Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 55

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1374

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Some of these names, as well as other lists which will appear, indi- cate the Dutch element in the populatian, through descendants of some of the earliest families of the towns. Details of the Dutch settlement, prior to the Revolution are almost entirely wanting. It is known that many of the pioneers espoused the royal cause during the Revolution and removed to Canada after the success of the American colonists, but Capt. Jacob Van Aernden's name has come down as one of the loyal Whigs of that time. The improvements made in this section prior to the Revolution consisted almost wholly of clearing part of the land for tillage and the establishment of a few mills, churches and schools. A Lutheran church was organized about 1750, and settlement had pro- gressed considerably by that time, but the names of most of the Dutch pioneers are lost in the past.

After the Revolutionary war settlers began to come in from New England, among the very first of these being Samuel Abbott and An- drew Brown, from Connecticut, who were soon followed by from twenty to thirty others from the same State. The more prominent of the fam-

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ilies that came prior to the town organization in 1822 were the Brown, Todd, Williams, Denison, Crary, Chesebrough, Gallup, Frink, Taber, Coates, Gage, Weitzel, Pinckney, Williamson, Bassler, Saddlemire, Haverly, Zimmer, Engle, Schoonmaker, Swart, Sand, Clickman, Keen- holtz, and Batcher families. All through the early history of the town, as far as it is accessible, many of these names appear and some of them have been represented by descendants down to recent times. These New England settlers brought with them the habits of industry and the religious tenets of their forefathers and early established a Presbyterian church, as described further on. Amos Crary, Hiram Gage, Egbert Schoonmaker and Nathaniel Swan were operating saw mills prior to 1825, and a little later Malachi Whipple, Daniel Crary, and a Mr. Van- decar had mills, but most of these long ago passed out of existence. A small grist mill was early in operation on a little stream in the northern part of the town, but that also has disappeared, and the inhabitants now take their grain to Berne and Altamont, In quite recent years Swart & Saddlemire, Frederick Bassler, and Bemsley Williamson were operat- ing saw mills, the mill of the latter being now in possession of his son, George J. Williamson. In 1831 Alexander Crounse moved into Knox from an adjoining town and erected a tannery on the main road through the town west of Knoxville, and for many years did a large business in manufacturing harness and upper leather. The great changes in the leather trade and the centralization of the industry elsewhere finally re- duced the income of this tannery, and Mr. Crounse transferred it to his son, Eugene G. Crounse, who erected an addition for a feed mill in 1884. Still later he abandoned tanning and built a steam saw mill which went into operation in 1893.

Gideon Taber was a pioneer and one of the first shoemakers in the town. He was a native of New London, Conn., and a son of Quaker parents. On account of his non-combatant belief he went to Canada during the Revolution and for a time had command of a vessel on Lake Champlain. Upon the return of peace he came back to Knox and went about among the families as an itinerant shoemaker, according to the custom in early times. He was thrifty and subsequently established a small tannery, where he made leather for his own trade and for harness making. He was elected justice of the peace and in 1818-20 served his

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constituents in the Assembly. The old Taber homestead ultimately passed into the possession of his grandson, Charles Clute.

Nathan Crary began the manufacture of wooden pill boxes in Knox early in the century, supplying some of the largest pill makers in the country. The business finally passed to his son, John G. Crary, and was also taken up by others. At the present time John M. Quay and Sanford Quay are conducting the business.

Among the more prominent families who came into the town or were already settled here between about 1825 and 1850, were those of Mal- achi Whipple, Dr. Erastus Williams, Egbert Schoonmaker, Frederick Bassler, Potter Gage, Alexander Crounse, Charles Chesebro, David Van Auken, Perez Frink, Henry Denison, P. Witter, Isaac Barber, Daniel Chesebro, John Gallup, Wright Skinner, Dow Van Derker, Henry Williams, Cyrus Chapman, Henry Dane, Daniel Gallup, Joseph Gallup, Samuel Russell, Gurdon Gallup, and the Seaburys. Descendants of many of these are still prominent in the town.

Among the leading citizens of later days are Henry Barckley, Elisha White, John C. Cannady, Joel and Gilbert Gage, Jacob Auchampaugh, Bemsley Williamson, John Finch, John Allen, jr., Peter Schoonmaker, Alexander Crounse, John G. Crary, Charles G. Frink, Denison Crary, Jacob P. Hane, John Posson, Conrad Batcher, Gurdon Gallup, Anson Tols, John H. Hand, Samuel O. Schoonmaker, Lyman Witter, Frederick Orelup, John H. Sand, Israel Walker, Sylvester Allen, Elias K. Williams, Jacob Kip, Jacob Bronk, Edward Settle, Abram H. Onderdonk, Azer Gallup, Joseph A. Haswell, Henry F. Orelup, Adam Snyder, Cornelius Woolford, James Armstrong, Henry Tar- panny, John T. Beebe, Frederick Zeh, Isaac N. Crary, John G. Gallup, George W. Stephens, William Williamson, Eldridge Chesebro, Amos Crary, Ebenezer Gallup, Stephen Hungerford, Robert Hurst, S. Flansburgh, Thomas Stafford, John V. Schoonmaker, Henry W. Williams, Orange Beeman, John Bassler, Frederick Clyckman, Matthias Brackley, Jehial White, Conrad Batcher, John F. Sternburgh, John Posson, Jacob Crounse, Evert M. Barckley, Hiram Thousand, James Finch, Peter Swan, 2d, Archibald Scott, David W. Sturges, Rodney Wilder, Philip Gifford, Benjamin Lee, Henry Dutcher, Jacob Truax and William Davenport.

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The comparatively modern history of Knox contains very little of importance in incident or progress aside from the peaceful advance in agricultural methods, improvement in schools, roads, bridges, etc. In the war of the Rebellion, from her somewhat remote situation, the town responded patriotically to the calls of the government for volunteers. As early as September, 1862, the electors authorized their supervisor to borrow $1,800 to be paid in a bounty of $100 to cach volunteer of the quota of the town under one of the early calls for troops. This action was succeeded later by equally prompt and generous proceed- ings. Seventy seven volunteers went from the town to fight in the battles of the Union, many of them members of the most prominent families, and of these many never came back to receive the honors that awaited them.

It is a tradition that previous to the beginning of the present century there were two primitive schools taught in log school houses in Knox. One of these probably stood on the site of Knoxville, and the other near West Township. It is possible that there were others of which all traces are lost. The town was divided into districts long before it was separated from Berne, the number of these being twelve in 1860, thir- teen in 1880 and at the present time again twelve with a school house in each. Knox, Guilderland, Colonie and Green Island form the third school commissioner district of the county.

The Knoxville Academy was organized under the State laws about 1830, by Gurdon, Gardiner. and John Gallup, Dr. Elisha Williams, Jesse Tyler, and perhaps others. A suitable building was erected and in common with many other similar institutions that were founded in early years in small villages, enjoyed for many years a large patronage. Its teachers were as good as could be obtained and many of its students went out to occupy distinguished positions in life. While this academy has kept up its corporate existente down to the present time, it has not been in active operation since soon after 1880. The opinion has been entertained that the success of this old institution for a long period acted to the disadvantage of the district schools, retarding their advance- ment.

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Several professional men of considerable prominence have had their residence in Knox. Dr. Erastus Williams, long a leading citizen, was the first resident physician and had a large practice during the first third of the century. Dr. Moses Brownell was his contemporary and successor, and Drs. John Van Allen, Zeh, Sigsby, Johnson, and others came in later years. Azor Tabor, born in 1799, and who died in 1858, was the only lawyer who ever practiced in this town.

Knoxville, with post-office named Knox, is a hamlet in the central part of the town, where in past years a small mercantile business has been conducted, and the few shops necessary for the convenience of the inhabitants are kept. I. W. Chesebrough was a former merchant here, who sold out some eight years ago to Elam Williams, who is still in business and is now also postmaster. Henry Barckley was a merchant from about 1848, and was succeeded by his son, E. L. Barckley, now county treasurer. There is no hotel in the place or in the town.

West Township is a post- office and small hamlet in the eastern part of the town, where a grocery is kept by Willis W. Witter. James Finch is postmaster, but besides this there is no other business of any account. There is a station with the name of the town in the extreme north part on the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad.

The first church organization in this town was of the Lutheran faith and was organized before 1750, in which year the first church and school house was built. Rev. Nicholas Sommer, the enthusiastic pioneer in this region, had already preached to congregations for about five years, after having taken up under the church patent law a farm of forty-two acres. The first building was about twenty feet square and served its purpose many years. In August, 1810, another lot was purchased, and in the succeeding fall the old building was moved upon it and re- modeled. In the spring of 1828 the old church was demolished and a new frame structure erected and partly enclosed, but the church officers, some of whom were Lutheran and some Reformed in belief becoming involved in a dispute, resigned and the society was broken up. In December, 1829, a number of the former members, with others, met and reorganized and chartered the Zion's Lutheran and Reformed church of the Helderberg and the church building was soon completed. In 1839 dissentions again arose and the Reformed members withdrew and

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built the church at Secor's. On October 13, 1839, Rev. Adam Crounse, more fully organized Zion's Lutheran church at Knox, with fifty-one members. In 1850 the present church was erected, while the parson- age was built about 1868. Rev. Henry Moeller preached to the old congregation from 1790 to 1800, and Rev. Adam Crounse, who per- formed so much successful and unselfish pastoral work in this section, was preacher from 1830 to 1844, in connection with Berne and Guilder- land.

The Reformed church of Knox had its origin in the Presbyterian church which was formed in 1825. Services had been irregularly held for some years previous, under the auspices of the settlers from New England. In 1825 Rev. J. Judson Buck was called and was soon in- stalled over the congregation here and also Hamilton Union congrega- tion. At that time there were fifty-five members in this congregation. The elders were Erastus Williams, Isaac Barber, P. Witter, and Henry Denison. Mr. Buck remained steadily with the church about three years and for two years after that probably acted with the congregation in church affairs. No regular pastor was employed as his successor. but several preached occasionally, and the society languished. The Dutch Reformed settlement was increasing in the town and the subject of reorganizing under that faith was freely discussed. This was finally done and the church was received into the Classis of Albany September 20, 1842, with the name of the First Reformed Dutch church of Knox. Thirty-one members of the former congregation were dismissed to form the new one, and the following consistory were chosen : Daniel Chese- bro, Joseph Gallup, Gurdon Gallup, Henry Williams, jr., John Van Allen, Michael P. Cavart, Charles Clute and John Possom. Henry Williams was chosen treasurer and John Van Allen, clerk. This re- organization was affected under the ministry of Rev. Joseph Kneiskern. The original house of worship was a plain wooden building, and stood a little below the present church, which was built forty years ago.

There are three Methodist Episcopal churches in Knox, but their records are so incomplete that little of their history is known. It is probable that Rev. William Brown was the first Methodist preacher in the town. He is buried in the little plot formerly used, and the record on the headstone says he was born in October 24, 1758, and died April

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25, 1834. His wife was Mary Chesebro. In early days the church at Knox village was connected with those of Berne, Reidsville, Middle- burgh (Schoharie county) and Schoharie, to form the Berne circuit. Among the first members of this town were Joseph Hunting, F. Dom- inic, Levi Van Auken, and Christopher Chesebro. The first house of worship stood about a mile east of Knox village, and was taken down when the present one in the village was erected in 1851. Another church was built at about the same time at West Township. The third one was erected in 1841 in the eastern part of the town.

A Baptist church known as the Church of Berne previous to 1825 was organized early in the century. In 1812, when Rev. N. H. Ripley was pastor, it had a membership of 105. Soon after this date the con- gregation was without a regular preacher for twelve years, when Rev. Samuel Hare was called and preached eight years, up to 1832. During the pastorate of Rev. S. G. Tower, which began in 1850, a frame church was built at West Township. The society was fairly prosperous until about 1878, when it began to decline and was soon reduced to very few members. It finally became extinct as far as holding services is concerned.

Following is a list of the supervisors of Knox from 1850 to the present time, with the years of their election :

1851, Lyman Witter; 1852-53, Stephen Merselis, jr .; 1854-55, Henry Barckley ; 1856-57, John Keenholtz; 1858-59, Samuel Gallup; 1860-62, Samuel Warm; 1863, John Keenholtz; 1864-65, Ira Van Auken; 1866-72, Peter Schoonmaker; 1873- 74, Hiram Gage; 1875-77, J. M. Chesebro; 1878, William J. Haverly; 1879-81, I. W. Chesebro; 1882, William J. Haverly ; 1883-85, Charles G. Frink; 1885-87, Ed- ward L. Barckley, 1888-90, Sanford Quay; 1891-92, William J. Haverly ; 1893-95, Sanford Quay.

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CHAPTER XXVI.

THE TOWN OF NEW SCOTLAND).

This is the Central town of Albany county, and the latest one erect- ed, having been taken from the town of Bethlehem by act of the Legis- lature April 25, 1832, and containing about 27,000 acres of land. The act erecting the town gives the following description of its eastern boundary :

From and after the passage of this act, all that part of the town of Bethlehem, in the county of Albany, lying west of a line beginning at a point six miles west of the Hudson river, in the south bounds of the town of Guilderland; thence on a southerly course, parallel with the Hudson river, to a point in the north bounds of the town of Coeymans, six miles west from the said Hudson river, and all lying west of said line, shall be a separate town, to be known by the name of New Scotland.

The surface of this town is widely diversified. The Helderberg moun- tains rise along the western border in picturesque beauty, while the eastern parts are high, rolling and broken by ridges and hills. The soil is clay and gravelly loam, and fertile and productive farms are found in many localities. The principal streams are the Normans Kill, which crosses the northeastern corner only ; Vly Creek, a tributary of the Normans Kill in the northern part ; Vlaaman (or Flaman's) Creek, in the eastern part; and Onisquethau Creek, which flows across the southern part from west to east. Black Creek touches the northwestern corner. Lawson's Lake is on the Coeyman's line in the southwest part, a small sheet of water, the outlet of which falls into a deep cavity and flows onward through a subterranean passage to a cavern, the natural features of which possess a great deal of beauty. Near Cope- land Hill in the same locality are some remarkable sink holes, five to eight feet in diameter and extending down through the soil and the lime rock to a depth of ten to twenty feet, and being connected by sub- terranean streams. Near Clarksville are two caves which extend respec- tively an eighth and a half mile underground, with streams flowing through 69

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them. In the southwestern part of the town is situated a sulphur spring. The highest point of land in New Scotland is in the western part, in the Helderbergs, where it rises 1,823 feet above tide. Here form - erly was located a station of the United States Coast Survey. From the summits of these mountains and hills views of great beauty, extending over a wide area, are obtained.

Hay is the principal crop in New Scotland and has been for some years, while the cereals, potatoes and fruits are grown extensively. In recent years many hop yards have been planted. The farmers of the town are fully abreast with modern methods and are rewarded with adequate returns for their toil.

The territory now embraced within the boundaries of New Scotland is a part of the Van Rensselaer Manor, and a portion of it was included in the Jan Hendrickse Van Baal purchase of the Mohawk Indians, de- scribed in an earlier chapter. Van Baal made his purchase in 1660, and soon afterwards sold half of his tract of about 69,000 acres to Jan Hendrickse Vroman, who in 1686 sold the same to Omie de La Grange for one hundred beaver skins. In 1716 Omie de La Grange and Johannes Simonse Vedder purchased the remainder of the patent from the heirs for £250. The first settlements were made in this section on the Nor- mans Kill about 1700 by the La Granges and Koenradt Koens Sev. eral families in the vicinity of New Scotland took their leases from these families as early as 1716. Against these settlers the Patroon began legal proceedings to invalidate their title ; the litigation was tedious and prolonged, but was ultimately, on July 6, 1776, decided in favor of the Patroon ; the families of Simon J. Vedder, Arie (or Aurie) La Grange, and Volkert Veeder, with sixty- three others, now found themselves de- prived of their estates, after having been in peaceable possession ninety years.1

The first settler on the Onisquethau flats in this town was Teunis Slingerland, who came from Holland and purchased nearly 10,000 acres of land. The date of his arrival is not definitely known, but was about 1660. The deed of his land is said to have been signed by three Indian chiefs. Teunis Slingerland married Engeltje, daughter of Albert Andriesen Bradt, built a dwelling and soon afterward established mills.

1 Historical sermon by Rev. James G. R. McClure, pastor of New Scotland Presbyterian church.

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His selection of lands was wisely made and the tract embraced what subsequently became excellent farms, portions of which remained in possession of descendants of the pioneer until recent years.

In 1685 a deed was given to Teunis Slingerland and his son-in law, Johannes Apple, by three Mohawk chiefs, of the Wolf, Bear and Turtle clans, for certain lands ; this deed is interesting as the following extract shows :

Sa go-a-di och-qui-sax, To-ho-daa-we, Ro-jen-dre, Tap-in-dan-e-go, Ro-jon-jow, So-ha-ayn-tow-anne, being empowered by all the sachems of the three races of the Maquaes, and by On-i-gho cen da, one of the principal owners, for and in considera- tion of the following goods, to wit, one piece of shrift, three casks of rum, three kettles, three shirts, hundred and fifty hands white wampum, and one bag of pow- der, sell, transport, convey, &c., &c., to Teunis Slingerland and William Apple, his son-in-law, their heirs, &c., a certain tract of land lying on the north side of a cer- tain creek called O-nits-quat-haa, to the westward of Albany, lying behind Norman's Creek, about sixteen miles into the woods, and marked on the east and west end by a Wolf, Bear and Turtle, &c.

Barent Pieterse Coeymans set up the claim that this land lay within his patent purchased of the Mohawks at Catskill in April, 1673 ; the Mohawks disputed this and Coeymans subsequently relinquished his claim. The tract probably contained about 10,000 acres. Slinger- land's deed was signed in presence of Peter Schuyler, Garret Bauchry, and William Teller, and is on record in the Albany county clerk's office.

Between 1700 and 1750 a considerable number of settlers came into what is now New Scotland, bringing with them the customs of the old world and the industrious hardihood of the race they represented. Storm and Jan Bradt, and a family of Segers were in the town contem- poraneously with Mr. Slingerland, and their descendants have been conspicuous in the history of the community. Among others who arrived during this period were Francis Moak, Jacob Hellenbeck, An- dries Houck, David Delong, Jonathan Hoogtaling,. Isaac Pryce, Adam and John Long, W. Van Atten, John Mead, Hallers Thompsons, Al- bert Bradt, Conradt Hoogtaling, William Van Allen, and Albert Sling- erland.

Down to 1755 most of the settlers on the lands of the Patroon were occupying their farms without leases ; they were little more than squat- ters, and had made slow progress in improvements, probably by reason

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of their somewhat uncertain tenure. About this time the Slingerlands, who had made more extensive improvements than others of their neigh- bors, established the mills at Clarksville. During the period from 1750 to 1775 there was a large influx of settlers from Scotland, Ireland and England, introducing new and varied characteristics and customs. Among the pioneers of that period were Hendrick Bouse, Johannes Seger, Derk Terwilger, Nicholas Sigsbee, Henrick Albright, John Wade- man, Samuel Taylor, George Reid, George Swan, Ebenezer and John Wands, William and Charles McCulloch, David and William Allen, - Fuller, William Pangburn, John Patterson, Samuel Ramsey and his sons, James McMullin, William Kirkland, Anthony Wayne, Samuel Erwin, Antone Slingerland, and families of McBride, Moak, Jackson, McCoughtry, Bruce, Valk, Lenox, Conger, Ingraham, and Lamphere. Most of these names in themselves indicate the change in the nation- ality from their predecessors.

Immigration, which had practically ceased during the Revolutionary period, began again after the close of the war. Property rights being settled, industry protected, a market provided for crops, together with the attendant blessing of peace, gave encouragement to settlers already located and stirred the enthusiasm and ambition of the adventurous. Some of those who came into the town between 1775 and 1800 were Johannes Markle, Frederick Reinhart Fuller, Benjamin Van Zandt, Conrad Bowe, John Furbeck, Benjamin Winne, Mathias Young, Nich- olas Van Schaack, M. and F. Van Wormer, Elias Mattise, John Martin, John Stalker, Mathias Winne, Richard Radliff, and the Johnson, De Reamer, and Smith families. These names are mostly well known in this county and descendants of many of them have been prominent in the public affairs of the town and successful in their various occupations. It may properly be recorded here that Dr. Samuel Dickson of this town served as member of Congress in 1855 ; John McEwen and Henry Fitch, both born in New Scotland, were elected to the office of sheriff ; John R. Radley and William J. Reid served as associate justices ; David D. McCulloch as commissioner of schools, and Edmund Raynsford, Aaron Van Schaack, David G. Seger, Frederick Mathias, John Reid, Harman Van Derzee, Henry Creble, Peter Slingerland and Hiram Becker, Smith O'Brien and Joseph Hilton as members of Assembly.

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The early schools in this town were like those in other localities al- ready described-taught in private houses, frequently in the dwelling of the teacher, later in log school houses widely scattered, and finally in the neat frame buildings of later days. Some of the teachers in the territory of New Scotland in the first years of the century were Charles McCulloch, Harmanus Van Huysen, Edmund Raynsford, Francis Seger, James Wands, 2d, Horace Emery, William Hooster, James Patterson, James McElroy, Peter De Long, Ann Lawson, and a Miss Hoyt. After the distribution of the so-called school money the character of the schools at once became better and their number increased. The number of school districts increased somewhat after the first division was made until in 1860 there were fifteen. At the present time there are sixteen with school houses. New Scotland with Coeymans and Bethlehem constitute the first district of Albany county.

Following is a list of the supervisors of this town from its organization to the present time :

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Landmarks of Albany County, New York, Part 55

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1374

Author: Parker, Amasa Junius, 1843-1938, ed
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1374