USA > New York > Schenectady County > Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., N.Y., for 1870-71 > Part 17
USA > New York > Albany County > Gazetteer and business directory of Albany & Schenectady Co., N.Y., for 1870-71 > Part 17
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The Episcopal Church in Rensselaerville. It was organized February 20, 1811. Services were held in the chamber of Rufus Watson's house until the fall of 1813. The first wardens were Jacob Wood and Allen Durant, and the vestrymen Asa Colvard, Jonathan Jenkins, Josiah Watson, Jesse Hollister, Ezra Lester,
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Apollos Moore, Elijah Griggs and Ichabod Peck. The first church edifice was consecrated October 24, 1815, and cost about *3,000. The present edifice will seat about 200 and is valued at 86,000. The following is the inscription upon Mr. Fuller's grave stone :
" Rev. Samuel Fuller died April 9, 1842, in the 75th year of his age. Looking for the general resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ. Born at Stafford, Conn., Sept. 21, 1767. Graduated at Dartmouth College, 1791. The first minister of the Gospel in this town : Pastor for sixteen years of the Presbyterian Church, and for thirty-one years Rector of Trinity Church of which he was the founder."
The Baptist Church at Preston Hollow was organized about 1790. Rev. Timothy Green was the pastor in 1793. The first meetings were held in a school house. The first church edifice was erected in 1821, about two miles from the village. The present house was erected in 1845 and is valued at $5,000. The present pastor is Rev. Leonard Smith; the present membership is 230.
The Baptist Church of Rensselaerville was formed in 1797; Rev. Truman Beman was the first pastor.
The Friends' Meeting House at Potter's Hollow was organized about 1795 with about 30 members. The first preacher was Reuben Palmer. The first house of worship was erected in 1806 ; the present house in 1818 ; the number of members is 40; their house of worship will seat 200 and is valued at $1,000. The present preacher is Israel Drake.
The population in 1865 was 2,745, and the area 37,578 acres. There are 1S school districts, employing the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age is 751; the number attending school, 543; the average attendance, 236, and the amount expended for school purposes during the year ending September 30, 1869, was 83,931.62.
WATERVLIET was formed March 7, 1788, and in- cluded the West District of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. The Manor was divided into the East and West Districts, March 5, 1779, the river being the separating line. The West District, as defined by act of March 24, 17:2, embraced all that part of the Manor north of an east and west line from Beeren Island, north to Cumberland Co., except the City of Albany. Rensselaerville was taken off in 1:00, Coeymans in 1791, Beth- lehem in 1792, Guilderland in 1803 and Niskayuna in 1809. The city of Cohoes was taken off in 1869, and a part of Albany in 1870. It lies in the north-east corner of the County at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. The surface is
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chiefly an upland from 200 to 300 feet above the river. The declivities of this upland are broken by numerous gulleys worn by the small streams. A fine interval, nearly half a mile in width, extends along the Hudson. The Erie Canal crosses the Mohawk at the northern limit of the town, in a stone aqueduct 1,1372 feet in length, twenty-six feet high and supported by twenty-six piers. The soil is a rich deep alluvium upon the river and flats, and a light sandy loam upon the upland. Sul- phur and chalybeate springs and bog iron ore are found in the town. The quarries of graywacke furnish an excellent flagging and building stone.
West Troy, (p. v.) in the east part part of the town, was in- corporated April 30, 1836. It is a manufacturing village and is engaged extensively in the lumber trade. The Erie and the Champlain Canals and the Hudson River afford communication by water to all parts of the country. The Rensselaer and Sara- toga Railroad extends through the village, and it is connected with Albany by horse railroad, and with Troy by ferries. It contains eight churches, viz., Baptist, Episcopal, two Methodist, two Reformed, and two Roman Catholic; a bank, a newspaper printing office, an extensive bell foundry, various other manu- factories and about 12,000 inhabitants.
The United States Arsenal at this place occupies about one hundred acres. The grounds are chiefly inclosed by a high wall and contain a number of shops and storehouses. This establishment was commenced in 1814 under Col. George Bom- ford, of the Ordnance Department. . It was for many years the principal manufactory of gun carriages, machines, equipments. ammunition and military supplies for the troops and forts of the United States. During the late war a very large number of persons were employed and a vast amount of the munitions of war were manufactured. The workmen are chiefly citizens residing in the vicinity.
The village is built on land formerly held by the Bleecker family. It was purchased by a company of Troy capitalists and laid out as a village, and has mostly grown up since the completion of the canals.
Green Island (p. v.) was incorporated October 14, 1853. It contains four churches, viz., Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Roman Catholic; several extensive manufactories and about 3,500 inhabitants. Among the manufactories are the extensive car and coach manufactory of Gilbert, Bush & Co .. the stove foundry of M. L. Filley; the machine shops of the Rensselaer & Saratoga and the New York Central Railroads, and other important manufactories of various kinds. A con-
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siderable lumber trade is carried on. It is connected with Troy by a bridge, over which the cars of the Rensselaer & Sara- toga and the New York Central Railroads pass, both of which roads have stations here. The bridge contains also a drive for carriages and foot passengers. It is connected with Troy and Cohoes by horse railroad.
Newtonville (p. o.) is a hamlet containing two churches, viz., Methodist and Baptist; a store, a blacksmith shop and a wagon shop.
Lishas Kil (p. o.) and
Ireland Corners (p. o.) are hamlets.
West Albany (p. o.) is about three miles from Albany, on the N. Y. C. R. R., and contains the car shops, engine houses and cattle yards of the N. Y. C. R. R.
The Shaker Settlement, in the west part of the town, consists of four families, numbering about 300 persons and living in a manner peculiar to their sect. The following account of their origin, doctrines &c., was furnished by one of their number :
" Their founder was Ann Lee, of Manchester, England, who settled in the town of Watervliet in the year 1775. Her re- mains lie in the Shaker Village of this County. She and her followers are remarkable for their extreme divergence from what is popularly termed " Christianity." Ann Lee announced the second appearance of the Spirit of Christ in her person. testifying that the Godhead being male and female, so also is the Christ spirit male and female. She established four funda- mental principles for her followers to build upon, viz., Com- munity of goods; a celibate life; non-resistance, freedom from war in any shape; distinction of government, freedom from the strifes of political parties. Her followers maintain these prin- ciples strictly. They do not believe that Jesus was born the Christ, but became so at his baptism, they believe he was then Jesus Christ. So of Ann Lee, they do not worship her any more than they do Jesus, they respect both as agents of the Al- mighty. They believe all will become Christ's when fitted by self-denial. They dance in their worship, evincing a jubilee in consequence of their victory over the world, claiming to be the end of the world after the manner of Jesus' words, ' Yeare they upon whom the ends of the world have come' Immense crowda from all parts of the country and from Europe congregate at their place of worship to witness their dancing and hear their singing and speaking. Their present expositor is G. Albert Lomas. They are large landholders, having about 2,500 acres. Farming, gardening and mechanical pursuits are prosecuted by
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them. Their village, composed of four families, contains abon: three-fourths of a million dollars worth of real estate. Their houses are substantially built and present a beautiful appear- ance. The present officers, male and female, are : D. A. Buck- ingham and Elizabeth Harrison, presiding elders at the Church Family; Sylvester Prentiss and Sarah A. Van Wyck, ditto at the North Family; Jeremiah Lowe and Paulina Bates, ditto at the West Family; with G. A. Lomas and Harriet Bullard, the acting corresponding elders of the South or Novitiate Order. All persons admitted enter the last order. The business super- intendents of the Church Family are Chauncey Miller and Lv- dia Annis; North Family, C. Copley and Harriet Ingham ; West Family, Alex. Youngs and Nancy Wicks; South Family. Galen Richmond and Mary Ann Ayers; Clarissa Shufelt, Janet Angus, society physicians. They number nearly 300, females slightly predominating. They depend upon accessions from without their own order for their numerical strength. Prob- ably a more peculiar sect does not exist than these highly re- spected but very eccentric people."
Water and steam power are abundant for all manufacturing purposes. There are four ponds with an area of ten acres each, having an average fall of twelve feet.
Watervliet Center (p. o.) is a hamlet.
Town House Corners is a populous neighborhood where town business has usually been transacted.
Boght, so called from a bend in the Mohawk, is a hamlet. The Reformed Church of this place was organized April 14, 1784, by Rev. E. Westerlo.
The Albany Rural Cemetery was incorporated April 20, 1841, and the site selected April 20, 1844. The premises were dedi- cated October 7 of the same year. The Cemetery is located among the hills west of the Trov and Albany Road, about four miles from the City. The grounds contain over 200 acres, are finely laid out and contain many elegant monuments. A sta- tion of the Rensselaer and Saratoga R. R. is near the entrance. The improvements made every year add to its beauty, and it bids fair to become one of the finest rural cemeteries in the country. Its variety of surface, hill and dale, ravine, dell, ponds and cascades, are attractions rarely seen of equal extent upon grounds devoted to the burial of the dead.
The population of the town in 1865 was 27,275, and its area 32,S17 acres.
The number of school districts, according to the report of Sept. 30, 1869, was'28, employing 59 teachers. The number of children of school age was 14,076; the number attending school
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7.400 ; the average attendance 2,759, and the amount expended for school purposes during the year was $67,292.03.
WESTERLO, named from Rev. Eilardus Westerlo, of Albany, who came from Holland in 1760 as pastor of the Re- formed Dutch Church, was formed from Coeymans and Rens- selaerville, March 16, 1815. It lies upon the south border of the County, near the center. Its surface is broken and hilly, with a general southerly inclination. The highest point in the northerly part of the town is 800 feet above tide. The hills are very steep and irregular, and the valleys are mere narrow ra- vines. The streams are Haanakrois, Basic, Wolf, Fly and Eight Mile Creeks and their branches. These are all rapid streams and are liable to severe freshets. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam, interspersed with clay and underlaid with hardpan. There are several fine quarries in the town, from which flagging stones are taken.
Chesterville, (Westerlo p. o.,) named in honor of Rev. John Chester, formerly pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Albany, is about a mile north of the center of the town, on Basic Creek, and contains two churches, viz., Baptist and Reformed; two hotels, four stores, a wagon shop, two blacksmith shops, a cooper shop, a harness shop, a shoe shop, two undertakers and about 215 inhabitants. About half a mile north of the village is the cheese factory of James A. Sloan. The building is 26 by 50 feet, with a wing 10 by 20.
Dormansville, (p. v.,) named in honor of Daniel Dorman, is located in the east part of the town and contains a Methodist church, a hotel, a store, a wagon and blacksmith shop, and 9 houses.
South Westerlo, (p. v.) in the south part of the town, on Basic Creek, contains a Christian church, a hotel, two stores, a grist mill, a saw mill, a woolen mill, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, a harness shop, a shoe shop and about 100 inhabitants.
Lamb's Corners and Van Leuven's Corners are hamlets.
The settlement of this town commenced previous to the Revolution. Among the early settlers were Nicholas Stoddard, Philip Myers, Lodowick Haynes, William Haverland, Josiah Hinckley, a Revolutionary soldier, William Bird and his brother, James Arnold, Jacob Haynes, Abram Becker. Andrew Hannay and Rev. Reuben Stanton. Mr. Stanton was one of the first surveyors and received as compensation for his services 100 acres of land.
Philip Myers,, the first settler, was born in Germany, Sept. 22, 1744. In 1753 he came with his father to America and
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landed at New Baltimore, Greene Co. Leaving the vessel the : went into the country in search of a location, and stopped : : a time with Andreas Whitbeck, an early settler of Couvnu: In the fall Mr. Myers left his son Philip, to return to Germanr for the rest of his family, but was never heard of afterward -. Philip being thus bereft of his father, remained with M :. Whitbeck until 1763, when he located on the present site of the village of Chesterville, erected a log house and kept bach- elor's hall for two years, when he married a daughter of Nicho. las Stoddard, who had settled there. After the commencement of the Revolution the Indians and Tories became somewhat troublesome, requiring him to be on the watch to avoid a sur- prise. Owing to the unsettled state of affairs, he took h .- family to Dutchess Co., where they remained until the close of the war, when they returned to their old home and remained there until their death. Mr. Myers died April 12, 1813, and his wife Oct. 23, 1833. The farm is now occupied by their grandchildren.
Andrew Hannay, another of the early settlers, was a native of Galloway, Scotland, born in 1733. He learned the cooper.' trade and worked at that for some time, but at the age of 24 he enlisted in the 51st Regiment of Infantry and served in the King's army six years. The original discharge is now in the hands of his youngest son, David Hannay. In 1774 he came to America, landing in New York with only four shillings. He immediately obtained employment for himself and wife, where he continued for some time. His great desire appears to have been to obtain land for himself and his children. After trying his fortune in various places, he at length settled in Westerlo, on the farm now occupied by his youngest son, David Hannay. In 1 **? he raised a company of volunteers to join Gen. Gates, but on reaching Albany and learning that Burgoyne had sur- rendered, the company was disbanded and returned to their homes.
Isaac Winston, a Revolutionary soldier, settled a little east of Chesterville. During the war he was taken prisoner and held for eighteen months. Stephen Mabey located on lot 337. Dr. Jonathan Prosser, from Dutchess County, settled in 1488 on the farm now occupied by his son, John Prosser. He was s skillful physician and had an extensive practice. Josiah Hinck- ley, a Revolutionary soldier, settled in 1783 on the farm now owned by his grandson, Charles Hinckley. At this time there were but eight families in the town.
Apollos Moore, afterwards first judge of the County, taught school in 1788., Robert O. K. Bemet taught a school in 1790.
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Grant & Eadie kept a store and made potash at Chesterville in 1798. Lobdell & Baker built the first mill about 1795.
The Baptist Church was organized about 1800 at Chesterville. Roswell Beckwith was the first pastor. Their present house of worship is of wood and will seat 350. The membership is 198; the present pastor is Rev. William Carpenter.
The Reformed Church was organized about the same time, at Van Leuven's Corners.
Emanuel Church (Prot. Epis.) was organized at South West- erlo in 1854.
The population of Westerlo in 1865 was 2,497, and the area 35,177 acres.
There are 18 school districts, employing the same number of teachers. The number of children of school age is 800; the number attending school 665 ; the average attendance 281; and the amount expended for school purposes during the year end- ding, Sept. 30th, 1869, was 84,701.28.
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY.
SCHENECTADY COUNTY.
THIS COUNTY was formed from Albany, March ?. 1809. It is centrally distant twenty miles from Albany and contains 221 square miles. The greater part lies between Scho- harie Creek and Mohawk River, only one town lying north of the Mohawk. The surface consists of the flats along the Mo- hawk, and an upland, generally broken by ridges and isolated hills from 200 to 350 feet above the river. The highlands are the northern continuation of the Helberbergh and Schoharie Mountains. The shales of the Hudson River group constitute the principal underlying rocks which crop out in the valleys and in the bottom of the ravines. In portions of Glenville and Duanesburgh this rock is underlaid by birdseye limestone, from which are obtained lime and building stone. The greater part of the surface is covered with a thick deposit of drift, consisting chiefly of clav in the west part, and sand in the east. The rocks crop out on the banks of the streams and form the declivities of the steeper hills. The soil in the west part is a tenacious clavey loam, underlaid by hardpan on the hills, and in the east it is light, sandy and of poor quality. The valley of the Mo- hawk consists of a deep rich alluvium, well adapted to tillage and extensively devoted to the cultivation of broomcorn. It is said that one-half of the entire broomcorn crop of the State is raised in this County. A large part of the broomcorn land is annually overflowed, rendering it very fertile. Many tracts have produced this crop for many years in succession.
The principal streams are Mohawk River, Schoharie Creek and Norman's Kil, and their tributaries. The valleys of these streams are generally bordered by the steep declivities of the uplands, rising to the hight of about 300 feet. Many of the smaller streams have worn deep gulleys in the loose drift de- posits, giving the surface a very broken character. Many of these streams are dry in summer. The alluvial flats near Schenectady, and extending west about five miles on the south side of the river, were called by the first settlers " The Bouw-
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land," or arable land. A tract two miles in extent, north of the river, was called the " Maalwyck," meaning Whirlback, from the tortuous course of the Mohawk. A tract on both sides of the river, about four miles west of the City, was called " Woestina," meaning Wilderness. A region in the immediate vicinity of Schenectady was called " Oron-nygh-wurrie-gughre," and the hills were known as the "Yan-ta-puch-a-berg,".which is a mix- ture of Indian and Dutch, meaning "John-ear-of-corn-hill." The hills on both sides of the river, above the City, were called "Tou-ar-e-u-ne." The streams of " Woestina," were " Werf Kil," or Paint Creek, " Zantzee Kil," or Sea Sand Creek, and " Righel- brigh Kil," or Railbridge Creek.
The valleys are well adapted to tillage, but the hills are bet- ter for pasturage. The Mohawk Valley was formerly noted for its large wheat crops, but there is much less raised now than formerly. The manufactures of the County are confined chiefly to the City of Schenectady.
The County Seat is located at Schenectady. The Court House is a substantial brick edifice, located on Union Street, and con- tains the court room, jail, Sheriff's office and Supervisors' room. The County Clerk's office is a small fire proof building, a short distance from the Court House, on the same street. The Sur- rogate's office is in the same building. The work of preparing the foundation of an enlargement to this building has already commenced, and when completed according to the present plan, the building will be one of the most commodious and conveni- ent of any in the State, considering the size of the County, and highly creditable to the enterprising portion of the County, through whose efforts the improvement has been accomplished. The building when completed will be 60 by 36 feet, and two stories high. On the first floor will be the Clerk's office, 30 by 33 feet, and the Surrogate's office. On the second floor will be the Surrogate's court room, Supervisors' room and a room for the Library. The lower rooms will be fire-proof and all warmed by a heater in the cellar. The extreme hight of the building above the side-walk will be forty-five feet, and its value when completed will be about $25,000.
The Alms House is located on a farm in the east part of the . City. The greatest number of inmates at any one time during the last year was 78, and the least number 64. There were tive deaths and one birth during the year. The whole expense of supporting the poor of the County during the last year was $10,291.10, and the weekly expense of supporting each was $2.22. The rent of the farm is estimated at 8400.
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The County have a Fair and Parade Ground of about thirty acres, surrounded by a high, substantial and tight board fence, a short distance from the business portion of the City. The County laid out about $10,000, and the County Agricultural Society about $1,500. Sheds and other buildings have been erected, and a drive of a half a mile laid out upon the grounds. When the improvements are completed according to the present plan, Schenectady will have one of the finest grounds for fairs and military parades in the State.
The first newspaper published in the County was
The Western Spectator, issued previous to 1807.
The Schenectady Cabinet was commenced in January 1809, by Isaac Riggs. In 1850 it passed into the hands of S. S. Riggs, who continued it until 1857.
The Western Budget was published a short time in 1809.
The Mohawk Advertiser was published in 1810 by R. Schermer- horn.
The Floriad, a monthly, octavo. was published in 1811.
The Schenectady Gazette was published in 1812, by Ryer Scher- merhorn.
The Schenectady County Whig was issued in 1830 by C. G. & A. Palmer, and was continued until 1834.
The Schenectady Standard was published in 1831 by T. J. Sutherland.
The Schenectady Democrat was begun in 1828 by C. G. & A. Palmer. T. W. Flagg became the publisher in 1837, and the same year the name was changed to
The Reflector and Schenectady Democrat. It was successively published by G. Yates, E. H. Kincaid, A. A. Keyser and Fred. W. Hoffman, and others, until May 1867, when it was purchased by J. J. Marlett and its name changed to
THE SCHENECTADY REFLECTOR, under which title it is still published by Mr. Marlett.
The Censor was published in 1834 by the students of Union College.
The Parthenon was published monthly by the students of the College in 1846-7.
The Mohawker was published in 1835 by Riggs & Norris.
The Protestant Sentinel was commenced in 1835 by Rev. John Maxson, and continued two years.
The Wreath was started in 1835 by W. H. Burleigh, and con- tinued one year.
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Freedom's Sentinel was issued during the campaign of 1840, by Stephen S. Riggs.
The Antiquarian and General Review was a monthly, started in 1845 by Rev. W. Arthur, and continued two years.
The Scroll was published a short time in 1849.
The Schenectady Morning Star was started February 24, 1854, by W. M. Chadbourne and W. N. Clark. It was soon after changed to
THE SCHENECTADY EVENING STAR. In September 1865 it passed into the hands of J. J. Marlett, the present pub- lisher.
The Schenectady Daily News was started April 1859 and dis- continued soon after.
The Schenectady Republican was started in 1857 by Colbourne & Landon. In 1867 it was merged in the Reflector.
THE SCHENECTADY DAILY UNION was started in the fall of 1865 by Charles Stanford, the present publisher.
THE SCHENECTADY WEEKLY UNION is issued from the same office.
THE WEEKLY GAZETTE was started May 13, 1869, by Walter N. Thayer. In January 1870 it passed into the hands of James H. Wiseman, the present publisher.
The public works of the County are the Erie Canal, which crosses the Mohawk in the north part of the town of Niskayuna, and thence extends along the valley, through Schenectady and Rotterdam; the New York Central Railroad, including the Troy and Schenectady Branch, the Saratoga and Schenectady Railroad, the Saratoga and Hudson and the Albany and Sus- quehanna Railroads, all extend through some part of the County. A railroad from Schenectady, connecting with the Al- bany and Susquehanna, in the town of Duanesburgh, is soon to be built, forming a direct communication with Binghamton and the great coal region of Pennsylvania. A survey of a route from Schenectady to Ogdensburgh has already been made, and a favorable report rendered as to its feasibility. This, when built, will open a large extent of country that has not hitherto had any communication by rail with the rest part of the State.
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