Bi-centennial history of Albany. History of the county of Albany, N. Y., from 1609 to 1886. With portraits, biographies and illustrations, Part 191

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 191

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Henry Crary Williams, enlisted August 30, 1862, and mustered September 19, 1862, as first

sergeant, Company H, Sixty-first Regiment ; pro- moted to second lieutenant February 20, 1863, and to captain, January 12, 1864.

Jacob Van Benscoten, corporal, Seventh Artil- lery ; enlisted August 5, and mustered August 14, 1862; after serving nearly two years, was wounded in the neck; was discharged June 16, 1865.

Addison Reinhart, private, 113th Regiment, Company K; enlisted August 1, and mustered August 18, 1863 ; was confined at Andersonville ten months, and at the expiration of his term of enlistment was honorably discharged.

Thomas Pinckney Whipple, private, 177th Regiment, Company G; enlisted October 27, 1863 ; mustered November 27, 1863 ; served nine months ; honorably discharged.

William Havens, private, Seventh Artillery, Com- pany K; enlisted in July, 1862 ; mustered August 24, 1862 ; died from wounds and was buried at Petersburg, Va.

William Darius Fairlee, Tenth Regiment.

James D. Covert, private, 156th Regiment.

Myron L. Ham, Tenth Regiment.

Spencer Lelie, Tenth Regiment.

John Quincy Adams Crounse, Eleventh or Havelock Battery; died in service.

Francis Courtney, Tenth Regiment.

Andrew Jackson Damon, private, Seventh Artil- lery, Company K.

Charles Price, 113th Regiment.

Uriah Hallenbeck, Tenth Regiment, Company G; died in service ; buried at Cairo.

Samuel W. Kelly, Tenth Regiment.

George Robert O'Donald, Fourth Regiment.

George Todd, Tenth Regiment.

Levi Duel, 113th Regiment.

Madison Settle, Tenth Regiment, Company G; died in service ; buried at Fort Pillow.

WVm. Hemon, private.

John Stafford.

Daniel F. Foley, Tenth Regiment.

Frank Shufelt, private, Eleventh Regiment ; en- listed in 1862.

Edward Shufelt, private, Seventh Artillery.

Henry Crounse, Ninety-first Regiment.

Samuel H. Reely, Tenth Regiment.

Peter H. Stevens, private, 113th Regiment, Com- pany G; enlisted in July, 1862 ; mustered August 14, 1862.

Daniel Henry Stiner, private, Tenth Regiment, Company G; enlisted October 1, 1862 ; mustered October 13, 1862.

George W. Stiner, private, Tenth Regiment.

878

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

EDUCATION.

The earliest schools in Knox were of the most primitive description. It is said that previous to the beginning of the present century two or more were taught in little log school-houses by tran- sient pedagogues. One of these pioneer school- houses is reported to have stood where Knoxville now is, and another in the vicinity of the locality now known as Township. The number of these houses increased as the growing population de- manded during the early portion of the century, and in time they one by one gave place to small frame buildings, some of which have been replaced by new and more comfortable and convenient ones within the last few years. Under the operation of the public school system of the State of New York, the schools of Knox have been greatly improved, and the standard of instruction has been consider- bly raised.

The following statisties will show at a glance the status of the schools in each of the thirteen dis- tricts of the town for the last school year:

District No. 1 .- Number teachers employed, I; number children of the school age, 52; number of weeks school was kept, 35; number of children who attended school during the year, 42; average daily attendance, 15.952; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $300.

District No. 2 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 59; number of weeks school was kept, 32; number of children who attended school during the year, 41; average daily attendance, 22; 1 frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $100.

District No. 3 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 42; number weeks school was kept, 34; number children who attended school during the year, 31; average daily attendance, 13.3; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $500 ; number of volumes in library 50; value of library, $10.

District No. 4 .- Number teachers employed, I; number children of the school age, 30; number weeks school was kept, 28; number children who attended school during the year, 20; average daily attendance, 4.588; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $250; number volumes in library, 150; value of library, $50.

District No. 5 .-- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 31; number weeks school was kept, 33; number children who attended school during the year, 27; average daily attendance, 8.5; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $500; number volumes in library, 25: value of library, $25.

District No. 6 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 67; number of weeks school was kept, 34; number children who attended school during the year, 54; average daily

attendance, 25.7; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $200; number volumes in library, 100; value of library, $20.

District No. 7 .- Number teachers employed, I; number children of the school age, 23; number weeks school was kept, 31; number children who attended school during the year, 21; average daily attendance, 13; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $300; number volumes in library, 30; value of library, $5.

District No. 8 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 38; number children who attended school during the year, 37; average daily attendance, 16.934; I frame school- house; value of school-house and site, $300; number volumes in library, 25; value of library, $5; number weeks school was kept, 36.

District No. 9 is a joint district, most of which lies within the town of Wright, Sehoharie County, only 2 children of the school age living in the por- tion lying in Knox and the school-house being located in Wright.

District No. 10 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 41; number weeks school was kept, 30; number children who attended school during the year, 41; average daily attendance, 14; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $200; number books in library, 60; value of library, $20.

District No. 11 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, +7; number of weeks school was kept, 30; number children who attended school during the year, 37; average daily attendance, 13.492; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $500: number volumes in library, 75; value of library, $40.

District No. 12 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 22; number of weeks school was kept, 28; number of children who attended school during the year, 10; average daily attendance, 4; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $400; number volumes in library, 78.

District No. 13 .- Number teachers employed, 1; number children of the school age, 20; number weeks school was kept, 28; number of children who attended school during the year, 15; average daily attendance, 7.128; I frame school-house; value of school-house and site, $400; number volumes in library, 100.

An institution which has been in some sense a rival of the public schools of Knox, and which the partisans of the publie school system contend was greatly instrumental in retarding its develop- ment in the town, is the Knoxville Academy. This institution, which during the past two years has been inoperative, and which it is not thought is likely to be revived, once stood high among similar educational establishments, and caused Knox to be regarded as the educational center of a considerable area of surrounding country. Many men of Albany County, who have since

879

THE TOWNSHIP OF KNOX.

become distinguished in various walks of life were students there thirty and forty years ago, and the in- stitution was under the care of a succession of able instructors, named as follows :

Rev. Mr. Lockwood, Mr. Scribner, Henry Gal- lup, M. P. Cavert, Mr. Baker, Mr. Lyon, Mr. Warner, Charles McGregor, Henry McGregor, John T. Lansing, Samuel Patton, Rev. Mr. Jones, M. M. Goodenough, J. Q. A. Crounse, George P. Quay, Eugene Cronnse, D. G. Many, John Bogardus, Alfred Batey and David E. Coeler.

This institution was organized under the general law of the State of New York for the establishment of academies, about 1829 or 1830, by Messrs. Gurdon, Gardiner and John Gallup, Dr. Elisha Williams, Dr. Brownell, Jesse Tyler and others. For many years it enjoyed a large patronage from the surrounding portions of Albany and Schoharie counties, and many students came from abroad ; but its patronage has gradually declined since the establishment of State Normal Schools and Graded Public Schools, and its years of usefulness seem to have passed. Its retrogression does not mark it as being in any manner peculiarly unfortunate, for its fate has been shared by nearly every other academy in the State, some of which have not been opened for one or two decades ; while its active existence did not terminate until within the past two years. During the temporary unfitness of the neighboring public school building, the old academy building has lately been occupied by the public school of the village of Knoxville. The board of trustees of the Knoxville Academy, in 1884, was constituted as follows : Elam Williams, president ; S. Sand, John G. Crary, J. W. Chesebro, Hon. Peter Schoonmaker, E. G. A. Crounse, A. C. Hunting, J. C. Ogden and Denison Crary.

KNOX'S PROFESSIONAL MEN.

It is believed that Dr. Erastus Williams was the first resident physician in Knox. He practiced his profession there during the early part of the present century. Dr. Moses Brownell was his con- temporary and successor. Drs. John Van Allen, Zeh, Sigsby, Johnson and Johnson have been resident physicians since their time. Azor Taber, who was born in 1799 and died in 1858, was the only lawyer who ever practiced his profession in the town.

CHURCHES.

The New England settlers within the borders of Knox brought with them the religious tenets of their forefathers in Connecticut, and it was not long

before the advisability of forming a Presbyterian congregation was agitated. It is thought to have been some years before a formal organization was effected, under the transient ministration of some clergyman who chanced to visit the locality. Ir- regular worship was established and occasional preaching was had until 1825, when the first pastor was settled. It is said that the church was formally organized by the Rev. Dr. Nott, of Union Col- lege

About September 1, 1825, the Presbyterian congregation of Knox presented a call to Rev. J. Judson Buck to become their pastor and labor as such one-half of the time. This call was accepted, and on the 19th day of October following he was installed over the congregations of Knox and Hamilton Union. The engagement was to preach alternately to each congregation. At that time fifty-five persons belonged to the congregation. They were named as follows :

Henry Denison, P. Witter, Isaac Barber, Erastus Williams, Daniel Chesebro, John Gallup, Wright Skinner, Dow Van Derker, Henry Dane, Cyrns Chapman, Henry Williams, Daniel Gallup, Sally Todd, Lucy Gallup, Lucy Witter, Bridget Chesebro, Anna Chesebro, Betsy Van Derker, Nancy Van Derker, Rebecca Van Derker, Nancy Chesebro, Lewis Denison, Ann Allen, Ann Witter, Damas Corwith Witter, Polly Van Alstyne, Hannah Hilton, Nancy Gallup, Polly . Crary, Sarah Williams, Abigail Rodgers, Mary Brownell, Elizabeth Brown, Mary White, Mrs. Russel, Betsy Wilson, Rachel Warrick, Hannah Settle, Ann Clow, Catherine Butterfield, Margaret Groat, Anna Young, Sarah Todd, Nancy Brown, Sally Parker, Susan B. Todd, Barbara Hart, Nancy Crary, Caroline Wil- son, Polly Bundy, Asenath Talls, Lavina Chap- man, Amy Bundy and Nancy Stark weather.

Rev. Mr. Buck had at this time been laboring with the people irregularly since 1822, and of these named above all except eleven united with the church through his influence. Those who were in connection at the time he came were the follow- ing named : Henry Denison, P. Witter, John Gal- lup, Daniel Chesebro, Wright Skinner, Hannah Gallup, Sally Todd, Lucy Gallup, Lncy Witter, Bridget Chesebro and Anna Chesebro. The elders of the congregation were Erastus Williams, Isaac Barber, P. Witter and Henry Denison.

The following entry appears in the church records under date of October 19, 1828 :

" This day ends three years of my pastoral labor at Knox. Having resigned my charge at Hamil- ton Union, for the last year I have labored constant- ly at Knox. J. JUDSON BUCK."

April 26, 1829, the pastor wrote as follows:

880

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

"This day closes my pastoral labors at Knox. Having obtained leave of Presbytery, I have re- signed my pastoral charge.

"The church of Knox, which I greatly love, I commend to God and to the riches of His grace. Leaving it it the hands of "that great Shepherd of the sheep," I go away, praying the blessing of God may rest upon it, and that God may soon give it a pastor after His own heart. J. JUDSON BUCK."

Rev. Mr. Buck's connection with the church does not appear to have ceased, however, until some time in 1830, as he is recorded as having acted as moderator at meetings of the session until then. After an interregnum of fully a year, he was again moderator when the session met, August 26, 1831. It is supposed that he resided in the vicin- ity and took a friendly and helpful interest in the church, but did not act as its pastor after 1829. The records do not show that any pastor was in- stalled subsequently, but Rev. Mr. Waters and Rev. Mr. Robertson, Rev. David Lyon, Rev. Mr. Snyder, Rev. Mr. Lockwood and other clergymen from neighboring churches, from time to time, acted as moderators at the meetings of the sessions, and by some it is thought that Rev. Mr. Waters and Rev. Mr. Rockwood were duly installed pas- tors.

The church seems to have languished. Financial and numerical weakness seems to have threatened its disintegration. The Presbyterians of Knox were few in number. They had no pastor. Their church was isolated from others of its kind. A strong sentiment had sprung up in the town in favor of the Dutch Reformed Church. For some time the advisability of reorganizing their church according to the rules of the Dutch Reformed Church was discussed by the Presbyterians. It is not to be supposed that this step could be taken without much opposition and no little acrimony. It involved the withdrawal of some members and the tardy and most un willing acquiescence of others. The change was effected, however, and the old Presbyterian Church of Knox became the founda- tion upon which was erected the Reformed Church of Knox.

The church and congregation were received into the classis of Albany, at its semi-annual session held at Westerlo, September 20, 1842, and consti- tuted "The First Reformed Dutch Church of Knox." The following members of the old Pres- byterian Church were dismissed to form the new organization: Daniel Chesebro and wife, Joseph Gallup and wife, Henry Williams and wife, Lois Freeman, Ann Allen, Samuel Russell and wife, Mrs. Hannah Hilton, Mrs. Park Witter, Ann

Young, Sally Packer, Daniel Gallup, Margaret Groat, Amelia Clute, Cornelia Bogardus, Sarah M. Williams, Gurden Gallup and wife, Eve Haverley, Magdalen Luce, John J. Tyler, Charles Clute, Beebe D. Crary, Cornelia L. Werner, Henrietta M. Williams, Sarah Herrick, Hannah Gallup and Hannah Crary.

At a meeting of the male members of the church held on Saturday, September 31, 1842, the follow- ing persons were chosen members of the consistory: Daniel Chesebro, Joseph Gallup, Gurden Gallup, Henry Williams, Jr., John Van Allen, Michael P. Cavart, Charles Clute, John Posson. Henry Wil- liams was chosen treasurer and John Van Allen clerk. At that time the congregation consisted of forty-three members, representing twenty-five

families.

The reorganization was effected under the min- istration of Rev. Joseph Kneiskem, who was pas- tor of the new church until succeeded by Rev. John Vandervolgen. The succeeding pastors have been Rev. Mr. Hammond, Rev. Mr. Bogardus, Rev. James Compton, Rev. Mr. Vedder, Rev. Wil- liam H. Ballagh and Rev. George M. D. Slocum, who resigned in 1882, since when the church has had no settled pastor, but has been "supplied " from Gallupville, Schoharie County.

The membership of this organization in 1884 was forty-five. The consistory and board of trus- tees were composed as follows: Henry Barckley, Charles Clute, elders, and William Chesebro and John Bogardus, deacons. The original house of worship was a plain wooden building, of the unin- viting kind, which have been denominated "God's barns." It stood in Knoxville, a little below the site of the present structure, and on the same side of the street. The edifice now in use is a frame building, which was built about thirty years ago.

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

Nearly all the books and papers of Zion's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church of Knox prior to 1828 are lost, so that very little of its early history is known, except what is given in Munsell's Annals and the old church books of Schoharie and Guil- derland. About 1745 the members of the Re- formed and Lutheran churchies in this vicinity took up, under the church patent law, a tract of land for a Reformed and Lutheran church, lot and farm containing about forty-two acres. Soon after Rev. Nicholas Sommer, while pastor at Scho- harie, visited this neighborhood and organized a Lutheran church. The first church and school- house, a building about twenty feet square, was

881

THE TOWNSHIP OF KNOX.

crected about 1750. In August, 1810, another building lot was purchased, and in the following fall the old church was removed to the new lot and remodeled. In the spring of 1828 this old church was torn down and a new church, twenty by thirty feet, was framed, raised and partly inclosed; but before the windows were put in, or the doors hung, the Reformed and Lutheran officers had some mis- understanding, and their disagreement continued so long that the officers resigned and the society was broken up, nothing remaining but the unfin- ished church and the deed, all other papers having been lost or destroyed.

Nothing was done toward finishing the church or organizing the congregation until December 19, 1829, when a number of the former members, to- gether with some others who helped support the gospel, met and re-incorporated and chartered "Zion's Lutheran and Reformed Church of the Helderberg," and as soon as weather would per- mit the church was completed. In 1839, owing to some difficulties, the Reformed members with- drew and built a church at Secors. October 13, 1839, Rev. Adam Crounse fully reorganized Zion's Lutheran Church at Knox with fifty-one members, twenty-one of whom were living in 1881. In 1850 the present church was erected, at a cost of $1, 200. It was dedicated, March 23, 1851, Rev. Dr. Lint- ner, of Schoharie, preaching the sermon, and Rev. Adam Crounse, the pastor, conducting the other exercises. The parsonage was built in 1868 and 1869.

The first record of any pastorate that can be found states that in 1745 Rev. Peter Nicholas Som- mer, then located at Schoharie, at stated times preached and administered the sacraments. From 1790 to 1800 Rev. Henry Moeller preached occa- sionally. From 1800 to 1828 Revs. Miller and Merkle occupied the pulpit. About 1830 Rev. Adam Crounse became pastor, in connection with Berne and Guilderland. He resigned in 1884. In 1845 and 1846 Rev. A. L. Bridgman became pastor of Guilderland and Knox, Berne having se- cured a pastor of its own. He resigned in 1848, and Rev. Adam Crounse was again pastor from 1849 to 1862. The church was without a pastor till November, 1864, the pulpit being supplied monthly by the members of the third conference, when Rev. A. N. Daniels became pastor, serving till June, 1872. Rev. N. Klock was pastor from July, 1872, to April, 1875. He was succeeded by Rev. A. Martenis, who resigned in 1877, returning for a few months in 1878. In November, 1878, Rev. Luther P. Ludden took charge and remained

till the fall of 1883. Since that time the church has been supplied, Rev. Silas Young, of Gallupville, Schoharie County, occupying its pulpit and at- tending to the duties connected with the pastorate. When not occupied by a resident pastor, the glebe has been leased for farming purposes, and the rental applied for the benefit of the church. The present membership is about 120.

In 1884 the official management of this church was in the control of the following persons:

Trustees-Theodore Batcher, Amos G. Warner and Jacob A. Warner. Elders-John Keenholts, Seneca Frink, Mathias Zeh and Hiram Clickman. Deacons-Jesse Saddlemire, Eli Secor, Silas Click- man and L. Park Witter. Clerk-George Hanes. The membership was about one hundred.

The early records of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Knox appear to be few and imperfect. Tradition says Rev. William Brown, a local preach- er, was the first Methodist preacher in the town. From inscriptions on tombstones in the little ceme- tery on the farm owned by Nicholas Chesebro, it appears that Rev. William Brown was born Oc- tober 24, 1758, and died April 25, 1834, aged 75 years, 6 months and I day. His wife, Mary (Chese- bro) Brown, died January 18, 1835, aged 73 years. His daughter, Priscilla, died March 25, 1832, aged 30 years. When a young man, Rev. Mr. Brown built a house, which still stands on the Chesebro farm, and is said to be more than one hundred years old.

In its early days, this church was connected with the Methodist churches of Berne, Reedsville, Mid- dleburgh and Schoharie, to form the Berne circuit. It is believed that Joseph Hunting, F. Dominic, Levi Van Auken and Christopher Chesebro were the first members of the Methodist church in this town.

The first church edifice stood about a mile east of the one now standing at "Knox street," and was taken down when the latter was built, in 1851, under the pastorate of Rev. John Chase. Another was built, about the same time, in that part of the town called "Township," and still another had been built in 1841, in the north part of the town. These three are now in use.

The succession of pastors has been as follows:

Revs. John Gage, 1846 and 1847; John Chase, 1851 and 1853; C. M. Anderson, 1853; Elisha Watson, 1854 and 1855; Aaron Hall, 1856 and 1857; A. Campbell, 1858 and 1859; R. Patterson, 1860 and 1861; C. E. Taylor, 1862 and 1863; M. P. Bell, 1864-1866; H. Harris, 1867 and 1868; William Earl, 1869 and 1870; W. C. Butcher, 1871; J. B. Wood, 1872 and 1873; S. Palmer,

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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.

1874 and 1875; J. C. Walker, 1876; J. J. Austin, 1877 and 1878; A. Eaton, 1879 and 1880; E. Morgan, 1881 and 1883; A. V. Marshall, 1884 and 1885.

The last annual report shows a membership of 162, and many members have since been added.

The Baptist Church in the territory now includ- ing the town of Knox was, previous to 1825, known as the Church of Berne. In 1812 Rev. N. H. Ripley was pastor, with 105 members. We learn from a copy of Minutes without date that be- fore this the members had numbered 110. They had no pastor for twelve years, when Rev. Samuel Hare preached for them eight years, closing his pastorate in 1832. In 1828 they had 99 members. In 1833, Rev. N. Ferguson; 1835, Rev. M. S. Earl; 1843, Rev. R. Winegar preached for them one year each. In 1845 Rev. W. Storrs was pas- tor, probably for two years, and the membership was 82. In 1848 and 1489 Rev. W. Hodgson was pastor, and the church gained ten members. About 1850 Rev. S. G. Tower began preaching for them, and about 1853 he, by faithful, earnest and persistent effort, succeeded in building a house of worship. He closed his labors with them about 1861. In 1864 and 1865 Rev. H. M. Jones was pastor, and Rev. Thomas Fisher began to preach for them in 1867, continuing till 1870. From September, 1872, Rev. J. S. Johnson was pastor for two year. Rev. G. Becker, then a licentiate of Flat Creek church, began preaching for them in April, 1878, and continued for some time. About this time the membership had become greatly reduced. In 1884, through the evangelical labors of Rev. L. G. Brown, of Adams, N. Y., a con- siderable accession of membership was secured. Charles J. Seabury is deacon, and Rev. J. Becker comes occasionally from a distance to hold services.

MANUFACTURES.

Knox cannot be regarded as a manufacturing town. It has no water-power of importance, and is too remote from transportation facilities to render the introduction of heavy steam-driven machinery profitable.

From an early date small saw-mills were in oper- ation at various points along the small streams having their courses through the town. They did their allotted part in the work of improvement incident to the civilizing period through which Knox, in common with most other portions of our eastern country, passed in its time. Among the owners of such mills were Amos Crary, Hiram Gage, Egbert Schoonmaker and

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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 191

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