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 43
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Peter Hynds was a very energetic man, in whom the people had great confidence. In
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1829 he represented the Western District in the Assembly, and each year was honored by his townsmen with some office of trust. He was justice of the peace for a long series of years, and was the first supervisor elected in the town, which office he held for three terms, 1840, 1841 and 1851. On the 24th of August, 1864, he died at Hyndsville, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.
The earliest settlement in the town is sup- posed to have been in 1754. Judging by cer- tain circumstances, as well as by a careful searching of old records, we believe that the Haines family were the first settlers in this town, although their settlement has been fixed at a later date by many. We may possibly be mistaken, still we are led to think they were the first, followed soon after by Sebastian France, William Spornhyer, Henry . Fritz, Will- iam Hynds, and two brothers, Frederick and Michael Merckley. They were all Germans of the Palatine order, trusty, industrious and frugal.
We have examined letters, deeds and leases, given to different parties, (actual settlers), and find the earliest date to be 1757. One lease from Johannes Lawyer requires the lessee to make the first payment in 1764, thereby giving the tenant an opportunity of building and putting such other improvements upon the place as were necessary, without crippling them financially. There are a few places in town the titles of which were obtained from the Indi- ans. The Haines farm is one. David H. Haines, the present occupant of the old home- stead, is the great-grandchild of the first settler, Henry Haines. He was ever a friend to the Indians, and when his son, David, made free to side with the Colonists, the old man became very wroth, and upon making his will gave the other children the greater portion of his prop- erty. The first grist-mill in the town, and in the western part of the County, was built by him near Mr. David H. Haines' present farm buildings.
At the time of the Revolution these farmers were well-to-do, with comfortable frame-houses and spacious barns. They were visited three times by the Indians and Tories, who did not
fail to leave their marks of rapine and plunder, as well as blood and murder. Upon the 4th of July, 1780, a party of seven Indians, led by Adam Crysler, surprised the family of William Hynds,* while at dinner. They made the whole family, eight in number, prisoners. After cap- turing four horses, upon the backs of which they placed Mrs. Hynds and the small children, together with the plunder taken from the house, the party inoved off, and traveled that after- noon to Summit lake.
The Hynds family were gone three or four days before the remaining families of New Dorlach knew of their capture.
They were taken to Niagara, and were very well treated considering the brutality used upon many of their prisoners. Mrs. Hynds and four children died while in captivity. The remain- der of the family returned after an absence of two years and one-half, excepting Mary, one of the oldest children, who was separated from the family at Niagara, and was not allowed to return for nearly three years after Mr. Hynds. Thus we see the farm, stock and everything was left behind, without anyone to take charge of them, and the family hurried off at the mercy of a treacherous foe, who, upon the impulse of the moment, were as likely to mur- der the whole family as to spare them.
One of the children, Maria, after became the wife of Peter Bouck, of Cobleskill, and mother-in-law of Abram L. Lawyer. . She was about twelve years of age when taken, and was forced to travel on foot, at times in torture from cuts and bruises. She had long hair, and the savages, both white and red, often caught her by it, and flung her around as if she were inanimate. They often threatened to kill her,
*The Indians and Crysler appeared at Michacl Merck- ley's at dusk, and demanded quarters for the night. In the course of the evening, the party retired to a room and held a private council. Mr. Merckley told his family that he was fearful mischief was entertained, and told them to keep a watch over them. A Fritz girl and a daughter of Fredcrick Merckley were present, and they listened at the door, but were detected, and an Indian placed as sentincl. They held a council and asked of the girls if France was at home, being told that he was not, they retired for the night, and in the morning captured the Hynds family.
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and took pains to torture the mind, if not the body. At one time, while in a chamber above a party of fiends, she heard them consulting in regard to taking her scalp, and was called down with the expectation of the act being com- mitted, but owing to some cause or other she was allowed to return to her cheerless quarters.
The few families living in this part of New Dorlách were in friendship, regardless of their political differences, and with the exception of Philip Crysler and family, those that sided with the Crown remained quiet and did nothing to injure or molest their patriotic neighbors.
Settling as they did among the Indians, receiving lands and many favors from them, years before any political disturbances arose, it could not be expected otherwise than that a friendship should spring up between them, which they hardly dared to disturb, as they were entirely at the savages' mercy, and to cast the epithet of "Tory" upon many of them for their passiveness is hardly just. But the Crysler families-Adam, Philip, William and John-four brothers living in different sections of the County, were demons in human form, whose brutal acts outvied those of the uncivil- ized barbarian, and are a stain upon the history of civilized mankind. We are pleased however to make one exception in the Crysler family of one that was a true patriot, although but a mere lad. Philip owned the farm now occupied by Abram France, at Gardnersville, and when he came from Canada, (where he fled in 1777 with his brothers,) after his family, his son, George, refused to go, and left home to keep out of his father's way. He served the Colonists as a scout and remained firm and patriotic through- out the struggle. His father's farm was con- fiscated at the close of the war and should have been given to the son as a reward for his pa- triotism. He lived in the town of Sharon for many years, 'but at present we do not know of his whereabouts. After the murders committed by and at the instigation of his father, George seemed to loathe his parent.
A few years ago another son of Philip returned to regain the farm by legal means, but he was unsuccessful and returned to Canada.
Within the territory of Seward, many in-
cidents peculiar only to the Revolution, were enacted, a few of which we can speak of with a certainty, while around others there lies a haze which we have been unable to penetrate, and of them we will remain silent.
On the 18th of October following the capture of the Hynds' family, a party of eighteen In- dians and three Tories, led by Seths Henry and Philip Crysler, made their appearance at Michael Merckley's house, which stood back of Austin Sexton's barn. This party, it was thought by Simms, arrived in the neighborhood a day or two previous, but kept themselves secreted. The day before their appearance, Colonel Johnson invaded the Schoharie valley with a body of cut-throats, among whom it was believed was Seths Henry, the notorious Scho- harie redskin. Simms thinks the party that appeared at Merckley's waited in secret to know of Johnson's success and to be joined by Seths Henry. It might be possible that the wliole party were with Johnson, as in numbers there is strength, and it was useless for them to be idle when possibly they would be wanted, and upon the retreat of Johnson they might have broken off and come up here to devastate and assist Crysler's family to Canada. However that may be, they appeared here on the 18th, and upon Mr. Merckley riding up towards his house on horseback, from a visit west, he was shot and scalped.
His niece, Catharine, a daughter of Frederick Merckley, had accompanied her uncle, but had loitered behind in company with Betsey or Elizabeth, a daughter of Sebastian France. Hearing the report of the gun, and perhaps anticipating danger, she rode on, leaving Miss France near her home. As Catharine neared her uncle's house, (having nearly a mile further to ride to reach her own home,) and seeing the lifeless body of her uncle, she urged her horse on up the knoll in front of the Merckley house, heedless of the Indians' orders for her to stop. Seths Henry standing by a stone-still to be seen-leveled his rifle and fired upon her, when she fell from the horse, mortally wounded.
Upon scalping her, Seths Henry said he would not have shot her if he had known she was such a pretty paleface. Such is the simple
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story, as told by the near descendants of Miss Merckley, and the fact that she was soon to marry a true patriot-Christopher France, son of Sebastian-added much interest to the tragedy. Like the uncalled for murder of Jane McCrea, it stands upon record against the virtues of the " defender of the faith," as an- other demoniacal act so frequently committed by the "defender's " hired emissaries during the American Revolution.
After their murdering the old gentleman and Catharine, a portion of the party moved west to the residence of Sebastian France, a committee- man, which stood near the present site of William Denmon's dwelling. Mrs. Denmon is a descendant of Sebastian France. Upon the Indians arriving here, the children only were at home, Mrs. France being at Mr. Haines, a short distance west, on a visit, and Mr. France hear- ing the report of the gun which fired upon Mr. and Miss Merckley, had taken his gun and entered the woods back of the house to learn the cause of the noise. He came very near meeting the party, but evading them and know- ing he could not reach his own house without detection, he hurried off to Schoharie for assist- ance, a distance of at least sixteen miles.
Simms says the children were standing upon a stoop in front of the door, when the Indians came, and John, one of the oldest children, was struck on the head and felled by an Indian, near an out-door oven, which stood where Mr. Denmon's ash-leach now stands. Henry, a younger brother, was taken in charge by another Indian, from whom he ran away, but was re- taken. Mrs. France hearing the noise, returned home to find one of her boys weltering in his blood. The anguish that filled that mother's heart no pencil can describe; yet those demons could look on and laugh at such scenes ! Upon her entreating the Indians-who were helping themselves to her eatables-not to hurt the remaining children, they promised they would not. Henry watched his opportunity to escape, and when his captor's head was turned, sprang out of the door and fled towards the woods.
The Indian that struck John immediately ran over to Hoffman's, a short distance west, to dispatch him and his wife, but they hearing the
noise at France's, sought safety in the woods, thereby cheating the Indian out of their scalps.
Philip Crysler's wife afterwards stated that he was at home when the Indians appeared at the France place, and she advised him to put on his Indian dress and go over and save the France family, as she was under many obli- gations to them. Upon his reaching the place, the family was spared through his influence, but such fiends cannot be believed. It is very doubtful as to his being at home, as he was at the Merckley house but an hour before.
About the time Henry escaped the last time, the Indian that ran over to Hoffman's returned, and upon finding that the boy had escaped and John still living, he cleft his skull with his toma- hawk and took his scalp. The poor boy after receiving the first blow, vainly tried to follow the whispered advice of Henry, "to crawl under the oven," as the loss of blood and stunning effect of the brute's blow rendered him too weak to move. With what solicitude Henry and the remaining children must have looked upon their helpless brother! The party soon left, without doing farther damage to the family, but applied the torch to the barn and stacks, which soon reduced the labor of the season to ashes. Mrs. France carried the body of her son in the house, and with the remainder of the family concealed themselves in the woods.
The party proceeded to Haines', who was a loyalist, and captured a few slaves, then turned their course back down the creek, to join the rest of the party that was left at Merckley's. They burned the Michael Merckley buildings and William Spornhyer's, which stood where George Winegard now resides, also Frederick Merckley's, the father of Catharine, and passed over the hills to the south, with two Merckley girls and a boy (Martin), and a lad by the name of Fox, together with the slaves, as prisoners. The Fox boy cried to return, and was murdered upon the south side of the creek. The fact was not known at New Dorlach of the boy's death until a long time after, when it was com- municated by letter from the Merckley girls to their friends, although bones had been found, but to whom they belonged, was a mystery. Martin was taken to Canada, from whence he
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returned at the close of the war, and became the father of our informant, David Merckley.
One son of Frederick Mcrckley was with Christopher France at the "lower fort," and two were under Captain Hager, and served with Arnold in 1777. Christian, a boy older than Martin, was at home, who, together with the par- ents was secreted in the woods when the savage party returned and burnt the buildings. They fled to the "lower fort" and from thence to the Hellebergh's, where they remained until the war closed, when they returned to their desolated homes and began life anew. One of the sons went to Canada and procured the brother, Martin, from a squaw that had adopted him as her son.
The accusation against Michael Merckley of being disloyal, we are far from being able to credit, and are led to believe it was an unjust charge, prompted by a neighbor's maliciousness after a period of over fifty years from the mas- sacre. That the transaction, as related of the private counsel held at Merckley's house, is cor- rect, we are convinced, and from the tenor of the charges made, only a very fibre-like proof can be gleaned of there being any truth in them. If Merckley advised the savage party to cap- ture Hynds and family, who told of it? Would he? If the captors did, should they be sooner believed in that matter than in any other ? Should such deceivers be believed at all ? Did the patriots of that day put any weight in their words ? Again, even the massacre of the old man, or the circumstances attending it, are cited as evidence of his friendly relations with the loyal cause ! " He discovered," says Simms, " the Indians about the door, but conscious of his kind feelings towards them, and zeal in the royal cause, while in the act of dismounting from his horse with perfect unconcern, he was shot down." Who could assume to know what he thought and felt ? With his family in the house, surrounded by a blood-drinking band, and know- ing by their past history, they would as soon thirst for their blood as any others, he could not, with the heart of a true father, feel unconcerned, and his riding up to the party when he might have evaded them by keeping back, was no evidence of his unconcern or zeal only for his family.
Had hc, upon seeing the savages around the house, put spur to his horse and eluded them, he would have been branded as a coward, with- out a father's heart, and justly too. Many in those days, were unjustly accused.
There arc families to-day, whose grandparents were connected with both sides in that contest, that accuse the Hynds family of being loyalists, and say they werc pretended prisoners, not only the Hynds, but others who were true patriots. When we come to trace the origin of such charges, we invariably find them to be old family feuds that never die out in the old German breast. We find Michael Merckley to have been a man well advanced in years, a widower of considerable means, and lived a gentleman, without manual labor.
He was the scribe, or head man of the neigh- borhood, and took no active part in the strug- gle, was friendly to all, and an honored man. The family of Frederick Merckley were at- tached to the Colonial cause, and were active participants from the son John, entering service under Arnold to relieve Gansevoort, to the close of the struggle, yet they too, were accused of being friends to the Crown.
About the year 1790, a very energetic man by the name of John Rice, from New London county, Connecticut, settled upon the Michael Merckley farm, and after a few years built a " tavern " upon the site of Austin Sexton's resi- dence. Here Old Sharon for many years held its elections, law suits, and did other public business. He built a grist-mill, and the place was known as "Rice's Mills." Rice was justice of the peace for many years, and represented the County in the legislature four terms, 1796, 1797, 1798 and 1832, and was the first member sent from Schoharie after the County was formed. It was entitled to but one member at that time, but in 1832 John Ingold, Jr., of Schoharie village, was his colleague.
Squire Sexton, who now resides between the old tavern stand and the creek, and has held the office of justice for thirty years, related an inci- dent in regard to Rice's official acts. Two men had a suit to be tried before him, and went to his office for that purpose, when, upon conversing, their troubles engaged their conver-
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sation, and, as is usually the case, each became angry, and in their passion " let out " more, per- haps, than they intended relative to the case. Rice sat at his desk writing, and upon one of the men asking him if it was not time to call the suit, " Why yes," said Rice, " the time is up, and I've rendered judgment upon your own confession." An inexpensive way of trying law- suits. Rice was supervisor of the town in 1814 and 1818, and held a Colonel's commission, and was a very energetic business man, much respected by all who knew him. He died Sep- tember 8, 1832, aged seventy-two years.
First Meeting Ilouse .- But a few rods east of where Catharine Merckley was shot, towards the Methodist Church, near a large elm tree, the first church was built west of Schoharie. It was but a rude log building, and must have been built about the year 1760. Here Peter N. Sommers, and an occasional missionary, preached to the settlers of Dorlach until the Rhinebeck Church was built, and it was in this rude building that a few of the pioneers assem- bled, during the war, for the purpose of holding a prayer-meeting. While thus engaged, one of the company espied a band of Indians, fifteen in number, wending their way towards the house. Knowing that to retreat would arouse their vengeance, and, being unarmed, the leader of the meeting fell upon his knees and requested the remainder to do so, and pray for protection. Some moments passed in silent prayer, and the Indians not making any appearance, their movements were noticed and it was found that when within a few rods of the building they had changed their course, and left them un- molested. Many such escapes were experi- enced through that struggle, which seemed to mark the interposition of a watchful Provi- dence, and impressed the early settlers with a deep sense of their dependence upon Him.
This neighborhood is as full of historical interest as any other in the County. It seems to us that the scenery around would convey to the stranger the idea of romance, if not of tragedy. Here the log cabin was reared in the depth of the forest, to which the scattering set- tlers might resort to hear the gospel preached, and mingle their petitions at the Throne of
Grace. Here the aged Merckley and beautiful Catharine fell by the hand of relentless hatred, and whose tragic end will resound to posterity and lead many to view the ground thus made memorable, and bow at the humble tombstone that marks her grave, in pity and admiration. One hundred years have come and gone since her death, and with them have passed the near friends whose tears were those of deep affec- tion at the recital of the tale, yet again and again it is being told with no less degree of interest, but with more of romance.
Tradition unfolds a touching recital of an in- cident connected with the murder of young France, but a short distance above. While pros- trated by the blow the Indian gave him, the mother returned, and upon approaching her son, he partially arose, and exclaimed with weakness and pain, in an appealing tone, "Ma-ma, mam- ma !" and fell fainting at the mother's feet. No death throes upon a bed of sickness, could pierce the heart with such vehement anguish as the appealing, confiding and agonized cry of the young man to the weak, helpless, and yet love- clinging mother. Beneath a rude stone, near where the heart-rending act .transpired, lie the remains of poor John France, a lad of but four- teen years of age, the only offence for which he suffered being that he was the son of a patriot, and a helpless, defenseless child !
Nearly opposite of the blood-stained door- step of Francis, the year following, upon the day of the battle of Sharon, a few Indians and Tories, on their retreat, murdered old Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman.
They lived upon the place now known as the "Klock farm." It was thought that the old couple's sympathies were favorable to the Crown, but some personal animosity prompted the Tories-Philip Crysler, perhaps-to murder the old man and his wife.
Mr. Hoffman was an aged man, and was at- tending religious services at the barn of Con- radt Brown, at the foot of the hill, upon which " Turlah church " was afterwards built. It is now occupied by Martin L. Borst. While Som- mers was reading a psalm, a messenger arrived, stating that he heard firing some distance west, and in all probability the enemy were not far
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distant. The meeting broke up, and many made haste to their homes, to secrete their families and effects, while others started in the direction of the firing, to discover the cause. Mr. Hoff- man was nearly two miles from his home, and hastened there, only to be murdered. As he approached the house, the Indians appeared and led him and his wife outside of the door- yard, and tomahawked them. Mrs. Hoffman's sister, Catharine Engle, then on a visit, escaped. The main force of the army passed along to the north of the house, and crossed the West Kill, at the place, where the previous year Mr. Merck- ley and niece were murdered, and encamped for the night where Seward Valley village stands. The two preceding years in which the murderers appeared in this neighborhood, Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman had secreted themselves in the woods, knowing no doubt, of the hatred towards them, of the Tory Crysler. At such times it requires but a small offense to lead such fiends to com- mit the most heinous crimes. Mrs. Hoffman was a daughter of Conradt Engle. Many times during the war, the Indians, when left at liberty to act, kindly left the aged and infants un- harmed, while the Tories did not scruple to murder them without a pretext. It seemed to be the Tories ruling passion to destroy, torture and murder in the most inhuman ways.
We cannot recall to mind a single instance where the Indians were their equals in tortur- ing, unless it was at the instigation of their pale faced allies ; and much as the stigma rests upon the character of the savages, for acts committed during the Revolution, for cruelty and blood- thirst, those of the Tories outvie them all.
The France Family .- The oldest child of Sebastian France was born on the ocean in 1754, and married in 1772 to Luther Kling, a notice of whom may be found elsewhere. Catharine, the second daughter, married Wm. Ottman, who was taken prisoner in 1782. Betsey or Elizabeth, married Paul Shank, (see Cobleskill,) while the sons, Henry, Lawrence, and Jacob, married and reared families. Chris- topher married but died without heirs. After the murder of John, and burning of the barn buildings, the family removed to Watervliet and remained there until the war closed. Sebastian
France was the progenitor of the innumerable France family found in Schoharie and adjoining counties, beside an army in the distant west.
Centennial Anniversary .- The incidents of the 18th of October, 1780, were celebrated near the grave of Miss Merckley, on the cen- tennial day. Gilbert France, a son of Henry France, presided, and able addresses were delivered by Hon. Charles Holmes, John Van Schaick, and William S. Clark. An appropriate poem was recited by a descendant, Miss Effie France, written for the occasion by H. H. Johnson. Nearly four thousand people were in attendance, and united to make the day one of interest and long to be remembered. Relics of one hundred years ago were exhibited, among which was wearing apparel of Miss Merckley, worn upon the day of her assassination ; the old chair of Sebastian France; Indian accoutre- ments ; ancient books, and many other things of interest belonging to the families connected with the early settlers of the neighborhood.
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