CIVIL ORGANIZATION
By Capt. Franklin Ellis47
1878
It is said that Kinderhook had a good system of domestic government several years before its formation into a district, March 22, 1772. This was the first district formed in the present county of Columbia, antedating the other districts two days. It was organized as a town March 7, 1788. The first records were kept in Holland Dutch. This book and the records extending to 1797 have been destroyed. Those from 1844 to 1872 are also missing, necessitating, consequently, a brevity and incompleteness of this part of the history of the town. Nothing can be learned concerning the early roads, schools, and town legislation.
Fortunately, we have been able to compile a list of the names of the principal officers from 1787 to 1878. These have been as follows:
| YEAR | SUPERVISORS | TOWN CLERKS |
| 1787 | Cornelius Van Schaack | Abraham Van Buren |
| 1788 | Evert Vosburgh | ditto |
| 1789 | ditto | ditto |
| 1790 | ditto | ditto |
| 1791 | ditto | ditto |
| 1792 | ditto | ditto |
| 1793 | ditto | ditto |
| 1794 | ditto | ditto |
| 1795 | ditto | ditto |
| 1796 | Dirck Gardenier | ditto |
| 1797 | ditto | James I. Van Alen |
| 1798 | ditto | ditto |
| 1799 | Abram I. Van Vleck | ditto |
| 1800 | ditto | ditto |
| 1801 | ditto | ditto |
| 1802 | John Van Alen | Elihu Gridley |
| 1803 | ditto | John a. Van Buren |
| 1804 | ditto | Elihu Gridley |
| 1805 | ditto | Francis Pruyn |
| 1806 | ditto | ditto |
| 1807 | ditto | Barent I. Goes, Jr. |
| 1808 | ditto | ditto |
| 1809 | Abraham Van Vleck | Benjamin Hilton |
| 1810 | ditto | ditto |
| 1811 | ditto | John L. Van Alen, Jr. |
| 1812 | ditto | ditto |
| 1813 | ditto | ditto |
| 1814 | Henry L. Van Dyck | ditto |
| 1815 | ditto | ditto |
| 1816 | ditto | ditto |
| 1817 | ditto | ditto |
| 1818 | ditto | ditto |
| 1819 | ditto | ditto |
| 1820 | ditto | ditto |
| 1821 | John P. Beekman | ditto |
| 1822 | ditto | ditto |
| 1823 | ditto | Samuel Hawley |
| 1824 | ditto | ditto |
| 1825 | ditto | Andrew Van Dyck |
| 1826 | ditto | Samuel Hawley |
| 1827 | ditto | ditto |
| 1828 | Peter H. Bain | David Van Schaack |
| 1829 | ditto | J. I. Pruyn |
| 1830 | ditto | Barent Hoes |
| 1831 | Lucas Hoes | ditto |
| 1832 | ditto | Henry Flagler |
| 1833 | ditto | James Sutherland, Jr. |
| 1834 | ditto | ditto |
| 1835 | ditto | Augustus Whiting |
| 1836 | ditto | ditto |
| 1837 | Laurence Van Buren | John Trimper |
| 1838 | ditto | ditto |
| 1839 | ditto | ditto |
| 1840 | ditto | John H. Corning |
| 1841 | John Vanderpoel | Leonard B. Flagelar |
| 1842 | ditto | ditto |
| 1843 | Peter I. Hoes | Peter Huyck |
| 1844 | Lucas Hoes | ditto |
| 1845 | Laurence Van Buren | ditto |
| 1846 | ditto | J. W. Stickles |
| 1847 | Henry M. Niver | ditto |
| 1848 | Henry Hoysradt | John R. Beale |
| 1849 | Benajah Conant | Jacob P. Miller |
| 1850 | Laurence Van Buren | John W. Stickler |
| 1851 | ditto | ditto |
| 1852 | Aaron Huyck | Edwin Hoes |
| 1853 | Laurence Van Buren | ditto |
| 1854 | Benajah Conant | Howland Van Slyck |
| 1855 | ditto | Edwin Hoes |
| 1856 | Henry M. Niver | George Hoxsie |
| 1857 | Henry Snyder | James Miller |
| 1858 | Abram I. Van Alen | W. I. Merwin |
| 1859 | James C. Vosburgh | John A. Van Bramer |
| 1860 | ditto | Geo. W. Hoxsie |
| 1861 | Henry Dennis | Peter H. Niver |
| 1862 | ditto | ditto |
| 1863 | Alen Jacobia | A. V. D. Whitbeck |
| 1864 | James Miller | ditto |
| 1865 | ditto | ditto |
| 1866 | Wm. J. Penoyer | Walter Miller |
| 1867 | John a. Van Bramer | ditto |
| 1868 | Charles W. Trimper | ditto |
| 1869 | ditto | A. De Meyer |
| 1870 | ditto | ditto |
| 1871 | ditto | Wilson Miller |
| 1872 | Ransom Gardenier | George Reynolds |
| 1873 | John Snyder | W. S. Hallenbeck |
| 1874 | Calvin Ackley | ditto |
| 1875 | Charles W. Trimper | Michael W. Lant |
| 1876 | ditto | ditto |
| 1877 | ||
| 1878 |
The Buttons and Bars supplied by:
Bulls Buttons & Bars