ANCIENT MILTON FERRY.
(By C. Meech Woolsey.)
Scraps of History and Tradition About an Early Enterprise.
           
The early history of this ferry is all tradition.  About 1740, there was a ferry established across the Hudson river from a point on the west side a half mile south of what is the present steamboat landing at Milton, to some point at, or near, what is now the Gill place, or at what was Barnegat.
           
What kind of vessel was then used can not now be determined, but was supposed to have been a row or sail boat of some kind.  It was adequate to carry wagons, teams, cattle, etc.
           
The country that now comprises the towns of Marlborough and Plattekill and some lands on the south, was early settled by English people who had previously settled in what is now Westchester county and Long Island, and children of such settlers.
           
After 1720 and up to revolutionary times, large numbers of settlers poured into this part of the country.  They brought their families, teams, cattle, and all their worldly goods with them.  They crossed from the east side to the west side of the river by means of this ferry. They also kept up intercourse for many years with those they had left behind.  This, I think, is the reason the ferry was established so early.  A means of crossing was needed, so they provided some rude vessel that would answer the purpose.
           
After this early means of crossing was in operation, people naturally came here to use the ferry for miles up and down the river on either side.  My great, great grandfather, Richard Woolsey, was among these early settlers.  He was born at Bedford, Westchester county in 1697, came here when a young man and purchased an original patent of land, granted by Queen Anne, of several hundred acres lying adjoining this ferry on the south, parts of which lands are now owned by me.  He and his descendants left numerous traditions about this boat.  It was in use and used by Richard Woolsey up to the time of his death in 1777, and at that time was burned at Barnegat and brought over by this ferry.  
           
Nicholas Hallock, the oldest man in the town, says he well remembers when a child, hearing his great uncle Edward Hallock, and his grandfather, Hull tell about using this ferry and how it was built, the way it was entered, etc.
           
I cannot find any charter for it, or who was the first owner.  In our ancient town records of road districts for the year 1779, I find as follows: "Nathanial Marker's District, No.1.  Beginning at Major DuBois's north line, runs to Zadock Lewis's house at the crossroad leading to the ferry." and also, "William Woolsey's District. No. 5.  Beginning at Lattemores ferry at the river, running south of Jeremiah Beagles in Latting Town."  Benoni Lattemore owned the ferry at this time and had been the owner for some years previously.  Afterward and some time prior to 1789 Elijah Lewis owned it.  He had a dock and also carried on business there. It was claimed at one time that T---lis Anthony [paper damaged] owned it, and before him by one Van Keuren.  These last two owners resided on the east side of the river.  It is referred to in a map of the post road south of Poughkeepsie made in 1798 as Lewis's ferry.
           
On an ancient map dated 1797, made from the surveys and field book of Dr. Benjamin Eley, by Henry Livingstone, of Poughkeepsie, for Stephen Nottingham, supervisor of the town of Marlborough, it is set down as Powell's dock and ferry.
           
Jacob and Thomas Powell, who had a store and tavern, ran this ferry and also a line of sloops to New York city that carried the wood, produce, etc., for the farmers for a wide extent of country, and brought back their supplies.  The Powells were here several years.  Thomas Powell afterwards and about 1800 moved to Newburgh, became very successful and acquired a large fortune.  The steamers, Thomas Powell and Mary Powell were named after him and his wife.  It has been claimed that his first money was made here by the ferry and his other enterprises.
           
At a later date Benjamin Townsend ran this ferry and carried on business.  I can find no mention of it after about 1810, and presume it was then discontinued, as none of the oldest inhabitants of this neighborhood can remember this ferry, though they have heard about it from their parents and grandparents.  
           
A ferry had been established at Poughkeepsie about 1798, as appears by an advertisement of a ferry (1798) in the Poughkeepsie Journal.
           
"N. B. The Ferryes is now established upon a regular plan, and travelers to the westward will find it much to their convenience to cross, the river at the above place as it shortens their journey, and they may be sure they will meet with no detention."
           
By 1810 the Barnegat lime business had commenced to decline and emigration from Westchester county and Long Island has ceased, so a great part of the usefulness of the ferry had gone by 1810.
           
People journeyed by means of this ferry from Massachusetts and Connecticut to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the west.  During the revolution, continental soldiers crossed here to and from the eastern states; specie, currency and provisions for the army were also carried.  Washington with his body guard or attendants is supposed to have crossed on this ferry on one occasion.
           
All the description of the boat or vessel used as the ferry, that we have, is that it was a rude scow or barge of some kind with sails and oars which ran most of the time on signals.  It could carry teams, cattle and passengers; and it was said that at times horses were tied behind and swam over.  It was said to have been the same kind of a boat as the boat then running at Troy.  It must have been a strong boat, for it made trips in stormy weather, but not during the season when ice was on the river.  The sides would be let down, and it was entered in this way.  There is no tradition that there ever was an accident or loss of life by means of the ferry.
           
To be sure there must have been different boats at different times as the old ones wore out, but the description of all was about the same.  Very little, if any, shelter was provided and it was only temporary when it was.  In heavy storms the vessel lay at its dock.  The landing on the east side of the river must have been in the vicinity of Barnegat or at least it landed there a part of the time, for the ferry carried quantities of lime and lime rock to this side.  This was one of the supports of the ferry.  The lime business at Barnegat was commenced soon after the close of the revolution, and it is claimed lime was burned there during the war or even before as people used lime from somewhere before that time all about here and the surrounding country.  
           
At least soon after the war we had lime kilns on the west side and they must have been started soon after those at Barnegat, as there has never been lime rocks about here, and the rock was brought over and burned here.  
           
I find in our ancient records in the laying out of a road. "A return of an open public road as follows:  We, the commissioners for the town of Marlborough, in the year 1790, in the month of June.  By a petition from the freeholders and inhabitants of said town for a public road or highway from Latting Town to Hudson river, have laid it out as follows:  ***  [sic]  Said road is to extend four rods down the hill from the upper side of the road as it now runs down to Lewis lime kiln: the said road to go either side of said Elijah Lewis's dwelling house wherever it shall be thought most convenient for the good of the publick, down to low water mark to extend four rods up and four rods down the river from the lime kiln. ***"  [sic]     
The Powells also had lime kilns.  Quimby, Anning Smith and others.  The stones for these kilns came from Barnegat.  By the map of Dr. Benjamin Eley and Henry Livingston, above referred to, there are designated on the map 20 limekilns at Barnegat.  I cannot find that a company owned them.
           
Barnegat had a store, a schoolhouse and a Church or else preaching was held in the schoolhouse.  A Methodist exhorter from here held services there.
           
ln an ancient Gazetteer of the state, I find as follows: "Marlborough, a small township in southeast corner of Ulster county. on the west shore of the Hudson, opposite Barnegat."
           
There was maintained at one time an efficient company of militia.  It was said that during navigation there was hardly a time that one or more sloops were not there loading lime: and at one time a line of sloops carried the lime rock from there to New Brunswick, New Jersey, to burn there.  Tom Gill and his father burned lime there.  One kiln was near their house.
           
There is a tradition here about the Gills.  It is that when Vaughn went up the river, a corporal and two of the men were sent ashore in a rowboat to burn the mill on the site of the present mill.  The then owner begged them to spare the mill, and said to the corporal whose name turned out to be Gill, that if he would not burn the mill, he could come back and marry his daughter after the war, at the same time pointing out an attractive young girl.              
It appears that the corporal, to deceive the soldiers on the vessel, burned some old buildings about there, and many years afterward the old mill was torn down, and the present mill erected.
           
The old mill, in the account given by General Clinton, is called Buren's mills.  But this is wrong as I cannot find that Van Buren ever owned it, but it was owned by one Van Keueren.
           
The old mill was spared, and the corporal afterward returned, married the girl and became the owner of the property.  It is claimed to this day that he was the father of Tom Gill who died fifty or sixty years ago.
           
There were two roads leading to Barnegat, one from a southerly direction and one from an easterly or northeasterly direction which were used as such years before any roads about there were regularly laid out.  When a child I had heard old men about here telling of having worked at these kilns and crossing with the ferry when they were young.  They received $1 a day which at that time was considered princely pay, and such work was then sought for; farm laborers then receiving 50 cents or less a day.
           
Lime carried by this ferry was drawn and used not only in the towns of Marlborough and Plattekill. but in the towns of Paltz, Shawangunk and what is now Gardiner.  Numerous houses all over these towns are still standing that were built with Barnegat lime.  The tradition is that the lime was considered a very superior quality, but the rock was either worked out or a better article found elsewhere, as for many years no lime has been produced there.
           
The roads on both sides of the river were used as highways at least fifty years before they were laid out and recorded by the highway commissioners.  There is a tradition about another ferry which I can not reconcile.  It is that in 1777 when Gen. Vaughn's expedition went up the river, Samuel Hallock, the old Quaker minister went out in a row boat to meet the fleet, and when taken on the flagship said to Vaughn that he was a non-combatant, a Quaker, and was opposed to the war, and at the same time pointed out to the General his ferry boat along the shore.  Vaughn gave orders not to disturb the Quaker or his boat, and the vessel was saved.  But Hallock may have had this ferry as this was in 1777, and we have seen that Lattimer had the ferry in 1779.  It is possible that it may have been a boat used for some other purpose, but was always spoken of as a ferry boat in the traditions.  Hallock at this time owned Brushes Landing, afterwards Sands Dock, and he most likely carried on business from there.
           
At the dock from which the ferry ran there was an ancient stone house, almost a fort, as the walls were so thick and strong.  It was made for a store, tavern, freight house, etc.  It was torn down when the West Shore railroad took the land.  There was quite a history and many traditions about this old house.  There had previously been a house on the same site and other buildings about there,
           
In March 1849, the Milton ferry was established by Captain Sears.  It ran from just  at the
dock at Milton to the Gill dock.  Sears ran the ferry for three years and then sold to Jacob Handley who conducted it until about 1862.  The boat used had for its motive power four mules, who turned a tread wheel for the power.  It run regularly and was a great convenience to the entire neighborhood, and for miles back in the country on this side.  It was the regular route to Poughkeepsie, and to the Milton ferry, the station on the Hudson river road.  It also carried the mails.  At one time the Gills through whose lands the road leading from the ferry and the railroad station to the post road led, attempted to close it claiming it was a private road, but it was afterward arranged by them or the town authorities so that it was continued as a public road.

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As a boy I grew up in Port Ewen, a village south of Kingston. I remember the "Skillypot" as an almost square, rectangular-shaped, steam-driven chain ferry that ran on the Rondout Creek between Rondout (part of Kingston) and the hamlet of Sleightsburg. The ferry pulled herself back and forth across the creek on a chain which rolled up on a drum in her hold.

Her formal name was "Riverside" but no one ever called her that. She was universally called the "Skillypot" (a Dutch derivative meaning "turtle") and a lot of other names as well, the kindest of which was "Otherside" by those who had just missed connections.

The Skillypot was a relic of the foot passenger and horse and wagon era. She was placed in service in 1870 and ran without interruption, except for periodic maintenance and repairs, until 1922 when the present suspension bridge carrying Route 9-W over the Rondout Creek was opened to traffic.

From the time automobiles came into general use until the Skillypot stopped running in Oct., 1922, she was a source of anger and frustration to those vacationing motorists who travelled northward on Route 9-W on holiday weekends and came to a halt somewhere south of the Rondout Creek in a growing line of autos waiting to cross on the ferry. Because the Skillypot could only carry about four cars, the backup was usually considerable and meant a long wait for most of those in line.

There was a small iron bridge across the Rondout, upstream from Kingston, at a place called Eddyville. But few, if any, of the waiting drivers knew of this crossing. The situation was made to order for any enterprising boys of the area who worked the waiting line of autos offering to show their drivers a detour across the creek for a fee, usually a quarter or half-dollar.

The procedure, when hired, was to ride the running board of the car and direct the drive "around the mountain" to Eddyville, over the bridge and back to the ferry slip in Rondout. The trip back to the ferry took the unsuspecting motorist a bit out of the way but it got the boy guide back to the ferry – which he then boarded, crossed to Sleightsburg for the two-cent passenger fare and started the procedure all over again.
​
The Skillypot was unique and served a real purpose for a long time. But she didn't fit into the 20th century and when she finally stopped running I doubt if there were any who mourned her passing.

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If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!

Editor’s Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article featuring stories by Captain William O. Benson (1911-1986). Beginning in 1971, Benson, a retired tugboat captain, reminisced about his 40 years on the Hudson River in a regular column for the Kingston (NY) Freeman’s Sunday Tempo magazine. Captain Benson's articles were compiled and transcribed by HRMM Contributing Scholar Carl Mayer. This article was originally published July 17, 1977.

​In the long ago days of Hudson River steamboating, almost every city and larger village along the river had its own steamboat line to New York. Each line would have at least two boats to maintain daily service —each boat going down one day and back the next.
 
The steamers of the lines north of Newburgh were known as night boats, since they usually departed in the late afternoon or early evening and arrived at their destination in the early morning. All would carry freight on their main decks, and on the deck above were staterooms which offered sleeping accommodations for passengers.
 
Generally, travelling on the night boats was an extremely pleasant way to make a journey to or from New York. The river was always attractive in the evening and almost always one could count on a good night's sleep. The exceptions were when the steamer ran into fog and the pilot had to blow the boat's whistle, or if one had a stateroom right next to the paddle wheels.
 
Saugerties was one of those towns that had its own steamboat service. The company's name was the Saugerties and New York Steamboat Company and it was operated by mostly hometown men. During its last 20 years or so of service it was promoted (and known) to the travelling public as the Saugerties Evening Line.
 
Shortly after World War I, the outfit had two small, smart sidewheelers named Ulster and Ida. On one particular trip the Ulster left Pier 43, North river, in New York at her regular time. She had freight for all her landings, which in those days were at Hyde Park, Rhinecliff, Barrytown, Ulster Landing and Tivoli. She ended her journey at Saugerties. Most of her staterooms were also occupied.
 
She made very good time until she reached Crum Elbow, just south of Hyde Park, when it started to get foggy. At the time, she was overtaking the Catskill Line freighter Storm King. Of course, the fog signals had to be sounded on both steamers. A Cornell tow was  also on its way down the river, blowing the one-long-and-two-short whistle signal indicating they had a tow underway. The helper tug back on the tow, as a matter of courtesy, was also blowing its whistle, since it was back a good 500 feet from the towing tug.
 
What a racket of steam whistles that must have been in those early morning hours off Hyde Park! I suppose Franklin D. Roosevelt, if he was at home, the Vanderbilts and the great naturalist John Burroughs were awakened by all those steamboat whistles. Then, on top of all that, the big night boats out of Albany and Troy came along, sounding their whistles in the fog.
 
The passengers on the Ulster sure had a tough time trying to sleep. Some were up complaining about all the whistling. Others just stayed in their staterooms and put up with it. Then, a short while later after things got reasonably quiet again, came the landing at Rhinecliff with the organized confusion of unloading freight. There would be the sound of the hand freight trucks going on and off the gangplank, and the mate sounding off to the freight handlers to get the freight off so they could get out on time.
 
After leaving Rhinecliff, all was serene for a few moments except for the periodic blowing of the fog signal. However, off Astor's tunnel they met a canal tow which was crossways in the channel and this caused more whistle blowing. After the tow was cleared came the landing at Barrytown with the noise of the freight trucks and an argument between two freight handlers, which was brought to a stop by the authoritarian voice of the mate.
 
The Ulster then headed across the river to Ulster Landing. As was the custom on the night boats, a hallman would knock on the door of the stateroom of a passenger getting off at a particular landing about 10 minutes before docking, and announce the landing. Sometimes, a passenger would have to listen pretty closely, for some of the hallmen were like some of the conductors on the old West Shore Railroad — they had an odd way of pronouncing the names of the stations or landings.
 
In any event, the hallman knocked on the door of the stateroom of an Ulster Landing passenger and called out, "Ulster Landing, Ulster Landing." A lady passenger bound for Saugerties, in a stateroom or two away, also heard the knocking and the announcement "Ulster Landing." After all the whistle blowing since Hyde Park and the noise at Rhinecliff and Barrytown, she in all probability had been sleeping fitfully and in her half-awake state thought the knock was at her door.
 
When the lady heard the announcement "Ulster Landing," she may have reasoned that she was on the Ulster, and if the steamer was landing it was time to get off. In any event, she got up, got dressed and when the steamer ghosted through the fog. into the dock at Ulster Landing, she was at the gangway. As soon as the gangplank was put out, she walked ashore.
 
There was very little freight for Ulster Landing, so the gangplank was taken in and the Ulster was on her way for Tivoli in but a few moments. As the steamer disappeared into the fog, it must have come as a rude shock to the lady to find herself virtually alone on a river dock before dawn. It sure wasn't Saugerties!
 
After the Ulster left the dock, there was only one kerosene lantern for light and everything was so dark and still. The only other person around was the dockmaster who was an elderly man and very hard of hearing. He got all shook up with this well dressed lady alone in the freight shed. Finally, she got him to understand the mistake she had made. The dockmaster then got a chair for her to sit in until daylight, when he got a friend of his with a horse and wagon to take her on to Saugerties.
 
I often wondered if she ever made the trip to Saugerties again by steamboat.

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