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RENSSELAER COUNTY.
here crosses the-Hudson to Waterford. The Troy & Boston R. R. passes through the town. The
village was founded hy Abraham Jacob Lansing, about 1770. It was first organized under the
name of “ Stone Arabia” in 1771.1 In May, 1775, 50 of the citizens—at the head of whom was
A. J. Lansing, the proprietor—signed articles of association pledging themselves to sustain the
measures recommended by the Continental or Provincial Congress. The first act of incorporation
under the State government was passed April 5,1790, at which time the village was included in the
town of “ Bensselaerwyck.”2 In 1791 it was included in the town of Troy. The place rapidly
increased in population, and early became an important trading and commercial village. The3
first church (Ref. Prot. I).) was organized in 1784; and reorganized in 1792 as a Presb. church.4
Spelgletown is a village of 15 houses.4
NASSAU—was formed from Petersburgh, Stephentown, and Schodack, March 31,1806, by the
name of “ Philipstown.”5 Its name was changed April 6, 1808. It lies near the center of the s.
border of the eo. Its surface is very broken. Snake Hill, in the s. w., is about 800 feet above tide.
The principal streams are Kinderhook and Tsatsawassa6 Creeks, and Yalatie Kil. There are several
fine lakes among the hills, the principal of which are the Tsatsawassa and the Pattawassa. The
Psanticoke Swamp, w. of the center, covers several hundred acres. The soil is clay and gravel under¬
laid by hardpan. Considerable manufacturing is carried on in town.7 Nassau, (p.v.,) incorp.
March 12,1819, is the seat of Nassau Academy. Pop. 300. East Nassau (p. v.) has 45 houses,
Hoag's Corner (p.v.) 25, Alps (p.v.) 24, North Nassau (p.v.) 15, and Millers Cor¬
ners 10. Slab City8 is a hamlet." Hrainards (p.v.) contains a female seminary and 20
houses.9 The first settler was Hugh Wilson, who located on the site of Nassau Village in 1760.10
At that time a few families of the Stockbridge Indians were living where Mr. Hoag’s orchard now
stands.6 The Indians conveyed to Jos. Primmer a tract of land n. of Hoags Pond,7 and another
tract s. of it to Hugh Wilson, May 16, 1760.13 Within the last 20 years a considerable quantity
of land has been allowed to produce a second crop of timber. There are 7 churches in town.14
NORTH GREENBUSH—was formed from Greenbush, Eeb. 23, 1855. It lies upon the
Hudson, directly w. of the center of the co. The clay bluffs, 100 to 200 feet high, rise from the
edge of the water, leaving little or no intervale. Erom the summits of the bluffs the surface spreads
out into a rolling upland, broken by the deep gulleys of the streams. The principal stream is
Wynants Kil, in tbe n. e. Aries Lake, on the e. border, is a fine sheet of water. Tbe soil is ai
sandy and gravelly loam interspersed with patches of clay. The people are extensively engaged in
supplying the markets of Albany and Troy with garden vegetables and milk. Batb,15 opposite
the upper part of Albany, contains about 12 houses, Defriestville16 (p.v.) 12, andWyuants-
liill (p. v.) 15. The first settlement, made by tenants under Van Rensselaer, was among the first
in the manor.17 There are 3 churches in town.18
PETERSBURGH 19—was formed from Stephentown, March 18,1791. Its boundary on the
line of Berlin was changed, Jan. 4,1793-; parts of Berlin and Lansingburgh were taken off in 1806,
and parts of Nassau and Grafton in 1807. It lies upon the e. border of the co., n. of tbe center.
Its surface consists of two precipitous mountain ridges separated by the narrow valley of Little
Hoosick River. The highest peaks are 1000 to 2000 feet above tide. The mountain regions are
barren and almost inaccessible. The Hoosick River breaks through the Taghkanick Mts. in the
n. e. part. The soil in the valley is a gravelly loam. Petersburg!!, (p. v.,) formerly “Pens-
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Gillet, David Waterbury, McNeil, and Wiltsie. Wm.
Primmer is said to have been the first child born. The first
gristmill was built ou the outlet of Tsatsawassa Pond, by Mr.
Schermerhorn, before the Revolution. The first inn was kept by
Hicks before, and the first store hy Hoag & Vail a little
after, the Revolution.
u They called their village On-ti-ke-ho-mawck; and their chief
was named Kesh-o-mawck.
I2 This pond was called hy the early settlers the “Beaver Dam.”
, l8 The former of these deeds is still preserved.
14 2 M. E., 2 Presb., Bap., Ref. Prot. D., and Union.
15 Named from a mineral spring in the vicinity. It was laid
out as a village hy the Patroon toward the close of the last
century. In 1800 the traveller Maude, in his “ Visit to Niagara,”
says that it is likely to soon surpass Troy and Lansingburgh in
trade, and Ballston and Saratoga as a watering place.
1® Sometimes called “ Blooming Grove.” The first settler was
Martinus Sharp.
17 Among the early settlers were John Cranel, Juriah Sharpe,
Roinier Van Alstyne, Marte, David, and Philip Defriest, Philip
Wendell, Rutger Vandenburgh, Cornelius Van Buren, John
Fonda, Ed. Hogg, and Lawrence Rysdorf.
IS 2 Bef. Prot. D., Free Dutch. (
19 Named from Peter Simmons, one of the first settlers. |
1
At tlie first meeting in “ Stone Arabia,” held Jan. 1,1771,
it was voted that A. J. Lansing and his heirs forever should he
a committee of the village, with a power equal to each of the
four annually chosen by the people.
2
By an act of 1790, John Van Rensselaer, Charles Tillman,
Elijah James, Aaron Ward, Stephen Goreham, Ezra Hickock,
and Levinus Lansing, were appointed trustees, to take charge
of the waste lands of the village and to perform certain munici¬
pal duties, their successors to he elected annually.
3
There are a foundery and machine shop at Nassau Village, a
paper mill at Brainards, a carding maehine and chair factory at
Hoags Corner, and a hoe factory at Dunhams Hollow.
4
Formerly “ Union Village P. O.”
5
8 Named from Philip Van Rensselaer.
6
McCagg, Danl. Litz, Titus Hemsted, Abram Holmes, Jas. Marks,
7
John M. Schermerhorn, Maj. A. Brush, Reuben Bateman, Nath’l
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