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 Before
the territory was named Spring Valley, an area from one to two miles
south of the village had been settled by Scotsmen, who named it
Scotland after their homeland. In 1796, Donwe Harmanus Talman
purchased three acres at the foot of Scotland Hill and several
years later added 140 acres more, including the property on which
Lakeside School is now situated. In 1823, this district had a
store and a public house, both situated opposite the present
Lakeside School, and was the center of activities for a large
territory. The Scotland post office was established on December 29,
1827, with Peter Talman, son of Donwe H. Talman, as postmaster. The
post office in Spring Valley was established in 1848 with Aaron
Johnson as postmaster. Previously Monsey had been the post office
serving the village. In 1870 Spring Valley had fifteen hundred
inhabitants. There was one lawyer, Andrew Rankin; and two
physicians, J.S. Wigton and Girard Hammond. Lockwood and Van Houten
were architects and builders. Spencer Youmans and Jackson Rose were
blacksmiths. Stephen Hemion and Abraham Palmer were carriage
manufacturers. Matthew Person was a harness maker. A. Furman had a
livery stable. Charles Tremper operated a bakery. James Smith and
John Mareis handled boots and shoes. M.L. Griffin had an ice cream
business. In the grocery business were Blauvelt and Smith. Smith and
Burr conducted a lumber, coal business, and Merritt Brothers were
masons and builders. There were several factories in Spring
Valley at this time. The Spring Valley Manufacturing Company,
known as the "Dutch Factory", had a capital of $150,000.
and employed about 70 people. It manufactured Buckram, mosquito
netting. George Griffiths car-head lining shop was located in Spring
Valley, and in 1870 did some of the finest painting for the interior
of railway coaches. Jacob Stevens and John Johnson Jr. had sash,
blind and door factories. William Hyenga, who had a pipe
factory in Pearl River in 1882, moved his factory to Spring Valley
in 1883. The Rockland Press, one of the first newspapers in
Spring Valley, was established on December 21, 1888 by Dr. Robert
Murray and continued for a few years. The first issue of the
Rockland County Leader made its appearance on January 5, 1893.
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