USA > New York > Schenectady County > History of the County of Schenectady, N. Y., from 1662 to 1886... > Part 45
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Religious services were commenced in this place in the summer of 1884 by Rev. E. E. Taylor, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who during that season preached in the open air, the congregation being gathered on the steps of the freight-house of the West Shore Railroad, and later in the fall Mr. Fogerty, of the Thompson House, built a hall in connection with the hotel, and at once tendered it to Mr. Taylor, and meetings have been held there for a time.
The Delaware and Hudson Railroad have a large reservoir here for watering their engines.
This place had a great opportunity in 1884, in the offer by the West Shore Railroad to locate their machine shops here, and the building of the round-house was its commencement, but the exorbitant price demanded, and a liberal offer about the time from Frankfort, led them to locate there, where they now employ several hun- dred men, and a large business is there being built up.
PATTERSONVILLE.
Pattersonville is a small village at Hoffman's Ferry, at the west end of the county, containing fifteen dwellings, a hotel called the Patterson- ville Hotel, two stores, a wagon shop, blacksmith shop and shoe shop, a railroad depot and store- house.
The Pattersonville Hotel, kept by W. H. Patter- son, is large and new, with ample accommoda- tions. W. H. Patterson is the proprietor of the store at the west end of the village, near the depot ; and T. I. Marlette & J. M. Clement are the proprietors of the store at the Ferry. In connection with their store they have a large hay barn, and buy and export hay. They also have a coal yard, and are doing a thriving business. Dr. Alexander Ennis lives here, and is a practicing physician and surgeon. The West Shore Railroad have erected a fine depot and freight-house for themselves and the Boston and Hoosac Tunnel Railroad, which runs upon their track at this point. More than one-half of this place has been built up since these railroads reached here. The new buildings are of a fine order, and the place bids fair for a more rapid growth.
The Junction is two miles east of Pattersonville, and is formed by the Boston and Hoosac Tunnel and West Shore Railroads. The Boston and Hoosac Tunnel crosses over the Mohawk from the town of Glenville at this point into Rotter- dam, and unites with the West Shore. The West Shore Railroad have built here a large round-house, a railroad station, and offices for the joint delivery and exchange of freight. These buildings are used in common by both roads, the Boston and Hoosac paying rent for the use of the same.
Duck & Fish, of Decatur, Illinois, have just built extensive stock yards and barns here. The capacity of the present yards is eight hundred cattle ; these will no doubt be enlarged, and the business become one of great importance.
The Mabee House is a fine new hotel, large and commodious for boarding purposes, etc., and a number of other fine buildings have been erected, and others will soon be built. Thus by the intro- duction of the railroads into this town, South Schenectady, the Junction and Pattersonville have sprung into being.
MOHAWKVILLE.
Mohawkville commences from the terminus of Centre street, Schenectady, and extends along the highway about a mile into Rotterdam. There are fifty-four dwellings, a grocery store, a school-house and a Good Templars' building. At the top of
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THE TOWNSHIP OF ROTTERDAM.
the hill, rising from the city, is what has been long known as Engine Hill. It was here that a stationary engine was placed in 1831, when the first railroad of this part of the country was built from Albany to Schenectady, and this engine drew the railroad cars, with ropes, from Schenectady up the hill, as it was too steep for the engine of the train to draw them ; on this account it was called Engine Hill. At the south end of Mohawk- ville was located Crane's factories, and therefore that was called Cranesville. The Good Tem- plars' building, for lodge purposes, is a neat struc- ture, erected last year at a cost of about $1, 500. It owes its existence mainly to the influence and means of Mrs. John H. Chambers, who has taken an unusually active part in organizing and main- taining a temperance society in this place, the effect of which is there is not a drop of spirituous liquor sold in the place or near it.
JONATHAN CRANE, of whom honorable mention should be made, was born February 5, 1790, in North Mansfield, Conn., and in 1814 came to Schenectady. In 1819 he purchased lands in Mohawkville, where he erected factories that to this day constitute the chief industry of the place. In connection with his factories an oil mill was erected, and its first superintendent was Mr. Dillon, and after him Peter Christler, now of Schenectady. A brake factory was also established, and a screw factory. Mr. Crane was the chief leader in trans- ferring the screw manufacturing from England to this country. The main factory was afterward turned into a flax and corn-husk factory, and then again into a twine factory, which has continued for the past thirty years to the present. The factory was thoroughly repaired in 1882 by a company known as The Mohawk Twine Company, and business was pushed to the utmost capacity until the latter part of 1884, when, on account of the depression in the market, work was suspended. There were thirty-five hands employed. The present prospects indicate an early resumption of business. Mr. Crane was a man of marked fidelity, and of decided moral principles. He was a prom- inent temperance leader, and with others organized the first temperance society in Schenectady. He readily engaged in every good work. He formed the first Sunday-school in the county in his own house in Schenectady. He was emphatically a good man, both as a citizen and a Christian, and did much to advance the interests of mankind.
In the year 1830 the first passenger railway in this country was building from Albany to Sche- nectady. Mr. Crane's home was near his mills, and these were in the suburbs of the city, where the railway was to pass, so that he frequently saw the men at work. The slow, difficult process of excavating the sand. was noticed by him, and his active mind immediately began seeking for a remedy. At last it was found in an invention which was named the circular receiver. Its patent is dated October 1, 1830, and is signed by the distinguished names of Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and J. W. McPherson Berrian. The
principle of this machine is simple, and can be seen to-day, somewhat modified, in the ordinary turn-table used by all railroads.
The rapid increase in the number of railways created a demand for this invention, and presented a broad field for contractors. To put his invention into practice, Mr. Crane took a contract on the Albany road, and when this was finished he went to New England and assisted in the construction of many railways there, including the Hartford and New Haven, the Providence and Stonington, the Boston and Providence, the Boston and Albany and the Boston and Maine Railways.
JOHN R. FREEMAN & BROTHERS' oil mill is about two miles from Schenectady, a little west from the Duanesburgh road. Previous to 1855 the place was occupied by Mr. Peek as a cloth factory. In 1855, Freeman & Bro. started an oil mill which ran until 1871, when it was converted into a flax and husk mill. The goods made are better known as green tow. The mill continues the same to the present time. Like most other industries at this present time, work is suspended to a great extent. The Freeman Bros. have a paint, etc., store on Wall street, in Schenectady. They are among the most respected of our citizens.
THE MCQUEEN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS are located on the Mohawk Flats, between the Jones Car Works and the Westinghouse Agricultural Works, near the City of Schenectady, on nine acres of land costing $5,000, with a branch railroad track to the Dela- ware and Hudson Railroad. These works consist of two immense brick structures, one 125 feet x 306 feet, the other 74 feet x 402 feet, and an annexed engine-house 30 x 50 feet, erected at a cost of $60, Oco. It is a stock company, capital $300,000, 28 per cent of which has been assessed. Over half the stock is held by New York parties. The principal stockholders of this company are Walter McQueen, Charles Stanford, N. I. Scher- merhorn, and George G. Maxon. President, Charles Stanford. Office is at 190 State street, Schenec- tady. Secretary, John De Remer; Treasurer, F. W. Jessop. Trustees : George G. Maxon, Walter M. McQueen, John McEncroe, Charles Stanford, N. I. Schermerhorn, T. W. Jessop, and John D. Remer.
There is no machinery yet in the buildings, and the directors are waiting for sufficient encourage- ment in business demand, above the pressure of the present times, to expand and put in operation these works.
SCHENECTADY CAR COMPANY.
This company was organized in 1872, with a stock capital of $400,000. The company purchased the farm of N. I. Schermerhorn for $50,000, and erected buildings and purchased material at a cost of $84,000. The buildings after erection stood idle about four years, and then work was com- menced and carried on for about four months. In 1875 J. M. Jones and Co. purchased the works- including twelve acres of land, buildings, machin- ery and stock, valued at $90, 000-for $25,000. They at once resumed work making street cars,
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
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with a force of 400 men up to about three years ago, when the street car work was transferred to the company's works at Troy, and the company reorganized under the incorporated title of The Jones Car Manufacturing Company, and com- menced building railroad and Wagner palace cars. They put up five additional new buildings. The works went into the hands of a receiver, Mr. E. Nott Schermerhorn, in the spring of 1884, and work was continued for the completion of orders on hand until the fall. An offer of sale by the receiver and creditors was made for $85,000, for buildings, machinery and stock.
These works are situated on the Mohawk Flats, about half a mile from the City of Schenectady. They have a branch track, connecting with the Delaware and Hudson Railroad near by.
January 30, 1885, these works were leased to Mr. Walter A. Jones, the legalized agent of the Jones Car Manufacturing Company, for eighteen months, with the privilege of purchase, within that time, for $60, coo. Work was at once resumed in the repairing and manufacture of Wagner's palace and sleeping cars for the New York Central Sleeping Car Company.
February 4, 1885, the Jones Car Works Com- pany was reorganized and incorporated with a cap- ital of $50,oco ; Walter A. Jones, President. In June following, the New York Central Sleeping Car Company purchased the lease of the Jones Com- pany, and at the present time manage the works, under the direction of Dr. W. Seward Webb, President, and T. H. Munsell, Superintendent.
SECOND REFORMED CHURCH OF ROT- TERDAM.
This church was organized by the Classis in 1813. The first book of records cannot at present be found. March 15, 1824, the church was incor- porated under the State laws, the consistory acting as trustees. A meeting of church members, preliminary to incorporation, was held January 12th and March 15th, the consistory including the Min- ister, Rev. Jeremiah Searle ; Elders Lawrence Schermerhorn, Peter Becker and Oliver Springer ; Deacons John J. Vischer, Philip De Forest and John Putnam. These went before Judge Henry Yates, of Schenectady, and procured the necessary papers, properly signed and attested, and the church was duly incorporated. The articles of incorpora- tion are recorded in the County Clerk's office in Church Book of Records, page 25.
Fifteen years after the organization, in 1828, there were seventy-four members in full com- munion, and residing within the bounds of the congregation. May 21, 1843, it is noted that one hundred and twenty-five partook of the communion, which probably approximated the membership of the church at that time. After this date no account is given of the church membership until 1875, when there were fifty-two in communion and one hundred families in the congregation. April, 1884, there were seventy-seven in communion and fifty families in the congregation. The church had one remarkable revival in May, 1832, when fifty mem- bers were added to the church-forty-eight on con- fession of faith and two by certificate; Rev. Joshua Boyd, pastor.
The church was incorporated under the title of The Second Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of the Third Ward of the City of Schenectady. It is now known as The Second Reformed Church, Rotterdam. (Rotterdam was the Third Ward of Schenectady until 1820.) From 1823 to 1836, this church and the First Reformed Church of Rotterdam were united and placed under the same pastorate. Rev. Jeremiah Searle, a licentiate, was called to the pastorate April, 1823, and con- tinued until 1827. After an interval of several months, the two churches united in calling Rev. Joshua Boyd. He began his labors February, 1828, and continued joint pastor until May, 1836, when the relation of the two churches was dissolved by the Classis. This second church immediately called Rev. J. Boyd, who continued his labor from May, 1836, to May, 1840. From June, 1840, to May, 1841, the Rev. John Nott was stated sup- ply, and in May, 1841, he was called to the pastorate of the church, and continued to serve as such until May, 1854. The succeeding two years and a quarter the church was without a pastor, depending upon such supplies as it could obtain, and was at the same time rebuilding its church edifice. August, 1856, Rev. Cyril Spauld- ing was called to its pastorate, and continued therein until October, 1860. Shortly after the dis- missal of Rev. Cyril Spaulding, Rev. R. L. Schoon- maker began preaching there, and was finally employed as stated supply for one year, beginning March 1, 1861, but before the year closed he was called to its pastorate. He began his pastoral labors September, 1861, and continued therein until January, 1869. The church, after he left, made two ineffectual calls : one upon Rev. D. Vermilye, March, 1869, and the other on Rev. S.
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THE TOWNSHIP OF ROTTERDAM.
F. Searle, May, 1869, and afterward succeeded in getting Rev. William P. Davis, who began his labors 1869, and ended them June, 1873. The next three years the church was without a pastor. August, 1873, an unsuccessful call was made upon Rev. W. P. Davis. During the year April, 1874, to 1875, a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Rev. M. J. Slover, acted as stated supply. This pulpit was also supplied by different preachers from Sabbath to Sabbath until May, 1876, when Rev. Ira Van Allen began his pastoral labors; his pastorate continued until May, 1883, when Rev. Lauren Vanderveer was called to the pastorate, and still continues its earnest and success- ful pastor; thus from 1823 to the present-sixty- three years-the church has had eight pastors, besides supplies.
CONSISTORY .- By charter the consistory was com- posed of seven members: the minister, three elders and three deacons. This continued from 1824 to 1837. In 1837, by act of Legislature the charter was amended, and the consistory enlarged to its present size of nine members : the minister, four elders and four deacons. In 1842, when Rev. John Nott was pastor, two additional elders were chosen contrary to the charter, and in 1883 two additional deacons were chosen. This large and illegal consistory of thirteen members continued only two years. In 1845 they returned to the charter number, and it has not been deviated from since.
CHURCH PROPERTY .- November 27, 1820, the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of Schenectady conveyed to the minister, elders and deacons of the Second Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, etc., for the consideration of one dollar to them paid, one acre two roods and five perches of land situated south of the Princetown road and the road now leading to South Schenectady, being the land on which the church and sheds stand, and including what is now known as the Old Ceme- tery.
March 31, 1857, John Schermerhorn and Rebecca, his wife, for the consideration of two hundred dollars, conveyed to the church officers two acres of ground situated north of Princetown road, on which the parsonage and barn now stands, known as the parsonage lot.
April 2, 1880, John Phillips, for the considera- tion of six hundred and eleven dollars, conveyed to the church officers 6701 acres of land adjoin- ing the old cemetery on the southeast, now known as the New Cemetery.
February 5, 1881, the church officers secured from the trustees of the town of Rotterdam for one dollar, a commutation release of the rental of, and the virtual title to, thirty-seven rods of land lying northeast of the old cemetery and south of the public road.
The church now owns the cemetery plot of land, containing about 72 acres ; and the parsonage lot, containing two acres.
During 1822 the first church edifice was built. It was a wooden structure 38 x 32 feet, with a pro-
jection eight feet deep in front, on which a steeple was constructed. It fronted nearly northeast. It was a plain structure The pulpit was high and boxed, and the center of the church had high box-pews. A gallery twelve feet wide ran along the sides. The cost of this edifice was $1, 200.
In 1855 the church edifice was remodeled. The steeple had been blown off in a storm, and it became necessary to make thorough repairs. The building was enlarged to 46 x 32 feet, and in 1861 a bell costing $125 was placed in the belfry. The total cost was about $2, 200.
In 1870 the church was again remodeled by an addition of eighteen feet, making the building now 64 x 32 feet, with an alcove for the pulpit, and the whole neatly finished at a cost of about $2,000. The seating capacity is 300. There are also a fine lot of sheds 175 feet long, containing twenty-two stalls, costing, in addition to much work being done free, $400.
PARSONAGE. - The parsonage was built in 1857, a two story and a half frame building, at a cost of $1,643.72, and a two-story barn. The total ex- penses, $2,432. 72. Total value of the entire church propery is about $7,000.
ENDOWMENT .- The city of Schenectady sold cer- tain lands, the proceeds from which were devoted to the support of the Gospel in the local churches. This church received its share, $3, 806.54, Febru- ary 5, 1820, which it solemnly covenanted to keep unimpaired and for the sole purpose of the sup- port of the Gospel. Of this sum $1,000 is now out at interest at six per cent. About $2, 500 was used in building and completing the parsonage, and the balance has been lost.
August 7, 1883, Dr. Andrew Truax, druggist, of Schenectady, presented the church with $5,000; the income to be used for the support of the minis- try. This is now in a mortgage bearing interest at five per cent.
SABBATH-SCHOOL .- The Sunday-school was first commenced under the pastorate of Rev. Joshua Boyd. Since 1870 it has been especially prosper- ous. Its report for 1884 was six officers, six teachers, seventy-eight adult scholars, and thirty- two primary; total, one hundred and eight. Average attendance, sixty-four. Superintendent, John K. Tullock; Assistant, John C. Perry; Secretary, Miss Minnie V. Schermerhorn; Treasurer, Miss Mary E. Robinson; Librarian, Mr. John Schermerhorn; As- sistant, Mr. William Marlette.
PRESENT OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH .- Rev. Lauren Vandeveer, Pastor; Robert Schermerhorn, John C. Perry, Simon J. Schermerhorn, and Peter W. Ham, Elders; J. Frank Sager, John Van Epps, Albert Miller, and Abram P. Van Dyke, Deacons.
THE FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF ROTTERDAM.
This was organized in 1784 by the Classis of Albany under the title of Second Reformed Dutch in the Patent of Schenectady, with John Wemple, Martin Van Slyck, Harmanus Vedder, and Chris- topher Peek as the Elders.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY.
It is impossible now to tell just who or how many the first original members were, or how many were received into the communion of the church during the period before the first pastorate. Sev- eral names of families, however, who were then prominent in the church are still represented in it. Such are the Wemples, Vedders, Peeks, Van Slyks, Bradts, and Veeders.
Tradition says that the first place where worship was held was in the upper part of an old frame building, the basement of which was used as a par- sonage, or as a residence for the sexton when not occupied by the pastor. It was situated on the north side of the Mohawk River, a short distance back of the hotel at Hoffman's Ferry, on the road leading to Glenville. The room was unfurnished, without walls or pews, rough boards or benches being placed around the sides of the building. In this room services were held probably every three or four weeks, as the same ministry supplied Mina- ville and a church in the town of Duanesburgh.
After some years this building was sold and re- moved to a farm now owned by Latin Johnson. After standing there for a short time it was taken down and some of the timbers are now in a shed belonging to Aaron B. Bradt, one of the Elders of the church at the present time, near Hoffman's Ferry.
The congregation began at once to build the present church edifice, which is a plain wooden structure with a tower, and located on the south side of the Mohawk, about a mile east of where the old building stood, on a fine lot donated by the Veeder family, some of whose descendants are still members of the congregation. The church was not, however, finished until about the middle of 1823, when a committee was appointed, con- sisting of Nicholas A. Bradt, Gavet Quackenbush, Aaron Spitzer, and John W. Peek, to solicit funds to complete it. During seven years the congrega- tion worshipped in it in this unfinished condition. Like the former, this building had neither walls nor pews, and was supplied only with benches brought from the old place of worship.
During 1845 this building underwent quite ex- tensive repairs. The galleries were lowered, the pulpit changed from the rear of the church to the front, the upper and lower windows being united and the building new roofed, and painted inside and out. And again in 1856, and also in 1864, some slight changes and improvements were made.
The first settled pastor of whom there is any record, was the Rev. Thomas Romeyn. He was pastor of the church, in connection with that of Minaville and Duanesburgh, from 1800, to Janu- ary 1, 1806, when the pastoral relation was dis- solved, and he took charge of the churches of Nis- kayuna and Amity, where he labored until 1827. After leaving Niskayuna and Amity he retired to his farm in Glenville, where he lived until his de- cease, 1857.
After the removal of Mr. Romeyn in 1806, the church was destitute of a settled pastor until 1818, when the Rev. Peter Van Zandt took charge as
pastor or supply in connection with the First Church of the Fourth Ward of the City of Schenectady, now the First Reformed Church of Glenville.
He continued his labors with this church until 1822, when he took charge of a mission at Oak- hill, Green County, N. Y. The records show five persons received into the communion of the church on the confession of their faith, and seventy-one infants were baptized during his ministry of five years. Up to 1823 the church had borne the title- of the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Sche- nectady, when it was changed to that of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Rotterdam.
During the year 1823 the Second Reformed Church of Rotterdam was organized, when that, together with the First Church, united in calling the Rev. Jeremiah Searl, who had just been licensed by the Classis of Albany to preach the Gospel. He held the pastorate of the two churches from April 26, 1823, to February 1, 1827. From these churches he was called to the First Church, Coxsackie, and continued there until 1851, being almost a quarter of a century. After an interval of a few months the two churches united in calling the Rev. Joshua Boyd, who had graduated from Union College in 1814; studied theology with the Rev. John McDowell, of Elizabethtown, N. Y .; and was licensed by the Presbytery of New Jersey in 1826. After staying for a short time at Herki- mer and Fallsburgh he was called to the pastorate of these churches, and continued with them until May 3, 1836, when the two consistories applied to the Classis of Schenectady for a dissolution be- tween them, and immediately after this Mr. Boyd was recalled to the Second Church, where he con- tinued to labor until 1840.
During the ministry of these devoted and faithful servants, for near half a century, there is no evi- dence of any marked revival of religion. There was, however, some ingathering under the labors of each. But the seed which they had sown was destined to spring up and yield a plentiful harvest during the period from 1837 to 1840, when the Rev. John Nott supplied the church, and eighty- two persons were received on confession of their faith. This was the most extensive revival of which there is any record in the history of this church. Now again the church was destitute of a pastor for about two years, but was supplied occasionally by Prof. Andrew Yates, of Union College, and a Rev. Mr. Callehan, of New York. On the last of October, 1842, the consistory resolved to employ the Rev. John Van Desolow, who continued to supply the church until 1844, when, in June of that year, Rev. Cornelius S. Mead, who had just graduated from the Auburn Theological Seminary, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Cayuga, was called to the pastorate of the church. He re- mained until December, 1849, when he received and accepted a call to the Reformed Church of Herkimer. In 1850 the Rev. Charles Jakes, of Stone-Arabia, was called, and on the 29th of Oc- tober of that year was installed by a committee of the Classis of Schenectady. His pastorate con- tinued until November 10, 1862, when the Master
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