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Patterson, N.Y. was originally named Franklin when organized in 1795. The name was changed in 1808 to Patterson because several towns in the state had the name Franklin and confusion was rampant.
Patterson was made up of many small areas such as Four Corners (now Towners), Hinckley Pond (now Ice Pond), Haviland Hollow, and Patterson Village, which was sometimes called Patterson City.
One of the areas which has had much written about it is Haviland Hollow which was settled in 1731 by Jacob Haviland. The Havilands were Quakers from Massachusetts.
The Hollow, like many other areas, had its own Post Office, school and stores. From farming of the most primitive type, living became easier. Grain and cattle were raised, later sheep and large quantities of potatoes and fruit.
In 1934, Mrs. Minnie Barnum Durga wrote about the saw mill and grist mill on Quaker Brook and said she remembered standing and looking at the huge stones revolving and crushing the grain when she went to the district school between 1865 and 1875. The last of the milling was done about 1918 by Charles Bolton, son of John Platt Bouton.
Mrs. Ann Elise Haviland's reminiscences of the "Old School", the first in Haviland Hollow, goes back to the period of 1840, one year after the school opened. She also remembers the school known as the Academy which was on Clayhole Hill, now Brimstone Road. Mrs. Haviland had many memories of her many trips to and from school. "Imagine," she said, "a bright morning in May, when trees and fields have on their new coats of green, flowers are blooming and we are breathing their perfume. The birds in joyous song make our joy more complete. If we see God's hand in all this, then we in accord with it all, and while nature is praising God, so are we, and we go happily on our way, filled to the brine with delight."
Another place which meant so much to the life of Haviland Hollow was the Methodist-Episcopal C. M. E. Church which was dedicated in 1868. Mrs. James C. Gerow wrote, "Not until 1870 did I come into fellowship with the Hollow people. The Rev. Marvin R. Lent was then pastor of the New Fairfield and Hollow churches. Every Sunday afternoon the Hollow Church was filled to capacity. We were both members of the choir. I frequently played the Melodin."
In 1928 Mrs. Minnie Barnum Durga wrote in The Putnam County Courier, "what has been the meaning of this little church in Haviland Hollow? Surely more love to God and to man, it has meant an awakening to, and a closer following of the true principals of Christianity. Nothing can mean more than, this. So it has been God's great blessing."
Both, the church and parsonage still stand today, but have been remodeled to residences.
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| Pictured in a congregational portrait taken around the year 1900 of the Haviland Hollow Methodist Episcopal
Chapel, Patterson, are, left to right: The Rev. Willie Turnicliffe, who served the congregation from 1890 to 1901, Mrs.
Mary Whitehead, Mrs. Nettie Osborn, Miss Nina Phelps; sealed, the infant Clara Cullen, Mrs. Ralph Wildman of East Branch Road,
Georgia Cullen, Maud Whitehead, Cottee Strang, Charles Leonard, Mattie Van Keuren, Bessie
Kinner, Arnie Burch, Jennie Burch, Ethel Bouton, Eddie Dingee, Arthur Conklin, Harry Wheeler, Mary Edna McDonold, Josie
Pugsley, Marsha Brown, Ruth Turnicliffe, Blanche Osborne. Cora Leonard, Harry Howes, Daisy Wheeler.
The second photo shows another view of the Methodist-Episcopal Church at Cowl's Corners. The third photo show the church parsonage. Cowl's Corners was located approximately at the intersection of Haviland Hollow Road and East Branch Road. It took its name from the homestead of Benjamin Cowl. The September 10, 1897 edition of the Putnam County Courier mentions an English tea party held at the church, with about 100 attendees. $50 was raised for winter preparations. |
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| The Warren Wood house and barn on Haviland Hollow Road, east of Brimstone Road. The old Haviland Hollow Road can be seen on the left. The house on the left remains, but the one on the right was demolished to make way for the new Haviland Hollow Road, built in 1929. | Two views of the Benjamin Haviland homestead. This was the first house in Putnam County, located at Haviland Hollow Road and Brimstone Road. The first photo shows the west end; the second shows the east end. Benjamin Haviland was born in 1808 and made his living as a farmer. He was also appointed a Town assessor in 1795, and later served as a Justice of the Peace for 20 years. | |
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| The George Barnum home, located on Haviland Hollow Road. It is the first driveway on the right when traveling west from Connecticut Route 37. The house still stands. George and Susan Barnum moved here in 1856 and lived here until they died. George died in 1882, Susan in 1917. | The Platt Bouton house, which was located on the old Haviland Hollow Road near the Bouton mill pond that serviced the Bouton mill. The mill was located near the present Brimstone Road. The house was destroyed in 1929 to make way for the new Haviland Hollow Road. | |
| (all photos - Ed Scrivani) | ||