TTFall 2018hhe Messenger M eMbership Newsletter oF the GreeNe CouNty h istoriCal s oCiet y,iNC .

The Heritage Barn as it stood in the summer of 2017 on Route 81.

Heritage Barn Project Ted Hilscher to present a special barn program on Sunday, October 14 Article on Page 3 Letter from the President Greene County historical society board of trustees Joseph warren, Chairman Dear Members &Friends: robert hallock, President Jim planck, Vice President David Dorpfeld, Treasurer how are the Faroe islands in Denmark; shanghai, China; Montana; the thomas satterle e, Financial Secretary Metropolitan Museum of art; poestenkill historical society; the Dutch ann hallock, Recording Secretary Consulate in the u.s.; and a Dutch scripture painting from the 1700s connect - Christine byas robert D’agostino ed with the Greene County historical society? a Danish member of william Deluca parliament from the Faroe islands visited the Museum recently; a visitor from wanda Dorpfeld shanghai, China, came to the Museum and library; the Met borrowed the rick hanse society’s thomas Cole items for use in its exhibit on thomas Cole; postenkill stefania Jozic perry lasher historical society had two programs from the society in postenkill and will Matthew luvera visit the Museum in september. the Dutch Consulate printed a brochure of steven Mann Dutch sites in state and created an app to describe the sites and how richard Muggeo anna oleson-wheeler to reach them for Dutch tourists. Museum Curator shelby Mattice has made Donna poulin arrangements to have the Dutch scripture painting restored by an expert Justin snow restorer over the fall-winter of 2018-19. one of about 40 such paintings in the Judee synakowski u.s., this gift from former society president reuben Garcia will be ready for staff viewing by the opening of the Museum in 2019. this gives you an idea of some shelby Mattice, Bronck Museum Curator of the things the society has been involved in recently. Jennifer barnhart, Operations Manager the Vedder research library has made great progress in converting Jonathan palmer, VRL Archivist library collection items into digital form for easier access and less wear and David & lisa brock, Caretakers tear on the item itself. archivist/librarian Jonathan palmer has led the way with his background in archival science and knowledge of technology. a prime the Messenger published semi-annually by example is the conversion of glass plate negatives to digital images. Glass plate the Greene County historical society, inc. negatives are difficult for staff and researchers to handle without damage, and po box 44 , Coxsackie, Ny 12051 in digital form are easier to use, including being able to zoom in on sections of the bronck Museum : 518.731.6490 the image. Vedder research library: 518.731.1033 our Caretakers Dave and lisa brock have the Museum/library Complex in http://www.gchistory.org/ great shape. the education Center is almost renovated and will soon be in use, Jennifer barnhart, Editor thanks to the efforts of Dave and lisa. Dave bova, of Db historic David Dorpfeld and restorations, has been at work on the 1738 house porch and gutter since late anna oleson-wheeler, Copy Editors last fall. the restored porch was ready for use at tavern Night in august (see Contributors article on page 11). Jean bush, Christine byas, David Dorpfeld, there are lots of things going on here at GChs. researchers and tourists robert hallock, shelby Mattice, fill the parking lot almost every day. staff and volunteers are constantly busy Jonathan palmer, thomas satterlee on the site. New items are donated to the collections almost every month. repair and restoration projects are ongoing and the heritage barn project is beginning to take shape on the barn’s new site. staff, trustees, officers and volunteers all work together well and create a nice place to visit, learn about some his - tory, walk around grounds occupied for over 265 years by one family and almost 90 years by the society. Mahican native americans also used the site until 1662 as well. you can almost feel the history when you visit here. the trustees, officers, staff and committee members of the Greene County historical society thank you for your support. we continue to try to bring you quality tours of the bronck Museum, top notch research at the Vedder research library, educational programs, community organization programs delivered by staff and trustees in Greene County and surrounding areas, and adding historic sites to the historic register of Greene County. GChs has a reputation as one of the best small county historical societies in the state of New york. with your support, we can continue to achieve this reputation. sincerely, Bob Hallock , president, Greene County historical society, inc.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 2 Pictured here are volunteers Tim The Heritage Barn Meier, Joe Woelfersheim and Project Tom Satterlee.

aFter oVer of utilities. excavation and rough a year of daily grading were done by halsted diligent work by excavation with concrete work volunteers and done by Daggett’s poured local businesses, the Foundations and brick work by M. heritage barn will be reassembled warner Masonry. assembling the with a new roof. after disassembly frame with a new roof by local con - by wolfe builders, all useable parts tractors will take place this fall. of the old barn were moved to the the reuse and repurposing of society’s property or a building the barn on the society’s property owned and loaned by Greenville will allow the society to exhibit North hill lumber Company for our authentic hay press while leav - replication or repair. GNh also ing extra room within for special assisted with men and moving events, lectures, and activities equipment. tim Meier, tom highlighting Greene County's her - satterlee, Joe woelfersheim and itage. other volunteers have completed the society continues to look repairing and replicating needed to the future by integrating cur - parts, including beams, rafters, rent holdings with new acquisi - and knee braces. a 28-foot beam tions that preserve and tell the needed two tenons, three mortises, County’s history and the impor - and 14 knee brace holes. tance of agriculture in the local replacement parts were milled by economy. tru-Cut lumber. the historical society is now the cupola was refurbished raising funds for the final reassem - with new siding, shutters and bly of this barn with a new roof paint. it was moved by Martinez and siding. we cannot do it with - towing to the new site to increase out your support. your contribu - interest in the project until place - tion, no matter the amount, will ment atop the barn. the former help us successfully raise the barn site has been cleared. heritage barn and kick off a new a concrete foundation with a chapter in the work of the Greene brick ledge has been completed at County historical society. the new site. a crawl space was to make a contribution visit included to accommodate the our website at gchistory.org - select below grade portion of the heritage barn project or mail a society’s hay press and to allow check payable to the GChs, po easy access for future installation box 44, Coxsackie, Ny 12051.

oN suNDay october 14, ted hilscher will present a special program discussing the relocation and restoration of the 19th century heritage barn, give an overview on english and Dutch barns including those located on the bronck Farmstead and discuss the hay press which will be installed in the new barn. Visitors can then tour the unusual 13- sided barn and also view the location of where the heritage barn will be located and see the progress that has been made to date. the pro - gram will be held in the bronck Museum’s Dutch barn. ted will give the program at 1pm and then again at 2:30pm. adult admission to this event is $10 and $5 for GChs Members/Children. all proceeds will ben - efit the heritage barn project.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 3 bulges on the bottom and pieces of the user. Klompen used by Ask Shelby of leather to attach the trippen fishermen had very pointed Ask Shelby to the foot may have been the upturned toes designed to assist precursor of the classic klompen. in pulling nets. Farmers on the the use of klompen seems to other hand chose broad and boxy have become more common in klompen with lower profiles and holland by the 1600s, when they gentle curves. the use of klom - were the common everyday shoes pen in the Dutch colony of New of rural people, but were espe - Netherland is likely but it is cially favored by farmers and unclear whether they ever gained fishermen. in holland, klompen any widespread use in america. were made of light weight woods the soils and agricultural prac - like willow or alder but ash, tices in america differed from Q. Did the Dutch really wear poplar, and sycamore were also those in holland reducing the wooden shoes? used. Klompen were favored over need for the water resistant klom - leather boots or shoes because pen. the collection of the Greene a. that may depend on when they are less expensive, provided County historical society con - and where they lived and how protection from heavy or sharp tains examples of klompen both they made their living. objects, and were resistant to old and new. Most are souvenirs the oldest surviving klom - water and caustic liquids. today, acquired in holland in the twen - pen, as wooden shoes are called in klompen still meet the criteria set tieth century, but there are also holland, appear to have first by the european union for safety three klompen that are well worn been used in the mid 1200s. shoes. the shape of klompen var - and much older. these klompen trippen a wooden sole with two ied according to the requirements were likely used by local farmers.

with short notice from New york bronck Museum has been Ties That Bind City. he is researching reverend involved with various tourism Jonas Mortensen Jespersen related projects underwritten by bronck, a lutheran minister and the Dutch government. the most it Goes without sayiNG that teacher who lived on the Faroe recent of these collaborative proj - the two famous bronck men islands in the late 1500s. ects titled “how DutCh is New pieter, who established the reverend bronck was once york” has resulted in the develop - bronck farmstead in 1663, and believed to have been Jonas ment of an app for your phone. Jonas, generally considered the bronck’s father, a belief that Mr. the app directs both english and founder of , were born arge still holds. surviving Dutch speakers to Dutch historic and lived most of their adult lives european vital records rediscov - and cultural sites in New york in europe. so both men had ties ered in the 1980s make this con - City, and the hudson and that bound them to europe. nection very unlikely. according Mohawk Valleys. the app From time to time, to Mr. arge, is the izi.traVel.app is free to down - europeans pursue most famous and widely known load from the app store or play these ties and arrive scandinavian settler with ties to store. the funding for this project at the bronck early colonial america. Mr. arge, was provided by the Dutch Museum. who is planning to write a book Culture usa program supported the most recent about Jonas, feels strongly that by the Consulate General of the european to fol - Denmark rather than sweden Netherlands in New york, the low the bronck should be the nation to capitalize society of Daughters of holland family’s european on Jonas’ fame. Dames in New york and the ties appeared at the though pieter bronck was not Dutch Culture Matching Fund in bronck Museum Dutch he is tied to the Dutch the Netherlands. the bronck one July afternoon. colonial history of the united Museum is always happy to Magni arge, a mem - states by his Dutch wife hilletje strengthen the ties that bind ber of the Danish and the couple’s presence in the pieter bronck to both the Dutch parliament repre - Dutch colony of New and swedish contributions histo - senting the Faroe Netherland. in recent years, the ry of the american colonies. islands, arrived

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 4 The Bronck Museum 2018 GChs Fall schedule of events sept 30 Heritage Craft Fair, exhibit 2018 Fall Events & sale of traditional american crafts, live music, food, silent auction, wagon rides. 12–4pm, Free as the swelteriNG heat of series. the summer season gradually as the autumn deepens, and oct 11 History of the Alcove Reservoir, speaker lucy Margiasso. subsides, the charms of the fall the last of this year’s leaves driv - 7pm, Vrl, Free season at the bronck Museum en by the north wind of seem more appealing than ever. November pile against the Dutch oct 14 Heritage Barn Program, the first event of the muse - doors, the bronck Museum opens Join ted hilscher for a special barn themed program in the Dutch barn at um’s fall season is the popular its venerable dwellings for the the bronck Museum. 1pm & 2:30pm, heritage Craft Fair scheduled for final special event of the 2018 adults $10, Members/Children $5 sunday september 30 from noon season. the Chilly willy winter’s oct 21 Sundays Along the River: to 4p.m. the heritage Craft Fair eve weekend will be held on Ten Miles in Ten Minutes , Join mem - brings together great crafts, November 17 and 18. the week - bers of the ice yacht locally made specialty foods, live end is a celebration of the tradi - Club to explore the history, and speedy hobby of ice boating on the hudson music, horse-drawn wagon rides, tional Dutch holidays of river. 2pm, adults $8, Members/ a fantastic silent auction and Martinmas and saint Nicholas Children $4 plenty cider and doughnuts. all Day and the swedish celebration the museum buildings will, of of st. lucia Day. the old tales Nov 8 Pearl Harbor Part 1, speaker ron Gabriele. 7pm, Vrl, Free course be open, and a stroll on will be told, the rattle of chains the grounds is always a pleasure. announces Nicholas’ arrival and Nov 17 & 18 Chilly Willy Winter’s on sunday, october 14, at the lucy cat presides in the par - Eve Tours , cold season tour with cos - tumed guide. 11am, 1pm & 3pm each 1p.m. and then again at 2:30p.m., lor. the houses will be decorated day, adults $8, Members/Children $ 4 the save the barn campaign will for these holidays in the style of be presenting ted hilscher for a the 1660s. tours are led by a cos - Dec 6 Pearl Harbor Part 2, speaker special barn themed program. tumed guide through the muse - ron Gabriele. 7pm, Vrl, Free admissions from this event will um’s interiors chilled by the cold benefit the relocation and of November and dimmed by restoration of a nineteenth cen - shortened hours of daylight. tury hay barn at the bronck tours are offered at 11a.m., 1p.m. Museum. and 3p.m. each day and include on sunday, october 21, at Dutch and swedish refreshments. 2p.m. members of the hudson another busy year at the river ice yacht Club will explore museum will come to an end. the the history and sport of ice venerable houses will soon yachting on the hudson river. become cold, dark, and still wait - “ten Miles in ten Minutes” is the ing for the coming of their 356th The Bronck Museum’s Heritage third and final program of the spring and the next season at the Craft Fair will be held on Sunday, 2018 sundays along the river bronck Museum. September 30 from noon - 4p.m.

the heritaGe barN proJeCt is holding a raffle to raise Barn Raffle funds for the relocation and restoration of the 19th century hay barn. your support and help in this effort would be greatly appreciated. tickets are available at the bronck Museum, the Vedder research library, or by contacting Donna poulin at 518- 821-0894. the cost of the tickets is $5.00 each or 6 tickets for $25.00. the raffle will be held on october 21, 2018. Cash prizes are $500.00, $250.00 and $150.00. Checks for tickets can be made out to GChs and put barn raffle in the note please. Mail to GChs, p.o. box 44, Coxsackie, Ny 12051.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 5 Beecher Scholarship By Christine Byas, Chair, Beecher Scholarship Committee

the GreeNe CouNty historiCal soCiety established the raymond beecher scholarship in 2007 to honor Dr. raymond beecher’s 90th birth - day. each year it is awarded to a Greene County Arley Liberti pictured on left with high school senior based on an article on local his - Matt Luvera. On the right is Hanna Boehm pictured tory. this year five Greene County seniors applied with Bob Hallock and Chris Byas. for this prestigious scholarship. For the first time plimley, and Jessie Vedder. the reverend Johannes since its inception, the scholarship awarded two schuneman, well known to us at the GChs, is often one thousand dollar scholarships. a second schol - impersonated on various occasions at the bronck arship was made possible through a generous dona - Museum. schuneman, an enthusiastic pastor of tion by bob & ann hallock. the Coxsackie and Catskill Dutch reformed students chose a variety of topics to research. Churches, was one of Coxsackie’s “leading patri - Grace sharkey’s essay discussed the history of her ots.” he was the first to sign a document known as family’s roller-skating rink in purling, which is still the “plan of association” along with his friend in operation today. Kacy Kiefer’s essay covered the leonard bronck. history of Greene County, including the indian and william plimley was another historic resident of Dutch settlement and the importance of the the cemetery now known as the town of Catskill hudson river. Jessica Kopec decided to write Cemetery. in august 1862, he volunteered and about the history of the salisbury family in leeds, enrolled in the union army where he served in the including the house, salisbury Manor, which still 120th infantry out of Kingston. he was the first stands today. although these students did not win a and only Greene County resident to be awarded the scholarship, bob, Matt and i were impressed by the Congressional Medal of honor, based on his actions level of writing, knowledge and research that was at hatcher’s run in Virginia. his brave actions led apparent after reading each essay. students used a eventually to his rank as Major in the army of the wide variety of primary and secondary sources and potomac. highway 23b which runs from Catskill materials in their research, including interviews through leeds is named in his honor. with family members, first- hand accounts, essays, Jesse rachel VanVechten Vedder was Greene newspaper and magazine articles, and books. Many County’s first official historian and a founder of the of these written resources can be found at the Greene County historical society. as county histo - GChs’s Veeder library. rian, she gathered and listed all the names of the the two students who were awarded the 2018 men who served in world war i, worked to preserve beecher scholarship are hanna boehm from the old leeds Church and authored several publi - Coxsackie-athens high school and arley liberti cations on Greene County history. one of her most from Catskill high school. these two students prominent accomplishments was enlisting the help chose different approaches when writing their essay. of many organizations to save the historic leeds hanna’s essay covered the history of the boehm stone bridge. she was curator at the bronck farm from its beginnings in 1903 when John h. Museum, did research and gave tours there until her boehm purchased 110 acres of land in Climax, Ny. health began to decline in 1942. the Vedder it was interesting to note that with the formation research library, named in her honor, on the of the Day and Night lines on the hudson river; grounds of the GChs and bronck Museum notes residents from New york City would travel north her accomplishments with an historical marker. and stay at lime Kiln Manor, a boarding house on you can read more about these fascinating people the boehm Farm. Following early businesses of who are buried in the town of Catskill Cemetery butchering, then dairy farming, today the boehm formerly known as the Jefferson rural Cemetery in Farm is known for its high quality of fruit. each upcoming issues of Greene County history. fall, my family heads to the boehm farm to pick i would like to thank all the applicants for this several of the 16 apple varieties that are grown year’s scholarship and encourage Greene County there. senior high school students to submit an entry for arley liberti chose to write about the Jefferson next year’s 2019 beecher scholarship. your rural Cemetery and three of its most “historic research is guaranteed to increase your knowledge inhabitants”; Johannes schuneman, william of the beautiful area in which we live.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 6 Board Development Beecher Award

GChs is pleaseD to welcome the newest members of its board of trustees; william Deluca, perry lasher, steven Mann, and anna oleson-wheeler. william Deluca is a lifelong resident of Greene County. born and raised in the Village of Catskill. bill spent the first part of his professional life as a police offi - Perry Lasher, Anna Oleson-Wheeler cer with the Village of Catskill and William DeLuca pictured to left. police Department, retiring at the Inset Steven Mann. rank of lieutenant in 2005. sherman's produce on Main Currently, he is an associate street; the embassy, a well-known professor at Columbia-Greene italian eatery and night club in Community College. bill’s appre - leeds during the 1960s and 1970s; ciation for the history of Greene adriance-Mann hardware, later his year County comes from his family’s Day and holt, on Main street in t the beecher award long history in the area and his Catskill; and the Castle on the was presented to robert and ann own interest in his hometown’s base of potic Mountain road, hallock for their longtime sup - evolution over his and his parents’ overlooking the Catskill Creek. he port of the Greene County lifetimes. has authored articles for the GChs historical society. over many perry lasher is senior Vice journal and donated family decades, the two have held president and Director of papers, photographs and numerous leadership positions Commercial lending at the bank ephemera to the Vrl. and served on virtually every of Greene County. perry is origi - anna oleson-wheeler is a committee at one time or anoth - nally from athens and currently Greene County transplant hailing er. bob has held the position of living in the Village of Coxsackie from Davis, Calif. she moved to president or Chairman of the with his wife susan and three the area with her husband in 2014. board for well over 10 years and daughters. he is excited to be anna loves the rich history of the ann has held the position of joining the Greene County area and the plethora of places to recording secretary for a similar historical society, and hopes that explore. she earned a master’s in period. they have contributed his love of our community, coupled education with triple certification greatly, both through their par - with his experience and broad net - from university at albany in ticipation and financially, to the work of contacts in the area, will august 2017 and currently teaches continued growth and sustain - make him be a productive member sixth grade writing. she resides in ability of the society. the of our fine organization. Coxsackie with her husband and beecher award is named in honor steven Mann, a Catskill native their black lab. and resident of hudson, has spent of the late raymond beecher, GChs also said goodbye to former Greene County historian over half his life documenting his long-time trustee Dennis o’Grady family and hudson Valley history. and a man who was a driving this year. thank you, Dennis, for force within the society for many he has strong ties to area includ - your many years of service to years. ing many familial connections to GChs and welcome to our new local businesses including trustees! every tuesday and wednesday Shirley McGrath she could be found at the recep - tion desk helping visitors with all earlier this year , we lost sorts of genealogy requests. in our friend and long-time volun - 2011, she was the recipient of the teer, shirley McGrath. since GChs beecher award for her early 1995, shirley volunteered at many years of service to GChs. the Vedder research library. we will miss her dearly.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 7 tized GChs board members) to aid with reference, VRL Bulletin and that is fantastic. our saturday hours are consis - By Jonathan Palmer tently busy, we can always expect at least two to four people dropping in with all varieties of questions. eVeryoNe tells Me it has been a hot and humid weekdays we have been getting lots of genealogical summer. i’ll take their word for it, but i’m not plan - researchers as always, but more recently we have also ning on leaving the Vedder’s air conditioning until at been getting more university-level researchers and least the end of september. it has been a nice and academic historians seeking answers to thesis ques - cool steady 70 degrees in the library since i started tion which we are uniquely suited to help answer. here in 2017. Deep in winter or at the height of sum - part of the increase in traffic is the effort we have mer our temperature hovers within four degrees - not put into our website - over the summer i have con - perfection, but good enough that i’m sure Curator tinued to add new manuscript collection finding aids shelby dwells on it while leading bronck house tours (see separate article in this issue) and we are already during those triple-digit July heat waves. seeing the benefits of putting up these collection list - hard to imagine, but i’m going on a year and a ings. i’d point to our social media work as the other half now as the Vedder’s friendly neighborhood factor in this increased traffic. since November, we archivist. when i look around at the shelves, i won - have been sharing content from the library collec - der whether this past year has been spent efficiently tions on our new Facebook group “Greene County and where there is room for improvement. if i’m history.” at the start of the spring we were at some - going to be candid, there are a lot of things i’m far thing around 600 members in this group, and as i from summiting the learning curve on - particularly write this we are fast approaching 1500 members in the areas of volunteer recruitment and manage - who are participating with us and sharing their own ment. we are extremely fortunate (an understate - local history content as well. ment) with the Vedder’s current volunteers. they in closing, i should mention we have also noticed complete tasks which in certain cases are so time- the benefits of our new sign-in forms for library consuming and labor-intensive that i wouldn’t have patrons. when i started here we were using a simple enough hours in the week for those single tasks alone, book where we would take down the name, date, and never mind the other odd chores and responsibilities hometown of visitors to the library. our new forms, i have as part of my job description. in other which we started using at the beginning of this year, instances, the jobs i’ve assigned them are so mind- take down patron names, contact info, party size, numbing that its a wonder they haven't all unionized and perhaps most importantly what record groups or simply marched out the door, leaving me to my the patron is interested in using. this system allows own devices. being that i’m the ripe old age of 26, me in some cases to contact people after the fact with i’m keenly aware that the volunteers also (in several extra information of relevance, and also allows us notable instances) have been in the more importantly to keep track of what collections library/informatics field longer than i’ve been alive. and records groups are being utilized most frequent - it is at the forefront of my mind that i need to learn ly. by taking down this info i now have a metric from their experience and insight when possible which helps me fast track certain collections for because this past year, above all else, has shown me preservation assessment, treatment, and occasional how much i still need to learn. digitization work. Drop in and see all of this for in other news, we have been busy! i mean to say yourself tuesdays, wednesdays, and saturday that on a few choice days this summer, it was so busy mornings year-round! that we barely had enough people (including depu -

our CaleNDar For 2019 will feature people gathering at various events in Greene County. the glass plate negatives, from which the pic - tures have been reproduced, were created by Greene County photogra - phers. they represent a portion of the collections archived at the Vedder research library. people have always gathered for both work and entertainment. these photographers often posed their subjects, yet many were caught in action. purchase a calendar, and every month you can look back rough - ly a century ago to see how people lived and toiled in Greene County. This glass plate negative of a fire in Calendars will be available for sale at the Vedder research library Catskill will be featured one month. and bronck Museum in october. all proceeds benefit the GChs.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 8 Vedder Research Library Collection Donations

New Acquisitions Cataloged at VRL aNyoNe who has VisiteD ved - Bronck Manuscripts July - December 2017 derresearchlibrary.org recently requires no justification, it is an • book - rusk’s illustrated Guide to the probably hasn’t noticed it, but industry standard used by both the Catskill Mountains, with Maps and plans buried in the alphabetical listing of most prestigious and smallest • photographic album of the Constitutional Convention of the state of New york (Dr. Manuscript Collections is a newly repositories around the world to A.W. Van Slyke Estate) written and published finding aid provide researchers with basic infor - • Greene County business and professional for the bronck papers in the care of mation about collections in their telephone Directory (from Paul Malides) • DVD - lecture presented Feb 8, 2009 at the Greene County historical care. Finding aids help researchers the Village hall in ravena, Ny (Jean and society. this finding aid, a docu - determine how big any particular Clesson Bush Collection) • Collection of items from the teich General ment designed to help researchers record group is, what date ranges store (Harry C. Teich Memorial find historic records groups and the collection covers, important Collection) ascertain their contents, has • book - Commodore, the life of Cornelius people who contributed to the col - Vanderbilt (from Robert Hallock) already led two researchers to our lection, and what sorts of languages • an archaeology of the hudson river ice door in the months since it went appear in addition to loads of other harvesting industry from Northeast live. that is two more researchers historical archaeology, Volume 29, 2000 vital details. all of this goes into a • atlas of the hudson river Valley from using the bronck papers than in the document which in our case is now New york City to troy entire past year since i’ve been discoverable through google search - • history of the botsford house in Greenville (Botsford-Clark Collection) working as the Vedder’s archivist, es as well as by browsing our web - • Collection of news clippings, photographs and these numbers are not coinci - site directly. take a look for yourself and ephemera related to the harvey and Ford families of athens, Ny (from Linda dental. Finding aid publication and see what you think! Hunt) • west shore r.r. right of way Maps, several years ago from the Greene County, 1898 (from Peter Luke) Hempstead Genealogical • book - a home away from home, the hempstead Family, but after FasNy Firemen’s home, 125th Collection organizing it and placing it in stor - anniversary (from Daughters of the age cabinets the catalog was used American Revolution, On-Ti-Ora Chapter) the VeDDer researCh infrequently. this fact prompted • book - Mr. Mirages Magical Garages (from library was very pleased to Judith Rundell) Mr. teator and GlhG to contact us • book - english Grammar in Familiar accept the donation of a formida - at the Vedder to arrange a transfer lectures (from Ann Hallock) ble genealogical collection from the • Catskill evening line Collection at the beginning of the summer, • book - remarkable women in New york Greenville local history Group and after an official transfer at a state history (from Robert & Ann this summer. Doris hempstead, a local history Group meeting the Hallock) local genealogist, dedicated count - • Memory stick with newspaper clippings collection made its way to the about the hotel Katterskill (from George less hours of her free time over sev - doorstep of the Vedder. since its McKean Harding) eral decades to genealogical • book - along the old west shore, arrival i can happily say it has been weehawken to buffalo by John ham research for herself and others - utilized weekly by researchers visit - often making expeditions to local ing for genealogical research, con - cemeteries, digging through news - servatively bringing the total num - papers, and paging through recent ber of consultations it has aided to publications to find the information around 30 instances in the past she required to answer a particular three months. the Greene County question. often enlisting her historical society is indebted to children in this work, the final cul - the Greenville local history group mination was a card catalog likely for this donation which has over 50,000 entries long and cover - enhanced the ability of its research ing several generations of numer - facility to aid with genealogical ous Greene County family groups. inquiries of all varieties. Come by Don teator and the Greenville and take a look in Doris local history group were extreme - hempstead’s catalog for yourself Hempstead Genealogical Collection ly pleased to receive this collection at the reading room of the Vedder. now located at the VRL.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 9 hugh quickly determined that the 12 foot long bench seat is a solid slab of poplar, the three legs are cast iron and the spindles, crown and arms are white or red oak. a stamp on the bottom of the bench indicated it was made in 1903 or 1908 by hubbard Greene History Notes and white, a chair making firm in boston, M.a. because of its size, a church pew came to mind. we That’s some bench rejected that because it does not have a solid back. rather we believe it might have served some type of By David Dorpfeld, Greene County waiting area like in a train depot. to date, we have Historian been unable to find a similar item. Repriinted from “The Daiilly Maiill,,” August 7,, 2018 hugh and i kept in touch by text and email over the next several months. when spring rolled around, hugh was ready for the big reveal. after long hours of prepping the wood, he had applied several coats of forest green stain. the cast iron legs had been sand blasted to remove rust and painted black. once i saw the beauty of hugh’s finished work, i realized the bench needed some protection in the winter. i envisioned a cover similar to the type used for a barbeque grill. but, where do you get one 12- feet long. it would need to be custom made. as it “t hat ’s soMe beNCh ” i exclaimed the first time turned out i knew someone who could do it, my i viewed the twelve foot long wooden bench in Don neighbor tom Fitzpatrick. tom is a skilled uphol - smith’s barn. the wife of Jim Campbell, one of sterer and like hugh offered to produce a weather Don’s friends, Donna Campbell, bought the antique resistant cover at no cost to the society. it fits so bench many years ago with the intent of refinishing well that the bench can even be used when it is cov - it. she unfortunately passed very early leaving two ered. he even made a handy carrying case for stor - small children. Don had been entrusted with it ing the cover. with the plan to restore and put it to use. it had a i am thrilled with the way this project came sad look about it, covered with dust and very dry. together. as a final touch, Don smith ordered a Don said his friend had told him he would like to small plaque to honor his friend’s deceased wife. it donate it to a deserving not-for-profit and the reads: in Memory of Donna Campbell. Greene County historical society came to mind. Now that this beautiful and unique bench has My next step was to have the society’s curator, found its way from Don smith’s barn to the porch of shelby Mattice, look at it. she was impressed, but the Vedder research library, i want to thank all did not have a place to permanently display it, and those that helped along the way. a true community it needed restoration. at some point i realized we spirit emerged to make this possible. have a perfect place for the bench on the porch of the society’s Vedder research library. the spot i had in mind is out of the weather and is a nice place for researchers and staff to eat lunch in good weath - er. it is also a good place to make and receive calls without disturbing patrons in the library. i decided to accept the donation. but, how to get the bench restored at little or no cost? hugh Quigley’s name came to mind immedi - ately. hugh has perhaps the finest woodworking shop in Coxsackie, and maybe the entire county. he is also very community spirited. he agreed to look at the project and once he saw it, agreed to restore it Pictured from left to right: Don Smith, Hugh Quigley, at no cost to the society. long story short, off the Dave Dorpfeld, Tom Fitzpatrick, VRL Archivist bench went from the porch of the library to hugh’s Jonathan Palmer. Absent from the photo is Shelby shop. Mattice, Curator of the Bronck Museum.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 10 please support the following businesses that support the 1738 Porch Renovations Undertaken Greene County historical society GCHS Business Friends & Supporters the bank of Greene County box 470. Catskill, Ny 12414 bavarian Manor Country inn 866 Mountain ave. purling, Ny 12470 black horse Farms 155 Fountain Flats rd. Coxsackie, Ny 12051 C.a. albright & sons llC 13640 rt 9w hannacroix, Ny 12087 Coxsackie antique Center 12400 rt 9w there is a DistiNCtiVe porCh came back to install the gutter. he west Coxsackie, Ny 12192 on the 1738 brick bronck house found the problems to be bigger Coxsackie transport with two sets of steps leading to than we had thought. anyone who 11 wayne Drive two separate doors with an elevated has done restoration work in an Coxsackie, Ny 12051 set back walkway between them to older house will clearly understand Dimensions North ltd 112 william st. allow access to the cellar windows. that a visible problem is probably Catskill, Ny 12414 it had probably been a typical bigger than what you can see. Dutch stoop in front of the two water damage had caused addition - Coldwell banker prime, eileen Goble realtor doors prior to the renovations of al rot problems on the porch floor - 161 Mansion st. Judge leonard bronck, 5th genera - boards, the porch posts, and the Coxsackie, Ny 12051 tion descendant. Judge leonard railings. More work had to be done Greene County septic Cleaners, inc. also renovated the back to back to replace parts of floorboards, po box 29 jambless fireplace and gave them parts of the posts, and parts of the Climax Ny 12042 jambs. as a result of the renova - railings. anything that could be hilscher & hilscher, attorneys at law tion, outside light in a different saved was; wood was added to posts 2 Franklin st. location in the rooms was needed. where needed and new porch floor - Catskill Ny 12414 you can see where the windows used boards were put in after taking off hinterland Design to be by the brick arches over what the rotted parts; new rail posts were 1 Mansion st. used to be windows. to my knowl - produced as necessary. after Coxsackie, Ny 12051 edge renovation work was done on researching to make sure we were Max s. wood equipment 11945 route 9w the porch in the late 1990s and following the secretary of the west Coxsackie, Ny 12192 again about 2010. interior’s Guidelines for National National bank of Coxsackie in late 2017, we noticed a prob - historic landmarks we used a new 3-7 reed street lem with the gutter and boards on product azek in the areas most Coxsackie, Ny 12051 the roof line of the porch. water affected by water damage. azek is North river research had been leaking into the gutter durable and rot resistant and 155 edison timmerman rd. through the inside coating causing almost indistinguishable from Cairo, Ny 12413 it to rot as well as a section of the wood. this should help the porch be state telephone Co. board on the roofline. we asked more resistant to water damage. by 46 reed street Coxsackie, Ny 12051 Dave bova, a historic restoration July that work was complete. specialist, to investigate and repair our Caretakers Dave and lisa tip top Furniture po box 136 the problem. the gutter was taken planned to paint the porch area, but 9477 rte 32 down, transported to his shop for between hot weather and rain, this Freehold, Ny 12431 repair and the hole in the board was was not possible until late in July. washington irving inn covered temporarily. During the the area is now newly restored and 6629 rt 23a box 275 winter, the gutter was repaired and painted. it stands ready to be used hunter, Ny 12442 relined. during events like tavern Night and williams lumber & home Centers 6760 route 9 in the spring of 2018, Dave the heritage Craft Fair. rhinebeck, Ny 12572

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 11 GCHS Volunteers Events and were recognized at the Annual Meeting Programs and Volunteer Recognition Brunch r e earlier this year at y a

b the Washington a s s Irving Inn in y l a

Tannersville. : t i d e r C o t Non-Profit o h p Organization US Postage Paid Fall 2018 Newburgh, NY 12550 Permit No. 1491 Greene County historical society, inc. c/o t. satterlee 164 high hill road Return Service Requested Catskill, Ny 12414-6411

“Pieter Bronck” and his wife “Hilletje Jans” greeted visitors at the Bronck House for Tavern Night.

The Heritage Barn Committee held several Frese’s BBQs over the summer to raise funds for the relocation and restoration of the barn.

John Ham present - ed and signed copies of his new book, “A Railroad for the Legendary Catskill Mountain Costumed Interpreters tell the stories House.” of five Greene County patriots during America’s wars from the Revolution to WWII at Community Patriots’ Day.

Dick Brooks recounts the An overflow crowd arrival and at Richard Muggeo’s departure of pas - program “Icy sengers and Endeavors,” detail - freight at ing the history of Catskill’s once Greene County’s bustling river commercial ice port to a standing industry from the room only crowd river to the ice box. at the VRL.

Fall 20 18 MesseNGer paGe 12