Bygone Hudson Valley

The Riverside Seminary for Young Ladies in Milton on Hudson, Ulster County, was one several such private preparatory and collegiate schools for young women in the Hudson Valley in the mid-to-late-1800s. The schools offered courses in the humanities, as well as music, fine arts, languages and natural sciences. While the majority of students were from Ulster and Dutchess Counties, boarders from many different states also attended the seminary at various times.

The Riverside Seminary was founded by Rev. Edgar Warner Clarke, A.M., who served as the principal from 1862 to 1869. Tuition was set at $200 a year, and included “Board, Fuel, Lights, Furnished Rooms, Washing and Pew Rent.”

In his 1908 History of the Town of Marlborough, Ulster County New York, rom Its Earliest Discovery, Marlborough historian C. M. Woolsey described Clarke as “an eminent scholar, and a man of pleasing manners and address. He made friends readily and had no enemies.”

Clarke retained ownership of the seminary until 1872, when failing health caused him to move his family to the Midwest. The seminary was purchased by a Mrs. Scofield Brown, but burned down shortly after.

From History and Genealogy of Samuel Clark, Sr. and His Descendants, from 1636-1892-256 Years by Reverend Edgar W. Clark, A.M. (full text below):

EDGAR WARNER CLARKE, fifth child of Nathaniel and Hannah Clarke, born on the ” old homestead ” near Milton, Sabbath, May 29th, 1825; graduated from Willams College, Mass., Aug. 16th, 1848, after a four years course; spent three years at Union Theo. Seminary, N. Y. City, graduating there, June 18th, 1851. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of North River (N. S.) at Freedom Plains, Dutchess Co., NY., April 16th, 1851, and he preached his first sermon in the church of Dr. Pennington, N.Y. City, who was then a fugitive to England from his master.

He was on Oct. 9th, 1851, married to Miss Martha A. Northrop, daughter of Luther Northrop, Esq., of New Haven, Ct., and formerly of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. She was born in Bethlehem, Litchfield Co., Ct., Wednesday, Aug. 4th, 1824; educated at Poughkeepsie, Female Academy and Leroy Seminary, now Ingham University. She has taught in Poughkeepsie, Marlborough and Now Haven, Ct., and in Milton, Riverside Seminary. She early became a member of the 1st Dutch Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie. They were married by Rev. W. T. Eustis, of New Haven, Chapel St. Church.

Edgar W. Clarke’s first call was to the Congregational Church of North Evans, Erie Co., N. Y., where he went in May, 1852, and was ordained and installed there by a Council, Dec. 9th, 1852, sermon by Rev. S. P. Marvin of Jamestown, N. Y., ordaining prayer the Rev. Anson Gleason, a Pres. Missionary to the Seneca Indians, address to the people by Rev. D. S. Morse; charge to Pastor by Rev. Anson Gleason. Deacon Lewis Seneca, a Seneca Indian, was one of the council. He accepted a call and removed to Medina, Orleans Co., N. Y., in March, 1856·, and at his installation Rev. Dr. Wm. C. Wisner preached the sermon, and Rev. A. H. Lilly, charge to the people, by direction of Niagara Presbytery.

Ho left Medina with broken health in May, 1861, spent one year at the ” old homestead” near Milton, then moved to Milton and started Riverside Seminary, which they continued till June, 1869, when he then removed to Canterbury, Orange County, N. Y., where he preached for the Presbyterian Church two and a half years, declining to be installed. He has been Commissioner to four General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church.

He received the title of A. M. from Williams College June 11th, 1868. He also served as Justice of Peace at Milton 2 1-2 years; opened trials by prayer.

Rev. E.W. Clarke received a Call, dated July 17th, 1872, from the Congregational Church of Sterling, Ill., removed there Sept. 1st, 1872; was not installed. He preached there one and a half years, and then removed to Richview, Ill., in April, 1874, having purchased Washington Seminary at Richview.,

Sold the seminary and removed to Irvington, Ill., in April, 1880, to take charge of Irvington College.

Preached in Richview from 1876 to 1881, also two sum­mers in Nashville, also two years in the Methodist Church of Irvington.

Offered a Call from the First Presbyterian Church of Pana, Ill., and began pastoral work there March 1st, 1885. Bought a place of eighty acres one mile out of the city corporation to the west, where he now resides.