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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.
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