Page 9 - Town of Newcomb Newsletter - September October 2021

In the years that followed, Pendleton turned his attention to purchasing wil-
derness land in the Catskills and Adirondacks. In 1808, Pendleton purchased
the 5,000 North Country acres of what had been called the Ord Patent, so
named for its grantee, the British Lt. Colonel Thomas Ord, who distinguished
himself during the French and Indian War. The large property eventually
defaulted to New York State and was sold to Pendleton for $1,725.

Tracing the major life events and subsequent migration patterns of
six founding families who settled in Pendleton constitutes the shared piece
of this exhibit’s focus. After the pioneers Sylvester and Abigail Goodenow
from Rutland County, Vermont, in 1808 and their four children (two being
the first born in the newly settled territory), others arrived in close succes-
sion. Collins Hewitt was Pendleton’s land agent. He explored the property
closest to Rich Lake as early as 1815, and one year later came with wife Jeru-
sha and four sons. The Hewitts eventually moved to nearby Minerva with
their five sons, including the most recently born Nathaniel Pendleton
Hewitt. A young John Baldwin (Sarah) worked in his family’s lumber busi-
ness and managed a sawmill. William Butler and his wife from Poughkeep-
sie, Dutchess County, made the trip with their 13 children. Completing the
original six were the Chandlers from Granville, Joseph (Sarah) arriving in
1816 and his younger brother James (Cyrenia) arriving in 1818, along with a
grand total of 14 children. One of the early marriages was a Chandler/
Baldwin union, thus strengthening the bond between wilderness neighbors.

Although the residence of some of these settlers may have been
limited, most families left naming legacies that have survived to this day:
Mt. Goodnow, Goodnow Flow, Baldwin Mt., and Hewitt Lake are only a few.
How Rich Lake got its name is also a favorite discussion. The Pendleton ex-
hibit will be open Monday thru Saturday, 10-4, final open date is October
th
16 . For questions feel free to call 518-582-2274. Visitors should come pre-
pared to wear a mask while inside the Newcomb Historical Museum.

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