MacDougall Farm, Duanesburg, NY

The MacDougall house was built in 1877 by John Mott. It has remained in the MacDougall family since it was purchased around 1885 by Ralph MacDougall, the great grandfather of the present owner Barton MacDougall. Ralph A., "Doc", graduated from Albany Medical College, bought the house, established a practice in town, raised his family, and practiced out of this house until days before his death in February of 1929. He bought the farm behind the house in about 1890.

The farm and house was taken over and run by Hugh MacDougall Sr., also Town Justice, the present owner's grandfather. He deeded it to his son, Hugh MacDougall, Jr., Barton's father, who continued to run the farm. In the early 1930's he began Hugh MacDougall and Sons Dairy Products. Bart began helping as soon as he could carry a milk bottle. The cows were sold in the mid 1940's but they still ran the milk business. Milk was bought from Pine Grove Farms and other dairies and finally Crowley's in Albany. They ended the milk business in 1979. In 1968 Bart's father ceded the farm to him, where he's lived his entire life.

His grandfather rented the farmland behind the house to Gideon Wilber in 1946. The stone fences and hedge rows were bulldozed down and an airstrip was put in. Around 1978 the airstrip was sold.

Other Links:
Historic photos
Transcript of interview with Barton MacDougall

 

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