THE TOWN OF HOOSICK The title to the soil of the town of Hoosick comes from three original patents-the Hoosick, the Walloomsac and the Schneider. The Hoosick patent was granted June 3, 1688, by Governor Thomas Dongan to Maria Van Rensselaer of Albany, Hendrick Van Ness of Albany, Gerrit Teunis Van Vechten of Kaatskill and Jacobus Van Courtlandt of New York. This patent covered between 65,000 and 70,000 acres and is described as follows: All that tract of land with its appurtenances situate, lying and being above Albany, on both sides of a certain creek called Hoosick, beginning at the bounds of Schackoock, and from thence extending to the side creek to a certain fall called Quequick, and from the said fall upwards along this creek to a certain place called Nochawickquaak, being in breadth on each side of the said creek two English miles; that is to say, two English miles on the one side of said creek, and two English miles on the other side of said creek, the whole breadth being four English miles; and as in length from the bounds of Schackook aforesaid to the said place called Nochawickquaak. The Walloomsac patent lay north of the Hoosick patent but extended farther east. This grant was made June 15, 1739, to Edward Collins, James De Lancy, Gerardus Stuyvesant, Stephen Van Rensselaer, Charles Williams and Frederick Morris. Its area was about 12,000 acres along the Walloomsac river, partly in what is now Washington county and partly in Rensselaer county. The Schneider patent was issued March 24, 1762, upon a petition presented July 8. 1761, by Hendrick Schneyder, John Watteck, Hendrick Lake, John Johnson, Garret Williamson, Nathaniel Archerly, Benjamin Abbott, William Taylor, Martinus Voorhees, all of New Jersey, and Daniel Hallenbeck of Albany. This patent was "bounded northwardly by the patent of Wallumshack, southwardly by the patent of Rensselaerwyck, westwardly by the patent of Hoosick and eastwardly by other vacant lands, containing about the quantity of 10,000 acres." The town of Hoosick is the most northern in the county. It is bounded on the north by Cambridge and White Creek in Washington county; on the east by Bennington in Vermont; on the south by Petersburgh and Grafton and on the west by Pittstown. The revised statutes of the State describe the town as follows: The town of Hoosick shall contain all that part of said county bounded northerly and easterly by the bounds of the county, southerly by Petersburgh and Grafton and westerly by Pittstown. The surface of the town consists of the mountainous regions of the Taghkanick range on the east and those of the Petersburgh on the west, with the narrow valleys of the Hoosick and Walloomsac rivers. Fonda's hill in the southeast and Potter's hill in the southwestern part are said to be about 900 feet above the level of the sea. The Hoosick river runs through the centre of the town. The northern portion of the town is drained by the Walloomsac river, which flows from the east line in a generally westerly course to the Hoosick. The Hoosick river runs through a valley which was the warpath along which the French and Indians marched upon the villages of New England in the earlier French and Indian wars, and it was also a part of the famous so called "eastern trail," over which the Iroquois and Algonquin tribes marched in their long series of wars of extermination long before America was settled by the white men. It dces not appear that the original grantees of the town of Hoosick took any very early steps for the settlement and cultivation of their lands. For more than half a century the sole inhabitants of these lands were a few Dutch families and some Mohican Indians. The capture of Fort Massachusetts, located near North Adams, Mass., then known as East Hoosick, occurred August 20, 1746. This expedition passed along the old warpath over the ground now occupied by Hoosick Falls, and upon its return destroyed every settlement in the Hoosick valley. At- this time these settlements must have been wealthy and prosperous, for the loss in that neighborhood alone by this incursion was estimated at 50,000 pounds, New York currency. Among the pioneer settlers of the town of Hoosick was Jan Oothout, who prior to 1754 had built a home just inside the present boundaries of the village of Hoosick Falls on lands subsequently owned by Henry Barnhart. Soon after Pitt Hogle built a residence about two miles farther south. Near the junction of the Little Hoosick and Hoosick rivers was a settlement known in colonial times as Hoosack. It lay between Hoosick Corners and North Petersburgh and was partly within the limits of the town of Petersburgh and in ihe manor of Rensselaerwyck. Among other early settlers were the families of Breese, Fonda, Ouderkirk, Bovie, Vanderrick, Huyck, Brimmer, Roberts, Cott and Barnardus Bratt. The latter married Catherine Van Veghten, daughter of Johannes Van Veghten and granddaughter of Gerrit Teunis Van Veghten, (Sometimes also spelled Van Vechten.) one of the original grantees of the patent of Hoosick, acquiring by this marriage and by later purchases from other heirs a large interest in the lands held under that patent. His great ownership of lands and his assumption of manorial rights gave him a high social position and he was generally referred to as the "patroon of Hoosick." The first grist mill and the first saw mill in the district were built by him. Near the junction of the Walloomsac and Hoosick rivers in the north part of the present town was a hamlet called St. Croix in colonial times, probably so named by French missionaries who evidently explored the country as far south as the Hoosick river and there established a mission. Aside from this mission the first permanent settlement here probably was made by Gerrit Cornelis Van Ness, a descendant of the family named as one of the grantees in the patent. Other settlers following soon after Van Ness were Jacob A. Fort, John Van Denberg, Arendt Van Corlaer, John Fonda, David Van Rensselaer, Stephen Van Rensselaer, William Nichols, Robert Laeke and families named Van Veghten and Norwood. Early settlers in the northern portion of the patent were Peter Surdam, Isaac Bull, Samuel Hodges, Stephen Kellogg, Francis Bennett, Thomas Sickels, Joshua Gardner and William Waite. Early settlers of what is now known as West Hoosick included Thomas Brown, David Cass, Joseph Guile, Samuel Stillwell and others, some of whom had made settlements before the first French and Indian war. Joseph Guile was a noted scout in the early Indian wars. Among the early settlers of the Schneider patent were several of the gran tees. John Quackenbush of Schaghticoke settled on this patent about 1765. Among others who were early settlers were Peter Ostrander, John Palmer, Benjamin W. Randall, William Helling, John Patten and others. In 1772 Jonathan Fuller leased from Augusta Van Home of New York for a term of twenty-one years, 220 acres of land on the Hoosick patent, which included practically all of the present village of Hoosick Falls south of the old homestead of J. Russell Parsons. and east of Main street. Mr. Fuller doubtless was the first settler at this point. Henry Northrup subsequently purchased the entire tract of Mr. Van home and settled there, where he remained until his death in 1797. Isaac Turner and Joel Abbott settled at the Falls about 1774. Mr. Turner conducted the first store in Hoosick Falls. Phillip Haynes came from Connecticut in 1783 and located about a mile west of the falls. Deacon Goff made an early settlement on the west side of the road leading to North Hoosick. Joseph Dorm came from Connecticut in 1778 and worked in the mill of -Stephen Kellogg on White Creek, where he soon afterwardS established fulling and carding works in connection with the mills. An early cabinet maker was Comfort Curtis. Among other earlier settlers in the latter days of the eighteenth century were John Pease, Jacob Pease, Benjamin Walworth, John Cornstock, John Chase, Thomas Osborn, Dr. Aaron D. Patchin, Nathaniel Bishop and Isaac Webb. Henry Breese of Greenbush located near Hoosick Corners in 1765. His farm subsequently became the property of Moses Warren, for several years surrogate of Rensselaer county, and later of Gideon Reynolds, one of the most prominent residents of the county and at various times member of assembly, congressman and internal revenue collector. The Breese family was prominent in the history of the town. Hendrick Schneider, one of the original patentees, settled about 1762 in the southern part of his patent. At an earlier date, perhaps 1749 or 1750, Jacob Ouderkirk removed from Albany and located on a large farm two and one-half miles south of the Falls on the west bank of the Hoosick river. About 1780 Elijah Wallace came from Connecticut and settled in Hoosick Falls. Thomas Lottridge, Jonathan Eddy, John Carpenter and Henry Clark were other early inhabitants of this locality. Among the earliest tavern keepers of the district of Hoosick were Jacob Van Ness, Henry Brown, William Roberts, jr., Daniel Kimball, Godfrey Stock, Jonathan Twiss, John Bovee, Caleb Hill, John Mattison, Joseph Ellsworth and Morris Pearce, all of whom were in business prior to or during 1791. Later proprietors in the eighteenth century included Simeon Hiscock, Luke Frink, Daniel Lyon, Reuben Baldwin, John Potter, Freelove Aylesworth, Jehial Fox and Cornelius Van Vechten. The first bridge built over the river in Hoosick Falls was constructed in 1791. The old "rainbow bridge,"a mile above, had been destroyed prior to that year,and for a time thereafter a ferry had been maintained opposite the residence of Col. Dorr. The first physician in Hoosick Falls was Dr. Thomas Hartwell, who came from New London, Conn., in 1778. He was one of the founders of Federal lodge, No. 33, F. & A. M., organized in 1782. Dr. Gleason came from Pittstown in 1806 and after practicing medicine a short time began the study of law. Dr. Salmon Moses removed to Hoosick Falls in 1818. In the legal profession among the earliest in practice in the town was the famous lawyer, Reuben H. Walworth. George Rex Davis, later in life one of the most prominent lawyers and honored residents of Troy, came to Hoosick Falls about 1799 and opened a tailor shop. Four or five years later he began the study of law and entered upon its practice in the village about 1810. Nineteen years later he removed to Troy to become a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Hezekiah Munsell, jr., practiced law in Hoosick Falls for many years. Lyman Sherwood practiced for a short time and then removed to Wayne county. Later on Lorenzo Sherwood, brother of Lyman; James W. Nye, John Fitch and Charles M. Dorr had offices in the village of Hoosick Falls. The district of Hoosick was formed March 24, 1772. Its boundaries were not identical with those of the present town and are not clearly defined. Hoosick remained a district sixteen years and. was organized as a town March 7, 1788, three years before the erection of Rensselaer county. While a district it enjoyed all the privileges of a town, except that of having a representative in the State Legislature. The annual meetings of the district were held at the old settlement of St. Croix, now North Hoosick, and many of the earlier town meetings were also held there. The records of this district are not in existence. The town records are complete only from the year 1789, when the full list of officers was: Supervisor, Thomas Sickels; town clerk, Zachariah W. Sickels; assessors. Jacob Van Ness, Henry Breese, Nicholas Snyder, Reuben Thayer, Isaac Bull, John Johnson, Zachariah W. Sickeis; collector, Henry Brown; commissioners of highways, Thomas Sickels, William Kerr, Nicholas Snyder; overseers of the poor, Ebenezer Arnold, William Kerr; constables, Henry Brown, Squire Read, Henry Walker, Samuel Latham; fenceviewers, James Williamson, Henry Snyder, John Van Buren, Henry Breese, John Van Ness, Zachariah W. Sickels, Godfrey Stark, Asel Gray: poundkeepers, Squire Read, Harper Rogers, Timothy Graves, Benjamin Waite; pathmasters, John Milliman, Samuel Latham, John Ryan, Anthony V. Surdam, George Nichols, Samuel Surdam, Garret Van Home, Isaac H. Lansing, Daniel Rogers, John Bovee, Godfrey Stark, Jonathan Case, Ezekiel Hodges, Jonathan Moasby, William Briggs, William Mellen, jr., David Brown, John Johnson, Luke Frink. The first recorded public action regarding the common schools was taken at the town meeting of 1796, when John Comstock, Sylvester Noble, Peter Van Dyck and Joseph Dorr were elected school commissioners. Under the law of 18 12-1813 reorganizing the public school system of the State, Joseph Slade, Nathaniel Bishop and Daniel Rogers were elected school commissioners in the spring of 1814. In 1844, under the law providing for town superintendents, Simeon Curtis was elected to that office for Hoosick. One.of the earliest school houses in the town was built in 1788 at the expense of Edmund Haynes, Joseph Dorr, Isaac Bull and others on the south side of the river near the bridge. Among the names of the earliest teachers appear those of Waterman Dailee, Field Dailee and Elam Buel. There have been numerous excellent private schools in the village, one of the earliest of which was conducted by the Rev. David Rathbun. The assertion has been made, and it is now accepted as a fact by most persons, that the "Leatherstocking" of James Fenimore Cooper's novels was Nathaniel Shipman, one of the earlier settlers of the northeastern part of the town of Hoosick. He was a noted trapper and hunter, a close friend of the Mohican Indians, and fought with them against the French and the Canadian Indians. He was a Tory during the War of the Revolution and was tarred and feathered for his disloyalty. Soon after he disappeared and nothing was heard of him for years. Mr. Shipman's daughter Patience married John Ryan of Hoosick. Mr. Ryan became acquainted with the novelist Cooper while the former was serving in the State Legislature about 1804 or 1805, and in their conversations it was found that the missing hunter had been living in the forest near Otsego lake for some time. He was finally induced to return to Hoosick and reside with his daughter and her husband, though he frequently returned to his western home at intervals. He died in 1809 at the house of Mr. Ryan and was buried in the village churchyard. One of the most important battles of the War of the Revolution was fought entirely within the present limits of the town of Hoosick, yet that great event is recorded in history as the Battle of Bennington! The battle ground is one of the most interesting of the many historic points in the county, and many of the spots are so plainly marked that they are at once evident to the visitor who has read a detailed account of the fight, which is found in preceding pages of this work, carefully compiled from the best authorities. The interest taken by the patriotic residents of Hoosick in the war of 1812 and the events leading up to it was very marked. In few communities was the cause so warmly espoused before events had so developed that it was seen that recourse to anything but war wasimpossible. As early as 1808 a meeting was held in Hoosick in pursuance of a call signed by Seth Parsons, Joseph Dorr, Benjamin Walworth, Hezekiah Munsell, jr., John Ryan, J. N. Northrup, Benjamin Lewis, J. C. Walworth, Aaron Haynes, John Palmer, Asher Armstrong and Thomas Osborne, "to deliberate on the embarrassment which foreign nations .and the advocates of rebellion and insurrection have brought upon the country." As a result of the meeting a letter was sent to the president of the United States offering the services of the patriotic men of Hoosick in the event of war. Other public meetings followed and the patriotic sentiment of all the inhabitants was kept at high pitch. When troops were required to enforce the embargo acts, a military company was formed in Hoosick Falls, with Gideon Gifford as captain, Gilbert Barnes as lieutenant, Samuel Tappan as ensign and John B. Dickenson as orderly sergeant. In 1808, soon after the first meeting referred to, Ebenezer Cross, upon receiving a captain's commission from General Dearborn, secretary of war, raised a company and when war was declared performed two years service. Others who served included William Palmer, John H. Haynes, Captain John Walworth, Reuben H. Walworth, afterwards chancellor, Benjamin G. Sweet, Captain Lemuel Sherwood, Ensign John Hallenbeck, Benjamin Baker, Solomon Wilson, Stephen Chapman, Clark Baker, Gerrit Hallenbeck, Jacob Haight, Job Cass, Jacob Case, Sergeant Watkins, Jacob Vandenburgh, Ouderkirk, Taliman Chase and William Coon. In 1814 there were three companies of militia in Hoosick-an artillery company commanded by Captain Thomas Osborne, a company of infantry commanded by Captain Abram Keach and a company of infantry commanded by Captain Nathaniel Bosworth. One hundred and twenty-eight volunteers under George R. Davis joined these organiza tions, and all marched from Troy to Plattsburgh, but the battle at that place had been fought before they reached there. The men of Hoosick furnished one company for the Thirtieth regiment New York Vols., which went to the front during the early days of the War of the Rebellion. The first meeting was held at the Baptist church April 24, 1861, when more than forty men signed the enlistment roll, the first being L. Burke Ball of Hoosick Falls. Money was voted liberally and soon the full company was ready for the field, hay ing been designated as Company H. New recruits were received from time to time during the war, and 416 all told left Hoosick for the Civil War during that memorable struggle. Those who died (28 in total) in the service were: William Sears, Frank Williams, Martin Barrel, Jedediali Varnum, Matthew Dwyre, David E. Conger, Pardon S. Fuller, Edward Conger, James Riley. James Van Acker, James Congdon, William A. Callen, Bartholomew Carmody, Jesse T. Dunham, David Donahue, Albert S. Hall, Jeremiah Kimball, George W. Kenyon, Jason Love, Robert Patterson, Jesse Potter, Raiph Selby. John Cumber, Henry C. Link, Thomas Hall, Charles H. White, John J. V. Grover, Robert Robinson. The largest and most important village in the town of Hoosick is Hoosick Falls. It is located on the Hoosick river at the falls, and has one of the finest water powers in the State. Early settlements in the village and its immediate vicinity have been described in preceding pages. Through the influence of Seth Parsons, who conducted a machine shop there, a post-office was established in Hoosick Falls in 1822 and Mr. Parsons became its first postmaster. He located the office in his shop and appointed David Ball as his deputy. Mr. Parsons was retained in the office nineteen years, during which time the development of the village was very rapid. In its early days the post route to Hoosick Falls, or "the Falls," as the village was first known, was a branch of the route from Albany to Brattleboro, Vt., and the mail was carried to and from Hoosick Corners by a boy, who walked. Hoosick Falls was incorporated as a village in 1827, and Mr. Parsons, who evidently was one of the most public-spirited men of his day, was chiefly instrumental in bringing this about. At the time of the incorporation of the village it had a population of two hundred. The first village was one mile square, with the old Caledonian cotton factory as the centre. A new charter was granted the village of Hoosick Falls March 26, 1859. Some of the most important sections read as follows: All that part of the town of Hoosick in the county of Rensselaer contained within the following limits shall constitute the village of Hoosick Falls, to wit: Beginning at a point due north, one hundred and sixty rods from the southwest corner of the brick building known as Gordon's or the Caledonian factory, in said village, and running thence due east one hundred and twenty rods; thence. due south three hundred and twenty rods; thence due west two hundred and forty rods; thence due north three hundred and twenty rods; thence due east one hundred and twenty rods, to the place of beginning; and the inhabitants residing therein are hereby constituted and declared -a body politic and corporate, by the name of the village of Hoosick Falls. The officers of the village shall be as follows: A president, four trustees, a police justice, one or more police constables, a collector, a chief engineer of the fire department, a treasurer, a clerk, a superintendent of streets, a poundmaster, a fire warden. The law further provided that the president and trustees should be elected by the people; that the chief engineer and two assistants should be elected by the fire department, subject to the approval of the board of trustees; that the clerk, police constables, street superintendent, treasurer, collector, fire warden and poundkeeper should be appointed annually by the board of trustees; that the police justice should be appointed by the board of trustees. The village was also prohibited from borrowing money, and any village officer incurring any liability on behalf of the village was made personally liable for the same. The Hoosick Falls Gazette, formerly the Cambridge Valley News, which was moved from Cambridge to Hoosick Falls about 1862, and of which A. C. Eddy was proprietor at the time, was the first paper published in the village. It continued but a year. Soon afterward Botsford established the Hoosick Falls Independent, but this too died at the end of a year. The Rensselaer County Standard was established November 15, 1873, by James H. Livingston, and since that time it has been one of the representative papers of the county. The first school of high grade in the village was Ball seminary, which was incorporated by the Regents of the University April 11, 1843. The work upon the building was begun the previous summer. Judge Chandler Ball donated a large portion of the money necessary to its construction, and the institution was named in his honor. The first board of trustees consisted of L. Chandler Ball, Seth Parsons, Lyman Wilder, Harvey Patterson, Adin Thayer, Hial Parsons, Thomas Gordon, Andrew Russell, John White, William Palmer, Willard Herrington and John Renwick. The seminary was eventually closed by reason of the lack of funds to carry on the good work auspiciously started, and in 1863 the property was conveyed to school district No. 1 for the purpose of founding a free school. Of the new school the first trustees were Walter Abbott Wood, Charles H. Merritt and the Rev. A. De Witt. The early history of the schools of Hoosick Falls is embodied in the school history of the town of Hoosick, which appears in preceding pages of this chapter. Since the early days the schools of the village have risen to a high rank in the State. The educational facilities of the village are now equal to any found in any village of its size in the State. The affairs of the district are administered by a board of education composed of three trustees. The community is quite particular into whose hands it commits its educational interests and hence there are selected for this important office men who are prominent for business capacity and enterprise, executive ability and intellectual attainments. The trusteeship has been graced by such names as Hon. Walter A. Wood, J. M. Rosebrooks, Joseph Buckley, Hon. J. Russell Parsons, M. J. Earley, William Hyland and Ambrose Carr. The district owns and uses four large buildings. For many years Mrs. Julia M. Dewey, a scholarly lady, was principal of the schools. She resigned in 1887 and has since held responsible positions in the educational world. John E. Shull became her successor and continued serving as principal for three years, at the expiration of which time the board of education elected him superintendent. Mr. Shull was succeeded by Prof. Arthur G. Clement, who was followed by Prof. H. H. Snell, the present superintendent. An able corps of twenty-five teachers is employed. Many have had the benefit of normal school, college, and high school training. Nearly all have had considerable experience in the school room. A teachers' training school is in connection with the school, in charge of Miss Tuthill. The district is under the supervision of the Regents of the University of the State of New York. The number of pupils in attendance in 1896 was over 1,500, and the average daily attendance was about 90 per cent. of the enrollment. The district owns a large and well selected library open to the public and pupils. In 1887 the free text book system was adopted. Besides the public schools St. Mary's church supports St. Mary's academy, which opened September 8, 1891, with 550 pupils. There are twelve Sisters of St. Joseph in charge. The academy was char tered under the State Board of Regents December 12, 1894. The school is noted for its high standard of educational and moral discipline. The building is a three-story brick and besides commodious and modern school rooms there is a large hall known as Columbus hail. Hoosick Falls is supplied with pure water by the Hoosick Falls Water Supply company. The source is a gigantic well twenty-five feet in diameter located on the flats above the falls. Water is pumped into the main pipes direct, and also into a storage reservoir located on one of the eminences in the extreme eastern part of the village. The company has about eight miles of street mains and supplies the village with eighty-eight fire hydrants. The officers are George H. Norman, president; G. Norman Weaver, treasurer, and Ezra R. Estabrook, secretary. The water was first turned on June 1, 1886. The capital stock of the company is $100,000. Hoosick Falls is supplied with an excellent system of sewerage at a cost of about $50,000. The system, which consists of about fourteen and one-half miles, was completed during November, 1893. That it is giving entire satisfaction is apparent from the fact that already over 600 families have laid connections with the mains and the number is annually increasing in large numbers. The system is equipped with automatic flush tanks, Since the introduction of the sewerage system the average sickness has been largely decreased. Previous to its introduction, at certain seasons of the year, contagious diseases were prevalent, consequently the system has proven a blessing in this direction. The first members of the board of sewer commissioners were: Joseph Buckley, president; Lyman C. Wilder, clerk; John F. Murray, Danforth Geer and Thomas Gleason. Lawrence E. Buckley has been the superintendent since the organization of the board or since the system was completed. The outlet is below the dam of the Hoosick river. By a special act of the Legislature passed March 19, 1888, a police force was established in the village, regulated and governed by a board of police commissioners. Previous to this time the patrolmen were under authority and special fee compensation of the village board of trustees. The first board of police commissioners consisted of Francis Riley, president of the village and board, Charles C. Spencer and John H. Cronin. Their first meeting was held March 26, 1S88. The first patrolmen were Thomas McManaway, chief, who is at present acting in the same capacity, John McPartlin and Hugh Reed. The present force consists of Thomas McManaway, chief; Byron Willis and Auer Powers. Hoosick Falls boasts of several handsome public buildings. Foremost is the armory of the Thirty-second Separate company, a description of which is contained in the history of the company. Seth Parsons steamer house on Church street, a two-story building, was erected of brick at an original cost in 1882 of $4,800. The total cost of the building has been $10,000. The village also has four public school buildings. One, on Main street, was erected about 1884; the High school building, a three-story brick edifice with basement, with large hail on the top floor; the building on the corner of Centre and Second streets, known as the Centre Street school, erected about 1880; and the Classic Street school, formerly the old Ball academy. Another school is in Trumanville and is now known as Parsons school. The history of the extensive Walter A. Wood Reaping and Mowing Machine company centres from the early history of Hon. Walter A. Wood, whose interesting biography is contained in this work. He was a blacksmith by trade and afterwards mastered the trade of machinist. After a time he became interested in the manufacture of agricultural implements. In 1850 he purchased a territorial right to make and sell the reaper known as the John P. Manny reaper, and began its manufacture in Hoosick Falls. The date of the first introduction of the celebrated Wood machines was 1852, when Mr. Wood commenced their manufacture in a small way. In 1855 he added to his facilities by buying the premises of the Tremont cotton factory. In 1859 the increasing business compelled him further to extend his premises by renting the place formerly occupied by a competitor. In November, 1860, the entire plant was annihilated by fire. The sales had averaged 5,000 machines for the two years previous. The same year the work of rebuilding began and the factory was established with improved facilities. The Wood mower had already been added to his manufactures and has remained a specialty ever since. It made a great success from the start. In 1861 Walter A. Wood patented his "chain rake reaper," a machine so unique and different from anything ever before conceived that perhaps no one ever looked upon it the first time without being startled. Wood's reapers and mowers had by this time acquired wide fame and his business was not only attracting attention from farmers, but from financial people in the business world. It now became an easy matter to enlist large capital and in the year 1866 the Walter A. Wood Mowing and Reaping Machine company was organized with these officers: Walter A. Wood, president; William B. Tibbits, vice-president and secretary; Willard Gay, treasurer. The Wood establishment met with a second interruption by fire in 1870, but the check was in part neutralized by the lately acquired ownership of the Caledonia Mill buildings, which furnished a workshop while the burned premises were rebuilding. From the date of the fire of 1870 new buildings have year by year been added to meet the heavy growth of business. In 1873 the reel rake reaper, known as the "Walter A. Wood sweep rake reaper," was put forth with great success. In 1874 the most striking enterprise in Mr. Wood's career occurred in the introduction of the harvesting machine, which not only reaped the grain and separated it into gavels, but bound it into sheaves ready for the shock or stack. In 1878 was introduced "Wood's enclosed gear mower," which was at once adopted as a type by European manufacturers. In 1880 the company brought out their "twine binder harvester," to which was added "Wood's bundle carrier," which deposited the sheaves in groups. Novelties were brought out almost every year after that. The works stand on a tract of eighty-five acres of land on the west bank of the Hoosick river. The company has its own malleable iron works, besides all the other necessary workshops, constituting one of the most commodious and conveniently equipped plants of its kind in existence. On a high point of land in the midst of the company's tract stands a large reservoir, considerably higher than the roofs of the factory buildings and connected by pipes with all parts of the premises, with automatic sprinklers fastened to the ceilings. There is also an independent fire apparatus. All parts of the works are connected by railroad tracks, which comprise seven miles, with a full outfit of freight cars and two locomotives for switching cars to the public railroad and moving machines and material on the premises. Whole freight trains are quickly loaded at the company's freight houses and hauled by the company's locomotives to the track of the Fitchburg railroad, thus bringing their works into prompt communication with all parts of the world. The shops are lighted by electricity by the company's private plant, and the various departments are steam heated. The river furnishes a fine water power, the steam engines of the company being used merely as accessories in case of emergency.. The company has sent forth inventions which have received the highest prizes at nearly all of the world's fairs, and made the names of Walter A. Wood and Hoosick Falls familiar in every country. In 1895 the company met with reverses, having been placed in the hands of receivers, Seymour Van Santvoord and Danforth Geer. The demand for machines, especially for the foreign trade, however, has been larger than ever, and the works were operated to fill the demands under the receivers' hands in 1895 and 1896. Among the prosperous industries of the place established during 1895 was the Superior Knitting company, located on Water street. The concern was organized November 1, 1895, for the purpose of manufacturing ladies' and children's ribbed underwear. The first members of the firm were Robert Clark and his brother, George W. Clark. Later Clarence Rowland and Francis Riley were taken into the firm. The concern occupies a building 50 by 50 feet, basement and three stories, and employs about sixty hands. The Miller, Hall & Hartwell shirt shop occupies a three story brick building at the corner of John and Lyman streets. About 200 hands are now employed. E. W. Williams is superintendent. The concern's present quarters were completed in May, 1896, by the Hoosick Falls Industrial & Building association. Among the other industries of the town is the Noble & Johnston Machine works, located at the foot of First street A foundry and carpenter shop is connected with the shop. The concern was organized under this name in 1894 for the manufacture of paper-making machinery, which is sold in all parts of the country and abroad. About twenty- five hands are employed. The factory was tormerly used for the manufacture of Pruyn potato diggers. The Wm. Howland Paper Box factory has been in existence several years. About fifty hands are employed in the manufacture of paper boxes. The First National bank of Hoosick Falls is the only banking institution in the village. It was organized March 11, 1880, with a capital stock of $60,000 and began business in its present quarters, corner of Classic and Main streets, May 3, 1880. The first officers were: President, Truman J. Wallace; vice-president, Charles A. Cheney; cashier, Addison Getty; directors, Walter A. Wood, T. J. Wallace, A. L. Johnston, S. S. Stevens, C. E. Stroud, W. S. Nicholls, J. Russell Parsons, Benjamin V. Quackenbush, J. P. Armstrong, Charles J. Eldredge, E. A. Cheney, E. P. Markham, Benjamin F. Rerrington. Its present officers are: President, E. P. Markham; vice-president, A. L. Johnston; cashier, Addison Getty; directors, S. S. Stevens, William Kelyer, C. W. Easton, Addison Getty, A. L. Johnston, E. P. Markham, H. S. Moseley, Jos. Buckley, E. R. Estabrook, Charles Q. Eldredge, Ira J. Wood, A.H. Sherwood, Walter A. Wood, jr. Among the flourishing secret organizations of the town is the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, No. 178, organized December 9, 1890, with twenty charter members. On that day about forty members of the Troy and Albany lodges were present and the installation occurred in the K. of P. hall, conducted by D. D. Sol Davis of Albany. The following were the first officers elected: Exalted ruler, Dr. F. R. Hudson; esteemed leading knight, Edward Levy; esteemed loyal knight, Thomas H. Hayfield; secretary, Louis Markstone; treasurer, Peter Gaffney; tiler, Forrest D. Var aum; trustees, William Powell, jr., Alex. A. Levy, James King. The village of Hoosick, sometimes known as Hoosick Corners, originally was an important point in the old stage line running from Troy to Bennington, Vt. Hezekiah Munsell was probably the first postmaster, in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Dr. Asher Armstrong held the office continuously from 1799 to 1832. Dr. Asher Armstrong located in Hoosick about 1796, and for more than thirtyfive years, or until his death, November 23, 1832, enjoyed a large practice. An early industry at "the Corners" was a tannery maintained for many years by William Goodrich. The Tibbits butter factory was established about 1871. North Hoosick is located on the Troy & Bennington railroad and the Walloomsac creek. Several small industries have been conducted there from time to time. A carding mill was established there about 1807, and later was operated by Timothy McNamara as a woolen factory In 1840 Thomas and Samuel Fowler changed it to a flannel factory. A few years later 0. R. Burnham & Son of New York converted it into a shawl mill. The property was used for various purposes after that, and was burned in 1876. Eagle Bridge is located on the Fitchburg railroad, and not far from the Hoosick river in the northwestern part of the town. It has become quite an important.town for the railroad and is the point at which considerable shipping is done. The industries of the town are small. Walloomsac is a small hamlet on the Troy & Bennington railroad in the northeastern part of the town. The paper mills at this point were established by A. & W. Orr of Troy, manufactures of wall paper. The buildings were originally devoted to the purposes of the McNamara scythe works, established very early in the nineteenth century A. & W. Orr converted the property into a paper mill, which for many years, under different firms, has been one of the prominent industries of that locality. The mill at Walloomsac and the mill at North Hoosick, about a mile apart, for many years were run in connection. Buskirk, formerly known as Buskirk's Bridge, is located in the northern part of the town. Its industries are not very important nor numerous. West Hoosick is a small hamlet in the western part of the town. Trumanville, a hamlet located opposite Hoosick Falls, was incorporated into the latter village many years ago. Potter Hill is an unimportant hamlet, containing a post.office, located in the southwestern part of the town. The first place of Christian worship in the town of Hoosick probably was established by the early Catholics at St. Croix as a mission for the Indians. Authentic data in relation to this institution is lacking. The first church of which we have any definite and satisfactory record is the old Protestant Dutch church at St Croix, The building stood on the road to Cambridge. The house of worship, which was built principally through the offices of Cornelius Van Ness, was abandoned in 1800, but was not torn down until twenty-five years later. In the northeastern part of the town, near Walloomsac, a Baptist church was founded as early as 1778. Three or four years later a house of worship was erected, and in 1788 a second one was built at Waite's Corners. One says that the church was established in 1772. The Hoosick Baptist church was founded March 16, 1785. Who the first pastor was does not appear in the records. The first of whom anything is known was the Rev. Samuel Rogers, who served from 1797 to 1801. For four years the society was without a pastor. The Rev. David Rathbun preached from 1805 to 1809. The society was first known as the Mapleton church, but during the pastorate of the Rev. James Glass the name was changed to Hoosick church. About 1831 the church was transferred to Hoosick Corners. The Reformed church at Buskirk's Bridge (now Buskirk) was organized May 2, 1792, and was the outgrowth of a church formed in 1714 in Schagticoke. The Rev. Samuel Smith first served the society as pastor, preaching but once a month. The first house of worship was located near the site of the present one, the locality then being known as Tiashoke. In 1823 a building was removed from Pittstown and dedicated May 2 of that year. In 1872 it was enlatged and remodeled. The Walloomsac Methodist Episcopal church was organized April 18, 1811, with Isaac Mosher, John Matthews, John Comstock, Simeun Sweet, Benjamin Barnet and Thomas Milliman as trustees. The first meeting house was completed the same year and some time afterward the society was incorporated as the Methodist Episcopal church of Old Hoosick. June 2, 1858, it was reincorporated as the Walloomsac Methodist Episcopal church, and soon after the old church was abandoned and services were held in the school house at North Hoosick. Soon after the church was reorganized at that place. January 25, 1825, a' number of the inhabitants of Hoosick Falls assembled at the Warren meeting house on Main Street and there organized a religious society by the name of the "Presbyterian Society of Hoosick." In 1829 the congregation erected on Church street a frame meeting house, which, when finished, was dedicated by the Rev. N. S. S. Beman, D. D., of Troy. This building cost $1,800 and had seats for about three hundred persons. In 1854 the old building was removed and the present church edifice was erected at a cost of about $7,000, and having a seating capacity for about five hundred persons. It was dedicated in the spring of 1854, the Rev. N. S. S. Beman, D. D., LL. D. of Troy, the Rev. J. H. Noble of Schaghticoke and the Rev. A. M. Beveridge officiating. The church edifice was enlarged and improved in 1879 at an expense of $6,500. The different pastors of this church have been: The Rev. C. Cheever, 1825-6; the Rev. Samuel W. May, 1826-9; the Rev. Robert Shaw, 1830-1; the Rev. Luther P. Blodgett, 1831-6; the Rev. Leonard Johnson, 1837-9; the Rev. Thomas Gordon, 1841-5O; the Rev. A. M. Beveridge, 1851-8; the Rev. A. De Witt, 1859-65; the Rev. A. B. Lambert, D. D., 1865-8; the Rev. John Tatlock, D. D., 1868-93; the Rev. George W. Plack, 1893-96; the Rev. E. Payson Berry, 1896--. The new church of the original Mapleton church society, located at Hoosick Corners upon the renewal of the organization, was erected about 1831. At that time Rev. Israel Keach, who had accepted a call in 1824, was pastor, and he remained as such until 1839. About 1869 a new house of worship was erected at a cost of $11,000, and in 1874 a parsonage costing $4,000 was built. The Liberal Religious society at Mapleton was incorporated January 23, 1836, and occupied the property of the old Mapleton church. It was established as a mission church, and persons of several religious denominations worshipped there in its early days. The First Baptist church of Hoosick Falls was organized October 30, 1847. In the meeting house of the "Warren Society," May 8, 1851, the organizers of the church elected these trustees: John Lyon, Jonathan Case, Allen Spencer, Hosea Daniels and Edmund Leonard. The certificate of incorporation is dated May 16, 1851. The following have been pastors of the church: The Rev. John M. Gregory, 1847-5O; supplies for several years, the Revs. Grant and Thomas Rogers of Hoosick Corners; the Rev. 0. C. Kirkham, 1860-63; the Rev. Thomas Rogers, the Rev. William A. Doolittle, the Rev. William Wilcox, the Rev. William Garnet, 1867-69; the Rev. E. T. Hunt, 1869-1873; the Rev. A. B. Whipple, 1873-74; the Rev. H. W. Webber, 1874; the Rev. H. A. Morgan, 1875-76; the Rev. George R. Robbins, 1876-88; the Rev. A. Chapman, 1888-95; the Rev. W. E. Webster, 1895- -. The congregation until recently occupied what was called "the meeting house" of the Warren society, erected in 1800. During 1884 a beautiful and commodious house of worship was built at a cost of over $12,000 with a seating capacity of 700. It was dedicated October 31, 1884. The first masses were celebrated in Hoosick Falls in 1834 by the Rev. J. Shannahan in the old school on Elm street, and in the Baptist church (then used as a union church). The Rev. J. B. Dailey attended this place in 1836-37, and subsequently the Rev. Fathers Havermans, Farley, Finnelly and Quigley officiated until 1849. In that year the Rev. Hugh Quigley built a church on Church street, which was afterward enlarged by the Rev. John McDermott, who officiated until 1862. In 1862 the Augustinian Fathers took charge of the parish. The Rev. J. A. Darragh, 0. S. A., was appointed first pastor and remained in charge until 1865, being succeeded by the Rev. E. A. Dailey, 0. S. A., who remained in charge until 1874. The church proving too small the corner stone of a new church on Main street was laid August 15, 1869, by the 'Very Rev. E. P. Wadhams, V. G., of Albany. It was dedicated December 10, 1871, by the Very Rev. T. Galberry. A bell weighing 2,960 pounds was placed in the tower in August, 1872. In July, 1874,. the Rev. J. D. Waidron, 0. S. A., was appointed pastor, and in 1890 he was succeeded bythe Rev. P. J. O'Connell, O. S. A. The Rev. D. D. Reagan, the present pastor, has served since 1894. A new organ was placed in the church August 15, 1881. The present edifice is a substantial brick structure with stone trimmings, and cost $58,000. Its seating capacity is 1,050. The Methodist Episcopal church of Hoosick Falls was incorporated April 12, 1858. In 1860 a frame church was erected on Main street, in which services were first held on Christmas day of that year, at which time it was dedicated, the Rev. J. E. King, D.D., preaching the sermon on the occasion. The building cost about $3,300, and had a seating capacity of 300. It was further enlarged in 1877. A fine toned bell, weighing 1,866 pounds, and costing $642, was placed in the belfry in the summer of 1874. In 1887, during the pastorate of the Rev. C. W. Rowley, it was determined to build a new church, the old one having been outgrown. The Russell homestead was purchased, the old house converted into a parsonage, and the corner stone of a new church laid October 20, 1887. The edifice was completed in about a year, at a cost, including furnishing, of about $30,000; the value of the entire property, lot, parsonage and church, being about $40,000. This building was dedicated October 31, 1888. The society is in a strong and flourishing condition. The first pastor of the church was the Rev. Reuben Wasliburne. The Baptist church at West' Hoosick was incorporated April 16, 1861, with Stephen Paddock, Philip Herrington and Isaac Shedd- as trustees. St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal parish, of Hoosick. Falls, was organized under the ministrations of the Rev. Nathaniel 0. Preston. It was incorporated November 1, 1834. The parish continued to exist in a very uncertain condition till 1858, when a new organization was effected. The corner stone of the church was laid in the summer of 1858 by the Rt. Rev. Horatio Potter. The first services in the church were held Sunday, August 26, 1860, and the edifice was consecrated May 5, 1863. The church was partially destroyed by fire in 1886; was restored the same year, and enlarged in 1888-89. This church contains a townclock and a fine chime of bells presented by J. Hobart Warren, in memory of his wife. A beautiful carved oak reredos, representing the Lord's Supper, is the gift of William M. Cranston, of England, in memory of his wife. A brass lectern and oak pulpit are the gift of John G. Darroch, in memory of his wife. The rectors of the parish have been: Rev. Nathaniel O. Preston, 1833-38; the Rev. Ebenezer Williams; the Rev. James Henry Morgan, 1861-63; the Rev. Geo. A. Weeks, 1863-65; the Rev. Geo. H. Nicholls, 1865-81; the Rev. Geo. D. Silliman, 1881-93; the Rev. Chas. C. Edmunds, jr., 1893, now rector. SUPERVISORS OF HOOSICK. 1789-1794, Thomas Sickels; 1795-1796, John Ryan; 1797-1799, Joseph Dorr; 1800, Joseph Dorr; 1801-1803, John Ryan; 1804-1805, Joseph Dorr; 1806-1809, John Ryan; 1810-1812, Joseph' Dorr; 1813-1814, Jonathan Eddy; 18l5-1818, Nathaniel Bishop; 1819-1823, Jirah Baker; 1824-1825, Reuben Clark; 1826-1827, Amasa Kenyon; 1828, Abraham Keach; 1829-1833, Harry Patterson; 1834-1835, Reuben Clark; 1836, Daniel B. Bratt; 1837-1838, Palmer S. Shrieves; 1839-1841, David Harrington (2d); 1842-1845, David S. McNamara; 1846, Jonathan Cottrell (tie), D. M. Cooley (appointed); 1847, Lucius M. Cooley; 1848-1849, Alvah H. Webster; 1850-1851, Nicholas Danforth; 1852-1853, Joseph Haswell; 1854, Jirah E. Baker; 1855, Augustus Johnson; 1856, Harry Patterson; 1857, Alvah H. Webster; 1858, George W. Ostrander; 1859, William Hayes; 1860-1867, J. P. Armstrong; 1875, Gideon Reynolds; 1876-1877, Alvah H. Webster; 1878, Jonathan P. Armstrong; 1879-1880, J. Russell Parsons; 1881-1882, E. C. Reynolds; 1883-1884, Le Grand Tibbits; 1885, William P Harwood; 1886, Le Grand C. Tibbits; 1887, Levi E. Worden; 1888-1889, Joseph Buckley; 1890, Levi E. Worden; 1891-1892, Francis Riley; 1893-1895, Watson M. Holmes; 1896, Salem H. White, TOWN CLERKS OF HOOSICK. 1789-1792, Zachariah W. Sickels; 1793-1799, Thomas Hartwell; 1800-1809, Sylvester Noble; 1810-1812, Thomas Osborn; 1813-1818, John Comstock; 1819-1820, Thomas Osborn; 1821, Seth Parsons; 1822, Samuel Burrell; 1823-1827, Seneca Dorr; 1828, Dow Van Vechten; 1829-1834, Hiram harrington; 1835, Jonathan Eddy; 1836-1838, Jonathan Eddy, jr.; 1839, Abram K. Sanders; 1840, Samuel F. Burrell; 1841-1842, Adin Thayer, jr.; 1843, Abram K. Sanders; 1844, Andrew Russell; 1845, Jason Burrell; 1846, Isaac N. Joslin; 1847, Truman J. Wallace; 1848. Willard Harrington; 1849-1850, Ezra R. Estabrook: 1851, Marshall F. White; 1852, J. Gordon Russell; 1853, S. Parsons Cornell; 1854, J. Gordon Russell; 1855, Marshall F. White; 1856- 1857, S. Parsons Cornell; 1858, Charles H. Hawks; 1859-1862, Edward M. Jones; 1863, Ezra R. Estabrook; 1864, Manley W. Morey; 1865, Charles E. Morey; 1866, John P. Brown; 1867-1868, Ezra R. Estabrook; 1869-1870, Eli P. Forby; 1871, George E. Wilcox; 1872, Edward F. Brush; 1873, Henry D. C. Hanners; 1874-1877, Henry O. Peters; 1878, Henry D. C. Hanners; 1879-1881, Warren F. Peters; 1882, Joseph Haussler, jr.; 1883, C. A. Johnston; 1884-1886, Joseph Haussler, jr.; 1887, W. H. Estabrook; 1888, W. F. Peters; 1889, George W. Van Hyning; 1690, B. C. Armstrong; 1891-1892, P. McKearin; 1893, Ambrose Carr; 1894- -, F. H. Esta. brook. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE OF HOOSICK. Harry Patterson, February 24, 1823; Clark Baker, February 24, 1823; Seth Parsons, March 11, 1823; Stephen Eldfred, September 30, 1823; David Gleason, October 18, 1823; Herr Munsell, jr., October 24, 1823; Harry Patterson, January 1, 1828; Herr Munsell, jr., January 10, 1828; David S. Benway, January 18, 1828; Nathaniel L. Milliman, January 25, 1828; David S. Benway, January 7, 1829; Lemuel Sherwood, jr., December 9, 1829. Commencing in 1830, these officers were elected at the annual town meetings as follows: 1830, Seth Sweet; 1831, Harry Patterson; 1832, John J. Viele; 1833, Moses Warren; 1834, John Fitch, Prosper M. Armstrong; 1835, Nathan Wait; 1836, George Manchester, L. Chandler Ball; 1837, George W. Rogers; 1838, David L. McNamara; 1839, Hezekiah Munsell, William C. Raymer; 1840, David S. Benway; 1841, Albert Brown; 1842, David. S. McNamara; 1843, Jason Burrell; 1844, George Manchester, Henry B. Clark; 1845. Henry B. Clark; 1846, David S. McNamara; 1847, John Renwick; 1848, James J. Allen; 1849, Henry B. Clark; 1850, George Chase; 1851, Jason Burrell; 1852, Jirah E. Baker; 1853, Henry B. Clark; 1854, George Chase; 1855, Briggs Keach; 1856, Andrew Houghton; 1857, Henry B. Clark; 185S, George Chase; 1859, Marshall F. White; 1860, J. Oscar Joslin; 1861, Henry Hawks; 1862, George Chase; 1863, Marshall F. White; 1864, Eli Barton, jr.; 1865, J. Merritt Bratt; 1866, .George Chase; 1867, Marshall F. White; 1868, J. Oscar Joslin; 1869, Gideon Reynolds; 1870, George Chase, Henry Hawks; 1871, Joseph Buckley; 1872, Henry D. Harrington; 1873, George W. Brown; 1874, Alexander Frier; 1875, Joseph Buckley; 1876, George W. Allen; 1877, Albert H. Hawks; 1878, Alexander Frier; 1879, Joseph Buckley; 1880, George W. Allen; 1881, Albert H. Hawks; 1882, Edward Hayes; 1883, Joseph Buckley; 1884, Elon Percey; 1885. Albert H. Hawks; 1886, A. G. Hayner; 1887, Alexander Frier; 1888, George H. Kincaid; 1889, Elmer E. Barnes; 1890, Warren S. Reynolds; 1891, Charles E. Cunningham; 1892, William A. Cahill; 1893, Henry A. Johnston; 1894, John M. Percey; 1895, Franklin B. Surdam; 1896, William A Cahill. PRESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE OF HOOSICK FALLS 1827, Seth Parsons; 1829, S. S. Crocker; 1830, Jonathan Hurlburt; 1831, Hiram Herrington; 1832, Joseph Dorr; 1833, Harry Patterson; 1884, S. S. Crocker; 1835, L. Chandler Ball; 1836, Thomas Bussey; 1837, Matthew Wait; 1838-1839, L. Chandler Ball; 1840, Hiram Herrington; 1841, Seth Parsons; 1842, Doel Sanders; 1843, L. Chandler Ball; 1844, Hial Parsons; 1845, L. Chandler Ball; 1846, John White; 1847, John Renwick; 1848, Willard Herrington; 1849, L. Chandler Ball; 1850, Harry Patterson; 1851, L. Chandler Ball; 1852, Willard Herrington; 1853. Henry Gill; 1854-1857, L. Chandler Ball; 1858, Walter A. Wood; 1859-1868, records missing; 1869, W. H. Burchard; 1870-1871, L. Chandler Ball; 1872-1874, J. Russell Parsons; 1875-1876, Albert T. Skinner; 1877, Joseph Buckley; 1878, J. M. Rosebrooks; 1879, Isaac A. Allen; 1880, M. V. B. Peters; 1881, 2 Edgar Leonard;. 1882-1884, C. C. Spencer; 1885-1887, W. P. Parsons; 1888-1890, Frank Riley; 1891-1893, Thomas Canfield; 1894- , J. M. Rosebrooks. CLERKS OF THE VILLAGE OF HOOSICK FALLS. 1827-1832, Hezekiah Munsell, jr.; 1833, S. S. Crocker; 1834, Sidney A. Page; 1835, Walter Clark; 1836, Hezekiah Munsell, jr.; 1837, Samuel Shuffieton; 1838-1839, Isaac N. Joslin; 1840, Hezekiah Munsell; 1841, Hial K. Parsons; 1842, John Renwick; 1843-1845, Isaac N. Joslin; 1846, William Dorr; 1847, Isaac N. Joslin; 1848, Truman J. Wallace; 1849-1852, Elliot C. Aldrich; 1853-1855, Truman J. Wallace; 1856-1857, M. F. White; 1858, Truman J. Wallace; 1871, John & Wilcox; 1872-1875, Albert C. Eddy; 1876-1879, Edward Matthews; 1880-1881, Henry O. Peters; 1882-1887, Wallace Barnes; 1888-1893, W. H. Slocum; 1894- , Edward J Lane. This Content is courtesy of Rays Place Compiled for HoosickHistory - November 2006.