New-York tribune., 1908-05-24
KINGST0N's EARLY HISTORY.

r-t,-s,on ic not only of the Oldest selie-
ments In the state. but also among 'he cary se,
+lad rapions of the Western World Ii was oliiy
t,.~.,.ei eiobt years after the Pilgrims landed at
Plymouth Rock that formal settlement was maze maze
g., kingston in 1868. Although a permanent settle
.n+ was begun in 1868 by Thomas Champers'
,.o+tvs Hendrix Christopher Davis and Jonah ue
I1,tr who came from the vicinity OF Albany, py
some historians 1t has been asserted ,ha' an IN
portant trading post had already beeh III eAiSe NJ
,tora for ,nanv years, under the auspices OF the
I-pi+ad New Netherland Company, even ahteuat-
,r, the pilgrims But investigation has falied 10
show documentary evidence OF this tact.
For the 25th anniversary great preparations nave
,,aen in nrogress for weeks. A large committee OF
Iaa7i,g citizens has been devising plans and ar
ranging details which, it hopes VIII result III
blaze Of glory -, - - ,,..aer
IT., snd seventy white settlers in this little ESQ
ms settlement Then, with the AID OF Governor
-+,,,,,osant small village laid out ana a
stockade for defence against Indian narauaers
was huilt In May, 1861, a formal charler WAS
Granted by Governor Stuyvesant under the name
e v.tlrUvck The houses were of logs, one story
- Nth q garret or loft and about fifty IN
number Two years later the settlers were aeoii'
in conflict with the savages VINO leil tneliiSe'e ~
.ha 1.;ctin7s of Injustice Many OF the whites were
r,n .nd some of the homes were burned But
. ,o-nanent peace finally effected In lbo4'
when the entire Esopus region passed from Du'ch
IN English control. This treaty Wild the iIiidii'
s ratieed by the delivery Of wampum beit'
which is still treasurer hiiioiis 'i'
Of the county .,. - r..
The name was changed from Wiltwyck and ESQ
nus TO Kingston in September. 1863 Nearly all inc
settlers were Dutch, and Ensllsh uoii'iid ~ M
onLled IN their bosoms For short time aIter
the recapture of New York by the Dutch III lo''
,nere was period Of rejoicing. But with the re-
turn of English rule in the fall or 1913 ne" ioi ii
of oppression more serious and ihtoieIapie 'naii
before began Dishonest and selfish rulers begah
a reign OF tyranny which was bitterly resented IN
I,,rse.on and lasted over hundred years King
ston was the scene Of many stirring ana iihpoi
tant events during the formative perlod Oh uho
Republic 17S5 it was seriously colisiuee y,
C,ongress as a location for the national capitai'
- so,are miles of land in the centre OF the Town
being offered for that purpose. IL was 'he capi
tai Of the new State Of New YORK for some tiine'
all the official business being transacted .ne
The town was destroyed by the BRUSH ioi0oS
Sar General Vaughan in October. III
II was on July p of that year that Governor
George Clinton was inaugurated as the hrst stats
Executive in front of the old stone courthouse
vbere the first state constitution was read 10 the
oor,o who had assembled at the call OF the OLD
rutch bell in the tower Of the Dutch church across
the street 1t was this old courthouse that Chiel
Justice John Jay held the first term OF the gu
,er,e Court on September 8, l77. and delivered the
srs, charge to the grand jury. This old court
house and jail built in l7S2 ana reconstructed
IN 1873 and has been extended and enlarged from
time TO time since then. model new Jall was
sdded in the a few years ago To-day IL Is
aoarded as among the finest and best preserved
stone buildings of the early period. In fact King
ston has long been known for its old stone build
fp.e which have stood the ravages Of time.
The old Senate House, now the property OF the
s,a, is a conspicuous example of these old struct-
,res The limestone used in all these buildings and
e,en the mortar in which the stones were imbed-
dad is as firm as This Senate House was
,,uilt in 1876 In it the first Senate OF New YORK
artzad and held its sessions, the first meeting
h.ino on September 10 177l. 1t was purchased by
,s state in 1857 has since been carefully pre-
served being visited by people who are interested
an the rare collection Of relics and antiques which