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 49
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After a friendly salutation passed between them, Peter accused him of his complicity with the invaders, and leveled his rifle to shoot him, declaring he was not fit to live. Peter's com- panions turned the muzzle of the gun up as he fired, and saved the life of the Tory, but much to Hillsinger's disappointment. These brothers lived upon their possessions to good old ages, and were highly esteemed. Soon after Hill- singer's settlement, also came Frederick Ullman.
Frederick Ullman was a Mohawk scout of notoriety, who came to that valley immediately after the battle of Monmouth, in which he par- ticipated. His parents were German settlers of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and without doubt, were connected with some of the Mo- hawk German families which led him off to these parts. Ullman had the reputation of being the fleetest of foot of any man in the valley, which saved his scalp many times. He married a Keller, of Currytown, and settled upon the Fox place.
Reuben Parkinson, an Irishman, settled about
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the same time, upon the present Ullman farm, and after a few years exchanged with Ullman, and kept a tavern where the present one stands. Several of the Parkinson families were scattered over the town, in its earliest days, and were people of ability, and held prominent town offices.
Nathaniel H. Clark, a native of Rhode Island, and graduate of Yale College, settled upon the east of Little York, where William Roberts now resides, about the year 1828, and commenced the mercantile business. He was a pitiable cripple, being nearly helpless, but of active and extraordinary mind. The last few years of his life were spent in speculating in eggs, taking nearly one week in going to and coming from Albany, with his own conveyance.
He died in Albany, while on his way to his old home, to receive the care of brothers and other friends, at the age of eighty.
In 1794 or 1795, Moses Grosvenor, (we use the original name), settled at the corners bear- ing the family name, after locating at Lawyers- ville, with Dana and Redington, brother Yan- kees, for a time. In 1804 a number moved up from Poughkeepsie, and settled in the present Baumis neighborhood, east of the Corners. They purchased their land of supposed owners, but after a few years the rightful ones came, and demanded the lands or purchase money. The most of them refused, and removed. The Van- Valin, Rich, Conklin, and Dean families, re- mained, and were Quakers. This settlement was called " New Poughkeepsie."
A few years after the exit from those lands, there came several families of Quakers from the Hudson, the principal ones being Moses and Jacob Dickinson, and the Underhills.
After the latter settlers came, New Pough- keepsie was changed to "Quaker street." Gid- eon VanValin kept an inn where Thomas N. Borst now resides and was followed by Lyman Hawes, from Connecticut, who settled upon Chauncy Grovenor's farm, and who was one of the first justices in the town and held the office for many years. His grandson, Josiah L. Hawes, was here born in 1822, and after fit- ting himself for the bar removed to Kalamazoo,
Michigan, where he now holds the office of Cir- cuit Judge in the 9th Judicial District.
About the year 1806 Andrew and James Griffin, Adam and Andrew Mickle came from Schodack, the two former as school teachers. Andrew at last settled west of the "Corners " and commenced keeping tavern in 1809, where his son now resides.
Dr. John Kelley was the first practicing phy- sician at this place and settled in 1830. He afterwards removed to Esperance where he died, and was followed in the profession by Dr. Isaac . Scott, who still remains. Dr. Scott is a native of Root, Montgomery county, and graduated at the Albany Medical College in 1848, and soon after settled here.
Farther to the west Joseph Taylor settled in the year 1811 upon a farm that had been occu- pied by a Hitchnian family for several years. Taylor kept a store and built a distillery and was a very energetic business man. He pur- chased large quantities of flax-seed which he shipped to Europe, beside other grains, which proved successful speculations. " Uncle Joe's " sterling qualities, among which was a ready flow of wit and humor, were sufficient pass- ports to the confidence and esteem of every one, especially the business portion of the whole country. He reared a large family of active business men, and gave to each a goodly "por- tion " and passed away in the year 1848, at the age of eighty-four, esteemed by all who knew . him.
Joining the Taylor farm Gideon Young set- tled in 1801, having removed from the Angle Brothers' farm, near Lawyersville. He also reared a large family, among whom were Hon. John G., Jacob and Gideon. The longevity of this family exceeds any other in the County, its members being as active and sturdy at the age of seventy to eighty-nine, as those of other fam- ilies are at sixty to seventy-five.
The Snyder and Burhans families found in this neighborhood came from the Hudson, be- low Coeymans, in 1808, and occupy the best portion of the town in an agricultural point of view.
Benjamin Young, a brother of Gideon, Sr.,
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before mentioned, built a house and kept a tav- ern in 1808 where Ira Young now resides. For many years the usual sports of horse racing, wrestling, flip drinking, card playing and many other immoral custonis were tolerated seven days in a week. Uncle Ben, as he was famil- iarly called, was quite a horseman and kept his horses sleek and lively. Treat Durand, after- wards Sheriff of the County, lived with Uncle Ben and rode his horses while running, being a small lad. He was not satisfied with his daily fare as it consisted of too much jolinny cake and supawn to suit his aspiring stomach. One day there being a crowd of bystanders and a challenge given to Uncle Ben to run horses, he requested Treat to bring out the horse and "run him." The horse not making very good time, being rather inactive, Uncle Ben asked Treat " Vat ish te mather of dee hoss ?" "I don't know," replied Treat, "unless he has been fed too much johnny cake."
Young's rage knew no bounds, but the laugh- ter from the crowd soon opened his understand- ing and the flip was passed at his expense, with "tam leetle tival" as a commendation for Treat's ready answer.
A short distance west of Uncle Ben's at the forks of the road John Severson kept an inn about the year 1820, in a house built by the father of Andrew Young, the historian. The property fell in the hands of John Young, son of Uncle Ben, and was known for many years as "Squire John's place." From this place to the school-house, east, was the race-course. The frequenters of those races were the farmers in, and from the adjacent neighborhoodsand much to their discredit, their sports were carried to ex- tremes, as the quiet of Sabbath was frequently broken by their drunken broils and other im- inoral proceedings.
To use the words of one of the "cronies," as they were called, but who, many years ago, like Saul of old, was stricken down to repentance by the glorious "light," " these places were hell holes." It is a fact which we are loth to chroni- cle, that from 1800 up to 1830, the morals of every neighborhood in our County were at a low tide. Intemperance carried a fearful sway even to the church altar, where might frequently
be seen those whose breath was only fumes of liquor. It was not unusual for deacons to be habitual drinkers, and "members" habitual swearers, and the temperance advocate branded as a fanatic.
The Young, Loucks and Richtmyer families now living here are near descendants of the first settlers of the County. The small hamlet east, for many years called "Bradt's Corners," was changed to "Carlisle Centre," upon the establishment of the postoffice in 1871.
CARLISLE CENTRE.
Nathan Bassett originated this little hamlet, and lived here many years. During the counter- feiting days of 1830 to 1840 of paper currency as mentioned in Chapter IV, of this work, the law was very harsh with those who passed the "spurious" and many poor men, that received it for wages, were arrested on passing it for the necessaries of life, as the guilty were able to swear to anything that would save themselves and send others to prison. Bassett was a poor but hard working man, and happened to be the possessor of a two dollar bill which he passed and was sent to States prison for the offense, much against the desire of the majority of the people, as they believed he was innocent of in- tended criminality. But a certain few, whose pockets were at all times full of the " bad," swore poor Nathan to the grates. During his imprisonment, the news of William C. Bouck's election to the Gubernatorial chair, was made to him, upon which he quit work and gave three cheers for Bouck. The rules of the prison for- bid such a demonstration and Bassett received a few lashes as a reminder of prison discipline, but, "I can't help it," said Bassett and gave three more. Upon Bouck's entry into office a petition was placed before him, with hundreds of names attached, for his release, which was granted and Bassett became a citizen again, and was known to the day of his death as a " thor- oughbred, hardshell Democrat."
John W. Bradt commenced the mercantile business here in 1863, upon a small scale, but by enterprise and perseverance, enlarged his facilities and trade, and amassed a comfortable fortune in a few years.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
The First School House in the town was built of logs, and stood in the present orchard of Nicholas Young, near the "Rock school- house." At what time it was built, we are un- able to tell, but it stood intact before 1795. The next one built was at Grovenor's Corners, in 1805. The first merchants at this hamlet were Allen & Knight, who were followed by John Snyder, in the building now occupied by Tobias Myres, as a residence.
D. D. L. & Jeremiah Mc Cullock, carried on a store of general merchandise, for many years, in the building now occupied as such. In 1854, D. D. L., was elected sheriff upon the Whig ticket, which was an unusual event in " Democratic Schoharie." But his reputation as an honest, upright man, was an "electioneer- ing " capital that the people admired, and dur- ing his term of office he made no cause for them to regret the choice made.
The co-partnership was dissolved upon his election, and Jeremiah continued the business for several years, but is now a resident of Albany City. The family came from Albany county as also did the Bradt, Mosher, Myers, and Mc- Millen families living near.
Henry Best removed from Columbia county about the year 1805, and settled upon the present Hon Yost Becker farm, and ten years after upon that now owned and occupied by James McMillen. His son Henry became jus- tice of the peace for many years, and was a business man. He is well remembered as the only " auctioneer," in a large circuit of country, for a long term of years.
Within the cemetery near the Union church, built in 1831, lie many of those who settled here when these fine farms were but a dense forest, while others are scattered around upon different farms, in graves unmarked, and covered with briars and brambles, and soon will be lost be- neath the work of the plow and harrow.
William Clark came from Coeymans, in 1813, and settled upon the farm still known as the "Clark farm."
He settled when the neighborhood was a dense forest, and by hard labor and superior perseverance, cleared a large, productive farm
before he died. His sons, Honorable William S. and Benjamin, were born upon this farm, and have been prominent in the political and edu- cational affairs of the County. Near by Henry W. Larkin, a native of Rhode Island, settled after following the avocation of school teaching for many years. Mr. Larkin was an unusually eccen- tric man, of very industrious habits, and amassed a fine property. The Grovenor families living near, are the descendants of Moses Grosvenor, but have changed the name somewhat by drop- ping the s.
Upon the survey and building of the Great Western turnpike, many families from the East- ern States began to locate along the route, expecting it to be the great thoroughfare of the day.
During the spring of 1804, Rodger W. Lord, of New London county, Connecticut, settled upon the farm now occupied by Peter Runkle, and "kept tavern," the first one in the town.
The year previous (1803) John Sweetman moved from Charleston, N. Y., and settled where his grandson, Henry, now lives. He was one of the first justices in the town, and held the office nine years. His son, James, represented the district in the Assembly in 1827. A few years after his brother, Michael, together with David and Nathan Seeley, came and settled near.
John B. Roscoe, from Essex county, N. Y., settled with the Lord family in 1805, and was the first physician in the town, and the only one between Sharon Hill and Duanesburgh until the year 1812. He continued his practice nearly sixty years over a large extent of terri- tory, and was a very successful practitioner ; he was followed in 1860 by his nephew, R. J. Ros- coe, who still continues the practice.
Carlisle Formed .- In 1807 the town was formed from Cobleskill and Sharon, and was named by Mrs. John Sweetman, an estimable lady, after Carlisle Pierce, a prominent towns- man. One hundred and twenty-three acres were laid out in village lots of one-half acre each, with three parallel streets running east and west, and the sanie north and south, where the village now stands, making a very neat village plan. But while Livingston, the owner
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of the land, easily built a small city on paper, but few actual buyers came. They passed on, with the cry, "Westward ho!" But Carlisle was a town, and from the first records we copy the following : --
"At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the town of Carlisle, held this first day of March, in the year 1808, at the liouse of Benjamin Johnson, in the town of Carlisle, agreeably to an act of the Legislature of the State of New York, for that purpose, in the last Session, made and provided ; the following persons were chosen to represent the said town the ensuing year, viz: "
Supervisor-William Ferris. Clerk-Henry M. Brown.
Assessors-Henry Kniskern, Peter Gordon, Mathias Young.
Commissioners of Highways-Lawrence Van Wormer, Gideon Young, Silvanus Parkinson.
Overseers of Poor-David Lawton, Abram Kniskern.
Constables-Jacob Brown, James Kennedy. Collector-Jacob Brown. Poundmaster-Benjamin Johnson.
Fence Viewers-Bostwick Brown, John M. Brown.
Benjamin Johnson came in 1805 or 1806, and built a house and kept an inn, and sold the same in 1808 to Philip 1. Cromwell, who came from Glen, (Charleston,) N. Y., and built the large building so many years known as "Crom- well's stand." Perhaps no man was better known from New York to Buffalo than Crom- well unless it was his brother landlord, " Zach Keyes," of Sharon Hollow; two fun-loving Yankees, whose practical jokes were theines of daily gossip by all travelers.
Cromwell's buildings were spacious, and his was the best establishment on the road. His variety of fowls and animals, and unique dove- cot, were attractions, which in those days were seldom seen, and which to our youthful minds were beyond description.
The Cromwell house at a subsequent period was occupied by David W. Seeley, the patentee of the famous "wagon coupling " that did away
with the "hounds " upon wagons and saved quite an item in the manufacture of the same. But few, if any, possessed greater enterprise and perseverance than Mr. Seeley, whose natural propensity found its greatest pleasure in " patent rights" and "horseflesh." He re- moved to Albany at a later period, where he still resides.
Sloan's Tavern .- In 1809 Sturges Sloan re- moved from Sloansville and built a small house for another " tavern " where William Becker's fine residence now stands. As travel and custom increased he added to his accomoda- tions, and at last occupied a goodly sized building, and was followed at a later date by Reuben Moak, William Thrall, Henry P. Knis- kern and Peter W. Ferris, and still later by the famous Doctor Slingerland, whose medical genius was displayed upon boots and shoes instead of the ills to which the flesh is heir. But his remarkable cures and more remarkable surgical operations as told by him to strangers, gave to him the title of Doctor.
He was full of "big stories" that could hardly be called "lies," as he never told one to injure, but rather to amuse, a list of which would fill a large volume, all as he excused himself "to make everybody feel good."
In 1810 Elijah Huntington came from Frank- lin, Conn., with an ox team and one horse, also workmen, and built the present hotel building. Upon finishing and opening the house to the public he placed upon his sign " Tontine Coffee House." Much to his surprise the innocent Dutchmen that principally traveled the road supposed it to be a store and passed on, either to Croinwell's below or Sloan's above.
These landlords were amused by their ques- tions "Vat kinds of coffee ish dot he keeps?"- while others understanding the meaning, consid- ered it a high priced establishment and would pass on for more "common coffee " and lower rates. Finding the inscription had a contrary effect upon his financial prosperity, he placed his own name in its stead and soon obtained his share of patronage. He kept the house many years and was a very energetic, yet eccentric man.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
The Presbyterian Church was built in 1813, and left without paint, plastering or pews. Huntington's pride, led him to volunteer to re- model and finish it, and at quite an outlay he pro- duced from the frame, one of the finest churches to be found in the County, which stood until the year 1853 when its lofty spire was taken down and timbers placed in the seminary.
The Carlisle Presbyterian Church was organ- ized in 1803 with twenty-three members and held their meetings in private houses and Crom- well's tavern until the edifice was built.
There have been thirteen resident pastors.
Nelson Austin was the first, and while preach- ing was attacked with hemorrhage of the lungs and died within a few hours. His successors were as follows :-
Lyman S. Rexford. R. R. Demming.
L. P. Blodget.
Charles Wadsworth. William Clark. James N. Crocker. - Craig. Anson H. Seeley. Stephen Searles. Robert L. Jones. Cyrus L. Offer. Henry A. Lewis.
Mr. Wadsworth was the pastor in the church's palmiest days, from 1832 to 1845. The throng that assembled here to worship was unequalled by any in the County. Mr. Wadsworth lived in retirement for several years and died near Rochester in June, 1878, at the advanced age of eighty-nine.
Mr. Clark followed for a period of fourteen years and removed to Pennsylvania, where he died a true, noble Christian.
The pastorate of Mr. Seeley extended fourteen years in connection with the church at Esper- ance, in which he endeared himself to both parishes by his sturdy, conscientious christian principles, which made him a man of great worth, and deeply mourned when he passed away.
Reverends Crocker, Craig, Searles and Jones, each zealous workers in the "vineyard," labored for a while and were called to other fields in
which "the harvest is great." C. I. Offer, who took the charge in 1878, assiduously worked in the cause and received many into the church membership as "seals to his ministry" and was followed by Henry A. Lewis, in the fall of 1880, the present pastor.
This church was organized by Simeon Hosaik, of Johnstown, and previous to Mr. Austin's charge, preaching was performed by John B. Romeyn, of Albany, Samuel Smith, Thomas Holaday, William McMillian, Eliphalet Nott, A. Brandage and John Chester,
The Carlisle Postoffice was established in February, 1811, and Philip I. Cromwell received the appointment of "Deputy" after quite a struggle between him and Huntington, who ac- cused each other of being neither "beast or human" in the petitions sent to the department.
Henry Brown, for several years a Supervisor of the town settled in 1806 where his son, Joseph I., so long resided, and now owned by William Cary. He kept a "tavern" which was burned, but rebuilt the present structure, in which the last town meeting was held in the second Cobleskill district, previous to the formation of the town of Carlisle. The season following the building of Brown's house, one Sibley erected the house now occupied by Jacob Kling, which was used as a "tavern" for a long series of years by David C. Richtmyer, William Thrall and Abram A. Kniskern. Below Henry Brown's, nearly opposite of William Hurst's was another "inn" kept for a long time by one Gauley, making eight on the turn-pike within the town, a distance of seven miles.
About the year 1830 there came to the east- ern part of the town the Bradway Brothers, who settled upon the present farm of William Doty as "wagon makers" whose workmanship was unequalled by any other in the County. Much of their work is now in use not showing a fault, and said to be the lightest draft of any of the latest "improvement " in hub and axle.
From the year 1813 to 1840 a vast amount of potash was manufactured along the line of the turnpike, which was drawn to Albany by teams on heavy, broad rimmed wagons. One Keller, of Sharon, was upon a load and arriving at the
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summit of the hill west of Hiram Rockerfellow's, having occasion to alight to arrange the harness, he stepped upon a spoke of the wheel which threw him under the hind wheel, where he was literally crushed.
But few accidents happened along the line of this road, considering the amount of travel, and such occurrences as the one mentioned, in those days, made a greater impression upon the people, than the wholesale slaughter of travelers by railroads and steamers does upon us of to-day.
The first store in town was upon the turnpike, and kept by Cornelius Marshall an Eastern man, in the house now occupied by Stephen H. Knis- kern, and for many years by Talmage Leek. Mr. Leek was a native of New Jersey, and came to the town as a saddler and harness maker, in the year 1813, he being the first one of that trade in the town. For six years from 1829 to 1835, he held the office of justice, with Charles Grovenor, John F. Taylor and Sylvanus Park- inson, and was esteemed as an upright and hon- orable man. Mr. Marshall removed his busi- ness to Carlisle village about the year 1814, in a building still standing east of Cromwell's.
In 1816 the building now occupied by A. A. Kniskern as a residence was built, and J. W. Taylor, Tobias Young, Alonzo Crosby, Sherman Corbin and Samuel P. Shibley followed each other in the mercantile business, within it. Dr. Nelson Beach, son-in-law of Cromwell, pur- chased the property and made a private dwelling of it about the year 1838.
Mr. Shibley built the present lower store in 1838, and in company with his brother George R., continued the business up to the year 1854, when a stock company was formed who pur- chased the goods and fixtures, and which proved to be an unsuccessful speculation.
D. Seely, Jr., & B. Mowers followed, and after them, came J. M. Falkner, Milo & Ira Auchampaugh, C. W. Taylor & Kelsh, D. D. C. Gaige & A. A. Kniskern.
J. W. Taylor built a "store" near "Sloan's tavern" in 1824, which was burned, and replaced by the present upper store, which was occu- pied for a time by Minard Harder, and since the year 1847 by J. H. & P. A. Angle, until
quite recently, when the firm changed to J. H. Angle & Son.
James Boughton, a native of Columbia county, and who lately died at the age of ninety-two, was the first school teacher in the village district (No. 5,) and taught in a private house during the winter of 1807; he was followed by Reuben Parkinson and Charles Sloan. The first school-house was built upon the site of the present one in 1818, and John C. Selleck shortly after came from St. Lawrence county and engaged as teacher, which position he held for many years. He was afterwards employed in other districts, and served in that capacity for thirty-two years in succession, and endeared himself to thousands, who were related to him as pupils, for his strict integrity, Christian principles, and untiring efforts in the cause of education. Mr. Selleck was a close student of nature, and became a proficient geological scholar and a terse, ex- pressive writer of both prose and verse. He died after a lingering illness on the 12th of September, 1878, aged seventy-five.
ARGUSVILLE.
In 1785 when the northwest part of the town where Argusville and the pleasant farm homes that surround it are, was a dense forest and a greater part an impenetrable swamp, John Malick and family settled where Robert Ram- sey's house now stands. He came from New Jersey, a thickly settled country, to this lone spot, not knowing of the presence of white settlers at a less distance than Currytown. Mrs. Malick came from a wealthy family, and was unused to labor, and much less to the privations of pioneer life. They built a log hut, in which they lived many years, and we can imagine in which Mrs. Malick passed many tearful days.
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