Page 52
History of Orange County
Town of Newburgh
Page 52
Mr. Joseph Reeve, another son, in like manner commenced a new business in Newburgh—the manufacture of whalebone whips for which he procured a patent from Government. No small *manufacturer ever had greater success than this. His whips were in the hand of every person in town and country, who rode a horse or drove a carriage.— When young, we were not considered dressed or equipped to go abroad on public occasions, unless sporting Reeve’s whalebone whip with silver mounting. We remember the whip with feelings of pride, and the maker with gratitude. This individual was a whole souled citizen, and nature had placed upon him the impress of her nobility. He also conducted the gold and silversmith business. We do not know when he retired from business, he died in September, 1828, after a lingering illness of several months, in consequence of an injury received on the head, being attacked by two ruffians in the street. The effects of the injury then received never left him, and were the procuring cause of his death.
During the war of 1812, and when the militia from this section of country were called out in mass to defend the city and harbor of New York, Joseph Reeve accompanied them and discharged the office of adjutant. The troops were stationed at Harlem Heights on York Island seven miles from the city. Having nothing to do but the usual routine of camp duty, the officers did not confine themselves very strictly so quarters. One night a number of them with their friends from the ranks attended the Park Theatre. As they entered the pit, jammed to overflowing and boxes crowded, the orchestra were playing some airs new to the Newburgh boys, and which they thought foolish and they unmeaning, called for something of a patriotic character, which they could understand. The call not being responded to, nor the music changed, Reeve, at the instigation of his friends around him, rose upon his bench, and taking the house, managers, and orchestra by surprise, began to sing the old patriot song, commencing—
Let Britain sing God save the king,
And play it on the fiddle,—
and the fiddles of the orchestra ceased their quick, harsh tweedle, tweedle, tweedle, and the house in a moment was quiet. As Reeve proceeded, gaining confidence at every line, he poured a loud, rich volume of music, in tones more and more captivating, till the house was silent as the chamber of death. When he ended the strain, up went the cheering and loud encore. Reeve responded to the call, and sang it again in tones and manner more and more captivating than before, and when he ceased, one spontaneous and universal shout, deafening as a peal of thunder went up from the whole audience, shaking the walls by its vibrations.
This certainly was a hazardous and doubtful experiment on the part of his friends, but they knew the power and reliability of their man, and all they wanted to ensure success was the opportunity to try it. Few men but Reeve could attempt an exhibition like that, with any prospect of success. He possessed the rare and faculty infusing into his voice and manner, any amount of feeling, pathos or fun, and could make you weep or laugh at pleasure. His voice, while it was soft and sonorous, was loud as the trumpet blast, and high as the bugle. Such is the power of music in a master's hand, and really
"It has charms to soothe the savage breast,
And bend the knotty oak.”
SAMUEL DOWNING.—We have been tedious in our account of Newburgh, yet we cannot leave this part of our paper, without a brief notice of this gentleman. Though not an early settler in the town, we respectfully mention him for a particular object. As we have previously remarked, we claim to notice men as much for the good they have done, or caused to be done in community, as for an early settlement. We do not know when Mr. Downing or his ancestors settled in the town, yet, we believe him to be of English origin. At an early period of his settlement in Newburgh he gave his attention, beside his usual occupation to horticulture, and to that department which included the nursery. As early as 1810, we see by his public advertisement he offered for sale trees engrafted and inoculated, of the following kinds apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, &c. We believe Mr. Downing was the first and only individual in this part of the country, who offered to supply trees of the kind. He was the first in the business in this vicinity. We are aware that Mr. Noah Townsend near Bethleham in Cornwall, advertised nursery trees for sale in 1805. This inclination of Mr. Downing to improve the fruit of the county was gradually infused into his children as they grow up, determined the nature of their occupations, and was the means of changing and renewing the whole system of fruits not easy in this part of the country, but in many parts of the Union.— We exceed not remark on the extent and value of the numberless fruit trees, shrubs and flowers which are annually cultivated and sold by the Messrs. Downing, for they effect the fruit orchards and house yards of thousands in every portion of the Union. We think we have heard that more fruit trees had been given by them into the state of Mississippi in one year, than had been sold to be planted even in the State of New York, in the same time. The truth is, the Messrs. Downing have the reputation of giving you the fruits and plants you purchase, which cannot be affirmed of all in the same line of business, which gives them and their trees a character wherever they go. If they have the tree you wish you can get it, if they have not they will say so, and rather lose the prospect of a sale than cheat you by giving one of another kind, which the purchaser can only detect when it comes to bear fruit. These gentlemen spare no expense nor effort to procure fruits and shrubs for use and ornament, and the civilized world is subjected to their researches. Industry like this really deserves, as we believe it has received, the good will and patronage of their fellow citizens. It is well for every nation and the condition of the world, and has been in every period of its past existence, that the occupation of producing directly from the bosom of the earth is the most virtuous and honorable among men. All our wants, from the staff of life to the end of our ten thousand enjoyments and luxuries, are based on, and spring from, this direction. When these occupations fail and become neglected as too laborious or beneath the dignity of honorable men, the society which experiences such abandonment of the organic law of its nature, will retrograde and fall back with rapid strides to discomfort and barbarism. Man is so constituted as to want, relish and enjoy not only those things which may injure and corrupt his nature, but those which are innocent and harmless; and our opinion is that the products of which we speak, whether fruit or flowers, are admirably calculated to subdue the appetites, feelings and affections, improve the social condition of men, and win them from the rude and grosser habits, to those of simplicity, elegance and virtue. We cannot have too great a variety of fine fruits for the table, too many shrubs and flowers to regale and delight the senses. The point of the whole matter is improvement, and we are as much bound to make better the things by which we are surrounded and which administer to our comfort and convenience, as we are to elevate the standard of our morals. It has been said that he who makeup two blades of grass grow where there was that one before, deserves more just praise than if he had built a city. This illustrates our meaning, and while we honor those who take pleasure in the things we speak of, we feel as if we could not commune with those who have no taste nor inclination for them. What more improves and refines the taste, cultivates the understanding, or is better calculated to lead our thoughts and affections upward to the Parent of all good, than the weakest and tenderest plant. The care bestowed upon it, the affection with which it is cherished, the drop of water that feeds it, are like the care and loving kindness which God exercises hourly toward us, his creatures, and like his rain showers from heaven upon the earth. These are old and stale truths, but they haunt the mind, and we must needs vent them through the medium of our humble paper.
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*Errata--read manufacture