The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-08-01
HUDSON, N. Y.
City Which Is to all Intents and Pur
poses "A Rhode Island Colony.

a City Which Is to all Intents and Pur
poses a Rhode Island Colony.
1t is not generally known that the civ
of Hudson, New York, was founded by
a colony consisting of several respected
residents of Providence, belonging to
families still deservedly prominent in
our local history. The two most active
in the work of settlement, about 100 wears
ago, were Thomas and Seth jenkins.
and the object of the voluntary exile, as
we learn from an interesting contribu-
ton in the Hudson register, was to seek
a site for commercial purposes on the
| North, or Hudson River. A grand,
daughter of Seth jenkins, now dead,
has left letter, in which she states:
while visiting Nantucket some years
ago, found an old paper among the
archives of that city. giving this account
of the pioneer enterprise to Hudson:
Seth and Thomas jenkins, of Nam
, tucket, sailed from Providence to New
York to find place of settlement on
| the Hudson River. On their arrival at
the City of New York they called upon
Colonel Rutgers. an old friend of nv
| grandfather, to whom they unfolded
| their plans, whereupon Colonel Rutgers
proposed that they should buy his farm.
! They talked over the matter end finally
concluded to make him an offer, which
they did. After some days negotiation
| they came within $500 of striking bar
| gain, but at this point, no concessions
| being made on either side Cloth were
obstinate), and as neither would Weld
| further, the trade fell through, and they
started up the Hudson, reconnoitering-
all the way up until they came to CLAW
crack Landing, where they finally
purchased and settled"
The two merchants appear to have
scanned the ground carefully and taken
note as to where on the river they could
| find the most advantageous site for
commerce. They foresaw, with a sa-
gacity not frequent in that day and
generation, that in the vicinity of New
| York would center the traffic of the
| continent, and that the wharves of the
! East would in time be deserted for the
| superior facilities offered by the great
river which made Manhattan an island.
1t was not by any chance that they set
tied upon the site of Hudson. Accord.
ing to Winterbotham' history, they
found the stream up to that spot navi-
! gable for vessels of any size, and per-
haps they dreamed that they were found
ing city that would attract the COM
merce of Europe and of the Indies.
! Their dream, if such it was, has not
| been realized: but Providence has no
reason to be ashamed of her thrifty and
| lourishing colony which constituted one
| Of the most clIhSt aOtial communities i'm
the Empire State of New York.
The mayoralty of the new city, which
was incorporated in 1885, was held for
many years in the jenkins family. Seth
held the office until his death, in 1898,
and was succeeded by his brother
! Thomas, who also held the position
until his eath-conSecutiyely for fifteen
| years. Robert jenkins. son of Seth,
succeeded Thomas, and, with a lapse of
two years, was Mayor until his death in
| 1919. Like their kinsmpn in Rhode
| island, they embarked early in do
| nestle manufactures Robert, and his
| brother Seth and John f. jenkins
establishing the first mandatory of
cotton fabrics in the State of New Y ork,
at COiumbiaville. They also owned
vessels which carried their goods to the
principal markets Under the enter
prising direction of the jenkins family,
Hudson rapidly grew in prosperity,
until it became the third city in the
| State. While it has since been out
stripped by some other municipalities.
it has never lost the sound and solid
character impressed by its founders
Pr0cHencc Or. ~ journal.