Spring Messenger 2012 - Greene County Historical Society

90 County Route 42
ISBN 0894-8135
Coxsackie, NY 12051
Volume 36 Number 4
Winter 2012
Norton Hill:
J o h n I . ’s G e n e r a l S t o r e
by
M a u r e e n Ve r P l a n c k
turn of the 20th century. At that time, horse-drawn
Down the road in Norton Hill, three miles west
buggies, wagons, and sleighs were traveling the
from the traffic light in Greenville, John I. VerPlanck
roads of Norton Hill, and Isaac owned a "dealerran a general store known as John I.'s, through a
ship" which sold those wagons and carriages. The
good portion of the 20th century.
wagon shop was situated
The following stories
on the family farm, a spot
were told to me, John I.’s
neighboring the public
daughter-in-law Maureen
road. John I. was born
VerPlanck, through the
there on November 1,
years by family and
1901, in a two-story
friends, including my hushouse built in 1840. The
band, Jack VerPlanck.
house – still there, oppoThe first to refer to
site Canavan's Kilcar
John I. VerPlanck as "John
resort – had French winI." was his mother, Lillian
dows facing the road.
Ingalls VerPlanck. Many
In 1903, before John I.
people thought he was
was two years old, Henry
known as John I. because
Ford introduced his first
his middle name was
automobile. That car was
Ingalls, after his mother's
too pricey for most peomaiden name, but they
ple, so it did not chalwere wrong. The “I” was
lenge Ike’s sales for wagfor Isaac, after his father,
ons
and
buggies.
Isaac (Ike) VerPlanck.
However, just a few years
John I. was the seventh
later, in 1908, Ford shiftgeneration of VerPlanck
ed gears and introduced
males to be known as
the Model T. Unlike his
Isaac, and the name dated Near the intersection of Route 81 and New Ridge Road in Norton
back to Abraham Isaac Hill, here we see the park dedicated to John I. The park was dedicated first attempt, the massVerPlanck, who had left on May 30, 1988; the plaque mounted on the stone is inscribed with produced Model T was
affordable for the workthe Netherlands around the dedication.
ing class. The means of
1638 to settle on the
VerPlanck patent in the Hudson River Valley.
transportation began to change across the nation. In
To understand why John I. began a general store,
Norton Hill, it soon siphoned off business from Ike's
it is helpful to know about his father's business,
wagon shop, and this development would have an
which fit the times into which John I. was born -- the
impact on John I.'s future.
SAVE THE DATE! The Annual Meeting of the Greene County Historical Society will be held at 1:00pm on
Sunday, May 5, 2013, at the Community Hall in West Kill on Spruceton Road, Town of Lexington. A brunch
will be served for $15.00 and the speaker will be Michael Barcone. Reservations required by April 27th. Call
518-731-1033 and leave a message to make reservations.
Before John I. was ten, his
father had sold the farm with its
stately house and barns, but he
held onto the land where the
wagon shop stood. The family
moved to a smaller, plain house
down the road.
John I.'s father died in 1912.
Greene County History
Published Quarterly by
Greene County Historical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 44, Coxsackie, NY 12051
Robert D’Agostino, Journal Editor
Jennifer Barnhart, Designer
Members of the Publications
Committee:
Robert D’Agostino, Chairman
David Dorpfeld
Harvey Durham
Robert Hallock
Jim Planck
Thomas Satterlee
Contributors
Robert Hallock, Wanda West Traver,
Maureen VerPlanck
Subscription to Greene County History is
only one of the member benefits of the
Greene County Historical Society.
Memberships are available as follows:
Individual
$20-$29
Dual/Family
$30-$59
Supporter
$60-$109
Patron
$110-$249
Benefactor
$250-$499
Silver Benefactor
$500-$999
Gold Benefactor
$1000 and up
Student
Library
Business Basic
Business Friend
Business Supporter
After his death, his widow, Lillian,
continued to raise John I. and his
sister Grace. Lillian turned over
the management of the wagon
shop to Bert Bell, who was married to her older daughter Mary,
who was twenty-eight.
During the next ten years, the
wagon shop remained open for
business. However, the Model T –
colloquially known as the Tin
Lizzie or Flivver – was being purchased by more and more people.
In fact, in 1914, Roscoe Lacy
began R.C. Lacy's Ford Car and
Truck Dealership in Catskill, just
20 miles southeast of Norton Hill.
His business made the Model T
accessible to Greene County residents.
Therefore, it should come as
no surprise to learn that Bert Bell
and Lillian Ver Planck closed the
wagon business in 1922, for the
wagon shop was no longer a business appropriate for the times.
This is when John I., at 20 years of
age, began to use the building to
sell groceries, and the wagon dealership quickly became a memory.
One important piece of John
I.'s success was his congeniality. If
you were a customer, when you
entered the store, John I. would
call out, "Here's my old friend
Jerry (or Bill, or ... )." John I.
remembered all his customers'
names and considered them
friends.
John I. was friendly towards
all, including his competitors.
There were several other general
stores in the neighboring hamlets
and towns. Harold Bell, a relative
to John I., ran one in Westerlo, Al
Bryant owned one in South
Westerlo, Ernie Bell had one in
Medusa, Harold Woodruff was
the proprietor of one in Oak Hill
known as "Woody's," and
Lawrence Powell ran one just up
the street in Norton Hill. The
Powell General Store building now
houses the Thrift Shop of the
United Methodist Church of
Greenville and Norton Hill.
If a customer wanted an item
John I. didn't have, he would tell
them, "Maybe Lawrence has it
down the street." In turn,
Lawrence would suggest John I.'s
store to his customers wanting
something he didn't have in stock.
In 1931, John I. pleased a
number of soda fountain customers when he married Viola
Teeple, because she knew how she
liked her ice cream sodas and sundaes -- with lots and lots of ice
cream and whipped topping, and
she made sure the customers got
what she liked, handing out ample
$15
$25
$25
$50
$100
Membership inquires and change of address
should be directed to:
Thomas Satterlee
Financial Secretary, GCHS
164 High Hill Road
Catskill, NY 12414
GCHS is headquartered at the
Bronck Museum
90 County Route 42
Coxsackie, NY 12051
The Bronck Museum: 518.731.6490
Vedder Research Library: 518.731.1033
http://www.gchistory.org/
Copyright 2012
Greene County Historical Society, Inc.
The house where John I. was born, was built in 1840, and straddles Colonial and Federal design.
We see Lillian and Isaac VerPlanck, John I.'s parents, posing for the camera. Lillian stands casually by the large tree in the center; Isaac is sitting on the porch in front of the tall French windows,
legs crossed, his bowler hat on his knee. Their daughter, Mary, is standing at the right with a
friend. This photograph was taken circa 1890. Collection of Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 4 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
This is a very early photo of what would become John I.'s general store,
before modifications. Collection of Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
light. But in the 1940s, when the United States was
engaged in World War II, food was rationed and most
goods were scarce, and that was when John I.'s was
the one place where you could find items no one else
had in stock.
To meet his customers' needs during the war
years, John I.'s long work days became even longer.
He sold meat to some of the boarding houses in the
area. They needed it to stay in business. At night, after
closing the store, he would drive to First Prize in
Albany. This was a longer trip than it is today, with no
Delmar by-pass in those days. He would return to the
store around 1:00 in the morning, and then he had to
hoist the quarters of beef from his truck into the
store's coolers. The next morning, he would open the
store at 8:00 a.m. Over the years, Gerald Ingalls, who
operated Ingalside Farm, never came into the store
without expressing his gratitude for the meat John I.
had supplied during those difficult years.
By 1946, John I. had a little more money in his
cash drawer. He bought back the family farm that his
father had sold before his death in 1912, and then
John I. and his family moved out of the apartment
above the store, into the house. Later, John I. rented
the apartment to someone who set up a barber shop
in it for a time.
Back when John I. ran his general store, he did not
have the advantage of using a computer – today's electronic marvels had not yet been invented.
Nevertheless, when shoppers brought their goods to
the counter, their bills had to be totaled. John I. did his
servings – and jokes – whenever she worked behind
the counter. In fact, John I. claimed he lost money
whenever she was manning that counter!
During the 1930s, John I. and Viola lived above
the expanding store. Despite the Great Depression
and the nation's poor economy, John I. grew his
inventory. Around 1935 he found himself needing
more space, and added on to what had been the
wagon shop. The new addition had a slab foundation.
This was considered an improvement over the old
shop's wooden floor, which had simply been laid over
the ground. In fact, when you entered the old store,
you could usually catch the scent of the oil used to
clean the floor and keep down the dust.
For a period of time, John I.'s even had space to
spare. It was then that the store hosted both dancing
and boxing. He even climbed into the boxing ring
himself! Years later, he was overheard telling a friend
that during the years when he boxed, he felt the best
he ever had.
By the time John I.'s son, Jack, was born in 1938,
you could find almost anything in the store, even if
it took more than a moment to locate it.
And if you couldn't locate it, all you
had to do was ask John I. – he had a
memory for where anything and everything had been placed.
John I.'s accountant, Harry
Kames, often shared that John I.
had a soft heart for the
salesmen
who
passed
through. Naturally, when
people did not buy things,
stores did not replenish
their stock, and so had little
use for the wholesale representatives or salesmen.
Probably few came to his
store without a sad tale, yet
John I. bought from those
salesmen, which is how he
accumulated such a signifi- The storefront as it looked in 1938. As you can see from the sign, even back then there was a wide call for New
City papers. Although the main sign says “Fairlawn,” a small sign below it reads “VerPlanck.” To the right
cant inventory. In the 1930s York
of the building sits a larger “VerPlanck's General Store” sign, waiting to be hung. Collection of Jack and
this kept his cash drawer Maureen VerPlanck.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 5 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
own "computations." Through the years, many people
have shared how impressed they were with John I.'s
speed and accuracy when he would tally the long list
of their purchases in his head. He also knew his inventory inside and out. His brain computed quite well!
But he did allow his clerks to use an adding machine.
And, infrequently, he would use it, as well.
Over the years, the variety of items available for
sale in the store increased. By the 1950s, perhaps even
earlier, he began selling kitchen appliances, radios, and
televisions, in addition to the groceries, shoes, pipes,
tobacco, feed, socks, suspenders ... you name it! The
store was filled with goods. Drivers could even get fuel
for their cars at his gas pumps. The business also
extended beyond its walls -- his son remembers making daily deliveries of groceries and other items to people's homes.
In the early 1950s, most people in the area did not
have television sets in their homes. However, many
watched TV in John I.'s store. On Friday nights, thirty
or forty customers would stop by to watch the Friday
night fights. But when these folks were watching TV,
they weren't shopping or buying!
Paige Ingalls, when young, liked to go to the store
with her father Gerald, who always enjoyed chatting
with John I. and the other customers. She took the
opportunity to read the comic books found in the back
of the store. There were many other things to look at,
as well, while she waited for her father.
Cliff Chase remembers that if you wanted shoes,
you would follow John I. into the storage area beyond
the groceries, and then enter another room where the
shoes were housed. As you entered each area, John I.
would pull the string that turned on the light. When
you left, John I. would be behind you, making sure
each light was turned off.
Once, a customer filled the gas tank of his vehicle,
then lit his pipe, and he caught fire. Fortunately for the
customer, another man shopping at the store stripped
off the sheepskin coat he was wearing, and wrapped it
around the burning man, saving the man's life.
However, the man's outer ears and throat were seriously burned.
Many people worked at John I.'s store through the
years. One of the most memorable was Emil, the
butcher. Emil knew how to keep people happy while
he cut their meat. He routinely handed them a slice of
bologna to eat while they waited. No one ever complained about waiting for him to finish. He explained
to John I. that he was "encouraging business" by offering samples.
Emil is also well-remembered for another reason.
Once a skunk had somehow sneaked into the store
only to become caught in a rat trap. Encountering the
trapped skunk, Emil told John I. he could shoot the
skunk without it releasing its scent. However, as the
smoke from the gunshot cleared, the distinct odor of
skunk began drifting through the air, settling into the
This picture was taken in 1940, when John I.'s son, Jack, was about 2½
years old. Note John I.'s clean-shaven face, and then look closely at the
family photo taken in front of the car. Same year, but something has
changed! Collection of Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
Here we see, left to right, Isaac, John I., Viola, Lillian, and Jack. This
photo was also taken in 1940, but if you look closely, you'll note that
John I. is sporting a bit of a beard in this photo. Also note that the store
sold Tydol gas, which owned the famous Flying A logo. Collection of
Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 6 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
a dinner. John I. was pleased
various items for sale. The
to have his name coupled
odor lasted a long time,
with that of Mr. Ellis, who
and for more than a year
had overseen the Greenville
after the incident, people
School District for many
returned purchases comyears. Viola was always
plaining they could smell
proud of her husband, and
skunk on them.
she was especially proud of
On the other hand,
him that night, when so
John I. also met up with
many turned out to recogskunks, just outside the
nize his contributions to the
main store. They liked to
community.
go in where the newspaJohn I. died on March 10,
pers were sold, an area
1982, at the age of eighty.
that was semi-enclosed,
Before his death, John I.
with side walls and a roof.
donated parkland from the
John I.'s personal strategy
family farm to the Town of
differed from Emil's -- he
would just cautiously, Once again, we see a photo taken in 1940. Jack Greenville. The park is locatpatiently, gently, and slow- VerPlanck sits on the bench with his mother, oblivious to ed at the corner of New
the tragic events taking place in other parts of the world.
Ridge Road and Route 81.
ly push them out the door In
fact, even the newspaper headline in the rack to the left
with a broom. It could be of the bench, reflects the ominous events: U.S. SEIZES 81 There is a plaque at the site
said that he handled ALIEN AGENTS IN CANAL ZONE. On a brighter note, commemorating him. The
skunks with the respect the store had a sale on Cain's Mayonnaise, 89 cents a jar. John I. VerPlanck Memorial
Collection of Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
Park has swings, slides, picthey deserve!
nic tables, basketball hoops,
John I. closed the general store and
As mentioned above,
John I. was known for his congen- went into the appliance business and lampposts. Through the years,
ial ways. He also may have been with his son Jack. In 1969, they many children and adults have
thought of as a "soft touch." If knocked down the old wagon played there, as well as fished in the
someone was going through a hard shop/general store and built a fur- pond during the summer and iceshowroom,
creating skated on it in the winter. It is a fittime, he would let him pay another niture
Appliance
and ting tribute to a man who touched
time. He also forgave some cus- VerPlanck's
so many lives in Norton Hill and
tomer debts. Many have comment- Furniture business.
Through the years, John I. the surrounding area.
ed that he would have been a milEditor's Note: A shorter version of
lionaire if he'd collected all that earned the good will of his customers. He felt honored when he this article was presented at the 83rd
was owed him.
Three events influenced John I.'s was elected Town Justice for the Ingalls Reunion held on October 8,
next business move, in the 1960s. Town of Greenville. Later, in the 2011. It was later expanded to include
First, his son Jack graduated from 1970s, the Kiwanis, along with some of the reminiscences shared at the
high school and did not want to Scott M. Ellis, recognized him with reunion.
run a general store. Instead, in
1960, John I. supported him by
moving the inventory of washing
machines, refrigerators, and electronics, such as televisions and
radios, from the general store into a
newly-constructed showroom next
door.
Second, Al Bryant opened
Bryant's Supermarket, which captured more and more of the business the local general stores had
enjoyed. And third, because he had
developed phlebitis, John I.’s doctor told him he should no longer
stand on his feet for ten or twelve
hours a day.
This photo shows the separate building that housed VerPlanck's Appliances, the final iteration of
And so it was that, in 1963, the VerPlanck stores. Taken the day after a snowstorm, we can see a crew taking snow off the roof.
Collection of Jack and Maureen VerPlanck.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 7 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
The Hospitals of Greene County
by
Wanda West Traver
The community hospital in Catskill was a source
of pride for Greene County residents for almost 60
years. I worked at the hospital in the Medical Records
Department for 10 years (1952-1962) and in this article I have tried to document the history of the facility
and my memories.
What we remember today as the Greene County
Memorial Hospital in Jefferson Heights was actually
not the first such facility. It is worth mentioning that
a 13-bed facility was opened on June 3, 1915 at 131
Broome Street in Catskill.
A view of the building which once housed the first hospital in Greene
County. This Broome Street building is now a private residence. Photo
courtesy of the Catskill Daily Mail.
Dr. Lyle S. Honeyford, a Catskill physician, had
been instrumental in establishing the facility, and continued to support and lobby for a health care facility
in Catskill up to the time of his death in 1939.
The Catskill hospital's first surgical patient was
Miss Grace Green, who lived on Broad Street, in
Catskill. Dr. Chandler of Kingston and Dr. DeSilva of
Catskill performed the surgery. The first nurses were
Miss Woerner and Miss Carrigan. Dr. Wardell
Jennings, brother-in-law of Dr. Honeyford, practiced
at the Catskill Hospital as well.
Three private rooms were on the first floor of the
hospital, as well as the office, the operating room, and
a bath. The second floor held five private rooms, a
public ward with five beds, and a bath. The ground
floor housed the laundry, the kitchen and furnace
rooms.
A March 1916 report stated that there were only
seven patients, all being tended by Dr. Honeyford. In
October 1917, Mrs. Cassidy, the manager, resigned to
accompany her husband, Captain Daniel Cassidy,
who commanded Company E in Wilkes Barre,
Pennsylvania. Miss Bertha Staub, a June 1917 graduate of the St. Peter's Training School for Nurses in
Albany, became the new manager.
But the hospital was not doing well: on December
3, 1917, Miss Staub announced that the hospital was
closing due to a lack of patients. After the closing of
that first hospital, Greene County was without one
until 1933.
The site of the Grant House, a large resort which
had succumbed to fire in 1923, was selected. The
property was purchased for $10,000. Construction
began in 1932, utilizing endowment monies of
$130,000 derived from bequests of Margaret V.
Austin, Frances Mann, and Alice Bonesteel. Another
boost was the fact that New York State split the cost,
providing half the funding. Construction costs totaled
$81,742.50.
The architect was George E. Lowe of Kingston.
General construction was under the supervision of
James J. Finn & Sons of Albany, New York. The
plumbing, heating, gas piping, water service, incineration and vacuum cleaning systems were installed by
Day & Holt Company of Catskill under, the direction
of Philip Reilly.
The new facility opened on August 10, 1933 with
a capacity of 25 beds – and also included a modern
push-button elevator installed by the Otis Elevator
Company! The first floor housed the main lobby,
administrative offices, public and private lavatories, a
suite of two private rooms, a semi-private room, sun
room, delivery and nursery rooms, supply closets, a
general utility room, and a clean-up room. There were
both major and minor operating rooms on the second
floor. The second floor also housed a four-bed ward,
six private rooms, and three semi-private rooms. The
X-ray Department, Out-Patient Department,
Laboratory, Morgue, Emergency Operating Room,
dining rooms, kitchen and central food service were
found on the ground floor area.
The Board of Managers were:
George W. Irwin (Catskill), president;
J. Frank Lackey (Tannersville), vice president;
O. Gates Porter (Athens), secretary;
Howard C. Smith (Catskill); and
Harold Moore (Windham).
Later, Howard E. Muller (Catskill) was chosen to
serve on the board as secretary.
Miss Alice E. LeGailais, RN (Albany) was the hospital's superintendent. Miss Allie A. Scott, RN
(Catskill), Miss Marjorie McDonough, RN (Albany)
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 8 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
and Miss Anna Jones RN (Green
Lake) were the first nurses. At
some point after the original opening, Mary Becker, RN, a local
nurse working in New York City,
came back home and worked 6½
days a week on 12-hour shifts, for
$80 a month. Leslie Sutton, RN,
was supervising nurse in the OB
department. In those days new
mothers stayed ten days, so there
was fond bonding among nurse,
mother and newborn. Gloria Sheil
Buckley and Christina "Tiny"
Gifford came as private duty nurses, but eventually became general
duty nurses.
When Mabel Beare Conine
was hired, her responsibilities
included all the paperwork necessary to run such a facility – i.e.
typing admission forms, overseeing the office work, and writing
checks for the staff's salaries (the
latter being signed by the county
treasurer). Mrs. Thomas Walsh
was the cook, and Miss Geraldine
Saxe was the maid. Roy Walton
was the day man, with a night man
to be hired later.
The new hospital's first patient
was Lena Legacy of 73 Bushnell
Ave, Catskill. The first surgical
patient was Frederick Buele, of
Middle Village, down on Long
Island. He had been vacationing in
the area. He underwent emergency
appendectomy surgery. The first
baby born was a boy, Daniel, born
to David and Agnes Donovan of
Catskill.
Reportedly, the cost in 1936
for a Catskill woman's ten day
stay in the hospital was a mere
$54. This included bed and board,
surgery, operating room fees, and
both routine and special laboratory work.
The hospital grew in 1936,
when another 25 beds were added.
Subsequent
additions
also
increased the bed capacity. I
worked at the hospital in the
Medical Records Department
from 1952 to 1962. At the time I
started, the facility supported a
hundred beds. Our office was at
the west end of the building, on
The new county hospital was built in Jefferson Heights, on the site of the Grant House. One of the
largest hotels in the area, it could accommodate 300 guests, and offered such amenities as a bowling alley, a dance floor, tennis courts, croquet courts, and even a nine-hole golf course! The rates
were $8 to $12 per week, with a special rate of $8 per servant (assuming you brought one).
Unfortunately the Grant House, built in 1870, met a fiery end on a Saturday night in August
1923. No lives were lost in the fire, though the guests escaped with only the clothes they were
wearing when the fire broke out. The owner hoped to rebuild, but finally accepted an offer from
the County. Collection of the author.
This photo, taken by a professional photographer in Catskill, shows the dedication ceremony for
the Memorial Hospital of Greene County, which took place on August 10, 1933. Photo from the
Bob Carl Collection.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 3 9 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
Here we see the author posing in front of the original entrance to the
Hospital. She's standing at the side of a traffic circle that met a roadway which led to Route 23B. This photo was taken in 1959 or 1960.
Collection of the author.
the front, opposite the administration office. By 1960,
an addition extended out to the east of the first floor
wing, and our office moved to just left of the lobby.
Earl Maharay was administrator then. Gloria
Buckley, RN, was the Director of Nursing. Some of
the nursing staff that I remember were Mildred
Gibeau, who was the Assistant Director of Nursing,
Laura Barker, Mary Becker, Freda Crommie,
Christiana Gifford, Kathryn Haeussler, Dorothy Lais,
Rosalind Liberti, Loretta Ryndack, Leslie Sutton and
Jane Willt.
My duties working in the Medical Records
Department included getting the doctors to complete
their patient charts. During my ten year employment,
1952 to 1962, those doctors were:
Athens:
Dr. Norman Cooper and Dr. Alfred Frede;
Catskill:
Dr. Mahlon Atkinson, Dr. George Branch, Dr.
Marion Colle, Dr. Joseph Cally, Dr. Curtis Lacy,
Dr. Elisha VanDuesen and Dr. William Wax;
Cairo:
Dr. Vincent Tuzio;
Coxsackie:
Dr. Robert Chaloner, Dr. Thomas McQuade, Dr.
John Vosburgh, Dr. Elwood Weisenburn, Dr. Sol
Yarvin;
East Durham:
Dr. Benjamin Miller;
Greenville:
Dr. Donald Bott
Windham:
Dr. Edwin Mulberry and Dr. Robert Blakeslee.
In the top photo we see the hospital's original facade, which faced “the
highway” today's Route 23B in Jefferson Heights. This facade still exists
today, though it's mostly hidden. In the second photo, we can see what
was originally the front north corner of the original hospital building,
peeking out to the right of what today is the entrance of the Greene
Medical Arts Building.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 4 0 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
The colors may seem strange in this image because it's taken from a colorized postcard. Here we
see how the hospital looked when it first opened. The operating theaters were to the right on the
second floor; below them were the business offices. On the second floor to the left, were the
patients' rooms, with cafeteria, etc., located below them. A few years later, a solarium was built on
the left side of the building. Collection of the author.
Call this a tale of two doctors, oldest and
youngest. Dr. Charles Willard (at right) is
shaking the hand of Dr. Mahlon Atkinson in
this photo. At the time of this photo, Dr.
Atkinson had just arrived in Greene County.
He rose to be chief of surgery at Memorial
Hospital. Photo courtesy of the Catskill Daily
Mail.
Our Pathologist was Dr.
Joseph
Bellamy,
and
the
Radiologist was Dr. Everett
Jacobs. Dr. John Edwards of
Hudson, often came to the hospital and performed intestinal surgical procedures. Additionally
Dr. Edward MacDonald
came down from Albany
and did gynecological surgeries.
In 1967 the Eden Park
Nursing Home, located
across from the hospital in
Jefferson Heights, opened its
doors; in 1976 a nursing home,
today
known
as
Kaaterskill
Care, was
added
to the
Memorial Hospital of Greene
County to provide care and rehabilitation for the elderly and convalescent.
But once again, Greene
County's hospital was in financial
pain, and due to growing operational costs and the diminishing
number of patients, New York
State required a merger between
the Memorial Hospital of Greene
County and Hudson's Columbia
Memorial Hospital. Various
departments were closed and relocated to the Hudson facility in the
late 1980s.
Concerned Greene County residents protested the merger with
Hudson and what they feared
would be the ultimate closing of
their hospital. They were unsuccessful, however, and Memorial
Hospital of Greene County closed
its doors in 1992. Today the site is
known as the Greene Medical Arts
Center. It houses laboratories,
medical imaging and specialty
doctors' offices. But today, if you
need a hospital, you must either
cross the Hudson River to
Columbia Memorial Hospital, or
travel to Albany or Kingston.
From a house call by Dr. Willard to a County Hospital. Buggy believed to have been used by Dr.
Charles E. Willard (1846-1935) of Catskill and now part of the Greene County Historical Society’s
collections. The buggy was added to the collection in 2011 through the generosity of the family of the
late Doctor Du Bois Jenkins.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 4 1 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
Two Townships Reach Two Hundred Years
by
Robert Hallock
In 2013 Greene County has
from other nations, it seems that
the mountain that divides the
two towns celebrating their two
people have been drawn to the
Town from Halcott. It was not
hundredth anniversary. When
Mountain Top area. The current
until 1849 that Jewett was formed.
Greene County was formed in
day Mountain Turnpike leading
The first settler in Jewett was
1800, the Town of Windham covfrom Catskill to the Catskill
William Gass, followed in 1788 by
ered most of the mountaintop.
Mountain House site in Hunter
Zephaniah Chase, from whom
Previous to 1800 Windham,
began as a native American trail
Judge Emory A. Chase, prominent
formed as a Town in 1798, was a
dating to before the “discovery” of
Greene County Judge (and namepart of Ulster County. George
the Hudson River. Up this trail
sake of the County Court Law
Stimson and Stephen
went the Abeels,
Simmons were the first
hostages to the Tory
settlers. Simmons was
and Indian raiders
Robert Livingston’s land
during the American
agent. Livingston had a
Revolution. In 1803
substantial interest in
the
Susquehanna
the
Hardenburgh
turnpike was opened,
Patent.
running
through
In 1813 two new
Greene County to the
towns, carved out of
western part of New
Windham, were formed
York State.
in Greene County. One
The
Catskill
town, formerly known
Mountain
House
at New Goshen, became
began as the Pine
Lexington; the other Taken about a hundred years ago, this image looks west, down Hunter’s Main
Orchard about 1820.
was
known
as Street - today’s Route 23A. At that time, the tall building at far right houses C.A. Charles Beach drove
Greenland until 1814, Transhagen’s Boots and Shoes shop, also specializing in harnesses. The separate
his stage coaches to
when it became Hunter. bottom line boasts, “repairing promptly done.”
the Mountain House
Library) descended.
Jessie Van Vechten Vedder wrote
up the Mountain Turnpike. Many
Halcott was formed in 1833,
that “Tory cowboys” from
of the people coming to the
named for a favorite son, George
Putnam County first settled
Mountain Top took second homes
Washington Halcott, who was
Hunter, and their property was
here, and many stayed here and
Sheriff of Greene County. His
confiscated by the Whigs.
settled.
* For an in-depth article on Daniel
father had deserted the British side
Among the first settlers of
and his descendants, see “The Angles
to swim the Hudson and join
Lexington was one Daniel Angle, a
of Lexington,” an excellent 2-part
General Washington’s forces, and
Hessian soldier captured at
piece by the late Raymond Beecher.
later settled in Halcott.
Saratoga who then enlisted in the
This article appeared in the Fall &
From the Mahican tribe, the
American Service and was honorWinter Journal editions in 2005 (volIroquois, the Dutch, the English,
ably discharged.* Angle’s Peak is
ume 29, #3 and #4).
the Americans and immigrants
named for him, at the summit of
The History Quiz
Answer to Question #17:
In 1861 an angry mob attacked the Catskill
Recorder and Democrat office of Publisher Joseph B.
Hall. Shots fired from the mob members made bullet
holes in the plate glass of the former DuBois Drug
Store. What was the mob angry about?
In the mid 1800s it was normal for newspapers
to be distinctly partisan newspapers. The Recorder
Democrat was no exception. The newspaper was an
advocate for Democrats. They had been supportive
of the Southern viewpoint in State’s rights. People
espousing this point of view became known as “copperheads.” Following the fall of Fort Sumter in April
1861, public opinion turned against those opposing
the policies of President Lincoln. The Catskill mob
showed their displeasure with the newspaper and
attacked the office, shouting and firing shots to show
their anger.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 4 2 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
The Colgates of East Jewett
by
Robert Hallock
This is the story of one man and
his family’s contributions to Greene
County, and how he came to what
is now the Town of Jewett along
the East Kill. East Kill was originally in the Town of Hunter, and the
East Kill post office was located
there in 1829. This post office was
renamed East Jewett in 1854, five
years after Jewett was formed as a
Town. East Jewett has a strong connection to the Colgate Company,
which is the subject of this article.
The Colgate Company was
founded by William Colgate in
1806 on Dutch Street in New York
City. William was asked as a boy in
England in the 1790s, what he
could do well. His reply? “Make
soap.” He was advised to “make
good soap, sell it at an honest price
and give part of his profits to the
Lord.” William did that and founded Colgate Company. The company
was successful and stayed in the
family for three generations.
William had been a Baptist, and
one of the founders of the Baptist
Education Society of the State of
New York, also known as Madison
University. William passed away in
1857. After his death, Madison
University was renamed Colgate
This is the rather large boat house constructed by Gilbert Colgate at the northeast end of his artificial lakes. It no longer stands. Photo courtesy of Jerry Loucks; it can be found at
http://www.townofjewett.com/pictures.htm#loucks.
University. The Colgate Company
came under the control of his son
Samuel, who reorganized the business as Colgate and Company.
It is with the third generation of
Colgates, that the connection to
East Jewett comes. Gilbert Colgate,
born in Orange, New Jersey in
1858, was the grandson of William;
his first name came from William’s
wife’s maiden name. Gilbert graduated from Yale University in 1883
and entered Colgate and Company,
becoming a partner in 1896.
In 1900 Gilbert Colgate began
looking for a home in the Catskills.
He first tried to get into On-Ti-Ora
Park, but could not because it was
an artistic colony and he was a
Here we see the “Red Rambler,” the first home constructed by Gilbert Colgate. This house sat on
Parker Mountain road. Photo courtesy of Jerry Loucks; it can be found at http://www.townofjewett.com/pictures.htm#loucks.
businessman. Instead they purchased land in East Jewett in the
extreme eastern section of the East
Kill Valley. A home was constructed and came to be known as the
“Red Rambler.” Later, several
thousand acres were added to the
purchase and were operated as
Black Dome Farm. The “Red
Rambler” faced a well kept lawn
and the artificial 25 acre Lake
Colgate with the mountains in the
background. Gilbert built two artifical lakes, Colgate and Harriman.
In the hamlet of East Jewett he had
a community hall erected that
served as the YMCA for many
years. In the 1950s when my father
was the Supervisor of the Town of
New Baltimore, I visited the
Colgate
Estate.
The
thenSupervisor of Jewett was a friend of
my father, and also served as the
caretaker for the Colgate Estate. An
impressive place, even then.
Gilbert became First Vice
President of Colgate and Company
in 1908, president in 1920 and
chairman of the board in 1928. The
year after, in 1929, Colgate and
Company
consolidated
with
Milwaukee soap manufacturer B.J.
Johnson, who made Palmolive
Soap; and Peat Company, the
Kansas City soap maker of
Cashmere Bouquet. Palmolive and
Peat had already merged in 1926,
which made the double merger
with Colgate that much easier.
J O U R N A L V O L 3 6 PA G E 4 3 - W I N T E R 2 0 12
Gilbert led the company to
become one of the first multinational firms, with 16 foreign
subsidiaries in the period between
1914 and 1933, beginning the second largest soap and toiletries
manufacturer in the United States,
with assets of $63 million.
However, as with most dynasties, family interests change and
things move on. While Gilbert and
his children summered in the
Catskills and were interested in the
community, that interest waned
with succeeding generations.
Gilbert passed away in 1933. The
family interest in the areas dwindled.
The YMCA building burned in
1956. Camp Harriman purchased
a large section of the Colgate
Estate in 1957 to set up a camp for
underprivileged boys from New
York City. Gilbert’s grandson
Robert was the last member of the
family to live on the farm. Robert
died in 1973. The remainder of the
property was sold to New York
State in 1975 and became part of
the “forever wild”areas. In 1988 a
large oak tree crashed into the
roof of the abandoned farmhouse,
and the home was demolished.
Like many others who came to
this area, Gilbert and the Colgate
family passed through the County,
leaving an impression and making
some contributions while here.
Once known as the Griffin House, this became the Colgate House around 1915. Robert Colgate
was the last family member to live on the property. After his death in 1973, the property was sold
to New York State. It’s doom was sealed when the huge oak tree (at right in photo) crashed
through the roof. After that DEC demolished the house. Photo courtesy of Jerry Loucks; it can be
found at http://www.townofjewett.com/pictures.htm#loucks.
THE HISTORY QUIZ
History Question #18
In the 1880’s “Nellie Bly” was
a world famous investigative
reporter. She had herself committed to the Blackwell Island insane
asylum in New York City and did
an investigative report on the asylum for the New York World
newspaper. She later tried to better the time for going around the
world in eighty days done by Jules
Verne and did it in 72 days. This
was part of a race involving other
participants. At the age of 27 she
married. What does “Nellie Bly”
have to do with Greene County?
The answer to this question
will be found in the next edition!
A view of the two artifical lakes constructed by Gilbert Colgate. Photo courtesy of Jerry Loucks;
it can be found at http://www.townofjewett.com/pictures.htm#loucks.
Winter 2012
Greene County Historical Society, Inc.
c/o T. Satterlee
164 High Hill Road
Catskill, NY 12414-6411
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage Paid
Newburgh, NY 12552
Permit No. 1491
R e t u r n S e rv i c e R e q u e s t e d