|
ANCRAM CENTRE ANCRAM, COLUMBIA COUNTY NEW YORK By Capt. Franklin Ellis238 1878
Ancram Centre, otherwise known as "Scotchtown" and "Black Rock" is a locality near the centre of the town. The first name was derived from the first settlers, who were Scotch people. The other was given it in ridicule of a man named John A. Rockefeller, who owned the mill and kept a store there. He was a Republican in politics, and his Democratic neighbors called his locality "Black Rockefeller's," which was finally abbreviated to "Black Rock." The mill at this place was built by Livingston about 1775, for a Mr. Mabey, the father of Henry Mabey, late of Ancram. It was owned afterwards by Robert Van Deusen, who bought it of Livingston, and for a period of eighteen years by John Rockefeller. In the spring of 1865 it was purchased by the present owner, Eason Card. It is located on Punch brook, a mile north of Ancram Lead Mines, and has three runs of stone driven by a fourteen-foot overshot wheel. It is used only for custom grinding. During the anti-rent troubles a society was organized in Ancram, which met at the house of Rockefeller. There were but a few members, and only one meeting was held. During this exciting period the barns and out-buildings of David K. Tripp, in the west part of the town, were burned by the anti-renters.
|