Quite
far away—perhaps
35 or 40 miles
from the hamlet
of Beaverkill
in a small town
called Big Indian,
is a tiny rivulet,
that ripples
cheerfully along,
growing gradually
wider as it
wanders on its
way—cutting
a gravelly bed
for itself after
awhile and with
many crooks
and turns reaching
the town of
Hardenburgh.
Here it is a
very noticeable
stream, as it
flows for miles
through various
little towns
and villages.
Miniature falls,
rocks and deep
pools mark its
way. And wonderfully
sparkling water—the
home of thousands
of speckled
trout of various
species. A bit
of the valley
through which
this stream
flows is coveted
by hundreds
of fishermen
for it is the
valley of the
justly famous
Beaverkill!
In
the early days,
before trout
fishing was
such a universal
sport, the settlers
along the valley
did not stress
to any great
extent the advantages
that were theirs
because of their
ownership of
land bordering
the Beaverkill.
At that time
the stream was
used for various
purposes besides
angling for
trout. There
were several
sawmills—the
largest of which
was owned and
operated by
the Jones Brothers—John
and Robert.
And Beaverkill
itself boasted
a tannery.
Lumber
was plentiful,
and many trees
were cut down
simply for
the bark, and
logs were left
to decay in
their own good
time. In those
days if one
got ten dollars
per thousand
for sound hemlock
lumber, he
was doing well.
And though
many logs were
left where they
were cut down,
there was still
much lumbering
done. In the
spring when
high water came,
thousands of
feet were rafted
down the river
to Philadelphia,
where better
prices were
obtained, and
the cost of
getting them
there was almost
nil. One of
the most prominent
men to do this
sort of thing
was Mr. Thomas
Davidson, who
owned the farm
where Mr. Jay
Davidson lived
for so many
years. Mr.
Thomas Davidson
was a Scotsman,
son of a shepherd,
and they—his
father and himself—emigrated
to this country
when much of
it was forest
primeval. Rude
cabins, pole
beds, pine bough
mattresses were
a foregone conclusion.
Their love for
sheep came with
them. And they
always kept
a flock. Another
prominent man
associated with
Mr., Thomas
Davidson, was
Mr. James Murdock,
who, besides
being a lumberman,
established
one of the first-boarding
houses along
the Beaverkill
above Shin Creek,
as Lew Beach
was then called.
Boarding-houses
were few fifty
years ago. Two
others were
prominent at
that time—one
kept by Mr.
and Mrs. Flint,
and one by Mr.
Ransom Weaver.
At
that time the
nearest railroad
station was
Callicoon on
the Erie Railroad.
A drive of 40
miles on long
buck-board
drawn by two
horses over
what would now
be called impassable
roads, was braved
by many a fisherman
and hunter,
who felt well
repaid for
all the trouble.The
O. & W.
Railroad was
built about
48 years ago.
The first club
to be formed
was at Balsam
Lake, which
lies in the
town of Hardenburgh,
about 30 miles
up the valley
from what is
now Livingston
Manor (then
Morsston). Then
the Salmo Fontinalis
Club was started
on the Leal
Farm. It was
about fifty
years ago or
more that the
Rev. Thomas
K, Beecher,
of Elmira, N.
Y., and his
brother James
heard of the
lake which is
now called “Beecher
Lake”,
then in the
heart of the
forest primeval,
and went there
on a fishing
expedition.
Thomas K. cut
down the first
tree, using
the lower part
for a post of
their tent.
He and his brother
afterwards bought
the lake together
with about 400
acres of land,
and held it
for a number
of years. Afterward
it was sold
to Mr. Coykendall,
at one time
owner of the
Delaware and
Ulster Railroad,
and who also
owned Alder
Lake, which
is up Turnwood
way. The mail
came three times
per week by
stage, and the
men who drove
the stage were
the Jones brothers—John
and Robert.
They also did
a thriving business
in their sawmill,
having taken
advantage of
a point in the
river where
there are beautiful
falls—the
most picturesque
on the Beaverkill.
The force of
the water there
furnished power
for the mill.
In the year
1886, Mr. and
Mrs. Jay Davidson
moved from Roscoe
to Beaverkill
on the farm,
which was afterwards
theirs. In that
same year and
month Miss Martha
Stone of Elmira,
N.Y., came to
Beaverkill,
bought Clear
Lake, and to
the ridge of
the mountain
back of it,
and built a
little home
there. Then
was started
the first boarding
house between
Livingston Manor
and Lew Beach,
or between Roscoe
and Lew Beach—the
first in Beaverkill.
Lew Beach was
renamed after
one of our representatives.
The
following year,
the Ellsworths,
who had kept
the post office
for many years,
and who had
a commodious,
house, took
a few boarders;
and so the
boarding business
was started
in that portion
of the valley
where the Beaverkill
post office
was located.
The
Davidsons
opened their
boarding house
around the
year 1892 or
1893. Many
changes
have come since
the small beginnings
of forty odd
years ago.
The small Club “Salmo
Fontinalis” on
the Leal farm
has been swallowed
up by a very
large one, of
which Mr. More,
of New York
City, was at
one time president.
And which at
first had its
headquarters
at the home
of Mrs. Towse,
which is a beautifully
built boarding
house some distance
up the river
from Lew Beach.
Since then this
club has built
a fine clubhouse
on the William
Sliter farm.
The members
of this club
bought most
of the upper
part of the
river this side
of Turnwood.
The “Weaver” farm
was bought by
young Jay Gould,
and held by him
for some years.
It has now been
sold to some other
wealthy people
who have built
a fine summer
home. The “Flint”
place
was bought by
Mr. Knapp, a member
of the large club.
The old
“Murdock” farm
was bought by
a family from
New York City,
by the name of
Bourke. The son,
a doctor, practices
in Livingston
Manor. Along down
the valley and
nearer Lew Beach,
was the Sprague
boarding-house
established nearly
fifty years ago
by Mr. and Mrs.
Ed. R. Sprague,
and held by Mrs.
Sprague until
a very few years
ago. The “Royal
Voorhies” home
was used for a
boarding-house
for many years,
by descendants
of that family,
but is now the
home of another
club. The next
place to be bought
for a club is
the “‘Barnhart”
house,
which is opposite
the old “Ellsworth” place,
and which once
was the post office.
The “Davidson” place
is in other hands
now, and Clear
Lake Cottages,
have changed ownership.
The “John
Cammer” place
is now the home
of a club. In
Beaverkill now
there are only
two people who
were here forty
years ago. Nearly
every home has
changed ownership.
Many cottages
and bungalows
have sprung up
whose owners spend
only their summers
here.
As
I look back
upon the people
whom I met in
the old days,
I remember many
of them as most
interesting.
There are those
who stand vividly
in my memory,
some for their
peculiarities,
others for
their sterling
qualities. Few
were educated
according to
the standards
of the present
day—but
many were keen,
shrewd businessmen
and women, and
kindly neighbors.
Among the women,
the name of Emily
Bulkley stands
out prominently.
To her we owe
the ability to
carry on our little
Beaverkill Church
for she left us
her farm. And
the income from
this pays a little
over half of the
salary of our
minister. But
we of the valley
who knew them
then, know them
no more. Mr. and
Mrs. Flint; the
Jones brothers;
Mrs. Dusebury
who settled on
the farm now belonging
to Mrs. Towse;
Mr. Ed. Sprague:
Mr. and Mrs. William
Hardie—all
have passed into
the Great Beyond!
Some years ago
Mr. and Mrs. Ed.
Sprague celebrated
their golden wedding
anniversary, and
at that party
Mrs. Hardie wore
a black silk basque,
which she had
worn fifty years
before when the
Spragues were
married. Notably
among the older
men were Mr. James
Murdock, Mr. Henry
W. Ellsworth and
Mr. Thomas Davidson.
Men with wonderfully
keen minds, and
good business
ability in their
respective lines.
The tannery, together
with a general
store and post
office were run
by Mr. Ellsworth.
When I came to
Beaverkill, they
were elderly men,
and the younger
ones were taking
their places.
Notably
among these
was Mr. Jay
Davidson. His
father, Mr.
Thomas Davidson
conferred a
lasting benefit
on the people
of Beaverkill
when he gave
them the land
for the cemetery
and church.
The very carefully
worded deed
of this gift
has made it
possible for
the little church
to maintain
its rights against
all would-be
assailants.
Many
curious incidents
occur in the
life of any
community,
but perhaps
none more so
than among
the hundreds
of fishermen
who
throng the
valley during
the all-important
fishing season.
There have
been writers
and actors—singers
and artists. All
these have found
the attractions
of the Beaverkill
and the long valley
up to Hardenburgh
an incentive to
buy and build—almost
palaces—and
plain little bungalows.
Wealthy men have
spent money without
stint. One of
these was Mr.
Dundas, who built
what is known
as the “Castle”.
It is said that
he copied as nearly
as possible an
old castle in
Scotland and spent
$150,000 making
this copy. It
proves to some
extent the theory
of evolution,
when one looks
back at the beginning
of that castle.
Forty
years ago or
more, Joe Cammer,
who we all
remember, owned
a farm along
the Beaverkill
which included
the site of
the Castle.
Mr. Cammer boarded
a few fishermen
each summer.
they came up
from New York
City and surrounding
towns. Among
these were Mr.
Frank Livingston
Clark, and Mr.
Cass Gilbert,
a well known
architect of
that time. These
men with three
others, conceived
the idea of
building a little
log cabin on
the Cammer property.
With this end
in view they
bought a little
plot of land
on the bank
of the Beaverkill,
where a wonderful
view up the
river was obtained;
and the log
cabin was built,
with a fine
large fireplace
of stone. After
a year or two,
Mr. Gilbert
bought out the
other gentlemen,
enlarged the
cabin, and brought
his wife there.
He bought more
land and made
many improvements.
Then he in
turn sold out
to a Mr. Sternbach,
of New York
City for $15,000.
During Mr. Sternbach’s
occupation of
the place, he
spent another
$15,000, outside
and inside. Nearly
all land in the
region was swallowed
up by him. Then
having failed
in his New York
business, he sold
to Mr. Dundas,
whose daughter
now holds the
property. Beyond
this property,
down the river
toward Rockland
is another club
with its headquarters
on the B. F. Hardenburgh
farm. This is
one of the oldest
on the Beaverkill.
It is called “The
Fly Fisherman’s
Club”.
It was established
when many men
fished with worms
and other bait
besides. For many
years there has
been a growing
feeling against
any bait, save
flies. The etiquette
of the stream
now demands them.
There
is one other
club that I
have failed
to mention—that
belonging to Mr.
James Marble—established
on the “John
Cammer”
farm.
This is a very
prosperous club,
with good fishing
advantages.
The
roads up and
down the valley
are now in very
good condition
owing to the
almost universal
use of automobiles.
Our neighbors
are now fifteen
to twenty minutes
away.
In
looking
back over the
years of my
living in Beaverkill,
I find it altogether
a new community.
But the everlasting
hills are here,
and the beautiful,
winding river
-- and the
little mountain
lake nestled
in the side
of Mt. McGuckin.
These are here!
And no matter
what alien
feet may tread
the roads and
pathways, nor
what changes
may yet occur,
they will always
give happy
thoughts to
the generations
that follow.
M.
W. S. TOBEY,
circa 1930
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