History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 54

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 54
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 54

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the court upon every point. Mr. Spraker resided in Canajoharie from 1825 to the time of his death, October 14th, 1873, in his 73d year. He practiced law for many years, and for a long time acted as secretary and treasurer of the Montgomery County Mutual Insurance Company. He was postmaster at Canajoharie six years, and was a director and vice- president of the National Spraker Bank of Canajoharie, and a director of the Mohawk River National Bank of Fonda. In 1839, and again in 1842, Judge Spraker was prominently mentioned in the newspapers as the Democratic candidate for governor of the State. He was a delegate to the national Democratic conventions which met at Charleston and Balti- more in 1860, where he supported the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas. He presided at the first war meeting, in Canajoharie, to enlist volunteers and aid in suppressing the rebellion ; and, throughout the war, gave un- wavering support to that end.

In 1845 he married Harriet F. Rowan, youngest daughter of Rev. Stephen N. Rowan, D.D., of New York, and left her and three sons and three daughters surviving him.

Io politics Mr. Spraker was a life-long and consistent Democrat, and was' widely known for nearly half a century as a man of great influence at home and abroad. Ile adorned the many public positions held by him with grace, dignity and honor, and was classed among those accomplished gentlemen and chivalrous statesmen who, not numerous in his own day, have now almost disappeared. Judge Spraker was intimately associated with Presi- dent Van Buren, Gov. Marcy, Stephen A. Douglas, and many others of the noblest men of our country, most of whom have now passed away. * He united the profoundest sagacity with wonderful organizing and executive ability; and his magnanimity, benevolence, and chivalrous daring in behalf of justice, won him universal popular love. His features were classic and commanding, his eyes dark and piercing, his voice musical and impressive, and his manners and movements refined, genial and graceful in the highest degree. He possessed the gift of natural eloquence and frankness, and the enthusiasm and vivacity of youth ended only with his life.

THE TOPOGRAPHY OF ROOT-REMINISCENCES OF CURRYTOWN.

163

THE TOWN OF ROOT.

This town was formed from the towns of Charleston and Canajoharie, January 27, 1823, by an act of the Legislature, and named after General Erastus Root, of Delaware county, who was a State senator at the time.

Root has an area of 31,652 acres. Within or upon its borders are the most striking features of the notable scenery which makes Montgomery county, perhaps, the most picturesque section of the Mohawk valley. The hills bordering on the river rise abruptly to a height of six hundred and thirty feet, and from their summits the country spreads out into an undu- lating upland. The bold promontories below "Spraker's," on opposite sides of the river, have from the earliest times been called the Noses. At this point the Erie Canal and the highway have barely space for their passage between the river and the base of the lofty and romantic steep, whose stony front is but partly covered by vines and evergreens, feebly supported by the scanty soil in the cavities and gorges of the rocks.

The principal streams in the town are tributaries of the Mohawk. Of these Yatesville, (which in a land grant, dated 1727, is called by the Indian name Wasontha,) and Flat creeks are the longest. On the former, one mile below Rural Grove, occurs what is known as Vrooman's Falls, a per- pendicular cataract of twenty or twenty-five feet, which. when the stream is in full flow, constitutes a powerful attraction to the admirers of nature. Here many years ago stood the grist-mill of a Mr. Vrooman, whose name is perpetuated in the natural water-power that turned his mill-wheel. The building was carried off bodily by a flood in 1813 and dashed to pieces against a large elm.

A small portion of the course of Flat creek corresponds with its name, while other parts present bolder and more interesting features. The stream flows past an imposing declivity of slate and gravel, and running through romantic ravines, reaches, a mile above Spraker's, a point known as Ham- ilton's (latterly Sutphen's,) Hollow, where it makes a fall of sixty-five feet. Several persons have prospected for valuable minerals along the creek, and an ore has been found containing fifty per cent. of lead and fifteen of silver, as assayed by the State geologist.

East creek flows into Flat creek from the east, several miles from the Mohawk. On its banks are two saw-mills, and a cheese box, lath, shingle and broom-stick factory. Fly creek flows eastwardly through the south- eastern part of the town, and empties into the Schoharie.

In the southern part of the town is situated what is known as the Bear Swamp, covering about forty acres. Out of it issue toward the east and west two streams of about equal volume, one of which once furnished the power for a saw-mill. The swamp contains several dangerous sink holes. It produces-bountifully in some years -- whortleberries of a quality else- where unknown, growing on bushes from five to seven feet high.

VILLAGES OF THE TOWN.

CURRYTOWN, named from the patentee of Corry's patent, on which it stood, is the oldest center of population within the limits of Root. The sufferings of this unfortunate community during the Revolution. have been elsewhere referred to, especially the remarkable cases of the Dieven- dorff boys, who survived being scalped and, as was supposed, killed at the time of Doxtader's murderous raid upon the settlement in 1781. Other sufferers by the same attack were the Kellers, Myerses, Bellingers, Tanners and fewises, who, with the Dievendorffs, were the first settlers in the town. Beside the girl Mary Miller and the boy Jacob Diesendorff, a negro, also named Jacob, two lads namned Bellinger, Jacob Myers and his son, and two others were amung the prisoners taken by the savages, and upon whom the

tomahawk fell when the retreat of the marauders began. The Indian> burned all the buildings but the fort, 'which was a stockade enclosing the residence of Henry Lewis, a log school-house, and the house of a tory named David Lewis, where Henry Voorhees has since lived-about a dozen in all. The oldest son of Rudolf Keller, who lived too far from the fort to think of gaining it, found safety with his family in the woods, though from their retreat they saw the destruction of their home. Peter Bellinger escaped by riding away toward the Mohawk on one of the horses with which he was plowing. A party of savages sharply pursued him and. though they did not overtake the horseman, killed and scalped Jacob, Moyer and his father who were cutting timber in the woods. Jacob Dieven- dorff, father of the boys who showed such wonderful vitality, escaped by throwing himself behind and partly under a log, over which his pursuer- passed without seeing him. Of the younger Jacob Dievendorff, who so long survived the loss of his scalp, Mr. Lossing thus speaks in his Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution, published in 1851 :

"We reached Currytown, a small village nearly four miles south of Canajoharie, at about noon. The principal object of my visit there was to see the venerable Jacob Dicvendorff, who with his family was among the sufferers when that settlement was destroyed by Indians and tories in July. 1781. Accompanied by his son-in-law .Dr. Snow, of Currytown,' we found the old patriot busily engaged in his barn threshing grain ; and although nearly eighty years of age he seemed almost as vigorous and active as most men are at sixty. His sight and hearing are somewhat defective, but his intellect, as exhibited by his clear remembrance of the circumstances of his early life, had lost but little of its strength. He is one of the largest landholders in Montgomery county, owning one thousand fertile acres lying in a single tract, where the scenes of his sufferings in early life occurred. In an orchard a short distance from his dwelling the house was still standing which was stockaded and used as a fort. It is fast decaying, but the venerable owner allows time alone to work its de- struction, and will not suffer a board to be taken from it."

The venerable man here spoken of died Oct. 8, 1854, at the age of 84, the most wealthy resident of the town. His remains lie in the family burit place with those of his parents, on the homestead farm, which he be- queathed to his grandson, Jacob Dievendorff.

The first post office in this region was at Currytown, and was supplied by a post rider. The first postmaster was Daniel Cuck, the second Wal- ter Conkling, and the third John Bowdish, who received his appointment from President Jackson, in 1832, (when the post office was moved to Rural Grove;, and has held the position ever since-an extraordinary tenure ot office, singularly at variance with the principles of the President who made the appointment, and speaking well for the merits of the official who re- ceived it.

A " Dutch " Reformed church was organized at Currytown about 1790. and a house of worship built in 1809, being dedicated on the 3d of Septem ber in that year. The interior of the building was materially changed in 1849, according to the taste of the day, and the spire, which was decaying. was replaced by one of more modern style. A large number of clergymen have officiated in the desk. The present pastor is Rev. E. G. Ackeron, graduate both of Rutgers College and Theological Institute, New Bruns- wick, N. J

At an early period a store was established by John MeKernan in the building now owned by Miss Keller, on the corner opposite the residence of the late Dr. Snow. Retiring from mercantile pursuits, Mr. Mc Kernan engaged, about 1820, in the enterprise of building a bridge across the Mohawk at the point now known as Randall. A few months after its com.

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164

THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

pletion a flood floated the structure from its foundations, which are still to be seen in the river when the water is low.

The resident physician at Currytown more than half a century ago, was Daniel Cuck, who owned and occupied the present home of J. D. Snow, and was a popular practitioner of the old school, when the resources of the profession were the lancet and mercury. He was the owner of the first one-horse wagon in this vicinity, which at the time was a great novelty. Dr. Cuck was also engaged in mercantile business in company with C. C. Hubbard. They were also manufacturers of potash from house ashes. Their store was thought to be be an extensive institution, though a small affair compared with many mercantile houses of the present. Walter Conkling was for a long period at the head of a country store, doing a Aourishing business in the western part of the hamlet.

James Lewis kept a hotel on the site of the residence of the late Dr. S. Snow, fronting the highway leading to Yatesville.

John Hoff for many years carried on the business of manufacturing leather, boots and shoes ; John Hicks made farming mills and cabinet ware ; F. B. Brumbley was a wagon-maker, and blacksmith shops were equal to the wants of the people.

John G. Ecker officiated as "knight of the goose and shears," cutting wardrobes that vested the farmers in homespnn attire from cloth made by the good wives and danghters of sixty years ago.

For many years the village was the central point of town business, where elections and lawsuits were usually held at the leading hotel, kept by Richard Hoff, Boyd Beverly and others. Every branch of business once centering here has been swept away by the ravages of time, and the place is now noted only for its fine farm buildings.

RURAL GROVE is located in the southeasterly part of the town, five miles from the Mohawk, on the Yatesville creek, or " the brook called Wasontha," as it is referred to in an ancient deed. The place was founded by Abram H. Vanderveer, who formed a partnership with Henry Stowits in the year 1828, erecting a dwelling and subsequently a large building for a tannery, which stood on the site of the new residence of Hon. John Bowdish. When the frame of the tannery building was raised, the place was christened by Henry Stowits, who, from the apex of the structure, before throwing the bottle, as then customary on such occasions, named the infant village Unionville. This euphonious title was soon forgotten, and a lady suggested the graceless name of Leatherville, by which the hamlet was known for many years. In the same year a building was erected by Isaac B. Walker, as a hotel, which was kept by him as such for a number of years, and is still a public house, now kept by Henry Van Buren, who has materially improved the buildings.

William A. Covenhoven erected a building for a store, in which John Bowdish and Isaac S. Frost, on the ad of June, 1829, began the mercantile business. The building is now the property of Mr. Bowdish, who has en- larged it and greatly improved its appearance, and still occupies it as a store with George J. Gove in partnership, the senior partner having held a continuous interest in the business from the beginning, a period of more than forty-eight years.

When the leather manufacture was discontinued. the name which it had given the palace became a misnomer. In 1850, a resident began dating his correspondence from Rural Grove, the name being suggested by the grove of elms on the western border of the village. The example was generally followed, and in 1872 the name of the post office was changed from Root to Rural Grove. The office has been held for more than forty-five years by Mr. John Bowdish, and its business has increased with the growth of population and intelligence. Newspapers have multiplied from a mere score to hundreds, and thousands of letters pass through the mail, where hundreds did.

Kural Grove is the most important business center in the town. It con- tains upward of seventy buildings, among them two churches, a school- house, a hotel, a general store, a tin factory and hardware store, two boot and shoe stores and shops, three blacksmith, one carnage, one joiner's and one cooper shop : a buggy-gearing factory, a teed mill, a saw mill, and a cheese factory. It is a pleasant village in a beautiful country

A Methodist church organization early eusted in this vicinity, supplied by itinerant preacher-, including Rev. W. HI Starks, and the Rev. Mr. Emerson. In 1845 a church edifice was built by the society, the pulpit of which was at first supphed by the Rev. Mr. Mosher, of Canajoharie. A second Methodist church was built in 1860, three miks distant, and services have always been conducted there by the Rural Grove pastor, who also

ministers to an M. E. church at Argusville, which was organized by Rev. C. A. S. Heath. Rev. Le Grand Jones is the present pastor, living in a parsonage owned by the society.

The "Christian " church of Rural Grove was organized in March, 1854. with Elias Vates, Thomas J. Vanderveer, Jacob I. Vanderveer, Henry ( Hamilton, John Dopp and Henry Shibley as trustees. The church edifice was built in the summer of 1854, and dedicated Nov. 8 of that year, Rev Obadiah E. Morrell preaching the sermon. Rev. John Ross was the first pastor, and either he or an assistant supplied the pulpit until Dec. 28, 1865, when the church was reorganized upon the accession of 77 members from Charleston Four Corners, who had been dismissed from the church there at their own request. Revs. John Ross and J. J. Twiller officiated on the occasion. Of the new organization Rev. A. A. Lason was first paster ; Ir J. Carr and H. C. Hamilton, deacons ; and George J. Gove, clerk. A par- sonage was built in 1866. In the spring of 1874 the church was enlarged and improved, at an expense of about $Soo, and re-dedicated June 11, the pastor, Rev. J. C. Burgdurf, preaching the sermon. The church has now a membership of 153. The pastor is Rev. R. G. Fenton. A Sabbath. school was organized May 5, 1861, with 65 scholars ; present number, 75. Ira J. Carr is superintendent.

SPRAKER'S BASIN .- Among the early settlers south of the Mohawk and west of Flat creek was Maj. George Spraker, who acquired a title to the land on which the village stands from his father, Jost Spraker, and built a tavern which, after his retirement, was kept by a succession of landlords, closing with a Mr. Hart, who was in possession when the building was destroyed by fire. Its foundation walls are still to be seen.

The completion of the Erie Canal was properly the birthday of the vil- lage. Trade was introduced by Daniel Spraker, who built a store and warehouse in 1822 and 1823, and engaged in trading and forwarding, uffi- ciating in the transfer of freight from this place to a point below the Nose while the canal was incomplete at this spot. A second store was estab- lished by Joseph Spencer, near by on the canal, where a formidable bust- ness was carried on. Mr. Spencer retiring, John L. Bevins became his successor. When the canal was enlarged, he erected a commodious stone building on its southern bank, where he did business for a number of years, when the property passed into the hands of the Messrs. Cohen, whose descendants still carry on business at the old stand. Not to be left high and dry, as it were, by the change in the line of the canal at its en- largement, Mr. Spraker removed his store to inatch. After a mercantile life of twenty-eight years he retired, and was succeeded by David Quack- enbush.

The present village has four stores, two hotels, two blacksmith, one wagon, two shoemakers', and one harness shop; an insurance agency, a telegraph office, a post office and a church. The latter was built in 1858, on a lot given by the late George Spraker. The village is connected by ferry with the railroad at Spraker's Station. A charter for a bridge was granted several years since, but the capital was not forthcoming. Many years ago, the village had a saw-mill, a carding machine and a fulling mill.

SCTPHEN'S Hottow is a hamlet at the high falls on Flat creek. The place is reached from the east by a rugged declivity. It was originally called Hamilton's Hollow, from Solomon Hamilton, who carried on an ex- tensive business here. In its best days the place had a flooring-mill, a saw-mill, a carding-mill, works for cloth-dressing, a distillery and a num. ber of dwellings. The business establishments were all carried on by Mr. Hamilton, except the distillery, in which Adam Smith, a merchant ut Charleston, was interested. The hamlet passed its prune half a century ago, and its present business enterprise is linnted to a saw mill.

FIAT CREEK derived its name from the stream passing along its border It was for a long time a point where much of the business of the town centred. Years ago, a store was kept by Hibbard & Wessels. Sub-e- quently, John Burns, jr., was in trade here for a number of years. There were for many years one or two hotels, but there is none at present. A Free Will Baptist church is located here, but has no settled ministry, The place has a post office, a school-house, a blacksmith shop, a tanners. J shoe shop, waw and feed mills, a cheese factory and a grocery store; pr. prietor Jannes M. Wessels, whose house is open to the public on temper ance principles.

STONE KiDet is a collection of houses so called from an elevation me ? the cast border of the town, where cobble-stones have been deposited in such profusion that large quantities have been shipped by canal to differ ent localities, to be used in paving streets.

RESIDENCE OF LEVI G. BARNESCANAJOHARIE MONTGOMERY CO . N.Y.

I.N.TALLMADGE

JE HUBBSOM

BLACKSMITH SHOP

BLACKSMITH SHOP OF I.N . TALLMADGE | COTTAGE HOTEL, GLEN, N. Y, J. E.HUBBS. PROP'R GLEN, MONTGOMERY GO . N. Y.

RES OF ABRAM STARIN, MAIN ST. FULTONVILLE, N.Y.

RES OF JOSEPH J. FINKELL, TOWN OF ROOT, MONTGOMERY CO. N. Y.

> Res. of CORNELIUS DIEVENDORFF, Curry Town,, Town of Root, Montgomery Co., N. Y.

Res. of ABRAM VAN HORNE, Town of Glen, Montgomery Co., N. Y.

Res. of JOHN PUTMAN, Town of Glen, Montgomery Co., N. Y ..

163

VILLAGES OF THE TOWN OF ROOT-MITCHELL'S CAVE.

LYKER'S CORNERS is the name of a group of buildings where for a num- ber of years Cornelius Lyker kept store. \ hotel was also built, and man- aged by Barney Martin, and by others after him. It is now a private residence, and a portion of the other buildings have been converted into a « heese-factory. Elijah Bundy has for a number of years been doing a mercantile business in the place, where there is also a blacksmith and wagon shop. A steam saw-mill, which for a number of years added mate- nially to the business character of the hamlet, has been removed.

BROWN'S How.ow is a little village in the southeast part of the town. Here was early erected, by Henry Lyker, a flouring-mill on Flat creek. John Brown bought the concern, and at large expense increased the water-power by building a tunnel a thousand feet in length through the hill, lining it with stone work, which is still in good preservation. The mill was burned many years ago, and rebuilt by Mr. Brown, with three run of stones. It has since had several owners, and is now doing a small business. Half a century ago this was quite a business centre, the most important establish- ment being an alcohol distillery carried on by A. Ladieu. There were also a saw-mill, a linseed oil mill, a carding-machine and fulling-mill for dressing fabrics made in private houses, and later a store was kept for years by Ira Hoag and others. Only the grist-mill remains.

YATESVILLE is a hamlet on the Erie Canal, in the northeastern part of the town, important chiefly as a point for the shipment of hay, which is sent in great quantities from this town, as also from Glen. hree thou- sand tons, made in the neighborhood, were shipped from Yatesville during the past year to eastern'markets. The place has a grocery store, a school- house, a blacksmith shop and a post office, which is called Randall. In early times John P. Yates, James G. Van Voast and Job B. Hoag were merchants at this point.

BUNDY'S CORNERS is a cluster of buildings taking its name from Stephen Bundy, an old citizen who early established a store, and opened a hotel where Charles Hovey and Stephen Moulton afterward engaged in trade. Barney Vrooman subsequently opened a small store. The business of the hamlet has passed away.

SUPERVISORS.

The supervisors of the town of Root, in the order and with the length of their service as such, have been as follows : David C. Hubbs who was elected in 1823 , five years ; Henry Lyker, two ; Joshua Young, one ; Geo. Spraker, three ; John Burns, jr., two; Jacob Vosburgh, two ; William C. Hubbs, two ; Simeon Snow, two; John L. Bevins, two ; Robert Yates, two ; Charles Hubbs, nine : Frederick J. Starin, two ; Abram Gardinier, one ; John Bowdish, two: James W. Lyker. two; Geo. 1. E. Lasher, two ; Gamaliel Bowdish, two; David Quackenbush, two ; Wm. B Dievendorff, two; Ira J. Carr, two : Samuel Morell, one ; Freeman P. Moulton, four ; Miles Yates the present incumbent), one.

HOUSES BOMBARDED WITH ROCKS.

A spur of the Mayfield mountain crosses the Mohawk between the towns of Palatine and Root, and through it the river seems to have cut its way. Between the water's edge and the " Nose " on the west side there is but a limited space, which is occupied by the canal and the highway. At the lower end of the Nose there formerly stood, between the road and the canal, a two-story building, with a small barn, which was erected prior to 1820, as supposed, for hotel purposes, and was occupied by a Mrs. Bar- rows while the canal was being constructed. To the inmates of this soli- tary house-for it was the only one for some distance under the mountain- the sun always set at an early hour of the afternoon, and was, indeed. in- visible at all hours during the winter months. About 1820 a fragment of rock, weighing perhaps a ton, relaxed its hold a hundred feet above, came thundering down the declivity, and, passing through the side of the house. sank through the floor into the cellar. This happened in the day-time, forty or fifty years ago. A woman stood but a few feet from the path of the bold intruder, working over a wash-tub ; though much frightened, she was not injured. Mr. Simms speaks of entering the cellar many years ago to see the reckless visitor. The house remained tenantless for many years, and has finally disappeared.

A few rods above the site of this luckless building, in a bold projection of the bare rock, at least a hundred feet above the road, and unapproach-

able from above or below, was an opening where for many years dwelt, and perhaps still dwells, a large colony of bees. Their safe retreat was a source of no little conversation on canal packet boats forty years ago. It is not known that any one ever had the hardihood to attempt an approach to this unique home of the busy bee.

About a mile below the residence of Barrows, lived a neighbor named Benjamin Willie, whose house was also under a mountain's brow. During the construction of the canal a tremendous blast on the adjacent height sent a heavy fragment of rock upon the roof of Willie's dwelling, which passed down through the floors into the cellar. In its descent it harmlessly swept past Mrs. Willie, who stood at a table kneading bread. Another projectile, from the same blast, fell upon the oven, an out-of-doors attair, then heating to receive the baking, and totally demolished it.

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History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents, Part 54

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