USA > New York > Columbia County > History of Columbia County, New York. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 70
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1859.
1860. Elisha Fingar.
Minard Clum. Augustus S. Lasher. Wm. Barringer.
1861. George Philips. P. H. Rockefeller. Christopher C. Coon.
1862. Elisha Fingar.
1863. Josiah Kniskern.
Lewis E. Dick.
Augustus B. Green.
1864.
1865. Reuben Fingar.
Philip H. Potts.
Henry Lasher. Hawley Stickle. Ambrose L. Philips. Robert Boice.
1867. Edm'd Rockefeller. Philip A. Coon.
I868.
Germ'n Rockefeller. John C. Rockefeller.
I869. C. C. Lasher, Jr.
Wm. Phillips.
1870.
1871. John A. Kniskern.
1872.
Jacob Cipperly.
Charles H. ITover.
1873. Amasa P. Lasher.
Ambr'se L. Phillips. George L. Miller.
1801. Jehn N. Taylor. 1802. Garret Cuck.
1803.
1804.
1805. Peter Seharp.
1806.
1807. Fred'k Rockefeller.
1808.
=
Philip Rockefeller. Simon Rockefeller.
1809.
1810.
1811.
46
Simon Rockefeller. Philip P. Clum.
1812.
14
1813.
1814. Simon Rockefeller.
Jacobus Kline.
John D. Beninger.
1815.
=
1816.
44
16
P. W. Rockefeller.
Nicholas Shultis.
1817.
1818.
4
1819.
1820.
46
Henry Ashley.
1821. Andrew Hover.
George Rockefeller.
1822.
1823. Simon Rockefeller. J. W. Rockefeller.
1824. George Rockefeller.
1825. Simon Rockefeller. Seth Ten Broeck.
1826. Andrew Hover. 1827. George Rockefeller. 1828.
Thomas Fingar. =
Walter Lasher. John P. Rockefeller. David Philips. - John P. Rockefeller. George G. Snyder.
1829. Wm. S. Snyder. 1830.
1831. Simon Rockefeller. Walter Lasher.
1832. Adam P. Clum. 1833.
Samuel Lasher. S. S. Rockefeller. 4
Henry Staats. Jonas Philips. Wilhelmus Philips.
Abraham I. Moore.
1839.
1840. Adam P. Clum. 1841. S. S. Rockefeller. 1842. “
1843. Philip Rockefeller. 1844. " 4
Edward G. Lasher.
1843. Adam P. Clum.
44
=
16
44
1866.
44
Collectors. Gilbert I. Lasher. Edward Miller. Philip H. Coon.
Jeremiah Philips.
Steph'n Rockefeller. Elias Miller. "
1853. 46
66
%
John Kline.
1815. Andries Hawver. Peter Snyder. 1818. Peter Snyder. Andrew Hawver. Jacobus Kline. Wm. Chapman. 1820. Wm. Overbaugh.
1821. Wm. Chapman. Peter Snyder. John Hawver. Christian Happy.
1827. Simon Rockefeller. Andrew Hawver. William Overbangh. Marsena Hitchcock.
1828. Simon Rockefeller. 1829. Marsena Hitchcock.
John P. Clum. =
Seth Ten Breeek. Abram I. Moore.
David Sturtevant.
Samnel Lasher. Elias Lasher. Themas Lasher.
1847. George H. Rockefeller. Charles De Witt. 1848. Simon S. Rockefeller. 1849. George HI. Rockefeller. Philip S. Rockefeller.
1850. William Il. De Witt. Jacob C. Ashley. 1851. George II. Rockefeller. Wm. Tompkins. 1852. Jonas Ilover. 1853. Philip I. Staats.
Hawley Stickles. Alonzo Lasher. John B. Green.
=
=
₡4
=
44
Amasa P. Lasher. Edmund Phillips. Samuel Salspagh.
Harmon Lasher.
Philip Dick. Simon Rockefeller.
1787. John Kortz.
=
271
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1853. Georgo W. Calkins. 1854. Philip Rockefeller. 1855. No cleotion record.
1856. Jonas Hover. Lewis C. Lasher. 1857. William H. De Witt.
1858. Jacob Staats.
1859. Nelson Rockefeller.
1872. Philip Rockefeller.
1873. German Rockefeller.
1874. Silas Lasher.
Ebenezer Smith. 1875. Thomas Lawson.
1876. Philip Rockefeller.
1877. George E. Lasher.
Edward J. Sagcodorph.
1878. Philip H. Rockefeller. Edward J. Sagendorph.
VILLAGES.
GERMANTOWN
is a pleasantly-situated village, about a mile from the sta- tion. It has grown up within the last fifty years, not from any special reason except the convenience of' the people for trade and business facilities.
There is no water-power to stimulate growth. It has two hotels, two or three stores, and several shops. The mann- facture of carriages and sleighs has been quite extensively carried on by Isaac N. Mackey, the wood-work done by Mr. Bathrick. There are many fine private residences in and around the village, and several very productive orchards.
The parsonage of the Reformed church, recently newly fitted up, has a fine location, with a liberal glebe of several acres, forming a pleasant home for the pastor, who is still kindly and respectfully called " Dominie" by his people, as in the olden times. A neat vestry stands south of the par- sonage. Near it is a very large apple-tree, a venerable relic of a former age.
NORTII GERMANTOWN.
This place has a post-office and the Methodist church of the town. It is a short distance east of the steamboat- landing, and its vicinity is a well-cultivated district, afford- ing many delightful homes.
GERMANTOWN NEW DOCK
is about one and a half' miles north of the railroad station, and is a place of growing importance.
EAST CAMP
preserves the ancient name given in the time of the Pala- tines. It is in the southwest corner of the town, on the river, and contains a hotel, one store, and a few dwelling- houses. It is the landing-place for the market-barge " Har- vest Home." This is owned by a company of farmers, and forms a very cheap and convenient mode of shipping hay and other produce down the river.
THE RAILROAD STATION
has little or no room for growth as a village between the bluffs and the river. It is the one point of railroad busi- ness for the town, and for portions of Clermont and Liv- ingston.
Coming up the bluffs eastward we find the Mountain View House, originally built for a classical school. It has a fine site, and is rightly named.
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH NEIGHBORHOOD
is a pleasant hamlet on the south line of the town ; it has no post-office, but receives its mail from the village three miles north. The church itself and the parsonage constitute the chief features of the place. The grounds around the latter and the growing shrubbery indicate the taste and kindly labor of the Rev. W. W. Gulick, for a long time pastor of the church, now removed to Palatine Bridge. A new cem- etery, laid out upon a beautiful hill-side, indicates the grow- ing tendencies of the community to care for the beloved dead, and the old burial-place near the church, carefully fenced, with its clean grass sod, indicates much of loving care.
A cabinet-shop, a blacksmith-shop, a school-house, and a church constitute the village. Just east is the farm-resi- dence of Mr. Ephraim Lasher, to whom we are indebted for assistance in securing important material for this work. He has some fine specimens of Alderney stock.
THE ROCKEFELLER NEIGHBORHOOD.
This expression may be thought to apply to the whole town, but the old Simon Rockefeller tavern, in the east part, may perhaps claim this special name. Yet even there will be found to this day, besides the Rockefellers, the Staats, Fingars, Lashers, Philips, and Dicks,-those old historic Palatine names.
SCHOOLS.
A minute account of the early schools in Germantown cannot be easily obtained. It is stated that a school was established in 1711, the next year after the emigration of the Palatines; but its exact location is unknown, though very probably it was in the neighborhood where the old churches stood, near the present residences of Gale, Fingar, and Rockefeller.
The schools of those carly times were, no doubt, in con- nection with the churches, and taught by the pastors. Among the papers of the Lutheran church is a deed bear- ing date Aug. 15, 1758, from Johannes Heanor, of " forty acres of land, for the use of the Palatine minister and his successors forever, who shall likewise teach a school there."
With these brief hints we are compelled to dismiss a hundred years of school history. It is not probable that education was very widely diffused. The very large num- ber of names upon old documents bearing the significant addition " his mark," and of even very prominent public men,-officers of churches and towns,-indicates that the mass of the people were not familiar with schools. These were patriarchal times, when the common idea of a great man was one who could read the Bible and the almanac without spelling out the hard words ; when the children were all baptized, and the family records were trusted to the dominie's entry in the church books. If there arose any occasion to settle the date of a birth, or a marriage, or a death, the dominie was appealed to, and the church record was conclusive. With the opening of the present century increased attention was given to schools. The
IS60. Lewis C. Lasher. Amos Miller. 1861. James F. Abrams.
1862. Silas Lasher.
1863. Amos Miller.
1864. Lewis C. Lasher.
1865. Abram Riphenburgh. Wmn. II. Diek.
1866. Silas Lasher.
1866. William II. De Witt. 1867. Philip Rockefeller. William Tompkins.
1868. Lewis C. Lasher.
1869. William 11. De Witt. 1870. Silas Lasher. 1871. Amos Miller.
272
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
new law of 1812, which required each town to raise money to secure their share of the public money, was concorred in, and the modern system of schools was commenced.
At the annual town-meeting of 1813 inspectors of schools were chosen,-Frederick Rockefeller, Isaac San- ford, John Staats, Jacobus Kline; and also Commissioners Peter Sharp, Simon Rockefeller, and Philip P. Clum. In September of that year the town was divided into four school districts, -- No. 1 having forty-eight taxable inhab- itants; No. 2, forty-three; No. 4, twenty-four; No. 3 is not given.
In subsequent years the following persons served one or more years each as inspectors of common schools: Henry Rockefeller, Peter Sharp, Philip W. Rockefeller, John P. Clum, George Rockefeller, Wm. I. Snyder, James Hatch, Ebenezer Brinton, Wm. Heart, Jr., Philip Staats, Jr., Wessel S. B. Van Orden, Andrew Hover, Simon Rocke- feller, Peter Snyder, Elias Fingar, Wm. Overbaugh, Seth Ten Broeck, Nicholas Shultis, John Kline, Marsena Hitch- cock, Jacob Sharp, David Sturtevant, John Rudy, Peter Fingar, Elias Lasher, A. T. Park, George Wackerhagen, Thomas Lasher, George W. Calkins, Philip Rockefeller, John H. Sturges, Edward G. Lasher, Charles De Witt ; down to 1843, when the office was abolished.
From 1813 to 1843 the following persons served as school commissioners one or more years each : Peter B. Lasher, Bastian C. Lasher, John Cline, Jacob C. Fingar, Philip W. Rockefeller, William S. Snyder, Philip I. Rocke- feller, John Hover, William Chapman, Jr., Adam Speal- man, Wm. Overbaugh, Wessel T. B. Van Orden, John Harvey, Peter D. Rockefeller, Jacobus Kline, Elias Fin- gar, Peter Snyder, Samuel Snyder, Jeremiah Hover, Allen Nash, David Lasher, David Sturtevant, Marsena Hitch- cock, Philip Rouse, Henry Dick, Jr., Adam P. Clum, John W. Rockefeller, David Philips, Henry Sheffer, Peter Dick, Peter F. Rockefeller, Philip I. Staats, Garret Lasher, Philip P. Rockefeller, Philip A. Clum, Peter Sturges, Peter D. Rockefeller, John P. CInın, George W. Calkins, Harmon Staats, Jonas Lasher, Gilbert I. Lasher, Samuel W. Snyder, Peter Dick, Robert C. Rouse, Valentine Fingar.
The system having been abolished, town superintendents were chosen as follows: 1844, Charles De Witt; 1845, Charles De Witt; 1846, Jacob C. Ashley ; 1847, Jacob C. Ashley ; 1848, Valentine Fingar; 1850, Lewis C. Lasher; 1852, George W. Calkins; 1854, Charles De Witt. No election recorded for 1856, and the office was abolished that year.
At the present time there are six school-houses in the town. There are also two parts of districts in the south- west corner of the town, the school-houses for which are in Clermont.
The school-house at Germantown village is one of fair size, in which two teachers are sometimes employed. Dis- trict No. 2 enjoys the advantages of railroad property, rendering the taxes on other property very light.
In 1855 the amonnt of public money for the support of schools was three hundred and ninety-nine dollars and thirty-one cents.
The following apportionment by the school commissioners,
under date of March 19, 1878, shows to some extent the present condition of the schools :
No. of Children. Public Money.
No. 1
90
$183.11
" 2
110
211.49
" 3
45
118.87
6€
4
65
142.73
5
109
287.71
66
6 ...
83
182.85
Total ... .....
502
$1126.76
The public money is therefore about three times what it was twenty-three years ago.
THE RIVERSIDE SEMINARY.
A school was established at the Germantown railroad station in 1864. The property was owned by Philip W. Rockefeller, and the school opened by his active efforts. It was a favorite enterprise with him. He had been away from this place for many years. Returning, he carried out this idea, cherished for many years, lavishing his means freely upon the undertaking.
Rev. H. R. Schermerhorn was the principal ; Prof. Mattice was instructor in languages and mathematics ; Miss Wood, preceptress and teacher of music and French ; Miss Lucy Peary, teacher of English branches; Miss Vedder and Prof. Reynolds were also here for a time.
The school continued four years. A portion of the time there were sixty or seventy scholars, including boarders and day pupils. The boarding department was steadily filled, and the general support of the school was good.
Various circumstances combined to terminate the enter- prise. The failure of other citizens to invest their means in fonnding and enlarging the school, as it was expected they would, was, perhaps, the chief reason, though there were others.
The school had a marked influence upon the young people of the town, and Mr. Rockefeller may well recall with pleasure the results of his efforts, notwithstanding the school closed so soon.
Very many pupils obtained a far better education than they would have otherwise secured. Several of the students of Riverside Seminary are already in positions of usefulness and honor. Claudius Rockefeller, lawyer, of Hudson ; Dr. George Knickerbocker, and Winfred S. Lasher, civil engi- neer, now in the department at Albany, with many others, were educated here.
After the school was abandoned, Mr. Rockefeller opened a hotel in the same building, which is quite successful as a summer resort. The name, Mountain View House, is rightly given, facing, as it does, the grand scenery of the Catskill mountains.
CHURCHES.
THE REFORMED CHURCH OF GERMANTOWN.
This church was organized in 1728 or 1729 by Rev. Jo- hannes Van Driessen, who was its first pastor, and who also ministered to the churches of Claverack and Kinderhook. It was for many years independent of ecclesiastical connection. In 1837, under the pastorate of Jacob W. Hangen, it was received under the care of the classis of Poughkeepsie. It was subsequently transferred to the classis of Hudson, with
District.
273
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
which it is now united. The site of the first house of wor- ship was one-fourth of a mile from the river, on the farm now owned by J. R. Gule. The present building, which will comfortably seat four hundred persons, and whose present value is perhaps four thousand dollars, was erected in 1814, and it is located half a mile east of the village of Germantown.
The present pastor is Rev. James Wyckoff.
This brief statement gives scarcely a hint of the interest- ing history belonging to this venerable church. Its earlier records are in German, and, though well preserved, not easy to be translated. In some respects they are exceed - ingly valuable. The record of baptisms, commencing in 1729, comes down in the first book to 1802. It is con- tinued in the subsequent volumes until the present time, and it is probable that all the baptisms of one hundred and fifty years are recorded and preserved. In earlier times nearly the whole congregation were careful to present their children for baptism, and many kept no other family record than the entry upon the church book. Here, then, is stored away the family history of the pioneers. The list of mar- riages is not as complete as that of baptisms, and yet a close reading of the old pages will furnish, no doubt, many dates and names not recorded anywhere else. The leaves of this first book are in excellent condition, and the volume only needs rebinding to be safely kept through other centuries. The original corporate name of the society was " The Ger- man Reformed Sanctity Church," and this is strictly the legal title at the present time. Among the papers are some of historic interest, and very likely important as evidence of title, either to the church or other parties now holding by purchase and descent. There is a deed dated June 15, 1741, executed by Johannes Heiner and Christopher Haga- dorn, conveying to Paul Dick, in trust for the Culvinist German Church, four several parcels of land,-parts of lots Nos. 150, 154, and 345; the first containing 1 rood 17 perches; the second, 2 roods and 38 perches ; the third, 14 acres 2 roods 24 perches; the fourth, " the ground the church stands upon."
There is also the bond of the said Paul Dick, executed to the elders, Christian Dedrick, Tunis Snyder, Peter Stopple- been, and deacons Peter Sherb and Johannes Mowl, guaran- teeing the said property to the perpetual use of the church on condition that services shall be maintained according to the "Established. Reformed Religion." This bond is dated about the same time as the deed,-June, 1741. It is not certain when the old house of worship was erected, but it was no doubt soon after the organization,-1728 to 1740. It stood in the neighborhood of the early Palatine settlement, -a place full of historic reminiscences. North from the Mountain View House,-a little southeast of the old brick dwelling formerly occupied by John Kortz, the first super- visor of the town. Its exact site was on the level ground just at the eastern foot of the slope, on which a few scat- tered monuments yet show the old burial-place. There for three-quarters of a century or more the fathers and mothers of the olden time met for the worship of God; there they brought their children for the baptismal blessing; there loving, trustful hearts joined hands in token of life-long fidelity as the pastor pronounced the marriage-service; and
from the sacred altars of the old church the beloved dead were borne forth to the adjacent hill-side. Around the open graves mourning families gathered then as they gather now, while the solemn words of Christian faith and Chris- tian hope fell gently, tenderly, from the pastor's lips ; and so the site of the old church is hallowed by the precious memo- rials of the dead and the early memories of many still living. The place chosen for the new house in 1814 was central and convenient. The village of Germantown was not then in existence. The beautiful hill from which the tall spire has pointed heavenward for so many years affords a fine view east and west, north and south. Upon the ample grounds of the parsonage is a place to which public expectation points for the church of the future to be erected.
The present organization consists of Rev. James Wyckoff, pastor ; Elders, Thomas Fingar, Simon S. Rockefeller, Alex- ander W. Hover, Jacob W. Ten Broeck; Deacons, J. R. Gale, Lewis E. Dick, Charles H. Hover, Henry Ar- thur Lawrence; Superintendent of Sunday-school, Charles H. Hover. Average school attendance, seventy-five to one hundred. The communicants of the church number one hundred and eighty-nine, and the congregation two hundred to two hundred and fifty.
We are indebted to the courtesy of the pastor for valu- able assistance in securing the facts above given, and for the following interesting items.
The title-page of the venerable church book has the fol- lowing :
" THE REGISTER. Church Book of the High Dutch Congregation in the East Camp, Seventeen hundred twenty-eight.
Examined and ordained (?) Seminary Dominie Jonos Von Driessen V. D. M. E. Ordained Kinderhook in Claverack, Anno Domini 14th January, 1728. Soli, Deo, Gloria."
From the baptismal register we give a few names entered, as specimens of the valuable family history locked up in those old German records.
"DOOP BOECK.
" 1729, Sept. 7th, Sapina, daughter of Jacob Scherp.
" 1731, April 3d, Lodewyck, son of Jacob Seherp.
" 1731, Oct. 19th, Cathryn, daughter of Lauwrens Knickerbocker.
" 1731, Oet. 19th, Catharina, daughter of Johannes Meling.
" 1731, Oct. 19th, Johan Philip, son of Hendrick Meyer.
" 1731, Nov. 14th, Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Smith.
"1731, Nov. 14th, Andries, son of Philip Barthel.
" 1731, Nov. 14th, Hendriek, son of Jacob Ztesser.
" 1731, Nov. 14th, Marghried, daughter of Frederick Stryd.
" 1732, John Jacob, son of Christian Diedrig.
" 1732, Feb. 23d, Catharina, daughter of Philip Klomp."
The first marriage record seems to be " 1746, Wilhelm Hollinbeck mit Cornelia Brussi."
The old books are largely devoted to baptismal and mar- riage records, and do not give the official meetings of the consistory very fully. There is, however, a catalogue of
35
274
HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
elders and deacons in German difficult to decipher. The list of pastors is difficult to seeure, especially as the church was an independent body, and its ministers are therefore not recorded in the published minutes of higher ecclesiastical bodies. From 1728 to 1800 we have only the names of Rev. Johannes Van Driessen and Rev. Gerhard Daniel Cock. From 1800 to 1830 we have the name of Fox, who continued for some twenty-two years, and John Rudy. The latter is said to have first preached repentance and faith as necessary conditions of church membership. From 1836 the records are tolerably complete. Rev. Jacob W. Ilaungen was installed in 1836; Rev. I. Boyd in 1840; Rev. A. P. Fries, Oct. 16, 1849; Rev. Bergun Hoff, Angust, 1851; Rev. Abraham H. Myers, Dec. 1, 1856; Rev. Harvey R. Schermerhorn, June 1, 1862 ; Rev. S. W. Roe, May 6, 1867; Rev. G. D. W. Bodine, Aug. 12, 1868; Rev. James Wyckoff, Sept. 1, 1874.
The old parsonage of the Reformed church is a stone building still standing, bearing the date 1767, now owned by Mrs. Persons, formerly known as the Van Orden place.
One of the pastors of the Dutch Reformed church in Germantown, Rev. Gerhard Daniel Cock, having attended a council, Oct. 9, 1764, at Kingston, for the purpose of har- monizing differences which had arisen in the church of that place, found himself suddenly in trouble the next morning. He was arrested on a warrant issued by John Hardenburgh and Levi Pauling, justices of the peace for the county of Ulster, and charging the astonished peace-maker with being " a dangerous person to the Government, and a common disturber of the Peace of his Majesty's Liege subjects." He was thereupon required to take the oaths of allegiance and supremaey, all of which he was entirely willing to do, and was forthwith discharged. Learning not long after that they had no rightful authority to do anything of the kind, and that the move was only a stratagem of one of the parties to the church quarrel, he forthwith drew up a petition to the provincial governor asking for the removal of the said justices from office, on the ground that they had made " a presumptious perversion and abuse of the power intrusted with the said Justices for the public good." History fails to show whether the justices cleared them- selves before the council for their extra-judicial eeclesiasti- cal proceedings, or whether they were " obliged to step down and out."
LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The Lutheran church is no doubt the oldest religious organization in Germantown. Its records do not, however, afford much information earlier than 1746, while those of the Reformed church date back to 1728. Under the head of schools, will be found the name of a minister appended to a receipt,-Joh. Fr. Haeyer. This is dated Jan. 18, 1711. If this was the Lutheran pastor, it shows that that church was coeval with the founding of the colony. For thirty-five years, however, this seems to be the sole item to he obtained.
The record of baptisms commences Jan. 18, 1746, when there was baptized " Petrus, son of John and Maria Heiner." Under date of April 14, 1811, is recorded the marriage of " George Deninger to Betsey Lawrens."
There is also entered the death of " Ursula Maria Schu-
maker, June 25, 1810, eighty years of age, thirty years a widow ; buried on Wednesday following her death. Text, John xiv. 2."
We have no full and accurate record of the pastors of this church. Christian Hartwick was the incumbent from 1746 to 1760, and Rev. Johannes Reis followed Mr. Hart- wiek. Dr. Augustus Wackerhagen was pastor thirty-five years. Rev. Mr. Quitman from 1810 to 1816. Rev. Wil- liam B. Askam was pastor seven years, and Rev. Mr. Gulick, the last incumbent preceding the present, was pastor eighteen years. This record accounts for about one bun- dred years of the pastorate, though not in the order of suc- cession, leaving unaccounted for, sixty or more years.
The first house of worship was erected far back in the time of the fathers, but the date is difficult to obtain. It stood, as elsewhere mentioned, on the hill very near to the present residence of J. Fingar. It was a beautiful site, and it is easy to believe that the congregation were loath to change to the present place, on the south line of the town. The location of the congregation, which had changed con- siderably from the settling of the colony one hundred years before, rendered the removal both proper and desirable.
The second house was erected nearly on the site of the present, in 1812. The latter was built in 1867, and dedi- cated in June, 1868. Rev. Dr. Pohlman preached the ser- mon.
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