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 52
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Daniel Beach a brother of Dr. Beach was the first jeweler and removed to Sloansville about the year 1818 and was familiarly known as "Tinker Beach." He was succeeded by Storrs Messenger who came to the place from Con- necticut in 1817. Mr. Messenger has since that date, been identified with the business en- terprises of the place. As old age has crept upon him he has laid his blow-pipe and glass aside, having only the business cares of the post-office upon his mind, to which he has at- tended for many years. His trade is carried on by one of his journeymen, Avery Brazee and is still the only one in the place. Mrs. Messen- ger was a daughter of Nicholas Delavergne, who it is said was the first hatter in the County. He came from Columbia county and settled at "Garlock's dorf" near Schoharie in 1785 and re- moved to this village in 1808. John Delavergne his son, is at present the owner of the village lots and leases, having purchased the same from the North heirs in 1878.
Fudge Briggs .- At the time John Cummings settled here, his brother-in-law Olney Briggs also came as a saddle and harness maker. Mr. Briggs was born in Berkshire county Mas- sachusetts in 1775 and with his parents re- moved to Otsego county soon after the Revolu- tion. After learning his trade he came to this village and became one of its foremost men as well as a prominent one in the County. He was appointed to the bench in 1816 and filled the position as Assistant Judge sixteen years. He was a delegate with Asa Starkweather, from the County to the Constitutional Convention of 1821, to frame that which is distinguished as the Second Constitution of New York.
Mr. Briggs in the Constitutional Convention of 1820 upon the rights of negro suffrage said :-
" We have come to universal suffrage, and I want we should fix it in the face of the instru-
ment. Gentlemen wish to get away from it, they endeavor to evade it. Sir ! This distinc- tion (negro suffrage) will help to weaken the breach. When we get to have such a popula- tion as the gentleman has described, our con- stitution will be good for nothing. We must carry the strong arm of the law to the cradle, sir, and let the rising generation know we have established the principle of universal suffrage, that they may prepare themselves accordingly, and qualify themselves to live under it."
Upon exemption of taxation, he said :-
"I am opposed to exclusive privileges, whether to manufacturers or clergy. If the latter are exempted, why should not deacons be exempted too? They are good men. And why not exempt the carpenter also, who builds the church, and the printer, who prints the bibles and psalm books ?
"Where should the line be drawn? I wish to shackle the Legislature, and prevent them from enacting such laws."
Mr. Briggs advocated annual elections for Governor, and in his remarks upon the motion said :-
"So it is with the people, they do not need any great advice, the imagination is to be thus worked up about elections. Sonie great dark project is afoot ; the great circle for the election of Governor has come round, the other side are hard at work, and we must beware that they do not out-general us. Hand bills are afloat ; demagogues are busy ; but make the election annual, and all these squabbles and scuffles would have an end, there would not be thou- sands of dollars spent to secure a mere annual election. They would not excite the public mind.
"Sir ! Who ought we to elect for Governor and officers, ambitious politicians ? No ! The modest man-who keeps retired-who says to himself, if my country wants any services let them come and ask me for them. He would disdain this bribery and corruption, he would only serve when his country wanted his services."
Merchants .- A miniature Borough, as the founders intended Esperance to become, could
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
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not well do without a merchant. In those times a public house was the first thing to be established, the same as a "store " is at present in new hamlets. General North's companion- in-arms, Egbert Cumbleton, who held a com- mission of Major, under General Steuben, began the first store in 1805. Whether others embarked in the business at that time, tradition does not tell.
Major Cumbleton was an adept in military tactics and a brave soldier, but in a business point of view he was too liberal to succeed. Who followed him cannot be ascertained, but one Louis Candy, familiarly known as " Dr. Candy" and Charles Starin were here at an early date, about 1815, and remained a number of years.
James Turnbull, A. Billings, Alfred Isham and Henry Mandle, as Isham & Mandle, John Dewell and Robert L. Topping, were in business from one time to another, but perhaps not in the order in which they are here placed. The largest dealer that located here, and perhaps in the County, was Benjamin F. Wood, son of Dr. Wood, of Duanesburgh. Mr. Wood com- menced some time before the Southern Rebellion and was during that period the largest produce dealer in Central New York, particularly in butter. Tons of that article were shipped almost daily, at prices that probably will be incredible. many years hence. At the commencement of that struggle the prices ranged from ten to twelve cents per pound, but ere it closed, fifty and fifty-five cents were often refused. All goods were proportionately high, and speculation was rife among all classes, in every department, which left a demoralizing chill upon business branches that years of pinching intrenchment only can drive away.
Since Mr. Wood closed his business, John O. Root, McIntosh & Turnbull, -Brumly, William Folensbee, Benjamin W. Clark and Martin Watson have engaged in trade, and George Briggs as the first and only druggist.
The village was incorporated in the year 1819 and not in the year 1832 as published in other works. April 21st of the latter year the charter for a fire company was obtained and the village charter was revised to meet the re-
quirements of the corporation upon certain proceedings. It was the only incorporated village in the County up to the year 1868. The post-office was established in 1805. The mail was carried, when the route was established in 1800, on horse, and the approach of the carrier was made known by his blowing a horn. How long the mail was thus carried we cannot say, but upon the advent of wagon and sleigh coaches the Phoenix Hotel was the central station between Albany and Cherry Valley. As the stage-coach epoch has long since passed away, leaving happy reminiscences to many who marked with delight the progression of the age, from foot and horseback mail carriers to golden striped rocking wagon "palaces," we will here copy an article published in the Cobleskill Index as a correction to a statement made in re- gard to the stage lines, by an unknown writer :-
"The first line of stages between Albany and Cherry Valley through Esperance, was run about 1826 and had three proprietors: Thorpe & Sprague owned the line from Albany here, twenty-six miles, and William Story of Cherry Valley the line from here to that place-known in the driver and passenger parlance of those days as "the Valley"-a like distance. Thorpe & Sprague had the mail contract from Albany to "the Valley" at one hundred dollars a mile, and as the distance was a shaving (not certain how thick) over fifty-two miles (the same gen- erosity characterized our Uncle Samuel then as now) paid them five thousand three hundred dollars a year, for carrying the mail on their "four horse coaches" and they "pooled" the price with Story for carrying it over the west half of the route. Unfortunately for Mr. Story his agent in Albany discounted "futures"-just as the Fall River treasurers and secretaries do now, (by which it appears that human nature has not changed much in fifty years) and Mr. Story sold out his end of the line to John Wilkins of Cherry Valley and sometime (not very long) thereafter Sprague died and Thorpe sold out the Albany end, and the mail contract to William Platner of Cherry Valley, who run the line with Wilkins about two years, and then sold out to a Mr. Baker and a partner, whose name is already lost by the writer. Those nien,
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. Baker & Co., sold out their interest in this Albany and Cherry Valley line, and other lines running east and north from Albany, to the " Reeds " of Rensselaer county-Stephentown I think-with the stock, running as well as rolling for thirty thousand dollars. This oc- curred somewhere about 1836, am not certain of the date, and for a number of years the Albany and "Valley" line,-but of course under reduced mail contract, - was run by Reed & Wilkins among whose drivers were "Elder" Williams and "Jumpy" Sprong, as well known to boy and nian along their respective routes, and the traveling public, as the oldest conductor on the Central or Susquehanna to- day. Reed & Wilkins continued to own and run the line to 1841, by which time opposition to the Mohawk & Hudson (Albany & Sche- nectady) railroad, by the Reeds' stage-coach line to Schenectady had been abandoned. The Schenectady & Utica railroad was in op- eration and drawing passengers from the Cherry Valley and Albany stage route to Cana- joharie; the Boston & Albany railroad (then known as the Western railroad) approached its western terminus (Albany) and the Reeds col- lapsed and John Hare bought their interest, the Albany end of the line, and ran it awhile with Wilkins. The latter was in a bad way finan- cially and I think, but am not certain, handed the concern over to Ed. Wheeler ; but finally sold out to John Vanetten of Cherry Valley who with Hare, ran the stage from here to Cherry Valley for two or three years. There was but one mail contract after the Vanetten and Hare."
Esperance Academy .- The old stone building upon the north side of Main street is an old land mark, around which cluster many pleasant memories. It was built for an exchange stable by John D. Dickinson, a noted horse jockey, and afterwards remodeled for an Academy about the year 1835, and used as such for several years.
Joshua M. Donaldson, soon after graduating at Union College, entered the school as Princi- pal, and under his management it became one of the head schools of the country. McClelland followed, but not proving a financial success the
project dropped, and Peter D. Sliinville occu- pied the building for a long term of years in the manufacture of fanning-mills, which met with ready demand, and were considered the best then in use. Of late the rustic appearing landmark has been used as a tenant house. About the year 1815 William Simpson estab- lished a cabinet shop, that for many years was one of the leading enterprises of the village. He was succeeded by Alexander Dean, who in turn gave place to Frederick Happe, the present business proprietor, and in whom is found one of those examples that the German people give to young Americans, by rising from a wandering immigrant, without means, or the language of the country at command, to an independence and prominence within a few years.
About 1820 to 1835 Esperance was quite a manufacturing point. There were two exten- sive chair factories in operation, that supplied the surrounding country with their wares. Henry Mandle, James Vilbert and James E. Downing, part of the time separately, at others as partners, were the leaders in the enterprise and did a large and successful business. Dur- ing that time the paper-mill was run to its utmost capacity, by Dr. Leonard, which made the place present a lively appearance.
Feathers House .- The building was occu- pied by Larkin Feathers, and was built for a store about the year 1820, and occupied for several years as such. It was subsequently changed to an "Inn" and one of the first proprietors was Gitty Lawyer, of Schoharie, a woman skilled in money getting. A young law student, coming from the Eastern States, being unable to bear the expense of "board" and other necessaries, became enamored with the proprietress, or her money, and in due time they mere married. Then having the means he acquitted himself in the armour of the law, and sought a home in the wilds of Michigan, then the point to which immigration was pouring, to be followed, per- haps, by his loving spouse, when he decided upon a location.
After waiting a number of years without a word from him to cheer her, the wife and land- lady equipped herself with horse and wagon to seek her accomplished lord, not unmindful of
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the convenience of a stove in the family, which she took with her, and an abundance of cloth- ing.
She traveled alone and upon her arrival at Detroit, instead of meeting the husband, who was apprised of her coming, she met a friend of his who told her that her husband was deeply in debt, and if she remained her funds would be seized to liquidate them.
Appreciating the hard earned dollars, she turned her face homeward, leaving her lover to worry his creditors as best he could. That same man, William A. Fletcher, became the first judge upon the present Ninth Judicial Circuit of Michigan, which position is now held by another Schoharie County boy, Hon. Josiah L. Hawes, a native of Carlisle, and student of Joseph H. Ramsey.
Jeremiah Peck erected an "Inn" upon the northwest corner of Main and Church streets, about the year 1818, and kept it as such until his death, and was followed by Mrs. Peck and children. The chief business was done at the bar, while other houses' profits came from lodg- ers, meals and stabling.
There was another inn built at the west end of Main street, upon the brow of the hill, by Levitt Mansfield, about the year 1826, and during its last days was kept by George Smith, but its portals have long since been closed, and only the Feathers House furnishes accommo- dation for the public at the present time. In passing along to the west, one mile and one half, snugly nestled in a hollow was another tavern, whose accommodations were equally as extended as those of the village.
General John S. Brown followed his father in its management, and made a specialty in furn- ishing feed for the droves of live-stock that crowded the thoroughfare.
In the last days of its usefulness as a public house, other landlords loved to tell the traveler of the hideous "spooks " and unearthly noises that were seen and heard nightly within its walls. Judson and Ager, each followed General Brown, and under the latter, the old building was torn down to give room for the present spacious frame house. Near to the west, a toll-
gate was built in 1810, through which each teamster and drover was obliged to deposit in the company's treasury, pay for the privilege of traveling upon the road. Who was the first gate-keeper we are unable to learn, but one Cleveland was receiver for many years, and in fact was in office when this part of the turnpike was annuled by the company.
The first gate-keeper at the bridge was Bar- tholomew Keene, and the present one is Mrs. Obediah Sprong, who has stood at her post day and night for twenty-nine years, performing her duty faithfully. Her husband died many years since, and was a coach driver during the palmy days of this thoroughfare, and familiarly called " Jumpy." None knew how to draw the "rib- bons," or "clip the ears" of the leaders with the coach whip, better than "Jumpy." While referring to the "drivers" we cannot but mention Walter Wood, - Williams, known as " Elder," George Chilson and John Bradt, who were the "regulars " for many long years. Thousands of passengers and an immensity of valuables were entrusted to their care, and we fail to find an instance that a death, injury or loss occurred. One driver made the trip from this place to Cherry Valley, but changed horses at Sharon Hollow or Hill. The "Elder" was the principal driver at this end of the route, and drove a four-horse team daily from here to Sharon during eighteen years.
To give an idea of the amount of business the stage line did before the Central Railroad was in operation, we are authorized by an old driver to say, that from forty to one hundred and fifty passengers were daily booked at Cherry Valley, for Albany and intermediate points.
The travel upon the road, otherwise than by coach, was also immense. An ex- toll collector informs us that the monthly returns of the Esperance bridge gate were usually one thousand dollars ; and that seven hundred teams had been counted that passed through in a day. Thus we can plainly see the cause of such numbers of taverns built along the line, and not think it an erroneous statement when the aged ones tell us, they " failed to meet the requirements of the traveling public."
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TOWN OF ESPERANCE.
SLOANSVILLE.
While we have been contemplating Esper- ance village when it was a pine forest, down to the present time, musing over the changes that progress has made from time to time, we must not harbor the idea that when the first tree was felled at that village no other white inan had set- tled in this "remote region," as in passing up the turnpike, near the present residence of John Schuyler, upon the hill to the east of his house, John Joseph Van Valkenburgh, a German Palatine, settled as early as 1756 or 1760, and made quite a clearing. When Johnson and Brant invaded the valley he saw the smoke arising over the hills, and divined the cause. With his wife and children he started for the " middle fort," passing the lower one upon the hills to the east, and gained the fortress near dark. He quit his pioneer farm and joined the patriots as a scout, and proved one of the most brave and trusty ones. At the close of the war he settled in Sharon, as stated in Chapter XV. Nor must we think that Sloansville was among the things that were to be, as here we find a path-as old perhaps, as the aborigines of the country, leading from the Mohawk to the Scho- harie valley, treading which, the Germans of each valley were enabled to visit and barter with each other, nearly seventy-five years before a settlement was here made. By the side of this path we find three brothers settled as early as 1785 or 1786. John, James and George Brown purchased a portion of the "stone heap" patent, and built a log house upon the ground where Mrs. Spenser Foster's house now stands. They cleared up the land south of the house, and in after years built another one upon the Baptist church site. It being upon the Indian path and the Germans traveling that route quite often, induced the brothers to commence the tavern business for their accommodation when thirsty and weary.
Soon after, the brother, John, desirous of having a separate home, built a log house upon the McIntosh place, and when the turnpike was constructed he built another at a very short distance to the south of the first, to be enabled to accommodate the workmen. The following years, 1805 and 1806, the road was finished
through to Carlisle, and the company was per- mitted to erect a toll-gate at this place, and Brown received the appointment of gate-keeper. He built a gate or swinging-pole from one house to the other, and received toll until the road was completed to Cherry Valley according to con- tract, when the gate was abandoned and the one near Esperance established. The company was obliged to finish a certain number of miles of road before a gate was allowed, and it was not finished acceptably to the Valley until 1810. While liberal inducements were offered to con- struct the road, yet the company were under restraints, and were obliged to keep it in repair, which was an expensive task owing to the vast amount of travel, and if the road became bad, complaints were made to the County turnpike inspectors, by notice, who could compel the gate-keeper to allow all teams to pass through without toll, until the road was repaired and accepted by him.
James Brown kept the inn where the church stands, and he sold the property to Captain William and John R. Sloan upon their coming here about the year 1800. Brown settled in Carlisle.
The Sloans were active men, and were en- gaged in after years, in connection with the hotel, in the manufacture of chip goods, but upon the burning of the building, about 1825, the enterprise was abandoned. Quite a num- ber of settlers came from New Jersey and Rhode Island in 1788 and settled principally north of the village upon the hill, among whom were John Teeple, Stephen Crocker (now in Carlisle) and Abram Montaney-whose de- scendants still occupy the pioneer homes and are prominent citizens.
John and Gideon Larkin also came from Rhode Island about 1803 and settled here for awhile. John was a Revolutionary soldier, and removed to Carlisle, while Gideon located upon the hill southwest of the village and was fol- lowed in the possession of the farm by his sons Gideon, Jr. and Israel whose honesty and in- tegrity none dared assail. The children of John were Daniel, Jehiel and Phineas, who have been prominent men of the County as business men and agriculturists,
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
About the year 1795, the father of the Brown brothers also came with his son Henry and settled with James upon what was after owned by, and known as the "Grum" farm. Henry built an inn upon the turnpike as has already been stated, John sold his interest in the present McIntosh place and purchased farther down the turnpike and built the "Inn" to which we referred and the brick house in which his son General Brown resided.
The store now occupied by J. H. Crandal was built by the Brown Brothers and occupied by them for a while but passed into other hands and in the year 1838 Jehiel Larkin, became the owner and occupant and for a number of years carried on the mercantile business. He was followed by his nephew Alexander Larkin, whose early death placed the present occupant in his stead. The Sloans built the store, long occupied by Stephen Teeple, about the year 1820.
Who the builder and first occupant of Daniel Gallup's store was, we are unable to learn.
Robert Mc Master came from Rhode Island about the year 1800 and after learning the tan- ner's trade in the town of Florida, Montgomery county, he settled here in 1805. He married the daughter of James Brown and was one of those quiet, unassuming men who command the confidence and respect of those with whom they come in contact. He became indepen- dent by his careful and economical mode of doing business and died in 1877 at the ad- vanced age of eighty-eight years. He was fol- lowed in his business by his son James B. Mc- Master who has held the office of Justice of the Peace nearly twenty years and represented the town upon the Board of Supervisors in 1858 and 1859.
As we have made mention of the fact that the mail was first carried over the road on horse, we will here state that this place was made. a post-station, where the riders changed horses. Three changes were made between Albany and Cherry Valley, the first being at Cheesbro's, the second here and the third at Wales or Moak's Hollow, and afterwards at " Hiller's" or Sharon Centre. It was a lonely route, but thinly settled and a very uneven road.
The post-office was not established here we believe until 1817 through the influence of General Thomas Lawyer then in Congress.
David Phelps, of Connecticut, came here as a wagon maker, about the year 1806 or 1807, and was followed by his brothers Gaius and Syl- vester. The former was a hatter and carried on the business largely and successfully for more than a quarter of a century. He closed the business with a competency in 1850, and died at the age of eighty, beloved by all who knew him.
Sylvester worked with his brother David, and after a few years became a driving business man. The present "Dopp Hotel" was partly built by David K. Larkin, who was something of a speculator, and in his trafficing received from Sylvester, wagons for the property. Phelps fin - ished the house and became a " landlord " in 1836, He afterwards traded wagons for a farm and in connection with his trade managed the hotel and farm. As money was a scarce article, every means was employed, to substitute some- thing for it. The wagons were traded off for horses among the farmers, and the horses taken to the Eastern States to be sold for cash, thus making a lively traffic among the speculators, tradesmen and farmers. When Sylvester Phelps was in his prime in years, he made this little hamlet as busy a place as could be found for many miles around.
Taverns .- There were formerly four "Tav- erns" in the place, each doing a good business. The one, of late years known as the "Widow Moore's place," was for a long time the drovers home, as Mrs. Moore's first husband, Gilchrist, was a drover and intimate with all of the clan that frequented the turnpike. Besides, accom- modations were always to be had, as a large farm was connected with the hotel. Upon the death of Gilchrist she married one Moore, with whom she did not entrust her business affairs, much to his disgust, and he left her " alone in her glory." She became very avari- cious, and during her last years in business, the indifferent manner of keeping the hotel, drove the old-time customers away, conse- quently the profits of hotel keeping became
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