Christian Allendorf House- Upper Red Hook, New York

38 Spring Lake Road
Upper Red Hook
Historical Investigation
Prepared for Beth Jones and Susan Simon
November 2016
white clay kill preservation, llc

HISTORY
Pieter Schuyler, the first mayor of Albany, having first purchased land from the natives, was
granted a patent to it by Governor Dongan on June 2, 1688. This patent was confirmed and
recorded in 1704. The 22,400 acres was thus described,
“Situate, lying and being on
the east side of Hudson’s River
in Dutchess County, over
against Magdalene Island,
beginning at a certain creek
called Metambesem, thence
running easterly to the
southmost part of a certain
meadow called Tanquashqueick,
and from that meadow easterly
to a certain small lake or pond
called Waraughkameek; from
thence northerly so far till upon
a due east and west line it
reaches over against the
Sawyer’s creek, from thence due
west to the Hudson’s river
aforesaid, and from thence
southerly along the said river to
the said creek called
Metambesem”
The Schuyler patent was
bounded to the north by the
Livingston Manor, 160,000 acres
awarded to Robert Livingston in
1686; by the Little Nine Partners
patent to the east; Dutchman
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Henry Beekman’s Rhinebeck patent on the south; and the Hudson River along the western
edge.
In 1689 Peter Schuyler sold approximately one half of the north quarter of his patent bordering
Livingston Manor to Harme Van Gansevoort, an Albany brewer, who transferred the land in
1704 to Harme Janse Knickerbacker. In 1722 Peter Schuyler had the north quarter of his patent
surveyed and divided into 13 lots; seven were granted to the Knickerbacker heirs, the other six
were sold to Captain Nicholas Hoffman of Kingston. The remaining three-quarters of Schuyler’s
patent had already been divided into six lots of approximately 3,000 acres each and sold in
pairs as described in a deed dated February 11, 1717/18. The southern pair, bordering Henry
Beekman’s patent, were sold to Tierck DeWitt of Ulster County; Joachem Staats of
Pitcher Lane
Spring Lake Road
Post Road
1747 Hoffman Map, annotated
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Rensselaerwyck and Barent Van Benthuysen of Dutchess County bought two lots each. By
1725, Tierk DeWitt had sold his lots to Henry Beekman, and the heirs of Staats sold their land
to Barent Van Benthuysen and his sons: Pieter, Jacob, Abraham, and Gerrit; and his nephew
Andries Heermanse.
The land at the east side of the intersection of the Post Road (formerly known as “The King’s
Highway”) and Spring Lake Road (formerly “The Road to Salisbury”, “The Road to Pine Plains”,
or “The Road to Mount Ross”) was a prime piece of real estate.
It appears that the property at 38 Spring Lake Road was part of that larger parcel which was
owned prior to 1782 by Jacob Thomas, and included the brick house used as General Putnam’s
temporary headquarters while the British were burning Kingston and mills on the east side of
the Hudson in late October 1777. Jacob Heermance, son of Andries, bought the Thomas
property of 82 acres in 1782 and after his death in 1785, his daughter Neltje (aka Eleanor or
Nellie) was living there with her husband Peter Cantine Jr., who had served as the Town
Supervisor of Rhinebeck from 1786- 1788. When Peter and Nellie moved to Barrytown around
1791, Nellie’s brother Jacob bought their interest in the property and ran a tavern or some
other business until 1794.
The Heermance siblings seem to have passed the brick house around; Dorothea Heermance
and her husband Henry DeWitt were there after Jacob, and finally Anna Heermance and Isaac
Stoutenberg lived in the house until 1808 when it was sold to Sheriff John Radcliff after Isaac’s
death. Probably not coincidentally, John Radcliff’s wife was Jannetje (Jane) Van Ness, daughter
of David Van Ness and yet another Heermance sibling, Cornelia.
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“Capt. Stoutenburgh” house in detail from 1797 Alexander Thompson map, Bard College Collection
Radcliff sold the property to Isaac Seebring in 1814, but held onto the brick house, selling that
to Andrew Kittle, the pastor at St. John’s in 1815. Seebring sold the diminished parcel to
Nicholas Allendorf in 1821. At that time, the lot was mapped by Nathan Beckwith (a surveyor
who lived on what is now Guski Road in the house at the south end called, “The Haven”), but
the whereabouts of that map are currently unknown. By 1837 when Nicholas Allendorf sold the
property to Samuel Nelson, the total acreage had been reduced to 76 as a result of the
removal of the brick house, the Village Green itself, and two small pieces of land that were held
by David Van Ness and John B. Latham. The 1837 deed refers to the lot being transferred as
“The Radcliff Farm” which seems to reflect Sheriff Radcliff’s exalted status in the community,
since he had sold the farm more than twenty years prior.
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Captain Samuel Nelson who had served in the War of 1812, added the Radcliff Farm to the
property upon which he and his wife Christina (Benner) already lived. Their home was what is
now 8010 Route 9, on the east side of the highway, just south of Upper Red Hook.
In 1842, Christian Allendorf purchased .55 acres of the property now known as 38 Spring Lake
Road, from Samuel and Christina Nelson for $140. Christian was the son of Christian Allendorf,
Sr. and his second wife, Margaret Cole; both of whom were descendants of the 1710 group of
immigrants from the Palatinate region of what is now Germany (as were the Benners and the
vast majority of early Red Hook and Rhinebeck settlers, except for the Van Bentuysens and
Heermances who were Dutch).
Christian had married Helen Lown in 1839 when he was 20 and she was 22.
1850 Dutchess County
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In 1849, Allendorf bought 1.75 acres on the north side of the road to Salisbury/Pine Plains/
Mount Ross from William H. and Andrew Teator. In 1852 he purchased an additional 1.5 acres
on the north side from Gottlob Haas (who operated a tavern on the village green.)
Christian served as the Red Hook Town Clerk from 1850- 1852
1858 Dutchess County
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1850 US CENSUS Christian Allendorf, 31 -shoemaker
(real estate value $500)
Helen Allendorf, 33
May E. Allendorf, 5
J.W. Allendorf, 2
Sarah M. Hoffman, 12
James H. Fraleigh, 17(?)- shoemaker
Robert Ayres, 21- shoemaker (born in England)
Allendorf purchased a triangular piece of land from Samuel Nelson, upon which his barn/shoe
shop was located, for $10 in 1856. In 1857 Christian Allendorf was appointed Postmaster for
Upper Red Hook
An additional sliver of land, located to the east of the dooryard and bar was added to the
Allendorf parcel in 1860.
1860 US CENSUS C Allendorf, 41- shoemaker
(real estate $2,200/ personal estate $500)
H “ “, 43
M.E. “ “, 17
J.W. “ “, 11
E.E. “ “, 8
G.A. Miller, 19- apprentice shoemaker
1870 US CENSUS Allendorf, Chris, 51- shoe repair
(real estate $5,000/ personal estate $1000)
“ “ , Helen, 53
“ “ , Ezra, 18
Frank, John, 18- laborer
Munson, Gertrude, 64
Edgar C. Perine, the son of Christian’s sister Elizabeth, was born in URH and attended the
Eastman Business College in Poughkeepsie. In NYC he learned the dry goods business at Lord
& Taylor before returning to URH at around age 28 to go into partnership with his uncle,
forming Allendorf and Perrine.
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1867 Town of Red Hook
1875 NY CENSUS Christian Allendorf, 56- merchant
(frame house- value $800)
Helen Allendorf, 57
E. Eugene Allendorf, 23- carriage painter
note: The value of the Allendorf house $800 is the same as the house just south. The value of
the second house south (where Edgar Perrine lived with his wife Frances, three children and a
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grandmother) was $500. For the sake of comparison, the brick Losee (Stoutenberg-
Heermance-Thomas) House was valued at $4000.
1876 Gray and Sons Dutchess County Atlas
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1880 US CENSUS Allendorf, Christian, 60 dry goods merchant
“ “, Helen 62 keeping house
In 1881 Christian Allendorf and Edgar C. Perine bought a piece of land on the west side of the
village green at auction. The lot was bound east by the Post Road and south by Academy Lane
and had a store and at least two dwellings. Allendorf and Perine divided the lot into two
parcels and sold them in 1886 and 1887.
“The streets here are winding and narrow; the depth of shade is intense from the
profuse growth of oak and maple; a dreamy quiet reigns over the rural scene, which,
heightened by the old-style houses with their ancient dormer windows, makes it as perfect a
picture of a sleepy Dutch hamlet as can well be imagined.
The place contains a store, post office, school house, church, tavern, blacksmith shop
(Norman Mead), harness shop (De Witt W. Clinton), wagon shop (Philip H. Teator), and a
population of nearly two hundred.
The postmaster here is Edgar Perine, appointed April 18, 1881, succeeding William H.
Teator, who had held the office some five years.
Allendorf & Perine (Christian Allendorf, Edgar Perine,) are the only merchants here,
having established the business ten years ago. “
-History of Dutchess County, James H. Smith, 1882
Helen Allendorf died in early April 1889
Christian Allendorf married Permelia Feller, also of Upper Red Hook, in March of 1891
1892 NY CENSUS Christian Allendorf, 72 mail carrier
Amelia (Permelia) Allendorf, 51
Christian Allendorf died at his home from pneumonia in October 1896
“He had the respect of all, both young and old, rich and poor, and in his declining days he
enjoyed the reward of a well-ordered life, in which he had been faithful to
the trusts reposed in him.” Dutchess County Commemorative Biographical Record
After Christian Allendorf’s death, there seems to have been a contest between his son Ezra
Eugene, and his widow Permelia which resulted in the house being sold at auction in 1900.
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Both the parcel on the south side of the road, which had been assembled in three purchases
from Samuel Nelson (and diminished slightly by a sale to Julia Ann Wilsey) containing the
house and former shoe shop; and the parcel on the north side of the road comprised of
purchases from William H. and Andrew Teator, and Gottlob Haas, upon which sat the “paint
store” which had served as a polling station in 1896, were sold to Carrie, Emma, and Maud
Gardener.
1910 US Census Catherine Gardner, 79 own income
Emma Gardner, 33 millnery (own shop!)
Maude Gardner, 31 no occupation
Catherine Gardner is listed as having no mortgage.
In 1914, the Gardner sisters sold the property to Sylvenus Coons, a farmer, and his wife Mary A.
(Teator) Coons. It’s not clear where Sylvenus Coons’ farm was located. Records show that he
also owned land in Milan, but his residence was at Spring Lake Road.
1915 NY Census Sylvenus Coons, 59 fruit grower
Mary A. Coons, 54 housework
1920 US Census Sylvenus Coons, 64 home farm
Mary A. Coons, 59
On June 30, 1923, Sylvenus and Mary Coons sold their house to one Edward O’Connell
(“unmarried”) and the deeds show that they bought it back on the same day. Perhaps this was
a mortgage or loan of some sort. O’Connell does not appear to have been a relative, but he
did go on to buy and sell many properties in Red Hook, Barrytown, Rhinebeck and later,
Poughkeepsie.
1925 NY Census Sylvenus Coons, 69 no occupation
Mary A. Coons, 65 housework
John S. Teator, 51 lodger/carpenter (Mary’s brother)
1930 US Census Sylvenus Coons, 74 no occupation
Mary A. Coons, 69 no occupation
According to the 1930 Census, the Coons home was valued at $3,000 and they owned a radio
set.
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Sylvenus Coons died 28 December 1932 after a long illness. Mary sold the property to her
sister Esther Palmatier and brother in law Wesley, with the stipulation that “in consideration of
said conveyance that second parties…are to come and live with the first party in the house on
said premises as long as the first party shall live, and agree to furnish first party free of charge
with good and substantial board, lodging and with all necessary medical attention and pay all
doctors bills and for any and all manner of nursing, and are to take care of her, and furnish her
with clothing and support her, and after the death of the first party to pay for her funeral bill
and attend to her burial.”
On 23 January 1934, Esther and Wesley Palmatier and Mary A. Coon sold part of the land on
the north side of the road to Mary and Esther’s brother, Alton B. Teator—including the paint
shop. On April 10 of that year, Mary released Esther and Wesley from their agreement and
took title back to the house. The Palmatiers moved to Niagara Falls.
Mary A. Coons died on 30 May 1936 without a will.
The property went to her sister Esther Palmatier, brother John S. Teator, and a pack of nieces
and nephews, who sold it in 1938 to Milton H. and Inez M. Holsapple.
1940 US Census Milton H. Hoslapple, 39 electrician
Inez M. Holsapple, 37
Robert M., 15
Donald C., 13
Marjorie, 6
Ethel K., 3
According to the 1940 Census, the dwelling was valued at $6,000.
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1 April 1942 Milton H. and Inez M. Holsapple sold the property to Frank I. and Teresa
(Dejanara) Ametrano of 519 146th Street, NYC. There was a contingency in the deed stating
that the proceeds would be put in a trust to guarantee some work to be done on the house,
implying that it had fallen into some disrepair. Frank and Teresa, 70 and 68 at the time of the
purchase had both been born in Italy. In the 1940 Census they are listed in the Bronx, as
having occupations, but their son Peter owned a fruit store and daughter Helen worked as a
shop girl in a department store.
In 1962, presumably after the passing of Frank and Teresa, their son Eugene Ametrano
relinquished his share of the property to the other “distributees” Filomena “Fanny” Crowley of
519 146th St., Margaret Moran of Brooklyn, and Helen Riley of New Jersey. Together they
continued to hold the property for another fifteen years.
19 October 1979 Helen Riley and the heirs and assigns of Fanny and Margaret sold the—now .
851 acre- property to Donald R. Anderson.
Donald R. Anderson owned the property with his wife, Susan W. Mount until 2000 when it
became hers entirely.
Elizabeth A. Jones purchased 38 Spring Lake Road in 2004 and has owned in jointly with her
wife, Susan Simon since 5 September 2006.
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ARCHITECTURAL ANALYSIS
Viewed from the outside, the house at 38 Spring Lake Road appears to be a pretty
straightforward mid-nineteenth century, 5-fenestration bay, single-pile, center-passage, twostory
vernacular structure.
Distinctly Italianate details—2/2 window sash, bracketed frieze board, treatment of the window
cornices—imply a date in the 1860’s or 1870’s.
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It’s hard to puzzle out the precise architectural evolution of the dwelling at 38 Spring Lake
Road. The cellar does not precisely match the main house. The foundation is of dry laid
bluestone which has been parged over. At the northern end (the left side of the drawing
below) there is a laid stone support for a hearth above.
Significant work has been done to the house, including replacing the entire floor system
supporting the downstairs, so it’s not possible to determine the framing style, or spacing of the
original beams. A portion of a beam remains next to the stairs, which may have been a sill of
the original structure. It is hand-hewn chestnut.
cellar plan 2016
Given that Christian Allendorf paid only $140 to Samuel and Christina Nelson for the 1/2 acre
property, I think it likely that there was a modest dwelling for a tenant farmer on that original
11’x 21’ (interior dimension) foundation, probably one or two rooms on the main floor and a
garret above. Although the house looks like one structure from the front, it is actually the result
of several campaigns of renovation.
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evolution of 38 Spring Lake Road, as viewed from above
The first campaign of renovation (“PHASE TWO”) probably took place early in the Allendorf’s
tenure. By 1850, the household contained Christian, Helen, their three children and two
employees of the shoe business. The saltbox structure added to the rear of the house has only
a crawlspace beneath it and may have been moved to the site from another property rather
than built in place.
38 saltbox and next door neighbor saltbox
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This nearly square, Phase Two configuration is reflected on the 1876 map (the information on
which may have been out of date by a few years)
Dutchess County Parcel Access showing house shapes and 1876 map of the same
It seems likely that Phase Three, adding the south west two story addition would have been
done around the same time in order to make the house more formal with a proper parlor.
Leaving the shoe making business to become a dry-goods merchant would have been an
elevation in status and this architectural rearrangement would have reflected this.
Phase Four, raising the roof on the original dwelling and reframing above the saltbox roof,
encapsulating it probably happened shortly after Phase Three, but definitely not at the same
time.
Evidence to support this contention includes:
• a joint in the top sill plate in the attic showing that the roof structure was not
continuous
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• the step up into the bedroom above the parlor
• the wall into the garret bedroom was moved back (into the garret) to allow for the center hall
and gracious staircase
CHAIN OF TITLE
23 October 1782 Jacob Thomas’ heir (Henry Thomas) to Jacob I. Heermance 82 acres
3 January 1791 Peter Cantine, Jr. and Neltje (Eleanor) Heermance to Jacob J.
Heermance undivided half of 82 acres
1808 Isaac Stoutenberg (husband of Anna Heermance) to John Radcliff
1814 John Radcliff to Isaac Sebring
28 December 1821 Isaac Sebring to Nicholas Allendorf
29 April 1837 Nicholas Allendorf to Samuel Nelson $2720
not including property of Kittle, Latham, Van Ness, and the Village Green.
1 December 1842 Samuel Nelson & Catherine (Benner) to Christian Allendorf
south side of road .55 acres $140
4 July 1849 William H. and Andrew Teator to Christian Allendorf
north side of road 1.75 acres $268.22
1 May 1852 Gottlob Haas to Christian Allendorf
north side of road 1.5 acres $275
8 March 1856 Samuel Nelson to Christian Allendorf
south side of road, triangular piece of land where the barn is $10
1 May 1860 Samuel Nelson to Christian Allendorf
south side of road, triangular piece of land, east of door yard and barn $10
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7 May 1890 Christian Allendorf to Julia Ann Wilsey $25 bound north by Allendorf, south by
Losee, east by Nelson, west by Wilsey
26 March 1900 AUCTION to Carrie, Emma, and Maude Gardner
Eugene Allendorf vs. Permilia (Feller-Wheeler) Allendorf as executrix of Christian
Eugene and Anna S., Carrie and Harry M. Fingar, George C. and Emma Allendorf, Fred
Allendorf, Catherine Gardner and George Moss. Two parcels: north includes paint shop, south
includes house and barn
24 March 1914 Carrie, Emma, and Maud Gardner of Poughkeepsie to Sylvenus Coons
North side of road 3 acres 2 roods 11 perches
South side of road 1.25 acres
3 March 1916 Sylvenus and Mary A. (Teator) Coons to Constance Schmucker
South side of road, small bit of land
21 March 1923 Sylvenus and Mary A. (Teator) Coons to Rebecca Easby of Philadelphia
1/3 acre on North side of road
Look for Teal survey of 3/21/23
30 June 1923 Sylvenus and Mary A. (Teator) Coons to Edward C. O’Connell “unmarried”
30 June 1923 Edward C. O’Connell to Sylvenus and Mary A. (Teator) Coons
North side of road 3 acres 2 roods 11 perches
South side of road 1.25 acres
1932 Mary A. (Teator) Coons to Wesley S. and Esther (Teator) Palmatier
23 January 1934 Wesley and Esther (Teator) Palmatier and Mary A. Coons to Alton B.
and Viola Teator, a portion of the north side of the road
10 April 1934 Wesley and Esther (Teator) Palmatier to Mary A. Coons
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14 May 1938 Esther Palmatier of Niagara Falls, NY and other siblings, nieces and
nephews sell to Milton H. and Inez Holsapple
North and south parcels, minus what was sold.
1 April 1942 Milton H. and Inez Holsapple to Frank I. and Teresa Ametrano of 519 East 146th
St. NYC
1962 Eugene Ametrano, Teresa’s executor, to other distributees—FIlomena “Fanny”
Crowley, Margaret Moran, Helen Riley
19 October 1979 Helen Riley, Florence Grippo, Cornelius Crowley and Elizabeth Parr to
Donald R. Anderson .851 acres on south side of the road
2000 Donald R. Anderson and Susan W. Mount to Susan W. Mount
2004 Susan W. Mount to Elizabeth A. Jones
5 Sept. 2006 Elizabeth A. Jones to Elizabeth A. Jones and Susan Simon
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