Mohawk Valley genealogy and history : [a compilation of clippings, 1945-1946], Part 34

Author:
Publication date: 1942
Publisher: [1942-1949]
Number of Pages: 276

USA > New York > Montgomery County > St Johnsville > Mohawk Valley genealogy and history : [a compilation of clippings, 1945-1946] > Part 34

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The church is. described as being in the town of Amsterdam and coun- : ty of Montgomery and so it was un- til April 18, 1838, the date upon . which Fulton county was separated from Montgomery county and that part of the town of Amsterdam north of the northern boundary of Mont- gomery county and which feil within the limits of Fulton county became the town of Perth. The earliest deed on record for the farm which con- tains the field Mr. Josiin pointed out as having been the church field is dated May 12, 1823 and by it, Lewis M. Bostwick and Deborah, his wife of the town of Amsterdam deeded this farm to Jacob Banta of the same piace. The deed describes the boundaries of the farm and then states that it has "seventy acres ex- cepting one quarter of an acre on which the Baptist meeting house i3 now situated." This locates the farni but it is not yet narrowed down to the field in question. It 30 happens that only one field of this farm is on the west side of the road and we find that on Dec. 10, 1831, Henry Bonfoy of the town of Winfield, County of Herkimer gave a quit- ciaim deed to David' Atkins of the town of Amsterdam for $10.00 for the part of this west field which con- . tained the church. 1

(To be continued)

Cows should be kept from newly painted buildings and fences until the paint is thoroughly dry. Licking the paint causes lead poisoning and an was ordained to the ministerial possible death to the cow.

MOHAWK VALLEY

GENEALOGY

AND

HISTORY

St. Johnsville Enterprise and News, St. Johnsville. N. Y.

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1946

Questions and Answers A department devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. No charge to regular subscribers. Any reader, whether subscriber or not, is, invited to submit answers. Give dates, places and sources.

ANSWER TO ELLIS QUERY APRIL 25, 1946

A few weeks ago a letter from

Mrs. Jensen of Minneapolis asked for light on an "Ellis family who erect- ed flour mills" . .. which "In 1780 were burned by the Indians." The letter requests information concern- ing a Mary Ellis married 1866 who was or was not a daughter of the flour mill Ellis and asks for any re- cords of him.

In answer, let me refer to a brief statement, of, the Englishman, Alex- ander Ellice (note the spelling) who bought two lots of land on the north side of the Mohawk river, at the falls, in Little Falls .(see p. 104 Ben- ton's History of Herkimer Co.) (See p. 103 for burning of the mill, Fox and Skinner were the millers.)

A much more detailed description of the mills at Little Falls shows the property descended to Edward Ellice, son of Alexander. (See Beers' History of Herkimer Co., pp. 188 to 192. Read it all.) The Ellice family tried to follow the English pro- cedure of absentee landlordism, with no sales of property nor water pow- er rights, but leases only were is- sued such as $3.00 a year for a lease on a "city lot." This went on be- tween about 1770 to 1830 ..

Then came a tax bill engineered through the Legislature of ' N. Y. State by our local politicians and their friends. The taxes levied were more than the rentals collected. The Ellice family sold in haste.

In a former article in the Enter- prise and News some years back, it was mentioned that a syndicate purchased the power , properties from Ellice and a company was form- House ed to take over these properties from Lowell M. born October 1, 1891, the syndicate and sell stock in the married" Stella Comer born June 18, 1894.

new power company. My ' recollec- tion is that I recommended some one else to investigate the promoters of the bill for taxes on rentals, etc. of'foreign owners ,and see which names of .the promoters-if-any,-cor- responded with the names of the syndicate and with the main stock- holders of the new company.

The Ellice family really was hold- Ing back the manufacturing devel- opment of the falls, true, and it seemed really necessary to exchange absentee foreign landlords for na- tive mill owners and operators. The power on the south side of the riv- er was owned by General Christo- pher P. Bellinger, who sold land and power as required by actual purchas- ers and users.

Just now I do not have at hand the page and reference to the N. Y. State Legislative bill, but some_ gne can find that; hunting for it will be good practice. . ..

: It is Mrs." Jensen's job to prove any relationship between Edward EI-

1790.

There were also other children. Wish to learn names of Elias Conklin's parents, brothers and sis- ters, his place of birth ,names in full of his wives and their parentage, etc.

Also wish to learn about parents of Hannah Ackler who was of Ger- man descent, wife of Ezekiel Conk- lin, who was born in Herkimer county or thereabouts. I have heard that this family lived in the town- ship of Warren, and also that they lived in Minden.

Will appreciate all possible infor- mation regarding this family. Would like to correspond with descendants of Elias' family, or anyone interested in any of these families, I have heard, 'but cannot prove, that Elias was born and lived his early years In Columbia county. This may be true. I would like to learn all possi- ble about this early New York fam- ily.

Herma Conklin Zachary, Mrs. M. S. Zachary, 1621 Mound avenue, Jacksonville, Ill.

House Family of the Mohawk

By Melvin Rhodes - Shaver Ransomville, N. Y. Chapter I Descendants of Christian Hauss (Continued from last week)

Jerome House married Jennie Rice. No record.

Bessie E. House. married 1st E. B. lett, John Moore and Christopher Miller.

Chidren:

Paul born September 21, 1912 mar- ried February 2, 1931 Harriet Hicks. Leula House married Francis Fos- ter. Children:

Homer Frederick born May 27, 1927. 1

Lowell M. House married Stella Comer. Children:

Charlotte born February 18, 1917. Lois born November 28, 1914, mar- ried September 2, 1939, William Bry- an

Lois House married William Bry- an. Children.

Denis born July 16, 1941. Paul Miller married Harriet Hicks. Children:

Edwin born Novemzer 7, 1932. William born July 16, '1934.

" Philip born April. 8,. 1936.

In his later years Captain John

lice the Englishman and her Mary Houna tanl'un land

Again he says, "This Indian knew of some places where he could get' lesd for their bullets. He would take John to a certain tree and then go out of sight. After a time he would return with his buckskin shirt filled with chunks of lead which he had cut off with his knife. Dividing the load, they would then carry it home. There seemed to be an. un- derstanding of honor between them that the location of the lead should remain a secret."

Again he tells that, "At one time they discovered a bee tree which they robbed, the Indian refusing to leave until they obtained all of the honey, although stung so badly. that he could not see and John had to lead him home."

Captain John House was a very religious man and one night when his family returned home from attending a gathering at a neighbor's they found him kneeling at his bedside in an attitude of prayer, but his spirit had flown. Thus he died in the year 1824.

(To be continued)

An Outline Sketch of Tryon County

Reprinted from an Address by Hon. J . D. Henderson, of Herkimer, De- livered before thee Herkimer Coun- ty Historical Society, February 9, 1897.

(Continued from last week)

Hendrick Fry and Guy Johnson represented Tryon county in the 31st colonisì assembly, the last session of which closed April 3rd, 1775. Cad- waliader Colden, acting governor of New York after Governor Tryon left the country, 'In his report to the home government said that Tryon county was not represented in the provincial congress, which' met May 22d, 1775, but we find on the roll of that body, the names of John Mar-

P. Yates as representatives from Tryon county. The proceedings of that body were held with closed doors and none but members, all of whom were pledged to secrecy, were per- mitted to take coples of the min- utes. Provision was made for the publication of the minutes at the close of the session, except such part as by unanimous vote were to be kept secret. These rules governed the succeeding provincial congress-j es but the journal was not printed until 1842.

In the second congress John Moore, Isaac Pris and ,William Will repre- sented Tryon county and in the third congress John Moore, William Har- per Benjamin Newkirk, Vilkert Vee- der, Isaac Paris and Christopher P. Yates.

In the fourth congress, the same) men were present except Yates. The

State by our local politicians and their friends. The taxes levied were more than the rentals collected. The Eliice family sold in haste.

In a former article in the Enter- prise and News some years back, it was mentioned that a syndicate purchased the power , properties from Ellice and a company was form- ed to take over these properties from the syndicate and sell stock in the new power company. My recoiiec- tion is that I recommended some one else to investigate the promoters of the biil for taxes on rentais, etc. of foreign owners ,and see which | Miller.

names of the promoters-if any, 'cor- responded with the names of the syndicate and with the main stock- holders of the new company.

The Eilice family really was hoid- ing back the manufacturing devei- opment of the falls, true, and it seemed really necessary to exchange absentee. foreign landiords for na- tive mill owners and operators. The power on the south side of the riv- er was owned by General Christo- pher P. Bellinger, who sold iand and power as required by actual purchas- ers and users.

Just now I do not have at hand the page and reference to the N. Y. State Legislative bill, but some one can find that; hunting for it will be good practice.

.; It is Mrs. Jensen's job to prove any relationship between Edward El- lice, the Englishman and her Mary Ellis.

L. F. Beilinger,

1005 Springdale Road, Atlanta, Ga.

DIX, WELLES

Charles Dix, born Nov. 8, 1764, Wethersfield, Conn., died July 13, 1850 in Vernon, N. Y. Had removed to Vernon, N. Y. between 1799 and 1802. Wanted data of his wife, her brothers and their father, John Welles.

Daniel E. Wager in "Our County and Its Peopde . . ' . Oneida Co., N. Y." on page 574 says that Chas. Dix married. March, 5, 1786, Prudence Wells, daughter of John Welles, a descendant in the 4th ( ?) generation from Gov. Thomas Welis of Conn. This John should be. of the line of Robert (3) Weiies (John 2, Gov. Thos. 1).

Mrs. F. F. Weinard,

713 Iowa street, Urbana, Ili.

CONKLIN

Wanted information regarding Ellas Conkiin ,born Jan. 23, 1757, married first Iceman, Isaman or Eysaman; married second to Maria born Oct. 13, 1771.

Issue:

1. Sary (Sarah ?) born Juiy 24, 1777.

2. Ezekiel born Feb. 13, 1779 mar- ried Hannah Ackier .. 3. John Conklin born Oct. 17, 1780.

4. Elias Conklin born April 13, 1782.

5. Thomas Conklin born Jan. 2, 1784.

6. Mary Conkiin born May 28, 1786. 7. Daniel Conklin born August 20, 1788.

8. Anauch Conkiin, born Sept. 4,

MondWK

By Melvin Rhodes - Shaver Ransomville, N. Y. Chapter I Descendants of Christian Hauss (Continued from last week)

Many stories are extant regarding the iife doings of Capt. John House. These traditions have come down through the generations for over one hundred years and many have been iost by the wayside, but' others have been handed from mouth to ear and from generation to generation until the present day. Among these is the following as given to me by one of his great grandsons,' Howard H. House of Richfied Springs. "In the early days of the settlement "Twelve Thousand" or "McCormack's Patent (afterwards, called Cooper's Patent), which lies between Lakes Canaderaga and Otsego, John House was one of the first to settie in the northern part of the present town of Otsego. He at one time had saved the life of an Indian (name unknown) who afterwards was a firm friend of John's. They hunted and trapped to- gether and the Indian iived with John untii his death. Once they were car- rying a deer home through the wood- land when it became dark and they- found themseives surrounded by woives, so they piaced their backs to a large tree and stayed there untii morning, then carried home the deer, as the woives left at daylight."

(Continued from last week) .:

Hendrick Fry and Guy Johnson represented Tryon county in the 31st colonial assembly, the last session of which ciosed April 3rd, 1775. Cad- wailader Coiden, acting governor of New York after Governor Tryon ieft House the country, in his report to the Loweil M. born October 1, 1891, married Stelia Comer born June 18, 1894. home government said that Tryon county was not represented in the provincial congress, which' met May Jerome House married Jennie Rice. No record. 22d, 1775, but we find on the roii of that body the names of John Mar- Bessie E. House, married 1st E. B. lett, John Moore and Christopher P. Yates as representatives from Chidren: Tryon county. The proceedings of Paul born September 21, 1912 mar- that body were heid with closed doors ried February 2, 1931 Harriet Hicks. and none but members, aii of whom

Leuia House married Francis Fos-were piedged to secrecy, were per-

ter. Children:

Homer Frederick born May 27, 1927. -

Loweil M. House married Stella Comer. Children:

Charlotte born February 18, 1917. Lois born November 28, 1914, mar- ried September 2, 1939, William Bry- an.

Lois House married William Bry- an. Children.

Denis born Juiy 16, 1941.

Paul Miiier married Harriet Hicks. Children :

Edwin born Novemzer 7, 1932. William born, July 16, '1934. Philip born April 8, 1936.

In his later years Captain John House took up a' tract of land on what is called, "Twelve Thousand," near Richfield Springs. The titie to the iand, could not be obtained untii after the death of one of the heirs. Capt. John died and is buried in a private cemetery on the farm where he lived. The title to the farm, Was finally given to the son Ebenezer. The transfer of titie was given in 1831 to "Ebenezer House who had occupied the farm for some time." One of Cap- tain John House's great grandsons

The county was entitied to six - members of the assembly under the first constitution and was represent- ed as Tryon county during the first has made affidavit to the location of | seven sessions. In the first state sen- the grave which he saw many times| ate we find as senators from the when a boy but the markers have been obiiterated by time.

Christopher P. Yates was county cierk and heid the office for many years. From this showing it is evi- dent that Tryon county participated in the organization of the new state government, and that aithough the influence of the Johnson family had been aimost supreme in the county before the breaking out of the war, and although there were many Tor- ies among the leading families, stili the people were falthful to the pa- triot cause and had men among them in the halis of iegislation.

: Committee of Safety Meet

On the second day of June, 1775, a meeting of the Committee of Safe- ty from the different districts of Tryon . county was heid at which there were forty-two members pres- ent. Christopher P. Yates was chos- en chairman of that body and im- mediate action was taken to organ- ize the militia and resist the en- croachments of the crown. The Rev. Samuei Kirkiand, missionary to the Oneidas was requested to use his influence with that tribe and en -; deavor to persuade them to remain

mitted to take copies of the min- utes. Provision was made for the publication of the minutes at the ciose of the session, except such part as by unanimous vote were to be kept secret. These ruies governed the succeeding provincial congress- es but the journal was not printed until 1842.

In the second congress John Moore, Isaac Pris and , William Wiii repre- sented Tryon county and in the third congress John Moore, William Har- per Benjamin Newkirk, Vilkert Vee- der, Isaac Paris and Christopher P. Yates.

In the fourth congress the same men were present except Yates. The fourth provinciai congress ciosed its labors May 13th, 1777 and gave piace to the first state assembly which met at Kingston, September 1st, 1777 and in which Tryon county had six representatives, Samuel Ciyde, Mich- aei Edick, Jacob G. Klock, Jacob Sneli, Abram Van Horne and Jo- hannes Veeder.

western district the familiar name: of Isaac Pris and Jeilis Fonda and in the second session the name o: Jacob G. Klock. Fonda sat again ir the third senate and Fonda and Klock in the fourth.

may 161946

neutral during the war. They were induced to send delegates to Bos- ton to visit Washington. These del- egates were impressed by what they saw and, convinced that the British emissaries had tried to deceive them they returned to their tribe and so reported.

Nicholas Herkimer Made Colonel Most of the Oneidas and some of theTuscaroras remained neutral dur- Ing the war and some of them be- came allies of the patriots and per- formed very importan services. Among these latter were Skenando, an Oneida chief who died at his res- idence ncar Oneida Castle, March 11, 1816, aged 110 years. The militia of Tryon county was organized in 1775 and Nicholas Herkimer who had seen service in the French and Indian war was made colonel. In 1776 he was commissioned brigadier general. The (To be continued)

Genealogical Sources in the Mohawk Valley -

AND NEARBY

BIRTH, DEATH AND MARRIAGE RECORDS (Continued from last week.) ORANGE COUNTY Middletown (1888)

1881 -. Register, 11 vois. Arr. chron. Separate index. alph. by child- ren. Records 1881-87, pertain to vil- lage of Middletown. Custodian P. E. Benedict, city clerk, Middletown, N. Y.

Newburgh (1865)

#1847-49, 1869, 1905, 1913. Register 21 volumes. Arr. chron. 1847-49, no index; 1869-1905, 1913- indexed ai- ph. by children. Includes marriages and deaths 1847-49. Custodian, Ann Toohey, registrar of vital statistics, Newburgh, N. Y.

1906-12. Record, 2 f. d. Arr. alph. No index. Custodian, Ann Toohey, registrar of vital statistics, New- burgh, N. Y. 1 Port Jervis (1907)

1881. Register, 10 vols. Arr. chron. Separate index, alph. by children. Records 1881-1906, pertain to vll- lage of Port Jervis. Custodian John F. Cleary, city clerk, Port Jervis, N. Y.

Blooming Grove

.: 1847-49. Record, 1 vol. Arr. chron. No Index. Includes marriages and deaths. Custodian E. J. Mclaughlin, town clerk, Washingtonville, N . Y. 1881. Register, 4 vols. Arr. chron. Indexed alph. by children. Custodian, E. J. Mclaughlin, town clerk, Wash- Ingtonville, N. Y.

Chester

1881. Register, 3 vols. Arr. chron. Indexed alph. by children. Includes deaths, 1914 -. Custodian Howard Robles, town' clerk, Pottersville, N. Y.

Cornwall

1849, 1881. Record, 7 vols. Arr. chron. 1849, no Index; 1881-, index- ed alph. by children. Includes mar- rlages and deaths 1849. Custodian, Mrs. Edith B. Earl , town clerk, Corn- wall, N. Y.

Crawford

1881. Register, 3 vois. Arr. chron. Indexed alph. by children. Includes deaths, 1881-1933. Custodian, Mrs. M. C. Scott, town clerk, Pine Bush, | Church of Amsterdam.

N. Y.

Deerpark

"LOCAL HISTORY".

BY DONALD D. PARKER Brookings, South Dakota

"LOCAL HISTORY"-HOW TO GATHER IT, WRITE IT, AND PUBLISH 111

(Continued from last week)

While all industries should be treated, stress would be laid upon those which are predominant or were so at one time. Were there old fashioned peddlers, gipsies, traveling knife-grinders and chair menders in the early years? If so, how long has it been since they stopped coming ? A' study of early business methods and ethics would be revealing. The "service" idea, stressed so much' to- day, was unknown a generation. ago. Competition was keen between rival dealers, and often unscrupulous.

Maps may be utilized to show the early routes of transportation. If the dates can be determined for the be- ginning of each new route or meth- od of transportation and communi- catlon ,these should by all means be included. A good deal of romance is interwoven with the early methods of travel and this should be mention- ed. Stage-coaching days, steamboat- ing days, sleighing days, covered bridge days and covered wagon days -the "mere mention of these brings up memories of the past. " ...... .

If your community Is on the route of an old national road, it may have witnessed stirring scenes. Statistics of the number of wagons passing certain towns In a single day have occasionally been preserved. The great dispersion of population took place in the decades which followed the Revolutionary War. Families moved from one ploneer settiement to another until they finaliy scat- tered throughout the entire country. Where there were canals and bridg- es, toll rates and records may still be found in various depositories. It is

/ important to chronicle the coming of the railroad to your town or com- munity and to show the results. Your town may have been one which pro- tested against this development. Or your community may have opposed the coming of the automobile. In 1905 the call for a mass meeting in Mex- Ico, Missouri, read:

"We the undersigned citizens, deeming'it necessary for the safety of our families and believing that the automobile is a menacc to the lives of our people and of the. prose- cuting of our callings, do hereby give public notice that there will be a mass meeting held in Mexico (the county seat) at the court house on Saturday, September 23, at 2 o'clock p. m. to consult as to the best means of- controlling this evil."

tsrfibail sa ETAOIETA

While such reactions to new means of travel are Interesting and may have had some justification, the im- portant thing is the change in com- munity life which they 'produced.

This chapter should also include a list of the early trades and the manner of conducting them- shoe- making, stone quarrying, ' harness making, blacksmithing, carpentering, wheelwrightIng, dressmaking, tailor- Ing, barbering ,stone construcing,

weaving, brick making, butchering; etc. The apprentice system, should be discussed and its extent. estimated. Wages should be given for unskilled labor. Hired laborers on farms and elsewhere might be investigated. Did the community have an influx of sea- sonal labor at harvesting time? Where did it come from? How many remained to become residents? What was the effect on the community of the seasonal labor? These and many other questions shed light on the social conditions of the communi-

ty.

(To be continued)

Story of One of the Earliest Sects in the County of Fulton

Morris . Palmer, M. D.

Gloversville, N. Y.

Fulton County Historian

The church was incorporated on April 18, 1832, many years after its beginning. It may be that it was incorporated. In order to sell" the property' 'and that the members might get into money what they had in it and then disband. The meeting to incorporate was held at the meet- ing house at two in the afternoon of the above date, the Rev. James Joslin being minister at the time. Announcement of this meeting was made on the March 25th and April 1st proceeding, at the usual hours of worship. Two members of the society presided, David Atkins and Caleb Al- len. The following trustees were elected: Caleb Allen, John T. John- son, George J. Joslin, Sweet Allen, David Atkins and Thomas Hopkins. The society was to be known as the General or Six Principle Baptist

At this time David 'Atkins owned the church lot and ' the land sur- mumling it and on Anoist_ A_1032

the south by the dirt road called the McQueen road on the corner of which is the school house of District number three, on the west by the line fence between it and the old Thomas 'McQueen farm and on the north by the old John I. Paris place lately owned" by his son John M. Paris of Broadalbin. This field' con- tains several acres and the church property was one quarter acre and is described 'as along the highway. On inspecting the field it 'Is found that most of it along the road is swampy but there is one place with high ground which looks as if it had been a small knoll leveled on top and the earth used to fill on the back or west. This is almost directly across from the Pooler farm huse which is one the east side of the road. This level, dry ground, I believe, must have been the site of the church building.

We have no way of telling at this date when the church was built or when it was taken down. As has been stated before, this church was or- ganized as a separate church in 1807 and it is probably that the meeting house was put up shortly after. It had disappeared by 1856 as a map

No Index. Custodian, Ann Toohey. registrar of vital statistics, New-

burgh, N. Y. 1

Port Jervis (1907)

1881. Register, 10 vols. Arr. chron. Separate index, alph. by children. Records 1881-1906, pertain to vil- lage of Port Jervis. Custodian John F. Cleary, city clerk, Port Jervis, N. Y.

Blooming Grove

7- 1847-49. Record, 1 vol. Arr. chron. No index. includes marriages and ;deaths. Custodian E. J. Mclaughlin, town clerk, Washingtonville, N . Y. 1881. Register, ,4 vols. Arr. chron. Indexed alph. by children. Custodian, E. J. Mclaughlin, town clerk, Wash- Ingtonville, N. Y. Chester

1881. Register, 3 vols. Arr. chron. Indexed alph. by children. Includes deaths, 1914 -. Custodian Howard Robles, town clerk, Pottersville, N. Y.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Mohawk Valley genealogy and history : [a compilation of clippings, 1945-1946], Part 34

Author: Publication date: 1942 Publisher: [1942-1949] Number of Pages: 276

Author:
Publication date: 1942
Publisher: [1942-1949]
Number of Pages: 276