Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70, Part 26

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 26
USA > New York > Montgomery County > Gazetteer and business directory of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 26


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).


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The population of the town in 1865 was 2,335, and its area 24,104 acres.


CAROGA was formed from Stratford, Bleecker and Johns- town, April 11, 1842. It lies on the north border of the County, west of the center. Its surface is rolling in the south and broken in the north by small sharp mountain peaks. A large hill lies west of Garoga Creek, and 'a swell of land rises about 300 feet, between the principal branches. Several clusters of lakes lie in the center and north part of the town. The princi- pal ones are Garoga, East Garoga, West Canada, East Canada, Mad, Green, Pine, Otter, Prairie, Bellows, Indian, Steward. Nine Corner, Goose and the Stink Lakes. Garoga Creek flows south from Garoga Lake. Only a small portion of the soil is susceptible of profitable cultivation. The principal business is lumbering.


Newkirk's Mills, on Garoga Creek, in the southern part of the town, contains a church, a school house, a hotel and about 25 houses.


Wheelerville, near the center of the town, contains a church, & school house, a store and about 30 dwellings.


There are in the town eight saw mills and one tannery.


The settlement of this town was commenced about 1700. Within a few wars thereafter the following persons came Po the town and located. viz., David, Robert and Solomon Je" ... Samuel Gage. Reuben Brookins. William Jefferson, Abram ( ar- lev, Anthony Stewart, Nathan Lovelace, Isaac Peckham. Elijah Gardner, Ira Beach, John Mead, James MeLellan, Titus Foster, Lemuel Lewis and Daniel Goff.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


The first marriage was that of Francis Vandercook and Lucy Jeffers, in 1800. The first death was that of Mrs. Amy Mead, in 1804.


The population of the town in 1865 was 631, and its area 29,- 952 acres.


EPHRATAH was formed from Palatine, Montgomery Co., March 27, 1822. A part was re-annexed to that town on the division of the County in 1838. It lies on the south border of the County, west of the center. Its surface is mostly a hilly up- land, from 400 to 1,500 feet above the Mohawk. Garoga Creek flows south-west through the town, in a deep valley bordered by hills from 500 to 800 feet above the creek. The soil is sandy, and in the south-cast a clayey loam.


Ephratah, (p. v.) in the south part, on Garoga Creek, contains two churches, viz., Methodist and Reformed ; a hotel, four stores, two woolen mills, a tannery, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop and about 400 inhabitants.


Garoga. (p. v.) in the east part, on Garoga Creek, contains two stores, two hotels, a saw mill, a grist mill, two straw board mills and about 150 inhabitants.


Rockwood, (p. v.) in the north-east part, contains two church- es, viz., Methodist and Union ; two saw mills, a grist mill, two tanneries a buckskin dressing mill, a straw board mill, two aby factories, a turning shop and about 250 inhabitants.


Inesellsrille. (p. v.) in the west part, contains two churches, two stores, a blacksmith shop and about 200 inhabitants.


The first settlement of this town was commenced about 1765, gador the auspices of . Sir William Johnson, who owned a large tot of land on the south side of Sprite Creek. Among those sho e tled previous to the Revolution were Frederick Getman, Enapie and Jacob Snell, near the village ; and Nicholas ar. Jacob Fry, Henry Herring, Philip Kreitzer. William Jadores Winkle, William Smith, Henry Hart, Zachariah Tr .: p. John Cassleman, Peter Schutt and --- Dusler, in other 1. These were mostly Germans, some of whom : in Soliharie County. A grist mill was erected by 1 en Johnson soon after the settlement was commenced. where Wood's tannery is now located. It was burnel What the war. Johannes Winkle, who settled Textous to the Revolution, where James Yancy now lives, built a grist mill where Yaney's woolen factory now is. This was burned during the war and rebuilt by Mr. Shulls. Mr. Henry Yatay purchased it subsequently and finally removed it and


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


erected the woolen mill which now occupies the site. Mr. Cool was in the Johnson mill at the time it was attacked by the ene- my. He was killed and scalped. The miller was taken prison- er and carried away captive. He had a quantity of specie con- cealed in the walls of the mill at the time of his capture. This he recovered after his return from captivity. Henry Yancy built a saw mill in 1808 where Levi Yaney's mill now is. He was a captain in the war of 1812 and afterwards a major in the New York State Militia. In 1803 he purchased one hundred acres, embracing the village site, and had it laid out. In 1812 George Getman and - Cogswell erected a distillery and kept a store. Frederick Empie settled where John F. Empie now lives. Peter Schram built the first inn, in 1815; Thomas _1. Benedict kept a store about 1810. Philip Miller, a Revolutiona- ry soldier, settled previous to the war, where Peter Miller now lives. John Sponable settled where A. Fickle now lives: he was a soldier in the Revolution, was taken prisoner and carried to Canada. Richard Young and Richard Coppernoll, soldiers of the Revolution, settled where Il. Lighthall now lives. Fred- erick and John Getman settled previous to the war, where Ben- jamin Getman now lives. He purchased 300 acres of the paten tee. He had four sons, three of whom settled in Ephratah. George Getman was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war and served under Colonel Willett; Frederick settled in this town and made maple sugar from a tree which is still standing and from which the eighth generation has made sugar. John Shav- er settled in 1804 where Benjamin Shaver now lives. He was a captain in the war of 1812, was at Sacketts Harbor. Henry Whitlock, a soldier of 1812, settled in 1810 where Stephen Whit- lock now lives. Nicholas Smith, settled where Mclaughlin lives ; Henry Smith settled where Daniel now lives, and Wil- liam where David now lives, previous to the Revolutionary war, in which they all served. Nicholas Rector, a captain of the militia during the Revolution, lived where Chauncey Snell now lives. He and his family were attacked by Indians but escaped. A man named Empie was shot and scalped, but killed an Indian after he was wounded. Mrs. Rector was wounded in the les. and while on her way to the Fort at Stone Arabia, she found the body of a man whom the Indians had killed, took his shoesand wore them to the Fort. One of the shoes was nearly filled with blood on her arrival. She had one son killed by the India. .. Joseph Dennis settled in 1816 where E. Dennis now lives. H. built a grist mill and saw mill. Abram Durfee settled at Rock- wood in 1815, and in company with Simmons built the first carding mill in the town. The first Town Meeting was held at the house of Harvey Cook in April 1825 ; John Eisenlord Was


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


chosen Town Clerk : Jacob Eaker, Supervisor; George Waggon- er, H. Yaney and Jacob Heas, Assessors; Jost A. Shull, Peter Markle, J. J. Shull. Commissioners of Highways; J. Nellis, George Eaker, Poor Masters; J. L. Nellis, Collector. The fol- lowing is the oath subscribed to by the Supervisor before enter- ing upon his duties:


"T, Jacob Eaker, do solemnly promise and swear that I will perform the trust reposed in me and I will not pass any account wherewith I shall think the said County is not chargeable, nor will I disallow any account or article wherewith I shall think the County justly chargeable."


The first German school taught in the town was by a man named Moot, and the first English school by --- McLean.


The following are the names of some of the soldiers from this town who laid down their lives for their country during the lite Rebellion ; Peter Valone, George Pring, George.Chatterton, Stephen Regg, Nathan Filree, James Adzit, Jacob .Brown, Hi- ram Grav and Wallace Mclaughlin.


The population of the town in 1865 was 2,188, and its area 22,620 acres.


JOHNSTOWN was formed from Caughnawaga, March 12, 1:93. Bleecker was taken off in 1831, Mohawk in 1837 and a put of Caroga in 1842. A part of Bleecker was re-annexed in 1541. The original town of Caughnawaga was formed March :. 1258. It embraced all that part of Montgomery County ly- ing north of the Mohawk and east of a line extending from " 12: Norges" to Canada. This town was divided in 1793 into Sin-terdam, Mayfield, Broadalbin and Johnstown. Johnstown the mouth border of the County, near the center. A. of hills occupies the north part, and a high ridge extends gh the west; the remaining parts are rolling. . Cayadutta % doux south-west through the cast part, and Garoga Creek gh the north-west corner. The soil is a clayey and sandy 1. :n. The chief manufactures of the town are buckskin gloves


Johanborn, (p. v.) incorporated April 1, 1808, is situated on Casa Latta freek, south-east of the center of the town, and con- fonts buildings, seven churches, two newspaper ", several inills and manufactories, and nearly


The Laregion Manufacturing Co. have a capital of $100.000. employ from Junto 150 hands, and manufacture saws, files, saw- frames de. The head quarters and sales-rooms of the Company are in New York City.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


A Grist and Flouring Mill, with a capacity of 500 bushels per dav, is situated on Cayadutta Creek.


Several Skin Mills, for tanning hides for gloves, are located in the village.


St. John's Church (Episcopal,) was the first church edifice erected in the town. It was built of stone in 1771, by Sir Wil- liam Johnson. It was burned in 1836 and rebuilt the next year. The present number of communicants is 140, James By- ron Murray, M. A., is the present pastor.


The Presbyterian Church numbers 320 members. The church edifice is of brick, 50 by 110 feet, and 133 feet to top of the spire. It is furnished with beautiful stained glass windows and a fine organ, and cost $33,000.


The United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1828. The church edifice is of brick, 44 by 85 feet, extreme hight 110 feet. It was erected in 1869. The present membership is 112.


The First Baptist Church was organized in 1842 with 65 mem- bers; the church edifice was erected in 1851. Present mem- bership 113.


St. Paul's Church (Lutheran) has 200 members. Church edi- fice of wood, located on Perry Street.


The Methodist Church has a membership of 171.


St. Patrick's Church (Roman Catholic) was organized in 1869. Church edifice, of brick, is in process of erection, +f by 102 fret, and will cost when completed 820,000.


The Johnstown Cemetery is located about half a mile from the central part of the village, is laid out in good style and contains some fine monuments which compare favorably with those of any other cemetery of the size in this part of the State.


Johnson Hall, the former residence of Sir William Johnson, and erected by him in 1762, is located on a gentle eminence, abont three-fourths'of a mile north-west of the Court House. At the time of its erection it was probably one of the finest res- idences in the State, outside of New York City. It is 40 by 60 feet, and two stories high. A hall fifteen feet wide extends through the building; from this a staircase, with heavy ma- hogany balustrades, leads to the second story. The rail of this balustrade is scarred by hatchet blows, at intervals of a fox inches, from top to bottom. Tradition says this was done by Brant when he fed from the Hall with Sir John Johnson in 1:76, to protect the house from marauding savages. asserting that such a token would be understood and respected by them. The house remains mainly as constructed by the original pro-


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


prietor, and to all appearance is good for another century. Mr. Wells, the present proprietor, has erected an observatory upon the top from which there is a fine view of the surrounding country. The grandfather of the present proprietor purchased the premises'about seventy years ago, and they have remained in the family ever since. Two detached wings of stone were constructed as forts to protect the Hall, one of which is still standing and is occupied as a dwelling.


Gloversville, (p. v.) incorporated in April 1853, is situated on Cavadutta Creek, four miles north of Johnstown, with which it is connected by a good plank road. It is noted for its manu- factories of gloves and mittens, in which there are nearly one hundred firms engaged, besides individuals who manufacture a few dozen pairs on their own account while engaged chiefly for the larger firms. From statements carefully gathered, it is es- timated that not less than 200,000 dozen pairs of gloves and mittens have been manufactured during the year, amounting in value to. about 82,500,000. The business was commenced by Ezekiel Case in 1803, and has gradually grown to its present size, making more gloves and mittens than are made in any other place in the United States. The skins of various kinds used here are dressed as well as manufactured in the town. The village contains five churches, a bank, three newspaper printing offices, a union school and about 5,000 inhabitants. The church edifices are all of brick.


The First Methodist Church of Gloversville was organized in 1838 with 69 members ; T. W. Piersons was the first pastor. A new edifice is now in process of erection, 64 by 141 feet, and ex- treme hight 153 feet. The estimated cost is $55,000. When completed according to the present plan it will be one of the finest churches in this part of the State. George S. Chadburne is the present pastor.


The Baptist Church was organized in 1839. The present church edifice was erected in 1856 ; it is 54 by 84 feet, furnished with a good organ, and cost 816,000. The present membership is 396. Erastus Miner is the present pastor, and Solomon Cole, assistant.


The First Congregational Church was organized in 1852 with 80 members. Rev. N. Dunning was the first pastor. The church edifice was erected the same year. It is of brick, with stone window caps and sills, 47 by 88 feet, and conference room 36 by 47 feet. The extreme hight is 110 feet. The present membership is 250; W. A. McGuiley is the present pastor.


MONTGOMERY AND FULTON BUSINESS DIRECTORY. 197


3 LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY!


116, 118, 120, 122 and 124 Broadway, NEW YORK.


PURELY . MUTUAL. iş


ALL CASH.


F


WILLIAM C. ALEXANDER, . President. HENRY B. HYDE. Vice-President. GEORGE W. PHILLIPS, . Actuary. JAMES W. ALEXANDER .. . Secretary.


CYRUS STEWART, General Agent


UTICA, N. Y.


Cash Assets,.


$12,000,000.


Income,:


·$6,500,000.


THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANY EVER ORGANIZED! The percentage of Death Claims and Expenses on "total cash premium receipts." (according to the last five reports of Superintendent Barnes, is less than that of the other principal Companies. Call or send for a Circular.


AGENTS WANTED!


BRANCH OFFICE,


Main Street,


· GLOVERSVILLE, N. Y.


The following are some of the First Class Companies represented at this Agency :


Continental, (participation,) assets over.


...


$2,252,000.


Largest Surplus of any Company in the United States.


Manhattan Fire, (Organized 1821) assets over ... . $1,052,000.


North American, (Organized 1823) assets over ..


...


~50,000.


Albany City, ....


₹00,000.


&c. &c., &c., &c.


(3- Call and examine Report of Insurance Commissioner. ..


EDWARD WARD. - Manager Branch Office.


198 MONTGOMERY AND FULTON BUSINESS DIRECTORY.


MASON HOUSE,


GLOVERSVILLE, N. Y.


J. J. BARR, . Proprietor.


The above House is newly furnished and the only one in the center of business.


CONNECTED WITH WHICH IS


1


MASON


HALLI


THE ABOVE HALL HAS BEEN FITTED UP WITH


Gas, Stage,


Dressing Rooms,


Gallery, &c.


Which can be Rented at a moderate price to


Responsible Parties.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


The First Presbyterian Church was organized March 12, 1864. J. A. Priest was the first pastor, succeeded by M. L. P. Hill, the present pastor. The church edifice is of brick, with stone caps and sills, and stained glass windows. It cost 836,000 and will seat 550 persons. The present membership is 170.


Trinity Church (Episcopal) was organized Oct. 1, 1856. Rob- ert 'T. Howard is the pastor. The number of communicants is 25. They worship in Good Templar's Hall.


The Union School occupies a fine building that was erected at a cost of 830,000. It stands upon a gentle eminence a little back from North Main Street, and presents a commanding ap- pearance. H. A. Pratt is the principal, assisted by ten associates. The number of pupils is about 500.


Kingsboro, (p. v.) in the east part, contains a Presbyterian church, two stores, one grocery, a blacksmith shop, and several large glove and mitten manufactories.


Sammonsville, (p. v.) in the south-west part, on Sprout Brook, contains a Union church and school house combined, a hotel, a grist mill, two paper mills, a saw mill, a cheese box factory, a cider and vinegar manufactory, a skin mill, several other me- chanie shops and about 200 inhabitants.


Wemple's Vinegar Manufactory turns out about 300 barrels of vinegar and 1500 barrels of cider annually. The proprietor has just completed a fine brick building for storing cider.


Messrs. Hildebrandt & Schuyler are doing a large business in the manufacture of straw board.


The Grist Mill contains two runs of stones.


West Bush is situated about three miles north-west of Glovers- ville and contains a Methodist church, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, the County Poor House and about twenty dwellings.


The Methodist Society was organized in 1859 and the church edifice was erected the same year.


Smith's Corners, about two . and a half miles north-west of Gloversville, is a hamlet with a skin mill, two glove factories and about fifteen dwellings.


Kecks Center (p. v.) is about four and a half miles west of Johnstown and contains a hotel, two stores, a grist mill, two saw mills, two straw board manufactories, a blacksmith shop and about 25 dwellings. Through the energy of Mr. Keck it will doubtless become quite a business place in time.


Keck's Saw Mill is run by water and carries one upright and a gang of twelve saws.


Colemire's Grist Mill contains two runs of stones. Hurdy's saw mill one upright saw.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


Bull Run is a hamlet, about three and a half miles north-west of Gloversville, and contains a hotel, a saw mill, a cabinet shop, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop and about fifteen dwellings. It received its name in honor of two Irishmen who had a fight on the day of the memorable battle of Bull Run.


Peck's Saw Mill is located in the north-west part of the town, about six miles from Gloversville; it is run by water and con- tains two gangs of thirty and twenty saws respectively, also two circular saws, and turns out about 2,000,000 feet of lumber an- nually. Mr. J. Peck also owns and operates a saw mill and tan- nery in Bleecker. The mill is run by water and contains one circular and a gang of thirty-four saws. He is the largest lumber dealer in this part of the State and employs about 200 hands.


P. W. Peck's Saw Mill is located about three and a half miles north-west of Gloversville, is run by steam and cuts about 1,000,- 000 feet annually.


V'an Nostrand's Saw Mill, at Bull Run, is propelled by steam and water and runs one circular and a gang of eighteen up- right saws.


Mc Ewens Corners, situated about two miles west of Glovers- ville, contains a saw mill, a grist mill, a skin mill, a glove fac- tory, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, a grocery and twenty-five dwellings.


Simmons Saw Mill, near Gloversville, is run by water and car- ries an upright and a circular saw.


Cross Road Cheese Factory, about two miles west of Johns- town, is owned by a stock company, has a capacity for 800 cows. but has run during the last season with the milk of 300. making about 125,000 pounds of cheese. Eli J. Dorn is the secretary of the company.


Johnstown Cheese Factory, about one and a half miles west of Johnstown, is owned by a stock company, has a capacity for 600 com., is running on 300 and makes about 125,000 pounds an- nually.


Frederick'& Mills are located on Frederick's Creek, about five miles west of Johnstown. The saw mill contains three circular raws, an upright and a gang of 25 saws, cutting about 300,- (00 feet of lumber annually. The cider mill turns out about 1000 barrel annually.


Hale's Grist Mill, about two and a half miles east of Join -- towy. contains two runs of stones and grinds about 7000 bush- els annually.


Cold Spring Cheese Factory is owned by a stock company, it is located about two miles east of Johnstown ; David Clark is the secretary of the company. A branch factory is located about


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


two miles south, and makes about 150,000 pounds of cheese an- nually.


The settlement of this town was commenced in 1260 under the auspices of Sir William Johnson, He removed from his for- mer residence at Fort Johnson, in the town of Amsterdam, to Johnson Hall in 1762. There were then about a dozen houses in the village and a hundred tenants on farms adjacent. The lands were leased by him with the intention probably of estab- lishing a baronial estate for his family. Among the tenants were Dr. Wm. Adams; Gilbert Tice, inn-keeper; Peter Young, miller; Wm. Phillips, wagon maker; James Davis, hatter; Pe- ter Yost, tanner; Adrian VanSickle, Maj. John Little and Zephaniah Bachelor. At the Hall Sir William was visited by the Sachems of the Six Nations for counsel and for trade, and there the presents sent out by the Government were distributed to the Indians. On these occasions he was accustomed to enter- tain and amuse his guests by games of various kinds, foot races, wrestling matches and other feats.


Sir William had a secretary named Lafferty, who was a good lawyer and attended to all of his legal business. An Irishman named Flood took the oversight of the farm and the general laboring interests. About a dozen slaves performed the labor of the farm. He had also a family physician who practiced but little outside of Sir William's family. A butler, a gardener, a blacksmith and a tailor, were all employed upon the premises. One of the stone wings of the Hall was used as an office by Laf- ferty, and the other contained a philosophical apparatus and was called Sir William's private study. He erected a school house in Johnstown soon after he located there. It stood on the corner, nearly opposite the post-office. He also erected six dwelling houses in the vicinity of the school house. They were each about thirty feet long, frouting the street, eighteen or twenty feet wide and one and a half stories high. The first teacher was an Irishman by the name of Wall. In front of the school house were the public 'stocks and whipping post. He erected an Episcopal church a few years later and encouraged settlements by offering land on the most reasonable terms. He also gave to the Lutherans and Calvinists fifty acres each upon which to erect a parsonage should they desire it. Rev. Richard Moseley was the first pastor of the Episcopal Church. He com- meneed his labors in 1971, but was compelled on account of ill health to resign in April 1664. Sir William took great interest in the improvement of stock and agriculture, introducing im- proved breeds of cattle and the best seed for agricultural pro- duets. At his death, in 1774, his titles, estates and offices fell into the hands of his son, Sir John Johnson.


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GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.


Stone in his Life of Sir William, says : " Once every year he invited the warriors of the Six Nations down to the Hall, where a tournament of Indian games would be held for several days. Having himself a fondness for athletic exercises, he took special pains to introduce among his tenantry all the old English field sports. He was also in the habit of appointing 'sport days' at Johnstown, at which the yeomanry from the neighboring coun- try contended in deeds of personal prowess for the prizes of the victors. On such occasions boxing and foot racing were the most common. The Baronet had also a keen sense of the ludi- crous. The exercises would frequently be varied by races on horse-back, the riders seated with their faces toward the horses' tails. Young men, almost naked, chased guinea pigs whose tails were shaved and greased; those who were able to catch the pigs by the tail and hold them, winning the prize. Others ran races with their fect tied up in bags; and again matches would be made up between those who could sing the worst song, or contort their faces into the most hideous expressions, the vic- tors in these encounters receiving a bear skin jacket or a few pounds of snuff and tobacco."


" With a view of creating a generous rivalry among the farm- ing community, and thus developing the resources of the coun- try, fairs were annually held at Johnstown under his own im- mediate supervision. On such occasions the live stock and pro- duce brought in by the farmers would be carefully inspected by a competent committee, and those who raised the best cattle or raisul the most upon an acre, would be liberally rewarded out of the Baronet's private purse."


As an indication of the summary manner in which he some- times dealt with offenders the following is related: One of his tenants had struck and otherwise abused his aged father, the in- formation of which reached Sir William. Having sent for the man be invited him into his private office and inquired about the old gentleman, saying he had heard that he was troublesome, and if such was the case perhaps he could not do better than to chastise him a little. "I have done it," was the reply. Sir Wil- liam immediately locked the door, put the key in his pocket, took down a horsewhip and gave the man a severe flogging ; then opening the door, said: "Go home, you villain, and flog your father again."




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