Greene History Notes: Nineteenth century Ashland

I just received my membership renewal for the Ashland Historical Association. By my count there are at least 10 groups, big and small, in Greene County working to preserve our history. As County Historian I try to support them all when asked.

Ashland, one of our 14 towns, is an interesting place. For one thing it was the home of the Hedding Literary Institute, later called the Ashland Collegiate Institute and Musical Academy. Its most famous student was the noted author and naturalist John Burroughs. The town also lays claim to the birth place of Washington Hunt who was elected Governor of New York State in 1848.

Two roads that run through Ashland helped to fuel the town’s development in the 19th century: the Windham and Durham turnpike (now known as County Route 10), an offshoot of the Susquehanna Turnpike; and the Windham and Cairo Turnpike (now known as Route 23) which followed the Batavia Kill Creek to its juncture with the Schoharie Kill near Prattsville. These were the super highways of their day and brought a multitude of settlers and goods to the Mountain top. Many taverns sprang up to accommodate travelers. One in particular, the Bump Tavern, was moved from the town and now resides at the Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown.

Ashland was once part of Windham and was one of the last Greene County towns established in 1848. The town is said to have been named after the home of Henry Clay in Kentucky. I have never seen documentary support for that claim. Since the town once had a potash (made from ashes) mill, I wonder if that could be an alternate reason for the name. Writing in 2000 “Greene County: A Bicentennial Review” Joan Morales former Ashland Town Historian has the following to say about hamlet during the 19th century:

“The village of Ashland, once known as Scienceville, was quite an industrious place. The early village had wagon and blacksmith shops, a cooperage, a turning works (likely established to make wooden furniture), a cigar factory, a hat factory and a lumber mill. A potash mill was located at the eastern end of the village. Two churches, one Presbyterian and one Methodist Episcopal, met the spiritual needs of the villagers. As one approaches the village from the east, Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church still stands on the south side of Route 23. Although not the original church, it is a lovely gothic structure that houses the original bell from the Ashland Institute.”

Traveling westward toward Prattsville on Route 23, St. Joseph’s Chapel (circa 1830) and cemetery can be viewed on the north side of the road. It is believed to be the oldest Catholic Church in the Catskills and was built for Irish workers who came to work in the mills at Red Falls on the Batavia Kill Creek. The cemetery is the final resting place for 14 Irish girls (Colleens) who perished in a fire at the mill. They were buried in a mass grave. Sadly, we do not even know their names. More research needs to be done. If anyone knows more about this sad event, please contact me.

Not to be forgotten in this town are the farmers. Much grain was produced on the gently sloping hills. Rye, oats and buckwheat were popular crops. Sheep grazing and dairy farming were also popular ventures. The later activity prevailed well into the 20th century with dozens of farms producing milk.

This has been a very brief glimpse of Ashland. In the words of Joan Morales: “The town was a thriving community fueled by mills, farms, the tanning industry, and a great wave of migration to the western frontier. Now it lies in peaceful repose, beautiful and unharmed, a far cry from the early days of bustling growth and movement.”

To reach columnist David Dorpfeld, e-mail gchistorian@gmail.com or visit him on Facebook at “Greene County Historian.”