Excerpt from "Recollections of Half a Century"

by the "Old Schoolmaster" June 1872

Lastly, I will only trouble you with one locality more, – a kind of little ‘city set on a hill.’ Fifty years ago Scotchtown had its Presbyterian Church, with Methuselah Baldwin for pastor. The community came honestly by its name. Among the early settlers might be mentioned the McWilliamses, McCarters, McWhorter, McVey, McGinnis, McLaughlin, McNeal, McClure, with others of less Scotch in name, but none the less in composition. Not far on the Middletown road stood, and still stands, now unoccupied, probably the oldest residence in the town of Wallkill, built of stone in 1791 by Caleb Goldsmith, Sr. Dr. Joshua Hornbeck was then the practicing physician. The village had its store, – the first by Robt. Sterritt, then by Everson; its tavern by Elijah Seeley, afterwards by Jno. G. Houston; also a blacksmith and wagon shop, the latter by Thos. Bell. David Slauson (father of Charles Slauson) was a thoroughgoing carpenter of the neighborhood. The burying-ground opposite the church had been in use already a long period for the purpose. The first church edifice was constructed too far back for the writer’s knowledge. It was not seated and finished, however, until 1806. The place had no post-office till years later. Mail matter was received at an office known as ‘Wallkill,’ kept by Monell, about a mile south of Stony Ford Bridge. Here also election was held for some years, though not the town-meetings.

Scotchtown occupies one of the most elevated and sightly situations in Orange County. An incident: On receipt of the news of the favorable termination of the battle of New Orleans, and conclusion of the treaty of peace after the war of 1812, the staid inhabitants resolved on a public rejoicing and church illumination, which proved a decided success, the illumination attracting general attention and remark through a large extent of country commonly known as the valley of the Wallkill. But, better still, its moral light was never hid, since it has nearly uniformly, and justly too, enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most solid, sober, and religious communities to be found.