USA > New York > Schenectady County > Schenectady County, New York : its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 6
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" Joris Aertse (Vander Baas), shot and burnt. Win. Pieterse, killed."
His house lot was on the south corner of Church and Union streets.
" John Putman, killed ; his wife killed and her scalp taken off."
His house lot was on the south corner of Ferry and Union streets where Mr. Barney now lives.
He was the ancestor of the Putmans of this vicinity.
" Domine Petrus Tassemaker, the ininister, killed and burnt in his house."
" Frans Harmnense (Van de Bogart) killed."
His house lot was on Front street and near the north gate.
" His son Claas was carried away, but afterwards redeemed."
" Engel, the wife of Adam Vrooman, shot and burnt, her child's brains dashed out against the wall."
Her maiden name was Engeltie Blom. Vrooman's house stood on the lot on the west corner of Front and Church streets.
His son Barent and a negro were carried away to Canada.
" Reynier Schaats and his son killed."
He was a son of Domine Gideon Schaats of Albany, surgeon and physician of the village, as well as Justice of Peace. His lot was on the north side of Union street, now owned by the County of Schenec- tady.
" Daniel Andreis and George, two soldiers of Capt. Bull." " A French girl, prisoner among the Mohawks, killed." "Johannes, the son of Symnon Schermerhorn."
He probably lived on the west corner of Church and Union streets, where Mr. Parsons now lives.
List of the persons which the French and their Indians have taken
53
THOSE TAKEN PRISONER
prisoners at Schenectady and carried to Canada, the 9th day of Feb- ruary, 1690, Johannes Teller and his negroes.
The Teller lot was on the east corner of Union and Washington streets, extending 200 feet along each street.
Teller was redeemed from the Indians.
" John Wemp, son of Myndert Weinp and two negroes."
This Weinps (Wemples) lived on the west side of Washington avenue, a little north of State street.
"Symon, Abraham, Phillip, Dyrck and Claas Groot, all five sons of Symon Groot."
His house lot was next west of Reynier Schaat's, on the north side of Union street, now owned by the county of Schenectady and Scott Hunter, Esq. All these were redeemned with perhaps the exception of Claas.
"Jan Baptist, son of Jan Van Eps."
The Van Eps lot was on the north corner of Church and State streets. Jan remained among the Canadian Indians about three years, and in one of their expeditions against the Mohawks escaped and returned home.
" Albert and Johannes Vedder, sons of Harme Vedder."
Harmen Vedder, the father, had a homestead on the bouwland, now occupied and owned by Mr. John D. Campbell of Rotterdam, and it is not certainly known that he had a village lot. Both were redeeined.
" Isaac Cornelise Switts and his eldest son."
He lived on the west side of Washington street directly opposite State street. Both were redeemed.
" A negro of Barent Janse (Van Ditinars)."
Van Ditmars married Mrs. Bratt in 1664 and lived upon the lot on the east corner of State and Washington streets.
" Arnout, the son of Arnout Corn ; Viele, the interpreter."
Arnout was a brother-in-law of Douwe Aukes and was residing at his house on the south corner of State street and Mill Lane near the church.
" Stephen, the son of Gysbert Gerritse ( Van Brakel)."
Van Brakel resided on the east corner of Ferry and State streets.
5
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
" Lawrence, son of Claas Lawrence Purmurent ( Vander Volgen)."
The Vander Volgen home lot included the lots on which are built the Van Horn hall and the Myers block.
Lawrence remained with the Canadian Indians about eleven years, becoming perfectly familiar with their language and customs. After his return he was employed as provincial interpreter.
" Arnout, son of Paulyne Janse ;" residence unknown. " Barent, the son of Adam Vrooman, and the negro." " Claas, son of Frans Marinense (Van de Bogart)."
His father's village lot was on the north side of Front street, now the residence of Mrs. Henry Rosa.
"Stephen, adopted son of Geertje Bouts;" residence unknown. " John Webb, a soldier belonging to Capt. Bull."
Judge Sanders gives some interesting data from which we extract :
"It occurred about the time of the accession of William and Mary, when Jacob Leisler, a wealthy merchant and influential poli- tician of New York, had usurped the government in their names ; and backed up by the popular Protestant frenzy, that all those who had held office under James, were Baptists, removed every old officer, and appointed the devotees of himself and son-in-law, Milborne, in their stead. It was truly a time of disobedience, distraction, wild riot and disorder. Schenectady itself was strongly Leislerian. I wish not to enter into details, but it is clearly a matter of history and tradition that John Alexander Glen, commandant of the place, and a justice of the township, residing at Scotia, was not allowed to enter the village under any circumstances, his life threatened, and in derision of his advice to guard and close the gates ; so great was their confidence of security from attack in the depth of that unuisu- ally severe winter, that the Leislerians formed men of snow and set one at each gate, as a sufficient protection. Captain Alexander Glen, John Alexander's brother, a resident of the village, and also justice of the peace, was obliged to take refuge at Albany; and many prom- inent men of the province were compelled to seek an asylum in New England.
" There was, at the time of the conflagration and massacre, a gar- rison of twenty-four men ( to whom the Leislerians were inimical),
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55
A NEW FORT.
stationed at a point now called the Old Fort, situated at the junction of what is now Front, Ferry and Green streets, under Lieut. Enos Talmadge of Connecticut. From the earliest date of its erection, this spot, and none other, of Schenectady, has been designated as the Fort. It was destroyed in 1690; a new fort was built in 1700, rebuilt in 1735 and again in 1780. I have been unable to ascertain from any source what was the precise extent of the fort. The parade ground embraced the small public square, and some vacant lots lying between Front street and the premises now belonging to and occupied by the Episcopal church.
" Although called a Fort, it seems, from investigations made by me, to have been the barrack station of an exposed frontier town, but probably mounted a few cannon. I am not clear about that.
" The people of the town were so bigoted to Leisler that they would not obey any of the magistrates, neither would they entertain the soldiers sent thither by the convention at all ; nothing but men sent from Leisler would do their turn ; and when Capt. Sander com- inanded, they threatened to burn him upon the fire if he came upon guard.
" From all the accounts rendered, that winter night of February 8th must have been one of extreme suffering and heart-rending deso- lation ; but all of its inhabitants were neither slaughtered nor cap- tured. Schenectady then contained eighty dwellings ; assuming that each house held five individuals (a moderate estimate), it must have contained about 400 inhabitants. And what became of them ? They escaped, it is true, but where? It is idle to suppose, as has been sometimes stated, that they fled twenty miles off to Albany in their night garments, on that severe night, with the snow more than a foot deep."
No, there is too much romance in that commonly received opinion, and it is not borne out by the knowledge of the settlers. They fled off too, and were protected by their friends and nearest neighbors. The Mohawk flats, on both sides of the river, were settled as far west as to what is now called Hoffman's Ferry, and down the river east on both sides to the manor line, and the Ael Plaas creek. There is but
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
one authenticated and believed case of flight and arrival at Albany, during that terrible night of storm and misery.
Simon Schermerhorn, (the brother of Ryer), at five o'clock on the inorning of the 9th, brought the sad news to Albany by the way of Niskayuna. He had himself been shot through the thigh, and his horse wounded in the daring effort. It was a noble struggle of life and death to rescue his distressed friends and relatives. On that disastrous night, too, his son John and three negro slaves were killed before he escaped.
It is said, in our home accounts, that only one of the enemy, "Lieut. La Margue de Montigny," was injured during the sack, and that was by the thrust of a spear in the hands of the intrepid Adam Vrooman. This is more than the French account, and indeed, in the then troubled state of the Province, our own accounts are sparse, mixed and unsatisfactory. I find the account of Monsieur de Mon- seignat, Comptroller General in Canada, addressed to Madame de Maintenon (Paris Doc. IV, Doc. His. N. Y., Vol. I, p. 297, etc.), much more lucid, satisfactory and historical, and so nearly agreeing with the statements, handed down by the Glens and other survivors of that dreadful occasion, that I adopt it as the most reliable and correct relation.
CHAPTER IV.
AFTER THE MASSACRE.
It was all over before the dawn of a bitter winter's morning. But the servants of his most Christian Majesty, and his convert allies, the praying Indians had work yet to do, the Frenchmen to round up and corral the prisoners, and the barbarians to revert to their savage flesh pots by counting up and distributing the unburned scalps. Major Coudre was sent for and he promptly came. It was the first time for many long months that this man who, with Ryer Schermer-
57
FOLLOWING THE MASSACRE.
horn, the Bradts, Van Slycks and Vroomans was the leading citizens of the little burgh, was permitted within the gates. He was an anti- Leislerite, had been among those who had long sounded the warning of the evil night, and had been laughed to scorn. He was welcome enough now, and in the midst of an awful scene, surrounded by happy homes, converted into ash heaps, with only six out of sixty dwellings remaining, and these six standing sparse .and scattered stained with the awful carnage of the dead around their doorway, and black with the smoke of their neighbors smouldering beside them, in the hour of the horrible fulfilment of his warning, the gal- lant gentleman with streaming eyes besought mercy for the sur- vivors. Further bloodshed was checked, some actually saved to endure a frightful journey to the Canadian captivity, some to return long years after, some to die on the death strewn route, some never to be heard of again. The heroic Ryer Schermerhorn came back from Albany, one son of Arent Andreas Bradt survived, and these two were all that were left to represent the original five trustees.
When the unhappy cavalcade left through the north gate to floun- der through snow and in Arctic cold to their dismal destination, those who had escaped to the surrounding country straggled back to take counsel among themselves of the cheerless, hopeless future. Added to their misery were the everlasting harpys who in Albany and New Amsterdam were hissing the inhumanly conceited mutter "I told you so," into the ears of the anguished sufferers who were sobbing and moaning with streaming eyes over the ashes of their homes and the charred and scalpless remains of their beloved dead. They began to give up in desolute despair.
To the everlasting honor of that most ungentle and warlike sav- age, the first words of consolation, of encouragement and hope came, not from their Christian brethren, but from the Mohawk, the the noblest barbarian of them all. Straightaway from their castle the Sachems of the Maquase dispatched the following letter to the Mayor of Albany :
FEBRUARY 25tl1, 1690.
" Proposition made by the Sachems of the Maquase Castles to the Mayor, etc., of the City of Albany.
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
25th day of FEBRUARY, 1690.
" Brethren :- We are sorry and extremely grieved for the murder lately committed by the French upon our brethren of Schenectady. We esteem this evil as if done to ourselves, being all in one cove- nant chain.
.
" We lament and condole the death of so many of our brethren, so basely murdered at Schenectady, we cannot account it a great victory for it is done by way of deceit.
" Brethren :- Do not be discouraged, this is but a beginning of the war ; we are strong enough. The whole house have their eyes fixed upon yours, and they only stay your motion and will be ready to do whatever shall be resolved upon by your brethren.
" We recommend the brethren to keep good watch, and if any enemies come take care that messengers be more speedily sent to us than lately was done. We would not advise the brethren to quite desert Schenectady, but to make a fort there. The enemy would.be too glorious to see it quite desolate, and the town is not well fortified, the stockades are so short the Indians can jump over them like a dog."-Doc. Hist. II.
Again on May 3d, 1690, in council, the Five Nations under the inspiration of the Mohawks, sent out these brave and cheering words to Van Corlear.
" Brother Corlear be no wise discouraged, but inake your fort strong (as we have our castles) at Schenectady, and maintain a garri- son there, that your corn may be preserved and reap your harvest, also send for your wives and children from New York and encour- age them that we shall be safe, and fear not. The words of Diado- rus are ended."
And on the 22d day of February, 1690, the Convention at Albany called on the brave allies of the burghers.
And they came. Their names are on the rolls of inembership of the Old Dutch Church, and their blood was again diffused through Holland names.
Well may the Van Slycks, the Vielies, the Bradts, the descendants of "Taut " Stevens, of " Stoeffle " and " Tellis " Yates, and hundreds of others of the old stock, admit without shame, and claim with
59
AN ORDER ISSUED.
pride the remote ancestry, that though barbarian in birth, was humane in heart, and applied with brave tenderness the Master's Golden Rule.
Staggering to his feet and summoned to manly effort by these words of encouragement, the Dutchman inet the emergency. Leis- ler's commissioners at Albany, the very year of the massacre, issued the following order :
" Whereas, it is judged necessary that in order to defend Schenec- tady and to that purpose it is found necessary and requisite that a fort shall be erected to defend the inhabitants and oppugn the enemy if they should attack the same.
" These are in his Master's name to require your Capt. Sander Glen and all officers and inhabitants belonging to the said Schenec- tady and adjacent parts, with the soldiers there in garrison, to build a substantial fort of due magnitude and strength, upon that part or parcel of ground (called by the name of Cleyn Isaacs), and that all are aiding and assisting therein, according to their ability to dispatch and complete the same, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost peril.
"Given under our hand this 13th day of May in the second year of his Master's reign, Anno Dom, 1690."
This was built between Washington street and the river opposite the west end of State street, covering the lot of Klein Isaac, (that is Isaac Swits), who with his son Cornelis, was carried away by the French to Canada. On his return from captivity next year, he found his homestead occupied by soldiers, his orchard cut down and his home utterly ruined. He repeatedly petitioned for remuneration for his losses, but it was not until 1708 that his son received a patent for 1,000 acres of land in Niskayuna as a recognition of his father's claim.
In obedience to this command for this fort, there is an excellent map made by the Rev. John Miller, chaplain to the British forces, stationed in New York. He gives this description of Schenectady: " Dependent on this City (Albany) and about twenty miles north- ward from it, is the Fort of Schenectady, quadrangular, with a treble stockade with a new block house at every angle and in each block
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
house two great guns." (Miller's description of Schenectady, 1695).
Miller's map of New York city is fully supported by contempo- raneous and later maps. His map of Schenectady is doubtless cor- rect in all essentials. Certainly after two centuries have elapsed the sketch of what an intelligent man observed and recorded, is entitled to acceptance, unless some other contemporaneous plan or detailed description can be found. Rev. John Miller was chaplain to the British forces stationed at New York City. He visited all the up- - river posts and returned to England in 1695. His manuscript " Description of the Province and the City of New York, with plans of the city and several forts as they existed in the year 1695. By the Rev. John Miller, London. Printed and published for the enlightenment such as would desire information anent the New Found Land of America," is in the British Museum.
The stockade therein depicted was probably in the main on the site of the stockade destroyed in 1690, and represented the growth of five years. The first fort or strong place built after the massacre on Cleyn Isaac's land, was the blockhouse at the foot of State street. (formerly Mrs. Jay Westinghouse's lot), where it dominated the bouwland and Great Island, and was guarded by the then bluff banks of Mill Creek and the Benne Kil. It was a purely military position, a blockhouse to which the few remaining settlers could rally, and probably became the southwest blockhouse of Miller's map.
The guard house was at State and Ferry streets, and was a block- house also. The writer believes that the same garrison was at this point on the night of the inassacre, and many of those who escaped from their house naturally ran to the guard house and were there killed, a good enough reason why State street from Center to Wash- ington street should be called Martyrlaer street. This blockhouse was at State and Ferry streets. "Two great guns" commanded the road to Albany, the town mill and bouwlands as well as the plain east of Ferry street.
Miller's map shows the "spy loft," or lookout station (wliere perched high up the lookout could see all that was in sight in the vicinity and give the signal of danger), the "center box " and flag staff, which indicate the main and headquarters. It was put there
61
OTHER BLOCKHOUSES.
because it was the best site in 1691, and the site was the same in 1690 and earlier
Another blockhouse was about 100 feet north of the Episcopal church, to which point Front street originally ran, that is to say when it was the Rondweg inside the north wall.
A fourth blockhouse was about Washington and Front streets, and was larger than the others. Protected by being near the junction of the river and the Benne Kil it was probably intended for a storehouse as well as church.
At the massacre the town was destroyed, but few houses being unburnt the site was practically abandoned and only the strenuous efforts of government and Indians induced the return of the inajor portion of the people. A large number of Mohawks established themselves there, and the following summer they gathered the crops which had been planted-(winter wheat.) Miller's map shows their two large " long houses" inside the walls. The tripple stockade was probably built by, or with the aid of the Indians and in their fashion of light poles or saplings, and not the regular stockade of civilized peoples.
Miller's map shows twenty-eight houses within the stockade in 1695.
In 1698, the population of the township from Niskayuna to Hoff- man's Ferry, was fifty inen, forty-one women and 133 children.
Of these the Glens, Schermerhorn, DeGraffs and others lived at a distance from the village, so that if the forty-one women represented nearly as many families, which is probable, twenty-eight houses would suffice for the inhabitants, the soldiers barracking in the block houses.
The " Fort of Schenectady " doubtless contained all there was of the village, save a few houses on the Albany road, on the bouwlands and was the whole occupied town west of Ferry street.
Miller indicates two gates-one the south end of Church street, where its location protected it from sudden attack, and where the ancient church covered, or in military parlance, traversed it. The writer believes, after careful study of the site and the history of the
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
town, that this south gate located at twenty-eight feet south of State street, was the early outlet of the town.
On passing out of the gate the road to Albany, via. Norman's Kil, (the oldest road), lay across the bouwlands and via. Schermerhorn mills, over the hills. Later to avoid the sand and the hill, the road up to Albany hill was traveled. It was for a century a mere trail, in common with others equally poor, but occasionally used. This road led from the gate along the hill side under the guns of the southeast blockhouse and above the mill. ( In digging cellars and foundations for Vrooman's hardware store, stone inacadamizing or pavement was found seventy-five feet south of State street, as also at other houses along the same block at other times).
It was improbable that any man with a military eye would locate a blockhouse back front the steep bluff bank of Mill Creek. It would be placed on the crest so that the guns of the blockhouse could fully command the whole slope. Again, a road along under such a slope would be in proper position for its protection, but very wet and muddy in spring or in wet weather, hence it was paved very early but abandoned for the higher level where State street now is, probably not long after the Queen's Fort was built in 1704. When the road was moved, the gate was moved, and the English army top- ographers at the time of the "old French war " locate the road as State street now is, and open a gate at its crossing of Ferry street.
Miller indicates another gate at the west side (corner of Washing- ton avenue and State), which opened to the Benne Kil, which was a canoe harbor-to the ferry-to the Great Island, and also on the old river road to the Mohawk country. There had been a gate at the north end of the town, but after 1690 it was not rebuilt, as the small garrison had enough to do to guard the south end of the town, which contained the mill, guard house and gardens, and the roads to the bouwlands and Albany.
The next tendency seemed to be to concentrate force at the State street side of the town, and new buildings clustered about the neigh- borhood. Besides settlements were neither near or numerous along the Mohawk and the Indian incursions inade roads there very unsafe.
63
FOUNDERS OF OLD FAMILIES.
As the need for them arose, and their safety was assured, new gates were opened.
Meanwhile others came to Schenectady who were the founders of families well known among our people in these days.
Ahasuerus Marselis, brother of Garret, came in 1698. William Hull came about April 13th, 1695. John Oudikirk in the same year. Giles Van Voast in 1699. John Mynderse in 1700.
He owned real estate on the west corner of Mill Lane and State street, and the lot now No. 93 State street and east of it. He died in 1757, aged about 90 years, and left surviving him three sons and one daughter.
Jilis Fonda, son of Douw Jellisse of Albany, born in 1670, married December 11th, 1695, Rachel, daughter of Peter Winne of Albany. He came to Schenectady in 1700, and was a gunsmith. He died in 1737 and left surviving him a numerous and historic family of child- ren, who have contributed much to the healthy and respectable pop- ulation of Schenectady, Montgomery and Fulton counties.
The descendants of this man, who was the ancestor of all the Fondas in the county, have contributed some splendid names to Colonial and Revolutionary history. Jellis was an officer of rank and merit under the King. Jellis J., a soldier of renown in the Revolu- tion. The Fondas were among men who attained a remarkable age.
John Quackenbos came in 1700 to Niskayuna and was the ances- tor of all that name (now spelled Quackenbush), residing here and west of the city.
These names are given as those who came here at the close of the seventeenth century. Others are on record, but the family names have died out and blood run out. It is those only whose continual residence, from ancestor to children here, is of two hundred years' duration, of whom mention has been made. Many who attained high rank and station came in the 18th and roth centuries whose ancestral record will be given in the history of Schenectady in those centuries.
Meanwhile for the decade that closed the record of 1600 the unhappy little burgh struggled and suffered into new life and strength. The awful experience had taught caution, but had shat-
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
tered nerve. Defences were strengthened in the city. Troops, usu- ally a company of infantry with the wretched artillery appliances of that day, garrisoned the place. No descent on the town in the dark- ness of midnight, upon sleeping citizens, was possible ever more, but the vigilance was wearisome and for a long time the feeling of unrest could not be calmed down.
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