This photo is of Gilder Meadow, the land given to John Van Gilder by the Mohican Nation. The mountain to the left is Jug End. Since I started my research over twenty years ago, I've always seen the area referred to as "Guilder Hollow." While researching deeds recently, I discovered that might be a fairly recent name. An 1873 deed of land from the estate of George L. Tullar to George F. Bradford refers to the area as "the 'Gilder Meadow' so called." The deed of 1837 from John Tullar to George L. Tullar refers to it the same way. I want to research the area deeds more thoroughly in part to track this usage.
My apologies for the line in the photo. I was given what was once a very good camera. Shortly after I received it, the camera developed this line. I understand I can fix this and will put this on my list of things to do.
In the book The Great River of the Mountains, Bowen & Carmer wrote about Guilder Hollow "east of Hudson Falls". There is a Guilder Hollow road in Slyboro, NY that tradition says was settled by one Joseph Van Guilder in the late 18th century. Through the 19th century they were known as prolific basket makers. Both Van Guilder and Winchell are common names there.
ReplyDeleteI also have a newspaper clipping from July 23rd, 1881: "At Pittsfield, yesterday Winchell, the accused murderer of Mrs. Morrison, of Egremont was sentenced to seven and a half years in the State prison. It will be remembered that Winchell, February last, killed Mrs. Morrison, at ths house of James H. Bunce, at Guilder Hollow, between Egremont, Mass., and Hillsdale, in this county, by the discharge of a gun, during a fight in the house of Bonce." (Winchell's first name was Jeremiah.)
So it appears the name was established in that area at least at that time.
How observant of you. Samuel Winchell Sr. was living in South County, Berkshire County by 1721. John Van Gilder signed a Mohican treaty as a Mohican in Berkshire County in 1722. After the American Revolution, many of John Van Gilder's Van Gilder and Winchell descendants moved to Vermont. Some of them later moved west to Washington County, New York.
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