USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. > Part 96
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Part " 3
45
60.72
5
36
45.51
7
8.75
44 6 14
5.06
456
$531.81
The school-books most in use were reported to be Mar- shall's spelling-book, Woodbridge's geography, Murray's grammar, Daboll's arithmetic.
Fifty years later, March, 1878, the apportionment is as follows :
District.
Children from 5 to 21 years.
Public Money.
No. 1
15
$113.03
4 2
45
121.31
3
61
136.49
4
94
187.29
5
5.5
122.91
6
36
I12.30
66
7
37
110.63
S
78
164.72
451
$1068.68
COMMISSIONERS' APPORTIONMENT, MARCH, 1878, MALTA.
District.
Number of Children
between the ages of
five and twenty-one.
Equal Quota of the
Public Money.
Public Money accord-
ing to the number of
Public Money accord-
ing to average at-
Library Money.
Total Public Money.
No. 1
45
$52.11
$30.95
$28.44
$1.50
$113.03
..
45
52.14
30.95
36.72
1.50
121.30
3
61
52.14
41.95
40.36
2.04
136.49
4
94
52.14
64.65
67.32
3.14
187.25
5
55
52.14
37.83
31.11
1.83
122.91
36
52.14
24.70
34.20
1.20
112.30
37
52.14
25.45
31.81
1.23
110.63
8
78
52.14
53.65
56.33
2.60
114.72
451
$417.12
$310.19
$326.29
$15.04
$1068.61
VII .- CHURCHES.
CHURCHI AT MALTA, PRESBYTERIAN.
The first organization here was in 1843. A Congrega- tional church was established under the labors of Rev. Mr. Marsh, who became the first pastor. The trustees chosen were Luther Landon, Zadock Dunning, and James Hunter. The number of communicants was twelve,-Polly Dunning, L. Landon, Eli Dunning, Mark T. Dunning, Sarah Betts, Deborah Foster, Betsey Ireland, Reuben Anderson, Emeline Ireland, Polly Vail, Delia Hemphill, and Belinda An- derson. The second pastor was Rev. Wiu. Hill. He was followed by Samuel Dunton, under whom the church became Presbyterian. Since that the several ministers have been Rev. Peter Talmadge, Alexander Proudfit, James Gilmour, A. McA. Thorburne, Thomas A. Lamson, J. H. Crocker, George I. Taylor, and H. Lancashire. The house of worship cost $1500. A parsonage was built in 1848, at a cost of $700. The present elders are Wm. H.
Coon, S. N. Rowell, and John II. Traver. This church is either the successor or the continuation of one much older.
Malta is said to be celebrated for extinct churches. This is probably no reflection upon the character of the people, but is due to the location,-to the fact that Ballston Spa is so near a large portion of the town,-to the removal of many of the children of early citizens to other towns, and partly to the large numbers of different denominations en- deavoring to found churches in the town or near its borders, no less than six denominations, or seven, counting the old First Baptist church of Stillwater, not far from the eastern portion of Malta.
" The Presbyterian Society of East Ballston" was incor- porated March 1, 1793. The trustees were Uriah Bene- diet, David Rumsey, Gershom Gilbert, Wmn. Dunning, Samuel Clark, and Joseph Rockwell. David Gregory was one of the officers of the meeting, and the certificate was acknowledged before Jacobus Van Schoonhoven. The old meeting-house of this society was on the East Line road, built about 1800, a quarter of a mile south of Samuel Clark's. The church afterwards became Congregational, and the house was removed farther south, to the corner of the old cemetery. In process of years, this society was re- moved to Maltaville, the old house at the cemetery aban- doned, and one erected at Maltaville. There the society has had a varied Presbyterian-Congregational history, until the organization at Malta, in 1813, of the present Presby- terian church. The house of worship erected at Maltaville has in late years been used for uniou meetings, and for Methodist services to a considerable extent.
A memorandum by Abiram Fellows states the succes- sion above alluded as follows: The first church was Pres- byterian. Its old house of worship was on the west side of the East Line road, on what is now the Esmond farm. That society went down. Rev. Lebbeus Armstrong bought the building and moved it to the next corner south, known as Benedict's Corners, but no church was organized. The house was used for funerals, miscellaneous religions meet- ings, and temperance gatherings. Earlier than this, from 1820 to 1825, a Presbyterian church was formed at Malta- ville, and the present house of worship at that place was erected. About 1834 the church became Congregational, but in 1840 returned to Presbyterianism.
Meanwhile, there had been no church at Dunning Street, and most of the people attended at Maltaville. But a house of worship was finally erected there, and for a time preaching was alternate between the two places. Finally, the organization at Dunning Street absorbed whatever there was of the other society, and the latter became extinet. The house at Maltaville remained as a place for union meet- ings, occupied principally by the Methodists. A church of this denomination has been organized within a year, and with the aid of the influences developing at Round Lake may very probably become a strong and active society.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, EAST LINE.
This body is now dissolved, but it was a point where Methodism was established in very early years. The house of worship, now changed into a spacious school-house, was
49
Children.
tendance.
386
IIISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
built in 1809, and this was a prominent point in the work of the Methodist church. The book of church records at the county clerk's office shows that " The Methodist Epis- copal Church of Stillwater" was incorporated March 26, 1800, and this no doubt refers to the pioneer church of East Line. The officers were Jeremiah Hart, Frederick Conley, John Myers, Stephen Hart, Frederick Conley. The town of Stillwater then, and for two years later, in- cluded Malta.
This Methodist church was for sixty years or more an active working society, but owing to various causes it de- clined in numbers, and services were discontinued in 1870. Methodist families interested in this old church transferred their relations either to Ballston Spa or to Jonesville. Con- siderable inquiry has failed to find the old book of records.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI, MALTA RIDGE.
This organization was formed about fifty years ago, and religious services have usually been continued through all that period. The society has not had a very vigorous ex- istence, but like many other quiet, unobtrusive country churches, it has nevertheless borne its part in the religious instruction of the people. If it has erected no splendid temple and has remained comparatively unknown, it may have, however, earned the commendation bestowed by Christ upon the woman, " She did what she could." No statistics have been received from the officers in reply to circulars.
THE METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH OF MALTA RIDGE
was formed in the year 1829, with the following members : Thomas Collamer, Edward Dunning. Samuel Crouch, Eli- jah Armstrong, John Evans, Polly Collamer, Betsey Crouch, Hannah Armstrong. The house of worship, thirty by forty feet, was erected in 1832, at a cost of $1000. The building committee were Thomas Collamer, Edward Dun- ning, Isaac Andrews, Jr., James B. Wiggins. The first trustees were Thomas Collamer, Edward Dunning, and Isaac Andrews. The first ministers were James Jermon and Daniel Ireland. Others since have been J. Taylor, Mr. Rolliston, George Thomas, William Carr, Lorenzo Blakely, James Conley, Robert Beard, William Crabtree, Peter D. Esmond, John Croker, Peleg Weaver, Reuben Bertolph, Ransom Spear, Anson Spear, Charles Stokes, M. Ashley, Aaron Sornberger, Robert Woodruff, George Miller, Mati- nus Hollenbeck, and William Walton.
The above memorandum is furnished by James B. Wig- gins, one of the present board of trustees.
In view of the historie importance of East Line in connection with the pioneer labors of the Methodists, it seems a fitting place to add a brief sketch of their work applicable to Saratoga County as a whole. The insertion of the following paper in the history of the town of Malta will appear still more appropriate from the fact that Round Lake is, year by year, growing into a famous summer resort for the members of that church throughout the whole country, and is also frequented by the active workers of other Christian denominations.
Amid the cool shades of the delightful groves and luxur-
ies of this rare and beautiful place, it will be well to recall the sturdy labors of the fathers for whom the only rest was a change of labor from one far-reaching wilderness circuit to another of equal hardship.
EARLY METHODISM IN SARATOGA COUNTY.
The organization of the Methodist churches is so largely by circuits at the opening of their work in a new country, and individual societies in after-years have usually so few records bearing upon this early period, we have at con- siderable labor secured the following statement of Method- ist organization throughout the county of Saratoga, leaving, however, individual churches for the last forty years to be mentioned in the local history of the several towns, so far as their officers have furnished the facts.
This section of country as early as 1788 was probably included in Methodist minutes under the name of either Lake Champlain circuit or that of Cambridge, more prob- ably the latter. Or perhaps there was no precise defining of circuit limits at that time, and this county may have not been assigned to any circuit until the year 1790, when the name of Albany appears for the first time among the records. As this county was a part of Albany then. Al- bany circuit may be supposed to have included Saratoga. In 1791 the name of Saratoga first appears in the minutes of the conferences.
It was grouped with Dutchess, Columbia, New Britain, Cambridge, Albany, and Otsego; constituting a district over which Freeborn Garretson was presiding elder. Lee's " History of Methodism" says this district included all the cir- cuits north of New York city to Lake Champlain. The name "annual conference" had not then been used to designate a permanently organized body, but Saratoga circuit, with the district of which it was a part, practically belonged to what afterwards was called " The Philadelphia Annual Conference." In 1794 a readjustment of districts took place, and Saratoga was united with Herkimer, Otsego, Delaware, Albany (Middletown), Newburgh, Flanders, Elizabethtown, and Staten Island; a district bounded as it appears on the east by the whole length of the Hudson from Glen's Falls to the bay of New York, with indefinite extension westward. Thomas Ware was the presiding elder. Freeboru Garretson still presided over a district of equal if not greater length on the east side of the river, extending from Long Island to Lake Champlain.
In 1795 the northern portion of this castern district seems to have been added to the western, for we find Cam- bridge, in Washington county, grouped with Saratoga.
In 1797 another rearrangement brought into one im- mense district the territory upon both sides of the river, extending far to the west, and also far to the east and sonth, comprising portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Freeborn Garretson was the presiding elder of this consoli- dated district. The circuits included were New London, Pomfret, Middletown, Tolland, Litchfield, Granville, Red- ding, Cambridge, Saratoga, Pittsfield, Columbia, Dutchess, New Rochelle, Long Island, and New York.
In 1798 the territory east of the river was taken off; but almost the whole of New York, west of the Hudson, was brought together ; for we find Saratoga grouped with
.
JOSEPH IHILLMAN, EsQ.
Although not a citizen of this county, Mr. Hillman has been so identified with its interests during the last ten years at Round Lake, that it seems eminently proper to notice him in this work. He was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., March 10, 1823. With his father he removed to Troy, in 1826, where he has resided nearly the whole time since, and where he still resides. He entered into mercantile business at the age of eighteen. He was unfortunate at the com- mencement, but soon rallied. He has since been a very successful financier, both in church and seeular affairs.
He has occupied many important offices of trust. In 1867 he organized an association of Christian gentlemen, with whom, on invitation, he visited churches and conducted religious meetings. They visited nearly all the prominent Methodist churches in the Troy conference, and many in the New England and other conferences. At these meetings many thousand persons have professed conversion. The churches they visited were always crowded.
In 1867 he also organized the Round Lake C. M. associa- tion, purchased the land, and advanced the money to carry on the Round Lake enterprise. Although many supposed he was receiving pecuniary benefit from it, the facts are, that his connection with Round Lake has cost him, above all he has secured, valuing his time, at least two thousand dollars per year. Mr. Hillman is author of several singing books.
The most noted and successful of these is " The Revivalist," a book containing over six hundred hymns and tunes. It is a book of real merit, as appears from the fact that it has had a sale of over one hundred and twenty-five thousand copies, and that it is still in great demand.
Mr. Hillman has also been one of the most efficient and suceessful Sunday-school workers and superintendents in the State. In 1860 he brought one of the largest and most successful Sunday-school excursions to Saratoga Springs that ever visited the place. This immense excursion con- sisted of three trains,-two from Troy and one from Albany, -and contained fifty-four cars, crowded to their utmost capacity. Probably no other Sunday-school excursion ever created such general interest and furor as this. It paid to the Sunday-school of which Mr. IFillman was the superin- tendent-Congress street, Troy-$850 above all expenses. Mr. Hillman was a member of the electoral college of his own church in 1876, and was elected first reserve delegate to the general conference in the same year. He is the junior member of the firm of Peck & Hillman, which was organized in 1848. This firm has long represented, as general agents of the State of New York, the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Hartford, Conn., one of the oldest, largest, and most successful life insurance companies in the world.
387
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Seneca and Cayuga. Freeborn Garretson was appointed presiding elder, and by this time he was, no doubt, accus- tomed to rule, ecclesiastically, over a large empire. In 1802 the names of "annual conferences" and of " dis- triets" were first regularly applied in the minutes, and Saratoga was designated as belonging to the " Albany dis- triet" and the " Philadelphia Annual Conference." In 1804 the Albany district was transferred from the Philadelphia annual conference to that of New York, including, of course, Saratoga circuit.
In 1806 Saratoga circuit was made a part of " Ashgrove district," named from the pioneer church of that title in Washington county. This brought the Methodists of Sara- toga County into organic local union with those upon the opposite side of the river, and this was continued for fifteen years. In 1821 the Saratoga district was constituted, with Daniel Ostrander as the first presiding elder. It comprised the circuits of Montgomery, Saratoga, Pittstown, Troy, Schenectady, Berne, Cambridge, and Warren.
In 1828 the Albany circuit became a part of the Sara- toga district. Previous to this Albany had been attached sometimes to the old " Hudson river district," and some- times to the " Rhinebeck district." The Saratoga district, that at first included two cities,-Troy and Schenectady,- again comprised two, though Troy had been erected into a separate district.
In 1832 the rapid growth of the church compelled a re- organization. Troy Conference was formed, and has con- tinued forty-six years to the present time. The districts at first were four,-Troy, Saratoga, Middlebury, and Platts- burg.
The Conference relations of Saratoga circuit, then, have been, first, Philadelphia, eleven years ; second, New York, twenty-eight years; third, Troy, forty-seven years. As to distriets, Saratoga belonged first to the several unnamed districts described ; then from 1802, to Albany distriet, four years ; seventeen years to Ashgrove, becoming the Saratoga district in 1821. This was dissolved and united to the Albany distriet in 1835. In 1842 Saratoga distriet was again established, and John M. Weaver appointed presiding elder. Under this name the distriet has continued to the present time.
The following-named Methodist preachers have been appointed to this section of the State:
1789 .- John Bloodgood, Samuel Wigton, to Columbia ; David Ken- dall, William Losee, to Lake Champlain ; Darius Durham, to Cambridge.
1790 .- Lemuel Smith, Thomas Everad, to New Lehanon ; Andrew Harpending, John Crawford, to Columbia ; James Campbell,
to Albany ; Darius Dunham, Philip Wager, to Cambridge. 1791 .- David Kendall, to Saratoga.
1792-93 .- Matthias Swaim, to Saratoga.
1794 .- Thomas Woolsey, Jacob Egbert, to Saratoga.
1795 .- Robert M. Coy, to Saratoga.
1796 .- Shadrach Bostwick, Smith Weeks, Roger Searle, to Saratoga and Cambridge.
1797 .- Jocl Ketchum, Joseph Sawyer, to Saratoga.
1798 .- Anthony Turck, to Saratoga.
1799 .- Anthony Turck, William Vredenburg, to Saratoga.
1800 .- Daniel Higby, Smith Arnold, to Saratoga.
1801 .- Zenas Covel, Alexander Morton, to Saratoga.
1802 .- William M. Lenahen, Eber Cowles, to Saratoga.
1803 .- Matthias Swaim, A. MeKean, S. Arnold, to Saratoga.
1804 .- John Finnegan, Mitchell B. Bull, to Saratoga.
1805 .- Gideon A. Knowlton, Matthew Vanduzen, to Saratoga.
1806 .- John Crawford, Smith Arnold, to Saratoga.
1807 .- John Robertson, to Saratoga.
1808 .- Gershorn Pierce, to Saratoga. 1809 .- Samuel Draper, to Saratoga.
1810 .- John Finnegan, Mitchell B. Bull, to Saratoga.
1811 .- Datus Ensign, Benjamin Griffin, to Saratoga.
1812 .- Smith Arould, Abram Daniels, to Saratoga.
1813 .- Tobias Spicer, Hawley Saodford, to Saratoga.
1814 .- Andrew McKean, Samuel Luckey, to Saratoga.
1815 .- Samuel Howe, Jesse llunt, to Saratoga. 1816 .- William Anson, David Barclay, to Saratoga.
1817 .- William Anson, D. J. Wright, to Saratoga.
1818 .- Friend Draper, John Lovejoy, to Saratoga.
1819 .- Friend Draper, Peter Bussing, to Saratoga.
1820 .- Samuel Eighmey, Peter Bussing, to Saratoga.
1821 .- Jacob Hall, Noah Levings, to Saratoga.
1822 .- Samuel ITowe, Andrew Mckean, to Saratoga.
1823 .- Samuel Howe, Andrew MeKean, to Saratoga ; William Anson, Elisha P. Jacob, to Ballston and Saratoga Springs.
1824 .- Theodosius Clark, William P. Lake, William Anson, to Saratoga.
1825 .- Benjamin Griffin, Wesley P. Lake, William Anson, to Sara- toga.
1827 .- Datus Ensign, Jacob Beeman, William Anson, Gilbert Lyon, to Saratoga; Joseph MeCreary, Wright Hazen, Andrew McKean, to Half-Moon.
1828 .- Datus Ensign, S. Dayton, William Anson, G. Lyon, to Sara- toga; Joseph McCreary, Wright Hazen, Andrew MeKean, to Half-Moon.
1829 .- S. Stebbins, N. Rice, William Anson, Datus Ensign, to Sara- toga; J. W. Dennison, E. Goss, A. MeKean, G. Lyon, to llalf-Moon.
1830 .- John D. Moriarty, Nathan Rice, William Anson, Datus En- sign, to Saratoga; John W. Dennison, E. Goss, A. Me- Kean, G. Lyon, to Half-Moon ; Seymour LamIon, to Water- ford.
1831 .- John Luckey, Wm. Anson, John D. Moriarty, Datus Ensign, to Saratoga; James Quinlan, Andrew Mckean, to HIalf- Moon ; Timothy Smith, to Waterford.
1832 .- D. Brayton, T. Newman, D. Eosign, Wm. Ansoo, to Saratoga and Mechanicville; J. Quinlan, W. Amer, G. Lyon, A. Mckean, to Half-Moon; T. Benedict, to Waterford.
IS33 .- D. Brayton, Orrin Pier, Wm. Anson, Datus Ensign, to Sara- toga; S. Covel, G. Scott, G. Lyon, A. Mckean, to Half- Moon ; J. D. Moriarty, to Saratoga Springs.
1834 .- Ephraim Goss, John Harwood, Wm. Anson, Henry Stead, to Saratoga; D. Stevens, H. L. Starks, D. Ensign, A. MeKean, to Half-Moon ; Charles Pomeroy, Gilbert Lyon, Henry Wil- liams, to Galway ; J. D. Moriarty, to Saratoga Springs; Freeborn Hibbard, to Waterford.
1835 .- E. Goss, HI. Burton, G. Lyon, to Saratoga; D. Stevens, D. Ensign, A. Mckean, to Half-Moon ; S. Coleman, D. Bray- ton, to Galway ; Wright Hazen, to Waterford; J. Harwood, 0. Emerson, Wm. Anson, H. Stead, J. D. Moriarty, to Sara- toga Springs.
1836 .- C. Meeker, J. Quinlan, G. Lyon, to Saratoga; O. Pier, O. Emerson, D. Ensign, A. MeKean, to Half-Moon ; S. Cole- man, J. P. Foster, to Galway; S. D. Simonds, to Water- ford: E. Andrews, W. II. Backus, W. Anson, H. Stead, J. D. Moriarty, to Saratoga Springs.
1837 .- Cyrus Meeker, James Quinlan, to Saratoga ; Orrin Pier, Cicero Barber, D. Ensign, A. Mckean, to Half-Moon; Roswell Kelly, John P. Foster, to Galway ; P. Green, to Waterford; S. Coleman, W. H. Backus, W. Anson, H. Stead, J. D. Mori- arty, to Saratoga Springs.
1838 .- D. Stevens, II. Chase, A. McKean, to Saratoga; C. Mecker, D. Ensign, to llalf-Moon ; M. Witherell, W. Anson, to Gal- way ; E. Crawford, to Waterford; S. Coleman, J. Quinlan, II. Stead, to Saratoga Springs.
The perseverance of the early workers is shown by the regularity of their appointments, and their faithful zeal, notwithstanding the slow growth of the church in Saratoga
388
HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
County. The reported membership for the first thirty- five years is as follows :
Surotoga Cireuit .- 1791, 100; 1792, 182; 1793, 270; 1794, 100; 1795, 241; 1796, 246; 1797, 241; 1798, 311; 1799, 409; 1800, 444; 1801, 465; 1802, 580; 1803, 535; 1804, 323; 1805, 363; 1806, 310; 1807, 300; 1808, 310; 1809, 324; 1810, 455; 1811, 478 ; 1812, 489; 1813, 490; 1814, 496; 1815, 531; 1816, 501; 1817, 546; 1818, 580; 1819, 790; 1820, 790; 1821, 761; 1822, 711; 1823, 666; 1824, 640; 1825, 771.
VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.
The principal ones are the cemetery near Mr. Yeager's, the one near Armstrong's on the west town line, Dunning Street burying-ground, one near the place of B. V. Ilall, and also northwest of Malta Ridge.
IX .- SOCIETIES AND ASSOCIATIONS.
The present Rogers IIotel at Dunning Street was the place where the old Franklin Lodge, No. 90, now of Ballston Spa, was first organized before 1800. The lodge- room itself in the old garret is in nearly the same form as when used by the Masonic brothers of 1791. As in the case of the churches, so with reference to societies, the citizens of Malta interested in such matters belong to bodies located just beyond the limits of the town.
ROUND LAKE.
This celebrated summer resort and camp-meeting ground is sitnate on the Rensselaer and Saratoga railroad, between Troy and Saratoga, twelve miles from Saratoga, eighteen miles from Troy, and twenty-four from Albany. It has a capacious and elegant railroad passenger depot, at which trains stop daily from each way. This enterprise was inaugurated by Joseph Hillman, of Troy, N. Y., in 1868. His tireless energy has brought it from the smallest begin- ning to its present grand proportions. It has been duly incorporated by the Legislature of New York. Mr. Hill- man is president of the association. The grounds contain about two hundred acres, mostly gravelly loam, entirely free from malarious tendencies. In the midst of these grounds is a beautiful wood, containing over forty varieties of stately trees. Ample shade is thus provided, while the pines, hemlocks, and cedars give to the atmosphere that balsamic invigorating odor that renders the Adirondacks the Beth- esda of America. It is unquestionably one of the health- iest localities in the country. Many cottages have been erected, and the number is rapidly inereasing. All of them are neat, commodious structures, and many of them are considered models of elegance and beauty.
In addition to these are a telegraph- and express-office, a post-office, a book- and news-store, and many other build- ings. In the very centre of the city, among the trees, is a preaching-stand, surrounded by well-arranged, comfortable seats for thousands of hearers. A large, elegant hotel, with all modern improvements, has just been completed. The whole ground is artistically laid out into broad streets and avenues, bearing such names as Asbury, Wesley, Janes, and others, whose devoted lives have rendered their mem- ory sacred to all men and for all time.
The water is of the best quality, brought to the grounds from a pure spring, and supplied iu the greatest abundance, both for ordinary use and fountain adornments. Within two minutes' walk from the grove lies the lake, from which the place has taken its name. It is about a mile in diameter, well stocked with fish, and affords excellent facilities for boating, fishing, and bathing. It is one of the most beautiful of the numerous inland lakes for which New York is so justly famous. Its old Indian name was Ta-nen-da-ho-wa.
A mineral well, fourteen hundred feet deep, supplies an abundance of mineral water, composed of the most valuable medicinal properties. In taste and medical qualities it is similar to the best waters of Saratoga.
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