History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 37

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 664

USA > New York > Fulton County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 37
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 37

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"Signed and sealed this thirteenth day of November, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three." Both signatures have way seals, showing very clearly the Watts crest, with its motto : " Forti non deficit telum." It would seem probable this gmtclaim may cover a large part of the two-thirds of the original estate of Sir Peter Warren, the estate which brought his nephew, afterwards Sir William Johnson, to become a resident here. A daughter of this John Watts became the wife of Sir John Johnson, the Baronet's only son.

in 1792, as the poll list shows, path-masters had increased to the num- ber of fifty-four, and as we might expect, the office of commissioner of highway> becomes a most important one, and many entries and pages at- test the action of such commissioners in the laying out new and establish- ing existing highways. Advancing civilization demanded better routes of transit than Indian trail, or narrow bridle path. It would be utterly im- possible now to trace any of these highway by the land marks given. What

was then clear, is now vague and indefinite ; thus, under date of May 7, 1788:

" Be it remembered that we, the Commissioners of the Mohawk district and county of Montgomery, have laid out a common road from two rods below the block house, now in possession of Barent Hansen, along down the banks of Schoharie creek, down along the Mohawk River, until it comes to the convenient place to ford the river to John Putman's, and allow three swing gates in that distance." Oct. 15, 1787, the commissioners, hav - ing viewed and found it necessary, laid out a road, "beginning at Richard Van Veghten's fence at.a small birch tree marked ; from thence by marked trees to the lane between William Vintons on to Nicholas Spore, and thence along said lane to a large hemlock tree marked ; from thence by marked trees to John Van Wormer's pasture, and along the creek to the outside of the pasture; from thence by marked trees to the old road marked out ; thence along said road to the road come by Martin Bovee," and so ordered it to be recorded. Very quaint, very simple are many of these descriptions, often " as near the creek, or the side of the hill, as the make of the land will admit of." Generally four rods, but sometimes three and even two rods are permitted as the width of roads, to enable the settler "to get out to mill and to market." We quote but one more of these records, that of a "Public road four rods wide, beginning on Albert Frank's land on the now public road, from thence on the south side of a Red Oak Saplin, marked with a cross and S S, thence near a westerly course on the north side of the Babtist Meeting, with a straight course forward on the north side of Albert Frank's house to black cherry Saplin marked H, on the south side of said tree from thence a westerly course to hickory Saplin, on south side of said Saplin marked H, from thence forward a westerly to . beach Saplin on the north side marked H, thence forward until it strikes the divison line of Andrew Franks and Peter Hycks, thence on said divi- sion line to a hemlock tree marked H, on the south side of said tree on Andrew Frank's land over the height of ground, until it intersects the public road."

THE EARLIEST FLORIDA RECORDS.

Florida was formed from Mohawk, March 12. 1793. The first annual town meeting was held at the house of Ezra Murray, on the first Tuesday in April, 1794, when the following officers were elected for the year . David Cady, supervisor ; Stephen Reynolds, town clerk ; George Servos, William Phillips and David Beverly, assessors ; Lawrence Shuler and Bernard Marten, overseers of the poor; David Cady, John T. Visscher and Benjamin Van Vleck, commissioners of highways ; Christian Servoss, Col- lector ; John Cady, and Caleb P. Brown, constables.

The orderly condition that had become the routine of Mohawk was so well understood, that little change was necessitated in the management of town affairs. Among other regulations enacted at the first town meeting. was the provision, "that if any person, between the 15th of May and the 15th of June in any year, shall kill any crow or blackbird, within the limits of the Town, and shall produce the heads thereof to the supervisor, he shall be entitled to receive from the supervisor the sum of one shilling for each crow, and four pence for every blackbird, to be proved, if disputed, by the oath of the person applying for the same."

At the same meeting it was " enacted that the supervisor of this Town pay unto Ezra Murray the sum of one pound five shillings, as a reward for the use of his house this day." The next meeting was voted to be hell at the dwelling of Ehen Chase. Next year the crow and blackbird bounty was repealed. Four pounds were ordered erected, and localities assigned ; each was to be torty feet square, with " five posts on a side, three feet in the ground." The next place of meeting was voted on, and oftenest they seem to have been private dwellings, in various localities. In 1799 1 entered, " Amount of w hool money allotted for the Town of Florida i> 326 dollars, 28 cents

Following a very solemn oath, signed by the commissioners of excise, " that we will not on any account, or pretence whatsoever, grant any heense to any person within said town, for the purpose ot keeping an Inn or Tavern, but only in such cases as appear to us to be absolutely necessary for the benefit of travellers," we have the names of three persons certified as "of good moral character, and of sufficient ability to keep an Inn or lavern," to whom such licenses were issued.

In our venerable record we find, April 2, 1811, the enactment, "that no cattle, horses, or sheep be allowed to haunt taverns, grist mills or other

112

THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

public places to the damage of any owner of any wagon or sleigh that may stand waiting at such place, after the first day of Nov., until the first day of April following ; and such cattle, horses or sheep intruding on such place to the detriment or damage of any customer or person at such place in waiting. shall be hable to be impounded, and the owner of such cattle or creature to pay the owner or occupant of such public stand the sum of twenty cents, and the further sum of eighty cents to the pound keeper." In 1812, "hogs, shotes or pigs, are forbidden to run at large under penalty of fifty cents ;" a still later ordinance forbids, under penalty of ten dollars, any owner or occupant of land " to suffer or permit any stalk or plant of the Cadada thistle to grow and blossom upon their lands," and it further directs overseers of the highways " to cause any plant of the Canada thistle growing in the highway to be cut down at least once in the months of June, July and August, under a like penalty." From this time the brief records of the town become yearly more terse and definite. The grooves that custom forma become worn, and are easier kept. On through the pages appear names of those whose lives honored themselves, and were a blessing to their day.

In turning these yellow and olden leaves, in scanning the records of hands so long folded, in conning these lists of names, one goes out into a new, though so old a world. Other times are lived, other scenes are pass- ing; the long past is the real, the present has for the moment vanished. Names here so oft recurring are known no more in all the region. Large families have dwindled and wasted, and no representative of name or race can now be found. Pages could be easily filled with worthy names of those who here had homes, those whose brawny arms helped to level forests, and bring into productiveness and beauty the primitive wilderness. The Shulers, Overbaughs, Servisses, Ruffs, Pettengills, Cadys, Jacksons, Staleys, Schuylers, Reynoldses, Hills, Bents, Smiths, Stantons, Vanderveers, Hales, Voorheeses, De La Maters, Johnsons, Greens, Ellises, Herricks, De Graffs, Choletts, Murrays, Covenhovens, Earls, Claytons, Quackenbosses. Snooks, Gordons, Mudges. Youngs-many of these lived brave, noble lives, and left spotless names as an inheritance for their children.

OLD TIMES IN FLORIDA.

With the opening of the nineteenth century, we seem to come a long step toward the present. It seems a great mile-stone in history, dividing a fading past from the fresher present. The long, doubtful struggle with England had resulted in a dearly bought, dearly prized peace, with its beautiful victories. Local tradition has not yet lost the memory of the suffering that followed the infamous raid of Brant and Butler through this neighborhood in 1680; and still treasures tales of hair-breadth escapes, of families that found darksome homes in the cellars of their burned dwell- ings, of the fearful hushing of children lest their voices should betray the places of concealment, of the hiding of plate and valuables, tea kettles freighted with spoons being hid in such haste as to defy future unearthing. Such hallowing as the carnival of Indian warfare could give has Florida to boast. But at last "the land had rest." The red man, once sovereign lord, had disappeared; the powerful Johnson family was exiled, its homes sequestered, and in other hands. Sturdy toil and earnest labor won their due return, and thrift and competency were everywhere attested by hos- pitable homes and well stored barns. Albany was the main market for the products of the town: wheat forming the most considerable item. School houses and churches now dotted the landscape, and busy grist and saw mills perched on many streams. The Dutch language was much spoken, but many Connecticut and New England settlers never acquired it, and theirs became the most common tongue.

Not alone have the " blazed," or marked, trees and saplings, which indi- rated the lines of roads or farm boundaries, long since decayed. but "block house" and log cabin have also disappeared, and it may be doubted if five -perimens of these early homes can now be found within the bounds of Florida. Yet still there live who can remember the old- fashioned houses, Says Mr. David Cady ato whom, with Mr. J Cady Brown, we are indebted for the larger part of our history of Florida : "We have seen the type, and warmed ourselves at the great hospitable fire- place, with crane, pot-hooks and trammels, ourupying nearly the side of the room; while outer doors were so opposed that ? horse might draw in the huge log by one entrance, leaving by the other. Strange, too, to our childish eyes were the curious chimnies of tree hmb- encrusted with mor-

tar. Then the wide fire-place was universal; the huge brick oven indis. pensable. Stoves were not, though an occasional Franklin was possessed The turkey was oft cooked suspended before the crackling fire; the corn cake baked in the low, coal-covered bake kettle; the potatoes roasted be- neath the ashes, and apples upon a ledge of bricks; nuts and cider were in store in every house. As refinement progressed, and wealth advanced, from the fireside wall extended a square cornice, perhaps six feet deep by ten feet wide, from which depended a brave valance of gay printed chintz. or snowy linen, perchance decked with mazy net-work and tasseled Inng .. wrought by the cunning hand of the mistress or her daughter. These. too, have we seen. Possibly the household thrift of the last century was not greater than that of the present time, but its field of exertion w.is vastly different. The huin of the great and the buzz of the little spinnin; wheel were heard in every home. By the great wheels the fleecy rolls of wool, often hand-carded, were turned into the firm yarns that by the motions of deft fingers grew into warm stockings and mittens, or by the stout and clumsy Inom became gay coverlet of scarlet, or blue and white, or the graver "press cloth " for garh of women and children, or the butter- nut or brown or black home-spun of men's wear. The little wheel mainly drew from twirling distaff the thread that should make the "fine twined linen," the glory and pride of mistress or maid, who could show her handı- work in piles of sheets, table-cloths and garments. Upon these, too, was often lavished garniture of curious needlework, hemstitch and herring bone and lace-stitch. Plaid linseys and linen wear were, too, fields for taste to disport in, while the patient and careful toil must not go unchron- icled that from the wrecks of old and worn out clothes, produced won- drous resurrection in the "hit-or-miss," or striped rag carpet, an accessory of so much comfort, so great endurance, and often so great beauty. Horse- back was the most common style of traveling. The well-sweep or bubbling spring supplied the clear cold water. Such was the then, we know the note. In modes of life, in dress and equipage, in social and political habits, in locomotion, in comforts, in commerce, one needs not to draw the contrast; more wide and striking it scarce could be."

APPRENTICESHIP AND SLAVERY.

While, as we have seen, in its earliest days the town recognized and cared for those whom we "have alway with us," the poor, by "undertak- ing " them at public auction, it was not unmindful of the orphaned or help- less waif. We think deserving of place this "Indenture maid this 25th day of Oct., 1791, between Albert Covenhoven and Jaenb Enders, over. seers of the town of Mohawk, and Amos Clark, of the town and county aforesaid," which, " witnesseth that the said overseers of the poor, by and with the consent and allowance of William Harper and John J. Visscher, Esq., two of the justices of the peace for the town aforesaid, have put. placed, and bound, Peter Hart, aged one year and eight months, appren- tice to the said Amos Clark, for the term of nineteen years and four months, to commence on this date, which time expires in the year 1811 of these presents, during of all week time and term the said Peter Hart hr- said master and mistress well and faithfully shall serve, in all such lawfui business as the said apprentice shall be put into, according to the best of his powers, wit and ability; his secrets shall keep; his command lawfully and honestly everywhere he gladly shall do; he shall do no hurt or damage to his said master nor mistress nor consent to be done by others, but to the best of his power shall hinder the same, or faithfully give notis to h:" master thereof; he shall not waist the goods of his said master or lend them to any person without his consent. He shall not frequent ale houses of play houses, or to play at cards or other unlawful games. Fornication he shall not commit, matrimony he shall not contract, neither shall he absent himself day nor night from his master's service, but in all things as a faitt ful servant and apprentice, shall demean himself towards his said master and all his during the term afore .id.

"And said Amos Clark, for his part, covenanteth, promisseth and agreath that he, the said Amos Clark, the said apprentice will teach or cause him to be taught, the art, skill and traid of husbandry which he now asaith, n the best manner he may or can teach or cause to be taught, and informmed as much as thereto belongth, and he said Amos Clark knoweth, and sh. teach and in-truet or cause to be instructed the said apprentice. well and sufficiently to read and write, and also shall find for the apprentice sufficient apparel, meat, drink, washing and lodging, and other things necessary for

RES. OF JOHN H. SWOBE , WEST PERTH, FULTON CO., N.Y.

OLD HOMESTEAD

FARM RESIDENCE OF MESSRS NELSON & HIRAM REESE , FLORIDA., N Y.

J F BROWNS LUMBER YARDI

COAL

LUMBER & COAL YARD OF MR. JF. BROWN, PORT JACKSON, FLORIDA, N Y.

113

SOME OF FLORIDA'S FIRST SETTLERS.

such an apprentice during the term aforesaid, and at the expiration of said term, shall give unto the said apprentice one good new sute of waring ap- parel, both linen and wollen compleat, over and above his now waring ap- parel. In witness whereof, the parties aforesaid to these present inden- tures their hands and seals interchangeably have set, the day and year first above written."

A quite sim'lar in lentare "doth pat, place and bind, llanna Fedel. aged four years and eight months, an apprentice to William Harper and Margaret his wife, to dwell with them or the survivors of them for the term of thirteen years and four months from the date of these presents."

Perhaps no more appropriate place can offer than this connection for in- sertion of a copy of an instrument happily now no more to be written, a covenant for the sale of so much human sinew and bone, so much of the sweat and toil, so much of the immortal soul as human bonds could con- vey. No picture of the period would be complete that should be un- shaded by this blot, or fail to notice the horrible inconsistency of such a love of freedom as had lately imperilled all, and consecrated life and goods, to win and maintain a liberty free from petty encroachment, while yet a race was held in domestic thrall, and life-long servitude.

" Know all men by these presents, that I, Samuel De Reimer, of the town of Mohawk, county of Montgomery, State of New York, for and in consideration of the sum of fifty pounds, current money of the State afore- said, to me in hand paid at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, by David Cady, Esq., the receipt whereof 1 do hereby acknowl- edge, have hargained and sold, and by these presents do bargain and sell unto the said David Cady, a certain negro wench called Cate, being of the age of twenty-four years (or thereabouts), now being in the possession of said David, to have and to hold the said negro wench hereby bargained and sold to him the said David, his executors and administrators and as- signs, against me the said Samuel, my executors, administrators and as- signs, and against all and every other person and persons whatsoever, shall and will warrant and defend by these presents, and I do further say, that the said negro wench is (to the best of my knowledge, ) honest and sober. In witness whereof, I hereunto put my hand and seal, this twenty- third day of August, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

SAMUEL I)E REIMER."

"JOHN WATTS, JOHN SCHUYLER,

Witnesses.'

No doubt that then, as in later times, it was said, "They can't take care of themselves. They are happier with their misters." Yet when in 1824 the act of emancipation took effect, they gladly went from under the yoke, to establish homes of their own, and none but the hopelessly infirm or aged sought to remain with their late owners.

SETTLERS ALONG THE SCHOHARIE.

Among the pioneer settlers on the east bank of Schoharie creek were Martinus Cline and Francis Saltz, who, about the middle of the last century, leased two farms in Warren's Patent, now the Henry C. Pettingill and Wil- liam Voorhees places, opposite Mill Point. It is said that when they ar- rived on the ground they flippeda penny for the chone of places, and Saltz, winning the toss, took the southernmost or Voorhees farm. His oldest daughter married Philip Frederick, and they settled on the creck at the plice since called Buchanan's Mills, where Frederick cleared a farm and Imult a house and mill. Here in a few years quite a settlement sprung up.

Another of the pioneers who settled on the reck within the present town of Florida was Peter Young. He came from New Jersey, and camped near Girret Van Derveer's place. Learning from some Inhans, while hunting one day, that a white family who had made a clearmg over by the wreck land become discouraged and abandoned it, be took possession of the farm, the nav: anyve Fordring's mill. The place was aSer Peter Warre i's dom.no. and Young paid 5s. rod. rent for ten years, and afterward 23. The est .. te has reinained in possession of the Young family from dust day to this, the present owner being Miss Anna Young. Peter Young had three sons, the obest of whom, George, married a daughter of Salty and moved across the Freek : William married a Gardinier and settled in Florida. Peter, jr., married Margaret Serviss, and kept the homestead.

During the Revolutionary war this was the retreat of the non-combatants in the neighborhood when threatened by the savage enemy. They formed a camp back of the lake on the farm, sheltered by a semi-circle of high, steep

hills. Mrs. Young, whose relatives were tories, and who was in no fear of them or the Indians, cooked and carried food to the refugees. Another hiding place was on the high point of land on the bank of the creek. At one time there was a large company of women and children encamped here, as Indians had been seen up the stream. It was in the autumn and quite cold, and they had risked building a fire. One morning the watchman spied a company of men approaching over the hills to the east of the camp. They were supposed to be the enemy, and a panic was created. Some fled to the lakeside camp ; others tried to put out the fire, which would betray their position, but they had no water, and the more they raked it, the more it smoked. They were soon delightfully relieved by the arrival of the party, who proved to be their soldier friends, home on a furlough.

After the war, Mrs. Young's tory brothers, John and Suffle Serviss, come from Canada to pay her a visit. Mr. Young was at the barn threshing. and happening to come to the house was met at the door by his wife, who told him of the arrival of her brothers. He stepped in, took down his old musket, and turning to John Serviss, said, "I am going to the barn to thresh ; in an hour I shall come back, and if I find you here I will shoot you down." 'The tory naturally bade a prompt farewell to his sister and set out for Canada. The suffering and loss of life and treasure among the frontier patriots at the hands of their tory neighbors could not be forgot- ten.

Mrs. Young was a great nurse, and returning one night from a visit across the creek in that capacity, saw the only ghost she ever met. Having pad- dled her canoe to the homeward side of the stream, she was making her way through a cornfield to the house, when an apparition tall and pale loomed up before her. After staring at it in alarm for a moment, she re- solved to pass around it through the corn, but as she attempted to do so, the old white horse put himself also in motion and she recovered from her fright.

There is a grave-yard nn the Young homestead, which is the resting place of several generations of the family, and probably the oldest burial ground in the town. There is a maple tree on the estate from which five genera- tions have made sugar.

About a mile south of the Young farm settled Abraham Van Horne. Ile was sheriff at the beginning of the Revolution. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Hoff, was always generous and helpful to the neighbors when in need or trouble, and was, of course, a favorite among them. A plot was once formed by the tories to kill the sheriff, who was a leading patriot. The assassins gathered round his house by night, proposing to shoot him through a window as he lay asleep ; but fearing they could not do so without killing his wife, they postponed the deed. The plot was re- sealed; a block house was built in the neighborhood to protect the patriots. Sheriff Van Horne after the war removed to Herkimer county. Ilisoldest son, Cornelius, kept the place. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Young, and their children still own the property.

Still further south there were a few settlers, who were troubled by losing their cattle. At length a hunter found them all herded in a clearing across the creek, belonging to a widow, who had stolen not only the cows, but other property of her neighbors. The latter were so enraged by the dis- covery that they went over and shot the woman, and recovered their prop- erty. Sheriff Van Horne and his next-door neighbor, Jacob Bunn, on hearing of the affair, saddled their horses, and fording the creek, buried the victim of lynch-law, flooring the grave and covering the body with hark before shoveling in the earth. In crossing the creek on the return, Binn, who was "a gros, fit min," slipped fron his horse in the deep water, and was only rescued by seizing the tail of the animal, whien drew him ashore. He was reserved for a still more dangerous adventure. He one time, on a tour of inspection, mounted to the upper scaffold used by workmen who were bnikling a barn for him and had it nearly done. The staging was not built for men of his figure and gave way, the bulky propre- for gaming a momentum which carried him through two scaffolds In low it and lind al him in the in al, not much hurt

This farm was afterward brought by Daniel Van Horne, who lives on it with his grand children. A place below this, at the falls, was purchased shortly after the Revolution by David P'royn. He soon traded with Peter Young for a farm in Charleston, now the Peter Van Home place, and Young sold his new acquisition to William Gordon, who lault a grist mill at the falls. It was kept up for many years, but was abandoned in consequence of the destruction of the bridge at that point, which di- verted business elsewhere.

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History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 37

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1878 Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 664

Author: Beers, F.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: New York : F.W. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 664