Bi-centennial history of Albany. History of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886. With portraits, biographies and illustrations, Part 179

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 179

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He maintained his connection with the church until 1827, preaching at Middleburgh, Schoharie, Cobleskill and Berne.

His ministry was faithful and effective, and under it the church grew in strength and usefulness.

In the year 1828 this church and the church in Guilderland were united, and a call was extended to the Rev. Adam Crounse, a young man fresh from the theological department of Hartwick Seminary. He accepted the call and at once entered upon his work. His ministry embraced a period of nine- teen years, and was the most fruitful of any in the history of the congregation.

Under his faithful administration the present sub- stantial brick edifice was constructed and dedicated to the Triune God, May 13, 1836.

At the time of dedication the following were trustees and officers of the church: Trustees-Peter Sand, Christopher Engle and Johannes Shafer. Elders-John Rossiter, James Leggett and Fred- erick Joslin, Deacons-Christopher Warner, Alex- ander Crounse, Henry Zeh and Peter C. Sand.

This church edifice will long preserve the memorial of the man who had so long and so well served the congregation; a man not gifted in the learning of the schools, but sincerely earnest, pious and loveable as a minister of God.

After the long and eventful pastorate above men- tioned, which continued until 1836, Rev. S. Curtis was called and sustained his relations with the church for a period of nearly four years.

The prominent feature of his ministry was the se- curing of the parsonage house and lot now owned by the congregation.

In the spring of 1850 the Rev. Lambert Swack- hammer was regularly called to take the spiritual

oversight of the church. During the period of five years in which he was pastor there were several revivals of religion, and one hundred and sixty-one persons were received into church fellowship.

On the Ist of June, 1856, the Rev. A. P. Ludden assumed the pastoral care of this church, and ex- ercised the duties of his office for a period of eleven years.

During his ministry the congregation was great- ly developed by faithful pastoral work and the earnest preaching of the word. The membership was increased by the addition to it of two hun- dred and forty-seven persons, many of whom are now living to testify to the zeal and earnestness of this man of God.

The spirit of liberality was also greatly pro- moted, and such other work done as to secure the permanence and independence of this organization.

On November 1, 1867, the Rev. James Lefler was called. For over seven years he labored with great fidelity and earnestness.

He was a man of marked ability and clearness of expression, and fearless in the enunciation of the truth.

During his ministry a separate church edifice was erected in East Berne, and dedicated to the service of God, August 28, 1872. The wisdom and foresight of this man of God are being more and more realized, in the planting of this church on the outskirts of the congregation, to meet the growing demand of the people for church privileges.

The trustees of this church (named St. Johns) are Jacob Osterhout, Christopher Warner and Sanford Hilton.

In December, 1876, a call was made upon the Rev. J. R. Shofner, which was accepted.

His ministry was inaugurated by a series of religious services, continued for several weeks and resulting in the addition of nearly one hundred to the working forces of the church.

Aside from this, a spirit of benevolence was largely awakened by him, and extensive and much- needed improvements were made, both to the church and parsonage. His ministry lasted for six years.

The present pastor, Rev. Chauncey Diefendorf, entered upon his labors as pastor of this church in September, 1883.

Within this period he has succeeded in clearing off a burdensome debt and in harmonizing dis- cordant elements in the congregation.

Two churches have grown out of this church, viz., St. Johns, at East Berne, and the Lutheran Church of Gallupville.

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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

Two ministers have gone out from it, viz., Revs. Levi Schell and Augustus Shultes.

The church owns a substantial parsonage, and has no indebtedness.

The following are the trustees and officers : Trustees-David Ball and Peter Schoonmaker. Elders-Alexander Crounse, William Zeh, Jacob M. Allen and Charles E. Deitz. Deacons-Isaac Hungerford, Egbert S. Wright, Uriah G. Davis and Nicholas P. Sheldon. The membership is about two hundred.

SECOND REFORMED CHURCH OF BERNE.

This church was organized March 15, 1826, at the house of Daniel Secor, by a committee ap- pointed by the Classis of Albany, of which the Rev. Robert J. Blair was chairman.

The meeting was conducted in due form, a sermon being preached from Mark i, 14, 15.

Twenty-three members were received by certifi- cate from the Reformed Church of New Salem, after which the following officers were ordained: Elders-Jacobus Van Deusen and John F. Shafer. Deacons-Cornelius Secor and Peter B. Winne. Two children were also baptized.

The early history of the church was strictly a missionary one. The record mentions the names of Revs. Robt. J. Blair, Thomas Haliday, Abram Fort and Peter Stryker, men of marked character and influence in those early days. The first minister regularly called was the Rev. Jacob R. Van Arsdale, who served the church with accept- ance for a year and a half.

In the year 1838 the church was supplied by the Rev. Hart E. Waring, and under his ministry forty-one were received into fellowship, among them Jacob West, now a prominent minister of the gospel.

At a meeting held at the house of William Sigsbee, in the town of New Scotland, a resolution was passed by the joint consistories, uniting to- gether the churches of second Berne and Onisque- thaw.

The churches thus combined accepted for two years the services of the Rev. Staats Van Santvoord.

At the close of the year 1841 this connection was broken and a union made with the Presbyte- rian Church of Knox.

A joint call was made upon the Rev. Joseph Knieskern, who served them with great acceptance for a period of four years.

From 1845 to 1868 the church depended upon services rendered by ministers in neighboring con- gregations, and by way of supply. Among these

were Revs. George G. Sill, Jasper Middlemas, Staats Van Santvoord and James G. Cordell.

In 1868 a call was accepted by Rev. William H. Ballagh, who was duly installed September 3 of that year.

Rev. Mr. Ballagh remained here for nine years, and left behind him the marks of a faithful and effective ministry.

He was succeeded by the Rev. George M. D. Slocum, who remained five years.

Under his ministry there were several revivals of religion, which greatly quickened the life of the church.

The church is locally known by the name of the Secor Church, from not only having been organized in the house of Daniel Secor, but from the number of people of that name within its bounds.

The church has sent forth into the ministry Rev. Jacob West, D.D., now Secretary of the Board of Domestic Missions of the Reformed Church.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH BERNE.

This church was organized about the year 1812, as the result of conversions made in the camp- meetings held in Wright's Grove.

Rev. Mr. Stead was the first minister, and sup- plied this church in connection with the one at Rensselaerville. It was at that time the only church in that section, and had a large member- ship.

The first church edifice stood a little south of Zeh's grist-mill, and was used until 1870, when a new building was erected on the present site. The present membership is twenty-two. The church owns no parsonage and has service but once in two weeks.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, REIDSVILLE.

This organization was effected in the year 1830 by the Rev. Rosman Kelly.

At that time James Anderson was the class leader and the principal promoter of the church's interests. The present church edifice was erected in the year 1841. It is supplied at present, from Rensselaerville, by the Rev. Mr. Morgan.

The membership is eighteen, and the property is estimated at twenty-two hundred dollars.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BERNEVILLE.

This church was organized July 11, 1845, and the present edifice was erected soon after. . At the election of trustees, on the above date, the Rev. C. C. Gilbert presided, and the following persons were chosen to this office : Thomas Miller, Datus E.

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THE TOWNSHIP OF BERNE.

Tyler, Oscar Tyler, George Possing, Franklin Smith and Abram Ball.

H. K. Willard, M. D., and Abram Ball were for many years the most active promoters of the church, and acted alternately as president and sec- retary of the society until 1862.

After this period Henry Fairlee served for many years as class leader, president and sexton, and only laid off his armor at death.

Since then the society has been maintained through the persistent and unwearied efforts of George E. Shultes, its class leader.

This church, until 1881, was dependent upon Knox for its supply, but since then has been inde- pendent. The present membership is about twen- ty-four, and the value of the property is fifteen hundred dollars.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

This church is located at Reidsville. The organ- ization was effected December 26, 1821, through the labors of Elders Levi Hathaway and John P. Teats, and consisted of fifteen members.

In 1823 there was a revival of religion under Elders Daniel Call and Benjamin Howard, and forty-nine added to the roll.

Soon after this, however, disaffection arose in the congregation, and as there was no pastor to unite them and no stated service, some renounced their obligations, while others united with other churches.

The few that remained faithful succeeded in maintaining the organization. In 1828 Elder Stephen Hitchcock was called and supplied them occasionally until 1832, when a revival occurred, which resulted in the addition to the church of thirty-seven.

The present church edifice was erected in 1833, and dedicated in the month of November, when a sermon was preached by Elder Hathaway.

On August 31, 1834, service was held for the first time in the new church, the occasion being the ordination and installation of Elder Lewis Taylor. He remained but a short time, and was succeeded by Elder Stephen Hitchcock, who served the church until 1838.

After eighteen months of service by Elder Amasa Stanton, a call was made upon Elder James Conk- ling, Jr., whose work was cut short by his death, on April 7, 1841.

Under his ministry, there was a revival of much interest and power, which resulted in an addition of sixty-four to the membership of the church. On May 1, 1841, a call was made upon Elder

Richard Mosier, who labored with great fidelity for a period of five years.

In the first year of his ministry the following was adopted : "Resolved, That upon examination of the former records of the church, we find a manifest discrepancy, and deem it necessary to form a new church record, containing the impor- tant items of the history of the church, and also the names of all the members in good and regular standing, who are following peace and holiness with all men, and who are willing to renounce all human creeds and party names ; and we do here- by renounce them, and receive the name of Chris- tian as our only name, and the Holy Scriptures as our only written rule of faith and practice ; and we do hereby renew our covenant with God and our brethren to forget the things that are behind and live in love and peace, that the God of peace may be with us." To this confession one hundred and fifty-six members subscribed their names.

In May, 1846, Elder Jedediah Parker accepted a call, and the relation was sustained until February 24, 1850.

For two years thereafter this church was served successively by Elders Philip Couchman and Calvin Southwick.

In April, 1856, Elder David P. Warner assumed the pastoral charge, and labored with great fidelity and earnestness for a period of seventeen years.

Under his administration the work of the church was greatly promoted. He was the trusted friend and counselor of the poor and suffering, and the generation that grew up under his teachings rever- enced and loved him as a father.

He was recalled in 1881, and retired after a service of two more years.

The following have served as pastors since then : Elders Leonard Thorne, 1873-1876 ; R. Fenton, 1876-1877 ; D. M. Tuller, 1877-1879 ; Nelson Putnam, 1879-1880 ; Henry Crampton, 1880- 1881 ; and J. Austin Mace, 1883-1885.

The officers are : Deacons John Weidman, John Castle and Jacob H. Moak. The present membership is eighty-six, and the value of the property fifteen hundred dollars.

SECOND CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

This organization was formed September 13, 1836, through the labors of Elder A. L. Taylor.

Meetings were first held in the school-houses, but the present church edifice was erected soon after the organization was effected and was dedicat- ed October 15, 1836.

814

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

The church is located in the extreme southwest- ern part of the town, in what is known as Hunters- land, and affords the only church privileges for miles around. The growth of the enterprise has been gradual, the present membership reaching one hundred and forty.

The following have served the church as pastors : Elders L. A. Taylor, Stephen Hitchcock, A. J. Stanton, James Conklin, R. Moshier, J. Packard, George Strevell, Joel Gallup, H. Brown, L. Coffin, A. Damon, Philip Couchman, R. B. Eldridge and D. M. Tuller.

The present pastor, Elder D. P. Warner, is now serving the church for the second time. His entire ministry here covers a period of nine years, which is the longest in the history of the church. The deacons at present are George Turner and Elijah Crippen. Men prominently connected with its past history are Leonard Alverson, Aaron Decker, Isaac Denison, Daniel Tallman and Jonathan Tallman. The church has a parsonage, and the entire property is valued at five thousand dollars.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH, SOUTH BERNE.

This church was organized in the Friends' meeting house, a little east of the village, on Feb- ruary 16, 1854, with twenty-four members, and while under the ministry of Elder Calvin South- wick.

After the resignation of Mr. Southwick, the church was supplied for six months by Elder Joel Gallup.

In the year 1855 the old store north of the pres- ent building, owned by James Cornell, was pur- chased by four members of the church.

Service was held in this building until the erec- tion of the present church edifice in 1864.

Elder D. P. Warner was chosen pastor in the spring of 1856, and was ordained and installed on August 24 of the same year.

He served the church with acceptance for a period of thirteen years. Under his ministry the society enjoyed an unusual degree of prosperity. Seventy persons were added to its communion, and the present church edifice was built.

After an absence of ten years he was recalled, and served as pastor for three years.

The church has also had the following pastors : Elders Philip Couchman, 1869-1873 ; L. Moore, 1873-1874 ; R. B. Eldridge, 1874-1875 ; D. M. Tuller, 1875-1878, and J. Austin Mace, 1883- 1885. Henry Moak, Andrew Onderdonk and Albert Miller have acted as trustees for several years. The present membership is eighty-two, and the

property is valued at three thousand dollars. Within the past few years the church has been weakened through the loss of many of its influential members.

INDIAN HISTORY.

In the early settlement of the country there were many Tories who were professedly subjects of the British Government. These joined with them the Indians, who were the original owners of the soil, against the struggling patriots.

Stockades were established at different points in the town as a means of defense. These were invariably resorted to at night, when men, women and children left their homes, to seek shelter and „to combine their forces against the surprise of the enemy.

One of these stockades was erected near the house of Petrus Weidman, now in the village of Berne, and owned and occupied by Jacob P. Warner. Another stood upon the farm now owned by Adam I. Deitz in the valley of the Switzkill.

This town lays claim to a fact unique in the his- tory of the county, viz., that of the massacre of the Deitz family in 1780, when the entire ridge formed part of the West District, of which the Hudson River was the separating line.

The massacre occurred on what is now the farm of James S. Hays, at a spot near his barn, which may still be pointed out. The apple tree to which the victims were tied has long since succumbed to the ravages of time, but a shoot from this tree was in existence until a few years ago, when it was taken down in a state of decay.

The Beaverdam, now the village of Berne, is mentioned as being then an old, settled place. The grist-mill of Jacob Weidman seems then to have been the only mill to which the inhabitants re- sorted, and was about five miles from the scene of this massacre.

Johannes Deitz was an old man, and an ardent patriot in the cause of independence. His family consisted of himself and wife, his son and his son's wife, together with four young children, and a lad by the name of John Brice.

The Brice family, living at Rensselaerville, sent their younger son Robert to the Beaverdam with a grist. With him were several other lads bound on the same errand. They reached the place, obtained their grist, but as it was toward evening all the lads, except young Brice, determined to spend the night with the miller.

The farm of Johannes Deitz lay midway between this mill and his own home, so he proposed to stop

815

THE TOWNSHIP OF BERNE.

at this half-way house and enjoy the society of his elder brother.

It was nearly dusk ; the sun had already set be- hind the rugged hills, when he reached the gate which opened into the lane leading to the home of Mr. Deitz.

Suddenly an Indian sprang up from a covert of logs near the roadside, seized the bridle and led the frightened youth directly toward the house.

In passing the barn, the beginning of the dread- ful scene flashed upon his mind, as he beheld the prostrate form of the elder Deitz weltering in his blood.

But this was not all. Between the barn and the house, which were on a direct line with each other, were the mutilated bodies of the wife and son's wife, four lovely children and a servant girl.

The Indians, to the number of fifteen, were busily engaged in the work of plundering the house of its provision and clothing.

They had made prisoners of Captain William Deitz, the son of the elder Deitz, and also of John Brice, who were tied to the apple tree near by.

Having finished their work of blood, they set fire to the house and barn, and then started with their horses, baggage and prisoners along a well-known path leading in the direction of what is now Rens- selaerville.

They encamped during the first night of their journey within a mile of the Brice mansion, where the parents of the two young lads were at that moment slumbering, unconscious of the terrible fate that had befallen their sons.

On the morning of the second day they con- tinued their march toward Potters Hollow and Oak Hill; thence toward Middleburgh, Breakabeen, Harpersfield, and so on through the valley of the Susquehanna, till they reached their destination in Canada.

The party were frequently surprised along the way, news having reached the garrison at Schoha- rie of the bloody murder and robbery. The In- dian routes and foot-paths being well known, scouting parties were sent out in all directions to overtake and capture them if possible.

At a point near Middleburgh, in an old field, in which there was a dilapidated and deserted house, they were so hotly pursued as to be compelled to abandon their horses and plunder. Here several of the Indians were wounded by the firing of the scout- ing party.

The prisoners, however, were carried off through the cover of night, which had fallen upon the scene.

Along the route they were forced to live upon roots and berries and the wild game which could be taken on the way. At times the party was greatly straitened for food, and at one point the killing of a deer providentially saved them from starvation.

Their sufferings were beyond description. At the Indian villages through which they passed they were compelled to run the gauntlet. Capt. Deitz endured the severest mental agony. Besides the sufferings of the gauntlet, he was doomed to look upon the scalps of his honored parents, and those of his wife and children.

The fatigue of the journey, the constant burden of his losses and the wrongs which he suffered so told upon his naturally strong constitution that he gradually pined away, and died heart-broken, while in confinement at Niagara.

The two Brice boys returned home after an ab- sence of three years, and the younger of the two, advanced in life, died at New Scotland, not many years ago.

The bodies of the massacred family were buried in one grave, on the eastern side of the line wall of the Pine Grove Cemetery, and on a line with the site of the old Log Church.

Lieut. Johan Jost Deitz, a relative of the family, was sent from the lower fort for this purpose.

Until within a few years there were the remains of an Indian oven, built of limestone, not far from the scene of the massacre above described.

Among the Indian curiosities is a wampum bag in the possession of William Miner Ball. This bag has come down through generations.

ANTI-RENT.

This town is included in the manor of Rens- selaerwyck, and has consequently been under the control of Stephen Van Rensselaer, the patroon.

The Van Rensselaers obtained a grant of land from the Dutch Government in 1641, to encourage them in the founding of a colony of citizens from Holland. This grant was confirmed by the Eng- lish in 1685, and again in 1784. The grant in- cluded twenty-four miles square, on either side of the Hudson River. A map of the west part of the manor of Rensselaerwyck, covering this town, and in possession of Walter S. Church, the present pro- prietor, was made by William Cockburn in 1787. This map divides the town into distinct plots of one hundred and sixty acres, more or less.

Deeds were given as early as 1790 to all who desired to settle the lands, subject to certain condi-

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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

tions. These conditions were that, on every one hundred and sixty-six acres, the settler should pay an annual rent of eighteen bushels of wheat, four fat fowl and one day's service, or their equivalent.

The patroon built a large manor house in the City of Albany, and proceeded to bring colonists from Holland, offering them great inducements to locate on his lands.

Being a man of wealth and very benevolent, he allowed his tenants to fall into arrears, until, at last, they considered the manorial claim a dead letter.

Many believed that the Van Rensselaers had never obtained a title to the land from the Indians, and the legal fraternity confirmed their opinion, and urged them to litigate the question.

Discontent arose at a very early period, but the crisis came when the old patroon died, in 1837.

The anxiety as to the position which his suc- cessor should take was such that a committee were appointed to wait upon him. They obtained no satisfaction.

Weary with the burden which they had so long borne, and believing it to be contrary to the spirit of our free institutions, they began to devise means of escape.

Associations, known as anti-rent associations, were accordingly formed to resist the payment of rent. Meetings were held in all the villages and in many of the school-houses outside of them. In- flammatory speeches were made by certain leaders, and there was much rioting and intoxication.

These meetings led to the formation of a secret organization, and solemn pledges were made to protect the tenants by armed resistance. The members of this fraternity appeared in bright calico dresses, and with their faces masked or painted to resemble Indians on the war-path.

The leaders assumed the names of well-known Indian chiefs and led their forces with the familiar cries of savage warfare. That portion of the com- munity who frowned upon such proceedings was threatened and insulted.

The sheriff and a posse of men sent out to serve papers were mobbed and driven back, and Chris- topher Batterman, a high sheriff, was tarred and feathered on the West Mountain.

Gov. Seward was then at the head of affairs in New York. He sent two representatives, Messrs. Sackett and Maxwell, to inquire into the difficul- ties and find out what terms could be agreed upon; but the anti-renters would accept no terms.

He afterward appeared on the scene in person, but to no purpose.

The troops were finally ordered out. They ascended the Helderbergs, with arms and a can- non, and remained for several days.

The great meeting was held on December 10, 1844, on the land then occupied by Silas Wright and Joshua R. Davis. A great sale of land had been advertised for that day, and the sheriff and his posse were expected to enforce the sale.

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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 179

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