Henry lived at a time when the world was making a great revolution in travel, and just before another great change - trains. He was able to see steamships sailing down the Hudson, but the DeWitt Clinton locomotive didn't run on railroad tracks until 1831, three years after Henry's death.

Water was the fastest way to get around in Henry's time. But in the day of sail, you were limited by the direction and power of the wind, or the stamina of your rowwers. With the steamship, or the canal boats which ran by mule power, you could travel in a dead calm and even set departure and arrival schedules. But the waterways were still limited by the winter, and railroads were just over the horizon with their promise to liberate travel from the vissicitudes of weather.

As today, there were some highways and Henry, as an owner of property next to the highway, had obligations for work on the road. If he couldn't do the work, he was obliged to hire someone to do so. Eventually Henry donated land to the turnpike and offered to supervise it, an offer which was taken up.

Jun 16 '72

"Work'd on the road today"

Sep 16 '73

"Myndert Van Kleeck I paid 2sh for neglecting working on the road half a day"

1809

Turnpike release dated 1809 H.L. to Highland Turnpike Co gives 66 feet strip of land for one dollar extending whole east side of HL farm of 250 acres and by it the road was shifted toward the east of Richard James house and barn. Copy of release in NYPL

Dec 1 '17

Letter from Jos Howland regarding Henry's offer to superintend road. Howland responded affirmatively, and Henry was made Supervisor of Pike

Rev. Timothy Dwight, married to Henry's wife Sarah's first cousin, was one who loved to travel and write long letters describing his trips through New England and New York.

Rev. Timothy Dwight, Travels through New York and New England, 1821

While Henry did travel extensively in his various positions, he doesn't seem as enamoured of being away from his domestic comforts as Dwight does. In fact, most of his poetry extolls the pleasure of just staying home. Maybe this bitch about taverns for travelers would explain some of his love of hearth and home.

To the Justices and Supervisers of Dutchess County AMONG the several classes of public bodies who have it greatly in their power to promote the general good, permit me gentlemen to rank yourselves. The alone business of regulating and determining the number of taverns in the country, and which is altogether left with you, is in its consequences, a matter of important magnitude. However trifling this circumstance may appear in the eyes of dignified statesman or the unobserving vulgar, the supernumerary tipling houses in the country are certainly a fruitful source of a multitude of enormous evils. It is in vain our leislative bodies spend a third of a year, and twelve or thirteen thousand pounds of the public money at each session enacting salutary laws - In vain we support an expensive executive - In vain are officers of different denominations thick scattered through the land; if our youth are corrupted before they know the duties of citizens, and citizens are dispoiled of their reason and dignity, at the abominable temples of Bacchus; which every half mile exhibit the bowl or the glass, to tempt those, whose frailities require but too little allurement. The design of inns, were to accomodate the way-faring stranger with a temporary home, where, for a reasonable consideration, he may enjoy those essential domestic comforts, without which his situation would be painful. To such, the more an ordinary partakes of the quiet, neatness, and simplicity of a well regulated family, the more agreeable. Now gentlemen look around! and you must speedily decide, that three fifths of the taverns in this country are by no means comportable with this definition of an inn. Instead of holding out to the wearied traveller the comfort of a home, they generally echo the noise of rude riot, and present him at his entrance, with the ungracious greetings of drunkards. Indeed it is almost impossible that there should be many very good public houses when their number is so great: For the profit accruing to individuals cannot compensate for extraordinary expense and attention - Hence people of property and decorum, generally decline a business, which the practices of needy sharps, and idle profilgates, have rendered more or less infamous. This excessive number of inns, also gives rise to as excessive an extortion: it is but little each one can procure, where so many step in for part, therefore, each one will fleece the unhappy sojourner, in proportion as there is a deficiency of guests. What the profits generally are on the spiritous liquors they retail, I do not know; but those upon oats and hay, are certainly beyond all the bounds of decent profit. Three coppers for a quart of the former, which is about seven shillings a bushel (the price of wheat,) and six-pence for a small handful of hay, is an extortion too monstrous to be endured. As a sincere well-wisher to my fellow citizens, I ardently gentlemen, recommend this momentous concern to your attention. Erase from the list of innkeepers at least one half of the names, at your next sale of the excise; and let those you retain, be persons, as noted for their probity and morality, as for their competency of fortune; and impress upon their minds the impropriety, as well as illegality, of demanding prices for articles of absolute necessity, beyond the bounds of moderation. Believe me gentlemen, by a due exertion of that authority the law of the land has clothed you with, you will render essential services for your country; services great and important in proportion as the morality of the people, and the tranquility of families are secured or advanced. R--.

And when Henry's son Charles moved west to find opportunity as a newly minted physician with his cousin Sidney Breese, Henry was properly amazed by his son's cheerful separation from his luggage. As a more experienced traveler, Henry had an opinion to give his grandson Sidney on that topic.

Long before this reaches you I hope your old chum and uncle Charles will mix the vapour of his cigar with that of yours. His last letter to us was written at Pittsburgh where he arrived the 30th ult. His letter was dated on the day of his arrival. His heavier baggage started with him from Philadelphia. It, in a transport waggon. He's in a stage coach. The waggon probably will require xx days in performing a journey which the coach compleated in five. He has written that the Ohio is too low to admit of the passage of the larger vessels generally in use-- And on the day of his arrival, He, in companion with a gentleman who was taken in the coach at Harrisburgh, was proceeding to Louisville in Kentucky, had purchased a skiff, awning and all, for $6. with which they intend to descend the Beautiful river as low as Louisville. From there perhaps more comfortable boats may be had. From his haste in making his aquatic arrangement, on the very day of his arrival, it is quite evident that he proposes to pass down the river without his more ponderous baggage-- How that is to go on -- where he is to meet it -- or, whether he ever will meet it is, to me, altogether uncertain. You western Gentlemen know best how western expeditions are to be conducted; But to my Atlantic mind, the more feazible way would be to be as little separated from the baggage as possible, especially when that baggage consisted of the means of future support. Heaven I hope has blessed my wanderer & that he now is safely with, or near you. To grandson Sidney Breese, Aug 1819

Charles has told his mother that his books, boxes & etc will not be with him till next spring on account of the scantiness of water in Ohio: Pityful stream that for 6 months in succession cannot float an xx full of baggage! To grandson Sidney Breese, Nov 1819

The advent of steamships on the Hudson was a cause of great celebration. Robert Fulton bragged of his Clermont, "I left New York on Monday at one o'clock, and arrived at Clermont, the seat of Chancellor Livingston, at one o'clock on Tuesday time, twenty-four hours; distance, one hundred and ten miles. On Wednesday I departed from the Chancellor's at nine in the morning, and arrived at Albany at five in the afternoon: distance, forty miles; time, eight hours. The sum is one hundred and fifty miles in thirty-two hours, - equal to near five miles an hour."

But anyone who has taken a train and arrived in Pittsburgh, or wherever, in the middle of the night, will have sympathy with the difficulties of Henry's son-in-law's arrival in Poughkeepsie.

Say 5 days ago I recd a line from your father, drop'd from the steam boat in his way to Albany. About a month since & your mamma went to NYork: They intended calling here on their return but the boat got to the Poughkeepsie wharf in the dead of the night & it was inconvenient at that unreasonable hour to leave the ship. To grandson Sidney Breese, Jul 1820

Poughkeepsie to Albany: 2 days
l775, August 25.-Embark'd on board Cap't Jacksons sloop at 5 oclock in the afternoon (who had on board Col'o [James] Clinton, Mr. Drake sutler & Cap't [John] Nicholson with his company. We sail'd in company with Cap't [Benjamin] North, [Anthony] Van Shaack, & [John] Gale each with men on board. In the evening Van Shaack & Gale got aground on Esopus meadows.

August 27.-Our sloop arriv'd at Kingston landing ab’t 6 oclock in the morning of the 26th. The Coll'o & a few more went on shore. Breakfasted, got on board & with a fair wind hoisted anchor at 9 oclock on our way to Albany, arriv'd at that city at 5 oclock in the afternoon.

Albany to Poughkeepsie to Albany: abt 1 1/2 days each way
September 15.-This morning set off for Redhook arrived there in the evening & next day went to Poughkeepsie, left that place on Monday morning & got here at Albany again on Tuesday evening, was out 5 days.

Albany to Fort Ticonderoga: abt 5 days
September 23.-Set off from Albany with part of the Com: of Cap’t Johnson at 4 oclock aft’n, marched up abt 5 miles to one Minneways & there joined Cap’t Mills & Platt, cross’d Hudsons river that evening & lodg’d in the New City. The 24th (Sunday) in the morning cross’d the river again at Half Moon [Now Waterford] & got that day abt 20 miles at Stillwater, Next day the 25th reach’d within abt 5 miles of Fort Edward. The 26th got as far as One Abraham Wings abt 6 miles beyond the fort, arrived at the Lake George, the 27th at 12 oclock.

September 28.--At 4 in the afternoon I set off from Fort George with Cap’t Johnson Lt. [Philip Dubois] Bevier & 22 of his men on board a petteaugre & crossing Lake George arrived the next day abt 2 oclock at the landing on the north part of the Lake & got up to Ticonderoga Fortress abt an hours sun.

Fort Ticonderoga to St. John's: abt 5 days
October 4.-At 4 in the afternoon set off from Ticonderoga with Coll’o Clinton, Cap’t Nicholson, Billings & Johnson & 165 men in 14 battoes. That evening reach’d Crownpoint. Left that place next morning & got as far as one Nights 27 miles from Crownpoint in Company with 2 Battoes besides my own. The rest went forward 2 miles. The next evening my battoe reach’d a point of land opposite the southern part of Grand Isle; at which Island the rest of the boats all stay’d. We kept on the point till 10 in the evening d then with a small breeze stood down the Lake & went slowly on till 3 in the morning when we touch’d on shore & rested in the boat till day light & again stood down the Lake, went on shore at the Isle of Mott & at 12 stop’d at a house of Col’o Cristie’s till the rest of the boats came up which they did in 2 hours time. From there we all set of together & at evening landed on the east side of the Lake at 7 miles distance to S. of Isle Aux Noix-pitch’d our tents on the sand, & early next morning set of again in a violent rain which lasted without any Interruption till we arrived at Isle Aux Noix where we came abt noon. Next morning got on board again & arrived safely at the Camp abt a mile l/4 above St. Johns at 2 o’clock in the afternoon of the 9th inst.

October 9. We arrived at Gen. Montgomerys camp near noon.

St. John's to Laprairie: abt 2 days
October 18.- I Received orders from the General to march with 100 men of our Regiment to Caghnawaga to protect that nation from any Insults Carleton might offer them. This evening I set of with Lt. [Matthew] Van Bunschoten & my waiter thro a small rain & excessive dark, and after walking 2 miles down the Lake in as bad a path as can be imagined we ferried across to Col’o Bedles encampment who I went to see & desired to have provisions got ready in the morning for our people against they came over-Van Bunschoten & myself lodged in a poor Frenchmans house hard by.

October 19. We set of on our march from Col’o Bedles abt 8 OClock in the morning, Officers & soldiers carrying every one his Baggage.

Mine being stowed in a large portmanteau was very heavy. After walking 7 miles we procured a Cart to convey our packs. Just as it drew towards evening we came in sight of Lapraire & from a small elevation we were then on had a fine view of the river St. Lawrence, Montreal, Lonqieul & a large extent of Country every way.

Laprairie to Montreal: less than 1 day
November 14.-This morning I set off from Lapraire and arrived in Montreal at 11 0 Clock.

November 15.A Council of War held by the General at the India House. W6

Montreal to Stillwater: abt 18 days
November l7.-Left Montreal on my return home in Company with Coll’o Waterbury & best part of his Regiment (Coll’o Wynkoop & those of our Battalion who returned not being to set of in some days). At noon I set out in a Battoe from town and got to Lapraire 8 miles distant a little after sunset.

November 18.-Set off from Lapraire l/2 after 12 0 Clock & with Major Dimon on foot & got to St. Johns at daylight.

ovember 2l.-Col’o Waterbury, Col’o Hobby, Major Dimon 3 or 4 Captains and myself-on board the sloop. The subalterns of Col. Waterbury’s Regiment in the Row Galley--& Col’o Ward of Gen’l Woosters Regiment on board the Enemys schooner & each vessel1 full of soldiers, set of from St. Johns with a small northerly gale & sleet, & arrived at Isle Au Noix just before dark.

November 22.-A small breeze at S. W. all day and sleet -made but 2 miles.

November 23.-A very still day-Heard the news of the capture of Carletons fleet & all on board except Carleton himself and the few men who man’d the boat he ran away in-made this day but 4 miles.

November 24.-Very calm-made but a mile to day.

November 25.-Made the Isle of Mott, and anchored near the S. part of it & near the shore. In the night a snow storm came on, the wind N. E.

November 26, Sunday.-As soon as daylight appeared we weighed anchor, and under a very heavy Gale & but a rag of the Mainsail hoisted stood up the Lake, snowing very fast all the time, we no sooner lost sight of the Isle of Mott but we were lost, and not a man’on board knew where we was till 3 in the afternoon when we were just by the 4 Brothers 30 miles perhaps from where we set of. In runing this distance we were often in great danger, runing often but a few rods from the rocky shores of Islands we never saw before to remember again. Once between a couple of those Islands we sounded and found the depth of water but 2 1/2 fathom. As our vessel ran very fast and the sea went high, if we had struck a rock, or even sand, our old crazy sloop must have gone to pieces.

Abt half after 3 the weather cleared off a little, when we espied the schooner just behind us. A little before Dark we both of us dropt anchor quietly under the lee of Crownpoint. The Row Galley had been there awaiting for us 2 days.

We ran this day abt 70 miles.

November 27.-This morning we hoisted & stood up towards Ticonderoga That fortress being 15 miles from Crownpoint-It being calm we row’d the vessells up. At 3 in the afternoon we arriv’d under the Fort & saluted it with 13 guns-landed & waited on General Schuyler.

November 28.-Col’o Waterburys men carried over by land two large Battoes from the bridge to Ticonderoga landing, abt 2 miles-we lodg’d at Cap’ Johnsons Quarters at the landing-This evening I was seiz’d with a high fever.

November 29.-Early in the morning we set out in 3 Battoes on lake George on our way to the Fort of that name. The wind being fresh at south we could get no farther than Sabbathday point 12 miles from where we set out where we spent the afternoon and night. The common soldiers under trees and the Officers in a small log house.

November 30.- Set out early in the morning from Sabbathday point, and row’d the whole day against a brisk southerly wind; but by keeping amongst the Islands we evaded the force of it much. Just before sunset landed at Fort George, I was very sick all day & lying out in an open boat heightened my disorder.

December 1.-This morning me set out from Fort George 3 Ox teams carrying our Baggage. On one of them I rode. 4 miles on the north of Fort Edward I b’t a horse, being too sick to ride on a Cart which the Teamster told me he would be forc’d to use a few miles below Fort Edward for want of snow for the sleds. Put up at Fort Edward at one Pat Smiths, Co1 Waterbury and his party went forward 5 miles, & I never overtook them again. They had all my Baggage with them.

December 2.-I was very Ill when I set out from Smiths and riding on a Bearskin without any stirrups, thro a small snow too, did not contribute to alleviate my distemper. I got as far as Saratoga & lodg’d at the Generals, Mrs. Schuyler & her daughter being there.

December 3.-Travel’d down as far as Stillwater to Parson Grahams where I stay’d a fortnight being too unwell to proceed any Farther.

Stillwater to Poughkeepsie: abt 5 days
December 17, Sunday.-By proper attendance & the use of the Bark I was well enough to set off from there the 17th Sunday. I got as far as the new City that day.

December 18.-Arrived in Albany at noon, & lodg’d at my friend Mr. Jacob Rosabooms.

December 19.-Ferry’d across the river & got as far as Kinderhook a little before sunset.

December 20.-Altho the weather was excessive cold & the riding worse than I ever knew it, I reach’d Bests at Kingsbridge before night, where I lodg’d.

December 21.-Rode down as far as Doct’r Bards where I lodg’d. It being just sunset when I got there.

December 22.-A little after noon I arrived in safety at my house. The God of all mercy be adored for his goodness to an unworthy sinner!

This series of books took the young reader step by step through an experience they might not have had so that, at the end, they could almost feel as though they'd lived it themselves! Here Forester is taking Marco on a canal boat trip.

FORESTER and Marco followed the runner down into the cabin. They found that it was a long and narrow room, which occupied almost the whole of the interior of the boat. It looked like a pleasant little parlor, only its shape was very long and narrow. There were seats on the sides, under the windows, covered with red cushions. They extended the whole length of the cabin. There were one or two tables in the middle, with some books and maps upon them. The cabin was divided into two parts by a projection from each of the two sides, which projections, how ever, were so narrow that they left a very wide opening between them, almost as wide as the whole breadth of the cabin. There was a large crimson curtain hanging over this opening, so that when the curtain was let down, it would divide the cabin into two distinct parts. When Forester and Marco came in, however, the curtain was up; the two halves being drawn out to the two sides, and supported there by a large brass curtain knob. Over this curtain there were painted in gilded letters the words, LADIES SALOON.

Marco understood from this arrangement that that part of the cabin which was beyond the curtain, was intended particularly for the ladies, and that it could at any time be separated from the other part by dropping the curtain. In the middle of the ladies' cabin was a table, with books and a bouquet of flowers upon it. There were several ladies sitting upon the cushioned seats at the sides of the saloon.

...

In a few moments, Marco saw before him two bright lights, which seemed to be in motion. They were approaching. He soon saw that they were lights in the bow of another boat, coming to meet them. Now he thought that he should have an opportunity to see how one boat could get by another.

The boat that was coming was a line-boat, that is, one made to carry merchandise. It was loaded with lumber. It was drawn by two horses. The line­boats are usually drawn by two horses, while the packets have three. As the horses were at some distance before the boats, they would necessarily meet upon the towpath considerably before the boats would meet upon the canal.

As the two sets of horses approached, the line-boat horses turned off the path a little, on the side of the path farthest from the canal, and then stopped a moment so as to allow the packet­horses to go by them. The horses were stopped a moment, in order to let the tow­rope, which they were pulling, fall down upon the path, so that the packethorses could step over it easily. Then, when the boats approached each other, the helmsman on board the lineboat steered his boat out, away from the towpath, and the helmsman of the packet steered his in, toward the tow-path. By this means the rope of the line-boat came exactly across in the way where the packet was to go, and it seemed as if it was going to cut across the packet's bows. But just before the bows of the packet came against the rope, the boy who was driving the line-boat horses, stopped a moment, and as the line-boat kept moving on after the horses had stopped, it caused the tow-rope to drop down into the water, and it sunk so low that the packet-boat sailed directly over it, without difficulty. The boy began to drive his horses along as soon as the rope was fairly under the boat, and Marco could hear it rubbing along the bottom of the boat, and it came up into the air again as soon as it escaped at the stern. Then the boats were clear of each other, and each pursued its way.

Thus it was in all cases, when the packet met the line-boats. They would always check their horses, so as to let that part of the rope which was over the tow­path fall down upon the ground, and that part which was over the canal, sink into the water. By this means, the packet-horses could step over the part which would otherwise have been in their way, and the packet itself could sail over that part which would have been in its way.

In case the driver of the line-boat horses should not stop his horses quick enough, there might have been danger that his tow­rope would have gone above instead of going under the packet-boat. This would have been very disastrous in its effects, for the rope would have been drawn along with great force over the deck of the packet, and perhaps pull the passengers and the baggage off the decks into the water. To prevent this, there was attached to the bows of the packet, at the top, a hooked knife, shaped like a sickle, with its edge turned toward the front. If now the tow-line of a boat coming the other way were to catch so high that it would slip up instead of down, this hook would catch it and cut it off. Forester explained this to Marco, and Marco thought it was a very ingenious contrivance. He could not help wishing that a rope would get caught so, in order that he might see it cut off. But no such case occurred. In fact, the line­boats are very careful to let the rope drop down soon enough. If they are not, their rope gets cut oil; and they have to tie it; and thus in a short time it gets full of knots.

...

Marco saw, however, at a short distance before him, a bridge leading across the canal. It was so low that it seemed to Marco that there was only just room for the boat to pass under. He thought that all the men and all the baggage would be swept off the deck by it. He accordingly hastened back to the stern, and got down upon the lower deck, where he could be safe. A moment afterward, just as the boat reached the bridge, the man at the helm called out, in a loud voice, " Bridge !"

Instantly all the men on the deck bowed their heads, and to Marco's great surprise they glided under it in safety, and the heads all came up together again, as soon as the boat emerged on the other side. Marco was very much surprised, for it seemed certain, when he first saw the bridge, that it was as low as the top of the boat. This was an optical illusion. Marco afterward observed a great number of other bridges, as the packet approached them, and they all appeared much lower than they really were.

...

"Come forward, Mr. Forester, and choose your berth," said the voice.

So Forester made his way, as well as he could, into the cabin, Marco following him. Forester pushed forward rapidly to the upper end of the cabin, and putting his hand upon a berth, said, " I choose this, sir."

While he was walking forward, Marco had time to observe the changes which had taken place in the cabin while he and Forester had been out. The curtain was drawn before the ladies' saloon, so that that part of the cabin was now cut off from view. Over the place where the seats had been, that is, along the sides of the cabin, were rows of berths, just wide enough for a man to lie in, and just far enough apart for a man to creep in between them. There were three in each tier; an upper, a middle, and a lower one. Forester chose the middle one, in the tier which was nearest the ladies' saloon. "Very well, sir," said the captain, " you had better get right into it, before any body else gets it." Then, looking at his paper again, the captain moved toward the door of the cabin and called out, in a loud voice, "Mr. Baron."

Marco and Forester both laughed, and Forester, putting his hand upon Marco's shoulder, said, "Here."

The captain smiled too when he found that the Mr. Baron, whose name he had announced so pompously, was only Marco.

"Very well," said he, " let him take the berth right over you. He is young and spry, and can climb." "Shall I undress myself ?" said Marco to Forester, in a low tone. "No," said Forester, "only take off your shoes and hat."

Marco had some difficulty in climbing up into his berth, and Forester had still more in getting into his. They found that the berth consisted of a piece of canvas stretched across a frame, with one sheet and one coverlid upon it. There was a little square pillow at the head, smaller and thinner than any thing that Marco had ever seen for a pillow before. In the mean time the captain went on, calling the other names in the order in which they stood upon his list; and as fast as the men were called they chose their berths and got into them

The passengers seemed very much disposed to be dissatisfied at the closeness of their quarters. The frames which supported the berths appeared to be very frail, and they creaked and settled as the occupants got into them, as if they were coming down. One man, who was in the middle berth, opposite to Forester's, across the cabin, began to punch the lodger who was above him with his knee; for the berths were so near together that a very slight flexure of any of the limbs of one in a lower berth, brought an elbow or a knee into contact with the under side of the bed above. "Lie still, down there," said the lodger above. " Then keep off of me," said the lodger below. This dialogue was followed with a loud peal of laughter from all around.

In the mean time, the cabin began to get very full, as more and more names were called and the persons answering to them came in from the deck. The voices became loud, and jocose remarks and laughter broke forth in every direction; and thus before long the cabin became full of confusion, frolic, and fun.