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668 ULSTER COUNTY.
too rough for cultivation. The s. w. portion is a hilly upland. Rondout Creek flows m a deep
valley from the w. border s. e. to near the center; thence it turns at nearly right angles aait flows n.
e. to the e. border. It receives from the s. Sandburgh. Creek, a stream wbich drains the w. declivi¬
ties of the Shawangunk Mts., Beer Creek, and the outlet of Cape Pond, which flows through near
the center and empties into Sandburgh Creek. The Delaware & Hudson Canal extends along
the valleys of Rondout and Sandburgh Creeks, at the w. foot of the Shawangunk Mts. The soil
in the valleys is principally a sandy loam. Lumber,1 leather,-glass, earthenware, iron, and axes
•are extensively manufactured in different parts of the town. Ellen ville, (p.v.,) upon Sand¬
burgh Creek, at the mouth of Beer Kil, was incorp. in Sept. 1858. It is an important canal
village, and contains several churches, a high school,2 newspaper office, and an extensive glass
factory.3 Pop. 1,700. Napanock, (p. v.,) upon the Rondout, above its junction with the Sand¬
burgh, contains several churches and manufactories,4 and a population of about 700. Jflom©-
wacli, (p.v.,) a canal village, upon tbe line of Sullivan co., contains a church, glass factory,
woolen factory, and 20 bouses. Kerhonligon, (p.v.,) a canal village, on tbe line of Rochester,
contains a church and 30 houses. Lackawack, (p.v.,) upon the Rondout, in the w. part, con¬
tains 2 churches, extensive tannery, and about 40 houses. Greenfield, (p.v.,) in the s. w. part,
contains 2 churches, a gristmill, sawmill, tannery, and about 25 houses. Wawarsing, (p.v.,)
in the n. e., contains a gristmill, sawmill, tannery, and about 25 houses. Port Benjamin,
a canal village, south of Wawarsing, contains about 25 bouses. Port Hixon, a village upon
Rondout Creek and the canal, in the n. e. part, contains a church and about 25 houses. The first
settlements were made about the commencement of the last century, principally hy the Dutch.5
During the Revolution the inhabitants were killed, captured, or driven off hy the tories and
Indians.6 The first church (Ref. Prot. D.) was formed in 1745 ; Rev. J. Fryenmoet was the first
preacher.7
WOODSTOCK.—was formed April 11, 1787, from the settlements of Great and Little
Shandaken, which had been attached to Hurley. A part of Middletown (Delaware co.) was
taken off in 1789, Windham (Greene co.) in 1798, and Shandaken in 1804. A part of Olive was
taken off, and parts of Olive and Hurley were annexed, Nov. 25, 1853. It lies upon the n, border
of the co., e. of the center. Its surface is mostly a mountainous upland, too rough for profitable
cultivation. Several fine valleys extend through the town, separating the upland into several dis¬
tinct ridges and peaks. Overlook Mt., in the'N. e. corner, is 3,500 ft. above tide. Near its sum¬
mit is Shues Lake, *a beautiful sheet of clear water. The scenery in this vicinity is among the
finest in Eastern N. Y, Saw Kil and Beaver Kil are the principal streams. The soil is a clay and
slaty loam upon the uplands and a gravelly loam in the valleys. Woodstocb, (p.v.,) in the s.
e. part, contains 2 churches, a tannery, and 20 houses; Bearsville, (p. o.J 2 mi. w. of Wood-
stock, is a hamlet; Lake Mill is a p. o., near the center. The first settlements were made just
before the commencement of the Revolution.8 The first church (Luth.) was formed in 1806.9
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was a stone fort on the site of B. C. Hombeek’s Louse. Two
men and a young woman discovered the enemy before they
reached the fort, and the young woman succeeded in closing
the door just in time to prevent it from being burst open by
the savages. The latter, finding further attack dangerous,
dispersed for burning and plundering the out settlements.
Some 5 or 6 dwellings, 7 barns, and a gristmill were burned,
and on the next day the enemy withdrew, laden with spoils.
Several lives were lost on both sides, and much property was
destroyed.—The Indians; or Narratives of Massacres and Depre¬
dations on the Frontiers of Wawarsink and Vicinity, p. 21.
1 The census reports 11 churches in town; 4 M. E., 3 Ref.
,Prot. D., 2 R. C., Bap., and Friends.
8 Philip Bonesteel, first innkeeper, settled in 1770; Edward
Short, in 1776; Peter Short, in 1784; Jacobus Du Bois, Ephraim
Van Keuren, Philip Shultis, and Henry Shultis, sen., in 1788; Jno.
Hutchens, in 1790; Wm. Elling, in 1786; Mathew Keip, in 1787;
and Jacob Montrose at an early day. Robert Livingston built
the first sawmill, and J. Montrose the first gristmill. These
settlements were milch harassed by the Indians during the war.
8 There are 6 churches in town; 3 M. E., Luth., Bap., and
Friends. |
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