Pine Plains Free Library

The first action towards a library at Pine Plains was at a meeting held for that purpose at the public house of Ebenezer Baldwin (Stissing House) December 14, 1797. Subscription papers were there drawn up for circulation. The amount agreed upon for each subscriber was two dollars and fifty cents, which was called a share or right. The meeting adjourned to meet again January 9, 1798, at the same place. This was then North East Town, but this effort was confined to the then small village and its near surroundings. At the time appointed the meeting was held and reported the following subscribers to the library; Jesse Thompson, Samuel Waters, Ebenezer Dibblee, Ebenezer Baldwin, John A. Turck, Cornelius W. VanRanst, Israel Reynolds, Hugh Gamble, Asahel Haskins, Nathaniel Stone, James Graham, John Waters, Peter Husted, Moses Barlow, John Knickerbocker Jr., Robert Camron, David Orr, George Sheldon, John Harris, Silas Husted, Elijah Adams, Andrew Camron, Allen Sheldon, John C. Knickerbocker, Christopher Schultz, John Wigram, Isaac VanLuvan, Hendrick F. Hoysradt, Caleb Reynolds, Israel Curtis, John I. Hoysradt, John H. Sharpstone, Martinus Miller, John A. Hoysradt, William A. Stickle, Isaiah Dibble, Gerardus Winans, Martin Hoysradt, Eseck Wilber, Esborn Sanford, Caleb Norton, Jacob Couse, Isaac B. Smith, Benjamin Wilbur, Germond Husted, Caleb Finch, Joseph Sutherland. Of these forty-seven subscribers, two, Allen Sheldon and Martinus Miller, lived in "Livingston," now Ancram and Gallatin. At this meeting of January 9, 1798, trustees were chosen by ballot to wit: Ebenezer Dibblee, Samuel Waters, John Harris, Silas Husted, Christopher Schultz, Ebenezer Baldwin, George Sheldon, Hugh Gamble, Peter Husted, Israel Reynolds, Asahel Haskins, John A. Turck. Ebenezer Dibblee was chosen chairman of the board of trustees, and was instructed to prepare a certificate of the proceedings of the board and have the same recorded in the office of the county clerk