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Hi^storical Slvctcl). P'IRST FRA «>F SKTTI.KMENT. ^itllF City of Newbur^h was orij^inallv settled in i 1709, by a company of inimij^rants from the Pala- tinate of the Rhine. This company, driven from their homes by the wars which had deyasted the Pahitinate during: the reign of Louis XlV'th, reached London in the sprinir of 1708, and were sent to New York by Queen Anne in September of that year, under the guaranty of ()(\. a day per head for twelve mf)nths for their support, and a grant of land on which to settle. I'rom New York they were removed, in the spring of 1709, to the district then described as " Quassek creek and Thans- kanier." The descriptive list under which the company was naturalized includes the following families and coi>- stitutcs substantially the ^•' Jlnilwrijli pirrrtanj for 1700. y' I. J«>»lliA KoiKERIllAU iniiu^tci, .ajici 39; hi> wife Sibyllc ( h.irlt>ttc, aged 39. and their children, IWnigna Sihyllc, aged 10, Christian Joshu.i, aged 7, and Susanna Sibyllc, aged 3 year.. 2. Iz)RK>T7. Sircntz, aged 2 years, and Hein- rich, aged 5 months. Al.vi, Susanna and Maria Johanna I.ilK>schain, sisters of his wife, aged respectively 15 and lo yearn. 4. Andries Voi,cK, husbandman and viner, aged 30; his wife, AnnaCath- anne, aged 27, and their children, Maria Harbara, agetl 5, George and Hier onemus, aged 4, and Anna Gertnide, aged i year. 5. MincAEL Wf.ii;anii, husliandman. aged 52; his wife, Anna Catharine, * Kntcred according to Acl of (Congress, in the year 1876, in the office of the Librarian of CongrcM al Washington, by E. M. Ruttcnbcr. All rights reserved. >\ K ~^ lO CITY OF NEWBURGH. aged 54, and their children, Anna Maria, aged 13, Tobias, aged 7, and George, aged 5 years. 6. Jacob Webber, husbandman and viner, aged 30; his wife, Anna Eliza- beth, aged 25, and their children. Eve Maria, aged 5, and Eve Elizabeth, aged I year. 7. Johannes Jacob Plettel, husbandman and viner, aged 40; his wife, Anna Elizabeth, aged 29, and their children, Margaret, aged 10, Anna Sarah, aged 8, and Catharine, aged 3 years. 8. Johannes Fischer, smith and husbandman, aged 27; his wife, Maria Barbara, aged 26, and their son, Andries, aged two weeks. 9. Melchior Gulch, carpenter, aged 39; his wife, Anna Catharine, aged 43, and their children-, Anna Catharine, aged 12, and Heinrich, aged 10 years. 10. Isaac Turck, husbandman, aged 23 years, unmarried. 11. Peter Rose (or LaRoss), cloth- weaver, aged 34; and his wife, Johan- na, aged 37; Mary Wierman, his mother-in-law, aged 45, and Catharine, her child, aged 2 years. 12. Isaac Feber, husbandman and viner, aged 33; his wife, Catharine, aged 30, and their son, Abram, aged 2 years. 13. Daniel Fibre, husbandman, aged 32; his wife, Anna Maria, aged 30, and their children, Andrew, aged 7, and Johannes, aged 6 years. 14. Herman Schuneman, clerk, aged 28, unmarried. Total, 53. Of their private history nothing is known save the statement which they submitted to the English authori- ties that they had been reduced to extreme poverty " under the calamity which happened last year (1707) in the Palatinate by the invasion of the French ;" and the report of the officers to whom was submitted their cre- dentials, that the testimonials which they had " produced under the hands and seals of the ministers, balififs, or principal magistrates in the villages where they dwelt," gave " good character of the said poor protestants," and certified that they had been " reduced to the utmost want and had lost all they had by the frequent incursions of the French and Germans near Landau." The patent which had been promised to them was not immediately granted ; when it was issued (1719) several changes had occurred in the company. Johannes Jacob Plettel, it appears, died on the passage to America, and his widow married George Lockstead ; Joshua Kockerthal also died ; Peter Rose removed to Pennsylvania and trans- HISTORICAL SKETCH. ! I ferred his interest to "one Burner Meynders, a black- smith ;" Lorcntz Schwisser, Isaac Turck, Hcinrich Kcn- nau. and Daniel Ficrc removed elsewhere, and Christian Henrickc and Peter Johnson or jansen had been added to the c()m[)any. These changes were recognized by the government and the patent issued to the then occu- pants, viz: " Lot No. I. to Cieorge Lockstead and Anna Elizabeth his wife. Margaret. Anna, Sarah, and Catha- rine their children. 230 acres- the interest being origin- allv held by Johannes Jacob Plettel whose wife and chil- dren became his heirs; No. 2. to .Michael Weigand and Anna Catharine his wife, and Tobias. George, and Anna Maria, their children, 230 acres; No. 3, to Herman Schuneman and Rlizabeth his wife, 100 acres; No. 4. to Christian lleiiricke. loo acres; No. 5.10 Sibylle Char- lotte Kockerthal. the widow of Joshua Kockcrthal, and to Christian Joshua, Bcnigna Sibylle, and Susanna Sibylle, their children, 250 acres; No. 6, to Burger Mcvndcrs, 100 acres; No. 7, to Jacob Webber and Anna Elizabeth his wife, and Eve Maria and Eve Eliza- beth, their children, 200 acres; No. 8, to Johannes Fischer and Maria Barbara his wife, 100 acres; No. 9, to Andries Volck and Anna Catharine his wife, and George, Ilicronemus, Maria Barbara and Anna Ger- trude, their children. 300 acres." These several lots adjoined each other, with the exception of a lot of 500 acres set apart for the support of the minister, which was placed between Nos. 5 and 6. The entire settle- ment, though generally called the German Patent, was nevertheless specifically known and called from the special title to the Glebe, "The Palatine Parish by Quassaick." Two Palatine families were not included in the lots, viz: Melchior Chilch and Peter Johnson; they having located their lands further north, received separate patents therefor.* The locations of the several farms were substantially * History of Newburgh, Ii8, etc. 12 CITY OF NEWBURGH. as follows: They severally ran from Hudson's river one mile west. No. i was bounded on the south by Quas- saick creek ; No. 2 adjoined it on the north ; and No. 3 came next immediately south of Western Avenue and included the present head-quarters property. No. 4 was bounded on the south by Western Avenue and on the north by First street; No. 5 ran from First street to South, and was followed by the Glebe land running from South to North street. Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 followed in succession, carrying the line of the whole to the vicinity of the bluff which rises immediately north of Balmville. The lots of Melchior Gulch and Peter Johnson were at what is now Middlehope. The lots lying south of North street now constitute the limits of the city. SECOND ERA OF SETTLEMENT. The Palatines, under the assistance which was extended by the government, cleared and cultivated at least a por- tion of their farms; erected a church and maintained their settlement for several years. A portion of them, however, lured by the promise of better lands and more intimate association with those of their own nationality elsewhere, or for considerations not stated, sold their lands to others. The first sale was by George Lock- stead and Michael Weigand, of the whole of lot No. i, and half of lot No. 2, to Nathan Smith, a blacksmith, from whom the western half of both lots was purchased by William Brown an attorney for Governor William Burnet, who sold to Alexander Golden ; the latter sub- sequently sold to Jonathan Hasbrouck. The eastern part of lot No. 2 was sold by Michael Weigand to Governor Burnet in the same manner, and by the latter to Burger Meynders, who sold the southern half of the lot to Alexander Golden, by whom it was con- veyed (1753) to Jonathan Hasbrouck. Meynders occu- pied the north-eastern part of the lot until 1747, when he also sold to Jonathan Hasbrouck, who thus became HISTORICAL SKETCH. >3 the owner of the largest portion ot lots i and 2. Lot No. 3 was sold by Herman Schuncman to Janit-s Alex- ander, from whom it was purchased by Alex. Colden and Burner Mcyndcrs, except two acres at the north- east corner reserved by Alexander. Meyndcrs subse- quently sold to Jonathan Hasbrouck.and Colden cut up a portion of his share into small lots. Lot No. 4 was sold by Christian Henricke to Governor Burnet, from whom it was purchased by Cadwallader Colden for himself. Jacobus Bruyn. James Alexander, Phineas Mc- intosh. Daniel Denton. Michael Dunning^, and Henry Wileman. by whom it was divided into lots and became known as " 111 K Town of NKWHUK(;n Pi.oT." No. 5, granted to the widow and family of Joshua Kockerthal, was sold (i74i)to James Smith, who sold one acre in the south-cast corner to Alexander Colden ; the remain- der descended to Benj. Smith. The Glebe was in part divided into acre lots, and rented to strangers and to such resident families as could pay a few bushels of wheat for the support of the parish minister. Lot No. 6 was sold by Burger Meynders to Burras Holmes; No. 7 to Zacharias Hofman in 1724; Nos. 8 and 9 to Hofman in 1722. The changes in the list of original settlers, prior to 1729. is shown by the tax-rolls: 1714-15 Michael Wcigand, Burger Meyndcrs, Jacob Webber, Peter Rose, John Fischer, Andries Volck. George Lockstead, Peter Jansen, Henry Rcnnau, Melchior Gulch, Christian Henricke. 1717-18 Michael Weigand, Jacob Wcblicr, John Fischer. Andries Volck. Henry Rennau. Melchior (iulch. Peter Jansen, estate. 1726-29 Burger Meynders, Melchior Gulch, Burger Meynders, Jr., William Wanl. George Weigand. Tobias Weigand. Never did all of the old lamilies die out ncr of the second (1710) company of Palatine immigranla. i8 CITY Of newburgh. ewburgh ^irectoii^ foil ^^7^- Richard Albertson, Nehemiah Denton, Silas Leonard, Stephen Albertson, Samuel Denton, Robert Morrison, M. D. Wilham Alberston, Nathaniel Denton, John Morrel, Joseph Albertson, Peter Donelly, Thomas Palmer, Daniel Aldredge, Benj. Darby, William Palmer, Isaac Brown, M. D. Daniel Darby, Thomas Patterson, Isaac Brown, Jr., John Donaghey, Harmanus Rikeman, Joseph Brown, Isaac Demott, Thomas Rhodes, Abel Belknap, Hugh Ferguson, Albertson Smith, Isaac Belknap, William Ferguson, Benjamin Smith, Isaac Belknap, Jr., Elnathan Foster, Henry Smith, William Bowdish, Morris Flewwelling, Leonard Smith, John Becket, James Flewwelling, Leonard Smith, Jr., Solo. Buckingham, John Flewwelling, Thomas Smith, Richard Buckingham, Jonathan Hasbrouck, Thaddeus Smith, Benjamin Birdsall, Cornelius Hasbrouck, Samuel Sands, • Daniel Birdsall, Moses Higby, M. D. Hugh Stevenson, James Bums, James Harris, Stephen Stevenson, Benjamin Coffin, John Nathan Hutchins, William Thurston, Caleb Coffin, George Harding, Burger Weigand, William Collard, Thomas Ireland, Martin Weigand, Nathaniel Coleman, George Jackson, Monson Ward, Henry Cropsey, William Lawrence, Richard Ward, William Carskadder , Wm. Lawrence, Jr., William Ward, Caleb Chase, Benjamin Lawrence, Timothy Wood, Daniel Denton, Aaron Linn, Jeremiah Wool, Daniel Denton, Jr., Solomon Lane, Charles Willett, James Denton, George Leonard, John Wandel. The names given include, in many instances, members of families, as the lists embraced all males over sixteen years of age. Their places of residence were scattered from Balmville to Quassaick creek. The center of the settlement, ho wever, was, as alread;y ' stated, on Liberty street from South street north, a district which carried the name of " old town " for many years after the cir- cumstances w lich gave rise to it had passed away. Speaking of the village at the pe riod of the Revolu- tion, the late J ames Donnelly wrote : " It certainly was one of the most forlorn looking places that I ever saw. It had but one opened street, the King's highway (now HISTORICAL SKETCH. I9 Liberty street) — a very good one to be sure — along which was scattered a few old-looking browti houses; and that was the village, for below the hill there was comparatively nothing except the Colden house and store-house, Isaac Belknap's house, and the ferry. The side-hill was covered with orchards principally. The road to the ferry was an irregular one ; it ran across the farm of Hasbrouck and the Colden plot from Has- brouck's grist-mill to the south-west corner of Colden and First street, and thence circled a;"ound the hill to the river, which then ran close u}> to the present east side of VV'ater street. Colden built a small dock here, and the road ran behind the store-house. Those having goods to store there unloaded into the second story of the building. When the army came here the lower part of the Smith farm was occupied by store-houses for the commissary department and quarter-master and by bar- racks for the soldiers connected with those departments. Adolpih DeGrove came here in 1776, a refugee from New York, and built a tavern on the south-west corner of Water and Third street; it was La Fayette's head-quar- ters when he was here. The old armv buildings were af- terwards used for business purposes, and the old hotel became McAulev's store. The old Colden road was then extended to what is now Third street, and the ferry ran from a point just north of the Mailler dock. The north part of Water street was laid out through the Glebe, but was not worked from South to North street, nor was it ever opened completely — the present line ot the street having its origin in the Newburgh and Sullivan turnjMke thirty years later. On the Glebe other streets were laid out but only partially opened to give access to lots. On the hill were the old church, the parsonage, and the school-house, and Martin Weigand's hotel, which stood just opposite where Gidney avenue now intersects Libertv. During the war a road was opened from South street near Grand across the hill to the army buildings 20 CITY OF NEWBURGH. at the foot of Third street, and had on it hotels and other places of business as late as 1800. At the south end of the king's highway was Hasbrouck's house, and on beyond him were the residences of Henry Smith and his brother Thomas. Benj. Smith, who owned the farm of his father James, lived in the house on Liberty street corner of Campbell, which he built just before the war. Isaac Belknap sailed a sloop from the foot of South street, and had a house on Water street just south of First, which is still standing on the corner of the gore. Up "at the brook," as it was called, Demott had a tav- ern, and Denton a grist-mill, and William Bloomer a blacksmith shop. There were a number of dwellings there- — Capt. Coleman's, Silas Leonard's, and Morris Flewwelling's. Bloomer lived in the house now the residence of H. K. Brown; Denton's mill was in the hollow back of Col. Hathaway's barn ; Demott's tavern was on the road just east of the Balmville tree. Thomas Palmer, Jonathan Hasbrouck, Elnathan Foster, and Ben- jamin Smith were the most wealthy farmers of the place ; Capt Coleman and Isaac Belknap were in the coasting trade when the war broke out, but did not do much at it afterwards. The largest part of the population was on the Glebe where small lots could be leased. There was no small amount of heavy timber standing on the western and south-western part of the farms, and even as late as 1800, when Western Avenue was opened it was cut through the woods for a large part of the way." And yet the place, in its development had kept pace with its neighbors of the pioneer era. The war of the Revolution imposed great sacrifices upon the inhabitants of the embryo city. When it was realized that the British Ministry would appeal to force to maintain the authority of the Crown over the colo- nies, the control of the navigation of Hudson's river be- came the contested point. To prevent this the colonists of New York determined to place fortifications in the HISTORICAL SKETdl. J I I lij^hlaiuls, :iii(l rciv mainly for their (Icltiuc upon the militia of the district. Three forts were eoiistrui ted I'ort Moiiti^omerv, Fort Clinton, and l*'ort Constitution, and in their construction and defcnci- the militia knew JittU- imrminitv fiom active dutv. So j^rcat was the de- mand M|»on them that two out ol everv tive ol the male population between sixteen and sixty were almost con- stantly in the held, and levies en tnassf were of fretpient occurrence. In \77(>-77, the Ministry devoted its atten- tion almost entirely to the accomplishment of the control of the navij^ation of the river. To this end Boston was abandoned, and the continental forces driven out of New- York city and Lontj Island; this new base of operations havinjj been secured, Burixovne was sent from Canada, with a hnelv ecpiipped armv. to cut his way thnju^h from the north, while the British forces were to move northward from New York, secure the Hit^hland forts and unite with Burijovne at Albany. This plan of ope- rations culminated in October. 1777. Under the com- mand of Sir Henry Clinton, the southern division of the invadint^f army aj)jK"ared before Forts Clinton and Mont- ijomery and demanded their surrender. The forts were almost wholly j^arrisoned by the militia of the district, about six hundred in number, who made a most heroic defence, h^htinij aj^ainst a suj)erior and discij)lined force from four o'clock until twilight, when they ^avc way and marie a scattered retreat, leavini^ behind them not less than three hundred ot their number in killed, wounded and prisoners. The forts were destroyed, the chain and boom which had been thrown across the river were re- moved, and on the Sth of October the ships of war of the successful enemy entered the bay of Newburjjh and saluted its inhabitants with j^rape-shot and cannon balls. F"ortunately })y the capture of Burj^oyne's army at Saratoija. the plan of operations was defeated, and the Hijj^hlands returned atj^ain to the possession <»f the colo- nists. Thenceforth they were destined to become the 22 CITY OF NEWBURGH. strategic center of the entire war. In the winter and spring of 1777-78, new fortifications were erected at West Point, strong garrisons of regular troops placed in them, and at times the largest portion of the continental army was encamped in their vicinity. Hither Wash- ington removed his head-quarters in the spring of 1779, and occupied the William Ellison house, at New Wind- sor, until the movement which resulted in the siege and capture of Yorktown in October, 1781. From that suc- cessful field the army returned to the Highlands ; and in April, 1782, Washington established his head-quarters at the Hasbrouck house in Newburgh, where he re- mained until August, 1783. The general events of the war which marked the closing years of its continuance are too well known to make specific reference necessary. The protection which the presence of the army afforded relieved the militia in a great measure, and left the inhabitants to pursue their avocations. The furnishing of supplies to the troops would have been remunerative at other times, but as it was neither officers or soldiers had money to spend, or if they had it was almost worthless. Even Washington himself was frequently forced to borrow from Mrs. Thompson, his cook, the gold and silver which he had paid her as wages, in order to supply his table; and it is related that Baron Steuben felt compelled to sell his camp silver in order to supply a creditable entertain- ment for the French officers who were his guests. It was this condition of affairs that caused the discontent in the army which at one time threatened to culminate in a revolt, and which had its expression in the letter by Colonel Nicola to Washington, virtually offering him, on behalf of the army, the title of king, and in the subse- quent letters by Major Armstrong. Happily the discon- tent was allayed, and on the 3d of November, 1783, the pa- tient, suffering, triumphant army of the Revolution was here disbanded. HISTORICAL SKETCH. 23 The war of the Revolution was not only the cradle of the nation; it was the foundation of manufactures, the arts, conuncicc, and all the clcTucnts for the- devel- opment of the jijenius and the industry of the people. What the colonies would have been without it, is pre- sented in the historv of Canada— .t poor, dependent peoj)le. In this jjeneral result Ncwburph has had its full share. From the dissolving armv came an increase of population; men of youth and energy who had the purposes of life to accomplish empty handed. There was also a considerable addition of families who had fled from New York city, on its capture by the Brit- ish, and whose property there was confiscated and de- stroyed. These new elements were suited to the new era, and made wise use of the facilities which the dis- band ment of the army placed in their hands. A consid- erable village of hotels, barracks, and other buildings had grown up in the vicinitv of Third street: and for the ac- commodation of others Mr. Benjamin Smith laid out in streets and lots, in 1782, that portion of his (the Kock- crthal) farm King east of Montgomery street, between South and First streets. This i)lot. to which he gave the name of "The Township ok \V.\shington," em- braced scvcntv-two lots, and Montgomery, Smith, and Water, and First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth streets from Montgomery street to the river. These lots were rajiirllv taken up. as well as adjoining lots on the Glebe and in the township of Xewburgh, and from the position of the lowest, in 1780, the inchoate village and the jirecinct of which it was a part passed to the fourth, in 1790, and, in a quarter of a centur\. to the first in rank of population. Until 1790, however, the village was a disjointed settle- ment. The three township plots ot which it was com- posed, had no connection except through Liberty street and a " few cross-lot " roads. Western Avenue, which had been dedicated as a public highway in 1719, had 24 CITY OF NEWBURGH. never been opened ; South street, North street, Nicoll and Clinton streets, and Water, Hasbrouck, and Second streets, which had been dedicated by the trustees of the Glebe in 1752, existed mainly on paper; while High street and the road already described as running diag- onally across the plot, were, with the exception of Lib- erty street, the only opened roads on the Town of New- burgh Plot. None of the lateral streets intersected each other until 1 790, when the commissioners of highways accepted the dedications which had been made and for- mally connected them. The angles at the intersections on First and South streets, still show the impress of the original disjointure. In 1797, the village had attained such size that it was found necessary to establish a Fire Department, and for this purpose a law was passed by the legislature direct- ing the election of trustees, "to be called the Trustees of the Fire Company of the Village of Newburgh." The limits of the village defined by this act included that portion of the original patent lying south of an east and west line running six rods north of the Acade- my, and east of and including Liberty street, which dis- trict was "to be called the Village of Newburgh," the freeholders in which were to elect annuall}- not less than three nor more than five trustees to have the appoint- ment of firemen and the control and management of the fire engines and apparatus which should then or there- after be obtained. The persons appointed members of the department were required to be " freeholders or per- sons renting property to the value of one hundred dol- lars per annum," and it was made their duty to be pres- ent at all fires, "as well by night as by day, to manage, use and work the fire engines and other tools." This crude form of village authority was the crowning and closing work of the century. In other respects the century's record may be briefly summarized. The Church of England (old St. George's) IIISTORICAI, SKKTCII. 2$ ceased to exist during the war of the Revolution. Its place was suj)|> ied by the First Presbyterian church. fouiuk'd inform lily in 1764; by Methodist Hpiscopal classes in 17S6, and by the First Associate Ketornied church in 1797 Printing was ntroduced by Lucius Carey (the Nnvhurgli Packet) in 179$; Free Masonry came in in 1788, inider the title ot Steuben LodjJ^e, No. 18; an Academical school in 179$ the Ncwburj^h Post- office in 1796. rhe persons bv w hom the embryt) citv was thus advanced, as represented on the road li^t< <>f j that year, constitute the following ^mhuiijli ffirectoni far li^ini Abercrombie, John Aldriflgc, Daniel Andrews, John Albcrtwn, Joseph Alexander, James Arnold, William Alhertson, Richard Amcrman, Derick Ayrcs, Andrew AUwrtson, John Anderson, John Ayres, Ebenczer B. Aldridge, James lUilcy, Daniel Anderson, John, Jr. Belknap, Scth Bradley, Anan lUrl*r. Joseph W. Ifelknap, Samuel, Jr. Brewster, Francis lUinl, James Itelknap, Sands Brett, Criah liate, James Belknap, Chauncey Brown, John Bee»)c. Heraleel, Capl. Belknap, William Brown, Francis Helknap, Samuel Birdsall, Daniel Bullard, Nathan Belknap, Alden Birdsall, Charles Burling, Walter Belknap, Abel Birdsall, Mrs. Elizabeth Burling, Benjamin | | Belknap, Isaac Blake, Charles Burling, David Belknap, Thomas Bloomer, James Bums, James Belknap, David Bowman, Phineas Burr, Samuel Caldwell, Henry Capicadden, John Colter, James Campliell, George Cise, Benjamin Colter, John Carter, I^cwis Case, Benjamin, Jr. Conduit, Cyrus Carter, Jonathan Clark, Samuel Cooley, Jonathan Carpenter, Jacob Clark, Jacob Cooper, Thomas Carjienter, I^onard Clark, WillLim Crawforri. James Carjxrntcr, Joseph Clinton, Charles Crissey, Kl«neier Carpenter, Henry CofTin, Caleb Curtis, Amos Carscadden, Rolicrt Coleman, Sila.* Curnr. lohn Carscadden, Thomas Coleman, Micah Darby, Benjamin rVnniston. Charles Donclly, Mrs. Lienor Darby, Isaac I>cnton, John r>owning, Samuel Davis, Anthony Dodge, I-evi I^owns, John 1 26 CITY OF NEWBURGH. DeGrove, Mrs. Adolph Dodge, William P. Downs, Edward Demott, James Dodge, John P. DuBois, Nathaniel Denniston, David Dolsen, Edward DuBois, David M. Denniston, Alexander Dolph, Robert R. Dusinberry, Jarvis Egbert, James Ellet, Archibald Falls, Alexander Finley, John Fordice, William Ferguson, James Fisk, Jonathan Foster, Elnathan Ferris, Mr. Foote, Justin Freeman, Rev. Jonathan Gardner, George Gidney, Eleazer Gourlay, Robert Gardner, Thomas Gillespie, John Gregory, Samuel O. Gardner, Benjamin Goldsmith, James Griswold, Chauncey Gardiner, Robert Gordon, George Griswold, Edmund Halstead, Stephen Havens, Smith Hoffman, John Hamilton, James Hawkins, Samuel Holmes, William Hannery, John Hedges, Jonathan Howell, Edward Harris, John Hedges, Phineas, M. D. Howell, Benoni H. Harris, Hugh Herdman, John Howell, Mrs. Esther Hasbrouck, Isaac Higby, Moses, M. D. Hudson, Timothy, M.D. Hasbrouck, Joseph Holly, Ebenezer Hudson, Richard Hasbrouck, Daniel Hobby, Drake Hulet, Joseph Hathaway, Josiah Hoffman, Joseph Hulet, Samuel Ireland, Samuel Jones, Robert W. June, Phineas Kelso, Thomas Lawson, John D. Kerr, Rev. Robert Ludlow, Mrs. Elizabeth Lyon, Aaron Lyon, Benjamin MoiTison, Mrs. Catharine Mandeville, John McCoun, Samuel Monell, George Murray, Alex. McCutcheon, Robert Monell, William McAuley, John McGahey, Owen Marsh, Joshua McClaughrey, Mrs. Agnes McKune, Robert Moore, James McClaughrey, Alexander McLean, John Nestle, Michael Nicholson, Samuel Niven, Daniel, Jr. Pierson, Caleb Niven, Daniel Pettingale, Joseph Powell, Jacob Phillips, James Place, James Powell, Thomas Raymond, Francis Renwick, James Robinson, Cush Reeve, Selah Reynolds, David Rogers, Jason Reeve, Joseph Richardson, John Ross, William Scott, William Smith, Jacob Spier, Hugh Shaw, John Smith, David Schultz, Jacob Smith, Albertson Smith, Charles F. Seymour, William Smith, Benjamin Sackett, Wm. W. Sanders, John Smith, William H. Sleight, Solomon Shaw, Robert HISTORICAL SKETCH. 2"] Telford, George Tapper, Mr*. Nathl. Trumper, John Thome, Iwac Trumper, William Tooker, John Vcltman, Henry Van NVyck, PeJer Waller, George Wood, Alexander Walsh, Hugh Waril, Abraham Wood, Cornelius Wallace, Wright, Samuel Wood, Timothy Winfield, Elias, M. D. Wright, Robert Wood, Timothy, Jr. Williams, Edward Weigand, Martin Watts, Henry Wilson, William Watts, Samuel The first work of the present century was the incor- poration of the Village of New burgh, by an act of the legislature passed March 25th, 1800. This act de- fined the bounds of the village; authorized the election of trustees and other officers: provided that the trustees should have |)o\ver to make, ordain and publish such bv-laws, rules and regulations as should be deemed meet and proper, particularly in reference to public markets, streets, allevs, and highwavs; to abate slaughter-houses and nuisances generallv: to determine the number of inns or taverns, and grant licenses to the same; to re- strain the running at large of geese, cattle, hogs and other animals; to erect and regulate hay-scales, and to have general powers "relative to anything whatsoever" that should concern the "public and good government" of the village thereby created. On the first Tuesday in May, seven trustees, three assessors, three fire-wardens, a collector, and a treasurer, were elected, and the board of trustees organized under the presidency of John An- derson, This act was followed, in 1801. by an act incor- porating the Newburgh and Cochecton turnpike com- pany, with a capital of $125,000. Both were measures largely influencing the prosperity of the village; the former gave local government — the latter, by opening a new route of travel to the west, brought a trade which in the main had previously reached the Hudson at New Windsor. Up to that time it may be said that all roads led to that {)lace, and that from the west the roads to 28 CITY OF NEWBURGH. Newburgh were more of the character of cross-roads. The Cochecton turnpike reversed the order, and gave to the western part of the county, and to Sullivan, a better and a shorter route of travel. The effect was magical ; New Windsor, from a previously superior trade, was speedily shorn of its advantage ; its houses became ten- antless, and its merchants removed their stocks to the Newburgh market. Other roads followed — the New- burgh and New Windsor turnpike in 1808, connecting at New Windsor with turnpikes to Cornwall and Mon- roe ; the Newburgh and Sullivan turnpike in 18 10, pen- etrating the heart of the present county of Sullivan, and the Newburgh and Plattekill turnpike in 18 12, threading a rich agricultural district of southern Ulster. The village sprang rapidly into rank. From 1776 to 1825, its population increased a fraction over one hun- dred annually, or about eleven hundred each decade ; while its commerce had swept over the narrow belt of country of the pioneer era, and embraced a very con- siderable proportion of the district now included in the southern tier of counties. Turnpikes extended in connec- tion to Canandaigua lake, and were traversed by stage coaches conveying passengers, and freight wagons laden with goods ; a steamer on Cayuga lake extended the route to Ithaca, and subsequently to Geneva and Buf- falo, from which point New York was reached (via New- burgh) in sixty-five hours — "the shortest and most ex- peditious route from the Hudson river to the western countr3^" The changes wrought under the growth (^f population in other parts of the state, and through modern facili- ties of communication, are too M^ell known to require recapitulation. The map of the southern tier was rolled up and laid away for a quarter of a century on the night when, with beacons blazing on the headlands of the Hud- son, the waters of Lake Erie were mingled with those of the Atlantic in the harbor of New York. From that HISTORICAL SKETCH. 29 time tlu' iiilliu-ncf ot internal improvements, like the apjjroachini; trenches ol a besie^inj^ army, has been continually telt. The Hudson and Delaware canal, the Erie railroad, the whole net-work of iron rails that now bisect and intersect the district, bear with them the storv ot the past and the present. " What mi^ht have been," could the people ot Newbur^h have commanded the ancient i^rder to continue, or the new modes ot transit to pay them tribute, it is not wise to consider. At each stage of the combination against them, thev have made bold struggles, and if the long lines of farmers' wagons, stored with butter and pork, which formed so leading a teature in the trade of the village in the earlv part of the century, have passed into the domain of history, the new elements in commerce and the new modes of transit have not been without their compensations. Compared with neighboring communities, the city has not only maintained its rank in population and wealth with the more tavored, but has outstripped many upon which political connections have conferred presumed superior advantages. The grading of streets, the supply of water, the intro- duction of gas, the development of the higher branches of mechanics, the introduction of telegraphs, railroads, steam printing presses and free sch(«)ls, the improvement in the architecture of public and private buildings, have been the work of the past half century and more espe- ciallv of the quarter of that period which closes with the centennial year of the Republic. One hundred and fiftv-six years from the date of its planting, the settlement founded bv the Palatines, maintained by the " Dutch and Irish new inhabitants," developed and made vigorous by men of all nations, creeds and tongues, entered upon the highest torm of local government under an act of the legislature passed .April 22d, 1865, incorporating and constituting Tin. City of Newburgh. 30 CITY OF NEWBURGH. MERCANTILE BUSINESS. The earliest merchants of Newburgh were connected with either milling or freighting. It is of record in 1767, that "many people from the back part of the country" brought hither the produce of their farms "to send to New York," and that there were " at least three boats be- longing to the place that constantly go from thence to New York and return again with goods, which creates a very considerable trade." The owners of these boats had small store-houses in which they kept goods of va- rious kinds which they sold to their customers. This was also the case with the millers. The Dentons, "up at the brook," had a store in their mill; Jonathan Has- brouck also had one, not at his mill, but in the old head- quarters house. It is still known as the "store-room," and is situated immediately south of the hall on the west side. Denton and Hasbrouck had docks from which they shipped their flour, which was then the principal staple. " The first regular store in the village," is said to have been opened by Benjamin. and Daniel Birdsall on Colden's dock, a locality now on the west line of Front street south of First. It was afterwards occupied by John Harris as a hat shop. George Gardner took the top of it off" and moved it up to High street, where he made a residence of it for his father-in-law, William Lawrence. The basement (the original store) is still standing — a monument of the simplicity of the stores of a hundred years ago. The second regular store is claimed to have been opened immediately after the Rev- olution, by John McAuley in a building which stood on the west line of Front street — an army store-house sub- sequently known as DeWint's dock. It is also said that " Hugh Walsh and a Mr. Brown " were afterwards his associates in the business, and that Mr. Walsh became his successor. This tradition, in the absence of positive testimony, must be accepted, although there are records indicating that Mr. Walsh was the first owner and occu- HISTORICAL SKETCH. 3 1 pant of the property in question, and that Mr. McAulev was his associate. However, this was the foundation of Walsh's dock and store. Mr. McAulcy, in 1791. after an absence of a few years from the place, opened a store on the south-west corner of VV^ater and Third street and continued there for thirty-hve years. Williani Walsh was his successor, and erected the brick buildinj^ now undcr^oini^ enlargement by Mr. Ge«)r^e W. Townsend. John Shaw was Mr. Walsh's successor in his first place of business. His advertisement shows the j(oods then kept bv "rei^ular" stores; it reads as follows: JoiLV Shaw, (Latfly from IRELAND,) BECiS leave to inform the public, that he hu commenced store-keeping in the house op- posite to the Xnv Markft, formerly occupied by Mr. Walsh, where he has laid in a general assortment of the following (}(X)I)S, which he will sell by Wholesale or Retail on reasonable terms, for cash or merchantable produce, viz: Malaga, Sherry and Port Wines; Rum, Brandy and Cin; Teas, Sugars, Molaf malt litjimrs was hrst introduced. Mis j)lace ol business is described, in 1800, as "an elej^ant well built three-story house, and another adjoininp^ it, known by the name of the coflee-room and the coflfee-house, with a commodious kitchen round the corner, a gt)od well ol water with a pump before the front door, situated on the corner of Water street and Fourth street, opposite to the public ferry." It became a place as well known as the othce of Denniston's newspaper, and quite a number of merchants g^ave their locations as so far from, or opj>osite to — as the case mi^ht be — one or the other. George Gardner, while he had a store-house on his dock at the foot of F'irst street, kept his regular store in Colden street, on the west side, a short distance south of First street. He was in business for at least thirty years prior to his death in 1822. Jason Rogers had his store in Water street, " between the coffee-house and Howell's tavern," — Wallace cSl Moore occupied it in 1800. Denniston & Abercrombie were located "oppo- site to Uavid Denniston's printing office, next door to Alexander Falls." The firm dissolved in 1800, and Aber- crombie took the store of Leonard Carpenter, then recently occupied by Robert Cooper & Son. John Gay nor, from New Windsor, opened in 1800 "a store in the late Henry Watts' new house, Water street, oppo- site 'Squire Gardner's dock." He refused to give credit to his customers, and did not continue in business any considerable time. One of the most noted stores of the periled immedi- ately preceding the close of the century, was that of John Brown, an Irish refugee of the rebellion of 1798, who located, on his arrival in America, in a building which had been kept as a tavern by Edward Howell (previous to the removal of the latter to the present site of the Orange Hotel), where he opened what he called an " Universal Store," and such it was for many years — R' 34 CITY OF NEWBURGH. a curious repository indeed, where might be found ahuost any article, from a mouse-trap to the finest dress goods. His sons, John and James S. Brown, were his successors, and the store which he erected is now occu- pied by Charles J. Lawson. His first advertisement reads : Universal Store, In the house formerly occupied by Edward Howell, Water street, Newburgh. JOHN BROWN ESPECTFULLY informs the public that . he has juft received (in addition to his former assortment) a neat and fashionable vari- ety of DRY GOODS, suitable to the season; among which are a beau- tiful assortment of tamboured, laped, Japaned and plain Book and Jaconet Muslins, &c., with a general collection of Hardware, Jewelry, Iron?nongery, Nails, and Hollow Ware; Look- ing Glasses, Window Glass, Faints, and Oils; China, Glass, Delft, Bristol and Stone Ware: Bibles, School Books, Novels, Plays and Histo- ries; liocior Owen^s Prophetical Sermon; like- wise a fresh supply of GROCERIES, Wines, Cherry Brandy, Gin and Spirits; aquan- ' tity of excellent Corn; a few barrels of Shad, warranted well cured; with a great variety of articles too tedious to enumerate. To prevent trouble no second price will be asked. Brown returns his sincere thanks to the public for the great encouragement he has received since his commencement in business; as his goods are purchased for ready money, he is determined to sell at a very small profit for cash or mer- chantable country produce. July i6, '99. N. B. Account Books ruled or plain, bound in any pattern or size, on the shortefl notice — old books carefully rebound. There were a few merchants whose business was of a more specific character. George Gordon, Ebenezer B. Ayres, and Joseph Reeve, were dealers in clocks, watches, etc.; Selah Reeve had a crockery store " in Mrs. Howell's house, next to David Denniston's," (a building which occupied the site of John Lawson & Son's store); John D. Lawson kept " soal and upper HISTORICAL SKETCH. 35 leather, boot Ic^s and calf skins, saddles, bridles and harness" in a store described as next door to the coffee- house, being a building "twenty-eight feet front, two stories high, four rooms with tire-places, three bedrooms, a large kitchen with an oven, a cellar, and cistern for rain-water;" and Davis & Hedges (,1797; had a drug store in the building afterwards occupied by Jonathan Carter. Thev subsequently (1799) removed to Colden street. Some of these branches will be noticed in another connection. It has already been remarked that a very considerable iniiiil)er of the old merchants were connected with the }•« )k\V.\kI>IN(; BUSINESS. This is especially true of Hugh Walsh, John Anderson and John Anderson. Jr., Benjamin Case, Jr., Jacob and Thomas Powell, Jacob and Leonard Carpenter, and George Gardner. The trade was conducted by sloops prior to 1830, when the first steamer, the Baltimore, was purchased by Christopher Reeve. Advertisements for 1798 state that Caleb Coffin, master, "will con- tinue to sail Capt. George Gardner's sloop." How long Capt. Gardner had been in the business does not appear. The same year John Anderson, master, sailed the sloop Eliza, which vessel had " large accommoda- tions for passengers;" and Derick Amerman, master, sailed Hugh Walsh's sloop, the Ceres, which onlv had " verv good accommodations for passengers." In 1799 the same sloops were continued, with the addition of the Favorite, Alexander Falls and Jonathan Hedges owners, and Benj. Case, Jr., master, who announced that they had " taken the large and commodious store and dock, the property of Mrs. Ludlow." This store and dock was on the south-east corner of Water and Third street, and was afterwards known as Powell's dock and Reeve's dock. Hugh Walsh was the founder of the store and business known for many years as 36 CITY OF NEWBURGH. Crawford's; and Jacob and Leonard Carpenter were the first occupants of the property now embraced in the establishment of Homer Ramsdell & Co. In 1800 George Gardner sailed the sloop Senator Burr, Edward Griswold, master; and the sloop Vice President, Smith Havens, master; Caleb Coffin sailed from "Leonard Carpenter's wharf, below James Burns' store," the sloop Behidere, and Leonard Carpenter paid attention to the business at the store and dock; Benj. Case, Jr., con- tinued the Favorite, and Alexander Falls attended the store and dock ; John Anderson continued the sloop Eliza; Hugh Walsh and Benjamin Sears sailed the Ceres, Samuel Hawkins, master; and Derick Amerman sailed the Washington — the whole constituting a fleet of seven sloops. The form of announcement of the sloop lines appears from the following advertisement : for nev^ york. The New Sloop MONTGOiMERY, Benjamin Case, yun., Master, Will sail from Powell's dock, on the following Saturdays, wind and weather permitting, viz : Saturday, March, 20 April, 3, 17 May, I, 15, 29 June 12, 26 July 10, 24 Saturday, August, 7, 21 September, 4, 18 October 2, 16, 30 November 13, 27 December 11, 25 The subscriber is thankful for past favors from the public, and will endeavor to give general satisfaction. Strict attention will be paid to the store and dock, in the absence of the subscriber, by J. & T. Powell. Benjamin Case, Jun. Newburgh, February 17, 1802. The Baltimore, the first steamer in the trade, was fol- lowed by the William Young, the Legislator, the Provi- dence, the Washington, the James Madison, the Highlander, and the Thomas Powell ; all were subsequently succeeded by barges, while the several and at times numerous firms of the past are now consolidated in the single establish- ment of Homer Ramsdell & Co., whose carrying trade HISTORICAL SKETCH. 37 exceeds that of anv other period, although essentially chaiiL^ed in the clcnjcnts of which it is composed. The *^Io()ps ran in connection with the STACK LINKS. and announced the tact as " Tuesday and I-Vidays Staj^^i," or other days as the case mii^ht he. One of the earliest of the staj^c lines was called the " Newburj^h and Goshen Mercury." and ran between Newbur^h and (ioshcn by the route of Monti^onierv. leavin«^ Newburgh on Monday and Thursday, and returning on Tuesdav and Friday. Fourteen pounds of baggage was allowed free, and all above that weight '* in proportion to the weight of the passenger at 140 pounds." A passenger weighing over 140 was required to pay extra. The contrast with the jiresent modes of convevance. and the time required, will suggest itself. Now one may visit the nmst distant point in the county and return in the course of ten hours. noTKL.s were of course as necessary an evil a hundred years ago as now. and they were neither few nor far between. The most noted in the village, prior to, during and for some years after the Kevolution, was one kcjit by Martin Weigand, who had, in i/(^>7, the only one in the place, and paid therefor "three pounds for the excise, whereas all the retailers together in the place when they were permitted did not pay more than two pounds." Joseph Albertson was Weigand's contemporary, and is s;iid t«) have " kept a very good and orderly house." a character which even Weigand's lost during the Revolution, when it is described as being "filled with soldiers, with drunk- enness, despair and blasphemy." During the war .\dolph DeCirove built a hotel on the south-west corner of Water and Third streets, the first " under the hill." Benj. Case subsequently built one on the south-east corner of Water and Fourth ; and Edward Howell on Water street near 38 CITY OF NEWBURGH. Second. The latter gave up his place to stores, and put up a hotel where the Orange Hotel now stands — a frame building two stories high. At a later period the Mansion House was made out of Hugh Walsh's store on the op- posite side of the street, and ran until 1832 or '33. In the meantime Howell's tavern gave place to the Orange Hotel, and the United States Hotel followed in 1833. A famous old tavern was kept for many years by Thomas Gardner on Golden street — called the " Stone Tavern" — another on the north end of Smith street, kept by Fran cis Brewster; another on South street, near Grand, called the Blue-Bell Tavern ; and another on the north- west corner of Western Avenue and Golden streets ; the dates of their establishment, or that of the Glinton Hotel in Golden street, is not definitely known. The " Stone Tavern," by the way, was the birth-place of General Gardner of Port Hudson fame. MECHANICS AND MANUFACTURING. The first carpenter, the first blacksmith, the first wea- ver, and the first stocking-maker, came to Newburgh with the Palatine immigrants of 1709. Their successors and those who were engaged in other mechanical pur- suits prior to about the commencement of the present century, have no other than traditionary record. Be- yond that of carpenters, blacksmiths, and a few other trades, however, the number of mechanics was limited. As already stated. Great Britain would not permit the colonists to engage in manufacturing to any extent ; whatever the settlers required they were obliged to import or supply by domestic substitutes. The wives and daughters spun the yarn and the flax, wove and colored the cloth and made the clothing; the leach-tub was more familiar in the door-3'ard than the rose bush, and, with the refuse fats of the tables, furnished the soaps; candles were also the product of the household. Shoes were wrought by shoemakers who visited the HISTORICAL SKETCH. 39 houses of their customers. The farmer made his own sleds and carts, and in most cases was the architect and the builder of his own d wellinj^ and outhouses. F'assing this era and considt*rin^ that by which it was succeeded, we have, since 1795. an approximately correct record of the introduction of mechanical industries.* John Harris had the hrst sho() tor the manufacture and sale of hats. He rented the old 13irdsall house (adjoining- the whalintj coinj)anv*s storehouse on the north) in 1795 ; his shop was in the basement on the east side, which then fronted the thoroug^hfare leading to the dock. Jonathan Rutler was the next, in 1801. Harris sold his business iiSio) to Minard Harris and David Sands, who continued it for several years. It then passed to David Sands, who mav be claimed as the founder of the more modern order of hat stores; in 1S30 he was selling "vSvmm's splendid satin beaver hats for five dol- lars, and a beautiful hat at four dollars." David M. H. Sands continued the business of his father for some years. While hat stores are now abundant, but one practical hatter remains. Shoemaking passed from Richard Rikcinan and Jos. Albcrtson, in the days af the Revolution, to Welch & Pierson (Henry Welch and Caleb Pierson) in 1798. Their shop is described as being "in the shop formcrlv occupied bv Phineas June, a tew doors from the New- burgh Coffee-house and nearly opposite B. Case's tav- ern,"' and was the first in which shoes were kept ry the public's humble servant. J. CARTKR. Ncwburgh. July 2. 1799. • The north end of Smith street was quite a businew place at this time. It had a tavern, a pottery, a tobacconist, and a wagon-wnght. 44 CITY OF NEWBURGH. Mr. Carter's business has had regular succession on the original site — William M. Wiley, Enoch Carter, Carter & McCann, Alexander McCann, and the present occupant, John W. McCuUough. John Cooper was the first brewer of ales. He com- menced the business in 1804, in "Water street near Lawson & Donnelly's tan-yard." James Dunlap was the next; he erected the malt-house on Liberty street, corner of Washington. James Law was the associate of Mr. Dunlap for some time prior to 18 16, and became his successor during that year. James Beveridge was Mr. Law's associate in 1822. John Beveridge and John Forsyth were added to the firm in 1825, under the firm- name of Law, Beveridge & Co. On the death of Mr. Law the business was continued by his surviving part- ners and E. Ward Farrington, under the title of J. Beve- ridge & Co. Robert A. Forsyth, Thomas Beveridge and Jonas Williams succeeded the old firm ; the business is now conducted by the two last named gentlemen. The malt-house at the foot of Clinton street was occupied by Ledyard & DuBois in 1822, and constituted one of the three breweries of that time. John Howard started a brewery in the old whaling store-house about i860. He made a small fortune during the war of the rebellion, and abandoned the trade and returned to Eng-land. Others have been in the business, but without success. James Ren wick erected a distillery on the dock to which he gave his name (now Bigler's), sometime about 1790, and run it for several years. He laid out streets and founded a church from his profits. At Balmville the Butterworths subsequently had a distillery, and also made money by it. Benjamin Roe was the first saddle and harness maker ; he had his shop in the old Colden house at the head of the gore. William P. Dodge (1799) was the first who appeared by advertisement. Henry Tudor was his suc- cessor in 1802. Tudor claimed to be a descendant of the HISTORICAL SKETCH. 43 Tudors of England. By marryinj^ the daujjhlcr of Bcnj. Smith he obtained title to a considerable |jorti«jn ol the old villaj^t, l)iit nevertheless died poor. John I). Law son was the conteni[)orarv ol Dodj^e and Tudor; Robert Lawson, ( iSio), Benj. F. Buckingham. Lewis jemiings and John R. Wiltsie brought the trade down to the present generation. Mr. Wiltsie, it may be remarked, after a successful career in the trade, changed his voca- tion to that of banker and liroker. which business he now conducts in company with his son — the first and only establishment of the kind in the city. The first tanner was Phineas Howell; the first currier Peter Doimelly. The former had his shop on the north- west corner of Smith and Third streets. Prior to 1800 Levi Dodge had a tannery in North- Water street. In 1804 John D. Lawson and James Donnelly conducted (in partnershij)) the business ol tanners and curriers at the yard subsequently owned by David H. Barclay. The partnership was dissolved soon after, and .Mr. Donnelly established a new yard ; William NLithewson was his associate in 181 1, and James Wood in 1816. The latter sold to Jonathan Faulkner in t820; D(jnnellv \ Faulkner sold to vSamuel J. Farnuni and George Southwick about 1829; Southwick sold his half to Lewis Jennings in 1832. Mr. Jennings subsequently purchased Mr. Farnum's in- terest, and at a later period had Mr. McKinstry for his associate. The old buildings were torn down and the yard permanently discontinued in 1876. The original Lawson «Sc Donnelly yard was purchased by Saml. G. Sneden and David H. Barclay in the spring of 1824, and continued as a morocco factory. .Mr. Sneden died in 1836, and Mr. Barclay sold to James Dickey in 1870. Their predecessors in the trade were Enos Randol and Josiah Brackett, in [816. Very few of the ancient houses of Newburgh were painted ; that luxury could not be afforded by the inhab- itants generally, nor was it the fashion of the times. 46 CITY OF NEWBURGH. What painting was done was usually performed by car- penters, who also made the doors and sash and " set the glass." Painting and glazing, as a distinct branch of mechanical industry, was first conducted (1804) by Syl- vester Roe, who in 18 10, in company with Thos. Phillips, under the firm-name of Roe & Phillips, opened a store "on the corner of Second street, opposite to the ferry," where they carried on "the painting business in all its various branches," and kept for sale Rensselaer and Bristol Glass, and also oils and paints. Their old store is still standing on the corner, but is no longer " opposite to the ferry " in the sense that it was then. Phillips & Seymour were their successors in 18 16, and subsequently John D. Phillips; the shop of the latter was back on the river bank immediately adjoining the United States hotel, where it stood until about 1840, when it was eclipsed by the log cabin which was erected by the whig party. Phillips & Farrington were the successors, in 1 8 16, of Thomas Allen, who commenced business some years previously. Farrington & Lander (Daniel Farring- ton and Benjamin Lander) were their successors and the contemporaries of John D. Phillips ; their store and shop in 1830 was on the site of the present No, 10 Water street. Daniel Farrington continued the business after the death of Mr. Lander in 1839, ^"^ Ezra and Daniel Farrington, Jr., after the death of their father until 1875. Around these pioneer shops others sprang up, of which that of James S. Young was the first. George Clark was associated with him in 1841, under the title of Young & Clark. Mr. Clark withdrew and went to New York, and Mr. Young was succeeded by Orange Webster. Adam Lilburn, who learned the trade with J. D. Phillips, was contemporary with Young & Clark. He sold to E. T. Comstock, who subsequently had Levi L. Living- ston for his associate. Meanwhile C. M. Leonard and Ed. Post started a shop adjoining Comstock & Living- ston, on Front street. Peter Ward bought Mr. Post's HISTORICAL SKKTCH. 47 interest in i860, and established the hrm resent factorv on Lanrler street. The business of manufacturing fancy and family soaps was introfluced in 1852. bv llenrv B. Ames, who occu- pied a small basement in I'r<»nt street and made half a million pounds annuallv. In 1853. Mr. Jesse ( ).ikley became associated with him. and the concern was re- moved to Ann stieet. It was s(K)n found necess;iry to use more room, and the tirin purchased a site on Wash- ington street and erei ticl what now constitutes a part of the main building. Mr. Oakley became sole proprie- tor in 1855; but more recently has had for his associates John A. and R. B. Oaklev. so CITY OF NEWBURGH. The manufacture of cotton goods was introduced in the early part of the year 1844, when a stock company was formed for the purpose of erecting buildings and procuring machinery. The corporation was formally organized on the 5th of June — Hiram Bennett, president ; Homer Ramsdell, vice president; Daniel Farrington, treasurer, and Uriah Lockwood, secretary. The works (the Newburgh Steam Mills) were completed and the manufacture of cotton commenced in 1845. The estab- lishment, in 1859, ^^^^ running 17,000 spindles, pro- ducing uo,ooo yards of muslin weekly. The average since that time has been materially increased. A ma- jority of the stock is now held by Thomas Garner. While so much that relates to the mechanical indus- tries of the city has been preserved, the names of the carpenters and masons who built its ancient houses, and stores,. and churches, have very imperfect record. The more modern carpenters were John Forsyth, Oscar Marsh, William Marsh, and Thomas Shaw, prior to 1824. Sylvanus Loud, Aaron Dezendorf, William Hilton, and Andrew Little, represent later periods. Henry Veltman and Nathl. Gerard were the masons of 1824; the latter had succession in his son, Franklin Gerard, who was as- sociated with Samuel Halsey in 1835, ^i^d remained in the trade until 1875. John Little and John Hilton date from about 1835. The business of which Thomas Shaw was the founder in 1824, and which has been conducted in association with his sons, George W. and Charles B. Shaw, since 1850, was established in a small shop on Carpenter's dock. At a later period the red store-house was taken, and was removed with that building to a site on South-Water street, north of the iron-works. The building was burned in the fire of December, 1865, fol- lowing which the structure now occupied by the firm was erected. The manufacture of sash, doors, mold- ings, church furniture, etc., and also ship-joinery, have been added to the original business. HISTORICAL SKKTCM. 5 I Ship building was one of the earliest pursuits carried on to any considerable extent. Georjje Gardner had a ship-vard just north of First street, and built there the three sloo[)s which he sailed. Jason Roj^ers was a ship- builder as well as a store-keeper; his vard was between Fourth and Fifth streets. William Sevniour afterwarrls owned the yard and built a ship there called the Robert Burns, and also other vessels. Richard Hill had a ship- yard where the Jarvis building now stands. As nu-rcan- tile business increased the yards were crowded out ar)d only one remained, situated near the foot of \Vashinj:jton street. The next site selected was on the Ren wick dock, at the foot of Sinith-William street, where Aaron Norris carried on the business for several years and g^ave the name of" the ship-yard" to the locality. Walter Burlinj^, Daniel Bailey, William Holmes, and Samuel Wright, were among the earliest ship-carpenters. Mr. Wright was the father of the late William ii. Wright of the court of a[)peals. Robert Bovd was the first gunsmith in this section of country; he started his shop in 1775, just south of Quas- saick creek, and made guns for the army of the Revo- lution. In later years John Dotzert, Alexander AWight and Robert Sterling were in the business. The Dotzert shop is continued by the Sf)ns of its founder. As gun- powder goes with guns, it may be added that Asa Tay- lor was the founder of the works subsequently develop- ed by Daniel Rogers. DOCTORS AND LAWYERS. Professional men were not abundant, in the early days of the city's history. Ministers of the Gospel were, in most cases, the physicians of their parishes. Rev. Hezekiah Watkins (1747) and Rev. John Sayer (1769) were of this class. The latter is said to have been a skillful physician and an ardent king's man. and having been arrested for the latter, saved himself from imprisonment by the for- 52 -CITY OF NEWBURGH. mer. The regular physicians of 1776 were Isaac Brown, Robert Mon-ison, and Moses Higby. The latter was a decided character, and served the people long and faith- fully. It was he that administered the emetic to Daniel Taylor, the so-called spy, and thus obtained the silver bullet which he had swallowed. It was a mean thing to do, as from the contents of the bullet Taylor lost his life from the limb of an apple tree, in defiance of all the arti- cles of war. Jonathan and Phineas Hedges and Elias Winfield were somewhat prominent as early as 1795; Baltus L. Van Kleck came in about the commencement of the present century, and Doct. Gidney soon after. The latter built the Quassaick Bank building and lived there. He had the first grate and anthracite coal fire that was lighted in Newburgh, and it is said the first piano. Chichester Brown, James M. Gardiner, and Isaac Garrison were physicians of a later school and leaders in the profession ; they had contemporaries of course, and successors — of the latter many may be wiser men. Lawyers were a luxury and not a drug in the market in olden times. If the early villagers wanted law, they went to Vincent Matthews or George Clinton in New Windsor. The first located lawyer was Phineas Bow- man, a Massachusetts Yankee, who served faithfully in the army of the Revolution and after the peace remained here. Thomas Cooper, Solomon Sleight, and Jonathan Fisk were his contemporaries, the latter his especial com- petitor. Both held representative positions, the former in the legislature and the latter in congress. Benj. Smith, Jr., Jonas Story, Charles Baker, Benj. Anderson, William Ross, Walter Case, Jonathan Cooley, Samuel R. Betts, Aaron Belknap, David W. Bate, Samuel W. Eager, Peter F. Hunn, Thomas McKissock, John W. Brown, Theodore Fisk, B. H. Mace, James G. Clinton, Wm. C. Hasbrouck, A. C. MuUiner, John J. Monell, and Nathan Reeve came in succession from 1793 to 1840. The public recollection of many of them is yet green, HISTORICAL SKETCH. $3 while that ot others has gone down with the generations in which they lived, or is preserved only thnnij^h the medium of some contused traditionary story of their methods of practice at the bar. their prowess in the field of politics, or their wit in s«>( iai circle>. With the ex- ception of Walter Case and John W. Brown, none of them are now re|)resented in the profession hv their descendants. I'RINTING. The rtrst newspaper was (as already stated) the AVit'- hurf^li Packet; it was jirinted by Lucius Carey, in 1795. David Dennist«>n purchased it and changed its name to The Mirror. I'hilip \'an Horne was its printer in 1797. and Joseph W. Barber, in 1799. ^^^" f^l^hts of Man was started in the fall of 1799. by Dr. Elias Winheld. for whom it was printcti by Benoni \\. Howell. Dennis C(»les, Robert Ilinchman and Thomas Wilson continued it until 180$. The Mirror was purchased by Dennis Coles and its name chanji^ed to the Recorder of the Times in 1803. Ward M. Gazlav |)urchased in 1806, and chanj:,'ed the title to the Political Index; Chas. U. Cush- man purchased in 1829. and chanjjed the title to the Xe'cburi^h Telegraph. The Orant^e County Patriot and Spirit of Seventy-six was printed by Lewis iS: Crowell in 181 1, but did not last lonjj^. The Ncwburgh Gazette was established by John D. S|)al(liiii; in 1822; was continued by I'armenter «S; .Si)al(lin<;. John W. Knevels and others until 1861, when it was merged in the Telet^aph. The Xru'huri^h Journal \\:\s founded by Mr. .Sj)aldini; in 1833 or '34. The hrst daily newspaper- the Daily Xrws ~ was printed by E. W. Gray of the Gazette, in the fall of 1856: it took the name of the Xcwlnirgh Daily Tele seraph in i86r. The Nnvhurgh Daily Journal was founded by C. B. Martin in 1863. There have been other papers for short periods. The first steam printing press was intro- duced in the office f>f the Telegraph in 1853. The loca- 54 CITY OF NEWBURGH. tion of the first printing office has been given. Editor David Denniston was an infidel, and devoted no small share of his time to the consideration of the then prev- alent anti-religious theories of Paine. Ward M. Gazlay came to Newburgh from Goshen, and was one of the early Justices of the Peace. Jonathan Fisk was the writer of the leading articles in his paper. Benjamin F. Lewis, of the firm of Lewis & Crowell, was also the first regular bookseller and binder. SCHOOLS. The first school-master was Hezekiah Watkins, the parish minister in 1747, who opened the Glebe School under the Golden and Albertson charter of 1752. During the Revolution, John Nathan Hutchins was the school-teacher. He was a man of no little ability, and made the calculations for and was the founder of Hutch- ins' Family Almanac. The Academy was built in 1795- '6, by the trustees of the Glebe and was under their su- pervision until 1804, when a board of trustees was ap- pointed by general election to take charge of it. It became a part of the free school system in 1852. The '* High School," as it was called for many years, was incorporated in 1829, and constituted the common school for district No. 13. The Glebe school was continued from the date of its institution to that of the adoption of the free school system. Private schools were among the incomings of the present century. Cliosophic Hall was the first of any note. Rev. Jonathan Freeman and Silvenus Haight were its proprietors ; its place was subsequently the residence of Samuel Williams on Montgomery street, and the date of its opening 1801. Its advertisement (1802) is a reflex of Jonathan Freeman's positiveness : "In this Seminary shall be taught for one dollar and fifty cents a quarter, Spelling and Reading; For two dollars a quarter, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic; For two dollars and fifty cents, English, Grammar and Geography. For four dollars a quarter, Classics and Sciences." HISTORICAL SKETCH. 55 Miss Hcffcrnan was the successor of Mr. Friernan in 1804. I Icrfstahlisliincnt would seem to have bct-u under the guardianship of the trustees of the Acadenn ; at all events their names were a|)pended to her advertisement. The following were the prices of instruction : " I'lairx'>cwinjj, .inil the fin>l principlc» of the Knglish language, taught fur three ilollars a quarter. "The tine brant hci of needle work, reading, writing, arithmrii- I ....'. .k grammar, orthography, pronunciation, com|x»ilion, hettet Ultra, . and the tirst elements of xstronomy, drawing and painting, for iw quarter. " Hoarding provided at one and a half dollars per week the hoarden find- ing their own nedding and washing. So it seems they tried to make usclul as well as accom- plished ladies at the schools. John Gault had somethinjij of a private school in the Academv in 1802; he tauj^ht the English branches to "young ladies and gentlemen," and "declined the idea of teaching Latin or Cxreek." as there was a " Grammar School established in the .Acade- my." Robert Gardiner, in 1804, opened a school in part of his coffee-house — the low'er part having been rented to R. Havman — where for a time he received females only, for the reason among others that "modestv in many young women is a common preventative of going to school amongst boys;" but he learned better by ex- perience and mixed his pupils. The more modern pri- vate schools were those of Mr. .\lzamora and .Mr. I'hin- ney, and the female". school by the Misses Phillips on the corner now the site of the Savings Bank. The public schools of the citv are now maintained in edifices of modern construction and under modern rules ol instruction, embracing very ex|)ensive structures. verN limited school hours, and verv lengthv vac ations. Still it is wKit is now regarded as a splendid system and under the broadest rule of liberalitv. Not Ie«»s than a quarter of a million f)f dollars is invested in buildings and furniture, and the annual expenditure reaches about $65,000 in a population not over five thousand more numerous than when the annual expense did not exceed 56 CITY OF NEWBURGH. $10,000. This fact bears its own testimony to progress and attests the Hberahty of the public, CONCLUSION. From the data which has been given it requires but httle effort to repeople the cit}- with its ancient merchants, mechanics and professional men, and renew their ac- quaintance. Take the block from Third to Fourth street, and we may start with Howell's tavern ; then came Phineas June's ; then Wallace & Moore's store ; then Ebenezer B. Ayres' watch and clock store, and John D. Lawson's saddlery, and finally Robert Gardiner's coffee- house and store. From Third to Second were John McAuley's store ; Denniston & Abercrombie, Alexander Falls, John Brown, Joseph Hoffman, and Hoffman & Roe. Th€ recapitulation, however, must be left to the reader. We have simply passed over the field in com- piling our Centennial Directory, and trust that the facts which have been gathered by the way will not prove unacceptable.* * For more complete details and many matters which are necessarily omitted, reference may be made to the History of Newburgh now in course of revised publication. >:. ci -CI w C d ^c^ Cf'cC^: ci;ci ^---c ^ ^^"^ ^ 7 C_«C1„'-- c <:: cl cz ^a^<:z<^'^ c c: : c_ c_ :&& ^ c c: «c c c: < * " c< •"«. c • • . r « 1 ^ *■ -9^- ^K. c < ' * *" -^^ ^^K ^ r < < < ^t ^^r^ < < < < ^ ^^ ^C^ < c ^ ^^ <^C C *<*< <■ ^S **< c ^^ ^^E ►<< < "" * ^ ^^^ ^^s •5< < TTy <. ^t^ ^^ t$< < PTt c «^^. ^1 Cs< <^ K^'' ' ^t^ ^ Cr * *- ^^^^ c ^^^ ^ K< < < ^s-