Detailed History Craver Farmstead

the lease carries historical significance. alexander hamilton, stephen van rensselaer s brother-in-law, designed lease bound new tenants permanently estate, thereby adroitly sidestepping issue of feudalism, had been outlawed in new york state in 1782. 1790 “indenture” created craver farmstead, such agreement. under terms of lease, tenant had pay taxes, , use land agricultural purposes only. patroon reserved himself timber, water , mineral rights, , had right enter tenant s property exploit resources. tenant couldn t sell property, lease, another. if wished sell quarter sale clause restricted tenant further, van rensselaer having option of collecting one-fourth of sale price or taking full title property paying three-quarters of market price. in 1790 lease millers agreed yearly rent of 24 1/2 skipples of winter wheat, 4 fat fowls, , 1 day s service carriage , horses, due on january first of each year.

by 1797 original leased property had been transferred , divided 2 112.5 acre parcels william , henry coon, craver farmstead standing on william coon portion. on november 6, 1841, elizabeth craver, having inherited property late husband, william coon, consideration of $50, signed on interest in farm son john w. craver (she had been remarried william craver in 1799), family owned craver farmstead longer other tenant or owner.

the craver years

john w. craver born in rensselaer county, new york on march 6, 1801, , resided in craver farmhouse entire life. 1830 craver, had married , wife catharine, had 2 daughters, almira , emily, grew on craver farmstead. 1855, new york state census records indicate craver 54-year-old head of six-member family. on april 3, 1855, during first annual clinton (now east greenbush) town meeting, held @ home of william r. defreest, craver elected overseer of poor . overseers of poor responsible assisting people in need, supervising admissions poor house, , certifying freed slaves capable of caring themselves.

by 1875, craver widower, 74 years old, , farmed 112 acres, 90 of improved, 29 plowed, 24 pasture, , 20 meadow. craver produced hay, oats, rye, corn , potatoes. cultivated 150 apple , 100 pear trees (the descendants of in evidence today) , strawberries. raised livestock, including cattle, horses, poultry , pigs. craver farmstead produce included butter, eggs, pork, , cider. in 1874, on 90 acres of improved farmland, craver had grown 16 acres of oats, 4 of indian corn, 16 of winter rye, , 8 of potatoes, yielded 400 bushels of oats, 75 of corn, 190 of rye, , 750 of potatoes. 24 acres of pasture accounted 50 tons of hay. additionally, 150 apple , 100 pear trees yielded 200 , 30 bushels of fruit, respectively. farm production included 500 pounds of butter, 400 gallons of milk, 1200 pounds of pork, 8 barrels of cider, , $15 worth of eggs sold. craver valued farm @ $12000, , farmstead @ $1500. additional children included albus, sylvester, caroline, catherine, , elizabeth. upon john w. craver s death on january is, 1888, intestate, ownership of craver farmstead assumed albus, who, on march 6, 1896, passed property on son, irwin craver. on april 15, 1929, irwin died, , willed property surviving wife, cylvie a. craver, sold craver farmstead , acreage in 1942.

the craver farmstead accepted listing on national register of historic places in 1996.