DRAFT: REVOLUTIONARY WARwick (Orange County, NY)
Hathorn Deplores the Murder
Hathorn Letter Regarding Clark Murder and Dangers of Sterling and Greenwood Lake Area
Transcription by S. Gardner
Warwick 14th March 1779
Sir,
(Initial sentences about other topics omitted) "At the request of a number of Inhabitants of this County I take the Liberty to mention to your Excellency their peculiar Cituation which is truly deplorable their Residence are in that part Of the Mountains and their vicinity where the late Claudius Smith ranged, he is dead yet his Baneful Poison remains a Recent Instance thereof a few days ago happened about three & half Miles from my House, John Clerk was by Richard Smith son of the said Claudius in a Cool and Premeditated manner with six other villains Taken out of his house about 150 yards from the same their Intentions Was to have hanged him but fearing this Business would detain Them too long, the said Smith put a Pistol to his breast and shot Him through the body of which Wound he died. These Villains did Not Stop here but made another attempt the following night but was Providentially disappointed in their Intention Instances of their Bloody acts are become Frequent their threats, obvious, insomuch that every Man that Is a Whig is realy in danger, its notorious that no Individual That lives near their ?Coarse? can be Exempt from their Power Numbers of the Inhabitants are removing for Fear, and those who even dare to keep their families on their Places don’t pretend to Sleep in their Houses at Night—I can truly say the unfortunate Clerk was a good Soldier and a Indefatigable watcher of every motion of the Disaffected who ?have? been pretty numerous where he lived he is a Loss to this Regiment and to the Publick in General I inclose the Original paper the villains left with Mrs. Clerk, ?they were so? audacious as to mention a number of Names who should become Victims of their Rage..." (ending sentences about other topics omitted)
TORY REVENGE 1779
John Clark was a member of Hathorn's militia who lived near the head of Long Pond (Greenwood Lake). This was an area that was less well populated and guarded, near the mountainous border with New Jersey. Loyalists and raiders often passed through here despite the efforts of the Sterling Company of Hathorn's men to keep it secure.
On the night of Saturday, Feb. 20, 1779, members of the Claudius Smith gang (Loyalists) attacked and murdered Clark at his home. They stated that their attack was in revenge for the capture and hanging of their leader in January. We know the details from the dramatic and detailed sheriff's report, taken from the eyewitness testimony of Clark's wife.
Location of the Murder
The exact location of Clark's home has not been discovered-- it was likely a log cabin. From the several Erkine maps of the site, we can tell that it appears to have been near the intersection of Jarmain Rd. and Lakes Rd., in the Dutch Hollow section above Greenwood Lake.
A few subsequent Erskine maps of the location change the label to "Clark murdered here":
THE SHERIFF'S REPORT
We know the details of the murder from John Clark's widow, who was present, as recorded by the Orange County Sheriff:
The Murder of John Clark: Report of Sheriff Isaac Nicoll to George Clinton
Goshen Febr. 24th 1779. [Wednesday]
Dear S'r, Inclosed I Send your Excellency a True Acct. of the proceadings Realitive to the Murder of John Clark, If Consistent I hope your Excellency will Order the Court Immedietly to Set on James Smith and James Fluwelling, as I am a Fraid when the weather Gets warm and the Leaves Out, there will be many Murders Committed and Uppon some of Our -principal peopal. I am your Excellency Moste Obediant and Humble S'r
Isaac Nicoll
To His Excellency the Governor.
_______________________________________
Goshen Feb'y 24 1779.
A Representation of the Conduct of Richard Smith, Son of the late Claudius, & Six others unknown last Saturday Night at John Clark's Between Stirling & Warwick:
They came to the House of s'd Clark, knocked & were admitted ; one pulled out a watch & said it is about 12 O'Clock & by one Clark, "you shall be a dead man ; " Clark inquired why they would take his life; they answered "you have killed two Tories & wounded a third," mentioned the Name of the one he had wounded. Clark replied, " I never killed a man in my life, but I believe I did wound the man you mention & I was then under the command of my proper officer & therefore did my Duty." They said with oaths & imprecations used by such miscreants, that he had been very busy &c. &c. &c. & therefore they were determined to hang him ; & to comfort his wife who appeared much affected, they told her they intended to be the death of all the leading men of those parts. They drank very freely of sundry sorts of liquor of which there were three Barrels in the house, filled their Bottles & stove the Casks; took 3 Bushels of salt & strewed upon the Ground so as it could not be collected : filled Bags with Meat, Bread, Meal & many other things, took about £200 in Cash & gave Miss Clark a Paper written as follows Viz :
“A Warning to the Rebels:
“You are hereby forbid at your peril to hang no more Friends to Government as you did Claudius Smith.”
"You are warned likewise to use James Smith, James FlawelIing & Wm. Cole well and ease them of their Irons, for we are determined to hang six for one, for the Blood of the innocent cries aloud for vengeance; your noted Friend, Capt. Williams & his Crew of Robbers & Murderers we have got in our Provoe, & the Blood of Claudius shall be repaid; there is particular Companies of us that belongs to Col. Butler's army, Indians as well as white men, & particularly Numbers from N. York that is resolved to be revenged on you for your cruelty & Murders. We are to remind you that you are the beginners & agressors, for by your cruel oppressions & bloody actions drive us to it. This is the first & we are determined to pursue it on your Heads & Leaders to the last till the whole of you is Massacred. Dated New York Feb'y 1779."
They then took Clarke to an out House near his dwelling House, & some said they would hang him, other said they had better shoot him, & while they were disputing which they should do, Richard Smith shot him through the Breast, Clark fell on his Face & lay as dead; they took of his Shoes which being done he nimbly got up & ran to his House, while running they discharged two Guns at him, lodged the contents of one in his shoulder & left him. Having returned to his wife he informed her as above, particularly that Smith shot him & not long after died.
They then went to one Gideon Maces, drank some Liquor, took some Cash from one Hall a Traveller, which they again returned, threatening him, alleging that he made & sold salt to the Rebels.
After this went in to the Mountains.
The above is as near a Representation of Facts as I have bin able to Get.
Isaac Nicoll.”
Source: Public Papers of George Clinton, Vol. 4. p. 587-589. Item 2112
- ALTERNATE FORM OF MURDER NOTEThis alternate "message" was discovered in the Sir Henry Clinton Papers by Todd Braisted.