Emigh House

Nicholas Emigh was the first permanent settler in Dutchess County. He came to America with Robert Livingston around 1672. He was married on shipboard. About 1687 they settled at the mouth of the Fishkill Creek where their daughter was born.

Emigh bought from the Native Americans a tract of land extending from the river to the Connecticut line. His "Indian Deed" was worthless because the land was included in the Rombout patent of 1685. He was permitted to retain 1500 acres in the Clove Valley. Emigh's daughter married a Lossing.

Tradition says that he first built a log cabin. An anecdote related by McCracken Old Dutchess Forever relates that a document in the County Clerk's office says that in February or March of 1750 a riotous group including Nicholas Emigh, his son Nocolas and his relatives Philips, Hendrick, Berger, Ballard, Sackrider, Hass, Apler and Wager, all of Beekman Precint had broken by force into the Poughquag church and hindered their minister from preaching. James Smith History of Dutchess County says "One of the oldest houses in the town if not the oldest, was built by oned the family Emigh. This is the house now owned (in 1882) by the heirs of George Brill at North Clove, and which bears the inscription 'N. E. 1740' ".

American Guide Series Dutchess County in 1937 states: "the date 1740 appears on the south chimney. It is a story and a half stone structure well preserved and outwardly little changed, though there is a clapboard addition on its south end. The doors and much of the interior trim and hardware are however of later date. Lath and plaster walls cover the massive 9x12 inch beams, which in Emigh's day were the windowless slave quarters, an 8x16 foot building, can still be traced 8 feet from the main house and opposite the east door. The Coe family was associated with Emigh in building the house and in clearing and developing the land. Some 600 feet west of the Old Emigh house is Clove Spring."

On 1798 map "Emigh's Spring" is noted. One reference refers to "Emigh burying ground on the farm in the center of a large field"
In 1970 it was owned by Estate of Andrew Fraser.