.  William  Chamberlain  was  at  the  battle  of  Ben- 
nington, and  with  him  was  Mackey,  a  small  colored 
man,  who  had  been  a  slave  and  ii;aitied  his  freedom  hj 
his  patriotic  services.  He  lived  near  Amenia  Union  ii] 
his  little  home,  which  was  also  given  him  for  his  service. 

Garret  Winegar  was  a  Forage  Master,  and  died  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  war. 

Silas  Ray  was  in  the  Continentals,  perhaps  in  the 
xlrtillery.    He  lived  on  the  road  that  leads  to  Kent. 


*  "Little  Sam  Gray  would  have  another  shot,"  said  one  of  the  otficers  at  the  close  of 
a  battle. 


70  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

Dr.  Reuben  Allerton  was  Surgeon  at  Saratoga,  and 
as  he  used  to  say,  "  dressed  the  wounds  of  friend  and 
foe." 

Ephraim  Lord  was  much  of  the  time  absent  in  the 
army,  and  his  energetic  wife  managed  his  estate  well 
in  his  absence. 

Bezaleel  Eudd,  from  the  north  part  of  the  town, 
went  with  Ethan  Allen. 

David  Doty  was  a  very  active  officer,  and  somewhat 
restless.  He  was  transferred,  as  we  see  in  another  place, 
from  the  Litchfield  county  Regiment. 

Jeduthan  Gray  and  Amos  Pennoyer  are  honorably 
mentioned. 

Capt.  Elisha  Barlow  was  temporarily  in  the  service. 

David  Rundall  served  in  two  campaigns,  one  north 
and  one  south,  in  1775  and  1776. 

It  is  understood  that  some  of  the  soldiers  from  this 
vicinity  were  infected  with  that  prejudice  towards  Gen. 
Schuyler,  which  was  so  unjust  to  that  excellent  officer 
and  pure  patriot,  and  which  was  soon  after  happily 
removed. 

Jones  Knapp,  who  lived  many  years  at  Ebenezer 
Kurd's,  was  in  the  regular  army  through  the  war ;  was 
present  at  the  execution  of  Andre  ;  was  at  the  capture 
of  Cornwallis,  and,  on  his  way  returning  from  the  south, 
visited  Mount  Vernon. 

Warum  Kingsley  ?  Doubtful.  He  was  very  young. 
But  he  was  present  at  the  Massacre  of  Wyoming. 

Some  of  those  whose  names  are  given  in  the  preced- 
ing columns  were  in  the  service  only  temporarily.^ 


*  There  were  undoubtedly  a  large  number  of  privates,  who  went  into  the  service  ft-om 
Amenia,  whose  names  are  not  here,  as  there  are  no  records  within  reach  of  the  compiler, 
and  he  is  obliged  to  draw  only  from  tradition  and  the  very  meagre  records  of  family  history, 
This  will  excuse  the  imperfections  inthis  list. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  71 


JUDGE  PAINE. 

Among  the  civilians  in  Amenia,  who  rendered  valua- 
ble services  in  the  wars,  none  were  more  worthy  of  rec- 
ord than  the  Hon.  Ephraim  Paine,  who  was  a  man  of 
marked  character  in  public  and  private  life,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  to  stir,  by  his  eloquent  voice,  the  patriot- 
ism of  the  people.  He  was  employed  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  war — as  the  "  Civil  List  "  shows — in  offices 
of  very  high  responsibility  and  honor,  which  placed  him 
by  the  side  of  some  of  the  greatest  men  of  the  new  re- 
public ;  and  he  was  equally  ready  to  associate  with  his 
neighbors  in  the  minor  offices  of  the  town.  His  incor- 
ruptible integrity  and  firmness  were  not  the  less  heroic 
for  being  accompanied  with  Puritan  simplicity  of  man- 
ners. Judge  Paine  was  not  ambitious  of  place — as 
strong  men  are  apt  to  be — nor  was  he  dictatorial ;  but 
he  was  disposed  to  be  positive  and  uncompromising 
which  exposed  him  somewhat  to  the  charge  of  obsti- 
nacy. He  was  very  singular  in  the  simplicity  of  his 
manners  and  habits,  but  not  boorish,  and  his  theory  of 
the  social  and  political  equality  of  all  men,  which  he 
held  as  a  religious  conviction,  was  expressed  in  a  lit- 
eral and  extravagant  manner.  He  held  that  as  all  men 
are  equal,  there  should  be  no  distinctions  in  dress  or 
equipage  ;  he  wore,  therefore,  the  dress  of  a  laboring 
man  in  the  halls  of  legislation  and  in  the  house  of 
worship."^ 

It  was  an  aphorism  with  him  that  "  all  men  should 
be  treated  alike."  It  is  quite  probable,  therefore,  that 
there  was  sometimes  a  disregard  of  that  respectful  defe- 
erence  to  men  in  official  and  dignified  positions,  which 


household 


His  clothes  were  hot  untidy,  but  coarse  and  plain,  the  manufacture  of  his  own 
aid. 


72  THE  EARLY  HISTOllY  OF  AMENIA. 


the  rules  of  polite  society  require,  and  it  was  the  mag- 
nanimity of  his  courtly  associates  that  led  them  to 
overlook  tiiese  outward  faults  of  his  character  in  their 
thorough  respect  for  the  unquestioned  sound  qualities 
of  the  man. 

Judge  Paine's  religious  character  was  evidently 
somewhat  tinged  by  his  sympathy  with  the  Separatists, 
or  New  Lights,  among  whom  some  of  his  relatives  were 
distinguished  leaders. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  unselfish  devotion  to  the 
public  service  and  the  purity  in  private  life  of  this  ex- 
cellent citizen  should  be  less  remembered  than  his 
eccentricities. 

Many  ludicrous  mistakes  are  told  of,  which  resulted 
from  Judge  Paine's  plainness  of  dress,  some  of  which 
have  been  magnified  and  colored  in  amusing  stories- 
He  was  at  one  time  treated  as  a  menial  by  the  landlady, 
where  he  was  to  stay  during  his  attendance  at  court  in 
Poughkeepsie.  The  only  rebuke  which  he  gave  to  the 
mortified  lady,  when  she  apologised  for  her  mistake, 
was,  "You  should  treat  all  men  alike." 

It  is  an  authentic  story  that  a  gentlemen  who  rode 
in  haste  to  the  house  on  public  business  gave  him  his 
horse  to  hold  while  he  should  go  in  and  speak  to  Judge 
Paine.  It  is  also  true  that  a  gentleman  was  looking 
over  the  farm  for  Judge  Paine,  and  found  a  man  ditch- 
ing, and  asked  him,  "  Where  is  your  master  ?  "  "  In 
Heaven,  sir,"  was  his  ready  and  not  irreverent  answer. 

Judge  Paine's  education  had  been  without  tlie  aid  of 
schools,  but  his  mind  was  disciplined  to  a  habit  of  clear 
apprehension  and  accuracy,  which  made  him  on  many 
occasions  in  his  public  service  a  valuable  advisor  in 
matters  of  finance.  It  is  proper  to  say  that  he  opposed 
decidedly  the  financial  policy  of  Gen.  Hamilton. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  73 


There  is  a  notice  of  his  family  in  its  proper  place. 

In  1785,  Sep.  25,  a  few  weeks  after  the  death  of 
Judge  Paine,  the  Poughkeepsie  Journal  contained  a 
fitting  eulogy,  supposed  to  have  been  from  the  pen  of 
Judge  Piatt.        "'" 

Judge  Paine  was  a  member  of  the  Senate  when  he 
died. 

Silas  Marsh,  who  was  called  "  Lawyer  Marsh,"  was 
one  of  the  most  active  patriots  of  those  in  civil  life,  and 
Mr.  Samuel  King  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  wise 
counsellors  of  the  time. 

There  was  evidently  among  the  leaders  in  this  town 
a  high  respect  for  the  character  and  services  of  Hon. 
Egbert  Benson. 

INCIDENTS   OF  THE  WAR. 

This  part  of  the  country  was  r.ingularly  free  from  any 
disturbance  by  the  near  approach  of  the  enemy,  or  b}* 
any  movements  of  our  troops.  The  people  here,  it  is 
said,  heard  the  sound  of  the  cannon  at  the  battle  of 
Long  Island,  and  they  saw  the  smoke  of  burning  King- 
ston, but  it  "  did  not  come  nigh  them."  The  nearest  en- 
campment of  the  Continental  troops,  at  any  time,  was  at 
Pawb'ng,  in  1778.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  a  large 
number  of  prisoners — mostly  Hessians'^ — taken  at  the 
battle  of  Saratoga  the  year  before  were  marched  through 
this  town  on  their  way  to  Fishkill,  where  they  crossed 
the  Hudson.  During  all  the  time  that  the  British  held 
New  York,  much  of  the  communication  between  'the 
Eastern  and  Southern  States  was  necessarily  through 
Dutchess  county.     Several  notes  are  made  of  the  travel 

*  Some  of  the  Hessians  earnestly  solicited  the  people  to  aid  them  to  escape,  and 
some  succeeded  and  remained  in  this  country. 


74  THE  EAELT  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


through  Dover  and  the  south  part  of  Amenia  by  Amer- 
can  and  French  army  officers  and  others. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  war,  a  man  called  at  Judge 
Paine's  in  his  absence,  and  was  suspected  by  Mrs. 
Paine  to  be  a  British  spy,  and  she  persuaded  him  to 
partake  of  some  refreshments,  which  caused  his  delay , 
while  she  sent  for  two  patriots,^  and  caused  his  arrest. 
He  was,  however,  an  American  spy,  engaged  in  his  le- 
gitimate enquiry,  and  the  Committee  of  Safety,  who 
knew  him,  were  obliged  to  use  some  deception  in  plan- 
ning his  escape,  in  order  that  his  person  and  real  char- 
acter should  not  be  revealed.  He  was  sent  under  guard 
on  his  way  to  Poughkeepsie,  but  made  easily  his  escape. 

A  young  man,  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Jarvis,  went 
from  Amenia,  leaving  his  wife  and  two  children  here, 
and  joined  the  British  army.  He  went  to  England  af- 
ter the  war,  married  again,  and  continued  in  the  mili- 
tary service.  After  almost  an  hundred  years,  his  legiti- 
mate family  here  have  recovered  his  estate  left  in 
England. 

Resulutions  calling  out  the  Militia  of  WestcJiesier,  Dutclusfi, 
and  Albany.  In  Convention  of  Beprestntatives  of 
State  of  New  York.     FishJcill,  Bee.  21,  1776. 

"  Whereas,  It  appears  highly  probable  that  the 
enemy's  army  meditate  an  attack  upon  the  passes  of  the 
Highland  on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson  River,  and  the 
term  of  enlistment  of  the  Militia  under  the  command  of 
Gen.  Clinton  expires  on  the  first  of  this  month,  ana, 

Whereas,  His  Excellency  Gen.  Washington  has 
warmly  recommended  to  this  State  to  exert  themselves 
in  procuring  temporary  supplies  of  Militia, 

Resolved,  That  the  whole  Mihtia  of  Westchester, 
Dutchess,  and  part  of  Albany  be  forthwith  marched  to 

*  The  men  sent  for  by  Mrs.  Paine  were  Elder  Wood  and  Mr.  James  Palmer. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  75 


North  Gastle,  in  Westchester  county,  well  equipped  with 
arms  aud  ammunition,  and  furnished  with  six  days' 
provisions,  and  blankets,  and  a  pot  or  camp  kettle  to 
every  six  men,  except  such  persons  as  the  field  officers 
shall  judge  cannot  be  called  into  service  without  greatly 
distressing  their  families,  or  who  may  be  actually  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  saltpetre,  or  of  shoes  and 
clothing  for  the  army 

Resvlved,  that  the  Militia  be  allowed  Continental  pay 
rations,  and  that  such  men  as  cannot  furnish  themselves 
with  arms  shall  be  supplied  from  the  public  stores." 

The  commanders  of  regiments  were  empowered  to 
hire  or  impress  as  many  teams  as  were  necessary  for 
transportation  of  baggage. 

Commissary-Gen.  Trumbull  was  notified  to  make 
timely  provision  for  the  subsistence  of  said  Militia. 

Col.  Chevers,  Commissary  of  Ordnance,  was  applied 
to  for  a  loan  of  small  arms  for  those  destitute. 


THE  TORIES  OF  DUTCHESS  COUNTY. 

In  1777,  while  Burgoyne  was  threatening  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  State,  a  considerable  body  of  the  Tories 
of  Dutchess  county  were  collected  at  Washington  Hol- 
low, and  made  a  formidable  demonstration  of  their  hos- 
tility. "An  expedition  was  immediately  set  on  foot  to 
break  up  the  gang."  A  company  of  fifty  or  sixty 
started  from  Sharon,  Conn.,  and  was  joined  on  the  way 
by  others  till  the  party  amounted  to  two  hundred.  They 
halted  for  the  night  a  little  north  of  the  Hollow,  and  in 
the  morning  made  an  attack  upon  the  Tories,  who  fled 
and  as  many  as  could  made  their  escape.  Thirty  or 
forty  of  them  were  made  prisoners,  and  were  sent  to 
Exeter,  in  New  Hampshire,  where  they  were  kept  in 

no 


76  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


close  confinement  for  two  years.      No  more  trouble  was 
made  by  the  Tories  here  during  the  war.'^ 


ROBBERIES. 

In  the  disturbed  condition  of  society,  incident  to  the 
war,  lawless  and  rapacious  men  used  the  opportunity  to 
indulge  their  spite,  or  to  gratify  their  greed  in  plunder. 
In  the  near  vicinity  of  the  armies,  and  particularly  on 
the  "  neutral  ground,"  the  losses  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
the  dangerous  annoyances,  which  were  endured  from 
marauding  parties  were  terrible,  and  even  in  this  safe 
retreat,  there  were  instances  of  robbery. 

Philip  Nase,  Sen.,  and  his  wife,  who  lived  where 
their  son,  Corneilius,  afterwards  had  his  house,t  had 
lain  up  and  secured  in  a  treasure  chest,  a  considerable 
sum  of  gold  and  silver  money,  and  other  valuable  treas- 
ures. Four  men  in  the  disguise  of  British  officers  and 
soldiers,  came  one  evening,  armed  with  axes,  and  de- 
manded the  key  of  their  treasure,  and  threatening 
death  to  the  family  on  any  resistance.  The  key  was 
surrendered,  and  every  part  of  the  treasure  was  carried 
off,  and  never  recovered  or  heard  from  again.  It  is  not 
believed  that  the  robbers  were  British  officers  and  sol- 
diers, who  would  not  have  been  armed  with  axes,  on 
such  an  expedition. 

The  oldest  son  of  Philip  Nase,  Sen.,  Henry,  was  a 
Tory  of  so  positive  a  character  that  he  left  the  country, 
and  made  his  home  in  Nova  Scotia.  It  is  said  that,  be- 
fore he  left,  he  had  concealed  in  some  haste,  in  the 
night,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  a  sum  of  money — 

*  Sedgwick's  "  History  of  Sharon.'" 

t  The  house  where  Mr.  Nase  lived,  and  where  the  robbery  was  committed,  was  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  highway  from  the  house  now  there,  and  was  removed  many  years 
ago. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  77 

eighteen  hand  red  dollars  in  silver.  When  he  returned 
to  take  it  away,  he  was  not  able  to  find  the  place,  and 
it  is  supposed  to  be  there,  perhaps,  to  this  day. 

The  attempted  robbery  of  Capt.  David  Collin,  father 
of  the  late  Capt.  James  Collin,  came  to  a  different  sequel 
from  the  other.  A  company  of  robbers,  supposed  to 
be  some  well-known  Tories,  came  to  Mr.  Collin's  house, 
in  the  absence  of  his  wife,  and  demanded  his  money  and 
other  treasures,  which  they  probably  knew  he  possessed. 
Upon  Mr.  Collin's  persistent  refusal  to  give  up  his  treas- 
ure, or  reveal  the  place  of  its  hiding,  the  miscreants  pro- 
ceeded to  hang  him,  and  would  probably  have  carried 
their  purpose  to  a  fatal  issue,  but  for  the  timely  coming 
of  his  wife,  who  saved  his  life  and  their  treasure. 

The  name  of  this  heroic  wife  was  Esther  Gillett  Col- 
lin. It  is  understood  that  the  family  have  some  memo- 
randum of  this  event,  and  of  treasures  concealed. 

EARLY   RESIDENTS   OF   AMENIA. 

These  are  arranged  in  alphabetical  order,  for  the 
convenience  of  the  compiler  and  of  the  reader. 

This  is  not  intended  to  be  a  genealogy  of  the  fami- 
lies of  Amenia.  One  or  two  generations  beside  the  first 
settlers  are  in  some  cases  mentioned,  only  to  indicate 
their  relation  to  present  families.  The  records  of  gene- 
alogy, that  valuable  and  interesting  branch  of  history, 
are  very  properly  made  by  many  families  for  themselves. 
It  is  consistent  with  the  plan  of  this  work  to  leave  out 
everything,  with  few  exceptions,  that  does  not  belong  to 
the  early  history  of  the  town.*  Of  a  large  number  of 
the  early  residents  no  records  can  be  found  but  their 
names. 


*  These  notices  of  old  families  are  put  in  as  few  words  as  possible  ;  and  the  plan  of 
making  the  worli  as  condensed  as  consistent  with  completeness  is  sufficient  apology  for  any 
want  of  smoothness  of  style. 


78  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Elisha  Adams  was  the  proprietor  of  "  Adams'  Mill,"* 
in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  The  right  to  the  mill 
privileges  arid  to  raise  water  without  limit  was  ceded  to 
him  by  Judge  JohnsOD.  Ke  was  the  first  white  settler 
on  N.  P.  Lot  32,  west  of  the  mountain.  Some  of  the 
family  have  remained  in  that  place  till  within  a  few- 
years.  : 

Abraham  Adams,  Jun  ,  is  mentioned  in  1765. 

Darius  Adams,  1765  ;  Joseph  Adams,  1762  ;  John 
Adams,  1757. 

James  Allsworth,  Jun.,  lived  in  the  northeast  part  of 
the  town. 

Isaac  Allerton,  of  Windham,  Conn.,  purchased  the 
farm  of  Abner  Gillet — now  the  James  farm — in  1787. 
Mrs.  James  was  his  daughter,  and  his  sons  were  Jona- 
than, David  and  Reuben.  Jonathan  preceded  his  fath- 
er, and  was  a  resident  of  Amenia  in  1775.  His  wife 
was  Bathsheba  Mead.  David  was  the  father  of  Archi- 
bald and  Isaac,  and  his  wife  was  a  Montgomery,  a  rela- 
tive of  Gen.  Montgomery,  Dr.  Reuben  Allerton  pre- 
ceded his  father  here  a  few  years,  and  commenced  the 
practice  of  medicine  about  1778,  first  at  Amenia  Centre, 
and  in  1785  he  removed  to  Oblong,  where  he  lived 
awhile  in  the  John  Reed  house,  and  afterwards  till  his 
death  close  by  the  Presbyterian  church — now  of  South 
Amenia.  It  was  probably  immediately  after  the  com- 
pletion of  his  medical  studies  that  he  entered  the  service 
as  Surgeon  in  Col.  Hopkins'  regiment,  which  was  in 
1777.  Dr.  Allerton  was  of  a  genial,  pleasant  humor, 
and  very  spicy  wit.  He  died  in  1806,  aged  54.  His 
wife  was  the  daughter  of  James  Atherton.  The  family 
was  descended  in  direct  line  from  Isaac  Allerton,  of  the 
May    Flower.       Dr.   AUerton's   son,   Samuel,   and  his 


This  mill  was  burned,  and  another  one,  now  remaining,  was  built  in  its  place. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENTA.  79 


danp^hter  Amarillas  are  now  living  at  an  advanced  age.^ 

James  Athercon,  from  Canterbury,  Conn . ,  was  a 
resident  of  Sharon,  where  Zalmon  Hunt  now  lives;  then 
went  to  New  Jersey,  and  thence  removed  to  Amenia, 
where  be  died.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  excellent  learn- 
ing, and  had  spent  some  time  as  a  teacher  in  North 
Carolina,  and  returned  from  there  on  account  of  his 
intolerant  hatred  of  slavery. 

Rodger  Andrews  lived  in  the  south  part  of  the  town, 
near  Seth  Swift's,  where  he  reared  a  large  family. 

Cornelius  Atherton,  son  of  James,  was  an  iron  man- 
ufacturer, and  had  a  contract  with  the  government  in 
the  war  to  make  fire-arms  for  the  soldiers.  He  removed 
in  the  early  part  of  the  war  to  Wyoming,  and  was  there 
with  his  famil}^  at  the  time  of  the  massacre,  and  escaped 
with  them  with  very  great  difficulty. 

Col.  William  Barker  was  the  father  of  the  late  John 
Barker,  and  lived  on  the  same  farm.  He  served  the 
town  in  several  civil  offices,  and  was  active  in  the  mili- 
tary in  the  Revolutioa,  and  served  also  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, as  recorded  in  its  place.  His  wife  was  Chloe, 
daughter  of  Mr.  John  Bronson,  and  thev  were  married 
in  1763. 

Deacon  Moses  Barlow  and  his  brother,  Nathan, 
came  from  Sandwich  (or  Cape  Cod),  in  1756,  and  pur- 
chased of  Meltiah  Lothrop  the  farm  afterwards  the 
home  of  the  Swifts,  and  which  they  exchanged  for  the 
one  where  Moses  Barlow  settled,  and  which  is  still 
held,  a  part  of  it,  by  his  grandson,  Franklin  Barlow.f 
Their  father,  Peleg  Barlow,  came  with  them  at  the  age 
of  67,  and  died  in  1759.      Moses  Barlow  was  the  father 


*  Dr.  Corneilius  AUerton  and  Milton  Allerton  were  his  sons     Mrs.  Thos.  Barlow  and 
Mrs.  Taber  Belden  were  his  daughters. 

t  The  Barlow  farm  was  on  the  "  Clapp  Patent,'  Oblong  Lot    No.  47,  and  was   pur- 
chased of  Mr.  Samuel  Judson 


80  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


of  Elisha  and  Thomas  and  several  daughters.  Hon. 
Elisha  Barlow  occupied  S3veral  important  public  trusts, 
— as  shown  by  the  "  Civil  List " — and  was  honored  for 
his  integrity  and  firmness,  and  was  a  gentleman  of  dig- 
nified manners.  He  had  a  numerous  family.  His  old- 
est son,  Thomas,  was  the  father  of  the  Hon.  Thomas 
Barlow,  of  Madison  county.  Peleg,  Moses,  John,  Obed, 
Elisha,  and  Jesse  Barlow  were  sons  of  Judge  Barlow. 
The  Barlows,  before  they  left  the  Cape,  had  been  sea- 
faring men,  and  in  an  experience  of  the  perils  of  their 
business,  resolved  to  place  their  fortunes  on  solid 
ground,  and  this  led  them  to  their  new  home.  The}^ 
came  by  water  to  Poughkeepsie,  and  there  has  been  to 
this  time  a  grateful  recognition  by  the  family  of  hospi- 
talities received  at  the  Newcombs  in  Pleasant  Valley  on 
their  journey  here.  (How  many  pleasing  episodes  woula 
be  revealed  by  the  diaries  kept  by  any  other  of  these 
families  in  their  interesting  journeys  to  their  new  homes). 

William  Balis,  Esq.,  was  the  father  of  the  late  Abiah 
P.  Balis. 

Daniel  C.  Bartlett,  from  Bedding,  Conn.,  bought  of 
Joel  Gillett,  in  1803,  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  grand- 
son, W.  S.  Bartlett.  His  heroic  conduct  in  the  war  is 
mentioned  in  its  proper  place.  He  was  the  father  of 
William  and  Collins  Bartlett,  and  his  daughters  were 
Mrs.  John  Barker,  Mrs.  Thomas  Paine,  and  Mrs.  Wm. 
Paine. 

Elihu  Beardsly,  from  New  Milford,  was  living  in  the 
Dr.  Leonard  house,  near  George  H.  Swift's  in  1773. 
He  was  a  tanner.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
Chamberlain. 

Ebenezer  Benham  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  on 
Tower  Hill,  which  is  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
town. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  81 


Joseph  Benson  was  an  early  resident  of  the  south 
part  of  the  town,  where  the  family  have  remained  in 
considerable  numbers. 

'  Zerah  Beach,  Esq.,  resided  a  few  years  near  South 
Amenia,  where  he  was  engaged  in  trade  about  1790 
He  was  one  of  the  leaders  at  Wyoming,  who  signed  the 
articles  of  capitulation.  One  of  his  daughters  was  the 
wife  of  James  Warren.  It  was  his  grandson  who  was 
the  plaintiff's  lawyer  in  the  great  trial  at  Brooklyn  of 
Tilton  against  Beecher. 

Bela  E.  Benjamin,  the  father  of  Mrs.  C.  Wesley 
Powers,  Elijah  Park  Benjamin,  and  Horatio  N.  Benja- 
min, married  Louisa,  daughter  of  Elijah  Park. 

Caleb  Benton,  of  Guilford,  Conn.,  purchased  of 
Capt.  Lasell,  in  1794,  the  place  now  owned  by  his  grand- 
son, Myron  B.  Benton.  He  was  the  father  of  Joel  and 
William.  The  immigrant  ancestor  of  Mr.  Benton  was 
Edward  Benton,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Guilford* 
who  were,  most  of  them,  from  the  agricultural  county 
of  Kent,  in  England,  and  were  noted  for  the  very  neat 
style  of  their  farming.  Mr.  Benton  left  Guilford,  be- 
cause of  the  very  inconvenient  division  of  his  lands 
there."^  He  paid  for  his  land  here  15  or  16  dollars  per 
acre  in  specie,  which  he  brought  with  him  on  horseback. 
When  the  family  removed  they  came  to  Poughkeepsie 
by  water  in  a  sloop.  Joel  Benton,  Esq.,  was  much  oc- 
cupied in  public  business,  and  was  four  times  elected  to 
the  Legislature. 

About  1743,  Silas  Belden,  of  Wethersfield,t  Conn., 
settled  near  the  foot  of  Plymouth  Hill,  on  a  large  tract 


*  The  farm  lands  in  the  southern  part  of  Connecticut  are,  many  of  them,  very  incon- 
veniently disconnected. 

t  The  ancestor   of  Mr    Belden  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  in  the  ancient  town  of 
Wethersfield,  and  we  find  Deacon  Joseph  Belden  a  leading  man  there  in  1706. 


82  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


of  land  which  his  father  purchased  in  New  York,"  and 
which  was  described  afterwards  as  situated  in  Charlotte 
and  Amenia  Precincts.  The  sons  of  Silas  Belden  were 
Silas,  Jun.,  and  Lawrence.  Joseph  Belden  was  the  son 
of  Silas,  Jr.,  and  was  the  father  of  Taber  Belden,  whose 
home  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  is  now  occupied  by 
his  son.  The  land  of  Taber  Belden  was  formei'ly  a  part 
of  the  Knickerbocker  farm.  Taber  Belden  was  twice  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  and  very  often  served  the 
public  as  a  wise  counsellor. 

BoCKEE. — Soon  after  1750,  Abraham  Bockee  came 
from  New  York,  where  he  had  been  a  merchant,  to  Nine 
Partners,  and  entered  upon  land  purchased  by  his 
grandfather,  in  1699,  and  which  has  been  in  the  posses- 
ion of  the  family  to  the  present  time.  He  was  one  of 
the  Colonial  justices,  appointed  by  the  Crown,  as  early 
as  1761,  at  which  time  he  is  mentioned  as  "  a  Mr.  Bo- 
kay,t  a  justice  of  the  peace,  at  Nine  Partners,  near  a 
place  called  the  City."  The  immigrant  ancestor  of  Mr. 
Bockee  was  Johannes  Bockee  (Bokai),  who  came  to  this 
country  in  1685,  and  who  was  of  that  "  noble  Huguenot 
stock,  that  has  contributed  so  many  families  of  worth 
and  distinction."  Abraham  Bockee,  who  came  to  Nine 
Partners,  was  the  father  of  Jacob  Bockee  and  the  grand- 
father of  the  late  Judge  Abraham  Bockee.  Jacob 
Bockee,  a  graduate  of  King's  College,  N.  Y.,  was  Cap- 
tain in  the  Revolutionary  war  of  a  company  in  Colonel 
Marinus  Willet's  regiment,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Assembly  in  1795  to  1797,  where  he  introduced  a  bill 
for  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  this  state.     His  wife  was 


*  Mr.  Belden  purchased  this  valuable  tract  of  land  when  in  Xew  Yorlc,  and  -witliunt 
seeing  it.    It  remains  most  of  it  in  possession  of  the  family. 

t  Documentarj'  History,  III, ,  085. 

J  "Boka."    This  is  the  proper  pronunciation  and  was  formerly  the  only  one,    This 
fragrant  old  Huguenot  name  should  have  its  proper  sound. 


THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  83 


sister  of  the  late  Judge  Isaac  Smith."^  Judge  Abraham 
Bjckee  held  sevaral  hoaorabla  positioQ-i  in  civil  life,  as 
shown  in  another  part  of  this  record.  Though  decided 
in  his  political  convictions,  he  sometimes  resisted  the 
dictation  of  his  party,  and  followed  what  he  conceived 
to  be  right  and  for  the  public  welfare.  Phenix  Bockee 
a  brother  of  Abraham,  was  Lieutenant  in  the  war  of 
1812,  and  died  in  Po'keepsie  in  1814. 

Some  of  the  Bockee  family  went  to  South  Carolina, 
and  it  is  a  reasonable  supposition  that  the  gallant  Col. 
Henry  Bouquet,  who  was  distinguished  in  the  war  with 
the  Indians  in  1763,  was  of  the  same  family,  and  that 
he  retained  the  original  spelling  of  the  name. 

Captain  John  Boyd  was  of  Irish  descent — probably 
Scotch-Irish — and  came  here  from  Orange  County 
previous  to  1769,  and  he  returned  and  resided  there 
again  a  few  years.  He  married  the  daughter  of  Esq. 
Conrad  Winegar,  and  resided  a  little  south  of  Amenia 
Union  in  a  house  which  he  built — now  standing — where 
he  died  in  1817.  He  was  the  father  of  Samuel,t  Gil- 
bert, David  and  others. 

Noah  Brown  was  the  ancestor  of  many  of  that  name 
in  the  north  part  of  the  town — now  in  Northeast. 

Lemuel  and  William  Brush,  sons  of  Eeuben  Brush, 
from  Long  Island,  lived  in  the  west  part  of  the  town, 
not  far  from  the  City.  Lemuel  married  Mary  Perlee, 
and  his  sons  were  PerJee,  Jesse,  Piatt,  John  and  Henry  . 
Jesse  was  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 

Gen.  John  Brur.h,  who  was  a  lawyer  in  Po'keepsie, 
commanded  the  Dutchess  coanty  troops  at  Harlem 
Heights,  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  afterwards  Major- 
Gen,  of  Militia. 

*  Jacob  Bockee  and  his  brother-in-law,  Judg-f  Smith,  and  Judge  Johnson,  were  very 
iDtimat-^,  and  dined  togetlier  once  a  week  at  each  other's  houses. 

t  Samuel  Boyd  lived  where  I.  Hunting  Conkling  now  resides,  on  the  land  which 
came  by  his  wife,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Paine. 

ni 


84  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Col.  Henry  Brush  was  Captain  of  Ohio  Volunteers 
in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  on  his  way  to  Detroit  with 
230  men,  100  beef  cattle,  and  other  provisions,  and  a 
mail,  when  Gen.  Hull  surrendered,  Aug.  16,1812.  Capt. 
Brush  had  arrived  at  the  river  Raisin,  and  was  in  immi- 
nent danger,  through  the  negligence  of  Hull  to  send  a 
reinforcement,  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians, 
under  Tecumtha.  When  notified  on  the  17th  bv  a 
British  officer,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  of  Hull's  surrender 
of  his  army,  including  his  own  command,  he  refused  to 
accept  the  notice  as  authoritative,  and  escaped  with  his 
stores  to  Ohio."^  The  compiler  has  been  informed  oral- 
ly that  Capt.  Brush  purposely  allowed  the  whiskey 
among  his  stores  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians, 
which  so  demoralized  them  that  they  were  unable  to 
pursue  the  retreating  party. 

Moor  Bird  was  born  in  New  Marlborough,  Mass.,  in 
1756.  He  married  the  daughter  of  Louis  Delavergne, 
and  lives  where  his  sou,  the  late  Henry  Bird,  did.  His 
other  sons  were  Augustus  and  Milo.  He  was  of  the 
same  family  as  Bev.  Isaac  Bird,  who  has  compiled  a 
genealogy  of  his  family. 

Edmund  Bramhall  married  a  daughter  of  Deacon 
Moses  Barlow.  He  was  a  carpenter,  and  built,  before 
the  Revolutionary  war,  the  Deacon  Barlow  house,  now 
standing. 

John  Bronson  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wm.  Barker. 

"  Dea.  John  Brownson  died  in  1785,  aged  85. 

Jedidiah  Bump,  and  his  brother  James,  came  from 
Granville,  Mass.  They  were  probably  of  Huguenot  de- 
scent, the  original  name  being  "  Bon-pas,"  then  "  Bum- 
pas,"  and  "  Bumpus." 

Mr.  Bump  owned  the  east  half  of  J.  H.  Cline's  farm, 

*  Lossing's  "  War  of  1812,"  pp.  273-290. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  85 


where  he  built  a  house,  removed  many  years  ago.  He 
afterwards  removed  to  the  farm  where  his  daughter 
Huldah,  now  lives,  1875."^  His  sons  were  Roswell, 
Elijah,  and  Herman. 

Judah  Burton  came  from  Horse  Neck,  now  Stamford, 
Conn.,  previous  to  1762.  His  house,  wdiich  he  built, 
and  which  was  afterwards  the  home  of  his  son,  Daniel, 
is  the  brick  house,  now  the  residence  of  Edmund  P. 
Carpenter.  Mr.  Burton's  wife  was  Huldah  Stanton,  of 
Horse  Neck.  Sarah  Burton,  daughter  of  Judah,  became 
the  wife  of  Ezra  Thompson,  Jun.  Daniel  Burton,  the 
son  of  Judah,  was  the  father  of  Abraham  and  Warren 
Burton. 

Eli,  Isaac,  Josiah,  and  Elijah  Burton  were  early  res- 
dents  of  the  west  part  of  the  town,  and  near  the  City- 
Isaac  Burton,  a  man  of  good  estate,  was  a  citizen  of 
Amenia  in  1751.  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  brother 
of  Judah. 

Judah  Burton  was  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary 
war,  in  the  Commissary  Department,  and  is  spoken  of 
as  "  Commissary-General." 

Ezra  Bryan,  one  of  the  true  Whigs  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  father  of  the  late  Amos  Bryan,  lived  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  where  the  family  have  since  re- 
sided. Ezra  Bryan,  David,  and  others  are  of  that 
family.    Amos  Bryan  was  Member  of  Assembly  in  1840. 

Rufus  Case  was  a  resident  of  Amenia  previous  to 
1800. 

The  ancestors  of  the  Carpenter  family  of  this  town 
and  vicinity  came  from  England  to  Massachusetts  in 
1638 ;  thence  to  Long  Island,  in  1686.  In  1752,  Daniel 
Carpenter  purchased  land  in  Crom  Elbogh  Precinct, 
near  Salt  Point,  where  lie  died  in  1777.     His  son,  Ben- 

*  She  died  in  February,  1875,  aged  92. 


86  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

jamin,  being  excessively  persecuted  by  the  Tories" — 
which  is  an  evidence  of  his  persistent  patriotism — sold 
his  land  there,  and  purchased  the  lands,  which,  with 
subsequent  additions,t  made  in  part  the  farm  of  his  son, 
Hon.  Morgan  Carpenter,  now  of  Mr.  Isaac  S.  Carpenter. 
!Benjamin  Carpenter  purchased  also  for  his  sons,  S. 
Pugsley  and  Daniel,  the  Evartson  farm  in  Amenia, 
south  of  the  City,  where  Daniel  Carpenter  remained  till 
his  death.  Daniel  married  Zayde  Perlee.  Morgan 
married  Maria,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Bockee. 

Daniel  Castle,  Esq.,  came  from  Roxbury,  then  a  part  . 
of  Woodbury,  Conn.,  some  time  previous  to  the  year 
1758,  and  settled  at  South  Amenia,  where  he  was  keep- 
ing a  tavern  at  that  date.  He  was  one  of  His  Majesty's 
Justices  of  the  Peace.  Gideon  Castle,  his  son,  built  a 
house,  where  the  South  Amenia  Post-Office  is,  and 
afterwards  purchased  the  James  Tanner  farm,  where  he  - 
remained.  He  was  largely  concerned  in  the  purchase 
and  sale  of  land.  Esq.  Castle's  daughter  was  the  wife 
of  Capt.  James  Reed. 

Joseph  Chamberlain  came  from  Tolland,  Conn.,  in 
1755,  and  settled  on  the  farm  afterwards  owned  by  the 
Nye  family,  where  he  is  supposed  to  have  built  the 
house  now  on  the  place.  He  was  buried  near  the  Steel 
Works,  in  1765.  His  sons  were  Colbe,  James,  John,^_- 
and  William.  Col  Colbe  was  the  father  of  Joseph,  Con- 
rad, and  Henry.  John  was  a  physician  of  acknowl- 
edged skill,  and  lived  awhile  in  Po'keepsie.  Capt.  Wm. 
Chamberlain,  the  father  of  Oliver  and  James,  lived  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  H.  Cline,  and  kept  a  tavern 
there,  which  was  much  frequented  in  the  time  of  the 

*  This  was  at  the  time  when  the  Tories  of  Dutchess  county  put  on  such  a  bold  front, 
and  gathered  their  forces  at  Washington  Hollow.  Mr.  Carpenter  was  three  times  robbed 
by  them. 

t  These  lands  were  purchased  of  Daniel  Shipard,  Moses  Harris,  Samuel  Pugsley, 
Job  Swift,  Dr.  John  Miller  and  others. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  87 

Eevolution.  He  was  in  tlie  battle  of  Bennington,  Sara- 
toga and  other  fields,  and  be  with  his  brothers  were 
very  zealous  patriots.  The  family  possessed  a  large 
fund  of  pleasant  humor,  which  is  not  yet  exhausted.* 

Solomon  Chase  lived  in  several  places  in  this  town 
and  in  Kent.  He  married  the  daughter  of  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  Sen.  His  son,  Stephen  Chase,  was  the 
only  surviving  passenger  in  the  celebrated  wreck  of  the 
Albion  in  1822,  He  was  on  his  way  to  England  to  look 
after  an  estate.  The  Chase  family  are  supposed  to  have 
some  hereditary  right  in  a  large  estate  there  now. 

Ezra  Clark  was  from  Lisbon,  Conn.,  and  was  the 
ancestor  of  that  family  now  in  Northeast.  He  was  the 
father  of  Douglas  Clark,  Esq.,  of  Moses,  and  of  Elijah. 
Major  Elijah  Clark  lived  near  the  outlet  of  Chalk  pond, 
and  died  before  middle  life. 

Solomon  Chandler  kept  a  store  near  Amenia  Union, 
in  1791.     He  lived  awhile  in  the  John  Reed  house. 

Capt.  Increase  Child,  who  lived  near  South  Amenia, 
was  an  active  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  was 
the  ancestor  of  Dr.  Joseph  Child  (?).  One  of  his  sons 
was  Mark  Antony  Child. 

Peter  Cline  (Klein),  a  native  of  Germany,  came  here 
from  Rhinebeck,  in  1760.  It  is  understood  that  he  left 
Germany  about  1752  or  1753.  He  was  one  of  those 
called  "  Redemptioners,"  who  paid  for  their  passage  to 
this  country  by  their  service  here  afterwards,  to  which 
they  were  bound  by  the  captain,  who  brought  them 
over.  Some  noble  examples  of  honor  are  recorded  of 
these  men,  in  redeeming  their  pledge,  and  Mr.  Cline's 
was  a  singular  instance  of  scrupulous  honesty,  in  that 
through  the  dishonesty  of  the  captain,  he  was  led  to 

*  Daniel  Hebard,  John  J.  Hollister,  and  Samuel  S.  Winegar  married  dau,<ihters  of 
Col.  Colbe  Chamberlain.  The  wife  of  Capt.  William  Chamberlain  was  Abigail  Hatch,  ot 
Kent.  His  daughters  were  Mrs.  Solomon  Freeman,  Mrs.  Koswell  Bump,  Mrs.  Archibald 
AUerton  and  Mrs.  Gilbert  Boyd. 


88  THE  EARLY  HISTOEY  OF  AMENIA. 


serve  out  here  the  time  for  his  redemption,  notwith- 
standing he  had  paid  for  his  passage  before  he  left 
Germany. 

Mr.  Ciine  bought  of  Capt.  Isaac  Delamater,  where 
his  great-grandson,  Edward  E.  Cline,  now  Kves,  one- 
half  of  Oblong  Lot,  No.  49,  for  ten  dollars  and  a  half 
per  acre. 

He  left  one  son,  John  Cline,  who  died  in  1845,  aged 
89,  and  one  daughter,  the  wife  of  Allen  Hurd. 

Mr.  Cline's  was  an  example  of  industry,  frugality 
and  honesty,  leading  to  thrift,  and  that  kind  of  thrift, 
which  tends  to  the  elevation  of  character  and  social 
standing.* 

Major  Nathan  Conklin,  of  the  north  part  of  the 
town,  was  from  East  Hampton,  L.  I.,  from  which  place 
he  came  here  in  1781. 

He  was  a  public-spirited  and  intelligent  gentleman, 
and  was  frequently  Moderator  of  the  Town  Meeting. 

Major  Conklin  purchased  his  land  in  Amenia  of 
Brush.t 

Capt.  Benjamin  Conklin,  the  father  of  Dr.  Ebenezer 
H.  Conklin,  of  Amenia  Union,  w^as  from  Norwalk,  Conn. 
He  lived  in  Sharon  many  years,  and  in  the  later  years 
of  his  life  near  Amenia  Union. 

Captain  David  Collin,  father  of  the  late  Capt.  James 
Collin,  and  others,  was  born  in  Milford,  Conn.,  in  1734, 
and  came  to  Amenia  previous  to  1764,  where  he  ac- 
quired by  his  industry  a  fine  estate.  He  was  the  son  of 
John  Collin,  who  was  born  in  France  in  1706,  and  who 
migrated  to  this  country  on  account  of  religious  perse- 
cution, and  settled  in  Milford.     He  was  commander  of 


*  The  sons  of  Mr.  John  Cline  were  Peter,  Allen,  Philo  and  Ebenezer.  Peter  removed 
to  Otsego  county.  One  of  the  daughters  of  John  Cline  was  the  wife  of  Asa  Hurd.  Another 
was  the  wife  of  Thos.  Swift.    Mr.  Cline  s  wife  was  Lucy  Philips, 

t  The  late  Captain  John  H.  Conklin  Avas  the  only  one  of  Major  Conklin's  sons  who 
remained  in  Ameuia,    The  others,  and  the  daughters,  were  residents  of  Ponghkeepsie. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  89 


a  ship  sixteen  years,  and  was  lost  at  sea  at  the  age  of 
forty  years.^ 

David  Collin  married  Lucy  Smith,  and  after  her  de- 
cease, Esther  Gillet,  who  was  the  mother  of  James. 

He  was  a  Lieutenant  in  the  French  war,  and  was 
present  at  an  unsuccessful  attack  on  Fort  Ticonderoga . 

It  was  he  whom  a  company  of  marauders  attempted 
to  rob. 

Eev.  John  Cornwall,  father  of  Eden  B.  Cornwall, 
and  grandfather  of  Hon.  W.  I.  Cornwall,  was  from 
Cornwall,  Conn.  He  lived  at  the  Separate  and  minis- 
tered there,  and  at  the  City,  and  occasionally  at  the 
Red  Meeting  House. 

The  highway  at  the  Separate  is  on  the  boundary 
line  between  Amenia  and  Stanford,  which  is  also  the 
line  between  Lot  No.  22  and  Lot  No.  32  of  the  Nine 
Partners.  There  was  placed  many  years  ago  near  the 
Separate  a  monument  to  affirm  the  location  of  this  line. 
Two  stones  were  placed  across,  below  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  where  they  might  be  found  by  one  who  was 
present. 

Major  Simeon  Cook  was  an  influential  citizen  in 
the  earliest  years  of  Amenia  Precinct,  and  when  the 
war  broke  out,  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  put  his  name 
to  the  Pledge,  and  to  give  himself  to  the  actual  work  of 
the  war.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  Ephraim  Lord, 
whose  house  stood  where  the  Seminary  now  is,  and 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Lord,  Major  Cook  came  in  pos- 
session of  the  place,  and  left  it  to  his  youngest  son.  Col. 
Solomon  Cook.  His  other  sons  were  Lot  and  Simeon, 
Jun. 

Joshua  Culver  was  married  in  1767,  and  Joshua 
Culver,  Jun.,  learned  the  tanner's  trade  of  Capt.  Wm. 

*  A  complete  genealogy  of  John  Collin,  ofMilford,  Conn.,  has  been  published  by  Hon. 
John  F.  Collin,  of  Hillsdale,  K.  Y. 


90  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Young  at  Amenia  Union.  Mr.  Culver,  Jun . ,  the  father 
of  Backus  Culver,  established  his  business  at  Pine 
Plains,  where  he  conducted  it  with  success.  The  family 
have  been  much  identified  with  the  people  of  Amenia. 

Dr.  Cyrenus  Crosby  was  the  successor  of  Dr.  Aller- 
ton  at  Amenia,  and  was  often  in  public  office. 

Caleb  Dakin  lived  near  Coleman's  Station,  where 
his  grandson,  Amasa  D.  Coleman,  now  owns  the  same 
place."  He  was  the  son  of  Elder  Simon  Dakin,  who 
came  from  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  previous  to  1751,  to 
Spencer's  Corners,t  where  he  organized  a  Baptist 
church  and  was  the  pastor  many  years. 

Jonathan  Darling  lived  west  of  Leedsville. 

Isaac  Darrow,  Esq.,  owned  the  farm,  afterwards 
owned  by  Eli  Mills,  Esq.  He  was  the  father  of  Azariah 
Darrow,  of  South  Amenia. 

William  Davies  was  a  resident  of  Amenia  several 
years,  and  owned  large  tracts  of  land  in  different  parts 
of  the  town.  He  came  into  the  town  when  a  young  man, 
and  engaged  in  teaching  a  school  at  the  Square,  and  had 
his  home  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Leach,  whose 
daughter  he  afterwards  married.  While  a  resident  of 
Amenia  he  built  the  brick  house,  now  the  residence  of 
Allen  Wiley,  where  he  lived  a  few  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Poughkeepsie. 

Mr.  Davies  was  son  of  Eev.  Thomas  Davies,  a  de- 
voted Episcopal  clergyman,  of  whom  there  is  published 
a  brief  memorial ;  and  the  mother  of  Mr.  Davies  was 
the  daughter  of  Joel  Harvey.  Gen.  Thomas  L.  Davies 
and  Wm.  L.  Davies,  of  Poughkeepsie,  are  his  sons. 


*  Mr.  Dakin  was  the  father  of  Caleb  Dakin,  and  of  Mrs.  Coleman,  and  of  Mrs.  Bar- 
rett, wife  of  Ezra  L,  Barrett.  Caleb  Dakin  boutrht  his  farm  of  Allen  Sajje.  Jacob  Dakin. 
Esq  ,  of  Northeast,  and  Simeon  Dakin,  Jun.,  were  sons  of  Elder  Simon  Dakin. 

t  Spencer  Corners,  in  Northeast,  a  little  north  of  the  old  line  of  Amenia,  was  so  nam- 
ed from  Philip  Spencer,  Esq.,  the  father  of  Hon.  Ambrose  Spencer,  who  resided  there  many 
years. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA.  91 


Benjamin  Denton,  Esq.,  was  one  of  the  earliest  set- 
tlers near  the  City.  He  was  the  son  of  Richard  Denton, 
who  was  the  fifth  Richard  Denton  in  the  family  in  suc- 
cession. The  first  of  the  five  is  without  doubt  the  Rich- 
ard Denton,  spoken  of  by  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  in  this 
history,  as  having  come  from  Enj^^land  about  1640. 

Benjamin  Denton's  wife  was  Rachel  Wheeler,  whose 
family  was  from  Holland.  His  sons  were  John  and 
Benjamin,  Jun. 

Joel  Denton,  the  father  of  Joel  Denton,  Jun.,  was  a 
landholder  in  1791. 

Capt.  David  Doty  and  Lieut.  Reuben  Doty  are  men- 
tioned in  the  military  record.  A  large  family  of  this 
name  were  residents  of  the  southeast  part  of  the  town. 
Samuel  Doty  was  Collector  for  Amenia  Precinct  in  1762. 
They  were  from  Old  Plymouth  colony,  and  came  to  this 
town  from  Sharon. 

Capt.  Samuel  Dunham  lived  on  the  Sturges-Sanford 
place,  and  had  a  forge  a  short  distance  south  of  The 
Narrows,  using  the  water  power  of  that  small  stream. 
He  was  from  Sharon.  He  married  the  daughter  of  /; 
Ephraim  Lord,  who  had  a  right  in  the  ore  bed,  which 
furnished  the  ore  for  Dunham's  forge.  This  was  pre- 
vious to  the  Revolution. 

Benjamin  Ellis,  from  Barnstable,  Mass.  (?),  lived  in 
the  Oblong,  and  was  engaged  with  Captain  Reed  in  the 
manufacture  of  iron. 

Stephen  Eno,  Esq.,  was  a  teacher  in  this  town  seve- 
ral years,  and  Commissioner  of  Schools.*  He  became 
a  successful  lawyer,  and  was  a  model  for  the  accuracy 
of  his  knowledge  and  the  precision  of  his  habits  of  bus- 
iness.    He  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  and  diea 

*  Stephen  Eno  Avas  Moderator  of  Town  Meeting  in  1798.  It  was  considered  the  high- 
est honor  to  be  made  Moderator  of  Town  Meeting. 

n2 


92  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

at  an  advanced  age  at  Pine  Plains,  the  residence  of  his 
son,  William  Eno,  Esq. 

Lewis  Delavergne  came  to  Amenia,  evidently  from 
"Washington  in  this  county,  while  his  son,  Henry,  was 
quite  young,  and  became  owner  of  the  mill  property  and 
one  thousand  acres  of  land,  which  he  purchased  at  a 
low  price.  He  was  the  brother  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Dela- 
vergne, and  was  the  father  of  Henry,  who  retained  the 
mill,  &c.  It  is  said  that  the  emigrant  ancestor,  who  was 
of  a  superior  family  in  France,  came  to  this  country  in 
consequence  of  having  been  en^jaged  in  a  duel. 

It  was  Dr.  Delavergne  who  built  the  dam  near  the 
road  to  Kent.  It  is  called  to  this  day  "  The  French 
Doctor's  Dam,"  and  the  remains  are  there.  The  object 
is  supposed  to  have  been  to  flood  the  lands  above  in  or- 
der to  convert  them  into  a  meadow.  Dr.  Benjamin  De- 
lavergne took  a  prominent  part  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Bevolutionary  war,  and  was  Major  in  the  Fourth  Begi- 
ment  of  Dutchess  County  Militia. 

Jacob  Evartson,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  came  to 
Amenia  in  1762,  and  purchased  the  south  half  of  Lot 
No.  33  of  the  Nine  Partners,*  about  1700  acres,  and  in 
1763,  he  built  the  large  brick  house,  afterwards  the  res- 
idence of  Mr.  Daniel  Carpenter,  about  a  mile  south  of 
the  City  post-office.  Mr.  Evartson's  ancestors  were 
from  Amsterdam,  in  Holland,  where  they  had  for  three 
generations  held  the  position  of  Admiral  in  the  Dutch 

Navy.t 

Mr.  Evartson,  in  the  cultivation  of  his  lands  and  his 

domestic  service,  had  a  large  number  of  slaves.     He 

conducted  also  a  store  at  the  City  for  several  years. 

*  John  Evartson  became  the  OAvnerof  Lot  No.  33,  and  sold  the  north  half  to  John 
Clapp  and  Henry  Franklin,  and  the  south  half  to  Jacob  Evartson.— Lib.  6.  p.  222  The  por- 
traits of  Jacob  Evartson  and  his  v^ife  are  now  in  the  mansion  of  the  late  Gov.  Smith  in 
Sharon,  and  show  them  to  have  been  of  fine  personal  appearance. 

t  Admiral  Evartson— one  of  these— received  a  sword  from  the  hand  of  William, 
Prince  of  Orange,  afterwards  William  IIL  of  England,  in  testimony  of  his  heroic  and  loyal 
conduct.  I 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  93 

In  1776,  Mr.  Evartson  was  one  of  the  Deputies  from 
Dutchess  to  the  First  Provincial  Congress  of  New  York. 
About  1795,  he  removed  to  Pleasant  Valley  where  he 
died  in  1807. 

Mr.  Evartson's  wife  was  Margaret,  daughter  of  Geo. 
Bloom.  His  son,  George  B.  Evartson,  removed  to  Po'- 
keepsie.  His  daughter,  Margaret,  was  the  wife  of  Gov- 
ernor Smith,  of  Conn.,  and  his  daughter,  Maria,  was  the 
second  wife  of  William  Davies.  He  had  several  other 
children. 

John  Farr  was  the  owner  of  George  Kirby's  farm  in 
1787. 

Jabez  Flint,  Esq.,  a  native  of  Windham,  Conn.,  came 
to  Amenia  in  1781,  to  the  farm  where  his  son,  Augustus 
now  resides.  He  had  served  four  years  and  three 
months  in  the  continental  army.  His  wife  was  Judge 
Paine's  daughter.  He  died  in  1844,  aged  88  years" 
His  military  service  is  mentioned  in  another  place. 

Eliphalet  Follet  was  a  landholder  in  1768.  Married 
to  Elizabeth  Dewey  in  1764. 

Joshua  Fish,  Jonathan  Fish,  and  Peter  Fish,  Esq., 
were  residents  of  the  north  part  of  the  town  (as  it  was) 
and  near  the  Bockee's  and  Bryant's.  Noae  of  the  fam- 
ily have  resided  there  at  a  recent  date. 

Capt.  Robert  Freeman,  father  of  Jonathan  and  Sol- 
omon Freeman,  owned  at  one  time,  1757,  a  considerable 
tract  of  land  in  the  east  part  of  the  town. 

John  Garnsey,  the  father  of  Deacon  John  Garnsey, 
Dr.  Ezekiel  Garnsey,  and  others,  was  from  New  Haven 
county.  Conn.,  and  settled  where  the  family  still  remain. 
He  was  one  of  those  courageous  and  conscientious  pa- 
triots that  never  feared  anything  but  what  he  thought 
to  be  wrongt 

*  Esq.  Flint's  sons  were  Philip,  Alfred,  Morris  and  Augustus. 

t  Peter  Garnsey.  a  brotlier  of  John,  helped  to  raise  a  regiment,  and  served  through 
the  war  as  quarter-master.    Another  brother,  Isaac,  also  served  through  the  war. 


94  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Eoger  Gale  resided  in  the  west  part  of  the  town  as 
early  as  1776.  It  was  one  of  his  descendants  who  went 
from  this  town,  and  founded  and  gave  name  to  the  town 
of  Galesburp^h,  Illinois. 

Elisha  Gilbert  was  a  citizen  of  Amenia  in  1762,  and 
held  land  near  the  Eben  Wheeler  place  in  1771.  Sam- 
uel was  the  father  of  Medad  Gilbert. 

Thaddeus  Gilbert  was  a  resident  in  1777.  Eliakim 
was  the  father  of  Daniel  Gilbert. 

Gardiner  Gillett,  Joel  Gillett,  and  x4.bner  Gillett  are 
mentioned  in  another  place  as  early  settlers  in  Amenia. 
Eichard  Gillett  married  Nelly  Elliot  in  1766.  Joshua 
Gillett  married  Mary  Knickerbacker  in  1768,  and  lived 
in  the  south  part  of  the  town  and  east  of  the  creek. 

The  Goodrich  family  was  in  the  part  of  the  town 
now  Northeast. 

Joel  Harvey,  Joel  Harvey,  Jun.,  and  Obed  Harve}^, 
lived  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  near  Sharon  valley. 
It  is  supposed  that  Joel  Harvey  built  the  brick  house, 
where  Eben  Wheeler  lives. 

Capt.  Robert  Hebard,  from  Lyme,  Conn.,  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  (about  1,000  acres),  Ijdng  in  the  Oblong 
east  of  Ameniaville,  and  including  a  part  of  Allen  Wi- 
ley's farm.  He  was  the  father  of  Benjamin,  Robert? 
and  Daniel.  Deacon  Benjamin  Hebard  was  for  many 
years  a  leading  and  valuable  member  of  the  church  at 
the  Red  Meeting  House.  Daniel  Hebard,  Esq.,  re- 
moved to  Poughkeepsie.  His  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
Col.  Colbe  Chamberlain.  His  sons  v/ere  John  J.,  Hen- 
ry, and  Edward. 

Capt.  Isaac  Hillard,  from  Redding,  Conn.,  lived  at 
Amenia  Union.  He  was  the  author  of  several  political 
and  poetical  tracts.  One  of  his  political  tracts  attracted 
the  notice  of  Jefferson,  who  sent  to  Mr.  H.  a  compli- 
mentary letter. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  95 

Eufus  Herrick  was  chosen  Collector  and  one  of  the 
Constables  at  the  second  Precinct  Meeting.  Stephen 
Herrick  appears  on  the  Town  Kecord  in  1766,  and  Ben- 
jamin Herrick  in  1767.  The  family  lived  north  of  the 
church  at  the  City,  where  they  built  the  brick  house,  now 
Robert  Hoag's.  Eufus  Herrick  was  an  active  officer 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

Stephen  Hitchcock,  son  of  Samuel,  settled  first  in 
Sharon,  and  afterwards  where  his  son,  Homer,  resided. 
His  brother,  Amariah,  purchased  of  Dr.  Chamberlain  the 
place,  now  the  home  of  Geo.  H.  Swift,  where  he  died. 
Samuel  purchased  near — a  part  of  the  same  place — then 
sold  to  his  brother,  and  went  to  Schodack.  Thomas 
went  also  to  Schodack.  Solomon  traded  several  years, 
—as  early  as  1800— at  Amenia  Union,  and  the  place 
was  called  "  Hitchcock's  Corner." 

The  family  was  from  Nor  walk,  Conn.,  and  had  come 
to  Sharon  in  1752,  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  the 
late  Southard  Hitchcock  resided. 

Benjamin  Hollister  settled  in  the  east  part  of  the 
town  in  1741,  on  the  farm  where  Norton  Hollister  lived , 
and  where  the  sixth  generation  of  the  family  is  now  liv- 
ing (1875).  Benjamin  Hollister,  Jun.,  built,  about  1775, 
the  house  near  Leedsville,  where  his  son,  Nathaniel 
Hollister,  resided.  The  family  was  from  Glastonbury, 
Conn. 

Deacon  Asa  Hollister,  a  native  of  Glastonbury,  and 
an  eminent  christian  of  the  Puritan  style,  settled  on  the 
hill,  west  of  Noah  Wheeler's  place,  about  1780.  The 
family  were  at  Wyoming  at  the  time  of  the  massacre, 
when  his  father  and  brother  were  killed,  and  himself 
and  the  other  members  of  the  family  escaped.  He  was 
the  father  of  Rev.  Allen  Hollister,  Asa,  Jun.,  and 
Timothy. 


96  THE  EAELY  HISTOEY  OF  AMENIA. 

Icliabod  Holmes  was  an  early  settler  near  the  Square. 

Capt.  Stephen  Hopkins,  a  grandson  of  Edward  Hop- 
kins, one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hartford,  and  second 
Governor  of  the  Colony  under  the  charter,  was  born  in 
Hartford  in  1707,  and  came  from  Harwinton  to  Amenia 
previous  to  1748.^ 

The  part  of  the  town  where  he  settled  was  consid- 
ered central.  The  Meeting  House  was  built  near  his 
residence,  on  land  given  by  him  for  that  purpose,  and 
the  Old  Burying  Ground,  which  was  also  given  by  him, 
was  near  the  same,  where  he  and  all  the  early  settlers 
of  that  part  of  the  town  were  laid.  His  house  was  south- 
west of  the  burying  ground,  and  was  reached  in  later 
years  by  a  lane  from  the  highway. 

Mr.  Hopkins  was  the  first  Supervisor  of  Amenia  in 
1762,  and  was  elected  also  in  1764,  1765,  and  1766.  He 
died  in  1766,  leaving  six  sons. 

This  was  an  educated,  christian  family.  The  distin- 
guished part  which  they  took  in  the  war  is  recorded  in 
its  place.  Michael  Hopkins  was  the  first  Town  Clerk, 
and  served  in  that  ofiice  till  1773,  when  E-oswell  Hop- 
kins was  chosen  and  served  till  1783  ;  and  was  also  Su- 
pervisor in  1777  and  1778,  and  he  served  also  as  a  mag-  ^ 
istrate  more  than  thirty  years.  And  all  of  them  were 
influential  in  the  church. 

Eoswell  Hopkins'  house  was  afterwards  the  Totten 
house,  where  W.  P.  Perlee  now  lives. 

Col.  Michael  Hopkins  died  in  1773,  aged  39,  and  his 
wife  died  in  1771.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Wm. 
Worthington,  of  Saybrook,  Conn.,  and  was  the  sister  of 
Gov.  Smith's  mother. 

Roswell  Hopkins,    Esq.,  removed  to  Vermont  and  ^ 
died  in  1817. 

*  He  bought  Lot  32  of  the  Nine  Partners,  and  took  a  deed  ot  the  north  half  dated 
1744.  rC 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  97 


Gen.  Reuben  Hopkins,  youngest  son  of  Stephen, 
died  in  Illinois  in  1819. 

Hon.  Hannibal  M.  Hopkins,  son  of  Reuben,  was  liv- 
ing at  an  advanced  age  in  Goshen,  N.  Y.,  in  1872. 

The  only  representative  of  this  numerous  family 
now  resident  in  Amenia  is  Mrs.  Peter  B,  Powers,  daugh- 
ter of  J.  Milton  Wheeler.  Mr.  Wheeler's  mother*  was 
a  daughter  of  Roswell  Hopkins.  Benson  Hopkins 
Wheeler,  also  a  son  of  Anthony  and  Selina  (Hopkins) 
Wheeler,  is  living  in  Chenango  county,  N.  Y. 

John  Hinchliffe,  who  set  up  at  the  Steel  Works  the 
first  carding  machine  in  this  part  of  the  land,  was  from 
Saddlev/orth,  Yorkshire,  England.  He  retained  in  a 
very  marked  degree  the  colloquial  dialect  of  Yorkshire. 
He  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  considerable  reading. 

Ebenezer  Hurd,  Jun.,  came  here  from  Dover  about 
1794,  and  purchased  of  Judson  the  farm  now  belonging 
to  Mr.  Chaffee.     The  family  was  from  Rhode  Island.t 

Asa  Hurd  was  his  brother,  and  Mrs.  Moses  Swift 
and  Mrs.  Pray  were  his  sisters. 

Jeremiah  Ingraham,  the  father  of  George  and 
Thomas,  purchased  lands  of  William  Davies  in  1789. 
Thomas  purchased  of  Evartson  about  1772,  and  George 
Ingraham  purchased  of  Davies  in  1794.  They  were 
from  Bristol,  Rhode  Island.  They  had  a  numerous 
posterity,  who  have  carried  a  healthful  christian  influ- 
ence into  other  parts  of  the  land. 

Mr.  Samuel  Jarvis,  of  Redding,  Conn.,  came  to 
Amenia  in  the  latter  part  of  the  century,  to  the  farm 
where  Hiram  Cooper  lives,  and  his  residence  was  the 


*  "  Selina,  wife  of  Antliony  Wheeler,  and  daughter  of  Col.  Eoswell  Hopkins,  died  in 
Feb.  20, 1797,  aged  23years."  "  Hannah,  wife  of  C3a-enus  Crosby,  and  daughter  of  Colonel 
Roswel*  Hopkins,  died  June  16,  1789,  aged  21  years."  Mary  Hopkins,  daughter  of  Eoswell. 
was  the  Avife  of  Daniel  Eeed,  son  of  Capt.  James  Eeed.  It  was  f  Daniel  Eeed  who  built  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  in  1783,  the  house  now  owned  by  Amariah  Hitchcock  at  Amenia  Un- 
ion.   He  was  father  of  the  late  William  Eeed,  and  Mrs.  Nancy  Eeed  Jerome  and  others 

t  Ebenezer  Hurd's  wife  was  Eebecca  Philips. 


98  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMEMA. 

old  house  near  Mr.  Cooper's.  He  was  of  an  English 
family  of  good  standing,  many  of  whom  adhered  to  the 
royal  side  in  the  Eevolution.  It  was  a  brother  of  Mr. 
Jarvis,  who  led  the  British  into  Danbury,  when  they 
burned  it,  and  who,  after  the  war,  went  to  Canada,  and 
entered  into  the  service  of  the  Crown. 

Stiirges  Sandford,  a  son  of  Mrs.  Jarvis,  came  to 
Amenia  with  him. 

Samuel  Jarvis,  who  is  mentioned  in  another  place  as 
going  over  to  the  English  in  the  time  of  the  Eevolution , 
married  the  daughter  of  Judah  Swift,  and  was  the  father 
of  Launcelot  Jarvis. 

Thomas  Jenks,  the  father  of  William  and  John  Jenks 
and  others,  w^as  a  resident  of  Leedsville,  and  owned  the 
old  house  and  mill,  built  by  John  Delamater.  lit  U^^  / 

Samuel  Judson,  from  Woodbury,  Conn.,  father  of 
Azariah  Judson,  of  Hillsdale,  first  settled  on  the  Bar- 
low farm,  and  about  1769  he  purchased  the  farm  now 
owned  by  J.  S.  Chaffee.  His  grave  is  near  the  Steel 
Works. 

Simeon  Kelsey  lived  at  South  Amenia,  and  owned 
the  mill,  which  he  sold  to  Capt.  Beed  in  1781.  Some  of 
his  descendants  are  in  Sharon. 

Stephen  Kinney,  from  New  Preston,  Conn.,  settled 
in  the  west  part  of  the  town,  near  the  Separate,  in  1740. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  in  the  religious  congregation 
there.  He  was  the  father  of  Boswell  Kinney,  Sen.,  and 
the  grandfather  of  Boswell  Kinney,  Jun.^* 

Elijah  Kinney  lived  north  of  the  City. 

Hezekiah  King  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  from 
New  England.  He  built  a  house  near  Amenia  Union, 
afterwards  called  the  "  Karner  House,"  and  died  in 
1740.      There  is  a  meadow  near,  called     now    "King 

*  Koswell  Kinney,  Jun.,  father  of  George  Kinney  and  others,  near  the  Separate,  Avas 
accidentally  killed  while  in  middle  life. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  99 

meadow."  The  Town  Kecords  of  Sharon  have  this  en- 
try : — "  Deacon  Hezekiah  King  departed  this  life,  Oct. 
9,  1740."^  There  was  no  church  at  Amenia  Union  then, 
and  Mr.  King  was  probably  connected  with  the  church 
in  Sharon., 

Samuel  King  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  b}^  Mr. 
Wiley.  He  was  evidently  an  intelligent  and  trustwor- 
thy citizen,  and  was  one  of  the  patriotic  leaders  in  the 
beginning  of  the  war. 

Herman  Knickerbacker  died  in  1805,  aged  93  years, 
and  was  buried  in  his  own  field,  on  land  now  owned  by 
Joseph  Belden.  A  large  number  of  graves  are  there  of 
former  residents  in  that  part  of  the  town. 

Joseph  Gillett  died  in  1770,  aged  29.  He  had  mar- 
ried Mary  Knickerbacker  in  1768. 

John  King  was  cotemporary  with  Samuel  King. 
They  were  here  as  early  as  1762  (from  Greenwich  ?). 

Ebenezer  Knapp  built  a  house  at  the  Steel  Works, 
and  owned  the  celebrated  orchard  of  Mr.  Sackett.  Mr. 
James  Tanner's  farm  was  a  part  of  the  Knapp  farm. 

Capt.  Joshua  Laselle  was  a  resident  of  Amenia  as 
early  as  1769.  He  purchased  of  William  Young  the 
place  now  owned  by  Myrou  B.  Benton. 

Benjamin  Leach,  a  tanner,  resided  at  the  Square, 
and  built  that  substantial  brick  house,  afterwards  for 
many  years  a  tavern. 

Dr.  Alpheus  Leonard  was  the  successor  of  Dr.  Aller- 
ton  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  was  a  man  of 
accurate  knowledge,  and  had  a  happy  faculty  of  illus- 
trating his  lessons  to  his  students  in  medicine,  and 
others  who  came  to  him  for  instruction. 

Ephraim  Lord's  house  was  on  the  place  now  occu- 


L.  OV  0.  »  Tliib  is  the  oldest  obituary  record  on  the  book. 

n3 


100  THE  EARLY  HISTOllY  OF  AMENIA. 

pied  by  the  Amenia  Seminary  ;  and  he  owned  lands  in 
several  other  places  in  the  town. 

John  Lovel,  the  father  of  Capt.  Joshua  Lovel,  from 
Kochester,  Mass  ,  came  into  this  part  of  the  countr}^  in 
1745,"^  and  settled  first  where  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Swift  now 
lives,  and  in  1770  removed  to  Sharon. 

Dea.  Meltiah  Lotrop  lived  on  the  place  which  was 
afterwards  the  home  of  Judah  Swift.  That  is  a  part  of 
Oblong  Lot  45,  which  Mr.  Lotrop  and  others  had 
bought  of  Cadwallader  Golden,  He  was  the  father  of 
Walter  Lathrop,  Esq.,  and  the  grandfather  of  Silas, 
Daniel,  and  Walter,  Jun.  Esq.  Lathropt  was  a  man  of 
extensive  reading. 

Silas  Marsh,  Esq.,  called  "  Lawyer  Marsh,"  was  son 
of  Eev.  Cyrus  Marsh,  of  Kent,  Conn.,  and  brother  of 
Mrs.  Anne  Delamater.  He  lived  some  years  near  Sha- 
ron Station,  and  awhile  in  the  Vf inchester  house.  He 
was  an  active  patriot. 

Nathan  Mead,  of  Greenwich,  Conn.,  was  here  as 
early  as  1740,  and  had  purchased  the  lands  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  J.  Franklin  Mead,  who  is  the  fifth  gene- 
ration there.  Nathan  Mead  was  the  father  of  Job  Mead, 
and  the  grandfather  of  Job  Mead,  Jun.  These  latter — 
father  and  son — served  awhile  in  the  Revolution. 

The  late  John  King  Mead,  Esq.,  son  of  Job  Mead, 
Jun,,  and  descendant  of  Samuel  King,  was  in  the  Leg- 
islature in  1844. 

Thomas  Mygatt,  the  father  of  Preston  and  Thomas 
Mygatt,  came  from  New  Fairfield  in  1772,  and  pur- 
chased the  lands  where  he  resided,  and  which  are  still 
in  the  possession  of  the  family.  He  was  a  descendant 
in  the  sixth  generation  of  Deacon  Joseph  Mygatt,  one 


*  Sedgwick's  "History  of  Sharon." 

t  Esq.  Lathrop's  wife  was  sister  of  Steplien  Warren. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  101 


of  that  company  of  Puritans,  who  immigrated  to  this 
country  in  1633,  and  who  came  with  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker 
and  his  company  in  1636,*  and  commenced  the  settle- 
ment of  Hartford.  He  was  a  wise  counsellor  of  the  new 
Commonwealth.  Thomas  My(:;att's  father  was  a  citizen 
of  Danbury,  and  was  distinguished  for  his  enterprise 
and  thrift.  The  Mygatt's  in  New  Milford  are  of  tlie 
same  family. 

Eli  Mills,  the  father  of  Eli  and  Henry  and  Mrs.  Run- 
dall,  came,  about  1784,  from  Wiltonbury,  now  Bloom- 
field,  once  a  part  of  Old  Windsor,  and  purchased  of 
Isaac  Darrow,  Esq.,  the  farm  where  the  late  Eli  Mills, 
Esq.,  continued  to  re^^ide  till  his  death.  He  was  a  de- 
scendant of  Peter  Mills,  one  of  the  early  residents  of 
Windsor,  w^ho  was  a  native  of  Holland,t  and  who  was 
also  the  ancestor  of  the  Mills  in  Kent.  The  name  in 
Holland — "  Mueher  " — has  nearly  the  same  signification 
as  it  has  here. 

Stephen  Morehouse  came  in  1792  from  New  Milford, 
and  purchased  where  his  grandson,  Julius  Morehouse, 
now  resides.  The  large  brick  house  on  the  place  was 
built  by  Jacob  liogardus,  who  had  been  some  time  a 
merchant  in  Sharon. :!:  His  sous  were  William,  Zalmon, 
Garry  and  Henr}^ 

x4.1exander  Neely  was  Post  Master  at  North  Amenia, 
which  is  now  called  Northeast  Centre. 

Sj-lvanus  Nye,  from  Falmouth,  Mass.,  purchased  in 
1771  the  farm  which  had  been  the  home  of  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  and  continued  to  reside  there  till  his 
death.     His  wife  was  daughter  of  Dea.  Moses  Barlow. 

John  Osborn,  the  father  of  Isaac  Osborn,  was  a  resi- 


*  It  was  that  memorable  journey  through  tlie  wilderness  of  more  than  au  hundred 
miles  by  about  one  hundred  men,  women  and  children  on  foot,  which  is  recorded  in  the  his- 
tory of  Hartford. 

t  H.  R.  Stiles'  "  History  of  Windsor.- 
J  Sedgwick's  "History  of  Sharon.' 


102  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

dent  of  South  Amenia,  among  the  earliest  settlers. 
Isaac  Osborn  was  a  man  of  some  reading  and  of  unpro- 
ductive ingenuity.  His  son,  Melancthon,  went  into  the 
war  of  1812,  and,  it  is  said,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Bladensburgh. 

Capt.  Nathan  Osborn  came  into  the  south  part  of 
the  town  after  the  Hevolutionary  war.  He  was  a  Tory, 
for  which  his  land  in  North  Salem,  Westchester  county, 
had  been  confiscated  ;  and  he  obstinately  refused  to 
take  the  necessary  measures  for  its  recovery,  and  died 
in  poverty. 

The  family  in  the  time  of  the  war,  like  many  others 
in  Westchester,  were  several  times  robbed  of  their 
goods. 

The  Northrops  were  an  important  family  in  the  town 
of  Washington,  and  some  of  them  were  residents  of 
Tower  Hill,  in  the  southwest  part  of  Amenia.  Enoch 
Northrop,  from  New  England,  was  the  father  of  Samuel, 
who  settled  on  Tower  Hill,  on  lands  still  held  by  the 
family.  The  sons  of  Samuel  were  William,  Samuel, 
Benjamin,  Nathan  and  John  S.  The  burial  place  of  the 
family  is  at  Lithgow. 

Abraham  Paine,"  son  of  Ehsha  Paine,  of  Canter- 
bury, Conn.,  settled  in  Amenia   1741  or  in  1742. 

Joshua  Paine,  also  of  Canterbury,  the  father  of 
Judge  Paine  and  Barnabas  Paine,  Sen.,  Esq.,  came  in 
1749,  and  purchased  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  on  Lot 
59  of  the  Oblong.     He  was  a  farmer  and  blacksmith. 

Joshua  Paine  was  nephew  of  Elisha  Paine,  of  Can- 
terbury, and  cousin  of  Abraham  mentioned  above.  All 
the  Paines  of  Amenia  and  Northeast  are  descendants  of 
Elisha  or  Joshua  mentioned.  Ichabod  Paine  was  son 
of  Rev.  Solomon  Paine,  of  Canterbury,  and  grandson  of 


vVbrahaui  Paint  took  the  lirst  steps  towards  the  organization  of  a  church, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OP  AMENIA.  103 

Elisha.  They  were  all  descendants  of  Thomas  Paine,* 
who  came  to  Plymouth  from  England  in  1621.  Ichabod 
Paine  and  Ichabod  Paine  Jan.,  lived  many  years  north 
of  Wassaic,  on  the  farm  afterwards  owned  by  Leman 
Cook. 

Hon.  Ephraim  Paine  was  apprenticed  in  his  youth 
to  a  farmer,  whom  he  served  with  most  exemplary  fidel- 
ity. After  the  termination  of  his  apprenticeship  he 
made  a  voyage  for  trade  to  the  West  Indies  and  to  Cape 
Sable,  which  gave  him  the  means  of  a  settlement  in  life, 
when  he  came  to  Ai\ienia  in  1753.  The  house  which 
Judge  Paine  built  for  himself,  lately  the  residence  of 
Milton  Hoag,  is  still  standing  (1875),  by  the  turnpike, 
west  of  the  gate.  The  land  he  purchased  of  Timothy 
Mead  in  1772.t 

Barnabas  Paine,J  Esq.,  father  of  Barnabas,  Jun., 
and  of  Mrs.  Bennet,  of  Canaan,  Conn.,  lived  where  his 
son  continued  to  reside,  which  is  the  place  now  occu- 
pied by  S  tough  ton  Moore.  He  had  a  knowledge  of  med- 
icine, and  war.  called  Dr.  Paine. 

Elijah  Park  and  Ebenezer  Park,  brothers,  came  to 
Amenia  from  Bhode  Island  in  1768.  Their  ancestors 
had  emigrated  from  England  in  1635,  going  first  to 
Maryland,  and  thence  to  Khode  Island.  Their  resi- 
dence in  Amenia  was  near  the  ore  bed  at  Sharon  Sta- 
tion, called  the  "Park  ore  bed." 

Ebenezer  Park  removed  to  Binghamton.  ^Elijah 
Park,  who  was  a  public-spirited  citizen,  died  in  1795, 
and  his  son,  Elijah  B.  Park,  and  his  daughters,  Louisa 


*  Josiah  Paino,  of  Harwich,  Mass.,  has  compiled  a  genealogy  of  the  posterity  of 
Thomas  Paine,  of  Eastham,  the  immigrant  mentioned  in  the  text.  Abraham  Paine,  Rev. 
Solomon  Paine,  and  Joshua  Paine  were  great-grandsons  of  Thomas,  the  immigrant. 

t  Jndge  Paine  sometimes  preached  in  the  absence  of  a  minister.  There  is  a  reference 
in  the  old  church  record  of  some  disagreemant  between  Judge  Paine  and  his  pastor.  It 
grew  out  of  no  censurable  conduct,  but  out  of  a  disagreement  in  biblical  exposition  too 
positively  stated. 

t  Barnabas  Paine  in  a  few  instances  spelled  his  name,  "Payen." 


104  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


(Mrs.  Benjamin)  and  Olive,  died  also  in  Amenia.  The 
other  sons  of  Elijah  removed  to  Binghamton.  Also  the 
family  of  Elijah  B.  Park  afterwards  removed  to  Bing- 
hamton, where  the  family  is  now  well  represented. 

George  Park,  Esq.,  brother  of  Elijah  B.,  is  living  in 
Binghamton  (1875). 

Col.  Brinton  Paine,  who  is  mentioned  among  the 
officers  of  the  war,  etc.,  lived  near  the  City  on  the  Sand- 
ford  place.  His  relationship  to  other  families  of  that 
name  does  not  appear. 

Abiah  Palmer,  father  of  Abiali  W.  Palmer,  removed 
from  Stanford  to  Amenia  in  1789,  and  immediately  took 
an  active  part  m  public  business.  His  father's  resi- 
dence in  Stanford  was  near  the  place  where  Cornelius 
Pugsley  lives. 

Edmund  Perlee  resided  at  the  City,  where  he  had  a 
farm.  His  father  left  France,  when  about  fourteen 
years  old,  without  the  consent  of  his  parents,  and  after 
various  fortunes  settled  in  Amenia.  Edmund  Perlee 
served  in  the  Bevolutionary  war,  and  afterwards  became 
Major- General  of  Militia,  and  filled  several  important 
civil  offices.   Several  of  his  sons  were  in  the  war  of  1812.* 

Yost  Powerst  was  born  in  Naumburg,  Germany,  in 
1731.  About  1752,  he  emigrated  to  America,  and  set- 
tled first  in  Bhinebeck,  whence  he  came  to  Amenia 
about  1758,  and  purchased,  at  several  times,  the  lands 
still  occupied,  some  of  them,  by  the  family.  His  sons 
were  Jacob,  John,  Frederick,  David,  and  Peter.  His 
daughter,  Catherine,  was  the  wife  of  David  Bundall. 
John  was  the  father  of  the  late  John  Powers.  Jacob- 
the  son  of  Yost  Powers,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution, 


*  Edmund,  Abraham,  and  Henry  were  in  the  service.      Abraham  was    severely 
wounded  in  a  battle  on  the  northern  frontier.    The  other  sons  were  Walter  and  John. 

t  "  Yi)st,"' or  "  Joest.'    This  name  is  now  represented  by    "Justus,"   ihe  name  of 
some  of  his  posterity. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  105 


ary  war.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Powers  came  from  Germa- 
ny in  the  same  ship  with  Peter  Cline. 

Nathaniel  Peck,  of  Bristol,  K.  I.,  purchased  the  Wi- 
ley farm  of  Garret  Kow  in  1795. 

Jonathan  Peck,  of  Bhode  Island,  was  owner  of  the 
farm  where  Hiram  Cooper  lives,  and  sold  it  to  Samuel 
Jarvis.  He  built  the  old  house  near  Mr.  Cooper's  resi- 
dence.    His  sister  was  the  wife  of  George  Reynolds. 

John  Pennoyer,  of  Sharon,  purchased,  in  1743,  on 
the  hill  east  of  Sharon  Station,  on  Lots  60  and  62  of  the 
Oblong.  He  was  the  father  of  Joseph  and  the  grand- 
father of  Jonathan  Pennoyer.  Some  of  his  land  is  held 
now  by  Mr.  Sylvester  Pennoyer. 

Capt.  David  Parsons  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
school  in  his  dress  and  manners.  He  w^as  of  the  same 
family  as  the  Parsons  in  Sharon,  who  came  from  New- 
town. Conn.,  in  1763.  His  house  was  on  the  east  side 
of  the  turnpike,  a  short  distance  south  of  where  the 
turnpike  gate  now  is,  on  Delavergne  Hill,  and  had  some 
appearance  of  style.  Capt.  Parsons  died  in  1812  of  the 
prevailing  epidemic.  His  sons  were  Joseph^  Joel,  Tru- 
man and  David,  and  he  had  several  daughters. 

Joseph  was  the  father  of  Warren,  Mrs.  Bird,  and 
several  others.  Joel  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Westfall, 
who  was  afterwards  Mrs.  Palmer.  Truman  was  the 
father  of  Sanford  Parsons. 

Nathaniel,  Thomas  and  Obadiah  Perry,  brothers,  of 
Danbury,  Conn.,  purchased  together  a  tract  of  land  in 
the  southwest  part  of  the  town,  and  settled  there  soon 
after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  Nathaniel 
was  the  father  of  Henry  Perry,  and  Thomas  was  the 
father  of  Thomas  N.  Perry  and  George  M.  Perry. 

Mr.  John  Perry  was  from  Huntington,  Conn.,  and 
was  a  relative  of  Mr.  Obadiah  Perry  and  others  in  the 


106  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENTA. 

south  part  of  the  town.  His  place  of  residence  was 
Perry's  Corner,  previously  callea  Stebbins'  Corner. 

Stephen  Kay  kept  a  tavern  near  the  State  line,  west 
of  Sharon  Yalley,  in  a  stone  house  which  he  built.  He 
was  born  in  England. 

John  Eead,  father  of  Charles  and  others,  came  from 
Eedding,  Conn.,  in  1804,  and  purchased  the  farm  near 
Amenia  Union,  where  the  old  stone  house  stands,  and 
where  he  died  in  1821.  Mr.  Bead's  father — Col.  John 
Bead — gave  name  to  the  town  where  he  lived,  which  was 
then  spelled  "  Beading." 

The  Beeds,  of  Amenia,  were  from  Norwalk.  In  1759. 
James  Beed  was  one  of  a  company  of  Connecticut 
troops,  who  passed  through  this  town,*  on  their  way  to 
Canada,  to  the  aid  of  General  Wolfe  in  the  conquest  of 
Quebec.  While  on  their  way  the  company  received 
news  of  the  capture  of  Quebec,  and  were  ordered  to  re- 
turn. Mr.  Beed  was  so  pleased  with  the  Oblong  valley, 
through  which  he  leisurely  returned,  that  he  induced 
his  father,  Mr.  Daniel  Beed,  of  Norwalk,  to  purchase  for 
him  some  landt  here,  which  he  did  where  the  late  Philo 
Beed,  son  of  James,  resided  till  his  death. 

The  brothers  of  James  Beed,  who  removed  here  a 
few  years  later,  were  Ezra, J  who  lived  where  Huldah 
Bump  did,  Elijah,  who  owned  the  farm  which  he  left  to 
his  son,  Elijah,  Jun.,  and  Eliakim,  who  settled  where 
his  grandson,  Newton  Beed,  now  resides ,  Mrs.  Warren, 
wife  of  Stephen  Warren,  was  a  sister  of  these. 

The  emigrant  ancestor  of  this  family  was  John  Beed, 

*  This  company  of  soldiers  came  uptlie  west  road  from  Dover,  and  halted  for  dinner 
at  the  brook,  which  comes  down  from  Tower  Hill.  Capt.  Keeu  often  referred  with  interest 
to  that  place  where  he  toolc  his  first  dinner  in  Amenia.  It  was  this  mustering  of  troops  for 
that  campaign,  which  gave  the  poet  Young  some  incidents  in  his  poem,  "  The  Conquest  of 
Quebec." 

t  The  land  was  53  acres,  which  Daniel  Keed  purchased  of  Joseph  Clapp.  the  original 
proprietor  of  Oblong  Lot,  No.  47,  called  "Clapp's  I'atent."'  Hltc  the  young  man  began 
with  his  axe  only. 

X  Ezra  Keed  and  his  family  went  to  Hudson  and  Coxsackie. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  IC'T 


who  came  from  Ed  gland  in  1660.  He  had  been  an  offi- 
cer in  the  army  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  came  away 
at  the  Restoration.  He  died  at  Norwalk,  in  1730,  aged 
97.  It  was  that  part  of  Norwalk,  called  "  Five-Mile 
Biver,"  on  the  west  line  of  the  town.  Here  Mr.  Reed 
prepared  a  room  in  his  own  house,  where  public  wor- 
ship was  held  till  the  church  of  Middlesex  was  formed, 
now  in  Darien,  not  far  from  Five-Mile  River.  He  was 
a  good  specimen  of  the  Puritan  soldier,  who  held  his 
sword  in  one  hand  and  his  bible  in  the  other.* 

James  Reed  married  the  daughter  of  Daniel  Castle, 
Esq.,  in  1759,  and  built  his  house  on  the  spot  where 
Jas.  H.  Swift's  residence  now  stands.  This  house  was 
removed  many  years  ago,  and  is  now  a  comforatble 
dwelling,  a  tenant  house  belonging  to  M.  F.  Winchester. 

Eliakim  Reed's  sons  were  Eliakim,  Jun.,  who  went 
to  Greene  county,  Simeon  who  settled  in  Vermont,  Silas 
and  Samuel,  who  settled  in  Ontario  county,  Phineas, 
who  lived  in  Hillsdale,  and  Ezra,t  who  remained  on  the 
homestead.  Eliakim  Reed's  settlement  in  Amenia 
was  in  1773. 

Capt.  Reed  was  a  man  of  great  sagacity  and  enter- 
prise, and  was  very  extensively  and  favorably  known 
for  his  honorable  dealing.  He  enlarged  his  landed  es- 
tate, conducted  a  store,  and  a  mill,  and  a  manufactory 
of  iron,  and,  in  the  time  of  the  war,  of  steel.  He  was 
also  one  of  the  first  in  sustaining  a  religious  society. 
Capt.  Reed  left  a  good  estate  to  each  of  his  ten  sons  and 
two  daughters.]: 


*  His  sword  was  preserved  by  the  familv  several  generations,  and  tliov  have  been  a 
bible-reading  family. 

t  The  wife  of  Ezra  Reed  was  a  descendant  of  William  Hvde  and  also  of  Capt.  Oeorge 
Dcnison  and  Anne  Boradil. 

J  The  sons  of  Capt.  Reed  were  Daniel,  Reuben,  Stephen.  Elijah,  Amos,  Gilbert,  Jesse, 
Jacob,  James  and  Philo.  Only  Reuben,  Stephen  and  Philo  died  in  Amenia.  The  others 
removed  to  the  western  part  of  the  state.  The  daughters  were  Mrs.  Xurtlirop  and  Mrs. 
Rose.    They  all  left  tamilies  except  Philo. 


14 


108  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

David  Eundall  came  from  Horse  Neck,*  while  a  lad, 
about  1770,  with  an  elder  brother  (Jared  ?),  to  whom  he 
was  bound  apprentice  to  learn  the  tailor's  trade.  About 
the  termination  of  his  apprenticeship,  the  war  com- 
menced, and  he  served  two  campaigns.  He  settled 
first  north  of  Henry  Peters,  and  in  1795  he  removed  to 
the  place  where  he  ended  his  days.  "  David  Eundall 
and  Catherine  Powers  were  married  Dec .  30,  1778. — 
Eoswell  Hopkins,  Esq."  He  was  the  father  of  Jacob 
and  the  late  Col.  Henry  Eundall,  and  Mrs.  Mesick. 

Daniel  Eowley  was  from  East  Haddam,  Conn. 

Bezaleel  Eudd  and  Zebalon  Eudd  were  in  the  north 
part  of  the  town,  as  it  was ;  also  Elijah  Eoe,  Silas  Eoe, 
and  Jeduthan  Eoe. 

Philip  Eow,  and  others  of  that  family,  lived  in  the 
extreme  northwest  corner  of  the  town,  where  the  late 
Andros  Eow  lived. 

Joseph  Eeynolds  was  one  of  the  earlier  members  of 
the  church  at  the  Eed  Meeting  House. t 

Jonathan  Eeynolds  was  a  citizen  of  Amenia,  residing 
in  the  west  part  of  the  town  in  1762,  and  was  chosen 
Assessor  at  the  first  Town  Meeting. 

Stephen  Eeynolds,  the  father  of  Dr.  Israel  Eeynolds 
and  others,  resided  a  short  distance  north  of  the  City 
church,  previous  to  1767,  in  a  house,  still  remaining, 
which  was  evidently  built  before  the  Eevolution. 

His  father  was  Francis  Eeynolds,  of  Horse  Neck, 
and  his  grandfather  was  James  Eeynolds,  who  died  a  t 
his  house  on  a  visit  in  1767,  and  was  buried  at  the  City, 
at  the  age  of  93.  The  ancestors  of  the  family  came 
from  England  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne.      Stephen 

*  Horse  Neck— now  Greenwich— was  so  called  from  a  neck  of  land  on  the  Sound, 
where  horses  were  pastured. 

t  "  Ruth  and  Lidia,  children  of  Joseph  and  Lidia  Reynolds,  were  baptized.— 1752.'' 
Israel,  son  of  Joseph  and  Lidia  Reynolds,  was  baptized— 1754." 


THE  EAKLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  109 

Reynolds'   wife   was    Eachel,    daughter    of    Benjamin 
Denton  * 

George  Reynolds,  the  father  of  Jonathan  P.,  George 
and  Joseph   Reynolds,    was  from   Bristol,   R.  L,  and 
bought,  in   1795,   the   farm  of   Solomon   Cook,  where 
Jonathan  P.  Reynolds  formerly  resided. 

Jonathan  Sanford  was  the  father  of  Geo.  Sanford 
at  the  City. 

Samuel  Shepard  was  Collector  of  Taxes  in  1764. 

Israel  and  Jonathan  Shepard  were  among  the  patri- 
ots of  1775.  The  family  owned  land  now  belonging  to 
Mr.  Bartram.  Daniel  Shepard  resided  near  the  north 
west  part  of  the  town. 

Parrock  Sherwood  lived  near  Amenia.  Asahel  Sher- 
wood was  the  father  of  Henry  and  William  Sherwood, 
and  resided  in  the  south  part  of  the  present  village  of 
Amenia. 

George  and  Frederick  Sornborger  lived  near  North- 
east Centre. 

Isaac  Smith,  from  Hempstead,  L.  I.,  migrated  to 
Amenia  in  1757,  and  settled  on  the  farm,  known  in  the 
family  as  the  "  Square  farm,"  where  he  died  in  1795. 

His  ancestors  came  from  Gloucestershire,  in  Eng- 
land, to  Boston,  in  1635-6,  and  removed  thence  to 
Hempstead,  in  1639. 

Mr.  Smith  was  one  of  the  Justices  for  the  Crown 
before  the  war.  He  had  five  sons  and  six  daughters. 
One  of  his  sons,  Hon.  Isaac  Smith,  the  late  judge,  be- 
came sole  owner  of  the  farm,  where  he  lived  till  1813, 
when  he  became  owner  of  the  Johnson  estate  at  Lith- 
gow,  to  which  he  removed,  retaining  at  the  same  time 
the  valuable  property  at  the  Square.     His  sister,  Cath- 

*  The  wife  of  Dr.  Israel  Reynolds  was  Deborah  Dorr,  who  was  a  descendant  of  Wm. 
Hyde,  and  consequently  her  name  comes  into  that  remarkable  genealogy  compiled  by 
Chancellor  Walworth. 


110  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

erine,  was  the  wife  of  Jacob  Bockee.  Dr.  John  Miller 
twice  married  sisters  of  Judge  Sraith. 

Judge  Smith  was  very  enterprizing  and  efficient  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  agriculture  in  Dutchess  coun- 
ty, particularly  in  the  production  of  fine  wool.  He  died 
in  the  midst  of  his  enterprises  in  1825. 

Piatt  Smith  lived  in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  now 
Northeast. 

Mark  Spencer,  who  distinguished  himself  by  his 
financial  operations  with  the  late  Jacob  Barker  and 
Matthew  L.  Davis,  lived  with  his  father  near  Amenia 
Union.     The  family  was  from  Guildford,  Conn. 

Elias  Shevalier  died  in  1808,  aged  95  years.  He  was 
a  native  of  France,  and  came  to  this  country  when  a 
boy,  and  was  sold,  as  they  called  it,  for  a  given  time  to 
pay  his  passage.  He  came  to  Amenia  when  just  mar- 
ried, and  acquired  by  his  industry  a  good  estate.  He 
was  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  old  church  in  its  begin- 
ning. His  sons  were  Peter,  Elias,  Jun.,  Abner,  Richard 
and  Solomon  and  he  had  several  daughters.  Abner 
was  one  of  the  deacons  in  the  Baptist  church. 

The  old  brick  house,  belonging  to  Hiram  Cooper, 
was  built  by  the  family,  and  the  last  of  them,  who  re- 
sided in  the  town,  was  xlbner  second,  who  removed  in 
1832,  with  John  Dunham,  to  Broome  County.  The 
name  is  very  variously  spelled. 

Bowers  Slason  kept  a  tavern  on  the  hill  east  of  Sha- 
on  Station,  which  appears  to  have  been  a  populous 
neighborhood.     Peter  Slason  lived  in  South  Amenia. 

Capt.  Roger  'Southerland  lived  in  the  west  part  of 
the  town,  near  Adam's  Mill.  He  was  the  father  of 
Rodger  B.  Southerland,  who  married  the  daughter  of 
Israel  Totten,  and  lived  where  W.  Piatt  Perlee  now 
resides. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  Ill 


Judali  Swift  settled  in  Amenia  in  1769.  He  was 
from  Barnstable  county,  Mass.,  and  moved  to  tins  place 
with  his  family  by  a  team  of  three  yoke  of  oxen."^  He 
settled  on  the  farm  where  his  son,  Moses,  continued  to 
reside.  His  son,  Seth,  built  the  house  w^here  Thomas  W. 
Swift  now  resides,  and  continued  there  till  his  death- 
Samuel  Swift  and  Nathaniel,  sons  of  Judah,  removed  to 
the  western  part  of  the  State.  The  son  of  Moses  Swift 
was  Thomas.  The  sons  of  Seth  were  Moses,  Henry,  Elea- 
zer  Morton  and  Thomas  W.  Henry  Swift  was  a  lawyer 
in  Poughkeepsie.  E.  M.  Swift  was  a  lawyer  in  Dover. 
The  others  were  residents  of  Amenia. 

Thomas  and  Timothy  Stevens  were  early  residents 
of  the  south  part  of  the  town.  Thomas  was  the  father 
of  the  late  William  Stevens,  who  removed  to  the  west- 
ern part  of  New  York. 

Stephen  Trowbridge,  of  Danburj- — now  Bethel — was 
an  early  resident  living  north  of  Perrj^'s  Corner.  He 
was  the  father  of  Stephen  B.  and  Alexander  Trowbridge. 

The  Thompson  familyt  came  to  Stanford  about  1746, 
and  some  of  the  family  soon  after  came  into  Amenia. 
Their  ancestors  emigrated  from  England  in  1637.  "  Be- 
ing Dissenters,  they  came  to  this  country  quietly  to  en- 
joy freedom  in  their  religious  principles,  and  to  avoid 
the  persecutions  and  exactions  to  which  they  were 
subjected."  Samuel  Thompson  w^as  a  citizen  of  Amenia 
in  1769,  and  Benajah  Thompson,  who  lived  where  R.  R. 
Thompson,  Esq.,  now  resides,  went  from  this  town  to 
the  Legislature  in  1804,  etc  Dea.  Seth  Thomson  lived 
about  a  mile  south  of  the  City  P.  O 

Israel  Totten  resided  where  W.  P.  Perlee  now  lives. 


*  Moses  was  seven  years  old  when  the  family  came  here,  and  rode  one  of  the  oxen  on 
the  journey. 

t  Enos  Thompson  Troup,  a  former  Governor  of  New  York,  was  of  this  family.     The 
birthplace  of  Judge  Smith  Thompson  is  at  the  Square. 


112  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


He  began  here  as  a  laboring  man,  and  acquired  a  good 
estate  by  his  personal  industry.  His  wife  was  Esther 
Warren,  from  Norwalk,  Conn. 

Stephen  Warren  was  from  Norwalk,  Conn.  He 
owned  the  farm  of  J.  T,  Sackett,  and  built  about  the 
time  of  the  Kevolution  the  house  now  on  the  place. 
His  wife  was  sister  of  Eliakim  and  James  Reed.  His 
sons  were  James,  Stephen,  and  Lewis.  His  daughters 
were  Mrs.  Shubel  Nye,  Mrs.  Bishop,  Mrs.  Munson,  and 
Mrs.  Ketchill  Reed. 

Samuel  Waters,  Esq.,  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace 
several  years.     His  wife  was  Eunice  Atherton. 

Capt.  Thomas  Wheeler,  from  Woodbury,  Conn., 
settled,  in  1749,  on  the  place  now  owned  by  his  great- 
grandson,  Erastus  Wheeler. 

Capt.  Noah  Wheeler,  the  son  of  Thos.,  was  a  posi- 
tive, energetic  man,  and  of  stern  patriotism.  He  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  battle,  at  Fort  Independence. 
His  sons  were  Noah,  Wooster,  Anthony,  Newcomb 
David,  Eben  and  Alanson.  They  were  all  farmers  and 
obtained  good  estates. 

Capt.  Thomas  Wheeler  was  engaged  in  the  French 
War,  and  while  serving  on  the  northern  frontier  was 
taken  sick  and  returned  towards  home.  He  reached 
Fite  Miller's  tavern,  in  Columbia  county,  and  died  Sept. 
1st,  1757,  at  the  age  of  44  years. 

Col.  Anthony  Wheeler  was  an  active  man  in  political 
affairs  during  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  also  very  effic- 
ient in  his  command  of  the  29th  regiment  of  Militia. 

Elijah  Wheeler,  the  father  of  William  and  Cyrus 
Wlieeler,  was  from  New  Marlborough,  Mass.  He  died 
in  1774,  aged  41. 

Robert  Willson  (son  of  Robert)  came  from  the  north 
of  Ireland,  when  quite  young,  and  lived  in  Connecticut 


THE  EAKLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  113 


till  his  marriage,  when  he  settled  in  Amenia,  a  little 
north  of  where  his  son,  the  late  Capt.  Robert  Willson, 
and  his  family  had  their  home.  The  wife  of  the  elder 
Robert  Willson  was  of  the  famihes  of  Kinman  and 
Thompson.  The  ruins  of  the  log  house  where  he  lived 
are  remembered. 

Capt.  Robert  Willson,  Jun.,  was  well-known  to  the 
generation,  of  fifty  years  ago.  Reuben  Willson  was  his 
brother. 

Gilbert  Willett  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  in  the 
distribution  to  the  proprietors  of  the  Oblong  Lots  in 
1731,  and  he  became  the  proprietor  of  Lot  52,  which  is 
near  Amenia  Union.  The  name  is  subscribed  to  the 
patriot's  pledge  in  1775;  and  in  1794-1800,  Gilbert  Wil- 
lett was  a  citizen  of  Amenia  and  a  magistrate,  and  kept 
a  store  in  the  west  part  of  the  town.  These — two  or 
three  persons — are  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  family, 
and,  it  has  been  said,  they  were  of  the  same  family  as 
Col.  Marinus  Willett. 

Amariah  Winchester,  from  Kent,  lived  near  Amenia 
Union.  Mary  Follett,  of  Kent,  married  Mr.  Hatch,  and 
they  went  to  a  new  home  in  the  valley  of  Wyoming,  and 
were  there  at  the  massacre.  He  was  killed  and  this 
young  widow  of  19  years  returned  to  her  old  home, 
through  excessive  trials  and  dangers,  so  torn  and  sun- 
burnt that  her  friends  did  not  know  her.  She  became 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Winchester,  and  came  with  him  to 
Amenia  in  178L  Their  sons  were  Henry,  Milo  and 
David. 

The  Woolsey  family  lived  on  Tower  Hill.  It  was 
Richard  Woolsey,  a  devout  man  of  Mr.  Knibloe's  con- 
gregation, who  expired  on  the  threshold  of  the  meeting 
house.  He  had  repeatedly  expressed  the  expectation 
of  instant  death. 


114  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


Capt.  William  Young  removed  to  Amenia  Union 
from  Leedsville,''  and  set  up  an  extensive  tannery.  He 
built  the  house  which  is  part  of  the  tavern,  and  after- 
wards built  the  house  which  became  the  property  of 
Dr.  William  Young  Chamberlain.  Capt.  Young  was 
from  Orange  county.  His  wife  was  Helena,  daughter 
of  Nicholas  Eow,  Sen. 


+^ 


JUDICIAL    RECOKD. 


The  Justices  of  the  Peace,  previous  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Precinct,  were  Castle,  Hopkins,  Bockee, 
Winegar,  Smith,  Garnsey  and  perhaps  some  others. 

The  Record,  kept  with  admirable  clerical  skill  by 
Roswell  Hopkins,  Esq.,  show  the  "  Actions  determined  " 
— civil  cases — in  his  official  service,  which  was  more 
than  thirty  years,  to  have  been  2,564.  In  1777,  there 
is  a  hiatus  in  the  Record,  which  indicates  partly  the 
time  when  Col.  Hopkins  was  absent  in  the  war. 

This  Record  shows  us  also  the  judicial  penalties  of 
that  age,  and  it  must  not  be  entirely  hidden  that  there 
were  some  convictions  where  the  penalty  was  "  lashes 
upon  the  bare  back."  These  convictions  were  by  a 
Court  of  Special  Sessions,  held  by  three  Justices.  In 
these  courts  we  find  associated  Samuel  Waters,  Josiah 
Gale,  Joseph  Carpenter,  of  Stanford,  James  Tallmage, 
Philip  Spencer,  &c.,  some  of  whom  were  from  other 
towns.  The  fine  for  breaking  the  sabbath,  for  drunken- 
ness, and  for  a  profane  oath  seems  to  have  been  three 
shillings,  which  went  to  the  poor  ;  and  though  the  treas- 

n5 


116  THE  EARLY  HISTOllY  OF  AMENIA. 

ury  was  not  much  helped,  these  convictions  were  sii]")  - 
posed  to  be  a  proper  expression  of  public  sentiment 
against  the  crimes  punished. 

March  24,  1784. — -A  man  was  convicted  of  stealing  a 
horse,  saddle,  and  bridle,  and  was  "adjudged"  to  be 
whipt  39  stripes,  and  the  court  issued  a  warrant  to 
Reuben  Allerton,  Constable,""  who  "  immediately 
executed  the  same." 

This  is  the  onl}^  case  in  which  the  execution  of  the 
sentence  is  recorded.  A  part  of  the  penalty  in  most 
cases  was  that  the  criminal  be  transported  out  of  the 
county. 

There  is  also  a  record  of  the  marriages  by  Esq.  Hop- 
kins, which  in  34  years  numbered  182.  Many  citizens 
of  the  best  social  position  were  married  by  him — -Daniel 
Shepard,  Elijah  Park,  Daniel  Hebard,  Reuben  Allerton, 
David  Collin,  David  Rundall,  King  Mead,  and  others. 
It  is  understood  that  there  was  a  peculiar  grace  of 
manner  in  the  marriage  ceremony  oi  this  christian 
magistrate. 

It  will  not  be  inferred  that  this  pleasant  service  was 
taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  clergymen  of  the  town — • 
only  in  a  small  measure — when  it  is  remembered  that 
Rev.  Mr.  Knibloe,  in  26  years  of  the  same  period  of 
time,  married  320  couples. 

*  This  was  Dr.  Allerton,  a  very  humane  man.    But  such  was  the  law. 


SLAVERY. 


The  German  settlers  and  the  Delamaters  had  their 
slaves,  who  were  treated  by  them  with  exemplary  kind- 
ness, and  instructed  by  them  in  the  facts  and  duties  of 
religion.  Jacob  Evartson  had  a  large  number — as 
many  as  forty,  it  is  said.  Several  of  the  early  immi- 
grants from  New  England  and  other  parts  were  also  the 
owners  of  slaves. 

Most  of  the  slaves  in  the  town  were  manumitted  in 
the  manner  and  under  tlie  conditions  prescribed  by  law. 

In  1788,  Ezra  Reed  gave  freedom  to  his  slave,  Joel^ 
and  his  wife,  and  their  son,  Jeduthan.^^' 

In  1792,  Samuel  Swift  gave  freedom  to  his  slaves, 
Pomp  and  Mela,  "  in  consideration  of  their  faithful  ser- 
vices ;"  and  in  1795,  to  his  slave,  Hannah,  and  her  child, 
Zephaniah.  In  1794,  Judah  Swift  made  free  his  "  ne- 
gro man,  named  York."  In  1794,  Jacob  Bockee  gave 
freedom  to  his  slave,  "  Simon  Le  Grand." 

It  was  very  fit  that  Mr.  Bockee  should  give  this 
practical  expression  of  his  views  of  slavery,  who  a  few 


*  Jeduthan  is  remembered  by  some  now  as  a  much-respected  citizen. 


118  THE  EAELY  HISTOEY  OF  AMENIA. 

years  later  introduced  in  the  Legislature  a  bill  for  the 
abolition  of  slavery  in  this  state.  This  important  be- 
ginning resulted  in  the  complete  abolition  of  slavery 
July  4th,  1827. 

The}^  were  not  permitted  to  make  any  free  and  cast 
them  off,  who  were  not  able  to  provide  for  themselves. 
There  were,  therefore,  in  1824,  a  few  years  before  the 
complete  termination  of  slavery  in  this  state,  32  slaves 
in  Amenia. 

"  Dutchess  County,  State  of  New  York. — This  may 
certify  that  Joel  Mandore,  a  negro  man,  formerly  a  ser- 
vant of  Ezra  Reed,  and  his  wife,  now  a  slave  to  the  said 
Ezra  Reed,  and  their  son,  Jeduthan,^'  a  slave  to  the  said 
Ezra  Reed,  who  is  disposed  to  manumit  the  said  slaves, 
and  it  appears  to  us  that  they  are  under  the 
age  of  fifty,  and  of  sufficient  ability  to  maintain  them- 
selves, and  of  good  moral  character. 

Certified  by  us  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed  • 

Isaac  Darrow,  [    Justices  o  f 

Roswell  Hopkins,   i      the  Peace. 

Eliakim  Reed,      j  Overseers  of  the  Poor  of 
Barnabas  Paine,  j"     the  Town  of  Amenia. 

Amenia,  Oct.  IWi,  1788." 
"  Know   all   men   by   these  presents,  that  I,  Jacob 
Bockee,  of  Amenia  town,  in  the  county  of  Dutchess,  and 
state   of  New  York,  for,   and  in   consideration  of   the 
faithful  service,   and  other  good  causes  thereunto,  do 
manumit  and  discharge  from  my  service,  or  that  of  my 
heirs  forever,  a  certain  slave,  named  Simon  Le  Grande. 
"  In  witness  hereof,  I  have  hereunto  set   my  band 
this  eighth  day  of  April,  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety- 
four.  Jacob  Bockee. 
"  Witness,  William  Barker. 
"  The  above  is  a  true  record. — William  Barker, 

Town  Clerk." 

*  Jeclutlian  lived  on  the  Darling- place,  near  Wassaic,  and  became  a  respectable  citizen. 


INNS  AND   STORES. 


-o- 


It  was  the  custom,  almost  univorsal  in  former  days, 
in  New  England  and  New  York,  tliat  the  Inns,  or  tav- 
erns, were  kept  by  citizens,  who  were  the  most  wealthy 
and  respectable  of  the  people,  very  often  by  men  who 
had  large  farms  and  possessed  the  means  of  providing 
ample  accommodations.  The  public  houses  were  not 
then,  as  now,  located  at  the  intersection  of.  highways, 
and  there  was  not  in  the  early  days  of  ilmenia  any 
village  in  the  town  to  give  local  attraction  to  a  tavern. 

Daniel  Castle,  Esq.,  kept  a  tavern  at  South  Amenia, 
in  1758.  Roswell  Hopkins,  Esq.,  was  keeping  a  tavern 
when  the  first  town  meeting  was  directed  to  be  held  at 
his  house  in  1762,  and  the  town  meetings  were  held 
there  in  1763,  and  1764,  In  1765  to  1773,  the  town 
meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  Col.  Michael  Hop- 
kins. After  that  year — Mr.  Hopkins  having  died — at 
Timothy  Green's,  Major  Simeon  Cook's,  Capt.  Piatt's, 
Abiali  Palmer's,  and  Capt.  Wardwell's. 

In  1764,  the  following  persons  in  Amenia  Precinct 
received  license  to  keep  a  tavern — Samuel  Smith,  Rob- 


120  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

ert  Johnson,  Jonathan  llejnolds,  Edmund  Perlee,  Ste- 
phen Ray,  Widow  Eunice  Wheeler,  iSamuel  Snider, 
Michael  Hopkins,  Simeon  Wright,  Stephen  Johns,  Ich- 
abod  Paine,  Benjamin  HoUister,  Jun.,  Daniel  Castle. 

In  1790,  eighteen  citizens  of  Amenia  received  a 
permit  to  keep  a  tavern.  Among  these  were  Caleb  Da- 
kin,  Abiah  Palmer,  Stephen  Reynolds,  Edmund  Perlee, 
Jaob  Evartson,  Elisha  Barlow,  Zerali  Beach,  Noah 
Wheeler,  Lemuel  Brush,  and  William  Davies.  Some  of 
these  were  without  the  obligation  to  provide  lodgings. 

One  of  the  first  stores  established  in  Amenia  was 
Capt.  James  Reed's,  some  years  before  the  Revolution. 

It  was  a  short  distance  north  of  his  dwelling,  and 
the  place  is  marked  now  by  a  few  locust  trees,  the  off. 
spring  of  those  planted  at  the  time  when  the  building 
was  there.  This  store  was  resorted  to  for  trade  by' 
people    from    a    distance    and    over   a    wide    extent    of 

country. 

Stores  were  kept  also  at  an  early  day  at  the  Square^ 
and  near  the  City,  at  Neeley's,  at  Delavergne's,  and  at 
Adam's  Mills,  and  near  the  Red  Meeting  House. 

The  articles  of  trade  were  few,  as  domestic  manufac- 
tures supplied  so  many  of  the  articles  now  obtained 
wholly  by  exchange.  Cotton,  that  enters  so  much  into 
commerce  now,  was  then  scarcely  known,  and  very  few 
woollen  fabrics  came  into  trade — no  hats,  or  shoes,  or 
mittens,  or  any  ordinary  clothing.  The  trade  was  lim- 
ted  to  a  few  articles  of  foreign  manufacture,  with  tea, 
wine   and  brandy,  and  the  products  of  the  West  Indies. 

Much  of  the  exchange  was  by  barter,  very  little 
money  was  used  and  that  was  silver. 

Wheat  was  the  iirst  article  of  commerce  that 
brought  in  money  ;  first,  by  exportation  in  bulk  by  waj- 
of  Po'keepsie  ;  and  after  the  mills  were  perfected,  it 
was  manufactured  and  sent  in  flour. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMEI^IA.  -   r21 

A  serious  part  of  the  labor  of  every  farmer  and  his 
team  was  the  transportation  of  his  produce  to  Po'keep- 
sie,  and  the  return  loads  of  heavy  ^oods,  rum,  molasses, 
sugar,  salt,  and  lately  plaster."  This  burden  is  now 
exchanged  for  freights  on  the  Harlem  Railroad. 

.  The  people  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  bills,  checks, 
drafts,  etc.,  till  they  learned  by  sad  experience  the  story 
of  continental  bills.  Money  was  hard  and  heavy. 
Capt.  Reed  at  one  time,  when  he  was  buying  wheat 
pretty  largely,  requested  his  neighbor,  Lieut.  John 
Boyd,  to  bring  fiom  Po'keepsie  a  certain  bag  of  silver 
money.  Mr.  Boyd  brought  it  on  horseback  carrying  it 
before  him,  resting  on  the  pummel  of  his  saddle .  When 
he  rode  up  to  the  doorsteps  of  the  store,  an  attendant 
lifted  the  bag  from  the  saddle,  not  without  some  exer" 
tion,  and  carried  it  into  the  store.  This  is  certainly  in 
happy  (?)  contrast  to  the  present  convenient  method  of 
almost  dispensing  even  with  paper  money,  let  alone  the 
silver. 


*  It  is  not  out  of  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant  how  certainly  at  a  proper  season 
of  the  year  the  returnin<j  wajfon  brought  a  supply  of  clams.  A  large  number  of  tho  famihes 
of  this  town  sent  annually  for  a  supplj^  of  shnd  to  the  East  Camp,  following  the  traditionary 
trail  of  the  German  immigrants  from  that  place,  who  were  the  first  settlers  here  and  who 
kept  up  the  traditionary  habit  of  making  ;in  annual  visit  to  their  tirst  liome  in  America. 


MANUFACTURES. 


LEATHER. 

The  important  business  of  making  leather  was  con- 
ducted in  several  places  in  the  town.  It  was  one  of 
those  industries  which  were,  in  their  location  and  ex- 
tent, exactly  suited  to  the  wants  of  the  people,  who 
used  the  hides  of  their  own  cattle  for  their  boots  and 
shoes  and  harnesses.  Thej  did  not  buy  or  sell  to  any 
extent.  Their  leather  was  in  proportion  to  their  beef 
and  veal  and  mutton,  and  the  bark  for  tanning  was  near 
at  hand.  The  skins  were  carried  to  the  tanner,  and 
marked  with  the  owner's  initials,  and  returned  to  him 
after  several  months.  Then  they  were  carried  to  the 
shoemaker,  who  was  often  connected  with  the  tannery, 
and  the  shoes  were  made  to  the  measure  of  each  foot. 
Or,  more  frequently,  where  there  was  a  large  family, 
the  shoemaker  "whipped  the  cat  (whatever  that  means)," 
went  to  the  house,  and  there  made  all  the  shoes  for  the 
family  for  a  year.  Other  clothing  also  was  made  in 
this  way. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  I'iB 


There  was  a  tannery  at  South  Amenia,  established 
by  Joseph  and  Gershom  Reed  ;  one  at  Aiiienia  Union, 
by  William  Young ;  one  at  the  Square  ;  one  near- 
Thomas  Ingraham's,  and  several  others  in  different 
parts  of  the  town. 

The  trade  of  tanner  and  currier  was  considered  very 
respectable  and  remunerative.  The  mechanical  trades 
were  all  honorable. 


CLOTH. 

The  manufacture  of  almost  the  whole  of  the  cloth 
for  the  people  was  in  the  family.  The  wool  and  the 
flax  were  of  their  own  production,  prepared  and  spun 
by  their  own  hands,  and  dressed  under  their  direction, 
and  fitted  to  their  measure.  The  need  of  a  new  suit 
must  have  been  anticipated  a  year,  and  the  owner  must 
wait  and  work  for  it  all  that  time,  before  the  suit  would 
be  ready  to  wear.     But  it  did  wear. 

Every  neighborhood  had  its  shoemaker,  and  tailor, 
and  hatter,  and  other  mechanics,  and  these  were  scat- 
tered among  the  farms,  and  were  not,  as  now,  clustered 
together  in  villages,  or  driven,  as  man}"  of  them  are,  en- 
tirely out  of  the  country.  This  explains  the  fact  that, 
the  rural  population  of  the  town  was  greater  then  than 
it  is  now,  and  also  the  fact  that  any  given  rural  district 
was  able  to  sustain  a  much  greater  population  than  in 
the  present  style  of  commercial  life."^'  All  this  wealth 
of  home-manufacture  is  removed  from  the  country,  and. 


*  This  is  verified  by  actual  count.      In   one  of  tlic   host  agrricultural  districts  of  the 

town,  we  count  twelve  families,  on  contiguous  farms,  wliere    tlie   eliiltlren— mostiy   urown 

'>■        to  manhdod— immlnTcd  .'W.     In   tlie   ;,'-en-.Tati<in    hefore   tliis.   tlie   cliildrcn    from     tlic  same. 

'      houses  nuniliorcd  ]1.">,  nil  of  wjiom  reached  mature  lite.  and. half  of  whinii  attained  old  age. 

"■■<rh'ere  is  not  in  this  district  of  about  four  miles   in  lineal  extent  an\  mechanic,  but  a  wayon- 

ni»I;i;r,  a  blacksmith  and  a  carpenter. 

^Wiiiough  the  older  families  have  sent  their  sons  and  daughters  to  all  parts  of  the 
land,  and  have  become  greatly  diminished  in  nianbers.  there   are  yet  more  than  twenty 
\         families  living  on  lands  wliich  their  ancestors  lield  a  hundred  \  ears  ago.  or  more. 


124  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

the  sustentation  of  the  people  comes  almost  wholly  from 
their  land.  This,  on  a  fertile  soil  and  with  high  culture 
keeps  up  the  wealth  of  the  few,  who  are  necessary  to 
conduct  the  business  of  agriculture,  but  on  an  unpro- 
pitious  soil,  the  people,  without  domestic  manufactures 
and  left  to  agriculture  alone  for  their  living,  become 
impoverished,  and  the  population  declines  in  numbers 
and  wealth.  This  is  true  of  many  distiicts  in  our 
country. 

It  was  a  notable  advance  in  the  use  of  machinery 
when  Mr.  John  Hinchliffe  set  up  his  carding  machine 
at  the  Steel  Works,  in  1803  Wool  had  previously  been 
carded  by  hand,  but  now  it  was  brought  from  a  great 
distance  to  this  novel  and  curious  machine,  which  was 
the  first  in  this  part  of  America. 


LEEDSVILLE  FACTORY. 

After  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the  haz- 
ardous condition  of  American  commerce,  and  the  high 
price  of  imported  woolen  fabrics  led  enterprising  men 
to  enter  upon  associated  schemes  for  the  manufacture 
of  woolen  cloth.  The  Woolen  Factory  at  Leedsville 
was  established  in  1809.  Rufus  Park,  of  Amenia,  and 
Judson  Canfield,  of  Sharon,  Conn.,  were  the  principals 
in  the  company.  The  name  "  Leeds  "  was  suggested  by 
an  Englishman,  who  was  engaged  in  the  works,  and  who 
had  come  from  Leeds,  in  England. 

The  peace  with  Great  Britain,  in  1815,*  put  an  end 
to  the  profits  of  manufacturing  woolens  in  this  country, 
and  the  company  at  Leedsville  failed.      The   property 

•  The  bell  of  the  factory  was  rung  loud  and  long  when  the  news  of  peace  arrived, 
but  it  was  the  death  knell  of  its  prosperity. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  125 


was  purchased  by  Mr.  Selah  North,    who  established 


the  business  of  cloth  dressing. 


THE    FEDERAL  COMPANY. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century,  a  company 
was  formed  in  the  northwest  part  of  the  town,  which 
seems  to  have  been  for  the  purpose  of  general  trade. 
It  was  called  the  "  Federal  Company,"  and  they  con- 
ducted the  Federal  Store.  Judge  Smith  was  at  the  head 
and  there  were  about  nine  other  associates.  About 
1803,  another  company  was  formed,  including  several 
members  of  the  Federal  Company,  and,  with  William 
Davies  at  the  head  ;  and  freighting  business  at  Pough- 
keepsie  was  a  part  of  their  scheme.  Previous  to  1817, 
an  association  was  incorporated,  including  some  of  the 
members  of  the  former  companies,  and  they  also  had 
their  headquarters  at  the  Federal  Store.  The  first  ope- 
ration was  carding  wool,  by  horse  power,  but  not  suc- 
ceeding in  this,  they  removed  to  the  stream*  near 
Adam's  Mills,  where  they  erected  a  building  for  the 
manufacture  of  woolen  cloth,  and  in  which  they  used 
water  power  for  the  machinery.  The  late  Capt.  Robert 
Willson  was  President  of  this  company,  and  they  issued 
a  considerable  amount  of  small  bills  as  currency.  The 
business  of  this  company  was  not  profitable,  and  the 
property  was  sold  to  Lawrence  Smith,  who  continued 
the  work  of  cloth  dressing.t  These  facts  were  received 
mostly  from  Capt.  Samuel  Hunting. 


*  The  bridge  where  this  turnpike  crosses  this  stream  was  called  "  Federal  Bridge." 

t  Associated  capital  in  the  manufacture  of  cloth  has  never  been  productive  in  this 
town.  Some  of  our  citizens  were  connected  with  the  factories  at  Amenia  Union,  in  which 
there  was  a  total  loss  of  more  than  $35,000. 


126  THE  EARLY  HISTOllY  OF  AMENIA.. 


IRON  MAKING. 

It  seems  probable  that  the  important  business  of 
making  iron  was  begun  in  Amenia  sometime  before  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  when  the  smelting  of  the  ore 
was  mostly  by  the  forge.  On  the  small  stream  that 
passes  through  the  mountains  west  of  Leedsville,  and  a 
little  south  of  the  gap,  Capt.  Samuel  Dunham  had  a 
forge.  The  ore  used  in  these  works  seems  to  have  been 
taken  from  the  present  Amenia  ore  bed,*  as  Mr.  Dun- 
ham had  then  an  interest  in  the  Nine  Partners  Lot  32. 

It  is  also  evident  that  there  was  a  forge  at  the  Steel 
Works  as  early  as  1770,t  and  the  ore  for  that  also  was 
taken  from  the  Amenia  mines. 

It  was  not  till  1825  that  the  important  works  of  N. 
Gridley  &  Son,  at  Wassaic,  were  commenced.  From 
that  time  the  manufacture  of  iron  and  the  product  of 
the  mines  have  grown  into  large  proportions,  and  con- 
tributed greatly  to  the  common  wealth  of  the  town. 

The  Furnace  at  Wassaic  was  begun  and  built  up  by 
•Tosiah  M.  Reed,  Leman  Bradley,  Nathaniel  Gridley  and 
Noah  Gridley.  The  site  for  the  furnace — a  few  acres — 
and  the  ore  bed  had  been  purchased  by  Elijah  B.  Park- 
and  sold  to  the  above  parties  for  six  thousand  dollars. 

In  '  1825,  the  youngest  of  these  parties  began 
alone  among  the  rocks,  with  a  single  team  of  oxen,  the 
construction  of  works,  which  have  arisen  to  so  much 
importance.  It  was  not  without  some  doubtful  strug- 
gles against  adverse  circumstances  that  success  was 
gained.  But  all  these  men  took  hold  of  their  business 
with  their  right  hands. 

*  In  1743,  a  record  was  made  of  a  right  of  way  to  the  ore  bed,  which  Waterman 
qold  to  Samuel  Forbes. 

t  Historical  Record.  ■  ■■..:.  i 

1 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  127 


In  1844,  the  property  came  into  the  hands  of  Noah 
and  William  Gridle}',  and  on  the  death  of  William,  into 
the  possession  of  the  survivor. 

There  ^vas  no  house  in  the  place  or  any  building  ex- 
cept the  remains  of  an  old  saw  mill  near  the  furnace 
dam. 

The  furnace  was  at  first  called  "  Johnny  Cake  Fur- 
nace," from  the  local  name  of  a  street  in  the  vicinity. 

The  making  of  plows  was  one  of  those  trades,  which 
w^ere  required  in  every  agricultural  district.  The  plow 
was  of  wood,  and  the  wearing  part  of  wrought  iron,  the 
share  being  frequently  sharpened  by  the  blacksmith. 

Moor  Bird  was  a  skillful  plow  maker,  and  made  cra- 
dles also.  The  cast-iron  plow  was  introduced  in  the 
earh^  part  of  this  century,  and  the  first  manufacture  of 
them  in  this  town  was  by  Mr.  Calvin  Chamberlaiti,  at 
the  City. 

,    .  THE  STEEL  WORKS. 

Near  the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  "war,  the 
importation  of  iron  and  steel  being  cut  off,  home  manu- 
facture was  necessarily  stimulated  ;  when  Capt.  James 
Keed  and  a  Mr.  Ellis  entered  upon  the  manufacture  of 
steel,  at  the  place  wdiicli  has  since  retained  the  name  of 
*'  Steel  Works,"  and  they  prosecuted  the  business  some- 
time with  success.  They  obtained  the  iron  for  their - 
purpose  in  pigs  from  Livingstones  Furnace  at  Aneram, 
which  was  ?i  blast  furnace,  and'  the  first  in  this  part  Of' 
the  country.*  These  efforts  at  hbriie  ruanufactnre 'w6rel 
considered  patriotic  as  well  as  profitable.  • 

.;-  *  Isaac  RentQu  was  ij. skilled  workniJin  in  this  new^y-brganized  niamifacture,,and,t 
received  a  liljj^h  compensati'on;       ■■■■'■       .,.•.;'<  i     .         .   .     .;.    . ,  ..    :;....:,; 

.2.  The  price  paid  for  coaj  was  twpiity  shillings  a  load;  but  it  does  not  appear  how  many 
bushels  constituted  a  load.  The  price  for cartin<,'  iron-  from  Llving8toA:'s  fHrnace  was.tefl 
shillings  for  twelve  hunored,  which  seemed  to  make  a  load. 

■3.  Steel  was  sold  for  a  shilling  per- pound  at  retail;  at  wholesale  it  was  sold  tor £4  per 
hqnflred,  and  refined  steel  at  £.■)  per  hundred.    Captain  Keed,  in   1776,   purchased    Harris' 

cytlies  at  84  shillings  [>cy,  dos'Jii^  paying  in  steel,  and  retailed, them  at  ten  shillings  apiece.... 


THE  SHARON  CANAL. 


About  the  year  1821,  the  New  York  and  Sharon  Ca- 
nal was  projected,  and  many  of  the  enterprising  men  of 
Amenia  took  a  lively  interest  in  it,  though  some  of  the 
more  cautious  ones  looked  upon  the  scheme  as  visionary. 

This  Canal  was  to  be  constructed  from  Sharon  Val- 
ley, down  by  the  Oblong  river,  and  by  the  Swamp  river 
to  the  sources  of  the  Croton  in  Pawling,  and  by  the 
Croton  to  the  Hudson — or  from  the  lower  part  of  the 
Croton  to  the  Harlem  river.  It  was  also  contemplated 
that  the  Canal  would  be  extended  north  through  Salis- 
bury to  Great  Barrington,  in  Massachusetts. 

The  preliminary  survey  was  made,  and  about  sixty 
thousand  dollars  was  contributed  This  money  was  de- 
posited with  a  broker  in  New  York,  who  failed,  which 
discouraged  the  managers,  and  the  scheme  was  aban- 
doned for  awhile.  In  1826,  the  project  seems  to  have 
been  renewed,  and  a  Report  of  the  Canal  Csmmissioners 
was  made  to  the  Legislature  of  surveys  aud  estimates 
by  an  engineer  employed  by  the  Commissioners.  The 
estimated  cost  of  the  Canal  to  the  Hudson  was  $599,232, 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  129 


and  by  the  other  route  to  the  Harlem  river,  it  was 
$1,232,169.  This  was  for  the  whole  expense  of  excava- 
tion, embankments,  aqueducts,  locks,  bridges  and  every- 
thing to  the  completion  of  the  work.  A  survey  was 
made  of  the  ponds  and  streams,  which  could  be  made 
to  supply  the  canal  with  water,  and  also  an  estimate 
was  given  of  the  transportation  to  be  expected.  We 
find  no  record  of  the  project  after  this. 

We  find  a  curious  statement  in  the  Commissioners* 
Report,  viz.  : — "  It  has  lately  been  discovered  that  Le- 
high coal  answers  an  excellent  purpose  in  smelting  iron," 
and  it  is  estimated  that  in  five  years  the  transportation 
of  this  coal  for  the  iron  works  in  Sharon  and  vicinity 
would  pay  sufiicient  toll  to  maintain  the  canal.  The 
survey  established  the  interesting  fact  that  the  Weebu- 
took  and  all  its  upper  waters  can  be  made  to  flow  into 
the  city  of  New  York.* 

Cyrus  Swan,  of  Sharon,  Joel  Benton  and  Thomas 
Barlow,  of  Amenia,  William  Tabor,  of  Pawling,  and 
Mark  Spencer,  formerly  of  Amenia,  were  among  the 
active  projectors  of  this  enterprise. 


*  In  looking  for  resources  for  a  further  supply  of  water  to  the  city  of  New  York,  it 
las  been  sugsrested  that  this  stream  may  be  required.  The  waters  of  the  Weebutook  in 
tlie  south  part  of  the  town  are  nearly  500  feet  above  tide.  There  is  documentary  evidence 
that  the  project  to  carry  the  waters  of  the  Croton  river  into  the  city  of  New  York  was  first 
suggested  by  the  projectors  of  the  Sharon  canal. 


TRAVEL  AND  POST  EOUTES. 


The  means  of  travel  and  communication  in  the  last 
century  were  in  strange  contrast  with  the  present* 
There  was  not  even  a  stage  coach  or  mail  carriage 
known  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The  only  post  road 
in  the  State  in  1789  was  between  New  York  and  Albany, 
and  the  number  of  Post-ofiices  in  the  State  was  only  7. 
It  was  not  till  1823  that  the  Post-office  at  Amenia  Union 
was  established,  and  that  was  on  a  mail  route  which 
extended  from  New  Milford,  Conn.,  to  Pownal,  Vermont, 
through  Sharon  and  Salisbury,  and  the  principal  towns 
of  Berkshire  county.  The  mail  was  carried  through 
each  way  once  a  week,  most  of  the  time  in  a  one-horse 
wagon.  Previous  to  that,  the  letters — the  few  that  were 
written — were  carried  by  private  hands,  and  the  news- 
papers— from  Hartford  and  from  Poughkeepsie — were 
carried  by  post-riders  on  horseback.  New  York  could 
not  be  reached  in  less  than  two  days,  the  journey  there 
b}^  merchants  and  others  being  on  horseback.  Heavy 
goods  came  by  sloops  to  Poughkeepsie.  The  line  of 
stages  which  was  run  between  Poughkeepsie  andLitch- 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  131 


field,  through  Amenia,  turned  a  large  current  of  travel 
into  that  new  channel. 

The  Dutchess  turnpike,  so  useful  to  the  people  of 
Eastern  Dutchess  and  Litchfield  counties  was  made  in 
1805,  against  the  protest  of  some  who  in  opposition 
built  the  "Shunpike." 

There  is  a  stone  standing  by  the  road,  which  leads 
from  the  Steel  Works  to  Dover,  and  where  the  stream 
comes  down  from  Tower  Hill,  on  which  is  inscribed 
"  183  miles  to  Boston."  Another  stone  is  standing  near 
the  parsonage  in  South  Amenia,  inscribed  "  35  miles  to 
Fishkill,"  "  179  miles  to  Boston,"  "  29  miles  to  Pough- 
keepsie.'  These  were  set  up  in  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  while  the  British  held  the  country  below 
the  Highlands,  and  this  was  one  of  the  principal  routes 
between  the  Eastern  and  Southern  States,  by  the  w^ay 
of  Fishkill,  where  they  crossed  the  Hudson.  There 
were  one  or  two  seasons  when  salt  was  brought  from 
Boston  by  this  route.  Officers  of  the  American  army 
and  of  the  French  army  passed  this  way  between  the 
Eastern  States  and  the  Headquarters  on  the  Hudson. 
The  Hessians  were  marched  through  the  town  on  this 
road  to  Fishkill,  where  they  crossed  the  river,  when 
they  were  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Virginia  in 
1778. 

In  the  early  part  of  this  century,  ''mile  boards"  were 
placed  along  the  Oblong  road,  which  told  the  distance 
to  New  York.  The  one  at  Amenia  Union  said  "  98 
miles  to  N.  York."  The  measure  was  probably  from 
the  Battery,  and  by  a  route  less  direct  than  the 
present  route. 

m 


AGKICIJLTUEE. 


Agriculture  was  the  chief  business  of  the  early  set- 
tlers, as  it  has  continued  to  be  ol"  their  successors.  The 
two  objects  which  induced  their  emigration  ^to  this 
newly-opened  field — as  we  have  been  told  by  a  cotem- 
porary  witness — were  the  enjoyment  of  religious  inde- 
pendence and  the  possession  of  fruitful  lands.  They 
were  not  refugees  from  justice,  nor  broken  merchants, 
nor  bankrupt  politicians,  nor  wild  adventurers,  nor  ra- 
pacious speculators ;  neither  very  poor,  nor  very  rich  ; 
every  one  of  them  expected  to  gain  a  subsistence  by  the 
honest  labor  of  his  hands.  And  this  productive  labor 
was  directed  chiefly  to  the  cultivation  of  land  and  to 
those  mechanical  trades,  which  are  essential  to  the  con- 
venience of  an  agricultural  community.  It  was  very 
attractive  to  them  that  the  title  to  the  land  was  without 
dispute,  and  it  also  seemed  to  many  of  them  a  healthful 
atmosphere  of  freedom,  where  there  was  no  interference 
of  the  civil  authorities  with  the  interests  of  religion. 

Much  of  the  tillable  land  was  easily  cleared,  and 
responded    bountifully    to    the    simplest    cultivation. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  133 


There  \Yas  plenty  of  timber  for  building  and  all  other 
purposes.  The  land  was  well  watered  with  springs  and 
rivulets,  and  larger  streams  for  mills.  The  mountains 
and  valleys  were  the  same  then  as  now  which  made  it 
a  most  natural  expression  of  the  poet,  when  he  looked 
over  the  landscape,  to  call  the  name  of  the  town 
tleasanl. 

It  is  a  reasonable  supposition  that  the  sagacious 
pioneer  looked  forward  with  hopeful  prophetic  vision  to 
the  days  of  agricultural  prosperity,  which  were  realized 
by  those  who  have  followed  him  in  his  labors. 

None  of  the  early  laborers  here  failed  to  gain  a 
comfortable  subsistence  by  the  slow  and  sure  gains  of 
the  farm,  and  none  of  them  attained  extravagant 
wealth  ;  and  through  the  subsequent  generations  of 
the  citizens  of  this  town  there  has  been  a  more  equal 
distribution  of  property  among  the  people  than  in  most 
other  towns  of  Dutchess  county. 

The  first  product  of  the  land,  which  brought  any 
income,  was  wheat,  which  began  quite  early  to  be  ex- 
ported. Mills  were  constructed,  as  has  been  stated, 
first  at  Leedsville  about  1740,  and  soon  after  one  at  the 
Steel  Works  by  Waterman,  and  several  others  at  dif- 
ferent places  in  the  town.  In  1760,  Henry  Clapp,^  of 
Rumbout  (Fishkill),  sold  to  Thomas  Wolcott,t  of  Crum 
Elbow  (Amenia,  then  a  part  of  Crum  Elbow),  a  mill  site, 
where  the  stone  mill  now  stands,  and  Simeon  Kelsey 
built  a  mill  there.  Capt.  Reed  purchased  this,  and  en- 
larged it  by  adding  to  it  the  mill  at  the  Steel  Works, 
which  he  had  also  purchased.  The  mill  of  Lewis 
Delavergne  was  also  constructed  early. 


*  Henry  Clapp  and  Elias  Clapp  were  sons  of  Joseph  Clapp,  the  proprietor  of  Lot  47 
called  "Clapp's  Patent." 

t  Thomas  Wolcott,  the  father  of  Luke  Wolcott,  was  a  blacksmith  at  South  Amenia, 
and  already  had  a  saw  mill  on  the  stream  opposite  the  mill  site. 


134  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

The  production  of  wheat  was  greatly  stimulated 
about  the  end  of  the  last  century,  when,  owing  to  the 
disastrous  wars  in  Europe,  flour  bore  enormous  prices. 
Large  crops  were  raised  here  which  brought  in  an 
unusual  income. 

After  the  wheat  crop  began  to  fail,  attention  was 
turned  more  to  corn,  and  for  a  few  years  to  barley,  and 
then  to  oats.  About  the  beginning  of  this  century,  the 
farmers  of  Dutchess  county  began  the  use  of  plaster, 
and  the  cultivation  of  grass,  which  was  followed  by  an 
increased  number  of  fatting  cattle  and  sheep,  and  an 
improvement  of  the  land.  In  1825,  the  production  of 
fine  wool  became  of  general  importance,  and,  in  1835, 
the  number  of  sheep  in  Amenia  was  21,761,  and  in 
Dutchess  county  230,000.  These  statistics  are  given, 
only  to  compare  the  earlier  with  the  later  farming  of 
these  lands ;  and  not  to  extend  the  history  over  these 
later  years. 

The  price  of  wheat  in  1776  was  five  shillings  a 
bushel,  and  that  was  the  price  of  a  day'  s  work  in  har- 
vesting. Butter  was  ten  pence  per  pound.  The  wages 
of  a  hired  girl  at  housework  or  spinning  was  ^ve  shil- 
lings a  week.  They  were  not  servants  as  a  class,  but 
were  many  of  them  equal  in  social  position  to  their 
employers. 


THE  WAK  OF  1812. 


The  losses  to  the  people  of  Amenia  by  the  utter  de- 
preciation of  continental  money  was  not  so  serious  as 
to  those  in  other  places,  as  only  a  few  here  were  en- 
gaged in  any  business  that  required  much  capital ;  but 
the  demoralizing  influence  of  the  war  upon  society  and 
the  disturbance  of  industrial  pursuits  were  manifested 
for  many  years,  and  it  was  some  time  before  the  busi- 
ness and  social  interests  of  the  people  were  restored  to 
their  former  prosperity. 

It  is  understood  that  the  people  of  Amenia  took  an 
intelligent  interest  in  the  great  questions  which  agitated 
the  country  previous  to  the  final  ratification  of  the  Na- 
tional Constitution,  and  in  all  those  national  subjects, 
which  awakened  so  much  discussion  and  no  little  dissen- 
sion previous  to  the  War  of  1812.  All  those  differences 
of  sentiment,  which  divided  the  nation  into  two  parties, 
were  sharply  defined  here.  The  embargo  and  the  other 
restrictions  upon  commerce  were  not  regarded  as  affect- 
ing their  pecuniary  interests,  not  being  a  commercial 


136  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


people,  but  they  took  distinct  and  positive  ground  on 
those  matters  of  national  interest,  which  seemed  to  dic- 
tate a  choice  between  the  British  and  the  French 
nations  in  any  close  political  affinity.  The  voters  of  the 
town  were  almost  equally  divided  on  these  questions  for 
many  years. 

When  war  was  declared  in  1812,  there  was  only  a 
partial  response  here  to  the  call  for  men,  though  there 
was  no  violent  opposition  to  the  measures  of  the  Gov- 
ernment.     A   few  men  were  enlisted  into  the  regular 
army  one  or  two  volunteer  companies  were  raised,  and 
sent  to  New^  York,  and  drafts  were  made  from  the  uni- 
form companies  and  other  militia .       Col.   John  Brush 
commanded  the  troops  from  Dutchess  county,  which 
were  stationed  at  Harlem  Heights.     Henry  Perlee  was 
Captain  of  one  of  the  companies.   Jacob  Bundall  served 
as  Captain,  and  William  Barker    and  Samuel  Bussell 
served  under  Col.  Anthony  Delamater.      Jesse    Barlow 
was  Captain  of  a  volunteer  company  and  was  stationed 
on  Staten  Island.     Archibald  AUerton  served  as  lieuten- 
ant in  a  company  of  light  horse.       Of  others  in  the  ser- 
vice only  a  few  names  are    found  by  diligent    enquiry. 
William  Snyder,  Elijah  Stevens,  Eussell  Stevens,  John 
Jenks,  Elijah  Andrews,  Ashbel  Porter,  Cornelius  Jor- 
dan, Isaac  Latimer,  Seymour  Haskins,  Alexander  Has- 
kins,  Asa   Hollister,  Hezekiah   Lewis,  Eben    Wheeler, 
Solomon  Wheeler,  Simeon  Hall,  George  Reynolds,  Jon- 
athan P.  Reynolds,  Milton  Mason,  and  Enoch  Anson. 
Lieut.  Obed  Barlow  died  near  New  York  of  fever  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years.      Lieut.  Phenix  Bockee  was 
taken  sick  and  died  in  Poughkeepsie.     Sergeant  Daniel 
Shepard  returned  home   sick  and  died   there.     Colby 
Chamberlain  returned  and  died  at  home.     The  gallant 
conduct  of  Capt.  Henry  Brush  is  mentioned  in  another 
place  ;  also  the  death  of  young  Spencer. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  137 


There  was  very  great  imperfection  in  the  sanitary 
arrangements  of  the  military  service  in  that  war,  in  very 
marked  contrast  with  those  of  our  own  late  terrible 
struggle.  There  was  then  also  lacking,  perhaps,  some- 
thing of  that  moral  enthusiasm,  which  sustained  the  sol- 
diers of  this  war. 

It  is  surprising,  that  with  such  inadequate  resources 
which  the  nation  then  possessed,  that  such  important 
ends  should  have  been  attained  in  the  War  of  1812, 
which  Mr.  Lossing  calls  "  the  second  War  for  Indepen- 
dence." 


PKOFESSIONAL  MEN. 


There  has  scarcely  been  a  lawyer  in  the  town  who 
has  made  the  practice  of  his  profession  his  chief  busi- 
ness, though  a  considerable  number  who  were  natives 
of  Amenia,  and  received  their  early  education  here, 
have  become  eminent  at  the  bar  and  on  the  bench.  The 
people  of  Amenia  have  been  specially  indisposed  to 
litigation.  From  the  earliest  history  of  the  town  to  the 
present,  they  have  been  noted  for  their  freedom  from 
family  rivalry,  from  a  desire  of  pre-eminence  in  wealth 
and  social  position,  and  from  ambitious  ostentation, 
and  for  their  mutual  confidence  and  good  will  to  each 
other.  This  is  the  testimony  of  an  eminent  lawyer  who 
went  out  from  them. 

Barnabas  Paine,  Esq.,  was  known  as  Dr.  Paine,  and 
he  is  supposed  to  have  received  a  medical  education, 
and  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  considerable  learn- 
ing. But  he  was  not  at  any  time  exclusively  occupied 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  139 

Dr.  John  Chamberlain  was  considered  a  skillful 
physician,  and  practiced  some  time  in  Poughkeepsie. 

Dr.  Doty  practiced  some  time  in  the  east  part  of  the 
town,  and  Dr.  Delavergne,  the  "  French  doctor,"  as  he 
was  called,  lived  in  the  town  some  years- 

Dr.  Reuben  Allerton  was  a  thoroughly-educated 
physician,  and  was  engaged  in  an  extensive  practice 
when  he  died  at  the  age  of  54-  His  son.  Dr.  Cornelius 
Allerton,  spent  most  of  his  professional  life  at  Pine 
Plains. 

Dr.  Cyrenus  Crosby  was  the  successor  of  Dr.  Aller- 
ton in  the  west  part  of  the  town,  and  was  a  man  of 
excellent  attainments. 

Dr.  Alpheus  Leonard,  from  Canton,  Conn,,  who 
succeeded  Dr.  Allerton  in  the  Oblong,  was  accustomed 
to  have  under  his  tuition  a  class  of  medical  students. 

Dr.  Elmore  Everitt  succeeded  Dr.  Leonard. 

There  has  been  since  their  day  a  succession  of 
educated  and  skillful  physicians  in  the  town,  who  are 
remembered  by  the  present  generation. 

ns 


LIBRARIES  A^\D  SCHOOLS. 


The  people  were  from  an  early  day  in  their  history 
indebted  largely  to  their  public  libraries  for  the  high 
degree  of  intelligence  which  they  attained.  In  Mr^ 
Knibloe's  congregation  a  library  was  collected  at  a  verj- 
early  period,  which  was  kept  at  Aroenia  L^nion.  After 
that  a  larger  and  more  valuable  library  was  incorpo- 
rated by  the  name  of  "Union  Library,"  which  was  kept 
at  Leedsville  This  was  a  collection  of  the  most 
instructive  literature  in  the  language,  and  the  books 
were  read  by  a  large  proportion  of  the  families  in  the 
town.  Four  times  a  year  was  there  a  "  library  day," 
when  all  the  books  were  returned  and  others  were 
drawn  out.  On  these  occasions  a  large  company  were 
collected  to  attend  the  drawing.  A  public  library  was 
also  instituted  at  Ameniaville  of  similar  literary  works. 

The  common  schools  of  the  town  were  of  an  excel- 
lent character,  and  were  resorted  to  by  all  the  families, 
where  they  received  a  solid,  though  limited,  education, 
and  there  were  some  excellent  private  schools. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  Oi'  AMENIA.  141 

.  Besides  liev.  Mr.  Baruet's  private  instruction  to 
young  men — wliicii  has  i)een  mentioned — a  number  of 
private  schools  for  youni^  women  were  instituted  at 
different  times.  Mrs.  Kuies  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Thomas 
Young,  Miss  Neelj,  and  later  Mi^s  Susan  Nye,  assisted 
to  improve  the  tone  of  female  education  ;  and  many  of 
the  youth  of  both  sexes  were  sent  to  the  best  schools  in 
New  England. 

It  was  not  till  1835  that  the  Amenia Seminary  began 
its  excellent  work.  This  was  the  natural  outgrowth  of 
a  settled  conviction  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the 
value  of  a  higher  education,  and  the  advantages  of  it 
have  been  such  as  might  be  expected  to  a  people  so 
disposed,  and  from  the  eminent  character  of  the  in- 
structors, who  have  been  connected  with  the  institu- 
tion. These  advantages  were  not  only  to  the  families 
of  Amenia,  whose  sous  and  daughters  were  assisted 
there  in  their  qualifications  for  usefulness  at  home  and 
for  honorable  positions  in  other  parts  of  the  land  ;  but 
large  numbers  have  come  here  from  other  towns  and 
distant  places  for  their  education . 

The  alumni  of  this  institution  have  carried  its  good 
name  into  all  the  land.  The  late  Rev.  Bishop  Clark  has 
said,  "  that  in  every  one  of  his  v/idely-extended  fields 
of  labor,  he  has  met  the  students  of  Amenia  Seminary, 
not  only  in  the  ministry,  but  filling  their  proper  places 
in  the  other  learned  professions."  And  they  all  seem 
to  cherish  a  happy  remembrance  of  the  scenes  which 
surrounded  them  here,  and  of  the  incidents  of  their 
school-day  life — associations  which  are  never  forgotten. 

Some  of  those  connected  with  the  institution  were 
the  late  Eev.  Bishop  Clark,  Be  v.  Bishop  Haven,  Prof. 
Charles  K.  True,  D.  D.,  Kev.  Joseph  Oummings,  D,  D., 
President  of  Wesleyan  University,  Rev.  E.  O.  Haven, 


142  THE  EAELY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 

Chancellor  of  the  University  of  Syracuse,  Rev.  Presi- 
dent Merrick,  D.  D ,  Rev.  J.  W.  Beach,  D.  D.,  Rev. 
Cyrus  Foss,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Dr.  Kidder,  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunt, 
Rev.  A.  S.  Hunt,  D.  D.,  Rev.  H.  N.  Powers,  D.  D., 
Prof.  Alexander  Winchell,  LL.  D.,  and  many  others, 
both  teachers  and  pupils,  of  whom  it  is  too  nearly  co- 
temporary  to  speak. 

The  present  rising  condition  of  Amenia  Seminary 
speaks  for  itself. 


THE  "  AMENIA  TIMES.'' 


It  is  not  out  of  place,  and,  perhaps,  not  out  of  time 
-—as  illustrating  the  early  tendency  of  the  people  of 
Amenia  to  intelligent  study — to  make  this  record,  that 
the  "  Amenia  Times "  was  instituted  by  the  people 
themselves,  and  has  been  sustained  by  them  as  a  neces- 
sary medium  of  business  and  literary  intercourse.  The 
conduct  of  this  journal,  so  long  under  the  direction  and 
moulding  hand  of  one  of  Amenia's  sons,  has  been  such 
as  to  reflect  the  taste  of  a  cultivated  community,  and 
its  good  name  is  cherished  with  a  reasonable  pride  by 
the  citizens  of  the  town.^* 

*  The  "  Amenia  Times  "  was  established  in  1852. 


TJIE  OLD  HOUSES. 


There  are  only  about  ten  or  twelve  of  the  old  dwel- 
lings, which  were  built  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago^ 
the  few  visible  monuments  of  that  period  of  our  history. 
An  old  house  is  in  itself  a  history.  It  seems  to  speak 
to  us  of  the  successive  generations  that  have  lived  and 
died  there. 

The  house  of  Mr.  Nye's  family  is  supposed  to  have 
been  built  by  Joseph  Chamberlain,  who  died  in  1765. 

Deacon  Barlow's  house,  now  belonging  to  Albert 
Cline,  was  built  a  little  previous  to  the  Revolution. 

The  house  built  by  Capt.  Reed,  in  1760,  now  re- 
moved, and  belonging  to  Mr.  Winchester. 

Mr.  Gridley's  Red  House,  near  Wassaic. 

The  house  which   makes  a  part  of  the   residence  of 

N.  Reed. 

The  Capt.  Boyd  house,  belonging  to  G  H.  Swift. 
The  large  stone  house,  built  by  Hendrick  Winegar, 

in  1761. 

The  house  of  brick  and  wood,  built  by  Johannes 
Delamater  and  Mary,  his  wife,  in  1761,  now  belonging 
to  M.  B.  Benton. 

Judge  Paine's  house,  where  Milton  Hoag  lived 
which  is  almost  ready  to  fall  down. 


THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA.  145 

The  Evartsou  house,  occupied  by  Mr.  Putnam,  was 
built  in  a  superior  manner,  in  1763,  by  Jacob  Evartson, 
and  is  well  preserved. 

The  residence  of  the  Keynolds  famil}',  north  of  the 
City  church,  now  in  ruins,  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
ante-revolutionary  structures. 

Besides  these  dwellings,  there  is  one  edifice,  which 
has  outlived  all  memories,  traditions  and  records,  and 
that  is  the  Old  Separate  Meeting  House.  It  is  evident- 
ly from  its  name — which  points  to  a  known  period  in 
church  history — and  from  the  absence  of  all  tradition 
and  record  concerning  it,  one  of  the  oldest  structures 
in  this  town  or  vicinity. 

It  is  the  last  remaining  specimen  of  that  style  of 
church  architecture,  which  prevailed  for  rural  churches 
an  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  ;  and  although  it  was 
renewed  and  altered  inside  many  years  ago,  the  out- 
ward form  is  the  same.  It  represents  no  christian 
community,  and  is  claimed  by  none.  It  seems  to  be 
purposely  forgotten.  It  stands  as  a  significant  memen- 
to of  the  time — which  has  come — of  forgetfulness  of  old 
separations,  and  of  all  dissensions  among  Christians. 
Let  it  stand. 

We  cannot  go  and  look  upon  these  old  dwellings 
without  passing  some  of  those  older  and  more  enduring 
dwellings  of  those  families  ;  well-chosen  places  where 
with  filial  reverence  they  made  the  graves  of  their  fathers. 

That  was  a  hundred  and  twenty  years  ago  and  more, 
and  every  year  some  have  been  added  to  that  number, 
from  successive  generations,  which  keeps  up  the  bond 
between  the  earlier  residents  here  and  ourselves. 

Mr.  Sackett  was  buried  in  1746,  the  earliest  burial 
here  which  is  recorded.  In  that  old  ground  near 
Amenia  Union,  so  beautifully  situated,  Uldrick  Wine- 


146  THE  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  AMENIA. 


gar,  the  patriarch  of  the  family,  was  buried  in  1754.  at 
the  age  of  102  years.  Eve,  the  wife  of  Hendrick  Wine- 
gar,  died  in  1749.  The  stone  at  her  grave  seems  to  be 
the  oldest  which  is  known  in  the  town.  There  is  a 
stone  in  the  ground  near  Coleman's,  where  the  Wheel- 
ers and  Collins  and  others  are  buried,  which  is  also 
dated  1749.  The  name  on  this  stone  is  Kuth  Curtis  i 
and  she  was  apparently  one  of  the  ancestors  of  the 
family  of  Capt.  Thomas  Wheeler. 

Thd  old  ground  at  the  City  is  still  the  burial  place 
of  many  families  there,  although  there  are  some  private 
grounds  within  the  bounds  of  that  congregation.  The 
old  burying  place  at  xlmenia,  which  contains  so  many 
honored  names  is  cherished  with  affectionate  care  by 
the  friends,  though  they  have  selected  and  arranged 
with  excellent  taste  a  new  cemetery  for  the  present  and 
future  generations. 

Many  there  are  in  these  old  dwelling  places,  who 
have  no  other  written  memorial  than  what  we  read  on 
their  monumental  stone,  which  affirms  what  has  been 
already  said  that  the  unwritten  life  of  this  people  is 
immeasurably  greater  than  all  that  is  written  or  remem- 
bered of  them. 

But  the  brief  lines  in  an  old  grave-yard  have  an 
intensity  of  historic  interest,  which  is  not  found  in  any 
printed  volume ;  whether  we  rub  off  the  moss  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years,  or  pause  over  the  grave  of 
one  so  recently  laid  there,  that  we  are  unwilling  to 
speak  the  name.  We  are  touched  with  the  very  brevity 
of  the  record,  cut  in  enduring  stone,  where  it  will  be 
studied,  after  all  these  written  memorials  are  forgotten. 

THE  END. 


SUBSCEIBERS  TO  THIS  WORK. 


%  These  names  are  inserted  in  the  book  as  a  part  of 
the  history.  A  large  number  of  the  subscribers  have  a 
hereditary  interest  in  the  earty  residents  of  Amenia, 
and  many  others  have  become  intimately  connected 
with  the  people  of  the  town  by  their  residence  here  or 
by  other  associations. 


Adam,  Wm. 
Allerton,  Archibald  M, 
Allerton,  David 
Allerton,  Mrs.  Byron 
Allerton,  Lois 
Allerton,  Orville  H, 
Andrews,  Mrs.  Henry 

Baird,  Rev.  C.  W. 
Barlow,  Henry 
Barlow,  Franklin 
Barlow,  Jesse 
Barrett,  Oliver 
Barrett,  Rev.  Myron 


Barnum,  John  D. 
Bartram,  Barney 
Bartlett,  Wm.  H. 
Bartlett,  Wm.  S. 
Bassett,  Joseph 
Belden,  Joseph 
Benson,  Joseph  H. 
Benton,  Charles  E. 
Benton,  Joel 
Benton,  Ezra  R. 
Benton,  Myron  B. 
Benton,  O.  A. 
Benton,  Simeon 
Bennett,  John 


19 


148 


APPENDIX. 


Bertine,  Iiol)ert 
Bird,  Milo 
Bockee,  Pbeuix 
Bostwick,  Charles  E. 
Bowdish,  Mrs.  S.  A. 
Bowne,  Sarah  E. 
Boyd,  John 
Boyd,  John  G. 
Bronson,  Asahe),  D.  D. 
Bryan,  Ezra 
Bullions,  A.  B.,  D.  D. 
Bumster,  James  W. 
Bump,  Julia 

Carpenter,  Mary  S. 
Carpenter,  Isaac  S. 
Carpenter,  Jacob  B. 
Carter,  Frederick 
Chaffee,  Jerome  S. 
Chamberlain,  Kev  Albert 
Chamberlain,  George 
Chamberlain,  Oliver 
Chamberlain,  Morton  S. 
Chase,  John  H. 
Church,  Wm.  L. 
Clark,  Douglass 
Clark,  Edgar 
Clark,  Henry 
Clark,  Lorin 
Cline,  Albert 
Cline,  Franklin 
Cline,  Edward  E. 
Cline,  J.  H. 
Cline,  Mrs.  Maria 
Coleman,  Amasa  D. 
Collin,  Mrs.  Louisa 
Conklin,  I  Hunting 
Conklin,  Nathan 
Conklin,  Wm.  B. 
Conklin,  Amariah,  M.  D. 
Crane,  George  E. 


j  Crane,  Mrs.  Munroe 

I  Cornwell,  Wm.  I. 

I  Cummings,  Kev.  Dr.  J. 

I  Dakin,  Wm.P. 
Darke,  Charles 
De  Lacey,  Wm.  L. 
Dedrick,  W.  J. 
Denniston,  Rev.  James  O. 
Deming,  Ralph,  M.  D. 
Durant,  Mrs.  Harriet 

Eaton,  L.  F. 
Edgerton,  Sheldon 

Fitch,  Arthur 
Fitch,  Rev.  Silas 
Flint,  Augustus 
Flint,  Charles  A. 
Frissell,  Rev.  A.  C. 
Frost,  Prof.  S.  T. 
Frost,  Hyatt 
Fry,  Simeon 

Gilbert,  Lorenzo 

Greene,  Louis  C.  M.  D^ 
j  Gray,  Frank 
j  Gridley,  Noah 
I  Gridley,  Edward 

GrifflQ,  Theron 

Guernsey,  De  Sault,  M.  D, 

Guernsey,  John 

Guernsey,  Samuel 

Hatch,  L.  P. 
Hatch,  Mrs.  R.  C. 
Haskins,  John 
Hammond,  John 
Haven,  E.  O.,  D.  D. 
Historical  Society,  L.  L 
Hitchcock,  Amariah 
Hitchcock,  Charles 
Hitchcock,  E.  R. 


APPENDIX. 


149 


Hitchcock,  Homer 
Hitchcock,  Solomon 
Hebard,  Newton 
Hebard,  George  E. 
Hollister,  Hiel 
Hollister,  F.  Reed 
Hollister,  Milo 
Hollister,  Asa 
Hoagland,  A.  R.  G. 
Hope,  Anna 
Horton,  Emily 
Hotchkiss,  Fred.  A. 
Hufcutt,  George 
Hunt,  Rev.  A.  J. 
Hurd,  Egbert 
Hurd,  Mrs.  James 
Hutchison,  E.  N.,  M.  D. 
Hutchison,  Rev.  S.  Nye 

Ingrahara,  George  W. 
Ingraham,  Henry  C.  M. 
Ingraham,  Josian  P. 

Jackson,  W. 
Jarvis,  Milton  B.,  M.  D. 
Jarvis,  T.  Newton 
Jenks,  Frederick 
Jerome,  J.  H.,  M.  D, 
Judson,  John  E. 

Kendall,  Rev.  J.  L. 
Kelly,  Cereno 
Kelsey,  George  A . 
Kempton,  Eugene 
Ketcham,  Rev.  Wm.  E. 
Killey,  Mrs.  N.  S. 
Kir  by,  George 
Kinney,  George 
Knibloe,  Stephen 

Lacey,  Romanzo 


Lambert,  D.  E. 
Lambert,  George 
Lambert,  John 
Lathrop,  George 
Leonard,  Hon.  W.  H. 
Lossing,  Benson  J.,  LL.  D, 
Lovel,  C.  S. 
Lovel,  John 
Lovel,  Henry  R. 
Lovel,  Thomas 
Lowe,  S.  B. 

Mallory,  Edward 
Marks,  Cornelia  Barlow 
Marsh,  Mary  Reed 
McCord,ReV.  W.  J. 
McCue,  Hon.  Alexander 
Mead,  I.  N.,  M.  D. 
Mead,  J.  F. 
Mercereau,  George 
Miller,  Jasper 
Morehouse,  Chauncey 
Morehouse,  Julius 
Moore,  Stoughton 
Morse,  I.  A. 
Moj'gan,  Henry 
Munsell,  Joel 
Mygatt,  Abraham 
Mygatt,  Ambrose 

Odell,  S.  G. 
Ostrom,  John 

Paine,  Ichabod  B. 
Paine,  Jeremiah  W. 
Paine,  Piatt 
Palmer,  Augustus 
Parsons,  O.  W. 
Parsons,  Truman 
Peck,  Samuel 
Pennoyer,  Silvester 
Penny,  Darius 


150 


APPENDIX. 


Perlee,  J.  H. 
Perry,  George  N. 
Peters,  Alfred 
Peters,  Henry 
Pitcher,  Mrs.  Myra 
Place,  Elizabeth  S. 
Piatt,  John  I. 
Powers,  Edward 
Powers,  H.N.,D.D, 
Powers,  F.,  M.  D. 
Powers,  P.  B. 
Pray,  E.  H. 

Reed,  Mrs.  Betsey 
Reed,  Miss  E.  C. 
Reed,  F.  Dana 
Reed,  Daniel,  M.  D. 
Reed,  H.  Y.  D. 
Reed,  John  H. 
Reed,  C.  V.  A. 
Reed,  Ira  W. 
Reed,  Horace  H. 
Reed,  James  C. 
Reed,  J.  M. 
Reed,  J.  Herbert 
Reed,  Homer  H. 
Reynolds,  Hon.  G.  G. 
Reynolds,  Justus, 
Reynolds,  Warren 
Roberts,  Yirgil  D. 
Rockwell,  Almira  R. 
Rockwell,  L.  E.,  M.  D. 
Rose,  Northrop 
Rose,  S.  P. 
Rose,  Harvey  M. 
Row,  Henry 
Rundall,  David 
Rundall,  Henry 
Ryan,  Thomas 

St,  John,  Dwight 
Sackett,  L.  B. 


i  Sayre,  Rev.  W.  N. 
Scott,  C.  H.,  Jr. 
Seeley,  Rev.  A.  H. 
Sedgwick,  C.  F. 
Sedgwick,  Harry 
Sherman,  David  H. 
Sherman,  Walter 
Sherman,  Shadrach 
Sherman,  S.  W. 
Sharpsteen,  Mary  Barnum 
Sisson,  J.  B. 
Sornberger,  Philander 
Soule,  J.^B. 
Smith,  Henry  W. 
Smith,  Charles  E. 
Smith,  Richard 
Smith,  Albert  C. 
Smith,  Myron 
Sprague,  Col.  W.  G. 
Snyder,  William 
Street,  Chauncey 
Stevens,  Milo 
Swift,  Thomas  W. 
Swift  George  H. 
Swift,  James  H. 
Swift,  John  M. 
Swift,^Seth 

Tallman,  J.  P.  H. 
Tanner,  Jas  H. 
Terrett,  Rev.  W.  R. 
i'aylor,  Henry  I. 
Taylor,  R.  B. 
Thomson,  W.  H.,  M.  D. 
Thorn,  J.  S.,  M.  D. 
Treadwell,  D.  M. 
Tripp,  Daniel  I. 

Van  x^Jstyne,  Wm. 
Van  Dyck,  Rev.  L.  H. 
Van  Dyck,  H.  H. 
Van  Dyck,  Catherine  C. 


APPENDIX. 


151 


Watson,  James  E. 
Wattles,  Charles 
Walsh,  Eev.  J.  J. 
Webster,  Benjamin  E. 
Webster,  Cynthia 
Westfall,  J.'W. 
Wheaton,  Homer 
Wheeler,  Benson  H. 
Wheeler,  Hiram 
Wheeler,  Burnet 
Wheeler,  B.  H. 
Wheeler,  E.  E. 
Willson,  Kev.  K.  E. 
Willson,  Barak 


1  Willson,  Samuel  T. 
Willson,  Israel  K. 
Willson,  Edward  P. 
Williams,  O.  C. 
Wiltsie,  Abram 
Wiley,  Mrs.  Ann  M. 
Wiley,  Allen 
Wiley,  J.  W. 
Williamson,  Geo.  A. 
Winegar,  Norman 
Winchester,  Milo  F. 
Winchester,  Erastus 
Winchell,  Alex.,  LL. 
Woodward,  Richard 


D. 


The  Amenia  Post  Oflic«. 

A  year  ago  enquiry  was  made,  at  my 
requist,  of  the  Departmcut  at  Washington 
to  obtain  the  date  ot  the  estabiishment  of 
.the  Post  Office,  at  Amenia. 

It  was  for  the  purpose  of  making  the 
record  in  its  proper  place  in  the  History 
of  Amenia.  We  have  just  received  the 
answer.  It  should  not  be  supposed  that 
it  usually  takes  so  long  a  time  for  red 
ta>p€  to  come  around.  The  apology,  for 
delay  .sent  from  the  Department  some 
time  ago,  was  that  there  had  been  some 
confusion  in  the  papers  incident  to  a  re 
arrangement— something  in  its  effects 
like  house  cleaning,  I  suppose. 

I  give  the  dates,  aud  any  one,  who 
wsshes  i,o  i^nprove  hi^  History,  can  paste 
it  in.     It  Hhoj^s  tijat   the  establishment  of 


this  post  office  was  much  earlier  t^an  the 
office  at  Amenia  TJnior  whicjj  was  ij3 
1823. 

P.  O.  Depaitmeot  Washingtou,  ) 
January  26,  187fi       J 
Thorapsou  Nase,  Es£j.     Please   fiqd  en- 
closed information  requested. 

Amenia,  N.  Y.,  P.  O.     Established  1807. 

POBT  MASTERS. 


Salmon  Bostwiek, 

July  1, 

1807. 

Abiah  Palmer. 

Mav  29, 

1810. 

Thonifis  Payne, 

Aug.  33, 

1823. 

Joel  Brown, 

April  26, 

1834. 

Hiram  Vail, 

June  18, 

1841. 

Elijah  D.  Freeman, 

Oct.  20, 

1844. 

Isaac  M,  Hunting, 

Feb.  22, 

1849. 

Riram  Vail, 

May  2, 

1S49. 

Geo.  Conklin, 

Aoril  6, 

1853. 

William  H.  Grant, 

May  4. 

1861. 

Abiah  W.  Palmer, 

April  16, 

1864. 

W.  T.  Ingersol, 

Dec.  21, 

1865. 

Oliver  Chamberlain, 

Oct.  1, 

■   1866. 

W.  T.  Ingersol, 

April  2, 

1867. 

Henry  I.  Taylor, 

Feb.  2, 

1872. 

EngeneKempton, 

Aug.  19, 

1872. 

I  also  add  a  little  to  our  family  history. 
It  is  said  of  Wait  Hopkins  that  he  was  an 
officer  in  Col.  Seth  Warner's  regiment,  of 
Green  Mountain  Boys,  and  was  killed  by 
the  Indians,  but  we  did  not  know  where 
he  was  killed.  I  learn  now  that  he  re- 
moved to  Bennington,  before  the  war, 
and  that  he  was  killed  on  Dimond  Island, 
in  Luke  George.  It  was  probably  in 
Sept.  1777,  when  an  unsuccessful  attack 
was  made  on  a  British  garrison,  with 
some  loss  to  our  men,  says  Mr.  Lossing. 

I  have  this  from  Col.  J.  W.  Pratt,  a 
member  of  the  Bennington  Historical 
Society,  who  has  promised  us  more,  and 
who  had  made  many  enquiries  concerning 
the  earlv  families  of  Amenia.  N.  R, 


31 


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