I f * •^V' A ^,^^ -^ ^^^c/^.^-/ *• *.. Sr >° .vV -A/ . .^.-^,* v^ ^^ •^>;. .>•. <s^ ^^ ^-^4-. > vf Ao^ ^"-v-. ^:^m^S J)' "^ ' O N O O,' — X / HISTORY OF V H COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YOEK, ^' —A MEMORABILIA OF PERSONS AND THINGS or INTEKEST, PASSED AND PASSING, —BY— / i THE HON. JOHN FEANCIS COLLIN, EX-M. C, AND EDITED BY PROF. H. S. JOHNSON, A. M., EDITOR OF THE HILLSDALE HERALD, WITH .jLisr j^:p:PEisrnDi2§:. PHILMONT, N. Y. : PRINTED BY E. J. BEARDSLEY, SENTINEL OFFICE, 1883. PREFACE. The turbulence in Hillsdale for three-fourths of a cen- tury after its first settlement by civilized people and the different nationalities of those people has prevented any historic record being kept of them, and their scores of cemeteries, not being under legal protection, have be- come to a great extent obliterated. For want of historic records a majority of the most prominent inhal^itants living in the town a half century ago are now nearly for- gotten. Without such records, a half century hence, a majority of the present population of the town will be forgotten or oidy preserved by our better organized cem- eteries. Availing myself of my social intercourse with the old inhabitants of the town in the long-ago, I have attempted, in a crude way, to give the past history of the people of the town. To that end I am now supplied with much additional and interesting matter, and am promised much more that may appear in a future volume. How- ever imperfect these volumes may be they will enable future historians to keep a record that will be vastly in- teresting to the people of the town for all time, and will produce a strong moral and religious influence. Many minute histories of individuals and families in the town would be very interesting and instructive—and I am prom- ised such—which will appear in a future volume. Many New England towns are taking histories from the epi- VI PREFACE. taplis in tlieir cemeteries, and I have just received a vol- ume of that character from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, which has given me important information in respect to my maternal ancestry. If encouraged by expressions from the people, I may be induced to give such history from the cemeteries in Hillsdale. JOHN F. COLLIN. Hillsdale, N. Y., Janiuiry 8t,li, 1883. — CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. PKELIMINARY HISTOEY OF HILLSDALE—THE FIRST WHITE SETTLER—ROBERT NOBLE. The Author's Fears—Washington Irving—Discovery of the Hudson—The Grant of 1620—The Dutch Grant—Matthew and llobert Noble—The Old ' Fort—Land title conflicts. Page 1 CHAPTEK II. CONFLICTS TO SETTLE MANOR TITLES—PRISON DOORS THROWN OPEN—FORMER HIGHWAY ACTS. Indian Grant of Hillsdale to Massachusetts in 1724—Civil War in Copake in 1812 —Pardons of Governor Tompkins—Barn Burners and Hunkers —John Collin, Paciflcator in 1793- -John F. Collin, Pacificator in 1845 "Go Home in Peace and Safety"—Highway Act of 1832 and 1836. 3 CHAPTEE III. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NOBLE KINDRED — FIRST WHITE WOMAN SETTLER—THE RACE BROTHERS. The Author's Uncle Deprecating Nobletown— The Nobles—Robert Noble Emigrates in 1724 from Westtield, Mass., to Hillsdale—Is a Captain by Commission from the Governor of Massachusetts —Lays Out Nobletown Five Miles Square—Erects a Fort—Hillsdale Ceded to New York Robert Noble Pietiirns to Massachusetts—William and Nicholas Race and Seneca TuUar. ...... 6 Vm CONTENTS. CHAPTEE IV. CONFLICTING CLAIMS OF JURISDICTION—WHISKEY FLASK AND CIDER PITCHER—SWEEPING TEMPERANCE WAVE. Massachusetts Claims Columbia County and Now York Claims Berkshire County— Juristliction Corapromiserl in 1773 and Perfected in 1787 — Population Left in Hillsdale— The Temperance Society of 1808 ex- tended to Every State in the Union -1.500,000 Members in the United States — 220 in. Hillsdale —Liquor Rations Suspended in the Army and Navy 8 CHAPTEK V. HISTORICAL DIVISIONS—OLD ROADS AND WHO LIVED ALONG THEM—ASSESSMENT LAWS. Four Divisions of the History— First, forty-eight years, 1725-1773 — Second, twenty years, 1773-1793 -Third, thirty years, 1788-1818 — Fourth, sixty-four years, 1818-1882 -Old Bye-roads -Levi Williams —Captain John Collin —James Bryan, Esq. —Tibbits— Loucks' Spring —Present Law of Assessment for Road Tax. .... 11 CHAPTER VI. ANCESTRY OF MRS. RUTH HOLMAN JOHNSON—ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST OF THE COLONISTS. Mrs. Ruth Holraan Johnson —Isaac Johnson, "One of the Founders of Massachusetts"- Arabella, His Wife. Daughter of Thomas. Fourth Earl of Lincoln —His Grandson, Isaac Johnson, Born 1668 —His Son, Benja- min Johnson, Born 1711—His Son William, Born 1753, Died in Hills- dale 1818— His Daughter, Ruth Holman, Born 1780, Married John Collin 1798— Their Children 14 CHAPTER VII THE HUGENOTS—IMMIGRATE TO AVOID PERSECUTION—A COM- MISSIONED OFFICER—PROFESSOR MORSE. Captain John Collin — History of Hugenot Immigration —John Collin, from the Province of Poitou, in France—His Grandson, .John. Sailed —— CONTENTS. rX from Milford Haven 174:6 and was Never Heard From After— His Son John, Great-grandson of John Collin, of France, born 1732 —Commis- fiioned a Captain by the British Royal Governor (Ti-yon) in 1773—Again Commissioned by George Clinton, Governor of New York — His Cotem- poraries—His Second Wife the Grandmother of the Distinguished Poetess, Lucretia Maria Davidson, and a Relative ol Professor Morse He died 1809 -His Children. ....... 16 CHAPTER VIII. MORE ~COLLIN ANCESTRY — THE FRENCH WAR — ATTACK ON FORT TICONDEROGA—FAMILIES OF MEANS. David Collin -A Lieutenant in the British Army During the French War — His House Plundered by Robbers During the Revolutionary War Died in 1824, Aged 90 Years -His Children—Hannah Collin—Settled in Hillsdale on the Farm Now Occupied by Levi Coon —David Collin, Jr. — Resided on the Farm Now Occupied by Rutsen Hunt—Lucy Col- lin, Settled in Hillsdale Near the Turnpike, Two Miles East of the Village— Sally Collin- James Collin 20 CHAPTEH IX. GENERAL FREMONT—NOTED TAVERN-KEEPERS—PUGILISTIC EXHIBITIONS—THE MASONIC FRATERNITY. Bogardus—Dr. Caleb Benton Squire Sherwood —James Bryan's Tavern House—Colonel Chase McKinstry —Samuel Mallory—Ebenezer Soule —Bartholomew Williams — William Tanner -Jonathan C. Olmstead — Edward Bagely—John Nooney—Aaron Reed —Isaac Foster —Amos Knapp — Artemus Johnson. ........ 23 (JHAPTEK X. DIVISIONS OF THE TOWN—STATE REPRESENTATIVES—A GREAT LAWYER—THE FEDERALISTS. The Town Divided into Six Localities : Hillsdale Village, East Hillsdale, Hillsdale Centre, West Hillsdale, Green River, Harlemville — The Birdsalls — John Higgins — Benjamin Birdsall - George Birdsall — — X CONTENTS. Hagemans—Pixleys—Amighs—Jordans— William Jordan, Jr. —Ambrose L. Jordan — Joseph Morehouse — Clintonian Republicans — Quincy Johnson—Samuel Judson— Col. Anson Dakin—Christoplier W. Miller —Josiah Knapp—Andrew Higgins—Elisha W. Bushnell—John Collin —Henry P. Mesick—Gen. Provost's Army— Ebenezer Youngs. 27 CHAPTER XI. HILLSDALE RURAL CEMETERY—RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS AND THEIR FOUNDERS—PEOPLE OF ENTERPRISE. Robert Noble —Bogardus—Caleb Benton—Squire Sherwood—Mrs. Sher- wood; her Daughters — Mr. Dumond— Mr. Shorts— David Wheeler — Sornborger—Osborn —Brainard—Levi Coon—.Walter B. Ten Broeck Hillsdale Rural Cemetery; its Boundaries —Cemetery on Leonard John- sou's Premises -Monument to Jeremiah Potter —Parla Foster—Asher Adams— John Pixley —Mrs. Joseph P. Dorr -Ephraim Pixley—Refine Latting—Rev. Stephen Gano—Stephen Bristol - Amos K. Knapp Captaiu Turner — Dr. Henry Cornell—George M. Bullock—Rutsen Hunt—John Q. Johnson —The Village. 31 CHAPTER XII. EAST HILLSDALE—ITS EARLY SETTLERS—SOME OF THEIR DE- SCENDANTS —LOCALITY OF THEIR RESIDENCES. Gaius Stebbins—Dakin—Elijah Burton —Lucy Collin —Edward Bagley Oliver Bagley -James Bryan 2d—George Amigh— Captain John Collin —Sarah Arnold —Deidoma Morse —John Collin and Ruth Holman Their Children —Rodney Hill -Rev. Hiram H. White- Lewis Wright —Quincy Johnson —John Hunt — James Taylor —Walter McAlpine —Adanyah Bidwell —Mr. June—Levi Williams. .35 CHAPTER XIII. GREEN RIVER — HARLEMVILLE — HUDSON ORPHAN ASYLUM — COUNTY POOR HOUSE. William Tanner—Jared Winslow—Jonathan Hill —Sarah Amanda Collin —Albert Winslow Garfield—James Collin —Chastine E. Wilcox—Sam- uel B. and Charles A. Sumner—Lewis B. Adsit—Henry J. Rowe—Hiram —— CONTENTS, XI Winslow—Isaac Hatch—Albert Shepard— Joel Curtis—Gaul McKown —Frederick Pultz—John H. Overhiser —Willis Disbrow—W. H. Gard- ner—Andrew H. Spickerman —^Ralph Judson—Charles H. Downing —Alfred Curtis—Joel G. Curtis 40 CHAPTER XIV. A HISTOBICAL FOUNDATION — BIRDSALL FAMILY — HILLSDALE CENTRE. Benjamin Birdsall —James Bryan 2d —Pelatiah Hunt —John Wager Barnet Burtis —Judge Loop—Stephen Hoyt—Ethan Boyes —Dr. Eich- ard Bartlett—Nathaniel Hnsen—Abraham Overhiser —William White Barnet Wager—Gustavus A. Dibble —Stephen Hedges—Joseph lloss- man —George Knox and David West—Gilbert Sherwood —Walter Mc Alpine—Samuel Truesdell—David Collin — Silas Keed— Lewis Adsit Mr. Evans—Peter B. Hollenbeck—President Tyler— Austin Morey Lorenzo Gilbert—Nicholas C. Tyler—Captain Henry P. Mesick —Rev. Abel Brown—Thos. Benedict—Nicholas Sharts —Daniel Darien—Dea- con John Tyler 45 CHAPTER XV. A FAMILY HISTORY DESIRABLE—HILLSDALE ROADS—COMMIS- SIONERS FROM 1852 TO 1883. Family Histories interesting—An Appeal to the Community lor such Charles Crow— William Coon—Crooked Roads—Columbia Turnpike —Soil for Roads —Road Laws—Assessments —Sums Expended on Roads since 1849—Reform 50 CHAPTER XVI. children's aid SOCIETY—ROELIFF JANSEN VALLEY—BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 1824—EQUALIZATION. Children's Aid Society —Astors— Vanderbilts—Sixty Thousand Orphans — Officers —A Residuary Bequest —