USA > New York > Fulton County > Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 11
USA > New York > Montgomery County > Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
The First Baptist Church numbers 268 members; the Sabbath school 200 scholars, 27 teachers and five officers. The church edifice is 100 by 50 feet and has a fine bell and organ. The present pastor is Rev. John Enoch Chesshire.
St. Ann's Episcopal Church numbers 65 members. The church edifice is a substantial stone building located on Division Street. Rev. Porter Thomas is the present pastor.
St. Mary's Catholic Church was organized in 1844. The pres- ent number of communicants is 600. The church edifice is of brick, located on Main Street, has a fine spire and stained glass windows.
Green Hill Cemetery is located on an eminence a little north- east of the village. The grounds are beautifully laid out and ornamented with trees, shrubbery and flowers. A solliers' monument is soon to be erected. Nature and art are combined to make it a beautiful rural cemetery.
Amsterdam Academy is located on a sightly eminence north- east of the village, about two minutes walk from the R. R. Do- pot. It was incorporated by the Legislature, March 29, 1839. and by the Regents of the University, Feb. 16, 1841, under the name of Amsterdam Female Seminary. It was located in a con- tral part of the village until 1865, when its present site was chosen. Its boarding department was for ladies, its day depart- ment for both sexes. April 21, 1865, its name was changed to Amsterdam Academy. New buildings, at a cost of $10.000. were erected and fitted up with all the modern improvement. The hoarding department, as formerly, is for ladies, while u day school is for both sexes. The grounds are artistically lit out and when completed will furnish a delightful walk and drive for the people of Amsterdam. The following are the
78 .
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
names of the members of the first Board of Trustees under the new charter: Hon. Stephen Sanford, M. C., President; Hon. S. Pulver Heath, Sec .; Davis W. Shuler, Treas .; Hon. Samuel Belding, Hon. Adam W. Kline, Abram V. Morris, Hoel S. Mc- Elwain, Hon. John Kellogg, John McDonnell. Leonard Y. Gard- iner and Chandler Bartlett. C. C. Wetsell is the present prin- cipal, assisted by a board of seven teachers.
Hagaman's Mills . (p. v.) is located on Chuctenunda Creek. about four miles north-east of the village of Amsterdam, and contains two churches, viz., Methodist and Reformed ; manufac- tories of hosiery, hubs and pumps, and about 200 inhabitants.
The Hosiery Mill of H. Pawling & Son is a fine wood building, run by water and steam, contains four sets of woolen machinery and turns out about 15,000 dozen shirts and drawers annually. Attached to the main building is a fire-proof picking room. This knitting mill was started in 1857, one of the first in the town, and has been in successful operation ever since. The dam of Messrs. Pawling & Son is of cut stone, laid in cement, and is the only one of the kind on this creek or in the County, con- structed by private enterprise.
The Hub Factory of Inman & Son turns out about 6,000 sets of hubs annually. A planing mill is attached.
The Pump Factory of Mason & Rogers turns out about 1,000 pumps annually. A reservoir in Saratoga County supplies the stream on which these mills are located.
The village received its name from Joseph Hagaman, the first settler, in 1727, and who subsequently erected the first mill.
Conner's Grist and Saw Mills are located near Hagaman's Mills. The grist mill contains three runs of stones and the saw mill one upright saw.
The Reformed Church. of Hagaman's Mills, was erected in 1835 as a Presbyterian church in connection with the First Presby- terian Church of Amsterdam, and remained so for about ten years, when it became an Independent Society with about 50 members. About five years after this it united with the Dutch Reformed, with which it is now connected.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1864 with 24 members, and their house of worship was erected the same year. The present membership is 50.
Connesville (p. v.) situated on the Mohawk, three miles case of Amsterdam, contains a hotel, a store, a wagon shop, a saw mill, a tannery and about 120 inhabitants. It was named in honor of David Crane, who settled here in 1804 and kept a hotel for many years,
79
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
Swarts' Grist Mill is located about a mile east of Cranesville and contains two runs of stones.
MeLachlan's Saw Mill is located about two miles north of Cranesville, is run by water and contains one upright saw.
Tribes Hill (p. v.) received its name from the circumstance that the Indian tribes were accustomed to assemble here. It is located on the N. Y. C. R. R., about five miles west of Amster- dam. on the town line, and contains two churches, viz., Presby- terian and Methodist; a-store, a tin shop, a harness shop, at blacksmith shop, two shoe shops and about thirty dwellings About half of the village lies in the town of Mohawk. Near the village are several large stone quarries from which immense blocks are now being quarried for the new State Capitol. Stone cutting and quarrying form the main business of the place. A suspension bridge, 536 feet between abutments, crosses the Mo- hawk, connecting this place with Fort Hunter. It was erected by a stock company in 1852-3 at a cost of $17,500. The bridge is supported by six cables of three inches in diameter each. The towers are constructed of heavy oak timbers and the bridge will support 5,000 pounds per foot.
The Methodist Church at this place was reorganized in 186! with a membership of about 40. Their house of worship is of stone and erected the same year.
Finhout's Saw Mill is located about three miles north-west of Amsterdam and contains one upright saw.
Hollenbeck & Coughnet's Mills are located about three miles north-west of Amsterdam, on Fort, Johnson Creek. The saw mill contains one upright saw.
Fort Johnson Grist Mill, near the same place, contains three runs of stones.
Wert's Saw Mill is located on Fly Creck, about five miles north-west of Amsterdam, and runs one upright saw.
Hollenbeck's Mill runs one upright saw.
West Amsterdam M. E. Church was organized about the war 1810. The present church edifice was erected in 1860. and is located on Fort Johnson Creek, about four miles north-West of Amsterdam ; the membership at present is about 75.
A Lutheran Church is located in the north-west corner of fee: town. Their house of worship was created in 1858, and 14 present membership is about 45.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized about the 1800. Their house of worship is located about two and a. miles east of Amsterdam. It was erected in 1802 and is .et
80
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
occupied by the society. The frame is of oak and in good con- dition ; the outside has undergone some repairs. The present membership is about thirty.
The first settlement of the town was commenced about 1710 by Dutch and Palatinates. In 1742 Sir William Johnson built a large stone mansion, about three miles west of the village, and resided there for about twenty years, or until he erected John- son Hall. This edifice was richly ornamented with carvings of oak and mahogany, and at the time of its erection was one of the finest mansions in the Colony. It was fortified and called Fort Johnson. Sir William subsequently built a mill on the creek near his residence. Here he was surrounded by a great number of dependents and was often visited by great numbers of Indians over whom he exerted great influence. Guy John- son had a fine stone residence one mile west of the village, called Guy Park, and Col. Daniel Claus had another about two miles from the village. The first two are still standing. A tract of land one mile square was originally attached to each of these residences, but the whole was confiscated and sold with the es- tates of the other Tories. The two men last named were sons- in-law of Sir William Johnson. The first settlers at Amster- dam village was Albert Veeder, E. E. De Graff, Nicholas Wilcox and William Kline. The first church, (Reformed Protestant Dutch,) was organized in 1992, and became Presbyterian in 1803. The first settled minister was Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck in 1799. Casper Van Warmer settled in the south-east part of the town about 1749, and lived there about eighty years, being 89 years old when he died, in 1859.
The population of Amsterdam in 1865 was 5,135 and its area 18,866 acres.
CANAJOITARIE was' formed as a district, March 24, 1712, and as a town March, 1788. Minden was taken off in 1198, a part of Root in 1823 and a part of Minden in 1849. It was called by the Indians Gana-jo-kie, and said to signify " a kettle shaped hole in the rocks," or " The pot that washes it- self," and refers to a deep hole worn in the rock at the falls on the creek, about a mile from its mouth. It lies on the south border of the County, west of the center. The surface consists of the flats along the Canajoharie Creek, and the undulating uplands from 200 to 600 feet above the valley. The soil is a gravelly Joam, derived from the disintegration of the underlying slate, in some places intermixed with clay. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the inhabitants, though there is a limited amount of manufactures.
81
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
Canajoharie, (p. v.) incorporated April 30, 1829, is situated in the north part of the town, on the Mohawk River and Eric Canal. A substantial bridge connects it with the village of Palatine Bridge, a station on the N. Y. C. R. R. The village contains six churches, viz: Episcopal, Reformed, Methodist, German Lutheran, English Lutheran and Roman Catholic; a printing office, several mills and manufactories and about 2,000 inhabitants.
Arkell & Smith's Paper and Cotton Flour Sack Manufactory is one of the most important establishments in the village. The business was started in 1860 and gives employment to seventy- five hands. They have two large paper mills in Troy, N. Y., for the manufacture of the manilla paper: The works are run by water, which has a fall of nearly forty feet. The sacks are made chiefly by machinery at the rate of 120 per minute on each machine. Three drum cylinder printing presses print in colors at the rate of 40,000 per day. Every sack is counted by machinery as it is printed.
A Flour, Feed and Plaster Mill, 40 by 60 feet, and five stories high, is run by a steam engine of 45 horse power. The capacity of the mill is 100 bushels per day. The sales amount to about 50,000 bushels of corn per year and 1,000 tons of plaster. An elevator, 35 by 50 feet, with a storage capacity of 25,000 bushels, is connected with the mill.
M. L. Smith's Malting House, in the west part of the village, is of brick, 62 by 100 feet, and uses 30,000 bushels of barley per year.
Knox & Yates' Malting House was erected in 1863 on the south bank of the canal. It is built of limestone, 50 by 116 feet, and three stories high. A frame building attached for stor- age is 52 by 40 feet. About 45,000 bushels of barley are used during the season.
Ames, (p. v.) in the south part of the town, contains two churches, viz., Methodist and Baptist; an academy, a hotel. a saw mill, a grist mill, several mechanic shops of various kinds and about 200 inhabitants.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1809, with Rev. Benj. Paddock as the first pastor. The present membership is 91: Rev. Charles T. Moss is the pastor.
The Baptist Church was organized at an early day and the' house of worship erected in 1834. Rev. George Elliott was the first pastor. Rev. Mr. Crandall is the present pastor.
Buel, (p. v.) in the south-west part, on Bowman's Creek, con- tains a Presbyterian church, a wagon shop, a store, a grocery, a
-
82
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
blacksmith shop, a large cheese factory and about twenty-five dwellings. The cheese factory is owned by the Buel Cheese Manufacturing Association. The capital invested is $5,000, and the milk of 700 cows is used.
The old homestead of General Keys is still standing in the cast part of the village of Ames. It is a one story building, sur- rounded by trees and shrubbery.
Sprout Brook, (p. o.) in the south-west part of the town, con- tains a Methodist church, a hotel, a store and about a dozen dwellings.
Vandeusenville is located a short distance south-east of Sprout Brook, and contains a woolen mill, a saw mill and a large cheese factory.
Marshville, (p. o.) near the center, contains about a dozen dwellings.
Mapleton and Waterville, in the north-east part, are hamlets.
The settlement of this town was commenced at a very early day. long before the breaking out of the Revolutionary war. As early as 1164 an Indian school was taught here by Philip Jonathan. During the Revolution the people generally were warm supporters of the cause of the Colonists and were among the greatest sufferers of the Mohawk Valley. At the battle of Oriskany many of the prominent citizens of the place were kill- ed. Among them were Col. Cox, Lieut. Col. Hunt, Maj. Van Sivek, Capt. Henry Devendorf, Robert Cronse, JJacob Bowman, Andrew Dillenback, Capt. Jacob Leober, Charles Fox and Lieut. Wm. Leeber. While marching to join Gen. Sullivan in 1779, General Clinton made this place his headquarters for several weeks. While here two notorious Tories. Henry Ware and Wm. Newbury, were arrested and executed as spies. They had form- erly been citizens of the town. A deserter named Titus was also shot here. With the other towns in the County, Canajoharie suffered from incursions of the Tories and Indians and the in- habitants were often driven to the greatest extremities. Several small forts were built which afforded some protection to the people. A fort was erected here at an early day as one of the chain of fortifications to Oswego. It was 100 feet square and fifteen feet high, with bastions at the angles. and was armed with several small cannon. In 1;31 the house of Philip Van Alstyne was palisaded and named Fort Van Rensalaer. It is now called Fort Washington, and is in the south part of the vil- lage, ou the east bank of the creek. nearly opposite the dwelling of Mrs. Gertrude Mover. It was constructed of limestone. At the Indian burying ground in Canajoharie village, skeletons have been found in a sitting posture, with hatchets, arrow heads,
83
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
beads and other articles used by the Indians. In excavating for clay to line the Erie Canal, among other articles found was a gold cross about two inches in length. As the skeleton found in connection with this appeared to have been buried in a hori- zontal position, it was supposed to be that of a Jesuit mission- arv. The lands adjacent to the village were occupied by a small tribe of Indians belonging . to the Mohawks, and called Canajo- harie Tribe. Most of the flats were cleared when first discover- ed by the whites, and were cultivated with corn, beans and squash. The hills abounded in apple trees.
The first grist mill in this town stood east of the creek, near where the present mill dam is located. It was owned by a man named Scrambling. The next one was built by Col. Hendrick Frey, who owned a large tract of land extending to Frey's Bush. He was postmaster and lived at this mill site. On the lot now owned by Charles W. Knox was a house occupied during the Revolution as a fort, and in which the Committee of Safety of Tryon County heldl their meetings. In 1795 Archibald and James Kane established themselves as merchants at this place. and for many years were the principal merchants in this part of the State. Their early trade consisted largely of potash, grain and furs, for which they exchanged dry goods, groceries. &c. In 1799 their purchases of potash and wheat amounted to $120,- 000. They had a small canal ent from the river to their store to admit the passage of flat boats.
The story of the " Yankee Pass," so often told. is too good to be lost, and is in substance as follows: Judge Henry Staring, a magistrate of Herkimer County, saw a man coming from the the west on horse-baek one Sunday morning, and as traveling that day was a violation of the statutes of the State except in certain cases, the Judge called the traveler to an account. Not receiving any satisfactory excuse for his conduct, the Judge fined him six York shillings. After paying the fine, the travel- er. who was a New England Yankee, asked for a pass, that he might not be called to account by other magistrates. The Judge could not refuse a request so very reasonable and told the traveler to write one and he would sign it. This being done, the stranger proceeded on his way. A few months after this the Judge visited the store of Messrs. Kane and was requested to pay an order of twenty-five dollars that he had previously drawa on them. Beinig very much surprised at this he at first denk d having given the order, but the signature was in hisown handwriting and could not be denied. Upon further inghry with reference to the person who presented the order. the Judge came to the conclusion that it was the Yankee Pass. that he had signed without reading.
84
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
The village was at first called Roofville, from Martin Roof, the postmaster, who kept a drug and book store near the pres- ent bridge. John Roof purchased the farm of Scrambling, who built the first mill and a stone house where the Eldredge House now stands. A hotel was kept in this house for many years, and it was a rendezvous for recruits in the war of 1812-15. The first physician who settled in the town was Dr. Eights, who afterwards went to Albany. Drs. John Atwater and Libbeus Doty afterwards opened offices in the village.
Among the early settlers, whose names are remembered by some still living, are Rev. Jonas Gross, Col. Yates, John Seeber, Conrad Seeber, General John Keyes, Capt. Roger Mills, Eben- ezer Hillard, Frederick Mills, Charles Powell, Noah Dodge, Col. Elisha Daniels, Dr: Simeon Marcy, Abijah White, Joseph Jes- sup, Deacon Kimball, Rev. George Elliot, Gideon Elliott, John St. John, Elisha Taylor, James Knox and Jacob Ehle. Gen. Keves, Capt. Mills and Ebenezer Hibbard purchased one thous- and acres of land where the village of Ames is now situated, at three shillings per acre. At that time there was no clearing on the land except at a place known as Taylor Hill. Taylor had cleared about fifty acres and made other improvements, having some twenty years previously purchased of a Squatter. These new purchasers came on and endeavored to expel him by force. but not being disposed to be ejected in that way they finally bought him off.
Jacob Ehle and James Knox settled near Mapleton, in 1791, on the farm now occupied by Aaron Ehle. They paid $2.62 an acre for their land. John White, born in the town in 1:85, is the oldest person now living in the town who was born there. Benjamin Button settled just after the close of the Revolution, on the farm now occupied by Amos Button. He was a soldier in the war. Thomas Conklin settled where Wil- liam D. Watson now lives, and kept a store there for forty years. Samuel Tillotson settled in Ames in 1281; Esquire Hill, a soldier of the Revolution, settled where S. Hill now lives ; Adam Garlock, a Revolutionary soldier, was taken prisoner, afterwards. settled where his grandsons Reuben and Adam now live. George Dunkle settled previous to the Revolution where Henry Dunkle now lives. He purchased four hundred acres of land, served in the army, was shot in the left eye, the ball coming out be- hind the left ear. He died in the town in 1845. Adam Flint settled before the Revolution, where Levi Flint now lives. Nicholas Van Alstyne settled east of the Round Top, was a Lieu- tenant in the war, drew a pension and finally died in town.
Among the interesting trials that have taken place in this County was one that occurred in 1828. Henry Garlock brought
85
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
an action for trespass against Henry J. Failing to recover the value of his negro slave, Jack, who, it was alleged, the defend- ant had wrongfully and maliciously killed. Garlock had a deed of the negro, the consideration being $350. Failing ad- mitted killing the negro but that it was through a mistake. The circumstances as they were proved in Court were as fol- lows: On the night of the homicide the negroes had a gather- ing near the river below Dutchtown, became intoxicated and broke up at a late hour. Jack and one of his companions start- ed for home, on the road passing defendant's house. During the night a black man called at Failing's house saying that he had seen a bear a short distance from the house. Failing took his riffe and, accompanied by his dog, started in search of the bear, which he soon discovered sitting upon his haunches about ten rods distant. The dog refused to advance, and Fail- ing could see by the dim starlight the eyes of the bear. Taking good aim between the eyes he fired. A terrible groan, a struggle and all was still. 'A light was procured, and on proceeding to the spot there lay Jack, stone dead. It appeared that the negro had taken a keg from a trough where it had been placed to soak, and seated himself upon it in the middle of the road, with his back towards Failing, who mistook the bright buttons upon his coat for the eyes of a bear. Eminent counsel were employ- ed on both sides, and the result was a verdict for the plaintiff for $250.
In 1798 a duel was fought between Barney Roseboom and Archibald Kane. The affair had its origin at the gaming table. The parties were the two combatants and Henry Frey Cox. During the playing Kane became indebted to Roseboom for $100, and Cox to Kane for the same amount. Kane proposed to cancel his indebtedness by a transfer of the obligation of Cox to Roseboom. This Roseboom refused to accept, and Kane, considering himself insulted. challenged him to mortal combat. The duel was fought upon the hill near Kane's dwelling, and the weapons used "horse pistols." Kane was wounded in the arm at the first fire. The combatants then made up and became warm friends afterwards.
Among the early incidents related is the following account of a marriage in which Esquire Bowman officiated. While working in his hay field a couple came to his house on horseback to le married. The party were sent to the hay field where they foand the Esquire upon a load of hay. Wishing to dispatch the business with as little trouble as possible he requested the party ... to join hands. He then said, " Hans, you dake dis voman to le. your vife ?" " Ya," replied the expectant groom. " Lisbet, you dake dis Haus to be your husband?" " Ya, ich will." " Den
86
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
I make you one vlesh and one peefe. Now vat man has put togedder let not Got put asunder." Thus ended this marriage ceremony.
The population of the town in 1865 was 4,248, and the area 24,764 acres.
CHARLESTON was formed from the old town of Mo- hawk, March 12, 1793. The remaining part of Mohawk was organized as Florida, and the original town abolished. Glen and a part of Root were taken off in 1823. It lies upon the south border of the County and is the only town that does not border on the Mohawk. It occupies a portion of the high pla- teau region immediately west of Schoharie Creek, and the greater part of the surface is an undulating upland. On the east it descends in steep declivities to the valley of the creek, at this place, a narrow ravine. The streams are small. The soil is a fertile loam, mixed with clay, and is especially adapted to spring grains and dairving. The town has some manufactures, consist- ing chiefly of sash and blinds, woolen goods and flour.
Burtonville, (p. v.) in the south part of the town, on Schoha- rie Creek, contains two churches, two hotels, two stores, a wool- en factory, a grist mill, a saw mill, a sash and blind factory, two carriage shops, three blacksmith shops and 36 dwellings.
The Woolen Mill of A. G. Randall runs one set of cards and 240 spindles.
The Flouring Mill of C. M. Satterly contains five runs of stones and grinds about 50,000 bushels annually.
The Christian Church at Burtonville was organized December 23, 1865, with 18 members, and now numbers 60.
The Methodist Church was organized in 1857 and now mm- bers 90 members.
The village received its name from Judah Burton, the first settler.
Charleston Four Corners, .(p. v.) in the south-west part of the town, contains a church, a hotel, a store, a cabinet shop. a black- smith shop, a carriage shop, a cooper shop, two hay hoop man- nfactories and twenty-nine dwellings.
Charleston (p. v.) contains a church, a hotel. a store, a tannery, a blacksmith shop, two shoe shops and nine dwellings.
Ouk Ridge contains about a dozen dwellings.
The Christian Church of Charlesten Four Corners was organ- ized in 1813, with twelve members, and now has over 200.
87
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
The Cheese Factory at the same place uses the milk of 350 cows and makes about 100,000 pounds of cheese annually.
The Baptist Church at Charleston was organized in 1993, and now has 80 members. Elijah Herrick was the first pastor.
A portion of this town was included in Corry's Patent, a tract of 25,000 acres granted to William Corry and others in 1637; and other parts were included in the Stone Heap Patent, granted to John Bowen and others in 1770; and Thomas Machin's Pat- ent of 1787.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.