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History of Orange County
Town of Walkill
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The White family, though early in the country are not old settlers in this town. The ancestor James White, who came to this country from Ireland, located in Montgomery as early as 1741, near the town line of Walkill. Major John Whited of this town, of the last generation, was a descendent, and removed here after the Revolution, when this part of the town was yet a wilderness. The first purchase of Mr. James White is owned by his descendents. The first house erected was just East and South of the present residence of M. Andrew White on the North bank of Manynuk’s Kill. This is a small stream that runs easterly through the farm and enters the Walkill. It furnishes a small water power at some points of its course Mr. Pitts has a saw mill on it.
There was also an early settlement made at Campbell Hall on the Otter Kill. This was known by that name at the organization of the old Walkill Precinct in 1767.— The name was after the owner of the location. Col. Campbell was a Scotchman, had two sons, and when the war of the Revolution commenced, one sided with England; the other with his adopted country. The tory brother would not speak or hold any intercourse with his republican relative. The sentiments of this brother were changed by the happy results of the Revolution.
Adjoining Campbell’s Hall, and a little farther down the road east, Samuel Watkins located at an early period and made an extensive settlement. This gentleman was of English origin, the family—consisting of several brothers—emigrated to New England, and four of their children removed to this county. They were in this town in 1767, and their names were Samuel, Ephraim, Joseph and Hezekiah. All of that name in the county are descendents of these individuals. The Rev. Hezekiah Watkins mentioned in the history of St. George’s Church was an uncle of these four brothers.
A small portion of the original purchases is still in the possession of the family descendents.
Still further East the Faulkner family made an early settlement, and their descendents are still in the town. From Campbell’s Hall down, including these settlements, the land is beautiful and very kind, and richly compensates the cultivator. The family descendents—of whom Col. William Faulkner, of the last generation, was one—are not numerous and the name is fast running out in the county.
Michigan.—A small cluster of houses on the turnpike leading from Montgomery to Mount Hope, about nine miles Southwest of Montgomery. The situation is very elevated—on the very apex of Three Mile Hill. The name is said to have had this origin: Mr. Malcolm McLaughlin, a native of this town, being in debt some fifteen or twenty years since, gave out that he was going to Michigan. He stayed away some time, and then came back and sat up the first tavern at the place. Out of contempt, or in remembrance of his long and tedious journeyings to and from Michigan, where he had never been, and to erect a lasting monument of his dubious conduct, the people called his new residence, Michigan since which time the place has grown up till it now assumes the appearance of a small village.
Mechanic Town.—A small village one mile east of Phillipsburgh, on the Walkill. Messrs. Otis and Miller, enterprising men of their day, started a trip hammer there and made scythes. Other manufactories soon started tip at the place; workmen were employed, and houses built for their accommodation; and in a few years grew up a village of
industrious mechanics and common consent named the
place Mechanic Town. Few places have a more honorable or better earned a one.
Davistown.—A settlement in the north part of the town.— The first settler was Nicholas Davis, who had four sons— three of whom were soldiers in the war of the Revolution, and drew pensions therefor, under the laws of Congress. The families were all poor, and fond of the creature comforts by a kind of natural inheritance. In old times when the towns maintained their own poor, the Davis families cost this town a large sum of money in the course of twenty or thirty years. This settlement was made upon a gore of land between two patents, for which the occupants paid nothing. They were what are now commonly called squatters. The families are fast running out. Those who survive and are so fortunate as to save something, may be reputable persons and valuable citizens. This is time destiny of all families under our free government, some going up and others down every day.
Millsburgh.—A settlement a mile or two North of Scotchtown, and had us name from the descendents of Jacob Mills, among the first settlers in that part of the town, many of whom are wealthy and reside there. The addition of the Saxon Burg perfects the name and we have Millsburgh.
Van Buren Ville.—A small village in the western part of the town, where there was a post office of that name, which the village assumed as it grew up. The post office was named after the Hon. Martin Van Buren of this State.
Honey Pot.—This is a settlement principally of blacks in a valley on the western side of a steep ridge, running North and South, and in the central part of the town. Many years since Col. McLaughrey of New Windsor freed his slaves, which was lawful in New York, and gave them money to purchase land to live on and maintain themselves. They located at this place. The old families, we believe, not only maintained themselves, but became well off in a pecuniary point of view, and were much respected by their white neighbors. But in later years the children have not done as well as their fathers, and are fast degenerating to the level of others of their race, spending their property and selling out. The location is rough and stony and the land poor.— We have not been so fortunate as to learn the reason why such a melliferous name was bestowed upon such a rude and sour locality.
It had this name at the organization of the precinct of Hanover in 1767, and doubtless was from some little incident happening in the valley—such as finding one or more trees in which the honey bees had made their residences. The locality was stony and low.