USA > New York > Fulton County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 30
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 30
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GAS-LIGHT COMPANY.
The Chuctenunda Gas-light Company was organized in 1860. It experi- enced unusual difficulty in laying pipes and mains, on account of the rocky stratum under the shallow soil. Until 1866, gas was produced from resin ; in that year the works were destroyed by fire. They were re-built and ready for use again in Nov. 1867, since which time gas has been manu- factured from coal exclusively. The increasing demand for light necessi- tated an enlargement of the works, and in 1876, the present large and sub- stantial buildings on the bank of the river opposite the depot were com- pleted.
THE STREET RAILWAY.
The Street Railway Company, of Amsterdam, obtained a charter run- ning for fifty years, and in 1873 laid the track and commenced running their cars through Main, Market and Division streets. The route is one mile and three-quarters in length, and the trip is made once in twenty minutes.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The earliest movement in the way of protection against fire, was the pro- curing, by the private enterprise of Jas. Holliday, of a fire engine of very limited powers. It came to be known hy the derisive title of the "Tub," and was available only at short range and very diminutive fires. In the early days of the village, leather buckets were required to be kept in every house, the ratio increasing with the dimensions of the building, and when a fire occurred every man and woman was i self constituted fireman It was not till 1839 that a full grown fire engine was purchased and the " Mohawk Engine Company " organized. The engine house on Chuc- tenunda street was built for it. Several years later another engine was hought and the "Cascade Engine Company " tormed. The engine house on Market street was built for it in 1855. In June, 1870, the steam fire engine " J. D. Serviss " was procured at a cost of $3,000, and a new company organized with sixty members at first, soon after increased to one hundred. The following year Steamer No z. " E. D). Bronson," was pur-
chased, at an expense of $3,400, and the second company formed. Each of these companies is supplied with two sets of hose, making in all 4,000 feet. The steamer J. D). Serviss occupies the engine house on Chuctenun- da street, and the E. 1). Bronson the one on Market street. Each engine is kept ready for instant service.
A hook and ladder company, newly organized and equipped, with a truck and apparatus which cost $450, constitutes an important adjunct to the fire department of the village.
THE JAIL.
The first "calaboose," or place of detention for alleged criminals, was a small room in the second story of the stone shop No. 5 Church street. It answered the small need of the quiet town till it was burned down. It is supposed to have been set on fire by an insane person who was lodged there for safety over night, and who perished in the dames. In 1855, a two story building was erected, the first floor for jail purposes, the second story for the use of the common council. This body, however, in the spring of 1877, transferred their room to the Hook and Ladder Company.
BANKS.
Not until 1839 did the village attain to the dignity of a bank, at which date the "Farmer's Bank " was duly established, with Cornelius Miller president, and D. P. Corey cashier ; capital, $100,000. It first occupied the south half of a brick building on Market street. Thence it was moved to a small brick structure erected for its use at the corner of Spring and Market streets. It again migrated to Main street, near No. 2 Market street, where it was continued until 1852, when a good building and vault were erected for it by Marquis Barnes. In 1859 it increased its stock to $200,000, and in 1865, under the U. S. Banking law, it added to its title the distinctive "National." In 1875 it erected the fine building it now occupies, corner of Main and Railroad streets. Its present officers are Isaac Jackson, president ; D). D. Cassidy, cashier.
The " Bank of Amsterdam " was organized in 1860. Its first officer. were Cornelius Miller, president ; Jay Cady, vice president ; Charles De Wolfe, cashier. In 1865, it re-organized under the National law, and be- came the First National Bank of Amsterdam. Its location was in South Arch Block, Main street, until 1868, when it removed to the beautiful structure it had reared and now occupies at the corner of Main and Chuc- tenunda streets. Mr. John McDonnell has been its President since 1862. In April, 1873, David Cady was called to be its cashier.
The "Manufacturers' Bank " was first organized as a State bank in May. 1873, and at once built and occupied the neat structure at the corner of Main and Church streets. Its officers were Adam W. Kline, president : and Chas. De Wolfe, cashier. On March 25th, 1875, it was re-organized under the National law and became the " Manufacturer.' National Bank It has a cash capital of $100.000, with $20.000 surplus The present otfi- cers are A. W. Kline, president, and H. P'. Kline, cashier
PROFESSIONAL. MEN.
LAWYERS.
The first lawyer to locate in Ainsterdam was Marcus T. Reynolds, who. in 1825, sought a wider field of operations in Albany. The profession now has fifteen representatives, prominent among whom are L. A. Session .. H. G. Moore, Richard Peck, Z. S. Westbrook. R. A. Mcduffie, P. J Lewis. and H B. Waldron.
C'has. A Devendorf, M.D., was born in 1839. He graduated from Wil- liams College in 1859, and afterward took a medical course and graduated at Bellevue Ilospital. He served as surgeon in the army four years, and ir 1866, located at Amsterdam, where he has since practiced his profession.
J. H. Scoon, M.D. was born in Schenectady county. N V .. Oct. 26th 1815, and was educated at Amsterdam Academy. He commenced the study of medicine in 1845. and graduated at the Albany Medical College
sit
CARRIAGE SPRING FACTORY and RESIDENCE of DAVIS W. SHULER Esq . AMSTERDAM . N.Y.
RES. OF A. HEES , PALATINE BRIDGE N. Y
.
91
AMSTERDAM'S PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS MEN.
January 23d, 1849. He first located as a physician at Galway, Saratoga Co In August, 1862, he was appointed assistant surgeon in the 32d N.Y Regiment ; was subsequently promoted to surgeon of volunteers, and served on the Department of the Gulf for four years ; associated a part of the time with Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith, as Medical Director of the Trans-Mississippi Department. He was mustered out of service in March, 1867, and im- mediately settled in Amsterdam, where he still continues in the practice of hur- profession.
S. D. Lewis, M.D., a nephew of Prof. Taylor Lewis, late of Union Col- lege, was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in 1829. He graduated from L'nion College in 1856, when he entered the law office of Hon. Ira Harris, of Albany ; was admitted to the bar, and practiced that profession for sev- eral years. He afterwards turned his attention to medicine, entered the Whany Medical College, received his diploma, and went to Illinois, where he continued the practice of medicine for ten years. In April, 1876, he returned to New York and located in this place, where he still follows his last calling.
S. H. French, M.D., was born in Broome County, N. Y., in 1837. He is a graduate of Albany Medical College, class of 1859. He commenced dis- Densing medicine in Lisle, Broome county, N. Y., in 1859. In 1862 he was appointed surgeon in the army, and served in that capacity two years, when he renewed his practice in Broome county. In 1872, he removed to Amsterdam, where he continues to administer to the wants of the afflicted.
Dr. W'm. H. Robb located in Amsterdam in April, 1862, and became a student of Dr. J. G. Snell. He graduated in medical science Dec. 25th, 1865, and on January Ist, 1866, became a partner with Dr. Snell, since which time he has been in constant practice as a physician.
Dr. C. H. Tilton, dentist, was born in N. H., in 1835. He graduated at the Boston Dental College in 1861, and practiced the science of dentistry in that city till 1865, when he removed to Amsterdam. He is the oldest resident dentist in the village.
J. N. White, M.D)., surgeon, was born in Deerfield, Oneida county, N. Y., and came to Amsterdam March 15th, 1855, where he has since resided at 14 Division street. His father, Joseph White, was from Warwick, Mass.
MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES.
The village of Amsterdam early contained a grist mill and saw mills ; also an oil mill, a tannery, a scythe factory, mechanics' shops, etc., yet these en- terprises were all upon a quite moderate scale, and not until 1840 were the special manufactories inaugurated which have since become so large an clement in the prosperity of the village. In that year, Messrs. Wait, Green & Co., leased a small satinett factory at Hagaman's Mills, and there com- menced the manufacture of ingrain carpets. At the end of two years, this . opartnership was dissolved, and Wm. R. Greene, of the above firm, came to Amsterdam village, and, in a small building, long since demolished, but then standing on the present site of the Greene Hostery mills, set up the hrst carpet looms in this place. Subsequently Mr. John Sanford became interested in the enterprise, a much larger structure higher up the creek. known as the Harris mill, was purchased, and their operations largely ex- tended. Mr. Greene at length withdrew from the firm, and the business w.is continued by J. Sanford & Son till 1853, when J. Sanford retired. leaving the entire management to his son, Stephen Sanford. Since that time wonderful changes have taken place in nearly every branch of the warpet manufacture. The slow and cumbrous hand-loom has been super- "ded by the swift-working power-loom, and new and convenient appli- an es have taken the place of old and complicated machinery. Mr. Sanford hos avarled himself of every useful improvement, and has from time to time . nlarged the business until his are now the largest works of the kind owned In any individual in the country. The wools are taken in the raw condi- tim and worked, through all the different processes, into all grades of in- grun and three-ply carpets, tapestry, brussels, rugs and mats. l'his factory has a capacity of producing 5,000 yards of carpeting daily, and gives em- ployment to over ;00 persons.
In 1857, W'm. K. Greene, jr., in company with John Mc Donnell, com- menced the manufacture of knit goods with two sets of machinery in an edd mill, which stood on ground now occupied by W. K. Greene's Son & { ", . hosiery mill In the spring of 1868 Mr. McDonnell withdrew from the firin, Ms. Greene remaining alone, who soon after added a third set of flachinery. Ile subsequently built a much larger mill, and, from time to
time, increased his facilities for manufacturing, until in 1870 he was oper- ating with thirteen sets of machinery. His death occurring in that year, the business was thereafter conducted by W'm. K. Greene's Sons & Ou, till January ist, 187;, when, one of the sons dying, the firm nanie wal- changed to Wm. K. Greene's Son & Co. This firm employ 3oc hand -. and manufacture 250 dozen shirts and drawers per day, producing soc .. ooo worth of goods annually.
Adam W. Kline was one of the first to engage in the manufacture of knit goods in this town. He began the business in 1857 in company with John Maxwell, at what is now known as Rock City. Being burned out in 1860, he disposed of his remaining interest to Mr. Maxwell, caine to this village, and, in company with his son, erected a mill near the railroad on the east bank of the Chuctenunda, and with four sets of machinery prosecuted the business till 1866, when their mill was entirely destroved by fire. They soon after built a grist mill on the same site, operating it successfully for two years, but preferring their former occupation the building was converted into the Pioneer Hosiery Mills, and they again turned their attention to knit goods. They are at present working four sets of machinery, making ninety dozen shirts and drawers per day, em- ploying fifty hands, and doing a business amounting to $100,000 per year
The knitting machinery used by Maxwell & Kline while in partnership was invented and built by the former, and patented in March, 1853. Mr. Maxwell, who is now proprietor of the Amity Knitting Mills at Amster- dam, was also the inventor of improvements patented September zzd. 1864, and February 17th, 1874.
The Chuetenunda Hosiery Mills, situated on Market street, are operated by Schuyler & Blood, proprietors, who began this branch of industry in 1864. They are at present running six sets of machinery, giving employ - ment to one hundred operators and manufacturing about $150.000 worth of knit goods annually.
Warren DeForest & Co. are proprietors of the Riverside Hosiery Mills. This firm first commenced the business in 1871 in what was known as the "old furnace property," near the railroad, bat upon the laying of the quadruple track they were forced to vacate, when their present new mill on Market street was erected. This firm are running ten sets of machinery. employing 140 hands, and doing a business of from $150,000 to $200,000 per annum.
The Mohawk Valley Hosiery Mills were established in 1873. They are located on the river near Main street. Gardner & Thomas, the proprie- tors, manufacture from ten to twenty different grades of white and colored goods. They give employment to one hundred men and women, running six sets of machinery, making 30,000 dozen shirts and drawers a year. being a business of about $150,000.
In the year 1848, Supplina Kellogg commenced the manufacture of lin- seed oil at West Galway. In 1851 he was succeeded by his two sons, I. and J. Kellogg, who soon after removed their works to Amsterdam villige. locating on Church street. Subsequently James .V. Miller became asso- ciated with them, since which the business has been prosecuted under the firm name of Kelloggs & Miller. In the early days of this facton ten bushels of seed was the average amount used per day; the present con- sumption of seed is from 900 to 1,000 bushels daily, which produce from 2,000 to 2,500 gallons of oil. The concern is giving employment to 50 workmen, and doing an average business of $950,000 annually.
The burial case manufactory of I. C. Shuler & Co., situated on the cut- ner of Spring and Market streets, was established in 1858. They make an endless variety of metallic and wooden burial cases, which are shipped to all parts of the country. They give constant employment to from ;e to So hands, and turn out half a million of dollars worth of work annually Mr. Shuler was born near Manny's Corners in 1823. His father. George Shuler, was born before the Revolution, and the family to which he he- longed was so endangered by the Indians as to be obliged to remove to a place of safety Mr Shuler began the furniture and undertaking hi st- ness on a small scale in 1853, and by 1858 had a large wholesale trade His business is now the largest done by a single house in this line. The founder of the Shuler family in this country was Lawrence Shuler, who immigrated from Germany,
In 1866 the firm of Stewart & Carmichael, of the Forest City l'apet Mills, commenced the manufacture of straw wrapping paper, changing from that to brown hanging paper at the end of two years. In 1874 this also was dropped, and the firm have since apphed themselves to the produc - tion of white hanging papers exclusively. They manufacture 600 tons of
92
THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
this paper annually. The mill is kept constantly in operation, employing in all forty hands. The sales amount to $100,000 per annum.
The manufacture of paper boxes was begun in Amsterdam in 1874 by Horace Inman, who is at present doing an extensive business, employing 22 workmen, consuming 125 tons of paper, manufacturing 300,000 boxes of various kinds, and doing a business amounting to $20,000 per annum.
The first foundry in Amsterdam was established by Bell Marcellus, in 1837. It was purchased in 1842 by H. S. McElwain, who has from time to time enlarged his operations as the demands of the community required, and is at present the only representative of this branch of industry in the town, giving employment to about 30 men, and doing a business amounting to frum $50,000 to $75,000 annually.
Wm. Bredau, a native of England, who settled in Amsterdam in 1864. manufactures knitting machine needles, thus supplying the wants of the numerous hosiery mills in this direction. He occupies a part of the River- side Hosiery Mills and makes $6,000 worth of this kind of needles an- nually.
The boot and shoe manufactory of A. & W. McElwain was established in 1868, by the present firm, who now turn out $100,000 worth of their pro- ductions yearly, and give constant employment to 60 operatives.
The steam broom factory of G. W. Bronson, located on Cedar street, manufactures from $40,000 to $50,000 worth of brooms annually, and em- ploys 25 workmen. The broom factory of J. D. Blood & Son, located on Union street, near the railroad, was established in 1868. This firm employ 60 workmen, and manufacture $100,000 worth of brooms and brushes an- nually_
OTHER BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The first exclusive boot and shoe store in Amsterdam was commenced in May, 1820, by Chandler Bartlett, who still continues the business, hav- ing occupied his present location since 1822. There are now six estab- lishments of this kind, N. J. DeGraff and John Kavenaugh being prom- inent representatives of the business.
One of the foremost business establishments of Amsterdam is the crock- ery store of Edward 1 .. Smith, which has been kept for the last twenty years. It was bought April 1, 1874, by Avery & White, who carried on both a wholesale and retail trade, until September, 1876, when Mr. J. A. Snell bought out Mr. White. The gentleman now at the head of the business, Mr. E. S. Smith, entered the firm in 1877. During that year the wholesale trade, which had been rapidly growing, attained such proportions as to make it inconvenient to carry on both that and the retail business conjointly, and Messrs Avery & Snell removed the wholesale department to Schenectady, leaving Mr. Smith to conduct the retail branch at the old stand. This is one of the most enterprising concerns in the village, and the only store which is devoted so exclusively to the crockery trade. Included in the stock are glass and plated ware, cutlery and wall paper. The house does a business of about $50,000 annually, principally in Montgomery, Fulton, Saratoga, Schenectady and Schohane counties.
L. L. Dean & Co., hardware dealers, Main street, are successors to Dean & Vischer, who commenced the business in 1864. This is the oldest hous of the kind in the town. The sales amount to from $50,000 to $60,000 a year.
Vischer & Schuyler. Main street, are hardware merchants Mr. Vischer began the hardware trade in this location in 1868 ; subsequently J. D. Schuyler became interested with him. This trade has steadily increased until it now amounts to from $40,000 to $50,000 annually.
C. W. Williams, dealer in hardware, on Main street, is a native of this State ; he settled in Amsterdam in 1855, and embarked in his present husi- ness in 1872. He is at present selling goods to the amount of $25,000 per annum.
Almarin Young was born in 1808 at Fort Jackson, opposite Amsterdam, where he resided until 1859, when he removed to Amsterdam village. He re- ceived the appointment of post master in 1861, and held that office sixteen consecutive years, resigning in July 1877.
CHURCH HISTORY OF AMSTERDAM.
Tradition and history concur in the statement that missionary work was done in this region some time previous to any religious organization. Rev. 'Messrs Kirkland and Ames are spoken of as having labored here from
time to time, also Rev. Sampson Occum, a Mohican Indian, educated by Rev. Mr. Wheelock, and converted to christianity, who devoted himself to spreading the gospel among his own race. He is said to have often preached in a barn standing on the present " Lambier property." History speaks of him as being " a man of vigor and piety." His death is recorded in 1792.
REFORMED AND PRESBYTERIAN.
The first religious organization in this town was formed in 1792, in con- nection with the Dutch Reformed Church. Its consistory was composed of Michael Spore, Tunis Swart, Jeremiah De Graff and Ahazueras Marcel- lus. Its existence, however, was of short duration, and it was not till 1795 that an organization was effected with sufficient strength to sustain life. It occurred at a meeting held in the open air about three miles north of Amsterdam village, and the title fixed upon was the "Dutch Reformed Church of Amsterdam." Jeremiah Voorhees and Cornelius Van Vran- kin were elected elders, and the following Sabbath a clergyman from Albany performed the rite of ordination. Yet this body was too weak at first to support a pastor, and it was only at intervals that they were favored with preaching. The missionary Kirkland was among the first to minister to this houseless flock. The first record of baptism occurs on the 25th of July. 1799. Hester, infant daughter of Manning Marcellus and Deborah De Graff, was baptized by Rev. John Demorest, who was, doubtless, only officiating for the time being, for it was not until the following May that this society assumed the responsibility of calling a pastor, and that only in conjunction with the churches at Fonda's Bush and Mayfield. In that month the Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck became their first regular pastor. The baptismal record opened by Mr. Demorest was from this time regularly kept, thus reaching in an unbroken chain from May, 1799, down to the present time. There was as yet no church edifice, and meetings were held in barns, groves or dwellings, as suited the members, by which several additions were made to their numbers. On July 3d. 1795, Joseph Clizbe was chosen elder, and Aaron I.indsley deacon : also Dec. 30th of the same year, Nicholas Marcellus and Isaac Vedder were elected elders and John Mauley and John Cram, deacons.
In 1800, the first church building in the town was erected, by this or- ganization, at Manny's Corners, about two miles north of Cranesville. The location of the building here caused a dissatisfaction with the village members of the congregation, who, in consequence, withdrew, and in the same year erected a church edifice at Amsterdam village, on what is now the corner of Main and Market streets, conferring upon it the title ni the "Dutch Reformed Church of Veddersburg." Rev. Mr. Ten Eyck con- tinued to preside over both churches for a time, but each congregation being weakened by the separation, he was at length induced to resign his care of the Amsterdam church, and the following year that of the Ved- dersburg church also.
At the end of two years, in 1803, the Rev. John Christie was settled over the church at Manny's Corners, in conjunction with the church at West Galway, they having, in the meantime, changed their ecclesiastical con- nection, and united with the Presbyterian Synod. The Veddersburg church remained without a pastor eleven years. Wearied at last with the effort to sustain two distinct organizations, the Veddersburg church, in the spring of 1812, also became Presbyterian, and the two congregations were again united as the "Presbyterian Church of Amsterdam." In the fall of 1813 the Rev. Ebenezer H. Sillman was formally called, and settled as the first pastor of the re-united church. He remained with it until his death, which occurred October 15th, 1815, his age being 32. During hr- pastorate, I. Collins, Abraham Hoagland and Luther Stiles were constt- tuted elders. He was followed in 1816 by the Rev. Holsey A. Wood. One hundred and thirty members were added to the church as the fruits of a revival carried on by this devout man. His ministrations were also terminated by death, November 26th, 1825, in the 33rd year of his age. During his stay, Nathaniel Hendrick, Aaron Marcellus, Thomas Allen. Barney Stiles and Joseph Hagaman were elected elders. He was fol- lowed by his brother, Rev. James Wood, who was ordained and installed as pastor September 5th, 1826.
On March 3d. 1832, one hundred and four of the village members took letters of dismissal froin the "Church of Amsterdam," and, having ob- tained the sanction of the Presbytery, were formally organized, the same day, as the "Presbyterian Church of Amsterdam Village." They at oner
RESIDENCE OF JOHN MC CLUMPHA JUNG, AMSTERDAM, N. Y.
KES OF
MR. JOHN T. DE GRAFF, AMSTERDAM, N. Y.
PES. OF WM COUNTRYMAN, CANAJOHARIE,
MONTGOMERY CO., N. Y.
.
93
CHURCHES OF AMSTERDAM.
commemed the erection of a new brick edifice on the corner of Church und tirove streets, which was finished and dedicated in August of the same veut. The Rev. Mr. Wood now confined his efforts to the village church, until 1833. when he resigned, and was succeeded, February 14th, 1834, by the Key. Hugh M. Kontz, who was called from his labors by death, August ist. 1836. In December of that year, the Rev. Dr. Goodale commenced his pestorare over this church, which continued the rather unusual period of 34 years. He resigned, on account of impared health, in November, 1870, and is now enjoying a mellow sunset of life among this people.
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