Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

CONTENTS
...
PART I  INTRODUCTORY.                                   page

Object of the Centennial Volume .......................  19
Sources of Information ................................  19
Authors of Town Histories .............................  19
Mr. J.A. Parshall and Mr. S.B. Champion ...............  19
Illustrations .........................................  19
Portraits and Views ...................................  19
Maps and Books Relating to Delaware County ............  20
Burr's Map of Delaware County .........................  20
Gould's Map of Delaware County ........................  20
Gould's History of Delaware County ....................  20
French Gazetteer and Hough's Gazetteer ................  20
Beer's Atlas ..........................................  21
Munsell's History of Delaware County ..................  21
Boston Biographical Co's Biographies ..................  21
Other historical material .............................  21

SECTION I.- INDIAN OCCUPANTS; WILD ANIMALS. 

New York at the time Hendrick Hudson's first voyage ...  25
American Indians ......................................  25
The Confederacy of Five Nations, afterward Six Nations   25
The Mohicans ..........................................  26
The peaceful policy of the Dutch ......................  26
Sir William Johnson and the English policy ............  27
Treaty with the Indians as to the line of property ....  28
Traditions concerning Teunis ..........................  28
Wild animals in Delaware County .......................  29
The black bear ........................................  29
The wolf, the fox, and the panther ....................  30
The deer ..............................................  31
The woodchuck, squirrels, etc .........................  32
Passenger pigeons .....................................  32
Harmless and maurauding birds .........................  35
Brook trout, and black bass ...........................  35
Runs of shad in the Delaware ..........................  35

SECTION II.- PHYSICAL FEATURES.

General features of the county ........................  37
The Susquehanna and the Delaware valleys ..............  37
Geological formations .................................  37
Bowlders ..............................................  38
Flagging stones .......................................  38
Highest peak in the county ............................  39
Crops and products ....................................  39

SECTION III.- EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

Dutch settlement in Middletown ........................  40
The Johnston settlement in Sidney .....................  41
Indian raid into the Johnston settlement ..............  42
Founders of Harpersfield ..............................  42
Early trials of Harpersfield ..........................  45
Revolutionary experiences .............................  45
Active period of immigration ..........................  46
Colonial patents in Delaware County (note) ............  47
Character of the early settlers .......................  48
Settlers from New England .............................  48
The Roxbury contigent .................................  49
Scotch immigration ....................................  50

SECTION IV.- PIONEER EXPERIENCES.

Trials of the first settlers ..........................  52
Example of a Scotch family ............................  52
The American axe and its use ..........................  55
The logging-bee .......................................  56
The first crop ........................................  57
Tools and implements ..................................  57
The chimney and the wood fire .........................  58
Tallow candles ........................................  58
Friction matches (note) ...............................  58

SECTION V.-REVOLUTIONARY TROUBLES. 

Tories in all the settlements .........................  60
A quarrel at Middletown ...............................  60
The settlement saved by Teunis ........................  60
Vigilance committee at Harpersfield ...................  61
Colonel John Harper ...................................  61
Joseph Brant the Indian chief .........................  62
General Herkimer's conference with Brant ..............  62
Harpersfield settlers escape ..........................  65
The settlement at Sidney visited by Brant .............  65
The Indians and the British join in frontier raids ....  66
The Wyoming massacres .................................  66
The expedition under Generals Sullivan and Clinton ....  66
The battle at Newtown .................................  67
Indian country devastated .............................  67
The Genessee valley invaded ...........................  68
Indian retaliations ...................................  68
Indians appear at Harpersfield ........................  68
Reminiscences of the war ..............................  68

SECTION VI.-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.

New county proposed ...................................  69
Charter enacted by the Legislature ....................  69
Boundaries of the county ..............................  69
Original towns ........................................  70
New towns .............................................  70
First meeting of the supervisors ......................  71
Court of Common Pleas organized .......................  71
First court house .....................................  71
Second court house ....................................  72
Present court house ...................................  72
Exciting experiences ..................................  75
Population of the county by towns .....................  76
Taxable inhabitants in 1820 ...........................  76
County Judges .........................................  77
Surrogates ............................................  77
District Attorneys ....................................  77
County Clerks .........................................  78
Sheriffs ..............................................  78
County Treasurers .....................................  79
Members of Congress ...................................  79
State Senators ........................................  79
Members of Assembly ...................................  79
Supreme Court Justices ................................  85
Constitutional Delegates ..............................  85
State Officers ........................................  85

SECTION VII.- MILITARY CONCERNS 

The Revolutionary movements ...........................  86
War of 1812, and the renewal of the military spirit  ..  86
Organization of the State militia .....................  86
General training ......................................  87
A general training broken up ..........................  88

SECTION VIII.- ANTI-RENT TROUBLES 

Land and land patents .................................  89
Leased lands ..........................................  89
Form of lease in use ..................................  90
Movements in Albany, Rensselaer and Columbia counties .  91
Disguised Indians .....................................  91
Law against disguises .................................  92
Shooting of Steele ....................................  92
Contents in the courts and the legislature ............  95
Settlement of anti-rent issues ........................  95

SECTION IX.-THE CIVIL WAR.

Contribution of troops by Delaware county .............  97
Company I of the 71st regiment ........................  97
Troops raised in Colchester ...........................  98
Cavalry company .......................................  98
The Ellsworth regiment ................................  99
The Eighth independent battery ........................  99
The Shepard rifles ....................................  100
Company I of the 80th infantry ........................  100
Contribution to the 101st regiment ....................  100
144th regiment ........................................  101
General conclusions ...................................  105

SECTION X.- EARLY INDUSTRIES.

Gradual advancement of the county .....................  106
Introduction of grist mills ...........................  106
Saw mills and lumbering ...............................  106,107
Tanneries .............................................  107
Wood ashes ............................................  107
Maple sugar ...........................................  108
Butter making .........................................  108
Early breeds of cows ..................................  109
Packing and marketing butter ..........................  110

SECTION XI.- ROADS AND RAILROADS.

Delaware an inland county .............................  111
Development of roads ..................................  111
Care of the roads .....................................  111
Turnpike companies ....................................  112
The Erie Canal ........................................  112
Alleged grievance to remote counties ..................  112
New York and Erie railroad ............................  115
Mistake of a broad gauge ..............................  115
Benefit of the Erie railroad to Delaware county .......  116
Albany and Susquehanna railroad .......................  116
New York and Oswego Midland railroad ..................  117
Route and engineering questions .......................  117
Bonding the towns for its construction ................  117
Ulster and Delaware railroad ..........................  118
Aided by bonding the towns ............................  119
Advantages secured ....................................  119

SECTION XII.- EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS. 

The pioneer settlers eager for education ..............  120
Movements of New York for common schools ..............  120
The log school house ..................................  121
Furniture and equipments ..............................  121
Teachers' wages (note) ................................  122
Regretful remembrance .................................  125
Studies in a country school ...........................  125
Going up and standing head ............................  125
Reading books .........................................  125
Writing, copies and pens ..............................  126
Ink and ink powder ....................................  126
Artithmetic ...........................................  126
Advertisement of book and stationery ..................  127
Thunder storm .........................................  127
The Delaware Academy ..................................  128
The Delaware Literary Institute .......................  129
The Fergusonville Academy .............................  130
Academy at Deposit ....................................  131
The Andes Academy .....................................  131
The Stamford Seminary .................................  131
Walton Academy and Union School .......................  132

SECTION XIII.- CHURCHES AND CHURCH MOVEMENTS. 

Religious convictions of pioneers .....................  133
Congregational churches ...............................  134
Scotch Presbyterian churches ..........................  134
Baptist churches ......................................  135
Methodist churches ....................................  135
Protestant Episcopal churches .........................  137
Friends ...............................................  137
Roman Catholic churches ...............................  137
Separate bodies of Scotch churches ....................  138
Scotch church in Bovina ...............................  139
Services, music, Sunday school, etc. ..................  139
Celebration of the Lord's Supper ......................  143

SECTION XIV.- EARLY PHYSICIANS.

Want of physcians among the early settlers ............  145
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes' view of the medicines ......  145
The mothers were the physicians .......................  146
Self-made doctors .....................................  146
Physicians followed the colonists .....................  147
The clergy were often skilled in medicine .............  147
State medical society .................................  148
County medical societies ..............................  148
Dr. J.H. Brett ........................................  148
Dr. Platt Townsend ....................................  148
Other physicians ......................................  148
Walter Scott the country doctor .......................  149
Life of George Washington (note) ......................  150
Dr. Scott's successor .................................  151
Equipment of a doctor's office ........................  151
Surgical operations ...................................  152
Turn-Key ..............................................  152
Bleeding ..............................................  152
Experiments with chloroform ...........................  153
A surgical experience .................................  153
Saddle-bags and traveling .............................  154
A fatal accident ......................................  154

SECTION XV.- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Colonel John Harper, by Allen S. Gibbs ................  155
Judge Ebenezer Foote ..................................  162
General Erastus Root ..................................  165
Hon. Samuel Sherwood, by Samuel Sherwood of New York ..  169
General Henry Leavenworth .............................  174
William B. Ogden ......................................  179
Rev. Daniel Shepard ...................................  182
Judge Amasa J. Parker .................................  185
Jay Gould .............................................  187
Anthony M. Paine ......................................  191
Hon. Samuel A. Law ....................................  191
Colonel Amasa Parker ..................................  191
Hon. Charles Hathaway .................................  191
Hon. Samuel Gordon ....................................  192
Dr. O.M. Allaben ......................................  192
Hon. Norwood Bowne ....................................  193
Judge William Gleason .................................  193
Judge William Murray ..................................  193
General Ferris Jacobs,jr ..............................  194
Judge Isaac H. Maynard ................................  194

PART II. THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

Address of Welcome by Hon. Abram C. Crosby ............  203
Letter from Rev. John L. Scott, D.D. ..................  208
Letter from Rev. A.S. Kedzie ..........................  210
Remarks of General Amasa J. Parker ....................  212
Remarks of Mayor J.H. Mitchell ........................  215
Letter from David Murray, LL.D. .......................  217
Remarks of J.I. Goodrich, Esq. ........................  219
Remarks of Thomas G. Smith, Esq. ......................  220
Remarks of Hon. T.E. Hancock ..........................  221
Excerpts from a letter ................................  223
Poem "1997" by Arthur More ............................  227
Address by Hon. Chas E. Lincoln .......................  233
List of Relics exhibited ..............................  238
Centennial dinner .....................................  239
Grand procession ......................................  240
Words of Welcome by Col. R.P. Cormack .................  240
Anti-Rent Episode by David Murray, LL.D. ..............  243
The Anti-Rent "Andes Tragedy" by the late Hon. Richard Morse 264
Memorial against the Erection of the County ...........  267

PART III. TOWN HISTORIES

Andes, by Oscar S. Nichols ............................  274
Bovina, by Hon. D.L. Thompson .........................  291
Colchester, by Edward E. Conlon .......................  310
Davenport, by Walter Scott ............................  326
Delhi, by John A. Parshall ............................  339
Deposit and Tompkins, by Col. G.D. Wheeler ............  355
Franklin, by William B. Hanford .......................  373
Hamden, by Henry W. Holmes ............................  383
Hancock, by Hon. Wesley Gould .........................  401
Harpersfield, by Allen S. Gibbs .......................  415
Kortright, by William B. Peters .......................  459
Masonville, by A.F. Getter ............................  481
Meredith, by Josiah D. Smith ..........................  493
Middletown, by Hon. John Grant, and Mrs. J.K.P. Jackson  503
Roxbury, by Dr. J.N. Wright ...........................  518
Sidney, by Edwin R. Wattles ...........................  528
Stamford ..............................................  547
Walton, by Hon. Timothy Sanderson .....................  567

APPENDIX                                                 page

Record of First meeting of Board of Supervisors .......  597
Record of first election canvass ......................  600
Newspapers of Delaware County .........................  601
Organization of towns .................................  604
Corrections and Additions .............................  604


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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS  
   ...
Public Square and County Buildings at Delhi ............ before preface
                             
Portrait of General Erastus Root ......................  facing title page.
Portrait of Judge Ebenezer Foote ......................  15
A Pioneer Home ........................................  23
Portrait of Hon. Samuel Sherwood ......................  33
Delaware county waterfalls ............................  43
Log house and an old church ...........................  53
Portrait of Hon. William B. Ogden .....................  63
A raft, river fording, sugar making ...................  73
Portrait of Hon. Amasa J. Parker ......................  83
Delaware county lakes .................................  93
The Sherwood residence ................................  103
Delaware county scenery ...............................  113
General Leavenworth's monument and stone quarry .......  123
Early physicians' outfit and reminders of early days ..  141
State Armory at Walton ................................  159
Portrait of Jay Gould .................................  177
Group of portraits ....................................  195
Centennial decorations ................................  213
Centennial badges .....................................  231
Anti-Renters' Indian disguises ........................  249
Centennial decorations ................................  263
Village of Andes ......................................  273
Villages of Union Grove and Shavertown ................  279
Village of Bovina Centre ..............................  289
Lake Delaware, Bovina .................................  299
Village of Downsville .................................  311
Village of Arena and Shavertown view ..................  319
Village of Davenport ..................................  327
Villages of Davenport Centre and West Davenport .......  331
Village of Delhi ......................................  337
Village of Delhi ......................................  337b
County farm and bridge, in Delhi ......................  343
Village of Deposit ....................................  353
Village of Cannonsville ...............................  359
Villages of Rock Rift and Trout Creek .................  365
Village of Franklin ...................................  371
Village of Treadwell ..................................  377
Village of Hamden .....................................  381
Village of Delancey and Hamden street .................  389
Village of Hancock ....................................  399
Village of East Branch and Fish Eddy ..................  405
Village of Harpersfield and North Harpersfield ........  413
Colonel Harper's monument and views ...................  421
Villages of Halcottsville and Kellys Corners ..........  431
Villages of Arkville and New Kingston .................  441
Village of Bloomville .................................  459
Village of Almeda and Bloomville street ...............  469
Village of Masonville .................................  479
Villages of East Meredith and Meredith ................  489
Village of Meridale ...................................  495
Village of Margaretville ..............................  501
Village of Griffin Corners ............................  511
Village of Roxbury ....................................  519
Village of Grand Gorge ................................  523
Village of Sidney .....................................  529
Village of Sidney Centre ..............................  535
Village of Stamford ...................................  545
Village of Hobart .....................................  555
Village of Walton - north and south....................  565
Village of Walton .....................................  575
Stratton's Falls and view .............................  585
Jersey cow and butter firkin ..........................  593