Dear Old Greene County  

Section Nine

 Embracing
Facts and Figures, Portraits and Sketches,
Of Leading
MEN WHO WILL LIVE IN HER HISTORY
Those at the Front To-Day
And Others Who Made Good in the Past

by F.A. Gallt
Catskill, N. Y.
1915

Original book provided by Celeste MacCormack and transcribed by Arlene Goodwin

Coxsackie 

The town of Coxsackie or district as it then was regarded was taken from Albany county in 1788, and included New Baltimore, Freehold, Athens, Cairo, Durham, Greenville, stretching as far as Gilboa.  It was made up of many original grants of which Peter Bronk’s in 1662, was the first. Naturally therefore Coxsackie figures very largely in the colonial History. Reference has been made elsewhere to these patents. 

The Bronk’s, Van Bergens, Van Slykes, Hallenbecks, Smiths, Van Loons, Houghtalings, Spoors, Van Schaacks, were among the first settlers, and Counsellor E. C. Hallenbeck, and the Rev. Lewis Lampman have among their possessions many of the original deeds and historical documents.

The commodity of the early date appears to have been wheat and “schepels of good and merchantable wheat” took the place of money.

At the present time the town comprises 33,000 acres, and the value of the real property is over $2,000,000, and the taxes for 1914 were over $47,000. Coxsackie has no bonded indebtedness and is one of the most prosperous of the river towns.

The first ferry was operated by Ephraim Bogardus and in 1800 there is a record of a license to him to run a ferry.

The Dutch Reformed church was organized at Coxsackie in 1732, and a church was erected around 1738, and this building was pulled down in 1798 when Henry Van Bergen gave a lot for a new church on the opposite side of the road.  This building stood until 1861, when the present church was built.  Michael Weiss is given the honor of first minister.  He was followed by Johannes Shunemann, who preached also at Catskill, 1752-1794. Later Coeymans was included in the circuit.

The Second Reformed Church was organized in 1833.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1836, and Coxsackie and Coeymans were the preaching places.

The Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1853.

The Roman Catholic church was organized in 1845.

The Coxsackie High school is a splendid institution with a large and commodious building, and teaching corps that is second only to Catskill in point of numbers.  The first schools were established in the town just prior to 1800, Anthony Rogers teaching the school at Coxsackie village.  The Rev. Henry Ostrander is also said to have been a teacher in 1801 to 1810.

The Coxsackie cemetery was incorporated in 1826, and contains the mortal remains of many of the early residents. The Riverside cemetery was not incorporated until 1873.

Coxsackie village was incorporated in 1867.

Coxsackie had a well equipped fire department with a gravity water system, the supply being taken from streams in the neighborhood. The village is lighted by electric lights. There are many fine stores and a number of manufacturing concerns, 

The first Nation Bank was organized in 1865.

The hotels are the Park Hotel, Frank Vermilyea, proprietor, and old and well equipped stand at West Coxsackie, the Cobblestone Inn, a very pretty hotel also at West Coxsackie, the Larabee House, the Eagle Hotel and the Cummings Hotel at the landing.

William P. Franklin conducts the Coxsackie Union, which in 1867 he started as the Coxsackie News.  It is still printed in the same building where it was started by Mr. Franklin.

Coxsackie Lodge No. 50, F. & A. M. was organized at a meeting held at Foot’s Inn in that village on the 24^th of December, 1796. The first officers were: Philip Conine, jr., W. M.; Isaac Rosa, S. W.; Benjamin Moore, J. W.; John Barr, secretary; Jesse Wood, treasurer.  The other charter members were John Bostwick, Giles Gridley, John McIntyre, Solomon Palmer, Storm Rosa and Stephen Truesdell. This lodge continued until 1804, when its charter was surrendered.

Ark Lodge No. 271, F. & A. M. was organized in 1816, with Talmadge Fairchild, W. M.; Amariah Foster, S. W.; William Bliss, J. W. Other officers and charter members not on record. It lasted for ten years, going out of existence during the anti-mason wave that started in 1826.

Ark Lodge No. 48, F. & A. M. was organized in 1846 with the same worshipful master, Talmadge Fairchild, who started with the lodge of thirty years before.  Succeeding him as W.M. there have been Philip Conine jr., Isaac Rosa, Jesse Wood, Solomon Palmer, Adonijah Miner, W. V. B. Hermance, John Bedell, Gilbert Bedell jr., Henry M. Beach, John B. Bronk, Alexander Reed, Albert Parker, Jacob Houghtaling, William K. Reed, A. Webster Van Slyke, Samuel C. Bennett, A. V. D. Collier, Henry J. Hahn, Henry Van Dyck, Rev. Eugene Hill, Schuyler C. Bishop, Geo., W. Barber, Oakley L. Fenton, William I. Sax, R. H. Van Denburgh, Austin W. Barber, W. Ralph Church, Henry R. Soper.

Officers of 1914: W. Ralph Church W. M.; Henry R. Sopher S. W., Collins C. Whitmore J. W., W. R. Church Treas., Geo. W. Barber Sec., Leonard A. Warren S. D., Francis L. Worden J. D., Wm. H. Salisbury S. M. C., Chas F. Colvin J. M. C., Jerome E. Browne, Tyler, Rev. Samuel T. Clifton, Chap.

At Fort Orange, on the 14^th of January 1662, Sisketas and Sichemoes, two Indians sold to Pieter Bronck the first parcel of land in what is now Greene county, and which under Governor Knolls in 1667 became known as Bronck’s patent. This tract of land was called by the Indians Kioxhacking, and this land afterwards passed to Jan Bronck and south of this patent was the Loonenburgh patent which extended to what is now the Catskill line, and on the north it extended into the Coeymans district.  A part of the Loonenburgh patent became the property of Maret Garritse Van Bergen known as the fountain flats, 1861. The Korlarskill Patent was owned by Jan Bronck and Marte Garritse Van Bergen, and became in 1687 the Coxsackie Patent.  The Bronk house, which is still standing and which is in the possession of the Rev. Lewis Lampman, was erected in 1736. Judge Leonard Bronk, who was born in 1752, was undoubtedly the foremost man of his period.  Not only was he appointed first Judge of the Court Common Pleas for Greene county, 1800, a position which he held for ten years, but he was the first lieutenant Governor of the State of New York, 1777, 1778, was major of infantry in 1793, lieutenant Col. in 1796. Previous to that time he had served 9 nine terms as member of assembly, and state senator, in 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1803.  For many yeas he was justice of the peace of Albany county.  He died in 1828 at the age of 76 years. Many of the deeds covering the early lands are in possession of Mr. Lampman, and still others of the van Bergens are in the possession of Judge Hallenbeck and Lawrence Van Bergen of Coxsackie, son Henry Van Bergen.

The Houghtaling patent was the Bronk patent and bears date of 1697, a grant to Matthias Houghtaling.

One of the oldest industries in Coxsackie is the Marble and Granite works. Just when the works were started we do no know, but they were started by William E. Leigh at West Coxsackie, later Levi Bedell was connected with the enterprise.  D. Meade and W. G. Fox succeeded them and conducted the business for about twelve years.  Messrs. Titus and Shufelt have been at the helm for 22 years, and they have a model plant with electric equipment, 30 horse power, and a large number of men busy cutting fine monumental work. Their patronage extends over a large field.  They have erected some of the finest stones in the country.  A notable piece of artistic work is the sarcophagus that makes the last resting place of John N. Briggs at Coeymans.

The Coxsackie Malleable and Grey Iron Company established a plant at Coxsackie in 1866, and these buildings were destroyed by fire in 1871, entailing a loss of $50,000.

The A. B. Newbury Machine Works, originally established at Windham Center in 1851, were moved to Coxsackie in 1866, manufacturing printing presses. This business was very prosperous for many years, and several offices in Greene county are using presses of the Newbury’s.

The Coxsackie Flour, Feed and Plaster Mill was established by E. D. Hallock.

The Kennedy Valve Manufactory was one of Coxsackie’s greatest industries, and employed a large number of men, but after a number of years they moved most of their machinery out of town and the works have gone into a state of delapidation.

The American Value Company established a few years later has a pay roll of $1,400 per week and employs from 60 to 120 men, and is still doing a good business there. O. L. Whitman is superintendent.  They are building an addition of 50x40 to their plant.

The ice industry was started in Coxsackie by Hiram Van Steenburgh of Catskill, in 1850.

The canning industry was established in Coxsackie by E. H. Lounsberry in 1872.

Among the principal business men of Coxsackie are: E. S. Anthony ice dealer, Levi Bedell miller and shipper, Myer Bresky clothier, N. A. Calkins attorney, E. H. Merriam pres. Trolley Wheel Company, D. H. Daley attorney, C. H. Delameter cooper, C. Dolan butcher, William P. Franklin publisher, E. W. Gardner optician, G. B. Gardner jeweler, John Goodwin Lumber dealer, D. Geroe Green ice dealer, Oscar J. Greene grocer, W. R. Church hardware, Frank Hadley grocer, E. C. Hallenbeck attorney, Wm. H. Hallenbeck builder, John Hoag barber, Frank C. Hoag nurseryman, George W. Hood grist mill operator, George Hubbard grocer and liveryman, Harry A. Jordan druggist, George W. Lamb insurance, James H. Lampman undertaker, John Loutfian physician, E. H. Miller Shirt and Collar Mfg., W. C. Brady & Son undertaker, Platt Coonley pres. National Bank, J. G. Newbury iron works, Albert Parker cashier bank, Teunis Petchel merchant, William J. Perry hotelkeeper, E. B. Raum supt. Trolley Co., Mark C. Richtmyer and Nelson Richtmyer clothiers, Irving W. Saxe dentist, Paul Schaad propr. West Shore hotel, Frank R. Shufelt and Irving Titus marble dealers, F. H. Sutherland sec. Reed & Powell Co., Wm. B. Townsend clerk Board of Supervisors, Frank Tremmel hardware dealer, C. W. Van Alstyne pres. Union Wheel Co., R. H. Van Denburgh physician, I. E. Van Hoesen physician, Andrew Van Slyke physician, J. H. Whitbeck president Whibeck Co., Curtiss and Warren attorneys, Frank Vermilyea propr. Park Hotel, W. C. Wilson dentist, Bagley Brothers grocer, Dayton B. Smith supervisor and newsdealer, S. B. Corey milk dealer, P. V. Washburn & Son coal and lumber.

Haas Brothers garage, F. T. Bennett and C. Durand photographers, Smith 5 and 10 cent store, I. Gardner moving pictures.

The pastor of the several churches are:

First Reformed, W. A. Dumont; Second Reformed, Samuel T. Clifton; Methodist, T. W. Mackey; Catholic, Father Gregan

The Hermance Memorial Library was the gift of Miss Eleanor Hermance of Coxsackie in 1908. It is fully endowed and the value of the property, furnishings and books amount to about $11,000. The income form the endowment was last year $3,509. The building is open daily except Sundays, 10 to 12, 3 to 5, and 7 to 9. The trustees are A. W. Van Slyke, pres., Arthur E. Powell, treasurer, J. C. McClure and W. R. Church.

George H. Scott Hook & Ladder Company was the first fire organization, as the Hudson River Engine Company in 1860, with the old Deluge hand engine. They still have in their hose house a hand engine of a later date.  This company was disbanded in 1880 having been robbed of its fund, and on Feb. 7, 1881 was reorganized as the Geo. H. Scott Hook & Ladder Company, with George H. Scott, Scotty as he has been familiarly known ever since, as president, and A. G. Case as vice president, J. E. Brown, jr. foreman, R. C. Hallock first Asst., Alfred Smith 2 asst., W. H. Salisbury, jr. secy., E. W. Stone treas.

The present officers are E. W. Gardner pres., Charles Parslow foreman, W. H. Parslow secy., Dr. W. I. Saxe treas.

D. M. Hamilton Hose Company No. 2 was organized Feb. 18, 1871. George Carter is president and foreman.

Number 3 Hose Company is located at West Coxsackie with Frank J. Collier as foreman and president and has a fine record for fire work.

Number 4 Hose Company is located at Upper landing and David Wallace is foreman.

The officers of the I. O. O. F. of Coxsackie are: N. G. Henry Seaney, V. G. Haskel Jones, Rec., Sec’y Charles Parslow, fin, Sce’y Jas Whitaker, Treasurer Chas. Collins, Trustee W. H. Parslow.

The officer of the Modern Woodmen of Coxsackie are: Worthy Consul Wm. G. Rommel, Worthy Advisor Myron Case.

The village officers are: W. Ralph Church Pres., Fred P. Aley and Samuel T. Burroughs trustees, Wm. H. Salisbury Treas., Abram Spoor collector.

Banker Wm. W. Doherty, Escort James F. Stacy, Clerk J. W. Tolley, Managers S. T. Clifton, Cyrus Countryman and George Overbaugh.

Durham

Durham formed a part of Albany county, district of Coxsackie, and retained the name of Coxsackie up to 1790, when a portion was taken off and the town of Freehold formed.  And this section known as Freehold took in Greenville, Cairo, Windham, Ashland and Prattsville, and all of the town of Conesville in Schoharie county, about 150,000 acres. The balance of 31,000 acres was called Durham.

Many of the early settlers came form Durham, Conn., and that fact brought about the name of the town. Lucius De Witt is said to have been the first settler about 1770, and among those who followed were Hendrick and John Plank, Augustine Shue, Frederick Gruyslaer, Johnathan Baldwin, Augustus Pratt, John Hull, Eliakim Strong, Timothy Munger, Jarius Chittenden and others whose names are still living generations.  Oak Hill was originally Dewittsville. Most of these people found their settlement at New Durham, and made their way from Connecticut. After reaching Catskill by sloop, they took a pack on their back and with axe, gun, and blankets went into forests on foot, all prior of 1784.

The Baldwins trace their generations back to Flanders, in 864, and allege that Baldwin IX was emperor of Constantinople in 1204, and that five successive Baldwins were kings at Jerusalem. Johnathan Baldwin who settled at Durham, died at the age of 91. Selah Strong, another of the early settlers, was a lieutenant in the French and Indian war. He occupied the place where Horace Strong died in 1915.

Eliakim Strong was one of the organizers of the Presbyterian church at Durham, and died in 1800.

John Bagley built a grist mill on Thorpe creek near East Durham.

Capt. Eliakim Stannard was a soldier in the Revolution, and his son Silas was in the war of 1812, and Lyman Stannard was a supervisor of the town.

The Wrights were among the early settlers. Deacon George Wright was in the Revolution.

James Utter, another settler, was a Revolutionary soldier. Utters are still thriving. Addison Utter built a mill at East Durham.

Capt. Thorpe had a saw mill near the same place.

The Pratt family, Johnathan and Abija, came from Saybrook, Conn., and Captain Pratt served in the Revolution. Abija Pratt was the father of Ezra Pratt, who lived on the old homestead up to the time of his death, 1912, at the age of 82. He was father of Mrs. F. A. Gallt, wife of the publisher of this history.

Icabod Olmsted had only a gun and an axe when he went to Durham, and he cleared all the land on his farm, and died at the age of 95 years.

George Fowler built a saw mill at Oak Hill, Dewittsville.

Jesse Rose was by profession a grave digger, but the natives never died, and so he had nothing to do.

The Cornwalls came from Connecticut in 1788, and Cornwallsville was named in their honor.  Capt. Daniel Cornwall served in the Revolution and died at the age of 90 years.  Amos Cornwall moved to Catskill.

Dr. William Cook was the first physician and he served in the Revolution.

West Durham was settled by John Clover, William Rood, and Captain Daniel Shepherd. Clover was frozen to death while taking food to his family.

Captain John Newell served in the Revolution, and among the early settlers at Durham.  This family traces to 1632.

Deacon Coe, Elihue Moss, Deacon Cleaveland, Deacon Chapman, William Ingraham, Thomas Adams, Col. Ezra Post, were early settlers.

In 1800 James Thompson of Durham, Garret Abeel of Catskill, James Bronk of Coxsackie, and William Beach of Catskill met and organized the first Board of Supervisors, with Mr. Abeel, chairman.

Jacob Roggen settled at Durham in 1806, was supervisor of Durham 1812-21, assemblyman 1816-22.

Daniel Peck built the first tannery at Oak Hill.

Of the early industries, Levi Tremaine built a tannery, Lucas Dewitt a grist, Joseph Wright a grist mill, Stephen Platt a grist mill, Jared Smith a saw mill, Asa Jones and John Jerome fulling mills.  Jermiah White, Daniel Peck, Judge Barker built tanneries.

Around 1840 the Cheritree’s established a plow factory at Oak Hill and later a grist mill. This plant was destroyed by fire in 1865, and this business was continued up to about 1900, when it was discontinued.

Calvin Adams had a factory in Oak Hill for the manufacture of corn shellers, coffee mills and door trimmings.

In 1807 the village of Durham was swept by the most disastrous fire in its history, a big cabinet making establishment and a number of dwelling houses being destroyed.

The Presbyterian church at Durham was destroyed by fire in 1894,

The Reformed church was established in Durham in 1787, the church being located at Oak Hill. The building was finally torn down and the society discontinued.

The Presbyterian church was organized at New Durham in 1792, by the Rev. Beriah Hotchkin.  The first church was built in 1796, and a new church in 1821. The present church was erected in 1895, following the fire in 1894.

The Baptist church was organized in 1809.

The Methodist church was organized about 1800, at East Durham and later divided and a separate church was organized at Durham and Cornswallville.

St. Paul’s Episcopal church was organized at Durham in 1809.

Second Presbyterian church was organized at West Durham in 1815.

The Presbyterian church at Centerville in 1834.

There are traditions of the existence of a Masonic lodge at Durham many years ago, but we have found no record of it.  The only one in town now is Cascade Lodge No. 427, F. & A. M., which was instituted March 16, 1857, with the following officers: D. B. Booth, W. M.; Luman Ramsdell, S. W.; John H. Baldwin, J. W.; A. H. Hayes, S. D.; Amos Sear, J. D.; Calvin Adams, treasurer; Manly B. Mattice, secretary; O. T. Humphrey, S. M. C.; H. J. Peck, J. M. C.; Wellington Peck, orator; Elihu Ingalls, tyler. This lodge owns the Masonic Hall in Oak Hill, where communications are held on the first and third Monday in each month.  It has an active membership of 137.  It has produced one Grand Lodge office, R. W. Emerson Ford, district deputy grand master for the 15^th Masonic district in 1906. the present officers of the lodge are:  Charles A. Shultes, W. M.; L. G. Chamberlain, S. W.; Potter A. Scott, J. W.; Leroy Brandow, S. D.; C. Warwick Newell, J. D.; Ernest L. Ford, treasurer; Paige T. Hoagland, secretary; Elmer Borthwick, S. M. C.; Alfred Hulbert, J. M. C.; Omar Hallock, Orville Hull, stewards, George F. White, marshal; Elisha N. Parks, chaplain; George Burhans, tyler.

The town of Durham has never had many criminals. Patrick Flynn, in 1846, murdered James Roberts, a drover, for his money, and he was the first murderer executed in the county.

Greenville

The town of Greenville was taken from Coxsackie and Freehold in 1803. The town of Freehold subsequently was changed to Durham.  Barent Petersen under a grant by Governor Lovelace and confirmed by Queen Anne, was owner of pretty much all of the town, Lieutenant Colonel Augustine Prevost had a grant of some 7000 acres and the grant was accompanied by a certificate from General Gage indicating the valuation services of Col. Prevost and his son.  This patent was dated 1767, and another grant of lands extended south of the Prevost grant to John French, Thomas Lynot, Mar- Van Bergen and others, that extended from the Coeymans patent to Freehold or Durham.  Col. Prevost built on the road west of what is now Greenville, a very picturesque mansion of the early colonial period, of which we are able to give a fine view.  The writer has passed this old homestead a great many times and always to admire its sturdy lines.  And always with complimentary though of the very honorable family that occupied it. It is still one of the most picturesque houses in the town of Greenville, as well as the oldest.

The earliest settlers were the Ramsdells, Rundells, Sherills, Waldron, Shaws, Kings, Losees, Storys, Calhouns, Barkers, Botsfords, Lampmans, and Bogarduses, names and generations still honored. So far as we know there are none of the Prevost family remaining except as they may be under another name.

Major Prevost was born in 1744 and served in the English army with distinction in the French and Indian war.  He first came to Catskill, then known as Katskill and in 1794 he moved to Greenville. He was a man of great energy and built a number of houses and several mills for sawing lumber and grinding grain, and was back of a number of business enterprises. The Presbyterian church, the first school in Greenville, which afterwards became the Academy, and a school near his residence in which he employed a teacher for the benefit of his own children, were among the tangible evidence of his beneficence.  At one time he is said to have been in partnership with Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr his legal adviser. The Major died in 1821. He had three sons, one of whom was lost on the Albion, and another during the peninsular war, leaving Theodore L., whom the writer of this book remembers, his sole heir and an occupant of this place.  Theodore was living on the place when the writer was living at Greenville in 1880.

Benjamin Spees, Edward Lake and Eleazer Knowles made their way form Connecticut on horseback in 1781.  Knowles built a cabin on Budd hill, and Spees and Lake built north of Greenville.

The first settler was Godfrey Brandow, a Dutchman from the Saugerties section, he having married one of the Overbaughs of that section.  He built a log house and was followed by Stephen Lampman, who became his neighbor. Brandow died in 1795 and his grave is unmarked. Peter Brandow, a son of Godfred Brandow, married Hannah Bogardus of Coxsackie and raised a family of 11 children, most of whom settled in that section and rounded out the century. Jacob Bogardus moved from Coxsackie to Greenville in 1772, Nanning Bogardus settled in Greenville in 1684 (likely 1784 - SH), Simon Losee settled in Greenville in 1790, Obadiah King in 1791. The latter lived to be 80 years of age and in 1801 built a saw mill on the Potic Creek, near the place where water for the Catskill water supply was to be taken.  Abel Wakely, Edward Wooster, and Reuben Rundell settled near the present village of Greenville, and Nathaniel Fancher at Greenville Center, member of the Norton family at what was afterward called Norton Hill, and Thomas Place at Place’s Corners.

Reuben Rundell was another of the pioneers who came from Connecticut, and served as lieutenant in the Revolutionary war.  He landed at Catskill and followed the early trail to Greenville and built a log cabin on the Frank Deane farm.  He was killed in 1850 while crossing the Hudson river at Athens, being hit by flying stone, dislodged by a blast on the New York Central railroad.

Dr. Amos Botsford and John Ely were the first medical practitioners in the town, the former passing in 1864. Isaac Hallock and Edmund Blackmore had the first hotels in 1818 and 1820. The later hotel was located near Gayhead and Elder Steward, one of the first pastors of the Baptist church, conducted a hotel, Jacob Flansburgh and Benton Hallock also had hotels in the town.

The village of Greenville is the most populous of the several villages and hamlets in the town.  Ransom Hinman was the first merchant, around 1803.  The Coonley hotel on the corner was first built by Ezra Holley and Jotham Smith, and is quite old. The Bentley store was started in 1842 and operated by Mr. Bentley for many years, he being part of the time postmaster. There has been no manufacturing in Greenville village. It is one of the prettiest places in the county and has many handsome residences.

Greenville academy was incorporated in 1816, and the Rev. Beriah Hotchkin, Dr. Amos Botswick and Col. Augustine Prevost, and a number of others were among the incorporators. Sylvester Eaton was the first  principal, and James V. D. Ayers, another instructor of note, was later at the head of the Catskill schools.

The Rev. Beriah Hotchkin, mentioned above, was the pioneer of the early church work, and he came from the settlements of New England and had the distinction of founding the first church west of the Hudson river north of Pennsylvania.  His first sermon in Greenville was in Benjamin Spees barn, April 5, 1789, and it is likely that he came at the invitation of Col. Prevost.  He was installed pastor in 1793.  Later the building was used as a tavern and a new house of worship erected in 1801. The Rev. Beriah Hotchkin was pastor of the church until 1824. He died at Plattsburgh in 1829 at the age of 72 years.

Reuben Rundell, to whom we have referred, organized the Episcopal church in 1825, the site being donated by Major Prevost. The present structure was built in 1857. We are unable to say who was the first rector.

The Methodist church was organized in 1825 at West Greenville and the church cost about $4,500. Later it was moved to Greenville village and in 1856 rededicated. This building was destroyed by fire in 1873, and the present handsome structure rose in 1874, having cost about $10,000. About this time the writer was located at Greenville, and has pleasant recollections of the then Rev. J. H. Phillips, Bradley S. McCabe, later member of assembly, Pierce Stevens, Alfred Steadman, Arch Stone, Hamilton McCabe and Reuben Gedney, who have passed to the church celestial.  The Rev. J. B. Stead is pastor.

The Baptist church at Greenville Center was organized in 1793 and its communicants were scattered from New Baltimore to South Westerlo. Elder William Stewart was first pastor.  He had a farm, and, aside from what he raised, received 3 pecks of buckwheat for his salary during one year. He died at the age of 90 years.  The church was built in 1817. Among its pastors was the Rev. Mr. Bronk, who became a great revivalist. Among those who have stood well in the history of the church, we remember David Losee, Sherman Sanford, William Stevens, George Williamson and Russell Townsend, who have gone the way of the earthy.

Another old church of somewhat scattered denomination is the Christian at Freehold. Organized in 1812 by the Rev. Jasper Hazen. It is a model church and has prospered in its century of activity.  One of its pastors, the Rev. John Spoor, is said to have baptized 15,000 persons, and to have married 1000, and attended 1500 funerals.  He went to Freehold in 1819, and died in the harness in 1864.

The Methodist church at Old Greenville was built in 1812, and one of the early pastors was John Bangs, rated as one of the great preachers of the denomination.

The North Hill Methodist church was organized in 1873, and the Rev. John Wood was first pastor. The Rev. W. F. Albrecht during his pastorate was also principal of Greenville Academy.

The Gayhead Baptist church was organized in 1853, and had as its first pastor the Rev. George Slater. Among the organized were Cyrastus Betts and Marie Betts, and many others of the same family name.

One of Greenville’s foremost citizens was Alexander N. Bentley. Born at Westerlo in 1814 and he took possession of the corner store in 1856, and for 30 years was village postmaster.  His wife was a daughter of Josiah Rundell, a pioneer of the town.

Another family intimately connected with the history of Greenville, the Stevens’, and it was Reuben who first set foot in the town, after having turned his back on Catskill creek land at $2.50 per acre.  He died in 1804 and his son, Reuben, was a soldier in the Revolution. His son, Orrin C. Stevens, had 9 children, and the oldest of the family, James Stevens, known as Captain Jim, served with distinction in the Civil war.   He was supervisor of the town in 1874, and 1881-82 clerk of the board of supervisors.  Samuel Stevens was killed at Petersburgh in 1864.

Ebenezer Jennings moved to Freehold in 1809 and built a grist mill.

Henry Martin Snyder who settled near Freehold raised a family of 14 children, and ten of the boys served in the war of the Revolution.

Able Wakeley served in the Revolutionary war and was located at West Point at the time of Arnold’s treason. 

The Rev. Jasper Hazen also organized the Christian church at Medway, the first of that denomination in the state of New York. That was in 1807, but no building was erected until 1832.  And the church of the same denomination at New Baltimore was organized by him.

James M. Austin Lodge No. 557, F. & A. M. was organized with thirteen charter members in July, 1865, in the Bentley building, Greenville village. Its first officers were: John W. Hoffman, W. M.; Electus Ramsdell, S. W.; Humphrey Wilber, J. W.; E. Wackerhagen, secretary; David Turner, treasurer; Jams Stevens, S. D.;  B. F. Hisert, J. D.; Platt Coonley, tyler.  It has had a prosperous career, its membership being reported at 90 on December 31, 1914, and it owns Masonic Hall, where meetings are held on the 2d and 4^th Monday of each month.  Two grand lodge officers have gone out from this lodge: R. W. William A. Wasson, district deputy grand master in 1893 and 1894, and R. W. John H. Sanford, district deputy master in 1911 and 1912. The lodge officers for 1914 were: Peter R. Stevens, W. M.; Wm. P. Seabridge, S. W.; Chauncey Spalding, J. W; William S. Vanderbilt, treasurer; George L. Cook, secretary; Eugene Sisson, S. D.; John W. Story, J. D.; and James L. Wheeler, tyler.

Successive W. M. have been: John W. Hoffman, John B. Teats, Darius Rundell, Albert Wilber, James Stevens, D. M. Wooster, Afred Stedman, W. A. Wasson, John Roe, Arthur Hartt, Chas. P. McCabe, George E. Smith, Albert W. Baker, E. L. Wood, John H. Sanford, Eugene Spalding, Jahleel L. Bogardus, John Lampman, Peter R. Stevens.

Halcott

This sturdy mountain town was originally a part of Woodstock, Ulster county, and is the smallest in acreage of any town in the county, having 11,122 acres, and the total assessed value of its property is about $65,000.

In 1798 it was taken to form a part of the town of Windham, and in 1813 it was called New Goshen. This name gave way to Lexington, and was so known up to 1853, when Halcott was set off by itself, and named after George W. Halcott, son of Thomas Halcott of that town.

Emigrants from Connecticut were the first to make clearings for homes and farms in the forests for the section. The records are broken and scarce, and it was after 1800 before there were any settlers.  Nathan Stanton and James Simmons were among the number around 1805, and then followed John P. Van Valkenburgh and his brother, Peter Van Valkenburgh, Jehoiachim Van Valkenburgh, Jacob Miller, Peter Vandenburgh, Nathan Covel, Joseph Brooks, Aaron Garrison, and others whose names we have not been able to note.

The long and honorable list of residents includes such names as among the later comers, John P. Van Valkenburgh, Buel Maben, John M. Todd, Benjamin Crosby, Isaac T. Moseman, William D. Ford, Rev. Daniel Van Valkenburgh, Nathaniel Ellis, Lawrence Brooks, Russell Peck, Silas Lake, Conger Avery.

Conger Avery was the first supervisor of the town, also postmaster.

Joseph B. Brooks in 1813 built the first frame house.

The first school was in a log house, in 1816, and Sally Kline is said to have been the teacher.

The town of Halcott bonded in 1874 for $10,000 for the purpose of assisting in the building of the Rondout and Oswego railroad, which was projected but never built.  The bonds however were all paid, while the road was sold under mortgage.

Outside of faming Halcott has had few industries. There have been several saw mills, Fred Banker in 1824 erecting the first one.

The first church organized in the town was in 1822, of Baptist denomination and Elder James Mead was the pastor up to 1856.  The first meetings were held in private houses and it was not until 1847 that a church was erected.  This church was abandoned later on and the meetings were held at the school house.

The Methodist church was organized in 1829, with the Rev. John P. Van Valkenburgh as pastor, and it was not until 1849 that a church was built, the meetings being held in private houses and barns.

The principal village is Halcott Center.  It is on the main road from West Kill to Griffin’s Corners.

The present supervisor of the town is Earle W. Jenkins, whose picture appears in connection with this article.

We are indebted to Mr. Jenkins for the picture of the beautiful grave yard at Halcott Center, which is one of the finest in the county.

Jewett 

The first settler of Jewett is said to have been William Gass, who located on the East Kill in 1783. Later came Zaphaniah Chase, Chester Hull, the Andrews family, the Pecks, Johnstons. Henry Goslee, grandfather of Supervisor Fred Goslee, was one of the most prominent of the early residents, who represented the town officially a number of times.  Laban Andrews built a grist mill in 1785, and also a saw mill.  Zadock Pratt and his son, Zadock Pratt, were promoters of the first tannery.  They also had a mill that was operated by horse power. The Andrew mills were wiped out by freshets. Ezra Pratt had a tannery which was destroyed by fire.

Most of the  early settlers came from Connecticut and were of Puritan stock. So far as we have been able to learn Jewett was the only portion of Greene county that ever was represented by a whipping post and stocks, a custom that was brought by the Congregationalists from Connecticut. The whipping post was located near the Presbyterian church. This institution of the old blue laws was used but once and then the whole apparatus was torn down and carried away by parties unknown.  There were no clocks in that period, and the only method of getting the time was by sun dials, and those who had no dials made noon marks.

Jewett, like other towns of the county had the early academy fever, and an academy was built in 1818, with Professor Douglass as instructor. This building, which was 2 stories, was used also as a meeting place by the Methodists. It was finally torn down and the lumber put into another academy.

The Presbyterian church was early in the field, but the first building about 1800 was not finished and the present structure was erected in 1848. The Rev. M. Stimpson was first pastor and he later on became a missionary. The present pastor is James Hewett.

The Methodist built churches at Jewett Heights, at South Jewett and East Kill. We are unable to discover from the conference records that any of these churches have pastors at the present time.  Local preachers have been in the habit of supplying them.

The Buel brothers had a saw mill and grist mill in 1800, and later on they put in machinery for carding wool. Then they added a great smithy with a trip hammer that was operated by water power.

Lexington 

The town of Lexington was formed from Windham in 1813, and it was all of Great Lot 22 and part of 23. In 1777 it was owned by Robert Livingston, and he conveyed a portion of it to John Darling and the latter sold it to the Kipp family who still reside on a portion of it.

Among the earliest residents of whom we have any mention are:  John Maben, Samuel Peck, Derrick Schermerhorn, the Showers, Sopers, Hesses, and Bronsons, prior to 1800. A little later came the Van Valkenburghs, Faulkens, Rowleys, Petits, Barbers, Chamberlains and others.

John Maben settled in the town in 1777.

David Foster is referred to as a hero of the Revolution.

Another of the early settlers was Daniel Angle, and he came to this country with the Hessian troops and was among the number captured at the battle of Saratoga.  He was in Burgoyne’s army, but soon after capture re-enlisted in the Continental army, and later on he settled in Lexington.  He died at the age of 107, and his grave is still pointed out on the Angle place.  He was captain of the Lexington artillery company.

Henry Cline was also a Hessian soldier, and re-enlisted in the Continental army, settling at Lexington after the war.

Captain Aaron Bushnell, also a Revolutionary character built a tannery in 1830. He employed 60 men.

Later settlers in Lexington were John Roraback, A. H. Decker, James Deyo and John Bonsteel.

Captain Monroe Van Valkenburgh, father of County Clerk George B. Van Valkenburgh, was an early settler, and reference to him will be found elsewhere in this book.

John Bray built the first tannery at Lexington in 1819, and he added a grist mill and a saw mill and did a great business.

Bruce Smith built a grist mill and a distillery in 1823.

The first woolen mill was erected by Derrick Schermerhorn and Richard Peck established the first inn.

Col. Zadock Pratt organized a military company at Lexington in 1820. This organization was continued up to the opening of the Civil War.  It was then reorganized by James Munroe Van Valkenburgh, who was commissioned captain. Edwin Ford was 1^st lieutenant.

The company formed a part of the 86^th regiment. It was disbanded in 1872.

Eder Barnum is said to have been the first physician in the town.

The first settler in the West Kill section of the town was Jerome Van Valkenburgh, 1780.

William Dryer built a woolen factory, which was operated up to 1869 when a freshet carried it away.

Hiram Wheeler and Jacob Van Valkenburgh built a grist mill in 1847 and this was operated for many years.

Philo Bushnell also started a tannery, which was burned down later on, and rebuilt to the size of 300 feet.  Iratus Bushnell later owned this property and built another one at Bushnellville.

The first supervisor of the town of Lexington was Henry Goslee, grandfather of the present supervisor of Jewett, Frederick M. Goslee.

The Methodist church of West Kill was organized in 1866.

The Westkill Baptist Church was established in 1827, and here Elder Petit officiated for 30 years.

The old school Baptist church at Lexington was organized in 1790, and Thaddeus Bronson was the first pastor. Elder Hezekiah Petit was preaching in this church in 1801, and was for 50 years and more pastor of this congregation.  The Petit family came from France, and Hannah Petit, a sister of Hezekiah Petit, married James Holdridge, father of George W. Holdridge of Catskill. Elder Petit preached most of the time without pay.

The New School Baptist church at Lexington was organized in 1870. Meetings were held in the arsenal of the town.

The Methodist church was organized in 1845 and the present pastor is Paul Ford.

The first school teacher was Sally Cline. The teachers at the present time may be found in the list of teachers of entire county elsewhere in this book. 

Hunter 

The town of Hunter is part of a grant of land by Queen Anne, to Johannes Hardenburgh and six others in 1708, and this patent contained 1,500,000 acres and extended as far as Popaghtunk, Delaware county.  Hunter comprised 5 lots of the patent, over 47,000 acres, assessed at a million and a quarter. It was formerly a part of Ulster county. It was taken from the town of Windham in 1813, the section being known as Greenland. The earliest settlers were the Haines family, Samuel, John, Elisha, who came from Connecticut.   (There) were few settlers prior to 1800. Among the first comers were the Greenes, Goodsells, Lanes, Dibbels, Merrits, Baldwins, Showers and Roggens.  Bears, wolves and panthers ranged the woods and bounties as high as $40 were paid for their capture. The first postoffice route was established by the Government in 1830, from Prattsville to Catskill, passing through Hunter and Lexington.

In 1851 Hunter had 151 persons liable for military duty and several early residents were in the war of 1812, Aaron Hadden, William Greene and Asa Lord being among the number.

Tanning and milling has given place to summer boarding, and the largest and finest houses in the county are to be found at Tannersville and Haines Falls.  Tannersville is the Mecca of the city people in the summer.

The first supervisor of the town of Hunter was Daniel Bloomer, and the present supervisor is Thomas Seifferth, Jr.

Hunter village was founded by Col. William Edwards, and was called Edwardsville. The Colonel was born at Elizabethtown, N. J. in 1770. In 1818 he came to Greene county and settled at Hunter, where he established the New York Tannery, a plant that had a capital of $60,000 and could tan 5000 hides a year.  This tannery was destroyed by fire in 1830. Johnathan Palen of Catskill had another big tannery in the Clove and that place is said to have been the original Tannersville.

Hunter has been proverbial for excellent roads and Michael O’Hara of Tannersville is at the head of the county road system.

The town of Hunter industries have been lumbering, still going on, manufacture of chairs, and mountain souvenirs, C. O. Bicklemann and Burt Howard having been very successful. Mr. Bicklemann was also the finest photographer in the country.

One of the old landmarks still doing a fine business is the Roggen House, now Martin’s hotel, C. A. Martin, proprietor. Tannersville has several of the largest stores in the county, and the largest garage, that of Robert Lackey on Main street.  J. Frank Lackey has a large grocery business, John H. Gray garage and livery, Schryver & Webster liver, S. R. Hommell electrical store, Irving Goslee electrical store, Oscar Langer jewelry, O. H. Perry coal and lumber, Bert Baker plumbing, Mrs. A. Allen hardware, Lackey & Dibbel attorneys, F. R. Raensch notions, Owen Bowes plumbing, Haines Brothers meats, Fred Penrose café, M. Goldstein café, Jacob Fromer real estate, Fred Campbell blacksmith.

The village officers of Tannersville are: President Robert Y. Hubbard, Trustee Louis P. Allen, Treasurer J. Frank Lackey, and Collector Clarence Fowler.

At the annual communication of Mt. Tabor Star Chapter No. 284, O. E. S. the following officers were elected: Ella Joslyn, Worthy Matron; Peter Joslyn, Worthy Patron; Minnie L. Kerr, Associate Matron; Blanche Miller, Conductress; Annabelle Goodsell, Treasurer; Howard V. Vedder, Secretary; J. G. Edwards, Trustee.

At the annual election of the Lockwood Lodge No. 653, I. O. O. F., the following officers were elected:  N. G., R. G. Winters; V. G. , John J. Kay; Secretary, George E. Sweet, Treasurer, Albert B. Taylor; Trustee, Charles Quick.

The following is the roster of officers of Hunter Fire Co. No. One:  Pres. W. J. Decker, Vice-Pres. W. H. Ingalls, Rec. Sec. H. V. Vedder, Fin. Sec. Geo. P. Howard, Forman A. B. Taylor, Asst. Foreman James Fromer.

The officers of the year of Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 are: Pres. C. M. Cartwright, Vice-Pres. Charles Shuman, Rec. Sec. C. A. Mooney, Fin. Sec. Benj. Sturtz, Treas. P. H. Conerty, Foreman V. S. Baldwin, 1^st Asst. Forman Benj. Sturtz, 2d Asst. Foreman Harry Smith.

In all Greene county there is no place that has built up more rapidly than Haines Falls, in the past twenty years. It isn’t so long either back to the period when there were most Haines in that section. There were Haines families who joined lands all in a row, and one of the early residents was Christian Charles W. Haines, who conducted the Haines Falls House for a long period of years.  He also owned the Falls that have ever since borne his name.  He had the Falls fenced in and 30 years ago when the traveler wanted to see the mighty mountain cataract, he was conducted down on long stairway with many a caution about slipping, and then the water was turned on for the sum of 25 cents per visitor.  This grand old man was regarded as one of the great men of his day.  He died in 1903. The Haines Falls House was destroyed by a fire Nov. 17, 1911, that started in the kitchen. The loss was upwards of $75,000. The place has not been rebuilt.

But we started to tell of the new buildings.

First mention should no doubt be given to the Twilight, Santa Cruz and Sunset Parks, where no less that 250 cottages have been erected, all commodious and artistic, and some of the houses worth many thousands of dollars.

Twilight Inn, property of the Park Association, is the finest of the large mountain hotels. It cost more than $100,000. It has been in charge of L. P. Schutt the past two years. It was damaged by fires last summer at a loss of $4500.

Sunset Inn is the most sightly, managed by Joseph Bryne, accommodates 100 guests and is modern in every way.

The Squirrel Inn is another fine structure.

Santa Cruz Inn is conducted by Mrs. French.

The Ledge End Inn is conducted by the Misses Albertson.

The part has a water system with 5 steel tanks, 50 feet in diameter and costing a large sum. They were built by. E. A. Hueston.

Among the prominent men who own cottages in the park are E. E. Olcott of the Day Line, Gen, George F. Wingate, Bliss Carman, A. F. Huested of Coatsville, Pa., a wealthy steel manufacturer, Mrs. F. W. Picard, Prof. F. R. Hutton of Columbia College, Major W. H. Wiley, Robert Fulton, a descendant of Robert Fulton, who built the first steamboat navigated on the Hudson river, John G. Underhill, Mrs. A. C. Benedict, Raymond Gorges, Dr. W. N. Hubbard, Charles P. Hathaway, Dr. Lester M. Hubby, E. R. Crowe, and most of the other cottages are the property of the association and are rented during the season to persons from New York and other cities.

General Geo. Wingate, president of the Twilight Rest Company, was the originator of the park company and built the Inn. His cottage is the finest in the park.

There are two handsome churches in the park. The All Angels Episcopal and the Union Chapel. Undenominational.

St. Mary’s church is a fine edice with stained glass windows, has parsonage adjoining and also commodious hall built last summer.

The Methodist church has been rebuilt also.

Miss A. Ely, who conducts the Vista, has a block of fine stores.

Henry Smith and Company have an extensive livery business with fine buildings in the Park. They operate some 50 rigs in the summer, 2 autos and employ 8 men.

Among the other houses that have been erected, the Antlers is the largest and probably worth $75,000. On this road leading to the Mountain House are at least 75 houses, mostly new and a number of buildings.

E. E. Pelham has made a remarkable change at the top of Clove notch, and has spent $25,000, on his big boarding house, with a garage 40x20 feet.  Fred Pelham, his son, has just completed a handsome cottage overlooking the Clove.

C. A. Martin has expended $30,000 on the Lox-Hurst, new cottage and enlargement of the house. Samuel E. Rusk has built the Claremont, a splendid house worth $50,000.

The Vista adjoins, and Mrs. Ely, the proprietor, has built a block of stores. Rusk and Andrews have put up  the largest theatre in Catskill, known as the Wauwanda.  Frank Smith has built a big store, and cottage. One of the improvements is the handsome depot of the U. & D. Ry., in the rear of the Lox-Hurst. The Renner Mountain Inn has been transformed like the palace of a dream and R. W. Renner, the proprietor, boasts at hostelry second to none in every way.

The property of the Haines Falls Coal and Lumber Company has all new buildings and is very valuable. This business was started by W. I. Hallenbeck, one of the grand men who represented Greene county in many ways.  The Fenmore owned by him  is commodious and beautiful and he has completed a fine new cottage opposite.

The Polischners conduct a big garage near the corners, J. B. Myers has a fine grocery and general store.

S. E. Rusk has built a new postoffice building. The Falls has 700 population estimated, and during the summer about 6000. At that period, Postmaster Rusk informs us, that he handles 10,000 pieces of mail daily. Mr. Rusk was the man who negotiated the postoffice for Haines Falls and Samuel P. Schutt was the first postmaster. The building was 8x14 feet.  The successive postmasters were S. E. Rusk, W. I. Hallenbeck, C. A. Martin, Albert Kerry, and from 1907 to 1914 S. E. Rusk, and now Herbert O’Hara. S. E. Rusk, in 1892 wrote the first money order, and the M. O. business now amounts to $30,000 per year. Mr. Rusk built the Lox-Hurst in 1894 and the Claremont in 1905.

It may be interesting to know that the first postmaster in Tannersville was Bird Gray and that the office was located for years in the Layman house near the corners. This postoffice had a bar room, and a store and the principal articles of sale were powder and shot. At the time of the postmasters had to send a way bill with the mail and that contained a list of the packages and letters as addressed.

The early industry was mostly getting out hemlock bark for the great tannery that was located in the Clove and that was the original Tannersville. Just at the top of the mountain was an old house that was destroyed by fired a number of years ago, and it was one of the first houses in the section.

We referred to Bird Gray as the first postmaster of Tannersville. Aaron Roggen succeeded him, then William Ellis, Michael Lackey and Charles Voss, who has held the office for many years.

The first deed of land in the Haines Falls section was to Aaron Haines and that was in 1847, up to that time the land had been leased or sold without deed.  Charles W. Haines, a son of Aaron Haines built the Haines Falls House in 1864 and it was burned Nov. 17, 1911.

Prentiss Hallenbeck had a large boarding house near where the Antlers stands but that was burned and he lost everything.

The Laurel House, on property formerly and originally Peter Schutt’s, father of L. P. Schutt of the Twilight Inn, is owned by Jacob Fromer and is one of the early houses. A. C. Inglesse, has been making a success of the house.

The Antlers is conducted by Simon Friedburgh.

Charles Layman lost his life in fighting a fire near the Laurel House and on the spot a monument has been erected to his memory.

It is narrated of Peter Schutt that he drove a deer off the Red Rocks in the Clove, a distance of 250 feet and that on another occasion he drove a deer into the steam and over the falls which later on that account became known as Fawn’s Leap.

We have a picture of the Old Tannery in the Clove from a drawing by the lat Col. B. B. G. Stone, a Catskill artist who died at his home in Catskill. He made hundreds of pencil drawings of the mountain section in the 60’s and also in the 80’s. The Col., who had a fine war record, wore a long flowing beard, and was many times penciled and photographed as Rip Van Winkle.

Aaron Haines was the first settler and found his way from Connecticut following the mountain house trail on horseback.

Samuel E. Rusk, the present postmaster, has a wireless station, the only one in this section of the state, and takes messages from all along the Atlantic coast.  He was a professor at the old Clauverack college, a historical institution now torn down; conducted the Bordentown, N. J. School and has been able to demonstrate that pictures can be taken through solid substances and in the dark.

Haines Falls has a public library in which much interest is taken.

Mount Tabor Lodge No. 807, Free and Excepted Masons, was instituted at Hunter in September, 1892, under a charter granted June 8, 1893. Its charter members were Dwight L. Burgess, Louis Mansfield, Warren Todd, Charles Lake, Willis Baldwin, J. Leipold, Frank Conerty, A. Traphagen, E. Myers, W. H. Mansfield, C. Traphagen, Horace Biddel, George Haner, William Bolles, George Ploss, H. Leaycraft, Wm. Ellis.  It has produced two grand lodge officers: Dayton Slater, assistant grand lecturer, 1908-1909; and Peter Joslyn, assistant grand lecturer, 1914-1915. Regular communications are held Monday evenings in Slater Building, Hunter.  The membership is 102. The officers for 1914 were: Frederick B. Wilcox, W. M.; Frank Barkley, S. W.; Geo. Miller, J. W.; Dayton Slater, treasurer; Arthur Baldwin, secretary; John Kay, chaplain, Fred Campbell, S. D.; Fred Schermerhor, J. D.; Leis Smith, S. M. C.; Ernest Graham, J. M. C.; James Fromer, Wesley Gripman, stewards, Wallace Burroughs, marshall; Howard Vedder, tyler.

William B. Martin, proprietor of the well known Martin’s Hotel at Tannersville, was born in Lexington in 1856. His father was Frederick Van Orden Martin, a wagon ironer, who learned his trade at Catskill, being bound out as an apprentice. He died Jan. 2, 1895 at the age of 84 years. His wife was Elizabeth Saxe, and she was born at Saxton, and died in 1892, at the age of 77 years.

William B. Martin was married to Louisa Van Valkenburgh of Rodout in 1877, and she died March 22, 1907. They had six children, George W. Martin, born in 1878, who was a graduate of Cornell law college, and who after practicing law for a time at Tannersville, was compelled on account of his health to go to Denver, Colorado, where he was quite successful, finally being compelled to returned to Tannersville with his family where he died in 1910. The other children were Robert Scott Martin and Catherine Maria Martin, now Mrs. Geo. Longyear of Red Hock, Frederick Van Orden Martin, Mary Louise Martin, and Elizabeth Martin.

Mr. Martin’s second wife was Laura Edna Bach of West Saugerties, whom he married Nov. 23, 1914, and with whom he is now living.

Mr. Martin was for ten years operating a stage line between Lexington and Shandaken and also between Lexington and Hunter.  In 1884 he purchased a hotel at Lexington, and in 1901 he purchased the Roggen House at Tannersville where he is now located and has greatly improved it, so that it is one of the finest hostelries on the mountains. This place one of the first inns in the town, was first conducted by Wm. Anthony, and anti renter, and then by Norman Gray about 60 years ago.  His son, Bird Gray, a Southern sympathizer in the war period, was locked up in Fort Lafayette, and later was killed in an accident in the Clove, 1865. Samuel Mulford, former supervisor of Hunter, operated the hotel, also Frank B. Lament, ex-sheriff of Greene Co., who sold it to Aaron Roggen in 1867.  He enlarged it and for 35 years ran it as Roggen’s Mountain Home.  He was a relative of Martin Van Buren, president of the United States, and ran a line of sloops from Albany to New York. He also dealt in whiskey, grain and flour and his old cash book and records are still in the possession of Mr. Martin, and they show consignments that would make the dealers of today sit up and take notice. For instance on April 24, 17, 1834, his sales were: whiskey $7114, April 10, 200 bbls, of flour $1062, May 6^th, rye $4270, flaxseed $166, whiskey $633 for 42 barrels, $2188 for potash, barley $2090, rye $2255, 129 bbls, flour $575, 10 tons peas $100. 

Jacob Fromer

Jacob Fromer, who has been one of the potent factors in the history and progress of the town of Hunter and Greene country, was born at Wittenburgh, Germany in 1848.  He went to Hunter with his father, Daniel Fromer, in 1853. Few men have ever been more intimately connected with the welfare and interests of their own town than has Mr. Fromer.  For he not only built a considerable portion of the town, cottages, stores, boarding houses, including such structures as the Laurel House of which he is still owner, but for 6 years he represented the town of Hunter in the Board of Supervisors, and succeeded in getting a largely reduced assessment for the town.  He built no less than 10 iron bridges in the town, and was instrumental in bringing about the purchase of the toll roads and toll gates of the county.  The Fromer store was the largest and best stocked store in the county, and his residence on Main street is the finest in Tannersville. He started the livery business now conducted by Schryver & Webster, organized the Tannersville Water Company, of which he is president, in 1901, and in 1902 organized Jacob Fromer Hose Company.  He presented the company with the lot for their building, and a contribution of $500 at their fairs is not unusual. He contributed largely to the building of the local churches, was owner of the Roggen House, gave the ground for the parsonage of the Methodist church.  He contributed to the organization of the band of Tannersville, and has always been a liberal supporter of all local improvements. He is at present conducting a successful real estate and insurance business.  He is a director of the Tannersville and Catskill railroad.

C. A. Martin

C.A. Martin of Haines Falls is one of the most successful boarding house keepers in the mountain section and his place is favorably known from one end of the country to the other. He purchased the Lox-Hurst in 1899, of Samuel E. Rusk, who built the hotel, and has since built the Claremont adjoining.  Upon this property he has spent $25,000 in improvements, so that he has a summer hotel that  is modern in every way and accommodates over 100 guests.  His place is usually well filled. Mr. Martin was born at Hunter and has taken and active interest in the affairs of the town as an individual and as an office holder elected by the people.

For 5 years he was postmaster at Haines Falls.

The Lox-Hurst is located near the great Clove Slide.

Within easy walk of Mr. Martin’s place are the famous Kaaterskill Falls, and Haines Falls, two of the great cataracts of the mountains section, Fawn’s Leap. Santa Cruz Falls, Profile Rock, Sunset Rock, a view of which is shown on this page, Twilight and Sunset Parks, Catskill Mt. House, Hotel Kaaterskill, and the wonderful North and South Lakes. Also the Otis Elevating Ry., which operates to the summit of the mountains.

Frank Layman was burned to death near the Laurel House in 1900, while attempting to put out a fire that threatened to burn the hotel property, and a monument has been erected to his memory. 

The section of the Catskill Mt. Ry., was burned in 1915 and is now in process of being rebuilt.

R. W. Renner

R. W. Renner, familiarly known throughout Greene county as “Wally Renner,” proprietor of Renner’s Mountain Inn, located at the corners, Haines Falls, and formerly Hotel Hallenbeck, has been very largely influential in bringing this well known summer resort into prominence.  He has made his hotel property very attractive, and has the reputation of catering to the tastes of the traveling public with a menu that is unexcelled. Travelers from every section aim to put up at Renner’s.

Some idea of the beauty of Mr. Renner’s hostelry may be had from the view which we present on this page showing the hotel property and the bridge and mountain stream that courses near the hotel affording fine fishing.

New Baltimore

New Baltimore was originally a part of the district of Coxsackie, and it was not until 1911 that it was set apart as a township.,  The original occupants of the town were Indians. The town comprises 24,189 acres and the valuation is about an even million dollars. The records of the town previous to 1854 have been lost.

The first settlers were the Van Slykes, Van Derzees, Hotalings, Garretts, Millers, Greenes, Powells, Wheelers, Smiths, Bedells, Searles, Hotalings, Vandepoels and Van Ordens. Many of these were Quakers and they set up a standard of worship that still remains and the generations of the early family are among the first citizens of New Baltimore. Most of these early families settled in the district in the period just preceding 1800, about 1790. The old Van Bergen mill of which we present a picture elsewhere was probably the first grist mill in the county, and was erected by Peter Van Bergen, 1780.

The writer landed at New Baltimore Station and in company with mail being delivered by Uncle Sam, a big box of millinery and a very mysterious package weighting 100 pounds the contents of which were not indicated passed, slowly in the one horse rig to the heart of New Baltimore’s great business center.  We have to thank a number of people here for the information that we received.  People of New Baltimore live long and well and die happy unless the records are misleading. From 1903 to 1914 according to the records 55 persons died in that town, and 42 of the deaths were people over 80 years of age.  9 were over 90 and one person 105 years of age.  That was Mary Van Derzee. She died in 1907, and was born in 1802, being without doubt the oldest person in the county. This entire list of deaths will be found a little further on.  We are indebted to Stephen A. Burlingham for much of the information we received.

Charles Titus, a Hicksite and Quaker preacher, built a mill near Medway in 1818 and many other mills followed for sawing lumber.  Men named Dodge, Coney, Delamater and Van Bergen built mills.

Formerly a large amount of shipping was done from New Baltimore village and it was not an unusual sight to see lines of teams and loads of straw reaching from the landing to the top of the hill and for half a mile.  With the burning of the big store house of Andrew Vanderpoel this business was lost.

In 1815 Paul Sherman started the building of boats for river traffic and that resulted in the great ship yard that has since been supplying substantial sailboats, tugboats, and large steamboats.  Around 1850 John Burlingham, and uncle of the informant, and William Wheat took the business and they built a number of annex ferry boats that were used in New York harbor, as well as the first double deck barges. Then Goldsmith and Teneyck got the business and they let it run down.  Then J. R. and H. S. Baldwin purchased the business and commenced to make vessels that were staunch in every way. William H. Baldwin, the present proprietor went to work for them and grew up in the business. He purchased it in 1879 and has spent a fortune in adding every improvement known to the shop builder’s art. Great ways, heavy hoisting and lifting apparatus, steaming apparatus, saw and tram ways and material and tools of every sort, has made the yard perfect.  Forty three years this faithful builder of barges, steamboats and pleasure yachts has turned the lock of his office door.

His son, Dale S. Baldwin, now supervisor of the town, is associated with him in the business.

From the river New Baltimore well displays its well kept residences, its splendid brick school building, a hose house that is a credit to donor, Mr. Cornell, after whom the company is named, and to the village as well; a number of large hotels of which two are in operation, and three prosperous churches.

The oldest of these churches is the Reformed. This organization dates to 1823, but the name of the first pastor does not appear to be known. The Rev. Staats Van Santvoord held services at New Baltimore and Coeymans in 1833. The Rev. W. R. Torrens is the present pastor.

The Baptist church was organized in 1868, by the Re. Foster Hartwell and Rev. A. B. Palmatier. First worship was in the school house and in 1780 (likely 1880-SH) a church costing $4000 was built. The Rev. G. D. Merry is the present pastor.

The Methodist church was built in 1856 and later on remodeled at a cost of $8000, and among the contributors was the Rev. James A. H. Cornell, pastor of the Reformed church who later on built the fine hose house of Cornell fire Company. The early records of the church were lost.  In 1876 John Crawford was pastor and the present minister is Rev. J. E. Parker.

The Quakers as early as 1803 built a church at Stanton Hill and the Bedells and Halsteds were the chief backers of this organization.

The Rev. Ebenezer Wicks started the Baptist church at Grapeville, and the Palmers of that section were among its many communicants.

The Methodist Church at Medway was built in 1832. However there were no early records kept. We are informed that the Smiths, Garrets, and Van Derzees were early and later supporters.

The old Methodist church and school house annex have altered and John Wagner owns and occupies the church property and Bertha Parsons the school house.

New Baltimore has a number of prosperous social organizations:

Social Friendship Masonic Lodge 741, was organized in 1874.  Barney Gardenier is at the head of this organization as worship master.

The Odd Fellows organization has discontinued.

The graded school to which we referred has at its head a principal H. B. Ostrander, Miss Alice Biglake, intermediate, Miss Alida Mulder primary.

Cornell Hose Company occupies a fine large building on the site of its old house destroyed by fire.  William Henry Baldwin is president of the organization, Richard Chapman foreman, William Mortimer secretary and William R. Gay, sec.

The school trustees are Dr. G. Waller, Martinus, Mulder, and Byron Mansfield.

Dale S. Baldwin is supervisor of the town and L. G. Nelson clerk.

Social Friendship Lodge No. 741, Free and Accepted Masons, New Baltimore, was constituted July 9, 1874, under a charter issued June 5 previous.  With the following charter members:  Robert H. Bronk, Isaac Burns, James H. Case, John Colvin, Edwin S. Colburn, John A. Davis, Dewitt A. Fuller, Anthony H. Holmes, Benjamin Hotaling, John Hotaling, Jacob B. Holmes, George H. Jackson, L. A. Marshall, James Miller, Stephen Mead, Horace Rennie, George Smith, Stephen Springstead. A. V. S. Van Derpoel, A. J. Van Derpoel, Ira Willson.  Its past master have been the following: Anthony Holmes, John Colvin, Augustus Sherman, Sam. Colvin, Jacob Carthart, Warren Wolf, L. Colvin, William Gay, William Fuller, Howard Lomax, Wessel Van Orden, Byron Mansfield, Martienus Mulder. Jacob  Van Fleet, Eugene Wolfe, Barney Gardenier.  The present worshipful master is Dale S. Baldwin.  The membership is 64, and regular communications are held on the first and third Fridays of each month.

Prattsville

Prattsville was named after Col. Zadock Pratt, and the territory, something over 1300 acres valued at $250,000 was taken from the town of Windham in 1833, and it is one of the most picturesque in the county, with a splendid stream, the Bataviakill splitting the town in half.  Just below the beautiful village of Prattsville is located the great Devasego Falls, one of the most notable waterfalls in the county, and which has made the town famous as a boarding section.

Prattsville village will be seen from the picture taken in 1843 is located in a fertile valley with model surroundings. The home of the greatest men that the county ever produced, and who gave to the county the great tanning industry, and whose lasting monuments are to be seen in the world—wide pictured rocks bearing the names of many of the Pratt family.  [See Sketch on page 146] Like many of the other towns Prattsville had a greater population in 1800 than it has in 1915, and unless all sign fail the building of the great water plant which is to supply New York City will in the course of the next few years cause the inundation of a considerable portion of the town, and lose to it practically all of the population now remaining.  Prattsville had 1115 residents in 1800 and 713 according to the last census.

Prattsville was settled by early comers from the Schoharie valley, and on the valley flats at Prattsville was fought an engagement of some importance between the settlers and the Tories and Indians, headed by a British officer, named Captain Smith, who was shot and killed and whose remains buried near the creek were washed away in later years a freshet. These early settlers came from Germany in 1710, and it took them two years to reach the Hudson river, after a great many had died on the way.  They proceeded up the Hudson to Albany and thence found their way by Indian trail to the valley of the Schoharie.

The Laraways, Van Alstyns, Van Loans, Deckers, Shoemakers, Derricks, Austins, Distins, Atwaters, Tompkins, Brandows, Mores and others were among the early comers, and these families many of them are still in that section.

The first supervisor of the town was Hezekiah Dickerman in 1833, and the present supervisor, honored year after year, is Elmer Krieger. Zadock Pratt was supervisor in 1863, and Omar V. Sage, now of Catskill, was supervisor in 1861.

Prattsville had produced many men who have stood well in the history of the county, and among them were Daniel C. Scudder, F. James Fitch, Henry Chatfield, Burton G. Morss, Hiram Cronk, Hiram Boughton, and others whose names we may have omitted.

Col. Pratt contributed very largely the money that was used to build the academy at Prattsville.

The first school was in log house near the Pratt rocks.

The Reformed Dutch was the first church, and that was organized in 1802, with the Rev. Lapaugh as preacher. The present church was erected in 1834.

The Methodist church was organized in 1823 and the first church built in 1834, with Thomas S. Barrett as preacher. Durham was in the preaching circuit. Col. Pratt gave most of the money to build these churches.

The Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1833, Prattsville, Windham and Hobart being the preaching circuit.  Zadock Pratt was a warden of this church.

This church cost about $2000 and Mary E. Pratt gave $500. The first president of Prattsville village was Dr. Thomas Fitch. The Prattsville bank was organized in 1843, with a capital stock of $272,266.  It went out of business in 1852.

Prattsville was the home of the great tanneries and Zadock Pratt their promoter, the town being at that time Windham.

The first tannery however and a grist mill and saw mill was operated at Devasego falls by Thomas Bell, who disappeared from Prattsville and was captured and hanged as a pirate. The mill property was destroyed by fire in 1825.

The view which we present of Prattsville shows the great Pratt tannery which discontinued operations in 1845.

Further reference to this industry will be found in the sketch of the life of Col. Pratt on pages 146-149.

The first physician at Prattsville was Dr. Smith, 1790, followed in 1800 by Dr. Curtis, and in 1825 by Dr. Benham, the later being largely responsible for the arrest and conviction of John Kelley who murdered Lucretia Lewis at Prattsville, and who was hanged at Catskill in 1847.

Burton G. Morse, next in line of Prattsville’s great men, was born at Windham in 1810. His grandfather Asa Morse had a family of 14 children, and the oldest son, Foster, was the father of Burton G.  He had tanneries at Red Falls, Windham, Ashland, Carbondale and a grist mill on White Brook, a foundry at Red Falls, and also a cotton factory. These buildings cost $20,000 and the machinery $50,000. The dam which had a head of 32 feet cost $6000. He had 11 grist mills, one at Hobart being twice burned, his plow factory was burned, and in the great freshet of 1869 he lost all his milling property at Red Falls, Hobart, Gilboa, and Schenevus, valued at $100,000. Two tanneries, foundry and one grist mill were burned at a loss of $53,000.

He was supervisor of Prattsville, 1869 to 1878 and assemblyman 1876.

Elmer Krieger stands third among the important men of  Prattsville, and has represented that town in the board of supervisors since 1883. See sketch on page ____.

Work is now proceeding at Prattsville on the great dam, which will be 150 feet high and wipe out 40 large farms in addition to the entire village of Prattsville. The famous Pratt farm and its pictured rocks, the Platner farm, with its $20,000 barns, Sheriff Churchill’s farm, Sheriff Conine’s farm, Higgin’s farm, the Hull farm, the Devasego Falls House and other big boarding houses, 3 schools, 2 creameries, 7 stores, 4 churches, 3 hotels, 3 cemeteries, foundry and 100 residence will go to make room for the great reservoir. The mountain will be tunneled to get the water to the Ulster county water shed.  The work is estimated to take 8 years.

Aurora Lodge F. & A. M. was organized in 1827 with Thomas Benham, W.M.; Sidney Lovejoy, S. W.; C. K. Benham, J. W.  But its existence was very brief, public feeling at that time being to anti-masonic, so that it did not outlast the year.

Oasis Lodge No. 119, F. & A. M. was instituted June 5, 1847, with Cornelius K. Benham, W. M.; Matthew C. Boughton, S. W.; Robert Scanling, J. W.;  There is no record of other officers or charter members. This lodge has prospered.  It occupied its own building, where communications are held on the 2d and 4^th Tuesday of each month.  Its membership December 31, 1914, was 73.

The officers for 1914 were:  Austin Hummell, W. M.; Edwin A. Alberti, S. W.; Willis Lutz, J. W. ; Dwight Conine, treasurer, Albert Newcomb, secretary; Orville Hummel, S. D.; Edwin Moore, J. D.; Claude White, chaplain; Fred. Will, S. M. C.; Franklin Marquit, J. M. C.; James C. McWilliams; marshall; Dewitt Chase, tyler.

Its succeeding worshipful masters have been: C. K. Benham, James Gregory, G. S. Cotton, E. P. More, A.P. Myers, Theodore Rudolph, Cornelius Platner, Wm. F. Feen, Sidney Crowell, James McWilliams, Albert Clark, Albert Newcomb, J. H. Chatfield, M. G. Marsh, A. S. Cammer, James Richtmyer, Dewitt Chase, Charles Rose, E. A. Alberti, Claud V. White, Gould Griffin, Austin Hummel.

Windham

Windham was formerly a part of Woodstock, Ulster county and is one of the most prosperous of the mountain towns. It has many splendid and well tilled farms, and a great many prosperous boarding houses.  While there are few of the early industries that remain there are evidences of thrift everywhere.  In manufacturing there is nothing left.  Farming and the entertainment of summer guests who desert the city for the pure air are the chief occupations.

Windham has always stood at the front in furnishing strong men who have occupied high positions in state and county affairs. Washington Hunt and Lucius Robinson of Windham were both governor of the state.  Rufus King and Zadock Pratt were members of congress, Lyons Tuttle, William Steele and Hon. C. E. Bloodgood were state senators, and Edward M. Cole was member of assembly.

A great many of the prominent men of Catskill, New York City and other places have gone out of Windham. Josiah Tallmadge to be county judge for a long term of years, Cyrus E. Bloodgood to the county clerk, and a great many lawyers, among whom are Frank H. Osborn, Judge Chase, Leonard B. Cornell and others.

For many year Windham has been the temperance stronghold of Greene county. Strange to say the early industries of Windham included a distillery operated by Bennett Osborn and another the property of William Tuttle, 1822 to 1830. Windham whiskey was regarded as better than the Blue Grass kind. The most important industry was tanning, and Zadock Pratt, Samuel Reynolds, Clark Twist, Friend Holcomb, Tertius Graham, Bennett Osborn, Abijah Stone, Col. George Robinson operated tanneries.

Jared Matthews conducted a button factory.

Jared Matthews in 1822 manufactured shaving boxes and later a carding mill and saw mill.

Hunt and Matthews operated a collar factory.

Matthews and Hunt made harness to supply the New York city trade.  William Tuttle ran an ashery and distillery.

Morse and Newbury manufactured printing presses.

Bennett Osborn and Abijah Stone operated a grist mill.

Bennett Osborn was the first postmaster at Windham, being commissioned by Andrew Jackson.

The first settlement was at Osbornville, now Windham, but the Osborns are still there in force, and George Osborn at Brook Lynne, better known now as Brooklyn, has one of the largest and most successful boarding house interests in the Catskills.

Back in 1822 Asa Osborn represented the town as its supervisor, and Merritt Osborn, 1847, Barnard Osborn 1864, M. C. Osborn 1879 and George Osborn 1905, represented the town in the Board of Supervisors.

Noble P. Cowles, John Olney, Erastus Peck, Cyrus E. Bloodgood, are among the Windham men who have become notable characters in the county’s history.

There was Captain Robinson who in 1812 volunteered and his personality was so great that he took his company almost to a ____ with him. 

David Lamoreau settled at Windham in 1817, and raised a family of 11 children in a log house.

Solomon Munson came to Windham in 1802, and he was killed building a frame building to take the place of a log house.

Silas Lewis was the first of that family and he erected a grist mill.

George Stimson settled in the Batavia valley in 1785.

Eleazer Miller, Elias Clark and Cornelius Fuller were early settlers, and the latter kept an inn, 1812.  He had 8 sons and 8 daughters, all of whom lived to raise families.  At Fuller’s tavern religious services were held every Sunday, and there was a pulpit erected in one of the rooms for religious purposes.  Mr. Fuller is said to have been very kind and benevolent.

Lemuel Hitchcock settled near Big Hollow in 1785 and raised a family of 10 children, all in a little log house.

Abel Holcom from Granby, Ct., located at Jewett, 1820 and built a saw mill, a brick yard, a tannery and established a store. Col. Pratt started the tannery business.

Eli Robinson, father of Governor Robinson built a log house around 1800.

Sanford Hunt, father of Governor Hunt, manufactured potash.

Ambrose Chapman, 1820, started a chair factory and made hand hay rakes.

Isaac Payne built a saw mill, 1810, Lemuel Anson started a paper mill, 1850, Jared Clark built a saw mill, Roswell Bump, 1810 raised a family of 9 boys and 4 girls in a log house at Windham.  Deacon Elam Finch organized the West Durham Presbyterian church and brought up a family of 11 children.

These sturdy pioneers of the stirring early town lived long and were happy and full of religious zeal.  They died at 80 and 90 and raised families of from 8 to 141 persons. There were no rules of hygiene, no fly swatters, and no tabooing of water cups, but they lived, all of them and the inference that health comes unsought under the proper surroundings may be had.  Men worked, and women also.  Their food was simple and their hardships many, and the secret of most of the healthy children is that there were no nursing bottles and the mother raised her offspring.

Bennett Osborn had a grist mill at Windham in 1810, a tannery in 1823. Henry Osborn later erected the building that became the Methodist church, and for a time ran a newspaper called the Centennial 1867. Bennett Osborn was postmaster.

The Big Hollow Presbyterian church was started in 1822.

The Windham Presbyterian church was established in 1834.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1843.

The Episcopal Mission in 1850

The Free Methodist church at Big Hollow in 1871.

The Hensonville Methodist Church in 1874.

The Windham Journal was started in 1857 by William R. Steele. Edward M. Cole, published the paper up to the time of his death in 1915.

Windham was visited by a most destructive freshet in 1870.

Colonel George Robertson was one of the most prominent men that Windham has produced.  He was born in 1805, and was one of a family of ten children.  His father was also a Colonel. He was born at Troy and moving to Windham opened a temperance hotel, the first in the country.  Col. George Robertson operated a tannery, and a saw mill.  When his tannery was burned in 1853, in the space of six days he performed the greatest building feat that has been known.  Timber was cut form the woods, and a building 40x210 and 3 stories in height, main part, with addition 21x120 feet, was erected and ready for use. There is nothing to equal this even today with greater facilities at hand.

Free Masonry gained and early foothold in Windham, where Revival Lodge No. 117, F. & A. M. was instituted in 1804 by these eminent grand lodge officers present:  R. W. Jacob Morton, G. M.;  Martin Hoffman, D. G. M.; C. Colden, S. G. W.; Daniel D. Tompkins, grand secretary; Philip S. Van Rensselaer, J. G. W.  The lodge was organized at the house of John Tuttle, at Batavia, and its first officers were:  Samuel Gunn W. M.; Thos. Benham S. W.; George Robertson, J. W..  There were 87 members all early settlers of Windham and vicinity.  A prize possession of the lodge, still in custody of Mountain Lodge, its successor, is a set of jewels, regarding which the record reads:

“Memorandum under date of April 22d, 1905. Donation of the jewels by Constant A. Andrews to the lodge. But if it should so appear that this lodge, No. 117, should lose its charter or warrant, the said jewels, or the amount of them, which is twenty-two dollars, shall revert back to the said Andrews or his heirs or assignees.”

The charter of the loge was surrendered, however, and on the 3d of February, 1807, Harmony Mark Master Lodge No. 31, F. & A. M was organized with Constant A. Andrews W. M.; George Stimson S. W.; Thomas Benham J. W.   This probably existed some years but finally went out of record.

Mountain Lodge No. 529, F. & A. M. was organized in October, 1862, and its charter received June 8, 1863. Its first officers were: C. V. Barnett W. M., Milo Osborn S. W., A. Newbury J. W., B. B. Osborn secretary, J. S. Miller treasurer. There were eight charter members. From this time regular communications have been held, and the lodge has grown to a member ship of 108, and it owns the building it occupies, known as Masonic Hall.  The officers for 1914 were:  Charles R. Jennings, W. M., Cyrus R. Tibbals, S. W., W. S. Cammer J. W., Irving Brockett treasurer, Arthur Roach secretary, Hylie D. Ratcliff S. D.  Harold Hitchcock J. D., Lewis Munson S. M. C., Rev. J. Markarian chaplain, George W. Osborn marshal, Wilber M. Sanford, Oswell R. Coe stewards, Sanford J. Osborn tyler, Levi W. Bloodgood, George R. Winchell, Irving Brockett, trustees.

Benjamin I. Tallmadge

Benj. I. Tallmadge, born at New Baltimore, Greene county, New York, November 1^st 1869, the son of Thomas D. and Helen M. Tallmadge. Was educated in the common schools of New Baltimore and by private study at Albany, Oneonta and Windham. Studies law in the office of his brother, Hon. Josiah C. Tallmadge, and was admitted to bar February, 1893, entered into a co-partnership with his brother at Windham under firm name of J. C. & B. I. Tallmadge, which firm existed until the removal of Josiah C. Tallmadge to Catskill in 1897, and from that time he has continued the practice of law alone at Windham.

He was married on December 24th, 1895 to Rose B. Graham, the daughter of Lucius S. Graham of Windham, and three children were born of this marriage: Dorothy M., born May 26^th, 1897, Helen R., born Nov. 27^th, 1899 and Marjorie G., born June 25^th, 1906. His wife, Rose B. Tallmadge, died on the 9^th day of November, 1913.

He has been President of the Board of Education of Windham High School and is now Secretary of that Board; is President of the Windham Elgin Creamery Company of Windham is Secretary and Treasurer of Windham Village Water Company, past President of Windham Hose Company, Past Master of Mountain Lodge No. 529 F. & A. M., Past High Priest of Mountain Chapter No. 250, R. A. M.; is a member of Rondout Commandery No. 52 and of Cypress temple A. A. O. M. S.

Burdette G. Dewell

Burdette G. Dewell, Chairman of the Board of Equalization Commissioners of Greene County, appointed December, 1914. A prominent resident of Windham and one of the Democratic leaders of that town.  Born at Jewett, Greene County, New York, Sept. 2^nd, 1874.

Was at one time a member of the Board of Education of Windham High School, is a member of Mountain Lodge No. 529, F. & A. M., of Mountain Chapter No. 250 R. A. M., of Rondout Commandery No. 52, and of Cypress Temple A. A. O. M. S.

He is a member of the firm of Dewell & Moore, the proprietors of the popular Windham Garage.

St. Patrick’s Church, Catskill

Something over thirty years ago the venerated Father O’Driscoll laid down his burden as pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, Catskill. He had labored zealously and well in guiding the little flock entrusted to him and never flinched before the obstacles that constantly crossed his path.

These duties were taken up by the late lamented Rev. Wm. Finneran who in frail body brought an amount of energy not often found.  At once he turned his attention to the general up-lifting of his people.  With an undaunted purpose in mind, he showed them the necessity of raising to the living God, a temple more worthy of their Faith.  Although there was only a small amount in the Church treasury, he laid the foundation of the new St. Patrick’s Church and with unflagging efforts in every direction, succeeding in raising the present structure.

Ever anxious about the lambs of the flock, he spared no pains in gathering the children for instruction in their holy religion.  And as religion and science go hand in hand, he never ceased to advise the young to grasp every opportunity to increase their store of knowledge.  In May 1890, circumstances led him to consider seriously the idea of a parochial school. Hitherto he had put it aside as he dreaded the debt which such a step would entail. But once the necessity showed itself, no difficulty was too great to be surmounted. It did indeed increase the church debt, but the school was built. In September 1890, it was opened for the children of the parish. With accustomed foresight the reverend Pastor provided for the various grades of pupils and within a year and a half had the school chartered by the University of the State of New York.

To provide for the course of study, the good Father took upon himself the instruction of Latin, made proper provision for science equipment and with his own books, formed the nucleus of the library.  The first pupil was graduated with a State regents diploma in 1894 and that requirement has continued the standard for graduation until the present time.

In 1896, the Church of the Sacred Heart was built in Cairo to accommodate the summer visitors and has been always well attended from Catskill. The addition of the village of Athens in 1897 required an assistant priest and Rev. Wm. H. White ably aided in the work of the sacred ministry.

The members of the congregation not being blessed with the goods of the earth in abundance, it was apparent that many sacrifices must have been entailed in supporting their pastor in his strenuous labors.

Father Finneran succumbed to an attack of pneumonia in April, 1900, and faithful soldier of Christ as he was, he calmly laid aside all his work at the Master’s call. His memory is held in reverence by all who knew him and all the people of the village irrespective of religious opinions, mourned his loss.

But the work went on and was ably taken up by the present Pastor, Rev. Wm. P. Fitzgerald. Gradually without noise or bustle he swiftly lifted each thread of the church concerns and has since carried them on unostentatiously but firmly.  The accumulated floating debt was cleared away and not withstanding many dubious headshakings, the school expenses were promptly met and cleared. No less than his predecessor does he labor for results and a high standard.

Contenting himself for several years with the poorest parish house in the diocese, in 1903 Father Fitzgerald built the fine rectory adjoining the Church.  Feeling that the Church property was not complete without a convent, he was on the alert for a suitable site or building.  Two years later, the Olney house was purchased and has since been the Sister’s home.

During the same time St. Patrick’s Church has been frescoed, three magnificent marble altars have been set in place, together with various other decorations and appurtenances which go to complete a handsome church edifice.

In 1907, the Papal Delegate, now Cardinal Falconio, paid a visit to the Church and school. The pupils, in simple regalia and bearing appropriate banners, formed in line, met His Excellency and escorted him to the Church where he held a reception for the people. In no unstinted terms, he praised the simple but beautiful reception and congratulated Father Fitzgerald on his care of the parish.

At the opening of the famous “Old Home Week” of Catskill, the Father Fitzgerald had the beautiful monument to memory of Father Finneran unveiled, forming a fitting prelude to the ensuing week of exercises commemorate of “other days.”

The out-missions have claimed much time and attention. Athens now glories in having one of the best appointed country churches in the state.  It now stands central in the village and is the pride of the Catholics of Athens.

The people of Cementon have also built a commodious basement of concrete which can be easily enlarged as soon as its needs make it evident.

The last two years have witnessed a noticeable diminution of the church debt. The co-operation of the Pastor and people have brought these material results, but the great bond is the spiritual one which unites them, heart and soul in endeavoring to further the interests of the Divine Master.  A purpose tried in the furnace of opposition on one hand, and sacrifices on the other has been theirs and they will hold to it faithful and unwavering until called to lay down their arms and receive there reward.

The Catskill National Bank

The Catskill National Bank is one of the oldest banks in the United States.  Chartered in 1813 as the Catskill Bank, it entered the National Bank System under the National Bank Act, as The Catskill National Bank, and has steadily gained in strength and influence. Through all the years of its existence as a Bank it has proved a bulwark of security to its depositors, and to its stockholders it has paid generous dividends and profits.

The Catskill National Bank has always been closely identified with the interests of the territory served by it, and it affords every facility and accommodation for the prompt and systematic conduct of business.  This bank is a member of the new Federal Reserve System, and as correspondent, or depository there is no better, safer, more satisfactory bank in this section today than the Catskill National Bank.  It is essentially a Commercial Bank –alive to the requirements and necessities of its customers and their business, and accustomed to give to the smallest detail that care and attention which should recommend it to the small as well as large depositor.

Its present commodious and beautiful banking room was completed and occupied in 1911 following extensive alterations in the Bank Building, at which time new burglar and fire proof vaults and safe Deposit boxes were installed, and fully equipped with the most modern appliances for safety, which are claimed to be the most elaborate example of steel vault construction between Albany and New York—and are absolutely fire, burglar and mob proof.

Its Presidents have been since entering the National Bank System, Rufus H. King 1865-1868, Addison P. Jones 1868-1871, Isaac Pruyn 1871-1903, James P. Philip 1903 to date.

The records show but three secretaries to the Board of Directors viz John H. Bagley elected July 19, 1869, Thomas E. Ferrier elected Jan. 12, 1876, P. Gardner Coffin elected February 16, 1903.

The present Officers and Directors are James P. Philip President, Judson A. Betts Vice Pres., P. Gardner Coffin Cashier, John H. Story Asst. Cash., Omar V. Stage, Robert F. Story, Josiah C. Tallmadge, Percival Goldin, Samuel C. Hopkins, George W. Holdridge, Herman C. Cowen, Harmon P. Pettingill.

The officers and directors of The Catskill National Bank have always been men of influence and standing in their community, and in them the depositors of the bank have reposed confidence, and to them they have looked for advice and direction in financial matters.

The prosperity of a bank is closely allied to the prosperity of the community it serves, and The Catskill National Bank which has served the community and its depositors so many years in loyalty and sincerity has, in addition to its honorable record, the following guarantee fund to safeguard the funds of its depositors.

                             Capital                                             $150,000.00
                             Stockholders Liability                     150,000.00
                             Surplus and Profits                          125,000.00
                             Total                                                 $425,000.00

James P. Philip

James P. Philip was born in the Village of Catskill and is a son of the late Jacob S. Philip M. D., the well beloved Homeopathic physician of local fame.  He was educated at the Catskill Academy and graduated from Rutgers College with honor in 1882 as President of his class, receiving an appointment to Phi Beta Kappa for scholarship and in 1885 his Alma Mater conferred on him the degree of Master of Arts.

He was admitted to the New York bar in 1886, having pursued his legal studies at the Albany Law School from which institution he graduated as President of the class of 1886.

Mr. Philip began the practice of law in New York City in connection with the Title Guarantee and Trust Company and subsequently moved to then City of Brooklyn where he successfully continued the practice of law until his return to his native town in 1903 when he assumed the Presidency of the Catskill National Bank, which position he now occupies.

Mr. Philip has never sought political preferment, although active in his party affiliation, but has given of his time and means to advancing and developing the varied interests of his Town and County.  At various times he has been a director or officer in The Catskill Building and Loan Association, Catskill Foundry and Machine Shop, Catskill Chamber of  Commerce, The Hudson River Ice Company, The Catskill Mountain Railway Company, Catskill Young Men’s Christian Association, and the Catskill National Bank.

Mr. Philip is a 32 degree mason, a member of the Catskill Lodge F. & A. M., No. 468, The Crescent Athletic Club of Brooklyn, The Chi Psi Fraternity, Long Island Country Club,  The University Club of Brooklyn, The Universities Club of London, England, Catskill Rip Van Winkle Club, President of the Republican Club of Greene County, and Life Member of the National Geographical Society of Washington, D. C.

Mr. Philip married Sarah Louise Pruyn June 15^th, 1898 and resides at Catskill, N. Y. and both he and Mrs. Philip have traveled extensively.

Isaac Pruyn

Isaac Pruyn was long identified with the business affairs of Catskill. Born in Kinderhook, Columbia County, November 25, 1816, he graduated at the Kinderhook Academy and studied law in the office of Judge Julius Wilcoxson. After being admitted to the New York bar he went to New York City and practiced law with Judge Moore, but loving nature and the Hudson River Valley with its scenic beauties of river and mountains he soon after removed to Catskill and entered upon the practice of his profession with the late John Van Vleck.

Mr. Pruyn took an early interest in the business affairs of Catskill. With the late C. L. Beach and George H. Penfield he engaged in the freighting business which preceded the establishment of The Catskill Evening Line.  He was one of the Directors of the Catskill Mountain Railway Co., and almost every business enterprise established in Catskill having any prospect of success was assured of his financial support. After the organization of The Catskill National Bank he became a stock holder and in 1872 was elected President, an office he continued to fill without interruption until the summer of 1903 when his failing health caused him to resign.

For the young men he always had a kindly feeling as was illustrated by his many donations to the Drum Corps named after him, the members of which were thereby enabled to realize their ambition.

He died June 2, 1904 at the age of 87 years, survived by a daughter, Sarah Louise, wife of James P. Philip, President of The Catskill National Bank.

Mr. Pruyn was married to Mary Wilcoxson, a niece of Ex-President Martin Van Buren and daughter of Judge Julius Wilcoxson by whom he had five children and after he death he married Sarah Ann Wilcoxson, sister of his deceased wife.

Herman C. Cowan

Herman C. Cowan, of Catskill, was born at Emporia, Kansas.  He organized the Catskill Cement Company, and built there an extensive plant at Cementon, which is now being operated as the Alpha Cement Co.  He has been actively connected with many Catskill interests, being at the head of the Catskill Supply Company, and the Catskill Hardware Company. He helped to reorganize the Catskill Street Railroad, being president of the Company and also president of the Rip Van Winkle Club, and superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School. since 1912.  The Catskill Supply Company built the Catskill-Saugerties state road and the Cairo village state road.

William S. C. Wiley

William S. C. Wiley was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, 1854 and came to this country in 1861. In 1887 he took up his residence in Catskill as the head of the Wiley Manufacturing Company being also president of the Aiken Knitting Company of Philmont.  He was very successful and was honored with many official positions, serving as president of the village, supervisor of the town.  He was presidential elector on the Harrison & Reed ticket and also on the McKinley and Roosevelt ticket.  He was quarter master general on Gov. Levi P. Morton’s staff. He was a member of the Hudson-Fulton Committee. Moving to Elmira in 1913 he became connected with a knitting company at that place. He has now returned to Catskill.

Seth T. Cole

Seth T. Cole was born in the village of Catskill on February 12, 1886, and has resided there since birth.  He was educated in the public schools of Catskill, graduating from the Catskill High School in the class of 1901.  In 1907 he entered the Albany Law School and completed the course in that institution in 1908, being admitted to the practice of law in November, 1908. On August 1, 1907, Mr. Cole was appointed to the position of stenographer in the State Tax Department, holding at the present time the important position of State Mortgage Tax Clerk.

In firemanic circle he is widely know and has been highly honored.  He is a member of Hose Company Number One of Catskill, was Secretary of the Greene County Firemen’s Association for six years and President of the organization for two years, is now President of the Hudson Valley Volunteer Firemen’s Association and a member of the Law Committee of the Firemen’s Association, State of New York.

Mr. Cole was general secretary of Catskill’s Old Home Week Committee in 1908 and general secretary of the Greene County Hudson-Fulton Celebration in 1909.

He is a member of Catskill Lodge, No. 468, F. & A. M.; Catskill Chapter, No. 285, R. A. M., Lafayette Commandery, No. 7, K. T., Cyprus Temple A. A. O. N. M. S., Hudson Lodge No. 787, B. P. O. E., Catskill Tent, No. 869, K. O. T. M., and is President of Catskill Circle, No. 311, P. H. C.

In politics Mr. Cole is Republican.

Frank D. Overbaugh

Frank D. Overbaugh of Catskill has come to be regarded as the man of Roads. As superintendent of the town of Catskill since 1909 he has given the town a service that hitherto was not known, and in addition to building bridges, and roads that are practically of state-road quality, he has saved the town many thousands of dollars in the purchase of materials and highway machinery. He has built for a nominal sum the big tool house at Cauterskill and there is not a shovel or hoe that is not accounted for.

The Overbaugh family was one of the first in this section. Frank D. Overbaugh traces to John Peter Overbaugh, who settled on the Loveridge Patent below Catskill in the 1700’s.  He was born Oct. 25, 1853 on the old farm in the Embocght.  His father was William Overbaugh, and mother, Ophelia Dewey.  He was married to Alice J. Fiero, and they had two children, Florence, who married School Com. Wm. N. Anderson, and Susie deceased, who was the wife of Geo. Legendre. He attends the Reformed Church.

Horace Willard

Horace Willard came to Catskill from Lenox, Mass. And opened a Jewelry Store where the present Rectory of the Dutch Reformed Church now stands.  He married Susan Sophia Kemper of Hudson and soon afterwards moved up Main Street to the site now owned and occupied by Dr. Honeyford, where he continued the jewelry business until he died. His son, Charles S. Willard, bought out the business and in 1851 moved it into a new store built by him on the adjoining lot. No. 380 Main street, where he conducted the business until he died.  From that time on the business was carried on by Howard Wilcox until he died February 1915, and in April 1915 was taken up by Prentis W. Hollenbeck, who is at present conducting it.

Charles E. Willard, M. D.

Charles E. Willard, M. D., son of Horace Willard to whom previous reference has been made, was born at Catskill, August 14, 1846, and was graduated in 1868, from the college of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City. During most of the period since that time he has practiced medicine successfully in Catskill and had for many years been at the head of the Health Board of the town and at present is the state representative for this section. His first wife was Anna E. Willard and his second wife with whom he is living in the old homestead on Main street, Catskill was Marcia C. Cole, to whom he was married in 1897.  In 1874 he was elected vestryman of St. Luke’s Church, holding the position for many years. He is still an active member of that church.

Thomas C. Perry

This life sketch of Thomas C. Perry is here presented for those who are less familiar with the sterling qualities of his manhood than his associates and friends of long and intimate acquaintance.

He was born in the town of Olive, Ulster county, N. Y. in 1867, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of the subjects taught in the public schools.

Later his parents moved to the town of Marbletown. While living in this town he not only gained a practical knowledge of agriculture, but the necessity of individual responsibility strengthened the springs of his moral purpose. Consciously or unconsciously he had learned that socially and industrially the first duty of man consists in making the most of himself. With this thought supreme and a desire to fit himself for teaching, he entered Kingston Academy where he studied for his chose profession.  His preparation was further continued in Spencer’s Business College.

Previous to this he had been granted a license to teach in the schools of New York, and his first school was near Stone Ridge.  He taught other rural schools, and later accepted the principalship at Tillson.  Here he taught the higher branches and supervised the work in the grades, resigning at the end of the third year to become principal at Wallkill, where he remained four years and brought the school to a high state of efficiency. In fact, it ranked among the best in the county, and from this school Mr. Perry turned out some of the best prepared students for the higher branches of learning.  He believed the business of teaching to be a serious and important enterprise. Serious because of its responsibilities, opportunities and obligations; import because the demand of the day is for teachers disciplined and equipped to interpret the world of truth.

In 1898 Mr. Perry was united in marriage with Miss Tessa Decker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Decker, of Granite, N. Y.

Mr. Perry cherishes a pardonable pride in being a descendant of the line which gave to our young nations Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.  By the prowess of this heroic naval office the British were driven from Lake Erie in 1813 and forced to evacuate Detroit.  Like his progenitor he believes in simplifying his work by avoiding waste of words, waste of material and waste of time.

In 1905 Mr. Perry was elected by the people of third commissioner district by Ulster county to the office of school commissioner.  He analyzed conditions, thought out a plan, studied directions, summoned his abilities, insight and courage.  He gave hope to teachers, helped them across hard places, and he was happy in this loving service.  He organized round table conferences and brought prominent educators to these conferences to impart professional impetus and enthusiasm.  The teachers of his district fully appreciated his efforts.  Thoughtful for the highest personal welfare not only of the teachers, but of the individual pupils in the schools under his care, he will long be remembered for his courtesy, his ability and his efficient service.

In 1912 the board of school directors of the first supervisory district of Greene county, elected Mr. Perry superintendent of the school in the towns of Athens, Cairo, Catskill, Coxsackie to succeed Randall N. Saunders resigned.  His actual experience, his thorough knowledge of rural school problems, his sincerity and tact are the attributes and qualities which enable him to supervise the schools of this district with intelligence and in the spirit of the leader.

Without domination, the true leader “gets things done” by his presence, by his attitude, and by his unassuming participation.

George H. Chase 

George H. Chase is a native of the mountain section of the county, born and reared on a farm in the town of Jewett, where the high altitudes and surrounding mountain peaks breed not only pure air and good health but sturdy characters and lofty ideals as well, and he is thoroughly representative of that section, having in his veins the blood of the Chase, Baldwin and Pratt families, the pioneers of our mountain settlements and progenitors of a race that put Greene county on the map.  When a young man he purchased the mercantile business of the later Alfred Peck at Jewett Heights and for many conducted this in connection with his summer hotel business at the place, retiring from the mercantile business two years ago.  In all of his business career he maintained a high standard for upright methods, and enjoyed the confidence and respect of all who had dealings with him. His location has been the center of life for the town and he the moving spirit in most of its successful enterprises.  He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Jewett Heights.

As a man of such prominence in his section, Mr. Chase was naturally drafted into the official life of the town, and he successfully served as town auditor, town clerk and justice of the peace, and for eight or ten terms was supervisor of the town, thus bringing him to Catskill as its representative in the county legislature, where he served with credit and distinction, thereby gaining a large experience that enabled him to better serve his constituents in the state legislature at Albany.

Mr. Chase, being a broad minded Republican, has always stood loyally by the principles of his party, with the spirit of which he was imbued in its earliest and best days, with a liberal interpretation of same, and has always manfully supported his position.

He was nominated for the Assembly by the Republicans of Greene county in 1913 and was elected, receiving 3698 votes to 3282 cast for J. Lewis Patrie, Democrat.

He was re-nominated and re-elected in 1914, receiving 3364 votes to 2683 cast for Dr. Sidney L. Ford, Democrat.

Mr. Chase is a member of Mountain Lodge No. 529, F. & A. M. of Windham, N. Y.

List of Greene County Postmasters—Apr. 1, 1915

Joseph A. Hill

One of the progressive men of Catskill, whose energies and push have brought him to the front is Joseph A. Hill. He came to Catskill in May 1894, and was employed in the jewelry business, later on branching out for himself in a small venture, which under wise direction has become one of the leading jewelry stores in this section.  He was born at Cohoes, N. Y., in 1874, his father Joseph Hill coming to America in 1861 from England.  He is a member of the Odd Fellows, Athabasca Tribe of Red Men, and attends the Reformed church.  He was married June 25, 1902 to Sarah W. Mitchell, and they have one child Geo. Odgen Hill. His present store is in the Van Gorden building.

R. Y. Hubbard, M. D.

There are few men in Greene county who are better or more favorably known than R. Y. Hubbard of Tannersville, who is one of the young men who has pushed his way to the front within the past few years.  He was born in Brooklyn, N. Y. on October 10, 1877, and graduated from the Stamford Seminary in 1899, Cornell University in 1902, Long Island College Hospital in 1907, Fitch Military Hospital in 1909, and commenced the practice of medicine at Hunter village where he remained for 4 years. He then removed to Tannersville, in order to better accommodate his extensive and growing practice, which covers every section within range of Tannersville.  He is a coroner of Greene county, President of Tannersville, health officer, president of the fire department, and getting into the newspaper field is vice president of the Tannersville Record publishing company.  He occupies a fine residence and has just completed an office adjoining the same.  His wife was Elizabeth Hummell of Hunter to whom he married in 1907. They have one daughter, Myrtle.

Addenda

Frederick Nelson Du Bois died July 8,m 1915.

Ice House of Jeremiah Brooks at Athens burned Aug. 22, 1915, loss $14,000.

The Newspaper Field

Greene county has always been well represented in the newspaper field. The Catskill Recorder was first on the scene in 1792. It was then 10x12 inches in size and was called the Catskill Packet. The Catskill Packet and Western Mail, and then it shone as the Western Constellation, and in 1803 assumed the name of Catskill Record.  Since 1862 it has been published by representatives of the Hall family following the death of Mr. Hall, in 1874; George S. Stevens, deceased, Frazer Hall, deceased, being its editors, and since the death of Frazer C. Hall, Harry Hall has been at the head managing the paper for the estate.

Some of the journalist efforts that have passed were:  The American Eagle, 1808, The Catskill Emendator 1813, The Zectic, 1814, The Greene and Delaware Washingtonian, 1816, Greene County Republican 1814-16, The Catskill Democrat, both papers being absorbed by The Recorder, Prattsville Advocate, 1846, The Mountaineer, 1853, Prattsville, and the American Eagle, 1854, started at Prattsville and owned by Lyman Tremaine and later by Henry Baker.  This sheet also went to The Recorder in 1860. George Mitchell, who is now the oldest printer in the state setting type, is in the employ of The Recorder.

The Catskill Examiner has had a splendid record. Started as the Catskill Messenger in 1830, by Ira DuBois, continued by Wm. Bryan and C. H. Cleveland, who were succeeded by Trowbridge and Gunn.  It was The Whig in 1849 and Marcus Trowbridge in 1857 changed it to The Examiner. For a time after his death Mrs. Trowbridge was assisted by Eugene Wayne.  She then associated Frederick E. Craigie with her in the business. While she lived the paper was Trowbridge & Craigie, and it then passed into the hands of Fred E. Craigie, who has continued the business to the present time, enlarging and improving the paper, putting in new machinery, etc.

The Athens News was started by W. G. Harvey and following his death Mrs. Harvey is still at the helm.

John D. Smith started the Catskill Independent in 1879, as a Greenback paper, changing later to the Daily Mail, Republican, and in 19__ he sold out to M. E. Silberstein, who changed the political end to Democratic, and after equipping a new plant, his office was burned in 1913, and the office then moved to its present quarters on the corner of Main and Bridge streets. He has increased the circulation from 260 daily to over 2500 daily. Plant modern in every way.

In 1898 The Catskill Enterprise was started by F. A. Gallt, the first paper being printed on a hand press which broke down before the first number was finished. The type was old and he had much trouble with it.  In was 4 pages at first and later on modern equipment was put in and the paper enlarged to 8 pages. The publisher has been ably assisted by his sons, William, Robert, now machine man at the Mail office, Frank, Joseph and Raymond; also by his daughter, now Mrs. Fred Field.  The Enterprise has at present time a model equipment in presses, folding machine, electric power, etc.

The Catskill Mountain Zephyr was published first by Geo. A. Dykeman as a summer paper, He sold out to M. E. Silberstein, who for a time printed the Athens Review, for a couple of years. Then the Zephyr passed to W. N. Coriell, and for the past 6 years has been issued by F.A. Gallt.

The Kingston District News, started in 1898, had A. J. Walker, E. L. Hoffecker, and F. L. Wilson as publishers. Its office of publication was Catskill. It was discontinued several years ago, after obtaining a circulation of 2500.

In 1878 Myron Dings of Oak Hill started the Gilboa Monitor and after several years moved the paper to Gilboa, where he sold to A. J. Shaver and moved west.  Paige T. Hoagland moved from Jefferson, where he sold the Jefferson Courier to W. S. Jones, now publisher of the Minneapolis Tribune, and started the Oak Hill Record in 1892.  His son, Scott, is now running the paper.

The Mountain Gazette was published for a time at Windham by G. W. Riggs, but the paper failing to receive political patronage failed.

Cairo Herald, published by Geo. W. Squires, established in 1890, newsy and well conducted. Power presses and good plant.

Greenville Local, published by Peter Winne & Son, established 1876, by Peter Winne, who is still at the helm.

Since 1861 Edward M. Cole has published the Windham Journal. He served the town of Windham in various ways politically and represented the county in the assembly in 1892. His death occurred last winter.

The Prattsville New, published by M. G. Marsh was started in 1858. For 50 years Mr. Marsh has been at the head of the paper.  He has associated with him M. G. Griffin.

The Hunter Review was started in 1883 and is still prosperous with A. L. Baldwin at the head, and is ably assisted by Mrs. Baldwin.

The Tannersville Times was started  A. G. Powell in 1901, but he discontinued the paper and after a year or so the business was commenced again by Mr. Disbrow, who has gone along nicely.

Another paper of the county is The Coxsackie Union, publisher, Wm. P. Franklin, established in 1857..

The Evening News was published daily by George Harding, 1898, in the building at the corner of Main and Bridge street. The News soon ceased to be issued.

Another paper that was issued daily by George L. Gaynor and Rudolph W. Plusch was The Catskill Press.

The latest bow in the newspaper field is the Tannersville Record, 8 pages, neatly printed on book paper, well edited and has every evidence of great success. It is published by the Record Corporation, with Burgess Howard as managing editor.

M. G. Marsh of Prattsville and William P. Franklin of Coxsackie are two veteran publishers of the county, having been in the business for 50 years. 

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