USA > New York > Orange County > Montgomery > The history of Montgomery classis, R.C.A. To which is added sketches of Mohawk valley men and events of early days, the Iroquois, Palatines, Indian missions, etc > Part 3
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In November, 1849, the Rev. N. DuBois Williamson came to the church, remaining thro May, 1850. After a number of other brief pastorates he became the pastor of the South Bend, Ind. church where he remained for a quarter-century. It was the home church of Vice-President Colfax. Mr. Willaimson died September 12, 1896. Following him at Cicero was Rev. John DuBois (1850-1854) who came in July. A house belonging to Dr. Van Dyke was bought for a parsonage in 1851. Mr. DuBois died in 1884 while supplying Ma- makating, N. Y. (cf Manheim). Rev. S. N. Robinson supplied the pulpit for the last four months of 1854, declining a call to the church. The pulpit was supplied thro 1856 by Mr. Robinson.
Rev. John Gray of Ghent was next called. He was a Scotchman, but his ministry was mostly in America (Cohoes, Schodack). He came to the church in the early part of 1856 and resigned after a year. He died in August, 1865. His first wife was a sister of Robert Morrison. Mr. and Mrs. Gray spent seven years in missionary work in Tartary. Later he was associated for some years with Czar Nicholas in educational work at St. Petersburg. On July 5, 1857, the Rev. F. Hebard began a year's supply of the pulpit. During the war there seems to have been no stated supply until Rev. G. W. Humpers- ly came in April, 1863, and remained two years. After his going another year of occasional supply ensues, when Rev. Levi Schell be- gan to preach at Cicero, also serving Clay (Lutheran) nearby. The consistory seems to have held meetings about this time biennially. Rev. D. W. Lawrence supplied the pulpit for two years from April, 1874. No mention is made of the preacher after April, 1876, until 1879, when Rev. Jas. Edmondson (cf Mohawk) came and remained thro 1881. During 1881 and 1882, Rev. Maltbie D. Babcock, a member of the Syracuse Reformed church, who was pursuing his studies at Auburn Seminary, supplied the pulpit.
Rev. H. A. Strail supplied the pulpit during 1883 and 1884, while attending Auburn, and for several years Auburn students continued to do the work at Cicero. He proved himself to be the right man in this critical history of the church, and was of inestimable help to the people. On October 5, 1882, the church was destroyed by fire. Rev.
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
Evert Van Slyke, pastor of the Syracuse church, led in a movement to help the people rebuild. In a week $1,500 had been raised, and the church decided to build a $3,000 edifice. The Utica church gave $100. The church Building Fund gave $1,000. Rev. Babcock gave $20. The Building Fund also gave $300 toward the parsonage. In 1888 Rev. B. E. Fake (Lutheran) supplied.
Rev. J. H. Enders, Synodical. Missionary, began to look after the enterprise. Rev. Elmer E. Smith (Butte, Mont.) a student, supplied the church during 1890. During 1891 the church continued to be supplied by students and by Mr. Enders. Rev. Frederick W. Ruhl came to Cicero from Prattsville, N. Y. in 1891, toward the close of the year, and resigned to go to Manheim (cf) in May, 1892. Rev. A. J. Wilcox began now to supply the pulpit, and a Mr. Mason, after him (students), to be followed by Rev. Dr. Emmons in June, 1897, who remained until April, 1898. Rev. G. E. Harsh began a supply in the Fall of 1899 and continued thro the Spring of 1900. He is now a Lutheran pastor in Ohio.
Rev. Henry Smith was called in the Summer of 1901, and re- mained until May 11, 1902. Rev. John Erler of Highlands, N. J. was called in August, 1903, and served the church until the Fall of 1904. He is now in the Lutheran church at Rockwood, Pa. From this time on until the summer preaching of Mr. De Hollander in 1907, there was occasional preaching. Richard V. Curnow (Meshoppen, Pa.) of Auburn Seminary was asked to supply for a year, and was fol- lowed by Mr. Rippey, another Auburn student, for a second year. Mr. Spencer supplied during 1911. In the Fall of 1911, Rev. W. N. P. Dailey, having been appointed Classical Missionary, went to the field, supplied the pulpit for a while, and later the church called Rev. John A. De Hollander of Annville, Ky., who came on the field in June, 1912. Mr. De Hollander resigned April 1, 1915, and is in busi- ness at Irondequoit. Garrett DeMotts (N. B. '16) supplied the pulpit during the summer of 1915. Jos. M. Spalt, a lay evangelist began work on the field November 1, 1915. Not far from Cicero is a settle- ment called "Stone Arabia," the original settlers coming from Mont- gomery County. An Onondaga county History refers to the "Stone Arabia Reformed Dutch Church" in the town of Cicero.
COLUMBIA REFORMED CHURCH
The beginning of the Columbia church takes us back to July 8, 1798 when Rev. Dedrick Christian Andreas Pick, V. D. M. (as he always signed his name), who at the time was pastor of the large German Flatts congrega- tion, ordained the first Columbia church consis- tory. A year later the church was incorporated. For several years the congregation used the barn of Coonrod Oren-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
dorf (still standing) for a place of worship. In 1803 plans were laid for a church building, which was completed, at least sufficiently for worship, in the year 1806, tho it was not wholly finished until New Years of 1810. It cost $4,000. On November 1, 1806, the first mem- bers were received, fifty-five in number, the Rev. John J. Wack, at the time the pastor of the old "Sand Hill" church (cf), conducting the service. Rev. John P. Spinner, for nearly half a century pastor at German Flatts, frequently preached at Columbia in its earliest days. The settlement of the first pastor, Rev. John Bartlett occurred in 1811, who remained three years. Rev. David De Voe began a four years' supply in 1816 while pastor at St. Johnsville. Mr. De Voe was an active pioneer in central New York, and organized several Re- formed churches. After leaving Columbia he remained fifteen years longer at St. Johnsville, and later returned to supply Columbia during the years 1836-1839. He died in 1843. Rev. John Rawls was called in 1819, and came to the church from New Brunswick Seminary, where he had just graduated. He was ordained, and installed over the church by the Classis of Montgomery, and remained two years. Columbia seems to have been his only charge. Rev. Isaac S. Ketchum (cf Stone Arabia) occasionally supplied the Columbia pulpit between the pastorate of Rawls and that of Hangen, which began in 1826. Rev. John Rawls was called in 1819, and came to the church from New Brunswick Seminary where he had just graduated. He was ordained, and installed over the church by the Classis of Montgomery, and remained two years. Columbia seems to have been his only charge. Rev. Isaac S. Ketchum (cf Stone Arabia) occasionally sup- plied the Columbia pulpit between the pastorate of Rawls and that of Hangen which began in 1826.
Rev. Jacob W. Hangen came from the German Reformed church to Columbia at the age of twenty-three and served the church for six years, going to Mapletown and Currytown where he supplied for five years (1832-1836). After several other pastorates, the last in Trappe, Pa., Mr. Hangen died February 23, 1843, at the age of thirty- eight. During Hangen's pastorate at Columbia a great revival took place resulting in large accessions to the church. At this time a colony from Columbia, nearly all of whom were Mr. Hangen's mem- bers, under the leadership of Rev. George W. Gale (Union '14, Auburn '17), Principal at the time of Oneida Institute, settled at Galesburg, Illinois and founded Knox College. There were one hundred and seventy members of the church at this time. During 1834 the Rev. David De Voe supplied both Columbia and the church at Warren. In 1836 David De Voe returned to Columbia for three of four years supply. Following De Voe was the Rev. George W. Lewis a Lutheran minister who supplied the church one year. Rev. John H. Ackerson on his graduation from New Brunswick was called to Columbia, and ordained by the Classis of Montgomery and installed over the church in December, 1839, remaining pastor until 1841. For the three years following he was pastor of the Schaghticoke church, but in 1843 he was deposed from the ministry for unbecoming conduct. He died in 1849. While Ackerson was pastor (1840) the church was all but destroyed by a fierce wind storm, which occurred during a service. The structure was taken down and at once rebuilt. Deacon John Edick was killed in the reconstruction of the church. After Ackerson the church was supplied for a while by Rev. Jedediah L.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
Stark (1843-cf Mohawk), Rev. D. B. Hall (1844) and Rev. W. L. 1848 James (1852-1855).
Rev. Jedediah Lathrop Stark spent twenty years in Montgomery Classis supplying and preaching at Columbia, Mohawk, German Flatts, Frankfort, and Buel. His last service was at German Flatts. He died in 1862 at Mohawk. David B. Hall came from the Congrega- tional church to Columbia. He was a Princeton ('42) man, and was supplying Columbia a couple of years when ordained an evangelist by the Pawlet Cong. Asso. in 1846. The only pastorate he ever had was at Cleveland (cf). He died May 1, 1898 at Duanesburgh. He was a virile preacher, evangelistic and optimistic (despite a domestic afflic- tion), and served the church over half a century.
Rev. Mr. James died at Kingston, October 20, 1887, aged seventy-six. The Particular Synod of Albany Minutes gives the name of Rev. Jas. Murphy as the supply of Columbia during the years 1831 thro 1853, and the name of (Woodbridge ) L. James as supply for 1855. Rev. Dr. Murphy preached for the church in 1857, but in this year the church became the owner of a large parsonage and Rev. Eben S. Hammond who came to Columbia in 1857, was the first pastor to occupy this manse at Columbia Centre. In the Synod minutes of 1858 the church is credited with fifty families and seventy- five members. The next pastor of the church was the Rev. Henry Aurand who came from the German Reformed church, and began his work in 1860, remaining thro 1863. He died in 1876. In order to meet the salary of Mr. Aurand the parsonage was mortgaged, to be later foreclosed, thus losing it to the church.
Rev. Andrew Parsons of the Richfield Springs Presbyterian church supplied the pulpit during 1864. Rev. Matthew Bronson oc- cupied the pulpit during the years 1865 thro 1867 (an Asahel Bronson is on Record of Classis) and lived in the house next east to the church. Columbia is reported "vacant" to Classis from 1864 to 1871. In 1871 Rev. James M. Compton began a five years pastorate, during which the church was extensively repaired. After preaching at Sprakers and Mapletown, Mr. Compton returned to Columbia in 1888 and passed the rest of his days there. He died December 12, 1891, and is buried with his wife in the church cemetery.
Rev. John W. Hammond supplied the pulpit during the winter of 1875-1876, during which time a great revival took place and twenty- seven united with the church. It was Mr. Hammond's last service since he died, November 23, 1876. In July, 1876, Rev. Rufus M. Stanbrough came to the field and remained thro 1881. The present parsonage was secured in Mr. Stanbrough's pastorate, the church and Sunday school showing decided gains. He had two other charges after leaving Columbia and died at Newburgh in 1905.
In 1883 and 1884, Rev. Peter A. Wessels was the pastor, during whose time the church sheds were built, the present parsonage and barn erected, and the church re-incorporated. Mr. Wessels supplied for a time at Auriesville but has lived at Amsterdam now for a nulli- ber of years without any charge. After a lapse of a year Theodore A Beekman became pastor in November, 1885, and remained two years. He came from the seminary to the church and was ordained and in- stalled by Montgomery Classis. Mr. Beekman is at present in the Rosendale, N. Y. church. In 1888 Mr. Compton began his second pastorate. During the summers of 1892 and 1893 the pulpit was supplied
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
by seminary students, Clinton W. Clowe, who is now pastor at Schoharie and S. G. Parent who is pastor of the Presbyterian church at Mariaville. Rev. William H. Shelland was called to the pastorate in 1894 and remained thro 1896. Nothing further is known of him. During the Summer and Fall of 1897 the Rev. George Reynold, pastor of the Richfield Springs Presbyterian church supplied the pulpit. The last settled pastor was Rev. Fletcher V. W. Lehman who supplied the summer of 1898 and who was ordained by the Classis of Mont- gomery and installed over the church in 1899, on his graduation from New Brunswick.
Since the year 1902 the church has had no regular services save during the summer time when the pulpit has been supplied by students from the seminary. The only other supplies have been the Synodical Missionary 'and later, occasionally, the Classical Missionary. The students who have supplied, and their present work, as far as we have been able to obtain the information, are as follows: 1902-Henry Van Woert, New Brunswick '04, now at Selkirk N. Y. 1903-Frderick E. Foerner, New Brunswick '05, now at Pompton, N. J. 1904-1905- Henry K. Post, New Brunswick '06, now at Freehold, N. J. 1906- John A. De Hollander, New Brunswick '08, now at Irondequoit, N. Y. 1907 -- William A. Worthington, New Brunswick '09, now at Annville, Ky. 1908-E. M. Gehr, a Union Seminary student Presbyterian) now at New Hampton, N. Y. 1909-Andrew Hansen, New Brunswick '13, now at Millstone, N. J. 1910-1911-Allen F. Markley, Western Theo. Sem. '14, now at Cleveland, Ohio. 1912-Stephen W. Ryder, New Brunswick '13, now at Aomori, Japan. 1913-Frank Blanchard, New Brunswick '16. 1914-15-Rev. F. V. W. Lehman.
Originally the church owned two and a half acres of land, but an acre or more was given to the cemetery, one of the best kept in all the country-side. There is an endownment of $1,200 created by the gift of Moses Isaman of $1,000 and the Myers-Oxner fund of $200 (originally $400). In the County Clerk's office at Herkimer is a record of Incorporation filed May 23, 1877, and an election of trustees recorded, June 27, 1877. Since its organization it is estimated that some thirty other church societies have gone out of this one church. The cemetery attached to the church contains the graves of a great many revolutionary soldiers.
CORTLAND REFORMED CHURCH
The Reformed church of Cortland grew out of a work in 1906 on the East Side which was originally begun by the Congregational church. There came a time in this work when the Mis- sion felt that it could support itself, but the home church insisted on managing the work, which led most of the workers to withdraw and form an independent church. A chapel was secured and Charles W. Roeder, a Christian layman, now pastor of
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the Flatlands church of Brooklyn, who had at first been in the em- ploy of the Congregational Mission Board, assumed the leadership of the new congregation. This movement was stoutly resisted by the Congregationalists who claimed the whole East Side of Cortland was their ecclesiastical field. After a most successful work for a year, under Mr. Roeder's leadership, the church applied for member- ship in the Montgomery Classis, being led to this move thro Rev. Harvey Clements, then pastor of the Presbyterian church of Cort- land. After many months of discussion, classical visitation of the field, and hearing, also, much from the Congregational side, the Classis received the church which had been in existence for more than a year, thus disproving any infraction of church comity.
The church was organized March 18, 1908, and the following consistory duly installed, Robert C. Colver, W. T. Linderman, M. G. Spaulding, and M. J. Haynes, elders, and deacons Harry D. Cole, Herman Baldwin, Harry E. Todd, and John W. Lee. The church came into the Classis without asking any aid from the Board of Domestic Missions and with a well-equipped chapel already for hold- ing services, and lot on which to build the future church. However, such were the conditions-local opposition on the part of the other churches, and an evident lack of unity with the denomination to which they had become attached (owing to continued agitation on the part of a few men) that the work lacked a leader upwards of a year, tho the people were enthusiastic, the audiences overflowed the chapel, a large Sunday school gathered every Sunday and the usual organizations of men and women, germane to the Reformed church, were found doing splendid work.
Rev. Garrett D. L. DeGraff, who had been at Blue Mountain, N. Y. ever since his graduation at New Brunswick in 1901, assumed the pastorate on December 20, 1908. For a little while the work went forward in bounds, but Mr. DeGraff's health, very poor for several years, soon gave out and he died, after a few months illness, on No- vember 23, 1910. Again the church was left to struggle on alone for another year, or until November, 1911, when Rev. John E. Winne began a year's supply. He was a member of the Schenectady Classis.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
CRANESVILLE REFORMED CHURCH
The Indian name of the places was "Adriucha" ("Valiant"). It was also called "Willigas" and Claas Gravens. The name of Cranes Village comes from Daniel Crane who settled here in 1804. The first settle- ment in the town of Amster- dam was made in 1804. The first to settle at Cranes- ville was the widow and four sons (Simon, Jacob, Philip, Lewis) of Philip Groot, the latter having been drowned in the Mohawk on his way hither from Rotterdam in 1716. Philip Groot was the son of Symon Groot who came to New Amsterdam in 1640, and to Albany in 1650, then to Schenectady in 1663. In 1730 the Groot brothers built a grist mill at what is now Cranesville (ruins still extant ), the first to be erected on the north side of the Mohawk, from which flour was sold to the settlers along the river. In 1755 Lewis Groot was takn captive by the Indians into Canada where he remained four years. John L. Groot, a son by Philip Groot's second marriage, died in 1845, aged ninety. Philip Groot's son, Peter, was in the Battle of Oriskany, and supposed to have been killed, but thirty years later (1807) he suddenly reappeared after his long Canadian captivity. Claas Gravens Hoek was the first land settled upon west of Scotia, and by Claas Andriese DeGraff, who died before 1697. He also prob- ably bought Adriucha of the Indians before transferring it to Hendrick Kyler who sold it to Carel Hansen Toll in 1699, for £180. It was on this land, eighty acres, that Philip Groot's family settled, his son Lewis succeeding him on his death in 1716, part of the place still being in possession of descendants of the Groot family. Under Amsterdam (extinct) we see how an early attempt was made to organize a Reformed Dutch Church here. For religious service the people depended on the Reformed church at Glenville (organized in 1814), five miles over the hill, or else went to the Mannys Corners Presbyterian church, or to Amsterdam. The Cranes- ville Reformed church was organized June 25, 1871, the edifice being already built. The charter members of the churchi were H. V. V. Clute, Henry J. Swart, Elizabeth Swart, Mary Ann Coombs, George and Mrs. Lydia Brewster, George Coombs, Mrs. Maria Clute, Mrs. Charles Fancher, G. W. and Mrs. Watkins. H. V. V. Clute and H. J. Swart, elders, .and George Brewster and George Coombs, deacons formed the first
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
consistory. At first the church was in the Classis of Schenectady but dismissed to Montgomery in the Fall of 1879. Among the sub- scribers to the building of the church were, John Blood, Stephen Sanford, Chas. Fancher, John Sanders (Scotia), Rev. W. P. Davis, Henry J. Swart, George Coombs, and H. V. V. Clute. In 1892. the church bought land adjoining on which they built the present Hall. In 1884 Eleanor Veeder of Schenectady, gave the church $100 and later Mrs. Magdalena DeGraff willed the church $300. Ida Robb in 1915 gave $200. John G. and Mrs. DeGraff gave the church bell. Cranesville has never had an installed pastor. The pulpit has usually been supplied by near-by pastors, among whom were Revs. Kyle, Minor, Blekkink, Rogers, Dailey, Weidner, Wurts, Nickerson, Wilson (P. Q.) and Conant of the Reformed church. Others have been Rev. T. C. Harwood, C. B. Perkins, W. H. Groat, Mr. Blaine, Mr. Pershing, and Mr. Bell. Since 1913 Rev. Enoch Powell of Scotia has supplied the pulpit. In recent years great improvements have been made to the property, a Board of Trustees has administered most successfully the temporalities of the church. Rev. Mr. Dailey, Classical Missionary, has given considerable attention to the field since 1911. John G. DeGraff has been an officer of the church for forty years. The others of the consistory are, George S. Truax, Francis Robb, and George W. Phillips.
CURRYTOWN REFORMED CHURCH
In November, 1737, the Crown granted a Patent of twenty-five thousand acres of land to Wm. Corry, George Clark and others. This land was in the present towns of Glen, Charleston, and Root( some in Schoharie County). Corry sold his share which was later con- fiscated by the State because the owners were Tories. The earliest known settlers were Jacob Dievendorf, Sr., Rudolph Keller, David and Fred Lewis, Jacob Tanner, John Lipe, and the Bellinger, Mowers and Myers families.
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As early as 1796 a church was built at Westerlo, as Sprakers or Spraker's Basin was at first called. This was not agreeable to the folks at Currytown (called after William Corry a pat- entee) who wanted the church built nearer their hamlet. When this was not done the Curry- town people continued to wor- ship as they had been doing for some time, in the barn owned by Jacob Devendorf. Once a month they were served by the ministers at "Sand Hill," or Caughnawaga, or Stone Arabia, domines Wack, and Van Horne, and Pick.
[The Curry's Bush church or- ganized in 1790, was given an acre of land October 25, 1792, Presby. C. Princetown-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY CLASSIS
which deed is recorded at Fonda under date of June 5, 1794. Under date of January 31, 1794, trustees were elected for the "Associate Congregation of Currie's Bush and Remsen's Bush" (Florida or Minaville). This church belonged to the Associate Reformed Synod in which Rey .- Jas. Proudfit, of Salem, Rev. John Dunlap of Cam- bridge (Saratoga Go washing and Rev. James Mairs of Galloway (Galway) were members. It was probably these two churches that were ac- customed to be supplied by the pastors of the First Presbyterian church of Schenectady. Rev. Alexander Miller udley of Schenectady had both Currie's Bush and Remsen's Bush as his charges as early as 1770 and thro 1781.
On July 9, 1781 "Currietown" was destroyed by a band of five hundred Indians and Tories, the latter being commanded by John Dockstader. As soon as Col. Willett heard the story he set out from German Flatts in pursuit of the enemy, whom he scattered at Sharon, captured the camp duffle and recovered the spoil taken in this raid. The enemy had taken nine of the settlers prisoners,-Bellinger, Dieven- dorf, Keller, Moyer, Stowitts, Myers, Suits and others. When Wil- lett's forces drew near these prisoners were tomahawked. Later they were buried but Jacob Dievendorf, tho scalped and supposedly dead had enough vitality left to work himself out of his trench grave and lived for many years. Currytown was again invaded on October 24, 1781. This force was under Ross and Butler. At Fort Hunter the British Regulars joined them, Col. Willett pursued, and at Johnstown engaged them in battle October 25, 1781 (the last battle of the Revolution). For thirty miles he pursued them as they retreated until he had driven the remnant into the wilderness.
The Currytown Reformed church was formally organized in 1790, and in 1806 three trustees were appointed a building committee who had the frame of the church up in 1808, and completed the edifice by September, 1809. The grounds for the church and parsonage were given by Jacob Devendorf, Sr., and John Mount, each con- tributing an acre. At one time this church marked the boundary line between the towns of Charleston and Canajoharie. Since 1823 when the town of Root (named after. Erastus Root of Delaware county) was formed, the church has been called the Root church, and later the Currytown church (from the Curry patent). On Sep- tember 9, 1809, the church was dedicated before an audience of a thousand, Rev. John J. Wack preaching the morning sermon in German, Rev. Peter Van Buren the afternoon sermon in English, and Rev. Abram Van Horne of Caughnawaga the evening sermon. Rev. Van Buren of Glen (cf) had conducted services for a long time before this in private houses.
In October, 1814, Rev. Jacob R. H. Hasbrough of Esopus was called to the churches of Currytown and Glen. Originally this church was in the Classis of Montgomery, but was put into the Classis of Schoharie, and in 1831 was brot back again into the Montgomery Classis. Mr. Hasbrouck finished his work here in 1829 having served Currytown, Charlestown, Mapletown (Middletown), Glen, and Cana- joharie during fifteen years. He was without charge for the last twenty years of his life and died in 1854.
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