John Haswell, his wife and ten children
arrived in 1774 from England and rented from Patroon van Rensselaer
300 acres of farmland on both sides of Feura Bush Road. The homestead
would be farmed through six generations. Haswell gave his children
portions of the farmland. John's son Henry settled in this two-story
brick home with center entrance that was built around 1800. Native
Americans were allowed to camp out in the fields behind the house.
Henry traded meat for bowls and baskets. When the Bethlehem Turnpike
was constructed, the house was in a perfect spot to be used as a tavern
and inn for stagecoach travelers and farmers to and from Albany.
The fields were used for military training
grounds as early as 1812. Col. John Moore of Bethlehem trained Mexican
War soldiers here in the 1840's.
Colonial militias drilled here and were later formed into regiments
to fight in the Civil War. The house became headquarters. The former
Kenwood Avenue became "Kitchen Avenue" because soldiers
set up kitchens along the dirt road. The children of Harold VanDerpoel
found pieces of military equipment and even the graves of two Union
soldiers. In later days the militia met annually in rowdy celebration
of training days.
The present owners are Jonathan and
Gloria VanDerpoel.
