Turnpikes and Stage Lines
Extracted from the History of Greene County, pages 42-48
By J. G. Beers, published in 1884
Transcribed by Arlene Goodwin
"We hear no more of the clanging hoof,
And the stage-coach rattling by;
For the steam-king rules the travelled world,
And the old pike’s left to die.
The grass creeps o’ver the flinty path,
And the stealthy daisies steal,
Where once the stage-horse, day by day,
Lifted his iron heel.
"No more the weary stager dreads
to toil of the coming morn;
No more the bustling landlord runs
At the sound of the echoing horn;
For the dust lies still upon the road,
And the bright-eyed children play
Where once the clattering hoof and wheel,
Rattled along the way."
Rev. John Pierpont.
THE PRINCIPAL roads of this county were laid out and constructed as turnpikes, by chartered companies who were authorized to collect tolls of those using them. The labor requires to make a road over the rocky and uneven surface of this region was very great, and the turnpike company was the pioneer that did the work that in many sections of the country was done by the corporate people.
Some provision for laying out and maintaining the great roads of the State, as well as local roads, had been made before. By an act of May 4th 1784, the towns were authorized to elect three to five commissioners of highways for this purpose. An act had been passed previous to that, i.e. March 24th 1772, and under that act the commissioners for the district of Coxswackie, June 18th 1773, were Theunys Van Vechten, Jacob Hallenbeck, Anthony Van Bergen and Hendrick Hoghtaling. The progress of these public improvements was augmented in those early years by the aid of lotteries. March 28th 1797, the State Legislature made provision for raising $45,000 by three successive lotteries, the money to be expended in opening and improving the great roads connecting the eastern and western and northern and southern parts of the State. In the disposition of this sum the act decrees that $6.510 "shall be and hereby is appropriated for improving the great road leading from Catskill landing to the county of Albany to Catherine’s towns in the county of Tioga, and which improvements shall commence at or near the house of Stephen Platt in the town of Freehold."
March 30th 1802, the Legislature directed that four commissioners should be appointed to investigate the road leading from Albany to Kingston and thence to the turnpike in Orange county. They were to report its condition and any alterations that might be advisable, and the probable expense of making such alterations. This commission reported to the next Legislature (1803) and in accordance with their recommendations that body, April 6th 1803, appointed Charles Selden, Benjamin Smith and Albert Pawling, commissioners with power to lay out a road beginning at the southern boundary of the city of Albany and running over the route which to them should seem the most convenient to the toll bridge at Catskill Landing; thence to Kingston and so on to the Orange turnpike. The commissioners of highways in the several towns through which the road was to pass were directed to open the road in their several towns without delay.
In the early years of this century the chartered turnpike took the precedence over all other schemes for road making. There was much that was substantially uniform in the charters of these old turnpikes. To save repetition in individual cases we will give some of the main point which they possessed in common. The charter was issued to a number of men, whose names were given, and their associates; commissioners were appointed to receive subscription; the stock was to consist of a specified number of shares, the value of which was usually fixed at twenty dollars each, and a certain amount of it was to be paid at the time of the subscribing. When a certain number of shares had been subscribed for, the commissioners were to give notice of a meeting for the election of directors, at which meeting they should preside, and the stockholders were to elect nine directors. The president and directors, who were to hold office for one year, were to call for installments on the shares of stock, at their discretion, and failure on the part of stockholders to respond within 30 days would result in the forfeiture of the payments already made. The president and directors were to make by-laws and regulations, such as they thought necessary, so long as they were "not repugnant to the laws of this State or of the United States." The number of shares that any one person could hold was limited. A road was to be constructed upon the most direct and convenient route practicable between the two points of termination, the road bed to be 18 feet hard substance, crowned in the center and compacted so as to form a solid road with a smooth, hard surface. On the completion of the whole or specified parts of the turnpike, inspectors who were appointed for the purpose, were to issue certificates upon which the governor of the State was to give permission for the erection of a gate or gates at points named in the charter, which points were usually ten miles apart along the line; and the first one to be four or five miles from the starting point. The direction and route of the turnpike were to be decided by commissioners (disinterested parties) to be appointed by the governor, and in case of disagreement with any land owner as to the amount of damage, a jury of six disinterested freeholders was to assess the damage. Heavy fines were imposed for the destruction of any gates, or injuries to the road, or passing the gate without paying toll.
The directors were to declare dividends of the clear income of the turnpike semi-annually, and to render annual accounts of the finances of the company to the controller of the State. Whenever the income from a turnpike should have compensated fully for all the expense of making, improving and repairing it, and realized an interest of ten to fourteen per cent, additional on the money invested, the Legislature might dissolve the corporation, when the road was to revert to the State. The charter of a company was to be null and void in case the road was not begun or completed within a specified time. The governor was to appoint commissioners to inspect the turnpike, and when found out of repair these inspectors were to cause the gates to be thrown open until the proper repairs were made. No toll was to be exacted of any person passing to or from any place of public worship, or to or from his common farm business, or to or from the mill where he had his grain ground into flour for use in his family, or going to or returning from funerals. The appended table show the rates of toll allowed by some of the principal turnpike charters:
|
Susquehanns, 1800 –cts. |
Albany and Green, 1806--cts |
*Albany and Green, 1806—cts. |
Coxsackie 1805—cts. |
Little Delaware, 1805—cts. |
Schoharie, 1802—cts. |
|
|
Score of sheep or hogs |
8 |
8 |
6 |
4 |
8 |
5 |
|
Score of Cattle, horses or mules |
20 |
20 |
14 |
10 |
20 |
12 |
|
Horses and rider or leader |
12 ½ |
12 ½ |
9 |
7 |
12 ½ |
12 |
|
Cart, with one horse |
6 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
|
Chariot, coach, coaches or phaeton |
25 |
25 |
18 |
12 ½ |
25 |
25 |
|
Stage, wagon or other four-wheel carriage drawn by two horses, mules or oxen |
12 ½ |
12 ½ |
9 |
6 |
12 ½ |
12 |
|
Additional horsed, & c., each |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
Cart with two horses, oxen or mules |
12 ½ |
12 ½ |
9 |
6 |
12 ½ |
6 |
|
Each additional horse or ox |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Sleigh or sled drawn by two horses or oxen |
6 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
|
Each additional horse or ox |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
*The Albany and Green Turnpike had different rates of toll for different gates.
In connection with the building of turnpikes the following advertisement, which appeared in the Recorder in 1807, is full of suggestions:
"WANTED at New Baltimore, 20 miles above Catskill, by the subscriber, 10 or 15 sworn TURNPIKERS to work on the Baltimore and Renssellaer Turnpike, to whom good wages will be given. No Dutchman need apply unless he is pretty well Yankeyfied; and no Irishman unless he can demolish a quart of Rum per day."
"New Baltimore, June 9th." "Daniel Ives."
In the following paragraphs we will give a brief sketch of each of the turnpikes that have been built within or through this county, as far as reasonable diligence has enabled us to obtain the fact concerning them.
The Susquehanna Turnpike: This turnpike was authorized and the president and directors made a corporate body, by an act of Legislature passed April 1st 1800. The men whose names appear in the charter were John Livingston, Stephen Day, Henry Livingston, Caleb Benton, George Hale, Samuel Haight, Garret Abeel, Martin G. Schuneman, Benjamin Van Orden, Sherman Wattles, Solomon Martin, and John Cortright. The stock was limited to $12,000, and was to be held in twenty dollar shares. The charter granted the right to survey and lay out the road, over whatever route seemed most practicable to them. The road was to be not less than four nor more than six rods wide. Twenty feet of its width was to be bedded with wood, stone, gravel or other hard substance. It was to run from the town of Salisbury, in Connecticut, to the ferry near the store of John Livingston, in the town of Livingston, and from the landing at Catskill to Wattles’ Ferry open the Susquehanna River. By the later part of the following August twenty-five hundred shares had been taken. This fact shows the eagerness with which the people, having full confidence that it was to fill a great want, took hold of the enterprise. By an act of March 20th 1804, the organization and it jurisdiction was divided, and that part of the turnpike lying east to the Hudson River was incorporated as the Ancram Turnpike, while the Susquehanna Turnpike covered that part of the route which lay west of the river. The stock of the corporation was now limited to $11,600, or 5,800 shares. Its management rested in the hands of nine directors. They were to erect mile-stones marking the distance from the river, and gate at intervals of ten miles, the first one to be three and a half to four miles from the river. Its rates of toll are given in the table printed above.
This turnpike route ran out through the northern part of Greene county, from Catskill westward, striking on its way the villages of Cairo and Durham. The first section of the road, four and one-half miles, which was necessary to the placing of the first gate, was completed ready for inspection, August 20th 1801. The road soon became a profitable investment, and during the years between 1820 and 1830 saw its most prosperous period. But the opening of the Erie Canal and the Erie Railroad, and other channels of traffic, diverted the tide of inland commerce, which from a large back territory previously found its way over this route to an outlet at Catskill, and it soon felt a decline. The turnpike at first had ten gates on it, but soon after the year 1830, the western part of it was abandoned. In 1842, we find it had but five gates. The length carried it beyond the line of this county. On the 12th of December, 1856, all the western part of the road down to the fifteenth mile-stone, which is in the town of Durham, was abandoned. The road is held to that point at the present time, and there are three gates on it. The tolls, since its incorporation, have been several times changed. During the days of its prosperity they were reduced to about one-half the original charges. In 1867 they were advanced, but in 1879 the former charges were re-established. The successive presidents of the corporation have been. Stephen Day, July 25th 1800; Caleb Benton, July 24th 1801; John Livingston, July 24th 1802; Caleb Benton, July 24th 1804; Ezra Hawley, July 25th 1831; Abram Van Vechten, July 24th 1856 to the present time.
The Albany and Green Turnpike: This company was incorporated April 7th 1806. The incorporators were John Rensselaer, Francis Nichol, David McCarty, Levi Blaisdell, Benjamin Baker, Abraham Van Dyke, Thomas Lawrence and Samuel Haight. The road ran from the Albany and Bethlehem Turnpike by Coeyman’s Landing as near the river as practicable to Warner’s Bridge over Murderer’s Creek, to the drawbridge at Catskill. The number of shares was limited to 2,005, at $ 20 each. It had four gates: the first, half way between the north end and Coeyman’s Landing; the second between Coeyman’s and Coxsackie; the third between Coxsackie and Athens; and the fourth between Athens and Catskill. In 1838, that part between William street and the bridge in Catskill was made a public highway. In 1852 that part of the road north of Coxsackie was abandoned. In 1857 that part lying within the corporate limits of Catskill village was abandoned. April 1st 1868, Harmon Van Woert purchased the part lying between Athens and Coxsackie and abandoned it February 22d 1869. There still remains one gate on the road between Athens and Catskill.
The Schoharie Turnpike: This turnpike was incorporated April 5th 1802. The act named Isaac Northrop, Thomas E. Barker, Storm A. Becker, Henry Wells jr., William Frazier and Alexander Alexander as incorporators. The stock was limited to 3,000 shares, which was in 1806 increased by 900 shares additional. The road was divided March 13th 1807, the western branch comprehending thirty miles, and the eastern branch twenty-five miles. The road was then placed in the hands of two companies. The same year the Legislature authorized the eastern branch to sell the road with all their rights. In 1834, ten miles of the western end was abandoned. In 1844 the road west of Potick Creek to Athens was sold October 27th 1855 by Volney Danforth, Thomas P. Danforth, D. B. Danforth and Harmon Becker to Sylvester Nichols for $2,000.
The Schoharie-Kill Bridge Company: We have not learned when this company was incorporated. It was probably not long before 1827. In that year the company altered their road from the top of the mountain eastward through the towns of Durham and Cairo. Commissioners were appointed to assess the damages to land owners on account of this alteration. These commissioners were Willis Miles, Henry Hosford and Henry Gosice of Lexington. Other alterations were made during the year under the directions of the same commissioners, from a place called Clippe, on the top of the mountains in Cairo, west to the town of Blenheim. That part of the road from the hotel of Cyrus Smith in Prattsville, to the western end of the turnpike was abandoned November 7th 1861. So much of the road as lay west of the line separating the farms of James Christian and Aaron Garrison in Ashland was abandoned October 14th 1869. That part west of Addison W. Brisack’s, Ashland was given up September 15th 1874. The remainder, which has two gates upon it is now owned by Harvey Sherman.
The Little Delaware Turnpike Company: Alexander McKee, John T. Moore, Hezekiah Wynkoop, and John Du Bois were incorporated under the above title Mach 16th 1805. They were granted the privilege of constructing a road from the western end of the drawbridge at Catskill Landing by the most direct and convenient rote to the western bank of the Delaware River, in the town of Delhi. The stock was limited to 5,000 shares. The first gate was to be erected not less than four miles from the bridge. In 1815 the Legislature granted five years extension of time for the completion of the road.
The Coxsackie Turnpike: This company was incorporated by an act of March 2d 1805, which named as incorporators Robert H. Vanden Bergh, Leonard Bronck, Peter C. Adams, Dorrance Kirtland, Roswell Reed, Archibald McVickar, and their associates. They were to make a road from Coxsackie, starting at the east end of Coxsackie Bridge, and running thence in the most direct an convenient route to the Susquehanna Turnpike, between the twenty-first and twenty-second mile-stones, in the town of Freehold. John H. Cuyler and James Thompson were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to the stock, which was to consist of 1,250 shares. Two gates were to be erected on the route. That part of the route between the Schoharie and Susquenhanna Turnpikes was abandoned by permission of Legislature, March 10th 1815, also so much of the branches of the road as lay west of their intersection with the road leading from the house of Leonard Bronck westerly. The part west of the store of Levi Chandler, Greenville, was abandoned in 1828. That part west of Medway four corners was abandoned May 13th 1879.
The Coxsackie and Oak Hill Plank road: This road was organized many years ago. March 27th 1852, the company was authorized to raise a loan on its credit of $10,000. In 1856 a short piece of the western end of the road was abandoned. The western part of the road in the neighborhood of Greenville was abandoned about three ago, and the remainder has recently been given up.
The Athens Turnpike: This was incorporated March 24th 1809. The act names as incorporators Patrick Hamilton, Thomas Lawrence, Aaron Reed, David Shaw and Timothy Bunker. The route was to begin near the head of Market street in Athens, and run westward to intersect the Susquehanna Turnpike, between the half-toll gate and the bridge near Martin G. Scheneman’s. The stock was fixed at four hundred shares. One gate was to be erected within a half mile east of the Kalkberg. Alteration in the route were allowed by an amendment to the charter, March 6th 1818.
The Hunter Turnpike: The first meeting to organize this company was held November 20th 1823, the act incorporating it having been passed by the Legislature April 12th 1822. The turnpike extends from Palenville to Lexington. The original stockholders were William Edwards and son, Jonathan Palen, Tobias Britt, Joseph Palen, Benjamin P. Burhans, Asa Bigelow, and Stephen Kellogg. The contract to build the road was given to Abel Avery. A receipt dated November 18th 1824, for $4,572, in full for the work appears on the books. The original route lay from or near the store of Jonathan Palen & Co., through the Kaaterkill Clove, to the New York Tannery, at the house of William Edwards, in the town of Hunter. The present stockholders are Jacob Fromer, S. S. Mulford, George N. Eggleston, George Campbell, Gilbert Haines, Aaron Roggen, estate of Hiram Roe, Owen Glennon and Jacob H. Meach. It is now leased to George Harding, proprietor of Kaaterskill Park.
The Catskill and Mountain Turnpike: This road was chartered April 6th 1827, by Lewis Benton, Jonathan Palen and Wilkes Hyde, for the purpose of constructing a turnpike from the west end of the drawbridge in Catskill to a point near the home of widow Gilbert E. Palen in the same towns. The stock was limited to 300 shares of $25 each. One gate was to be allowed when five miles of either end of the road was completed. John Remsen, Jonathan Rowe jr. and William Edwards, were appointed commissioners to lay out the road. All of the road lying west of the red school-house at Kiskatom was abandoned February 19th 1856. This left about five miles. That part of the road west of the drawbridge as far as the corporate limits of Catskill village, was abandoned June 6th 1877.
The Catskill and Ulster Turnpike: This road was chartered April 14th 1838, for 30 years. The route began at the junction of the lower road with the Catskill and Mountain Turnpike, and followed the former through West Camp to the village of Ulster, a distance of about twelve miles. The capital stock of the company was $5,000 in $25 shares. Joseph B. Lynes, Mackey Corswell, William Adams, Judson H. Calkins, and Jeremiah Russell were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions.
The Cairo and East Kill Turnpike: The first charter of this road was dated June 15th 1812. Nothing appears to have been done until April 14th 1831, when the charter was renewed, and the time for completing the road extended to December 1st 1836. The road was to begin near the eighth mile-stone on the Susquehanna Turnpike, and run thence to the Forge, and so over the mountain, and through the East Kill valley. The stock consisted of 800 shares of $20 each.
The New Baltimore and Rensselaer Turnpike: This turnpike was incorporated April 2d 1806, by Albert Van Der Zee, Pelatiah Whitmore, Paul Sherman, John K. Browns, Joseph Platt, Stephen Parsons, Henry C. Houghtaling, Samuel Skinner, Tunis A. Van Slyck, John Van Dyck, David Densemore, and Joseph Requa. The route lay from New Baltimore northward to it intersection with the Albany and Delaware Turnpike in the town of Rensselaerville. In 1812, the road having been completed, and the bridges built, the public dissatisfaction in regard to the western gate became so great that the Legislature, May 26th, made a public highway of all the part of the road between the intersection of the old State road and the village of New Baltimore; also the road from Peter Shear’s blacksmith shop to the west end of the turnpike. The road was sold to the Coeymans and Westerlo Plank Road Company, in 1850. Soon after that the new Baltimore Plank Road Company was formed and built a plank road to the Albany line.
The East Kill Turnpike: This road was incorporated May 1st 1829, with a capital stock of $10,000 in shares of twenty-five dollars each. Moses Olmsted, Josiah Brown and Henry Goslee, were appointed commissioners to lay out the road. It was to run from a point near the house of West Chase, in the town of Lexington, along the valley of the East Kill "to or near the east line of the farm lately occupied by Smith Parks, in the town of Hunter," thence by the most eligible route to the Schoharie Kill Bridge Company’s road, near the house of Andrew Highdeck in the town of Windham. We have leaned nothing further of its history.
The Greenville and Potter’s Hollow Turnpike: This road was a continuation of the Coxsackie Turnpike, from the village of Greenville through part of the town of Durham to Potter’s Hollow, where it formed a union with the Gilboa and Potter’s Hollow Turnpike. It was incorporated May 13th 1845, with a capital stock of $10,000 in twenty-five dollar shares. The commissioners for laying it out were Erastus H. Straton, Peter Roggens, and Walton S. Stoutenburgh.
The Blue Mountain Turnpike: This company, incorporated by an act of March 11th 1814, consisted of John Hunter, Geo. B. Everson, Jeremiah Eligh, Robert L. Livingston, Tobias Wynkoop jr., Jacob Trumpbour jr. and John Tremper. They were to make a road "to begin at or near the head of the Caderskill clove on the said Blue Mountains, at or near the house of Worster Perkins in the town of Greenland," and to run thence through the clove into the town of Saugerties. The stock was to consist of 600 twenty-five dollar shares.
The Cauterskill Turnpike: This road was incorporated April15th 1814. The act named Joseph Klein and Isaac Dubois incorporation. The route commenced near the house of Peter Fiero or Elias Dutcher in the town of Cairo, and ran on the south side of the hill called round Top to Joseph Klein’s factory on the Kaaterskill, and so on to the Little Delaware Turnpike near the house of Henry Race, in the town of Catskill. The stock consisted of 400 twenty-five dollar shares, and the number of directors was five.
The Bristol Turnpike: Asa Bigelow, Jonathan Palen, Abraham Fiero, Stephen Kellogg, William Edwards and their associates were incorporated as a turnpike company April 21st 1825. The route of their road was from the landing at Bristol, now Malden, to the tannery of G. E. & J. Palen in the town of Catskill, at which point it intersected the Hunter Turnpike. The stock was limited to 300 shares, and its affairs were to be managed by five directors. The name was changed to the Malden Turnpike Company April 20th 1830, at which time it was allowed to make some alterations in the route, which were to be made under the direction of Aaron Bushnell, William Edwards, and Moses Olmstead, commissioners. Their work was confirmed by the Legislature April 23d 1832. Further alteration were made in 1837.
The Prattsville Turnpike Company: This was incorporated April 17th 1843, for the purpose of constructing a road from a point on the Kingston and Middletown Turnpike in Shandaken, through Lexington to a point near the big rock in Prattsville. The line of this road was surveyed in July 1843, by Asa Bushnell, under the direction of Alvin Bushnell and Arland T. Humphrey, commissioners. It entered the county at Bushnellville, which then contained a few houses, a tannery, a chair factory and a saw-mill. Its stock was fixed at 480 twenty-five dollar shares. By an act of April 2d 1848, the inhabitants of Lexington living on the turnpike were allowed to work their assessment under the turnpike directors, and to use the road toll free. The road was sold under a foreclosure of mortgage, and the sale was confirmed by the Legislature April 10th 1848. The purchasers were Aaron Bushnell, Silas Fowler, Justus D. Bushnell, Hiram Wheeler and Asa B. Bushnell. That part of the road north of the store of Abram Hare, in the town of Lexington, was abandoned August 27th 1856, and the remainder within this county on the 6th of the following October.
The Greenfield Turnpike was incorporated by an act of March 14th 1806. The route began at or near the house of Daniel Miller in Greenfield, and ran to its intersection with the Albany and Delaware Turnpike in the town of Rensselaerville. The incorporators were John Ely, Stoddard Smith, Daniel Miller, Isaac Hyde, Apollus Moore, David Smith, Thomas Smith, Thomas Conklin and Jared Reynolds. The capital stock allowed was 1300 shares. An amendatory act, April 4th 1807, permitted the extension of the road to the Coxsackie Turnpike and an increase of the stock 200 shares. An Act of March 5th 1813 extended the time for the completion of the road to March 5th 1815. That part of the road lying south of the house of Daniel Miller, in Greenville, was abandoned in 1820, and May 5th 1837 the charter was repealed and the road given into the charge of the commissioners of highways of the several towns through which it passed.
The Greene and Delaware Turnpike: Bruce C. Smith, Jeremiah Martin, David Dopp, Joel Ford and Aaron Bushnell were incorporated as a turnpike company by act of April 21st 1828. They were authorized to make a road from New York Tannery in the town of Hunter, down the valley of the Schoharie Kill to Bruce C. Smith’s store, thence up the West Kill near the tannery of Aaron Bushnell, from which point it was to run through the "great hollow" to intersect the Esopus road in Middletown, Delaware county. It was also to run from Smith’s store "to the great rock east of John Brandow’s." Elijah Bushnell jr., Noah Dimmick and Amos C. Treat were appointed commissioners to lay out the road.
The Canton Bridge Company: This was incorporated April 9th 1805. The incorporators were John E. Darby, James Gale, Isaac Hine jr., Rufus Dodge, Luther Carter and their associates. The act granted the right to build a bridge across the Katskill, near the mills of Henry Person in the town of Canton. The stock was limited to 300 shares, and whatever surplus arising from the sale of stock should remain after building the bridge, the directors were to use in improving the road and bridges between the villages of Freehold and Shingle Kill (Cairo). In accordance with a provision of the charter Smith Sutherland, Jonathan Nickerson and Caleb Benton were appointed commissioners October 15th 1805 to inspect the work.
The Plattekill Turnpike Company: Abijah Griffin, William Miller, William Edwards, Jeremiah Russel and Asa Bigelow were incorporated April 2d 1819 as a turnpike company with the above title. They were authorized to build a turnpike from the south side of Plattekill Creek to a point at or near the farm of Aaron and Alvin Bushnell in the town of Hunter. The charter also granted the privilege of extending the road from Bushnell’s farm to the East Kill, provided no interference with the rights of other companies should be caused thereby.
Another incorporation of a Plattekill Turnpike Company was made April 28th 1834, with the right to build a road from some convenient point on the Saugerties and Woodstock Turnpike through the Plattekill Clove, so as to continue the Cauterskill Turnpike by intersection or otherwise through the town of Lexington, to intersect the Windham Turnpike at a large rock near the bridge across Batavia Creek in the town of Prattsville. The stock of this company was fixed at 800 shares of twenty-five dollars each. George A. Gay, John Kiersted and Levi Myer were appointed commissioners to lay out the road and open subscription books. The time for completing the road was extended by act of April 30th 1841, five years from that date.
The Rensselaer and Durham Turnpike: This was incorporated in March 1808, for the construction of a road from the town of Durham northwardly to a point on the Albany and Delaware Turnpike in the town of Rensselaerville. May 21st 1836 the Legislature allowed them to abandon their road, and directed the commissioners of highways in several towns through which it passed to take charge of it as a public highway.
The Ulster and Green Turnpike: Jeremiah Russell, John Kiersted, George A. Gay, Jacob Trumpbour and John Eldridge were appointed commissioners under an act of incorporation, April 23d 1821, to sell stock and open a road from the Saugerties and Woodstock road at a point in Saugerties town through the Plattekill Clove to the village of Hunter. The sock was fixed at $10,000 in twenty-five dollar shares, and the capital might be increased to double the amount at the discretion of the corporation.
The South Durham Turnpike: This was incorporated March 27th 1839, for a term of thirty years, for constructing a road beginning near the dwelling house of Montgomery Stevens in the town of Durham, and running southerly through the south part of that town to the Schoharie Kill Bridge Company’s road between the dwelling house of Michael Broomhower and the toll-gate on that road on Catskill Mountain. The capital stock was fixed at $4,000 in twenty-five dollar shares. The commissioners to receive subscriptions were Montgomery Stevens, George Robinson and Isaac Bogardus. One toll-gate was allowed.
The Stoney Clove Turnpike: The commissioners appointed to open the subscription book for this company, which had been incorporated April 30th 1873, were Lemuel Chichester and H. R. Winter of Phoenicia; Artemus Shapler of Kingston; and Orin B. Crosby, A. S. Kerr, H. S. Lockwood and C. W. Burgess of Hunter. The road was to run from the fork of the road near and north of the dwelling house of Peter Saxe in the town of Hunter, through the Stoney Clove to the plank road at Phoenicia in Ulster county. The capital stock was fixed at $8,000 in shares of twenty-five dollars each.
The Kaaterskill Park Turnpike: This road was built as an approach to the famous Hotel Kaaterskill, up the steep side of South Mountain, from Palenville. It is the most wonderful example of turnpike engineering to be seen within this county. Its route was laid by mountain men after the project had been pronounced by railroad engineers an impossibility. It was constructed in 1881 at an enormous expense.
Other turnpikes have been established of which we have not been able to learn the facts necessary to form the basis of a sketch. Among these are the Windham and Durham Turnpike, incorporated in 1800.
Early Stage Routes
We come now naturally to notice the early stage routes that were established upon these turnpikes and early roads. The earliest of these stage routes of which we have any knowledge ran from Albany to the northern boundary of New Jersey. This was established under an act of Legislature passed February 26th 1803. This act granted to Terrence Donnelly, Isaac Slote, Jacob Vanderhoff, William Tremble, Hiel Brockway, James Bennet and Israel Ransom the exclusive right of running stages between the points names for a term of seven years. They were to provide at least four covered wagons, and to run over the road at least once a week. They were allowed to charge five cents a mile for each passenger, who was allowed to carry fourteen pounds of baggage free. Any additional weight of baggage was to be charged for at the rate of five cents per mile for every one hundred and fifty pounds. A fine of five hundred dollars was decreed as a penalty for interference with their right. This line commenced running October 1st 1803, passing through this county in either direction every Tuesday and Friday. The following extract from the advertisement of the proprietors will be interesting.
"As punctually must be observed, those gentlemen and ladies who shall please to favor this line with their custom are requested to be ready to start precisely at the time appointed. The public may rest assured that the utmost attention will be paid by the proprietors to render this line respectable. For the purpose they have furnished themselves with sober and careful drivers, gentle and substantial horses, and strong, convenient carriages."
By an act passed March 28th 1805, the monopoly of running a stage line from Catskill Landing to Unadilla in Otsego county was granted to David Bostwick, Stephen Benton, Lemuel Hotchkiss and Terrence Donnelly, for seven years. The act fixed a penalty of fifty dollars for any infringement of this right. It also specified that two wagons or sleighs with a sufficient number of horses should be kept on the line. This grant was renewed to Terrence Donnelly June 8th 1812, for an additional term of seven years. The stages were required to make the round trip as often as once in eight days. The fare for passengers was fixed at five cents per mile with an allowance of fourteen pounds of baggage free. The stage leaving Catskill on Wednesday morning would arrive at Unadilla Friday evening, and leaving that point Sunday would arrive at Catskill on Tuesday. These stages on their way passed through the villages of Cairo, Windham, Roxbury, Stamford, Kortright, Delhi, Meredith, Franklin, Unadilla and a few years later through Oxford, Green and Lisle to Ithaca. A few years later other names appear. The stage of N. Steele & Co., ran over the line already mentioned, and at the same time the stages of H. Watkins & Co. ran from Catskill through the villages of Cairo, Durham, Broome, Blenheim, Stamford, Harpersfield, Meredith, Franklin, Sidney, Unadilla and so on to Ithaca. The fare at that time had been reduced to four cents a mile.
The stage coach business in its glory is a thing of the past. Many interesting episodes connected with it live in the memory of the older inhabitants, but space forbid their insertion here. Some of the drivers of forty years ago and more were characters in their day. Among them may be remembered, Peter Prime, "Bill" McQueen, "Bot" McQueen, Oscar Sage, "Jim " McQueen, "Bill" Shufelt and "Pone," whose surname is forgotten.