School District #1 Town Of LaGrange

SCHOOL DISTRICT #1 TOWN OF LAGRANGE

by Clifford M. Buck

I thought it would be of interest to find out who were the early owners of land in a typical rural school district with a one room school. I was familiar with what was known as the Lockwood School in District #1 of LaGrange as that was where I went to school from 1906 to 1914.

The 1867 Atlas of Dutchess County by Beers shows each district in color. This district is in the northwest corner of LaGrange and in the Northwest Corner of the original Beekman Patent. The line between Beekman and Rumbout runs diagonally southeasterly from Rochdale to Freedom Plains and so on to Putnam County. The school house is about 7 miles east of Poughkeepsie and now on a short stretch of the old Pleasant Valley-Freedom Plains Road.

The district lies in Lots 16 and 17 of the Beekman Patent. Lot 16 is next to the Town of Pleasant Valley. The line between lot 16 and 17 crosses east and west where Rombout road intersects the Pleasant ValleyFreedom Plains Road. The south line of Lot 17 is the south line of the present farms of Stephen Kondas and Jacob Domin and crosses the road about lA mile south of Mountain Road.

Most of the land in the Beekman Patent was leased during the 1700's and there are very few deeds until after 1800. For the purpose of locating farms in this district I will refer to the names on the 1867 map.

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There were probably schools in Beekman at an early date, but how many, and where located is not known. In the book of roads, September 20, 1751, there is reference to passing a school house which probably is near present-day LaGrangeville.

School districts were formed and probably school buildings built as a result of legislation in 1812. In the Town Clerk minutes for Beekman page 229 we have: "In pursuance of an act of the Legislature of the State of New York passed June 19, 1812, we the undersigned commissioners duly elected do divide the Town of Beekman into suitable and convenient school districts. Have distributed said town in the following maner, viz"

District #1 beginning — John VanValen Thomas Smith John Stillwell Peter Burnet John Houghtailen — Vestervelt Benjamin DuBois Gilbert Titus Matthew DuBois Daniel Stillwell Peter DuBois William Chatterton Coe Downing John Brown Jonathan Lockwood John Flagler Nehemiah Oakley William Brown Jacob Burtch Solomon Sleght Abraham Oakley Peter Sleght In locating the early owners in this district, many of the above names will occur. —

First we will identify the farms in lot 16, working from west to east. In the area west of the Pleasant Valley Freedom Plains Road and north of the Rumbout Road we have the names E. Burhans, A. A. Hill, W. Downing, J. L. and Wm. Houghtaling.

The earliest record for what appears to be this whole area is in Deed 21:139 December 1, 1809 Rufus King of New York City and Mary to Joseph Brown. Mary King was the only daughter and only child of John Alsop of New York City who had died June 24, 1785. Robert R. Livingston had sold 625 acres for $1000 to John Alsop which formerly had been leased to:

Elias DeLong

Henry Peling

Widow Easterly

Jeremiah duBrayal

A payment of $1000 is made by Daniel S. Dean and $5250 by Joseph Brown. There is no way of knowing which farm the above four men lived on. Elias DeLong appears in the 1790 census in this general area. Hendrick Palen may be same as Peling. He was son of Gysbert Palen, born November 7, 1725, and died July 1, 1788, Will A: 91.

Mortgage 14:365, January 2, 1810, John Dates and Elizabeth to Joseph Brown, 93 acres for $997.70.

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Deed 23:428, 427 August 5, 1813. John Dates is deceased and the 93 acres are sold to Gideon VerValin.

Deed 135:522 May 1, 1866, VerValin heirs sell same to Edwin Burhans (1867 map). This is now owned by Edward L. Plass and Robert William Plass lives in the old house.

Directly east of this, Mortgage 14:350 Dec. 25, 1809, John Stillwell and Rebecca to Joseph Brown 100 acres for $1250. In deed 58:65 April 18, 1836, John Stillwell sells 197 acres (which includes above 100 acres) to Stephen R. Lockwood and in deed 83:69 June 18, 1846, Stephen Lockwood sells same to Jonathan Lockwood which would account for J. L. on the map. In the description of this property John VerValin lives over the line in Rumbout.

Next east of Stillwell Mortgage 14:373, January 2, 1810, John Houghtailen and Hannah to Joseph Brown, 261 acres 3 roods and 19 perches for $5750 which Houghtailen bought from Joseph Brown. East of this are two small parcels, Mortgage 14:362 January 2, 1810, Peter B. DuBois to Joseph Brown, 19 acres 1 rood 37 perches which is a long narrow strip, and mortgage 15:29, January 2, 1810, Peter B. DuBois and Ackley to Joseph Brown, 42 acres for $421.50, a piece that fits south of the long narrow strip and fits in the southeast corner of the Houghtailen property. In Mortgage 21:163, December 23, 1809, Joseph Brown and Mary to John Forbus for $500, we have a ten-acre parcel that fits north of Stillwell between VerValin and Houghtailen. This now accounts for 602 acres of the original 625 acres in this area.

On the east side of the Pleasant Valley Freedom Plains Road we find on the 1867 map the names of T. Traver, M. Smith and J. 0. Velie. Mortgage 26:42, July 1, 1819, Peter DuBois to Edward Livingston, states that it was lately leased to Benjamin DuBois and consisted of 130 acres less 5 and 7 acres sold to Owen Ward. Deed 27:402, August 27, 1819, Peter DuBois sold same to William Cronkhite. Deed 139:280, February 27, 1867, Charles DeGroff and Jennie M. sold same to Theodore Traver, grandfather of the present Theodore Traver who now lives on the farm.

Directly south of the above, Mortgage 30:531, May 1, 1824, Peter DuBois and Acke to Edward Livingston 60 acres. This fits directly east of Peter DuBois's 42 acre parcel, both parcels being east of the road because the road at this point curves in a southwesterly direction. These two parcels account for M. Smith (possibly where an old foundation still exists) and for Jacob 0. Velie. At the time I was attending school, the Velie farm was owned by Ira Smith. He was school trustee for many years and his wife Ada boarded the school teacher for many years.

Directly east of Theodore Traver we have another farm of similar size and shape, Deed 18:393, September 15, 1801, Robert R. Livingston to William Brown, 225 acres for $2250, except a parcel sold by Livingston to Owen Ward. Ward had a mill on the stream that flows northward through this farm and probably his deed was for the area covered by the pond. This shows as A. Walker in 1867, and in my school days was occupied by Charles

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E. Traver. C. Richard Traver, a son, lives in a new house by the pond and the farmhouse and land is now owned by Edmund Lazard.

Bounded on south by Nehemiah Oakley whom we will hear more about in Lot 17.

After William Brown died, the south part of his farm consisting of 167 acres was sold May 1, 1829, to William Velie. The description of this farm near a brook and not far from the northwest corner, refers to a maple tree 13 feet around with five large branches. 51:141 April 30, 1833, William M. Velie sold same to Thomas H. Phillips and 113:308, May 2, 1859, Phillips sold to John A. Monfort who was living there in 1867 and until his death in about 1900. The south bounds of this farm bounded the Nehemiah Oakley farm.

By deed 388:269, May 25, 1915, this farm was sold to Anna Luhrs, wife of A. P. Luhrs who for many years had a store in Poughkeepsie that sold peanuts.

East of the 167 acre farm that eventually became John A. Monfort's, we have mortgage 16:62, May 1, 1808, Peter Burnet, blacksmith, and Mary to Daniel S. Dean, 51 acres lately Jeremiah DuBois, bounded on the east by Benjamin Ames.

By deed 27:569, May 4, 1818, Edward Livingston and Elizabeth and Robert Livingston sold to James B. Mastin 55 acres with similar description except bounded on the east by Thomas Smith.

East of this parcel, Deed 40:257, May 23, 1825, William M. Velie sold to William Brown 65 acres which the deed says Thomas Smith and wife sold to George Titus on April 10, 1818.

Eventually, Theodorus Brown obtained both of these parcels and sold them as one parcel in 1835. It went through several changes and in 1853 it was purchased by Robert Hastings who was still there in 1867.

This would be located along what is now known as Meddaugh Road*. One of the deeds for the 55 acre parcel -mentions leaving a right of way for James Burnett who lives north of this farm.

North of the 55 acre parcel, is Mortgage 13:59, May 1, 1808, John M. Lake and Elizabeth to Daniel S. Dean, 14 acres. Located also at Southwest corner of Cornelius Christian.

Deed 50:214 April 17, 1833, Edward P. Livingston to Calvert Canfield, Lot 36 in Lot 16 bounds Brown and Lake and 71 acres which 'bound Brown, Burnett and Christian.

It appears probable that there are other woodlots or vacant land east of William Brown and west of Cornelius Christian, north of Lake to the Nine Partners line.

* Article on origin of road is on page 142.

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Nehemiah Robertson or Robinson appears on the 1867 map on what is now Meddaugh road. There are a number of deeds for small pieces of property which make up his place which apparently came off the north end of the 55 acre piece originally sold to James B. Mastin.

North of the farm that eventually became Robert Hasting's and Nehemiah Robinson's, we have mortgage 13:65, May 1, 1808, Cornelius Christian and Sarah to Daniel S. Dean for $1229.44, a farm of 102 acres bounded on the north by the Nine Partners line. This was sold, deed 62:174, April 28, 1827, by the heirs of Cornelius Christian to James Owen who in turn, 140:84, April 15, 1867, sold it to Levi Meddaugh. This farm is at the end of present day Meddaugh road. One of the deeds for the farm immedia,tely to the south refers to leaving a right of way to it. The Christian heirs were James Burnet and Jane, Sarah Rider, widow, John Ingraham and Sally and John Cain.

It is in the northeast corner of the district and was occupied by Charles Meddaugh in 1915 and is now occupied by William H. Harrington.

Mortgage 13:141, May 1, 1808, Daniel S. Dean to Robert R. Livingston. This includes 3018 acres in Lot 16 and probably includes considerable land in the part of lot 16 that is in the Lockwood School district #1.

In the Republican Herald dated April 16, 1817, there is an advertisement dated March 1, 1816, of lands of Daniel S. Dean that were purchased by the heirs of Robert R. Livingston and sold by decree of the court of Chancery. One of the farms mentioned is that of Peter and Henry DuBois, 186 acres . . . "If in arrears on rent, deliver same to store of Jeremiah M. Conklin & Co. by May 1 next".

The Republican Herald of Nov. 22, 1817, refers to sale Jan. 24, 1817, of lands in great lot 16:

1. Gore vacancy 3, bounded north and east by Cornelius Christian and south by James Lake, Samuel Underhill, and Thomas

Smith, 5 acres.

2. Vacancy #9, bounded north by Nine Partners, south by Peter

Burnet, east by Paul Flagler and west by William Brown, 27 acres, 3 roods, 3 perches.

3. Vacancy #10, bounded north and west by Benjamin and Peter DuBois, south by Lot 17 and east by William Brown, 17 acres.

Starting at the west end of Lot 17, south of Rumbout road and on both sides of The Pleasant Valley, Freedom Plains Road, we have in deed 18:177, May 27, 1801, Gilbert R. Livingston and Martha to William McCord, 174 acres, 300 pounds. Mortgage 10:482, June 3, 1805, Joseph Hall and Margaret to Lemuel Conklin, same acres $1250.

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Mortgage 16:204, June 4, 1811, Coe Downing to Gideon Wright, now, 2033/4 acres for $2250. This appears as C. Angevine on the 1867 map and when I was in school it was George DuBois'. There is a spring on this property from which we obtained our drinking water. As his house was in sight of the school, he frequently hollered at us to get off his property when we tried to play in his field.

The neighboring farm to the south along the Rumbout line has next to the earliest property deed in this district. Deed 3:298, May 5, 1759, Robert R. Livingston to Jonathan Thorn and his wife Catharine, a sister of Robert R. Livingston. There are 131 acres in lot 15 which do not concern us and 184 acres in Lot 17, all of which he got for 10 shillings. Jonathan Thorn was a loyalist at the time of the American Revolution and died in prison in Hartford (See p. 77 of 1943 Yearbook). In mortgage 6:296, May 2, 1793, Israel Titus gives mortgage to Thorn's heirs for 184 acres for 350 pounds. From the Titus's it went to Paul Flagler and then to Joseph Flagler (whose wife was Ann Lossing) and then to John L. Buck (1867 Map) who was my grandfather. By this time it had become 106 acres, all south of the Pleasant Valley Freedom Plains road and south of Overlook Road. At the intersection of these two roads the old deeds mention a coal pit. Some of this 106 acres extended over into lot 18 on the south. A lane extended south to an old foundation in Lot 18 in a field we knew as the "birch" orchard. Mortgage 13:20, April 28, 1808, Jacob Burtch and Sarah to Roeloff Voorhis, $1347.88 for 87 acres in lot 18 on line of lot 17 indicates that this was the home of Jacob Burtch which later became part of the J. L. Buck farm.

In mortgage 15:233, July 14, 1810, Jacob Burtch and Sarah gave a mortgage to Paul Flagler for same farm which may account for how it eventually became part of the Flagler-Buck farm.

The remainder of the 184 acres of the Jonathan Thorn farm on the north side of Overlook road and next to the Rombout line became E. & C. Barlow's in 1867 and in my school days was Eugene Storm's and later Edward McConaghy's.

On the north side of the Pleasant Valley Freedom Plains road and north of the J. L. Buck farm was a parcel of 31 acres nearly square, Deed 39:201, May 3, 1828, Daniel D. Titus and Maria to Jonathan Lockwood, formerly Gilbert Titus for $1434.71. This was owned by J. L. Buck, from 1856 to 1866 and by J. Knickerbocker in 1867. It was William Moore's in my school days and now about two thirds are in the Nied development and the balance with house and a few acres are owned by Peter R. Hagberg.

Next, east of Angevine (1867) and north of Knickerbocker (1867), we have J. Lockwood. The earliest deed for any land in this school district

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is in deed 3:164, December 13, 1753, Robert G. Livingston to Henry Livingston for 170 pounds. It consists of 215 acres and is rectangular, the east end being narrower than the west end. In deed 9:54, May 14, 1784, Henry Livingston, Jr. sold the west end of this, consisting of 128 acres, to Stephen Lockwood for 225 pounds. The land for the school evidently came off this farm, hence the name "Lockwood school." Deed 29:17, June 6,

1821, Angevine Lockwood and Sarah of Scipio, Cayuga County, sold the same 128 acres to Jonathan Lockwood. In my school days this was owned by Eldridge Tillyou, a bachelor. We sometimes obtained drinking water from his well. He was not too happy if we played in his fields. The present owner of the dwelling is Frank Windes.

Directly east of Jonathan Lockwood, at the foot of the hill next to a brook, Deed 7:529, June 10, 1784, Henry Livingston to Nehemiah Oakley, 87 acres, 125 pounds. This shows as J. Tompkins in 1867 and was occupied by Dolson in my school days and is now owned by Max Cohen. These 87 acres were the east end of the 215 acres Henry Livingston bought in 1753.

Directly east of the Nehemiah Oakley farm is a square tract of about 105 acres. It is located along both sides of present day Carter Road and comprises rather rough, hilly and rocky land. The first deed for this is 11:356, May 31, 1792, Henry B. and Gilbert R. Livingston, executors of Robert G. Livingston, to William McCord 105 acres for 150 pounds. Mortgage 6:207, June 6, 1792, states 105 acres, except 41 acres sold to Lockwood and Oakley. It then appears as 63 acres until 1807 when it is further reduced to 47 acres. When owned by Albert Armstrong in 1867 it is 50 acres. When Hans Kruhm purchased this in 1901, he also obtained a separate parcel of 3 acres which in deed 55:384, November 13, 1830, had been sold by Samuel August McCord to Nelson Leake and had remained as a separate parcel for all those years.

Lewis Montross in 1867, was located between the above 47 acre tract and Nehemiah Oakley. At this time this was a long, north and south parcel somewhat irregular on both sides, the north part extending over into lot 16. This underwent many changes from the time Lockwood and Oakley bought 41 acres out of the 105 acres. The Montros's farm consisted of 82 acres and continued so until 1950. In my school days this farm was rented for a number of years by Charles Fowler. To the east there was John Kruhm and to the west was Jacob Meddaugh. The portion of this farm that extends over into lot 16 is 26 acres sold Deed 44:167, April 15, 1830, by Daniel Stringham to Abraham Smith and comes out of a 98 acre parcel, deed 29:126, Edward and Elizabeth Livingston and Robert Livingston, sold to Silas Downing. The remainder of the 98 acre parcel lies east of this school district and is part of the McDonald farm on McDonald Road.

East of the John L. Buck farm and south of Jonathan Lockwood, a long narrow parcel extending south to the lot 17 line, Deed 37:269, July 8,

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1803, Gilbert R. Livingston and Martha to John Brown, 66 acres, 150 pounds. There were two parcels south of the lot 17 line to complete the farm. They were, 22 acres on west side of road and 29 acres on east side of the road. It's quite likely that they were originally part of the land Jacob Burtch had south of the lot 17 line. It, in turn, may have been part of Freeborn Duncan's 165 acres south of lot 17 in deed 17:20, July 11, 1800. On the 29 acre parcel there was a tenant house and the children from this house attended Lockwood school. The next family south on that road went to Freedom Pla,ins school.

This is the farm that shows as A. B. Dunkin in 1867, and was purchased by my grandfather Deed 205:1, May 2, 1881, Henry C. Downing and Letitia to Martin TenHagen, 117 acres for $6850, and was purchased by my father, who had lived there since 1892, 368:110 March 22, 1911, Martin TenHagen and Emma to Vincent M. and Grace T. Buck. This was my birthplace.

Surrogates file Box 442 March 1, 1806, for the estate of Frebun ( or Freeborn) Duncan, states that he died instantly from a fall from a, horse.

The next farm east of John Brown is a rectangular farm of 125 acres bounded on the south by the line of lot 17 and 18. There are no early deeds for this farm. However, the deeds for the next farm east refer to this fa,rm as being the farm that John Flagler sold to Paul Flagler and was known as the Shapler farm and was formerly leased under Harry Livingston. In deed 40:31, March 25, 1828, Paul Flagler and Catherine sold same to Abraham A. Philips and is the same farm as Alexander Vandewater in 1867 and is now being farmed by John and Stephen Kondas. The dwelling house is located just east of a brook that flows north to Pleasant Valley.

The next farm east of Paul Flagler is referred to in all deeds as the one that Peter Sleght sold to Solomon Sleght on Jan. 6, 1818, but there are no deeds or mortgages for this sale or word on how Peter obtained same. The south boundary is the line of lot 17 and 18. It is wider at the south end than at the north end and is always listed as 140 acres or 160 acres. This was purchased by deed 94:131, May 1, 1848, from Tunis Cooper by James Haviland and appears under his name in 1867. This is now being farmed by Jacob .Domin.

The next farm east of Sleght farm is in the southeast corner of the district. The earliest deed for this is 18:175, May 7, 1803, Gilbert Livingston and Martha to Andrew McCord, 100 acres at a cost of 240 pounds. This was in the Phillips family for many years having been owned by Thomas, Cornelius and Warren Phillips. The house and barns are now gone and the farm is mostly abandoned land. On the next farm east of this farm was located the Westbranch Friends Meeting house and cemetery.

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1865 Census LaGrange Vol 3 p 1-75

Most of the names that show on the 1867 map are found in the 1865 census. Where the known ownership was different in 1865 I have substituted that name:

Name Age Angevine, Clinton Sara Armstrong, Albert Pemilla Mary A. William

Cramer, Elizabeth Barlow, Charlotte Caroline Phebe M. Edwin Charles P. Mary W. Frances Buck, John L. Emeline Mary Ida

DuBois, Pamela Burhans, Edwin Jane Jonas Mary Emma Mary Augusta Mary L. Talmadge

Knapp, Alexander Cypher, James H. Phebe DeGroff, Charles Robert Elizabeth Downing, Walter F. Duncan, A. B. 49 50 38 35 8 5 73, Mother-in-law. 76 46 44 42 33 28 13, granddaughter. 41 (Later J. Knickerbocker) 23 ( Joseph Flagler who owned Buck farm 5 in 1865 does not show in census.) 62 boarder 47 45 14 35 14 17 17 22 18 sister-in-law niece niece niece nephew servant

58 61 50 — (A Charles DeGroff owned the Theo44 dore Traver farm in 1865. Had wife Jennie, so this may not be same one) 50 — (in family of Richard Dates) — (does not show in census. Deceased and wife Anna had married Thomas which does not show)

Hastings, Robert Margiana William J. 57 51 22

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1865 Census

Name Age Haviland, James 58 Anna 39 Sarah 8 Hill, Anthony A. 57 Mary Jane 48 John W. 22 Hannah E. 18 Mary Jane 15 Houghtaling, William 60 boarder Lockwood, Jonathan 78 Stephen 55 Augusta Barnes 24 granddaughter William H. Barnes 23 grandson

McCrea, William 15 servant Meddaugh, Levi 51 (Living where A. Vandewater lived in Sarah 28 1867) Mary 21 Adriance 17 Charles C. 16 Sarah 9 Meddaugh, William T. 40 (Living where Montross lived in 1867) Letta 40 Ella 12 Monfort, John A. 47 Julia 38 Mary L. 19

Reed, Martin 16 servant Oakley, Nehemiah 65 boarder Oakley, Abram C. 30 Owen, James 74 (Living where Levi Meddaugh lived in Eliza 56 1867) Phillips, Cornelius 44 Sarah 38 Emma J. 18 Josephine 16 William 14 Warren 12 Phillips, Sylvanus 37 Mary A. 36 Dewitt 14 Frank 10

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1865 Census

Name Age Robinson, Nehemiah 50 Lydia 48 Mary 25 Amanda 23 Frederick 7

Smith, Mary 77 mother in law

Smith, Jonie 13 niece Smith, Michael Katharine 59 40 Tompkins, Joseph 50 Deborah 40 Joanna 20 Alice 18 Henry 17 Joseph 15 Velie, Jacob 0. 48 Rachel 39 James H. 14 Charles J. 12 Annice 10 Annie 4

Cash, John 16 servant Walker, Alexander 32 Eurience A. 25 Oscar J. 8 Mary A. 7 Franklin W. 1

VanVlack, Maria 60 mother in law

In this census we find 4 children under 7 years of age. 19 children 7-15 years of age. 10 children 15-21 years of age.

Assuming that only half of the 15-21 year olds went to school we would have a school of 28 pupils.

The Agricultural Census for 1865 is given on pages 53-65 for LaGrange. It goes in great detail as to values, acres of crops, yields, number of livestock, butter, eggs, meat produced, etc. To show a comparison with the census of 1810, I have given only the acres per farm and the numbers of stock.

Name

Hogs Lambs Acres Cows Horses Slaughtered Raised Angevine, Clinton 50 3 2 8 0 Armstrong, A. 50 2 2 4 0

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Barlow, E. & C. 117 4 30 Buck, John L. 35 2 2 2 0 Burhans, Edwin 87 5 3 5 20 Cypher, James H. 25 7 0 2 0 DeGroff, Charles 140 4 2 7 0 Haviland, James 160 6 3 11 20 Lockwood, Jonathan 130 8 3 9 1 Meddaugh, Levi 125 5 3 5 0 Monfort, John 151 7 4 9 4 Monfort, John 150 6 3 11 0 Owen, James 103 6 2 7 0 Phillips, Cornelius 111 8 2 14 0 Robinson, Nehemiah 37 4 1 1 4 Tompkins, Joseph 115 5 5 8 0 Velie, Jacob 124 3 4 10 50 Velie, Jacob 220 5 3 10 10 Walker, Alexander 129 8 2 4 0

2159 101 53 142 139

This shows considerable reduction in number of animals on farms compared with 1810. Also there were 106 persons compared with 156 in 1810 and the possible children in school is 28 compared with possible 53 in 1810.

The approximate total acreage in farms and woodland in 1810 is about 2300 acres so tha,t there is no appreciable change in the total farming area.

I did not find the names of Vestervelt, John VerValen and Daniel Stillwell in the 1810 Census. I did not find names of Solomon and Peter Sleght but I substituted the name of John Sleght. I added two names that I knew to be in the district, Andrew McCord and Cornelius Christian.

The names of John and William Free and John Sipher (Cypher) were close to other names in the district so I added them but was not certain of their location.

From the census we find there are enough children for a good sized school. There are 44 under 10 years. As they probably started school at about age 7, perhaps 15 of these would go to school.

Ages 10-16 we have 29.

In those days children attended school frequently till 21, especially in the winter months when not needed on the farm. We have 27 in the group 16-26. If one third of these went to school we have 9 more.

This makes a possible school of 53 pupils, which would be enough to keep the one teacher of a one room school quite busy.

As this is a rural farming area, it is interesting to note that only one person had no animals, namely Abel Oakley. He may, or may not be the

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