HISTORY OF THE LAND 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scant information exists concerning the earliest human inhabitants of the land on which South Dominion Vineyard is sited.  We know that two major Indian groups lived in the Hudson Valley -- the Iroquois and Algonquin, so named by the French.  

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The Algonquin Nation consisted of several tribes that lived in the Cambridge area, including the Mahican (aka “Last of the Mohicans”) and the Has-sicke (Hoosac or Hoosick) sub-tribe.  The main Has-sicke village approximately three miles east of the Buskirk Bridge (eight miles southeast of the vineyard), where the mouth of the Owl Kill meets the Hoosick River. This Indian village existed until 1628.  The Mahican Indians called the valley to the east of the vineyard Wampecack, which means “place of white fruit” (i.e., chestnuts). For hundreds of years, they made an annual migration through this area from their wintering grounds along the Hoosick River to their summer fishing grounds on the shores of Lake Andiatirocte.  This large lake would later be renamed Lake George by the British.  During these seasonal migrations down the Hoosick River, the Mahicans would plant Indian corn, squash and Wampecack chestnuts in the spring at the mouth of the Owl Kill and then would harvest them as they passed through in the fall on their way to their winter wigwams in Western Massachusetts.  The 12-acre Owl Kill (also known as Tiashoke) cornfield, the largest in the entire East Coast Algonquin Nation, was considered a very holy site for the Mahicans.

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The first Europeans to explore the area surrounding the vineyard were French fur traders from St. Ange, France, traveling up the Ma-hi-can River (later named the Hudson River) in the spring of 1540.  This trading expedition was headed by Captain Jean Fonteneau, chief pilot to Francis I of France.  Fonteneau visited the 12-acre cornfield and a few miles upstream, established a trading post and fort.  He stayed with the Mahicans until the autumn of 1541. Before they left, the priest traveling with Fonteneau raised the first flag of Christianity over this land and named this first European settlement St. Croix.  It is interesting to note that Jamestown wasn’t established until 1607.

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The next noted European to explore the area was Henry Hudson in 1609.  The Ma-hi-cans were as friendly to Hudson as they were to Fonteneau.  The Ma-hi-can Chief welcomed Hudson as the “Onetho,” the Great Spirit, returned from Saint Ange, the land of angels beyond the sea.  Many French and Dutch families arrived in the area between Hudson’s first voyage and 1614 and were encouraged by the Dutch to settle near Greenbush.  By 1614 there were large established settlements at New Amsterdam (i.e, New York City), Sopus (i.e., Kingston, R.I.) and Fort Orange (i.e., Albany).  

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Over the next 150 years, European settlement throughout New England and the Mid Atlantic expanded amidst growing competition for land and trade routes between the English and French, eventually culminating in the French and Indian Wars.  By 1761, the conflict was drawing to a close in Britain’s favor, and George II, King of England, in recognition of service to his loyal subjects, rewarded them by granting land in the form of patents. The Cambridge patent, granted on July 23, 1761, transferred approximately 31000 acres into the hands of 58 patentees, to include Edmund Wells, the only known patentee to settle in the Cambridge area.  

In the years following the end of hostilities between Britain and France, immigrants settling in the New York wilderness sought land to lease or purchase. One such immigrant was William Waite (1731-1826), a Baptist minister and silversmith who moved from Hebron, CT to the Cambridge area with his large family of 12 children in 1772.  Soon thereafter he planted a church south of Cambridge called White Creek, situated near the Vermont line.  

              

A committed Patriot, the Reverend is recorded to have supported the American cause by helping secure supplies for General Stark and fighting with the Green Mountain Boys in the Battle of Bennington (August 1777), a battle which terminated within half a mile of the log church and resulted in its destruction by fire.  According to Cambridge lore, about half the congregation sided with the British and half with the Patriots. Church records state that "when the British approached, part of the congregation went over to the British and brother fought brother."  Ill feelings between the two factions grew so bitter that services at White Creek Baptist Church were discontinued for two years.

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While the war continued to be waged, Waite is recorded to have purchased a section of land containing 450 acres in the western part of Lot 76 from Edmund Wells for £900 of “current lawful money of the state of New York” on 24 December 1782. Previously, in 1780, Wells had contracted to lease lot 76 of the Cambridge patent, a 700-acre parcel, to Henry Hay and Thomas Miller for 5 shillings a year and by the promise to pay, if demanded, a nominal annual rent of “one peppercorn on Lady Day”.  The land was, however, only valuable if settlers occupied it and brought it under the plow. These farms were sold or leased for nominal consideration; the demand for corn was to prove they had started farming the land.

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It is interesting to note that Waite’s purchase of the land was not made in English pounds.  After claiming independence in 1776, the American colonies began to issue their own unique form of currency.  If we look at the known exchange rate at that time, the land was bought for approximately 470 British pounds, but New Yorkers would only honor New York pounds.  The British did not recognize this currency and considered this a felonious act.  Edmund Wells thus took a substantial risk when he sold his land for New York currency because the sale of land would not have been recognized if the colonies had lost the war. Moreover, Wells could have been arrested if he tried to claim the land.

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At some point following his purchase of the land from Wells, Rev. Waite split the 450 acres into six 75-acre tracts of land and transferred them to three of his sons, Nichols (1763-1834), Stephen (1761-1842), and John (1757-1841), and to Isaac, Stephen’s son. It would appear that the divisions brought on by the war impacted the Waite family and resulted in the Reverend’s decision to reward those who fought for freedom.  Only Rev. William and John are listed as patriots in D.A.R. records.  After the war Benjamin, the oldest son, moved to Canada and died there.  William Jr. was also of fighting age but is not listed as a patriot who fought in the Battle of Bennington.  Historic record indicates that William’s younger sons, who were too young to fight in the Revolution, were his only descendants who settled on the original 450 acres.  

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William’s son Nichols owned the 75-acre tract of land on which the vineyard is currently located.  Nichols and his family farmed the land for over 80 years, building the English barn in 1790 and later the 1849 brick house that exists today.