The Neelytown section adjoins the Goodwill neighborhood on the south, and was so called from a large and influential family which appears to have been active in bringing in the early settlers, but whose name has entirely disappeared from the community, it was settled before 1726. In that year the names of John Neely and Thomas Neely appear as actual settlers. At that time Charles Booth who purchased 1,000 acres of land had built his first house near where Mr. William Conning lived in later years--his two sons, Charles and George Booth, were with him. A defective list of freeholders made in 1728 contains the name of Alexander Neely. William and Robert Neely were witnesses to a will in 1731, and the name of John Neely, Jr., is seen in an old record. William Eager with his sons, William and Thomas, came to Neelytown in 1741. He built a log house where the residence of Mr. Samuel W. Eager now stands. His second house was of stone and was situated a short distance south of the first and built before the Revolution. His descendants are very numerous and are widely scattered. Samuel W. Eager, Orange County's first historian, was one of them. Other early settlers in this section were James McCobb, who located at a very early date on the Sherwood farm, now "Nestledown"; William Jackson, James Jackson, James Houston, William Young, Captain Alexander Trimble, 1764; Patrick Barber, 1764; Captain James McBride and Rev. Robert Annan, 1765. A settlement across the Wallkill opposite the present village of Montgomery, was made by Henry Crist, Stevanus Crist, Mathias Millspaugh and others. This land was then considered the best in the town. These Germans were a vigorous and hearty people, and they went to work boldly to cultivate the land and establish comfortable homes, with a determination to succeed. They soon began to extend their farms to the Comfort Hills slopes, and into the section now embraced in the town of Crawford. Their success attracted many representatives of the sturdy Scotch-Irish race, who joined them soon afterward. Among the more progressive pioneer settlers was Henry Crist, from whom descended many active men and women who became leading and influential citizens of the town. Jacob Crist is said to have been drowned in the Hudson River on his return from New Amsterdam with his wedding outfit. Henry Crist, the early immigrant, built near the foot of the hill east of the old Dutch church. His son, Jacob, planted his home on the hill opposite Montgomery village near the mill.