Looking Back in Philipstown 250 Years Ago (October 1776) 150 Years Ago (October 1876) 100 Years Ago (October 1926) 50 Years Ago (October 1976) 25 Years Ago (October 2001)

Gen. George Washington wrote from Harlem Heights to Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler: "We are again deprived of the navigation of this [Hudson] River by three [British] ships of war, two of 44 and the other of 20 guns, with three or four tenders passing our chevaux-de-frise [obstacles] yesterday morning, and all our batteries, without any kind of damage or interruption, notwithstanding a heavy fire was kept up from both sides of the river."



Washington appointed Capt. Jean Louis Imbert, a French engineer, to assess the river defenses in the Highlands. He also moved his headquarters to King's Bridge [in the present-day Bronx] to defend Westchester County against British troops, who took New Rochelle without opposition.

On Oct. 22, the American army, with 14,500 men, arrived at White Plains and Washington established headquarters at Elijah Miller's house. [The home still stands and is a museum.] Six days later, Gen. William Howe defeated the Americans at Chatterton's Hill.

The Cold Spring Legislature voted to remove a front fence from Edward Warren's property on Main Street after he refused.

The village president was directed to buy a new water pump for the corner of Main and Market streets.

J. Barbite, principal of the Rock Street School, who lived at Fair and Main streets, awoke early on a Monday morning to the sound of someone in his room. It wasn't his wife, but a man without a coat or shoes. Mr. Barbite didn't have his revolver, so he grabbed the man, who offered no resistance. A police officer took the intruder, who seemed mentally ill, to the Town Hall cells and contacted the Hudson River Asylum in Poughkeepsie, which identified him as a Frenchman who had escaped three days earlier. The patient was half-starved and had severely blistered feet, according to The Cold Spring Recorder.

The Garrison Republicans came by train to march in Cold Spring, with the editor from The Recorder walking alongside. Boys holding stones, ready to throw, confronted them near Orchard Street but were reprimanded.

A young son of R.R. Horton of Garden Street was disconsolate after he lost $5 [about $150 today] on Main Street, but F.P. James, Esq., spotted the purse while riding past the drugstore and left it at Boyd's store.

The Young Men's Democratic Club met at the Cold Spring House to plan a torchlight parade through Cold Spring and Nelsonville, led by a brass band. During the parade, a cannon primer went through the rim of Andrew McIlravey's hat, taking off part of his ear.

Malachy Keenan and James Bride were approaching the tracks at midnight on a Tuesday when their horse reared. Because the train was 20 minutes late, the watchman had stepped into the engine house out of the cold wind. The engine struck the horse in the nigh quarter, cutting him loose from the wagon, and carrying the carcass as far as the engine house. Both men survived; Keenan broke his collarbone and Bride had a scalp wound. "The horse appears to have understood the danger, for the marks of its rear hoofs, made as it tried to stop, were plainly visible on Wednesday morning," The Recorder reported.

Four runaways from New York City, no older than 12, stole 25 cents [$8] from Phebe Spellman's store money drawer during a temporary absence. They were caught aboard a southbound freight train and arraigned before Justice Ferris, who freed them on the condition they return home.

The Recorder noted that local tramps had all but disappeared as they "swarmed" New York City. It asked: "Could it be they have been summoned thither to vote at the November election? If so, the party which manipulates such material to carry on the government deserves defeat."

Barton's News Office, at Main and Garden, was accepting orders for the Sunday papers from New York City.

After two wagons crossed the bridge at Indian Brook, the first, driven by Andrew McIlravey, swung wide to turn right toward Nelson's Mills. The second wagon, driven by the painters Webb and Dearman, assumed he was making room for them ...