The Stewart Place teams at the barns

The William & Betsy Stewart Farm

Betsy was the daughter of Jesse Goodrich Jr., who bought the farm in 1837

circa 1881-1891

4 ~ 1894 - Frederick C. Goodrich

After William G. Stewart's death in April 1894, Frederick C. Goodrich commenced the process of acquiring the farm from the Stewart estate.

Contents

Frederick C. Goodrich Buys the Farm and Perfects the Title

Apparently the title had never been formally transferred to the Stewarts from Jesse Goodrich Jr. (other than the unrecorded deed of his half interest from Jesse's son Lorenzo to Wm. D. Stewart in 1849), which may explain why there were no subsequent deeds in my grandfather's envelope [1].

First thing to appear in the public records I have found is a series of quit-claim deeds from members of the Stewart family. I haven't done the gealogical research to discover who these folks were but apparently they were intended to extinguish any claim the Stewart family may have had to the farm. These quit-claim deeds were recorded in the Columbia County Clerk's Office, together with the 1849 deed from Frederick C.'s father, Lorenzo J. Goodrich, to William D. Stewart. Then came a sale at public auction in January 1895 where he bought the property which was conveyed to him by Referee's deeds in May, 1895.

Sale of Real Estate

On Monday morning occurred the sale, at the law office of McClallans & Dardess, of four parcels of real estate to settle the estate of the late William Stewart who resided near Red Rock. The parcels consisted of the homestead which sold for $4500, the Cyprian Powell farm which brought $1100, a tenement house on the home farm $150, a six acre piece of land known as the Thomas Roach wood lot $50, a total of $5800. Lorenzo J. Goodrich purchased all. $5800 for these parcels seem a very low price, quality of land and buildings considered.

The Chatham Courier, Chatham N. Y., January 30, 1895 pg4

In October of 1895 Lorenzo J. Goodrich, for the sum of One Dollar, "grant and release unto the said parties of the second part, their heirs and assigns forever" the farm to Lorenzo's sons Jesse D. and Frederick C. Goodrich. This must be to extinguish any interest he may have had in the farm.

In March of 1899 Jesse D. and his father Lorenzo, for the sum of Twenty Five Hundred Dollars quit-claim the farm to Frederick C. Goodrich.

1920 - Jesse Carlton Goodrich Moves Back to Chatham

Jesse Carlton was one of Frederick C.'s youger sons. He had moved to Wisconsin in 1918, and in 1919 he married Elsie Goeres. A year later they moved back to Chatham for 12 years. I'm speculating they moved back to help his 65yo father with the farm.

1927-04-28 Dairymen's League Notes Passing of Mr. Fred Goodrich

DAIRYMEN ENJOY ANNUAL DINNER

Was Held at the Chatham House Last Saturday Night.

The Chatham Local of the Dairymen's League held their third annual dinner at the Chatham House on Saturday evening April 23.

Fifty dinners were served to League members their wives and a few invited guests.

After all had eaten their fill of the excellent well-served dinner for which the Chatham House is known cigars were passed and everyone settled themselves comfortably.

Director Culver then introduced Mr. Davis, Ulster County President, who told of the great success of the League. On the first of May the League will pay off its first certificate of indebtedness, which a great many people doubted it would ever be able to do. He praised the League attorneys for the victories they had won not only for the League but for the Wool Growers Association and other Co-operative organizations in their legal battles. Thus he brought out the fact that the League was not working only for the benefit of the dairy farmer but for all farmers.

He spoke of the great battle ahead, the fight against the bringing in of Western milk. He said it would hat eastern agriculture in its most vital spot as 53 per cent of all farm produce in New York State is milk. The eastern farmer cannot long compete with cheaper western milk. He reminded them that the price of milk is steadily approaching the cost of production plus a reasonable profit. But with western milk flooding the New York market the bottom would drop out of milk.

He urged the league members to help in this fight, to acquaint the business men of the community with this grave danger, dangerous to them as well as the farmer for it meant deserted farms and deserted farms mean less business.

Mr. Davis called attention to the Presentment by President Slocum of the League to the New York City, Board of Health and classed it as one of the greatest farm works of all times, A. B., Buchholz, Farm Bureau Manager spoke of the hearty support given the League by Columbia County Farm Bureau in the past and assured them of continued support.

President Russell of the local dairy men's league, and William Dean, County President each spoke n few words.

The President spoke with regret of the passing of Mr. Fred Goodrich one of the founders and the first President of the local Dairymen's League.

All present voted this the most successful dinner of the League has yet given.

From: The Chatham Courier, Page 1, 1927-04-28

Early in 1928, Jesse Carlton Goodrich bought the farm from his father's estate.

References

— revised 2024-07-02 jhc