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 36
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H. A. Blodgett, Commander.
Alonzo Parslow, S. V. C. William C. Brazee, J. V. C. Samuel Dennison, Adjutant. S. L. Rifenburgh, Q. M. Walter Wheeler, Sergeant. Rev. J. S. Harkey, Chaplain. J. K. Alberson, O. D.
George W. Bishop, S. M. Edward H. Becker, Q. S. Charles H. Bartholomew. Peter G. Brazee. William J. Blodgett. William H. H. Boorn.
John H. Babcock. George W. Babcock. Edward Dennison, William Doty. Orrin Duncan. Reuben Cane.
Malachi Coons.
Henry Eggleston. George D. Eggleston.
Albert Efner. Linard Heal.
Leopold Huysong.
Lewis B. Hans. John Holmes.
David Jackson.
David Layton.
George McBain.
William M. Myers.
Albert Nasholts.
Leonard Pratt.
Jacob Parlianan.
John Rorick. Melvin Richmond.
Hiram Wright.
A. M. Wilday. Henry D. Wood.
Martin Wilsey.
John D. Rodgers.
John S. Smith.
John Schram.
Edmond Shaver. Calvin Traver.
William H. Vroman.
Reuben Wiley.
Charles H. Wright.
Jacob Williams. Levans H. . Wilsey. John Whitbeck. David Weyman.
Of the part taken by the town in the late Re- bellion we copy from a speech delivered by Wil- liam E. Thorne upon Decoration day, 1880, at Middleburgh :--
"The town of Middleburgh alone furnished two hundred and eighty-nine volunteers out of a voting population of but seven hundred and forty. Twenty-nine of those volunteers who left their homes, bid adieu to affectionate and loving friends, endured the deprivations and hardships of a soldier's fare, and braved death for their country's cause, lost their lives in the service and are still sleeping upon southern soil where their comrades have laid them. But their memories are still fragrant and the recollection of their heroic deeds is still tenderly cherished here."
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224
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
As in other towns, an accurate record of the amount of money raised by the town to procure soldiers to fill out the quota from time to time was not kept.
Middleburgh Cornet Band .- This band was organized on the 18th of December, 1876, and consisted of fifteen pieces. Professor Salfred gave the first instructions and by close application to study and practice, the corps have become apt and skilled musicians.
The charter officers were :-
President, J. E. Young. Vice-President, G. B. Hyde. Secretary, P. B. Couchman. Treasurer, W. G. Shafer. Trustees, G. W. Coewell, G. W. Neville, B. W. Chase.
INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE.
During the winter of 1880 and 1881, several of the prominent citizens of the place, became in- terested in the incorporation of the village, chief among whom was F. X. Straub. A sur- vey, map and verbal description of the bound- aries were made, and in due course of time the following notice appeared, which we here copy, as it gives the boundaries as adopted by a ma- jority of the citizens :-
" Between the hours of Ten A. M., and Three P. M., on the 16th day of April, 1881, at the Hotel kept by E. D. Atchinson, within the territory hereinafter described, an election will be held to determine whether or not the proposed territory described and indicated by the survey, map and verbal description of boundaries left for examination at the place of business of F. X. Straub, in the village and town of Middleburgh, Schoharie county, N. Y., shall be incorporated as a village. The proposed name of such village is "The Village of Mid- dleburgh," and the verbal description of its boundaries is : 'Beginning at a locust tree standing on the East bank of the Schoharie Creek, and on the North line of a piece of land owned by W. H. Engle, lying at the lower end of the village, and running from thence as the needle pointed February 18th, 1881 ; North
eighty-four degrees East following the line be- tween David Zeh and Hezekiah L. Manning, 62 chains and 64 links, to a Cedar tree on the said line. Thence South one degree East 68 chains and 50 links to an apple tree on the side-hill, above Cliff Cottage-thence South 4 degrees East 53 chains and 50 links to a Pine tree in the Cemetery, thence South 77 degrees West 1 I chains to a large Pine tree on the East line of the farm occupied by Jonas Bagley-thence North 60 degrees West 82 chains to an Elm tree on the East bank of the Schoharie Creek- thence North 29 degrees East 38 chains and 30 links, to the centre of the highway-fifteen feet west of the west end of the Middleburgh Bridge -thence North 4 degrees West 45 chains and 40 links to place of beginning, containing seven hundred acres of land.' The amount proposed to be expended the first year of the incorporation, for ordinary expenditures as de- fined in an act entitled 'An act for the incor- poration of villages,' passed April 20th, 1870, and its amendments is $100."
Signed,
George Dodge.
G. N. Frisbie.
J. E. Young. H. D. Wells.
Harrison Hallenbeck.
Wm. Dunn.
M. Geurnsey.
J. L. Engle.
David Bassler.
W. H. Engle. John H. Mallery.
W. E. Thorne.
Hadley Snyder.
A. J. Freemyer. G. S. Lynes.
John H. Cornell.
Frank X. Straub.
J. B. Badgley.
G. L. Danforth.
Joseph Becker.
W. E. Bassler.
J. Neville.
D. Beekman.
Marvin Scutt.
Dr. James Lawyer.
225
TOWN OF MIDDLEBURGH.
'The total number of votes cast at the elec- tion was two hundred and fifty-eight, of which one hundred and eighty were cast for, and seventy-eight against an incorporation.
OFFICIALS.
Middleburgh has liad a long list of officials, and many of them the most prominent, as will be seen by Chapter VI. The early records of the town are not accessible, much to our regret, as we desire the names of the supervisors, at least. Those that we are privileged to examine, date back only to 1844, leaving forty-seven years without a record. The following, with the date of service, are the names of the super- visors :-
1844-David B. Danforth.
1845-Mathew Franklin. 1846 -- do
1847-Uriah Rider.
1848-Henry Hauver.
1849-Stephen Vosburgh.
1850-George Bouck.
1851- do
1852-George W. Tibbits.
1853-David Becker.
1854-Edward Pinder.
1855-George E. Danforth.
1856- do
1857- do
1858- do
1859- do
1860- do
1861-Wm. Shafer.
1862- do
1863-Peter Z. Swart.
1864-Nicholas Beekman.
.
1865-Volney Danforth.
1866-Hamilton Becker.
1867-Alex. Bouck. 1868- do
1869-Bartholomew Becker.
1870-Peter Z. Swart.
1871- do
1872-Nathaniel Manning.
1873-John D. Wheeler.
1874- do
1875- do
1876- do
1877-John D). Wheeler.
1878-Hadley Snyder,
1879- clo
1880- do
1881-
do
1882-
do
HUNTER'S LAND.
At the time the lands around Scholarie, in- cluding Middleburgh, were surveyed in 1710, they were named in honor of Governor Hunter, by whose orders they were surveyed and ex- plored. But those immediately along the valley, as by custom among the Indians, retained their original name Schorie, or Schoharry, and the country lying east upon higher grounds, for a long distance back, was called Huntersfield. Johannes Lawyer, the second, purchased a large tract in 1768, which is now included in that part of the town called Hunter's Land. The set- tlement was not made at an early date, and with very few exceptions, until after the Revolution. The Posson family came before that event. The grandfather of Peter W. Posson came from Germany and settled about the year 1760. We will here state that the father of Mrs. Posson, Philip Bartholomew, canie over with LaFayette at sixteen years of age and held a captain's commission under hin during the war, and when the general returned, Captain Bartholomew, as did hundreds of his soldiers, resigned his com- mission and became a citizen of the united col- onies, and after a few years wandered to this part of the country. We find many from near counties located here, among whom was Jesse H. Alger, from Saratoga county, who came in 1810. After a quiet and successful life, he died in 1867. Daniel Barkman also came about the year 1815, from Rensselaer county, and was elected justice of the peace in 1840. Mr. Bark- inan held the office up to the year 1876, when age demanded of him retirement, and Merritt McComber, succeeded him. It is a very un- common occurrence in these days of political jealousies, for one to hold an office that term of years, and it bespeaks confidence, integrity and acknowledged ability of the people in and of the official.
Adam Snyder & Sons we find are engaged in
226
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
trade and blacksmithing, they being immigrants from Lorraine in France, but of German origin. They settled here in 1840, and have identified themselves with the business of the place.
Town boundary by act of 1713, "And at that part of said county of Schohary beginning at the place where the Cobleskill road crosses the Punch-kill, thence with a straight line to the northwest corner of a patent grant to Michael Byrne and others, thence with a straight line to the west corner of the house now or late of Jacob Best near the head of the north branch of the West-kill, thence continuing the same line to a tract of land called Blenheim, thence easterly along the northerly bounds of Blen- heim, until it strikes Schoharie creek, thence easterly with a straight line to the north east corner of the dwelling house now or late of Moses White, thence with the same line con- tinued to the bounds of the county, thence northerly along the same to the south east cor- ner of the town of Schoharie, thence along the southerly bounds thereof to the place of begin- ning, shall be and continue a town by the name of Middleburgh."
CHAPTER XV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
FORMATION OF NEW DORLACH - SHARON- DORLACH GRANT-FIRST SETTLERS-LATER SETTLERS - PETER SOMMERS - MERENESS BROTHERS-WILLIAM BEEKMAN-EARLY AF- FAIRS-BATTLE OF SHARON-COLONEL MA- RINUS WILLET -- AMBUSH FORMED -- INCIDENTS OF THE DAV-LEEM AND HOPPER FAMILIES- MARIA LEEM-CAPTURE OF MVNDERT AND OTHERS-WILLIAM KNEISKERN-REV. PETER N. SOMMERS -- ST. JOHN'S CHURCH-REFORMED CHURCH-CONDITION OF SETTLERS-TURN- PIKES -- TAVERNS-BEEKMAN'S CORNERS-PETER A. HILTON-ROBERT ELDREDGE-ELDREDGE
FAMILY-DR. PALMER-SOUR KROUT MES- SAGE -PETER PARADOX-ENGLE'S MILL- LEESVILLE-DORMANT VILLAGES-LEESVILLE LUTHERAN CHURCH - LEESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH-CEMETERY-ROCKVILLE-SHARON SPRINGS-PUBLIC HOUSES-ANALYSIS OF WA- TER-MERCHANTS-ROMAN CHURCH -- SHARON CENTRE - JOHN BEAKLEY - SHARON HILL AND HOLLOW-E. S. WALES - ZACHARIAH KEVES-HOTEL-MERCHANTS-KILLING OF VAN SCHAIK - STAGE HOUSE - JOHANNES LOUCKS - WILLIAM DAVENPORT - OTHER LOUCKS' FAMILIES-LEMUEL CROSS-KLING SETTLEMENT-JOHN ADAM KILTS - SLATE HILL CEMETERY-BELLENGER FAMILY-VAN- VALKENBURGHS - TILLAPAUGH - GILBERT'S CORNERS-REFORMED CHURCH OF SHARON -MASONIC LODGE-OFFICIALS -- BOUNDARIES.
T HE territory of this town was embraced in the county of Tryon, from March 12, 1772, to April 2, 1784, when old Tryon was changed to Montgomery, in honor of General Richard Montgomery, whose patriotic princi- ples proved more agreeable to the victorious patriots than to the Colonial Governor. Upon the formation of Otsego county on the 16th of February, 1791, a portion of Carlisle, all of Seward and Sharon, formed the town of " New Dorlach," agreeable to the wishes of many of the first settlers here found that immigrated from Dorlach in Germany from 1750 to 1760, and located here in 1754 and 1760.
When Schoharie was formed, the town or the eastern part of it was annexed to it, under the name of Sharon, from a town in Connecticut, from which Calvin Rich and John Rice with their families came immediately after the Revolution.
While the bounds were defined in part at that time, yet a perfect formation of the town was not made until 1797. Dr. Tinas Pynneo represented the town as "New Dorlach " in the Board of Otsego Supervisors in 1795, and at Schoharie in 1796 and 1797. Owing also to the fact of the settlers coming from Dorlach, a
227
TOWN OF SHARON.
large tract of land granted to Jacob B. Johan- nes, John Jost, and Michael Borst, William Bauch (Bouck), Johannes Braun (Brown), Michael Heltzinger (Hillsinger), Johannes Schaeffer, Hendrick Haines, Johannes and Jacob Lawyer, Christian Zeh, Mathias Bauman, Lambert Sternberg, Barent Keyser, Peter Nicholas Sommers, which lay wholly in the original town, was called the " Dorlach Grant." The Germans pronounced the name " Turlah," as they still do at the present time.
Johannes Lawyer and Jacob Borst purchased the interest of the remaining owners, after each selected a large farm, and at last the former became the sole owner. The grant has of late years been designated by surveyors as the " Borst Patent."
The first settlers of the present condensed town were :-
Peter and Nicholas Sommers, sons of Peter N. Sommers, Peter and Andrew Loucks, Christian Myndert, - Kling, Peter McDougle, Lambert Sternberg, Jr.,
The Hoppers (Harpers), and Leems (Lambs) families.
During the Revolution all immigration ceased, but as soon as peace was proclaimed up to the year 1800 the greatest influx of settlers was made chiefly from the Cobleskill, Schoharie and Mohawk valleys. This seemed to be the meet- ing ground for those branching off from those settled portions. The Mereness, Fritche, (now Fritcher) Bellinger, Ball, Hyney, Falk, Van Valkenburgh and Vanderwerken families came from those sections, while Calvin Pike, Calvin Rich, Eldredges, Beekman, Adams, Hiller, John Rice and Tinas Pynneo, mostly Yankees of New England, located here and all became influential and successful business men. Peter, eldest son of Rev. P. N. Sommers, kept the first store, dealing chiefly in groceries and ashes, as was customary for all merchants in new settlements. Peter held a commission during the French war, under the Crown of England, and while he was neither called upon nor had occasion to act in
the capacity of a soldier, he had, nevertheless, sworn fidelity to the King. When hostilities commenced between the mother country and the colonies he thought he could not consistently, with his strict religious principles, act contrary to his oath by taking up arms against the gov- ernment, and not wishing to engage against the patriot's cause, he removed to Canada in 1777, from whence he never returned. His brother, Nicholas, settled upon the land his father pur- chased, on a portion of which his son, David Sominers, now resides.
Abram and John Mereness removed here from the Mohawk in 1786, and settled upon the farm lately occupied by Squire Abram, son of Abram, the first settler. Squire Mereness passed away in February of 1881, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-six. In 1806, he was elected collector of the town, and the year fol- lowing Justice of the Peace, which office he held seventeen years and resigned to hold that of loan commissioner. Upon our visiting him nearly one year ago, we were surprised to find him in the possession of his mental faculties to such a degree as to give dates of transactions, the records of which were supposed to have been lost. Subsequent searching proved his accuracy. He was in his younger days an active politician, in union with Judge Beekman, John Ingold, Jun., John Rice and Calvin Rich, and was the arbitrator of local disputes for many years. When questioned in regard to early political af- fairs the "vim" of other days seemed to return and animate the feeble form to enter the arena again. A near neighbor to him was William Beekman.
William Beekman was honored with the ap- pointment of First Judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas upon the formation of the County, and held the office until the year 1833, when John C. Wright, then of Esperance, suc- ceeded him. Of Judge Beekman's early history we are indebted to his only living child, Cor- nelius Beekman, now of Albany, who in his old age is deprived of his sight. The Judge was born upon the ocean, was of German parentage, and was early accepted by Colonel Willett as an errand boy. He attended school but six months previous to his entering Willett's service. After
228
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the close of the Revolution, about the year 1788, he came to this town, and began as a merchant in a small way, and soon acquired sufficient means to purchase the farm upon which he died. During his life here he con- tinued trade in connection with agriculture, and proved successful in both. Upon the formation of the County we find men of fine legal ability here whom one would naturally think would be honored with the appointment of First Judge, but one of the last acts of Gov- ernor George Clinton was to cast the honor upon Mr. Beekman. What influence was brought to bear upon the council of appointment toconcur in the choice, we cannot say, nor whether he was the only candidate. We only know that Beek- man, a youthful pioneer, without education, received the honor and performed the duties with dignity and grace.
Beside his judicial appointment he was elected to the State Senate in 1799, 1800, 1801 and 1802, and held many minor positions in cor- porate bodies. He was small in stature, with a well proportioned frame, and a very round head which he carried erect, and with hair always closely cut. He became gray at an early day, and upon his death was somewhat bald. He married Joanna Low, (whose parents came from New Jersey,) by whom he had seven sons and three daughters. Those that grew to man and womanhood and married, were John, Nicholas, William, Cornelius, Dow and Duryea. Maria was the only daughter married. Her husband was Hoffman Ten Eyck.
The Judge built a spacious mansion west of Beekman's Corners in 1802-'04, which is still standing, having the appearance of a "baronial hall," in which he lived in princely style until his death, which occurred on the 26th of November, 1845, at the age of seventy-eight. His remains were deposited in the family vault, near the residence, and lying near are five of his first children, the eldest being born in the year 1789. Mrs. Beekman lies beside him,having died in December, 1835, at the age of seventy.
The mother of Mrs. Beekman also is buried near, and we find she was born in Elizabeth- town, New Jersey, in March, 1732, and died in Sharon in October, 1821. Without doubt the Judge was the first man that kept a general as-
sortment of merchandise in the town, and for a number of years did a large business. His barns, sheds and barracks were at one time swept away by the hand of an incendiary, although at the same time but few men en- joyed the confidence and respect of his neigh- bors and the country at large as did the Judge.
EARLY AFFAIRS.
Nothing unusual occurred until the Revolu- tionary war. The Indians, chiefly Mohawks, occasionally visited their German neighbors on their hunting and begging excursions, and a friendly feeling existed between them which the timid portion of the settlers dared not provoke, and during the struggle partially sided with the Crown and remained " passive." It is easy for us who are safely ensconced beneath the pro- tecting arm of the government to think and speak lightly of those who lived in the border settlements and were thus timid. If the struggle had proved averse to the patriots, while we would perhaps commend them for their patriot- ism and bravery, we would have considered them to have been foolish to have undertaken such an enterprise while laboring under suclı great disadvantages. As the result was the most pleasing, we are apt to censure many-and perhaps noble characters-who made patriotic and useful citizens after. A number an- swered the call of the Crown in 1777 from old "Turlah " to unite with St. Leger at Fort Stan- wix, and upon his retreat to Canada followed and did not return. A few came back and bathed their hands in their neighbors' blood. At the close of the war, the lands formerly oc- cupied by such Tories were confiscated and principally purchased by the New England settlers. In this, as in other settlements, a few were accused of Toryism unjustly, and the stigma yet stands against their names. The farmers of this town were " well-to-do" at that time, and raised large crops of grain, es- pecially those in the eastern part of the town, then called " Rhinebeck," and along the West Kill.
During Colonel Willett's command of the Mohawk his force was supplied by the granaries of the Tories of "Turlah." Yet many times the
--..
yth
RESIDENCE OF WESLEY H. KILTS, SHARON, N. Y.
229
TOWN OF SHARON.
foraging parties did not hesitate to visit those who were in sympathy with the patriots, pro- vided they possessed the eatables the soldiers wanted.
Many that were thus visited, petitioned to the Legislature after the war closed to be paid for such things as were taken, and in a few cases were successful in receiving compensation. Others could not prove their "patriotism" and failed. A case, originating from grain and hay being taken from Conradt Brown in 1781, was in law for many years, that drew a great inter- est throughout this part of the County and cul- minated but a few years hence. Through re- ports of "Toryism " Mr. Brown was unable to obtain an order of compensation for a number of years, but finally proved his patriotism by producing proof of his furnishing a substitute that was in Willett's command, through Willett himself.
The case and the close of it was thus noticed by the Canajoharie Radii :-
"A very important and interesting case in the Supreme Court, Schoharie County, was also tried before Hon. Peter S. Danforth, Referee, at this place during the second week in August inst., growing out of a Revolutionary clain for the taking of the personal property of Con- radt Brown, in the year 1781, by the United States troops, by order of Colonel Willett, for the supply of the army at Fort Plain on the Mohawk river.
"The State of New York passed an act in 1785, exonerating said Willett, and requiring him to account to the State for the property so taken, and to pay the value of the same, or account therefor to the Treasurer of New York, that it might be brought into account with the United States which was paid by the United States to the State of New York, in 1790, with interest, in order that the persons who were entitled to the same, might make application to our Legislature for the amount respectively due them, for the property so taken. Subsequently, Conradt Brown departed this life ; leaving by his last will and testament, all his interest in this money, to his son, Marcus, who in his life-time, assigned and set over to Messrs. Brown & Machin, one-half of said demand,
providing they procured the passage of a law by our Legislature, to pay the same to Marcus Brown or his legal representatives. The pas- sage of this law was procured by Messrs. Brown & Machin, as per agreement, directing the Treasurer to pay to said Marcus, $1,545. After the passage of the law, said Marcus died, leav- ing Peter Brown, his sole executor, who insisted upon drawing the full amount of the demand, but finally consented that said Machin should draw one-quarter thereof, but refused to allow Severenus Brown to draw any portion thereof ; insisting that the assignment was against public policy and void. Messrs. Brown & Machin had severed their claim, and Severenus Brown brought an action against said Peter, executor, to recover his share of the money, which was referred to Ex-Senator Danforth, of Middle- burgh. Hon. J. H. Salisbury, of Sharon, and J. A. Bloomingdale, Esq., of Albany, appeared as counsel for Severenus, and Messrs. Dewey & Moak, of Cherry Valley, for Peter Brown, the executor.
"When the plaintiff rested his case, Mr. Dewey moved for a non-suit, on the grounds that the claim was not assignable, because it was a mere
. bounty from government, and a mere matter in expectancy; that the consideration of the assignment was an agreement to perform lobby services, and therefore void and against public policy, and cited a number of cases to sustain him. Mr. Salisbury followed in opposition, and exhibited a great deal of ingenuity in his argu- ment, dealing now and then in sarcasm, and cre- ated some considerable laughter by his witticisms aimed at Mr. Dewey, whom he at the same time complimented for his ability and shrewdness. Mr. Bloomingdale also followed in opposition to the motion of Mr. Dewey, and in a very able, pointed and masterly manner discussed the principles of law involved in the case, and went on to show that there was a very wide distinc- tion between the cases cited by Mr. Dewey and the one under discussion ; and that the assign- ment was valid and should be upheld. His argument was unanswerable. The Referee here refused to non-suit the plaintiff, and the defendant proceeded with his defence. We understand that there are about eight thousand dollars depending indirectly upon the result of
·
230
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
this case. It was an important question and brought out the talent on both sides."
Battle of Sharon .- On the 10th of July, 1781, an engagement occurred between the forces of Colonel Willett of Fort Stanwix fame, and less than three hundred regulars and militia, and one Dockstader a Mohawk Tory, at the head of over four hundred Tories and Indians, near Sharon Centre, which was the only battle fought within the town, although hostile parties came very near meeting in conflict upon two other occa- sions. At this time Colonel Willett with Major Robert Mckean was stationed at Fort Plain, and had sent a foraging party over to "Turlah" for supplies, and upon their return they discov- ered the tracks of a large force traveling in a southwesterly direction. To estimate their num- bers, the party walked back and forth by the side of the enemy's trail and judging by the number of tracks thus made, a force of at least three hundred had of late passed along, and were principally Indians. The foragers sent two mes- sengers to apprise Colonel Willett of the fact, and the remainder cautiously followed the trail and found the encampment west of the present buildings belonging to Frederick Hiller. Dcck- stader had that day devastated Currytown and taken several prisoners, a knowledge of which had reached Willett, before the foraging messen- gers had arrived, and he had sent a small force to the relief of that settlement, but too late to be of service. When he was made acquainted of the encampment, he at once, with that in- trepidity that characterized his military life, started with a small force to give battle to the invaders. He bent his course to a small block- house at Friesbush, then in command of Captain Gross, where he increased his force, and having men in his ranks that were from the neighbor- hood, and had a perfect knowledge of the grounds, he was led to make a circuitous march to the west, and place his force, unperceived by the enemy, in a ravine a short distance to the south of the encampment, upon Engle's farm. His march from Fort Plain and the placing of his men was done during the night of the 9th. As day began to appear, he sent men out to make a feint upon the east of the encampment, and by broad daylight the whole force was
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