USA > New York > Herkimer County > History of Herkimer county, New York > Part 31
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Manheim was settled by German emigrants before the Revolution. The grant of 3,600 acres made in 1755 to Jacob Timmerman and Johan Jost Snell (or Schnell), commonly called Snell and Timmerman's patent, is near the central part of the town on an east and west line, and south of the Royal Grant. The date of this grant is probably not far from the time of the first settlement ; and descendants of the Snells and Tim- mermans are still residents of the county. A part of this original grant still bears the common name of " Snell's Bush." Jacob Timmer- man had at least five sons, four of whom, Henry, Adam, Frederick and Jacob, settled on portions of this patent. Four of the sons of Johan
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TOWN OF MANHEIM.
Jost Snell, Suffrenus, Peter, Joseph and Jacob, also located here in the vicinity of the old Dutch Reformed church. Nine of the Snell family went into the battle of Oriskany and only two returned, Peter being one ; the other seven were killed.
Henry Remensneider, or (Rhemensnyder) and Johannes Boyer were the first settlers on Glen's purchase, a few miles north of the Little Falls, where they seated themselves a few years prior to the Revo- lution. John Boyer took part in the battle of Oriskany ; he was the immediate ancestor of the Boyer families, who were once numerous in the county. Among other German families who settled in the town before the Revolution were the Keysers, Van Slykes Newmans, Pick- erts, Klocks and Garters. The Newmans, Klocks and a family named Davis settled near the center of the town, south of Remensneider's Bush.1 James Van Slyke and John Windecker, aged respectively seventeen and nine years, were taken prisoners during the Revolution. They were at the time in the log house of Frederick Windecker, who lived on the farm occupied in recent years by John F. Windecker. They were car- ried to Canada, whence Van Slyke escaped, but the younger lad was kept five years. It will be remembered by the reader that we have al- ready given an account of the attack on the settlements at Remensnei- der's Bush, April 30, 1780, by a large band of Indians and tories, who burned the early grist-mill of that place and carried away nineteen per- sons. The settlers in the town suffered severely from the depredations of the enemy during the Revolution.
The block-house mentioned in the foot note on this page was sit- uated just over the west line of Manheim in the edge of Little Falls ; it was known as Remensneider's fort. The grist-mill stood on lands owned by Lorenzo Carryl, now of Little Falls. Of the prisoners car- ried to Canada in 1780, John Garter died there. After that attack the inhabitants of the town retired to the lower valley, abandoning their farms until after the war.
1 A blockhouse stood at this place (Remensneider's Bush), and many of the inhabitants took ref- uge in it. Twelve of the prisoners were taken at one house by half that number of Indians with- out resistance. The captives all returned after the war, except one who died in Canada, and one who escaped. John G. Snell, while searching for cattle in the woods, was surprised by the Indians and shot through the body. He recovered and lived to an advanced age. The town was deserted after this by all but the tories .- French's State Gazetteer, p. 346.
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3:0
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
Adam Garlock settled in the town previous to the Revolution, and the farm has always remained in possession of his descendants. With the cessation of hostilities the town was rapidly filled up by the ref- ugees and new-comers from the East. Judge Jacob Markell, born in Schenectady in 1770, came to Manheim when he was twenty years old ; was long a justice of the peace, supervisor of the town twenty six years, judge of the Court of Comman Pleas while the town was a part of Montgomery county ; elected to Congress for one term, and mem- ber of Assembly from Manheim in 1819. (See chapter on the Bench and Bar.)
Jacob P. Loucks was born in Manheim in 1783 ; was a soldier in the WVar of 1812 and lived to a very old age. Major Andrew Fink settled here soon after the close of the Revolution; was of German descent and born in the present town of Palatine; was first lieutenant in Cap- tain Christopher P. Yates's company in July, 1775, and rose to the rank of major during the war. He lived to an advanced age and is buried in this town. John A. Dockey, a British soldier under Burgoyne, was taken prisoner at Bennington, escaped at Albany and came to Fall Hill, where he hired out to Peter Dygert; soon afterward he married the wid- ow of Jacob Snell, who was killed at Oriskany. His son, Henry Dockey, was born in Manheim in March, 1784. Nathaniel and Elijah Spencer came from Vermont and settled on the farm now owned by Howard Spencer, their descendant, in 1797. Others who settled in this town in the latter part of the last century were Samuel Peck and his son, Isaac, who came in 1796 ; Jacob Youran, in 1797 ; John Faville, Simeon P. Bidleman, James and John Van Valkenburg, Henry Broat and Peter Woolever.
John Beardslee, born in Sharon, Conn., in November, 1759, became a practical mechanic, architect and civil engineer. He came to the Mo- hawk valley in 1787, visited Whitestown and engaged with White & Whitmore to build mills for them on shares. In 1792 he built for the State a mill for the use of the Oneida Indians. Between 1790 and 1796 he built the first bridge across the Mohawk at Little Falls and the old red grist-mill there ; also built mills for Richard Van Horne at Van Hornesville and for Colonel Frey at Canajoharie ; the court-house with jail at Herkimer, which was burned in January, 1834; a bridge over
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TOWN OF MANHEIM.
East Canada Creek and a grist-mill, saw- mill and carding works about half a mile north of the present Mohawk turnpike The building of the last- named bridge led to his settling in Manheim. The bridge was paid for by Montgomery county, and in order to get the necessary tim- ber he purchased a one-hundred- acre lot west of the creek and near the bridge in March, 1794. Finishing the bridge, he erected the mills which were in operation in 1795. These improvements attracted emi- grants, and by 1800 there was a lively settlement here ; it became known as " the city." Besides the mills there were two stores, two taverns, a blacksmith shop, a nail factory, brewery, distillery, etc. There was more business done at Beardslee's Mills, as it was often called; than at Little Falls at the time in question. The location of the Mohawk turnpike half a mile south, and the subsequent building of the canal south of the river, turned the tide from this little village, as it did from many others in the valley, and almost every trace of the existence of "the city " has disappeared. In 1810 Mr. Beardslee purchased 350 acres lying on both sides of the creek and between his first purchase and the Mohawk, where sprang up the settlement of East Creek; and this, too, has now almost disappeared, as far as business is concerned. Mr. Beardslee died at his home October 3, 1825, leaving a permanent impress upon the town and its vicinity.
Augustus Beardslee was born in the town of Manheim August 13, 1801. After finishing his education at Fairfield Seminary and Union College he read law with Abram Van Vechten in Albany and with George H. Feeter in Little Falls, and was admitted to the bar Decem- ber 27, 1824. In 1828 he was appointed by the governor one of the judges of the Common Pleas of Herkimer county. In 1834 he was elected to the Assembly, and in 1843 he was again appointed a judge of the Common Pleas. After his term of judgeship expired he retired to his country home at East Creek, in the town of Manheim, where he died on March 15, 1873, having spent the later years of his life with his books and in the management of his large landed estate.
James H. Wetherwax, born in this town November 29, 1829, was a prominent and successful farmer. He was elected supervisor in 1860, and held that office three successive terms. In 1867 he was chosen sheriff of the county, and in 1880 Governor Cornell appointed him one
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
of the State assessors. He died on his farin in Manheim, now occupied by his son, James F. Weatherwax, January 1, 1883.
Other improvements made in the town at a very early date were a saw mill on the East Canada Creek, built in 1798 by Jacob Youran, and a grist-mill, erected by him in 1815, which continued in operation some forty years. Thomas Johnson built a saw- mill on Gillett Creek on the farm now owned by Charles Ransom about 1814. Other mills were started at different points, not one of which is in operation. Jacob Markeli opened a small store near what became known as Man- heim Center in 1790 (the vicinity of the present half- way house). He manufactured potash there, and a post-office was at one period estab- lished at that point.
There are no accessible records of the transactions of this town while it remained a part of Montgomery county. The first meeting after it was annexed to Herkimer county was held on the first Tuesday in March, 1818, when the following officers were elected :
Jacob Markell, supervisor; Jacob Wire, town clerk; John Youngs, Hanford Sher- wood, Elijah Barnes, highway commissioners; Elijah Barnes, Samuel Gray, jr., Adam Feeter, assessors ; Jacob Markell and Daniel Getman, overseers of poor ; George G. Loucks, collector; Luther Pardee, Jacob Bates, Jacob Markell, school commissioners ; Bennett Pearce, Charles Freeman, Elijah Ayres. Thomas Ransom, John G. Loucks, Elijah Barnes, school inspectors; William P. Schuyler, Harmanus Visgar, Joseph House, constables, and twenty-four overseers of highways.
Following is a list of supervisors of the town of Manheim from its organization to the present time :
Jacob Markell, 1797-1819, 1824-27; Luther Pardee, 1820-22; Lawrence Timmer- man, 1823; Augustus Beardslee, 1828-29; John T. Timmerman, 1830; Daniel Hayes, 1831; Isaac S. Ford. 1832; Jacob Powell, 1833; John P. Snell, 1834-37, 1839; Suffrenus Snell, 1838; John Hoover, jr., 1840-41; Jolm T. Beardslee, 1842; Jacob Yoran, 1843-44, 1850; Nathan S. Green, 1845; John Markell, 1846-49; Oliver Ladue, 1851-52; Jeremiah G. Snell, 1853; Iliram Broat, 1854-55, 1867-71; Levi Bellinger, 1856-57; Luke Snell, 1858-59; James H. Wetherwax, 1860-62; Morgan Bidleman, 1863-64; S. Stewart Lansing, 1865-66; Michael Levee, 1872 ; Charles E. Bauder, 1873-75; Seymour Keyser, 1876; Norman Timmerman, 1877-78; John Garlock, 1879-81; Wm. A. Goodell, 1882-83: Hannibal Sneil, 1884-85; Iliram Broat, 1886- 47 ; Charles Cook, 1888; Thomas H. Curry, 1889-92.
Manheim is one of the best cheese-producing towns in the county, and a large share of the labor of farmers is devoted to that industry.
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TOWN OF MANHEIM.
At the present time there are nine factories in operation, the first of which was built in 1864 by P. H. Smith, near Brockett's Bridge (Dolge- ville). There are ten school districts in the town, two of them (at East Creek and Ingham's Mills) being joint districts with Oppenheim and St. Johnsville.
The Village of Dolgeville .- This, one of the most thriving villages in the State of New York, has gained a national reputation by the vari- ous industrial and other enterprises of Alfred Dolge, a public spirited citizen of German birth and parentage, after whom the place was named and who settled here in 1876.
Dolgeville lies in the spurs of the Adirondacks, on both sides of the East Canada Creek, and eight miles from Little Falls, with which it is now connected by railroad. The principal part of the village, which includes all the factories, post-office, schools, business blocks, etc., is situated in the northeast corner of the township of Manheim. Many handsome residences, the academy, the Episcopal church, the lumber yards, etc., lie on the further side of the creek in the township of Op- penheim, Fulton county.
Dolgeville is known as one of the most picturesque and healthful spots in the center of the State, and is especially adapted to manufac- turing purposes by reason of its splendid water power, fine surrounding timber lands, and other valuable advantages.
Long after the Mohawk valley had been settled, principally by Ger- man emigrants, the present site of Dolgeville was one unbroken wilder- ness, known only to the hunter and trapper.
It was not until several years after the War of the Revolution that the surrounding farms were settled by the Faville, Ayres, Spencer, Ransom, Spofford, Lamberson, Brockett and Rundell families. John Faville was the pioneer and settled in 1795 on Ransom Creek, where he built a grist-mill and later a saw mill. Soon a little settlement sprang up there, including a blacksmith shop, a tannery and a school-house. Soon following Faville, the two brothers, Elijah and Nathaniel Spen- cer, bought land and settled here ; they arrived as early as 1797, and their lands have remained in possession of their descendants until 1892.
Prior to this time a little industry was started at the present village site. Samuel Low, for many years a justice of the peace, built in or
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HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
before 1794, a saw- mill and a grist-mill, which were located between the site of Dolge's iron bridge and the upper boiler-house.
Zephi Brockett settled here in 1813, on the Oppenheim side of the creek, while the Spoffords came in about 1800; in the latter year Abe Spofford kept a tavern on the east side of the creek. Thomas Spof- ford settled in the south end of the village, and John D. Spofford came here in 1810, bought a large farm, and built later on the residence now owned by Philip Helmer.
There were no stores at this village until about 1830; the trading was done at Salisbury Corners, which was then a much more pre- tentious village than it is now. There was no direct road to Little Falls until 1815. Previous to that year, in order to reach that village, travelers followed a trail through the forest a part of the way, then took a road to Salisbury Corners, and thence the road to the Falls. Very much of the surrounding country was woodland until after 1825.
The first permanent bridge here across the East Canada Creek was built in 1805 by a man named Green, and the settlement was for some time known as " Green's Bridge." This was an open truss bridge, of spruce timber, which was displaced in 1818 by one built of elni timber. In 1826-29 the covered wooden bridge was erected by Calvin Ran- som, at a cost of $540. A substantial iron bridge has recently been erected.
A post-office was established here in 1826, with Zephi Brockett as postmaster; he was then the most prominent man in the settlement and the post office was named in his honor, "Brockett's Bridge."
James P. Brockett, Charles G. Brockett, Addison Lamberson, Bruno C. Dolge, Ilenry A. Dolge and Frank J. Loucks have held the office of postmaster.
The first burying-ground in the vicinity was the Sherwood cemetery, where many early settlers are buried. The Hewitt cemetery contains the graves of many old residents. The present cemetery was opened about sixty years ago ; enlarged in 1870, and again in 1889.
Following the saw-mill built by Low, Thomas Spofford built one and also a grist-mill, which were afterwards operated by the Ransoms, and by Erastus B. Jones; they stood near the west end of Dolge's
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TOWN OF MANHEIM.
iron bridge. Before 1815 Reuben Ransom built a carding and cloth- finishing mill ; it was torn down in 1836. He also built a small upper- leather tannery before 1820; work in which was abandoned about 1830.
In 1830 Major D. B. Winton came here and built the tannery, afterwards known as the Herkimer County Tannery; it became one of the largest in the United States. Dwelling houses were built and several smaller manufacturing establishments were started. Henry Van Buren manufactured lead pipe and carried on wood turn- ing, and in 1831 the Westby axe factory was established. A saw-mill was erected by Scott & Smith, south of the island. John D. Spofford operated a saw mill and later on a stave-mill a little north of the Loomer Hotel. Several stores were opened and the place was a busy one, particularly in the winter season. In December, 1845, the tan- nery was burned ; it was rebuilt in the next year, the same walls being used. Mr. Westby's axe factory was converted by D. W. Slawson into a cheese box factory. A saw-mill was erected near the High Falls in 1847 ; it was afterwards changed to a paper- mill, which was twice burned down.
The tanning business here was carried on by the firm of Isaac Corse, of New York (later Corse, Lapham, Thorn & Co., and still later Wat- son & Thorn). In 1856 Oliver Ladue became the manager of the tannery and continued until 1861. With the failure of the bark supply he left the tannery and it ceased work entirely in 1872. From that time until the arrival of Alfred Dolge times here were very dull.
The real history of Dolgeville dates from 1874, when Alfred Dolge, a young German who was engaged in the importing of piano material in New York, and who also had started the domestic manufacture of piano felt in Brooklyn, came up here prospecting for spruce wood which is used in the manufacture of piano sounding boards. He purchased the tannery property, and in April, 1875, began his manufacturing operations, which have since developed into the largest of their kind in the United States and include felt mills, felt shoe factories, factories for piano cases, piano sounding boards, piano hammers and lumber yards.
The Dolge piano felt and felt shoes have obtained an international
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
reputation, the former having carried off the highest awards over all competition at the great exhibitions of Vienna, Paris and Philadelphia.
In 1879 the lumber factory was erected, and in 1881 the saw-mill and two stone boiler houses with large brick chimneys. In 1882-83 the magnificent stone factory, 266 x 64 feet, four stories high, was built. In 1887 two large stone buildings were erected. From 1878 to the present time several hundred dwelling houses have been built by Mr. Dolge, as well as by his employees and others, until now the pop- ulation has reached over 2,000, from an insignificant 325 in 1875. The new iron bridge connecting the factories with the lumber yards, was opened in 1881, and in the same year electric light was put into the lumber mills, to be introduced in the streets and houses in 1887.
Besides some 30,000 acres in the Adirondacks, Mr. Dolge purchased, from time to time, extensive tracts of land in and about the village, which he has laid out into wide streets and excellent building lots.
In 1881, by unanimous vote of the inhabitants, the name of the place was changed from Brockett's Bridge to Dolgeville, in honor of the man who had by his enterprise and public spirit done so much to increase its prosperity and develop its material resources.
In 1887 Mr. Dolge purchased the Reuben Faville farm, which in- cluded the picturesque High Falls of the East Canada Creek. This, to the extent of nearly five hundred acres, he laid out as a park and presented it to the public in 1887. It is of extraordinary beauty and picturesqueness.
The village was incorporated in 1891. The first and present officers are : Alfred Dolge, president ; Warren Bacon, Edwin Hopson, and L. E. Lambert, trustees.
The first schools in this vicinity were at John Faville's, on Ransom Creek, and at a place about a mile east of the site of the village on the State road. To both of these pupils went from a long distance around. The first school in the village was opened in 1815, and was taught by Susan Spofford, sister of John D. Spofford. A select school was kept before 1830 by Mrs Worthing, wife of a Methodist preacher, who lived and taught in the old Small tannery. A brick school- house was built about 1832 on Main street and torn down in 1877. In 1856 the pres- ent old school building was erected at a cost of $1,500. On the 3d of
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August, 1886, largely through the influence of Alfred Dolge, the School Society was organized, its chief object being the general welfare of all the schools in the village. Through the work of this society, and a do- nation of $7,000 from Mr. Dolge, the present handsome and commo- dious brick school building was erected at a cost of $18,000, and dedi- cated with elaborate ceremonies on the 11th of October, 1887. This school has a principal, who is assisted by seven teachers. The efforts of the School Society have recently resulted in the establishment of an- other institution of equal importance as the new school. The Dolge- ville Academy was dedicated on the 30th of August, 1890. It is a handsome structure, seventy- four by forty feet, and cost about $20,000, which was contributed by Mr. Alfred Dolge, who has also borne the lion's share of the expense of running it. There are a large number of efficient teachers, headed by a principal. The course of instruction includes Latin and Greek, history, mathematics, English literature, music, domestic economy, and instruction in the mechanical arts, for which latter a suitable and commodious building has been recently erected.
The entire system of schools, which also includes an admirable kin- dergarten, is regarded as one of the best in the State, and has been re- peatedly commended by the State officials. The tuition is free in the schools and in the academy to all members of the School Society. The dues are nominal. The children of outside residents can also se- cure the advantages of the academy course by the payment of small fees.
Through the enterprise of the Dolgeville Herald, aided by leading citizens and friends of the village, a number of valuable prizes are now offered each year to the students, the principal prize being a $400 scholarship, open to both sexes, which runs for four years, to enable the successful student to enter a college course at Cornell, the Boston Tech- nological School, or some other similar institution. One of these schol- arships which have been founded by Mr. Alfred Dolge's liberality, is given every year.
The village has a fire department which, under the captaincy of Mr. Henry Dolge, has rendered invaluable services at various times to the property owners.
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3.4
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
One of the distinguishing enterprises in the place is the Dolgeville Herald, which started in May, 1889, as a four-page monthly, printed in New York, and has since developed into a sixteen-page illustrated weekly, with a circulation all over the State. It is printed with its own type and presses and employs a large number of persons. John C. Freund is the editor. It is published by the Dolgeville Herald Publish- ing Company. The subscription is $2 a year.
Dolgeville boasts a number of fraternal and social societies, which are all in a flourishing condition : A Masonic lodge, a chapter of Royal Arcanum, Society of Chosen Friends, a brass and reed band, a German Turn-Verein, a singing society, a dancing school, a fencing club, and a canton of Odd Fellows.
In addition to these, Dolgeville has a building and loan association, which, although in operation but two years, is highly successful and has a capital of over $12,000.
The Turn- Verein, which has twice gained the "Lion Prize" at the great State Turner meetings, has largely aided in providing pleasant entertainment for the villagers ever since its establishment. Its social meetings, concerts, and balls are eagerly looked forward to. It occu- pied a fine club house on Elm street, but this is being transformed into a factory, as the Turners have decided to build a new home, on a much larger scale, which is to cost $15,000.
Another notable institution is the Free Library, which is under the fostering care of the School Society. The library contains one of the largest and best collections of standard works to be found in the State. It has large and commodious reading rooms. It is supplied by volun- tary contributions, and has been established by generous donations of books from many public spirited citizens all over the country.
Besides the various industries founded in this village by Alfred Dolge, and which give employment to nearly 600 hands, there are other business interests : The piano factory of Brambach & Co., located in the south end of the village, turns out a great many hundreds of high grade pianos during the year, and employs about 150 hands.
The Dolgeville Woolen Company manufactures fine grades of piano cloth, printer's cloth, etc. It employs about fifty hands and is situated at the junction of East Canada and Spruce Creeks. llugo Dolge is president and Ottomar Jessnitzer, treasurer.
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TOWN OF MANHEIM.
The Giese Wire Factory is located next to the Dolgeville Woolen Company, and manufactures all kinds of piano wire, bookbinder's and florist's wire, bicycle spokes, etc. It started recently with about thirty hands.
The C. F. Zimmerman Company manufactures a musical instrument similar to the German zither, called the auto-harp. It was recently removed from Philadelphia, and has a paid-up capital of $100,000. It employs a great number of hands.
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