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276 DUTCHESS COUNTY.
As soon as the alarm occasioned by the invasion of Sir Henry Clinton (in 1777) had subsided,
Gov. Clinton called a meeting of the Legislature at Poughkeepsie. It assembled at the Yan Kleeck
House early in Jan. 1778. Yarious acts to complete the organization of the State Government
were passed; provisions were made for strengthening the civil and military powers of the State;
and it was during that session that the State gave its assent to the Articles of Confederation, the
organic law of the Federal Union until our present Constitution was formed and adopted.
The State Convention to consider the Federal Constitution assembled at the Yan Kleeck House on
June 17, 1788. There were 57 delegates present, and Gov. George Clinton was chosen President
of the Convention. In that assembly were some of the most distinguished men of the Revolution,
and the debates were of the most interesting character. In no State in the Union was hostility to
the Federal Constitution more extensive and violent than in the State of New York. Forty-six of
the 57 delegates, including the governor, were Anti-Federalists, or opposed to the Constitution.
The principal advocates of the instrument were John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and Robert
Livingston. Mr. Hamilton had been a leading member of the National Convention that framed
the Constitution, and also one of the principal writers of The Federalist. He felt the responsibility
of his situation, and the Convention readily acknowledged the value of his judgment. He was per¬
fectly familiar with every topic included in the wide range which the debates embraced, and he
was nobly sustained by his colleagues Jay and Livingston. The hostile feelings of many of the
Anti-Federalists gradually yielded, and on the 26th of July the final question of ratification was
carried in the affirmative by a majority of 3 votes.
Huddlestone, the famous spy, who was captured upon Wild Boar Hill, near Yonkers, West¬
chester co., was tried, condemned, and hung in Poughkeepsie in April, 1780. The place of his
execution was upon a verge of the plain on which the town stands known as Forbuses Hill. He
was accompanied to the scaffold by the co. officers and a small guard of militia enrolled for the
purpose.1
Il l-] SMS©©Si2—was formed from Rhinebeck, June 2,1812. It lies upon the Hudson, in the
n. w. corner of the co. Its surface is a rolling upland, terminating on the Hudson in a series of
bluffs 100 to 150 ft. high. The e. part is hilly. Prospect Hill is a prominent peak a little s. of
Upper Redhook Yillage. The streams are the Saw Kil and White Clay Kil. The valleys
of the streams are broad and their banks low. Long Pond, in the e. part, forms the source of the
Saw Kil. The soil along the river is a clay loam, and in the remaining parts a sandy, gravelly, or
slaty loam. Redhook, (p>v.,) near the center, contains a cigar and tobacco manufactory, a
female orphan asylum,3 and 3 churches. Pop. 625. Tivoli,4 (p. v.,) in the sr. w. part, is a steam¬
boat landing and a r. e. station. A large forwarding business is carried on here. It is adja¬
cent to Myersville, the two places forming a continuous village. They contain 5 churches and
about 600 inhabitants. Barrytown (p.v.) is a r. r. station, 6 mi. below Tivoli. It contains 1
church, and is a place of considerable trade. Pop. 250. tipper Bedliooli, (p.v.,) in the sr. e.
part, contains 1 church and 175 inhabitants. Cedar Mill, on the Saw Kil, contains 1 church, a
carpet yarn manufactory, a flouring mill,4 and 175 inhabitants. The first settlements were made
between 1713 and 1727, by the Dutch. There are 11 churches in town.5 Along the river are
numerous elegant country seats. The old residence of Gen. John Armstrong is now owned by his
son-in-law, William B. Astor. The former estate of Gen. Montgomery is now occupied by Mrs.
Edward Livingston.7
RHINEBECK8—was formed as a town, March 7, 1788. Redhook was taken off in 1812.
It lies upon the Hudson, sr. w. of the center of the co. Its surface is a rolling and moderately
hilly upland, terminating on the river in bluffs 100 to 150 ft. high. Landmans Creek, the principal
stream, flows s. w. through near the center. Rhinebeck Kil is its tributary. Lake Sepasco is a
small body of water in the sr. e. corner. The soil is principally a fine quality of sandy loam.
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Germany. They first settled near Barrytown and Tivoli. The
first marriage on record is that of Adam Shaffer and Maria
Schoett, July 31,1746. The first baptism on the church record
is that of Catherine Woldorf, April 23,1734.
3 Rhinebeck Precinct, as formed Dec. 16,1737, included the
lands purchased of the widow Paulding and her children by Dr.
SamT Staats; all the land granted to Adrian, Roosa, and Cotbe;
land patented by Col. Henry Beekman, June 5,1703; and the
land granted to Col. Peter Schuyler, called the Magdalen Island
Purchase. The name is derived from the first settlers, who were
from near the Rhine, in Germany, and Beekman, an original
proprietor. |
1
Lossing’s Field Book, Vol. I, pp. 383, 384.
2
By tho Dutch called Roodes Hoeck. Tradition ascribes the
name of the town to a marSn near Tivoli, covered with ripe
cranberries when first seen.
3
t Among the early settlers were families named Haeners, Shu-
feldt, Zippertie, Hagerdorn, Wiederwax, Trauvs, Staats, Mell-
h»u, Bermar, Woldorf/Near, Proseus,and others, mostly from
4
gerties, Ulster co. 6 Erected in 1856, at a cost of $30,000.
5
4 Prot. E., 3 M. E., Duth., Bap., Union, and Independent; the
last is the Sylvanian Chapel at Barrytown, owned by Robert
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