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 37
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aroused and ready for pursuing the prowlers, but a small squad was led off in an opposite direction, which returned soon without meeting any enemy or having their suspicions aroused. Soon, one McAdemy, of "Turlah," and a Bel- linger, of the Mohawk, cautiously approached the encampment upon the south, and fired into their camp and retreated. They being ready to resume their march, gave chase to McAdemy and his comrades, and were led over the ground now occupied by the store and hotel- along the present road leading to the south, and down into the ravine, to the right, upon the sides of which Willett's men were placed, to give them an unexpected yet warm reception. As the scouts had run quite a distance and were very closely pursued, it was feared that as the enemy entered the gully they would kill them. Colonel Willett, who was stationed upon the left, in his excitement, raised up and swung his hat, exclaiming, "Give it to them, boys, I can catch all the bullets the damn Indians can send." At this, Mckean and his men upon the right, gave them a broadside, and the battle com- menced. The Indians seeing they were cut off from fighting from behind trees, pushed along down the small stream to the southwest, and as they emerged upon the flat, Willett's force and theirs became mixed and they fought
" Hand to hand, and eye to eye,"
as at Oriskany, nearly one quarter of an hour, when the Indians gave a whoop and made a precipitate retreat to the southeast. Willett's force followed nearly three miles, and returned to care for the wounded, Over seventy of the enemy were slain and five of the patriots, there being also a few wounded, among whom was the brave Major McKean. He was taken to Fort Plain and survived but a few days. The next day a party was sent to bury the slain, and among them were found Jacob Diefendorf, a lad taken prisoner at Currytown on the 9th, and whom the savages had scalped upon their retreat, also a small girl, who survived but a few hours after being discovered. Mr. Diefendorf lived to an advanced age, and became one of the wealthiest men of Montgomery county. While the battle of Sharon was of short dura- tion and of less numbers than many others, yet
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but few were more bloody and obstinate than this. It was a counterpart to the one of Oris- kany, in which that valor was displayed which so nobly adorns the annals of American history.
Robert Mckean was a native of Cherry Val- ley, and at the head of a company early entered the service as Captain. For bravery and vigil- ance, he was promoted to Major, and his early death was lamented by his comrades, especially by his superior, Colonel Willett. Mckean was in several engagements, but in none displayed fear or inaction, but on the contrary, the great- est courage and wisdom. While holding a captain's commission in 1780, he joined Van Rensselaer with his company and a body of Oneida Indians to intercept Sir John Johnson in his devastation of the Mohawk valley. His remains, we are told, were buried near the fort at Fort Plain, and the little strong- hold was named in honor of the brave officer, Fort McKean.
"Colonel Marinus Willett was born at Jamaica, Long Island, July 31, 1740. He was a farmer's son, and early entered the Provincial service, and was under Montgomery in his northern expedition as Captain, and at the opening of the campaign of 1777, was placed in command of Fort Constitution as Lieutenant- Colonel. During that year he was ordered to Fort Stanwix, and after the unsuccessful attack of Colonel St. Leger, he was left in command until the summer of 1778, when he joined Washington, and was engaged in the battle of Monmouth. He was in Sullivan's invasion of the Indian country in 1779, and actively en- gaged in the Mohawk valley in 1780, 1781 and 1782. In 1792 he was appointed by Washing- ton to treat with the Creek Indians, and the same year appointed a Brigadier-General in the army intended to act against the Northwestern Indians. He declined, as he was opposed to the expedition. He was Mayor of New York City in 1807, and previous was Sheriff of that county. In 1824 he was chosen Presidential Elector, and was made president of the electoral college. He died in New York August 22, 1830, in the ninety-first year of his age."*
We clip the following from the New York Journal of Commerce :-
" The coffin of Colonel Willett, who recently died in this city, was made of pieces of wood collected by himself inany years ago, from different Revolutionary grounds. The corpse, in compliance with a written request of the de- ceased, was habited in a complete suit of ancient citizen's apparel, including an old fashioned three-cornered hat, which had been preserved for that purpose. It is estimated that seven thou- sand persons passed through the house for the purpose of viewing the remains."
At that time one Leem (Lamb) lived where Augustus Parson now resides, and upon the opposite side of the road lived the Hopper family, upon the farm now owned by George P. Hiller. They were sons-in-law of Har- wanger, who fled to Canada in 1777. Mrs. Harwanger was then living with Hopper and sympathized with the patriots, and while the battle was waging, she retired to the back of the house and prayed to the God of Battles for the patriots' success.
A few days previous to the battle, Leem (Lamb) while asleep, dreamed that an army was to invade the neighborhood, and it worked upon his mind to that extent that he was led to re- move his family to Fort Plain the day before the battle. After the engagement, the remain- der of the settlers quit their places for safety and did not return until the close of the war, except to gather their harvest.
In the fall of that year Mrs. Leem's (Lamb's) daughter, Anna Maria, a young and blooming girl of sixteen, walked over from Fort Plain to the farm to pull flax, but a short distance from the battle-ground, intending to return the same night, but not being able to finish her task, she made a bed of flax in one corner of the lot and remained over night. The next morning she arose with the sun and secured the remainder and walked to the fort by dinner time. How many of the girls of to-day would dare do the same, or think they could even walk that distance ? But few, if any. Con- sidering the natural timidity of the female sex, we think her a heroine, especially in lying through the cheerless night, so near the blood-
* Benson J. Lossing.
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stained battle-field, where imagination would naturally see all the horrors of the strife re- hearsed, and court the disagreeable nervousness of fear, to insanity ! Slic afterwards became the wife of one of the patriotic Karkers, of New Rhinebeck, and the mother of a highly respected family.
On the 9th of July, 1881, a centennial celebra- tion* was held upon the ground on which young Diefendorf was scalped, and was attended by several hundred citizens from the surrounding country. John Beakley, Esq., presided, and ad- dresses were made by John Van Schaick, Esq., and Watson Lamont, Esq., of Cobleskill. A poem by Hon. John Bowdish, and historical address by W. E. Roscoe, were read, and interspersed by both vocal and instrumental music, which, taken together, made very imposing and appropriate ceremonies.
CAPTURE OF MYNDERT AND OTHERS.
The next hostile movement in the town was made where the little hamlet long known as Moak's Hollow now stands, and upon the farm owned and occupied by Joseph Sharpe. About the year 1755 or 1760, one Christian Myndert, now pronounced "Miner" settled upon Mr. Sharpe's farm. · His house stood a little north of the foundry site upon the side hill, on the farm near where the present one stands. Sev- eral incursions were made during the season of 1781, by Colonel Willett's men to obtain sup- plies from the Tories for the garrison at Fort Plain, and squads of Indians were frequently sent to intercept them, and were secreted by the Tories to watch their opportunity to kill or take them prisoners, but being too cowardly to undertake such risks, they failed to be of ser- vice until about the middle of September, 1782. Myndert and family, knowing the Indians were frequently secreted in the neighborhood, became fearful of their safety, and in the fall of 1781, removed to Middleburgh Fort, and returned in the spring with several scouts, to do their spring's work. In September, as above stated, he made a bargain with six others to return to his farm, to harvest his crops, agreeing with the six to divide equally with them. Those that engaged
in the speculation were Jacob and Philip Karker, Lieutenant Jacob Borst, of Cobleskill, William Kneiskern and two others whose names our in- formant cannot recall.
Mrs. Myndert came over to cook for the party. They had worked but a day or two, when one afternoon it began to rain, and they sought the house for shelter, not perceiving a squad of Indians that had gained access to the barn, assisted by one of the neighboring Tories. In entering the house the party placed their guns in one corner of the kitchen and sat down in front of the fireplace to dry their clothing and while chatting, without any idea of insecurity, the door was thrown open and nine powerful Indians with guns and tomahawks, headed by an invete- rate Tory, rushed in, between the party and their guns. The Karkers and Kneiskern en- joyed a knock down, but the muzzle of the In- dians' guns being brought to their breasts, they agreed to submit as prisoners, and were soon on the road to Niagara, by the way of the Susque- hanna river, with their hands bound behind them.
Mrs. Myndert was allowed to return to the middle fort, alone, with the compliments of the Tory commander, to Colonel Vroman. Upon marching through the southern part of the town they barely escaped a party of Willett's men, who were upon a foraging expedition, and had found shelter from the storm in the Tory Philip Crysler's house, but a short distance from the captors' and captives' path. The prisoners were severely treated, especially as they passed through Indian villages, when they were com- pelled to run the gauntlet for the amusement of the younger class of the "noble red man." Their vengeance seemed to be more especially upon Lieutenant Borst, as he had been a terror to the Indians and Tories. The prisoners secretly consulted with each other, except Myn- dert, upon the propriety of effecting an escape, but hardly dared to speak of it to him as he seemed to be a willing captive, but upon arriv- ing at Niagara, they became better acquainted and had opportunities to talk with him upon their desired escape, and found he had wished to broach the subject many times, but was fear- ful of being unsuccessful. The whole party were retained after peace was proclaimed, but they
*See appendix.
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TOWN OF SHARON.
made their escape by digging beneath the pick- ets that enclosed their prison.
William Kneiskern was taken to Rebel Island and there he secretly procured three brandy casks and lashed them together and set him- self afloat upon them. He safely landed upon the American side several miles from the Island and returned to his home. He after- wards settled in Decatur, Otsego county, and was one of four brothers living in Carlisle, two of whom were loyal to the Crown and two true and faithful patriots. Lieutenant Borst had acted as scout through the war, previous to his captivity, and being exposed to all kinds of weather and hardships, he had contracted a severe cough, which terminated in consumption and death, soon after reaching home. Our informant, Solomon Karker, is a nephew of the Karker prisoners, and was conversant with the men themselves and has been a faithful as well as retentive listener to many interesting conversations between the ac- tors of the Revolution.
We find many pages of charming reading in the history of our County, in admiration of less worthy characters than Lieutenant Borst. We find, as in other cases, the praise of doing was given many times to those who pretended to do and the risks and valor of the quiet and un- pretending were coveted by unprincipled braga- docio, and handed down to us to admire. Borst possessed one of the most daring spirits that those times produced, and no labor, endurance, danger or sacrifice was too great for him to lay upon the altar of Liberty and Independence. But the noble patriot lived not to enjoy the sweets of his labors. He drooped and died as the tree of liberty began to thicken with the foliage of political and religious blessings.
The closing life of Rev. Peter N. Sommers, was passed in this town, a few rods to the west of the " St. John's Evangelical church." After preaching over forty years, in various places, but principally at Schoharie, and becoming blind, he settled here and preached occasionally in the neigh aring churches and houses. Formerly he perforn. 1 his ministerial journeys on foot and undoubtedly did not consider his task any more laborious than do many of our modern preach- ers that have two parishes under their charge a few miles apart. The people of those days
seemed to have been created with constitutional strength and capacity for the times, and no amount of endurance was too great for them. Sommers was a ripe scholar and wrote several theological works, also a dictionary of English, High and Low Dutch, words and scriptural pas- sages, which we believe to be the first one writ- ten in America, and which is now in the care of the Lutheran Archæological Institute at Gettys- burgh, with other works of his composition.
We believe his ability to have been greater than is generally conceded, from the fact that his charges were made up of a too illiterate class of people to appreciate his talents. Yet his ministry was successful in the extreme, which shows a mark of greatness in humbling his tal- ented mind to parallel ideas and reasonings of his rude and uneducated flocks. His nephew, Mr. David Sommers, has the old gentleman's Bible, which he brought with him from Germany, and from which he preached so faithfully and earnestly so many long years. The book is bound with heavy hog-skin leather over oak board covers of three-eighths inch thickness, and formerly decorated with heavy brass clasps. The book is prodigious in dimensions, it being nearly eight inches in thickness, eighteen in length, and twelve in breadth, and embellished with large wood cuts of very fine workmanship for those times. It bears the date of 1736. It being very heavy and having been carried here and there, during the Revolution, for safety, and many times the exigency of the case could not warrant careful handling, it has sprung the bind- ing, but otherwise it has been kept very neat, and is in a good state of preservation. It is a relic of great worth, and a place should be es- tablished by the County for the keeping of all such boons as have been handed down to us by our worthy ancestors, there to be preserved in the original form. Those writings at Gettys- burgh should adorn the shelves of a like place in our County, or State, at least. Mr. Som- mers showed us a manuscript of Bible passages in English, High and Low Dutch, that were written by his grandfather, in a plain, neat and precise manner, and which we think were for school purposes, as it was common for the then languages to be used, independent of each other in the schools and religious meetings. Reverend
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
Sommers organized the Rhinebeck and "Tur- lah " churches, in 1775. The former was called "St. Peter's," and the latter "St. John's." The Turlah meetings, previous to 1796, were held in barns, (they being more spacious than the houses,) when a church edifice was built upon the brow of the hill below Mr. - Empie's, but which was taken down upon the building of the present structure. A few graves mark the spot, as well as the neglect of the present age in caring for the resting places of those who founded our happy homes. Rev. Henry A. Moeller, was the first resident pastor, as also of St. Peter's, and the same pastors officiated in the two churches up to the closing of services in that ancient edifice. Since that time the following have been the pastors, with the dates of their coming, as near as Mr. David Som- mers can inform us :-
1842-James Fenner. I 845-A. L. Bridgman.
1847-Martin J. Stover. 1848-W. H. Emerick.
1855-L. Swackhammer.
1858-H. Wheeler.
1864-N. Wert.
1866-Hemperly.
1868-I. S. Porter.
1870-N. Klock.
1874-Henry Keller. 1877- do
1877-M. J. Stover, and present.
The first records of this society are lost, and the present ones, as with the majority of churches, are not kept in a systematic manner, as they should be. This society was re-organ- ized on the 6th of June, 1808, according to an act of legislature passed the 27th of March, 1801. We find Jacob Anthony, Peter Traber, and Nicholas Sommers, were then trustees, and Jacob Crounse, clerk. The articles of organ- ization were signed by Henry France, and John Sommers. During the long term of years since that day, we find, with the exception of a few short seasons, that David Sommers, Robert S. Conyer, and John H. Sternbergh, have officiated as clerks of the society.
The Reformed Church of Dorlach was erected the same year that the Lutherans built the
church upon the hill, and still stands as a monument of other days. It has been twice repaired since its erection. The organization dates back to 1771, and was sustained in conjunction with the " Rhinebeck Reformed " (now Lawyersville,) as St. Peter's and St. John's were, although two, yet one.
There was not a resident pastor over the organizations until the year 1796, and from that date to the present time nearly the same pas- tors have officiated as at New Rhinebeck and Lawyersville :-
1796-1798-Bort. 1801-1811-Labagh. 1816-1820-U. Jones.
1829-1832-Raymond.
1833-1837-Bassler. 1838-1840-Frazee.
1841-1845-Chitenden. 1846-1848-Bogardus.
1849-1850-Eckel. 1852-1853-Julian.
1855-1856-N. W. Jones, [ss.]
1856-1864-Raymond.
1867-1871-Van Woert.
1871-1874-Shaffer.
1875-1877-Carr. 1877-1879-Kershaw, [ss.]
At present the church is without a pastor, and as to the organization, all that can be gleaned is given in the Cobleskill Chapter of this work, under the head of the Reformed Church of Lawyersville.
We will here add, that a more regular organi- zation than at first of this branch was made the 3Ist of July, 1795. It should be understood that the churches formed in the border settle- ments, at an early day, were not organized as at a later date. There was no formality, but simply a "coming together " and establishing a society without any prescribed rules or instruc- tions from Synods or Presbyteries, and when they became established, and the head-orders of the church able to reach them and assist, they re-organized them, according to estab- lished tenets of such church.
Condition of Settlers .- While the settlers of the town were well-to-do farmers up to the
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TOWN OF SHARON.
years 1780 and 178r, the inroads made upon their productions by Colonel Willett and In- dians, left them in poverty and compelled the most of them to resort to Schoharie or the Mo- hawk. They did not feel safe personally, and to delve along through the season and have it taken from them in the fall without a recom- pense was too discouraging, and they quit their places, as the timid and the bold Tories had done before. When peace was proclaimed they returned, bringing with them others, who settled near, and all began to make the forest again disappear before their vigorous strokes, and by the year 1800 but a small part, if any, of the town remained unoccupied.
Several farms were confiscated, as their own- ers had proved loyal to the Crown, and did everything to injure the Colonial cause. And several instances occurred where a covetous neighbor made charges of Toryism against others to obtain his possessions at reduced rates, which caused no little trouble,and also iinplant- ed a hatred that is easily aroused, even at this late day. Such charges were not sustained, as it was an easy matter to convince by positive proof, the confiscation committee of true pa- triotism or Toryism. We can say the settlers as they returned were poor, and the year 1784 was one of hardships to them, as the fore part of the season was continual rain, and the latter continual drought. Petitions were sent abroad to older settlements for subsistence, and were liberally responded to, which perhaps saved them from famine.
Turnpike .- In 1793 the route of the " Great Western Turnpike" was laid out through the town, and promises made of a great western thoroughfare that would prove of immense advantage to the country. But long years passed before a regular wagon road was con- structed, not until 1806 and 1807. In 1802 the Loonenbergh road (now Athens-on-the- Hudson) was surveyed but not completed until 1810 and 1811. These roads were the great thoroughfares, and both running through the town, gave an impetus in business that was astonishing. The immigration from the Hud- son river counties and the Eastern States to the west was made by ox and horse teams before
large covered wagons with broad tire, and the country being new produced a large quantity of grain, which was carted to Albany and Catskill, making an immense amount of travel, and gave existence to numberless houses of entertainment then called taverns.
Taverns .- The first one upon the Loonen- bergh road that we will notice was at Beekman's Corners, kept by Jacob Crounse, of Guilder- land, a ready compounder of "flips" and " toddy," much to the satisfaction of his many customers, and above him, to the west, was one kept by Cornelius Beekman, son of Judge Beekman.
Militia training was here frequently held, and it was during one of the drills at this place in 1812, that Lieutenant William Elmandorf, of Lawyersville, (and afterwards Major) procured a fifer and drummer, and marched around the grounds calling for volunteers to join the army on the northern frontier. This company was the first that went from Schoharie County, and did signal service, as will be seen by consulting Chapter IV.
BEEKMAN'S CORNERS.
Beekman's Corners which seems to be so iso- lated at the present time, was in the first quarter of the century the most prominent part of the town, with the exception of Leesville. Here Judge Beekman resided, and around him clus -. tered a sturdy class of people who looked upon him with honor and marked confidence. During a somewhat heated political campaign, a warm politician of the Whig faction asked a neighbor of his if he would support the Whig candidate. He thought a moment and replied, "Shust as Shudge Peekmon dells me." We find the old settlers of each settlement had their confidential advisor, and every matter was left to him, on the plea that they had not the time to consider weighty matters. A short distance to the east Peter A. Hilton, a very energetic man, after a few years in the mercantile trade near the Centre church in Seward, built the present brick man- sion and storehouse now owned and occupied by Mr. John Pindar. Mr. Hilton held several official positions in the town, beside represent- ing the town in the Board of Supervisors in
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
1815 and again in 1819. He represented the County in the Assembly in 1812, 1813, 1816 and 1817, with Heman Hickok, Wm. C. Bouck, Thomas Lawyer, Isaac Barber and Aaron Hub- bard, and proved a successful legislator. A copartnership was formed between hin and Jacob Crounse, which lasted several years. Becoming aged he sold his farm to Judge Robert Eldredge and settled at Hyndsville in 1838, where his son continues the mercantile business.
Robert Eldredge was supervisor of the town in 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1834, 1835, 1836 and 1840, member of assembly, in 1826 and 1831, with Martinus Mattice of Middleburgh, and Daniel Hager, Jr., of North Blenheim, and re- ceived the appointment of assistant judge of Common Pleas, in 1832. While we are not led to think that as grave' and intricate judicial la- bors and duties engaged the minds of the two judges found here, as now, yet we find they per- formed their duties assigned them, with satisfac- tion and dignity. Judge Eldredge was an asso- ciate with John C. Wright, and was born in this town in 1795, and died in December, 1848, consequently was fifty-three years of age.
His grandfather, Edward Eldredge, in com- pany with a brother, emigrated from Wales, and settled upon Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After residing there a short time,he came to this town in 1788.
He had five sons. Barnabas was the fourth, and was the father of Robert and Seth. He represented the County in the legislature in 1820, and 1821. Seth also held the same posi- tion in 1844, and his son Edward in 1865. Thus we see the Eldredge family have been prominent citizens of the town and County, in an official point of view, and perhaps few families can be found, who possess the genius required to "keep a hotel " equal to this family, from the oldest to the youngest. Their fame is known to the travel- ling public, as adepts in the business to which we shall hereafter have occasion to allude.
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