Hensonville Directory

Please note that I have not included the Westkill and Bushnellville listings since both are located in the Town of Lexington, Greene County, NY and I prefer to focus only on the Town of Windham.

Page 367 of a circa 1890 directory that includes a listing of the residents and businesses of the hamlet of Hensonville, Town of Windham, Greene County, NY. The hamlet of Big Hollow was not included in the photocopies I received. There must be a section for that hamlet because too many names of known residents are missing from the Hensonville and Windham pages. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the title page, the year it was published, nor the meaning of abbreviations used, although I can make an educated guess about the latter.

gen'l = general
h = house
lab = laborer
rd = road
wid = widow

HENSONVILLE,

GREENE COUNTY, N. Y.

Distant about 7 miles from Hunter and 2 miles from Windham. Stage connection from Hunter.

Beers Julian, teamster h Corners
Bloodgood Cyrus E. farmer and boarding house, Hunter rd
Bloodgood Isaac (L. & I. Bloodgood)
Bloodgood Levi (L. & I. Bloodgood)
Bloodgood L. & I. (Levi & Isaac), gen'l store
Bloodgood Jason, h Big Hollow rd
Bloodgood Mrs. Martha, wid, h Big Hollow rd
Butler Mrs. Sarah, wid, Big Hollow rd
Chase Albert & Son, summer boarding house and farmer, Catskill rd
Conley Alexander, retired farmer, h Catskill rd
Cook Ellsworth, carpenter h Hunter rd
Cook & Hanly, carpenters, Main
Crandell Willard, school teacher, Big Hollow rd
Dingman Charles, grain thresher, Catskill rd
Distin George, carpenter, Hunter rd
Dunham Albert, speculator, Big Hollow rd

(Scroll down for more information on these people.)

Genealogical Notes

Julian G. Beers - died 26 Jan 1948
Cyrus Edward Bloodgood - died 10 Aug 1914
Isaac L. Bloodgood - died 28 Sep 1938
Levi B. Bloodgood - died 16 Nov 1927
Jason F. Bloodgood - died 25 May 1906
Martha (Radcliff) Bloodgood - died 5 May 1902

Her husband, Samuel Bloodgood, died on 20 Sep 1868.

Sarah A. (Hotaling) Butler - died 24 Jul 1925

Her husband, Wellington Butler, died on 4 Apr 1888.

Albert Chase - died 13 Oct 1902
Alexander Conley - died 1 Mar 1907
Ellsworth Cook - died 14 Jul 1945
Willard J. Crandell - died 18 Aug 1924
Charles J. Dingman - died 7 Nov 1934
George H. Distin - died 26 Dec 1922
Elbert J. Dunham - died 11 Dec 1913
_________________________________________________

Page 368 of a circa 1890 directory that includes a listing of the residents and businesses of the hamlet of Hensonville, Town of Windham, Greene County, NY.

Gardinier oJhn P. miller, Big Hollow rd
Graham Nelson, shoemaker, Hunter rd
Graham Samuel R. wagon repository, Hunter rd
Griffin & Slater (George P. Griffin and David T. Slater), genl merchandise Corner
Griffin Mrs. Mary, wid, h Hunter rd
Griffin Orrin S. summer boarding house, Catskill rd
Haines Zenus, farmer, Windham rd
Haney Daniel, blacksmith, Hunter rd
Ham Martin, farmer, Big Hollow rd
Hayes Addison, h Catskill rd
Hopeman Mrs. John, wid, h Hunter rd
Hitchcock William H. sawyer, feed mill and summer boarding house, Catskill rd
Holcomb Dr Friend H. physician and surgeon, Big Hollow rd
Holcomb A. Gay, summer boarders and farmer, Big Hollow rd
Humphrey Lorenzo, lab, h Catskill rd
Johnson Joseph R. teamster, h Big Hollow rd
Laughran George H. summer boarding house and farmer, Windham rd
McGlashen Mrs. Mary J. wid, h Catskill rd
McLean William J. farmer, Catskill rd
Maynard Spencer C. summer boarding house, Big Hollow rd
Makely Frederick B. hardware, nr Corner, h Catskill rd
Mallory Lafayette, summer boarding house and carpenter, Hunter rd
Merwin David S. insurance, Catskill rd
Merwin Theodore H. cooper, Catskill rd
Newcomb William V. postmaster and hotel keeper, Main
Newkirk James (Newkirk & Son), h Hunter rd
Newkirk William (Newkirk & Son), h Hunter rd 
Newkirk & Son, carpenters, Main
North Frederick, Big Hollow rd
Peck Chauncey, farmer, Big Hollow rd
Peck Linus, summer boarding house and farm, Windham rd
Potter Humphrey R. h Catskill rd
Rattcliff George, farmer, h Windham rd
Rogers Charles, carpenter Main
Seeley George, summer boarders, Big Hollow rd
Shultz Alexander, farmer, Windham rd
Shultz Kenneth E. farmer, Windham rd
Simpking Daniel, farmer, Big Hollow rd
Turk Mrs. Sarah, wid, Big Hollow rd
Vining Peter, farmer, Hunter rd
Vining Stephen, teamster, Hunter rd
Winchell George R. bowling alley and billiards, Hunter rd
Winchell Mrs. G. R. millinery, Hunter rd
Winfield Mrs. Margaret, wid, h Big Hollow rd

(Scroll down for more information on these people.)

Genealogical Notes

John P. Gardinier
William Nelson Graham - died 22 Jun 1916
Samuel Richards Graham - died 19 Feb 1916
George P. Griffin - died 31 Jul 1912
David T. Slater - died 23 May 1929
Mary Elizabeth (Brockett) Pelham Griffin - died 24 Feb 1916

Her first husband, Stephen Pelham, died on 26 Sep 1878.

Her second husband, Henry J. Griffin, died on 3 Nov 1887.

Orrin S. Griffin - died 8 Mar 1927
Zenas G. Haynes - died 21 Dec 1911
Daniel Haney - died 17 Apr 1902
Martin Ham - died 18 May 1902
Addison Samuel Hayes - died 4 Jul 1904
Eleanor (maiden name unknown) Hotaling / Houghtaling Hapeman - died 30 Nov 1904

Her husband, John B. Hapeman, died 9 Dec 1889.

William Hayes Hitchcock - died 15 Dec 1926
Dr. Friend H. Holcomb - died 28 Jan 1894
Abel Gay Holcomb - died 31 May 1915
Lorenzo Humphrey - died 8 Feb 1945
Joseph R. Johnson
George H. Loughran - died 4 Jan 1931
Mrs. Mary J. McGlashen - died 31 Jan 1904
William J. McClean - died 9 Mar 1922
Spencer C. Maynard - died 7 Sep 1895
Frederick B. Makely - died 18 May 1934
Lafayette Mallory - died 2 Sep 1923
David S. Merwin - died 20 Sep 1900
Theodore H. Merwin - died 28 May 1920
William V. Newcomb - died 11 May 1826
James Newkirk - died 3 May 1934
William Newkirk - died 2 Jan 1950
Frederick North - died 28 Jan 1914
Chauncey Peck
Linus Peck - died 3 Feb 1921
Humphrey R. Potter
George Radcliff / Ratcliff
Charles Rogers
George Seeley
Alexander Shultz
Kenneth E. Shultz
Daniel Simpkins
Mrs. Sarah Turk
Peter Vining
Stephen Vining
George R. Winchell
Mrs. George R. Winchell
Mrs. Margaret Winfield
_________________________________________________

Page 369 of a circa 1890 directory that includes a listing of the residents and businesses of the hamlet of Hensonville, Town of Windham, Greene County, NY.

To be continued...

Walk on Water

The following piece comes from my 2015 annual report to the Windham Town Board, the Greene County Historian, and the New York State Historian, updated with information that was not readily available at the time it was written.

The search for George K. Rose’s biological parents unearthed an unusual story. George first appeared on the 1900 Windham, Greene County, NY census as the 13 year old adopted son of Zeal and Susan (Moseman) Rose of Big Hollow, Town of Windham. His World War I draft registration card gave his full name as George Krom Rose, and his date and place of birth as August 6, 1887 in Chichester, Ulster County, NY. His marriage to Mabel Alice Eckhorst on November 1, 1911, confirmed those facts. His parents were identified on that document as Ira and Martha Krom.

Ira and Martha were listed on the 1880 Marbletown, Ulster County, NY census with their children, Walter, Edna, James and Lillie. Their sons George and Richard were born a few years later. A little more digging revealed that Ira had married Martha J. Rogers in 1873. Neither appeared on the 1900 census, so it seemed likely that both of them had died sometime between George’s birth in 1887 and 1900.

My first clue as to their fate came from this statement in The Sea Cliff News, published in Queens County, NY on Saturday, November 18, 1893. “Ira Krum, living in the Catskills, died while fasting to make himself light enough to walk on water.”

According to the New York State death index, Martha Krum died in Chichester on October 22, 1888, a little more than a year after George’s birth. That same source recorded Ira’s death as having taken place in Phoenicia, Ulster County, NY on November 13, 1893. His name was listed as Ine Krum, no doubt due to the transcriber’s inability to read the clerk’s handwriting on his death certificate.

Articles in other newspapers described Ira as a religious fanatic who, in the parlance of the day, became bereft of reason and sought consolation in his faith. In 1893 Ira moved in with his brother, Richard, and shared a vision he claimed to have received from God. Ira said he was instructed to fast for 40 days, after which time he would be able to perform this miraculous feat, although the reason for doing so wasn’t revealed.

After the requisite number of days the emaciated man walked to a nearby pond. Ira soon returned to his brother’s home, soaking wet but unwavering in his faith. Following an intense session of prayer, he said that God had spoken to him again, this time commanding him to fast for another 15 days so that he might fulfill his holy task. Though he had taken some nourishment during the initial fast, this time he was determined not to succumb to that temptation. Death came calling shortly thereafter, leaving his six minor children without means of support.

https://www.ebates.com/r/WINDHA?eeid=28187

Grave Mystery

Photo by Lorna Puleo.

This gravestone in the cemetery in the hamlet of Maplecrest, Town of Windham, Greene County, NY has long been a mystery. The inscription reads as follows:

AMBROSE MUNSON,

DIED

MAY 23, 1840

aged 41 years & 11 months.

A member of the Dutch

Reformed Church Red Hook.

Below that are a few lines of an inscription that begins with the words, “Peace, peace was the Language of my friend,” and ends with the initials G. D. P. To whom do those initials belong? Could it be a relative or the stone cutter?

There was a Gertrude Munson living in the Town of Hunter, Greene County, NY in 1840. She was between the ages of 30 and 40. There were no white males or any free colored persons in her household. There were three additional white females living with her, one between the ages of 20 and 30, and two who were less than 5 years old. Might she have been Ambrose Munson’s widow? Perhaps her middle or maiden name began with a D. As a young widow with a family to support, remarriage would have been a necessity. Perhaps her next husband’s surname began with a P.

Ambrose Munson’s name does not appear on any U.S. census schedule. Prior to 1850 the census only bore the name of the head of the household. Other members of the family, as well as any servants, apprentices and slaves, were enumerated as a mark placed into categories according to their gender, race and age. Presumably Ambrose’s absence from all census records indicate that he was living in someone else’s home. Was he living with one of his siblings or his in-laws? Perhaps. Was he living with an unrelated family? That, too, is a possibility.

His affiliation with the Dutch Reformed Church of Red Hook, Dutchess County, NY was important enough to be mentioned on his gravestone. Have the records from that church survived and, if so, do they shed any light on Ambrose or his family?

Why was he buried in Big Hollow, as Maplecrest was originally called? Did he have family or friends living in this hamlet? Was this gravestone originally placed in a different cemetery?

Did the stone carver make an error on the inscription and subsequently sell it to be used in the foundation of a home or as a paving stone? Such a practice was not unheard of. The inscription is still legible, unlike other gravestones that aren’t nearly as old and have become weathered and worn by the elements. Imagine buying a home and discovering an old gravestone lying face down on the cellar floor or embedded in the sidewalk. No doubt you would want it off your property and placed in the nearest cemetery. Is that what happened in this case?

Many members of the Munson family lived in Windham and are well documented in two volumes of The Munson Record: A Genealogical and Biographical Account of Captain Thomas Munson (A Pioneer of Hartford and New Haven) and His Descendants, by Myron A. Munson, M.A. that was published in 1896, but there is no mention of anyone named Ambrose Munson in this work.

This is truly a mystery that may never be solved.

Update: There was a Gertrude Munson living in Red Hook, Dutchess County, NY in 1850. She was 44 and born in NY State. Living with her were 13 year old Helen L. Munson, and 10 year old Mary Ann Munson, presumably her daughters. The ages of all three match those who lived in the Gertrude Munson household in Hunter, NY in 1840.

https://www.ebates.com/r/WINDHA?eeid=28187

Alberti

Genealogical notes on people named Alberti who were either born, baptized, attended school, married, resided, died or were buried in the Town of Windham, Greene County, New York. Information on anyone known or believed to be living has been omitted. This is a work in progress.

Abbreviations:

aft. = after

b. = born

bap. = baptized

bef. = before

bur. = buried

ca. = circa

d = day(s) when preceded by a number

d. = died

dau(s) = daughter(s)

div = divorced

m = month(s) when preceded by a number

m. = married

unm. = unmarried

y = year(s) when preceded by a number

Merritt Wellington or Wesley Alberti, son of John Wesley Alberti & Mary Rouse

b. 12 Oct 1850 - Prattsville, Greene County, NY

m. Mary Catherine Krieger

d. 28 May 1943, 92y, 7m, 16d - Windham, Greene County, NY

bur. 30 May 1943 - Fairlawn Cemetery, Prattsville, Greene County, NY

Ahern

Genealogical notes on people named Ahern who were either born, baptized, attended school, married, resided, died or were buried in the Town of Windham, Greene County, New York. Information on anyone known or believed to be living has been omitted. This is a work in progress.

Abbreviations:

aft. = after

b. = born

bap. = baptized

bef. = before

bur. = buried

ca. = circa

d = day(s) when preceded by a number

d. = died

dau(s) = daughter(s)

div = divorced

m = month(s) when preceded by a number

m. = married

unm. = unmarried

y = year(s) when preceded by a number

William Francis Ahern, son of James J. Ahern & Mary A. Sweeney
b. 10 Jul 1893 - 110 Porter Street, East Boston, Suffolk County, MA
unm.
d. 22 Jul 1964, 71y - Windham, Greene County, NY
bur. 25 Jul 1964 - Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden, Middlesex County, MA

The Hermit

The following piece on Harrison Beach comes from my 2016 annual report to the Windham Town Board, the Greene County Historian, and the New York State Historian.

Harrison Beach, the Hensonville Hermit

Harrison J. Beach was born in the Town of Jewett, NY in October 1843. He was the second of five sons born to John S. Beach and his first wife, Ann Drum. His brothers were Romaine, Elbert, Legrand, and Selden.

He appeared on Jewett census schedules with his parents and siblings in 1850, 1855 and 1860. I’ve been unable to find him anywhere in New York State on the 1865 census when his father, stepmother, brothers and two half-siblings lived in Jewett.

In 1870 Harrison was living in Hensonville with his aunt, Eliza (Drum) Henson, and her husband, John Henson, the hamlet’s namesake.

Harrison’s name appeared sporadically in The Windham Journal and a couple other newspapers. The November 10, 1870 issue reported on the installation of officers of Hensonville Lodge No. 738, I. O. of G. T. to serve for the term commencing November 1, 1870, and ending January 31, 1871. The Independent Order of Good Templars was a temperance organization, and Harrison Beach’s official title was W. T., whatever that means.

Harrison married Ophelia A. Cook, the daughter of Amos and Jane (Bull) Cook, sometime between 1870 and 1875. She died from the effects of child birth. The May 20, 1875 issue of The Windham Journal reported that Mrs. Harrison Beach died in Hensonville on May 14 at the age of 18 years.

On May 22, 1875, Hensonville Lodge, I. O. of G. T. No. 738, adopted a resolution on the death of “our sister, Mrs. Harrison Beach” and “Resolved, That these minutes be entered on the journal of the Lodge, published in the WINDHAM JOURNAL, and a copy sent to the bereaved husband and afflicted parents.”

The 1875 census that was taken on June 1^st shows a one month old infant named Ophelia Beach living in Jewett with her grandparents, Amos and Jane Cook. The widowed Harrison Beach was living in the town of Windham with Traver and Rosa Woodworth. Little Ophelia likely died in infancy as she doesn’t appear on any subsequent census records. Harrison’s decision to become a hermit was attributed to the loss of his young wife and infant daughter.

Harrison spent the remainder of his life living in Hensonville, appearing on the 1880, 1892, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1915, 1920 and 1925 Windham census schedules. In 1880 he was listed as boarding with the John Hanley family. Sometime after that he chose to live alone in a simple dwelling on the mountain above Hensonville.

Newspaper items in chronological order.

The Windham Journal, Thursday, March 17, 1881: “Mr. Harrison Beach of Hensonville, lately placed some Paris Green in a pan on his barn floor, to kill rats. It killed a steer that got to the pan.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, August 23, 1888, Hensonville column: “The boarders along the route from Hunter to Windham have lost no fine day that offered to visit the many points of interest within a day’s journey. The sojourners at the Loughran House, headed by the Rev. T. J. Kommers, of New York, and Robert M. Baxter of the New York World, have taken in Devasego Falls, Pratt’s Rock, High Peaks, Onteora Peak, Haines Falls, and, greatest curiosity of all, a visit to Harrison Beach, the hermit of Hermit Hill, on the Southern Mountain of the Jewett range. For eight years this man has lived alone in the mountains in one of the most primative [sic] of shanties not a mile above this village. After the death of his wife he took himself away from the hands of his fellow man and found a home with the pheasant, the woodchuck, the coon and the bear.”

In March of 1890 Harrison Beach ran for Windham Game Constable on the Prohibition ticket, garnering 86 votes. His opponents for office were Democrat Hezekiah Rappleyea, who won with 182 votes, and Republican Jacob Turk, a veterinarian, who received 94 votes.

The Windham Journal, Thursday, November 19, 1891, Hensonville column: “Orrin Griffin and Geo. Winchell had considerable fun shooting skunks, on Tuesday. They shot three. One of them had a trap attached to one of its legs, which it had carried for nearly a week. The trap belonged to Harrison Beach.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, March 24, 1892, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach is at James Newkirk’s, sick with pneumonia. Dr. Mead attends him.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, April 7, 1892, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach has so far recovered as to be able to be about again.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, March 8, 1894, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach is cutting wood for Wm. McLean.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, October 19, 1899, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach has his new house inclosed [sic].”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, July 31, 1913, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach has purchased a yoke of oxen.”

The Recorder, Catskill, NY, Friday, March 3, 1916, Hensonville column: “Harrison Beach inherited $1,000 and other gifts from a brother who died recently in Florida.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, January 14, 1926, Hensonville column: “On Jan. 6^th Mr. Harrison Beach was taken to the County Farm by Overseer of the Poor Sidney E. Payne, accompanied by Mrs. Payne and Arthur Vining, the trip being made by auto. The weather being warm and pleasant all apparently enjoyed the outing. Mr. Beach has been well known in this vicinity for many years and is about eighty years old. The past year he has lived the real life of a hermit on the mountain back of Hensonville, and had become unable to care for himself and of late had not sufficient with which to make him comfortable especially during the cold weather.”

The Recorder, Catskill, NY, Friday, January 15, 1926, Goshen Street column: “Harrison Beach of Hensonville was taken to the Cairo Almshouse on Jan. 6^th. Mr. Beach lived alone, was without means and in a helpless condition. He was well known and highly respected by this correspondent.”

Stamford Mirror-Recorder, Stamford, NY, Wednesday, January 20, 1926: “Harrison Beach of Hensonville, who for many years has lived the life of a hermit on the mountain back of the village, recently became unable to care for himself, and being eighty years old, he was taken to the County Farm at Cairo by Overseer of the Poor, Sidney E. Payne of Hensonville.”

The Windham Journal, Thursday, February 18, 1926, Maplecrest column: “The body of Harrison Beach was brought to this place for burial last week.”

I suspect that Harrison’s wife and infant daughter were buried in the Big Hollow/Maplecrest Cemetery as that is where two of Ophelia (Cook) Beach’s siblings were buried. Her parents may be buried there as well. There are no gravestones in this cemetery for Harrison and his family.

Stamford Mirror-Recorder, Stamford, NY, Wednesday, February 24, 1926: “Harrison Beach, known as the Hensonville hermit, who was recently taken to the Greene county almshouse, died in that institution February 7^th. Funeral services were held in the M. E. Church at Hensonville, the Rev. Harry Lammond officiating. Burial at Maplecrest.”

Greene County probate records and the New York State death index say that Harrison Beach died in Cairo on February 8, 1926.

His name does not appear in the Greene County Grantor or Grantee indexes to indicate that he bought or sold any property, yet the 1875 census indicates that he owned 75 acres of land valued at $1,000. I can only presume that his deed was never taken to Catskill to be recorded.

Poem written by Miss Elizabeth Rouse, proprietress of the Red Mill Tea Room & Gift Shop in Hensonville, that was published in Elwood Hitchcock’s book on Hensonville. This may be the same poem that Pat Pelham loaned to the Town of Windham Historical Society for its 2009 archival day display.

When night falls on the mountains
And the light is growing dim,
Can’t you see a figure moving
Down the trail, that looks like him?
Can’t you hear the tapping, tapping,
Of his stick among the stones
As he’s coming with his lantern,
Coming down among your homes?
For the “Hermit of the Catskills”,
Though afar his soul may roam,
Every evening just at sunset
Comes to Hensonville, His Home.

https://www.ebates.com/r/WINDHA?eeid=28187

Albright

Genealogical notes on people named Albright who were either born, baptized, attended school, married, resided, died or were buried in the Town of Windham, Greene County, New York. Information on anyone known or believed to be living has been omitted. This is a work in progress.

Abbreviations:

aft. = after

b. = born

bap. = baptized

bef. = before

bur. = buried

ca. = circa

d = day(s) when preceded by a number

d. = died

dau(s) = daughter(s)

div = divorced

m = month(s) when preceded by a number

m. = married

unm. = unmarried

y = year(s) when preceded by a number

Katherine A. “Katie” Albright, dau of Thomas Albright & Eliza Whitbeck
b. Sep 1872 - Greene County, NY
m. 26 Nov 1896 - New Baltimore, Greene County, NY - James Leroy Pelham
d. 1942
bur. Windham Cemetery, Windham, Greene County, NY
survived by husband & son, Walter Pelham