CHAPTER XVI.
DIVIDING THE MANORS, AND THE CLAVERACK COURT HOUSE.
Pages 138-146
[Page 138]
Three years after the close of the war the County of Columbia was formed. It cut off a part of Albany County and took Livingston Manor from Dutchess County. Thus nearly three-quarters of the new county was covered by the original Lower Van Rensselaer Manor, Livingston Manor, and Clermont.
A little more than a year previous, in 1784, Claverack had been divided between the heirs of the Patroon, Johannes Van Rensselaer, the heirs being his grandson, John I., only child of the Patroon's eldest son Colonel John Jeremias Van Rensselaer and Judith Bayard, and his remaining children, General Robert Rutsen Van Rensselaer, Colonel Henry I. Van Rensselaer, and James, together with Catherine, wife of General Philip Schuyler. Several of the heirs already lived upon the land of the Lower Manor at [page 139] Claverack, in homes of their own. John I. who succeeded to the house at Crailo and the manorial rights, sold the latter out of the family, and eventually they were owned by Mr. John Watts, a long-time resident of Claverack, and grandfather of J. Watts De Peyster.
After the Revolution, though not until 1792, Livingston Manor was also divided between the children and grandchildren of Robert, its last Lord. In this division Robert Thong, the eldest son of Peter R. and Margaret Livingston, came into possession of the old Manor House and the surrounding land as a special bequest. Robert Thong built the house which is occupied by his great grandson Alexander L. Crofts to-day, the eighth in descent from Robert, the first Lord of the Livingston. The remaining sons, Walter, Robert C., John and Henry, each received twenty-eight thousand acres, lying along the post-road from New York to Albany. In 1716 the first Lord of Livingston Manor had taken a seat in the General Assembly, and the succeeding Lords represented the Manor in the same way. Since 1772 Livingston Manor and Claverack had each sent on delegate to the Provincial Legislature.
In a very short time after the formation of Columbia [page 139] County, a Court House was in process of erection at Claverack, which remained the county-seat until 1805 when it was removed to Hudson. There Elisha Williams, James Spencer, Francis Sylvester, the Vanderpoels, and other talented members of the bar engaged in far-famed legal conflicts. In 1789 Henry McKinsey and Timothy Jackson charged with horse-stealing were tried there. They were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged,--"severally hanged until respectively dead," was the language of Judge Robert Yates, and in eighteen days they were executed in a field near by.
In 1804 Dr. Croswell was tried here before Chief Justice Lewis of the Supreme Court, for a libel upon President Jefferson, published in his paper the "Hudson Balance." It was an occasion of great public excitement, both from the importance of the question, and the well known legal ability of the counsel on both sides. The people were represented by Ambrose Spencer, Attorney-General, and the defendant by William W. Van Ness and Alexander Hamilton. The New York Evening Post describing the trial, spoke both of the plea of Attorney-General Spencer, and the [page 141] defense of William W. Van Ness, and then added, "After all came the great and powerful Hamilton. No language can convey an adequate idea of the astonishing powers evinced by him. The audience was numerous, and although composed of those not used to the melting mood, the effect produced on them was electric. * * * As a correct argument for a lawyer it was very imposing; as a profound commentary upon the science and practice of government it has never been surpassed."
Dr. Croswell was found guilty notwithstanding the brilliant defense, the case involving some fine points of law, as to whether the truth might be given in evidence, which questions were taken before the Supreme Court finally, and a new trial was awarded.
Again in the last trial conduced in the Claverack Court House, Alexander Hamilton appeared for the Patroon in the case between him and his Nobletown tenants, calling forth afresh the admiration of those in attendance. Among the most brilliant men of his time, and in the estimation of the American people second only to Washington, he had a double interest for the people of Claverack, for he had married [page 142] Elizabeth Schuyler, the old Patroon, Colonel Johannes Van Rensselaer's granddaughter, and the daughter of Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler.
At the parsonage there were stories to tell also, how during Dominie Gebhard's pastorate in New York, young Hamilton had been a student at King's College, and had in the summer of 1774 made a speech on the Common. He was not much more than a boy, being at the time a youth of seventeen, and at first he had faltered, seeing the sea of faces before him, but soon his courage returned with the thought of the wrongs and oppressions of the last few years, and his youthful enthusiasm and eloquence had awakened exclamations of wonder and approval from his audience. Already he was silver-tongued, and it was not long before he had the opportunity to use his talent again.
The following summer a young company of Militia, called "the Heart of Oaks," whose members wore green uniforms, and leather caps with the legend "Freedom or Death" inscribed upon them, had been occupied in moving cannon from the Battery in New York. A British ship approached. One of their number thoughtlessly fired at the vessel, and they received [page 143] in return a broadside which killed a young militiaman. The Liberty Boys were greatly excited, and part of them moved toward King's College, intending to capture the President, Doctor Cooper, a well known Tory. Hamilton, discovering their destination, rushed ahead, and standing at the entrance of the College, began an earnest speech, intending that the President should have time to escape. But in his excitement and fright, the President misunderstood, and leaning out of an upper window cried out, "Don't listen to him, gentlemen, he is crazy, he is crazy."
The laugh that swept through the crowd may have been as beneficial to the President's cause as Hamilton's continued oratory. At all events the escape was effected, and a company of youthful patriots were prevented from doing some rash act in the heat of their anger. John Jacobie of Claverack had been one of these Sons of Liberty also, and had assisted in destroying the leaden statue of King George in 1776, which statue was later made into bullets for the American army.
In the early part of the nineteenth century, Alexander Hamilton's fame was wide-spread, the achievements [page 144] of his brilliant intellect and honorable political career were acknowledged by all, even by those politically antagonistic to him. Though Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr did not meet in Claverack, they both visited this celebrated village. Judge William P. Van Ness was Burr's intimate friend, and Stephen Hogeboom, son of Jeremiah Hogeboom of Revolutionary fame, was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1801, at which time Aaron Burr was President of the Convention. It was probably about this time that Colonel Burr, traveling by the post-road, stopped in his journey to Albany at a road-house later belonging to Robert Esselstyn. He was warmly welcomed, and hospitably entertained, but the language which formed the medium of communication between them was inadequate, for Dutch was the common speech in use in this section of the country, and Burr spoke English. Colonel Burr called for a napkin. The request brought about a family conference between the good hostess and her husband, which, two heads being better than one, ended in the triumphant production of a "kniptong" which proved to be a pair of pincers.
The tragic ending of the duel between Hamilton and Burr has cast a shadow over Burr's memory, but in many of the acts of his life he was heroic and patriotic, and used his great talents for what he deemed to be the good of his country. There are those still living who remember his personal charm, and speak regretfully of the final clouded years of his life. In 1804 Columbia County gave Colonel Burr a majority in his contest for the office of Governor.
Following the removal of the seat of justice to Hudson, the Claverack Court House passed through various uses, being utilized both as a school and a hall for social gatherings. One of the descendants of Washington Seminary's most noted teacher, Andrew Mayfield Carshore, has painted a picture in rhyme of this latter occupation.
"The stately minuet's begun
In fashion's best array,
There's mischief in the twinkling glance,
At every step's delay;
In clasping hands with blushing swain,
Full-robed in lace and velvet vain,
The lass can scarce from smiles refrain.
Throughout the measures of the dance, [page 146]
All sorts of terpsichorean play.
The hornpipe, reel, and jig are done;
But not before the risen day,
In ruddy blushes, looks askance,
That two (in parting almost one)
Should waste the hours in pleasure's prance
To swaying want of Stephen Gunn."
After several years the building was transformed into an attractive and spacious residence, the home of Mr. Peter Hoffman. Under the summer house in the garden was once the dungeon where malefactors were confined; at the east of the Court House stood the jail and pillory, and up to a recent date the old whipping-post held its place in the cellar. The transformation was a pleasing one, covering the gruesome features of the past with a host of enjoyable associations and recollections, and only retaining the memory of the old Court House in its glory. Charming social events have taken place in this building, both in the olden times, and at a later date. It is at present owned and occupied by the Misses Crane, daughters of Mr. Hiram Crane, for many years a resident of the town.
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