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The Historical Society of Rockland County Orangeburg, New York

Vol. 17, No. 1 January-March 1973

HAVERSTRAW

History Center Site K A K I A I

•CLARKSTOWN

Museum Building

BERGEN COUNTY ORANGETOWN IN MEMORIAM Joseph Cornell, the sculpter famed for his constructions in small boxes and his collages, died at his Flushing home Joseph Cornell December 30. He was born in Nyack on Christmas Eve 1903, Son Joseph I. Cor­ nell (born in Closter, N. J.) and of Helen Le Roy Gates Ten Broeck Storms Cornell, he was de­ scended from old Dutch families. Mrs. Willis B. Inglis Mr. Cornell, who held membership in the Historical Society of Rockland, is sur­ Mrs. Clayton Johnson vived by two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Ben­ ton and Mrs. Helen Jagger. We are in­ Donald N. McQueen debted to Mrs. Benton for information on the Dutch ancestry. She writes, “We are descended from Steven Coerten Van Joseph P. Monihan Yoorhees, who came here from the pro­ vince of Drente in Holland (the town of George M. Reaves Hees) in 1660. He and his family sailed on the “De Bonk Kou” (“The Spotted Cow”) Mrs. Nellie V. C. Wittholm and settled in New Amersfoort, later named Flatlands, Long Island. “Our great-grandfather was Commodore William R. Voorhrs, who had something to do with building up South Nyack. He had the racing yacht, “The Tidal Wave”. He also built the first catamarin (see SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS, January-March 1967), which sank. He used it for a dock when he owned the house on Piermont Avenue later owned by the Lloyds. “Mother was the daughter of Emma Voorhis Storms and Howard M. Storms of Nyack.” According to Hilton Kramer of the New York Times, Mr. Cornell “did not remain a special taste, but became a modern classic.” Cornell’s constructions, which included prints of birds, Old Masters engravings and representations of heavenly bodies, influenced artists who work in pop art, primary structures and assemblage. He received many awards for his constructions and collages. BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE Mrs. Reeve J. Terwilliger reports memorial contributions to the society’s Endowment Fund have been made for the following persons this past year: Jessie Chisholm Mrs. Mariette Koster Dr. Albert B. Corey George M. Reaves Mrs. Ada Gray Mrs. Mildred Rooney George Curran William C. Smith Le Roy Gates John L. Sullivan Dorothy Zehner

The Rockland Country Day School, King’s Highway, Congers, has made arrangements with the Historical Society of Rockland County to include a visit to the Jacob Blauvelt House, at the society’s history center, 20 Zukor Road, New City, in the RCDS home tours, planned for Sunday, May 6, 1973, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets and information are available through the school’s secretary at CO 8-6802.

© Copyright 1973 The Historical Society of Rockland County

Acting Editor: Mariruth Campbell printed by Executive Editor: John R. Zehner PRINT SPRINT 2 COUNTY ERECTED IN 1798 MARKS 175th YEAR The document on parchment which records the creation by law of Rockland County bears three important signatures: John Jay as governor; Stephen Van Rensselaer, lieutenant governor and president of the state senate; Dirck Ten Broeck, speaker of the assembly. The governor’s signature fellows the notation, “In council of revision 23, February 1798 Resolved that it does not appear improper to the council that this bill should become a law of this state.” The bill as introduced has Ten Broeck’s signature following the lower- left corner notation, “State of New York. In Assembly February 17th, 1798. This bill having been read the third time Resolved that the bill do pass. By order of the Assembly.” Van Rensselaer’s signature at the lower right follows, “State of New York. In Senate January 27th, 1798. This bill having been read the third time Resolved that the bill do pass By order of the Senate.” The first portion of the bill concerns the setting aside of Orange as a separate county, “lying northward of the line beginning at the mouth of Popolopen Kill on Hudson River and running thence on a direct course to the southeastern most comer of the farm of Stephen Sloot and then along the south bounds of his farm, to the southwest comer thereof, and then on the same course to the bounds of the state of New Jersey.” Then the bill reads, “And be it further enacted that all that part of said county of Orange lying southward of the above described line shall be erected into a separate county and be called and known by the name Rockland.” The exact procedures for setting up a court of common pleas and a court of general sessions of the peace, the election of an assemblyman and the handling of mortgages affected by the act follows. Provision was made that one judge and one supervisor from each county (Orange and Rockland) meet^at the house of Stephen Sloot in the Clove” to handle all money matters then affecting the two counties. At the time of its erection, Rockland represented the southermost one-! fifth of Orange county, one of ten in the Province of New York. All ten, erected soon after the English permanently took over from the Dutch, were located on Long Island or in the Hudson Valley area, with Albany the northermost. From 1683 to 1783 only five new counties were set up in the Province of New York. But, with the close of the Revolution and the subsequent increase in population and commercial activity, 15 new counties were created in the 1790’s. Rockland was one of these. The ten original provinces had been named to honor historic overseas places or personages. Newer counties were inclined toward more homey names. It is said our area was early referred to as Rocky Land and the appelation carried over into our official name. According to historian A. W. Van Keuren, whose work is included in Tompkins “Historical Record of Rockland County” (1902), when the first census of this area was taken in 1693, the county (Orange) had only 21 families and 219 inhabitants—all of whom lived in Orangetown. He describes Orangetown as a tract purchased by sixteen Hollanders, 3 eight miles in length and ranging from two to five miles in width. It extended south to a point how below the present New York - New Jersey boundary line, which was established in 1769. In Rosalie Fellows Bailey’s “Pre-Revolutionary Dutch Houses” (Wm. Morrow, 1936; Dover, 1968) is the notation, “The lands at the southern end around Tappan were purchased from the Indians on March 17, 1681/2 by a group of eight white men and three free negroes from the Bouwery Village on Manhattan together with five men from New Jersey.” Eight plus three plus five equals the 16 Hollanders. On June 24th, 1719 the precinct of Haverstraw was set off from Orange- town on petition of the principal free-holders and inhabitants on claim they were too far from Tappan. Most of these petitioners resided in the central part of the precinct, known as Kakiat. Kakiat (later known as New Hempstead, then Hempstead and finally Ramapo) and Clarkstown were separated from Haverstraw Township March 18, 1791, so there were only four townships in Rockland County at its erection in 1798. Stony Point township remained part of Haverstraw town­ ship until March 20, 1865.

1876 and 1884 MAPS REPUBLISHED One county and four township maps from 1876 have been republished by the society. The township maps show locations of private houses, business establishments, schools and churches. Unframed, approximately 17 inches square, the maps of Rockland County, Clarkstown, Orangetown and Stony Point sell for $3; the map of Ramapo, 17" x 27", is priced at $4. They are available at the King’s Highway, Orangeburg, museum shop during the hours when the museum is open. The society’s treasurer, Dr. George R. Sharpless, who also handles the gift shop, notes these maps are in addition to the 1884 three-dimensional lithographs of Nyack and Haver­ straw. Elegantly detailed maps, these “pictures” of the two river-front villages are drawn from a Hudson River vantage point with the westerly mountains as backdrops. Some artistic flights of fancy keep them from being 100 per cent accurate but the deviations are slight, easily spotted and cause for an indulgent smile. They are priced at $3.

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY SALUTES the Village of Suffern on the 200th anniversary of its founding as New Antrim by John Suffern. Born near Antrim, Ireland, in November of 1741 John Suffern came to America in 1763 and established himself at Philadelphia. In 1773 he settled in what is now Suffern, where among other things he operated a potash factory and a woolen mill. He lived to be 95 years old. Five years later (1841) New Antrim was renamed in his honor.

Charles Myneder of New City again heads the nominating committee which will present this year’s slate of officers. Assisting Mr. Myneder are Leland R. Meyer of Spring Valley, Mrs. Calvin Tomkins of Tomkins Cove, Julian H. Salomon of Suffern and Gene W. Setzer of Nyack. 4 ROCKLAND’S FIRE FIGHTERS by Le Roy Gates During July, August and September of 1972, Le Roy Gates typed up for our use in SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS an introductory to what we hoped would be an Historical Society of Rockland County publication of the county firemen’s full story. We have some odds and ends of last-minute notes that make excellent fillers and, at the museum’s library in Orangeburg we have “Alarms and Details”, printed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Nyack Fire Department and a copy of the 350th Hudson-Champlain Anniversary booklet, which carries Le Roy’s “Muscles to Microphones”. So, we have the beginnings of one of his cherished hopes—a full history of fire- manics in Rockland. In a Rockland County Times article, dated Dec. 21,1972 (just five days prior to Le Roy’s death at Nyack Hospital) there was a discussion under the heading, Hard to Name “Mr. Fireman”. The Times paid tribute to Charles M. Pales of Stony Point, J. Stanley Gates (Le Roy’s brother) of Nyack, Charles Draudt of Valley Cottage and Le Roy—“county firemen’s chaplain . . . (who) must be considered soynewhere near the top of the list (for the honor of being named “Mr. Fireman” of Rockland)”. Le Roy was not only well qualified to write about firemanics because of his deep involvement in that field but also because for some years he had been official historian for the Village of Nyack as well as a member of the Historical Society of Rockland County. Self protection, neighborly assistance and community concern were in historical succession the steps in fire fighting and fire protection in Rock­ land County as in most of America. The pioneer had only his own dwelling and storage area to guard. Neighbors became concerned with each other and the “pillar of smoke by day and the pillar of fire by night” became the call that never failed to bring the utmost help from the surrounding farms. As farms gave way to closely- built towns, the necessity for organized and equipped fire-fighting groups became imperative if the little communities were to survive. Rockland County has indeed been fortunate in this respect—we have had big, bad, destructive fires, but never as in other places has a whole village been wiped out. The credit for this rests on the shoulders of our volunteer firemen. Old-timers know but to newer residents it sometimes comes as a sur­ prise to find almost EVERY FIREMAN IN ROCKLAND COUNTY IS A VOLUNTEER. The few exceptions are those employed at other work but assigned to fire duty in Rockland State Hospital, Letchworth Village, West Haverstraw Rehab, and a few of the larger industrial complexes. The volunteers include ministers, priests, rabbis, doctors, dentists, lawyers, laborers, clerks. Name the job, and from that group will come a man on the run when the whistle blows, the siren howls, or the bell clangs its summons. Community concern” is translated into action by men who have sub- IP, class"{°9m and on-ground training, who with modem apparatus and highly specialized appliances (including special quenching mixtures of fog and foam) are equipped to face modem challenges in fire from new plastics, old furniture, even exotic metals that burn. Their over-all record has been remarkably good. 5 The earliest organized fire-fighting unit on record in Rockland County is Orangetown Fire Company No. 1 of Nyack, organized October 4th, 1834, and incorporated in 1865. Orangetown’s little old wooden pumper is without questions the oldest fire apparatus in the county and one of the oldest in the nation. It is an exact duplicate of one which was purchased second-hand in 1760 by George Washington, Esq., to present to his home company, Friendship Hose Company, Alexandria, Virginia. The historian of the Philadelphia Fire Department years ago wrote me that their records did not show the exact time they acquired some of these pumpers, but available data indicated they came in on trading ships from England and France. They were probably manufactured in Flanders in the early 1700’s. As Philadelphia grew in size and the height of buildings in­ creased and the pavement of the streets improved to the point of carrying heavier vehicles, the little pumpers were sold as much larger and vastly more powerful pumpers were built in America. A man who was much alive in the 1880’s and had talked at length with some of the then-surviving charter members of Orangetown Fire Company told his son, who in his old age told me, that sometime in the early 1800’s a Yankee peddler who used to come through the Nyack area arrived with a little fire engine pulled by his faithful horse. Whether by public subscription or official act of the town board (there is no written record) the folks in the Nyack section of Orangetown bought the engine. For a number of years it

—from “Alarms and Details" An early apparatus was a smal bucket engine operated by crank handles. Used with it were leather buckets and copper-riveted leather hose. Orangetown Fire Engine Company No. 1 had its bucket engine during the first 18 years of service to the com­ munity. During that time it was the only engine in the village. 6 had no home but remained wherever it was last used, for who could say where the next fire might be? Two things happed obviously (again without record): people wanted someone to be responsible for the engine; in 1832 the State of New York passed a law outlining conditions under which volunteer fire companies might be organized. Acting on that legal provision, and again obviously in response to some public request, the Orangetown Town Board appointed a list of men to be “The Orangetown Fire Company No. 1 of Nyack, Rockland County, New York.” Those men met in the kitchen of the York House, Pier- mont Avenue and Main Street, October 4, 1834. They elected officers, officially became responsible for the truck, set up their by-laws for civil conduct and fire fighting. All company minutes are intact—from that first organizational meeting to today. The little old engine, which answered its last real alarm as Orangetown was purchasing a steam-powered pumper in 1888, is proudly on exhibit in the historical room of Orangetown’s headquarters, Depot Place, South Nyack, and may be quickly seen through the big windows of the room. If members of the Company are in the fire house, visitors will be permitted a come-right-up-and-touch-it inspection. By vote of the company, its fragility is not to be tested in any parades or removal from its pedestal. The regard and affection in which it is held can only be measured by the super-efforts of the younger men of the company who put aside other considerations to protect it when the fire-house itself burned a few years ago. Oh, yes, they saved the big new expensive modem fire truck but their special effort was to rescue the “little old engine.” This they did. Now to an historical challenge and, at this writing an historical mystery. In Hillbum Fire Department’s headquarters there is an iron-framed wood- box-pumper-head fire engine with the date “1795” cast in one end of the iron frame. While this would not make it older as a fire engine than Orange- town’s little box, it does raise the question of its origin and use. Did the Ramapo Works have a fire brigade? No researcher in their papers has found any evidence of it. Did the community itself,'apart from the works, have a fire company? No record has survived, if it did. Where was the apparatus made? By whom? Where used? Obviously there was no continuation of the original group or company which could have used it, so Orangetown Fire Company is still the oldest existing company in the County. In fairness to Hillburn, was there an earlier organization whose history is lost? Orangetown and its engine gave the only active fire protection in the county until 1852, when Mazeppa Engine Company No. 2 was organized in the rapidly expanding Community of Nyack. Piermont started its department in 1852, Haverstraw in 1854, Knickerbocker of Rockland Lake and Colum­ bian of Spring Valley in 1861. Suffern, one of the earliest settlements in Rockland had no fire department until 1900. We haven’t the space and the reader may not have the patience for a list each subsequent department and company as it was formed, but one is worth special mention. Wayne Hose Company of Stony Point, organized in 1894 and equipped with splendid modern apparatus, is the only company in the county with an entire township as its protection district. Wayne Hose men are responsible for the entire area north of Haverstraw Township and 7 —photo by Celentano

Half a dozen Brownies, representing Troops 84 of West Haverstraw, present John R. Zehner, president of the Historical Society of Rockland County, with a check to cover the cost of purchasing “bricks” for the society’s new museum to be built in New City. The check represents pennies saved in a special troop piggy-bank after members of the troop had been guests at the society’s museum in Orangeburg during the annual St. Nicholas Day programs. The girls bought five bricks. south of the Orange County border, including Tomkins Cove, Jones Point, Bear Mountain and the portions of the Palisades Interstate Park in Rockland. Today every building and every acre of land in Rockland County is protected from fire danger by 26 departments, including 42 companies with 126 pieces of motorized apparatus. Membership rolls vary, but it is fair to estimate that more than 3,000 volunteers guard the county on the “fire line.” What a change in 138 years! Statistics alone are not the whole story. Rockland’s volunteer firemen also serve as community ambulance corpsmen and as highly trained Scuba divers. All are prepared to participate in first-aid, disaster calls, upset boats in rivers and lakes and a dozen other forms of community need. Want help? Call the volunteer firemen. Their history has been a constructive, often exciting, part of the growth of Rockland County. Today high-rise apartments are met with 100-foot extension “aerial” ladders and tall “snorkel” or “cherry-picker” basket-platform arms that reach up to rescue. Special types of fire are met with unusual chemical and powder extinguishers. And always there are the men—trained, vitally interested, committed to community service. Drama, sometimes high argument, sometimes exasperation, have each had a part in the growing protection from fire since Rockland’s early days. Nyack has eight companies because one was insufficient to cope with larger fires and two only delayed further need for manpower and apparatus. One hook and ladder in Upper Nyack was not enough, so another “went into business” down town—most of the pien and apparatus were on the “lower” level of the village so “hilltoppers” formed Highland Hose Company with its house and apparatus at the top of the hill, and the Fire Patrol came into existence as fire police to restrain spectators and to provide salvage by spreading tarpaulin covers to save as much merchanise or household furnish­ ings as possible from water damage. Later the patrol become a highly-trained first aid and disaster-control unit. 8 Rev. Amassa Freeman thundered threats of fire and misery to sinners but coolness and protection for the repentant from the pulpit of Central Presbyterian Church and then put his preaching into practice as he went into the streets of Warren (later Haverstraw) and by his inspiration drove men to form an incorporated village, whose first objective was the formation of an effective fire department. It would take a big book to recall the quietly desperate meetings of a few neighbors in one area after another demanding of themselves sacrifice of time and money to reduce local fire losses. Ladies cooked, baked, made salads and created needle-work for sale at bazaars and fairs. Men raised funds in various ways; builders donated their skills; and fire houses and apparatus became available. Sometimes the projects received less than enthusiastic community support. South Spring Valley argued for years before it received legal authorization to organize. David B. Roche was ridiculed for proposing a fire house out along Route 202 on the edge of Thiells. But in a dozen years or less, each has come to be a multiple-apparatus company, protecting acres of new homes and sprawling apartment developments in place of the “brush fires, rocks and rattle-snakes” their detractors predicted would be their only responsibilities. There are still a few men (in their late 70’s or 80’s) who ran with the early apparatus. Only a few companies had horses available to pull the rigs. So the men ran to the fire house when the alarm sounded, hand-pulled the apparatus to the fire—always on the double—then raised ladders and scooped water with buckets into the box of their pumper while the strongest bent their backs to the pump-handles or, at a later date, fan out the hose. Then it was back to the fire house to clean the apparatus in preparation for the next call. Compared (in their eyes) to the men who ride the automobiles, they quietly take over the old Navy saying, “In those days we had wooden ships and iron men.” But the men of today face hazards from burning plastics, modern architectural designs that trap fire inside a building, and other hazards unknown in the simple days of burning wooden structures. After many years of discussion, argument, pleading and persuasion, the county has created a fire-training center in the hills of Pomona where every Rockland County fireman can practice fire fighting. The center includes class-rooms for indoor instruction and demonstrations—all in order that men who volunteer and serve without pay may more and more effectively protect their communities from the threat of fire destruction. Demonstrations and liberal distribution of literature are part of the first line of fire fighting, fire prevention, offered annually at the Nanuet Mall dur­ ing Fire Prevention Week and available on request throughout the year for interested groups. Among the most prized possessions of my son, Stuart, of Stony Point is a leather fire bucket. It was a gift from the late John Acken of Nyack, who received it from his father (also John), who had used it as a member of the volunteer fire department of New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the early 1800’s. Buckets were the first “fire apparatus” in America. In many communi­ ties every householder was required by law to have at least two buckets always handy. As towns and cities grew, fire companies had extra supplies Continued page 14 9 Last summer the Historical Soci­ ety of Rockland County, with a grant from the America the Beautiful Fund (Natural Area Council, Inc.) initiated a series of adult education courses —in chair caning, herb cookery, blacksmithing, candle dipping, pew­ ter plates and spinning & dying— Rose Marie Cline of 38 Cara Drive, Nanuet, administers the program. Traditional Antique Chair Caning with Edna Riedell, assisted by Mrs. Earl Mullen, demonstrated the seven step chair caning pattern with rattan reed cane and (with ex­ perience) fiber rush seating utilizing home tools found around die house. The accent in herb gardening and —photo by Davis cooking was on the use of herb in The sheer fun of working with their hands cookery under the guidance of Betty is projected by these wool dyers. Johnson. Blacksmithing, with Hein­ rich Schreiber, delved into the history of the craft and its techniques as applied to the creation of ornamental pieces. It included instruction in the art of welding. The lovely, lines of this Victorian rocker The candle dipping course, with (circa 1860) wil no longer be hidden in Mary Venezia, assisted by Linda storage. Zenovic, also studied the historical background of the craft, explored different types of wax (especially those of colonial days), studied colors and scents from natural materials. Creating pewter plates by pounding pewter discs into the desired shapes was taught by Betty Ludwig, who also showed students how to smooth the edges and the complete the plate by polishing. The Spinning & Natural Dying techniques of olden times were taught by Joan van den Hende, who used fleece purchased from local sheep farmers and, whenever possi­ ble, natural dyes from the county’s gardens, field and woodlands. One new course is projected— Colonial Limner Painting. Painters in the American colonies, now re­ ferred to as “primitives,” were in their own day spoken of as “limners.” —photo by Davis —photo by Davis Red-hot metal is shaped by a fast-moving Why not bang to one’s heart’s content hammer and a keen eye. when such fun produces beauty? The term is dervied from the medi­ eval illuminer or illuminator of manuscripts. The course offered will To watch shape build around a slim wick as it is repeatedly dipped in melted wax is be based on the simple, utilitarian engrossing. work of these artists rather than on portraiture. A minimum of ten students is required. The course will consist of six sessions of two hours each, held once a week. The anticipated cost is $12 plus cost of materials. The six courses to be repeated are: Chair Caning^-two-hour class, five weeks, required minimum 15 students, anticipated cost $7 plus cost of materials: Herbs & Cookery— two-hour class, six weeks, minimum ten, cost $12 plus cost of materials; Blacksmithing—three-hour class, six weeks, minimum eight, cost $25; Candle Dipping—two-hour class, three weeks, minimum ten, cost $7 plus cost of materials; Pewter Plates —two-hour class, six weeks, niini- mum ten, cost $12 plus cost of ma­ terials; Spinning & Dying—two-hour class, six weeks, minimum ten, cost —photo by Neuhoff $12. 11 ADDED NOTES ON W. S. GURNEE For an added glimpse into the life of Walter S. Gurnee, whose “Mayor of Chicago” portrait-in-words by Anne E. McCabe was in the last issue, we are indebted to Dr. Walter MacKellar of Benholm Farm, Blauvelt. Dr. MacKellar writes: “After he (Gurnee) moved his business to New York—where he had an office at 2 Rector Street and a house on Fifth Avenue opposite St. Patrick’s Cathedral—he acquired as an absentee landlord two farms in Rockland County, one at the north end of Rockland Lake and the other in Blauvelt, which supplied his house with fruit, vegetables, dairy products and flowers. “My father, Archibald MacKellar, who knew Mr. Gurnee very well, was the manager of these farms from 1889 to 1894. How the farm at Rockland Lake was disposed of I do not remember, if I ever knew; but the one in Blauvelt about 1900 or 1901 was bought from Mr. Gurnee by Stephen R. Bradley of Nyack, who then with my father started the first modem sanitary dairy to supply Nyack with its first bottled milk. “Aobut 1897 my father planted the maple trees which still line Old Greenbush Road and Bradley Parkway. That farm was later owned by Robert E. Leber and parts of it still belong to members of his family. “In Mr. Gurnee’s time there was a race track in the large field south of the house on Bradley Parkway now occupied by Edward Leber. By 1889 it had fallen into disuse, but it was restored for a brief time by Mr. Bradley. “I recall hearing my father say that Mr. Gurnee and James G. Blaine were among the first to make Bar Harbor, Maine, a fashionable, millionaire colony.”

IN “THE FABRIC OF STATE” EXHIBIT Among the items in the traveling exhibit, “The Fabric of State” is an applique quilt of the 1800’s in cotton from the estate of Mrs. Henry Emery of South Nyack. It was lent by the Historical Society of Rockland County and delivered to the Museum of American Folk Art, New York, New York, by Jay Ferine. The folk art museum is participating in the United States’ 1976 Bicen­ tennial Celebration by presenting five separate annual exhibits of New York State’s historical development as seen through its arts and crafts. The first exhibit, already seen in New York at the folk art museum and in Yonkers at the Hudson River Museum, will be displayed in many parts of the state during the coming year. “Fabric of the State” focuses on quilts and coverlets, rugs, embroidery, lace, Shaker items, and such aids to the weaving craft as wool winders and spinning wheels. The hand weaving and needlework items date from the 18th Century to the present with the newest display item the Hudson River Quilt.

Miss Doris Newton of Valley Cottage will serve as library consultant at the society’s museum in Orangeburg. For those wishing to use the library’s books, pamphlets, pictures and manuscripts for research in local history, Miss Newton will be at the museum the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the regular museum hours of 2 to 5 p.m. 12 FROM THE MUSEUM’S BOOKSHELVES Soon to be catalogued and shelved at the museum’s library in Orange­ burg is “The Forgotten General,” a biography of Robert Erskine, F. R. S., the Surveyor—General of the Continental Army and the trusted friend of the Commander-in-chief. Gift of Caroline Venturini of Nanuet from the estate of her sister, Louise M. Schinck of Westwood, N. J., the volume was written as part of the celebration of the Sequicentennial of the United States. It is quite appropriate that we peruse it during the days of the Bicentennial. The author was Albert H. Heusser of Paterson, N. J., resident of Passaic County, site of Ringwood Manor and the famed Ringwood Mines. Heusser, who served as historian of the Captain Abraham Godwin Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, was first curator of the Passaic County Historical Society and an active member of the New Jersey Historical Society. Also author of “In the Footsteps of Washington” and “Homes and Haunts of the Indians,” his deep study of American history made him an authority on the history of northern New Jersey and its environs. Many a footnote and many a commentary in “The Forgotten General” concerns Rockland County, then part of Orange County, and an integral part of the “middle-ground” between the Hudson Highlands and the Dela­ ware. For this area, Erskine mapped out the by-ways and back-roads over the mountains to provide Washington with a thorough knowledge of the topography of the country and thus enable him repeatedly to outmaneuver the enemy. Heusser hoped his “Forgotten General” would serve as a memorial to Erskine as no other monument than a tree planted by Washington beside his gravestone at Ringwood had ever been erected to the memory of the noble young Scotsman who did so much to bring the War of the Revolution to a successful issue. According to Heusser, Erskine was appointed by Congress in 1777 as Surveyor-General of the American armies. He not only continue to operate the Ringwood mines but executed a series of over 200 beautifully correct miliatry maps of the “war zone” in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Many of these maps, including areas in Rockland, are pre­ served at the New York Historical Society’s headquarters. Heusser’s closing chapter is a capsule history of what happened to the Ringwood mines and Ringwood Manor after Erskine’s death. He pays tribute to a later resident of the manor, Abram S. Hewitt, born in Haverstraw “The Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, son-in-law of Peter Cooper, and for more than fifty years the controlling spirit in the industrial enterprises of Cooper, Hewitt &Co., was the first to inerest himself in the career of Robert Erskine And it is by reason of the author’s professional services for Mr. Hewitt’s family, who have spared neither means nor energy in the effect to bring to light the documentary evidence requisite to establish Erskine in his true position as one of America’s great characters of the Revolutionary period, that the data presented . .. has been made available.” The author, whose old-fashioned, easy style establishes a sense of friendly contact with the reader, feels history’s neglect of Erskine was “due to the nature of his work, almost ‘secret service’ in character.” His volume is well illustrated. 13 Contimied from page 9 of buckets on their first “engines.” Most early settlements were along brooks or other streams, or close to ponds or rivers. When fire broke out neighbors would run to dip buckets in the water, pass the full bucket along to the next person in line toward the fire, until the strongest and/or tallest person stand­ ing as near the fire as the heat would permit would toss the water at or on the fire and hand or throw the empty bucket to another person-in-line to return the empty to be refilled. No really big fires were ever conquered that way, but many small blazes were squelched before destroying the entire contents of a farm house, small store or similar building. The fire bucket was a highly essential part of the mechanics of daily living. Pumping engines, first the hand-operated, later the steam and internal- combustion types, and the supplying of water in considerable quantity and under adequate pressure through mains and hydrants retired the buckets. Now they are scarce and valuable bits of antique Americana, tokens of a day when raw muscle and sheer grit were the measure of neighborly or com­ munity service. The spirit of the bucket brigade, applied to 1,000-gallons-per-minute pumping engines and 100-foot hook and ladder rigs, is today’s “mutual aid.” The words, “mutual aid,” are legal and operational shorthand for, “You’ve got trouble? Help is on the way.” Mutual aid has always been a fact in Rockland County with only a few black spots in the past when officials of one village or fire district would pro­ hibit the firemen from moving taxpayer-owned apparatus across village or district lines, even if a house or business were actually burning up. Believe it or not, it happened! But most stories of the past are those of mutual help­ fulness. Seventy years or more ago, Orangetown Fire Co. No. 1, Nyack, hired a team of horses and took its big steamer-pump to Sparkill to help fight a convent fire. In Nyack’s own famous Harrison & Dailey store fire (about 1914) apparatus and men came from Piermont, Suffern, Haverstraw, and points between. In the bad series of Haverstraw fires, including the school, Hoyt’s garage, and others, help rolled in from all corners of the county. But help was on the basis of friendship among the chiefs, without formal plan or schedule. And always there was the nagging question—who would pay the cost of, say, repairing a Haverstraw truck if it were damaged while responding to a call from Nyack? And more importantly, if a fireman from one town were killed while helping in another community, who would ans­ wer, financially, to his family? The firemen themselves finally worked out plans which were first in­ cluded in the World War II Civil Defense mechanism and then freed from that outside influence and placed under local control. County and state laws now have firm legal and very practical operation bases. The best way to ex­ plain the working of mutual aid is to cite an imaginary situation. Suppose: Spring Valley has a lumber-yard fire, well under way. A brisk wind is blowing. At first glance, the chief knows his two pumpers and one hook and ladder cannot control “that thing.” This is no slur on Spring Valley. Nyack with eight units has called for help, as has Haverstraw with five. It is not the number of engines the com­ pany has but the size and potential of “that thing” that counts. So Spring 14 —photo by Celentano Mrs. Adelaide Bohls Winter of West Haverstraw, assisted by members of her Brownie Troop (84 of West Haverstraw,) shows members of the Historical Society of Rockland County the 44-star silk flag with solid reverse lining that she has donated to the society. Mrs. Winter was given the flag by her granfather, who had come to this county more than a hundred years ago. He became a citizen about 1872 and joined a club of his “Landsmann”, called the Nordeutcher Club von Greenpoint. Then came the wars and Americanized Germans became ashamed of their German heritage. No new members joined the club and it finally disbanded. However, members of the club gave to Mrs. Winter’s grandfather this silk flag, which had been the American emblem at their meetings. The 44-star flags served as national emblems from 1890, when Wyoming was admitted to the union as the 44th state, until 1896, when Utah became the 45th state. The presentation was made at the society’s January meeting in the Little Theatre at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill. Valley’s Chief uses his two-way radio and calls “44 Control,” the code designation for the Rockland County fire central. The number, 44, is the state-wide designation for Rockland. “Control” means the man on duty at the New City Center has at his finger-tips, a card index of every fire appara­ tus in the county and a board on which are buttons which he can tap to set off the alarm in each and every department. He is the “central” for all fire radio communication. “Central” is on 44 Control duty around the clock. He has no authority to order any fireman or fire apparatus to move but is the transmitter for all calls. Spring Valley wants pumps and ladder trucks. One of each rolls down from Hillcrest. Tallman, Monsey and Nanuet each send a pump. Over the hills from Nyack comes one of its biggest pumpers, followed by one of its ladder trucks. But the ladder boys go to Pearl River and stand by at that fire house to protect the high-rise risk in that district, because Pearl River has already been called to the fire ground in the Valley. Going to Pearl River is part of the “cover-up” movement basic to mutual aid—not a single person or piece of property is stripped of fire protection as the forces are assembled to meet the disaster threatening one community. Probably up from Hugh Gassnef Company in South Spring Valley a rig will be called, not to respond on the fire ground, but to either stand by at one of the Spring Valley fire houses and be a “spare” in case another fire breaks out in the area or to cruise, without bell or siren, up one street and down another, mostly down-wind from the big fire, every man on the rig intently scanning roofs, yards, tops of parked cars, vacant lots to spot flying embers. 15 If the crusing is during the night, many people whose lives and property are being guarded never know they have been carefully watched over. The crowd watching the big fire—and any hour of day or night, a big fire will draw a crowd of spectators—will not think of the cruising crew; but the chief will known and a big share of his immediate responsibility will be on the heads of those quietly riding men. By this time, West Nyack may also be in or New City may be on the fire gound, pumping, while West Nyack men stand by in their headquarters, ready on the next radio call to cover up for Nanuet or New City. Nanuet has probably sent in their snorkel, to operate over the main fire and push some of that terrific radiant heat back down. And over in the big Dutch Hill quarters of Orangeburg’s department, the hook and ladder rig is ready if Nanuet has troubles at home. Up in Haverstraw, men probably drift into Rescue Hook & Ladder quarters, in case Hillcrest has a call in the Mount Ivy section. The possibilities, the “ifs” of the situation, are as varied as those c^f an intricate chess game. Back there in the Valley, the original fire is “contained”—no additional property has been allowed to burn. It will be many hours, maybe days, before the last smouldering bits of lumber are quenched, but there will be no spread of flame across the face of the community. Volunteer firemen in mutual aid have woven a pattern of protection, have led in hose lines from perhaps a half-mile or more away, have spent countless man-hours in helping their brother firemen, as they will be helped if fire strikes their own community. The possibilities of mutual aid are endless. Montvale may come up over the state line to help Pearl River or Tappan may go into Jersey to help Northvale. If there is a fire in the main area of Bear Mountain (Stony Point’s Wayne Hose territory)—-actually Fort Montgomery just over the Orange County line will roll in first, to “hold it” for Stony Point or perhaps have it out by the time the Pointers arrive. Should a major disaster strike Rockland, companies from Westchester will come howling across the Tappan Zee bridge. Suffern, Hillburn and Sloatsburg may be helped from Orange County. A tremendously important point is this: from the moment the first alarm sounded until the last spark was out, the last outside company gone home, the last local unit back in quarters with fresh clean hose on board and all equipment clean and secure, all men on the way home and the official “out” signal sounded locally and reported to 44 Control, one man has had sole responsibility and has held complete command—the Spring Valley chief. Other chiefs probably responded with their units and as brother ex­ perienced firemen may have offer suggestions, but they issue no orders be­ cause by prior agreement the local chief has total authority. Confusion is thus avoided. Efficiency taking the place of wild excitement. Incoming units went where they were assigned. Nozzle and aerial lines moved where the chief felt they would do the most good. Having the burden of responsibility, it is fair the chief have unchallenged authority. Sometimes wry humor enters into these mutual aid situations. Orange- town Fire Company men were ready, in full uniform, to start for a parade in West Haverstraw one bright Saturday afternoon when they were called to assist at a fire in the conduit plant in Orangeburg. You ought to have seen the dry-cleaning bill for those uniform trousers after working in the tar- 16 streaked plant area! Suffern’s Fourth of July parade had some missing com­ panies one year when a lumber yard fire the previous night in Spring Valley saw some of the potential marchers only reaching home in mid-morning after all-night work at the fire. But for you who read, be assured no matter how big the fire in your home community even if your “own” boys have gone to help someone else, there is a never-sleeping watch, a never-relaxed tension of protection, a web of interlocking lines of communication and action that protects you, your property and your neighborhood through the concern of the volunteers. The “bucket” is a snorkel today but still passes swiftly from hand to hand to the point of effectiveness at the fire. How the ladies’ auxiliaries draw the applause of the crowds at the parades! Groups of ladies, some not so young, you notice, in smart uniforms stride along to the step set by the band for full masculine step-distances. This is how they do their stuff? For this they rate applause and appre­ ciation? Let an old-timer tell you a true story. It happened in Nyack but it might have been in any location in the county: Late at night fire had been discovered in an old factory building. The floors, walls and beans soaked by years of machine oil were tough enough as burning material, but there was added the pungency of smoke from plastic- coated synthetic fabrics, bales of cardboard and flimsy-cloth lining of the low-priced pocket-books that were the current products of the plant. And that was inside. Outside, the temperature was down around zero and a nasty wind was whipping sleet and snow on top of the stray water bouncing off the fire streams. Oldsters warned the younger firemen to wear the woolen gloves found in the tool box of the apparatus. They’d get wet but would protect fingers and wrists from freezing. And “pull down that inside helmet lining to protect your ears and back of the neck from frost-bite,” they advised. “Move your feet constantly inside your boots—this is bitter!” There was a sense of frustration in place of the efficiency of other times as cold hands fumbled ladders, moved hose lines or handed tools to other men. Then somebody yelled, “Look at THIS!” Through the mist and smoke, stepping carefully among the hose lines and up the slippery street, came three ladies. One had a arm-full of paper cups, one a big thermos jug that could only contain coffee, and the third a big paper bag crammed with sugar-buns just fresh from a local bakery which had been persuaded to open early to supply this emergency. Have your gourmet meal in a fancy restaurant—this, I tell you was nectar of the gods! And later there was more coffee and more buns, for the gals “stayed with it” until the fire was over. Anothe time, there had been an all-night fire and the ladies did not “show” on the fire ground but when the men got back to the fire house to start the dirty job of scrubbing the used hose, packing it in the dryer, putting clean reserve hose into the apparatus, cleaning and folding boots, coats and helmets, there were tables set and whenever a man could stop his work, there was a platter of bacon and eggs, rolls, butter, steaming hot coffee and/or milk. And who paid for it? The Ladies Auxiliary with its penny sales, (whis­ per it) raffles, bake sales or whatever. So we lift our coffee cups in the old-time salute: “To the Ladies, God Bless ’em!” You know, they too are volunteers. 17 SOCIETY’S ACCESSIONS POLICY The Historical Society of Rockland County has received for its museum and library many hundreds of gifts—artifacts, records, history books. The acknowledgment and receipt form which many museums use and which is mailed to the donors carries the following notation: “In acepting the above gift, which is understood to be outright and unconditional, the Trustees will endeavor to give their best judgment in determining its use, consistent with the Society’s charter and general practice as recommended by the American Association of Museums.” The Executive Committee has approved the following provisions, formulated by a special committee of the Board: 1. Items are not accepted on a permanent loan basis as the collection can best be controlled through outright ownership and insurance which the society maintains. 2. All gifts are tax deductible. The Society issues the receipt forms but donors determine the valuation for income tax purposes. 3. Duplicates of some items may be transferred to other museums and exchanged for materials considered more suitable for exhibition in Rockland County. 4. Items not suitable for the Society’s collections are accepted with the understanding that they may be disposed of as the Society sees fit. 5. When it becomes advisable to sell certain items, notice of such sale will be given in the quarterly. Proceeds will accrue for museum collection purposes. 6. The Society exhibits items of general or special interest but does not guarantee their exhibition for any period of time. 7. Efforts will be made to identify all items on display as to donor. 8. All records having pertinancy to Rockland County history have a place in the Society’s library. Members are urged to preserve these items for eventual contribution to the Society’s collection. 9. Members contemplating gifts of furniture for the Jacob Blauvelt homestead restoration are requested to contact Leland B. Meyer, E L6-6763. Members are reminded to consider the practical financial advantages in contributing shares of stocks which have increased substantially in value. The IRS regulations permit contributions be based on the current fair market value, with attendant tax advantages. Peter W. Sluys is engaged in writing an extensive essay on the Battle of Stony Point for inclusion in a collection of essays on American history to be published within the year. He would appreciate notice of any primary ma­ terial on the subject in the hands of members of the historical society. His address is Box 311, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York 13323. Mrs. Jeanette Newell of 24 Conklin Avenue, Haverstraw, is doing research on James and John Dart and would appreciate hearing from any­ one who has information about these brothers, who were noted ship painters in the last century. Pictures of any ships decorated by them would be espe­ cially appreciated. 18 RUSSIAN MUSIC AND DANCE AT BENEFIT

—photo by Washnik of Clifton The St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Choir and the Troika Balakaika Orchestra scheduled to appear under the auspicies of the society on March 5 at 8:15 p.m. in the Spring Valley Junior High School, South Main Street, have become part of Rockland County’s musical heritage. Members of the choir are parishioners of St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Church, Spring Valley. St. John’s is the first and the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in the county. The singers include businessmen, house­ wives, salesmen, teachers and others, all Americans of Russian ancestry. The choir was organized in 1935 by the Very Rev. John Havriliak, who still sings with the bass section of the choir. In 1957 his son, Lawrence, be­ came choir director. A baritone soloist of note, Lawrence Havriliak has over the years guided his singers so that today they can present very com­ plex Russian Orthodox Liturgical music, which relies on voice alone, in beautiful harmony marked by reverence. Under his direction, they also per­ form colorful folk songs with warmth and v: or. Appearing with the choir as sole danc will be June Havriliak, wife of the director and the only woman ever to e danced with the Don Cossack Chorus, in which Mr. Havriliak toured >pe. Instrumental numbers will be presented by the Troika Balalaika hestra, under the direction of Helen Fornazor. The balalaika players were origin a small group, mostly young people, who appeared as the St. John’s )lk Ensemble with the choir in some of their festive programs. They ha e now reached orchestral status and have attracted players of all ages to their membership. 19 MUSEUM HOURS Orangeburg, King’s Highway ...... 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays New City, 20 Zukor Road ...... 2 to5 p.m. Sundays DATES TO REMEMBER Mar. 5 (Monday) 8:15 p.m. Russian Choir folk singers and dancers, the Troika Balalaika Orchestra at the Spring Valley Junior High School on South Main Street (tickets $3; youth $1) Tickets through Mrs. George Durbrow 634-4773 Apr. 9 (Monday) 8:15 p.m. Annual meeting with Alan Aimone, rare book librarian at U.S.M.A., West Point on “Rockland County in the Revolution” in the music room of Clarkstown Junior High School, Parrott Road, West Nyack May 27 (Sunday) 2-5 p.m. Spring Open House at Blauvelt House History Center, 20 Zukor Road, New City June 17 (Sunday) 2:30 p.m. Annual strawberry festival and awards program at museum, King’s Highway, Orangeburg July 21 (Saturday) YANKEE PEDDLER DAY Annual dues for membership in the Historical Society of Rockland County are $3. Check or money-order with name, address and zip code may be mailed to the Historical Society of Rockland County, Box 587, Nyack, New York 10960.

Compliments of .. . Member F.D.I.C.

NANUET NATIONAL BANK

“The Friendly Bank” with nine Rockland locations

Main office: call 623-9300 168 So. Main St., Nanuet THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKAND COUNTY COLONIAL AND TRADITIONAL CRAFT COURSES The courses initially sponsored last year with the assistance of the America the Beau­ tiful Fund of New York (Natural Area Council, Inc.) are now being considered for the third series, starting about April 2, 1973, to be held either at the New City History Cen­ ter or the Orangeburg museum. They include: #1. Traditional Antique Chair Caning. A five-week course covering the traditional seven step chair caning pattern with rattan reed cane and (with experience) fiber rush seating utilizing home tools found around the house. #2. Colonial Folk Limner Painting: A six-week course on colonial painting done on wood. #3. Blacksmithing and Welding: A six-week evening course on colonial wrought iron­ work (candle holders, hinges, pot holders, fireplace tools, etc.). #4. Herb Gardens and Early American Cookery: The first sessions will cover the traditional Early American Herb garden in regard to design and plant content. Cookery will follow with: 1) recipes containing the herbs and 2) recipes emanat­ ing from the conditions of the time effecting what was used, i.e., grains available (rye flour, corn meal); sweets, local natural plants. #5. Candle Dipping: A three-week course at Orangeburg. #6. Pewter plates: The Colonial process of pewter plate fabrication by pounding. Simulated rawhide mallets are used to pound a pewter disc into a wooden mould. Various plate sizes will be available. #7. Spinning and natural dyeing: The dyeing of wool with plant materials; spinning into yarn and making into skeins. #8. Blauvelt Homestead Crafts: A six-week Saturday morning course for girls and for boys—7 to 11 years. #9. If you have additional questions, Rose Marie Cline, 38 Cara Drive, Nanuet, N.Y. 10954, will be available after March 1 to respond to post card inquiries. Please have your survey card returned by March 15, 1973 or as soon thereafter as possible. Payment of tuition will be due upon notice of acceptance for course.

— Tear Here and Mail —

Dear Mrs. Cline: I am indicating below the two courses which interest me most. I under­ stand the tuitions stated are approximate and some courses may require a materials fee. Class roster will be closed when maximum enrollment is reached. #1. □ Traditional Antique Chair Caning—2 hours/5 weeks; $10. #2. □ Colonial Folk Limner Painting—2 hours/6 weeks; $12. #3. □ Blacksmithing and Welding—3 hours/6 weeks; $30. #4. □ Herb Gardens & Early Cookery—2 hours/6 weeks; $12. #5. □ Candle Dipping—2 hours/3 weeks; $6. #6. □ Pewter Plates—2 hours/6 weeks; $12. #7. □ Spinning and Natural Dyeing—2 hours/6 weeks; $12. #8. □ Blauvelt Homestead Crafts—2 hours/6 weeks; $5. Children’s Course— □ Girl; □ Boy; □ Age #9. □ Preferred time: □ Weekday mornings; □ Weekday evenings

PRINT NAME ADDRESS...... TELEPHONE- DATE. 6c Stamp

Rose Marie Cline, Administrator HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY 38 Cara Drive Nanuet, New York 10954