Judge Joseph Sackett

23. Judge Joseph Sackett, 1680–1755, of English Kills, Newtown, Long Island, N. Y., son of (7) Capt. Joseph and Elisabeth Betts Sackett, was married, May 23, 1706, to Hannah Alsop, 1690–1773, daughter of Capt. Richard Alsop and his wife Hannah. Judge Sackett was, says Riker in his "Annals of Newtown," "a man of probity, a Justice of the Peace and a Judge from 1749 to his death, Sept. 26, 1755," and it may be added that he was an office holder in the Presbyterian Church, took an active part in public affairs, and was ever held in high esteem by his townsmen. In 1724 he and his brother-in-law, John Alsop, purchased jointly the central portion of the "Chambers-Southerland Patent," located on the west shore of the Hudson River, in the town of New Windsor, Orange County, N. Y. There they built a substantial wharf, erected a commodious storehouse and established a sloop freight and passenger line, which ran at stated intervals to and from New York City. They also started and maintained for a number of years a flat-boat ferry at that place, which carried horses and cattle, as well as human beings to and from a point near what afterwards became Fishkill Landing, on the opposite shore. This ferry, which was the first of its kind established on the central Hudson, was extensively patronized previous to the Revolution. It is a matter of history that in July, 1775, Morgan and his famous body of riflemen crossed the river on this New Windsor ferry when hastening to join Washington's army at Boston. Not long after that date it was discontinued.
     John Alsop, who was by profession a lawyer, located at New Windsor at the time of the before mentioned purchase, but after remaining there a few years sold out his interest to Joseph Sackett, Jr., his partner's oldest son, and took up the practice of his profession in New York City, where he acquired marked prominence.
     The Sacketts, it would seem, did not long remain entirely content with their holdings in New Windsor. Colonial land papers show that on Jan. 11, 1727, a patent was duly issued to Nathaniel Hazzard and Joseph Sackett for 4, 000 acres in adjoining town of Blooming Grove; that on July 7, 1736, a patent for additional plots containing 2,000 acres located near that last mentioned, was issued to Joseph Sackett, Jr., and that on Sept. 1, 1737, a third patent for another 2,000 acres in same vicinity was issued to Joseph Sackett. The extensive grants covered a considerable portion of what is now one of the most populous and productive farming districts in Orange County, N. Y.
     In 1749 a land company, composed of Joseph Sackett, Jr., his brother John Sackett, and eight other men of local prominence, was organized under the title of "The Proprietors of New Windsor." To this company the Sacketts transferred all of their New Windsor real estate except the wharf and storehouse property. The "Proprietors" laid out the entire unimproved portion of their purchase in village lots and township plots, and a considerable number of new dwellings were added to the settlement; but already the importance of the village as a commercial centre had begun to decline, and to-day (1907), what was then the business portion of New Windsor is a veritable "Deserted Village," with a church in which no service has been held for years, dilapidated dwellings, and no signs of commercial life save the unsightly sheds of several brick yards at the river's edge. But the township plots on the western bounds of the tract have become the country seats of families of wealth, and constitute one of Newburgh's aristocratic suburbs.
     The original records, consisting of rude maps and transfer data of "The Proprietors of New Windsor," is in possession of the "Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands," at Newburgh, N. Y.
     Judge Sackett was never an actual resident of New Windsor. He died at English Kills, Sept. 27, 1755. His wife, Hannah Alsop Sackett, outlived him nearly eighteen years, her death occurring June 17, 1773, in the 83rd year of her age. Judge Sackett's will is recorded in the New York City records of probate and reads in part as follows:      The above, signed by Joseph Sackett and witnessed by Richard Hollett, Jr., James Way, Jr., and Thomas Way, was probated Oct. 22, 1755.      85. Joseph Sackett, b. Mar. 5, 1707, d. in year 17__; m. Milicant Clowes.
     86. Richard Sackett, b. June 30, 1709, d. Feb. 11, 1726.
     [87 was skipped]
     88. Hannah Sackett, b. Aug. 7, 1711, d. July 26, 1762; m. Thomas Whitehead.
     89. Elizabeth Sackett, b. Aug. 15, 1713. d. Dec. 17, 1721.
     90. John Sackett, b. May 15, 1716, d. Mar. 2, 1783; m. Phoebe Burling.
     91. Deborah Sackett, b. Nov. 18, 1718, d. Jan. 10, 1754; m. James Stringham.
     92. Frances Sackett, b. Dec. 4, 1720, d. Feb. 4, 1754; m. Joseph Blackwell.
     93. James Sackett, b. Sept. 12, 1722, d. Sept. 12, 1784; m. Frances Dekay.
     94. Samuel Sackett, b. June 23, 1724, d. Sept. 29, 1780; m. Mary Betts.
     95. Thomas Sackett, b. Dec. 27, 1726, d. June 27, 1769; m. Phebe Alburtis.
     96. Elizabeth Sackett, b. June 25, 1729, d. Apr. 10, 1778; m. Jonathan Fish.
     97. William Sackett, b. Aug. 27, 1731; d. May 1, 1776; m. Deborah Fish.

Mine Found in Orange County
Johannes Closson, formerly a workman of Mr. Schuyler's, about eleven years ago, came to me, and told me that he had found a mine on my land above the Highlands, at a place called Blooming-Grove, lying between Goshen and the river, in Orange County, where my eldest son Joseph Sacket, Jun. now lives. I made him several offers. He said it would not do, but if I would give him a lease for a term of years, he would carry it on at his own cost, and deliver me one half at the pit's mouth, and come to work in 6 or 8 month's time, and told me the ore was as good as Mr. Schuyler's. But he died before the time he was to come. About 4 years ago, I heard his widow made enquiry after a Sacket on Long Island, I went over to her, she said her husband had been dead 7 years, but he told her that on one Sacket's land, above the Highlands, on the west side of the river, he had found a mine, and that he dug very shallow, and could heave it out by bushels, but he covered it up carefully, and that it was near by a spring, and not far from a brook. There was an elderly Dutchman present then, and he said he had often evenings and mornings conversed with him, and he said he had often told him the same thing, and heard him say, if he had his leave, and lived 7 years, he should be a gentleman. Now if any person can discover the vein of ore, if it is on my lands, he shall have out of the first clear profits, 300 l., or he shall have it for a term of years, as Closson was to have it, or he shall have the 8th part of it for ever, as witness my hand, July 27, 1752.
Joseph Sacket

—New York Gazette, Orange County, New York, 3 Aug 1752