Bi-centennial history of Albany. History of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886. With portraits, biographies and illustrations, Part 178

Author: Howell, George Rogers, 1833-1899; Tenney, Jonathan, 1817-1888
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452

USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > Bi-centennial history of Albany. History of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886. With portraits, biographies and illustrations > Part 178

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The superiority of the Simmons ax over the rough German and English axes then in use was at once recognized. It consisted in the welding process, which was effected with the aid of borax. All other implements were found useless, and on the introduction of these were thrown aside.

The demand for these axes became so great, owing to the extensive forests and uncleared land, that Simmons, feeling his fortune secured, deter- mined to embark in the business on a larger scale.

Being a young man of commanding presence and pleasing address, he won the confidence of such representative men as Jacob Settle, Malachi Whipple, Col. Jacob Weidman, Moses Patten,

806

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

Johan Jost Deitz and William Schell, who fur- nished the capital for the enterprise.

The first building (or two buildings connected together) was erected in 1825, on the north side of the creek, and directly in the rear of the house of John Stiner. Here a trip-hammer was intro- duced, which resounded through the valley, giving it the appearance of intense activity. In this build- ing the iron was forged, the axes shaped, and the greater number of the men employed.

A second building extended across the stream, and was known as the tempering shop.

The third building, now the lower grist-mill, was where the axes were ground, polished and painted. It contained several grindstones, run by water power, some of them being from twelve to eighteen inches in thickness, six feet in diameter and weighing over a ton.

A fourth building, one hundred feet long, was erected near the northeast corner of Stephen Ball's woods in 1830. The material used in its construc- tion, it is said, came out of the old Dutch Reformed Church, taken down in that year.

This building contained a trip-hammer, several · forges and a number of grindstones.

Here the bursting of a grindstone killed a work- man and did other damage.

These buildings contained twenty-one forges, employed two hundred men, and turned out about six hundred axes and other edged tools daily.

The forges were run for a long time by charcoal, this being the cheapest and most easily obtained fuel. Thus the making of coal to meet the de- mand opened up a new channel of profit to the inhabitants.

More than one-half of the people were engaged in the making of charcoal, and these smoking furnaces were most conspicuous among the hills of the town.

The tops of trees and the knotty timber, out of which nothing else could be made, were thus util- ized. Here was an open market, where the highest prices were paid for charcoal, grain and all kinds of produce.

At the height of his business, Simmons bought the Fischer farm and moved upon it, with his brothers ·Baltus and Jonas. When out of coal or iron, or when the water power ceased, he employed his numerous hands in clearing up the lands, burn- ing brush, etc.

He also built the large house, now E. M. Shultes', as a tavern and boarding-house, and placed over it his father-in-law, Francis Osterhout.

He was supposed at one time to be doing the largest business of any man in the County of Al- bany. He kept half a dozen teams constantly on the road, drawing iron, steel, coal and grind- stones.

He found a market for his axes and edged tools in Canada, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and employed S. H. Doty, as his agent, carrying samples and soliciting orders. The Simmons ax afterward found a market in Asia and Africa, and in fact there is hardly a forest in the world that has not felt its im press.

The long distance from Albany, and the expense of transporting material from that city, over heavy roads, so told upon the firm, that it failed in 1833. An assignment was made to Moses Patten, one of the creditors, who, for the benefit of the others, continued the business for a short time thereafter.

Daniel Simmons took shelter under the bankrupt law, moved to Cohoes, and in 1834 established there the ax factory of Weed, Becker & Co.

He died in that city in 1861, after having amas- sed a large property.

The failure of the firm caused greater commotion in this rural hamlet than did the starting of it. Many of the best men were swallowed up by it, and left almost without a dollar.

Still time has shown that it was not destitute of all result. Many of the buildings, now remaining, stand as memorials to the enterprise, and it is well worthy of remark that upon this swelling tide the Reformed Church was lifted to its present site.

The merchants of the place reaped harvests dur- ing its existence, howsoever much some may have lost. The store of Coates & Smith was then estab- lished to supply the demand, and the failure of this factory removed the necessity, and the store was abandoned.

The old office, together with the polishing shop, are the only remaining buildings that reveal the "parting glory of man." The office is now a part of the barn of Watson Chesebro.

The public school was now for the first time drawn into the village from the outside, and arrangements were made for the erection of an academy.

CHEESE FACTORIES.

The first factory of this kind in the town was built in the spring of 1878, one-fourth of a mile from the village of Berne, on the farm of Thomas J. Wood.

The idea was originated and the plan made by James W. Hart, who for fourteen years was engaged

807

THE TOWNSHIP OF BERNE.

in the business near Oneida Lake, Madison County. His wisdom has been confirmed by time, and the factory has become successful and profitable.

The building is 72 x 26 feet, and has two floors. The lower floor contains a five-horse-power boiler, by the means of which the milk in the vats is heated. The factory has a capacity for the milk of four hundred cows, but at present receives the supply of only two hundred and fourteen.

Four hundred and ninety-five pounds of cheese have been made in a single day. The boxes in which the cheeses are packed are made here by Mr. Hart; the material ready to set up is bought at Little Falls, N. Y. The south side of this build- ing is used as a dwelling.

A second factory was erected at East Berne in 1884, for the manufacture of cheese and butter, and is now under the supervision of Mr. Hart. The building is the same as its predecessor in size.

This factory has in it a steam boiler, one vat and an engine of four-horse-power. The power is in- tended for the churning of the milk.

There is also a machine for separating the cream from the milk as it is brought in, the skim milk being made at once into cheese.

The cream stands in a vat for twenty-four hours, is brought to the proper temperature by cooling or heating, and is then churned. Mr. Hart has been connected with this enterprise in the town for seven years, and during this time has enjoyed the confi- dence and respect of his patrons.

Under his wise and careful management the busi- ness has been annually increasing.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

The history of the public school system in this town must necessarily be incomplete for want of materials.

The earliest buildings were plain log structures, of nearly equal dimensions. One standing near the site of the old Lutheran Church had a flat roof. Another is described by the oldest native resident of the town who attended the school as being built of unpeeled hemlock logs, with a slanting roof made of bark. It was twenty feet square, and had in it three windows of four lights each. The door was swung upon wooden hinges and was fastened by means of a wooden lock. There was no play- ground.

School Commissioners were appointed as early as 1796, according to law. They had the entire management of everything relating to the interests of schools until 1813, when a new office was created,

called Inspectors. Six persons were chosen to this office, whose duty was simply to inspect the schools and examine teachers.

In the year 1812 the assessors were appointed as School Commissioners, to divide the town into reg- ular school districts. This was accordingly done, and the records show that in 1813 there were twenty- one districts, which in the year following were in- creased to thirty.

The instruction given in this early period was not of a very high order, and complaints were frequently entered against the incompetency of teachers.

· In 1812 the following resolution was passed : "Resolved, That there shall be five hundred dol- lars raised in the town of Berne for the use of com- mon schools in said town, to be appropriated to regular men's schools that will bear the inspection of a school committee."

Alterations were made in the school districts from time to time, and new ones were formed as necessity demanded. Numerous appeals from indi- viduals asking to be transferred from one district to another were heard by the School Commissioners, and invariably granted.

Each district maintained a library of its own, and an annual report was made in regard to the number of books, their titles, and an annual sum was con- tributed toward replenishing these libraries. These have now fallen into disuse, and the money is used for general school purposes.

In 1813 but three hundred dollars were appro- priated to common schools, and this sum was divided between twenty-one districts. In 1816 there were thirty districts, with 1, 710 children of school age. The amount of money expended during this year was four hundred and seventy- four dollars and twenty-four cents, which is less than sixteen dollars to each district for the year.

The record covers both the towns of Knox and Berne until 1822, when the division was made which marked the interests as separate.

The following schedule, taken from the records, will show the condition of the schools within the time covered :

No. of

School

Date.

Children.

Money.

Library Money.

1825

997

$334 25

. .

1835

1,302

430 61

1843

1,148

677 40

$169 35

1855

1,397

1,436 36

61 10

1868.

978

2,084 29

35 43

1873

941

2,241 72

33 98

1878

969

2,431 90

32 20

1884

831

1,942 10

25 76

808

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

It will be seen by the above schedule that an ad- vance has not been made in this department in pro- portion to the increase of wealth.

The condition of the public schools, the incom- petency of the teachers, and the consequent low grade of scholarship, have driven many to seek an education elsewhere, and induced the opening of private schools.

The first academy was organized in the town in 1833, when there wasa great influx of inhabitants, owing to the establishment of an ax factory at Berneville some time previous. Although the timber was bought and placed upon the ground site, the enterprise was abandoned through the failure of the ax works.

In 1882 a select school was organized, with the following Board of Trustees : E. V. Filkins, Esq., President; Thomas J. Wood, George H. Reinhart, Charles E. Deitz, Peter S. Ball and Edwin M. Shultes.

A room was fitted up and furnished over the store of Theodore Settle.

This school is still in successful operation, under Elmer G. Story, a graduate of Cornell University, as principal.

CHURCHES.

The churches are named in their order, begin- ning with the oldest.

REFORM CHURCH OF BEAVERDAM.

This church was organized in the year 1763, under the ministry of Rev. Johannes Schuyler, who was then regularly settled over the Reformed (Dutch) Church of Schoharie, known as the Stone Fort. The congregation was composed of Hol- land, Swiss and German settlers, the former, how- ever, predominating.

The first consistory were : Elders-Adam Deitz, Jacob Ball, Jacob Weidman and Caspar Stiner. Deacons-Johannes Deitz, Caspar Stiner, Hendrick Ball and Roedolph Casman.

The first church wasa smalllog building, erected about the year 1765, on what is now known as the Pine Grove Cemetery. Here, during the trying times of the Revolution, the early settlers wor- shiped the God of their fathers. Through con- stant peril of the Tories and Indians, they went to service on the Sabbath, each carrying a loaded musket and ammunition. These were stacked be- hind the door, which was strongly guarded by sentinels.

This building remained standing until the year 1786, when it was taken down and replaced by a

frame structure, dedicated September 17, 1786. This building had a hip roof and unplaned and un- painted boards twelve inches wide. Within, it was ceiled with wide knotty pine timber, and had galleries on three sides. The worshipers, it is said, whiled away the long service in counting the knots in the timber. The building was warmed by a single stove placed in front of the pulpit. This stove is still in use in the West Berne church. This edifice remained standing until 1830, when it was taken down, and the material divided between the two churches now forming the congregations of Berne and Beaverdam.

Previous to the organization the settlers wor- shiped in Schoharie, going there on foot or riding on horseback, twenty in line, and armed. They followed an Indian foot-path, which ran along the borders of the Foxenkill, a distance of ten miles.

Among the stories related is one in reference to the intense habit of smoking. It is said that it was customary for the members, men and women, to smoke in the church, both before and after service, and that at times the clouds of smoke were so densc that persons sitting on the opposite side could be distinguished with difficulty.

The church was strictly missionary ground until the year 1812. For thirteen years, or from 1766 to 1799, it received the services of Rev. Johannes Schuyler. From this time until 1785 the service was maintained through missionary effort, when Rev. George W. Schneyder, the acting minister of the church in Schoharie, assumed charge and maintained his connection unbroken until 1790.

For several years after this the records show that service was performed, and that infant baptism, the distinctive mark of the early church, was not neg- lected.

In 1797 Christian Bork, a Hessian drummer, born in Prussia, educated under Dr. Livingston, and a man of great originality and force, as- sumed the charge, in connection with his regular fields of labor at Lawyersville and Sharon, and afterward at Schodack.

The character of the man and the style of his preaching, which was thoroughly scriptural, left its impress upon the minds of the congregation, and was frequently remarked on in after years by the children. During his ministry three persons were disciplined for partaking of the Lord's Supper with the Methodists, while others were suspended for drunkenness, profanity, and for absenting them- selves from the house of God. The ministry of Mr. Bork practically closes the strictly missionary period of the church.

809

THE TOWNSHIP OF BERNE.

The language up to this time spoken was the German, and the preaching was in German.

The Weidmans, Balls, Deitzs, Schultes and Fischers had a marked influence upon the growth and prosperity of this church up to this time.

After this period, and until 1821, was what might be termed the semi-missionary period of the church's life. Isaac Labagh and others en- gaged in missionary work here until 1811, when a call was made, for the first time, upon Rev. David De Voe, in union with the church of Middleburgh. He retained the oversight of the congregation until 1816, and was succeeded by the missionaries, Isaac Labagh, Winslow Paige and Isaac A. Van Hook.

In 1821 a call was accepted by Rev. Cornelius Bogardus. He was the first minister called who lived within the bounds of the congregation, and during his ministry of four years a solid founda- tion was laid for the future. A Sabbath school was then started for the first time, and the matter of discipline, long neglected, was rigorously en- forced. Many were suspended and some excom- municated for drunkenness and immorality.

The consistory were appointed as watchmen throughout the congregation, in tracing evil re- ports to their origin and arresting them. One member was questioned as to pleasure riding on the Sabbath, and as to whether he attended a ball and had dancing in his house.

The church farm during this period was greatly improved, and a committee was appointed to erect a suitable building upon it for a parsonage. Rev. Mr. Bogardus was dismissed, June 27, 1825.

Rev. Robert J. Blair, sent by the Domestic Mis- sionary Board, then served the church for three months. +

A call made to Rev. J. H. Van Wagenen, June 30, 1826, was accepted, and he was ordained and installed on August 29 of the same year.

A new parsonage and also a barn were erected for the accommodation of the pastor, and fifty to one hundred apple and other trees were planted on the church farm.

The relation between him and this church was dissolved, June 30, 1831, and he went to the important churches of Niskayuna and Amity.

His ministry was very fruitful in results, the principal object secured being the erection of the two churches, which still stand as the memorials of his untiring zeal.

These he intended in time should become separ- ate and independent, a result which has not as yet been accomplished.

His successor was the Rev. Abm. H. Myers, who was installed in the new church of Berneville, November 30, 1831.

The opening of his ministry was inaugurated by a four days' meeting, held successively in the two churches of which he was the pastor.

At this period a resolution was passed, dispos- ing of the old German Bible, used from the earliest history of the organization, and with the proceeds purchasing an English Bible and Psalm Book for the Western Church, now the church of West Berne.

At this time there were seven Sabbath schools in operation, two tract societies, a female missionary society, and a temperance society numbering four hundred members. Joseph Knieskem (received into the church during this ministry), Joseph P. Bradley and Jacob I. Warner were preparing under the dominie for Rutgers College, and with a view of entering the ministry ; Benjamin Bassler was in the Theological Seminary and Elihu Doty in Rutgers College. The bell in the steeple of the Berne church was purchased at this time.

The two churches were now separated under the following consistories: Berne-Elders-Jacob Settle, Frederick Bassler, Jr., John H. Ball and Jolin Bell. Deacons-Peter Ball, Thomas J. Hayes, Gerardus G. Merselis and Christian P. Zeh. Beaverdam - Elders - Jacob Knieskem, Peter Schoomaker, Jacob Salsberg and Christian J. Haverly. Deacons-John I. Bogardus, Johan Jost Haverly, Matthias M. Schultes and Peter Morenus. These consistories were to hold the farm in common.

Rev. Mr. Myers closed his ministry in October, 1835, and went to the more important church of Belleville, New Jersey.

The Rev. R. D. Van Kleek succeeded to this field in 1836. The consistory of the Beaverdam Church being unwilling to unite in the call, the first year was spent between first and second Berne. At the end of this year Beaverdam made overtures to unite in the call, which were accepted, and the pastoral relation between these churches and Rev. Mr. Van Kleek was unbroken until August, 1843. His ministry was, indeed, a stormy one, and much time was consumed in the settlement of church trials, and in disposing of immoral and ungodly offenders against the order and peace of the society.

The church records reveal the ability and prompt- ness of the man, who was a thorough ecclesiastical lawyer. Cases of drunkenness, profanity, fornica- tion, Sabbath breaking and neglect of church or- dinances were adjudicated, and the offenders dealt with according to the constitution and laws of the society.

810

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

He was succeeded by Rev. William Demarest, who entered upon his duties in the spring of 1846. Under his ministry the churches and parsonage were repaired and painted, and a bell was secured for the West Berne Church. His ministry closed January 1, 1850.

After him came Rev. Edwin Vedder, who com- menced his labors April 1, 1851, and closed them April 1, 1855. The only thing of importance within this period was the constructing of a plank road through the church farm.

The Rev. John C. Van Liew was afterward called, on a salary of six hundred dollars, house and lot and firewood, together with an annual vacation of three Sabbaths. He entered upon his official work, October 1, 1856, and was installed in the church of Beaverdam on the fourth Tuesday of that month and year. On January 1, 1857, the parsonage in Berneville was purchased, Berne paying twelve hundred dollars and Beaverdam three hundred dollars of the sum total. The original purchasers were regarded as owners and stockholders of the property, to receive their proportionate shares in case it was afterward sold.

In the spring of 1859 the lot lying west and north of the school-house was sold for two hundred and fifty dollars, which was applied to ward liqui- dating the debt on the balance of the property.

The relation between the Rev. Mr. Van Liew and these churches terminated in May, 1860.

In the fall of the year 1860 Rev. Edward Miller assumed charge. He was ordained and installed in the church of Berne, September 18, 1860. His ministry extended over a period of eleven years and six months, during which time the churches grew and prospered.

The church of Beaverdam was repaired at a cost of over a thousand dollars, and there was placed in the hands of its consistory certain legacies from Jacob Salsberg and Isaac H. Watson, for the main- tenance and support of the gospel.

In the year 1865 a powerful revival of religion was experienced in the church of Berne, which added over sixty members to its membership.

The relation between the Rev. Mr. Miller and these churches was sundered in the spring of 1872.

The present pastor, Rev. Robert Doig, accepted a call to these churches in September, 1872, and entered upon his duties November I of the same year. The ordination and installation were held in the Berne church, December 9, 1872.

Within the period of his ministry one hundred and ninety persons have been received into church fellowship; fourteen thousand four hundred and

nine dollars and ninety-two cents have been ex- pended for congregational purposes, and one thousand nine hundred and fifty-nine dollars and seventy-five cents for benevolence.

The churches own a parsonage, and also a farm of one hundred and forty acres.

Within the period of their existence the follow- ing persons have gone forth from these churches: Revs. Paul Weidman, Benjamin Bassler, Elihu Doty, Joseph Knieskem, Thomas L. Shafer and James E. Graham.

Hon. Joseph P. Bradley, one of the associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and Jacob I. Warner, Esq., have gone out from us.

The membership of these united churches is at present two hundred and fifty. The officers are: Berne-Elders-Elias Bassler, Jacob Miner Hoch- strasser, Thomas J. Wood and Esli Whipple. Deacons-Paul Weidman, Jacob Hilton, Lester Luckey and William M. Reinhart. Beaverdam, Elders-John F. Allen, James S. Hays, Zadok B. Schoonmaker and John C. Kniskern. Deacons- George A. Scrafford, Jacob P. Bradt, Adam West- fall and John W. Adams.

LUTHERAN CHURCH.

This church was organized about the year 1790. A church building was erected soon after on a farm situated midway between the villages of Berne and East Berne, and deeded to the congregation by Stephen Van Rensselaer, the patroon, in 1797.

It was a plain frame structure, 40 x 50 feet in size, consisting of unplaned and unpainted pine siding, and with galleries on three sides. The original trustees of the church property were Christian Zeh, Frederick Wormer and Christian Zandt.

The congregation comprised families of German descent, who had emigrated from the Fatherland, carrying with them the seeds of the reformation and the memory of Martin Luther.

The language written and spoken was princi- pally the German, and the records were kept in this language, and the preaching delivered in it until the year 1802, when it was superseded by the English.

The early history of the church was purely mis- sionary. There was no settled pastor over the field, and the exercise of pastoral care was broken by intervals of inaction.

The communion seasons, however, were uni- formly observed, and the ordinance of infant baptism strictly adhered to.

811

THE TOWNSHIP OF BERNE.

The first missionary pastor over this church was the Rev. August Frederick Meier, President of the German Lutheran Ministerium in North America. He appears to have exercised the duties of his office here in connection with other fields of labor until the year 1 804.

In the year 1806 the Rev. August Wackerhagen took the oversight of this field in connection with the churches of Schoharie and Cobleskill, of which he was the regular pastor. It is seen from the records that only about one-third of his time was spent here, and that his relation with the church was maintained to 1813.

For a period of three years thereafter Rev. H. Moeller acted as the missionary pastor.

At the close of this period the Rev. L. Merkel assumed charge, devoting one-third of his time to preaching and the exercise of pastoral care.

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Bi-centennial history of Albany. History of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886. With portraits, biographies and illustrations, Part 178

Author: Howell, George Rogers, 1833-1899; Tenney, Jonathan, 1817-1888 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1452

Author: Howell, George Rogers, 1833-1899; Tenney, Jonathan, 1817-1888
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1452