The streams of the town are known as the Otter Kill, which flows through West Chester and is joined at Lincolndale by the Cromeline Creek, which was known in Colonial days as the "River."
The Cromeline has its sources of supply near the northern headwaters of Greenwood Lake in the watershed known as "Dutch Hollow;" also from the outlet of Walton Lake, known in Colonial days as the "Little Long Pond" to distinguish it from Greenwood Lake, which in the early period of our history was known as Long Pond. Along the Cromeline Creek are the fertile meadows formerly known as the Great Beaver meadows.
Since the erection of the Cromeline house in the year 1716, which stood on the south side of the road opposite the present home of W. R. Conklin, the meadows have been known as the Greycourt meadows, from the fact that this Cromeline house was known as the Greycourt Inn. This name was also given to the cemetery, near this old inn, and when the Erie Railroad was built in 1841, this name was applied to the junction of the Erie Railroad with the Newburgh branch and the Warwick Valley, first called East and West Junction, afterwards Chesterville, and finally the euphonious name of Greycourt was decided upon as the name appropriate for the station adjoining these famous Greycourt meadows.
COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY.
On the 22nd of August, 1775, the Provincial Congress of New York passed a law under which the militia of the Revolution was organized.
The several companies so formed were directed to be joined into regiments to consist of not less than five nor more than ten companies. When the organization was perfected, the companies of Orange formed the Fourth Brigade under Brigadier General George Clinton. This brigade was composed of four companies of Ulster and five of Orange County, commanded respectively by Colonel Allison, whose regimental district included Goshen, of which Chester was then a part, and the western part of the county. There were Colonel Hathorn, whose district embraced Warwick and the settlements; Colonel Woodhull, the district which is now Monroe and Blooming Grove; Colonel Hasbrouck's district, embracing Newburgh and vicinity; Colonel Clinton's of New Windsor, Montgomery and Wallkill.
During the early years of the war our people (located, as they were, not far removed from the Hudson) were almost constantly under arms or engaged in the construction of the forts of the Highlands, or preparing the obstructions to navigation through these Highlands.
The contract for the making of the last chain drawn across the Hudson at West Point, on April 30, 1778, was awarded at the home of Mr. Peter Townsend, who resided at this time in the old homestead opposite the Presbyterian Church, in Chester village, by Secretary of War, Mr. Pickering. Mr. Townsend, of the firm of Townsend & Noble, at this time was one of the owners of the Sterling furnace, where the chain was made.
During the years 1776 to 1779 our troops were very active and were kept informed by the aid of cannon firing by day and beacon fires by night. From December, 1776, to April, 1778, our militia was called out no less than twelve times and spent 292 days in the field.
At a meeting of the County Delegates called to meet at the Yelverton Inn (still standing in Chester), on September 17, 1774, Henry Wisner was elected and sent as a delegate to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, "to protest against the unjust taxation." On December 9, 1776, General Clinton was ordered to co-operate with Generals Lee and Gates to harass the enemy, who had then entered northern New Jersey. The resolution read as follows: "That all the militia of Orange and Ulster Counties be forthwith ordered to march properly armed and accoutered with four days' provision to Chester, Orange County, N. Y."