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History of Orange County
Town of New Windsor
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Names of Places on Town Record from 1763 to 1773.--Alexander Fall's Saw Mill, the Goshen Road, Road to the Clove, Murderer's Creek, Snake Hill, Arthur's Mill, Hunting Grove, Little Britain, the King's Road, Brewster's forge, Silver Stream, Beaver Dam, Coleman's Mill.
TAR AND FEATHERS. During the early part of the Revolution Col. Morgan came on with 3,000 southern troops to join Washington in the vicinity of Boston, and marched through New Windsor. Just before they arrived a man meanly dressed, but otherwise a gentleman in appearance, called at William Edmonston's and said that Col. Morgan was coming. He went on and stopped at Mr. Ellison's, in the village, and there said that he was Col. Morgan. Morgan soon came and found the man there and the deception was exposed. He gave the man over to his troops to be punished as they thought proper, who tarred and feathered him. Rachel Cooper, who lived in the village, and sold cake and beer, furnished the pillow of feathers for the purpose. The operation is said to have been effectually performed. The stranger doubtless was a spy. Mrs. Cooper was half Indian, and had a son, Robert, who was taken prisoner at Fort Montgomery, and starved to death in the old Sugar house.
NEW-WINDSOR TEA PARTY.--During the Revolution tea was quite scarce, and could not in many localities be had for love or money. The ladies of the county had become so habituated to use the delightful beverage, that is was difficult for them to do without it, and in several instances they assumed to appropriate it to themselves by the hand of violence. Mr. Isaac Schultze kept a tavern in the village, and one day a teamster called in to procure something to eat, and, among other articles, requested a cup of tea. Mrs. Schultze told him that she had none, and it could not be procured in the village. He replied, that he thought there was some, and if not, there would be soon. The hint was taken, and the article soon found, stowed away in boxes in a teamster's wagon. In this transaction, the women were a little more busy than their husbands, and the following proceedings relate that nature of the transaction:
ALBANY COMMITTEE CHAMBER, JULY 19, 1777.
Honorable Sir: The bearers, Messrs. James Caldwell and John Maley, inhabitants of this city, and persons well attached to our cause; have represented to us, that they have lately purchased a quantity of tea at Philadelphia, at a very high price; that the tea, upon its arrival at New-Windsor, was seized by a number of men and women, and disposed of at the rate of 6s. per pound, by which means they have lost a large sum of money.
They begged us to write on the subject to the Council of Safety, and to beg their interposition in this matter.
The Council will please to observe, that his tea does not come within the resolution of Congress, as it was imported or captured about two months ago, in expectation of redress in the premises. We remain,
To the Honorable, the President Your very humble servants,
of the Council of Safety for the John Barclay, Ch.
State of New York, at Kingston.
In Council of Safety, July 22, 1777.
The Committee of Safety, to whom was referred the letter of John Barclay, Esq., Chairman of the Committee of Albany, etc., relating to tea of Caldwell and Maley, seized and disposed of by sundry inhabitants of the state at and near New-Windsor, brought in their report, etc.
Resolved, That this Council do highly disapprove of such violent and disorderly proceedings; and that, in a free country, no man ought to be divested to his property, but by his own consent, or the law of the land.
Resolved, That this Council will not exercise the powers of a court of judicature, and that the said James Caldwell can obtain satisfaction for the injury of which he complains, in the ordinary court of law.