American Catskills: Blog

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Donald E. Cooke

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Folio Club of Philadelphia published a beautifully illustrated version of the classic story Rip Van Winkle in 1946. The book includes 12 illustrations, all of them created by Donald E. Cooke (1916-1985), who was an acclaimed artist, author, illustrator, educator, publisher and journalist.

Cooke was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on August 5, 1916, the son of Philip Warren Cooke and Halchen (Mohr) Cooke. He studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art. Prior to World War II, Cooke worked as an illustration instructor at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art from 1938 to 1940 and as and art director for the David McKay Company from 1940 to 1941.

Cooke served during World War II as a tech sergeant in the US Army in the Information and Education Division. He was mustered into service on February 8, 1941 at Fort Meade, Maryland, and was discharged on February 9, 1945 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was one of the first correspondents for Yank, The Army Weekly, a magazine published by the US Army during World War II.

After World War II, Cooke worked as the art director and managing editor at the John C. Winston Company from 1945 to 1960. Cooke founded, in 1960, his own company called Edraydo Publishers, which later became Haverford House. As a painter, publisher, printer and poet, he wrote more than 30 books and illustrated and designed hundreds of others. He also printed and published books, note cards and limited-edition art prints.

Cooke was an active member of the Philadelphia Book Clinic, the city’s publishing association. In 1985, before his passing, Cooke received the clinic’s “man of the year” award for his more than 40 years of service in the industry. Donald E. Cooke passed away on August 17, 1985 at Bryn Mawr Hospital and is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rip Van Winkle included one illustration on the cover and 11 additional illustrations within the story. One of the illustrations was oversized, taking up two complete pages. All the illustrations were untitled but corresponded perfectly to various scenes of the story. Using the Rip Van Winkle story line, I have taken the liberty to title each of the illustrations with a passage from the book.

Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving, and illustrated by Donald E. Cooke

A Little Village, Of Great Antiquity

The Fiery Furnace of Domestic Tribulation

Perpetual Club of the Sages, Philosophers and Other Idle Personages of the Village

He Would Sometimes Seat Himself at the Foot of a Tree

He Was Still More Surprised at the Singularity of the Stranger's Appearance

They Clambered Up a Narrow Gully

A Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing at Nine-Pins

On Waking, He Found Himself on the Green Knoll

He Found the House Gone to Decay

He Met a Number of People, But None Whom He Knew

Being Arrived At That Happy Age When a Man Can Be Idle With Impunity

Rip Van Winkle Council

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Rip Van Winkle Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves the youth of Ulster and Greene counties in the state of New York. The Rip Van Winkle Council is headquartered in Kingston, New York. Camp Tri-Mount, the council’s camp, is a 500-acre camp located in East Jewett, New York.

The Boy Scouts of America, now known as Scouting America, was founded in 1910 with a purpose “to teach patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values.” It remains one of the largest youth organizations in the United States.

The Kingston Council (#405) of the Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1916, changing its name to the Ulster County Council (#405) in 1919 as the organization continued to grow. The Greene County Council (#766) was founded in 1926. In 1930 the Ulster County Council (#405) and the Greene County Council (#766) merged to form the Ulster-Greene Council (#405). In March 1950, the Ulster-Greene Council changed its name to the Rip Van Winkle Council (#405).

Within the current Rip Van Winkle Council, there are two districts. One is the Algonquin District, which is comprised of Ulster County with the exception of the town of Saugerties. The second is the Mohican District, which is comprised of Greene County plus the town of Saugerties.

By 1919, only three years after its founding, the local council had 283 active scouts in 10 different troops. There were approximately 400,000 members of the Boy Scouts of America in the United States at that time.

The Council Shoulder Patch (CSP) was first introduced by the Boy Scouts of America as official uniform insignia in early 1970s. They are worn on the top of your shirt sleeve to identify your local council. The Jamboree Shoulder Patch (JSP) is a special patch produced by local councils for its members attending a National or World Jamboree.

Each council has its own custom design for its patches that relate to the community in which it operates. Many of the historic patches for the Rip Van Winkle Council feature the beloved Rip Van Winkle character who, according to the story written by Washington Irving, lived in the Catskill Mountains. Rip can be seen on several council patches in the rugged Catskill Mountains in a variety of scenes, including sleeping on the ground, holding his trusty rifle or standing outside his simple home.

Rip Van Winkle Council, NY

Rip Van Winkle Council, B. S. A.

In 2025, it was announced on the council website that the Rip Van Winkle Council would merge with the Twin Rivers Council, and operate under the name of Twin Rivers Council. The Rip Van Winkle Council would become the Rip Van Winkle District. The Twin Rivers Council is based in Albany, New York and would serve, after the merger, 15 counties in northeastern New York.

For more information about the Rip Van Winkle Council, visit their website at www.rvwbsa.org.

Rip Van Winkle: The 1981 Franklin Mint Calendar and Art Medal

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Rip Van Winkle calendar and art medal was issued in 1981 by the Franklin Mint. The 3-inch bronze medal was designed by Al Fiorentino and modeled by Dominic Angelini, a staff sculptor at the Franklin Mint.

The front of the medal depicts three scenes, including a young Rip Van Winkle walking with his dog Wolf, then an aged, newly awakened Rip Van Winkle sitting on a tree with his trusty rifle after his 20-year nap and lastly an old Rip returning to his home village where he is unrecognized after his long absence.

The reverse side of the medal depicts the calendar for the year 1981, Rip’s trusty rifle, a set of nine-pins, and a “strange figure” carrying a keg of liquor.

Dominic Angelini (1923-2017), sculptor of the Rip Van Winkle medal, was born in Camden, New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents, with his father working as a coal stoker at a factory. Dominic proudly served during World War II after having enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He survived 65 bombing missions as a turret gunner in a B-25 bomber with the 57th Bomb Wing, 487th Squadron. After the war, Dominic worked at the New York Shipyard in Camden, before attending the Hussian School of Art on the GI Bill. He became a designer at Price Brothers Lithograph in Bridgeton designing can labels. In 1979, Dominic went to work for the Franklin Mint in Philadelphia where he designed commemorative coins and sculptures. Dominic passed away in 2017 and is buried at Saint Bridget’s Cemetery in Glassboro, New Jersey.

The Franklin Mint was founded as a private mint in 1964 by Joseph H. Segel (1931-2019) in Wawa, Pennsylvania. The Franklin Mint mass produced and sold collectible items such as coins, medals, jewelry, die-cast vehicles and aircraft, sculpture and much more. The Franklin Mint closed its physical operations in 2003, but continue to exist as an online brand owned by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV).

Abe Minckler: Famous Rattlesnake Catcher

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Everybody’s friend Abraham “Abe” Minckler gained a small degree of local fame in the Sullivan County section of the Catskills as a well-known rattlesnake catcher, entertainer and salesman. By around the year 1900, Abe had worked at catching rattlesnakes for over 30 years.

Everybody's Friend, Abe

Abraham Minckler was born on June 21, 1829, the son of John Minckler and Catherine (Post) Minckler. Abe was baptized in July 1829 in Schoharie County, New York. Abe married Claracilla “Clara” E. Ferguson (1835-1912), who was born at Shavertown in Delaware County, New York. Various census records report Abe’s occupation as “farmer.” At around the year 1900, now over 70 years of age, Abe was living at Kellams on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River.

Abe made a living for many years exhibiting the reptiles at fairs and in local towns, selling live snakes to zoos and circuses and selling snake oil and snake skins. The snake skins were often cured to make belts, charms and trophies. Live snakes were worth about 50 to 75 cents each, which were sometimes sold to museums in New York City. The snake oil was thought to be an invaluable painkiller and was used to treat rheumatism, while the snakeskin belts were thought to possess great virtue in the cure of “misery.” Abe had been bitten several times, but always cured himself with an herb remedy created by Joe Geer, the “Rattlesnake Man,” of Long Eddy, who in turn learned the remedy from the Indians.

In the summer of 1899, Abe captured 18 rattlesnakes at Shohola, Pennsylvania. He sought to train the reptiles “until they become partially civilized, then sell them at the highest market price. Since the snake is a foe to man we deem Mr. Minckler worthy of a bounty in removing this evil from the habitations of man. The traveler would do well to cultivate the acquaintance of this wholesale snake dealer. He could undoubtedly furnish material for a good sized snake story.” (Tri-States Union. June 8, 1899.)

In the summer of 1901, at Goshen, New York, “a strange traveler, giving his name as A. Minckler, was the object of interest on Main Street. He makes a specialty of hunting rattlesnakes and has a basket specially prepared for the poisonous reptiles. Upon request he stepped into Hanrahan’s store and showed the snakes. Those he had were large in size, having ten and twelve rattles. He also carried several bottles of rattlesnake oil which he said he sold at $1 an ounce. His outfit consisted of several iron pikes with hooks attached, and also several wooden pieces resembling pike poles. These instruments he used in capturing the snakes. Mr. Minckler left for the mountains, where he expects to spend some time hunting the snakes in their dens.” (The Independent Republican. June 14, 1901.)

In June 1902, a local newspaper noted that Abe had captured 20 rattlesnakes in one week near Hankins, New York. In July 1902 Abe was giving an exhibition of five rattlesnakes and one black snake at Middletown, New York, when he was arrested and then instructed by Captain Brinckerhoff not to give any more street exhibitions.

In August 1901, Abe visited the village of Jeffersonville, New York, where he exhibited four live rattlesnakes that he carried in a box. “He handles the poisonous reptiles fearlessly by stepping on their heads and then catching them by the neck. Minckler says that the common belief that a rattlesnake can jump or strike its length is false; it will, he says, do well to strike a distance of six inches.” (Sullivan County Record. August 22, 1901.)

In October 1902, Abe was at Binghamton, New York, where he exhibited the rattlesnakes “to the curious. He carries them in a tight box with a sliding top, and if bystanders will make up a purse of twenty-five cents he will open the box and handle the snakes, which are rattlers in full possession of their fangs. Perhaps it is due to the cold fall weather, but whatever the reason, the reptiles are quite torpid. When Minckler puts them on the ground the bystanders always scatter, but the rattlers seldom do more than move their heads about as if curious to see what is going on. Minckler, however, never leaves them out long.” (“A. Minckler Catches Snakes for a Living.” Broome Republican. October 25, 1902.) The article also noted that Abe was seemingly wearing the same clothes and black-striped shirt from a previous visit to Binghamton four years prior.

A popular postcard published by the George V. Millar Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania depicted Abe sitting on a folding chair with each foot on a live rattlesnake while he was holding another with his hooked stick. Two skins are draped over his shoulders and six more ore displayed to his right. The sign reads “A. Minckler, Dealer in Snakes, Snake Skins, Snake Oils, Also Ferrets. Snake Bite Cure A Specialty. Kellam, PA.” Minckler seemed “to have no fear of the snakes and handles them as though they were as harmless as kittens.”

The legacy of Abe Minckler lives on through the work of author Clara Gillow Clark who published a book titled Willie and the Rattlesnake King in 1997. The book tells the fictional tale of 13-year-old Willie Bishop as he runs away from hopes of joining a traveling medicine show to team up with snake handler Abraham Minckler, the Rattlesnake King.

Abe Minckler was killed instantly by an Erie train engine near Callicoon Depot on November 21, 1902. Abe was returning from Binghamton where he had sold a box of live rattlesnakes. On the return train trip, Abe got off on a foggy morning at Callicoon Depot, where he began to make his way along the east bound train tracks. An Erie engine, which had been hauling an east bound train, got short of water, left the cars at Rock Run, and made its way to Callicoon for water. In backing up its cars, the train struck Abe, “who evidently was not expecting anything to come from that direction on the east bound track.”

Abe’s funeral was held at Kellams, Pennsylvania, with Reverend Rodney officiating. Abe is buried at Union Cemetery in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife and three sons, as well as two brothers, David of Fremont Center, and Harmon of Middletown.

Alfred S. Landis: The Postcard Artist

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Alfred S. Landis was one of the most unique and prolific artists in Catskills history. He published nearly 800 artistic postcards that depicted the hotels, resorts, boarding houses and scenery from throughout the four counties of the Catskill region. His beautiful and colorful postcards remain highly sought after collectibles to this day.

Columbia Hotel, South Fallsburg, N. Y.

Background

Alfred S. Landis was born in Pennsylvania in September 1872. The 1900 United States census recorded 27-year-old Landis as living in Manhattan, New York with an occupation of lithographer. The 1905 New York state census recorded Landis is living in Bronx, New York, with an occupation of photographer. In 1910, Landis was living at Montclair, New Jersey; in 1920 and 1930, at West Orange Township, New Jersey; and in 1940, at Bayville, New Jersey; all with an occupation of lithographer. The 1950 United States census recorded Landis as living in Wurtsboro, New York with an occupation of “postcard artist.”

According to Joan Dunn in the Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis, the earliest postmark date found on a Landis postcard was in August 1919. The postcard was published by the firm of Landis & Alsop, located at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. The partnership of Landis & Alsop ended around the late 1920s near the end of the “white border” era of postcards (1915-1930).

There has been a bit of mystery as to the identity of Alsop in the partnership of Landis and Alsop. As mentioned above, the first Landis and Alsop postcard was published around 1919. However, the partnership had created several popular and well-regarded birds-eye view city maps nearly twenty years prior. Examples include New Rochelle (1899), Morristown (1899), Atlantic City (1900), Easton, PA and Phillipsburg, NJ (1900), Binghamton (1901), Allentown (1900), Elmira (1901) and Buffalo (1901). Most of these maps can be viewed online at the Library of Congress website.

All of the maps were published by Landis & Alsop, located at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, which matches the address listed for the firm on some of its earliest postcards. In addition, the Atlantic City map contained an advertising reference for a musical song sheet titled “I’ll Love but Thee” with words and music by Charles F. Alsop. The song sheet was published by the Alsop Publishing Company at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark.

Charles F. Alsop was recorded on his 1896 marriage license with an occupation of “artist,” in the 1910 national census with an occupation of “writer, show card” and in the 1920 census with an occupation of “commercial artist.” He authored several songs, including “Alice, My Darling, My Own” in 1896 and “In Manila Bay” in 1898. “In Manila Bay” was written exclusively for publication in the Philadelphia Press. The piece was written for George Dewey, who was known as the Hero of Manila and was promoted to Admiral of the Navy for winning the battle of Manila Bay with only one American casualty.

After the end of the Landis and Alsop partnership in the late 1920s, Landis then operated independently. A. S. Landis lived in the village of Wurtsboro, New York for approximately 13 years from 1942 to 1955. During these years, the hotel, resort and boarding house industry of the Catskills was at its peak. Hundreds of establishments could be found throughout the countryside and mountains. Landis postcards depicted a wide range of subjects including hotels, motels, resorts, boarding houses, pools, lakes, landscapes, waterfalls and rural scenes.

Upon agreement with a business owner, Landis would visit their establishment to sketch the buildings, landscape, roads and resort activities. With this sketch, Landis would return to his studio at Wurtsboro, where he would paint a picture as if he were looking down on the business from the air. When complete, the original painting would be presented to the owner of the establishment, while postcards of the painting were manufactured to be given to guests and used as marketing.

Jim Landis, grandson of Alfred Landis, described the artistic process of his grandfather. “In order to get his unusual and interesting perspective he would venture to hillsides and rooftops and even carried a ladder with him for an extra few feet. These different perspectives and an excellent imagination were the perfect combination to produce the “Bird’s-Eye View” that is his trademark.

[He would paint] directly onto a canvas held by an easel while he was at the site of the subject . . . Alfred would take countless photos from all sorts of angles and positions to get the full perspective for his art work. The photos were then pieced together like a puzzle to form the basis for the painting.

Needless to say, most of the paintings were not scaled. It would have been impossible to get the entire subject into a painting if the scale was accurate. Ball fields, playgrounds, casinos, additional rooms, buildings in progress and even buildings not yet built were “squeezed in” so that the potential guest would be able to see all the resort had to offer. Beach access, water access and what is offered all in one neat postcard. The resort owners loved this.

Usually, the original painting was displayed in the hotel. That was part of the package that Alfred sold. Alfred sold the framed painting along with the postcards to the owners. The owners would proudly display the painting and that led to selling more postcards.” (Landis, Jim. “The Magic of Alfred Landis.” Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis. Wurtsboro, NY: Half Moon Postcard Club, 2007.)

The resulting postcards were unique in their style, and were unlike any other postcards that had been previously produced for the Catskills market. Most of the postcards utilized a healthy use of color in making Landis’ signature “birds-eye view” come to life. They made each hotel, motel, resort and boarding house a fun, inviting place to spend your vacation.

Landis was married to Florence Day Landis. He was a dedicated member of the Dutch Reformed Church of Mamakating for many years. After his time in Wurtsboro, Landis retired to Daytona Beach, Florida, where he continued to paint and published a small number of postcards. Landis lived at Daytona Beach from 1956 until his passing in August 1960. Both Alfred and Florence are buried at Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, New Jersey.

Postcards

The Half Moon Postcard Club of Wurtsboro, New York published a first edition reference guide in 1994 that detailed all the known postcards published by Landis. The guide, titled Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis – “Birds-Eye View Artist", was updated as a second edition in 2007.

The updated 2007 guide lists 1,056 postcards published by Landis, which includes 838 from the state of New York, 171 from New Jersey, 8 from Pennsylvania, 6 from Florida, 2 from Connecticut and 1 from Virginia.

Of the 838 postcards from New York, 790 were from the four counties of the Catskills, including 535 from Sullivan County, 160 from Ulster County, 69 from Greene County and 26 from Delaware County.

In Delaware County, locations of the Landis postcards include Arkville (3), Fleischmanns (20), Grand Gorge (1), Margaretville (1) and Stamford (1).

In Greene County, locations include Acra (2), Cairo (3), Catskill (3), East Durham (3), East Windham (2), Greenville (5), Haines Falls (5), Hensonville (2), Hunter (5), Leeds (2), Lexington (1), Maplecrest (1), Palenville (9), South Cairo (1), Tannersville (6), Windham (18). There is also one card listed for Stamford that should be in the Delaware County section.

In Ulster County, locations include Accord (9), Allaben (1), Big Indian (3), Ellenville (82), Greenfield Park (36), Hurley (1), Kerhonkson (6), Lake Katrine (1), Mount Tremper (1), Napanoch (2), New Paltz (1), Phoenicia (2), Pine Hill (2), Saugerties (2), Spring Glen (3), Ulster Heights (1), Ulster Park (1) and Wawarsing (6).

In Sullivan County, locations include Bushville (3), Dairyland (1), Fallsburg (16), Ferndale (47), Fosterdale (8), Glen Wild (4), Greenfield (2), Hurleyville (20), Jeffersonville (1), Kauneonga Lake (8), Kenoza Lake (4), Kiamesha Lake (26), Lake Huntington (5), Liberty (6), Livingston Manor (36), Loch Sheldrake (57), Monticello (49), Mountaindale (25), Narrowsburg (1), North Branch (1), Parksville (46), Rock Hill (4), Roscoe (3), South Fallsburg (63), Summitville (3), Swan Lake (31), Westbrookville (4), White Lake (6), White Sulpher Springs (7), Woodbourne (17), Woodridge (24), Wurtsboro (4) and Youngsville (3).

As seen from the above, the most popular location for Landis to work was Ellenville, with 82 postcards. Other popular locations included South Fallsburg, with 63 postcards; Loch Sheldrake, with 57 postcards; Monticello, with 49 postcards; Ferndale with 47 postcards; Parksville, with 46 postcards; Livingston Manor with 36 postcards; and Greenfield Park, with 36 postcards.

Since the publication of the 2007 guide with 1,056 Landis postcards, technology has improved significantly, leading to the discovery of additional Landis postcards which are readily found on the internet and on various auction and postcard websites. My personal collection includes a number of Landis postcards that are not included in the guide. If the guide were to be updated, it would be interesting to see how many more Landis postcards were published.

Landis published his postcards from several different locations during his long career including

Landis and Alsop, 294 Roseville Avenue, Newark, New Jersey
Landis and Alsop, 332 Park Avenue, Newark, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Beachwood, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Bayville, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Wurtsboro, New York
A. S. Landis, Wurtsboro, New York and Daytona Beach, Florida
A. S. Landis, Route 1, Box 25, Daytona Beach, Florida

These addresses are listed in chronological order to assist with the dating of postcards.

Gallery

I have only recently started to collect postcards published by Alfred S. Landis. I had previously focused my collecting mostly on Catskills photography, but there was something different, something unique about the Landis postcards that I decided to begin collecting them as well.

I have now acquired over 90 Landis postcards, which are all available for viewing from the “Alfred S. Landis” link on the “Gallery” page. I am focused mostly on collecting the Landis postcards from the four counties of the Catskills region, but am expanding my collection as postcards from the other states become available. A few of the Landis Catskills postcards are featured here.

Grand View Hotel, Hurleyville, Sull. Co., N. Y.

High View Mountain House, Roscoe, Sull. Co., N. Y.

Hollywood Country Club, Livingston Manor, N. Y.

Murphy's Hotel, Grand Gorge, N. Y.

Paradise Farm, Cuddebackville, Sullivan Co., N. Y.

Silver Valley House, Arkville, N. Y.

William C. North: The Man Who Photographed Emily Dickinson

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Introduction

William C. North holds a special place in photographic history. He was one of the pioneer photographers of Cleveland and made many of the oldest daguerreotypes in the city. He was a frequent prize winner at county and state fairs and achieved widespread recognition for his daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and stereoscopic views. He took famous photographs of Emily Dickinson, John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ward Beecher, among many other dignitaries. His photographic works can be found in museums across the country, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, Missouri); the George Eastman Museum (Rochester, New York); and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Fort Worth, Texas).

Biography

William C. North was born in Saugerties, New York on April 6, 1816. He was the son of Benjamin North (1779-1848) and Hannah (Mosier) North (1778-1865). Benjamin served during the War of 1812 with Captain Louis Bevier’s company. William was a direct descendent of John North, who sailed from London at the age of 20 and landed at Boston on April 16, 1635.

An 1858 advertisement noted that William had “practiced this beautiful art for the last fourteen years,” meaning his photographic career began circa 1844 or 1845. William can be found at the city Poughkeepsie, New York beginning circa July 1845. He located his photographic rooms at Miss Schoonmaker’s private boarding house at 25 Cannon Street.

By September 1845, while still at Poughkeepsie, William had moved his gallery to 251 1/2 Main Street, four doors from Market Street. William joined with L. M. Ives to form the partnership of North & Ives. Ives was “a young gentleman who received instruction some two years since of Professor Plumbe, or Broadway, N. Y., and who has been a recent pupil of Mr. Gurney, and received from him a perfect knowledge of the late improvements in the art. He is also an Artist by profession, and understands the manner of blending colors more perfectly than any one can who has not been instructed in the art of painting, and will therefore pay particular attention to coloring.”

The partnership of North & Ives, Daguerreian artists, was next located at Hudson, New York from circa November 1845 to early 1846. Their photographic rooms were located in the Post Office building on Warren Street. The local newspaper reported in February 1846 that the rooms of North & Ives “have been thronged by our citizens, anxious to procure their most perfect Likenesses. Their work is most perfect in the art; too true to nature for such as desire a shade of flattery – they present the face as it is; not always as its wearer might wish . . . Such of our ladies and gentlemen as have not availed themselves of the skill of these gentlemanly artists, we advise to examine their prices. We have never seen truer Likenesses than at their rooms . . .”

By the summer of 1846, William was working on his own again, now at Springfield, Massachusetts. His Daguerrean Gallery was located at No. 8 Fountain Row, opposite the Alden House. In October 1846, while still at Springfield, William appears to have taken a partner to establish the firm of North & James. The partnership was recognized for their daguerreotypes at the exhibition of the Hampden Agricultural Society on October 7 and 8, 1846. “The committee were pleased to see in the exhibition so many good Daguerreotype miniatures. Beautiful pictures were exhibited, executed both by Mr. North, now Messrs. North & James, also by Mr. Cooley. We saw no difference in the pictures as regards merit. Were we to make our choice, one would be as acceptable as the other. Much praise we think is due to them both for their truthful likenesses.”

Circa December 1846 to March 1847, William was located at Amherst, Massachusetts. It was during this time that William took a now famous daguerreotype of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), who was then just a 16-year-old girl, but was later recognized as one of the great American poets. It is the only confirmed photograph of Dickinson. For more information about the interesting history of the Dickinson daguerreotype, see “Lost and Found: Emily Dickinson’s Unknown Daguerreotypist” by Mary Elizabeth Kromer Bernhard.

William’s next stop, by March 29, 1847, was Greenfield, Massachusetts. His gallery, open from 8am to 6pm, was located on Main Street, opposite Davis’s Hall. He remained at Greenfield until circa May 18, 1847. Although William only remained at Greenfield for a short time, his photographs were highly admired. “Mr. North, the Daguerreotype Artist now in town, has taken a most perfect likeness of the old Indian house in Deerfield. Even the prints of the axe can be seen upon the door. He has also taken a view of Doctor Hovey’s building, which is a beautiful one. The likenesses he takes are the most perfect of any that we have ever seen taken by the daguerreotype apparatus. He has taken those of a large number of our citizens, which have given great satisfaction. He will remain in town a short time longer. Those who wish a correct likeness of themselves, or friends, would do well to give him a call at his rooms, opposite Davis’ Hall.” (Gazette & Courier. May 11, 1847.)

Between May 1847 and circa November 1847, William was located at Brattleboro, Vermont. His gallery was located on Main Street, one door south of the Post Office. During the Windham County Agricultural Fair in October 1847, “the daguerreotypes by Mr. North were much and justly admired, as equal to the best productions of the art.” (Vermont Phoenix. October 7, 1847.)

By early 1848, William had relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he would open a gallery at 142 Washington Street, with his residence at the Marlboro Hotel. William is recorded in Boston city directories in both 1848 and 1849. While there, William advertised a “New & Important Discovery. A chemical mixture, prepared and sold by W. C. North, 142 Washington Street, Boston. It produces perfect life-like Daguerreotype Miniatures.” (The Galaxy. April 11, 1848.)

Between 1848 and 1850, North also maintained a studio in Rondout, New York. William’s nephew, Walter C. North, would begin to assist at the Rondout studio in 1850. William was recorded on the 1850 national census as living in “Kingston village” with an occupation of “artist.”

William North left Rondout for Ohio in 1850, and briefly lived in Oberlin, but quickly moved on to Cleveland, where he opened his Daguerrean Rooms in October 1850 at the Dunham House. Almost immediately William made a good impression on the citizens of Cleveland with his artistic skill. A Cleveland newspaper reported on October 29 that William’s “skill as an artist is of the highest order, as all must admit who have seen his pictures. He does not color them as artists generally do, but makes them rich and lifelike as the most elegant steel engraving, with sunlight and chemicals alone.” (Morning Daily True Democrat. October 29, 1850.)

Emily Dickinson, half length portrait, circa 1846-1847. Amherst College Digital Collections.

Portrait of a Young Woman. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Young Woman, Seated. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Seated Young Woman. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Young Man with a Thick Chin Beard. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

In late November 1850, William purchased the Cleveland daguerreotype gallery of G. W. Tilton, at the Melodeon building on Superior Street. In 1851, William won the First Premium prize at the Ohio State Fair and was “acknowledged by the public to be the best Daguerrean Artist in Cleveland.” Circa January 1852, William opened a branch gallery at Ohio City, near Folsom’s store, but this gallery only lasted for one year, when it was taken over by E. Greenwood. In 1854, William was awarded three First Premium prizes at the Ohio State Fair for his daguerreotypes and mezzographs.

In circa 1856, William sold his Cleveland gallery to his nephew Walter C. North, who had been operating his own gallery at Mansfield, Ohio. William moved in early 1857 to Buffalo, New York, where he opened a “new fine art gallery” at 324 Main Street, a few doors above the American Hotel. The gallery would also become known as “North’s First Premium Fine Art Gallery” after William was awarded First Premium prizes for both Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes at the New York State Fair of 1857.

By early 1858, William established a partnership with Jefferson T. Upson (1829-1870) at Buffalo. Upson had previously worked for William at both Buffalo and Cleveland. They continued to operate at 324 Main Street. In December 1858, William returned to Cleveland, where he bought his former photograph gallery back from his nephew Walter. Upson continued to operate the Buffalo gallery on his own.

Circa 1857-1858, William took a photograph of 18-year-old John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), who was then working as a bookkeeper in Cleveland. It is the earliest known photograph of Rockefeller, who would grow to become one of the great titans of American business and industry. Rockefeller began his own business in 1859, built his first oil refinery in 1863, and established the Standard Oil company in 1870, which revolutionized the emerging petroleum industry. Rockefeller chose this photograph to be the frontispiece of his autobiography, Random Reminiscences of Men and Events, published in 1909 when he was 70 years old.

In February 1862, William photographed Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), one of the most famous ministers of the 19th century. Beecher had given a lecture at the Melodeon building in Cleveland on February 26, 1862. William produced a carte de visite of Beecher and offered “elegant ones just taken and finished in the best style” for sale at his studio on 205 Superior Street.

In February 1862, William joined with Christian F. Schwerdt (1836-1908) to establish the firm of North & Schwerdt. North would take the photographs and, if customers desired, Schwerdt would create a colored photograph, which often took on the appearance of an oil painting. The Cleveland Leader described the portrait of Honorable F. T. Backus in 1865. “This portrait is from the studio of North and Schwerdt, of this city, and is properly a colored photograph, although it seems a painting. The face is first thrown upon canvas by a camera, and the contour is thus obtained with distinctness, when the brush follows with the life-like coloring. Perhaps it is safe to say that less skill is required in the artist to produce a portrait like this, that is demanded for the execution of the “old school” portrait, for Nature co-operates with the artist; but certain it is, that a more correct likeness is insured. The portrait in question has caught Mr. Backus’ happiest expression, and fixed it on the canvas with perfect fidelity.” (Cleveland Leader. March 15, 1865.) The partnership of North & Schwerdt lasted for approximately 3 1/2 years until October 1865.

In February 1867, William moved his gallery from Brainard’s Hall to No. 211 Superior Street on the Marble Block. “The new place has been elegantly fitted up. Its reception room is unexcelled by any in town, in the beauty of its appointments. The operating rooms are very large, and the apparatus connected therewith is of the most improved and perfect character, enabling him to take the very best of pictures.” (The Evening Post. February 5, 1867.)

Portrait, Man in Suit and Bowtie. Author's collection.

Portrait, Man in Suit. Author's collection.

Reverend SchullerAuthor's collection.

Reverend Schuller. Author's collection.

Portrait, Woman with Curly Hair. Author's collection.

W. C. North, Photographer, 211 Superior Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Author's collection.

W. C. North, Photographer, 211 and 213 Superior Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Author's collection.

In May 1876, William modernized his gallery by “making extensive alteration and improvements, by which he is now possessed of all the latest and most valuable accessories known to the business. His operating rooms have been provided with new sky-lights and side lights, many choice adjuncts in the way of scenic and variously shaded backgrounds, and adjustable screens, which render it possible to produce almost any effect which is desired. He has also introduced new and improved cameras – one of which is the largest made – and other mechanical attachments, which gives him a decided advantage over most of our other artists.” (Cleveland Leader. May 20, 1876.)

William joined with Edward A. Stein to establish the partnership of North & Stein in November 1878. The gallery continued to operate at North’s previous location at 211 Superior Street. In September 1879, the partnership of North & Stein was dissolved, with William retiring from the photograph business and Stein continuing with the business under the firm name of National Photographic Gallery. William, who had previously served on the Cleveland city council, thereafter devoted himself to civic activities.

William married Leila Allen in 1841, but she died a year later in 1842. From this marriage, their son Allen C. North (1842-1882) was born. Allen served as a drummer boy during the Civil War and was later a member of the Cleveland Grays. Allen was a leading photographer at Toledo, Ohio until his death by suicide in 1882.

William remarried in 1849 to Anna J. Mahan (1829-1911), the eldest daughter of Reverend Asa Mahan, the first president of Oberlin College. Anna graduated from Oberlin College in 1848 with A. B. degree, the first woman to receive the A. B. degree for the full classical course of study. She was prominent in philanthropic work in Cleveland, including working with the Humane Society and the Associated Charities, as well as serving for over 40 years on the board of managers of Lakeside Hospital.

William Case North passed away at his home on Jennings Avenue in Cleveland on March 9, 1890. Upon his passing, it was written that “Christianity was to him more than a matter of profession; it was a matter daily living, and his belief found exemplification in his kindly spirit, his generous nature and his earnest efforts to assist the poor and needy. He was a very charitable man and no tale of sorrow or distress was ever told to him in vain. Many who knew him have reason to bless his memory for his timely assistance in the hour of need. He remained for many years an interesting figure in the life of Cleveland, and wherever known he was honored and esteemed.” Funeral services were held at his home, with Reverend W. C. Endly officiating. William is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland.

John Jacob Loeffler in the Catskills – Part 2

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

This week’s post is a continuation from last week, where I posted a series of recently acquired Catskills stereoviews published by photographer John Jacob Loeffler. I had acquired 39 new stereoviews, 20 of which were published last week, and the remaining 19 are included here.

They have all been added to the Loeffler gallery, which now contains nearly 200 of his photographs, 165 of which are from the Catskills. To access the gallery, click on the “Historic Photo Gallery” tab, and then navigate to John Jacob Loeffler.

3rd Series, #279_View from Piazza of Laurel House

3rd Series, #287_In the Cauterskill Clove towards Prospect Mountain

4th Series, #293_Burger's Hotel, Palensville

4th Series, #295_Pine Grove House, Palensville

4th Series, #296_Pine Grove House, Palensville

4th Series, #304_Looking down the stream from Palensville Bridge

4th Series, #308_Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #309_Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #311_Bowlder above Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #313_View in the Cauterskill Clove, near Mason's

4th Series, #315_Triton Cave, Haines Ravine

4th Series, #317_Shelving Rock Fall, Haines Ravine

4th Series, #319_View in Haines Ravine

4th Series, #319_View in Haines Ravine

5th Series, #327_version 1_Upper Cascade (side view), Haines Ravine

5th Series, #334_The Lemon Squeezer, South Mountain

5th Series, #339_Bowlder on South Moutain

5th Series, #351_Picnic Rock, Stone Clove

5th Series, #353_Picnic Rock, Stony Clove

6th Series, #365_The Overlook Mountain House from Hopper Rock

John Jacob Loeffler in the Catskills – Part 1

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

John Jacob Loeffler is one of the great Catskills photographers of all time. He made hundreds of stereoviews of the Catskills throughout the 1870s and 1880s. The photographs, part of the series titled Catskill Mountain Scenery, demonstrate his skill and vision as well as the timeless beauty of the Catskills, being equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

I have recently acquired nearly 40 new Catskills stereoviews that were published by John Jacob Loeffler. They have all been added to the Loeffler gallery, which now contains nearly 200 of his photographs, 165 of which are from the Catskills. To access the gallery, click on the “Historic Photo Gallery” tab, and then navigate to John Jacob Loeffler.

Twenty of the new stereoviews are highlighted here this week, and the remaining will be published in next week’s post.

1st Series, #208, version 2_Looking down from the Spray House

1st Series, #209_Looking down from the Spray House

1st Series, #213_The Lake

1st Series, #213, version 1_The Lake

1st Series, #214, version 1_View from North Mountain

1st Series, #220_Fawn's Leap (Looking down)

1st Series, #222, version 1_Fawn's Leap

1st Series, #222, version 1_Fawn's Leap

2nd Series, #231_The Spray House

2nd Series, #231_The Spray House

2nd Series, #235_Rapids above the Fall, looking down the stream

2nd Series, #239_Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls

2nd Series, #241_Platform at the head of the Steps

2nd Series, #245, version 1_Cauterskill Fall, from upper Steps

2nd Series, #246_Round Top from the Steps

2nd Series, #247, version 1_Path behind the Falls, and overhanging Rocks

2nd Series, #254, version 1_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #258_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #259_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #259_In the Ravine

3rd Series, #263_Glen Mary

3rd Series, #263_Glen Mary

3rd Series, #264_The Sphynx

3rd Series, #264_The Sphynx

3rd Series, #266_From Sphynx, looking toward Haines'

3rd Series, #268_North Mountain, from Tannersville Road

Crazy Horse Memorial

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain, now also referred to as Crazy Horse Mountain. It is located approximately 16 miles from Mount Rushmore.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial

The memorial depicts Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, one of the most recognized Native Americans of the 1800s. On June 17, 1876, with more than 1,200 warriors, Crazy Horse helped defeat General George Crook at the Battle of the Rosebud. Eight days later, on June 25, 1876, Crazy Horse led a band of Lakota warriors against the Seventh U.S. Cavalry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. The battle would become known as the Battle of Little Bighorn, but is also referred to as Custer’s Last Stand or the Battle of the Greasy Grass. At the end of the battle, Custer was dead, along with 9 of his officers and 280 of his enlisted men. One year later after the Battle of Little Big Horn, in 1877, Crazy Horse was killed by a military guard at Fort Robinson, Nebraska.

The Crazy Horse memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear (1874-1953), a Lakota elder, and was to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982). The memorial has been in progress since 1948, with much work still remaining. The final dimensions of the sculpture are planned to be 641 feet long and 563 feet high, which would make it the largest sculpture in the world when completed.

For more information visit the Crazy Horse Memorial website at www.crazyhorsememorial.org.

Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church, South Dakota

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The congregation of the Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church in South Dakota was originally organized on July 25, 1916 by Dr. William Wallace, the district missionary. Reverend G. W. Campbell, the pastor at Interior, through his “persistent labors,” also assisted in organizational efforts. Upon its founding, it was reported that “the new organization, which begins life with twelve members, will minister to a large community of ranchers who have no religious services except those afforded by Big Foot Pass Church.”

The Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church building was constructed in 1927 and dedicated on November 13, 1927. The church was located about half way between the town of Quinn and the town of Interior. Services were originally held in the school house, but the congregation grew to such a size that it was decided that its own church building was required.

On the day of the dedication, Reverend M. T. Rainier, from Belvidere, South Dakota, gave the morning sermon, while Reverend Johnson, from Aberdeen, South Dakota, gave the dedication sermon in the afternoon. A picnic lunch was served at noon. Reverend W. O. Howard was in his second years of serving as the permanent pastor.

Funding for the church was raised through several auction sales, for which friends of the church donated everything from “fancy work” to mules, all of which was auctioned off to the highest bidder. Most of the building was constructed with volunteer labor, with “the pastor doing his bit with the rest.” The church had a seating capacity for 150 people. There were approximately 50 active members at the time of the church’s construction.

Big Foot Pass was named for Chief Spotted Elk, who was also known as Big Foot. He was killed in 1890, along with at least 150 members of his tribe, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.

Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church is now located at the historic 1880 Town in Midland, South Dakota.

1880 Town at Midland, South Dakota

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic 1880 Town is located along Interstate 90 at the town of Midland, South Dakota. It offers a charming step back in time with more than 30 original buildings and thousands of unique relics.

1880 Town

Scene from the Old West

Dakota Hotel

Culpepper Saloon

The original name of the town was Two Strike after the historical Lakota leader. His name Two Strike was earned when, during battle, he knocked two members of the Ute tribe off their horses with a single blow of his war club.

The original 1880 Town got its start in 1972 through the work of Clarence Hullinger (1915-2012) and his son Richard Hullinger. A movie production company had come to the region to make an 1880s western film and created an Old West main street through a fictional western town. The site chosen for the town was on Hullinger’s land. The movie project was abandoned before filming began and the movie company gave Clarence Hullinger the buildings, which were then moved to the current site of the 1880 Town.

Most of the buildings are from the 1880 to 1920 era and have been transported from communities around South Dakota to 1880 Town in order to provide a close-to-realistic western experience. Buildings include the Culpepper Saloon, the Wells Fargo & Co. Express Office, the Potter County Jail (1896), the Everett Zaugg Blacksmith shop, Gregory National Bank, the Chicago & North Western Depot (1886), the Longhorn Saloon, the Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church, the St. Stephen’s Church (1915), among many others. The Dakota Hotel, built in 1910, was moved from Draper, South Dakota to 1880 Town. A quarter-mile from the town is a homestead site which includes a small home, barn, corrals and a windmill.

Everett Zaugg Blacksmith

Emporium

Homestead Barn

Grazing

The Vanishing Prairie Museum includes a tribute to Casey Tibbs (1929-1990), a 9-time World Champion Rodeo Cowboy, including All-Around Champion Cowboy titles in 1951 and 1955. Tibbs is considered by many to be the greatest bronc rider of all time. He was inducted into Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. The tribute contains a variety of memorabilia from his career including saddles, belt buckles, jackets and hats as well as photographs, sculptures and event advertisements.

The 1880 Town is located on Interstate 90, 22 miles west of Murdo, South Dakota and about 60 miles east of Wall, South Dakota. Visit the 1880 Town website at www.1880town.com for more information.

Carhenge: Built with Blood, Sweat and Beers

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Carhenge, located near the city of Alliance, Nebraska, is an inventive replica of Stonhenge in England, but made with cars.

The sculpture was created by James Reinders (1927-2021), who graduated from high school in Alliance, served with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, attended the University of Nebraska with an engineering major and went on to work in the oil industry for over three decades. He had become familiar with Stonehenge while living in London for seven years.

According to Carhenge website, it “was built as a memorial to Reinders’ father who once lived on the farm where Carhenge now stands. While relatives were gathered following the death of Reinders’ father in 1982, the discussion turned to a memorial and the idea of a Stonehenge replica was developed. The family agreed to gather in five years and build it. The clan, about 35 strong, gathered in June of 1987 and went to work. The dedication was held on the Summer Solstice in 1987 with champagne, poetry, songs, and a play written by the family.”

Reinders purchased most of the cars in Alliance. Models include a 1943 Plymouth Savoy, 1945 Jeep Willys, 1956 Buick Roadmaster Deluxe, 1957 Cadillac Eldorado, 1965 Ford Thunderbird, 1971 Chevrolet Nova, a 1976 American Motors Gremlin and many others. To avoid ground contamination Reinders drained all the oil and gasoline from all the vehicles before construction. Several foreign cars were originally included in the installation, but were later taken away and ritually buried.

The spacing and height of the 39 vehicles is nearly identical to Stonehenge. The circle measures approximately 96 feet in diameter. Some of the cars are held upright in pits five feet deep, trunk end down. The cars used to form the arches have been welded into place. All the cars are covered with battleship gray paint. The heel stone is depicted by a 1962 Cadillac.

Construction on the project began on June 13, 1987 and took about a week. Once complete the family held a christening ceremony which included one last meal together and they sang a tribute to the building of Carhenge written by Veronica Cook to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey.” A bottle of champagne was smashed against the ambulance in the center of the circle of cars. Family members joked that the christening of Carhenge included a sacrifice, i.e. “we all sacrificed our vacations to get this thing built.” The family would also joke that Carhenge was built with “blood, sweat and beers.”

There was a sign created for the roadway made of hubcaps, license plates, car ornaments and chrome bumpers. Access was originally restricted to the roadside, and visitors would not be able to come on the property for a closer look. Reinders commented in local newspapers that it was not his intent to create a tourist attraction.

Although Carhenge is widely beloved now, this was not the case in the early days after it was first constructed. Some local neighbors complained that it was eyesore. The city of Alliance charged Reinders with zoning violations, claiming that the site of Carhenge was within city limits and that it violated the required agricultural use of the land. The state of Nebraska then claimed that the creation was in violation of the state’s junkyard laws, which required the cars be located in a zoned industrial area and that the cars be screened from the view of the traveling public. In time, public sentiment grew in favor of letting Carhenge remain, and these issues were resolved. Carhenge would go on to become a popular tourist attraction drawing thousands of visitors to the region every year.

The creation of Carhenge and the ensuing controversy made national news. Newspapers, magazines and television shows all covered the story. Reporters and photographers were sent to northwest Nebraska to see the site for themselves. James Reinders was profiled numerous times, with one of the most frequent questions being “why?”

On August 21, 2017, 30 years after its creation, Carhenge hosted over 4,000 people, including Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and creator James Reinders, for the total solar eclipse that was crossing the country. Carhenge was located within the path of totality, which lasted for 2 minutes and 28 seconds. In all, it took 21 minutes for the total solar eclipse to move through the state. Nebraska will not see another total solar eclipse until the year 2106. Reinders has stated that he was not aware of the total solar eclipse when Carhenge was first constructed.

Another car art installation on the Carhenge property is titled “The Fourd Seasons,” which was inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The installation is meant to suggest Nebraska’s seasonal changes when wheat is planted, grows, matures and the field lies barren during a windy winter. It is constructed out of four Ford cars.

Other sculptures on the property include Dino the Dinosaur, constructed by Merle Stone of Hemingford, Nebraska, and the Spawning Salmon, created by Geoff Sandhurts of Canada.

Although never completed, Jim Reinders had other ideas for additional car art installations. They included plans for Caramid, a scale model of the Great Pyramid at Gaza, done in cars, and a 100-foot segment of the Great Wall of China, made of cars.

Reinders donated Carhenge and the 10 acres of grounds to the Friends of Carhenge, a local group of dedicated people who preserved and maintained it until October of 2013 when it was then gifted to the City of Alliance.

Today, Carhenge continues to attract thousands of visitors each year. It has appeared in several Hollywood movies and is one of the most photographed sites in the state of Nebraska. Admission to the grounds is free. A visitor center called “The Pit Stop” was constructed on the property in 2007. Carhenge is open year-round from dawn to dusk. Visit their website at www.carhenge.com for more information.

Ghost Town at Scenic, South Dakota

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

“Every town in the Badlands had its characters, but in Scenic the characters had a town.” – Reflections of the Badlands by Philip S. Hall

The abandoned ghost town of Scenic, South Dakota is located along Route 44 near the western edge of Badlands National Park, approximately 50 miles from Rapid City, and seven miles north of the Pine Ridge Reservation boundary line. The town, established circa 1906, took its name for its location in a broad basin surrounded by the “scenic” Badlands.

Early Days at Scenic

The town of Scenic was originally founded as a farming and ranching town. In 1907, a year after its founding, a traveler through Scenic noted that the town consisted of nothing more than “a box car for a depot, section house, a tent and a – saloon.” The town would soon change.

Ab Jefferson, the town’s first businessman, built the first building at Scenic, “which was a tar paper shack located on the south side of the railroad track.” This building was “the 1st grocery store and became a place where all could get together at the end of the day.” Jefferson operated the saloon and soon after added a store, a restaurant and a hotel. As would become a common theme for Scenic, Jefferson was arrested in those early days “for the sale of intoxicating liquors” to Native Americans, which was then against the law. Prior to moving to Scenic, Jefferson had established a ranch at the southwest base of Sheep Mountain Table, but was ruined in 1905 when a spring blizzard pushed his cattle off the edge of the table.

By 1907 a grocery store had been built at Scenic by Len Anderson, which was quickly followed by a mercantile store, two restaurants, a pool hall, a barbershop, a bank building, a printing office, a drugstore and the establishment of a post office. Soon thereafter, with the arrival of the Milwaukee Railroad, came a school, two churches, more stores, livery barns, blacksmith shops, a dance hall, a theater and a newspaper by the name of the Scenic Observer. By the 1920s Scenic had a population of 250 people and the town had become a trade center for farmers, ranchers and homesteaders in the surrounding region.

The Congregational Church was organized in 1906/1907 by a group of homesteaders. The congregation originally met in people’s homes to worship, until the first church building was built in 1909. The church was located 7 1/2 miles from Scenic on Kube Table. By 1911 there were 19 members and the first minister was Joabez Spitelli. The church building was moved from Kube Table to the town of Scenic in 1914.

Over time, and as tourism developed, the town then historically served as a stopping point for travelers making their way from Rapid City to the Badlands. However, once the new highway was built, there was little reason for travelers to come this way, and eventually little reason for the people who lived there to stay.

Characters and Other Odd Events

All sorts of characters have found their way to Scenic, including trappers, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers, traders, missionaries, saloon-keepers, bikers and gamblers.

“The colorful Frank Hart lived just west of town. Between gambling and riding unbroken horses down Main Street, he enlivened the town. Poker players in the livery barn occasionally looked up to see a full-grown wolf stalking main street. It was Bruno following at the heels of his owner, Bud Dalrymple.” (Hall, Philip S. Reflections of the Badlands. p. 163.)

Bud Dalrymple (1881-1955) was a well-known wolf hunter in the Badlands and the surrounding region. Ranchers in the area would often hire Dalrymple to hunt and trap the wolf, which was considered an enemy of range stock. Dalrymple wrote often about the wolf in various trade publications and in 1919 published a book on his personal experiences titled “The Gray Wolf of South Dakota.” Dalrymple wrote of the proper dress for a “wolfer,” how to find a wolf den, the bounties paid by the state and stockmen for each wolf skin, how to skin a wolf and he wrote about the demands of the challenging Badlands terrain.

Then there was the hardscrabble Mary Hynes (1858-1926) who homesteaded on the top of Sheep Mountain Table in 1907 with five of her eleven children after her husband had run off. Sheep Mountain Table was located four miles south of Scenic and the land was only available for claim because it was considered inaccessible. After staking her claim to the table, the family, through lots of hard work and ingenuity, carved their own path, and later a road, to the top of the table. There they created a new life on their isolated ranch. Everything that was required for their home was at first hauled to the top via a plank sled with wooden runners pulled by a horse. The Hynes family, through Mary Hynes followed by her son Clarence “Hap” Hynes (1888-1967), remained on Sheep Mountain Table until 1935 when Hap sold the land to the National Park Service and moved to Scenic to operate a hotel and bar.

The sensational murder of 81-year-old Tom Friet, owner of “The Agate Shop”, and a recognized expert in Badlands mineral and fossil specimens, took place on Friday, January 13th, 1956 at his one room cabin on main street in the heart of Scenic. Friet had originally been a homesteader on the Quinn Table. On the night of his murder, Friet had visited a bar across the street to watch television, as was his custom each evening. After leaving for the night, he was never again seen alive. A neighbor found his body the next afternoon, around 3pm, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Friet had been brutally beaten on the head with a blunt instrument and then choked with his own necktie. The coroner ruled that Friet had died of strangulation and a broken neck. The assumed motive was robbery, as it did not seem that Friet had any enemies in town, but others thought it was probably just “a drunken bum.” Despite the widespread news of the murder, authorities never found out who did it.

“Carl Bohling, a homesteader in Quinn Draw, thought that Scenic was a unique town. ‘It’s the only place in the world,’ he quipped, ‘where you can walk across main street knee deep in mud and have dust blow in your face.’” (Hall, Philip S. Reflections of the Badlands. p. 161.)

Other strange events, not always of this planet, seemed to happen at Scenic, such as when a meteor hit the land of J. A. Mulholland, a homesteader who lived four miles east of town on what was known as 71 Table. Mulholland not only saw “the brilliant light given off by the meteor, but he also heard it strike the ground with great force.” The meteor hit the earth in a draw, “ploughing up a deep furrow of earth. Finally it buried itself in the earth to an unknown depth. The meteor is about three feet in diameter.” (“Meteor Strikes Earth Near Scenic – Will Be Unearthed.” Black Hills Daily Register. September 20, 1911.)

Twila Merrill

The town of Scenic was once almost entirely owned by Twila Merrill (1936-2014), a famous rodeo rider during the 1950s and 1960s who was later inducted into the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Hall of Fame. Merrill, the daughter of Charles Merrill (1910-1996) and Eletta Merrill (1913-1978), grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in a ranching and rodeo family. Her father Charles was a rancher and rodeo contractor from 1928 to 1967 and later assisted Twila in managing a bar and store at Scenic.

Twila began riding in rodeos in 1952 after graduating from high school in Rushville, Nebraska. She rode bareback, saddle broncs and bulls. She earned a widespread reputation not only for her skill but also for frequently entering the men’s rodeo competitions. Working in the rodeo took her all over the west, in the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain states, and from the Canadian border all the way down to Texas and Arizona.

During one 6-year stretch on the rodeo circuit, Merrill was never bucked off. Then she went to the Belle Fourche rodeo, where her father was the stock contractor. She was bucked off a red roan mare, and her father gently said “I want to remind you there ain’t no horse that can’t be rode or cowgirl that can’t be throwed.” (Rapid City Journal. December 5, 2014.)

After years on the road, and at her father’s request, Twila moved to Scenic in 1963, where she purchased a bar and a house. In 1965, she married Loren Palmer (1936-1970), a rancher and long-distance trucker. Five years after their marriage, Loren died in 1970 after a tragic truck accident near Mt. Anthony, Idaho. Over time, at Scenic, Twila added additional businesses, including a trucking company, a cattle ranch and horse trading. She purchased land in and around Scenic bit by bit over several decades until she practically owned the entire town.

Longhorn Saloon

The Longhorn Saloon, which Twila operated, earned a notorious reputation over the years. The saloon was the site of regular fights, including the town marshal being roughed up several times, as well as several murders, including killings in 1968, 1975, 1976 and 1985. It was widely believed that anyone going to the Longhorn Saloon should carry a gun in their boots.

In 1968, a fight behind the saloon led to the shooting death of Ardie Janis. Patrick Grooms was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in jail. In 1975 Richard Marshall was charged, and later convicted, in the shooting death of Martin Montileaux. In 1976 Harold Crazy Thunder was shot by Alvin Broken Rope, who later pled guilty and was sentenced to 35 years in jail. In 1985 Herman Tuttle, Jr. was killed during a street fight between two feuding families, the Tuttle family and the Cottier family, a melee that included at least 20 people.

Twila and her father Charles were both shot during a 1984 incident at the saloon. Both were hit with shotgun blasts from about 10 feet away after an argument with two customers. It is believed that the argument followed the publication of a photograph of the saloon on the front page of the weekly Lakota Times, published on the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation. The photograph included the sign above the outside door of the saloon, which had been there for decades, that read “No Indians Allowed.” The two customers took issue with the sign and attempted to tear it down, after which a brief gunfight ensued. Twila later painted over the “No” part of the sign.

As a note of historical context, in 1832 the U.S. Congress passed legislation banning the sale of alcoholic beverages to Native American people. That legislation remained on the record for 121 years until it was repealed in 1953, and tribes were then given the option of retaining prohibition or allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol on reservations. Pine Ridge remains a “dry” reservation.

In 1987 Michael O’Keefe, a member of the El Forest Arrows motorcycle club, was stabbed in the stomach at the Longhorn Saloon. The stabbing took place during a fight between members of both the El Forest Arrrows motorcycle club and members of the Galloping Goose motorcycle club against a local group of Native Americans. The motorcyclists were supposedly annual visitors to the Longhorn Saloon, having visited the bar for eight years in a row.

The false front of the single-story Longhorn Saloon advertised whiskey, beer, wine and tobacco. Cattle skulls were hung with barbed wire. Two doors down the street, tellingly, and appropriately, seemed to be the town jail, with a jail cell that would have been visibly open to those on main street. Inside the saloon, the ceilings were low and covered with brands from local ranches, the floor was covered with sawdust and the walls were decorated with various artifacts including chaps, spurs, mounted horns, petrified turtles and other cowboy memorabilia. Oil barrels with metal tractor seats served as barstools. The men’s bathroom was painted blood red, with the walls marked by signs of previous struggles such as holes and knife cuts. With tribal law making the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation “dry,” the Longhorn Saloon saw good business from Native Americans.

Scenic: For Sale

By the 2000’s, and with her declining health, Twila Merrill decided to sell the entire town. News of the offering sale reached the national news, with many leading newspapers and television networks covering the story. The town of Scenic was purchased in 2011 for $800,000 by the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a Philippines-based church. It seems that not much has been done with the town since its purchase, nor is it evident as to what the church plans to do in the future.

Today, despite its prior thriving history, only decaying homes and businesses remain. The abandoned Old Longhorn Saloon, constructed in 1906, is decorated with longhorn cattle skulls. The Longhorn Store marked its business with a motto of “ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if we don’t have it, it isn’t a must.” The C. H. Merrill Museum of Natural History is all boarded up. Other former businesses included the Sam 2 Bulls Gallery and the Tatanka Trading Post.

Until the church makes its decision as to the future of the town, Scenic remains an interesting stopping point for those visiting the Badlands. The rough and interesting history of the region and the long-abandoned buildings, which are still charming in their own way, provide a small glimpse into what was once a popular small town in a very “scenic” part of the country.

Colgate Lake Reflections

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Colgate Lake is a scenic 29-acre lake located in the 1,500 Colgate Lake Wild Forest in the town of East Jewett of the northern Catskills. The area around the lake provides panoramic views of the Blackhead Mountain Range, which includes Thomas Cole (3,950 feet), Black Dome (3,990 feet) and Blackhead (3,950 feet).

The lake is named after Robert Colgate, the 19th century owner of what is now the Colgate-Palmolive company. He owned thousands of acres in the East Kill Valley area, including the land in and around Colgate Lake. The property was purchased for $475,000 by the state of New York in 1975 from the Robert Colgate estate.

The lake is a popular location for fishing, kayaking, picnicking and primitive camping. The yellow marked Colgate Lake Trail travels 4 miles to Dutcher Notch and the Escarpment Trail in the Windham Blackhead Range Wilderness Area.

First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury is located in the rural hamlet of Vega, New York in the northeast corner of the Town of Roxbury in Delaware County, New York. The church is idyllically situated in the Denver-Vega Valley in a pleasing country setting with stark mountain backdrops.

The First Old School Baptist Church has its roots in a Baptist church organized in the Denver-Vega Valley on May 27, 1796. It was the first church of any denomination to have been formed in the Town of Roxbury. The original society was constituted by Elder William Warren, Shubal Dimmick, David Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson, Abner Bangs, Isaac Hodgkins, Samuel Mosher and John Avery. In the early days the society worshipped in barns, private dwellings, school houses and wherever opportunity offered.

The first church building for the congregation was likely a log structure that was erected circa 1800-1810. Early records show that it was located south of the Vega Cemetery on Cartwright Road, however the exact location remains unidentified.

The current church building, the second one constructed for the congregation, was built in 1856 in the “traditional meeting house form” that was characteristic of the Old School Baptist faith. This style of architecture is “defined by clean and economical form uncluttered by ornament and embellished with restrained detail.”

Interestingly, Old School Baptists, who believe in baptism by immersion, used the creek, the Batavia Kill, that is located behind the church for this purpose by constructing a wooden dam to raise the water level whenever new members were to be baptized. “In Old School Baptist churches, it was preferred to perform baptisms in natural water sources, since this is where John the Baptist immersed Christ.”

By the 1920s, the Old School Baptists of the Catskills were in significant decline. By 1929, the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury was one of seven area churches served by a single preacher, Elder Arnold H. Bellows (1884-1957), who rotated monthly around the association which included the two Roxbury churches, the Middletown-Andes Church, the Olive-Hurley Church, the Middleburgh Church, the Clovesville Church and the Lexington Church. Elder Bellows continued to serve the association into the 1950s. The population and energy of the Old School Baptist Church gradually diminished. By 1975 only one member of the church remained.

Today, the fully restored church is home to the Roxbury Arts Group, a non-profit organization who utilize the historic space for a variety of artistic functions.

First O. S. B. Church of Roxbury

First O. S. B. Church of Roxbury (1856)

Elder William Warren

Elder William Warren served as the first pastor of the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and immigrated to the United States. Warren served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He began his ministry near Carmel, in Putnam County, New York on June 25, 1791, and was ordained in 1793. He came to the Batavia Kill area in 1796.

Elder Warren served the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury from 1796 to 1811. He was succeeded by Elder James Mead, who served until 1813. Following elders included John Warren (1813), Orlando Mack (1813-1823) and David Mead (1823-1845). In 1800 Warren established the first store in the upper end of the Batavia Kill Valley.

Elder Warren would also become the first pastor of the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury when it was formed in 1816. At its organization 53 members of the first church served as the new congregation for the new church. At first, the congregation held their meetings in the Scudder school-house. In 1833 they built a church near Stratton’s Falls in Roxbury. Elder Warren served the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury from 1816 to 1821.

After his service at Roxbury, Elder Warren relocated to Olive in Ulster County, New York. He served as the third pastor of the Olive & Hurley Old School Baptist Church from 1821 to 1834.

Elder William Warren passed away at 76 years of age on December 6, 1836 in Olive, York. His body was later brought to the Vega Cemetery for burial. A portion of his epitaph reads, “He came preaching the gospel of Christ in the wilderness – he was a man of God and a father in Israel.”

Elder Warren lost his wife, Synthia, and daughter, Margaret, within three months of each other in 1809. Margaret, who died in May, and Synthia, who died in August, are both buried nearby in the Vega Cemetery.

National Register of Historic Places

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a distinctive example of nineteenth-century rural church architecture.”

The church “epitomizes nineteenth-century wood-frame country church architecture in New York, particularly the plain aesthetic that so effectively articulated the world view of the orthodox sects of many rural religions, such as Baptist, Presbyterian, the Shakers, and the Society of Friends. Plainness was achieved by manipulating a number of architectural dimensions. In form, a plain building was precise and geometrical. In churches, wings, apses, dormers, clerestories, and other protrusions were omitted in favor of an austere rectangular solid with a gable (triangular) roof. Ornamental detail was greatly reduced from the perceived norm and used only where necessary to maintain architectural logic or to refer to a critical dialectic.

On the Roxbury church, ornament was limited to corners, roof-lines and the edges of opening where it was important to denote the transition from one element to another. In this case, the choices were greatly simplified and interpreted in a modest, non-worldly vocabulary. Workmanship was usually quite high in plain buildings, lest the austerity and distortion be construed as a lack of awareness or skill. Here is where the critical cultural statement is expressed in the architecture. The Old School Baptists were plain for ideological reasons, not because they lacked anything. The fineness of the Roxbury building, evident both in the handling of its restraint and the signature flourishes nested in design features such as the gallery stairs, is what distinguishes the building as architecture. That the architecture is plain, places this remote, local building in the larger dialectic of the Old School Baptists and their position in the world.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Jewett Presbyterian Church

Sat, 17 Aug 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Jewett Presbyterian Church is located in the hamlet of Jewett in the northern Catskills of Greene County, New York. Located adjacent to the church is the Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Presbyterian congregation at the hamlet of Jewett was established in 1799. J. B. Beers wrote in his 1884 The History of Greene County of the early days of the church.

“The first building at this place used exclusively for church purposed, was built around the year 1800, near the present residence of D. Noble Chase. Before it was finished, it was sold at auction to Elisha Thompson for $50. He then presented the meeting-house to the society, by whom it was used for only a short time. In 1804, another church edifice was commenced on the site of the present church, but remained unfinished for a number of years. The present building was erected in the year 1848. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Stimson; the present pastor is Rev. William S. Long.

When the American Board of Foreign Missions had been formed in 1810, and called for aid to send out its first missionaries, Mr. Stimpson caught the spirit, and infuse in into the hearts of the members of his congregation. But little money was to be found in this community, however, and instead, Mr. Stimpson solicited from each a sheep or lamb. He gathered together a flock of about 30, and with the help of a boy, started for Catskill, 30 miles distant. The flock was sold for $1 per head, and the money was given to the missionary society. This was the first offering from this congregation for ethe conversion of heathen in foreign lands. Since then, the offerings of the church to the cause of missions, etc., have been stated and frequent, and according to the means of the donors, often liberal. This church and Sunday-school are prospering finely.”

The church was originally organized as part of the First Congregational Church of Windham. In 1813, the congregation separated from Windham to establish its own church. The church was organized by a “Council of the Northern Associated Presbytery” and became known as the Lexington Congregational Society. Fourteen years later, in 1827, the church changed to the Presbyterian denomination and was received into the Columbia Presbytery. In 1850 the name of the church was changed to Jewett, to correspond with the changed town name.

Beginning in 1846 discussions began about the possibility of constructing a new church building. A committee comprised of Loring Beach, Isaac Hinman and James Harrington was established to examine churches in other places to determine the best architectural plan. A subscription was started amongst the church members to raise the money required.

The current church building was constructed in 1848. The contract for its construction was awarded to J. B. Hinman and William Goslee “for a sum not exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars.” One stipulation for the building required that “the floors of the new church shall be laid of good hemlock board one inch thick and lined with the same material half inch thick.” The building was extensively repaired and decorated in 1901. The parsonage was built in 1844, and was enlarged in 1896.

The adjacent Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church was also constructed in 1848. The Methodist church was constructed on a site purchased from the Presbyterian Church for five dollars. The Methodist church flourished for many years, but membership gradually declined until they ceased to hold regular services, around 1892. In 1901 they sold their meeting house to the Presbyterian church, who then fitted the building for social uses. Today, the building serves as the Presbyterian Church Hall.

The Jewett Presbyterian Church, part of the Albany Presbytery, continues to the serve the local community.

National Register of Historic Places

The Jewett Presbyterian Church and the Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church are together listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Jewett Presbyterian Church Complex. The churches represent “a unique and largely intact collection of Greek Revival era ecclesiastic architecture in Greene County.”

“The Jewett Presbyterian Church is a two-story, four by three bay timber frame building. The church is covered by a moderately pitched gable roof clad with asphalt shingles. Narrow clapboards sheath the building. The edifice rests on a modern concrete block foundation, which replaced a failing stone foundation. Windows throughout the church are elongated with simple frames and contain stained glass panels.

The east façade of the church is highlighted by a fully pedimented gable, which features a compound frieze and broad cornice moldings. A wide frieze with a decorative molding band supports the pediment. The frieze extends down the side elevations of the church terminating beneath partial cornice returns on the west gable elevation. The entablature is supported on all four corners of the church by broad pilasters with simple capitals and bases. Two additional pilasters grace the façade marking the divisions between the bays. The central bay of this elevation features an elongated window which contains a Victorian era stained glass panel. The north and south bays on the façade each contain an entrance. Each entry is composed of a pair of four panel wood doors set within finely crafted Greek Revival style frames. The frames are composed of broad pilasters supporting an unusually tall entablature, which is crowned by a heavily molded cornice. Surmounting the roof, on this elevation is belfry. This feature is composed of an unusually tall first stage, which terminates in a broad cornice. The second stage is composed of pairs of pilasters flanking louvered openings. The pilasters support a simple frieze, which in turn supports a broad cornice. The tower terminates with an octagonal spire, which is crowned by an iron weathervane.

The south and north elevations are identical and feature four evenly spaced windows. The west (rear) elevation of the church is unremarkable.

The interior plan of the church is simple and largely intact from the building’s period of construction. The plan consists of nave, chancel and entry vestibules. The main entrance of the building open into small vestibules. The vestibules open into the nave of the church. These entrances flank a two-story classical arch composed of pilasters supporting a segmental arch. The recess behind the arch separates the two vestibule spaces and originally served as the chancel of the church. Presently, this space serves as extra seating. Two ranks of wood pews lead up to the present altar area at the west wall of the church. This space is composed of a raised paneled dais, on which a lectern and chairs are located. A choir area is also located on the platform. Finishes in the church are simple and include plaster walls above wood wainscotting. Window and door surrounds are simple. In the late twentieth century a dropped ceiling was installed in an effort to conserve heat in the building. The original ceiling finishes survive intact above.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson

“The name of Henry B. Stimson is indelibly carved on the foundation of the old church, and is still honored by the generations that survive.”

Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson, the first pastor of the Jewett Presbyterian Church, came from Framingham, Massachusetts to the Windham area in 1785 with his father, George Stimson, who was then almost 60 years of age. Henry was around 13 or 14 years old at the time. George was working as an agent for Robert Livingston and came to manage his herds that were pastured in the mountain sections of his lands. George had previously served during the American Revolution as a minute man at the Battle of Lexington.

At Windham, George and Henry Stimson found “a large, smooth, perpendicular rock, at right-angles to the street, from ten to twenty feet in height and breadth.” There “the two built, against the side of that rock, a rude cabin of brush and logs, with a roof of bark; and there they lived, among bears, wolves, and panthers, two years, until the other members of their family removed there. Their nearest neighbors were at Prattsville, ten mile in one direction, and at Cairo, sixteen miles in the other; and they brought their Indian corn, and other provisions, from the east side of the Hudson River, some thirty miles distant. The corn they bruised or ground with a stone, on the top of a large rock. Just as the first winter of their sojourn there commenced, their rude cabin, with everything in it, was burned; and then they reared another, which was but a poor shelter for them, amid the deep snows and raging winds of those mountain heights.” (Rockwell, p. 269.)

“The Captain and the boy Henry spent the winter of 1785-6 here. Their stores got low, and the father went to Claverack, near Hudson, where the nearest mill was, to get food. He expected to be gone but a few days, and left Henry alone. But the ice in the Hudson made his return crossing impossible for six weeks, during which time the boy Henry had to live in the hut alone, among wolves, bears, panthers, and other dangers, with no kind guardian except the Heavenly Father, whose care for His people never ceases.” (Dodd, p. 9.)

“An incident worth relating, occurred at that time. One night there came along a man on horseback, - a stranger, - who spent the night and shared with Henry his potato breakfast, and tried to persuade the boy that the return of his father was very doubtful, and that he had better go with him to a safer place. The boy, however, would not leave the place, and so the traveler started on. Soon he returned, fearing that the boy would starve if left alone, and evidently thinking it his duty to save him, tried to force him to go, whereupon Henry ran and hid in the woods, and the man had to go on without him after all.

Many years afterward, the Rev. Henry B. Stimson, at a Presbytery meeting was accosted by an aged gentleman who said, “You are from Batavia, are you not?” “Do you know a little boy who years ago lived in a hut there and was left alone?” Mr. Stimson replied, “I am that boy,” a statement which melted all to tears.” (Dodd, p. 9.)

By the age of 20, Henry “had been at school but three or four months in all; and yet, by the diligent reading and study of such books as he could obtain, much of it at night, after severe toil by day, lighted by pine-knows stuck in the back of the chimney of their log-cabin, and lying with his book on the floor before him, he lad the foundation of a solid, useful education.” (Rockwell, p. 269.)

After assisting in taking care of the family for those seven years, Henry entered school at Claverack in Columbia County, New York and at Kinderhook, New York. He remained there for nine years, engaged in his studies, while working as a cabinet-maker to pay his expenses.

When first expressing an interest in studying theology, Henry “consulted the ministers about going to college. They advised him not to go, on account of his age, 28.” Henry ignored this advice, and next studied theology with Reverend M. Thompson, of Oak Hill, and then for a year with Reverend Samuel Fuller, of Rensselaerville. Henry was licensed to preach on June 3, 1802 by the Northern Associate Presbytery at the house of Reverend Stephen Fenn, in Harpersfield, after a “full and thorough examination.” His preaching license was signed by Beriah Hotchkin, as moderator, and John Morse, as scribe.

Reverend Stimson was then ordained on September 14, 1803 at the Windham meeting-house. “The several parts [of the ordination] were performed by the following gentlemen: Rev. David Harrowar of Walton, Delaware County, made the introductory prayer; Rev. Samuel Fuller of Rensselaerville, Albany County, preached the sermon from 1 Cor. 1: 21; Rev. David Porter, late of Spencertown, and now preaching at Catskill, made the prayer during the imposition of hands; Rev. Beriah Hotchkin of Greenfield, gave the charge; Rev. Jesse Townsend of New Durham, gave the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. Ezekiel Chafman, late Missionary of New Connecticut, and now preaching at Canton [Cairo], made the concluding prayer. It is pleasing to remark that a large concourse of people were present on the occasion., and appeared especially attentive and solemn during the whole transaction.” (Dodd, p. 14.).

After being ordained, he took charge of the First Presbyterian Church of Windham. While there, Reverend Stimson “admitted between six and seven hundred to its communion, baptized about the same number of children, and married nearly two hundred couples. His mountain diocese embraced what are now five or six townships, and he often attended four or five religious services, several miles distant from each other, on a single Sabbath. All honor to such hardy and hard-working pioneers, who laid broad and deep the foundations of religious truth and order, to enlighten and guide all who should come after them.” (Rockwell, pp. 269-270.)

In addition to serving the First Presbyterian Church of Windham, Reverend Stimson also preached at the Jewett Presbyterian Church, and the area around. The region covered by Reverend Stimson extended for over 20 miles, “but he was used to hardships, and often preached nine times a week. Three extensive revivals prevailed during his ministry, and tradition says he received into the church more than 500 souls.” (Dodd, p. 19.)

Reverend Stimson “wielded a potent influence over the mature and rising generation, in the church and congregation, among whom he lived as a man among men. His appearance was commanding even in extreme age, fully six feet in height, erect, spare and muscular. He had strongly marked features, nose, brow, chin, cheekbones, all prominent; the whole contour of the face expressing intelligence, strength of will, and decision of character. He was sincere, devoted, and self-denying . . .” (Beers, p. 198.)

Reverend Stimson remained at the First Presbyterian Church for 24 years until 1826. “By this time (1824), there seems to have arisen a state of things tending to bring to an end this long and useful pastorate. Mr. Stimson did not favor the “new measures” in revival work, and tradition says that some wearied of the frequency with which he preached the distinctive points of his strongly Calvinistic system. After several meetings it was finally decided that his pastorate should be dissolved.” (Dodd, p. 18.)

“His farewell sermon, the text of which was taken from the passage, 1 Sam. 12: 1-5, “Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded?” & c., was a vigorous and characteristic effort, suited to the situation, and talked about for many years afterward.” (Dodd, pp. 18-19.)

Upon his removal, the Presbytery offered the following strong testimonial. “This may certify that the Rev. Henry B. Stimson has been dismissed from his pastoral relation to the first church of Christ in Windham by the Eastern section of the Northern Associated Presbytery without any allegation brought against his moral or ministerial character by church or society, but merely on account of their being unable to raise his support, and he is hereby cheerfully recommended to be further employed in the Gospel ministry as an orthodox and faithful minister of our Lord Jesus Christ. David Baldwin, Scribe. Seth Williston, Moderator.” (Dodd, p. 19.)

Despite the vote of removal in January 1825, Reverend Stimson seems to have continued preaching at the church until around 1826. He was then succeeded by Revered Clark H. Goodrich, who served for nine years from 1826 to 1835.

Reverend Stimson continued to reside at Windham for the remainder of his life. From 1825 to 1829, Reverend Stimson worked for the Bible Society. From 1829 to 1832, Reverend Stimson was in charge of the Reformed Dutch Church at Prattsville, New York. He then joined the Classis, where he continued to work until his health failed.

Reverend Henry Stimson married, in October 1803, Rebecca “Becca” Pond (1779-1856), the daughter of Edward Pond and Mary (Judson) Pond. Henry and Rebecca had 11 children together. Their son, Edward Pond (b. 1806), became a Dutch Reformed Minister.

In his later years, Reverend Stimson faced a number of medical issues. One publication noted that he was “deranged” for the last eight years of life. Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson passed away at 80 years of age on April 28, 1851. Both Henry and his wife Rebecca are buried at Ashland Cemetery in Ashland, New York.

Reverend Josiah Judson Buck

Reverend Josiah Judson Buck was the pastor of the Jewett Presbyterian Church when the current building was constructed. He served the church for over 23 years from October 1843 to April 1867.

Josiah Buck was born on March 13, 1794. He was the son of Asaph Buck (1762-1848) and Phebe (Wainright) Buck (1768-1855). Asaph was a farmer at New Milford, and later at New Lisbon in Otsego County, New York. He served the United States during the War of 1812. Josiah’s grandfather, James Buck, served during the American Revolution as a captain in the Connecticut militia. Captain Buck participated in several battles and skirmishes, including the Battle of Horse Neck.

Josiah Buck was married twice, first to Amelia Augusta Duryee (1803-1838), and second to Margaret Maria Wells (1811-1901). Josiah had 11 children by his wives Amelia and Margaret. Two of his sons, Charles Duryee Buck and Edward Henry Buck, also became preachers.

During his early life, Josiah worked on his father’s farm, “but his tastes were literary, rather than agricultural. For a while he studied law; then he turned his attention towards the medical profession. But only for a season. On making a public profession of Christ, he henceforth gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry. He was 24 years of age when he took this step; though he always thought that he might have been converted when nine years old.” (Harvey, p. 141.)

Josiah Buck was licensed to preach in February 1820 by the Union Congregational Association at Exeter, New York. Two years later, in 1822, this association was dissolved, and he became connected with the Presbytery of Otsego. In a long and distinguished career, Reverend Buck served in a number of locations including Worcester, Knox and Hamilton Union (1825-1828), Cairo (1829-1835), Kaatsbaan, Hunter, Malden, Jewett (1843-1867) and Big Hollow (circa 1868). He received an honorary degree from Williams College in 1836.

While serving at Jewett Presbyterian Church, “early in his ministry, in 1847, occurred one of the most extensive and thorough-going revivals in the history of the Church – 40 being added that year, some of whom still survive and are now pillars in the Church. There were several other revivals in Mr. Buck’s time, notably in the years 1858, 1862, 1865. Discipline was faithfully attended to. Some dissatisfied members, who would not walk with the Church, were kindly dealt with. Mr. Buck preached and practiced the giving of a tenth, which he did in spite of his eight children, small salary and lack of capital. And he trained his people to give to . . . Mr. Buck was a good preacher, a diligent pastor, and lived a blameless life. He loved his people and was respected and loved by them. But unfortunately, in the latter part of his ministry, in the Civil War times, his silence on the issues of the war caused dissatisfaction which finally resulted in the his dismission, in 1867.” (Dodd, pp. 33-34.)

In 1855, the sermon preached by Reverend Buck at the funeral of Amos Peck, the ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church at Jewett was published. The title was Dying in Faith – A Sermon Preached at Jewett, Feb. 28^th, 1854, at the Funeral of Mr. Amos Peck, Ruling Elder in the Church at that place. At the conclusion of the sermon, Reverend Buck spoke to the family, saying “May they live in the faith in which he lived, die in the faith in which he died, and which, in the hour of his departure, afforded him the richest consolation and joy.”

After Reverend Buck was dismissed from the Jewett Presbyterian Church in 1867, he continued to live at Jewett. One year he supplied the church at Big Hollow. “His friends in Jewett provided for his needs as long as he lived by an annual subscription. Finally, they bought for him, for $600, a place near Glasco, to which he removed . . .” (Dodd, p. 34.)

In his last diary entry, Reverend Buck wrote that “My full assurance of hope still continues, absent from the body, I shall be present with the Lord.” Reverend Josiah Judson Buck died at 76 years of age at Glasco, New York on April 26, 1870. He is buried at Jewett Heights Cemetery in Jewett, New York, “and sleeps among the people he loved and served.”

Historic Pastors

The Jewett Presbyterian Church was served by a long line of distinguished pastors during its first 100 years.

Henry B. Stimson, 1803-1812
Daniel Beers, 1813-1819
Henry B. Stimson, 1819-1821
David Harrowar, 1821-1826
Asahel Nettleton, 1827
William Johnson, 1828-1832
Charles Jones, 1832-1833
Augustus L. Chapin, 1833-1841
Seth Williston, 1841-1843
Josiah Judson Buck, 1843-1867
Silas McKinney, supply pastor, circa 1868, for 3 months
Andrew Montgomery, 1869-1871
Timothy Williston, 1871
Nathan Leighton, 1872-1878
Frederick F. Judd, 1878-1882
William S. Long, 1882-1900
Seneca McNeil Keeler, installed 1900

Selected Sources

Beers, J. B. History of Green County, New York. New York: J. B. Beers & Co., 1884.

Buck, Josiah Judson. Dying in Faith – A Sermon Preached at Jewett, Feb. 28^th, 1854, at the Funeral of Mr. Amos Peck, Ruling Elder in the Church at that place. Catskill: Trowbridge & Gunn, 1855.

Dodd, Rev. Henry Martyn. 1803-1903 Centennial of the Old First Congregational Church, Windham, New York. Windham, NY: Windham Journal Print, 1903.

Greene County Historical Society. Historic Places in Greene County, New York. Coxsackie, New York: Flint Mine Press, 2009.

Harvey, Cornelius B. Origin, History and Genealogy of the Buck Family. Jersey City, NJ: J. J. Griffiths, 1889.

Pond, Daniel Streator. A Genealogical Record of Samuel Pond and His Descendants. New London, Ohio: Geo. W. Runyan, 1875.

Rockwell, Rev. Charles. The Catskill Mountains and the Region Around. New York: Taintor Brothers & Co., 1869.

Christian Church at Fitch’s Bridge

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Christian Church, also known as Fitch’s Bridge Church, is located adjacent to the West Branch of the Delaware River in the hamlet of East Delhi, New York. The church is located close to the picturesque Fitch’s Covered Bridge and just east of the Judge Gideon Frisbee House, the late 18th century home of one of the area’s earliest settlers.

Church History

The congregation of the church was formed in 1822. The land for the church building and cemetery were leased from Gideon Frisbee, an early settler of Delaware County and prominent local farmer.

Gideon Frisbee (1758-1828) was a man of many talents that through an industrious career included pioneer, farmer, justice of the peace, county treasurer, revolutionary war veteran, militia captain, tavern keeper, and vestryman. His Federal-style, two-story house, located two miles north of Delhi, was built in 1797 along the West Branch of the Delaware River. The house is sometimes referred to as the “Birthplace of Delaware County” as the first meeting of the county board of supervisors was held here in 1797. The house remained in the Frisbee family for much of its history until it was acquired in 1960 by the Delaware County Historical Association, for which it now serves as their headquarters. The property is home to several other historic structures including a one-room schoolhouse, a gun shop, a blacksmith shop, a tollgate house, a corn crib and the family barn. The property and buildings are open to the public for tours. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first trustees of the Christian Church were all prominent members of the community, including Putnam Farrington, Daniel Frisbee, John Hammond, Clarke Sloot and Newell Dodge. Reverend William Cummings was the first pastor at the Christian Church, and was followed by Reverend D. Call; Reverend J. M. Westcott; Reverend Southwick; and Reverend Daniel Grant.

In 1859 the church society was reorganized and the current church was built one year later in 1860 by James Adams, a regional carpenter from nearby Hamden. The building replaced the original 1820s church that had been razed circa 1859. The church was dedicated on Saturday, September 1, 1860.

“The Christian meeting-house near Fitch’s Bridge, in this town, was dedicated last Saturday. As the weather was fine, and the roads good, the attendance was large. The church was filled to overflowing. The new building is a very neat and pretty one for the purpose, and is fitted up in simple but comfortable style. It is a little smaller than the old one, but is large enough to accommodate the congregation. The contract for the repairs, or rather the rebuilding of the edifice, was entrusted to our friend, Mr. James Adams, of this village, who executed the work in a very satisfactory and acceptable manner.” (Delaware Republican. September 8, 1860.)

In January 1862, efforts were made by the trustees of the church to pay off the remaining debts that were incurred in constructing the church.

“Donation. The Christian Church in East Delhi being embarrassed with debt, incurred in erecting their new house of worship, have resolved to put forth a vigorous effort to liquidate the same.

For the purpose of consummating the above named object, the church and congregation would earnestly invite all the friends of religion to attend a donation party at the chapel, on Wednesday evening, the 12^th day of February, at 6 o’clock.

All the churches in this community having been erected by united effort, and this house being free to all religious denominations, the committee feel justified in extending this invitation to all the friends of religion of every name and order. Refreshments will be prepared for the occasion.

The committee intend to secure the attendance of a good speaker, and to have the exercises enlivened by music, both vocal and instrument. By order of the trustees.” (Delaware Republican. January 25, 1862.)

In 1875, the church was improved with the addition of a new interior chandelier and lamps and exterior painting. The work was completed by J. L. Meeker. “When the work on the house was completed, it was thought best to see if the hearts of the people could not be renovated, as well as the church. Accordingly, a series of meetings was commenced, which has been running for about two weeks which has resulted in the conversion of ten or twelve happy son’s – and still they come. Christians of all denominations in the place work with heart and zeal becoming their profession. The preaching is done by Rev. Thomas Taylor, of New Paltz, Columbia Co., N.Y., assisted by the Pastor, D. Grant, who has proved himself a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. The meetings will continue through this week and over the coming Sabbath.” (Delaware Republican. November 13, 1875.)

In 1880, “sheds and other conveniences have been added to the property this year.” In 1888, the church was significantly renovated, “making decided improvement in the interior as well as the exterior of the church.” The church was repainted on the outside and new wallpaper was hung on the inside. A new “pulpit suite” was purchased from the firm of Jackson & Mason of Delhi. Funding was also being raised for a new carpet and the purchase of “opera folding chairs” for the congregation.

The church congregation continued to operate under the Christian Church denomination for over 100 years until 1925, when there were only two members left. The church building then remained vacant for 15 years. In 1940, Emily Dannheimer, a 1937 graduate and valedictorian of the Delaware Academy at Delhi, began to organize services at the church. Mrs. Alfred Carey, the only surviving member of the old church, granted permission for services each Sunday during the summer. “The Gospel of Christ” was the subject of the first sermon at the reopened church. The Christian Church had a short revival from 1940 to 1948, with the congregation reaching nearly one hundred members, but a significant decline in membership then prompted its closing.

From 1950 to 1990 the Christian Scientist denomination utilized the building. In 1990 the Delaware County Historical Association assumed ownership of the property. The Delaware County Historical Association makes the church available to rent for private functions.

Cemetery

The Christian Church Cemetery is located adjacent to the church to both the east and the west. Gravestones at the church date from 1820 to the 1970s. There are approximately 25 graves marked with simple fieldstones without inscription.

National Register of Historic Places

The Christian Church and its adjacent cemetery were officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The church was noted “for its distinctive blend of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival styles and for its long association with the history of the hamlet of East Delhi.”

The application for the Christian Church to be included on the National Register of Historic Places described the architecture of the church in great detail. “The core of the building represents a typical mid-nineteenth century church design in the region, embodying forms and embellishments typical of the Greek Revival style; however, its overlay of assertive Gothic Revival decoration creates the dominant visual image of the building today. The small wood-frame building is of post and beam construction and sits on a dry-laid stone foundation. It is rectangular in shape, three bays wide by four bays deep, and surmounted by a gable roof clad with asphalt shingles. An interior brick chimney pierces the gable at the rear of the building. The church features clapboard siding, a wide water table and a raking cornice.

The most dramatic exterior decorative elements are the twelve narrow, engaged towers with pinnacles that mark the corners of the building, define the entrance bay and serve as the primary decorative components of the tower. The towers are of wood-frame construction and the pinnacles, originally sheet iron, are now aluminum.

Each of the corner towers rests on a separate stone base, which is not connected to and extends beyond the stone building foundation. The two towers that define the entrance by rise into a two-stage square tower, which interrupts the front gable of the roof. The raking cornice extends across the tower, either intentionally designed or replicated for the flat roofline at the apex. Each of the two tower stages is defined by corner towers and the whole is surmounted by a tall spire. Each stage of the tower originally featured louvered openings on all sides; however, the louvered elements that survive today are replacements without openings. Towers on each state were originally connected by decorative balustrades; only those on the upper stage survive.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

The Christian Church

The Christian Church, also known as Christian Connection, was a New England sect that broke away from the prevailing 16th and 17th century Calvinist theology. The Christian Church is often considered the first uniquely American religious movement. Elias Smith (1769-1846), founder of the Christian Church denomination, wrote of his ideas in the Herald of Gospel Liberty, which was first published in 1808 and is considered the first religious newspaper in the United States.

“The Christian Church was a religious denomination of its own, such as the Presbyterian or Baptist denominations. Early immigrants to Delaware County were generally from New England states, where the Christian denomination was popular. The sect was founded by Elias Smith, who had been raised near Woodstock, Vermont in the 1780s. Smith had been raised as a Calvinist Baptist.

The new denomination was a reaction against the old Calvinist doctrine of predestination, and, like other new sects of this period, believed in shifting the responsibility for salvation to men and women. The Christian Church held that the New Testament, accessible to all, was the only authority and could be used without divine assistance. By the early nineteenth century Smith had broken with the Baptists altogether and, with others of like mind, formed the loosely-knit Christian Church, or Christian Connection . . . The name “Christian” reflects the believers’ focus on the New Testament and their commitment to a more active role in their own salvation.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Reverend William Cummings

Reverend William Cummings, the first pastor at the Christian Church, was born at Plymouth, New Hampshire on September 24, 1786. William was the youngest of ten children born to Captain Jotham Cummings (1741-1808) and Anna (Brown) Cummings (1744-1829). Jotham Cummings moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire in 1764 and was among the original grantees of Plymouth. Captain Cummings served in Colonel Goffe’s regiment during the march on Crown Point in the expedition to Canada in 1760. During the American Revolution, Captain Cummings served as a lieutenant in a company of New Hampshire Rangers, and subsequently as a captain of the Plymouth company in Colonel Hobart’s regiment.

William married Sarah Hazeltine on March 12, 1809. Sarah was born at Concord, New Hampshire on February 28, 1790. She was the daughter of John and Hanna Hazeltine. “Before 18 years of age she gave herself up to the service of the Lord, and found precious joy in believing in Him.” She had worked as a school teacher prior to her marriage in 1809. During the spring of 1809, months after their marriage, William and Sally moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire, where they remained for a few years.

William and Sarah had seven children together, including Dorcas, Peter, Damaris, Moses, Aaron, Marion and Lydia. Moses (1816-1867), like his father, would become a preacher in the Christian denomination; and served as publisher and editor of the Christian Messenger and the Christian Palladium. Amos Cummings (1841-1902), son of Moses, grandson of William, won the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Civil War and would later serve in the United States Congress for several terms.

William Cummings was converted in 1806 and began preaching in 1810. He would become a preacher in the Christian Church denomination, serving in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Cummings was ordained at Bradford, Vermont in 1815. He helped establish and organize churches for his denomination.

Reverend Cummings and his wife moved from Rumney, New Hampshire to Roxbury, and later to Kortright, and then Stamford, all in Delaware County, New York. Reverend Cummings then came to the Delhi area and began preaching the doctrines of the Christian church. He helped establish the Christian Church at Fitch’s Bridge in 1822. For six years they lived at Delhi, and then moved to Lansingville, which was later known as Delancey. He served at the Christian Church of Delancey from 1842 to 1847.

After a long and distinguished career, Reverend William Cummings passed away from “inflammation of the lungs” at Hamden, New York on Sunday, December 12, 1847. He is buried at Chesire Cemetery in Chesire, Massachusetts. Upon his passing it was written that “The Elder was a prominent man in the church. He was also a man of more than ordinary consecration to the great work. His letters, of which he wrote many to the different periodicals of the day, are full of cheerfulness, faith, hope, and confidence in God. When he first embraced religion, he was so full of joy that some of the older members told him he was going on borrowed capital, and that the sorrows of life would have to pay back etc. The Elder, mentioning this in his days, said, ‘They were mistaken; I have been full of glory all the time.’”

Sarah Cummings passed away from “congestion of the lungs” at Lansingville on the morning of January 29, 1868. Upon her passing it was written that “those who knew Mrs. Cummings well, also knew her to be a very superior and excellent woman. She was especially gifted in prayer. In glancing over her diary, one is struck with admiration of the spirit of sincere piety throughout. So much refinement and delicacy of thought, so much humility and earnestness in the cause of the Lord and Savior – such an anxiety for the welfare of immortal souls – such gratitude for daily mercies, even in the midst of feebleness – such entire submission to the will of God – all show the elevation of her character.” (Delaware Republican. February 1, 1868.)

Reverend Daniel Grant

Reverend Daniel Grant (1812-1879) was the pastor at the Christian Church in 1860 when the new building was constructed.

Daniel Grant was born on October 3, 1812, the son of John Grant and Jane (Stillwell) Grant. In 1882, at 20 years of age,

“Brother Grant confessed faith in Jesus Christe as the Son of God and his only Savior . . . His conversion to Christianity was one of thoughtful deliberation, at a time when there was no unusual interest in the community on the subject, and, indeed, when the opposite interest pervaded society.

He came to the crisis of deciding the great question that changed the whole current of his life and destiny in a ball-room. He carried out his purpose as deliberately as he made it, going from the ball-room in the small hours of the morning to the grove where, in meditation and prayer, he dedicated himself forever to the service of God, and with the dawn of that morning came the light of life upon his moral and spiritual being.” (Delaware Republican. December 27, 1879.)

Grant was baptized by Elder Joshua Howard in September 1837, and began to preach that same year. He was admitted in 1837 to the New York Eastern Christian Conference. In 1839 he became a member of the Christian Church in Delhi and in 1842 he was ordained and chosen pastor of the church. He was selected by the ordaining council comprised of Elders John Spoor, William Cummings and Wright Butler, “a trio of strength, for there were giants in those days.”

Reverend Grant continued his pastorate of the Delhi church for 34 years until 1876. Besides the Delhi church, he also preached for the churches at Otego, Portlandville, North Harpersfield, Summit, Delancey, South Franklin and Roxbury. “None but God knows the weary miles he traveled over the hills of Delaware and Otsego counties and the anxious heart he carried for the cause of the blessed Master, weeping between the porch and the altar. He was often cheered by seeing men led to Christ, to taste his love and share his great salvation.” (Delaware Republican. December 27, 1879.)

Reverend Grant was married to Sally Frisbee, a granddaughter of Gideon Frisbee, at Delhi in 1837. David and Sally had five children, including Naomi, Huldah, Darius, George and John. Sally was “a faithful wife, an affectionate mother, and a devoted Christian all these years. Happy is that minister who has, in his wife, a help-meet indeed . . .”

Reverend Grant resigned from his pastorate in 1876 due to failing health. He died three years later at his home in Delhi at 67 years of age on October 30, 1879. He is buried at the Frisbee Family Cemetery in Delhi, New York. Upon his passing it was written that he “was a man of strong convictions; and we believe he ever tried to do right and to follow in the strict path of duty. . . In his death, the cause of religion, as well as all moral interests, particularly that of Temperance, loses a fast friend and sincere and efficient co-laborer.” (Delaware Republican. November 15, 1879.)

Blue Mountain Reformed Church

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Blue Mountain Reformed Church is located on Blue Mountain Church Road in Saugerties, New York. The first movement to found a church at Blue Mountain occurred in 1832, however, this came to nothing. Nineteen years later, in 1851, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was officially organized.

The founding date of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church is recorded as March 20, 1851. On that date a group of residents from the Blue Mountain area met at the local schoolhouse, Saugerties School District #2, in order to establish a community church.

In May 1851, 52 organizational members of the church presented a petition to the Classis of Ulster to establish the Blue Mountain Church. The Classis investigated the petition, meeting with the new organization in the woods where the new church was to be constructed and holding the first service, officiated by the Reverend V. M. Hulbert. On August 20, 1851, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was formally recognized.

Reverend Alexander C. Hillman (1811-1876) served as the first pastor of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church. He graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1832 and was licensed by the Classis of New York in 1836. Reverend Hillman served at a variety of locations throughout his career including Stonehouse Plains, New Jersey, 1837-1841; Vanderveer, Illinois, 1841-1842; Roxbury and Moresville, New York, 1843-1845; and Wurtsboro, New York; 1846-1849. Reverend Hillman was called to be the pastor at Blue Mountain in November 1851, and served the Blue Mountain congregation for six years from 1852 to 1858.

Reverend Hillman married Anna Cochran Magennis (1820-1888), daughter of George Magennis (1775-1853) and Catherine (Reynolds) Magennis. George was an Irish immigrant, from County Down, who came to the United States with his parents in 1790 at the age of 15. James Wilson Hillman, the son of Alexander and Anna, was born at the hamlet of Blue Mountain and became a prominent chaplain in the United States Army, reaching the rank of major while serving in the Philippines, Mexico, California and Alaska.

Reverend Alexander Hillman passed away in Brooklyn on November 20, 1875 “after protracted sufferings.” Funeral services were held on November 22, 1875 at his residence at 214 Division Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Anna Hillman, his wife, passed away in Brooklyn on April 28, 1888 after a brief illness.

The first elders of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church included George Young, Simeon P. Myer, Jeremiah Snyder and Peter Becker. The first deacons of the church included John H. Freligh, Nelson Myer, Abram Wolven and Cornelius Minkler.

Jeremiah Snyder, chairman of the organizational group, donated the land for the church building. The cornerstone for the church building was laid by Reverend Henry Ostrander of Kaatsbaan and the dedication sermon was preached by Reverend C. Van Santvoord of Saugerties. The church building was constructed at a cost of $2,500 and was dedicated in 1852.

Three years later, in 1855, a new parsonage was completed for the minister, and included a barn where the minister kept his cow. In 1855, under the leadership of Reverend Hillman, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church had a membership of 100 families and approximately 400 people in the total congregation. Nine adults were baptized in the prior year.

By 1856, the church had paid all debts associated with constructing the church building and parsonage. In 1875, “the church enjoyed a very extensive and powerful revival, when more than 140 members were added to the church, thus greatly increasing its strength.”

In 1880 the church had around 253 members and offered two Sunday schools, one in the church at Blue Mountain, led by David W. Hommel, and the other at West Saugerties, led by James W. Cole. Officers of the church in 1880 included elders John H. Freligh, William S. Myer, Jacob Carn and Washington Myer; and deacons William Schoonmaker, Jacob Spellman, Peter T. Minkler and James W. Cole.

The church building was remodeled around the year 1884, with the lecture room likely being added at that time. In 1886, the last Dutch sermon on the town of Saugerties was preached at the Blue Mountain Reformed Church by Reverend Abram G. Lansing. The sermon “was thoroughly enjoyed by his many parishioners who were able to understand it, as well as by many from surrounding congregations.” In 1945 the Blue Mountain Reformed Church joined with the Reformed Church of Katsbaan.

In 1951 the Blue Mountain Reformed Church marked the 100th anniversary of its founding with a series of special services and community events. “The church at Blue Mountain has been marked by real interest and activity throughout its hundred years of organized existence. While there have been periods in which no full-time pastor was available, there has always been a loyal and faithful group to carry on the established tradition of fellowship and service in the community.” (Catskill Mountain Star. August 17, 1951.)

During the first 100 years of its existence, from 1851 to 1951, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was served by 13 pastors and 12 supply pastors. The history of pastors at the Blue Mountain Reformed Church for the first 130 years of its existence from its founding in 1851 to 1980 includes:

Alexander Hillman, 1851-1858
Cornelius J. Blauvelt, 1859-1862
William D. Buckelew, 1863-1870
A. P. Freese, 1872-1874
George W. Labaw, 1874-1882
John F. Hooper, 1883-1884
Abram G. Lansing, 1885-1887
Peter Q. Wilson, 1888-1891
John Van der Meulen, 1898-1901
Garret D. De Graff, 1901-1905
Mugerdich N. Kalemjian, 1905-1910
Nicholas Hess, 1913-1915
F. W. Moot, 1922-1930
W. E. Mack, 1931-1934
Eugene C. Duryee, 1934-1943
Chris J. Westhoff, 1945-1949
August Pfaus, 1953-1968
Raymond E. Hendershot, 1970-1972
Thomas C. Wray, 1973-1980

Shandaken Reformed Church

Sat, 27 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Shandaken Reformed Church is located in Mount Tremper, New York. The church is situated on Route 212, across the road from the Esopus Creek, and just off Route 28.

The original church was located west of Mount Tremper at a place that was then known as The Corner. Research conducted by Reverend Harvey Todd in 1954 placed the church near “the former Goldman estate on the Onteora Trail further to the west.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1954.)

On April 3, 1854, a committee chosen by the Classis Ulster organized the current Shandaken Reformed Church. Trustees of the original church included James A. Simpson, Benjamin D. Longyear, A. D. Ladew, John R. Devall, Davis Winne and Solomon Hudler.

The Shandaken Reformed Church was officially established on May 13, 1854 with 33 members. The legal certificate to establish the church was executed on June 19, 1853. Many of the original members had previously worshiped at the church at Shokan. Original elders of the church included Christian Winne, William C. Longyear, Abram D. Ladew and Christian Happy. Original deacons of the church included Benjamin D. Longyear, James Delamater, Abram J. Longyear and Davis Winne.

Reverend John W. Hammond (1819-1876) was the first pastor at the Shandaken Reformed Church. Reverend Hammond was serving at the Shokan Reformed Church at the time of the founding of the Shandaken Reformed Church, and thereafter served both locations. Reverend Hammond was born at Esopus, New York in 1819. In 1848 he was licensed as a pastor by the Classis of Ulster and would go on to a distinguished career in the priesthood. He served at Shokan (1848-1849); Grahamsville (1849-1852); Shokan (1852-1856); Mohawk (1856-1859); Queens (1859-1863); Grahamsville and Stated Supply, Upper Neversink (1863-1867); Shokan and Shandaken (1867-1873); and Roxbury (1873-1875). Reverend Hammond passed away on November 23, 1876 “after a useful and faithful ministry.” He is buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.

In June 1856, while under the leadership of Reverend Hammond, and according to reports from the Reformed Church in America, the Shandaken Reformed Church had 35 member families and 100 total members in the congregation. There were four infants that were baptized in the prior year.

By November 1856, the Shandaken Reformed Church was under the leadership of its second pastor, the Reverend William R. S. Betts (1800-1883). Reverend Betts was born at Troy, New York on October 23, 1800. On November 12, 1856, Reverend Betts was installed by the Classis of Ulster to serve as the pastor of the Shokan and Shandaken churches. Reverend Betts would serve the Shandaken Reformed Church for approximately five years from November 12, 1856 to May 29, 1861. In June 1857, the church reported 25 member families and 80 total members of the congregation. Reverend Betts, “a man of prayer, and sound in the faith,” died on September 28, 1883. He is buried at Manalapan Presbyterian Cemetery in Manalapan, New Jersey.

The history of pastors at the Shandaken Reformed Church includes:

John W. Hammond, 1854-1856
William R. S. Betts, 1856-1861
Alonzo P. Peeke, 1862-1865
Alfred H. Brush, 1865-1867
John W. Hammond, 1867-1873
Adrian Westveer, 1874-1876
Abraham J. Beekman, 1876-1882
W. McGibbon, 1884-1886
John T. Bergen, 1886-1889
Irving P. Emerick, 1889-1890
Charles W. Kinney, 1891-1893
George Niemeyer, 1893-1899
Charles L. Palmer, 1899-1902
Clinton W. Clough (Clowe), 1903-1905
Henry W. Brink, 1906-1914
George W. Gulick, 1915-1916
Frank D. Blanchard, 1917-1920
Benjamin C. Ross, 1924-1926
August Pfaus, 1929-1940
Harvey I. Todd, 1940-1958
Osterhoudt Phillips, 1957-1968
Vacant, 1968-1976
John Van Reyendam, 1982-1987
Debra L. Jameson, 1984-1987

Special services were held on December 11, 1954 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church. The service was followed by a reception and a cafeteria supper. Reverend Harvey I. Todd (1890-1977) presided at the church in 1954, as he had for the previous 14 years. The special service was conducted by Reverend Daniel Y. Brink, pastor of the First Reformed Church of Scotia and vice president of the Reformed Church Synod of America. Reverend Brink’s father, Reverend Henry Brink, was pastor of the Shandaken Reformed Church from 1906 to 1914.

The Shandaken Reformed Church was disbanded in 2023 by the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The building and property were sold in early 2024.

North Settlement Methodist Church

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic North Settlement Methodist Church is located in the town of Ashland, Greene County in the northern Catskills. It is situated on County Route 10, east of the junction with County Route 32C.

The Methodist Society that later built the North Settlement Methodist Church was originally formed in 1805 at a time when Ashland was part of the town of Windham. “During these early years, the congregation [at North Settlement] was serviced by a circuit rider on what was known as the Albany Circuit and later as the Coeymans Circuit. In 1824 the society began a subscription campaign to raise sufficient funds to erect a church.”

The North Settlement Methodist Church was constructed in 1826, 21 years after the founding of the Methodist Society. The church was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style as a single-story building on a four by three bay plan.

Reverend Seth Crowell

“It was said that the first human sound in the wilderness was the ring of the frontiersman’s axe; the second was the “hello” of the Circuit Rider who rode into his clearing.”

The Methodist Society at North Settlement was formed in 1805 under the leadership of Reverend Seth Crowell (1781-1826), a circuit rider minister who preached on the Albany Circuit. Crowell was born in Tolland, Connecticut in 1781, but his family moved to Chatham, Connecticut when he was two years old. By the time Crowell was around 16 years old, “the time of my conversion to God,” “he engaged with great avidity in promoting the cause of Christ, by every means in his power. It was quickly inferred, from the tone of his exhortations, that he possessed a more than ordinary adeptness to the duties of the ministry.” (Springer, p. 349.)

In the spring of 1797, Crowell went to study under a Methodist class-leader, at which time Crowell “believed the Lord graciously converted my soul, Glory to his holy name.” (Crowell, 10.) After studying for two years, Crowell went his own way. In a fortuitous moment in his life, a local circuit preacher “was taken unwell” and asked young Crowell to take his horse, go around his circuit and fulfill his appointments. Crowell agreed, and then traveled the New London circuit as a preacher.

In 1801, at 20 years of age, Crowell was admitted on trial in the New York Conference of the Methodist church. Being “uncommonly mature for his years” and with an “ardency of zeal,” he was then assigned a circuit in “the wilds of Upper Canada.” He remained in Canada for two years, serving on the Niagara circuit in 1801 and on the Oswegatchie and Ottawa circuit in 1802.

Reverend Crowell would go on to a much-traveled career as an itinerant preacher, serving at times in Canada, Vermont, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. While serving on the Albany circuit in New York in 1805, Rev. Crowell preached at Albany, Greenfield, Scott’s Patent, New Durham, Windham and Rensselaerville, among other places.

In 1805 the Albany circuit was part of the Albany District, which was overseen by Elijah Woolsey, the presiding elder. The Albany District included 18 reverends working across 11 different regions including Black River, Western, Herkimer, Saratoga, Montgomery, Delaware, Ulster, Newburgh, Haverstraw, Albany circuit and Albany City. Reverend Crowell was joined on the 1805 Albany circuit by Reverend Henry Stead (1774-1854). Rev. Stead, who was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1802, would go on to a long, distinguished career of over 50 years as Methodist minister.

While making his circuit at Windham, Reverend Crowell created a Methodist Society, which quickly had over 50 members. At one church service in the Windham area, Crowell “preached in the presbyterian meeting-house. Two of their preachers being present, I strove to convince them of the absurdity of absolute predestination. I met with no opposition.” (Crowell, 33.)

Methodist circuit riders, such as Rev. Crowell, were noted for their “self-sacrificing spirit” for they faced many challenges. The circuit rider position was noted for its constant travel, low pay and many physical hardships. Constant road travel was expensive and the preacher’s salary rarely covered a year’s expenses. Itinerant preachers were transferred almost every year; and Bishops could station a preacher on any circuit within a conference. Family life suffered while the circuit-rider preached, through financial difficulties and the constant moving.

Circuit riders traveled long distances between locations, often through woodlands that were little populated. Danger lurked on their journeys in the form of storms, swollen streams, wild beasts, desperadoes and hunger. Comfortable lodging was seldom available. Circuit preachers held services wherever there was an audience, including homes, schools, inns, taverns, local courthouses, small chapels, churches and, if more space was required, outside in barns, fields, under trees and outside stores. The circuit riders preached almost every day, and usually several times on Sunday.

Beginning in 1813, due to poor health, Rev. Crowell stopped his ministry for several years. During this time, Rev. Crowell published in 1813 The Journal of Seth Crowell; Containing an Account of His Travels as a Methodist Preacher for Twelve Years. The autobiography, albeit with periodic gaps, covers Crowell’s work between the years of 1801 and 1812. Rev. Crowell’s 12 years as an itinerant preacher included:

1801 – Niagara circuit, Canada; served with Rev. Joseph Sawyer
1802 – Oswegatchie and Ottawa circuit, Canada
1803 – Returned to the United States, appointed to the Fletcher circuit, Vermont
1804 – Brandon circuit, Vermont
1805 – Albany circuit, New York
1806 – New York City, St. John Methodist Episcopal Church
1807 – Conference Missionary
1808 – Schenectady, New York
1809 – Newburgh, New York
1810 – Pittsfield circuit, Massachusetts
1811 – Chatham, Connecticut
1812 – Redding, Connecticut

Perhaps influenced by his failing health, Crowell closed his 12-year journal at the end of 1812 with a fatalistic view of the future. “I took my circuit at Danbury; I continued about six months, when my health had got so bad that I was under the necessity to desist from travelling. How I shall I spend the rest of my short life, God only knows; if my health should ever be sufficient, I calculate to travel again; but be this as it may, I hope to be resigned to all the will of heaven, and close my days in peace. Amen.” (Crowell, 108.)

By 1816 Rev. Crowell’s health had recovered enough that he returned to work, being appointed a missionary within the bounds of the New York Conference. In 1817 and 1818, Crowell worked in New York City at the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1819, Reverend Crowell was “located,” a term used in Methodism meaning a church-sanctioned retirement.

The “location” of Reverend Crowell was not unusual. According to Elmer T. Clark in his book titled An Album of Methodist History, many of the early circuit riders faced health issues and died at a young age. “Of the first 650 preachers, 500 had to “locate.” Of the first 737 who died, 203 were under thirty-five years old, and 121 were between thirty-five and forty-five. Nearly half died before they were thirty. Two-thirds of those whose records are known died before they preached twelve years, and 199 died within the first five years.” (Clark, 198.)

Beginning around 1824, Reverend Crowell began to suffer from another long period of poor health. He suffered “under a slowly wasting disease, during which patience and resignation were exemplified in an eminent degree, and his soul was buoyed up with the blissful prospect of entering into life eternal.” (Bangs, 377.)

Reverend Crowell was placed “on the list of superannuated and worn-out members, that he might have a claim on their funds as long as he lived.” (Sprague, 350.) Reverend Crowell suffered for about two years from “nervous disease,” passing away at the age of 45 in New York City on July 6, 1826. He is buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The quote on his gravesite reads “Why seek ye the living among the dead.”

Reverend Seth Crowell holds a distinguished place in the history of Methodism during the early 19th century. Numerous historical accounts highlight his powerful, and often very serious, style of preaching. Several testimonies from Methodist preachers described how Reverend Crowell had influenced them to join the church. “Rev. Seth Crowell deserves an honorable place among the heroes of our early history . . . He combined distinguished argumentative powers with great hortatory ability. God was with him, and his appeals were sometimes overwhelming. Amid great bodily infirmity and severe mental conflicts, he labored with uncommon zeal until utter prostration laid him aside. He died honored and beloved.” (Parks, 63.)

1856 Renovation

By 1856 the North Settlement Methodist Church had fallen into serious disrepair. The congregation was called to a meeting to determine whether the old church should be repaired or whether a new church should be constructed.

“In the latter part of the year 1856, the inhabitants thought the old edifice must be re-erected or else they could not have service in it, on account of its old and decaying condition. Upon this conclusion, and by the suggestion of the preacher in charge, the inhabitants in the vicinity of the church called a meeting, to get the expression of the people as to whether they should build a new one, or repair the old one, and also to ascertain how much money they could raise for the purpose of the same.

Whereupon they resolved to re-erect the old one, and appointed a building committee of three, to transact business, in relation to the erection of the Church and to circulate among the inhabitants a subscription paper, to raise money for the same. The result was that something over nine hundred dollars was subscribed and paid in the immediate vicinity of the church. It is now finished, and is a very nice comfortable edifice. It was dedicated last September, and I understand is paid for.

The subscription money was all paid without reluctance by the subscribers, with the exceptions of one or two individuals, and we must think they will soon pay theirs, as the committee have paid the defaulters subscriptions, and as they attend church regularly, and occupy as commodious seats as any in the church.” (Windham Journal. March 4, 1858.)

The building committee was comprised of several church members, including Brandow, Doolittle and Bronson. The committee “was prompt in the erection of the building, and paid liberally towards its completion.” (Windham Journal. March 4, 1858.)

National Register of Historic Places

The North Settlement Methodist Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as an exceptionally intact representative example of traditional frame meeting house architecture in Greene County.”

As per the application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, the church “is characterized by rectangular gable massing, heavily molded trim, full entablature and double door entrance with paneled door framed by a distinctive Greek door surround. The sanctuary remains substantially intact from the mid-nineteenth century and the overall structure retains a remarkably high degree of integrity. The North Settlement Methodist Church is an excellent example of a settlement era rural church that evolved reflecting the changing tastes and prosperity of its congregation and the community. It is an outstanding example of its period and style in the Catskill Region, as well as a rare survivor.”

The church “featured a heavy timber frame set atop a rubblestone foundation. The building was sheathed with narrow clapboards and covered by a medium pitched gable roof. The stone foundation, heavy timber frame, roof structure, some clapboards and some interior wall finishes survive from this period. In addition, based on structural evidence that survives in the church today, it can be determined that the original edifice featured three windows on the first floor and three at the balcony level, on both side elevations. Also typical of early nineteenth century meeting houses, there is evidence that the church originally featured paired entrances. These separate entrances would have been located where the current windows are situated.”

Bishop Francis Burns

“No one can doubt of the genuine conversion of Francis Burns. His name and memory will live for ages. His good deeds, his christian virtue and his true godliness have been engraved in the hearts of many people in Windham, a more lasting impression than could ever be cut in a tablet of stone.”

The North Settlement Methodist Church is where Francis Burns (1809-1863), the first African American Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, received his early religious training.

Burns was born on December 5, 1809 in the city of Albany, New York. His parents were extremely poor, so at the age of four he was brought to the home of a Methodist farmer named Bennett Atwood in the North Settlement section of the town of Windham. At the age of 8, “satisfied that the experiment will prove a success, and, fearing lest the boy should be enticed from his home, just as he may be of some service to himself,” Atwood executed legal indentures with Francis’ parents that would have Burns bound to Atwood until his majority, “to learn the art, trade, and mystery of an agriculturist.” (Trafton, p. 377.)

From an early age, Burns attended school along with the other children of the neighborhood, typically during the winter term when there was less work on the farm. At the age of 15, Burns, “who had sought God in solitude and silence, now shouted aloud his praise.” Around this time,

“a camp meeting was being held on the farm of Arad Lewis, near, or a little west of the North Settlement M. E. Church. It was at this camp meeting that young Burns experienced religion. He earnestly sought Christ at this place, and as Burns himself told it, he knelt down by an old stump and earnestly plead with the Savior to speak peace to his soul. The glad message came down from heaven and Francis Burns was made happy in a Savior’s love . . .

After the conversion of young Burns, he seemed to change wonderfully. He would continually exhort and pray, and it could not be erased from his mind, for he was destined to preach the gospel; a thought then even some laughed at; however, those that loved the Savior began to hold counsel together, as the conversion of young Burns was the all-absorbing topic. His conversion was genuine; it showed for itself that the power of God was wonderfully displayed in Burns. People talked about it far and near. He seemed to feel a great interest that all his school boys, and everybody should seek Christ. Without a doubt it was a remarkable conversion and showed the wonderful work of Providence.

Burns took great delight in attending the prayer meetings and the class meetings. He always had something to say, and people were struck with amazement to hear the words that he spoke. He took great delight in attending prayer meetings that were held at the house of Perez Steele. Whenever the prayer meetings were there, Burns was there. The distance from Bennett Atwood’s to Mr. Perez Steele’s never kept Burns away. He was never absent; cold or heat made no difference with him; rain or stormy weather were never a hindrance. It made no difference how hard the wind blowed, or how many snow drifts to encounter, young Burns was never absent from the prayer meetings unless prevented by sickness. We can hardly say this of many today. A snow squall or a slight rain or a little muddy walking is generally in the way.” (Windham Journal. September 16, 1886; September 23, 1886.)

At the age of 17, Burns was baptized and received into the Methodist Episcopal Church, and thereafter he began to express an interest in preaching. He attended high school at Lexington Heights in Greene County, New York under the tutorship of William McLauren.

In 1830, at around the age of 20, and at the end of his indenture, Burns received a local preacher’s license at the quarterly conference of the Windham circuit held at Durham. Burns threw himself into his new work, and was “not idle, his license was no mere compliment, but authority by the Church to call sinners to repentance, and he enters every open door, aided and encouraged by the circuit preachers.”

In addition to his religious work, Burns also worked as a teacher in the local schools. “The estimation in which Mr. Burns was held by those among whom he had grown up, is well attested by the fact that he was employed to teach their school, and actually became the teacher of the white children in the neighborhood.”

Around the year 1831, Reverend David Terry, an itinerant preacher who traveled the Windham Circuit of the northern Catskills, took an interest in young Burns as he attended local church services. After church services one Sunday, Reverend Terry talked with Burns and came away very impressed with his “manly bearing” and “the fervor and intelligence of his testimony for Jesus Christ.” Reverend Terry recommended to Burns that he turn his attention to theological reading, in the hopes that his further studies would allow for future opportunity within the church.

This advice was taken, and Burns began with a study of “Clarke’s Commentary on the Holy Bible.” Thereafter, “the custom of brother Burns was always to have in one pocket some book of instruction, and in the other a dictionary, so he might be, when in the harvest field or in any other place at leisure for a moment, or at rest, improving his mind.” (The Ladies’ Repository. p. 130.)

By 1833 Burns received an introduction to Bishop Elijah Hedding at the New York Annual Conference held at Poughkeepsie, New York. Bishop Hedding came away “very much taken up with him,” and was impressed by Burns’ “manner of conversation,” “general deportment” and “deep piety.” (Windham Journal. September 30, 1886.) This meeting with Bishop Hedding would forever change the course of Burns’ life.

In 1834, Burns joined Reverend John Seys (1799-1872) for a Methodist mission to the country of Liberia in Africa, and this was to become his life’s work. Burns at first worked as a teacher in the Monrovia Seminary, but would in time take on more work and far greater responsibilities. He labored as an itinerant preacher over the course of many years. Burns edited, “with marked ability,” Africa’s Luminary, a paper sponsored by the mission. He was elected to the office of deacon and then elder. He was appointed principal of the Monrovia Conference Seminary; served as the presiding elder of the Cape Palmas district, and preacher in charge of the Cape Palmas station; and for six years he served as the appointed president of the Liberia Annual Conference.

Burns “visited Windham twice after he had become a missionary and everybody in Windham and surroundings was rejoiced to see him. He preached to large congregations powerful and eloquent sermons. When it was announced that Burns was to preach, there was a general rush; everybody went for miles around.” (Windham Journal. September 30, 1886.)

In the autumn of 1857 Reverend Burns, on one of his trips back to the United States, returned to the town of his youth, and visited the North Settlement Methodist Church for its rededication.

“In the autumn of 1857 it was my good fortune to be present at a love-feast on North Settlement, Greene County, N.Y. A new church had been dedicated to God the day before, and now the society was assembled for their first love-feast in their new and beautiful temple. It was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The aged members wept for joy, and gave thanks to God that the time had come when they had a comfortable church in which to worship in their declining years. There were many present from different parts of the circuit.

There were also present some eight or ten preachers, among whom was Francis Burns, late from Africa. This town was the place of his childhood; here he was reared, and here converted to God. In this vicinity he had been spending a few weeks among his old friends, recruiting his exhausted energies preparatory to his return to Africa.

He arose in the love-feast and said: “I have just visited the spot where I was converted more than thirty years ago. I sung the doxology, kneeled down and prayed, and then took my leave for the last time. The next month I shall spend on the Atlantic. You, my brethren, (referring to the ministers present,) will die in America; I will die in Africa. You will be buried in your beautiful cemeteries; I shall be buried by the foot of the palm. Over your grave will stand the cenotaph pointing to the heavens; but over mine the rose and the oleander will wave and bloom, and send forth their fragrance. Brethren, pray for me, for I mean that no man shall take my crown.”

Brother Burns sat down to weep amid deep emotion. The congregation was bathed in tears. All hearts melted. The audience was moved with sensation. The scene was solemn beyond description, and ranks with those never to be forgotten.” (Smith, pp. 156-157.)

At the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 1856, a provision was made for the election and ordination of a Missionary Bishop. Two years later, in January 1858, and after nearly a quarter century of “toiling and suffering on the western coast of Africa,” Burns was chosen for the position and became the first African American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Burns returned to the United States for his ordination, which took place on October 14, 1858 at the session of the Genesee Annual Conference at Perry, New York. The ordination service was conducted by Bishop Janes and Bishop Baker.

After his consecration as Bishop, Burns “gave himself brief repose, but at once sailed for his distant field of labor, where he threw himself again into his loved work with a zeal which knew no abatement, and a heart that never grew cold; he would not spare himself. He had the care of the schools, of the printing press, and of the Churches and ministers; he must be everywhere in the supervision of these interests, and this not for a few weeks, as in the case of a visiting bishop, and then off for home, but this strain was unremitting; the close of the year only introducing another of increasing care as the good work spread.” (Trafton, 387.)

After continuing his work in Liberia for five more years after being appointed Bishop, Burns returned to the United States in 1863 due to poor health. “His long exposure to that terrible climate, the frequent attacks of malarial fever he had suffered, and his herculean labors, had about exhausted a constitution not naturally strong, and he broke down. His physician commanded instant cessation from labor, and a return the States.” (Trafton, p. 387.)

Bishop Francis Burns died on April 18, 1863, only three days after his arrival at Baltimore, Maryland. Funeral services were held at Sharp Street Church in Baltimore, officiated by Rev. Dr. Durbin, with several other ministers offering their own remarks. The service was attended by hundreds of people, including over 70 ministers. At his request, Bishop Burns’ body was returned to Liberia, accompanied by his wife, who planned to return to Africa to make her home. Bishop Francis Burns is buried at Palm Grove Cemetery in Monrovia, Liberia.

Sources

Bangs, Nathan. A History of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Volume 3. New York: G. Lane and C. B. Tippett, 1845.

Clark, Elmer T. An Album of Methodist History. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1952.

Crowell, Seth. The Journal of Seth Crowell; Containing an Account of His Travels as a Methodist Preacher for Twelve Years. New York: J. C. Totten, 1813.

“Francis Burns. History of Windham, And Reminiscences of its People, Past and Present.” Windham Journal. Issues of September 16, 1886 (Part 37); September 23, 1886 (Part 38); September 30, 1886 (Part 39); and October 7, 1886 (Part 40).

“Funeral of Bishop Burns.” Buffalo Christian Advocate (Buffalo, New York). May 7, 1863.

North Settlement Methodist Church. Application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. 1996.

Parks, Rev. Stephen. Troy Conference Miscellany. Albany: J. Lord, 1854.

Powell, William A. Jr. Methodist Circuit-riders in America, 1766-1844. Master’s Theses. 1977.

“Rev. Francis Burns.” The Ladies’ Repository. Volume 19. New York: Carlton & Porter, 1859. pp. 129-132.

Simpson, Matthew. Cyclopaedia of Methodism. Philadelphia: Everts & Stewart. 1878. pp. 147-148.

Smith, William C. “Francis Burns in a Love-Feast.” Sketch Book. New York: Carlton & Porter, 1860. pp. 156-157.

Sprague, William B. Annals of the American Methodist Pulpit. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1873. pp. 349-350.

Trafton, Rev. Mark. “Francis Burns.” In John W. Hamilton, Lives of Methodist Bishops. New York: Phillips & Hunt, 1882. pp. 373-390.

Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel, also known as Union Chapel, is located in the town of Windham in the northern Catskills. The church is situated on the north side of Mill Road at its intersection with Mitchell Hollow Road (County Route 21).

The church was constructed through community donations of labor, lumber and cash as well as the donation of 1/8 acre of land by Edgar Brockett. The church was built in 1897 and dedicated on April 21, 1898, with the dedicatory sermon provided by Reverend Henry M. Dodd. The church remains active in the community today.

As for the Mitchell Hollow name of the church, an article published in 1887 in the Windham Journal talked of the early history of the location.

“Mitchell Hollow was first settled about the year 1760 by a Mitchell family. They built a log house on the flats lying just east of the farm now owned by Frank Finch. These flats were afterward owned by my father, Sylvester Andrus. This was then in the heart of a howling wilderness, abounding with deer, panthers and wolves.

There is very little known of the history of the Mitchell family, from the fact that they either died or scattered before Mitchell Hollow was settled to any considerable extent. . . I remember, when a small boy, of seeing a daughter of the original Mitchell. She was then an old woman. She told me that when she was a little girl, she would help her father boil sap, and on one occasion, when returning from the bush after nightfall, she was compelled to carry a brand of fire to protect herself from the wolves, as they were howling around her in some numbers.

The Mitchells were about the only settlers in Mitchell Hollow until about the beginning of this century [19th], when, about that time, there came in old Deacon Finch with his sons, Elam, Wells, Willis and Clark. His other two sons, Justus and William, I believe were born in the Hollow.” (Andrus, Enos C. “Early History of Mitchell Hollow.” The Windham Journal. Windham, NY. June 11, 1925.)

Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a representative example of late nineteenth century classically inspired ecclesiastic architecture in the community of Windham. The building, albeit simple in plan, is an important surviving example of church architecture constructed to service the year-round population of the upper Catskill region.” The church stands virtually intact from its construction more than a century ago.

St. Francis de Sales Church at Elka Park, New York

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic St. Francis de Sales Church is located in a peaceful setting in the northern Catskills along Platte Clove Road in Greene County, New York. The church is located north of the hamlet of Elka Park and south of the village of Tannersville.

The first St. Francis de Sales Church building at this location was constructed in 1891 through the leadership of Father Hugh O’Neil. Given its proximity, the church was long associated with the Elka Park community, which was established two years prior in 1889. The original members of the Elka Park community were all native-born Germans, many of whom had come to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s. The founders of Elka Park were all members of the Liederkranz Club of New York City, a social club of prominent German Americans. Elka Park was designed as a seasonal resort, with a theme of comfort and recreation among families of like social standing and cultural heritage.

Father O’Neil, the first pastor of the original St. Francis de Sales Church, was born in Dungarvan, County Waterford in Ireland on May 18, 1838, the son of Patrick and Ellen (McSweeney) O’Neil. His father Patrick was a farmer in early life, but later engaged in the bakery business at Dungarvan. Patrick also worked as a spirits merchant and, before the advent of railroads, ran a line of carriages known as post coaches. Patrick was regarded as “a highly respected citizen and an able supporter of the church.” Father O’Neil’s mother Ellen was born in Tipperary in 1796. During the Rebellion of 1798, her family took refuge in the County of Waterford. Hugh was one of eight children.

For his education, Father O’Neil attended a classical school and prepared for college with private tutors, and in 1858 attended All Hallows College in Dublin, where he graduated in 1860. His theological studies were completed at Waterford and at St. Mary’s College at Oscott, England. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church on February 9, 1867. After 15 years of service in England at several different parishes, Father O’Neil came to the United States in 1882.

After several assignments at Philadelphia and at Indianapolis, in 1887 Father O’Neil came to St. Mary’s Church at Hunter, New York in the northern Catskills. He replaced Father Patrick H. Delehanty (1852-1888), who had served St. Mary’s Church from the spring of 1883 until September 1887.

Father O’Neil’s obligations at Hunter, New York included “the arduous duties of a widely distributed district, which included villages and settlements within a radius of fifty miles.” His duties “were zealously and energetically performed by him for five years, or until his circuit was divided, since which time the concentration of his labors has enabled him to accomplish results far more visible in their effects. Besides effecting the enlargement and improvement of St. Mary’s Church, he erected St. Franis de Sales Church in Platerkill [Elka Park] in 1891. At both these churches he officiates the year round, celebrating two masses each Sunday during the summer season, besides holding week-day services whenever occasion demands.” For a time, he conducted regular services at the Hotel Kaaterskill during the tourist season, “but these he was obliged to relinquish on account of his increasing labors elsewhere.”

Father O’Neil was well regarded in the community. “He has earnestly endeavored to promote the spiritual welfare of his widely-scattered flock, and the zeal he displays in conducting the affairs of his pastorate has gained for him the good will of the entire community. He organized the Sacred Heart and Rosary societies, and he takes a lively interest in the work of the town improvement society, of which he is a member. At the earnest request of the people of Lexington he aided in securing the erection of a church in that village; and he has also repaired St. Henry’s Church, located between Ashland and Prattsville.” (Biographical Review: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Schoharie, Schenectady and Greene Counties, New York. pp. 192-193.)

In November 1900 Father O’Neil retired from parish work due to failing eyesight and a complication of diseases. Upon retiring, Father O’Neil left the United States to return to his home country of Ireland. He died less than a year later in September 1901 at his birthplace of Dungarvan, County Waterford in Ireland. Upon his passing it was written that Father O’Neil “was well known in this city [Troy], where he had many friends. He was especially popular in Troy and Hunter, and his death will be lamented generally by the people in both places.” (The Argus. September 13, 1901.)

In time, the first St. Francis de Sales Church, once described as “a little shed-like church building,” outlived its usefulness, and it was decided to construct a new church in order to accommodate the growing congregation. Money for the construction of the church was provided by Francis H. Lewis, supplemented by money raised by the congregation. The design of the church was based on Father Keefe’s remembrances of a church he had seen in France. The old church building was moved across the road, where it was used for several years as a parochial school for the parish.

The new St. Francis de Sales Church was dedicated on May 20, 1913 by Bishop Thomas Burke of Albany. Upon the church’s dedication, the building was described as “a very pretty frame edifice and will afford ample accommodation for all the Catholics of that district having a seating capacity of 400.”

The church was built under the leadership of Father William E. Keefe, who served at the Immaculate Conception Church at Haines Falls. Father Keefe’s “territory in the mountains was extensive owing to the fact of it being a popular vacationing section, and comprised all of Greene County on top of the Catskill Mountains. It covered three townships and included many small villages and hamlets. During the summer three priests have worked under Father Keefe in that section. All the well known mountain parks, including Onteora, Elka, Twilight, Sunset and Santa Cruz are within the territory which was comprised in his working section. These parks are private reserves and enclose the summer homes of many wealthy New York, Philadelphia and Washington people.” (The Columbian Republican. June 27, 1916.)

Father Keefe was born in Cohoes, New York on August 24, 1870. He was educated in the public schools of Cohoes, the old Christian Brother Academy and at Niagara University. He was prepared for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary at Troy, New York. He was ordained into the priesthood on September 19, 1896 at the chapel of the Sacred Heart Convent at Kenwood, New York. After ordination he was sent to Catholic University at Washington D. C. for post-graduate studies, where he remained until June 1897.

Father Keefe was next assigned to a summer mission at Lexington in the Catskills, where he remained until September, 1897. He was then appointed chaplain for the Christian Brothers, who then had a novitiate at the Old Troy Seminary in Troy, New York. Later he was made assistant pastor of St. Bernard’s Church at Cohoes, and remained there for six years. He was then appointed pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church at Haines Falls. In 1916 he was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s Church at Hudson, New York, where he remained for 24 years until his passing in 1940. Father Keefe is buried at Saint Agnes Cemetery at Menands, New York.

St. Francis de Sales Church is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The mission church falls under the auspices of the Sacred Heart-Immaculate Conception Parish that includes the communities of Palenville, Haines Falls, Tannersville, Elka Park, East Jewett, Hunter and Lexington. Adjacent to the church is the St. Francis de Sales Cemetery, which contains over 1,100 grave sites.

In addition to the St. Francis de Sales Church at Elka Park, there were two other nearby churches of the same name in the hamlets of Phoenicia and at Lexington. The church building at Lexington no longer serves its original religious purpose, as it is now the home to the Lexington Historical Society.

St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is a recognized saint in the Roman Catholic faith. He served as the Bishop of Geneva and authored in 1609 the highly influential Introduction to the Devout Life. He was canonized in 1665 and was further honored in 1877 with the title of Doctor of the Church, a title bestowed on those who have advanced the Catholic Church’s knowledge of faith through their research, study and writing. His feast day is celebrated on January 24. He has been honored as the patron saint of Catholic writers, Catholic journalists and the deaf.

Murder at the Stone Arch Bridge

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake in Sullivan County, New York is locally famous for its role in one of the most prominent murder cases in Catskills history. The dramatic story involves supposed witchcraft, a hex that lasted for over 20 years, a gruesome murder, mental insanity and a lasting legacy of family tragedy and suicide.

The story begins with George Markert, a local farmer, who had eaten supper with his family on the evening of Tuesday, January 19, 1892, and after went to the nearby Halfway House establishment of Philip Hembdt. The Halfway House, “a respectable roadside inn,” was located about one-half mile from Markert’s home along the main road. Markert arrived at the Halfway House between 6 and 7 p.m., remaining for several hours while having a few glasses of beer with his neighbors and friends. Markert left the hotel around 10 or 11 in the evening. Markert headed in the direction of his home, while the others headed to their own homes in different directions.

On his return home, Markert was viciously murdered as he crossed over the Stone Arch Bridge. He was shot five times in the back and side of his head and beaten with a heavy walking stick, resulting in several severe scalp wounds and a badly fractured skull. At least one of the pistol shots was from close range, as blackened powder marks were found around one of the wounds. The body was then dumped over the side of the stone bridge into the cold creek below, a drop of approximately 27 feet.

Markert’s house was located about 125 yards from the stone bridge. Markert was living with his second wife and her grandson named John Sanders, but was better known as Johnny Markert. In physical appearance, George Markert was described as 5 foot, 9 inches in height and weighed about 165 pounds. Markert was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States in the 1860s. When he was about 20 years old, he worked in a tannery near Turners. Later he worked for Gideon Wales at Pike Pond, now Kenoza Lake, and while there married Caroline Heidt, the sister of Adam Heidt. After Caroline had died at Rockville, Connecticut, Markert married Katherine Zehner, circa October 1884. She was a widow with three children.

Markert eventually saved enough money to purchase a small farm in Kenoza Lake near the Halfway House of Philip Hembdt. His farm was only 15 acres, most of which “was just a niche chopped out of a larger one.” One newspaper article referred to Markert as “probably the poorest man in the community.” Given the relatively small size of the farm, Markert also worked as a laborer for other farms in the area as a means of earning extra money.

Markert was regarded as “honest and respected by nearly all his neighbors.” He was also described as “an inoffensive man. Like the rest of the Germans, who make up the population of that vicinity, he enjoyed a glass of beer, and minded his own business.” (Port Jervis Daily Union. January 25, 1892.) Another report noted that Markert “was an honest, good-hearted man, and no enemies, except the Heidts.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

The well-attended funeral of George Markert took place at the Halfway House in Kenoza Lake five days after his murder at one o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, January 24, 1892. He was survived by his second wife; three daughters, Mrs. A. Gerlich and Mrs. Wohlebe of Rockville, Connecticut; and Mary Markert of Kenoza Lake; by four step-children, and a little grandson who was living with him. George Markert is buried at the Kenoza Lake Cemetery in Kenoza Lake, New York.

George Markert

The Murder Scene

The murder scene was discovered about nine o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, January 20, the day after the murder. Mrs. Markert, realizing that her husband had not come home the night prior, had instructed their grandson Johnny to go to the Halfway House to inquire of Philip Hembdt as to his whereabouts. Along the way to the Halfway House, Johnny came upon neighbors John N. Kohler, who was a farmer and mail carrier, and Casper VonBerger, both of whom were on their way to cut fuel in the woods.

The three of them, coming upon the bridge, at the scene of the crime, found large blood stains in the newly fallen snow and tracks were found where the body was dragged and thrown over the side of the bridge. A shattered chair leg, an open jack-knife and a blood-soaked folding cap, all belonging to Markert, were found. The chair leg, about three feet in length, was frequently used by Markert as a walking stick. The walking stick was instantly recognized by Johnny for he had found it the summer before and gifted it to Markert. Footprints were found in the snow that were made by a size 11 rubber boot or shoe, which were later found to match those of the suspected murderer. An imprint of a right knee was found near an imprint of a head, and both spots were saturated with blood.

At the scene of the crime, and given the well-known animosity that Adam Heidt had for Markert, Mr. Kohler exclaimed, “Well, if Markert is dead, Heidt killed him.” Mr. Kohler instructed Johnny to go back to the house to tell his mother what they found. Johnny, upon arriving at his house, said to his mom that “Pa is murdered and thrown over the bridge.” Philip Hembdt arrived quickly and was one of the first people to investigate the scene of the murder.

After the initial evidence of the murder was discovered, a group of approximately 80 people was organized, and they began to thoroughly search the Callicoon Creek for the body. They poled boats up and down the river, raking the soft, underflowing ice. Other parties walked along the banks of the creek with hooks, poles, grapnels and rakes. For over 48 hours on Wednesday, January 20, and Thursday, January 21, the search continued without success.

On Friday, January 22, at around 11:30am, Charlie Heidt, the local constable, who was in a boat with Henry Wagner, noticed something in the water that looked like a coat. It was at a point in the river opposite Joseph Welch’s house. Charlie hooked the unknown object that had been snagged under three feet of water. Upon realizing that it was the body of George Markert, Charlie pulled the stiff body, which was covered with soft ice, to the surface. The body was found about a half-mile downstream from the stone arch bridge. Markert’s body was dragged to the shore, placed on a sled and then taken to the Halfway House, where it was examined by Coroner John Dycker, of Callicoon Depot and Dr. Simeon Kemp, a practicing physician and surgeon of Callicoon Depot for the prior 25 years, and assisted by Dr. Brand, of Jeffersonville.

The autopsy revealed “eight lacerations of the scalp as though made by some blunt instrument like a club; also five pistol-shot wounds. After a crucial incision of the scalp an extravasation of blood was found and a fracture of the skull eight inches in length extending from the frontal bone across the parietal bone to the occipital bone in an oblique direction. The first shot wound was four inches behind left ear, bullet imbedded in the lower part of the occipital bone; second shot wound two inches behind left ear, bullet penetrating occipital bone to the dura mater; third shot wound just below the second, bullet glanced off the skull and found imbedded in the muscles of the neck fourth bullet glanced off skull and lodged under the muscles of the neck at back; fifth shot wound passing through the angle of left lower jaw, bullet found in the sphenoidal bone; all the bullets were found.” (Sullivan County Record. January 29, 1892.)

There was also “a black-and-blue welt across the knuckles of one hand as though received in warding off a blow from a heavy stick.” (Middletown Daily Press. January 26, 1892.) Robbery was determined to not be the motive, as the little money that Markert had in his pockets was undisturbed. It was also felt that “nobody would have committed the deed for money, as the man was poor.” (Republican Watchman. January 29, 1892.)

Suspects

Adam Heidt and his son Joseph, the brother-in-law and nephew of Markert, respectively, were both quickly suspected of having committed the crime, for they had not been on good terms with Markert and had long wished him dead. The suspected motive for the murder was that both the Heidts believed Markert was a “hexenmeister,” or sorcerer, who possessed supernatural powers, and that he practiced the “black art” of witchcraft. The Heidts believed that Markert was a “principal midnight visitor to the “hexenkanzel,” or witch pulpit, a spot in the neighborhood where the adepts in the black art were said to meet to say their incantations against those whom they sought to harm or destroy.” Both Adam and Joseph believed that Markert had placed a hex on Adam Heidt and his family which had led to personal illness, prevented their cows from giving cream, the death of several their cattle, the death of a horse, killed their crops and frustrated business plans. The Heidts also believed that Markert’s hex had led to the death of several family members.

Adam Heidt

Joseph Heidt

Adam Heidt believed the hex began about 22 years before the murder, around 1870, when Markert patted him on the back three times and said, “You are a good brother-in-law, a good brother-in-law, a right good brother-in-law.” This supposed hex took place at the Halfway House, then owned and operated by the Bietz family. Heidt claimed “from that time on I was ailing, more or less all the time; I didn’t know and no doctor could tell what ailed me; medicine done me no good. My trouble never hindered me from work, but I was always ailing.”

Heidt complained of headaches, face pain and stomach issues, all ailments for which medicine did no good. In 1879, Adam went to Dr. Bennitt, who told him that he was healthy, “and he could not tell me what made me ailing. He gave me medicine which did me no good, but made me much worse. I took half of it and stopped. Another year, I went to Dr. Kemp. His medicine did me no good, but hurt me. I lived then in the Beech Wood. I had pains all over. Nothing would cure or help them, and my stomach beat like my heart. Gradually I grew worse, and in March, twelve years ago [1880], I went to Jefferson to see Dr. Wolfreen. He gave me medicine, and said he knew what ailed me. At first, I thought it did me good, but after taking a bottle of it I got down sick. Markert then lived in the Gannpler place. Dr. Wolfreen came to my house and was surprised to see how bad I was. It was reported around then that I would die – starve to death. I had pains like filling teeth. All at once I got better.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Heidt then claimed that his health improved greatly during the several years that Markert had lived in Connecticut, but that the pains had started again as soon as Markert returned. At an early inquest in to the murder in late January, 1892, Adam Heidt talked openly about his beliefs that Markert had cursed him, his resulting ailments and the steps he took to cure himself.

“I first saw him at our house, and there we shook hands. After that I had worse pains than I ever had before. They were in my head and legs and in my side. If I bought patent medicine the first bottle did me good, but the next made me worst than I had been. Then I let go of that and took the pills, with no better luck. Markert visited me two or three times a year till a year ago last spring. A year ago last spring he came to my house and we shook hands, and I took him in the cellar and treated him to cider. I got at once strange feelings in my eyes. We went upstairs and sat down, he opposite me. He stroked his whiskers.

He stroked his whiskers and twisted his hand at the end of each stroke as if he was throwing something from them at me. He saw that I noticed it and stopped. When I turned my head, he did the same thing again. I went and looked in the glass. My face was yellow, with a blue rim around my eyes. He then went home. I told my wife to look at my face, and that Markert was a witch and had cast a spell upon me. She told me she couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing because he talked so much religion. I told her I thought he had done it.

The next Sunday he came again and did the same thing. Again, my face turned yellow and blue and I had pains all over. Then he came the third Sunday and I wasn’t home. I had been to church in the morning and had walked to Jeffersonville. At just the time Markert called at the house and stroked his beard the thing came upon me in Jeffersonville, and when I got home, I said to my wife that Markert had been here. She asked my why, and I told her. She didn’t believe it. From that time, I had pain three days in the week, Friday Saturday, and Sunday, until in July, when he came to my place again and asked me how I was. I asked how a man who was sick all the time would be. He came the next Sunday and wanted a satisfaction piece on the judgment. I have it to him. From that time my trouble changed, and the pains would begin any day in the week and last three successive days. It was in my eyes and brain, and when it went off I had a peculiar feeling in my breast.

The last time Markert came to my house was in December, 1890. A month later he wanted me to file a saw for him. I wouldn’t do it, for to look at it gave me pain. I went to Dr. Hazie after that. He prescribed vapor baths. I took the baths, and then he prescribed medicine. I took it, and it made me a great deal worse. I had pains in my face every day and all the time. Then I went to a hospital [St. Francis Hospital in New York.] I was there two weeks and got no relief. They gave me medicine three times daily, which I couldn’t take, and they said they didn’t know what ailed me. The professor examined my and found me sound, but he shook his head afraid like, and seemed glad when I went away.

I couldn’t eat or sleep then. I came out of the hospital then and I had a conversation with a woman. She asked my why I went to the hospital. I told her it was to get relief from my troubles. She said medicine would not help me. She said I should not shake hands with any man. She wrote something for me on a piece of paper. She said I should not look at it, but I should carry it all the time and that if I did, I would get better. I saw her again six weeks later, in March, 1891. Before I saw her, I got pains in my stomach. After the second visit the pain left my stomach and went to my limbs.

After seeing Mrs. Stein the second time I came back home, and then I went to see Markert. We were alone. I told him he was the man who had patted me on the shoulder and said, “You are a good, a right good brother-in law,” and I tried to make him take the words back, but he only laughed. At that time, I had a feeling in my legs as if ants were crawling up and down This continued until November, 1891.

Then I went to see my brother in Bradford, Pennsylvania. I stayed there five weeks, and he took me to see the travelling Dr. Clark in Towanda. That doctor gave me two glass bulbs, with a glass tube connecting, and told me to hold them in my hands. The liquid in one was forced over to the other. He told me this indicated heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and some other diseases. He was going to fix medicines, but I said I didn’t want any. I did not tell him I was bewitched.

I left Bradford and went to Pittsburgh, and saw Father Mollinger. He gave me a blessing, and said that I needed no medicine. I did not tell him what ailed me. I expected the blessing would me off. It didn’t. I was there eight days, and I came directly home to Callicoon. I walked from Callicoon depot, and under the railroad bridge I found a revolver and a box of cartridges. I brought it home. The next morning, I wrapped it up in rags and hid it away in the haymow. I did not tell anyone I had found it. The last time I saw Markert alive was the night of the first Saturday in January. I was down by his house, and saw him through a window at his table.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Mrs. Stein, the witch Adam visited at Eighty-fifth Street in New York, offered advice on how to break the spell. She said that Adam must get Markert’s hat and boil it, and then he must with his own hand take the brain from the skull of a dead man and boil it.

At one point during his afflictions, perhaps following Mrs. Stein’s instructions, Adam hoped to acquire a hat from Markert, in the belief that if he got one it would relieve him of Markert’s witchery. Johnny Markert testified at an early inquest that Joseph had approached him one day as Johnny came out of a store in Kenoza Lake one day and asked if his father George had an old hat at home, and that Joseph had offered to pay Johnny a quarter if he would bring the hat to the second hill in the woods the next night. Joseph had stated that he wanted it for the Swiss Hill concert that was going to take place in the schoolhouse. Johnny agreed, but after he went home and told his mother, she said he could wait a long time till he got the hat. No one from the Heidt family ever mentioned the hat again to Johnny.

When Markert’s body was found, two letters written from Adam Heidt to Markert were discovered in his coat pocket. One letter contained the warning that if Markert was caught on the Heidt property again he would be killed. The second letter stated that if Markert did not stop “moonshining” the family, he would be killed anyway.

One letter written by Adam Heidt to George Markert, dated March 19, 1891, stated “You seeming friend and sly enemy. Nothing done so fine but what it will appear in the daytime. God had opened my eyes. You should take your witchcraft back. You know I have a judgment against you. You came to me on a Sunday and got a receipt. If you do not take the torture back, I will sell the judgment and pay the doctor bill which you have caused. You came to my house and stroked your beard. I was sick all the time. I forbid you my house and my barn, my flesh and blood. In the name of God. A Heidt.” (Middletown Daily Press. August 19, 1892.)

Two years before his murder, when Markert received several threatening letters from Adam Heidt, he went to Judge Potts and showed the letters to him. Mr. Potts advised Markert to prosecute Heidt, but he never did it, as he felt kindly towards Heidt based on their relationship and family connection.

In the fall of 1891, only months prior to Markert’s murder, Adam Heidt had visited Conrad Metzger, a friend, to request to borrow $10 to go to the city of New York in the hopes of getting cured. While in New York Adam visited a clairvoyant who, when he entered the room, told him that “some one has put a spell on you.” When Adam saw Conrad again that fall, he talked of being bewitched. Conrad questioned him, saying “You don’t believe in it?” But Adam did seem to believe in it, but “did not express any angry feeling, but I [Conrad] noticed his manner was angry.” (Middletown Times-Press. August 19, 1892.)

In deliberating on the hex placed by Markert, Adam thought of the many tragedies that had afflicted the Heidt family in the years before the murder. In 1874, Nicholas Heidt, Adam’s brother, died from his injuries after being hit by a train of the Erie Railroad. Nicholas was working as brakeman for the railroad and had been coupling railroad cars at Lackawaxen. Adam claimed that Markert had possessed Nicholas to go on the track in front of the train and be killed.

On July 11, 1882, Anton Ulrich, Barbara Heidt’s father and Adam Heidt’s father-in-law, died instantly after falling from a wagon, striking his head and fracturing the bones of his neck. A team of horses were pulling a wagon full of a load of hay, and the horsed became frightened and started to run. Within a short distance Anton was thrown from the wagon to his death. This too was blamed on Markert.

In 1887, Ursula Ulrich, Barbara Heidt’s mother, was brutally murdered by a drunken ex-sailor named Abel John Allen, more commonly known as ‘Sailor Jack’. Allen shot Ulrich with a shot gun and then stabbed her in several places. Her house “bore every evidence of having been ransacked for plunder.” Allen was convicted of murder and would become the last man ever hanged in Sullivan County, New York. Heidt blamed the tragic event on Markert. It was believed that Jack Allen was no witch, but that he must have been possessed by one.

It was rumored that there were probably 20 people, in addition to Adam, in the Kenoza Lake community of 200 people that believed in witchcraft. “When a neighbor’s barn burns, they say that he has incurred the anger of the witches. When a neighbor’s child falls sick, they resort to mysterious devices and incantations to get it out of the power of the witch. They cut out of the mud the footprints of the suspected one and roast them and break them up and strew the ashes to the four winds. They put chalk marks on the doors to keep the evil spirits away, and carry charms about their necks. They hang stove pokers up for protection, and do many other strange things that have been handed down as means of preventing evil.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

In the days following the murder, and upon several searches of the Heidt home, a number of pieces of incriminating evidence were found, including a blood-soaked .38-caliber revolver which had recently been fired, a .32 caliber pistol, a bloody handkerchief in a closet and an overcoat with blood spots. Bullets from the revolver matched those found in the head of George Markert. Joseph had two scratches on the back of his left hand. On Joseph’s undergarments, blood stains were found on the right knee. A pair of felt boots, belonging to Joseph, had rubber bottoms on them, the tracks of which matched the footprints in the snow at the scene of the murder.

At the inquest held in the weeks following the murder, Adam claimed that he knew nothing of the murder and that the first he heard of it was when the officers came to his house the following day. Adam also stated that he did not feel relieved of his troubles when he heard of Markert’s death, or at any time thereafter. The lawyers and the jury at the inquest specifically asked Adam “Are you better than before Markert was killed?” Markert responded, “Not a bit. There is pain in me now. I saw Markert dead, and saw Dr. Kemp extract the bullets from his head. The sight of him dead gave me no relief.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Adam Heidt was a 42-year-old farmer who lived at a place called Swiss Hill, which was south of Jeffersonville, about one-half mile from the Halfway House, and about one mile from Markert’s home. He was four years old in 1853 when he immigrated with his family to the United States from Germany. In 1869, Adam married Barbara Ulrich, the son of Anton and Ursula Urich. Barbara was described as being “possessed of considerably more sense than her husband.” At the time of the murder he was married, with a family of three sons and two daughters. The children included Joseph, 22 years old; John, 18 years old; Rosie, 14 years old; Anthony, 12 years old; and Mary, 3 years old. Adam was commonly known as “old man Heidt,” even though he was only 42 years old.

Heidt’s farm covered 133 acres, most of which was cultivated. His farm was one of the largest in the community, his stock was considered among the best and “their place is finely kept up.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.) In physical appearance, Adam was of medium height and weighed about 165 pounds.

Adam was described very differently in the press, depending on the account. One article described Adam as “a hard-working man, and though considered honest, he is said to harbor a very keen desire for gain; and to gratify this desire he has on different occasions endeavored to influence the division of legacies of relatives. He is Roman Catholic.” On the contrary, an article in the New York Times stated that Adam “has been long known in the community as of a low order of intellect and extremely ignorant and superstitious.” (New York Times. January 28, 1892.) Another article reported that Heidt “is somewhat demented, but has been known for many years as a quiet, peaceable citizen by his neighbors.” (Port Jervis Daily Union. January 21, 1892.)

Joseph Heidt, Adam’s son, was 22 years old at the time of the murder. He had lived with his family on Swiss Hill at Kenoza Lake for 13 years. He had two brothers and two sisters, of whom he was the oldest. He was educated until he was 16 years old, attending school at Buckwoods, Kenoza Lake and Swiss Hill. He attended school during the winter and worked on the home farm during the summer. He regularly attended the Catholic Church at Jeffersonville. In physical appearance, Joseph was about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed about 190 pounds. Prior to being suspected in Markert’s murder, Joseph was regarded as “having a good reputation. He has had no quarrels with anyone, and was universally regarded as a good citizen.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

John Heidt, Adam’s son and Joseph’s brother, was also initially suspected of having been involved in the murder. At the time, John, 18 years of age, and described as “a pimple-faced, nervous youth,” was working as a school teacher at Birch settlement. In physical appearance he was of short stature and weighed about 140 pounds. He provided a solid alibi and was released.

Although John was not implicated in the crime, John was thought to know something about it. On the evening following the murder, he had made a memorandum titled “Testimony,” written with pencil on paper, of the time he came home from school Tuesday evening and of his movements from then on. He would later testify at trial that Joseph had returned home the night of the murder at a late hour, approximately between twelve and two in the morning.

The day after the murder, and while attending to his teaching duties, John “suddenly and to the amazement of his scholars, broke down weeping violently. A scholar asked him what was the matter, and he said he was worried because he didn’t know what was going on at home.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

Grand Jury

In February 1892 a Grand Jury was convened at Monticello, New York to determine whether the case against Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt should proceed to trial. District Attorney Melvin Couch presented the case to the Grand Jury and an indictment was secured.

The trial was originally scheduled to take place in May 1892 at the Oyer and Terminer court at Monticello. However, the trial was delayed until August as neither the prosecution nor the defense was ready to proceed by May. In July 1892 a special term of the Supreme Court at Monticello was scheduled for August, specifically for the trial of Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt.

While awaiting trial both Adam and Joseph “seem to be very much cast down. The elder is especially lachrymose and melancholy and has frequent fits of weeping. Neither shows any disposition to talk, evidently preferring to be left alone.” (Middletown Daily Press. February 13, 1892.)

Trial of Joseph Heidt

The trials of Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt were held separately in August 1892, seven months after the murder. District Attorney Melvin Couch opted to try Joseph first, and his trial began on Tuesday, August 16, 1892. Joseph was defended by lawyer George McLaughlin, of Monticello. The trial was overseen by Judge Edgar L. Fursman (1838-1910), of Troy, New York. John E. Kelly served as court stenographer.

Judge Edgar L. Fursman

For his defense, Joseph was well represented by his lawyer George McLaughlin (1841-1920), who was highly respected in the legal field. McLaughlin attended Alleghany College, at Alleghany Pennsylvania, and upon graduation was admitted to the bar in Ohio. In 1868, due to failing health, McLaughlin moved from Ohio to Sullivan County, New York to work for his uncle. He came to Monticello in 1872 and opened his own law practice. He remained in Monticello for 26 years until 1898, when he moved to Albany, New York upon being appointed secretary of the State Prison Commission.

The prosecution was also well represented by District Attorney Melvin Couch (1848-1913), “a very capable and astute lawyer.” Couch was born at Glen Wild, New York and was educated in the common schools followed by the Monticello Academy. After having gone west to teach for a few years, he returned east to study law, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. He began practicing law in Liberty, but after one year he moved to Monticello to open a law office. He continued to practice at Monticello for the remainder of his life. Upon his passing in 1913 it was written that “he was a man of rare genius” and that “there never was in the village and probably never will be again such a type of man.” (Sullivan County Republican. December 26, 1913.)

District Attorney Melvin Couch

Upon being escorted into the courtroom by officers of the law for his trial at 10am on the morning of August 16, Joseph was “sprucely dressed in black clothes, and wore linen of immaculate whiteness.” He “presented a downcast appearance,” but was “cleanly shaved and neatly dressed.” Joseph “sat with his legs crossed and his right hand shading his eyes. Through the whole day he did not for one moment allow his eyes to be seen but once, and that was when the jurors were being sworn and he was required to stand up.” (Middletown Times-Press. August 17, 1892.) At times during the trial, Joseph had “spells of weeping.”

The case began with jury selection. The 12 jurors selected for the trial represented a cross-section of Sullivan County citizens. They included William C. Allan, sash and blind maker, Monticello; Mr. Hornbeck, ex-school commissioner, now farmer, Neversink; Joel C. Blackman, farmer, Liberty; Charles Hall, farmer, Neversink; Gilbert DuBois, merchant, Livingston Manor; William T. Daved, farmer, Phillipsport; Richard Gray, miller and farmer, Parksville; Charles Atwell, farmer, Fallsburgh; John W. Curry, farmer, Neversink; Riley Grant, farmer, Liberty; Manasseh Ingraham, farmer, Neversink; A. E. Rudolph, harness maker and bowling alley proprietor, Monticello. Manasseh Ingraham was chosen as jury foreman.

With the jury selected, the trial began at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on August 16. Catherine Markert, George’s widow, was the first witness, and testified that she thought she heard footsteps around the house on the night of the murder, but did not hear the shots from the revolver. She was followed by her grandson Johnny Markert, who testified that his mother had sent him to find his father, had met Mr. Kohler and they found evidence of the killing. John Kohler testified about finding the scene of the crime on the morning after the murder. Philip Hembdt, owner of the Halfway House, testified about the timing of Markert’s visit to the Halfway House on the night of the murder. Charles Heidt testified about finding the body of George Markert in the Callicoon Creek. William Schott, constable for the town of Delaware, testified about searching the Heidt home and finding several pieces of incriminating evidence. Conrad Metzger testified to the sale of rubber over-shoes to Joseph and that Joseph “has always had the best reputation in our town.”

At 9am on Wednesday, August 17, 1892, Dr. Simeon Kemp continued his testimony from the prior evening, describing his autopsy of the body of George Markert. Dr. Kemp presented photographs of Markert’s skull where the abrasions occurred. The photographs were shown to the jury. William Wilson, a member of the searching party, testified on finding a bloody overcoat at the Heidt home. Wirt Moulthrop testified about seeing Joseph at Kenoza Lake at 8:30 in the evening on the night of the murder and testified as to Joseph’s good character. John Bosley, a constable in the town of Delaware, testified about the Heidts belief that Markert had bewitched them. Oliver Hofer, Justice of the Peace for the town of Callicoon, testified about the crime scene, the autopsy and the search of the Heidt home. He presented a diagram of the murder scene that he had made as evidence.

Curtis Alley, a hotel owner at Kenoza Lake, testified that Joseph had left his house around 9:15pm on the night of the murder and that Joseph didn’t drink anything while there. John Heidt, Joseph’s brother, testified about the time that Joseph had returned home on the night of the murder. Judge Thornton, of Monticello, testified of the confession given by Joseph when the Judge had visited Joseph in jail in May 1892. Smith Benedict, a blacksmith at Kenoza Lake, testified to having seen Joseph on the night of the murder, as Joseph had inquired about shoeing his horses the next day.

After the prosecution rested, Joseph’s lawyer, George McLauglin, opened the case for the defense by summarizing “the history of this [Heidt] family, and of the character, standing and habits of Joseph Heidt; his peaceable character, his industrious habits; that he was a young man living there at the home farm, temperate, honest and hardworking.” (Sullivan County Record. August 26, 1892.) McLaughlin stated that it would be shown that the killing was committed in self-defense.

Joseph then took the stand to present his version of the story, his testimony being “given in a voice hardly audible even to the persons nearest to him.” (Republican Watchman. August 19, 1892.) For his actions, Joseph had already confessed to having committed the crime, but claimed that he had acted in self-defense. The story presented at Joseph’s trial was that he believed that Markert had placed a curse on his father, and that he wished to help his father in having Markert remove the curse. On the night of January 19, Joseph went to Markert’s house to talk to him, looked in the windows, but did not see him. Joseph assumed that Markert was at the Halfway House, and went to wait for Markert at the stone arch bridge. When Markert arrived, Joseph asked “Uncle, won’t you please take that spell from father?” Markert responded by saying “I didn’t put any spell on him and cannot take it off.”

Joseph asked again, “Dear Uncle, won’t you please take off the spell.” Markert again responded that he could not. Joseph became angry and threatened to have his uncle arrested, at which Markert became enraged, clinched Joseph and hit him. Markert then took out his jack-knife, at which point, Joseph believed that Markert was going to kill him. Joseph tried to escape, but slipped and fell to the ground, grabbing hold of Markert as he fell. Joseph drew his revolver and fired, with the first shot killing Markert. Joseph did not recollect having fired five times, did not recollect having beaten him with the club, but did recollect throwing him into the creek. Markert’s knife was found at the bridge the day after his death. Joseph testified that he was alone when he killed Markert, and that his father Adam had nothing to do with it. He also testified that the cuts on his hand were from Markert’s knife.

Joseph then testified that after killing Markert, he went home, and that he “was afraid to tell of the deed for fear of being lynched; after I was arrested and put in jail, I concluded to tell all.” He spoke of having serious headaches for several days after the murder.

McLaughlin began closing arguments for the defense at 1:40pm, going “over the evidence from beginning to end and dwelt strongly upon the former irreproachable character of the defendant. In his plea, which was a strong one, he stated that Heidt was purely a simple, misled boy.” His summation lasted for approximately 1 1/2 hours, concluding at 3:10pm. District Attorney then closed with his version of the case over 30 minutes. The judge then began his charge to the jury. At 4:20pm, the jury retired for deliberations, and were escorted by constable John Masten.

The jury deliberations in Joseph’s case took approximately three hours and twenty minutes, with four ballots taking place. The first three ballots were nine to three in favor of a guilty verdict, and on the fourth ballot the vote was unanimous. The jury did not believe Joseph’s story of self-defense and he was found guilty of second-degree murder.

At 7:40pm the bell in the court house rang out, which proclaimed that the jury’s decision had been reached. Crowds quickly assembled until the court room was filled to overflowing. Judge Thornton, the acting county clerk, addressed the jury, saying “Gentlemen of the jury, look upon the prisoner, prisoner look upon the jury; how find you this man, guilty or not guilty?” Manasseh Ingraham, the jury foreman, rose and stated that they had agreed on a verdict of murder in the second degree.

With the reading of the verdict, the crowds responded with “a ripple of applause.” Surprisingly, Joseph “manifested his delight by a brightening of the face, such as had not been observed during the trial.” The judge complimented the jury on their verdict and stated that they had performed their duty with fidelity and intelligence. The judge announced that Joseph would be sentenced at the close of the court term, which was two days later.

On August 19, 1892, the judge sentenced Joseph Heidt, saying “the sentence which the law imposes for the crime, for which are justly found guilty is fixed, and there is no discretion in the court to modify it in any degree. I am not disposed to add to your grief or misery, or to the grief and misery of your friends, by saying anything in particular to you concerning what you have done, and certainly it would be vain to make any suggestions as to your future life because that is determined. If, however, in the progress of time you should through executive mercy be set free, it is to be hoped that the experience you have already undergone, and the still more terrible experience which you must for many years hereafter continue to undergo, will serve to induce you, from that time on to lead an orderly, peaceable and quiet life, and however much you may be excited with the outward circumstances, to stay your hand from all manner of violence. The sentence of the court in your case is, that you be confined at hard labor in the state prison at Dannemora for the term of your natural life.”

After the court adjourned at the conclusion of the trial, several newspaper reporters visited the jail cell of Joseph Heidt. They reported that Joseph talked freely of his crime and that he expressed his joy at the thought of his father returning home a free and innocent man. Joseph noted that he weighed 189 pounds when he was taken to prison, but now only weighed about 140 or 150 pounds. He put on a vest which he said fit tightly when he came to prison, but there was now nearly enough room in it for another good-sized person. Joseph noted that his weight loss was not due to any mistreatment in prison as Sheriff Beecher had treated him fairly.

On Monday, August 22, 1892, Sherriff Beecher escorted Joseph Heidt to Dannemora Prison, then also known as Clinton Prison. They traveled by way of the O. & W. from Fallsburgh to Middletown, where they boarded the Erie Railroad train. It was the first time that Joseph had been on a railroad car even though he lived within 10 miles of the Erie Railroad all his life. The prison physician examined Joseph upon his arrival, and thought an asylum would be a better place for him as he thought Joseph was insane. Sherriff Beecher returned to Sullivan County on Wednesday morning, August 24.

Sherriff Beecher

The judge’s words at the time of sentencing seem prophetic for, despite the life sentence, Joseph was released from prison after having served about 20 years. While serving his time, Joseph had been “regarded by the prison authorities as a model convict, one who never makes any trouble.” After his release on parole, Joseph was employed on a farm near Malone, New York, “where he has proved an exemplary hand.” He was described as having “developed into an honest, hard working man, much respected by the people who know him.”

Joseph was pardoned in 1914 with the rationale that he “was the unfortunate victim of superstition, drilled into him by his father, who instigated the crime.” (Sullivan County Record. September 3, 1914.) He worked at the Malone Bronze Powder Works in Malone for 16 years in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1925 he married Emma Martin (1895-1963), with whom he had one daughter.

In 1939 Joseph Heidt committed suicide by hanging himself in the garage at his home. His body was found suspended from a cross beam by a clothesline rope. Funeral services were held at Notre Dame Church. Joseph Heidt is buried at Saint Francis of Assisi Cemetery in Constable, New York.

Trial of Adam Heidt

The trial of Adam Heidt began at 10am on Thursday, August 18, 1892 at the Court House in Monticello, New York. Upon entering the courtroom, Adam “looked unconcerned at first, although very pale.” (Sullivan County Record. August 26, 1892.)

From an original panel of 60 potential jurors, the 12 jurors selected for the trial included Frank Osterhout, farmer, Neversink; Henry Eastman, farmer, Burlingham; George Dearstyne, merchant, Claryville; Benjamin Gillett, hotel keeper, Grahamsville; Hiram Adams, farmer, Glen Wild; Peter Pomeroy, farmer, Neversink; George Wood, farmer, Rockland; Eugene VanKeuren, farmer, Bethel; George W. Budd, farmer, Phillipsport; Asa Wilson, farmer, Fallsburgh; Homer Travis, farmer Neversink; and Martin Day, farmer, Bridgeville.

Much of the evidence presented at the trial of Adam Heidt had been previously presented at the trial of Joseph Heidt. Oliver Hofer testified about the murder scene at the stone arch bridge and the letters found on Markert’s body written by Adam Heidt to Markert. Several witnesses, including William Pfeifer, Henry Chelius, Adam Barnhart, Conrad Metzger and Philip Hembdt, testified to Adam’s belief that he was bewitched by Markert. Joseph Heidt testified as to the history of his father Adam not feeling well, the supposed curse place on Adam by Markert and the steps that Adam had taken to heal himself; and he also testified as to the events on the night of the murder, much as he had presented at his own trial during the prior days. At 7:30pm on August 18, the prosecution rested their case.

At the conclusion of witness testimony, Mr. McLaughlin, Adam’s lawyer, motioned the court to acquit Adam on the grounds that there had not been sufficient evidence to hold him either as a participant or having in any way abetted or encouraged the commission of the crime for which Joseph had been found guilty. District Attorney Couch responded that he thought the case should go to the jury. The judge responded to the motion by generally saying: “This man is on trial for his life. He is either guilty of murder in the first degree or nothing. It won’t do to convict a man on suspicion. Human justice rests on a foundation of law.” The judge then adjourned the court till the following morning.

When the court reconvened at 9am the following morning, Friday, August 19, 1892, the judge addressed the jury, advising them to render a verdict of not guilty on the grounds that there was not enough evidence that Adam had incited another person, his son Joseph, to have committed the crime. The jury agreed with the judge’s direction, and without leaving their seats, rendered a verdict of not guilty. Heidt’s eyes filled with tears and he nodded an expression of thanks. Lawyer McLaughlin seemed exceedingly pleased over the victory he had won in clearing his client.

In the weeks after the trial, rumors began to circulate that Adam Heidt had run off to Ohio or was in hiding at his home. John Heidt, Adam’s son, wrote to the local newspaper to address the rumors.

“It is evident that those lies are only circulated to torment the remainder of the family and cause more sorrow than there is. Would people only consider one moment, and a feeling of remorse would cover their faces.

The people who talked nothing but witchcraft to A. Heidt are the ones, it is evident, who are circulating those rumors, and they also are the ones who are to blame for our affliction. Adam Heidt neither believed or talked witchcraft until some persons filled his mind with some of the most absurd witch stories obtainable. And those people will some time, earlier or later, receive their punishment.

On the other hand, it would be impolite not to say word of praise on behalf of those who tried to take the delusion from Adam Heidt’s mind. Let me say that those people deserve a blessing, and they will receive it.

The neighbors who so kindly offered their hand of assistance in the hour of affliction, we wish to thank, and home to return the favor, but we hope not in like emergency. John Heidt.” (Middletown Daily Press. September 3, 1892.)

On the day of his acquittal, Adam after went to the village of Monticello and saw Judge Fursman on the steps of the Mansion House. Adam “stepped briskly up to shake hands with him. The Judge waived him aside, refusing the proffered courtesy, which was a proper thing to do.” (Middletown Daily Press. August 27, 1892.) It was reported that “Adam, now that Markert is gone, and his son’s life has been saved by the jury, thinks that he is getting better and the “spell” is leaving him.”

Upon Adam’s acquittal, several local newspapers made their opinions known that they still viewed Adam as a danger to society. One such editorial noted that “proceedings ought to at once be taken to have the man examined as to his mental condition. It would seem that all the evidence of insanity necessary had been obtained at the trial, and that the mere formality of the signature of two physicians to a certificate is all that is necessary for him commitment to an asylum. No sane man could believe, as does Adam Heidt, that poor old George Markert possessed the power of witchcraft, and by stroking his beard three times, and then spitting upon the ground three times could put a spell upon him that would impair his health and cause the death of his cattle. One capable of entertaining such a delusion is not a safe man to be at large. Now that Markert is out of the way, Heidt may select another victim unless put under restraint.” (Jeffersonville Record. Republished by Tri-States Union. 1892.)

Adam Heidt, upon his acquittal, was set free and after went to Pennsylvania to spend time with his brother Edward. In May of 1893 Adam returned to Kenoza Lake, but was almost immediately considered “a menace to the peace and safety of the people of that neighborhood.” It was rumored that he made threats against one of the witnesses who testified against him at trial. Local citizens were reported to be afraid of him and they hoped “that some means will be devised for permanently ridding the country of his blighting presence. The very least that ought to be done would be to secure his incarceration in a lunatic asylum, before another life is offered up on the altar of witchcraft.” His wife Barbara filed a complaint against him for ill treatment and sought to have him adjudged a lunatic.

Adam was again arrested in May 1893 with plans to bring him to the State Hospital at Middletown. Many thought that Adam would resist, but he consented to go when officers told him that his disease could be cured at the hospital. Adam was examined by several state doctors who judged him to be insane and he was officially committed on June 1, 1893. He was to remain at the hospital until such time as doctors could certify that he was mentally sound. That time never came. Adam’s family never came to visit him at the hospital.

Adam Heidt died at the hospital four years later on July 22, 1897 at 48 years of age from chronic melancholia and chronic myelitis, or inflammation of the spine. Attempts were made hospital officials to notify Adam’s relatives of his passing, but no response was received. He was buried at Phillipsburg, Orange County, New York.

Legacy

While the supposed hex placed on the Heidt family was disregarded as medieval and superstitious, there is no doubt the Heidt family continued to suffer tragedy in the years after the murder. Adam Heidt had three sons, two of whom committed suicide, and the other was committed to a mental hospital. Adam’s two daughters, Rose and Mary, both died relatively young, at age 40 and at age 60, respectively.

Following the death of Adam Heidt in 1897 at the insane asylum, his wife, Barbara Heidt, i.e. Joseph’s mother, died four years later in 1901. She died at 51 years of age after a year-long illness during which she was confined to her bed and “suffered not a little.” She was “a mild-mannered woman, respected, and seemingly undeserving of so troublous a life as was hers.”

In 1911, John Heidt, son of Adam and brother of Joseph, was committed to the state hospital at Middletown on the recommendation of Dr. Archibald and Dr. Schonger. John formerly worked as a school teacher, but had more recently been involved in house painting at Kenoza Lake and in Pennsylvania. It was reported that John “showed signs of mental derangement” and was hallucinating that people were trying to covert him from the Catholic religion to the Protestant faith. John believed “that even his own relatives are designing evil against him.”

In 1942, Anthony Heidt, son of Adam and brother of Joseph, committed suicide, just like his brother Joseph had done three years prior. Anthony shot himself in the head with a shotgun in the woodshed on the same Heidt family homestead where he had grown up, and where his father Adam had suffered his delusions of witchcraft all those years earlier. Anthony had suffered a nervous breakdown around nine years earlier, recovered to normal health, but then suffered a second and more severe breakdown in the weeks before his death. Anthony worked as a farmer and summer boarding house keeper.

Although the brutal murder of George Markert took place well over a century ago, it has long continued on in the memories of those living in Sullivan County, New York. Since that infamous cold, snowy night in January 1892, there have many rumored ghostly sightings of the murdered George Markert around the stone arch bridge. The story is chillingly retold each year in all its detail on a spooky Halloween evening.

Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake, New York: A Photographic Study

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The simply named Stone Arch Bridge is located in the small hamlet of Kenoza Lake, New York, near the junction of Route 52 and Route 52A. The bridge, one of the most recognizable sites in Sullivan County, spans the East Branch Callicoon Creek, a major tributary of the Delaware River.

The Stone Arch Bridge was constructed circa 1873 by Henry and Philip Hembdt, brothers and recent German immigrants, in order to support the growing commercial needs of the county, particularly the farming, timbering and tanning industries. The bridge replaced an earlier wooden bridge that collapsed under a load of hemlock bark that was on its way to a nearby tannery.

“The bridge is a solid masonry structure with an arched roadway supported by three arches made of hand-cut native stone. The arches and the ice breakers on the upstream side are built of mortared stone while the rest of the bridge is constructed of dry masonry. Formed concrete bases have been installed at the base of the arch supporters for stabilization purposes. Otherwise, the bridge is in its original condition . . . The construction technique incorporated the use of wooden forms to support the stones for the arches. Once all stones had been mortared and set, the forms were removed. This procedure eliminated the need for a specially cut keystone.”

The bridge remained open to vehicular traffic until 1955, after which it has since been open to pedestrian traffic only. Today, the bridge serves as the focal point of a 20-acre county park that features a woodland walk, fishing rights and a kid’s playground. The historic bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a fine surviving example of vernacular bridge construction.”

Philip Hembdt (1844-1917)

Philip Hembdt, one of the bridge builders, was born at Hueffelsheim, Germany on March 17, 1844. In 1864, at 20 years old, Hembdt immigrated to the United States. He worked as a carpenter for several years in New York City, after which he moved to the western United States for four years. Hembdt then moved back east to Beechwoods in Sullivan County, New York, where he operated a farm. While at Beechwoods, Hembdt married Emma Baum on September 20, 1868. Philip and Emma had ten children together.

Hembdt then moved to Kenoza Lake where he purchased the boarding house known as the Halfway House from Andrew Bietz, who had built the establishment and conducted it for 18 years. Hembdt owned and operated the Half Way House from 1876 to 1903. After selling the Half Way House in 1903 to Abe Feinberg, a photographer in New York City, Hembdt moved to Jeffersonville, where he lived his retired life.

Hembdt was an active member of the community. For nine years Hembdt served as the road commissioner for the Delaware township. He was an active member of the First Lutheran Church at Jeffersonville and served as president of the church for 17 years. He was a member of the Gustave Adolph Lodge, No. 274, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Philip Hembdt passed away at 73 years of age at his home on April 2, 1917. He had suffered from heart trouble for about a year prior to his passing. Philip and his wife Emma are both buried at Jeffersonville Lutheran Cemetery in Jeffersonville, New York.

Henry Hembdt (1847-1920)

Henry Hembdt, one of the bridge builders, was born in Germany in 1847. In 1873, at the age of 26, Henry immigrated to the United States. In 1875 Henry was married to Margaret Gottschalk. Henry and Margaret had six children together.

Henry was a highly skilled mason. In addition to building the Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake, Henry also constructed the stone bridge at Hortonville. For many years he operated a farm at Fremont until about 1916, when he moved to Hortonville on account of his failing health. He remained at Hortonville for his retired years until his passing. Henry was a charter member of the Gustave Adolph Lodge, No. 274, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Henry Hembdt passed away at 73 years of age at his home on December 9, 1920. Funeral services were held at the Hortonville Church, officiated by Reverend Charles Nietzer. He is buried at Hortonville Cemetery in Hortonville, New York.

Kenoza Lake

Kenoza Lake is located in the town of Delaware in Sullivan County, New York. The small hamlet is situated on the lake of the same name, about 4 miles south from the hamlet of Jeffersonville.

In 1873, around the time the stone arch bridge was built, the small hamlet consisted of one church, one store, one tannery, one grist mill, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, two saw mills, one hotel, twenty-five dwellings and about 125 inhabitants. The tannery was owned by Gideon Wales, and employed thirty men.

As for the natural environment in 1873, “much of the surface is still covered with forests, especially the margin of Delaware [township]. But these are gradually disappearing as new accensions to its population are made. The soil is mostly a gravelly loam, and best adapted to pasturage. Lumbering and tanning form the leading branches of the industry.”

Kenoza Lake was previously known as Pike Pond, “from the abundance of pike which its waters contained at an early day, and which the early settlers were wont to substitute for pork, when the latter article in their larder became exhausted.” The name was changed from Pike Pond to Kenoza lake in 1890 in honor of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem title Kenoza Lake. It was hoped that the change in name would increase the summer tourism trade, which at the time was a growing industry in Sullivan County.

Hankins Stone Arch Bridge: A Photographic Study

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Hankins Stone Arch Bridge is located along Route 94 in the hamlet of Hankins, New York in the Upper Delaware River region. The single arch bridge crosses Hankins Creek just north of its confluence with the Delaware River. The hamlet of Hankins is located approximately 45 miles northwest from Port Jervis, New York, 19 miles southeast of Hancock, New York and 24 miles west from Liberty, New York.

Settlement at Hankins

The Hankins area was first settled in 1780 by Isaac Simmons, who “soon after sold his right of possession to Joseph Brown. Brown sold to Aaron Pierce, who, in 1792, built a saw-mill and small grist-mill . . . About the year 1800, Jonas Lakin came to the place, and subsequently became the owner of a considerable tract of land. In 1821, Lakin sold his tract of land to Elizabeth Pierce, who, with her family, lived on it until about 1833, when she died. In 1834, John Hankins and Luther Appley bought the property, for which they paid $1,451. In 1835, Hankins bought an additional tract of Lucas Elmendorf, and in May, 1839, moved to Fremont with his family.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. p. 292.)

The Hankins area was considered a good location for farming, with soil well adapted to the production of grass and grain, and for lumbering, with “a great store of valuable timber in its forests.” The location allowed hardy raftsman to run their timber rafts down the Delaware River. It offered good mill sites on its streams and was home to plentiful bluestone quarries.

Hankins Stone Arch Bridge

By the early part of 1900s there was a need for a stretch of river road to link the hamlet of Hankins to the river community of Long Eddy. Previously this connecting road had not been built due to the topography of the Hankins region and the presence of the Erie Railroad. The contract to construct a three-mile road with stone arch bridges over the Hankins Creek and the Basket Creek was given to John Inman. The road, the Hankins Stone Arch Bridge, and the Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge were constructed in 1905 at a cost of $150.

“Everyone thought Mr. Inman would go broke on that job, but he was an old quarry man and had sized up the rocky point he had to cut through and knew what he was doing. The greater part of the three miles, down past the McDowell farm, was easy grading as roads went in those days. Cutting through the rocks just above Hankins was the main problem, blasting between train times and keeping the track clear. Mr. Inman, it will be recalled, was an expert at blasting and had at the Basket some years previously shot a big rock out of a quarry on this hillside and knocked the end off a house down near McDuffie’s.

On the road job he picked out a block of stone the right distance above the railroad and shot it into the river, and they said they couldn’t find a stone the size of a hen’s egg on the railroad track when he had finished. He left the overhang above the block he shot out, and until Route 97 came along forty years later and widened the road, this place was always called “Hanging Rock.” When Mr. Inman made the cut there he hit a colony of wild bees in a crevice and took out a lot of honey. When the road was finished, the bees came back and stayed there in the deep crevice until Route 97 wrecked them permanently.” (LaValley, Leslie D. “John Inman. Basket Letters – A History of the Basket Brook.” The Hancock Herald. April 25, 1957.)

The Hankins Stone Arch Bridge is approximately 40 feet long, 15 feet wide and is made of local bluestone and Rosendale cement. “The bridge consists of a single round arch springing from the banks of the rock creek. The arch is built of mortared and partially dressed voussoirs approximately two feet in depth. The spandrels and parapets rest directly upon the arch and are built of fieldstone. Cut, bluestone coping stones dress the top of the two parapet walls guarding the roadway. The roadway above the bridge is closed to traffic and largely unpaved. Although maintained for pedestrian use across the bridge, the former East Ridge Road remains only a trace south of the bridge. Wingwalls lining the creek banks downstream of the bridge were rebuilt in 1999 in order to stabilize the bridge and its erosion prone banks. The bridge and its immediate surroundings are currently maintained for passive recreation by Sullivan County and the Town of Fremont.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

With the completion of Route 97 connecting Port Jervis and Hancock in 1939, the Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was bypassed, and the Hankins to Long Eddy road began to see less traffic. The Hankins bridge remained in use, connecting Hankins with East Ridge Road (TR 26). The bridge remained a vital creek crossing for local traffic until 1973, when East Ridge Road was rerouted and the bridge was abandoned.

Through the efforts of local citizens, the Hankins Stone Arch Bridge has been restored and is home to a small roadside park. The bridge is now open to pedestrian traffic only. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a rare and intact example of traditional stone arch bridge construction within the context of Upper Delaware River transportation resources.”

John B. Inman

The Hankins Stone Arch Bridge was constructed by John B. Inman (1845-1907), a local mason, quarryman and carpenter. According to federal and state census records Inman was listed with a range of occupations over the years, including carpenter (1870), farmer (1875, 1880), mill proprietor (1900) and lumberman (1905).

In the 1870s Inman and his family lived in Rock Valley and in 1877 Inman served as the trustee for the local district school. At this time Inman was employed as a wood worker. In the 1880s Inman was “running the old McDuffie sawmill,” and later went into the quarry business, leasing the “Shooting Rock” quarry from Horace McKoon on the hill west of the lower Basket. By the late 1890s Inman “lived in the Lathrop house and opened a quarry near the falls, and around 1900, he moved back to Rock Valley in what was always known as the John Inman house after the Lobdell estate sold it.”

Inman constructed a second stone arch bridge along the road from Hankins to Long Eddy, this one over the Basket Creek. The Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was also constructed in 1905. The Basket bridge was put to good use for several decades, “battered by floods, rammed by skidding cars and trucks . . . through the years, all the wood, stone and chemical products of the Basket valleys and hills were hauled over this bridge to the stone dock, or McKoon’s dock, as it was sometimes called.” The Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was destroyed around 1942 after a big flood, with most of the stones being washed down into the river.

Inman also constructed the classic, one-story, wood frame Rock Valley School, located in an area known as the Upper Basket in the small hamlet of Rock Valley in the town of Hancock, Delaware County. The school was established in 1885 in order to meet the needs of the growing population associated with local businesses such as logging, milling, bluestone quarrying, agriculture and the wood chemical industry. The historic school remained in continuous operation until 1940s, when it closed due to school district consolidation. In 1953 the school building was deeded to the Rock Valley Cemetery Association, which has maintained the school ever since. The Rock Valley School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

John Inman died suddenly at Rock Valley, New York at 61 years of age on February 2, 1907. Funeral services were held at the Rock Valley Church, with Reverend Regnal officiating. He was survived by his widow Margaret (Garrison) Inman; four sons, Clarence, James, John and Frank; and one daughter, Mrs. Bloom.

John Hankins

The historic Hankins Stone Arch Bridge and the creek it spans are named in honor of John Hankins (1803-1847), who established the first permanent settlement here in 1835 with a home, store, sawmill and blacksmith’s shop. As part of his business, he rafted large amounts of lumber down the Delaware River. Hankins later served as a Justice of Peace and then Supervisor of the town of Callicoon from 1844 to 1847. In 1851 the Erie Railroad named the local stop as Hankins Station. Hankins was a descendant of a soldier who served under General George Washington in the American Revolution, and was notably with the Continental Army when they crossed the Delaware.

John Hankins constructed the Hankins District No. 1 Schoolhouse in 1845. The school is located on County Highway 132, which continues downhill toward the commercial center of the hamlet, Route 97, the railroad tracks and the river. “He [Hankins] built the schoolhouse for the community and later donated the land and building to be used as a church for all denominations. After the local religious groups built their own churches, it continued to be used as a school. A new school was later built and this schoolhouse became the Hankins Fire House. The Fire Department has recently sold the building to a private owner with the stipulation that the bell shall remain with the building.” The school building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

John Hankins was born on September 2, 1803, the son of Ralph Hankins (1776-1863) and Mary (Dougherty) Hankins. He was born and raised in Pike County, Pennsylvania. James Eldridge Quinlan in his History of Sullivan County wrote in detail of John Hankins and the hamlet named for him. “Previous to 1839, Mr. Hankins had resided in the town of Damascus, in the State of Pennsylvania, where he married Susan, a daughter of Moses Thomas, 3d. Then he removed to Fremont, he passed over the “State-road,” on the west side of the river. The New York and Erie Railroad Company had accomplished considerable in grading their road; but had suspended work in 1837. Mr. Hankins attempted to make a highway of their track, but after rendering about three miles passable, gave up the job.

For several years ingress and egress were difficult. To attend town-meeting and vote at the fall-elections, he was obliged to follow a line of marked trees to Liberty, or travel over the State-road to the bridge at Cochecton, and from thence to Liberty by the way of Bethel. Sometimes, however, when the water was low, he followed the beach of the river on horseback as far as Cochecton. As the ford near his residence was occasionally impracticable, he built a scow, and crossed the river in it; but when there was a flood, it was not safe to cross in any manner, and he was practically cut off from the outside world.

It was been represented that John Hankins was the pioneer setter at Hankins Depot;* [See French’s Gazetteer] yet, when he came, he found on his place an old frame-house, a saw-mill, and land which had been occupied and tilled many years. He also found a sycamore tree which was nine feet in diameter. The latter was hollow, and the cavity was larger than some bed-rooms. It is said that a man could ride into it astride of a horse. Until about 1865, this tree was used as a substitute for a smoke-house.

Mr. Hankins was a man of action. Exclusive of those who lived in Pennsylvania, his only neighbors were at Long Eddy and Long pond; yet during the first year of his residence, he started a store and built a blacksmith-shop. He also built a handsome residence for his family, and in 1847, the second saw-mill erected on his land. He also became prominent as a local politician, and, notwithstanding his isolated position, was one of the first Justices of the Peace, and the second Supervisor of the town of Callicoon. He was elected to the latter office repeatedly, and at one time, in conjunction with Matthew Brown, controlled the Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Hankins did not live until the railroad was completed as far as Hankins creek. He was a man of forcible and energetic character – a warm friend and an ardent enemy – exalted in prosperity and depressed when his surroundings were unfavorable. In the summer of 1847, he suffered from a variety of small annoyances, and on the 17th of September was found dead on the road to Callicoon, about a quarter mile from his house, under circumstances which led to the belief that his life was cut short by his own hand.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. pp. 292-293.)

After Hankins’ death on September 17, 1847, rumors started that he had been shot and murdered by a contractor and engineer from the railroad. However, this proved false, as a coroner’s jury was organized, and they “spent all the afternoon and evening in a thorough and careful examination of the facts in relation to his death.” After the investigation, the jury offered their own findings. “The jury unanimously rendered a verdict that he [Hankins] killed himself by cutting his throat on the right side, having severed a jugular vein and an artery, it is supposed with a razor. There does not appear to have been any particular cause for his committing the rash deed, but a variety of small causes which had a tendency to render him unhappy, and which prompted him to suddenly commit the rash act. It is thought the resolution to do it had not long been taken before it was put in execution. He was found about one-fourth of a mile up the road leading from his house to the Callicoon Settlement. He committed the act in the afternoon of Friday. The finding of the jury was perfectly satisfactory to the family.” (“Suicide of John Hankins.” Republican Watchman. September 21, 1847.)

Although it is unclear if it is related to his passing, beginning in February 1847 Hankins advertised weekly in the local newspaper that much of his property was for sale. There does not seem to have been much interest in the property as the advertisements continued throughout the year. Even if the sale of his home and property was unrelated to his suicide, the advertisements still provide great insight to his land and possessions.

“Highly interesting to lumbermen, tanners, farmers, & c. A RARE OPPORTUNITY! 1173 Acres of Valuable Land For Sale! Situated in the Hardenbergh patent, great lot 2, in division 23, 24 and 25, containing about 1173 acres of land, with a good farm house well finished from cellar to garret, three small frame houses which are comfortable dwellings for small families, 2 saw mills, a grist mill, store house, a blacksmith shop with tools, a large frame barn, with a shed or cow house 64 b 24 ft., 16 ft. posts, all well finished, a good cider mill with screws, and three first rate orchards. On the lot, there is an abundance of timber – hemlock, maple, white ash, beech, birch, chestnut and some cherry. As a lumbering establishment it is one of the best of the kind in Sullivan County. The N. Y. & Erie Railroad will run through it, and 2 public roads lead to it, one from the town of Rockland and the other from Callicoon settlement. A railroad depot will probably be established on it, as it is 13 miles from Cochecton. It is well calculated for the tanning business, and has an abundance of water power. Any person wishing to purchase such a property will do well to call and examine for themselves. A liberal time for payment will be given. John Hankins, Callicoon, Feb. 18, 1847.” (Republican Watchman. March 16, 1847.)

John Hankins married Susan Thomas (1811-1885) on March 4, 1830 at her parents’ homestead, two miles south of Damascus, Pennsylvania. Susan was the daughter of Moses Thomas III (1777-1857) and Rebecca Thomas (1782-1841), and a granddaughter of Moses Thomas II, who was killed in 1779 during the American Revolution at the Battle of Minisink Ford. John and Susan had eight children together, including Lucas Wurtz (1831-1910), Mary (1833-1907), Rebecca Thomas (1835-1918), Angeline Elizabeth (1838-1903), Susan Abigail (1841-1917), John Ralph (1843-1905), William Thomas (1845-1847) and Samuel Howard (1848-1917).

After the death of her husband in 1947, Susan continued to raise her children at the village of Hankins. The Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania, published in 1900, offered many details about the children of John and Susan Hankins.

(1) Lucas W. . . . Owner and proprietor of a beautiful summer resort in Manchester township, Wayne County.

(2) Mary, born in Sullivan County, N.Y., in October, 1833, married Col. Zalman Main, of Sullivan County, N.Y., who during the Civil war raised a company in Indiana, and for bravery and valor on the field was promoted to the rank of colonel, having command of an Indiana regiment. He died in 1866, leaving a wife and one child, Florence E., who now resides in Binghamton, N.Y.

(3) Rebecca T., born in Sullivan County, N.Y., is a well-educated woman, was for a number of years a successfully teacher in the public schools, and is now a resident of Binghamton.

(4) Angie E., born in Damascus township, Wayne County, married Capt. C. A. Johnson, of the regular army, who died in 1894, at Washington, D. C., and she now makes her home at Binghamton.

(5) Susan A., born in Hankins, N. Y., in 1841, married David Bush, of California, born in Sullivan County, and they located in Susquehanna, Penn., where he was connected with the Adams Express Company for a number of years, or until his health failed. He died at his home in that place in 1889, leaving a wife, now a resident of Binghamton; one son, Edward, a civil engineer residing in Rome, N. Y., and one daughter, Jessie, who died at the age of sixteen years.

(6) John R., born in Hankins, was educated in the New York schools, and when a young man engaged in mercantile business at Little Equinunk, Wayne County. Subsequently he carried on business near Owego, N. Y., for a number of years, but now has charge of his brother’s wholesale tobacco trade, in Binghamton, where he makes his home. He married Emma Buckley, of Fremont Center, Sullivan County, N. Y., and had two daughters – Susan, now the wife of Dr. W. Leonard, of Tully, N. Y.; and Bertha, who died in childhood.

(7) Willie died when a child.

(8) Samuel H., born in Hankins, has a large wholesale tobacco establishment in Binghamton, and is one of the leading business men of that place. He married Lillian Wait, of Hollisterville, Wayne Co., Penn., and has two children, Walter and Winifred.” (Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1900. pp. 466-467.)

Hankins and his wife Susan, along with two of their sons, John and William, are all buried at Overlook Cemetery at Damascus, Pennsylvania.

Ten Mile River Baptist Church at Tusten, New York

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Ten Mile River Baptist Church, also known as the Tusten Baptist Church, is located just off Route 97 in the Upper Delaware River Valley town of Tusten, New York. It is approximately five miles south of the village of Narrowsburg, New York. The church prominently stands on a wooded hill, east of the Ten Mile River, which flows approximately one-half mile south to its junction with the Delaware River. Downriver from the church, near the mouth of the Ten Mile River at its junction with the Delaware River, the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge also pays testament to the former village of Tusten, which was known as Ten Mile River Village on some historic maps. The church property encompasses approximately six acres of land, including the church building, the adjacent cemetery and several stone walls.

Enoch Owen – Preaching the Word at Ten Mile River

As the village of Ten Mile River grew in the 1800s the Baptist faith reached the people of the village through the works of Elder Enoch Owen (1767-1836). Owen came to the village of Damascus, Pennsylvania about the year 1790, and settled above Cochecton. He married Lois Tyler (1772-1814), the daughter of Silas Tyler. By trade Owen worked as a local lumberman, farmer and mason. He “built the old-fashioned stone chimneys of the valley before brick and lime were seen there” and also constructed several miles of the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike.

In June of 1806 Enoch Owen was ordained as an Evangelist. Being of the Free Will Baptist faith, he preached every Sunday at a small Baptist meeting-house in Damascus, Pennsylvania, but also “held religious meetings in the Delaware river towns wherever there was a settlement.” He was the first missionary at Callicoon and “among the pioneer preachers of Cochecton,” and he occasionally visited the village of Ten Mile River. Owen was sometimes accompanied on his trips up and down the Delaware River valley by Deacon William Dunn, a member of Owen’s church. Where a church was not available, Owen would preach in people’s homes, in barns and sometimes at popular establishments such as the Raftman’s Hotel in the town of Tusten.

At Callicoon, “hearing that a few families were living here far from Christian privileges, he found his way to them through the woods in 1820, and preached to them. The three households received him gladly, and as a token of their satisfaction, presented him with a half-bushel of rye, which he carried home on his shoulders. It is said that he continued to preach at [Edward] Wood’s once a month; that to reach the settlement he followed blazed trees when the snow was deep and the thermometer below zero; and that he was paid fifteen dollars per annum for his services!” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. p. 159.)

Elder Owen “was a man of but little education; but his mind and body and zeal were robust. It cannot be said that he was mercenary; for he received little or no compensation for his labors in his Master’s vineyard . . . He was always ready to visit the sick and afflicted, and to discourse at funerals on mortality and immortality – the ineffable and everlasting bliss of the redeemed, and the fearful fate of the doomed. His unpretending and homely discourses impressed Christian morality upon many souls of this neglected region . . . In his old age he joined the Close Communion Baptists. He was an honest old soul, whose good deeds and good name survived his mortal body, and are yet held in grateful remembrance.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. pp. 217-218.) Enoch Owen passed away on November 14, 1836 and is buried at Overlook Cemetery in Damascus, Pennsylvania.

Founding of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church

The official congregation of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church was organized in the spring of 1840 by local citizens, including E. Tyler, A. F. Bush and Thompson Parsons. The group commenced holding prayer meetings, with the first meetings taking place in the homes of its congregants. Soon after founding of the congregation, Reverend Henry Curtis, of the Damascus society, was invited to preach and to aid in conducting the church meetings.

In the early days of the church, “the Word preached was attended with convincing and converting power, leading Christians to pray and labor, and sinners to cry “men and brethren what shall we do to be saved?” Soon a number of the anxious were indulging hope in an all-sufficient Savior. The meetings were continued with increasing interest and power. The subject of believers’ baptism and church membership now began to claim attention and elicit discussion. As usual, candid inquiry resulted in a sense of obligation to make a public profession of Christ by baptism, and become identified with his people. A number of persons manifested a desire to unite with a Baptist church.

This desire being made known to the Damascus Church, situated some fourteen miles above, on the Delaware River, a special meeting was appointed by that church and held at Ten Mile River, to hear experiences and receive candidates for baptism and membership. A number of the converts presenting themselves at this meeting, were cordially received and baptized on a profession of faith, by Mr. Curtis, and became a branch of Damascus Church.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. pp. 185-188.)

Given its lengthy distance from the Damascus church, the Ten Mile River congregation soon requested “letters of dismission” in order to organize themselves as an independent body. The Ten Mile River Church was officially established through a council of recognition on August 18, 1840. At the time of its organization the congregation consisted of 29 people, including 16 males and 13 females. The first dedicated pastor of the church was Rev. Daniel F. Leach (1840-1845), who was then followed by Rev. James P. Stalbird (1845-1848), Rev. M. M. Everet (1848-1852) and Rev. J. R. Ross (1852-1854). In October 1840 William Hawks and Tobias Fox were chosen Deacons of the church and were ordained into that office the following year. Services continued at the church for circa 80 years until around 1920.

The Church Building and Cemetery

Sixteen years after the congregation’s founding, the church building was constructed in 1856 at a cost of $1,500. Although there is little evidence, several newspaper articles from around the time the church was being restored in 1969 have noted that “according to tradition, this church replaced a still older one.” (“Resort Tusten Church – Service Sunday.” The Evening News. August 21, 1969.) The church had seating available for 200 people. The “layout and construction of this building was typical of smaller Protestant meetinghouses of the period and illustrated simple, but finely crafted furnishings and joinery. The rectangular lines of the building, and use of period moldings and trim profiles imbue the vernacular church with some of the characteristics of the Greek Revival style, popular in the Delaware Valley between 1840 and 1860.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

The Ten Mile River Baptist Church has also been known as the Tusten Baptist Church. However, not all local residents appreciated the alternative name. In 1894, a local newspaper noted that “some are mistaken by calling this church the Tusten church. It always has been the Ten Mile River Baptist church and it is hoped it always will be.” (Tri-States Union. October 11, 1894.)

The cemetery adjacent to the church was opened in 1840 or earlier. The cemetery, enclosed by stone walls on the east and south sides, contains approximately 100 burials. William H. Hankins (1846-1922), builder of the nearby Tusten Stone Arch Bridge, is buried here. William Hawks (1813-1906), reported to be “the last constituent member of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church,” passed away “on the old homestead” in September 1906 and is buried at the church “beside those of his family, who have passed on before.” Hawks had been chosen to be a Deacon at the church in the year of its founding in 1840.

The church was largely unused for over 50 years from 1920 to 1969, but continued to receive basic maintenance. In 1969, the Tusten Settlement Association was established in order to restore and maintain the church and the adjacent cemetery, and over 50 years later they continue with that notable historic mission. After the church’s restoration was completed in August 1969, a community service was held for the first time in nearly five decades. The services were attended by nearly 150 people, with the sermon being given by Reverend Robert L. Kohler, Jr., the senior chaplain at the nearby Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp.

Today, the church continues to serve the Tusten area, and is made available for special services, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances. In 1995 the church belfry and spire were reconstructed through the analysis of historic photographs. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 “for its historical significance in representing the lost nineteenth century river community of Tusten.”

Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach

Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach (1817-1889), the first pastor at the church, was born at Corbettsville, New York on June 27, 1817. He was a direct descendent of Lawrence Leach who arrived at Salem, Massachusetts in 1629. Daniel’s father, Major Daniel Leach (1777-1831) was a lumberman and farmer, served as a Justice of the Peace, and served as a Major in the New York State Militia. Daniel’s grandfather, Captain Hezekiah Leach (d. 1823) served during the American Revolution as a private in the Connecticut Line of the Revolutionary Army.

Daniel felt the call of the ministry early in life, and was baptized at the age of 15. In 1838 he was attending the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution, and in 1840 he began preaching in Pennsylvania at Bethany, Damascus and Jackson Summit. At Pennsylvania, “revivals soon broke out under his labors, and he became, without any preconceived purpose, by force of circumstances, an itinerant evangelist along the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers. Long walks, often on mere footpaths, and sometimes with no path, became necessary. He was ordained at Ten Mile River, N.Y., September 10, 1840.” (Brooks, Charles Wesley. A Century of Missions in the Empire State. pp. 174-175)

Reverend Leach remained as pastor of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church for four years until 1845, during which time “he performed missionary labors. . . preaching six times a week; only one other Baptist minister within forty miles.” Reverend Leach divided his time between Ten Mile River and the Paupack Eddy Church (now Hawley, Pennsylvania). The Ten Mile River Baptist church grew to a membership of 43 in 1841 and t0 46 in 1842. Reverend Leach was married to Levantia Guy on May 11, 1841 at Middlefield, New York. Daniel and Levontia had six children together.

After his time at Ten Mile River, Reverend Leach went on to serve in a number of locations, including Port Jervis, New York for five years from 1845 to 1850; followed by time at Colesville, New York; Unadilla, New York; Newark Valley, New York; and the state of Virginia. Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach passed away at Virginia on September 10, 1889. Upon his passing it was written that “few men in the State ever gave a half-century of more self-sacrificing, disinterested service to the cause of Christ than did the dear brother whose life-work is here so briefly and imperfectly sketched. The half has not been told of his efficiency and consecration, even in outline. A multitude of souls won to Christ was waiting to welcome him on the other shore, and throngs will be welcomed by him, whom he had led to the Savior’s feet.” (Brooks, Charles Wesley. A Century of Missions in the Empire State. pp. 176-177.)

Reverend James Perkins Stalbird

Reverend James P. Stalbird (1813-1900), the second pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, was born in Canada in 1813. That same year he moved with his family to New Hampshire, where he spent most of his time until 1837, when he then came to Pennsylvania.

Reverend Stalbird was licensed to preach the gospel at the Blakely Baptist Church in 1843, and in 1845 he was ordained at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church. He remained at Ten Mile River for three years until 1848. During his time at Ten Mile River church membership including 40 people in 1846, and “congregations had been comparatively large and covenant meetings quite interesting. Three weekly prayer meetings had been sustained by a few as in former years. The Sabbath School, however, had been somewhat neglected. In 1847, the church was measurably revived and the cause strengthened. They report to the Association of that year, 11 received by baptism and 51 as their total membership.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. p. 187.)

In 1854 Reverend Stalbird returned to the Ten Mile River Baptist Church. During his second tenancy, “little has occurred during his ministry worthy of particular notice. The church report in 1856, two received by baptism, and 53 as their total membership, but complain of their scattered condition and want of activity and earnestness in the cause of the Master. In 1857, they report 50 communicants, and say that they cannot tell of prosperity and progress in the service of Christ. They, however, still cling to the Word and promise of God, and hope for brighter and better days.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. p. 188.)

After leaving Ten Mile River, Reverend Stalbird served a number of churches, including those at Ashland, Berlin, Hawley, Purdytown, Lebanon, Lackawaxen and Barryville, as well as many mission churches. He often traveled 20 miles a day, and preached three times on Sunday.

In the fall of 1868 Reverend Stalbird sold his house at Beaver Brook, New York and settled on a farm at Freytown, Pennsylvania. He remained there on the farm for nearly thirty years until the fall of 1897, when he moved to Moosic, Pennsylvania to live with his son.

Reverend James Perkins Stalbird passed away at 87 years of age on November 6, 1900 at the home of his son Howell G. Stalbird in Moosic, Pennsylvania. His passing was caused by a fall a few days prior, from which he received a broken hip and suffered internal injuries. Funeral services were conducted by Reverend H. F. Hardell, of Daleville, Pennsylvania. Reverend Stalbird is buried at Freytown Cemetery in Pennsylvania. Upon his passing it was written that “he was a kind husband and father, and much respected wherever he lived.”

Reverend M. M. Everet

Reverend M. M. Everet, the third pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, took charge of the church in 1848 and remained for four years until 1852. During this period, Reverend Everet divided his time between Ten Mile River and Paupack Eddy, Pennsylvania (now Hawley, Pennsylvania). In 1852 he resigned from the church and the Baptist association.

During his time at Ten Mile River, “under his faithful labors, the church enjoyed a degree of prosperity and received some accessions by baptism. Two were baptized in 1848, the same number in the following year, and one in 1850. In 1852, the church report four received by baptism and 64 as their total membership – the culminating point in their numerical prosperity – and say in their letter to the Association, which met with them that year, that they are grateful for the mercies of the past year; had tokens of a deep and solemn work of grace, but the enemy of all righteousness, by weakening the faith of the brethren, disappointed their hopes. A few, however, were hopefully converted.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. pp. 187-188.)

Reverend J. R. Ross

Reverend J. R. Ross, the fourth pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, accepted the invitation of the church to be the pastor while teaching at an academy in Narrowsburg. Reverend Ross took charge of the church in the autumn of 1852 and remained until May of 1854, when he resigned from the church and the Baptist association. During his time at Ten Mile River “his labors were faithful, but without any marked results.” Reverend Ross was followed as pastor by the return of Reverend James P. Stalbird.

Tusten Stone Arch Bridge: A Photographic Study

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Tusten Stone Arch Bridge was designed and constructed in 1896 by William H. Hankins, a local timber raftsman, stone mason and occasional postmaster. The bridge crosses the Ten Mile River just northeast of its confluence with the Delaware River. The two-arch bridge, constructed of native bluestone, is approximately 52 feet long and 15 feet wide.

The stone arch bridge was located at the heart of the former village of Tusten, adjacent to a mill located on the west bank of the Ten Mile River. It is believed that the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge replaced an earlier, less permanent timber structure. Tusten was sometimes referred to as Ten Mile River Village on historic maps.

The first settlement on the Delaware River at the mouth of the Ten Mile River originated in the 1750s, about the year 1757, under the authority of the Connecticut-based Delaware Company. A sawmill was established at the site by Elijah Reeves before 1762. In October 1763, the settlement was wiped out during an Indian raid led by Captain Bull, the son of an elderly sachem named Teedyuscung. All 22 settlers were killed in the raid known as the Ten Mile River Massacre. “Not a person escaped. The houses, barns, etc. were burned, and everything valuable was destroyed, except the bare fields.” (Quinlan, 106.) Following the American Revolution, the community was re-established at the same location.

As the village of Tusten grew, a post office was established there in 1838, and operated intermittently until 1913. From 1838 to 1842, the post office operated under the name Ten Mile River, and was staffed by Samuel Hankins, the father of William H. Hankins. From 1849 to 1863, the post office operated under the name Delaware Bridge, and was operated at various times by Paul A. Tyler, Sylvester Mapes and William Hawks. From 1884 to 1913, the post office operated with the name Tusten. When the Tusten post office was not in service, residents would cross the Delaware River to pick up their mail at Mast Hope, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge, the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, also known as the Tusten Baptist Church, also still stands in remembrance of the former village of Tusten. The church is prominently located on a wooded hill north of the bridge and east of the Ten Mile River, and just off Route 97. The congregation was organized in the spring of 1840 by Reverend Henry Curtis, of the Damascus society, with the first meetings taking place in the homes of its congregants. The church was officially organized through the council of recognition on August 18, 1840. Sixteen years after the church’s founding, the church building was constructed in 1856 at a cost of $1,500. The first dedicated pastor of the church was Rev. Daniel F. Leach (1840-1845), who was then followed by Rev. James P. Stalbird (1845-1848), Rev. M. M. Everet (1848-1852) and Rev. J. R. Ross (1852-1854). Services continued at the church until around 1920. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 “for its historical significance in representing the lost nineteenth century river community of Tusten.”

During the 1870s the village of Tusten was home to a sawmill, a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a store, a church with an adjacent parsonage, a schoolhouse, a cable ferry across the Delaware River to Mast Hope, Pennsylvania, a “flag stop” railroad station on the Erie Railroad and a number of homes. In addition to Hankins, the names of other families that lived in the area in 1875 included W. Davis, J. Crawford, W. Robinson, H. Bross, W. D. Bross, W. Hawks and J. H. Barlow.

Tusten’s fortunes began to fade with the decline of the area’s leading industries such as rafting, lumbering and bluestone quarrying. In 1911, in an effort to revive the town, the Minisink Company, of New York City, sought to create “a nicely laid out community” at Tusten, and then sell the lots to city people who wanted to have a summer home along the Delaware River. The 4,000-acre community, set along two miles of river frontage on the Delaware River, would be complete with new roads, water works, electric lights and over 325 building lots for new homes. The lands around Davis Lake were to be sold as a single parcel for a club or hotel. However, these well-intentioned plans never materialized, and by the 1920s the company had dissolved. Most of Tusten’s remaining buildings were abandoned and left to deteriorate. All that now remains of the once thriving village of Tusten is the stone arch bridge and the Ten Mile River Baptist Church.

The bridge and the surrounding land have been owned by the Boy Scouts of America since 1927 for their use an educational camp. Fortunately, through an agreement with the National Park Service, the bridge is publicly accessible along the beginning section of the 3-mile Tusten Mountain Trail, an interesting hike with outstanding Upper Delaware Valley scenery. The bridge continues to operate as a single lane vehicle bridge for local traffic. The Tusten Stone Arch Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as a rare and intact example of traditional stone arch bridge construction within the context of Upper Delaware River transportation resources.”

William H. Hankins, the bridge builder, was born at Tusten, New York on March 12, 1846, the son of Samuel Hankins (1798-1877) and Catherine (Reeves) Hankins (1803-1882). Samuel Hankins was a farmer and a merchant, and served as postmaster from 1838 to 1842. The Hankins family were prominent members of the Tusten community, being associated with virtually every public office and business. William Hankins was “one of the last of the old Delaware River raftsmen who ran through the tidewater.” In 1883 it was reported that “many more rafts are offered to him every year than he can take under his charge.” In 1902, perhaps for old times’ sake, and for the first time in 15 years, Hankins started down the Delaware River from Narrowsburg, but noted that “he did not find many changes in the river.” In 1905, Hankins purchased a scow in order to accommodate those who wished to cross the Delaware River.

The William H. Hankins & Company worked three or four quarries in the region, employing approximately 30 men as quarrymen, stone cutters, teamsters and laborers. For a time, he was associated with Charles W. Martin and C. R. Underwood in the stone business. In the early 1900s, as the tourism business began to grow in the region, Hankins operated a boarding house.

Upon his passing, it was written that William H. Hankins “was devoted to his home and family and was held in high esteem in the community where he had always resided.” Hankins passed away at 76 years of age after a long illness on October 24, 1922 at Tusten. Funeral services, officiated by Reverend R. D. Minch, were held at Ten Mile River Baptist Church. Hankins is buried at Tusten Cemetery in Narrowsburg, New York.

The bridge, and the town of Tusten, New York, is named in honor of Dr. Benjamin Tusten (1743-1779), an American militia volunteer and physician who was killed as he ministered to the wounded at the Battle of Minisink on July 22, 1779.

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct: A Photographic Study

Sat, 25 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct, located at Minisink Ford, New York, is the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the United States. The 535-foot aqueduct bridge, spanning the Delaware River, opened in 1849 as a vital transportation link between the coal mines of Pennsylvania and the thriving marketplace in New York. It was one of four suspension aqueducts on the former Delaware & Hudson Canal. John A. Roebling (1806-1869), future engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, designed each of the four bridges.

The Delaware Aqueduct operated for nearly 50 years, closing in 1898 with the end of the canal. The aqueduct was then drained and the bridge converted to accommodate vehicle traffic, often operating as a private toll road. The bridge continued to operate until 1979 when, after substantial deterioration through years of neglect, it was threatened with closure. Fortunately, however, in 1980 the National Park Service purchased the bridge and began its restoration using Roebling’s original plans and specifications.

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1968. Today, the bridge accommodates single lane vehicle traffic where barges once flowed, and accommodates foot traffic on each side of the road where the path was once trod by canal workers and their mules. Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct is a wonderful example of the historic and modern blended together in the Upper Delaware River area.

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The Wayne County Herald issue of May 9, 1849 announced the opening of the aqueduct in an article titled “Del. & Hud. Canal Company.”

“The water was let into the Delaware and Hudson Canal on the 25th ult., and the navigation resumed for the season. The wire Suspension Aqueducts over the Delaware and Lackawaxen rivers, which were commenced in 1846, are now completed and opened for the passage of boats. These works have been erected for the purpose of avoiding the delay formerly experienced in crossing the Delaware river, and will materially improved the navigation. They are constructed on the plan of the Pittsburg Suspension Aqueduct; a structure designed and executed by Mr. John A. Roebling, civil Engineer of the city of Pittsburg, and which has proved eminently successful, and was the first of the kind in the world. After an examination of this work by Mr. R. F. Lord, Chief Engineer of the Del. & Hud. Canal Co., a contract was entered into with Mr. Roebling for the erection of the superstructure of the Delaware and Lackawaxen Aqueducts. The following description will convey a tolerably accurate idea of the extent and magnificence of this work.

The trunks are composed of timber and plank well joined and caulked, and suspended to two wire cables, one on each side. The Cables rest in heavy cast iron saddles, which are placed on top of small towers of 4 by 6 feet base, rising 4 feet above the towpath. There is a towpath on each side of the trunk, which is wide enough for two boats of the present capacity to pass. The towers are each composed of 3 blocks of a white quartz pudding-stone, of great hardness and durability, obtained from the quarries in Ulster Co., N.Y. The masonry of the piers and abutments, which support the little towers has been executed in the most substantial manner of a durable and compact gray-wacke, which constitutes the principal foundation of the valley of the upper Delaware. The beds of the face-stone are all cut, the backing is large and well bonded, and the whole laid in hydraulic cement. Nothing has been spared to ensure the safety of the foundations, and by the construction of good ice-breakers to guard the piers against the heavy ice floods, which in this river prove sometimes very violent and destructive.

The Cables are made in one length across the river from abutment to abutment, and connected at their ends with anchor chains, manufactured of solid wrought iron, in bars of from 5 ft. to 10 feet long, and 5 to 6 inches wide by 1 1/4 inch thick. The lower end of each chain is secured to a heavy cast iron anchor-plate of 6 feet square, which supports the foundation of a large body of masonry, whose weight resists the strain of the chain and cable. As the cables are protected against oxidation by a copious varnish and paint and closely encased by a tight wire wrapping, which gives them the appearance of solid cylinders, they may be considered indestructible.

The wood-work is subject to decay, however it will last longer in these works than in common timber structures, and can be renewed at any time.

The following table exhibits the principal dimensions and quantities of the Delaware Aqueduct:

Hydraulic cement masonry in abutments, piers and anchorage, 7,688 cubic yards.

Length of Aqueduct with extensions, 600 feet.

Number of Spans, 4.

Length of Span varies from 131 to 142 feet.

Width of Trunk at water line, 19 ft.

Depth of water, 6 ft. 6 inches.

Weight of water between abutments, 1,950 tons.

Weight of water in one span, 487 1/2 tons.

Diameter of wire cables, 8 1/2 inches.

Length of wire weighing 1 lb., 17 1/2 feet.

Number of wires in each cable, 2,150.

Total weight of Cables and anchor chains, 190,000 lbs.

Ultimate strength of each cable, 1,900 tons.

The new Aqueducts over the Neversink at Cuddebackville and the Rondout at High Falls, will be constructed on the same plan in the course of this season. There will then be on the line of the Del. And Hudson Canal, four Wire Suspension Aqueducts, most perfect and complete, as far as durability and economy is concerned.

The general enlargement of the Canal has been prosecuted vigorously during the last winter. Fifty-seven of the enlarged Locks, being 100 feet long between quoins, and 15 feet width of chamber, are brought into use this spring, and the whole are to be completed by the opening of the Canal in the spring of 1850, making the canal then competent for the passage of Boats loaded with 130 to 140 tons of Coal.”

Kadampa World Peace Temple, Glen Spey, New York: A Photographic Study

Sat, 18 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Kadampa World Peace Temple is located in the hamlet of Glen Spey in the Sullivan County region of the southern Catskills. It is one of six Kadampa World Peace temples in the world. The temple, which opened in 2006, is set on 82 landscaped and woodland acres, which includes gardens, nature trails, a lake and streams.

The Temple was designed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso as part of the International Temples Project. According to the website for the Temple, its “unique design is based on the celestial palace of Heruka, the Buddha of Compassion. The design also represents all the stages of the spiritual path.” The Temple is also home to a bookstore, a gift shop and the World Peace Cafe.

The Kadampa World Peace Temple is located at 47 Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, New York. Visit their website at www.kadampanewyork.org for more information.

Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Glen Spey, New York

Sat, 11 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The beautiful Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located only a few miles from the Delaware River at the hamlet of Glen Spey in Sullivan County, New York. The church was built in order to meet the religious needs of the growing population of Ukrainians living in the area. The church is part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America.

The ground for the church was consecrated on July 11, 1971. The dedication service was performed by Very Reverend Vitaly Kowalenko, Very Reverend Philimon Kulchinsky and the Very Reverend Serhij Nepril. Construction on the church was completed in 1972. The property for the church was donated by the Ukrainian Fraternal Association, which at the time owned and operated the nearby Verkhovyna resort.

The church was built in the Kozak-Baroque architectural style, which emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries in Ukraine as the country struggled for national independence. This style of architecture was a combination of European baroque styles and local architectural styles, and was noted for its moderate ornamentation, a local style that was simpler in form from its western European counterparts and a style softened by traditional naturalistic images. It was also noted for gilded or azure domes.

The church was designed by Ivan Zhukovsky (1901-1980), who was born on March 4, 1901 in Kitsman, Bukovyna. He studied in Prague in 1926 and graduated from Moscow Polytechnic, while at the same time studying conducting and composition at the Moscow Conservatory. He operated his own architectural firm at Chernivtsi, Ukraine from 1930 to 1941 and was the head of the Society of Ukrainian Engineers from 1931 to 1941. He emigrated to Germany and then to the United States in 1949, where he was active in Ukrainian community life. He was a professor and dean of the architectural department at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York from 1957 to 1961. He served as president of the Ukrainian Engineers’ Society of America from 1954 to 1980 and served as chairman at the Center for the Association of Bukovinian Ukrainians in the United States from 1954 to 1973. Zhukovsky published a number of books, including several versions of Ukrainian-German dictionaries. He also designed the Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hunter, New York.

The hamlet of Glen Spey, where the church is located, takes its name from the Scottish word “glen” for valley, and “spey” for the clear water springs found throughout the area. In the 1940s the area became a popular destination for second home owners of Ukrainian descent, eventually becoming known as “Little Ukraine.” The area is said to have reminded the homeowners of their native homeland, and allowed them to celebrate their faith and heritage without the fear of persecution. The popular Ukrainian Youth Festival for many years attracted thousands of visitors to the small Glen Spey hamlet in Sullivan County. The equally beautiful St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, founded in 1967, can also be found at Glen Spey.

Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located at 329 High Road (County Route 41) in Glen Spey, New York.

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church

Sat, 04 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is located in Hunter/Jewett Center, New York in the northern Catskills of Greene County. The beautiful church was built in 1962 using the traditional construction methods of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain highlanders. The church, constructed on lands donated by Dr. Ivan Makarewycz, was designed by sculptor Jaroslaw Paladij and architect Ivan Zhukovsky, and was built by master carpenter Jurij Kostiw. The interior of the church was decorated by two prominent Ukrainian artists, iconographer Petro Cholodny, Jr., and wood-carver/sculptor Mykhailo Chereshnovsky.

The tri-partite (three-frame) church, which measures 61 feet in height, was constructed using building techniques involving solid timber or logs. The logs were laid horizontally one on top of the other and secured with wooden pegs and various other systems of corner-joinings. There were no nails used in the church’s construction. The redwood cedar logs, measuring 7 1/2 feet by 12 inches, were imported from British Columbia. The roof shingles were hand split from the imported red cedar and were expected to last for 60 years before repairs were needed.

The interior of the church is adorned with hand-carved wood items including the altar, pulpit, tabernacle and processional cross, as well as a variety of artistic religious icons including the four Evangelists (symbolizing the Catholic church’s roots in the Gospel), the Virgin Mary with Jesus, the scene of the Last Supper and St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the church. The crosses inside the church were designed after those used in Ukraine 300-400 years ago. Carvings on the various tables in the church show sun rays, wheat, grapes, even dishes and utensils used in every day life by the Ukrainian ancestors of the church’s founders. The wooden chandelier, at 65 feet high, is suspended from the ceiling, and signifies the earth wherein the crops are grown. According to old traditions it is customary to stand during the service and while praying or meditating; and therefore there are no pews in the church, and only a few benches along the walls which can be used by the elderly, the sick and pregnant or nursing mothers.

As per the church website, construction of the church “was financed by Ukrainian post-World War II refugees and immigrants who realized the need for a tangible expression of their heritage and in the context of Soviet control of their country were constantly vigilant in the preservation and propagation of Ukrainian culture.” With this historic goal for the landmark church, it has certainly met its objective for over 60 years, remaining a distinctive example of Ukrainian culture and heritage.

The idea for the church began to form on August 14, 1960 at a meeting held at the home John Kobziar which was well attended by local Ukrainian-American residents. The group called themselves the “Temporary Committee for the construction of the Ukrainian Catholic Chapel in the Vicinity of Hunter, N.Y.” The church design was approved at the group’s May 21, 1961 meeting, and the group raised the money required. Construction of the church began in 1961 and was completed the following year in 1962.

The consecration service at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church was officiated by Right Reverend Joseph Schmondiuk (1912-1978), who would later become the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America. Twenty-four priests assisted in the service that was attended by over 2,000 people from across the country. Following the service, John Kobziar hosted a dinner for 270 people at his nearby Xenia motel. The dinner included a number of speeches by prominent Ukrainian officials, followed by a presentation of Ukrainian folk songs and entertainment by Ukrainian folk dancers.

John (Ivan Volodymyr) Kobziar (1909-1977), organizer of the original group responsible for building the church, was born in the city of Lviv, Ukraine on January 19, 1909. He would begin playing professional soccer at the young age of 14 for the Lviv “Ukraina”, and became widely known for his “uncanny skills as a soccer player, including a booming shot that eventually became the nemesis of some of the best goalkeepers in Eastern Europe.” He played professionally through 1949, including from circa 1923 to 1931 for Lviv “Ukraina”, then the Ukrainian “Rus” team from Uzhhorod, Carpatho-Ukraine, followed by a second stint at Lviv “Ukraina”, and then for several years at the Regensburg “Sich” team in west Germany. He is regarded as one of the best soccer players in Ukrainian history, and was elected to the Ukrainian Sport Hall of Fame in 2017. With the arrival of communism, he was eventually forced to move to West Germany, and then moved to the United States in 1949. Soon after his arrival, in 1950, he became one of the first Ukrainian settlers in the mountaintop area of Hunter, New York. John and his wife Olga operated the Xenia tourist house at the intersection of Route 23A and Route 17 in Jewett Center for many years. John Kobziar was tragically killed in a car collision along Route 23A on August 15, 1977. He is buried at Saint Francis de Sales Cemetery in Elka Park, New York.

Dr. Ivan Makarewycz (1914-1999), who donated the land for the church, worked as a physician and surgeon for over 30 years in New York City. He owned a summer home not far from the church. Makarewycz, who also helped supervise the construction of the church, noted in 1969 what the church meant to him. “We constructed the church as a memorial to all the Ukrainians killed by the Communists in Russia and to preserve this special style of church architecture. We welcome visitors to stop so they can see what an old mountainside church looked like years ago in the western part of Ukraine.” (Times-Union. August 3, 1969.) Dr. Makarewycz passed away at 85 years of age on July 10, 1999 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

Jaroslaw Paladij (1910-1977), who made the preliminary scale model of the church, was born on April 21, 1910 at Bukovyna, Ukraine, the son of Jurig and Maria (Smereshanska) Paladij. He graduated from the Academy of Art in Bucharest, Romania and taught sculpture for several years. He immigrated to the United States in 1949, where he worked as draftsman for the New York City Water District until his retirement in 1959. He had a summer weekend summer home in the Jewett area, and after his retirement he made his permanent residence there. Several of his works are featured at the Bukovina Museum of Diaspora in the Ukraine and three of his pyrographs are housed in the Vatican Museum in Rome. He illustrated the book “Abetka,” first published in 1973 by the Ukrainian Academy of Art and Science, which featured 33 illustrated letters of the Ukrainian alphabet, with each letter highlighting famous patriots and historic events from his Ukrainian homeland. Several of his paintings were used for Ukrainian Christmas and Easter greeting cards. One review of his works noted that “his perfect techniques of accomplishment are evident in his works “Zadumany” (“Meditating), “Portret druzhyny” (Wife’s Portrait”), “Avtoportret” (Selfportrait”), and his memorial project honoring Hetman I. Mazepa.” Jaroslaw Paladij passed away in 1977 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

Ivan Zhukovsky (1901-1980), the church architect, was born on March 4, 1901 in Kitsman, Bukovyna. He studied in Prague in 1926 and graduated from Moscow Polytechnic, while at the same time studying conducting and composition at the Moscow Conservatory. He operated his own architectural firm at Chernivtsi, Ukraine from 1930 to 1941 and was the head of the Society of Ukrainian Engineers from 1931 to 1941. He emigrated to Germany and then to the United States in 1949, where he was active in Ukrainian community life. He was a professor and dean of the architectural department at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York from 1957 to 1961. He served as president of the Ukrainian Engineers’ Society of America from 1954 to 1980 and served as chairman at the Center for the Association of Bukovinian Ukrainians in the United States from 1954 to 1973. Zhukovsky published a number of books, including several versions of Ukrainian-German dictionaries. He also designed the Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Glen Spey, New York.

George (Jurij) Kostiw, the church master builder, was born at the city of Skole in the Ukraine on May 3, 1912, the son of Mykola and Maria (Palko) Kostiw. He was trained by experienced carpenters, including Komar, Koval and Mykhailiv, in his native Bojko mountain region of Ukraine. He served as an apprentice to church master builders and architects in Tseneva, Ukraine from 1927 to 1936. Kostiw came to the United States in 1950 and became a naturalized citizen in 1960. He married Daria Szczur on August 15, 1950. Kostiw also constructed the St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church (1967) at Glen Spey, New York and the Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church (1977) at Johnson City, New York. Jurij passed away in 2005 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. An illustration of the Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is pictured on his gravestone.

Petro Cholodny, Jr. (1902-1990), the church artist, was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and would become a well-known Ukrainian icon painter and graphic artist. He received his art education from the Ukrainian Studio of Plastic Art in Prague and the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland from 1928 to 1934, and upon graduation worked at the Academy as an instructor. Before World War II Cholodny exhibited his work across Europe, including at Warsaw, Lviv, Berlin and Brussels. After the war, he immigrated to the United States and settled in New York. His artistic work can be found in numerous churches, including St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church (New York City), Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Volodimir (New York City), St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church (South Bound Brook, New Jersey), St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church (Newark, New Jersey), and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lourdes, France). In 2001, The Ukrainian Museum in New York City featured an exhibition titled "Three Generations of Cholodny Artists," which featured the paintings and icons of Petro Cholodny the Elder (1876–1930), those of his son, Petro Cholodny the Younger (1902–1990), and of Andrew Charyna (b. 1951), grandson of Petro Cholodny the Younger.

Mykhailo Chereshnovsky (1911-1994), the church wood-carver and sculptor, was born on March 5, 1911 in the village of Stezhyntsia in the Lemko region. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Kolomyia and graduated from the School of Plastic Arts in Krakow in 1939. After the end of World War II, as a member of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Mykhailo emigrated in 1947 to West Germany, and later to the United States, settling in New York City. He was described in 1958 as “one of the best sculptors of the younger generation.” In addition to his decorative wood carving, as seen at St. John the Baptist, he sculpted busts of a number of prominent Ukrainians and produced several monuments in bronze. He served from 1973 to 1994 as the president of the Ukrainian Artists Association, an organization founded in 1952 at New York.

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is located on a small hillside along Route 23A, six miles west from the village of Hunter and two miles east from the hamlet of Lexington. Other buildings on the church complex include a bell tower, the parish hall (grazdha) and the parsonage. The Grazdha serves as the venue for the classical music concert series that is held each summer by the Music and Art Center of Greene County. The complex is also home to a Ukrainian gift shop, which offers a wide variety of Ukrainian artistic works and handcrafted items. For more information about the church, its history and current events, visit their website at www.ukrainianmountaintop.org.

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture, Boiceville

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture, located along Route 28 in Boiceville, is home to a wide variety of interesting and eclectic metallic sculptures. One of the largest installations is a 25-foot rocket ship, detailed with Martians driving a spaceship while waving out the window, with a humorous motto of Roswell or Bust. The rocket ship weighs 11,000 pounds and interestingly utilizes a cement truck barrel mixer, bulldozer treads and old car parts. Other sculptures include all sorts of aliens and robots, as well as a metallic pig and a guitar.

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture is operated Steve Heller, a local artist, woodworker and sculptor. Heller, a man of many skills, makes one-of-a-kind wood furniture, creates metal art out of all sorts of odds and ends and even customizes old cars. Heller’s works have been featured in a variety of newspaper and magazine articles including Architectural Digest, Car & Travel, Hudson Valley Magazine and the New York Times. Heller’s store is certainly worth a stop on your way along Route 28. Visit the store website at www.fabulousfurnitureon28.com for more information.

Fill ‘Er Up

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

This abandoned Gulf gas station can be found alongside a busy county highway in the central Catskills. I have driven past the station many times, but only recently decided to stop and photograph. It is not exactly clear when the station was abandoned, but it nonetheless has a few interesting elements that have stood still with time, such as the stacks of tires and hubcaps, an old 7UP soda machine, a pair of analog gas pumps, overgrown vegetation and a decaying building.

Fill 'Er Up

Open

Closed

24-Hour Towing

Used Tires

Out of Order

Long Time Gone

Full Serve

Full Serve at Your Local Gulf Station

Early Morning on the Esopus

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Esopus Creek is one of the great waterways of the Catskills. Rising from its source at Winnisook Lake on the northwest slopes of Slide Mountain, the creek scenically flows through Ulster County as it makes its way to the Hudson River at Saugerties. The creek is impounded at Olive Bridge to create the Ashokan Reservoir, an important water source for residents of New York City. The creek above the Reservoir is commonly known as the Upper Esopus Creek, and the section below the Reservoir is commonly known as the Lower Esopus Creek. The Esopus Creek offers some of the best fly fishing in the Catskills and, with high water flow, is also popular with kayakers and tubers.

These pictures of the lower section of the Esopus Creek were taken on an early September morning. One of the amazing things about photographing along the Esopus Creek is to observe how the river changes so much from section to section, from narrow to wide, from shallow to deep, from slow-moving to swift currents, and so on.

Early Morning on the Esopus Creek

Morning Light on the Esopus Creek

First Light on the Esopus Creek

Esopus Creek, Ashokan Center

Ray of Light on the Esopus Creek

1817 Schoolhouse, Ashokan Center

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The 1817 Stone Schoolhouse, a one-story, two-bay by two-bay stone building with a gable roof, is located on the property of the Ashokan Center. It was constructed in 1817 and operated as a school for the Shokan district from 1817 to 1842, after which it functioned as a cooper shop and a dwelling. It had been abandoned for most of the 20th century when it was given to the Ashokan Camp and staff dismantled it and reconstructed it on its present site in 1985.

The 1817 Schoolhouse is located on the grounds of the Ashokan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to outdoor and environmental education. The center hosts school groups and hobby and community events such as concerts, blacksmithing, square dancing, guitar camp and the fall festival. The beautiful 374-acre property, being home to Winchell Falls, the 1885 Ashokan/Turnwood Covered Bridge, Cathedral Gorge, a large lake, a barnyard and a horse pasture, is like taking a step back in time. Although the Ashokan Center is private property, you can take advantage of one of its numerous public events to tour the scenic grounds. Visit their website at www.ashokancenter.org for more information.

Winchell’s Inn, Ashokan Center

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Winchell’s Inn, also known as the Winchell – Moehring House, was constructed in 1785, and reputedly includes the stone foundation of the early 18th-century dwelling of Jacobus Bush, the first landowner. The inn takes its name from Lemuel Winchell and the Winchell family who managed the lands along the Esopus Creek from 1785 to 1857. Lemuel Winchell also developed an industrial site on the waterfall named for him which, at its fullest extent in the early-19th century, had grist, saw and fulling mills, a forge and a store.

Winchell’s Inn, Ashokan Center

The early history of the property, located on the Esopus Creek at what had been known as Winchell’s Falls, has been traced back to a 1731 deed by which Jacobus Bush purchased the property from the Town of Marbletown. Portions of the stone basement of Bush’s homestead, or that of his son and namesake who inherited the property in 1754, are believed to survive in the extant house, which Lemuel Winchell erected after acquiring the farm in 1785. Whereas the Bush family was well-established in the region, Winchell was a newcomer arriving from Dutchess County, where his family had migrated from New England. He selected the site for the industrial potential of the falls, which is believed to have supported a mill as early as 1772, as well as its location at a fording place on the creek. In addition to constructing a dam on the falls and operating grist, saw and carding mills, as well as a forge, blacksmith shop and store, Lemuel Winchell accommodated travelers in his house and tavern.

The house was extensively restored and “improved” in the 1930s for use as a country retreat for an automobile industry executive with local ties. Following plans provided by Teller & Halverson, a Kingston architectural firm specializing in the restoration of historic houses for second homes, the house was renovated in the Colonial Revival sensibility of the period, featuring a regional “Dutch” taste emphasizing ceiling beams, wide-board floors in natural finish, and modest white-painted interiors and exteriors. A service wing was added to one end and a bluestone terrace, embellished with grind stones from an abandoned pulp mill on the property, distinguished a new front façade created on the uphill side. When the college created the camp in 1957, the house was used as a retreat for the president and a conference center; later it became a dormitory for camp staff. Few changes have been made to the 1937 plan and design.

Winchell’s Inn is located on the grounds of the Ashokan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to outdoor and environmental education. The center hosts school groups and hobby and community events such as concerts, blacksmithing, square dancing, guitar camp and the fall festival. The beautiful 374-acre property, being home to Winchell Falls, the 1885 Ashokan/Turnwood Covered Bridge, Cathedral Gorge, an 1817 schoolhouse, a large lake, a barnyard and a horse pasture, is like taking a step back in time. Although the Ashokan Center is private property, you can take advantage of one of its numerous public events to tour the scenic grounds. Visit their website at www.ashokancenter.org for more information.

The house is the oldest building on the property and has been in continuous use since the 18th century. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Ashokan Field Campus Historic District.

Father John Nelson, Memento Mori

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

“I didn’t plan on any of this. In fact, I had a lot of other plans. But then I heard the word of God, and after that . . . your other plans become your other plans.” – Father John Nelson

In the fall of 2014, I found myself in the village of Woodstock to photograph the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount, a simple, but picturesque, one-room church located near the summit of Meads Mountain Road high above the village of Woodstock. The church, originally known as the Episcopalian Chapel of Ease, was constructed circa the mid-1890s to serve seasonal visitors at the neighboring Mead’s Mountain House and the nearby Overlook Mountain House.

George Mead (1834-1905), who built Mead’s Mountain House, was born at Ridgefield, Connecticut, the son of Sherwood Mead. At the young age of 15, Mead went to Newburgh to learn the silversmith business as an apprentice. After six years of learning the trade, he went to New York, then New Haven, before settling at Kingston for eight years between circa 1856 to 1864. On the recommendation of his doctor, who told him that he only had a few years to live, Mead moved to the country, buying a farm from a man named Henry Fuller on the side of Overlook Mountain.

Fuller had established himself at what was then known as Wide Clove around 1855, and “cleared a few acres and built a small and rough dwelling.” (Evers, 276). He would “take care of climbers’ horses and occasionally give climbers sleeping space on his floor. He did not act as a guide, however. When climbers asked him to help them keep to the rough trail up Overlook, Fuller would point in the general direction of the trail’s beginning and say, ‘Follow the plainest path.’” (Evers, 276.)

After purchasing Fuller’s farm, Mead would establish his popular boarding house in 1865, which was originally called the “Overlook Mountain House” (not to be confused with the Overlook Mountain House that was later constructed further up the mountain) on account of its location. In its early days it was also sometimes called the “Red House” on account of its color, or the “The Halfway House” on account of its location on the road to Overlook Mountain.

South View, Mead's Mountain House. Louis E. Jones. Author's collection

Upon opening the “Overlook Mountain House” on August 8, 1865, Mead advertised that the “house is new and commodious, fronting a view of more than seventy miles. Ample stable room for horses and vehicles. Persons wishing pure mountain air and mountain scenery in matchless grandeur, will find the location of this summer resort unsurpassed. Fine trout fishing and hunting in the immediate vicinity of the house. No pains will be spared to render the visits of guests both agreeable and pleasant.” (Rondout Freeman. September 6, 1865.) The first visitor names on the hotel register were Christopher Agar and H. B. Schoonmaker.

The location of Mead’s Mountain House in Wide Clove was considered one of the finest in Catskills. “It is located in one of the finest notches in the south end of the Catskills, two thousand feet above the Hudson River and fifteen hundred feet above the beautiful village of Woodstock. From the broad piazzas tine views of the mountains and valleys can be had in every direction and the whole range of the Shawangunk Mountains and the Esopus and Woodstock valleys in the south, while at the north the domes of the Catskills are seen as far as they eye can reach; the house is surrounded with all the attractions of the southern Catskills; is only two miles from Cooper and Echo lakes, two miles from Woodstock village and the immediate vicinity is replete with beautiful mountain walks, fine trout streams, etc.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. April 28, 1880.)

In those early days, visitors came to Rondout by day boats, then transferred to stages for the rest of the journey, sometimes not reaching the house till ten or eleven o’clock at night. Mead’s Mountain House grew in popularity over the next several decades, eventually reaching a capacity for 75 people by 1897. By that time, George Mead had noticed a change in his clientele. “In those [old] days . . . people were glad to get away from railroads and were content with mail three times a week; not they want a railroad station right in front of the house, mail every hour and a telegraph within reach of the bed. He deplores the “pace” at which the present generation lives, and loves to talk of the ‘old times.’” (Ferris, R. The Catskills: An Illustrated Handbook. P. 37.)

Mead’s Mountain House, in addition to being a destination itself, was often used as a way stop for refreshments for travelers making their way to the summit of Overlook Mountain and as a base for fishing at Shue’s Pond (what would become known as Echo Lake). The Mountain House entertained many prominent people over the years, including General Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, as well as Jervis McEntee, Sanford R. Gifford and Frederick Church, all notable painters of the Hudson River School.

Three generations of the Mead family would manage Mead’s Mountain House. Upon George Mead’s death in 1905, his son William and daughter-in-law Annie continued to operate the boarding house. When William passed away in 1913, Annie worked with her daughter Genevieve and son-in law Joseph Hutty to manage the place. The Mead family sold the boarding house to 1948 to Captain Sava J. Milo (1905-1982) and his wife Danka (1913-2002), who operated the place until 1978. It was then purchased by the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra monastery, who demolished the historic structure in 2011.

The Mead family were devout Episcopalians, and in response to the growing popularity of their boarding house, they built the Chapel of Ease circa 1894 so that their customers, and those of the Overlook Mountain House, did not have to travel all the way down the mountain to the village of Woodstock to attend religious services. Episcopal services were held every Sunday, with rotating ministers from the village of Woodstock or a minister who was staying at the adjacent boarding house. George Mead’s granddaughter Genevieve was married to Joseph Hutty at the chapel.

The church is beautifully situated at an elevation of 1,700 feet above sea level, between Mount Guardian to the west and the southwestern shoulder of Overlook Mountain to the east. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 “for its association with the seasonal tourist industry in Woodstock and the larger Catskill Mountain region during the nineteenth and early twentieth century.”

Chauncey Snyder, who lived in a nearby farmhouse, donated one acre of land to the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Albany to build the church. Despite this act of goodwill, several years later in 1902 Snyder would be evicted from his farm, with “tears running down his old bronzed cheeks,” by Bolton Brown as he acquired lands for the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony. (Bolton Brown. Early Days at Woodstock.) An article published in 1952 in the Kingston Daily Freeman attributed the construction of the church to William Mead (1862-1913), son of George Mead.

The chapel was “modestly built, constructed with a wood balloon frame above a well-laid fieldstone foundation with detailing reminiscent of the rustic aesthetic . . . the form of the chapel and the honesty of its construction and lines relate it to the parish-type model.” Furthermore, “the chapel was modestly scaled, built, and detailed, reflecting its original use as a seasonal place of worship. The choice of shingle sheathing and rustic detailing, particularly as seen on the original entrance canopy and rustic walkway, mark it as a seasonal building and effectively relate it to its immediate mountain surroundings. These elements likewise lend the building a considerable charm and romantic appeal.”

The chapel design was based on architectural designs of Richard Upjohn (1802-1878), who authored Upjohn’s Rural Architecture in 1852. The designs included in the book were aimed at small Episcopal congregations of modest means, and included “plans and elevations for a conveniently scaled and priced wood church and chapel.” Although the Christ-on-the-Mount Church was constructed 39 years after the book’s publication, some of Upjohn’s design elements found in the church include “its steeply pitched roof simple and unpretentious lines, self-contained form and open truss ceiling;” with “the form of the chapel and the honesty of its construction and lines [relating] it to the parish-type model.”

Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount

Most sources, including the National Register of Historic Places, put the construction of the church as 1891. However, two different sources place the construction as circa 1893 or 1894. In November 1893, the Stamford Mirror wrote that “Christ Chapel, in the town of Woodstock, is to be the most elevated church in Ulster County. It is 2,000 feet above tide water, being near Mead’s Mountain House.” The use of the term “to be” implies, as of November 1893, that the church had not been constructed yet, and that its construction was therefore likely in 1894. A second source, The Churchman issue of August 4, 1894, notes that the cornerstone for the church was laid “two summers ago.” This places the beginning of construction as circa the summer of 1893.

This same article from The Churchman seemingly described the opening of the church in the summer of 1894. “Woodstock, At Christ Church, in the Catskill Mountains, services were held on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, July 15, and 5 children were baptized. The Rev. George W. Douglas, D. D., who was spending Sunday at Mead’s Mountain House, while on his way to the Adirondacks, conducted the services. The little church has been built mainly through the efforts of Mrs. Augusta Crabbe, of Rochester, N.Y., and the Misses Bolton, of Pelham, N.Y., who spent some time in this place three summers ago. Mr. Snyder presented an acre of ground, and since then $600 have been collected, and a simple shingled building, with rustic finish have been completed. Two summers ago, the Rev. Mr. Wattson, of Kingston, and the Rev. Charles Adams, of Rondout, directed by Archdeacon Thomas, laid the cornerstone. Among the gifts presented to the church, $50 was received from the Church Building Association, also Prayer Books and Hymnals, and an altar Prayer Book and a Bible from Miss Stewart Brown, of New York. A friend from Rochester presented a lectern and chancel chair, and Christ Church, Rochester, sent altar vases. About eighty guests are at Mead’s Mountain House from May to October, and, with the farmers and their children, they all make quite a Sunday-school and goodly congregation. Miss Elizabeth Crabbe, by her faithful visiting among the neighbors, built up a Sunday-school before the church was finished, and thus her summer holidays have laid a precious cornerstone of faith and love.”

No matter the specific date of construction, over the next 130 years after its founding, the church has been associated with some of the village’s most prominent residents. In 1902, Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead purchased 1,200 acres of land in the village of Woodstock, including the property on which the chapel was located, in order to found the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony, now the oldest-operating arts colony in the country. In the mid-1930s, Jane Whitehead, then Ralph’s widow, invited Father William Henry Francis, Archbishop of the Old Catholic Church in America, to Woodstock to help mentor her son Peter Whitehead (1901-1975).

William Henry Francis was born at Nottingham, England, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a young boy. The family settled at Waukegan, Illinois, on Lake Michigan, where his father established a mechanized lace-making factory. From an early age Francis had decided that he wanted to become a monk and in 1908 he joined a monastic community in Waukegan founded by Dom Augustine de Angelis Harding. Francis was ordained as a priest in 1910 by Joseph Rene Vilatte, was appointed prior of St. Dunstan’s Abbey at Waukegan in 1913, was consecrated as a bishop in the Old Catholic Church in America by Prince de Landas Berghes in 1916 and was ultimately elected Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Old Catholic Church in America in 1917. He would later in life also be known as William Henry Francis Brothers, after adding the name Brothers, his mother’s maiden name.

The Old Catholic Church in America, sometimes called the Western Orthodox Catholic Church, “believes in the ancient faith, as held by the undivided Catholic Church prior to the great schism of 1054 A. D.” The doctrine is essentially Catholic, but “the authority of the pope is rejected, as is also clerical celibacy. Communion is offered to the laity in both kinds and the liturgy is mainly in the vernacular. The great creeds are accepted, but the ‘filioque’ clause of the Nicene Creed is rejected. Apostolic succession as constituting the only valid ministry is insisted upon, but the typical Roman Catholic intolerance of other religious bodies is largely absent. In most other points of doctrine and practice there is agreement with the Roman position.” (Elmer T. Clark. The Small Sects in America. p. 205.) The church does not advocate compulsory confession and participation of the congregation in worship is emphasized.

With his new position of Archbishop of the Old Catholic Church in America, Father Francis moved around 1917 to Chicago, where he worked with the poor and disadvantaged, who were often “the uncared for, exploited immigrants working in the steel mills of the Middle-West. There in the midst of the despised “foreigners” his sympathetic understanding of their problems and his practical attempts to solve them made his mission bountiful in good works.” (Catskill Mountain Star. 1941.) In the early 1920s, Francis moved to New York City, and worked from St. Dunstan’s House on Stuyvesant Square, where he continued with his branch of the Old Catholic Church. From 1926 to 1936 Francis grew the Old Catholic Church in America from 9 to 24 parishes and from 1,888 members to 5,470 members.

In the early 1930s Father Francis moved to Cos Cob, Connecticut, located half-way between Greenwich and Stamford, in the hopes of establishing Saint Dunstan’s Abbey as “one of the truly great cloisters of the twentieth century.” However, the community was not successful, and Father Francis was ultimately forced to give up the 100-acre property. Around 1934 he moved to a small farmhouse at Bedford Village in New York, in the hopes that this new version of Saint Dunstan’s Abbey would become “The Mother Community of the Old Catholic Benedictines in North America.” Despite the lofty name and ambitions, this community “seldom mustered more than half a dozen monks, few of whom ever reached profession.” Francis remained at Bedford for only a couple of years.

With the invitation of Jane Whitehead, Father Francis moved to Woodstock in the mid-1930s, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Father Francis was often quoted as saying “I came here to convert Woodstock, but Woodstock has converted me.”

When Father Francis first arrived in the late 1930s at the Chapel of Ease, later renamed to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount, it had been abandoned for 13 years, or since around 1926. As per Alf Evers, “The Overlook Mountain House, which was destroyed by fire in 1924 [should be 1923], never reached a point at which it could house fashionable church-going guests. Mead’s became somewhat less popular among churchgoers and the chapel languished. By 1931 the Board of Missions of the Episcopal Diocese of New York took it over, but did little to check the growing deterioration of the charming rustic building and its grounds or the dwindling of its congregation.

The Old Catholic Movement was usually on good terms with the Anglican Church and the American Protestant Episcopal Church. Yet problems developed when the chapel became the center of the Old Catholic Church in America. William Manning, bishop of New York and some said a man with a medieval mind, objected to the presence of the Old Catholics on his church’s property. Jane Whitehead bought the chapel from the board of the diocese and allowed Father Francis to remain in possession throughout the rest of his life.” (Evers, Woodstock: History of an American Town, pp. 582-583.)

Father Francis arrived in the summer of 1939 at the church, “which up until a few months ago seemed to be claimed only by the wilderness about it. (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939.) Father Francis, with the help of three assistants, quickly went to work, clearing away the brush and making necessary repairs to the interior. The group, including Father Francis, Father Victor Boniface, Father Edwin and Brother Frank, lived in a house about a quarter mile down the road from the church. That house was owned by Mrs. C. Hinton, and “was known originally as the Snyder house, part of which still stands and which was one of the first two homes built in Woodstock.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939.) The original intention of the group was to use the church as “nothing more than a monastic chapel,” but they quickly attracted an ever-growing attendance at Sunday services. The first service attracted 13 people, then 26 people a week later, and services soon had enough congregants that they were standing in the back of the church and even outside.

Since the arrival of Father Francis, the church has been affiliated with the Orthodox Church of the Western Rite. During the 1960s and 1970s Father Francis would gain a small degree of fame as the “hippie priest” for his kindness, understanding and service to the young people of the era. According to various sources, Father Francis spent time with Bob Dylan, a local resident of Woodstock in the mid-1960s, with the humble priest serving as the inspiration for Dylan’s song Father of Night. Folk singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliot was a frequent visitor at the chapel. Father Francis married famed sculptor Harvey Fite, creator of Opus 40, to Barbara Richards in 1944.

Father Francis lived a simple life during his time at Woodstock, once noting that “this may seem absurd but we are trying to be like the primitive Christians.” There was a small wood addition, now removed, that was added to the back of the Christ-on-the-Mount church to serve as a humble residence for Father Francis. In a 1941 profile, it was written that Father Francis did not receive a salary, but largely depended on donations of food from his flock. He did not own any property, and at the time was living in an abandoned corn crib which was given to him for free by the owner. There was no passing of a collection plate at church services, but a simple offertory box on the rear wall where donations could be made as one felt inclined. Donations at that time did not exceed $10 per week.

As it was then inconvenient in winter and impossible to hold year-round services at the Christ-on-the-Mount Church high up on the mountain, around 1940, Father Francis moved his church to the village of Woodstock along the Saugerties-Woodstock Road (what is now Route 212), where he converted a barn into what he would call St. Dunstan’s Church. The barn was originally constructed in the 1890s through a communal “raising bee,” where the men of the community came together to erect the structure. Under Father Francis, St. Dunstan’s Church quickly gained a small amount of popularity with both locals and tourists for its beautiful altar, wood carvings and decorative pieces, much of it handcrafted by Father Francis and his associates. When St. Dunstan’s Church was destroyed by fire in December 1945, Father Francis lost much of his worldly possessions, including the church organ, vestments, books, carvings and pictures, as well as all of his personal and household effects. Soon thereafter, Father Francis retreated to the Christ-on-the-Mount Church, where he would live and preach for the remainder of his life. Father Francis passed away on July 21, 1979.

On the morning of October 10, 2014, 35 years after the passing of Father Francis, I went to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount only expecting to take some exterior shots of the building. Although churches have historically kept their doors open around the clock in order to serve the community at any time of day or night, the world has changed, and likely due to theft, vandalism, etc., most churches are now locked while not in active use. After getting my exterior shots, I walked to the front door in the secret hope that it would be open. And surprise, it was.

“As you step through the door,” one newspaper article noted in the 1950s, “you find you have gone back to the 15th century, for it is truly a reproduction of early times.” (Saugerties Daily Post. September 30, 1954.) The interior design of the church, including the ornate lattice and woodcarvings found at and near the altar, were constructed by Father Francis. A decorative, medieval-like rood screen with carved Gothic and floral motifs separates the worship space from the liturgical center, and was once described as being “a work of art which would be a credit to the masters of the Renaissance.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939) The rood screen and the surrounding walls are decorated with paintings of historic religious figures. The floor is laid with medium-width pine plank, seemingly original, running in an east-west direction.

Interior, Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount

With the surprise of the church being open, and my additional wonder at the interior being so religiously striking and beautiful, I quickly began to photograph, focusing on the woodwork, close-ups of the religious artifacts, etc. I was inside taking photographs for about 15 minutes when I was startled by someone behind me walking through the front door. It was Father John Nelson.

Father Nelson and I would wind up talking for several hours. He told me a little bit about the church, and himself and asked about my photography. After some time, he then told me he wanted to show me a religious relic that was very important to him, which was located in his basic, monk-like dwelling not too far from the church building.

Although I do not remember some of the particulars, Father Nelson told me about the history of the relic, and how he had traveled years before to northwest US in search of the abandoned dwelling of an esteemed pastor of his church denomination who had died years before. This pastor had lived the life of solitude in a secluded monk-like environment, but had still managed to be known to others in the church. With only the most basic of information, Father Nelson searched the woods for this home for several days, but to no avail. As he was about to give up, Father Nelson found the home, perhaps with some divine intervention, and much to his happiness.

Although the dwelling was in relative ruins after years of abandonment, Father Nelson did find this historic religious artifact with the charcoal inscription “memento mori” arched over a skull and crossbones. The powerful Latin phrase “memento mori” can be translated to “remember death,” “remember that you have to die” or “remember that you are mortal.” Closely associated with Christianity, “memento mori” serves as a moral lesson, reminding believers to lead a meaningful and virtuous life as your time on earth is fleeting. As death is inevitable it was not something to fear, and by contemplating your own mortality it would lead you to reflect on your life and the emptiness of earthly possessions, pleasures and achievements; and lead you to focus on the afterlife and the eternal gift of God.

Father John Nelson, Memento Mori

Father John Nelson asked me to take a picture of him with the religious artifact, and also asked if I could send him some of the photographs of the church that I had taken. After getting home several days after taking the photographs, I processed the photos and sent him the best ones in an email. He responded to the email with much thanks. The photos were later used as part of a fundraising campaign for the church to help fund needed repairs.

In my photography of the Catskills, I do not take many photographs with people, and if there are people, they are usually small, often non-descript, and used only to offer a point of interest or offer a contrast in size to the surrounding landscape. That being said, this photograph of Father John Nelson continues to be one of my favorite photographs that I have ever taken in the Catskills. I fondly remember the brief time spent with the charismatic Father Nelson and the beauty of the small mountaintop church.

The combination of the portrait element of Father John Nelson, wearing a winter coat and hat in the chilly autumn weather, standing outside the most rustic of living quarters, while he holds an incredibly interesting religious artifact with a powerful and timeless meaning, and knowing the very personal story of how the religious artifact was obtained, provide multiple points of interest, which, when seamlessly united, seem to perfectly capture that moment in time.

After meeting Father Nelson that day I tried to learn a little bit more about him, who, as I found out, had led quite an interesting and varied life. John Nelson was born in 1950 in Maryland and was raised by his grandparents. He had found his way to the village of Woodstock by the late 1960s, and first attended Easter Sunday service with Father Francis in 1970. On his first visit to the mountain church, Nelson recalled, “I was immediately struck by the reverence being shown toward God, something that did not exist in typical American churches. It was something very old, and you could feel it.” (Woodstock Times. March 12, 2015.)

Intervening years found Nelson living in an intentional community in Stony Hollow, marrying several times, working as a woodworker and carpenter, studying the Celtic church in Ireland for several years, and ultimately studying in the early 1990s at the Western Rite Orthodox Monastery in New Jersey under the mentorship of Father Theodore, a Russian priest who had escaped the revolution. He would also lead a cover band called the Beagles, which was dedicated to the music of the Beatles and the Eagles.

By around 1995, Nelson would follow in the footsteps of Father Francis and personally lead the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount. While serving the church, “he built a beautiful baptistry by closing in the old pavilion, creating a sleeping area, and lived there as a monk, under simple, primitive conditions. He also worked on the church structure, rebuilding the rood screen and shoring up areas that were decaying.” (Woodstock Times. August 10, 2017.)

For the next 22 years until his passing, Nelson served as a prominent local community leader. He helped found the Woodstock Council for World Peace, led the Woodstock March for Peace and was instrumental in getting the church listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Father John Nelson died from liver cancer at Northern Dutchess Hospital on August 1, 2017. He is buried on the grounds of his beloved mountaintop church.

Woodstock Artists Cemetery: A Photographic Study

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Encircled by the everlasting hills

They rest here who added to the beauty of the world

By art, creative thought and by life itself.

- Dr. James T. Shotwell

They Rest Here

RIP Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead

Woodstock’s reverence for artists and their craft is not limited to the living, as the Woodstock Artists Cemetery pays eternal homage to local residents who have made their mark on the arts. Buried here are many great artists, musicians, writers, painters, sculptors and poets.

Among the well-known buried here are Milton Avery and Philip Guston, noted painters; Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, Bolton Brown and Hervey White, co-founders of the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony, now the oldest-operating arts colony in the country; Milton Glaser, graphic designer and creator of the I ♥ NY logo; and Howard Koch, who won an Academy Award as one of the screenwriters of the movie “Casablanca.”

The idea of the Woodstock Artists Cemetery was initiated in 1934 by John Kingsbury following the tragic death of his 18-year-old son, who died in a car accident while attending school in Andover, Massachusetts. Kingsbury, who had originally purchased an 80 ft. by 100 ft. plot of land on which to bury his son, was soon joined by his close friends Carl Lindin, James Shotwell, Bruno Zimm and James Stagg, who together purchased additional land to expand the cemetery. The Woodstock Memorial Society was officially established on November 4, 1934 to manage the cemetery.

In the hopes of preserving the natural environment and the beauty of the landscape, the cemetery established bylaws which prohibited many of the traditional symbols of grief. With the exception of the memorial to Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, the cemetery requires that all gravestones are level to the earth. Cemetery bylaws also prohibit signs and grave mounds and containers for flowers were not permitted to rise more than two inches above the ground.

In line with their artistic backgrounds, many of the gravestones of the deceased include beautiful visual images such as a piano, a violin, a sailboat, a peace symbol, doves, musical notes, a sword, an acorn, a colorful sunburst, among many others. Some of the gravestones carry messages that attempt to sum up life in a few words such as “From Rain to Sunshine,” “He Has Loved the Stars Too Fondly to Be Fearful of the Night,” “Many Blessings on Your Sacred Journey,” “May All Beings Be Happy and Free from Suffering,” or “He Was a Man, Take Him for All in All I Shall Not Look Upon His Like Again.”

At the top of the hill overlooking the cemetery, there is an imposing 10-ton bluestone monument set on a circular terrace that was created by sculptor Tomas Penning (1905-1982). The bluestone sculpture includes the inscription of Dr. James Shotwell’s words seen at the beginning of this blog post. Penning had settled in the hamlet of High Woods in Saugerties in the early 1930s and would become one of the leading sculptors in the village of Woodstock. He was an instructor for several years at the National Youth Administration Work Center in Woodstock. Penning honorably served during World War II from 1942 to 1946, including service in an army anti-aircraft unit in Tunis, North Africa.

The Woodstock Artists Cemetery is located at 12 Mountain View Avenue, just off Rock City Road, and only a short walk from the Village Green at the center of Woodstock. Visit the cemetery website at www.woodstockartistscemetery.org for more information.

RIP Clinton Woodbridge Parker

Poet + Painter + Philosopher

RIP Albert Graeser

RIP Alek

RIP Richard E. Tee

RIP Leonardo Cimino

Violinist

At the End

On the Horse

Many Blessings on Your Sacred Journey

Peace

He was a man

Seeds of Life

Cross of God

Art at Woodstock Artists Cemetery

Our Home

Crusader for Peace

RIP Jenne Magafan Chavez

The Song of Life

Two Acorns

Reaching Out

Bug

Manhattanville College 1841

All I Want

The Scenes of Life

Life

RIP Hans J. Cohn

John Kenneth Corbin: The First Aerial Photographs of Stamford, New York

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 13:00:00 GMT

John Kenneth Corbin was born on September 5, 1902, the son of William and Mary Cowley Corbin. He was born in Stamford and graduated from the local high school. After high school he worked at the local railroad station for two years, before joining the National Bank of Stamford in 1923. He worked at the bank for over 40 years, from 1923 to his retirement in 1965. He was a veteran of the US Army during World War II, serving from December 1943 until his discharge in May 1945. He was an active member of the community, serving as a member of the Stamford Fire Department and the Methodist Church. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and an avid bowler, holding several local record high scores for many years.

Corbin was married to Eva Dederick on December 25, 1943 at Saugerties, New York. Eva worked as a teacher in the Stamford and South Kortright school systems for 23 years.

Mt. Utsayantha, Elev. 3365 Ft.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s Corbin took to the air, earning his pilots license. Combining his love of flight and photography, Corbin took the first aerial pictures of the Stamford area in 1931. The first pictures were taken unassisted from his Allison monoplane with an ordinary No. 3 Brownie camera. The simple Brownie camera, first manufactured by the Eastman Kodak company in 1900, was inexpensive and easy to use, making it accessible to the general public and the growing population of amateur photographers. The No. 3 Brownie camera used by Corbin was manufactured from 1908 to 1934.

The Stamford Mirror-Recorder, the local newspaper, reported on these first aerial pictures in an article titled "First Airplane Views of Town." “One of the pictures, taken from a height of 1300 feet, shows how conspicuous as an identification mark the new pool in Indian Trail Park really is to visiting aviators. It also reveals that the South Street garage building of Cook & Son and the Stamford Opera House are two conspicuous landmarks, having as they do, two of the largest roof-spreads in town. The Cook & Son building especially stands out clearly and from its location it would make an ideal direction indicator for visiting pilots. The Hoagland garage block which already carries a direction arrow and the name of the airport, is clearly discernible at 1300 feet and should be instantly located by a pilot new to these parts. Stamford Arms stands out clearly as do the Belvedere and the Maselyn.

Another picture, taken at considerably greater height, looks directly down upon the Tower on Mt. Utsayantha – a white dot against a dark background. This picture shows what an unusually dense forest growth covers this mountain top. The automobile road which leads through the woods to the mountain top is completely hidden.” (Stamford Mirror-Recorder. September 17, 1931.)

In 1934 Corbin took a series of aerial photographs of Stamford, Mount Utsayantha, the village hotels and the surrounding region, pictures that were then made available for sale as postcards. Local resident Dayton Griffin piloted the plane while Corbin took the pictures.

“Stamford people who haven’t the courage to view their village from the air will soon have an opportunity to see what it looks like from above, through post cards which will shortly go on sale here . . .

Stamford people had forgotten that the village has a huge airport direction arrow painted on the roof of one of its larger buildings until they saw a picture taken by Mr. Corbin showing in sharp detail the West End area of Stamford village of which the Hoagland garage block was the center. There were many other pictures of various sections of the village, all unusually sharp and clear and giving a new and very favorable impression of the beautiful village in which we live.

Two of the pictures of the village were especially interesting. One shows the buildings which comprise The Maselyn Hotel group and Stamford Arms, together with Main Street and other buildings in that immediate section. The other picture shows the municipal pool in Indian Trail Park to splendid advantage.

Two unusually fine pictures of the New Rexmere Club Hotel have been obtained from the air by Mr. Corbin. In one picture the hotel and its immediate surroundings are beautifully reproduced. In the other picture the acres of lawns which spread out in all directions from the hotel are interestingly caught from a higher elevation.

Another view of the village is taken from the air from Hobart way and is quite inclusive. One of the prettiest pictures is that of The Chateau in Granthurst Park. Here a natural setting aids the camera and with close-cropped lawns and encircling trees the effect is pleasing indeed.

The Stamford Country Club, located on a sharply sloping hillside, has heretofore been difficult to photograph to advantage and as a result pictures for booklets have for years been taken showing the rear of the building. Part of Stamford’s picture problem this year was solved when Mr. Corbin took a picture of the club house from his plane. The picture is used in this year’s Stamford booklet issued by the Chamber of Commerce. Since that picture was taken, Mr. Corbin, flying at a much lower altitude, has secured an unusually fine picture.

The tower on Mt. Utsayantha and the automobile parking space on the top of this 3,365-foot peak were beautifully caught in a hazardous flight in which the plane must have barely skimmed the flag staff. The gnarled trees surrounding the tower which always attract the interest of the visitor are faithfully reproduced in the picture which incidentally is the first to be taken of the tower from the air.

There are other fine pictures of various sections of the village showing The Terrace, The Madison, the Watson Greenhouses, etc.

There were two other pictures of unusual interest. One a “still,” taken on Main Street during the flood of last March when West End residents in Stamford worked desperately nearly all day Sunday, March 4th, to truck away or break up the ice jams that formed constantly at the rear of Main Street business places on the upstream side. When the trucks proved too slow to handle the ice a double line of men extending across the street was formed and the cakes were broken up into small pieces and shoved through a manhole on the opposite side of the street, below the plugged culvert. The picture shows the string of men in action, with cakes of ice which they couldn’t for the moment handle spreading out upon the street.

The other picture, taken from the air, gives an impressive close-up of the mighty torrent that pours over Gilboa dam when the Old Schoharie Creek goes on a rampage. The camera caught it – mist and all.

The pictures, particularly those of Stamford, should provide something of interest for those who are ever seeking “something different” for their booklets.” (Stamford Mirror-Recorder. July 12, 1934.)

Upon his retirement from the National Bank of Stamford in 1965, Corbin and his wife moved to Bradenton, Florida. Corbin passed away a few years later after an extended illness on December 21, 1971 at the Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Florida. Funeral services were held at Hall Funeral Home in Stamford, with Reverend William R. Phinney, pastor of the Jefferson United Methodist Church, officiating. John Kenneth Corbin and his wife Eva are both buried at Stamford Cemetery in Stamford, New York.

Crispell Memorial French Church and Burying Ground

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Crispell Memorial French Church, to the surprise of many, is actually a 1972 reconstructed interpretation of the first 1717 stone church in New Paltz. The original church, which was also used as a school, served the early settlement for 56 years when a larger church was built to accommodate the growing congregation. The church is named for Antoine Crispell, one of the twelve founders of New Paltz. The adjacent Burying Ground contains many graves of the original 12 founding families of New Paltz. The last burial took place here in 1864.

New Paltz was founded in 1678 by French Huguenots, Protestant followers of John Calvin who had escaped religious persecution in France and emigrated to religiously tolerant countries around the world, including the United States. With the purchase of nearly 40,000 acres of land from the Esopus Indians, the 12 founding families, referred to as the Patentees (as they held the legal patent to the land), quickly left their young Kingston and Hurley homes and established a permanent settlement and farming community along the Wallkill River.

Peaceful Huguenot Street in downtown New Paltz offers a step back in time to these early days of the village. Charming, Dutch-inspired stone houses, many now active museums, provide a glimpse of what life was like in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Visitors can admire the quality architecture at the Freer House, Abraham Hasbrouck House, Bevier-Elting House, DuBois Fort, Jean Hasbrouck House and the LeFevre House, as well as a reconstructed 1717 church. There is also an 18th century burial ground, a visitor center, educational exhibits and many of the homes are open for tours. Huguenot Street, marketing itself as “the oldest street in America with its original houses”, is listed on the register of National Historic Landmark Districts.

The Rondout Effect

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Rondout Effect, located at the Riverport Wooden Boat School in Kingston, New York, is an impressive mural depicting scenes typical of the Rondout District including boating, the Rondout Lighthouse, and the buildings of the Strand. The mural was created in conjunction with the 2017 and 8th annual O+ festival. It is the first O+ mural in the downtown section of Kingston.

The Rondout Effect is the creation of local artist Matthew Pleva, a Kingston native and SUNY Purchase graduate. This is Pleva’s second work for the O+ festival. His first, titled Hobgoblin of Old Dutch Church, prominently overlooks Peace Park in the Stockade District of Kingston, New York. The Hobgoblin mural features several icons of the Kingston landscape including the Old Dutch Church and Jansen House as well as the famed hobgoblin of Kingston lore. Visit Matthew’s website at www.matthewpleva.com for more information about this amazing artist or visit him at his store, The Art Riot.

The O+ festival is a 3-day event where artists and musicians exchange their participation for basic health care, dental and wellness services. Billed as “The Art of Medicine for the Medicine of Art”, the growing Kingston event features many forms of art media including paint, sculpture, dance, performance art and music. The first Kingston O+ festival took place in 2010. The most visible aspect of the festival is the large-scale murals seen throughout the city.

Heading to Kingston Point

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The non-profit Trolley Museum of New York, located in the Rondout waterfront section of Kingston, has on display trolley cars from around the world. Visitors can also hop on to take a 1 ½ mile trolley ride with stops at T. R. Gallo Park and out to Kingston Point, all while taking in great views of the Hudson River and the Rondout Lighthouse.

Trolley #358, seen here, is making its way towards Kingston Point. This trolley originally operated in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It was manufactured in 1925 by the St. Louis Car Co. for the Johnstown Traction Company. After Johnstown abandoned its street railway in June 1960 the car was sent to Stone Mountain, Georgia, where it operated as part of a tourist ride around the mountain. The Trolley Museum of New York then acquired trolley #358 in 1991 and undertook an extensive restoration. In 2000 trolley #358 began to carry its first Kingston passengers and continues this service today. The trolley weighs 38,380 pounds and originally had seating capacity for 44.

For more information about the Trolley Museum and the trolley rides, check out their website at www.tmny.com.

The Statues of Academy Green, Kingston, New York

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Academy Green holds a distinguished place in Kingston’s history. Governor Peter Stuyvesant negotiated a peace treaty here in 1660 between early settlers and the local Esopus Indians. Ulster County troops drilled on the site prior to entering the Civil War. From 1830 to 1916, Academy Green was the site of the Kingston Academy, the oldest preparatory school in New York State, which instructed students on mathematics, science, the arts and languages. After the Kingston Academy’s demolition in 1916, with students moving to a new location at the Kingston High School, Academy Green became a park in 1918.

Academy Green is home to three 11-foot bronze sculptures of Peter Stuyvesant, George Clinton and Henry Hudson, each of whom left a lasting impact on the Kingston region. The 1898 monuments are the work of noted sculptor John Massey Rhind (1860-1936) and were produced by the Gorham Manufacturing Company in New York. The statues were originally located Exchange Court building in Manhattan. When that building was being remodeled in the late 1940s, the sculptures, unbelievably, wound up in a junkyard as scrap. Fortunately, after seeing a newspaper article about the building remodeling, Emily Crane Chadbourne, president of Kingston’s Senate House Association, tracked down the junkyard and sought to rescue the statues. She purchased and donated the statues to the city of Kingston. The statues were installed on large pedestals of local bluestone at Academy Green, and a dedication ceremony led my Kingston Mayor Oscar Newkirk took place in June 1950.

George Clinton (1739-1812) led a remarkable career and left a lasting legacy on both his home state of New York and his country. He was the first Governor of New York and served for 21 years, the longest serving governor in state history. He was a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress, served honorably as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and is considered by many to be one of the Founding Fathers of the country. Clinton served as Vice President of the United States under two different presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, one of only two men to hold that distinction. He is buried at the Old Dutch Church in the Stockade District of Kingston.

Peter Stuyvesant (1612-1672) was the Director General (i.e. Governor) of New Netherlands, a Dutch colony, from 1647 until 1664. In 1664, the English gained control of New Amsterdam, and thus all of the New Netherlands colony, and it was renamed New York. Stuyvesant left a lasting legacy on the colony with the introduction of strict new laws, establishment of a municipal government and the expansion of the colony beyond Manhattan.

Henry Hudson (c. 1570-1611) was an English sea explorer. In 1609, working on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, Hudson was the first European to sail up the Hudson River (obviously named in his honor). His explorations led to the Dutch colonization of the region, the establishment of New Netherland and the settlement of Kingston (then known as Wiltwyck).

George Clinton

Peter Stuyvesant

Henry Hudson

Billy Costello: The Pride of Kingston

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Billy Costello (1956-2011) was a native of Kingston, New York who became a boxing world champion. Costello took up boxing at the relatively late age of 19, but showed quickly that he was a natural fighter. He won the New York Golden Gloves championship in 1978 and turned professional a year later, winning his first 30 fights. In 1984 Costello became the undefeated WBC light welterweight champion with a technical knockout of Bruce Curry. He successfully defended his title three times against Ronnie Shields, Saoul Mamby and Leroy Haley, before losing his fourth title defense to the undefeated Lonnie Smith. He left boxing in 1986 with a loss to Alexis Arguello, but returned in 1992 for nine more fights, all victories, before retiring for good in 1999. After a 20-year career, Costello retired with an impressive record of 40 wins, 2 defeats, with both defeats coming at the hands of world champions.

Billy Costello is fondly remembered in his native Kingston, for his humble beginnings, for notably holding three of his championship fights in his hometown, for setting up the local boxing program with the Kingston Police Athletic League, and ultimately for his toughness and dedication to the sport. The statue of Costello is prominently located at a busy intersection in that city for all those who pass to remember his athletic greatness. The life-sized, white granite statue was dedicated in 2012, only a year after his passing. The dedication ceremony was well attended by family, local residents, boxing fans and local dignitaries.

Inspirational quotes by Billy Costello, Kingston native and WBC light welterweight boxing champion from January 29, 1984 to August 21, 1985.

“Everyone was always telling me, ‘Billy, you can’t do this’ and ‘Billy, you can’t do that.’ But all that ever did was make me more determined than before.”

“They had some boxing equipment in the gym, and I figured, why not try it? One day on the heavy bag and it was like God saying to me, this is what you’re supposed to do.”

“I looked across the ring and I said to myself, I’m here. People put me down all my life, but I’m here.” – Billy Costello talks of his mindset on January 29, 1984 as he entered the ring for his title fight with Bruce Curry in Beaumont, Texas. Costello knocked out Curry in the 10th round to win the WBC light welterweight title.

Patriotism

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Standing in the southeast corner of the Old Dutch Church cemetery in Kingston, New York, the 16-foot bronze war monument entitled “Patriotism” commemorates the soldiers of the 120th New York State Infantry and their military service during the Civil War. The 120th New York Infantry unit was led by General George H. Sharpe (1828-1900), a prominent member of the Old Dutch Church parish, and contained many men from the church. The distinguished unit fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Appomattox Court House, which are but a few of their many battles.

Following the Civil War, General Sharpe erected the statue in honor of the men of his command. The statue depicts “the figure of a young and beautiful woman who stands in a graceful attitude on top of the pedestal holding aloft a flag. The pedestal is of red granite from Stony Creek, Conn., and is made of the same kind of stone as that used in the construction of the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, in New York Harbor." (Kingston Daily Freeman, October 17, 1896) The statue was dedicated on October 17, 1896. The statue was created by sculptor Byron M. Pickett (1834-1907) and cast at the foundry of M. J. Power of New York City. The statue was restored in 1996 by Coryat Casting Company.

One plaque on the base of the statue contains an approximation of the Great Seal of the United States, which includes the United States motto of “E Pluribus Unum.” Translated from Latin, the motto means “Out of many, one.”

Staff Sergeant Robert Dietz

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Staff Sergeant Robert Dietz (1921-1945) was a Kingston native, soldier in the United States Army and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor.

Dietz served as a squad leader in Company A, 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division during World War II. During the battle for Kirchain, Germany in March 1945, Dietz braved heavy enemy fire to kill several enemy bazooka teams, bayoneted an enemy soldier, shot 3 German soldiers, all in his pursuit to prevent the enemy from using demolition charges set to blow up two bridges that were vital to the American attack on Kirchain. He succeeded in killing several teams of enemy soldiers protecting the first bridge and personally dismantled the charges on the second bridge but “as he stood up to signal that the route was clear, he was killed by another enemy volley from the left flank.”

Dietz is buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston. Dietz Memorial Stadium in uptown Kingston and the Staff Sgt. Robert H. Dietz Post Office are both named in his honor.

Battle Cross

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Ulster County War Memorial, located in front of the Ulster County Office Building in uptown Kingston, pays testament to the 1,307 Ulster County citizens that have lost their lives defending our country. In the center of the monument stands a time-honored military sculpture known as the Battle Cross, consisting of a soldier’s combat boots, their bayonet and inverted weapon stuck in the ground, dog tags hanging off the weapon and helmet resting on top of the stock of the weapon. It is meant to show honor and respect to the fallen at a battle site. Surrounding the Battle Cross are five 7-foot-high polished black granite slabs that are engraved with the names of those soldiers who have been lost. The slabs are positioned in the shape of a pentagon, representing the five branches of the military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The memorial was dedicated in 2015.

“This monument stands in eternal and heartfelt remembrance of those brave American soldiers from Ulster County who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation.” – Ulster County Executive Michael P. Hein.

JoJo’s Masterpiece: The Stone Castle of Swan Lake

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 13:00:00 GMT

This miniature, medieval-looking stone castle is located within a small park in the Sullivan County hamlet of Swan Lake. In the 1930s, at the request of Siegel family, the owners of the former Commodore Hotel, the sculpture was constructed by Joe “JoJo” Moshini, an Italian immigrant and master mason. Moshini had arrived at Swan Lake around 1928 and quickly gained a reputation for his fine masonry work.

The sculpture featured the castle standing tall on a stone pedestal, a surrounding fountain and, at night, it was well lighted by lamps. Surrounding the castle was a beautiful flower garden. Moshini was also known for his other local masonry work including several other stone castles, stone pillars, stone steps and stone walls. The Commodore Hotel as well as the adjacent Stevensville Hotel were popular resort destinations.

In 2013, long after the decline of Catskills tourism and the 1979 razing of the Commodore Hotel, the castle was rediscovered after years of neglect and restored by local volunteers, who now also maintain the small park. The castle serves as a lasting testament to the craftsmanship of Joe Moshini and to the memory of the once great resorts that dotted the Sullivan County landscape.

Seven New Stereoviews of the Catskills by the E. & H. T. Anthony Co.

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest views of the Catskills of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including The Artistic Series, The Glens of the Catskills, and Winter in the Catskills. Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

I have recently acquired seven new stereoviews of the Catskills that were published by the E. & H. T. Anthony & Company. Each of the stereoviews have all been added to the Anthony gallery, which now contains 141 of the company’s Catskills works.

Sunset Rock, The Bluff (# 263)

Looking down Kauterskill Clove from Sunset Rock (# 264)

Hanging Icicles (# 785)

Catskill Mountain House, From North Mountain (# 1340)

Fawns Leap - Kauterskill Clove (#9061)

View at Hancock, looking down the North Branch of the Delaware River (#687)

View at Hancock, on the North Branch of the Delaware (#688)

Friendship Manor Covered Bridge

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The Friendship Manor Covered Bridge, also known as the Pine Hill Covered Bridge, was built in 1992. The bridge is 72 feet long and 22 feet wide as it spans Birch Creek to serve as the entrance for the Belleayre Mountain Pine Hill Lake Day Use Area. The bridge is located on the east side of Pine Hill, a small, yet charming hamlet in the town of Shandaken in Ulster County. The one lane bridge is open for auto traffic but is only open with the day-use area. The bridge also includes a pedestrian walkway. Due to its recent construction and use of modern materials and processes the bridge is not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge was designed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Friendship Manor Covered Bridge was constructed by Fort Miller Co. and Chesterfield Associates. Fort Miller is a construction company that specializes in precast concrete products and is based in Schuylerville, New York. The company was founded in 1939 by Jefferson Davis, great-grandson of the President of the Confederate States of America. Their products include bridges, highway barriers, noise barriers, wall systems and more. Chesterfield Associates is a contracting firm. The Friendship Manor Bridge utilizes a precast concrete and steel Inverset bridge which was then covered with a wooden roof to create a traditional covered bridge appearance.

The bridge units “utilized Grade 50W steel and were erected on cast-in-place concrete abutments”[1]. Grade 50W steel is noted for its high strength and resistance to atmospheric corrosion. The “W” “stands for weathering and denotes the fact that this material has controlled rusting characteristics that allow just enough corrosion to occur so a rust barrier is formed. Because of this barrier, painting is not required, meaning less maintenance for state highway crews. In contrast, a non-weathering steel often used in bridge construction requires constant painting and maintenance.”[2]

The area around the hamlet of Pine Hill, where the covered bridge is located, was first settled during the late 1700s. The settlement and industry of Pine Hill followed the traditional arc of Catskills business including subsistence farms, tanneries, lumber, bluestone, arrival of the railroad, boarding houses and tourism.

Aaron Adams is credited as having the first homestead at Pine Hill, located on what is now Main Street. In 1810 Adams established the aptly named Pine Hill Tavern. In 1831 the Empire Tannery, the first tannery in the town of Shandaken, was established on Birch Creek at Pine Hill by Augustus A. Guigou. In 1872, the Ulster and Delaware Railroad arrived, providing expanded tourism opportunities to visitors and in 1895 Pine Hill became an incorporated village. In the late 19th century through the early 20th century, Pine Hill was home to numerous boarding houses for those seeking out fresh air and a vacation from city life. The hamlet was known throughout the region for its sparkling fresh water, marketed by the local Crystal Spring Water Company, referred to as the “Saratoga of the Catskills,” which operated there from 1901 to 1933. In 1949, skiing became a major attraction for tourists with the construction of the adjacent Belleayre Ski Center. In 1960, Route 28 was realigned away from the village Main Street.

Today, although Pine Hill is long past its heyday, it does offer a step back in time with a quaint feel and slower pace. There are several hotels and restaurants, most catering to the crowds visiting the neighboring Belleayre Ski Center. The Pine Hill Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as a cohesive collection of late 19th century and early 20th century buildings that represent the heyday of summer tourism in the Catskill Mountains of New York.” Some district highlights include the Shandaken Historical Museum, located in the 1925 School District No. 10 building, the Elm Street Stone Arch Bridge and the 1903 Morton Memorial Library.

The name origin of the Pine Hill hamlet, and thus the alternate name for the covered bridge, varies slightly depending on the source. Pine Hill’s application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places states that “its name reflects the prominence upon which it is sited.”[3] Similarly, the town website states: “Pine Hill takes its name from the steep ascent rising toward Belleayre that famously challenged travelers and settlers heading west.”[4]

The register of New York place names states that “this community was named for the hill on which it sits.”[5] A Harper’s Weekly article about prominent village resident Henry Morton states: “It is the jest of the place that Pine Hill is so called because there are no pines anywhere near it. Dr. Morton did not like that, so he planted a whole hill-side with pines, and they are prospering.”[6]

A different theory about the Pine Hill name put forward in a book about area history states: “Pine Hill received its name from the Indian word “Kauren sinck” meaning place of the pine trees.”[7] Similarly, the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce website states: “The Indians knew Pine Hill as Kawiensinck. This was told to the interpreter Thomas Nottingham by two Esopus Indians, John Paulin and Sapan. It was placed on a map as such for the Hardenburgh Patent in 1771 by William Cockburn.”[8] The Native American term “kawiensinck” is likely the origin of the Pine Hill name as a detailed study of land deeds shows:

“By July 31, 1706, lawyer Jacob Rutsen of Marbletown, the father-in-law of Hardenbergh, had signed an unusual agreement with an Esopus Indian chief called Nanisinos. For two hundred pounds, Rutsen obtained a promise of lands northwest of Marbletown in Ulster County ‘called or known by the Indian names of moghogwagsinck [on the east branch of the Delaware] kawiensinck [present Pine Hill area] pakatagkan menaghenonck being a great Island [in the east branch of the Delaware] matagherack oghkananteponck and passighkawanonck which said tracts and parcels of Land Lyes upon the fish kill or River [the Delaware] that runs toward Minisinck and several other Rivers Creeks and branches that waters in the said fish kill or River. . .’. The original of this agreement is on file at Kingston’s Senate House, a New York State Historic Site.

This was “according to information given years later by Esopus Indians to Surveyor William Cockburn, who drew a map of the area in 1771 . . . Cockburn obtained his information through an interpreter from John Paulin and Sapan, two Esopus Indians.”[9]

The perennial Birch Creek, over which the covered bridge stands, is a tributary to the famed Esopus River which it joins near Big Indian. The Creek begins its life modestly on the southern flank of 3,520-foot Halcott Mountain in the town of Lexington. It flows generally southward as it crosses Upper Birch Creek Road and enters the town of Shandaken. It quickly meets and generally follows Lower Birch Creek Road and later Birch Creek Road. The Creek flows into and through the hamlet of Pine Hill before bypassing Pine Hill Lake to the east. It then generally follows the base of Belleayre Ridge along the west side of Route 28 all the way to the hamlet of Big Indian where it joins the famed Esopus Creek. Birch Creek is approximately seven miles long.

Tributaries to Birch Creek include Giggle Hollow Brook, Smith Hollow Brook and Crystal Spring Brook (with its own tributaries of Cathedral Glen Brook and Woodchuck Hollow Brook which is also known as Bailey Brook). Over its course Birch Creek ranges from 10 to 30 feet wide with water depths up to 3 1/2 feet but averaging from 1/2 to 1 foot. It is home to brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. It has a watershed area of 8,114 acres. Birch Creek is the primary feeder into the adjacent Pine Hill Lake, with the lake “currently designed to be able to take water from the creek when flows are in excess of 5cfs” (cubic feet per second).[10]

The original bridge at this site was functional in nature, providing access to a popular boarding house known as Funcrest, or the Funcrest Hotel. The Funcrest Hotel was constructed in 1923 and was owned and operated David Funk, an immigrant from Hungary who arrived in the United States as a young boy. Funk had been a frequent visitor to the Pine Hill area for many summers before buying the property and building the hotel. Before opening Funcrest, David had operated the White House hotel at Pine Hill for a couple of years. The Funcrest Hotel was constructed by M. C. Myers on the former Robert Eignor property.

Upon opening in the summer of 1923, the Funcrest Hotel had capacity for 125 people, was located a 1/2 mile from the train depot and advertised itself as “New! Just Completed. Funcrest Hotel. For Fun – For Rest. Pine Hill, N.Y. Adjoining Lake. Catskill Mountains. The last word in hotel construction. Electric lights; hot and cold running water in every room. Rooms with private baths. Well kept tennis court. Jazz Band. Dancing. Competent instructors in all sports. Kosher Hungarian Proprietor.”[11]

In 1925, Funk added another thirty rooms to the hotel, making it “one of the largest and most up-to-date in this section.” In 1926 a new bridge leading to the Funcrest Hotel was constructed under the supervision of Matthew G. Thompson. In a 1927 advertisement the Funcrest Hotel advertised itself as “For Fun – For Rest. Adjoining Lake. Pine Hill, N.Y. Catskill Mountains. A Modern Hotel – All Camp Activities. Private Baths – Telephone in Every Room – Social Director – Physical Instructor. Hungarian Cuisine. Jewish Dietary Laws Observed. Special June Rates. Write for Booklet – D. FUNK.”[12]

By 1929 the Funcrest Hotel had a capacity for 225 people, and eventually reached a capacity of 300 people. In 1931 a new ballroom was added. Various newspaper clippings and advertisements show that they offered seasonal entertainment such as concerts, dances and shows and winter time ice skating. Funcrest also hosted a variety of family and community events.

The Funcrest resort was continuously operated by David Funk for 34 years until 1957 when his health would no longer permit it. The resort was then leased to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Herskovits, who ran the hotel for 6 years. Under the management of the Herskovits family the hotel continued with its fine reputation for hospitality. “Funcrest Hotel at Pine Hill has exceptional charm which emanates from its congenial operators, the Herskovits family. Its cuisine is kosher and continental and its entertainment program is specially designed for all age groups.”[13] In 1963 David Funk sold the Funcrest Hotel to Hunt, Garvas and Benyey of New York.

In April 1966, the Funcrest resort was sold again to new ownership and the name was changed to “Friendship Manor,” and thus the name origin for the covered bridge. The hotel resort was purchased by an eight-owner corporation headed by Rev. R. W. Gulette who had plans to operate year-round. The June 30, 1966 issue of the Catskill Mountain News announced the resort opening: “The grand opening and get-acquainted party of Friendship Manor was held Friday and Saturday. Dinner was served Friday evening. More than 100 local and out-of-town guests attended. T.H. Edmonds is manager of the new year-round resort hotel.”[14] Famed singer, jazz composer and bandleader Noble Sissle worked as the entertainment director for Friendship Manor.

In April 1967 the local newspaper stated that the resort received its license to sell beer, liquor and wine on its premises. The new resort was “a 1960s-era resort catering to African Americans . . . Mr. Reed ran a bustling ethnic resort, attracting busloads of folks who’d come up from the city on weekends, where friends recall a lively music scene.”[15] The resort quickly endeared itself to the local public by opening its lake for public community use.

Despite its popularity, according to a local newspaper article on May 4, 1972, the property was seized in 1972 for unpaid taxes: “Friendship Manor in Pine Hill has been seized by agents of the Internal Revenue Service for unpaid federal taxes. A tax lien of $8,558.32 against Friendship Manor, Inc. was filed in the Ulster County clerk’s office on January 24 and another of $2,048.85 on March 8. Notices have been posted on the property and the buildings padlocked. The firm’s bank account has also been seized.”[16]

The hotel must have paid the taxes and reopened briefly as there is an advertisement in the local newspaper on September 28, 1972 announcing “One Final Fling – Join Us for One Last Party” and “This will be our last affair as Friendship Manor is closing. It has been a pleasure to entertain you. Many thanks for all the good times we have had together. Your host, D. E. Reed”.[17]

Soon after Friendship Manor closed the Fitzgerald family took over the hotel, and they renamed the place Fitzgeralds. The hotel quickly grew in popularity for its dinners, music and entertainment. The Fitzgerald family invested thousands of dollars in improving the facilities. Unfortunately, the popular Fitzgeralds establishment only lasted a couple of years, burning down in November 1974. The devastating and quickly expanding fire destroyed the 51-year-old building in less than 90 minutes.

“The devastating fire was discovered shortly before 6 p.m. In its early stages it appeared to center around the main staircase at the center back of the original building. From there it spread outward, first on the top floor, then rapidly through the other floors, and the extensions for the casino, dining room and kitchen areas. There was flame on the roof when the first fire fighters arrived.

Pine Hill firemen immediately sought help from companies in neighboring communities. Big Indian firemen quickly arrived with all their equipment, as did Fleischmanns with two large pumpers. Arkville firemen came with one truck, but this was sent back for standby at Fleischmanns, while Arkville men helped to man hoses of the early arriving companies. Margaretville sent a pumper also to stand by at Fleischmanns, and several firemen came to Pine Hill assist. Moving up from the eastern end were Shandaken-Allaben, which went on standby at Big Indian, and one Phoenicia pumper on standby at Shandaken.

The Big Indian and Pine Hill pumpers began sending water from the hotel swimming pool, about 100 yards from the structure. The Pine Hill tanker relayed lines near the hotel. The two Fleischmanns pumpers were on the main approach bridge pumping from the diminished waters of the Esopus Creek below the dam that had once held back the Funcrest lake.

Two portable pumps were placed in the creek near the swimming pool in an attempt to keep the pool filled. However, the two big pumpers drained this source in little more than an hour. At times water pressured dropped futilely low, dooming early hopes of confining the fire to the center and top of the hotel.

Meanwhile, the fire continued to grow in intensity, despite the numerous lines, high and low pressure from which water was being thrown at all angles. Fleischmanns firemen were moving in on the northwest corner at the front of the building when suddenly an ominous cracking sounded. They scrambled back quickly and most of the building collapsed. The loops in their hoses were under the porch debris, and for a moment it looked as though they were lost.

This collapse intensified the fire, and fanned it more rapidly into the concrete block casino and kitchen extensions. At the western end the flaming cornice dropped like a gigantic spear through the roof of the dining room extension.”[18]

As the entrance for the state day use area, crossing the covered bridge provides access to Pine Hill Lake. The Pine Hill Lake has an estimated surface area of 5.62 acres and has an estimated storage capacity for 29.4 million gallons of water. During the summer months, the lake is used for recreational purposes such as swimming, picnicking, boating and fishing. During the winter, the lake water is used for snowmaking on the ski slopes of Belleayre Mountain. Water is pumped over 1,000 feet higher from the lake to the Upper Reservoir area for use on the upper slopes. Pine Hill Lake, in conjunction with the 2-million-gallon Cathedral Glen Reservoir, provide snow making capability for 150 of 155 acres, or 97%, of the Belleayre Mountain Ski Area.

Friendship Manor Covered Bridge

The artificial Pine Hill Lake was originally constructed in 1911 in order to serve cottagers during their summer vacations. In February 1911 contractor Robert Vaughn, of Windham, was awarded the contract to build Pine Hill Lake. In March 1911 Vaughn refitted the barn on the property of the Pine Hill Lake Company to make it habitable “for the Italian laborers to live in who are to work for him.” By the next month, April 1911, it was reported that he had fifty men at work on the dam which he was building for the Pine Hill Lake Company.[19]

By early July work on the dam was “well under way and the work is progressing rapidly. The entire base of the dam is completed and the water now runs through the large pipes near the center. An extra force of men are to be added to the present force immediately and as practically only concrete work and filling in is now to be done the work will rapidly. The Company has already ordered a carload of boats for the lake and by the time they arrive the work will be so far completed as to allow the water to flood the basin to such an extent as to permit boating and bathing. The dam appears to be a very neat and substantial structure and reflects much credit on the contractor’s manner of doing work.”[20]

In July 1911 the company received a carload of boats “which they will place on the large lake in the lower part of the village now nearing completion. While the Lake is not yet completed, it is intended to turn the water in sufficient to afford good boating in a few days.”[21]

The July 1911 opening was featured in several New York Times articles. The July 9, 1911 article stated: “Charmingly located in a section of the Catskills noted for its beauty, Pine Hill is one of the best-known resorts in the mountains. Tuesday’s celebration here was one of the pleasantest events of the season, and brought a number of visitors from other places in the vicinity. Pine Hill Lake is completed and will be in readiness to entertain the Summer visitors next week. It will add much to the pleasure of the people who spend the Summer here, because the lack of boating and bathing up to the present time has been a serious matter for Pine Hill.”[22]

The July 30, 1911 follow-up article in the New York Times stated that “work on the artificial lake here has been completed and Pine Hill now adds boating and bathing to its already numerous attractions. During the week many persons have enjoyed these pastimes.”[23]

Within a short time of its opening, Pine Hill Lake proved to be a great success. “During the past few weeks, the 25 boats have been in almost constant use and they will be kept in use during September. The project has proved a success and added very much to Pine Hill’s popularity as a summer resort.”[24]

Near its 40th anniversary, disaster struck the lake, Pine Hill and the central Catskills region at large. In November 1950, the historic Rainmaker’s Flood inflicted widespread damage on the Pine Hill area, including the destruction of Pine Hill Lake.

“Pine Hill suffered the worst disaster in its history when the rainmaker’s flood reached a record height between 10 and 11 o’clock Saturday night, Nov. 25 . . .

The Pine Hill lake gave away, taking with it the small buildings, tennis courts, swimming pools, roads and bridges belonging to the Funcrest hotel and the Pine Hill Country club. The printing presses and machinery of Frank Sanchis, in the basement of his home, were under water. Currents were rushing through homes on the first floors. Chimneys toppled, lawns crumpled, oil burner motors were ruined.

The water mains broke. Electric lines and telephone wires came down. Autoists were stranded. One car washed downstream as its driver attempted to cross a well-washed bridge.

Chicken coops and outbuildings sailed downstream. Trees toppled on buildings. The small bridge on Station street collapsed and tons of dirt came down from the banks which oozed water they could no longer hold. Many lawns were piled up with unwanted gravel and debris.”[25]

The Catskill Mountain News also reported on the destruction from the 1950 Rainmaker’s Flood.

“Then the wall of water jumped into the Pine Hill Lake and broke a hole in the embankment toward the Funcrest Hotel. This let out the great volume of the 40-foot deep lake which tore down to the Ashokan dam, wrecking bridges, dwellings, public buildings and other properties. The township of Shandaken never had such losses. An appeal is being made to the state for help in the emergency.

The first bridge to go below the lake was the one from Route 28 to the Funcrest Hotel. The swimming pool at the Pine Hill Country Club was torn out, the Lost Cove bridge near Greenberg’s went. The Big Indian bridge was able to stand up under the flood. The Donohue bridge went.”[26]

The lake and dam were rebuilt in 1951 by David Funk and his son Danny Funk, owners of the adjacent Funcrest hotel. It cost an estimated $80,000 and was fully paid for by the Funk family. The new dam included a 60-foot spillway, which was double the capacity of the one washed away.

On July 28, 1969 during an unnamed storm the Pine Hill Lake and its dam were destroyed again by floods, sending walls of water downstream to Big Indian. “The Friendship Manor lake dam gave way and sent water charging down the Esopus . . . Major damage in the town of Shandaken was the result of the dam break at Pine Hill. Water rushed down the Esopus causing damage to buildings between Pine Hill and Big Indian and threatening campers in the Phoenicia area . . . Unlike the November 1950 flood, however, when the Pine Hill Lake was also washed out, Monday’s deluge did not take out the bridge below the dam . . . The flood had many of the characteristics of the November 1950 “rainmakers” flood, but did not cause as severe damage. Water rose rapidly catching many mountain residents unawares.”[27]

In the storm’s aftermath there was community opposition to rebuilding the dam and lake. An August 21, 1969 article states that:

“This dam has burst at least once before, has leaked frequently and has been a constant source of fear to those in its path. Its age and condition are such, that it is no longer adequate and capable of serving its purpose. Its continued use, regardless of any attempted repairs, could be catastrophic and lead to great tragedy.

The undersigned [property owners and residents, immediately below the village of Pine Hill] respectfully petition the above named individually and collectively, to the end that an immediate inspection be made, that the said dam be condemned and that its further use be prohibited.”[28]

The lake was not rebuilt again until 1988, this time by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This time however the lake was separate from Birch Creek and no dam was built.

In 1992 Belleayre Beach on the lake was constructed and was opened to the public in July 1993 as the Belleayre Mountain Pine Hill Lake Day Use Area. The lake is very popular during the summer months with swimming, picnicking, boating and fishing. There are also volleyball and basketball courts as well as horseshoe pits. Other than perhaps a secluded swimming hole, the lake provides some of the best swimming in the Catskill Park. The covered bridge was constructed in 1992 to provide a scenic entrance to this mountain escape. The property is now managed by the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).

[1] Fort Miller website. Bridge Products Project Gallery. Accessed February 20, 2014.

[2] Yost, Lon; Funderburk, Scott. “High-Performance Steel Increasingly Used for Bridge Building.” American Welding Society. www.aws.org. Accessed February 20, 2014.

[3] Pine Hill Historic District. Application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

[4] “Shandaken’s Hamlets.” www.shandaken.us. Accessed February 21, 2014.

[5] Vasiliev, Ren. From Abbotts to Zurich: New York State Placenames. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2004. p. 178.

[6] “Personal Notes.” Harper’s Weekly. Vol. 46. Harper’s Magazine Company, 1902. p. 575.

[7] Bussy, Ethel. History and Stories of Margaretville and Surrounding Area. Margaretville, NY, 1960.

[8] “A Brief History of Pine Hill.” www.chamberorganizer.com. Accessed February 21, 2014.

[9] Dunn, Shirley. “Mohican Seminar 3: The Journey – An Algonquian Peoples Seminar”. New York State Museum Bulletin 511, 2009. pp. 81-82.

[10] “Belleayre Mountain Ski Center UMP, Appendix B – Snowmaking Engineers Report.” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. April 2011. p. 6.

[11] The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 1, 1923.

[12] The American Hebrew. May 13, 1927.

[13] Post, Larry. “Round the Resorts. New York Post. July 5, 1962.

[14] “New Manor Is Open.” Catskill Mountain News. June 30, 1966. p. 7.

[15] Birns, William. A Catskill Archive. Fleischmanns, NY: Purple Mountain Press, 2011. p. 146.

[16] “Tax Agents Seize Friendship Manor.” Catskill Mountain News. May 4, 1972. p. 1.

[17] “Our Final Fling.” Catskill Mountain News. September 28, 1972. p. 2.

[18] “Fitzgeralds Hotel Destroyed in Pine Hill Fire.” Catskill Mountain News. November 14, 1974.

[19] “News From the Vicinity.” The Mirror-Recorder. April 19, 1911.

[20] “Weekly Home Happenings.” Windham Journal. July 6, 1911.

[21] “From All About Us.” The Mirror-Recorder. July 26, 1911.

[22] “New Artificial Lake to be in Readiness This Week.” New York Times. July 9, 1911.

[23] “The Artificial Lake Now Open for Boating and Bathing Parties.” New York Times. July 30, 1911.

[24] “From All About Us.” Stamford Mirror-Recorder. 1911.

[25] Smith, Mrs. James. “The Rainmaker’s Flood Which Damaged Pine Hill.” Catskill Mountain News. December 8, 1950. p. 9.

[26] “Many Houses and Bridges Lost in Esopus Valley.” Catskill Mountain News. December 1, 1950.

[27] “Flood Wash Out Roads, Bridges.” Catskill Mountain News. July 31, 1969. pp. 1-2.

[28] “Dam Repair Opposed In Petition Submitted By Pine Hill Residents.” Catskill Mountain News. August 21, 1969. p. 1.

Coykendall Lodge at Alder Lake

Sat, 16 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The remains of the former Coykendall Lodge are located on the shores of Alder Lake in the upper Beaverkill Valley in the town of Hardenbergh in Ulster County, New York. The lodge sits within the Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest and overlooks Alder Lake, with Mill Brook Ridge to the east, Cradle Rock Ridge to the south and several unnamed hills to the north. The lodge was situated on a bluff overlooking a rolling meadow that led down to the lake.

The Coykendall Lodge was constructed in 1899 as the summer residence of prominent businessman Samuel Decker Coykendall (1837-1913). Coykendall was an important member of the Kingston, New York community, having a hand in a wide variety of businesses including railroads, canal operations, the trolley system, the cement industry, the brick industry, bluestone, a hotel, a water company, dry goods, banks, a newspaper and the Cornell Steamboat Company. The lodge was used by Coykendall and his guests as a retreat for fishing, hunting and entertaining. The lodge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “architecturally significant as an important regional example of “Great Camp” inspired architecture in the Catskill Region of New York State.”

Coykendall Lodge was designed by Downing Vaux (1856-1926), son of prominent landscape architect Calvert Vaux (1824-1895). Although he is most frequently mentioned only in context of being Calvert Vaux’s son, Downing Vaux also became a prominent landscape architect in his own right. He attended Columbia School of Mines for one year, studied and worked for three years in his father’s firm of Vaux & Radford and then worked for one year with the engineering firm of McClay & Davies. He afterwards rejoined his father’s firm in the mid-1880s, before eventually going into private practice. In addition to Coykendall Lodge, Downing also designed Coykendall’s Kingston Point Park, which served as an amusement park for local residents and for passengers of the Hudson Day liners. From 1893 to 1911 Vaux lectured on landscape architecture at the engineering school at New York University. Downing was a member of the Society for the Preservation of Scenic and Historic Places and Objects, the Architectural League of New York and the National Arts Club. Downing was one of the eleven founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 1899.

Alder Lake, where Coykendall Lodge is located, “was originally a very small pond, and since its surrounding land was not suitable for farming it was not developed until 1859. In 1889 Julius (June) Smith constructed a dam just upstream, transforming the pond into the fifty-five acre Alder Lake, stocked with native brook taken from the Beaverkill. The first trout hatchery established in the Beaverkill valley was constructed on Alder Lake in 1890.” (Coykendall Lodge, National Register of Historic Places.) Today, the 1.6-mile Alder Lake Loop Trail circles the lake.

In 1891 Coykendall helped found the Alder Lake Club, a private fishing club established “for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring, holding and improving real estate in the vicinity of Alder Lake in the town of Hardenburgh, Ulster County, and erecting and maintaining thereon a club house, cottages, and other buildings and fish ponds, and apportioning and distributing such real estate among the stockholders of the club.” (“The Alder Lake Club.” New Paltz Times. August 19, 1891.) The first directors of the club included Coykendall, John McEntee, Abram Hasbrouck, Dr. George C. Smith, Dr. Robert Loughram, Dr. J. D. Wurts, Dr. Henry VanHovenberg, John N. Cordts and George N. Hutton.

“The Ulster & Delaware Railroad provided transportation from Kingston to its station in Arkville, from which [Alder Lake Club] members rode stagecoaches to the clubhouse. Fishing in Alder Lake was very good, its stock of fish constantly replenished with fish from the Beaverkill, as well as from the river’s original private hatchery located there.

By the beginning of fishing season in 1899 Coykendall had purchased the shares of the other club members and controlled the entire lake. He planned to build a stylish estate and fishing preserve, and on a knoll overlooking the lake he constructed “a stately mansion of grand proportions.” He employed over one hundred men over the course of its construction, all materials being hauled from Livingston Manor, some sixteen miles distant. Construction was completed by June 1900, and the large three-story building became the scene of many fishing excursions and parties. The style of the lodge reflected the Victorian influence, and combined elegance in design with the rustic simplicity and feeling of comfort that had come to characterize the Catskill Mountain Resorts. Reflecting the influence as well of the local Ulster County historic stone houses, the lodge was rooted to the ground on a base of rough local stone, and its spacious porch, providing views across the lake, was also constructed in local stone. Also on the property was the original Alder Lake fish hatchery, which Coykendall maintained and kept in operation to preserve and perpetuate the excellent fishing conditions.

Coykendall purchased hundreds of acres of forested land around the lake, and constructed an access road over Cross Mountain from Arena. This provided safe and comfortable access to the lodge via stagecoach, which attracted many guests and fellow fly-fishing enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it also attracted poachers to the Lake, and Coykendall worked diligently to protect the natural resources of the lake and its trout as long as he owned his house.

Coykendall’s stewardship of the lake and the region lasted until 1945 when the estate once again became a trout-fishing club. The membership of the new Alder Lake Club came from Liberty, in Sullivan County. They maintained the lodge and the lake for fifteen years before they sold their holdings to the Nassau County Council of Boy Scouts, who used the lake and surrounding forest as a summer retreat. In 1980 Alder Lake and surrounding lands were acquired by New York State and added to the forever-wild Catskill Forest Preserve.” (Coykendall Lodge, National Register of Historic Places.)

After the lodge’s acquisition by New York State, it quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Given the “forever wild” policy applied to lands within the Catskills Park, the Department of Environmental Conservation took no steps to save the building. Over time, looters took anything of value, including the copper pipes and plumbing, and vandals destroyed windows, walls, etc., while bats infested the structure and natural elements took their toll.

There were various efforts over the years by the Alder Lake Restoration Society, a local preservation group, to save Coykendall Lodge. The society was organized in 1998 after the state of New York announced that the lodge would be torn down. However, despite best efforts the lodge was torn down by the state circa 2008. Only the stone foundations and cobblestone walls remain.

Skene Memorial Library, Fleischmanns, New York

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The historic Skene Memorial Library is located in the village of Fleischmanns in Delaware County, New York.

The Skene Memorial Library was constructed in 1901 in honor of Dr. Alexander Johnston Chalmers Skene (1838-1900), a noted physician and medical researcher, and one of the most prominent summer residents in the village of Fleischmanns. Dr. Skene was a Scottish immigrant who arrived in America at the age of nineteen. He became a surgeon and contributed to the theory, practice and teaching of gynecology. Skene was “generally looked upon as one of the foremost physicians of his time.”

Skene was born in the parish of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and received his early education in his home country at Aberdeen and at Kings College. After his arrival in America at age 19, Skene first studied at Toronto, Canada, then at the University of Michigan, and ultimately graduated from Long Island College Hospital in 1863. He began his medical career as an assistant military surgeon in the U. S. Army, serving during the Civil War at Port Royal, South Carolina; Charleston Harbor, South Carolina; and at Decamp’s Hospital on Davids Island, New York. After the war Skene continued his interest in military service through his work as a surgeon for the National Guard in the 12th Regiment and the 1st Division, and also as a Lieutenant Colonel on the staff of General Molineux in 1884-1885.

Upon completion of his military duty in 1864 Skene entered private practice. Skene served as a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Long Island College Hospital from 1866 to 1899, as the Dean of Faculty of that institution from 1886 to 1893, and as president from 1893 to 1899. Skene helped found the American Gynecological Society and opened his own sanitorium in Brooklyn. He was the author of numerous six books (including one novel) and dozens of papers; was a member of many domestic and foreign medical societies; is credited with inventing several surgical instruments; and has his name associated with a part of the human body – Skene’s Glands, which he discovered in 1880. His county home in Highmount, above Fleischmanns, was designed to recall a Scottish castle and named Bonnie Em.

Alexander Skene passed away at 62 years of age on July 4, 1900 at his summer home in Highmount after suffering from a heart ailment for some time. Funeral services were held at the family residence in Brooklyn, with the Reverend Edward P. Ingersoll officiating. Skene is buried at the family plot in Rockland Cemetery at Sparkill, New York. After Skene’s death, an impressive monument in his honor was sponsored by a committee of physicians and former patients. The monument was sculpted by John Massey Rhind and placed in 1905 at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York.

Funding to build the library came from fundraising by local residents and summer visitors, supplemented by a $5,000 donation from steel magnate Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), a childhood friend of Alexander Skene. No conditions were placed on Carnegie’s gift other than the library “continue to bear the honored name of Doctor Skene, whom we shall ever hold in grateful remembrance.” News of Carnegie’s donation for the construction of the Skene Library was published in various regional newspapers, several of which also reported that “Dr. Skene once saved the millionaire’s life.” Carnegie also sponsored other libraries in the Catskills region, including buildings at Catskill (1901), Kingston (1904) and Saugerties (1915).

Land for the library was donated in October 1901 by Herbert and Augusta Vermilyea and John and Frances Scudder. The cornerstone for the library was laid on November 25, 1901, with work beginning shortly thereafter. Construction was completed by Crosby Kelly, a lumber mill owner at Fleischmanns and builder of many local residences. Sol Myers is credited with painting the library and George Mayes completed the interior work. The library received its charter on December 19, 1901.

The building was designed by the architectural firm of Marshall Lansing Emery (c. 1863-1921) and Henry George Emery (1871-1956). Marshall Emery began his career with the firm of Withers and Dixon, and opened his own architectural practice in New York City in 1894. Five years later, in 1899, his younger brother Henry, having previously worked at the prestigious firms of R. M. Hunt and Warren & Wetmore, joined him to form the partnership of M. L. and H. G. Emery. Other notable buildings designed by the Emery brothers include the Jamaica Hospital on Long Island, St. George’s Episcopal Church in Manhattan, the Polheumus Memorial Library in Brooklyn and the Elks Lodge in Albany, New York. The Emery brothers also designed several buildings in the Nyack, New York area, including several personal residences, the St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Methodist Church, the Nyack Library and the Nyack Hospital. Remarkably the firm continues to exist today, now operating under the name of CPLA Architects.

As for the design of the Skene Memorial Library, it “combines features of the Queen Anne and Shingle styles in an eclectic, late Victorian period design. Its design is similar to other resort era buildings in the village, such as some of the larger village residences, summer homes and small hotels. Interestingly, the library’s form and some of its details are also characteristic of the designs used for some of the region’s many resort era railroad stations. The low rectangular form, broad hipped roof overhanging eaves and shingle cladding are typical of the type, while the broad, sheltering porch and distinctive octagonal tower suggest functions such as providing shelter and identifying locations. On the interior, the library’s plan is typical of other period libraries, featuring a hierarchy of public spaces and the ability to define spaces for public and private functions.” (Skene Memorial Library, National Register of Historic Places.)

The Skene Memorial Library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a “distinctive intact example of an early twentieth century public library building and as a center for community life in the village of Fleischmanns for more than a century.”

Throughout its history the Skene Memorial Library has played an important part in Fleischmanns history, providing a community space for fairs, lectures, recitals, theater productions, movies and town meetings. For more information about the Skene Memorial Library visit their website at www.skenelib.org.

Church of St. John the Evangelist at Tannersville, New York

Sat, 02 Dec 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The historic Church of St. John the Evangelist is located in the village of Tannersville in Greene County, New York. It is bounded by Philadelphia Hill Road to the west, and by woodlands and scattered cottages to the north, south and east.

The church, constructed in 1885, long served the residential enclave known as Philadelphia Hill. The community originally consisted of a group of individuals from the city of Philadelphia who had typically spent their summers at the Blythewood boarding house operated by Alexander Hemsley (1834-1904).

The Blythewood resort had been established in the late 1870s by Hemsley to assist his wife, who suffered from tuberculosis, in taking advantage of the crisp mountain air. Within a few years of opening the Blythewood advertised itself in 1879 as being “beautifully situated in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.” It was “open for Boarders the 1st of June. It is accessible from Catskill village, by two daily lines of stages. The house is new, has all modern conveniences, and is comfortably furnished throughout. There is abundant shade, fine lawn and croquet ground on the premises. Good trout fishing in the neighborhood during the season. Comfortable private conveyances can always be furnished for pleasure parties, and will be sent to meet guests on the arrival of cars or steamboat, when desired. Post-office and Telegraph Station within half a mile of the house.”

In 1883 Hemsley acquired 43 acres of land in the town of Hunter, which was subdivided and sold in parcels to many of the guests at Blythewood as sites to build summer cottages. As part of the new development 1.5 acres was designated for the construction of a summer chapel. The chapel lot was centered within the developing community.

Noted architect William Halsey Wood (1855-1897) designed the church, while his brother, Reverend Alonzo Lippincott Wood, Sr. (1852-1911) served as its first minister. William Halsey Wood would later marry Florence Hemsley, daughter of Alexander Hemsley, at the church in November 1889, the first wedding conducted at the church. Alonzo’s family, including his three sons, would serve the congregation at the rural church for over 75 years.

William Halsey Wood, the church architect, was born on April 24, 1855 in Danville, New York, the son of Daniel Halsey Wood and Hannah Bell Lippincott. The family moved to Newark, New Jersey shortly after William’s birth and William was almost entirely educated at the Episcopal parish school of the House of Prayer in that city. At the age of 15, Wood entered the architectural profession in the New York office of John F. Miller. He received further architectural training with Thomas A. Roberts, in Newark, New Jersey, eventually joining Roberts as a partner in the firm of Roberts, Taylor & Wood. After the firm dissolved within a few years, he went into business on his own, and practiced alone for the remainder of his career, eventually establishing offices at both Newark, New Jersey and in New York City. His church, library and building designs can be found across the country, including in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Wood passed away at 41 years of age on March 13, 1897 from tuberculosis and is buried at Saint James the Less Episcopal Churchyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alonzo L. Wood, the church’s first summer minister, was born at New Providence, New Jersey in 1852. He was made deacon in the Episcopal Church in 1876 by Bishop Odenheimer and became an ordained priest in 1879 by Bishop Seymour. He served nine years as curate at the House of Prayer in Newark and then became rector at St. John’s at Woodside, Newark. On leaving St. John’s in 1892 he became rector of Tompkinsville, Staten Island, where he remained until 1908. After resigning that parish, he performed missionary work for the dioceses of Vermont and Pennsylvania. Father Wood for many years served as chaplain for the Hospital of St. Barnabas in Newark. He was the author of A Ritual Catechism and Brief Devotions for Young People. Wood passed away at Tannersville, New York at 59 years of age on August 24, 1911 after a lingering illness. He is buried in the churchyard of the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Tannersville.

The single-story church design “features the mixture of textures and natural materials indicative of the Victorian architecture. The use of native stone blended with stylized half-timbering and wood panel work [that] created a naturalistic form intended to allow the building to recede into the wooded building site.”

The Church of St. John the Evangelist is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as an outstanding example of late nineteenth century Victorian ecclesiastic architecture in the community of Hunter.” It “stands today virtually intact from its construction more than one-century ago. The building retains an outstanding degree of architectural integrity as well as an intact rural setting. The building is a local landmark and an important reminder of the prosperity and spiritual commitment of the Hemsley family and the enclave of Philadelphia Hill."

Callicoon Theater

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 13:00:00 GMT

The art-deco styled Callicoon Theater is the oldest continually operating movie theater in Sullivan County, New York. Opening night took place on July 8, 1948 with a showing of the American western film titled Green Grass of Wyoming starring Charles Coburn and Peggy Cummins. Marilyn Monroe appeared in the film as an uncredited extra.

The single-screen theater, which was originally called the Harden Theater, was built by Fred H. Starck as part of a regional chain owned by Harvey D. English. The Harden Theater at Callicoon was the 13th theater in the chain. The building was built in “the Quonset style, with rounded roof coming down to the foundation on either side. The frame is of wood and has Rilco rafters.” (The Hancock Herald. July 1, 1948.) Construction was primarily completed by the Martin Hermann Lumber Company.

The theater originally had seating capacity for 514 people. Ray Dexter, Jr., former manager of the Park Theatre at Narrowsburg, was appointed as the first manager of the new Harden Theatre in Callicoon.

In 1963 the theater was purchased by the partnership James “Mickey” Roche (1933-2018) and Warren Doetsch (1936-1921), who renamed the theater by dropping the “H” and calling it the Arden Theater. Roche was a US Army veteran, a parishioner at Holy Cross Church and worked as president of Roche’s Garage, which he operated for many years in partnership with his brother “Rease” Roche. Doetsch, a graduate of Jeffersonville High School and the Albany College of Pharmacy (1958), in addition to operating the Callicoon Theater with Roche, was a pharmacist for 43 years, including owning and operating the Callicoon Pharmacy for 15 years. He worked at various other pharmacies in the area until his retirement from the New York State Department of Corrections in 2001. Doetsch, was a member of the Board of Education, the Callicoon Kiwanis Club and St. John’s Lutheran Church. Roche and Doetsch operated the Callicoon Theater for 23 years, selling it 1986 to Jim and Barbara Kayton.

After their purchase the Kayton’s renamed the theater to the Callicoon Theater and would successfully operate it for the next 32 years, with Jim handling the technical operations and Barbara handling personnel activities. In an October 2023 interview the Kayton’s noted that the longest movie run under their ownership was for Titanic, which was filled for every showing for three consecutive weeks.

In 2018 Kristina Smith, a freelance theater director and producer, purchased the theater and the theater continues to serve the regional community with first-run films and timeless classics.

The Callicoon Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Callicoon Downtown Historic District.

Rock Valley School in Hancock, New York

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 13:00:00 GMT

“We were young together

And never can forget

The school house at Rock Valley

In school days where we met.”

– Hancock Herald. February 14, 1957.

The Rock Valley School, also known as Hancock School District No. 22, is located in an area known as the Upper Basket in the small hamlet of Rock Valley in the town of Hancock, Delaware County. The school is situated just north of the intersection of Rock Valley Road (County Route 28) and John Milk Road; and near the confluence of the North Branch Basket Creek and Hoffman Brook. The school is located approximately 3.8 miles north of Route 97 and the Delaware River. The historic Rock Valley Cemetery is located adjacent to the school on a sloping hillside.

The school was established in 1885 in order to meet the needs of the growing population associated with local businesses such as logging, milling, bluestone quarrying, agriculture and the wood chemical industry.

As for the name Rock Valley, “the exact origin of the name is a matter of speculation, the most common guess being the obvious one, that it was so named because of the rocks in it. Back in the days before the permanent settlers came in, when only hunters and trappers and occasional Indians visited the Basket wilderness, the lower Fernwood basin was known as the Big Rock Valley, and the suggestion has been made that somehow, in the passage of time, the name slipped over the hill. To anyone knowing the country, however, the west brook has its own rock valley, where the stream at one place falls over a rocky ledge and after running past rocky walls, finally flows over a solid rock bottom near the lower end. This, no doubt, was the beginning of Rock Valley.” (LaValley, Leslie D. “Basket Letters. A History of the Basket Brook. Chapter LV, Rock Valley.” The Hancock Herald. February 14, 1957.)

The classic one-story wood frame school was built at a cost of $750 by John Inman, a local mason and carpenter. As per the Hancock Herald issue of March 5, 1885, “we hear the contract to build the new school at Rock Valley has been taken by John E. Inman, consideration $750.00. If built according to contract, it will be one of the best in the county, will be perfectly ventilated, and supplied with Triumph desks.”

As for the timing of the construction the Hancock Herald in their April 9, 1885 issue reported that “. . . Inman has part of the lumber for our school house delivered on the ground.” The firm of Swinton, Shimer, and Co., of Port Jervis, were contracted to put the tin on the roof of the new school house, which they did in June 1885. (Hancock Herald. June 11, 1885.) The land for the school was donated by George Oestrich.

“The school is a one-story wood-frame building on a cut stone foundation. The main section of the building is rectangular in form, two bays wide and three bays deep (approximately 24’ by 36’). The gable roof (clad with asphalt shingles in 1975) features simple overhangs and returns in the roof line and rectangular vents in the front and rear pediments. Sided in wooden clapboards, the school has narrow cornerboards and a water table. All of the large six over six double hung windows are original to the construction and matching in size and enframements. The main entrance, approached by three flagstone tiered steps, has a four paneled wood door within a simple molded enframement. The rear entrance of the building is on the left hand side and is windowless, with a central brick chimney running up the center and a handicapped accessible ramp added to the building in 1985.

The interior of the school is divided into a vestibule, which was used as a cloakroom and retains its original iron coat hooks, and a single large schoolroom. The vestibule is lit by the two façade windows. Two opposing four-paneled doors on the interior wall provide access to the classroom. The interior of the classroom is large and brightly lit by the three windows on the east and west sides. The original blackboard hangs between the two entry doors and a cast-iron woodstove is in the center of the room. The school retains its original pine floors throughout. Electric lighting is supplied by hanging pendant lights, added to the building after 1910. The school has bad minimal alterations from its original construction date.”

The school building complied with all the latest educational mandates, and was considered one of the finest schools in the county. As was common for rural areas of the era, the one room schoolhouse served students of all grade levels. On March 25, 1886 the Hancock Herald reported that “Miss Minnie Biedeknapp will teach the Rock Valley school the coming term,” making her one of the earliest teachers as the Rock Valley School.

The historic school remained in continuous operation until 1940s, when it closed due to school district consolidation. In 1953 the school building was deeded to the Rock Valley Cemetery Association, which has maintained the school ever since. The Rock Valley Cemetery, located along John Milk Road, behind and to the west of the school, was established in 1902. A commemorative marker was mounted on the front of the building by the Basket Historical Society in 1985 to mark the 100th anniversary of the school.

The Rock Valley School was one of 29 school buildings that served the town of Hancock in the late 1800s. Of the 29 buildings 14 have been demolished, 10 were converted to dwellings, 3 are of unknown disposition and 2, Rock Valley and Harvard, retain their school forms.

Today, the school interior features many of its original fixtures such as the pine floor, blackboard, iron coat hooks and desks. Since its closing in the 1940s, the building has been used as a polling station, a community meeting house and, more recently, as a venue for artistic events such as book signings and poetry readings.

The 24-inch cast iron church bell located in front of the school adds to the charm of the location but has no historic association with the schoolhouse. It was acquired in the summer of 2006 by the Rock Valley Cemetery Association, the school’s owner. The bell was originally located at the old Grange and Rock Valley Methodist Church, located a 1/4 mile up the road from the schoolhouse.

The Rock Valley School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as an intact representative example of a small, vernacular nineteenth-century schoolhouse and for its association with the history and development of the town of Hancock in Delaware County.”

Rip Van Winkle: Piedmont Series

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Circa 1910 The American Tobacco Company, owners of the Piedmont brand of cigarettes, issued a series of 10 full-color cards depicting various scenes from the Rip Van Winkle tale. The rare cards each measure 5 inches by 8 inches. For each card, the “chapter” number can be seen in the lower left corner, while in the upper left-hand corner is an image of a pack of Piedmont cigarettes. The reverse side of each card contains a brief “chapter” of text from the legendary story.

The Piedmont cigarette brand was established by The American Tobacco Company under the Liggett & Myers (L & M) name. Piedmont, advertising itself with the slogan of “cigarettes of quality,” was once a dominant tobacco brand in the south. The American Tobacco Company (ATC), an original member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, was broken up for operating as a monopoly in 1911 by an anti-trust action from the United States government. The ATC was divided up into four companies, after which Piedmont cigarettes continued to be manufactured by Liggett & Myers well into the 20th century.

Complete Set of 10 Cards

Chapter 1 – The Catskill Mountains

Chapter 2 – Rip’s Home Life

Chapter 3 – Rip at the Old Inn

Chapter 4 – Rip Leaving Home

Chapter 5 – Rip Meets a Gnome

Chapter 6 – Rip Among the Gnomes

Chapter 7 – Rip Falls Asleep

Chapter 8 – Rip Wakes Up

Chapter 9 – Rip’s Return to the Village

Chapter 10 – Rip Finds His Son and Daughter

Rip Van Winkle, by Arthur Rackham

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:00:00 GMT

“I think Rip [is] one of the most remarkable of created characters. Created as the sheerest piece of pleasant moralizing, acknowledging, even, that it was cribbed from old-world sources, here is Rip as firmly fixed in the hearts of all good Americans as any genuine myth. I can think of hardly another modern instance.” – Arthur Rackham.

“There have been three creators of Rip Van Winkle. The first, who was Washington Irving, created him with his pen; the second, who was Joseph Jefferson, created him with his personality; and the third, who is Arthur Rackham, erected him with his brush.” – Eleanor Farjeon, grand-daughter of Joseph Jefferson.

(11) Surrounded by a Troop of Children

Surrounded by a Troop of Children.

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was one of the leading book illustrators of his time. Rackham, the son of Alfred Thomas Rackham, was educated at the City of London School and at Lambeth School of Art. After working as a clerk at the insurance firm of the Westminster Fire Office from 1885 to 1892, he officially began his art career in the early 1890s working as a journalistic illustrator for several London newspapers and contributing occasional illustrations to magazines. His first work as a book illustrator can be seen in the travel book titled To the Other Side, by Thomas Rhodes, published in 1893, and The Dolly Dialogues, by Anthony Hope, published in 1894.

Throughout his nearly 50-year career he would illustrate a range of classic stories including Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1907), Gulliver’s Travels (1900, 1909), Hansel and Gretel (1920) and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1928), among many others. His last book illustrations, which he worked on while in failing health, were for The Wind in the Willows, published posthumously in 1940.

Rackham was commissioned in the middle of 1904 by Ernest Brown and Phillips, joint owners of Leicester Galleries, to complete 51 color illustrations for the to-be-published book titled Rip Van Winkle. Rackham was paid 300 guineas total, or about six guineas per drawing, for both the original drawings and all the rights associated with them. The publishing rights were then resold to William Heinemann (1863-1920). With his reputation firmly established with the publishing of Rip Van Winkle, Rackham would negotiate much improved terms for further book illustrations, his contracted price beginning at five guineas for the copyright for each illustration, but now with Rackham retaining ownership of the originals. (Hamilton, James. Arthur Rackham: A Life with Illustration. Great Britain: Pavilion Books Limited, 1995. pp. 67-72.)

In 1905 the book Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by Rackham, was published by William Heinemann of London and in the United States by Doubleday, Page and Co. The book contained 51 illustrations that were reproductions in full color of the original drawings by Rackham. The illustrations depicted various scenes from throughout Irving’s beloved Catskills tale. In conjunction with the release of the book, the drawings were exhibited at Leicester Galleries in London in the spring of 1905. Most of the original drawings were sold at the exhibition.

(7) Taught Them to Fly Kites

Taught Them to Fly Kites.

“He even ventured to taste the beverage, which he found had much of the flavour of excellent hollands.”

(1) Rip Wakes Up

Rip wakes up. “Surely,” though he, “I have not slept here all night . . . Oh! that flagon! that wicked flagon! what excuse shall I make to Dame Van Winkle?”

Leicester Galleries, where Rackham first exhibited his Rip Van Winkle drawings in 1905, was established only three years prior in 1902 by brothers Cecil and Wilfred Philips, who were then joined a year later by Ernest Brown. Originally operating at Leicester Square in central London, the gallery’s first exhibition took place and 1903. Over its 74-year history, Leicester Galleries held over 1,400 exhibitions, with its last being held in 1975. Rackham’s work was regularly exhibited at Leicester Galleries, including every year from 1905 to 1913. Upon Rackham’s passing in 1939 a memorial exhibition was held in his honor.

The first edition of Rip Van Winkle was published as a limited edition of 250 copies, all numbered and signed by the artist. The book was “bound in vellum with gold pictorial stamping and lettering on the cover and gold lettering on the spine, gilt top. 57 number pages of printed matter and fifty-one full-page illustrations in color mounted on brown paper. Size of page 8 3/4 x 11.” (Latimore, Sarah Briggs; Grace Clark Haskell. Arthur Rackham: A Bibliography. New York: Burt Franklin, 1936.)

“The illustrations, all gathered together at the back of the book, are ‘tipped in’, that is, printed on coated paper and stuck on to thicker card because it was then technically impossible to print in color on text pages. The 51 illustrations, for a story of not more than five thousand words, enable the story to be told twice, one through Irving’s words, and once again, image by image, through Rackham’s pictures with their text extracts printed as titles on India paper flyleaves.” (Hamilton, James. Arthur Rackham: A Life with Illustration. Great Britain: Pavilion Books Limited, 1995.)

After the limited-edition books quickly sold out, a trade edition was issued, “bound in green cloth with the same [as the original pictorial stamping in gold and gold lettering, with fifty-one full-page illustrations mounted on green paper, 57 number pages, 7 1/4 x 9 3/4.” (Latimore, Sarah Briggs; Grace Clark Haskell. Arthur Rackham: A Bibliography. New York: Burt Franklin, 1936.)

(35) He Found the House Gone to Decay

“He found the house gone to decay . . . ‘My very dog,’ sighed poor rip, ‘has forgotten me.’”

(40) Sure Enough, It is Rip Van Winkle

“Sure enough! it is Rip Van Winkle – it is himself!”

“He preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favour.”

In 1916 Rip Van Winkle was reissued “bound in light gray-blue cloth with pictorial stamping in gold on the cover and gold lettering on the cover and spine. 36 numbered pages, 6 7/8 x 9 3/4. Twenty-four full-page illustrations in color, five full-page drawings in black and white, nine black and white drawings in the text, and pictorial end-papers, all by Arthur Rackham. This book is a reprint of the 1905 edition, with many new black and white illustrations added and some of the original colored plates left out.” (Latimore, Sarah Briggs; Grace Clark Haskell. Arthur Rackham: A Bibliography. New York: Burt Franklin, 1936.)

The exhibition at Leicester Galleries of the Rip Van Winkle drawings would lead to further success for Rackham. The exhibition was attended by J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. After admiring Rackham’s work, Barrie asked Rackham to produce a set of drawings for his story featuring the character Peter Pan. Rackham agreed, and Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens would become one of the most popular gift books of 1906.

Rackham’s Rip Van Winkle received much positive praise in various newspaper reviews, both in England and in the United States. The reviews commented on many aspects of the book and its illustrations, including their originality, the use of color, the book’s unique layout, the quality of materials used to manufacture the book and that Rackham’s drawings were in the original spirit of Irving’s tale.

March 11, 1905. “‘Rip Van Winkle’ is the subject of fifty water colors by Mr. Arthur Rackham, A.R.W.S., shortly to be on view at the Leicester Galleries. No story could offer better subjects to an artist of Mr. Rackham’s peculiar gifts, and those who have been privileged to see his pictures regard them as the best work he has yet done.” (“Art and Artists.” Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. March 11, 1905.)

March 13, 1905. “. . . Mr. Rackham is exhibiting a collection of delightfully quaint and delicate drawings illustrative of “Rip Van Winkle.” His designs are full of intricate detail; and, while droll, they appeal to the intelligence as strongly illuminating the most appealing features of the famous legend of the Catskills. Technically, too, the drawings are important. Mr. Rackham, though he works on absolutely independent lines, realizes his ideas in a manner that all groups of artists will applaud.” (“Our London Correspondence.” Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser. March 13, 1905.)

March 13, 1905. “As to Mr. Rackham, his illustrations to “Rip Van Winkle” are delightful, and will be highly appreciated in New York, where they are to be exhibited next autumn. There is genuine comedy here, while now and then, as in the drawing of “Rip’s Daughter and Grandchild,” the artist shows us that he can paint a pretty woman with much daintiness. In other drawings, his dragons, wolves, and other fierce creatures are properly terrifying.” (“Art Exhibitions.” The Times (London). March 13, 1905.)

March 13, 1905. “An exhibition of extraordinary interest has just been opened at the Leicester Galleries. It consists of a series of drawings by Mr. Arthur Rackham, an artist who holds an absolutely unique position among our present-day painters of imaginative motives. The majority of these drawings are intended as illustrations for an edition of “Rip Van Winkle,” which is to be published shortly, but with these are included a number of his other fantasies and a few of the illustrations which he has executed during recent years for “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” and for various books of the same order. The special characteristics of Mr. Rackham’s work are its amazing freedom of imagination and its remarkable beauty and originality of treatment. He works a vein of fantastic humour, in which he seems to find an inexhaustible supply of suggestions that he turns to account in an absolutely fascinating manner, and with delightful quaintness of expression. He affects particularly those subjects which give him scope for the display of his charming power of grotesque exaggeration, for the assertion of a capacity for invention which is partly humorous and partly poetic, but always spontaneous and brilliantly personal. Even in his most surprising flights of fancy he never misses those essentials which stamp his work as that of a sincere artist and a man of serious conviction, and in nothing that he does, however grotesque, is there the smallest hint of vulgarity. As an executant he takes the highest possible rank; his pen-drawings, tinted with delicious washes of color, are wonderfully accomplished and full of decorative beauty, and his pure water-colors, though, perhaps, a little less confident and masterly in handling, have admirable qualities and show a very correct perception of appropriate technicalities.” (Birmingham Daily Post (Birmingham, England). March 13, 1905.)

September 30, 1905. “Art books and gift books, chiefly in demand for the holiday trade, are already coming in unusual supply from both English and American publishers. There have been great improvements lately in the art of color printing, and richly illustrated books, dealing with the lives of artists, and critical studies of their works, can be produced now at a comparatively small cost. A book which is sold at retail nowadays at as high a price as $5 ought to be positively a thing of beauty and of permanent worth. Such a book is the new edition of Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” (published here by Doubleday, Page & Co.) The pictures are by Arthur Rackham, an English artist, who has poetic fancy and technical skill in plenty, and a good enough comprehension of his subject, derived largely, probably, from studies in old Holland rather than the neighborhood of the New Netherlands and the Kaatskill Mountains. But the spirit of the mountains he has caught from Irving. The forty-odd colored plates, mounted loosely on dark green boards, are charming in tone and excellent as illustrations. Perhaps some of the housewives are a bit too young and comely, but that is a small fault. The humor and the poetry of Irving are all in the pictures, without a hint of the theatrical quality. The type and paper are all that they should be.” (“Saturday Review of Books.” The New York Times. September 30, 1905.)

September 30, 1905. “One of the most beautifully and artistically gotten up books that we have seen in the “Rip Van Winkle,” with Mr. Arthur Rackham’s illustrations, published by William Heinemann in London and Doubleday, Page & Co. in New York. First comes the test of Irving’s tale splendidly printed in large type; then follow Mr. Rackham’s fifty pictures, exquisitely reproduced, looking like paintings on ivory and each mounted on tinted cardboard. The drawing of the pictures is very good. The effect is decorative, perhaps, rather than illustrative, and the artist we fancy, has tried at times to make an attractive picture rather to show the author’s meaning, but the pictures, whether grotesque, fanciful, comical or purely descriptive, are charming. The price of the book is remarkably low.” (“Some Interesting Picture Books.” The Sun (New York, New York). September 30, 1905.)

October 2, 1905. “Illustrated books abound nowadays, but it is rarely that we see so charming a book as the Rip Van Winkle of Washington Irving with fifty colored pictures by Mr. Arthur Rackham. Here we have a young artist of talent who has at last found a congenial subject. Mr. Rackham is favorably known as an illustrator of Georgian and Victorian novels, but his true sphere is obviously in the Teutonic fairyland, peopled with gnomes and pixies, which Washington Irving rediscovered among the Catskills. He enjoys the grotesque humor of the old Dutch legend as heartily as Irving did, and he renders it in line and color with the same quiet skill. By a happy innovation the text is printed at the beginning of the book and the plates are kept together at the end; it is easy, therefore, to follow Mr. Rackham as he retells the story in his own delightful way. The drawings are not all original. The village scenes remind us now of Caldecott and now of George Boughton in their airy grace and freshness. But when Mr. Rackham has brought Rip into the mountains and confronted him with the “odd-looking persons playing at ninepins” who hand him the flagon of excellent Hollands we find ourselves in the company of an artist whose imagination is unfettered by precedent. Hendrik Hudson and his men in these pictures are the creations of a lively and delicate fancy, and the rocks and fir trees among which these strange beings move are as fantastic as they. The treatment of landscape recalls Japanese pictures; the precise outlines that reinforce the color often produce an effect similar to that of a Japanese wood-block. But Mr. Rackham is never a mere imitator, and his most whimsical compositions have a beauty that is all their own. In the last but one of the series, for instance, the idea of the “old squaw spirit who hung up the new moons in the skies and cut up the old ones into stars” is rendered with amazing ingenuity and at the same time makes an exquisite moonlight landscape I purplish grey tones. Among the pictures of mortals, those of Rip awaking and of Rip telling stories to children by firelight may be named also for their dramatic force and their vivid play of light and shade. But almost every one of these clever and thoughtful drawings is good to look upon. They have been reproduced with considerable success; though the more delicate drawings lose some of their piquancy, other certainly gain in coherence by the reduction in size that they have had to bear, and the color-printing is far more accurate than usual, probably because Mr. Rackham’s style suits the process. We could not, in fact, wish for a better illustrated version of Rip Van Winkle.” (“New Books.” The Guardian (London). October 2, 1905.)

October 5, 1905. “There have been not a few illustrated editions of “Rip Van Winkle,” but never has Washington Irving’s story been illustrated so delightfully as in the book just published by Mr. Heinemann (price 15s. net). It contains fifty fine reproductions in color of a series of drawings by Mr. Arthur Rackham which were greatly admired at an exhibition last spring. In the strange scenes and quaint characters of the story this accomplished artist has found congenial themes, and the pictures, but turns weird and fantastic, graceful and humorous, are throughout wonderfully effective.” (Truth. Vol. 58. 1905. October 5, 1905.)

October 13, 1905. “Rip Van Winkle. In the form in which Washington Irving’s immortal story is presented by Mr. Heinemann it is a genuine pleasure to renew acquaintance with the hero of the Kaatskill Mountains. For it is not merely the familiar tale that we meet with afresh, but the legend adorned with illustrations that must needs delight by reason of their fancy, aptness, and charm. Mr. Arthur Rackham may be congratulated sincerely upon the task and the art he has brought to bear upon these quaint and imaginative drawings. The stage has frequently familiarized us with the picturesque figure of the Rip of tradition, with his shrewish wife, the village children he delighted to romp with, and his companions-in-idleness. But Mr. Rackham “pictures” them all anew, and in accordance, not with accepted convention, but with his own delicate fancy, which is revealed quite at its best in these welcome pages. There is both humor and pathos in the artist’s treatment of the well-worn classic, and he has been peculiarly happy in preserving its spirit. Never, indeed, has the famous story been presented in a more attractive guise.” (“New Novels.” The Daily Telegraph (London, England). October 13, 1905.)

October 26, 1905. “Mr. Heinemann’s edition of “Rip Van Winkle” has been beautifully illustrated by Mr. Arthur Rackham, A.R.W.S., and modern methods of reproduction in colors have assisted in the publication of an exceedingly artistic book. Some fifty examples of Mr. Rackham’s art follow the letterpress, and the whole is enclosed in a binding of tasteful simplicity.” (“William Heinemann.” The Daily Telegraph (London, England). October 26, 1905.)

November 25, 1905. “Rip Van Winkle. By Washington Irving. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. (Heinemann.) – In the minds of many the story of Rip Van Winkle is identified not so much with Irving the author as with “Joe” Jefferson the actor. Jefferson’s marvelous impersonation of the cheerful vagabond has become the authentic portrait of Rip, and hence it is inevitable that all other alleged portraits should wear an appearance of doubtful authenticity. Mr. Rackham’s drawings, which constitute the real reason for the existence of this beautiful edition of Irving’s story, are of remarkable merit, both in conception and execution. Especially is this true of the pictures representing the supernatural features of the story. That much overworked adjective “weird” faithfully describes many of them, and they cannot be other than a delight to all lovers of true art. Yet it must be said that Mr. Rackham’s conception of Rip Van Winkle will somewhat disappoint those who know him as presented by Jefferson. Mr. Rackham’s Rip is a silly, even a weak-minded person, whereas the true Jeffersonian Rip was conspicuous for his shrewdness. But to seem to find fault with admirable work merely because it does not entirely correspond with certain other admirable work is hardly fair. Mr. Rackham has demonstrated in these drawings that he is not only a master of the pencil, but also an artist of real power. This will not be news to those who have been familiar with his work, but not every one has had that privilege, and to those who have not, his drawings will come as a delightful surprise.” (The Athenaeum. No. 4074. November 25, 1905.)

November 29, 1905. “Two sumptuous holiday books have just made their appearance bearing the imprint of Doubleday, Page & Company. The first is Arthur Rackham’s illustrated “Rip Van Winkle.” This is perhaps the most remarkably illustrated version of the great American classic. Mr. Rackham is an eminent English artist, and at the exhibition of the originals of this book every one was sold. He shows a richly humorous imagination and a unique power of invention.” (The Buffalo Commercial. November 29, 1905.)

December 2, 1905. “Rip Van Winkle. – This new edition of Washington Irving’s well-known story is especially designed for the holidays. The text is printed on an excellent quality of heavy paper in clear black type, and following it are fifty illustrations in color by Arthur Rackham, an English illustrator. The spirit and humor of Irving’s story are all in the pictures, which are loosely mounted on dark green paper and charming in tone and color. These drawings were recently exhibited at the Leicester Galleries, in London, and attracted considerable attention. The volume is tastefully bound in dark green cloth and lettered in gold.” (The New York Times. December 2, 1905.)

December 2, 1905. “The holiday editions of American authors are led off by a sumptuous reprint of “Rip Van Winkle” (Doubleday, Page & Co.), in which text and plates are put together after a new fashion. The former occupies the first fifty-seven pages, and occupies them, we may add, with every circumstance of luxury. No holiday book of the season has been better printed. Then follow the illustrations, printed in quiet tints, and each mounted on its separate leaf of stout, dark green paper. This mounting idea is not a bad one, for it gives to each illustration the value of an independent picture set on a mat, as if for framing, but, unfortunately, the wrong color was chosen. Mr. Arthur Rackham’s designs merited a better background, though we are not unprepared to hear that he himself chose the somber tint. We would have preferred something a shade lighter. As it is, these drawings excite our lively admiration. They are original in conception and in style, they really illustrate the famous tale, and they are executed with authority, making us feel that the artist knew just what he wanted to say and knew just how to say it. His restrained, tawny tones are especially gratifying. The book is manufactures with marked thoroughness. Here we have one more of those Christmas publications which are not meant for Christmas alone.” (“Literary News and Criticism.” New York Tribune. December 2, 1905.)

December 10, 1905. “Rip Van Winkle in Color. Washington Irving’s immortal romance, “Rip Van Winkle,” has been published in numerous editions, and with all grades of decorative adornment, but it is doubtful if this classic American story ever received a quainter or more artistic setting that the edition which is issued by Doubleday, Page & Co. The charm of the edition lies in the illustrations, which are from water color drawings by Arthur Rackham, an associate of the Royal Water Color Society. In form, the book is a large, handsomely bound, and with appropriate cover design. The text is in a large-faced type, and instead of sandwiching the illustrations between the pages of the text, the legend comes first – prefaced by the author’s quaint introduction, relative to our old friend Mr. Diedrich Knickerbocker. Following the text, the pictures are grouped together, as if in a portfolio, each with its appropriate legend on the fly leaf that covers it. The frontispiece is an ideal portrait of Rip Van Winkle, as he appeared after his twenty years slumber. All of the plates, about fifty in number, are in simulation of water color drawings, and are mounted on heavy paper, of a dull-toned olive tint, affording an effective background. Mr. Rackham has been singularly fortunate in his conception of the legend, and has put into his drawings all of the quaintness and originality of its antic quality. His grotesque never descends to the buffoonery of caricature; it is filled with weirdness; his gnomes of the mountain are the gnomes of fairy romances, reminding one the pleasantly uncanny sort of fellows that childhood conjures up, and delightfully shivers over. His ideals of the old time settlement, with its flavor of the Dutchman’s ideas in architecture, the pictures of the folk – are all in the happiest sort of keeping with the spirit of the legend. One must have studied Rip Van Winkle with loving care and appreciation to have caught Irving’s atmosphere so perfectly. In the matter of color as well, the artist has avoided the fault so often apparent in illustrative work of this sort, of overcoloring. He has painted with due restraint; there is no glare of primary tints in his pictures. In a word, they are a delight to the eye, appealing to the taste and giving one a sense of artistic completeness. Altogether, a most successful illustration of this much loved legend. From these delightful color pictures the mind runs back to Felix O. C. Darley’s drawings in outline of years ago, illustrative of the Van Winkle legend – drawings which in their outline sketch style seemed to have been suggested by Flaxman’s illustrations of Homer. The contrast between those cold and not very inspiring designs and the warmth of color and originality of Mr. Rackham’s pictures is wonderfully satisfactory. It means an advance that is shared by the artist’s public as well as the artist.” (“More Holiday Books for All Sorts of Folks.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 10, 1905.)

December 23, 1905. “So great has been the demand for the edition of “Rip Van Winkle” illustrated by Arthur Rackham that Doubleday, Page & Company have brought out a second large edition. Mr. Rackham has a richly humorous imagination, and the fifty full-page colored illustrations reveal a new and quaint world of elves, goblins and mountain characters. It has been said of these pictures that the artist has caught the spirit of Irving’s classic, and interpreted anew it ‘old-fashioned grace and elfin playfulness.’” (Nashville Banner. December 23, 1905.)

1905. “Rip Van Winkle, by Washington Irving, with fifty-two drawings by Arthur Rackham, A.R.W.S. How such an exquisitely beautiful volume as this can be produced for so small a sum as fifteen shillings we cannot pretend to know; it is a veritable triumph in the art of colored illustration, worthy of a place on the shelves of the most eclectic of bibliophiles. Mr. Rackham’s drawings in color evince the most delicate art; indeed, we find it difficult to praise them adequately. Imagination, fancy, humor, grotesqueness, pathos, weirdness – all these qualities may be discovered freely expended on his work; the pictures introduce us to a new world, a world wherein we dwell with great delight and profit to ourselves. Each drawing is pasted on to a separate page and may easily be removed if required for framing purposes. It is a book which must bring honor to both artist and publisher.” (The Publishers’ Circular. Vol. 83. 1905.)

Despite the widespread praise of the Rackham’s Rip Van Winkle drawings, one critic from The Daily Telegraph in London found the artwork lacking in many different areas.

“At the Leicester Galleries we find two new exhibitions; one a group of water-colors illustrating Rip Van Winkle, and other Fantasies, by Mr. Arthur Rackham, of the Royal Society of Painter is Water Colors . . . Mr. Arthur Rackham shows here on a larger scale, and with more of elaboration and deliberation, the same grim, yet not, save exceptionally, cruel or unamiable vein of fantasy that has won for him much favorable notice at the more recent exhibitions of the “old” society. It is an Anglo-Teutonic mode of conception, in the realms of the fantastic, the goblinesque, the macabre, that distinguishes the young English artist. His method, his means are derived from many sources; his way of looking at his subjects is, nevertheless, quite personal and engaging; up to a certain point he interests and convinces, even though the sources of his art may not yet have so mingled and coalesced as to make up a perfectly homogeneous whole.

Obviously, the chief inspirer of these strange little creatures who swarm through the Rip Van Winkle designs is “Dicky” Doyle, most amiable and inventive of all limners of the fairy and hobgoblin tribe. In the rustic scenes that most expressive of draughtsmen and exquisitely tender of humorists, Randolph Caldecott, has not less obviously been the exemplar. And again Mr. Rackham as an executant owes much – yet as regards essentials perhaps not enough – to the great Hokusai and the comparatively late Japanese draughtsmen of his period.

While taking genuine pleasure in this delicately fantastic and in its way attractive art, we must in conscience level against Mr. Rackham a reproach which as addressed to a draughtsman is a very serious one. His drawings show a tangle of lines ingenious and elaborate rather than truly expressive; his line is wanting in flexibility and in power; with all its appearance of incisiveness it conveys too little. Vitality, momentariness, and the suggestion of movement – so necessary in caricature and humorous fantasy – are, if not entirely wanting, at any rate present in no high degree of intensity. This is disquieting, if we are to look upon this promising artist as a candidate for the highest honors.

It is a pity that his carefully-wrought and at its best really imaginative series of drawings should not have been arranged in the order of the story, familiar and dear to all, both on this and the other side of the Atlantic. It is very hard on the pictorial humorist that the spectator should be compelled to absorb his humor and digest his characterization in this jerky and uneven fashion.

Thus, perhaps, the most genuine creating of the series and certainly in its quiet way the most original piece of color, is “The old squaw spirit who hung up new moons in the skies.” But this is divorced by the whole length of the gallery from a companion piece of the same grimly jocular type, “If displeased, she (the old squaw spirit), would brew up clouds as black as ink.” Caldecott-like, with a difference – that is less spontaneous, more deliberate – is, among other drawings, “Those mountains are regarded by all good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.”

The “Curtain-lecture – indirect cause of all Rip’s strange adventure – is, with all its elaboration, a failure. No such comely, undemonstrative, and expressionless female could have driven Rip to despair and self-banishment. The power to evoke new types of quaintness, engaging and disquieting at the same time – like the goblins in Ibsen’s “Peer Gynt” – is well shown in “His father had seen them (the Hollander-gnomes) in their old Dutch dresses, playing at nine-pins.” The type of Rip himself – the ancient Rip of the elf locks and the weird garments – is pathetic, but not strongly personal. Japanese in intention, but unfortunately without the synthetic quality, the concision, or the intense expressiveness of fine Japanese art, is ‘He was only answered by a flock of idle crows.’” (“Leicester Galleries.” The Daily Telegraph (London, England). March 23, 1905.)

This seemingly over-the-top negative review had no impact on the sales of Rip Van Winkle, and could almost be dismissed in its entirety, as it was so far outside the norm of general opinion, and was so greatly outnumbered by the positive reviews. With history as a guide, author Jeff A. Menges, in The Arthur Rackham Treasury, writes of Rip Van Winkle’s impact on the publishing industry at large.

“In completing 51 color pieces for a classic Early American tale, Rackham created a work that was to become a turning point in the production of books. The recent perfection of color-separated printing had made the accurate reproduction of color artwork possible, and British publisher William Heinemann found the perfect marriage in this pairing of Rackham with Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle, an atmospheric tale of rustic America. The book became an instant classic, and popularized the production of lavishly illustrated gift editions of well-known tales – a trend that delighted both publishers and consumers.”

Derek Hudson, in his biography titled Arthur Rackham: His Life and Work, wrote of the summary impact of the publishing of Rip Van Winkle on Rackham and his career.

“The first work that greatly advanced his fame in the years immediately following his marriage was his edition of Rip Van Winkle, with its fifty-one color plates, published in 1905.

This lovely book decisively established Rackham as the leading decorative illustrator of the Edwardian period. One does not know which to admire most – the superb artistry of his landscapes, the poetry of the scenes of Rip by the riverside, the charm of his children and fairies, or the grotesque groups of Hendrick Hudson and his crew which so long anticipated the art of Walt Disney. With Rip Van Winkle he began his fruitful association with the firm of William Heinemann, who issued the book in a limited edition and a trade edition, while American, French, German and other foreign editions were also called for, setting a pattern of publications to be followed for many years. Another profitable precedent was established by the exhibition of the originals at the Leicester Galleries in March 1905. All except eight of the pictures were sold, and the deluxe edition of the book was fully subscribed before the exhibition closed. Henceforth Rackham’s book illustrations were regularly exhibited at the Leicester Galleries at the time of their publication, and they found ready buyers.”

Given the location of his birth and upbringing, Rackham is rightfully regarded as one of the great British illustrators in history, but through his delightful work in Rip Van Winkle he can also justly claim a place in American illustration history. Dozens of illustrators from the 1800s through to the current day have created their visual interpretation of Irving’s tale, many with great success, but Rackham’s originality, use of color and technical expertise, all of which were used in a combination that had not been seen before, continue to place his Rip Van Winkle interpretation amongst the most revered, even though it is been more than a century since its original publication.

Rip Van Winkle illustrations by Arthur Rackham

Illustration 1. Rip wakes up. “Surely,” though he, “I have not slept here all night . . . Oh! that flagon! that wicked flagon! what excuse shall I make to Dame Van Winkle?”

Illustration 2. “He found the old burghers, and still more their wives, rich in that legendary lore so invaluable to true history.”

Illustration 3. “These fairy mountains.”

Illustration 4. “Some of the houses of the original settlers.”

Illustration 5. “A curtain-lecture is worth all the sermons in the world for teaching the virtues of patience and long-suffering.”

Illustration 6. “The good wives of the village never failed in their evening gossipings, to lay all the blame on Dame Van Winkle.”

Illustration 7. “Taught Them to Fly Kites.”

Illustration 8. “Certain biscuit-bakers have gone so far as to imprint his likeness on their new-year cakes.”

Illustration 9. “These mountains are regarded by all good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.”

Illustration 10. “These fairy mountains.”

Illustration 11. “Surrounded by a troop of children.”

Illustration 12. “Not a dog would bark at him throughout the neighborhood.”

Illustration 13. “He would sit on a wet rock and fish all day.”

Illustration 14. “The women of the village used to employ him to do such little odd jobs as their less obliging husbands would not do for them.”

Illustration 15. “His cow would go astray or get among the cabbages.”

Illustration 16. “So that he was fain to draw off his forces and take to the outside of the house – the only side which, in truth, belongs to a hen-pecked husband.”

Illustration 17. “His children were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody.”

Illustration 18. “Equipped in a pair of his father’s cast-off galligaskins, which he had as much ado to hold up as a fine lady does her train in bad weather.”

Illustration 19. “He used to console himself by frequenting a kind of perpetual club of the sages, philosophers and other idle personages, which held its sessions before a small inn.”

Illustration 20. “When anything displeased him he was observed to smoke his pipe vehemently, and to send forth short, frequent and angry puffs.”

Illustration 21. “Mutually relieving one another they clambered up a narrow gully.”

Illustration 22. “A company of odd-looking persons playing at ninepins.”

Illustration 23. “Their visages too were peculiar.”

Illustration 24. “There was one who seemed to be the commander.”

Illustration 25. “They maintained the gravest faces.”

Illustration 26. “They stared at him with such fixed, statue-like gaze, that his heart turned within him and his knees smote together.”

Illustration 27. “They quaffed their liquor in profound silence.”

Illustration 28. “He even ventured to taste the beverage, which he found had much of the flavour of excellent hollands.”

Illustration 29. “The sleep of Rip Van Winkle.”

Illustration 30. “He was only answered by a flock of idle crows.”

Illustration 31. “They all stared at him with equal marks of surprise and invariably stroked their chins.”

Illustration 32. “A troop of strange children ran at his heels, hooting after him and pointing at his gray beard.”

Illustration 33. “The dogs too, not one of whom he recognized for an old acquaintance, barked at him as he passed.”

Illustration 34. “Strange names were over the doors – strange faces at the windows – everything was strange.”

Illustration 35. “He found the house gone to decay . . . ‘My very dog,’ sighed poor rip, ‘has forgotten me.’”

Illustration 36. “They crowded round him, eyeing him from head to foot with great curiosity.”

Illustration 37. Rip’s son, “a precise counterpart of himself, as he went up the mountain.”

Illustration 38. Rip’s daughter and grand-child.

Illustration 39. “All stood amazed.”

Illustration 40. “Sure enough! it is Rip Van Winkle – it is himself!”

Illustration 41. “Old Peter Vanderdonk was the most ancient inhabitant of the village.”

Illustration 42. “The Kaatskill Mountains had always been haunted by strange beings.”

Illustration 43. “His father had seen them in their old Dutch dresses playing at ninepins.”

Illustration 44. “He soon found many of his former cronies, though all rather the worse for the wear and tear of time.”

Illustration 45. “He preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favour.”

Illustration 46. “Even to this day they never hear a thunderstorm about the Kaatskill but they say Hendrick Hudson and his crew are at their game of ninepins.”

Illustration 47. “I have even talked with Rip Van Winkle myself, who, when I last saw him, was a very venerable old man.”

Illustration 48. “The Kaatsberg or Catskill mountains have always been a region full of fable.”

Illustration 49. “The Indians considered them the abode of spirits.”

Illustration 50. “They were ruled by an old squaw spirit who hung up the new moons in the skies and cut up the old ones into stars.”

Illustration 51. “If displeased, she would brew up clouds black as ink, sitting in the midst of them like a bottle-bellied spider in the midst of its web; and when these clouds broke, woe betide the valleys!”

Rip Van Winkle, by George P. Webster

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving was published to international acclaim in 1819. Set in the Catskills, an amiable Rip wanders off in the woods with his dog Wolf to escape his wife’s nagging and to avert “all kinds of profitable labor” only to encounter a silent group of short, bearded men playing nine-pins. After drinking some of their liquor he falls asleep for twenty years. Upon waking, he returns to his village to learn that his wife has died, the American Revolution has occurred and that he must face the fact that many of his former friends have either died, moved on or simply do not recognize him. The short story is an American classic.

Author George P. Webster poetically re-told Irving’s tale of Rip Van Winkle in a rhyming poem and published it as a children’s book. This version of the book, published by McLoughlin Brothers of New York, was published in 1889. There are multiple versions of Webster’s book, each with same words, but with different illustrations.

McLoughlin Brothers was a publishing company that operated from 1858 to 1920. The company was founded by John McLoughlin (1827-1905), who then took on his younger brother Edmund McLoughlin (1833/4-1889) as a partner. McLoughlin Brothers was considered a pioneer in the use of color printing technology for children’s books, and later expanded their product line to include puzzles, games and toys. The company was sold to their chief competitor Milton Bradley in 1920.

Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle Scolded by His Wife

Rip With the Children

Rip At the Tavern

Rip Van Winkle With His Dog Wolf

Rip Van Winkle In the Mountains

The Nine-Pin Game

In the Mountains

Rip Van Winkle Awakes

Old Rip Van Winkle

Old Rip Van Winkle With the Children

Rip Van Winkle

Near to the town, in a cottage small,

Lived RIP VAN WINKLE, known to all

As a harmless, drinking, shiftless lout,

Who never would work, but roamed about,

Always ready with jest and song –

Idling, tippling all day long.

“Shame on you, Rip!” cried the scolding vrows;

And old men muttered and knit their brows.

Not so with the boys, for they would shout,

And follow their hero, Rip, about,

Early or late – it was all the same,

They gave him a place in every game.

At ball he was ready to throw or catch;

At marbles, too, he was quite their match;

And many an urchin’s face grew bright,

When Rip took hold of his twin and kite.

And so he frittered the time away –

“Good natured enough,” they all would say;

But the village parson heaved a sigh

As Rip, in his cups, went reeling by,

With a silly and drunken leer –

His good dog Schneider always near.

Rip was fond of his rod and line,

And many a time, when the day was fine,

He would wander out to some neighb’ring stream,

And there with his dog, would sit and dream;

Hour after hour, would he dozing wait,

And woe to the fish that touched his bait.

But the stream of his life ran sometimes rough,

And his good “Vrow” gave him many a cuff,

For she was never a gentle dame,

And Rip was a toper, and much to blame.

But little did Rip Van Winkle care

For his wife or his home – he was seldom there –

But tried in his cups his cares to drown;

His scolding wife, with her threat’ning frown,

At his cottage-door he was sure to see –

“Ah! This,” said Rip, “is no place for me.”

So down to the tavern to drink his rum,

And waste his time with some red-nosed chum,

He was sure to go; for he knew that there

He would find a glass and a vacant chair,

And jolly fellows, who liked his fun,

And the tales he told of his dog and gun.

But his was still but a sorry life,

For, sot as he was, he loved his wife;

But he would tipple both day and night,

And she would scold him with all her might.

Thus Rip Van Winkle had many a grief,

And up ’mongst the mountains sought relief.

For lowering louds or a burning sun

He cared but little; his dog and gun

Were his friends, he knew; while they were near

He roamed the forests, and felt no fear.

If tired at last, and a seat he took,

And his dog came up with a hungry look,

He had always a crust or bone to spare,

And Schneider was certain to get his share.

And then if a squirrel chanced to stray

In range of his gun, he would blaze away,

And he held it too with a steady aim –

Rip never was known to miss his game.

But over his ills he would sometimes brood,

And scale the peaks in a gloomy mood;

And once he had climbed to a dizzy height,

When the sun went down, and the shades of night

Came up from the vale, and the pine-trees tall,

And the old gray rocks, and the waterfall

Grew dusky and dim, and faded away,

Till night, like a pall, on the mountain lay.

Full many a mile he had strayed that day,

And up in the mountains had lost his way;

And there he must stay through the gloomy night,

And shiver and wait for the morning light.

He thought of the stories, strange and old,

Which the graybeards down in the village told;

“And what,” said he, “if the tale were true

I have heard so oft of a phantom crew,

Who up in the Catskills, all night long,

Frolic and revel with wine and song.”

Just then a voice from a neighb’ring hill

Cried “Rip Van Winkle!” and all was still.

Then he looked above and he looked below,

And saw not a thing but a lonely crow.

“Ho, Rip Van Winkle!” the voice still cried,

And Schneider skulked to his master’s side.

Just then from a thicket a man came out –

His legs were short and his body stout,

He looked like a Dutchman in days of yore,

With buttons behind and buttons before;

And held a keg with an iron grip,

And beckoned for help to the gazing Rip.

Rip had his fears, but at last complied,

And bore the keg up the mountain side;

And now and then, when a thunder-peal

Made the mountain tremble, Rip would steal

A look at his guide, but never a work

From the lips of the queer old man was heard,

Up, up they clambered, until, at last,

The stranger halted. Rip quickly cast

A glance around, and as strange a crew

As ever a mortal man did view

Were playing at nine pins; at every ball

’Twas fun to see how the pins would fall;

And they rolled and rolled, without speaking a word,

And this was the thunder Rip had heard.

Their hats looked odd, each with sugar-loaf crown,

And their eyes were small, and their beards hung down,

While their high-heeled shows all had peaked toes,

And their legs were covered with blood-red hose;

Their noses were long, like a porker’s snout,

And they nodded and winked as they moved about.

They tapped the keg, and the liquor flowed,

And up to the brim of each flagon glowed;

And a queer old man made a sign to Rip,

As much as to say, “Will you take a nip”

Nor did he linger to stop of think,

For Rip was thirsty and wanted a drink.

“I’ll risk it,” though he; “it can be no sin,

And it smells like the best of Holland gin;”

So he tipped his cup to grim old chap,

And drained it, then, for a quiet nap,

He stretched himself on the mossy ground,

And soon was wrapped in a sleep profound.

At last he woke; ’twas a sunny morn,

And the strange old man of the glen was gone;

He saw the young birds flutter and hop,

And an eagle wheeled round the mountain-top;

Then he rubbed his eyes for another sight –

“Surely,” said he, “I have slept all night.”

He thought of the flagon and nine-pin game;

“Oh! What shall I say to my fiery dame!”

He, faintly faltered; “I know that she

Has a fearful lecture in store for me.”

He took up his gun, and strange to say,

The wood had rotted and worn away;

He raised to his feet, and his joints were sore;

“Said he, “I must go to my home once more.”

The, with trembling step, he wandered down;

Amazed, he entered his native town.

The people looked with a wondering stare,

For Rip, alas! was a stranger there;

He tottered up to his cottage door,

But his wife was dead, and could scold no more;

And down at the tavern he sought in vain

For the chums he would never meet again;

He looked, as he passed, at a group of girls

For the laughing eye and the flaxen curls

Of the child he loved as he loved his life,

But she was a thrifty farmer’s wife;

And when they met, and her hand he took,

She blushed and gave him a puzzled look;

But she knew her father and kissed his brow,

All covered with marks and wrinkles now;

For Rip Van Winkle was old and gray

And twenty summers had passed away –

Yes, twenty winters of snow and frost

Had he in his mountain slumber lost;

Yet his lover for stories was still the same,

And he often told of the nine-pin game.

But the age was getting a little fast –

The Revolution had come and passed,

And Young America, gathered about,

Received his tales with many a doubt.

Awhile he hobbled about the town;

Then, worn and weary, at last laid down,

For his locks were white and limbs were sore –

And Rip Van Winkle will make no more.

Rip Van Winkle: A Tale of the Hudson, Illustrated by Frances Brundage

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Frances Lockwood Brundage (1854-1937) was a noted illustrator of children’s books. She illustrated over 200 books during her career, in addition to her work on postcards, valentines, prints, trade cards and calendars. Her works were published by several companies including Raphael Tuck & Sons, Samuel Gabriel Company and Saalfield Publishing, among others.

Rip Van Winkle: A Tale of the Hudson, as illustrated by Brundage, was published in 1927 by the Saalfield Publishing Company of Akron, Ohio. The 92-page book contains 62 illustrations, including 17 full page illustrations, depicting various scenes from the classic American short story by famed author Washington Irving. Full page illustrations included:

Frontispiece. The children of the village, too, would shout with joy whenever he approached.
Page 16. It is a little village of great antiquity.
Page 22. He taught them to fly kites and shoot marbles.
Page 25. His children were as ragged as if they belonged to nobody.
Page 28. He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing.
Page 30. At the least flourish of a broomstick, he would fly to the door with yelping precipitation.
Page 37. “Poor Wolfe, thy mistress leads thee a dog’s life of it!”
Page 39. He could overlook all the lower country for many a mile of rich woodland.
Page 47. A company of odd-looking personages playing at nine-pins.
Page 51. He was naturally a thirsty soul. One taste provoked another.
Page 56. He reached to where the ravine had opened through the cliffs to the amphitheater; but no traces of such an opening remained.
Page 62. Rip called him by name, but the cur snarled, showed his teeth, and passed on. “My very dog,” sighed poor Rip, “has forgotten me!”
Page 65. A tall, naked pole, and from it was fluttering a flag, on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes.
Page 67. The orator bustled up to him and inquired “on which side he voted?”
Page 70. The self-important man demanded again, what he came there for, and whom he was seeking?
Page 76. She had a chubby child in her arms, which, frightened at his looks, began in cry.
Page 81. It was affirmed that the great Hendrick Hudson kept a kind of vigil there every twenty years, with his crew of the half-moon.

Brundage was born on June 28, 1854 in Newark, New Jersey. Her ancestors were long established in the United States, and were noted patriots, it being estimated that 195 of her father’s ancestors fought in the American Revolution and another 23 ancestors having fought in the Colonial wars.

Her father, Rembrandt Lockwood (b. 1815), was an architect, engraver and painter of church murals. Rembrandt was perhaps most associated with his large work, measuring 17 feet by 27 feet, titled The Last Judgment, “a work of nine years, which was commenced in Germany, where he resided for four years, and completed in Newark, N. J.” Rembrandt married Sarah Ursula Despeaux (1820-1907), who passed away in 1907 at 87 years of age after a three-year struggle following a stroke of paralysis.

Brundage never attended art school, but began sketching at the age of four. She received much of her informal art training from her father. She began her professional career in her teens when she sold a sketch illustrating a Louisa M. Alcott poem to the author.

“Her start as a professional artist was made when she was in her teens. Like most girls, she had a favorite author. The honors in this case went Louisa M. Alcott. One day the aspiring young painter purchased a poem written by Mrs. Alcott – made a folio of it and illustrated it. With much trepidation, she sent the finished work to the writer, asking “if she had caught the idea.” The answer was – Mrs. Alcott bought the illustrations.” (Leigh, Virginia. “Anyone Can Paint Who Will Observe.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 2, 1931.)

In 1931 the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published a full-page profile of Brundage, including insights into her background, her career and her thoughts on art.

“The loneliness that is so terribly feared by every human being bereft of relatives at the twilight of life holds no such terror for her. Drawing has always been her whole existence. Every waking moment has been filled either with thinking about it, studying it or working at it. She has no need for human relations. She can create with just a few strokes of her pencil a compatible companion that will liven up any dreary moment. The cataract that threatened to blind her turned out to be just a threat. “I would not want to live two minutes,” she said, “if I could not draw.” It is characteristic of Mrs. Brundage that her idea of heaven is a haven for artists where paint, pencils, brushes and time are always in abundance. “I would prefer to go to the bad place down below where I could do little things if in heaven they would not permit me to draw,” she emphatically declared . . .

If this talented woman has a pet theory it is that she can teach any one to paint just by making them learn to observe the little things that happen in normal everyday living. She believes that discerning observation will help even a grocery clerk, and that success is totally dependent on having trained one’s self to watch everything that is going on. She bases this theory on the common knowledge that eighty-seven percent of understanding is gotten through the eye, eleven percent through the ear and two percent through the other senses.”

During more than 50 years as a commercial artist, she illustrated all of Louisa M. Alcott’s books, and many others including “A Child’s Garden of Verse,” “Rip Van Winkle,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” “Mother Goose Rhymes,” “The Pied Piper of Hamelin,” “Black Beauty,” “Robinson Crusoe,” “Treasure Island,” “King Arthur,” “Arabian Nights” and several of Shakespeare’s plays. She also wrote and illustrated four books for children including “The Adventures of Jack,” “What Happened to Tommy,” “Boys and Girls Around the Country,” and “Little Maids.”

Brundage was married to William Tyson Brundage (1849-1923), a well-known marine artist. He was one of the original members of the Salmagundi Club, an art organization in Manhattan that was founded in 1871 and is still in operation today. William and Frances had one child, Mary Frances Brundage, who passed away at 17 months of age in 1891. William passed away at his home in 1923 following a stroke of apoplexy. His last painting was of an old Dutch fishing boat.

Brundage considered Brooklyn to be her home town, although she had also lived in Washington, D. C., and spent the summer months at Cape Ann, Massachusetts for many years. Frances Brundage passed away at her home at the age of 83 on March 26, 1937 after having heart trouble since the prior December. She is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. At the time of her death, she had just completed a children’s textbook on art called “It’s Fun to Draw.

For more information on this notable artist, see the book titled A Bit of Brundage: The Illustration Art of Frances Brundage by authors Sarah Steier and Donna Braun. For more information on the genealogy of Frances Brundage, through her father Rembrandt Lockwood and back to the Lockwood ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, see History of the Lockwood Family in America by Frederic A. Holden and E. Dunbar Lockwood.

See all the Rip Van Winkle illustrations by Brundage on the gallery page >> Rip Van Winkle, Gallery 2.

The Child’s Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Maria Louise Kirk

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Maria Louise Kirk (1860-1938) was a popular American painter and illustrator. She was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of George H. Kirk and Harriet A. (Craig) Kirk. She studied art in Philadelphia at the School of Design for Women and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and later at the Art Institute of Chicago.

In 1894 Kirk won the Mary Smith prize at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for best painting by a woman. The Mary Smith prize had been established in 1879 by Russell Smith in memory of his daughter, Mary Smith. The prize was annually awarded “to the Painter of the best painting in oil or water colors exhibited at the Academy by a resident Woman Artist, for the qualities ranking as follows: 1st, Originality of Subject; 2d, Beauty of Design or Drawing; 3d, Color and Effect; and, lastly, Execution.”

Kirk illustrated over 50 books throughout her career, including Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland (1904), The Secret Garden (1911), Heidi (1915) and Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet (1919).

In 1908 Kirk illustrated The Child’s Rip Van Winkle with 12 full color illustrations. The book was published by the Frederick A. Stokes Company of New York. The book followed the same plot line as in Irving’s classic tale, but substituted simpler words and phrases for those that children could not understand. The result was easier reading for younger children.

The reviews of Kirk’s illustrative work for The Child’s Rip Van Winkle were very positive.

“This beautiful legend of the historic Catskill Mountains is very elaborate and artistically illustrated in color by Maria L. Kirk.” The Washington Post, October 3, 1908.

“. . . with some very sprightly and interesting illustrations in most vivid and tasteful colors by M. L. Kirk.” The Boston Globe, October 7, 1908.

“Miss Kirk’s twelve illustrations in color are unusually attractive, and will intensify the pleasure of youthful readers in the tale itself.” Brooklyn Times Union, October 10, 1908.

“The colored pictures by M. L. Kirk and the illuminated cover make this a beautiful holiday book.” Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York), October 27, 1908.

“The book is illustrated in colors by Maria L. Kirk, who has offered a dozen full-page pictures of a high degree of merit.” Evening Star (Washington, DC), November 7, 1908.

“Miss Kirk’s pictures are well worth looking at even by the older reader; for children, they will be a delight. Full page, in many bright colors, with a great deal of child interest, and capitally drawn, they are in truth really illustrations of the fascinating old legend of the Catskills.” The Standard Union (Brooklyn, New York), November 15, 1908.

“The illustrations in color, twelve in number, are full of freshness and charm. They are essentially pictures for children to look at, conceived with an understanding of the child’s imagination, and made to show the little parts in the story that interest a child. This is an element of no little importance and one often slighted. Miss Kirk, moreover, has followed the traditions of the story closely and has not altered any of the familiar characters.” The Los Angeles Times, December 13, 1908.

“. . .the twelve full-page illustrations in color by Miss Kirk are true to the spirit of the story and most artistic.” The Publishers’ Weekly, December 19, 1908.

The 12 illustrations in The Child’s Rip Van Winkle depict scenes from throughout the story, including:

The children of the village hanging on his skirts and climbing on his back

His cow would get among the cabbages

Like a colt at his mother’s heels

At the least flourish of the broomstick he would fly yelping

A strange figure slowly toiling up the rocks

Odd-looking persons playing nine-pins

They stared at him with a fixed statue-like gaze

Surely I have not slept here all night!

Strange children ran at his heels

My very dog has forgotten me

Does nobody know poor Rip Van Winkle!

People love to hear his stories of old times

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Eric Pape

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as illustrated by Eric Pape, was published in 1925 by The Macmillan Company of New York. The book contains 46 illustrations for the Rip Van Winkle story, and another 37 illustrations for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow story. The book originally sold for $1.75.

He Taught Them to Fly Kites.

A long ramble on a fine autumnal day.

He bore on his shoulders a stout keg.

This illustrated edition of the Rip Van Winkle story was positively reviewed by the Evening Star, of Washington D. C. upon its release in 1925. “On our own ground here with an author who pays to be remembered. We can visit Sleepy Hollow. We can see the places that Irving has made so mellow and soft and whimsically dear to us, a place to which Joseph Jefferson has added much to the original charm set by the author himself, a place also which the pictures of this edition, by Eric Pape, bring out to a new effect of reality mingled with the fancy that Irving himself used to happily in the stories and legends of the Catskills.” (“Selecting Books for the Young.” Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). November 8, 1925.)

Illustrations for the Rip Van Winkle portion of the book include:

Cover design: Chanticleer calling, “Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle!” (cover)
End paper: “At the foot of these mountains the voyager may have descried the light smoke curling up from a village”
Washington Irving as he appeared in 1820 (page i)
Rip Van Winkle (frontispiece)
Sundial (page iii)
Diedrich Knickerbocker’s small hair-covered chest, bound with iron, in which letters, valuable papers and deeds were kept; date about 1775 (page v)
D. K. – the keys to his papers (page xi)
Old night watchman, returning in the early morning after an all night vigil (page xii)
Wrought iron door hinge, date about 1750 (page xiii)
The tale was found among the papers of the late Diedrich Knickerbocker (page xix)
The famous biscuit, with the likeness of Diedrich Knickerbocker (page 1)
The Waterloo Medal. Obverse, head of his Grace the Duke of Wellington. Reverse, date; joined hands; emblems of the co-operation of the allied generals (page 2)
The Queen Anne farthing. Obverse, head of “Anna Regina.” Reverse, figure of “Britannia” and date (page 3)
“I have seen a certificate, taken before a country justice and signed with a cross in the justice’s own handwriting. – D. K.” Stand with Betty lamp, flint, steel and striker, and pocket tinder box. (page 5)
“He taught them to fly kites.” (facing page 6)
“Morning, noon and night, her tongue was incessantly going.” (page 8)
“He would fish all day” (page 11)
“He would never refuse to assist a neighbor, even in the roughest toil” (page 15)
Utensils commonly used at an inn; wooden sconce with removable irons for holding candles, curly maple trenchers and wooden mug, mortar and pestle, candle molds, and a ball of wick floss (page 17)
The tavern sign: “A rubicund portrait of his majesty George the Third” (page 19)
“How solemnly they would listen” (page 21)
Nicholas Vedder, the landlord of the inn (page 23)
Nicholas Vedder’s pipe-rack and portable sconce, candle hook-holder, snuffers and toddy irons. Also smoker’s small tongs, tobacco pouch and pocket fire outfit (page 24)
Wrought iron door latch, tulip design, date about 1760 (page 26)
“Wolf would look wistfully in his master’s face” (page 27)
“A crow wining its solitary flight across the mountain (page 29)
“A long ramble on a fine autumnal day” (page 31)
The solitary crow (page 33)
“He bore on his shoulders a stout keg” (page 35)
“Hendric Hudson and his crew. (The people of the Kaatskill never heard a thunder storm without referring to him and his crew at their game of ninepins.) (facing page 38)
Wrought iron door latches, lily and tulip design, date about 1745 (page 41)
“He met a number of people, but none whom he knew” (page 43)
“The roof had fallen in, the windows shattered, and the doors were off their hinges” (page 47)
“A flag on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes” (page 51)
“A sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre” (page 55)
Wrought iron chest-handle and hinges, date about 1740 (page 57)
“An old man replied in a thin piping voice” (page 59)
Wild purple raspberry (page 61)
“The Kaatskill Mountains has always been haunted by strange beings” (page 66)
Wrought iron chest-hinge, date about 1770 (page 70)
D. K.’s precious chest (page 71)
Wrought iron cupboard latch, date about 1760 (page 72)
“Kept a kind of vigil there every twenty years” (page 73)
D. K. – the key to his papers (page 75)
Morning glories or hedge weed (page 77)
“Gay castles in the clouds that pass” (page 78)

Hendrick Hudson and His Crew.

A flag on which was a singular assemblage of stars and stripes.

Rip Van Winkle.

Frederic L. M. Pape (1870-1938), more commonly known as Eric Pape, was a highly regarded painter, engraver and illustrator. Pape was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He studied art in San Francisco the School of Design and later in Paris under noted artists such as Boulanger, Lefebvre, Constant, Doucet, Blanc and Delance. He then furthered his studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts under famous instructors such as Gerome, Delauney and Jean Paul Laurens. Pape was well traveled, having lived in England, France, Germany, Mexico and Europe. After five years abroad from around 1888 to 1893 Pape returned to the United States in 1894. He taught during 1897 in Boston at the Cowles Art School, which was established by painter Frank Cowles (1839-1928) and operated from 1883 to around 1900.

The next year, in 1898, Pape established his own school, the Eric Pape School of Art at Boston, Massachusetts. The school offered “drawing and painting “from life,” separate classes for men and women. Portraiture, still life, water-color, paste, pyrogravure, wood-carving, composition. Illustration, with costume models, pen, wash, gouache, poster and book-cover designing, decorative illustration for books.” The school, soon after its founding, “has been signally successful and quickly recognized as one of the foremost schools of its kind in this country.” (“Representative Young Illustrators: Eric Pape, Illustrator and Painter.” The Art Interchange. Vol. 44, no. 5. May, 1900.) Among the students at his school was N. C. Wyeth, who later published his own highly regarded illustrated version of the Rip Van Winkle story in 1921. The school operated until 1913.

Pape’s fine art work had been exhibited at the Paris Salon and at expositions in Munich (1897) Chicago (1893), Cincinnati, Detroit, Omaha (1899), Paris (1900), Buffalo (1901) and St. Louis (1904). Some of his noted paintings include The Spinner of Zeven (1889); The Great Sphinx by Moonlight (1891); The Two Great Eras (1892); The Angel with the Book of Life (1897); Approaching Storm, The Great Dane and Early Morning (1900); and Foam Surges (1902). His illustrative work can be found in many special edition books and illustrated magazine articles of the time.

Pape also worked as a stage designer for theater productions, including a showing of Rip Van Winkle in 1925 at the Repertory Theatre in Boston. This version of the timeless classic featured noted American actor Francis Wilson (1854-1935) portraying Rip Van Winkle in an “effective revival of stage classic.” Wilson was an ardent admirer of Joseph Jefferson, who played the role of Rip Van Winkle on stage for over 40 years. Wilson, who at the age of 12 first saw Jefferson in 1870, also authored a biography on Jefferson. In a review of the show, it was noted that “Eric Pape, noted illustrator and scenic artist, has designed and painted special settings of extraordinary beauty for this production.” (“Rip Van Winkle at the Repertory.” The Boston Globe. November 24, 1925.)

Rip Van Winkle's Dream

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle’s Dream was published in 1883 in dedication to the Michigan Central Railroad – The Niagara Falls Route. The book contains over 30 beautiful, full-page illustrations, many of them featuring the beloved Rip Van Winkle. Wemple & Co., of New York, worked on the book as lithographers.

The first seven pages of the book, unrelated to the main story of Rip Van Winkle, includes “A Parody on Iolanthe,” written by Davison Dalziel, which is an alternative take on the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera Iolanthe, but is instead dedicated to the conductors of the Chicago & Alton Railway. The last 22 pages of the book contain advertisements for a variety of businesses around Chicago, including, as just a few examples, the Ansonia Clock Company, the Crescent Steel Works, the Leland Hotel and the Haverly Theatre.

Rip Van Winkle’s Dream was published by Davison Dalziel (1852-1928), of Chicago. Dalziel was born and raised in London, England, and after being “granted the privileges of a superior education” he entered the journalism industry. He was engaged in newspaper work in Sydney, Australia in the late 1870s. He afterwards went to San Francisco, where he established the San Francisco Daily Mail. He then relocated to Chicago, where he remained prominent in the newspaper industry and served as the editor of the Chicago News Letter, “the leading dramatic newspaper in America.” He then returned to London, where he formed Dalziel’s News Agency and became an influential businessman in the transportation industry. He served as president of the Pullman Car Company and the International Sleeping Car Company. He was elected to serve as a Member of Parliament for Brixton from 1910 to 1923 and again from 1924 to 1927. Dalziel passed away in 1928 after a short illness.

The lengthy advertisement for the Michigan Central Railroad at the back of Rip Van Winkle’s Dream provides an overview of the company and the Niagara Falls Route.

“Michigan Central. The Great Highway of East and West Travel.

The Michigan Central has become the deservedly favorite route between the great cities and Summer resorts of the East and West, being the only route under a single management between Chicago, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, and offering to the traveling public the many great advantages resulting from that fact. Whether one travels East or travels West, he finds that the Michigan Central has spared no pains nor expense to make his journey as rapid, safe, comfortable and pleasant as possible. He finds not one only, but many, daily Fast Express trains, made up new and sumptuous Parlor, Dining and Sleeping Coaches, replete with every convenience that money can provide and ingenuity devise. These trains are veritable first-class hotels upon wheels, in which the passenger can eat, drink, smoke, sleep, lounge and take comfort as in his own inn. And the traveler is sure of quick time and close connection at junction points.

The title of “The Niagara Falls Route” belongs peculiarly and especially to the Michigan Central, for it is the only route running trains directly to the Great Cataract itself. Its trains halt at Falls View Station, almost at the very brink of the down-pouring flood, where the views is finer than is obtainable from any other point. From this point, the trains follow the course of the river to the great Cantilever Bridge, which is a marvelous triumph of engineering science. It is constructed of steel, with a double track, and stood the severest test upon its completion. It is the first bridge ever built upon its particular principle, and is probably the safest, as it is one of the most elegant, in the world. Crossing this grand structure, two hundred and fifty feet above “the angriest bit of water in the world,” the traveler sees again the great Falls, the dark river gorge, and the rushing Whirlpool Rapids.

The route to Buffalo follows the river bank for miles, affording varied and delightful pictures of the emerald flood, the foam-crested Rapids, the Falls, the leafy islands and peaceful Canada shore, while the thunders of the great Cataract sink with distance into a monotone, and are finally lost, save as their echoes long linger in memory.

Entering the beautiful city of Buffalo, the traveler finds the superb Palace Cars taken on without change to Albany and New York, by the New York Central and Hudson River, and from Albany to Boston by the Boston and Albany railroads. To the Michigan Central, and to no other road, all this applies, and therefore it is that the public have bestowed upon it the title of “The Niagara Falls Route.”

Excepting only the almost inaccessible Yellowstone Park, there is no spot combining so many of the glories, beauties and advantages of a tourists’ paradise as Mackinac Island. Rising grandly over 300 feet above the channel in which the waters of the earth’s greatest unsalted seas meet and blend in billowy harmony, it is nearly nine miles in circumference. The United States Government has, with a just appreciation of its wonderful attractions, reserved entire island for a National Park, and the Michigan Central has made it accessible to tourists.

O. W. Ruggles, Gen. Passenger and Ticket Agent, Chicago.

F. I. Whitney, Ass’t Gen. Pass. And Ticket Ag’t, Chicago.”

Rip Van Winkle, with Illustrations by Rhoda Campbell Chase

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

This miniature version of the Rip Van Winkle story, measuring only 2 3/16 inches by 2 3/4 inches, served as an advertising booklet for Packard Pianos. The 12-page booklet contains a short, summarized version of the Rip Van Winkle story along with six colorized illustrations. The advertisement for Packard Pianos, which noted that “you can’t get a better piano at any price,” can be found on the back page. The booklet was published in 1916 by John H. Eggers of New York.

Each of the six images in the Rip Van Winkle booklet were created by illustrator Rhoda Campbell Chase (1881-1959), whose work can be found in numerous school and children’s books. Rhoda was the daughter of Henry Seymour Chase (1853-1889), a well-known marine artist, and Laura Emeline Eames Chase (1856-1917), a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a graduate of Iowa State University dental school and the first woman accepted as a full member of the American Dental Association.

Following in her father’s footsteps Rhoda would become a well-respected artist. She attended the St. Louis School of Fine Arts, lived in Paris while working with Theophile Steinlen as a mentor and studied at the Art Students’ League in New York City.

Beginning in 1917 Chase illustrated a new line of products issued by Harper & Brothers called the Bubble Book, an innovative product which combined books with records. The Bubble Book series, marketed with a slogan of “books that sing,” were aimed at children who could learn to read while singing along to the records at the same time. The record/book combination proved immensely popular, with millions sold every year after its initial release. For more information on the history of the Bubble Book series, see Jacob Smith’s book titled Spoken Word: Postwar American Phonograph Cultures.

For approximately 45 years, from the mid-1910s to her passing in 1959, Rhoda lived in the art-friendly village of Woodstock, New York in the Catskill Mountains, near the setting for the Rip Van Winkle story. She was an active member of the Christian Science Church in Woodstock. Rhoda died on August 1, 1959 at Kingston Hospital in Kingston, New York and was survived by her brother Irwin Chase, of Deep River, Connecticut; a nephew, Rear Admiral Irwin Chase Jr., USN, Ret., of Deep River; and a niece, Mrs. Roger C. Cunningham of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Rhoda Campbell Chase is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Other books illustrated by Rhoda Campbell Chase include:

Hansel and Gretel (1914)

The Merrill Readers: Third Reader (1915)

The Merrill Readers: Fourth Reader (1915)

Wonderdays and Wonderways Through Flowerland (1916)

Rip Van Winkle (1916)

Aladdin (1916)

Puss in Boots (1916)

The Bubble Book (1917)

The Sandman’s Hour: Stories for Bedtime (1917)

The Child’s World: First Reader (1917)

The Child’s World: Second Reader (1917)

The Story of Little Angels (1917)

Sandman Christmas Stories (1918)

Sandman Twilight Stories (1918)

Second Bubble Book (1918)

Third Bubble Book (1918)

The Animal Bubble Book (1918)

The Pie Party: Fifth Bubble Book (1919)

The Pet Bubble Book (1919)

The Funny Froggy: The Seventh Bubble Book (1919)

Happy Go Lucky: Bubble Book (1919)

The Merry Midgets: The Ninth Bubble Book

The Fairy Detective (1919)

The Little Mischief: Tenth Bubble Book (1920)

The Tippy Toe Bubble: 11th Book (1920)

Sandman’s Rainy Day Stories (1920)

Sandman’s Goodnight Stories (1921)

Sandman’s Might-Be-So Stories (1922)

Dot and Don with Mother (1923)

Dot and Don at School (1924)

Visiting Days with Dot and Don (1924)

Dot and Don: The Thoughtful Twins

The Christmas Reindeer (1926)

For the Children’s Hour (1927)

Busy Days with Bobby and Betty (1928)

The Doings of Bobby and Betty (1928)

Good Times for Bobby and Betty (1928)

The Peter-Pan Twins Are Glad to Help (1928)

The Peter-Pan Twins Are Now in School (1928)

Playtime for the Peter-Pan Twins (1928)

Play Fellows (1928)

Friends to Make (1928)

Happy Hour Readers: Good Friends (1935)

And Then We Came Home (1943)

Bob and Betty’s Busy Days (1943)

Bob and Betty’s Play Days (1943)

A Child’s Book of Verse (1943)

Rip Van Winkle

In a little village in the Catskill mountains near the Hudson river there lived many years ago a simple, good-natured fellow named Rip Van Winkle. He was lazy and would not work, but roamed the woods with his dog and gun, hunting and fishing.

All the village children loved him because of his kind heart and simple ways, and would follow him about while he played their games and told them stories.

While he thus idled away time, his farm was neglected, weeds overran his garden, his fences fell down for want of repair and his wife and children were in rags.

Rip’s wife would scold him for his idleness and shiftless ways, and in order to have peace he would take his dog Wolf and to the village inn, where he would sit on a bench in the sun and gossip with his neighbors, and escape his wife’s sharp tongue.

One day, after a harder scolding than usual, Rip took his dog and gun and set off for the mountains, hoping to bring home a squirrel of two to put his wife in good humor again. As he left, he could hear her voice calling after him that he was an idle good-for-nothing, and had better keep out of her sight, and he felt glad to escape the sound of her voice.

He tramped all day and shot many a squirrel and when he grew tired he lay down to rest on the soft grass under the shade of a tree.

Suddenly he heard his name called. He sat up, and looked about him, but he saw no one. Again he heard it – “Rip van Winkle – Rip van Winkle” – several times.

Wolf growled and came close to his master.

Looking again, Rip saw far down in the glen, slowly toiling up among the rocks, a strange little figure. He had a long beard and was dressed in old Dutch style, with a high peaked hat, and on his back he carried a keg of liquor. When he saw Rip he beckoned without speaking, and Rip saw that he was asking for help with his load.

Rip was always willing to help anyone, so he shouldered the keg and took turns with the dwarf in carrying it along the rocky path. Neither spoke a word, and the only sound was from the distant thunder that echoed among the mountains.

At last they reached the top. Rip and his guide entered a small hollow, and there Rip saw a company of strange little men. All wore the peaked hats, and had long beards and great baggy trousers. They were playing nine-pins, but stopped to gaze at Rip.

No one spoke or smiled, but one, who seemed to be the leader and wore red stockings and pointed red shoes, ran to Rip and took the keg. Then they offered it to him, and after taking a drink he grew bolder, and finding it good he took another and another.

Soon he began to feel very drowsy, he eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

When Rip awoke, the sun was shining. He rubbed his eyes and said, “I must have slept here all night.” Slowly the memory of the dwarfs and the wine came back to him, and he cried out, “Oh, that wicked wine! What will my wife say?”

He looked for his gun but saw only an old rusty one, falling apart with age. He thought the little men had stolen his. He whistled for Wolf, who did not come; then he tried to walk, but found he was stiff and sore. He made his way down the mountain with great difficulty, expecting to meet his dog as he went.

He felt very hungry and weak, and dreaded to meet his wife, but felt that he must go on or starve in the mountains.

When he reached the village, he saw many people, but none whom he knew. All stared at him, and the children were strange. Looking down, he saw that his beard had grown long and white, and his clothes were ragged. He made his way to his own house and found it in ruins.

Much distressed, he wandered on, asking those he met about his old friends, but all were dead.

In the crowd that gathered about him there was a young woman carrying a child. Rip finally turned to her and asked her name. Her face and voice were familiar and he learned that she was his own daughter, grown up and married. From her he learned that he had disappeared and had been given up for dead twenty years ago! His wife had died soon after his disappearance.

The daughter welcomed her father with joy, and took him to her home to liver with her husband and children. There he spent his old age in contentment, and never again visited Hendrik Hudson and his band, who played nine-pins in the mountains.

David J. Auchmoody – Kingston, New York Photographer (Part 2)

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

David J. Auchmoody was a much-respected photographer located at the city of Kingston in Ulster County, New York from 1868 to circa 1893. He photographed thousands of Kingston’s citizens over the course of his 25 years in business. Auchmoody also published a popular series of stereoviews that included scenes of Kingston, Rondout, Rosendale, Rifton, Lawrenceville, Saugerties, Shandaken, Shokan and the surrounding Catskills region. After leaving the photography business Auchmoody worked in the insurance industry and for several fraternal organizations.

Continued from September 9, 2023.

Creek Cement Works, from Sleightsburgh.

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In 1884, as Auchmoody became more involved with various fraternal organizations, he founded the Fraternal Indicator. The publication was described as “a monthly journal devoted to the interest of Fraternal Societies. Official Organ of the Supreme Lodge, Knights of Columbia. An attractive journal, with a large circulation.” Auchmoody served as both editor and publisher. The publication was typically four pages long, sized 16x23. Annual subscription was 25 cents. Annual circulation was 2,000.

Reviews about the newly created Fraternal Indicator were quite positive. On January 19, 1884 the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “The ‘Knights of Columbia Indicator’ is the name of a new paper printed at the Freeman job printing establishment, by the Committee of Supplies of the Knights. It has four pages and is neatly printed on tinted paper, and is in every way creditable to its editors. The first number contains an excellent photograph of D. J. Auchmoody, the well known photographer, who was the first Supreme Governor of the Knights of Columbia. It will be published monthly, and its subscription price is only 25 cents a year.”

In another positive review, on August 8, 1884 the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “we have received the first number of a new monthly publication styled the Fraternal Indicator, the editor and publisher of which is D. J. Auchmoody of this city. It is an interesting four page paper, and besides what it contains in reference to mutual benefit and secret societies has a good selection of miscellaneous matter, and is ably edited. We bespeak for it a good reception among all interested in society matters.”

Throughout approximately 25 years as a photographer, Auchmoody’s gallery was located at several different locations. He was at first located at the corner of Garden and Ferry streets. He then worked at 29 Union Avenue, and was then listed at both 18 and 20 Union Avenue.

Luther, David’s son, seems to have assisted his father at the photographic gallery in the early years of his career, before becoming an automobile salesman. In 1890 L. M. Auchmoody, who would have been 19 years old at the time, submitted pictures of the family studio to Wilson’s Photograph Magazine, and those pictures were positively reviewed.

“Mr. L. M. Auchmoody, of Rondout, N.Y., sends a series of pictures which would be very interesting to any of our younger aspirants. They are of his studio, printing room, and reception rooms, showing their fitting an arrangement. As interiors they are excellent, not only pictorially, but also in the extreme order and regularity of appointments, and the cheerfulness of their aspect. Enlivened with plants and pictures, Mr. Auchmoody’s place seems a charming one to be in, suggesting good work; and even the printing room is not the well-lit den of rubbish and horror that it sometimes unhappily becomes, but contains a whole gallery of prints and pictures smiling from its sunny walls.”[1]

Auchmoody left the photography business around 1893 or 1894, according to the annual business directories for the city of Kingston. After leaving the photography business Auchmoody began to work in the insurance industry and became quite involved with a number of fraternal societies.

“He [Auchmoody] was a past grand chancellor of the grand lodge of Knights of Pythias of New York state and past state councilor of the United Order of Mechanics. He also served for many years as state deputy of the Knights of Pythias. He was a member of Hope Lodge, No. 65, Knights of Pythias, of Port Ewen, and Ulster County Council, United Order of American Mechanics, the Order of the Golden Seal and the Knights of Honor.”[2]

Auchmoody was a founding member of the Knights of Honor, lodge 791, at the city of Kingston. The lodge was formed on November 7, 1877. In 1880 Auchmoody was serving as “Reporter” for the lodge. The Knights of Honor organization was founded in 1873 in Louisville, Kentucky by James A. Demaree. The organization grew from its original 17 members to a membership of 120,000 by 1889, including 190 lodges in the state of New York.

The Knights of Pythias, in which Auchmoody served as state deputy and grand chancellor, was formed at Washington, D. C. in 1864 by Justus H. Rathbone (1839-1899), a federal government clerk. The organization began with 13 members, but grew rapidly, reaching a membership of 450,000 in 1895, and 1,000,000 in the early 1920s. Its cardinal principles include Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence, and their motto is “Be Generous, Brave, and True.” The rituals for the Knights of Pythias are based on the mythological friendship of Damon and Pythias. The Knights of Pythias were the first fraternal organization in the United States to receive a charter through an Act of Congress. The organization continues to operate today.

In addition to his work in the insurance industry and with various fraternal organizations, Auchmoody also served, for a time, as director and secretary of the S. R. Deyo Company. The company, which manufactured pure apple cider, was founded by Sylvester R. Deyo in 1886. The company had grown significantly over the years, producing 15,000 to 20,000 barrels of sweet cider and vinegar each season. “The business was one of the largest of its kind in this section of the country and annually filled large contracts, including many contracts with the United States Government.”[3]

The 1900 United States census listed 51-year-old Auchmoody as living in the city of Kingston, New York. He was living with his 48-year-old wife Elvina, who was shown as having been born in April 1852. They were married for 29 years. Auchmoody’s occupation was listed as “state deputy, K of P. [Knights of Pythias].”

D. J. Auchmoody published at least 320 different views of Kingston, Rondout, Saugerties, Shandaken and the surrounding Catskills region. Below is a summary of the 320 views, based on the imprints contained on the reverse side of some his stereoviews.

Road at Steep Rocks Road at Steep Rocks.

R.R. Depot at Rosendale, N.Y R. R. Depot at Rosendale, N.Y.

View of Lawrenceville Cement Works, from the hills, N.Y.

1-16. See above for Overlook Mountain House series.

17. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

18. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

19. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

20. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

21. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

22. Cement Quarry at Creek Locks.

23. Esopus Creek near Shandaken.

24. Deep Hollow in Shandaken.

25. Shandaken Centre.

26. Valley and Lost Clove Mountain near Shandaken depot.

27. Esopus Creek south of Phoenicia, looking south.

28. The Notch in Shandaken.

29. N. Y. K. & S. R. R. Track at Shandaken.

30. The Notch in Shandaken.

31. Shandaken Village.

32. Esopus Creek near Phoenicia.

33. Esopus Creek near Phoenicia.

34. The Notch in the Clove in Shandaken.

35. Bushkill Creek and Valley in Shandaken.

36. Bushkill Creek and Valley in Shandaken.

37. Lament’s Hotel, Shandaken, front view.

38. Lament’s Hotel, Shandaken, rear view.

39. Mountains near Bushnellville, Shandaken, looking south.

40. Rustic View near Shandaken.

41. Steep Rocks Road.

42. Steep Rocks.

43. Bank of the Hudson near Steep Rocks.

44. Bank of the Hudson near Steep Rocks.

45. Bank of the Hudson near Steep Rocks.

46. Lower Falls at Glenerie.

47. Upper Falls at Glenerie.

48. Upper and Lower Falls at Glenerie.

49. Glenerie.

50. Glenerie.

51. Glenerie White Lead Works.

52. Cement Works at Flatbush.

53. Cement Works at Flatbush.

54. On the Banks of the Hudson, horse in the foreground.

55. Group of Men and Animals.

56. Store at Flatbush.

57. Hudson River near Flatbush.

58. Private Residence at Malden.

59. Private Residence at Malden.

60. Private Residence at Malden.

61. Carriage House.

62. View at Malden.

63. Private Residence near Saugerties.

64. Private Residence near Saugerties.

65. Private Residence near Saugerties.

66. Flower Garden.

67. Flower Garden.

68. Saugerties.

69. Saugerties.

70. Esopus Lake near Saugerties.

71. Rustic View.

72. Rifton Falls on Wallkill.

73. Rifton Falls on Wallkill.

74. Rifton Falls on Wallkill.

75. Buttermilk Falls on Wallkill near Rifton.

76. Buttermilk Falls on Wallkill near Rifton.

77. Dashville Falls on the Wallkill.

78. Dashville Falls on the Wallkill.

79. Maple Grove, Shokan.

80. Maple Grove, Shokan.

81. Pic-Nic Party at Maple Grove, Shokan.

82. Pic-Nic Party at Maple Grove, Shokan.

83. Croquet Party.

84. Old Hurley Bridge.

85. Old Hurley Bridge.

86. Esopus Creek near Old Hurley.

87. Esopus Creek near Old Hurley. (2 views.)

88. Esopus Creek near Old Hurley. (2 views.)

89. Baptist Church, Kingston.

90. Interior of Dining Saloon, Kingston.

91. County Clerk’s Office, Kingston.

92. St. John’s Church, Kingston – Episcopal.

93. St. Joseph’s Church, Kingston – Catholic.

94. Corner Wall and North Front Streets, Kingston.

95. Wall Street, Kingston.

96. Wall Street, Kingston.

97. John Street, Kingston.

98. Fair Street, Kingston.

99. Main Street, Kingston.

100. Academy at Kingston.

101. First Reformed Church, Kingston.

102. Second Reformed Church, Kingston.

103. Savings Bank, Kingston.

104. Kingston Bank, Kingston.

105. State of New York Bank, Kingston.

106. Interior of St. John’s Church, Kingston.

107. Interior of Baptist Church, Kingston.

108. Interior of 2nd Reformed Church, Kingston.

109. Interior of 2nd Reformed Church, Kingston.

110. Interior of 1st Methodist Church, Kingston.

111. Interior of 1st Methodist Church, Kingston.

112. Moses’ Rock in Jacob’s Valley.

113. Fly Mountain near Eddyville.

114. Statuary (copy).

115. Lilly.

116. Road near Eddyville Bridge.

117. Road near Eddyville Bridge.

118. Bridge at Eddyville.

119. Mill Dam at Eddyville.

120. Looking up the Creek from Eddyville Bridge.

121. Looking up the Creek from Eddyville Bridge.

122. Looking down the Creek from Eddyville Bridge.

123. Rondout Creek near Wilbur.

124. Stone Yard at Wilbur.

125. Stone Yard at Wilbur.

126. Stone Yard at Wilbur.

127. Rondout Creek at Wilbur.

128. Wilbur Road and Rondout Creek.

129. Rondout Creek and South Rondout.

130. Rondout Creek and South Rondout.

131. View from the Road between Kingston and Wilbur.

132. Rustic View near Rondout.

133. Entrance to Cement Quarry near Rondout.

134. Entrance to Cement Quarry near Rondout.

135. School House in Rondout.

136. Bird’s Eye View of Rondout.

137. Kingston Point from Sleightburgh.

138. Rondout from Sleightburgh.

139. Rondout from Sleightburgh.

140. Rondout from Sleightburgh.

141. Rondout Creek and Coal Docks.

142. Interior of Washington Hall, decorated for a Festival.

143. Interior of Union Church at North Haven.

144. Interior of Union Church at North Haven.

145. Organ in Union Church at North Haven.

146. Private Residence at Sleightburgh.

147. North Haven from Sleightburgh Hill.

148. Kingston Point from Sleightburgh Hill.

149. Rondout from Sleightburgh Hill.

150. Rondout from Sleightburgh Hill.

151. Light House and River.

152. The Day Boat M. Martin leaving Rondout.

153. Coal Dock, Creek, South Rondout, Hussy’s Hill, & c.

154. Creek, Dry Docks, with Ferry Boat Lark, & c.

155. Corner of The Strand and Union Avenue, Rondout.

156. Fire Steamer Lindsley and Weber Hose Carriage.

157. Ferry Street, Rondout.

158. Private Residence on The Strand, Rondout.

159. Private Residence in North Rondout.

160. Cross Street, Rondout.

161. Schooner Juliette Terry.

162. Rondout and Sleightburgh Ferry.

163. Methodist Church at Port Ewen.

164. Reformed Church at Port Ewen.

165. Interior of Episcopal Church, Rondout.

166. The Strand, Rondout.

167. Private Residence on Union Avenue, Rondout.

168. Interior of St. Mary’s Church, Rondout.

169. Interior of St. Mary’s Church, Rondout, with group.

170. The Watch Dog.

171. The Watch Dog.

172. Dog Smoking.

173. Union Hotel Road and Canal, Rosendale.

174. Looking up the Creek from Rosendale toward Lawrenceville.

175. View of Rosendale Village from near W. V. R. R. Bridge.

176. The Bluff and West End of W. V. R. R. Bridge, Rosendale.

177. W. V. R. R. Bridge, looking down Canal, 150 feet high.

178. W. V. R. R. Bridge from near Depot, 876 feet long, 150 high.

179. W. V. R. R. Bridge from near Depot, 876 feet long, 150 high.

180. W. V. R. R. Bridge near end of Bridge, 876 feet long, 150 high.

181. Creek and distant view of W. V. R. R. Bridge, at Rosendale.

182. Canal and distant view of W. V. R. R. Bridge, at Rosendale.

183. W. V. R. R. Depot at Rosendale.

184. W. V. R. R. Track, looking south from Depot.

185. Rosendale Bridge looking up the Creek.

186. Rosendale from near Canal Bridge.

187. Rosendale from near Drug Store.

188. Lawrenceville Cement Works.

189. Lawrenceville Cement Works.

190. Lawrenceville Cement Works.

191. Canal, & c., at Lawrenceville.

192. Canal and Rocks in foreground at Lawrenceville.

193. Looking up the Creek from Lawrenceville.

194. Looking down the Creek from Lawrenceville.

195. High Falls, side view.

196. High Falls, front view.

197. High Falls, front view.

198. The Covered Bridge at High Falls.

199. The Aqueduct at High Falls, front view.

200. The Aqueduct at Hight Falls, side view.

201. Looking up the Creek from under Aqueduct at High Falls.

202. The Strand, Rondout.

203. Birdseye view of Rondout from east.

204. Birdseye view of Rondout and Creek.

205. Birdseye view of Rondout from Catholic Church.

206. Birdseye view of Rondout from Catholic Church.

207. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

208. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

209. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

210. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

211. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

212. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

213. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

214. Island in Copake Lake.

215. Falls at Philmont.

216. Bashabe Falls.

217. Centre Falls of Bashabe.

218. Copake Island and Lake.

219. Pond, & c., near Hudson.

220. Birdseye view of Hudson.

221. Birdseye vie of Rondout.

222. Skeleton Leaves arranged on Cross.

223. Skeleton Leaves arranged on Cross.

224. Skeleton Leaves arranged on Cross.

225. Basket of Shells and Flowers.

226. Basket of Shells and Flowers.

227. Wreath of Flowers.

228. Purity (medallion).

229. Rondout Creek, Hudson River, & c.

230. Rondout Creek, Hudson River, & c.

231. Mouth of Rondout Creek.

232. Ship Yard, Stone Yard, Hudson River, & c.

233. The Mocking Bird.

234. The Mocking Bird and Trainer.

235. The Beautiful Snow (taken April 29, 1874).

236. Pic-Nic Part at Ellsworth’s Grove, Port Ewen.

237. St. Mary’s Church, Rondout (Catholic).

238. Christian Brothers’ House, Rondout.

239. Priest’s House, Rondout.

240. View of an Arbor and Group.

241. St. Mary’s School House, Rondout.

242. St. Mary’s School House, Rondout.

243. Sisters’ House, Rondout.

244. Episcopal Church, Rondout.

245. Private Residence on Pierpont Street.

246. Private Residence on Pierpont Street.

247. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

248. Quarry Hill near Rondout.

249. Cement Works opposite Wilbur.

250. Skeleton Leaves on a Cross.

251. Skeleton Leaves in a Frame.

252. The Old Woman who lives in her shoe.

253. Fair and Festival in Presbyterian Chapel.

254. Fair and Festival in Presbyterian Chapel.

255. Fair and Festival in Presbyterian Chapel.

256. Home for Invalids (side view).

257. Home for Invalids (front view).

258. A cosy Retreat.

259. A cosy Retreat.

260. A House built about 1760 (side view).

261. A House built about 1760 (end view).

262. A farm scene in haying time.

263. A Dead Beet.

264. A Wreath of Flowers.

265. Corner of Union av. and Strand.

266. The Village Blacksmith.

267. Private Residence in Port Ewen.

268. Private Residence in Port Ewen.

269. A Wreath of Flowers.

270. Corner of Hone and Spring Street.

271. Mary Powell (model).

272. City Hall, Kingston, N.Y.

273. Crow, Blue Jay, & King Fisher.

274. Sparrow Hawk, & Parrott.

275. Crane and Rail.

276. Rock Eagle & Gray Squirrel.

277. Quack & Rail.

278. Crane, Quack, & Rail.

279. Sparrow Hawk, Owl & Muskrat.

280. Guinea Pigs, Squirrel & white breasted bird.

281. Coatmundi and Muskrat.

282. The Pelican.

283. Catamount and Sea Gull.

284. Catamount and Racoon.

285. Sea Gull and Owl.

286. The Fox.

287. Taxidermist with Birds and Animals.

288. Robin, Canary, Blue Jay & c.

289. Corner Bowery and Furnace Street.

290. Interior of 2nd M. E. Church, Kingston.

291. Port Ewen, (Street near M. E. Church).

292. Anthracite Fuel works from the River.

293. Anthracite Fuel works from the Shore.

294. Hudson River Light House Ferry Boat & c.

295. Looking up the Creek from Cranes dock.

296. South Rondout.

297. Machine Shop & Round House R. & C. R. R.

298. Cross of Flowers.

299. Rapid Hose Carriage.

300. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

301. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

302. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

303. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

304. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

305. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

306. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

307. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

308. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

309. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

310. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

311. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

312. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

313. Cement Quarry near Rondout.

314. Birds-eye view of Rondout from opposite side of Creek.

315. Birds-eye view of Rondout from Sleightburg in Winter.

316. Birds-eye view of Rondout the Creek & South.

317. Birds-eye view of Rondout the Creek & South.

318. Looking up the Creek from Sleightburgh.

319. North Rondout from near Catholic Church.

320. Interior of Presbyterian Church, Rondout.

Legacy

The thousands of portraits of Ulster County citizens taken by Auchmoody over the course of his 25-year career as a photographer and his hundreds of scenic views from throughout the county both leave a lasting impression of the region in the late 1800s.

Upon his passing it was written that Auchmoody “was a man of many sterling traits of character and endeared himself to a wide circle of friends.”

David J. Auchmoody passed away at 58 years of age on January 11, 1907. He died at his home on West Strand several days after catching “a severe cold, which greatly weakened him and hastened the end.” Two funeral services were held, the first being a private service at his home at 11 West Strand, and a second public service was held at Pythian Hall at Port Ewen under the direction of the Hope Lodge, Knights of Pythias. David was survived by his wife and two sons, Luther Auchmoody, of New York, and Lester D. Auchmoody, of Albany, New York. He is buried at Port Ewen Cemetery.

[1] Wilson’s Photographic Magazine. Vol. 27, no. 371. June 7, 1890. p. 351.

[2] “D. J. Auchmoody Dead.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). January 11, 1907.

[3] “Postmaster Deyo Dead at Saranac.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). May 26, 1917.

David J. Auchmoody – Kingston, New York Photographer (Part 1)

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Rondout Creek and Wilbur Road Rondout Creek and Wilbur Road.

Biography

David Jeremiah Auchmoody, more commonly known as D. J., was born at New Paltz, New York on July 19, 1848. He was the son of Peter J. Auchmoody, who worked as a carpenter, and Elmira (Deyo) Auchmoody.

One reference noted that Auchmoody was a native of the hamlet of Plutarch, located on the northeastern edge of the town of New Paltz. The farming community was once home to a post office, a general store, a one room schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop and a church which was constructed in 1861. The Plutarch post office operated for about six months in 1886, closing on November 18, 1886, but was reestablished on August 11, 1890, and then operated for 15 years until its final closing on December 15, 1905. The Plutarch section of the town was at one time called Grawhow (or Grahow), for Great Ridge, was later known as Cold Spring or Cold Spring Corners, from “a fine spring of water” located north of the church, before becoming Plutarch in honor of the Greek philosopher.

According to Ralph Lefevre in his History of New Paltz, New York, the Auchmoody family in Ulster County, New York can be traced back to Jeames Auchmoide, a young man who was born in Scotland. He married Mari Doyo in October, 1731. They built a house in the Bontecoe neighborhood and had six children together, including three sons and three daughters.[1]

The 1850 United States census listed 1-year-old David as living with his parents, 22-year-old Peter and 20-year-old Elmira (sometimes spelled Almira) Auchmoody, in the town of New Paltz in Ulster County, New York. Peter was listed with an occupation of carpenter.

The 1855 New York state census listed 6-year-old Auchmoody as residing with his parents Peter J. and Elmira Auchmoody in the town of Lloyd in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household was David’s sister, 2-year-old Catherine Auchmoody. Peter was listed with an occupation of carpenter.

The 1860 United States census listed 11-year-old Auchmoody as residing with his parents Peter and Elmira at New Paltz, New York. Also living in the household was David’s sister, 7-year-old Catherine Auchmoody. Peter was listed with an occupation of laborer.

The 1865 New York state census listed 17-year-old Auchmoody as residing with his parents Peter and Elmira at New Paltz in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household was David’s sister, 13-year-old Catherine Auchmoody. No profession was listed for Peter or David.

For several years, “when a young man,” Auchmoody taught school in the town of Esopus.

In December 1868 Auchmoody, at the age of 20, “started what is now [as of 1881] the oldest photograph gallery in the lower part of the city. Since his venture into business, which at first, of course, was but on a small scale, he has been enabled by strict attention to business, and good work to build up an establishment second to none in the county.” His early gallery was located over Van Deusen’s Drug Store at the corner of Garden and Ferry Streets in the Rondout section of Kingston, New York.

The 1870 United States census listed 22-year-old Auchmoody as living with his parents Peter and Elmira at Rondout in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household were David’s two sisters, 18-year-old Catherine and 4-year-old Cecilia. Peter was listed with an occupation of carpenter and David was listed with an occupation of photographer.

Catherine (1853-1934), David’s sister, married Martin L. Van Keuren. She lived in Port Ewen for her entire married life. “She was well liked and was a good friend and neighbor and will be missed by her friends and neighbors. She was a member of the Port Ewen Methodist Church and was a very active member until forced to give up some of her duties because of her age and her health.”[2] Catherine passed away in 1934 and is buried at Port Ewen Cemetery.

Celia Auchmoody, David’s sister, “a very attractive and much beloved young lady at Port Ewen, aged about 17 years, and a sister of D. J. Auchmoody of this city, died of typhoid fever after a very short and severe illness.”[3] Celia passed away in 1883.

David Auchmoody married Elvina Ackerman on December 22, 1870. Elvina was the daughter of Oliver Ferris Ackerman (1817-1862) and Jane Ann (Degraff) Ackerman (1816-1900). Elvina passed away at Flushing, Long Island in 1935 and is buried at Port Ewen Cemetery. Elvina was a lineal descendant of Geoffrey Ferris, one of the founders of Greenwich, Connecticut, and also Lieutenant Commander Oliver Ferris (1753-1825), a Revolutionary War officer whose home, Sunnyside, at Tarrytown, later became the home of Washington Irving.

“Capt. Oliver Ferris was born in Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 22, 1753, the son of Josiah, and through John, Jr., and John, was descended from Jeffrey Ferris, the ancestor of that family in this country. Oliver Ferris was married to Abigail, daughter of Enos Lockwood on the 10th of Feb., 1776, by the Rev. Blackleach Burritt, who, on the 17th of the following June was taken prisoner and carried away to be incarcerated in the old Sugar House Prison on account of his staunch patriotism.

Captain Ferris did good service in the Connecticut Militia, and after the Revolution came over to Tarrytown and purchased the historic Major Jacob Van Tassel place, the date of transfer being March 31, 1802. He died Aug. 17, 1825, and his son, Benson Ferris, Sr., in 1835, sold the homestead, comprising ten acres to Washington Irving, who re-built it, and gave it the title of Wolfert’s Roost. Mr. Benson Ferris, son of Benson, Sr., and grandson of Capt. Oliver Ferris, was born there.

The records of the Pension Office at Washington show that Oliver Ferris enlisted May 10, 1775, and was in the expedition to Canada under Gen. Montgomery; was in Col. John Mead’s Regt. From Aug. 14 to Sept. 25, 1776; in Col. Wooster’s Regt. 1777; in 1778 Quartermaster in Col. John Mead’s Regt.; March 9, 1779, appointed Commander of the war vessel “Wakeman”; July 4, 1781, commissioned Brigade Quartermaster of the 4th Brigade of Militia of the State of Connecticut.”[4]

David and Elvina had three children, including Luther M. Auchmoody (1871-1947); George Auchmoody (b. 1877); and Lester Auchmoody (1879-1963).

Luther Auchmoody was born at Port Ewen, New York. He worked as an automobile dealer and sales manager for the H. J. Heinz Company. He married Ellen (Blodgett) Auchmoody. He died at the home of his son in 1947 and is buried at Riverview Cemetery in Port Ewen, New York.

Lester Auchmoody for a time worked at the Standard Oil Company in Albany, New York. He later lived at Denver, Colorado.

In 1870 Auchmoody placed an advertisement in the New Paltz Independent. “D. J. Auchmoody, Photographer, Garden and Ferry Streets, (Over Van Deusen’s Drug Store), Rondout, N.Y. Pictures of all kinds taken. Frames and cases of every style constantly on hand.”

In 1871 Auchmoody was advertising his business in the Rondout Freeman. “Photographs! Pictures & Frames! Auchmoody’s Gallery, (Over Van Deusen’s) Garden & Ferry Sts., is the place to get them.”

Auchmoody advertised his gallery twice in the Gazetteer and Business Directory of Ulster County, N.Y. for 1871-2.

“D. J. Auchmoody’s Gallery and Picture Frame Store, Garden and Ferry Streets, Rondout, N.Y. Stereoscopes and Stereoscopic Views. Picture Frames, all sorts and sizes, very cheap. Every style of Picture taken.”

“D. J. Auchmoody’s Gallery and Picture Frame Store, Garden and Ferry Sts., Rondout, N.Y., is one of the great centers of attraction. Any kind of Picture, with any style of Frame, can be procured here. Call and examine specimens of work and then consult your taste and your purse. If you want a good stereoscope, here is the place to get it.”

In 1871 Auchmoody issued a series of 16 stereoscopic views of the newly constructed Overlook Mountain House. The same set of views was published by both D. J. Auchmoody and fellow Kingston photographer Edward Lewis.

5_South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House

South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

7_Parlor, Overlook Mountain House Parlor, Overlook Mountain House.

Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking west.

Located north of Woodstock near the summit of Overlook Mountain, the Overlook Mountain House first opened its doors to guests in 1871, was destroyed by fire in 1875, was rebuilt and reopened in 1878, only to be destroyed by fire again in 1923. There was an attempted 3rd rebuilding that was never completed, the remains of which are still visible on a hike to the summit of Overlook Mountain.

At its height the Overlook Mountain House provided accommodations for approximately 300 guests and offered visitors the latest in modern conveniences and experiences. One of the early advertisements for the Overlook Mountain House, published in 1871, beautifully described its superior accommodations and the mountain setting.

“Overlook Mountain House, Catskill Range. J. E. Lasher, Proprietor. This elegant House will be opened to the public early in the season, and will afford a rare treat for the lovers of the Beautiful, the Grand, and the Sublime, who can enjoy the loveliest of scenery in a first-class hotel.

The house cost $50,000, and is complete throughout, furnishing accommodations that will please the most fastidious and satisfy the most exacting tastes.

The view is unsurpassed not only on the Catskills, but in the country, and combines a grand combination of mountain, valley, river, forest, and cultivated fields. No one who has seen it has failed to speak of it with admiration.

It will be found a delightful spot for excursion and picnic parties, for whom special accommodations will be provided.

A Stage Line from West Hurley on the R. & O. R. R. will be run by the Proprietor of the Overlook, and will connect with the trains. Guests can also obtain the best of livery establishments at Rondout and Kingston.

John E. Lasher, Proprietor. Overlook Mountain House, Woodstock, March 24, 1871.”

John E. Lasher (1827-1899), the first proprietor of the Overlook Mountain House, had previously operated the Mansion House at Kingston, New York from after the Civil War until his taking control of the Overlook.

In order to promote his new hotel, Lasher invited Edward Lewis to photograph the establishment prior to its official opening on June 15, 1871. “Mr. John Lasher, the lessee of the new hotel on the Overlook, has had Mr. E. Lewis, of Kingston, up there taking views of the house and grounds about it during the past week. The views are to be engraven from the photographs, and used in advertising this beautiful new summer resort. Mr. Lewis has the name of being the best artist in Ulster County.”[5]

Given that the set of 16 views was published by both Auchmoody and Lewis, it is likely that Auchmoody also photographed the Overlook Mountain House.

The imprint on the back of each stereoview included a brief description of the hotel, travel directions and a listing of the 16 different views that were available for purchase.

“New Summer Resort in the Catskill Mountains. The OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN HOUSE, 3,800 feet above tide water, on the highest point of the Catskill range, was opened June 15th, 1871. All modern conveniences, including Gas and Telegraph facilities. Reached by Boat or Rail to Rondout; Rondout and Oswego Railroad to West Hurley (9 miles); thence by the Hotel Stages in 3 hours. Overlook Mountain House, Woodstock, Ulster Co., N.Y. John E. Lasher, Proprietor.

No. 1. Catskill Mountains from ascent to the Overlook.

No. 2. Overlook Mountain House, Rocks in foreground.

No. 3. Overlook Mountain House, distant view.

No. 4. Overlook Mountain House, near view.

No. 5. South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 6. West Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 7. Parlor, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 8. Dining Room, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 9. View from the ledge in front of the House.

No. 10. Pulpit Rock, near the House.

No. 11. Devil’s Kitchen, near the House.

No. 12. Cleft in Rocks, near the House.

No. 13. Rocky declivity, near the House.

No. 14. Path to the Overlook.

No. 15. Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking east.

No. 16. Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking west.

The subject published on this card is indicated by a mark under the number and name.

D. J. AUCHMOODY, Photographer, Rondout, N.Y.”

The demand for the stereoscopic views of the Overlook Mountain House published by both Auchmoody and Lewis was very strong. One year after the opening of the Overlook Mountain House the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote of the demand and the scenic views available throughout the region.

“Stereoscopic views. Our photographic artists are turning the natural beauties of this section to good advantage and are making some fine views of the scenery hereabouts. The Overlook furnishes many good views, which find a ready sale at the Mountain House, Mr. Auchmoody and Mr. Lewis being kept pretty busy just now supplying the demand. Of course few visitors wish to leave the spot without some memento of their visit, and a faithful representation of the scenes they have gazed upon in the shape of a stereoscopic view is as pleasing a reminder as they can have. The landscapes about our own city, sketches of scenery along the Wallkill, Rondout and Esopus creeks also are visited by these artists and their beauties transferred to the negative. The wild scenes of Olive and Shandaken and among the Shawangunk Mountains also often form the subject of the picture, and in fact so numerous are the scenes of interest hereabouts that a person can gather a very extensive collection of stereoscopic views comprising only scenes in our own immediate neighborhood.”[6]

The local newspapers frequently published small articles about Auchmoody and his photographic business.

April 4, 1872, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Fine Gallery. David Auchmoody has one of the finest and best photographic galleries in the vicinity. It has been greatly enlarged and improved, refurnished and remodeled, and is now decidedly a pleasant attractive place. David’s smiling face welcomes all his patrons, and he is gaining a reputation for good work which must bring him success.”

April 4, 1872, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The finest lot of stereoscopic pictures in the city, comprising views of Yosemite Valley, the White Mountains, Niagara, and ever other noted place in the country, also of noted persons of the day, foreign views, statuary, etc. Constantly on hand a large and complete assortment of picture frames and all articles usually kept in first-class photograph galleries. A newly furnished room, greatly enlarged and improved, and all the essentials for making good pictures. Satisfaction guaranteed. David Auchmoody, Van Deusen’s Building.”

August 1, 1872, The Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York)

“Chromos, Photographs and Stereoscopic Views.– Mr. D. J. Auchmoody, the Photographer, is closing out his fine stock of Chromos, which he is selling at greatly reduced prices, preparatory to procuring a new stock. Those who wish to obtain fine pictures at exceedingly low prices will do well to call at once. Also a large and varied assortment of Stereoscopic Views. Photography in all its branches carefully and satisfactorily attended to. D. J. AUCHMOODY’S, over Van Deusen’s Drug Store, Rondout.”

December 21, 1872, The Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York)

“All wishing photographs for the holidays should call as soon as convenient, so as to give us time to finish them properly. D. J. Auchmoody, Photographer, Garden and Ferry Sts., Rondout.”

December 18, 1872, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A large stock of picture frames of every size and style on hand and made to order at Auchmoody’s Photograph Gallery, Garden and Ferry Sts., Rondout.”

December 30, 1872, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Chromos, Stereoscopic Views and Photographs. Auchmoody, the Photographer, has a fine assortment of Chromos, representing the famous paintings – landscapes, views, etc., – of our most noted artists. Also a large and varied stock of Stereoscopic Views, embracing scenes of every description, home and foreign. Photographs and other pictures carefully taken.”

September 16, 1873, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A new lot of plain and very fine polished moulding for square frames of any size at AUCHMOODY’S Photography Gallery, Garden street, Rondout.”

December 10, 1873, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Sime Wood’s advertising card, photographed by Auchmoody from drawings of John C. Horton is a unique thing and a bully dodge.”

December 12, 1873, Kingston Daily Freeman

“TWENTY-TWO different styles of STEREOSCOPES and over 5,000 views to select from at Auchmoody’s Photographic and Picture Frame Rooms, Garden street.”

March 31, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Moth will not eat wire picture cord; for sale at Auchmoody’s Photograph Gallery, Garden street. Also Picture Frames of every style.”

May 9, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody, the photographer, has in his gallery a very fine collection of stereoscopic views, his latest being an excellent photograph of the house of Jansen Hasbrouck, taken from the Garden street entrance April 29th, the grounds being covered with a mantle of snow. The photograph is well toned and very artistically finished.”

December 19, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody, the photographer, on Friday took a number of views of the Presbyterian chapel on Abeel street, with its decorations for the fair, including the fancy dressed waiters.”

December 21, 1874 advertisements, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Graphoscope. Come and see the little graphoscope at Auchmoody’s, The Strand, Rondout.”

“Picture Frames. The largest assortment of Picture Frames of all sizes and styles and Auchmoody’s, The Strand, Rondout.”

“Stereoscopes and views. A new lot at Auchmoody’s, The Strand, Rondout.”

Aqueduct, at High Falls, N.Y. Aqueduct at High Falls.

The 1875 New York state census listed Auchmoody as living in the first election district of the town of Esopus in Ulster County, New York. He was living with his wife Lavina and his 3-year-old son Luther Auchmoody. Auchmoody was listed with an occupation of photographer.

May 27, 1875 advertisement, Kingston Daily Freeman

“D. J. Auchmoody, Photographer, and dealer in Picture Frames in large assortment. Strand and Ferry Street.”

September 16, 1875, The Times (New Paltz)

“D. J. Auchmoody, photographer in Rondout, was in our village Tuesday. He had on his head a straw hat large enough to cover half of Rondout. As an artist he has no equal, and a visit to his gallery will convince most any person of the truth of this fact.”

November 18, 1875, The Independent (New Paltz)

“We received a call on Saturday from David J. Auchmoody, the artist of Rondout. Mr. Auchmoody has won a reputation as a good artist, and has met an extensive patronage. Give him a trial when you want your pictures taken. He has also a great variety of stereoscopic views, no less than 170 in number, including many of local interest. He deals in picture frames also, and those who need any can obtain what they want by calling on him.”

December 17, 1875, Red Hook Journal

“Mr. D. J. Auchmoody, of Rondout, continues to take pictures in his usual artistic manner, and can give you a perfect likeness of yourself at short notice. He also has a large stock of views, picture frames, & c., constantly on hand.”

November 1, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody’s fancy pictures excite the open-mouthed wonder and covetousness of the small boys.”

November 1, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Best Photographs in the City. At Auchmoody’s is the place to get them. Call and see specimens at the new rooms, 29 Union avenue, Rondout.”

November 15, 1876 advertisement, Kingston Daily Freeman

“D. J. Auchmoody, photographer and dealer in frames, looking-glasses, views, & c. Union Ave., one door below Abeel St.”

December 15, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A Lot of Brackets. Chromos, Steel Engraving, Statuary Mottoes, Panel Pictures, Frames, etc., etc., just received for the Holiday trad e at Auchmoody’s, 29 Union avenue, Rondout.”

April 26, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Notice to the Public. I have secured the services of Mr. Lorenzo Short in my Photographic department. Those wishing Mr. Short or myself to photograph them can be served by calling at 29 Union avenue. I would state that I am taking photographs at as low a price, and of as good quality, as can be obtained in the city. D. J. AUCHMOODY.”

June 7, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The work of illustrating prominent features of this city and its surroundings by the New York Graphic has been commenced, D. J. Auchmoody, the photographer, yesterday taking a number of photographs of the Anthracite Fuel Works at Port Ewen, the creek and portions of the city bordering on it, from W. B. Crane’s docks. The illustrations will made from the photographs.”

June 13, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“An Acknowledgment. To the Editor of the Freeman: Will you permit me through your excellent paper to acknowledge the receipt, by the kindness of Captain Rogers, from friends at Port Ewen of a choice token in the form of a photograph of the Methodist Episcopal church and parsonage in that place, beautifully executed by Mr. Auchmoody, of your city, and very neatly and appropriately framed. And I wish also to say to my friends that its place in our parlor is like that of the donors in our remembrance and affections – prominent and central.”

July 9, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody, the photographer, is a great bird fancier, and has quite a collection of feathered pets. His tame crow and two young hawks may not be exactly as musical as canaries, but they are very intelligent and learn all sorts of comical tricks.”

November 26, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographs – the best in the city – taken at Auchmoody’s old stand, 29 Union avenue, Rondout.”

May 27, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographing a Trout. The photograph of the largest trout ever caught in the Neversink with a hook and line by Auchmoody, is a fine work of art, but the fifteen-inch trout appears at a disadvantage, as he should have been stuffed or blown up like a bladder before the photograph was taken. His head is about all that remains of him and that looks as if he had been run through a thrashing machine.”

The 1880 United States census listed 31-year-old Auchmoody as living in the 4th ward of the city of Kingston, New York. Also living in the household was his 28-year-old wife Elvina, and his three sons, 8-year-old Luther, 3-year-old George and 8-month-old Lester. David was listed with an occupation of photographer.

As of 1881, Auchmoody “at present occupies two upper floors in the brick building next to A. P. Van Buren’s grocery, corner Mill street and Union avenue, and has the rooms therein suitably furnished for photograph and picture frame work. A large assortment of elegant velvet, and engraved ebony frames can also be here obtained and made to order. He also has a large stock of stereoscopic and graphoscopic views. In addition to his already ample facilities for making pictures incomparable this side of New York, he will shortly fit his skylight room with new backgrounds of snow, outdoor and indoor, scenes never seen in this city before. For good Cabinets and Cards or Photographs of larger or smaller sizes, call on D. J. Auchmoody, and receive satisfaction. He will neither “blatter” you, nor give you a picture you cannot recognize, but will take a perfect likeness at every sitting.”[7]

February 12, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Aldermen’s Portraits. The portraits of the Aldermen in cabinet size placed in a large frame with the Mayor in the center, were brought up to the Common Council rooms Friday night by Mr. Auchmoody, the photographer, and hung up on the wall. This is a private speculation on the part of the Aldermen, who pay a certain amount each out of their own pockets for the honor of seeing their faces look down upon them from the historical walls of the Council rooms. The pictures are all well taken, and it would be an excellent plan if Mr. Auchmoody could extend his work so as to take in those who have been members of the Common Council since the formation of the city, with other representatives of the city, each, of course, putting his hand into his pocket and paying for his share according to the example set by the present Common Council.”

March 16, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“PHOTOGRAPHS & PICTURE FRAMES. I wish to inform my customers that I am ready for business at my old stand, 29 Union avenue, except I have moved my frame department to the second story. My expenses are reduced and I can furnish frames, etc., cheaper than before and give more attention to Photographing. D. J. Auchmoody, Operator.”

April 28, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody, the photographer, has just put in a large supply of picture frames and mouldings, which he will sell as cheaply as they can be had elsewhere.”

April 30, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Each member of the Common Council of last year is being supplied with a group picture nicely framed of the old Council by D. J. Auchmoody, the photographer.”

May 10, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody, the photographer, has taken photographs of Montalvo’s glass prize and the glass ship which were displayed in the Baby Show window and will make stereoscopic views of them.”

June 20, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“D. J. Auchmoody, photographer of this city, took a photograph of the Grand Hotel Mountain House wagon, as it stood in front of Burr’s livery stable, on Mill street, this morning.”

September 10, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“An elegant large picture of Mr. John Weber, executed by photographer Auchmoody, was displayed today in D. A. Ainley’s jewelry store window.”

April 23, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Information Wanted. – Anyone having a picture of Fred A. Gross, who died in November, 1881, will confer a great favor by calling on or communicating with D. J. Auchmoody, Photographer, 29 Union avenue, Rondout.”

May 18, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The Wurts Street Baptist parsonage was being photographed by Auchmoody today.”

June 5, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographic Views. Mr. Beale, who is working in connection with D. J. Auchmoody, the photographer, of this city, has recently made some very fine views of the Wurts Street Baptist church and parsonage.”

February 8, 1884, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Change of Base. Auchmoody, the well known photographer, is to soon remove to the Newkirk building on lower Union avenue, a portion of which is to be expressly fitted up for his accommodation. He will gain by the change a much larger operating room, better light and many other facilities for the successful prosecution of his business.”

February 22, 1884, Kingston Daily Freeman

“CABINET PHOTOS, $2 A DOZ. Until further notice by Auchmoody, Rondout, N.Y.”

July 21, 1884, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Auchmoody occupies a large space in Ainley’s show windows today with specimens of his skill in photography, etc. Among the display are excellent photographs of William Winter of this city and Col. John McEntee.”

September 5, 1884, Kingston Daily Freeman

“D. J. Auchmoody was engaged today in photographing the presents Cornell Hose received at Utica.”

September 22, 1884, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The Hartford Phalanx. The Putnam Phalanx of Hartford arrived at Rhinebeck this afternoon on the Hartford & Connecticut Western Railroad, on their way to Albany and Lake George. They formed in line after disembarking from the railroad train and marched to the top of the hill, where a photograph was taken of the whole company by D. J. Auchmoody. It is needless to say the command presented a very martial and soldierly appearance. But little time was had at Rhinecliff, and as soon as the photographer was through with his work the command had to step off lively to get on board the C. Vibbard.”

Continued next week . . .

[1] Lefevre, Ralph. History of New Paltz New York and Its Old Families (From 1678 to 1820). Fort Orange Press, 1903. pp. 451-452.

[2] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). March 14, 1934.

[3] “Death of Miss Celia Auchmoody.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). May 14, 1883.

[4] Raymond, Marcius D. Souvenir of the Revolutionary Soldiers’ Monument Dedication at Tarrytown, N.Y. October 19th, 1894. Tarrytown, N.Y., 1894. pp. 179-180.

[5] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). March 24, 1871.

[6] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). August 27, 1872.

[7] “D. J. Auchmoody.” Kingston Daily Freeman. December 20, 1881.

Edward Lewis – Saugerties, Kingston and Ellenville, NY Photographer (Part 2)

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Edward Lewis operated a popular photography gallery at the village of Saugerties, New York during the late 1860s and at the city of Kingston in Ulster County, New York from the late 1860s to 1883. In addition to his portrait work Lewis issued a wide range of scenic stereoscopic views from throughout the Catskills. From 1883 to 1886 Lewis operated a gallery at the village of Ellenville. After leaving the Catskills region Lewis later established galleries at Nyack, New York and Norwalk, Connecticut.

Continued from August 26, 2023.

Great Crevice, near Ice Cave, Choice Views of Scenery in and about Ellenville.

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The 1880 United States census listed 50-year-old Edward Lewis living in the city of Kingston in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household was his 35-year-old wife Mary A. Lewis, his 9-year-old daughter Nina A. Lewis and a 23-year-old servant from Ireland by the name of Mary Roach. Edward was listed with an occupation of photographer, while Mary was listed with an occupation of “housekeeping” and Nina was listed with an occupation of “private school.” Edward was listed as having been born in New York, as were both his parents. Mary was listed as having been born in Ohio, as were both her parents.

February 24, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The Cost to Publish Your Portrait. It is said that to have your portrait in the coming history of Ulster County requires from $20 to $180, according to the location and the kind of engraving. Judging by the large number of photographs taken every day at Lewis’ gallery to be used to make these engravings after, the historians will make a very good thing out of this branch of work alone. Some one suggests that a few pages be illustrated with Ulster county rogues and that it be called the rogues’ gallery.”

July 12, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer in Dimmick’s building, has placed out on the building a large new case of photographs.”

October 15, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Ed Lewis, the photographer, had his machine out this morning and took a number of views of the Eagle Hotel. Some one got off a joke by telling around that Lewis was ‘taking something at the Eagle Hotel.’”

November 26, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the photographer, has a perfect galaxy of beautiful faces in his new picture case in the Dimmick building, the faces being those recognized as the handsomest young ladies of that part of the city, and the pictures show them, save the color, at their best.”

December 15, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A perfect rush for photographs and fine frames for holiday presents at Lewis Uptown. Hours for sittings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.”

December 15, 1880, Kingston Daily Freeman

“No sittings for Photographs made by Lewis after 3 p.m. For the very best results come early in the day.”

In 1881 Edward Lewis lost the assistance of one of his best workers, T. D. Lewis, who decided that he wanted to run his own photographic establishment. This loss inevitably increased the business competition for Edward Lewis, and may have even led to his leaving the city of Kingston two years later in 1883.

Theodore Dawes Lewis had come to work at the gallery of Edward Lewis when he was 20 years old. Theodore worked there for seven years, thereafter opening a studio for himself at No. 9 Wall Street in Kingston. Theodore remained there for five years, “when his rapidly growing business necessitated his removal to the corner of Wall and John streets, where he occupies the entire upper floor.”[1]

February 21, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Ed. Lewis, the west end photographer, will photograph the decorations of the Grand Army Bazar.”

May 27, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer, intends next week to visit the town of Shandaken to take views of the country and also of several of the mountain houses in that section. Mr. Lewis will also pass through Chichesterville and visit the Notch, of which he will take a number of views. This same gentleman contemplates making an extended tour of the county during the coming season; to travel the whole of the mountainous region and also through Wawarsing and Ellenville and over the Shawangunk mountains. He considers, and rightly, that there are many fine views in and about the county and also at Ellenville which should not be lost. That the public will appreciate them there is not a doubt. Many a farmer in that section would delight to have the old place taken, the “old oaken bucket hanging in the well,” the house and the barn, and even the corn house, to send to the far away former members of his family. Mr. Lewis’ well-known ability as an artist in doing superior work will be sufficient to give him all the work he can possibly attend to.”

June 11, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer, has a photographic sulky, or two-wheeled vehicle, all ready for business, to be used in taking views of the mountain houses. The extraordinary wet weather has prevented him from starting out, as the dampness of the leaves of the trees makes them so dark and heavy that, he says, the pictures would necessarily be very poor ones if taken now. He is anxiously looking for clear weather.”

June 25, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The graduating classes of Kingston and Ulster Academies have been photographed, the former by Lewis uptown and the latter by Lorenzo Short, on The Strand, downtown.”

July 11, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Fine Photographic Views. Mr. E. Lewis, the photographer uptown, with a great deal of labor, managed to take some very fine views of the Grand Hotel, though in order to do it a high platform had to be erected to place his instruments on. He also took a number of landscape views around about the hotel, as well as a number of the Tremper House. He had these worked up into stereoscopic pictures, and they will be sold to guests or any one who may desire them. One of the photographs of the hotel is a large one.”

July 23, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer, has a number of large photographs of the Summit House.”

August 1, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographs of the Summit Mountain House. Mr. Lewis, the uptown photographer, has a number of his large photographs of the Summit Mountain House ready for framing. The photograph proper is 14x17 inches, and gives a complete front view of the house with the grounds, and the mountain in the rear, covered with trees, which are in fall foliage. The picture is an excellent one, everything being in bold relief, and taken with remarkable accuracy and lack of imperfections, as where there are a number of horses, as in this picture, it is a hard matter to take them without one or more of the animals moving, and with the wind blowing the trees are also troublesome, while the flags, too, are apt to shake so as not to show well. In these pictures not only are the horses well taken, but the flagpoles and flags, and a couple of dead pine trees for in the rear show distinctly every twig and limb. The pictures, as mounted, require a frame 18x22 inches.”

August 9, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Rustic Scenery. Mr. Lewis, the uptown photographer, the other day, requiring a bit of rustic scenery, drove out to Old Hurley, purchased a piece of an old post and a rail fence, brought it back with him, and now has something that is quite original for pictures. It isn’t everyone who can have a centennial post and rail fence, with the moss on it, in his picture.”

October 13, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis has a beautiful crayon portrait of his wife, which has been placed in the window of Forsyth & Wilson’s store. It is a very fine picture and of large size.”

November 7, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A fine picture of ex-Alderman Freileweh in Lewis’ gallery attracted quite a crowd today.”

November 10, 1881, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Bewildering with Belles. Lewis’ Gallery on John street is perfectly bewildering with fair ones this week. Two belles have had their pictures taken with their necks enveloped in white ostrich plumes and look very fascinating indeed – as though they had thrown around them a dash of sea spray.”

July 27, 1882, The Saugerties Telegraph

“E. Lewis, the photographer, at Kingston, has secured the services of a skillful negative retoucher from Pearsall’s famous photograph gallery in Brooklyn.”

November 23, 1882, The Saugerties Telegraph

“E. Lewis, the photographer of Kingston, is getting up a handsome cabinet of photographs of all who have been sheriffs of the county.”

In 1883 Lewis began contemplating establishing a branch gallery at the village of Ellenville, approximately 30 miles southwest of Kingston. He would initially continue to run both the Kingston gallery and the Ellenville gallery, but sold the Kingston gallery only a few months after his arrival at Ellenville.

“A Veteran Photographer. To Establish a Gallery at Ellenville, and Reside There Hereafter. E. Lewis, the uptown photographer, is getting his Ellenville gallery in condition to do good work, and will move up there about the middle of May. Mr. Lewis’ place of business will be on Canal street, and he will reside in the same building in which his gallery will be placed. The gallery in this city will be run by a competent man under the supervision, however, of Mr. Lewis, who expects to take charge of both of them. Mr. Lewis is an artist of the higher class, and very industrious and enterprising, and no doubt he will give Ellenville an opportunity of patronizing one of the best photograph galleries outside of New York City.

Mr. Lewis should have great praise for one thing if for no other. He has made more good landscape pictures of Ulster county scenery than any other artist. His views taken from different parts of the county are excellent, and the Ellenville people could do no better than employ him to take some of the charming views in that section and work them up into stereoscopic views. Not only would there be a ready sale for them, but it would be a source of great delight for thousands of people at that place and who are residing outside of the town, but who are familiar with some of the many magnificent views which can be seen in it.”[2]

Giant's Leap, Choice Views of Scenery in and about Ellenville.

Mountain Brook Grotto, Choice Views of Scenery in and about Ellenville.

March 7, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Jos. S. Thompson has rented the second and third stories of the brick building on Canal street, below Leopold’s to Edward Lewis of Kingston, who will occupy them as a photograph gallery and dwelling rooms.”

May 1, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Ed. Lewis, the photographer, is getting ready to remove to Ellenville, packing his furniture in a car so as to send it there by railroad. He has come to the conclusion that a man never knows the amount of material he has until the time comes to move it.”

May 12, 1883, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis’ Quarters at Ellenville. The building being fitted up for Lewis, the photographer, is approaching completion. Mr. Lewis will have one of the finest galleries in Ellenville to be found outside of New York city, and all who are acquainted with his skill know that he will rival the very best city work. A rush of orders awaits him here as soon as his gallery opens. – Ellenville Press.”

May 24, 1883, The Saugerties Telegraph

“E. Lewis, who has carried on the photographic business in Kingston for a number of years past, and who formerly had a gallery here [Saugerties], is about to open a branch gallery in Ellenville, which the Press of that place says will be one of the finest to be found outside of New York city.”

June 8, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“To Open on Monday Next. Mr. Lewis, the photographer, has his rooms nearly ready and expects to open them for business on Monday next. His gallery will be an important addition to our village. – Ellenville Press.”

July 27, 1883 advertisement, Ellenville Journal

“Photographs! Mr. E. Lewis, of Kingston, has just finished his Handsomely Fitted Gallery, which is complete in all its appointments. The Skylight Room is a model in regard to light, accessories and access. In the Reception Room will be found specimens of every size and style, from finely finished Life-size to small Carts De Visites, all of which speak in unmistakable terms of the excellence of Mr. Lewis’s efforts in Art.

His arrangements for procuring any requisite shade of light by means of a system of sliding and overlapping Curtains may be pronounced absolutely perfect; and what he has done in the past is a guarantee of future success with his improved facilities.

In soliciting Ellenville patronage he promises Good and Satisfactory Work.

Instantaneous Pictures of children a specialty.

Gallery 129 Canal Street, Ellenville, N.Y.”

August 8, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Mr. E. Lewis, photographer, has a number of views of Ellenville and surrounding places in his salesrooms in the Dimmick building, uptown. His views of Honk Falls are the best, and certainly are very fine.”

August 9, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer, has sold his photographic gallery in this city to a gentleman by the name of Becker of Hudson. Mr. Becker is a student of the celebrated photographer Forshew.”

August 17, 1883, Ellenville Journal

“Such is the gratifying success with which Mr. Lewis the photographer has met in Ellenville that he has disposed of his long established and popular gallery in Kingston, and will henceforth devote himself to the development of his business here, giving the public of Ellenville and vicinity all the advantages of a first-class city art gallery.”

September 10, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Mr. Lewis, the photographer, has an order from Surrogate Parker for a life-size crayon portrait of his little son, recently deceased. The work has been entrusted to the skillful pencil of Mr. Bozenhart. – Ellenville Press.”

October 4, 1883, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Mr. Becker, the photographer who bought the gallery of E. Lewis, has been making some street photographs, for the water works men. Two of those on John street are very handsome, especially where he caught the new gray horse of Superintendent Low.”

February 29, 1884 advertisement, Ellenville Journal

“For a Short Time Only! Cabinet Size Photographs reduced to $3.50 per Doz. for single dozen! Clubs of ten $3.00 per Dozen, and an extra dozen to the person forming the Club. At Lewis’s Gallery, Thompson Building, Canal Street, Ellenville, N.Y.”

April 3, 1884, Ellenville Journal

“Special Notice. Persons wishing Photographs for the Holidays should get their sittings at once. All who can should come early in the day, as it is impossible for us to accommodate all who require our services in the afternoon. N. B. No sittings made after 3 o’clock p.m. E. Lewis.”

November 20, 1885, Ellenville Journal

“Big Tumble in Photographs at Lewis’ Gallery, Thompson Building, Ellenville, N.Y. Until further notice we will make CABINET PHOTOGRAPHS, in style, Best Work and Best Mounts for only three dollars per dozen!”

Portrait, Well Dressed Young Man, by Edward Lewis.

Portrait, Young Girl, by Edward Lewis.

By the end of 1885 Lewis had decided to leave Ellenville. He sold his gallery to Edwin A. Davis, with the gallery soon after being run by Edwin’s son, Winfield S. Davis. W. S. Davis would operate the gallery until 1902, selling it after the death of his wife Lillian. The gallery was then purchased by Albert V. Porter, who operated the business until 1918.

“Mr. E. Lewis, the photographer in Thompson’s building, has sold out his business to Mr. E. A. Davis, from Danbury, Conn., who has already taken possession and commenced work. Mr. Lewis, who has been among us for more than two and half years, is not only a skillful and experienced artist, but an excellent citizen as well. We are pleased to learn that he does not contemplate immediate removal from town. We trust that Mr. Davis may find the lines fallen pleasantly, and meet with abundant success.”[3]

By February, 1886 Lewis, “having visited quite a number of places, north and south for a business location,” had decided to leave Ellenville for the village of Nyack in Rockland County, New York.[4] Lewis was joined by F. C. Weeks, “a skillful retoucher, of Middletown.”

It is not known how long Lewis remained at Nyack, but his obituary noted that after leaving Ellenville, the Lewis family went “from there to Norwalk, where they have made their home ever since, and where for many years Mr. Lewis was highly esteemed as an artistic photographer.” A logo embossed on a portrait taken by Lewis at Norwalk noted that his gallery was located on Main Street.

The 1900 United States census listed Edward Lewis as living in the city of Norwalk in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Also living in the household was his wife Mary A. Lewis and his daughter Nina A. Lewis. Edward and Mary were married for 30 years and had one child. Edward was listed with an occupation of photographer and Nina was listed with an occupation of music teacher.

The 1910 United States census listed 80-year-old Edward Lewis as living Norwalk City in Fairfield County, New York. Also living in the household was 60-yearold wife Mary Lewis. Edward was listed with an occupation of photographer. They were listed as having one child, who was still living.

Legacy

Upon his passing it was written that Lewis “was for many years not only the leading photographer of Kingston, but of this section of the state.” In addition to thousands of portraits of Ulster County citizens, Lewis extensively photographed the regional scenery, including the city of Kingston, the Rondout Creek, the Esopus Creek, the Wallkill Creek, the Esopus at Glenerie, Overlook Mountain, the Shandaken Mountains, local cement quarries and much more.

Edward Lewis died at the age of 88 in his home at Norwalk, Connecticut on December 21, 1917. He had been in poor health for “some time” prior to his passing. He was survived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Charles Lang, of Norwalk. Both Edward and his wife Mary are buried at Riverside Cemetery in Norwalk, Connecticut.

[1] Commemorative Biographical Record of Ulster County, New York. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. p. 878.

[2] “A Veteran Photographer.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). April 19, 1883.

[3] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). December 25, 1885.

[4] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). February 19, 1886.

Edward Lewis – Saugerties, Kingston and Ellenville, NY Photographer (Part 1)

Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Pulpit Rock, near the house (Overlook Mountain House).

Biography

Edward Lewis was born in August 1829 in Chenango County, New York. Chenango County, formed in 1798, is located in the central part of New York State.

An advertisement placed by Lewis in 1868 noted that he “had seventeen years experience in Photography, in England and America.” This would mean that Lewis began his photography career around 1851, at 21 years of age. Little more is known at this point about this time period in Lewis’ life.

In the late 1860s Lewis was operating as a photographer at the village of Saugerties along the Hudson River. His business was located on Partition Street, next to Van Buskirk’s drug store. In February 1868 Lewis placed the following advertisement in The Saugerties Telegraph.

“Photographer.– Notice to the Public. Mr. Lewis respectfully requests his patrons (all who can do so) to call in the early part of the day, as it is impossible for him to wait on all who require his services in the afternoon, consequently many go away without securing the shadow. Morning is decidedly the best time for children, as we are more at leisure and can give them more of our time and attention. Persons wishing large pictures taken should call at about eleven, if possible.”

In March 1868 Lewis placed the following advertisement in the local newspaper.

“A Treat for the Million. Good Photographs for Everybody. Mr. E. Lewis takes great pleasure in announcing to the people of Saugerties and vicinity that he has taken the Photographic Rooms adjoining Mr. Van Buskirk’s drug store, Partition street, refitted the same, and is now ready for the reception of visitors. Mr. L. having had seventeen years experience in Photography, in England and America, places him in the front ranks of his profession; and he assures the public that no pains or expense will be spared, on his part, to secure fine pictures and give satisfaction to his patrons. All kinds of pictures produced on the shortest notice, from miniature to life size, plain or finished in Oil, Water color or India Ink.

Prices from 25 Cts. To $50. Particular attention paid to copying, old pictures enlarged or diminished, and finished as above if required. Give him a call, examine specimens and try his skill. Saugerties, Dec. 16th 1867.”[1]

In May of 1868 Lewis placed another advertisement in the local newspaper, thanking the people for Saugerties for their business and announcing some of the new services that he offered.

“Photography. Mr. Edw. Lewis begs to return thanks to the inhabitants of Saugerties and vicinity for their very liberal patronage during his stay among them, and hopes by attention to their interests, to merit a continuance of their favors. He would also say that he is now prepared to execute views of private residences, landscapes and all other outdoor photography, both large and stereoscopic, in the best manner, (having recently purchased instruments expressly for that purpose.) Orders from the country solicited and promptly attended to. Specimens at the Gallery. He wishes to call special attention to his India Ink & Water Color Work.

Old pictures enlarged in the above styles. Always on hand the largest stock of oval and square frames in town. Plain and fine cases of every variety for small work. Photographs of the different Churches for sale.”[2]

In May of 1868 Lewis moved from the village of Saugerties to Kingston, where he leased the photographic rooms that had been recently occupied by George A. Vallet. The people of Saugerties lost a respected member of their community. “In the removal of Mr. Lewis to Kingston, our place loses not only the best artist it ever had, one who was always prompt in his business and courteous to visitors, but also a kind and an agreeable citizen. We feel confident that the people of Kingston will appreciate his skill in the Photographic art and extend him a liberal patronage.”[3]

In November 1868 the partnership between Lewis and Edward Jernegan (1841-1922), which operated under the name of “The Kingston Photographic Company,” was dissolved “by mutual consent.” It was agreed that Jernegan would continue the photography business at Saugerties while Lewis would remain in Kingston. Edward Jernegan would go on to prominence in the Saugerties newspaper industry, founding the Saugerties Daily Post in 1877 and the Saugerties Daily Telegraph in 1897.

In 1871 Lewis issued a series of 16 stereoscopic views of the newly constructed Overlook Mountain House. Located north of Woodstock near the summit of Overlook Mountain, the Overlook Mountain House first opened its doors to guests in 1871, was destroyed by fire in 1875, was rebuilt and reopened in 1878, only to be destroyed by fire again in 1923. There was an attempted 3rd rebuilding that was never completed, the remains of which are still visible on a hike to the summit of Overlook Mountain.

The house cost $50,000, and is complete throughout, furnishing accommodations that will please the most fastidious and satisfy the most exacting tastes.

It will be found a delightful spot for excursion and picnic parties, for whom special accommodations will be provided.

John E. Lasher, Proprietor. Overlook Mountain House, Woodstock, March 24, 1871.”

In order to promote his new hotel, Lasher invited Lewis to photograph the establishment prior to its official opening on June 15, 1871. “Mr. John Lasher, the lessee of the new hotel on the Overlook, has had Mr. E. Lewis, of Kingston, up there taking views of the house and grounds about it during the past week. The views are to be engraven from the photographs, and used in advertising this beautiful new summer resort. Mr. Lewis has the name of being the best artist in Ulster County.”[4]

The imprint on the back of each stereoview included a brief description of the hotel, travel directions and a listing of the 16 different views that were available for purchase.

No. 1. Catskill Mountains from ascent to the Overlook.

No. 2. Overlook Mountain House, Rocks in foreground.

No. 3. Overlook Mountain House, distant view.

No. 4. Overlook Mountain House, near view.

No. 5. South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 6. West Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 7. Parlor, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 8. Dining Room, Overlook Mountain House.

No. 9. View from the ledge in front of the House.

No. 10. Pulpit Rock, near the House.

No. 11. Devil’s Kitchen, near the House.

No. 12. Cleft in Rocks, near the House.

No. 13. Rocky declivity, near the House.

No. 14. Path to the Overlook.

No. 15. Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking east.

No. 16. Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking west.

The subject published on this card is indicated by a mark under the number and name.

ED. LEWIS, Photographer, Kingston, N.Y.”

South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House

South Piazza, Overlook Mountain House.

Overlook Mountain House, New Summer Resort in the Catskill Mountains.

Top of the Overlook Cliff, looking west (Overlook Mountain House).

The demand for the stereoscopic views of the Overlook Mountain House taken by Lewis, and fellow photographer D. J. Auchmoody, was very strong. One year after the opening of the Overlook Mountain House the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote of the demand and the scenic views available throughout the region.

March 24, 1871, Saugerties Telegraph

“Lewis’ National Photograph Gallery, Cor. Wall and John Streets, Kingston, N.Y. Photographs in every desirable Style of the art. Rembrandt Effects or Shadow Pictures a Specialty. Old pictures copied and enlarged to any size and, if desired, Finished in Oil, India Ink, or Water Colors, by a first-class Artist on the premises.

Specimens of Finished Work on Exhibition at the Gallery. I shall the coming season give my personal attention to Out-Door Work, On plates from Stereoscopic size to 14x17 inches (10x12 inch plate is largest size used by me heretofore.)

Views of Residences, Public Buildings, Churches, Mills, Factories, Blocks of Buildings, Streets, Quarries, Groups, Horses, Cattle, & c., &c.

All orders for the above will receive prompt attention and be filled in turn at moderate prices.

EDW. LEWIS, P. O. Box 181, Kingston, N.Y.”

April 14, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“E. Lewis, photographer, takes splendid pictures. He is going to Big Indian in a few days, to take views of that delicious country and also of the locomotive John C. Brodhead.”

May 6, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“Lewis, the photographer, has a gallery of fine views, taken from home scenes. The best, probably, is the residence of W. B. Crane at Ponckhockie.”

May 12, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“At the Stereoscopic exhibition of last week many home views, principally taken by Lewis, were shown upon the canvas. This exhibition was quite a success, and not at all marred because the scenes were generally shown wrong side up, as they were always presented anew in their proper position. Besides, this gave the audiences a better chance to view them in a manner they probably could never do by visiting the localities represented, unless indeed they, looked at them clown-fashion by standing on their heads.”

June 9, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“Lewis’s Gallery contains a fine photograph of the steamer “Thomas Cornell.” This picture is almost perfection, even the shadows made by the wires that brace the smoke stacks, being plainly visible.”

July 21, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“In Lewis’s gallery there are some fine views of the Overlook Mountain House. The piazza of the hotel is crowded with the party from this place and Rondout, who were on the mountain last week Wednesday. Their faces can be readily recognized, and altogether the picture is a good one.”

July 28, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“Lewis says he might have taken a much better picture of the Overlook House had not the visitors felt so funny. It seemed very hard for them to keep their heads still.”

September 22, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

At the Ulster County Fair: “Mr. Lewis had some very fine photographs, one of his wife being a brilliant specimen of art, and Dr. Loughran’s a speaking likeness and a splendid triumph of the artist.”

October 20, 1871, The Rondout Freeman

“A large new gallery of pictures is displayed by Lewis at his gallery on John street.”

May 27, 1872 advertisement, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographic Card. As making pictures of young children has become a very important branch of the business, a few hints on the subject will not be amiss as a guide to those interested.

Mothers who wish to have babies appear in white should dress them in light blue, pink or solferino, nicely trimmed or embroidered. All blue, or colors mixed with blue, are photographically speaking white, accordingly as the blue more or less predominates.

As children are often troublesome and restless and hard to get a picture of, and as I do not wish to let your work leave my Gallery, or be bothered with impossibilities ever which I have no control, I kindly request mothers to bear in mind that babies should be brought to the Gallery between ten and two o’clock, the earlier the better. The reasons for this are obvious, to wit:

First:– The child is not so restless, the mother is in better humor in the forenoon, the artist is pretty likely to have had his breakfast (we seldom even get dinner) and is not so impatient, hence baby is more likely to get a good picture.

Second:– A photographer wishes to make money, or at least a living, as well as other people, and don’t like to bother with babies if the gallery is full of ladies and gentlemen, who are waiting for sittings, and see no end to the baby-rattle and cry.

Third:– The light is not so powerful in the afternoon as in the morning. The acting power of the sun’s rays are stronger and more active from sunrise to noon, than from noon to sundown. It would be well for adults to bear this in mind who want sittings for themselves.

We call special attention to our Shadow Pictures, Berlin Heads, Porcelain Pictures, Victoria Cards, New Size. Old Pictures copied and painted in Oil, Water Colors, India Ink and Crayon.

Stereoscopic views of Places of Interest and Scenery of Ulster County, Views of Public Buildings and streets in Kingston. A Series of views of the Rondout Creek, Esopus Creek, Wallkill Creek with its Falls, the Esopus at Glenerie, Overlook Mountain, Shandaken Mountain Scenery, Interiors of Cement Quarries, & c. Also a full line of foreign & Miscellaneous Views.

A Large Variety of Oval and Square Frames, Velvet Cases, Passapartouts, Stereoscopes, & c.

E. LEWIS, Cor. Wall & John sts., Over Tappen, Burhans & Webster’s Store, Kingston.”

September 23, 1872, The Daily Freeman

“Lewis has again been out in the country, and has returned home with many fine views of Rosendale and High Falls. His views of the high bridge at Rosendale and the aqueduct at High Falls are especially fine. Lewis is improving in stereoscopic views; the aqueduct is one of the best pictures of lights and shadows we have ever seen.”

September 26, 1872, The Daily Freeman

“Miss Sahler’s Wax Work. Miss Sahler’s Wax Work which took the first premiums at the Horticultural Fair, will be for sale at Lewis’ Photograph Gallery, Kingston, for two weeks. She will also keep on hand stereoscopic views of the same. September 24th, 1872.”

September 16, 1873, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the photographer, has finished a splendid full length picture of Rev. Father Dougherty in his priestly robes, which is not only a perfect likeness but a fine work of the photographic art. The picture is to be disposed of by chances, $300 worth of tickets being sold, the money thus raised to be used in purchasing books for St. Joseph’s Sunday School.”

August 13, 1873, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, photographer on Wall street, with his wife and daughter, have been rusticating for some time at Stamford. Mr. Lewis went fishing in Odell Lake and caught half a bushel of pickerel. He also took a trip up the Neversink; walked fourteen miles up the stream and back. The trout fishing was very good.”

October 24, 1873, The Daily Freeman

“A young lady from Shokan came to Lewis’ photograph gallery the other day. She had to leave home in a hurry, she said, because she wanted to catch the train and had to go away ‘round on account of the bridge being down. Consequently her toilet wasn’t arranged in the most complete and satisfactory manner. When she arrived at Lewis’, where she was to sit for a picture, she furnished lots of amusement for the customers waiting in the reception by undoing a vast number of packages and proceeding to get herself up in wonderful style. Of course the young ladies who were waiting for an opportunity to sit blessed her for taking up a couple of hours rigging herself.”

January 14, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the photographer uptown, has a new lot of handsome faces finished according to his patent and hanging in a case on John street. It’s strange how often the girls whose pictures are in that case walk down that street, and what a wonder of excuses they do make to stop and look ‘just once.’”

May 30, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the Photographer of Kingston, has secured the services of Walter C. North for this week only at his gallery, and will be pleased to see his Rondout friends and all others wishing the benefit of his extensive experience. Call and see his new styles.”

June 1, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis has taken some fine pictures called the “Rustics.” One of a youth mounted on a velocipede is natural as life.”

June 29, 1874, The Daily Freeman

“Lewis has a new outdoor gallery of pictures. They are called rustic pictures and represent views of the sea-side, hunting and fishing scenes, with now and then a very handsome little boy or girl thrown in.”

December 18, 1874, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the uptown Photographer, requests his patrons, all who conveniently can, to call for sittings early in the day, as it is impossible to accommodate all applicants these short days. Old Sol refuses to give light enough for negative making shortly after 3 o’clock p.m.”

The 1875 New York state census listed 43-year-old Edward Lewis living in the First Ward of the city of Kingston in Ulster County New York. Also living in the household was his 29-year-old wife Mary A. Lewis, his 4-year-old daughter Nina A. Lewis and a 22-year-old servant by the name of Bridget Mahar. Edward was listed as having been born in Chenango County, New York. He was listed with an occupation of photographer.

Corner of Wall and North Front Sts. [View of a Tailor Shop].

View of a Church in Kingston, N.Y. View of a Church in Kingston, N.Y.

May 14, 1875, The Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the photographer, went trout fishing in Little Shandaken Thursday, and caught about sixty.”

December 24, 1875, The Daily Freeman

“Just The Thing For The Holidays. Colored Enamel Photographs. These beautiful pictures represent the natural colors with a depth and richness equal to the finest colored porcelain, and at a comparatively small price. Come and see them, and those who wish sittings come early as there is no light for negative making after 3 o’clock these short days. Lewis’ Gallery, Cor. Wall & John Sts., Kingston, N.Y.”

December 28, 1875, Kingston Daily Freeman

“While Lewis the photographer on Wall street was driving his fast bay towards Flatbush Sunday afternoon, the animal in a playful mood made a spring and put one of its hind feet over the cross-bar of the wagon. Not being able to get it back the equine started to run and broke one of the shafts. Lewis reined the steed to the side of the road and the wagon overturned, which threw the occupants, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis and their little daughter, to the ground, and the horse went on, bringing up under a shed. No one was injured to any great extent.”

February 22, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, photographer, has taken twenty-eight negatives of the most prominent actors in the uptown Esther performance. They are fine pictures.”

October 21, 1876 advertisement, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A Card to my Patrons. Until further notice I will make card photographs in our best style for $2.00 Per Dozen, Cabinet Size $5.00. Former Price $3.00 and $6.00.

The public has had an opportunity for the last eight years to compare our photographs with the work of other photographers of this city; also New York and other cities. We abide their decision.

In reducing prices I would have my patrons bear in mind that the quality of work will remain the same as heretofore STRICTLY FIRST CLASS.

I call attention to our beautiful style of picture, the plain and colored enamel which of late we have greatly improved.

Persons wishing large, colored pictures of themselves or friends would do well to examine our work and prices and not be taken in by traveling humbugs, we Warrant All Work To Give Satisfaction.

A good stock of Picture Frames Always On Hand, and we will not be undersold.

Respectfully yours, ED. LEWIS, Kingston, N.Y., Cor. Wall & John Streets, over Dimmic & Webster’s.”

October 30, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Lewis, the uptown photographer, is making a specialty of plain and colored enamels, which are really the finest pictures a person can have taken. They are perfect and life like, and will last forever. Several military gentlemen have had pictures finished in this style by Lewis, which are truly magnificent specimens of art. A more appropriate present cannot be found, and the recipient cannot fail to prize it as something invaluable.”

November 20, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A Fine Piece of Work. We were shown some resolutions the other day on the death of John Vanderlyn, that were printed in ink by our young Kingston artist Mr. E. Youngs. We have seldom seen anything of the kind that has surpassed it in the beauty of design and originality. In the center of the resolutions was a beautiful and life-like photograph of the artist Vanderlyn, which reflects great credit on the photographer, Mr. E. Lewis of Kingston.”

December 4, 1876, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, photographer, has finished the pictures of the Supplies house that was blown up by gunpowder, and they are fine pictures, giving a perfect view of the premises, which will be of great benefit to the jury when the case is tried.”

March 7, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“The attractive advertisement of Lewis, the photographer, elsewhere speaks for itself, and The Freeman cordially commends it to the attention of its readers. Mr. Lewis’ artistic skill needs no praises, and should receive the patronage it deserves.”

March 8, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“For a Short Time Only. In making this great reduction in our prices we hesitate, not because we are unwilling to bear our share of the burden of business depression, but fear that some may think there will be a corresponding reduction in quality. Be assured, however, that we shall give you the best work that we can produce.

“Card Photographs. One Dollar Per Dozen. Cabinet Size $3 Per Dozen.

Lewis’ Photograph Gallery, Cor. Wall & John Sts., City of Kingston, N.Y.”

June 12, 1878, The Daily Freeman

“There is a very nice crayon portrait of a child, by Lewis, the uptown photographer, on exhibition in A. A. Crosby & Company’s show window on the corner of Union avenue and The Strand.”

July 1, 1878, Daily Post (Saugerties)

“Mr. Edward Lewis, the celebrated photographer of Kingston, was in town yesterday. Mr. Lewis informs us that he is turning out finer work than ever at his gallery, and is much pleased at the many calls he receives from his Saugerties customers.”

July 1, 1878, Daily Post (Saugerties)

“Lewis in Kingston is making photographs for $1 per dozen at his gallery. He don’t slight the work on account of the price either.”

July 16, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Photographs $1 per Dozen. Finely retouched heads $1.50 per dozen. Crayon, Water Color and India Ink Pictures by the best artists at bottom prices. Ed. Lewis, Kingston, N.Y.”

July 17, 1878, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Mr. Lewis, the photographer uptown, has several pictures lately taken that are as fine as can be seen anywhere along the river. One of these is a water color portrait of Mrs. William Hermance, the likeness of which is excellent, while the coloring shows the touch of an artist. There are also large pictures in crayon of Mr. and Mrs. S. Bernstein, which were given as presents to their newly married son. One great excellence of the pictures of Mr. Lewis is the graceful positions in which he places the person whose likeness is being taken.”

November 11, 1878, The Daily Freeman

“Photographs.–Twelve for $1.00. Finely retouched heads $1.50 per dozen. A fine new stock of velvet and other frames at Bottom Prices, at Lewis’ (up-town) – Kingston.”

June 23, 1879, Kingston Daily Freeman

“E. Lewis, the photographer of Wall street, has made from a small photograph enlarged a very fine life-size picture in water colors of Miss Kittie Sahler, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Artemass Sahler, who died so suddenly a few months since.”

June 23, 1879, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Rev. John Johns has had a fine photograph taken of the Clinton Avenue Methodist Episcopal church and parsonage, and also a photograph of every pastor who has been associated with the church from the time of its formation in 1855, they being Revs. R. H. Chalker, F. L. Prentice, W. H. Evans, W. C. Smith, W. G. Browning, L. W. Peck, T. W. Chadwick, D. Buck, S. W. Knapp, W. H. Mickle, J. E. Gorse, A. K. Sandford and John Johns. The pictures were taken by E. Lewis of the upper part of the city, and they are framed, the church and parsonage in the center, and the photographs of the dominies in a circle around them.”

June 30, 1879, Kingston Daily Freeman

“Mr. Lewis, the photographer, has taken some very handsome pictures of the audience room of the Second Reformed church. Since the improvements, this room is one of the finest in the city.”

July 9, 1879, Kingston Daily Freeman

“A number of the graduating class of the Kingston Academy, have had their pictures taken by Lewis. The ladies being dressed in white, the photographs are a little out of the ordinary style and certainly are very fine, and the objects handsome accordingly.”

In July of 1879, B Company, 20th Battalion went to the hamlet of Phoenicia for “the purpose of camping out four days.” “While in camp Mr. E. Lewis, the Wall street photographer, will go up at the request of the company and take a number of views of the camp, of the men on parade, and also of the Tremper House, and as much of the surrounding scenery as he can. Mr. Lewis will not take a poor picture, and so if he takes any at all, it can be depended upon that it will be well worth purchasing.”[6]

To be continued next week . . .

[1] Saugerties Telegraph (Saugerties, New York). March 6, 1868.

[2] Saugerties Telegraph (Saugerties, New York). May 8, 1868.

[3] Saugerties Telegraph (Saugerties, New York). May 22, 1868.

[4] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). March 24, 1871.

[5] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). August 27, 1872.

[6] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). July 10, 1879.

Harry C. Earl – Sidney, New York Photographer

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Harry C. Earl – Sidney, New York Photographer

Introduction

Harry C. Earl was a popular photographer at the village of Sidney in Delaware County, New York. He worked as a portrait photographer from 1921 to 1937 and then worked on the photographic staff of the Scintilla Magneto Division from 1937 until his retirement in 1954.

Portrait, Well Dressed Woman, by H. C. Earl. Author's collection.

Biography

Harry Charles Earl was born in Sidney on March 8, 1889, the son of Frederick and Josephine (Palmer) Earl.

Moses Earl, Frederick’s grandfather, and Harry’s great-grandfather, is the ancestor of many of the Earl families in the Sidney – Unadilla section. Moses was born in Connecticut in 1795 and made his way to the region as a young man. He operated a tollgate on the Catskill Turnpike near East Sidney for many years. He was married to Lucy Weed, and together they were parents of eight children. Moses Earl passed away in 1849 and is buried at the East Sidney Cemetery.

Charles Earl, Frederick’s father, and Harry’s grandfather, was born on March 10, 1828, the son of Moses Earl and Lucy Weed. He was married to Harriet Sisson, who passed away on November 17, 1891. Charles was a “lifelong and highly respected resident of Wells Bridge . . . [and] was real active for one of his age and with a great many friends.” Charles passed away in February 1916 at the home of his youngest son, Arthur Earl, about 1 1/2 miles from Wells Bridge, New York. Funeral services were held on February 19, 1916, officiated by Reverend Harwood, pastor of the Wells Bridge Baptist Church. Charles is buried at the family plot at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Frederick Charles Earl, Harry’s father, was born on Sand Hill on March 17, 1862, the son of Charles H. Earl and Harriet (Sisson) Earl. Frederick worked as a house painter and decorator for many years, and in his later years he conducted a farm on which he had lived for 54 years. Fred C. Earl, at the age of 85, passed away in May 1947 after a short illness at his home at Sand Hill. The funeral service was conducted at his home, with Reverend Clayton Hoag officiating. He is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Josephine, Harry’s mother, was born in Laurens, New York on January 18, 1861, the daughter of John Palmer and Melinda (Reynolds) Palmer. Josephine and Fred were married on November 22, 1882, and resided at Sand Hill, New York for 42 years until her passing. Josephine was an active member of the Sand Hill Methodist Church. She passed away on April 14, 1937 after several months of heart trouble and illness. Upon her passing it was written that she was “devoted to her home, she was a kind wife and mother, and much respected in her community.”[1] The funeral service was held at her home, officiated by Reverend Robert Wood, pastor of the Wells Bridge Methodist Church. She is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Frederick and Josephine had five children together, including three sons, Lavern, Lynn and Harry, and two daughters, Hazel and Iva.

Lynn P. Earl, Harry’s brother, was an influential member of the community. He was a veteran of World War I. He was the president of the Favorite Printing Company of Sidney, New York and was the owner and publisher of The Unadilla Times and the Catskill Examiner-Recorder at Catskill, New York. He was a former director of the Unadilla National Bank. Lynn was a charter member of the Joyce-Bell Post 578 of the American Legion at Unadilla and a 50-year member of the Freedom Lodge 324 of the Free and Accepted Masons. He was member of the board of managers at The Hospital at Sidney and was a director of the Afton Fair Association. Lynn P. Earl passed away in 1974 and is buried at Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Lavern T. Earl, Harry’s brother, “was held in high esteem by many friends in this vicinity. He has often visited his brother in Sidney and at times has assisted him in his photographic studio, and has many friends in town who learn of his death with regret, and who extend their sympathy to the family. Mr. Earl has considerable ability as a cartoonist and had worked on several newspapers in this capacity, his last position being with the Binghamton Press.”[2] Lavern passed away from tuberculosis on May 10, 1925 at the home of his parents, Fred and Josephine Earl, at Sand Hill, New York. He is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Hazel Earl, Harry’s sister, was born on August 30, 1888 in the town of Unadilla. She married Truair Halbert (1887-1955). They had nine children together, one of whom, Truair, who was killed in battle during World War II. The Halbert’s had lived at Sidney for the 26 years prior to their passing in 1955, and had previously resided at Gilbertsville, Mount Upton and Wells Bridge. She was a member of the Sidney Methodist Church. Hazel passed away after an illness of several years at the age of 67 on October 16, 1955 and is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Iva E. Earl, Harry’s sister, was born on August 15, 1899 at Sand Hill, New York. She married William Springsteen (1891-1975), of Sand Hill, in 1918 at Wells Bridge, New York. William was the son of Maurice and Jennie (Branning) Springsteen). William worked as a self-employed cabinet maker and home decorator. Iva passed away on November 23, 1970 and is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

The 1900 United States census listed 11-year-old Harry living with his parents Fred and Josephine in the town of Unadilla, Otsego County, New York. Also living in the household were Harry’s four siblings, including two brothers, Lynn and Lavern, and two sisters, Hazel and Iva. Fred was listed with an occupation of house painter.

The 1910 United States census listed 21-year-old Harry living with his parents Fred and Josephine in the village of Otego, Otsego County, New York. Also living in the household were siblings Lavern, Lynn and Iva. Fred and Lavern were listed with an occupation of house painter, while Josephine was working as a sales lady, and Harry was listed as working in a chair factory.

Harry learned the photographic industry via an apprenticeship at Oneonta, New York. Following his apprenticeship he worked as a photographer at Buffalo, New York and at Toledo, Ohio. Earl then worked for well-known photographer H. F. Smith at Syracuse, New York for seven years from around 1914 to 1920.

While living at Syracuse, on February 10, 1914, Earl married Ada May Bannister, in a ceremony officiated by Reverend Dawley. Ada was the daughter of William and Hannah (Gray) Bannister. Ada was born at Watertown, New York on October 11, 1895. During her 64 years of living at the village of Sidney, Ada was very active in the community. She was member of the Sidney United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. She was also a 40-year member of the Sidney Monday Club, and was a State honorary Monday Club member. She was a member of the Sidney Senior Citizens and the Sidney Historical Society. Ada Earl passed away at her home in Sidney on April 9, 1985. Her funeral was conducted on April 12 at the Sidney United Methodist Church in a service officiated by the Reverend Dwight E. Giles Sr. Along with her husband, she is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

Harry and Ada had a daughter, Phyllis, who tragically died in 1920 at the age of four. “Automobiles have played a tragic part in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Earl. Shortly before they came to Sidney from Syracuse, a little daughter about three years of age was killed by an automobile. They were out driving and had stopped at the side of the road and alighted from the car. The little one ran across the road to pick some flowers. She had started to return when an automobile approached at a high speed. Mr. and Mrs. Earl shouted a warning to the little girl, but it was too late, and before they could make a move to rescue her, they saw their daughter struck and killed before their horrified eyes.”[3]

Earl moved to his hometown at the village of Sidney in 1921 to establish his own studio. With his arrival the Sidney Record wrote that “Mr. Earl has had considerable experience in his profession, and comes to Sidney with an enviable reputation as an expert in his line of work. Sidney has been without a photographer for some time, in fact since Charles Phelps’ studio was destroyed by fire some months ago, so our people will again have an opportunity of “sitting up and looking pleasant” without having to go to some neighboring village.”[4]

Upon his arrival at Sidney the local newspapers regularly carried advertisements for his studio and provided short anecdotes about his various work and activities.

February 25, 1921, The Unadilla Times

“Harry Earl, who has been making his home with his father, Fred Earl, for the winter, will open a photograph studio at Sidney the first of March. Mr. Earl was a successful photographer at Syracuse before he came to live here, and we wish him much success in his new field. Mrs. Earl will accompany her husband, but they will not move their household goods there for the present.”

March 25, 1921, The Unadilla Times

“Having opened a studio, I am now prepared to do all kinds of photographic work. Portraits, Groups, Flashlights, Enlargements, Amateur Finishing, etc. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Harry C. Earl, Main Street, Sidney, N.Y.”

March 26, 1921, Sidney Record

“Photographs. I am now ready to do all kinds of Photographic work. Children a Specialty. Satisfaction Guaranteed. H. C. Earl, 47 Main St., Sidney, N.Y.”

March 26, 1921, Sidney Record

“A new photographer has taken the place of the Elite Studio for many years conducted by C. H. Phelps and the place will be found on Main street formerly occupied by the Bassett dental offices. Mr. H. C. Earl has experience in the business entitles him to success. His work is guaranteed and prices moderate.”

November 11, 1921, The Unadilla Times

“Photographs. Special until Nov. 15. With every order of one dozen cabinet pictures, we will make without extra charge one 8x10 enlargement. Open Evenings. Phone 137-w. Harry C. Earl, Main Street, Sidney, N.Y.”

November 12, 1921, Sidney Record

“Thanksgiving Day is the home gathering day of the year. If distance prevents your home going, let your photograph carry your message of love to the old folks back home. Why not make an appointment today? H. C. Earl, 47 Main St., Sidney, N.Y.”

December 7, 1921, Sidney Record

“X-mas Remembrances. A dozen photographs will solve a dozen puzzling gift problems. Telephone 137-W for appointment. No settings made after December 15, for X-mas delivery. H. C. Earl, Phone 137-W. Sidney, New York.”

January 4, 1922, Sidney Enterprise

“Remembrances. Have us take a picture of the young ones. They will bring back pleasant memories of the small tots when they have grown up. Satisfaction guaranteed. H. C. Earl, Phone 137-W. Sidney, N.Y.”

February 11, 1922, Sidney Record

“Bear In Mind. We do picture framing correctly and satisfactory. We have a splendid showing of mouldings and easel frames and our prices are reasonable. H. C. Earl, Portrait Studio. Phone 137-w. 47 Main St., Sidney, N.Y.”

April 15, 1922, Sidney Record

“H. C. Earl. Sidney is fortunate in having a good photographer, the real kind. His first year’s work was completed April 1st, and his work has given excellent satisfaction, exact harmony of tone and at very moderate prices. No better work in leading city studios. Give your home men first choice. H. C. Earl is one of them.”

June 24, 1922, Sidney Record

“H. C. Earl photographic studio on Main street, is prepared to promptly fill all orders for graduation photos, singly or in group. Utmost care employed to give none but high-grade work at moderate prices. Photos by night or day, indoors or outdoors with good results guaranteed.”

On October 18, 1922, two D & H freight trains collided at the railroad crossing in Sidney, New York. Engineer William Toal, of Binghamton, was killed in the wreck. The Sidney Record described the scene.

“. . . dawn revealed a wreck of unusually spectacular features, two of the wrecked cars pyramided 50 feet high, overtopping the signal tower, which tower itself very narrowly escaped total destruction, escaping by a margin of less than two feet . . .

In railroad life there are wrecks, and again there are other wrecks, two kinds, the common every day wreck and the other, the kind of wreck that makes other far away towns sit up and take notice. Wednesday morning’s wreck in Sidney belonged to the take notice classification . . .

Two heavy engines had side-swiped and reduced to total wreckage, while two freight cars were loftily perched 50 feet in the air, high above the signal tower at the junction of the O. & W. and D. & H. railroads. The engines were a mass of twisted, interlocking labyrinth of steel and iron, with hissing steam adding to the terror of the scene.”[5]

Photographer Earl visited the site of the wreck that morning and took pictures of the scene. Some of the pictures were published in the local newspapers. It was later reported that Earl sold over 4,000 photographic views of the disaster.

In January 1923 Earl sold the developing part of his photographic business to C. B. Conrow, who “has had considerable experience in the line of developing photos for amateurs in this section and his work is sure to please. His office will be in his home on Maple avenue.”[6]

October 27, 1923, Sidney Record

“There’s another Sidney business man of three years service in Sidney, who by close attention to work and satisfactory results bids fair to remain many more successful years in this community. We refer to H. C. Earl, Main street artist-photographer. It makes no difference as between night time or day time, his photographic work gives perfect clear and accurate results and at prices within the means of all. Sometimes when too late bitter are the regrets that a photograph was not taken. Don’t get caught that way, leave no regrets in your family but secure the shadow before the substance fades and H. C. Earl is just the man to secure the shadow and send you on your way rejoicing.”

October 27, 1923, Sidney Record

“Photograph Free. Until Nov. 1st we will give a large portrait (8x10 inches) with every order of $5.00 or more. It is none too early to have your Xmas photographs made. For an appointment Phone 137-w. The Early Studio, Sidney, N.Y. Easel Frames, Colored Pictures.”

December 8, 1923, Sidney Record

“Greet Your Friends on Xmas Morning with Your Photograph. Have them made now and avoid the rush. For an appointment Phone 137-w. The Earl Studio, Sidney, N.Y. Easel Frames, Colored Pictures.”

February 2, 1924, Sidney Record

“What is the most interesting age? When the child takes the first step or starts for school? Confirmation or Graduation? To the Mother every stage and age is interesting. Every stage and age in the Child’s Lie may be marked with a Photograph which in after years will prove even more interesting than can now be contemplated. The Earl Studio, Sidney, N.Y. Phone for an Appointment, 137-w.”

March 1, 1924, Sidney Record

“‘Once there was a little boy’ – so the story book reads, and how rapidly he is growing into manhood. Have you had a really good photograph of him taken recently? Your children have a right to a photograph as they are today. Bring the kiddies to our studio. The Earl Studio, Sidney, N.Y.”

May 3, 1925, Sidney Record

“Be Photographed On Your Birthday. Surprise the family and your friends. Your photograph will prove the most welcome of gifts – and the most enduring. Nothing gives such complete satisfaction and lasting happiness as a pleasing portrait. The Earl Studio, Sidney, N.Y.”

May 13, 1924, Sidney Record

“At the H. C. Earl Studio on Main street, may be seen a fine photographic group of the Sidney High School Delta Gamma of 1923, which clearly demonstrates Mr. Earl’s ability as an artist. This framed grouping makes an excellent photographic study, bringing the features of the Delta Gamma Society into clear relief. The framed picture is to be forwarded to the National Historical Department of the D. G. Society.”

September 27, 1924, Sidney Record

“MacDonald Hose Co. No. 2, Thursday evening, 25th, hope to meet as many friends as possible at their company dance and cordially invite all who possibly can come to do so. These occasions are always most enjoyable. Photographer Earl recently took a fine group picture of the thirty members of the company in uniform, the boys make a sturdy looking band of ‘smoke eaters.’”

November 22, 1924, Sidney Record

“H. C. Earl. Photographer. Photographs made anytime, anyplace. Phone 137-w. Sidney, N.Y.”

February 21, 1925, Sidney Record

“The Earl Studio. All Kinds of Photographic Work; Picture Framing.”

January 31, 1925, Sidney Record

“Photographer Earl took some fine views of the T. E. on Mt. Moses, very well worth preserving for future reference.”

October 15, 1925, Sidney Enterprise

“Photographer Harry C. Earl has returned from a week spent in New York on business and attending the annual meeting of photographers. Artificial lighting was one of the subjects earnestly considered by the convention. Mr. Earl has his studio artificially lighted by the latest methods and can successfully take a picture at any hour of the day or night, regardless of weather conditions, the old-time bogey of the photograph studio.”

October 31, 1925, Sidney Record

“Your Photograph. The one gift that always pleases. Now is the best time to have your sitting. You are not so busy now and we are not so busy as we will be next month. Better to come in October than to be disappointed in December. A deposit at time of sitting will hold your photograph until Christmas time. Make your appointment today. Phone 137-W. The Earl Studio, Sidney, N.Y.”

April 17, 1926, Sidney Record

“On the occasion of the banquet sponsored by Mr. Edgar A. Gibson, of this village, together with representatives of the Celotex company, at the Hotel De Cumber, 7th inst., a flashlight was taken of those present by photographer H. C. Earl. Mr. Earl gave a fine example of the thing called “Service.” One-half hour after the flash-light was taken Mr. Earl returned with the mounted photograph delivered picture to Celotex representatives, much to their surprise as well as pleasure.”

June 26, 1926, Sidney Record

“The Sidney Fire Department, always attentive to duty, next Monday evening, 28th, will renew its regular fire drills. These drills are highly important to prompt service in case of fire. The Department looks well in the new uniforms, consisting of red shirt, blue caps, white trousers. Last Sunday afternoon photographer Earl on the Riverside ball ground, took several very fine photographs of the firemen, one of which will be presented to the Chenango Firemen’s Association, which held a convention Monday night at Brisben, N.Y.”

In June 1927 Harry Earl suffered severe injuries as the result of a car accident that took place while driving from Sidney to Syracuse. At first it was feared that Harry would not survive the accident, but the quick actions of his wife and a friend, who were also in the car, as well as the fast response from the ambulance, led to his survival and eventual recovery.

“When about two miles out of Syracuse on a road with which Mr. Earl, who was used to driving, was unacquainted, was a sharp turn with a large tree at the side of the road near the center of the curve. Before Mr. Earl could successfully make the turn the car crashed into the tree.

Mrs. Earl and Mr. Steinwinter were catapulted through the top of the car and landed in a garden adjoining the highway. Mr. Earl was not so fortunate. He was pinned between the tree and the badly crushed car.

Mrs. Earl and Mr. Steinwinter were able to lift the car enough to extricate him. It was seen that he was very badly injured and an ambulance was summoned. This quickly arrived, accompanied by a surgeon, and Mr. and Mrs. Earl and Mr. Steinwinter were removed to the Crouse-Irving hospital.

Examination showed that Mr. Earl had received a fractured right arm; the left shoulder blade was broken, his upper jaw bone and nose were fractured and four ribs also broken. He had also sustained a bad cut on one leg, requiring several stitches to close, and his condition was very critical, and but little encouragement as to his recovery has as yet been given by the hospital staff.”[7]

Friends and family visited Earl at Syracuse during his recovery. A testimonial signed by 110 people from Sidney was presented to him at the hospital in Syracuse. Within a month Earl was back at the family home on River Street to continue recuperating, and within a few months he was back at work.

August 13, 1927, Sidney Record

“Photographer H. C. Earl is making gradual but slow recovery from the recent automobile accident in Syracuse but at the same time work continues at the Main street studio with the able assistance of Mrs. Earl and all orders receive immediate attention and friends are urged to reserve their orders for the holidays for the Earl studio and it will be greatly appreciated. Anyone is liable to get a hard rap at any time and nothing helps more than the cheer of friends at such times.”

November 3, 1927, Sidney Enterprise

“The Delta Gamma sorority of the Sidney school initiated the Halloween season with a Kid Party, held at the Community House last Thursday evening. There was a big attendance of the young ladies, who were clothed as young children. They had a very pleasant evening which was concluded by Photographer Harry Earl taking a picture of the party, in their cute little costumes.”

October 16, 1930, Sidney Enterprise

“Free! 1 8x10 Photograph With Every Dozen Pictures Until November 1st. You are not as busy – we are not as busy – as we will be later. STOP in now and make your appointment for a sitting and “Avoid the Holiday Rush.” The Earl Studio, Phone 137-W, Sidney, N.Y.”

November 30, 1933, Sidney Enterprise

“Christmas Special. Six 5x7 Photographs mounted in attractive folders for $5.00. This special is not good after December 9th. Make your appointment early! The Earl Studio, Phone 69-J, Sidney, New York.”

In 1930 Earl attended the prestigious National Photographers School at Winona Lake, Indiana. The school, which had enrolled 85 photographers that year, included students from all over the United States. Operated by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the officially named Winona International School of Professional Photography held summer classes at Winona Lake each year from 1921 to 1984, when it moved to a new campus at Mount Prospect, Illinois. In 1994 the school moved again, this time to Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1937 Earl sold his portrait studio and equipment to the partnership of Henderson and Young, “two Syracuse men who come to Sidney highly recommended as expert photographers.”[8] Within a year, newspaper advertisements showed the business being operated only by Henderson, under the name of the Henderson Studio.

After selling his studio, Earl went to work as the official photographer for the Scintilla Magneto Division of the Bendix Aviation Corporation. Earl had previous experience with the company, having “made the photographs for the first manual of magnetos in 1925 when Scintilla was still under the ownership of Brown-Boveri Company.”[9]

The Scintilla Division had relocated from New York City to Sidney in the mid-1920s with approximately 15 employees. The company rapidly grew in size, employing over 4,000 people by 1942, and 8,600 people during the boom years of World War II. Today, the company, after many mergers and corporate takeovers, continues to operate at Sidney as the Amphenol Aerospace Company.

As part of the 1939 World’s Fair held at Queens, New York, Delaware County was to be represented in the New York State building through a photo mural exhibit of the region, including exhibits representing the industrial and agricultural life of the county and its historical background. Earl’s photographic work was included among the 26 pictures chosen to represent Delaware County.

While working at the Scintilla Magneto Division, Earl served as the plant photographer for The Scintillator, the company publication. The Scintillator was first published in 1943 and was mailed monthly to the homes of more than 4,600 Scintilla employees. There was also an outside mailing to business people in the community and other industrial manufacturers. In 1953 The Scintillator won a national award as determined by the American Association of Industrial Editors. The focus of the award was to encourage plant publications to promote a register and vote campaign.

Harry C. Earl retired from the Scintilla Magneto Division on September 30, 1954 after 17 1/2 years of service, and after a combined 45 years of working as a portrait and commercial photographer.

Legacy

Harry C. Earl had a long and distinguished career as a photographer, which included 34 years at the village of Sidney. Through his popular studio, he photographed thousands of residents of the village and the surrounding region between 1921 and 1937. He then worked at a critically important business, the Scintilla Magneto Division, as it supported World War II on the home front through its production of highly regarded aviation and military products.

Harry C. Earl passed away after a long illness at 65 years of age, only months after his retirement. He died at the hospital in Sidney on Monday, November 15, 1954. Funeral services were held on November 18, 1954 at the C. H. Landers Chapel, with Reverend Roger B. Glazier, pastor of the Methodist Church, officiating. Earl, along with his wife, his parents, his grandparents and several other family members, is buried at Sand Hill Cemetery in Unadilla, New York.

[1] “Mrs. Fred Earl.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). April 22, 1937.

[2] “Lavern T. Earl.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). May 14, 1925.

[3] “Pinned Between Tree and His Badly Smashed Auto.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). June 16, 1927.

[4] “New Photographer.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). February 23, 1921.

[5] “D. & H. Trains Crash in the Sidney Yard.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). October 21, 1922.

[6] “Amateur Work.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). January 10, 1923.

[7] “Pinned Between Tree and His Badly Smashed Auto.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). June 16, 1927.

[8] “Local Photographer Enters Magneto Plant.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). March 4, 1937.

[9] “Funeral Thursday for Harry Earl.” Sidney Record – Enterprise (Sidney, New York). November 18, 1954.

B. E. Pudney – Sidney, New York Postcard Publisher

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

B. E. Pudney was a prolific publisher of postcards depicting the scenes of Delaware County, New York and the surrounding region. Located at the village of Sidney, he was also a well-known businessman, at times operating a clothing store, a bicycle shop, a stationery store, an automobile garage and a famous music store.

Main Street, looking North, Sidney, N.Y. Author's collection.

Biography

Herbert Eugene Pudney, more commonly known as Bert or B. E., was born on February 24, 1868 at Sherburne, Chenango County, New York. He was the son of Denison E. Pudney (1823-1907) and Betsey Cordelia (Cole) Pudney (1825-1913).

According to the family genealogy, the Pudney family in the United States can be traced back to John Pudney (c. 1636-1712), who resided at Salem, Massachusetts in 1662.[1]^,[2] He married Judith Cooke (b. 1643), daughter of Henry Cooke, on November 18, 1662 at Salem. John Pudney worked as a husbandman, or farmer, and eventually acquired, according to his will, a house, farm, orchard and about forty acres of land, which he then left to his son Jonathan Pudney, of Salem.[3] The surname Pudney, or Putney in earlier days, can be traced even further back to the parish of Putney in the County of Surrey, England.

Denison E. Pudney, B. E.’s father, was first married to Frances E. Royce on September 8, 1847. She passed away at Sherburne on December 7, 1853 and is buried at Sherburne Quarter Cemetery in Sherburne, Chenango County, New York.

Denison and Betsey were married several years later on March 4, 1857 at Butternuts, Oswego County, New York. Denison worked as a farmer in Sherburne. Betsey was born on March 4, 1825 at Gilbertsville, New York. Her father, Richard Cole, was one of the pioneer settlers of Otsego County. On her mother’s side, she was descendant of soldiers of the American Revolution, for which “she was proud and often referred to it in her later life.”[4] She was a resident of Sherburne for 52 years. She passed away at Manchester, Connecticut on August 6, 1913. Both Denison and Betsey are buried at Sherburne Quarter Cemetery in Sherburne, Chenango County, New York.

The 1870 United States census listed 2-year-old Herbert living in the household of his parents Denison and Cordelia B. at Sherburne in Chenango County, New York. Also listed as living in the household were Herbert’s siblings, Walter, Emma, William, Frank and his twin-brother Herman. Denison was listed with an occupation of farmer and 17-year-old Walter was listed with an occupation of farm laborer.

The 1880 United States census listed 12-year-old Herbert living with his parents Denison and Cordelia in Sherburne in Chenango County, New York. Also living in the household were Herbert’s siblings, William, Frank, and Herman. Denison was listed with an occupation of farmer, while Herbert and Herman were listed “at school.”

Getting an early start in the business world, Pudney began his work in the mercantile industry as a clerk in 1884 at the young age of 16. By the late 1880s Pudney was operating as a clothing dealer on the Exchange Block at the village of Oxford in Chenango County, New York. The business, called Pudney & Brooksbank, was operated in partnership with Robert Brooksbank. This partnership only lasted a short time, and was dissolved in 1891. However, the business continued to operate as Brooksbank & Son.

Pudney then quickly established in 1891 the firm of Pudney and Freeman, in partnership with Edmund B. Freeman, who “is an active business man, well known in Sherburne and vicinity.” The business, located at Oxford, was also known as The Corner Store. Pudney and Freeman also opened a branch clothing store at Gilbertsville in 1891.

Sidney Record. November 25, 1893.

On September 1, 1893 the Pudney and Freeman partnership opened a new branch store at the village of Sidney, Delaware County, New York. It was reported that the partnership had taken a three-year lease of the large store on the north side of the Bennett block. With the store opening, Pudney and Freeman intended “ to carry a stock of goods that will draw customers from a large radius of territory . . . The firm is blessed with a good block of capital and along with it they have push and energy. They will sell the best grade of goods at very low prices, and by fair dealing they will endeavor to win a share of patronage from our village people as well as those of the surrounding county.”[5] The partnership was dissolved after a few years as of April 1, 1895.

After the dissolution of the Pudney and Freeman partnership, Pudney then quickly went into business for himself at Sidney, continuing to operate a clothing and shoe store. During the 1890s Pudney, who was an avid cyclist, also began selling bicycles, specializing in the sales of Victor bicycles, a product of the pioneering Overman Wheel Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Pudney was the exclusive agent for the Overman company for Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties. He would open additional bicycle shops at Edmeston in 1900 and in the Peck building at Gilbertsville in 1901.

In 1894 Pudney was one of 23 charter members who established the Sidney Cycle Club. Arthur Bird was selected president of the club, Miss Lottie Johnson as Vice President and Pudney as Captain.

Pudney and his wife were considered to be among the best cyclists in the region. In 1894 the Pudney’s “rode on their wheels to Oneonta last Monday, returning the same day, – a distance of 45 miles, heavy roads and big head winds.”[6] In 1895 they rode from Sidney to Cooperstown, a distance of 45 miles, in six hours. They also rode from Sidney to Albany, a distance of 104 miles, in 15 hours. The Sidney Record also wrote of their notable long-distance ride to the Adirondacks.

“Bicycle riders who ride 75 miles per day for four consecutive days are few in the land. We refer to those of the male persuasion, and when this can be said of a lady rider, it is a record worth noting. Mrs. B. E. Pudney and her husband took a trip together to the Adirondacks some time ago. The distance from Sidney is 300 miles, and the trip was made in four days, some of the roads in the northern part of the State being the worse that the sun ever shone upon.”[7]

Sarah, Bert’s wife, “who by the way owns the handsomest lady bicycle in town, enjoys the reputation of being one of the best long distance riders in the State. Mrs. Pudney is a graceful rider and will readily cover a distance of 75 miles in one day.”[8]

Pudney received “his first Victor at a cost of $122.50; weight forty-four pounds. It had two-inch pneumatic tires, which were not guaranteed and were recommended only as an experiment.” Annual sales increased steadily over the next decade, with Pudney selling 8 bicycles in 1890; 14 in 1891; 26 in 1892; 44 in 1893; 60 in 1894; 80 in 1895; 105 in 1896; 128 in 1897; 144 in 1898; and 160 in 1899. By 1900 the Overman Wheel Company was out of business due to increased competition and the financial impact of a devastating fire that did much damage to the company’s manufacturing plant the year prior.

Sidney Record. May 1, 1897.

In describing his early bicycle business, “Mr. Pudney points out that the actual amount of cash received does not increase from year to year to any considerable extent. In other words, the decrease in prices about keeps pace with the increase in sales. Were it not for the sale of accessories he believes that selling bicycles alone would not pay store rent. He believes that no man can conduct a profitable business without repairing, renting, exchanging and selling supplies.”[9]

As part of promoting his business Pudney would sponsor bicycle races in the region. One such race in 1899 followed a course from the starting line at the Unadilla House to the finish line at the fountain in Sidney. The course was about 4 1/2 miles and was covered in about 14 minutes, 15 seconds. First prize, a diamond pin, was won by Frank French, of Sidney; second prize, bicycle sundries, was won by Homer Travis, of Sidney; and third prize, bicycle sundries, was won by E. J. Pratt.

Pudney served as the manager and trainer of the Barnes Racing Team, which utilized bikes from the Barnes Cycle Company of Syracuse, New York. In 1897 “a splendid picture” of the Barnes Racing Team was engraved and published in an issue of the Barnes White Flyer Tips, a publication with a circulation of 1,000,000 copies.

With his far-reaching reputation as a bicycle dealer and enthusiast, Pudney was visited in 1907 by “the world famous bicycle long distance rider, Fred J. Titus, of Middletown, Ohio.” “Mr. Titus holds a record of 27 miles in 60 minutes, and has also covered a distance of 10 miles in 20 minutes and 58 seconds. He came to Sidney to see Mr. Pudney, the leading bicycle dealer about here, who gave him a handsome order for racycles of the Miami model. Go down on our fair association track next summer and you will see Miami lightning describing circles around the race course at a John R. Gentry gait.”[10]

In 1899 the Sidney Record wrote that “We take pleasure in recommending Mr. Pudney as the leading bicycle dealer of this section of the state. He sold in 1898, 160 bicycles. He will sell at both retail and wholesale, bicycles and sundries. In the rear of the store he has a finely equipped repair shop.”[11]

In a separate issue the Sidney Record wrote more extensively about Pudney’s bicycle operations.

“Bert E. Pudney. While it may with truth be asserted that there is nothing new under the sun, and while upon the other hand it is held that the most modern convenience known as the bicycle, in its origin can be traced to antiquity, it is equally true that for perfection in this machine the public must look to today. And for a perfect wheel, it is necessary to go to Bert E. Pudney who occupies commodious premises in the Sidney house block and carries a large stock of the highest grade bicycles, those which have gained great popularity among all riders, such wheels as the cyclist terms perfection. Mr. Pudney also deals in cycle accessories, tools and supplies.

The rear of the store is equipped for repairing, enameling, brazing and vulcanizing. The business is both wholesale and retail and the advantages of cash or installment payments are put forth to customers.

Mr. Pudney has been identified with this business for 9 years and is energetic and ambitious to make his business the largest of its kind in this section. And the manner in which he is now working foreshadows the result he aims to attain. In addition to his bicycle interest he also carries on a general merchant tailoring business. Mr. Pudney is an enthusiastic cyclist, he is popular among his customers and adheres to the rule of commercial probity.”[12]

During his time in the bicycle business Pudney described himself as “a cycle dealer . . . [who enjoyed] the rush of a hustling cycle trade, selling, exchanging, renting and repairing, [taking] pleasure in washing the black oil of the cycle bearings off his hands with the use of gasoline and a slight touch of soap . . .” In the early 1900s Pudney exited the bicycle industry, selling off his entire remaining stock of bicycles and sundries.

Over the years Pudney expanded his business beyond just clothing and bicycles. In 1901 Pudney purchased the extensive stationery and newspaper business of Albert Birdsall at Sidney. He also bought out Harry Gross and acquired the exclusive agency to sell the “celebrated pianos” of the Babcock Brothers. That same year he would also open a piano and music store that sold just about anything related to music including phonographs, records, musical instruments, sheet music and much more. Expanding yet again, store products included stationery, school supplies, books, post cards, sporting goods, fishing equipment, shot guns and rifles, sewing machines and artists’ materials.

In response to his many businesses the Sidney Record wrote in 1901 that “B. E. Pudney has enough irons in the fire to keep him busy twenty-three hours out of twenty-four . . . Mr. Pudney deserves to succeed.”[13] His varied businesses took on the long name of the Sidney News Company, Cycle and Music Store.

On May 1, 1906 Pudney opened a branch music store at the village of Delhi. He purchased the Edison Phonograph stock and business of W. E. Finch, and advertised that he would carry a full line of Edison Phonograph goods at his new store. In September 1906 Pudney also bought the Stanley newspaper sale business at Delhi.

In October, 1908, “our enterprising, hustling merchant, B. E. Pudney, this week, purchased of J. E. Harper, (his leading competitor,) his entire stock of Edison phonograph records, books and postcards. This move on Mr. Pudney’s part at once places his Delhi business clearly in the lead.”[14] In 1910 Pudney would sell his Delhi music store, including stock of phonographs, records, music, books, cards and stationery to Carl D. Williams.

Pudney published a popular series of postcards that depicted the regional scenes in and around Sidney, New York. The postcards are still generally available today on various internet web sites. Within the “Historic Catskills Photographers” section of this website you can view a small sample of his work.

Masonville, N.Y., View N. W. From South Road. Author's collection.

New Iron Bridge, Sidney, N.Y. Author's collection.

County House, Delhi, N.Y. Author's collection.

Mill Dam and Falls, East Sidney, N.Y. Author's collection.

By 1906 Pudney’s post card business was thriving. “B. E. Pudney is making considerable stir among the Post Card dealers, as carrying both in Delhi and Sidney Music stores the largest and finest stocks in this State. The cards are the best that can be bought and are sold at popular prices. Nearly all are of the famous German gelatine photo work.”[15] By November 1906 Pudney advertised of “34,000 new views of Sidney just received at the Sidney Music Store. Mr. Pudney now has over 100 different views of Sidney. Theses cards are going over the whole world telling of our beautiful village, advantages, etc.”[16]

In 1907 the local newspaper noted that “very nice postal cards, with views of Floral Park, cor. River and Grand, can be obtained at Pudney’s. These excellent views are well worth preserving, especially when one considers the vast improvement which the park represents.”[17]

Showing the popularity of postcards in the early 1900s, it was reported in the local paper in 1908 that Pudney had ordered 140,000 postal cards of local views. Of the 140,000 cards, 23,000 were of Sidney views, 7,000 of East Sidney and 5,000 of Masonville. The cards were to be manufactured in Leipsic, Germany. In 1909 the local newspaper noted Pudney’s “post card department with stocks invoicing $2,000.00 in Delhi and Sidney stores, the most of which are local views. All are able to fine in the many card racks a choice that for variety excels.”[18]

In 1908 Pudney’s store had in stock “over 10,000 Christmas and New Year’s cards that he sells at one cent each, or 90 cts per 100. His holiday offerings are very attractive in all specialties. Mr. Pudney is very liberal and prompt in his dealings and has established a fine business upon a permanent basis.”[19]

In 1908 Pudney advertised the sale of postcards for 3 cents each, or two for 5 cents. A December 1908 sale offered Christmas and New Year’s cards for one cent each, or 90 cents per 100. In 1909 Pudney added new postcards with local views that were taken by Sidney photographer C. H. Phelps; these postcards were sold for two for 5 cents. By 1913, as the postcard craze was fading, Pudney advertised that postcards were selling for 5 cents per dozen.

In 1909, “B. E. Pudney moved his store, after fourteen years of occupancy of the Sidney house block, to the business center of Main Street, where, in a brick block with a large piano and music department connected by two arches with the main store, he is able to display all the goods in different departments, each to good advantage. News department, post cards, books, stationery, sporting goods, phonographs, music, pianos and organs. In each department Mr. Pudney has tried and is trying for the mutual benefit of all to excel. To a great extent his stores now surpass anything in greater New York.”[20]

The 1910 United States census listed the widowed, 42-year-old Pudney as living in the village of Sidney in Delaware County, New York. Pudney was listed with an occupation of “Retail merchant, stationery and books.” Around this time, for a few years, Pudney also operated a branch music store at the village at Delhi. He later operated a branch store at Oneonta for a few years.

In 1911 Pudney partnered with George Webb to open an automobile garage at the village of Sidney. The garage, to be managed by Webb, was located in a building behind Pudney’s Main Street music store. They opened a sales room between the Yager and Spencer blocks of Sidney for the purpose of exhibiting cars and auto supplies. This portion of the operation was to be managed by Pudney.[21]

The following year, in 1912, Pudney “closed one of the largest automobile contracts ever made in this section for a large portion of Delaware, Chenango and Otsego counties for the “Elmore.” This is important to those wishing automobiles, as this car being exclusive in the use of a valveless motor, having less wearing parts than any other engine, speaks for itself. That Mr. Pudney, after spending months in investigating automobiles should have decided and secured the “Elmore” is a matter of congratulation. This will help to put Sidney on the map as a center for automobiles, supplies, etc.”[22] Pudney’s automobile business likely did not last long as it was reported that the garage was rented to another party by the summer of 1913.

In 1914, after 14 years of ownership, Pudney sold his interests in the book, stationery and sporting goods portions of his store to J. H. Rushton, a former bookkeeper with the Sidney Novelty corporation. Pudney retained the rights to the music portion of the business, which he continued to operate. In addition to the main location at Sidney, a 1916 advertisement noted that Pudney was operating branch locations at New Berlin, Milford, Delhi, Owego, Oneonta and Earlville.

Pudney actively supported his country during World War 1. Locally, “he has taken an active part in Sidney’s patriotic efforts being a member of the local military company and on various committees in war activities and an energetic worker in every instance.”[23] Between January and June 1918 he gave 175 different speeches to the public on various war issues. One 1917 newspaper article even affectionately referred to Pudney as “Sidney’s Four-Minute-Man” for his talks on thrift stamps and war saving certificates.

While beyond the age of service for the Army, Pudney also volunteered for the U.S. Army Y. M. C. A. service. He served at Camp Dix, New Jersey, on transport ships between the United States and France, and overseas in Europe for approximately six months from January to June 1919. He made several cross-Atlantic trips to Europe. While overseas, he traveled through the battlefields and the ruined cities of northern France.

Oath of Allegiance, Bert E. Pudney, U. S. Passport Application, 1919.

Due to his service Pudney closed out all his store branch locations by the end of 1918, leaving only the Sidney store in operation. The Earlville location closed in July; New Berlin closed in August; and the Delhi and Oneonta locations closed in September. The Milford and Owego locations were closed before December, 1918. His wife ran the remaining Sidney store while he was overseas.

E. F. Van Horne, Pudney’s direct supervisor while at Camp Dix, offered generous praise about his service.

“The first few months of his [Pudney] service were under my direct supervision, and as an educational worker I had none on my staff during my more than two years of service who did a better or more far-reaching piece of work than Mr. Pudney. He was at all times indefatigable in his efforts to promote the program as set forth by those in charge of the Educational Department. His main idea and controlling motive, as I observed his work, was, “Help the Boys.” He made friends of all he met and all liked him. At all times he was courteous and pleasant, and his cheerful “Good morning” made the day brighter for many a homesick boy, and his kindly “Good night” helped them to bed with lighter hearts. His smile was contagious and there was no place for gloom in his presence, and he smiled at times when it was hard to smile. Mr. Pudney never failed to receive most generous and heartfelt applause when he addressed the boys – a thing that many renowned speakers failed to receive.”[24]

Chaplain Paul J. A. Leduc also commended Pudney for his efforts on the U. S. S. Montana, an armored cruiser of the United States Navy. During World War I the U. S. S. Montana served as a convoy escort, and after the war had ended, the ship was repurposed to serve as a transport ship, taking American soldiers back home from the battlefields of Europe. The U. S. S. Montana made six round-trips to and from Europe, returning 8,800 American soldiers home.

“Gentlemen: When your representative, Overseas Secretary Bert Pudney, went down the gang plank of this vessel he carried with him the esteem and the love of all on board.

Mr. Pudney was not only a hard, willing worker, he was also a good cheerful shipmate. We all regretted to lose him and now that he is gone we want to express to his superiors our great appreciation for the work he performed here among us.

As a Chaplain, I am greatly indebted to Mr. Pudney for his kind assistance in helping me to put across my religious and morale work.

The “Y” has done the most possible for the officers and men of this vessel. Renewing the expression of our gratitude and thanking you in particular for what you did in the days when I was alone to do all the welfare work, I remain

Gratefully yours, Paul J. A. Leduc.” [25]

Upon his return from Europe, Pudney lectured on his experiences in various churches and nearby towns. He later wrote in the South New Berlin Bee about how his time in Europe taught him the need for perseverance.

“Carry On. On the battle fields of the world’s war, as the soldiers of England were dying, their last message to their comrades was Carry On. So to us there is a message left, Carry On. Sickness, sorrow, death, comes among us. A message is left as a force, a heritage that calls out to us. Take from the best we have left and with it Carry On. B. E. Pudney.”[26]

Pudney authored in 1919 a lengthy opinion article titled “Autocracy’s Guilt” as part of an advertisement for his business. The article provides some valuable insight as to Pudney’s thoughts on business, capitalism and politics.

“Visit European battlefields and devastated cities. Look upon beautiful landscapes caused by the God of War. Here and there great cemeteries stand by the side of the graves of those that you once knew in your homeland.

Realize deeply that all of this was caused directly through military power in Germany becoming Autocratic, domineering, absolutely selfish. For half a century the German people had become subservient to the military, when it was utterly crushed. The people’s will had been enslaved to their great War God and Kaiser. Then other fields must be theirs over in the battlefields of Europe and defeat. It took four years to crush this Autocracy. Right conquered, as it always and ever will.

Hew to the line and let the chips fall where they will. Autocracy of wealth and capitalism have learned their lesson and they know full well that their power and influence is subservient to the government and the people for the good of all. That profiteer who alone and in combines attempts or succeeds in cornering food and necessities of life is an autocrat and those who help him to finance it as capitalists are traitors to a people, and should be and they are treated as criminals.

All efforts of autocratic capitalist wealth to increase their wealth in this way should be met and stopped. When the capitalists or a stock bond holder attempts to make unreasonable profit by using his power to hold back labor from its honest due, then he has started an autocracy that must be met and made to yield to the good of all, all else advancing yet six per cent in the legal interest rate. On approved security there is millions to loan. Sugar would have been twenty-five cents per pound, flour would have been twenty-five dollars a barrel. Who held this down? Uncle Sam. No autocracy of wealth can exist with us, for Uncle Sam is awake on his job.

Autocracy organized labor, for years holding sway in our land, for years has had the sympathy and confidence of American people. When our nation was forced into war and in her greatest stress, in a crisis as it were, organized labor issued from its central stronghold an ultimatum to Congress and President that unless certain papers and bills were signed at 10:00 a.m. on a certain date, the wages highest in our history, hours of day’s labor the shortest.

When all Europe’s world was in danger of Autocracy of Germany’s military, we ourselves became slaves of German powers, they would stop every railroad, every factory and every dock and every ship as far as possible. For a moment in its crisis our Congress and President weakened – the bill was signed. Never again. This was Autocracy of the most dreaded kind. Four million members of labor unions throughout the United States became discredited by it. Because of this unreasonable spirit of demand or we strike, collective bargaining of bodies of men to be controlled by leaders who can do with them as majority wishes, practically making slaves of the minority, must become illegal and unlawful.

Uncle Sam may have been held up for the moment, but Uncle Sam is now awake. No autocracy of wealth, however combined, no autocracy of organized labor, is to tell him where he can get off or get on. All must succeed to exist for the common good or go down to defeat, same as Germany’s autocracy military has, the same as all autocracy. Turn back the scroll of history, my reader, and from the world’s beginning learn thereby that disaster comes to all who for selfish personal reasons start out to take from others that which belongs to them.

The writer wants success to come to labor and capital alike when they are in the right, on the other hand, just punishment and defeat when either or both are in the wrong.

After the great Roosevelt was elected President of the U. S., he was invited to a banquet by certain labor organizations. One of the speakers said now the doors of the White House will swing open easier for us. Immediately Roosevelt was on his feet, exclaiming “Yes, but just as easy for the capitalists.” There should be no distinction. The laborer is a capitalist. Neither gets more out of life than the other. Hand in hand they must go, realizing this, that they exist for the common good of all; that labor unions’ membership totals only four million, so-called capitalists much less; that Uncle Sam clothes and feeds over a hundred and ten million of his own people, as well as other millions. Prosperity of the richest and best kind is ours and the great middle classes, which represent over a hundred million, will have the final say in this grand republic of ours.

The best in capitalistic forces, the best in organized labor, will come to the front and clean out the radical elements and stand with a firm determination for our national welfare. Their very existence as organized forces depend on it.

Yours, B. E. Pudney.”[27]

In 1919 Pudney helped establish an Employment Bureau at the village of Sidney. The bureau was available to every line of work, including farmer, factory, mercantile, railroad, housekeepers and professions. The expense was limited to 50 cents for each person seeking a position that submitted an application, and another 50 cents for each person from anyone who hired a job applicant. Within a week it was reported that the employment bureau “has started off with a good rush.”

The 1920 United States census listed Pudney as living with his wife Katherine at the village of Sidney in Delaware County, New York. Also in the household was Bert’s 5-year-old daughter Louise and his 2-year-old daughter Katherine. Pudney’s occupation as a “Merchant, retail music store.”

Business at this time, following the World War 1 years, was growing rapidly for Pudney. In one January 1921 advertisement he noted sales of $28,000 in 1919 and $66,000 in 1920, while setting a goal for $100,000 in 1921.

B. E. Pudney's Piano & Music Store, Sidney, N.Y. Author's collection.

In 1922 The Morris Chronicle carried an amusing anecdote about Pudney, with a well-known reputation as a salesman, having seen a beautiful buck deer.

“Saw a Buck Deer. Wednesday morning the 23d inst., B. E. Pudney, while driving his Brockway truck on the state road near the Sackett farm, between East Guilford and Rockdale, at about ten o’clock saw an unusual and beautiful sight.

It goes without saying that B. E. P. clapped on the brakes to take in the show. Coming across the Sackett River flat was seen a splendid full grown buck, with large branching antlers. It was a pretty stunt to see how easily and gracefully the big fellow cleared the fences. No guns, no dogs after him, he was in no hurry, cool as a sliced cucumber on ice.

Ex-mayor Pudney was so thrilled in admiration that he didn’t even try to sell him a phonograph.”

During the 1920s Pudney, in addition to his commercial interests, began to offer lectures to the public on a variety of topics. One “of his famous lectures” was titled “Something Hidden, Go and Find It.” Another popular lecture was known as the “Three Links,” in reference to the concept of “friendship, love and truth” of the Odd Fellows, an organization that Pudney was a member of. Pudney was “a noted speaker and needs no introduction, as he has spoken in several nearby towns. Do no fail to hear him.”[28]

In 1928 Pudney’s music store, that had been located at 40 Main Street in Sidney for the prior 12 years, moved to the Melnick block on Division Street.

In 1928 “ex-mayor B. E. Pudney of Sidney has accepted an appointment to the Republican Publicity bureau, tendered by the New York State Republican committee. Mr. Pudney will be assigned to the field work following the State convention to be held in Syracuse, 28th inst.”[29]

Despite operating a successful business for nearly 40 years, by 1929 Pudney faced numerous financial challenges, and was forced to declare bankruptcy. The bankruptcy petition, filed at federal court in Utica, listed Pudney with $25,971 in liabilities and $13,534 in assets, including $6,000 in real estate and $7,534 in contracts with various customers in many villages. The federal court, in a finding by Judge Frank Cooper of Albany, determined that Pudney had conformed with the bankruptcy law and was therefore entitled to a clean financial slate and a new start, free from debt.

In 1930 United States census listed Pudney living with his family at the village of Sidney in Delaware County. Also listed in the household was Bert’s wife Katherine A., his two daughters, Louise and Katherine E., and his son Clinton. Despite his prior bankruptcy, Pudney’s occupation was listed as “Retail merchant, music store.”

By late 1931 Pudney was beginning the process of closing out his business, taking the “opportunity as a Sidney merchant, to thank his many customers and friends who, for 38 years, have been faithful and helpful during his association with them.” [30] In July 1932 an auction was held to sell off all the remaining stock of the Pudney’s store. That same month, upon completion of the auction, the local newspaper noted that Pudney “has closed out his store business in that village [Sidney] and for the first time in over forty years is not carrying a store key in his pocket.”

Throughout his career Pudney was an avid believer in the value of marketing. His advertisements could be found in local newspapers on a weekly basis. At one point he boasted of advertising in between 14 to 25 different newspapers at the same time. He routinely sponsored free band and orchestra concerts in front of his store, at the Congregational church or in some of regional villages. He gave away records with the purchase of a phonograph. He accepted, at 100 cents on the dollar, Liberty Loan Bonds that were issued in support of World War I. For several years, in order to promote his line of sporting goods, he sponsored a fishing contest with cash prizes for the largest catch and the largest trout.

Pudney's New Piano and Music Store of Sidney, N.Y. The Otsego Journal. April 20, 1914.

In one notable marketing event on August 5, 1920 Pudney made arrangements to fly over the villages of Guilford, Oxford, Norwich, North Norwich, Sherburne, New Berlin, South New Berlin, Mt. Upton, Rockdale, Sidney and more. At each location, from an elevation of 3,000 feet, he dropped a flag, and any person returning the flag to Pudney’s store would be entitled to $10 credit towards the purchase of a phonograph, piano or sewing machine. In total Pudney dropped 16 flags over 80 miles of flying in 75 minutes.

Earlier in his career, in order to promote his line of bicycles, Pudney conducted a popular guessing contest at the village of Edmeston. Pudney placed a large number of beans, shot and pins within a sealed glass can. For 5 cents per guess, anyone who guessed the correct number of items in the glass can would win a Pennant bicycle. One person spent close to $10 in trying to win. In the end, there were 3,694 items in the can, with the winner, F. H. France of Cobleskill, coming closest with a guess of 3,697.

Pudney was married twice, with his first marriage being to Sarah De Etta Stratton. She was born in Smithville on August 4, 1865, the daughter of Thomas and Ruth Stratton. She passed away suddenly in 1907 and is buried at Riverview Cemetery in Oxford, New York. Upon her passing the local newspaper wrote a glowing tribute to her.

“Mrs. Pudney had many warm friends, who admired her untiring energy, her cheerfulness in a ceaseless routine of work, at the store as well as at home. In her daily affairs she came in contact with large numbers of people and commanded the friendship and respect of them all.

. . . It is difficult to pay a fitting tribute to the memory of one so worthy; one whose every day life was embellished by the best attributes of womanhood. She ran the journey of her life in forty-two years. It was a path marked with deeds of kindness and cheer. Flowers, not thorns; sunshine, not shadow, she scattered about her. Truth was the inspiration of her life and by kindness she exemplified its great worth.”[31]

Pudney remarried on October 24, 1912 to Katherine A. Bennett, daughter of Marvin Bennett and Josephine L. (Hammond) Bennett. The ceremony took place at Church of the Transfiguration, more well known as the “Little Church Around the Corner.” For the five years prior to their marriage Katherine had worked as a school teacher in New York City. Katherine passed away in 1984 and is buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Sidney, New York.

Clinton L. Pudney, Bert’s son, was killed on June 16, 1943 during a training flight while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II. Pudney had been awarded the George Cross for his actions earlier that year, in January, for heroism during a previous training action. The award citation reads: “While engaged on a practice flight, the Halifax aircraft in which Sergt. Pudney was flying as a mid-upper gunner struck high ground, crashed and burst into flames. Three members of the crew were killed, and the others, with the exception of Sergt. Pudney, were too severely injured to extricate themselves from the burning wreckage. Though suffering from severe lacerations on his face, and in spite of loss of blood and shock, Sergt. Pudney entered the blazing aircraft several times, and finally succeeded in bringing all his companions out. He then struggled over rough moorland for two miles to obtain help.”

Katherine (Pudney) Thomas, Bert’s daughter, was born on October 10, 1917 at Sidney, New York. Katherine earned a nursing degree from the University of Buffalo, New York in 1941 and later earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati in 1966. She worked as an instructor at the St. Francis School of Practical Nursing for ten years and later became a nursing instructor at the College of Nursing and Health at the University of Cincinnati. Katherine retired from the University of Cincinnati in 1980, but continued to work as an advocate for the American Diabetes Association and remained active with St. James Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. She married Everett A. Thomas in 1942. Everett worked as a ceramic engineer. Katherine passed away at 94 years of age on November 11, 2011. She is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Emily Louise (Pudney) Day, Bert’s daughter, was a graduate of Sidney High School and passed the New York state nursing board examinations in 1936. She began her career at Wilson Memorial Hospital in Johnson City, New York. She later worked as a registered nurse for many years at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey. She retired in 1984. She had lived in Belmar and Wall Township, before moving to Point Pleasant, New Jersey about 40 years before her death, likely after the passing of her husband in 1969. She married George James Day in 1934. George, a graduate of Sidney High School and Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, worked at the C. L. Reynolds Radio Testing Station at Binghamton, New York and was later employed for 27 years as a program manager at the Army Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Emily passed away at 95 years of age on June 20, 2009 at Meridian Hospice in Brick, New Jersey.

Merton W. Pudney, Bert’s twin brother, passed away at 93 years of age on January 5, 1962 at East Hartford, Connecticut. He had lived at East Hartford for 45 years and was employed at Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company until his retirement in 1948. He was a member of the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. He was survived by his wife, Katherine (Mildrum) Pudney and two sons, Delos Pudney and Dennison Pudney, both of Syracuse, New York. He is buried at Center Cemetery in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Pudney was active in the community, at times serving as fire chief, village trustee and as mayor for several terms for the village of Sidney. He volunteered as the superintendent of the Sunday school program at the Congregational church. Through various fundraisers he supported the local chapter of the Epworth League, an organization that was founded in 1889 and was comprised of Methodist young adults. He served on the local Chamber of Commerce, and was on the child welfare committee, giving “much of his time for the betterment of children’s conditions over the county.”

In 1919, Pudney, along with several others, helped found a local troop of the Boy Scouts at Sidney. In 1922 he was elected to serve as president of the Sidney Automobile Club. He served as Secretary for the annual Pudney and Church family reunion for 34 years from 1899 to his passing in 1933. He was active with both the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows community organizations.

Part community service and part marketing, Pudney often provided free musical concerts to the community. Pudney commented during a series of 1914 concerts at Unadilla, Gilbertsville, Morris, Garrattsville and New Berlin that the “music will be as free as water and his purpose is to have people learn to love music more and to know better what the latest musical instruments can do.”[32] At times the concerts were conducted in front of his music store.

Pudney donated many musical instruments to various organizations and schools over the years. In January 1916 it was reported that he had donated at least 60 instruments in the prior three years. Some of the recipients included the Sunday School at East Guilford (piano), the Rockdale school (six octave organ), the Women’s Relief Corps (square piano), and the Gilbertsville district school (organ).[33]

Legacy

Upon his passing it was written that Pudney was “one who served our community faithfully and well, promoting to the best of his ability, its welfare during 39 years . . . the news of his unexpected demise proved a distinctive shock, causing deep regret wherever learned. Men, no matter how interested in public welfare, quite often fail of appreciation while living, only when they pass away, but too late do we realize the value of their services. His keynote was cheerful encouragement to all with an ever ready laugh, a merry gloom chaser, if there ever was one. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce and K. of P. Lodge, his suggestions were valued and his aim was always to aid the destitute and needy and his delight to make the juveniles happy and lead them only the right way.”[34]

Pudney passed away at 65 years of age on May 21, 1933 at the hospital at South Manchester, Hartford County, Connecticut while visiting his nephew, Milton Freeman. He had been in poor health during the preceding winter, and while at South Manchester took ill with bronchial pneumonia. The body was brought to the Carr & Hare funeral chapel at Sidney.

Funeral services were held at the Congregational Church in Sidney, with Reverend E. R. Holden officiating, assisted by Reverend Father Hogg, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Reverend F. W. Connell, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Knights of Pythias conducted the ritual burial service of the order in honor of their departed brother. Pudney is buried at Riverview Cemetery in Oxford, Chenango County, New York.

[1] Pudney, W. D; C. G. Stevens. Prospective History of the Pudney Family. Cleveland, Ohio, 1900.

[2] Sullivan, Dr. James. History of New York State 1523-1927. Vol. 6. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1927. pp. 156-157.

[3] The Essex Institute Historical Collections. Vol. 51. Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1915.

[4] “Mrs. B. C. Pudney.” The Otsego Farmer (Cooperstown, New York). September 19, 1913.

[5] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). July 29, 1893.

[6] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). May 26, 1894.

[7] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). July 13, 1895.

[8] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). May 19, 1894.

[9] “A Pleasant Anniversary. B. E. Pudney Received His First Victor Ten Years Ago – Loyal to the End.” The Cycle Age. Vol. 25, no. 6. June 7, 1900.

[10] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). March 6, 1897.

[11] “Pudney’s Liberal Offer.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). April 22, 1899.

[12] “Bert E. Pudney.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). February 25, 1899.

[13] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). February 9, 1901.

[14] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). October 10, 1908.

[15] Delaware Gazette (Delhi, New York). October 24, 1906.

[16] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). November 10, 1906.

[17] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). September 28, 1907.

[18] Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). March 20, 1909.

[19] Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). December 19, 1908.

[20] Unadilla Times (Unadilla, New York). March 26, 1909.

[21] “Sidney.” Oxford Times (Oxford, New York). October 25, 1911.

[22] “Elmore Car Agency in Sidney.” The Earlville Standard. February 12, 1912.

[23] “Mr. Pudney Has Offered Services.” The Otsego Journal (Gilbertsville, New York). June 27, 1918.

[24] “A Glowing Tribute.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). December 6, 1919.

[25] “An Appreciation.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). July 19, 1919.

[26] “Carry On.” South New Berlin Bee (South New Berlin, New York). July 31, 1920.

[27] “Autocracy’s Guilt.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). November 29, 1919.

[28] “Burlington.” The Otsego Farmer. October 21, 1927.

[29] “Vicinity News Briefly Told.” Unadilla Times. September 28, 1928.

[30] “To Close Out.” Sidney Enterprise (Sidney, New York). November 12, 1931.

[31] “The Late Mrs. B. E. Pudney of Sidney.” Oxford Times (Oxford, New York). January 1, 1908.

[32] “A Week of Music.” The Unadilla Times (Unadilla, New York). November 13, 1914.

[33] “A Public Benefactor.” South New Berlin Bee (South New Berlin, New York). January 29, 1916.

[34] “Then Came The Final Summons.” Sidney Record (Sidney, New York). May 25, 1933.

George A. Vallet – Kingston, New York Photographer

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

George A. Vallet was a prominent photographer at the city of Kingston in Ulster County, New York from the 1850s to the early 1880s. Vallet began his photography career around 1852 and took over the gallery of Robert H. Hill in 1857, offering photographs utilizing the daguerreotype process, which was the original photographic process. Over the next several decades, as photographic technology evolved, Vallet remained current with the times, offering ambrotypes, ferrotypes (tintypes, melainotypes), stereoscopic views, cartes de visite and much more. Vallet is considered one of the great photographers in Kingston history.

Portrait, Young Man, by George A. Vallet. Author's collection.

Biography

George Ambler Vallet was born on November 14, 1833, the son of Benjamin Franklin Vallet (1813-1852) and Maria (Copp) Vallet. Benjamin was born on February 3, 1813 at Kinderhook in Columbia County, New York; and was christened at the Reformed Dutch Church in Kinderhook on December 2, 1821.

Benjamin and Maria married in 1834 at Kingston, New York. Benjamin worked as a silversmith and as a jeweler. B. F. Vallet advertised his services in the local newspaper in 1837, providing a long list of goods for sale. Examples included watches, clocks, tea and coffee pots, knives and forks, silver and plated spoons, plated candle sticks and castors, spectacles, razors, pen knives and much more. The advertisement also stated that Vallet could repair clocks and watches. His business was located on North Front Street, at the head of Wall Street, in the city of Kingston.

Benjamin was a member of several fraternal organizations at the city of Kingston. He was a founding member of the Kosciusko Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, formed on May 10, 1843. He was also a member of the Excelsior Encampment, No. 21, and the Aretas Lodge, No. 172, both of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

The 1850 United States census listed George A. Vallet as living at Kingston village in Ulster County, New York with his parents Benjamin and Maria. Benjamin was listed with an occupation of Jeweler. Sixteen-year-old George, getting an early start in business, was also listed with an occupation of Jeweler. Also listed as living in the house were 13-year-old Maria Vallet, 9-year-old Henriette Vallet, 7-year-old Jane Vallet, 3-year-old William Vallet and 1-year-old Franklin Vallet.

William M. Vallette (1847-1922), George’s brother, is noted for having enlisted during the Civil War as a drummer boy in Company B, 20th Regiment, New York State Militia, when he was only 13 years old. After the war he was affectionately known by residents of Kingston as “Major.” He was very active in the affairs of Civil War Veterans, including being a popular member of the Pratt Post, Grand Army of the Republic (G. A. R.), serving as secretary and treasurer. Until a few years before his death, “he took great interest in playing the snare drum and was always willing to teach young men to handle the drum sticks and organize drum corps.”[1] He later worked in the insurance industry and served many years as the clerk to the city assessor. William passed away on April 26, 1922 and is buried with his brother at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.

Benjamin, George’s father, passed away at 39 years of age on March 23, 1852. He is buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York. His gravestone was “erected by members of the Kosciusko Lodge No. 86.”

Benjamin’s jewelry and silversmith business was purchased by John Vignes, Jr. from Vallet’s estate. John Vignes, Sr. was a native of France, where he had learned the trade of watchmaker. John Vignes Sr. came from a prosperous French family, with one brother who served as a general in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte, one brother who was a physician and one brother who owned a large vineyard. He had emigrated, along with John Choilet, his cousin, from France to the United States during the Napoleonic Wars.

John Vignes, Sr. had founded his business at Kingston around 1820. He died in 1850, and his son, John Vignes, Jr. continued with the trade, buying out the Benjamin F. Vallet’s business from his heirs. Vignes, Jr. would be succeeded in 1876 by his son James A. Vignes, who, in turn, was succeeded by his son, Everett A. Vignes. Everett was of the fourth generation of the family to follow the jewelry and watchmaking trade in Kingston, a family business that lasted for well over 100 years.

An advertisement published in The Daily Freeman in 1872 noted that Vallet “had an experience of over twenty years” in the photography business This would place the beginning of Vallet’s photographic career around 1852, when he was 19 years old. With the death of his father in 1852, and the subsequent sale of his father’s business, it is possible that Vallet had soon after switched careers from jeweler to that of photographer.

An article published in 1910 by the Kingston Daily Freeman talked of a photograph taken by Vallet in 1853. Vallet would have been 20 years old at that time.

“An Old Picture. In the window of the confectionary store of Frederick Lynes on Wall street is a picture of the old Excelsior Hose Company, No. 4, which was organized back in the 30’s. The picture was taken by George Vallett in 1853 from the window of his photographic gallery on the second floor of a building where the Herbert Carl Dry Good Company’s establishment is now located on North Front street at the head of Wall street. The company was grouped about their old hand engine in Wall street when they were snapped by the camera.

Their engine house was located on John street near Green street and they numbered 65 active and 40 honorary members. Only a few of this old-time brigade of flame quenchers now survive. Among them are Gillead A. Smith and Bernard McBride of this city and James Van Vleet of Brooklyn.

The 1855 New York State census listed Vallet as living in his mother’s house in the 2nd Election District of the town of Kingston. His mother was listed with an occupation of “Boarders,” i.e., keeping a boarding house. She likely undertook this new business after the passing of her husband Benjamin in 1852. George was listed with an occupation of Artist. Vallet was possibly working for R. H. Hill at this time, as he was a pupil of Hill’s and would take over Hill’s gallery two years later in 1857. Also living in the house were George’s siblings Antoinette, Henrietta, Jane, William and Franklin.

Vallet, of Kingston, married Mary Ann Hopkins, of Saugerties, on May 7, 1857. The ceremony took place at Saugerties and was officiated by Reverend M. Linn.

An 1857 newspaper advertisement noted that Vallet was the successor to photographer R. H. Hill. Vallet continued to operate this gallery at 72 North Front Street, in J. D. Wilson’s New Brick Building. Hill had operated the gallery at least since 1850, according to advertisements in the local newspaper.

Robert H. Hill (1812-1880) was the brother of Levi L. Hill (1816-1865), a minister and photographer, who in 1850 claimed to have invented a color photographic process. The claim was met with skepticism at the time and for the next 150 years, but was proven true in 2007 through a 6-month scientific study conducted by National Museum of American History.

It is interesting that Robert referred to his brother Levi’s supposed invention in a section of an 1857 newspaper advertisement. “All Daguerreotypes taken at the Gallery after this date may be re-taken in the natural colors for the mere cost of the materials, as soon as the process is made public, the subscriber having secured the exclusive right for Ulster County.”[2] This section of the advertisement was likely in response to prospective clients putting off having their picture taken for they had heard that a new color process had been invented, and preferred their likeness made in color.

Vallet was a pupil of Mr. Hill and “has been in practice some time. We once had some knowledge of this business, and have retained sufficient, we think, to enable us to judge a good Picture or a Daguerreotype operator who understands his business. Therefore, we can, with confidence state that Mr. Vallet’s pictures come up to the standard of first-class work. Consequently, the old customers of the establishment, and all others, can feel secure in having pictures equal in superiority to those which have made Mr. Hill’s rooms the general resort for good likenesses.”[3]

In October 1858 Vallet displayed his pictures at the Ulster County Fair. The pictures “received much notice, and were highly praised by all. They certainly were well finished, and taken in a most life-like manner.”[4]

In the late 1850s Vallet advertised extensively in the local newspapers. The business was originally described as a partnership under the name of “Vallet & Co.,” but that partnership “was dissolved in March [1858], and the interest of my partner purchased by me. I am now alone.” It is unclear who the partner was at this point.

April 24, 1857 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“Geo. A. Vallet & Co.’s Daguerrean Rooms. Colored Daguerreotype Likenesses, Ambrotypes, Crayon Pictures, Photographs, Stereoscopes & Chromotints.

The subscribers, successors to R. H. Hill, would respectfully inform the inhabitants of Kingston, and all those visiting this place, that they continue the Gallery at 72 North Front Street, in J. D. Wilson’s New Brick Building, where has been elegantly fitted up large and spacious rooms with all the improvements of the age, and with the LARGEST SKY-LIGHT between New York and Buffalo. They will be happy to wait upon those wishing a beautiful and colored Life-Like Miniature.

You are invited to call and examine their Specimens and mode of Operating, and if suited, to sit for your Likeness. Persons will not be expected to take their Miniatures unless entire satisfaction is given; but if the Likeness is taken from the Room, it will not be exchanged for less than fifty cents. The subscribers’ long experience in The Daguerrean Art, gives them the fullest confidence that they will be able to please all who favor them with a call. All work done at this establishment warranted fadeless and of the best order. Being permanently located, they are desirous of building up a reputation for Style, Cheapness and Durability.

PRICES – From $1 to $15, according to size and style of Case or frame; in Lockets $1. Those having poor Impressions can have them re-taken for 75 cents.

Ambrotypes – These are a new and beautiful style of miniatures, and by far excel anything before made in light and shade; they are only to be seen to be admired. Price the same as Daguerreotypes. They are made on pure crystal glass, and are more durable than any other miniature, as no acid will remove or inure them. They are taken in much less time than other pictures, so bring on the children.

Stereoscopes – These are produced by making two pictures at different angles, and after being placed in a stereoscope case a most wonderful effect is produced and the subject stands out like life itself.

For Sick or Deceased Persons, A HOUSE or LANDSCAPE where it is necessary to remove the Apparatus, $5.

GOLD LOCKETS always on hand and for sale Cheap.

FULL INSTRUCTIONS in the Art given on reasonable terms, to those wishing to engage in the business.

STOCK – All kinds of Operator’s Stock furnished at New York prices.

GEO. A. VALLET & CO.

Kingston, March 20, 1857.”

September 18, 1857 Advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“Pictures for the Million. Daguerreotypes at Reduced Prices. The undersigned, at their Daguerrean Rooms, No. 72 North Front Street, are now taking superior Ambrotypes at the exceedingly low price of 50 CENTS, put up in cases of the most unique and recent styles.

Pictures are taken in all kinds of weather, from 8 A. M., to 6 P. M., and executed in all cases so as to give entire satisfaction.

N. B. Pictures taken for sick or disabled persons at their residences.

GEO. A. Vallet & Co.

Kingston, Sept. 9, 1857.”

September 25, 1857 Advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“Now is the Time. If any one, for a moment, doubts the superior taste and skill of Geo. A. Vallet, in producing a beautiful picture and first-rate likeness of the original, all that is necessary to do is to stop into his Room and sit down, and in a short time all doubt will be removed. If the person is not suited, the picture need not be taken, and no harm is done. Mr. Vallet is now putting likenesses in small cases for 50 cents each. Who will grudge that amount for a little one, which if taken would make the representative invaluable to the parent.”

February 12, 1858 (1857-1858 advertisement), The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“OBSERVE. AMBROTYPES, LARGE SIZE, FOR FIFTY CENTS, Case Included, at G. A. Vallet & Co’s, 72 North Front Street.

CITIZENS AND STRANGERS, your attention is respectfully invited to the following remarkable reduction in prices. (Come and examine, and see for yourself.) Large sizes, twice the size ever offered before, for 50 cents. Extra large size or 1/4, for $1.50. Double extra size for $3.00, and all others in proportion.

If you would secure a likeness of your family or friends, you now have a rare opportunity to do so. What a treasure is a life like miniature of a deceased and departed friend; which, when looked at, call to mind all the associations incident to human life – besides being a valuable keepsake, and a memento that the person would not part with for any consideration. Come and see, and have your own taken and bring your friends with you.

Pictures taken as well in cloudy as fair weather; and no picture offered unless entire satisfaction is given.

N. B. Pictures put in Lockets for 50 cents.

GEO. A. VALLET & CO.

Kingston, Dec. 11, 1857.”

February 26, 1858 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“A GREAT GIFT!

Come and See for Yourselves. A SPLENDID large size paper Mache CASE AND PICTURE, valued at $15, to be given for a dollar picture, at Vallet & Co’s, 72 North Front Street.

Each purchaser will receive a ticket to draw the case; to be drawn for in one month. There will be no risk in trying, as you will receive full value in the Picture you purchase, and a ticket for the great gift.

Pictures taken from 50 cts. To $5, and all warranted to give entire satisfaction. Hours for operating from 9 o’clock, A. M., to 5 o’clock, P. M.

GEO. A. VALLET & Co. Kingston, February 22, 1858.”

April 28, 1858 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“The Picture Gallery of Mr. Geo. A. Vallet, (late Hill’s,) in North Front Street, is well worthy of a visit from an admirer of the arts. A new style of likenesses, recently produced by Mr. V., we consider a beautiful and an important improvement in the “Sun-painting” business. The picture has the appearance of standing out, giving it a fullness, to attain which heretofore has been the great difficulty with Daguerreans. We once had some knowledge of this business, and can therefore judge of the skill in it. Those who desire a good and life-like likeness should give Mr. Vallet a call.”

April 23, 1858 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“VALLET’S GALLERY, (FORMERLY HILL’S,) Wilson Building, 72 North Front St.,

Can supply in an instant an imperishable image of husband or wife, child or parent, or friend, which may, by the accidents of life become the fondest treasure and memento of the heart. It is the veritable reflection of the original, truthful as He who said “let there be light” painted by light itself.

The firm of Geo. A. Vallet & Co., was dissolved in March, and the interest of my partner purchased by me. I am now alone, and will spare no exertion to secure for the prosecution of the Art which has been my study and undivided pursuit for years, every discovery made by science. The ordinary Daguerreotype has been succeeded by the AMBROTYPE, MELAINOTYPE AND PHOTOGRAPH.

These are all decided advances in faithful portraitures and their beauty as mere pictures. Specimens of the several styles can be seen at my Gallery, to which I give a general public invitation.

The prices vary with the size and style from $5 down to 50 cents, and the Cases are of a rare variety, from a plain Morocco to the richest pearl and tortoise.

Hours of operating, sunny and cloudy days being equally favorable now, from 8 A. M. to 5 P. M. Terms reasonable for landscapes or pictures of the dead.

Vallet’s Gallery has been completely refurnished, and by the opening of an ample side light, the facilities for taking brilliant pictures are much increased.

GEORGE A. VALLET.

Kingston, April 1st, 1858.”

June 25, 1858, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“The new and improved style of Ambrotypes, with grained and receded background, now produced by Geo. A. Vallet, photographist, of this village are truly beautiful and the admiration of all who observe them. See Mr. Vallet’s advertisement in another column of the Press.”

July 23, 1858 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“Improved Ambrotype.

The undersigned has discovered a new process of Ambrotyping, by which the picture is THROWN OUT FROM A GRAINED GROUND, and represented in a perfectly life-like position.

He would therefore invite all persons interested in this art, to call and examine specimens of his work. He feels confident that his discovery is superior to anything ever before offered in the Daguerrean art FOR REPRESENTING LIFE ITSELF in the Picture. The price of pictures taken by the IMPROVED PROCESS, is from $1.00 upwards, according to size and style of cases.

G. A. VALLET, No. 72 North Front St.”

April 25, 1859 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“VALLET’S Photograph and Ambrotype Gallery, 72 North Front Street, over Wilson’s Hat and Cap store. Photographs copied from Ambrotypes and Daguerreotypes to a small size or large as life, and finished in oil water colors. Family groups and children’s likenesses beautifully taken for 50 cts. To $7.”

April 26, 1859, The Daily Chronicle (Kingston, New York).

“Vallet’s Photographs.– Mr. Vallet, of North Front street, is taking photograph likenesses, which are the most beautiful counterparts of the human face we ever saw. They far excel, in all the essentials of a good picture, the most elaborate and artistic oil paintings. In point of life-likeness, graphicness, mellowness of tone and brilliancy of coloring, they are unequalled by anything of the sort in these localities. Go to Vallet’s, and examine his specimens, and then get one for yourself, and our word for it you will like it.

Mr. Vallet is now prepared to take photographs of life size, and also take copies of ambrotypes and daguerreotypes of the smallest locket size, so that the copies shall be of any size from small and medium to life size.”

September 16, 1859, The Daily Chronicle (Kingston, New York).

“Vallet’s Ferotypes.–We have been shown one of the Ferotypes taken by Mr. Geo. Vallet of North Front Street. We would remark, by way of explanation, that a Ferotype is a picture taken on a prepared iron plate. They possess at least one advantage over those taken on glass – they are not easily broken. Some artists also think that they yield a cleaner and better defined picture. The picture shown us is a very good one, and if it is a fair specimen, Mr. Vallet’s pictures will undoubtedly be received with considerable favor by the public.”

September 26, 1859 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“NOTICE – The only place where Griswold’s Patent Ferrotypes are taken is at VALLET’S Gallery, 72 North Front Street, and have only been taken by me for a short time. GEO. A. VALLET.”

December 15, 1859 Advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“One dollar photographs. One dollar photographs. One dollar photographs.

Fifty cent Ambrotypes. Fifty cent Ambrotypes. Fifty cent Ambrotypes.

At Vallet’s First Premium Picture Gallery, 72 North Front St., Kingston, N.Y.”

December 29, 1859, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“The Holidays are Coming, so are Christmas and New Year. Young gents – If you wish to make a very acceptable present to your particular friends, just give me a call, at my Gallery, and have your very good looking phis taken, put in one of those superior cases just received at Vallet’s.

Old Gents – If you wish to make a valuable present to your family – something that will be highly prized, and something that will not get to be an old thing, give Vallet a call, at his Gallery, No. 72 North Front st., and have a superb Ambrotype, Photograph or any other style of picture you wish, ever taken by Daguerrean Artists. Vallet can suit all, so come one, come all.

Ambrotypes from 50 cts. To $5.00.

Photographs from $1.00 upwards.”

March 8, 1860 (1859-1860 advertisement), The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“For 30 Days, Ambrotypes in Cases, at Vallet’s Gallery, For 30 cents.

SOMETHING NEW At Vallet’s Gallery, 72 North Front St.

GRISWOLD’S PATENT FERROTYPE PICTURES, Which far excel all others now taken and are warranted to stand all kinds of climate and weather. They are only seen to be admired. Call and see, and you will soon be satisfied that they are just what you want.

GEO. A. VALLET, Kingston, Sept. 10th, 1859.”

May 3, 1860 advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“Young Lady, Do you wish to please that young Gent, who we have seen paying you particular attention? Given him the privilege of having an impression of that lovely face of yours. Go with him to VALLET’S and sit for a picture.”

Portrait, Young Girl, by George A. Vallet. Author's collection.

The 1860 United States census listed George, his wife and their newborn, one month-old daughter Viola living at Kingston in Ulster County, New York. George was listed with an occupation of Daguerrean Artist.

In 1860 Vallet moved his gallery from 72 North Front Street to a new location at 94 North Front Street, over Shaw’s Shoe Store. There, “he has fitted up a very fine light for his business. We have seen some likenesses taken at the new place which were of a superior order in every respect.”[5]

October 4, 1860 Advertisement, The People’s Press (Kingston, New York).

“WASHINGTON AMBROTYPE, PHOTOGRAPH AND NEILOGRAPH GALLERY, No. 94 North Front St., at the head of Wall.

HAVING removed from 72 North Front St. to my NEW GALLERY, 94 North Front St., over Shaw’s Shoe Store, and at the head of Wall Street, (with only one pair of Stairs to ascend,) I am now ready to receive visitors and to furnish them with a Photograph, Ambrotype, Melainotype, or Neilograph, superior to any ever made. Having a very powerful light, I am prepared to take children’s pictures in one half less time than heretofore. I am making pictures which cannot be beat, and would invite all to call at my New Gallery and see for themselves.

Pictures taken at prices to suit the times, as I am to be undersold.

REMEMBER THE PLACE – No. 94 North Front St., (head of Wall.)

Only look for WASHINGTON and the big Banner on the top of the building.

GEORGE A. VALLET.”

Vallet marketed his gallery in an 1861 newspaper advertisement in The Rondout Freeman.

“Vallet’s Photograph Gallery!!

Head of Wall Street, Kingston.

The Fine ARTS fully Represented at this Establishment.

Large Photographs!! Only $1 – duplicates of the same, half price.

CARD VISITES – four for $1 – or one dozen for $2.50. These visites are something new and decidedly handsome. The proof given by a call.

Card Photographs!! Or Heads – twenty-four for $1.

Pictures copied and enlarged from small pictures and colored.

Prices very Low. Work warranted; and no charge made for a look at the array of specimens always hanging in the gallery.

Kingston, October 3, 1861.”

An 1862 advertisement in the local newspaper described the wide range of products available at Vallet’s gallery.

“Vallet’s Photograph Gallery!

Head of Wall St., Kingston, N.Y.

Large Photographs! Carte de Visites! Vignettes! Ambrotypes, and all other style of Pictures taken in the very best style.

Oval GILT FRAMES for sale very CHEAP.

A LARGE assortment of Photograph Albums for sale at Low Rates.

Card Photographs of Miss Lavinia Warren and Commodore Nutt. The smallest man and woman in the world. For sale at 25 cents each.

GEO. A VALLET.”

In 1863 Vallet briefly operated a branch location at the village of Saugerties. The Saugerties Telegraph carried the following advertisement.

“Photographs and Card de Visites!

Having taken the Rooms of Mr. JERNEGAN for a short time, for the purpose of making PHOTOGRAPH PICTURES! I would respectfully invite the people of Saugerties to Call and Examine Specimens of Work at the Gallery, and if

The work will be under the charge of Mr. Jas. Beekman.

Satisfaction guaranteed in all cases or Pictures re-taken without extra charge.

GEO. A. VALLET. Saugerties, April 27th, 1863.

Mr. Jernegan will remain at the rooms to take Ambrotypes as usual.”

The 1865 New York State census listed Vallet as residing in the 2nd Election District in the city of Kingston. He was listed with an occupation of Artist. Also living in the household was Mary A., his wife; Viola, his 5-year-old daughter; Frances, his 2-year-old daughter; and Ellen Riley, a 19-year-old servant from Ireland.

Vallet marketed his gallery in an 1865 newspaper advertisement in The Rondout Freeman.

“Vallet’s Photograph and Ambrotype Gallery, Wall Street, Kingston, N.Y.

Cart de Visites, Vignettes, Ambrotypes, Photographs, Gems, Porcelains and all other styles of pictures.

The largest assortment of OVAL FRAMES, PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS, CARD PICTURES for sale in the County. Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes copied in Card Pictures and large Photographs, and colored in Oil, India Ink and Water colors.

Cards, $1.40 1/2 dozen; $2.50 per dozen.

Vignettes, $1.65 1/2 dozen; $3 per dozen.

Children’s Cards, $2 1/2 dozen; $3 per dozen.

Please call and see for yourself. Square Frames of ROSEWOOD, BLACK WALNUT and GILT. Made to Order.

GEORGE A. VALLETT.”

In 1865 and 1866 Vallet, now located at 12 Wall Street, advertised his services in the local newspaper The Rondout Freeman.

“VALLET’S PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY, 12 WALL St., Kingston, N.Y.

Porcelains, Ambrotypes, Card Pictures, Gems, Photograph Albums, Oval Frames, Rose and Gilt, Black Walnut and Gilt Frames made to order.

4 Carte de Visites, $1.00, 12 for $2.00

4 Vignettes, $1.25, 12 for $2.50

Duplicate Cart de Visites, $1.50 per doz.

Duplicate Vignettes, $2.00 per doz.

Specimens can be seen at Knapp’s Drug Store.

GEO. A. VALLET, Rondout, Nov. 17th, 1865.”

The Rondout Freeman wrote in the November 22, 1865 issue about Vallet’s work. “Geo. A. Vallett, of Kingston, a very successful and excellent artist, has shown us some very fine specimens of porcelaintypes, which for clearness and delicacy of finish equal any that we have ever seen. He has placed a number of his specimens on exhibition at Knapp’s Drug Store where they can be examined by our citizens. Mr. Vallet meets with great success in making pictures in all branches of the art.”

In 1867 The Rondout Freeman published another Vallet advertisement in their December 4, 1867 issue.

“Vallett’s New Photograph Gallery, Newkirk Building, Division Street, Rondout, N.Y.

The citizens of Rondout and county are invited to call and examine the specimens of this establishment, where they will find the best Pictures and the most complete Photograph Gallery in the County.

Pictures of all kinds known in the Photographic art taken IN THE VERY BEST MANNER.

Large Photographs, Cartes de visite, Vignettes, Ambrotypes, Gems, Bon-Tons, Tintypes and Porcelain Pictures.

Pictures taken in cloudy as well as in clear weather, and particular attention given to taking copies, Groups and Children’s pictures.

Gallery open from 8 o’clock A. M. until 5 o’clock P. M.

GEO. A. VALLETT, Artist.”

The 1870 United States census listed Vallet as residing in the village of Rondout, Ulster County. He was listed with an occupation of Photographer. Also in the household was Mary Ann, his wife; Viola, his 10-year-old daughter; and Frances, his 8-year-old daughter.

In July 1872 Vallet advertised his services in the local newspaper The Daily Freeman.

“VALLET’S PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY, 12 Wall Street.

Large Photographs, Card de Visites, Imperials, Shadow Pictures and Tin Types Taken.

Pictures of all kinds copied and finished in oil, water colors or India Ink.

Having had an experience of over twenty years, in which I gained a reputation which is well known to the citizens of this city and county, I flatter myself I can take pictures which will please the sitter and be second to none.

GEO. A. VALLET.”

The August 31, 1872 issue of the Kingston Daily Freeman carried the following Vallet advertisement.

“A Fine Picture. We were very much surprised on being shown an imperial photograph, colored in India ink, of Mr. William Bonner, to learn that it was produced at Vallet’s gallery in Wall street, western district. The entire picture is done in perfect taste and is much better, in every way, than we imagined home photographers could produce.”

The September 17, 1872 issue of the Kingston Daily Freeman carried the following advertisement.

“All persons wishing photographs and picture frames should call on Geo. A. Vallet, at his old Gallery, No. 12 Wall St.”

In December 1872 Vallet placed an advertisement in the New Paltz Times.

“VALLETT’S PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY, No. 12 Wall Street, City of Kingston.

Large Photographs for $1.50 and $2.

Cartes de Visite, $2.00 per dozen.

Tintypes, for frame, 4 for 50 cents.

Tintypes, for frame, 75c and $1 each

Pictures finished in India Ink, Oil and Water Colors. Oval and Square Frames all sizes and styles.

GEO. A. VALLETT, Kingston, December 16, 1872.”

The January 1, 1874 issue of the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote of a recent photograph taken by Vallet.

“George Vallett took photographs of Mr. Weiner’s turkey-Englishman yesterday, and now when they are shown people say ‘Why, it looks like Jim Cooper, don’t it?’”

In 1874, “Alderman Gross has had a fine picture of himself, in the uniform of Chief Engineer of the Western Fire Department, taken by George Vallet, the photographer. It is a large photograph finished in water colors and besides being a very accurate portrait of the ex-Chief, is a very handsome specimen of workmanship. It is on exhibition in Knapp’s window.”[6] The photograph was also described as a “fine colored photograph 26x30, the work having been done by Geo. A. Vallet of this city. It is a perfect likeness of the donor and a handsome adornment for the walls of the company’s rooms.”[7]

The 1875 New York State census listed Vallet as residing in the 7th Ward of the city of Kingston. He was listed with an occupation of Photographer. The household also included Mary A., his wife; Viola, his 15-year-old daughter; and Frances, his 12-year-old daughter.

The October 21, 1875 issue of the Kingston Daily Freeman carried the following advertisement.

"Vallett’s Gallery, No. 12 Wall street. Four Tintypes for 50cts, or eight for 75 cts.”

The January 5, 1878 issue of Kingston Daily Freeman wrote of the new location for Vallet’s gallery, now in the Rondout section of the city of Kingston.

“George Vallett, the photographer from the upper part of the city, has leased the rooms in the VanDeusen building on The Strand where he has established a gallery.”

In 1878 Sherriff B. Webb had photographs taken of every sheriff of Ulster County who held the office since 1843, a period of 35 years. He “had them handsomely framed and hung up in the sheriff’s office in the court-house, over the door. The work was done by George Vallet, the photographer on Wall Street, and the likenesses are very good. Their names are: John H. Schryver, who was elected in 1843; Charles Brodhead, elected in 1846; Jacob L. Signor, in 1849; John Griffiths, in 1852; Maurice Wurts, in 1855; Abraham A. Deyo, Jr., in 1858; Davis Winne, in 1861; Simon S. Westbrook, in 1861; Cyrenius F. Brill, in 1867; John W. Kerr, in 1870; Silas Saxton, in 1873; and William B. Webb in 1876. The most of these men are living, one of them being considerable over seventy years of age.”[8]

The February 6, 1879 issue of the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote of the new location of Vallet’s gallery.

“George Vallette, the Photographer, has had the rooms over Uncle Jake Fox’s on The Strand, fitted up for a gallery, and will open them on Saturday.”

The 1880 United States census listed Vallet as residing in Enumeration District 126 at the city of Kingston and with an occupation of Photographer. The household also included Mary Ann, his wife; and Frances A., his 17-year-old daughter.

On March 6, 1880 the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “McEntee & Dillon have had photographs taken of the engine they have constructed for Captain Dave Hitchcock’s new steamer which is to ply between Albany and New Baltimore. George Vallett took the photographs, the engine having been set up in the shop for the purpose.”

On September 20, 1880 the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “Company D’s men are ordered to be on hand at the Armory tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, preparatory to leaving the city for Hudson. Invited guests of the Company will join the Company at the Mansion House at about 9 o’clock, when Vallett will photograph the Company and the band.”

On December 22, 1880 the Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “Vallett is making photographs of the members of one of our hose companies.”

In 1881 it was reported that Vallet had recently vacated his photograph gallery on The Strand. Photographer Lorenzo Short took over the space, and had it cleaned and repaired. This was to be a branch location, with Short’s primary establishment in the Newkirk building, on Union Avenue.

By 1883 it was reported that Vallet had left Kingston to work in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. “George A. Vallett, the well-known photographer, is in town. He is now in the employ of B. Harris at Tyrone, Pa., who employs twenty-two operatives in his business.”

The 1910 United States census, 11 years after George’s passing in 1899, listed his widowed, 71-year-old wife Mary living in the city of Kingston with her daughter Viola and her son-in-law William Dickinson. Mary was listed as having had two children, only one of whom was living. William, who was born in Alabama, was listed as working as a floor manager in a dry goods and clothing store.

Legacy

Vallet was once described as “one of the leading photographers in this locality in the early days of the art, having galleries in Rondout and Kingston.”

George A. Vallet passed away at 65 years of age in Manhattan on June 1, 1899. He is buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York. His gravestone, erected by the Wheatfield Ulster County Civil War Round Table, reads “Kingston’s Premier Civil War Photographer.”

Mary Ann (Hopkins) Vallet, George’s wife, died at 76 years of age after a long illness at the home of George Stoddard, on the Saugerties road, on April 12, 1916. She “had many friends among the older residents of this city.” The funeral took place at the chapel of A. Carr & Son, No. 1 Pearl Street. She was survived by one daughter, Viola Dickenson of Summit, New Jersey. She is buried with her husband at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.

[1] Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). April 27, 1922.

[2] The People’s Press (Kingston, New York). March 6, 1857.

[3] “Kingston Daguerrean Rooms.” The People’s Press (Kingston, New York). March 20, 1857.

[4] “Ulster County Fair.” The People’s Press (Kingston, New York). October 22, 1858.

[5] The People’s Press (Kingston, New York). May 10, 1860.

[6] “Fine Picture.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). May 25, 1874.

[7] “Presentation by Hon. John A. Gross to Kingston Hose Company, No. 2.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). July 8, 1874.

[8] “Sheriffs of Ulster.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). October 28, 1878.

Winfield S. Davis – Ellenville, New York Photographer

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

W. S. Davis was a popular photographer at the village of Ellenville, New York from the mid-1880s to 1902. He also operated a branch gallery at Grahamsville, New York during the 1890s. Winfield was the son of Edwin A. Davis, a photographer in Rockland County, New York. Winfield sold his Ellenville gallery in 1902 after the passing of his wife Lillian. The gallery was purchased by Albert V. Porter, who operated the business until 1918.

Sam's Point. Author's collection.

Biography

Winfield Scott Davis was born on May 16, 1861 in New York City, the son of Edwin Augustus Davis (1836-1911) and Catherine Lavinia Davis (1839-1923).

The 1870 United States census showed 9-year-old Winfield living with his parents, 34-year-old Edwin A. Davis and 30-year-old Lavina Davis. The family was living at Orangetown in Rockland County, New York. Edwin was listed with an occupation of photographer.

The 1880 United States census showed 19-year-old Winfield living with his parents, 44-year-old Edwin A. Davis and 40-year-old Catherine. The family was living in New York County, New York. Edwin was listed with an occupation of photographer and Winfield was listed as “works at home.”

The 1878-1879 and the 1879-1880 catalogs of Columbia College in New York City listed a Winfield Scott Davis as being a first class student and a second class student, respectively, in the School of Mines. He was listed as residing at 491 6th Avenue. It is unclear if Winfield graduated from college as he was not listed in either the 1880-1881 or the 1881-1882 Columbia College catalogs.

Trow’s New York City Directory for the year ending May 1, 1880 listed both Edwin A. Davis and Winfield S. Davis working as photographers and both residing at 491 Sixth Avenue. This was also true in the 1882 and 1883 directories. The New York City Directory for 1884-1885 listed a Winfield S. Davis with a profession of photographer and a home address of 491 6th Avenue; but did not list Edwin A. Davis.

Winfield S. Davis met Lillian May Prindle while still a student at college. They were married on November 26 (or 29 depending on the source), 1883 in Highbridge, New York. Lillian was the daughter of Charles Bradley Prindle (1841-1904) and Fidelia A. (Ferguson) Prindle (1844-1907). Charles owned a hat factory and lived at Mill Plain, Connecticut. Lillian was born on June 29, 1867(8) and was raised in Mill Plain, Connecticut.

Lillian May Prindle is a direct descendant of Captain Nehemiah Keeler (1753-1838) who honorably served during the American Revolution. Keeler enlisted and served as a private in 1776; served in various regiments until 1780; and was promoted through the grades to Captain. He married Eleanor Rockwell at Ridgebury, Connecticut on June 15, 1772. According to Alexander DuBin, author of Five Hundred First Families of America, Lillian’s lineage, through her father, can be traced back over 1,000 years to Charlemagne (747-814), ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, and to other kings and nobility of Europe and France.

Winfield and Lillian had four children, including Wynetta, born September 14, 1884; Kittie, born August 5, 1886; Edwin “Eddie,” born January 8, 1888; and Dorothy Marguerite, born August 4, 1898.

Dorothy was born at Ellenville, New York but moved to Connecticut after her mother’s passing. She graduated from Classical High School at Springfield, Massachusetts in 1916. She was also a student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York in 1917-1918. She married Carl Oscar Carlson (1898-1970) on October 4, 1919. She passed away on August 11, 1971 in Scott County, Kentucky. Although it cannot be definitively determined if it is the same person, Colonel Harland Sanders, famous founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, was listed as one of the honorary bearers at Dorothy’s funeral. She is buried at the Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky.

“Georgetown, Ky. Mrs. Dorothy Davis Carlson, 73, widow of Carl Oscar Carlson, Carls Haven Farm, Scott County, died about 11 p.m. Wednesday at the John Graves Ford Hospital here after a short illness.

Since Mr. Carlson’s death in August of 1970 she had been president of the Lexington Photo Engraving Co., which he founded in May, 1946.

Mrs. Carlson, a native of New York state, was a past president of the Lexington Altrusa Club, and was a member of the Lexington chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Akielo Temple, Daughters of the Nile, Mt. Horeb Homemakers Club, and Salvation Army Auxiliary Club and the Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky.

She was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist and of the Mother Church in Boston, Mass.

Survivors are a son, Charles E. Carlson, Lexington; two daughters, Mrs. Harold Lofton Childs, Chelsea, Vt., and Mrs. L. Philip Williams, Columbus, Ga., and eight grandchildren.

The body is at Milwards Mortuary – Broadway, Lexington.”[1]

Wynetta Davis was the subject of newspaper articles across the country in 1910 when her wealthy husband Arthur Brady shot her. Brady, who was an invalid due to locomotor ataxia, died soon after the shooting. Wynetta remarried to James A. Benedict, but she died in an automobile accident three years later in 1913 at Danbury, Connecticut. She is buried at Milltown Cemetery in Brewster, New York.

Kittie married James Anderson Benedict, widow of her sister Wynetta, in New York City on December 24, 1916. She was a longtime resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado. While in Colorado she was a member of the Monday Progress Women’s Club of which she was president, the First Presbyterian Church, the Parker Prayer Group and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She passed away June 13, 1972 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Wynette Epp, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Edwin Augustus Davis resided at the city of Danbury, Connecticut for over 60 years. He likely moved there some time after the tragic death of his mother in 1901. Edwin’s World War I registration card listed his profession as a self-employed farmer at Mill Plain, Connecticut and also noted that he was supporting a wife, two children and a grandmother. He later worked as a machinist. Edwin died on March 3, 1962 at 74 years of age at Danbury Hospital. The funeral took place at the Albert W. Schmidt funeral home with Reverend Stoddard B. Williams, pastor of the King Street Christian Church, officiating. He was survived by two sons, Maurice Davis, of Danbury; and Donald Davis, of New Fairfield; a daughter, Mrs. Charles Tease, of White Plains, New York; and two sisters, Mrs. Oscar Carlson, of Kentucky; and Mrs. Kittie Benedict, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and several grandchildren. Edwin is buried at Milltown Cemetery in Brewster, New York.

Winfield and his wife Lillian likely came to the village of Ellenville around late 1885 or early 1886. The Ellenville Journal reported in December 1885 that E. A. Davis, Winfield’s father, had purchased the photograph gallery of Edward Lewis, a noted photographer who had previously worked in Kingston. Lewis had moved from Kingston to Ellenville three years prior in 1883 to open the gallery. After selling the gallery it was reported that Lewis, “having visited quite a number of places, north and south for a business location, has settled in the pleasant village of Nyack, Rockland County. We wish him success.”[2]

“Mr. E. Lewis, the photographer in Thompson’s building, has sold out his business to Mr. E. A. Davis, from Danbury, Conn., who has already taken possession and commenced work. Mr. Lewis, who has been among us for more than two and a half years, is not only a skillful and experienced artist, but an excellent citizen as well. We are pleased to learn that he does not contemplate immediate removal from town. We trust that Mr. Davis may find the lines fallen pleasantly, and meet with abundant success.”[3]

When Davis began trying to sell his gallery in 1900, an advertisement noted that the gallery was “established 18 years; 15 years present owner.” These facts would coincide with Edward Lewis founding the gallery in 1883 and Davis taking over around 1886. However, given the above-mentioned article that stated the gallery was sold directly to E. A. Davis, it is unclear if Winfield’s father, 1) purchased the gallery on behalf of his son; 2) or perhaps was, for a brief time, a partner with his son; 3) or operated the gallery by himself until his son arrived within a few short years. What is known is that within a few years advertisements and articles in the local newspaper referred to the photographer as “W. S. Davis,” rather than just “Davis.”

In the January 15, 1886 issue of the Ellenville Journal it was written that “Mr. Davis, successor to Lewis, the photographer, and whose card appears in another column, is a pleasant gentleman, an artist of some years’ successful experience in the city.”

In that same January 15, 1886 issue of the Ellenville Journal, Davis placed perhaps the first advertisement for his new gallery.

“Davis, Late of Fifth Avenue, New York, (Successor to E. Lewis,) Photographer. Portraits by Instantaneous Process. Photographs of Houses, Live Stock and Interiors. Copying a specialty. Thompson Building, Canal Street, Ellenville.”

The Davis gallery was located at 129 Canal Street in Ellenville. The reverse side of a cabinet card portrait taken by Davis noted that “Instantaneous process used exclusively. Negatives preserved. Duplicates can be had at any time.” His series of scenic stereoviews were issued under the title “Views of Ellenville and Vicinity.”

Through the years the Ellenville Journal, the local newspaper, wrote about Davis and his artistic photography. Below are some early examples of items that were published.

October 29, 1886, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, the photographer, presents a change of adv’t in this issue. Mr. Davis shows a line of much the finest views ever made with the camera in this section; and he is prepared to take views of any sort, including interiors, at short notice.

September 2, 1887, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, the photographer, has during the past week added to his collection of artistic and charming views of local scenery a cabinet photo of the Kaederkill Falls some distance east of Sam’s Point, on the eastern slope of the mountain. It is indeed a gem; the falls are unexcelled for romantic beauty by anything in the State, and the picture is perfect.”

In January 1887 the photographic work taken by Davis was recognized at the county fair conducted by the Southern Ulster Agricultural Society. “Davis, the popular photographer, had a booth on the ground, and had also a fine collection of his pictures in the exhibition building. These were justly admired. Mr. Davis has few rivals in his art.”[4]

Sam's Point. Author's collection.

Parkers Pass, Hanging Rock Falls. Author's collection.

Arching Rocks, Lake Mohonk and Vicinity Arching Rocks. Author's collection.

The Ellenville Journal continued to write about Davis in the late 1880s and into the early 1890s.

February 3, 1888 advertisement, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, (Late of Sixth Avenue, New York), Portrait and View Photographer! 129 Canal Street, Ellenville. Copying of Finest quality! 75 Stereoscopic Views Of Points of Interest in Ellenville and Vicinity. Views of all kinds and sizes made at short notice. Best workmanship. Moderate Prices.”

January 3, 1889, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, the photographer, has on exhibition at his rooms some elegant trout rods, hand-made. They are for sale also at the store of H. Tice & Co.”

April 26, 1889, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, the photographer, makes unexcelled views, and he has on exhibition and sale at his gallery a great variety representing many of the more notable points of attraction and bits of local scenery. And, by the way, now is just the time for obtaining a picture of your residences, grounds, street views, etc., while the foliage is putting forth, and before it becomes too dense.”

July 18, 1890, Ellenville Journal

“INTERESTING VIEWS.– City visitors will find at the art gallery of Davis, the photographer, a series of beautiful and very interesting photos of the natural attractions and wonders of this vicinity – unsurpassed by those of any other locality east of the Rockies. These embrace besides pictures of the village a great variety of mountain pictures – cliffs, crevices, glens, caves, and the like, with most enchanting waterfalls, not only of the mountain, but also in the hills and vales of the vicinage. Those who entertain summer guests may do them a favor by directing their attention to this rare collection. Not only will it afford “tips” for many a delightful ramble, but from it may be chosen pretty souvenirs of the summer’s outing.”

January 16, 1891 advertisement, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, Artist, Photographer, 129 Canal St., Ellenville. A fine stock of PICTURE FRAMES at low prices! Special from January 1st, for $5 I will make 1 16x20 3/4 life size crayon and 1 dozen cabinet photos!

Cabinet Photos, $2, $3 and $4 per Doz.

Copying of finest quality.

Views of all points of interest in the vicinity for sale at the studio. Views of all kinds and sizes made at short notice. Best workmanship. Moderate Prices.”

August 7, 1891, Ellenville Journal

“We observe that in some parts of the county artists from distant cities are employed to make views of buildings, grounds, local scenery, etc. There is no occasion to go abroad for that sort of work. Davis, the Ellenville photographer, is unexcelled in that line. And, by the way, he has on exhibition and sale at his gallery hundreds of views of notable features of Shawangunk mountain and the vicinity, embracing many scenic gems.”

In 1889 a photograph by Davis was published in The Photographic Times.

“Proper Credit.– We are informed by Mr. W. S. Davis, the well-known photographer of Ellenville, N.Y. that the Mosstype view of “Verkeederkill Falls,” in the “American Annual for 1889” is from his negative. We are glad to know who is entitled to the credit of such beautiful work, and would have been glad to credit him on the print had we learned of the authorship before going to press.”[5]

In 1891 Davis expanded his business by opening a branch gallery at the village of Grahamsville. He would continue to operate this branch gallery throughout the 1890s.

“Grahamsville Photograph Gallery! The subscriber will be in Grahamsville, and open a PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY for the following dates: November 5th and 6th, 12th and 13th, and 19th and 20th. Other dates will be announced later. W. S. Davis, Photographer, Ellenville, Oct. 30, 1891.”[6]

In 1892 Davis wrote a letter to the St. Louis and Canadian Photographer, a leading industry publication.

“Concerning the Aristotype.

Editor St. Louis and Canadian Photographer:

While the subject of “Aristo” is all the go, I will state that I have been working the process since August, 1889, at which time I saw some beautiful work in Boston by E. A. Gilbert. I bought one of his outfits and have since tried almost every kind of aristotype paper in the market – Gelatine and Collodion – and have come to the conclusion that the former is not what many claim for it, and cannot be made to withstand the different changes of our climate. [Gelatine prints can not be made that neither water, boiling hot or ice cold, will in any manner affect, no matter how long the contact. This seems to us will be sufficient to withstand any climatic change any country can ever be subjected to. – Ed. St. L. & C. P.]

Collodio-Chloride prints, self-prepared, and “Aristo,” were put into my show-case together with gelatine and albumen. The two latter faded and lost their brilliancy, while the former retained its tone and color.

The show-case which I have for testing the permanency of my work faces the northeast. When the sun strikes the glass in the morning, dampness from the gelatine and albumen prints condenses on the inside of the glass, and later in the day the water returns to the prints and the glass again becomes clear. The collodion prints, not susceptible to water changes, do not undergo this terrible ordeal, and with the recent hot water process is much easier of manipulation than either albumen or gelatine.

W. S. Davis, Ellenville, N.Y.”[7]

At the 1892 County Fair “Davis, our local photographer, had a rich and varied exhibit of the product of his skill, which by the way is unsurpassed. He had also a gallery on the grounds where he “took” the people.”[8]

Portrait, Well Dressed Man, by W. S. Davis. Author's collection.

Portrait, Young Woman, by W. S. Davis. Author's collection.

Business Imprint, W. S. Davis, Ellenville, N.Y. Author's collection.

The Ellenville Journal and other local newspapers wrote of Davis and his photographic gallery throughout the 1890s.

March 18, 1892 advertisement, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, Photographer, and Dealer in Amateur Supplies, Canal Street, Ellenville, N.Y. Finest equipped Gallery within Fifty Miles. I make Portraits and Views of all sizes. My Life Size Aristo, Sepia and Solar Aristo Enlargements are the finest that can be made. Parties wishing Crayon, Oil, Water Color or Pastel Portraits will do well to consult me.

The Collodio-chloride Aristo, making the best permanent picture, and the instantaneous process used exclusively.

Lady Operator in attendance.”

August 8, 1892, Middletown Times-Press

“W. S. Davis, the Ellenville photographer, has just finished a large pictures of Honk Falls, Mt. Menaga, Sam’s Point, Walnut Mountain, White Lake, and also a view of Ellenville. He has placed them in a beautiful oak-finished frame and hung them in the Weehawken depot.”

September 15, 1892, Middletown Times-Press

“The display of photos, etc., of Davis, the photographer, is the best ever seen here.” [At the annual county fair held by the Ulster County Agricultural Society.]

July 24, 1894, Ellenville Journal

“W. S. Davis has put on exhibition at the entrance to his gallery a very fine picture of Mr. Dwight Divine.”

September 18, 1896, Ellenville Journal

“W. S. Davis, the local photographer, proposes to open a branch in Liberty in a few weeks. Mr. Davis possesses the highest skill in his art.”

March 12, 1897, Ellenville Journal

“Davis’s large photo of the Reformatory was on exhibition a day or two in the County Treasurer’s office, en route to Albany.”

March 12, 1897, Ellenville Journal

“Davis, the photographer, is making cabinet photographs for $1.50 a dozen. That would seem to leave no motive to go abroad for pictures.”

July 9, 1897, Ellenville Journal

“Photographer Davis went yesterday to Jamestown, to attend the convention at that place, expecting to be absent until the 20th.”

The 1900 United States census showed 39-year-old Davis living at the village of Ellenville, town of Wawarsing in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household was his 32-year-old wife Lillian, and his four children, 15-year-old Wynetta, 13-year-old Kittie, 12-year-old Edwin and 1-year-old Dorothy. The census showed that Winfield and Lillian had been married for 17 years and that they had four children, all of them living. Winfield was listed with an occupation of photographer, while Wynetta, Kittie and Edwin were all listed “at school.”

Lillian, Winfield’s wife, tragically passed away in 1901.

“A sudden and sad death was that of the wife of Winfield S. Davis, the well known local photographer, which occurred about five o’clock on Friday evening last, after no more than fifteen or sixteen hours’ illness, death being attributed to congestion of the kidneys. Mrs. Davis had been well as usual the preceding day. During the night she was up with a child and took a chill. A physician was called early in the morning, and later others were summoned, but her malady seemed to defy treatment, and she steadily grew worse. In the afternoon she recognized the gravity of the situation, and an hour before her death bade her family good-bye. Mrs. Davis was in her 34th year; she was bright and winsome, and made friends at sight . . .

Much sympathy is extended to the sorely stricken family. Besides the husband there are four children – Winetta, Kittie, Eddie, and little Dorothy two or three years old. The mother of Mrs. Davis lives in New York, and a married sister in Hartford. Rev. Dr. Berg conducted a funeral service at 5 p.m. Saturday, and on Monday morning the remains were conveyed to Milltown, Conn., for interment, Dr. H. C. Derby accompanying. On his return to Ellenville Wednesday evening, Mr. Davis was accompanied by his father and mother.”[9]

Davis placed the following advertisement for his photography business in the July 4, 1902 issue of the Ellenville Journal.

“Davis, Photographer, will make, till stock is used up, 1 Doz. C. D. V. Photos for 50c. Cut prices in all sizes to reduce stock. F R A M E S at reduced prices.”

The following month Davis placed the following advertisement in the August 1, 1902 issue of the Ellenville Journal.

“Davis, Photographer, is making 12 Photos, C. D. V., for 50c. 6 Cabinet Photos for 60c. 1 dozen Carbonettes for 75c. This is less than the cost of the material used, and the price will last only as long as the stock on hand.”

Perhaps due to the tragic death of his wife, Davis offered his gallery for sale.

“FOR SALE.– One of the best equipped galleries in New York State; only gallery; town 4,000; fully stocked; small branch gallery 16 miles distant; established 18 years; 15 years present owner. W. S. Davis, Ellenville, N.Y.”[10]

The Davis Gallery was purchased by Albert V. Porter in September 1902.

“Albert V. Porter, for twenty-six years engaged at the knife factory, on Tuesday resigned his position as foreman of the material room, having been for some time in poor health and advised by his physician to seek a more congenial occupation. Mr. Porter has purchased the entire outfit with stock and good will of W. S. Davis’s photograph gallery taking possession this week. Mr. Davis has established a good reputation for the gallery during the past twenty years, and Mr. Porter, with artistic taste and a successful experience of some years as an amateur photographer, should do well.”[11]

After their mother’s passing, Wynetta and Kittie went to live with their grandfather, E. A. Davis, at Mill Plain, Connecticut. Dorothy, as per a note on www.findagrave.com, went to live with her mother’s sister, Grace Prindle Dexter, and her husband, Albert J. Dexter.”

In November 1903 it was reported that “W. S. Davis, formerly photographer in Ellenville, and his son are spending a few days in Kerhonkson, having come up from the city on a hunting trip.”[12]

In December 1903 Winfield remarried to Mayme MacNiff (1861-1923) in Manhattan, New York. It was her first marriage. Mayme was born in Pearl River, New York. Her parents were Philip McNiff and Susan (Webb) McNiff.

After selling his gallery, Davis became “interested in the production of milk flour by a patented process, and will give his attention wholly to that business, removing his family to Connecticut.”[13] The process called for “reducing skim milk to a powder called milk flour, that can be again turned into a liquid. The formula is a secret. It is with this company that W. S. Davis of this village is associated.”[14]

In 1910 it was reported that Davis was residing at the village of Centerville Station, New York with his second wife. Centerville Station would later change its name to Woodridge.

The 1910 United States census listed the 49-year-old Winfield Davis as residing in the town of Fallsburg in Sullivan County, New York. Also in the household was his second wife Mayme, to whom he had been married for seven years. They had no children together. Winfield was listed with an occupation of photographer, with an industry of “general work.”

Three years later, in 1913, it was reported that Davis was living at Mountaindale, New York. Mountaindale is located southwest of the village of Ellenville and within the town of Fallsburg in Sullivan County, New York.

The 1930 United States census listed the 69-year-old Winfield Davis, now a widow, as living in the village of Woodridge in the town of Fallsburg, Sullivan County, New York. He was listed with an occupation of photographer.

Legacy

Winfield Scott Davis left his mark on Ellenville’s history through over 15 years of artistic portraits of local citizens and beautiful landscape stereoviews of Ellenville and the surrounding region. Davis passed away on November 5, 1938 and is buried at Milltown Cemetery in Brewster, New York.

[1] “Engraving Firm Head Is Dead.” The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky). August 12, 1971.

[2] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). February 19, 1886.

[3] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). December 25, 1885.

[4] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). October 7, 1887.

[5] The Photographic Times. January 4, 1889. Vol. 19, No. 381.

[6] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). November 13, 1891.

[7] “Concerning the Aristotype.” St. Louis & Canadian Photographer. April, 1892. Vol. 10, No. 4.

[8] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). September 23, 1892.

[9] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). May 10, 1901.

[10] The St. Louis and Canadian Photographer. January, 1900. Vol. 24, No. 1.

[11] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). September 5, 1902.

[12] “Ellenville.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). November 2, 1903.

[13] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). September 5, 1902.

[14] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). August 1, 1902.

Alfred Wurts Tice – Ellenville, NY Photographer

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Alfred Wurts Tice (1829-1909) was a popular photographer at the village of Ellenville in Ulster County, New York for nearly two decades from the early-to-mid 1860s to the early 1880s. In 1881 Tice left Ellenville to open a photograph gallery at Corry, Pennsylvania. He returned to Ellenville in 1895 and worked as an assistant in the gallery of A. V. Porter. Tice passed away in 1909.

Logo, Alfred Wurts Tice, Ellenville, NY

Biography

Alfred Wurts Tice was born on October 19, 1829 at Phillipsport, New York. He was the son of John Tice and Huldah (Gumaer) Tice.

The name Tice can be traced back to the earliest days of the country. It “is of Dutch origin, and in the early records of New York appears in many forms, such as Tys, Tysz, Thys, Thysen, Thyssen. There seem to have been two persons called Claes Thyssen in New York City, each having a child baptized there in 1654. Garret Thyssen had a child baptized in New York in 1665, and Anthony in 1682. There was a Jan Thyssen Buys in New York in 1684. It is possible that the child baptized in that year was his first born in America.”[1]

John Tice, Senior, Alfred’s grandfather, was baptized in Montgomery, New York on February 14, 1767. From Orange County, he went to Mamakating, near Phillipsport, in Sullivan County, New York, in 1799. He died on September 3, 1849.

“John Tice was a son of Joseph Henry Tice, who came from Germany and settled near Montgomery in Orange County about 1735. His father started with him to America, but died on the way and was buried in the ocean. Joseph Henry Tice was the ancestor of the family of that name in this part of the country. John Tice married Sally, a daughter of David Horton of Mamakating, and lived near the northerly end of the village of Phillipsport, near the old house on the westerly side of the valley road having a basement partly in the bank to its rear, and more recently known as the VanBuren house. Philip Tice, a brother of John, also settled in Mamakating about the same time as his brother, and married Phebe, another daughter of David Horton. To the former were born eight children, all of whom grew up to be men and women; to the latter were born twelve children; and Methodism has run through both families down to the present generation . . .

In the second year of the present century Mrs. Sally Tice was converted at one of the local meetings, and shortly afterward her husband, John Tice, was also soundly converted. They both joined the Methodist society at that place, though David Horton, the father of Mrs. Tice, being a Baptist and strongly attached to that organization, vehemently objected. In regular German fashion, John Tice and his wife accepted Christianity as a great truth, and immediately began to put it in practice. Ever afterward their house was consecrated to the Lord, and became a rallying point for Methodism.”[2]

John Tice, Junior, Alfred’s father, was born on October 21, 1804 and passed away on December 24, 1853. John “conducted a large general store at Phillipsport for many years, and also engaged in farming. He was an active member of the Methodist church. He married Huldah Gumaer, who was undoubtedly a descendent of the old family of that name at Port Jervis.”[3] Huldah, Alfred’s mother, was born on July 30, 1806 and passed away on August 22, 1868.

Alfred was the oldest of John and Huldah’s four children. Alfred’s siblings included Wickham, born December 2, 1831; Margaret, born January 13, 1834, wife of Gouverneur Nickerson; and Helen (Ellen), born on August 17 (19?), 1843, married Wesley Holmes. John and Huldah are buried at the Chester A. Stanton Memorial Cemetery in Wurtsboro, New York.

During his youth Alfred was educated in the public schools at Phillipsport.

The 1850 United States census showed Tice residing at the town of Mamakating in Sullivan County, New York. Alfred was living in the household of his parents John and Huldah. John and Wickham, Alfred’s brother, were listed with an occupation of farmer. Alfred was listed with an occupation of blacksmith.

Alfred was first married to Louisa ----, who was born on November 6, 1828(9) and died on November 17, 1852. He married a second time on October 1, 1854 to Irene Miller. The ceremony took place at Grahamsville, New York. Irene was born at Grahamsville, New York on April 7, 1825. Irene was the daughter of Joseph S. and Hannah W. Miller. Joseph had come to Grahamsville from Connecticut.

Sometime in the early 1850s Tice went to live at the village of Ellenville. James Strode Elston in The Tice Families In America, puts the year at 1850; while the obituary for Irene (Miller) Tice, Alfred’s wife, stated that the couple moved to Ellenville in 1854 soon after their marriage. In 1857 Alfred built a house at Ellenville which they owned for over 50 years.

Together Alfred and Irene had four children, including Royal, born January 21, 1856, died July 18, 1856; James W., born July 4, 1857, married Jennie ----, and lived in Chicago; John A., born June 29, 1859; and Perry S., born on January 24, 1865.

James W. Tice, Alfred’s son, was for many years a trusted employee of the Standard Watch Company in New York. In 1894 he was transferred to Chicago, where he assumed “the important position of manager of the Western Department. He receives an increased and very handsome salary.”[4] James passed away on January 20, 1936 at Chicago, Illinois.

John Arthur Tice, Alfred’s son, became a prominent member of the Ellenville Community. He passed away on June 25, 1923 after an attack of acute indigestion.

“John A. Tice, Secretary of the Ellenville Savings Bank, is a descendent of ---- Tice, who came to America upon the Mayflower. The descendants of the progenitor of this family are found in Dutchess and Sullivan Counties, from whence our subject’s father came into Ulster, some sixty years ago.

John A. Tice was born at Ellenville, June 29, 1859. He attended the public schools and finished his education at the Wyoming Seminary, of Pennsylvania. After leaving school he was engaged in the jewelry business for a time and later in the shoe business with Burr Eaton. In April, 1883, he accepted a position as bookkeeper in the Savings Bank, where he has since continued and of which he was elected secretary in 1906. Mr. Tice married Miss Harriet I. Hoar, and to them has been born one son, Rodger DuBois Tice. Mr. Tice is a Mason, Knight Templar, President of the Scoresby Hose Company for the past fifteen years, and one of Ellenville’s most influential and trustworthy business men. He is highly regarded by all.”[5]

Perry Schultz Tice, Alfred’s youngest son, died suddenly in June 1917 “while walking along the street on Monday evening, from heart failure. The body has been shipped to Ellenville for funeral and interment.”

“Perry S. Tice was 52 years of age and a son of A. Wurts Tice, one of the old residents of this village. He grew to manhood in this place, was educated in the Ellenville schools, and for quite a number of years was connected with the Ellenville Savings Bank. Upon leaving Ellenville some years ago, Mr. Tice went to Chicago, from there to Houston, Texas, where he has since been employed as a travelling salesman by a firm of that city, selling fire department supplies.

The news of his death came as a great shock to his relatives and many friends in this village, where he has been so well and popularly known. He is survived by two brothers, James Tice, of Chicago, Ill., and John A. Tice, of Ellenville.” [6]

In May 1863 Tice placed an advertisement in the Ellenville Journal for his photography business, which he had taken over from George H. Payne, who, in turn, had taken over from Jonathan Penny. The 37-year-old Penny was listed with an occupation of “artist” on the 1860 United States census. The gallery was located over Corbin’s Drug Street on Canal Street.

“Ambrotypes & Photographs! Having rented and fitted up the PICTURE GALLERY, formerly occupied by George H. Payne, Over Corbin’s Drug Store, Canal St., Ellenville, the subscriber is now ready to take Ambrotypes and Photographs! In the Best Style, and at low prices. His friends and the public are invited to GIVE HIM A TRIAL, as he feels assured that his pictures will prove entirely satisfactory in every respect. Call and See for Yourselves! Remember this place – Over Corbin’s Drug Store, Canal Street. A. W. Tice, Ellenville, May, 1863.”

Tice placed additional advertisements in the local newspaper during the mid-1860s, including the below examples.

January 7, 1865, Ellenville Journal

“Premium Picture Gallery! Ambrotypes, Photographs, Cartes de Visites, produced in a style not excelled anywhere. Call and see specimens. Entrance to Gallery next door to Corbin’s Drug Store. A. Wurts Tice, Ellenville, Dec. 17, 1864.”

September 8, 1866, Ellenville Journal

“A TALL MAN.– Saul, the first Hebrew king, stood “head and shoulders” above all others, and was a splendid specimen of a king and man. So are the Pictures from TICE’S Gallery unrivalled – Don’t be humbugged! Poor pictures are dear at any price! Ambrotypes, Photographs, Porcelain Pictures, Ferrotypes, & c., & c., made in the very best style, on as short notice, and at as low prices as at any other establishment. A perfectly satisfactory picture guaranteed. Don’t be humbugged!”

September 28, 1867, Ellenville Journal

“Photographs, Ambrotypes and Porcelain Pictures at the photograph saloon, over Childs & Smith’s Drug Store, where the subscriber has facilities for making and furnishing Pictures in any style, from a Plain Gem to a Life Size Photograph in Colors, and Prices Ranging Accordingly! Also, copying from small pictures done on reasonable terms. A. Wurts Tice, Ellenville, June 9, 1866.”

The 1870 United States census listed 40-year-old Tice as living in the town of Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York. Also listed in the household was his wife Irene and his three sons, James, John and Perry. Tice was listed with an occupation of photographer.

In addition to his portrait work, Tice issued a series of views under the title “Stereoscopic Views in the Vicinity of Ellenville.” Views included scenery in the village of Ellenville and around the southern edge of the Catskill Mountains.

In June 1871 the Ellenville Journal wrote about some of Tice’s recent photographic work. “Mr. Tice has left on our table a number of handsome stereoscopic views, including the “Neversink River Bridge and Trestle,” “Little Falls and Trestle,” and “Little Falls.” These are very fine pictures, neatly mounted in the usual style for the stereoscope. Mr. Tice is making a view of Honk Falls near Napanoch, and proposes to make a number of others of local interest.”

Tice advertised his business in the Gazetteer and Business Directory of Ulster County, N.Y. for 1871-1872. Included was a graphic advertisement on page 324 and a brief description on page 323.

“A. Wurts Tice, Photographer, Canal Street, Ellenville, N.Y., whose card appears on page 330, is getting out some of the finest pictures to be found in Ulster County. His pictures have a life-like expression, rendering them very desirable. Let those who wish for good pictures, at low prices, give him a call, and he will satisfy the most exacting.

The December 13, 1906 issue of the Ellenville Journal wrote of a photograph taken by Tice in 1871, and his following injury.

“A photograph hanging in the office of the Journal editor presents an excellent likeness of Pastor Clarke and each of the officers and teachers of the Ellenville M. E. Sunday School in 1871, when it was taken by A. W. Tice, the figures about thirty in number being grouped on the steps of the Methodist church. The picture, though hanging for thirty-five years, well attests the skill of the artist. By the way, Mr. Tice, who soon afterward lost an eye by a flying chip from a casting in a machine shop, is still able to do fine retouching as assistant to A. V. Porter.”

Below are several additional advertisements placed by Tice in the local newspaper to promote his photograph business.

October 19, 1876, Ellenville, Journal

“A. Wurts Tice, Photographer, Over Corbin’s Drug Store, opposite Liberty Square. Pictures of all kinds and styles; prices according.”

June 22, 1877, Ellenville Journal

“Photographs! Photographs! If you want to get faithful likenesses, artistically finished, cheap, visit the Photographic Studio of A. Wurts Tice, The Ellenville Photographer.

It is not necessary to patronize a “travelling artist,” when an old neighbor and life-long resident of the town can do the work as well. Come and see me.

All kinds of Portraits taken, from Imperials down to Tin Types.

A. WURTS TICE, Canal street, over Meinhold’s store, Ellenville, June 22, 1877.”

The 1880 United States census listed Tice living in the village of Ellenville, town of Wawarsing, in Ulster County, New York. Also living in the household were his wife Irene and his three sons 22-year-old James, 20-year-old John and 15-year-old Perry. Tice was listed with an occupation of photographer, James as a clerk, John as a clerk in a boot and shoe store and Perry as a clerk in the Savings Bank.

In 1881 Tice left Ellenville to establish a new gallery at the city of Corry in northwestern Pennsylvania. During a return to Ellenville in 1885, “after an absence of three years,” Tice reported that “business shows some signs of brightening up.”[7] Tice operated his photograph gallery at the village of Corry for approximately 15 years.

In 1895 it was reported that “A. Wurts Tice, who has been away from Ellenville for a term of years, most of which time he spent at Corry, Pa., has returned to town, intending to remain here. Mr. and Mrs. Tice will occupy a portion of their dwelling house on Canal street.”[8] He lived at Ellenville for the remainder of his life.

For some time after his return to Ellenville Tice worked as an assistant to A. V. Porter retouching photographs. Albert V. Porter was a popular portrait and landscape photographer at the village of Ellenville in Ulster County, New York. Porter, after many years working at a knife factory, took over the studio of W. S. Davis in the early 1900s and successfully served the Ellenville community for nearly 20 years. By late 1918 Porter faced a significant health challenge in losing his eyesight, and therefore retired from the photography business and sold his studio to Casper Cosenza.

The 1900 United States census listed 70-year-old Tice living in the village of Ellenville in Ulster County, New York. Also in the household was his 74-year-old wife Irene. The census showed that Alfred and Irene had four children, of which three were living. Tice was listed with an occupation of photographer.

Legacy

Alfred Wurts Tice was a well-respected member of the Ellenville community. “He was an upright, conscientious citizen, respected by all, a member of the Methodist church, and of Wawarsing Lodge, No. 582, of the Masonic fraternity.”[9]

Alfred Wurts Tice passed away after a short illness on February 5, 1909 at Ellenville, New York. He was survived by his wife, to whom he had been married for over 50 years, and three sons, John A. Tice, secretary of the Ellenville Savings Bank, and James and Perry of Chicago. He is buried at Fantinekill Cemetery in Ellenville, New York.

Irene Miller Tice, Alfred’s wife, passed away at her home on September 14, 1910. “Mrs. Tice had been in her usual good health until about ten days ago and not seriously ill since. She passed a good night but at five o’clock called for a drink of water and expired before it could be given her . . . Mrs. Tice was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and active in its work. For many years she conducted a mission Sunday school at the West End, over the store of Jesse M. Low, which did a great deal of good.”[10] The funeral services were held at the home of son John A. Tice on Centre Street. Irene Tice is buried with her husband at Fantinekill Cemetery.

[1] Reynolds, Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914. p. 1009.

[2] Gray, John G. History of the Rise and Progress of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Wawarsing and Mamakating Valleys. Ellenville, N.Y.: Charles F. Taylor, 1897. pp. 6-8.

[3] Reynolds, Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914. p. 1010.

[4] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). August 17, 1894.

[5] Clearwater Alphonso T. The History of Ulster County, New York. Kingston, New York: W. J. Van Deusen, 1907. p. 693.

[6] Middletown Times-Press (Middletown, New York). June 14, 1917.

[7] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). July 17, 1885.

[8] Ellenville Journal (Ellenville, New York). December 13, 1895.

[9] Reynolds, Cuyler. Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914. p. 1010.

[10] “Local Death Record.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). October 15, 1910.

J. J. Cornish – Walton, New York Photographer

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

J. J. Cornish was a photographer during the early 1870s at the village of Walton in the western Catskills of Delaware County, New York. Cornish had previously worked as a photographer for most of the 1860s at Dodgeville, Wisconsin; and after leaving Walton he worked as a photographer at several small villages in Colorado.

G. S. Mead's Residence. Author's collection.

Business Imprint, J. J. Cornish, Walton, N.Y. Author's collection.

Biography

John Jay Cornish was born on June 15, 1824, the son of Jacob Miller Cornish (1791-1852) and Susan (Patricke) Cornish (1796-1862). Jacob and Susan were married in New York City on January 1, 1818. Jacob worked as a carpenter and lived at Pine Hill, New York.

John was one of eight children. His siblings included William Henry (b. 1818); Alexander Hamilton (b. 1821); Nathaniel (b. 1822); Cornelius (b. 1826); James Chilson (b. 1829); Benjamin Franklin (b. 1833); and Abraham Loami (b. 1835).

William is supposed to have been killed by Quantrill’s Guerillas in Missouri during the Civil War. Alexander was a carpenter who lived for some years at Lexington, New York, but later moved to Menlo Park, New Jersey. Nathaniel died young when he was around two years old. Cornelius died young, although at what age is unknown. James was a carpenter and builder, being credited with constructing over 33 churches in various parts of New York. James later operated the Cornish House, a popular boarding house, at Pine Hill, New York. Benjamin worked as a manufacturer of window sash and lived at Pine Hill, New York. Abraham was a veteran of the Civil War, and worked as a silver plater and lived in Brooklyn, New York.

This line of the Cornish family can be traced back from John seven generations to Thomas Cornish, who settled at Newtown, New York (Long Island) very soon after its settlement in 1651. Newtown was renamed to Elmhurst in 1897. Thomas worked as a maker of pipe staves, or cooper.

Benjamin Cornish, John’s grandfather, was born in 1749. He married Freelove Miller, of Newtown, New York. “He was one of the leading citizens of Newtown, N.Y., both in church and town affairs. The church there was destroyed by the British soldiers during their occupation of New York in the Revolutionary War, and the organization was broken up and dispersed, and he and his wife, with three or four others, were all who gathered together again after the war to reorganize and rebuild the church. The British army was encamped near by his home all through the war, and the soldiers robbed him and his house of nearly everything that was of use or value that they could carry away. He seemed to be the particular object of their annoyance and abuse because of his known patriotic sentiments.”[1]

John married Sarah Jane Bowne (1824-1899), of New York City, on June 13, 1847. Sarah was born on February 23, 1824 at Paterson, New Jersey. John and Sarah had seven children, including Marcia E. (1853-1859); Susan A. (b. 1855); Mary Ida (b. 1857); Florence E. (b. 1859); Francis E. (b. 1862); Sarah Emma (b. 1865); and John A. (1867-1955).

Sarah passed away at the age of 75 on Friday night, February 24, 1899 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Kennedy, after a long illness. She is buried at the Hillside Cemetery in Saguache, Colorado. Sarah was well regarded in the community, as per her obituary published in the Saguache Advance.

“She has left six children behind in sorrow, to meet her husband in God’s immediate presence who preceded her about four months.

The last three years she had been a great sufferer a part of the time. During these ordeals of bodily affliction, she evidenced to the satisfaction of all who saw her what only a child of God can endure and not complain. She never murmured in the midst of numerous combined afflictions.

She had been a member of the M. E. Church for fifty years, upright and consistent. She was a kind hearted mother and wife and a devout Christian faithful unto death. She has gone to her reward as a devout disciple of Christ. May her remaining children “fight that good fight of faith” and meet her in the glories of heaven. Pastor.”

The 1860 United States census listed John as residing at Merrimac in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Also living in the household was his wife, Sarah Jane; 64-year-old Marcia Bowne; his daughter, 4-year-old Susan Amelie; his daughter, 2-year-old Mary Ida; and his daughter, 8-month-old Florence Ella. John was listed with an occupation of carpenter. The three daughters were all listed as having been born in Wisconsin, meaning it is likely that John was living in Wisconsin at least by the mid-1850s.

By the year 1861 John seems to have switched careers from carpentry to photography. That year, while living at Dodgeville, Wisconsin, he placed an advertisement in the local newspaper for his new photography business.

“Something Worth Having – A Good Picture. J. J. Cornish would respectfully inform the public that he is prepared to take Ambrotypes, Melainotypes, Carte De Visites, Views of Residences, Locket Pictures taken and old pictures copied, he is fitted up expressly for the business, having a skylight, an indispensable article for getting a good picture.

Please call at the car nearly opposite the Court House and see his Premium Pictures.

Dodgeville, November 13th, 1861.”[2]

Cornish quickly established a reputation for excellence. At the 1861 Iowa County Fair (Dodgeville is located in Iowa County, Wisconsin) he won an award for “best ambrotype.” The following years, in 1862 and 1863, he won the award for best daguerreotype and for the best ambrotype. In 1864 and 1865 he won the award for “best ambrotypes” and for “best photographs.”

In 1866 and 1867, in addition to winning “best ambrotypes” and “best photographs,” Cornish was also awarded the premium for “best porcelain pictures.” At the 1867 fair, the local newspaper noted that “Mr. Cornish displayed his usual taste in the arrangement of his splendid lot of sun pictures. His extra talent in the picture business has shut out competition, and he consequently always gets the first premiums.”[3]

In 1862, the Dodgeville Chronicle published a poem titled “The Picture” about Cornish and his photography business.

“I tell you friends, I see’d a sight,

I swow it beats all nater,

A sausage stuffer set on legs,

Just like some tarnal critter.

The man what keeps the pesky thing,

Has other funny fixtures,

Inside his little Rail Road car,

Where he takes the folk’s pictures.

And if you go inside his car

And sit down just a minit,

The deuced little varmint’s sure

To have your picture in it.

He calls some picturs Ambrotypes,

And when he goes to take ‘em,

He pulls the muzzle off its nose,

And it paints your face Verbatim.

Or if you wish another kind,

That’s struck fast on’ter paper,

The dasted thing, can do it up,

To beat all human nater.

It must a tuck a mighty pile,

To buy the little critter,

And get them little boxes too,

To put the picters inter.

But still the pictures are so cheap,

That all of you might have ‘em,

And give one to your sweethearts, when,

You’r goin’ off to leave ‘em.

And now, all you that wants a picter

That’s made ’th’out paint or varnish,

Take my advice and go and see,

The Artist John J. Cornish.”

Throughout the 1860s the Dodgeville Chronicle, the local newspaper, carried various advertisements from Cornish and also published updates on his photographic business.

April 2, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Mr. Cornish has just been fixing up his car in first class order, where he will be found ready to take pictures in the highest style of the art, as good as the best, and as cheap as the cheapest.”

April 23, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Something Worth Having – A Good Picture. J. J. Cornish would respectfully inform the public that he is prepared to take photographs, carte de visites, vignetts, ambrotypes, melanotypes, taken in the highest style of the ART. View of Residencies, Locket pictures taken and old pictures copied.

Persons living at a distance wishing Photographs or Carte De Visites, by leaving their address can have them mailed.

1-16 size card pictures, of one person, 12 for $1.00.

Carte De Visites, of one person, 3 for $1.00.

Vignetts, of one person, 3 for $1.00.

Large sized photographs put up to suit purchasers. Oval, Gilt, and Rosewood frames, also Photograph Albums.

He is fitted up expressly for the business, having a skylight, an indispensable article for getting a good picture. Please call the car opposite the Court House, and see his Pictures.

Dodgeville, January 20th, 1863.”

April 23, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Mr. J. J. Cornish has just been fitting up his car in a handsome manner, and is now ready to attend to all orders for pictures. See advertisement in another column.”

July 2, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“THANKS.– That Mammoth pie plant, & c., from the garden of Mr. Cornish was quite a treat. Success to him. And we would just make a passing remark to those who wish to preserve the life features of themselves or their friends, they cannot do better than go to his car and have their photographs & c., taken. He will satisfy you, our word for it.”

August 20, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“We paid a visit the other day to the Photographic car of friend Cornish, and were shown some of the finest new specimens of work that we have seen for many a day. Mr. Cornish is a true artist, and those wanting good pictures cannot do better than to patronize home manufacture.”

December 10, 1863, Dodgeville Chronicle

“The Holidays are coming. For nice pictures go to Cornish’s.”

February 18, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Secure the shadow, ere the substance fade.” – And the best place to secure that perfect shadow, in Iowa County, is without exception at J. J. Cornish’s Photographic Gallery in Dodgeville.

Mr. Cornish has been with us some time, and deserves considerable credit for his perseverance in building up quite a respectable business, out of the poorest kind of a show. He has lately received from New York one of those large sized cameras, the best in use; it is warranted to take a perfect picture, at any distance from three feet to six miles, when worked by one who understands its use, and every one knows that Mr. C. is a thorough artist, and being fully prepared with apparatus, chemicals, cases, mats, frames, & c, to take and finish those large and justly admired photographs, in the best style of the art, we would recommend those wishing such to call on Mr. C. at an early day.”

March 24, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Something New.– Our friend J. J. Cornish, Photographic Artist, is determined to be up to the times, and has now procured from Chicago, a splendid view of the far-famed Hudson River; it is got good style, and sets off the background of a photograph very handsomely. If you want your Carte de Visite in good style, surrounded by beautiful scenery, call at J. J. Cornish’s Photographic Gallery.”

July 21, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Our excellent artist J. J. Cornish got a very good and almost instantaneous photograph of YANKEE ROBINSON’S band carriage, private carriage, & c. in front of his rooms, while they were in town, including over thirty persons in the street, and on the steps of the Court House. Since Mr. Cornish has made so many additions and improvements to his gallery, he cannot be beat in this part of the State for taking perfect life-like pictures, scenes or views.”

July 28, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Signs of Prosperity.– Our energetic citizen artist, J. J. Cornish, Esq., is engaged in putting up a fine business building adjoining the residence of A. B. Robinson. Success to you friend C.”

October 20, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“By calling on J. J. Cornish you can see a stock of the best Photographic Albums ever brought to Town. Go soon and secure one before they are all gone, for they are going like hot cakes.”

November 17, 1864, Dodgeville Chronicle

“The other day we chanced to step into the new Photograph Gallery of our friend J. J. Cornish, and we must confess that we were pleasingly surprised to see with what taste and good judgment his rooms were fitted up. They are by a long way superior to anything we had seen in this part of the country, and being of ample size and well furnished, they look far more like business than the little cooped up place where the photographs and ambrotypes which have taken the first premiums at our County Fairs, for the last three years have been made.

The Gallery has been built expressly for the business, and consequently is furnished with one of the best sky-lights in the country, and has other conveniences necessary to the successful development of photographs. Now we believe that most, if not all, of our readers know that Mr. Cornish is a first-class artist, for a great many have tried him, and others have had our testimony heretofore, but as a gentle reminder or a refreshener of the memory, we would just state that he actually is the best artist in this part of the State, and can furnish pictures in as good style as can be done at any other place. By all means give him a call.”

April 13, 1865, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Saved from Deserting. How inexorable are the laws of war; and how harsh – and at times we are led to say unjust – are some of the regulations, by which our country’s brave defenders are governed.

One brave fellow, who at the first call of his country, left his wife and three sickly children, had served faithfully more than two years; had been in almost every battle, was wounded nine times – thinking it an honor to be wounded in his country’s service. But the hour of temptation came. His wife wrote him that the children had grown quite healthy, and that her friends complimented her by saying she looked better than ever she did before.

His desire to see his wife and family was now intense, he had repeatedly asked for a furlough, and as often been refused; finally he had concluded to desert the service and see them, if he lost his life in so doing. But he was prevented; his wife knowing his anxiety to see them, paid a visit to J. J. Cornish, Photographic Artist, of Dodgeville, Wis., and procuring pictures of the whole family, sent them to him. On their arrival, the husband pronounced them so good and life-like, that he determined not to desert; and to this day the wife thanks Mr. Cornish for saving her husband from utter disgrace and probably an ignominious death, by taking such good photographs of herself and children.”

August 10, 1865, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Our good looking photographic friend, Cornish, was quite a heavy loser by the hail storm in the breaking of nearly every light of glass in his fine large skylight; but like the energetic fellow that he is, all damage is repaired, and today he is again busy taking pictures as if not a pane of glass had been broken. Success to you, friend C.”

December 21, 1865, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Oh wad some pow’r the giftie gie us.

To see oursel’s as ithers see us.”

J. J. Cornish, photographic artist of Dodgeville, possesses that giftie, in a larger degree than any other man in Iowa County, and he is ready and willing to gie it to anyone on application. In other words, he takes the most perfect likenesses, either ambrotypes, photographs, or the later styles of pictures. They are so perfect that we may look on them and “see oursel’s as ithers see us.” Little did the poet think in his day, that art would ever arrive at such perfection. His porcelain pictures, a new thing in this part of the world, are really splendid. They are without doubt, the most perfect likeness of anything yet produced. Don’t fail to call on J. J. Cornish, at this gallery over the Post Office, if for no other purpose, by all means call and see his new style of pictures.”

January 4, 1866, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Cornish, being determined not to be behind the times, has so perfected his arrangements that he is now prepared to take those celebrated Porcelain pictures. So if you want a portrait taken in the latest and best style of the art, go to Cornish’s.”

May 31, 1866, Dodgeville Chronicle

“People come from Mineral Point, Linden, Highland, and in fact, every other part of the county, to let J. J. Cornish have a look at them through his excellent camera. Mr. Cornish’s five year’s operations in this place have established his character as a Photographer, and it now stands far ahead of any other person in this part of the state.”

February 7, 1867 advertisement, Dodgeville Chronicle

“J. J. Cornish’s Photographic Gallery. Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Being monthly in receipt of all the improvements and novelties in Europe and eastern cities, is now better prepared than ever to put up all styles and sizes of PICTURES. He also keeps constantly on hand Picture Frames consisting of Gilt, Rose Wood, Black Walnut, and other kinds. Also, albums of different styles and prices, for sale cheap. Give him a call – opposite court house. Dodgeville, February 7, 1867.”

February 7, 1867, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Cornish is still at the head of his profession in this part of the world. His photographs and porcelain pictures are unsurpassed, and so perfect are they that we are inclined to think they are unsurpassable.”

February 14, 1867, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Do our readers generally know that Cornish is now prepared to take those splendid cabinet sized pictures? If they never did before, they know now. If you want a good picture call and get one of these celebrated pictures of Cornish.”

December 6, 1867, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Those patent chain back Albums which Cornish is offering for sale, are truly nice. They are handsome, good, cheap and durable.”

June 12, 1868 advertisement, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Something New.– Cornish, of the Dodgeville photographic gallery has purchased the right of this county for a new invention, “Robinson’s Photograph Albums, or revolving pictures.” It is an elegant little box, about 6 by 10 inches, and 6 inches high; a beautiful ornament for a center table, and so arranged that the pictures can all be seen, 50 in number, by turning a knob, without opening the album. But what is the use of our attempting to describe it, for when we have finished you would of course go and see it, and then would have a better idea of it than we could give you in a whole page.”

July 3, 1868 advertisement, Dodgeville Chronicle

“J. J. Cornish, Photographic Artist, and dealer in photographs, chromos, lithographs, steel engravings, stereoscopic views & stereoscopes, revolving albums, chain back and common albums, cord & tassels, frames & c. & c. Pictures framed to order.

Persons wanting Albums should call and see my revolving albums. They are the best article ever introduced for the preservation of pictures.

Dodgeville, July 3, 1868.”

J. J. Cornish, Photographic Artist

September 4, 1868, Dodgeville Chronicle

“J. J. Cornish, Photographic Artist, has closed his gallery for the present to complete the job he has been at for several weeks, of putting in one of the best skylights in the west. It is a style of skylight which has been thoroughly tried in the east, and has answered so well, that it is rapidly superseding all others, and as Mr. Cornish wants to make as good pictures as any artist in the United States, he concluded he must have one of these lights. He promises to have his improvements all completed and to open again in about two weeks.”

December 11, 1868, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Cornish has a fine collection of elegant pictures, which are very appropriate for holiday presents. Call and see them.”

December 18, 1868, Dodgeville Chronicle

“We would call the attention of the marriageably inclined to a novelty “photographic marriage certificate,” for sale at “Cornish’s gallery and the Primitive Methodist parsonage” – that is Cornish will take your photograph, and Rev. Alderson will perform the ceremony and furnish the certificate, which is really beautiful. We are printing some, not quite so elaborate, the price of which will bring them within the reach of all.”

December 25, 1868, Dodgeville Chronicle

“Cornish, at his gallery, has a large and beautiful assortment of pictures, albums, etc., suitable for holiday gifts.”

January 1, 1869, Dodgeville Chronicle

“J. J. Cornish at the Dodgeville photographic gallery has a large and well selected assortment of steel engravings, chromos, and other pictures and photographic albums, which are “in seasons” as presents at all times. He is the best artist in this part of the state, invariably taking the premiums at the county fair.”

February 12, 1869, Dodgeville Chronicle

“How much money would be necessary to buy the picture of a departed friend or relative? How would you like to part with the likeness of little Minnie, who died last summer? Don’t wait till it is too late, but get a copy of all your children and relatives. You will prize them highly in the coming years. Mr. Cornish is doing some excellent work in the photograph line. Give him a call at once.”

In June 1869, after approximately eight years at Dodgeville, Cornish made plans to move to New York. His gallery was taken over by Isaac C. Jones.

“Going.– The many friends of John J. Cornish will be sorry to hear that he leaves with his family for New York on Monday next. Mr. Cornish came to this village about eight years ago. He had a small photograph car, and a very limited stock. Being a first class artist, and a very industrious man, he gradually increased his business and facilities until he was acknowledged the best artist in this part of the country. He built a fine building on Iowa street, and for years has been doing a very good business. But his family growing up, and being ambitious, he has concluded to move to a larger field for operation. Mr. Cornish has always been recognized as an enterprising, liberal and good citizen, and we part with him with many regrets, but with every wish for his future success, health and happiness.”[4]

By the summer of 1869 Cornish was living at the village of Walton in Delaware County, New York. He quickly went to work, taking stereoscopic views of the scenery in and around Walton. By early 1870 he had fitted out photographic rooms over J. B. Gray’s Trimming Shop on North Street. In April 1870 Cornish had “the frame up for his new house and photograph rooms, near the residence of H. B. Niles.”[5]

By June 1870 Corning had moved from J. B. Gray’s place to new rooms at his residence, at the head of North Street, “where he claims to have the best facilities in the county for taking a good picture.”[6] An advertisement in the local newspaper on November 2, 1870 placed the Cornish gallery “three doors above the Methodist Church, on North Street, Walton, N.Y.”

The 1870 United States census listed 46-year-old John as residing in the village of Walton in Delaware County, New York. He was living with his brother, James C. Cornish, and his family. John was listed with an occupation of photographer. James Marion, John’s nephew, was listed with an occupation of apprentice photographer. James was working as a carpenter. John’s wife and children were not listed as residing in Walton.

On February 8, 1871 the Walton Chronicle wrote that “we are in receipt of a winter view of Mead’s Dam, taken by our excellent Photographic Artist, Mr. J. J. Cornish. It was taken as a stereoscopic view, and will go with the other views of Walton, taken last summer. Mr. Cornish’s views are equal to the best views made by New York City artists.”[7] Cornish continued to advertise his gallery at Walton in May 1871.

At this time, it is not known how long Cornish remained at Walton beyond 1871, but by around 1880 he had moved to Colorado, where he was working as a photographer at the village of Del Norte. The 1880 United States census listed Cornish as residing at Del Norte in Rio Grande County, Colorado. He was listed with an occupation of photographer. He was listed as living alone, with his family not being listed with him on the census.

The town of Del Norte was established in 1874, only six years before Cornish’s approximate arrival. It originally served as a base camp for the workers in the nearby gold and silver mines. As the town grew, it also served as the social, financial and commercial center for nearby communities, including Silverton, Platoro, and Lake City. Today Del Norte, supported by the local farming, agricultural and tourism industries, continues to serve as the county seat for Rio Grande County, Colorado.

In May 1881 the village of Del Norte was the location of great excitement; scenes of which Cornish was able to photograph. Arthur Pond, using the alias Billy Leroy, and his brother, Silas Pond, using the alias Samuel Potter, had conducted a robbery of the Barlow & Sanderson stagecoach on May 18 in the area, six miles east of Clear Creek. A search party from Del Norte was quickly organized to track down the robbers. Both Pond brothers were captured by the local authorities soon thereafter and taken to the jail at Del Norte.

The citizens of Del Norte had ideas other than the normal course of legal proceedings. A large mob of around 40 armed men went to the jail on the night of May 23. They overpowered the sheriff and the guards, pulled the two robbers outside, placed them in a wagon, took them to a large cottonwood tree located near the depot on the north side of town, and they were hanged.

The bodies were photographed by J. J. Cornish, first at the cottonwood tree where they were hung, and again when they, “stiff as steel bars,” were propped up against the outside of the jail. These photographs, with the caption “Adios, Pond Bros. – road agents,” were then offered for sale by Cornish to the citizens of Del Norte. Arthur and Silas Pond were buried in a distant section of the Del Norte Cemetery.

The San Juan Prospector, the local newspaper, published a detailed article about the incident in their May 28, 1881 issue. The title of article was “Buzzard Meat,” and was followed by the sub-titles of “Leroy and Potter, Road Agents and Desperadoes, Captured by Del Norters. They register at the Del Norte Jail, are Taken out by Masked Men, and “Fixed” for the Coyotes. Both Men Die Game, Not Even a Whisper for Mercy or Time to Pray. Broken Necks are Trumps, and Billy and Sammy Ornament the Lower Pits of Hades. Full Particulars of the Picnic, From the Robbery to Rope. Bad Men.”

In 1882, the Saguache Advance, the local newspaper, wrote a brief profile about Cornish, praising his abilities as a photographer and his “indomitable pluck.”

“Mr. Cornish, our photographer, is a genius who ought to be liberally patronized. He has the free use of only his left hand, and yet he has built his present house and rooms, has manufactured his own instruments so that they can be operated with the left hand, and he now has all arranged for doing first-class work. He has done all this while fighting against ill health. An old photographer who recently visited his photograph gallery, told your correspondent that Mr. Cornish had his lighting facilities so arranged that they were the best in the state outside of Denver. He does good work. A man who shows such indomitable pluck, and who is master of his art, deserves a liberal patronage from home and abroad.”[8]

In 1884 Cornish advertised his business in the local newspaper. The advertisement read “San Juan Photographic Art Gallery. J. J. Cornish, Artist. I defy all honorable competition in quality or price, and have a good stock of photographic material on hand that will be made up at the lowest living prices. Examine prices and work. No Sunday work.”[9] That same year it was advertised that Cornish’s stereoscopic views were for sale at the business of Charles Tucker.

In 1885 the local newspaper wrote that “Mr. Cornish, the photographer, says he takes the Queen Bee for the jokes. The ladies should appreciate the fact that Del Norte has one of the best photographers in the country, and an advocate for woman’s political equality, besides a good, jolly, industrious citizen.”[10]

That same year, in 1885, it was advertised that there was a “great reduction in prices at J. J. Cornish’s San Juan Art Gallery. Call and see before going elsewhere.”

The 1885 Colorado state census listed Cornish as residing in Rio Grande County, Colorado. He was living with his wife Sarah and his 18-year-old son John. Cornish was listed with an occupation of photographer. Sarah was listed as “keeping house” and John was listed as “at home.”

Some of the scenic works taken by J. J. Cornish were included as part of a series titled “Colorado Views.” According to T. K. Treadwell and William C. Darrah in their book Photographers of the United States of America, there were approximately 89 views in the series. Subjects included local scenery, hunting, churches, and much more. A few of the titles in this series include:

No. 21, Little Annie Tramway, Summit Dist, Alt. 12,000 ft.
No. 71, Summitville, Colorado, Alt. 11,300.

No. 21. Little Annie Tramway, Summit Dist., Alt 12,000 ft. Boston Public Library.

The Yale University Library at New Haven, Connecticut is home to a wide-ranging collection of stereoviews taken by J. J. Cornish. The Yale University archive classified the stereoviews into two series; first, scenes in and around Del Norte and, second, scenes in and around the Summitville Mining District. It is estimated that these views were taken circa 1880.

Stereograph views of Del Norte, Rio Grande, Colorado.

No. 1. Del Norte, from Lookout Mountain.

No. 2. West Side Spruce St. Del Norte, Colo.

No. 3. Del Norte, Colo. from east cliff: Columbia Avenue, Del Norte.

No. 4. Hotel Grand Avenue, Del Norte.

No. 5. South Lookout Mountain. From Rio Grande River

No 11. School-House Del Norte.

No. 12. M. E. Church, Del Norte.

No 15. Varg[?]on Place, Del Norte.

No. 35. San Juan Mountain's from Continental Divide.

No. 38. Rio Grande at Del Norte.

No. 41. Presbyterian Church. Del Norte, Colo.

No. 43. Presbyterian Church interior. Del Norte, Colo.

No. 44. Presbyterian Church. Del Norte, Colo.

No. 45. Baldy Mountain and Lake, Alt 13000 ft.

No. 48. Baldy Mountain East Lake, Alt 13150 ft.

No. 49. Baldy Mountain Lake, Alt 13100 ft.

No. 55. Natural Wall, Saguache Co. Colo.

No. 57. Natural Wall & Great Arch. Saguache Co. Colo.

No. 58. Great hole in the Natural Wall. Saguache Co. Colo.

No. 64. Natural Arch on Dry Creek Colo.

No. 80. Del Norte. Colo. from North Lookout Mountain.

No. 81. Table Mountain from continental divide.

No. 84. Palace Rock on Pine Creek.

Alt. No. 88. On snowy peaks of San Juan, Aug 31st Alt 13300 ft.

No. 111. R. C. Nisbet's resident on the Rio Grande. Burger & Alice Del Norte, Colo.

No. 137. Observatory of Presbyterian College of the south west.

Stereograph views of Summitville Mining District, Rio Grande County, Colorado.

No. 1. Looking west Summit district.

No. 12. First school at Summitville. Clara Larson Teacher 1843.

No. 14. South Mountain Summit Dit.

No. 16. South Mountain Summit Dist, Alt 12,700 ft.

No. 17. Looking east from above Mills Summit Dit.

No. 19. M. Bowen's Ida Tunnel Summit Dist. Alt. 11800 ft.

No. 22. Little Annie Mine, Summit Dist, Alt. 12,000 ft.

No. 26. Little Annie Cabin. Summit Dist.

No. 31. Bobtail Lode Summit Dist. Alt 12200 ft.

No. 37. Looking up Pines Creek.

No. 65. Looking down the Summitville Tole Road.

No. 70. Summitville from Iron Springs. Alt 11,300 ft.

No. 74. Iowa & Colo? House Summit Dist. Alt 11900 ft.

No. 76. East side South Mountain Summit Dist. Alt. 12,100 ft.

No. 77. Summitville from Continental Divide Alt. 11,900 ft.

No. 78. Cropsey Mill Summit Dist. Alt. 11,800 ft.

No. 79. Miners home Summit Dist Alt. 11,100 ft. Aug 30 1832.

In 1889 “Mr. J. J. Cornish, recently from Del Norte, has located on the Navajo, where he has taken up a valuable ranch. He and his wife were in town Tuesday taking out their homestead papers.”[11]

In the early 1890s Cornish was still working in the photography industry. The Colorado state business directory listed Cornish as residing in Chromo from 1890 until his passing in 1898. The local newspaper wrote about some of the developments in his business during these years.

March 12, 1891, Pagosa Spring News. “Mr. Cornish is working on a building which he will occupy when finished as artist’s and assayer’s rooms.”

June 13, 1891, San Juan Prospector. “E. F. Hilton, formerly of Alamosa, has moved his photographic gallery to Del Norte, and will occupy the old Cornish stand on Spruce street. Mr. Hilton advertises in our Business News department this week, and has come to stay. Drop in and look at his work.”

November 3, 1892, “Chromo News,” Pagosa Spring News. “Mr. Cornish has completed his photograph gallery. It is one of the neatest rooms in the county.”

November 10, 1892, Pagosa Spring News. “While at Chromo last week the writer was shown through the photograph gallery of J. J. Cornish. Mr. Cornish’s gallery is fixed up with all modern conveniences and would be good enough for any town of five thousand people. Mr. Cornish’s work is second to none.”

Legacy

Although his time at Walton, New York was relatively brief, Cornish contributed to the village’s outstanding reputation for offering first-class photographic rooms. Other photographers of note that have operated at Walton included Frank L. Sprague, Hiram H. Miller, G. W. Simpkins, the Kinch Brothers, Burton Hine and many others. Cornish was highly regarded for his photographic abilities wherever he worked.

John Jay Cornish, “an old resident of Del Norte,” passed away on October 26, 1898 at the residence of Milton Welch in Chromo, Colorado. He is buried at Chromo Cemetery in Archuleta County, Colorado.

[1] Cornish, Joseph E. The History and Genealogy of the Cornish Families in America. Boston: Geo. H. Ellis Co., 1907. pp. 262-263.

[2] Dodgeville Chronicle (Dodgeville, Wisconsin). September 18, 1862.

[3] Dodgeville Chronicle (Dodgeville, Wisconsin). October 4, 1867.

[4] “Going.” Dodgeville Chronicle (Dodgeville, Wisconsin). June 25, 1869.

[5] Walton Chronicle (Walton, New York). April 27, 1870.

[6] Walton Chronicle (Walton, New York). June 22, 1870.

[7] Walton Chronicle (Walton, New York). February 8, 1871.

[8] Saguache Advance. June 1, 1882.

[9] San Juan Prospector. February 2, 1884.

[10] The Queen Bee. January 21, 1885.

[11] San Juan Prospector. August 31, 1889.

New Gallery: Albert V. Porter, Ellenville, NY Photographer

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Albert V. Porter was a popular portrait and landscape photographer at the village of Ellenville in Ulster County, New York. He took over the studio of W. S. Davis in the early 1900s and successfully served the Ellenville community for nearly 20 years. By late 1918 Porter faced a significant health challenge in losing his eyesight, and therefore retired from the photography business and sold his studio to Casper Cosenza.

Last week I published a biography for Albert V. Porter. In writing the biography I had acquired 25 photographs taken by Albert V. Porter. The postcards depict some of the beautiful scenes in and around the village of Ellenville. Scenes include Sam’s Point, Hanging Rock Falls, Grahamsville, Big Indian Springs, the Mohonk House, Vernooy Kill Falls and many more.

All the photographs have been added to the Albert V. Porter gallery, which can be reached by navigating: Catskills Photograph Gallery >> Historic Catskills Photographers >> Albert V. Porter – Ellenville, NY Photographer.

Sam’s Point, 2340 Feet

Sam's Point, 2340 Feet

Hanging Rock Falls, Ellenville, N.Y.

Red Mill Dam, Ellenville, N.Y.

Red Mill Dam, Ellenville, N.Y.

Looking from Post Office, Grahamsville, N.Y.

Mohonk Lake and House

Mohonk Lake and House

Interior, Church of the Holy Name, Cragsmoor, N.Y.

Vernooy Kill Falls, Wawarsing, N.Y.

Vernooy Kill Falls, Wawarsing, N.Y.

Ice Cave, Ellenville, N.Y.

Ice Cave, Ellenville, N.Y.

Big Indian Spring, Ellenville, N.Y.

Big Indian Spring, Ellenville, N.Y.

Lover's Glen, Grahamsville, N.Y.

Lover's Glen, Grahamsville, N.Y.

Albert V. Porter – Ellenville, NY Photographer

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Red Mill, Ellenville, N.Y. Red Mill, Ellenville, N.Y. Author's collection.

Biography

Albert V. Porter was born at Ellenville, New York in October 1856. He was the son of Jonathan Porter and Sarah (Van Dover) Porter.

Jonathan Porter, Albert’s father, was born in March 1821 (or 1822, depending on the source) in New Bedford in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. When he was eight years old his family moved to Lumberland, Pennsylvania, “where he grew to manhood, his ancestors owning at one time a large tract of land where the city of Kingston, PA now stands.” At the age of 18 Jonathan moved to the village of Ellenville, where he remained for the rest of his life. For several years he worked in the old lead mine, which at the time was one of the village’s most important industries. He also worked as a tanner, a teamster, a farm laborer and a day laborer.

Jonathan married Sarah Van Dover, daughter of Albert Van Dover and Eliza (Carpenter) Van Dover, on April 19, 1846 in a ceremony conducted by Reverend S. B. Ayres of the Reformed Church. Together Jonathan and Sarah had ten children. She had been a devoted member of the Methodist Church. Sarah passed away at 86 years old on April 29, 1914 at Albert’s home in Ellenville. Jonathan and Sarah were together for “a long and happy married life of 68 years.” They “had lived together in loving devotion for 68 years. They were doubtless the oldest married couple in Ulster County.”[1]

Upon Jonathan’s passing four years later on January 19, 1918 at the age of 95, he was described as “one of the aged and highly respected residents of this village” and as “the oldest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a man who always had a kind word for every one with whom he came in contact, making many friends during his long life.” His obituary demonstrated the great respect with which he was held in the Ellenville community.

“At the time of her [Sarah] death and since Mr. Porter has resided with his son and family, who have been devoted in the care of this venerable father – a long life ended. Up until a year or two deceased was able to go out upon the street and exchange friendly greetings with friends. He was active in the early history of the village and was a man of bright intellect, well read in history not confined alone to state but national affairs, a man devoted to home and family, a kind neighbor and a good friend, and has been kept in mind by many to whom he and his good wife were so kind in sickness and sorrow, cheering many aching hearts. He lived a good life and has gone to meet its reward.”

Jonathan’s funeral was held at Albert’s house in Ellenville in a service conducted by Reverend Joseph E. Appley, of the M. E. Church. Attending the funeral were his four surviving sons, including Albert, John and Richard of Ellenville, and Saul Porter, of Syracuse, and his “devoted granddaughter, Miss Sadie E. Porter, of Brooklyn.” He is buried in the family plot at the Old Ellenville Cemetery.

The 1860 United States census listed 4-year-old Albert residing in the household of his parents Jonathan and Sarah in the town of Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York. The household included Albert’s siblings, including 8-year-old Ida and 1-year-old John, as well as a farm laborer named John Vanduzen and a domestic servant named Mary Riley. Jonathan was listed with an occupation of farm laborer.

The 1870 United States census listed 17-year-old Albert as residing in the household of his father and mother in Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York. Also in the household were Albert’s siblings, including 19-year-old Ida, 11-year-old John, 9-year-old Sarah and 6-year-old Richard. Both Albert and his father were listed with an occupation of laborer.

The 1880 United States census listed 23-year-old Albert residing with his parents Jonathan and Sarah in the village of Ellenville in Ulster County, New York. Also in the household were Albert’s siblings Ida, John, Saul, and Richard. Jonathan was listed with an occupation of “laboring in mine” while Albert was listed with an occupation of “knife maker.” Albert was also listed as being unemployed for three months of the year, due to “steel in eye.”

On September 12, 1883 Albert married Jessie Moffat Hanmore, daughter of Charles Hanmore and Elsie (Decker) Hanmore of Newburgh, New York. She was the descendent of old Ulster County families, including Jacob J. Decker and Lucretia Pameron. Charles, Jessie’s father, worked as a captain of the ferry boat between Newburgh and Fishkill for many years. “Only a few years after his [Charles] marriage, while attempting to rescue his younger brother, Moses Hanmore, he was injured by smoke and fumes in the boiler room of the ferryboat and never regained his health. An accident to the machinery and boiler caused Moses Hanmore, the engineer, to lose his life by drawing the fire box as the boat was in mid-river, and many lives were in danger.”[2]

Albert and Jessie had four children, two of which reached adulthood, including Sadie (b. January, 1886) and Helen (b. March, 1896). Sadie for many years worked in the photography industry at Waterbury, Connecticut; Kingston, New York; and New York City. Helen married William C. Matthews, of Passaic New Jersey, who was for many years associated with the Automatic Fire Alarm Company of Brooklyn. Jessie was a devoted member of the Methodist Church. She passed away at her home in Passaic, New Jersey on October 5, 1926.

In 1895 Nellie D. Porter, the youngest daughter of Albert and Jessie Porter, died after a nine-day battle with diphtheria.

“Nellie, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. V. Porter, was taken sick the early part of last week, and on Tuesday Dr. Hanker, the attending physician, pronounced it a case of diphtheria, and on the following day, Dr. Eastgate, the health physician, quarantined the house. Mr. and Mrs. Porter were the only occupants except an aged lady who occupied the lower part of the house. After a week of anxious watching and attendance upon the little one, she passed away about 10 o’clock Tuesday morning.

About 8 o’clock in the evening of the same day a “carry-all,” with two seats, drove up to the door and the heart-broken father and mother, with the remains of their daughter were taken in, and conveyed to the cemetery for burial, the Rev. Mr. Jones accompanying them in a separate wagon. Neighbors and friends of the family showed their respect in the only way possible – by sending floral contributions – which they did in large numbers.

The deceased was a bright, intelligent child, and was a favorite with her playmates. During the afternoon, another daughter, Sadie May, aged about 9 years, in company with other near relatives, were permitted to stand in an adjoining yard and view the remains of her sister, while she was held by the window in the upper story of the house. It was sad indeed.”[3]

The 1900 United States census listed 43-year Albert living with his 39-year-old wife Jessie and their two children, 14-year-old Sadie and 4-year-old Helen. Albert and Jessie were listed as having had four children, of which two were alive. Albert was listed with an occupation of knife worker.

During the Ulster County Fair held in the year 1900 Porter was described by the local newspaper as a promising amateur photographer.

“In amateur photography the exhibit was small. Mr. Porter sent a collection which was greatly appreciated. His excellence in that branch of art is so well known it is not necessary for me to add my encomiums. By the way, why do not our two score or more amateur photographers band together for the purpose of higher attainment in their art, and give us a display of their talent next fall in the art department of the Fair? From personal observation covering many years I find the photo exhibit, whether large or small, one of the most attractive in our department; and while some like this and others that, all are pleased with photography. Why not give them variety of talent and a larger range of subjects.”[4]

In the early 1900s Albert began his career as a professional photographer, taking over ownership of the Davis Studio from well-known photographer Winfield S. Davis. While trying to sell his gallery, Davis described it in an advertisement published in early 1900.

“FOR SALE. – One of the best equipped galleries in New York State; only gallery; town 4,000; fully stocked; small branch gallery 16 miles distant; established 18 years; 15 years present owner. W. S. Davis, Ellenville, N.Y.”[5]

The following advertisement was published by Porter in the Ellenville Journal in December 1902.

“Photographs for Christmas. Leave your order early. Cabinets from $1 to $7.00. Fine Gems – 50c. per doz. Copying, Enlarging in Crayon, Oil, Pastel, Sepia and India Ink a specialty. Orders for Framing of all kinds promptly filled. VIEWS in great variety. Satisfaction guaranteed. Formerly Davis Studio. Albert V. Porter, Proprietor, 129 Canal St., Ellenville. A Fine Line of Calendars 1903.”

Porter quickly established a solid reputation as a photographer, winning an award at the 1903 Ellenville Fair for his photographic views. That same year he was advertising his studio as offering “the highest grade of work.”[6] For his landscape work Porter made views of the mountain resorts, illustrated for the Mohonk, Winnewaska Lakes and the boarding houses of the Shawangunk Mountains.

Stratton's Mill, Greenfield, N.Y. Stratton's Mill, Greenfield, N.Y. Author's collection.

Tannery Dam and Bridge, Grahamsville, N.Y. Author's collection.

In 1906 The Tri-States Union newspaper of Port Jervis, New York wrote about a unique photo taken by Porter.

“Picture of the Late Solar Halo. A. V. Porter, of Ellenville, succeeded in getting a fine photograph of the solar halo which occurred last week, and which excited so much comment. He was on the roof of a house and lay there nearly a half hour to get a proper focus. The pictures are probably the only ones of the kind in existence.”

The 1910 United States census listed 54-year-old Albert, his 50-year-old wife Jessie and their 14-year-old daughter Helen living in the 2nd Election District in the village of Ellenville, Wawarsing Township, Ulster County, New York. Albert was listed with an occupation of photographer.

On March 8, 1910 The Kingston Daily Freeman wrote that “Albert Porter has on display twenty-five pictures of different basketball teams that have visited Ellenville in the last three years.”

The Kingston Daily Freeman issue of January 26, 1912 wrote that “Albert V. Porter has presented two large pictures 18x22 of Ward Post members, also of the graduating class of 1911 to the post and high school. The pictures are from Mr. Porter’s studio and show the skill and fine work done there.”

Over the years Porter employed various photographic assistants at his gallery. In 1909 Harvey J. Osterhoudt, of Kingston, and John Joseph Young, of Leurenkill, worked at the gallery. Osterhoudt would leave the Porter gallery that same year for “an excellent position” with the Baumann studio at Westfield, New Jersey. In 1911 Waldmere L. Andre assisted at the Porter gallery, after which he returned to him in Denmark. In the summer of 1915 Porter employed operators Harry Parth, Charles M. DeBevoise and Casper S. Cosenza of New York.

For several years, during the 1900s, Porter employed Alfred Wurts Tice (1829-1909) as an assistant. Tice had been a longtime photographer at Ellenville in the 1860s to the early 1880s, but had moved to Corry, Pennsylvania where he had established a gallery. Tice moved back to Ellenville in the mid 1890s.

In 1915 Porter was hard at work photographing the local schools. “John M. Schoonmaker, school supervisor of Accord, and Albert V. Porter, the local photographer, are on a trip this week through the district to secure pictures of the school houses for a special work.”[7]

Hanging Rock Falls, Ellenville, N.Y. Author's collection.

Fantinekill Falls, Ellenville, N.Y. Fantinekill Falls, Ellenville, N.Y. Author's collection.

In 1917 “Albert V. Porter, local photographer, has received a large order of pictures taken by Casper Cosenza of the Porter Studio of the Tyler lawn at Lackawack. It is understood the pictures are to be used for a big publicity campaign throughout the country in connection with Mrs. G. Vere Tyler and the conspicuous names of the motion picture industry.”[8]

In September 1918 Porter was recognized in the local newspaper for one of his portrait photographs.

“A very fine portrait of the late John R. Hunt has just been finished and framed in a chestnut brown frame to correspond with the woodwork in the lobby of Hunt Memorial Hall, where it is to occupy a prominent place on the walls of this room. Mr. Hunt, the donor o the beautiful building, the gift to the local Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, the ladies of this union had the picture made through our local photographer, Albert V. Porter, and it has been on exhibition for a few days in the large window Ostrander’s furniture store and much admired.

In September 1918 Porter made “pictures of many of the boys from the town going int the U.S. service during the past year and many of the boys sending back to the home folks pictures taken in their uniforms, so Mr. Porter has completed a fine piece of work. It is a large picture which has for its center the picture of the Rev. Joseph E. Appley, who left a few weeks ago for work in France, and surrounding this picture many pictures of the boys, so as completed and framed is a fine piece of work and will be greatly appreciated for all to go and look upon the faces of loved ones who have entered the U. S. service and look upon the face of George D. Cook, who gave his life for his country, and look upon the face of Melvin Schoonmaker of Wawarsing, who is reported missing in action in the service in France.”[9]

By late 1918 Porter had to close his studio at Ellenville due to the loss his eyesight from chemical poisoning. In 1919 Albert and Jessie Porter moved from Ellenville to Passaic, New Jersey.

The Porter Studio was sold in March 1920 to Casper Cosenza, who had previously worked there as an assistant during the summer months. Cosenza changed the name of the business to the Shadowland Studio, and reopened on May 1, 1920.

Porter was very active in the Ellenville community throughout his life. He was a longtime member of the M. E. Church and was always active in the church’s work. He taught the church Sunday School for 41 years. It was noted in the local newspaper that five members of just one Sunday School class had entered the ministry, a testament to Porter’s teaching. During World War I, 12 former members of his classes were serving their country, two of whom “paid the supreme sacrifice.”

Porter was the local acting secretary of the Y. M. C. A. and “always found time when young men were leaving the home town to interest himself in their welfare, and a letter would go to the Y. M. C. A. secretary introducing them to the association.”[10] He was also, for several years, the superintendent of the floral department of the Ulster County Agricultural Society.

The 1920 United States census listed Albert and his wife Jessie residing in Passaic County, New Jersey in the household of their daughter Helen and son-in-law William Matthews. Albert was not listed with a profession.

After moving to Passaic, Porter apparently regained his eyesight as he worked at several local florist companies. He was employed as manager at the retail department of Moles and Gillen at 184 Main Avenue, and also worked for Gruber Florists and the Variety Florist. Albert was active in the church, and was a member of the Men’s Bible Class at the Passaic Methodist Church. He was a member of the Y. M. C. A. and president of the Floral Society.

The 1930 United States census listed the now widowed Albert living in Passaic County, New Jersey with his daughter Sadie, his daughter Helen and his son-in-law William. Albert was listed with an occupation of “retired” while Sadie was working as a retoucher in a photographic studio. William was working as a clerk in the fire equipment industry.

Legacy

Albert V. Porter published a large number of portrait photographs of the residents of the Ellenville community throughout his approximately 20 years in business. In addition, he photographed and published a wide range of scenic postcards from Ellenville and much of the surrounding countryside. Both his portrait and landscape photographs provide a nostalgic look back at the Ellenville region during the first two decades of the 20th century.

Albert V. Porter passed away at his home in Passaic Park, New Jersey at the age of 80 on January 10, 1937. Albert had suffered a stroke the week before his death. Funeral services were held at his home, with the Reverend A. L. Fretz officiating. Porter was buried at Ridgelawn Cemetery. He was survived by his two daughters, Sadie Mae Porter and Mrs. William C. Matthews, both of 16 Rutgers Place, Passaic; and three brothers, Saul T. Porter, of Syracuse, New York; and John M. Porter and Richard F. Porter, both of Ellenville.

[1] The Independent Republican. May 8, 1914.

[2] The Goshen Democrat. October 15, 1926.

[3] Middletown Daily Press. October 9, 1895.

[4] Ellenville Journal. September 14, 1900.

[5] The St. Lous and Canadian Photographer. Vol. 24, No. 1. January, 1900.

[6] Ellenville Journal. February 13, 1903.

[7] The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). May 8, 1915.

[8] The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). August 15, 1917.

[9] The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). October 1, 1918.

[10] The Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). November 8, 1919.