From "History of Columbia County , New York"

Illustrations and Biographical sketches
Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers
Philadelphia: Everts & Ensign, 1878

GREENPORT

The journal of certain travelers who ascended the Hudson about two hundred years ago in a sloop, going as far as Albany, shows something of this very town of Greenport. On the return the sloop stopped at Claverack Landing to take on board grain brought to the river by the farmers of Claverack. These travelers, taking the opportunity of the delay to see something of the country, rode out with the farmers to their homes, about four miles, and the journal speaks of some noble fountains bursting from a hillside which they passed on the way. These are undoubtedly the "Fountains," so called at the present time, near Hollenbeck's tavern.

John R. Hollenbeck was a resident more than a hundred years ago at the present place of F. A. Beach. He opened a tavern and established a ferry. He was succeeded by his son, Peter I. Hollenbeck, who died July 29, 1834, only three years later than his father. The tavern was continued by his widow and her family down to about 1855. It then ceased to be a public-house. Matthew and Michael Hollenbeck were also early residents. A son of Peter I. is Charles Hollenbeck of the McKinstry neighborhood, and a son of Charles is the present town clerk. The dwelling-house of Charles is about one hundred years old.

Jacob R. Hollenbeck, mentioned in the notes upon town officers, is the son of Matthias Hollenbeck, and he was the son of Matthias the elder. The sons of the latter, besides Matthias Jr., were Jacob, Michael N., Jeremiah, Mrs. Bertrand (who, after the death of her first husband, married James Kelly), and Mrs. Abraham Ten Eyck. The old Hollenbeck tavern at the McKinstry place was kept by the mother of Jacob R. Hollenbeck for many years. She is remembered as an energetic, capable woman, and her house was a favorite resort for parties riding out from Hudson.

The present Hollenbeck tavern, near the "Fountains" on the Columbia turnpike is a very old place. The tavern was kept nearly or quite a hundred years ago by James Bidwell.

The tavern in the southeast corner of the town was established, too, as early as 1800, and was known for many years as the Hydron place. The old tavern at the ferry, already spoken of, opened by John R. Hollenbeck a hundred years ago or more, was continued by Peter I. Hollenbeck, his son, for a few years, and after his death by his widow, down to about 1855 or 1856, when it ceased to be a public-house. Another early tavern was at the McKinstry place, near the Reformed church.

Of the town officers elected at this first meeting, 1837, the following brief memorandum may be of interest, though it relates to a comparatively modern date: Hugh McClellan, the first supervisor, lived not far from the tollgate on Columbia turnpike, his place being the present Brownell farm. Zachariah Bush, first town clerk, lived near the "Fountain," and kept the tavern now the Hollenbeck place.

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