Name/Title
Hamptonburgh NY Pages copied from History of Orange County NYEntry/Object ID
000038Tags
Orange County HistoryScope and Content
HAMPTONBURGH. 653
finished, and the seam is very observable at this time. Indeed, there has been no time since built when it was not there. This is corroborated by reference to an old work entitled “The Life and Travels of Samuel Bownes, in 1726 and ’27.” Bownes was an English Quaker and came out to travel and visit his friends in the colonies, and while here attended the yearly meetings through New England. In September, 1727, he was attending the yearly meeting in Rhode Island. Speaking of the conclusion of the meeting he says, “This evening as I was going to bed, about ten o’clock at night, there was an exceeding great earthquake, that made a noise like driving carts or wagons on an uneven causeway; it continued about two minutes, to the great surprise of the people. It was felt about fifteen hundred miles as was afterwards computed, and as was thought, by calculation, was not quite three hours going that space.”
William Bull died February, 1755, aged sixty-six. Sarah Wells, his wife, was born April 6, 1694, and died April 21, 1796, aged one hundred and two years and fifteen days. They were buried in the family yard at Hamptonburgh, in the grounds he gave for the purpose, and known as “Burying Hill.” Her children by William Bull were John, born May 3, 1721, married Miss Holly, of Goshen; William, born March 13, 1723, married Miss Booth, of Hamptonburgh; Sarah, born Sept. 1, 1725, married Charles Booth, of Hamptonburgh; Thomas, born Dec. 27, 1727, married Miss Kerr, of Florida; Isaac, born Nov. 17, 1729, married Miss Mulliner, of Little Britain; Esther, born May 29, 1731, married John Miller, of Montgomery; Mary, born Feb. 3, 1733, married Benjamin Booth, of Hamptonburgh; Margaret, born May 1, 1736, married — Horton, of Goshen; Catharine, born May 24, 1738, married James Faulkner, of Walkill; Ann, born Mar. 4, 1740, married Wm. Eager, of Neelytown; Richard, born May 29, 1743, married Miss Budd, of Goshen; Elinor, born March 4, 1745, married Henry Weller, of Montgomery.
The remarkable longevity of Mrs. Bull served to bring the events of the early settlements clearly to the knowledge of a comparatively late generation. She married, after the death of Wm. Bull, Johannes Miller, one of the earliest settlers of Montgomery. He died in 1782, and she survived him fourteen years. Truly a venerable relic of a former age, surviving in the midst of a wide circle of descendants and marriage connections. An orphan girl,—a foster-child,—in her history is exemplified the language of the Bible, “Thou settest the solitary in families.”
The early settlement of this town is further shown in the full and valuable records given in the chapters upon those towns from which it was formed. To these reference must be made for additional names. The early papers in the General History and in the town chapters of Montgomery, Walkill, Cornwall, Blooming-Grove, New Windsor, and Goshen, all throw more or less light upon the settlement of this territory.
The Christopher Denne place (identical with the Tusten place) is frequently alluded to in these pages. It is occupied by Mrs. G. W. Price. Mrs. Price is a daughter of Ezra Sanford, now living at the age of eighty-seven in Warwick. Her husband (now deceased) was from Warwick also, and they settled here on the Tusten farm about 1838. Through her grandparents, one or both from this neighborhood, she is well informed on the early traditions, and can relate many interesting incidents of those times.
IV.—ORGANIZATION.
This town was formed from Goshen, Blooming-Grove, Montgomery, New Windsor, and Walkill in 1830. The following proceedings took place at the first town-meeting, held April 5, 1831:
“At the annual town-meeting for the town of Hamptonburgh, held at James Beard’s, pursuant to the act erecting said town, April 5, 1831, James D. Bull was appointed clerk of said meeting, pro tem. Hezekiah Watkins and Benjamin Brown were appointed to associate with Morris Taylor, Esq., inspectors of said town-meeting, and to conduct the business. The following resolutions were adopted:
“Resolved, That the next annual town-meeting be held on the first Tuesday of April next, and that said town-meeting be held at the house of James Mapes.
“Resolved, That there be three assessors for the ensuing year.
“Resolved, That there be three constables for the ensuing year.
“Resolved, That fence-viewers have one dollar per day.
“Resolved, That commissioners and inspectors of common schools have one dollar per day for their services.
“Resolved, That the collector have three per cent. for collecting the taxes.
“Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to draft by-laws, and that Stephen Ingersoll, Hezekiah Watkins, Jr., John McBride, Henry P. Hopkins be said committee.
“Resolved, That the sum of $250 be raised for the support of bridges.
“Resolved, That every man’s yard shall be his pound.”
The following persons were elected town officers: Supervisor, Stephen Ingersoll; Town Clerk, Ebenezer Bull; Assessors, Capt. William Jackson, John McBride, John Barker; Commissioners of Highways, Stephen Ingersoll, Hezekiah Watkins, William Jackson; Commissioners of Common Schools, Ebenezer Bull, Robert C. Hunter, Vincent Booth; Inspectors of Common Schools, James D. Bull, Isaac Wright, John McCord; Overseers of the Poor, William Corning, John B. Horton; Collector, Andrew L. McCord; Justices of the Peace, Henry Pierson, Morrison Taylor, Stephen Ingersoll, Benjamin Brown; Constables, Samuel R. Lareau, Edward Drake, Milton Robertson.”
The road districts were thirty-one in number, and the following overseers were appointed; and the days’ work assessed upon each district are shown by the numbers attached to the names:
No. Day’s Work. No. Day’s Work.
Gilbert P. Hopkins.......... 42 17. Stephen Ingersoll........ 61
Philip Crist................ 60 18. James Strong............ 80
Horace Seward.............. 37 19. Henry Pierson........... 76
William Barker............. 23 20. Oliver Thompson......... 27
Andrew L. McCord........... 50 21. Joshua Thompson......... 23
Giles Goodrich............. 13 22. Benjamin Mitchell....... 50
John B. Horton............. 29 23. Benjamin Hulce.......... 31
William Heard.............. 18 24. Vincent Booth........... 71
Rumsey Coleman............. 16 25. John Barker............. 57
Garrett Thew.............. 16 26. Valentine Hill.......... 28
Moses T. Hulce............ 26 27. Samuel Birdsall......... 46
Fletcher M. Brooks........ 61 28. Capt. Wm. Jackson....... 47
James Townsend............ 21 29. Wm. Corning............. 40
Alexander Scott........... 17 30. John McCord............. 30
Samuel Brewster........... 12 31. Dewitt Decker........... 26
Benjamin Brown............ 58
The following have been the principal town officers from 1830 to 1880:Relationships
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Orange County History