LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DDDDSiaiiD15 ■A^ X* ' • • » Ho : » • • . ''^■s. ,. \ •»* C'/^Cf^-'^-'-^-''^-^ -^p"? F l?>/r / /■'■ DUTCHESS COUNTY COLONIAL DAYS. PKP-^V . Y fiON. A! . i^L») r ACKERT. Read before ; . ..Ill ia' iJanquei Waldorf-Astoria, ' at . . a.i'.Li . ..Ill ia' iJanquei, lielu at l Monday Lvening, I eb. 2^, 1808. ^.^^ -.. ]B98 •>^» Or w»=.«r<'^"''^ - I' ,2)^^' '^ DUTCHESS COUNTY IN COLONIAL DAYS. Paper read by Hon. Alfred T. Ackert before "The Dutchess Coanty Society in tbe City of New York," at their second annual Banquet held at the Waldorf- Astoria. Feb. 28. 1898 Mr. President, Members of the Society and Honored guests: Tbe Historian of this society is required by the By Laws "to colleot all historical and otber documents of interest relating to the history of Dutchess County" and consequently is expected on public occasions to state that which may bw of interest and information. I accepted tbis honorable and laborious position with positive reluctance, realizing my inability to meet tbe expectations of a membership so well in- formed on matters pertaining to our native county. There is nothing new to be stated. I can only collate and abbreviate for this occasion what is already of record. The first General Assembly of the Province of New York was organized under the administration of Governor Dongan, who, by virtue of his commis-. siou as Governor, and under instructions contained tbereiii, caused on his arrival to be issued to the respective sberiflfs of the Province, writs for the summoning of the Freeholders fo choose representatives to meet him in General Assembly in the city of New York on October 17, 1683 and tbis assembly con- stituted tlie firet representative legislative body in the Colony of New York. At a meeting of this General Assembly held at Fort James in tbis city on No vember 1. 1683, an Act was passed dividing the Province of New York, into twelve counties, viz New York, Westchester, Ulster, Albany, Dutchess, Or- ange, Richmond, Kings, Queens, Suffolk, Dukes and Cornwall. By this Act, the boundaries of Dutchess County are declared "to bee from the bounds of the County of Westchester on the South side of the Higiilands along the East side of Hudson's Rivers as far as Roelof Janseus Creek, and Eastward into the woods twenty miles. The bounds of Westchester and Albany Counties were first stated in the Act; Westchester, Northward, along Hndsous River as farr as the Highlands; Albany on East side of Hudson River from Roelof Janseus Creek: the land be- tween was named Dutchess, in honor, it is supposed to the Duchess of York. I can find no proof of any settlements within these boundaries at this date. By another Act, passed October 1, 1691, entitled an Act to divide the Prov- ince into Shires and Counties, and to prevent mistakes about the limits and bounds, these boundaries are stated in the same language, excepting that the worilfl Kftstward into tlie woods twenty niile.^, nrn ropluoe*! 1>3' tlio woiils '"East- ward into tbe woods Twelve milep.' This act was ooufirmed by the King May 20, 1708. Dutcbfss Couoty at first was provisionally annexed to Ulster, the otfioials of Ulster being officials of Dutchess, and Kingston, the place where court business was tranhacted. The County, as such, was not repres^outed in the Gen- eraly Assembly, of the Province until 1713, twenty years after its creation. Id this yeur, (October 23. 1713.) the Freeholders and inhabitants of the re- spective counties of the Province were authorized to electa Supervisor, a Treas- urer, Assessors and Collector for the respective preiiinets thereof. Dutchess County, ut this time constituted but a single Preoiuct. Livingston Manor was taken from Dutohess in 1717, annexed to what was then Albany County and from which Columbia County was subsequently takeu. Putnam County was not created and taken from Dutchess until 1812. By Act of the General Assembly (passed July 21, 1715, a County House and Prison in Dutchess County within the colony, was authorized to be erect- ed by two able and sufficient freeholders to be elected for that purpose and to be erected at such convenient place as to them shall be meet andcouvei)ieul7in//i- in t-oo years thereafter and that there be raised a sum of monej, as they think necessary "Provided the same do not exceed the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty ounces of good Mexico Pillar or Sevr'U Plate." This Act seemingly was not carried into effect for on May 27, 1717, another Act was passed for building a County House and Prison at or near the most convenient plae.e at Poughkeepsie by two able, and sufficient freeholders to he elected for that purpose, and to be erected within three years after the pub- lication of the Act, tlie cost not to exceed the sum of Two Hundred and Fif- ty ounces of good Mexico Pillar or Sevil Plate, or value thereof in Bills of Credit made current in this Colony." On December 17, 1743 an Act was passed to enable the Justices of the Peace to build a Court House and Goal, or to enlarge and repair the old cue and £300 authorized to be raised for that purpose and In this act the East Linen of the Four Several Precincts South, Beek?nan's, Crom Elbow and North Precincts were declared to extend as far Eastward as to the Colony Line of Connecticut or as this Colony doth extend. £300 additional authorized tocomplete the Court House or Goal in 1745. £130 additional to complete same in 1750 and 50 £ to finish same in 1753. In 1700, 70£ was authorized for converfiug a jury room into a jail. In 1764 200 £ additional was authorized for the jail. This Court House and Jail was di.stroyed by fire in 1785. The County having increased in inhabitants since the Act of October 1713 authorizing the election of Supervisor, an Act was passed June 24, 1719 divid- ing the County into three divisions the South from the South aide of the High- Ifimls to Wapin^ers Creek; tbe Middie from VVapiugers Creek to Cline Sopaa Island; aud the North Divisioo from North Side of Middle Division to north- erly bounds of the County, and a Supervisor authorized for each Division. In a certain Act passed July 24, 1724, to prevent dauiHge by swine, these Di- visions of the County are referred to as Wards and a General Pound directed to be created at the public charge in each Ward. In 1728 Aug. 31, an Act was passed that "no swine small nor great shall or may run at large upon any pre- tence or excuse whatsoever under the penalty that it may or shall be lawful for any person or persons who shall find any swine in the County of Dutchess running at large as aforesaid after the 10th day of Oct. (Except in the fields or meadows of the owners of said swine) to shoot, kill and destroy any swine great or small without being in any ways accountable to the owners of such swine and that this act be in force for twoyoars and no longer. The act was found beneficial aud continued four years longer. It was renewed in 173Gto be in force until 1745 and no longer. It must not be forgutten that Dutchess county was an agricultural county. The Great Seal ie representative of a plow and stems of ripened wheat. An ordinance creating a Court of Common Pleas and a Court of General Sessions of the Peace was granted by Governor Burnet, July 6, 1721. Pre- vious to this the inhabitants were subject as stated to the jurisdiction of the Justices of Ulster County. The Courts were to be held at Poughkeepsie near the center of the said coun- ty, a General Sessions of the Peace on the third Tuesday of May, and the third Tuesday in October, yearly and every ye&rfore7'er, which General Sessions of the Peace in every year shall not continue longer than two days and that from henceforth there shall be held and kept at Poughkeepsie near the center of said county, a court of Common Pleas to begin the next after the courts of Gen- eral Sessions of the Peace terminates. An act for regulating the Rutts of wagons in Dutchess county was passed June 22nd, 1734, to bo 4 feet 10 inches English measure from the outside of the wheel to outside of other wheel no more no less, under a penalty of 20 shil- lings to the profit of the informer. The inhabitants hud so much increased and many other new settlements made since the Act of [une 24tb, 1719, creating three Divisions that it became necessary for the convenience of the inhabitants that the County should be divided into more Precincts. Therefore it was enacted December 16th, 1737 that the said (lounty shall be divided into seven Precincts in the fol- lowing manner. The South Precinct to contain all that part of the High Lands which is granted by Patent to Adolph Phillipse Esq. The Romhout or Fishkill Precinct to contain all that part of the Patent Grant- ed to Rombont & Company that Lyeth to the South and South Eastward of Wappingwrs Kill or creek. Beekman Precinct to contain all tbut laud that was granted to Coll Heniy Beekman deceased lying to the rear of the Patent granted to Francis Rom- bout Slave, who shflll destroy a wolf, or its whelp shall receive from the county where the same is killed — for every grown wolf, the cnim of 12 shillings, and for every wolf under the age of one year, the sum of six shillings and that every nntn-e free Indian shall receive half the reward, if killed by them (where the record of the dafeof birth of the wolf was to be found, or how proven I am at a loss to know, and the same respecting the nativity of the Indian.) To further encourage the debtruction of wolves or panthers (and here the gov- ernment recognizes the existence of panthers within the county) for the kill- ing of which an Act was passed Nov. 3, 1740, oflFering a reward of 15 shillings for the killing of every wolf or panther, and for every whelp, the sum of eight shillings, but before any inhabitant shall be entitled to receive the reward, he shall carry the head, or heads with the entire skin thereon to a justice of the Peace or supervisor (they had supervisors then) dwelling in said county, and said Justice or Supervisor was empowered, directed and required to adminis- ter an oath to said inhabitant, and if a Quaker, an affirmation in words follow- ing: You, A. B., do swear or affirm that the wolf, the head whereof you now pro duce to me was actually taken and killed within the County of Dutchess, and that you are an inhabitant of the said County of Dutchess (Home rule had an early start in Dutchess.) The officer was then to give his certificate without any fee or reward. Which certificate was to contain the name of the person and statement of proof. Tlie ears of wolves or whelps were to be cut off iu the presence of the Justice or Supervisor. This law was for two years, and not being found sufficient to answer the good ends intended, another Act was passed October 29, 1742, increasing the reward to 20 shillings making no distinction between the killing of wolves or panthers, and for every whelp or whelps 10 shillings and giving the full reward to Indians, Negroes, or Slaves, but the person was to pay 1 shilling 6 pence to the officer for a certi6cate. This law was for six years and found to answer the good ends intended and was therefore continued for six years longer by Act of Nov. 12, 1748. Jt would liave expired l)_y limitation but was coutiuued bj' Act of Dec. 12, 1753 iiutil Jauuary 1, 1760. It was fiirtlier coatinued until January 1, 1765, by Act of Dec. '2,i, 1759. Wolves and panthers must have increased rapidly, for by an Act passed Oct. 2i), 1761, tbe reward is 30 shillings, for killing a wolf or panther, and 15 shillings for killing whelp or whelps, and tbe officer was to receive no fee for the certiticate. This law continued until .lauy. 1, 1775, it ran out, but April 1, same year, a similar law was enacteu giving a reward of 3 pounds (60 shillings) for the killiu^ of uny grown wolf or panther and 30 shillings reward for the killing of any wolf or panther binder t/u a^e of one year, (here again a record of birth would seemingly be required) this Act to continue until Jany. 1, 1785, and beyond Colonial days. Time will not permit a full sketch of matters aflfecting our native county dur- ing Colonial days. We now approach an interesting period in our country's history aud through it Dutchess County bore an honorable part. The mutter- ing.s of discontent in opposition to unjust taxation were heard throughout the land. The Revolution was approaching : soon would come the clash of arms. Associations were formed and the inhabitants were requested to sign articles of ludepeudenee or declaration of Principles which were to become the founda- tion of a great Nation. Many refused to sign and some took no part in that great struggle —not that they loved liberty less, but because they saw no relief from the burdensome tax- stion to which they were subject by the system of quit rent. Be thegoverument King or Congress, it would be all the, same to them. Tiie large land holders, or Patentees of tbe soil were generally disloyal to their King from whom their estates had been derived aud the tenant, with per- haps a life lease only of the soil he had subdued and was cultivating for profit to the Landlord saw no good reason to support an interest seemingly antago- nistic to their own. Had rebellion failed, the lands of the disloyal Patentee would have escheated to the Crown, and the indifferent farmer would have possessed his land in fee as his undoubted right. They would have Deen subject, however, to taxes, but they would have been less than Colonial tax and quit rent combined. Hence there were many indifferent and refused to sign the Declaration against the gov- ermeut. The Patriots called them Tories. The Tories called the Patriots re- bels Another reason for refusing to sign 1 take it was that they had liot forgotten the gracious favor which the government under good Queen Ann had shown in furnishin ♦ aV -^^ ^^-n^. * aV '♦v '^0^ 'oK '^0^ ;* ^^^ 'b V \^ . t • o. '>o^ 'bV 5,0 v- * <.?►" t • o, •^^l^ ^o '♦.To' <0-