The Vernooy Mill
A Mill Without a Town: An Interactive History
From 1703 to 1813, the Vernooy Mill served its community, yet it never became the bustling center of a mill town as many others did. This interactive report explores the two parallel stories of the era—the steady, local life of the mill and the turbulent, speculative history of the land it occupied—to reveal why a town never grew around it.
A Local Lifeline: The Vernooy Family Mill
The story of the Vernooy Mill is one of family, duty, and local service. It was not an industrial venture, but a vital piece of a family’s estate, serving the needs of a scattered agricultural community in Wawarsing. This section explores the people and the purpose behind the mill, highlighting its role as a cornerstone of local life rather than a catalyst for urban growth.
The VerNooy Family
The mill was established by the father of Cornelis Cornelissen VerNooy Jr. and passed down through the family. Cornelis Jr. (1679-c. 1759) managed the grist mill starting around 1702. The VerNooys were deeply integrated into the community, serving as church deacons, town trustees, and fence-viewers. Their focus was on maintaining their estate and fulfilling civic and religious duties within the existing community structure.
Function of the Mill
This was a grist mill, a fundamental service for a farming community. Its purpose was to grind grain for local farmers, including those on nearby Sap Bush Creek. It was a destination for necessity, not a center of commerce or employment that would attract new residents or businesses. The mill’s success was tied to the agricultural output of the immediate area, not to broader market speculation.
A Contested Wilderness: The Hardenburg Patent
While the VerNooys quietly ran their mill, the land all around them was the subject of one of colonial New York’s largest and most problematic land grants. The Hardenburg Patent was a speculator’s dream and a settler’s nightmare. This section details the troubled history of the land itself, revealing how legal instability and a focus on speculation, rather than settlement, created an environment hostile to growth.
1706-1708: The Great Purchase & Patent
Major Johannes Hardenbergh, a military officer and merchant, purchases nearly 2 million acres from the Esopus Indians for about £60. The grant is confirmed by a royal patent from Queen Anne in 1708. From its inception, the legality of the purchase is questioned.
1708-1740s: A Land in Limbo
The patent holders are more focused on land speculation and politics than on organized settlement. Complex and often predatory leasing terms, frequent sales of shares, and ongoing legal disputes create a cloud of uncertainty over land titles, discouraging potential settlers and investment.
1749: A Contentious Survey
The first major survey of the patent land begins, creating significant dissatisfaction among the native populations and leading to further negotiations and disputes. This constant conflict reinforces the region’s instability.
1769-1771: Validity Challenged
British officer John Bradstreet formally contests the validity of the entire patent, claiming it was acquired through false suggestions. While the challenge is ultimately refused, it further solidifies the patent’s reputation as legally troubled, impeding development right up to the American Revolution.
The Unbuilt Town: Why Here?
A mill, a creek, and vast tracts of land are often the ingredients for a new town. At Vernooy Kill, they were not. The reasons lie in the fundamental conflict between the modest, stable life of the mill and the chaotic, speculative nature of the land patent that surrounded it.
1. Land Instability
The Hardenburg Patent was a legal minefield. No sane settler would build a home or business on land with a questionable title that could be contested at any moment. This uncertainty was the single greatest barrier to growth.
2. Speculation over Settlement
Hardenbergh and his partners were speculators, not town planners. Their goal was profit from land sales, not the long-term, costly investment required to build infrastructure, attract artisans, and nurture a town.
3. A Service, Not an Industry
The Vernooy Mill was a local grist mill, a vital but small-scale service. It wasn’t a textile factory or large-scale lumber operation that required a concentrated workforce, which is the typical nucleus of a mill town.
A Tale of Two Timelines
This chart visually compares the quiet, steady operation of the Vernooy Mill with the turbulent, event-driven history of the Hardenburg Patent. While the mill provided continuous service, the patent was defined by decades of inactivity punctuated by conflict, effectively preventing any stable growth.