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History of Orange County
Town of Walkill
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Stony Ford, now Stony Ford Bridge.—Many years since the Walkill was forded at this place, which is one mile directly west of Legrange, formerly Goosetown. At this place there is a rift running across the Walkill, which is literally paved with cobble stone, firm and hard as a rough pavement. The ford is not used, as there is a bridge by which the stream is passed. The place has been long known by this name—as early as 1767—and the fact above stated furnishes a good reason.
Indian Spring.—This spring is on the farm of the Hon. Judge Slaughter of the Common Pleas of this county. The farm is situated east of where the turnpike leading from Montgomery to Mount Hope, crosses Three Mile Hill, and east of Michigan. The spring has always been known by this name, and Mr. Slaughter when a boy recollects an Indian hut near it, where some of the foundation stones are still to be seen. In ploughing up a field on this farm for the first time, bushels of Indian arrows were found, in length varying from two to six inches. An axe of the hardest flint, and as large as the hand, was also found, which is now lost or carried away as a curiosity.
The tradition in the neighborhood is, that in the vicinity of this spring, and on Mr. Slaughter’s farm, a tribe of Indians lived, the name of which is lost.—That some of the Indians, for some cause not now known, became offended with the family of Daniel Butterfield, who lived there on the farm now owned by Stephen Harlow; and determined to revenge themselves by murdering the family. It was in mid summer, and when the grain fields were full grown. One day a bush was seen by the family at an unusual place in the grain field near the house where the individual did not recollect to have seen one before, and it attracted his attention. While he thought upon it and stood for a long time gazing in that direction, he thought he saw the bush move slowly towards the house. He instantly concluded there was mischief of some kind if not death, as well as an Indian under the bush and soon as possible, without noise, entered the house, and informed the inmates of what he had seen and what he expected. Preparations for attack and defence proper to meet the emergency were made in a moment. One took his gun, well loaded foe execution, and proceeded to where he could see the bush, and where it was moving directly towards him and the house. Here, in secret and profound silence, he waited till the bush should approach so near as to develop, its friendly or beside character, and ensure success in case he had to fire upon it. The needful preparations, as far as limited means and the approach of sudden danger admitted, were arranged by the family in the house. To each a duty was assigned, and aware of the responsibility, they individually assumed to discharge it as in a case of life and death.
The bush continued to move steadily and silently forward, and in the direction of the house—circumstances of awful import to all concerned. A thrill of deepest excitement passed like lightning through the bosom of the watchman, as he saw the danger approach slowly and with apparent design, and thought of the consequence of any failure on his part to arrest its progress. The same all-absorbing and breathless anxiety filled the inmates of the dwelling, where the silence of death reigned—no one daring to breathe. The time for action came; the watchman, with excited coolness, and eye upon the sight of his musket, drew up; took the deadly aim: the bush fell, and on taking it up an enemy, and as suspected, a red man of the forest, with instruments of death in his hand, was found beneath it. We need not say there was joy and rejoicing in that house.
At that early day stratagems and devices were few among our ancestors, and seldom practised in secret. The Indians, on the contrary, were noted for taking this mode of revenge, or to inflict an injury. All appearances and incidents of an unusual, insidious or horrid character were therefore instantly charged upon the Indians, as we charge all artful and diabolical deeds upon the devil, as the principal and common enemy. We think our ancestors were as often right in their suspicions as we are.
Middletown.—A large village in the southern part of this town, about eleven miles south of the village of Montgomery and six miles west of Goshen, and pleasantly situated in an open, level and rich portion of the town. This village, since the construction of the New York and Erie Railroad, has increased in extent, population and business most surprisingly, and threatens to rival all its immediate neighbors. Its citizens are industrious and enterprising, and doing a prosperous and healthy business.
It has its name from the fact that it is situated midway between Montgomery and Mount Hope. This village is not of recent date, nor of mushroom growth. We do not know when it was first founded, but believe that Mr. Stacy Beaks, once Sheriff of the county, and a family by the name of Wells, living at the place or in the vicinity, were the great patrons of the village thirty years since. Since which time other enterprising men located there, and assisted to build up and carry forward the interests of the place.
Three Mile Hill.—This hill lies North and South, and took its name from its length. It is West and Southwest of the farm of Mr. Asa Hasbrouck, at the distance of one mile.— Michigan, as before remarked, and Scotchtown are on the high portions of this hill.
McCorlin’s Kill.—This is a small creek East of Three Mile Hill—crosses the turnpike beyond Asa Hasbrouck’s, where he has a saw mill on it—runs East and enters the Walkill one mile and a half above Stony Ford Bridge. Between Hasbrouck’s and where it enters the Walkill, and on the farm now owned by Stephen Harlow, formerly John McNeal, there was an ancient flour mill. The name is from a man who lived somewhere upon it many years since.
Mount Joy.—The name is from the Latin Mons, a mountain, and the French Joye, gladness, gaiety.
The tradition is, that before the Revolution a party of men out in the wilderness on business of some kind, got lost, and for a long time could not conjecture their whereabouts. Wandering along in this bewildered and unaccountable state of mind, they came to this elevation, and thinking it a good place to look abroad upon the wilderness around, climbed to its summit, from which they saw the Walkill, and instantly knew where they were. They called the bill Mount Joy, to express the state of their feelings upon this discovery, and it has been so called ever since. This eminence is a mile East of Phillipsburgh.
Hopper Hill—This is just across the kill from Phillipsburgh, and has its name from a ravine in the rear of the hill, which in shape resembles the hopper of a grist mill. How prone some persons are to see, or fancy they see, similarities in unlike and different objects! This is a peculiar and intelligent trait of character, depending upon good vision and quick mental perception, and not unfrequently a very useful talent.
Circleville.—Circleville is half way between Scotchtown and Bloomingburgh. At the place there is a church on the property of Mr. Samuel Bull, the great patron of the locality and church. This congregation was a secession of such persons belonging to the church of Scotchtown, who were friendly to the new General Assembly of the Presbyterians. The place was formerly called Hollow Belly, out of contempt and to express the broken, stony and ungenial nature of the country, and the difficulty of getting fat at the locality and parts adjacent. We do not know why it is called Circleville.