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COLUMBIA COUNTY. 245
anl fertile valleys. A high and nearly unbroken range extends along the e. border. In the
town are several small lakes, the principal of which are Copake Lake in the w., and Robinsons,
Snyder, and Rhoda Ponds in the s. The soil is a gravelly and clayey loam. Near Copake Station
are several iron mines.1 Copake Station, (Copake Iron Works p. o.,) on the Harlem R. R.,
contains 1 church, a blast furnace, and 26 houses; Copake Flats (Copake p. o.) contains 1
church and 20 houses; and Baines Station, (North Copake p. o.,) a station on the Harlem
R. R., 15 houses. The settlement of this town commenced about the middle of the last century.2 A
Ref. Prot. D. church was the first church organized, and Rev. Jeremiah Romeyn was the first pastor.*
GAEEATIN3—was formed from Ancram, March 27, 1830. It lies near the center of the s.
border of the co. The surface is broken by several ranges of hills, which extend in a N, and s.
direction. The highest point is Mattashuk Hill, s. of Lake Charlotte. Roeliff Jansens Kil is the
principal stream: its banks are steep and in some places rocky. Charlotte Lake, in the n. part
of the town, is a fine sheet of water, surrounded by gentle slopes cultivated to the water’s edge.
The soil is a slaty and gravelly loam, and moderately fertile. Gallatinvtlle, (p.v.,) on Roeliff
Jansens Kil, contains a gristmill and 11 houses; Weaver Hollow, Jacksons Corners,
(on the line of and p.o. in Dutchess co.,) and Union Corners, (partly in Livingston,) are
hamlets. The town was settled at a very early day by emigrants from Holland and Germany.4 A
Ref. Prot. D. church was organized in 1748, and the Rev. Mr. Freymoot was the first pastor.5
GHENT6—was formed from Chatham, Claverack, and Kinderhook, April 3,1818; and a part
of Stockport was taken off in 1833. It is an interior'town, n. of the center of the co. Its surface
is hilly in the e. and undulating in the w. The town is watered by several small streams tribu¬
tary to Kinderhook and Claverack Creeks. The soil is mostly a gravelly loam, but in some parts
it is clayey. Gkent,7 (p.v.,) in the e. part of the town, is a station on the H. & B. and Harlem
R. Rs. It contains 2 churches and 18 houses. West Ghent (p. v.) contains 1 church and 16
houses. Pnlvers Station is on the H. & B. R. R. The first settlement was made about 1735,
by emigrants from Holland and Germany.8 There are 4 churches in town.10
GREESPORT—was formed from Hudson City, May 13, 1837. It lies upon the Hudson,
near the center of the w. border of the co. Its surface is broken and hilly. Beacrofts Mt., in
the e. part of the town, is nearly precipitous upon its w. side. Merino Point,9 near the Hudson,
has an elevation of 250 feet above the river. Clayerack Creek forms the e. boundary of the town,
and a small tributary of this stream and Kahseway Creek are the principal watercourses. The inter¬
vale of the latter is broad and fertile. The soil is clayey along the river and a sandy and gravelly
loam in the interior. Limestone is extensively quarried on the e. side of Beacrofts Mt. Oak Hill
(p.o.) is a station on the Hudson R. R. R. in the s.w. part of the town. A steam ferry connects
this place with Catskiil Point on the opposite side of the Hudson. Settlement commenced in this
town about the middle of Ihe last century.12 There is but one church (Ref. Prot. D.) in town.
GERMANTOWN13 —was formed as a district April 1,1775, and recognized as a town March
7, 1788. A part of Clermont was annexed, March 2, 1858.u It lies upon the Hudson, in the s.
part of the co. The surface is undulating. Roeliff Jansens Kil forms the N. boundary. The
soil is a rich, fertile loam, sandy in a few places. Germantown (p. v.) contains 1 church and
19 houses, and East Camp 17 houses. The first settlement was made in 1710, by German
Palatinates, under the patronage of Queen Anne. The first arrival was in 1710; and on the
1st of May, 1711, there were 1178 settlers in town, and the four villages “ Hunterstown,”
“ Queensbury,” “Annsberg,” and “ Haysburgh” had sprung into existence.15 A school vas estab-
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name was derived from the fact that a large sheep farm was
established here many years ago.
12 Jacob Johannes Van Hoesen and Erneric Plaice settled in
the town as early as 1763.
13 Named “ East Camp” and “ German Camp” in some early
records.
14 That part annexed was almost isolated from the rest of Cler»
mont, and lay N. of this town.
19 A tract of 6000 acres, forming the present town of German¬
town, was purchased, on the 9th of Sept. 1710, of Robt. Living¬
ston by Gov. Hunter, for the use of these people. It was de¬
signed to employ them in raising hemp and making tar, pitch,
and rosin for the royal navy, and they were furnished with pro¬
visions and tools. The management of their affairs was in¬
trusted to a board of commissioners, consisting of Robt. Living¬
ston, Richard Sacket, John Cast, Godfrey Walsen, Andrew Bag¬
ger, and Herman Schureman. John Peter Knieskem was ap¬
pointed “master” in Hunterstown, John Conrad Weiser in
Queensbury, Hartman Windecker in Annsberg, and John Chris- |
1
The ores obtained from these mines are hematites. A new
ore bed, that promises an abundant supply of an excellent
quality, has recently been opened to the depth of 13 feet.
2
Families by the names of Snyder, Briese, and Lampman were
among the early settlers.
3
Named in honor of Hon. Albert Gallatin.
4
The Knickenbackers and the Snyders were among the first
settlers. An Englishman, named Ross, was one of the first set¬
tlers in the neighborhood of Gallatinvillo.
5
9 There are 2 churches in town; Ref. Prot. D. and M. E.
6
T Named from Ghent, in Holland.
7
The Indian name of this locality was “ Scomsparmuck.”
8
Among the first settlers were John, Cornelius, Andrew, and
Lawrence Sharp, and Abraham Hogeboom, who located near
Ghent Village. A man named Cox had settled near the same
place a short time before.
9
This point was formerly called “ Rorabuck.” Its present
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