The Annual Pilgrimage

THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE

On Saturday, October 23, 1965, members of the Dutchess County Historical Society were guests of The Little Nine Partners Historical Society at Pine Plains, New York.

A most interesting program had been arranged and members of both organizations assembled at the Harris-Husted House at Hammertown. This house was rescued when plans were made for the rebuilding of Route 199 and the erection of a new bridge over the Shekomeko Creek. The house, which had formerly stood in the path of the new road, has been moved to a nearby location, overlooking the creek, cn land donated for the project, and the local historical society is rehabilitating the old building for use as a headquarters. The society is making of it an excellent example of an old farm house of the early nineteenth century.

The land about the house has been graded and, on the occasion of this visit, four Commemorative Trees were planted by representatives of the four sponsors, with the expressed hopes that they will thrive and continue their benign influence on their new surroundings.

Mrs. Charlotte Slingerland Tuttle Kester, a former resident, told about the neighborhood, the scythe works and the tannery, which formed the nucleus of a settlement at Hammertown and gave it its name. She read an old poem, written by Charles Knickerbocker, son of Jonas, describing Hammertown as he remembered it, as a boy in the 1850's, when it was really a hammering place.

Mrs. Klare showed a scythe, made in the old factory and bearing the trademark "S.H." inscribed in a heart, which had been handed down in the family from the first John Harris in Hammertown, her great-great-great-grandfather.

The members of The Little Nine Partners Historical Society answered many questions. The visitors, guided by Girl Scouts, were permitted to go through the house, which is being restored and gives promise of an attractive home for the "Partners."

At lunch-time, the group gathered in the social room of the Pine Plains Methodist Church, where basket lunches were disposed of and coffee and cookies were served by the local committee, with the assistance of the Girl Scouts.

Following lunch, Mrs. William B. Jordan, a member and officer of both societies, spoke on the history of Pine Plains. Mr. Richard Bliss told of the history and the work of The Little Nine Partners Historical Society.

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The Dutchess County Historical Society held a short business meeting and, in conclusion, Mr. Van Kleeck thanked the sister society and its officers for their kind hospitality and congratulated them on their accomplishments.

The gathering then broke up into small groups. They visited the Episcopal Church of the Regeneration, which had recently celebrated an anniversary; the Stissing National Bank, where a number of old documents and a painting of the Harris Scythe Works were displayed. They stopped at the Eno Law Office, a small building, erected in 1814 and used for three generations as a law office, and peeked in at the Pine Plains Free Library, established in 1798, the first free library in Dutchesss County.

After visiting the points of interest in the village the groups gathered at Bethel, at the monument erected to the memory of Gottlob Buttner, Moravian missionary to the Shekomeko Indians in the eighteenth century. Some years ago the monument was moved from the site of the grave to a spot beside the road, where it is more accessible to interested tourists. Mrs. Robert Palmatier told, at this site, the story of the Moravians and the work they had done at the mission.

A last stop was made at the Isaac Huntting Homestead, now the home of Mrs. Robert Palmatier, where the callers enjoyed their visit and the opportunity to admire the restoration of the old house.

Late in the afternoon, the pilgrims scattered, some to return to their homes and others to prolong a most pleasant day sightseeing in the neighborhood and stopping for dinner at one of the many excellent eating places in the county.

The program for the very enjoyable and sucessful day, arranged by the officers of The Little Nine Partners Historical Society, was as follows:

THE LITTLE NINE PARTNERS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Pine Plains, N. Y. WELCOMES THE DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY for its ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE AND FALL MEETING Saturday, October 23, 1965

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PROGRAM OF EVENTS

11:15 Meet at the Harris-Husted House, Hammertown 11:30 Planting of Commemorative Trees: Mrs. William B. Jordan for the Little Nine Partners Historical Society Mr. Baltus Van Kleeck for the Dutchess County Historical Society Mrs. Charlotte Slingerland Tuttle Kester for the donors of the land Mr. Richard Bliss for the founding officers and trustees 12:00 Talk on Hammertown by Mrs. Kester 12:15 Informal walks and talks on the Hammertown site and the HarrisHusted House

1:00 Lunch and Business Meeting, Methodist Church Talks by Mrs. Jordan on the history of Pine Plains and by Mr. Richard Bliss on the history and work of the society 2:30 Tour begins Walk to Episcopal Church; walk to Stissing National Bank; walk to Eno Law Office

3:30 Ride to the Moravian Mission Monument Talk by Mrs. Robert Palmatier on the Moravians 3 :45 Ride and visit Isaac Huntting Homestead, Mrs. Palmatier, hostess 4:15 Formal pilgrimage is over. Visitors are reminded at this time of year that a ride across Northeast Dutchess can be breathtakingly beautiful and instructive. There are the views from Silver Mountain, the Whitefield Oak at Smithfield Church, the restored Rowe Church in Milan, and Patchin's Mill, among others worthy to visit.

We thank the Girl Scouts for their help in Hammertown.

The old fashioned cookies were baked at Lucy's Farm Kitchen in Pine Plains.

Visitors should also know that the Cock 'n Bull will be open for dinner from 6 p.m. Reservations would be helpful.

On Saturday last, a bass, weighing sixty-two and a half pounds [62'4] was caught in the Hudson river opposite this place. This is one of the largest, we presume, ever taken here, where they are seldom found weighing over ten or fifteen pounds. The noble fellow was brought up in a shad net, and on Monday afternoon was served up in proper style by Capt. W. Skinner of the Exchange House.

Poughkeepsie Eagle, May 26, 1838

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