1880 History of Ulster County New York - Saugerties Section

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36 HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW PORK. The principal business importance of Saugerties and its rapid growth dates from the operations of Mr. Henry Barclay, commenced in 1825 and 1826. The principal families residing at Saugerties village, 1808 to 1812. or about that period, may be named as follows : Ja- 1 cobus Post was living on a lot now owned by Mr. Longendyck, under Canoe Hill," buildings gone; John Post, on what is now the place of Peter Russell; Peter Post, where Dr. Dawes now resides; Abraham Post, on the site of the present hardware-store of Searing & Post; Cornelius Post, where Gustilve Peters now has a saloon in Partition Street ; Petrus Myer, where Josiah Myer now resides ; Abram R1~er, On the present place Of 'lichael Genther; &ter I. Post, where Isaac Fossmire now lives ; Tjerck Schoonmaker, where the Egbert Whittaker building now stands ; John Burhans, on the opposite corner, where the John W. Davis store now stands; Andrew McFarlane, in Partition Street, where Mr. Zeigler now resides ; Luke Kicrsted, ~t the stone house now owned by John Iiiersted ; Peter Schoonmaker lived in a stone house now owned by his son Peter ; James Brink was living at the farm-house near the river On the John Brink farm, now Owned by the heirs of Wm. M. Brink; Garret Mynderse was living in the stone house on the bank of the river, now the place of Mr. Fred. Isaac Post lived in a stone house now the property of the Field family ; Henry Heermance, an early and well-known school-teacher, lived in a small house where the Lowther family now resids, in Partition Street ; Samuel Schoonmaker, where the widow Fin, cTer now resides, in Market Street. There were two small houses further north owned by Alexander McKenzie ; one of them burned the other now Samuel Wolven lived where James 0. Been now resides. It will thus be seen that there is a marked contrast between the small straggling village of 1812 and the present place of 4000 or 5000 inhabitants. Incorporation.-The village increased so rapidly that in six years from Mr. Barclay's settlement here the advanhges of a village government were and the place was under the name Of This was subsequently changed to the present Saugerties. The village records being lost, but little can be said concerning the officers the yean. Barclay was the first president. In '85'1 On the death of Mr. Barclay, Mr. James Russel1 president and D. We Russel1 'lcrk> as shown resolutions Of and respect then published. From 1855 the following citizens have served in the offices named : PRINCIPAL VILLAGE OFFICERS, 1831 80. PRESIDENTS. 1855, David Van Buskirk; 1856, John Vedder; 1857, Cornelius Battelle; 1858, Solomon Cone; 1859, William C. Dewitt; 1860, Samuel Merclean; 1861, Cornelius Battelle; 1862-63, John Vedder;* 1864, Egbert Cooper; 1865-66, William Hanna; 1867, Henry D. Laflin ; 1868, William 3. Kipp; 1869, Joseph Smith; 1870-71, Moses Krohn; 1872, James Maines; 1873, Thomas Maxwell; 1874, Egbert Cooper; 1875, Benjamin M. Freligh; 1876-77, William F. Russell; 1878, William R. Shefield; 1879, Robert A. Snyder; 1880, James A. James. CLERKS. 1855, Stephen C. Lnsk; 1856, William J. Lennon; 1857, George W. M. Silver; 1858-59, William M. Patterson; 1860, Ieaac Roeepaugh; 1861, David V. N. Hotaling; 1862, Thomas C. Maines; 1863, David V. N. Hotaling; 1864-65, Thomas L. Masten; 1866, David V. N. Hotaling; 1867-72, George W. E1ting;t 1873, Renjamin M. Coon; 1874, Thomas B. Keeny; 1875-76, Benjnmin M. Coon; 1877, John J. Nelligan; 1878, William G. Morgan; 1879-80, Benjamin M. Coon. TREASURERS. 1855-56, John P. Styles; 1857-61, Andrew J. Ketcham; 1862-68, Seaman G. Searing; 1869-73, Thomas B. Keeny; 1874, William H. Eckert; 1875-78, Thomss B. Keeney; 1879-80, William H. Eckert. pm,,,t Organization (March, 1880).-Directors, James A. james, ~~~~~i~ phillips, ward N~. 1 ; peter cantine, chester ~ l ~ ~ k ward ~ ~ N~. l l 2 ;, william E. ~ i A~~~~ ~ ~ , Hanna, Ward No. 8 ; President, James A. James ; Vicepresidenb, milliam E. ~ i clerk, ~ ~ ~ ~ ; M. coon ~ ; j ~ T ~ wi1liam ~ H. ~~k~~~ ~ ; street ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ i wi1liarn N. pultzi A ~ wdliam ~ Q.. M ~ ~ simon ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ charles ~ ~ ~ ~ i l ~ ~ . ~ ~ 1, the absence of the earlier records, a few facts are obtained from the files of the Telegraph. In 1849 the trustees were peter D. schoonmaker, s. s. ~ ~ H~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ john ~ blaines, ~ stephen k webster. , 1851 the trustees chosen were Philip 11. Pultz, James James, Jerred ~ ~ d william d , van ~ ~~ki,.k, ~ ~ ~~t~~~ ~ ; the j ~ clerk was B. M. ~ ~ ~ lT i ~ h ~ ; jacob Felt; ~ col- ~ ~ lector, ~h~~~~ K ~ A ~ ~ peter ; p. ~ post, ~ john G. ~ ~ Myuderse, Robert Montross. I, 1852, Trustees, F. J,. Ladin, Peter M. ill^^^^, Q .~~ton wilbur, james swart, H~~~~ ~~~~k ; clerk, 8. C. Lusk ; Treasurer, Jacob Felt ; Collector, Thomas Keys ; A ~ ~~h~ ~i~ld, ~ ~~l~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~h~ ~ i ~ ~ i ~ ~ J~. ~ ~ ~ d ~ , ~ ~ d 1, 1853, T ~ ~~h~ pream, ~ peter ~ p. ~ ~ ~ l , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ha D. Van Orden, John Kearney, William B. Du Bois ; Clerk, John W. Davis; Treasurer, Hiram Post; Collector, Ludwig schag; A ~ william ~ F. ~ ~~l~~~ ~ ~ ~ Brainard, peter p. schoonmaker. 1, 1854 the Trustees were Jesse T. Bookstaver, Samuel Crawford, Peter T. Overbagh, Peter Kettyn; Clerk, S. M~~~,~~~ ; T ~ (=harles ~ N. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ferries, Bridges, etc.-The first method of crossixrg the Esopus at Sangerties of which any trace can be found was a SCOW or a rope ferry, which was located at Stony Point. This was to 1800. It was known as the My ndeme ferry. There was a similar ferry near where the present iron bridge stands. hi^ was known as the ferry, because of a grist-mill owned by a man of that name, which stood on the site of what has been known in subsequent years as the " old lead-mill" and below the dam. This ferry was abandoned about 1823. The Stony Point scow was replaced by a pontoon to]l-bridge about 1830. ~ h ~ t Was Owned and Roosa' Barclay bought it a short time after this and placed it where the present bridge - is situated, and toll continued to be taken iPOn it. was destroyed by a hurricane in the summer Of ls31 Or lB3'' Smith Cram then for Barclay a wooden, open-top arch bridge, similar to a subse- - * Part of the year, and William F. Russell the remainder. 1 + Part of 1872, Benjamin M. Coon the remainder of the year.
- quent one well known, except that it was open at the tdp and that there was simply one wide roadway. This a tollbridge also. It was totally destroyed during a freshet in the spring of 1839 by a large tree which came drifting swiftly down the creek, struck the iron guy on the upper side of the bridge at the south side of the creek with such force as to break it and twist the entire bridge from the abutments, tumbling it into the creek. A temporary raft-bridge was then built for foot passengers. In 1840, Ralph ~i&low built the last wooden bridge for Henry Barclay, at a cost of $7000. It was a toll-bridge until a year or two subsequent to the death of Mr. Barclay (1851), when the administrators sold it to the town for $3000, and it became a free bridge. In 1874 the old bridge was deemed unsafe, and the present handsome iron structure was erected in its place. Among those active in securing this work were Hon. Wm. I?. Russell, James H. Van Keuren, and William Mullign. It is known as a wroughtiron, diagonal lattice or truss bridge, and was erected by Leighton & Bill, sub-contractors for Thomas Leighton, contracting bridge-builder of Rochester City, Westcrn New York. It was mude self-sustaining in the short space of two weeks and four days, and was opened to the public Dec. 30, 1874. The iron work is two hundred and sixtyeight feet long,-said to be the longest single span of any similar bridge in the State. It has a sustaining force of 1800 pounds per linear foot, is thirty-nine feet six inches high, and thirty-five feet six inches wide, outside measnrement. The roadway is twenty feet in the clear, and the footways, of which there are two, are each five feet two inches wide. The entire cost was about $25,500. Il'e~y route between Snugerties and !!Yvoli.-The first method of crossing the Hudson was by a scow ferry run by the ancestors of the Brink family, from where the Brink farm touches the Hudson directly across to the Livington Dock of old times. This was very early, probably before 1800. About 1810, Wm. McCaffery ran a small boat for foot-passengers, and a scow for horses and wagons from the old Overbaugh farm, owned in late years by Dr. G. R. Spaulding, across to where the ferry-boats now land. Two men usually managed it. Passengers arriving at one of the landing with the boat on the other side were expected to rouse the ferryman by a blast upon the horn that was always -hanging on a convenient tree near by. In 1838, James Outwater, of Tivoli, commenced running a fourhorse ferry-boat, which landed at Burhans & Brainard's Old Dock, opposite the Ulster Iron-Works; Daniel Ackley was the captain. Somewhat later Outwater changed it to a twohorse ferry-boat, with Johd I. Coon captain. This was succeeded by a small side-wheel steam ferry-boat, called the Jack Dowling," which was run bj Capt. John I. Coon. The Dowling gave out in a short time, and was succeeded by a two-horse ferry-boat, also run by Mr. Coon. Edward Laverty & Brother bought her, and afterwards she passed into the hands of a company composed of Maj. Overhaugh, R. N. Isaaes, James Outwater, and Wm. Burt. The boat was then run by them for several years, Mr. Coon still coutinuing as captain. On Monday, Sept. 8,1851, the steamferry boat " Chelsea" was put on the route by James Outwater, and commenced making regular trips, connecting TOWN OF SAUGERTIES. 37 - -. - with all trains on the Hudson River Railroad, which had beeu opened for business on the 8th of the preceding month. She was first run by Capt. Ogden, afterwards by Capt. Wm. H. Wilcox, who was succeeded by Robert A. Snyder and Alexander Hanver. When the dam gave way, in 1857, the boat was tom from her moorings at midnight and sunk just east of the Magazine Dock, where she filled with sand and was afterwards torn to pieces, the attempt to raise her being a failure. After this there was no ferry for one year. In 1859 the Fields Brothers bought the " Black Maria," and ran her up to 1860. Her name had beeu changed tc the 'I Fanny Fern." The Fields Brothers took her off the route and broke her up. They put the " Stella" on the route, but under the prudential regulations of the United States Government, put in force at breaking out of the war, they were obliged to call her the " Air Line," as that w the original namc she had T been christened. ' T. J. Barritt bought her that year, and continued the ferry line until 1861, when he sold to H. L. Finger, and the latter continued to run her until 1869, when he sold to Hon. Robert A. Snyder, who is the present owner, and has commanded her in person until he was elected sheriff, in the fa11 of 1879. Transpor~ation between Saugerties and New Yor7c.-The first method of carrying freight and passengers bctween Saugerties and New York City was with sailing vessels. In the early times these carried live-stock, horses, cattle, and sheep forward of the mast, and to keep them from getting overboard they were strapped fast, and whenever they shipped a sea the animals were sure to receive an involuntary bath. The first steamboat that plied between this port and New York was the C. Vanderbilt." This was in the summer of 1837. She was under the command of Captain John Ketcham ; steward, William H. Wilcox ; barkeeper, Ahram Banks. In 1839, John Elting, of Barrytown, brought the steamer " Congress" here : captain, William H. Wilcox ; pilot, David Lamyman. This boat made two trips a week. In the spring of 1840 the staunch old boat, Robert L. Stevens," was hrought here. She was owned by Crooke & Fowks, of New York, Gregory & Hunt, of Poughkeepsie, John Elting, of Barrytown, Judge Ibxford, and William T. Shultz. The last named gentleman was captain, and the pilot was David Lampman. William P. Russell and E. J. McCarty were their agents here. This boat ran in the years 1841 and 1842, and part of the season of 1843. She was then taken to New Rochelle, where by some accident or mismanagement she was run on the rocks, a hole broken in thirty feet long, followed immediately by the sinking of the boat. Fortunately none were drowned, though there were some three hundred persons on board. Crooke & Fowka raised the boat and rebuilt her that same fall. The next year, 1844, Robert L. Maybee and George Lorillard brought her back to the Saugerties route. She ran here that season with R. L. Maybee captain, David Lampman pilot. The next season, 1845, the " Robert L. Stevens" ran from Albany to New York in opposition to the boats of the Peoples' line. During this season the engines gave out, and after having them repaired the boat ran to the fishing-banks for ninety days, and in September, after the varied experience of the summer, the boat was
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1880 History of Ulster County New York - Saugerties Section

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