Viewing page 305 of 473

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[?]] here he built the first pile dock in America, and which can be seen to this day near Derrenbacher's corner. In 1830 he resigned his position, and took a contract to mine coal at Carbondale for the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, and there mined the first coal mined in the Lackawana valley, the coal previous to that time being obtained by simply uncovering it.

When Mr. McEntee first came to Ulster county in June, 1825, he made his residence at Kingston. He was married at Western to Miss Mary Swan in January of that year, and in February of the year following his wife and infant died in Kingston. In August, 1827, he was again married, to Miss Sarah Jane Goetcheus in Kingston, and came to reside in Rondout April 1st, 1828, in what was known as the Adams house, which stood just southeast of where Thomas Hamilton's residence now is and in rear of the Woolsey row on Adams street. While engaged in mining and mercantile pursuits in Caroondale, Mr. McEntee continued his residence in Rondout, were all his children have been borned. He built and resided in the Quaililiard house, and moved from it into the President's house, now Mr. S. D. Coykendall's residence. In 1832 Mr. McEntee purchased the old Mansion House property, and moving into it began hotel-keeping, and while so engaged he constructed, in 1837, for the general government, the first dock and the lighthouse on which it stood at the mouth of the creek. A heavy freshet in January, 1839, caused the ice to undermine the dock, and the lighthouse settling in consequence it was removed, the dock rebuilt and another lighthouse constructed. The same freshet also carried away the dam at Eddyville, it being jointly owned by Judge Jonathan Hasbrouck and the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, and a dispute arising as to its reconstruction, it was amicably settled by the parties agreeing to have Mr. McEntee construct the new dam. That work was a wooden dam, which was replaced by a stone work, the construction of which was superintended by Major Walton under Russel F. Lord's administration.

In 1883, Mr. McEntee sold the Mansion House property to D.P. Mapes and went to reside in the house lately reconstructed and now occupied by Alva S. Staples, being engaged in constructing the docks for the Esopus Meadows and Sangerlies lighthouses, and quarrying cement stone for the Newark Lime & Cement Manufacturing Company and freighting it by sloop to Newark where it was burned and ground, the company not yet having established their extensive works at this place. In the Spring of 1841 Mr. McEntee repurchased the Mansion House, and moved into it. During the Winter of 1843-44 the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company refused to renew the contractor to bring their coal from Rondout to New York with D.P. Maples unless he would engage Mr. McEntee to take charge of the business; and accordingly during the season of navigation of 1844, Mr. McEntee has charge of the "Victory" until she sank, then of the "Mutual Safety," and afterwards of the "Pennsylvania."  In 1845, Mr. McEntee having drawn the plan and made the estimates for the construction of the island is literally [[?]] and to the manor born," they [[?]] the longest time resident. Mr. McEntee has never but once held public office; he was justice of the peace, from which fact he derives his title of "Squire," applied to him by the very few residents left who remember that far-a-way time. He was a whig in politics until the formation of the Republican party, since which time he has voted with that political organization, save once, "when he went off with Horace Greeley." In religion he has been a Universalist for sixty years, and has honored his belief.

Now after so many years of active life he enjoys the possession of all his faculties and remarkably good health, and was heard to remark but a short time since that he had enjoyed life more since his seventieth birthday than ever before.  M. W. M.

Whereabouts of Thomas Taylor.

Deputy Sheriff Cooney informed a reporter of The Courier on Monday that he as in receipt of a letter from a party in New York that claimed to know the whereabouts of Thomas Taylor, one of the brothers concerned in the row at Port Ewen that led to the death of Thomas Murray. He further stated that he would not bother himself in effecting Taylor's arrest, as he claims that he arrested him once on a charge of assault and battery, and bonds were given, and it is now the bondsman's place to look after and apprehend his arrest.

Arrival of the M. Martin.

The steamer M. Martin, of Romer & Tremper's Albany and Newburgh line, sailed in the creek on Monday, inaugurating the season. The steamer brought a large freight, and received so much more in the creek that she did not leave until 12 o'clock. During the past Winter this boat has been thoroughly and entirely rebuilt, having an entirely new frame. The boat is officered the same as last year.

Election of Officers.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Social Club, held at their rooms in Ponckhockie, on Monday night, the following were the officers elected: President, John J. Kelly; Vice President, Hugh Findley; Secretary, Henry J. Crane; Treasurer, James S, Murphy; Sergeant-at-Arms, Stephen Duffy.

Improvement of the U. & D. R. R.

The Ulster & Delaware Railroad is to be put in excellent order for the season's business. Steel rails will be laid for a considerable portion of the line, and half a dozen first class coaches will be added.

Gone to Washington.

Congressman Cornell started for Washington on Monday morning.