This text appeared in an Historical Journal published September 1954 by the Monticello Sesquicentennial Committee. A copy is available at the Crawford Library.

"Those heavenly mountains" were all there was of our Monticello in 1803 -- but in the mind of Samuel Frisbee Jones and his brother, John Patterson Jones, they were a thriving village, and the perfect site for this capital of a newly formed county!

Two miles eastward, the village of "Albion" (now Thompsonville) had been settled by Judge William A. Thompson, in the late 1790's. (The Town of Thompson was named for him - a compliment of which he was justly proud, especially as it is the only town which bears the name of a citizen of the county.) It contained a saw-mill, a tavern, and a grist-mill (for the grinding of grains), and seemed on its way to being "the" important community of the Town. While Judge Thompson was settling his village, the "Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike Company" was chartered to build a road connecting the Hudson and Delaware Rivers. A young surveyor from New Lebanon, Connecticut, named Samuel F. Jones became interested in its affairs and our history was in the making! In 1802, he explored the forests west of Mamakating valley for a feasible route, and came to the conclusion that when the road was completed, a new county would be formed from the southwestern territory of Ulster, and that there would be a very considerable influx of settlers to the region thus opened. Believing that the capital of this new county would be on this important thoroughfare, he decided that its present location was a favorable point for settlement. Immediately, he explained his object to his brother, John P., and in March 1803, they bought two tracts of land containing 1861 acres for $4,613.

James E. Quinlan's "History of Sullivan County," published in 1873, is our most accurate source of information of these early days and we will follow it closely. So we learn that these two brothers were extremely different. Samuel Jones was "an active, energetic man, of quick, decided utterance. In his early days, his mind was sound and vigorous, and his executive talent of a superior order. His intellect fathomed a project promptly. --" John P. was "of slow and hesitating speech. As a business man he was cautious and sagacious, slow and sure. He never engaged in any matter which he did not understand thoroughly. He saw a cause, and traced it to its logical end with infinite pains and unerring persistency."

As Samuel Jones was occupied in making the turnpike road, it devolved on John P. to go ahead and improve their land. In 1803 he brought eleven men with him from Connecticut and work was commenced on a sawmill - somewhere in the vicinity of St. John Street and the depot. The work proceeded with great difficulty and it has been recorded that two workmen, in attempting to go to the mill from their log house, lost the path near where the Methodist Church now stands, and wandered through stumps and laurel-thickets for eight hours before finding the way. The mill was so far finished by the 1st of December that it could be used for sawing lumber. Both brothers returned to New Lebanon for the winter. but were back early in the spring of 1804. The sawmill was put into operation, part of a lot was cleared and seeded, and then they built a small grist-mill for their own needs.

The exact route of the Turnpike Company through the Town of Thompson was not determined until the spring of this year (1804). Judge Thompson (of Thompsonville, who had recently been appointed a Judge of Ulster County, was a gentleman of standing and influence, the owner of 20,000 acres of land, and naturally he and his friends and dependents wanted the road to run through their settlement. They never expected serious opposition from those comparative newcomers, the Jones brothers of Monticello. But the residents of Thompsonville were mistaken. Samuel F. Jones's connection with the Turnpike Company and his frequent intercourse with those who controlled its affairs, gave him tile greater influence - the road line was run and established precisely where Sam Jones desired to have it. The brothers then located their intended village, and before there was even a log hut in it, surveyed the streets and tile "public square," the lines of which they marked on the forest trees! At the same time, they gave the name of Monticello (after the residence of their President, Thomas Jefferson, of whom they were ardent admirers) to their unbuilt village!

Monticello's main street is one mile in length, eight rods wide, and straight; its park or green is central, on the side of a gentle elevation, the summit of which is crowned with the Court-house, and Presbyterian Church. These things are the result of a flexed purpose on the part of two apparently practical Yankees - they founded a beautiful capital for the county, which will proclaim their wisdom and worth to future generations.

After surveying the principal streets of tile village. the brothers advertised in the newspapers of Duchess and other counties that they would give mechanics and others, village lots of one acre each if they would build and settle on them. John P. Jones then selected a lot for his own residence, and on the 4th of September, 1804, cut down the first tree with his own hands. With his hired help, he cleared the lot, and built the house which was ready to be occupied early in December. This building has been enlarged add improved and continued to be his residence until his death. It is a well-known landmark on our main street today.

Samuel Jones and John P. both married. John P. Jones' first wife lived only a short while. Soon after coming to Monticello, he married Phoebe Ecker of Newburgh and by her he had 2 sons; Samuel, died in childhood, and William who later married and for a time was a merchant in Monticello; and three daughters. Samuel F. and his wife had 2 children, a son and a daughter, lint there are not known to be any living descendants.

Platt Pelton, a young tanner of South East, Putnam County, N.Y., having heard of the flattering prospects of Monticello, came to Monticello in the summer of 1804 to see for himself. He found a sawmill and Jones' temporary shanty, but not another building of any kind! However, he saw enough of Monticello's possibilities to induce him to settle with his amiable and beautiful young wife, in 1805, and build the second house in Monticello on the corner of Main St. (Broadway) and Tannery Road (now Spring St.) His house is not in existence.

He also constructed a tan-yard, and cleared land south of tile village. He was one of the most useful and respected residents. He held several offices of trust and responsibility, was Judge of the County and the father of several sons and daughters. One of his sons married John P.'s daughter, Parthenia.

In this same year of 1805, John P. Jones built a large blacksmith shop, and cleared and cultivated several more acres of land. Miles Curtis put up a house, and made the turnpike road through the budding village. Besides this, Curtis Lindley commenced building a hotel - the Courts of the County were afterwards held in this building until the court-house was completed. John Jones opened a store in his house. and several new dwellings were built, a tannery was being land out, and on the outskirts of the village toward Sackett Lake, toward Bridgeville and towards the west, a dozen or more farmsteads had been opened. Monticello was growing.

Three road Commissioners were elected for the Town of Thompson as early as April, 1804. The of these Commissioners was Samuel Pelton, who although not a Monticello resident (he lived near Sackett Pond), was very influential in organizing the Presbyterian Church in Monticello in 1810. At this time he was a tireless lay missionary, but later some leading members of the Hudson Presbytery convinced him that he should study for the ministry. This he did, and in a few months completed his theological course and was licensed to preach. So earnest and successful was he in his labors that he may be styled the father of Presbyterianism in Sullivan Co. Many of his descendants are among Monticello's best known and useful citizens today.

In 1805 or 1806 David Hammond came to Monticello to try to better his circumstances. Although he himself never became wealthy he was active in Monticello's growth and his descendants have been most influential and well-noted in the years of Monticello's history. To our knowledge, his family is the next oldest to the Jones family, that still has members living in Monticello today, and we include his family tree in our booklet with pride.

Related Link

Gravesite of John Patterson Jones, restoration ceremony on 08-12-1997 held by Monticello Lodge #532, F.&A.M.

David Hammond Family Tree

David Hammond, son of Asa Hammond was born in Windam County, Conn., in 1765. He married Elizabeth Smith. Their daughter, Lorena Hammond married Capt. Stephen Hamilton. Their children were (1) Marietta, who married Sen. Dan B. St. John -- no children, (2) Maria Katharine who married Munson Bushnell, (3) Elizabeth, who married Clinton V. R. Ludington -- their daughter was: Maria Catharine, who married Burdell S. Johnson -- their daughter, Katharine Ludington Johnson married H. Blake Stratton; and they had four children: Jean Hamilton -- married Rex R. Murphy; Marjorie Elizabeth -- married Karl Kaufman; Ludington-- married Louise Tiffinger; and Henry married Josephine Harris. Mr. and Mrs. H. Blake Stratton also have 11 grandchildren. (4) Nathan S. Hamilton died of consumption; (5) George B. Hamilton went west; and (6) Augusta C. Hamilton married Richard Oakley their daughter, Hannah Oakley married Frank Geraghty and their daughter, Harriet married John F. Hearne.

In the year of 1806 Ezra Reynolds erected the old James Brush house (believed to be the Unkenholz farm on Cemetery Road), where such men as Livingston Billings boarded and made their headquarters.

Livingston Billings was the first lawyer of Monticello and came here from Poughkeepsie before Sullivan was a county, or Monticello much more than a forest. The story goes that he came here on horseback, expecting to find a thriving village, and that he rode through Main Street and over the westward hill without realizing he'd reached his destination. When he made inquiries in regard to the "future capital of a future county," he was informed that he'd just passed through it!

He opened an office in the old James Brush house soon after, and then built and occupied a law-building which stood next to Dr. Kornblum's residence, Broadway. This building was long a landmark and housed Randall S. Street, Alfred B. Street, William B. Wright and C.V.R. Ludington. I believe it remained until the fire of 1909 precisely as it was when death closed the honorable and useful life of Ludington Billings.

In 1807 Samuel F. Jones made a large addition to his dwelling, and having nearly finished the turnpike road, he turned his attention to the erection of a new county. The first application to the legislature in 1808 was unsuccessful. At the 1809 session, application was made again, and though opposed by citizens of Ulster, the act erecting the County of Sullivan was passed March 27th 1809. This act led to a triangular contest between Liberty, Thompsonville and Monticello as each place was desirous of securing the county buildings.

The people of Liberty were very active in their competition, but Monticello had the advantage of being situated on the great thoroughfare from the Hudson to the Delaware. Besides this, it cannot be denied that Samuel F. Jones was at that time tile most influential man in the county as well as the most subtle and sagacious. He had dreamed of Monticello as the County-seat, and now he labored to make it so.

The site of the court-house and jail, under the law, was to lie determined by Commissioners appointed by the Governor of the State. Samuel F. went to Albany to secure the favorable action of Governor Tompkins. The latter, not wishing to decide hastily, said he wished to hear all the claimants first. Jones returning home, met on tile road a delegation from Liberty, whom he advised to go back, "As the matter was already determined!" Maybe this was true in one sense, but it was not yet an accomplished fact. The Liberty gentlemen returned home, as did Jones. But as quickly as he'd attended to private affairs, he journeyed back to Albany. The Governor soon appointed Win. Ross of Newburgh; Joseph Merrill, also of Orange County and Abraham Schenck of Duchess County. There is no doubt that all three were interested, directly or indirectly, in the Newburgh Cochecton Turnpike and approving of any measure promoting that work. They very naturally decided in favor of Monticello. The site was secured! But not the Court house! A majority of the Supervisors of the new county were hostile to Monticello and hindered all efforts made towards the erection of the county buildings. Although, the building was of wood, and could have been put up in 6 months, it was not ready for occupancy until January, 1814, nearly 5 years after the establishment of the county.

On the 11th day of June, 1809. Governor Tompkins and council appointed the following officers for the County: Wm. A. Thompson, First Judge; Samuel F. Jones and Elnathan Sears, Judges; John Conklin, Tabez Wakeman and David Hammond, Assoc. Justices; Uriah Lockwood -- Sheriff; John P. Jones, County Clerk.

On the 1st Tuesday of October, 1809, the first term of the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions was held at the house of Curtis Lindley in Monticello. Livingston Billings and Charles Baker were admitted to practice as attorneys and counselors of the courts of the county. There being no grand jury and no business to attend to, the Court adjourned to the 2nd Tuesday of January, 1810.

Previous to 1811 many who lived in tile interior of Sullivan were obliged to travel or send to Montgomery, Orange County, to mail or receive letters. There was not a mail route or a post office in the county. In 1811, a post route went into operation from Newburgh to Ithaca, by way of Monticello, Binghamton and Owego, and a post office was established at Monticello with Samuel F. Jones as postmaster. During the next year he vacated the office, and his brother, John P. Jones, was appointed to fill his place.

Soon after the act to organize Sullivan as a county in 1809 became a law, David Hammond built the Mansion House (where the Monticello Inn now stands [see photo below]). His building has since been owned by Steinhen Hamilton, (his son-in-law), John C. Holley, Wm. Crandall, and Solomon W. Royce, and additions were made to it from time to time until it was the largest hotel building in Sullivan, Orange, Ulster and Delaware Counties. Mr. Herman Machson is now The Inn's able manager and owner. In early times, it was the headquarters of the staging business.

"With cracking whip the stage coach rolls away
And Monticello greets another day."