Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70, Part 10

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1870
Publisher: Syracuse : Printed at the Journal office
Number of Pages: 644


USA > New York > Fulton County > Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 10
USA > New York > Montgomery County > Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 10


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About the year 1735, Sir Peter Warren, an Admiral in the British Navy, acquired the title to a large tract of land Iving on the south side of the Mohawk, in the present town of Florida. and known as Warren's Bush. He sent his nephew, afterwards known as Sir William Johnson, to take the charge of it. John- son at first located at the mouth of Schoharie Creek, but after obtaining the title to a tract of land north of the river, he eret- ed a stone house, about three miles west of the village of An- sterdam. and made that his residence until his removal ?' Johnstown about 1262. This place was fortified and knowi: as Fort Johnson, a name which it still bars, Through the i: ence of his uncle he obtained the appointment of Indian A: and by learning the language and adopting the dress and ha' of the Indians whenever it appeared expedient, he acquir !' greater influence over them than any other white man had o.


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before obtained. He died July 11, 1774. His son, Sir John Johnson, and his sons-in-law, Guy Johnson and Daniel Claus, were among the most influential of those who adhered to the King when the struggle for Independence began. The German Palatinates generally united with the Colonies, and the other settlers entertained similar sentiments, but for some time they were overawed by the Johnsons, and their efforts to organize were thwarted by the activity of the Tory leaders.


Tryon County was divided into six districts, and for the pur- pose of a more thorough organization, delegates were appointed in each by the Patriots to form a Committee of Public Safety. These districts were Mohawk, adjoining Albany; Canajoharie, in the south side of the Mohawk, and Palatine on the north, ex- tending up the river to Little Falls: German Flats and Kings- land, still further up the river; and Old England District, west of the Susquehanna. The first five of these districts were formed March 24, 1612. On the Sth of March, 1973, the original name, Stone Arabia, was changed to Palatine, German Flats was changed to Kingsland, and Kingsland to German Flats. Old England District was formed April 3, 1775. Col. Guy Johnson had succeeded to the office of Indian Agent, and his acts were so aggressive and partisan that the Committee addressed a re- monstrance. In June, 1775, he withdrew to Cosby's Manor, un- der pretense of holding a council with the Indians in the west part of the County, and shortly after fled to Montreal by way of Oswego, accompanied by a large number of dependents and fol- lowers. He continued to act as Indian Agent during the war, and by liberal rewards and more liberal promises incited the In- dians to active hostilities. In Canada he was joined by Joseph Brant. a distinguished and educated Mohawk Chief, and by John and Walter N. Butler, two Tories who gained an infamous no- toriety for their barbarity, which surpassed that of the Indians. These persons had all resided in 'Tryon County and were well qualified by their knowledge of the settlements to lead marand- ing parties of Tories and Indians on their work of desolation. Sir John remained at the Hall, and though he could still count among his relatives and neighbors many adherents, yet he was not ignorant of the fact that the leaven of civil liberty was working among the Colonists to a greater extent than was de- sired by him. He therefore began to fortify Johnson Hall and to arm his attendants and make preparations to support actively the cause of the Crown whenever an opportunity should offer. The Committee of Safety suspecting that he was meditating hostilities and that he was in correspondence with Guy John- son, determined to ascertain his intentions For this purpose they addressed him the following letter:


MONTGOMERY COUNTY.


"TRYON COUNTY COMMITTEE CHAMBER, ) October 26, 1775. 1 " HONORABLE SIR :


" As we find particular reason to be convinced of your opinion in the questions hereafter expressed, we request that you will oblige us with your sentiments thereon in a few lines by our messengers, the bearers hereof, Messrs. Ebenezer Cox, James M' Master and John J. Clock, members of our Com- mittee. We wish to know whether you will allow the inhab- itants of Johnstown and Kingsborough to form themselves into companies according to the regulations of our Continental Con- gress for the defense of our country's cause; and whether your Honor would be ready himself to give his personal assistance to the same purpose; also whether you pretend a prerogative to our County Court House and Jail and would hinder or inter- rupt the Committee making use of the same to our want and service in the common cause. We do not doubt you will com- ply with our reasonable request and thereby oblige,


Honorable Sir, Your obedient and humble servants, By order of the Committee. NICHOLAS HERKIMER, Chairman." To this Sir John replied, that as to embodying his tenants, he never did or should forbid them ; but they might save them- selves further trouble, as he knew his tenants would not consent. Concerning himself, sooner than lift his hand against his King. or sign any association, he would suffer his head to be cut off. As to the Court House and Jail, be would not deny the use of them for the purpose for which they were built, but that they were his property until he should be refunded seven hundred pounds. Hle further said he had been informed that two-thirds of the Cana- joharie and German Flats people had been forced to sign the as- sociation.


Johnson continued his defensive works about the Hall, and it was currently reported that, in addition to his tenants and adherents, three hundred Indians were to garrison the works. to be let loose upon the settlement as occasion might offer.


Having become convinced of his hostile intentions, General Schuyler, who had charge of the Northern Department, wrote to him in January, 1776, stating that he had been informed that " designs of the most dangerous tendency to the lives and liberties of those who are opposed to the unconstitutional mes- ures of the ministry, have been formed in a part of Tryna County," he was ordered to march a body of men into the County to contravene those dangerous designs. Influenced by motives of humanity, he declared that he wished to comply


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with his orders in a manner the most peacable, that no blood might be shed, and therefore requested that Sir John would meet him the next day at any place on his way to Johns- town. To this letter Sir John returned an unsatisfactory reply. A correspondence ensued which resulted in an agreement on the part of Sir John to disarm his Scotch tenants and to refrain from any and all acts hostile to the Colonies. For some reason this agreement was violated, and he resumed his intrigues, secretly instigating the Indians to hostilities. Under these cir- cumstances it was thought best to secure the person of Sir John, and Col. Dayton was dispatched with a force to arrest him. Being warned of their approach, Sir John and his fol- lowers escaped to the woods, and after nineteen days of great hardship and suffering reached Canada by way of Sacondaga. and Racket Rivers. Sir John received a commission of Colonel in the British service, and raised a regiment of Tories known as "Johnson's Greens." and was active and bitter in his hos- tility to the Colonists throughont the war. Through the in- fluence of the Johnsons all of the Six Nations, except a por- tion of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, united their fortunes with the British and were liberally aided by arms and provisions in their incursions into the frontier settlements. Several efforts were made on the part of the Americans to attach the Indians to their cause, or at least to induce them to remain neutral, but with the exceptions named, all to no purpose. During the summer and fall of 1977 this County, in conimon with other portions of the northern and western frontier, was the scene of great alarm and stirring events caused by the expedition of Burgoyne. General Barry St. Leger had been dispatched with an army of Tories and Indians, by the way of Oswego, to re- .duce the forts and settlements on the Mohawk and join the main army of Burgoyne at Albany. Fort Schuyler, where Rome is now situated, was besieged on the third day of August. The militia of Montgomery County were called out, and under the command of General Herkimer, marched to the relief of the Fort. At Oriskany they were surprised by a body of Tories and Indians, and a bloody battle was fought in which two hun- dred of the patriots of the County were killed and as many more taken prisoners. There was scarcely a hamlet in the valley that did not lose one or more of its inhabitants. A few weeks after this. General Arneki. at the Bad of about 900 troops, marched to the relief of the Fort, and St. Loger hastily retreated. Dur- ing the fall and the following wear Indian scouts prowled around the settlements upon the western border, murdering or carrying into captivity small parties of settlers and soldiers when the opportunity offered. Sir John Johnson was present


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at the siege of Fort Schuyler, but as this proved a failure he made two other incursions into the County. On the 21st of May, 1780, he suddenly appeared at Johnson Hall at the head of 500 Indians and Tories. He arrived about sunset on Sun- day, and dividing his force into two parties, at daylight the next morning he made an attack simultaneously upon Tribes Hill and Caughnawaga, (Fonda.) killing several persons and taking others prisoners, and burning every building upon the route except those belonging to Tories. The militia collected in considerable numbers, and towards night Sir John retreated to Canada by way of the wilderness west of the Adirondack Mountains. The principal object of this incursion was to ob- tain the silver plate which had been buried on his hasty retreat from the Hall. Near the last of July of the same year, the militia of the County were sent to guard a provision train sent to the relief of Fort Schuyler. On the 2d of August. while they were absent, Brant, at the head of 500 Indians and Tories. made an attack upon the settlements in the vicinity of Fort Plain. Fifty-three dwellings were burned. sixteen persons Were shin and sixty women and children carried into captivity. The party retreated on the approach of the militia from Johnstown and Schenectady. In October a large body of Tories, Indians and Canadians, under Sir John Johnson, Brant and Corn- planter. made their appearance at the mouth of Schoharic Creek after having laid waste the settlements above. The troops if Sir John were chiefly collected bear Montreal, from which point they ascended the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario and Oswego. from this point to Oneida Lake, where they left their boats and proceeded over land to join the Tories and Indians collected at Tioga Point. They had with them two small mortars and a three-pound brass cannon, called a grasshopper, from the cir- cumstance of its being mounted on legs instead of wheels : these pieces were carried through the woods on pack horses. These troops, to the number of 2.000. were all provided with eighty rounds of cartridges. They passed along the cast bank of the Susquehanna to its source, thence across to the Schoharie Creek and down that to the Mohawk, spreading destruction and desolation in their course. From the mouth of Schohari. Creek the main body passed up the Mohawk on the south side. while Captain Duncan, with three companies of the " Greens " and some Indians, crossed to the north side, and proceeding up the river, destroyed all that was left of Canghnawaga in the pr - vedling raid. and all that had been rebuilt. The march upon both sides of the river was one of the most complete devastation : rapine and plunder were carried to the fullest extent, and ever; thing combustible was given to the flames. - The inhabit.int.,


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panic stricken, escaped death or captivity only by ffight. On the night of the 18th Sir John encamped a short distance above The Noses, and the next morning crossed the river at Keeder's Rifts. Most of the army continued up the river, but a. detach- ment of one hundred and fifty men was dipatched against a small stockade fort in Stone Arabia called Fort Paris. This was in command of Colonel Brown with one hundred and thirty men. As soon as the news of Johnson's incursion reach- ed Albany, General Robert Van Rensselaer, at the head of a party of militia, started in pursuit. He arrived at Caughnawaga on the 18th, and having learned that Fort Paris was to be attacked the next day, dispatched orders to Col. Brown to march out and attack the enemy while he would fall upon his rear. Brown promptly sallied forth to the attack, but Rennselaer had been so impeded in his march as to be unable to create any diversion in Brown's favor, whose force was too weak to withstand the enemy or check his progress. Col. Brown and about forty of his men fell in the attack, the remainder sought safety in flight .. Johnson now dispersed his troops in small bands in all direc- tions to plunder and destroy. Towards evening these marau- ders were collected together and marched back to the river road east of Garoga Creek. Avoiding a small defense near the mouth of the Creek, Sir John moved west, continuing his course to Klock's Field, where, from the fatigue of the troops and the burthen of the plunder, it became necessary to halt.


General Van Rensselaer was now in close pursuit with a strong force. He had encamped the previous night at Van Epps, on the south side of the river, not more than three miles from Johnson, whose troops must have been weary from their long marches and heavy knapsacks, while Van Rensselaer's were fresh in the field. Captain MeKean. with about eighty volun- teers and a strong body of Oneida warriors, had also joined him, making his force superior to that of Jolmson. Sir John had placed a guard of forty men at the ford to dispute the passage. On approaching this point Van Rensselaer halted and did not again advance until the guard was withdrawn. He continued on the south side while Johnson was continuing his work of death upon the north. He arrived opposite the battle ground where Col. Brown had fallen before the firing ceased and while the Indian war-whoop was still resounding. While halting about three miles below Garoga Creek. some of the fugitives from Brown's regiment arrived, fording the river without diffi- culty. General Van Rensselaer made an excuse for not cross- ing that he was not acquainted with the fording place. Being informed that there was no difficulty in crossing, Capt. McKean and the Oneida Chief led their commands through the river,


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expecting the main army to follow. General Van Rensselaer. however, immediately mounted his horse and rode away to Fort Plain to dine with Gov. Clinton. Meantime the baggage wagons were driven into the stream to serve in part as a bridge for the army, which commenced crossing in single files. In this way the passage was not effected until four o'clock P. M .. at which time the General returned. Col. Louis, as the Oneida Chief was called, shook his sword at him and denounced him as a Tory. Col. William Harper also remonstrated with him on account of the unnecessary delay, attended as it had been by a needless loss of life and property. From this time the troops advanced without unnecessary delav, in three divisions, the ad- vance led by Col. Morgan Lewis. Sir John, anticipating an at- tack, had disposed of his force upon a small alluvial plain. part- ly surrounded by a bend in the river. A slight breastwork had been thrown up across the neck of the little peninsula, and the Indians under Brant were secreted among the thick scrub oaks that covered the land a little to the north and a few feet higher. Ilere a spirited engagement took place in which Sir John and his troops were routed, and had he been followed up as he should have been,. the whole force might have been destroyed or captured. General Van Rensselaer has been severely censured for his course and denounced by many as a Tory at heart. The prospects of the Mohawk Valley were now shrouded in gloom. Nearly every settlement had been desolated and nearly every fam- ily had lost some of its members. The Supervisors of Tryon Coun- ty prepared a statement dated December 20, 1780, and presented to the Legislature, giving some idea of the desolation made throughout this region. This statement declares that 200 build- ings had been burned in the County ; 354 families had aban- doned their habitations and removed ; 613 persons had deserted to the enemy; 197 had been killed; 121 taken prisoners, and 1.200 farms lay uncultivated by reason of the enemy. This statement did not include Cherry Valley, Newtown. Martin. Middlefield, Springfield, Harpersfield, and Old England Dis- triet, which had been utterly destroyed and abandoned. The population at the beginning of the war was about 10,000. Though the sufferings of the colonists were great the Indian loss was much greater. Their whole country had been ravaged. their crops destroyed and many of their number had died in battle or by starvation. At the close of the war a miserable remont of the once powerful nations returned to sue for parte.


In the spring of 1:81, Colonel Marinus Willett assumed com. mand of the American forces on the Mohawk. and by his mil- tary skill, daring and knowledge of Indian warfare. ropolled all the attacks made upon the Mohawk settlements and carried the


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war into the enemy's own country. On the 9th of July, 1781, about 300 Indians, under a Tory named Doxtader, made a sud- den attack upon the settlement of Currytown in the town of Root, burning the buildings and collecting a large amount of booty. Col. Willett, with 150 militia, immediately pursued and overtook them at Dorlach, a few miles over the line of Schoha- rie County. By stratagem he succeeded in drawing the Indians into an ambuscade and defeated them, killing forty of their num- ber and retaking all their plunder. Some of their prisoners were murdered to prevent their escape. The last incursion of the Indians into the Mohawk Valley was made October 24, 1181, by a party of 600 British and Indians, under Major Ross and the notorious Walter N. Butler. They made their first ap- pearance in the vicinity of Warren Bush, and proceeded to Johnstown, engaging in their usual work of plunder and mur- der. Here they were attacked by Colonels Willett, Rowley and Harper. A severe engagement ensued in which the enemy were defeated and forced to retreat. Col. Willett pursued, and com- ing up with the rear guard at West Canada Creek, a skirmish ensued in which Butler was killed. History has handed down his name as one of the most inhuman wretches that ever dis- graced humanity. He surpassed the savages in barbarity, ap- pearing to revel with delight at the spectade of human suffer- ing. Many a victim was saved from his clutches by Brant, the Mohawk Chief. This affair practically ended the war in Tryon County, and the remaining citizens, who had so often suffered . from savage incursions, were permitted to resume in peace their accustomed employments, though stripped of almost everything except the soil.


At the close of the war, and when peace once more smiled upon the land, emigrants from New England and other parts settled in the Mohawk Valley, and the fertile fields so recently made desolate by the torch of the savage and the Tory, began to bud and blossom, and in a few years almost every trace of the war had become obliterated.


In closing this sketch of Montgomery County we would glad- ly give a record of the deeds of the brave men who fought to preserve the Government from disintegration at the hands of traitors. As the necessary statistics are not at hand, we must be content to say that those who volunteered in their country's defense, fought worthy of their illustrious sires of the Revolu- tion. It our fathers who founded the Republic are worthy of all commendation for the sacrifices which they made to found so glorious a structure, of not less praise are those worthy, who gave their lives that the Republic might be preserved and trans- mitted unimpaired to our posterity.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


4 AMSTERDAM, named from the place in Holland from which many of the early settlers came, was formed from Caugh- nawaga, March 12, 1793. Perth, Fulton County, was taken off in 1838. The original town of Caughnawaga was formed March 7, 1488. It embraced all that part of Montgomery County ly- ing north of the Mohawk and east of a line extending from " The Noses" to Canada. In 1793 it was divided into Amster- dam, Mayfield, Broodalbin and Johnstown, and the original name was discontinued. It lies on the north bank of the Mo- hawk, in the north-east corner of the County. Its surface con- sists of the alluvial flats along the river, and a rolling upland. gradually rising for a distance of two miles. and attaining an elevation of 300 to 500 feet. The principal streams are the Fort Johnson, Chuetenunda and Evas Kil Creeks. The first was formerly called Kayaderosseras Creek, and its name was changed in honor of Sir William Johnson, who erected a residence neat this stream in 1744. and a saw mill about the same time. It en- ters the Mohawk about three miles west of Amsterdam village. Chuctenunda, signifying Twin Sisters, is a name applied to two streams flowing into the Mohawk on opposite sides. Evas Kil was named in honor of Mrs. Eva Van Alstyne, who was wounded and scalped by the Indians in 1755, while crossing this stream. The stream enters the Mohawk near the east border. The soil in the valley is a deep rich alluvium, and upon the hills it is a fertile, gravelly loam. Near Tribes Hill are extensive stone quarries, at which stone is now being quarried for the new Stat Capitol. Manufacturing is carried on quite extensively at Ali- sterdam village and at several other places.


Amsterdam, (p. v.) formerly called Feedersburgh, was ineviget- ated April 20. 1830. It is situated on the north bank of the Mohawk, from which the land slopes gradually to the extra ... northern limit of the village, then rises more abruptly to the


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


hight of 500 feet. The main street runs nearly parallel with the river and is well paved and lighted with gas. The village con- tains five churches, viz., Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Epis- copal and Roman Catholic; an academy, a newspaper office, three banks, four hotels, a large number of manufactories and about 6,000 inhabitants.


The Shoe Manufactory of McElwain & Co., gives employment to forty hands and turns out 150 or 200 pairs of shoes daily.


The Mohawk Knitting Mill employs forty hands and turns out forty dozens of shirts and drawers per day.


Amity Knitting Factory employs thirty hands and turns out thirty dozen shirts and drawers daily.


Americun Hosiery Mill is run by steam and turns out 145 dozen shirts and drawers daily.


Sanford's Carpet Factory employs 300 hands, uses 3,000 pounds of wool and turns out 1,000 yards of carpet daily.


Kellogg & Miller's Oil Mill employs 30 hands, uses 900 bushels of seed, and makes 2,000 gallons of oil and fifteen tons of oil cake daily.


The Globe Hosiery Mills employ 50 hands and turn out 90 dozen shirts and drawers daily.


Amsterdam Knitting Mills employ 55 hands and turn out 80 dozen shirts and drawers and 30 dozen jackets daily.


Amsterdam Iron Works employ 25 hands and turn out $50,- 000 worth of work annually.


The Forest Paper Mill turns out from 2,500 to 3,000 pounds of paper daily.


. W. K. Green & Son's Hosiery Mills employ 200 hands and turn out from 250 to 300 dozen shirts and drawers daily.


Pioneer Hosiery Mills employ 60 hands and turn out 60 to 65 dozen shirts and drawers daily.


The Broom Factory of J. H. Bronson turns out 20,000 dozen brooms annually.


The Malt House of Charmichael uses 40,000 bushels of grain annually.


The Monitor Clothes Wringer Manufactory employs 25 hands and turns out 20,000 wringers annually.


The Broom Factory of E. D. Bronson employs 30 hands and turns out SO dozen brooms and 30 dozen brushes daily.


The Amsterdam Steam Soap Works turn out 4,000 pounds of soap per week.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


Shuler's Steel Spring Manufactory turns out 8200,000 worth of springs annually.


J. C. Shuler & Co's Coffin Manufactory turns out 8500,000 worth of work annually.


The Presbyterian Congregation of Amsterdam village was or- ganized March 3d, 1832, with Rey. James Wood, pastor. The number of members at present is 300. The church edifice now in process of erection is 104 by 66 fect, and 148 feet to the top of the spire. It is constructed of brick and hewn stone and will cost, when completed, $40.000. Rev. M. S. Goodale, D. D., is the present pastor.


The Methodist Episcopal Church numbers 290 members. The edifice is of wood. located on Market Street. The present pas- tor is Rev. W. J. Heath.




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