History of Columbia County, NY

624

description

STORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK. and BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES FOR SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS. PHILADELPHIA; 1878..GENEALOGY 97A.701 C72A - Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Centerhttp://www.archive.org/details/historyofcolumbiOOelliReprint

Transcript of History of Columbia County, NY

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1833018055175GENEALOGY 97A.701 C72A

Digitized by the Internet Archivein

2010 with funding from

Allen County Public Library

Genealogy Center

http://www.archive.org/details/historyofcolumbiOOelli

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COLUMBIA COUNTY,NEWl(lIttstraiions

YORK.

and "^^iograghical ^kekhe^

SOME OF

ITS

PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

PHILADELPHIA;

m1878..

4r^

Reprinted by -

HIGGINSON BOOK

COMPANYBox 778

148 Washington Street, Post Office Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Phone: 978/745-7170

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PEEF ACE.WeTobutit

present to the public

tliis

history of

Columbia County

the

result of

much

labor and research

with a feeling of confidence, tempered by a consciousness of unavoidable imperfection.write a truthful history of

any county or

section of country

is

never a light or an

ea.sy

task

;

becomes peculiarly onerous

in

the case of a county like Columbia, whose annals extend through

more than two and a halfancient time

centuries,

and whose story must commencefirst

far

back

in

the dimness of

that

when

the

dusky Mohicans

welcomed the pale-faced voyagers from beyond the

sea.

In such a

field

we have

not expected to achieve absolute perfection and completeness of detail, but

we have used oursulted

best endeavors to

approximate as nearly as may be

to

that result.

We

have con-

many

of the best and most reliable historical works bearing upon the subject, and

have spared;

no

labor in

gathering

material from

the

most thoroughly informedto collectall

citizens

of the

county

and

in

these researches

we have not been more anxious

obtainable fdds than to exclude every-

thing of doubtful authenticity.

The mostthe dates ofcases

difficult part

of

this,

as of all

similar works,

is

the obtaining of correct

knowledge ofin

first

settlements,

and the names of those who made them.

Accounts of these are

most

especially in a region so anciently settled as;

Columbia County

transmittedin

through the medium

of

tradition

the different

statements almost invariably disagreeing

material

points,

and not infreexceptto

quently being wholly irreconcilable.give the differing accountsthe public.for

In these extreme cases the histoaian has no resmirceto

what they are worth, and

submit

the question

to

the

judgment of

Another source of perplexityparticularly those of

is

found

in

the changes in orthography of

many

of the old names,in

Dutch or of Indianrecordsdavs,

origin,

thoughfind

it

is

by no means uncommonthe are

those of the

English.

In

old

colonial

we not only

that,

throughplaces

carelessness, caprice, or

igno-

rance of thewriters,

scribes

of those

names of persons and

differently spelled

bv differentare

but that as

manv

as

four different ortliographicalso that, in

constructionsinstance,

of

tlu?

same

worilit

some-

times found in the same tiocument;difficult to decide

more than oneto

we have

fouiul

extremely

which manner was the proper oneto

adopt.

Itit

seems unnecessaryits

sav moreit

in

presentation of ourIt

work

to

its

patrons.

Theytract-

willin

judgeit

upon

merits,

and we

trust

willin

meet their approval.

has been our design to

the

progress of the county of

Columbia

such a manner as to show clearly to the reader of the presentoriginal

day

its

gradual development from

tin-

wilderness, and

through the maturing stagesin

ot'

its

ex-

istence,

up

to its present

condition of enlii;htenment and pros[)erity, and to illustratepiety,

plain

and simplefar

story the privations,

the virtues, the

patriotism,

and enterprise of her people.

How

we have

succeeded in accomplishing this purpose, the public verdict will decide.

PREFACE.Toto

those

who have kindlv given;

us

their aid

in

the collection of material for the work,

we

desire

express our thanks

and among these we would

mention

in general

the

pastors

of the

churches,the

the gentlemen of the

Columbia County Medical

Society, the editors of

the different journals, and

countv

officers.

We

are also under special obligations to the following gentlemen and

others through:

out the countv for courtesies and favors extended, and for valuable information, both oral and written

Hon. Edwin C. Terry, Hon. Darius Peck, Stephen B.Jordan,Esq.,

Miller, Esq.,

Henry Hubbel,

Esq., Peter

M.

Hon.

John Cadman, Hon. Sherman Van

Ness,

Hon. Levi

F. Longley, E. C. Getty,

Esq., William Bostwick, Esq.,liams, Esq.,

Hon. Cornelius H. Evans, Hon. Jacob W. Hoysradt, M. Parker Wil-

William Brj'an, Esq., Hon. Theodore Miller, Hon. John C. Newkirk, Benjamin F. Deuell,Esq.,

Esq.,

Robert B. Monell,

Wheeler H. Clarke, Esq., F. F. Folger, Esq., C. P.

Collier, Esq.,

C. C. Terry,

Hudson;

;

Charles Wild,

W. H.

Silvernail,

Augustus Wynkoop,

Wm.

H. Atwood,;

Prof.

Taylor,

Kinderhook

H. W. Livingston, Mrs. Johnson, W. H. Wiishburne, Livingston

Edward

Kellogg, Samuel A. Curtis, Dr.

M.

L. Bates, Rev. Geo.

W. Warner, H.

Cady, Canaan

;

Hon. Hugh

McClellan, Gi. E. Burrows, John J.

Van

Valkenburgh,

Wm.

Thomas, David Ray, C. B. Hudson,;

G.

W. Lav, Horace

Peaslee, Dr. J. T. Shufelt, Dr. Richard

Peck, Chatham

Hampton

C. Bull, Henry

A. Tilden, John

Kendall, the

Community of

Shakers,

New

Lebanon;

;

Jacob

W. Rossman, VroomanCollin, Hillsdale;

Van

Rensselaer, C.

H.

Stott,

Stockport; Captain A. Davis, Stuyvesant

Hon. John F.

Tobias Esselstyn, E. G. Studley, Nelson P. Aken, Henry P. Horton, Rev. A. Flack, G.

W.

Phillip,;

ClaverackJ.

;

Wm.

H.

Wilson,

Wm.

L.

Fraleigh,

W. H.

Rockefeller,

M.

Fingar,

Clermont

Hon.

T. Hogeboom, George G. Macy, Cornelius Shufelt, Dr.

P.

W.

Mull, Ghent.

THE PUBLISHERS.

CONTENTS.HISTOI^/ICJ^IjHISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.r.

HISTORY OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.Townof Kinderhook

Geographical andhe found here

Descriptive

.....and the Indians

9

219

II. The WhiteIII.

.Man's First Visit,

whom10 15 21

ClaverackLivingston

234 253 264 277

Land-Grants Purchases from IndiansSettlements in the County

IV. Earliest

... ....War The

GermantownClermont

v. Indian

Incursions- The French and Indian

Chatham27.U

2S4301

Revolution

New Lebanon"

VI. Civil History VII. The Massachusetts Boundary .^nti.RentlT51-1852VIII. Political

30 45 56

Canaan GhentStockport

319331

IX. Courts

" "

Stuyvesant

.........

347

355 360 368 373 387396

X. The Columbia Civil List XI. Distinguished Men of ColumbiaXII. The Professions The Press XIII. Educational and Religious

County

....

73 81

GreenportHillsdaleAusterlitz

112

120126 135141

"

XIV. Internal

Improvements

Copake Taghkanic.\ncramGallatin

and .Agriculture XVI. Valuations and Taxation

XV. Manufactures

403411

XVIL Military

143

HISTORY OF THE CITY OF HUDSON

Roster of Solpikiis rnoM Con mbi.i Cointv who served THE War Of THE Rebelliux Patbo.ss' Rkcord

in

417

437

IMapof Columbia County

Ij Hi TJ

S T I?. 7^ T. I O 3Sr S.PAGE9

......

facing

of

John H. OverhiaerCharles Esselstyn

213

Indian TitleFac-simile of Capt. Richard Esselstyn's CommissionPortrait of Elisha Williams

""

15

32 S386 87 89 95

" "

Judge Robert R. Livingston

Robert R. Livingston (the Chancellor)

..... ....

" " ""

"

"

Edward P. Livingston Ambrose L. Jordan Samuel J. Tilden (steel) John Van Ness Philip Edward P. Cowles Hon. Henry Hogeboom

.........

Hon. Cornelius H. Evans John Gaul, Jr. William Bryan Hon. Robert McKinstry Mrs. Sally McKinstryCasper P. Collier.

(

.

between 104, 105105

KINDERHOOK.Residence of James MixPortrait of

....

108 facing 112

....

facing

220

John Thompson Wendover

CITY OF HUDSON.Residence of H. A.Portrait of

Residence of C. H. Housman " " " (Rear View)facing162 "Portrait of

Du

Bois

" "

John Van Dusen Hon. Chas. L. Beale Hon. Harper W. Rogers Robert W. Evans.

Charles Wild David W. Gardcnier. with Portrait Nathan Wild

facing "

228230

.

CLAVERACK.Reside?

E. Gifford

of Nelson P.

Stephen L. Mag.iun"

Bird's-eye view of

Aken (double page) Philmontand Mellen238.P. Akei P.

John Stanton Gould Hi Ga Hon. The .Miller

page)

(steel)

"

Augustus Du Bois Hon. oh W. Hoysradt (steel M. Parker Williams Hon. Darius Peck (steel Hon. Jacob Ten BroeckI

Upper Hosiery-Mills," Nelson Lower Hosiery-Mills," Nelson Residence of M. .Martin

facing

Akeireen 244," " " "

Thomas" 'J.

Carroll

.

244.244.

Mrs. Catherine Bushnell

W. Lockwoodto

.

246, 246,

.

belonging

Philmont Paper Company

CONTENTS.

xXjJijU'srn:Rj^rcxojsrs.PlOE

ReaiJence of David Crego

betweenof Geo.1

246, 247

Portrait of

Samuel A. CurtisLorenzo Gile,

329

and Hosiery-Mill Portrait of James AkenNelson P. .\ken

Philip

facins

249

M.D

330

GHENT.Farm Residenceof C. Jncobie

Residence and Mills of

S.

K. Barton

facing

332

CLERMONT.Clermont

Residence of David Crapser

"332Townseud Powell. .

and Fruit Farmfacing

of

"

333342

Ma

-Ho

277

Portrait of George T. Powell"

"338.

CHATHAM.Residence of W. D. StewartBullis Brothers' Paper-Mills

"facing

284

Hon. John T. Hogcboom (steel) Hon. John Cadman Hon. Hugh W. McClellan (steel)

"

345..

facing

346

and Property

between 2S6, 287286, 287

Residence of George GhestermanPortrait of

STOCKPORT.Residence and Mills ofC. H.Jfc F.

James

T. Shufelt,

M.D.

.

288, 289 288, 239

H. Stott

.

.

facing "

349

Residence of William Irish (with portraits)

Portrait of R. Reynolds

between 350, 351

Maiden Bridge Mills and Property, owned byH. W. Peaslee (double page)Residence of Xoadiah M. Hill. .

"

290, 291

facing

292

Empire Loom-Works (R.Reynolds' Sons, proprietors). Residence and Paper-Mill of J. W. Rossman Portrait of Jonathan Stott.

.

350,351 facing 352354

Portraits of Henry Hill and Wife " Bradley Nichols and Wife

between 294, 295294, 295 296, 297

Portrait of H.

W.

STUYVESANT.Residence of Levi Milhiimfacing

Peaslee (steel)(steel).

"

Mrs. H. W. Peaslee

296, 297.

356

Portraits of Daniel

Reed and Wife

298 298 300

Residence of David Ray (with portraits)Portrait of P. F.

facing.

GREENPORT.Residence of.Mrs.

CadyH. Angell (with portraits).

Elizabeth Hollenbeck (with portraits) facing

364

Residence of

J.

veen 300, 301300, 301

John W. Blunt

HILLSDALE.Residence of C. M. Bell.

NEW LEBANON.Residence of H. L. Brown300, 301

facing

George M. BullockPortrait of E.

W. Bushnell.

The Tilden HomesteadPortrait of Hon.

ingGillct.

302

Catharine Bushnell Residence of E.

Ransom H.

304 303312.

W.

Bushnell

.

Residence of John Kendall (with portrPortraits of

JohnJ. P.

F. Collin (with portrait)

Samuel and Ira Hand

Dorr

Residence of Franklin"

HandE.

(with portraits)

314

Mrs.

Hannah

Hand

(with portraits)

Portrait of William B. Cole

Residence of H. A. Tilden

facing

317

CANAAN.Portrait of

Asa Douglas

.

recn 320, 321. '

Daniel D. Warner

320, 321 320, 321

Residence of Miss Sarah Warner Portraits of Samuel A. Barstow and WifePortrait of Daniel S. Curtis

facing.

324 328

CONTENTS.

'bxoo-:eij^ftelxcj^x^.Elias

W. Leavenworth

110 110

Dr. S. Oakley Vanderpuel

David Crcgo Jnmes T. Shufelt, .M.D"cD'-y Hill

252

between 2SS, 289"'

William H. Tobey

294, 205

Hon. Henry Hogeboom Hon. Charles L. Beale Hon. Harper W. Rogers Robert W. EvansE. Gifford

facing

Bradley Nicbuls

Horace White Peaslee David Ray178

........facing

294,295296

298298 299 300

Daniel Reed

134

William IrishJoel H. Angell

Stephen L. Magoun

John Stanton Gould Hiram Gage Hon. Theodore Miller Stephen Augustus Du Bois Hon. Jacob W. Hoys dt Hon. Samuel Anable M. Parlter Williams Hon. Darius Peek Hon. Jacob Ten Broeck John H. Overhiser..

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

192

198202

Hon. Ransom H. Samuel Hand

Gillett

304 312 314 315 3I6 316317

207209 210

The Hand FamilyHoratio Nelson

Hand

William B. Cole

210211

212 213 213

John Kendall Henry A. Tilden Moses Y. TildenDanielS. Curtis

317

323329 329 329 330

.

Charles Esselstyn

2U215

Hon. Cornelius H. Evan; John Gaul, Jr. John Van Dusen Mrs. Sally McKinstry Hon. Robert McKinstry.

215216 216facing.

217 218 222 232

Casper P. Collier

John Thompson Wendov Nathan Wild David W. Gardenier.

facing

Samuel A. Curtis Samuel A. Earatow Daniel Warner Lorenzo Gile, M.D. Hon. John T. Hogeboom Hon. John Cadman Hon. Hugh Wilson McClellan Townsend Powell R.Reynolds.

342 345 346 346

between 350, 351367 between 370, 371377facing

Michael J. HollenbeekElisba

231 249

W. BushnellF. Collin

George W. Philip

Hon. John

James Aken Nelson P. Aken Thomas Carroll

.

Dan Niles Thomas SlocumAlfred Douglas, Jr.

3843863'J4

.

.........

Stephen K. Barton

Samuel

L.

Myers

402

il^honBrairwrfX

%j;JNV^lAJ7..i,

|\c|?r,ebanon.),

Sect/e rii/iJ^ io

I

Inch

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Shiaker.s

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%-^i

/-x

XL

I

c

Pi;

-7^

C

Copala y C

'vm.

^^.ros. after

the end of

a certificate of clerkship of three

and that Hosnier was ofhath come tohis, said Gil-

s

Widow

of (Juuural Richard .\lontg.>uicry.

good mural character "as

60

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY,knowledge."Messrs. Bay,

NEW

YORK.

bert's,

Van

Schaack, and Addion

battery, one for forcible entry, and one for deceit,

and wereSub-

son

were the

comniittee

who

passed

Mr. Hosmer's

merits.

The indictment for deceit was against one John McLean, who, on his arraignment at the bar of thedischarged.court, pleaded guilty,

Mr. Bay had the secondnonsuit.dler,

jury-trial,

which resultedvs.

in

a

and was ordered into custody.

In the case of Peter

Van Ness

the plaintiff being related to the sheriff,

Hugh ChanHenry I. Vansuit

sequently the clerk of the court (he being at that time theprosecutor, district attorneys not yet having been providedfor)

Rensselaer and Aaron Kellopg were appointed elisors to

moved the court

for the sentenceto

of McLean, and hesheriff

summon

the jury.

Henry Van Rensselaer brought

was ordered again brought

bar,

whereupon theto recover

against the

Dutch Reformed church of Claverack, and the

informed the court that the prisoner had escaped.officer

That

matter was referred to James Bryant and William Powers,

was allowed until the next term

his pris-

and Thomas A. Hogg, merchant, to report on. Andrew Hunter was appointed guardian of Jo.shua Green, Simeon Wylie being his surety in the sum of 500. At the January term, 1788, Ambrose Spencer, MartiuEsqs.,

oner and produce him in court.taken to the next term, and

Five recognizances were

five like

bonds were discharged.

The two

assault

and battery cases were disposed of by pleasuntil the

of guilty and a fine of ten shillings and costs on each defendant, and

Van Burcn, and Jamesoncertificates

S.

Smith were admitted

to

the bar

commitments

same were

paid.tried,

Atand andone

of clerkship.

Mr. Van Buren presented the

the

May

sessions the case of

misdemeanor wasfive

certificate

of John C.

Wynkoop.

They were examined by

the defendant convicted and fined

pounds andand

costs,

Messrs. Peter

Van

Schaack, Edward Livingston, and K.

committed

until tlie

sum was

paid.

K. Vanwere

Rensselaer.

Thomas Cooper, Augustine James, and

term found four indictments,for exorbitance

The grand juryriot

at this

one for

assault,

Frederick Prevost, licensed attorneys of the Supreme Court,also admitted.

and breach of the Sabbath, one for forgery, and battery.

At

the January term, 1789, the

first

and one

for assault

The

latter

was against

insolvent debtor was discharged from the importunities ofhiscreditors,

the same being

Nathan Rowley,this term

Sr.,

who

John B. Schuyler, who moved in proprvi persona to quash the indictment, making two objections, and being overruledby the court on bothself on

assigned his estate to Oliver Mallcry, under the bankruptact of

points, pleaded guilty,

and threw him-

March

21, 1788.I.

At

a petition for thein

the mercy of the court.

After consulting Ezekiel

securing of Peter

Gardenier's rights

the Kinderhookfor the peti-

Gilbert, that attorney took the conduct of the case,

and

patent wastioner.

filed,

Mr. Van Buren appearing

moved the court

for leave to

withdraw the plea of guiltyand the haste of the courtto

The Gardenicr grant was

for a tract fronting thirteen

for precipitancy in pleading,

hundred paces on Hudson

river,

measured from Hendrik

overrule the objections interposedto

de Bruyn's grant north to the south bounds of Rcnssolaers-

when there was good law show the indictments were bad. The court allowed theto the

wyck, and running back into the woods three English miles.

motion on condition that the attorney " would pin himself

John S. Van Alen, John E. Van Alen, and Lawrence Van Dyck were appointed commissioners to partition theestate.

down

two objections the prisoner himself made onto

his first

motion

quash the indictment," which were,

first,

that the caption of the indictment recited the " town of

COURT OP GENERAL SESSIONS.

Claverack, and the body ofat

it

the district" of Claverack

;

The

first

term of this court was begun

Claverack,

and. second, thatassault

it

appeared from the indictment that thein

Jan. 0, 1787, the crier making due proclamation, and the

had been committed

the county of Albiiny.in

commission for the court being publicly read.judges occupied the benchtices:

Mr. Justice

The following Van Ness, JusHogeboom,Alen.

The

court further stipulated

that

case

the attorneyto sustain

brought no law deemedthe objections, then

sufficient

by the courtto

Silvester,

Livingston,

Van

Rensselaer,

the plea of guilty should " remain

Goes, Wiesner, Birdsall, Coffin, Spoor, andsheriff returned

Van

The

and stand good.".sessions

Schuyler was recognizedwith

the nexthis se-

the venire of the grand and petit juries,:

in

forty pounds,

Wm.

Cautine asat

the former being served on the following persons

Jacobus

curity in twenty pounds;

and finding

that term that

J.

Van Alen, Peter Wynckoop, Abraham Van Beuren, John Van Alstyne, John E. Van Alen, Gideon Hubbard, Joel Pratt, Harmon Vosburgh, Evert Vosburgh, John A. Fonda, Marks Platner, Wm. Rockefeller, Abraham Bauman, Abraham Patterson, Peter Hogeboom, Jr., JochimMuller, Philip Fiysbie, Hosea Beebe, Palmer Cady, JesseHollister,inf|uest,all

eleven judges on the bench were too heavy a match for one

defendant and a single attorney, he pleaded guilty, and wasfined twenty shillings

and

costs.

The indictment foundfor the

against

McLean

for deceit

was

brought on his forgery of a guaranty of Daniel Pcnfield

payment

for certain goods, to the

amount of

" five

of

whom

appeared, and were sworn as a grand

pounds eight

shillings

and fourpence." and Sabbath-

the

first

one named

being appointed

foreman.

The indictment

for exorbitant charging

Isaac Goes, Jr., and

John Van Deu.sen

also appeared,

and

breaking was found against a constable of Hudson, whocharged an excessiveVielec, onfee

were excused from service, and Samuel Allen and

Wm.

on an execution against one Cherck

Van Ness were summoned, but defaulted. The grand jury retired for deliberation under charge ofGilben Turner and Julin Best, constables, and on the thirdday of the term presentedto

which

he, the constable,

had taken the horses of was found

said Vielee on a

Sunday.it

Anin

indictment brought from Albany, whereits

the court their;

first

indict-

17S2, recites the character of

subject in these words:

ment, the same being against Jacob Ilaithawayfourth day the jury brought in sixfor

and on the

"

more presentments,

oneand

versation, and not intending to get his living by truth

Being a person of ill-name and fame and dishonest conand

grand larceny, one

for

misdemeanor, two

for assault

honest labor, but compassing and devising

how he might

:

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY,unlawfully obtain and get into his possession the monies oftlie

NEW

YORK!

61

1798, the

first

sentence to the penitentiary was pronounced,the

honest subjects of this Slate for the maintenance of his

the prisoner, for grand larceny, being .sentenced to

unthrifty living, did present a certain forged and false tax,or assessmentlist,

institution for two years, and to remain in the county jailuntil the prison

for military rates,

and drew eight

shil-

was

finished.

lings thereon fraudulently," etc.

In 1797 the pounds, shillings, and pence of royalty giveplace to the dollars and cents of democracy.

Under the

act

of April 20, 1787, the general sessions

appointed at the September term of that year highway

At the Mayselaer,

sessions,

1802, Jacob RutsenElizabethKells, filed

Van

Itens-

commissioners for the several towns of the county, and atthe

as

attorney for

papers

of

same term

indicted the Clavoraclc bridge, in which the

manumission of " Nan,"under the act of April

a female slave of said Elizabeth,8,

presentment recited " that from the time whereof the

memis,

1801, and the former mistressher former slave's future

man is common andory ofLivingston,"

not to the contrary there was, and yet

a

was released from anysupport.

liability for

ancient

public

highway, or road, leading

southeast from the Court-house in Claverack to the town ofetc.

In 1803,

Thomas Osterhoudt,

a slave,

confessed

to

a

In January, 1788, the higliway com-

crime which the court

certified could be properly puni.shed

missioners uf Claverack and

Hudson were orderedfirst

to take

only by transportation out of the State, and sentencedto be so transported

him

the bridge away before the

day of the nextsessions,

sessions,

within thirty days by his master, or in

on pain of contempt.Htt,

At

the

May

Thomas Mer-

default the slave should be imprisoned three years.

blacksmith,

and Stephen Atwater, gentleman, were

In 1805, Nero, a slave, was convicted of petit larceny,

recognized to the next oyer and terminer, at which courtthe blacksmith was fined forty shillings and the " gentle-

and

his master allowed a certificate to transportless

him fromfastidious

the State to a clime where the people wereas to rights of property, or

man"

ten shillings for iissaults.till

where blackthe market.

flesh

and blood

Isaac Decker and his surety were respitedsessions, in a ba.stardy case, to await results.

the next

commanded

a quid

pro

qtio in

In January, 1806, the

jail

limits of the

new

jail

in

In May, 1789, the sheriff protested against the insecurityof thejail,

Hudson weresquarefeet.

laid off,

and included an area of 130,660from " Stoddard's

and

it

was indicted

for iusufBcieiicy (?).

In

The

limits included a line

January, 1790, William Doran was indicted and pleadedguilty on a charge of horsestealing, and was sentenced toreceive twenty-one lashes on his naked back, to stand com-

corner, on Third street, to the east line of

Lot

9,

between

Fifth and Sixth streetssite side

;

from Hathaway 's corner, on oppoof Lot 7lots;

of Warrenjail,

street, to east line

the court-

mittedhis

till

the costs were paid, and to leave the country on

house

lot,

and market grounds; the

of Samuel'S(|uire

release

from

imprisonment.

At

the

May

sessions

Stockings, Nathaniel Greene,Allen, Christopher Hoxie,

James Vanderbergh,Collar,

James Ley waswastried

indicted for larceny, pleaded not guilty,to receive " thirty-

Samuel Gamage, Obadiah New-

and convicted, and sentenced

comb, Scth Morton, Daniel Light BodySilvanus,

Widow

Burke, John

nine stripes on his naked back, which was immediately

William Whiting, Joshua Toby,Bennetts," andcourts weredivers

executed."

Mr. Van Rensselaer appeared

at this sessions

Widowin

Hussey, that was, John

as public prosecutor.

At

the

May

sessions,

1793, Benoni

crossings connecting streets.

The

fii-st

held

Hunter was presented underfor petit larceny,

sixteen separate indictments

the

court-house in

Hudson,

at the

January

sessions,

and oneto

for horse-stealing.

His great

1806.

weakness seemed

be an extreme partiality for mutton,

eight indictments being found against

him

for sheep-stealing.

He

gathered unto himself from his neighbors a completefor an agriculturallife, to

THE OYER AND TERMINER AND GENERAL JAIL DELIVERY OP COLUMBIA COUNTY.The first term of this court was held at Claverack, and was begun March 25, 1788, with the following presence Robert Yates, " Chief- Justice of the Supreme Court ofJudicaturefor the State

outfit

wit

:

a heifer, flour, rye,

wheat, fowls, and a coulter, and then a saddle and somebuckles, toall

of which takings he pleaded not guilty, andtrial.

put himself upon the country for

His peers found

of

New YorkI.

;"

Peter

Van

Ness,

him

truthful in regard to the horse and six of the sheep, but

Peter R. Livingston, and Henrytices of

A''an

Rensselaer, " Jusgaol delivery for

said he

was mistaken

as to the rest,fines of "

and found him

guilty.;"

Oyer and Terminer and general

For the two sheep he paidflour, rye,

two pound ten eachhi.s

Columbia County."

Proclamation was made for silence,forin-

the heifer cost him thirty-nine lashes on

bare back

;

the

wheat, fowls, and coulter cost him

fifty shillings

and the court was opened, and proclamation was made " ail justices, coroners, and other officers who have anyquisitions or

each

;

and the buckles proved expensive and painful ornastripes.

recognizances whereby the people are conto the court for adjudication.

ments, representing thirty-nine

He

was

also

in-

cerned" to present themsherifi'

dicted for poisoning a colt, and found guilty; but

judgment

returned a venire of grand jurors,

The who were sworn

was

arrested, because poisoning

was not an ofiense at either

and charged by the court, andpresentments.

retired to consider of their

commonchequer

law or under the statute.to

On

the third day after the term the jury

Seven recognizances were estreatedin

the court of exsessions,

returned three indictments into court for horse-stealing, andthe fourth day returned four more,

January, 1704.

At

the

Novemberin the

two

for the like offense

1795, Robert Dawson was indictedguilty,

for forgery, pleaded

as the first ones, one for stealing -a cow,

and one

for petit

and was sentenced

to six

months

county

jail

larceny.tried

On

the

fifth

day of the term, John Davis was

and

to

stand one day, between ten o'clock a.m. and onethepillory.

for

and convicted of horse-stealing by a jury fromJacobus Krelenbergh wastried

o'clock r.M., in

At

the January sessions,

Westchester county.

by a

62

HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY,for a like offense,

NEW

YORK.following,

Columbia county jury

and convicted the

nine more on

Monday

and thirty-nine more on"

same dayfor

;

and on the sixth day Philip Jansen was tried

the next Saturday, at the public whipping-post.a negro, indicted for a rape at thetriedin

Guss,"

a similar theft, the verdict of the jury being "not

MayAt

sessions,

1791, was

guilty as to stealing a gelding of a black color, but guilty

the oyer

and terminer, and convicted and senthis

of stealing one of a baj/ color."

The same day

jury returned three other indictments,

one for misdemeanor, one for theft of a bee-hive, and one against " Peter, a maleslave,

the grand

tenced to be hanged August 26.

term Coroner

Peter Bishop returned an inquisition on the body ofthe hands of

James

Robertson, killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in

the property of

Gerard D. Cook,";

for a theft of

leather.

Theto

cow-stealer was convicted

the bee-hive thief

gave

bail

the next oyer and terminer, at which term a

Mathew Van Djusen, while pigeon-shooting. December oyer and terminer Thomas Southward, Jonathan Arnold, John West, Abel Hackett, Ebenezcr Atthe

swarm of

witnesses was Irkely to appear.

Two

indictments

Hatch, Robert Boze, John Boze, JohnCorneliusfirst

Rodman, Josephcounty.

against Cornelius Chatterton were tried, resulting in verdicts

Tickner, and Jacob Virgil were indicted for the murder of

of " not guilty."lenbergh,

On

the 2d of April, 1788, Jacobus Kre-

Hogeboom,

sheriflF

of Columbiaindicted, as the

The

Philip Jansen, and

John

Davis, convicted of

named. Southward, wasfirst

principal, in

horse-stealing,it

were brought

to bar for

judgment.

"

And

the

decree, and the others, as accessories, in the second

being demanded of them severally what they had to sayshould not pass against them respectively,

degree.

These persons were

tried

at the

February term of

why judgment

the court, 1792, and discharged, the verdict of the jury

according to law, they severally nothing said other than

being "

We

find

the prisoners at the bar not guilty, andfly

what they respectively before had said. Thereupon it is considered and adjudged by the court now here that the saidprisoners be severally, for the felonies whereof they areseverally convicted, taken from hence to

that he did not

for it."

Andrew Klaw, Jacob Monttriers to try the

gomery, and Gerrit Rowen were sworn asjuroi-s as to impartiality or favor.

Judge John Lansing, of

the place from

the

Supreme Court, William B. Whiting, Adgate, PeterPhilip Frisbie, Israel Spencer, David Pratt,

whence they came, and from thencetion,

to the place of execu-

Van Schaack,Atand

and that they there be severally hanged by the neckOrdered that the

and Peter R. Livingston were the judges.the October term, 1795, Justice Yates, and Greene

until they shall be respectively dead.

above sentence be executed on the 30th day of Jlay next, between the hours of ten and twelve of the clock in theforenoon of the same day, and that the sheriff of Columbia

Silvester, judges, presiding,

Jessup Darling, who wasforgery,

indicted at theconvicted,

May

sessionsto

for

was

tried

and

and sentenced

be

hangedin

December 18,Claveraek, on or

County cause executionecution took

to be

done accordingly."

This ex-

"within two miles of the court-housenear the road leading to Kinderhook."

place in accordance with

the sentence pro-

John Thompson,

nounced.

Peter, the slave, received " thirty-nine htslics on

convicted also of burglary, was arraigned for sentence ofdeath, but

his bare back, from the waist upwards, at the public whip-

judgment was

arrested,

and the case taken under

ping-post," and the cow-stealer was treated to a liketion.

inflic-

At

the second oyer and terminer, in March, 1789, the

bee-hive thief was again held to bail to the next term, thus

At the next oyer and terminer, held September, 1796, Thompson was sentenced to be hanged November 10 following. Judge Lansing pronouncing the sentence. At the same term Samuel Freeborn, a slave, wasadvisement.convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to confinementfor seven

experiencing what to him at least were the sweets of thelaw's delay.

Notwithstanding the severe sentence of thefirst

years " in the State prison to be built in Albanytill

horse-thieves at the

oyer

and terminer, there were

county, andthe county

the same be ready" was to be confined in

found

five

indictments for stealing, one for burglary, and

jail.

three for as.sault and battery at this term.

At

the third

In June,

1797, Justice Morgan

Lewis (subsequently

term, held June, 1789, eight defaulting jurors were finedfortyshillings

governor of the State) presiding, David

McCracken,

in-

each, of

whom

four were

farmers, threeSloss

dicted for forgery, was tried and convicted, and sentencedto

esquires,

and one " a geiitleman."

Hon. John

Ho-

confinement for

life

in

the State's prison into

New York

bart held the term.

The

bee-hive

man was

tried,

and by

city,

and

until the .same

was completed

be confined in

the surplus of honey in the tongue of his counsel, or thelack of sting in the jury, was found not guilty.

the Washington countyney-general,

jail.

December oyer and terminer, Timothy Jackson were indicted and tried for, and convicted of, robbery, and sentenced, December 5, to be hanged December 18. Lawrence MoDermod, prosecuting witness,received eleven pounds thirteen shillings for prosecuting

At the 1789, Henry McKinney and

and

J.

Rut.sen

Ambrose Spencer was attorVan Rensselaer and Elisliafor

Williams defended the prisoner.In

1798 thewiis

first

indictment

passing

counterfeit

money

found, and

Nathan Kent, theto

prisoner,forlife.

was

convicted, and sentenced

State's prison

The(after-

June oyer and terminer, 1799, was held by JusticeWardsChancellor)

the above prisoners to execution, Johannes J. Muller and

Kent.

D. D. Tompkins, afterwards

Elizabeth Muller being the other witnesses for the State.Justice Yates presided, with Peterter, Pet