USA > New York > Forts and firesides of the Mohawk country, New York : the stories and pictures of landmarks of the pre-Revolutionary War period throughout the Mohawk valley and the surrounding country side, including some historic and genealogical mention during the post-war period > Part 6
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is an exaggeration. A translation of an entry in Dutch in the Glen family Bible states in effect that everything was destroyed or burned "but for five houses." It is certain the Glen house in Scotia was one, that the Bratt house was another, that the Vrooman house, the timbers of which are in the present Fuller house, was a third. The identity of the other two will probably never be definitely
known. Judge Sanders gives his opinion that an old building at State and Water Streets, destroyed in the great fire of 1819, probably the tavern of Jacques Cornelis Van Slyck (for this was the lot apportioned to him as an original proprietor) was one of the five buildings spared since he was a great favorite and an adopted son of the Mohawks. Certainly, all five are gone now, with the exception of some material included in the Glen and Vrooman houses, both entirely reconstructed.
The following letter proves the unrest prevalent at Albany following the massacre. It also shows how acutely conscious they were of the lack of a central government from which to draw troops and funds. The letter is among the Connecticut archives.
Alb: 15 feb 1689/90.
Dear Neighbors and friends
We must acquaint yW yT never Poor people in the world was in a worse Condition than we are at Present No gouveneur nor command no Money to forward an Expedition and scarce men enough to mantein the City and we must Conclude there only aim is this Place, which once being attained ye 5 nations are Rent from ye English Croune and in Stead of being a Bolwark to these dominions as hither they have Proved will help to Ruine and Destroy and Lay all waste we have here Plainly Lain ye case before you and doubt not but you will so much take it to heart, and make all Readinesse in ye Spring to Invade Canida by water. We Pray god Continually for ye arrival of our gov'r without which we can doe but Little haveing enough to doe to keep ye Indians to our side with great Expense for these destractions and Revolutions at N.York Brought us into a Miserable Condition That without ye assistance and ye 50 men of N. York we should not be Able to keep the Place if an enemy
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FULLER HOUSE
came. Wee begg an answer with all haste that we may satisfy ye Indians wee write to N. York and oy'r Parts of out mean Condition we have no more to adde in these troublesome times But that we are
Hon'ble Gent'n
Your most humble and obed't Serv's
Ye Convention of Albany
(Signed)
Pt. Schuyler Mayor Dirk Wessels Rekorder K. V. Rensselaer Justus
Gent'n.
It would not be amisse if ye should send Post to all y'r towns to be upon there guard y't thay may not be surpressed for Probably Some of there Troops may be out.
With Schenectady destroyed and Albany in a furore it took better than a quarter of a century to establish quiet and confidence along the frontier. Then war broke out anew and brought Samuel Fuller to Schenectady with Ambercrombie's army in 1758. During the war he was engaged in construction at Schenectady, Albany, Stillwater, Lake George and Niskayuna. Later, in 1761, he located in
Schenectady. He was the architect to whom is credited so many of the principal buildings erected during a period of some 15 years prior to the Revolution at which
time he died. It was his only surviving son, Jeremiah, who built the Fuller Jeremiah was born October 26th, 1766 and married Mary, daughter homestead.
of George Kendall in 1790. There were fourteen children, all but two of whom reached maturity. The forbear was Dr. Fuller, an Englishman, who came to America in the Mayflower and was the first physician in the Colony. He died in 1633. The succeeding generation of Fullers had among them a goodly sprinkling of doctors and ministers and from this stock Jeremiah descended.
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John J. Vrooman-1942
Daniel Campbell Home Schenectady
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CAMPBELL HOUSE
Campbell House
HE story of the builder and owner of this house is the "poverty to riches" story of Daniel Campbell, a native-born Irishman, who, at the age of 23, came to Schenectady with a pack on his back in 1754. He possessed all the attributes of success, being an uncommonly shrewd trader, industrious, and economical. At the outbreak of the Revolu- tion he was a man of means, carrying on a large "up-country" Indian trade. After the war his wealth allowed him to buy soldiers' rights to land, thus adding very greatly to his wealth.
Through the years preceding the war his friends had been largely among that class of Englishmen who remained Loyalists. One of these Loyalists, Sir William Johnson, was a close, personal friend and often a guest at this house when he was in the city.
Mr. Campbell built the house in 1762 after plans by Samuel Fuller, an architect, to whom is credited the greater number of the large and important houses built in this period throughout the Valley. Today, one would never suspect the house ever had any "architecture" after succumbing to many alterations, both exterior and interior. But the fact that it remains standing on a valuable location on the principal thoroughfare of a busy city proves its soundness as a building regardless of its fine points.
Nothing remains along the street that is its contemporary though some of the buildings to the eastward date back toward the opening of the century. The fifty years that preceded 1825 did bring tremendous changes. The public stocks and whipping post which stood across the street, were in use as late as 1795 but it would be necessary to go back nearly three centuries to a "beginning" of this historic location. While it is true that nothing visible remains contemporary with this home, it is also true that under the pavement out in the center of the intersection of the streets are the graves, the burials of the pioneers of the city during the first sixty to seventy years of its existence, for this was the location of the First Dutch Church with its cemetery beside it. For many years all deeds covering this property definitely specified that no digging or excavating should be done. The city, however, dug cisterns to be used for fire purposes before the installation of water mains, and in this excavating many of these graves were uncovered.
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Daniel Campbell's story is fairly well told in the minutes of the Schenectady Committee of Safety and the Albany Commissioners for Conspiracies from which the following quotations were taken:
"May 16th, 1775 -- Received a letter from the Chairman of the Committee at Albany acquainting this Board that Daniel Campbell Esq. has a quantity of gun powder in store at Albany, which he wishes to take out, but this Committee refused him that liberty until they acquainted this Board of the same.
Having taken the contents of said letter into consideration, and foreseeing the evil consequent that may attend the powder falling into the hands of our enemies, Resolved, that this Board will purchase the said powder from Daniel Campbell for the use of the inhabitants of this township and others who may stand in need thereof."
Minutes of May 24th, 1775-Resolved; That this board do now purchase 335 lbs of gun powder from Daniel Campbell Esq. at 3s per pound.
Resolved; That said powder be delivered in custody of John Post and John G. Lansing, and that they dispose of it to the public as hereinafter directed. Said Post and Lansing are ordered to dispose of the powder at 3s 9d per pound; 3s 10d by the half pound; 4s by the quarter; and not to dispose of any of it to any person who lives out of the township without an order from a member of the committee.
Minutes of Aug. 4th, 1775-This board being informed that Daniel Campbell, Esq. and Alexander Ellice, intend going up to Niagara and from thence to Montreal.
Resolved; That Messrs. Campbell and Ellice be sent for and examined relative to their intentions of going up the country.
Said Campbell and Ellice being sent for and present, declared upon their honor that they were going up the country on their private business, and that they would not carry any letters or messages of news to or from any person, who was inimical to the American cause.
Resolved; That Messrs. Campbell and Ellice be permitted to go, and that a certificate be given them.
Minutes of April 17th, 1776-Received a letter from Daniel Campbell, Esq.
requesting a recommendation from this board in order to obtain a passport from General Schuyler to send goods up the country to Messrs. Andrews and Meldrum.
Resolved; That Mr. Campbell cannot have a recommendation from this board to General Schuyler.
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Minutes of May 13th, 1777-Resolved; By this board that the following persons are looked upon as dangerous. (Then follows a list of ten names and among them is the name of Daniel Campbell.)
On May 15th, 1777, the committee being notified of the disappearance of Daniel Campbell, a search was instituted to learn his whereabouts. He evidently reappeared without getting into trouble, but on July 30th, of the same year, he was arrested for refusing to accept Continental currency.
From the minutes of the Albany Commissioners for Conspiracies the following notes have been taken :-
"Minutes of May 1st, 1778-Daniel Campbell Esq. and James Ellice were taken before the Board for speaking words which in the opinion of the Board might have a dangerous tendency and prove detrimental to the Liberties of America.
Ordered that they be respectively held in Recognizance in £500 each.
Minutes of July 14, 1778-Daniel Campbell, James Ellice and John Visgar were severally cited to appear before the Board on the Sixteenth instant at 10 o'clock in the forenoon of that day to render satisfaction to us touching their conduct during this War conformable to the Act lately passed respecting Persons of Neutral and equivocal characters.
Minutes of July 17th, 1778 --- Daniel Campbell and John Visgar of Schenectady appd according to citation and being tendered the oath pointed out by the Act lately passed by the Legislature they both refused to take it.
Minutes of July 20th, 1778-Ordered that a Certificate be sent down to John Morin Scott, Esq, Secretary of the State of New York certifying that James Ellice of Schenectady, Merchant, on the sixteenth day of July instant, Daniel Campbell Esq., late Judge of the Inferior Court and John Visgar late Justice of the Peace of Schenectady-did appear before us and that the Oath as prescribed in the Act was tendered to Them which they refused to take --
Ordered that a letter be wrote to his Excellency the Governor inform- ing him of the names of the persons who have refused to take the Oath and requesting to know when we must send them and who he purposes to detain for an Exchange.
Ordered that Daniel Campbell, John Visgar . . . prepare and hold themselves in readiness to be removed into the Enemy Lines by next Saturday and that the Secretary cause the said notice to be served on each of the foregoing persons.
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Minutes of July 29th, 1778-A petition was presented to the Board from
Gysbert G. Marselis, Daniel Campbell and others reciting that by reason of the late orders of this Board for their removal they are under the greatest anxiety and requesting a temporary suspicion (suspension?) of the Proceed- ings against them until they can make application to his Excellency the Governor for his permission to petition the Legislature for an Exemption from the Penalties of the Act-
Ordered that a letter be wrote to the above gentlemen informing that their requisition cannot be complied (with) . . .
Minutes of Aug. 1st, 1778-Daniel Campbell, John Visgar, James Ellice and
Cornelius Glen and Gysbert Fonda appeared before the Board and declaring their readiness to take the Oath by the Act prescribed provided the Board would grant them the indulgence and we being of the opinion that they could not be permitted have resolved to take the opinion of the Judges of the Supreme Court thereon.
Ordered that notice be given to Daniel Campbell, James Ellice, John Visgar (and others) to appear on Friday the 14th day of August instant at the Court House in the City of Albany with 14 days provisions for themselves and such of their families as they chuse should accompany them (persons capable of bearing arms excepted). They are also expected if they think proper to take with them all their clothing and household furniture. The charges of Transportation to the Enemies lines is to be defrayed by themselves.
Minutes of Oct. 29th, 1778-Ordered that a letter be wrote to the members
of the Senate and Assembly of the City and County of Albany respecting Cornelius Glen, Daniel Campbell and a number of other persons, who after their refusal to take the Oath as prescribed by the Act to be taken by persons of neutral and equivocal characters offered to take the same
Minutes of May 19, 1779-Daniel Campbell, and James Ellice having been cited to appear before the Board in consequence of the Act of the Legislature of this State an Act to amend the Act more effectually to prevent the mischiefs arising from the influence and example of persons of equivocal and suspected characters in this State, by which the Commissioners for Conspiracies are authorized to administer the Oath of Allegiance in the said Act contained to those persons who after refusing have offered to take the same, and the said Daniel Campbell and James Ellice appearing this day according to order and the said Oath took the same.
Resolved; that certificates to be given to the said Daniel Campbell and James Ellice of their having taken the above mentioned Oath. . . .
From the foregoing, it is evident he was trading in much wanted, fast moving merchandise! His stock of gunpowder was unusually large, even for a merchant of those days. One is led to wonder why it was stored in Albany rather than
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Schenectady. Perhaps he thought it would be safer there, either from confiscation or destruction; or perhaps it was to be made a part of a shipment of salt to Sir John Johnson for his blooded cattle. Before his father had been dead a year Sir John found it necessary to fortify Johnson Hall. The Battle of Lexington had been fought and no one could tell what would happen.
It is interesting to note that though Campbell was constantly under suspicion, he continued his trading and even succeeded in getting permission to go up to Niagara and thence to Montreal. In the light of subsequent events, this seems to have been an ill-advised decision on the part of the Committee of Safety, regardless of what stipulations were made that no messages were to be carried. Evidently the Committee felt his trading had best be confined within the lines for his next request for a passport, made six months later, was refused.
The shoe was beginning to pinch. A man of his wealth, prominence, and importance to be refused such a reasonable request-preposterous! He evidently decided to do something about it but what he did or where he went does not appear. But whatever, and wherever, he was gone long enough to excite the suspicion of the Committee who detailed someone to look into it. He left soon after his request for the passport was refused (April 17th) and was in the spot light again by July 30th when he was once more arrested for speaking "unfriendly words."
Nothing that had happened to him thus far seems to have changed his opinions or modified his actions one iota, for two months later he was again arrested, but the cause is not clear. It was evidently something he did this time, rather than something he said, which forced the Committee to the opinion it was time he be made to take the Oath of Allegiance or move out of the country, lock, stock, and barrel. One cannot but admire the man for refusing the Oath and sticking to his convictions. When the time came for him to be moved out, he exerted every possible means to have his case made an exception to the rule. The stay in the execution of the orders proves his importance and his influence. But this was war and he had no alternative. In May of the following year he took the Oath and . the King lost another good subject. He died August 16th, 1802, and his widow shared with. relatives in Ireland, the Colonial money he once refused to accept.
The widow was Angelica, a daughter of Arent Samuelse Bratt, a descendant of one of the original settlers of the city. She outlived him some ten years and is remembered for her universal benevolence. She had always been most generous
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with her church - old St. George's - particularly so after the death of her husband, who does not seem to have shared this estimable quality in equal degree. On one occasion a fellow churchman wrote to her-
"all that has been dear to her, is there Entomb'd; an Husband and an only child who was as dear to her as life, and where she doubtless expects to be laid herself, but we hope not for many years to come-no doubt her own good sense informs her that only that part of her property which she lays out for the benefit of the Church is the only part that will perpetuate her memory and cause that elegant Vault where she expects to lay to be kept in repair for if there be not a support for a Minister the Church must go to decay and the graveyard become a Common."
The letter no doubt brought results for the required improvements to the Church were soon begun.
She died in 1812 and was placed in the "elegant Vault" beside the remains of her husband and her son David. She made the Church a beneficiary in her will, granting a sum more than sufficient to maintain the vault in repair, but the gift was conditioned upon this always being done, and the Church has fulfilled the trust.
1
John J. Vrooman-1937
St. Georges Church Schenectady
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ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
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St. George's Episcopal Church
HE first minister at Schenectady representing the Church of England was Rev. Thomas Barclay who came to Albany in 1708 with a commission as Chaplain at the Fort. He became acquainted with Domine Lydius of the Dutch Church in Albany and a real friendship ensued. Domine Lydius died March 1st, 1710 leaving Rev. Barclay as the only minister in the Albany . Schenectady district, for Domine Lydius had been preaching frequently at Schenectady in the absence of a minister at that place. Rev. Barclay had free use of the Dutch Church at Schenectady, preaching once a month and so became the first minister of the Church of England to hold services at Schenectady.
The Rev. Barclay's first church in Albany, where he was stationed was also in the Dutch Church. Later, a popular subscription added to by the inhabitants of Schenectady to whom Rev. Barclay had been preaching, made possible the building of St. Peter's in Albany which was opened for services in 1716. Albany at this time had a population of about 1200 and Schenectady about 600. His efforts were constantly toward the up-building of the English church but it seems the difficulties of his position were too much for him. His salary had been cut in half and having a family of eight, he was in actual want. He died in 1731 after suffering four years of insanity.
The Rev. John Milne succeeded him for a term of ten years and possibly preached at Schenectady though his assignment was, of course, to St. Peter's in Albany. He requested a transfer and was succeeded by Rev. John Ogilvie (in 1750) whose work among the Indians in the field was very considerable. H remained until 1764 and was succeeded by Reverend Thomas Brown.
In 1758, Rev. Ogilvie, together with a Schenectady resident named John W. Brown, set in motion a petition to raise funds for a church edifice, Sir William Johnson's name heading the list of subscribers with £31. The Dutch of both Schenectady and Albany contributed.
In 1759 the foundations were begun, the architecture being in the hands of Mr. Samuel Fuller. Due to lack of funds it was not until 10 years later that
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the church was completed. It is interesting to note that a "drive" for funds was made to the western limits of settlement at the German Flats, where Hendrick Frey and Jost Herkimer unhesitatingly endorsed the effort and contributed.
The original church was 36 ft. wide by 56 ft. deep - the second or inside front wall of the present building probably being the original wall as well as the west 30 ft. of the side walls. At these points the different manner of laying the stones in the walls is easily seen. Sir William subscribed to a canopied pew in this building but they lacked sufficient funds to employ a minister. Then, too, trouble arose between the Presbyterians, who had subscribed to the building fund and used the church jointly with the Episcopalians. The Presbyterians withdrew and held their meetings apart.
It was not until 1771 that the Rev. William Andrews was secured as minister, many previous efforts to engage others having for various reasons failed. Rev. Adams speaks in a letter of the fact that his church is better attended in winter than in summer, "for at this time some of the congregation who are traders and batteaumen are absent sometimes as far as Detroit." His salary being insufficient, he opened a grammar school but the revenue did not meet with his expectations and being in ill health he resigned. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Doty. At this juncture Sir William Johnson died and the Church lost a valuable name which they had used diplomatically in their correspondence with the governing body of the "Society" in England, to obtain concessions. This was the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" but as Trinity Church of New York stood sponsor for "St. Georges" it is probable that only the more important matters were referred to the Church of England.
The populace was rapidly taking sides pro and con in the coming struggle for independence. The Rev. Doty was a Whig as were many of his congregation, and he held services to the last, at which time, rather than hold service and not pray for the King, he was compelled to close the church about July, 1776.
He was brought before the Committee of Safety on a charge of plotting against the State, to which charge he pleaded "not guilty" while at the same time admitting he was loyal to England. He was sentenced to jail in Albany but soon secured a release and returned to Schenectady, where he remained until after the Battle of Saratoga. By this time it was evident that since England had not gained a quick victory she was in for a long, long struggle. So in October 1777, being
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out of harmony with his surroundings, he secured permission to move with his family to Canada. Those household effects which he did not sell were later confiscated. He died at Three River, Canada, in 1841.
During the entire course of the war the Church remained idle, and because of the political faith of its erstwhile pastor as well as some of its congregation, the building itself suffered greatly through these years. Its proximity to the Queen's Fort .made it valuable as a barracks, and so it was used for utilitarian purposes, for man as well as beast, as at this period of the city's history, hogs were allowed to "pasture" in the streets.
Following the war in 1787 an Albany rector held services here at the request of the local congregation, and steps were taken to revive the church after a period of over 10 years of idleness.
After 1790 the Church was organized as a corporate body but was still financially unable to employ a rector, though the services of a reader had been procured in the person of Mr. Ammi Rogers. His duties were not confined to St. George's alone but shared with the Ballston Church whose congregation contributed toward his salary. He evidently was entirely satisfactory for he was appointed a deacon in Trinity Church, New York City. He later returned to Schenectady and Ballston, at which time the church edifice was gradually being repaired. A steeple was added and the organ, left to the church by a Mr. Doty who had been one of its parishioners, was put in suitable condition. By 1795 - 96 Mr. Rogers had resigned to become the rector of Christ Church, Ballston.
Judge James Duane of Duanesburg had built a church at his own expense to serve that neighborhood in which he lived and owned an immense acreage. This church was incorporated in 1795 and the Reverend Robert G. Wetmore was called as rector. Being then without a rector at St. George's, an arrangement was made to secure the services of the Reverend Wetmore once in every three Sundays. His management of the church affairs proved highly satisfactory but unfortunately his health failed. This compelled him to take a vacation but he failed to recuperate to a point where he was again able to undertake the work and so resigned.
Again a period of inactivity lasting two and a half years at which time St. George's received a gift from Trinity Church, New York, amounting to $1,250.00 to be used for the purchase of a glebe, the income from which would aid in the support of the minister.
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