This is a transcription of an article published in the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated October 13, 1915.

THOMAS P. FOWLER DIES
AT HIS SUMMER HOME

Thomas Powell Fowler died suddently at his Summer residence, "Belair," in Warwick Monday evening at 8:30. He had been in ill health for several years. Mr. Fowler and family had prolonged their stay in Warwick this autumn, enjoying the pleasant days driving about the country before returning to their winter home in New York. He has been a sufferer from asthma and found the climate here agreed with him better than any other.
Thomas Powell Fowler was the son of the late Issac Sebring Fowler and Mary Ludlow Powell and was born in Newburgh Oct. 26, 1851. After graduation from Columbia Law School he studied at Heidelberg, Germany for two years, and returning home practiced law in New York five years before entering the railroad service, as director, in 1879, in the Shenango & Allegheny railroad.
Mr. Fowler was elected a Director of the Warwick Valley Railroad Company in December, 1881, and Secretary during the following month. He served until the consolidation with the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway Company, when he was elected first Secretary of the company, but owing to the pressure of business matters he was compelled to decline this position. He, however, took warm interest in the road and its varying fortunes and was elected a Director of the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway Company December 2nd, 1902, and has served continuously since. His knowledge of local conditions made him most acceptable to the Warwick people as a local member of the Board, following the death of Mr. Burt and the entrance upon the Board of men who were not familiar with the needs of our section of the Country, and his influence in the Board has been for such action as would benefit the interests of our village. It was during this period that the location of the new shops was decided upon and it was his influence that contributed largely to this result, which has been so beneficial to this village.
In 1883 he was elected a director in the West Pennsylvania and Shenango Connecting railroad; in 1884 he was elected a director in the New York Ontario and Western railroad; March 15, 1884 he was appointed receiver of the Shanango & Allegheny and on March 31, 1884, he was elected president; since January, 1866, he served as director of the Carthage and Adirondack railroad, and from January 20, 1880, until Sept. 25, 1912, he was president of the New York Ontario & Western. It was under the management of Mr. Fowler that the Ontario & Western achieved it greatest development.
When the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe went into the hands of Receivers, Mr. Fowler was named as a member of the Reorganization Committee. After the reorganization was completed, he continued to serve as a Director until his death, and was a member of the Financial Committee and his able services on the Board have undoubtedly been of much influence in the up-building of the Santa Fe to its present enviable position among American railroads. During the past year, Mr. Fowler was elected a Director of the Erie Railroad, at the earnest request of Mr. Underwood and his associates, who were aware of the value that his services and counsel would be to the road.
Mr. Fowler was a director in many banks and financial institutions in New York and a member of the Down Town Association and of the Metropolitan Club, Grolier and Tuxedo Clubs, and Sons of the Revolution.
He has been for many years a Warden of St. James Episcopal Church in New York. He has always maintained friendly relations with Christ Church in Warwick, which the family have always attended when in town, and was a liberal contributor to its support.
During his long and active railroad career Mr. Fowler came in contact and established personal relations with many prominent men in the railroad and financial world, and among them all, he was respected as a man of the highest integrity, and of unusually sound judgement.
The kindly neighborly interest which he took in the people and affairs of Warwick won him their high respect and esteem, and he will always be held in a warm regard by those who knew him in Warwick. He loved our not alone for its beauty and it unsurpassed environment, but because it was somewhat isolated from the main line of travel, sequestered from any suggestion of metropolitan nearness.
Since his marriage in April, 1876, with Miss Ruth Seely Dunning, a daughter of the late Benjamin F. Dunning, the Fowlers have spent their summers at their beautiful estate, "Belair," on Maple Avenue, except for a few seasons when Mr. and Mrs. Fowler were abroad or taking a trip to the California coast. Their winters have usually been spent at their residence, No. 39 East 68th street, New York.
Mr. Fowler is survived by Mrs. Fowler and her four daughters, Miss Ruth, Mrs. Francis F. Palmer, Mrs. Dunlevy Milbank, Mrs. Albert Maurice, all of New York, and three sons B.F. Dunning, Thomas P. and A. Ludlow. Also one brother, Hon. Robert Ludlow Fowler, Surrogate of New York County.

The Continentals at Florida in 1859

The Continentals are Coming!
Grand Military Parade
At Florida

The Washington Continentals, of Newburgh, under the command of CAPT. M. DOYLE, will make their parade at Florida, on MONDAY and TUESDAY, September 26th and 27th 1859. They will be escorted into the Village by a company of Mounted Citizens, under the direction of Col. C. Wheeler, Marshall of the day and his aids, Maj. J. K. Houston, Maj. J. K. Ackerman, Capt. A.L. Nanny, Capt. O.L. Irwin. The procession will enter the village at 9 o'clock, a.m., in the following order: 1st Col. Charles C. Wheeler, Marshall of the day and Aids; 2d Citizen escort on Horseback; Newburgh Brass Band; 4th, Col. Parmenter of the 19th Rej. and Staff; 5th, Washington Continentals of Newburgh; Executive committee and Invited Gluests in carriages; 7th, concourse of citizens, generally.

After marching through the principal streets of the village and arriving at the Dill House, they will be received by an address of welcome from CHARLES H. WINFIELD, ESQ, of Goshen, after which a collation will be served up at the Dill House to the Invited Guests. At 3 o'clock p.m., there will be a Grand Continental Parade and Drill, among which will be the novel and imposing Shanghae Drill, for the perfect performance of the sudden, sudorific and altogether superior evolutions, for which the Continental are already famous. There will be a review of the continentals by Commissary General Townsend, of Albany; Gen. Wm. C. Little, of Goshen; Col. Thayer, of Westpoint, Col. Parmenter, of Newburgh, Col. Wheeler, of Florida, and other distinguished military men.

The second day will be devoted to various Drills &c, & at 2 p.m., the Continentals will have their annual Target Shooting, on the grounds of A.V. Aspell, Esq. At 4 p.m., from the Balcony of the Dill House, the prizes will be awarded, and proper landations given of the efforts at Target Shooting by the Hon. C. H. Van Wyck. At 5 o'clock, p.m., the Continentals will take leave of Florida for their homes on the banks of the majestic Hudson.

JOHN W. ROUND
L.B. VAIL
W.L. VAIL
W. H. BIRCHARD
WM. D. IRWIN
Committee


This is an article published in the Independent Republican of Goshen, NY. It is dated September 15, 1859.

WILLIAM HOUSTON FARM

This is scan of an original plate found in the Beers County Atlas of 1875. I was told that this farm was on Jessup Road and is no longer there.

More on the B.F. Dunning Residence

This stately residence was/is on Maple Avenue. It is a mystery to me at the present time.

The following is a transcription of an article published in the Warwick Advertiser,dated May 26, 1866.

Handsome Residence.

We paid a visit the other day to mansion of B.F. Dunning, Esq., which for the past few months has been undergoing the process of remodeling and improvement. An entire change has been made in the interior and exterior of the building, which now displays alike the liberal taste of the owner and the skill of designer and workmen.

A large and convenient cellar has been placed under the entire building, an achievement which reflects the greatest credit upon our townsman, Mr. Henry McElroy, under whose direction all the improvements have been completed. Upon the main floor, are eight rooms: the kitchen, furnished with range and every modern improvement, force pump, and arrangement for a supply of hot water; wash room, with a supply of hot and cold water; dining room, parlor with folding doors, and the library opening from the front parlor, and supplied with writing desk and black walnut bookcases. These rooms are on the north side of the main hall. On the south side is the sitting room, with a sewing room in the rear. The wood work upon this floor is grained in imitation of black walnut, by Mr. Wm. Williams, from New York city.
On the second floor are four large chambers, two bedrooms, and the bathroom. In addition to these, there is also three sleeping rooms in the rear. A large cistern, capable of holding some 1200 gallons, supplies water to the various apartments. The house is supplied with gas fixtures, whit an arrangement for its manufacture.
From this floor we ascend to the tower, and after the first flight enter a cozy and pleasant smoking room, and from this by another flight to the lookout of the tower, from which one of the finest views is had which our beautiful valley affords.
One thing is apparent in all the arrangements. There has been no sacrifice of comfort to mere architectural display, and while extensive additions have been made, an effort has been made to preserve the general uniformity. The design was furnished by Mr. D. Jardine, of New York city.
The ceilings and walls are finely finished with cornice and centre pieces, which, as also all the mason work, has been performed by Mr. Rensealler Decker of this place. The painting, both outside and inside, was done by Mr. William E. Barnes, of this place, in his accustomed finished style. The walls are now being papered by Mr. Bond, in the employ of J.G. Lugar, of New York city. The carpenter work, and general direction of the whole, has been under the management of Mr. Henry McEllroy, of this village, and the work reflects great credit upon his skill and ability for execution.
The grounds are yet in a transition state, but under the skillful care and taste of Mr.Hope, the experienced gardener, they will become yet increasingly an ornament to that portion of our town. The very liberal taste which has been displayed by Mr. Dunning is not only worthy of commendation, but of imitation. The style of architecture and character of the improvements of a village or city, is something of an index of the taste and spirit of its people. Our village is indebted to Mr. Dunning, and his neighbor, Mr. McJimsey, for two of the finest residences of which Orange County can boast.

Elias Fancher

This is an old photo of Elias Fancher that I won at auction. The studio was E.F. Still which checks out. There was an Edwin F. Still by 1866+ in Warwick at the corner of West Street. The back of the photo has Elias Fancher. Father of Darius Fancher. The seller states that the item is from the estate of William Bradner which fits in with the genealogy of the Fancher family. Lilly Fancher, daughter of Darius Fancher, married William Bradner of Warwick. Elias Fancher had the house on Route 94 across from the 1810 house, from which the current owners run an antique business. The Fanchers were an early family in New Milford. Elias was a founding member of both the Edvenville Methodist Church and the New Milford Methodist Church.

Richard Schilling?

This post has to do with personal genealogy. My grandfather, on my mother's side, was Curtis Schilling,Sr. He owned the farm on Route 94 going to Florida - the horse farm on the right. Curtis came here from Germany in 1893 and his brother Richard followed in 1905. Teresa Specht is a neighbor of my fathter in Warwick, NY. The photo comes from Teresa. It appears that Richard married her aunt. Her name was Genevieve Koczewski, who came here in 1907 at age 8. Richard and Jenny married and had two children, Richard and Betty. There may have been a divorce and then a remarriage on Jenny's part. If anyone could help here, both Teresa and I would appreciate it.

P.E. Sanford Residence

This is a Warwick postcard that arrived in the mail today. It was unsent, but back was filled out. A Bessie Lawrence was writing to her Uncle William Smith of Poughkeepsie, NY. This should be the old Col. Hathorn house.

P. E. SANFORD FARM

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers Atlas of 1875. The is the Col. John Hathorn house built in 1773. It sits on the corner of Hathorn Rd. and what is now County 1.

THOMAS WELLING FARM

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers Atlas of 1875. It is on Route 94 North, just prior to the Pioneer Restaurant. Anita Panas recently did an article on the history of the house for the Warwick Valley Dispatch.

DR. JAMES H. HOLLY HOUSE

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers County Atlas of 1875. I currently have no idea where this house is/was.

GEORGE W. SANFORD FARM

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers County Atlas of 1875. I think it is currently owned by Mrs. John Sanford. I have addressed this property in previous posts.

RICHARD WISNER AND GUYMARD SPRING HOUSE

This is a scan of an original plate from the the Beers County Atlas of 1875. Michael Sweeton checked it out with others and tells me the house was on Distillery Road. The house is no longer there, but the barn is still there.

EAGER AND LAWRENCE, WARWICK ADVERTISER

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers County Atlas of 1875. This building was at the corner of Main and South streets. It burned down in 1879. I did a transcription of an article pertaining to this fire. Email me if you would like it. More information can be found in Days Gone By.

H. A. BENEDICT HOUSE

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers Atlas of 1875. I checked with Michael Sweeton, who asked around. He told me this was on Wisner Road and torn down by Wisners. Remember you can click on the image twice to enlarge it. A neat feature of the site.

B.F. Dunning

This is a scan of an original plate from the Beers Atlas of 1875. It was on Maple Ave. I don't think it is there at present. Notice what look to be greenhouses in the upper lefthand corner. Check Days Gone By for more information.

National Hotel, W.S. Benedict, and Charles Morehouse

This is a scan of an original plate contained in the Beer's County Atlas of 1875. The National Hotel was built in 1865 by Thomas Demerest. It burned in 1887 and the current brick building was built on the site. These building are on Railroad Ave. across from the old train station.

Seely Everett and James Park

This is a photo of Seely Everett and James Park at the old Everett store in Edenville. James Park and Casper Hann ran the farm on DeKay as a partnership. James Park died in 1960, so the photo was prior to that. Seely ran the store from 1912 until 1968.

More on the Maple Terrace Farm

This post relates to the previous two posts.

This year, 2009, Victor Robinson transcribed Florence Tate's data on historic structures in the Village of Warwick. This is the information on Maple Terrace Farm: "Wood frame clapboard Victorian farmhouse built by James Taylor c. 1840. Part of a working farm, the house was greatly enlarged between 1867 and 1875. George married Frances A. Baird. He was a member of the boards of the Warwick Valley Railroad and the First National Bank.

Using www.rootsweb.ancestry.com, I found some information on Garret Ackerson, the owner of Maple Terrace Farm in 1805. Remember this in not my research findings. Some of these family trees are quite accurate; other not so accurate. Be warned when using the material. Garret was born on Feb. 24, 1743, in Rockland County, New York. He died on May 30, 1811, in Warwick. During the Revolutionary War Garret was a Captain in the 1st Orange Co. Regiment serving under Col. Ann Hawk Hay of the New York Militia. At the time of his death he had ten living children. His wife was Dirkje Dorcas Springsteen and they married in 1763. One of their daughters, Jannitje Jane, married Aaron Taylor. One of their childern was James Taylor. James was born in Warwick in 1804 and died in Warwick in 1865. This fits in neatly with the information found here in Warwick.

I problem I now have is dating the house. Both W.B. Sayre and the 1805 map ( created from an article by Henry Pelton) claim there was a house there in 1805 owned by Ackerson. However, Florence Tate claims the house was built c. 1840 by James Taylor.

Ezra Sanford, Jr. and His Three Sons

This is the house on Covered Bridge Road just before you get to Sanfordville Rd. When I was growing up in the New Milford section of Warwick, this was the Mrs. Reynold's house. This house relates to my previous post concerning the Park/Hann farm on 104 Dekay Rd. It appears that the common denominator here is the Sanford family.

David Sanford was born in Connecticut in 1711. He came to Warwick and built a house on Cascade Rd. in 1765. They lived there for four generations before moving into the valley. One of David's sons, Ezra, was born in 1747. He lived until 1822. One of Ezra's sons was also named Ezra. He was born in Warwick on November 11, 1793 and lived to a ripe old age. He died in 1883 or 5. Ezra, Jr., married Adeline Terry and the couple had ten children. His three sons later became the owners of or lived in four historic houses I am currently researching.

It appears that Ezra, Jr., purchased the Col Hathorn property in 1834. His son Pierson Ezra Sanford (1832 - 1916) ended up owning the Morehouse home on Hathorn Rd., where the late Bill Raynor lived. Later he ended up owning the Col. Hathorn house. His lovely estate is illustrated in a lithograph contained in the Beers County Atlas of 1875. (Email me for a copy of the Pierson E. Sanford obit.)

It seems that at some point Ezra Sanford, Jr., purchased the house and farm on Covered Bridge Rd. This house, pictured above, sits on the hill just before the intersection with Sanfordville Rd. This was a large farm and I believe it included the old Wheeler/Sanford mill.

This may have been Dekay property originally. According to he Warwick Historical Papers, Nos. 1 and 2, p.67: David McCamly built the mill in 1760. In 1770 Judge John Wheeler bought the property. And around 1855 Ezra Sanford puchaed the farm.

In the notebook of W.B. Sayre, the owners are listed as: David McCamley, Judge John Wheeler, James Wheeler, Ezra Sanford Sr.(my Jr. I presume), William M. Sanford, James Everett Sanford, Mrs. A. Moreau Reynolds and Raymond P. Sanford 1967.

On our maps we have the following information:
1805 John Wheeler, Esq.
1859 Ezra Sanford
1863 Ezra Sanford
1875 ?
1903 Mrs. William Sanford

William More Sanford (1827 - 1887) was a son of Ezra Sanford, Jr. His early years were spent at the Col Hathorn house. For our New Milford followers, William attended the Charles Winfield School on Route 94 in the New Milford section of Warwick.
The information here comes from an obit. published in the Warwick Advertiser, dated August 25, 1887. (Email me for a copy if you need it.) William and his wife, Sarah, do of James Burt, Esq., had seven children. J. Everett and Ezra T. are two of them. Ezra T., who lives on the farm, received it from his grandfather by devise. By devise is an old legal terms meaning he was left the farm by his grandfather. However I don't see him listed as an owner anywhere else. Don't yet know if Mrs. Reynolds was a Sanford. And I don't yet know where Raymond P. Sanford fits in.

George W. Sanford, another son of Ezra Sanford, Jr., (1821 - 1900) is my next subject. Ezra Sanford, Jr., and Adeline Terry owned my father's farm on 104 Dekay Rd. George W. Sanford and his wife Francis Baird were living there when their first child, Lansing Haight Sanford, was born in 1847. So this fact would date Dad's farm to that time. The previous post discussed Dad's farm. From here George W. Sanford bought the Sanford house at the end of Maple Avenue, Maple Terrace Farm, in 1847.

The following information comes from the notebook of W.B.Sayre, regarding this property:

Owned by Garret Ackerson in 1805 grson of Garret (?son? Jane Ackerson & Aaron Taylor, Ezra Sanford, George W. Sanford 1926 John W. Sanford. John W. Sanford, Jr.

The old house and buildings on this farm stood in the meadow near an old well still visible (1926) about 100 yards east of the present State Road and about 300 yards south of the barn on the farm on the farm belonging to the heirs of Ross W. Sly.

The old road ran down by them back of the present Sly barn on up by the spring on the Sly farm now (1926) used as a milk spring.

The old Jersey claim line ran short distance north of John W.Sanford's house.

The above information comes from Sue Gardner who did this draft transcription of W.B. Sayre's notebook. I certainly thank Sue for her massive efforts of getting the archived material out to the public. Sue does give a warning to double check before using this data.

This is an aerial shot of the farm at 104 Dekay Road. My father ran this farm in partnership with James and Cassie Park. It had a small dairy and four apple orchards. I spent part of my youth working on the farm. Don't know when the photo was taken, but the road looks like it was a dirt road.

On the 1850 map I can see three dots which probably represent the house, carriage house and barn, but with no owner listed. ON the 1863 map James Green is listed as the owner with N.K. Wood as the resident. On the 1875 map, George Cary is listed as the owner. On the 1875 map R.W. Dekay is listed as the owner. And on the 1903 map George Carey continues to be the owner.

My father currently owns the farm and has in his possession a number of the old deeds. According to www.orangecounty.gov, the current farm consists of two parcels: 31.30 acres and 14.30 acres. They have the house as being built in 1800, which is quite possible. My brother took 5 acres on which he built a house, which he no longer owns. That means the farm at the time was about 50 acres.

The 1863 map claims the property being 40 acres, with Dekay Rd. splitting the property somewhat like it is currently, which doesn't make too much sense. The 1903 map also claims that the property is 40 acres.

Here is what I learn from the old deeds that Dad has:

April 4, 1848, Ezra Sanford and wife Adeline to James Green for $2350; 39.10 acres.
There was a note on the above deed. Sophia Green to Robert Dekay $3200.
April 12. 1888 Robert W.Dekay and wife Elizabeth to George Carey $3650: 39.10 acres.
April 1, 1907 George and Frances Carey to James Park $4000; 39.10 acres.

This is the second parcel:

Oct. 15,1911 Harry Vail and Cecial Vale and Fred C.Carey to John Pelton $900; 14.31 acres.
April 1, 1918 John and Martha S.H. Pelton to James Park $1200; 14.31 acres.
Dad got the farm on Jan. 30, 1973.

This is what one has to go through to date a house. And then you might run into this. The Warwick Advertiser published an Obit for Lansing Haight Sanford, son of George W. Sanford. He was the eldest son of G.W.Sanford. And was born on the Robert Dekay farm (now owned by George Carey) near New Milford on Oct. 1847. From his birthplace he removed with his parents in 1848 to the homestead at the beginning of Maple avenue, where he was reared, and where his parents lived.
afterwards."

This is about as far as I can go with data at the present time. I enjoy doing history mystery.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6 Part 2

Been away for awhile. This is from the Warwick Advertiser, dated April 4, 1889. This is really about New Jersey, but so close to New York (and hamlet of New Milford), that it needs to be included here.

THE WAWAYANDA FURNACE

Historical Collection No. 1 - by Camera Crayon of New Foundland, N. J.

The lake and village of Wawayanda are situated upon an elevated plateau in the the northeastern part of Vernon township, Sussex Co., N. J. The present lake is estimated to contain about 240 acres and has an elevation of 1,152 feet above the water. About two and a half mile southwest is the the highest point of the New Jersey highlands, having an elevation of 1.496. The water shed of the lake being limited to about three square miles, it is evident that the lake is fed by immunerable springs. It was originally two ponds, connected by a small stream no more than two hundred yards in length and near its rocky shores it has a depth of over sixty feet. The Wawayanda creek proper, its outlet, flows north, and enters the Warwick creek, near New Milford. In this narrow, winding, rocky passage, the stream makes a discent of over 700 feet in about four miles, and presents some of the most picturesque scenery; a succession of rapids, falls and cascades as only be found in the Wawayanda region.
The earliest settlement at Wawayanda probably dates long before the Revolution. I have found nothing among the people of to-day to give the precise dating. The family traditions of the present inhabitants furnish the only data of the people who first entered into the then unbroken wilderness; their trials and experiences, hardships and privations have not been recorded. The local historian was too busily employed in making his own clearing and providing food and shelter for his own family, to note the characteristics of his neighbors. Had he succeeded in taking notes, they would have quite likely been destroyed as old papers are a kind of trumpery that no one here seems to care for; having passed its usefulness it must give place to something new.
The first clearings made near the present village were probably those of James Paddick, located about one mile west; "Russel Paddick, located near him, and John, his brother, located on the Hendrick Young farm near Cherry Ridge, now owned by Forgerson. The brothers came from New England, inherited the true Yankee vernacular and shrewdness, and their families became quite numerous. The names of James and John were so often repeated in the different families that nicknames became very numerous. Thomas Mann located a clearing near the present school house at Cherry Ridge, and William Utter also located near by, so that he and Mann and Utter neighborhoods are found lying south of the present village, and Paddick, Parker and Williams neighborhood west.
David L. Yea became the owner of a large tract of land located near the ponds, afterward known a Double Pond, soon after the Revolution. It was afterward owned by Fred Stinard, and about 1790 it became the property of Capt. Jeremiah Eads, who constructed a dam across from the point near the outlet of the two ponds, some two or three yards above the present dam. The two ponds were then united, and the water utilized to furnish power for a saw mill. He also erected and lived in a double log house - a mansion in those days - near the present store and post office. A grist mill was erected soon after. The business enterprise had secured for it a local name, that of Double Pond, while the family names were attached to the neighborhood in which the resident of the section resided.
Samuel Richards became the owner of Double Pond in 1828; John Smith in 1830; Samuel Hunt in 1830; and Rogers in 1843. William L. Ames, son of Olive Ames, of Massachusetts, purchased the property and organized a stock company in 1845, with a capital of $100,000, for the building of the blast furnace. John Rutherford, of Vernon, Oliver Ames & Sons, of Franklin Iron Co., were the principle stock holders. New dwellings were erected, a furnace was constructed after the most approved plans and the present permanent dam was built, so that the lake was made to furnish ample power for the mills and furnace. The expenditure of capital had brought enough people there to make quite a village. Scarce half a dozen dwellings in 1845 had increased tenfolds, and the work in construction gave employment to 200 to 300 men, and its pushing influence was felt in the immediate section for miles around.
The cost of building of the furnace and its appliances were estimated at $52,000. The tract of land then contained 4,900 acres, including the Acker farm and the site of the Wawayanda iron mines. This great enterprise had only occupied a year in building. The works were completed and on the 9th of November, 1846, the great wheels which set the machinery in motion began to move. They had then deposited upon the bank ready for use 563,630 pounds of ore, or about 251 tons, and the large coal houses were being filled with charcoal from the woodland sections nearby.
The expenditures of the general concern had reached the full amount of its capital. The profits returned more slowly. Feb. 1st, 1847, they estimated a value of $4,250 on the 850 tons of iron that had been made, deducting only the expense of ore, coal and labor used in its manufacture. The blast continued to March 12th, 1850; the concern then having mined and used 8.957 tons, 15cwt., 1 qr and 19 lbs. of iron ore, which, if we allow two tons of ore to make one on the average, we have about 4,479 tons of iron, estimating $5.00, net $22,395. Time nearly three and one half years.
On the Acker mine lot, when left, March 1st, 1850, there had been eight shafts sunk, or mines opened and worked; in all of which were veins of ore of good quality and large enough to be worked to good advantage. The mine on the west side of the engine house was the last opened and was worked during the years 1848, '49, '50, to March 1st at which time the iron business was so depressed that there was little demand for iron and consequently no demand for ore. While working this vein of ore there were 5000 tons of ore taken from one opening alone. There were three veins of ore deposits in this opening, with an aggregate width of from 25 to 30 feet, and they were worked to a depth of fifty feet.

More to come on this one.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6 Part 2

REVOLUTIONARY REMINISCENCE

A Baptist Preacher of Warwick was Son of one of Washington's Compatriots

EDITOR OF THE ADVERTISER:
I read in the Orange County Recordof April 3d, an article on Claudius Smith, from a Southfield correspondent. Anything regarding that noted highwayman will always be interesting reading to people of Orange county, but that which most interested me with his allusion to the horse-back rider in the Ramapo valley. Historians have made slight mention of the fact that a Baptist minister was arrested in that section, named "Montagne," having on his person important dispatches from Washington, and there they drop it. In my view a very important page in the history of the Revolutionary War has been omitted.

Doubtless there are some people still living in Warwick who will remember Rev. Thomas Montayne, who preached in the Baptist church here some 70 or more years ago, and was greatly beloved by all. He was the eldest son of the "Baptist preacher" mentioned in history (Elder Benjamin Montayne) as the bearer of secret dispatches from Washington. Mr. Montanye and my father were quite intimate though the former was much older. He would relate to my father the facts and incidents referred to as he had it from the lips of his father. The narrative may be strictly relied upon as true:

"My father was born in the city of New York and was preaching there at the outbreak of the war. He being a zealous patriot, brought him in close fellowship with Washington while his army was lying there. When the army left the city on the approach of the British forces, father followed them to Long Island, preaching to the army on Sundays. He continued with the army after it had recrossed the East River on the ice, and followed it through all its varying fortunes up the Hudson River to Newburg, where Washington made a stand and established his headquarters. Father, after consulting with Washington, stopped on the opposite of the river at Fishkill. Here he preached regularly to the people there, and on Sundays to the army on the Newburg side of the river, crossing in a rowboat. Washington never failed to be a close listener.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6 Part 2

This is a transcription of an article published in the Warwick Advertiser,dated January 11, 1900.

OBITUARY NOTES

GEORGE W.SANFORD

Soon after the hour of midnight, on Saturday morning, the spirit of this patriach departed. from the sighly home he so much loved, to pass the dark valley. His illness, from kidney trouble, was of several months duration, but he was persistently at his office as long as strength would permit. Still the foe to human endurance conquered, and he had to yield. His age was 78 years.

(Photo)

In the death of Mr. Sanford, Warwick loces an unostentatious, but sterling citizen. He was for many years prominent in business and associated with the substantial and conservative institutions of our valley. He was one of the organizers and directors of the First National Bank, a promoter and director of the Warwick Valley Railroad, which was phenomenally successful, and also the the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway, into which the first named was merged. He was the first and continuous president of the Warwick Cemetery Association, also a model for success and careful methods. He was a succesful financier and for years has purchased and dealt in bonds of western municipalities and tonws: collecting in many cases where default had been made for others. He dealt in real estate and built several houses in town and owned a number of farms in addition to his handsome homestead,

Mr. Sanford was an ardent Reblublican , and rarely missed voting and never at a presidential election. Without being an office seeker he was at one time the town's supervisor. Being an ardent patriot, and rarely missed voting and never at a presidential election. Without being an office seeker he was at one time the town's supervisor. Being an ardent patriot, and unable in the early 60's to qualify as a soldier and go to the front, he aided by recruiting between 50 and 60 men for service under the country's flag.

One of the characteristics which even the passing years failed to lessen, was the love he bore his family and his parents. So long as his father, "Uncle Ezra," as he was familiarly known, though meeting almost every day, yet a Sunday afternoon rarely, or never passed without this loving son taking a long visit to the old home and his aged parents, when the intercourse was more like that between comrades than a parent and son. His was a most equable disposition: one of his sons affirms he never say his father angry. He took a quiet interest in many young men coming into his presence and not a few owe much of success to the counsel he gave them. Even to the last months of his life, the remarkable grasp of his judgment was apparent. A quiet vein of humor was always ready to manifest itself in word and act when that part of his nature was appealed to. He was also noted for his hospitable traits, and many, far and near, will testify to sharing the comforts and pleasantries of his home. His interest was keen for the infirm and indigent people he knew and many were his quiet benefactions. But perhaps the crowning feature of his character was his marvelous charity. When men were down and given up by others, Mr. Sanford was their friend, and not a few men of the criminal classes found in him the encouragement and hope which was denied them by others. Once a friend, was always a friend with Mr. Sanford. His confidence once bestowed was never withdrawn.

George W. Sanford was the son of the late Ezra Sanford and Adeline Terry. His brothers were Pierson E., the youngest, (and only survivor), Uriah T. and William M. His sisters were Hester Ann, Mary Elizabeth, Julia, Abigail and Emily. Mary Elizabeth residing in Warwick. Abigail (Mrs. Gabriel and Emily (Mrs. Tuttle) living at Watkins, N.Y., are the only survivors. He married Frances, a daughter of the late Capt. Nathaniel W. Baird. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding aniversary in 1897, and the widow and the following children survive: Lansing H. Sanford, who is engaged in the milk business in New York city; Ferdinand Vanderveer and Francis Baird, lawyers, of Warwick; George Alden, the pastor's lay assistant in one of the Reformed churches in New York city, John W., who manages the home farm, and conducts the insurance business in town and Mary E. at home.

The funeral on Monday, from the home, was very largely attended, being conducted by Rev. Taber Knox, assisted by Rev Ezra T. Sanford, a nephew of the deceased, and Elder W. L. Beebe.

Edenville/Union Corners

This is a house at 6 Big Island Road. There is a stone on the lawn with the date of 1893. Current owners tell me the house was involved in transportation in the area. Needs more research.

Edenville/Union Corners

This is a photo (123) of the Wheeler House, 528, 530 Wheeler Rd. It is currently a two family. Ca. 1826 (orangecountygov.com)

Edenville/Union Corners

The top photo shows an historic marker denoting that this is the place where Johannes and Eliz. Wisner first settled. It is claimed that they were the first settlers in Warwick. The bottom photo is of the house (122), the Unknown House, 649 Wheeler Rd. I doubt that this house was built by a Wisner. It needs more research.

Edenville/Union Corners

This is a photo of the (121) Miller Farm on 81 Jessup Road. Ca. 1850 (OrangeCountygov.com).

New Milford/Blooms Corner

This is a photo of the (44) William Sly House on 129 Blooms Corner Road. Ca. 1850 (1850 Map).

New Milford/Blooms Corner

This is a photo of the (43) James C. Sly House on 112 Blooms Corner Road. Ca. 1850 (1850 Map).

Sanfordville/Amity

This is a photo of the (221) Robert Pelton House. Ca.1850 (1850 Map). It is located on Route 94 North, just before the Bowling building. The property has an old mile marker for the King's Highway on the front lawn. These markers date back to the mid 1700's.

Obit. For Fanny DeKay Hynard

This is a transcription from the Warwick Advertiser., dated May 25, 1899.

Obituary Notes

FANNY DEKAY HYNARD

This aged and venerable lady, who figures as a last link connecting the present with past generations of the pioneer families who settled the Warwick Valley, passed to join the great majority that have gone before, on Tuesday, May 23rd, at the advanced age of 95 years, 8 months, 6 days. She was a direct descendant of Col. Thomas DeKay, a sketch of whose life was published in the ADVERTISER of May 11. Her father was also named Thomas DeKay, being for years the conspicuous character known far and near as "Buckey" DeKay, a number of the incidents and anecdotes of whose career were also published in our columns about a year ago, prepared by a correspondent. So near as we can learn her father was a grandson of Col. Thomas DeKay, the subject of of Mr. of Mr. Barelay's recent sketch.

Mrs. Hynard was married to David Hynard and lived eight years with him in New Milford, where he was running woolen mills. After that time her husband acquired the the DeKay ancestral home, where she has remained to the day of her death. Her husband died in 1875 (ed.hard to read date), since which she has been tenderly cared for by her son, David Hynard. Eight children were born to her: Thomas, Malvena, Frances, Mrs. W. H. Chardevoyne, Albert, William H., Mary, Mrs. Thomas Simonson, Sarah, Mrs. Arnott and David. The three last named are still living.

To the last she was a remarkably preserved woman, remaining very active until during recent years she gradually declined from old age. She was possessed of the great vital qualities which go to make up the sturdy characters of the leading pioneers of this region, who contended with the Indians and Tories and subdued the wilderness. All her descendants praise her. Peace to her memory.

The funeral will be held from the home of her son David Hynard on the farm where she was born tomorrow at one o'clock p.m.

(Ed: As mentioned before, I make use of www.rootsweb.com. when researching families. Again this site comes with a warning from me. Much of the information posted comes with no documentation. That is a problem when dealing with genealogy. I am going to repeat a Note posted on the family tree site on rootsweb. It was posted by Robert Reynolds. I got in touch with him about the citation of the Note and he was kind enough to get back to me. He has no citation for the Note.

Note: David Hynard came to the township when eighteen years of age, from Westchester county, and acquired the trade of fuller in the mill erected by Thomas DeKay which afterwards he purchased. He married the daughter of the third Thomas DeKay and afterward resided upon the homestead, to which he removed in 1829, is now an occupant of the farm. )

Tips on Researching an Old House in Warwick Township

Depending on the house there may be a lot on information or very little. Researching Baird's Tavern or the Old Shingle House would be fairly easy. An old farm house in Edenville may have gotten a lot less attention.

When I am researching an old house, I prefer to think of it as an old home. I want to know who lived there over the years and what went on. An old house with a date construction is just not that interesting to me.

I have only done a few home histories, but in attempting to expand on the Donald Clark inventory of historic structures of Warwick Township, I am beginning to realize that the same process is necessary to date the house and the possible builder.

What follows is the process I use in documenting the history of a house(structure) in Warwick. I have numbered the various resource possibilities, but the order doesn't really matter. If you try this, good luck to you, and let me know how you did. If you find other resource possibilities that I didn't mention, please let me know.

1. If you are researching your our own property, then you know what you know. If you are like me and researching a property that you don't own, then my first step is to get in contact with the current owner(s). They may have some history and may or may not be interested in history of what they currently own. I think a good first step.

2. Check out the maps for Orange County. They go back to 1850. There is also a map created from an article written by Henry Pelton when he arrived here in 1805. These can be found by using the Google search engine on this site. Find the one that gives you the list of maps and where you can find them.

3. Then there is the deed search. This is done at Goshen, the county seat. One can take the current owner of a property and go back through time. I have done this a few times. One goes back deed to deed over time. The deed you are dealing with refers you to the previous deed, and the sometimes not. Then you are stuck and you have to go to the grantee-grantor book and work in a different direction. Keep in mind that deed searches will not give you information concerning structures on the property; they deal with land ownership. Goshen also has books on mortgages that I have not used, but I am told are useful.

4. When researching the family(s) that lived in an old home, we are getting into the field of genealogy. Doing a proper genealogy of a family can take years. When doing a history of a house, I don't have years to spend on family history. So I put together what I think went on with a big Warning. A good place to start with family history is www.rootsweb.com. Click on Family Trees and type in who are looking for. If you get a lot of hits, you can narrow it down at the bottom of the page. Be careful with the information because much of it has no citation.

5. There are three histories of Orange County: Eager 1846/47; Ruttenber and Clark, 1881; Headlely, 1908. You can find them at the Albert Wisner Library in Warwick, NY. Be sure to check them out.

6. Warwick has two local newspapers that go back to the 19th century. They are on microfilm at the Albert Wisner Library in Warwick, NY. There is no index as to what is contained there, so for the past few years, I have been going page by page through the old issues - mainly the Warwick Valley Dispatch. I have done transcriptions of articles that pertain to local history. A record of what I have done can be found on this blog.

The bottom line, if you are attempting to do a history of a home and the families that lived there, is that you have to use many resources. I approach it as a puzzle with many pieces. Once you get enough pieces, you can begin to put together a history.

New Milford News Items of Days Gone By

This post is similar to the previous one. All of these items appeared in the Warwick Valley Dispatch. All items are direct quotes unless enclosed in parentheses.

11.29.1911
The Rev. Mr. Price exchanged pulpits with Rev.Mr. Brehant of the Calvary Baptist Church of Warwick, who gave us a fine sermon Sunday. Hope to have the opportunity of hearing him again soon.

1.24.1912
The Ladies Aid of the New Milford M.E. Church will hold a match social on Tuesday evening, January 30, 1912, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. M.B. Edsall. A cordial welcome is extended to all.

2.28.1912
The Ladies Aid Society will hold an orange sociable at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Minkler on Wednesday evening, March 6. All are cordialy invited.

4.24.1912
Arrangements have been made with the Warwick Telephone Company for an indepentent line to the Taylor farm; Mr.Taylor sets the poles and pays for the wires.

5.15.1912
Mr.Albert Phillips is taking great pleasure driving his new Hupmobile just purchased of Jack Davis.

6.12.1912
The Ladies of the New Milford Church will hold a strawberry and ice cream festival at the church, Friday evening , June 14, 1912. A cordial welcome is extended to all.

6.12.1912
The Children's Day exercises held Sunday everning were well attended some being present from Warwick, Edenville, Vernon, and Amity. A fine program was rendered and Miss Hornbeck, our popular school teacher, also favored us with a solo.

7.24.1912
Mr. Smith and Mr. Paddock of Borden's Creamery, went to Burnside Friday and brought back a fine team of mules.

8.21.1912
The annual clam bake of the New Milord M. E. Church will be held at the church grounds, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 1912. Bake open from 1 to 3 p.m.

8.21.1912
Mr. Marcellus Drew's fine colt won the race at Pochuck track, Thursday, with several other colts competing.

12.18.1921
Mr. John H. VanGelder loaded a car with trolley ties, Monday, to be shipped to a new trolley line at Cape May, N.J., where the owner of the Wawayanda tract, from which these ties were cut, is interested in a large improvement project.

12.18.1912

New Milford News Items of Days Gone By

This posting is similar to the previous one. All of these items appeared in the Warwick Valley Dispatch. All items are direct quotes unless enclosed in parentheses.

8.07.1907
The dance at High Breeze on Saturday evening, was grand success, New Milford and vicinity being represented by Mr. and Mrs. L.J. Buchanan, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. John Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. Hartman Utter, Mr. Roy Leeper, Mr. S. Weymer; also Mr. and Mrs. Fred Decker of Warwick.

9.11.1907
(The Dispatch did a survey on the peach yield in Warwick and Vernon Township. The crop that year varied from one-third to one-half of the normal yield. Prices ranged from $1.25 to 2.50 for baskets, and from $2.75 to $4.00 for fancy carries. In the New Milford-Edenville district were the following growers: John C. Drew, 2000; E.G. Steibling, 6000; J.B. Rhodes, 3000; J.H. Wood, 1750; G.W. Hyatt, 4000; R. Jennings, 500; James Jeffers, 500; Wm. VanDervort, 400; J.H. Ryerson, 800; Harry Vail, 2500; Rhodes & Mott, 1500.)

5.18.1910
(Harry Vail went to Sloatsburg with Nate Carr and John C. Drew to pick up Mr. Carr's stolen horse. Nate Carr and John Drew returned to Mr. Drew's touring car, and Harry Vail drove the horse home. In Monroe, he stopped to buy a new horse blanket. He picked a bright red one to match his ruddy cheeks and his red tie. The combination proved to be too much for a local Sherlock Holmes, who darted out in front of the rig and demanded Mr. Vail to stop. Mr. Vail had to establish his identity with the locals and explain his relationship to the horse. Before moving on, his fat pocketbook was lightened a bit to treat the members of the Monroe Horse Thief Detective Association.)

6.15.1910
John C. Drew has sold a torpedo-type Marion car to R.D. Wallace of Vernon, for $2,000, taking in exchange Mr. Wallace's Winton.

8.24.1910
Will VanDervort tied a couple of dogs in his peach orchard recently to watch and protect his crop, but some kind-hearted neighbors, who knew the dogs did not like the job, released them from the leash, and next morning the doggies were wagging their tails complacently on Mr. V's doorstep.

11.30.1910
(All New Milford was in town attending the law suit between Al Phillips, the buthcher, and William VanDervort, farmer, over a cow. It seems that Phillips' cow strayed on VanDervort's farm. VanDervort sent her up to a mountain pasture and she went dry. After Phillips had claimed his cow and settled up for her keep, he sued for depreciation. Clifford S. Beattie represented Phillips and Lewis J. Stage appeared for VanDervort. The case was tried before Justice Benedict and a jury in Village Hall. All afternoon was spent on the case and the jury returned with a verdict of $10 damage for the plaintiff.)

12.21,1910
Mr. and Mrs. Drew spent several days in the city withnessing the fine play "Rebecca," while in town.

12.28.1910
Mr. Gilbert D. Ryerson had the misfortune to lose a $300 horse last week - on of a well matched farm team that had a leg broken from the kick of its mate. The animal was shot by Mr. J. C. Drew.

Jan 1911
(Albert Phillips, Jr., age 17, died from injuries from a farm accident.)

2.01.1911
Mr. and Mrs. Jame Ryerson entertained the New Milford Card Culb Saturday evening. The favor winners were Mr. and Mrs. Russ Ferguson, and consolations went to Mrs. John C. Drew and Mr. Clinton Edsall.

4.19.1911
Mr. John C. Drew is in the west looking for another carload of horses, expecting to arrive with them on Saturday, the 22nd.

8.23.1911
Ryerson's moving pictures will be shown at the New Milford M.E. Church, Tuesday evening, Sept. 5. Proceeds for the benefit of the Church.

10.04.1911
The clam bake given Saturday, Sept. 30, 1911, for the benefit of the New Milford M.E. Church was a great success. A vote of thanks is extended to Mr. Walter Minkler of New Milford, who baked it. About 135 people were served.

10.18.1911
Mr. C. H. Sweezy, piano turner of Middletown, was through this vicinity Saturday.

John Helt and Sons

This is an advertisement published in the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated November 10, 1926. Mr. and Mrs. John Helt lived on Covered Bridge Road, across from Peachblow. An early interest in a very new field.

New Milford News Items of Days Gone By

For the last few years I have been going page by page through the microfilm records of Warwick's two local newspapers. When I find an article which I consider to be an important piece of local history, I make a photocopy and from there a transcription of the article. In an earlier post I listed the names of the articles and where they can be found. Not everthing I have found has been transcribed. Some is somewhat trivial. Other items are only a sentence or two found under the New Milford reportage. Here is what I have started to do with some of that material.

All of these items come from the Warwick Valley Dispatch. All items are direct quotes unless enclosed in parentheses.

1.06.1885
A pleasant evening was spent at the residence of Postmaster DeKay on New Years Eve. Supper was served and dancing indulged in till the dawning of the New Year.

9.03.1885
The public school has reopened for the Fall and Winter session, with Mr. T.L. Gillison as principal.

9.24.1885
"Our Ticket Agent" sold 25 tickets for the Coney Island excursion and a large number for the County Fair.

10.22.1885
Rev. C.C. Miller, who comes from Edenville each Sunday to preach to the erring sinners of Jockey Holler, generally finds a large and appreciative audience.

12.09.1885
The attendence at the singing school was not very large on Thursday evening, consequently Prof. Miller only obtained eight subscribers. There will be another meeting to-morrow night, and we hope all those interested will attend.

3.24.1886
The old cherry tree that has stood in the sidewalk of Main Street for many years has been hewn down. It has been a faithful guide for those coming or going on a dark night, especially those that came in contact with it.

4.28.1886
The gypsies have been encamped on Church-street, left on Monday for Newburg.

1.27.1892
(Irvington Giveans and a team of horses was killed by a train at the New Milford crossing on Covered Bridge Road.)

4.20.1892
Mr. S.R. Drew has gone to New York with a number of horses recently sold there.

8.03.1892
The sporting fraternity of New Milford was well represented at the trot and ball game last Saturday afternoon at Warwick.

9.14.1892
When you are in need of anything usually kept in a country store, give our obliging merchant, B. Scott, a call. Ed. This store was where the Stanabach store stands. It burned down in 1900.

10.05.1892
Mr. Chas. Thompson is making cider. Price two cents per gallon. Ed. Probably the Thompson cider mill on Iron Mountain Road.

11.16.1892
There will be a box social held at Benj. Scott's Friday evening, Nov. 18. The proceeds will be used in purchasing books for the Sabbath school library.

3.28.1900
(A fire in Jockey Hollow destroyed the hotel/store. The store was owned by Benjamin Scott and the hotel was run by James McCann. Also lost in the fire was the hotel barn, hotel sheds, Mr. Scott's residence, Mrs. Sloan's residence, and a buildig across from the store, half of which was used for storage and the other half was the residence of John L. Springer.)

4.29.1903
A gay gallant who rode his brave charger from Warwick town to call on one of our fair young maidens, hitched his horse to the wrong tie-post, full half a mile away from the home of the young lady. The young man discreetly declined to say whether his modesty was at fault or if he was unacquainted with the neighborhood and people.

8.12.1903
Mr. Phillips gives a great deal of pleasure with his Edison phonograph.

10.14.1903
(The flood of 1903 did great damage in New Milford.)

1.09.1907
Russ Ferguson and Will Talcott expect to go west to the Dokotas in the spring, and with pocketfulls of Orange County sheckels will make a try for fortune in the lumber and milk business.

1.30.1907
The people of New Milford have organized a singing school under the direction of Mr. Robert A. Wheat.

5.01.1907
Capt. O.W. Ferguson , who has been enjoying a two week's visit with his family and neighbors at New Milford, after an absence of three years in the Phillipines, went to Washington Sunday evening to consult with the department chiefs of the Geodetic Survey, and receive another assignment.

Detective Work

The above is a close view of the 1863 map of Orange County. The following short article comes from the Warwick Advertiser, dated June 9, 1866:

NEW MILFORD HOUSE - We took a look upon "mine host" of this House the other day, and were exceedingly gratified with the changed and improved conditions of affairs. A new bar-room has been fitted up in good style in the basement, a large dining hall contructed and furnished, and other improvements carried out. The proprietor, Mr. Campbell, is always found obliging, and his house noted for its good cheer. We doubt not he will merit the favor of the public.

It is on the map and in the artiicle, but I don't have a clue what this place was.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

by HILAH HASBROUK

Now that the steeple of the Old School Baptist Meeting House regilded, money must be given to pay the bil. Mrs. Lewis has had a meeting of the church committee and they will plan something to raise money. I thought maybe this article on old times interest our newcomers in past history - a new member of the antiques Club had the meeting last Tuesday, maybe other newcomers will become interested.

The Old School Baptist Meeting House on High Street, with the shining, newly covered weathervane has taken on a new lease of life with Mrs. Madison Lewis and the Warwick Historical Society taking an interest in it. The weatervane can be seen from every road leading into town and has been noticed by the older residents to see if clear weather or a storm are to be expected according to the direction of the wind. The steeple is 93 feet high.

The historical society is a group of people interested in keeping the landmarks of the early days. There is a white stone on Oakland Avenue showing the distance to Newburg. It is said there used to be such stones every mile to the Hudson River. This one on Oakland Avenue was saved by Mr. Frank Sanford who lived next door and bought a strip of land to own that old tree and stone.

The houses along Oakland Avenue were placed the same distance from the street. Those on the east side had a row of maples carefully placed in a straight line to protect those living there from the glare of the sun. The new houses were carefully placed the same distance from the street.

Mrs. Furman, whose husband was a conductor on the L. & H. Railroad, was born and lived as a young girl on High St. She remembered taking the family cow mornings down the main street and across the creek to a vacant lot for pasture.

When a cemetery was needed, it was probably Mr. Clinton W. Wisner who drew the plans for the stone entrance and the driveways. It was land belonging to the Welling family and they kept the knoll between the road and the land they sold so that a view of the cemetery was not seen from the Welling Home.

The village for years was between Colonial Ave. and High St. It was not until the early 1800's that homes were built toward the north. There are photographs in the Chester Bank of the houses between Grand St. and Welling Ave. of which the stone house owned by Genevieve

More to come when I can get it. Didn't photocopy the end of the article. What is publiished here is a transcription of an article from the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated September 15, 1971. Used with permission.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

Drive-in re-opening under new ownership

A long established Warwick business has changed hands.

Frank Seeber of Holiday Lakes, Montaque, N.J. has purchased the Warwick Drive-In Theatre business and land from Charles Finger and has slated a Gala Re-opening for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Seeber, left, and Finger are pictured above at the Drive-In.

The change in ownership, which became effective on Feb. 15, marks the completion for Charles "Budge" Finger of 52 years in the motion picture business, a career that began at the age of 12 when Budge took a job with Tom and Jeff Wisner at the old Oakland Theatre. After assisting the new owner for a brief time, he will retire.

The new owner brings to the Drive-In considerable experience as a projectionist at a number of Sussex County theatres including the Newton Drive-In. He has been associated with theatres in that area since he was 15.

He is an advertising representative for the New Jersey Herald.

Seeber is active in the Walkill Valley Rotary Club and has just retired from the Kittitiny Regional Board of Education which recently completed a $6 million school building program with the opening of a new school. Mr. Seeber looks forward to being active in the Warwick community and may relocate here at some future time. He will continue the same policies at the Drive-in as followed by its former owner.

The Warwick Drive-in Theatre, located just behind Lloyd's Shopping Center on Warwick Turnpike - Rt. 94, was established 25 years ago by Charles Finger and George Miller. Miller later sold his share of the business to Russell Eurich, who in turn sold his interests to Mr. Finger. The later operated the drive-in successfully on his own since that time offering the finest equipment and services.

This is a transcription from the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated March 16, 1977. Used with permission.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

This is a transcription of an article published in the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated June 2, 1976. Used with permission. This is an article about the Volga Germans founding a Church in Pine Island around the turn of the last century. It is an interesting history. I grew up with some of these families. The Schadt family was one, and I think the Scheurerman and Schmick families were part of that same group.

St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church to celebrate 75th Anniversary

On June 6, 1976, at 4 p.m., a special service will be held to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Little York Road, Pine Island, N.Y. A supper will be served in the Church Hall following the service.

The Lutheran Church was founded on June 5, 1901, by a group of Russian immigrants who were actually German.

Just about two-hundred years ago, when Catherine II was Empress of Russia, she encouraged Germans to colonize the vast unsettled lands near the Volga: Catherine, subsequently called The Great, who was born a Prussian princess, recognized the farming skills of the Germans. Conditions at this time in Germany were critical - the Seven Years' War had just ended, leaving many risidents in ruin and devastation. Catherine's invitation, therefore, brought new hope to many people.

It is known that the ancestors of the group that founded St. Peter were among a group of eighty families which left Budingen in Hessen in 1766, and a year later founded the village of Jagodnaja, approximately sixty miles north-west of Saratov on the Volga. They were granted certain privileges, as promised by the Empress Catherine, such as right to self-government, religious liberty, exemption from military service, land grants, and their own churches and schools. However, they were disillusioned in Russia and life was very difficult. With German perseverance they made the best of it, and for many years these Germans dwelled peacefully in the land of the Czars. They enjoyed their traditional German life and were progressing in all areas of life - economic and cultural, but towards the end of the ninteenth century, religious, racial, and national persecution became prevalent againist non-Russians, and eventually another eimigration was put into motion.

During the last decade of the ninteenth century many of the residents of Jagodnaja, Russia, migrated to America, and with the help of immigrant missionaries some were steered to settle in what is now known as the hamlet of Little York.

"Die Kirche" (The Church) was always the focal point of social and family life of these people. It, therefore, wasn't long before steps were taken to start a church. In 1898 land was purchased and soon thereafter a church building was started at the present location of St. Peter. By June 5, 1901 the congregation was incorporated and the first pastor was called - Rev. C. George Kaestner. Since then there have been a sucession of twelve pastors, with Rev. Phillip N. Sallach presently pastor in 1975.

At first there were just German services, but in later years English services were also held every Sunday, and in 1964 German services were discontinued.

The orignal church burned down on Christmas Eve of 1917 and the present edifice was erected in 1918. A large hall and Sunday School rooms were added in 1968.

Many of the descendants of the Volga-German fouonders are still active in the church, but as a microcosm of the melting pot of these United States, people of other religious and national origins have also become staunch members and officers of St. Peter.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

This is a transription of an article published in the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated April 14,1943. It is used with permission. The Lazear family played an important part in the history of the Village of Warwick. I believe that this family dates back to the Lazears of New Milford. There was a Lazear Tavern on Iron Moutain Road, dating back to the late 18th century.

Cornelius S. Lazear Died Suddenly Saturday

Saturday, shortly after one o'clock, Cornelius S. Lazear, popular and well-known business man of Warwick, died at St. Athony's Hospital, having suffered a stroke a few hours before while at the home of the late John Sullivan, where arrangements were being made for the funeral services of Mr. Sullivan in St Stephens's Church.

Mr. Lazear was the son of the late Wilbur C. Lazear and Jennie A. Smith Lazear, and was born in Warwick, Febrluary 25, 1886. He was a graduate of the Warwick High School and the Renouard Embalming School of New York City. He had been associated with, and finally owned, the undertaking and furnitlure business in the village which his grandfather, Cornelius J. Lazear, had established. His father, Wilbur C. Lazear, conducted the business during his lifetime and during the later years the firm was known as W.C. Lazear and Son. At his death the son took over the ownership, and the firm was known as the Lazear Funeral Service and the Lazear Furniture Store.

Mr. Lazear married Miss Ethel Howe of Warwick who survives. He is also survived by a sister, May, wife of Postmaster Wilmarth J. Tuthill of Goshen, and by several nieces and nephews. One nephew, Wilbur L. Smith, son of his late sister, Belle Lazear Smith, made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Lazear.

Cornelius Lazear was a man active in his community, civic and lodge organizations. His friends were legion and came from all walks of life.

At the services, held at his late home in Hathorn Park yesterday afternoon, the house was taxed to capacity. The Reverend Taber Knox, his pastor was in charge.

In the closing prayer of the service Mr. Knox asked for the blessing and comfort of the household where the Angel of Death had entered. Also for the comfort and blesssing for all those assembled. They were an evidence of the esteem in which the departed was held in this community. Mr. Knox said that most homes here would remember his ready sympathy, his gentle, kindly and beautiful ministrations given them during their own hours of sorrow.

Interment was in Warwick Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Mr. Thomas Lawrence, Mack Bristow, Victor A. Demouth, Charles Smith, Roy Elston and Roy Epting.

He was a member of the Warwick Reformed Church, member of the Board of Education of the Union Free School District No. 12 since 1926, a director of the First National Bank of Warwick, a trustee of the Warwick Savings Bank, a directory of the Warwick Valley Telephone Company, a member of the Warwick Rotary Club, president for the past three years of Excelsior Hose Company of Warwick, and for ten years was chief of the Warwick Fire Department. He was a former president of the Orange County Volunteer Firemen's Association. He was a life member of the Vernon Fire Department. For many years he was clerk of the village.

He was well known in masonic circles being past master of Warwick Lodge F. & A.M. No. 544 and its trustee since 1921; a member of Middletown Chapter of Mason and Cypress Commandry, both of Middletown. Also a member and past treasurer of Greenwood Forest 81 Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He was a member of Wawayanda Lodge No. 34 I.O.O.F.

He was director, secretary, and treasurers of the Warwick Building Association, a trustee, secretary and treasurer of the Warwick Cemetery Association. He was also a member of Warwick Grange No. 918 and of the Historical Society of the Town of Warwick.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

History ... as it should be ..

by FRANK AND ANTOINETTE BARCZAK

1924
We began building our house on Little York Road in March of 1924. While I helped buid the house my wife and two children stayed at her mother's. When the house was partially finished around April 15 of that year she joined me. We set up two cribs, a stove and a table and lived in one room until completion. There were many mud holes in the road hampering travel. Lumber for the house could only be delived a portion of the way onto Little York. I had to bring in the balance of the way with a team of horses. The holes were so bad at one time that they had to fill them witih gravel and stones to allow a funeral procession to pass. Our school tax that year $42 and some change.

1927
We had a herd of about 29 cows on 147 acres of land, 11 acres of which were black dirt. We raised onions, potatoes and carrots. On Aug. 15th of that year heavy rains caused a flood that ravised our entire crop. We had just hauled a load of oninon sets up to the yard before the rains came. It was sold for $1.35 per cwt.

1928
Floods hit us again that year, during June. We had no sets that year, just regualar onion seed. We paid the Lust girls $4 dollars per day to help us with the weeding but lost the entire crop in the flood. Frank took sick in
August and was unable to work. I took care of the dairy with a hired man and hung on until Jan., 1929. We sold the dairy and some hay, managed to pay the taxes and lived on the $4,400 we realized from the sale. We also had chicken, pigs, ducks and geese and kept two cows for milk. Frank began to improve around 1930 and borrowed $3,000 and went to Owego with George Feagles and Bill Janiak and bought 27 cows. They were delivered to Pine Island by train. With the stock market crash of 1929 milk was cheap. We sold it for 89 cents per cwt. Complaits came in that the farmer's milk was of poor quality at that time so we had to drain off the poorer milk from the bottom of the milk cans with a special pipe. We fed that to the the pigs. Standards were set on the milk by the Dariymen's League that regulated the price. For 30,000 lbs.of milk our check was not enough to pay our way around. We needed about $75, so we renewed our note at the bank, paid the interest and borrowed on our life insurance policy to buy 4 tons of fertilizer for the black dirt. The cows took care of the fertilizer for the corn and hay fields. The Florida National Bank closed on Mar.3,1933 and we had $89 in our checking account that was frozen. It was reopened in November of that year. We sold our onions for $1.35 per cwt. that year. We lost our onion crop in July 1942 to the floods again. We fell back on the dairy.

All the work was done by hand on the black dirt and on the dairy farm. We gathered and raked hay by hand. Then in 1935 or 1936 we purchased a Bolens tactor, a hay tether and a set planter in 1937 and a hay loader in 1941. It was in 1937 witih the Rural Electritification Act that we received electricity. With the help of the Farm Bureau who prodded Orange & Rockland we were able to get the electricity and then get a milk cooler. Before that kept the cans of milk in a nearby spring to keep it cold. It was a thrill to get electricity, we can remember going from room to room putting on light switches.

We carried our milk to the Big Island creamery with horse and wagon. When my husband was sick I took the milk in myself. I can still remember one bad mud hole on the way that I thought I would never get through. After that creamery burned down we hauled it to one in Edenville and then to the one in Pine Island. The creamery in Edenville was closed when the Dairymen's League bought it. On our trip to town, it was a thrill to watch the locomotives turn completely around on the turnstyle in Pine Island which was located next to where the Pine Island Liquor Store is located today.

A total eclipse of the sun stands out in our minds that appeared on a cold January morning about 9:30 either in 1925 or 1926, we can't remember which year. It was beautiful, it was very cold, the snow crunched as you walked. My husband took the milk to the creamery with the horse and sleigh at the time. The corona was beautiful and it was like dusk. It was the only one we have ever seen.

We can still remember the taxpayers' meeting, with people complaining about the closing of the Mt. Eve School around 1938. It had been built around 1928. We took our horses for shoes to Felix Aelaskowski in Pine Island. The blacksmith shop was run by Pete and Stanley Majek before Mr. Zelaskowski operated it. We also took them to Mr. Ruszkiewicz in Florida. Life was simple in those days, we don't regret a day of it. The kids were home and were good. As parents we didn't have as much worry about as parents do today.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

HATHORN PARK

Name selected by the Warwick Building Association for the Wood Tract - Fourty-four Choice Lots Offered - $800 Asked for Choice of First Six Lots Sold - Contract Let for Five New Houses on Sayer Tract.

The Building Association has nearly completed the new street through the Wood tract and the extention through to the Bellvale road, and invites the public to drive through the tract and admire the choice lots which are now ready for sale.

The name of Hathorn Park has been given to the whole tract, and Park avenue to the street leading from South st. to Galloway road. The street running east and west through the center has been named Burt street, in honor of the late Senator Jame Burt, and his descendents, whose old homestead lying to the east of Hathorn Park, may at some future time be required for our rapidly growing village for building purposes.

There are 44 choice lots in Hathorn Park; the Association reserves 10 of these for the surplus material, which will be needed for the grading and filling other lots. With the exception of these ten, any six of the remaining 34 will be sold to the first buyer at $800 each; no buyer to be permitted to buy more than one lot. After the sale of the first six lots the price of the balance will be increased.

All lots will be restricted, houses to cost less than $4000.00, and to be located not less than 50 feet from the street, stables and barns not less than 100 feet, no ales or liquors to be sold on the premises or at any part of the tract.

The Association has just completed 9 houses, 3 sungle and 3 double on Orchard street, all of which have been rented, except one.

Contract was let last night to Welch Brothers t to build a single house on Wheeler avenue to be completed by October 1st.

The Association will have for sale within a few days about 30 lots on the Sayer tract, on Wheeler avenue, which are much cheaper than those in Hathorn Park.

For maps and particulars enquire at the office of F.V. Sanford, or of either of the undersigned committee.

Mr. Samuel Armstrong knowing a good thing when he sees it has bought the first $800 lot in Hathorn Park.

G. F. PITTS,
HENRY PELTON,
F.V. SANFORD,
Committee

This is a transcription from the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated July 31,1907. Used with permission.

Warwick Historical Papers Volume 6, Part 2

This is a transcription from the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated April 4. 1979. Used with permission.

The Filipowskis first Polish settlers in Pine Island
by ANN GURDA

The Filipowski family, whose roots were implanted in Pine Island at the turn of the century, holds the distinciton of being the first Polish family to settle in the area. Leo and Anna Filipowski settled in Pine Island in 1903 and bore twelve children, seven of whom are still living. All reside within a 20-mile radius of Pine Island, with the exception of one daughter, who resides in South Carolina.

Mr. Filipowski had first moved to Florida, near the Jessup swamp area, alongside the creek, from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Prior to coming to Florida, he had obtained employment in a sugar wharehouse, where "they won't hire a Pole - only Germans." He had been born in Germany to Polish parents and spoke both languages. To get the job, he added a few years to his age and changed his name to Reynard Arndt.

While living in Florida, Mr. Filipowski worked on the James Finn farm, which was devoted to onions. He later met Floyd Teather, an owner of a grocery store in Florida and the owner of a farm in Pine Island. He became a sharecropper with Mr. Theater and also helped to clear swampland for crops. As a scrarecropper, Mr. Filipowski lived in a home near the Lehigh and New England Railroad which was located near the Teather farm. Teather had also been the owner of a sawmill, which was located at the junction of the Erie and L. & N.Y. RR in the vicinity of the Joseph Hucko farm on Pulaski Highway. Several years later the Filipowskis moved to living quarters located on the sawmill property. He later purchased a house on Pulaski Highway in the vicinity of the Krasniewicz home, from Jack Cook, a man of German descent, who moved to the Little York area. He later built a home near the Kaminski residence and remainded there until his death. Only the foundation remains today.

Most of the settlers in the Pine Island area upon the Fillipowski arrival had been of German descent. However, he blended in with the community because he was bilingual.

Mr. Filipowski helped with the excavation of St. Stanislaus R.C. Church using a pick and shovel. He also planted the maple trees that surround the church and served as its janitor and custodian.

Prior to the construction of the church, which was dedicated in 1912, Mr. Filipowski and his wife, and children walked the six miles by railroad track or the seven miles by black dirt to attend Mass in St. Joseph's Church in Florida. St. Stanislaus Church was contrusted on property owned by the Knapp family, also former owners of the Joseph Huko farm.

Mr. Filipowski, a six-foot tall, robust man, was known for his good humor, his love for music and hard work, a philosophy he has instilled in his children. As a clarinet player, he had formed a three piece band, including a base fiddle and violonist , the only band in Pine Island. Consequentlly he had been contracted to play for many of the Polish and German weddings in the area.

His son, John, recalls playing with his father on the bass fiddle at the age of 14. His first professional engagement was the Victoria and Chester Smolinski wedding in 1910. "Wedding took place on weekdays in those days," Mr. Filipowski said. "Mr. Smolinski, who resided in the Mission Lands area, owned a team of bay horses and a nice fringe carriage." So they drove to Florida," Mr. Filipowski continued, "and we sent them away playing march music and in about four hours they returned. We greeted them music and played for dancing which was held in the barn near the Smolinski home." he concluded. It was not so uncommon for weddings in those days, according to some oldtimers, to last as long as three days. One Polish man in the area renting a tuxedo for his wedding in 1933 for $3.00 and wearing it for three days. Mr. Filipowski's son, Tony Phillips, provided the music for that reception which was held in his father-in-law's barn. Because of a chill in the autumn air, the musicuans wore gloves to keep warm.

The Smolinski family was the first to settle in the Mission Lands area, according to Mr. Filipowski, and they were followed by the families of John Brozdowski, Frank Bogdanski, Paskiewicz, Staskewwicz, Roman Czubak, Theodore Bastek, Peter Grusz, and Adam Foremny families. Mr. Filipowski, who had been a 30-year salesman for the Metropoitan Life Insurance Company and a resident of Goshen for most of his life, married one of the Foremny girls of the Mission Lands. Like the elder Filipowski, he too raised a large family and led a productive and fruitful life. He devoted much of his time to community affairs and played important behind-the-scenes roles in projects as the paving of Pulaski Highway and the erection of the Polish Legion of American Veterans monument at St. Joseph's Cemetery. He also served as the first commander of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, Post # 16, which was first organized in Florida. Its home is now Pine Island.

John still remembers working in the black dirt fields from 7 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. at 10 cents an hour to help his family. He had also worked at Borden's creamery in Pine Island at the rate of $1.50 per day.

While Leonard Filipowski busied himself with providing for his family, his wife, Anna, also played an important role in the community. As a mother of a large family, she automatically became the midwife for the Polish community and supervised the birth of many of the older members of the community including the Hucko and Labanowski children, and "never lost a mother or a baby," in spite of the fact that she had no formal training.

Daughter Julia Kobylaski clearly remembers the days of her mother's duties as midwife. "I was a little girl and could not understand why my mother had to suddenly leave. A knock would be heard on the door in the middle of the night and off she went."

The Filipowski's, who enjoyed a long and productive life together, had also met with tragedies and setbacks. A flood hit the area when they lived in Florida that had Mrs. Filipowski scurrying about moving what she could to the upper floor of the home, including the children and their pigs and chickens. A hurricane destroyed their home on the sawmill property leaving them without furnishings and clothing. They had also lost a son while Mr. Filipowski worked on the excavation for St. Stanislaus Church, who had drwoned in the river.

Mr. Filipowski died at the age of 97 on Jan. 6, 1962. His wife preceded him in death. The seven remaining sons and daughters are Frances Kerstanski, Sophie Evansky, of South Carolina, Julia Kobylaski, Rose Lowkis, Anthony and Adam, all of Pine Island, and John, of Goshen. Mrs. Kerstanski's son, Joseph, followed in his grandfater's footsteps in his love of music and formed a band - Jolly Joe and His Sons - and is widely known in the area.

Anthony, another musically inclined member of the family, formed an orchestra known as Tony Phillips and His Orchestra and like his father, also played at many Polish weddings and affairs for several decades. His grandson, Leonard, 13, of Middletown, N.Y., has become an accomplished pianist and appears with his grandfather on many of their public engagements. Leonard is also the organist for his parish church.

Daughter Julia and her husband, Michael Kobylaski, had for many years operated a trucking firm which was located on Pulaski Highway near her father's home. She was one of the first women in the history of the Town of Warwick to ever serve on a jury for justice court.

Leonard Filipowski had been described by an Orange County historian as a man who "had a Santa Claus beard and plenty of white hair, a twinkling eye and a merry manner, as any Santa Claus person should; and a love of live and black dirt farming." He exemplifies the legacy of black dirt farming as well as the heritage of the Pole who contributed mind and muscle toward the establishment of the black dirt community as it stands today.