USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie county, and border wars of New York > Part 40
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On the day following their massacre, the remains of John France were buried by Henry Haines, Sen., and those of Mr. Merckley and his charming neice, by Mr. Haines, Michael Fri- mire, and Christopher France, Miss M.'s intended husband. Sad, indeed, must have been the feelings of the young lover, while per- forming this most melancholy duty. Few were the witnesses pre- sent; no funeral knell told the distant neighbor that death was abroad; the ceremony was brief and informal. No long proces- sion followed those mangled corpses to measured steps, preceded by the man of God in sacerdotal robes ; yet one there was whose sorrowing came from the heart. A few rough boards were laid in the "narrow house" which had been hastily dug a little dis- tance east of where they had fallen, and blooming youth and parental age were placed side by side in it, and quicky buried. A few years ago their remains were taken up, placed in a cof- fin, and funeral services performed over them; after which they were deposited in the family burying ground, on the Frederick Merckley place, where a marble slab may now be seen with the following inscription :
" In Memory of Catharine Marcley and Michael Marcley, who was [were] killed by the Indians, Oct. 18, 1780."
Nothing on the stone indicates their ages or consanguinity : she
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was about 18 ; and her uncle, probably, 45 or 50 years old. Af- ter young France was engaged to Miss Merckley, he gave her, agreeable to custom, a pair of silver shoe-buckles. These Seth's Henry left upon her feet, and they were returned to the lover.
It has been a mystery to many in Schoharie that Michael Merckley, who was the avowed friend of royalty, should thus have been killed, his property destroyed, and his family broken up. The following circumstance reveals the secret. A short time pre- vious to the Revolution, a daughter of Philip Crysler (then in her teens) was living in the family of one Barnhard, in the capacity of a hired girl. While there, a son of Michael Merckley several times visited her, about which time she became gravis. This fact coming to the knowledge of her parents, they desired her to fix paternity on young Merckley and compel a marriage. She was taken before Judge Brown, then a justice of the peace, who, hav- ing previously been apprized of all the circumstances in the case, told the girl the nature of an oath, the criminality of its being falsely rendered, and what the future consequences might be. He then administered the oath, and the honors of paternity were awarded Barnhard. This affair caused a lasting hatred between the two families ; and when Crysler obtained the direction of a party of Indians, there can remain little doubt but what some of them were found willing, in anticipation of plunder, to share his prejudices and gratify his savage propensities ; for such we must call the inclinations of those who joined the enemy, went to Ca- nada, and from choice came back repeatedly, to imbrue their hands in the blood of their former neighbors and relatives.
Many of the settlers, tories as well as whigs, concealed their effects in the war ; and it is said that Philip Crysler had concealed part of his. As old Mr. Hoffman and his wife were inoffensive people, and did not meddle with politics, it was supposed from the attempt to kill them at the time of his removal, and of their massacre the next season, that it was in consequence of the fact, that a girl, who had once lived with Hoffman, had discovered and appropriated to her own use, some of the hidden property of Crysler. Trifling circumstances were construed into plausible pre-
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texts too often in the Revolution-as, in fact, they will be, from the nature of things, in all civil wars-for the perpetration of the most heinous and revolting cruelties. The reason is obvious : when all laws are disregarded and set at defiance, the baser pas- sions of the human breast triumph over virtue and social order; and crime-
" Stalks abroad at noonday, Nor does she cease at midnight to destroy.""
Nothing of importance transpired in the Schoharie valley that year, after the invasion of Sir John Johnson. The loss at that time to the citizens seems almost incalculable. Of the one hun- dred and thirty-four buildings, said by Judge Brown to have been burned in Schoharie county during the war, the greater part were consumed at this time. Among all the houses burnt in the coun- ty, I do not remember to have heard of a single log tenement : the citizens were comfortably situated in good framed dwellings, with large barns (which the Dutch are celebrated for erecting) abundantly filled. Schoharie had constantly supplied not only her own citizens and soldiers with wheat, but had furnished large quantities for the support of American troops at other stations : but now, by the most rigid economy, the remaining supply could hardly have been expected to subsist the citizens until new crops returned. Some families were compelled to take up temporary residences abroad, while others set about erecting such dwellings as their crippled means would allow. That the destruction of the Schoharie settlements that season was properly considered in oth- er colonies at the time, the following extract of a letter from Pre- sident Madison, dated at Philadelphia, Nov. 14, 1780, (which I find in the Albany Evening Journal of Nov. 30, 1841,) will clear- ly show. After alluding to the difficulty of procuring supplies of wheat and flour for the Army, he adds :
" The inroads of the enemy on the frontiers of New York have
* The occurrences which took place in New Dorlach were told the author in 1837, by Henry, son of Bastian France ; the wife of Tunis Vrooman, and daughter of Ernest Fretz ; Henry, a son of Wm. Hynds, and Christian, a son of Fred. Merckley, corroborated by others.
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been most fatal to us in this respect. They have almost totally ruined that fine wheat country, which was able, and from the en- ergy of their government, was likely to supply magazines of flour, both to the main army and the northwestern posts. The settle- ment of Schoharie, which alone was able to furnish, according to a letter from Gen. Washington, eighty thousand bushels of grain for public use, has been totally laid in ashes."
Nor was the great loss of grain, dwellings, stock, &c., the on- ly one to be deplored in Schoharie. The paper currency of the country, which had increased by the year 1780 to the enormous sum of 200,000,000 dollars, had become nearly worthless. Of this trash, some of the Schoharie farmers had large amounts; mostly taken in payment for the products of the soil, for quite or nearly its pretended value. Some who had been holding on to it in the hope that it would become more valuable, or because they found it difficult as a leecli to shake off, had the mortification to learn, that from fifty to sixty dollars continental money would command in 1780 but one single dollar in specie. An old soldier informed the author, that he once sent an eight dollar continental bill to buy a quart of cider, and received a two dollar bill, Rhode Island currency, in change. At a later period, an officer of his acquaintance once paid seventy dollars of continental money for a single mug of flip. At the close of the war, it could hardly have been considered of any value, except for cigar or lamp- lighters.
To give the reader an idea of the currency of which I have so often spoken, I give the facsimile of a continental note, and the vignettes of others. In selecting mottos for vignettes, care was taken to get brief Latin sentences, which should be characteristic of the position of this country with England ; and would be most likely to stimulate patriotic sentiments and enlist the feelings of Americans in the popular cause. The significant devices on the bills generally proved an index to the sentiments prevailing at their date. The back of the notes contained the amount of the same, with the name and residence of the printers, and some sim- ple device, as that of a leaf, a vine, or an Indian bow. The lat- ter appears on the back of the note, from which the following cut
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
was engraved. Some of the continental notes contained water- marks, only to be seen by holding them up to the light. Many of the vignettes also contained a colored mark of some kind.
Continental Currency L.XD
22
Sixty Dollars. No.320023
This Bill entitles
T
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REGN
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Bunilid ofta
Flex NDonnell
The vignette of this bill is the emblem of a globe surrounded by the motto-" THE LORD REIGNS, LET THE EARTH REJOICE." A quotation from the Psalms of David, showing the confidence of the states in the God of battles.
MSS
GOA
CON
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WE
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ONE
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the Bearer to receive Sixty Spanifh mill ed DOLLARS, or Re Value thereof in Gold or Silver, ac- cording to a Refolu- tion hafed by Con- grefs at Philadelphia, Sept. 26th, 1778.
LX DOLLARS.
This device, a circular chain, bearing on each link the name of a state, is an admirable em- blem of their union, and im- plies that while it remains un- broken, no foreign power can destroy its central government. This note, Two Thirds of a Dollar, is dated Feb. 17, 1776, and in a device upon the back is the commendable caution, " Mind your business."
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E
P
EODEMQUE
NO.
SO
NE
This is the vignette of a Six Dollar Note, dated Feb. 17, 1776. It repre- sents a beaver gnawing a tree. This sagacious animal constructs its dams and dwellings, by cutting down trees with its teeth : a slow but sure process. The motto over it is-" BY PERSEVER- ING." Saying in effect to the colonists : persist and your labors shall be crowned with success.
This is the vignette of a Five Dollar Note, of New York currency, dated March 5, 1776. It represents a candle- stick with thirteen burners, to denote the number of states. The motto signifies, " ONE FIRE AND TO THE SAME PURPOSE." Implying that the states were all alive to a sense of their just rights.
Here is the vignette of a Five Dol- lar Note, dated May 9, 1776. Itshows a thorn tree, with a hand grasping it. The motto says-"SUSTAIN OR ABSTAIN." This device, at that period, represents the colonies as saying in effect to Great Britain, Pass laus to protect, or none to affect us.
IN I
ST .
This device, a contest between an eagle and a stork, is from a Three Dol- lar Note, dated July 22, 1776. The stork represents the colonies struggling against the superior force of the moth- er country. The motto encourages by saying-" THE RESULT IS UNCERTAIN."
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
RIBU
MAJOR
SONANT
R
1
U'
AUT
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VITADECOR
1
Here is the vignette of an Eight Dollar Note, also dated July 22, 1776. It contains a harp, surrounded by the motto, " LARGE THINGS ARE CONSONANT WITH SMALL ONES." As the strings of a harp must all be in tune to give music ; so the states, with diversified interests and opinions, must be guided by wisdom to unite and harmonize them for the general good.
This device, on a Half Dollar Note, da- ted Aug. 13, 1776, is a most interesting and significant one. It is that of a hand planting a young tree. Its motto-" FOR POSTERITY," shows the duty of practising disinterested benevolence ; in struggling to establish a government which will extend its greatest benefits to future generations.
The vignette of this note for Four Dol- lars, dated Jan. 14, 1779, represents a swine encountering a spear ; and de- manding, as he received it, " DEATH, OR LIFE WITH DECENCY."
LOR This note for Eighty Dollars is also dated Jan. 14, 1779, and bears the device FLORE of a majestic oak tree. Around it are the words, " IT SHALL FLOURISH THROUGH AGES OF AGES," Prophetic allusion is here made to the establishment and perpetuity S of a republican government. Heaven ET grant the prediction may be fully verified, and that the worms of faction may ever die before reaching the
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roots of liber'y's tree : planted by oppression and nourished by the best blood of the land.
This little device, which appears on a note for One Shilling, New York currency, dated Aug. 13, 1776, (on which are the words, " 'Tis death to counterfeit,") is truly expressive. It repre- sents incense rising from an altar, and over it the motto-" NOT WITHOUT GOD."
Many important events transpired in the United States, in 1780, to hearten or dispirit the American patriot. On the 13th day of May, Charleston, S. C., then in the command of Gen. Lincoln, fell into the hands of the British with nearly five thousand men, and four hundred cannon. In June 5000 men under Gen. Knip- hausen, entered New-Jersey, and committed many acts of violence. On the 10th day of July, Admiral M. de Ternay sent by the French goverment, with seventeen armed vessels and several transports, arrived at Newport, R. I., bringing six thousand French troops, under the Count de Rochambeau, to aid us in our struggle for freedom. The arrival of these allies was greeted by the citizens with every demonstration of joy. On the 16th of August, the American army under the command of Gen. Gates met the British at Camden, one hundred and twenty miles north-west of Charles- ton, S. C., under Lord Cornwallis; at which meeting the laurels of Saratoga were transformed for the American commander, to drooping willows. Gates, with his militia, retreated before the successful British troops, while the brave Gen. De Kalb, second in command, with a body of Continental troops who shared his spirit, withstood the repeated assaults of the whole British army until he fell covered with wounds and glory. Congress resolved at the time to erect a monument to the memory of this noble German at Annapolis, which has not yet been done.
In September, an attempt was made by Gen. Benedict Arnold to surrender the fortress of West Point by treachery, to Sir Henry Clinton, which transaction with its interesting details, will be found in another part of this work, under a sketch of the life of David Williams, one of the captors of Maj. Andre.
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CHAPTER XV.
The events of 1781, opened with an unpleasant occurrence. The sufferings of the soldiers had been very severe, added to which some had been detained in service beyond the term of their en- listment, while all were in arrears of pay for their services. In the evening of the first day of Jannary, the troops of the Penn- sylvania line stationed at Morristown, New Jersey, numbering 1300, paraded under arms-determined to march to Philadelphia and demand from Congress immediate redress. Their officers endeavored by persuasion to lull their murmurs and disperse them to their quarters, but to no purpose-although one was killed and several wounded. Gen. Wayne, in front of these men, cocked his pistols to compel obedience to his commands, but in an instant an hundred guns were leveled at his breast. " We love and re- spect you," said the malcontents, " but fire and you are a dead man." Declaring their intention of not going over to the ene- my, they elected temporary officers-and marched off in a body for Princeton. 'Several agents sent by Sir Henry Clinton to win them to the British interest, werc handed over by the re- volters to the Americans, who executed them as spies. Commit- tees from Congress and the Legislature of Pennsylvania, met them at Princeton, paid part of their arrears in specie, and they return- ed to their duty. This mutiny was followed by one of less con- sequence in the troops of New Jersey, which was quelled and the ringleaders instantly executed.
Early in the year 1781, a block-house was erected on Mr. Houck's land in Kneiskern's dorf, near the present residence of George Taylor, and pickcted in. A similar one was constructed
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY, ETC.
about the same time in Hartman's dorf. A block-house, similar to the one called Fort-Plain, was erected that spring near the dwelling of Jacob Shafer in Cobelskill, about half a mile east of Cobelskill village. This block-house was erected by Capt. Du- boise of Catskill, and was called Fort Duboise. It was surround- ed by a deep moat, which was partially filled with water from a brook running near. About half an acre of ground, on which stood the dwelling of Shafer, was embraced in the inclosure, which was also surrounded by pickets. The gate or principal entrance was on the eastern side. This fort, with a small garri- son, was for some time under the command of Capt. Duboise.
Early in the spring of this year, several minor transactions of interest occurred in the Saratoga settlements. In the present town of Clifton-Park resided one Fillmore, a lieutenant of militia, who possessed a fearless spirit. He was engaged, in the proper season, in making maple-sugar, and usually boiled all night, re- turning home in the morning to be relieved by a daughter, until he had foddered his cattle and taken breakfast. On going to the woods she was instructed, in case she saw any suspicious looking persons, to give no signs of fear, but communicate the discovery to her father as soon after as prudence allowed. One very foggy morning, when Miss Fillmore was in attendance at the sugar- bush, an individual passed it, without seeing her, going in the di- rection of a retired dwelling occupied by a widow lady. As soon as the strange figure was out of sight, she ran home to apprise her father of the discovery. She described the man to be a sus- picious looking person, having a gun and a hairy pack.
Lieut. Fillmore, rightly suspecting the visitant to be the noto- rious Jo. Bettys, got two of his neighbors, named Perkins and Corey, to accompany him, and all well armed proceeded unob- served to the widow's house, one of the three going upon the back side of it, to prevent his egress. The other two burst open the door, and disclosed the object of search at the breakfast table. He had imprudently seated himself with his back toward the door, and his rifle lying across the table. The instant an entrance was forced, the lieutenant seized the villain by the collar and drew him
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
from the table, as he was reaching for his trusty piece. He was soon overpowered by the three militiamen, and tightly bound. Before he started for Albany, he desired to smoke, and was par- tially loosened to afford him an opportunity. He went to the fire-place to light his pipe, and was noticed to cast something in the fire. One of his captors snatched it from the live embers, and found it to be a silver bullet which screwed together ; inside of which was a message to Sir Henry Clinton from an officer in Ca- nada, written in figures. On the testimony contained within the bullet, Bettys was convicted and hung at Albany as a spy. Con- sidering his desperate character, the enterprise of Lieut Fillmore and his companions in arresting him, was one of the most daring performed in the whole war.
When the arrest of Bettys became known in the Ballston set- tlement, Maj. Mitchell enjoined secrecy of the affair, rightly con- jecturing that he had not traversed the northern forests of New- York, alone. A Mrs. Camp or Van Camp, a widow living in the neighborhood, had a son in the British service, who it was thought, might possibly have accompanied Bettys. The arrest of the lat- ter having been kept close during the day ; Kenathy Gordon, a sergeant, was entrusted by Maj. Mitchell with the search to be made the same night. Attended by John Sweatman and several other fearless neighbors, properly armed, young Gordon gained access to the house of Mrs. Camp after bed-time, and enquired for her son. She declared her ignorance of his whereabouts, pre- tended to be highly incensed at having armed men enter her dwelling and disturb the family at midnight, and still more on be- ing suspected of harboring an enemy.
This woman talked very patriotic, but the warmth she mani- fested satisfied the sergeant, who was a resolute fellow, that her son was in the house; and he went to the fire-place, seized a blazing brand and started up stairs. Young Camp and Jonathan Miller had accompanied Bettys to the neighborhood, and were then in an upper room. Hearing the noise below, they sprang out of bed, seized their guns and leveled them. At the click of their locks, Gordon jumped down stairs, and swore if they did not
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descend and surrender themselves prisoners in less than five minutes, he would smoke them out. Believing he would execute his threat and burn the house, they concealed some money under a rafter, and then came down and submitted to Gordon's authority, who conducted them to the dwelling of Maj. Mitchell, where they were secured until morning. The prisoners had not the least sus- picion that Bettys had been arrested, until after they were. On his way to the major's dwelling, Miller was heard to say he would rather he shot than to enter it. Obadiah Miller, a brother living in the vicinity, was sent for in the morning, and unexpectedly ush- ered into the presence of his tory kinsman, whose visit to the neigh- borhood was unknown to him. His surprise was evidently irk- some, and he trembled like a leaf. It leaked out in the sequel, that the two Millers were together in the woods when the attempt was made the fall before to capture the major, which he possibly suspected. The two prisoners were taken to Albany, from whence they were liberated or effected an escape .- Charles Mitchell.
In the spring of 1781, Col. Livingston, with his regiment of New York troops, marched up the Mohawk valley to Fort Plain. On arriving at the house of George Adam Dockstader, situated four miles west of the present village of Fonda, the regiment halt- ed. This was the only house except the parsonage, left standing in the valley the year before, from Tribe's Hill to the Nose, a dis- tance or nine or ten miles. An upper room of Dockstader's house was found to be locked, and Maj. Davis,* a spirited officer of the regiment, demanded the key: but the magic iron of ingenious in-
*Maj. Davis was a native of East Hampton, L. I. He became a prisoner to the enemy in the latter part of the war, was confined in one of the charnel houses in New York, and there died, as was believed, by having poison ad- ministered to him in chocolate. An American captain, who was a fellow- prisoner, tasted the beverage, but suspecting its ingredients, would not drink it, and advised Maj. D. not to-but the latter had already swallowed a portion of it. He was immediately taken ill, and died soon after. Several other pri- soners died at the same time, from the same cause. Such was the fate of many-yes, very many, brave American officers and soldiers. They were cith- er poisoned outright, or subjected to such privations for the want of whole- some food, clothing, medical attendance, fuel, and ventilated rooms, as hur- ried them of by hundreds to eternity .- Williamson.
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HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY,
vention had disappeared, and could not possibly be found. "Well, then," said the intrepid major, "bring me an axe ; I can open it." Rather than have the door mutilated, the family produced the key, when lo ! the room was found to be literally filled with hams and other smoked meat. The major concluded, and no doubt cor- rectly, that from the different colors the meat presented, it had been smoked in many places ; and that most of it must have been gath- ered by Indians and tories, and there deposited to be used as occa- sion might require. He therefore thought it advisable to victual his own men from it, and leaving a year's supply for the family, the rest was " pressed into the service," to the gratification of the troops .- James Williamson, a soldier present.
On the 2d day of March of this year, James Williamson, a ser- geant, was sent, (as he informed the writer) with Corporal Samuel Betts and half a dozen soldiers, from Fort Schuyler to guard about the same number of wood-choppers, and attend to measuring a quantity of wood already chopped, distant about half a mile from that post. While thus engaged, Brant came suddenly upon the Americans, with a large body of Indians and tories, and discharg- ing a volley of balls to intimidate them, rushed up and captured the whole party, except Williamson, who fled, amidst a shower of bullets, in safety to the fort. Only two of the Americans were wounded, William Moffatt and Timothy Reynolds-the former with a broken thigh, and the latter a bullet-hole in his cheek, the ball having entered at the mouth. Moffatt fired on the Indians, on which account he was tomahawked, scalped, stripped of his clothing, and left for dead. The enemy immediately set forward, and forded the Mohawk some distance below.
On the arrival of Williamson at the fort, an alarm gun was fired, by which the captives knew their sergeant had escaped. A strong force immediately turned out, and were piloted by him in pursuit of the foe. At the place where the Americans had been surprised, Moffatt was found alive, but died soon after. On reach- ing the path near the river, which led from Fort Schuyler to Fort Dayton, Brant halted his men, and cut the straps which contain- ed the buckles, from his prisoners' shoes, which he carefully dis-
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