USA > New York > Fulton County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 15
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 15
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 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
The council broke up in apparent good feeling, but the result was unsatisfactory on both sides. No confidence was placed in the pledges of the Indians. The Mohawks only were represented, and the superintend- ent made this fact the excuse for immediately calling another council at the German Flats. Under cover of this appointment, he removed with his family, attended by a large retinue of Mohawks, to the residence of a Mr. Thompson, a few miles above the Flats.
On the 29th of May, a meeting of the Tryon county committee was held at the house of William Seeber, at which a resolution was passed prohibiting all trade with persons who had not signed the article of association; forbid- ding also the owners of slaves to allow them off their premises without a written permit, and declaring that whoever disregarded these regulations should he treated as an enemy of the district and the country.
The first full meeting of the Tryon county committee was held June 2. at the house of Warner Tygert, in the Canajoharie district; the Mohawk members having thus far been prevented from attending by the Johnson Warner Tygert, or Dygert, as the family now spell their name, lived in the extreme western end of the Canajoharie distru t, at the foot of Fall Hill, and but a short distance from the General Herkimer dwelling. In the latter part of the war, Tygert was killed by Inthians, on the hill above his residence, where he had gone to build a corn crib. While thus engaged, he laid down his gun, struck fire and ht his pipe, and was about to resume his work, when a party of Indians, concealed in the bushes near by, shot him down, tomahawked and scalped him. A little son, ten years old, who accompanied him, was taken a prisoner to Canada, where he remained. Dygert was one of the first grand jurors at Johnstown.
It is well here to record the names of the committee-names that must
never be lost from the history of the Mohawk valley, and of the Revolu- tion; they are as follows:
MOHAWK DISTRICT .- John Marlett, John Bliven, Abraham Van Horn, Adam Fonda, Frederick Fisher. Sampson Sammons, William Schuyler, Volkert Veeder, James M. Master, and Daniel Lane.
PALATINE DISTRICT .- Isaac Paris, Christopher P. Yates, John Frey, Andrew Fink, Jr., Andrew Reeber, Peter Waggoner, Daniel McDougall, Jacob Klock, George Ecker, Jr., Harmanus Van Slyck, Christopher W. Fox, and Anthony Van Vechten.
CANAJOHARI. DISTRICT .- Nicholas Herkimer, Ebenezer Cox, William Seeber, John Moore, Samuel Campbell, Samuel Clyde, Thomas Henry, and John Pickard.
KINGSLAND AND GERMAN FLATS DISTRICTS .- Edward Wall, William Petry, John Petry, Marcus Petry, Augustinus Hess, Frederick Ahrendorf, " George Wents, Michael E. Ittig. Frederick Fox, Geo. Herkimer, Duncan McDougall, Frederick Hilmer, and John Franck.
Christopher P. Yates was chosen chairman of the county committee, and Edward Wall and Nicholas Herkimer were deputed to deliver to Guy Johnson a letter from the committee, of which the following is the essential part:
"According to the example of the counties in this and the neighboring colonies the people of the district we represent have met in a peaceable manner to consider of the present dispute with the mother country and the colonies, signed a general association and appointed us a committee to meet in order to consult the common safety of our rights and liberties, which are infringed in a most enormous manner by enforcing oppressive and unconstitutional acts of the British Parliament by an armed force in the Massachusetts Bay.
"Was it any longer a doubt that we are oppressed by the mother country and that it is the avowed design of the ministers to enslave us, we might perhaps be induced to use argument to point out in what particulars we conceive that it is the birthright ot English subjects to be exempted trom all taxes except those which are laid on them by their representatives, and think we have a right, not only by the laws and constitution of England, to meet for the purpose we have done; which meeting we probably would have postponed a while had there been the least kind of probability that the petition of the general assembly would have been noticed more than the united petition of almost the whole continent of America by their delegates in Congress, which, so far from being any ways complied with, was treated with superlative contempt by the ministry, and fresh oppres- sions were and are daily heaped upon us. Upon which principles-prin- ciples which are undeniable-we have been appointed to consult methods to contribute what little lies in our power to save our devoted country from ruin and devastation; which, with the assistance of Divine Provi- dence, it is our fixed and determined resolution to do; and, if called upon, we shall be foremost in sharing the toil and danger of the field. We consider New England suffering in the common cause and commiserate their distressed condition, and we should be wanting in our duty to our country and to ourselves if we were any longer backward in announcing our determination to the world.
"We know that some of the members of this committee have been charged with compelling people to come into the measures which we have - adopted, and with drinking treasonable toasts. But as we are convinced that these reports are false and malicious, spread by our enemies with the sote intent to lessen us in the esteem of the world; and as we are conscious of being guilty of no crime and of having barely donc our duty. we are entirely unconcerned as to anything that is said of us or can be done with us. We should, however, be careless of our character did we not wish to detect the despicable wretch who could be so base as to charge us with things which we never have entertained the first distant thoughts of.
"We are not ignorant of the very great importance of your office as superintendent of the Indians, and, therefore, it is no more our duty than inclination to protect you in the discharge of the duty of your proper province; and we meet you with pleasure in behalf of ourselves and our constituents to thank you for meeting the Inchans in the upper parts of the county, which may be the means of easing the people of the remainder of their fears on this account and prevent the Indians conmit- ting irregularities on their way down to Guy Park, And we beg of you to use your endeavors with the Indians to dissuade them from interfering in the dispute with the mother country and the colomes. We cannot think that as you and your family possess very large estates in this county. you
43
GUY JOHNSON-THE SIX NATIONS, AND THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
are unfavorable to American freedom, although you may differ with us in the mode of obtaining a redress of grievances.
"Permit us further to observe that we cannot pass over in silence the interruption which the people of the Mohawk district met in their meeting, which, we are informed, was conducted in a peaceable manner; and the inhuman treatment of a man whose only crime was being faithful to his employers and refusing to give an account of the receipt of certain papers to persons who had not the least color of right to demand anything of the kind. We assure you that we are much concerned about it, as two im- portant rights of English subjects are thereby infringed, to wit; a right to meet and to obtain all the intelligence in their power."
To this letter Col. Johnson returned, from Mr. Thompson's, Cosby's Manor, an admirably worded reply, mildly deprecating what he considered the unconstitutional means taken by the colonists for a redress of their grievances, stating that it was only on reliable advices of his danger that he fortified his house; denying that he had stopped any travelers, except two New England men, and claiming that in that case he did only a mag- istrate's duty. He closed with the assurance that the people had nothing to apprehend from his endeavors, and that he should always be glad to promote their true interests.
Any good impression that may have been made by the superintendent's letter was dissipated by his movements. He did not hold the council called by him at the German Flats, but pushed on to Fort Stanwix, taking with him not only his family but a considerable number of his dependents and the great body of the Mohawk Indians, who, when they started with him on this westward march, left their old home along the river they had named never to return to it except in flying incursions for butchery, in- cendiarism and plunder. The suspicions of the Tryon county patriots were further excited by a communication from the provincial congress of Massachusetts to that of New York, in which the former mentioned having been informed that Col. Guv Johnson had "taken great pains with the Six Nations in order to bring them into a belief that it is designed by the colonies to fall upon them and cut them off." The congress of New York replied to this communication, disclaiming, as it had repeatedly done, any intention to injure Johnson or the Indians.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SIX NATIONS ALIENATED FROM THE COLONIES BY GUY JOHNSON- HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF SIR JOHN JOHNSON.
The county committee was again convened on the 11th of June, and having received a letter from the congress of the province recommending the appointment of delegates to that body, chose Christopher P. Yates and John Marlett as such delegates. The committee also adopted a reso- lution recommending that the sub-committee of each district should make a list of the freeholders and inhabitants of their respective districts, in order that the article of association should be presented to those who had not signed it and a list prepared of those who refused to sign.
The meeting at which this action was taken was held at the house of Gose Van Alstine, which was a common place of assembling with the com- mittee. This house-a stone building-since known as the J. H. Moyer place, is still standing on the east side of the creek in Canajoharie. Philip and Martin G., or one of them, sons of Gose Van Alstine, owned it after the Revolution. The name Gose has also been written Goose, Gosen, and latterly Goshen. The patriot here mentioned was a grand juror at the first "Court of General Quarter Sessions " held in the Johnstown court hnuse.
The supporters of the colonial cause in the Mohawk valley, concluding that Guy Johnson had determined to incite the Indians against them, labored to win the favor of the savages, or at least secure their neutrality. Nor were they entirely unsuccessful, for though most of the Iroquois finally took up the hatchet against them, the majority of the Oneidas and Tuwaroras remained neutral as the result of a conference with them at the German Flats, June 28, arranged by their missionary, the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, and participated in by a deputation from Albany. They also promised to communicate any important news they could obtain.
The county committee on the 3d of July granted the petition of certain settlers for permission to form themselves into militia companies. Learn- ing that the mayor of Albany, who was a tory, had left that city for the
west with considerable baggage, and suspecting he was conveying military stores to the Indians, the committee ordered Capt. George Herkimer with a sufficient force to stop him and search his effects. Nothing contraband was found in his batteau, and he was allowed to proceed. The committee also took measures to garrison Fort Stanwix at the request of the exposed settlers at that post.
Guy Johnson remained but a short time at Fort Stanwix, and pushing forward to Ontario, far beyond the verge of civilization, held a council with a large number of Indians there, where, he said, their action might be independent and unembarrassed by the interference of the colonists. At this place Johnson received the letter of the congress of New York, dis- claiming any intention of injuring him or the Indians. He replied under date of July 8, 1775, in a more hostile tone than he had previously used toward the insurgents. He reiterated his assertion of conspiracies to kidnap him, and complained that his mail and other articles on the way to him for himself and the Indians were intercepted, producing a resentment among the latter that boded ill to the whites. The following is the con- cluding paragraph of his letter:
"I should be much obliged by your promises of discountenancing any attempts against myself, etc., did they not appear to be made on conditions of compliance with continental or provincial congresses, or even committees formed or to be formed, many of whose resolves may neither consist with my conscience, duty or loyalty. I trust I shall always manifest more humanity than to promote the destruction of the innocent inhabitants of a colony to which I have been always warmly attached, a declaration that must appear perfectly suitable to the character of a man of honor and principle, who can on no account neglect those duties that are consistent therewith, however they may differ from sentiments now adopted in so many parts of America."
The belief, however, gained ground among the patriots that Col. John- son was collecting an army of Indians to invade the Mohawk valley from the west, while Sir John Johnson, who was a general of militia, would sweep down with a body of his Tory neighbors and tenantry from the Hall, which he had fortified and garrisoned. In this emergency the patriots had but an inadequate supply of ammunition for the three hundred men they could rally, and sent urgent appeals to Schenectady and Albany for assist- ance. Fortunately, the expected invasion was deferred.
Guy Johnson did not return to the valley after completing his business at Ontario, but proceeding to Oswego convened another council and suc- ceeded in further estranging the Iroquois warriors from the colonies. From Oswego he went to Montreal, accompanied by many warriors of the Six Nations. There they met Sir Guy Carleton and Sir Frederick Haldi- mand, and were induced to engage in the military service of the king. It needed no uncommon sagacity to penetrate the motives of Guy Johnson, and his removal to Canada was only a fresh justification of the suspicions against him which had been continually strengthening. Having, by his undisturbed councils with the savages in the depths of the wilderness, secured their attachment to the cause of the crown, he remained in Canada, continuing to act as their superintendent and distributing liberal rewards for " the destruction of the innocent inhabitants of a colony to which " he had " been always warmly attached."
The Continental Congress, aware of the importance of preserving peace and friendship with the Indians, appointed commissioners to treat with them. For this purpose the Six Nations were invited to a council at Albany. Its result was very promising, as the Indians expressed them- selves in favor of neutrality. Soon after, however, a malignant fever, pre- viously unknown, made great havoc among them. The Schoharie canton of the Mohawks suffered severely, and the survivors concluding in their superstition that the Great Spirit was angry with them for not taking sides with the king, followed their brethren who had left the valley with Guy Johnson. In subsequent savage incursions they were among the most forward and cruel.
By the Iroquois' stipulations of peace and neutrality the people of Tryon county were considerably relieved from apprehensions of immediate danger, but the Committee of Safety were not inactive, and now directed their attention to a more efficient organization for the defence of the settle- ments and the civil government of the county. Taking upon themselves both military and civil functions they exercised them with diligence and vigor. They arrested and tried suspicious persons, fined, imprisoned and executed when in their judgment the offence required it. They deposed the sheriff, Alexander White, an overbearing Tory, and appointed Col.
44
THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
John Frey, an ardent Whig, in his place. White had rendered himself odios to the patriots from the first. Accompanied by a band of Tories he had cut down the liberty pole erected at the German Flats, the first planted in the Mohawk valley. Having arbitrarily arrested a prominent Whig named Fonda, the sheriff put him in jail at Johnstown, but Fonda's neighbors promptly liberated him, and would have captured White had they not been interrupted by the gathering of a superior force of Tories at Johnson Hall. Retiring to Caughnawaga they sent a deputation to Sir John Johnson, demanding White's surrender. This was of course refused, whereupon the committee proceeded as stated.
The patriot authorities found it necessary to keep a vigilant watch upon the movements of Sir John, who, surrounded by a numerous body of Tories, left no means untried to annoy and embarrass them; laboring to destroy popular confidence in the committee; calling public meetings and choosing counter committees; endeavoring to cover the Whig leaders with ridicule, and anon charging them with illegal and tyrannical conduct. Mutual exasperation was the necessary consequence. It was not to be expected that matters would improve under such circumstances, and the Tryom county committee finally determined to discover, if possible, Sir John's intentions. To this end the following letter was addressed to him:
"TRYON COUNTY COMMITTEE CHAMBER, Oct. 26, 1775. " HONORABLE SIR:
"As we find particular reason to be convinced of your opinion in the questions hereafter expressed, we require you that you'll please to oblige us with your sentiments thereupon in a few lines by our messengers, the bearers hereof, Messrs. Ebenezer Cox, James McMaster and John James Klock, members of our committee.
"We want to know whether you will allow that the inhabitants of Johns- town and Kingsborough may form themselves into companies according to the regulations of our Continental Congress, for the defence of our coun- try's cause; and whether your honor would be ready himself to give his personal assistance to the same purpose.
" Also, whether you pretend a prerogative to our county court house and gaol, and would hinder or interrupt the committee to make use of the same public houses to our want and service in the common cause.
"We don't doubt you will comply with our reasonable requests and thereby oblige, honorable sir,
"Your obedient and humble servants, " By order of the Committee, " NICHOLAS HERKIMER, Chairman."
Sir John's reply left no doubt resting upon his sentiments at least. It was thus reported to the committee by their messengers :
" r. By perusing our letter Sir John replied that he thinks our requests very unreasonable, as he never had denied the use either of the court house or gaol to anybody nor would yet deny it for the use which these houses have been built for, but he looks upon it that the court house and gaol are his property till he is paid £700, the amount of which being out of his pocket for the building of the same.
"2. In regard of embodying his tenants into companies, he never did forbid them, neither should do it, as they may use their pleasure ; but we might save ourselves the trouble, he being sure they would not.
"3- Concerning himself, he said that before he would sign any associa- tion or would lift his hand up against his king, he would rather suffer that his head shall be cut off.
" Further he replied that if we should make any unlawful use of the gaol, he would oppose it, and also he mentions, that there have many unfair means been used for increasing the association, and uniting the people ; for he was informed by credible gentlemen in New York that they were obliged to unite, otherwise they could not live there ; and that he was in- formed by good authority that likewise two-thirds of the Canajoharie and German Flats people have been forced to sign the articles ; and in his opinion the Boston people are open rebels, and the other colonies have joined them."
On receiving the answer of the Baronet it was "moved and resolved by the majority of votes that our prisoners lewis Clement and Peter Bown, sentenced to be confined in gaol for three months, having been returned by the Albany committee, shall be sent to our county gaol at Johnstown, to find out whether Sir John shall judge this use of our gaol as unlawful, and will oppose the same." Accordingly, a guard of eight men under com- mand of Captain Jacob Seeber, escorted the prisoners to the jail. Sir John
refused the committee the use of the jail, and they had to fit up a private house for that purpose.
The county committee having reported to the congress of New York their action in relation to Sir John, received the following reply :
"DEC. 9TH .- The Congress have this day entered into the consideration of your letter of the 28th of October, and are of opinion that your applica- tion to Sir John Johnson requesting an answer from him whether he would allow his tenants to form themselves into companies and associate with their brethren of your county according to the resolves of the Continental Congress for the defence of our liberties, was improper with respect to him, and too condescending on your part, as it was a matter that came properly within your province, and to which we doubt not but you are competent, as you have a line of conduct prescribed to you by Congress. With respect to your second question, whether he would take any active part in the controversy at present existing between Great Britain and her colonies, we conceive it to be very proper, and thank you for information on that head.
" As to the third question, we conceive that he has no claim nor title to the court house and goal in the county, as we are credibly told that his father, Sir William Johnson, did in his life time convey the same to two gentlemen in trust for the use of your county. However, as an attempt to use the same for the purpose of confining persons inimical to our county may be productive of had consequences, we beg leave to recommend to you to procure some other place which may answer the end of a goal ; and give our advice not to molest Sir John as long as he shall continue inact- ive, and not impede the measures necessary to be carried into execution from being completed."
Some of the Mohawk Indians having already taken up the hatchet in behalf of the British in Canada, the committee of Tryon county questioned the sachems of the Canajoharie castle in regard to the return and sojourn among them of several of these warriors. The men of the castle met the committee, and gave a rather non-committal reply ; they admitted that some of the Mohawk braves were in Canada, and said that if they were killed there the castle would not resent it. They were glad that others had returned, for they had done wrong in going away contrary to the per- suasions of the sachenas, "We have made a very strong agreement of friendship together," said the speaker, " and we beg you will not break it for the sake of some wrong done by some who have been debauched. You will drop it, we hope, for the present."
The committee in reply complained that the returned warriors, in- stead of coming penitently to them, as became them, had kept out of the way, and at least one of them, named William Johnson, had been boasting of his course and talking loudly against the Americans.
CHAPTER IX.
SCHUVIER'S EXPEDITION TO JOHNSTOWN AND DISARMAMENT OF THE TORIES .- THE FLIGHT OF SIR JOHN JOHNSON.
Sir John Johnson continued to make defensive preparations about the Hall. These, with his numerous tory adherents, the military organization of the Scotch Highlanders in his immediate vicinity, and the increasing alienation of the Indians, kept the people of Tryon county in continual alarm. It was also reported that military stores were collected at the Hall, and that three hundred ludians were to be stationed there to be let loose on the settlers when it should be deemed expedient. It was evident that the tories were actively preparing to take up arms for the king. Congress having been notified of this state of things, ordered General Schuyler to take proper steps for capturing the material of war reported to be stored at Johnstown and the tory leaders thereabouts and disarming their followers. Schuyler had at the time no force with which to execute this order, but soon mustered seven hundred men and proceeded toward Johnstown.
The Mohawks at the lower castle, under Little Abraham, had not been drawn away by Brant and Guy Johnson, and still kept their pledge of neutrality. To preserve the good will of these ludians and guard against giving them any unnecessary surprise and alarm, General Schuyler sent an interpreter to their castle, who addressed them as follows :
" Brothers : I am sent by the Commissioner, of the United Colonies to acquaint you that the brethren of Albany have received information that several persons in and abont Johnstown are busy in collecting men to cut our throats, and are making other hostile preparations to assist in en- slaving this country, and to prevent and stop up the road of communication
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.