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DUTCHESS COUNTY.
Albany, and a considerable trade is carried on by barges and boats. The daily line of steamers
between New York and Albany touches here. A steam ferry connects the city with New Paltz
Landing. The manufactures are extensive and various. They consist chiefly of pig iron, car¬
riages, carpets, pins, chairs, drugs, files, sewing silk, and ale.1
The City Hall is a plain brick building, situated on Main St., a little w. of the courthouse.
The Public Schools are under the charge of a board of education, consisting of 12 members,
of whom 3 are elected annually. The schools are 6 in number, and employ 23 teachers,—3 males
and 20 females. In 1857 the number of children between 4 and 21 was 4329, of whom 1900 (or 44
per cent.) were in attendance at school during some portion of the year. The total expenses of the
schools were $8444 13. The number of volumes in the district libraries was 4683.
The DutcKess Co. Academy occupies a large 3 story brick building on Hamilton St.2
The Poughkeepsie Female Seminary, situated on Cannon St., was founded by a stock co., at a
cost of $15,000. Eleven teachers and two lecturers are connected with it.
The Poughkeepsie Collegiate School is situated on a hill J of a mi. e. of the city. A lot of 80
acres is connected with the institution, and the building and grounds are valued at $75,000.3
The Mansion Square Female Institute is a private institution, corner of Mansion and Catharine
Sts. It has 9 teachers and 80 pupils.
The Dr. McLellans Female Collegiate Institute, a private institution, is situated at the corner of
Mill and Catharine Sts. It occupies a 3 story brick building, and has 10 teachers and about 160 pupils.
The Cottage Hill Seminary, a private institution for young ladies, is located on a beautiful site
upon Garden St. It is under the charge of a principal, assisted by 12 teachers and lecturers. A
library of 2000 volumes is connected with it, and the number of pupils is limited to 50.
The Law School, incorp. in 1851, and first located at Ballston Spa, wws removed to this city in
1853, and its sessions are still held here. A Young Men’s Association has been established, for
the purpose of furnishing winter lectures.
The Poughkeepsie Lyceum of Literature, Science, and Art was incorp. April 6, 1838.
The Poughkeepsie Orphan Asylum and Home of the Friendless, having for its object the care of
orphans and destitute children, was organized June 21,1847. Besides these, there is a Rural Ceme-
tery Association,i a well organized Fire Department, and an Aqueduct Association. Population of the
city, 12,763.5
The first settlement was begun in 1690 and 1700. Baltus Yan Kleeck built the first house within
the present limits of the city, in 1702, on land now owned by Matthew Yassar Jr., near Cong.
Church.6 The first church (Ref. Prot. D.) was formed about 1700. Rev. Cornelius Yan Schie was
installed pastor of this church and the one at Fishkill in 1727d
The Van Kleeck House, a substantial stone building, was used for purposes of defence, and just
under the eaves the walls were pierced with loop-holes for musketry. This building was after¬
ward the meeting place of the inhabitants to consult upon the public welfare when the Boston
Port Bill and kindred measures awakened a spirit of resistance through the country. There the
Committee of Correspondence of Dutchess held their meetings; and there the pledge to sustain the
Continental Congress and the Provincial Assembly was signed by the inhabitants of Poughkeepsie
in June and July, 1775.
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vation. Many beautiful and costly dwellings are built upon
these table lands about the city, affording a fine view of the city
and valley. The eye here has an uninterrupted range of view
over 2500 sq. mi. of country.
1 The Poughkeepsie Iron Works were established in 1848, with
a capital of $200,000; 75 hands are employed, and 10;000 to 11,000
tons of pig iron are manufactured per annum. The ores used are
the hematite from Fishkill, and the magnetic ore from Essex
co. The Poughkeepsie Carriage Manufactory, with a capital of
$35,000, employs 60 hands, and turns out $90,000 to $100,000
worth of carriages per annum, which are chiefly sold in 'the
Southern markets. Pelton’s Carpet Factory, with a capital of
$60,000, employs 60 to 70 hands, and produces 60,000 to 65,000 yds.
of carpeting per year. A pin factory, in the same building, em¬
ploys 15 hands. The Poughkeepsie Chair Manufactory employs
300 hands, and produces $60,000 worth of chairs per year, which
are mostly sent to South America. An establishment for the
preparation of dye stuffs and drugs employs 30 hands, and manu¬
factures $200,000 worth of goods annually. A file factory, started
in 1856, employs 12 men; and a sewing silk factory, started in
1858, employs 15 to 20 hands. M. Vassar & Co.’s Brewery and
Malt Works, commenced in 1795, has a capital of $150,000, em¬
ploys 50 men, and manufactures 30,000 bbls. of ale per year.
2 This building was erected in 1836, at a cost of $14,000.
3 The building of this institution is of brick, modeled after the
Parthenon. It was organized under the charge of Chas. Bart¬
lett, N. P. Tallmage, and Cunningham. See p. 7 00. |
4 The Poughkeepsie Kural Cemetery consists of 54 acres, situ¬
ated in the town of Poughkeepsie, a short distance below the
city, between the Highland Turnpike and the Hudson.
6 The population of the town of Poughkeepsie (including the
city recently organized) at different periods has been as fol¬
lows :—
1790......2,529 1814......5,673 I 1830...... 7,222 1845......11.791
1800 ......3,246 1820......5,726 1835...... 8,529 1850......13!944
1810......4,669 1825 ......5,935 | 1840......10,006 1855......15',873
6 Among the early settlers were Dutch families named Van
De Bogart, Van Benschoten, Van De Bergh, Van Wagener, De
Graff, Le Boy, Parmentier, Messier, Ostrom, Hogeboom, Filkins,
Swartwout, Frear, Hegeman, and Livingston. The first house
stood until 1835. It was built of stone, and was furnished with
loopholes for the use of musketry. During the Revolution tho
colonial legislature held several sessions in it.
11n 1758, the controversy between the Cetus and Conferentie
parties distracted this church, and led to its division in 1763.
The former of these parties wished to sever their connection from
the Classis at Amsterdam and become independent, and the
latter wished to still preserve their, connection with the mother
church. The controversy divided nearly all the Ref. Prot. D.
churches in America, and it was not entirely settled until about
1790, when a reconciliation took place. Thereare nowl8churches
in the city; 4 M. E., 2 Ref. Prot. D., 2 Prot. E., (Christ’s and St.
John’s,) 2 Bap., and Cong., Presb., Univ., Ger. Luth., Af. Metli.,
Friends, R. C., and Jewish. |
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