Newburgh Free Library Local History Room

Although our library is just north of "Sleepy Hollow Country", we're happy to share a literary connection with one of America's most famous ghost stories! Washington Irving's tale of a ghostly headless horseman first appeared as one of 34 essays that were published serially between 1819 and 1820. These essays would be combined into a work known as "The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent", which also included his other famous short story "Rip Van Winkle". These works, especially the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, became the first widely read works of American literature in Europe, and marked the beginning of a new tourist industry in the Hudson Valley.

The 1842 accession book of the Newburgh Mechanic's Library, which later became part of the Newburgh Free Library, shows how popular Irving was in our community at this time! Three copies of "The Legend of Geoffrey Crayon" by Irving appear towards the bottom of the first image. It also shows that although this work was published under Irving's pseudonym, the librarian decided to place it under the author's real name.

Sadly, we no longer have these copies of one of Irving's most famous works, however we do have an 1821 edition of "History of New York", a satirical history of New York City, also written by Irving, under the name "Diedrich Knickerbocker".

To learn more about these, and other materials in our Local History Collection, contact our Local History Department via phone at (845) 563-3616, or via e-mail at [email protected]!

For the month of October the Local History Department at the Newburgh Free Library will be highlighting its wide-ranging collection of scanned death records, obituaries and tombstone inscriptions dating back as far as the 19th century. These resources offer a glimpse into the lives of those who lived, worked and died in Newburgh and throughout the Hudson Valley, and they can be a great place to start your genealogical research.

This week we are highlighting our death records and obituaries from centuries past.

A death notice is typically a brief announcement of a person’s passing, while an obituary often provides more biographical information, including the names of surviving or predeceased family members. Out collection of recorded deaths shows the names, residences and causes of death as reported to local authorities.

Whether you’re researching your family tree, looking for information about a local ancestor, or simply curious about the people who shaped our community and the surrounding area, these resources offer a great way to look into the past. Most importantly they can offer researchers at any level of experience valuable clues about family relationships, occupations, places of residence, and dates of birth and death.

To learn more about this and other books and records in our collection, contact the Local History Department at (845)563-3616 or email us at [email protected] today!

Our local history staff have been busy putting together a selection of materials that put the "Boo" in "Books" this October! Stop by our Local History Room to explore these and other exciting books on the paranormal, or visit our online catalog at: https://newburgh.aspendiscovery.org/?browseCategory=newburgh_adult to request or check out similar works to take a piece of haunted history home!

For more information on these and other materials in our collection, contact the Newburgh Free Library Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or via e-mail at: [email protected]!

Huzzay to our friends at Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site! Be sure to stop by during their operating hours to view this historic Newburgh landmark!

Since September is Library Card Signup Month, we thought it appropriate to share this bookmark highlighting 50 ways to use the Newburgh Free Library from the early 2000s! Which one(s) do you remember using the most? If you're not sure if your Newburgh Library Card is still active, or wish to get one, check out our handy guide to getting a library card on our library's website here: https://newburghlibrary.org/library-cards/

For more information on local history and genealogy resources, contact the Local History Department by calling us at (845) 563-3616, or by e-mail at [email protected]!

On Wednesday, September 30th! Join Town of Plattekill Historian Libbie Werlau as she tells the story of the Jova Brickworks during this special Hispanic Heritage Month program! Click here to register today! https://newburghlibrary.libcal.com/event/17267852

It's a new school year for Newburgh's students, teachers, and parents, so what better time to highlight our collection of materials related to St. Patrick's High School! Although the Christian Brothers first opened a grammar school in 1886, it was not until 1944 that the St. Patrick's High School would open its doors at 49 grand street, formerly the clubhouse of the Newburgh Wheelmen's Club, in 1944. From then until 1969, St. Patrick's would educate hundreds of students before it officially closed in June 1969. Our library is fortunate enough to have a collection of material related to St. Patrick's High School contributed by former faculty, alumni, and their families. You can view digital copies of the school paper "The Blarney Stone" as well as yearbook "The Shamrock" via our digital collections page on: https://nyheritage.org/collections/st-patricks-high-school We also have a circulating copy of Dennis Sullivan's history of St. Patrick's "The Little Engine That Could, and Did" available for checkout at Newburgh Free Library!

For more information on this and other materials in our collection, contact the Local History Department at (845) 563-3616 via phone, or e-mail us at [email protected]!

This might come as a surprise to some, but before the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Barnes in 1977, which provided anonymity for those serving on juries, the names of jurors were often published in newspapers, along with their occupation, residence, and occasionally photographs and/or biographies! To the genealogist or researcher, historical records like these are helpful in confirming the identity and location of an ancestor, as well as information on occupations that would have been performed at that time. These resources are readily available both online and physically within our collection!

The Jury list on the left comes from the Port Jervis "Tri-States Union" from September 2, 1897, which can be found via the free database "New York State Historic Newspapers": https://www.nyshistoricnewspapers.org/
The one on the right comes from "Orange County Jury Lists: Volume 1: 1798-1825" compiled by Kenneth A. Dunning for the Orange County Genealogical Society.

To learn more about these and other helpful historic resources in our collection, contact the Newburgh Free Library Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or e-mail us at [email protected]!

We can't think of a better way to engage with classical literature than to read and discuss it in a place where history happened! Check out Newburgh Free Library's newest book discussion group, which will be meeting at the Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands 1830/31 David Crawford House! Check the post below for more information!

New to our collection! "Suffering for the Crown" by Kieran J. O'Keefe, Assistant Professor of History at Lyon College, analyzes the formation of Loyalist communities in the Hudson River Valley. In many respects, the American Revolution was a civil war, which pitted family members and neighbors against each other. In his work, Dr. O'Keefe presents the stories of the diverse communities who fought for, or were sympathetic towards the British government, and what happened to them during and after America won its independence. Of interest to genealogists and local researchers is Mr. O'Keefe's focus on loyalists from the Newburgh area.

A copy of this book is available for checkout in Newburgh Free Library's "Local Authors" section, as well as a permanent copy in our Local History Room for any who wish to use it to spark their own research!

To learn more about this and other items in our collection, contact the Local History Department at (845) 563-3616, or [email protected] !