Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 059 1974

Year Book Dutchess County Historical Society

1974

Mary Beatrice d'Este, the only daughter of Alfonso IV, Duke of Modena, was born October 5, 1658, at Modena, Italy. In 1673, she married James Stuart, Duke of York, upon whom his brother, King Charles II, had conferred rights of Proprietor of the Province of New York. She was Dutchess of York for twelve years and for three years Queen of England. When the Protestant revolution overthrew the Stuarts, James II and Mary fled to France. She died at St. Germains, May 7, 1718.

The Colonial Laws of New York, Volume 1, pages 121-122, "AN ACT to divide this province and dependencies into shires and Countyes." Passed November 1, 1683: "The Dutchess's County to bee from the bounds of the County of Westchester, on the South side of the High-lands, along the East side of Hudsons River as farre as Roelof Jansens Creeke, & East-ward into the woods twenty miles."

Portrait by William Wissing, National Gallery, London.

L. Gordon Hamersley, Jr., Editor The Year Book is published after the end of the year and includes reports of the activities of the society during the year. Copies are mailed to those members whose dues are paid for the current year. Address: The Dutchess County Historical Society, Box 88, Poughkeepsie, New York.

Copyright 1975 by the Dutchess County Historical Society

DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS — MEMBERSHIP — DUES

MEETINGS: At least two meetings of the Society are held each year, the annual meeting in the spring and a meeting and pilgrimage in the fall. Other meetings and social gatherings are arranged from time to time.

MEMBERSHIP: Anyone with an interest in history is welcome as a member. Membership in the Society may be obtained by making application to the Secretary, Box 88, Poughkeepsie, New York.

Upon the payment of dues, members are elected by the Trustees or at a meeting of the Society.

DUES: Annual dues, $4.00; Joint membership (husband and wife), $6.00; Life membership, $75.00. Annual dues are payable on January 1st. of each year. These payments carry with them the right to vote, to hold office, and to take part in the proceedings of the Society.

YEAR BOOK: Upon the payment of dues at time of election, a new member will be mailed a copy of the last published Year Book. Year Books are mailed only to those members whose dues are paid to date. One copy is mailed to a joint membership.

DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Incorporated under the laws of the State of New York December 21, 1918 Certificate of Incorporation filed in the office of the Clerk of Dutchess County Book 10 of Corporations page 153

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OCCASIONAL PUBLICATIONS of the DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

1916-PAMPHLET, TfLoutbeck, A Dutche44 County Homeztead; by Charles E. Benton. Out of print.

1924-COLLECTIONS, VOL. I; Poughkeepsie, The 0Aigin and Meaning o4 the WoiLd; by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.

(Price $5.00) 1924-COLLECTIONS, VOL. II; 0,Ed Gkaveztonez o4 Dutchezz County, New YoAk; collected and edited by J. Wilson Poucher, M.D., and Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. (Price $20.00).

Out of print.

1928-COLLECTIONS, VOL. III: RecoAd4 o4 the Town o4 Hyde PaAk, Dutche44 County, New Ybkk; edited by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Edition exhausted.

1930-COLLECTIONS, VOL. IV; Notice4 o4 MatAiage4 and Deathz

in NewzpapeA.6 piLinted at Poughkeepzie, N.Y., 1778-1825; compiled and edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.

(Price $5.00) 1932-COLLECTIONS, VOL. V; Recondz o4 the Re4mmed Dutch

ChuAch o4 New Hackenzack, Dutche44 County, New Yonk; edited by Maria Bockee Carpenter Tower. Edition exhausted.

1938-COLLECTIONS VOL. VI: Eighteenth Centuity RecoAd4 o4 the

poiLtion o4 Dutche64 County, New YoAk that wa4 inctuded in Rombout Pnecinct and the oniginal Town o4 Fizhkitt.

Collected by William Willis Reese. Edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. Edition exhausted.

1940-COLLECTIONS, VOL. VII: RecoAds o4 Ckum Etbow P/Lecinct, Dutchez6 County. Edited by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

(Price $10.00) 1958-COLLECTIONS, VOL. VIII; Famity Vizta, the MemoiA4 o4 Mangaket ChanZen Atclit_ich. (Price 50 ) 1967-PAMPHLET, illustrated, VOL. IX: The Gtebe Hot-e, Poughkeepsie, New Ymk, 1767. Edited by a committee of the Junior League of Poughkeepsie, (Price 50 ) Hi6to/Licat Society YeaA Boobs, VOL. 1 through VOL. 56 (Price $2.00) VOL. 57 (Price $4.00)

Dutchess County Historical Society Mrs. Albert E. Powers, Curator c/o Adriance Memorial Library Poughkeepsie, New York 12601

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CONTENTS 5

Secretary's Minutes Treasurer's Report

14

President's Report

17

Glehle House Report

20

Curator's Report

22

In Brief

23

A Recommendation and an Appreciation, Fnank V. MyZod. .

25

A Local History Center in Dutchess County, JeZ,Se EWton

26

The Seed is Planted in American Soil, Robe/Et PieAce . .

30

A Feeling for the Land, BalLbana Thompson

39

The Old Railroads of Dutchess County, Paul T. Phittipz.

41

The Hucklebush Line, Keith MacPhait

64

Julia Dean, Cti6Wt.d M. Buck

73

On Finding a Folk Art Treasure, Sue Whitman

76

Excavation of the Van Wyck Homestead, A Preliminary Report, Juttiette J. CaAtwnight.

.

The Poughkeepsie Tower Clock, Michael D. Gotdon The Mystery of Old Maps, BaAbaita Thompzon . .

84 86

. . , .

88

1974 Annual Pilgrimage

91

Rhinebeck Area Historic Survey, RichaAd Citowtey

99

Historical Societies in the Towns of Dutchess County. .

106

Appointed Historians of Dutchess County

108

The Society cannot be /7..e4pon4ibte 60t. ztatementz made by contkibuton4, atthough an e44o/Lt iz made licit hiztonicaZ accuacy in the pubtication.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES President Vice President at Large Secretary Treasurer Curator Editor

Herbert S. Roig John M. Jenner Mrs. Robert Hoe, Jr Peter Van Kleeck Mrs. Albert E. Powers L. Gordon Hamersley, Jr Terms ending 1974 Mrs. Lawrence M. McGinnis Robert B. Breed Franklin A. Butts H. Wilson Guernsey

Terms ending 1976 Mrs. Kenneth R. Briggs Radford Curdy John V. Kane Charles N. de la Vergne

Terms ending 1975 Ralph E. Van Kleeck Mrs. Albert E. Powers Roscoe A. Balch, Ph.D. Mrs. David N. Sanford

Terms ending 1977 Clifford M. Buck Arthur Kelley Mrs. John C. Smith Lewis F. Winne

VICE PRESIDENTS REPRESENTING TOWNS AND CITIES Mrs. Catherine F. Leigh Mrs. Irving Picard Mrs. F. Philip Hoag Miss Helena Van Vliet Thomas Boyce Mrs. Charles Boos Felix Scardapane Mrs. Paul Courtney Miss Hazel Skidmore Mrs. Henry B. Thompson Walter W. Davis Mrs. Howard Smith Mrs. William B. Jordon Mrs. Calvin Case Charles G. Spross Frank V. Mylod Stanley Willig Mrs. Donald E. Norton DeWitt Gurnell Mrs. John Geisler Mrs. Roland F. Bogle Miss Louise H. Tompkins

Town City Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town Town City Town Town Town Town Town Town

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of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of of

Amenia Beacon Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie Stanford Red Hook Rhinebeck Union Vale Wappinger Washington

SUMMARY OF 1974 MINUTES

January 15, 1974 Minutes The trustees met at Glebe House at 4 p.m. In the absence of the Secretary, Mrs. Robert Hoe, Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis acted as Secretary.

The Resolution drawn up jointly by members of the Junior League and the Dutchess County Historical Society was read by President Roig. It was unanimously approved. The Resolution has to do with the operation of Glebe House, the fact that it is funded jointly by the Junior League and the Dutchess County Historical Society, and that its operation shall be run by the Glebe House Committee.

A preliminary report has been received from Temple University outlining the work done at the Fishkill Archeological Dig during 1972.

The Annual Meeting has been tentatively scheduled for late April.

The Pilgrimage to Stanford will take place in early June with Mr. Franklin Butts as chairman working with the Stanfordville Society.

Mr. John Jenner expects the auction for Glebe House to take place in early February, whenever Mr. Calvin Smith, the auctioneer, is available.

Mrs. Wilhemina Powers reported that she has been investigating several different publishing houses over the past 2 years for reasonable estimates for reprinting the Society's books, which are now out of print. Before proceeding further, it was suggested that the dates of our copyrights be checked.

February 19, 1974 Minutes The Trustees met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

President Roig asked about the progress with regard to the various copyrights of books. Mr. John Jenner said he must contact the Library of Congress and check with the Surrogate of the Court to find out the heirs of said copyrights. He will confer with Mrs. Powers, Curator, and Gordon Hamersley to proceed.

It was moved to pay our dues to the Hudson River Valley Association.

President Roig stated that the Glebe House Committee will send a copy of their minutes each month which will be attached to our monthly minutes. The Resolution drawn up between the Junior League and the Dutchess County Historical Society is also made a part of our minutes, together with a letter from Edward V. Cunningham, lawyer, accepting such Resolution.

Mr. Ralph VanKleeck said that teachers are available to teach spinning to a small group of interested people. Such people will be canvassed through the Junior League and the D.C. Historical Society.

President Roig read a letter of resignation from Wynne Mund. The resignation was accepted with regret and the Secretary will write and thank her for her past service.

There was some discussion about the proposed cultural center. Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis feels that our documents and artifacts should be displayed where they are most accessible.

Mr. Roig said that we have committed ourselves to use the cultural center, which is presently the Old Men's Home, for our displays.

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Mr. John Jenner reported on the results of the auction held on January 26. A copy of the report is made a part of the minutes. There was a net amount of $1,182.40 from the auction, but some items donated were not sold but kept by the Historical Society, and also some pledges not yet collected, wnich should bring the grand total to over $3,000. Mr. Roig said that items which are not to be used in Glebe House should be sold to obtain cash to replace or purchase items for Glebe House, since this was the policy decided upon.

Mr. Roscoe Balch reported that Mr. Joseph Norton had been asked to be the speaker for the Annual meeting.

Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis asked if we would be responsible for having a curator in the cultural center. President Roig said that there would be a curator, and that perhaps a curator might be shared with other occupants of the cultural center.

Mr. Franklin Butts read a sample letter which will go out to the members about the spring Pilgrimage to Stanford, the date having been set for June 15, 1974. It will include an invitation for new members.

March 12, 1974 Minutes The Trustees met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

President Roig reported that an 1876 Atlas had been given the Society by Mrs. Genevieve Caven Traver and her sister. He will personally acknowledge and thank them both.

Also, letters of thanks had been sent to all who donated articles and money to the auction.

President Roig read a letter from the corresponding secretary of the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands. The gist of the letter was that they issue a quarterly and are interested in exchanging publications with us. The secretary will write and accept with pleasure the exchange. Mr. Hamersly will send them a current Yearbook and add them to our mailing list. It was suggested that our Secretary write the Ulster County Society and the Putnam County Society with the same suggestion for exchange of publications.

Mrs. Wilhemina Powers showed the Trustees some commemorative plates issued by different chapters of the DAR, and also another organization, with the idea that this might be a possible project for our Society for the Bicentennial. Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis was asked to make some inquiries.

Mr. Walter Averill announced the Annual meeting would be held on May 4, 1974.

President Roig suggested buying a 1776 flag to fly in front of Glebe House instead of the 50-star flag there now, to commemorate the Bicentennial. There could be a special flag-raising ceremony.

The motion was duly passed that a 1776 flag be purchased.

Mr. Roig said that with the Bicentennial celebration in mind that the Glebe House Committee, the Historical Society and the Poughkeepsie Garden Club are all anxious to have Glebe House looking its best, that it was important to beautify the outside as well as the inside. He plans to present this idea to the Glebe House Committee who would contact the Garden Club as help is needed.

Mr. Roig appointed Mr. Ralph VanKleeck as chairman of this year's nominating committee. Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis, Mrs. John Smith and Mr. Clifford Buck will be other members of the committee.

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April 9, 1974 Minutes The trustees met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

Mrs. John Smith felt a letter should be sent to the Westchester County Historical Society similar to the ones already sent to nearby Societies asking for an exchange of publications. The secretary will do so.

Pres. Roig reported that Mrs. Arthur Wollenhaupt was a new member of the Society as approved.

Mr. Franklin Butts reported that plans for the June 15 pilgrimage had been finalized and a flyer would go out the middle of May. Mr. Roig reported the Annual Meeting will be held on May 4, 12:30 p.m., at Holiday inn, Sharon Drive, luncheon to cost $4.25.

Mr. Walter Averill reported that there would be a meeting of the State Bicentennial Commission on May 11 at Camelot Inn, with representatives from 8 Counties attending, about 150 people.

Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis reported that she had been in contact with Mrs. Henry Bollinger about our issuing a commemorative plate, since Mrsb Bollinger had been in charge of a similar project for the DAR. Mrs. McGinnis has written the two companies that Mrs. Bollinger had suggested and will continue to try to contact others.

Mr. Hamersley stated that he is hoping to get the Yearbook out in the next 8 weeks. The Secretary is to furnish him with a list of the officers and trustees, all the 1973 minutes and a list of the Town Vice-Presidents.

Mr. Ralph VanKleeck stated that there had been a dinner for the City officials recently at Glebe House which had been very successful.

The Secretary was asked to contact Mr. Peter VanKleeck to be sure the mailing list is up-to-date for the Annual Meeting mailing.

May 4, 1974 Minutes

Annual Meeting

Annual meeting of the Dutchess County Historical Society was held on May 4, 1974, at 12:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn, Sharon Drive. Luncheon was served prior to the meeting. Approximately 80 members were present.

The meeting was called to order by President Roig. Mrs. John C. Smith reported that the Society plans to issue commemorative plates beginning with a plate depicting Glebe House as a souvenir of the Bicentennial. She is working with Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis on this project.

President Roig reported that the auction that was held did not raise as much money as had been hoped for, for the purpose of refurnishing Glebe House for the Bicentennial celebration. He said he would like to increase the membership in the Society, that the membership dues structure is still the same. A life membership for husband and wife is $100.

He further reported that there will be a flag-raising ceremony at Glebe House next week, that the 1776 flag will fly 24 hours a day and be lighted continually. The Poughkeepsie Garden Club will be working on the garden at Glebe House to have it in fine shape for the Bicentennial.

Mr. Peter VanKleeck's treasurer's report emphasized the tremendous increase in printing costs for the Yearbook. Also, we will pay approximately $720 to the Internal Revenue Ser7

vice, and he recommended that we investigate every possible means of restructuring to avoid these taxes. The Dutchess County Arts Council allows us to use their postal permit which saves us on sending out our bills and mailing the Yearbook. He reported a total membership in the Society of 541 persons. He paid tribute to Miss Amy VerNooy, who passed away in 1973 and had been a member since 1920.

Mr. John Jenner reported on the auction held by the Society the end of January to help pay for the Chlanda collection which had been purchased and also to raise money to continue to refurbish Glebe House. To date the net proceeds are over $2,000, with some things still unsold, which should bring the total to $3,000. He thanked everyone for their contributions of cash and donated items.

Mr. Jenner announced that Mrs. Margaret Partridge is chairman of a furnishing committee of 10 for the decorating of Glebe House. One or two members of the committee will be responsible for each room, will submit proposed decorating plans with a proposed budget for each room to be approved by the whole committee.

Mr. Gordon Hamersley stated that he would like to close the 1973 Yearbook this month, and that it will be a smaller Yearbook than last year. He spoke of the tremendous increase in printing costs.

Mr. Walter Averill announced the meeting on May 11 of the New York State Revolutionary Bicentennial Commission, which will be attended by representatives from 11 counties, and will be held at the Camelot Inn in Poughkeepsie. He invited anyone present who would like to attend to see him after the meeting.

Mr. Franklin Butts announced the annual Pilgrimage will be held on June 15, and that the members will be notified with a "flyer" in 2 or 3 weeks. It will be in the town of Stanford.

Mrs. Irving Picard spoke for a few minutes about the Madam Brett Homestead. She said it had been built in 1709, and had been continuously lived in until 1954 when the DAR had bought it for preservation. She said that the entire maintenance is taken care of by the DAR, but that needed repairs and costs necessitated their appealing to interested friends from time to time for financial aid. She asked for donations. The DAR has a charter from New York State to operate it as a museum, and hence, is not subject to taxation.

Mr. Ralph VanKleeck reported for the nominating committee. He said the officers are elected every other year, and that 16 board members rotate and serve 4-year terms.

Those whose terms are completed and are going off the board are: Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis Mr. Robert Breed Mr. H. Wilson Guernsey Mr. Franklin A. Butts Those who have resigned and not completed their terms: Mrs. Peter Mund Mr. Edmund VanWyck Proposed to serve 4-year terms: Mrs. John Losee Mrs. Fred C. Daniels Mr. George Bookman Rev. Herman Harmelink, III 8

Proposed to complete the term of Mrs. Peter Mund for 2 years: Mr. Ranford Curdy Proposed to complete the term of Mr. Edmund VanWyck for I year: Mrs. David N. Sanford Proposed for Vice-President of the town of Milan: Mrs. Henry B. Thompson Proposed for Vice-President of the town of Pawling: Mrs. Howard Smith The proposed nominations were accepted as read by the membership vote. Mr. VanKleeck thanked his nominating committee of Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis, Mrs. John C. Smith, and Mr. Clifford Buck.

Mr. Roscoe Balch introduced the speaker, Mr. Joseph Norton, who is a colleague of his at Marist College. His topic for the afternoon had to do with the distribution of wealth in the County prior to the Revolutionary War. For this he had researched all the available old tax records of Dutchess County.

May 21, 1974 Minutes The Trustees met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

The new Trustees were introduced to the board, and a discussion followed about the fact that Town Vice-Presidents are not invited to the monthly meetings and hence, are not knowledgeable about what the Board is doing. It was decided that they should receive notices of the monthly meetings.

Mr. Franklin Butts discussed the proposed route of travel of the buses for the Pilgrimage on June 15. The trip will include, besides Stanford, going through Bangall, Amenia, visiting Federal Square, by Hunn's Lake, Stissing and Lafayette. For members the charge is $2, and it is hoped that some people may join the Society for $4 so that they may go on the Pilgrimage.

Mrs. John Losee, a new Trustee, and previously VicePresident of the town of Milan, told of her work in connection with being assistant historian of Milan. She said she felt that many Vice-Presidents might not know their responsibilities toward the Society. Hence, Mr. George Bookman will write a letter to each town Vice-President to go out with the notice of the June board meeting explaining the role of town Vice-Presidents.

The flag-raising ceremony at Glebe House will take place the morning of the Pilgrimage. The buses will come to Glebe House before proceeding to Stanford.

Mrs. John C. Smith said that she and Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis are awaiting 2 samples of plates being considered for our commemorative plate. Mr. John Jenner felt that we should notify the various bicentennial committees of our plan to issue a plate so that there will not be duplication. President Roig asked Rev. Harmelink and Mr. Franklin Butts to also serve on the commemorative plate committee. It is hoped that plans for the plate can be finalized at the June meeting.

June 12, 1974 Minutes The Trustees and Town Vice-Presidents met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

Mr. Peter VanKleeck reported two new members who were approved, and said our accountant is preparing our tax report.

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President Roig read a letter from the Fishkill Historical Society asking for our support in researching the area immediately adjacent to the Van Wyck Homestead. They are trying to raise $15,000 and currently have $4,000. A motion was passed that we give them $1,000 for this project.

Permission was given to Mr. George Bookman to reprint an article of his and his wife's which had previously appeared in our Yearbook.

President Roig mentioned an inquiry he had had from someone interested in having a yearbook of reprints of revolutionary articles from various historical journals. Mr. Gordon Hamersley will investigate the possibility of reprinting such articles in a special periodical.

Mr. Hubert Spross suggested the possibility that we might interest students studying history locally in doing research on various historical subjects, and that perhaps a prize might be offered. Or, their articles could be printed in our Yearbook. There was interest in such an idea and President Roig appointed a committee of Mrs. John C. Smith, Mr. Radford Curdy, Mr. Hubert Spross, Mr. Felix Scardapane and Mr. Roscoe Balch to pursue the matter further.

Mrs. John C. Smith discussed the design of the commemorative plates to be issued. She said the committee was trying to decide upon a motif for them, which could be used on any of the series. She suggested having the original patentee seals of Dutchess County on the border of each plate issued. The motion was passed that these patentee seals be used as the motif of the border of each plate. The first plate will have a picture of Glebe House in the center.

President Roig said that 90 people have signed up for the Pilgrimage. The buses hired will be more expensive than last year.

September 17, 1974 Minutes President Roig asked Mrs. John C. Smith to report on the progress of the commemorative plate project. She presented the following recommendations for the Board to consider: 1. That we order 18 dozen plates in Delft Blue of the Glebe House cut with original patentees' coats of arms and a gold rim border.

2. That a brochure be developed to go with plate giving a brief history of Glebe House and the Patentees.

3. That the price be set to realize a modest profit.

A motion was passed that we eliminate considering Wedgewood and Gorham companies since their plates were too expensive.

A motion was passed that the committee be authorized to purchase plates of a number not to exceed 24 dozen and not to exceed a cost of $2.50 each.

Mr. Ralph VanKleeck reported on the Glebe House Committee, that a letter was going out to all Historical Society members announcing that a committee is planning to issue a cookbook featuring recipes used during the revolutionary times. He told the group that various craft classes are being held at Glebe House for children. The annual Open House will be on Sunday, December 8. He also said that a letter had gone out to various groups and people informing them that Glebe House can be rented for various meetings or functions.

Mr. John Jenner said that the Furnishing Committee for 10

Glebe House is working on the Master plan for refurnishing Glebe House and that the report will be ready very soon. It will show the proposed plans for each room and list the items needed with the estimate of the cost of purchase. The report will be available to those interested.

Mr. Hubert Spross will look into the possibility of having a spring boat trip on the Hudson for the members instead of a Pilgimage.

Mr. Stanley Willig asked if there was a clearing house for dates for the Bicentennial to avoid possible conflicting celebrations or events in the various surrounding towns.

Mr. John Jenner stated that Mr. Jack Littman is County Chairman for the Bicentennial, and that the county committee would appreciate having the names of all town chairmen so that they could be informed of county-wide celebrations.

October 8, 1974 Minutes The Trustees and Town Vice-Presidents met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

Reverend Harmelink suggested that with regard to dates for various town Bicentennial celebrations that the dates should be put on the community calendar which is kept by the Voluntary Action Center (phone 452-5600) to avoid too many conflicts.

Mr. Peter VanKleeck stated that the Savings Bank is no longer able to furnish us with our address labels for our mailings which they have done for a number of years. Mr. Ralph VanKleeck suggested that perhaps Marist College might be able to do this, since they have a similar machine there.

He left the meeting to call Mr. Linus Foy at Marist who agreed to do this for us. A motion was passed that the secretary send a letter of thanks to Mr. Thomas Norton of the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank for their many years of help.

Mr. Hubert Spross reported about the possibility of offering a boat ride on the Hudson River to the members next May or June in lieu of a pilgrimage. He said we should make a decision before January. President Roig asked Mr. Spross if he could put on a program of slides of the Hudson River for the members in early December, to run about an hour.

Mr. Spross will see if this is possible. A motion was made that a committee of Mr. Franklin Butts, Mr. Stanley Willig, and Mr. Spross be authorized to investigate the details of having a spring boat trip for the members.

Mr. Felix Scardapane asked about the progress of the committee appointed to investigate various research projects which local college students might undertake under the auspices of the Society. It seems he is involved presently in a similar undertaking by another organization. Since our committee had no definite plans as yet, it was felt that Mr. Scardapane and his other commitment might proceed with their plans and then our committee would wait before making their plans.

Mrs. Wilhemina Powers told the Trustees that the library now has a burglar alarm system. Mr. Ralph VanKleeck will call our insurance agent to see if our premiums might be reduced now that the library does have an alarm system.

President Roig read a letter of thanks from the Fishkill Historical Society thanking us for our gift of $1,000. He also read a letter from Miss Hazel Skidmore, who resigned as Vice-President for the town of LaGrange. The board decided to wait to take action on this until the next meeting.

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November 12, 1974 Minutes The Trustees and Town Vice-Presidents met at Glebe House at 4 p.m. Since there was a children's craft class in progress, Mrs. Dennis Arnold brought us up-to-date on current activities at Glebe House. She was dressed in attire suitable to the Glebe House period.

President Roig presented a bill for $110 due the Library of Congress for printing 10 sets of the complete plans of Glebe House and 2 sets of pictures taken of Glebe House before World War I. The bill was approved for payment.

Rev. Harmelink reported on the commemorative plate project. He said two companies are currently being considered.

He said that the color of blue of one of the companies was not the shade that they would like. Upon discussion the board did not object to the shade of blue. The committee is waiting for a response from the other company before making a final decision.

President Roig said that a December meeting is planned at which Mr. Hubert Spross will show some of his slides of the Hudson River. He said that a 35 mm projector is being sought as Mr. William Schrailth has some old moving pictures of Main Street which it is hoped will be included in the program.

Mr. Gordon Hamersley reported that the Yearbook will be ready in early December. He is hoping to effect some savings by using a different method of printing. He will proceed to investigate the possibility of issuing a special publication of various articles appropriate to the Bicentennial.

Mr. Clifford Buck is working on finding someone who would be representative of the Town of LaGrange, since Miss Hazel Skidmore has resigned. He will report at the next meeting.

Mr. Roscoe Balch reported that Mr. Jesse Effron of the Three Arts is taking a course in Albany and is making a survey of where all the archival materials are. Mrs. Wilhemina Powers has categorized all that we have at Adriance Library and has turned a copy of it over to Mr. Effron.

President Roig said that the final report of the furnishing committee of Glebe House is being drafted and will be ready soon. He said that actually the largest work will be the installation of better lighting in keeping with the period.

He expects to have the final report for the December meeting.

December 10, 1974 Minutes The Trustees and Town Vice-Presidents met at Glebe House at 4 p.m.

Mr. Hubert Spross reported that the projected meeting of the Society plans for December and showing slides of the Hudson River had been postponed until January. He said he would ask Mr. John Mylod, who has written a book on the Hudson River, to do the commentary. Mr. Spross mentioned the special problems involved in trying to show an old movie such as is in the possession of Mr. William Schrauth. The board felt we should not try to make this old movie part of the program.

The board decided that January 15 would be a good night for the meeting, with January 22 as the alternate date. The MidHudson Library Auditorium can hopefully be secured in which to hold the meeting.

Mr. Clifford Buck announced that Mrs. E. Stuart Hubbard, Jr. will succeed Miss Hazel Skidmore as Vice-President from 12

the town of LaGrange. The board moved her acceptance, and the secretary will so inform her, as well as write a letter of thanks to Miss Hazel Skidmore for her past service.

Mr. Stanley Willig discussed with the board various projects which his town of Stanford might undertake for the Bicentennial. He said that restoring the old charcoal pits in the area had been suggested to show how a major source of fuel was made. There was much interest in this project by the board. Mrs. Howard Smith of Pawling said that they are enlarging their civic planting in a color scheme of red, white and blue for the Bicentennial.

Mr. John Jenner said that presently there is a display in the window of the Hudson Valley Savings of the blueprints of Glebe House and various artifacts.

The Open House at Glebe House had been held for 2 days instead of the original plan of 1 day, and had been well attended both days.

Mr. John Jenner summarized the Glebe House furnishing committee report. He said that the total estimated cost of completing the refurbishing job is about $12,000 and that about $3500 of this amount could be generated by selling some furnishings which we now have which are not to be used.

Mr. Hubert Spross suggested that perhaps a brochure could be distributed at the January meeting to see if anyone had any of the things which we need. Mr. Walter Averill made a motion that we approve the report of the Glebe House Committee and that we authorize the expenditure of $3,000 for the purchase of items with top priority, and that we be informed as soon as possible about the possibility of getting any loans of furniture from museums. The motion passed. It was decided that a further allocation of funds would be contingent upon a review of the Historical Society budget.

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ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT FOR 1974 $

Balance - December 31, 1973 (Checking Account) Receipts Dues Wells Fund Transfer Adams Fund Transfer Pilgrimage

328.72

$ 2,508.00 2,088.30 1,753.76 233.25 6,583.31

6,583.31 $6,912.03

Disbursements Glebe House Maintenance Glebe House - Purchase Furniture Yearbook Postage Fees Box Rents Dues Office Supplies Meetings & Pilgrimage Donations Internal Revenue Accounting Petty Cash Bookbinding Miscellaneous

1,600.00 10.90 1,329.99 74.95 600.00 27.96 89.00 69.00 627.99 1,075.00 369.85 400.00 10.00 45.00 119.94 6,449.58

6,449.58

$

Balance - December 31, 1974

14

462.45

GENERAL FUND $ 2,362.77

Balance - December 31, 1973 (Savings Account) Receipts Interest Transfer from checking account

$ 137.19 1,500.00 1,637.19

1,637.19 3,999.96

Disbursements Transfer to checking account ...

1,500.00

1,500.00

$ 2,499.96

Balance - December 31, 1974

HELEN WILKINSON REYNOLDS FUND (Publications) $17,203.64

Balance - December 31, 1973 (Savings Accounts) Receipts Interest Sale of Publications

$1,056.64 472.35 1,528.99

1,528.99 $18,732.75

Balance - December 31, 1974

15

WILLIAM PLATT ADAMS FUND (Interest for Glebe House Support) Balance - December 31, 1973 (Bonds at Investment Value)

$ 25,022.18

Receipts Interest

$1,753.76

1,753.76 26,775.94

Disbursements Transfer to checking account

1,753.76

Balance - December 31, 1974

1,753.76

$ 25,022.18

WELLS FUND (General Purposes) Balance - December 31, 1973 (Bonds, stocks at investment value, savings account) Receipts Interest and Dividends Auction and Donations

$106,469.37

$7,310.67 1,252.40 8,563.07

8,563.07 115,032.44

Disbursements Transfer to checking account

Balance - December 31, 1974

2,088.30

2,088.30

$112,944.14

16

PRESIDENT'S REPORT The 1974-75 year was a time of much work accomplished by the Society. The Board meetings and special meetings were exceptionally well attended by the people involved, with many ideas considered, argued and acted upon.

Mr. Franklin Butts of the Historical Society and Mrs. Emily Stout, President of the Stanford Society, organized and ran the special pilgrimage to the Stanford area in June.

Over ninety people attended the program, and it was enjoyed by all. A footnote to be noted is that at Stanford a total of three railroads junctioned there. Prior to the start of the pilgrimage there was a flag raising ceremony at Glebe House in which the Bennington Battle Flag was raised and has been flown day and night since. This is done to indicate the start of the observance of the Bicentennial celebrations.

The May meeting of the State Bicentennial Committee was held in Poughkeepsie with over 150 people attending from eleven counties. This meeting and program was arranged by Mr. Walter Averill. During the same month a tour of the historical homes in LaGrange was enjoyed by many.

Mrs. Lawrence McGinnis and Mrs. John Smith chaired the plate committee for the Historical Society and their project will consist of a series of commemorative plates that will be issued by the Historical Society as part of our Bicentennial program and fund raising for the refurbishing of the Glebe House. The details of this program were presented at our annual meeting at the Holiday Inn, and were well received by the general membership. At that time, Mr. John Jenner reported to the membership that our auction of antiques to help defray the purchase of the Chalanda Collection of antiques was only partially successful and the finance problem will remain until we can raise more money from gifts, donations or the sale of duplicates in our possession. The Board asks all of you for your help in making us successful in the complete refurbishing of the Glebe House by the end of 1976.

It is to be noted that we have raised the dues for the 1975-76 year moderately, but this increase will probably be eaten up by the additional printing costs of our yearbook. As the parent society for the county, we have endeavered at all times to assist and help the town societies; notably, our financial support to the Fishkill Digs, which has been well recorded and reported to our Society by Mr. Felix Scardapane.

At our annual meeting, Mr. Roscoe Balch introduced the speaker, Mr. Joseph Norton, a colleague of his at Marist College who conducts a seminar on Dutchess County history. His topic for the afternoon was what the county was like before the Revolution and how the wealth was distributed. Mr. Norton told the group that he had researched all of the available old tax records of Dutchess County. He said that in 1720 there were 151 taxpayers. In that year the upper 17 percent of the population controlled 21 percent of the wealth, so that there was a fairly good distribution of wealth. Then, in 1770, on the eve of the Revolution, there were 3446 taxpayers and the top 17 percent of the population controlled 45 percent of the wealth. Twenty-three percent of the population in that year held 53 percent of the wealth with the community being heavily oriented toward commercial enterprises. He told of the difficulty in researching the Loyalists who left the county after the Revolution, since it is difficult to find records of losers.

17

He described the "new" elite who took over after the departure of many of the upper class who had sided with England in the war. There was a very interesting question and answer period after the talk.

Mrs. Margaret Partridge has been the chairman of the committee of ten to furnish and repair the Glebe House. This committee has delivered a room by room plan which has been presented to the Board, approved and certain funds allocated for its implementation. The committee should be well applauded for their thoughts and actual physical contribution to the work accomplished.

Mr. Gordon Hamersly, our editor, has been appointed committee chairman for the feasibility of gathering and reprinting our past yearbooks, all the articles on the Revolutionary War, and if feasible these proceeds also will go to help our financial picture at Glebe House. Mr. Hubert C. Spross and the Rev. Harmelink were appointed committee chairmen to interest area students studying history in the local institutions to do research on various historical subjects. This was to create interest in local history with the idea of giving awards to the best articles in different age groups. A sub-committee from the Glebe House committee is compiling and will publish a cookbook with the income to assist the Glebe House Committee in its particular programs for the House.

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Van Kleeck are the liaisons between the Historical Society and the Glebe House committee. The Historical Society now possess ten complete sets of plans for the Glebe House reprinted from the Library of Congress.

These may be purchased from the Society for $25.00. We are able to obtain more copies as time goes by on the basis of a two-month time limit. These plans include all elevations, floor layouts and detail sheets. These, along with various antiques from the Glebe House, were displayed in the window of the Hudson Valley Savings Bank on Mail Mall in Poughkeepsie prior to Christmas this past year. This showing created much needed interest in the Society by the people in the street, and several new members can be attributed to this small effort. From the Van Kleeck family the Dutchess County Historical Society now possesses on loan an original De Reimer chair and the portrait of Elsey DeReimer, one of the original occupants of the Glebe House.

During the year, Mr. Curdy brought some old documents which were for sale. One was a book listing the city poor and there were six account books of a slooping company.

These documents were purchased by the Society. There has been some discussion of our selling some of our extra copies of various documents in order to purchase other old documents as they become available. Rev. Harmelink suggested that a committee of acquisition and disposition be formed appointed by the President. This has been done and I have appointed Mr. Buck, Mrs. Losee, Mr. Curdy and Mrs. Smith, with Mrs. Powers ex officio and to vote in case of a tie.

The complete Board of Directors' minutes of all meetings will no longer be included in the yearbook, but will be available at the Adriance Memorial Library properly bound so that they may be perused by anyone interested in them.

This is one attempt to reduce costs in the publication of the yearbook.

The confidence and trust of the Board and general membership that has been shown to me during the past four years 18

has made the office of President extremely rewarding. As I retire from the position, I want to say most sincerely, "Thank you."

Herbert S. Roig President

19

GLEBE HOUSE COMMITTEE Chairman's Report 1974-1975 "Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do...play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do."

Mark Twain Thereby rests the success of this year's Glebe House Committee. 1974-1975 has been both a productive and fun year for the committee. We have operated the House with few problems, and with our many additional activities have brought the House to the attention both of the contributing organizations and the community.

We started this fall with a series of six crafts workshops for local children, run by members of the committee, the League and the Historical Society. The workshops included: decoupage, candlemaking, needlepoint, bread baking, patchwork and egg decorating. This program was a success, it received great publicity, and both the children and the instructors had an interesting and enjoyable time.

Also in early fall, we sent letters to all of the local schools advertising our "Slide Show" and the availability of tours at the House. All year, the Slides Chairman has been busy showing the slides throughout the Greater Poughkeepsie area.

In October, Mrs. Nagel, our Guide/Caretaker, resigned after two years at the House. We were all sorry to see her go, but were most pleased with Mrs. Croshier who replaced her. Mrs. Croshier is an enthusiastic and dependable employee and we are ever so fortunate to have her with us.

For the Annual Open House in December, we added a Christmas Tree Show. We ran two workshops for League children and mothers), at which most all of the decorations for the four trees were made. The trees were decorated in the tradition of foreign lands, and a printed sheet detailing Christmas in these countries was given to all visitors. The annual bake sale, put on by the League Provisionals, was also a success, cookies from the various foreign countries were available for sale.

The committee decided that because of the overcrowding during the open hours, we would include a special "Candlelight Open House" for an extra hour on Sunday evening. We sent invitations to members of the three contributing organizations, and to our delight almost 100 people came.

Following the Open House, we invited the children from the Poughkeepsie Day Nursery for a Christmas party at the House. The children were given a tour of the House and told about the trees, then we had refreshments and sang Christmas caroles. Before they left, we stripped the trees of their decorations and the children were given them to take home.

Last winter we also sent out letters to various organizations advertising the availability of the House for rental.

We were very pleased to have several rentals, and are working presently on a more formal rental agreement.

Since the first of the year, we have been busy with our fund raising project..."A Feast of History", an historical cookbook planned for publication in the Spring of 1976. Our plan is to combine a collection of the old "receipts" with a history of Poughkeepsie.

20

In February, we did find time to run one additional breadbaking workshop for children. A-d in April we held an 18th Century Decorations Workshop for adults.

Another project for the year has been the revision of our cataloguing and inventory systems. This is being done by our Curator under the advisement of the Decorating Committee.

Meanwhile, the Decorating Committee has for another year been hard at work planning the restoration of the House. They have completed a Master Plan and have commenced work on the House. Through the D.C.H.S., letters have been sent requesting certain pieces of furniture. What they are unable to secure through donation or loan, they hope to be able to purchase or borrow from museums. It is anticipated that with the additional furnishings and the extensive redecorating, that the House will be appropriately attired for the Bicentennial Celebration.

In closing, it has been a busy and fun year. The committee has been most enthusiastic and willing to take on all kinds of new and different projects. I am pleased that we were able to accomplish so much and at the same time have a grand time doing it.

Nancy Breed Arnold, Chairman

GLEBE HOUSE COMMITTEE 1974-75 Mrs..

Mrs. Mrs. Mrs.

Dennis R. Arnold Ralph VanKleeck David Petrovits Reg Cleveland

Mrs. H. Wilson Guernsey, Jr. Mrs. Arthur Hartwig Mr. John Jenner Mrs. William Knauss Mrs. Melvin Landis Mrs. Peter Lumb Mrs. J. William Johnson Mrs. Warren Partridge Mrs. James Peelor Mrs. Barbara Prete Mrs. Don Rain Mr. Herbert Roig Mrs. Herbert Roig Mrs. A.A. Schoonmaker, II Mrs. C. Robert Southworth Ms. Rose Marie Southworth Mr. Peter Van Kleeck Mr. Ralph Van Kleeck Mrs. F. K. Praeger

Chairman Co-Chairman, Curator, Cookbook Secretary Treasurer Christmas Trees Chairman Arrangements Co-Chairman, 18th C. Workshop Vice President, D.C.H.S. Sustaining Representative Publicity Crafts Workshops Provisional Representative Decorating Committee Chairman Arrangements Co-Chairman, 18th C. Workshop Slides Show Chairman President, D.C.H.S. Rentals Chairman Provisional Representative, Cookbook House Chairman Treasurer, D.C.H.S. D.C.H.S.

21

CURATOR'S REPORT 1974 The main activity this year was helping people trace their families. I have received and answered 84 letters from 27 states.

Those who wish to complete their sets of D.C.H.S. Yearbooks should know that the library of the society includes many copies of the early issues of the yearbooks. The price of the back issues is $3.00 each, the current issue is $6.00 and a complete set - 1916-1974 - is $50.00.

This year we sold 202 Yearbooks, 2 copies of THE RECORDS OF CRUM ELBOW, 7 copies of RECORD OF MARRIAGES AND DEATHS COPIED FROM POUGHKEEPSIE NEWSPAPERS 1779-1825 and 1 copy of POUGHKEEPSIE, THE ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE WORD. The society's holdings are at your disposal and we welcome any members who wish to use the material stored on the third floor of the Adriance Memorial Library.

Wilhelmina B. Powers Curator

22

IN BRIEF The 1974 Year Book represents an effort to combat soaring production costs which have created a three-fold increase in publication expense to the Society in as many years. Instead of typesetting by computer (as in. the 1973 effort to reduce cost), the entire book was hand typed by Forbes Services in Poughkeepsie on reproduction paper to a proportion specified by the printer, Central Press in Millbrook, who then photographically reduced the text to offset negatives in our page size. Through this and other means it is possible that costs have been reduced from last year by about 30% which we hope makes up for a reduction in the size of the printed words.

Last year we used an eleven point Times Roman type style and this year you are looking at approximately ten point Courier 72 type. If it is not quite as easy for you to read, please remember the savings. *

*

*

On June 15, 1974, as a prelude to the Annual Pilgrimage, the buses stopped at the Glebe House for flag raising ceremonies led by President Roig. This "Bennington" flag will fly continuously to house Bicentennial activities.

The earliest known flag of 13 stars and 13 stripes is the one which flew over the Battle of Bennington in August of 1777.

Fortunately, it is still preserved today in the museum at Bennington, Vermont.

As in many other flags from that era, the Bennington flag has unexpected differences from the flag we love today. The first flag law did not indicate exact details of colors, proportions, star arrangement, etc. Since all flags were made by hand, each flag was more or less different from all others.

No one today knows why the figure 76 was added in the canton.

While the stars here have 7 points, other Revolutionary flags' stars vary from 4 to 8. points. *

*

*

We have an unusually interesting article this year titled, "On Finding A Folk Art Treasure." It was written by Susan Whitman and published by The Main Antique Digest, Waldoboro, Maine. The author and Digest were each prompt in giving us permission to reprint the article and we are indebted also to Antonia A. Salvato of Salt Point who brought the article to our attention. *

*

*

Louise Tompkins, George and Janet Bookman and A. Day Bradley have submitted interesting articles to do with life in the County during the Revolutionary War. That is to be the topic of the 1976 Year Book, as I hope everyone knows, and the book's success depends on contributions. Please send them in!

23

You will notice two detailed County railroad histories in this edition which represent exhaustive work on the part of their authors. They do not agree on certain dates and perhaps one of the fascinations in historical sleuthing is how to interpret the findings. *

*

*

It has come to the author's attention that in the article about Century Farms in the 1973 Yearbook, the following corrections should be made: Cornell Farm - In the item which reads, "Isaac died on November 12, 1870, and on March 8, 1971, the farm went to his son," the date should read March 8, 1871; also, on July 8, 1966, one of the three Cornell daughters, Katherine Cornell VanDeWater sold her share to Theodora Cornell Sammis; Sleight Farm - In the account of the Sleight Farm the date for birth of James Sleight was given as April 9, 1773. This should be April 9, 1753. *

*

*

The article on page 100,"Rhinebeck Area Historic Survey," is

by Richard Crowley, B.A., M. Arch., architect and supervisor of the Rhinebeck Area Historic Survey for the Historic Building Survey, National Park Service.

The article by Robert Pierce on page 30, "The Seed is Planted in American Soil," is from chapter 3 of his forthcoming book on the history of the Flagler family. The first two chapters are in the preceding two Year Books.

L. Gordon Hamersley, Jr. Editor

24

A RECOMMENDATION AND AN APPRECIATION

By Frank V. Mylod Past President and Honorary Member Anyone desirous of learning about the early history of Dutchess County and of the Hudson River territory will probably find no better concentration of data than in the published books edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.

The titles to the books listed below do not necessarily indicate that therein contained one will find an immense source of information mined by her in her research work.

Fortunately, Miss Reynolds in forewords or in appendices in the various books set forth miscellaneous items which she considered indicative of the times and which a future researcher would be delighted to come upon.

See Vol. I Foreword - Old Gravestones of Dutchess County, 1924 Vol. II Foreword - Poughkeepsie - The Origin and Meaning of the Word by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, 1924 Vol. IV Editorial Preface - Notices of Births and Deaths, 1798-1825, completed and edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, 1930 Vol. V Introduction - Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Hackensack edited by Marie Bockee Carpenter Tower, 1932 To the Reader - Records of the portion of Dutchess Vol. VI County, New York, that was included in Rombout Precinct and the original Town of Fishkill collected by Willis W. Reese and edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, 1938 See in this volume also the miscellaneous index to source material Background-Twenty-five pages setting the background for "Dutch Houses in the Hudson Valley before 1776" by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, 1929 In addition to the foregoing, much more may be gleaned from the many articles by Miss Reynolds in the Years Books of the Dutchess County Historical Society of which she was the editor for many years.

25

A LOCAL HISTORY CENTER IN DUTCHESS COUNTY

by Jesse Effron "To learn the abstractions of history and never to learn the concrete reality is to throw away local bread under the impression that imported stones are more nourishing."

Lewis Mumford, Amenia, N.Y., in an address to the Dutchess County Historical Society "If we understand that something more than antiquarianism is needed to give us a rounded picture of man in his environment, even though that environment be nothing more than a village of five hundred souls, we have gone far along the right road to the frame of reference which embraces mankind itself."

George Roach, Rhinebeck, N.Y., in an article: Final Report: Historical Records Survey in Upstate New York.

The mid-Hudson Valley has provided a natural setting of transcendent beauty for some of the most significant events and movements in American history. One cannot explore the Revolution, the Constitution, American art, architecture, horticulture, literature, sports, business or education without quickly finding oneself in the Hudson Valley, and quite likely in Dutchess County. Indeed, the names of Hudson Valley residents evoke every facet of American achievement from the 18th century to the present day. (As a curious aside, it is interesting to recall that in 1944 the American people were given a choice of two Dutchess County residents for President.) But local history is not concerned only with those who have achieved success and recognition. There have been countless figures of lesser frame whose fascinating personalities and careers typify the variety of American life.

Yet there is no museum or local history center for the mid-Hudson Valley. In a sense, this spirit of self denigration is a part of local history that requires explanation.

Lewis Mumford has said that you don't have to see the state markers to know when you are passing from Connecticut to New York State. On the occasion when he made that remark he was suggesting no invidious comparison, but one does not have to be unusually sensitive to notice that the difference does not flatter New York State.

The time is now ripe for the establishment of a center of local history in Poughkeepsie. This institution, concerning itself at first with Dutchess County would naturally and inevitably expand to become the chief center for collecting materials on the whole mid-Hudson Valley and would serve and attract scholars as well as general public interested in art, architecture, politics and literature, indeed, all aspects of life in the Hudson Valley.

Scholars in the colleges would use such a center, as would their students. So would teachers on the high school and elementary school level. Genealogists, antiquarians, newspaper reporters, free-lance writers, city planners, environmentalists 26

and, of course, tourists as well as ordinary citizens, indulging their nostalgia - all these people would be attracted to a museum and center for local history.

Support for such an institution would come, naturally, from all of the groups that would be attracted to it. Significant support financially might be expected from those families whose history has been intimately connected with the area. The educational institutions using the facilities certainly would add their support. In this connection it is not amiss to call attention to the fact that Franklin D. Roosevelt contributed his papers and arranged for a library to be built to house these papers at no cost to the government with the expectation that the library would specifically preserve and further his Dutchess County collection. In a letter to a Mrs. Walter Graeme Eliot, F.D.R. wrote, "In the new library there has been set aside, as you have probably read, a special room for documents and other historical material relating to Dutchess County." And about the same time he wrote to Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, "I hope to be home Sunday and I wonder if you and Mrs. Ver Nooy could come out one of those afternoons.... We could talk over the problem of staffing the Dutchess County Room in the new Library."

Obviously, the President had in mind something more than mere custodial care for his collection of Hudson Valley material.

Other supporters can be found among the various ethnic groups that have entered the Hudson Valley since colonial days and are very interested in preserving a record of their coming here and registering the contribution made by members of their community. An oral history program would be ideally suited to gathering information from the early settlers of the various national groups. This is a program that will lose much of its value unless it is started soon, and will become impossible in a decade or so.

Various foundations and governmental departments are interested in promoting local history centers and their support should be sought. Finally, it goes without saying that progressive business firms would also support such an institution.

A local history museum and center would eventually become a major institution in the Hudson Valley. It is not unreasonable to hope that some philanthropic person might be willing to give a gift of sufficient size to establish such a museum and endow it sufficiently to put it on a firm financial basis. Such an act would, itself, signal a reversal of the neglect that has plagued this region since the end of the 19th century.

There are four principal collections of local history material in Dutchess County (not counting the records in the various governmental offices such as the County Clerk's Office, etc.): Adriance Memorial Library, the Dutchess County Historical Society, the F.D.R. Library, and Vassar College. Together they provide a formidable base for the study of local history. They have an enormous amount of manuscript material, complete runs of local newspapers dating back to the 18th century, many thousands of photographs, diaries, account books, and annual reports of businesses and community organizations. Their collections of bound books include just about everything of importance about the region. However, having paid tribute to their excellence 27

in many areas, there are certain weaknesses that should not be overlooked. First, the great strengths are in early preCivil War material and these have to do with the leading families of that period, while large areas relating to cultural, social, religious, ethnic, political and economic history - especially in the 20th century are lightly covered or entirely lacking. Second, none of these collections has a full time director of local history whose sole interest it is to fill out the thin areas and to go after new material that will answer the needs of future historians.

F. Gerald Ham, writing in The American Archivist of January, 1975 addressed himself to the improved quality of present day archives.

Thirty years ago personal and family archives accounted for 38% of all reported accessions; but they account for only 14% today. In this same period, records of labor, of social and political protest, and of social welfare increased from less than 1% to nearly 1/4 of all accessions.

Unlike family papers these archives usually do not fall unsolicited into the hands of a waiting archivist, and their percentage rise on the accession charts is partly the result of the sensitivity and hard work of many archivists.

Local history administration in Dutchess County would seem to be at the stage that Mr. Ham identifies with "thirty years ago" so far as the collections are concerned.

To correct this situation here is a partial list of activities that should engage the attention of the local history center: local industries such as the manufacturing of bricks, iron, farm machinery, cough drops, canvas bags, as well as whaling, icepacking and glass blowing in the past; the history of firms that are presently active in the fields of banking, publishing, computer manufacturing, lumber wholesaling, and elevator manufacturing - to mention a few. The annual reports and other selected materials of public services should be kept. This would apply to hospitals, firefighters, police, water, sewage, utilities, and roads and transportation. The records of professional societies and trade unions should be preserved. The changing architecture of the area should be recorded. As was mentioned above, an oral history program should be undertaken, not merely among the ethnic groups but among all segments of the population, particularly those who can recollect services, songs, legends, and manners that are dying away. Certainly the black population which has become a significant proportion of the whole population of Poughkeepsie should be drawn into this program - especially since the pattern of life of that group is undergoing vast changes. Naturally, the traditional fields of collecting, namely, the memorabilia of important persons and older families, and the activities of the religious denominations should not be neglected.

Obviously this kind of collecting cannot be done by a part-time basis or in a fit of absent-mindedness characteristic of the present collections.

In order to fill the needs of Dutchess County in the field of local history, I would propose the following: 1.

Locate a building easily accessible, of suitable size to house the following facilities: an exhibition room, or preferably two, each 30'x50'; a 28

reading room, research room, storage for books, periodicals, artifacts, photographs, tape recordings and archival material of the usual sort such as letters, diaries, and other manuscripts, and administrative offices. (The old Poughkeepsie City Hall would be ideal in size, shape and location, or possibly Vassar College, the F.D.R. Library or Adriance might expand their facilities to include such a center; Vassar Institute might be another suitable candidate); 2.

Establish a staff, not necessarily very large, capable of putting on exhibitions, storing, indexing and conserving the material collected and establishing finding aids for local history materials located elsewhere, as for example in the New York State Library, the New York Public Library, etc.; 3.

Build around the institution a supporting group ("Friends of Local History" or "Friends of the Hudson Valley") who would provide volunteers to assist in collecting material, putting on exhibitions and who generally would act as a link between the center and the public at large; 4.

Establish a committee from the various colleges and local history societies to assist and guide the director in building and cataloging the collection.

The key to success in this project is a dedicated and knowledgeable director. He would fill the center not only with relevant materials but with activities, making known to the world and to the local population the historic significance of this area.

In the past many important documents have left this valley or have been lost through simple neglect. An institution such as we have described, properly directed would do much to put an end to this erosion. The director would make it his business to locate important materials and woo their possessors. At the same time, many people, who at present might be reluctant to part with important historic materials, would gladly give them up if they felt there was an institution functioning where the papers would receive proper care, would be cataloged and brought to the attention of scholars and writers and would thus be used rather than being buried away unnoticed.

A proper local history center should not be difficult to establish at this time when interest runs very high. It would increase the self-respect of the residents of the region, a badly needed quality in an area where self-denigration has contributed so much to regional and urban decay.

29

THE SEED IS PLANTED IN AMERICAN SOIL

By Robert Pierce It is regrettable that maritime records fail to list the names of the ten merchant ships which with their destitute Palatines in the early months of 1710 sailed from the southern coast of England for the New World. Seven only are mentioned: The Berkley Castle, the Globe, the Leon, the Midfort, the Lyon, the Palatine, and the Herbert --- the last called a frigate. The Berkley Castle abandoned the venture and returned forthwith to Plymouth, possibly alarmed by the severity of a malefic contagion on shipboard, or apprehensive of perils attendant with a midwinter crossing of the awesome Atlantic, whose ship lanes were at best poorly charted and whose vagaries of wave and weather were the dread of the most able and experienced mariners.

On June 13, 1710 under a veil of disease, death, and despair the first ship of the battered flotilla, the Lyon, with Governor Robert Hunter aboard, arrived at Nutten Island (now Governor's Island). He was at once taken to New York harbor, leaving his fellow-passengers on the island for purposes of quarantine. On June 16 Hunter wrote Secretary Popple of the London Lords of Trade: "I arrived here (New York) two days ago. We still want three of the Palatinb ships and those arrived are in a deplorable sickly condition." Later he wrote: "All of the Palatine ships separated by the weather are arrived safe except the Herbert frigate, where our tents and arms are. She was cast away on the east end of Long Island on the 7th of July. We still want the Berkley Castle which we left at Plymouth, the poor people have been mighty sick....We have lost 470 of our number."

Meanwhile on Nutten Island a tent city had been raised to house the German community, still suffering acutely from the ravages of the voyage. People died in large numbers. A local coffin maker reported that "business was never better", and for the pursuit of his occupation he petitioned the city for 59 pounds, 6 shillings sterling in payment for the burial of 250 Palatines, deceased since the recent landing.

As for the missing "Herbert", it is not improbable that there can be found today native families of eastern Long Island whose pedigrees are traceable to Palatines who escaped alive from the wrecked frigate. Says the Reverend Sanford Cobbin his Story of the Palatines: "To this day are shown on the west shore of Block Island some almost obliterated graves, said to be the lost seamen of the Ship." And in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History is to be found the following: "A light is at times seen from the island upon the surface of the ocean, which in its form has suggested to the imagination a resemblance to a burning ship under full sail, and it is called the Palatine Light and Palatine Ship."

London records, it will be remembered, showed the Zacharias Flegler family as five in number at the time of its departure for New York. The Subsistence List, however, at the American port after the disembarkation of the Palatines in July of 1710 shows only Flegler himself and one child ten years of age. This child was undoubtedly the son, Philip Solomon Flegler, born in Germany in 1701. ,It is to be reckoned, therefore, that when at sea or shortly after landing 30

at Nutten Island, Flegler lost his wife, his younger son, and infant daughter. He thus became one of the unfortunate many whose families were depleted by the rigors of storms at sea or the endemics on shipboard.

Robert Hunter, although reputedly sympathetic with the plight of his Palatine charges, found himself faced by an unruly City Council, who, emboldened and encouraged by resentful and fearful citizens, protested vigorously at the presence closeby of over two thousand disease infected immigrants. The threat of universal contagion was, understandably, of no little concern to a city containing less than six thousand inhabitants, of whom one thousand were slaves. Still another problem, equally perplexing, arose to engage the Governor's attention. During the storm-tossed passage across the Atlantic, thirty babies had been born to Palatine women. How many infants and mothers survived the ordeal is not known, but a count of individuals at Nutten Island indicated that many children had been left orphans.

As the Palatines themselves were too poor and too sickly to care for children who had lost one or both parents, this orphan problem was of tragic gravity.

As Governor Hunter found himself thwarted in his efforts to enlist sympathy and support from the urban community for the Palatine refugees, he was forced to resort to an expedient, cruel but realistically necessary. His decision was to offer for adoption and apprenticeship children who, hopefully, by care and training, might find employment in tasks indigenous to the farmlands or in trades useful to the colonial community. "Unfortunately," says Walter Knittle in his Early Eighteenth Century Palatine Emigration, "Hunter did not stop with orphans; he also apprenticed children whose parents were still living, and in this way separated families." One Palatine parent is quoted as saying, "He took away our children from us without and against our consent."

Of the seventy-four children apprenticed by the Governor to tradesmen, craftsmen, and farmers, one was destined to rise to fame and prominence. On October 26, 1710, a Palatine youth of thirteen, John Peter Zenger by name, was taken from his widowed mother, Hanah Zenger, apparently with her consent, and bound to William Bradford, an enterprising New York printer and founder of the New York Gazette. For nine years Zenger learned the trade with Bradford, and in 1723 was rewarded for his efforts by being made a partner.

A violent difference, however, in political philosophy arose between Bradford and Zenger, and in 1726 the latter withdrew from the partnership and established a printing business of his own. He began to publish a newspaper devoted to democratic ideals, which he called the New York Weekly Journal.

Within its pages he espoused many popular causes which he deemed contributory to the furtherance of tolerance, freedom, and personal liberty. Having an inherited hatred of the evils of persecution, Zenger was especially abhorrent of official despotism and governmental corruption.

In 1732 the graft and greed of William Cosby, Hunter's successor as Royal Governor, had become so flagrant and abusive that the commonalty rose up in rebellion. A confrontation between factions took place on a village green in lower Westchester County, New York, where for the first time in American history two political bodies openly opposed and faced each other publicly. The event became known as the 31

"Great Election of 1733". Here, on the site near the churchyard of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Eastchester (now Mt. Vernon), it may be said that "Freedom of the Press" was born.

John Peter Zenger was present at the encounter, and became so aroused by what he saw and heard that a week after the "election" his New York Journal carried an account of the affair, castigating the royal governor for dishonesty, embezzlement, and malfeasance. Fearlessly the paper continued its scathing attacks to the point that in November of 1734 the enraged royal official issued a proclamation citing "diverse scandals, virulent, false and seditious reflections", and offered a reward for the arrest of the person who wrote and printed the articles. Zenger was forthwith seized and thrown into prison, where he languished for nine months; but continued to publish his journal. Pen, ink, and paper being denied him, it is said that he whispered editorial instructions to his employees through chinks and cracks in the cell door. At the trial, beginning August 4, 1735, the defense lawyers, James Alexander and William Smith, attacked the competence of the court by challenging the right of the Cosby-appointed Chief Justice, James Delancy, to preside. Cosby retorted by disbarring both defense lawyers from the proceedings. As no barrister in the City of New York dared appear for Zenger, his friends at length secured the services of the celebrated Andrew Hamilton, a Philadelphia Quaker lawyer, by many considered as having no peer in all the colonies as a defense counsel. The incident, it is said, gave rise to the saying, "Get a Philadelphia lawyer", when the need arose for expertise in the field of trial law.

Zenger, after a trial that lasted throughout the summer of 1735, was acquitted by the jury of all charges of libel and contempt. So great was the public approbation of the verdict that Hamilton was entertained at a huge dinner at which he was presented with the freedom of the city in a gold box, and upon his departure honored by a cannon salute.

The spot where the epic legal victory was won is now called the Zenger Room in the Federal Hall National Memorial Building, located at the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets, New York City. Thus by conviction, determination, and courage, John Peter Zenger rose from the oppressions and woes of a Palatine exile to national acclaim as a patriarch of the American "Fourth Estate" --- an instance bearing out the aphorism that "from the misery of the oyster the pearl is born."

Still facing Governor Robert Hunter was the perplexing problem as to what disposition should be made of the Palatines on Nutten Island. The City of New York could not and would not undertake to satisfy the wants and needs of the exiles. To return them to England would be contrary to Her Majesty's wishes and plans. The Carolinas and Virginia, where many of their kind had already settled, were far distant and already had their shares of German immigrants.

Four areas in the Colony of New York seemed to offer possibilities for settlement locations. One was along the Mohawk River (on its northern bank today there is a town called Palatine Bridge); another was in Cherry Valley in Otsego County, a third on the east side of the Hudson River in Columbia County; and a fourth on the west side of the river north of Kingston. Of the four Hunter favored the last as being near at hand, situated on a broad, navigable 32

river, and clothed in forests which, it appeared, would produce the naval stores and supplies needed by the Crown. Another reason now to be explained also influenced Hunter's choice.

During the closing years of the seventeenth century Benjamin Fletcher, then Governor of the New York Colony, granted to certain political favorites immense territories in the Mohawk and Hudson valleys. Among the largest of these land grants, ranging in size from 60,000 to 700,000 acres, were the patents to Robert Livingston, Frederic Philipse, Stephanus Van Corlandt, and Killian Van Rensselaer. In some instances these and other land-rich patroons, because of absence, parsimony or indifference, failed to honor conditions set forth in the grants. Agriculture was not promoted, Indian claims were ignored, no inducements were offered to attract new settlers, and most important of all, no efforts were made to extract from the forests the naval supplies so urgently needed by the mother country. Thus in spite of lavish prodigality and worthy intentions little or no benefit accrued to the Crown.

Evils often carry their own cure. On March 2, 1698 an act was passed by the New York Assembly for the "vacating, breaking, and annulling" of the so-called "Extravagant Grants"-- and extravagant they were indeed. The act was confirmed by Her Majesty's Council on June 20, 1708, and large tracts of land were returned to the Queen for whatever .disposition she wished to make of them.

In the narration of events relating to a solution of the plight of the Palatines sequestered on Nutten Island, attention must be directed to Robert Livingston, beforementioned as one of the recipients of the land largess so lavishly and capriciously extended by colonial officials.

Livingston was a Scot, by birth related to the Earls of Linlithgow. He came to America in 1672, married Alida Schuyler, of a family prominent in early New York history, and settled in Albany. He bought from the Indians large parcels of land and to these from time to time he added vast unoccupied domains under the terms and conditions set forth in the Charter of Privileges and Exemptions of the Dutch West India Company in the year 1629. Charter provisions allowed colonists to take up as much land as they were able to improve (a condition seldom observed), for ten years being free from the payment to the government of customs, taxes, excises, or other contributions of any kind. This terrain windfall enabled Livingston by 1710 to amass through the media of patents, grants, and purchases holdings of real estate grossing over 160,000 acres.

The edict directed against extravagant grants affected Livingston's property, and by order of the Queen he was required to sell 6000 acres to Governor Hunter for the sum of 266 English pounds for the purpose of settling a portion of the Palatine population encamped on Nutten Island. The area, thus acquired, now called Germantown, was then known as the East Camp. A domain of equal size on the west side of the Hudson River, about 90 miles north of New York City, was at the same time acquired by the Governor for Palatine use.

The tract in Ulster County near a stream called Sawyer's Kill was on land belonging to Queen Anne, having recently reverted to the Crown as one of the extravagant grants. Its forests were heavily clothed with spruce, fir, hemlock, cedar, 33

and pine, which Hunter, full of enthusiasm and confidence, called an unfailing source of naval stores.

"I, myself," he wrote "have seen Pitch Pine enough upon the river to serve all Europe with Tarr." This declaration was echoed in a report by the London Board of Trade to the "Queen's Most Excellent Majesty", when in 1710 the Board, complete strangers to lands 2,000 miles away, stated with confidence..."the most proper Places for seating them (the Palatines) in that Profince, so as they may be of benefit to this Kingdom by the Production of Naval Stores, are on Hudson's River, where are very great number of Pines for Production of Turpentine and Tarr, out of which Rosin and Pitch are made." The Board further requested that the Queen direct Hunter to settle the Palatines promptly on the Ulster County land and to offer a small subsistence each day to everyone found to be in necessitous circumstances.

This request being granted, twelve hundred Palatines were removed from Nutten Island in boats up the river to the Ulster tract in early October of 1710. Here they were allotted plots of ground about forty by fifty feet in size upon which to build huts and plant gardens. Hunter reported later that "Each family hath sufficient lot of good arrable land ... have built themselves comfortable huts and are now employed in clearing the ground. In the Spring I shall set them to work in preparing the trees."

As the immigrant Zacharias Flegler was among those Palatines moved into the Ulster County area, our interest lies chiefly with this settlement, then as now referred to as the "West Camp" --- as distinctive from the "East Camp" where a month earlier Hunter had moved three hundred and fifty families. Inasmuch as tenure of all large colonial domains was dependent upon their ability to return revenues in some form to the government, the higher the productivity of the land the more secure was the tenure. On the whole, therefore, the arrival and settlement of hundreds of Palatines --- illclothed, hungry, and sickly as they were --- must have been looked upon as a welcome adjunct in the feral wilderness of the two "Camps", and must have brought a degree of satisfaction to both Robert Livingston and Governor Hunter.

The type of hut, described by the Governor as comfortable, was a structure approximately eleven by eleven feet square, built of logs between which was stuffed a mixture of straw and clay to keep out wind and rain. A flooring of planks was usually laid directly on the ground, although many huts had no flooring of any kind. Frequently without windows, the cabin obtained its light by day through an aperture covered with oiled paper which served as a door and at night either by oil-dipped wicks or by a so-called Betty lamp. A brick or clay chimney and fireplace at one end of the room served for purposes of cooking and heating.

Adults slept in a bed with saplings for springs and on a mattress of straw and leaves; the sleeping quarters for children being in a loft or shelf, extending half the width of the hut and reached by means of a ladder or a slanted log notched out for steps. Crudely made furniture served the family: a table, one or two backless benches, a churn for grinding grain, and a box or chest for the storage of clothing and personal belongings. Animal skins were made to do for bedcovers, rugs, and winter clothing.

In addition to Governor Robert Hunter at least one other 34

passenger of note accompanied the Palatine contingent on its frightful passage from Plymouth to New York in the spring of 1710. His name was Joshua Kocherthal. His profession was that of a Lutheran minister; and so dedicated was he to his calling and so devoted was he to his people that history credits him in a large measure for the survival of the Palatine colonies on the Hudson. He became the first pastor of a Lutheran Church at the West Camp and the founder of the first church on the other side of the river in what is now Germantown. The exact location of the original West Camp church and its burial ground is not known, but the site was probably on or near the grounds of the present Lutheran Church of St. Paul's. In its vestibule wall is set a marble slab, dated 1742, over the spot where Kocherthal is buried, early Dutch law requiring that the minister be interred within the church directly beneath the pulpit. The inscription on the slab is in Dutch, the purported translation being as follows: "Know, Traveler, under this stone rests beside his Sibylla Charlotta, a real traveler, of the High Dutch in North America, their Joshua, and a pure Lutheran preacher of the same on the east and west side of the Hudson River. His first arrival was with Lord Lovelace, in 1709, the first of January.

His second with Colonel Hunter, 1710, the fourteenth of June. The journey of his soul to Heaven on St. John's Day, 1719, interrupted his return to England. Do you wish to know more? Seek in Melanchchon's Fatherland, who was Kocherthal, who Harwhias, who Wincheabach."

In the minister's study in the church at the West Camp may be seen transcripts (the originals are said to be in Albany) in Dutch calligraphy of early baptisms, marriages, and deaths, compiled by Kocherthal during the years he served as pastor of the Palatine congregation. It is recorded that on August 15, 1710 one Zacharias Flegler, a widower, was married to Anna Gertrauda Huen, the daughter of Dietrick Huen of Wallbruehl in the Commune of Berg. As he is termed the "late Dietrick Huen", it is possible that he died in Germany, in England, or, like so many others, perished while en route to America. Anna Huen Flegler, shortly after her marriage to Zacharias, became a victim herself of a contagion acquired on the trans-Atlantic voyage. She died during the early months of 1711, although no record of her demise or burial place appears in the St. Paul's register. In any event, at the West Camp Lutheran Church on March 12, 1711 Zacharias Flegler married as his third wife Anna Elizabetha Schultz, described as the widow of George Schultz of Darmstadt, Germany. Her maiden name appears as Anna Hoofd and it may be assumed that she, as well as her late husband, were among the 185 families sent by Governor Hunter to the hamlet at Sawyer's Mill in the autumn of 1710. Or it is possible that he died in Germany or during the voyage to America. The Kocherthal records show that on September 19, 1712 a daughter Anna Magdelena Elizabetha was born to Zacharias and Anna Flegler, and that a son, Simon, was born to them on February 16, 1714. These siblings, therefore, became the half-sister and half-brother of Philip Solomon Flegler, born 1701 in Germany, who, with his father were the only survivors of the Flegler family at the ending of their Atlantic crossing.

35

The failure of the widely acclaimed "Great Tar Enterprise" in New York cannot be imputed to any one person or source. The blame lay in part with the lack of candor by one John Bridger who had been engaged to instruct the Palatines in the task of tar making, in part with the premature optismism of Governor Hunter, in part with the late arrival at the Camps of the Palatines with the rigors of a frontier winter at hand, in part with faulty information from American scouts, and in part with British officials who yl'ttempted from a distance of 2000 miles to direct in a foreign land an operation which they neither understood nor appreciated.

The English Lords of Trade had asserted with supreme conviction that the limitless forests of coniferous trees in the Hudson River Valley would supply naval products sufficient for the "mother country's needs forever." Reports from scouts on the camp sites confirmed the opinions of this London group whose traditional capacity for self-delusion rarely permitted the consideration of opposing points of view which it had no desire or patience to hear. Du Pre, the Commissary of Stores wrote from America: "I am confident that it (the enterprise) cannot fail of good success and nothing else than the want of support at home can prevent it." And from John Bridger came equal assurance that the supply from New York would make Great Britain the mart of all Europe for marine products.

Bridger had been commissioned "to examine into the capacity of the American Colonies for the production of naval stores, to survey the woods, and to discover the forests most productive of materials for masts, spars, tar, and pitch." Bridger was no tyro in his profession. For fifteen years he had worked in the Barbadoes, in the South, and in New England; and when he visited the Palatine Camps he was expected to give instructions in the field which was his specialty. This he appears to have done in a perfunctory and negligent manner. It is idle to assume that he did not know that the preparation of trees before tar and pitch could be extracted required two years of preparation. After cutting and barking, the trees had to be felled and the wood burned in a kiln, causing -qhe resinous gum to flow, all of which required training, skill, and time. At any rate, he retreated to his home in New England, from whence Hunter vainly entreated him to return to New York. For failing to do so, he gave all sorts of excuses save the real one, that the common New York pine could not be made to produce the needed stores in paying quantities. In support of this fact George Clark, the Colonial Secretary, informed the British Board that after preparing 15,000 trees at hard labor, with Palatine children industriously gathering pine knots, only three score barrels of tar had been extracted mostly from the knots -- a paltry return for the expenditure of so much time and toil.

Disillusioned and disheartened by Clark's report the London Lords of Trade and Plantations permitted their interest to wane in the venture from which so much had been expected. Their apathy took the form of a reduction in the subsistence allowance for the hard-pressed Palatines. Hunter went to England at once in an effort to restore the allowance; but to no avail. And to make matters worse, no sooner had he returned to New York than the home government experienced one of those chronic upheavals peculiar to English 36

politics. A Tory government supplanted that of the Whigs.

Sympathy for the Palatine venture and for its financial support vanished overnight. "Everything," wrote the Reverend Sanford Cobb, "that the outgoing Whigs had done came up for review, criticism, and, if possible, reversal."

Admittedly, it was a time of hardship throughout the kingdom. Food was scarce, work hard to find, and industry at a standstill. The poor of London, with bread double the usual price, were resentful of any form of philanthropy, detrimental to their own misery and suffering, extended to an alien people in a distant land across a vast ocean. The original sum of 8000 pounds set aside for Palatine subsistence had been exhausted even before their removal from Nutten Island. Unfortunately, it proved to be the last and final amount allocated for the support of the German refugees by the British treasury, which now saw fit to renege, in deference to public demands and in fear of its own abrogation, on commitments made in good faith by the previous administration.

Whatever may have been the faults and virtues of Governor Robert Hunter, among the latter must be counted a strong sense of perserverance and compassion. He alone among officials charged with resolving the afflicted Palatine exiles undertook his responsibilities seriously and approached his obligations with assiduity and benevolence. The plight in which he soon found himself was pitiful. In a letter to the Board of Trade he wrote: "What I have done in the matter (relief) was by Her Majesty's special order and instructions, which shall ever be sacred to me My credit is exhausted, none of my bills of any kind being paid at home, and I myself reduced to very hard shifts for bare subsistence." He further stated that the amounts due him were in excess of 21000 pounds, of which 5000 pounds were for arrears in salary by the Province of New York. Nevertheless, still relying on the good faith of his home government he made arrangements for additional loans, for the repayment of which he pledged himself responsible. But his bills of exchange came back dishonored; and so far as is known the British treasury never repaid a penny of the huge sums advanced by him in support of the Palatine enterprise. In desperation he wrote again: "My Lords, I have done my best in my station and apprehend no scrutiny on earth. God, who knows my heart, will acquit me elsewhere. I have served faithfully, suffered patiently, and shall resign cheerfully whenever it shall be Her Majesty's pleasure....1 have begged for one half of what is due on the Palatine accounts. I am sure that no man has suffered more than I have done." To this confession the London answer was a continuance of a policy of benign neglect.

The final and total demise of the "Tar Enterprise" in New York was brought about therefore by over-confidence, parsimony, irresolution, and incompetence. Its impending doom was apprehended first by the Palatines themselves. A diminishing supply of food, the inadequacy and scarcity of tools for farm and forest labor, and the dwindling subsistence pay all served as a warning that the end was near.

Yet despair was not the prevailing temper of i the people.

The yoke of bondage and subjugation, many felt, was now to be replaced by freedom of movement and action and the luxury of personal independence. After the turbulence of the Old World the Palatines longed for the peace, hopefully, to be found in the New. There were, however, serious matters to 37

face and solve. The "Tribe from the Rhine Valley" was about equally divided in opinion as to whether it was wise to remain on the land which the "Queen had given them" or migrate to other regions where might be found trades and occupations more congenial to their skills than forestry and the acquisition of naval stores.

The dilemma was resolved in an unexpected manner. In the neighborhood of the colony was a scattering of frontier families, largely of English descent, rude, determined, and highly resentful of the presence of aliens on adjacent lands.

These people now seized the opportunity of inciting a confrontation which eventually drove the Palatine community underground. The inhabitants of the West Camp dispersed in all directions. Many departed for regions in lower Pennsylvania. Some migrated to the "Mohawk's" Valley. Others fled westward into the Catskills where today may be found traces of ancient Palatine burial grounds. About thirty families crossed the Hudson River to rejoin their fellowcountrymen in the East Camp. With these was the family of Zacharias Flegler.

Authorities and Sources Consulted: The Reverend Sanford Cobb: "The Story of the Palatines" Encyclopedia Britannica The Reverend Mr. Karl Eberhardt, Pastor St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, West Camp, New York Mr. William Johnson, West Camp, New York Walter Knittle: "Early 18th Century Palatine Emigration" G. B. Macaulay: "History of England from the Accession of James II" The Reverend Mr. Alvin Messersmith, Pastor Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kingston, New York and former Pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Church, West Camp, New York E. B. O'Callaghan: "Documentary History of New York" Mrs. John B. Patterson, West Camp, New York Photostat records of Palatine births, marriages, and deaths at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, West Camp, New York Agnes Strickland: "Lives of the Queens of England" Benson J. Lossing: "The Pictorial Field Book of the American Revolution" Benson J. Lossing: "The Hudson from the Wilderness to the Sea" Alice Morse Earle: "Colonial Dames and Good Wives"

A typical hut of the early 18th Century -- used by the Palatines in the West Camp.

38

A FEELING FOR THE LAND

By Barbara Thompson A trip through Westchester County this past week-end, where houses, few of which can be found older than 1870, rub each other's elbows, and where even an open lot is an expensive luxury, brought back to mind the thousand diverse ways in which people live, and the standards by which they value success. Just 60 miles north of that pressurized compartment is another totally different way of living, paced by nature's seasons, and by the timeclock of the sun.

To begin this story one can go back to August of 1787, when Robert Martin purchased a "dwelling house and tract of land" of 156 acres in the Little Nine Partners for 117 pounds and 7 shillings from George Clinton. It is fairly certain that the two main rooms of the house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Leland Jacoby, is the same dwelling house mentioned in the early deed. Since that time, probably about 1832, when Robert E. Thorne bought the farm, the house had another large room added to the south with a narrow, steep flight of stairs leading to the upper story, just one room's width.

The stonework of the earliest foundation walls is much more skillful than that found in the addition; a flat wall of face stones in comparison to the roughly laid field stones.

The beams supporting the floor in the newer part of the house have been adzed, whereas the older beams are whole trees that have been flattened only on the upper sides.

The deed of 1832 from Martin to Thorne contains 128 acres. Three years later Robert Thorne purchased an additional 28 acres, bringing the farm near its original dimensions.

The first deed mentions a black oak tree standing near the southwest corner of a bog meadow. Forty five years later the same course goes back to a "black oak tree blown down."

The meadow is called a fly or vly, which is the Dutch word for boggy meadow. One last note about the information found in the deeds is that on the 1832 deed, the whole eastern boundary of the farm is "along the road running rearly north and south." The earlier deed of 1787 contains no reference to a road, but uses the eastern bounds of Great Lot 21 as the eastern boundary of the farm.

The family of Robert E. Thorne held the land until 1899 when it was sold at auction to Carl Jacoby, and in 1901 he transferred the property to his brother Conrad. In those years diversified farming was still a common practice. The farm was almost self-sufficient; staples such as flour and sugar were bought by the barrel and eggs bartered for additional groceries during the year. In the years of World War II, when taxes and land values started to rise, things began to change rapidly. Leland Jacoby, along with many others, converted to dairy specialization. Acres that had grown rye and buckwheat were turned to hay and corn. The barn was changed to accomodate the expanded Holstein herd.

Dairy farming in Milan can be a tenuous, hard earned way of life. Only 37% of the 163 acres is useable land. The rest is rocky hills and inaccessible swamp land. In order to be successful, top milk producing cows are a necessity, as is the ability to be self-sufficient in the repair and maintenance of machinery and buildings. One has to be able to accurately judge weather signs and know that there is a time for every thirig to be done. Perhaps most of all, one has to have the 39

desire and willingness to put in long hours that are required every day, and have a tenacious love of land and independence.

Lee Jacoby has been a member of the DHIA for 15 years.

The dairy herd is down to 34, now that he and his wife Dorothy operate the farm alone. This is one of the two dairy farms left in Milan. They have put all four of their children through college, their farm is their own. Answers to "why?" come easier in watchful care and appreciation of the land, than in words. Such is another ruler by which men measure achievement.

40

THE OLD RAILROADS OF DUTCHESS COUNTY

By Paul T. Philipps Part I Part II

A Thumbnail History Exploring the Old Grades and Remains in Dutchess and Columbia Counties Part I - A Thumbnail History INTRODUCTION The history of the old railroads in Dutchess County could fill several volumes. No attempt was made to do so.

The date by date history that follows was extracted, with a few exceptions, from a marvelous article by D. W. McLaughlin called the Poughkeepsie Gateway. This appeared in issue 119 of the Railway and Locomotive Society Bulletin.

Read it to capture the color!

The maps, that appear informally mingled in the text, I take credit for. These were assembled by using the Central New England map in the article mentioned above, my explanations in Part II and by using a reprint of the 1893 official guide.

A few details on the maps and the parenthesis conventions used in Part I.

Note:

No maps are to scale in Part I.

are the railroad(s) being displayed on the map. are railroads shown as information.

ND & C (D & C) means it is the ND & C in the timeframe being discussed but is made up from the D & C. As you will note later, the ( ) information can get lengthy as the railroads evolved.

The ( ) convention is ( ) as usual.

The former New York Central Railroad (Hudson and Harlem Lines) were not forgotten, just simply omitted from this article. In comparison to the old railroads of Dutchess County their history is straightforward.

Railroads in eastern Connecticut are discussed in Part I, because of their influence on the Dutchess County Railroad development. In fact the first date by date listing concerns one of them.

1864 The Boston Hartford and Erie (BH & E) takes over a small railroad which was called the Hartford Providence and Fishkill. The railroad was located entirely in Connecticut and ran between Hartford and Waterbury. The BH & E did not extend into New York State at this time because of the financial mess its robber-baron owners created.

41

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No AV-1). e-OC, ,A, Pt 7ER 3'11 1868 The Dutchess and Columbia (D & C) started northwest from Beacon to Millerton, N. Y. where it met the Connecticut and Western (CW) about a mile east at State Line in 1871.

The BH & E had leased the Hopewell Junction Beacon portion of the D & C. The BH & E plan was to build from Hopewell into -Connecticut and connect with the constructed BH & E (BP & F).

The D & C, however, built north anyway not trusting the BH & E to supply an eastern outlet for the traffic originating from the Erie in Newburgh.

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The Poughkeepsie and Eastern (P & E) was incorporated.

P & E reaches Pleasant Valley.

P & E ties into the D & C at Stissing Junction and uses the D & C on trackage rights to Pine Plains.

The P & E is completed to State Line.

The Poughkeepsie Bridge Company chartered.

The BH & E (HP & F) falls upon hard times and is reorganized as the New York & New England, NY & NE (BU & E), (HP'& F).

The New York Boston and Montreal (NYB & M) and Clove Valley RR (1872?) (CV) incorporated. These two railroads served the iron industry in Clove Valley. These were completed in 1874.

The Rhinebeck and Connecticut is started. The Poughkeepsie Bridge project stalls for lack of capital.

42

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The Rhinebeck and Connecticut (R & C) is completed to Boston Corners.

The P & E is reorganized as the Poughkeepsie Hartford and Boston PH & B (P & E).

The D & C is in financial trouble due to competition from the R & C. The D & C is reorganized as the Newburgh Dutchess and Connecticut ND & C (D & C).

The Poughkeepsie Bridge project regains life but dies again in a few months.

The R & C in financial trouble, sold for scrap but is bought by Cornell who later sold it for additional railroading.

43

The R & C in 1875

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1878 The Connecticut Western (CW) enters into receivership due to a major wreck at Tarrifville, Conn.

Reorganized as the Hartford and Connecticut Western H & CW (CW). However, as part of this reorganization, the old R & C (Cornell) is included therefore: H & CW (CW), (R & C).

The H & CW (CW), (R & C) now has trackage rights (as the R & C had) on the PH & B ( P & E) Boston Corners to State Line.

The H & CW (CW), (R & C) in 1878

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1883 H & CW (CW), (R & C) having trackage rights problems with the PH & B (P & E). The H & CW (CW) (R & C) started running trains over the ND & C (D & C) to Millerton and then on the New York and Harlem line from Millerton to Boston Corners. Trackage rights situation improved at once.

1882 The NY & NE (BH & E), (HP & F) builds from Danbury to Hopewell Junction and connects with the ND & C (D & C) (includes the NY & NE (BH & E), (HP & F) leased track Hopewell Junction to Beacon).

44

The NY & NE (BH & E), (HP & F) in 1882

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The Poughkeepsie Bridge project comes to life again after its death in 1877.

1888 The bridge is finally completed.

1888(?)The bridge company builds the Poughkeepsie and Connecticut (P & C) from Poughkeepsie.

The Hudson Connecting Railroad 1888

\ 11

1889

The Central New England and Western is formed (CNE & W) by leasing the H & CW (R & C) (CW) and merging in the P & C and the HCRR. The whole system is "beefed up" at this time. Therefore: Central New England and Western CNE & W (H & CW) (R & C) (CW), (P & C), (HCRR).

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The CNE & W in 1889 Looked Like This: (Some town detail is omitted to avoid map clutter)

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45

1887 The PH & B (P & E) enters into receivership and is reorganized as the New York and Massachusetts (NY & M).

NY & M (PH & B) ( P & E).

They are still in trouble, however, in 1893. They reorganized again to the birth name of P & E. This would look like this then: P & E (NY & M) (PH & B) (P & E) so let's just call it the P & E to keep it simple.

1890 Then Pennsylvania, Poughkeepsie and Boston was built (PP & B) from the Delaware River in New Jersey to Maybrook.

This is as information because it was a link from the Pennsylvania coal fields to Dutchess. This railroad was later to become the Lehigh & New England which lived to 1962.

1891 MacLeod of the Philadelphia & Reading RR gains control of the new PP & B. 1892 MacLeod forms the Philadelphia, Reading and New England PR & NE. This was done by merging the CNE & W, the Poughkeepsie Bridge Company.

So: The PR & NE was: PR & NE (CNE & W) (H & CW) (R & C) (CW), Up & C), (HCRR).

A map will not be drawn. See the CNE & W map, page 45 1892 The Dutchess County R.R. (DC) is built between Hopewell Junction and Poughkeepsie.

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46

1895 The New Haven, which was quietly buying NY & NE stock, gained controlling interest in the NY & NE. The NY & NE was reorganized as the New England Railway (NE) NE (NY & NE) (+ lines east of Danbury).

1899 The New England was formally leased to the New Haven.

1897 The New York Boston and Montreal (NYB & M) and the Clove Valley go into red after iron played out in Clove Valley.

Railroads were ripped up in 1898.

1899 The PR & NE (CNE & W) (H & CW) (R & C), (CW), (P & C), CHCRR1 is reorganized as the Central New England Railway CCNE) CNE (PR & NE) (H & CW) (R & C), (CW), (P & C), (HCRR).

1903 The New Haven buys out the CNE. Actually the New Haven only wanted the Danbury to Poughkeepsie route and the bridge route to Maybrook. The CNE insisted, however, no piecemeal sale--all or none.

The CNE actually operated itself as an independent railroad with its own books after the takeover.

1904 Remember the New Haven just wanted the bridge route.

Thus, the New Haven tightened its control on the bridge route. The CNE held a lease on the DC (date leased?) which was turned over to the New Haven (NH).

1906 The Poughkeepsie Bridge is reinforced for heavier power.

1907 The ND & C (D & C) and the P & E are merged with the CNE (under control of NH).

The Central New England Railway in 1907 (under New Haven) CNE (PR & NE) (H & CW) (R & C) (CW) (P & C) (HCRR), (ND & C) (D & C), (P & E).

This map represents the final CNE System at its peak, never to grow past this, only to shrink. The railroad names are the original names. To trace each original name to the CNE use the Table of Evolution below.

CNE 1907

47

CNE 1907 (Map enlarged from page 47)

Table of Evolution (all end up as CNE 1907) R&C H&CW---> CNE&W---> PR&NE HCRR H &CW ---> CNE &W --> PR&NE P &E ---> PH &B ---> P &E CW--> H&CW --> CNE&W PR&NE P&C—> PR&NE BH&E NY&NE D&C—> ND&C HP&F BH&E ---> NY&NE NY&NE— CNE 1910 Parts of the duplicated trackage south of Pine Plains ripped up. The old P & E from Pine Plains to Salt Point (16 miles) was abandoned.

1914-1915 The Poughkeepsie Bridge is reinforced for heavier power.

1917 The double track on the bridge is made into gauntlet.

1918 The bridge is reinforced again. The war years helped the CNE. 1921 The line north of Tarrifville to Springfield is ripped up. (This was built in 1903-1904 just as NH took control of CNE.) 1925 The CNE starts to be dismembered. The NH had no interest in the system (except for the Danbury-Maybrook line).

The old P & E between Boston Corners and Ancram lead mines is abandoned. The old D & C between Shekomeko and Millerton is also abandoned. This cut the old P & E and D & C main lines.

48

1932 The Depression - this killed it all. The old R & C between Copake and Boston Corners is abandoned. This severed all main lines from east to west (except the Danbury-Maybrook).

The whole system reverted to a branch line operation (except the Danbury-Maybrook main line).

1938 The ICC authorizes abandonment of all lines north of Poughkeepsie and Hartford. Nature begins its slow reclaim of the old P & E, R & C, P & C, CW, and the D & C north of Hopewell Junction.

This left the old Hudson connecting railroad from Highland to Maybrook, the big bridge across the Hudson, the old Dutchess County R.R., the old D & C from Beacon to Hopewell and the old NY & NE line into Connecticut. This, in reflection, is all the New Haven ever wanted.

A Few Contemporary Historical Items, 1938-1973 The Hopewell-Beacon Line (the old D & C) became a branch line operation, while fairly heavy traffic moved on the Danbury to Maybrook line.

1957 The New York Ontario and Western folds and is abandoned Cinterchanged at Maybrook).

1961 The Maybrook line (which is called the Maybrook Branch of the New Haven) has CTC installed. 57 miles of 2nd track between Waterbury and Poughkeepsie is taken up.

1962 The Lehigh and New England fails and is abandoned (interchanged at Maybrook).

1969 The New Haven is merged into the Penn Central. The Maybrook Branch traffic decreases. Symbol freights that once interchanged with the Erie-Lackawana at Maybrook were now routed up the former New Haven Springfield line to the former NYC B & A division hence to Selkirk yard.

1970-1971 The Beacon Hopewell line (now called the Beacon Secondary Track) is upgraded. More through freights are now routed into Dutchess County via Hopewell to Beacon and up the former NYC main line to Selkirk. The Erie Lackawanna has kept its interchange at Maybrook and has compelled the Penn Central to route some through traffic via that gateway.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY Part I McLaughlin, D.W., Poughkeepsie Gateway, The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc., Bulletin No. 119.

This was the major source of information.

Travelers Official Railway Guide, June 1893, National Railway Publication Company, reprint by Sheridan Printing Company.

Used for map detail of towns and cities.

Trains, March, 1973. The case for Train Watching in Connecticut.

Used for a few details on present operations on the Maybrook Branch.

49

Part II - Exploring the Old Grades and Remains in Dutchess & Columbia INTRODUCTION Nature and man have been at work on the old railroads of Dutchess County up to 75 years. (NYB & M and CV).

However, most of the old lines have been up less than 40 years.

Much is left to see of the railroads. The railroads in New York state are addressed only. Part II is mostly maps. All commercial maps are to scale. The Dutchess County map is to a scale of 1" = 1 mile. The Columbia County map is to the scale of 3/4" = 1 mile. Any hand drawn map is not to scale.

Railroad names are original names.

Map 1 is a key map which indexes all maps that follow.

(North is up except map 9). " ///1", indicates that the railroad was within a few hundred feet of that point.

—6---e-indicates that the exact route is in doubt and it was guessed.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

A Few Pointers on Exploring The best time of year is late fall and late spring.

Leaves must be off trees. (Forget it otherwise - with leaves you might as well be looking for stars on an overcast night.)

A very light dusting of snow actually helps contrast the old grades, but any accumulation of snow will hide detail which is so important.

About detail, don't overlook anything that might be a clue. A bridge abutment in a farmer's field, a suspicious level hump in the middle of a person's lawn, a culvei.t, and don't be fooled by driving on a road that was the railroad 40 years ago.

Another thing, are you looking at the railroad grade or an old road? With some practice there is not much doubt. Remember "railroads don't like hills" and you are in good shape.

Always check this. If you are driving and see the old grade intersect the road on the left - the rule is: look right where is it over there. If it isn't, be suspicious.

Remember not everyone on Route 82 wants to follow you at 30 MPH while you look for old grades - pull over.

Don't read the map and drive - have help or stop to read.

Respect private property!: I drew 90% of the map data from public roads.

50

KEY MAP - MAP #1

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MAP 2 POUGHKEEPSIE TO SALT POINT The P & C and P & E both left Poughkeepsie at Morgan Lake at Creek Road. Note how close they ran to each other.

Pleasant Valley - the P & E goes right thru the center of town. Look up to the left as you drive north on 44.

You can see the rock cut by the Niagara-Hudson substation. Old station still there. The P & C followed the valley slightly west.

Just below Salt Point the P & C and P & E crossed. Look in the farmer's field just above Rymph.Road. The old abutment for the bridge is still there.

52

MAP 3 SALT POINT, HIBERNIA TO JUST BELOW PINE PLAINS

-

-

-

P & C and P & E enter at the lower left.

The D & C is shown entering from just above Millbrook and up through Shunpike.

Stanfordville - visit Depot Lane. Depot has been saved.

Both the P & C and P & E can be seen.

Bangall - go on Mill Lane, bridge bents visible.

McIntyre - the P & C takes some detective work. It is partially buried by the Rt. 82 embankment. The D & C is up on the hill on the east side.

Stissing - the P & E joins the D & C to run on trackage rights to Pine Plains. The entrance of the D & C from the south into Stissing takes some looking. Note that the P & C has crossed the P & E just west of Stissing.

Attlebury - the D & C grade is visible from Rt. 82 but north of Attlebury farming has removed all traces.

The next 2 maps will pick up the D & C from the south and bring us up to the bottom of this map - then we will look at Pine Plains on map 6.

MAP 4 HOPEWELL JUNCTION TO ARTHURSBURG ON THE D & C CLOVE VALLEY JCT. TO CLOVE VALLEY ON THE CV & NYB & M Hopewell Jct. - the station still stands.

Clove Valley Jct. - this is where the CV joined the D & C. North from here to the Parkway is just about invisible, but beside Jean's Bar at the Parkway you can't mistake what the bridge was for.

The CV & NYB & M These railroads have been gone for one generation, 75 years (since 1898).

They can be seen, but with much difficulty. I picked up the CV on the Augusta Road Loop. If you look in the Mary Lane (name not on map) development, you can see faint traces. East, the Beekman Country Club gobbled it up but it crossed Beekman Road there as shown. With patience you can follow the CV into Sylvan Lake. The long high grade used as a private road south of the lake, is it. The NYB & M can be followed to just east of Rt. 55 and I think I spotted it crossing Rt. 55. The old furnace it served can still be seen on Furnace Road.

53

MILLER POND

BONTECOL LAKE

54

DINGTON LAKE

55

MAP 5 ARTHURSBURG, LAGRANGEVILLE TO MILLBROOK Just off the map lower left is the Taconic Parkway. The grade is visible from there north.

Verbank - D & C crosses Rt. 82.

Millbrook - Yep, it went right thru the golf course next to Bennett College.

If you want, turn back to map 3 to refresh you on the D & C up to Stissing.

Now we will look at Pine Plains on map 6.

56

MAP 6 PINE PLAINS AREA This is the bottom map and we will look at this first.

The northbound P & C and D & C (P & E had trackage rights) enter just east of Thompson Pond. Farming has destroyed all traces here. The D & C bends east just north of Lake Road (look hard) and crosses Rt. 82 just north of Smith St. (look hard). There was also a connection between the D & C and P & C which was not in the history - but there was a connection (no doubt about it). It cut off the D & C just north of Lake Road and cut below Birch. Beach Road was the old railroad (don't be fooled).

The P & E cut north just east of Smith St. (the grade was Factory Ave.). No doubt the whole school complex at the end of Myrtle Ave. was a yard and related railroad property.

The D & C to Millerton is seen leaving east of 82.

The R & C is seen (upper left) as it ducks in and out of Dutchess County at Jackson Corners and Mt. Ross. (You can see the R & C from the Pky.)

MAP 6A ELIZAVILLE TO SILVERNAILS This is the top map - most of this is covered on other maps but it serves to show Silvernails and its relationship to the R & C and D & C (more on Silvernails on map 9). At Elizaville the old station has been preserved as a house.

We will now pick up the R & C east of Elizaville.

MAP 7 RHINECLIFF TO COLUMBIA COUNTY LINE Rhinecliff

Red Hook - the line enters and is Cambridge Road. (Cambridge Road is not named on this map.) The old R & C hugged the south end of town and exited at Route 199 and Echo Valley Road. (Cannot be seen now, however, irebuilding of Rt. 199 and farming hid it forever.)

Spring Lake - cuts between the 2 lakes. If you spot the old grade at County Route 55 and Vistilca Road, you rate an "A" in old grade exploring.

57

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59

MAP 8 BETHEL TO STATE LINE ON THE D & C STATE LINE NORTH TO COLUMBIA COUNTY ON P & E -

-

-

The D & C enters from Bethel on the left.

Millerton - the D & C loops down off the mountain and crosses Rt. 22 just about at the town line. On the east side of the Penn Central Harlem line, you can still see the old tracks in Center Street, Church Street and at Park and Dutchess Streets. (More of these streets are detailed on this map.) Park Street was the old D &C State Line - the P & E, D & C both met the CW here. If you look hard you can spot the remains of a giant wye into the P & E. Rudd Pond area - takes some detective work. North of Rudd Pond, farmers have been at work.

MAP 9 THE R & C AND P & E IN COLUMBIA COUNTY Note: On this map north is to the left.

-

-

-

-

Elizaville (way left) - note R & C loop into Columbia County.

Silvernails - the P & C from Pine Plains joins the R & C from Mt. Ross. No question of where the railroads were here. There is even an old waterspout.

Ancram- (on the R & C) - Pooles Hill Road and Rt. 82 is where it crossed. Look hard.

Copake - old station still stands.

Weed Mines - the R & C crosses Weed Mine Road just south of Lackawanna Rd. Look hard. Some type of spur came off the main line at Weed Mines and looped south only to be lost in farmland. 'A mystery at this juncture.

Boston Corners (far right) - the P & E and R & C joined.

Drive in the dirt road just south of the Harlem Line crossing. P & E loop up around end of mountain but is also lost to farming west side of mountain.

Ancramdale - just behind the house on east end of Town Road is a big rock cut.

60

61

62

So ends Part II.

The maps used were:

Dutchess County - Public Works Dept. Highway Map, Poughkeepsie, New York Columbia County - City Street Directory, Inc., Poughkeepsie, New York - Columbia County Office of Highways Hudson, New York (Map 6A).

63

THE HUCKLEBUSH LINE

by Keith MacPhail During the latter part of the nineteenth century, Dutchess County along with the rest of the United States entered a period of rapid industrial and agricultural development.

In order to support this new growth, a network of independent railroads was incorporated throughout the county and the nation. The following is a brief history of one such independent railroad which served northern Dutchess County and western Connecticut.

The Hucklebush Line was a local nickname attached to the Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad which originated at Rhinecliff, New York, ran to State Line and eventually terminated in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad Company was incorporated under the general railroad laws of New York State on June 29, 1870. The Company was organized by the owners of the Roundout and Oswego Railroad with the certificate of incorporation dated April 25, 1870, being filed with the Secretary of the State of New York on June 29, 1870.

The officers and trustees of the railroad, according to an 1873 document describing the Western Terminus (Rhinecliff), were as follows: Edwin Martin, President; Anthony Benson, Secretary-Treasurer; Thomas Cornell; Richard G. Townshend; H. Shoomaker, William B. Platt; Ambrose Wager; James P. Gould, Chief Engineer; and James H. Jones, Superintendent.

The original plan was to construct a railroad from Roundout, New York on the West bank of the Hudson River to the Connecticut State Line near Millerton and to further build a bridge across the Hudson from Roundout, New York to Rhinecliff, New York, connecting this Railroad with the Roundout and Oswego Railroad (Ulster-Delaware) thus creating a continuous line from the Great Lakes at Oswego to the manufacturing districts of the East. Of course, the proposed bridge was never constructed and plans were altered to construct the railroad from Rhinecliff, New York to the Connecticut State Line near Millerton, a distance of 41.6 miles.

A survey of the right-of-way began in December 1870.

However, due to a delay in the raising of funds, actual construction of the road did not begin until October of 1871.

Some townships through which the line was to pass voted financial assistance to the Company while others did not.

It is interesting to note that an original survey planned the right-of-way to the Village of Rhinebeck to pass through Springbrook Farms a portion of which is now occupied by the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Due to community resistance, this route was changed in favor of the right-of-way which ran northwest of present-day Route 9.

In 1874, twenty-eight miles of mainline were completed, extending the railroad from Rhinecliff on the Hudson to a point between Ancram and Copake, New York. The remaining 7.2 miles to Boston Corners were completed and opened to the public on April 4, 1875. Connections between Boston Corners and State Line, New York, a distance of 6.4 miles, were made over the Poughkeepsie and Eastern Railroad. On April 12, 1875, a lease was made by Jacob P. Carpenter of the Poughkeepsie and Eastern to secure the use of Poughkeepsie and

64

Eastern track rights by the Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad.

The following is a listing of the stations of the Rhinebeck and Connecticut as of June 3, 1878: Rhinecliff Rhinebeck Red Hook Spring Lake Ellerslie (now Elizaville) Jackson Corners Mount Ross Gallatinville An cram Copake Boston Corners Mount Riga State Line (Connecticut Western Railroad Jct.) During this time period a set of operating rules and regulations were published by James H. Jones, General Superintendent. This document was intended for the use of railroad employees only. Some of the more interesting points are stated below: 1. The clock in the Station House at Rhinecliff is the Standard Time. Conductors and Engineers will regulate their time-pieces by it daily.

2. Trains bound West are preferred trains 3. Irregular or Wild Cat Trains or Engines and Gravel Trains must keep out of the way of all regular trains 4.

The Damper on the Ash Pan must be closed when passing over Bridges.

5. The Whistle must be sounded eighty rods before a road and the bell rung until the crossing is passed. Pass all roads with a good lookout, and with special care at all down hill roads and obscure crossings.

6. No person except the Roadmaster, Foremen of Road Repairs on their own section and Conductors of the Train will be allowed to ride upon the Engine or Tender without permission from the Superintendent or Master Mechanic and every Engineer will be held responsible for the strict enforcement of this rule.

Cars must be cleaned and in safe running 7. order 8. Enginemen will not sound the Whistle for Brakes unless there is a danger of running by a Station or into another Train.

9. A Bell Cord must be connected with the Engine passing through the train to the rear platform of the last car before time of starting.

In 1880, a New York Railroad Commissioner's Report stated the financial position and business conditions of the railroad. The following are extracts from that report: Characteristics of Road 3 Length in miles of sidings and turnouts 4' 8 1/2" Gauge of track Weight per yard of iron rail in mainline..56 lbs.

Length in feet of iron bridges on all lines... 75 Length in feet of wooden bridges on all lines.700 65

Length in feet of pile or trestle work in wood on all lines 2,579 Miles of telegraph wire owned and operated.... 43 Equipment Number of locomotive engines for passenger 4 service Number of locomotive engines for freight 4 service Number of locomotive engines for switching 1 service 5 Total number of locomotive engines owned Average weight (with tender and fuel and water) Passenger engines 58 tons 34 tons Switching engines 1 Number of engine-houses 4 Aggregate number of stalls in same 1 Number of first-class passenger cars Number of second-class and emigrant passenger 2 cars 1 Number of baggage, mail and express cars Number of freight and other cars; namely, with 8 wheels 20 Box freight 51 Coal including flat cars 10 Service Miscellaneous Average number of persons directly employed by the company during the year 96 Aggregate amount of salaries and wages paid $29,528.40 to same for the year 18 MPH Average speed of locomotive engines Average rate charged per ton per mile on freight General average of through and 1.885 cents way Average rate charged for passenger per mile General average of through and 3.03 cents way "Income" or "Profit and Loss" Account $164,135.67 Deficit September 30, 1879 59,092.47 Deficit of Current Year Total deficit September 30, 1880 $223,228.14 By mid-year 1882, the Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad ceased to exist as a single independent company. In subsequent years several other transfers and mergers took place. At this point the author has been unable to determine the full details of these transactions. The facts which are known are as follows: In 1882, by an act of New York State passed on June 8 of that year, the Hartford and Connecticut Western Railroad Company was authorized to purchase, hold, and operate the railroad and property of the Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad Company. The deed was dated June 16, 1882, and is recorded in Columbia County, New York.

This transfer combined the Rhinebeck and Connecticut with the Connecticut Western, a railroad which extended from Hartford, Connecticut to State Line, New York. This transaction created a continuous railroad from Rhinecliff, New York to Hartford.

In 1889, the Hudson Connecting, and Poughkeepsie and Connecticut Railroads were purchased and incorporated as the 66

Central New England and Western Railroad. This company then leased the Hartford and Connecticut Western Railroad (formerly the Rhinebeck and Connecticut).

The property and franchise of the Central New England and Western Railroad and the Poughkeepsie Bridge Company were conveyed to the Philadelphia Reading and New England Railroad in 1892. The Poughkeepsie Bridge Company, incorporated in 1886, constructed the railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie, New York. This connection, now a division of the Penn Central, remains the only such crossing of the Hudson between New York City and Selkirk, New York.* On October 6, 1898, the Philadelphia Reading and New England Railroad Company was sold on foreclosure after failing to meet interest payments. The line was subsequently taken over by the Central New England Railroad Company in January, 1899. On June 25, 1907, after purchasing the Newburgh Dutchess and Connecticut, and Poughkeepsie and Eastern Railroad Companies, the Central New England Railroad owned and operated all previously independent railroads in Dutchess County (including the Hucklebush).

By June 30, 1910, according to a Corporate Chart of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad the forementioned company owned a majority of the shares of the capital stock of the Central New England Railway System.

The exact date of the transfer of the Central New England Railroad Company to the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad is not known by the author. The Central New England continued to operate as a distinct division of the New York New Haven and Hartford Railroad until 1938.

The f011owing is a brief outline of information regarding the various stations and points of interest along the Hucklebush Line.

Rhinecliff The Hamlet of Rhinecliff was the Western Terminus of the Rhinebeck and Connecticut. At this location the railroad owned a freight station, four stall roundhouse, a sixty-foot turntable and a large ash pit. Engines departing Rhinecliff drew water from a dammed up stream located near the engine facilities. At Rhinecliff, the Hucklebush shared a passenger terminal with the. New York Central and Hudson River Railroad (presently a division of the Penn Central).

About a half mile north of the roundhouse a siding branched off to the west. This track was carried across a small cove and over the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad mainline by means of a large wooden trestle. The siding terminated on Long Dock and serviced an ice house and coal pocket at that location. The trestle was removed about the year 1910 and all that remains today is a decrepit field stone abutment.

Astors Located at the Astor Estate was a small private station house which apparently served guests of the family traveling from Hartford and New York City. This station also had telegraph service which was assigned call letter A.

*On Wednesday, May 8, 1974, as this report was being compiled, a spectacular fire occurred on the Poughkeepsie Bridge which caused extensive damage to the structure. This fire was attributed to sparks from a passing freight train.

67

Rhinebeck Situated three miles from Rhinecliff on the Hudson were the station buildings at Rhinebeck, New York. The original passenger station, which was located south of the railroad tracks and west of Albany Post Road (Montgomery Street) was used until 1910 when a new building was constructed north of the tracks. After this date the old station became a freight house.

Many private businesses flourished near the Rhinebeck station, which was known as the Hogs Bridge Area, all of which were serviced by the railroad. The following is a list of these businesses: 1. Lown Company Coal Pocket Constructed in 1912, located behind the freight house south of the tracks. It was operated until 1938 when service on the Rhinecliff branch of the Central New England came to an end.

2. Rhinebeck Coal Company Coal Pocket Located south of tracks and east of Albany Post Road. The original cement coal pocket foundations are still in place.

3. Shellac Factory Constructed about 1907, located north of the tracks and east of Albany Post Road. After World War I it was used as a feed store by Whitford Rynder.

A fourth business operated in the area was the Dutchess Light, Heat and Power Company Power House which provided Rhinebeck with electricity. This is the only building now standing and was the only company not directly serviced by the railroad.

About one-eighth of a mile east of the Station was a small spring surrounded by grey birch trees. This is said to have been a favorite resting place for hoboes traveling the line.

Weys Crossing Located near the present day corner of Routes 9 and 9G east of Rhinebeck was a crossing gate or arm which could be lowered across the track to stop trains if passengers wished to board. This became a stop after the Central New England gained control of the railroad. No station house was ever located here.

Red Hook The passenger terminal, freight house, milk house, and tool sheds which compiled the Red Hook Station area were located at the south end of Depot Street (Elizabeth Avenue).

The majority of these buildings, which are seven point four miles from Rhinecliff, remain intact (their exteriors relatively unchanged) and serve as the Red Hook, Farmer's Co-op Store.

The largest and most important business serviced by the railroad in the Red Hook Area was the Bakers Chocolate Factory. Located on the south side of the track behind the station this building is presently an apple storage and packing plant.

Fraleighs During the early 1900's there existed at this location a passenger signal similar to that at Weys Crossing, which could be lowered when passengers wished to board. Apparently, there was no station at this point. Fraleighs is a large dairy farm located on Route 199 east of Red Hook which is owned and operated by the Fraleigh family.

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Spring Lake (Cokertown) Sping Lake, a distance of 11.2 miles from Rhinecliff, was the name of the station which appeared on the forementioned Rhinebeck and Connecticut time schedule issued in 1878. In later years, according to Central New England timetables, this location is referred to as Cokertown. A photograph apparently taken in the early 1900's reveals that the area consisted of a passenger station, water tower, tool house, passing siding, and freight house constructed of an earlier Pullman type heavy weight passenger car. Just north of the station the right of way crossed Spring Lake and continued to Ellerslie.

Ellerslie (Elizaville) The Ellerslie station, 13.6 miles from Rhinecliff, consisted of a small combination passenger and freight station located near the junction of Salisbury and Turkey Hill Roads.

A small railroad bridge crossed Salisbury Road just west of the Station building. The Ellerslie station name was later changed to Elizaville. The station building has been converted into a private residence presently occupied.

Jackson Corners Just east of a large wooden railroad trestle spanning Fishwoods Creek and Academy Hill Road was the Jackson Corners Station, a distance of 17.6 miles from Rhinecliff. The Station building was a small combination passenger and freight facility. Near this area there was a large concrete culvert which accommodated a small stream and allowed farmers access to their fields.

Mount Ross From Jackson Corners the right of way proceeded east along the Roelof Jansen Kill to Mount Ross a distance of 19.3 miles from Rhinecliff. An early photograph indicates that this station was a small combination freight and passenger building.

Silvernails Although Silvernails did not appear upon the 1878 Rhinebeck and Connecticut Time schedule, it became an important station in the later history of the line. Located at Silvernails was a small combination passenger and freight station (which today serves as a garage), a large wye, and a water spout which remains to this day bearing the following information: "N. N. Poage, Cinn., Ohio, Pat. Dec. 25, 1894 Feb. 12, 1895 July 22, 1879 January 12, 1880 John N. Poage, Cinncinati, O." Also located at Silvernails was the junction of the Hucklebush Line and the Newburgh Dutchess and Columbia Railroad. It is interesting that in later years all distances were measured from Silvernails to Rhinecliff.

Example: Central New England Railroad, Silvernails to Rhinecliff Branch.

At this time, the author knows very little of the remaining six stations of the Hucklebush Line. The data and facts which are known concerning these stations are as follows: Gallatinville Located 23 miles from Rhinecliff was the Gallatinville Station which appeared on the 1878 Rhinebeck and Connecticut timetable. A Central New England timetable dated July 1, 1917, indicates that there was also later a station located at Gallatin.

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Ancram From Gallatinville the right-of-way proceeds northeast to Ancram a distance of 25.4 miles from Rhinecliff. A small combination passenger and freight station was located here, as was a large paper mill which was serviced by the railroad.

Copake The station of Copake was located 31.5 miles from Rhinecliff. A neat frame station building, which remains to this day, serviced both passengers and freight at this location.

Boston Corners The mainline of the Hucklebush proceeded southeast from Copake to the Town of Boston Corners a distance of 35.2 miles from Rhinecliff. Located at Boston Corners was the junction of both the Harlem Valley and Poughkeepsie, Hartford and Boston (P&E) Railroads. Also at Boston Corners was a small combination passenger and freight station, a water tower and a wye. It is interesting to note that an early photograph indicates that the majority of trackage at this station was constructed upon wooden trestle work.

The remaining 6.4 miles of track, from Boston Corners to State Line was rented from the P&E Railroad. Details of this transaction were mentioned earlier in this report.

Mount Riga South of Boston Corners and 38.6 miles from Rhinecliff was located Mt. Riga. The station at Mt. Riga appears on the early Rhinebeck and Connecticut time schedule but is not indicated on the 1917 Central New England timetable.

State Line Located a distance of 41.6 miles from Rhinecliff was State Line, New York, the original Eastern terminus of the Rhinebeck and Connecticut. A wye was located at this station as well as the junction of the Connecticut Western Railroad.

In later years through transactions discussed earlier in this report the main line of the Hucklebush continued into Connecticut and terminated in the City of Hartford.

Some interesting bits of miscellaneous information concerning the railroad are listed below: Telegraph Codes 1. Boston Corners - BN 2. Silvernails - SN 3. Jackson Corners - J 4. Elizaville - VA 5. Cokertown - CR 6. Red Hook - RH 7. Rhinebeck - R 8. Astors - A Wages and Pay Rates 1902-06 CNE Railroad Days Title Per Day Week Car Inspector 6 $1.90 $11.40 Engine Watchman 7 $1.50 $10.50 Coal Heaver 6 $1.50 $ 9.00 Conductor 6 $3.60 $21.60 Baggage Master 6 $2.25 $13.50 Brakeman 6 $2.00 $12.00 With the adoption and popularity of automobiles, trucks, and airplanes and the building of new improved highways, small railroads became obsolete. In the mid 1930'5 70

the New York, New Haven and Hartford found it no longer profitable to operate the Rhinecliff to Millerton branch of the Central New England Division. On July 15, 1938, service on the mainline between Rhinecliff and Copake ended. Previously (August 31, 1932), trackage between Copake and Millerton (State Line) had been abandoned. In 1939, a company was hired to remove the rails, ties and other hardware which made up the mainline of the Hucklebush Line.

Although it has not been found to be documented, some community residents have indicated that the steel, iron and other metals were sold to Japan during 1939-1940.

In closing, the author is interested in learning more of the facts and history of the "Hucklebush Line". Therefore, if any readers have information to offer, please contact Keith MacPhail, 11 Cozine Avenue, Rhinebeck, New York, 876-6152.

Credits Mr. Lyndon A. Haight, Auburn, N.Y. Mr. John 0. Hamlin, Rhinebeck, N.Y. Mr. Myron Van Wagenen, Rhinebeck, N.Y. Mr. Tracy Hester, Rhinebeck, N. Y.

Elizaville Station, Early 1900's

Mt. Ross Station, Early 1900's 71

Copake Station, December 1, 1973

Elizaville Station, December 1, 1973

Silvernails, Station, Silvernails Rd., Dec., 1973

Water Spout, Silvernails, April, 1974

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JULIA DEAN

By Clifford M. Buck In the book "The Twenty Seventh Wife" by Irving Wallace, published by Simon and Schuster 1961, on page 134 there is the following statement: "Brigham Young was madly in love with actress Julia Dean Hayne. Julia Dean was born in Pleasant Valley, New York, July 22, 1830."

Because Julia Dean was born in Pleasant Valley and because the Deans were a promient family in Dutchess County, I became interested in finding more about her.

The book continues with the following information: that she was a child prodigy and was on the stage by age 16, that in 1855 she married Dr. Arthur Hayne in Charleston, S.C. and later divorced him.

She went to Salt Lake City July 26, 1865 with a company and played for one week starting August 11, 1865. At the end of the week Brigham Young offered her $300 a week and she stayed eleven months. He built a sleigh and named it the Julia Dean and took her in it to several parties and that he tried to convert her to become a Mormon and also proposed marriage, but she would have neither.

In 1866 she married James G. Cooper, Secretary of Utah Territory and on July 4, 1866 she bid farewell to the theatre in Salt Lake City and returned to New York City. While pregnant, she was in her last performance there in October 1967.

On March 6, 1868 she died giving birth to a stillborn girl and she was buried in Port Jervis, N. Y. So much for the account from "The Twenty Seventh Wife."

I searched Dean wills, deeds, mortgages and church records and could find no trace of a Dean with daughter Julia.

Next I found the following item in the Poughkeepsie Telegraph for October 19, 1831. "At Pleasant Valley on 16th Mrs. Julia wife of Edwin Dean, formerly Miss Drake of Kentucky Theaters." Obviously because of the date this was not our Julia but because of the name and connection with the theatre she might well be the mother.

In the Friends Cemetery at Pleasant Valley, located back of the present Grange Hall there is a gravestone which reads: "Julia Dean wife of Edwin a. 28 y."

In Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, New York D. Appleton 1888, v. 2 p 115 we have the following account: DEAN, JULIA actress b. in Pleasant Valley, N.Y. July 22, 1830; d. in New York City, 6 March 1868. She was the daughter of Julia Drake, an actress who married Thomas Fosdick for her first husband, and later Edmund Dean, a well known manager of Buffalo and Rochester Theatres. Her education for the stage was accomplished under his direction. She appeared first as Lady Ellen in "The Lady of the Lake," during 1845, in Louisville, Ky. Later in the same year she filled an engagement at the Bowery Theatre, N. Y. and appeared as Julia in "The Hunchback." Her success was flattering and in November 1846, she played the same part in the Arch Street Theatre, Philadelphia. In 1855 she married Dr. Arthur Hayne of Charleston, S.C. In May 1856 she sailed for San Francisco and after an absence of nearly two years returned to the east with the proceeds of a very successful tour. She was divorced from her husband on the ground of his failure to support her, and in 1866 married James Cooper of New York. Her last appearance in New York was in October 1867. She excelled in juvenile tragedy and high comedy parts.

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Thinking I might learn a little more about Julia Dean from her gravestone, I went to the Laurel Cemetery in Port Jervis. It was just before Memorial Day. I found the caretaker and he said he was too busy mowing the cemetery to bother to look up his records. So I walked about trying to find a gravestone without success.

Mrs. Marion Denzel of Hackensack, N.J. was working on another problem in the Dean family. I wrote her of my unsuccessful visit to the cemetery. She wrote to the Chamber of Commerce in Port Jervis. As a result, their secretary, Mrs. Dorothy E. Kokolias wrote that their Historical Society writer had brought in a copy of the Minnisink paper printed May, 1969, of which she had made a copy which follows: "In Laurel Grove cemetery, a short distance from the main entrance and near the Neversink River, in an unmarked grave, sleeps one of the most beloved actresses in the history of the American Theatre - Julia Dean.

"She was born in Pleasant Valley, July 22, 1830. Her parents were Edmund Dean, a well known theatre manager, and Julia Drake, a daughter of Samuel Drake, a pioneer Kentucky theatre manager. When Julia was two years of age, her mother died, and she went to live with her father's parents, who were Quakers. At the age of 11 years, she returned to her father's home; Edmund had married again several years after the death of Julia's mother. Julia assisted in the household duties and played several small roles in the various theatres with which he was connected.

"In 1844 and 1845, the three Deans were members of the Ludlow and Smith Co. in Mobile, Alabama, and there Julia served a rather trying apprenticeship. The following year Julia went north with her father. At the age of 15, appearing on short notice, she scored her first success as Lady Ellen in "The Lady of the Lake." Her father promptly took her to New York, where she played, on May 18, 1846, "Julia" in "The Hunchback" at the Bowery Theatre. So great was her success that, for a time, she made this tragic role almost her own.

"The beauty of her gentle personality, as well as the loveliness of her face, won her way into the hearts of the public, who saw in her, their ideal of American girlhood.

She was, according to Lawrence Hutton, the Julia of all Julias, and for quiet effect and subdued personality, she was the peer of all others. The next few years saw her rise to the top in her profession and to a popularity which few, if any, have since achieved. At the age of 25, she married Arthur Hayne, son of U. S. Senator Robert Hayne of South Carolina, whom Daniel Webster once engaged in famous debate.

"Her marriage was not a happy one; this cast a shadow over her performances, which in turn, reflected adversely in public opinion. Finding that her popularity was waning, she and her husband went to California. In San Francisco, she again became a box office idol and traveled about the state, frequently appearing in small towns.

In Sacramento, she was the joint proprietress of a theatre. At the age of 35 she toured the Rocky Mountain States, ending up in Salt Lake City in July 1865, where she remained until the following June; then she again returned to San Francisco. There she divorced her husband and once more set out for New York, which she had not visited for several years. Here she tried again, in vain, to win back her former place in the hearts of the theater going public, 74

but her acting had lost the simple naturalness that constituted its charm. In 1867, she married James G. Cooper and on March 6th of the following year she died in childbirth. She and James are buried near the Allerton lot which is located a short distance south of the lower gate in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

"One of the entrancing love stories of all time among the theatrical profession was that of Julia and Joseph Jefferson who were often associated with each other at the start of their careers. Joseph was a famous comedian; he was born in Philadelphia in 1829 and died in 1905. He achieved international success and appeared at the Adelphi Theater in London. In 1865 as Rip Van Winkle, by which name he was thereafter known."

Again, I visited the Laurel Grove Cemetery, and found the Allerton plot, south of the Main Gate, near the Neversink River bank a short distance from several large pine trees.

South of the Allerton monument there is an open space sufficient for two graves.

So Pleasant Valley had two Julia Deans who were actresses, one Julia Drake Dean buried in the Friends cemetery in Pleasant Valley and one Julia Dean Cooper buried in Laurel Grove cemetery, Port Jervis. Although the Dean and Drake families are well known Pleasant Valley and Dutchess County families, I have not been able to find any further information on the ancestry of the two Julias.

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ON FINDING A FOLK ART TREASURE

By Sue Whitman Ten-thousand pieces of American folk art were culled in selecting the exhibits for the current Flowering of American Folk Art show, according to the Whitney Museum catalogue. I marvel that we can boast of 10,000 pieces - photographed, labeled and catalogued. So careless are we with our national heritage. So indifferent we have been to our art.

I recently found two new additions to our folk art legacy, bold and beautiful portraits of a minister and his wife

by Ammi Phillips. The survival of these paintings is a modern miracle, considering the ignorance and disinterest surrounding them.

On the off chance that you are as untutored in American folk painting as I (an unlikely assumption) let me explain that Ammi Phillips was an itinerant portrait painter who established himself and family in one after another of the communities in the New York-Connecticut borderlands, then made his way with his horse and wagon from house to house to paint the portraits of the local inhabitants. Between 1829 and 1834, he settled his family on 45 acres of good Dutchess County farmland, and sallied forth from there to paint his neighbors.

The fact that his subjects were his neighbors and his friends gave him keen insight in depicting their individualities. His portraits were never mere likenesses, but compelling and penetrating character studies of a proud and independent people. He painted them with dignity, sympathy and beauty.

The story of the discovery began on a hot day last July when the four of us - my daughter, son, daughter-in-law and myself - converged on the Victorian family home in Dutchess County to clear it for sale. That Friday afternoon when we arrived from Washington and Boston we found, to our dismay, that the tenants were still in the house. We had until Monday at 4 to deliver the place "broom clean" to the new owner, a young upcoming IBM executive flying in from Holland to sign the papers. He had seen in this spacious, high-ceilinged house the life style he dreamed of, and bought it on sight, with plans to renovate later the forty-year-old kitchen.

I had dallied over selling Netherwood. When the last of the older generation passed away I could neither bring myself to part with the home which had meant so much to our family, nor sever ties with the community which we cherished. Nor could I think what to do with twelve rooms of furniture and artifacts, plus an attic full of who-knows-what. Our young people would soon be starting homes of their own, and bless them, shared the family affection for their heritage. But what pieces would they really want when the time came? So I had shipped some of the "treasures" home, packed others off to the barn, and rented the rest to a family desperately in need of a large furnished house.

Early Saturday morning, with the tenants more or less out, we began to work fast and furiously dividing the accumulation of my parents' life time, room by room, into three piles - trash, sell or save. The attic was the last to be cleared. What to do with it all? Arena Stage, a repertory theatre company in Washington, had agreed to take old clothes,

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to serve as costume models, if they were no longer usable.

The feather boa and muff, the gruesome fur piece with the heads of little martins chewing their own tails, the black lace clingy from Paris, and other spectaculars from the past we saved for them.

The attic was enormous - two stories high at the center topped in earlier days by a pinnacled widow's walk.

There were two stairways to the attic, front and back, and windows to the floor on four sides. We plowed our way through the maze of old steamer trunks, stacked with photograph albums, decaying boxes bulging with discarded curtains, outgrown toys lovingly saved for the next generation of children.

Suddenly Joanne turned around two large portraits which were facing the wall, one framed and one unframed. "Where did these come from?" she said. "Probably bought them at an auction as a joke," I said, "so we would have ancestors."

By. Monday morning we had gathered on the first floor everything which hadn't been trucked to the town dump. The local auctioneer was due at noon to take things away - I thought - for sale on consignment. Two generations of his family had been in the second-hand business in the area.

When I invited him to inspect the goods, however, he failed to mention that he was now only dealing in selected items.

The auctioneer arrived late, very jaunty though, and nattily dressed in bright red pants, striped shirt and a straw hat cocked over his right eye. He strode through the house, picking up a piece here and there, crafty-eyed. Then he gathered up a pewter pot with a bad crack through its middle, a landscape painting, a Hudson River oil, and the two portraits. For the lot, he said, with the confidence of a man with money to burn, he would give us $200 cash or a check. He wasn't interested in any other items. I was aghast! All our lovely things, and that was what he wanted!

Still wearing my smile, I said "no thank you" and hustled him out the door.

I took another look at the portraits though. They were quite extraordinary, but too large for my house and in such terrible condition. What would I ever do with them in Washington? In the pressure of the moment I decided to save them and worry about that later.

Transporting them home was a problem though. My son and daughter were considered too young to rent a truck in New York State. The best we could do was to rent a monstrous station wagon. This we packed Sunday afternoon, floor to roof. The portraits floated uneasily on top of the heap headed for a Washington suburb.

Finding an appraiser, if you are new to the art world, can be a hurdle. I thumbed through the yellow pages, found a large ad of a dealer and appraiser specializing, the ad said, in early American art. Having ascertained how much it would cost to have him come to the house I packed one of the portraits back in the car and took it to him. He thought it was interesting, and since he doubted that I could ever afford to have it restored, he might try to find a buyer for me, he said. His written appraisal stated "Unknown artist Value $750." He did suggest, however, that I not move the portrait around again since every joggle was loosening more paint.

A second offer to buy those battered, flaking portraits!

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My curiosity was aroused. After numerous calls to art galleries, who said they were not supposed to recommend appraisers, the name emerged of a respected expert in American art in the Washington area. Since he lived in the neighborhood he said he would be glad to drop by. He instantly identified the portraits as Ammi Phillips, told me about the artist, provided names and addresses of art experts knowledgeable about Phillips, gave me before and after restoration appraisals, and finally, offered to buy the portraits in their "as is" condition for $6000.

"But where," he said, "is the other frame? It is very important to have the original frame." With a sinking feeling I remembered that the odds and ends dealer who bought what was left in the house had carted off a large black frame.

How could I ever retrieve it now that I was home?

I thought of a friend in Poughkeepsie, a retired teacher squeaking along on a pinch penny annuity, who recently had unexpectedly inherited more money than she ever expected to see. Since her life's dream had been a Cadillac car she bought one, with all the fixings, for $12,000. I reached her by phone. Yes, she would be willing to drive to the country to find the junk shop with the frame.

That night she called. Yes, she had found the frame.

The shop wanted $2.00 for it. But, she said, it was shabby and had a hole in it. She certainly wouldn't want it, and didn't think I would either. She hadn't bought it: Momma Mia! If she hadn't understood the problem the first time what could I do now? My voice began to quiver.

I implored her to please try again. She understood. With her second appearance in the $12,000 Cadillac the price escalated to $10 for the frame, and by the time the lumber yard crated the piece and shipped it I had paid $50 to retrieve the give-away.

The Washington art galleries were less hesitant in recommending restoration specialists than they had been appraisers. They do take an interest in preserving what is found.

The restoration studio which agreed to undertake the work assured me, though, that one never knew whether a painting of this vintage and this condition was, in fact, restorable.

It was a risky business, and expensive.

I am not a worrier by nature, so having faith in what was candidly described as an uncertain future I moved on to the next problem - namely, identifying the minister and his wife whom Ammi Phillips had portrayed. A good painting is just as good with or without the names of the sitters, but knowing the names adds interest, particularly if the sitters come from a well known family. I had reason to believe that the portraits were of Van Renssalears, by blood or marriage, since a Van Renssalear family owned Netherwood about the time the portraits were painted. I began to write letters to the neighbors at Netherwood and Salt Point, the nearby village, to historical societies up and down the Hudson River Valley, and to the Ammi Phillips specialist, Mary Black of the New York Historical Society.

The Dutchess County community of which Netherwood and Salt Point are a part has not changed radically since Ammi Phillips' day. Salt Point is a modest but proud village one block long with about twenty-five well-kept white clapboard houses sitting far back on their lawns facing each

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other across the road.

The villagers know of other portraits in the neighborhood not yet listed in the art archives, and belonging to families who have farmed their land since the Civil War and are still farming it. The village is much the same too, as in Ammi Phillips' time. The store was remodeled about 15 years ago, but most of the houses stand as built about 150 years ago, and few have been added since. Ammi Phillips, the folk painter, might feel at home there.

The candor, forthrightness and humanism which characterize his portraits still flow strong and deep in the blood stream of the descendants. The neighbors remembered well all the owners of Netherwood over the years, and commented on them with Ammi Phillips-like straightforwardness, yet kindly acceptance of the erring ways of man - and his woman.

One occupant of the house had been "a little peculiar," they said; one impotent, they thought, "but his wife had found a way to have a son," one had burned a house down "back in the lane off Malone Road." But they didn't remember a Van Renssalear who had been a minister.

I pressed the search through the Van Renssalear clan, and had high hopes for a carefully arranged rendevous with Mary Van Renssalear Thayer, the correspondent. Mrs. Thayer said she had inherited photographs of portraits of the Van Renssalears. But when the evening of our meeting arrived, at a home across the street from her Georgetown house, Mrs. Thayer regaled us with a two-hour reading from the family letters. She couldn't remember where she had put the photographs: It wasn't until April when the studio was finally ready to fit the beautifully restored pictures to the frames that we found the names, scarcely legible on the back of the frames. Ammi Phillips had painted the Baptist minister and his wife, Luman and Esther Burtch.

The genealogy room at the Library of Congress confirmed by telephone that there was indeed a Burch Book, with some of the families spelling the name Burtch. I took the afternoon off from work to rush down. There it was at last. The Reverend Burtch was the minister in the small Baptist Church which bordered on our property.

My mother, though never officially a member of the church, helped the church ladies, her neighbors and friends, with all of their functions - cooking for the chicken pie suppers, sewing with the Thimble Club ladies for the poor and the missionaries, washing dishes after the strawberry festivals and drying the towels on the tombstones in the graveyard outside the back door of the church.

Netherwood Church in the 35 years we knew it was supported by about twelve families in the community who must have given a fair share of their modest incomes to pay the Minister and keep the church and parsonage in shape. Proposals floated in the community from time to time to combine forces with the village church a mile away. But in the end nothing ever came of them. If such a plan would save these families money it might also compromise their freedom to be themselves.

The proud and independent spirit is still there. The breed Ammi Phillips painted has not died gut.

If we now knew who the sitters were we still had no idea how the portraits had found their way to our attic. Mr. Buck thought they might have been left by the family before the 79

Van Renssalears, the Armstrongs. But another neighbor, close to the church, consulted the church treasurer, and he remembered the portraits. "They were in the church or Sunday school room for a long time," he said. "Everyone was tired of them, and the Thimble Club ladies decided to dispose of them. Your mother didn't want them thrown out so gave them a new home." The treasurer didn't remember whether the Thimble Club ladies had said "just take them," or whether my mother had paid for them.

In either case that was thirty years ago, and neither the Thimble Club ladies, the church treasurer or my mother had apparently given them a thought from that day to this.

Perhaps that was how we also acquired the pulpit stand which has stood in the corner of our cellar for thirty years. I abandoned that to the IBM family who bought Netherwood.

And how had Netherwood Church acquired the portraits?

Our neighbor again hit upon the one man who knew the story, the Reverend Erle Clark, a Baptist minister now in Pawling, New York. Elder Luman Burtch, he said, was the second pastor of the Stanford First Baptist Church, in Bangall, New York.

The portraits of Luman and Esther hung there for many years.

The Reverend Clark was the last pastor of the church, and when it closed asked if he could take the portraits with him to the Netherwood Church, his next pastorage. He had often wondered, he said, what happened to them.

The Elder Burtch was ordained on June 14, 1806 by a council convened of the Elders of the church, though he had declined the honor a year before. From then until 1855, when, stricken with palsy he closed his labors, he preached the Gospel not only in Bangall but also in Fishkill, Amenia, Pine Plains and Netherwood. Receiving a pittance for his pastoral labors he supported himself mainly as a farmer.

An inquiry to the American Baptist Historical Society in Rochester, New York turned up Luman Burtch's own record of marriages and in his own hand is the entry "July 15, 1830 Marriage was this day Solemnized by me between Ammi Phillips of Rhinebeck painter aged 20 to Jane Ann Calkins of Northeast Spinster aged 18 both to me personally known Luman Burtch $5-00" The story was complete, save only the question of the young age of Ammi Phillips who, according to history, is marrying for the second time.

If the country folk of Dutchess County barely tolerated their folk paintings, with the exception, it appears, of the Reverend Clark, Americans elsewhere were even more indifferent. It was American artists in the 20's who stirred the nation's interest in folk art. But the Ammi Phillips "discovery" was much later. It was not until October 1965 that the Holdridges published their research on the painter who showed us "what people and things really looked like."

This prolific painter, the Holdridges believe, may have painted a thousand pictures in his lifetime. Only about 200 are known to the art historians. In whose attic are the others? How many have passed through the hands of auctioneers or art specialists who have underestimated their importance? How many have been allowed to rot because restoration experts are scarce and the work costly?

Perhaps the Flowering of American Folk Art exhibit, which is now on tour, will be the beginning of the education 80

of us all. The National Endowment for the Arts has also entered the picture, creating recently a new post, director of folk art, "to give recognition to indiginous American art forms in time for the nation's approaching Bi-Centennial," to quote the Washington Post.

We have much to learn, quickly, before we have cause to celebrate!

As found

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After

restoration

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After

restoration

EXCAVATION OF THE VAN WYCK HOMESTEAD A PRELIMINARY REPORT

By Juliette J. Cartwright During the years of the American Revolution the village of Fishkill, New York was transformed from a quiet farming community to the site of one of the principal military installations in the north. Known as the Fishkill Supply Depot, it served as an easy rendezvous point and encampment for Continental troops and state militias. As the major base of the Quartermaster and Commissary Departments its primary function was the procurement, storage and distribution of food, clothing and munitions. During the period 1776 to 1783, when the Fishkill Supply Depot was active, references to a magazine, barracks buildings, workshops, stables, a hospital, a prison and storehouses attest to the complex of military activities carried out here. Frequent mention in the historic record of the house of Isaac Van Wyck as an officer's headquarters, a paymaster's office and the scene of many court martials has led to an interest to preserve thg Van Wyck Homestead as an important landmark of the American Revolution.

This past summer's dig was part of a continuous program of archaeological investigation of the Fishkill Supply Depot Area led by the Fishkill Historical Society and supported by various grants and private donations since the 1960's. The 1974 excavation on the grounds of the Van Wyck Homestead was undertaken to uncover archaeological evidence which would shed light on the nature and dating of various occupations of the house; the nature of the various activities carried out there; and the relationship between the historical record and the recovered archaeological data. Of particular interest was the house's use as a military headquarters during the Revolution and whether or not the archaeological remains would reflect this specific usage.

This first season of excavation at the Van Wyck Homestead began on July 8 and continued through September 6, with the final week limited to excavations in the cellar of the house. Field work was conducted by a crew of five undergraduate and graduate students from New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware and twenty members of the Fishkill Historical Society who volunteered on a regular basis. The volunteers, who ranged from 9 to 57 years of age, were instructed in archaeological technique and worked under close supervision.

Each person was instructed in the processing of artifacts and participated in lab work in an effort to keep up with the large volume of artifacts unearthed each day. Digging was carried out in five foot grids and three foot wide trenches.

Grids were taken down following the natural stratigraphy and each level was bagged separately. A complete record - maps, notes and photographs - was kept for all phases of the excavation. In this manner, the excavation of forty-nine grids and six test trenches was accomplished and an approximate volume of 3,000 cubic feet of earth was moved.

At the conclusion of nine weeks, over 32,700 artifacts were recovered. Artifacts not included in this count are bone, shell, coal, coal ash, slag, charcoal, and construction materials such as brick and mortar. Of the total number of artifacts, 16,059 (50%) were ceramics. Within the ceramic category, 14,598 were earthenware, 830 were stoneware, and 631 were porcelain sherds. Over 7,103 metal artifacts were 84

found. This figure includes a wide variety of brass, pewter, silver and iron objects. Of this total, there were 5,975 nails, 114 buttons, 32 buckles, 7 sleeve links, 9 coins, 3 grapeshot, 7 musketballs and 6 buckshot. The remaining nonmetal artifacts include 7,704 pieces of glass, 1,229 fragments of kaolin pipe, 5 gunflints and 430 aboriginal artifacts. A more detailed analysis of the total artifact assemblage is in progress.

Several features were revealed through this summer's excavations. The most interesting feature uncovered during the summer was an activity area located directly behind the east wing or 1732 section of the house. Here a large concentration of colonial artifacts was recovered from a thick deposit of dark humic soil with a high shell and gravel content. This deposit was reached between .8 and 1.0 feet below the surface and was .3 to .5 feet thick. The deposit was thickest near the house and tapered and disappeared twenty feet north of the house.

Another feature was exposed approximately fifteeen feet northeast of the house. This feature was a small circular concentration of coal ash mixed with bone, ceramics and metal debris. The contents of this feature indicate a late 19th to early 20th century domestic refuse pit.

One structural feature encountered was a stone sluice extending from the east side of the 1732 section. The sluice continued for approximately twenty feet and emptied into a circular stone pit or dry well. The sluice and dry well were covered with flat stone slabs to allow drainage. Artifacts associated with this feature suggest a late 19th century date.

The excavation of the "Southeast Room," an enclosed room in the southeast corner of the cellar, uncovered at least two separate artifact-bearing floor levels. No cultural remains were uncovered in the rest of the cellar, except for a thin scattering of 20th century litter found on the surface. Below this was an undisturbed glacial deposit underlain by a coarse sand and finally a fine-textured gravel. Since the "Southeast Room" is the only area of the cellar where cultural material has been preserved, it would seem that the rest of the cellar floor had been stripped or lowered at some time in the past.

Last summer's excavation unearthed a corpus of data which, when compared with the historical record, will facilitate a more accurate interpretation of the Van Wyck Homestead's 242 year history. A more thorough discussion of this summer's findings awaits the conclusion of the analysis currently underway. In view of the results of the first season of excavations, further archaeological testing of the unexplored portions of the Van Wyck Homestead grounds is needed.

85

THE POUGHKEEPSIE TOWER CLOCK

by Michael D. Gordon

In 1858, when Poughkeepsie was surrounded by rolling farmland and the sound of a church bell could be heard for more than a few miles, an important landmark was erected at the southwest corner of Main and Little Washington Streets; the New First Reformed Church was dedicated on September 7th, replacing the old church which was destroyed by fire on January 18, 1857.

The new church was a magnificent edifice with a 65 foot tower that contained a four faced clock. Its 6 foot dial, which could be seen from practically anywhere in the city, and the sound of its huge bell quickly became the talk of the entire area. The clock became known as the tower clock and later the town clock. The church became known as "the town clock" church.

In October, 1913, the congregation of the First Reformed Church decided to join the congregation of the "Second Reformed Church" and moved in with them on Hooker Avenue. After the last service in the tower clock church on October 12, 1913, the clock was given into the care of the Poughkeepsie Common Council.

The Common Council maintained the clock and passed a resolution declaring it the official city clock. The empty church stood until late in 1919 when it was torn down to make way for the construction of the Strand Building. In early 1921, the clock was relocated into the tower of the Strand on the same site at Main and Little Washington Streets.

In 1924, the city contracted with Zimmer Brothers to take care of the winding and servicing of the huge clock.

This arrangement worked very well and three generations of

ER BROTHERS

86

Zimmers made the weekly trek up the tower to wind the weights that drove the heavy gears. When the church was torn down, the huge 4000 pound bell was removed. The bell, cast in Sheffield, England just prior to its installation in 1858, was not reunited with the clock in the Strand Building.

In the late 1950's, the city lost interest in maintaining the clock. The Colonial Theatre people erected a huge steel and neon sign up the east side of the tower, covering the east face of the clock, cutting two of the Roman numerals off and using the clock's steel frame as a support for the sign.

Early in 1972, as the Strand Building was being demolished, the old clock got a reprieve--Poughkeepsie Jeweler, Leonard Zimmer, Jr., grandson of the first Zimmer to wind the clock, climbed up the tower, along with his son-in-law (the author), and saved the undamaged faces of the clock. It was an eleventh hour rescue, the kind you see in the movies, with the wreckers' shovel bucket taking bites out of the southeast end of the building and that old tower swaying and groaning with each bite. A wet mixture of snow and rain was falling and made the task a bit more difficult.

The most well preserved of the faces was painstakingly restored by hand by Mr. Zimmer himself. New hands were cut from cedar to the exact measurements of the weather-ravaged originals. A pattern of the clock was made on paper and new panels, cut from a frosty lucite, were cut and fitted to replace the opaque glass. The new electric movement was custom made by a Massachusetts firm and fitted into the building wall. The colors are the original ones, gold and black. On August 24, 1973, the Poughkeepsie tower clock was installed on the face of the newly enlarged and remodeled Zimmer Brothers Building on the Main Mall. The huge movement of the clock was removed from the tower by a local resident and is actually assembled and working, minus the faces, hands, and bell. Its huge size makes it rather impractical to install in anything but a tower.

On September 5, 1973, the Poughkeepsie Common Council unanimously resolved--"that the restored 'Poughkeepsie Tower Clock' now situated on the face of the Zimmer Building overlooking the Main Mall be, and it hereby is, designated the 'official clock' of the City of Poughkeepsie."

Zimmer Brothers maintains the clock and its lights. The interest in the clock on the part of Poughkeepsie residents, past and present, was tremendous. When word of its restoration was carried by the Poughkeepsie Journal, Zimmer Brothers was deluged with phone calls and letters of reminiscence from people who remembered this grand old clock, each from a different angle and direction as they grew up.

On November 15, 1973, Zimmer Brothers issued a bronze coin, depicting the Poughkeepsie Tower Clock, in honor of the clock's 115 years in Poughkeepsie and Zimmer Brothers 80th; 10,000 in bronze and 50 in silver were struck. The bronze coins were given to the public at the grand opening of Zimmer's new store.

Because of a lack of any earlier history, we must assume the clock was purchased by or for the church in 1858. But was it new then--or did it once grace the tower of another, even earlier church?

87

THE MYSTERY OF OLD MAPS

By Barbara Thompson Mapping, a term that has been used in previous articles, in it's simplest form is a close to scale drawing of a parcel of land according to the courses given in a deed. These maps are meant to be used as instruments of research and not accurate surveys of properties.

The Town of Milan has a high percentage of homes that are 100 to 150 years old and much of the information for the articles for the NEWSLETTER has come from deed searches. Sometimes a parcel will amount to several hundred acres today and in tracing ownership one finds from the deeds when and where the pieces came from. The parcel drawn on the cover is one of seven lots which comprise the farm of Robert and Priscilla Bard. (Mapping shows how they all fit together.) Taking each piece back even further, it is determined that they all originated from Phillip Row, fourth son of Johannes Row. This type of search turns up a great deal of information other than ownership or family inter-relationships. Physical characteristics of the land are described on different courses.

For example: "through the fly or vly (swamp or bog meadow);" "along the edge of the pond and across the mill dam," giving an exact location and approximate date of a mill and dam which no longer exist and of which there is no record. (Across the road from Dr. Mandel on Batterfeld Road.) In a deed of 1787 is stated "to a stake on the west side of a limestone hill which is also the Northeast corner of land late in possession of Lawrence Becker." This deed not only tells us where the limestone hill is but also shows that Lawrence Becker was here prior to 1787 even though a followup shows no deed recorded for him.

Rock Oak, Black and White Oak, Chestnut, Ironwood, Sugar Maple, Walnut, Peach and Ash were all used in eairly as well as later deeds to identify the stations. They were frequently mentioned as being marked, or saplings, singly or in pairs, stumps or with stones about them. It is not unusual to find an early deed with an oak sapling, a later one with a large oak tree and an even later one with a large oak tree blown down. One of the most complicated markings is on an early deed of Johannes Row from Robert Livingston for the whole 911 acres of Lot 22. The trees were chestnut and oaks. One corner oak is marked with 3 notches on four sides, XXI on the West side and XXII on the East side. Another corner is a chestnut marked with the three notches on four sides and XXIII on the East side and XXII on the West side.

Later in the 19th century, roads and rock walls (fences) became more common. Thusly we picked up "along the road to John Travers Mill" in 1807. And in a deed of 1842 (home of R. Ramsey)_ we find the "Turnpike road, barn of Ephraim Case, Jr., barnyard fence, Northeast corner of the blacksmith shop and a lot of Reselar Case all mentioned as stations."

Often adjoining property owners on each course will be given and sometimes in addition the former owner and perhaps the note "now deceased." This also gives an approximate vital statistic as these records were not kept until 1883 while also giving the name of a settler who has perhaps moved on leaving little legacy here in Milan.

Many times when we know a family was here, contributing talents and generations to the development of the town, know 88

the house they built and how much land they owned, we cannot find the boundries of the property because the deed was lost or not recorded. In such cases (Benjamin Thorn) one begins with the neighboring properties, circling all around until the hole in the doughnut is left. Sometimes it works, more often it is like having a tiger by the tail.

Normally we use a scale of 10 chains to one inch. In this manner, Clara Losee and I have partially mapped some of the earliest owners in the Great Lots 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 38, 39, 40, 43, 44, part of 49 and a small portion of 50.

Then we found we could get better perspective and greater detail by changing the scale to fit the aerial photographs.

The resulting plastic overlays are amazing when a boundary that was surveyed in 1787 shows up as a distinct rock wall, road or edge of a field in 1974. The walls that marked the Great Lots can be followed all the way across the town from west to east. Part of Milan Hill Road (the same part that is now being reconstructed) from the five corners onto Woody Row Road is on such a lot line.

Direction, distance, roads, trees, houses are all drawn on the early survey maps with a hand pointing the way. The drawings on the cover this month are done in that style showing a parcel of 33 acres, 37 perches more or less that was transferred from Mark P. Row to John P. Row in 1832. The other six lots of the farm fit around it. The description is as follows: Beginning at a stone set in the end of a stone wall North of a marked peach tree and running along the fence South 1 degree 30 min. East 3 chains 30 links South 22 East 5 to the meadow South 61 degrees 30 min. East 5 - 42 to a stone set North 87 East 2 - 50 South 61 East 10 - 50 to the corner of the woods South 80 East 3 - 52 North 26 - 30 East 3 - 94 South 84 East 2 - 20 to a stone by John I. Row's line North 1 - 30 West 13 - 10 North 28 - 45 East 7 - 50 North 9 West 40 links to the Northeast corner of this lot South 85 - 30 West 11 - 9 South 1 - 30 East 9 - 50 South 75 West 8 - 50 to a fence North 71 West 1 - 79 to a rock marked X North 75 - 30 West 9 - 47 to the place of beginning.

Mapping has all the ingredients of a mystery, surprise, picture puzzle frustration and achievement. It is a wonderful project for long winter days and anyone can do it with a deed, a pencil and a protracter. Good luck:

89

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1974 ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE Members of the Dutchess County Historical Society and their guests were invited to participate in the annual pilgrimage which was held in the Town of Stanford on June 15, 1974. The pilgrimage was under the auspices of the Town of Stanford Historical Society. The Town of Stanford was founded in 1788.

Buses left the Innis Avenue parking lot of the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank at 8:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 15th, and arrived at the Stanford Grange Hall at approximately 9 A.M. At this point those who drove their own cars to Stanfordville were taken aboard the buses. The Grange Hall is located in the Village of Stanfordville on the west side of Route 82.

Itinerary for trip: Bangall Road to Amenia - Federal Square - return to Bangall by Hunn's Lake - then to 82A to Stissing (Stissing Junction). Continue to Shelby Hill Road across Bull's Head to Market Lane. Return to Grange Hall for lunch. After lunch - Old Railroad Station - inspect old mill then on to Grist Mill Lane - Route 82 - past Stanford Library, then to Sister's Hill Road. Last stop Mrs. Roberts (stop on the underground R.R.).

The assessment per person was $2.00 for which each person received transportation, and coffee and dessert during the lunch period, each person having brought his own lunch.

Our Society owes many thanks to the Town of Stanford Historical Society for its great work in arranging an itinerary and providing knowledgeable guides for each bus and on several sites. We were lucky in the weather and the sun smiled on us as warmly as the people of Stanford.

There follows a map and a list of stops in order of the trip as planned by the Stanford Society. It was prepared as notes for a bus guide who kindly let me have her copy.

Nothing Zike a good 4ence!

91

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1974

The Town of Stanford - population 2479...area 50.10 sq. miles is second in size only to the Town of Washington in Dutchess County. This may seem odd to you if you have read in the newspaper that Stanford does not have enough population to quality for a single Representative on the County Board of Representatives.

The town has two large lakes, Hunns Lake and Upton Lake, two Post Offices, Stanfordville and Bangall and residents are also served by rural routes from Pine Plains, Amenia, Millbrook and Clinton Corners; also by five telephone exchanges.

In the last sixty years - except for new developments and ,4reas around the two lakes - there have been very few new houses built. Therefore, a majority of the houses you will see range in age from 60 to 100 years or more. We will try to point out those of some particular interest.

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MORNING TRIP 1. One of the oldest houses in Stanford has been preserved as part of a large house at the corner of Pumpkin Lane. A picture of this house, built by Paul Upton before the Revolution, is in the "History of Dutchess County, 1877"

by Philip H. Smith, a printer from Pawling. This is how Upton Lake got its name.

2. At the turn of the century Upton Lake was a popular resort and excursion trains ran to special stop "Hoag's Crossing". This was near Hoag's Boarding House which has since been torn down to save taxes.

3. New Guernsey development. Mrs. Henry Drake preserved the east end of Upton Lake against new development for many years but at last it has come.

4. Former Germond house. Now home of Austin Knickerbocker, a big league baseball player (but a local boy) who married Helen Germond.

5. Colonial house of Eugene Sheldon, built by Rufus Smith.

6. At the next corner, near the site of a small new house, was the Willowbrook Railroad Station.

7. Across the fields on Market Lane is the home of Newton D. Deuel formerly owned by Helen and Harvey Wing.

This was the old Willowbrook Post Office. Part of the house was built in the 18th century and the rest in 1837.

8. Next is the "Germond Murder House." On the eve of Thanksgiving Day in 1932 all four members of the James Germond family were murdered. The mystery was never solved.

Present owner is Mrs. M. I. Busha.

9. Turning left on Route 82 we pass several old houses, one of which was owned by Mrs. Dorothy Kistinger until it was sold recently. Another, now owned by Dom Tirante was the home of Judge Ellis Robinson, a colorful character of Stanford.

10. We have passed the United Church of Christ, organized in 1837 and the Stanford Cemetery.

11. "Hobby Acres" home of Joseph Resnick, was built in the early nineteenth century. There was once a ballroom on the 3rd floor.

PROCEED TO GRANGE HALL WHERE MRS. GRACE THORPE, MASTER OF THE STANFORD GRANGE, WILL SERVE COFFEE. 12. First house on left is the former Mary Arnold Henry house, built in 1869. This was the boarding house for the students at the Christian Biblical Institute. "Trash & Treasures", well known antique shop is now operated by Mary Henry Shockley.

13. On right is the former Stanford School - now the Stanford Town Hall.

14. Newton Post house built 1810. Moses Haight made beaver hats here.

DISMOUNT AT BANGALL SQUARE 15. Immaculate Conception Church (formerly a Baptist church) founded 1919.

16. Sutherland-Bullis "Landmark House" now owned by Robert Renshew. Built in 1815 and restored in the early 1960's by a very skilled young man, George Burroughs and the Renshews have completed restoration. Inspection from the outside is permitted.

17. Opposite is former Bullis Hall which once housed the Bangall Post Office and there was a recreation room on 93

the 2nd floor. See post card pictures taken in the early part of this century. Now the building has been converted to apartments.

18. Another large building, formerly the Bangall Hotel, "Mrs. Viola Germond, Proprietress", (See page 29 of the "Town of Stanford in History".) has also been converted to apartments.

19. The store, now operated by Roger Lougheed, dates back over 75 years. Former owners were Charles Humphrey, I. B. Couse, Fred Churton and it is now owned by Robert Churton who rents it to Roger.

20. The Bangall Railroad Station was removed about 20 years ago to a site on Bulls Head Road about half a mile past Market Lane corner.

21. Bangall Memorial Square was founded shortly after World War #1. The land had been purchased from the New York New Haven & Hartford Railroad by John Battistoni, Sr. and he donated the land for the Square and the cannons to the Town of Stanford. Memorial services are held here on Fourth of July and Memorial Day. (John Battistoni, and later his son Henry, ran a very popular "eating & drinking" place where a specialty was Turtle soup.)

22. The Stanford Historical Society, Inc. has recently fallen heir to Bangall Post Office building. We are just moving in so the appearance leaves much to be desired but we are very grateful to Barbara Knickerbocker, daughter of Harrie Knickerbocker the former owner who has turned it over to us.

23. Next procedure will be up Bangall Amenia Road, past little old house formerly owned by Jay Knickerbocker mail carrier when Bangall had a rural route - and later for Salt Point. Jay was Austin Knickerbocker's father.

24. Pass Verney Farms - estate of James Cagney. Lanny Ross was a former owner and a lovely old colonial house was torn down then. There are no buildings of particular interest unless we get a glimpse of his herd of beef cattle.

Mr. Cagney has extensive acreage.

25. Pass Ruth Bontecou's house. This was formerly owned by the family Of Evelyn Nesbitt - "the girl in the red velvet dress" involved in the 1920's murder of famous architect Sanford White by wealthy Harry Thaw. At the trial Harry Thaw was committed to Matteawan Hospital and then released.

25a. Proceed to corner of Pugsley Hill Road past large house built in 1770 by Cornelius and Nancy Pugsley. Present owner is Mrs. Mary Gordon.

26. Next right turn to the Millbrook School - formerly for boys only but now girls are admitted as day students.

Guides from the School will meet us at the old Grist Mill (converted to an Art Studio) and escort us thru the campus.

(DISMOUNT AT MILL TO INSPECT FIRST FLOOR) 27. Pass Thimble House - estate of Mrs. Paul Peabody.

28. Back to Pugsley Hill Road and proceed to Wethersfield, estate of Chauncey Stillman. Murray Pulver will show us the gardens and - hopefully - the carriage collection.

(Mr. Stillman regrets that he cannot greet us in person.)

29. Enroute in bus - still at Wethersfield - note former Albert Kellar colonial house, and opposite the original District #1 school house both of which have been restored

by Mr. Stillman.

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30. Down Pugsley Hill (superb view) past the "Century" farm operated by John and Paul Keaver.

31. Turn left and pass the Thompson "Square" cemetery.

The names Df people buried there are listed in the book "Thompson Lineage".

32. Turn right on Hunns Lake Road and pass home of Mrs. Alexander McNab built by Caleb Thompson in 1783.

33. Pass former home of Mrs. Grace Bird - also of ancient vintage - now owned by Peter Hoppner, an architect.

33a. Continue to corner of the Square and turn right on Rt. 82A. This was the site of the Federal Square Post Office. (We have now crossed the Stanford line into the Town of Northeast.) On opposite side of 82A is the BockeeWheaton cemetery.

34. At the next corner we pass a large brick house built in 1767, formerly owned by Frank Tripp - an ancestor of Dr. Franklin Butts.

34a. Continue around Square (back into Stanford) and turn left on Hunns Lake Road. Pass brick house, owned by Morgan Culver, Sr. - built by Ezra Thompson in the 18th century. Morgan Culver, Jr. has a dairy operation of over 1000 acres.

35. At the top of Carpenter Hill pass monument to five generations of Carpenters, erected by nephew Henry Clarke who lives in the new house. The historic Carpenter house burned in 1945. Willson Carpenter and his sisters Julia and Louisa were the last owners. (Morgan Carpenter bought the land.) In the early 20th century Willson operated 5 farms and for a time he was president of the Farmers National Bank in Poughkeepsie.

36. Pass Greek Revival house owned by Mary and Marguerite Bird. This is also a "Century" farm. (Operated by the same family for over 100 years.)

37. "Uplands" home of Emily (Terbush) Stout, built in 1870 by Col. John Thompson. Original homestead deeded by the "Crown" to Amos Thompson in 1750. (Carport is part of old house.)

(DISMOUNT AND WALK THRU FIRST FLOOR.) 38. Turn corner and pass brick house now owned by Vincent Lind, present Dutchess County Commissioner of Finance.

This house was built about 1800 by Stephen (?) Guernsey.

Shortly after the Civil War it was purchased by Robert Sutherland, son of Supreme Court Judge Josiah Sutherland (Who built the Landmark house in Bangall). Robert's daughters Blanche & Sarah lived in the house until 1933 when they moved to Poughkeepsie.

39. At the head of the lake is the Hunn house built before 1858. After this house was built the name of the lake was changed from Thompson's Pond to Hunns Lake. The buildings are now being converted into apartments.

40. Continue around lake and pass house once owned by Herbert Thomsen well known Poughkeepsie Journal editor, until his recent death.

41. Pass "Cliff House" a 4 story boarding house operated by Mr. & Mrs. George Dillinger back in the teens and twenties.

42. Opposite is the former Dillinger's Hall" blow the home of Walter Churton). People came here from all over the County for square and round dancing. No liquor was allowed on the premises.

95

43. Next former Anna Simon boarding house with 24 bedrooms - now operated as a home for disabled veterans.

44. Continue down Hunns Lake Road past the former "Florence Cottage" on the left side of the road. This was also an old time boarding house and at one time the "Hulls Mill" post office.

45. Pass "Roseland" a resort operated by the Fichera family. This property was formerly owned by Edwin Knickerbocker, a Justice of the Peace and Supervisor of the Town of Stanford.

46. Continue to Bangall. Pass house built by Judge Daniel Guernsey about 1870. This house had fallen into disrepair but is now being restored by Ethan Jackman, who operates the Central Press in Millbrook.

47. Next on left is a house formerly owned by I. B. Couse who at one time operated the store in Bangall, now run

by Roger Lougheed. Current occupant is Anthony P. Collins (known as "Toby") who is a "Bookseller" and deals in paintings and antiques as well as old books.

48. On right Bangall Methodist Church built in 1843.

AFTERNOON TRIP 1. After lunch, retrace route to Bangall and turn left on Millis Road, named for Frank Millis, a barber who had his shop bridging Bangall Brook. He lived with his mother, Beanna Millis, in the house (2nd left) now owned by Ed. Carr, who restores furniture. Frank was known as the "Mayor of Bangall".

2. Farther on right is an old mill now owned by Mrs. Mary Palmer which is falling to pieces. On the right, next to the mill is "Mill Lane". Out of sight around a bend is another mill where Frank Alling made paper out of rye straw.

This building with a large pond and waterfall has recently been renovated by Bob Keefer and Arthur Marquis. Ann Alling Martin, who is living now at Hunns Lake was born in the Mill.

3. On left on Millis Road is an old Baptist church that has been remodelled into a beautiful home. The owner, Don Goodwin has invited us to inspect the interior.

4. The second house beyond, on left is the former parsonage of the Baptist church, now owned by the Misses Stemmerman.

5. Next - the present Keyser house - is very well preserved. A separate building in the back (2 stories) housed Miss Sackett's school. Many students from this school went on to the Eastman Business School in Poughkeepsie.

6. At right on corner of Rt. 82 is a very old house which was the Baptist parsonage preceding the house we just passed. When Mr. Dinsmore bought this house recently he found that he had also acquired an old Baptist cemetery.

7. A left turn on Cold Spring Road takes us past another, larger Baptist cemetery. This is open for inspection if desired.

8. Take next right, back to Route 82. Pass BAG Press (named for former Bangall Art Guild) where Elizabeth Williams publishes the "Mid County Mart".

9. Proceed on 82 to Stissing Road. First house on right is very ancient. This is the home of our Publicity Director, Mrs. Dorothy Ahern.

10. We are now approaching the site of Stissing Junction. Note third house on right, a thick hedge of trees.

This was planted as a protection against the trains that went close by.

96

11. Turn right and proceed to home of Herbert Yahraes.

We will stop here and Mrs. Ahern will give us some history about the old railroads and Stissing history. The house will not be open.

12. Then turn left on Stissing Road past the "Old Beckwith Place." See picture in Stanford History book.

13. Past the "big" Beckwith house - the home of our Stanford Historian Mrs. Elinor Beckwith.

14. Continue to junction with Cold Spring Road oast former Wright house, recently renovated.

15. Then on to home of Alfred Butts on corner of Shelly Hill Road. Mr. Butts invented the game "Scrabble." He is one of the Founders of the Stanford Free Library.

16. Up Shelly Hill Road past Lyle Replogle's home - a beautiful Greek Revival house formerly owned by the Bowen family. This is on the corner of Decker Road. Mr. Bowen raised sheep.

17. Down Shelly Hill, past a new development to Bulls Head Road. A large white house with columns is the home of Henry Staats. Former owner was Dr. Cornelius. Mr. Staats had run the farm and when the owner died Henry acquired it.

Now he and his sons have a thriving milk tank delivery business.

18. Across Bulls Head Road and down Market Lane past the former Burton Fradenburgh house. Mr. Fradenburgh was the Stanford Town Clerk and for many years - not so long ago - Town Board meetings were held in his kitchen with kerosene lamps and heated by a wood or coal stove. The house was sold recently and has been restored to its colonial beauty.

19. Next on right is the old Sutherland cemetery.

Josiah Sutherland, the Supreme Court Judge who built the "Landmark" house in Bangall, is buried here. The Dutchess County Commissioner of Finance has a trust fund for the care of this cemetery. (See copy of the Will of Hannah Sutherland, sister of Josiah, Lib. 9, page 56, in the Dutchess County Surrogate's Court.)

20. At Bear Market corner is a Mansard Roof house built about 1900. Elaine and Gordon Budd recently sold it and have converted a hugh barn into a 3 story home with a place to play basketball on the top floor.

21. Turn left on Hicks Lane to Bulls Head Road and go back toward Stanfordville, passing several eighteenth century houses which have been restored.

22. Continue to Route 82 and turn left. Pass a blue 3 story apartment house. This was the dormitory of the Christian Biblical Institute. (See Stanford History page 17) 23. Next is a sadly neglected house which was the President's Mansion of the C.B.I. Dr. Strong from Long Island maintained it well until about 1945 but the present owners have let it go into disrepair.

24. Pass through Grange property (without stopping) -The C.B.I. school was on this property but it burned in 1944 and the present building replaces it -- and go down a private road through the Stanford Recreation Area, sponsored by the Stanford Lions Club.

25. Left on Creamery Road past the Stanford Free Library.

26. Next is the home of Marge Willis, Stanford Town Clerk. This was formerly a Quaker Church.

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27. Turn right on Church Lane then sharp right on Depot Lane past the former Haight Mill operated by Ben Wheeler.

This is now being renovated for living quarters.

28. Thence to former Railroad Station which is being remodelled by Walter Yovaish. Dismount here.

29. Opposite is the former Paper Mill. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Robinson have invited us to see the interior and Mr. Robinson will tell us the history of the building.

30. Then up Bulls Head Road to Grist Mill Lane. Turn left. First house on right belongs to Paul Gardiner. This is a very ancient house which Paul is restoring but he does not feel that the interior should be shown now.

31. Pass the home of James Cunningham, former home of Herbert Kellar, Justice of the Peace. Perry Van Benschoten lived there previously. His son Chester Van Benschoten is celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary here in Stanfordville today.

32. Next on right is the home of Mrs. Ruth Walling.

Her house was the main house of a farm and grist mill complex built over 200 years ago. But the Mill burned and the dam was washed away in a hurricane so Grist Mill Lane is purely residential now.

33. In the early 1800's Daniel Lawrence had a Print Shop on this road. Anthony Collins, who has a Book Shop in Bangall now has several Daniel Lawrence books dated from 1803 to 1810.

34. Proceed to Route 82 and turn left. Return to Grange to pick up cars. Leave Stanfordville via Route 82, which meets Route 44 at Washington Hollow - just twelve miles from Poughkeepsie.

35. The last house in the Town of Stanford, owned by Mrs. Ida Rogers, is an old Colonial on the left. This was part of the route for slaves on their way to Canada after the Civil War.

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RHINEBECK AREA HISTORIC SURVEY

By Richard Crowley Summary February 1974 Sixteen miles of historic properties on the Hudson River in the Townships of Rhinebeck and Red Hook, Dutchess County, trace their origin and long life as private properties to a single source. They began when Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, in 1775, inherited the vast landholdings of his grandfather, Robert of Clermont, his father, Judge Robert of Clermont and his mother's father, Colonel Henry Beekman, Jr. These lands included the 17,000 acres of Clermont (the lower third of Livingston Manor), the Beekman Patents and purchases in Dutchess County and the 240,000 acre Great Hardenburgh Patent in the Southern Catskills.

With these assets and the responsibilities of managing the many saw mills, grist mills and other enterprises necessary to the development of the area, it is not surprising to find that the Chancellor and each of his nine brothers and sisters established a separate household along the river, and that distinguished husbands lent their assistance (see IV History). As families grew, children and then grandchildren, building their own places on the land or enriching the earlier houses, produced a district of great architectural variety and incredible landscaping.

There are now 37 significant properties which fill almost entirely the sixteen miles of bluffs between Clermont and Staatsburgh, interrupted by the river landings at Tivoli, Barrytown and Rhinecliff. Perhaps the earliest description of them occurs in Downing's 1849 Landsdape Gardening. "There is no place in the .Union, where the taste in Landscape Gardening is so far advanced, as on the middle portion of the Hudson." He then describes Blithewood, Montgomery Place and Ellerslie, while mentioning Clermont as "the show place of the previous age." Nineteenth Century guidebooks and Twentieth Century photographic histories have given random descriptions; the Architects Emergency Committee published in 1937 drawings of Clermont and Montgomery Place, but there has been no cohesive study of all 37 properties in the district until 1973.

Amazingly, the entire sixteen mile district still retains its historic character. Only a short amount of time more and massive development, subdivisions, sale of unused land by institutions, further private economic difficulties and another winter's deterioration will have taken their toll. Sixteen properties currently are endangered. The need for immediate preservation is undeniable.

In 1969 the Dutchess County Planning Board prepared Landmarks of Dutchess County, 1683-1867, Architecture Worth Saving in New York State, published by the New York State Council on the Arts, which included a photograph and brief history of 13 of the 37 properties.

In 1973 the Dutchess County Landmarks Association began the Rhinebeck Area Historic Survey with a grant of $6500 from the Council on the Arts and a donation of $100 from the Rhinebeck Historical Society. This concern and funding encouraged the Historic American Buildings Survey of the National Park Service to arrange a cooperative recording area survey as a pilot project, costing approximately $23,000. Student architects and historians measured and drew the main building at I.

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Rokeby, the near-ruin but still magnificent Linden Grove, and the plan of Rose Hill. Research included the further work of National Register nominations for Wilderstein and Leacote.

H.A.B.S. photographic recording for all five properties is planned to include all outbuildings. The project has already drawn the attention of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation, The Nature Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

II. Programs February 1974 1. For the second summer of measured drawing and historical research, the Dutchess County Landmarks Association has received another grant from the Council on the Arts for $5000 and another donation from the Rhinebeck Historical Society for $200; the American Association of Landscape Architects may sponsor a graduate landscape architect to join the summer team.

For a cooperative project with the Historic American Buildings Survey there is lacking approximately $6500 in local funds. This recording work has provided vital tools for preservation and understanding of the many generations of activity which have left their marks on the river bluffs. The presence of young, talented researchers has generated hopes for the future.

2. National advisors to the Historic American Buildings Survey have proposed a photogrammetric mapping of the entire district to record landscaping achievements and building relationships. Initial costs would include surveys for ground control points followed by low-level aerial photography in both stereo blackand-white and in infrared. Detailed photogrammetric mapping, using the facilities of Cornell University, would be coordinated with architectural, historical and landscape studies of each property to locate tertam n features, significant plantings and all buildings, as well as forgotten foundations and potential archeological sites. The advisors urge the underwriting of the whole map project before undertaking any part of it. The budget for this project, subject to refinement, has been calculated at $25,000. Since three of the properties are owned by the State of New York, a pro-rata division of costs may be possible.

3. Special funding is needed for related research, recording and development. National Register listings must proceed to enable the nomination of the district as a whole. While the State Board for Historic Preservation has suggested this, they lack the staff to effect it. Analysis of property assessments and other preliminary data should occur on a professional level.

A complete inventory of slides and photographs are the means for education and communication to others of this vast district. New concepts in ecological and environmental preservation and protection for the historic buildings and their vast grounds should be developed. The National Trust has suggested that there be a meeting of all owners, local government officials and state and national interests to develop awareness and begin to establish methods.

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The Spring of 1974 will see the formation of an active local preservation group founded by concerned residents of Rhinebeck and Red Hook. This organization, which has already filed application for notfor-profit incorporation with the State of New York, will assist in the preservation of endangered properties on a practical level, developing alternate uses, accepting easements and with the ability for property acquisition. Efforts will begin soon to enroll members and to establish a revolving fund for the necessary capital expenses.

III. Properties February 1974

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Clermont 1730-1778/Clermont State Park Eversleigh 1843/Teviot Rose Hill 1843/Leake Watts Home/ Catholic Worker Farm Village of Tivoli Green Hill 1790/The Pynes Sunning Hill 1794/Callendar House William R. Ham House c1860 The Meadows 1790/De Veaux Park/ Almont/L. G. Hamersley House 1918/Ward Manor Bard College 1860 Mill Hill 1795/Annandale/ Blithewood 1910 Chateau de Montgomery 1805/ Montgomery Place Massena 1797-1870/St. Joseph's Institute 1930's/Unification Church Maizefield 1795 Hamlet of Barrytown Edgewater 1820 Sylvania c1910 La Bergerie 1813/Rokeby Steen Valetje c1855/Mandara Ravenswood 1836/Orlot 1940 The Meadows 1848/Leacote 1875 Marienruh 1881/Alice Obolensky House 1926/Teen Challenge Inc. Ferncliff c1860/Ferncliff Nursing Home Ankony c1830 Village of Rhinebeck The Grove 1795/Schuyler House Robert Sands House 1796/ The Homestead 102

*

*

*

*

*

*

Endangered

Published 1969

Published 1942

Descendant Owner

4.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

Village of Rhinebeck (cont.)

Rhinebeck House 1775-1828/ Grasmere Kip-Beekman-Heermance House 1700 Ellerslie/Cardinal Farley Military Academy/Holy Cross Campus Wildercliff 1799 Wilderstein 1852/1888 Linden Grove 1853 Whispering Pines 1906/Briessen Mansion/Ranelagh House/Robert Marvin House Linwood 1794/Linwood Retreat House 1968 Glenburn 1838/1905/1915 Linden Hill c1842/Foxhollow Farm/ Rhinebeck Country School William Starr Miller House 1890/ Rhinebeck Country School The Locusts 1844/Lytle Hull House 1940 Staatsburgh 1792-1832-1895/ Endekill Farm/Ogden Mills Museum The Point c1857/Norrie State Park

IV.

*

*

*

*

Endangered

Published 1969

Institution

Published 1942

III. Properties (continued)

*

History i, February 1974 Creation of the district by the heirs of Judge Robert and Margaret Beekman Livingston: JANET (1743-1828), the eldest child, married Richard Montgomery in 1773. They had begun construction of Rhinebeck House in 1775 when he was commissioned a general in the Revolutionary Army and was killed in his first battle at Quebec.

The building was finished but proved to have associations too sad for its mistress; in 1802 she began another house, calling it Chateau de Montgomery or Montgomery Place, with "a decent plan from France," overlooking the South Bay at Annandale.

Janet herself planted the hedgerows of black locust trees at both properties which have developed into striking features of the district.

CATHARINE (1745-1752) died at the age of seven.

ROBERT R. (1746-1813), the eldest son, married Mary Stevens (1752-1814) in 1770. He became Chancellor of New York State and one of the committee of five appointed to draft the Declaration of Independence. He retained the Clermont property and began the first of several houses for himself on the place. Belvidere, with its round room, was burned by the British in 1777, along with the main Dwelling House. His mother immediately began the rebuilding of Clermont but the Chancellor's duties, including serving as U.S. Minister to

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to France and the negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase, kept him from building until 1804. The new house was planned with four pavilions linked by a two story block to form the letter H. Later called Arryl House and then Idele, it burned and remains a brick and stone ruin with some of its fluted pilasters still attached. Its heavy mahogany doors have been removed to Callendar House. Clermont has been acquired by the State of New York from Janet C. Livingston and her sister, Honoria Livingston McVitty.

MARGARET (1749-1823) married in 1779 Thomas Tillotson of Maryland (1752-1832), Surgeon General to Washington's army.

In 1794 they built the first Linwood of brick with white stone trim to house wedding presents of furniture from George and Martha Washington. While the sad story of John B. James' loss of Linwood ddrring remodellings by A.J. Davis, its acquisition and new building by Jacob Ruppert and its present transformation into Linwood Retreat House is a long tale, the place, high above Vanderburgh Cove, still demonstrates the perfection of a southerly view scarce in the Hudson Valley.

HENRY B. (1750-1831) married in 1781 Ann Hume Shippen of Philadelphia and retired from his army career to his grandfather Beekman's stone house at Rhinecliff. This place was originally built about 1700 by Hendrick Kip, patentee, and although destroyed by fire early in this century, served as the model for the U.S. Post Office in Rhinebeck.

CATHARINE (1752-1849) married in 1793 Freeborp Garrettson (1752-1827), the circuit-riding minister who carried the new doctrines of Methodism to North Carolina, New England and all between. In 1799 they built Wildercliff, a two story wooden house which is still standing, now embellished with side wings and gambrel-roofed dormers.

JOHN R. (1755-1851) fought in the Revolution, married Margaret Sheafe of Boston in 1779, married Eliza McEvers in 1789 before, in 1797, building Massena, named after Napolean's marshall, and famous for its glass and iron domed library.

In 1851, when Massena was beginning to be famous for its magnificent gardens and park, its owner was photographed by Matthew Brady and became, at the age of 97, the oldest man ever so recorded. Massena burned in 1870 and was replaced by a brick and terra-cotta mansion desined by Sturgis & Brigham, still used by the Christian Brothers of St. Joseph's Institute.

GERTRUDE (1757-1833) married in 1779 General Morgan Lewis (1754-1844) who became the third Governor of New York State.

In 1792 they purchased land from Pawling's patent south of Rhinebeck and built Staatsburgh. A fire in 1832 required the immediate rebuilding of the house which, phoenix-like, became larger, with a Doric portico and two side wings, in which guise it survived until 1895 when Ruth Livingston Mills had Stanford White enlarge it into a palace for the weekends.

Neighbors began to be wary of accepting invitations because of the expense of visits there. Staatsburgh is now open to the public and operated as a museum by the Taconic State Park Commission.

JOANNA (1759-1829) married Peter R. Livingston; they bought Rhinebeck House from Janet and rebuilt it after a fire in 1828. It was enlarged in 1861 and survives as Grasmere, a very large red brick house trimmed in white with a marble porch, a walled and patterned garden and with axial vistas through pairs of beech trees. Grasmere even once had a maze.

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ALIDA (1761-1822) married in 1789 a Revolutionary officer from Pennsylvania, John Armstrong (1758-1843), who began his local career building The Meadows in brick and marble, then Mill Hill in 1795 before leaving for France as Minister to replace his brother-in-law. Napoleon rewarded him with 19 ewes and a ram from the royal fold at Merino. Armstrong's duties as General and then Madison's Secretary of War in 1812 kept the flock from a permanent home, but in 1815 La Bergerie was finished in stuccoed fieldstone, three rooms deep and two rooms high, with a huge skylighted monitor piercing the roof, and filled with Napoleonic furniture. When their daughter, Margaret, married William Backhouse Astor and acquired the property she called it "Rokeby" and it is still called that by her descendants who inhabit it. Rokeby is still farmed, plowed carefully around ornamental stands of honey locusts, Kentucky coffee trees, Ginkos, and primeval oak and hemlock forest artfully sculpted by Ludwig Ehlers.

EDWARD (1764-1836), the youngest brother, married Mary McEvers in 1788, became Mayor of New York, gave his fortune to make good an aide's error, moved to New Orleans to make another, married Louise D'Avezac de Castera in 1805, wrote the model penal code for Louisiana and befriended Andrew Jackson.

When Jackson became President, Livingston was his Secretary of State. These duties kept him away from the Hudson Valley until after the death of his sister, Janet, who left him Montgomery Place. There his daughter, Cora Barton, wife of the famous naturalist, depended on Alexander Jackson Davis to design wings, pavilions, balustraded porches, farmhouses and parkland gazebos, with plantings selected by Downing. Montgomery Place remains in the family as a careful farm with crops of peaches and apples.

The 40Legoing LivingAton pant o4 the hi/stony waz ne4enned to by Stephen Henty ()tin in an addters to the DCHS at Gtenbann, pubtizhed in the DCHS Yeanbook in 1918.

Five other properties complete the roster of Federal mansions in the Rhinebeck area: The Pynes (Green Hill), at Tivoli, was purchased by John Reade, husband of Catherine, the daughter of Robert Gilbert Livingston, in 1790. A stone dated 1764 has been found in the foundation. Two pavilion-like wings, added in 1797, are decorated with bevelled coigns on flush ship-lap siding and now bear a range of Greek Revival windows.

Callendar House, at Tivoli, was built by Mrs. Reade's brother, Henry G. Livingston, in 1794, as Sunning Hill. Philip H. Livingston purchased it and in the 1830's it was embellished with a dozen monumental wooden columns. Additions include a two story wing by McKim, Mead and White commanding a vista southward over the wide lawn (which yielded up the skeletons of an Iroquois chief and his horse during regrading) to the North Bay behind Cruger's Island where the original Clermont was launched. Both Callendar House and the Pynes have remained in the family.

Maizefield, at Red Hook, was built by General David Van Ness about 1795 in brick with oval and rectangular panels gracing its facade. Later polygonal wings, columned porches and a brick attic have increased its size. William Chamberlain, a later owner and a New York Central Railroad director, tried to reroute the railroad away from the Hudson and established the "Hucklebush Line" to prove that it was possible.

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The Grove, near Rhinebeck, was built by Philip J. Schuyler in 1795 as a brick two story house. An 1858 woodcut shows the house in Greek Revival dress with service wings.

Stanford White added comprehensive decorative details to cover his attic addition and produced a tour de force entrance of glass and iron and mirrors. Recently, descendants conveyed the place to Bard College for use as a dormitory.

Robert Sands House, built in 1796 by Mrs. Schuyler's stepfather across the Landsmans Kill, remains singularly unmarked by later fashions. Its wooden frame still houses beautifully marbled panelling and painted floors. Current remodellings do not yet obscure the character of the original. This property is owned by descendants of its founders.

Second generation properties include: Eugene Livingston's Gothic Revival Teviot, John Watts DePeyster's Tuscan Villa, Rose Hill, Margaret Livingston Browne's porticoed Edgewater, General Charles S. Wainwright's The Meadows for his Tillotson wife (now Leacote), Maturin Livingston's Ellerslie (with a Latrobe house replaced by R.M. Hunt's half-timbered mansion for Levi P. Morton replaced by a set of brick campus buildings), and Julia Tillotson Lynch's Glenburn, still on property which has never been sold.

The Greek Revival Ankony, named after the Sepasco Chief who sold Kipsbergen, sustained the Kip family on original patent land.

Third generation properties include: Laura Astor Delano's Steen Valetje, still the best built house on the river; William Astor's Ferncliff, now without mansion but with Louis Augustus Ehler's landscaping and Stanford White's Recreation Building; Thomas Suckley's 1852 Wilderstein by John Warren Ritch with its 1888 additions by Arnout Cannon, interiors by Tiffany and landscaping by Calvert Vaux; Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones' Linden Grove which frightened Edith Wharton and now frightens visitors with its castle -like ruined state; and Lydig Hoyt's The Point by Cal. vert Vaux at Staatsburg. Ehlers' own Marienruh became the Alice Obolensky place; Dr. Federal Vanderburg's Linden Hill (Davis' Gothic Cottage No. 1) became Foxhollow; Ravenswood's owner, desiring to clean his chimneys, destroyed the house while a protesting butler fled and now Orlot traces its name to a small iron mine only. This generation produced the founding, by Dr. John Bard, of Bard College in 1860 at Annandale. Here are Richard Upjohn's 1860 Ludlow-Willinck Hall, Charles C. Haight's 1885 Stone Row and an 1896 fireproof Greek Temple library.

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HISTORICAL SOCIETIES IN THE TOWNS OF DUTCHESS COUNTY AMENIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. Helen McEniff, President Amenia, N.Y. 12501 DOVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. Richard Reichenberg, Jr., President McCarthy Road Dover Plains, N.Y. 12522 EAST FISHKILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. William Hauptman, President Stormville, N.Y. 12582 FISHKILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. Louis Ahlbach, President 22 Chelsea Ridge Road Beacon, N. Y. 12508 HYDE PARK HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Miss Beatrice Fredriksen, President Hyde Park, N.Y. 12538 HYDE PARK HISTORY STUDY GROUP Virginia Cookingham, President Hyde Park, N.Y. 12538 LAGRANGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. Michael Griffin, President Lois Lane Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12603 LITTLE NINE PARTNERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. Henry Grant, President Rte. 82 Pine Plains, N.Y. 12567

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NORTHEAST HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. Marion Byron, President 32 Dutchess Avenue Millerton, N. Y. 12546 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF QUAKER HILL & VICINITY Mrs. Edward Mitchell, President Pawling, N.Y. 12564 UPPER RED HOOK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. John H. Myers, President Albany Post Road Red Hook, N.Y. 12571 RHINEBECK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. Kenneth Burke, President 32 Livingston Street Rhinebeck, N.Y. 12572 STANFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY Emi1y Stout, President Stanfordville, N.Y. 12581 UNION VALE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mrs. H. John Geisler, President Milewood Road Verbank, N.Y. 12585 WAPPINGERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. John Ferris, President New Hackensack Road Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590 TOWN OF WASHINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Mr. David H. Griggs, President P.O. Box 109 Millbrook, N.Y. 12545

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APPOINTED HISTORIANS OF DUTCHESS COUNTY

COUNTY HISTORIAN Mrs. Wilhelmina B. Powers 19 Grubb Street Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12603

CITY HISTORIANS BEACON Mrs. James V. Mead 34 North Avenue Beacon, N.Y. 12508

POUGHKEEPSIE Mr. Benjamin Kohl 59 So. Grand Avenue Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12603

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TOWN HISTORIANS AMENIA Miss Catherine Leigh Amenia, N.Y. 12501 BEEKMAN Mrs. Mary B. Hoag Pleasant Ridge Road Poughquag, N.Y. 12570 CLINTON Mr. Francis Van Auken Zipfelbarrack Road Rhinebeck, N.Y. 12572

PINE PLAINS Mrs. Bernice L. Grant Pine Plains, N.Y. 12567 PLEASANT VALLEY Mrs. Gail Crotty Quaker Hill Road Pleasant Valley, N.Y. 12569 POUGHKEEPSIE (TOWN) Mrs. Ruth E. Sebeth 22 Stuart Drive Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12603 RED HOOK Mr. John Winthrop Aldrich Rokeby Barrytown, N.Y. 12507 RHINEBECK Mr. De Witt Gurnell 38 Mulberry Street Rhinebeck, N.Y. 12572 STANFORD Mrs. Elinor Beckwith Stanfordville, N.Y. 12581 TIVOLI Mrs. Charles J. Navins 2 Friendship Street Tivoli, N.Y. 12582 UNION VALE Mrs. Karel Stolarik 18 Smith Road LaGrangeville, N.Y. 12540 WAPPINGER (TOWN) Mrs. John R. Ferris 65 New Hackensack Road Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590 WAPPINGERS FALLS Miss Caroline P. Wixson 86 East Main Street Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590 WASHINGTON Miss Louise Tompkins Dutchess County Infirmary Millbrook, N.Y. 12545

Miss Helena Van Vliet Staatsburg, N.Y. 12580 DOVER Mrs. Donald Dedrick Nellie Hill Acres Dover Plains, N.Y. 12522 EAST FISHKILL Mr. Henry Jackson Stormville, N.Y. 12582 FISHKILL Mrs. Willa Skinner Charlotte Road Fishkill, N.Y. 12524 HYDE PARK Miss Beatrice Fredriksen 43 Circle Drive Hyde Park, N.Y. 12538 LAGRANGE Mrs. J. Edward Johnson Moores Mills Pleasant Valley, N.Y. 12569 MILAN Mrs. Barbara Thompson Box 311, R.D. 42 Red Hook, N.Y. 12571 NORTHEAST Mr. Chester F. Eisenhuth Simmons Street Millerton, N.Y. 12546 PAWLING Mrs. Helen C. Daniels Pawling, N.Y. 12564

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