USA > New York > Montgomery County > St Johnsville > Mohawk Valley genealogy and history : [a compilation of clippings, 1942-1945] > Part 32
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much light on Schenectady history and politics and contains many ref- erence to national events.
4. (Author unknown.) "Conti- nental 'Pictures: Cadeus Mingonia. America Nasceus-The Story of Brandt." 12 packages, comprising a poetic history of America in 12 cantos.
5. William Wilson (?) Notes on medical lectures, " 1 v., comprising notes on diseases based on the lec- tures of Dr. Gregory, professor of medicine at the University of Edin- burgh, 1766-67; also notes on re- marks on the human mind by Dr. Reid, professor of moral philosophy in the College of Glasgow, 1772-73.
6. Stephen C. Miller. Miscellane- poems and original pieces. 1841-45, 1 v.' comprising his dramatic pieces and mss. including valedictory poem for the Union, College commence- ment, July 23, 1845, and "The Re- forma Temperance Piece," dated Westerla, April 15, 1845. Notes on |grounds.
some of these pieces indicate that they were printed in tthe Christian Advocate and Journal, Albany Morn- ing Express, Alexander's Express- Messenger, and other publications.
7. Manuscript of books, essays, articles and notes of Greek philos- ophy, the classics, religion, Biblical also drafts of lectures delivered at literature, and the study of Hebrew; the Ogdensburg Lyceum (1 box); also letter books, 1856-66, 2 v.' com- prising letterpress copies of corre- spondence regarding the publication of his books and articles, Biblical controversies, defense of his writings against critics, affairs at Union Col- lege (where he taught Greek, Latin, Oriental languages, and Biblical lit- erature), the anti-slavery contro- versy, the Civil War, and other mat- ters.
8. Rev. 'Andrew Yates. Sermons 1831-44, 335 items. Included are notes on the organization of a course in theology.
9. John A. Yates. Letters, 1822-48, 76 pieces. Consist mainly of family correspondence, particularly with his father, Rev. Andrew Yates, touching on his travels and studies in Europe, theological matters, religion and pol- tics in Europe, and Schoharie- Schoharie County Historical Society. 10. Charles E. Pease. Miscellane- ous papers, 1855-82, 2 v. and 104 pieces. Include: Unuion College bills and reports for Chares E. Pease (1855-58); records of Civil War ap- pointments, commissions, promotions, and honorable discharge of Major Pease, army passes, claims for pay, letters, and autograph material of army officers; index of the Army of the Potomac (1863, 1 v.), citing the number of regiments and command- ing officers for various states; Major Pease's account of preliminaries to the surrender of General Lee, (1865, 1 v.), and various personal papers.
11. Tobias Ten Eyck, Daybook, 1763-71, 1 v.
12. Amasa Beck. Tavern account book. 1729-66, 1 v. (in Dutch.)
13. (Ownership indeterminable). Accountbook, 1762-92, 1 v. (in Dutch.)
14. J. J. Ramee. Plans and draw- ings of Union College buildings and
D. In addition there are personal papers of Harmonius Bleecker, the Romeyn family, and Schuyler Strong, records of the ReRformed Protestant Dutch Church of Schenec- tady, data on the controversy be- tween Ryan Schermerhorn and Arent Brant over the ownership and distri- bution of common hands in the town- ship of Schenectady, and many con- veyances, bonds, mortgages, inven- tories, and other transactions invilv- ing property not owned by Union Col- lege.
' The collection comprises 913 vol- umes and some 69 linear feet of man- uscripts in packages, boxes, and fil- ing cases. About 90 per cent of the manuscripts are arranged according to subject, and chronologically there- under. Qualified researcch students are allowed access to the materials upon application to the librarian and under supervision. There is no protostat service.
(To be continued)
(To be continued)
Schoharie valley Oct. 17, 1780, by William E. Roscoe, the historian; maps and descriptions of the upper and middle Schoharie Fort, where occurred the principal engagement of the Johnson and Brant raid; map and description of the Battle of Cedar Swamp (Sharon), July 10, 1781; Peter Vrooman's order to Lieutenant Jacob Snyder to raise man for service, with a list of the names of the men con- stituting the draft, April 20, 1782; and other data.
8. Cemetery records, 1 v. and over
3,000, pleces, comprising copies of in- scriptions on tombstones of St. Paul's Lutheran Church cemetery in Scho- harie, Old Reformed Church ceme- tery at Middleburgh, cemeteries in Breakabeen, Keyserkill, Patria, Gal- lupville, Bates Hollow, Gilboa, Hunt- ersland, Livingstonville and Pine Grove, and many private burial grounds in Schoharie county. C. Military Records.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1945
Wagner Memorial
(Continued from last week)
-
Not . inappropiate was it then for us to gather here at this time to cali up the memories of those days to localize and fix this valley history; to bring to the thoughts of our pres- ent and fast passing times the dan- gers and heroisms of those days and gether therefrom inspiration for our work and welfare of today. Not the less fitting does it become because we are able to localize these matters about the life of one who had a con- siderable prominence in the affairs of that time, and who was the honored ancestor of so many honored de- scendants who abide among us to this day. Meanwhile, a more benefi- cient use shall we make of this occa- sion, if we be thereby inspired to move out into a higher nobieness and a tougher manhood. This, too, is a historic , time-or shall be if we choose to make it. The Indians are' no longer here. The Tories are dead. The Revolution is passed. But there are stili foes to fight, errors to sub- due, holy truths and principle to es- tablish, grand victories to gain, hon- ors to achieve, divine purposes to serve.
Ours is the heroism that made our fathers illustrious. Ours the for- titude that carried them to victory! And whether a hundred years from now the place of our burial is known, or utteriy forgotten, may the good- ness we have done be buried in many. hearts, and in many lives make it- self manifest in glad and ever last -! ing recurring resurrections.
He reminded his audience that they were seated in a church which stood on the spot where was the original Reformed Dutch church, which stood in the time of the Wag- ners. He showed, too, the original deed for the church lot, a very old . document, "gnawed by other teeth than those of time," and which but iately came into his possession. In concluding, Dr. Wortman gave the Historical Society a cannon ball
found on the battlefield of Stone Arabia, one of the few relics in his possession belonging to that period. Dr. Wortman expressed pleasure at being able to introduce the "orator of the occasion, Hon, Charles W. Hutchinson, the energetic sind ac- complished vice president of the Oneida Historical Society."
Address by Hon. C. W. Hutchinson Mr. Hutchinson having expressed the thanks of his society for the relic given it, spoke as follows:
Wagner Memoria .
(Continued from last week)
We are assembied in the heart of the Mohawk vaiiey, to pay proper tribute of respect to the memory of, two individuals whose influence upon its history and whose civic and mili- tary service during the troublous times of our Revolutionary war are deserving of proper recognition." Cir- cumstances having necessitated the removai of their remains from their burial place upon lands so long in the possession of the family, to a fitting spot in your beautiful cemetery over- looking these lands so many years their home. This day being so near the anniversary of the battle of Johnstown, with which their name is connected, make the ceremonies' of this occasion unusually impressive. It appeals to our patriotism by recal- ling the history of the first settle- ment of this valley by the Paiatines, their noble Christian and patriotic deeds, of which, after the lapse of over & century, is a clear and un- daunted record, has been preserved, and it can be. hoped that a more per- sonal history will soon be written to perpetuate and record in a fitting manner the story of the lives and sacrifices of those early days, to whose sturdy character and invin. cible energy, we to such a great ex- tent owe the civil and religious free- dom we now enjoy. And it is prop- erly a public duty, now at this time, in the sixth generation the trace of family lineage is so slight, and be- cause so diffused by cultural connec- tion, that any tribute to their mem- ory should be in the broadest sense public in its character.
In casually tracing at this time the lineage of some of the Palatine fam- ilies, there are found at present to be between one and two thousand de-
scendants in a single family line, and ed to America 1709 and settled at in the period of some one hundred and sixty years the blood of Pala- tines permeates the veins of whole communities from Schenectady to "the crossing of the old ford" at Utica, so-called by the. Indians Yah- nun-dah-sis.
In addressing you, therefore, we feel that any new facts which may be presented relating to the personal and historic events which have taken place in the valley of the Mohawk should be received with interest.
The story of a man's life is us- ually written in water. At his death a moment's troubled surface, then all becomes placid as before and in a years all memory of him except per- haps his name or a record of his needs has passed into oblivion for- evr.
But the history of each individual of the early settlers of this section stands out boldly in striking con- trast. Their lives were constant struggles against opposing forces and adverse" circumstances, but which brought out persistent deter- mination of purpose, unity of ideas, and the closest harmony in united action, when a result was to be at- tained for a religious or a patriotic purpose.
The Palatinate families of Johan Peter Wagner and William Fox re- moved from Schoharie" to the Mo- hawk Valley, about the year A. D. 1723, and settied in the town of Pal- atine, near Pålatine church some two miles west of this village, Fox settling on the easteriy side of the Garoga creek (a part of which is now known as the Newkirk farm), and Wagner settling about a half- mile easterly of the creek (a part of which is now occupied by Har- vey Smith and Chauncey Wagner). The lands occupied extending from the Mohawk, river several miles northerly. We find from the copy of the original deed that John Conrad Weiser, Jr., Jan Jacokop John Jost Peters, Conrad . Rigarts, Nicholas Fuller,
Henry, Mayor, Angerin Smith, Ruties Raving, Peter Spice, Peter Waggoner, Peter Conneaskern, and Jacob Warynoo, ail high Dutch- men or Palatines, took a deed from the five nations by their sachems, dated July 9, 1722 of the land be- ginning at Ostenrogen, or the first carrying place , to the westeriy end of it, to Gauerdagavien, being about 24 English miles upon both sides of the Mohawk river.
And this is the first recorded men- tion of this branch of the Wagner few years all memory of him except perhaps his name or a record of his deeds has passed into oblivion for ner eases 90. The traditional and subsequent his- ory I now note.
(To be continued i
Wagner Memorial
(Continued from last week)
Johan Peter Wagner, the Palatine ancestral head of this family, was born at Braunsback, in Wirtemburg, October 4, 1687. He was married with Maria Elizabeth Laucs who was born at Oehringen in 1686. They emigrat- New Paltz, Ulster county, and after- wards, in the year 1714, removed to Schoharie county where they remain- ed until their settlement in Palatine in 1723. About the year 1750 he built his residence, the old stone dwelling (now standing and in a good state of preservation.) It was quite similar | in style with the well known houses of Grey, Ehle, Van Alstine, and Wor- mouth, which were erected about the same period.
This Wagner house is said to be the oldest house now standing in the :) state of New York, west of Fort Plain. In early times and during the wars, it was stockaded and was known as Fort Waggoner, and a block house was said to have been situated some fifty feet south east- erly of the building, and that some of its timbers are still in the barn buildings on the farm. And a part of the old foundation still remains.
Johan Peter Wagner, the Palatine ancestral head of the family, was born at .Braunsback, in Wirteburg, October 4, 1687. He was married with Maria Elizabeth Laucs, who was born at Oehringer in 1686. They emigrated to America 1709 and settled at New Paltz, Ulster county and afterwards, in the year 1714, removed to Scho- now partially present.
harde county where they remained untii their settlement in Palatine in 1723. About the year 1750 he built
his residence the old stone dwelling! the county of Albany, which was un- (now standing and in a good state der the command of Sir William
of preservation.) It was quite similar in style with the well-known house of Frey, Ehle, Van Alstine and . Wor! mouth, which were erected about the
same period.
This Wagner house is said to be the oldest house now standing in the state of New York, west of Fort Piain. In early times, and during the" wars, 'it was stockaded and ., was known as Fort Waggoner, and a block house was said to have, been situated some fifty feet southeast- erly of the dweiling, and that some of its timbers are still in the barń buildings on the farm. And a part of the old foundation still remains.'
On the Wagner farm in the rear of this house is a peculiar range of hills, called by the German settlers the Steiler-Berg or steep hill, ranging east to west for about half a mile. These hills, on excavation, are found to contain Indian relics of the pre- historic period, and recent discovery has opened two burial grounds of dif- ferent generations of the tribes.
It was upon one of the most prom- inent of these hills that the old bury- ing grounds of the early settlers of this portion of Palatine was situated; a very few graves having inscribed tabies, hundreds being'marked with without other two rough stones, mark or record.
. Colonei Wagner's family consisted of eight children, as follows:
Anna Margaretha, born April 15, 1712, married Heinrich Tillenbeck.
Utilia, born August 16, 1716, mar- ried Isaac Reit.
Catherina Elizabeth born Septem- her 10, 1718, married Johan Georg Stockenchild.
Johan Peter born January 8, 1722, married Barbara . Elizabeth Dockstad- ler.
Martha Elizabeth born January 24, 1724, married Georg Saltsman.
Colonel Peter Wagner died May 28, :1813, aged 91 years, four months and 19 days. And the following receipt. is still preserved.
Palantine, 29 May, 1813.
Received of Colonel Peter Waggon- er nine dollars in full for six gallons of rum for the berrying of oid Col- olnel Peter Waggoner. £: 12 0.
J. Wheeler
This Johan Peter, was the only son of his father the pioneer. He was generally known as Colonel Waggner. And herewith we copy from the re- cords of the Evangelical Lutheran German congregation in Stone Ara- bia and translated from the original German, the following record:
The Mr. Coionel Johan Peter Wag- oner was born 8th of January, 1722, The godfathers were Peter Kniesker- ken, Gottfried Fiedler, Maria Lies
Peter Wilhelm, Domeier. Stone Arabia, March 2, 1811.
He was married with Maria Eliz abetha Dockstader in the year 1750 They had nine children, namely: Jo han Peter, Johan Georg, Elizabetha: Maria Margaretha, Johan Joseph, Jo: han William, Catherine and Helen of Laney. 'And it is to the memory Colonel Johan Peter and his eldest son also named Johan Peter, and of their remains we are now paying this tribute of respect and Christian duty. Upon their graves no evanescent flowers are laid; a crown of, laurel is a fitting tribute to the record of their lives, a brief resume of which connected with public events I shall
.The first public record of Colonel Wagner is his commission as second.
lieutenant in the second battalion of
Johnson. It is dated August 25, A. D. 1748, and is signed by George Clin- ton, the colonial governor. He was un- doubtedly engaged in the French and Indian war of 1756.
The colonel was a staunch patriot during the Revolutionary , war, and unswerving in his devotion to the cause of his country. He was one of committee of safety for Tryon county and was present as a delegate from the Palatine district at its first meet- ing held at the house of Adam Loucks, at Stone Arabla, August 27, 1774.
There being present Christopher Yates, chairman, Peter Waggoner, Isaac Paris, John Frey, Jacob Klock, Andrew Fink, Jr., Christopher W. Fox, George Ecker, Jr., Andrew Ree- ber, Daniel McDougle and Anthony Van Fetchen.
(To, be continued)
Wagner Memorial
(Copy loaned by N. Berton, Alter, Nellistom)
1722 WAGNER MEMORIAL 1881 The Wagner Re-Interment at Fort
Plain, October 20, 1881 (Continued from last week)
And he is also recorded as being present at the first general meeting of the committee in the Canajoharie district, held June 2, 1775 at the house of . Werner Tygert, hear the upper Indian Castle.
Colonel Wagner was engaged in the battle of Oriskany and held the position of the second battalion from the Palatine district, of which Jacob Klock was colonel. His oldest son, gohan Peter, was second lieu- tenant in the first company of this regiment and his second son, Johan Georg,"was a volunteer in his com- mand; the latter was wounded Li the. forearm by a bullet and on ac- count of it received a pension. Jo- sep innother son ran away from at
home and joined the command Gorman Flats, but being only old ychly of. age and the only son enough to afford any protection to the family, his father promptly sent. him back to look after the women and children.
" Lieutenant Colonel Wagner, it is said, took command of the first bat- 1722
Here, near the Reformed Church, familiarly known as the Sand Hill Church lived the Indian trader John Abeel, who married for his first
chem, and whose. sons were Teh- wun-yars, who was one of the 50 hereditary Sachems of the Iroquois, and was the leading military Sa- ohem, of the Confederacy; and Gy- ant-wa-ka, John (Abeei), the Corn- pianter, the great , war chief, and their half brother, by Indian lin- eage was Ga-ne-o-di-yo, "The Pro- phet." It was during the invasion of the tories. and regulars, under the command of Colonel John John- son and the Indians under the com- mands of the Chiefs Tha-yen-de-ne- gea and Gy-ant-wa-ka, , in August the year of 1780 that the Indians took John Abeel; prisoner andburn- ed his residence and other build-
'ings, but his son soon released him and sent his father with an escort safely home. Abeei's daughter, Cath- erina, by his second. . wife, married Joseph Wagner, who resided in the
'old Paris mansion in this village for 10 many years.
(To be continued)
Wagner Memorial
(Copy loaned by N. Berton Alter, Nelliston) WAGNER MEMORIAL 1881
Fort
The Wagner Re-Interment at Plain, October 20, 1881 (Continued from last week)
talion of the Canajoharie district at the battle of Oriskany, which was
under the command of Colonel Eben -. The following correspondence, tak ezer Cox, after General Herkimer en from the originals still in posses who was its first colonel, wassion of the family, relating to thes wounded.
incursions just , mentioned are of his . He was also one of the grand toric interest, and while curious i jury at the first court of quarter style, they are imbued with a spiri session under the new state gov- of rare force and determination 1 ernment held at Johnstown Septem- their quaint expression.
ber 8, 1788, and represented his dis-
Palatine, May 28th, 1780.
A Return for Ammunition fo
the second, third and fourth ses- men which are gathered at the hous sions, in the years 1777, 1778, 1779, of George Klock-13 men.
1780, 1781. Sir. Col. Klock desired me to cal A. reference to some of the local upon you for amunition, as you ha history of this portion of the state drawn for all the men in his Reg' may interest some of those here as- living upwards from Fox's .. Remafi sembied. Those lands upon the south Sir your Humble Servt, side of the river were in the pos- Jacob G. Klock session of the Mohawks,' whose easterly or lower Castie was called To Col. Peter Waggoner. Palatine, 26 June, 1789* by them Te-ah-ton-ta-lo-ga, situated near Fort Hunter. The westerly or upper Castle was called Ga-ne-ga-ha- ga, and situated on the east bank
Sor, I do not doubt but you know back a mile and encamp. (See note that our scout made a discovery of at the end of this entire account.)
the Enemy this afternoon near our Quarters. I emeditely on the endel- igence ser a few lines to Col. Clyde Informing him of th aproge of the
Enemy, and also desired some As- sistance of him, he Emediatiy send 18 men which arrived here.
/ Capt. Diffendorf with his Com- pany lise at Cox's, which we send for to come over this Evening: now I desire you would send ail the yung able men tomorrow by day braek ' from all the forts from you up. In'order to. durn out at day braek
Sir your most humble servt Jacob Klock
Coi. Waggoner . * this is evidently "1780"
Fort Paris July 13,' 1780
Sir pleas order 12 of the smartes men that you have in the differen." forts under your command to Joyn John Cassalm's Company with four days privition with the quickest dis- patch:'
from your friend and humble servant Jacob: Klock Coll
To Lt. Col. Woggoner
Fort Paris, June 5, 1781.
Sir: I this moment received a let- wife the daughter of a Seneca Sa- ter from the commanding officer at Johnstown, that the enemy have yes- terday taken several prisoners and burnt some buildings in those quar-' ters, and it is thought by him that they will make a stroke eithre at Stoneraby or else up the river, ' the enemy is sixty or seventy strong you'll give notice to al the Posts up above without. a moment's delay .:
To Cols. Klock and Waggoner Peter S. Dygert Major Fort Paris, Sept. 9, 1781 Dr. Col: I received your order and did according to ito I have ordered every man, excepts yours namely John Shull's Adam Loux, Valentine Freligh and Henry Becker, whom I have kept for scouts. I am Dr. Col. your very hbl servt, Seprinus Klock, Capt.
To Col. Waggoner
Lieutenant Johan Peter Wagner, Sir-Be pleased to pay unto the oldest son : of . Colonel Wagner, eight pounds in behalf of Elihu Hall, which, when paid will be in fuil for your subscription money you sub- scribed towards building Academy at Stone Arabia. and afterwards also 'a colonel was a' Thomas Day or order the sum of fitting scion of the sturdy old Dutch stock of his ancestry. He was born November 6, 1750, and his wife Nan- cy Bell was born in the year 1759. They were married in 1782 and had a famiy of nine children. He died at Andrew Finch
Palatine, August 1, 1816 at the age Stone Arabia, 12th December 1797. of sixty-seven years. He was ap- This occasion also recalls to the i pointed by General Herkimer a spec- memory of a grateful people the , ial commissioner to confer with Cap- names of other patriots of the val- tain Joseph Brant at the Unadilla ley: Herkimer, Brown, Cox, Clyde, conference in July, 1777, and as Visscher, Fonda, Snell, Frey, Dygert, heretofore mentioned was second Yates, Paris, Van Horne Sammons, Veeder McDougle, Van Vetchen lieutenant in the first company of the regiment commanded by Colonel Klock, at the Battle of Oriskany. Klock, Ecker, Campbell, Diefendorf, Petry, Fox, Staring, Bellinger, Tim- merman and others. He with his brothers Johan Georg, Johan Joseph, William and Johan ap- pear also to have been engaged in several skirmishes in this portion of the valley, particuariy at Fox's Mills, situate some eight miles west of this village (*), where Sir John Johnson with his tories and Indians had thrown up a smail brestwork, and awaited the approach of General Van Rennsalaer and his militia. The Indians were first' driven from their position, and the works of the en- emy would have been carried, when apparentiy, without reason Van Rennsalaer ordered his troops to fall
The patriotic devotion of these men should be more closely studied by the present generation, and the monument at Oriskany, soon to be erected, is a fitting tribute to the memory of those who so nobly acted during the times of savage allied In- dians and tory invasion in the Val- ley of the Mohawk. They were al- most undisciplined, and inadequate- ly armed, taking all their sons able to carry arms, marched through the unbroken forest to meet St. Leger and his disciplined army and its sav- age aliies. Their arms were, victor- ious, the invaders repulsed, and their righteous cause, contending for civil and religious freedom, was crowned with success.
(To be continued)
Wagner Memorial
These heroio men (Copy loaned by N. Berton Alter, Nelliston) had all most dear to life pledged upon success of their arms, and stood in the ranks by the side of their sons, in defense 1722 WAGNER MEMORIAL The Wagner Re-Interment at Plain, October 20, 1881 1881 of their cause. Members of the com- Fort mittee of safety carried muskets as privates, and four of them of great prominence in public (Continued from last week) life, namely: Col. Isaac Paris, Samuel Billington, John Dygert and Jacob Snell were The young. Wagners , with many killed at Oriskany. Had they failed, to attack the Enemy, as ali mer others of the young men indignant and their patriotic effort their
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