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 58
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head of his regiment. The retirement of the regiment from the charge brought the dead and wounded in the hands of the rebels, among whom was Colonel Mix, whose body was not recovered, and this monument simply stands in the family plat to commemorate his name and deeds, and not to designate the spot which holds his remains.
Colonel Mix was held in high esteem by the men under his command, as an officer and comrade, and by all who knew him as a true, genial, whole-souled man, and in his death the government lost one of her best officers and bravest soldiers.
In honor of Colonel Mix, the veterans of the late Rebellion, from the vicinity, many of whom were in his regiment, organized Post Mix, under the rules and regulations of the Grand Army fraternity in 1868.
The charter members of the same were :-
T. J. Shannon,
P. S. Clark,
Cyrus Guffin,
E. Simmons,
C. C. Kromer,
R. W. Kinney,
W. Stocker,
S. W. Hollenbeck,
J. Maternagan,
C. Kniskern, Edwin Shafer.
Peter Mix, the father of Colonel Mix, was a native of Johnstown, Fulton county, and early learned the printers' trade. He became the editor and proprietor of The Montgomery Republican in 1825, and continued the same until 1836, when the office was burned and the paper dis- continued. He removed to Schoharie village and commenced the publication of The Scho- harie Patriot in 1838, and there died.
Not far off lies the first Clerk of the County, Joachim G. Staats, who died in 1801, at the age of thirty years. He was a very good scholar, to judge of his writings, and passed away at an early age.
Beside him lies Dr. Origin Brigham, who died on the 2d of August, 1816, aged fifty-nine years. Doctors Budd and Brigham were here practicing
A.LITTLE
I. G., Norwood, M. D.
4
TOWN OF SCHON 'PU
totime, butlcio er. . niny years he- r. he latter. S . hancl : ha h / long t of physicians, and amother weles veral ns alski l.
-
The first practicing por kian linked in the valley, we believe to have L, yno way here a early . 1700 +d chi career about ihr0. One T! -. Tusk vr Young soon followed and .; .. Di 1 Young's titne, Dr. Jokarn rel w. settled and was see Nwines, Jr. A few of jlyst '
Lu hter of Johannes, Jr. 6 1.0%, of Coll.skill, who
Following the above r rly physic an t Sur Mri were Doctors Budl, Inbam, Cornel Van Dyck, Joshua Crome, P. 5. Swart, Durid Budd, Harman Van Dyck, jrout Bede, In- renzo Hubbard, - - 1 thr [ Just'n Ric Tol Foster, James Croune, Carnehu C. V. Fck, John I. Swart, John Pindar, and the pre t practicing physicians Doct rs W'm. S. Lay n, Norwood, Kingsley and Kilnker
Within a very costly vault le the remains of B.jamin Pond, who came from some eastern write at an early day, and married the laughter Abram Bergh. After many years of laber economy, he became the wealthiest man in the County. But while riches guaranteed a life ce and prominence, disease (Iiimed its vic. 1 nu death its own, and Pend passed away, having the accumulation ( 1 years behind, that ould rot be transported " beyond." His son, A. B. F. Pond, from 180s to 1865, was editor and publisher of The Sch. haric Rp Wcan, whos able columns exhibit JI ability that few country journals are fortunate to possess, and which many of the city pe jodie 's would do well to uhtain. This cemetery at present belongs to in a ociation, and is being kept in commendil; der. Within its lin its lie heroes of the the rs that built, estab i hed and per tut wne the grandest governmental voll has ever karı, and cemesiel in : jothe other by their blood and jim
1
1
1
Across the croc - resides, stool ite Ms of Ca Mann, wl estes
service. Til ba 1
1
he day of M.
fety from the Purposeb . tain across the creek, several months, he gave langel up With Colonial author ties, by whom he was kept as a Inner of war at Allany un'! this 1778. His property w net : .. . ts hul nes bn out bitter en my to 0 - 014 tle now rom ity in a mea v c t. : He5 naik-
He was arre
fter lying in prison unt ! prior 1. . letter to (1 -. Vrou an for them to intercede in hi'lu 1 leasc.1 from confinement. pron U evyohwie knowif the Tories' arr ng mann and Liceir a patriot He was cuerfir rel sed, and proved a true man in the Colonial cluse. After the war close I he removed to the [. . n+ hamlet of Warnerville, where . pared a Mize and influential family
Where Jacob Dietz now rusiles, lived Capta n Jacob Snyder, who want the Stone lort when Johnson and Frant Ta sed by Mr. Snyder carried the ium aruns! to the men, and why mně ball struck the river of the cl d mc uf the company erd fre ' She wood dropped zum and rin @ the tower t. lee where the Nel suing any masse for larn , e
1 diged lay the plate,
The ttlement mad here !
known as Fox's Inf. ard
1/ 14 that w
2. 6. Алкоголь, В. Д.
363
TOWN OF SCHOHARIE.
at one time, but the former came many years bc- fore the latter. Schoharie Village has had a long list of physicians, and among them were several of unusual skill.
The first practicing physician located in the valley, we believe to have becn James Lewis, who was here as carly as 1730, and closed his career about 1750. One Thomas Yunk or Young soon followed and died in 1770. Dur- ing Young's time, Dr. Johannes Werth, a Ger- man, settled and was succeeded by his son Jo- hannes, Jr. A few of the old doctor's surgical instruments are now in the possession of Tobias Bouck, of Cobleskill, whose wife was a grand- daughter of Johannes, Jr.
Following the above early physicians at Scho- harie were Doctors Budd, Brigham, Cornelius Van Dyck, Joshua Crounse, P. S. Swart, David Budd, Harman Van Dyck, Jacob Beakley, Lo- renzo Hubbard, - Lathrop, Justin Rice, Joel Foster, James Crounse, Cornelius C. Van- Dyck, John I. Swart, John Pindar, and the pres- ent practicing physicians, Doctors Wm. S. Lay- man, Norwood, Kingsley and Kilmer.
Within a very costly vault lie the remains of Benjamin Pond, who came from some eastern State at an early day, and married the daughter of Abram Bergh. After many years of labor and economy, he became the wealthiest man in the County. But while riches guaranteed a life of ease and prominence, disease claimed its vic- tim and death its own, and Pond passed away, leaving the accumulation of years behind, that could not be transported "beyond." His son, A. B. F. Pond, from 1861 to 1865, was editor and publisher of The Schoharie Republican, whose able columns exhibited ability that few country journals are fortunate to possess, and which many of the city periodicals would do well to obtain. This cemetery at present belongs to an association, and is being kept in commendable order. Within its limits lie heroes of the three wars that built, established and perpetuated one of the grandest governmental structures the world has ever known, and cemented each part to the other by their blood and privations.
The settlement made here at an early day, was known as Fox's dorf, and around it clus- tered many scenes that were peculiar to the
Revolutionary struggle, of which we will make mention before going back to consider facts re- lating to Brunnen and Smith's dorfs.
Across the creek wherc Pcter Vroman now resides, stood the house of Captain George Mann, who espoused the cause of the Crown after receiving a commission in the Provincial service. The old house was built with a stone basement, in which was the bar-room and kitchen, where whites, Indians and negroes as- sembled and mixed promiscuously and plotted, much to the detriment of the neighborhood's safety. The upper part of the building was brick to the eaves, and if memory serves us aright, they projected through over the base- ment, making what would be styled at the pres- ent time a piazza.
The day of McDonald's flight, Mann sought safety from the Provincials' grasp in the moun- tain across the creek, and after secreting for several months, he gave himself up to the Colonial authorities, by whom he was kept as a prisoner of war at Albany until the spring of 1778. His property was not confiscated, as his acts had not been such as to make him a very bitter enemy to the cause, and his allegiance to the new government in after years atoned in a measure for his rash conduct.
He was arrested in November, 1777, and after lying in prison until spring, he wrote a letter to Colonel Vroman and others praying for them to intercede in his behalf, to be re- leased from confinement, promising to divulge everything he knew of the Tories' arrangements and become a patriot. He was accordingly released, and proved a true nian in the Colonial cause. After the war closed he removed to the present hamlet of Warnerville, where he reared a large and influential family.
Where Jacob Dietz now resides, lived Captain Jacob Snyder, who was at the Stone Fort when Johnson and Brant passed by. Mrs. Snyder carried the rum around to the men, and when the ball struck the eaves of the church, some of the company cried fire 1 She coolly dropped the rum and ran in the tower to see where the fire was. Not seeing any cause for alarm, she resumed her task as if nothing had occurred. The ball which lodged in the plate, was presented
364
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
to her in after years, but being often loaned, it was finally lost from the family's knowledge. At present no less than three balls in the possession of different ones, are said to be the "identical."
.
Captain Snyder weighed out the rations to the men in the fort with a pair of steelyards, which are now in the possession of Philip Snyder, a grandson of the Captain. The same balances were used in 1812 for the same pur- pose when the Schoharie Regiment rendez- voused here.
Captain Snyder died in 1786, and his widow married Philip Schuyler, who was boss workman upon building the Stone Fort in 1772. Peter .M. Snyder, familiarly known as "Yankee Pete," succeeded his father in the old home- stead, and commenced keeping tavern in 1802. In 1817 he built the house in which Jacob Dietz now resides. When he was a boy his father kept tavern and the language spoken by the family and most everybody else that frequented tlie place, was High Dutch, and when business called a Yankee in these parts, as it occasionally did, in the form of peddlers and speculators, it became necessary to have some one to communicate with them. Peter M. was the chosen interpreter, and became as proficient in the Yankee language as it was possible for a High Dutch tongue, and there being three Peter Snyders, Peter M. was ever after called " Yankee Pete." His son, Philip, succeeded him and continued the business for several years. But the building of railroads destroyed the profits of "tavern-keeping" on all the turnpike roads, and this old stand was promoted to a private dwelling.
Alluding to taverns, we might here notice them entire as they were in "Ye olden time," and particularly in the early part of the present cent- ury.
Missionary Hawley, in his narrative of his visit here in 1753, says :-
" And at dusk we arrived at the nearest house between Fort Hunter and Schoharie (Kneis- kern's Dorf), but did not put up until we came to what was accounted a public house, but very unfit for the entertainment of gentlemen strangers. It had only one room, and in that room was a slaw- bunk with a straw bed upon which we lodged.
This, however, was not the worst of it, for we had been contented with coarse fare and ill ac- commodations, in case we could have had quiet rest, but the unhappiness of our case was that it was at the end of the week, and to spend their wages three or four old countrymen came in and gamed and drank through the night, within a foot of our bed. We remonstrated and complained, but in vain. Having had broken rest through the week, we needed balmy sleep to refresh us, but of which we were denied."
Who was the keeper of the inn referred to we are unable to say, but believe it to have been one of the Lawyers. During the Revolution, John I. Lawyer kept near the parsonage ; after- wards Johannes Ingold, who wasfollowed by his son Johannes, Jr. So it will be seen during the Revolution, there were two inns, Lawyer's . and Mann's, Previous to 1800, and a few years after, John Ingold remained in the old stand, while within the distance of two miles, no less than nine sprang up like mushrooms, and at one time were all doing a thriving business. We will here give their locations and the prominent keepers, but may not be correct as to the time. There were four in the village. Chester Lasell kept where the Parrott House now stands, and Andrew Loucks where the late Peter Oster- hout resided. The original tavern where Wood's® Hotel now stands, was a wood building, and kept by David Swart, afterwards by Abraham Keyser, and was burned while occupied by Alex. Vrooman, brother of Jacob. A brick structure was placed in its stead by him. Some time after the establishment of the taverns already men- tioned, the residence of General Wm. Mann was purchased by Sheriff Peter Osterhout, and con- verted into a hotel, and after passing through several hands, it was bought by John School- craft, and for several years known as the “Man- sion House." In 1868 the building was burned, and upon its site stands "Union Block."
Further down, Christian Lawyer held forth where the late Wm. Winter resided, and Peter Vrooman could be found in the stone house still standing upon the "Gardiner" farm.
Having thus alluded to the early taverns and their numbers, we will copy from the town records the inn keepers and the amount each
365
TOWN OF SCHOHARIE.
paid in 1805 for license. It must be remembered the territory of the town was much larger than at present.
The record says :- "the account of the money Collected the ensuing year, of the several Keepers of Inns and Taverns, the sums as are annexed to each person's name respect- ively, in conformity to the act entitled : An act to lay a duty of Excise on Strong & Spirituous Liquors, & to regulate Inns and Taverns :- May 71
1805
Peter M. Snyder. $5.00
John Young. 5.00
Jacob Lawyer, Jr. 5.00
John Herrick, Jr. 5.00
David Lawyer, Jr. 6.00
William Sloan, Jr.
7.00
Daniel Hare. .
5.00
David Swart.
7.00
Bartholomew Swart . 6.00
Peter Kow.
5.00
Christian Lawyer.
5.50
John Rosekrans.
5.00
Peter Vroman, Jr.
5.00
Christopher Wetsel 5.00
John Brown, Jr .. 5.00
Jacob L. Lawyer. . 5.00
John Dominick, Jr.
5.00
DeWalt Hilts .. 5.00
Jacob Snyder, Jr 5.00
Judah Burton
5.00
Josias Hager 6.00
Jacob W. Hilton 4.50
Joseph Wright
1.67
Total.
$118.67
We have placed before us, by Henry Cady, a license bearing date 1811, given to Peter Vrooman, "to keep an inn as it was necessary." At the same time Cornelius Vrooman kept upon the old Mann place. Yankee Pete came next, while further on was Peter Mann ; still beyond Jacob Snyder, cousin of Yankee Pete, held forth where Smith Couch now resides.
In place of those nine inns, we have butthree whose spacious appearance exhibits the same progression in that branch of business as we find in everything else.
The first houses of entertainment were called inns ; as they became more polished they were called taverns, but at the present time, in ac- cordance with their elevation in space and ap- pearance, they are recognized as hotels, and the three which are located here add much to the appearance of the village.
Wood's Hotel is fitted to accommodate over one hundred guests, while the Parrott House, not to be excelled, finds ample space for nearly double that number. The Taylor House is upon a smaller scale, but pleasant surroundings can be found within its walls.
Fox's dorf proper was upon the south side of the creek, around the present "stone fort " and the settlement upon the north side was not made until a much later date. The lands lying between the creek and Garlock's dorf were not purchased by actual settlers until 1771, when Peter Mann, Johannes Ball, of Beaver Dam and Aker of Canajoharie, purchased of - Bleeker. Aker sold his interest to William and John Dietz, of Beaver Dam, sons of Johannes Dietz who was massacred by the Indians in 1782, at the latter place. William was a blacksmith, and a true patriot, and settled nearly opposite of William Dietz's present residence. He had four sons, Peter, Philip, Abram and William, who became prominent citizens and reared large families, that have of late years dwindled down to few in numbers, in comparison with other old families. Two daughters followed the custom of the day and married into the leading families of Fountain Town and Kneiskern's dorf. Maria married John Sidney, whose ancestor was one of the seven of the latter settlement under the name of Sidnic, and Christina united with John Lawyer, and was perhaps considered the " fortunate one" in those days, by becom- ing connected with the land autocrats of the country. The latter removed to Jefferson county where their children still reside. Eva, the only daughter of John Dietz, also be- came interested in that family and married Abraham Lawyer, the son of Johannes, the large landholder.
Colonel William Dietz the youngest of the four brothers became the leading politician of
366
HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the County. He was a self-made man, receiv- ing only the meager advantages of the district school, but became a very good scholar for those days and superior in business affairs.
Working in unison with William C. Bouck under the " Albany Regency," a political clique formed by the leaders of the Democratic party, he made a successful career in which the charge of official corruption was not made by his opponents, with any foundation of truth. Colonel Dietz was early promoted from one office to another in the militia service, until he was appointed Colonel. He was elected super- visor of the town in 1812, and to the Assembly in 1814 and 1815, with William C. Bouck, and again in 1823 with Peter W. Snyder. In 1825, 1826 and 1827 he was in Congress, and the honor of State Senator was conferred upon him successively in 1830, 1831, 1832 and 1833. It will be seen that Colonel Dietz was a prominent man and held responsible official positions. He did a vast amount of business in the settling of estates, and was an honest, careful man, in whom all had confidence. He was naturally quiet and sought the society of neighbors and the quiet of home to the publicity and extravagant customs with which an official life is apt to bring one in contact, After a useful life he died at his home on the 24th of August, 1848, at the age of eighty, leaving but one heir, David, who also has passed away.
David's children were William, Mrs. · Mer- rill and Mrs. Boughton, of Schoharie and Mrs. Judge John Mann, of Milwaukee, Wis. who are the only heirs to perpetuate the name and virtues of one of Schoharie's gifted sons.
The founder of Fox's dorf was one William Fox, who for reasons unknown to the writer, removed to Stone Arabia, then a part of Pala- tine, with several others about the year 1755 or 1760, where his descendants may still be found. In the beginning of the century his grandson removed to the town of Sharon, where he died in 1816 leaving a family of four sons, two of whom are still living at advanced ages bearing the impress of the early settlers, in form, muscle and longevity. The Snyder family we believe to be the only one of the original settlers of this dorf still remaining. There were the Akers,
Funks, Werths, Kobells, Stahls, (Stalls) Mancks, (Monks) Hogebooms and perhaps many others in this settlement, but about the time Fox, the leader removed, they scattered here and there and gave place to others. The Beckers of the High Dutch branch and Zimmers were of a later date, and settled farther up the creek, but a few years previous to and after the Revolution they were owners of property in and around the dorf.
In the early settlement of this place four dorfs were located within the distance of two and one half miles,-Brunnen, Fox's, Smith's and Garlock's.
Having located the two former, the third was pleasantly situated where the railroad depot now stands.
By the divisions made upon the map before alluded to, there were but seven residents here in the first settlement. The map shows a space of land along the creek unoccupied. All of the lots in this dorf of value, were divided into seven parts, that each resident might stand equal with the others.
When the lands were bought, upon which the separate settlements were made, they were pur- chased by all together, and remained undivided many years ; perhaps until the marriage of chil- dren requiring means to start in life, compelled the parents to know what belonged to them in- dividually. The papers relating to Fox's and Smith's dorfs are not to be found, and without doubt are lost forever, leaving us in the dark as to their true history. But we are inclined to think the Fox settlement was made a short time prior to Brunnen dorf about the year 1715 or 1717.
The founder or List-master of Smith's dorf was Johannes George Sınith, who was under John Peter Kneiskern while at the Camps, and upon the Canadian expedition in 1711. When excavations were made for the foundation of the engine house, several skulls and other bones were found, which leads us to believe it to have been the burial ground of the dorf.
Opposite of this settlement near the creek, was an Indian encampment, but of what tribe and numbers, appearance and customs, we are unable to tell.
367
TOWN OF SCHOHARIE.
Before the Court House was built, the road running through Fountain Town, ran from house to house near the ledge of rocks as it was made in the beginning of the settlement.
When the question of locating the Court House was agitated, the people of the settle- ment promised to give the lands to the County for a site, and when it was established and built (1800), the road was changed to its present position. When this County was formed in 1795, not having a Court House, all business was transacted at "the house of Johannes In- gold." With the exception of holding Courts and meetings of the Board of Supervisors, the busiest part of the town was at Fox's dorf, and at this place the aristocratic portion of the town settled.
After the close of the Revolution, Colonel Peter Vrooman, having his building burnt in Vroomansland by the Indians, purchased the old mill standing here (built about 1760) and built the dwelling now occupied by Samuel Stevens. Beside Dr. Budd, the Dietz family were to be found near.
About 1790 George Tiffany, a native of New Hampshire, came and settled in the old High Dutch parsonage as a residence. His office was in one end of the piazza of George Mann's tavern. Here Gen. Thomas Lawyer studied the profession. He married Tiffany's sister after settling at Lawyersville. Tiffany repre- sented this district in the State Senate in 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, and was a well qualified law- yer, whom the Schoharie County bar may look back upon with pride. Tiffany was followed in 1794, by Jacob Gebhard, of Claverack, Colum- bia county. They were the only lawyers by pro- fession in the place for a number of years.
Jacob's brother John came and studied with him, and these two are the progenitors of the present Gebhard family of Schoharie County. Prominent among them is John Gebhard, Jr., still living. He was born in Schoharie in 1802, and received a limited education in the schools of the place. Possessing an enquiring mind and being fond of reading, he has acquired much through his exertions that the schools he attended could not inculcate.
He was elected to the County Clerkship in
1828, and hekdl the office two terms. In 1846 lie was delegate to the Third Constitutional State Convention with ex-Governor William C. Bouck. The latter did not vote for its adoption in the Convention, while Mr. Gebhard voted in the affirmative. In 1849 he was appointed Curator of the State Cabinet, which position he held to the year 1856. Mr. Gebhard was for many years a justice of the peace, and has spent over sixty years in the study of geology. His cabi- net was purchased by the State a few years ago, and placed in the Geological rooms at Albany, adding much to the attraction of the latter.
George Tiffany removed to Canada and died at Ancaster, province of Ontario, in 1842, aged seventy-six, leaving no heir to perpetuate his name.
Following Tiffany and Gebhard as lawyers, came Peter W. Quackenboss, Cornelius E. Yates, John Cuyler, John Gebhard, Isaac Hall Tiffany, Hermanus Bouck, Elias Halliday and Henry Hamilton before the year 1815. They were gentlemen of marked abilities, whose legal careers were such as would cope with any in the State-especially that of Henry Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton came from Herkimer county as a school teacher, and studied law with Tiffany. In 1818 he was appointed District Attorney, being the first one ever holding that office in the County, and which he held creditably to himself and satisfactorily to the people until the year 1821. In the year 1832 he received the appointment of Surrogate which office he held two years. Mr. Hamilton married the daugh- ter of David Lawyer, and once formed a part- nership with Jacob Houck, Jr., and afterwards with Charles Goodyear. In the "Stone Fort " cemetery stands a plain marble shaft bearing the dreaded conclusion of every one's life :-
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