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 63
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Increase of business required another exten- sion, and many conveniences within, but through a conflagration that originated in the hotel stables in 1873, the whole was laid in ashes, together with all the buildings to the east as far as School street. In the two years follow- ing Mr. Smith built the structure now standing as Hotel Augustan, upon the ground occupied by the old buildings.
* See steel portrait and biography at the close of this chapter.
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TOWN OF COBLESKILL.
It is a large three-story brick building, with well ventilated and spacious rooms, capable of accommodating onc hundred guests without inconvenient compactness. To it, has flocked, each heated term, many from different cities, to enjoy its hospitality and the beautiful scenery surrounding it. Scarcely had Mr. Smith fin- ished and furnished the building to his satis- faction, when he was stricken by disease. He died November 14, 1877, at the age of forty- nine.
Augustus C. Smith was a very genial and en- ergetic business man. He conceived the rapid growth of the village would ensure safety in making the heavy expenditure of building such an edifice, and had he lived, undoubtedly by his enterprise and perseverance, he would have en- joyed the realization of his plans. He was a successful school teacher for a number of years, and was elected school commissioner over the western district in the autumn of 1856. Mr. Smith ever took a deep interest in the cause of education, and in entering upon the duties of the office, he threw his whole energies in the work and awakened an interest throughout the district, that caused the schools to advance from the lethargy in which they were found. He was re-elected as his term of office closed, and throughout his official career performed his duties with such faithfulness, as to ensure it was not as much for the emoluments of the office, he worked, as to meet the interest he felt in educational matters.
As we are dwelling upon hotels and hotel proprietors, perhaps we may with propriety refer to others that were in past days and then come down to others that are now existing in the vil- lage. In olden times an inn was considered as indispensable as the highway, as by the town records we find in 1800, and for many years fol- lowing, nine persons were licensed to " keep an inn," in the town, and "who appear to be of good moral characters, and are of sufficient abilities, each to keep a publick Inn or Tavern, and that each of them has accommodations to entertain travelers."
Undoubtedly owing to the rush of business the board considered it " necessary for the ac- commodation of travelers that a tavern be kept at their several places of abode in the said town
of Cobleskill." The nine that received licenses were :-
Lambert Lawyer,
Peter Bouck,
William Snyder, Nicholas Rouse,
Jacob Newton, Nicholas Smith,
William Baker, Caleb Lamb, Lambert Shafer.
The town being much larger in area at that time than now, there were but four of the nine in the present territory - Lawyer, Bouck, Shafer and Rouse.
Peter Bouck kept were Martinus Swart now resides ; Shafer upon the VanDresser farm. Rouse near Punchkill, and Lawyer as before shown.
Coming down to a later date (1810) Dr. Ja- bez Kromer opened his house (which stood where Kennedy's wagon shop now stands) as an inn. The building was burned about the year 1830, and the present wagon shop soon after erected. John Foland succeeded Kromer as host. He was father of the late John and present Peter Foland, whose reputation as land- lords are too well known by the traveling public to need an introduction here. The house passed into several hands from time to time, and in its last days as a hotel was known as the " Nisbeth House.
In 1842 Abraham L. Lawyer purchased the building now known as the United States, and changed it from a store (for which it was in- tended,) to a hotel by building an addition.
Martin Watson, son-in-law of Lawyer, took possession and continued the business to the year 1852, when he removed to Albany and gave place to others. Since that date the house has been occupied as a store and hotel, Simeon Deyo being the last to occupy it as a store-house.
From 1864 to 1868 several different "land- lords" held forth, but in the latter year Levi Kilts purchased the property and still remains the proprietor. During the present season the building has received an extensive addition which makes a great contrast from its appearance forty years ago, when it was a small store, and
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
the present time. Across the street from the United States Hotel stood for many years a long building with the gable towards the street, which from time to time was used for various purposes. Abram Van Patten rebuilt the house and for several years enjoyed a lucrative patronage. His genial countenance and unbounded hospi- tality drew a host of friends around him, who deeply regretted his untiniely end.
Mr. Van Patten fell from a wagon at some distance from home and when found life was extinct. The house was managed by his family awhile, who was followed by - Benedict to the present year, when Jefferson Eldridge be- came the occupant, and remodeled the estab- lishment in appearance and convenience.
Upon the completion of the railroad to this place, James Blodgett erected the present Com- mercial Hotel, near the station, as the Blodgett House, for the convenience and comfort of commercial travelers. The fall of 1866 found it completed under the management of the builder, who was followed by several different firms and of late by Morgan Lewis, son-in-law of A. C. Smith and former proprietor of the Hotel Augustan. The house has accommoda- tions for one hundred guests. Besides the in- creasing patronage of the traveling public this house has become a favorite summer resort. The village being so pleasantly situated, in a fertile and interesting valley, free from malaria and accessible to all parts, many whose custom it has been to pass the heated term at the fash- ionable watering places, find it more beneficial to health to pass their summers here in quiet, and each season finds their numbers increased.
Early Merchants .- Who was the first mer- chant in the place, it is indeed hard to tell, but we are led to believe one Staats, who was here in 1790. Josias Kellogg was here as early as 1800, and was connected in after years with Curtis Thorp.
The Lawyer family were the most wealthy of any in the Schoharie settlements, and were engaged in nearly every enterprise in which money was to be made, and undoubtedly through them the first settlers were supplied with such goods as they required. The wants
of the settlers as we have before mentioned were few-the chief being rum and tobacco- aside from their wearing apparel and eatables, which they manufactured and grew themselves.
After Kellogg and Thorp came John Peter Bellinger. Upon the ground now occupied by the United States Hotel stood a building which was occupied as a store during the 20's, by Jacob Slingerland; the building was burned and rebuilt by Han Yery Bouck, and he or his brother engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with Jerome Kromer. Mr. Bellinger was in trade part of the time with Jonas Bouck. Charles Courter came in 1837, and formed a copartnership with Minard Harder, in 1855, and continued the connection until the spring of 1860, when the business reverted to Mr. Courter. During those years, Martin Watson, A. B. Larkin and J. M. Falkner, were engaged in trade, the latter two, after those dates.
Simeon Deyo being established in the "Wat- son house," purchased Charles Courter's goods and interest, and became the only merchant in the village for some time, as we before stated. 'There may have been other merchants of short residence here from time to time, of whom we have not made mention, but we have given the leading tradesmen up to the year 1862. Long years before the latter date, the chief station for trading was at Lawyersville, and still later, Bernerville. We will here state that the busi- ness portion of the village for many years was clustered around the present United States Hotel.
Alonzo Ferguson was the pioneer hardware merchant of the place, and commenced the business in 1851. He was followed by C. H. Shaver in 1854, who still is in trade.
Mr. Ferguson removed to Otsego county, and upon the commencement of the Rebellion, he en- listed and served through the war as Colonel of the 72d Regiment of Volunteers.
In 1879, he returned to the village, and again engaged in trade, having purchased the stock of goods of Charles Hamilton, who had been in the trade nearly two years. The three gentle- men alluded to are the only merchants ever en- gaged exclusively in the hardware trade in the village.
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TOWN OF COBLESKILL.
Morris Cohn removed from South Valley in 1864, and engaged the most extensively in the dry goods trade, and still remains as the largest dealer in the County. Jacob H. Diefendorf, also commenced at nearly the same time, and after a few years closed. In 1872, Martin Borst and Edgar S. Ryder, formed a co-partnership in the dry goods and clothing trade, and the firm became in 1878, Ryder & Ostrom, Borst having retired and George D. Ostrom succeeding him. The same year the firm again changed by the retirement of Ostrom, and connection of R. T. Lefevre, making the principals " Ryder & Le. fevre."
The first general druggist of the town was Howland, who commenced in 1865, and was succeeded by Jonas Dillenbeck, in 1867, who is still in business, having of late taken an associate, and the firm is known as Rowe & Dillenbeck. The conflagration of 1873 burnt Mr. Dillenbeck's large and well stocked establishment, but it was immediately rebuilt, and still retains the reputation of a first-class house, which was early won. Several other firms have " come and gone " since Mr. Dillenbeck embarked in the business, and at present but one other is in the trade. Hogan & Borst com- menced in 1879, and still continue with the con- ficence of the public. Doctor Ezra Lawyer, in connection with his practice, was a favorite druggist for a few years up to 1879, when he retired from the business. To chronicle all the business men of the town, and the changes they have made from time to time, would be an endless task, and by not going over the whole field, we are confident we will not be accused of favoritism. We have only intended, in writing the foregoing necessarily brief sketch, to notice the pioneers in each branch, but in our retrospect, we find we have missed Henry Smith, who built and furnished with goods, the house standing near the old school house, and in which William T. Moak was clerk, in the years 1853 and 1854. The basement was occupied in 1865 by "Lon " Harder, as a grocery, which he removed to the building now occupied by the druggists Hogan & Borst. "Lon " built the store in 1867, and created quite an excitement by his prize " l'ea Sales," in which he disposed of thousands of
pounds of tea, and brought together crowds of hundreds of people, to witness the distribution of the prizes.
James W. Lawyer was the pioneer in the ex- clusive grocery trade, and was followed by Alonzo Harder. Daniel J. Dow removed from Sharon Hollow, and engaged in that business, and since then, G. R. Culver, John J. Dickerson, and J. M. Dean, as Dickerson & Dean, who were suc- ceeded by Decker & Wright, Martin D. Borst, and James Herrick, have established flattering trades, who, with D. J. Dow, make a specialty of crockery, in addition to groceries.
Lawrence Lawyer's House and Family .- When Lawrence Lawyer settled here, about the year 1770, he built a house near the creek a little to the north of Peter Tingue's present res- idence. The road ran south of Lambert Law- yer's to that house and from thence northwest to Adam Shaver's, now Madison Shaver's, and then west to William Snyder's inn, now occupied by Sylvester McDonald. Lawyer was twice burned out during the war, and in 1810 built a large mansion upon the hill west of the village. It was in after years occupied by his son, Abram L., who was followed by Nicholas Russell, and still later by Peter Coburn, in whose possession it was when burned.
Lawrence had two sons, John L. and Abram L. The former, father of the present James W. Lawyer, was killed by a log rolling upon him. Abram became a very useful and influential man. He represented the town in the board of Supervisors in 1823, 1824, 1825, and 1829, and was sent to the Legislature in 1830, and again in 1851. The years 1835, 1836, 1837, and 1838 found him in the State Senate, which po- sition he filled with commendable efficiency, as repeated elections prove. He died at his resi- dence on the fifteenth of December, 1853, at the age of sixty-two.
Mr. Lawyer married a daughter of Peter Bouck, and his daughter (Mrs. Harvey Watson, of Esperance,) is the only surviving member of the family.
Churches .- From the first settlement of the valley, in 1750 to 1764, the people were desti- tute of a house of worship. Peter N. Sommers, of the Lutheran Church of Schoharie, and
.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
Dominie Schuyler, of the High Dutch Re- formed, together with missionaries, occasionally performed divine services in houses and barns. When not thus provided, the people either walked to Schoharie or near the present Metho- dist Centre Church in Seward, where stood a rude log building in which meetings were held quite frequently. During the Revolution, they were careful in venturing upon the usual paths to Seward, as the settlers of that section were
principally Tories, in whom they had but little confidence.
After peace was proclaimed, the Rhinebeck Church was built by the combined efforts of the people of Dorlach, Rhinebeck and Cobleskill and both societies, Lutheran and Reformed, worshipped in the building up to the year 1800. The Lutherans of Cobleskill became dissatisfied with the management of the church property, and being able to erect a church of their own,
im
THE OLD BRICK (LUTHERAN) CHURCH.
they did so in 1794. An effort was made by them to obtain a division of the farm, but not being successful, the matter was dropped until 1808, when they obtained fifty acres as their portion. The building, for those days, was a fine one and, being of brick, it was known and referred to as the "Brick Church," for many years after, by the people of the surrounding country. The building became too small for the congregation and a new one was erected in the year 1868, at a cost, together with the fur- niture, of thirty-six thousand dollars, that will compare favorably with any in the country.
The old one was cleared away in 1869, and upon the ground occupied by it, and the old grave-yard, the brick block known as the " Rus- sell Block," now stands. The store of Martin Borst occupied the old site. It is sacrilege to destroy every such relic of the past merely for the financial gain that is reaped out of the small plats upon which they were placed.
The founder of this organization was the Rev. F. H. Quitman, and in gleaning from the re- cords we are enabled to give the following facts relating to the church, and in our labors were assisted materially by Mr. Archibald Kilmer,
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TOWN OF COBLESKILL.
whose interest, with others, became excited in behalf of the " old land mark."
In September, 1793, Lambert Lawyer gave to the organization one acre of ground for building purposes, and during the following winter and summer the edifice was erected. At what time the first meeting was held to organ - ize the society as a separate church, we are un- able to tell, but by consulting the New Rhine- beck papers should judge that part of the pro- ceedings were performed in the early part of that month (September). We find Nicholas Warner and Henry Shafer (late Judge) were the first Wardens, and Lawrence Lawyer, Henry Shafer, David Bouck, Johannes Bouck, George Mann and Peter Shafer the first Trustees, while Henry Shafer acted as Clerk. From the books we find the organization spoken of as "The Lutheran Dutch Church, called ‘Zion of Cobleskill.' "
The builders of the edifice were :-
Henry Shafer, Adam Shafer, Peter Shafer,
John Shafer,
David Bouck, Lawrence Lawyer,
Lambert Lawyer, George Warner,
Nicholas Warner,
David Zeh, Peter Mann,
John Bouck, George Warner,
all wealthy men, not only for that, but our own day, as farmers; and being situated in a rapidly growing community, the pulpit was supplied by the best preachers of the day.
As we have stated Rev. Frederick Quitman founded the church and was the first pastor from 1794 to 1800, and Anthony T. Braun (Brown) from 1800 to 1805, yet they were also preachers at Schoharie ; Rev. Mr. Braun from 1791 to 1795, and Rev. Quitman from 1795 to 1799, when Rev. Mr. Braun again officiated from 1799 to 1805. Those two men followed in the footsteps of P. N. Sommers, and like him preached at Beaverwyck, Stone Arabia, Green- bush, and to scattering congregations within a
circuit of forty miles, but unlike him in doing the work double handed.
'These men were succeeded by one of the no- blest men that adorned the church, Augustus Wackenhager, who began his ministry at Scho- harie and here in 1805 and ended them in 1816. He was the first President of the County Bible Society and on its semi-centennial anniversary at Schoharie in October, 1863, the Society voted him a Bible, as a mark of their honor and affec- tion. Upon the receipt of the token, at Cler- mont, he wrote a touching letter of acknowl. edgement, that well deserves a place upon the minutes of that Society. Though four score years had passed over his venerable head, yet in that epistle the earnestness, energy and men- tal powers of the man could be at once seen and felt.
John Molther followed in 1816 and remained to the year 1819, when George A. Lintner came and officiated till the year 1834. At that date this organization became a separate parish un- der the pastorate of W. H. Watson, who re- mained until the year 1841, when James Lefler followed till 1844, and officiated also at ·Middleburgh. Rev. J. Fenner came that year and was succeeded in 1846 by A. L. Bridgman, who came only to fill a vacancy and was relieved by Rev. M. J. Stover, who remained till 1851, when S. Curtis came. The year 1855 brought P. A. Stroble, and 1858 Henry Keller, who is the only one of the long list of pastors that permanently settled in the village. His pastorate ended in 1861, and I. S. Porter fol- lowed him and remained till 1867, when A. P. Ludden filled his place to be relieved by C. P. Whitecar in 1873. Mr. Whitecar remained but one year and removed to Middleburgh where he labored till 1876. S. Stall followed Mr. Whitecar in 1874 and closed his pastoral duties here in 1877, when G. W. Hemperly, the present pastor, was called. One fact we will here state in connection with this church that is of deep interest in its history :-
Rev. Walter Gunn, the first missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran church of the United States to heathen lands, was a resident of Carlisle, and while but a young man was awak- ened to a deep sense of his duty to God and
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY.
man by the Holy Spirit, and but a short time after his conversion expressed a strong desire to enter the missionary field.
Being too poor to prepare himself for the work, he applied to the pastor of the Schoharie Lutheran church for advice in the matter, who could give but little encouragement, yet with that earnest resolution that characterized all of Dr. Lintner's works, the matter was brought be- fore several members of the Hartwick Synod. Dr. Lintner in his memoir of Mr. Gunn says :-
" At the meeting of that body, at Cobleskill, in the year 1837, it so happened, or rather it was directed in the providence of God that sev- eral wives of clergymen belonging to the Synod accompanied their husbands to the meeting. During the session of the Synod Mrs. Nancy Schafer, wife of Colonel Schafer, of Cobleskill, in- vited the ministers' wives to spend an afternoon at her home. Here they met without any pre- concerted arrangements and had a season of prayer, while their husbands were engaged in the deliberations of the Synod. The ladies present at this meeting were Mrs. Crounse, Mrs. Senderling, Mrs. Lintner and Mrs. Schafer. After prayer it was proposed to educate Mr. Gunn for a foreign missionary."
" Each pledged herself for a definite sum and agreed to work among the ladies of their re- spective neighborhoods and solicit their aid.
" This gave rise to the Female Association of Hartwick Synod for the Education of Foreign Missionaries. This meeting was the germ of the foreign missionary spirit, which went, forth through the Hartwick Synod to other Synods and subsequently led to the establishment of our foreign mission."
Reformed Church .- There being several families located at and near the village that held to the Calvinistic doctrine, a building was erected in 1819 for public worship. The pulpit was supplied principally from the Reformed Church of Schoharie and Middleburgh. There never was a resident pastor connected with this church, and through some mismanagement or disagreement upon doctrines, the society was disorganized and the church property sold. The building at present is occupied by the post-
office, and James W. Lawyer's grocery. The last deacon of this church was the late Isaac Ottman.
Methodist Episcopal Church .- The early records of this church were not kept, but by the assistance of Mr. Minard Harder, we are enabled to give an accurate history of the same, as taken from papers relating to it in his pos- session. In the summer of 1853, meetings were held for the first time, in the residence of John Schermerhorn, by circuit preachers, and the year following the present edifice was built, and dedicated about the month of October of that year. The Sunday-school was held in the rear part of the present residence of William C. Ottman, in a room arranged by Josiah L. Hawes, for a select school. Elisha Watson was preacher in charge during 1853, and we find Charles M. Anderson was an assistant, and Truman Seymour, presiding elder. In 1854 Arunah Lyon was preacher, and Andrew Heath acted as colleague. During those two years this charge was in the Seward and Cobleskill circuit. In 1855 and 1857, it was in the Cobleskill circuit, which included Bernerville, Punchkill, Greenbush, Grovenor's Corners, Mineral Springs, Petersburgh, Bramanville and Cobleskill, and consisted of eight classes.
In 1855 Andrew Heath was preacher, and Stillman B. Gough, associate.
In 1856 Joseph- Conner was preacher, and Joseph Cope, son-in-law of David Shank, asso- ciate.
In 1857 the same clergymen were reappointed and served.
These were the last pastoral duties performed by Mr. Conner, as his health failed. He settled at Warnerville and died soon after with con- sumption.
In 1858 the circuit included Richmondville, and was called " The Cobleskill and Rich- mondville Circuit." During that year S. S. Ford was preacher in charge, with D. W. Gould, asso- ciate. The year 1859 was supplied by the same.
The pastors in 1861 were Alvin Robbins and William J. Sands ; in 1862, A. Hall and F. T. Hanna; in 1863, A. D. Heaxt; and in 1864 and 1865, Aaron Hall.
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TOWN OF COBLESKILL.
In the latter year, Grovenor's Corners, Ber- nerville and Cobleskill were set off as a separate circuit.
In 1866, Abel Ford filled the pulpit, followed in 1866-1868, by D. W. Gates; in 1868-1871, by Homer L. Grant; in 1871-1873, by R. H. Robinson ; in 1873-1876, by T. Dwight Walk- er; in 1876-1878, by W. H. L. Starks; in 1878-1879, by Milton Tater; and in 1879, by J. S. Bridgford, at the present time officiating. In 1867, Grovenor's Corners was taken from the circuit.
This church was made a "station" and separate from any other, with the exception of Bernerville, that was retained a few years after.
The present officers are :----
Trustees :-
Reuben Harder,
W. H. Hawes, Elmer France, George D. Harder, Francis France.
Stewards :-
Minard Harder, Louis Hess, John Van Voris, George D. Harder, Abram Gorden.
Leaders :-
M. S. Decker,
S. Wright,
C. P. Boarne, C. H. Shaver, Chester Barner.
The Sabbath school has 175 officers and teachers with Louis Hess as superintendent.
St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church .- This church was organized in 1870 by Rev. T. W. Reilly, with a membership of seventy-five. The edifice is a substantial brick structure, and was built the same year at a cost of eight thousand dollars.
The following pastors have officiated :--
Rev. T. W. Reilly, Rev. -- Muldoon, Rev. E. Philips,
Rev. John Brosenen at present officiat- ing and resident.
To return to the old families of the valley we find at the time of the Revolution they had in- creased in numbers, and in a few years, each had settled down to fill up the interstices between distant neighbors.
Jacob Borst the elder had passed away leav- ing Joseph, Jacob, Jr., and Yost in his stead. The former two, by their energy and faithful- ness in the cause of liberty, enrolled their names upon Freedom's column as true and tried pa- triots. Jacob was employed chiefly as scout and braved many dangers from which others shrank. In the fall of 1780, he in company with others were taken prisoners at Moak's Hollow, and driven to Canada. He was harshly treated and held until the war closed, when he returned to his home, but was soon confined by consump- tion, which he contracted through exposure and soon after died. Joseph retained the old farm and his children were Peter, Christian, Henry, John J., and Maria, (Mrs. Abram Brown). They too, with the father, grew old and died, leaving a record however, of being worthy children of a worthy parent.
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