Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-06-13
aENERAL JOHN HArHoRN.
A wiImingtonisn Conspicuous u
the History of Grunge COunty.N. y

A WtImingtoniAn Conspicuous in
the History of Orange COunty,N. X.
Warwick, N. Y, Dispatch.
II seems strange that the 6ubJect OF
this sketch, whose whole life was so
closely linked with the early history of
Orange county, during and subsequent
TO the trying times Of the Revolution,
should be almost entirely forgotten.
During a cursory search for facts con-
nected with his history we find few old
papers other than deeds, assessment rolls,
60, which OF themselves convey little
information, and there are but very few
now living among Us who even remsmber
him. Under these circumstances the
charge of ingratitude can hardly be laid
at the door OF the present generation,
who barely know that such man ever
existed, and II is only recently that hts
neglected grave has been remembered on
Memorial Day.
John Hathorn was born In Wilmington,
Del, January 9th, 1749. He was prob
ably Of Quaker origin, as Mr.. Samuel
Pelton remembers going to o prayer
meeting OF his house when little boy
which reaembled those Of that sect, al
though Hathorn did not conform to
their manners or customs. He came to
Warwick as school teacher and sur
veyor, probably few years before 1878,
for during that year he built the stone
house now owned by Pierson q. Ban
ford. Before settling here he is sup.
posed to have lived in Philadelphia and
then at Hamburg, N. j., where he was
connected with an iron industry and
where he acquired practical knowledge
of metallurgy, which he afterwsrd uttl-
lied.
About 1878 he was married to daugh.
ter OF Thomas yelling, great grand,
father Of the present Thomas yelling.
who lives on the site of the original Well.
ing homestead. Just this side of the
cemetery and o few rods north OF the
old school house that was torn down
several years ago, was an older SCHOOL
building where Hathorn probably taught
when he first came to Warwick. Very
little Is known Of his private life at this
time. He must have been student fol-
he gradually collected a large library
| which was open 10 tho community for
| reference. He became interested In the
1 iron manufacture and erected forge
near the Davis farm. The iron wnz
| oprted from the Double Pond mines,
which must have been worked much
earlier than 10 generally supposed,
Hathorn subsequently, kept o store and
inn, and across the road from the house,
erected potash works. His locality at
that time was considerable hamlet and
was known as Hathorn's Mills. The old
forge was subsequently taken from the
Davis place and either set up or the ma
| A. L. aka ha atat.
Morehouse, who lived where Mr.. Robert
DeKay now resides had blacksmith shop
near the road.
Hathorn was an ardent Wing and when
the non.importation agreement Of 1774
was passed he was among the signers.
Mr.. e. M. Ruttenbur of Newburgh has
his original signature to this agreement
as member OF the "Oonmittee Of safety
and observation" His loyalty was Of nc
uncertain kind and after the outbreak Of
the revolution he Esnams the confidential
correspondent of General Washington
His public services began in i777 wher
he becaIa& . member OF the first session
of the assembly u che state OF New Yori
held at Kingston and Pousskeepsie. Hs
was member the third session a King
ston and Albany in 1779-S0, Of the kti !,
OF Poughkeepsie in l7Si-2; Of the sixtl
at Poughkeepsie and Kingston In 17S2-S3
OF the seventh OF New York in 1884, whei
he was speaker and discharged the dutie
of the office in such satisfactory man
ner, that Colonel Peter Yates presented
him with valuable copy of LEX Par
limentaria," now in possession Of Johi
M. Burt. He was member of th,
eighth session OF New York in 17S4-85
In 1887 he was elected TO the state senat
from what was then known as tn
middle District" He was reelected
1888, 1889, and 1889 80. In 1888 h
was member of the Continental CON
gress and in 1883 he resigned his seat Il
become member Of the first Congress
of the United States-one of the six rep
resentatives from New York. In 1895 h
was again elected to the state assembly
and in the same year was again sent q
Congress. This session covered part
OF 1867. In 1900 he again became
state senator, and was returned in 1901
1902 and 1903. In 1904 we find MIN
member of assembly and the same yea
he acted as supervisor for the town o
Warwick. During this time he wss also
member of the constitutional convention
of 1888 and member Of the council o
appointment, which succeeded the exeeu
tive council of the colonial period, il
1887 and 0gain in l7S9. The four mem
bers of this body were chosen by TIT
assembly from the members OF theSenate
Such a record of varied public servio
covering period of 30 years when tn,
government was in state Of Transition
and construction is certainly remarkable
and with his extensive farm, professsona
and military duties bis was life Of men
tai and physical activity and often fraugh
with danger. 1t must be remembered
that in addition to all this his pronounced
loyalty to the struggling republic mus
have marked him for secret missions
stories of which exist in exaggerated ira
ditions.