USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie County, New York : with illusustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 32
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Now the question is, was it a High or Low Dutch church originally. It is thought by many to have been the latter. We are of the opinion that it was the former, from the fact that if it had been a Low Dutch, the building would have been placed upon the Low Dutch ground, upon which the present church stands. With- out doubt both branches worshipped within the same building at this time.
The ground upon which the building was placed, was that, or a part of it, which was the " bone of contention " between the Palatines, Schuyler and others who purchased it of Hunter in 1714. It will be remembered the Germans refused to quit the land or to pay rent. They built their houses upon it, and the church also, and did not receive a title of the church property until years after. By a quit- claim deed now in the possession of Henry Cady, bearing date the " 18th of June, in the twenty-sixth year of His Majesty's reign, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and fifty- three,for the sum of Five shillings current money of New York," twenty-seven acres of land were conveyed by Myndert Schuyler, Margaret Liv- ingston, Philip Livingston, Philip Schuyler and Johannes Bough (Bouck,) of Albany, to Johan- nes Schuyler, minister ; Bartholomew Vroman, Josias Swart and Thomas Eckerson, elders ; Johannes Becker, Jun., rector ; O. Zielie and David Laroway, deacons ; for church purposes. The land was divided into small lots, and many of them are still owned by the church, being leased to the occupants at a yearly rental. As the Reformed church at Schoharie was organ- ized as a " High Dutch," and soon wafted over to the control of Low Dutch, so we think it was the case with this organization. The Low Dutch found here, among whom were the Vro- mans, Zielies, Beckers and the Holland Ecker-
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sons, were inore business men than the Ger- mans. The latter had not but of late, been commanders of affairs, but objects of command, and knew but little of transacting business, while with the Low Dutch it was the reverse. When the church was burned in 1780, all re- ligious services were performed in the middle fort, and after peacc was proclaimed, and as soon as the settlers recuperated in a measure their losses, cffort were made to re-build. In the spring of 1785, the work commenced and occupied the summer months of 1786 and '87, in its completion. The control of church af- fairs at this time, was entirely under the Low Dutch, and the new building was placed upon the fourteen acres purchased in 1737, for the "support of the Dutch church." The people being poor, timber and other materials were do- nated by them, as also labor and rum, the latter to revive drooping spirits. Col. Peter Vroman, the hero of the middle fort, was the treasurer, and to show his manner of doing business and the materials thought necessary to build a church in those days, we will copy from a few "items of interest," as kindly furnished us by Mr. A. B. Richmond, of Canajoharie, and Henry Cady, of Schoharie, besides papers relating to the building, etc., of the church :-
" ro galon RUM" and " 4 Gallons of rum and eighteen drinks" were charged against the church. Peter Vroman refused to allow the eighteen drinks. " 1 pound tobaco." stor.es, lumber and wood were contributed by different ones, each allowed a certain sum for the same. A petition was forwarded to the legislature for aid, bearing date " 18 Oct., 1784," stating that "Sir John Johnson with a party of British Regular troops, Tories and Indians, on the 17th day of Oct., 1780, Came and allmost destroyed the Settle- ment of Schoharry by fire and other ways, among which was the church of your petitioners, which was intirely burnt and destroyed on the said day which was valued at five hundred pounds, etc."
Another was forwarded to the city officials of Albany, asking the privilege of circulating asub- scription to aid in the building of the church, bearing date 1785 ; also a general subscription and petition "To the publick," asking "aid in
re-building church destroyed by the enemy," dated 1785.
The edifice was nearly three years in build- ing, it being commenced in the fall of 1784, and finished in the summer of 1787. The funds were chieflyobtained by subscriptions circulated in every direction, and the work performed by the people of the vicinity, under Philip Schuy- ler, " carpenter and joiner." Tradition tells us the iron figures, 1786, placed upon the front of the belfry, were the work of onc Lutwig Schneider, a blacksmith, who also made the " stays " placed in the brick walls.
Josiah Dodge, the progenitor of the present Dodge family of the town, was entrusted with the contract to supply the necessary timbers re- quired in the construction of the church, for which he gave the following receipt :-
"Schoharry, July 7, 1786, Rec'd of Johannes H. Becker, Peter Ziele and Peter Vroman, trus- tees of the Reformed Low Dutch Church, the full sum of twenty-two pounds ten shillings, being in full for cutting the timber for the church. I say Rec'd by me. JOSIA DODGE.
From time "immemorial" the organization owned an old-fashioned chest, quitc probably brought from Germany or Holland by some of the first settlers, in which the funds of the church and documents were kept. For long years it was in the Becker family, and held by then through the Revolution, and down to within the last forty years. It disappeared, however, and at the present time, is not to be found, while the papers relating to the church, that so long found a secure place within its "tills," are scattered here and there, and are made in many cases, articles of barter among the collectors of old relics. However, a few of the many are in the possession of the officers of the church, that are valuable through the associations connected with them, and the organization to which they properly belong. Among them is one that re- fers to the old chest, which reads :-
"Scohare, June Ist, 1789. This day counted the Money Which is in the Chichst of the Low Dudtch Church. Two pound thirteen Shil- lings.
JOHN J. BECKER, JOHN A. BECKER."
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
Also the charter bearing date, 21st of Octo- ber, 1797, which is upon parchment, and signed by " Rynier VanNese, minister ; Pieter Zielie, Adam Vroman, Jacob Hager, and Peter Swart, elders ; John A. Becker, John P. Becker, Mar- tinus Vroman, Jr., and Johannes Hager, dea- cons." There are also others, many of which are written in Dutch.
Pastors of the Reformed Church .- As the first records of the church are lost, it is impossible to arrive at any accuracy in regard to them. The " Reformed Church Manual" gives the date of organization, 1732, and it may be cor- rect, but we have our doubts, and believe light will yet be given to prove it an error. It also says the first pastor was Schuyler (Johannes,) who was the Schoharie Reformed pastor from 1736, to 1755, and again from 1766, to his death. We have found through the Zielie Bible, Dominie Snyder was the preacher at the dedication, and by tradition coming through the Eckerson fam- ily, that Snyder was the first resident pastor of this church. Ministers were not plenty at that day, and if Schuyler was, or was to be the reg- ular pastor, we think he would have performed the service, If we were to make the list of pastors, it would be headed with Henry Hager,* from 1713 to 1720, also John Frederick Hager, and John Jacob Ehle and George Weiss, as mis- sionaries, until the pastorate of Dominie Snyder commenced, in 1732, and perhaps earlier. Be- tween this date and 1763, this church, as did the Schoharie and others, ranged itself with the " Dutch Reformed church," to form an " Ameri- can Ecclesiastical Indicatory."
During Schuyler's first pastorate at Schoharie, we think Dominie Snyder officiated here, and may have been the High Dutch minister, as it is said by many of the old families, that they were told by their aged grandparents, that Sny- der was here a long term of years. If Schuyler preached here within that period, he doubtless preached to the Low Dutch branch, but we think Snyder was the regular minister, and both High and Low Dutch worshipped together at this time, Upon Schuyler's re-call at Schoharie, in 1766, he then took charge of this church, in connection, and officiated until his death, in
1778. If Schuyler had charge of this church from 1736 to 1755, and the connection between the two churches continued, then Johannes Mauritinus Goetchins labored here from 1757, to 1760, Abraham Rosenkrantz to 1765, and followed here by Schuyler, in 1766. Schuyler dying in 1778, a young man officiated occasion- ally, by the name of Schneyder, until the in- vasion of Johnson and Brant, when the people were so thrown in confusion and poverty, that church matters stood still until peace was pro- claimed. The next and first resident pastor was Rynier VanNess, from Long Island, who re- mained to the coming of DeVoe, in 1808, who preached. The latter remained to the year 1815, and from that to the present time we will accept the list given in the Manual.
1816-1827-J. F. Schermnehorn. 1827-1833-J. Garretson. 1834-1838-J. B. Steele. 1840-1842-Joshua Boyd. 1842-1845-L. Messerreau, Presbyterian Sunday school.
1845-1852-Jacob West.
1852-1854-I. M. See.
1855-1863-E. Vedder.
1863 -- W. E. Bogardus.
1863-1870-John L. Lott, D. D.
1870-1876-Sanford W. Roe, D. D.
1876-1880-J. S. Gardner. 1880 -- Elbert N. Sebring, present pastor.
The church at the present time, is one of the leading ones of the County in earnest interest, liberality, and promptness of duty to all relig- ous demands, without that boisterous display that is so often practiced by many of our modern churches, and which reverts the desired and in- tended aim. The membership numbers one hundred and fifteen, among whom are many of the leading families of the community, who take a just pride in the ancient organization and church edifice. The exterior of the building is the same as when first built, with the exception of a portion of the steeple which was remodeled in a measure in 1813, when the first bell was purchased and placed within it. The interior has been changed at different times, to suit the changing taste of the acting generations, and has lost nearly all of its originality, except in the
* Corwin's Manual.
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURGH.
height of the gallery, which remains the same, and gives to the whole an ancient appearance.
The report of the church for the year ending the Ist of April, 1882, was as follows :-
Number of families, 90.
Died, I. Total in communion, 115.
Number of catechumens, 20.
Total number of Sunday School scholars, 100.
Contributions for religious and benevolent purposes, $58.25.
For congregational purposes, $1,063.39.
Present officers :-
Elders,
Peter S. Danforth,
M. Geurnsey, W. G. Becker,
James Lawyer, M. D.,
George L. Danforth.
Deacons,
George W. Zeh, George W. Dodge, W. E. Bassler, Jacob L. Engle, Joseph Jenks.
Referring thus to the Reformed church, we - will give notice here of the remaining churches, although they are of a niore recent date, and then run back to objects of long ago, when many of those who lie sleeping beneath the green turf of the ancient cenietery, were
" Actors in life's drama,"
and their children that lived when
" Discord raised its trumpet's notes, And carnage beat its horrid drum. "
The Lutheran Church .- Upon the records we read :
"St Marks Evangelican Lutheran church was founded the 17th May, A. D., 1824, Rev. Geo. A. Lintner, A. M. pastor."
"Elders-Andreas Loucks,Abraham Lawyer, Joseph Borst.
" Deacons - Wilhelmus Bouck, Jeremiah Loucks, Abram Haines.
"Trustees - Jacob Livingston, William C. Bouck, Joseph I. Borst, Thomas Bouck, Abram Haines, Joseph Bouck, Philip Bergh, Jun., Free- man Stanton, John Henry.
ยท "Architect-James Rider.
" Other foundations can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Ist Cor. iii 2."
This congregation, originally was in connec- tion with Schoharie, Cobleskill and Breakabeen, but at the close of Dr. Lintner's pastorate, which was fifteen years, it became a separate charge with Breakabeen and after became in- dependent. The first house of worship was erected in 1824, and was dedicated on the 30th of October of that year. The building was burned on the ist of April, 1855, and was not replaced until the year 1870, when the present structure was erected. The society worshipped in the intervening time in the school house, and other churches.
The records from Dr. Lintner's pastorate to the year 1860, are not complete, and while we know of the pastors that followed him, we are unable to tell their given names and the years in which they labored.
1824-1839-Rev. George A. Lintner. 1834-1844-Rev. - Lefler. Rev. - Crounse. Rev. Levi Sternbergh. Rev. -- Conell. Rev. - English.
1860-1865-Adam Martin.
1865-1871-David Swope.
1871-1873-E. S. Sprecker.
1873-1876-C. P. Witacar.
1876 -J. D. Harkey, present pastor.
The officers are :-
Elders-E. Van Aucken, J. E. Young, D. D. Bouck, L. S. Wells.
Deacons-G. N. Frisbee, Emmet Haines, H. M. Marcellus, John Rickard.
Trustees-Jacob Neville, N. Manning, G. N. Frisbee.
The Lutheran Sabbath school under the su- perintendence of Mr. J. E. Young, editor of the Middleburgh Gazette, is a marked feature of
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the church's spirit and consists of one hundred and twenty-five teachers and scholars.
The Methodist Church. - The Methodist Church edifice is the largest and most costly structure for divine worship in the County.
While this society's existence has been short in comparison with the Reformed and Lutheran, yet its present prosperous condition exhibits the energy and spirit that is so becoming in the laborers of the "vineyard."
The first notice of an organization was read by Rev. John W. Dennison in the school house of District No. 7, of this town on the Ist day of December, of 1832, and on the 9th of the same month the following were elected trustees :
Malachi Potter, Anthony Engle, Peter W. Mann, James Sternberg, Harvey Watson.
An edifice was built at the head of Main street in the same year, which became too small for the congregation, and which forced the so- ciety to build the present structure in 1875, at a cost of thirty five thousand dollars. Through the labors and courtesy of Rev. James L. At- well, the present pastor, we find the records com- plete. Among them is a list of the Presiding Elders of the Albany District, since the year 1832. As a goodly share of the County is in his jurisdiction, under the Methodistical system we will here give them, with the year in which they presided.
1832-1835-Henry Stead.
1836-1839-Miner Sherman. 1840-1843-Charles Sherman. 1844-1847-Ephraim Gorse.
1848 -John Lindsey died. John Clark was elected to fill ya- cancy and remained till 185 1.
1852-1855-Truman Seymour.
1856-1859-Henry L. Starks.
1860-1863-William Griffin, D. D.
1864-1867-Rodman H. Robinson. 1868-1871-Samuel Meredith.
1872-1875-Chester F. Burget.
1876-1879-Homer Eaton, D. D. 1880 -J. L. Sawyer, present incumbent.
The pastors of the congregation have been as follows :-
1832-John Harlam and John Dennison.
1833-William Ames.
1834-James R. Goodrich.
1835-Roswell Kelly and Henry Williams.
1836-Roswell Kelly and Henry Burton.
1837-1838-Henry Coleman and Peter W. Smith. 1839-Henry Williams, Valentine Brown and Joseph Crounse.
1840-1841-Hiram Chase.
1842-David Poor, Isaac De Voe.
1843-David Poor, Charles Gilbert.
1844-Amos Osborne,
1845-1846-Madley Witherell.
1847-1848-Charles E. Giddings.
1849-1850-John W. Belknap.
1851-1852-Charles De Voe.
1853-1854-Bishop Isbell.
1855-1856-J. D. Burnham.
1857-1858-Selah W. Brown.
1859-1860-John Pegg.
1861-1862-William Clark.
1863-1864-Horace L. Grant.
1865-1866-1867-Jeremiah S. Hart.
1868-1869-Aaron D. Heaxt.
1870-1871-James B. Wood.
1872-1874-John A. Savage.
The foregoing officiated in the old church while the following have officiated in the new.
1875 -- Sylvester W. Clemins. 1876-1877-Charles F. Noble.
1878-1880-John L. Atwell, present pastor.
The class-leaders are at present (1881) :
H. D. Wells, M. D.,
S. Requa, John H. Cornell,
L. D. Mann,
E. Winegar, John Avery, M. Rickard.
The trustees are : -
H. D. Wells, M. D., Almerin Cornell,
J. H. Malory, G. E. Borst, W. H. Albro.
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURGH.
The Stewards are :--
G. S. Lynes, J. H. Cornell, A. L. Vroman, Harvey Borst, George W. Vroman, R. F. Noxin, C. A. White, J. B. Niffin, Austin France.
The church membership is 310, and the Sab- bath school, under the superintendence of Aus- tin France, is the largest and most interesting in the County, numbering twenty-eight officers and teachers and three hundred and ten scholars.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church .- From the records of this church we copy the following :
"The first service of the Episcopal church, held at Middleburgh, seems to have been about the year 1852, by a missionary stationed at Schoharie, who used to come over occasionally, bringing a melodian and singer with him, and officiated in the Methodist house of worship, then standing near the old Dutch grave-yard. REV. M. HAYDEN.
"In the year 1853, the Rev. M. Porter, of Schoharie, began to hold regular services here. In the year 1854, owing to the influence of Mr. and Mrs. David Beekman, M. Porter was in- duced to remove to Middleburgh, and the pro- ject of building a church was set on foot.
" For the building of the church, a subscrip- tion was raised by general contributions in the village, on the understanding that the edifice was also to be used for school purposes, under the auspices of the Episcopal church, but that the religious instruction imparted in said school, if any, was not to be distinctively Episcopalian, in other words, it was not to be a parish school.
" In addition to the amount locally contrib- uted, the sum of about five hundred dollars was received from the church authorities of the diocese of New York, to aid in the erection of the building.
"The service books (now in use in the church,) and the communion plate, were donated
by members of the family of the late Bishop Wainwright, of New York, and the organization took the name of the Wainwright Institute and Chapel, but was subsequently changed to St. Luke's church of Middleburgh.
" Mr. Porter taught a school during his in- cumbency. The church was finished in the autumn of 1855.
" Mr. Porter was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Mc- Ilwaine, who did not continue the school. He remained but five months, and was followed by Rev. Mr. Hedges, who, with his wife, conducted the school with success.
"He remained two years, and owing to ill health, resigned, and the Rev. M. Bishop suc- ceeded him, who was in Deacon's orders. The next rector was Rev. T. K. Coleman, who re- mained two years.
" After some years, Rev. Edwin Slade came as a missionary, and in April, 1868, was elected rector.
" During his incumbency, the Rectory was built, and in 1870, he left the Parish. 1872 brought Rev. George G. Jones, who closed his connection in 1873, and was succeeded in that year, by Rev. Joseph E. Lindholm, who re- mained until October, 1875. In the latter year, Rev. M. Nisbett followed, and closed his term in 1879.
"In October, 1879, the Rev. H. C. E. Cos- telle took charge. * *
In the latter part of 1879, a class for catecheti- cal instruction was formed with four children, which grew to a Sabbath-school, and at this time, March 1, 1881, is not in order."
The officers are :
Wardens-Samuel Dennison, William H. Engle.
Vestrymen-Joseph J. Efner, Charles Bouck, Ralph P. Hyde, and others.
The True Reformed Church .- The organiza- tion of the above church is not now kept up, but about the year 1836 it was one of the working congregations of the place. In that year the present dilapidated church edifice was built, but the pulpit has never been supplied by a resident
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
pastor. Henry and Marcus Bellinger, of Sharon, were the main pastors, in connection with other churches scattered around the eastern part of the State. The latter gentleman, a short time previous to his death, in a conversa- tion with the writer, claimed this charge as a monument of his labors in the cause of Christ. While their strict Calvanistic doctrines are looked upon as peculiar by the majority of the Biblical scholars of the nineteenth century, we find large congregations here and there that closely adhere to them and hold a power but little realized by those of unlike religious senti- ments.
Middle Fort .- We have thus given consid- erable space to the affairs relating to the Re- formed church, as the organization is the oldest landmark in the town, and around the history of which there has been a cloud of doubts. We will now turn to the next object of interest, the old Fort, which recalls the stirring events of the Revolution and awakens a deep, deserving pride of patriotic ancestry.
The portion of the building that remains was the wing or kitchen part of Johannes Becker's mansion, and was first barricaded with rails and timbers, to serve as a fort on the threatened in- vasion of Captain McDonald and Crysler in August, 1777. The militia and continental sol- diers that assembled here upon that day marched up the valley to meet the foe, as stated in Chap- ter III, and the miniature fort was not utilized upon the occasion, except to shelter the patriots upon their return. Being centrally situated and in the midst of a prosperous farming section, when the authorities located buildings for de- fense, later in the fall of 1777, this house was chosen and made as impregnable as their means and material would allow. By looking over the ground, and bearing in mind the number of cit- izens and soldiers that frequently assembled here, besides what tradition tells us, there must have been nearly three acres enclosed within the pickets.
The barn belonging to the farm was enclosed and stood about ten rods to the east of the house and was used as barracks for the soldiers together with another building built for the same purpose to the south of it. The citizens built
huts for their own accommodation within the enclosure, and to them they resorted each night for safety. By the side of the house, which was about thirty by fifty and joined the wing on the south, was a staging or cupola that overlooked the valley and in which the patriots stood upon the eventful 17th of October, and directed their death dealing missiles in the enemy's ranks. "Upon the Northeast and Southwest corners of the enclosure," says author Simms,"were block- houses where cannons were mounted." " A brass nine-pound cannon was mounted on the southwest and an iron one at the diagonal cor- ner, each of which as the block houses projected, commanded two sides of the inclosure."
An oven was built in which forty loaves of bread could be baked at a time, and in which, weekly, were put the neighborhood's bakings. An old lady tells us, her mother looked back to the time spent in the old fort with the most pleasing recollection. We have numbered no less than ten marriages that tradition tells us were contracted here between the sturdy sol- diery and the buxom, warm-hearted girls that necessity compelled to remain a goodly share of the time at the fort. Here we may say that a better opportunity of selecting a "help meet" could not be presented, and a better class to se- lect from was not to be found. It is a fact worthy to be brought to notice that the girls and women of those days were, exceptionally, robust, vigorous, healthy, and through the teach- ings of their religious mothers, conscientious to a fault, tidy and industrious, affable and exem- plary. Beneath the present building was the magazine that was so faithfully guarded by Colonel Vroman upon the day of battle, and which held such a meagre supply of powder that the Colonel was fearful of the consequences in letting his men know the fact.
He stood firm and dealt it out himself, say- ing each time, "there is plenty left"-" fire away and make each shot count !" When we consider the strength of the foe, at least four to one-and the destitution of the garrison, pow- der, bullets and nearly everything, we cannot but admire the patriot's courage and fortitude there displayed, and not wonder at the fears Major Woolsey entertained of making an effort to oppose the blood-thirsty foe. But they were
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TOWN OF MIDDLEBURGH.
brave hearts, not petted- by honors of position, but by hardship and privations, that swelled in contempt and disdain, to falter in their purpose of opposing the desecrators of their homes and firesides. The main force of the enemy marched direct to the cast of the garrison from the old church they burned, (which stood about four rods back of Wallace Rickard's residence) and took their station upon a knoll a little north of east, and upon lower ground to the north of it, and threatencd the annihilation of the little fort. Why a greater effort was not made to force the patriots to surrender is a mystery, as their army was sufficient to have stopped all communication with the upper and lower forts, and inevitably have starved them out, if a sur- render could not have been effected in any other way. Undoubtedly the obstinacy the patriots displayed in firing upon the flag of truce, before it was fairly started, lcd Johnson to believe they were assured they could cope successfully with him. Simms in his "Border Wars" says, of the effect the British guns had upon the garrison : "Three shells were well thrown from this posi- tion by the enemy at the fort and many cannon shot were fired, but with less precision, the most
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