A hundred and fifteen years ago the Gazette of Hudson published, in Ma^^ the following news item: "Robert White was married to Betsie Harris on Tuesday, May I St. Who was brought sick on Wednesday, delivered of three children on Thursday, who all died on Fridav and w^ere buried on Saturday." And still the local authorities are uncertain whether this astonishing statement may be classed as a piece of reprehensible pleasantry or a dispensation of Providence. It will at least interest the student to learn that at such an early

Nantucket Quakers and Dutch Fighters 509

period in its civic histor}', Hudson enjo}-ed the then rare distinction of ]uibHshing a Gazette devoted to local affairs. A few miles south of Hudson, at Linlithgo, is the point where Hudson anchored the Halj-Moou, and, u])on the 17 th of September, sent his boats ex|)loring among the islands and shoals of the u])per reaches. In an opposite direction is Kinderhook (KtJidcr's Hoeck), where the numerous progeny of the first settler so swarmed about the water's edge when the trading boats went l)y that the skippers could think of no more appro] ')riate name than this. The present village is not on the ri\'er shore, but is reached from Stu}'\'esant landing. The Kinderhook Creek, a jncturesque little stream, finds its way to the Hudson at Columbia- \'ille, about midw^ay Ijetween Stu)'\^esant and the county seat. At Kinderhook, in his country seat, Lindenwald, Martin Van Buren kept open house for his |)olitical friends. The house was liuilt Ijy Judge William P. Van Ness, the intimate associate of Aaron Burr and his second in the duel which resulted in the death of Alexander Hamilton. Washington Irving was a guest at Lindenwald during one period of which we ha\'e record, and not improbal:)l}' at other times. He is said to ha\'e niade there the acquaintance of the school-teacher, Jesse Merwin, who is credited with being the original of the character of Ichabod Crane in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.