COURT HOUSE, SOHOHARIE, N. Y.

171.3

OF-

thoharitNEW YORK,

SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

By WILLIAM E. ROSCOE.

Published by D. MASON & CO.,

SYRACUSE, N. V.

1882.

SYRACUSE, N, Y. :

TRUAIR, SMITH & BRUCE,PRINTERS AND HINDERS,

1BB2.

609298

CONTENTS.

r IDE.

CHAPTER I. The Germans Cause of their

I.

.i\ing German)- Palatine Tenants

Kocheitlial's IVtitio n First Immign-tion Agents sent to Germany Hum.Petition Report of Board of

. dile in humiliation Robert

Hunter Appointed Superintendent of

humiliation Hi- I etu-r of Arrival at

New York Appointed Governor Ac-

tion of the City Council German Chil-

dren Aprawrticed Settlement at 'he

"Camps Number of Settlers Trou-

ble Experienced Diseontenl of Ger-

mans Meetings Held Lori Claren-

don's Letter- Expedition to Canada

('ennans Petition to the King 9

CHAPTER II. '1 he Foregoing< l.apter Re-

viewed txoetat ol in* Germans

Located at Sc boric Their Hardsh

Judge Ill-own'-- Account Fiyht In-

dians of what Tiibe Hunting Grcmndj

Kn-rig-hon-don-tee the Chief Sale

of i Gov Hunter Schuylerand Cocymans' l'uicha-e~ Gov. Hun-

id of Trade

. ard's Visit to Sehoharie Resumed

La'nils- Slierilf Adam-- Adnm VromanThe Germans Trespass upon Him

His Letter to Gov. Hunter- \Veiserin

Confined in the Tower

Clark'- Letter Jci.ncil

for the Germans Pureiia-e of Lands in

1719 Location of Weiser's Dorf

Other Doit- spread of Settlements

d( of Liutig- lmpl"mcnts- NegroSlave- and Customs Indians Their

Petition Number of them in Sehoharie

Milit I hu.-ion of Albany

County Early Otiieials 21

CHAPTER III. Loyalty ot Gentians to Britain

S. rir < lath Mohawksand Tomahawks- First Committee of

Safety Military District and Officers

Lvrni-of 1777 Di\isiun of Sehoharie

McDonald's Invasion The Haipers'

Adam Crysler Skirmish at OriskanyHemis Hdghts- Ituililing of Forts

Battle of Cobleskill Morgan's CorpsJohnson and Hiant'- Invasion at

Middle Fort Lower Foil In< i

"BraveWomen Colonel Vroman's March

CHAPTER III IOMIMM.to Moli. iv.U s.'lhs Henry I

Dockstader at Curntown and Aharon- \Yillett- Si-ths Ilen'ryat Fox'sCreek-

Crysler at V romansland in 1781 Cap-lain 1! nt at the Lake Camp-bell's and Simnis' Labors Returned

Tone* and Indians Muster K

1777 Sehoharie Supplies Division of

Albany County Inundation of the

liarie River 35

CHAPTER IV. Formation of County TheName of Sehoharie PopulationBoundaries Surface The Sehoharie

and Tributaries Inundation- Lakes

Formation of Towns nty

Officers First Court House Poor-

house Paupers County's Progress

\\arof i Si 2-- Delegate- to Slate Con-

vention Governor liouek's MessageSourkrout M< age- Anti-Rent

Railroads Plank Roads- SeminaryMania Susquehanna Railroad Si ho

harie Valley Sharon and Cherry ValleyHowe'- Ca\e Enterprises Mineral

Springs Education Religion Tem-

perance Sabbath School Societies

Bible Society Masonic Lodges Agri-

cultural and Medical Societies Tele-

phone Lines New--papers Criminal

Ust Summary of Fails- Population byCensus of 1880 56

CHAPTER V. Civil War The Year 1861

Captain Snyder Volunteers first Re-

cruitingColonel Mix and ComradesThe 76th Regiment Members 1 34th

M. -tubers of Companies The 44th

Members Members of other RegimentsColored Volunteers Hero Martyrs... 86

CHAPTER VI. Sehoharie County Civil List-

Judges of Common Pleas Assistant

s Judges Session Justices SurrogatesI Mstrict Attorneys-County Clerks-Sher-

iffs Treasurers-Superintendents of Poor

School Commissioners-- 1.nan Commis-sioners Excise. Inspectors Governor

Treasurers Adjutant General-yCanal

Commissioners Canal AppraisersCurator of State Library Legislature

'

Senators-CongressPresidential Elect-

ors Consuls 102

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

CHAPTER Yd.- History of the l',,wn oi

Town Formed First Town O;

I livision into

Di-trict- Town Meeting of 1849Ami-Rent Ditncultic-- Sheriff's Posse

Fir-t Settler- and Mills

|ohn Di-c Archibald do-well Tan-

TanneryIted I iy I'lalt. Potter &

Co.- '-- Luinan Reed

I avern --< >il

-Chniche- Mei, li.ini ' 'en-

tre Henry Tihbctt- McKHi, Narrali\c~ Offi-

District Atlur-

ik Assembly Slate

i.iries ........................ 119

CHAPTER VIII. History of tlieTo,,

Manorkill Falls Stry-

kcr Broth, : yens' Mill

(,,11,% Reed The First Store HuntingGrounds Indian Relics Disc Purcli:

of I... Uichlmycr The Disc

Rll Irtniyr

His Capture !>y Indian-- Escape Re-

building (if His llou-c 1 Ic ( >pcns an

Inn Hum idilional Settler?

Dairying Prominent Settlers TownJonathan Cone

Town Records ............................. 129

CHAPTER IN'. History of the Tnwn of BroomeWhen I Changed

Cat-kill Creek Indian Trail Generali- Firsl Settler, Daniel Shays

Hi- Life fcejicllion and Death David\Villiain- His Life Incidents Rela-

ting to Capture of Andre -

Livings-tonville Asa Stalkwcalilcr - Hi

ment in Convention Death.'rian Church-- Mcth-

'hurch Draft of 1813 Sniithton

Hulibai - . ly Super%Bounds ....................................... 133

CHAPTER X History of the Town of Jeffer-

11 When Settled B> Whom Inter-

est in Education l''ir-t Town MeetingEffort to Change the Name of Townlieman Ilickok J, idciny-Do): jilKMl Jlldd's Do:

of Farm 'I l-my Pres-- Tanneries Presbyterian

Church M Physicians JuddFamir Masonic (Irand

Army Re]>ublic- Methodist Church

\Ve-t Rill Methodist Church Gait's

History of the Methodist Society of

the Town Revolutionary Incidents

Smit',! i ory Clawson TakenHT Smith Family Battle at

Lake Ofli< i -visors --Generalof To%vn The Lake

Line Reliellion

Amount of Town Bond- Issued

Boundaries .................................... 142

CHAPTER XI II Utory of the Town of SummitII,, Lake

lohn-onand Brant's II. lit -Early Set-

I Other Business MenCl, -.edy

CHAPTER XI CoNiiNtiKi). PAGE.

Murphy's Own Statement Murphy'sPurchase Acl of 1777 AbrahamBecker Suit Gained Service's Affair

i 'oniemplated Settlement of the West-

em Part of the Town Seminary Its

Hi-lory Faculty, etc Dairy Interest

Elisha Brown Assemblymen Sher-

iffs -John l,a%\y,-r S. J. Lake Isaac

\V. Beard John II. Coons Churches

Fir-i Baptist Church Second Baptist

Church- -Reformed Church of Eminence--Methodist - Free Methodist - Luth-

er.m of Lutheranville Lutheran of

Beard's Hollow - Town Volunteers

Medical Frateinity First Town Meet-

ing Resolutions Report of iSBo

Officials Eminence 153

CHAPTER X1I1 History of the Town of Ful-

ton First Purchase of Land by Adam\Toman Adam \Toman and FamilyIndian Deeds Captain \ Ionian In-

dian Castle Colonel Peter VromanSwart Family Peter Swart His Man-

uscript Death -Orysler Family Mrs.

John I!";:- k I tenrj 1 lager In Mc-.iald's Cam -

lager at

Bemis Heights I'pper 1 ort---ExemptVolunteers- -Invasion bj (']'}'slci -Mur-der by

' l'risoners--( rysler1!

Invasion Murder near the Fort En-

gagement with Captain Hager Richard

Hagadorn Wounded Conflict at the

Lake- John-on's and Brant's Invasion

Mary 1 k Family andIsland Wm. ('. B.mck His Life-Inhabitants of 1788 Timothy Murphy

His Life and Historical Incidi

Town Formed - Patriotism of 1812

Petersburg!! Breakabeen-- First LandsSettled - F'ultonham --Charles Watson

West l-ulton--Churches--l'olly Hol-low Reformed ( 'hurch Physician-

Supervisor Boundaries 166

CHAPTER XIV.-- History of the Town of

Middleburgh -Weiser's Porf- ConradWeiser -- His Daughter --John Peter

G. Muhlenberg--Coiuad Weiser, JrSettlers of the Dorf Relic- of the Past

-Reformed Church Its F'.aily HistoryEd'tice Relmili in i7S5--Pctilion to

Assembly Pastors' Reformed ChurchLutheran Church Methodist Epis-

copal The True Reformed ChurchMiddle Fort Description Zielie Fam-

ily Colonel /ielie His i hildrcn

Swan Low Duich i;

Bor-t Family Grist Mill- Louck's

Family -Eckerson's First Men liant

(irist Mill Bellinger Family --Hart-man's Dorf Kichtmyer Family Alex-

ander I'niyd J. M. Scribncr JohnHinman Nathan Ilinman JonathanDanforth Atchiu-on House Freemire1 louse Merchant- Freeman Stanton

John P. Bellinger I), p. DGeneral Danforth Phy-icians Legal

ternity lion. Lyman SanfordNational Hani -

ge I. O.G. T G. A. R. Post Inco:porationHunter's Land Supervisors Bounda-ries 196

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

C'H AP'IT'.K XV. History of the Town of Sharon

|, M I torlach Sharon

DI,I]:I( h Grant I

1

i> t Seitli i- Later

Settler-. - Pelcr S<

Hi ol I M -i, \Villiani I.eekman Hattle of

Sharon Colonel MarinusWillett Leemami Hopper Families Main i

tmc ol Myndeit and ( itliers \Vill-

Kneiskern V Som-St. John's Church Reformed

Church Turnpikes Ta veins Beek-A. 1 lilt. in

l.ldredge P'.ldredgc 1-annh

Hi. I

1

. ilia, i Knglc's Mill Leesville

lioimanl Villages I eesvillc Lutheranisl Church

netery Rockville Sharon SpringsPublic Houses Anal} r

Meix-hants Konian ( 'atholi,- (lunch

Sharon Centre [<! ion

Hill and Iloll.,' K S. Wale Xach-

ariah Keyes Killing of Van Seiiaik

Johannes' 1. ..in Us William IlavcnportLemuel Cl . Kling -I'iliinent

Slate II:' . Bellengfr FamilyVan \ alkenlui! < or-

ners Reformed ( lunch of Sharon, ials Boundaries 226

CHAI'TKR XVI. Hisloiy of the Town of I'.len-

heim 249

CIIAl'TEK XVII. History of the Town of

Sewatd -Tow 11 Formed Peter I lymls

Henry llaiues I-'irst ( mst Mill

Capture' of the Hynds Family The

Crysler Urothers Invasion of Seths

iry Murder of Mici ley

--Murder of Catharine and Sebastian

France Frederick Merekley's FamilyFiance l-amily John Rice- First

Meeting Hou Murder of Mr. and

. Hoffman Rhinebeck (.'hurch

ll.ni\ Moeller anil Other Pastors

i 'Settlers of Rhinebeck Strobcck

Hyndsvillc- Sewanl \"alley--SewardStation \ille Rev. Philip

Wieling Colonel \Villett's Raids

Mills Business [nteresta -Churches

Dairy Interests Physicians TownBonds Supervisors Boundaries 268

CHAPTER XVIII. History of the Town of

Rielini Iville Formation of TownFirst Settlement George Warner

John Zea and Family Captain Snyder- His Life Snyder Family Warner-

ville- Cieotee Mann- Wann'rville Meth-

odist Cliuivh ' Church Sem-

inary First Tavern John WarnerFirst Justice of the Peace- Hon. John

ver Physicians Churches

Methodist, Lutheran and Christian

Seminary- Kulmiondville Bank

Newspapers School at West Rich-

mondville Supervisors Present Busi-

of Town 283

CHAPTER XIX. History of the Town of Car-

lisleFirst Settlers Dortach Giant-New Rhinebeck Mrs. Philip Karker

Judge Brown GeorgeWilliam Brown

Young Family John C. McNeill Set-

tlement of Grovenor's Corners Joseph

CHAPTER X!..mini V -'ire

irst

AC-

noi !ne

Turnpiki

in Hum_i 'i

KUlii

chj - lllc

_] 1 lie

ob-

ber 81 I. II. Angle< lies

Valuai nBoundaries of Town 3

CHAFER XX. Historyof the T ranee

Local i

|llir-

chase of the I

, Tumpi'.'

f.C.Wrfght Isaac H.i an

S

Merchant* Villa lion Stage

House and Route Academy'

I!- ''~

eper SloansvilU Van-

\alken1iurgh Settlement- -'h-

i amily Other

,l cr.,_st,, :

. \<$y.

H i, ; >', Nari itiiM'"

Kneisk, )Kneiskern Family

Enders Family- Mill

lohuson's Inva .iniiment

Brown -Anti-Rent Troul.i

\, ., papei' niotations from it Land

Patents 32O

CHAPTER XXI ol the Town (.fWiight

Town Formed First Settlement-

Becker Family Becker Land Grant

First Saw .Mill !!< '*"

John Dominick and Family EMIjg 2 Burning of /immer's Building*

Becker Murdered Advance UponHouse Snyder and

Mann Caplured Traditionary Tale of

Seths II ;h Major Becker's

DC Store at Shutter's Comers

Henry Becker Founding of School

Hunting Family Gallupville

Churches Reformed Church, Metho-

dist and Lutheran New Village

\\:i".in Making Dutch Settlement

Weidman's Hiram Waldcn Super-.rs Valuation Merchants and Phy-

sicians Boundaries 34*

CHAPTER XXII History of the Town of Scho-

harie First Settlers of Brunnendorf

Schaeffcr Family and Name Lutheran

Church and Parsonage Dominie Som-

mers, and other Pastors Doctor Lint-

ncr Reformed Dutch Church Church

Converted into a Fort Doctor Budd

"Post Mix" Peter Mix Doctor Brig-

ham Physicians of Schoharie Captain

Mann Captain Snyder Taverns

CONTENTS

r-HAl'TFR \\II-(CONTINUKD.) PAGE.L,,,^-n, Hotel. - FOX

:S I>..rf-Dietz

, -Colonel William Din/-- Will-

iam F'-x and Settler* of Fox'iDort

Smith's Dorf Court House George

Tiffany Lawyer Family Garlock s

ib \ roman Samuel Smith

(i II. Williams ]. G. Caryl Strubach

Mill Village at' Depot First Grist-

Mi ll Mill Distillery Bull-

, -lo-Fngagcmenl at Fort

John Ingold Bouck House, anil other

lings Burning of Court House

Fire Fountain Town School

. Schoharic Academy Metho-

dist Church-African Church-( lebhard's

-Schoharie Bridge Formation of

T,,wn First ( H'ticers Supervisors

] utheran Cemetery Commodore Hard-

ing354

CHAPTER XXIII. History of the Town of

-kill First Settlement Brown s

and Stream -Cobleskill Militia

Building a Furl - Invasion by Indians

and Tories First Schoolhouse Lam-

bert Lawyer Jacob L. Lawyer Chas.

Courier Augustus C. Smith Hotels

and Inns Early Merchants Churches

M r> . Borst The Schaeffcr or Shafer

Family Van Dresser Farm Kicht-

.:!y Captain Brown HenryShafer lierner Settlement Doctor

Werner Kilmer Settlement Wetsel

Family Brayman's :Mill Howe's Cave

Mineral Springs Paul Shank

Methodist Church of Mineral Springs

Lawyersville First Settlers Angle

Family Young Family General Dana

John Redington William Elman-

dorf Jared Goodyear Isaac H. Tif-

fanyThomas Lawyer Jcdediah Mil-

lerDoctor Shepherd Shutts FamilyThomas Smith Henry Smith J. H.

Ramsey William H. Young Ceme-

tery Wakeman Family Reformed

Church Lutheran Church Early Mer-

chants Physicians Legal Fraternity

Manufacturing Interest Masonic

Society Good Templars G. A. R.

post National Bank Formation of

the Town First Officers SupervisorsEfforts to Remove the Court House

Boundaries 386

APPENDIX. 449

ILLUSTRATIONS.Bouck Governor William C., Fulton, portrait

facing 176

Bouck lion. Charles, Fulton, portrait facing 176

Bergh Philip, Fulton, portrait 190

Becker Sarah E., Sharon, view of residence. facing 239

Best Benjamin, Fulton, portrait facing 177

Couchman Hon. Peter, Conesville, portrait. .facing 132

Clark Hon. William S., Espcrance, portrait. .facing 337

PAGE.

Colby Thomas, Gilboa, view of residence.. ..facing 128

Courier Charles, Cobleskill, portrait, (steel) facing 444

...frontisCourt House

Freemire John, Jr.. Fulton, portrait 193

Holmes Judge Charles, Cobleskill, porlrait (sleel)

facing 431

Howe's Cave, Cobleskill, view of Cave House 47

Howe's Cave, Cobleskill, view of Crystal Lake 409

Keyser Barent and wife, Blenheim, portraits266

Kilts Wesley H., Sharon, view of residence.. facing 228

LawyerGeneral Thomas. Cobleskill, portrait, (steel)

facing 441

Mattice, Adam L., Fulton, portrait 194

Murphy Peter, Fulton, portrait'

'9 1

Mayham Hon. Stephen L., Schoharie, portrait 384

Mil'ler Jedediah, Cobleskill, portrait 434

Norwood Dr. J. E., Schoharie, porlrait facing 363

Old Brick Lutheran Church, Cobleskill ... 398

Ramsey Hon. Joseph H., Cobleskill, portrait (steel)'

facing 435

Shafer Jacob L., Blenheim, portrait 267

Swart, Dr. Peter S., Schoharie, portrait 385

Sanford, Hon. I.yman, Middle! mrgh, portrait (steel)

between 222-223

Stone Fort, Schoharie 3UO

Tanner James, Cobleskill, portrait (steel)....facing 445

Vroman Ephraim B., Fulton, portrait 195

Wieting Rev. Philip, Cobleskill, portrait 448

Westover Hon. John, Richmondville, portrait (steel)

facing 299

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Bergh Philip, Fulton I9

Best Benjamin, Fulton facing 177

Bouck Governor William C., Fulton 176

Bouck Hon. Charles, Fulton facing 176

Clark Hon. William S., Esperance 337

Colby Thomas, Gilboa between 128-129

Couchman Hon, Peter, Conesville 132

Cuurter Charles, Cobleskill 444

Freemire John Jr., Fulton 193

Holmes Judge Charles, Cobleskill 431

Keyser Barent, Blenheim 265

Lawyer General Thomas, Cobleskill 441

Mattice Adam L., Fulton 194

Mayham Hon. Stephen L., Schoharie 383

Miller Jedediah, Cobleskill 433

Murphy Peter, Fulton '9 1

Ramsey Hon. Joseph H., Cobleskill 435

Sanford Hon. Lyman, Middleburgh...between 222-223

Shafer, Jacob L., Blenheim 267

Swart Peter S., M. D., Schoharie 385

Tanner James, Cobleskill 445

Vroman Ephraim B., Fulton 195

Westover Hon. John, Richmondville 299

Wieting Rev. Philip, Cobleskill 447

INTRODUCTION.

In compiling the facts chronicled in the following pages, the Author has IK it

been led by an idea of financial gain or literary glory, but by a sense of the worthi-

ness of Schoharie's history being published by itself, and not in connection with

that of other localities. In this County he has a pride. It is the " land of his birth !

'

1 1 1 glories in her beauty and grandeur.

Whether it be among her fossiliferous rocks, within her winding caverns, or

upon the romantic surface, he feels that it is home; full of instruction, pleasing

associations and wonders, such as few sections can boast.

I'lompted by such motives, and the solicitations of those earnest in interest,

the Author was induced, many years ago, to garner the harvest of events connected

with the County, which he here presents for the instruction and pleasure of the

youth of Schoharie, with the hope that a presentation of the struggles of their fore-

fathers and mothers, in establishing peaceful homes, and their triumphs through sac-

rifice of life, fortunes and personal pleasures, in obtaining the rich blessings of free-

dom, may animate them to a just appreciation of the priceless inheritance bequeathed

to them.

Others with more pleasing pens, have traced our early history previously

in connection with other border settlements, and brought to light many facts that

would lia\e been lost, or marred by ruthless tradition but for these labors at the

time; vet t he inveterate animosity created by antagonistical interest through the

settlement of the Palatines, and later through the Revolutionary war, has not died

away, and much that was chronicled has been proved through more recent discoveries

of documents, to have been exaggerations, dictated by those " bitterest of feelings."

The settlement of the Clermans, and incidents connected with their pioneer life,

was based entirely upon tradition, leaving important facts in doubt, and dates open

to conjecture. The only work upon that event was by the late Judge John-M. Brown,

in his " Brief Sketch of the First Settlement of Schoharie," published in 1823, when

he had arrived at the advanced age of seventy-eight. The work was founded upon

INTRODUCTION.

tradition, wit lit he exception of such events as came under his personal observation,

and proves to be incorrect, jre<it is an interesting and amusing work, with too few

pages to satisfy tin- reader, upon such an interesting subject. Campbell, in his

"Annals of Trvon County," and Jeptha R. Simms, in his "Border Wars," have

(fared the same line of events through tradition, and brought their conclusions be-

fore t lie reader in nearly parallel lines. Thev were better acquainted with the in-

cidents connected with (hi- Revolution, through many of the actors in that strife,

with whom thev were intimate, and to them we arc indebted for many authentic

tacts that make up the general historv of that eventful period. Revolutionary facts

thus handed down, coupled with those collected in the forepart of the century byAuthor's parent, who was conversant with many of the old patriots, together

with rustv documents of late brought to light and never before published or con-

sulted, assure the authenticity of this work, from the first settlement of the Countyto the cloM.-of the war, which part of our history has hitherto proved unsatisfactory.

In collecting facts relating to the time intervening between the last event and

the present day, the writer has spared neither time nor expense, and has traveled

thousands of miles, repeatedly visiting each neighborhood to consult persons,

Is, and public archives, and feels that his labors have been in the main, fruitful

in interest and accuracy.

The latter has been a pleasing portion of the task, as it has brought him in

acquaintance with the people of the County, from whom he has received the

kindest hospitality, assistance and encouragement in the work, and given birth to

many associations that will be treasured with pleasing remembrances and jealous

care.

Among the many visited, were aged ones the silver rays of Schoharie's heroic

days who have cleared the portals of seventy, eighty, and even ninety-five, with

robust forms and active minds, and to them the writer has many times been indebt-

ed for explanations and the information necessary to a correct filling out of records

carelessly kept.

Those who have aided and encouraged in the work, have been almost "Legion,"

and to all such the writer extends his grateful thanks, and hopes his efforts to pre-

sent a truthful history, will not prove fruitless, but that it maybe a mile-stone of

events reared upon our County's century course, and read by our youth and posteritywith profit, and by their true patriotism, industry and frugality, be enabled to addas worthy a record of their day and generation, as the fathers of the County havehere transcribed through the author

WILLIAM E. ROSCOE.