Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 066 1981 by D C H S

DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

YEAR BOOK

1981

VOLUME66

BOARDOF TRUSTEES

FELIX SCARDAPANE Ed.D. FRANKLINA. BUTTS Ph.D. FRANKH. ANDREW EILEEN M. HAYDEN SHEILA NEWMAN WM. P. MC DERMOTTPh.D.

President Past President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Editor

Term Ending 1982 Jesse Effron Mrs. Robert Kendall Wm. P. Mc Dermott Ph.D. Mrs. S. Velma Pugsley

Term Ending 1983 Tim Allred C. Colton Johnson Collin M. Strang Nelson Tyrrel

Term Ending 1984 Mrs. Russel Aldrich Mrs. N. Edward Mitchell Willa Skinner George N. Wilson

Term Ending 1985 Edward Howard Clara Losee Frederick Stutz Frank Van Zanten

Vice Presidents

Representing

Mrs. Catherine Leigh Mrs. Ralph Van Voorhis Mrs. Robert Montgomery Kathleen Spross Mrs. Richard Reichenberg Mrs. Charles Boos William Wolfson Donald Mc Ternan Edwin Hunger Ph.D. John Losee Chester Eisenhuth Mrs. Kevin Denton Mrs. Harold Klare Meredith De La Vergne Mrs. Lawrence Mc Ginnis Arthur Gellert Mrs. Richard Coons Mrs. Craig Vogle Willard Arbuco Mrs. Karel Stolarik Mrs. George Hemroth Louise Tompkins

Ph.D.

Towns and Cities Amenia Beacon City Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan Northeast Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie Town Poughkeepsie City Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Wappinger Washington

I)UTCHESS COUNTY H:ISTORICAL SOCIETY YEAR BOOK

1981

Volume 66

Clinton House Museum - Box 88 . . .Poughkeepsie, N. Y. '12602

'f ,. , }

'·

•

I' ' '

·'I. .

William

P. Mc Dermott Editor

Ph.D.

The Dutchess County Historical Society Year Book has been published annually 9ince,1915 by the Dutchess County Historical Society, Clinton House Museum- Box 88, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.~, 12602. It is distributed without charge to members of· the Society. Individual copies may be purchased for $4.50, postage and shipping are included. Selected earlier Year ·Books are also available. Requests for copies should be sent to the above address. The Society encourages accuracy but cannot assume responsibility for statements of fact or opinion made by contributors. Manuscripts, books for review and other correspondence relevant to this publication should be addressed to: William P. Mc Denoott , Edi tor Dutchess County Historical Society Clinton House Museum - Box 88 Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 12602

The cover and title page were designed by S. Velma Pugsley. The view of the Clinton House Museumca. 1765 on the title page is reproduced fran a line drawing by A. S. Magargee, now in the possession of the Daughters of the American Revolution, MahwenawasighChapter.

Society

TABLE OF CONTENTS Teaching History with Kathleen D. Roe A Subject Index for County Historical Nancy A. Logan Beekman's Irish Lee Eaton

Local • Articles Society

Government

Records 5

from.the ·Yearoooks

Dutchess 15

Connection 37

Homegrown Politicians Melodye A. Kaltz

Dutchess County's Role in the William S. Benson Jr. Susannah Vaughton: Caught 17th Century Politics? W:Llliam P. Mc Dermott Union Corners School, Clifford M. Smith

Civil

War 65

in the

Web of 77

District

#3 91

The Depression Comes to Poughkeepsie Jack Lippman The Federal William

Census - A Research P. Mc Dermott

Dutchess County Palatine Henry Z. Jones Jr.

Research

- 1930 - 1936 95

Instrument 127 in Germany 141

Dutchess Countians Go to War: The 150th State Volunteer Infantry Regiment William F. Tuceling The Rapaljes Margaret

Fishkill Somers

Reports

Cumulative Index

Index

- 1981

147

Village

"Capt. Dobbs, One of Our Most Experienced Margaret T. Lane Annual

New York

173

Pilots" 183 209

1976 - 1980

235 251

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Map of Dutchess County Superimposed upon the townships of 19 3 9 this map shows the patents for land that were issued in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. • The map of the county with the towns was drawn by Emmett K. Hosier. The patents for land were superimposed by Mr. Hosier in accordan~e with informati~n :5upplied by J. Wilson ·Poucher, M. D.; George S. Van Vliet and Helen W1lkmson Reynolds.

TEACHINGHISTORY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS °Kathle.en D. Roe The chaZZenge of ZocaZ history using primary resource material is discussed. Early town records avaiZabZe in Dutchess County provide a fascinating Zook at the past. Kathleen Roe is an Archivist at the New York State Archives in Albany~ N.Y.

The excitement of history comes to life for students.when they view the past through the eyes and activities of the people who actually lived it. Historical records provide young people with a direct link to the past because they were created by and for history's participants, unlike textbooks which necessarily speak in generalities and stereotypes. Teachers, local historians, and other educators can use historical records to achieve both historical and educational goals while making history a more personal experience. / The records of local governments in Dutchess fbr County are an especially valuable resource obtaining a more complete and accurate understanding of the county's past. They provide a framework for understanding both individuals and their concerns, as well as showing how those individuals interact as a society. For example, records kept by overseers of the poor give.details on the economic and physical state of individuals who had.fallen on "hard times" and also show how people provided for the care of the poor and sick at a time when it was generally understood that care of such persons was the responsibility of the family. Local government records also include a wide range of people in their scope, not just those who could write. Commonly unrecorded groups such as blacks appear in slave manumissions, or registers of children born to slaves. Social issues are also reflected in local government records, ranging from the seventeenth century concern over destruction causedl by marauding pigs and cattle to twentieth century controversies over allowing bikini bathing suits to be worn at the public swimming pool. By providing both a panoramic view and an individual peek into the past, local government records help students to achieve a better understanding of all the facets of local.history, not merely the chronological Jjnes ~nd achievements oj' ceirt-ain .. loc.a1 •p~~iSJ>nages_,_ap.d) ·f a!fiJ,1ies:r .. treat.ad. in, p0-iii..t't.(i!a;tr:.hist0r:y. ,, "· •:L!:. :: • ':>;, •. ~ ; ,.,.:J :. . -~-

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Kathleen

D. Roe

Types .of· P~ecords • for Use Local government records in Dutchess County are a particularly useful resource as a result of settlement beginning in the Dutch period and much activity continuing in the county through the colonial and revolutionary periods. Localities developed quickly, setting recordation and regulation processes in place, and thereby leaving detailed records of life from the early period on .. These local governments have found themselves involved in regulating everything from suffrage to sewage, settling disputes between-neighbors, aiding the sick, and punishing the recalcitrant. Each municipality offers its own unique set of paper records reflecting the growth and development of government; a number of standard types of records usually exist, however, which may se~ve as examples of the ways in which local government records may be used in teaching. The most basic records available are the laws and ordinances passed by the local governing bodies. The laws of a community report local concerns and reveal important issues at a given time. Early laws, for example, often show the great importance that property had·to the founders of a community. At the 1791 annua.l meeting of the town of Amenia, the following laws we~e among those passed: • Voted that a ZawfuZZ (sic) fenoe shaZZ be four feet and four inohes high weZZEreoted; Voted that no swine shaZZRun on the Commons without a good Ring in there (sio) Nose above one month oZd under the PenneZty (sio) of Six Pence and for a grown hog one shiZZing. 1 Both of these laws provide minor mysteries for stu~ dents to unravel. Students who have grown· up in the modern age may not be familiar with the perils of protecting one's crops from damage by stray animals in the days before barbed wire, electrified fences, or modern hogpens. The protection of property was a major concern, not because ancestors .were grasping and greedy, but because there were so many variables and uncontrollable threatening forces, and because real estate was their most important possession. A further resource for reflecting issues of great interest to the community ancestors are the minutes of municipal meetings. At a meeting of the Trustees of Poughkeepsie in 1803, for example, a re~olution was passed providing:

Teaching

History

that Morris Billings a:nd Jesse Oakl~y be a corronittee to procure two good ladders for the use of the corporation; one of which to be about forty feet long, the other twentyfour feet long--a:nd also one good fire hook on each side of which is to be affixed a chain, fastened to the shanks of the iron hook, at least four feet long--there must also be on each chain a:n eye or ring through which to fasten the ropes; also resolved that they likewise procure for the purpose aforesaid two strong ropes at least fortyfive feet long each--and that they be deposited in the market in this viUage . until further directions of this board. 2 . This resolution has extensive information on iife in Poughkeepsi~ in_1803. Students' attention can f~rst b~- drawn to the fact that·fire prot~ction w~s a major co~cern before the advent of local fire departments. A useful activity might be for students to compare the difficulties of firefighting in 1803, 1903, and -the ~resent. Other students with a mechanical talent might be·encoura~~d to build a repiica of the fire -hook and. chain apparatus described here. Local fire ··depart~ent personnel cotild p~rhaps provide clues to the use of this implement. Co.ntemporary newspapers· might be checked for atticles on local fires, to lend a human interest level to the problem. .

Beyond the specific information given in the resolution, it sugge_sts other questions. If the tallest ladder was forty feet long, students might attempt architectural studies of buildings in that period to determine average and maximum heights. They may fully understand the relationship between technological advances like firefighting equipment and building construction .. In their architectural study, students may also consider the building materials used for various homes and businesses, as well as the relative merits of each. As should be evident, a single document can literally become a "hotbed" of ideas, questions, and research projects. Another kind of local government record students may be able to relate to are those of the local school district. Records of attend~nce, payment fo teachers, subjects taught and rules enforced give students information they can relate directly to their own experience. Imagine their surprise at learning that

Kathleen

·8

D. Roe

in 1840 the Amenia School District paid a total of $27.95 for teachers' salaries, had fifty·v.olumes in its library, and only twenty-hlx out of forty-one children between the ages of five and sixteenattended school.3 This raises questions about the value of the dollar in 1840, along with the value placed on education for young people. They may be par~icularly surprised by the subjects taught, such as recitation, handwriting and ciphering; in fact, a day spent in m9de of ~he nineteenth centhe learning and teaching tury, may in addition to the information it imparts, bring a new appreciation of the advantages of twentieth century schooling! Land records are a major resource created by local pat~nts, governments, whether in the form of deeds, tax lists or liens. These records land~mortgages, are~pafiicularly extensive in many parts of Dutchess CoUhlj1 as it was part of many early large grants including the Great and Little Nine Partners, Beekmans,·•Rombouts, Oblong and Schuylers Patents. The differ.ence in methods of land purchase and ownership, for''e~~~ple, is evident in the following deed:

:'.·} ,t , ,

October __ Grantors: Grantee:

, 1? 15 Roger Brett of the Fishkills Catharyna, his wife Robert Dengee, carpenter on Long Island

and

of Hempstead

•.;,

Consideration: One year's work by grantee for grantors; and an agrerrmt by grantors to convey •.·'-i• • title to 100 acres of land at expiration of said ',.-. year of work. -:H

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.. r;:.~,:,~i • :Appended clause ' , r·,.n ; June 30, 1 ?16 ·, ' 1 -~·,; : ·Land: Parcel of 110 acres on the east side of '.<' ·; . •Hudson 's River, on the north side of the High0 '; • lands and on the north side of the first landing .. , p iace beyond Peter Deboys ,:

Quit-Rent: :'

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•

Witnesses:

Four good fatt grown fowles year at Chris-tmas John Terbos, John Jones 4

every

S~µd~~t$:~s~d to thinking of money as the only medium of exch~nge~qan consider the advantages and disadvantages (µf.. making payments in labor or "fatt grown for boundary disputes will f owJe,$: .,"·::,.__The ..reasons become evident from the descriptions of land based on

Teaching

History

such fleeting beyond Peter

phenomenon Deboys. 11

the

f irst

landing

place

Records created by various local officials in the process of completing their daily tasks can also bring intriguing information to light. The records of the overseer of the poor, as previously mentioned, provide insight into the care of the poor and sick. Control and identification of animals emerges as an important concern in the records kept by poundkeepers or the town clerk on property destruction done by strays, . registering of dogs, and earmarks. Election records kept by the inspectors of elections, and boards of canvassers not only can be used by students to determine how an area voted in any given election, but also to determine who could and did vote. Much can be learned about transportation, from the whereabouts of roads to the problems of maintaining them, through records of the overseers of the highways. Each locality has its own set of officials, which may include fenceviewers, constables, moderators, sheriffs and many other variations. A variety of records produced by these officials often remains and can be of great use in the classroom. One governmental resource which is widely available for communities in Dutchess County is the State census. Copies are available in the Dutchess County Clerk's office in Poughkeepsie and microfilm copies can be obtained for a reasonable price from the GenThe information generally ealogical Society of Utah.5 given on individuals listed in the State census from 1855 and thereafter includes name, sex, age, occupation, place of birth, citizenship, and relationship to head of household. This information can be used by students to compile information on family relationships, ethnic make up of neighborhoods, occupations of men and women, sizes of families or the length of time a family stays in a house or an area. The previous suggestions are only a portion of the wide variety of materials available in local records. These resources are an excellent reflection of how localities in Dutchess County developed into the unique communities they are today. Locating

Resources

With the amount and variety of records produced by local governments, some local records should be availble for every community. These records are often kept

Kathleen

D. Roe

by the county. •or mui:iicipal clerk, or these officials will know of their location. Local historians and historical societies also may be helpful in.identifying where local.records are being kept. In some communities, government.records have suffered damage from fire, flood, or environmental ·hazards, but this rarely applied to all the records. The body of records available for Dutchess County and it~ localities is sufficiently extensive that some form will have survived and be a useful resource. When the original records cannot be copied or are difficult to read, a useful alternative is consulting published transcripts of, documents. T_he Dutchess County Historical Society has produced a fine series of transcripts, published in numerous volumes as the of the Dutchess County Historical SociCollections 6 These volumes ~. include transcript.ions of local government records from a number of towns in the county; as part of their on going publications ·program, the Society is continuing to add records from other localities in the County.· Once the documents themselves have been located, identifying individual documents ~or use is the next task. It is far less difficult than ·may be anticipated, for the records are an incredibly rich resource. Major concerns at this point include the readability of handwriting and the potential for reproducing the document. Many documents can be adequately copied on standard copying machines; the possibility also exists for taking pictures of the document with a 35 mm camera and a copy stand, then enlarging it later for duplication. Some loc~lities have microfilm projects and either may have filmed the records, or may be able to do so. If these methods are all impossible, a transcript of the document copy can be made can be used, or even a new facsimile by someone who can reproduce old-style handwriting. Once the educator has obtained copies of the records, there are many ways to.provide them to students. Individual copies can be provided to each student by using standard copying machines, or slides of documents can be shown on a screen. If students arework·ing in groups on one.document, it is useful to laminate the copy or cover it with contact paper to add to its longevity in the hands of eager young historians. Although some educators have found private publishers or groups to help fund more permanent

Teaching

History

copies:, it is not necessary. The major concern selection and use of documents is the flexibility students. permit the educator.and

in they

The Value df Historical Records in Education Along with providing students an important information base regarding people and events in history, using historical records can help educators accomplish a number of historical and educational objectives. Using original records will help students to understand how history is written. Textbook information tends to.be accepted wholesale by students, who see the events of history as written in stone. Through conflicting evidence, gaps in information and occasionally questionable sources, students come to realize the process by which the historian synthesizes information into historical generalizations. Critical thinking skills may be developed in conjunction with this, as students themselves try to untangle the sometimes labyrinthine webs of evidence available in historical records. Students can gain experience in recognizing opinionated statements, verifying information, questioning inconsistencies, and carefully constructing solutions to problems. The critical frame of mind they develop through this process can be used well beyond the classroom as they attempt to deal with various situations in their own lives,. Using local government records can be u~eful in developing basic reading skills as well. The previously maligned textbook also may be accused of presenting students with an unrealistic style of ~ew forms of reading material students will reading. encounter.as adults use the textbook style. They are far more likely to have legal forms like mortgages, laws and business. letters to contend deeds 11 wills, with. These are prolifically available in local government records, and it would indeed be a service to young people to prepare them for coping with the information contained in these formats. Some larger goals may be achieved by ·exposing students to local government records. They may themselves become more able and active participants in contemporary government issues when they have learned to understand the controversies, issues, and actions of past governments. They may also become more aware

Kathleen

D. Roe

of the importance of local governments in affecting their lives. All too often students focus their attention on national issues, following the lead of television, radio and newspapers. By recognizing the role that local government can and has played in the past, they may become more willing participants in the future. Finally, by understanding the locality in which they live, students may be able to develop a clearer sense of self-identity. The need for this is evidenced by the fact that so many, many people are tracing their family roots, or rediscovering anethnic heritage. A similar sense of identification can be developed between individuals and their community. When students come to know their community through its past, whether it is recognizing streets named for important figures, or locating the sites of oldspeakeasies, they can feel a sense of personal involvement, of belonging to that locality. With the complexity of modern society, this can be an important developmental relationship for the individual. Conclusion Local government records provide a unique perspective on local history. Through the documents created by such officials as fence viewers, supervisors, constables and pound keepers students can get a first hand glimpse of the past. They benefit both from the information they gain about historical events and people, and from the intellectual challenge of interpreting original records. The considerable resources of this type available in Dutchess County make it possible for teachers and local historians to provide students with an exceptional experience in historical education. Footnotes 1 Amenia

State Town Minute Book, 1762-1801; Town.Records, Series #637, Box 91, Archives, Albany, New York

Historian's New York State 2 Poughkeepsie Record Book, 1769-1833; Local Records on Microfilm, #75-10-1, New York State Archives, Albany, New York 3 Amenia School District Minute Book, 1802-1896; State Historian's Town Records; Series #637, Box 91, New York State Archives, Albany, New York

Teaching

History

4 Reynolds,

ed~, Eighteenth Helen Wilkinso~, Century ·Rec0rds, Collections of the Dutchess County Historical Society, Vol. VI (Poughkeepsie, 1938), pp. 44. 5 address: Genealogical Society of Utah, Branch Libraries, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 6 1ist of Collections of the Dutchess County Historical Society: Reynolds, Helen W., Poughkeepsie, . and Meaning of ·the Word, Vol. _keepsie, 1924), pp. 93.

The Origin I, (Pough-

Po~cher, J .. Wilson, Reynolds, Helen W. ed., • ·01d Gravestones of Dutchess County, N.Y., Vol. II, (Poughkeepsie, 1924, reprint 1976), pp. 427. Roosevelt, Franklin D. ed., Records of the ·Town of Hyde Park, Dutchess County, N.Y., Vol. III, (Poughkeepsie, 1928), pp. 340. Reynolds, Helen W. ed., Notices of Marriages and Deaths Published in Newspapers Printed in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 1778-1825, Vol. -IV, (Poughkeepsie, 1930), pp. 140. Tower, Marie B. ed., Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of New Hackensack, Dutchess County, N.Y., Vol. V, (Poughkeepsie, 1932), pp. 333. Reynolds, Helen W. ed., Eighteenth Century Records of the Portion of Dutchess County, N;Y., that was included in Rombout Precinct and the original Town of Fishkill, compiled by William W. Reese, Vol. VI, (Poughkeepsie, 1938), pp. 323. Roosevelt, Franklin Elbow Precinct, keepsie, 1940),

D. ed.,. Records 1738-1799, Vol. pp. 196.

of Crum VII, (Pough-

Mc Dermott, William P. ed., Eighteenth Century Documents of the Nine Partners Patent, Dutchess. County, N.Y., compiled by Clifford Buck and William P. Mc Dermott, Vol. X, (Poughkeepsie, 1979), pp. 735.

Vtar ~nk nf t4t iutt4ts11 C!Jnunty ifistnritul&nritty

itag, 1914-April,

1915

A SUBJECT INDEX FOR ARTICLES FROM THE DUTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL~SOCIETY YEARBOOKS Volume Compiled List

1 - 65

by Nancy Subject

A. Logan Headings

Agriculture Architecture Associations Biography - Revol~tionary

Biography Bridges

Era

and Mills

Businesses Civil

Administration

Country

Seats

Cultural

Life

and Other

Homes

Education Ethnic

Groups

Health Hudson

River

Indians

(see

Mills

(see

Ethnic Bridges

Groups) and Mills)

Miscellaneous Museums Names, Geographical Patents

and Settlements

Poughkeepsie Religion Revolutionary Settlements

Era (see

(also

see

Biography)

Patents)

Towns Transportation

Subject

Index

Vol.

Year

1928

54-63

1933

41-53

22 26 26

1937 1941 1941

36-70 71-72 101-114

1943

43-56

1962

39-43

1968

27-30

53 57

1968 1972

55-56 58-60

1973

92-124

1948

50-82

1948

83-86

1966

43-49

1972

137-141

1973

50-57

1928

54-63

1934

19-20

1959

27-53

1965

31-35

AGRICULTURE "Dutchess County Agricultural Society," (Formed in 1806) in· the Hudson Valley, "Farm-life 1769-1779" "Henry _Winthrop Sargent and Early History of Land-Scape Gardening and Ornamental Horticulture in Dutchess County'' "Sheep Raising in Dutchess County" "Agriculture in Red Hook" "Diary of Farming Affairs, Weather, etc. of Alexander Hamilton Coffin, 1851-1862" (Location - Union Vale Area) "Dutchess County Cattle Show and Fair of 1820" "History of Horticulture in Dutchess County" "The Drovers (Cattlebuyers) of the 19th Century" "Sweet Violets" "Century Farms in Dutchess County as of 1972" ARCHITECTURE "Fowler's Folly and Its Builder," (The Octogon House) "John Russell Comstock and His Octagon," (Located between Millbrook and Mabbettsville) "The Federal Period in Dutchess County-1789-1825" "A History of Garfie1d Place, Poughkeepsie" "Gar·f ield Place Day: Victorian Ambiance Revived'r ASSOCIATIONS "Dutchess County Agricultural Society," (formed in 1806) . "Dutchess County Historical Society ~ 1845.-1846" "The Poughkeepsie Tennis ClubIts First 50 Years" "Historical Societies of Dutchess County'.'

Subject

Index BIOGRAPHY

The following is an alphabetical listing of graphies which appear in the articles below headings "Biography" and "Biography-Revolutionary

the biogunder the Era".

Name and Volume#

Allen, Elizabeth, 64, 65 Bard Family, 21 Bard, Dr. John, 40, 56 Bard, Dr. Samuel, 56 Bard, William, 40 Barnard, Joseph, 28 Bentons of Amenia, 57 Billings, Josh, 34 Billings, Maj. Andrew, 25 Bissell, George, 26 Bolding, John, 20 Charruaud, John, 19 Clinton, George, 24 Coffin, Alexander, 28 Colonial Women, 51 Crannell, Bartholamew, 7 Crannell, Elizabeth, 37 Cunneen Family, 64 d'Este, Mary Beatrice, 7 Davis, Andrew, 32 De Labigarre, Peter, 14 De Riemer, Peter, 53 Dean, Julia, 59 Dubois, Capt. Henry, 20 Dubois, Col. Lewis, 20 Duke of York, James, 7 Dutchess of York, 7 Eastman, Harvey, 56, 63 Flagler Family, 57, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65 Forbus, John, 44 Fowler, Orsen, 33, 34 Hackett Family, 64 Hay, Udny, 10 Jay, John, 9 Knox, Maj. Henry, 52 Lafayette, Marquis de, 10, 39 Livingston Family, 65 Livingston, Henry, 5, 23 Livingston, Henry Jr., 27 Livingston, James, 28 Livingston, Robert Judge, 30

Lossing, Benson, 30, 51, 58 Ludington, Col. Henry, 30 Ludington, Sybil, 30 Morse, Samuel, 17 Ninham, Chief Daniel, 23 Palen, Joshua, 57 Pearsall, Dr. Gilbert, 29 Platt, Zephaniah, 29 Poucher, Dr. J. Wilson, 64 Reynolds, Helen W., 64 Ricketson, Shadrach, 57 Roosevelt Family, 16 Roosevelt, Ellen, 43 Sargent, Henry, 22 Schuyler, Philip, 14 Smillie, James, 26 Smillie, James D., 26 Smith Brothers, 32 Smith, Capt. Israel, 11 Smith, Melancton, 10 Spencer, Platt R., 47 Stuart, James (Duke of York), 7 Stuart, Mary, 7 Swartwout, Gen. Jacobus, 13, 51, 52 Tallmadge, James, 45, 46 Tappen, Dr. Peter, 19; 37 Thorn, Jonathan, 61 Thorn, Dr. Stephen, 63 Van Bunschoten, Maj. Elias, 21 Van Der Burgh, Col. James, 15 Van Kleeck Family, 38 Van Wyck Family, 56 Vassar, Matthew, 46, 56 Vassar, William, 61 Von Steuben, Baron Friedrick, 31 Weissenfels, Col. Frederick, 27 Women, Colonial, 51 Worden, John - Admiral, 28

Subject

18 Vol. BIOGRAPHY "Henry Livingston" "The Dutchess's County" (Background material on Mary Beatrice d'Este, wife of James Stuart, Duke of York) "Philip J. Schuyler" (1768-1835 Rhinebeck) "Peter DeLabigarre" (Founding of Tivoli) ·"The Roosevelt Family in Dutchess County" "Samuel F. B. Morse" (Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie) "John Charruaud-Dancing Master in Poughkeepsie, 1812-1866" "John A. Bolding, Fugitive Slave" "The Bard Family in Dutchess County" "Henry Winthrop Sargent and Early· History of Landscape Gardening and Ornamental Horticulture in Dutchess County" "Monument to Chief Daniel Ninham" (Last Sachem of the Wappingers Indians-killed in 1778) "George Clinton-First Governor of New York State" "Three Artists-James Smillie, James David Smillie, George Edwin Bissell" "Editorial Notes on the Writings of Henry Livingston, Jr." (Did he write "A Visit from St. Nicholas?") "Diary of Farming Affairs, Weather, etc. of Alexander Hamilton Coffin-1851-1862" "Joseph Folger Barnard, 1823-1904" (Lawyer) "Admiral John Lorimer Worden 1818-1897" (From Pawling Captain of the MONITOR-Civil War) "My Kind Physician - Dr. Gilbert Titus Pearsall - 1814-1891" (Salt Point) "Benson John Lossing - 1813-1891" "Andrew Jackson Davis - The Poughkeepsie Seer" (Prophet of Spiritualism)

Index

Year

Page

1919

32-45

1922

35-36

1929

37-44

1929

45-60

1931

58-69

1932

21-32 &56-65

19 20

1934 1935

32-37 51-55

1936

68-72

1937

36-70

1938

24-25

1939

48-51

1941

68-70

1942

85-104

1943

43-56

1943

88-91

1943

92-97

29 30

1944 1945

25-32 83-87

1947

39-62.

Subject

Index

"The Smith Brothers - Trade and Mark" "Fowler's Folly and its BuilderOrson S. Fowler" "Josh Billings" (Views on Women's Rights p. 89-100) "More About Orson S. Fowler" "Shaking the Family Tree" (Van Kleeck Family) "John Bard, Willie Bard, and the Found~ng of St. Stephen's College" "Miss Ellen C. Roosevelt - A Victorian Lady in this Modern _:.:··.:~g~'..' -.-(:;1,;~tCousin to. FDR died 1954) "John Forbus and his Family"· (Hotel owner, died 1827) • "The Public Career of James Tallmadge" (Congressman from Poughkeepsie who played a major role on the issue of slavery 18181819) Part I: Part II: "Matthew Vassar, Founder" "Platt Rogers Spencer - America Learned to Write" "Colonial Dames of Dutchess" (Gallant Women of Dutchess past and present) "Education: A Moral Duty. Views of Benson J. Lossing on Education" "Peter DeRiemer-Goldsmith, 17381814" "Harvey Eastman" "Dr. John Bard and Dr. Samuel Bard of Hyde Park" "The Van Wyck Family of Dutchess County" "Matthew Vassar, Junior" "Amenia Bentons" "Shadrach Ricketson, Quaker Physician" "Joshua Palen" "The Germanic Origin of the Flagler Family of Dutchess County" "Julia Dean" "Over Hill: Over Dale" (Flagler Family) "William James Vassar (1827-1910)

1947

83-87

33 34

1948 1949

50-82 71-100

1949

lbf~103

1953

26-35

19-55

43-51

1958

35-42

1959

63-73

45 46 46

1960 1961 1961

·39-80 52-93 29-47

1962

54-61

1966

19-24

51.

1966

50-57

53 56

1968 1971

43-47 75-77

1971

97-99

56 56 57

1971 1971 1972

102-104 109-111 40-44

57 57

1972 1972

119-121 126-127

57 59

1972 1974

127-135 73-75

60 61 &62

1975 1976 &1977

70-78 42-46

Subject

20 "A Wandering Preacher" Family) "Jonathan Thorn"

(Flagler

"Our Almost Forgotten Hero --Harvey Eastman, Founder of Eastman Business College" "In Search of Collateral Ancestors" (Flagler Family) "Historical Society Leaders" (Helen W. Reynolds, J. Wilson Poucher) 1 'Hacketts and Cunneens" "Widow Allen" (Elizabeth Allen married Zacharias Flagler) "Livingston Family Correspondence" (1732-1799) "Widow Allen" (Early settler - Nine Partners Patent - 1734-1750) BIOGRAPHY - Revolutionary Crannel"

61 &62 61 &62

1976 &1977 1976 &1977

1978

66-77

1978

103-:-109

64 64

1979 1979

30-37 112-114

1979

131-146

1980

51-75

1980

97-111

1922 1924

39-50 32-36

1925

30-33

1925 1925 1926

·39-48 49-.59 42-47

1928 1966 1967

67-71 25-31 23-27

1930 1934

36-44 38-44

1935 1936 1938 1940 1942 1943 1944

71-85 90-98 39-51 30-34 74-83 67-76 51-55

1945

54:....74

1945

75-82

1946

36-39

78-89 90

Era

"Bartholomew 7 John Jay" 9 "Lafayette's Visit in Dutchess County, Sept. 1824" 10 "Melanchthon Smith" (Delegate to 1st Provincial Congress-1775) 10 10 "Udny Hay 1 ' 11 "Capt. I srae 1 Smith 11 "General Jacobus Swartwout Rombout Precinct. Voted against rat if ica- 13 tion of Federal Constitution in &51 Poughkeepsie, 1788) &52 "Col. James Van Der Burgh - 17291794" 15 "Dr. Peter Tappan, 1748-1792 1 ' 19 "Col. Lewis Dubois - Capt. Henry 20 Dubois 11 21 "Major Elias Van Bunschoten" 23 "Henry Livingston. 1714-1799" "Major Andrew Billings" 25 27 "Col. Frederick Weissenfels" "James Livingston" 28 "Zephaniah Platt 11 29 1 'Judge Robert Livingston. 17181775" (and his sons & sons-inlaw) 30 "Col. Henry Ludington and his daughter Sybil" (Note: Sybil Ludington's famous ride) 30 "Baron Friedrich Wilhelm 31 Von Steuben, 1730-1794" '

Index

(

Subject

Index

"Elizabeth Crannel, wife of Dr. Peter Tappan" (Poughkeepsie Life) "Lafayette's Visit, Sept. 16, 1824" "Major Gen. Henry Knox" (CommanderWest Point. Not from Dutchess County) "Benson Lossing - Patriot" "The Two-Shilling Doctor: A Legend and an Account Book" (Dr. Stephen Thorn, 1737-1795)

37 39

1952 1954

58-80 38-54

52 58

1967 1973

49-56 58-69

1978

78-102

19161917 1918 1919

26-28 33-39 25-27

1932

70-79

1932

66-67

1933

37-40

19 25 34

1934 1940 1949

21-22 70-76 24-37

34 61 &62 63 64

1949 19761977 1978 1979

38-68

BRIDGES AND MILLS "Mills in the Town of Pleasant Valley" Mills - Salt Point and Amenia nchelsea and Its Mills nThe Mill Site by the Bridge at Ple~sant Valley and the visit there of Mrs. Clinton in 1777n, (Includes pictures of covered Bridge) O1d Covered Bridges in Dutchess County Includes photos) More of Old Bridgestt (And old mills. Particularly over Wappingers Creek) "Covered Bridge at Wappingers Falls, 1819-1851 nHibernia Millsn Ti tusville Roadtt (Mills there) ncrum Elbow Creek, its Mills and Dams The Schenk Mill and Store at Pleasant Valley, 1763-1770 The Grist Mill at Pleasant Plains The Cook Mills a Century Old 11

3 4 5

(

BUSINESSES ( see nPoughkeepsie,

also under Towns, n Bridges & Mills") 11

"Daguerreotypes and photographs Discovery of processes and commercial introduction in Dutchess County 16 Poughkeepsie 's First Bank-1809 16 nFrom Stephen Hendrickson's Inn of 1777 to the Nelson House of 1934 19 ''The Account Book of a Country Storekeeper in the 18th Century in Poughkeepsie" (A review of the book and an interpretation of its contents.· Merchandise handled at Poughkeepsie 1736-1746) 23 11

69-77 28 90-91

1931 1931

34-38 49-57

1934

45-60

1938

52-65

22 "Caire Pottery in Dutchess County" "The General Store at Salt Point. 1848-1849" "Silversmiths of Poughkeepsie-1761" "The Smith Brothers - Trade and Mark" "The Whaling Industry in Poughkeepsie, 1830-1845" "The Store Account Books of Hendrick Schenk, Fishkill Landing, Dutchess Co. 1763-1768" "Early American Glass" "Luckey Platt & Co. - 100 Years of Service" "Lane Brothers - Steam Automobiles and Hardware" "Charcoal" (fuel for Blast Furnaces) "Blacksmith Shop" "Evolution of the Falkill National Bank from 1910" "Reminiscences of Old Time Blacksmithing" "Attempts at Mining in Pleasant Valley"

Subject

Index

1941

73-77

29 30

1944 1945

33-43 23-41

1947

83-87

1956

22-39

1965

36-49

1968

48-54

1969

39-42

1970

45-54

57 57

1972 1972

56-57 84-85

1973

87-91

1979

87-89

1979

127-130

1939

69-74

1939

58-68

23 42

1938 1957

74-98 30-38

1958

44-47

CIVIL ADMINISTRATION "The Court House of Dutchess County, 1809-1901" "The Beginnings of Civil Administration in Dutchess County" (Includes Justices of the Peace, Board of Supervisors, etc.)· "The Court House of Dutchess County 1717-1810" (From contemporary records - 1st to 4th buildings) "Punishment in Other Days" "Speed Laws and the Sanitary Code1866"

COUNTRYSEATS AND OTHER HOMES "Clinton Point-Poughkeepsie" (Home o.f George Clinton - 1778-1783) 11 1926 "Glebe House" 12 1927 "Country Seats on Hudson's River in Dutchess County" (80 listings from 1742-1925) 20 1935 "The Story of the Hermitage" (Livingston's home-Columbia County) 24 1939 "The Glebe House and the People 1953 who Lived there" 38

31-34 36-38 60-70 30-39 58-73

Subject

Index

"Blithewood" - (Red Hook home of Gen. John Armstrong) "Bard College and Schuyler House" "Derick Brinkerhoff Home" (two miles east of Fishkill) "Thorndale-Millbrook" "Gulian Verplanck House Beacon, N.Y." "The Story of Lithgow" "Excavation of the Vanwyck Homestead: A Preliminary Report" "Rhinebeck Area Historic Survey," (Livingston Family properties 16 mile historic district Rhinebeck-Red Hook) "Red Hook's Maizefield in Historic Reg:lster" "Knickerbocker-Kilmer Homestead" "Woodlawns-1787-1975" (Hyde Park Owned by FDR) "Sixteen Mile Riverfront Historic District" "The Astor Home: Looking Back" "The ,Johannes Jacob Melius House at Mt. Ross"

40 47

1955 1962

38-42 25-31

52 53

1967 1968

28-32 35-42

57 58

1972 1973'

35-39 82-86

1974

84-85

1974

100-106

60 60 61 &62

1975 1975 19761977

98-100 116-117

64 65

1979 1980

38-43 113-117

1980

·118-122

1937

107-115

1966

63-67

1969

43-49

1925

34-38

1935

25-40

1937

100-106

1950

45-63

1951

28-57

63-68

CULTURAL LIFE "Books and Reading in Dutchess County in Early Days" (Includes City Library) "Adriance Memorial.Library 125 Years of Service to the Community" "Euterpe, a Musical History of the Mid-Hudson'' EDUCATION School at life -

"Rev. Dr. Westbrook's Fishkill" ( School 1825-1830) 10 "Nine Partners Patent, Nine Partners Meeting, and Nine Partners School" (School from 1796-1863, _ located Town of Washington) 20 "College Hill" (Poughkeepsie Collegiate School & College Hill Park - School began 1830s) 22 "12 Cannon Street" (Poughkeepsie Female Academy) 35 "Poughkeepsie Collegiate School 18,18-49" (Diary of a Student) 36

24 "John Bard, Willie Bard and the Founding of St. Stephen's College" 40 "Matthew Vassar, Founder" 46 "Bard College and Schuyler House" 47 "Platt Rogers Spencer - America Learned to Write" 47 "Matthew Vassar and the College 48 Plan" "Education: A Moral Duty" (Views of Benson J. Lossing on Education) 51 "Amenia Female Academy - 1865" 54 "School District #1 Town of 57 LaGrange" "One Room School ... Set for Historic Hyde Park" 57 "Jacob Willetts' Early Nineteenth 61Century Textbooks" 62 "Our Almost Forgotten Hero .. Harvey G. Eastman, Founder of Eastman Business College" 63 "Separate Black Education in Dutchess County: Black Elementary Schools and a Proposed 65 Black College" "Rev. Dr. Westbrook's School at Fishkill: Revisited" 65

Subject

Index

1955 1961 1962

43-51 29-47 25-31

1962

54-61

1963

55-58

1966 1969

50-57 68-69

1972

71-84

1972 19761977

86-87

1978

66-77

1980

5-20

1980

44-50

9 21 22

1924 1936 1937

17-26 29-37 87-99

1964

27-34

1970

32-42

57 58 58

1972 1973 1973

128-135 ·3.5-39 40-49

1974

30-38

1935

51-55

1943

57-66

51-57

ETHNIC GROUPS "New Paltz and the Huguenots" "Our Palatine Ancestors" "The Palatines" "Rivals for Dutchess" (Various land grabs through the years by Indians, Quakers, Palatines, Livingstons, etc.) "Early Settlers in the Wallkill Valley - The Huguenots" (Arrived 1678) New Paltz area-around "The Germanic Origin of the Flagler Family of Dutchess County" "The Palatines" "The Voyage" (Palatines - 1710) "The Seed is Planted in American Soil" (Palatines)

ETHNIC GROUPS - BLACKS "John A. Bolding, Fugitive Slave" "Anti-Slavery Movement in Dutchess County" (1835-1850)

Subject

Index

"The Public Career of James Tallmadge" (Congressman from Poughkeepsie in 1818-1819 who played a major role in the issue of slavery): (Statistics for 1820 of free neg:roes and slaves in area) Part I: Part II: "Dutchess County Quakers and Slavery, 1750-1830" "The Negro in Dutchess County in 18th Century" (Includes statistics, 1714-1790) "Separate Black Education in Dutchess County" "Ante--Bellum Dutchess County I s Struggle against Slavery"

1960

39·-80

45 46

1960 1961

75 52-93

1970

55-60

1941

88-99

1980

5-20

1980

35-43

Note also - Black and white population statistics 18th Century

1926

27-29

"The Hyde Park Patent" of slaves noted)

1939

87-88

1938

24-25

1946

40-52

1952

35-41

25 25

1940 1940

86-87 88-94

1941

78-87

1944

25-32

1925

25-28

1935

88-105

(List

ETHNIC GROUPS - INDIANS "Monument to Chief Daniel Ninham" (Last Sachem of the Wappingers Indians, killed in 1778) "The Indians of Dutchess County and.Vicinity" "Moravian Mission to the Indians at Shekomeko" HEALTH "St. Barnaba's Hospital" "Something about Trained "Physicians and Medicine Dutchess County in the Century" "My Kind Physician" (Dr. Pearsall)

Nursing" in 18th Gilbert

HUDSON RIVER "Vessels at Fishkill During the Revolution" "Events on Hudson's River in 1777 as recorded by British Officers in Contemporary Reports"

Subject

26 "The Congress and the MontgomeryContinental Frigates" (Built in .Poughkeepsie1776) Events on Hudson's River in 1777 as Recorded by British Officers in Contemporary Reports" "Events on Hudson's River in October, 1777" "Ice Yachting on the Hudson River" Part I: Part II: "The Mary Powell - Queen of the Hudson" "The Whaling Industry in Poughkeepsie -.1830-:--1845" "Our Creative River" (How the river has inspired and influenced geology, art, biology, history, folklore, etc.) "Early 20th Century Poughkeepsie Riverfront and Downtown" "Hudson River Sloops" "The Chains.which Fortified the Hudson.River Highlands during • the Revolution" "A Brief Account of Cruger's Island, Magdalen Island, The North Bay and Adjoining Uplands" "The Big Parade" (Sept. 1909 Hudson-Fulton Celebration) MISCELLANEOUS "The Value of Local.History" "The Lure of the Living Past" (Joys and rewards of pouring through old records and letters) "Some Old Wills in Dutchess County'' "Discovery of the Birthplace of the.American Cowboy" (Stormville) "To the Curious" (Animal Shows in Early Poughkeepsie 17881830s) "The Netherlands: Background of New Netherland" "Sharpe Reservation" (Southern Dutchess - Camping Area for Herald Tribune'Fresh Air Fund)

Index

1936

99-103

1936

105:..120

1938

,34-38

36 37

1951 1952

58-60 42-57

1953

36-57

1956

22-39

1959

54-62

52 53

1967 1968

57-70 69-72

1975

84-97

1979

72-86

1979

96-lli

1927

22-26

1927

-75-:-92

1954

35-37

19-55

23-27

1956

41-70

1958

2'3-34

1961

48-51

Subject

Index

"Lincoln's State Department" (Members from Hudson Va11·ey. Mainly about William Seward of Orange County) "On Finding a Folk Art Treasure" "The Mystery of Old Maps" "Postal Service in Dutchess the First. 50 .Years" "Postal Service in Dutchess County - revisited" "The 150th Dutchess County Regiment in the Civil War"

47 59 59 6162

1962 1974 1974 19761977

106-114

1978

33-36

1980

83-96

1937

80-86

1964

39-42

1969

23-28

1978

135-138

1933

58-68

1934

24-30

1957

39-43

1969

1971

32-38 76-83 88-89

MUSEUMS "The Poughkeepsie Museum, 185118513" ( & Abraham Tomlinson) "The :Restoration at New Windsor Cantonment" "Old Museum Village of Smith's Clove" "Dutchess County Tells its Story with a Multi-media Display" (Exhibit at Mid-Hudson Arts & Science Museum-Poughkeepsie)

NAMES, GEOGRAPHICAL "Kromme Elleboog - One 17th Century place name in the Hudson Valley" (Krom Elbow) "Staatsburgh, Stoutaburgh, Stoutenburgh, and Hyde Park" "The Ghost at Fiddler's Bridge and other Spooks" (Fiddler's Bridge, Clinton; Spook Bridge, Rhinebeck; Spook Hole at Barnegat; Spook Field, Fishkill) "Names and Places in the Town of LaGrange" • "The Names of Stree:ts of Poughkeepsie"

PATENTS AND SETTLEMENTS "Early Divisions of Dutchess County" "Pawling Patent, Alias Staatsburgh, ;rnd Some of Its Early Families" "Original Dutchess County Settlements" (Lists settlements) "Deed of the Great Nine Partners" (Original Indian Deed of the Patent - 1697)

19141915 19151916

28-44

1919

21-24

1923

29-31

21-24

Subject

"Growth of Dutchess County in the 18th Century" (Black and white population statistics) "Great Nine Partners Record Book" "The Story of Dutchess County" (At the 250th Anniversary of the County - 1933) "Nine Partners Patent, Nine Partners Meeting and Nine Partners School" "The Nine Partners" (Includes map) "The Hyde Park Patent" (List of slaves noted) "Nine Partners Patent" "Dutchess County and her Neighbors before 1800" "The Dutchess County" (Early history) "The First White Child Born in Dutchess County" "Days of Old Dutchess" (Rent Wars) "Three Centuries on the Canoe Hills" (Site of Cary Arboretum) "Dutchess County Deeds Filed in Kingston" (1698-1715)

Index

11 16

1926 1931

27-29 27-33

1933

25-33

20 24

1935 1939

25-40 52-57

24 25 &25

1939 1940 1940

75-90 43-55 65-69

1944

76-86

1963

49-54

54 57

1969 1972

50-52 48-54

1972

88-99

1972

100-104

11 15 22

1926 1930 1937

48-55 30-35 23-35

1937

80-86

1937

100-106

1937

107-115

1942

65-70

1947

96-104

1950

4~-63

1962

46-53

POUGHKEEPSIE "Pageant of Market St." (History that occurred there from 16821824) "How Poughkeepsie Was Founded" "Poughkeepsie History 1687-1937" "The Poughkeepsie Museum 1851-1856" "College -Hill" (The Poughkeepsie Collegiate School & College Hill Park) "Newspapers & Books & the City Library in Early Days - 1785 to the present" "Poughkeepsie's Water Supply, 1799-1923" • "The Sanitary Fair - 1864" (For Benefit of wounded soldiers) "12 Cannon Street" (Poughkeepsie Schools and Poughkeepsie Female Academy) "How the City of Poughkeepsie was Founded" (275th Anniversary)

Subject

Index

"Ratification of ime Consti tu-tion by the State of New York at Poughkeepsie - 1788" 48 "The Preservation of the Poughkeepsie Municipal Building" 51 "Early 20th Century Poughkeepsie Riverfront and Downtown" 52 "Poughkeepsie's Union Street" 56 "The Old.Ladies Home - 100 Years of Service" 56 "A History of Garfield Place, 57 Poughkeepsie" 11 Garf ield Place Day: Victorian 58 Ambiance Revived" "Changing City" 60 1 59 'The Poughkeepsie Tower Clock' 1 "Prelude to Revolution: Politics 60 .in Poughkeepsie, 1774-1776 1' "Union Street Historic District" 60 "The Children's Home of Pough61keepsie, N.Y. Inc." (130 years 62 of Service~ 1847-1977) "Poughkeepsie's Oldest Existing Structure: The Freer House,·· Wilbur Boulevard, with notes on 63 the Frear Burial Ground I1 "The Other House at the Upper 63 Landing" (Reynolds House) "When the Capital of New York Came 63 to Poughkeepsie" (1778) "Conflict and Transition: Poughkeepsie, Capital -of New York 63 State, 1778 11 64 "Clinton House: A New Period 11 "Historical Talk on the Occasion of the Inauguration of Jack Economou as Mayor of Pough64 keepsie, Jan. 1, 1972" • (See also articles under other headings such as "Biography," etc.)

1963

30-41

1966

16-18

1967 1971

57-70 65-74

1971

100-101

1972

137-141

1973 1975 1974

50-57 101-103 86-87

1975 1975

35-40 104-115

19761977

120-127

1978

39-65

1978

110-121

1978

122-131

1978 1979

132-134 25-29

1979

115-121

RELIGION "Episcopal Church in Dutchess County" "Dutch Church - Fishkill"

2 3

"Trinity

Church

- Fishkill"

"The Brick Meeting Nine Partners"

House

19151916 19161917 19161917

5-12 12-14 14-17

the 7

1922

16-20

Subject

30 "Dutch Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie and Fishkill" "Intellectual Life of the People of Dutchess County in 1790s The Philographical Society" (Organized for the "purpose of a critical investigation of the scriptures.") "St. Paul's Church, Tivoli" "Pawling - History and traditions" (Part II includes much Quaker history) "Moravian Mission to the Indians at Shekomeko" "Old Stone Church - Rhinebeck" "St. Paul's Church - Red Hook" "Passing of the Dutchess County Bible Society, 1965" "The Reformed Churches of Dutchess County 1716-1967" "Trinity Church, Fishkill" "Dutchess County Quakers and Slavery - 1750-1830" "Clinton Corners Friends Church" "Westminster Presbyterian Church Salt Point" "Christ Church, Poughkeepsie, 1766-1966" "The Friends Meeting House" "The Rise of the Baptists in Pine Plains, N.Y. 1812-1912" "Oblong Friends and Dr. Fallon's Hospital" "The First Reformed Church of Fishkill, N.Y. (founded 1716)" REVOLUTIONARYERA (see Biography - Revolutionary "Vessels at Fishkill during the Revolution" "Clinton Point - Poughkeepsie" (Home of George Clinton) "Farm Life in the Hudson Valley, 1769-1779" "Events on Hudson's River in 1777 as recorded by British Officers in Contemporary Reports": Part I: Part II: Part III:

Index

1924

37-47

20 21

1935 1936

50-51 38-67

1945

42-53

37 40 40

1952 1955 1955

35-41 29-31 32-37

1965

28-30

51 52

1966 1967

32-42 35-43

55 55

1970 1970

55-60 66-69

1970

71-74

51 56

1966 1971

58-62 48-52

1972

105-116

60 6162

1975 19761977

79-83

1925

25-28

1926

31-34

1933

41-53

20 21 23

1935 1936 1938

88-105. 105-120 34-38

33-34

also Era)

Subject

Index

"The Congress and the Montgomery11 Continental Frigates (Built in Poughkeepsie - 1776) "The Founding of the Society of 11 the Cincinnati (Officers in the Revolutionary Army) "Dutchess County Tories of the Revolutionary Period 11 "Ratification of the Constitution by the State of N.Y. at Poughkeepsie - 1788 11 "Defending the Highlands in the Revolutionary War 11 (The military importance of this part of the Hudson) 11 The Reetoration at New Windsor Cantonment 11 11 Derick Brinkerhoff ·Home11 ( 2 miles east of Fishkill - Revolutionary period events there) "Fishkill, the Breadbasket of the Revolution" "Dutchess County People-Loyalists and Quakers, 1783 11 (Concerns 264 families whose property was confiscated and who were forced of to settle in the Province Ontario, Canada) 11 Fishkill: A Pr~·blem, a Solution 11 and a Call for Assistance (Archaeologicai excavations) 11 American Flag Evolved Slowly 11 11 200 Years. ~go: • New -York Joins a 11 Revolution 11 Prelude to Revolution: Poli tics. in Poughkeepsie, 1774-1776 11 11 Dutchess County in the Revolutionary War" 11 A Record of Turmoil (Minutes of the Committee of Safety for the Town of Northeast, 1778) 11 11 The Chains which Fortified the Hudson River Highlands During 11 the Revolution 11 May, 1775: Area Freeholders meet to Decide Future 11 (Fishkill) "The First Reformed Church of Fishkill, N.Y. 11 (founded 1716) 11 America's Narrow Escape" (Benedict Arnold) 11 King George of America?n

1936

99-103

1943

23-29

1944

68-75

1963

30-41

1964

36-38

1964

39-42

1967

28-32

1967

44-48

1967

91-99

57 60

1972 1975

123-125 33-34

1975

25-32

1975.

35-40

1975

41-44

1975

45-67

60 6162 6162 6162 6162

1975 19761977 19761977 19761977 19761977

84-97 31-32 33-34 35-36 37-38

Subject

Index

1976''Town of LaGrange - Revolutionary 6138-39 1977 Period'.' 62 1976"Some Revolutionary War Residences 611977 40-41 existing in the Town of LaGrange" 62 "A Touch of the Darkest Treason" (1780) 64 1979 50-52 "A Welfare Administration in 1979 64 53-63 Revolutionary Dutchess County" "Saved by a Boot" (Andre, Arnold incident) 65 1980 77-82 (NOTE: V. 34,· 1949, p. 18. Mention of a tavern at Noxon used by Rochambeau and his retinue as they journeyed west to confer with Gen. Washington at Newburgh. Tavern still stands on Noxon Road - a home near Robinson Lane) TOWNS "Early

History

"Red Hook Local

of Amenia" History"

"Chelsea and its Mills" "Dover History" "Amenia - 100 Years Ago" "New Paltz and the Huguenots" "Pet~r DeLabigarre and the founding of Tivoli"· "Hyde Park - 1768" "Pine Plains History" "Salt Point" "Clinton" "Pawling - History and Traditions": (Anti-rent rebellion of 1766 and Mehitable Wing Prendergast p. 61) Part I: Part II: Part III: "Fishkill - Some of its Historic Spots" "Historic Dover" (Old Drovers Inn & the Stone Church) :in Hyde Park" "Early Hotels "Beekman Area" "Poughquag" "Union Vale and the Clove" "Stanford History" "Pine Plains History" "History of Glenham, N.Y." "Amenia and South Amenia" 1 'Hammertown" (Rte. 199 - Northern Dutchess)

19151916 19151916 1919 1921 1922 1924

20-25 25-27 18-25 24-32 17-26

14 17 22 23 26

1929 1932 1937 1938 1941

45-60 80-82 71-79 26-33 42-61

29 30 31

1944 1945 1946

56-67 42-53 79-84

1947

22-32

33 33 35 35 35 37 37 39 45

1948 1948 1950 1950 1950 1952 1952 1954 1960

30-49 87-101 30-33 24-29 34-44 24-30 31-34 27-34 27-38

1965

26-27

2 2 5 6 7 9

13-16

Subject

Index

"Fishkill, the Breadbasket of the Revolution" "Town of LaGrange" "Names and Places in the Town of LaGrange" "Rochdale'' "The Village of Wappingers Falls Celebrates its Centennial" "Pleasant Valley Celebrates its Sesquicentennial" "A Creamery and the Blacksmith Shops in LaGrange" "A Hi.story of Tivoli from First Settlement to Incorporation" "A Hi.story of Tivoli from Incorporation in 1872 to Its Centennial, June 18, 1972 11 "The Origin of Meddaugh Road" (LaGrange) "Milan's Immigrations, Old and New'' "Milan Pathmasters and Other Things" 11 A Record of Turmoil" (Minutes of the Committee of Safety for the Town of NorthEast - 1778) "Town of LaGrange - Revolutionary Period" "Some Revolutionary War Residences existing in the Town of LaGrange" "Pleasant Plains and Frost Mills Notes" "Hell's Acres" (NQrtheast) of the Town of "Old Graveston-es Beekman"

(see

52 53

1967 1968

44-48 31-34

1969 1970

65-67 43-44

1971

41-45

1971

46-47

1971

88-90

1972

61-66

1972

67-70

1972

142-143

1973

29-31

1973

·33-34

60 6162 6162

1975 19761977 19761977

45-67

63 64

1978 1979

29 48-49

1980

29-33

1918

29-30

1940

56-64

52 54

1967 1969

71-78 62

1970

45-54

1970

75-82

1971

38-39 40-41

TRANSPORTATION also "Hudson River")

"Hudson River Railroad - 1847 11 "Early Roads on Nine Partners Patent" "Shunpiking in Hudson River Valley" ( 1805) "Dutchess County Railroads" "Lane Brothers - Steam- Automobiles and Hardware" "Early Railroads in Dutchess County" "The Poughkeepsie, Hartford, and Boston Railroad"

Subject

34 "Little Martha Was Dif.ferent !" (Hudson River Sloop) "Railroads in Dutchess. County" "The Old Railroads of Dutchess County'' "The Hucklebush Line" "A Trip on the Clove Branch Railroad" "To the Authors of 'A Trip on the Clove Branch Railroad'" "Central New England Railroad Cartoons" "The Freight Terminal at Fishkill Landing" "Account of the Poughkeepsie and. Stormville Plank Road" (1851)

Index

57 57

1972 1972

117-118 145-154

59 59 6162

1974 1974 19761977

41-63 64-72

1978

37-38

1979

45-47

1979

122-126

1980

21-28

91-105

Subject

Index

I)UTCHESS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

)~EAR BOOK

1980

VOLUME

Mm:

O<¼~Jt) ,;/lo,

net !T-A

/ </LJ·

POUGHKEEPSIESUNDAYNEW YORKER

:GhostNight at Sylvan Lake

Talesof the·ChainedDevil And the HeadlessDog Told Br tlELF.~ ~1n:ns

Many, many years ago a wake wM hdd at Sylvan Lake. This was hy no mean• unu,ual the old iron mines were still in operation, and Sylvan L111e w,u a predominantly lri~h com• unily of $e,·eral hundred resident,. To these men and womrn wakn Wl!'fe " b1t1er••Wt:t:I .ulition. and attendance was a duty. Old lie• were ren<',,-ed i,t •uth gathering• and all d,f. •rmH,., r,nce• fo,go\len. At this particular wake the dep,.rt.-d lay 011 th~ u•ual •tretd,er, a rot, but with an upright stick at ead, of I he fom torNr•. ,.\ white doth fringecl with black ·ng from the s!icks ~o that ii hid the corpse, .-xo•pt wh,•,. so11i,c wa1,her l,ft.-d one comer, r another look at the loved on<'. Sin~r thi• wa• hdore 1~, day, ,:,f <'mhnlmin.i, C'hunks of i«,

,,,.

concealed

under

the

str<".l<:hcr.

c- Thf' 9-a~.f'ht>r~n,ld !hr u.~ual stnriu thAt ni-tht. <lf tht hr-~(lit.~, dQ¥ that u.wd I a roam 1u-,mnrl Ru.s...,ti!l':sc()r'• Of'f. of tht Mram,rr.- rry of 0-~ Ban ..

ShM', of the lhtr~

knock,

dot':fr. A.Cttr on"' of thcst!

at tll~ stones

•

•rnr~her went I<>the .tre~h~r and IJlted " corner o! !he !ringed cloth. Wbrn he ,aw th~ "corl>,'le"ottt.lng t,,,lt uprfiht on t.hc ,tretcher, he ttHl frr»n th(" l.i~W!(;< J'Cf~l\m,~. Oth~rs took one look and fo!lnwed ll!m. But thr "depa.rt«I" dldn't know thnt he was suppo,od to be dend, and the rest, thr ke and lhe <:<>m•

motion arou•td him.

When he saw the others run he thought

the house wns n.fln, so he

grnbocd the strekhcr cloth, \\'rapped It around him, and !ollowrd hi• frlrnds and rdatl,•e,. Se,etnl wo-

!~;.~ ..r?!~~:-~d -~!n~~, .~eA_eo1!ld c~1~-Portrait of Daniel De Laney as it appeared in the Poughkeepsie Sunday New Yorker, October 26, 1947. The story by Helen Myers describes some of the qualities of the 19th century Irish. Courtesy of Iva De Laney Johns - photo by Gary Williams.

BEEKMAN'S IRISH CONNECTION Lee Eaton

The origins of the Irish settlement in Beekman and the development of the iron mines. The rags to riches story of Daniel DeLaney. Lee Eaton is the Beekman Town Historian. In the early Nineteenth Century, the Town of Beekman, like the rest of Dutchess County, was predominantly a white Anglo-Saxon community. The majority of settlers were farmers whose roots were English, Dutch and German. They were Methodist, Baptist, Quaker and Episcopalian. They were staunch God-fearing folk who were secure in their ways and faith. Into this community, sometime in the late 1830sor early 1840s, there arrived a man who was to change the face of Beekman for many years to come. You won't find his name in any of the old history books. Family members say that there was community prejudice toward him and that well may be true, since minorities have been the underdogs from time immemorial. His name may not be in any books, but the imprint he left on Beekman will never be erased. It's a well-known fact that the Irish are great weavers of tales. Much of what we know about Daniel David DeLaney is part of family tradition which may have been elaborated on over the years. It still makes a good story, and, when put together with the established facts, tells about as good an Irish legend as you can find anywhere. Daniel DeLaney was born in Kilmadum Parish, County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1801. Family tradition says that as a lad he worked in iron mines near his home. Little did he know that this early experience was to help him make his fortune many years later. - County Kilkenny is on the southern coast ·of Ireland, which was ruled by the crown of England in those days. As happened with many a young Irishman of the time, Daniel was pressed into service in the British navy, much against his will. His disdain for the English and his antipathy toward the sea led him to jump ship somewhere in South America. He stowed away on another ship and eventually reached the shores of the United States. The story would seem as

gets a little though Daniel

hazy spent

at this point, but it some years in New 37

Lee Eaton

38 York City. Along the way he married home. Katherine Doheny was born in as Daniel. She was eight years his probably married late in life since was born when she was 34 and he was bustle life. where

a girl from the same parish junior. They their first child 42.

Somewhere along the line, Daniel tired of the of the city and struck out for the country He eventually made his way to Sylvan Lake he worked as a farm laborer.

One day, Dan was asked to dig a grave and bury a cow which had died. (Another version says it was a donkey.) While digging, Dan recognized the presence of iron ore in the ground. Keeping his discovery a secret, he went about trying to buy a piece of the land. The farmer was willing to sell him a portion for $600. This was a goqd deal more thari Dan had. Apparently Mrs. DeLaney came to the rescue with money she had hidden from her husband and the land was purchased. It was a parcel south of Sylvan Lake exte~ding over the East Fishkill line. By 1850, DeLaney had a functioning mine dug on his property, had built a house on Beekman Road and had fathered four children. In order to secure help for his mine, Dan brought in his own countrymen. It was his habit to go to Castle Garden at the tip of Manhattan Island and hire the strongest looking men he These could find fresh off the boat from Ireland~ men were escaping the ravages of the great famine and were happy to be assured a job and a wooden shanty in which to live. In the beginning, food was probably also supplied by the DeLaney family, much as a farmer supplies his field hands with room and board. The mining industry in Beekman was booming by the 1850s. Most of the help was Irish, even the managers and foremen. DeLaney mined his ore and sold it to Albert Tower, a wellknown iron man from Poughkeepsie. Tower owned another Beekman mine and had a summer home here. After the iron was mined and melted down, it was sent to Tower's foundry on the river in Poughkeepsie. As soon as the Irish miners were able to put away a bit of money, wives were brought over from the old country and families were started, thus the Irish connection was made. The women, as was the way of Irish women, worried about the lack of spiritual

Beekman's

Irish

Connection

Photo of St. Denis Roman Catholic Church before it burned May 26, 1935.

facilities. They could live without the niceties of life and they could do without a lot of fancy food on the table, but they could not survive without their faith,, Daniel DeLaney donated land for the building of the first Roman Catholic church in this area. With his help and the labor of his mineri, they erected the first St. Denis Church on a knoll just over ·the Beekman line in East Fishkill, facing Beekman Road. Tradition says that the lumber used in the church building came from an old schoolhouse in Beekmanville which was carried over. in sections to the site of the It was a very small building and by the new chur~h. time it was dedicated in 1860, it had more worshippers than space. ·in 1874 an addition was attached and sheds were built for the horses. St. Denis became a mission church for Wappingeri Falls. Meanwhile, the DeLaney enterprises were building up, along with the DeLaney fortune. By the mid-1860s Daniel was considered a millionaire. He had bought up hundreds of acres of land around Sylvan Lake and along Beekman Road. By 1867, the Sylvan Lake Hotel was built by DeLaney. The building is still standing. It is the main building on the Circle Lodge property facing Sylvan Lake Road. DeLaney had also extended his mine holdings and set up his own furnace to melt the ore.

Lee Eaton

The 1876 map shows DeLaney to be the owner of the Wooley farm on Sylvan Lake, consisting of 118 acres. He was 75 years old by this time and had retired from the mining industry, selling out to Tower and others. He was living in a substantial -farmhouse overlooking the lake. The house (altered significantly) still stands, as does the carriage house and stables. They are on the property of Forest Lake Country Club. It may be noted here that none of DanielDeLaney's family went into the iron industry. DeLaney provided well for his children. Two of his daughters died at an early age. His first-born daughter, Mary Anne, was a spinster and remained in her father's home until her early death at age 30. The sons, Richard, James and Daniel, Jr. were sent to school and then were each given their farm. The DeLaney "estates" as they were called, were consecutive pieces of property running along Beekman Road from McDonald Road to Sylvan Lake Road. The boys all married and each raised a large family providing their father with over 25 grandchildren. Daniel David DeLaney died at the age 1880. He was active and involved in the the Irish-Catholic community to the very wife died in 1895 at the age of 86. The the lake was sold and she had gone to live of her sons.

of 79 in affairs of end. His homestead on with one

But the Irish kept coming! Wives were sent for and children were born. Money was saved to send for nephews and nieces. More substantial homes were built and farms were started. Jobs were secured in all the mines from Sylvan Lake out to the Clove. The Irish were beginning to be assimilated into the community. The 1880 census shows approximately 390 Irish names. Out of these, five families lived in Poughquag, nine in Green Haven, and about sixty in the mine area from Sylvan Lake to Clove Valley. In addition, there were about thirty-three Irish working as servants and living in non-Catholic homes. There were also fifty-one single Irish men boarding in homes throughout the town. Names like Quinlan, Skane, Daly, Martin, Whalen, Hynes, Murphy, Burns, Buckley and Kavanagh, to name but a few, are still to be found today in the area. The Irish

community

extended

the

Clove

where

Beekman's

Irish

Connection

there were other mines. Around 1890, Our Lady of Mercy, a mission church of St. Denis, was built. The Irish managed to collect $500 to buy the property from John Ross, the only one who would sell to the Irish. The miners hauled slag from the mines to build the church foundation. Considering that these hardworking men only earned $1.00 a day for ten hours work, this had to have been a labor of love. The Catholics in the area used both St. Denis and the Clove church for masses, sometimes going to one and then the next week, the other. They were loyal and faithful to their church, as witness the entire debt of St. Denis ($3,000) being paid off in 35 years. Not only did the Irish meet for Sunday Mass, but in the early days all their socializing was done among their own. They had their dances to the tune of the fiddler, their church picnics held atDeLaney's lakefront picnic grounds, and of course they had that traditional bit of Irish socializing known as the "Irish wake." Daniel DeLaney's grandson, John E. DeLaney, was interviewed by Helen Myers in 1947. In the October 26th issue of the Sunday Poughkeepsie New Yorker for that year, an article appeared showing Daniel's picture and giving some interesting reminiscences of the old days in Sylvan Lake. The following is quoted from the article to give a more vivid idea of what an Irish wake was all about.

Many, many years ago, a wake was held at Sylvan Lake, a predominantly Irish comrrrunity of several hundred residents. To these men and women, wakes· were a bittersweet tradition, and attendance at them was a duty. - Old ties we1°e renewed at such gatherings and aZZ differences forgotten. At this particular wake, the departed Zay on the usual stretcher, similar to a cot, but with an upright stick at each of the four corners. A white cloth fringed with black hung from the sticks so that it hid the corpse, except when some watcher lifted one corner for another Zook at the loved one. Since this was before the days of embalming, chunks of ice were concealed under the stretcher. The watchers told the usual stories that night, of the headless dog that used to roam around Russell's cor'ner, of the strange cry of the Banshee, of the three knocks at the door. After one of these stories, a watcher went to the stretcher and lifted a corner of the fringed cloth.

Lee Eaton

When he saw the 'corpse' sitting boZt upright on the stretcher, he ran from the house screaming. Others took one Zook and foZZowed. But the 'depart~d' didn't kn@whe,was supposed to be dead, and the rest, the ice and the corronotion aroused him. When he saw the others run, he thought the house was afire, so he grabbed the stretcher cloth, wrapped it around him, and foZZowed his friends and relatives. Several women fainted before he could convince those who had come to his wake that he wasn't dead and never had been. Yes, Sylvan Lake in those days would have been a grand place for hearing the old stories and singing the old songs. For it is known that the heritage, so rich in legend and folklore is in the genes of every one having even a bit of Irish in his blood. Were it not for Daniel David DeLaney, the Irish community may never have been started in Sylvan Lake. of, "himself" For many years, there was a painting hanging in the back of the old ~t. Denis Church. After the church burned in 1934, the portrait disappeared. A photograph of it was taken, however, and like. He was the picture we know what DanLel looked of the country squire in his stovepipe hat, Irish walking stick and pipe. He looked like a grand man. And surely he was a grand man in his time. An illiterate immigrant, he started out with nothing and ended up with the American dream. His story deserves to be told. Epilogue: The DeLaney property, over the years, was passed down to succeeding generations and divided over and over. Some of the descendents sold ·their holdings and most of them moved to other areas. There are very. few DeLaney folks around today, and we are grateful for the help given by Mrs. Iva DeLaney Johns; her second cousin, Mr. Gene Hughes; his daughter Mrs. Dianne Hughes Zipprich; and her daughter, Miss Dianne Zipprich, a sixth generation DeLaney. Mrs. Johns and Mr. Hughes.still live on DeLaney iand. The newer people in Sylvan Lake hardly realize that among them are the spirits of the rousing, laughing, hearty souls of the Irish of another era. Perhaps on a quiet, moonlit night, if one really tries, the strains of the fiddle may be heard again.

Beekman's

Irish

Connection

Irish enroute to a picnic at De Laney's (:;.rove, .Sylvan Lake, Beekman, N.Y. 14, 1888.

August

Irish at the picnic in De Laney's Grove - August 14, 1888. This photo and the one above were reproduced by Gaty Williams from the William Ross photo album now owned by his grandson Charles Van Wyck Harris.

Pencil sketch of Melancton Smith 1744 - 1798. From Fiske, The Critical Period of American History.

George Clinton 1739 - 1812, first Governor of New York. From Hastings, Public Papers of George Clinton.

HOMEGROWN POLITICIANS* Melodye Andros Kaltz

The contributions of Dutchess County poZiticians to state and nationaZ government during the 18th, 19th and 20th century are reviewed. MeZodye Kaltz is Director of the CZinton House Museum, headquarters of the Dutchess County Historical Society. Dutchess County, encompassing some 816 square miles has produced a rich and -varied history throughout its three centuries of development. The enormity of her contribution to the country, in contrast toher size, has given her a unique position in American history. The breadth and significance of this achievement, can be illustrated best through an overview of·the lives of those men who dedicated themselves to government and the law. The contributions made by these men of Dutchess, helped shape the destiny of their county, their state, their nation and the world. Dutchess County residents of today have just reason to be proud of these "Homegrown Politicians". 18th

Century

Politicians

The patrician in Dutchess County, as in most other areas of the American Colonies, was the guiding political force during the early part of the 18th century. The rise of an ever more affluent yeoman class during the middle of the century set the stage, however, for the ensuing controversies which would arise during the Revolutionary War and the subsequent arguments involving constitutional questions. In Dutchess County, for the most part, patricians such as the Livingstons, who had assumed the leadership prior to the revolution, joined hands with the yeoman during that conflict. It was not until after the war that conflicting views of constitutional interpretation resulted in the development of truly opposing political factions. The ers that century:

following emerged

men are representative of the leadin Dutchess County during the 18th

*This exhibit, sponsored by the Dutchess County HistoricaZ Society, was on view from October 13-Decem~er 1, 1980 at the CZinton House Museum, 549 Main St., Poughkeepsie, N.Y. It was subsequentZy on Zoan to Dutchess CorronunityCoZZege and Marist CoZZege. 45

Melodye

A. Kaltz

Robert R. Livingston (1746-1813) was born in New York City where he received his formal education. After admission to th~ bar in 1773, he formed a brief partnership with John Jay. In 1775, Livingston was elected a member of the Assembly from Dutchess County. In 1776, he became a member of the Continental Congress and was one of the Committee of five along with Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and Sherman which-drafted the Declaration of Independence. Livingston and his former law partner Jay were the principal drafters of the State Constitution in 1777. He was appointed Chancellor of New York in 1777 and served until 1801. As Chancellor of the State, it was Livingston's honor to administer the oath of office of the presidency to Washington in 17~9. In 1781, he was appointed the first United States Minister of Foreign Affairs under the New United States Confederation. Mr. Livingston was the Chairman of the Convention held at Poughkeepsie in 1788 which adopted the Federal Constitution. After the expiration of his Chancellorship in 1801, he accepted a commission as Minister to France. In this capacity he opened the negotiations with France which resulted in the Louisiana Purchase. His brother Edward, Minister to France, Secretary of State and Attorney General under Jefferson, was later responsible for creating the system of jurisprudence in this new territory by integrating the French Code Civil with Anglo-American Law. Resigning his position in France, he travelled to Paris and there established a partnership with Robert Fulton. This partnership produced the famous steamship the Clermont, named for Mr. Livingston's Mansion on the Hudson. Returning here later in life, Livingston devoted his time to the study of improvements in art and agriculture. Significantly for Dutchess County, his statue along with that of George Clinton has been placed in the Capitol at Washington as one of the two representative citizens of New York State. Livingston died at Clermont and is buried at St. Paul's in Tivoli. Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was born at Jamaica, Long Island and while still young, was sent to Poughkeepsie to work. By 1775, he was prominent enough to be chosen one of the delegates from Dutchess to the First Provincial Congress. Smith served as Captain of the 1st Company of Dutchess County Rangers and also served along with Egbert Benson, Jacobus Swartwout and Peter Tappen on the Commission for Detecting Conspiracies. ln 1779, he was appointed Sheriff of Dutchess County ind the combination of civil and military authority must have been powerful. Smith served as Assistant

Homegrown

Politicians

State Agent under Udny Hay and in the Continental Congress from 1785-1788. In that year, he represented Dutchess County in the Convention at Poughkeepsie. An Anti-Federalist, Smith's arguments were logical and eloquent. In 1785, Smith returned to New York City where he continued his political activities as an Anti-Federalist, a Son of Liberty and a Member of the Political Society which later became the Tammany Society. During this period, he served in the State Legislature and as a Judge of the Circuit Court of the District of New York. He died in New York City in 1798, the first victim of the yellow fever epidemic of that year. Gilbert Livingston (1742-1806) was born in Poughkeepsie, the son of Henry Livingston. An ardent patriot, Gilbert was a Member of the Dutchess County Military Committee and the Dutchess County Committee of Safety. He was a Member of all the Provincial Congresses and Conventions from 1775-1777 and a Member of the Committee of Correspondence. He served as Assemblyman from 1777-1778 and 1778-1779. He served as surrogate of Dutchess County from 1778-1787 and as County Clerk in 1804. A member of the 2nd New York Regents Board, he was a delegate from New York to the United States Constitutional Convention of 1788. He was a Presidential elector in 1800 for Thomas Jefferson. Livingston died in 1806 in Poughkeepsie and is buried in the Livingston plot at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. John Armstrong (1758-1843) was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the son and name sake of a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army. The younger Armstrong himself served both in the Continental Congress and the Revolution, rising to Adjutant-General of the Southern Army. After the 1783 surrender of Yorktown, Armstrong was among the soldiers encamped at Newburgh. His "Newburgh Letters" which recited the alleged injustices against the soldiers and called for an organized movement for their redress, were considered inflammatory at the time and Washington himself is purported to have thwarted their efforts. Returning to Pennsylvania aftor the war, he was elected a Member of Congress in 1787. In 1789, he married a sister of Chancellor Livingston and removed to New York. In 1800, he was chosen U.S. Senator and served until 1804 when he became United States Minister to France and Spain. Returning to the United States, he was appointed Brigadier-General in 1812 and given the command of the District of New York. In 1813, he was appointed Secretary of War to serve under his political rival James

Melodye

A. Kaltz

Monroe. Despite his success at improving the condition of the army, the failure of the expedition against Canada and the destruction of Washington by the British opened the way for Monroe to request his resignation. Retiring from public life, he passed the remainder of his life in retirement at his Red Hook home, Rokeby, where he died in 1843. Henry Livingston (1714-1799) was born at Kingston, the son of Gilbert and grandson.of Robert the First Lord of Livingston Manor. He was educated as a Surveyor and served as Cou~ty Clerk from 1737 until 1789. these duties, he served many years as clerk of Besides the town or precinct of Poughkeepsie and as overseer of highways. He also represented Dutchess County as a Member of the Provincial Assembly during the troublesome period prior to the Revolution. Livingston died in Poughkeepsie in 1799 and is buried in the. family plot at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Peter R. Livingston (1766-1847) served as a Member of the New York Assembly and speaker of that Assembly. A Grand Sachem of Tammany from 1795-1796, Livingston went on to serve as a.member of the New York State Senate, Lieutenant Governor of New York and Member of the United States Congress. He died at Rhinebeck. George Clinton (1732-1812) was born at Little Britain in the present Orange County, the son of Charles Clinton. After serving in his father's regiment during the French and Indian War, he entered the New York City Office of Chief Justice William Smith to study law. After being admitted to the bar, he set up praca tice in his native county. In 1768, he was elected member of the New York Assembly and later in 1775, he was elected as a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress. He served as Commander of the Ulster County Militia until his election in June 1777 as the first Governor of New York State. With the British burning of Kingston in October of 1777, the State Capitol moved to Poughkeepsie and Clinton set up State headquarters there. He continued to serve as Governor throughout the war and until 1795. One of the foremost opponents of the Federal Constitution as it was originally formed, Clinton is considered by some as the founder of the new Republican Party. His political opinions aroused serious opposition from the Federalists and from 1796 until 1801 he retired from public life .. In 1801, he was once again elected Governor and served until 1804. Elected the Republican Vice-President during Jefferson's second term, he continued to serve as Vice-President until his death

Homegrown

Politicians

in 1812. During his tenure as. Vice-President, he maintained his association with Dutchess County with his home overlooking the Hudson in the Town of Poughkeepsie. He is buried in the church yard of the Dutch Reformed Church in Kingston. William Prendergast was born in Ireland and as a Presbyterian Protestant, suffered under the Anglican tyranny of that time. He emigrated to the Quaker Hill area of Pawling and by 1765, was involved in the antirent wars of that period. Prendergast, leader of the agrarian cause in Dutchess, stands out in his singleminded devotion to the farmers' cause. His goals were justice for the farmer, reform of the courts, an unprejudiced judiciary and a land tenure inviolable so long as a fair rent was paid and the farmer treated the land well. Arrested June 28, 1765 after leading his troops in a skirmish with regular soldiers, he was brought to Poughkeepsie for trial and charged with high treason. Convicted, he was sentenced to be hanged and it was only his wife's ride to New York and appeal.to the Governor that secured Prendergast's reprieve. The Prendergasts returned to Pawling after the trial, eventually moving on and settling on the southern end of Lake Chautauqua where his son James is celebrated as the founder of Jamestown. Lawyer's Row During the 18th century, Poughkeepsie, the county seat, served as the center of political activity. From the earliest days of the village, a line of close built houses, south of the Courthouse on the west side of Market Street, was known to Poughkeepsians as Lawyer's Row. Here were the offices of the Numerous Men of legal distinction who served both their county and their country well. Among the most distinguished of these lawyers were the following. James Kent (1763-1847) was born at Fredericks, Putnam County, the son of Moss Kent, lawyer and surrogate of Rensselaer County. He, himself, studied law under Egbert Benson and after being admitted fo the bar in 1785, practiced in Poughkeepsie. He was elected to the New York Assembly in 1790 and 1792 from Dutchess County, but by 1796 when he was again elected, he was living in New York City. A political ally of Govenor John Jay, he was appointed by him in 1798 as a Justice of The Supreme Court of the State. From 1804-1814, he served as Chief Justice o~ this court. He resided for a time in Poughkeepsie after his appointment to The Supreme Court before moving to Albany. In 1814, he

Melodye

A. Kaltz

Portrait of James Kent 1763 - 1847. Painted by S.F.B. Morse. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Portrait of Egbert Benson 1746 - 1833. Painted by John Wesley Jarvis from original by Gilbert Stuart. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Homegrown

Politicians

Lawyers Row Poughkeepsie ca. 1890. Presently the site of the Dutchess County Office Building. From the photo collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

was appointed Chancellor of New York and is credited with laying the foundations of equity jurisprudence in the United States. After his retirement, he returned to New York City and published his "Commentaries on American Law", the authoritative work American jurisprudence. He died in New York City, December 12, 1847 and is buried in the church yard • St. Luke's in Beacon.

on at

was born in New York City Egbert ·Benson (1746-1833) where he later graduated from Kings College. A resident of the Red Hook area, Benson was a lawyer of considerable distinction and integrity. He was a member of The New York Committee of Safety and in 1777 served as the First Attorney-Gene.-ral of New York. Benson also served as Assemblyman 1777-1778, Member

Melodye

A. Kaltz

1784~1788, Member of the of The Continental Congress New York U.S. Constitutional Convention 1788, Congressman 1789-1793, 1813-1815, State Supreme Court Justice 1794-1802 and U.S. Circuit Court Judge in 1802. An accomplished scholar and historian, Benson was an author, Regent of the University of The State of New York and First President of The New-York Historical Society. James Emott (1771-1850) was born in Poughkeepsie and spent much of his life here although many of his official duties took him elsewhere. Admitted to the bar, he was soon regarded as one of the most brilliant lawyers of that time. In 1797, he was appointed a commissioner to settle the disputes as to lands in the Military tract of Onondaga County. In 1804, he was elected to the legislature and in 1817-1827, he ~erved as the first judge of the court of common pleas. A Federalist, he represented New York in Congress from 1809 to 1813. 1814-1817; he was a member of the New York Assembly and served as its speaker. In 1827, he was appointed judge for the 2nd District, a position he held until he resigned in 1831. He died in Poughkeepsie in 1850. Theodorus Bailey, senator, was born in Dutchess County, N.Y., October 12, 1758. In 1792 he was elected to represent New York State in congress and was reelected in 1794, serving until 1797. Later he was again elected, and remained a member of the national house of representatives during two congresses, from 1799 to 1803. In the latter year he was elected to the United States senate, taking his seat March 4. He resigned in 1804 to become postmaster of New York City, a position he held until his death September 6, 1828. Thomas Jackson Oakley (1783-1857) was born inDutchess County and after being admitted to the bar in 1804, set up a legal practice in Poughkeepsie. In 1810, he was appointed surrogate of Dutchess County and in 1813, he was elected to Congress, a body he served in periodically through out his career. In 182~, he was appointed Attorney-General of New York and in 1828, he was appointed Judge of the Superior Court of New York City. In 1847, he became Chief Justice of that court. One of his most celebrated cases was the controversy concerning the exclusive right of navig~ting the waters of New York by steam granted to Robert Fulton and his Dutchess County patron, Chancellor Livingston.

Homegrown

Politicians

The Constitutional

53 Convention

Having served as the Capitol of New York State throughout most of the Revolutionary War, Poughkeepsie was considered one of the State's pre~eminent centers of governmental activity. The cGntroversy over the proposed federal constitution would be settled here for New Yorkers and would focus national attention on the County and its leaders. • On June 17, 1788, sixty-five delegates from throughout New York State convened in Poughkeepsie's third courthouse to consider New York State's Ratification of the Federal Constitution. All men of distinction, they were divided into two factions: the Federalists, led by John Jay and Alexander Hamilton and the Anti-Federalists, led by George Clinton and Melancton Smith. By June 24th, New Hampshire had ratified the Constitution and having thus nine states ratifying, the Constitution was operative. Nevertheless arguments continued until the Anti-Federalists called for a new convention to pass amendments. The final vote was 30 to 27 in favor of ratification with Dutchess County Delegates being the deciding votes. It is significant to note that many of the issues so hotly contested by the men of Dutchess were incorporated into the Bill of Rights which was adopted on November 3, 1791. • The 18th century closed with the entrenchment of opposing political views which in the 19th century would result in the formal establishment of the two party system. New York's Constitutional Convention held in Poughkeepsie in 1788, brought into focus the divergent needs and goals of the newly formed republic. The bitterness of this early political confrontation is illustrated in the tragic Hamilton-Burr duel of 1804 which had interesting Dutchess County associations. William W. Van Ness of Red Hook, an outspoken republican, served as Burr's second and Nathanial Pendleton of Hyde Park, served as Hamilton's second. It has long been speculated that Burr fled to Van Ness' home after the duel. 19th

Century With the dawning of another century, the growing pains of a new country called for a combination of vision and extraordinary minds. Dutchess County contributed both. Legal and constitutional questions had to be firmly resolved if the Republic were to

Melodye

A. Kaltz

Portrait of· Morgan Lewis 1'754- 1844. Painted by Charles C. Curran from original by James Herring. Courtesy of the New York Historical Society.

Line drawing of James K. Paulding 1778 - 1860. From Encyclopedia of American Biography.

',,(,

.J }.>

:j(

,•

Homegrown

Politicians

survive and grow. The advent of the County minds rise of a new period. distinction during group.

55 And grow it did, nation and county. Industrial Revolution saw Dutchess once again to meet the challenges The men who rose to political the 19th century were a diverse

Mdrg~ti ·Lewis (1754-1844) was born in New York City, the son of Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Graduating from Princeton College in 1773, he studied law under John Jay. Lewis served in both the Revolution and the War of 1812, rising to the rank of Colonel and General. During both wars, he served as quarter master for the northern section of the army. After the Revolution, he resumed his legal practice in New York City and soon thereafter was elected a Member of the State Legislature. Married to Gertrude Livingston, Lewis established his residence at Staatsburg in Dutchess County in 1795. Lewis later became Attorney General of New York State, Justice and Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court and a Member of State Assembly and Senate. Between 1804 and 1807, he served as New York's third Governor. Lewis was a Grand Master of the Order of the Free Masons in the United States, President of the New York Historical Society and President of the New York Section of the Order of the Cincinnati. He is buried in the church yard at St. James Parish in Hyde Park. Smith Thompson (1768-1843) was born in Stanford,. in Dutchess County, the son of Ezra Thompson, a leading Dutchess County Anti-Federalist. His mother, Rachel Smith was the sister of another prominent Dutchess County Anti-Federalist, Melancton Smith. After graduating from Princeton in 1788, he studied law with Chancellor Kent in Poughkeepsie. In 1800, he was elected a Member of The State Legislature and the following year he was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of The State of New York. He was appointed Supreme Court in 1802 Associate Justice of The' State and held that position until 1814 when he was made Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of New York. In 1818, President Monroe appointed him Secretary of The Navy. He resigned that position in 1823 to assume his appointment as a United States Supreme Court Justice. Thompson continued to hold that office until his death in Poughkeepsie, 1843. He is buried in the Livingston Family Plot which was incorporated into the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery.

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A. Kaltz

the son James Tallmadge was born in 1778 in Stanford, of Col. James Tallmadge, a zealous supporter of the Revolution. Graduating from Rhode Island College in 1798, he studied law and was for a time Pri~ate Secretary to George Clinton. He began his law career in Poughkeepsie and became Surrogate of Dutchess County in 1804. He continued to serve in various public offices at the same time that he was working at the establishment of the Manhattan Bank at Poughkeepsie. He was elected to the United States Congress in 1817, where he made his greatest contribution. The Tallmadge Amendment to the Missouri Bill, introduced by him, prohibited the further introduction of slavery into Missouri and provided that all children born of slaves after admission, were to be free at the age of 25. James Kirke Paulding (1778-1860) was born at Great Nine Partners, Dutchess County, while his family, originally of Tarrytown, resided there during the Revolution. A close friend of Washington Irving, Paulding himself, pursued a literary career and is considered by many as America's first great novelist. His most notable_ contributions include "The Salamagundi Papers", "The Diverting History of John Bull and Brother Jonathan'' and "Life of Washington". In 1823, he took up a political career and served as Navy Agent for New York City until 1838. From 1838 until 1841, he served as Secretary of the Navy under President Martin Van Buren. In 1845, he bought Placentia, an estate at Hyde Park where he retired to private life, dying there in 1860. Levi P. Morton (1824-1920) was born in Vermont but moved early in life to New York State where he became a resident of Rhinebeck. A banker by profession, Morton served as a Member of Congress from 1879-1881 and as United States Minister to France from 18811885. Vice-President of the United States from 18891893, he returned to New York where he served as Governor from 1895-1897. Morton was noted as a strong advocate of Civil Service reform and refused to be dominated by "Boss" Tom Platt's Machine. Mills (1884-1937) was born in Rhode Ogden ·Livingston Island, but strong Dutchess County ties brought him here and he became a resident. He was a lawyer. He was the nephew of publisher Whitelaw Reid. Mills served as a member of the New York Legislature and a Congressman from 1921-1927. A financial advisor to

Homegrown

Politicians

Presidents Coolidge Assistant Secretary and as Secretary of The Improvement

and Hoover, Mills served as of the Treasury from 1927-1932 the Treasury in 1932.

Party

Poughkeepsie during the second quarter of the 19th century was shaped by a group. of men determined to upgrade the quality of life in the village. The term 11 Improvement. Party" was used originally to designate those who favored Municipal improvements. It was later applied to those men who became active promoters of the enterprises in Poughkeepsie during the 1830s. 1 were Some of these enterprises in which "Improvers' involved included: The Poughkeepsie Silk Company, The Dutchess Rail Road Company, The Poughkeepsie Locomotive Engine Company and the Poughkeepsie Manufacturaspects of the booming ing Company. Involved in all economy, the 11 Improvers 11 also lent their energies to the construction of churches and schools including the well known College Hill School. The Panic of 1837 terminated their development plans and a number of 11 finding their fortunes gone, , the leading "Improvers left Poughkeepsie for new beginnings in the west. Despite the loss of all these energetic and intelligent men, their contributions to local growth were immense. Typical of the leaders who emerged from this group were these three men. Matthew Vassar (1792-1868) was born in England but emigrated to America in 1796 to escape state church oppressions. Moving to Poughkeepsie in 1797, Matthew's father and uncle were soon farming in the area of Manchester and peddling the first products of that In 1801, the brothers grain, their "Vassar Ale 11 • sold the farm, moved to town and starting the brewing business in which Matthew would make his fortune. In the fall of 1812, Vassar opened an ale and oyster bar in the basement of the Court House and later with much needed capital from a partner, he expanded his operation and was well on his way to prosperity. His life from 1815-1845 reveals a man who not only built an ever more successful business, but who found time for increasing civic responsibilities and for promoting a variety of exciting enterprises necessary to the expansion of commerce and industry. Among his enterprises were: The Poughkeepsie Whaling Company, The Dutchess County Railroad and the establishment of a number of new banks. A member of the Improvement Party, Vassar was one of the few who managed to survive the Panic of 1837 financially intact. Vassar's

Melodye

A. Kaltz

Matthew Vassar 1792 1868. From the Frank Van Kleeck Collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Harvey G. Eastman 1832 1878. From Platt, History of Poughkeepsie ( 1905) .

Homegrown greatest lishment 1861 and at this trustees.

Politicians

philanthropic gift however, was the estabof Vassar Female College, incorporated in opened in 1865. On June 23, 1868, he'died college while making an address to the

N~th~ni~l P. ·Tallmadge (1795-1864) was born at Chatham, Columbia County. After graduating from Union College, he studied law and began practice at Poughkeepsie after his admission to the bar in 1818. One of the leaders of the Improvement Party, he was a Bank Director of considerable importance. He was a Member of the Assembly in 1820, Post Master of the village in 1821, President of the Village Trustees in 1830, State Senator in 1830 and United States Senator in 1833. His fortunes decimated by the Panic of 1837, he remained in the Senate until 1844 when he was appointed by President Tyler to the Governorship of the Territory of Wisconsin. Harvey G. Eastman (1832-1878) was born in Marshall, New York. At nineteen, he began working for his uncle who ~~erated a school in Rochester. Setting out on his own, he operated a school in St. Louis and eventually removed to Poughkeepsie, noted then as an educational center. His "State and National Business College'', aimed at supplying trained accountants and business administrators to the new industries born of the industrial revolution, was to have a tremendous impact on Poughkeepsie. With the success of the school, Eastman turned his energies to Poughkeepsie and became the primary mover behind the construction of the railroad bridge. In 1871, he was elected Mayor and served for two terms. During that time he was also serving in the State Legislature. One of Mr. Eastman's most important contributions was the installation of the first sand-filtration plant in the United States. After contracting tuberculosis in 1878, Eastman left Poughkeepsie to regain his health in Arkansas. Improving, he moved on to Denver and sent for his family. He contracted pneumonia there and died in 1878. 20th

Century In considering American 20th Century politics and the destiny of the world, one must look first and foremost to the "Squire of Hyde Park". His impact on Wqy of life, will be felt for centuries. the American His Dutchess County Allies and Adversaries were all

Melodye

;;::::::::··:,:;,;.··

---~ ;-.:

A. Kaltz

..~

•••

;.;,;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;.;,;,;,;,;,;,;i,:,:i~

,y Franklin D. Roosevelt 1882 1945 during one of his radio broadcasts. Photo courtesy of the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Thomas E. Dewey 1902 -1971. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Homegrown

Politicians

men of distinction who rendered great tional Service. However, he was not politician of significance.

61 State and Nathe County's only

The ·chanlers of Rokeby are an interesting chapter in the political history of Dutchess County. Democrats in a Republican setting, the three brothers participated in 12 political campaigns: 5 for supervisor, 4 for assemblyman, 1 for sheriff, 1 for lieutenant-governor, and 1 for governor. Robert Winthrop Chanler was the most colorful of the three. To some, his methods of getting elected were pure bribery, but to the recipients of his political style of campaigning, "Sheriff Bob" as he was fondly called, was a hero. For them he set off a part of his farm, built a baseball diamond, and organized a team. There· were clambakes, and· every summer he took a thousand chilqren on a picnic ride on the river. Lewis.Stuyvesant Chanler's local fame sprang from his uncovering of corruption in the sheriff's office in 1905. Elected to the Assembly, he became leiutenant-governor of the State in 1906, and in 1908 he ran for the governorship, losing to Charles Evans Hughes. William ·Chanler, the third brother, ran for the assembly and later for Congress from New York City. Henry Noble MacCracken called the Chanlers the "Playboys". Although their political careers were of short duration, they set the stage for another gentleman of the "River Set", Frankl:Ln Delano Roosevelt, the "Squire of Hyde Park". Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 31st President of the United States. Born at Hyde Park, he was educated as a lawyer and became a Member of the New York State Senate in 1910. He served in that capacity until 1913 when he became Assistant Secretary of The Navy. He held this position until 1920. In 1929, he was elecied Governor of New York and served until 1933 when he was.elected President of the United States. Roosevelt served as President throughout many in 1945. of America's roughest years, dying in office An avid historian and author of Dutchess County hisRoosAvelt served as Vice-~resident of The Dutchtory, ess County Historical Society. He was married to Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who in her own right, was a distinguished political force, serving after the President's death as Ambassador to the United Nations. Thoma·s E .• ·Dewey ( 1902-1971) was born in Michigan. "Governor Dewey" as he was always -called, even when out of office, became a resident of Pawling when he

Melodye

A. Kaltz

James Forrestal 1892 - 1949. Photo courtesy of the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Henry Morgenthau Jr. 1891-1967. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Homegrown

Politicians

was Chief Assistant United States Attorney, which position he held from 1931-1933. District Attorney for New York County.in 1937, he became known as a "Crime Buster". Governor of New York from 1942-1954, he ran unsuccessfully for President of the United States in 1944 against Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This campaign was the only time in United States history when both candidates came from the same county. Dewey also ran unsuccessfully for the Presidency in 1948 against Harry S. Truman. Ja:.rrtes Porrestal (1892-1949) was born in Beacon where he remained a lifelong resident. President of the Dillon--Read Company of New York City, he became Administ~ative Assistant to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Forrestal served as Under Secretary of the Navy from 1944-1947 and First Secretary of Defense from 19471949. Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (1891-1967) was born in New York City but became a resident of East Fishkill. He served as New York State Conservation Commissioner under Governor Franklin Roosevelt. Chairman of the Taconic State Park Commission, he was also Governor of the Farm Credit Administration in 1933. From 19331934, he served as the Under Secretary of the Treasury and as Secretary of the Treasury from 1934-1945. The men listed here are but a sampling of those Dutchess County residents who have dedicated themselves to the enrichment of the American way of life. There are others, too.numerous to mention. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said it best,

Dutchess County has spread aZZ over the United States, and the influence of the fine oZd stock that we have raised here is being feZt in our American citizenship in every part of the country. (Poughkeepsie, August, 1933) As election time draws round each November and voters ponder thetr political choices, Dutchess County res~ idents should indeed pause to reflect on the impact their choices in the past have had on all mankind.

Members of Company A. 150th Regiment of the New York Volunteers, the "Dutchess County Regiment". Bottom row, left to right: James R. Mabb.ett, Henry Gridley, William Wattles. Top row, left to right: William H. Bartlett, John G. Borden, William Reed, Dr. J. Curtis Smith, Miles Lewis.

DUTCHESS COUNTY'S ROLE IN THE CIVIL Enrollments,

Enlistments, William

Bounties, S.

Benson

and

WAR: the

Draft

Jr.

A review of the enrollments and quotas on a county-wide basis leads to an estimate of the number of men, by town, who served in the Civil War. William Benson is President of the Town of Clinton Historical Society. Fort Sumter fell on April 13, 1861, and two days later President Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 men _for three months service. On the following day, April 16, 1861, meetings were held in Poughkeepsie for organizing volunteers. On the 17th, the Poughkeepsie Eagl~ said:

We have ascertained that there are one hundred volunteers ready to answer the Governor's call. On the 18th of.April, the group resolved " ... we hereby form ourselves into a volunteer company to be offered to the Governor of this State ... ". Thus the first v.olunteers from Dutchess County were organized. The newly formed company was not accepted immediately as a company, and so James E. Schram, anxious to get started, left Poughkeepsie on April 24, 1861, to become a member of the 7th Regiment -Militia Infantry, thereby probably becoming Dutchess County's first volunteer under the President's call and the State's quota. Gn the same day, Alfred Way and Alfred Dunlop left Poughkeepsie to join with the-13th Regiment Militia in Brooklyn. Twenty others left to join with the 20th Regiment Militia in Kingston. Over the next few days, thirty others left to join the 5th Regiment, Colonel Abram Duryee's Zouaves, in New York City. On May 4, 186:L, under the leadership of Captain Harrison Halliand one men left Poughkeepsie for day, one hundred Albany to become Company E of the 30th New York Volunteers. And so Dutchess County had supplied at least these 154 men within nineteen days of the President's call. Over the next few weeks, "war meetings" were organized and held all across Dutchess County to promote the war effort and volunt·eer enlistments. meetings was held on May 11, 1861, first of these Beekmanville. This was followed by meetings in

The in 65

William

S. Benson

Jr.

Wappingers Falls, LaGrangeville, Hughsonville, School District #9 in Stanford/Washington towns, the County Court House, Hyde Park, Clove Hollow, Arthursburg, Fishkill Plains and Pleasant Valley. Among the earliest volunteers outside of Poughkeepsie were sixteen men from Red Hook who joined the 20th Regiment Militia in Kingston. Others joining the 20th Militia were seven from Milan, nine from Rhinebeck, seven from Stanford, and others not specifically recorded. f

Enlistment activity continued throughout the summer and fall of 1861. Many of the enlistment_s came as a result of representatives from units already in the field coming to Poughkeepsie to find replacements to fill their: r~nks. Other recruits were enticed for more "exotic"·. duty, such as the cavalry and mounted rifles. Some surely were excited just by the name of the prospective unit seeking their services, such as the Clinton Guards, People's Ellsworth Regiment, Putnam Rifles, and the cavalry's Ira Harris Guard. Full companies were organized as well. Fishkill Landing was the recruiting center for a company of men for the 19th Reiiment. Recruitment in Poughkeepsie companies for the 30th Regiment, the 47th drew full Regiment, the 74th Regiment, and the 1st Regiment of the Clinton Guards. Names recorded in various sources according to Regiment and enlistment date, plus the formation of full companies, indicates that approximately 1,100 men had left Dutchess County to serve by the end of 1861. James H. Smith's "History ·of Duchess County" states that "In these and various other organizations, the bone and sinew of the yeomanry of Duchess were represented in detached fragments, but exceeding in the aggregate a thousand men". In early 1862, recruiting was all but discontinued as the Government suspended the formation of new regiments, seeing the prospects for an early peace. Heavy losses, however, caused President Lincoln to issue a new call on July 2, 1862, for 300,000 men, of which New York's quota was 59,705. The DutchessColumbia War District was formed and called upon to as 585 raise a regiment of 1,010 men, to be· allocated from Dutchess and 425 from Columbia Counties. Recruiting officers and committees were established, and towns were assigned quotas based on population. This effort resulted in the 128th Regiment, mustering at Hudson, N.Y., for three years service on September 4, 1862. The following table shows the population base,

Dutchess

County

- Civil

War

the quotas assigned, the enlistments recorded in James H. Smith's "History of Duchess County", and the enlistments as recorded in the muster roll of the history of the 128th Regiment. Town Arnenj_a Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Washington Total

Population in 1860 2,288 1,371 1,922 2,305 2,544 9,546 2,749 1,850 1,522 1,735 1,743 1,412 2,343 17,848 3,964 3,289 2,323 1,502 22685 64,941

Quota 35 21 30 36 39 147 43 29 24 27 27 22 36 275 61 51 36 23 42 1,004 •

•

Smith's "Histori"

Muster Roll

18 2 27 17 18 98 30 14 24 16 42 17 7 108 25 3.3 32 20 23

20 4 30 19 20 107 32 14 21 16 42 19 10 122 26 38 29 17 25

571

611

The actual muster roll shows that 611 men enrolled by September 4, 1862, compared to James H. Smith's source which lists 571 men. So the Dutchess quota of 585 for the 128th Regiment was met with a surplus of 26, but fell far short of the Dutchess share of the War District quota of 1,004 men. Some towns met their full quota with 128th Regiment enlistments alone, as in the case of Clinton and Pawling, while others fell far short, as in the case of Beekman, Pleasant Valley, Poughkeepsie and Red Hook. Then, to even amplify the shortage situation, a call of August 4, 1862 resulted in identical quotas, so the towns' share of the quota were doubled. quota, more It became obvious that with a double funds were needed for bounties. Men who joined the 128th Regiment were paid $300 National and State bounties which varied by town. Towns then raised additional monies for bounties to help raise recruits for the new August 4th call as well as to fill shortages which still existed from the July 2nd call. It

William

S. • Bens·on

Jr.

was ai~o obvious that the ne~ doubled County quota of 2,008 could only be filled by rai~ing a full regiment. On August 22, 1862, War Committeeman Alfred B. Smith travelled to Albany for permission· to raise a Dutchess County Regiment, and on August 26, 1862 ·the committee selected -John H. Ketcham of Dover for Colonel of the It.would b~come the· 150t~ Dutchess new regiment. County Regiment. The doubled town quotas, the enlistments in the !28th-and 150th Regiments, and the status of towns relative to their. quotas is shown in the following table. Town Amenia Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie* Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Washington Total *All listings combined.

Quota

128th

150th

Total

Status

70 42 60 72 78 294 86 58 48 54 54 44 72 550 122 102 72 46 84 2,008

20 4 30 19 20 107 32 14 21 16 42 19 10 122 26 38 29 17 25 611

46 23 33 59 5 36 51 17 5 27 10 21 22 386 32 53 35 16 50 927

66 27 63 78 25 143 83 31 26 43 52 40 $2 508 58 91 64 33 75

- 4 -15 + 3 + 6 -53 -151 - 3 -27 -22 -11 - 2 - 4 -40 -42 -64 -11 - 8 -13 - 9 -470

show the

Town and City

1,538

of Poughkeepsie

Following the enlistments in the 128th and 150th Regiments, only Clinton and Dover showed a positive condition of having met their quotas. Several other towns show a reasonably close condition, while Beekman, East Fishkill, Fishkill, LaGrange, Milan, Pleasant Valley and Red Hook were still far short of meeting their quotas. Over the next very well recorded. place, but activity

few months activity Some enlistments was not seriously

was low, continued increased

and not to take until

Dutchess

County~

Civil

War

President Lincoln ordered a draft to start on July 23, 1863. Enrolling officers were appointed in each town, bounty money was raised to promote enlistments, and the work of enrolling citizens was begun. The draft was officially ordered for September 7, 1863. The quota for the War District was 2,013 (1,202 Dutchess, 811 Columbia) and then raised fifty per cent to cover exemptions, etc. This raised the Dutchess draft to 1,781 men. The enrollment ill Dutchess County totalled 6,393 men, or approximately ten per cent of the population. The quotas set for each town totalled 1,186 men, a little short of the needed 1,202 for quota, but the draft was exactly 1,781 as required. The draft, actually conducted at 7 Union St. in Poughkeepsie, was not very successful at supplying the needed men. Exemptions and commutations for those drafted caused a serious shortfall all across the country. The result was another call on October 17, 1863, with a new quota, and an order that it be filled by January 5, 1864. The additional quota for Dutchess County was 904 for ·a total of 2,106 for the two calls. The following table depicts the enrollment, draft, and quotas by town for these two calls. Oct 17 Total Sep 7 Sep 7 EnrollQuota Quota Quota Draft ment Town Amenia Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Washington

271 147 217 197 279 706 360 211 160 210 191 151 177 1,751 421 362 212 133 237

Total

6,393

-79 39 60 54 79 194 101 57 49 58 51 40 48 494 114 104 59 36 65 1,781

52 26 40 36 52 130 67 38 33 39 34 27 32 329 76 69 39 24 43 1,186

38 21 31 28 40 100 50 30 22 30 27 22 25 247 59 51 30 19 34 904

90 47 71 64 92 230 117 68 55 69 61 49 57 576 135 120 69 43 77 2,090

William

S. Benson

Jr.

to review the At this point, it is worthwh~le conditions concerning the War. Obviously any youngman who wanted to serve iri the Un.ion Army was already doing so. Quotas were now being filled by offering attractive bounties, and so men were really being "bought" to serve. There was sharp competition to fill quotas, and National, State, County, and local Bounty money could total up to $1,000 for an enlistment. Dutchess County would even pay an additional $25 to any person bringing a recruit to Dutchess County to help fill the quota. From James

H. Smith's "History of Duchess County": The payment of these large bounties, if generous, was unwise and unjust, and, though it stimulated enlistments, attracted a rabble element, and was a vice which pandered to base passions, fostered corruption and extortion, increased in its enormity as the war progressed, and seriously interfered with the levies for such an army as should have been the dependence and defense of our noble Republic.

The County was to some extent victimized by bounty jumpers operating in Poughkeepsie, and desertions of whole squads were of frequent occurrence during this period, necessitating the employment of strong guards, with loaded muskets, as the recruits were removed from the recruiting station to the 'Soldiers Rest' (at 394 Main Street), or to other places of rendezvous in the city, which were infested with sharpers, whose pressure and operations compelled the officials to be constantly on the alert. The previous calls which totalled 2,090 were supplemented by a so-called "deficiency call" on February 1, 1864, and raised the quota to 2,211 men. The Pou~hkeepsie Eagle of February 20, 1864 says:

We are officialiy requested to make public the ·.tact that ..... our quota under the caU for 500,000 up men is 2,211; volunteers credited to the district to January 31st, 1,121; drafted men who served or corronuted, and substitutes, 92?; total to be credited, Since February 1st 2,048, leaving 163 to be raised. there have been mustered in 310 men, so that we have raised one hundred and forty seven men over our quota. Throughout 1864, large bounties were paid, drafts were held, and quotas were set and monitored. While a draft would fill a quota, it would often come up short due to exemptions and commutations, and so a

Dutchess

County

- Civil

War

town would have to again __off set quotas, and status of the towns shown in the following table. 15

Mar

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

Status

May 31 ·Draft

a deficiency. during this

Drafts, period are

Jun 17 ·Draft

Jun 30 Draft

5 7 13

2 4

Jul 14 Draft

+ 20

9 11

1 - 19 + 6 - 15 - 19 5 - 17 - 13

10 10 20 28 9 21 9

10 3

14 7

2 4

+ 6 +127 - 20 + 7 - 20 t 6 + 13

31 12 16

5 2

8 2

From the previous table it can be seen that Amenia, Beekman, North East, Pine Plains, Poughkeepsie, Union Vale and Washington took care of their quota problems internally, while East Fishkill, Fishkill, LaGrange, Red Hook and Rhinebeck received considerable attention from the County draft officials. The quota-filling was finally completed as shown in the table onJuly 14, 1864, only to see it all start all over again, for a new call was issued just four days later on July 18, 1864. Town quotas, and their success at filling their quotas, is shown in the following table. Town Amenia Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange

Jul 18 Quota 39 21 48 51 70 195 70 50

Aug 18 Status

Sep 15 Status

filled

filled+ good good good good good good good

Sep 19 Draft

Oct 6 Credit

William

S. Benson

Jr.

cont. Town

Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Washington Total

Jul 18 ·Quota· 33 51 30 36 42 422 94 73 49 31 40

1,445

Aug 18 Status·

filled

Sep 15 Status short short good short filled+ filled+ short short good good filled+

Sep 19 Draft

Oct 6 ·credit

+ 1 + 3

-10 -28 -56

+ 1

1,577

Bounties increased, and towns took advantage of a February 9, 1864 act by the State Legislature which allowed towns to issue bonds to repay loans for bounty money. This money could also be used to help families of volunteers, provided those payments in aid did not exceed $15 at one time. On December 4, 1864, still another call was made for men, volunteers if possible by February 15, 1865, and then a draft for the remainder on that date. Again excessive ·bounties were provided locally, to avoid the potential draft. There were so many local bounty abuses that the New York State Legislature passed a provision for State bounties of $300, $400, and $600 for one, two and three year volunteer enlistments, and prohibited payment of all local bounties. Drafted men who mustered would receive $250. These amounts would also be refunded to counties and towns which previous to the new law had filled their quotas for the December 19, 1864 call. Then to avoid all brokers and middlemen, the bounty had to be paid directly to the volunteers in person. men The call of December 19, 1864 was fo~ 300,000 nationally.· Although town quotas are not specified, this call probably followed the same distribution as the July 18, 1864 call by town, but since the July call was for 500,000 men, the December call would have been approximately sixty per cent of the previousone. The distribution and status is shown in the following table.

Dutchess

County Town

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

- Civil

War

Dec 19 Quota 23 13 29 31 42 117 42 30 20 31 18 22 25 253 56 44 29 19 24 868

Mar 20

Status filled filled filled filled filled - 79 filled filled filled 1 filled 2 filled -177 - 42 - 14 filled filled filled -344·

On April 8, 1865, just a few days before the end of the war, the last man to fill the quotas was mustered in and credited to Red Hook. And so the work of securing bounty money and volunteers, and the work of administering the dreaded draft, came to an end. The question of how many men served in the Civil War from Dutchess County is a most difficult one to answer. A count of early volunteers followed by an assumption that all quotas were actually filled by local mustered-in residents would put the total at approximately 8,000 men. This, however, is much too high. Early volunteers on three-month enlistments returned home, and many of them re-enlisted to help fill the local quotas. It is not clear whether the payment of bounty money to the government in lieu of service· did in fact satisfy the quota requirement, but it probably did. Many of the later quotas were filled by itinerants and others who sought the bounty money but had no connection to Dutchess County. Also, as previously stated, many whole squads of bounty jumpers were involved. James H. Smith's "History of Duchess County", contains a section on the history of each town,

1882,

William

Benson

Jr.

compiled locally, and within that section, a history the Rebelof that town's participation in the "War.of lion." Although this compilation took place only seventeen years after the end of the Civil War, the records are poor at best, except for the towns of Dover, LaGrange, North East, Pawling, Pleasant Valley, Red Hook and Union Vale. Of these, LaGrange and Pleasant Valley list names only, without a Regimental affiliation. Red Hook's records are far superior to any other town, and_indicate that approximately six per cent of the 1860 population count had served in the Civil War. This is also a reasonable number for the other towns mentioned above with quite good records. Therefore, since the population of Dutchess County was 64,941 in 1860, it is reasonable to expect that six per cent of that number, or approximately 3,900 Dutchess County residents served in the Civil War. The following table shows, by town, the population, the expected enlistments, names recorded in Smith's "History of Duchess County", and the town's comment on its records. Town

1860 Pop.

6 %

Level

"Smith's" names

Amenia

2,288

137

Beekman

1,371

• 82

Clinton

1,922

115

Dover

2,305

138

104

2,544

152

Fishkill

9,546

573

131

Hyde Park

2, 7.49

165

LaGrange

1,850

111

112

Milan

1,522

1,735

104

Pawling

1,743

105 •

Pine

1,412

Fishkill

East

North

East

Plains

(continued)

Comment "record never kept" "record never kept" "record never kept" "inexcusable records" "better than (?) most" "records destroyed" "negligently managed" "following are the names'' "complete record" (no!) "no complete record" "list according to law" "no record was kept"

Dutchess

County

- Civil

Pleasant

Valley

2,343.

Poughkeepsie

17,848

War 141 1,071

143 218

Red Hook

3,964

238

224

Rhinebeck Stanford

3,289 2,323

197 139

133 109

Union

1,502

2,685

161

Vale

Washington

Total

64,941

3,895

"as near as can be" "no room to put here" "carefully prepared" (no comment) "no record kept" "list according to law" "records negligently kept"

1,877

It can be seen in the previous table that the towns which kept good records do in fact approximate the six per cent level of names. These are LaGrange, Pawling, Pleasant VaLley, Red Hook and Union Vale. Residents of these towns should feel a large measure of pride in their heritage, for it is only through recordedhistory that the heritage can be felt and enjoyed.

Footnote The.author has for some time been engaged in extensive research of various sources in an attempt to 3,895 Civil War produce as many names of the expected volunteers as possible. In contrast to the 1,877names found in Smith's "History of Duchess County", the author has found nearly double that number and now has a list of 3,297 names of Dutchess County volunteers in the Civil War. The six per cent level has now been achieved in the towns of Dover, Pine Plains and Poughkeepsie in addition to those shown previously. The towns of Fishkill, Hyde Park, and Stanford have been significantly improved. Research will continue, and hopefully this list of names can be published in the near future.

~ ✓-·

.>:::...

;i ~

J,t

.....

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(

(l •·•••••••••••••

c-'i

·q>··.

'-:!

J£ ~

~ ~

J ~

""~

"'-

\ 'i-t

• (

• Pawling's Purchase, the lower portion of which became "Fauconnier's Patent" which was then divided into lots in 1721. Courtesy of the New York State Library, Albany, N.Y.

SUSANNAHVAUGHTON: CAUGHT IN THE WEB OF 17TH CENTURYPOLITICS?*

Wi.lliam

Mc Dermott

Politieal favoritism and Leislerian polities may 'have been contributing factors in a controversy whieh surround~d a 17th century Dutchess County land grant. William P. Mc Dermott is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Dutchess County Historical Society. Susannah Vaughton is an unknown figure in Dutchess County history, yet she was a central character in a struggle over the ownership of a well-known tract of Dutchess County land granted in the 17th century. The period from 1689 to 1705 was a time of considerable politic~l instability. Although non-political in her public life, she neither held public office nor had the right to vote, Mrs. Vaughton's appeals for her deceased husband's land grant occurred during the period of an intense struggle between two powerful forces, the Leislerians and the anti-Leislerians.1 The record which remains indicates Susannah Vaughton may have become entangled in that political struggle. Since she left no personal record of her experiences, the account which follows is an interpretation of real events which, although speculative, is based on documentary evidence from the period. New York Politics 1689 - 1705: Brief Review The English conquest of the Dutch Colony in New of increasing interest in York in 1664 began a p.eriod settlement. Although the pace was slow at first, it was a change from the earlier Dutch policy of settling compact areas, such as New York City and Albany, primarily to serve the commercial interests of the principle colonization agent, The Dutch West India Company. Duke James, later to become King James II, had received proprietorship of New York Colony from his brother King Charles II in 1664. In order to increase his personal income through levying annual rents for each 100 acres of settled land, James directed the governors.of New York Province to increase settlement through grants of land to individuals or partnerships. Granting land, a slow process for the first two decades of English rule, finally gathered momentum under Catholic Governor Thomas Dongan (1683-1688). Dongan's land grants were also motivated by his interest in

*Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Dutchess County Historical Society held on June 273 1981. 77

William

Mc Dermott

increasing his personal power in the colony. As a result he granted land to a few individuals already regarded by many as the successful new aristocracy in New York. This approach contributed to the discontent within those merchants who were not favored. Jacob Leisler was amo~g the latter group. Changes in power in the colonies and England increased an already complex New York political scene. The death of King Charles II in 1685 brought James to power. While Charles II was considered arbitrary in his use of power, the arrogance of his brother James II stirred fear and anger within many in the government and the populace. For example, in 1686 James drew the New England colonies together into a single entity, the Dominion of New England, governed by one governor. His decision in 1688 to extend this dominion to include New York angered New Yorkers. Not only did they see their chance for representative government slip further away, there was a growing belief Catholic officials of the.new larger dominion would be unduly influenced by Catholic interests.2 As a result of this annexation Governor Dongan was recalled. New England's Governor Edmund Andros' responsibilities were extended to include New York in August 1688. Administrative responsibility for New York fell to Lt. Goverµor Francis Nicholson. The birth of a son to King James II heightened tension in England. The new he1r to the throne displaced his protestant half-sisters in the line of succession thereby guaranteeing continuation of Cathlic control. This event set the stage in 1688 for the Revolution in England which resulted in the overthrow of King James II. William of Orange and his wife Mary, and returned daughter of King James II, seized control England to rule under a protestant crown. The reaction in the colonies was swift. The following April Boston citizens arrested and imprisioned Governor Andros and seized power. Lt. Governor Nicholson fled New York leaving the government with no one at the helm. Into this void stepped Jacob Leisler, an avowed "antipapist", who was connected to the older Dutch elite whose dissatisfaction with English rule continued as a low grumble beneath apparent acceptance.3 Concerned about the ·defenselessness of the colony, the militia appointed Jacob Leisler.,Captain of the fort on June 8, 1689. Shortly thereafter he became commander in chief of the province proclaiming William and Mary to be the proper rulers over the province thereby recognizing

Susannah

Vaughton

- 79

their right to the throne. After Leisler gained control of the colony in the summer of 1689, his administrative talents became apparent immediately when he gathered representatives from most of the towns in the provin~e to form a government. By August 15, the government was again in operation. A ten man committee of safety· acted in all legal, military and administrative matters even to the point of imprisoning or exiling the opposition. Jacob Leisler became the symbol of all the underlying dissatisfactions among those who had been out of power and were disenchanted with the English style of rule. While some historians refer to Leisler's position of control as self appointed, there was in fact a letter of authorization received from King William.which essentially empowered the individual "Preserving the Peace and administring the Lawes in our said Province".4 Leisler was the man in that position having been appointed by ~he committee of safety. After receiving that letter in December 1689, Leisler regarded himself as the appointed head of the government. This act set the stage for political struggle for the next two decades between groups which became known as Leislerians and anti-Leislerians. Finally the old Dutch had found someone to rally around. However, Leisler's domineering and demagogic personality soon isolated him from many of his supporters. W,hen the newly appointed Governor Slaughter arrived in New York on March 19, 1691, Leisler refused to surrender the fort to him believing the new governor was acting contrary to military rules when asking for a change in command after dark. This incident became the overt reason for disposing of Leisler. However, it was his style of power, the dissatisfaction of thos~ who had recently lost power and the diminishing strength of his supporters which were the true reasons for his demise. Leisler's trial for treason was swift and the order for execution was particularly cruel, symbolizing the fear and hatred he had generated.5 His execution brought a very brief period· of power to a close but left in its wake a continuing struggle. He was seen by some as a martyr, a position strengthened four years later when he was pardoned by the British Parliament. It was these political conditions which the present writer believes affected the outcome of Susannah Vaughton's appeal for her deceased husband's land. The Controversial Land Grant The controversial tract of land is located in Hyde Park bounded on the west by the Hudson ·River, on the south and east by the Crum Elbow Creek, and on the

William

Mc Dermott

north by an east-west line which runs approximately midway between two roads now known as North Cross Road and South Cross Road.· The north line touches the Hudson River slightly north of Esopus· Island near the creek which flows into the Hudson. This tract is someThe times referred to as the "Hyde Park Patent 11 .6 Vanderbilt estate is one of several well-known river estates included in this tract. The first official reference to the land grant occurred during Governor Fletcher's administrationwhen Susannah Vaughton, widow of Michael Vaughton, petitioned the governor's thirteen man Council on behalf of her son. On.April 2, 1695 she appealed to the Council to disapprove the request for a patent from Widow Pawling for the land which Susannah believed was jointly owned by her deceased husband and his deceased partner, Henry Pawling.7 The request was referred to man committee, all members of the governor's a three Council. Although their recommendations do not appear in the Council minutes, the outcome was decided in Widow Pawling's favor. The language of the approval is important for it provided the basis for future controversey. "The petition of Widdow Pauling was read and granted [for her].Patent for the land according to the Indian bounds provided the same do not exceed four 11 thousand acres the qui trent to be twenty shill. 8 This simple decisi_on on which seems to have closed the matter, in fact opened the door to a number of other appeals related to the grant. Another decade would· ~ass before the matter was finally settled. Before any grant of land could be awarded, a license from the governor to negotiate with the Indians was required. It appears the disagreement between the two widows was based on the license issued by Governor Dongan. Mrs. Vaughton in one of her appeals apparently produced a license from Governor Thomas Dongan dated November 2, 1686 which permitted Michael Vaughton and Henry Pawling to purchase a parcel of land in Dutchess County from the Indians.9 Although this specific document is not part of the record, pavid Jamison, a lawyer who was Clerk of the Council when Widow Pawling received the patent, testified that Governor Dongan's intent was to award half of the patent to Michael Vaughton. 1O It appears Jamison, as Clerk of the Council, had examined the license and therefore was able to testify about its contents and intent. What was Governor Dongan's intention? Obviously this can not to have had a be known directly but he appears

Susannah

Vaughton

paternalistic admiration of Michael Vaughton. Theymet in 1683 in London shortly before Thomas Dongan left to become governor of New York Province. Dongandescribed Michael Vaughton as "a pretty ingenious young man" who had "offered his services to come along with mee". Vaughton was unemployed at the time but apparently Dongan was impressed enough to have "promised to help him [Vaughton] with a little mony when he stood in need of it' 1 • 11 Less than a year after arriving in New York, Dongan appointed Michael Vaughton Clerk of the New York Market and Collector of Excise on Long Island.12 Also before the end of 1684 Governor Dongan ordered Vaughton, as commander of the sloop James, to seize vessels in Long Island Sound engaged in unlawful traffic.13 Two years later Dongan characterized Vaughton as an "honest" man.14 Based on Governor Dongan's attitude toward Michael Vaughton and his expressed promise to help him, it seems likely Dongan intended Vaughton to receive half of the land granted to Henry Pawling's If that was the case why was the widow in 1695.15 patent, which had not been applied for earlier as was sometimes the case during that period, granted only to Widow Pawling? Mrs. Vaughton's close association with the Leislerians is believed in this writer's opinion to be a principle reason. Although the government admitted the execution of Jacob Leisler was a mistake and the British Parliament passed an act in 1695 which cleared his name and res~ored his estate, the Leisler name and his followers continued to stir unfavorable reaction and fed the fires of controversy for more than a decade after his execution.16 Benjamin Fletcher, the governor in 1695 when Leisler was exonerated, was antiLeislerian as was his Council. In fact eleven of the thirteen Council members had direct contact with Jacob Leisler during or after Leisler's tenure as Lt. Governor of New York .. Two had been arrested in chains and imprisoned by Leisler (Nicholas Bayard and William Nicolls). Two others were ordered arrested but escaped (Thomas Willet and Stephen Van Cortlandt). Seven, including Bayard and Nicholls, were named by Governor Slaughter to the special court which tried Leisler and sentenced him to death (Chidley Brooke, John Lawrence, William Pinhorne, William Smith and their seats on Stephen Van Cortlandt). Four had lost the council when Leisler took control of the government (Nicholas Bayard, Frederick Philipse, Stephen Van Cortlandt and John Youngs). And finally Peter Schuyler was mayor when Leisler brought troops to Albany in 1689 to pressure the reluctant Albanians into acknowledging his control over New York Province. Only

William

Mc Dermott

Gabriel Monviele, who apparently made himself comfortable on both sides of the political fence, had a positive experience with Leisler, having served in his administration as a member of the Admiralty Court. The remaining member of the council, Caleb Heathcote, did not come to New York until 1692, the year after Leisler's execution for treason. However, eleven years earlier, Susannah's husband Michael was one of several Caleb I s· uncle, who witnesses· against George Heathcote, had been charged with violating the revenue laws of the 17 How successful Province. could Susannah Vaughton, daughter of Jacob Leisler, have been when her appeal was presented to the anti-Leislerian council at the same time Jacob Leisler's name was being cleared by the British Parliament.18 Susannah Leisler Vaughton Appeals Silence. Susannah Leisler Vaughton's reaction to the council's decision to grant the land exclusively to Widow Pawling is unrecorded. The public record reflects no further activity until 1701 about the land grant which became known as Pawling's Purchase or Patent. Governor Benjamin Fletcher was removed from office in 1698 in part because he awarded excessively large grants of land to individuals he favored. His successor, Lord Bellomont, replaced Fletcher's council with Leislerians and moderates. One might have thought that was Susannah Leisler Vaughton's opportunity to appeal for a review of the land granted to Widow Pawling. No record of such an appeal appears in the public record suggesting she may have treated the matter as a closed issue. Also, Bellomont was attempting to limit the size of any grant to one thousand acres and he was successful in having some of Fletcher's large land grants invalidate~. Perhaps Susannah did not believe there was much hope for another appeal during the period of reform. A change in the political structure in the British government and Bellomont's death in 1701 brought his land reform policies to a halt. A simple transaction in 1701 opened another controversy about Pawling's Purchase which continued for the next three years.19 In.May 1701 Dirck Van der Burgh and Dr. Samuel Staats, purchased from Widow Pawling and her three adult children their share of Pawling's Purchase. The rights of her four other children, who were under 21 years, were not sold. As a result about one half of the tract remained in the hands of the young Pawling children while Van der Burgh and Staats took title to the other half. Five months

Susannah

Vaughton

later, October 30, 1701, these two individuals applied for a patent for approximately five thousand acres oj unallocated land which they discovered existed within the.boundaries of the Pawling Purchase.20 When a survey was finally conducted the entire tract measured ten thousand acres.21 The four thousand acre limit incorporated into the patent received by Widow Pawling provided grounds for further controversy. However, the claim of Van der Burgh and Samuel Staats was brief. A week after their application for a grant of the excess in Pawling's Purchase Leigh Atwo"od, Richard Slater, Abraham Staats (Samuel's father) and unnamed others requested a patent for the same land.2 2 The following day, November 7, 1701, Dirck Van der Burgh and Samuel Staats filed an agreement with Leigh Atwood and Company withdrawing their application thereby allowing Atwood and Company sole possession of the newly discovered tract.23 Van der Burgh and Samuel Staats retained ownership only of the land they had purchased from Widow Pawling. Twenty-two year old Atwood, who had arrived in New York only a few months earlier and whose father, also a recent arrival and was the newly appointed Chief Justice of New York, certainly appeared to be an aggressive land speculator. A few months after this initial transaction he applied for another tract of land, this time in Westchester County. This application for land owned by Caleb Heathcote, was also based on a technicality of ownership.24 Atwood's meteoric rise to prominence in New York in his first months while still in his first year as an attorney was aided by his father. One clear example of this was the assignment Leigh Atwood received from his father to be counsel in the very important treason trial of the prominent anti-Leislerian Nicholas Bayard.25 Susannah Leisler Vaughton became aware of the additional land in Pawling's Purchase and seized the opportunity to recoup her earlier loss by applying for a patent on January 26, 1702, for the unallocated land which she estimated to be about three thousand acres. 26 She receivid a prompt response from the council. On February 2, 1702, Susannah was ordered to appear before 27 Her attorthe Council to present her application. 5, 1702, ney, James Emott, appeared for her on February presenting her Indian deed to Pawling's Purchase in support of her application.28 James Emott was a strong representative. A successful lawyer in New Jersey and New York for almost twenty years, he had gained great respect. He was an advisor to Governors Sloughter and Fletcher. Later in 1702 he was the trial lawyer for

William

Mc Dermott

the anti-Leislerians Bayard and Nicholls in their trial for treason. Earlier Leigh Atwood had been appointed Bayard's lawyer. Susannah's choice of Emott is intriguing for James Emott was the same individual who had escaped to New Jersey to avoid the wrath of her father, Jacob Leisler. He was also the same individual who returned from New Jersey as part of the team which tried and convicted her father for treason.29 Emott's appearance at the Council in behalf of Susannah L. Vaughton must have impressed the Councilmen with the importance of her application. On the same day another respected lawyer, David Jamison, who had been Clerk of the Council in 1695 when the Pawling-Vaughton controversy was settled, appeared on Susannah's behalf. His testimony in support of her application should have helped her cause. He testified that Governor Dongan intended Michael Vaughton to have one half of the purchase for which the license had been issued.30 The Council referred the matter to the Assembly for a decision.31 It appears the Assembly did not act in Susannah's favor for a few weeks later on April 6, 1702 she appealed for an equal share of any grant approved for Leigh Atwood_and Company.32 It appears she was willing to accept a much smaller share of the tract as a compromise. Was Susannah finally making progress in her quest? Atwood and Co. acknowledged her right to an equal share of land "received from the Indians".33 Was this simply another technicality to allow progress on their application? The only land truly acknowledged as having been "received from the Indians" was the land already granted to Widow Pawling. Three weeks later another turn of events appears to have effected Susannah's appeal. The new governor, Lord Cornbury, arrived in New York and was sworn in by Chief Justice William Atwood on May 3, 1702. Advance information indicated the new governor was antiLeislerian in his political philosophy. A month later on June 9, 1702, Cornbury removed William Atwood, leader of the Leislerians, Dr. Samuel Staats and others from their seats on the Council.34 William Atwood was charged with making arbitrary judgements as Chief Justice. He also was charged with "openly and notoriously & most scandalously & with wonderfull partiality" making judgements in favor of his son's cases.35 Leigh Atwood, although not formerly charged, was credited with accepting money from individuals who hoped to curry his father's favor. Very shortly thereafter William Atwood left for England and within months his son followed. Leigh Atwood did not arrive in England

Susannah

Vaughton

until sometime in 1703 because he was captured at sea by the French. He became ill and spent time recovering in a French hospital. As a result of these events no further action was taken on Leigh Atwood's request for the land patent. Leigh Atwood's departure permitted Susannah to reopen her quest for ownership of the land she had tried to prove belonged to her deceased husband. On May 6, 1703, she again petitioned for half of the Pawling's Purchase, reminding the Council that the tract probably contained eight thousand acres of which the patent given to Widow Pawling limited the Pawlings to ownership of only four thousand acres.36 On the same day Susannah complained to the Council that Lt. Governor Nanfan had kept her Indian deed for land at "Crown Elbow [Crum Elbow] in Dutchess County". The Council acted immediately ordering Nanfan to appear before it the next day "and then & there offer his reasons for detaining the license".37 The Council minutes of May 7, 1703 do not record Nanfan's compliance with the Council's order. Further the Council minutes for the remainder of the year do not record any evidence of his 8 The outcome of Susannah's compliance.3 appeal is not recorded but the appearance of a new petition from a new group on March 23, 1704 tells its own story. In that petition Jacob Regnier, John Persons, Benjamin Aske, Barne Cosens and Peter Fauconnier requested a patent for the unallocated land in Pawling's Purchase.39 The land was surveyed and Regnier and his partners requested a patent for the unallocated six thousand acres the survey discovered within the boundaries of Pawling's Purchase.40 Once again Susannah accepted the challenge. Again David Jamison appeared on her behalf on June 16, 1704 but her struggle came to a close following two hearing$ in June by the Council.41 The partnership led by Regnier was awarded a patent for all the unallocated land.4 2 Susannah Leisler Vaughton's ten year struggle from 1695 to 1705 ended on the note of political favoritism on which it seems to have begun. Peter Fauconnier, after whom the land grant became known--"Fauconnier's Patent", had been appointed Receiver General (collector of revenues, rents and duties) by Governor Cornbury. Another partner, Barne Cosens, was Clerk of the Council. Both of these were important positions in Cornbury's administration. The patent awarded to these two men and their partners on April 18, 1705 concluded the controversy.43

William

Mc Dermott

Why the interest in such a small tract of land at a time when land grants measured many times that size? The land wasn't regarded as particularly appealing having been described as "generally Rocky Mountainous ... some small places are to be found therein fit for That description was cultivation and improvement 11 .44 probably intended to minimize the value of the tract and yet give the impression of an intent to settle and cultivate it. During the first decade of theeighteenth century land grants were permitted in theory only to those individuals who intended to settle the land rather than obtain it for its speculative value. That requirement was an important residual of Lord Bellomont's land reform policy. In spite of that the tract discussed herein was more than likely sought for its speculative value. Its three and a half miles of Hudson River frontage may have been the last river frontage land available on the east side of the Hudson from New York City to Albany. Speculators understood the value of such land for shipping purposes and other river related commercial ventures at a time when interior land would be settled. This was one of two river frontage tracts which had gone unnoticed. The other, an adjoining tract to the south approximately four and a half miles in length, was acquired in 1697 as part of and probably the incentive for the Great Nine Partners Patent. Was it the Leisler name Susannah Leisler Vaughton carried as the daughter of Jacob Leislerwhich prevented her from acquiring this relatively small tract of land? Or was it a matter of presenting her appeals at the wrong time? Perhaps her claim had no legal validity but was based on a simple understanding between the two men. It is difficult to arrive at a firm conclusion about these questions. It appears from some of the testimony given and the Council's willingness to recognize Susannah's appeals on several occasions, there was some basis for her position. Also the reasonableness of her claim received support from Emott and Jamison who appeared willing to support her either in a legal sense as did Emott or as a witness as did Jamison. The answer to the question of her failure in fact probably encompasses all three of the above possibilities. Her first appeal in 1695 was to a Council heavily antiLeislerian at a time when Jacob Leisler was being pardoned and his execution labeled a mistake. This was not a particularly good time to appeal to a group of individuals antagonistic to the Leisler name. Perhaps that failure can be attributed to the fact her maiden name was Leisler. Subsequent claims probably failed

Susannah

Vaughton

because her competitive claimants were more aggressive. It also appears her competition was in a better position to exchange favors with other colleagues in the government. Leigh Atwood, probably Leislerian in thinking as was his father Chief Justice William, appears to have been in that position. Finally, when Susannah made her final appeals in 1703 and 1704 the brief period of Leislerian political strength was waning quickly. While the new Governor Cornbury was not favorably disposed to the Leislerians in power at the time, note his quick removal of William Atwood, the Leisler name was probably not a significant factor. Political favoritism was to become one of the characteristics of the Cornbury administration. It was probably political favoritism which influenced the decision in favor of Regnier, Fauconnier, Barnes et al. What was Susannah's reaction to awarding the land to others? One wonders how significant the whole matter was to her. She had witnessed many, many changes in her foity years. Born at the time of the first English takeover of the Dutch Colony in New York, she lived through the period when the Dutch recaptured the colony in 1673 and the English recapture shortly thereafter. She had witnessed a real period of settlement in New York beginning in the 1680's. She had seen great political change and considerable abuse of power in the governments of the period. Her father's execution and the death of her husband both occurring before she was thirty must have provided a perspective about losses. The loss of her husband's portion of the Pawling's Purchase must have seemed incidental in the context of her earlier experiences.

Endnotes 1 Michael Kammen, Colonial New York (New York, 1975), 118-127, 128-160; Lawrence H. Leder, Robert Livingston (1654-1728) and the Politics of Colonial New York (Chapel Hill, 1961), chapters 9 & 10. the III,

2 Documents Relative to the Colonial State of New York, 15 vols. (Albany, 584, (hereafter cited as N.Y. Col.

History of 1853-1887), Docs.)

3 Kammen, Colonial 11 New York, pp. 119-121; The Age of Leisler - New York City, 1689-1710: A Social and Demographic Interpretation'' by Thomas J. Archdeacon in

William

Mc Dermott

Jacob Judd and Irwin H. Polishook, eds., Aspects of Early New York Society and Politics (Tarrytown, 1974), 63-82; Steve J. Stern, "Knickerbockers Who Insisted and Asserted: The Dutch Interest in New York Politics, 1664~1691", N.Y. Historical Society Quarterly, LVIII, (1971), 113-138, particularly 132-138. 4

Letter from King William III to Lieutenant Governor Nicholson, July 30, 1689. The full text reads "and in his [Nicholson] absence to such as for the time being take care for Preserving the Peace and administring the Lawes in our said Province in New York", N.Y. Col. Docs., III, 606. 5 6

book,

Kami~en, Colonial

New York,

Henry T. Hackett, Dutchess Co. Hist.

123-126.

"The Hyde Park Patent", YearSoc., 24, (1939), 75-90-.--

7 New York Council Minutes, 1668-1783, 28 volumes,· at New York State Library, 7, 124, (hereafter cited as Council Minutes). 8

council

Minutes,

186.

9 New York Colonial Manuscripts, 1642-1803, 63 volumes, New York State (hereafter cited as Land Papers).

Land Papers, Library, 3,

28,

lOibid. 11

N.Y.

Col.

Docs.,

III,

407.

12 N.Y.

Col. Docs., III, 410; Edmund B. O'Callaghan, ed. Calendar of Historical Manuscripts in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N.Y., 2 volumes, (Albany, 1866), II, 128. (hereafter cited as Cal. of Manuscripts). 13 14

cal.

N. Y. Col.

Manuscripts, Docs.

, I I I,

134. 410.

Henry Pawling was a minor official as Sheriff of Esopus (Kingston) between 1685-1689. N.Y. Col. Docs., III, 401. 16

Edmund B. O'Callaghan, ed., Documentary of the State of New York, 4 volumes, (Albany, II, 435-37; N.Y. Col. Docs., IV, 1018.

History 1849-51),

Susannah 17

Vaughton

cal.

of Manuscripts,

151.

susannah Leisler Vaughton was the first born (bap. 2/10/1664) of Jacob Leisler and widow of Else Sussanna Tymens. ("Records of the Dutch Reformed Church", N.Y. Genealogical and Biographical Record, VI, (1875), 156. She grew up in a wealthy home. Her father, Jacob Leisler, had married a wealthy widow and strengthened his new fortune through his own mercantile successes. Susannah probably remained in her father's home until her marriage to Michael Vaughton in 1687 after her twentythird birthday. (NYG&BR, V, (1874), 174). She may have moved to Bergen, New Jersey, near the time her son Michael was born in 1688. (Edwin R. Purple, "Leisler", NYG&BR, VII, (1876), 147). Sometime between 1688 and 1695, the time of her appeal for her portion of the land grant in Dutchess County, her husband died. Her husband's death, her father's execution, probably followed by years of quiet persecution during the appeals for her father's pardon were undoubtedly difficult years. She may have lived with her mother until she married Leonard Huygen de Kleyn in 1704. (NYG&BR, XII, (1881), 41). Little is known of her personal life except hel regular appearances as sponsor at the baptisms of the first four of her son's six children. There is no record of her life following the baptism of her grandson, Johannes, in 1720. (NYG&BR, XIX, ( 1888), 15). 19 u1ster

County Clerk, Deeds, Liber AA, 259; George .S. Van Vliet, "Pawling Patent, Alias Staatsburg, and Some of Its Early Families", Yearbook, Dutchess Co. Historical Soc., 2 (1916), 28-30. 20 Land Papers,

15.

21 Land Papers, 4, 13. The actual acreage of the whole of Pawling's Purchase probably did not exceed eight thousand acres. N.Y. State Archives, Deed~, Henry Pawling, Liber 20, 581. 22 Land Papers,

16.

23 Land Papers,

17.

24 Land Papers,

30.

25 Paul M. Hamlin, Charles E. Baker, eds., Supreme Court of Judicature of the Province of New York, 16911704, (New York, 1952), II, 86. (hereafter cited as Supreme Court.)

William

90 • 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

council

Minutes,

305.

council

Minutes,

307.

council

Minutes,

308.

. 8 upreme

Court,

Land Papers, council

III, 3'

Minutes,

74-78.

47.

Land Papers,

58,

308.

April

34 c · ounc1 • 1 M.1nutes,

9 , 36 .

35 N.Y.

Docs.,

IV,

123.

Land Papers,

37 c ounc1 ·1 •M"1nutes,

Mc Dermott

28.

Land Papers,

Col.

15,

1702.

1010-11.

9 , 226 .

38 The original Council Minutes dating from May 1703 to the end of the year were burned in 1911 in the Albany fire. However, the Calender of Council Minutes, 1668-1783, New York State Library, (Albany, 1902), published before the burning, does not record Lt. Governor Nanfan appearing before the Council for that purpose at any time during the remainder of the year. Perhaps the matter was settled outside the Council. 39

Land Papers,

Land Papers, 4, 41 • Council Minutes, 42 council 43 chase", 258-260. 44

Minutes,

N.Y.S. Archives, Letters-Patent Land Papers,

175. 13, April

1704;

444-5.

468 & 477;

N.Y.S. Library, of Lands, VII, 175.

May 25,

Land Papers,

1704.

4, 39.

"Pawling Pur(1696-1712),

UNION CORNERS SCHOOL, DISTRICT Clifford M. Smith

History (1845-1907) of a recently restored one room schoolhouse in Hyde Park presently used for educational programs. Clifford Smith~ long time resident of Hyde Park~ is Vice-President of the Hyde Park Historical Society. On November 10, 1845, the land on which the Union Corners School stood (at present the corner of Cardinal Road and Crumb Road) was deeded for one dollar to Richard Pritchard and John DeGroff, trustees of School District #3. Within one year the trustees built and occupied a "District Schoolhouse" for District #3 and by permission of a majority of the inhabitants of said district for a "singing school, lectures and meetings of a moral or literary character." The school opened in 1846 witn four pupils and closed in 1907 with a student body of twenty. During the sixty-one year period there were many teachers. In one twenty-year period records show there was a succession of seventeen teachers! School board battles were as common then as they are now -- particularly where the budget was concerned. Everyone complained about school taxes. Residents had to vote to keep the school open "12 months in the year, as near as may be" and to raise $200 in the district for school purposes, $30 for fuel and contingent expenses and $170 towards the teacher's salary. On October 17, 1870, the district hired CharlesE. Simpson at $40 a month. His agreement with the trustees was "to teach eight months if he suited the board, with two vacations at his own expense and no Institime was to be allowed to him for Teacher's tute." Mr. Simpson didn't last long in that one-room school. By.. summer of the following year a lady by the name of Freelove A. Holmes was hired. She agreed to $9 per week and a special privilege not often offered to many rural teachers. She did not have to build her own fire! The trustees paid a boy four dollars for the school year to do the job for her. This established a precedent. Teachers after that time always had a boy to build a fire in the potbellied stove. The next teacher received only $8 a week and her fire boy received only $3. However, the 91

Clifford

M. Smith

board of trustees did expend the enormous sum (forthat time) of $13 to buy the new teacher a map! Salaries for teachers in the ensuing years fell with each new replacement until in 1881 the pay scale was $5 per week. Residents complained that taxes were too high so the budget was often cut. Interestingly, the 1884-85 school year showed cash assets of $279.71, a sum equivalent to a year's salary for the teacher. Things improved financially in the late 1890s and the board raised the teacher's salary to $6 a week and purchased twenty new seats, a new broom, and a box of crayons. There was also a listed item of thirty cents for a new dust pan and a water dipper. Water was carried from a well on a nearby farm. In 1905, the board of trustees decided to replace the original wood burning stove with one in which they could burn coal, com~lete with an attached hopper which could be filled with coal and which would keep the room heated night and day. However, the teacher and the students did not enjoy this luxury for long as the school closed in June of 1907. The children were transferred to the Union Free School in the hamlet of Hyde Park. Restoration and Present Use At a meeting of the Hyde Park Historical Study Group and the Hyde Park J.C. 's, a resolution passed to preserve the old school building to give future generations a visual knowledge of the type of school their ancestors attended. During the fall and winter of 1973 the building was dismantled by .the J. C.'s and moved the following spring to a new location on the North Park School ground. The restoration of the school was completed in 1975. In recognition of their fine work, the J.C. 's received a state award; The school was officially dedicated on May 8, 1976. Congressman Hamilton Fish was the principal speaker. On entering the school, one has the feeling that the children are out for recess and that the teacher is about to ring the bell to call them to classes. Each winter, Mrs. Lenore Brimmer, library media specialist of the Haviland Junior High School, holds an annual "spelling bee" and the winners hold the final "run offff at the "Little Red School." Various classes from the North Park Elementary School use the old school occasionally and classes from the Roosevelt High,School make use of it as part of their study

Union

Corners

School

Union Corners School, District #3 -

ca. 1890. Courtesy of the author.

Photo of the completed restoration. Courtesy of. the author.

programs. All in all, and Hyde Park has been local heritage.1

the project has able to preserve

been successful part of its

Endnotes 1 r want to thank the late Miss Beatrice Fredriksen, formerly the Hyde Park Town Historian, and my wife, Joan Smith, for a great deal of information and for the historical research recorded in this article. Also, further information can be found in article entitled, "One-Room School ... Set for Historic Hyd~ P~rk'', Dutchess County Historical ety, Yearbook, Vol. 57, 1972, pages 86-87.

an Soci-

Main St. near Market St., Poughkeepsie - 1930. From the Frank Van Kleeck Collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

THE DEPRESSION COMES TO POUGHKEEPSIE Jack

1930-1936

Lippman

The impact of the Depression on the economy of Poughkeepsie and the response of private and public agencies is analyzed. Initial disbelief about the longer range effects is discussed of the plight of together with descriptions affected families. Jack Lippman is Professor of History at Dutchess Community College. On Tuesday, September 3, 1929, the Stock Market began to drop, on "Black Thursday", October 24, the stampede to sell reached its heaviest level. Within two weeks after "Black Thursday", the average price of common stocks was off by forty per cent. The slide into the. "Great Depression" had become striking and its shock waves raced across the land over telegraph and telephone lines.1 Ii the City of Poughkeepsie, on Friday night, September 20, 1929, the President of the Board of Charities said that "the board would probably ask the Common Council for an increase in its budget this year. 11 2 Alfred H. Fish, the President of the Board went on to say that the appropriation of $4,500, for 'work" was "exhausted early this month." its "outside The total budget for the Board of Charities for 1929, was about $39,000.3 While conceding that, "there is no question about the prevalence of unemployment in Poughkeepsie" or the demands upon the Board of Charities, for those out of work, Alderman Charles I. Lavery, Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Common Council responded with the statement that, "I am not prepared to state whether I believe the board is entitled to an increase in its 11 4 budget for this or any other reason. There is some irony in the alderman's reluctance to consider enlarg~ng the budget of the Board of Charities on the threshold of great need. By 1932 the welfare needs had catapulted the budget to $212,210! 5 The "Great Depression" had come to Poughkeepsie. The impact of this debacle can be seen in three aspects. First, on the lives of the citizens; secondly, upon the economy of the City, and thirdly upon the function of local government. An editorial

the

Poughkeepsie

Eagle

News,

on 95

Jack

Lippman

Monday, 18 November 1929, reflected the optimism of the community. Almost a month after the stock market crisis, there was little realization of what was yet to come: 6

Welfare work in Dutchess County is still increasing because new needs are constantly being discovered. The time eventually should come, however, when money now being spent to put on end to dependency will begin to bring returns and barring any major increase in persons unable to maintain themselves, the curve should go downward... The Sunday Courier, community's plans for observed:7

the

commenting on the business fall and holidays business

The efforts of business men to hold their and holiday business is commendable ... Poughkeepsie has been able to hold its fair share of trade in the past, but there is always room for improvement. We look for a healthy condition of business this fall and winter. There is no good reason why people of this community will not be fed, housed, clothed and educated this season as in past years. Therefore, it behooves all of us to work diligently for more business.

fall

A month later, The Sunday Courier editorial addressed itself to the danger of "artificial means to legislate a condition of prosperity." The paper perceived of the current problem in simple and optimistic terms:8

'What is actually taking place in the United States today is an economic readjustment which if continued wiU result in the necessary preparedness for a period of economic contentment if not general prosperity.' As Christmas 1929 approached, the traditional concern with charity took on a somewhat more ominous tone which belied the "whistling-in-the-dark" optimism. "98 New Families added to Relief List of Associated Charities," was a reluctant headline for a story on page five of the Sunday Courier, the Sunday before 9 The following Christmas. Sunday Courier, editorialized on the subject of Christmas street decoTations in tones that further stripped away the bravado of

The Depression earlier ment":10

comments

Comes to about

Poughkeepsie the

period

"economic

adjust-

Now that New Year's resolutions are in order, would it not be a good plan for Poughkeepsie to resolve not to again dip into public funds to the extent of $5,000 for holiday decorations in the already well lighted business streets? city's With the many appeals for funds to bring holiday relief to such a large number and the stories of want caused by unemployment, it would seem that the city is indulging in a bit of extravagance in spending $5,000 to spread colored lights along the business streets. The same amount of money would have brought relief to many families in the community. and the January 11, 1930 edition Eagle News, published a story of occasioned by the depression:11

of the Poughkeepsie the growing agony

Cold Weather Bring Record Number of Flops To Police. A record number of stragglers almost 50 in number applied for lodging at police headquarters last night ... On January 2, 1930, the Poughkeepsie Eagle News reported that local merchants were calling upon the police for better protection, reflecting an increase of crimes against business as desperation among the poor increased.12 Any hiatus in the needs of the distressed poor that summer brought, was quickly dissipating as fall approached and the Associated Charities in the city Poughkeepsie feeling the growing demands requested $4,000 on September 10, 1930:13

... to complete this year's service to families in distress ... to 118 This work included advice and assistance families faced with unemployment, sickness, domestic trouble, poor homemaking, old age and widowhood ... The end of November 1930 saw bitter cold pile additional agony to the plight of the growing number of poor: 14 The cold snap which put an end to Indian summer in Poughkeepsie also precipitated one of the greatest floods of economic distress the

Jack

Lippman

city has ever known... Families left destitute by unemployment, their troubles increased by the cold, stormed the Board of Public Welfare, the Associated Charities and the Salvation Army for clothing, food and fuel. AU three organizations were kept busy yesterday answering pleas for aid as the resistance of one family after another broke down under the onslaught of the weather. Demands on the Salvation Army for assistance reached an unprecedented peak yesterday after a steady stream of calls Wednesday and Thursday .. . The Army headquarters gave out 52 overcoats ... and took in more than a hundred individuals for meals. In addition, underwear and other clothing as well as wood and coal were distributed to 261 families. This was in addition to 1,627 Thanksgiving dinners provided for the poor in 354 baskets sent out Wednesday, 'We're swamped, ' Ensign Vansyckle said. 'If it keeps up I don't know what we'll do.' The City Home, an arm of the Public Welfare Board, reported a wave of unprecedented calls upon their serv~ ices at this time. Colonel William L. Burnett, superintendent of the Home, noted that his organization had been kept busy for "the past three days responding to appeals for aid. 1115 Colonel Burnett estimated that the volume of appeals had, "exceeded by 15 per cent any11 16 Stories thing the department has experienced before. of distress were echoed in the report from the Associated Charities~ Mrs. Dorothy Phelps Sweet, executive secretary of the Associated Charities reported that many calls were received for coal and wood as well as requests to have stoves repaired so they could be used: 17

When people haven't food in their bodies to keep them warm, they particularly feel the cold ... She went on to recount the story of a family brought her attention:18 The father was earning $9 to $14 a week on .which to support a family of six. There are three healthy children and we want to keep them healthy so they won't be an added burden. girl Another case yesterday was that of a little found on the street crying because of the cold. Her family was investigated and given aid. As the

specter

hunger

loomed

large,

the

private

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

charities, the traditional agencies for relief, once again attempted to cope. Starting in November 1930, the Salvation Army undertook a luncheon program for one month later the school children and reported Charidistribution of 3,685 meals. 1 ~ The Associated ties with gifts from churches, school children, Vassar College, the Good Fellowship Club and a local baking company, the Travis Baking Company, provided "Thanksgiving cheer" to 120 families. In reporting the Charities activities for November, Mrs. Sweet noted that the dire conditions were increasing, that there was need for warm clothing, food, milk and fue1.20 There could be little doubt in the minds of those confronting the disaster, that while there was unprecedented suffering throughout the city, worse was yet to come:21 the local press, while reporting "horror stories" about the depression, tended to do so primarily when they were from qutside of Dutchess County. Editorially, the local ~apers purveyed guarded optimism. Yes, the depression is hurting people, but it is not as bad in Poughkeepsie as it is elsewhere; things are about to get better.22 The business community also sought to persuade the people of Dutchess County that prosperity could be bought by spending on the purchase of consumer vended.23 Now is the best time to buy, goods locally the prices are at the best level, and it is patriotic, as well! But despite this attempt at pep and optimism, real pain continued and increased as the depression's onslaught widened. A significant indicator of suffering is the increase in hospital care paid for by the Board of Public Welfare. In its Financial Report to the Common Council, dated July 1, 1931, the request is made for $80,000 to cover its activities for the remainder of the year. The detailed account of its work for the first six months show that of the $34,000 allowed for hospital care for the entire year, $6,457 remained. The Board's figures indicate an average monthly cost for hospital care of $5,000. On that basis a request care through the end of Decemfor $25,000 for hospital In the light of earlier reports ber 1931 was made.2~ of the conditions of the poor, the increase in sickness should have surprised no one. In December·of 1930, the Associated Charities visited homes in an attempt to assess needs for the Christmas season. Their findings provide an explanation for the surge of hospital cases:25

Jack

100

Lippman

... children are found without warm clothing, huddled about the stoves, babies pinched faces show lack of nourishment, and aged persons, not yet eligible for Old Age Allowances, are discovered trying to eke out an existence. Those in need, tell of having cashed in insurance policies, of exhausting scanty savings accounts ... The unrelenting cold ing to the stress of

continued to the poor:26

punish

the

area

add-

A cold blast struck Poughkeepsie and this vicinity yesterday, bringing the temperature down to within 2.0 degrees of zero at midnight. Indications were that the cold might increase until near-zero temperatures were established ... Today will be cloudy and continued cold ... Efforts by the community to deal with the misery of the depression reveal the concern for the cost to human life and dignity that the economic dislocation occasioned. Formal organizations such as the Salvation Army already in existences and experienced, assumed greater and expanded responsibilities in this effort; ad hoc charity groups were.organized to- aid in the struggle. Individuals, moved by compassion, offered what they could:27

Barber Shop Gives Help For Jobless Thomas and Victor Petronelli of United Will Furnish Free Hair Cuts Just because a man is out of work is no reason why he should look shoddy around the holidays, the owner of United Barber Shop on New Market Street believe ... This generous offer was accepted by more than a hundred persons, including jobless men and their families, and occasioned a plea for -police aid in maintaining order at the barber shop. The brothers Petronelli also requested that charity 6rganizations sending applicants for this free service, supply them with a "written slip so that the needy may be distinguished from the greedy. 1128 • Community efforts to aid were also directed towards finding employment for the city unemployed. With a fund of $6,000 an effort was made to place on part-time

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

101

jobs "about 150 men a week." It was hoped that these men could earn about $12 to $15 a week, 11 in time for Christmas." • Some men had already been employed by the local power company, Central Hudson. "50 cents an hour will be paid as long as the committee's funds hold out. 1129 "The expenditure of $2,400 from Poughkeepsie's unemployment fund to give work to men ... authorized by the job committee ... " The Salvation Army in announcing this expenditure noted that $2,000 of this money was to be spent for the hire of day laborers to grade "the former Beck dock site for a new boat house under the supervision of the Board of Public works. 1130 $400 was to be used to employ men to cut wood for the Salvation Army woodpile.31 Street repairs by the City was also used as a means to employ the jobless, but the best that could be done was to attempt to provide three days em loyment for some of the city's employed on a rotating basis.32 The City reported that for the month of Octo er through mid-November 300 men were employed on work or the City. Mayor Caven's report noted that 220 had been employed full-time and 80 were employed parttime. 230 were employed by the City directly or indirectly and 70 by contractors in the city. The Mayor pointed to the fact that of these 300 jobs, none were paid for by private philanthropy.33 The Sunday Courier urged the city to break the depression by undertaking civic projects that would advance the city's facilities as well as employ its citizens and it insisted in editorials that reliance upon the market economy would restore prosperity.34

... It is much better to awaken dormant infiuences such as business which is already sound than to attempt to iegislate conditions of prosperity ... The Eagle News noted in October of 1930, while commenting editorially on the announced drive by the Kiwanis Club, to encourage the development of jobs, that the city of Poughkeepsie was suffering less than the rest of the nation and that the cure was in finding jobs for the jobless:35 •... It wouid be ·a mistake at this time to take too pessimistic a view of the situation and to create a psychoiogicai depression which wouid intensify the iii effects of economic conditions. On the other hand, the facts as they exist

102

Jack

Lippman

mu.st be faced. Unless the community meets the problem of providing as mu.ch work as possible for its wage earners, there can be no question that the winter will witness mu.ch real suffering and that many may lack for ordinary necessities ... Further evidence of the reluctance to view the situation in its stark and frightening reality can be ·found in the brave editorial printed in the Eagle News editorial commenting on the weekly luncheon meeting of Club:36 the Rotary

A Reasoned Faith In the Future If there are those in Poughkeepsie who are apprehensive about the country's future prosperity, or doubt its capacity for progress, it's a pity that they might not have attended this week's luncheon of the Rotary Club and heard the talk of Charles M. Ripley of the General Electric Company. Mr. Ripley characterized the present economic situation as merely a dip in the upward surge of prosperity, a slight and temporary recession in the curve on the chart of progress ... Less than a month before, the Poughkeepsie Eagle News reported the continued efforts of the apple selling campaign, for at least one more Saturday!37 Telephone shareholders were also advised of the need to raise prices for telephone rental, "due to the volume closing"!38 . of business As Christmas, 1930 approached, the widening stain of want became more poignant. The struggle to provide for basic needs had to assume priority over the traditional gifts to children of playthings, but the community still sought to provide for a "Christmas (that) 9 The Associated will be merry for the children."3 Charities had raised $253 for its Christmas fund for "fq_9~cl and fuel, milk and clothing ... necessities ... the New Year can only be made happier for the grownups by the restoration of the health of sick mothers and the fathers."40 The degree securing of work by unemployed of need was documented by the Associated Charities, in its appeals for contributions, but never more cogently than when it described:41

One mother, overburdened by a job outside her home undertaken when her crippled husband's

The Depression

Comes to

103

Poughkeepsie

earnings fell below th~ needs of the family, has had a nervous breakdown. Absolute rest and plenty of good food, the doctor says, In the meantime will restore her health. there are two healthy boys, both with growing children's appetites to be fed three times a day. The food and milk so much needed for the mother's recovery and to keep the hungry boys satisfied ... Despite the brave and noble intent, private contributions for charitable activities proved to be an unreliable source of aid to stem the tide of desperation. appeal by Jewish OrganizaIn response to a fund ·raising tions for aid to the jobless one man responded:42

I am sorry that I cannot give $1 for the coal fund of the unemployed for my daughters are out of work and I was unemployed for two months before I got this job. A woman responded to the committee:43

Another

Am very sorry not to comply with your request for funds, but my husband has been out of work for over five weeks and I have If anyone has work to do my husband been ill. would be glad to get it. letter said: 44

Very sorry that I cannot include am on the verge of charity myself. One man wrote:45

$2 as I

Sorry I can't help, but I am unemployed and may have to appeal for coal if things don't improve. Desperation resulted in desperate attempts individuals to provide for the needs of loved The Saturday morning, January 24, 1931, issue Poughkeepsie Eagle News reported on the front following story:46

by ones. of the page the

Tale of Poverty Releases Woman A tale of poverty and squalor yesterday won the release of Anna Passante of Highland (a community across the Hudson from Poughkeepsie). 33 year old mother of eight children on a charge of petit larceny soon after her arrest by Detective Powers which cleared up a series of shop-

104

Jack

Lippman

lifting episodes in the city. The charge against her was dismissed by City Judge Harcourt after E. J. Oesteriche~ manager of Kinney's Shoe Store~ declined to press the complaint when he heard the tale of misery and woe unfold by Mrs. Passante. She promised~ however~ to return to police headquarters tomorrow to show police the other places where she visited and obtained merchandise. Mrs. Passante appeared in the Kinney Shoe Store yesterday morning and asked for a pair of boots. The clerk went to the cellar and while he was gone~ she appropriated to her own use two pairs of shoes~ a number of pairs of stockings and a fountain pen. When the clerk returned she said the boots were not what she wanted and she left. The loss of the merchandise was noticed almost immediately and police headquarters was notified ... She said her husband was out of employment. She declared that her family was at one time a wealthy Highland fruit faI'117.erbut that his (sic) home burned down and the family went to live in a chicken coop ... She said she had worked at various jobs to support the family and had taken to shoplifting to try to swell the family income. She said her children range in age from 1 to 13 years. The problems facing the institutions of charity had begun to appear even before that fateful October in 1929. On Friday night, September 20, 1929, the president of the Board of Charities in an address to the Common Council asserted that the growing problem of unemployment, "particularly of men more than· 45 years old", was placing an increased burden on the Board and that they would most probably ask the Common Council He. "for an increase in its budget this year. 11 47 pointed out that allotted funds had been exhausted "early this month and money will have to be raised some way to carry on the work for the rest of the of the Board could not estimate year. 11 48 The president just how much more money would be requested to add to the Board's budget of $39,000. In reporting thismeeting, the newspaper did not hold out much hope for this increase, since the city was in the hands of a Demo-

The Depression cratic and it slashing

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

105

administration, then, "bidding for had, "already announced the policy on the budget this Fall ... 11 49

re-election" of sharp

January 1930 began with efforts to find work for the growing number of needy with an appeal for money to be used to pay for work for those unemployed; tasks needing to be done, civic work, for which the city had no funds. As reported in The Eagle News on January 3, 1930, "912 days of work given to date", but with a balance of only $3,000, only a thousand days of work could be provided, and it was estimated that the funds would be exhausted by the end of the month or, at best, sometime in the next month. This figure is less impressive when one converts it into its substance, namely, enough funds to provide a hundred men with ten days work eachJ50 A year later, this project could only promise three days of work, and the redoubtable Colonel Burnett, who headed this venture too, was quoted as placing the project with its "back to the wall. 11 51 Every effort that could provide employment in Poughkeepsie was lauded and publicized. When Vassar College announced a building and maintenance program in January, 1930, the local press made much of the proposal which would expend $620,000 and which was motivated by a desire to aid in the battle against unemployment. The report of this activity could not give any particulars as to when the money would be "forthcoming. 11 5 2 The annual appeal for funds for Christmas made in 1930, was couched in different terms than those in the 1920s, reflecting the dramatically different nature of the needs of the time:53

The Associated Charities is making its annual holiday appeal~ not merely for its X'mas work with the families in its charge but for money for the far more pressing demands which will be made upon it in the course of the winter ... This winter all our social service agencies will bear a heavier burden than usual ... Demands upon the winters ... acting as an agent for the corrrmunity... to ... produce a maximum of return in the alleviation of suffering. In supporting

this

drive,

the

Poughkeepsie

Eagle

106

Jack

Lippman

News pointed out in an editorial that funds contributed would be used with care and economy and that each case would be carefully investigated. The editorial stressed also that relief would be in the form of:54 ... providing work for the jobless and not direct relief in the form of grants of money for food and clothing and coal. A fundamental approach to the problem revolved around the idea that the only way out of the doldrums was the generation of purchasing power, and this could only be accomplished by jobs, hence the stress placed upon making jobs, rather than outright dole. The support for this notion is reflected in the many editorials on this approach published in the Poughkeepsie Eagle News and in the Sunday Courier. One such editorial in the Poughkeepsie Eagle News was headed, "Real Aid For The Jobless 11 :55 ... to provide work for the jobless which will enable them to earn money toward the support of their families ... A few days before the year's end an editorial quoted a statement made by Dr. Julius Klein, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, to one of the nation's largest advertising agencies, to the effect that the depression was being maintained by a depression psychology. Dr. Klein argued that:56 The firm which eliminates or radically curtails its advertising at this time in the interest of economy is pursuing a shortsighted policy. Work relief was an acceptable policy, and the City sought to make it work. Street repairs were undertaken as were other municipal construction and repairs. the The hard winters which did so much to increase misery of the poor, ironically als6 provided some aid in temporary employment clearing away the heavy snowfalls.57 Every effort to find work through voluntary means were pursued but the results were disappointing. After repeated appeals for funds, the Citizens' Committee on the Relief of Unemployment, reported bitterly that "not a single donation" had been received. The Committee reported that it had funds left for only two days. The front page story reporting this condition was headed, "Appeal Falls On Deaf Ears."58

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

107

... Faced with a steady stream of applicants for jobs and with only enough money to provide work for the rest of the week~ the Citizens' Corronittee For the Relief of Unerrrployment must have $3~000 to carry the city's jobless through another month and out of the winter. An urgent appeal for more contributions was made ... While men are being turned away~ the funds to pay those now at work are fast di.Jindling ... It was revealed ... that only 125 persons out of a population of more than 40~000 have contributed. Merchants have failed to support the fund ... Above the ployment response is clear In light about the recipients

paper's masthead was emblazoned "Local UnemCommittee 'Broke' and Needs $3,000 11 .59 In 'some additional funds were forthcoming, but it that the well was rapidly being drained dry. of the deepening crisis there was concern possibility that non-Poughkeepsians might be of jobs so desperately needed by residents.

James B. Way, newly appointed Streets, announced that he would nonresidents as employees in his

Superintendent not approve of department:60

of any

... I believe that since the people of Poughkeepsie are paying for the upkeep of this department they shou!d be exclusively errrp loyed in it. The problem with outsiders was to appear in the future in other forms, but in all cases to tax further, the recourses of the struggling city, but the main problem of coping with the dire effects of the economic crisis continued to plague Poughkeepsie. The case load for the Department of Public Welfare grew with the deepening depression, with concomitant increases in cost. Table

Case load Cost

Case

Loads

& Costs

Public

Welfare

1931-1934

1931

1932

1933

1934

3,756

8,344

12,423

13,923

$56,433.22

$181,069.00

Source: Department of sie. Report on Costs 1932, 1933, and 1934.

$317,258.49

Public Welfare of Home Relief (Poughkeepsie,

City of For the N.Y.,

$328,961.56 PoughkeepYears 1931, 1935).

108

Jack

Table

Family Welfare The Nature of

Association Report: the Cases Handled in 1931

Problem

Number

Physical illness Mental illness Unemployment Widows and dependent children Indebtedness Underemployment Maternity Mental defectiveness suspected Chronic illness Acute illness Disability due to old age Behavior problems Insufficient earnings (work full-time) Need of optical care Need of dental care Nomadic families Source: Family Welfare Poughkeepsie. A Report Your Gift To The Family Associated Charities)

Lippman

cases

115 58

212 44 30 33 19 18 16 15 14 9 8

7 6 6

Association of the City of To You Of The Results From Welfare Association. (Formerly (Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 1931).

The Family Welfare Association's reports for 1933 and 1934 show declines in the number of cases handled by that agency,61 but the health problem had not been solved, it had found other agencies to turn to for help, namely, public ones. The Board of Public Welfare's annual report to the Common Council for 1934 reflects this change in direction to those needing help. In the section headed, "REPORT OF MEDICAL ATTENDANCE", the opening paragraph reveals some indication of the state of health among the poor:6 2 On Janua:t'y 1st~ 1934 we were carrying what was probably the heaviest case load of relief clients in the history of the Department~ and this situation was reflected in the large increase of applicants for hospital care~ with a corresponding heavy financial outlay to • meet these costs. Seal

In reporting the progress of its annual Christmas sale for 1931, the Dutchess County Health Associa-

The Depression tion noted because of adolescents Hunger, presence in editorialize:64

Comes to

109

Poughkeepsie

the urgency for the purchase of the Seals "the alarming prevalence of tuberculosis in many sections of this county ... 11 63 a contributor to ill health, the City, moved the Sunday

was a constant Courier to

Feed The Children ... children in the City ... go to school every morning without sufficient breakfast--some of them without any. In a City of the size and prosperity of Poughkeepsie this conditfon should of not exist. The Parent-Teacher Associations work in the various schools are doing excellent helping clothe needy children~ but because of lack of funds they have not been able to do as much as they would like in the way of providing food ... The editorial then called upon the public for contributions to remedy this tragic condition. A few weeks later the Sunday Courier moved this appeal from its editorial page to the front page, reflecting the urgency of this situation:65

LET'S HELPFEEDTHE CHILDREN Many Youngsters Go To School Without Breakfast Teachers Report--You Can Help Provide Them With Food The New Year is here. Real winter has arrived. The public schools reopen tomorrow. Are you going to let any school boy or girl go hungry this winter? ... Again, the newspaper called upon the citizens of Poughkeepsie in the battle against hunger which had invaded the City's schools. The efforts of the community to deal with this problem through such voluntary organizations as the Salvation Army were laudable, but taxed resources by the demands made upon them. The City had Army claimed to help defray the costs. The Salvati6n recompense for 1,500 meals distributed in November, 1931. The charge to the City was at the rate of ten cents a meal amounting to $150. On one day, Saturday, December 5, 1931, the police department gave out 27 meal tickets for breakfast, redeemable at the Salvation Army's coffee house, a facility set up to provide breakfast for the hungry. Also given out were 19 meal tickets for supper.66

110

Jack

Lippman

As 1931 drew to a close the growing financial burden caused by the depression had not· only reduced the agencie~ to meet the demands capacity of voluntary piling up, but had had similar effects upon the Welfare Board. Through most of the year, the Board of Welfare fund had been operating at a deficit, and at the December meeting of the Common Council Mayor Alexander Caven urged a formal resolution, which was adopted, to protest to the State, against further public welfare legislation mandating expenditures by the City in this field. The Common Council was told of the $23,200 deficit in the Welfare Board's fund. John B. Van De Water, the Corporation Counsel for the City of Poughkeepsie, advised the Council that the City had reached its borrowing capacity under the charter, and could not raise any more money until January 1, 1932. The City of Poughkeepsie had reached the bottom of the barrel, with ten days left in the yearJ67 The editorial entitled "Another Welfare Deficit" commenting on the state of affairs and of the Common said:68 Council's resolution

Poughkeepsie's case is no worse than tha,t of other cities~ and probably considerable better than most. But despite the most careful and conscientious administration of charity funds it has ha,d constantly recurring deficits to contend with. At present it has reached a stage revealed at last night's Council meeting~ at which it simply ha,s to let its old age pension claims go until the first of the year ... The prospects are tha,t it will fall farther and farther behind as time goes on ... The Citizen's Committee on the Relief of ment reported that it needed $40,000 to meet responsibilities, but at year's end they had only slightly more than half.69

Unemployits raised

December 30, 1931, the editors of the Poughkeepsie Eagle News in an editorial commenting on welfare workers' testimony before the La Follette sub-committee in Washington, D.C. in which those who spoke appealed for federal funds to stem the tide, argued that while no one could deny the existence of need, or the accuracy of the testimony, the state was the logical level

The Depression of government ment.70

Comes to for

this

Poughkeepsie problem,

not

111

the

Federal

Govern-

By any standard 1931 was a bleak year, one filled with a great deal of misery and hopelessness, and if the editorial writer believed that there was greater ills in turning toward Washington for aid than in suffering, he merely reflected the Hoover view. ment

President Herbert C. Hoover had delivered in February of 1931 in which he said:71

a state-

Where people divest themselves of local government responsibilities they at once lay ,the foundation for the destruction of their liberties ... In an editorial ered on Lincoln's warned:72

commenting upon this speech, delivbirthday, the Poughkeepsie Eagle News

... The states must stop bartering their traditional prerogatives either for the ease which comes from the side-stepping of authority or for the material benefits that comes from the federal treasury ... Several months earlier the level of morale was so low that a local theater was moved to abruptly cancel further showings of that classic "tear jerker" East Lynne which had been booked and advertised for a week's fun. This classic of the stage a quarter of a century before was deemed too depressing. The newspaper, in reporting the cancellation, quoted the management of the theater under the caption:73

'East Lynne'

Too sad for 1931

Modern Age Turns Thumbs Down on State Favorite of 25 Years Ago Showing Here ... Theater patrons today want the story which looks at the bright side of life ... It

was replaced

by a musical!

The Sunday Courier could not quite replace the grim reality of the depression with a musical, so it suggested that the nation was succumbing to "Depression Hysteria". An editorial with that caption was printed September 20, 1931:74

112

Jack

Lippman

The so-called business depression and the resultant unemployment will simply be aggravated and made worse by forms of hysteria and exaggeration that go with a crisis or catastrophe. Worry kills more men that (sic) work ... Hysteria prolongs more depressions ... The majority of us remember the wild stories of the World War. We believed them then. We do not believe them now... But now America finds herself in a similar, but not much less damaging situation of depre~sion hysteria ... In the first place, we are believing nearly every assertion broadcast, purporting to the fact, regarding the number of unemployed ... only one figure is correct. Which is it? Are there 6,000,000 or 2,000,000 unemployed in the United States of America? Somebody possibly is off about four million one way or another. Quite a difference. Hysteria or no, every indicator of the economic conditions in the City reflected real cause for worry. The monthly accounts from the City Treasurer presented to the Common Council in its October meeting in 1931 showed that the total receipts for income had dropped from the previous year more·than fifty per cent! It was reported as $35,062.63; it had been $72,061 in 1930, and $78,209.41 in 1929.75 The General Funds.account of the City had, since 1927, begun to show overdrafts on a monthly basis, as the call on City funds had grown. It was possible to do this by using funds paid by property owners through the expedient of depositing money collected from them for their share of public improvement warrants in advance of the dates when the public improvements were due in the General Fund account. By 1931, this overdraft practice showed the City in the red in _this fund, the year ending with an overdraft balance of $84,257.64.76 Association also Suggestions from the Taxpayers indicate the growing pressure on the City's resources. A letter from the Association entered into the minutes November 1931 meeting, contained of CoITu~on Council's two suggestions, one as an economy measure, and the City:77 other an appeal for help for the struggling

... In view of the present financial condition of this city and the general demand for

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

113

economy... which might be chargeable to and payable out of city funds be omitted this year ... The Taxpayer's Association stands ready to assist the Mayor or the Common Council either here or at Albany by delegation, committee, or in writing with petition attached in an effort to secure for our city a portion of the Gas Ta.x moneys collected by the State. This money would revert to our Board of Public Works to help defray paying ex-penses. The cities of the state pay about 60% of the total Gas Ta.xes collected. At the December meeting, the Taxpayer's Association submitted another appeal which. clearly reflects the depressed financial condition of its members: 78

... request ... CommonCouncil ... consider the possibility of allowing for this year, an· extension of time of two months for the payment of ta.xes, without penalty or interest, the same as has been done in Rochester and some other cities. The Corporation Council, in response to a request for his legal opinion, responded for the December meeting of the Common Council that the Charter did not permit this in Poughkeepsie. To accomplish this required a charter amendment which could not be acted upon soon enough to beat the tax paying date established by the charter and therefore could not be done in time for any practical benefit.79 Association called The proposal by the' Taxpayer's for a two months period of grace, without penalty or interest in which the property owners could extend their payments of taxes due the City. An editorial comment upon this plan, headed "Deferred Tax Payments", rejected the idea on the grounds that it would do nothing for those most in financial need:80

... two months grace will afford them only a savings of two months interest, which at six per cent would be one per cent of their bills. Of course this would mean a considerable amount to large ta.xpayers, but it would mean comparatively little to the small property owner. Even on a $15,000 assessment, which is above the average for homes, at a $50 rate, the savings would be only $7.50, and for a

114

Jack

Lippman

great many of the persons on whom the present depression falls heaviest the_savings would be little more than a couple of dollars ... The issue was debated further, but no charter amendment was introduced to accomplish the Taxpayer's Association suggestion. The Chamber of Commerce directed its solutions at another target, namely unions. If the unions would reduce their wage scale for a limited time, it was thought that the Unemployment Relief Committee could place "a number of men" who would be able to earn "$12 or $15 a week in time for Christmas. 11 8 1 The representative of the Poughkeepsie Trade and Labor Council was invited to the meeting but announced that while he would be willing to discuss the suggestion, the unions would not consider such a suggestion.82 Department heads in the Dutchess County government met and agreed to take a 10 per cent cut in salary to take effect September 1, 1932 and to continue through May 1, 1933. If economic conditions had not improved by then, the decrease in salary would continue. The following day, June 24, 1932, the Poughkeepsie Eagle News reported on the front page that the "Heads Of City Boards Agreed To Pay Return". The body of the story reported that the City Administration had requested all officials and municipal employees to assign ten per cent of their salaries to the Public Welfare Fund for the months of September, October and November.83 A few weeks later, the newspaper headlined that the Aldermen had taken a pay cut, and that 37 city officials had signed agr2.ements to turn over their contribution of ten per cent to the fund.84 This phenomenon 85 and to the teachers.86 spread to the paid firemen, These actions were applauded not only for the humane gesture in contributing to the aid of the distressed, but because it coincided with the prevalent notion that what government had to do was to economize. One persistent phenomenon in this period, was -the decline in the circulation of money. About a quarter of America's labor force were out of work in 1932 and 1933. In all the previous depressions in America's history, none had affected the.laboring force so destructively. The Federal Governments' expansive fiscal policy during the New Deal appears to some to have been far too little to effectuate a necessary

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

115

PRIMING IT !

i r-·

SOURCE: t'Oughkeepsie

Eagle

News, 27 December

1930

increase in the supply of money, but the fiscal policies of the states and local government were contracting. State.constitutions and local government charters made no provisions for deficit spending. When the Public Welfare Board's funds were depleted before ·the year's end, Poughkeepsie borrowed money through the acceptable instrument of bond issues. This meant that on January 1, the City's books were balanced. Tax 87 increases were also characteristic of the period. The incoming Common Council, on January 2, 1933, announced with pride that it was "pruning" the City payroll. This action turned out three ash garbage inspectors and abolished these positions. This was an "economy" move doubly sweetened 1:>ecause those turned out had been appointed by ~h~ late administration,

Jack

116

Lippman

ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE POSSIBILITY

71k ~J

.. -. ,.;.-

,,_,

~ ~

SOURCE:

Poughkeepsie

Eagle

News,

6 February

1931

which hact been Democratic.88 · There were subsequent reductions in other departments as well, including the police and fire. 89 Moreover, in the face of -t'he growing incapacity of many to buy, not because o~ ~Jtiabut because of absences of money, there was an tion, abnormal emphasis on the danger of inflation; this at a time of unprecedented deflation. Discussions.about the proposal to pay off the veterans' bonus reveals this fear. President Hoover's opposition to this payment in paper money was clearly based upon the inflationary impact this would have. In Poughkeepsie there were many who shared this concern as a series of articles in the local newspapers attest. An editorial entitled "The Economics of Bonus Payment" which appeared in the Poughkeepsie ·Eagle ·News Febru-

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

117

ary 3, 1931, is illustrative of this point of view. It spoke out strongly against the payment because it would, said the editorial writer, inflate the economy, depress the value of government bonds and encourage unemployment. A cartoon by the distinguished political cartoonist, Cargill, underscored the apprehensions about devastation which the passage of the bonus payment bill must visit upon an already reeling America. It showed a rotund male figure in dark suit and wide brimmed hat, identified as the Senate, standing next to a mortar which he had just fired and the falling shell is poised over a structure labeled "Business and Financial Structures", as a staggering figure viewing this is saying, " ... we're ruined!", the shell is labeled "Bonus payto grasp the reality of the ments. 11 90 The failure contraction in consumer spending is difficult to understand from the vantage point of almost a half a century later. Pronouncements in the local newspapers about depression hysteria, editorials urging spending, advertisements purveying patriotic efforts to spend the nation out of the depression, as well as the opportunity for bargains, reveals as perhaps no other method can that there seemed to be a perception of Americans hiding their money in mattresses who had to be enticed to spend. In one of the many editorial efforts in this direction, headed "Buy Now", this perception is quite clear:91

... Poughkeepsie is not lacking in money. It fortunately has experienced no PSYCHOLOGICAL BUYINGSTRIKE such as has hurt some communities~ but it has not been buying as much as it can and should. If everyone would buy normally~ the greater part of the present problem would be solved ... Poughkeepsie viewed the calamity of the Great Depression as though it were a natural disaster. In its response, it called upon civic pride and charity from its own community, to meet the trial. The citizens, organizations of charity, the fraternal groups and the business community answered the call for aid. Committees were formed to place men into jobs, to provide food, clothing and shelter for those in need; the City bustled with activities toward these ends. A careful survey of the main daily and weekly newspapers from the onset of the crisis and throughout the period under examination, reveals this activity. No edition

118

Jack

Lippman

of these papers failed to print a story about what was happening in this battle. Editorials, committee reports, and appeals for support, were a daily occupain the tion, (a weekly one in the Sunday Courier), dances, Poughkeepsie .·Eagle. News. Mass meetings, benefit clothing drives, even the free haircutting service reported above, all reflect real concern and willingness to help. While the politicians and the newspapers recognized the national and indeed, international, they approached it in the components of the qepression, time-honored minute-man fashion. It assumed a local perspective and in true-blue traditional posture not only resented at first, but actively opposed, any action by Albany or Washington which seemed to depart from the past. In an already cited editorial affirmation of President Hoover's Lincoln Day address in 1931, the editors expressed the community fear of the errosive effects of a federal bureaucracy, "supreme over a collection of weak governments," the editorial then went on, "when the doing of the public business shall have lost all contac_ts with the people ... 11 92 The Great Depression was not like a catastrophic fire, or a breached dam; the depression was not caused in Poughkeepsie, nor could it be cured in Poughkeepsie. After circling the wagons in a valiant effort, the defenders found that the enemy could not be repulsed. Voluntarism, while it had and still has much to commend ,it as an American way to accomplish some community ends, could not then, nor can it now, cope with a problem of the magnitude of the economic debacle of a national depression. Reluctantly, this became apparent to the citizens of Poughkeepsie, and Albany and Washington became part of the defense forces in what should have been perceived as a common struggle. SUMMARY The "Great Depression" engulfed the citizens of the City of Poughkeepsie shattering lives, bringingdistress in an unprecedented degree. A budget allotment of $39,000 for charity for 1929 almost doubled by 1930, it mo-re than tripled by 1931 and by 1932 had skyrocketed more than five-fold. Under assault by need, the citizens attempted to rally in the traditional voluntary way, only to find the danger of such magnitude as to dwarf their resources. Despite efforts to discourage the seeking of aid from

The Depression

Comes to

119

Poughkeepsie

outside of the community on the grounds that such succor from the state or worse, the Federal governments, would lead to the loss of home rule, the City Fathers were unable to resist the help from those quarters. Such aid put men to work, provided sick and oldage support and relieved some of the misery of the absence of money to pay for food, rent and fuel. In a combined effort, the citizens of Poughkeepsie and their elected officials soon came to accept the cooperative nature of the struggle against what was slowly being perceived as a national, and indeed an international, crisis, and to turn with more enthusiasm and hope to the resources of the Federal Government in the struggle to extr~cate the City from the worst effects of the Great Depression.

ENDNOTES 1 Board

of Governors of.the Federal Reserve System. Federal Reserve Bulletin, xvi, No. 1 (January 1930) p. 14. 2 Poughkeepsie Eagle News.· 21 September 1929, p. 1, (hereafter cited as PEN). 3 4

Ibid. PEN.,

5 Minutes Poughkeepsie, Minutes.) 6 PEN.,

24 September

1929,

of the Common Council of the 19 October 1931, (hereafter 18 November

1929,

City cited

of as

7(Poughkeepsie) Sunday Courier, p. 6. The editorial was entitled! (hereafter cited as S.C.) 8s.C.,

15 December

1929,

9 S.C.,

22 December

1929,

10 S.C.,

20 December

1929.

17 November 1929, 11 Logical Business.

Jack

120 11 12 13 14 1930. 15 16 17 18 19

PEN.,

11 January

PEN.,

2 January

PEN.,

11 September

PEN., -

29 November

1930. 1930. 1930. 1930.

See

also,

16 December

Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. PEN.,

20 PEN., 400 families charities. 21

Lippman

PEN., PEN., PEN.,

3 December

1930.

11 December 1930. It was reported that were provided with food through private PEN., 28 Novembe_r 1930. 11 December 1930. 22 October 1930, editorial 13 November 1930.

cartoon.

22 S. C. , 30 September 1930. ·PEN. , 26 October 1930. PEN., 27 October 1930. In an editorial, "A Reasoned Faith in the.Future", the Poughkeepsie ·Eagle News. The editors saw reasons to be optimistic. Reporting on a speech at the Rotary Club by Charles M. Ripley of the General Electric Company, the editor summarized Mr. Ripley's characterization of "The present economic situation as merely a dip in the upward surge of prosperity, a slight and temporary recession in.the curve on the chart of progress ... " 23 PEN.,

18 Novemper 1930. A half-page advertisement vending optimism asked, "Is.Business Shot? Or only Half-Shot? (We Mean in Poughkeepsie)." PEN., 20 November 1930. A quarter page advertisement donated ·PEN., 21 November 1930. A full page by the newspaper. advertisement trumpeting spending as patriotic. PEN., 11 November 1930. An editorial urging the readersto make their purchases now. The editorial was entitled, "Best Time to Spend." PEN., 22 November 1930. An editorial pronounced, "Poughkeepsie Prospers." PEN., 20 December 1930. A frontpage story about economic conditions asked, "Is it mental?".

The Depression-

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

121

Minutes, 20 July 1931. The request. was made to but- the letter the chairman of the Finance Committee, accompanying the request noted.that there was no balance. Iri fact, .they were overdrawn to the amount of $750. See also, 'PEN., 31 December 1931. A front page story, "What Charity Costs Dutr>.hess."

1930 $28,335.93 $63,897.17

T.B. Hospital

1931 $52,516.09 $64,945.77

See also, S.C., 6 December i931. "Alarming prevalence of T.B. in adolescents in many sections of this county ... " The lead in an article soliciting Xmas seals.

25 PEN., 16 December 1930. The front page headlined, "Plea By Associated Charities" in the associated charities general secretary's See also, S.C., 27 December 1931. Editorial "Feed The Children" pointed to the plight of and the obligation to feed the children. 26 PEN., November 1930. The front page lined,"The Cold Snap" spoke to the misery tressed poor assaulted by bitter weather;

story recounting report. headed, the poor

story headof the dis-

One of the greatest floods of economic distress the city has ever knouJn... Families left destitute by unemployment, their troubles increased by the cold, stormed the Board of Public Welfare for clothing, food and fuel. All three organizations were kept busy yesterday answering pleas for aid as the resistance of one family after another broke down under the onslaught of the weather. See also, PEN., 16 December 1930. 27 PEN.,

5 December

28 PEN.,

10 December

1930.

29 PEN.,

16 December

1930.

3 oPEN.,

17 December

1930.

31 Ibid. 32 PEN., 19 December 1930. 15 men employed on a 1930. Also, grading job. See also, PEN., 20 December 23 December 1930. By 23 December, 50 men were added to the original 15 men. Bitterness developed when the Superintendent of Public Works accused the jobless of

122

Jack

refusing to help the city on Saturday, 27 December, taken care of by charity."

Lippman

dig out of a heavy snow fall because they were, "too well See PEN., 29 December 1930.

ber

PEN., 4 December 1930. 1930. Editorial entitled,

See also; 'PEN., 29 Decem"Jobs Not Doie."

1929.

34 S.C., --

1 December

1929.

Also;

35 PEN.,

30 October

1930.

36 PEN.,

12 December

S.C.,

15 December

1930.

PEN., 24 November 1930 .. The apple.selling paign earned $40! See also, PEN., 21 November a report on the inception of the apple selling 38 PEN.,

26 December

1930.

39 PEN.,

18 December

1930.

cam1930 for campaign.

40 rbid. 41

Ibid.

42 S.C., 43 44

3 January

1931.

Ibid. Ibid.

45 Ibid.

46 PEN., 47

PEN.,

48 Ibid.,

24 January 21 September PEN.,

1931. 1929.

23 September

49 Ibid., letting tion of 50

Only two days later the of contracts for $40,000,000 the Empire State Building.

PEN.,

51 PEN., 52

1929.

PEN.,

3 January 21 February 7 January

1930. 1931. 1930.

PEN. reported the for the construc-

The Depression

Comes to

Poughkeepsie

53 PEN.,

16 December

1930.

18 December

1930.

29 December

1930.

PEN.,

123

55 Ibid. 56

PEN.,

57 PEN.,

13 January

1931.

Also,

PEN.,

19 December

1930. 58

PEN., 19 February 1931. made the day before.

been

A front

page

appeal

had

Urgent Appeal.· .. $3.,000 Is Found Needed To Provide Another Month of Work Only 125 Persons Have Contributed To This Fund. PEN. , 18 February 1931.

59 PEN., that $1,000 to appeals. 60 PEN.,

22 December 1930. had been received 3 January

This edition in donations

revealed in response

1931.

61 Family

Welfare Association of the City of Poughkeepsie. A Report To You Of The Results From Your Gift To The Family Welfare Association. (Formerly. Associated Charities) (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 1934). 62 Board Report 1934.

of Public Welfare City On Costs Of Home Relief For (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 1935).

63 rbid., The article sources of monies from 64

s.c.'

6 December

the

and

also contains a survey of the towns in Dutchess County.

1931.

65 s .c.,

3 January

66 S. C.,

6 December

67 PEN.,

22 December 19·31.

1931.

21 December 68 PEN.,

22 December

1931.

69 PEN.,

30 December

1931.

70 rbid.

of Poughkeepsie. The Years 1933

1931. 1931. See

also,

Minutes,

124

Jack 71 PEN., 72 73

17 February

Lippman

1931.

Ibid. PEN.,

12 March

1931.

74 Ths ·surid~Y ~durier s.c., 20 September 1931: operating on the theory of· the depression as· a psychological phenomenon,.printed an editorial arguing that the depression was over, the economy could now be expected to climb. In what has to be the most incredible example of circular logic, the editor wrote, "prosperity is the only thing that will oust a depres-sion." S.C., 22.November 1931. See also; ·s.c., 29 November 1931: "Saving and Spending, The Psychology Approach 11 , and S.C., 20 December 1931: "What about Depression?" -75 Minutes, 1931~ See also, S.C., 25 19 October October 1931. These figures represented monies realized from franchise and bank taxes. This dramatic decline gave some clue to the state of business in Poughkeepsie at that time. 76 M· 1nutes,

21 Decem b er

1931 .

77M.1nu t es,

26 November

1931.

78 Minutes, 1 December 1930. business men and property owners policy effect upon their interests. 79 Minutes, 15 December 1930. before 15 January 1931 impossible. SOPEN., 81P..,N _E_.

11 December

1932.

16 December

1930.

The law made action

Ibid.

83 PEN. , 23 June 84 PEN., 1932

An association of concerned about public

and

id.,

85 PEN.,

1932.

15 July 1932. 30 May 1932. 21 July

1932.

See

also,

PEN. , 24 July

See

also,

Minutes,

1932.

2 May

The Depress~on 86

PEN~,

Comes to 8 September

Poughkeepsie

125

1932.

87 c. North; ·Growth and Welfare in the AnierDouglas can Past. (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 197 4. ) p. 165. See also; ·Polk's Directory: for the years 1931-36 for the picture of assessed value: 1931= 52,208,372. 1932=50,108,092. 1933=52,801,411. 1934=52,126,475.06. 1935=53,354,597.87. 1936= 50,312,710.87. The notion that money was being "hoarded" and if only people would use their cash the "Depression would be over'', found expression in an editorial in the Sunday Courier headed, "The Depression." S. C. , 15 November 1931. . See also. PEN. , 26 November 1930. N.Y. Constitution. Art. VI~ Section 10. 88 1931. PEN., 2 January 89

1930. See also PEN., PEN., 19 September 1932. The State Highway Division announced it drop 32 local employees as part of the state's move.

11 April would economy

90 PEN., 3 February 1931. See also PEN., 6 February 1931. The editorial cartoon by Cargill headed "Another Earthquake Possibility" reflects the fear of increased money in circulation if the Soldiers Bonus Bill passed. 91 92

PEN., Ibid.

1 November

1930.

,,, •'

J..1,5 \

,,,-;;·/

>l::rffb I

",......

:if01t./-00 ______ _ ,/·--······--

·---:,:::!J._ 0 I ...... _... .,.

;~60

•

·-,,),,l

'••,.,,...... __ 3

)_ . I

If~!

..J-·....

/ f

,..

"----

'/,------,

..,

............

: ~

•••

____________ ------------

....-'

', ....,

t ~

--~/'__ ,,,, '! I

/·---.7/

, I

Map of the Town of Clinton - 1797. Copied by William Benson from the D.C.H.S. Yearbook 1926.

THE FEDERAL CENSUS - A RESEARCH INSTRUMENT William P. Mc Dermott

Discussion of a procedure which permits fuller use of early census records. A pilot study of slaveowning the new procedure. patterns in 1790-1800 illustrates William P. Me Dermott is editor of a book entitled Ei hteenth Centur Docwnents of·the Nine·Partners Patent, Dutchess County, New York, publis e by the Dute ess County Historical Society in 1979. The first complete enumeration of individuals living in the United States was undertaken in· 1790. Since that time the decennial census records have become important research instruments for the historian and genealogist.· These valuable records are used by the historian to compare population change in towns or regions from one decade to the next. While individual names, except in a few instances, are not important to the historian, the genealogist's primary interest is the individual name. Genealogists searching for family members trace individual names to the town in which earlier ancestors may have settled. Both the historian and genealogist often resign themselves to certain limitations inherent in the early census records. For example, researchers cannot always determine the precise geographical location of an inhabitant or group of inhabitants under study. The earliest census records simply record the head of household's name and town in which the family lived. No address or other geographical reference is given. One other problem which further complicates the researcher's work is the changes in town boundaries which occurred after 1790 .. Towns became too populated to manage as single civil units and therefore were divided. As a result a town may retain its early name at present but may no longer be defined by the same geographical boundaries as it was in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries. This is the case in Dutchess County and in fact throughout New York State. For example, the town of Clinton in Dutchess County contained within its boundaries in 1790 two other towns presently known as Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley. Both of these towns became independent in 1821. Because of these changes in town boundaries the researcher often must qualify his remarks by the statement "as the town was defined in 1790" or a similar limiting remark. The purpose of this paper is to show how these limitations can be overcome and as a 127

William

128

result permit ful harvests

researchers to reap from the early census

Mc Dermott

richer and more userecords.

Background The reasons the First Congress passed an act in 1790 enabling the newly formed government to enumerate the inhabitants of the United States were similar to the reasons for our present census representation and finances. Essentially the 1790 census was to determine 1) the number of representatives in Congress apportioned to each state and 2) the amount of tax each state was to pay toward the support of the federal government. The committee formed for that purpose on January 11, 1790 in the House of Representatives acted quickly. A bill was presented for debate eight days later. Although some aspects of the bill stimulated lively discussion, neither the principle nor the constitutionality of the prospective first census act received attention because there was'general agreement in Congress about the need fora regular census. 1 Although the plan to record each individual's occupation was defeated, many of James 2 The final Madison's recommendations were accepted. bill which passed the Senate barely six weeks after the House committee was formed was signed into law by President Washington on March 1, 1790. Essentially the first census act required the marshals of the judicial districts to enumerate all individuals, according to except Indians who did not pay taxes, the following schedules: a) free white males of 16 years and upwards, • including heads of families b) free white males under 16 c) free white females, including heads of families d) all other free persons e) slaves. As the schedule indicates, Mr. Madison's plan of enumeration exceeded the simple nondescriptive count provided for in Article I, section 2 of the Constitution of the United States. While there were obvious limitations in Mr. Madison's approach such as the fact that females were not differentiated according to age because they did not serve in the military and blacks were not described by either age or sex, this first schedule was a harbinger of the more complex enumeration procedures of the present census. One provision length of time

which Congress

stimulated debate would allow for

was the completing

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Census

129

the enumeration. Members of Congress were striving to achieve as accurate an enumeration as possible. Some believed that inaccuracies would creep into the enumeration as a result of inhabitants relocating if the elapsed time allowed for the enumeration was too long. The nine month period finally allowed by Congress was to begin on the first Monday in August 1790. The assistant marshal (enumerator) was to record each inhabitant's residence based on where he ltved on that first Monday. the impo·rtance of the census In order to emp'hasize act, fines for noncompliance or dereliction of duty were levied. Any 16 year old individual, eveh if hewas not head of a household was required, if asked, to give an accurate account of the members in his family. The $20 penalty for noncompliance3, which could be levied by the a~sistant marshal, represented a great deal of money at a time when weekly earnings were between three and four dollars. And further, any assistant marshal who failed to file a return or made a false return·was subject to a $200 penalty. The marshal was also subject to a penalty, $800 if he failed to file the complete returns of the enumeration with the President by September 1, 1791. Only half of these fines went to the United States. The other half was given to the informer reporting the !4 infraction! Remuneration for marshals and their assistants was ·included in the first census act. The amount of compensation depended on the difficulty of gathering the information. The most important factor was the time it took to enumerate. Time was based on the density of the population and the difficulty of travel. For example, the marshal for Delaware received $100 for his work while the marshal for Virginia received $500. New York's marshal received $300. Similar guidelines applied to the assistant marshals. Those gathering information in densely populated areas like cities received $1.00 for every 300 persons recorded. In Dutchess the compensation was probably $1.00 for every 150 persons or about five cents per family. And in some sparsely settled areas in the country the compensation could reach $1.00 for every 50 persons.5 The assistant marshal for census in the counties of Dutchess, Putnam (part of Dutchess in 1790) and Ulster was Samuel A. Barker, a resident of Frederickstown,

130

William

Mc Dermott

Putnam County. The nine months allowed for enumeration appears to be a reasonable period of time but Samuel Barker was req~ired to.visit 11,000 households to enumerate the 75,000 inhabitants in these counties. Visiting that many families in such distant places with a horse as the only means of transportation along dirt roads, lanes and footpaths must have been quite an undertaking. Travel was difficult in the depths of winter with its cold winds and impassable roads choked with snow.· The spring wasn't much better following the thaw when roads were either washed out or filled As a result the actual period of favorable with mud.6 travelling conditions was shorter than the nine months allowed. Because of these conditions it is very probable that Samuel Barker had an assistant in each town who knew the town, its people and roads. The fact that he filed his report on January 3, 1791 strengthens the assumption that he did not work alone. Method The method herein described was designed to permit the historian and genealogist to use the census record as a microscopic instrument. The _intention of this method is to provide the historian with a technique to study population change from one area to another within the same town. As a result more precise study of early settlements in newly developing towns in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries may be undertaken. Using the same technique the genealogist may pinpoint more precisely the residence of an early inhabitant. The most orderly method of reaching people was to travel the town roads as efficiently as possible. Undoubtedly, doubling back or traversing the same road again and again was avoided. Therefore, it was assumed the assistant marshal immediately identified the main roads in each town. These roads were then used to draw a plan for travelling through the town of the small size of during the enumeration. In spit~ most towns in 1790, a significant road or two can be identified. Early maps, when available, are invaluable for they identify the principle and some secondary roads. In some instances these maps record the residences of several prominent early inhabitants. To illustrate Dutchess County

this method the town of Clinton in was used. In 1790 Clinton included

The Federal the Park when for

Census

131

three towns presently known as Clinton, Hyde and Pleasant Valley. The population of Clinton the enumeration was completed was 696 families a total of 4,607 individuals.

This method begins with two kinds of information. The first is the identification of early roads. In the case of Clinton, a map was compiled and drawn in 1797 by Jacob Smith, a surveyor and mapmaker who lived in the town at the time. His twenty-five or more years in the town and his identification as a surveyor as early as the year.17807 increases the T~e second confidence in the accuracy of the map. kind of information needed is the approximate location of about five percent of the early inhabitants indifferent parts of the town. This information is often readily available from local historians, early histories, early town records and maps and can be verlfied, when necessary, through deed searches at the local county clerk's office. The next step is to obtain the original listing (not alphabetical) of individuals as recorded by the census enumerator (assistant marshal). Each individual is then numbered in the exact order recorded by the census enumerator. These numbers trace the path of the enumerator for he obvioujlY visited farms successively as he travelled along each road. After a number, the numbers each family has been assigned of the key inhabitants, those who have been located .positively, are placed on the map. When this step is completed a sense of the direction taken by the enumerator as he moved through the town emerges. Even if an early map is unavailable the same sense of the enumerator's route will emerge, although it may not beas precise or as easy to visualize. One may use more recent maps which may add a bit of confusion because of the number of new roads since 1790, nevertheless the enumerator's route will become apparent. To illustrate this method the route of the enumerator will be traced through the town of Clinton during the 1790 census enumeration. The starting point is the Post Road (Route 9) which parallels the Hudson River and was used extensively even before 1790. The names and residential locations of three Clinton families known to have lived on the Post Road were.selected from the pool of key inhabitants discussed above. These names were placed on the map along the Post Road at their proper locations. Barnet Gay lived on the

132

William

Mc Dermott

Post Road about one half mile north of the Poughkeepsie town line; Richard D'Cantillon lived west of the Post Road on the Hudson just a few hundred feet from into the the point where the Crum Elbow Creek empties Hudson River; Margaret Uhl lived west of the Post Road about one half mile south of the Rhinebeck town line. The numbers assigned to these individuals based on their position in the census record are 1, 31 and _71 respectively. Two other names have been selected simply to demonstrate the___effectiveness of this method. Colonel William Barber lived west of the Post Road one and one half miles north of Barnet Gay and a comparable distance south of Richard D'Cantillon. George Rheam (Rymph) Barber's assigned number is 12. ne~r the Poit Road one and one half miles north lived of Richard D'Cantillon and about the same distance south of Margaret Uhl. Rheam's assigned number is 44. These five key inhabitants are located along the Post Road in the following order from south to north: Gay, Barber, D' Cantillon, Rheam and Uhl. Their assigned numbe1s 1, 12, 31, 44 and 71 respectively indicatethe enumerator journeyed along the Post Road from south to north. The attached map depicts this more clearly. Therefore, it can be assumed ·names recorded on the census records between these individuals also livedon the Post Road or perhaps on a side road, lane or footpath just off the Post Road. Further, a more precise estimate of the residence of previously unlocated inhabitants may be made based on the placement between two known inhabitants. After the census enumerator visited Margaret Uhl's home, one has only to determine where he was'likelyto go next. A short distance north of Margaret Uhl's home the Post Road connected with another principle road through_ Clinton. Hollow Road, as it is pr.esently named, also existedbefore 1790. Therefore, it was assumed that the enumerator took this road easterly because it was the only direction open to him unless he retraced his path south. John D'Witt is another individual whose residence in 1790 is known. He lived at the junction of Hollow and Creek Roads. Hollow Road courses through Clinton in a southeasterly direction through the present village of Clinton Hollow at the Little Wappingers Creek until it meets the road from Clinton Corners near the east line of the town of Clinton at the Great Wappingers Creek. Creek Road at Hollow Road is about six hundred feet from the ·crum Elbow Creek and follows the creek south until the creek turns westerly near Hyde Park. The road then

The Federal

Census

133

continues south to Poughkeepsie passing West and East Dorsey Lanes. Creek Road and the Dorsey Lanes also existed in 1790. (At present most of Creek Road has been incorporated into the road known as Route 9G.) The census enumerator had to pass John D'Witt's home and mill as he travelled easterly. John D'Witt's assigned number is 93. The proximity of this number to Margaret Uhl's number supports the assumption that the census enumerator travelled easterly. Returning to the list of families whose residences are known, to obtain a clue about two more names were selected the direction the census enumerator took when he reached the junction of Hollow and Creek Roads. On Hollow Road in the village of Clinton Hollow lived a millowner named Abraham Freligh. His assigned number is 309. Joshua Neilson(Nelson) lived at his saw mill on Creek Road near a road now known as South Cross Road, about half the distance between John D'Witt's home and the point where the Crum Elbow Creek turns Joshua Neilson's assigned west toward the Hudson. number is 100. This number is closer to JohnD'Witt's assigned number, therefore it is apparent the census enumerator travelled south on Creek Road (Route 9G) rather than easterly on Hollow Road to Abraham Freligh. Further confirmation of the census enumerator's southerly route is obtained from the list of known inhabitants. William Stoutenburgh lived on Creek Road near where the Crum Elbow Creek turns toward the Hudson. Peter Schriver lived in the southern part of the town, now known as Hyde Park, near the intersection of Creek Road and West Dorsey Lane which connects Creek Road with the Post Road just north of the Poughkeepsie line. William Stoutenburgh's assigned number is 124 and Peter Schriver's assigned number is 151. Just to recapitulate, the assigned numbers following Margaret Uhl are 93(D'Witt), 100(Neilson), 124(Stoutenburgh) and 151(Schriver). The evidence clearly shows the census enumerator travelled south along Creek Road. It is equally clear that he then travelled easterly a short distance and began another journey north. This north-south pattern matches the direction of the principle roads in that part of Clinton in 1790. Applying the same technique to another part of Clinton in 1790, the census enumerator's journey can be followed along the Filkintown Road (also called the Dutchess Turnpike) which is presently known as Route 44. Filkintown Road was the main road through the southern part of Clinton from the town of Washington east of Clinton to Poughkeepsie on the west. Theenu-

134

William

Mc Dermott

merator's path along Filkintown Road from Washington to Poughkeepsie can be traced through the known locaZaccheus Newcomb and Eliphations of Timothy Beadle,' from the let Platt. Timothy Beadle ·1ived a few feet anµ his assigned number is 612. About Washington line half way to the Poughkeepsie town line is the brick house where Zaccheus Newcomb lived and whose assigned number is 675. Eliphalet Platt, number 695, lived on the Filkintown Road just east of the Poughkeepsie line. The census enumerator obviously travelled from east to west on his journey to the Poughkeepsie line. Further confirmation comes from the location of Jacob Duryee who owned the mill at the point where the Great Wappingers Creek intersects the FilkintownRoad. He lived between Newcomb and Platt and his assigned number is 683. Also the assigned number of Aart Masten(640), who lived on the road extending south from the Filkintown Road to the town of Beekman,·appropriately places him between Beadle and Newcomb. This indicates the census enumerator left the Filkintown Road to record Masten and others on that road before returning to the main road. Jacob Smith's map which appears earlier guides· with the enumera~or through the reader as he journeys Clinton in 1790 visiting the 696 families living there at the time. More than 90% of the roads which appear on this map continue to be active roads 190 years later. Surely there has b~en a change in a sharp curve here and there but the census enumerators of 1980 travelled exactly the same paths as their eighteenth century colleagues. The number placed on the map at the junction of two roads will help the reader as he accompanies the first enumerator on his journey through town. This number when compared with the next larger number will disclose the direction the enumerator chose when he reached a junction in Keep in mind that the numbers typic-ally the road. became larger as the enumerator moved eastward. For •the numbers on the roads in the eastern part example, of Clinton are in the 400 to 600 range. Also note,' after leaving the Wood family(369) for some reason not yet clear, the enumerator's path seems to have been interrupted. When we join him again he is in the most northern part of Clinton at the Eckhard home (370). Following that interruption, the enumerator's path returns to the smooth flow through town observed earlier.

The Federal

Census

135

The technique as described above appears easy to apply. It would be a mistake to leave the reader that only a few minutes work is with the belief needed to trace an enumerator's route. In fact, the work varies from pleasantly simple to uncomfortably tedious. Nevertheless, once completed, only a few areas on the map near adjoining town lines may be left unclear. This method not only accomplishes the goal of locating residences of early inhabitants but also provides a special bonus when the work is completed. The number of located inhabitants is increased many fold, thereby vastly simplifying the work on the next census. For example, in spite of the enumerator's change in direction as he journeyed through Clinton in 1800, the many, many leads provided by the 1790 census helped detect his new path quickly. Illustrative Case Study The following study of sJaveowning patterns is presented to demonstrate the significance of the method described aboye. Using census records as microscopic instruments permits a more detailed examination of slaveowning patterns in Clinton in 1790 and 1800. At the time of the New York State Constitutional of abolishingslavery Convention in 1777, the question was given serious consideration. Of the 36 delegates present when the issne came up, 31 supported the resolution urging future legislation to abolish slavery.8 However, it wasn't until 1799 that legislation leading to the gradual abolition of slavery successfully passed through both houses of the legislature.9 Even before legislation was passed the process of manumitting slaves was in progress on an individual basis. Quakhad started the process of freeers in New York State ing slaves as early as 1767 .10 Quaker congregations excluded members if they continued to own slaves after 1771.1.1. Also, other individuals manumitted slaves on the basis of moral beliefs rather than religious convictions. Support for freeing slaves grew in the and found considerable support in New York City 1780's an~ local newspapers such as the Poughkeepnewspapers 1 sie Journal. The question of change in the slaveowning patterns simply on the basis of in Clinton may not be answe~ed a statistical study but the statistics may indicate a trend. Table 1 presents the data as found in the 1790 and 1800 census records.

William

136

P. Mc Dermott

TABL~ 1 'Slavery

in· 'Clinto·n· in' 1790 & 1800 # o·f· Slaves

# of ·s1aveowners

176 182

1790 1800

67 62

From these data it would appear that change inslaveowning patterns was small. The small decrease in num ber of slaveowning families is offset by the slight increase in total number of slaves owned. However,· this conclusion may not reflect certain changes in slaveowning patterns which are not apparent as the data appears in the census records. A more complete examination of the data is possible using the method described above. When the census record is divided into the ~owns which emerged in 1821, the statistics suggest regional differences in slaveowning patterns. Table 2 indicates the town of Clinton, constituted after 1821, showed a 25% decrease in the number of slaves held in 1800 as On the other hand, the number of .compared to 1790. slaves owned in the towns which were separated from Valley, inClinton in 1821, Hyde Park and Pleasant Further, the number of creased about 10% or more. 30%. • Alslaveowning families in Clinton decreased though Hyde Park did not follow the trend in Clinton as measured by the total number of slaves owned, the number of its slaveowners did show a decrease. Pleasant Valley, on the other hand, showed an increase in number of slaveowning families as well as the previously -noted increase in total number of slaves. Number of Slaves Town Clinton

Ye·ar 1790 1800

TABLE 2 By Town in 1790 & '1800

1 2· 3-5- -6-8. 9+

-------·-

Total# Slaves

of Total # of Owne·r·s

10 2 7 2

2 1

1 1

43 32

17 12

Hyde Park 1790 12 4 Pleasant Valley

1800

5 3

7 9

5 4

0 2

81 94

28 23

1790 1800

9 8 15 7

4 2

0 3

1 0

52 56

22 27

The Federal

Census

137

Cr~ek Meeting House, Clinton Corners, N.Y. built 1777.

Crum Elbow Meeting House, Hyde Park, N.Y. built 1785. Both photos from Landmarks of Dutchess County, 1683 - 1867. Courtesy of the Dutchess County Planning Board.

William

138

Mc Dermott

The questions which are provoked by these findings are worthy of fuller examination but this was not the purpose of this illustrative study. Briefly, the decrease noted in the town of Clinton, as it was defined after 1821, may be a function of several possibilities. Perhaps there was an economic decline in the town during the decade between 1790 and 1800 which rendered slaveowning economically unfeasible. It is also possible the inhabitants may have been particularly responsive to the trend of the times which was taken by the later reflected in the legislative action New York State Legislature. While one of these explanations may account for the change in slaveowning in Clinton, the presence of a large Quaker population in that town as compared to Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley can hardly be overlooked as a possible explanation. The eastern part of Clinton had been settled by Quakers in the early 1770's. In fact, the only house of worship in the eastern part of Clinton(1790) for many years well into the nineteenth century was the Creek Meeting House, a Quaker meeting. Also, another Quaker meeting was located in Clinton(1790). The Crum Elbow Meeting was located in the area presently known as Hyde Park almost on the Pleasant Valley town line about three quarters of a mile south of the Clinton (1821) town line. The existence of a large Quaker population is further substantiated by the presence of another Quaker meeting, the Nine Partners Meeting, about- six miles southeast of the Creek Meeting in the adjoining town of Washington. Which of these explanations is more valid will await a fuller study of this question. The purpose of the example above is to illustrate the presence of more useful information in the census records when they are divided into smaller units. In some •instances these smaller units may reflect special characteristics of the inhabitants not apparent when the town as constituted in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century is considered.

Endnotes 1 A. Rossiter ed., A Century of Population Growth in the United States, 1790-1900 (Washington: 1909), 42-43. 2 Ibid.,

43.

_The Federal 3 Ibid.,

Census

139

44.

4 Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States taken in the Year 1790 (Baltimore: 1976), 6-7. 5 Rossiter,

op. cit., 44-45. 6 George W. Roach, ''Coloriial Highways in the Upper Hudson Valley'', New York History, 1959, vol. 50, p. 98. 7William P. Mc Dermott, ed. Eighteenth Century Documents of the Nine Partners Patent, Dutchess County, New York (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: 1979), 247. 8 Journal 887-89.

of the

New York Provincial

9 Laws of New York,

1799,

12 Ibid., 1789).

of Negro Slavery

LXII.

lOEdgar J. McManus, A History New York (Syracuse: 1966), 150. 11 Ibid.,

Congress,

150. 168 (Poughkeepsie

Journal,

December

22,

_;...! fJF=~~.:.:.- ~-_,\_ ;

. .

. __

•1,,•• :\~0~,d.

.. I

_- .. , I

:·t§-•;'}'ff ,,,.

~? -:-

.....

Map of Germany showing the area fro'm which many Palatines emigrated. Rhine River is on the right. Courtesy of the author.

DUTCHESS COUNTY PALATINE RESEARCH IN GERMANY Henry

Z. Jones

Jr.

The circumstances which brought the Palatines to New York in 1?10 left their German origins Henry Jones has in a shadow of darkness. lifting spent more than a decade successfully that shadow. For the past twelve years, the author has been gathering documented data here and abroad on the 800plus "Palatine" families from Germany who arrived in colonial New York in 1710. The goal of this project is the publication of a series of volumes on these emigrants which will chronicle their European backgrounds and activities in America to 1776. American sources have been combed for material on the New York Palatines. All extant churchbooks covering the activities of these settlers in colonial New York 1710 through 1776 have been posted to the author's 17,000 documented family group sheets (each sheet representing an 18th century Palatine couple and their offspring); in this way, baptisms, marriages, burials, confirmations and communions of the "1709ers" and their descendants have been organized in an accessible manner, enabling the author to write his final volumes from the family group sheets themselves. In addition to American church records, all extant civil records on the Palatines have been posted to the sheets for the same time period; these include wills, tax rolls, deeds, naturalizations, and court records, to name a few. In this way, a concise genealogical biography of each Palatine couple emerges. The. main thrust of the project, however, is in pinpointing and then fully tracing the German origins of the 800-plus families. The author employs a skilled German genealogist, Carla MittelstaedtKubaseck, on a full time basis to conduct his German research under his direction. Frau MittelstaedtKubaseck literally goes v~llage-to-village in Germany looking for the 800 families who came to America in 1710; to date, over 500 of the 800 have been fully traced, many into the 1500s. A few of the towns of origin were given in some of the older New York churchbooks, such as Pastor Kocherthal's West Camp 141

142

Henry

Z. Jones

Lutheran Churchbook and the New York City Reformed Churchbook. But, by and large, in.most cases the family home in Europe has not survived in U.S. records~ The saving grace of the author's twelve year project is the fact that emigrants rarely left Germany alone; they usually migrated with friends, relatives, or neighbors from the ·same geographic region overseas, and then remained near these same old friends upon their arrival in America. When one 1709er is documented in his ancestral village churchbook in Germany, chances are several fellow-travelers will be found in the same old register overseas! Many Dutchess County families were found overseas in this manner. As an example, let us take the Dutchess and Columbia County Hagedorn family: "Peter Hagedoren and vrouw, with 5 kindern" were enrolled inthe 4th party of Palatines in Holland in 1709;1 they were listed on the original, unalphabetised lists near fellow emigrants George Schleicher, Edmund Salbach, Ananias Diel, and Nicolaus Steiger. Peter Hagadorn aged 60 yrs., with his wife, sons aged 24, 22, and 15, daughters aged 17 and 11, was noted at London later that same year, again enrolled very near Schleicher, Salbach, Diel, and Steiger.2 This fascinating juxtaposition of names continued once they all arrived in colonial New York, as all are found near each other on the Hunter Subsistence Lists 171012.3 This association between the five.families continued in the years after their arrival. The • German origins of the Salbachs, Diels, Steigers and Hagedorns were not mentioned by Pastor Kocherthal or any other American source. However, it was noted that Kocherthal did record the marriage of Anna Catharina Schleicher, daughter of Johann Georg Schleicher of Erbenheim in the commune of Nassau, to Johann Henrich Schmid, carpenter of Nider-Walmenach on the Rhine, on 31 August 1710.4 As the Schleichers were so closely connected with the other four families in America, the author dispatched his researcher to Erbenheim near Wiesbaden to see if the ancient churchbooks might bring forth information on all five traveling companions. Proving once again that Palatines sailed with their neighbors, all five ·families were found at Erbenheim and at surrounding villages! The material on the Dutchess-Columbia County Hagedorn family was especially choice. The Erbenheim Churchbooks revealed that Jacob Hagedorn, a wheelwright, and his wife Christina had a son Peter,

Jr.

Dutchess

County

Palatine

Research

~n Germany

baptised on "Uff Pfingsten" in 1648. Peter Hagedorn Elisabetha Job, formerly a Catholic who was married confirmed as an adult 22 November 1689. The children of Peter and Elisabetha Hagedorn baptised at Erbenheim were: Johann Peter, bpt. 4 Sept 1684 - sponsors Asmus Merthen and Hans Peter Steiger. He had his own listing on the Hunter Lists beginning 4 Oct 1710 and appeared on tax rolls in the Rhinebeck area 1728/29 through June of 1761.5 Johann Christopher, bpt. 6 Feb 1687 - sponsors Johann Nicolaus Gottschalk, and Christoph Job - the grandfather of the child. from Eppstein He was a Palatine Debtor in 1718, 1719, 1721, and 1726. 6 Christopher Hagedorn was active in Lutheran church matters and was a leader of the Palatines in the Camps along the Hudson.7 bpt~ 15 June 1689 - sponsor Johann Mattheus, Mattheus Birck. He was buried 16 Aug 1689. Anna Anna Catharina, bpt. 29 Nov 1691 - sponsors Christina Lotzin from Dotzheim, and Catharina - wife of the miller from Sperschen (?). She was confirmed in 1705 at Erbenheim. A Son,

buried

1 May 1692.

Johann Wilhelm, bpt. Wilhelm Gromann. 1715/16.8

3 March 1695 - sponsor He was naturalized 14 Feb

Maria Gertraut, bpt. 30 Nov 1697 - sponsors Maria Agnes - wife of Joh. Nicol Merthens, and Gertraut - daughter of the shepherd Henrich Morbeck. She was confirmed by Kocherthal 23 March 1712.9 Much more genealogical and biographical material on the Hagedorns has been uncovered by the author than sketch.lo in the above family

·ENDNOTES 111The Rotterdam 6-10, 19-26, 58-65, Office, London.

Sailing 68-72,

Lists 79-82

of 1709": Tl/119: at the Public Record

143

144

Henry

211The London 1709 'Census' 388/76: No. 56, 56i, 56ii, 64, Record Office, London. 311The Hunter Subsistence 5/1231 at the Public Record 4

Records of St. Paul's Church, West Camp, Ulster Pastor Joshua Kocherthal. 5

Dutchess

6 Palatine Hyde Park,

County Debt N.Y.

7 Albany

Lists

St.

C.O. Public

C.O. 5/1230, London.

Evangelical Lutheran Co., N~w York, begun.

the

Livingston

by Wilhelm Christoph P. Dern, Ann Arbor, 83 and 101.

Common Council

9 Records Church, Ibid.

Lists": Office,

Jones

Tax Lists.

Protocol, meyer, edited by John 1971, pp. 41, 47, 75, 8 Albany

of Palatines": 68-70 at the

Paul's

Papers, BerkenMichigan,

Minutes. Evangelical

Lutheran

10 rn order to help defray the $90,000 expense of this research, the author is willing to share prepublication German and American data on the 800 Palatine families with interested descendants. For further details, please write: Hank Jones P.O. Box 8341 Universal City,

Editor's

Ca.

91608

note:

Below is a partial list of Palatines from the Simmendinger Register in New York about 1717 who have been traced to their ancestral German home villages. This list does not include a great many names of Palatines who settled elsewhere who have also been traced.

Jr.

Dutchess

County

Anspach Backus Barthel Bason Blist Baumann Beck Bell Bellinger Bender Berg Bernhardt Betzer Brack Braun Conrad Dahles Dieterich Dieffenbach Diel Dopp Eckhart Eberhardt Ehemann Emigen Emmerich Engelsbrucher Eschwein Ess Falck Falckenburg Feg Feller Finck Flegeler Frey Frtllich Fuchs Fuhrmann Funck Galadeh Georg Gerlach Germann Gessinger Goldmann Haas Hagedorn Hambuch Hartmann

Palatine

Research

Haupt Helmer Helm Hertel Hess Heuser Heydorn Hoff Hoffmann Jung Jungens Kasselmann Kessler Kieffer Klein Klopp Kneskern Krantz Krembs Kreisseler Kuhn Kurtz Lampmann Landgraff Lauck Laux Lauer Leicht Lein Lesch Linck Ltlscher Lorentz Lucas Manck Mattheus Maul Mess Meyer Michel Milich Mohr Mtiller Mustiir Noll Oberbach Ohrendorff Pfeffer Pfuhl Rau Reic~ardt

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145

Officers of the 150th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers during the Civil War. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

DUTCHESS COUNTIANS GO TO WAR: THE 150TH NEW YORK STATE VOLUNTEER INFANTRY REGIMENT, August William

1862 F.

- May 1863 Tuceling

William Tuceling presents a full account of Dutchess County's response to recruitment for the Civil War, the formation and training of the ''Dutchess County Regiment' 1 ·and early military duties. TuceZing, formerly a researcher at the National Archives, Washington, D.C., is now on the Staff of the Library, U. S. Army, Fort Belvoir. With the fall of Fort Sumter on April 15, 1861, and the onset of the "insurrection," Abraham Lincoln exercised his executive authority and summoned 75,000 militiamen .into the Federal service. Within two weeks, an estimated 55,000 of these state-organized, funded,_ trained, and commanded troops between the ages of 18 and 45 were on their way to Washington for what was assumed would be only a three month tour of duty. 1 In spite of this impressive figure, President Lincoln was not satisfied that the Union units ~a~enough soldiers. Consequently, he attempted to exceed his power and call for additional recruits for the regular to raise army. Congress, however, reserved the right. the. call,2 and it did not exercise its right until the Federal forces lost the Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) on July 21, 1861. Then the order went out for 500,000 volunteers who would serve for three years or the duration of the war.3 Almost a year later, in June of 1862, the Union army numbered more than 800,000 men; most of these troops were entrenched around Richmond, ready to of the Confedinflict a dea~h blow to the capital eracy.· With certain victory anticipated, the Northern president, politicians, and people were shocked to read that the rebels had routed the Federal forces from the city by the end of the month. 4 This defeat led Lincoln and the governors of the seventeen loyal states to issue a call on July 2, 1862, for 300,000 additional enlistees to serve under the same conditions as the 500,000 who had enlisted before them.5 One of the governors, Edwin Morgan of New York, was quick to call for his state to fill its quota of 59,705 men. By July 7, he had divided his state into military districts roughly equivalent in

147

148

William

Tuceling

size to congressional ones, appointed District War 9ommittees made up of each area's leading citizens, and authorized each committee to create quotas for the counties within its jurisdiction.6 In response to their appointment, chairmanWilliam Kelley of Rhinebeck and the members of his committee determined that each of the twenty towns in Dutchess County would need to enlist 1.5 percent of its 1860 population in order to fulfill the district's part of the state quota. Thus, Beekman (pop. 1371) had to contribute only 21 men, while the city of Poughkeepsie (pop. 14,726) needed to enlist 227 men. Rhinebeck (pop. 3289) with 51 enrollees, came closest to .the average of all twenty Dutchess County towns. 7 (See • Appendix A for a complete listing.) By mid-July, men from Dutchess, as well as Columbia County to the north, were gathering at a camp near the border town of Tivoli. As their numbers grew, they transferred their headquarters to Hudson in early August. Known officially as the 128th New York State Infantry, this unit went off to war just as Volunteer President Lincoln called for yet another round of 300,000 men to enlist.8 This second call of 1862 resulted in essentially the same state, district, county, and township quotas as the first one.9 However, because many of the area's men had already enlisted, the District War Committee realized that it would be more difficult to reach the new requirements. It had already appealed to the patriotism of the people by echoing President Lincoln's plea for troops to preserve the Union,10 and the members were not ready to accept the inconvenience as well as the disgrace which would come if they were to rely on a draft to fill the ranks.11 Therefore, the only viable alternative for the Committee was to suggest that the county's Board of Supervisors authorize and fund the payment of a bounty to each .. It was this recommendation that the memenlistee bers approved on August 19, 1862.12 This method of raising a regiment was by no means a novel one during the Civil War. According to an act passed on July 22, 1861, Congress had authorized the Federal government to offer bounties to attract enlistees.13 In a similar fashion, several states including New York -- offered additional money at various times. Even at the local level, the towns of

Dutchess

Countians

Go to War: 150th

Regiment

149

14 Pawling .and Banga11 15 awarded $25 and $100 respectively to volunteers from their towns. As seen in this light, the War Committee's recommendation was very much in keeping with current practice throughout the country. Alfred B. Smith, a citizen of Poughkeepsie, drafted a resolution which Henry W. Smith (a.k.a. "John Billings'.') presented to the Dutchess County at their meeting on August 22. Board of Supervisors The resolution, which was passed by the Board, was concerned in part with the payment of a $50 bounty to every soldier lho had enlisted since the call of July 2, 1862. 1 Since the total of the bounty payments would exceed $100,000, the county treasurer was authorized to borrow the money by selling bonds which .would be repaid over a ten~year period.17 An additional point of the resolution requested the Executive War Committee to procure Governor Morgan's permission to raise a county regiment. Alfred B. Smith was given this assignment, and he went to Albany on August 23, 1862, where "the application was immediately granted. 11 18 In so doing, the governor also approved the final point of the resolution, which was to place the regiment's camp at Poughkeepsie.19 While the Executive War Committee and·the Boardof Supervisors were working at forming a regiment, two prominent citizens, Mrs. Benson J. Lossing and Mr. Isaac Platt, were busy suggesting that.it should be composed exclusively of Dutchess Co~ntians. In a letter addressed to, and published in, Mr. Platt's Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle of August 21, 1861, Mrs. Lossing presented the idea, and the owner/editor approved it.20 Alfred B. Smith gave assurances that such an all-county unit would be the only one of its kind in New York state,21 and the General War Committee took immediate steps to establish the 150th New York Volunteer Infantry as the "Dutchess County Regiment" on August 25, 1862. One of the Committee's most important actions involved the appointment of officers. Although he had no military education.or·experience, State Senator John H. Ketcham of Dover was selected as the regiment's colone122 because "he has the talents, zeal, and energy that will make things move. 11 23 In order to balance Ketcham's lack of military experience, a West ~as appointed Point graduate named Charles G. Bartlett

150

William

Tuceling

1Col. John H. Ket/ cham-150th Regiment of the New York State Volunteers. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

second in command. 24 Th~ third most important position in the regiment, that of major, was awarded to in organizing Alfred B. Smith for all of his efforts the unit.25 The names, ranks, and dates of appointment of the rest of the regiment's officers may be found in Appendix B. the officers, the In addition to appointin~ Committee granted more than one dozen prospective company captains and lieutenants permission to enroll volunteers.26 Almost immediately,_these men established recruiting stations in the vicinity of the courthouse at Poughkeepsie,27 as well as at other gathering spots throughout the county. Therecruiters were no doubt quick in apprising potential troops of the basic requirements of age (18 to 45 years) and

Dutchess

Countians

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151

28 and enthusiastic health (able-bodied), in describing the attractions of the bounty ($100 from the Federal government, $50 ea~a from the state. and county, and $2 from the city), the pay ($13 per month . plus food and clothing), and the promotions (from this "unparalleled private on up). 3 0 Repeating 11 inducement to immediate enlistment 31 over and over again was all in a day's work for a future officer of the "Dutchess County Regiment." During the evenings of September 1 through 9, these same recruiters staged enthusiastic "war meetings" in Poughkeepsie's City Hall and at other locations in the county.3 2 (See Appendix C for a complete listing.) In an effort to boost attendance mayo~, James Bowne, issued at the rallies, the city's a proclamation urging all merchants to close their stores at 4:00 p.m. during the week in which the At all of the meetings, members meetings were held.33 of the General War Committee, local ministers, and recent recruits made rousing speeches aimed at encouraging the reluctant members of their audiences to 4 That the rallies enlist.3 did have some positive effect can be deduced from the observation that 51 of Company E's 83 men -- most of whom were from Poughkeepsie -- enrolled during that period.35 As each recruiting team's number of enrollees neared the eighty-man minimum which was required for formation of a company, competition among the teams became very keen for each to complete its roster, take it to Albany, and be commissioned as the captain and lieutenants of Company A. 36 Al though all rec_rui ters rode through the county trying to attract additional enlistees,37 the team of Joseph Cogswell, Henry Gridley, and James Mabbet.t won the race on September 9, 1862, by enlisting 83 men.38 Other companies were quick to follow. By the end of the month, eight of the ten companies required to form a regiment had been recognized, and the remaining two were organized by October 6. 39 (See Appendix D for a complete listing.) Due to intensive recruitin/o the enlistees increased from 780 men on September 26 6.41 The balance of the regiment, to 975 on October which would.exceed 1000 in total, would be raised in the last five days before the unit left town on October 11, 1862.42 During

this

period

of recruitment,

the

newenlist-

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William

F .. Tuceling

ees congregated at Camp Dutchess in the northeast Located on land adjacent to corner of ~oughkeepsie. the county farm at the head of Mansion Street (on the present-day site of King Street Park, oppositeCorlies Manor), this camp consisted of a collection of crude, floorless, wooden sheds when the first troops arrived 1862.43 During six weeks of use, in early September, little was done to improve the camp's accomodations. Nevertheless, Colonel Ketcham quickly established (See an orderly 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. routin~44 Appendix E for a complete listing), most of which was set aside for drilling the raw recruits. This duty fell to Lieutenant Colonel Bartlett, once h arrived from West Point near the end of September.4 5 These culminated in the presentation of a drill exercises dress parade each afternoon, which was attended by any number of local citizens, including ladies. This daily program, where the cannons boomed, and the flag was lowered, was a "most noteworthy attempt 1146 to "present a fine and soldierly appearance. 1147 As a means of gaining greater control over the increasing number of troops under his command, Colonel Ketcham felt compelled to issue General Order Number 9 on September 23, 1862. Although there had been-no recorded incidents of disorderly conduct or ill-kept quarters, rules requiring that an officer accompany of-the his men to the mess tent and that the officer day inspect the cAmp at 6:00 a.m. each morning, would certainly discourage any carelessness. Likewise, regulations prohibiting privates and non-commissioned officers from carrying small arms, or purveyors from selling or swapping "malt or spiritous liquors" in camp would go a long way toward curtailing armed of alcoho1.48 Despite attacks under the influence his lack of military training, it seems that Ketcham was trying to anticipate potential problems of camp life. While it was relatively easy to limit the number of passes to six per company per day, it was not possible.to keep the soldiers on leave from frequenting the vendors' stalls just outside the camp.ground. The appeal of liquor and trinkets from these vendors than the attraction of more mundane was ~•1 ch greater commodities which were offered for sale at set prices in the camp's store. Unfortunately, there were often problems created between the soldiers and the vendors, and on September 28, Colonel Ketcham ordered

Dutchess

Courit~ans

Go to War: 150th Regiment

1st Lieut. Henry Gridley - 150th Regiment of the N.ew York State Volunteers. Killed in battle at Culp's Farm, Georgia - June 22, 1864. Photo from the collection of the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Major Smith to evict' the. vendors, by force if nec-:essary. The major and a detachment of troops, having given the peddlars five minutes to start packing up, quickly demolished the stalls and shacks. Though armed, the proprietors decided not to resist. Beer; whiskey, cigars, tobacco, pies, and cakes all tumbled into the Fallkill Creek, and the peddlars, convinced of the Colonel's power, did not return.49 A far more pleasant occurrence at Camp Dutchess was the presentation of a flag to the regiment·by the ladies of Dutchess County. Under the direction of Mrs. James Winslow of Poughkeepsie,50 a subscription drive was mounted,51 an artist was commissioned, and a seamstress was engaged to create the colors.52 The project was completed in early October, and Judge

153

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William

Tuceling

Emott of the General War Committee presided at the presentation ceremony at 2~00 p.m. on October 8, 1862.53 By the end of the month, a color guard had been appointed.54 (See Appendix F for a complete listing.) During the early days of October, swords for inspiration and sashes for decoration were given to a number of the regiment's officers by relatives, friends, congregations, co-workers, and school children. All levels of officers received these gifts, including Major Smith, Captain Cogswell, and Lieutenant Gridley.55 While many of the presentations were emotional, none is better documented than the ceremony in which Richard Titus accepted a sword from his father's employees. From the local schoolhouse on the evening of October 8,.Titus was sent off to war with the prayers of the Reverend William Cornell, the speech of Michael Tracy, and a chorus of "The Star Spangled Banner" to give him courage.56 Only six weeks after it was organized, the 150th Regiment was ordered into service New York· Volunteer by Major General Morgan. On the afternoon of Saturthe regiment broke camp day, October 11, 1862,57 amidst hugs and tears, and was escorted down Main Street to the dock by the city's fire department and band. In spite of unpleasant weather, many citizens gathered at the camp and wharf to wish the troops well as they boarded the steamship Oregon, bound for Jersey City, New Jersey. An artillery salute sent the regway at 7:00 p.m.58 towards a final iment on·its destination as yet unknown, beyond being a place where the troops could receive additional training and continue to drill. Several of the lower-ranking officers remained behind to settle the regiment's affairs in Poughkeepwe~e assigned to sie. Lieutenants Gaylord and Mabbett arrest deserters and enroll recruits until October 20,59 while Private Henry Halstead closed the quartermaster's accounts with the city's merchants.60 Once these duties were completed, transportation would be provided by train for these men to rejoin their regiment, wherever it might be. By sunrise on Sunday, October 12, the Oregon was anchored off the coast of Jersey City. The steamer docked, and the troops disembarked at noon; _they were immediately marched to the railroad station.61 Lieu-

Dutchess

Countians

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150th

Regiment

tenant Colonel Bartlett and.six of the companies were by._3:00 in the afternoon, 62 dispatched to Baltimore and Colonel Ketcham followed two hours later with the remainder of the regiment plus its first supply of arms and ammunition.63 Both groups left their trains in Philadelphia at about 1:00 a.m. on October 13th, for a free, late-night meal in the "Soldier's Retreat," operated by the Union Relief Fund of that city.64 They reboarded by 2:00 a.m., crossed the Susquehanna by ferry later that morning, and arrived in Baltimore's B. & 0 railroad station by noon.65 The Dutchess Countians spent a cold night on the station platform without benefit of their blankets or overcoats, which were still in a baggage car stalled along the way. 65 The morning hours of Tuesday, October 14, 1862, were spent at the station unloading box cars and distributing the arms, ammunition, and other accoutrements of battle. Accurate and reliable Enfield and Austrian rifles were given to the troops,67 and muzzle-load revolvers by Colt Starr, or Remington 6 8 Ammunition were issued to the officers. for the rifles consisted of forty cartridges carried by each man at all times, with twenty additional rounds reserved for battle.69 All of the cartridges were ~n a cartfidge box attached to the belt. carried Since the cartridges required a charge to ignite the powder, percussion caps were carried in a pouch which was also attached to the belt.70 One final piece of equipment, a bayonet, was issued; it was stored in a 1 scabbard or attached to the muzzle of the rifle.7 Thus, the raw recruits from Camp Dutchess were ready to start their true military training. By early afternoon on Tuesday, the "Dutchess County Regiment" was assigned to the 8th Army Corps of the Middle Department under General Wool. 72 He, in turn, ordered Colonel Ketcham to take the regiment to Camp Millington on the western edge of the city 73 near the Road,74 adjacent to the toll gate on the Frederick Carroll estate.75 This camp boasted no more than a collection of wall tents for the officers and "pup," or "shelter," or "A" tents for the men. There we.re not enough tents available for the 150th when it and six inches of snow fell on arrived on the 14th,76 the.troops before they received and set up adequate tents on October 16th. Add to these poor sleeping conditions a shortage of rations, and it seems difficult to believe that Lieutenant Titus could write his

155

156 father that fied. 1177

William "the

men appear

to be pretty

well

F. Tuceling satis-

One of the few pleasant surprises to take place during the early days away from Poughkeepsie was the discovery that the 128th New York State Volunteer Infantry was camped across the road. Although that to move at any time for South unit was on the alert Carolina, Alabama, or Texas, it remai'ned long enough for the troops of the two regiments to renew friendships from home.78 Most of the men of the 150th were eager to move out with their New York friends (if 79 only to escape the cold tents of Camp Millington), but the Dutchess Countians were destined to spend the winter months of 1862/1863 in the Baltimore area. The camp routine which the regiment had followed in Poughkeepsie was quickly reinstituted, with only a few minor changes. (See Appendix E, column 2, for a complete schedule.) Just as in New York, squad, company, and regimental drill was held daily (except Sunday)' for all enlisted men who were not on guard duty or in sick bay.BO However, training was no longer conducted on an open field; it now took place in the streets of the city, so that the soldiers the would need if could practice the siege tactics the Confederates attacked the city.a

Perhaps the most important addition to the agenda was the daily lecture on tactics which the officers were supposed to deliver in conjunction with drill.8 2 In anticipation of this assignment, they may have referred to several books on the subject (See.Appendix G for a complete listing) which they could have purchased from Hickok's New Book Store at 327 Main Street in Poughkeepsie before they departed.83 The two- to three-inch snow that fell on November 7, 1862, made the men of the "Dutchess County Regiment" all the more eager to move into the barracks which were being built for them. Although the regiment was apparently moved to the site of its new barracks by November 12, 84 it actually took threemore weeks85 before the structure on Eutaw Place86 near Druid Hill Park87 was ready. The end result, Belger well~litbuilding Barracks, was a U-shaped, two-story, with a 500-foot central span 88 for the officers and their families,89 and two 200-foot wings90 where the enlisted men slept in three-tiered bunks and ate in ground-level mess halls.91 Adjacent to the ends of

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Regiment

the wings were small outbuildings which contained the guard room, the band room, the quartermaster's warehouse, and the sutler's (camp) store.92 The entire structure enclosed a formal parade ground which was visible to passers-by on the dirt road which ran in front of the barracks.93 Despite the 150th Regiment's official address at Belger Barracks, almost half of the men were assigned to temporary guard duty at a variety of locations F~equently, throughout the city at any given time.94 they were sent to serve at hospitals such as the Stewart Mansion and the Continental Hote1,95 and at other times they were ordered to secure the Camden96 and Bolton Street railroad stations.97 At times, certain units were selected for special duties such as escorting soldiers' funeral processions98 or transferring convalescents from one hospital to another.99 Occasionally, the 150th was required to guard a-s many as 6,000 Confederate prisoners who were being held for paroling purposes.100 Such was the major way in which the "Dutchess County Regiment" performed its military duty during the winter of 1862/1863. The regiment did experience one brief expedition outside the city's limits that season. In response to reports of Confederate raids along the B & 0 railroad, General Robert C. Schenck ordered the 150th to join other infantry units on December 30, 1862, for the purpose of protecting the tracks that ran between Baltimore and Adamstown in southwestern Frederick County.101 After an evening departure by train,· Captain Woodin's Company D disembarked at Elysville in Howard County to protect two bridges.102 Early the next morning, Lieutenant Titus' Company I arrived at Woodbine in Carroll County where he posted sentries to guard the tracks against destruction by the rebels.103 The rest of the regiments reached Adamstown on December 31, 1862, but they saw no signs of any Confederate activity in the area.104 Most of these men returned to Belger Barracks by January 2, 1863, where they ate the turkeys that citizens of Dutchess County had sent them for the holidays.105 Even the excitement of their expedition and the holiday season did not alleviate the boredom that brought drunkenness to Belger Barracks. Excessive consumption of the alcohol sold by vendors outside camp was cause for declaring these stalls "off

157

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Tuceling

11106 curtailing the number of passes·, 107 limits, requiring officers to accompany enlistees to "off base" baths,108 and allowing the camp store to sell beer.109 In spite of these restrictions aimed at containing the trouble the troops could cause, Sergeant Thomas Newman of Company G and Lieutenant Michael Corcoran of Company K became so intoxicated that the former was demotedll0 and the latter was dishonorably discharged.111 The worst of the drinking binges occurred after payday, and were often acco~panied by high rates of desertion. The largest incidence of absences took place in February, 1863, when at least 30 men were missing,112 among them nine from Company A and twelve from Company H.113 (See Appendix H for a complete list.) Since death threats did not deter some soldiers from leaving camp without authorization114 and heading for home, several officers were ordered to them Poughkeepsie to arrest the deserters and return for trial.115 Such steps were needed in the early spring of 1863, but anticipated events would soon encourage most of the men to remain in camp. Beginning on.June 5, 1863, the "Dutchess County Regiment" was given a sequence of commands which to the Army of the culminated in ~ts attachment Potomac at the month's end. Colonel Ketcham and his men then marched into Pennsylvania, where they actively engaged the Confederate forces in the Peach Orchard and on Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. After outstanding accomplishments, accompanied by low losses, the 150th brought up the rear of the Union army as it wound its way through Maryland and into Virginia. A detailed account of these exciting events will be the subject of the next segment of "Dutchess Countians Go To War." Quotas Town Amenia Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park

for

the

APPENDIX A call of July

1862:116

Population 2,288 1,371 1,922 2,305 2,544 9,546 2,749

35 21 30 36 39 147 43

Dutchess.

Countians

Go to

War:

Appendix

150th

Regiment

159

A, cont.

La Grange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley Poughkeepsie (town) Poughkeepsie (city) Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Washington

1,850 1,522 1,735 1,743 1,412 2,343 3,122 14,726 3,964 3,289 2,323 1,502 2,685

TOTAL

64,941

29 24 27 27 22 36 48 227 61 51 36 23 42 1,002

APPENDIX B Officers

the

"Dutchess

County

Regiment":117

Name

Rank Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Adjutant Quartermaster Chief Surgeon 1st Asst. Surgeon 2nd Asst. Surgeon Chaplain

Date

John H. Ketchem Charles G. Bartlett Alfred B. Smith William Thompson George R. Gaylord Cornelius N. Campbell Stephen G. Cook Henry Pearce Thomas E. Vassar

08/26/62 09/29/62 08/26/62 08/30/62 08/29/62 08/29/62 09/11/62 10/06/62 10/06/62

APPENDIX C War meetings

held

County:ll8

Sept.

5 - Millerton

Sept.

South Dover Pleasant Valley

Sept.

4 - Beekmanville Upper Red Hook

8 - Matteawan Bangall

Sept.

9 - Lafayetteville

Sept.

1 - Clinton Pawling

Sept.

2 - Washington Ameniaville

Sept.

in Dutchess

Hollow Station Hollow

Freedom

Plains

Stormville Hyde Park Rhinebeck

Channingville

William

160

Tuceling

APPENDIX D Companies

the

"Dutchess

County

Regiment":

Rank

Company

119

Name