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1846, when Mr. Bensel left town. It was noted "practically no local news was included," something with which present-day residents can identify with.
In 1842, the Wallkill Academy was completed, the first institution of higher learning here. Also in 1842, the Orange County Furnace, Middletown's first important industry began operation. Organizers were J. F. France, Joseph Lemori, E.P. Wheeler and E. M. Madden.
Elisha Pearl Wheeler (1807-1876) was certainly one of the great citizens of Middletown and of those few to whom its growth and development can be directly attributed to. He was involved with the railroads, Middletown government, business, civic and community affairs. Along with E. M. Madden, Mr. Wheeler began the Monhagen Saw Works which eventually added William Clemson as a partner, who was the father of George N. Clemson inventor of the hack saw and founder of Clemson Brothers.
An important event was establishment of The Whig Press, the first true local newspaper, the first issue of which came out November 26, 1851. The publisher was John W. Hasbrouck (1821-1907). Mr. Hasbrouck has been largely ignored by historians in favor of his wife, Lydia. Perhaps she was seen as more 'colorful. It is clear that of the two, Mr. Hasbrouck's contribution to Middletown was far greater and of lasting importance.
John Whitbeck Hasbrouck was born at Woodstock (Ulster County), New York, November 20, 1821. His parents, Richard and Mary, moved to Kingston in 1834. There John graduated from the Kingston Academy, and began his career as a journalist in 1845 with the Kingston Journal. He purchased the Sullivan Whis at Bloomingburg in 1846, sold it 1851, coming to Middletown that year to establish The Whig Press. He married Lydia Sayer in 1856. Mr. Hasbrouck, "the father of Middletown journalism," died in 1907. Lydia, like her husband, was progressive. She was born 1827, died 1910.
In 1853, Matthews and Hunt established their carpet bag factory in the building on the corner of north and Roberts Street, now Ayres & Galloway. This at once became an important business. John Hasbrouck published his famous Middletown Directory in 1857, a source of valuable information on the village's history. The fire department was organized in 1859, largely through the efforts of James N. Pronk. Mr. Pronk (1822-1895), born in Boston, came to Middletown with his parents, studied law in the office of John G. Wilkin, opening a law office here in 1849. Mr. Pronk served as village president for a number of years, was active in community affairs, and involved in a number of projects beneficial to Middletown. He named the original fire companies of the modern department (Escelsior, Eagle, and Phoenix), as well as paying for the Excelsior truck himself when pledges made never materialized.