All posts by MBennett

Animals, Doris B Morton

N.Y. State Agricultural Society, Vol. 1848 & 1849

From the story of Tryphena Wright and the sheep she kept at night in a hollowed tree, it is known that Whitehall early settlers raised sheep. One learned article on sheep declared that it was profitable to raise 100 animals on 100 acres. It would take twelve tons of hay to keep 100 or 3 percent of their weight per day. In 1845 -Washington County lead the state in the amount of wool produced. The number of sheep was 190,311 and the number per acre 64.
The Merino and Saxon strains of sheep were introduced into the county in the 1820’s and the production rose. In Whitehall in 1825 there were 6125, ninth in the county; in 1825, there were 9966, eleventh in the county; in 1845 there were 13,791, ninth in the county.
There were enemies of sheep. In 1786 a wolf tax was levied. For proof of their destruction the collector had to see the head of the wolf and then he cut off the ears so that a bounty could not be collected again. Foxes were the next in killing, especially, young lambs. The third was dogs. At this time the practice’ of killing any dog that was molesting sheep was begun. The last great wolf hunt occurred in the Kingsbury in 1801. Foxes were prevalent in Putnam.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – March 17, 1988

Animals, Doris B Morton

A Sulky Racer 1850 – 1860

George lngalls was a well known horse trainer and driver in races, who had many adventures on the turf. He was a capable trainer and driver and very honest and straightforward.

George had been a driver on the Southern Circuit and was associated with Hiram Woodruff, Sam McLaughlin and Dan Mao of the 5O’s and 60’s. The first trotter he handled was Fanny Barney, a chestnut owned by his brother, John W. Ingalls. He trained her to 2:35, a very fast gait in those days. Then he trained Tib Woodward, also owned by John and trained her down to 2:30. She was sold in 1861. Then there was Sorrel Jim, sold to John Cutter of Albany in 1863.
George won a great race on the ice one winter with Jewels raised by Prentice Beckwith and owned by H.A. Griswold, both of Whitehall.  Jewels was entered in the race to make the necessary number. Surprisingly enough, she not being supposed to stand a chance, the mare won the first heat.
Although the other owners of fine horses from cities tried to make George draw out from the race, he stubbornly refused and won the race. The owners lost a great deal of money to this “greenhorn driver.”  The biggest race George won was with the horse Tom Moore, owned by George Wicker and Tom Bailey of Ticonderoga, another village with owners of horseflesh. The race was in Montreal.
Harry Bradley of Philadelphia was an unscrupulous driver. George let the other drivers wear out their horses in the first two heats while he kept Tom Moore in reserve. The third heat he won. In the fourth heat, Harry Bradley crowded George over and Tom Moore ran twice around the track with speed and power.
George was picked up for dead with a cut on his head. However, he revived and won the fourth and fifth heats, winning the race. He was taken from his sulky and carried on shoulders to his quarters. A gold purse was raised for him.
George raced for thirty winters on the ice in Whitehall or the Association’s track at Hudson Falls, in Rutland and other places. Many horsemen were interested in having a notice written about him and furnished material for it, would that it had been written.
Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Independent – July 25, 1984
News

First Snow of Fall 2010

Snow Flake Captured October 22nd, 2010
The first snowflake?
As October gets colder the first flurries have fallen on Whitehall this Friday, October 22nd. While the air and ground temperature is too high for any “sticking” snow, that doesn’t mean the upper air temperature cannot produce us a few flurries here and there. There is even a potential for some actual real snow fall this weekend.

Over the past week bridge work continued on Broadway. Division street was dug up Thursday as well. Concrete is poured trucks stop by regularly, forcing one lane traffic on Broadway in front of the Presbyterian Church.

NYWorks continues digging up soil at the former Martel’s Auto. A sizable crater has formed in between Top Dogs and former service station’s building. I’ve seen a few pre-dawn dump truck loading sessions on my way past.

Animals, Doris B Morton

[Horses] February 1874

Horses were a topic. There were two runaways of horses with cutters but no damage was done. At the Elbow on the ice, John Brett’s “Billy Button” won three heats of four from H. C. Hall’s “Sure Thing.” The proprietor of H. C. Hall’s hotel added to his livery stables four fine horses, two barouche sleighs, and a first class single turn outs.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – March 7, 1974 – Title Unknown

Animals, Doris B Morton

Gleaning from Whitehall Chronicle in 1874

In the mid and later 1800s there were horse and stock farms around the village of Whitehall. There were many valuable horses owned and a stock breeding business. Some horses were owned by the farmers; others were pastured for out of town owners. A visit was made to George H. Buel’s farm (Austin) and the W.B. Woodward farm across the road. Mr. Buel owned George Barney, a bright blond with a black mane and tail of Morgan ancestry. His descendants were of the same color and grace of motion. Mr. Buel also owned Barney Henry, a black stallion of ancestry from Ethan Allen Jr. and Black Hawk. George Ingall’s pet, an old grey gelding was stabled at the Buel farm. Across the road was W.B. Woodward’s farm, known as the Bascom farm. This was a horse breeding farm. He stalled Ethan Allan Jr., Jack Frost, Francis E. Fish’s two year old filly and Mish Collins’ black colt. Mr. Woodward wintered horses from as far away as Troy, Saratoga, Brattleboro, and Albany. A common saying at this time was “All we need is a track to initiate the movement (racing).

In 1874 on Poultney Street there was a pair of grey mares owned by Mike Nichols, three year olds. These were of Banner stock, one of which showed great promise. Frank Douglas on the Gibson farm had a handsome bay team, four year olds.One was a Hamiltonian colt. There was also a two year old Ethan Allen Jr. which
showed promise.Sheep: Sheep were at one time very important in Washington County and were on Whitehall farms. Perhaps this shows why they disappeared. In 1874 Jerry Brown and Robert Mytoll had flocks of sheep. One night dogs killed eighteen. They must have been large dogs and savage, for the sheep were torn and some had the hides almost torn off. The dogs had bitten at the head and torn the hide off. At the same time George S. Griswold at South Bay had three killed, one with an especially long fine wool. Jerry Brown had 200 acres of land valuable for sheep raising and Robert Mytoll 75-100 acres. They said they were getting rid of all their sheep and would not raise any more.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – July 7, 1988