CHAPTER XX.
THE CITY OF HUDSON
Pages 182-188
[Page 182]
The Presidential Electors, by an act of the Legislature, met at Hudson from the year 1796-1813, after which the Electoral College met at Albany. In many ways the growing city of Hudson was superseding Claverack, but although Hudson offered certain advantages in affairs of importance, the notable house-wives of Claverack, and mine host of the stage-house still held their own in matters of hospitality and comfort for the inner man. The Presidential Electors cast their votes in Hudson, but they rode over the turnpike to Claverack in order to dine at Gordon's tavern, noted at the time for a generous and satisfying hospitality.
It is noticeable also that the Presidential Electors of the succeeding seventeen years included Claverak names, and in some cases residents, John Bay, Robert Van Rensselaer, Peter Van Ness, Stephen Miller, [page 183] John C. Hogeboom, together with Thomas and Robert Jenkins of Hudson, forming the Presidential Electors from this section until 1813.
In 1783 by the act of incorporation Hudson became a city, the third in the State. The city bounds extended from the line of the town of Livingston on the south, to Major Abraham's (Stockport) creek on the north, and Claverack creek on the east. By this act "Claverack Landing," no longer existed, but it was another quarter of a century before the old name ceased to swing from the sign on the steamboat docks. The same year Ezekiel Gilbert moved his law office from Claverack to Hudson, becoming Hudson's first lawyer, and as such, was of great service to the new city in its early days. He was Representative in Congress in 1795, and it was through his efforts that Hudson was made a port of entry.
Many of the "Proprietors" who settled Hudson, brought ships with them from Providence and Nantucket, and in 1786 twenty-five of the vessels on the river were owned in the newly settled town. In 1813 two hundred and six sloops were running to New York, many of them owned at Hudson.
[page 184] Ship-yards were soon opened, and as many as five large ships were often on the stocks in the five different yards at the same time. Launching days were holidays, when schools were dismissed, and the people from adjoining towns came in to witness the launching and christening of the "Lively Polly," "American Hero," "Ajax," or "Columbia." Booths were built and refreshments sold, principally card-gingerbread, the holiday dainty of that date. Crowds would wait patiently for hours for the eventful moment when the boat first trembled, then began to move slowly on the ways. As it touched the water, guns were fired, and cheers arose from the gathered citizens and guests.
In 1820 on the first day of March, two thousand eight hundred sleighs entered the city. A continuous line of teams often stood the full length of Front Street, extending into Main Street, while they waited to unload at the different freighting houses, and fifteen vessels bearing heavy freight were known to set sail upon the same day. The season of the year and condition of the country roads no doubt controlled the exports that left the Hudson wharves in such stupendous quantities. Beef, pork, shad, pickled [page 185] herring, lumber, leather, and country produce generally, formed the outgoing cargo. Returning, there came a great variety of fruits from the West Indies, and rum, sugar, and molasses. Some ships sailed to Charleston, the Windward Island, Brazil, and Mediterranean ports. Once during these years a ship arrived from Holland consigned to William Wall, reloaded with lumber and returned to the Dutch port. The Dutch people of Claverack and those at the "Landing" made the vessel frequent visits during its stay, delighted with a voyager from the fatherland, and a crew who could speak their own tongue.
Whale and seal fishery were both carried on to a considerable extent, bringing from Falkland, and other islands in the South Atlantic, large numbers of fur and hair seal skins, and quantities of sea elephant's oil, while the whale ships returned from the Pacific ocean with cargoes of sperm oil. When Tallyrand was traveling in America he stopped at Hudson, examining with keen interest the oil works of Thomas Jenkins, and the details of the manufacture of sperm candles.
In the closing years of the eighteenth century [page 186] progress of all kinds was in the air, the building of towns, establishment of educational institutions, great commercial traffic between our own and other lands, whisperings of scientific feats to come, and like a leaf of the tree of progress, a yellow slip of paper dated 1799 floats down through the years, a receipt for a contribution made by Rev. John G. Gebhard "to promote the progress of the useful arts." This contribution was made in conformity to an act of Congress dated 1793, and suggests that advance along all line ws the order of the day.
In 1792 Claverack and Hudson united in paying honor to John Jay who had been making a visit to Kinderhook. A company of two hundred Hudson men met him at Claverack, where they were received by Mr. William H. Ludlow, who hospitably entertained his guest of honor and the visiting citizens from Hudson, while at his home. Mr. Jay was escorted to Hudson, where he was met by a salute from Frothingham's Artillery, and after a procession through the principal streets was taken to Kellogg's tavern upon the present site of "The Worth." This tavern was the stopping place for the stages, and [page 187] swung out a patriotic sign of George Washington in full uniform on horseback. Here a bountiful entertainment had been provided, the Mayor of that date, Seth Jenkins, presiding. Toasts were drunk to the "Prosperity of Hudson" and to the "Man of the Day" to which the Mayor and Mr. Jay responded respectively. A reception of citizens was held during the evening, and the following morning the distinguished guest set sail on the sloop Pompey, for the home of Governor Lewis, amid the enthusiastic demonstrations of the citizens of Hudson.
The river was closed to navigation in December 1799, and the sad tidings of the death of General Washington were sent by post-riders to Albany. By this means of communication the event was not announced in that city till nine days after it occurred. Claverack and Hudson, owing to the shorter distance, heard of the sorrowful occurrence a day or two earlier.
Grief was widespread in hamlet and village, and in the Manor Houses on the Hudson, as well as in the cities. In Albany, by order of the Common Council, the bells tolled from three to five hours, and aldermen wore crape on their arms for six weeks. But far [page 188] deeper than any outward sign could indicate, was the sorrow of a people who felt their independence had been won through the leadership of the man who had just passed away, who had been their first President, and without whom it seemed for a time impossible to go on.
The break was keenly felt and deeply deplored, and then younger shoulders were placed under the heavy load of building a new nation, and life went on, but the "Father of His Country" has been more honored and appreciated through every year of the succeeding century.
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