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History of Orange County
Town of Walkill
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At the place now known as Phillipsburgh on the Walkill, there was an early settlement. We believe the locality belonged to an old family by the name of Wisner, the ancestor of Jeffrey Wisner, Esq. of Warwick, and the late Henry G. Wisner, Esq. of Goshen. Mr. Moses Phillips married in the family, and received Phillipsburgh along with his lady as a portion of her estate.
The place was known as Hampton in 1806, but from the number of families of the name of Phillips at the location, it became changed. The place is most beautifully and romantically situated, and is one of the lovely spots for a country residence. It is on a small level piece of land, on the west bank of the stream, surrounded on all sides by hills and graceful knolls. Mr. Phillips had several sons—George, Gabriel, William and Moses were among the number—all active and enterprising men, and engaged at the place in some one of the various departments of manufactures.
The Saxon Burg is added to the name of the individual to form the name of the place.
In the year 1776 *Mr. Phillips and Henry Wisner had a contract with the government of the colony for the manufacture of powder at this place, where they made and furnished it to the satisfaction of the old Congress. On one occasion Mr. Wisner, corresponding with Congress on the subject of powder, said that he had three thousand pounds ready, and remarked that they must excuse his writing, as he had but two half sheets of paper, and when they were gone he did not know where he could get another, and therefore could not afford to transcribe his letter. This excuse, doubtless, was satisfactory. The family is of English origin, very early in the country, and came from New Jersey into this county.
These two individuals were recommended to Congress as most worthy of the contract, by the committee of Ulster county; while Messrs. Wisner and Carpenter were recommended by the committee from Orange. In the latter case, the business was to be conducted at Carpenters saw mill **in Goshen, on the head waters of the Otter Kill.
The settlement made near Middletown by Mr. Murray was quite early. This gentleman was a descendent of George Murray of Inverness, Scotland, and came to Canada as an impressed soldier with the English troops to take Quebec, and drive out the French from the colony. In the assault on Quebec by General Wolf in 1759, Murray nobly discharged the duty of an English soldier, and afterwards came and settled in this town, giving origin to numerous and respectable families. Mr. A. Spencer Murray, cashier of the Orange County Bank, is a descendent of this individual.
Scotchtown.—We cannot learn from any of the present inhabitants at what time this region was first settled. The name of Scotchtown was appropriated to a small cluster of houses in the immediate vicinity of the Presbyterian church, and took its rise as near as we can ascertain from the building of the church. When this was erected and the congregation was organized, the question was asked, “ What shall we call the church? “—and as there was at that time a number of Scotch families residing in the neighborhood, it was proposed to call the place Scotchtown, and the church was named accordingly. The names of the families were McCarter, McVey, McWhorter, Mclnnis, McLaughlin, McCord, etc.
There are about fifteen dwelling houses at this place, a
Post Office, etc. This place is on very elevated ground, being nearly one thousand feet above tide water. Arise of ground upon the farm of the late Rev. Mr. Baldwin commands a view in every direction of a large part of Orange county, and a portion of Dutchess, which is from twenty to thirty miles distant. The view embraces a perfect amphitheatre, and well repays for the labor of a visit.
In 1843 tile fossil remains of a Mastodon Maximus were
dug from a marl bed on the farm of Mr. William Connor, about one fourth of a mile from this place. They are now in a the cabinet of Professor Emmons of Albany.
Mrs. Mclnnis was a strong minded, open hearted young woman, free and pure as the mountain air of her native Highlands. It is said that after the marriage ceremony had been performed, and she became Mrs. Mclnnis, her husband informed the clergyman that he had thoughts of emigrating to America, who endeavored to dissuade him by all the offhand arguments he was possessed of, but all to no purpose. Finding him fixed in his determination to leave the country, and withal a little vexed at his obstinacy and improper appreciation of argument, he turned away from him, and addressing himself to Mrs. Mclnnis, said: “If your husband goes, as I fear he will, you ought not to go with him, but stay at home.”
To this she replied in fervent strains, dictated by her new born feelings fresh gushing from the heart—” Sir, you have just united us for weal or woe and for life, and will you be the first to break the bonds yourself have made? I will follow him, sir, if he goes to the ends of the earth”.
The clergyman stood rebuked by the strong affection of the Scottish maid, and the argument closed. Though hard and trying to the feelings it may have been, yet this new married couple soon left for America, and with others stamped the impress of their native land upon the hill tops of this, never to be effaced. This reply of Mrs. Mclnnis was worthy a Roman matron—and had there been a golden book in Scotland, as there had once been in Venice, her name ought to have been registered in it. Mr. McInnis doubtless ran over in his mind the sentiments contained in the following lines:
“Oh! Mary, I hae lo’ed thee lang,
Thou’rt ay the burthen o’ my sang,
And day or night, where’er I gang,
I think of naught but Mary.
When sleep seals up my wearied_e’e,
In dreams thy angel form I see,
And in fond raptures say to thee,
Oh! dinna leave me Mary.”
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Peter McLaughlin died March 1, 1804, in the seventieth year of his age. In him society lost a valuable member, as he was a truly pious and honest man.
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*Errata read-- Maj. Moses Phillips **Errata read--in Cornwall, near Gray court.