250 Years Ago (May 1776)

Gen. George Washington wrote the Continental Congress, asking that two or three thousand stands of arms [weapons for one soldier] reserved for provincial use be "borrowed" to defend New York City. He enclosed a report from troops in the Highlands, where Col. Ritzema said his regiment had only 97 flintlocks and seven bayonets.

The Board of Treasury asked New York and five other colonies to conduct a census of their inhabitants for tax purposes.

The carpenters, boatbuilders and painters who had been drafted for military service by Major Gen. Israel Putnam were ordered to gather at sunrise outside his New York City headquarters to receive their orders.

A general order was issued in New York City to double the number of night sentries due to fears of a surprise British attack.

The Third Provincial Congress, based in New York, declared its independence from British rule.

Robert Livingston wrote from Philadelphia to his sister, Catherine, at the family estate in Clermont, on the Hudson River in Columbia County. "We have reason to believe that our enemy will make great efforts this summer," he wrote. "I hope, however, by the blessing of God, to see them repelled & this country, after a glorious struggle, emancipated from the tyranny of an inhuman prince."

150 Years Ago (May 1876)

Burglars broke through a rear window of William Rumpf's shop and stole hundreds of his best cigars, along with some chewing tobacco.

In an item under the headline "Wonderful," the editor of The Cold Spring Recorder reported that "three wagonloads of dirty and dishonest nomads came down Main Street at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, turned onto Garden Street and pushed for the Fishkill Landing road without stopping!"

The new Putnam County sheriff, Charles Brewster, a Cold Spring native, ended the practice of allowing inmates at the Carmel jail to lounge outside.

According to The Recorder, two patrons of a Cold Spring saloon measured the distance around its walls and raced around the room until they had walked at least three miles.

Mrs. P.K. Paulding of Paulding Avenue reported she had lost an oxidized silver pencil with a chain.

The schools "have been nearly depopulated for a fortnight" by the measles, according to The Recorder. "Nearly every house has a case."

James Trimble and James Kennedy were convicted of breaking the window of Morrison's boathouse before threatening to burn down the shanty and drown its occupant. Both were sentenced to six months in the penitentiary.

From The Recorder: "Lost, between Chestnut Street and the post office, on Thursday afternoon, a black feather."

Late on a Friday night, after they heard voices inside the Champlin blacksmith shop in Nelsonville, friends of the proprietor went quietly to a back door. Suddenly, two or three men dashed past them. Inside, the friends found a pile of chisels, saws and hammers, ready to be carried away. It was supposed that the intruders planned to free two prisoners at Town Hall.

Roger Maher died suddenly on a Wednesday afternoon at C.M. Brown's tavern. The bartender said he had taken a sip of whiskey when his head dropped.

Jacob Southard still had his grandfather's discharge papers from the Revolutionary War signed by George Washington and other top officers.

The Recorder suggested paying children 10 cents [about $3 today] per cup of potato bugs they collected and delivered to a kitchen stove.

While driving along the Garrison road, William Ladue came across a raccoon that had been treed. After going home to retrieve a rifle, he shot the animal dead, then brought the carcass into Cold Spring to show off his marksmanship.

David Robinson informed The Recorder of the need for a fence around the New Burying Ground to prevent grazing cattle from knocking down the headstones.

Enoch Lawrence, 84, the oldest resident of Cold Spring, was painting his house on Garden Street.

William Purdy was jailed at Town Hall after being accused of assaulting his wife. His brother came from Tarrytown to...