Part 1

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

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NEW YORK STATE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

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THE SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING, WITH CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS AND LIST OF MEMBERS.

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PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK STATE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 1906

NEWBURGH JOURNAL PRINT.

NEW YORK STATE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.

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President, Hon. JAMES A. ROBERTS, New York.

First Vice-President, Hon. GRENVILLE M. INGALSBE, Sandy Hill.

Second Vice-President, Dr. SHERMAN WILLIAMS, Glens Falls.

Third Vice-President, JOHN BOULTON SIMPSON, Bolton.

Treasurer, JAMES A. HOLDEN, Glens Falls.

Secretary, ROBERT O. BASCOM, Fort Edward.

Assistant Secretary, FREDERICK B. RICHARDS, Ticonderoga.

TRUSTEES.

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Mr. Asahel R. Wing, Fort Edward Term Expires 1906 Mr. Elmer J. West, Glens Falls " 1906 Rev. John H. Brandow, Schoharie " 1906 Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe, Sandy Hill " 1906 Col. William L. Stone, Mt. Vernon " 1906 Mr. Morris Patterson Ferris, New York " 1906 Hon. George G. Benedict, Burlington, Vt. " 1906 Hon. James A. Roberts, New York " 1907 Col. John L. Cunningham, Glens Falls " 1907 Mr. James A. Holden, Glens Falls " 1907 Mr. John Boulton Simpson, Bolton " 1907 Rev. Dr. C. Ellis Stevens, New York " 1907 Dr. Everett R. Sawyer, Sandy Hill " 1907 Mr. Elwyn Seele, Lake George " 1907 Mr. Frederick B. Richards, Ticonderoga " 1907 Mr. Howland Pell, New York " 1907 Gen. Henry E. Tremain, New York " 1908 Mr. William Wait, Kinderhook " 1908 Dr. Sherman Williams, Glens Falls " 1908 Mr. Robert O. Bascom, Fort Edward " 1908 Mr. Francis W. Halsey, New York " 1908 Mr. Harry W. Watrous, Hague " 1908 Com. John W. Moore, Bolton Landing " 1908 Rev. Dr. Joseph E. King, Fort Edward " 1908 Hon. Hugh Hastings, Albany " 1908

PROCEEDINGS Of The

Seventh Annual Meeting of the New York State Historical Association, held August 22d, 1905, at the Court House, Lake George, N. Y.

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At the Seventh Annual Meeting of the New York State Historical Association, held at Lake George on the 22d day of August, 1905, a quorum being present, the President, James A. Roberts, called the meeting to order, whereupon it was duly moved, seconded and carried, that the reading of the minutes be dispensed with.

The report of the Treasurer, James A. Holden, was read and adopted after having been approved by the auditors, Dr. Joseph E. King and the Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe.

It was further moved, seconded and carried, that the annual publication of the society be not sent to those members who are two or more years in arrears in their dues.

Dr. Sherman Williams, chairman of the committee on historic spots, reported orally that arrangements had been made for the erection of a boulder with a bronze tablet at Half-Way Brook, and that arrangements were in progress for marking other spots in the vicinity of Lake George. The report was accepted and the committee continued, and the committee were requested to make a written report with a historic sketch relating to the spots marked and proposed to be marked, which report together with a cut of the tablets erected and to be erected shall be published in the proceedings of the Association.

Mr. Harry W. Watrous, chairman of the committee on Fort Ticonderoga, by Mr. Grenville M. Ingalsbe reported progress.

Upon the suggestion of the chairman the following committee on Fort Ticonderoga was appointed for the ensuing year:

Mrs. Elizabeth Watrous, Mr. John Boulton Simpson, Mr. Geo. O. Knapp.

The committee on program made an oral report, which was adopted.

A vote of thanks was extended to Gen. Tremain for his very liberal gift to the Association reported by the treasurer.

A vote of thanks was extended to the committee on program.

The following new members were elected:

Alice Brooks Wyckoff, Elmira, N. Y. Hon. F. W. Hatch, N. Y. City. Hon. Albert Haight, Albany, N. Y. Hon. John Woodward, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. E. B. Hill, 49 Wall Street, N. Y. City. Rev. Dr. Thos. B. Slicer, N. Y. City. Mr. G. C. Lewis, Albany, N. Y. Dr. George S. Eveleth, Little Falls, N. Y. George C. Rowell, 81 Chapel Street, Albany, N. Y. Mr. James F. Smith, So. Hartford, N. Y. Mr. George Foster Peabody, Lake George, N. Y. Mr. Grenville H. Ingalsbe, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. A. N. Richards, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. Irwin W. Near, Hornellsville, N. Y. Mr. Archibald Stewart, Derby, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. Alvaro D. Arnold, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. Richard C. Tefft, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. F. D. Howland, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Mr. A. W. Abrams. Mr. D. M. Alexander, Buffalo, N. Y. Mr. Philip M. Hull, Clinton, N. Y. Addie E. Hatfield, 17 Linwood Place, Utica, N. Y. George K. Hawkins, Plattsburgh, N. Y. Dr. Claude A. Horton, Glens Falls, N. Y. Dr. E. T. Horton, Whitehall, N. Y. Gen. T. S. Peck, Burlington, Vt. Myron F. Westover, Schenectady, N. Y. Dr. Wm. C. Sebring, Kingston, N. Y. Mr. Neil M. Ladd, 646 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. J. Hervey Cook, Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, N. Y. Mr. H. L. Broughton, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Daniel L. Van Hee, Rochester, N. Y. Edmund Wetmore, 34 Pine Street, N. Y. City. Mrs. Lydia F. Upson, Glens Falls, N. Y. Mr. Daniel F. Imrie, Lake George, N. Y. Mr. James Green, Lake George, N. Y. Mr. Edwin J. Worden, Lake George, N. Y.

Dr. Sherman Williams moved that the chair appoint a committee of two to take into consideration an amendment to the constitution relating to the payment of dues.

Carried.

Whereupon the chair appointed as such committee Robert O. Bascom and James A. Holden.

Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe offered the following resolution.

_Resolved,_ That the President be authorized to appoint a committee of three to investigate and report to the next annual meeting as to the feasibility of co-operation and of the establishment of a community of action between this association and the various other historical societies in the State, which resolution was unanimously adopted.

After some discussion, participated in by various members of the Association, it was regularly moved, seconded and carried, that a committee of three be appointed by the president upon membership, whereupon the president appointed the following committee:

Dr. Ellis C. Stevens, with power to name his associates.

The following trustees were unanimously elected by ballot for the term of three years:

Gen. Henry E. Tremain, N. Y. City; William Wait, Kinderhook, N. Y.; Dr. Sherman Williams, Glens Falls, N. Y.; Robert O. Bascom, Fort Edward, N. Y.; Francis W. Halsey, New York; Harry W. Watrous, Hague, N. Y.; Rev. Dr. Joseph E. King, Fort Edward, N. Y.; Hon. Hugh Hastings, Albany, N. Y.; Com. John W. Moore, Bolton Landing, N. Y.

Rev. Mr. Hatch and Rev. Mr. Black presented for the consideration of the Association the subject of the erection of a museum building. After some discussion it was moved, seconded and carried, that the thanks of the Association be tendered to the gentlemen for bringing the matter to the attention of the Association, after which the meeting was adjourned until two o'clock in the afternoon.

August 22d, 1905.--Afternoon Session.

_Symposium--The Sullivan Expedition._

At the adjourned session held in the afternoon August 22d, 1905, Dr. W. C. Sebring, of Kingston, read a paper entitled, "The Character of Gen. Sullivan."

A paper entitled "The Primary Cause of the Border Wars," by Francis W. Halsey, of New York, was read by the Hon. Grenville M. Ingaslsbe in the absence of Mr. Halsey.

Dr. Sherman Williams, of Glens Falls, read a monograph entitled, "The Organization of Sullivan's Expedition."

Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe read by title only a paper entitled, "A Bibliography of Sullivan's Expedition."

A paper entitled, "An Indian Civilization and its Destruction," by Col. S. W. Moulthrop, was read by the Rev. W. H. P. Hatch in the absence of Col. Moulthrop.

A paper entitled, "The Campaign," was read by William Wait, of Kinderhook, when the meeting adjourned until August 23d, at 10 o'clock A. M., at the same place.

ROBERT O. BASCOM,

_Secretary._

TRUSTEES' MEETING.

August 23d, 1905.

At a meeting of the Trustees of the New York State Historical Association held at Lake George on the 22d day of August, 1905, a quorum being present, the following officers were elected:

President, Hon. Jas. A. Roberts, Buffalo, N. Y. First Vice-President, Hon. G. M. Ingalsbe, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Second Vice-President, Dr. Sherman Williams, Glens Falls, N. Y. Third Vice-President, John Boulton Simpson, Bolton, N. Y. Treasurer, James A. Holden, Glens Falls, N. Y. Secretary, Robert O. Bascom, Fort Edward, N. Y. Asst. Secretary, Frederick B. Richards, Ticonderoga, N. Y.

The printing bill of E. H. Lisk was presented to the Trustees and after discussion the same was referred to the Treasurer and Secretary with power to settle the same.

The following committees were appointed:

_Standing Committee on Legislation:_ Hon. James A. Roberts, Gen. Henry E. Tremain, Dr. Sherman Williams, Morris Patterson Ferris, Hon. Hugh Hastings.

_On Marking Historic Spots:_ Dr. Sherman Williams, Frederick B. Richards, James A. Holden, Asahel R. Wing, Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe.

_On Fort Ticonderoga:_ Mrs. Elizabeth Watrous, John Boulton Simpson, George O. Knapp.

_On Program:_ Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe, Dr. Sherman Williams, Dr. C. Ellis Stevens.

_On Membership:_ Dr. C. Ellis Stevens.

Bill of the Secretary for postage, express and sundries was thereupon audited and ordered paid, whereupon the meeting adjourned.

At a meeting of the Trustees it was moved, seconded and carried, that E. M. Ruttenber, of Newburgh, N. Y., be made an honorary member of the Association.

ROBERT O. BASCOM,

_Secretary._

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ASSOCIATION MEETING.

August 23d, 1905.

At the adjourned session held August 22d, a paper entitled, "Concerning the Mohawks," was read by W. Max Reid, of Amsterdam, N. Y., after which the Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe read certain hitherto unpublished letters from Gen. George Washington relating to the "Sullivan Expedition," after which a resolution was adopted requesting that Mr. Ingalsbe furnish the same for publication in the ensuing volume of the proceedings of the Association.

An address entitled, "Robert R. Livingston, the Author of the Louisiana Purchase," by Hon. D. S. Alexander, of Buffalo, N. Y., concluded the session, and after a vote of thanks to the various speakers, the meeting adjourned until two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, at which session a paper entitled, "The Birth at Moreau of the Temperance Reformation," by Dr. Charles A. Ingraham, of Cambridge, was read.

The annual address, "The Democratic Ideal in History," by Hon. Milton Reed, of Fall River, Massachusetts, concluded the literary exercises of this meeting, and after a vote of thanks to the speakers of the afternoon the meeting adjourned sine die.

ROBERT O. BASCOM,

_Secretary._

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TRUSTEES' MEETING.

At a meeting of the Trustees of the New York State Historical Association, held at the Hotel Ten Eyck on the 19th day of January, 1906, in the City of Albany.

Present, Hon. James A. Roberts, President; Hon. Grenville M. Ingalsbe, First Vice-President; Dr. Sherman Williams, Second Vice-President; Hon. Hugh Hastings, Trustee; Hon. Robert O. Bascom, Secretary.

The meeting being duly called to order by the President, the semi-annual report of James A. Holden, Treasurer, was read and adopted.

The report is as follows:

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT of

J. A. Holden, Treasurer New York State Historical Association, From July 1, 1905, to Jan. 18, 1906.

RECEIPTS.

July 1, 1905--Cash on hand $194.73 Received from dues, etc. 390.10 ____ $584.83

DISBURSEMENTS.

Aug. 5, E. H. Lisk, printing $200.00 " 5, R. O. Bascom, postage and sundries 27.50 Sep. 8, E. H. Lisk, printing 62.25 Sep. 7, R. O. Bascom, postage 23.28 " 7, Milton Reid, expenses 15.31 Nov. 8, E. H. Lisk, printing 31.75 Dec. 4, R. O. Bascom, stamps 10.00 " 11, R. O. Bascom, " 10.00 Jan. 9, Postage 5.00 ____ 385.09 ______ Cash on hand $199.74

ASSETS. Cash on hand $199.74 Life Membership Fund 271.40

Respectfully submitted, JAMES A. HOLDEN, _Treasurer._

The report of the committee on amendments to the Constitution was read and laid upon the table.

The report of Committee on Marking Historic Spots was read and adopted. The report is as follows:

Glens Falls, N. Y., Jan. 18, 1906.

_To the Trustees of the New York State Historical Association,_

_Gentlemen:_--I beg to report progress in regard to the work of the committee on marking Historic Spots. A good number of persons have made contributions ranging from five to fifty dollars each. A marker has been erected at Half-Way Brook and another planned for at Bloody Pond. The tablet at Half-Way Brook was made under the direction of W. J. Scales, who is also to prepare the design for the one at Bloody Pond. The marker at Half-Way Brook is a large boulder resting upon another large boulder nearly buried in the ground. The boulders are large and very hard, and the cost of cutting them to fit was unexpectedly great. Both boulders were drawn from a long distance. The cost of drawing and erecting them, and getting them ready for the tablet was about one hundred and ten dollars. This work was supervised by Mr. Henry Crandall, who had subscribed fifty dollars toward the work. When it was finished he said that if I would cancel his subscription he would meet all the expense of getting the stones in place. As this was more than twice the amount of his subscription his offer was gladly accepted. The other expenses to date have been as follows:

For cutting a smooth face on the boulder and fitting tablet to it $25.25 For photographing the monument 1.00 Paid Mr. Scales on account 45.00 ______ Total $71.25

In the Spring it will be necessary to meet a small expense to grade the ground and seed it. We hope to have the marker at Bloody Pond in place before our next annual meeting.

Respectfully submitted, SHERMAN WILLIAMS, _Chairman of Committee for Marking Historic Spots._

The following new members were duly elected:

Applegate, Rev. Dr. Octavius, Newburgh, N. Y. Atkins, Hon. T. Astley, 73 Nassau Street, N. Y. Benjamin, Rev. Dr. William H., Irvington-on-Hudson, N. Y. Bunten, Roland, Garden City, N. Y. Brooks, James B., 1013 East Adams Street, Syracuse, N. Y. Bockus, Dr. Truman J., Packer Institute, Brooklyn, N, Y. Banker, Dr. Silas J., Fort Edward, N. Y. Cooke, Rev. Jere K., Hempstead, N. Y, Coon, Hon. Stephen Mortimer, Oswego, N. Y. Clark, Rev. Joseph B., Fourth Ave. and 22d St., N. Y. City. Clark, Walter A., 755 Main Street, Geneva, N. Y. Donnell, Rev. Dr. William Nichold, 292 Henry St.. N. Y. Davis, William Gilbert, 32 Nassau Street, N. Y. Davis, Dr. Booth C., Alfred, N. Y. de Peyster, Mrs. Beekman, 2345 Broadway, N. Y. (winter), Johnstown, N. Y. (summer). Draper, Hon. A. S., Albany, N. Y. Gunnison, Hon. Royal A., Juneau, Alaska. Hopson, Rev. Dr. George B., Annandale, N. Y. Horton, Mrs. John Miller, 736 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y. Ingalsbe, Franc Groesbeck, Sandy Hill, N. Y. Jessup, Rev. Chas. A., Greenport, N. Y. Jessup, Morris K., 195 Madison Avenue, N. Y, Joline, Dr. Adrien H., 54 Wall Street, N. Y. Jackson, Rev. Dr. T. G., 6851 Paul's Place, Brooklyn, N. Y. Kirby, Dr. R. M., Potsdam, N. Y. Krotel, Rev. Dr., 65 Convent Avenue, N. Y. Leavey, Russell H., 147 W. 21st Street, N. Y. Lefferts, Marshall C., 30 Washington Place, N. Y. Lewis, George C., Albany, N. Y. Mace, Dr. William H., Syracuse, N. Y. Martin, John, Pittsburgh, N. Y. Morton, Hon. Levi Parsons, 681 Fifth Avenue, N. Y. Mills, D. O., 634 Fifth Avenue, N. Y. Munger, Rev. Dr. R. D., 105 Delaware Street, Syracuse, N. Y. Morgan, Rev. Dr. D. Parker, 3 East 45th Street, N. Y. Nottingham, William, 701 Walnut Avenue, Syracuse, N. Y. Nelson, Ven. George F., 29 Lafayette Place, N. Y. Olmsted, Rt. Rev. Chas. Tyler, 159 Park Avenue, Utica, N. Y. O'Brien, M. J., 195 Broadway, N. Y. Paige, Edward Winslow, 44 Cedar Street, New York. Pierce, Rev. Dr. Walter Franklin, 16 S. Elliott Place, Brooklyn. Rogers, Howard J., Albany, N. Y, Rhoades, W. C. P., 400 Putnam Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Sill, Dr. Frederick S., 169 Mohawk Street, Cohoes, N. Y. Schell, F. Robert, 280 Broadway, N. Y. Smith, William Alex., 412 Madison Avenue, N. Y. Samson, William H., 420 Oxford Street, Rochester, N. Y. Sillo, Dr. Chas. Morton, Geneva, N. Y. Seabury, Rev. Dr. William Jones, 8 Chelsea Square, N. Y. Stackpole, George F., Riverhead, N. Y. Sims, Charles N., Liberty, Indiana. Steele, Mrs. Esther B., 532 W. Clinton Street, Elmira, N. Y. Stilwell, Giles H., 1906 West Genesee St., Syracuse, N. Y. Sheddon, Hon. Lucian L., Plattsburgh, N. Y. Silver, Dr. John Archer, Geneva, N. Y. Spencer, Dr. Charles W., Princeton, N. J. Vanderveer, Dr. A., 28 Eagle Street, Albany, N. Y. Waller, Rev. Henry D., Flushing, N. Y. Watson, Col. Jas. T., Clinton, N. Y. Welch, Miss J. M., 76 Johnston Park, Buffalo, N. Y. Willey, Rev. John H., 466 East 18th Street, N. Y. Willis, James D., 40 East 39th Street, N. Y.

The thanks of the Trustees were extended to Dr. Stevens for his services as chairman of the Committee on Membership. The Secretary and Mr. William Wait, of Kinderhook, were by motion duly carried appointed a committee on the publication of the Proceedings of the Association. The edition was fixed at 750 copies and the Secretary instructed not to send proceedings to persons who were more than four years in arrears, after which the meeting adjourned.

ROBERT O. BASCOM, _Secretary._

CHARACTER OF GEN. SULLIVAN.

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By Dr. W. C. Sebring.

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How the mists do gather. With the exception of Greene and Benedict Arnold, George Washington trusted Sullivan beyond any other general of the Continental army. Sullivan acquitted himself well on diverse battlefields and, though defeated, the real worth of the man shows in this, that defeat added as much prestige to his reputation as his victories. His greatness like that of Washington throve on defeat, for it can be fairly said that Washington never won a battle. And yet if you ask even those who have given time to our history as to General Sullivan, they will convey to you but the most vague impression of some minor general who sometime in the revolution made a foray on some Indians somewhere in this State.

The last scene of a drama is best remembered. The picture as the curtain falls is stamped most clearly on the memory. Sullivan was not to be an actor in the war's closing scenes, and the valor that gleams the name of Marion, the splendor of Greene's military intelligence, and the glory that is linked with the name of Washington at Yorktown were not his. Neither had he the methodical madness of Wayne, the pusillanimity of the self-seeking Gates, the recklessness of Putnam, nor the aestheistic fatalism of Ethan Allan; none of these things had Sullivan to carve his picture on men's memory.

It may not be out of place here to give a short chronology of this man's life.

He was born in Summerworth, N. H., in 1740. His parents were well-to-do emigrants from Ireland. He studied law and was a member of the first Congress, 1774. Was made Brigadier General 1775. In 1776 he superseded Arnold in Canada. Then he succeeded General Greene and was taken prisoner. He was exchanged in November. In 1777 he took part in the battle of Brandywine, Germantown, and 1778 he commanded in Rhode Island. In 1779 he led the expedition against the Indians. He then resigned from the army and took up again the practice of law. He was a member of the State constitutional convention, then he was elected a member of Congress, and in '86, '87, '89 was president of his State. Later, in 1789, he was appointed District Judge, and died in 1795 at the age of 54 years.

His personal characteristics are said to be that he was a dignified, genial and amiable man. He displayed a fine courtesy to those about him, both to his soldiers and compatriot generals.

I quote the following paragraph from A. Tiffany Norton, who I believe to be the one who has written the best account of the Indian campaign, and it is a wonder to me that one who shows so broad a grasp of history and its essential principles and the elements that make for historical research, has never written more than he has.