VILLAGES

 MALDEN BRIDGE

COLUMBIA COUNTY

NEW YORK

By Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁰⁸

1878

     A mile and a half down the creek from Rider's Mills is the hamlet of Malden Bridge.  Here are the extensive Peaslee paper-mills and other manufacturing enterprises.  The place is pleasantly located on both sides of the stream, and contains a few hundred inhabitants.  Among other early settlers were James Van Valkenburgh, Josephus Johnson, Jeremiah Van Hoesen, Daniel Haywood, Isaac Van Ness, Amos Irish, John W. and Levi Pitts, Ransom Page, Samuel Crandell, Jason Lister, and J. Pratt.

     On the Waterman Lippitt place, Roswell Holdridge had a tavern, in which was opened the first post-office in town, about 1810.  This was removed to Chatham.  Afterwards a new office was established at Malden Bridge, which has been kept by Loren Van Valkenburgh and others, and is at present in charge of Nicholas Vedder.

     Leniah Walker opened a pioneer tavern in the building at present occupied for this purpose.  The early stores were kept by George Cornell, L. Van Valkenburgh, and others, and the trade is now carried on by Smith & Vedder.

     There have lived in the place, as physicians, Doctors Lester, Herrick, Vosburg, Browning, and Haines.

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