The Althouse – Higgins House, built c. 1845, is an altered example of a modest two-story dwelling typical of those built for mechanics and tradesmen in the mid-19th century. The c. 1900 addition was made to create a second dwelling, which is a further illustration of its evolution as a working-class dwelling. The long association of the house with cigar-maker John Higgins and his family is noteworthy.
Around 1790, Parla Foster purchased a farm of 160 acres that was originally a part of the lower manor of the Van Rensselaer patent, and had been rented to tenant farmers. The last proprietor of the lower manor was John Van Rensselaer, and upon his death the property was divided between his four children, Henry V., James, Robert and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, wife of Gen. Philip Schuyler and mother-in-law of Alexander Hamilton. James Van Rensselaer inherited this property and continued to rent it from time to time before selling it to Foster. The south boundary of the farm came to what is now Coldwater Street in Hillsdale.
John E. Althouse was a 27-year-old carpenter. His household consisted of his wife, Samantha, 26 years of age, Sarah Patterson, 30 years, and James Blackman, a 16-year-old laborer, who may have been employed by Althouse. This young household with no children suggests that it was newly formed and helps date the dwelling to the 1840s. Seymour Foster, who likely sold a lot to Althouse, on which the existing house was constructed, possibly by the carpenter himself, c. 1845.
John E. and Samantha Althouse still lived in the house when the 1860 census was taken, and their household was expanded by the presence of two sons, Samuel, age seven years, and Nathan, age two years. Sarah Patterson remained with the family; perhaps she was Samantha Althouse’s sister. In 1861 Samantha Althouse conveyed the house and lot to Eliza Higgins, wife of John Higgins, and the Althouses left Hillsdale. In 1850 the Higginses were living in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York; they both were in their 20s and John’s occupation was listed as a manufacturer. It is not clear what was being manufactured, but there were five young men boarding in their household who were also employed as manufacturers.
They were living in Hillsdale in 1860 and boarding with Charles Campbell, a tinsmith. John Higgins, age 39 years, was listed as a tailor; Eliza, age 35, was a housekeeper. One month after they bought the house, Eliza Higgins purchased one-twelfth of an acre adjoining the property for $50 from Seymour Foster. John W. and Eliza Higgins are enumerated in sequence immediately following Eliphalet Dimmick and Sarah Murray, William Murray’s widow in 1870.
A second Eliza Higgins was living in the household. At 61 years of age, she probably was John Higgins’s sister. Mary Brusie was listed as a domestic servant. Higgins’s occupation was entered as cigar dealer, and he owned real estate valued at $3,000. In 1880 John and Eliza were living in the same location, and John was still identified as a cigar dealer. Mary Brusie was still a member of the household, but the second Eliza Higgins was not.
Eliza Higgins was recorded alone in the 1900 census, indicating that her husband had died, and in 1904, she sold the property to her niece, Sarah Tamison Knapp, who was living with her. Deed history and the 1888 map of the hamlet indicate that Eliza Higgins also owned the Knapp house at 2719 NY Rt.23 at this time. Knapp’s last will and testament conveyed the property to Arthur J. Stever, an architect living in Hillsdale, New Jersey. It appears that Stever also owned the Murray house next door on the west. (See Inventory Form for 2662 NY Rt. 23.) Arthur J. Stever and his wife, Dora L., sold the house in 1918 to Arthur Van Dusen, and through a complicated series of transactions involving the conveyances of parts of other neighboring properties, the house came into the possession of Edith Van Dusen Cornell, wife of Harry D. Cornell, in 1929.
In 1960 Fred A. and Evelyn Horton obtained the house from Edith V.D. Cornell’s estate. A year later the Hortons conveyed the property to Edith I. and Helen E. Becker. Edith I. Becker died 24 November 1979 devising her share in the house to her sister. Helen Becker who remained in the house until 1986, when she sold it to John C. and Genevieve M. Fairval. The next owners, Frank J. and Lois R. Drury, who were from Wassaic, New York, purchased the property from John C. Fairval in 1994.
We acknowledge the efforts of Larson Fisher Associates, Historic Surveyors for providing us with this information.