Public Highways Livingston Columbia County New York By Captain Franklin Ellis^406 1878      On John Beatty's map of the manor, made in 1714, there is indicated a road from the manor-house, at the mouth of Roeloff Jansen's creek, eastward to Taghkanic, and called "Ye King's highway."  In later years the Catskill and Ancram turnpike followed the general direction of this road, and was the principal thoroughfare from the east.  Another road, in 1714, was along the north bank of the Roeloff Jansen to beyond the natural falls, into Clermont, and along the stream on the south side thereof to Capt. Johannes Dyckman's, at Elizaville.  This was called the "Manor-House wagon-path," and, with a modified course, is yet the principal road in that course.  The "old Post road" traverses the town east of the centre, from north to south, and has always been one of the chief thoroughfares.  The Highland turnpike and River road, also having a general north and south course, are the principal roads in those sections.  Both turnpikes became public highways fifty years ago.  Along the river is the finely-equipped Hudson River railroad, having a station near Linlithgo. After the final division of the original town, in 1803, twenty-six road districts were formed, whose location and inhabitants are given below.  The list will also show who were the early prominent settlers of the town, and their relative wealth.  The figures opposite each name denote the number of days the owner was assessed to work, upon a property valuation made that year.  No. 1, from Johnstown east to Taghkanic:  peter Fries 8, Jacob H. Hand 5, John Stever 8, Jacob Best 8, Jacob Haver 10. No. 2, from the Claverack line on the "Post road" to John A. Fonda's:  Peter Row 8, John Silvernail 6, Hendrick Weaver 5, S. D. Garner 6, John Tator 6, Nicholas Decker 6, Peter Row 5, Peter Shaver 5. No. 3, from Adam Nounck to Jacobus Decker's:  Peter Clum 6, John Hiser 5, John Palmeter 5.  No. 4, from "Piet Bush church," by John Barringer's to Peter Rockefeller's:  John Barringer 9, L. McDermott 9, James Becker 9, Roger Patterson 6. No. 5, from the King's bridge and Marcus Platner's mill to Johnstown:  Marcus Plattner 12, W. S. Livingston 12, Andreis A. Shirts 12, Jacob Fingar 10, Peter Wagner 7, Bernard Gernond 10. No. 6, from Myndert Van De Bogart's to the Straw mill:  Peter A. Decker 7, Jacob Meaghley 7, C. Myer 7.  No. 7, from William Melius' to the division line between Walter and Robert C. Livingston's:  Robert Van Deusen 5, James Van Deusen 5, John A. Fonda 6, George Potts 5, John Shaver 9, William Melius 6. No. 8, from Peter Haver to "Sober:" Peter Haver 10, Tiel Ham 7, C. J. Rossman 5, John Bortle 5, P. W. Rockefeller 8, Stuffle Lyke 6. No. 9, John Hoot 10, Wm. Snyder 8, Jacob Row 12. No. 10, from Peter A. Decker's to the school-house:  Peter Wagner 8, Peter Bush 7, John Meaghley 5, John Lupe 5. No. 11, from Hendrick Youngham's to Mink's mill:  Nicholas Chisam 5, N. Palmetar 5. No. 12, John Proper 8, John Bush 5. No. 13, from Churchtown south:  Peter Barringer 6, John Best 10, Peter W. Herder 8, James Warring 6. No. 14, from the Blue store to Thomas Swart's store:  Leonard Ten Broeck 9, John Gordon 9, John Weaver 9, Thomas Doloff 6, John J. Decker 7, William Best 8, Nicholas Feller 9, Thomas Swart 8.  No. 15, from Peter A. Decker's to Deil Rockefeller's:  Henry Rowe 7, John I. Lasher 5, John Rifenburgh 6, Samuel Lasher 5, Jacob Elkenbrigh 7. No. 16, from Roeloff Jansen's Kill to the road from the Manor church to Claverack gate:  Eli Mills 6, Arnold Kenyon 4. No. 17, from Moncrief Livingston's to the road from the Blue store to the Manor church:  Moncrief Livingston 19, E. Covert 8, Henry Potts 8, Jonathan Peacock 10. No. 18, from the Hudson line to Moncrief Livingston's:  Nicholas Harder 9, John Spiekerman 9, Jacob Gutrack 6, Christian Patrie 9, Henry Coon 8, N. Post 8, Zachariah Callor 7, John McKinstry 9, Jeremiah Patrie 9, Peter Schults 8. No. 19, from the turnpike, near John Livingston's, to the road that leads to the Claverack line:  Peter Bortle 6, Peter Benham 9, John C. Cole 6. No. 20, from the middle bridge, near the house of Peter Rockefeller, to the Manor dock:  Jacob Shaver 5, R. T. Livingston 20, Barent Ten Eyck 6, A. Luddington 5, Nathan Sheldon 8, Abram A. Shults 8, Henry Tator 5. No. 21, from the Manor mills to Claverack line:  Elijah B. Park 8, Jacob H. Best 8, Joseph Finkle 5, Daniel Post 5, Abram B. Ten Eyck 5. No. 22, from the Blue store to the Manor church:  Jacob Spaunsbergh 6, Jacob S. Cole 6, Thomas Duncan 8, Z. Volant 9, Jacob Rockefeller 5, Conradt Barringer 9, Henry K. Miller 6, Peter Miller 7. No. 23, from William Garretson's to the school-house, near Peter A. Decker's:  John Bush 5, Reuben Gage 7, John Ryphenbergh 5. No. 24, John P. Showerman 6, Frederick Flint 7, N. Rote 7.  No. 25, from the "Post road" to Frederick Flint's:  Jacob Melius 7, Henry W. Livingston 19, Martin Mather 6, Daniel Hoffman 7, Peter Smith 7. No. 26, from the small bridge, near the house of Henry I. Barringer, innkeeper, to Peter Rockefeller's:  Michael Ham7, Henry Livingston 19, William Huddleston 6, William Conroe 6, John J. Patrie 6, Jacob Patrie 8. The town has at present forty road district, and most of the highways are in good condition.