VILLAGES

 NORTH CHATHAM

COLUMBIA COUNTY

NEW YORK

By Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁰⁹

1878

     Nearly due west from Malden Bridge, and about four miles north from Chatham Centre, is the village of North Chatham.

     The place is prettily located, in a rich section, on one of the principal highways to Albany.  There are about three hundred and fifty inhabitants, most of them occupying comfortable homes.  The place contains two churches and a good school-house.  The early settlers were Andrew Wiederwax, Richard S. Peck, and later the Nichols and Hill families.

     In the lower part of the village Andrew Wiederwax opened the first tavern, which he kept until 1825.  Other keepers followed in the same house.  Caleb Hill opened another public-house near the centre of the village.  The place is now without an inn.

     The first store was kept by Jacob A. Ten Eyck, as early as 1800, on the spot now occupied by H. Wiederwax & Son.  The Widerwaxes have been in trade thirty-five years, and Aaron Traver for the past eighteen years.  Other merchants were Caleb Hill, Jacob Wilson, Pardee Carshore.

     The post-office was first kept in Hill's tavern.  Subsequently John Schermerhorn, Aaron Traver, and Lyman Becker were the postmasters.

     Dr. Richard S. Peck practiced medicine until 1827, and was followed by Drs. Joseph Chadwick, O. J. Peck, F. B. Sutliff, and John H. Hoysradt; several of the latter being now in practice.   

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